By Mark R. Chellgren
The Associated Press

FRANKFORT, Ky. - The Mississippi higher education commissioner was hired Thursday to lead the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education at a particularly daunting time.

Tom Layzell, 64, has spent a career in higher education and had told Mississippi officials he would be stepping down next year. He takes over the postsecondary education system after its first president got tangled up in gubernatorial and legislative politics and was let go.

Mr. Layzell said he considered the Kentucky job a "great opportunity" and he wants to maintain the momentum of the higher education reforms embraced five years ago.

But those reforms were based on huge infusions of new money for campuses and research and the state now faces a budget deficit approaching $500 million in the next 18 months.

Mr. Layzell also comes into the job just weeks before the General Assembly convenes and as the creator of the reforms, Gov. Paul Patton, finds himself politically wounded by a sex scandal.

Mr. Patton ensured the departure of CPE President Gordon Davies after Mr. Davies bruised legislative feelings with a sometimes brusque manner.

Council Chairwoman Norma Adams, a Somerset lawyer, said Mr. Layzell is a "consensus builder" who has long experience working with legislators, higher education councils and staff members.

The council has not yet taken its own position on whether to side with the budget-cutters or tax raisers in the forthcoming legislative debate, but Ms. Adams said she expects Mr. Layzell and the council to be involved in that conversation.

Ms. Adams said Mr. Layzell may not start full-time work until March or April. Mr. Layzell said he has projects to wind up in Mississippi.

By law Mr. Layzell must be paid more than the highest-paid university president. Right now, that is the University of Kentucky's Lee Todd at $265,000, though new Louisville President James Ramsey has not yet had his salary set.