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    • Iowa State Students Protest DEI Regulations, LGBTQIA Center Changes
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    Iowa State Students Protest DEI Regulations, LGBTQIA Center Changes

    Umito Posted on

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    Iowa State University students continue to express their displeasure with a state law that closed the office of the university’s vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion and could soon have an impact on the university’s LGBTQIA+ center.

    A coalition of Ames students and community members braved the cold and wind and gathered in front of the Parks Library Wednesday morning to protest. Senate File 2435. It was the second time that ISU students against the SF 2435 coalition protested the law during the fall semester.

    The law, which take effect July 1, 2025prohibits state universities such as Iowa State from establishing, maintaining, or funding DEI offices or positions unless required by law or accreditation.

    Students rallied against a recent proposal from the State of Iowa who will restructure its LGBTQIA+ Center for Student Successrenaming it The Center. The name change was among other university proposals aimed at meeting the law’s requirements.

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    Students Against SF-2435

    Students formed the ISU Students Against SF 2435 coalition to fight the law’s looming effects. The group’s first demonstration took place on October 24..

    The coalition is calling on the university to maintain current programs and resources, said Erin O’Brien, an Iowa State student and coalition member.

    “From the state of Iowa and the Iowa Board of Regents, we want more effort to protect so-called DEI programs and offices,” O’Brien said. “We especially want protection against SF 2435, a law that is very vague in its wording.”

    The students filed two petitions, one for the Board of Regents and another for Iowa Legislature.

    More: Iowa State students rally against state law that closes school’s DEI office

    ‘The Center’ will be generalized to all students

    The Center is “a space where you can be yourself, find and build community, get involved and explore lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and allied life at Iowa State University.” according to the school’s website.

    The Center will remain in the same location but will transform into a “general reservation space” for students with computer labs and study spaces. Currently, two staff members manage building operations, although their duties will be expanded to provide “general support for student success.”

    The Center has offered valuable resources to queer students, Iowa State student Silvera Dudenhoefer said Wednesday, directing them to queer-friendly sexual health and mental health resources.

    “By removing LGBTQIA+ from the LGBTQIA+ Center, the university, the board of trustees and the government showed how they felt about supporting us,” Dudenhoefer said. “That’s because they don’t.”

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    Changes to ISCORE, eliminating MSS roles

    Students disapprove of plans to replace the Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity (ISCORE) as well as a forum on issues of race and ethnicity, with a similar conference focused on the broad research topic.

    The change “hinders” the conference from having a meaningful dialogue on race, O’Brien said.

    “The restructuring and rebranding of the Center and ISCORE effectively eliminates both programs,” O’Brien said. “The Council’s compliance plan prevents these two programs from meeting their objectives.”

    The university’s plan will also eliminate the Multicultural Student Success (MSS) profile in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. These employees will transition into general student success roles.

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    Board of Regents demands response from universitys

    The Board of Regents organized diversity, equity and inclusion guidelines to bring the state’s three public universities into compliance with Senate File 2435. The guidance eliminates all DEI functions that are “not necessary for compliance or accreditation.”

    The regents imposed a December 31 deadline.

    Iowa State closed its DEI office in July. Two filled positions and three open positions were eliminated, allowing the university to redistribute $789,000.

    Celia Brocker is a government, crime, politics and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at [email protected].

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