Pending DEI legislation puts some DMACC activities on hold

A bill passed by the Iowa House and moving toward a vote in the Senate would prohibit public colleges or universities in Iowa from requiring students or faculty to engage in certain diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. 

The bill would make it so that students are not required to take any DEI-related classes or coursework to graduate unless they are getting a degree in that specific field. Professors would also not be required to include these topics in their courses. They also would not be asked to attend workshops or trainings on these topics as a condition for things like promotions or pay raises.​ The professors could, however, still teach lessons or have discussions in their classroom relating to DEI if they choose. 

On January 25, DMACC sent an email to faculty and staff stating: “We are watching closely and seeking additional guidance, and we will communicate more definitive plans when we have them.” The email went on to state that their current preliminary steps are: 

1. Diversity Commission meetings are on hold until further notice.
2. DEI Task Force meetings are on hold until further notice.
3. Some training courses that include DEI components have been removed until further notice.
4. Certain DMACC websites that may conflict with state or federal legislative action will be taken down until further notice.

Republican Rep. Steven Holt, from Denison, told KCCI, “A better name for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, in my opinion, would be adversity, inequity, and exclusion, because that is what these programs do. Indoctrinating young people to see everything through the prism of race is incredibly destructive.” 

Democratic Rep. Mary Madison, from West Des Moines, told KCCI, “These bills are not about improving education or governance. They are about censorship, exclusion, and erasing important conversations that prepare students for the real world.”

The Chronicle reached out to DMACC for an official comment. Internal Communications Coordinator Daniel Ryan said, “Our understanding is that the DEI bill is still being debated and has not yet been signed into law. Given that this is pending legislation, we don’t have any comment at this time.”