UNI faculty union accuses regents of violating their own free speech policy

The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.

CEDAR FALLS — Accusing the Board of Regents of violating its own “Freedom of Expression” policy, the University of Northern Iowa’s United Faculty union this week slammed a proposed policy change that would bar DEI and CRT course requirements across Iowa’s public university system.

“The proposed DEI and CRT requirement explicitly violates the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, as it endorses viewpoint discrimination and makes a governmental body — the Iowa Board of Regents — the authority on deciding what kinds of speech topics are appropriate for the classroom,” UNI communications professor and United Faculty President Christopher R. Martin said in a statement.

“Ironi