The University of Iowa recently announced that it would be ending its Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies department as higher education institutions across the Hawkeye State appear to be pulling back on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and other forms of woke ideology. According to recent reports, Iowa’s state Board of Regents approved 10 proposals to scale back DEI efforts statewide.
A statement from the University of Iowa released earlier this month read, “Under the proposed plan, the college would close the departments of American Studies and Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies, as well as the current majors in American Studies and in Social Justice, which have fewer than 60 students combined, and create a new major in Social and Cultural Analysis.”
Furthermore, Sara Sanders, dean of the University of Iowa’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), stated, “We are excited to reposition these programs for the future. “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.
Other faculty at the university weighed in on the topic as well. “Right now, these programs are administered by multiple department chairs and multiple directors,” Roland Racevski, CLAS associate dean for the arts and humanities, explained. “Under this proposed plan, the school would have a single leadership team dedicated to overseeing the operations of the programs.”
“Students in this major would be able to connect their individual experiences and ideas to larger social contexts,” noted CLAS associate dean for undergraduate education, Cornelia Lang. “This would prepare them well for potential careers or graduate work in cultural studies and related fields through highly adaptable skills like analytical thinking, effective communication, and research.”
The statement explained that the proposal would go into effect on July 1, 2025 if approved at the upcoming Board of Regents meeting this winter. “If approved at the February Board of Regents meeting, the new School of Social and Cultural Analysis would go into effect July 1, 2025, for the 2025-26 academic year— the same timeline for the new School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability,” the release added.
“This proposal is the result of pragmatic and innovative thinking from our departmental faculty,” Sander concluded in the press release. “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.”
Conservatives on social media have celebrated the apparent scaling back of DEI at the University of Iowa, which follows actions taken around the country at other colleges. “DEI: If you had any doubt we were winning realize that major universities like Iowa are closing their Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies departments – the home of their Marxist DEI programs. More of this,” the popular X account Amuse wrote.
Conservative commentator Eyal Yakoby similarly wrote, “BREAKING: The University of Iowa has announced that it will close its Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies department. The decision comes after Iowa’s state Board of Regents approved 10 recommendations to scale back DEI. The country is healing.”
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