Brian Lai picked to lead UI's embattled intellectual freedom center
A University of Iowa professor will be the first permanent director of the university's Center for Intellectual Freedom. The Iowa Board of Regents, on Thursday, Nov. 12, unanimously approved Brian Lai as the next leader of the embattled center, mere weeks after their initial choice declined an offer . Lai is currently an associate professor of political science at the University of Iowa , teaching international relations, foreign policy, and political methodology. More: Iowa Regents to choose new leader for UI center after rocky start The Center for Intellectual Freedom was created in 2025 to address what Republican lawmakers said was a hostile environment for conservatives in higher education. It aims to promote intellectual diversity and the free exchange of ideas. It soon will be charged with offering civics courses to all University of Iowa students. Lai, an Atlanta, Georgia native, will be paid an annual salary stipend of $29,349 on top of his professor salary, an annual research stipend of $5,000, as well as a summer salary of $26,088. He made $117,394 in the most recent fiscal year, according to the University of Iowa 's salary database. The Center for Intellectual Freedom previously budgeted $238,703 for a director level
