Latest news with #HouseHigherEducationCommittee
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Iowa Board of Regents considers study, policy changes reflecting legislation
The Iowa Board of Regents discussed changes to policy and progress on a study Wednesday driven by state legislation. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Legislation proposed during this year's session drove some updates on academic program study and policy changes heard Wednesday by the Iowa Board of Regents. Iowa Board of Regents Chief Academic Officer Rachel Boon provided an update to the board on efforts to review academic programs at each state university to examine their alignment with state workforce needs. Board President Sherry Bates directed staff and state universities in the board's February meeting to commence a study of all academic programs across the three institutions with the goal of compiling a report determining whether each program should be changed, eliminated or kept the same when looking at workforce alignment. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX House File 420, which Bates referenced in her directive, would have directed universities to complete the same study for presentation to the General Assembly. The bill passed out of the House Higher Education Committee but did not see House debate. 'We have a significant amount of information and expertise that we're already amassing and will continue to do so,' Boon said. University students speak out against anti-DEI actions at Board of Regents meeting A team formed to plan and conduct the study includes board staff and representatives from the University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University, Boon said, and it has met several times already to determine how to compile data and set the parameters for what programs they should scrutinize. Beyond internal processes, Boon said the team is also working to get in touch with the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa Workforce Development and community colleges to learn more about education and labor needs in the state. The team also plans to connect with the Iowa Business Council and other external partners, Boon said. Boon said she doesn't expect to have updates for the board at every one of their meetings before the full report is presented in November, but work on the study will be ongoing. 'The work is underway, and we feel good about being on target to have a really good product to bring forward to you for the November meeting, and (we're) happy to take questions at any time between now and then,' Boon said. Regent Christine Hensley said she was especially happy to hear that board staff will work with the Iowa Business Council, which opens up an opportunity for more collaboration between the council and full board. 'This is great information,' Hensley said. 'I really appreciate hearing (about) all of the activity and the collaboration you're working with everybody on, so I'm excited to see what comes back.' The board also recommended approval for changes to its policy manual, adding language complying with legislation referred back to the House Higher Education Committee after failing to be taken up in House debate. House File 270 would have state universities post online certain syllabus information. The board's Governance, Evaluation and Human Resources Committee provided initial approval to add language to its academic affairs policy requiring institutions post online syllabi information for most undergraduate courses, including course topics, materials and more. Changes were also proposed for the board's business and finance policy, adding a section stating the board will not set a rate of tuition increase that exceeds 'the average of the three most recently established' Higher Education Price Index inflation indexes, according to the policy. The price of equipment that institutions must include in their inventory would also increase from $5,000 to $10,000 in the proposal. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Iowa House lawmakers move bills expanding higher education DEI restrictions
Restrictions on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at Iowa community colleges and private colleges moved forward Wednesday in the Iowa House as lawmakers consider expanding prohibitions already in place at the state's three public universities. Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, last month tabled his own bill, House Study Bill 61, that would restrict community college DEI initiatives after Des Moines Area Community College announced it would pause its DEI efforts in the face of growing state and federal limitations on those programs. But House Higher Education Committee lawmakers on Wednesday revived the measure and took a 7-4 vote along party lines to advance it. More: University of Iowa 'school of intellectual freedom' among bevy of GOP bills battling 'woke' Rep. Monica Kurth, D-Davenport, said the bill was unnecessary. "Community colleges do not currently have these offices, and in this current atmosphere, I don't really see them opening these offices," Kurth said. Collins, the House Higher Education Committee chair, said Wednesday he appreciated that Iowa's community colleges are already in compliance or working toward that. "After conversations with my caucus, we believe these changes are important to codify," Collins said. Iowa's state universities' DEI programming and personnel already have seen ongoing major cuts and restructuring via legislation from the last legislative session that blocked them from operating DEI offices. The three schools governed by the Iowa Board of Regents have redirected more than $2.1 million from DEI roles and offices in response to the law and the regents' directives. Lawmakers also moved 7-4 to advance House Study Bill 60 barring private colleges and universities from participating in the Iowa Tuition Grant financial aid program if they operate a DEI office. The Iowa Tuition Grant is awarded to Iowa residents attending one of the state's private colleges or universities based on financial need. The maximum award for the 2024-25 school year is $8,500 for nonprofit schools or $6,000 for for-profit institutions. More: House bill would block Iowa Tuition Grant awards to private colleges with DEI offices 'I'm always surprised to see that we're butting into private businesses, even if they receive tax dollars," said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, who is a Drake University associate professor. Collins said that Iowans in November's general election "resoundingly rejected identity politics." "We will no longer be distracted by DEI," Collins said of the state's efforts to shutter DEI offices. "We will now be focused on MEI — that is merit, excellence and intelligence." Lawmakers also voted 10-1 to advance House Study Bill 152 requiring the Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corp., now called ISL Education Lending, to provide Iowa College Aid with an annual estimate of the annual percentage rate for the Federal Direct PLUS loan. It also requires ISL Education Lending post possible APRs for private loan programs including College Family Loans and Partnership Loans, and post comparisons between the terms of federal and state loans. The bill is intended to help make sure students know about the costs of loans before they take them on. All bills advanced Wednesday are now eligible for House debate. Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at mjpayne@ Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @marissajpayne. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Community colleges, private universities may face DEI restrictions
USA Today
13-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
House bill would block Iowa Tuition Grant awards to private colleges with DEI offices
House bill would block Iowa Tuition Grant awards to private colleges with DEI offices Show Caption Hide Caption Inside Iowa's 2025 Legislative Session: How a Bill Becomes Law Explore the process of how a bill becomes law in Iowa, insights into the 2025 legislative session, key deadlines, and how you can stay informed. Iowa House lawmakers proposed a bill that would withhold state financial aid from private colleges with DEI offices. Students testified that DEI programs are crucial for marginalized communities and their well-being on campus. The House Higher Education Committee also advanced other proposals, including one that would create a University of Iowa School of Intellectual Freedom. Private colleges and universities would be barred from participating in the Iowa Tuition Grant financial aid program if they operate a diversity, equity and inclusion office under a bill pushed forward by Iowa House lawmakers. The proposal, House Study Bill 60, expands the GOP-led push to end DEI initiatives in higher education to private schools after lawmakers last year restricted the efforts at public universities governed by the Iowa Board of Regents. Despite students sharing stories of how DEI programs helped them navigate college, Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, who chairs the House Higher Education Committee, said DEI programs have 'divided us more than ever.' 'DEI is DOA (dead on arrival) in the state of Iowa, and for our private institutions, honestly, this bill should be the least of their worries,' Collins said Wednesday as he advanced the bill out of subcommittee. Collins said he hoped Iowa's higher education institutions begin to work toward compliance with not only this bill, but also the executive order President Donald Trump signed last month ending DEI efforts in the federal government and discouraging DEI initiatives in the private sector. The Iowa Tuition Grant is awarded to Iowa residents attending one of the state's private colleges or universities based on financial need. The maximum award for the 2024-25 school year is $8,500 for not-for-profit schools or $6,000 for for-profit institutions. Adam Bessman, a first-year Drake University student, said he would not be attending school in Iowa if not for Drake's commitment to DEI. '… As a transgender man, I wouldn't be alive — literally, I would not be alive — if it weren't for the support that DEI programs give me and other minority students,' Bessman said. 'These programs allow marginalized Iowans to be safe and supported during their time in higher education.' Under the legislation, anyone may report a private higher education institution for potentially violating the bill to the attorney general, who would then notify the Iowa Department of Education and the institution within 15 days. The institution would be required to take one of two actions within 30 days of receiving notice: Either provide documentation that it was corrected to the attorney general and Department of Education, or demonstrate that the action was not a violation. If this is not done to the attorney general's satisfaction within the 30-day window, the institution would be ineligible to participate in the Iowa Tuition Grant program starting the next academic year. Eligibility could be restored by the next academic year after an institution takes steps to correct the violation or show no violation occurred. 'I continue to have questions regarding our interest in invading in the work of private higher education institutions while holding private K-12 institutions virtually unaccountable when it comes to funding,' said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, who is a Drake University professor. Democrats have sounded the alarm about the state's spending on education savings accounts, which divert taxpayer dollars toward private school expenses, exceeding initial cost projections. Starting in the 2025-26 school year, there are no income limits to participate in the program. Keenan Crow, director of policy and advocacy for the statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization One Iowa, said this was an inappropriate mechanism for regulating private colleges and opposed the legislation. 'We think that this bill in particular pits marginalized communities against each other. It pits the folks who need the Iowa Tuition Grant against the folks who need DEI services," and sometimes those populations are the same, Crow said. Karrecia Crawley, a Drake University law student who attended Simpson College for her bachelor's degree, said people targeting DEI programs fail to understand history and the racial segregation that preceded DEI initiatives. 'You're trying to take us back to the 1960s,' Crawley said. 'You're trying to take us back to the time where Black folks, where gay folks were not allowed to speak out and have their time, so if you want to sit at a different lunch counter, you're more than welcome to do that, but I will not be doing that.' Patty Alexander, who said she is a mother to a college student, was one of two people to speak in favor of the bill. 'I just hope that we can end the DEI and it will help lower college tuition and make it more affordable,' Alexander said. Committee gives OK to bill creating School of Intellectual Freedom The full House Higher Education Committee also met Wednesday to approve a handful of bills, including legislation creating a new School of Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa. Lawmakers heard a presentation from Luciano I. de Castro, an economics professor at the University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business, who pointed to data on political registrations by professors to argue that faculty at universities are overwhelmingly Democratic. "This is a fact we cannot dispute," he said. "Most, but not all, professors are left-leaning." He ended his presentation by telling lawmakers to "make universities great again." More: University of Iowa 'school of intellectual freedom' among bevy of GOP bills battling 'woke' The committee voted 7-4 along party lines to pass House Study Bill 52, which requires the creation of the school, which will "conduct teaching and research in the historical ideas, traditions and texts that have shaped the American constitutional order and society." "The future of our country is dependent on ensuring that the citizens of this country are taught to cherish and celebrate our western and American heritage," Collins said. "And I want to thank the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State who have made great progress on this initiative." Konfrst said she's in favor of intellectual freedom and intellectual diversity and called it "offensive and frustrating" when people assume professors won't offer a fair education because of their party affiliation. "I would say that if there is perceived bias and concerns about bias, the way to address that is not to introduce additional bias," she said. Bill would lock in tuition rate for in-state students, limit increases for new classes to 3% The committee voted 9-2 on Tuesday to pass House Study Bill 51, which Republicans named the "College Affordability Act." Under the bill, in-state students at Iowa's public universities would be guaranteed to pay the same tuition rate across their four years of college, and the universities could not raise tuition by more than 3% for any incoming class of in-state students each year. The bill would also require the Iowa Board of Regents to finalize all decisions about tuition increases by Dec. 31 of the year before the school year when the increase would take effect. And each public university would be required to develop at least one bachelor's degree program that could be completed in three years, and at least one program that allows students to work part-time while completing their degree, with their employer paying their tuition. Collins called the bill "one of the most important we consider in this committee." "I think it's important that we provide surety to our students and create some innovative ways where we can not only reduce costs but also get those students more quickly into the workforce," Collins said. Rep. Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville, said the bill's goals could be accomplished by the Board of Regents, not the Legislature. Pointing to Collins' recent statement on "Iowa Press" that "the Board of Regents should have been doing their job," on some of the issues being addressed by the Higher Education Committee, Jacoby tried unsuccessfully to amend the bill to require the regents to be elected, rather than appointed by the governor. "Each of these factors, these three or four separate initiatives, are things that could be done without legislation," he said. "They could be done by a responsible, innovative and a performance-driven Board of Regents." Republicans voted down the amendment. What else did the Iowa House Higher Education Committee pass? Other bills passed by the Higher Education Wednesday include: House Study Bill 50: The Iowa Board of Regents would be required to carry out a one-time review of all academic programs to determine how they align with the state's workforce needs. The bill passed committee 10-1. House Study Bill 56: The bill says students at Iowa's three public universities must take a class on American history and civil government as a requirement of graduation. The bill is based on model language from Civics Alliance, a New York-based group aiming to stop civics education from being turned "into a recruitment tool of the progressive left." The bill passed 7-4. House Study Bill 63: The bill would create a set of general education requirements for the state's three public universities. The bill passed 7-4. Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at mjpayne@ Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @marissajpayne. Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@ or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill would penalize university nonimmigrant visa-holders for pro-terrorism language
Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Birmingham, brought both support for and concerns about a bill penalizing nonimmigrant visa-holders for supporting terrorist activities on campus. He is shown here at a Jan. 31 subcommittee meeting. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) A bill to penalize nonimmigrant visa-holding students, staff and faculty at public and private universities for 'certain expressions of terrorist activities or organizations' will move to the House Higher Education Committee for further discussion. The measure advanced from an Iowa House subcommittee Tuesday despite questions from two of the three lawmakers on the panel. Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Birmingham said during the meeting he appreciates the direction of the bill but he has questions about how it would apply in 'real life' and in what is actually being seen on Iowa campuses. 'I think Republican loyalty compels me to sign on now,' Shipley said. 'I appreciate where the bill sponsors came from, I want to keep the discussion alive and I want more people to input … but I think we can do both simultaneously.' Shipley was joined on the subcommittee by Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames and chair Rep. John Wills, R-Spirit Lake. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX House File 115 would have Iowa Board of Regents-governed universities and private colleges in the Iowa Tuition Grant program create policies barring campus community members with a nonimmigrant visa from publicly supporting terrorist organizations or actions, with some exceptions. Penalties would include suspension, expulsion and job termination. They would also be prohibited from encouraging others to express their support for terrorist activity 'related to an ongoing conflict,' according to the bill, or terrorist organizations 'unless it is the policy or practice of the United States to support such activity or organization.' The definitions of terrorist activity and organizations follow U.S. code, according to the bill. If the university conducts an investigation and finds someone to be in their first violation of this policy, the bill states students should be suspended and faculty and staff members' employment should be terminated for at least one year. If found to have violated the policy for a second time, students would be suspended and employees fired permanently. According to the legislation, universities should, immediately after expelling or terminating the employment of someone who has violated the policy, update their records with the Department of Homeland Security to show they are no longer connected to the university. The alleged offender would also be unable to transfer or be hired at another state university or Iowa private college. Private universities found in violation of this policy would become ineligible to receive Iowa Tuition Grant dollars. Jillian Carlson, a state relations officer for the Iowa Board of Regents, said the board is registered 'undecided' on the bill, and would like to see the bill's focus narrowed from incurring penalties for persuading others to show support for terrorist activities 'at any time or place,' according to the bill, to only instances on campus or when using campus resources. Gov. Kim Reynolds said in May 2024 the state would not tolerate campus protests that go 'too far,' referring to pro-Palestine protests that took place in the spring across the U.S. and in Iowa. At the time, Rep. Carter Nordman, R-Panora, said 'unlawful pro-Hamas acts' are 'unacceptable,' and anyone found to violate the law or university policy should face immediate consequences. Shipley said he believes this bill would address a real problem on college campuses, but he'd like to see a clear definition of terrorism and how it would apply to people's language added to the legislation. The Legislature should make it transparent what counts as unlawful language and what the consequences of expressing that language are. The language in the bill that states staff cannot persuade others to 'support a terrorist organization unless it is the policy or practice of the United States to support such activity or organization' could be seen as revealing a political bias in the legislation, Shipley said. 'I think that does reveal the kind of political bias or hypocrisy that a left-wing person could accurately say, 'Oh, this is, you know, American imperial hubris that we're supposed to support terrorist organizations around the world if they're furthering our geopolitical ends,' Shipley said. Wilburn joined Shipley in having questions on the bill's language and what exactly it prohibits, though he said during the meeting he would not support its moving ahead as it's not ready for 'prime time.' With the goal of the new higher education committee to enact a review of higher education in Iowa, Wilburn said there is no rush to get this bill, which presents a specific action being taken by the Legislature, moved ahead. 'There's no hurry on this, and … when I say there's no hurry, again, if someone is inciting a riot and citing threats to our country or citizens or visitors who are in our country, they'd contact law enforcement,' Wilburn said. Wills said he is interested in taking a look at the amendment mentioned by Carlson, but he didn't guarantee it would be brought forward for adoption. With its passage, the bill will move to the higher education committee. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia House panel advances bill to increase grant access for state college and tech students
Members of the Georgia House Higher Education Committee are hoping to correct an oversight that prevented students from taking advantage of grants to help them graduate. Getty Images More Georgia's college and technical students may soon be eligible for grant money to help them complete their degree after a mathematical oversight made it impossible for many to qualify. A House committee unanimously passed a bill aimed at correcting the oversight Wednesday. The Georgia College Completion Grant, signed into law in 2022, aims to help students who are close to graduation but are low on money. Students can be eligible for up to $2,500, and the total cost for the state is capped at $10 million, with unused funds rolling over to the next year. In the state's 2024 fiscal year, 10,069 college students received a total $10.9 million through the grants. To qualify, students must have completed at least 80% of the credit requirements for their course of study, and that's where the math problem comes in, said Georgia Student Finance Commission President Lynne Riley. The requirement made it impossible for most Technical College System of Georgia students to take advantage of the grants. 'If you think about it, a TCSG program is typically one or two years, and to get to 80% completion of a one-year program, you'd be – if you only have two semesters, you'd be 50% completed halfway through your program, you would never meet that 80% threshold to be able to be an award recipient,' Riley said. 'Similarly, for a two-year program, even after a third semester, you'd still only be 75% of the way on your credential attainment, and so would never be eligible for the program.' Riley said students seeking four-year degrees at University System of Georgia institutions and private schools also experienced issues. 'USG and private post-secondaries also ran into that same problem that with a typical four-year program for students and the fact that most institutions package their financial aid on an annual basis, so they'd be looking at the possibility of awarding these completion grants at the end of a student's third year, and they typically would only be 75% complete at that point,' she said. The House Higher Education Committee voted unanimously to expand eligibility to students who had completed 70% of a four-year degree or 45% of a two-year degree, which would encompass more students heading into the last year of their program. 'I stand here before you as embarrassed as anyone to say I don't know why I didn't notice that, but nobody on the House committee nor the Senate committee nor anybody thought about it,' said House Higher Education Committee Chair Chuck Martin, an Alpharetta Republican. 'So the idea of the way these work is before you go into your last year, you've proven, you've put your shoulder to the wheel, you've done well, you're completing, this is a completion grant.' House Democratic Whip Sam Park, a Lawrenceville Democrat, said he would support expanding eligibility further. 'I think it's continuing to move in the right direction, but ultimately, we're also trying to address the needs-based aid type of issue with this bill, correct? Tell me why we're not looking, why we're so focused more on the back end as opposed to the front end. Is there data, for example, in which that $2,500 could ensure that folks are able to enroll and continue to go to school as opposed to focusing on that 70% threshold for a four-year institution?' Martin said students in different situations can seek different grants and scholarships, but this program is narrowly tailored to help those who just need a little help to earn their diploma. 'This is not meant to be the ultimate catch-all, end-all for everything, but the best place to deploy the money and to get the most impact,' he said. Before it can become law, the bill will need to pass both chambers and receive Gov. Brian Kemp's signature. Martin said the Senate and governor's office are comfortable with the bill and he hopes to fast-track it so that schools can plan ahead. The bill also continues funding the program until 2029. If lawmakers don't approve it, the program is set to expire this year. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
