University of Iowa Shuts Down Its Department of Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies

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The University of Iowa’s decision to shut down its Department of Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies (GWSS) marks a long-overdue step toward restoring academic integrity and contributing to students’ career readiness. At a time when college academia has become increasingly politicized and disconnected from the practical needs of students, the move sparks a return to a more balanced, traditional curriculum. The department’s elimination halts the promotion of ideological agendas and divisive, left-wing ideologies.

Many Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs at universities in the United States have begun to be rolled back, often due to shifting political, economic, and social pressures. Lawmakers, administrators, and parents have resisted DEI programs, arguing that they focus more on promoting specific left-win ideological agendas rather than fostering an inclusive or academic environment. 

In a press release, the university noted that fewer than 60 students enrolled in the course, which included eliminating the “Social Justice” major. 

“Under the proposed plan, the college would close the departments of American Studies and Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies, as well as the current majors in American Studies and in Social Justice, which have fewer than 60 students combined, and create a new major in Social and Cultural Analysis,” the press release stated. 

Instead, the institution combines several departments, including African American Studies and Native American and Indigenous Studies, into the new Cultural Analysis office.

“We are excited to reposition these programs for the future,” the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), Sara Sanders, said. “The creation of a School of Social and Cultural Analysis would allow us to build on our considerable legacy in areas that are essential to our mission while creating more sustainable structures and room for innovative new curricula.”

Critics of DEI initiatives argue that they do not significantly or lastingly improve diversity or inclusivity among colleges. They are also concerned that committing to DEI programs could distract from the primary educational focus of preparing students for the workforce or advanced studies.