Panelists recommend Center for Intellectual Freedom classes be required for all UI students

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – On Sunday, lawmakers, education leaders and Governor Kim Reynolds gathered to discuss the future of the University of Iowa’s new Center for Intellectual Freedom.

“Make the Center for Intellectual Freedom so attractive that a great number of students want to take its courses,” panelist Josh Rauh, economics professor at Stanford University told Sunday’s crow.

That’s one of the goals for the new center that would teach students about historical ideas and texts that shaped American society.

Several panelists from universities across the country said conservative ideologies aren’t often welcomed at public universities, and believe the center could be a solution.

“Many foundational U.S. history courses now devote far more attention to themes of oppression, inequality, systemic injustice, identity politics, race, gender, and sexuality, than to traditional civic and institutional history,” Rauh said.

The center hopes to introduce new courses and possibly make some of them required for students.

“There is no general education at the University of Iowa. It’s all specialized education. Every student can have a different formation in those first two years,” another panelist, Mark Bauerlein from the New College of Florida said.

Rauh said the center will provide courses that more closely align with the ideologies that Iowans have.

“Do they really want to be paying for progressive activism dressed up as scholarship?” Rauh said. “The grand majority do not, and it’s a failure of democracy if taxpayer money is forced to support ideologies that they strongly reject,” he said.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds was also at the summit, and said the Center will help fight against civic illiteracy.

“The center will not only revive civic education, but create a sense of shared identity and purpose among its students, foster ideals of liberty, justice, and equality, and instill in them a deep pride in our country,” Reynolds said.

• Author
• Recent Posts

Krisna Dwi Wardhana

Lahir di Padang pada tahun 1991, saya telah tinggal di berbagai wilayah di Indonesia sejak TK hingga kuliah, termasuk Aceh, Palembang, dan Bogor. Saya meraih gelar Sarjana Sains dari FMIPA Universitas Indonesia. Saat ini, saya bekerja sebagai Pendidik di sebuah sekolah swasta di Bogor, Tutor privat sambil tetap fokus mengembangkan Bisakimia.

Latest posts by Krisna Dwi Wardhana (see all)

• Kemendikdasmen Perkuat Program MBG dengan Enam Modul Edukasi Gizi - January 5, 2026
• Sadimin: Guru Tak Lagi Khawatir Status, 10.303 Guru Paruh Waktu Dapat SK PPPK Minggu Depan - January 5, 2026
• Sinopsis Petualangan ke Inti Bumi di Trans TV Malam Ini - January 5, 2026