Iowa regents elect Rastetter to remain board president

The Board of Regents on Thursday elected Bruce Rastetter to remain its president for a second term. It also elected regent Katie Mulholland to continue serving as president pro tem.

The existing terms for Rastetter and Mulholland are set to expire April 30. They both will begin serving their new two-year terms as president and president pro tem on May 1.

Rastetter previously served as the board's president pro tem before being elected president last year after the six-year board term of former president Craig Lang expired.

Rastetter, an Alden businessman and Republican donor, was appointed to the regents by Gov. Terry Branstad in 2011. He was elected Thursday to continue in his presidency by unanimous vote, although he abstained.

When Rastetter took over as president last year, Lang had another year on his term. But Lang's reappointment for another six-year term on the regents was not confirmed by the Iowa Senate amid concerns from some Democrats about academic freedom issues.

Rastetter and Mulholland thanked their fellow regents for their appointments Thursday.

Mulholland, a Democrat from Marion, is superintendent of the Linn-Mar School District. She was appointed to the board in 2011.