H.F. 285 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 261G.1 Short title —— definition. 1 1. This chapter may be cited as the “Intellectual Diversity 2 in Higher Education Act” . 3 2. For purposes of this chapter, unless the context 4 otherwise requires, “intellectual diversity” means an open 5 learning environment that exposes students to a variety of 6 perspectives. 7 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 261G.2 Reporting requirements. 8 1. Each community college established under chapter 260C 9 and each institution of higher education under the control of 10 the state board of regents shall, on or before January 1, 2012, 11 and on or before January 1 of each succeeding fiscal year, do 12 the following: 13 a. Submit a report to the Iowa association of community 14 college trustees or the state board of regents, as appropriate, 15 detailing the steps that the community college or institution 16 has taken and is taking to ensure intellectual diversity and 17 the free exchange of ideas among both the student body and the 18 faculty members. 19 b. Post the report described in paragraph “a” on the 20 community college’s or institution’s internet website. 21 c. Create a mechanism to receive complaints and suggestions 22 from students, faculty, and other interested parties regarding 23 intellectual diversity, or lack thereof, at the community 24 college or institution. 25 2. In order to fulfill the reporting requirement 26 in subsection 1, on or before December 30 annually, as 27 appropriate, beginning December 30, 2011, each community 28 college and each institution of higher education under the 29 control of the state board of regents shall at a minimum do the 30 following: 31 a. Conduct a study to assess the current state of 32 intellectual diversity on its campus. 33 b. Incorporate intellectual diversity into institutional 34 statements, grievance procedures, and activities that promote 35 -1- LSB 1662YH (3) 84 kh/nh 1/ 4

H.F. 285 diversity. 1 c. Include intellectual diversity concerns in the community 2 college’s or institution’s guidelines on teaching and program 3 development. 4 d. Include intellectual diversity issues in student 5 discourse evaluations. 6 e. Develop clear policies on hiring, tenure, and promotion 7 that protect individuals against discrimination based on 8 political viewpoint and that track any reported political 9 viewpoint discrimination grievances. 10 f. Direct the chief diversity officer for the community 11 college or institution, or other parties responsible for 12 diversity efforts at the community college or institution, 13 to ensure that the community college or institution take 14 all appropriate measures to promote intellectual diversity, 15 including but not limited to the provisions specified in this 16 subsection. The chief diversity officer or other parties 17 responsible for diversity efforts at the community college 18 or institution shall also report regularly on intellectual 19 diversity to the Iowa association of community college trustees 20 or the state board of regents, as appropriate. 21 3. On or before January 31 annually, beginning January 22 31, 2012, the Iowa association of community college trustees 23 for the community colleges, and the state board of regents 24 for the institutions of higher education it controls, shall 25 collect and summarize the reports provided in accordance with 26 subsection 1, and submit the summary in a report to the general 27 assembly and the governor. The summary report shall provide 28 internet website links to the complete reports provided by the 29 institutions in accordance with subsection 1, along with the 30 key findings derived from those reports. The Iowa association 31 of community college trustees and state board of regents shall 32 each maintain a copy of the summary report and copies of the 33 reports provided pursuant to subsection 1 on its internet 34 website. 35 -2- LSB 1662YH (3) 84 kh/nh 2/ 4

H.F. 285 4. The standing senate and house of representatives 1 education committees of the general assembly shall hear 2 testimony from representatives of the community colleges and 3 the institutions of higher education under the control of the 4 state board of regents; their students, faculty members, and 5 administrators; and expert witnesses concerning the reports 6 submitted pursuant to this section and any matters of interest 7 to the committees concerning intellectual diversity. 8 EXPLANATION 9 This bill establishes the “Intellectual Diversity in Higher 10 Education Act”, requires each community college and regents 11 university to provide an annual report to the Iowa association 12 of community college trustees and the state board of regents, 13 as appropriate, describing the steps it is taking to ensure 14 intellectual diversity and the free exchange of ideas. The 15 association and the state board are directed to submit a 16 summary of the reports to the general assembly and the governor 17 annually and to place the summary report and the institution 18 reports on their internet websites. 19 The bill defines “intellectual diversity” as an open 20 learning environment that exposes students to a variety of 21 perspectives. 22 Each community college and regents university must 23 submit its report on or before January 1 annually beginning 24 January 1, 2012, post the reports on their websites, and 25 create a mechanism to collect complaints and suggestions 26 related to intellectual diversity. In order to fulfill the 27 reporting requirement, on or before December 30 annually, 28 beginning December 30, 2011, each community college and 29 regents university must, at a minimum, conduct a study to 30 assess the current state of intellectual diversity on its 31 campus; incorporate intellectual diversity into institutional 32 statements, grievance procedures, and activities that promote 33 diversity; include intellectual diversity concerns in the 34 institution’s guidelines on teaching and program development; 35 -3- LSB 1662YH (3) 84 kh/nh 3/ 4

H.F. 285 and include intellectual diversity issues in student discourse 1 evaluations; develop clear policies on hiring, tenure, and 2 promotion that protect individuals against discrimination 3 based on political viewpoint and that track discrimination 4 grievances. 5 The summary reports must be submitted to the general 6 assembly and the governor on or before January 31, 2012, and 7 annually thereafter. The summary report must include the key 8 findings derived from the institutions’ reports. 9 Finally, the bill provides that the standing senate and 10 house of representatives education committees shall hear 11 testimony from community college and regents university 12 representatives, students, faculty members, administrators, 13 and expert witnesses concerning the reports submitted and any 14 matters of interest to the committees concerning intellectual 15 diversity. 16 -4- LSB 1662YH (3) 84 kh/nh 4/ 4