The tables will turn for Dick Bond in January.

When the Legislature reconvenes, the longtime state senator will be chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents and a key voice for higher education.

He’ll go from the ranks of the lobbied to the role of lobbyist in a year likely to be dominated by talk of K-12 public education — not higher education.

“There are some interesting and challenging issues we’ll face,” Bond said. “One of the important jobs of the Board of Regents is to talk about education as P-16 (preschool through four years of college), and make every effort to keep higher education on the agenda and not be left out.”

Bond, a member of the Board of Regents since 2002, was elected last month to serve a year as chairman of the nine-member board, which governs the state’s six universities and coordinates efforts of the 19 community colleges, 11 technical schools and colleges and Washburn University.

Regents are hoping Bond’s 14 years — 1986 to 2000 — as a member of the Kansas Senate will make their lobbying efforts more effective. Bond was Senate president from 1996 to 2000.

“He’ll bring a different leadership style than we’ve had in a while, with his extensive leadership experience,” said Bill Docking, a regent since 1995. “Dick is a real hard-charger. I think he will have an ambitious agenda during his year as chair.”

Funding challenge

The top priority on that agenda: money.

This year, legislators appropriated $706 million in general tax revenues for the higher education system for the 2004-05 academic year, $21 million more than the previous year but still $6 million less than funding levels in the 2001-2002 year.

Regents also will be asking legislators for a 2-mill increase in property taxes to pay for building maintenance. A study by the board office showed there was more than $600 million in deferred maintenance needs at universities.

But K-12 education funding probably will be a centerpiece for the legislative session. A district court judge has ruled the state’s public education system is unconstitutional because it is underfunded. The state Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case this fall.

“The discussion has been so focused on K-12, I do think the regents have taken a back seat,” said Sen. Mark Buhler, R-Lawrence. “That will still be a challenge. Everybody will have K-12 on their minds.”

Bond, 68, said emphasizing the importance of all education — preschool through university levels — will be key in making sure college and university funding isn’t cut next year.

“There’s no question the district court decision and what may come from the Supreme Court is going to dominate the legislative process, both in rewriting a new school finance formula, and whatever they write is going to take significant dollars to fund,” he said.

Longtime admirer

Bond, a Kansas University graduate who lives in Overland Park, said he had long admired the Board of Regents and those who served on it when Gov. Bill Graves appointed him two years ago.

He said he’d enjoyed his time with the regents.

“I describe it to many people when they say, ‘How do you like it?’ and I say it’s half boring and half very interesting,” said Bond, a semiretired banker who works as a consultant for Midwest Trust Co.

He said he had yet to run into ghosts of his political past that have affected his work as a regent.

“Even those who weren’t my close friends understand I’m not there for personal gain,” he said. “I’m there because I really believe in the mission of higher education and its success.”