Budget Transformation Committees
To lead and support the Budget Transformation Initiative, two governance committees were charged in early 2026 to advance the work forward.
Governance Committees
Executive Budget Committee (EBC)
The Executive Budget Committee, or EBC, is responsible for final decision-making related to major budget levers, sequencing, implementation and alignment with institutional priorities, external obligations and the Next-Gen K-State strategic plan. The EBC is committed to timely, transparent and institutionally aligned outcomes.
- Richard Linton, President
- Jesse Perez Mendez, Provost and Executive Vice President*
- Ethan Erickson, Vice President for Administration and Finance*
- Thomas Lane, Interim Chief of Staff, Vice President for Academic Success and Student Affairs and Dean of Students
- Hans Coetzee, Vice President for Research
- Patrick Burt, Vice President for Communications and Marketing
- Debbie Mercer, 2026-2027 Cabinet Dean Representative and Nelson and Marilyn Galle Dean, College of Education
- Dan Moser, Eldon Gideon Dean, College of Agriculture
- Ben Wolfe, Dean and CEO, K-State Olathe
- Becca Zecha, Associate Vice President for Financial and Strategic Planning
- William Everroad, Chief of Staff to the Provost
*Denotes co-chairs of the Advisory Budget Committee
Advisory Budget Committee (ABC)
The Advisory Budget Committee, or ABC, focuses on the development, testing and refinement of budget models and performance metrics; monitors implementation impacts; and provides data-informed recommendations to the EBC. Transparency, consistency and attention to major unit-level implications are central to this committee's charge.
Fall 2026 ABC Sub-Committees and Working Groups
In fall 2026, ABC established a series of sub-committees to review budget levers and recommend optimizations. Additionally, ABC established a working group to review appeals for the 5% Operational Support Fee implementation for fall 2026.
The 90/10 College Performance Metric sub-committee will work with academic college deans on identifying the path forward for college-specific performance metrics — a step intentionally deferred for FY 2028 implementation by the spring 2026 sub-committee.
- Kevin Gwinner, Dean, College of Business Administration, Sub-Committee Chair
- Karen Horton, Budget and Fiscal Officer, College of Health and Human Sciences
- Geneva Jahnke, Budget and Fiscal Officer, College of Agriculture
- Stephanie McDowell, Director of Budget Operations, University Budget Office
- Dan Moser, Eldon Gideon Dean, College of Agriculture
- Bin Ning, Associate Provost and Chief Data Officer
- Karin Westman, Professor and Department Head, Department of English, College of Arts and Sciences
- Colby Moorberg, 2026-2027 Faculty Senate President, Associate Professor in the Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture
The Scenario Planning sub-committee will evaluate a range of situations for how the university’s budgetary levers may perform under various conditions and as a result, identify potential adjustments that could strengthen institutional financial resilience and support strategic priorities.
- Kevin Gwinner, Dean, College of Business Administration, Sub-Committee Chair
- Bin Ning, Associate Provost and Chief Data Officer
- Becca Zecha, Associate Vice President for Financial and Strategic Planning, Administration and Finance
- Cath Harris, Budget and Fiscal Officer, College of Arts and Sciences
- Shannon Fox, Budget and Fiscal Officer, College of Education
The GU Cash Carry-Forward sub-committee will review outcomes based on the mechanics used for FY 2027 implementation of this lever and recommend optimized FY 2028 implementation mechanics.
- Brad Behnke, Dean, College of Health and Human Sciences, Sub-Committee Chair
- Geneva Jahnke, Budget and Fiscal Office, College of Agriculture
- Melissa Shivers, Budget and Fiscal Officer, College of Business Administration
- Sydney Rasmussen, Director of Financial Planning, University Budget Office
- Matt Basel, Faculty Senate Faculty Affairs committee co-chair, Associate Professor of Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Chassy Nichols, Budget and Fiscal Officer, Carl R. Ice College of Engineering
The 1.1% Budget Reallocation sub-committee will review outcomes based on the mechanics used for FY 2027 implementation of this lever and recommend optimized FY 2028 implementation mechanics.
- Alysia Starkey, CEO and Dean, K-State Salina, Sub-Committee Co-Chair
- Michael McClure, Dean, College of Architecture, Planning & Design, Sub-Committee Co-Chair
- Stephanie McDowell, Director of Budget Operations, University Budget Office
- Diana McElwain, Budget and Fiscal Officer, College of Architecture, Planning & Design
- Becca Zecha, Associate Vice President for Financial and Strategic Planning, Administration and Finance
- Shannon Fox, Budget and Fiscal Officer, College of Education
- Gregg Hadley, Associate Professor, Assistant Vice President and Director of Extension
- Margaret Mohr-Schroeder, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Innovation
The Financial Challenges sub-committee will review the factors applying budgetary pressure to the university and recommend potential adjustments to institutional prioritization in an effort to continue to balance the institution’s overall financial capacity and strategic priorities.
- Debbie Mercer, 2026-2027 Cabinet Dean Representative and Nelson and Marilyn Galle Dean, College of Education, Sub-Committee Co-Chair
- Cynthia Warrick, Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Sub-Committee Co-Chair
- Phill Vardiman, Faculty Senate President-Elect, Associate Professor, School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Human Sciences
- Ethan Erickson, Vice President for Administration and Finance
- Becca Zecha, Associate Vice President for Financial and Strategic Planning, Administration and Finance
- Bill Turnley, Professor and Department Head, Management, College of Business Administration
The 5% Operational Support Fee Transactions sub-committee will review outcomes based on the mechanics used for FY 2027 implementation of this lever and recommend optimized FY 2028 implementation mechanics.
- Thomas Lane, Interim Chief of Staff and Vice President for Academic Success and Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Sub-Committee Co-Chair
- Dan Moser, Eldon Gideon Dean, College of Agriculture, Sub-Committee Co-Chair
- Fran Wilbrant, Associate Vice President, Division of Financial Services
- Becca Zecha, Associate Vice President for Financial and Strategic Planning, Administration and Finance
- Colby Moorberg, 2026-2027 Faculty Senate President, Associate Professor in the Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture
- Sam Morrone, Senior Associate Athletics Director and Chief Financial Officer, K-State Athletics
- Christian Peña, K-State student, 2026-2027 Student Governing Association President
- James Wiser, Dean, K-State Libraries
*Parallel conversations will continue with the Provost and Vice President for Administration and Finance, as they did in spring 2026, regarding the 5% Operational Support Fee and its ongoing implementation considerations for the Salina campus, Olathe campus, Ag Research, Extension, and the Veterinary Medical Center.
Summer 2026 Working Group
Spring 2026 ABC Sub-Committees
The Advisory Budget Committee established sub-committees to develop the mechanisms supporting individual budget levers and create implementation frameworks. Sub-committees submitted their recommendations to the larger ABC group for review/approval to advance to EBC, and then EBC reviews for final decision.
Archived Planning Committees
During the Discovery/Planning phase of the initiative from September 2025-January 2026, the Budget Transformation Initiative was led by a senior leadership team and five functional working groups. The working groups identified opportunities within their areas of focus with an eye toward maximizing resource flexibility and utilization and made recommendations to align financial resources with our Next-Gen K-State strategic plan.
The Core Team served in an advisory capacity to the President during the Discovery/Planning phase of the initiative from September 2025-January 2026. *Denotes the team chair.