This week the university announced the creation of the Office of Writing and Communication housed with the provost’s office, naming Daniel Khalastchi as its executive director. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is thrilled for Danny and this opportunity to spearhead university efforts in an area of vital importance. Given Danny’s current role in CLAS as director of the Magid Center for Writing, we want to update the CLAS community on some additional changes happening.

To build on the success of the undergraduate Writing Certificate–established in 2012 through a generous gift from the Magid family–and support its continued development as an interdisciplinary program open to students in any major in any college, the Writing Certificate will move to the School of Journalism and Mass Communication effective Jan. 1, 2026, aligning with CLAS policy that academic degrees be housed in a department.

The Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, our renowned creative writing program for high school students, will become part of the provost’s office under the new Office of Writing and Communication.

As was shared earlier this week, due to ongoing funding challenges, the Iowa Summer Writing Festival and the Iowa Youth Writing Project will be discontinued at the end of this calendar year.

The many student-run publications currently associated with or advised by the Magid Center will continue to receive support and guidance to ensure that Iowa students have these unique and robust experiential learning opportunities. 

As these programs comprise the majority of Magid Center initiatives, the center itself will conclude with the creation of the Office of Writing and Communication; but thanks to the Magid family’s support of the Writing Certificate, our commitment to undergraduate writing is stronger than ever.

CLAS is grateful to the dedicated staff of these programs who have enriched the UI’s writing community, and to the Magid family for championing writing at Iowa.  We are confident that the new Office of Writing and Communication will foster even more opportunities to build on this remarkable legacy.