New leadership elected at Kansas Board of Regents

? The Kansas Board of Regents, which oversees the state’s higher education system, has new leaders, it was announced Monday.

Tim Emert, a former state Senate majority leader, has been elected as chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents.

Emert, an attorney from Independence, was appointed to the nine-member board in 2010 by then-Gov. Mark Parkinson, and had been serving as vice chairman.

Elected vice chairman was Fred Logan, an attorney from Leawood. Logan was appointed to the board by Gov. Sam Brownback in 2011.

The nine-member board governs the six state universities, including Kansas University, and is the statewide coordinating board for Washburn University, 19 community colleges and six technical colleges.

“I am honored to serve as the chair of the Board of Regents,” said Emert. “Public higher education is a critical element in the future success of our citizens and our state. The board is committed to advancing educational opportunities that meet the needs of our citizens and the Kansas economy. I look forward to collaborating with students, faculty, institutional leaders, and policy-makers in the coming year,” he said.

Logan stated: “The education provided by our institutions fuels income growth for Kansas families and advances innovations that improve our world. I look forward to working to advance public higher education with this talented group of Regents, students, faculty and institutional leaders.”

The chair and vice chair will serve one-year terms starting in July.