1. Greek alcohol moratorium lasts the year

Following the death of University of Iowa student Kamil Jackowski in April 2017, greek-life leaders banned all chapter events with alcohol “until further notice.” On Aug. 4, 2017, leaders announced the ban would continue during the 2017-18 academic year until the campus culture around drinking made positive strides toward change. In November 2017, a pilot program was tested for chapters with no moratorium violations to have an alcohol event under specific guidelines.

2. Ped Mall shooting results in one death, Wilson charged with voluntary manslaughter

On Aug. 27, 2017, a shooting took place on the Pedestrian Mall, resulting in the death of Kaleek Jones. Lamar Wilson was one of the initial suspects arrested following the shooting and went on trial charged with first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, and three counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon. Later, a gang-participation charge was added.

At his trial, Wilson used “stand your ground” as part of his defense, one of the first times it had been employed in Iowa. At the completion of his trial on Feb. 7, Wilson was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, two counts of assault with the intent to inflict serious injury, and intimidation with a dangerous weapon.

3. Hawkeye Wave becomes football tradition

During the Sept. 2, 2017, Iowa/Wyoming football game, the Hawkeyes began a heartwarming move of waving to kids watching the game from the 12th floor of the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital. At every Hawkeye home game after the first quarter, a sea of black-and-gold spectators waved up at the children holding signs, watching the game from above. The tradition caught the attention of national media, including being featured in an ESPN video.

4. DACA future uncertain all year

President Trump announced on Sept. 5, 2017, his plan to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which began in 2012 for illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children, granting them protection from deportation and the ability to obtain work permits and/or an education. The announcement sparked protest, and UI leaders spoke out in solidarity with those students who could be affected if DACA was rescinded. While a March 5 deadline was given to Congress to make a decision on DACA’s future, no action has been taken to take away DACA status from individuals. Courts have halted Trump’s plan, at least temporarily.

5. Hawkeye football upsets Ohio State

The Hawkeyes beat No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 4, 2017, causing fans to swarm the field at Kinnick Stadium. The game turned out to be one of the Hawkeyes’ biggest upsets, taking down the highly rated Buckeyes, 55-24. In helping the Hawkeyes achieve the feat, Josh Jackson snared 3 interceptions, tying the school record. Jackson’s third, a seemingly impossible one-handed catch while he was suspended in midair, was featured in several national highlight reels.

6. Dance Marathon raised more than $3 million at the 2018 Big Event

Though organization officials set no fundraising goals this year, Dance Marathon broke its record for raising funds by taking in slightly more than $3 million at the Big Event on Feb. 3 for pediatric-cancer research. Over the course of 24 hours, families and students danced and participated in activities to help them stay on their feet for the kids.

7. Chris Street’s legacy lives on

This year marked 25 years since the death of Hawkeye star basketball player Chris Street on Jan. 19. Street died in a car accident in the middle of the season. To honor the former player, Iowa held the Chris Street Forever 40 Memorial Game. Then, on Feb. 25, Jordan Bohannon made national headlines and praise when he purposely missed a free throw to ensure Street’s school record of consecutive free throws remained.

8. Hira Mustafa and Heath Schintler elected in UISG elections

The UI Student Government election season began on March 19, when four tickets announced their campaigns. During the campaign, presidential candidate Kyle Apple on the Envision Iowa ticket decided not to run after two controversial social-media posts from his past were brought to attention. Then, the UISG Student Judicial Court found the SURGE ticket responsible for falsifying its campaign budget. The violations did not merit disqualification, however. The president and vice president candidates for SURGE, Hira Mustafa and Heath Schintler, won the election on March 30 and assumed office in April.

9. Reynolds signs fetal-heartbeat bill

On May 4, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a fetal-heartbeat bill after the Legislature had passed it. Under the law, if a fetal heartbeat is detected during an ultrasound exam, a physician may not perform an abortion except in certain circumstances. Many legal experts believe the ban may not hold up in a court challenge, given that it restricts abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy, which is illegal under Roe v. Wade. The state Board of Regents and many in the UI medical community have opposed the law.

10. Regents propose tuition increases of under 4 percent

After delaying a discussion about the next academic year’s tuition, the state Board of Regents announced on April 3 tuition increases would be under 4 percent. Students, including student leaders who spoke to the regents about the increase, have been concerned about the growing rate of tuition because of ever-less funding from the state Legislature. In response, Iowa’s public universities have made financial aid a priority to help students with rising costs.