The Iowa Legislature and Governor Promote Hate in DEI Ban

The Consequences of Eliminating DEI in Iowa’s Public Universities

The Iowa Legislature and governor have taken an extreme stance by mandating the complete elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs from the state’s public universities. This decision was made without evaluation, discussion, or consideration of alternatives. The mandate reflects a common white supremacist trope and shows that leaders of the state with a majority white population is not hospitable to women, people of color, and those with a low socioeconomic background.  The implications of this hateful and short-sighted move extend far beyond politics—it threatens educational excellence, economic competitiveness, and Iowa’s future workforce.

The Purpose of University DEI Programs

DEI initiatives exist to foster a learning environment that welcomes students from all backgrounds. They provide resources for first-generation college students, support underrepresented groups, and ensure that every student, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status, has an equal opportunity to succeed. These programs do not promote division; they promote access and fairness.

Risks of Eliminating DEI Programs

By dismantling DEI programs, Iowa risks:

1. Reducing Student Support Services: Many DEI offices provide mentorship, tutoring, and mental health resources tailored to the needs of students who historically face higher barriers to success. Their removal could lead to declining retention and graduation rates, especially among marginalized students.
2. Weakening Workforce Readiness: Today’s employers value diversity and seek graduates who are prepared to work in multicultural environments. By eliminating DEI, Iowa’s universities could lose their competitive edge in preparing students for the modern job market.
3. Damaging National Reputation and Student Enrollment: Many students choose universities based on their commitment to inclusivity. Without DEI programs, Iowa’s public universities may struggle to attract top students and faculty, adding to a lack of overall academic prestige that started with the elimination of university DEI programs.
4. Limiting Research and Innovation: DEI programs contribute to diverse perspectives in research, helping institutions address complex challenges. Universities that ignore diversity risk stagnation in academic and scientific advancement.

Kim Reynolds Trumpets Her Support of the DEI Ban

And most recently, in January Iowa Governor and chief Trump sycophant Kim Reynolds posted on X that she had sent a letter to university presidents to “remind” them of the obligation they have to support state law AND President Trump’s executive order ending “illegal” DEI. Notwithstanding that DEI is not illegal, other than in the state of Iowa, where a state law enacted last year prohibits it. And, most of Trump’s executive orders are illegal and anti-constitutional diatribes, and any positive citation of his anti-DEI stance shows a strong racial bias.

The Future of Higher Education in Iowa

This decision is not just about policy, it’s about the future of Iowa’s education system. If lawmakers truly seek to improve higher education, they should evaluate programs based on effectiveness, not ideology. Rather than outright elimination, a rational approach would be to assess how DEI programs can best serve students and enhance Iowa’s universities.

Iowans Deserve Better

Iowans deserve an education system that uplifts all students, not one that retreats into exclusion and inequity. Instead of dismantling DEI, we should be asking: how can we ensure that every student can thrive? Because when our students succeed, so does Iowa.