Latest news with #IowaHouseHigherEducationCommittee
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iowa House Higher Education Committee approves DEI, transparency bills
The Iowa House Higher Education Committee passed legislation Wednesday that would bar DEI offices at community and private colleges. (Photo by Kathie Obradovich/Iowa Capital Dispatch) The Iowa House Higher Education Committee moved several bills to the House floor Wednesday focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion practices at community colleges and private universities, among other topics. Committee chair Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, said higher education in Iowa will no longer be focused on DEI, but instead turn its efforts to 'MEI' — merit, excellence and intelligence. 'Elections have consequences, and this last November, Iowans resoundingly rejected identity politics, not only in the state of Iowa, but also across this country,' Collins said. 'The worst of which … were the DEI bureaucracies across the state and country, which we are now closing.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Under House Study Bill 60, private universities would be prohibited from starting, maintaining or funding DEI offices unless required by accreditors or by law, with the risk of losing their eligibility to accept Iowa Tuition Grant dollars from students if they are found noncompliant. The Iowa Tuition Grant program provides scholarships to students who attend a private university in the state. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst voiced her opposition to the bill, saying it's 'fascinating' that the Legislature is willing to take funds away from students due to the actions of a private entity. 'I am always surprised to see that we're butting into private businesses, even if they receive tax dollars,' Konfrst said. The legislation passed through the committee 7-4 with a technical amendment to fix an error. Previously tabled in a subcommittee meeting, House Study Bill 61 would add community colleges to legislation passed last year barring state universities from starting, funding or maintaining DEI offices. Rep. Monica Kurth, D-Davenport, said the legislation is 'unnecessary,' as community colleges are already following the law despite it not currently applying to them, or are working on becoming compliant. Collins agreed that community colleges are already in compliance with the proposed legislation, but said discussions with his caucus helped him determine that this rule should be codified regardless. Rep. Heather Hora, R-Washington, described House Study Bill 152 is a 'transparency bill' that would require the Iowa student loan liquidity corporation, or ISL Education Lending, to provide Iowa College Aid with an annual estimate of the annual percentage rate, or APR, for the Federal Direct PLUS loan and the assumptions it used for the estimate. It would also need to list online possible APRs for college family loans and partnership loans, according to the legislation, and post comparisons between the terms and conditions of the federal and state loans. Iowa College Aid will review the submitted information, Hora said, and if the corporation's APR is found to be lower than the federal loan program's, the organization would need to post the information on its website and notify colleges and universities, who would need to include the information in financial aid offers. Rep. David Jacoby, D-Coralville, called the legislation 'redundant,' as colleges and universities already practice these policies, but supported its efforts to provide more transparency for students. He introduced an amendment to the committee that would set the annual state loan percentage rate at 2%, as it would keep the rate low and encourage more students to attend Iowa colleges. Hora said if passed, the amendment 'would drive the Iowa student loan liquidity (corporation) out of business.' The amendment failed. The legislation passed out of the committee with a 10-1 vote. Bills approved by the committee will head to the House floor for debate. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Professor: School of intellectual freedom could ‘make universities great again'
The Iowa House Higher Education Committee moved forward several bills Wednesday after hearing from a University of Iowa presenter on the proposed school of intellectual freedom. (Photo courtesy of the University of Iowa) A University of Iowa professor told Iowa lawmakers Wednesday a new 'school of intellectual freedom' could 'make universities great again.' Iowa lawmakers are working to pass legislation that would require the University of Iowa create a 'school of intellectual freedom,' according to House Study Bill 52. There is a companion bill in the Iowa Senate, Senate File 127. Luciano I. de Castro, a research fellow and professor in the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business, presented to the Iowa House Higher Education Committee Wednesday about how the new school could help bring about more diversity of thought, and how it needs to be protected from left-leaning members of the college community. 'We have an opportunity here to create a leading school, a truly remarkable opportunity that we have in front of us,' de Castro said. 'It will be good for Iowa, but it can have an impact even beyond the borders of our state, we can pioneer a new educational model rooted in American values.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Higher education is difficult to change from both the inside and outside, de Castro said, for multiple reasons. Faculty, whom de Castro said are majority left-leaning, and donors, taxpayers and other overseers of public higher education have an influence on what kind of education students are getting, causing them to come out of college with certain perspectives. Citing data from a 2020 study by 'Langbert and Stevens,' de Castro said at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, there is an 11-to-1 ratio of Democrat to Republican faculty, with an even larger divide for donations to a party. Level of education has become a predictor in how people will vote, he added, with college-educated people voting more blue and those who didn't attend college voting more red. De Castro said left-leaning faculty 'hire like-minded colleagues who are competent in two things, one is producing interesting, and by interesting, you can understand the pursuit of ideas, and this is called research, and convert believers (with) teaching (that) all align with the cause they cherish.' He said he is exaggerating some with this statement. Faculty have little incentive to change this, he said, as going with the status quo can make it easier in academia to get their ideas heard. He added that no courses on capitalism are taught at the UI, a statement that some lawmakers disputed. These professors will also complain about academic integrity and freedom if outside interference is pushing on them, he said. De Castro said it is on legislators to 'fight the resistance' they will find to this legislation and get the center established, as well as ensure through a proposed academic council that the university itself cannot exert power over it. The school needs to teach on the institutions and values of the U.S., and the positives behind the system of capitalism it was built on, he said. As an immigrant, de Castro said, he and other conservatives who support this and other legislation are motivated by a love of their country, not by hate or political gains. 'As I said, I was not born here, but I learned to love this country because of the values that it was created in,' de Castro said. 'It's just a great country, it's the greatest country on Earth, and we have to love it.' Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames, said during discussion after the presentation that just because faculty has been shown to identify as more Democratic, that doesn't mean they cannot teach critically and fairly. 'The fact that the University of Iowa produced myself and Representative Shipley shows that a lot of different thinking and thoughts can respectfully occur,' Wilburn said. 'My issue and problem is … if folks are interested in establishing a class or a new school, there's a process with the institution, with the universities. I just disagree with this entire bill and most of the committee.' Rep. David Jacoby, D-Coralville, said in discussion about the proposed legislation he was unsure before the presentation on how he would vote on this bill, but after hearing from de Castro, he decided he was a 'heck no.' With issues remaining about the lack of a definition of 'intellectual' and his seeing it as a 'nationalist bill,' Jacoby said he also has concerns about donations to the center not being made public and the fact that a new council would be formed to govern it, when those in the state and federal government have been working to lessen bureaucracy. 'This bill is not funded, and this bill is not what Iowa is about,' Jacoby said. Jacoby brought forward an amendment to the bill when it was discussed in committee, which would add in language stating the Iowa Board of Regents could not oversee state universities unless it, and the state, fund more than 51% of operating costs for the higher education system. He said the Legislature seems to be taking a 'rather stringent,' complete oversight of universities while only funding around one-third of their budgets. The amendment failed in committee. Rep. John Wills, R-Spirit Lake, said the presentation made many good points. In both his experience teaching on group dynamics and in the military, Wills said diverse viewpoints are needed in order to better solve problems and ensure a community doesn't 'become homogenized' and begin leaning one way or another. 'I submit to you that what we're having happen is a non-diverse group at the University of Iowa diverging off into a path that, really, do we want as a state of Iowa to be happening,' Wills said. Democrats on the committee praised Wills for his recognition that diversity is needed on campus, with Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, saying that is the purpose of DEI efforts at universities. However, she said the way to address bias is not to introduce additional bias. Committee chair Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, said in closing comments on the bill he appreciated the healthy, lively discussion between committee members, and he wishes he saw more of that at Iowa's universities. He also told Jacoby that most donations to the center will be made public. '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, and I want to thank the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State, (they) have made great progress on this initiative, it's been very positive,' Collins said. 'With the passage of this bill, I believe we'll be expanding civic education at all of our regent institutions, including our first regent university, that is, the University of Iowa.' The House Higher Education Committee also advanced several bills on Wednesday: House Study Bill 50 would require state universities to conduct a review of all academic programs and submit a report to the General Assembly recommending whether each one should be changed, eliminated or remain the same based on their alignment with state workforce needs. The legislation will move to the House floor with near-unanimous support, as only Jacoby cast a 'nay' vote. Konfrst said she was thankful to hear during a subcommittee meeting on the bill that the Iowa Board of Regents has already started work on the review. 'I think that the purpose of this committee should be to investigate and look into how our higher education institutions are working,' Konfrst said. 'So I support the legislation.' House Study Bill 56 would require students attending public universities and community colleges to complete an American history and civil government course in order to earn a bachelor's degree. Included in the proposed course is 'the study of and devotion to American institutions and ideals,' the history and principles of U.S. government, founding documents and important court cases throughout American history. The course can expand upon these topics and teach things not included in the bill, it stated. Rep. Monica Kurth, D-Davenport, voiced her opposition to the bill during the committee meeting, questioning whether there is proof of its necessity and saying the quality of higher education curriculum would be stifled by requirements driven by political ideology. 'This bill is an overreach of legislative power, and there is no logical justification for being this specific in the course material,' Kurth said. Language in the bill pertaining to course requirements was taken from model legislation crafted by the Civics Alliance and National Association of Scholars, both of which Kurth said are 'undeniably conservative groups.' She also took issue with language in the bill that included the word 'devotion.' 'I would like to state that devotion is earned, not taught,' Kurth said. Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, said devotion to the U.S. has been earned during the Battle of the Bulge, at Okinawa, at Iwo Jima, at Peleliu and more. Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull, said Republicans are not pushing an ideology with this legislation, but instead stating that the contents in the bill are facts that everyone should know and would gain value in learning about. 'I don't know how there's a political ideology being pushed when we're teaching kids to read letters from Birmingham jail or the Gettysburg address or the Emancipation Proclamation or the Federalist Papers,' Wheeler said. 'If that's a political ideology, your guys' political party has to do a lot of reflecting.' The bill passed out of committee 7-4. Collins said during the committee meeting that House Study Bill 51, or the 'College Affordability Act,' could be one of the most important pieces of legislation the committee considers this session. It would cap tuition and fee increases for in-state students at public universities at 3%, as well as freeze tuition for those students in their first year, ensuring they won't see yearly increases in their college costs. The board of regents would need to have its tuition and fee rates set by Dec. 31 of the year before the new academic year, according to the bill, and each university would be required to offer at least one three-year bachelor's degree program and at least one 'work plus' program where a student can work part-time while attending college, paid for by a qualified employer. Jacoby introduced two amendments to the legislation, both of which failed to pass in the committee. The first, which he said was prompted by comments Collins has made about the board of regents not completing its duties, would put in language stating the board is elected by the people, rather than appointed by the governor. The second would require that the student member of the board of regents, a position that has been vacant since last June, be present for votes approving tuition and fee rates. Collins said during closing comments the Legislature allocates 'nearly $600 million every year' to state universities and the board of regents, and it's important lawmakers find areas to lower costs while getting young people into the workforce to fill gaps. The bill passed, moving to the House floor with a 9-2 vote. '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. House Study Bill 63 would establish new general education requirements at state universities, stating that students must take classes in English and composition, math and statistics, natural and social sciences, a world language, the humanities, Western heritage and American heritage. These courses cannot 'distort significant historical events or include any curriculum or other material that teaches identity politics or is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, or privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States of America or the state of Iowa,' according to the legislation. As amended, Holt said the bill would allow for courses from the Legislature's proposed school of intellectual freedom for the UI to qualify as general education courses in the western and American histories. Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames, said during discussion this bill is coming forward too hastily, as a review of courses at the universities has not been completed yet, and the experts should be allowed to decide what general education standards are needed for the vastly different programs offered at state universities. Holt said the board of regents signaled its support for the bill if it moves forward as amended. 'My understanding is that core curriculum is all over the board for different majors,' Holt said. 'Students frequently change majors, and it would be very helpful for students to have some consistency, that would probably save them some money.' The bill will move to the House floor with a 7-4 vote. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iowa House Higher Education Committee focuses on civics education in meeting, legislation
The Iowa House Higher Education Committee passed several bills to the House floor Wednesday after a presentation from the National Association of Scholars. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Iowa's public universities are 'derelict in their duty' of teaching students about the United States, its history and ideals, a presenter told Iowa lawmakers Wednesday. The Iowa House Higher Education Committee passed four bills, most with amendments, during its meeting after hearing a presentation from the National Association of Scholars. House Study Bill 55 would require state university faculty to publish syllabus information online for public view, including the educator's name, course requirements, reading materials and class subject descriptions. Amendments added to the bill struck language requiring the subject matter of each lecture and discussion to be published online as well, and added a section saying these rules don't apply to courses that don't regularly meet in a classroom setting. Rep. Monica Kurth, D-Davenport said despite the amendments, which were recommended by the Iowa Board of Regents, she was still concerned about the potential cost of complying with the law. 'I think that it represents an overreach that is undesirable,' Kurth said. 'I'm also concerned that it takes away the flexibility that might be needed within a course to address certain types of issues or problems as they come up.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Under House Study Bill 59, universities would also have to post online certain financial information. As amended, budget lines totaling $50,000 or more would need to be published online, as well as expenditures and vendor services that meet that same threshold. Each university administrative unit would also be required to share its budget, and expenditures for diversity, equity and inclusion would be made public as well. Kurth also voiced concerns about HSB 59, citing an email from the Board of Regents that suggests much of the information is already available online. Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Birmingham, said the bill would make that information more organized and accessible to the public. House Study Bill 57 would bar accrediting agencies from taking negative action, such as removing accreditation, from public universities for following or refusing to violate state law. If authorized by the attorney general, universities would be able to bring a civil suit against accreditors who take action against them for that reason. The bill will head to the floor, but Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames, said he has 'several concerns' about the Legislature's ability to block a nongovernmental organization such as an accrediting body from taking action against universities that fail to comply with their policies. Under House Study Bill 53, public universities would be prohibited from requiring students to take a course relating to DEI or critical race theory to fulfill general education or any academic program standards, with exceptions for programs with titles directly showing the main focus of the course to be on race, gender or sexuality. The bill also provides that universities cannot require or incentivize employees, appointees and committees to participate in DEI or critical race theory activities. Wilburn brought forward an amendment to remove this section, as he said it could have unintended consequences of not getting faculty the continuing education they need, especially in various medical fields. Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, urged the committee to resist the legislation, but said he'd like to speak with Wilburn more about potentially adding language relating to medical issues. The amendment failed to pass, but the legislation itself will move to the House floor. David Randall, director of research at the National Association of Scholars, told lawmakers students across the U.S., including those in Iowa, are not learning the necessary knowledge of the U.S., its government and history, in K-12 or higher education. According to a 2024 survey of 3,000 college students by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, a minority of students were able to say when the Constitution was written and that the legislative branch can declare war, among other things. 'If you look at the general education requirements of the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa, you will see that Iowa's public universities are derelict in their duty,' Randall said. Randall said none of the state universities have general education requirements for American history and government, and civics courses are generally more focused on civic engagement rather than education. He added that the UI has a general education requirement in the category of 'Diversity and Inclusion,' which the university said will be changed to 'Understanding Cultural Perspectives' starting in the 2025-26 school year. Priorities Randall cited in improving civics education in higher education can be found in legislation already being discussed by lawmakers, including changing general education requirements and stopping accreditors from taking negative action against universities for following state laws. Another solution he proposed was to have universities establish 'administratively autonomous' schools that focus on U.S. history and government that would report to the Legislature itself rather than the university it is housed in, in order to 'ensure that civic education in Iowa's public universities is not entrusted to the radical university establishment.' Holt referenced the presentation during a subcommittee meeting on House Study Bill 56, which would require college students to take a course on American history and civics in order to earn a bachelor's degree. The course would need to include, but not be limited to, instruction on 'the study of and devotion to American institutions and ideals,' according to the bill, as well as the history and principles of U.S. government, founding documents like the Constitution, the Articles of Confederation and the Emancipation Proclamation, and landmark court cases. Iowa Board of Regents State Relations Officer Jillian Carlson said the board is registered 'undecided' on the legislation but could support the bill if the board was able to work with the Legislature on amendments. Members of the public questioned how certain topics, people and documents were selected as topics for the course and what the process was for choosing what and who would be included or excluded from the bill language. Brian Schurz, a resident of Norwalk who graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in history, asked why people like Ida B. Wells and Susan B. Anthony, among others, were not listed in the legislation, as well as topics like efforts to combat the Ku Klux Klan. 'Our process of America, of where we came today, is kind of ugly, and there were people that were taken advantage of, and it's important to have those conversations in an open and honest forum,' Schurz said. 'By using this prism as we're trying to pass laws in the state of Iowa, I don't want to call it McCarthyism in the 1950s but if it's something that you don't like and somebody gets upset about it, then we're trying to shout each other down or legislate someone to be quiet. So I think we have to be very cautious with this.' After reading a quote from former President Ronald Reagon about how 'freedom is never more than one generation from extinction,' Holt said the presentation cited data from a recent study that showed half of respondents would flee the U.S. if it was invaded. This is why it is so important to teach young people about the topics outlined in the bill, he said, and added that despite what was suggested in the meeting, this legislation does not prevent any topics from being taught in the classroom. Subcommittee chair Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull, said he looks forward to working with the Board of Regents to come to an agreement on language in the bill, but the fact of the matter is that students need to be required to learn what is touched on in the legislation. If people don't unite to tell one story about the U.S. and its history, Wheeler said, multiple versions of the country will continue to be taught in schools. 'Why in the world … do we have an education system if we're not going to be able to utilize it to make sure that kids know basic things about our country, things that they should know?' Wheeler said. The bill will head to the full higher education committee for consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers scrutinize DEI, transparency issues in series of higher education bills
Iowa House Higher Education Committee members moved a number of bills relating to public universities to the full committee Wednesday. (Photo by Perry Beeman/Iowa Capital Dispatch) In the last of several higher education subcommittees Wednesday, Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames, shared a personal story of discrimination he experienced in order to explain why the tenets of diversity, equity and inclusion matter. After writing a letter to the editor in response to a visit from President Donald Trump, Wilburn said he received death threats from a woman in Des Moines, saying he should be lynched and calling him the N-word. He asked the crowd of people at the meeting to think about his experience when they think about diversity, equity and inclusion and its importance. 'This notion that it doesn't matter, that we are excluding others, that people in this limited definition of diversity … need to get over it or (are) given some advantage, I just encourage you to consider the experience I shared,' Wilburn said. Members of the Iowa House Higher Education Committee heard from lobbyists and members of the public Wednesday on a number of bills relating to the courses and information within state universities, as well as the bodies that regulate them. Diversity, equity and inclusion was a much-discussed topic among visitors and lawmakers. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX House Study Bill 53 would require the Iowa Board of Regents to craft a policy stating no state university can require students to enroll in diversity, equity and inclusion or critical race theory courses, and no one can require, encourage or otherwise incentivize faculty to participate in similar practices or offer corresponding content in their classes. Exemptions can be granted in instances where these topics are included in a course that clearly identifies itself as being about gender, race or ethnic studies. The legislation saw opposition from many of those who spoke during public comments, listing reasons of restricting academic freedom, limiting students' ability to learn concepts and gain skills that would help them with cultural competency, and creating a culture of fear of what is allowed to be said on campus. Wilburn emphasized that the bill does not bar any type of instruction, but rather its requirement or encouragement for students to take, and added that legislation using the 'limited' definition of diversity, equity and inclusion causes a lot of frustration and anger. These terms mean that all cultures, faiths and political backgrounds are embraced, he said. The Iowa Board of Regents and others voiced their support for the bill, with State Relations Officer Jillian Carlson saying it reflects legislation passed last year and the current trends seen in the federal government. Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison and Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, supported the bill and moved it forward to be considered in committee. Both expressed their apologies during the meeting for what Wilburn experienced, and Collins said there needs to be ways to unite people, but not through DEI. 'Racists exist and they suck,' Collins said. 'The problem with all of this is there is zero proof that this is helping make people less racist. There's actually a lot of people out there arguing it's doing the opposite of that.' Holt echoed Collins's statement, adding that the American people seem to be sick of 'tolerating what divides us,' which is what he said DEI programs are doing. Courses and activities involving DEI indoctrinate people to the idea of looking at everyone through the lens of race, he said, which he called 'Marxist' and 'destructive.' 'I proudly advance this legislation, and I would give a word of caution to our regents universities,' Holt said. 'I'm really glad to hear you're supporting it, because it's going to be done one way or another — the easy way or the hard way.' House Study Bill 57 would bar accrediting bodies from taking 'adverse action' against community colleges and universities for complying with or refusing to violate state law, and allowing institutions to take civil action against accreditors who have violated this with the authorization of the attorney general. People speaking during public comment were largely against the bill, with One Iowa Director of Policy and Advocacy Keenan Crow saying it is a bad solution to the problem of having state laws that violate accreditation standards that should be fixed another way. Iowa Board of Regents Chief Government Relations Officer Keith Saunders, however, said the board was in support of the legislation. Wilburn opposed the bill as well. He said he was concerned that students graduating from accredited private universities could have an advantage over those from public universities in getting a job, and he was unsure how the state could hold a national, non-governmental body accountable for removing accreditation from a school that violates its policies. Subcommittee chair Rep. John Wills, R-Spirit Lake, and Collins supported the bill and advanced it to the full House Higher Education Committee. 'I think it's important to note that the Board of Regents is supporting this bill, and I think it's important that the Legislature ultimately has the final say when it comes to these matters, not an unelected, unaccountable accreditor outside of the state of Iowa,' Collins said. Two pieces of legislation passed out of subcommittee Wednesday related to making certain information at public universities available to the public, including syllabi and financial data. House Study Bill 55 would require universities post to online the syllabi for each undergraduate credit course they offer, including the instructor's name and information on course material, recommended readings and lecture descriptions, among other things. Subcommittee member Rep. Monica Kurth, D-Davenport, said a syllabus is not a legal document, nor is it something that sets courses in stone. It is an 'agreement between the student and instructor, she said, that lays out an outline of the course and how they will be assessed. Kurth agreed with a member of the public's comments that people who aren't involved in higher education could go looking for pieces of syllabi to take out of context and make ' a big deal about something they don't really know a lot about,' she said. Subcommittee chair Rep. Heather Hora, R-Washington, and member Collins supported the bill and passed it forward to be considered in committee. Collins called the legislation 'common sense,' and said making syllabi available publicly is something that should already be in practice. 'As far as the cost and the burden of doing it, perhaps (universities) could allocate part of the over half a billion dollars we appropriate to the universities or the millions to be saved from DEI … to support these efforts,' Collins said. House Study Bill 59 would require state universities to post financial information online, like budgets items, expenditures and vendor contracts that equate to $1,000 or more. Salary reports and administrative unit budgets must also be published, as well as 'information on expenditures for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and similar commitments,' according to the bill. Information restricted from being public by state or federal law would be redacted, the bill stated. Carolann Jensen, Iowa Board of Regents state relations officer representing Iowa State University, said during the subcommittee meeting the Iowa Board of Regents has submitted suggestions for amendments to the bill, including raising the cited dollar amount from $1,000 to $100,000 and changing definitions listed in the legislation. Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Birmingham, said the Legislature and the board of regents should be able to come to a nice middle ground between those two numbers, and he and Collins approved it to move ahead to the full House Higher Education committee. Kurth said she would oppose the bill until further information gathering and conversations can be had. 'I think there's a lot of good direction on this bill (with) information that would help the public and give us just more transparency on institutions,' Shipley said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
