September 20, 2018
Kansas Board of Regents Sept. 19 meeting university updates
Submitted by Communications and Marketing
The Kansas Board of Regents meeting on Sept. 19 included several items related to Kansas State University.
Introduction and reports
President Richard Myers introduced Provost and Executive Vice President Charles Taber to the board.
Myers discussed the opening of phase two of the K-State Office Park north of campus. He also shared news of the university's fiscal year 2018 record in extramural research funding, Princeton Review rankings and the North Campus Corridor project being named a finalist for the 2018 University Economic Development Association award.
Myers also gave updates on the North Campus Corridor project, National Bio and Agro-defense Facility and K-State Athletics' new facility master plan.
Consent agenda
K-State received approval to amend the capital improvement plan and accept the program statement for renovations at McCain Auditorium.
The Regents approved K-State's request to enter into a three-year lease-purchase agreement with the KSU Foundation for an 80-acre tract of pastureland near Colbert Hills.
Discussion agenda
The Regents approved K-State's request to name two academic departments in the College of Engineering after separate individuals. The chemical engineering department will be named for Tim Taylor, 1975 alumnus and former president of Phillips 66; and the architectural engineering and construction science department will be named for Jim Johnson, 1984 alumnus and president and CEO of GE Johnson Construction Company.
K-State received approval to name the soccer stadium currently under construction Buser Family Park in recognition of the generosity of John and Ann Buser and their children. John Buser received a bachelor's degree in accounting from K-State in 1978 and Ann Buser graduated in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in microbiology.
The Regents also approved amendments to capital improvement plans for Derby Dining Center and Mosier Hall.
Matt Casey, director of governmental relations, provided the Regents with the first reading of nonbudgetary legislative proposals including K-State requests to sell the Pecan Experimental Field in Chetopa and the original gym at the Kansas State Polytechnic campus in Salina.
The Regents will complete the month's agenda on Thursday, Sept. 20. The board will act on K-State's request to award an honorary doctorate during December 2018 Graduate School commencement ceremony. The individual will be announced at the meeting.