College professors may choose to register as Republicans, Democrats or no party/unaffiliated; if a professor chooses no party, he or she would simply not be counted in determining the majority of the faculty. If the political party affiliation of an otherwise qualified candidate for a teaching role would tip a faculty’s political party majority past 10 percent, that candidate cannot be hired under this law.
SF288 was introduced by state Sen. Mark Chelgren, a Republican. The GOP gained majorities in the Iowa House and Senate last year; Gov. Terry Branstad is a Republican.
While discrimination by party affiliation is not expressly illegal under federal employment law (though some states prohibit it), Iowa Democrats say this law is intended to intimidate traditionally Democratic-leaning university faculties and freeze hiring at state universities. Critics also note that such a requirement could be easily gamed by simply switching party affiliations.
The bill has been referred to Iowa’s Standing Committee on Education.
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