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Miller-Meeks urges naming new University of Iowa center ‘Charlie Kirk Center for Intellectual Freedom’
Former Gov. Terry Branstad named to center’s advisory council
Sep. 12, 2025 12:48 pm, Updated: Sep. 12, 2025 5:11 pm
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IOWA CITY — Shortly after U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks on Thursday called for the University of Iowa to name is new legislative-imposed Center for Intellectual Freedom after slain Republican-activist Charlie Kirk, Board of Regents President Sherry Bates issued a statement on Kirk’s shooting and the new civic centers on its campuses.
“The creation of civic and intellectual freedom centers on our campuses underscores our commitment to ensuring universities remain places of safe, respectful and open dialogue,” Bates said. “These centers will provide scholarship and discussion regarding our great nation and the constitutional principles on which it was founded.”
Bates didn’t address Miller-Meeks’ proposed “lasting tribute” in the form of the “Charlie Kirk Center for Intellectual Freedom … that would inspire generations of Iowans to stand boldly for liberty and the truth.”
“The University of Iowa Center for Intellectual Freedom should live up to its name by honoring a true defender of free speech and open debate,” Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, wrote on X.
The University of Iowa Center for Intellectual Freedom should live up to its name by honoring a true defender of free speech and open debate.
— Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (@RepMMM) September 11, 2025
Charlie Kirk dedicated his life to advancing intellectual freedom, empowering students, and challenging the cancel culture mob that seeks…
Bates did promise that “differing opinions will be heard, but threats and violence are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
The board in July appointed conservative UI economics professor Luciano de Castro to serve as interim executive director of the Center for Intellectual Freedom — which the university was required to establish after Gov. Kim Reynolds in June signed into law House File 437 mandating the center along with an oversight advisory council.
And regents next week will consider appointing 26 inaugural members to that council — including three current regents, two former regents, former Gov. Terry Branstad, former Republican Rep. Greg Ganske, former CEO of Meredith Corporation Steve Lacy, and Democratic Sen. Liz Mathis.
Council members
The advisory council, per the law, will conduct a national search for a permanent center director and develop bylaws — subject to regent approval — requiring the center educate students “by means of free, open, and rigorous intellectual inquiry to seek the truth” and equip them to “reach their own informed conclusions on matters of social and political importance.”
“The council is required to be politically balanced,” according to board documents recommending eight members to four-year terms and five members to two-year terms — although 11 of the initial 13 that were recommended are either Republicans or have a history of making campaign contributions to Republicans.
The initial eight four-year-term members include:
- Chris Hensley, a Republican regent from Des Moines who served on the Des Moines City Council from 1994 to 2017. She also has served as president of the Iowa Student Loan Corporation, Iowa League of Cities and the Metro Advisory Council. And she’s chair of the Horizon Science Academy charter school governing board. Hensley has given thousands in political donations to Republicans like Sen. Joni Ernst, Sen. Chuck Grassley, Gov. Reynolds, and former Gov. Brandstad, among others.
- Robert Cramer, a Republican regent and vice president of Cramer and Associates, Inc. — a family-owned bridge construction company. He also has served on the Johnston Community School Board and on the board of The Family Leader, a conservative faith-based advocacy organization. He has given tens of thousands to Republican candidates over the years — including more than $45,000 to Reynolds.
- Kurt Tjaden, a regent who lists his political party as “independent” in the state’s board database and in 2022 retired from HNI Corporation. Although he’s made fewer political donations, Tjaden gave $1,500 to Republican House Speaker Pat Grassley in 2021, along with $1,000 to the Muscatine County Republican Central Committee that year, according to state records.
- Reynolds Cramer, CEO of Fareway Stores, Inc., board member of the Iowa Business Council, and vice chair for the Food Marketing Institute in Washington, D.C. He’s given thousands to Republicans including to Sen. Kara Warme, R-Ames, and former Republican Auditor Mary Mosiman.
- Mike Whalen, founder and CEO of Heart of America Group — which owns and operates restaurants, hotels, and other commercial developments like the Machine Shed Restaurant and Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse. He’s given thousands in campaign contributions to Republicans like Attorney General Brenna Bird and Reynolds.
- Liz Mathis, economic development coordinator at the Hiawatha Economic Development Corporation, and a former Democratic state senator from Linn County. She was a news anchor, reporter and producer for KCRG-TV9 before running for office.
- Pete Matthes, the only UI employee on the council — serving as senior adviser to the president and vice president for external relations for more than a decade. He has not made significant political contributions, according to state records.
- And John Hendrickson, policy director for the Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation. He previously served as a research analyst with the Public Interest Institute and was a researcher for the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing Washington, D.C. think-tank. He’s written opinion pieces for newspapers across the state, including The Gazette.
The initial five two-year-term members include:
- Former Gov. Terry Branstad, who served as Iowa’s 39th and 42nd governor until President Donald Trump in 2017 appointed him to serve as U.S. ambassador to China. His total gubernatorial tenure spanned more than 22 years. Branstad in January met with lawmakers to testify in favor of the new UI Center for Intellectual Freedom, calling it “something that is truly needed.”
- Greg Ganske, a Republican former state representative from 1995 to 2003 who serves on the UI Alumni Advisory Board. He’s given thousands to Republicans over the years, including Reynolds.
- Steve Lacy, who served as CEO of the Meredith Corporation media company from 2009 to 2019. He too has given thousands to Republicans over the years — including $10,000 to Gov. Reynolds in 2021 and 2022 and more than $1,000 to Attorney General Bird.
- Jim Lindenmayer, a former regent who listed “no party affiliation” during his time on the board from 2018 to April of this year. He served as president of Indian Hills Community College from 2001 to 2013 and made political contributions to both Republicans and Democrats over the years — including to Branstad; Rep. Kurt Swaim, D-Bloomfield; Rep. Cecil Dolecheck, R-Mount Ayr; and former U.S. Rep. Newt Gingrich in his 2012 presidential bid.
- And former Board of Regents President Mike Richards, who served as a regent from 2017 to 2024. At nearly seven years, Richards was the longest-serving regents president since Owen J. Newlin’s stretch from 1996 to 2004. In his professional life, Richards was a doctor and experienced businessman. He also was a major Republican political donor touted as a “kingmaker” more than a decade ago for giving hundreds of thousands to local politicians like Branstad and Reynolds, as well as national figures like presidential candidate Chris Christie.
The board on Friday afternoon updated the list to include 13 more names.
Turning Point in Iowa
To Miller-Meeks suggestion the center be renamed, the University of Iowa does has a Turning Point USA chapter — the nonprofit organization Kirk founded in 2012 “to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government.”
Including the UI chapter, the State of Iowa has nearly 30 Turning Point chapters — from college campuses like Iowa State, Luther College, and Kirkwood Community College to high schools like Valley in Des Moines, Dallas-Center Grimes High, Burtlington, and Indianola high schools, according to the Turning Point website. It also has nearly 20 “activism hubs” in communities like Boone County, Kalona, and Story County.
In 2018, leaders atop the UI Turning Point USA chapter all resigned following a clash with what they characterized as the politicization of Mollie Tibbetts — a UI sophomore who was killed by an undocumented immigrant in 2018.
Reporting Turning Point USA had contacted the UI chapter insisting Kirk visit campus for an immigration event, local leaders issued a letter of condemnation.
“Should this event go on, it does so without the support of this executive board,” according to the UI chapter letter. 'We are all shocked, hurting, and in need of more respect than what was given to us by Turning Point USA.”
Later that day, the UI chapter seemed to apologize.
“It was a misunderstanding on our end that the event was already planned when it had just been in the works with students not affiliated with UI TPUSA,” according to the letter. “We sincerely apologize to Charlie and Candace for this misunderstanding.”
Earlier that year, Cornell College students accused the Eastern Iowa campus of liberal bias in its rejection of a Cornell chapter.
Kirk did make it to the UI campus in October of 2019 as part of Turning Point’s “Culture War” tour — bringing out 400-some community members to hear him the Iowa Memorial Union.
“It’s tough to be a young conservative on a college campus,” Kirk said at that event, according to the Daily Iowan. “We’re not going to play the victim like the left. Instead of being victims, we’re going to be victors.”
The following year, Coe College made news by denying the conservative group’s application to form a chapter on campus.
In speaking about the Coe rejection on Fox News, Kirk said the denial came “without a chance for them to address anonymous concerns over the organization.”
And Kirk pressed Coe to “reconsider this” or face “actual ramifications” — citing an executive order from President Donald Trump tying federal research funding to free inquiry on campuses.
“They might have their federal funding withheld,” Kirk said at the time. “That is if they intentionally suppress the speech of students based on political viewpoints and violate political neutrality.”
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.
Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com
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