May 3, 2023 · legislative
Iowa SF 2340 prohibits DEI offices and diversity statements at public universities
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 2340, which prohibited Iowa's public universities from maintaining DEI offices, using diversity or equity statements in hiring and admissions, or sponsoring DEI programming with state funds. Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa all faced compliance deadlines and began reviewing their organizational structures. The Iowa law was notable for its explicit prohibition on diversity statements in hiring. Legal scholars noted the provision could be challenged as a viewpoint-based restriction on faculty speech in the hiring process. The AAUP issued a statement warning that the diversity statement prohibition could be used to screen out faculty whose research or teaching engaged with equity-related topics.
Jun 8, 2021 · state_law
Iowa enacts divisive concepts law restricting race and sex instruction
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed legislation restricting schools and government trainings from teaching specified concepts about race and sex. The law formed part of a national Republican push to limit education and workplace discussions about structural racism and discrimination.
Mar 14, 2019 · natural_disaster_response
Midwest flooding exposes the cost of river-basin disaster policy
Historic flooding along the Missouri, Arkansas and Mississippi River basins made 2019’s inland flooding the year’s dominant disaster cost. NOAA reported that the combined cost of Missouri, Arkansas and Mississippi River flooding reached about $20 billion, nearly half the total cost of all 2019 billion-dollar disasters. The Trump administration approved disaster declarations across affected states, while the damage exposed long-term weaknesses in levees, farms, barge traffic and floodplain development.