Regents choose Lang, Rastetter as new officers

The state Board of Regents Tuesday elected Craig Lang as president and Bruce Rastetter as president pro tem, as expected.

The votes were unanimous for each selection, except for abstentions by Lang and Rastetter on their respective votes. Regent Ruth Harkin was not on the line for the special telephonic meeting.

Former board president David Miles and former president pro tem Jack Evans both resigned their officer posts this week, after Gov. Terry Branstad requested they do so in May. Miles, a Democrat from Dallas Center, and Evans, a Republican from Cedar Rapids, were appointed to the board in 2007 by former Gov. Chet Culver.

Lang, a Republican from Brooklyn who is president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, has been a regent since 2007. Rastetter, a Republican from Hubbard who is CEO of Hawkeye Energy Holdings, was appointed to the board by Branstad this spring.

Lang said in a statement he is honored to be elected to serve as board president.

"While there are many critical issues that the Board of Regents oversees, one urgent matter that I believe is most important is the selection and recruitment of the next president of Iowa State University," Lang's statement said. "I commend David Miles for his steady leadership and commitment and I look forward to working with him and the other regents to continue to advance the board's mission."

Lang and Rastetter will serve in their officer roles through April 30, 2012, when the officer terms of Miles and Evans would have ended. The board will vote again on its officers in the spring.