Neetu Arnold, a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute, presented to Iowa’s House Higher Education Committee, focusing on the state’s public university system.
Arnold highlighted several key concerns, including rising costs, the ideological direction of certain university programs, and the need for better oversight by the state.
She advocated for lawmakers to scrutinize academic programs with negative return on investment ROI and consider cutting or revising these programs to better serve students financially.
Arnold emphasized that the increasing cost of higher education, which has outpaced household income growth, has created an affordability gap.
She suggested that improving oversight, including auditing university programs, could help identify areas for cost reduction, particularly in administrative spending. She also recommended that the state consider the ROI of academic programs before continuing to fund them, as some programs might financially disadvantage students in the long run.
While not directly addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Arnold mentioned that political ideologies in certain university programs—such as social justice, gender studies, and social work—were contributing to the growing distrust in higher education. She argued that these ideologically driven programs were contributing to a “crisis of confidence” in the higher education system, calling for greater scrutiny from lawmakers.
Arnold’s presentation raises broader questions about how Iowa should approach higher education funding, program offerings, and state oversight to ensure students are receiving valuable education that provides positive long-term financial outcomes.