Stop attacking higher ed in Iowa

As a mom of two college bound high school seniors and a member of my university’s alumni board, I am absolutely disgusted with the ideas floating around the State Capitol in regard to higher education.

First, tying Iowa Tuition Grant funds to predetermined majors is ridiculous. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, almost 80% of college students change their majors. We do not need to financially penalize college students who change their major that currently doesn’t fit the narrative of our legislature, especially the narrative of our current legislature. This would create barriers to education. And this is a far overreach of government. This would drive any young talent far from the state, which could have negative impacts to the state’s economy and continued brain drain.

Secondly, allowing state lawmakers to eliminate or add departments on its public university campuses is a dangerous precedence to set. We’ve seen firsthand how lawmakers in Iowa have attacked public education. There is nothing stopping them from shutting down departments they don’t like or feel we need. Lawmakers don’t like teachers, so let’s just close the Education departments down at all the universities. Lawmakers feel that Psychology is just a made up major, shut it down. Again, another great example of government overreach.

Iowa used to be at the top of the nation in education. However, attacking higher education will not bring us back. It will only take us down the drain and out of state.

Jennifer Schulte

Cedar Rapids