Bates, Rouse reelected to Iowa Board of Regents leadership

Regents Sherry Bates and Greta Rouse were reelected to lead the Iowa Board of Regents Wednesday to the sounds of applause from board and university staff, faculty and leaders.

The board unanimously reelected Bates as board president and Rouse as president pro tem at its April meeting, both regents having served in the roles since late February. Their terms will begin May 1 and last until April 30, 2026.

Bates held the role of president on an interim basis after former board president Mike Richards stepped down in January, citing the wish to spend more time with friends and family. He will resign from the board April 30.

Richards nominated Bates both in February and April, and said in his first nomination that Bates would be an “excellent person to be president of the Board of Regents.”

Bates has served on the board since 2014, when she was appointed by former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, and was elected president pro tem in 2021. Her term on the board ends in 2029.

Before her appointment to the board by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2021, Rouse served on the board as student representative from 2008-2012. Her term expires in 2027.