University of Iowa Medical School Keeps DEI Office Running After Division Closure

In March 2025 the University of Iowa announced it would shut its Division of Access, Opportunity, and Diversity after a directive from the Iowa Board of Regents. However, emails obtained by the watchdog group Do No Harm show that the university’s Carver College of Medicine (CCOM) continued to operate its former DEI office under the new name "Program for Access and Engagement" as of late March. A March 26 email confirmed the program was "still fully up and running," and a May 27 email indicated the office was revising its website to remove references to "diversity-related accreditation criteria" ahead of a state law taking effect. The correspondence suggests that, despite the official closure, DEI-related activities persist within the medical school.

These findings highlight ongoing tension between state directives to limit DEI mandates and the continued internal practices of the medical college.