Sherry Bates gaveled in for the last time as Iowa Board of Regents president Wednesday, with the board selecting Regent Robert Cramer to step into the role.
Bates announced Monday her plans to resign from the board Dec. 4, saying in a statement it’s time for her to take a step back to be with family and “allow the next generation of Regent leadership to continue our good work.” Regent Greta Rouse also announced at the time that she would step down from her position as president pro tem, and Regent Kurt Tjaden was appointed to the role Wednesday.
Echoing her previous statement, Bates thanked Gov. Kim Reynolds and former Gov. Terry Branstad Wednesday for putting their trust in her for more than a decade, as well as university leadership, board staff and her fellow regents. She added that her family’s support “made this work possible for me to do.”
“Best wishes to Robert and to Kurt,” Bates said. “I extend my full confidence and warmest wishes to you both.”
Bates was involved in presidential searches for the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa during her time on the board, Cramer said in a resolution during the meeting, and she helped approve hundreds of millions of dollars for capital projects across the campuses. She kept students in the front of her mind when making decisions, Cramer said, as she thought what is best for them is also what is best for the universities.
“The Iowa Board of Regents expresses its deep gratitude to Regent Bates for her expertise, dedication and extraordinary service and contributions to the Board of Regents, its institutions, students and families in all Iowans,” Cramer said. “Congratulations on your well-earned retirement from the board.”
Both Cramer’s and Tjaden’s leadership terms will end April 30, Bates said. Cramer was appointed to the board in 2023 and his term lasts until 2029, and Tjaden’s term will end in 2031 after being appointed to the board this year.
Cramer outlined three goals for his leadership during the meeting, saying Iowa’s public universities should provide an affordable education, academic excellence and a “fair and balanced place for vigorous debate.”
As Bates directed the board’s investment and finance committee to once again review university efficiencies and new revenue streams, Cramer said some of the work of the board and universities, either already completed or in progress, is already moving his goals forward. He said people at all levels of university operations should continuously work to better academic excellence in order to produce better students and create an atmosphere where students can engage in debate.
As a “bridge builder,” Cramer said this could be his chance to bring together those “who want to make our universities better together.”
“I think we can flip the narrative on higher education, and that is that here in Iowa, a degree from one of our public universities is a great investment, and it’s going to help these students going forward for the rest of their lives,” Cramer said.
Tjaden concurred with Cramer’s goals for the board and universities and said he’s thankful for the trust put in him by his fellow board members.
“Our public universities are among some of the best in the country, and quite frankly, our most valuable assets in the state,” Tjaden said. “And I’m confident with the university leadership, the regents office and the board of regents, we can continue to advance to the goals that Robert has talked about, and I’m excited to be a part of that.”
