University of Iowa to close departments of Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies; American Studies
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The University of Iowa is planning to close its 50-year-old Department of Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies and its Department of American Studies — both of which are replete with the kinds of courses and content that have been the recent target of Republican regent and lawmaker ire, directives and legislation.
The UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, its largest college, also is proposing dropping its current majors in American Studies and in Social Justice as part of a plan to create a new “School of Social and Cultural Analysis,” along with a new major of the same name.
The new school would combine UI departments and programs in the areas of African American Studies; American Studies; Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies; Jewish Studies; Latina/o/x Studies; and Native American and Indigenous Studies, according to a message disseminated last week to the college.
“We are excited to reposition these programs for the future,” UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Sara Sanders said in a statement. “The creation of a School of Social and Cultural Analysis would allow us to build on our considerable legacy in areas that are essential to our mission, while creating more sustainable structures and room for innovative new curricula.”
The proposed new school will go before the Board of Regents at its February meeting, according to the college. If approved, the school would take effect July 1 — when new Iowa Code Chapter 261J also takes effect, imposing new diversity, equity and inclusion restrictions on Iowa’s public universities.
Among other things, the law prohibits the public campuses from having or staffing a DEI office and from spending any money on DEI staff, services or training that isn’t required for compliance or accreditation.
The law explicitly excludes from its prohibitions spending on academic course instruction, research, student organization activities, guest speakers or mental and physical health services.
But the Iowa House Republicans — who help decide state appropriations for the public universities — recently established a new higher education committee for the legislative session beginning in January that will conduct a comprehensive review of Iowa’s higher ed system, curriculum and spending. In a news release, officials said the committee would deal with bills “containing significant reforms to Iowa’s higher education system.”
Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis — among the staunchest critics of the universities’ DEI programming and spending — will lead the new committee.
“We have a tremendous amount of work to do in restoring Iowans’ confidence in our institutions, controlling costs, and returning the focus of our higher education system away from ideological agendas, and back to the pursuit of academic excellence,” Collins said in a statement.
The UI Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies Department was one of the first of its kind in the nation when it was founded in 1974 — expanding in 2016 to include a social justice major and minor.
Current course requirements for a bachelor’s in gender, women’s and sexuality studies include “diversity and power in the U.S.” And a list of nearly 80 electives includes options like LGTBQ/Queer Studies, Gender and Society, and Inequality in American Sport.
The UI American Studies Department — which gained official program status in 1947 and department status in 2000 — aimed to develop in students a “deepened knowledge and critical understanding of American history, cultures, and society.”
Required courses include “Diversity in American Culture,” along with general education core classes for the entire college — two of which this fall were renamed, including “diversity and inclusion” to “understanding cultural perspectives.”
In explaining the closures, UI college leadership said the expiring majors have fewer than 60 students combined.
“The existing programs have limited faculty and overlapping curricula, causing challenges for faculty in sustaining teaching capacity,” according to the college. “The new curricula will not only streamline operations but offer clarity and flexibility in students’ educational pathways.”
The American Studies Department lists nine faculty members; the Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies Department lists 21 faculty members — along with other graduate student teachers and staff.
“Right now, these programs are administered by multiple department chairs and multiple directors,” Roland Racevskis, associate dean for the arts and humanities, said in a statement. “Under this proposed plan, the school would have a single leadership team dedicated to overseeing the operations of the programs.”
The new Social and Cultural Analysis degree also responds “to student interest and career opportunities.”
“Students in this major would be able to connect their individual experiences and ideas to larger social contexts,” Cornelia Lang, associate dean for undergraduate education in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said in a statement. “This would prepare them well for potential careers or graduate work in cultural studies and related fields
The new programmatic and curricular structures in the UI liberal arts college follow two years of faculty discussion, according to Sanders.
“This proposal is the result of pragmatic and innovative thinking from our departmental faculty,” she said. “In each area we are looking at in the college, it is inspiring how faculty have responded to the challenge of aligning our resources efficiently and serving our students better, and I am confident this proposed school will enable us to do both.”
Four years ago in 2020, the college — which has seen enrollment slip from 17,432 undergraduate students in 2016 to 14,879 this fall — initiated a review that identified numerous strengths and “unprecedented challenges.”
Among the challenges it listed were leadership turnover, fiscal uncertainties, concerns about DEI and “disruptions in transparent communication with regard to college vision and direction.”
Citing a five-year strategic plan that began in July 2021, the college at that time centered its mission to support research, discovery and student success around its commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Among its strengths, the college highlighted its Division of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures as contributing to the “diversity and internationalization of campus by attracting students and faculty from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.”
Its challenges included retaining underrepresented minority faculty, doubling as an opportunity to strengthen “the larger group of ethnic studies programs.”
“Doing so will help DEI pursuits in the organization,” according to the self-study, which highlighted “great opportunity to expand the number of students who receive humanistic education via the new social justice major within the Department of Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies.”
“This program lives at the interdisciplinary border with the social sciences. It critically investigates issues of tremendous cultural importance in contemporary society and supports students in learning essential skills in creating social and structural change.”
www.thegazette.com
The UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, its largest college, also is proposing dropping its current majors in American Studies and in Social Justice as part of a plan to create a new “School of Social and Cultural Analysis,” along with a new major of the same name.
The new school would combine UI departments and programs in the areas of African American Studies; American Studies; Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies; Jewish Studies; Latina/o/x Studies; and Native American and Indigenous Studies, according to a message disseminated last week to the college.
“We are excited to reposition these programs for the future,” UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Sara Sanders said in a statement. “The creation of a School of Social and Cultural Analysis would allow us to build on our considerable legacy in areas that are essential to our mission, while creating more sustainable structures and room for innovative new curricula.”
The proposed new school will go before the Board of Regents at its February meeting, according to the college. If approved, the school would take effect July 1 — when new Iowa Code Chapter 261J also takes effect, imposing new diversity, equity and inclusion restrictions on Iowa’s public universities.
Among other things, the law prohibits the public campuses from having or staffing a DEI office and from spending any money on DEI staff, services or training that isn’t required for compliance or accreditation.
The law explicitly excludes from its prohibitions spending on academic course instruction, research, student organization activities, guest speakers or mental and physical health services.
But the Iowa House Republicans — who help decide state appropriations for the public universities — recently established a new higher education committee for the legislative session beginning in January that will conduct a comprehensive review of Iowa’s higher ed system, curriculum and spending. In a news release, officials said the committee would deal with bills “containing significant reforms to Iowa’s higher education system.”
Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis — among the staunchest critics of the universities’ DEI programming and spending — will lead the new committee.
“We have a tremendous amount of work to do in restoring Iowans’ confidence in our institutions, controlling costs, and returning the focus of our higher education system away from ideological agendas, and back to the pursuit of academic excellence,” Collins said in a statement.
Fewer than 60 students
The UI Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies Department was one of the first of its kind in the nation when it was founded in 1974 — expanding in 2016 to include a social justice major and minor.
Current course requirements for a bachelor’s in gender, women’s and sexuality studies include “diversity and power in the U.S.” And a list of nearly 80 electives includes options like LGTBQ/Queer Studies, Gender and Society, and Inequality in American Sport.
The UI American Studies Department — which gained official program status in 1947 and department status in 2000 — aimed to develop in students a “deepened knowledge and critical understanding of American history, cultures, and society.”
Required courses include “Diversity in American Culture,” along with general education core classes for the entire college — two of which this fall were renamed, including “diversity and inclusion” to “understanding cultural perspectives.”
In explaining the closures, UI college leadership said the expiring majors have fewer than 60 students combined.
“The existing programs have limited faculty and overlapping curricula, causing challenges for faculty in sustaining teaching capacity,” according to the college. “The new curricula will not only streamline operations but offer clarity and flexibility in students’ educational pathways.”
The American Studies Department lists nine faculty members; the Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies Department lists 21 faculty members — along with other graduate student teachers and staff.
“Right now, these programs are administered by multiple department chairs and multiple directors,” Roland Racevskis, associate dean for the arts and humanities, said in a statement. “Under this proposed plan, the school would have a single leadership team dedicated to overseeing the operations of the programs.”
The new Social and Cultural Analysis degree also responds “to student interest and career opportunities.”
“Students in this major would be able to connect their individual experiences and ideas to larger social contexts,” Cornelia Lang, associate dean for undergraduate education in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said in a statement. “This would prepare them well for potential careers or graduate work in cultural studies and related fields
‘Help DEI pursuits’
The new programmatic and curricular structures in the UI liberal arts college follow two years of faculty discussion, according to Sanders.
“This proposal is the result of pragmatic and innovative thinking from our departmental faculty,” she said. “In each area we are looking at in the college, it is inspiring how faculty have responded to the challenge of aligning our resources efficiently and serving our students better, and I am confident this proposed school will enable us to do both.”
Four years ago in 2020, the college — which has seen enrollment slip from 17,432 undergraduate students in 2016 to 14,879 this fall — initiated a review that identified numerous strengths and “unprecedented challenges.”
Among the challenges it listed were leadership turnover, fiscal uncertainties, concerns about DEI and “disruptions in transparent communication with regard to college vision and direction.”
Citing a five-year strategic plan that began in July 2021, the college at that time centered its mission to support research, discovery and student success around its commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Among its strengths, the college highlighted its Division of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures as contributing to the “diversity and internationalization of campus by attracting students and faculty from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.”
Its challenges included retaining underrepresented minority faculty, doubling as an opportunity to strengthen “the larger group of ethnic studies programs.”
“Doing so will help DEI pursuits in the organization,” according to the self-study, which highlighted “great opportunity to expand the number of students who receive humanistic education via the new social justice major within the Department of Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies.”
“This program lives at the interdisciplinary border with the social sciences. It critically investigates issues of tremendous cultural importance in contemporary society and supports students in learning essential skills in creating social and structural change.”
UI planning to close departments of Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies; American Studies
The University of Iowa is planning to close its 50-year-old Department of Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies and its Department of American Studies — both of which are replete with the kinds of courses and content that have been the target of Republican regent and lawmaker ire, directives...
www.thegazette.com
Get ready for Utility rates to skyrocket to a level that sends us back to the stone-age
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Democranti-science party strikes again
www.thegatewaypundit.com
The Marxist bill was carried by Democrat Senator Liz Krueger and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz.
“The Climate Change Superfund Act is now law, and New York has fired a shot that will be heard round the world: the companies most responsible for the climate crisis will be held accountable,” said Senator Krueger.
Hochul Signs Bill That Will Fine Fossil Fuel Companies $75 Billion to Pay For Damage Caused to Climate | The Gateway Pundit | by Cristina Laila
Governor Kathy Hochul's landmark $75 billion climate change legislation is set to reshape New York's energy landscape. Discover the implications and details of this historic measure.
www.thegatewaypundit.com
The Marxist bill was carried by Democrat Senator Liz Krueger and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz.
“The Climate Change Superfund Act is now law, and New York has fired a shot that will be heard round the world: the companies most responsible for the climate crisis will be held accountable,” said Senator Krueger.
Uh, how did anyone get a gun into the terminal past TSA???? 😮😮😮
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Alternate thread title: It's not Christmas without an airport shooting.
www.fox10phoenix.com
Sky Harbor Airport Christmas shooting: Shelter-in-place lifted at Terminal 4; 2 people detained
It was a terrifying moment for holiday travelers as a shooting and stabbing happened at Sky Harbor Airport's Terminal 4 in Phoenix.
