Hunter
07/21/25
A new Gallop poll shows confidence in higher education rebounding significantly compared to a year ago.
The Gazette reports that those polled who reported quite a lot or a great deal of confidence in higher education rising from a record low of 36 percent back up to 42 percent. Those having no or very little confidence in higher education dropped from a high or 32 percent to just 23 percent this year.
Earlier this year, an analyst told the Iowa House Higher Education Committee that recent polling found growing distrust of universities, especially among Republican and Independent voters. The top reasons cited were political agendas, the wrong focus, and costs.
Regent David Barker said implementing a policy to bar diversity equity and inclusion and critical race theory requirements for majors, minors and certificates would be an important first step to regain confidence in Iowa universities.
The rebound in poll numbers is the first since Gallup starting asking the question in 2015. Regent Barker said the uptick is due to legislatures and administrators taking a harder look at how the universities are run.