University of Iowa to Establish Task Force for Reviewing DEI Positions and Initiatives Following State Board of Regents Study

There has been a major development in the field of higher education where the University of Iowa (UI) has set up a task force to review its campus Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. This follows a comprehensive study conducted by a state Board of Regents study group for almost seven months and subsequent recommendations made.

The final report from the Board of Regents study group will be presented during a regents meeting at the University of Northern Iowa on November 15-16. The restructuring proposed by this report is expected to focus on compliance and accreditation-mandated employees as per federal law within central DEI structures among the regent universities. Specifically, some recommendations include reviewing department-level DEI positions and roles not related to compliance in any way like student support services within central DEI offices.

This action taken by the University of Iowa is coming against a backdrop of a national conversation regarding DEI initiatives in higher education. Two anti-DEI bills were introduced during the 2023 session in the Iowa Legislature. Although these bills failed, similar laws have been passed or are under consideration in 22 other states that seek to prohibit or restrict DEI programs.

In their joint statement, Liz Tovar, Executive Officer and Associate Vice President-Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at UI, along with Peter Matthes—Vice President for External Relations and Senior Advisor to UI President, highlighted how important diversity and inclusion are. They look at these recommendations as an opportunity for aligning the university’s efforts towards compliance and accreditation standards, thereby supporting the success of students, faculty, and staff.

There are several key recommendations contained within this report that the regents should consider. These include no mandatory inclusion of students in DEI statements or requirement for pronoun disclosure; developing a regents policy forbidding race consideration when admitting new students; conducting a review on GE courses linked with DI&E; and creating policies for annual guidance on separating political advocacy from professional activities and university business. In addition, such a report proposes searching recruitment techniques for adding various candidates to the university’s workforce as well as formulating a proposition on free speech and civic education training.

This evaluation was made based on various state and federal laws, including Iowa Code 19B, Iowa Code 216, and Iowa Code 261H. The recommendations attempt to align the university’s DEI efforts with these legal prerequisites as well as remaining committed to diversity and inclusion.

The University of Iowa is currently at a critical stage since it has just established a task force that will be responsible for putting in place some of the above recommendations. It is evident that whatever decisions are made and policies implemented in the coming months will not only affect the university community but will also play a part in the ongoing national discourse about DEI’s role within higher education.

Read more DEI related stories from DiverseJobsMatter.