Universities reallocate $2.1M in DEI spending, criticism persists

CEDAR FALLS — Iowa’s public universities in recent months have made progress on complying with a new law restricting diversity, equity, and inclusion-related spending, training, and programming — cutting jobs, closing offices, and reallocating more than $2.1 million from DEI to other priorities — but some regents and lawmakers say their work isn’t done.

“Just this semester there were several examples of university administrative offices that are not being eliminated or restructured that promoted DEI,” regent David Barker said Thursday after hearing an update on changes the campuses have made to comply with new Iowa Code Chapter 261J.

Although the new law barring the campuses from establishing, maintaining, or funding DEI offices or employees doesn’t officially take effect until July 2025, Board of Regents President Sherry Bates in September set a Dec. 31 deadline for being fully compliant.

And Barker on Thursday said the campuses — despite their efforts — are not yet there.

“Promotion of these ideas has been so widespread in university administration that achieving compliance will take a great deal of effort,” he 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.”

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Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis — who in the last legislative session sponsored a DEI-prohibiting bill that materialized in the new law — this fall on several occasions has critiqued the campuses’ compliance efforts, including in an email to the Board of Regents over the weekend about Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen.

“It is my understanding that President Wintersteen criticized the Legislature's actions with regard to DEI at an ISU Alumni Association meeting recently,” Collins wrote in the email. “I do not appreciate it — nor did certain members of the board of directors. If President Wintersteen is interested in setting public policy for the state, then she should run for the Legislature.

“Until then, it is expected that she implements the policy the elected policymakers of this state decide on,” Collins wrote. “Let's make sure this doesn't happen again.”

Neither he nor Iowa State provided details about the comments in question.

‘Considerable amount of work to do’

Other DEI-related concerns that have emerged across the campuses this fall include training materials and videos provided to incoming students at the University of Iowa; professional development materials out of Iowa State’s Extension and Outreach office; and a UI-sponsored drag show.

Collins on Sept. 23 sent a letter to the regents suggesting they have a “considerable amount of work to do” — pointing to DEI training on the UI campus this fall that asked students to fill out an “identity wheel” to understand advantages and disadvantages that come with certain identities.

“Identities that have systematically advantaged us are called privileged identities,” according to the training. “Everyone has privileged identities of some kind. Having privilege doesn’t mean that your life is easier. But it does mean that there are less systemic obstacles related to the identity for you to overcome.”

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In Collins’ letter, he demanded UI President Barbara Wilson terminate the director of orientation services, writing, “If the board is serious about achieving compliance with Senate File 2435, you will make clear that the most blatant violation yet of the intent of this legislation will not be tolerated.”

He also criticized the UI decision to rename its central DEI office — rather than closing it altogether, like at Iowa State and the University of Northern Iowa.

But this week’s regent report on the campuses’ compliance efforts indicates the UI administration actually has closed an office — given its central DEI division was comprised of an Office of Institutional Equity, Center for Inclusive Academic Excellence, and Office of Inclusive Education and Strategic Initiatives.

“The office primarily responsible for the university’s DEI efforts (IESI) was eliminated,” according to the report. “The remaining two units were reorganized and retiled under a new division — Access, Opportunity and Diversity.”

Given the new Iowa Code chapter bars only DEI offices, employees, and training not required by state and federal law or for compliance standards, the regent report this week highlighted ways in which existing offices and employees accommodate state and federal mandates.

“The Office of Equal Opportunity meets the Chapter 261J definition of a DEI office, but the services and programming it provides are necessary to ensure compliance with state and federal law,” according to an ISU portion of the report, highlighting the office’s work to investigate and resolve discrimination and harassment complaints, provide education on civil rights obligations, and administer the ISU affirmative action plan.

During Thursday’s meeting, though, regent Barker said he hasn’t seen any state or federal law requiring any form of a DEI office.

“The new Iowa law says that regent universities shall not maintain a DEI office unless it is provided by law or accreditation standards,” Barker said. “There is no law or accreditation standard listed in today’s report that requires our universities to maintain DEI offices. There is no law or accreditation standard that even mentions a DEI office, making it difficult to argue that such an office is ‘provided by law or accreditation standards’.”

‘Could be some changes’

In addition to closing offices, all three campuses reviewed positions that potentially performed DEI functions — including 77 at the University of Iowa. Of those, 11 were eliminated — including six that had been left vacant during a recent hiring freeze.

Those cuts amounted to $868,219 in savings “directed to other student success and programming needs.”

Iowa State’s closure of its central DEI office resulted in the elimination of five positions — reallocating about $789,000 to other priorities. And UNI reviewed 25 jobs that performed DEI functions — cutting five and reassigning one, saving $486,144.

Regent Jim Lindenmayer in thanking the campuses for their work, said, “I don't think anybody, when you break down DEI, nobody is against diversity.”

“We all know diversity of thought is good. Diversity of perception is good. We know that our world is becoming more diverse,” he said. “Equity is something that we've all been for, believe in, and live every day. And certainly inclusion is something that we all want.”

The problem, he said, has been the institutionalizing of it.

“It’s that we've institutionalized these things and maybe taken them too far in some instances,” he said.

Although board President Sherry Bates on Thursday said, “The universities have completed most of their work,” she also said the regent review and oversight of the issue will not be static.

“We are directing each university to establish a process for continual review of current and new programming,” she said.

And Barker said, “The report is only a start” — speaking directly to the impetus for the law.

“The law is designed to keep university administration out of politics,” he said. “Professors can conduct research and take controversial ideas wherever they go, but the university itself should be neutral on politics and controversial issues.”

On the issue of politics — and the idea that some of the campuses’ DEI efforts are aimed at federal compliance — regent Robert Cramer asked whether this week’s presidential election might have an impact.

“Maybe with this change in administration, the Department of Education won’t be pushing against what we’re doing,” Cramer said.

“This week everyone is still trying to figure out what all that means,” Barker said. “But certainly there could be some changes.”

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Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

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