KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway and Board of Regents Chairwoman Christine Downey-Schmidt, in separate statements issued today, praised K-State President Jon Wefald for his 22 years of service to Kansas. Wefald announced this morning he would retire at the end of next school year.Hemenway: “Jon Wefald has clearly provided outstanding service as president of Kansas State University. His record of service is one of the longest among public university presidents. Jon has been a friend to me personally and I’ve enjoyed working with him over the years. I join fellow Kansans in saluting his long and productive service in the vital arena of public higher education for the people of Kansas.”Downey-Schmidt: “On behalf of the Kansas Board of Regents, I offer my sincerest gratitude to Jon Wefald for his 22 years of unparalleled leadership as the President of Kansas State University. Jon, through his tremendous vision and unrivaled determination, transformed K-State into the world class educational institution that it is today.”Under Jon’s leadership, K-State has enjoyed increased student enrollments, dramatic increases in private giving and research funding, has attracted world-renowned researchers and scholars, and has achieved an unequaled success rate in the number of prestigious national scholarships awarded to its students. “We are thankful that Jon will continue to serve as K-State’s president through the end of the next academic year. In the meantime, the Board will soon formalize the process to conduct a national search for a new president. “It’s safe to say that Kansas is a better place today because of Jon Wefald.” Wefald’s retirement will come at the end of the 2008-09 school year. The Board of Regents are expected to name a search committee to help secure Wefald’s successor at their monthly meeting Tuesday and Wednesday.