The traditional method of selecting a president and vice president for the Lawrence school board may need to be revised, board member Leonard Ortiz said Tuesday.

Ortiz, who raised the issue minutes after taking a seat on the board along with newcomers Cindy Yulich and Rich Minder, said he didn’t question leadership skills of new President Austin Turney or new Vice President Leni Salkind. Both veteran board members were appointed to one-year terms in those posts by their peers on the board.

But “is this process the most effective way of getting the most effective leader?” Ortiz said. “It’s just something to think about.”

Turney agreed to put the issue on a future board agenda for discussion.

Traditionally, the candidate receiving the most votes in an election becomes president two years later. The person finishing in second place in that election serves as president three years later.

Turney and Salkind finished first and second in the 2001 election. Turney has served as board president once previously, but Salkind has not.

By virtue of being top recipient of votes in the April election, Ortiz would become president in 2005 if the traditional line of succession remains in place.

Jo Dalquest, Douglas County deputy clerk, was at the noon meeting at district headquarters to administer the oath of office to the four people elected to the board in the April election.

She initially forgot that Sue Morgan, a church business manager re-elected to a second term, should be sworn in along with Ortiz, a college history professor; Yulich, a bank executive; and Minder, a preschool program facilitator.

New Lawrence school board members Rich Minder, left, Leonard Ortiz, center, and Cindy Yulich pose before attending their first meeting. The three were sworn into office Tuesday at the District Service Center, 110 McDonald Drive.

“I thought you were giving me an out,” Morgan joked.

While holding their right hands in the air, all four promised to uphold the Kansas and U.S. constitutions.

“Good luck to you all,” Dalquest said.

¢ 6News video: New school board members sworn inElection profiles, video, audio, chats:¢ Leonard Ortiz¢ Sue Morgan¢ Rich Minder¢ Cindy Yulich