Lang
9/5/26
The interim director of the University of Iowa Center for Intellectual Freedom has been discouraged by the Board of Regents from attending three different conferences in the coming weeks.
Luciano de Castro has been running the center temporarily for the last year. He sought to attend events in Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana in the coming weeks. de Castro told The Cedar Rapids Gazette that the three conferences will deal with American culture and the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The three Regents on the Center’s governance committee say de Castro’s time would be better spent on activities at the Center itself, including its “America 250 Speaker Series”. Regent Christine Hensley told the Gazette that she felt it was important for the Center to generate interest for its scheduled speakers if it wants more students to enroll voluntarily. Due to low student participation, the Iowa legislature passed a law earlier this year that requires all UI students to take at least two classes at the Center.
One member of the Center’s executive committee, University of Texas professor Richard Lowery, said it was concerning that the Regents would get involved in a decision that’s usually made by the faculty member themselves.
A link to the Gazette article can be found here.