Elizabeth Willis, since arriving on the University of Iowa campus a decade ago, has come to epitomize the iconic and esteemed Iowa Writers’ Workshop in which she teaches and the wealth of writers among whom she continues to create.
Committee chair thinks that’s ‘a major problem’
Shortly after an analyst from a high-profile conservative policy group two weeks ago presented lawmakers with evidence that more than 20 programs across Iowa’s public universities have a negative “return on investment,” a member of the Board of Regents contacted her with questions.
Warning Iowa is suffering from a “crisis in civics literacy,” a representative from the National Association of Scholars on Wednesday urged lawmakers to reform public university general education requirements, establish autonomous civics schools on its university campuses, and ensure education accrediting bodies can’t block Iowa’s reform laws.
In hopes of boosting enrollment and addressing Iowa’s workforce needs, the University of Northern Iowa is proposing slashing tuition rates by more than half for non-resident students from bordering states to match instate rates paid by Iowa residents.
A year after lawmakers passed sweeping legislation banning diversity, equity, and inclusion spending across Iowa’s public universities, legislators are taking aim at DEI-related curricular requirements — and the Board of Regents is in support.
Also, state lawmakers are once again considering changing Iowa’s legal K-12 school start date
He is the longest serving president in the college’s history.
Hoping to shield Iowa’s public universities from potential backlash to policy changes enacted by lawmakers, Republicans pushed forward a bill that would allow them to sue private entities that review the quality of colleges.
The proposed bill would ban Iowa’s regents institutions from having general education curriculum that teaches “identity politics” or claims systemic racism, sexism, oppression or privilege are inherent in U.S. and Iowa institutions.
As legislators this week continue their consideration of a group of bills aimed at reshaping higher education in Iowa -- taking aim at diversity, equity, and inclusion programming, curricular offerings, and accrediting agencies -- one lawmaker on Wednesday called on Iowa’s community colleges to consider offering bachelor’s degrees.
In responding to a House proposal that would require the University of Iowa to establish a new “School of Intellectual Freedom,” a UI lobbyist on Tuesday announced campus plans to create a new “Center for Civic Dialogue and Leadership.”
Multiuse entertainment district planned to be ‘game-changer for the Ames community’
Iowa’s new House Higher Education Committee has introduced a spate of study bills directed at Iowa’s public, private and community colleges and universities -- including several going further to limit diversity, equity and inclusion on the campuses and others imposing new mandates around what can and should be taught.
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