Bill Text: IA HSB52 | 2025-2026 | 91st General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act establishing a school of intellectual freedom at the university of Iowa.
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-28 - Subcommittee recommends passage. [HSB52 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2025-HSB52-Introduced.html
House
Study
Bill
52
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
_____
BY
(PROPOSED
COMMITTEE
ON
HIGHER
EDUCATION
BILL
BY
CHAIRPERSON
COLLINS)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
establishing
a
school
of
intellectual
freedom
at
the
1
university
of
Iowa.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
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Section
1.
SHORT
TITLE.
This
Act
shall
be
known
and
may
be
1
cited
as
the
“School
of
Intellectual
Freedom
Act”.
2
Sec.
2.
NEW
SECTION
.
263C.1
Definitions.
3
As
used
in
this
chapter,
unless
the
context
otherwise
4
requires:
5
1.
“Board”
means
the
state
board
of
regents.
6
2.
“School”
means
the
school
of
intellectual
freedom
7
established
by
section
263C.2.
8
3.
“University”
means
the
state
university
of
Iowa.
9
Sec.
3.
NEW
SECTION
.
263C.2
School
of
intellectual
freedom.
10
1.
A
school
of
intellectual
freedom
is
established
as
an
11
independent
academic
unit
within
the
university.
The
school
12
shall
be
physically
located
in
the
college
of
liberal
arts
and
13
sciences.
14
2.
The
school
shall
conduct
teaching
and
research
in
the
15
historical
ideas,
traditions,
and
texts
that
have
shaped
the
16
American
constitutional
order
and
society.
17
3.
The
board
may
name
the
school
in
accordance
with
any
18
philanthropic
naming
policies
or
practices
of
the
board
or
19
university.
20
Sec.
4.
NEW
SECTION
.
263C.3
Functions
of
the
school.
21
1.
The
school
shall
offer
instruction
in
all
of
the
22
following
subjects:
23
a.
The
texts
and
major
debates
that
form
the
intellectual
24
foundation
of
free
societies,
especially
that
of
the
United
25
States.
26
b.
The
principles,
ideals,
and
institutions
of
the
American
27
constitutional
order.
28
c.
The
foundations
of
responsible
leadership
and
informed
29
citizenship.
30
2.
The
school
shall
offer
university-wide
programming
31
related
to
the
values
of
free
speech
and
civil
discourse.
32
3.
The
school
shall
work
to
do
all
of
the
following:
33
a.
Expand
the
intellectual
diversity
of
the
university’s
34
academic
community.
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b.
Foster
civic
engagement
among
university
students
and
1
faculty.
2
4.
The
school
may
offer
courses;
develop
certificate,
3
minor,
and
major
programs
as
well
as
graduate
programs;
and
4
offer
degrees.
5
Sec.
5.
NEW
SECTION
.
263C.4
Bylaws.
6
The
school
shall
establish
bylaws
governing
the
school
7
subject
to
the
approval
of
the
dean
of
the
school.
In
addition
8
to
any
other
bylaws
established,
the
bylaws
shall
include
all
9
of
the
following
requirements,
which
shall
take
precedence
over
10
any
other
requirements
in
the
bylaws:
11
1.
The
school
shall
educate
students
by
means
of
free,
open,
12
and
rigorous
intellectual
inquiry
to
seek
the
truth.
13
2.
The
school
affirms
its
duty
to
equip
students
with
14
the
skills,
habits,
and
dispositions
of
mind
they
need
to
15
reach
their
own
informed
conclusions
on
matters
of
social
and
16
political
importance.
17
3.
The
school
affirms
the
value
of
intellectual
diversity
18
in
higher
education
and
aspires
to
enhance
the
intellectual
19
diversity
of
the
university.
20
4.
The
school
affirms
a
commitment
to
create
a
community
21
dedicated
to
an
ethic
of
civil
and
free
inquiry,
which
respects
22
the
intellectual
freedom
of
each
member,
supports
individual
23
capacities
for
growth,
and
welcomes
the
differences
of
opinion
24
that
naturally
exist
in
a
public
university
community.
25
Sec.
6.
NEW
SECTION
.
263C.5
Funding
——
use.
26
1.
The
school
may
accept
and
administer
private
and
external
27
donations
and
gifts.
28
2.
Any
moneys
appropriated
to
the
school,
and
any
private
29
and
external
donations
to
the
school,
shall
be
used
only
for
30
the
direct
operation
of
the
school
and
shall
not
be
used
for
31
any
indirect
costs
of
the
university.
32
Sec.
7.
NEW
SECTION
.
263C.6
School
faculty.
33
The
university
shall
employ
at
least
five
tenure-eligible
34
faculty
members
to
provide
instruction
through
the
school.
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Faculty
members
appointed
to
the
school
may
hold
joint
1
appointments
to
other
academic
units
of
the
university.
2
Faculty
members
who
are
not
appointed
to
the
school
shall
3
have
no
authority
to
approve,
deny,
or
modify
the
terms
of
4
appointment
of
faculty
to
the
school.
5
Sec.
8.
NEW
SECTION
.
263C.7
Academic
council.
6
1.
No
later
than
December
31,
2025,
the
board
shall
appoint
7
an
academic
council
for
the
purpose
of
assisting
in
the
8
selection
of
a
dean
of
the
school
pursuant
to
section
263C.8.
9
2.
The
board
may
appoint
up
to
nine
members
to
the
council.
10
No
more
than
one
member
of
the
council
may
be
an
employee
of
the
11
university.
A
majority
of
the
members
appointed
to
the
council
12
shall
constitute
a
quorum.
13
3.
The
board
shall
determine
the
initial
length
of
each
14
member’s
term
in
accordance
with
this
subsection.
A
majority
15
of
the
members
initially
appointed
to
the
council
shall
serve
16
initial
terms
of
four
years.
The
remaining
initially
appointed
17
members
shall
serve
initial
terms
of
two
years.
The
board
18
shall
appoint
new
members
to
fill
vacancies
on
the
council
in
19
accordance
with
this
section.
20
Sec.
9.
NEW
SECTION
.
263C.8
Appointment
of
dean.
21
1.
The
academic
council
established
under
section
263C.7
22
shall
conduct
a
nationwide
search
for
candidates
for
the
dean
23
of
the
school.
The
council
shall
strictly
adhere
to
all
24
relevant
state
and
federal
laws
in
conducting
the
search.
The
25
council
shall
submit
a
list
of
finalists
for
the
position
to
26
the
board,
which
shall
select
and
appoint
the
dean
from
the
27
list.
Subsequent
deans
shall
be
chosen
in
the
same
manner.
28
2.
The
dean
shall
be
eligible
for
tenure.
29
Sec.
10.
NEW
SECTION
.
263C.9
Duties
of
dean.
30
1.
The
dean
of
the
school
shall
have
the
sole
and
exclusive
31
authority
to
manage
the
recruitment
and
hiring
process
and
to
32
extend
offers
for
employment
for
all
faculty
and
staff
of
the
33
school
and
to
terminate
employment
of
all
staff
of
the
school.
34
2.
The
dean
shall
oversee,
develop,
and
approve
the
35
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curriculum,
courses,
and
programs
of
the
school.
1
3.
The
dean
shall
have
the
sole
and
exclusive
authority
2
to
invite
guest
speakers
to
the
university
on
behalf
of
the
3
school.
4
4.
The
dean
shall
consult
with
the
dean
of
the
college
of
5
liberal
arts
and
sciences
when
carrying
out
the
dean’s
duties.
6
However,
the
dean
shall
report
directly
to
the
president
of
the
7
university
or
a
designee
of
the
president.
8
Sec.
11.
NEW
SECTION
.
263C.10
Annual
report.
9
The
dean
of
the
school
shall
submit
an
annual
report
to
the
10
governor,
the
general
assembly,
and
the
board
of
regents
by
11
December
31.
The
report
shall
provide
a
full
account
of
the
12
school’s
achievements
and
shall
identify
any
opportunities,
13
challenges,
and
obstacles
in
the
development
of
the
school.
14
EXPLANATION
15
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
16
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
17
This
bill
establishes
a
school
of
intellectual
freedom
18
(school)
as
an
independent
academic
unit
within
the
university
19
of
Iowa
(university).
The
school
shall
be
physically
20
located
in
the
college
of
liberal
arts
and
sciences.
The
21
school
shall
conduct
teaching
and
research
in
the
historical
22
ideas,
traditions,
and
texts
that
have
shaped
the
American
23
constitutional
order
and
society.
The
bill
authorizes
the
24
state
board
of
regents
(board)
to
name
the
school
in
accordance
25
with
any
philanthropic
naming
policies
or
practices
of
the
26
board
or
university.
27
The
bill
provides
functions
of
the
school,
including
28
instruction
on
specified
subjects,
offering
university-wide
29
programming
related
to
the
values
of
free
speech
and
civil
30
discourse,
and
working
to
expand
the
intellectual
diversity
of
31
the
university’s
academic
community
and
foster
civic
engagement
32
among
university
students
and
faculty.
The
bill
authorizes
the
33
school
to
offer
courses;
develop
certificate,
minor,
and
major
34
programs
as
well
as
graduate
programs;
and
offer
degrees.
35
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5
H.F.
_____
The
bill
requires
the
school
to
establish
bylaws
and
1
specifies
certain
subjects
that
must
be
included
in
the
bylaws.
2
The
bill
authorizes
the
school
to
accept
and
administer
3
private
and
external
donations
and
gifts.
The
bill
provides
4
that
any
moneys
appropriated
to
the
school,
and
any
private
and
5
external
donations
to
the
school,
shall
be
used
only
for
the
6
direct
operation
of
the
school
and
shall
not
be
used
for
any
7
indirect
costs
of
the
university.
8
The
bill
requires
the
university
to
employ
at
least
five
9
tenure-eligible
faculty
members
to
provide
instruction
through
10
the
school.
Faculty
members
appointed
to
the
school
may
hold
11
joint
appointments
to
other
academic
units.
The
bill
provides
12
that
faculty
members
who
are
not
appointed
to
the
school
shall
13
have
no
authority
to
approve,
deny,
or
modify
the
terms
of
14
appointment
of
faculty
to
the
school.
15
The
bill
requires
the
board
to
establish
an
academic
council
16
no
later
than
December
31,
2025,
for
the
purpose
of
assisting
17
in
the
selection
of
a
dean
of
the
school.
The
bill
provides
for
18
membership
and
procedures
of
the
council.
The
bill
provides
19
that
the
board
shall
select
and
appoint
the
dean
from
a
list
of
20
finalists
submitted
by
the
council.
21
The
bill
provides
duties
of
the
dean,
including
recruitment,
22
hiring,
and
termination
of
employment
of
school
faculty
and
23
staff;
overseeing,
developing,
and
approving
the
curriculum,
24
courses,
and
programs
of
the
school;
and
inviting
guest
25
speakers
to
the
university
on
behalf
of
the
school.
The
bill
26
requires
the
dean
to
consult
with
the
dean
of
the
college
of
27
liberal
arts
and
sciences
when
carrying
out
the
dean’s
duties.
28
The
bill
provides
that
the
dean
shall
report
directly
to
the
29
president
of
the
university
or
a
designee
of
the
president.
30
The
bill
provides
that
the
dean
shall
be
eligible
for
tenure.
31
The
bill
requires
the
dean
to
submit
an
annual
report
to
32
the
governor,
the
general
assembly,
and
the
board
of
regents
33
regarding
the
school.
34
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