Iowa regents to cut ‘inclusion’ from strategic plan values

Ahead of its public universities’ charge to update their strategic plans by February, Iowa’s Board of Regents next week will consider an update to its own five-year plan that would eliminate references to diversity and inclusion.

“Core values” the board has redlined in its revised plan include “inclusion” and “diverse and inclusive experiences,” according to a proposal the regents will consider approving.

The proposed update replaces “diverse and inclusive experiences” with “high-impact academic experiences,” and it swaps “respect for differences” on its list of behavior expectations with “mutual respect for intellectual differences.”

It simply eliminates “inclusion” from its list of “practices for transformative growth” — leaving instead things like collaboration, academic freedom and shared governance.

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Changes to the board’s strategic plan align with several new state laws — including last session’s Senate File 2435 banning Iowa’s public universities from having or spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts not required by state or federal law or for accreditation.

“As with all strategic plans, it was intended as a living document that would serve as a guidepost for the board’s work and for the universities in the development of their own plans,” regent staff wrote about the proposed changes to the five-year plan, originally approved in February 2022. “Since that time, multiple state laws have influenced the scope and direction of some aspects of the board.”

Following the board’s November meeting — at which university leadership updated regents on measures they’ve taken to comply with DEI-related directives and legislation — the board directed their campuses to update the portions of their strategic plans pertaining to DEI. It promised to do the same with its own plan — following through this week with its proposed revisions.

Under a section in the board’s plan on “growth and innovation,” it proposes cutting a focus on “respectful interaction among members of diverse backgrounds, culture and beliefs in nurturing environments” and replacing it instead with an emphasis on empowering critical thinking, free inquiry and open communication.

Regarding “metrics and goals” for its campuses, the proposed revision cuts “underrepresented” students from those the universities should focus on in welcoming newcomers — instead expanding on-boarding programs for first-generation and non-traditional students.

A board goal that used to charge the campuses with expanding online programs in areas that will ”enhance opportunities as well as target underserved populations and industries” now urges a focus only on campus expertise and market demands.

‘More respectful and inclusive culture’

All three of Iowa’s public universities are engaged in updating their respective strategic plans — including the University of Iowa, which prioritized diversity, equity and inclusion in its original 2022-2027 plan.

“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 original plan. “Diversity (which the university defines broadly to refer to all aspects of human difference) is essential, but is not by itself sufficient to the pursuit of excellence. Development of the plan also 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.”

In a strategic plan progress report UI President Barbara Wilson and Provost Kevin Kregel issued in October, they highlighted research activity and expanded educational access — like through a John Deere scholars program, a national collaborative focused on increasing access for rural students and a first-generation initiative.

Although the progress report did not address original targets aimed at shrinking retention and graduation rate gaps between minority students and the total cohort — including an 11-percent attainment gap in four- and six-year graduation rates for underrepresented minority students -- they did report current metrics, showing improvement.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

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