Robert L. King

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. Research increased from $501 million in 1999 to $851 million in 2004.^[20]

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citing family issues,^[21] but the paid sabbatical raised the ire of the New York State Legislature.^[22] King publicly rescinded his request,^[23] and spent the next few months negotiating an agreement to move from his position into that of Interim President of State University of New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.

On August 21, 2018, President Donald 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]