After getting the ball rolling on many initiatives in higher education, Utah System of Higher Education Commissioner Rich Kendell announced Wednesday he will retire in December.

At 64, Kendell hopes to be in charge of his own schedule and have more time to spend with his wife, four married children and almost 12 grandchildren. Education, however, will always be on his mind.

"I want to continue to do productive things with my time but I want to do it more on a schedule that is agreeable to me and my wife," he said. Among the things he hopes to do are college teaching, humanitarian service and working with young people who want to go to college.

Until December, Kendell will continue leading the State Board of Regents down a path he began Nov. 17, 2003, which has seen much advancement in the relationship between public education and higher education, specifically the formation of the K-16 Alliance.

"There are some who would say that the K-16 Alliance is the best relationship that's ever been forged between the regents and public education in the state and it does include the governor's office and the Legislature," Kendell said.

Kim Burningham, chairman of the State Board of Education, was surprised by the announcement, as were many, and said that Kendell has been instrumental in the work of combining the two systems.

"He understands the whole educational system from top to bottom, not just higher education but the whole thing, and it's really been a great advantage working with him," Burningham said. "I feel particularly strong about the strides we've made on the K-16 Alliance, that it's got higher ed and public ed working more closely together. We need to work more closely together."

Other things will continue as they have, including the information campaign to get more students into college. The push for better salaries for faculty and administration will continue and Kendell said the regents' legislative agenda will stay intact.

"I think the agenda will supersede anybody who comes into this position; there's just too many good opportunities there and anyone who'd downplay that would be at a serious disadvantage," he said. "We've tackled some important things."

Among the many successes Kendell counts during his time as commissioner so far is streamlining the concurrent enrollment program, which gives high school students the opportunity to obtain college credit. The regents have also coordinated a plan to increase the supply of teachers in the state as well as a seamless assessment program that leads students from public education into the college and university experience.

They've worked with legislators to develop a common student identifier to track students through the system no matter what school they choose to attend, as well as found funding for many new and updated facilities across all of Utah's 10 public college and university campuses.