Lexington, Ky. - Robert L. King, former chancellor of the State University of New York, was unanimously selected to become the third president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. He will succeed Thomas Layzell who retired in September of 2007. The council has been operating since June under the oversight of interim president Richard Crofts. Crofts will remain in his role until the end of January to assist in an orderly transition.
Now serving as president of CEO of the Arizona Community Foundation, Dr. King once headed the nation's largest higher education system. SUNY has 64 campuses and an annual budget of $8.5 billion.
The King appointment concludes a nationwide search that identified a pool of 40 highly qualified candidates.
King's three-year contract includes a $360,000 salary, $40,000 for housing or deferred compensation and a state vehicle. By statute, the president of the Council must make more than the base salary of the highest paid public university president which is $352,000.
The mission of the CPSE is to lead the reform efforts envisioned by state policy leaders in the Kentucky Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997.