It’s now been over a year since the Kansas Board of Regents approved Emporia State University’s Framework for Workforce Management which served as the catalyst for a number of changes on the university’s campus.
While not a universally popular decision, the framework did begin a trend of various reinvestment and reorganization efforts across university departments while also leading to the termination of roughly 30 faculty members last fall. As part of a two-day visit to Emporia for their monthly meeting, KBOR members spent the day Thursday meeting with various deans and touring the campus receiving an up-close look at the results of their action last September.
The visit also follows a letter sent by KBOR Chairman Jon Rolph in February asking the Emporia community to lend its support to the university’s changes. Rolph, who spoke with KVOE News Thursday, says following discussions with both university and community leaders, he believes it is apparent that support is in place.
ESU President Ken Hush says providing the one-on-one time between the regents and university leadership is not only important to showcase current progress, but also to illustrate the potential for future growth across all facets of university operations.
As part of Thursday’s tour regents members visited the recently-named Feltner Square, the site of the upcoming Nursing and Student Wellness facility, the Esports section of Cremer Hall and the Butcher Education Center — which is set for demolition soon. Thursday’s activities followed the board’s monthly meeting Wednesday which focused on higher education matters across Kansas, including potential housing and food rate adjustments.
Emporia State University has proposed increases of 3.9 to 4.1 percent, depending on the category. That proposal may see action taken when the board reconvenes for its December meeting.
