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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – On Wednesday, the Iowa Board of Regents—which oversees the state’s three public universities—approved updates to a document outlining its plans for the coming years.
The Need for Adjustments
The Regents needed to make these adjustments to comply with changes to state law. Last year, Governor Reynolds signed a law that bans universities from having an office for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Now, a new House committee will go further and conduct a comprehensive review of higher education.
Supporting Diversity Beyond Race and Gender
Sarika Bhakta, president of Nikeya Consulting, emphasized the importance of programs that support diversity beyond race and gender.
“It could be veterans. It could be your low-income students. It could be first-generation college students. It could also be your rural families.”
She adds that these policies create an atmosphere where everyone feels the right to speak their minds and promote different perspectives.
Preparing Students for the Workforce
Bhakta highlighted that a diverse and inclusive campus also prepares students for the workforce, developing critical soft skills necessary in today’s global AI-driven economy.
Debate Over DEI Programs
The chair of a new committee in the House expressed dissent towards DEI programs, citing concerns over the amount spent on administrative positions.
TV9 inquired about the cost of designing a DEI program, to which Bhakta responded that it varies from organization to organization.
Weighing the Value of Diversity and Inclusion
Legislators and Iowans are now grappling with the question of the value of ensuring access to college for people from all walks of life and what measures they are willing to take to make that happen.
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