Iowa regent David Barker nominated for U.S. assistant secretary of post secondary education

IOWA CITY — Iowa Board of Regents member David Barker, recently reconfirmed to serve another term on the board that oversees the state’s public universities, has been nominated to become the U.S. assistant secretary of post secondary education in the Trump administration.

“Congratulations to Iowan David Barker on his nomination as Assistant Secretary of Post Secondary Education!” Gov. Kim Reynolds posted Thursday on social media. “David’s service on the Iowa Board of Regents has prepared him to hit the ground running and have an immediate positive impact on our higher education system.”

In a news release, the U.S. Department of Education said Barker — if confirmed — would “work to improve outcomes and accountability in postsecondary education, including by helping to lead reforms to accreditation, improving federal student aid programs, and ensuring its grant programs are invested in agency priorities.”

Barker — partner of Barker Companies in Iowa City, which owns, manages and develops apartments and other real estate — joined the regents in 2019 for a six-year appointed term that expired this year. He recently was reconfirmed to the unpaid position for another six years, through 2031.

“During his tenure, he has played a key role in advancing cost control measures, promoting academic freedom, and ending discriminatory DEI programs,” according to the U.S. Department of Education announcement.

If confirmed, Barker would replace Nasser H. Paydar, the former chancellor of Indiana University, Indianapolis, who was appointed in 2022 by then-President Joe Biden and has resigned.

Iowa U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst in a statement said that Barker “has a proven 40-year track record as a successful entrepreneur and led the fight on the Iowa Board of Regents to undo restrictive COVID-19 mandates on students. He is a great pick by President Trump to serve as Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.”

In addition to his real estate endeavors and service on the board, Barker has taught classes on real estate investment, urban economics and corporate finance at the University of Iowa and University of Chicago.

He also previously was an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he researched real estate and the banking industry. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley and doctorate in economics from the University of Chicago.

Barker’s regent service

During his time as a regent, Barker was among the more outspoken members on issues of spending efficiency and diversity, equity and inclusion.

At the last board meeting in April, for example, he was the sole member of the nine-person board to vote against an $81.4 million modernization of the Iowa Memorial Union at the UI — with the board agreeing to let the UI issue debt to cover the cost.

“I’m going to vote no on the project,” Barker said then. “I’m not convinced that it’s necessary. There’s a big difference between desirable and necessary. … The financial environment for higher education is changing rapidly, and I think that this is a time that it makes sense for us to pause on some large projects and consider this environment.”

In November 2024, after the public universities reported back on board directives to make sweeping DEI cuts across their campuses, Barker was among the most critical — urging more work needed to be done.

“Just this semester there were several examples of university administrative offices that are not being eliminated or restructured that promoted DEI,” Barker said at the time.

“Promotion of these ideas has been so widespread in university administration that achieving compliance will take a great deal of effort,” he said. “Strategic plans still need to be changed, and our presidents need to strongly communicate that they expect their universities to follow the spirit of the law, not to find ways around it.”

Over the years, Barker has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republicans — topping $350,000 in monetary and in-kind contributions between 2019 and 2023. Since the early 2000s, he’s given more than $780,000 to Republicans, according to the state’s online reporting system.

In September, Barker donated $15,000 to Reynolds; $15,000 to Speaker of the Iowa House Pat Grassley; and $15,000 to Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton. Some of his donations have been in the form of flights for the governor and other lawmakers and state officials.

Overseeing higher education

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will consider Barker’s nomination to the federal government’s senior position overseeing higher education.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education houses three major program units: Higher Education Programs; International and Foreign Language Education; and Policy, Planning and Innovation.

The assistant secretary’s staff includes a deputy assistant secretary for management and planning and deputy assistant secretaries overseeing the program units. In addition to the office’s top job, several of the key positions are vacant, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Barker was among five regents confirmed or reconfirmed last week and Friday.

Iowa law requires the regents to be politically balanced. On the current board, five identify as Republicans, one a Democrat and three as independents or no party. Being one of the five Republicans, Barker’s replacement — to be named by Reynolds after he is confirmed to his new position — could identify with any.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com