Full Breakdown
Mass Resignations Undermine University of Iowa’s Center for Intellectual Freedom
By Drooid · · How we work
Resignations Shake CIF Advisory Council
The Iowa Board of Regents accepted the resignations of eleven members of the University of Iowa’s Center for Intellectual Freedom (CIF) Advisory Council. The departing scholars are Richard Lowery, Thomas Gallanis, Dorian Abbot, Daniel Bonevac, Carlos Carvalho, Joshua Katz, Sergiu Klainerman, Ivan Marinovic, Nicola Persico, Joshua Rauh and Harald Uhlig. Their departure reduces the council from 26 to 15 members. The resignations were described as “abrupt” and followed a collective expression of no confidence in the Board of Regents and the center’s future, according to reporting on the event.
Background and Legislative Origin
CIF was created after Republican lawmakers in Iowa passed a law in 2025, signed by Governor Kim Reynolds, to promote “more varied perspectives” on campuses that were characterized as overwhelmingly liberal. The center’s charter calls for scholarship on the intellectual foundations of free societies, the principles of the American constitutional order, and the development of responsible leadership and informed citizenship.
Official Statements & Responses
Board of Regents member and CIF Advisory Council chair Christine Hensley issued a release thanking the departing members for their contributions and expressing optimism about the council’s continued work. She said the Board looks forward to collaborating with the remaining fifteen advisors to keep the center moving forward in a positive direction and reaffirmed full support for CIF’s stated goals.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We appreciate the work these individuals have put into the Center for Intellectual Freedom,” — The Iowa Board, of Regents and the center's future
What’s Next
The CIF Executive Committee is scheduled to meet virtually on September 25 to continue its search for a permanent director, as noted in the board’s announcement.
