PPT Calls Out Iowa Universities for Continuing DEI Push Despite Show of Ending Practice

Government watchdog Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT) filed a complaint under Titles VI and IX against the University of Iowa and Iowa State University.

Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT) today filed a complaint under Titles VI and IX of the Civil Rights Act against two Iowa universities after video footage showed employees speaking on ways to skirt state and federal law to keep the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) ideology alive in their schools. PPT submitted the complaint to the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice.

Videos released by Accuracy in Media (AIM) reveal staff at not one, but two, Iowa universities, the University of Iowa (Iowa) and Iowa State University (ISU), claiming to continue their practice of imposing DEI on students at their schools. After President Trump signed Executive Order 14151, which banned DEI in places like universities, Iowa passed a law, which took effect on July 1, 2025, prohibiting state funding of any official whose purpose is to serve as a DEI officer in state agencies or institutions of higher education.

An employee from ISU was filmed in a video by AIM describing “loopholes” in Iowa’s new law to institutionalize DEI. The Iowa staffer similarly stated that the university is “reimagining” how they implement DEI. The fact that two separate employees at two different universities appeared to be looking for ways to get around these requirements indicates that these efforts originate from higher up.

“The evidence points to the fact that trying to skirt requirements to eliminate DEI at Iowa universities was not just an isolated effort by employees acting entirely on their own and won’t be solved by merely disciplining a couple individuals,” Michael Chamberlain, Director of PPT, said. “One of those on the videos even referenced the university president’s role in keeping DEI alive at the school. We’re certain this activity is not consistent with the intentions of Governor Reynolds and President Trump when they signed actions designed to eliminate discrimination from universities.”

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