Iowa universities told to update DEI portions of their strategic plans

Two weeks after receiving a progress update on its public universities’ efforts to comply with 10 directives to scale back or eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on campus, the Board of Regents in late November issued an 11th DEI mandate.

“The board would like to request that the university review and update the portions of its strategic plan that pertain to diversity, equity and inclusion,” the board’s Chief Academic Officer Rachel Boon wrote in a Nov. 19 email to the presidents and provosts atop the University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa, and Iowa State University.

“The board's own plan will be updated at the January BOR meeting.”

Although Boon in her email didn’t provide specific direction on what the universities should be looking for in their reviews and how exactly they should update their plans — which were adopted one to two years ago, depending on the campus — the request comes after years of mounting DEI-related criticism from Republican lawmakers.

Echoing those lawmakers’ questions and concerns, the Board of Regents last year handed down its list of directives — including to restructure or eliminate DEI offices, functions, and positions that aren’t necessary for compliance or accreditation.

The board also required the universities to ensure no student, employee, or visitor has to submit any form of a DEI-commitment statement or share their pronouns; to annually remind employees to keep their personal political advocacy out of the classroom; to explore ways to advance philosophical diversity on campus; and to establish a widespread free speech and civic education initiative.

Lacking a timely update of the universities’ progress on those directives, lawmakers in the last Legislative session passed a law baking into Iowa Code many of the board mandates — but going further, like restricting DEI spending and creating a mechanism for penalizing violations.

In updating the board in November on steps they’ve taken to comply with the new Iowa Code Chapter 261J — like cutting jobs, closing offices, and eliminating training — university leaders reported reallocating more than $2.1 million from DEI to other priorities.

But several regents urged the universities to go further, including Regent David Barker — who hinted at a coming strategic plan review.

“Just this semester there were several examples of university administrative offices that are not being eliminated or restructured that promoted DEI,” Barker said. “Strategic plans still need to be changed, and our presidents need to strongly communicate that they expect their universities to follow the spirit of the law, not to find ways around it.”

The new law doesn’t officially take effect until July 2025, but board President Sherry Bates has set a Dec. 31 deadline for being fully compliant.

In Boon’s November email directing a strategic plan review and update, she told the universities to have a draft to the board office no later than Jan. 31, with a final version by Feb. 7 — to be considered at the February meeting.

‘Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion’

Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen, in response, has established a 15-member advisory committee to review and recommend strategic plan revisions. The group — including representatives from across its colleges — met twice before providing recommendations to senior leaders.

University of Iowa officials told The Gazette, “We will follow the board directive but do not have anything more to share at this time.”

And University of Northern Iowa has a “strategic plan coordinating committee” that meets regularly.

“The BOR directive and our next steps are being discussed in that group,” UNI spokesman Pete Moris said. “This topic has also been discussed in president’s cabinet.”

UNI’s five-year strategic plan is the most recent of the three — updated just last year to extend between 2023 and 2028.

That plan doesn’t include a DEI section but does include among its five themes one focused on “innovating solutions to create an inclusive society.”

“A rapid shift in racial/ethnic diversity in Iowa and throughout society is also met with lingering inequities that fall along demographic lines as it relates to higher education access and success,” according to the UNI plan, which asks, “How might we reenvision our university’s climate, policies, and standards of practice to best live our values and be a welcoming and inclusive place for all?”

The current UI plan spanning 2022 to 2027 does prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“The plan was informed by the university’s commitment to moving from a focus on diversity alone to a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” according to the plan, which it states was developed “followed a period of continuing national conversation that contributed to heightened awareness of the need to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at Iowa. This plan’s implementation begins at a time when the university community is broadly supportive of meaningful change toward a more respectful and inclusive culture in which individuals feel a sense of belonging.”

UI goals around DEI growth include improving programs and policies “to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the university community”; expanding physical spaces dedicated to supporting diversity students, faculty, and staff; using data-driven policies and practices to retain diversity students, faculty, and staff; and better communicating the university’s values on DEI.

Iowa State’s strategic plan — spanning 2022 to 2031 — includes among its values “richness of diversity” and “freedom from discrimination.”

Specifically, it aims for Iowa State in nine years “to be the university that cultivates a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment where students, faculty, and staff flourish.”

“The university will take action to recruit a diverse student body and track and examine demographic gaps,” according to the plan. “The university also will take actions to recruit and retain a diverse faculty and staff, and track and examine demographic gaps.”

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com