The Daily Iowan WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2024
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THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COMMUNITY SINCE 1868
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DEI scholarships under fire
The UI is reexamining criteria after the end of race-based admissions. Kate Perez Senior Reporter katharine-perez@uiowa.edu
Iowa opts out of food assistance Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds rejected a summer food program as Iowa food banks and resources are strained. EPI | 5A
PHOTOS: Bikers give back Fat tire bikers raised $11,000 for the Solon Centennial Lions Club at Lake MacBride on Feb. 10. NEWS | 6A
UI students launch ticket platform The app, SeatStock, was created to help students avoid getting scammed while buying sports tickets. SPORTS | 1B
Since the U.S. Supreme Court ended race-based admissions by striking down affirmative action in June 2023, dozens of institutions have changed their admissions policies. Now thousands of dollars in scholarships aimed at people with diverse backgrounds are under review, including at the University of Iowa. UI officials told The Daily Iowan that the school began reviewing scholarships after the overturning of affirmative action and when some civil complaints started to be filed against other universities. In a statement to the DI, UI Assistant Vice President for External Relations Jeneane Beck wrote that the university consulted with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office and the Office of the Iowa Board of Regents on the matter. “Based on the principles articulated by the Supreme Court, the university is reviewing and amending scholarships and other financial aid offerings that use certain protected class characteristics (e.g. race, gender, age, or sexual orientation) as selection criteria,” Beck wrote. Since the end of affirmative action, higher education institutions in the U.S. have had to quickly figure out the new law. Julie J. Park, an associate professor of education at the University of Maryland and researcher of racial equity in higher education, campus racial climate, and college admissions, wrote in an email to the DI that the restriction on race-based admissions caused by the Supreme Court decision technically should not affect scholarships. “That said, people are drawing the conclusion that if we aren’t allowed to directly know an applicant’s race/ethnicity during undergrad admissions, that scholarships that cater to particular groups are also subject to be challenged,” she wrote.
UI diversity scholarships under review UI officials said less than 10 percent of all university scholarships are being reviewed and not all of those will have to change. The criteria and wording for affected scholarships will likely be changed to be inclusive of people from all backgrounds, as opposed to people from a specific ethnic or racial group.
Some UI scholarships have already been impacted, including the Advantage Iowa Award. While the award was previously reserved for incoming first-year students from historically underrepresented populations, including those with African American, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander, and multiracial backgrounds, it will now be a need-based award for students of all backgrounds. At this time, it is undetermined when the review will be completed. UI officials told the DI that they will have to read through each scholarship to see if it includes a protected class characteristic in its criteria, then meet with each scholarship donor to assess whether they are willing to change the wording and criteria of their fund. In an email to the DI, regents’ Senior Communications Director Josh Lehman wrote that each university is handling its review individually. “The universities consulted with the Board office on this issue. As financial aid is managed at the institutional level, the universities are currently reviewing their financial aid offerings to ensure compliance and consistency among all regent institutions,” he wrote. Iowa State University and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office did not respond to requests for comment on the reviewing process. University of Northern Iowa Director of University Relations Pete Moris wrote in an email to the DI that all scholarships are based on merit or financial need. “There are various criteria across the many colleges and departments, but none of them involved protected class characteristics,” he wrote.
Illustration by Marandah Mangra-Dutcher | The Daily Iowan
Higher education institutions face lawsuits Multiple lawsuits were filed against universities that continue to have programs and scholarships designated for students of a certain race or background. One example is a complaint against Kansas State University filed on Aug. 16, 2023, for providing a “racially discriminatory” multicultural student scholarship. The scholarship, titled the Joey Lee Garmon Multicultural Scholarship, is “directed toward students of historically underrepresented backgrounds. The applicant must be of an ethnic group that have been historically and tradi-
DEI | 2A
THC drinks hit menus in Iowa City Several bars and restaurants are now selling the new drink option.
PHOTOS: Penn State punishment See photos from The Daily Iowan of No. 1 Penn State defeating No. 3 Iowa during a wrestling dual on Feb. 9. SPORTS | 4B
Dating app triumphs, trials, and tribulations Apps like Hinge and Tinder benefit some UI students but fail others when it comes to making a connection. 80 HOURS | 1C
ONLINE • Listen to the latest episodes of The Daily Iowan’s two podcasts, Above the Fold and Press Box Banter, where reporters cover the latest news and talk sports at dailyiowan.com. • See in-depth coverage
of the Iowa vs. Michigan women’s basketball game on Feb. 15 and Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking performance at dailyiowan. com. Her all-time NCAA women’s scoring record comes after Kelsey Plum made it with 3,397 points in 2017. Clark’s average is 32.1 points per game.
Jack Moore Assistant News Editor jack-moore@uiowa.edu
THC drinks are hitting the shelves in Iowa City bars and stores, and customers are enthusiastically embracing them as a drink choice other than alcohol. “I love it as an alternative,” Steve Nash said while sitting at the bar of ReUnion Brewery. “You can walk into a bar and feel like you’re still part of the experience with everyone else, but you can consume something non-alcoholic and still have a nice fun time with your friends.” THC is the psychoactive substance found in cannabis. Anywhere from five to 20 milligrams of THC can create impairment. ReUnion Brewery, Joe’s Place, and Big Grove Brewery all offer drinks containing a maximum of 10 milligrams of THC per drink. These drinks contain no alcohol. While the recreational use of cannabis is illegal both in Iowa and federally, the most recent version of the farm bill, passed by former President Donald Trump in 2018, legalized the sale of hemp-derived drink products containing less than 0.3 percent of THC by volume in all 50 states. Both ReUnion and Joe’s have a limit of four drinks per person. Big Grove, however, leaves the decision to limit drinks to servers, Big Grove Service Manager Karley Hester said. ReUnion Brewery introduced THC-infused drinks on Jan. 26 through a partnership with Minnesota-based manufacturer WLD WTR. ReUnion offers three varieties of THC drinks each coming with 10 milligrams of THC, ReUnion Brewery Manager Elliot Lamb said.
Emily Nyberg | The Daily Iowan Greg Ruth drinks a Climbing Kites cannabis-infused sparkling water at Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City on Feb. 8. THC is the psychoactive substance found in cannabis.
ReUnion’s branded drink, Jungle Vibes, is paired with two other offerings which come in flavors like strawberry watermelon and blueberry lemon. While Jungle Vibes will stay, Lamb said the other two drinks may change seasonally. “We’re happy. It’s something we wanted to try and give people that alternative,” Lamb said. “Just a nice, functional way to step away
from alcohol.” Hester said Big Grove has seen fewer issues with individuals overusing THC drinks compared to overusing alcohol. “What we’re seeing is that there’s less issues with these drinks than alcohol in general,” Hester said.
DRINK | 3A
UI professor launches oral hygiene care app The College of Dentistry developed an app for nursing home workers. Grace Olson News Reporter
grace-olson@uiowa.edu
Researchers at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry developed an app that walks caregivers through providing oral hygiene care for people with dementia and older adults. With the help of a $100,000 Marchini grant from the Delta Dental Institute, Leonardo Marchini, a professor and department executive officer of preventive and community dentistry and his team were able to complete a clinical trial of the app in a nursing home.
“In an area that is chronically overworked and underpaid, it’s important they feel that they are doing a better job.” Leonardo Marchini
University of Iowa professor The app, named Dental.Aging.Tips, is free for anyone, and consists of tutorials and videos that teach caregivers in nursing homes or those caring for a loved one at home how to clean patients’ teeth or provide other forms of hygiene care.
The sections in the app include: • Why oral health is important, including facts and common oral health problems. • Tips on providing daily care, such as managing dry mouth, brushing teeth and dentures. • Overcoming barriers to good care, like good care techniques. • Frequently asked questions section with advice on wearing dentures, brushing behaviors, etc. For example, there are videos to help reduce the stress of patients with dementia through techniques like distraction and focusing on
APP | 3A