Iowa House OKs Bills Affecting Public University Curricula

Lawmakers seek to change curricula at the University of Iowa and other state institutions.

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The Republican-controlled Iowa House passed three bills last week that would order curricular and other changes at the state’s three public universities: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. Whether they will also pass the state Senate, which is also in GOP hands, remains unclear.

House File 2487 would require the universities to identify any general ed course requirements that “include diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race theory–related content” by the fall 2028 semester. The legislation says the Board of Regents “in its discretion shall direct an institution to eliminate such a course or course requirement.” The bill doesn’t define DEI or CRT.

For new undergraduates enrolling at the universities after July 1, 2028, a second bill, House File 2361, would generally require they complete a “comprehensive survey of all American history” course, and another on “all” American government to earn a four-year degree. The universities would have to accept these courses as fulfilling their “general education or core curriculum requirement for social sciences or humanities.”

The civics centers at these public universities—faculty critics often dub them conservative centers—would designate courses that meet the mandates, according to the legislation, which also requires the Board of Regents to review all undergrad gen ed requirements and core curricula at those institutions.

The third recently approved bill, House File 2245, would require the board to use search committees comprised of five voting board members when undergoing university presidential searches. The bill would require presidential candidates to be kept secret unless all five members agree to make their names public.

The committees would also include four nonvoting members: a student, a Faculty Senate member, another employee at the university and either a graduate, a member of the public or a “member of a nonprofit foundation acting solely for the support of the institution.”