If they can't teach it, it doesn't exist! Should be something seeing professors leave the state and the universitys trying to hire new faculty!:
Iowa’s three public universities would be required to establish uniform general education requirements under a bill being advanced in the Iowa House.
House Study Bill 63 states general education requirements shall include required coursework in English composition, a world language, mathematics and statistics, natural sciences, social sciences, the humanities, Western heritage and American heritage.
Western heritage coursework should include Western civilization, British literature or Greek philosophy. American heritage courses could range from Iowa history to American government or American literature.
The bill contains certain exemptions for students in programs that are three years or less or who are found to be in a complex area of study.
Different colleges within Iowa’s public universities have tailored general education requirements to best fit their specific majors. Standardizing requirements and forcing colleges to conform to liberal arts and science requirements could negatively impact students' preparation for the workforce, according to written comments submitted to lawmakers by the Iowa Board of Regents.
Increasing math and natural science credit requirements, for example, would be challenging for non-STEM majors and pose a barrier to graduation for some students, according to the Board of Regents.
Increasing the baseline requirement from three credits to six credits also would pose “a major challenge” and be a costly requirement for the University of Norther Iowa and certain colleges at Iowa State University and the University of Iowa to implement in terms of adding faculty, course sections, classroom and lab space, the regents state.
The bill also states general education 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.”
Keenan Crow, with LGBTQ advocacy group One Iowa, said during a subcommittee hearing on the bill that such a provision would limit academic freedom and restricts the range of ideas that could be discussed on college campuses, effectively sheltering students from uncomfortable viewpoints that could help them learn to better evaluate arguments and come to their own conclusions.
“While I can appreciate all the language in here about not distorting historical events, which I agree with, what I don’t agree with is sheltering students from theories about systemic issues in our state or our country,” Crow said. “I know these theories will make folks uncomfortable, but this is ideological censorship in what should be an institution of higher learning.”
Brigit Stevens, a parent of two high school students from West Des Moines, told lawmakers during the subcommittee hearing on the bill her children are unlikely to attend college in Iowa “if this is the trajectory we continue to be on.”
“One of the things that we have loved about our public education, for our students here and our kids, is the fact that they get to explore ideas and learn and grow and stretch — even ideas that they're uncomfortable with,” Stevens said.
Andy Conlin, a lobbyist representing Foundation for Government Accountability and Cicero Action, said the bill codifies a broad liberal arts education “that is going to ultimately help build better Iowans and better citizens.” He noted other states, including Texas and Florida, have passed similar requirements.
Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, talks with Rep. Sam Wengryn, R-Decatur County, during the first day of the legislative session at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines on Jan. 13. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)
House Higher Education Committee Chair Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, said the intent is not to lengthen the time it takes to obtain a bachelor’s degree, but to standardize “core curriculum” across Iowa’s three public universities. He said current requirements across Iowa’s three public universities are “all over the place.”
Collins said the legislation is needed to build “consensus about what our students should be learning, and ensuring that we are actually returning to true liberal arts education I believe our education system is built on.”
Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames, who served on the subcommittee with Collins and chaired by Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, brought up the lack of a definition of “identity politics” in the bill and Iowa Code. Collins said it would be up to the Board of Regents to establish a policy on identity politics.
Wilburn also called it premature to enact legislation before completing a review of academic programs already offered at state universities, which is included in a separate bill.
The bill advanced to the full higher education committee with support from Collins and Holt, who said lawmakers can look into putting a definition of “identity politics” into the code.
“This is going to change as it goes throughout the process, and I encourage the regents to bring draft amendment language to clean this up,” Collins said.
The changes would not go into effect until the 2027 academic year.
www.thegazette.com
Iowa’s three public universities would be required to establish uniform general education requirements under a bill being advanced in the Iowa House.
House Study Bill 63 states general education requirements shall include required coursework in English composition, a world language, mathematics and statistics, natural sciences, social sciences, the humanities, Western heritage and American heritage.
Western heritage coursework should include Western civilization, British literature or Greek philosophy. American heritage courses could range from Iowa history to American government or American literature.
The bill contains certain exemptions for students in programs that are three years or less or who are found to be in a complex area of study.
Different colleges within Iowa’s public universities have tailored general education requirements to best fit their specific majors. Standardizing requirements and forcing colleges to conform to liberal arts and science requirements could negatively impact students' preparation for the workforce, according to written comments submitted to lawmakers by the Iowa Board of Regents.
Increasing math and natural science credit requirements, for example, would be challenging for non-STEM majors and pose a barrier to graduation for some students, according to the Board of Regents.
Increasing the baseline requirement from three credits to six credits also would pose “a major challenge” and be a costly requirement for the University of Norther Iowa and certain colleges at Iowa State University and the University of Iowa to implement in terms of adding faculty, course sections, classroom and lab space, the regents state.
The bill also states general education 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.”
Keenan Crow, with LGBTQ advocacy group One Iowa, said during a subcommittee hearing on the bill that such a provision would limit academic freedom and restricts the range of ideas that could be discussed on college campuses, effectively sheltering students from uncomfortable viewpoints that could help them learn to better evaluate arguments and come to their own conclusions.
“While I can appreciate all the language in here about not distorting historical events, which I agree with, what I don’t agree with is sheltering students from theories about systemic issues in our state or our country,” Crow said. “I know these theories will make folks uncomfortable, but this is ideological censorship in what should be an institution of higher learning.”
Brigit Stevens, a parent of two high school students from West Des Moines, told lawmakers during the subcommittee hearing on the bill her children are unlikely to attend college in Iowa “if this is the trajectory we continue to be on.”
“One of the things that we have loved about our public education, for our students here and our kids, is the fact that they get to explore ideas and learn and grow and stretch — even ideas that they're uncomfortable with,” Stevens said.
Andy Conlin, a lobbyist representing Foundation for Government Accountability and Cicero Action, said the bill codifies a broad liberal arts education “that is going to ultimately help build better Iowans and better citizens.” He noted other states, including Texas and Florida, have passed similar requirements.
Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, talks with Rep. Sam Wengryn, R-Decatur County, during the first day of the legislative session at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines on Jan. 13. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)
House Higher Education Committee Chair Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, said the intent is not to lengthen the time it takes to obtain a bachelor’s degree, but to standardize “core curriculum” across Iowa’s three public universities. He said current requirements across Iowa’s three public universities are “all over the place.”
Collins said the legislation is needed to build “consensus about what our students should be learning, and ensuring that we are actually returning to true liberal arts education I believe our education system is built on.”
Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames, who served on the subcommittee with Collins and chaired by Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, brought up the lack of a definition of “identity politics” in the bill and Iowa Code. Collins said it would be up to the Board of Regents to establish a policy on identity politics.
Wilburn also called it premature to enact legislation before completing a review of academic programs already offered at state universities, which is included in a separate bill.
The bill advanced to the full higher education committee with support from Collins and Holt, who said lawmakers can look into putting a definition of “identity politics” into the code.
“This is going to change as it goes throughout the process, and I encourage the regents to bring draft amendment language to clean this up,” Collins said.
The changes would not go into effect until the 2027 academic year.
Bill would force Iowa’s public universities to change general education standards
The proposed bill would ban Iowa’s regents institutions from having general education curriculum that teaches “identity politics” or claims systemic racism, sexism, oppression or privilege are inherent in U.S. and Iowa institutions.
www.thegazette.com
