Robert Cramer was elected as new Iowa board of Regents president Wednesday after former president, Sherry Bates, announced her resignation from the position on Dec. 1.
Kurt Tjaden was elected as president pro tempore after the former pro tem, Regent Greta Rouse, announced she would be leaving the position Monday.
Rouse will continue to serve on the board as a regent through the end of her term in 2027 while Bates announced she would resign from board effective Dec. 4.
Cramer was nominated for the role of president by Rouse, and was unanimously voted in by the board. Cramer then nominated Tjaden for the role of pro tem, which also passed unanimously.
Cramer thanked Bates for her positive attitude and support for the regent universities during her time on the board. He also read off a resolution to the board, listing some of Bates accomplishments from her time in leadership.
“She served on the board and led with grace, understanding, humility and caring towards all she worked with and for,” Cramer said. “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 also spoke to the future of the board and his goals for the universities, including affordable education and academic excellence.
“Thank you for trusting me with this opportunity. I’m going to work hard and I think together we can make our Iowa universities, the envy of the country,” he said.
RELATED: Bates, Rouse step down from Iowa Board of Regents leadership
Cramer was appointed to the board in March 2023 by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. Prior to his being on the board, Cramer, who is an Iowa State University graduate, served on several board committees including the University of Iowa Healthcare Committee.
Tjaden, who is also an ISU graduate, was appointed to the board in March 2025 by Reynolds. In a news release for Tjaden’s appointment, Reynolds called Tjaden a “proven leader” with decades of success in his work as a business executive.
“I want to echo and thank Sherry [Bates] and Greta [Rouse] for their leadership and inspiration. It’s a tough act to follow after this, but I’m grateful to the board for giving me your faith and trust to serve in leadership. And I’m confident that with the university leadership, the Regent office and the Board of Regents, we can continue to advance our goals,” Tjaden said.
Bates was appointed to the board by former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad in 2014, and was later reappointed by both Branstad and Reynolds. Bates served on the board for 11 years.
Bates was elected as president of the board on Feb. 28, 2024, as the first woman to be elected to the position in 40 years. Her term was extended on April 24, 2024, and was set to end on April 30, 2026.
Bates thanked the governors who appointed her, all three of the university presidents, the regents staff, her colleagues, Mark Braun, and Rouse for their trust and support during her time as president.
“The board is in good hands, and the universities [regent universities] are too with all of you,” Bates said. “Best wishes to Robert [Cramer] and to Kurt [Tjaden]. I extend my full confidence. Enormous wishes to you both.”
Rouse first served on the board from 2008-2012 during her time as an undergraduate and graduate student. She was then appointed by Reynolds in 2021, with her term set to expire in 2027.
In the statement released by the board on Dec. 1, Rouse cited wanting to spend more time with her family and allowing the next generation of regent leadership to take over, as the reasons she decided to step down.
“While I remain committed to serving on the board, leadership requires an additional time commitment,” Rouse said. “Stepping down from leadership will allow me to do that while continuing to support their important work.”