The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.

IOWA CITY — After six years on Iowa’s nine-member Board of Regents and with another six-year term just starting, David Barker on Monday officially resigned — with the understanding he’ll be sworn in Wednesday as U.S. assistant secretary for postsecondary education.

In a letter submitted to Gov. Kim Reynolds, Barker said he’s resigning “at the request of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics in order to avoid potential conflicts of interest” but looks forward to working with Reynolds in his new role.

Barker — one of five Republicans on the nine-member board that also includes three independents and one Democrat — at times led the charge to increase intellectual diversity on Iowa’s campuses and

See Full Page