The Iowa Board of Regents intends to propose a policy change on Wednesday that allows the Board to censor the content of required courses for department majors, minors and certificates. 

According to the press release, Sen. Herman Quirmbach (D-Ames) expressed opposition on Tuesday to the Board’s proposed action. 

“After careful review, I don’t find that any recent legislation has given the Board of Regents any authority over course content regarding diversity and race or sex discrimination,” Quirmbach said.“Existing Iowa law contains strong protections guarding the academic freedom of faculty and students, [and] protections that the Board’s proposed changes would violate.”

Quirmbach reviewed several prominent pieces of legislation from the past three years, some of which addressed spending on diversity programs. The legislation included specific exemptions for “academic course instruction” and “research or creative works” by students and faculty. 

His review also stated that current law mandates that Regents institutions “must strive to ensure the fullest degree of intellectual freedom and free expression.”

“Diversity, racism, and sex discrimination can be uncomfortable topics,” Quirmbach said. “That’s the world that our students are going to live in, and we do them a disservice if we shortchange their preparation.”

The memo raises concerns about the Board’s process in advancing the policy, noting the Board’s intent to approve it in a single session before allowing in-person public comment. 

Quirmbach concluded that “This rushing and legally unsupported action not only undermines academic freedom but also sidesteps democratic input from students, faculty, and the public.”