Conflict over shared governance and legislative oversight intensified this week as the University of Arizona president refused to sign a traditional shared-governance memorandum while Iowa’s GOP-controlled House passed bills imposing curricular and presidential-search rules on state universities. The Arizona episode pits campus leaders and faculty governance structures against lawmakers seeking greater control over institutional practices. Iowa’s package would force universities to identify and, in some cases, eliminate general-education requirements tied to DEI or ‘critical race theory,’ mandate comprehensive civics and American history courses for new undergraduates, and change how presidential searches are conducted—centralizing decision power in board-appointed search committees. The developments underscore mounting tensions between state policymakers and higher education leaders over curriculum, institutional autonomy, and the role of trustees. University presidents, faculty senates, and system boards will need to engage in rapid legal and governance assessments and prepare for potential challenges to institutional autonomy.