The state Board of Regents met this week, and moved forward on universities’ proposals for campus open-carry policies as well as legislation for the merger of Wichita State University and Wichita Area Technical College. The move will re-brand WATC as the WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, while maintaining the college’s open admission policy and separate tuition structure.
But one of the biggest education stories of the week is the news of Wichita Public Schools Superintendent John Allison’s potential departure from the district. Allison is the “sole finalist” for the superintendent job with Olathe Public Schools, which, as KCUR reports, would be a move from one of the most diverse school districts in the state to one of the most homogenous.
In non-education-related news, Sedgwick County has selected a new accounting firm to look into its finances following the theft of more than half-a-million dollars. Chief Financial Officer Chris Chroniswas also replaced; the county's budget director, Lindsay Poe Rousseau, has been named interim CFO.
After remaining mum on his budget plan, Gov. Sam Brownback dropped some hints about how the state will close its nearly $350 million budget gap (that's for this fiscal year; next year the shortfall could approach $600 million). Brownback said he'll look at a mix of revenues and spending cuts, noting that "none of it’s going to be something that people are going to be particularly excited about."
Finally, because it's almost Christmas and because temperatures barely squeaked past single digits by the end of the week, be sure to listen to Carla Eckels' interview with Broadway star Karla Burns and baritone Earnest Alexander about their holiday CD, "A Christmas Celebration."