Community colleges delay search for new president

VERSAILLES, Ky. (WTVQ) – The current president of the state’s community and technical schools will remain on board into the fall and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Board of Regents is delaying the search for a new system president.

The board now hopes to have a new person in place in Janaury 2021.

The board cited the ongoing coronavirus pandemic nation wide as the reason for the delay.

According to Monday’s announcement, the KCTCS hopes to post the position officially at the end of August and conduct the interview process during the fall.

Additionally, KCTCS President Jay K. Box approached the board chair about staying in his position through the end of September to continue to lead the system through this uncertain time and ease the transition for Interim President Paul Czarapata.

Czarapata is a KCTCS vice president who oversees the system’s technology.

The board named him interim at the March board meeting and planned for him to assume the role when Box retired.

“The members of the KCTCS Board of Regents Executive Committee are unanimously supportive and appreciative of President Box’s proposal,” Board of Regents Chair Gail Henson said.

“In this unprecedented time, President Box has been working tirelessly to help the 16 colleges, employees and students transition to their new off-campus realities, and it would’ve been very easy to walk away and turn it over to someone else. This is another example of the dedication he’s shown to this system and its students,” Henson added.

More information about the search will be available on the presidential search website when the process resumes.