New president at Garden City Community College starting 3 months early

? The new president of Garden City Community College will take over three months earlier than planned.

The college’s board of trustees voted Wednesday night to allow Herbert J. Swender to begin work as president on April 1, rather than on July 1 as previously planned.

Interim president Joseph W. Emmons will leave early to return to home to Lawrence.

The Garden City Telegram reports that Swender was not able to attend the board’s meeting Wednesday after he was taken to St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City suffering from severe abdominal pain. He was released Wednesday night and doctors are still awaiting test results.

Emmons served as interim president since last August, replacing Carol Ballantyne after she retired after 10 years as president.