Yesterday morning I woke to find an email from Iowa Wesleyan stating that there was a mandatory meeting for all faculty and staff at 8:30 and that all morning classes were cancelled. Immediately I thought there was some sort of lock down going on or there had been some tragic loss of life.

It was too late for me to make it to the meeting as I live 50 minutes away, and I did not see it in time to clean up and make the drive. I texted a good friend and asked him what was going on. He replied that he thought the school was going to close. Sure, enough it is.

Today I went to work dreading the emotional turmoil. My colleague was in her office. I walked in and asked her how she was doing. Through tears she expressed all her fears, how she felt so lonely, and that she’d lost her fiancé in 2014. She is young, but I’m not sure how young. She previously lived in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her greatest fear is that she will not be able to be in a classroom again. Apparently, her thesis advisor did not want her to take a teaching job; she wanted her to continue researching, but that’s not what my colleague wanted. She loves teaching and has created strong bonds with many of her students. Although I tried my best to reassure her that she’d find another job, I definitely do not want to be in her shoes.

When my 9:00 a.m. class began, I had very few students arrive. I’m afraid they are all going to give up. The college is trying to connect students to other colleges, but so many students are international students. I’m sure they have no idea what to do. I plan to create a PowerPoint to help them understand the other colleges offering to transfer students from Wesleyan University to their college campus, so they do not lose the credits they’ve established so far.

This is devastating news for another colleague who is divorced with six children. Her ex recently secured a new position overseas so she’s literally on her own. I know what it is like to be reduced in force and to wonder how I’m going to make ends meet before the next page check. Although I know how all this feels, I lack words of wisdom or savvy advice.

I feel completely overwhelmed and aggravated. This morning I learned that the current Wesleyan president, Chris Plunkett, has a history of shutting schools down. I’m also angry about the following message: It is with deep sadness that we announce the Board of Trustees has made the decision to close Iowa Wesleyan University at the end of this academic year due to a lack of financial support. The decision is based on a combination of financial challenges – increased operating costs due to inflationary pressures, changing enrollment trends, a significant drop in philanthropic giving, and the rejection of a proposal for federal Covid funding by Governor Reynolds.

The rejection from Reynolds is infuriating. I am already not a fan of Governor Reynolds who is the epitome of a groveling political toady. I’ve heard that she has high hopes of being Ron DeSantis running mate in 2024. Her leadership and decision-making are appalling. She recently passed a bill that denies people under 18 to receive gender affirming care. She also passed a bill that provides vouchers to private schools. There is no oversight for the appropriated money. Our own state auditor tweeted his alarm when this was passed. Schools could give a teacher a brand-new car to teach at their school. This kind of mishandling of public funds that should go to public schools is outrageously criminal.

Iowa in the past welcomed “Boat” people. We passed the right for gays to marry, another right under scrutiny and being threatened. Keokuk teachers protested in 1970 which resulted in the state allowing teachers to collectively bargain which was rescinded a few years ago. I’ve lived in Iowa my entire life. Now, I’m very ashamed of our leaders, and I’m very, very frightened by this state’s future.