King leaves IHETS to head Oregon State University unit
Active negotiation to appoint short-term interim director is underway; announcement expected soon
Released: August 1, 2006
Contact: Susan Sullivan, 317.263.8849, ssulliva@ihets.org
INDIANAPOLIS—David A. King, executive director of the Indiana Higher Education Telecommunication System (IHETS), has been appointed head of Oregon State University's Department of Extension & Experiment Station Communications.
His last day at IHETS was July 28; he begins the new position in Corvallis on September 1.
Before joining IHETS in 1998, King led the Department of Agricultural Communication Services at Purdue University, a position he held for eight years.
As IHETS’ executive director, King has successfully created a platform for statewide education and technology partnerships. Under his direction, the technical and educational sides of the organization merged to extend educational opportunities to distance learners throughout Indiana and beyond.
“The entire state has benefited from the commitment, leadership, and vision of David King. He has been devoted to addressing the educational needs of students, universities, and libraries through innovative state-of the-art technology. His work—and that of the IHETS staff—have made Indiana a national leader in the area of learning technology,” commented Dr. Lloyd Benjamin, president of Indiana State University and chair of the IHETS board.
Benjamin presented King with an award recognizing his service during a reception at IHETS on July 25. He also read a resolution drafted and approved by the board noting King’s accomplishments.
During his tenure, King oversaw and helped develop a broad range of IHETS programs and telecommunication services. One service was management and operation of the Indiana Telecommunications Network, once the largest and most diverse public-sector voice, video, and data network in Indiana. At the peak of its service, ITN contained nearly 2,000 circuits connecting college and university campuses, K-12 schools, local and state government offices, learning centers, County Extension Services, public libraries, and other public sector users.
By cultivating partnerships with the Indiana State Library, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indiana Division of Workforce Development, and several others, King shaped the group’s proposal to establish a single virtual access point (or portal) to all educational and training opportunities in the state. The portal is designed to help Hoosier students, workers, and citizens of all ages locate educational programs and manage their educational goals.
King worked closely with the Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations, Inc. (IPBS) to provide high-quality educational programs that were broadcast to public television viewers. Interest in technology as a distribution mechanism for educational programs led to his involvement in the formation of the American Distance Education Consortium. He has served on ADEC’s board since 1998 and was awarded its prestigious Irving Award in April 2002.
King noted, “In the last eight years, IHETS has built an exceptional organization dedicated to serving the needs of our members. Stepping away when IHETS is poised to provide leadership for the next phase of Indiana’s education and technology advancement has been a difficult decision. But I’m confident that as new leadership is appointed, a great opportunity will be waiting for them.”
Benjamin and the IHETS board voted yesterday to seek a short-term interim director. The board is actively negotiating interim leadership and an announcement of the temporary appointment is expected soon.
At OSU, King will work to increase the university’s effectiveness in critical areas including educational publishing, public communication, and technology-assisted education. An accomplished film editor and video producer with 20 documentaries to his credit, he earned a Master of Arts in journalism from the University of Oregon in 1983.
For more information about IHETS, please visit www.ihets.org.
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