Iowa lawmakers added a clause to a $1 million budget bill that would force University of Iowa students to complete six credit hours at the Center for Intellectual Freedom or risk not graduating. The move follows a 35‑hour session in which Republicans aimed to counter what they call liberal indoctrination on campuses. The bill now awaits Governor Kim Reynolds today.

The Center opened this spring after Republicans established it to push back against perceived left‑leaning bias. A report from the nonprofit Common Sense Institute noted only eight students enrolled in its first class, suggesting demand would stay flat without a mandate. Democrats argue the requirement will inflate tuition costs and burden families already paying for higher education in 2028 terms.

The mandate also covers Iowa State and the University of Northern Iowa, where students must take six credit hours in American History and Government. School boards will decide which courses satisfy the new rule, effective July 2028. Reynolds has yet to decide whether to sign, veto, or strip the provision, leaving students and faculty in limbo for all stakeholders today.