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.
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