Topeka ? State higher education officials will meet in closed session on Thursday to review what is going on with the Big 12.

Kansas Board of Regents Chairman Ed McKechnie of Arcadia said Monday that he wanted to make sure board members were up to speed on all the talk about conference realignment.

Officials with Kansas University and Kansas State University will be included in the meeting, McKechnie said. The board is holding its regularly scheduled monthly meeting Wednesday and Thursday and will go into executive session at noon Thursday for the Big 12 discussion.

The Southeastern Conference has voted to accept Texas A&M and Missouri has reportedly been looking to go there too. Oklahoma and Texas are considering whether to go to the Pac-12, and if they did Oklahoma State and Texas Tech might land there too.

Reports have indicated that officials with the Big East and Big 12 are discussing a possible merger if Big 12 teams start leaving.

McKechnie said whatever happens he wants KU and KSU to be in the same conference, and hopefully that conference will be the Big 12.

“I believe the Big 12 has more to offer than some folks are giving it credit for,” he said.

McKechnie said he has spent a lot of time over the past few weeks talking with higher education officials with other Big 12 institutions.

“There are as many scenarios out there as there are people to talk to,” he said.