Topeka ? State higher education officials Wednesday approved instructions to a search committee that will help select the next Emporia State University president.

The Kansas Board of Regents tasked the 19-member search committee with providing three to five candidates for consideration by the regents by November.

Regents members said they hope to have the next ESU president in office in January.

In April, Michael Lane, who has served as ESU president since 2006, announced he was stepping down June 30. On July 1, Ed Flentje, a Wichita State University professor and graduate of ESU, will serve as interim president. He will not be a candidate for the presidency.

Lane had said he was resigning after he was criticized by some people for interviewing for another job out of state.

On Wednesday, Regents Vice Chair Ed McKechnie said he wanted the search committee to recommend three to five candidates to regents, saying that would give the regents “multiple and distinct looks” of various kinds of leaders.

Regents President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Tompkins said, “I think we will attract good candidates.” He said the 6,000-student ESU is “a great place and has a great reputation.”

The search committee will be headed by Deryl Wynn of Kansas City, Kan. Wynn is a former regent, ESU graduate and attorney.

After the regents announced the formation of the search committee last month, Regent Chairman Gary Sherrer abruptly resigned from the regents, saying that he had wanted to chair the search committee.

The search committee includes representatives of ESU faculty, staff, administration, students, alumni, the Emporia community and regents.

The regents also hired the executive search firm of Whit-Kieffer to help the committee. The firm will be paid through the ESU Foundation. Tompkins said he expects the search firm’s fees to total approximately $70,000.