The Increasing Civic Proficiency in Higher Education Act mandates that the state board of regents require all institutions of higher education under its governance to include introductory survey courses in American history and American government as part of their general education requirements. Each course must carry a minimum of three semester hours of credit and fulfill the social sciences or humanities requirement for graduation. The legislation also allows for equivalent credit to be granted to students transferring from other institutions for similar coursework. This requirement will apply to undergraduate students starting their enrollment in academic years beginning on or after July 1, 2028. Additionally, the act strikes a previous requirement for the center for intellectual freedom at the University of Iowa to offer a specific course in American history and civil government.

Furthermore, the act establishes a requirement for the centers for intellectual freedom, cyclone civics, and civic education at their respective universities to create ongoing lecture and debate series by December 31, 2026, 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 board of regents by December 31 each year. Lastly, the board of regents is tasked with reviewing all undergraduate general education requirements and core curricula by December 31, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 263C.3