Several Iowa State University faculty members have created a petition supporting the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office.

The petition was sparked by recommendations from the Iowa Board of Regents, which has instructed the state’s three public universities to eliminate all staff positions focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion that are “unnecessary” for the school’s accreditation.

The local petition, created by ISU employees Chelsea Harbach, Brady Hubbard, Amy Popillion and Tara Fisher, seeks to guarantee employment for staff at the DEI office, even if the office is eliminated.

In May 2023, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law requiring the board to review DEI programs at Iowa State, Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa.

The Regents have directed the schools to craft plans to adhere to the rules, which are due by the end of April.

Dr. Harbach is a plant disease diagnostician at Iowa State, while Hubbard is the director of Larch Hall. Papillion is a professor in ISU’s Department of Human Development and Family Studies. Fisher is an academic advisor in the Iowa State College of Business.

The petition specifically supports DEI Office employees Rose McCarty and nicci port, asking the Regents to consider their employment and campus impact.

port is Iowa State’s coordinator for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Outreach and community engagement. She “cultivates community-university partnerships with neighborhood associations, non-profit organizations and other community groups whose work impacts Iowa State University’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” according to Iowa State’s website. They have worked for Iowa State University for more than 15 years. In that time, they co-founded ISU’s Faculty and Staff Association Council and organized campus initiatives such as the ISU reaccreditation process, established and selected the university’s first vice president for Diversity and Inclusion. Port also helped construct Iowa’s strategic plan from 2017-22.

port is also a co-founding member of Ames Pride and helps plan the annual PrideFest event.

McCarty is the executive administrative assistant in Iowa State’s DEI Office, providing “executive administrative support to DEI vice president Dawn Bratsch-Prince. McCarty is also the cost manager.

“While we do not know whether President Wintersteen will decide to eliminate the Vice President for DEI office where nicci (port) and Rose (McCarty) work, we do not think it is worth the risk to wait and find out,” the petition reads. “We want to demonstrate the support and impact that (they) have had at ISU and are asking that the staff from the Office of DEI at ISU at the very least be guaranteed employment at ISU should this office cease to exist.”

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Petition garners significant support from ISU, community members

Five community members have submitted letters alongside their signatures, including a pair of Iowa State University faculty members.

Deni Chamberlin, an associate professor at Iowa State University Greenlee School of Journalism, was adamant about their support of DEI and port, specifically.

“It is important that we continue to provide support for those in our community who are marginalized,” Chamberlin wrote in the letter of support. “If we want a welcoming campus we need to make sure those individuals feel that they belong, are valued and have something to contribute.”

Chamberlin also touched on port’s impact, from personal and professional support to being a shining beacon in the fight for equal rights across the ISU campus.

“Over the years, her efforts and energy have been life-changing for many in the LGBTQ community on and off campus,” Chamberlin’s letter said. “However the office is reorganized, I hope we keep individuals like her in a position where they can continue to make a difference.”

Kody Henke, the assistant director of Iowa State’s Office of Student Assistance and former co-chair of Iowa State’s LGBTQA+ Faculty and Staff Association, also submitted a letter of support.

Henke touched on port’s local advocacy, where they pushed for “unversity-wide change” to allow ISU employees to state their gender pronouns on business cards and name tags.

“Through nicci’s advocacy, over 6,000 faculty and staff members and 30,000 students are positively impacted by this simple, but imperative change,” Henke’s letter said. “This type of visual representation results in a sense of acceptance and community from our most vulnerable and marginalized students who are searching for such clues.”

Henke stressed port’s accessibility and notoriety on campus and throughout Ames, saying they “(Strive) to create an environment free from discrimination and where cooperation is expected.”“

(Iowa State) needs employees that represent the students that enroll here, and we need employees to feel unconditionally welcomed,” Henke said. “nicci creates this culture of belonging.”

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Focus group will create plan complying with Board of Regents

Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen established a focus group in December to help develop the university’s plan for the Regents’ recommendations.

According to the announcement through Inside Iowa State, a university-published newsletter, the focus group comprises faculty, staff, students, and administrators who will work with the president and senior leaders to provide feedback and help advise on a plan.

Additional student feedback will be gathered through the Division of Student Affairs’ student advisory board.

Iowa State’s focus group will share its plan at April’s Regents’ meeting on April 24-25 in Ames.

The President’s Office and the DEI Office at Iowa State declined to comment on the focus group.

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Recommendations from the Board of Regents

The Regents adopted 10 recommendations in November for state universities to follow, which include:

• Eliminate any DEI functions that are not necessary for compliance or accreditation.

• Determine whether DEI specific job responsibilities are necessary for compliance, accreditation or student and employee support services.

• Ensure services provided are available to all students, subject to applicable state or federal eligibility requirements.

• No employee, student, applicant, or campus visitor is required to submit a DEI statement or be evaluated based on participation in DEI initiatives, and is not compelled to disclose pronouns.

• Develop a board policy prohibiting the consideration of race and other protected class characteristics in admissions that is consistent with the law.

The recommendations are “not intended to prohibit programs, campus activities, or functions required for compliance with state or federal laws, rules, regulations, grants, or contracts,” according to the Regents.

As public universities, Iowa State, Iowa and UNI are required to comply with state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, sex, age, disability or other protected classes.

Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Iowa State faculty have created a petition supporting the school’s DEI Office