A veteran administrator in higher education has been chosen to serve as interim president of Garden City Community College.

Joseph Emmons, of Lawrence, was the unanimous choice of the southwest Kansas college’s Board of Trustees at a special meeting this week.

Emmons will serve for now in place of Carol Ballantyne, who announced July 1 she was resigning because of health issues.

Emmons retired in 2002 as director of curricular affairs for the Kansas Board of Regents. He has served in recent years as interim leader of several Kansas institutions, including Kaw Area Technical School in Topeka, Manhattan Area Technical College and the Wamego campus of Highland Community College.