The University of Iowa announced it will close its Department of Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies as the state’s public universities continue to respond to the changing DEI landscape.
“Under the proposed plan, the college would close the departments of American Studies and Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies, as well as its existing majors in American Studies and Social Justice, which have fewer than 60 students combined, and create a new college “majoring in social and cultural analysis,” the University of Iowa announced in a statement. Newspaper on December 17.
This decision comes after the Iowa State Board of Trustees approved 10 recommendations to scale back Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the Hawkeye State.
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The University of Iowa announced it will close its Department of Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies as the state’s public universities continue to respond to the changing DEI landscape. (Getty Images)
“We are excited to reposition these programs for the future,” said Sarah Sanders, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Iowa. “Establishing a School of Social and Cultural Analysis will allow us to build on our significant heritage in areas that are essential to our mission, while creating more sustainable structures and space for innovative new approaches.”
“Currently, these programs are managed by multiple department chairs and multiple directors,” said Roland Recevskis, associate dean of arts and humanities at CLAS. “Under this proposed plan, the school will have one leadership team dedicated to overseeing program operations.”
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The announcement revealed that the proposal will go into effect on July 1, 2025, if it is successfully approved at the February Board of Trustees meeting. (Getty Images)
“Students in this major will be able to connect their individual experiences and ideas to larger social contexts,” said Cornelia Lange, associate dean for undergraduate education at CLAS. “This will prepare them well for potential careers or graduate work in cultural studies and related fields through highly adaptable skills such as analytical thinking, effective communication, and research.”
The announcement revealed that the proposal will go into effect on July 1, 2025, if it is successfully approved at the February Board of Trustees meeting.
The University of Iowa isn’t the only academic institution to change its stance on DEI programs in recent months.
The University of Michigan finalized its requirements for DEI data on faculty hiring, promotion and tenure this month. The University of Austin (UATX), a private liberal arts university, also replaced DEI with merit-based initiatives this year.
Some states, including Florida, have restricted or banned DEI funding at state institutions.
The University of Iowa did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Fox News’ Taylor Penley contributed to this report.
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