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House passes bills reshaping core curriculum and offering an opt-in tuition guarantee at regent institutions
Summary
Lawmakers passed HF2361 requiring regional universities to add American history and government to general-education requirements and HF2362 establishing an opt-in tuition-guarantee program with a fee (not to exceed 10% of base tuition); HF2361 drew extended debate over legislative involvement in university curriculum but passed.
Representative Collins (Des Moines) pressed for changes to regent institutions' core curricula, including a requirement that regional universities offer a 3-credit American history course and a 3-credit American government course as part of general-education requirements; he described HF2361 as returning the core curriculum to a more traditional liberal-arts focus.
Representative Matson, speaking in opposition, said the bill micromanages university decisions and could force students to take additional credits, potentially raising costs. "If you make 1 student take an extra semester, pay an extra 6 months of rent, pay an extra semester of tuition... that's a huge mistake," Matson said.
After amendments and extended debate, HF2361 passed (58–33). Representative Collins also moved HF2362, which the house amended to make the tuition-guarantee program opt-in and allow a fee not to exceed 10% of base tuition; that amended bill passed as recorded. Sponsors said the tuition guarantee and codified tuition cap policy would give students greater predictability about college costs.
