Jump to content

Robert L. King

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 1990'sguy (talk | contribs) at 17:46, 25 December 2020 (→Trump administration: Fill in ref.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Robert L. King
Assistant Secretary of Education for Postsecondary Education
Incumbent
Assumed office
August 22, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
Interim President of the State
University of New York at Potsdam
In office
2005–2006
Preceded byJohn A. Fallon
Succeeded byJohn F. Schwaller
6th Chancellor of the State
University of New York
In office
2000–2005
Preceded byJohn W. Ryan
Succeeded byJohn R. Ryan
Monroe County Executive
In office
1991–1995
Preceded byThomas R. Frey
Succeeded byJohn D. "Jack" Doyle
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 130th District
In office
1987–1991
Preceded byLouise M. Slaughter
Succeeded byDavid Van Varick
Personal details
Born (1946-12-27) December 27, 1946 (age 77)
Brighton, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican

Robert L. King (born December 27, 1946) is an American higher education leader currently serving as Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. He previously served as president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.[1] Other notable positions include having served Monroe County, New York Executive and as Chancellor of the State University of New York. On July 11, 2019, He was confirmed by the United States Senate as Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.[2]

Early life and education

King was born and raised in Brighton, Monroe County, New York and graduated from Brighton High School. He graduated from Trinity College (Connecticut) and earned a Juris Doctor at the Vanderbilt University School of Law.[1]

Early career

He began his career as a Deputy District Attorney in California. He returned to Rochester where he served as an Assistant District Attorney, as well as a Special Assistant United States Attorney working for the Organized Crime Strike Force, and ran unsuccessfully for Monroe County District Attorney against Howard M. Relin in 1983.[3]

Politics

He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1987 to 1991, sitting in the 187th, 188th and 189th New York State Legislatures.[4][5][6] It was there that he met fellow Assemblyman George Pataki, who greatly influenced his later career. In 1991, he unseated Thomas Frey to become Monroe County Executive.[7] In 1995, King resigned his office to join then-Governor Pataki as director of the State Office of Regulatory Reform.[8] He cited his proposals to reform welfare, his introduction of Total Quality Management to county offices, the development of Frontier Field, education reforms, and collaboration with the city as his proudest achievements and his inability to achieve privatization of government services as his biggest disappointment.[9]

Education

In 1998, King became Pataki's budget director. In 1999, after a nearly year-long search, Pataki advanced King as a candidate to fill the shoes of John W. Ryan, the ailing Chancellor of the State University System, a move applauded by fiscal conservatives, but criticized by the SUNY rank and file.[10] King had little experience in higher education[11] and had authorized a SUNY budget freeze only two months prior.[12] Additionally, Pataki had a longstanding desire to reduce the role of the state in the University's funding which already led to one Chancellor's departure.[13] SUNY's board of trustees unanimously approved him and he took office on January 1, 2000.[14]

During his time as Chancellor, funding for the University System began to shift from state taxpayers to private hands,[15] which required campuses to seek revenue from tuition increases,[16] from outside research grants and contracts,[17] and from outside donations.[18] King also sought to index tuition to inflation for the first time in the University System's history.[19]

Also the system made significant gains in enrollment, average SAT scores, research and fundraising. Total headcount enrollment grew by 40,000 students from 2000 to 2004, and the number of minority students grew 20 percent. SAT scores of incoming freshmen improved at every campus, and the average SAT score for the system was 1150 in 2004, 100 points above the national public mean score. From 2000 to 2005, SUNY research grew from $554.6 million to $918.9 million while fundraising grew $186.9 million in 2000 to $323.6 million in 2003.[20][verification needed]

After five years on the job, King sought a leave of absence, citing family issues,[21] but the paid sabbatical raised the ire of the New York State Legislature.[22] King publicly rescinded his request,[23] and spent the next few months negotiating an agreement to move from his position into that of Interim President of State University of New York at Potsdam.[24]

After retiring from SUNY, he joined the Arizona Community Foundation as its President and CEO.[25][26]

At the end of 2008, King retired from the Arizona Community Foundation to take up the position of president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education in January 2009.[27]

King served as the Council's third president, succeeding Gordon Davies and Thomas Layzell, until November 2018. As president, King led Kentucky's efforts to implement legislation regarding college readiness (KRS 164.302[28]), college transfer (KRS 164.020[29]) and training college board members (KRS 164.020[29]). He also encouraged significant reform in teacher and principal training through the Kentucky Rising initiative.[30]

During King's tenure as the state's higher education leader, Kentucky's public institutions saw steady growth in degrees and credentials, as well as student readiness rates. From 2009 to 2014, degrees and credentials grew 18.8 percent and transfers from the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to four-year colleges increased 31.4 percent.[31] College readiness rates of all high school graduates increased 31 percentage points, of 32 to 63 percent.[31] Readiness of Kentucky college entrants also experienced an increase of 18 percentage points, or 52 to 70 percent.[31]

In addition, King moved to limit tuition increases at Kentucky's colleges and universities. Between 2009–10 and 2016–17, resident undergraduate tuition and fees represented a 60 percent reduction in the average rate of increase compared to the previous seven years. King also led efforts to move a portion of state funding for higher education to an outcomes-based model.[32]

King is a member of numerous boards and organizations. He has served as vice chair and chair of the Executive Committee of the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). Other notable board positions include the Board of Trustees of A.T. Still University and the National Center on Education and the Economy.

Trump administration

On August 21, 2018, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate King to the position of Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education.[2] King's nomination was formally submitted on August 27, 2018.[33] On July 11, 2019, the United States Senate confirmed his nomination by a vote of 56–37.[34]

References

  1. ^ a b "Robert L. King, J.D., Author at Responsibility.org". Responsibility.org. Retrieved 2017-11-24.
  2. ^ a b "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate, Appoint, and Designate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". The White House.
  3. ^ "Relin Defeats King", The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pp. A1, 1983-11-09
  4. ^ "130th: King's Win Gives GOP Edge in County", The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pp. 6A, 1986-11-05
  5. ^ "130th: Margin Is Decisive for King", The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pp. 6A, 1988-11-09
  6. ^ "Votes Cast No Surprise on Outcome", The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pp. 7A, 1990-11-07
  7. ^ "King Conquers", The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pp. 1A, 1991-11-06
  8. ^ "King Has Ability to Reach His Public", The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pp. 1A, 1995-01-02
  9. ^ "King Saying His Farewells", The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pp. 1A, 1995-01-10
  10. ^ "The Debate: Robert King as SUNY Chancellor", The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pp. 7A, 1999-12-13
  11. ^ Arenson, Karen W. (1999-12-07), "Pataki Aide Is Selected To Lead SUNY", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-05-11
  12. ^ Perez-Pena, Richard (1999-10-04), "SUNY Faces a $110 Million Budget Gap, and It's Growing", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-05-11
  13. ^ Arenson, Karen W. (1996-07-29), "What Went Wrong at SUNY? Departed Chancellor Speaks", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-05-11
  14. ^ "SUNY Trustees Vote Unanimously to Approve King 14th Chancellor", The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pp. B1, 1999-12-15
  15. ^ Arenson, Karen W. (2001-12-26), "No Budget Increase at SUNY", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-05-11
  16. ^ Arenson, Karen W. (2003-12-03), "Albany: SUNY Trustees Back Tuition Increase", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-05-11
  17. ^ Arenson, Karen W. (2000-12-20), "SUNY Chancellor Wants More Aggressive Pursuit of Revenue", The New York Times, retrieved 2018-08-21
  18. ^ "SUNY's $3 Billion Campaign", The New York Times, 2004-03-17, retrieved 2008-05-11
  19. ^ Arenson, Karen W. (2005-01-07), "SUNY Plan Limits Increases in Tuition", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-05-11
  20. ^ [author missing] (2004), The State University of New York, Higher Education to be Proud Of., p. [page needed] {{citation}}: |author= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Arenson, Karen W.; Healy, Patrick D. (2005-01-12), "In Surprise Move, SUNY Chancellor Seeks Leave of Absence", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-05-11
  22. ^ Healy, Patrick D.; Arenson, Karen W. (2005-01-13), "Democrats Move to Scuttle Sabbatical for SUNY Chief", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-05-11
  23. ^ Arenson, Karen W.; Healy, Patrick D. (2005-01-14), "SUNY's Chief Refuses to Quit, Foiling a Deal", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-05-11
  24. ^ Arenson, Karen W. (2005-04-05), "State University Chancellor, a Pataki Friend, to Leave Post", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-05-11
  25. ^ "From the President". The Arizona Community Foundation. Archived from the original on December 10, 2007. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
  26. ^ Arenson, Karen W. (2005-10-21), "Albany: Former Chancellor To Head Foundation", The New York Times, retrieved 2008-05-11
  27. ^ "Former SUNY Chancellor Is Chosen to Lead Kentucky's Postsecondary Council". The Chronicle of Higher Education. 2009-12-09. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  28. ^ "KRS 164.302". Kentucky Legislative Research Commission.
  29. ^ a b "KRS 164.020". Kentucky Legislative Research Commission.
  30. ^ "STATE EDUCATION LEADERS TO DISCUSS KENTUCKY RISING INITIATIVE" (PDF). Kentucky Department of Education. January 13, 2015. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  31. ^ a b c Statewide Accountability Report: 2013-14. Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.
  32. ^ Tuition Report. Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.
  33. ^ "PN2447 - Nomination of Robert L. King for Department of Education, 115th Congress (2017-2018)". www.congress.gov. January 3, 2019.
  34. ^ "PN345 — Robert L. King — Department of Education". Congress.gov. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
New York State Assembly
Preceded by New York State Assembly
130th District
1987–1991 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by County Executive of Monroe County
1992–1995 		Succeeded by
John D. "Jack" Doyle
Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of the State University of New York
2000–2005 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of the State University of New York at Potsdam
Interim
2005–2006 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_L._King&oldid=996289850"