Hunter
11/08/24
The Iowa Board of Regents is in the process of identifying new ways to comply with state laws that restrict diversity equity and inclusion programs.
The Daily Iowan reports the Board met this week and received a report outlining the efforts to comply with new state law and provisions. The law prohibits any DEI office, employment of staff tasked with duties of a DEI office, and requiring anyone providing a DEI statement and giving preferential consideration to anyone on DEI principles.
Board Counsel Aimee Claeys said the staff tasked with reviewing these programs are exploring changing Board policies surrounding statements the universities can make and updating social media policies for the three universities.
Regent David Barker said the universities should be neutral on politics and controversial issues, while Regent Nancy Dunkel pointed out that they have been without a student perspective since Student Regent Abby Crow stepped down over the summer.
So far, the UI has restructured two of its offices, the Office of Institutional Equity and the Center for Inclusive Academic Excellence, into one division called Access, Opportunity and Diversity. The UI Office of Inclusive Education and Strategic Initiatives, identified by the report as primarily responsible for the university’s DEI efforts, was eliminated.