A growing percent of students across Iowa’s public universities feel comfortable expressing their opinions on and off campus, in and out of class, and even on social media according to a second free speech survey Iowa’s Board of Regents administered earlier this year, just over two years after ordering its first following a string of campus incidents that drew intense criticism from Republican lawmakers.
Speaker of the Iowa House Pat Grassley has served in the Legislature nearly 18 years and has never over that span seen it undertake a broad review of “how we deliver higher education.”
“The students that issued the statement have every right to their opinion,” Board of Regents President Michael Richards said. “I continue to strongly disagree with what they said and stand by that. However, I should not have used insulting language towards the students.”
A state Board of Regents study group will present its final report and recommendations on a nearly seven-month study and pause of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at regent universities at the next regents meeting next week. The report recommends that the regents and the regent universities restructure central DEI structures to include staff essential.