September 30, 2019
2025 update from the president and provost
Submitted by Richard Myers and Charles Taber
Dear K-State Community:
In 2011, K-State embarked on an ambitious journey to realize the collective vision of being a Top 50 public research university by the year 2025. As we reflect on our efforts to date, much progress had been made, even as circumstances challenged and energized us in new ways.
As we prepare for the last five years of our strategic plan, let's finish strong. This week we begin our college and major unit 2025 update meetings under the theme "Adjusting our Roadmap to 2025." This is a great time to refresh our plan and define strategic initiatives to address challenges that have evolved over the last several years and take us to the successful completion of K-State 2025.
We are launching three components to the planning process this fall to engage the university community and gather input for a refreshed plan, starting with these annual visits to colleges and major units. The format of our meetings will be a bit different this year. The way we understand and share our land-grant mission, our collective vision and underlying values can have a powerful, unifying effect. The purpose of the meetings is to have robust discussion of our values and work to define priorities for the next five years of our strategic plan.
As a second, complementary component, we are sharing draft visionary goal and vision statements. These draft statements are intended to stimulate discussion on values and priorities at the meetings. They are posted on the 2025 website for review together with a survey inviting feedback from the university community throughout the fall semester.
The third component involves exploration of new strategic initiatives that recognize our strengths, acknowledge areas for improvement, and identify opportunities for growth. Following the model of the initial K-State 2025 theme committees, members of the K-State community will participate in facilitated planning groups to explore four strategic areas of focus: global food, health and biosecurity; aviation; the cyber land-grant university; and innovation in education. We invite you to visit the 2025 website to learn more about these strategic initiatives.
There are two major strategic initiatives already in progress, strategic enrollment management and budget modernization. It's vitally important that we have successful implementations of these foundational initiatives. The efforts so far have been encouraging. Let's use the 2025 planning process to continue our momentum and expand our vision.
Since we launched K-State 2025, many transformative changes have occurred. We've made great strides in student success and persistence to degree. Research funding and philanthropy have set new records. Our campuses have benefited from new construction providing improved research and learning spaces. There's much opportunity ahead, including the chance to truly transform our great university.
We look forward to working together on a refreshed and reenergized plan!
Sincerely,
Richard B. Myers
President
Charles Taber
Provost and Executive Vice President