Regents order University of Iowa to discipline employee discussing DEI on undercover video aired on Fox News

IOWA CITY — A conservative private law firm hired to investigate two University of Iowa employees captured on undercover video discussing the campus’ compliance with state diversity, equity and inclusion laws is recommending the UI “initiate disciplinary proceedings” against just one of the employees.

Following a closed-door discussion Thursday at the Board of Regents meeting in Iowa City, board President Robert Cramer made a motion, which passed unanimously:

“In the matter of the investigation of ‘Employee A’ accept the findings and recommendation of Consovoy McCarthy and dismiss the complaint,” Cramer said. “In the matter of investigation of ‘Employee B,’ accept the findings and recommendations of Consovoy McCarthy and direct the University of Iowa to initiate disciplinary proceedings.”

Cramer did not disclose which employees were designated A and B, or detail what the “disciplinary proceedings” would entail.

UI Leadership and Student Organization Development Assistant Director Andrea Tinoco and Iowa Memorial Union Senior Associate Director Cory Lockwood were placed on paid administrative leave last July after undercover videos emerged of them discussing the university’s compliance with new state DEI laws — which prohibit Iowa’s public universities from having a DEI office, spending or staffing DEI positions, conducting DEI training or considering DEI in any admissions or hiring decisions.

“We're essentially finding ways to operate around it. So that was our solution,” Tinoco told an unknown person, who then shared the undercover video of the encounter with Fox News — which went on to air it July 29, 2025, prompting an immediate public statement from Gov. Kim Reynolds condemning the remarks.

“So it still exists,” Tinoco said in the video. “DEI and student organizations and all of that. Like it is real. It still exists. We are still doing DEI work.”

Lockwood’s comments captured on undercover video were less direct.

“Is DEI work still happening?” he asked — apparently repeating the question he was asked. “Someone’s not going to have that in their job description because of the State House.”

Tinoco and Lockwood have been on paid administrative leave since July 29 and July 31, 2025, respectively, pending an investigation by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, aided by Consovoy McCarthy — an Arlington, Va., law firm that has represented President Donald Trump and in 2023 won a case ending affirmative action in college admissions.

Considering their annual salaries of $62,526 for Tinoco and $117,239 for Lockwood, the university has paid them a total of more than $89,671 to stand by and not work over the last nearly seven months — at about $31,503 for Tinoco and $58,168 for Lockwood.

The university told The Gazette on Thursday that Tinoco and Lockwood’s employment status remains unchanged — they’re on paid administrative leave.

Before directing the university to take disciplinary action, Cramer said the board had “heard” Consovoy McCarthy’s report following its “phase one” review of the personnel matters unearthed in the undercover videos.

“I want to be clear — this review was not about personal viewpoints or differing opinions,” he said. “This is about compliance with the law. The Board of Regents and its institutions will comply with the law. Period. As these are personnel matters, we cannot and will not share specifics beyond what we say here today.”

Board spokesman Josh Lehman told The Gazette the Consovoy report “is not subject to release as it is a confidential personnel record.”

And Cramer said Consovoy is not done — entering now into its second phase “compliance audit” of all three universities “to ensure compliance on Iowa Code 261J and other applicable state and federal laws.”

“That work has already begun and we look forward to hearing about the progress of that review as it moves forward.”

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com