Second University of Iowa employee on administrative leave for video commenting on DEI policies
August 2nd, 2025 by Ric Hanson
IOWA CITY, Iowa — A second University of Iowa employee is on paid administrative leave following an online video that appears to show the employee discussing recent diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) laws and ways faculty members can get around the laws. KCCI-TV reports a video posted to conservative news site Townhall appears to show a University of Iowa employee — identified in the story as Cory Lockwood, the senior associate director of the Iowa Memorial Union — talking about how the university has complied with recent DEI laws enacted by the state legislature.
The University of Iowa confirmed Lockwood was on paid administrative leave as of Thursday. Lockwood is at least the second University of Iowa employee to be placed on paid administrative leave after a video surfaced in which they discussed enforcement of Iowa’s DEI laws. Another employee, Drea Tinoco, was placed on paid administrative leave Tuesday.
The video of Tinoco also drew an official complaint from Gov. Kim Reynolds to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, which subsequently launched an investigation.