Iowa Board of Regents cuts DEI programs

DES MOINES, Iowa (WWI– In April, Iowa lawmakers passed the Department of Education budget banning DEI programs in public institutions.

Now the Board of Regents is trying to get Iowa’s three public universities to comply before that law takes effect next year.

The Board of Regents met Thursday to discuss progress on the distribution of funds and to emphasize the need to make specific changes.

The board made it clear that both they and the universities (Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa) are complying with the changes, but that more needs to be done…

Regent David Barker pointed to several examples of schools not eliminating or restructuring offices that promoted DEI.

“The promotion of these ideas is so widespread within the university administration that it will take significant effort to ensure compliance,” Barker said. “Strategic plans still need to be changed, and our presidents must strongly communicate that they expect our universities to follow the spirit of the law, not find ways around it.”

The board says it plans to make more changes in February to ensure universities are not associated with politics.

It also says the schools must submit an annual report to Governor Reynolds showing their compliance with the rules.