A power struggle that had split the group that governs the three state-supported universities has apparently been resolved.Current Board of Regents President Owen Newlin announced at the board’s March meeting that he would not seek another two-year term. Newlin asked the regents to move up the vote on his replacement to that meeting — saying it would give the new president more time to prepare for the job. But, other regents disagreed, saying new student regent Jenny Rokes from the University of Northern Iowa is the deciding vote among two candidates, and needed more time. Rokes was sobbing by the time she cast the tie-breaking vote to delay the election of the new president until today’s meeting. Tuesday the Board of Regents staff issued an announcement that the two candidates, John Forsyth of Des Moines and Robert Downer of Iowa City have come to an agreement that will have Forsyth become president and Downer president pro tem. In the statement the two say they’ll work together as a leadership team. Both Forsyth and Downer began their six-year terms on the nine-member board in May of 2003. The regents meet today (Wednesday) at the Iowa Braille and Sightsaving School in Vinton.
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