September 18, 2024
Supporting growth and Operational Excellence: K-State's agenda for the September Kansas Board of Regents Meeting
Submitted by the Division of Communications and Marketing
The Kansas Board of Regents will meet Sept. 18 and 19 at the Curtis State Office Building in Topeka. A livestream will be available for individuals to listen remotely.
As K-State engages in its Campus Master Planning process, preparations already are underway with seeking approval for capital projects related to K-State's vision as the next-generation land-grant university.
K-State items on the consent agenda:
K-State requests approval to amend the fiscal year 2025 capital improvement project plan and to accept the program statement to construct a new lab building to house the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, or KSVDL. The KSVDL is crucial for Kansas' more than $12.9 billion livestock industry, providing essential testing and consultative services. The building will consolidate and update KSVDL operations that currently take place in multiple locations on the Manhattan campus. The estimated total project cost is $135 million. The project is contingent upon funding provided from the State of Kansas.
K-State requests approval to execute a master lease agreement for office space at 1960 Kimball Ave. for use by K-State 105, Corporate Engagement and the Office of Military and Veteran Affairs. Permanent office space for these units will help grow strategic objectives for them to serve K-State and Kansans.
K-State seeks approval and $800,000 from the building demolitions funds appropriated by the State of Kansas to raze the facility that currently houses International Student and Scholar Services on the Manhattan campus. The area will be restored to green space for future development in alignment with the Campus Master Plan. International Student and Scholar Services will move into newly renovated offices at the Jardine Apartment complex in fall 2025. With nearly 60 percent of international students residing at Jardine, the move will provide more convenient access to essential services and better amenities, including accessible parking. This project would start after the renovation of the new space and International Student and Scholars Services has relocated.
The Regents will adopt an updated resolution to acknowledge the current regents shall not have access to certain classified information protected by federal law. The resolution transfers the board's management control over certain classified information to a Security Executive Committee.
K-State items on the discussion agenda:
The Regents will act on the unified state appropriation request for submission to the governor and the legislature.
The Regents will act on the distribution of fiscal year 2025 appropriations for information technology and cybersecurity upgrades and improvements. Funds are to be used to address known cybersecurity and operations risks in the areas of governance and visibility, cyber security tools, cloud migration or asset life-cycle management. K-State's recommended allocation is $340,909. Over the summer, K-State’s Division of Information Technology has been transforming the university's IT infrastructure by modernizing and enhancing policies, updating and formalizing governance and enhancing organizational structure.
The Regents will act on amendments to board policy related to governance of cybersecurity, information technology and risk management. Policy additions will ensure the board's governance of the state universities aligns with the efforts of the State of Kansas and further improve cybersecurity at the institutions. K-State is adopting the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, Cybersecurity Framework, aligning our practices with the State of Kansas.
Agendas and complete meeting minutes are available online at KBOR’s website.