TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is preparing to announce three appointments to the board that oversees the state’s higher education system.

Brownback scheduled a Friday news conference to name the Board of Regents members. The appointments require confirmation by the state Senate next year, with the new members serving through June 2018.

The nine-member board oversees state universities, community colleges and technical colleges. The state spends almost $2.6 billion annually on higher education.

The terms of three regents expired at the end of June. They were Mildred Edwards of Wichita, Tim Emert of Independence and Ed McKechnie of Arcadia.

Edwards is executive director of the Kansas African-American Affairs Commission. Emert is a former Kansas Senate majority leader, and McKechnie formerly served in the Kansas House