The Increasing Civic Proficiency in Higher Education Act mandates that all institutions of higher education governed by the state board of regents require undergraduate students to complete introductory survey courses in American history and American government as part of their general education requirements or core curricula. Each course must carry a minimum of three semester hours of credit and fulfill the social sciences or humanities requirement for graduation. The Act also allows for equivalent credit for transfer students who have completed similar coursework. Notably, this requirement does not apply to students enrolled in degree programs of three years or less. Additionally, by the fall semester of 2028, the board of regents is tasked with reviewing all undergraduate general education requirements and core curricula.

Furthermore, the Act establishes new sections that require the centers for intellectual freedom, cyclone civics, and civic education at their respective universities to create ongoing lecture and debate series aimed at promoting civil dialogue on significant issues facing the American republic. It also mandates that the directors of the cyclone civics and civic education centers submit annual reports detailing their achievements and challenges to the governor, the general assembly, and the state board of regents by December 31 each year. The bill includes the deletion of a subsection from existing law, although the specific content of that subsection is not detailed in the summary.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 263C.3
Reprinted: 263C.3