Signed by Governor Kim Reynolds

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa.

Highlights:

• Defines “board” to mean the state board of regents (Sec. 2).

• Defines “center” to mean the center for intellectual freedom (Sec. 2).

• Defines “university” to mean the University of Iowa (Sec. 2).

• Establishes a center for intellectual freedom that works independently from other academic centers under the board of the university (Sec. 3).

• Requires the center to conduct teaching and research on ideas, traditions, and texts that are pertinent to American constitutional order and society (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes the board to name the center by any philanthropic naming policies or practices of the board (Sec. 3).

• Requires the center to provide scholarships in the following subjects (Sec. 4):

• The texts and major debates that form the intellectual foundation of free societies;

• The principles, ideals, and institutions of the American constitutional order; and

• The foundations of responsible leadership and informed citizenship.

• Requires the center to offer university-wide programming related to free speech and civil discourse (Sec. 4).

• Requires the center to work to (Sec. 4):

• Expand the intellectual diversity of the university’s academic community;

• Foster civic engagement among university students and faculty; and

• Coordinate with the Center for Cyclone Civics at Iowa State University and the Center for Civic Education at the University of Northern Iowa to enable academic offerings to be made available for any students at any regents institution online or in person.

• Authorizes the center to (Sec. 4):

• Offer courses, 

• Develop certificates, 

• Develop majors and minor programs; 

• Develop graduate programs; and

• Offer degrees.

• Requires the center to offer at least one 3-semester credit hour course in American history and civil government, which must satisfy American heritage course requirements for regents institutions (Sec. 4).

• Requires the center to establish bylaws governing the center subject to the approval of the board (Sec. 5).

• Requires the center’s bylaws to include the following mandates (Sec. 5):

• Requiring the center to educate students through free, open, and rigorous intellectual requirements;

• Affirming its duty to equip students with the skills, habits, and dispositions of mind they need to reach their informed conclusions on matters of social and political importance;

• Affirming the value of intellectual diversity in higher education and aspiring to enhance the intellectual diversity of the university; and

• Affirming a commitment to create a community dedicated to an ethic of civil and free inquiry, which respects the intellectual freedom of each member, supports individual capacities for growth, and welcomes the differences of opinion that naturally exist in a public university community.

• Authorizes the center to accept and administer private and external donations and gifts (Sec. 6).

• Specifies that the University of Iowa Center for Advancement is to be the designated foundation for all gifts or funding for the center (Sec. 6). 

• Requires all monies appropriated to the center and private and external donations for the center to be used solely for the direct operation of the center (Sec. 6).

• Requires any additional funding required for the operation of the center to be appropriated by the regents institutions under the approval of the board (Sec. 6).

• Requires the university to employ tenure-eligible faculty members to provide instruction through the center (Sec. 7).

• Requires the university to incrementally increase the number of faculty members in the center based on market research and demand (Sec. 7).

• Prohibits faculty members not affiliated with the center from approving, denying, or modifying the terms of appointment as faculty of the center (Sec. 7).

• Authorizes center-appointed faculty to hold joint appointments to other academic units within the University of Iowa (Sec. 7).

• Requires the board to appoint an advisory council for the center no later than December 31, 2025 (Sec. 8).

• Requires the board to appoint a minimum of 9 members to the advisory council with the following stipulations (Sec. 8):

• No more than 1 member of the board may be an employee of the university; and

• A quorum must include a minimum of 5 members present.

• Authorizes the board to determine the initial length of each council member’s term, which includes the following stipulations (Sec. 8):

• A majority of each member’s initial term must be 4 years long; and 

• The remaining members’ term must be 2 years long.

• Requires the border to appoint new members to fill vacancies on the council (Sec. 8).

• Requires the advisory council to conduct a nationwide search for candidates for the director of the center (Sec. 9).

• Requires the advisory council to submit finalists for the role of director of the center to the board (Sec. 9).

• Authorizes the board to appoint any directors of the advisory council (Sec. 9).

• Requires the director of the center to have the academic standing for tenure eligibility in a regents institution (Sec. 9).

• Establishes the sole authority of the director of the center to (Sec. 10):

• Manage the recruitment and hiring process of employees of the center;

• Extend offers for employment; and

• Terminate employment of all staff of the center by state and federal law.

• Requires the director to conduct market research to determine course demand and the number of faculty needed to meet any unmet needs of the center (Sec. 10).

• Authorizes the director to invite guest speakers to the university on behalf of the center (Sec. 10).

• Specifies that the director reports directly to the board (Sec. 10).

• Requires the director of the center to submit an annual report to the governor, the general assembly, and the board of regents, beginning in 2026, with the following information (Sec. 11):

• The center’s achievements;

• Any opportunities for the development of the center; and

• Any challenges or obstacles for the development of the center.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa.

Highlights:

• Defines “board” to mean the state board of regents (Sec. 2).

• Defines “center” to mean the center for intellectual freedom (Sec. 2).

• Defines “university” to mean the University of Iowa (Sec. 2).

• Establishes a center for intellectual freedom that works independently from other academic centers under the board of the university (Sec. 3).

• Requires the center to conduct teaching and research on ideas, traditions, and texts that are pertinent to American constitutional order and society (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes the board to name the center by any philanthropic naming policies or practices of the board (Sec. 3).

• Requires the center to provide scholarships in the following subjects (Sec. 4):

• The texts and major debates that form the intellectual foundation of free societies;

• The principles, ideals, and institutions of the American constitutional order; and

• The foundations of responsible leadership and informed citizenship.

• Requires the center to offer university-wide programming related to free speech and civil discourse (Sec. 4).

• Requires the center to work to (Sec. 4):

• Expand the intellectual diversity of the university’s academic community;

• Foster civic engagement among university students and faculty; and

• Coordinate with the Center for Cyclone Civics at Iowa State University and the Center for Civic Education at the University of Northern Iowa to enable academic offerings to be made available for any students at any regents institution online or in person.

• Authorizes the center to (Sec. 4):

• Offer courses, 

• Develop certificates, 

• Develop majors and minor programs; 

• Develop graduate programs; and

• Offer degrees.

• Requires the center to offer at least one 3-semester credit hour course in American history and civil government, which must satisfy American heritage course requirements for regents institutions (Sec. 4).

• Requires the center to establish bylaws governing the center subject to the approval of the board (Sec. 5).

• Requires the center’s bylaws to include the following mandates (Sec. 5):

• Requiring the center to educate students through free, open, and rigorous intellectual requirements;

• Affirming its duty to equip students with the skills, habits, and dispositions of mind they need to reach their informed conclusions on matters of social and political importance;

• Affirming the value of intellectual diversity in higher education and aspiring to enhance the intellectual diversity of the university; and

• Affirming a commitment to create a community dedicated to an ethic of civil and free inquiry, which respects the intellectual freedom of each member, supports individual capacities for growth, and welcomes the differences of opinion that naturally exist in a public university community.

• Authorizes the center to accept and administer private and external donations and gifts (Sec. 6).

• Specifies that the University of Iowa Center for Advancement is to be the designated foundation for all gifts or funding for the center (Sec. 6). 

• Requires all monies appropriated to the center and private and external donations for the center to be used solely for the direct operation of the center (Sec. 6).

• Requires any additional funding required for the operation of the center to be appropriated by the regents institutions under the approval of the board (Sec. 6).

• Requires the university to employ tenure-eligible faculty members to provide instruction through the center (Sec. 7).

• Requires the university to incrementally increase the number of faculty members in the center based on market research and demand (Sec. 7).

• Prohibits faculty members not affiliated with the center from approving, denying, or modifying the terms of appointment as faculty of the center (Sec. 7).

• Authorizes center-appointed faculty to hold joint appointments to other academic units within the University of Iowa (Sec. 7).

• Requires the board to appoint an advisory council for the center no later than December 31, 2025 (Sec. 8).

• Requires the board to appoint a minimum of 9 members to the advisory council with the following stipulations (Sec. 8):

• No more than 1 member of the board may be an employee of the university; and

• A quorum must include a minimum of 5 members present.

• Authorizes the board to determine the initial length of each council member’s term, which includes the following stipulations (Sec. 8):

• A majority of each member’s initial term must be 4 years long; and 

• The remaining members’ term must be 2 years long.

• Requires the border to appoint new members to fill vacancies on the council (Sec. 8).

• Requires the advisory council to conduct a nationwide search for candidates for the director of the center (Sec. 9).

• Requires the advisory council to submit finalists for the role of director of the center to the board (Sec. 9).

• Authorizes the board to appoint any directors of the advisory council (Sec. 9).

• Requires the director of the center to have the academic standing for tenure eligibility in a regents institution (Sec. 9).

• Establishes the sole authority of the director of the center to (Sec. 10):

• Manage the recruitment and hiring process of employees of the center;

• Extend offers for employment; and

• Terminate employment of all staff of the center by state and federal law.

• Requires the director to conduct market research to determine course demand and the number of faculty needed to meet any unmet needs of the center (Sec. 10).

• Authorizes the director to invite guest speakers to the university on behalf of the center (Sec. 10).

• Specifies that the director reports directly to the board (Sec. 10).

• Requires the director of the center to submit an annual report to the governor, the general assembly, and the board of regents, beginning in 2026, with the following information (Sec. 11):

• The center’s achievements;

• Any opportunities for the development of the center; and

• Any challenges or obstacles for the development of the center.

Full Bill Text