University of Iowa Provost Michael Hogan has an idea.

It involves learning, relationships and developing a "world class experience" for UI students.

The idea is to create a scholars program targeted at recruiting and retaining students, a program similar to one at Hogan's former home of Ohio State University.

The idea is in its preliminary stages - cost estimates and how long it would take to make curricular changes are not available yet. Hogan said he hopes to have some plans finished within 12 to 18 months.

"It's never going to happen if we don't start talking about it," Hogan said.

The program is one of several aspects that might offer students a better UI experience, Hogan said. Others include encouraging volunteering and living in one of UI's nine learning communities. Hogan is now assembling a task force that will make recommendations about how to better the UI student experience.

"I think it's healthier for a university from time to time to look at all aspects of what it does and do a comprehensive assessment," he said.

The task force has yet to be formed, he said.

The Ohio State Scholars Program offers 10 programs in which students live and attend class together, according to the Big Ten school. Its students usually graduate in the top 20 percent of their high school classes and have ACT scores of 25 to 28 or SAT combined scores of 1,140 to 1,290.

The program offers orientation, individual advising, career planning, co-curricular activities and residential programs.

UI now has an Honors program consisting of more than 6,000 undergraduate students. Initiated in the 1950s, five colleges campus wide offer students the opportunity to enroll in an Honors program within specific departments, said Bob Kirby, assistant director of the Honors program.

Students applying as incoming freshman to the program must have an ACT score of 29 or higher and rank in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class, Kirby said. They can also have lower class ranks if they have ACT scores higher than 30. College students can apply to the program if they have a grade point average of 3.2. All students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.2 to remain in the program, Kirby said.

In spring 2005, UI will change the minimum grade point average to 3.33, he said.

A scholars program, which would be in addition to UI's Honors program, would be the first of its kind at UI, Kirby said.

"Every university right now is concentrating on retention, and that's what the scholars program is really aimed at," Kirby said.