Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President

University Handbook, Section H:
Extension Services, Global Campus, and International Programs

(July 2006, 09/08/14 revisions)

K-State Research and Extension Service

H1 Organization and administration. The Kansas Cooperative Extension Service is administered by the Dean of the College of Agriculture and the Director of K-State Research and Extension. It is a part of a nationwide system of non-formal education which is a partnership between federal, state, and local governments. The system was established by the federal Smith-Lever Act and the Kansas Extension Law. The purpose is the dissemination of research-based information to the people of Kansas in agriculture, family and consumer sciences, youth development, and community development.

H2 Personnel. Extension faculty are located in every county in Kansas, and area offices and in a number of departments on campus. A number of volunteer leaders are also integral to the functioning of the organization.

H3 Dissemination of information. Extension faculty utilize numerous strategies to reach Kansas citizens -- the Internet (http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/), face-to-face delivery of educational information through workshops and public meetings, publications, radio programs, personal consultations, and cooperation with various other public and private entities.

Kansas Industrial Extension Service

H10 The Kansas Industrial Extension Service, also known as the Energy Extension Service or Engineering Extension at Kansas State University offers information services and technical assistance and education in the areas of energy and the environment.

H11 The energy component of Engineering Extension provides targeted information dissemination, educational outreach, and technical/engineering analysis for energy customers. Energy efficiency and energy conservation for both residential and commercial/industrial entities is a key area of focus. Another major focal point of Engineering Extension is the practical, prudent, and sustainable evaluation and utilization of renewable energy resources such as biomass, wind, and solar as alternative sources of energy.

H12 Through the Pollution Prevention Institute, specialists provide businesses with direct assistance by conducting on site visits where specific technical, regulatory, and economic opportunities are evaluated. Fact sheets, pamphlets, and manuals introduce Kansas businesses to pollution prevention techniques that can minimize wastes in their manufacturing processes, and information needed to keep them in compliance with environmental regulations.

H13 The Kansas State Indoor Radon Grant Program is responsible for managing and conducting various radon projects. Information presented here includes courses, fact sheets, contact information, etc., related to radon issues in homes and public buildings.

Global Campus

H20 Responsibilities. At Kansas State University the Global Campus is designated as the unit responsible for the facilitation and delivery of courses and programs to those individuals who need educational opportunities outside the traditional university setting. Those individuals may seek knowledge in the form of credit or non-credit or may need Continuing Educational Units (CEUs) for professional reasons. This information is accessed through a conference, workshop, short course, standard semester course, certificate or degree program. The knowledge may be transferred in a face-to-face setting (on or off campus) or for distance students, through a mediated distance delivery format. The final outcome may be to gain professional knowledge, CEUs, certification or an undergraduate or graduate degree.

H21 Credit or non-credit courses. Global Campus administers all credit and non-credit programs and courses within the guidelines of the Kansas Board of Regents. The following policy outlines Global Campus' role in meeting the needs of those outside traditional university walls while serving as advocates for students and professionals needing further or updated knowledge and information.

H22 Policy. All K-State credit and non-credit courses and programs including conferences and workshops delivered in a face-to-face or mediated format to those students and professionals who seek educational opportunities outside the traditional university classroom setting will be facilitated and coordinated by Global Campus. This includes all distance courses, conferences, workshops and off-campus courses. Funding may come from various sources including student tuition and fees, participant fees, grants, organizational funds or sponsor donations. Faculty and departmental involvement will be to provide academic expertise and will not duplicate or replace Global Campus facilitation or coordination. All CEU activity will be administered and awarded by Global Campus and all records of such activity will be maintained by Global Campus. Fees based on the actual costs of supplying professional administration services will support conferences and non-credit programs. Programs are expected to generate fees to cover all costs. All activities including financial administration will be administered according to the policies and procedures of the State of Kansas, Kansas Board of Regents, and Kansas State University. (Entire policy including rationale, relationship to university mission and definition of continuing education activities is available in the Kansas State University PPM.)

This policy is designed to:

  • Encourage faculty to provide the excellent intellectual content and instruction for which Kansas State University is well known to off-campus students, distance students, non-credit students, conference participants and those needing CEUs. Using Global Campus as a partner who carefully plans and delivers each educational opportunity will ensure that the expertise of the Kansas State University faculty is extended to those needing educational opportunity outside of traditional boundaries.
  • Enable and ensure that the university complies with all policies determined by the State of Kansas, the Kansas Board of Regents and Kansas State University while being fiscally responsible.
  • Continue to be nationally recognized as a provider of innovative conferences, non-credit and credit courses and degrees, which attract a growing share of those seeking continuing education opportunities.

H23 Administration. The Dean of Global Campus is responsible to the Provost and works with the college deans, department heads, and other administrators to provide courses and programs. Initiatives come from faculty, departments, and colleges with Global Campus staff also offering suggestions as to educational needs of Kansans and others. The appropriate academic departments are responsible for ensuring that duly approved courses are offered and qualified faculty members are used.

H24 Instruction. For courses offered through Global Campus to meet degree requirements, the class must be conducted on the same basis as an on-campus course with regard to academic rigor. The appropriate department and college must approve all credit courses and programs. Services to students should be adequate and where feasible, similar to those of on-campus students. Full-time faculty members usually teach the courses and instructors must meet the standards of preparation and experience expected of on-campus classes. The department head and dean are responsible for the selection of qualified faculty members and for providing proper orientation for new instructors. The appropriate department head and dean must approve their appointments. Graduate Council approval is required for courses bearing graduate credit.

H25 Financing. For credit and non-credit programs tuition, registration fees, and other fees are assessed to cover the costs of instruction, delivery, hard costs and other incidental costs connected with the conduct of the courses and programs.

H26 Non-credit programs, conferences, short courses, and workshops. Conferences are held on-campus or off-campus in locations in Kansas or out of state. They are typically conducted in a face-to-face setting but content could be delivered electronically. Non-credit programs could be stand-alone programs or delivered in conjunction with credit courses. While members of the university community are involved, participants typically are drawn from outside the university. All conferences, short courses, and workshops sponsored by Kansas State University for which fees are collected or for which university facilities are used are coordinated by the Division of Global Campus. The division collects all fees and pays all bills associated with the activity. An itemized budget demonstrating that the program is financially self-supporting must be prepared for each program. Faculty and departmental support is limited to academic support and should not duplicate or replace the services available through Global Campus. The fees based on supplying professional coordination services support the Global Campus non-credit staff.

H28 Regents Educational Communications Center. Established by the Kansas Board of Regents in June 1986, the RECC was established with federal, state, and institutional funds, including a congressional appropriation for the design and construction of a physical facility to serve the needs of Kansas State University as well as other Kansas Regents communication needs and initiatives. Equipped and staffed to serve learners and other users world-wide, the primary mission of the center is to develop and enrich the human resources within Kansas by providing increased access to educational opportunity at all levels through communications technology. Bob Dole Hall houses the 32,000-square-foot center, which is equipped with state-of-the-art digital technologies. Its physical spaces include studios, an educational development laboratory, non-linear editing suites, video conference rooms, an electronic classroom, uplinking capabilities, and a mobile production unit. Productions utilize satellite, fiber optics, interactive video disks, computer-assisted instructional modules, ITFS, and low-power TV, as well as distribution to cable and television stations.

International Programs

H30 Background and purpose. Kansas State University has a long and rich tradition of international involvement, including international and area studies programs on campus, faculty and student international exchange programs, technical assistance abroad, and international services to the people of Kansas and the United States. Recognizing the key role of international programs in a major land-grant university, Kansas State University has identified increasing international emphases as theme seven of its nine major strategic planning themes in 2001. The university serves the needs of the Manhattan community through its cooperation with "Friends of International Programs," a community based group established in 2005.

H31 Coordination. International activities are coordinated by an associate provost for International Programs, located in the Office of International Programs (in Fairchild Hall).

An International Activities Council, appointed by the provost, provides further international coordination. In addition to faculty members from several colleges and programs, the IAC includes one student representative. The APIP serves as an ex officio member.

H32 Consortia. K-State is a member of the Midwest Association of Universities International (MAUI).

The Mid-America International Agricultural Consortium, incorporated in 1977, coordinates the involvement of K-State and four other Big 12 land-grant institutions in international agricultural development projects.

H33 International and Area Studies Programs. Interdisciplinary curricula in several international and area studies subjects provide opportunities for student degree concentrations, faculty research collaboration, and work abroad. Secondary majors are provided in international studies, South Asian studies, and Latin American studies. Other interdisciplinary programs include international trade studies, Canadian studies, and East European studies. There is a minor in East Asian studies.

H34 International students. Students from more than 90 countries attend K-State annually. The Office of International Student and Scholar Services, located in the International Student Center, assists international students and faculty with immigration matters and other needs.

English Language Program. This is a year-round intensive English language program to assist those whose primary language is not English. It is located on the second floor of Fairchild Hall.

H35 Study Abroad. The Office of Education Abroad provides information and assistance to students wishing to study outside the United States. K-State maintains bilateral exchanges with several foreign universities. Through membership in the International Student Exchange Program, K-State may send students to more than 100 foreign colleges and universities. Each year, K-State students compete successfully for a variety of international scholarships, such as Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, and Rotary International Scholarships. Other student opportunities overseas include community service in such countries as Brazil, Mexico, Russia and Turkey through the university's community service program.

H36 Faculty Exchange Programs. US government grants under the Fulbright-Hays Act are available for university lecturing and advanced research in many countries. Faculty from abroad may also come to K-State through the Fulbright Program. In addition, there are numerous programs in specific geographical areas or which are based in individual departments or colleges.

H37 Technical Assistance. The College of Agriculture maintains contracts with the United States Agency for International Development, foreign governments, United Nations agencies, and other international institutions to provide both technical assistance abroad and training at K-State for foreign specialists. The Office of International Programs coordinates technical assistance to developing countries and works with the United States Agency for International Development, the World Bank, the U.S. State Department, and other funding agencies.

Other programs in the College of Agriculture that offer significant technical assistance abroad include the Food and Feed Grains Institute; the IGP Institute; and the International Meat and Livestock Program.

H38 International Student Recruitment. The Office of International Programs actively recruits foreign undergraduate students through its Office of International Pre-Admissions and Recruitment.

H39 International Service Learning. The Office of International Programs, in cooperation with the Office of Leadership Studies and Programs in the College of Education, seeks to provide opportunities for students to benefit from experimental learning in a foreign setting, including service learning, internships and teaching English.

H40 The following is a list of the College of Business Administration's current partner institutions abroad:

  • University of Viadrina, Frankfurt, Germany
  • Mosbach University, Outskirts of Frankfurt, Germany
  • Consortium International University, Paderno del Grappa, Italy
  • Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
  • Justus-Liebig University, Griessen, Germany
  • Chung-Hua University, Taiwan
  • Pan African University, Lagos, Nigeria