Iowa Lawmakers Seek to Remove DEI From Degree Requirements

University students and families should monitor potential changes to core curriculum requirements across Iowa's public system.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Secondary Education

Iowa Lawmakers Seek to Remove DEI From Degree Requirements

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Should public universities be prohibited from requiring students to take courses focused on DEI frameworks?

Iowa legislative leaders have called on the Board of Regents to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content from required university degree courses. This request aims to extend previous legislative prohibitions on taxpayer-funded DEI initiatives across state higher education institutions.

Why it matters

Lawmakers argue that mandating DEI courses for degrees forces students to adopt specific identity-based perspectives rather than focusing on individual merit. The move follows prior state efforts to remove DEI programming from government-funded entities.

Legislative committee chairs Lynn Evans and Taylor Collins issued the request to the Board of Regents on October 29, 2026. This action stems from existing laws that already restrict the use of taxpayer dollars for initiatives prioritizing group identity over individual achievement.

The players

Lynn Evans

An Iowa legislative committee chair currently overseeing higher education policy.

Taylor Collins

An Iowa legislative committee chair advocating for the removal of DEI initiatives in state-funded institutions.

Iowa Board of Regents

The governing body responsible for the oversight and management of Iowa's public university system.

Accuracy in Media

A conservative media watchdog organization that investigates and publishes reports on curriculum content.

The details

The lawmakers utilize their positions as committee chairs to request that the Board of Regents exercise oversight of academic curriculum. They point to videos released by the organization Accuracy in Media as evidence that DEI content persists within core curriculum and required degree programs. By requesting this prohibition, they aim to ensure that state university requirements do not treat identity-based outcomes as settled academic orthodoxy.

October 29, 2026: Legislative leaders sent an official letter to the Iowa Board of Regents.

The Home Front

This request marks a significant extension of the Iowa legislative prohibition on taxpayer-funded DEI initiatives. It shifts the regulatory focus from government administrative spending directly into the academic requirements of degree programs at state universities.

Families with students currently enrolled in Iowa's public universities should review their degree program requirements to understand what constitutes a core curriculum course. If you have questions about how these academic requirements might change, consult the official university student handbook or academic advising office.

The takeaway

This development signals a stricter shift in how state-funded universities approach mandatory curriculum content. Students and parents should monitor updates from the Board of Regents to see if specific degree programs will face curriculum modifications in the upcoming semesters.