On Thursdasy, Rep. Taylor Collins, Chairman of the new Iowa House Committee on Higher Education, released the following statement in response to the University of Iowa’s plans
to close their gender studies department, and eliminate their major in social justice.
“This recent announcement is a major victory before the General Assembly has even convened, or the House’s new committee on Higher Education has even met,” said Rep. Collins. “As I shared just weeks ago, when the Higher Education Committee was formed under Speaker Grassley’s leadership, our constituents should not be on the hook to fund academic programs focused on ideological agendas. Rather, we expect our taxpayer-funded institutions to focus on filling the workforce needs of our state. While the halt of these egregious initiatives are a major step forward, there is much work left to do in reorienting the focus of Iowa’s higher education system back to the pursuit of academic excellence.”
The 91st General Assembly will convene on January 13th. For the first time since 1971, the Iowa House will once again have a committee on Higher Education.
