Iowa Senate should reject Craig Lang appointment

Former Iowa Farm Bureau leader has abused his power as Regents President to push a corporate ag agenda inside our public university system

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund (CCI Action Fund) members are calling on the Iowa Senate to block Governor Branstad’s nomination of Craig Lang to serve another term as president of the Board of Regents.Lang and fellow regent leader Bruce Rastetter have come under intense scrutiny in recent months because of a number of controversial decisions – including, but not limited to, the closing of the University of Northern Iowa’s Price Labs without public input, and limiting the academic freedom of the fledging Tom Harkin Institute of Public Policy at Iowa State University, a decision that ultimately forced Harkin to pull his papers from his alma mater.Critics say that the Board of Regents under Lang’s leadership has pushed a corporate agenda inside the university system at the expense of the public interest and the common good.“Craig Lang has broken the trust of everyday Iowans and Governor Branstad’s decision to reappoint him to the Iowa Board of Regents is a perfect example of what’s wrong with government today, of big moneyed corporate interests taking over powerful, influential positions inside government so they can further their own agenda,” said Ross Grooters, a CCI Action Fund member from Pleasant Hill.“The Iowa Senate needs to stand on principle and block Lang’s reappointment to the Board of Regents.”Iowa CCI Action Fund members say nominees for the Board of Regents must be able to demonstrate that they are able to put the mission and quality of Iowa’s regents institutions ahead of their own personal and political motivations.