The Iowa Republican Party has revived an effort to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Iowa's public universities, following a proposal that failed to gain support earlier this year.
Republican lawmakers in recent years have undermined the Iowa university's diversity efforts, arguing that they represent a left-wing political ideology and are increasing unnecessary administrative costs. They attacked all at once. Democrats oppose the change, arguing the program will make universities more welcoming places for students of all backgrounds.
The proposal, added to the education budget by the House and Senate in the final days of the legislative session, codifies key recommendations made in a study last year by the state Board of Regents, which oversees the three public universities. .
The bill, Senate File 2435, would prohibit universities under the Board of Regents from establishing or funding a DEI office for any reason not required by federal law, state law, or accreditation standards. It is something. This rule applies to Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa.
The bill defines DEI in part as “any effort that promotes discriminatory treatment or provides a special benefit to an individual on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity.”
On Thursday, both chambers of Congress passed the bill with only Republican votes, but the House made amendments to the Senate-passed bill and sent it back to the Senate for approval. The proposed amendment would regulate the use of funds established for the Office of Special Education, which oversees local educational agencies.
The House passed another bill earlier this year restricting DEI and making other higher education changes, but the Senate did not take it up. Republican Rep. Carter Nordman of Panola, who heads the education appropriations subcommittee, said the new regulations would codify the regents' proposal.
“I think we're tired of talking about it,” he said. “The Regents did a thorough investigation into it. A bipartisan board of Republicans, Democrats, and independents voted in favor of repealing DEI. What we're doing here is simply cleaning it up. I think it's time to end it.”
The board has five Republicans, three independents, and one Democrat.
Nancy Dunkel, the only Democrat on the board, criticized last year's recommendation to cut DEI services, saying the board was micromanaging the university and introducing “political interference” that she could not support. said. Abby Crowe, a registered independent and student member of the board, also had concerns about some of the recommendations.
Under the bill, rules prohibiting diversity, equity, or inclusion offices would go into effect on July 1, 2025.
Universities will no longer be able to hire or assign employees to perform DEI duties, and will also be prohibited from requiring DEI statements or giving preferential treatment to individuals based on DEI statements.
The bill specifies that the rule does not apply to student organizations, academic course instruction, speakers, research or creative works by students, staff, or faculty.
Funds that would have been directed to the DEI Office at the end of fiscal year 2025 will now be directed to the Iowa Workforce Grants and Incentives Program, which provides grants to students in high-demand majors.
“This will ensure that our universities return to educating the future of our workforce, the future of our state and our nation,” Nordman said.
Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City, said the bill brings national political motives to Iowa universities. He said diversity programs at Iowa universities have been successful in fostering student success and a sense of belonging.
“This allegation that universities are indoctrinating students or that something nefarious is going on is simply not true,” Zabner said. “And that's wrong because it really undermines the jobs of a lot of hardworking Iowans.”
House Republicans' previous higher education bill included a cap on tuition increases at public universities, but those policies were not included in the education budget. The budget includes his 2.5% increase in state funding to the general fund of all three universities, bringing his total to just over $12 million.
Democrats this year proposed a bill that would freeze college tuition in Iowa and increase the state's college spending.
“It used to be that Congress and states paid most of the money for college, and families chipped in,” Zabner said. “We've now gradually shifted to a situation where families bear the brunt of paying for college and council tips.”
During Thursday's Senate floor debate, Sen. Jeff Taylor, R-Sioux Center, said he believed the bill gave significant support to public universities and gave them discretion in how the funds were spent.
“We are in no way starving Regent University,” he said. “2.5% is a healthy increase, without saying it's for this program or for that program, without boxing it in, to have an increase for UNI, Iowa State, the University of Iowa. I'm glad I was able to do it.” ”