Michael Brase News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. It was the reply-all no one wanted, and it came on a Friday in October just after lunch, when the students at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry were in clinical rotations with patients or had checked out for the weekend. The inciting email was sent by the college dean, David Johnsen, addressing the September 22, 2020, executive order from then president Donald Trump that banned diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training for the military, federal agencies, government contractors, and recipients of federal grant...

House File 744 prohibits faculty and staff from violating students' First Amendment rights and employees to be disciplined, including possible termination, if violations do occur. The bill provides similar protections against free speech violations in Iowa's K-12 schools as well. On top of that, Iowa's Regent universities (University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Iowa) would be required to conduct annual free speech training for students and faculty. The bill also requires university resources not be used for partisan activities. "I believe there is no more importa...

Disgruntled Republican lawmakers — who last month pummeled the University of Iowa College of Dentistry with questions about its treatment of a conservative student — leveled more questions and criticism Tuesday at UI officials. “I believe you have a systemic problem that needs to be addressed,” Rep. Steve Holt, R-Denison, told UI Dental College Dean David Johnsen, Provost Kevin Kregel and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Executive Officer Liz Tovar at a government oversight committee hearing. “Since your last appearance before this committee, I’ve received numerous pieces of corre...

House and Senate lawmakers advanced bills to ban tenure at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.

by Rep. Dustin Hite It was another busy week at the Statehouse. I started on Monday by taking the gavel and sitting in the Speaker’s chair for the opening of Monday’s session. The rest of the week was filled with committees and subcommittees and is now ending with a blizzard. On Tuesday evening, the Iowa House passed House File 228, a bill which removes the ability of school districts to deny requests for open enrollment due to voluntary diversity plans adopted by the school districts. There are currently five districts in the state with voluntary diversity plans—Des Moines, Waterlo...