IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – A small table made a quiet statement about the cuts to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts at the University of Iowa on Friday. “I feel like it kind of tarnishes and restricts my education.” said graduate student Maura Rost. She’s studying to be a mental health counselor.

For her, fighting to make people feel safe is part of that calling. “If we’re not challenging the systems that are oppressing them, then we’re just treating symptoms and sending them back into the same harm.” she said. But this small protest belies the anger seething in parts of the campus over the changes, like students speaking out at the last Board of Regents meeting.

In recent months – under pressure from President Trump and Governor Reynolds – the University of Iowa has ended multicultural living learning communities, closed its division of access, opportunity, and diversity, and limited gender identity choices to only male and female on admissions forms. “Education just thrives on diversity, and it’s so important to have different viewpoints.” Rost said. And there are different viewpoints – Senior Jasmyn Jordan has a different view of DEI on campus.

“Honestly, diversity, equity, and inclusion is a misnomer. Diversity programs don’t really include diversity of opinion, especially if you’re a free thinker.” she said. She heads up the university’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom; a nationwide organization for conservative students, and says DEI efforts have actually hurt minority students like herself.

“DEI is separating people into oppressors and oppressed rather than putting them under the common goal of excellence.” said Jordan. And while Rost and Jordan vary in their views, both agreed on one thing: campus culture is tense – and likely will be for a while. Copyright 2025 KCRG.

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