Sanders accepts new position; leaving SIU in February

November 16, 1999

Sanders accepts new position; leaving SIU in February

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Ted Sanders, president of Southern Illinois University (SIU), has been offered and has accepted the position of president of the Education Commission of the States (ECS), a thirty-year-old consortium of state and local interests focused on educational policy. Governors, chief state school officers and local education officials are among its governing board members. ECS is headquartered in Denver, Colo. The appointment will be effective in February 2000

Sanders was a candidate for the position last winter, but withdrew his candidacy in the waning days of the search to focus his attention on matters at the university. A renewed search procedure by ECS resulted in his acceptance of the position on Nov. 15, 1999.

Gov. George H. Ryan made the following statement today regarding the announcement: “Ted Sanders did a great job as president of Southern Illinois University. He served the university, and indeed the entire state, with distinction during his tenure. His talents will be sorely missed by Illinois’ education community. Lura Lynn and I want to wish Ted and his wife, Beverly, all the best in their new endeavors.”

In accepting the position, Sanders said: “The ECS role in bringing together key actors to help shape the best of educational policy fits perfectly with my interests. No organization in America can match the character, depth and policy potential of ECS. I look forward to the challenge of making maximum use of those assets.”

U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley said: “Ted Sanders is a real leader in American education, and his experience at the elementary, secondary and higher education levels will be a tremendous asset in this very important position. We look forward to working with Ted in this most important new assignment.”

Upon hearing the news of Sanders’ appointment, Stanley O. Ikenberry, president of the American Council on Education, said: “If one were looking for the perfect head of the Education Commission of the States, Ted Sanders would be it. His breadth of knowledge of education from kindergarten to graduate school is unmatched so far as I know. Add to that his personal integrity and leadership style, and one can easily understand the governors’ decision to appoint him to lead this key policy organization. We look forward to working with him.” Ikenberry is the former president of the University of Illinois.

Prior to serving as president of SIU, Sanders was chief state school officer in three states (Nevada, Illinois and Ohio) and served as deputy secretary in the U.S. Department of Education.