The executive committee appointed to oversee the University of Iowa’s Center For Intellectual Freedom (CIF) discussed hiring a permanent director during their meeting Tuesday. Interim director Luciano Decastro is one candidate that they voted to support moving forward. Other candidates on their list were talked about in a closed session as they asked they their names not be made public. A new law will require all U-I students take at least two classes at CIF (SIFF) starting in July of 2028 in order to graduate. The committee got into a back and forth discussion on having the scholarship committee start selecting courses and curriculum. University of Texas professor Richard Lowery is on the Center’s advisory council was concerned about moving ahead without a permanent director in place.
Christine Hensley is chair of the executive committee and says they need to move forward and start looking the issue.
Lowery says he is concerned the end result is going to be that whatever the provost wants is going to happen and they’re going to ignore the information from the scholar committee.
Hensley says that’s not what she suggests.
Hensley says the new director is going to have input and the university is also going to have input because they will work with the academic officer at the regents office on what classes may or may not qualify.
