Regents review status of five higher-education bills, appropriations timetable and confirmations; next-week legislative committee canceled

Members of the State Board of Regents discussed the status of five higher-education bills, the state budget timetable and upcoming gubernatorial confirmations and agreed not to hold the legislative committee meeting scheduled for the 11th because most regents will be in Iowa City.

The meeting opened with a brief procedural note that the board’s legislative committee would not meet next week. “We will not be having the legislative committee next week on the eleventh as most of the regents will be in Iowa City,” a meeting participant said.

Board staff and members then summarized the bills they have been tracking. Erin, a staff member, described House File 295 as the accreditation bill and said it “says an accreditor cannot take an adverse action against an institution or following state law.” She said HF295 passed out of the Senate Education Committee and was awaiting debate on the Senate floor.

Jillian and other staff reviewed House File 401, the core-curriculum bill, which they said would set general-education requirements for institutions. The description given…