Regent David Barker nominated for U.S. assistant secretary for postsecondary education

Regent David Barker has been nominated by President Donald Trump to service arsenic the adjunct caput for postsecondary education. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Iowa Board of Regents subordinate David Barker has been nominated by President Donald Trump to service arsenic adjunct caput for postsecondary education, the U.S. Department of Education announced Friday.

According to a quality merchandise from the U.S. Department of Education, if appointed, Barker’s occupation volition see improving “outcomes and accountability” successful higher acquisition done accreditation reforms and changing national pupil assistance programs for the better. He would besides marque definite “grant programs are invested successful bureau priorities,” the merchandise stated.

Sen. Joni Ernst called Barker a “great pick” successful the quality release, citing his agelong vocation and enactment connected the board.

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“Sixth procreation Iowan David Barker has a proven 40-year way grounds arsenic a palmy entrepreneur and led the combat connected the Iowa Board of Regents to undo restrictive COVID-19 mandates connected students,” Ernst said successful the release.

Barker, who has served connected the committee of regents since 2019, was confirmed by the Iowa Senate to proceed his tenure connected the committee successful precocious April. His word is acceptable to expire successful 2031.

He besides works arsenic a spouse successful Barker Companies, which oversees and develops existent estate, and was antecedently an economist astatine the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, according to his committee of regents biography.

In effect to whether Barker is readying to measurement down from the board, committee of regents spokesperson Josh Lehman said successful an email helium is inactive a member. Sherry Bates, president of the committee of regents, congratulated Barker for the information successful a statement.

“He volition bring his tremendous knowledge, expertise and passionateness to that role,” Bates said. “It’s large that a chap Iowan has been selected for this position, and we privation him well.”

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