(Radio Iowa) – The University of Iowa’s Center for Intellectual Freedom will have to dramatically expand to fulfill a new state law. It will soon require all students at the three state-supported universities to take two civics classes in order to graduate and the Center for Intellectual Freedom is in charge of providing those courses for University of Iowa students. Christine Hensley, chair of the center’s advisory council, says it’s been a whirlwind.
“We are looking at potentially 6000 students,” Hensley said, “and that’s going to require a significant amount of faculty to be hired and the faculty are going to have to be hired before the courses start in the Fall of 2028.” Richard Lowry, a University of Texas finance professor who’s on the center’s advisory board, says the hiring process in higher education isn’t quick and the advisory committee needs to start outlining the curriculum for the classes.
“We’ve got two years and change to get a small set of classes that will be delivered to a massive number of people,” Lowry said. “I think we need to start working on this now.” The center offered classes this spring, but only 19 students signed up. Former State Senator Liz Mathis, a Democrat who serves on the advisory council, says her goal is focusing on what’s best for students. “I’m just questioning if we are to be a Center for Intellectual Freedom, why it is mandatory,” Mathis said. “…It’s mandatory that students have to take this class.”
Republican lawmakers created the center in 2025 to address what they say is liberal bias in higher education. Hensley says the center’s classes will address the lack of knowledge college students have about American freedoms. “It needs to be emphasized that the civic courses are an important part of our culture and our history,” Hensley said, “and just ensuring that individuals have that knowledge.”
The center’s advisory board is in the process of screening candidates to be the center’s permanent director. A University of Iowa economics professor has been the center’s interim director for the past year.
