Iowa state board to review university gen eds for ‘substantial DEI’ and CRT

Dive Brief:

The Iowa Board of Regents will review the undergraduate general education classes at the state’s three public universities every two years for “courses with substantial DEI or critical race theory content,” starting in the 2026-27 academic year.
The board’s plan, which received final approval on Tuesday in a 5-3 vote, is a less restrictive version of proposed state legislation that failed to pass this session. Under that bill, the board’s reviews for diversity, equity and inclusion content would have resulted in coursework being changed or banned. 
Board President Robert Cramer said during Tuesday’s meeting that the review process would not result in the board cutting any classes or adding course requirements for students.

Dive Insight:

Prior to the vote, Cramer described the review as a way to bridge a disconnect between what some Iowa legislators believe is being taught at public universities and what’s actually happening in the classrooms.

Republican state lawmakers have sought to limit what Iowa’s three public universities — the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa — can teach in general education courses.

Cramer said he anticipates the review will turn up much less content deemed DEI and CRT than the Legislature expects.

“We think the vast majority of our faculty are presenting [coursework] in a fair and professional manner — describing what these things are, but not pushing an agenda one way or the other,” he said.

The board estimates that the reviews will take over 1,000 hours of staff work at its office and the universities.

Regent Nancy Dunkel, who voted against the new review, expressed concern that the process could disadvantage the state’s public universities — the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa — when they’re competing for students, employees and outside investment.

“Their success depends in part on confidence that academic decisions are made through established educational processes,” she said during the meeting. “We should be very careful not to create the perception that course content is subject to political review.”

Tuesday’s vote builds on a review process the board enacted in August. Regents, all of whom are appointed by Iowa’s governor, will audit the public universities at least every two years moving forward to ensure that faculty are presenting coursework “in a way that reflects the range of scholarly views and ongoing debate in the field,” according to the policy.

The most recent Iowa legislative session also brought changes to what classes students will be required to take.

Under a law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds earlier this month, all public university students must take an American history course and an American civics course to graduate beginning fall 2028. The courses will be designed and taught by the University of Iowa’s controversial Center for Intellectual Freedom. 

The center has been plagued by low enrollment since its creation in 2025, according to an April report commissioned by its leadership from Common Sense Institute Iowa, a right-leaning think tank.

The report advised that the center could boost student demand by offering courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements — a move that would be especially effective “if the center offers the only course that fulfills a state civics requirement.”

“If legislators, the university, and the center wish to see student demand for the center, they must create it,” it said.

The Iowa Board of Regents’ position is that it should handle decisions on coursework, Cramer said Tuesday.

“We really thought there were enough legislators that agreed with us,” he said