Kansas State University

From Provost Mendez: Next-Gen K-State draft strategic enrollment plan — we want to hear from you

Submitted by Jesse Perez Mendez

Dear colleagues, 

In June I announced that work had begun to develop a new comprehensive five-year strategic enrollment plan focused on the work needed to support two Next-Gen K-State strategic imperatives: growing total enrollment to 30,000 learners by 2030 and making meaningful improvements in graduation, retention and student success across all student populations. Throughout the summer, our executive planning committee and four advisory groups met with our Huron planning partners to craft a strategic enrollment plan with institutional priorities and action items that will drive achievement of our Next-Gen K-State enrollment-related goals. Today, I am pleased to share with you the draft Next-Gen K-State strategic enrollment plan for your review and feedback. 

Distinct from the 2018 strategic enrollment plan, which focused primarily on undergraduate students, this draft enrollment plan encompasses all learner populations — undergraduate, graduate and non-credit alternative credential-seeking learners. You will see that the draft plan aligns closely with the Next-Gen K-State university strategic plan and its vision for ambitious enrollment growth across our campuses and in all formats. Coupled with our goals for enrollment, the draft plan includes a focus on growing net tuition revenue — a key revenue source for the university. 

The draft plan includes specific annual enrollment goals and clear strategic priorities and action items organized around three themes: 

1. Revenue growth opportunities. We will concentrate resources and efforts on key student populations supporting tuition revenue growth opportunities.

2. A learner-focused perspective. We will align academic programming, student support services, and policies and practices across the enterprise to create an exceptional experience for all K-State learners and to prepare graduates to meet the needs of employers and society.

3. The student mix. We will clarify priorities related to the composition of students and learners, and implement strategic initiatives designed to attract and support specific student and learner populations. 

In addition to the themes, three critical enablers with associated proposed action items are identified in the draft plan as foundational, cross-functional areas of focus essential to our ability to achieve our university enrollment goals. These include optimizing data, systems and technology to strengthen our ability to monitor and manage enrollment at all levels and leverage data to inform decisions. Coming together through a collective partnership of academic and administrative teams working toward a shared set of goals will empower our optimization of resources, capitalize on our combined strengths, and activate decision-making. Affirming and boldly communicating the stories of the value of a K-State educational experience will strengthen our brand and reputation with students and employers, in Kansas and around the world. 

A proposed implementation structure and a suggested roadmap laying out timelines for short-term, mid-term and longer-term activities are also included in the draft plan. 

The next step is to hear from you. Your perspectives are important as we build an enrollment plan that will require the entire K-State community to join together around shared goals. We invite you to review the draft plan on our SEP planning website and provide your feedback and suggestions through the Strategic Enrollment Plan Feedback Survey by Oct. 18. Your input will help shape the final plan to be completed in early November.  

We are also hosting two facilitated in-person forums on Oct. 1 to discuss the SEP plan and solicit your feedback.  

• Academic Leadership First Tuesday Forum. This meeting will take place from 8-9:20 a.m. on Oct. 1 in the Alumni Center Banquet Room. In addition to college/campus deans, associate deans and academic department heads, assistant deans, directors, graduate program directors engaged in enrollment-related activities are invited to join the First Tuesday meeting. A Zoom option is available upon request for those who are unable to attend in-person. Please contact Craig Bourne at cbourne@k-state.edu for the connection details. 

• University Strategic Enrollment Planning Open Forum. This meeting will take place from 3-4:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 in Town Hall, Leadership Studies Building. For those unable to attend in person, the open forum will be streamed live on the Strategic Enrollment Planning website. Only individuals with a K-State eID and password will have access to the university open forum online. 

The intent of these forums is to hear from you so there will be a very limited overview presentation of the plan. If you have the opportunity, I encourage you to review the plan in advance of attending either of these meetings. 

I want to express my thanks to the 36 members of the executive planning committee and the advisory working groups who worked during the late spring and over the summer to support this planning effort. I also thank the Deans Council and the many individuals in the colleges and central academic units who participated in interviews, focus groups, and data collection efforts. A special shout out the executive planning committee co-chairs, Karen Goos and Thomas Lane and to Lynn Carlin and Craig Bourne, who together with our Huron team are providing project coordination and support.  

Growing enrollment is a top priority for Kansas State University and it will require all of us working together with intentional focus to meet our Next-Gen K-State enrollment-related goals. It will require that we embrace transformative change as we seek to adapt our academic portfolio of offerings to meet the changing needs of students and broaden the learner populations we serve as a next-generation land-grant university. I look forward to continuing the conversations as we chart our path to 2030! 

Go 'Cats! 

Jesse Perez Mendez
Provost and Executive Vice President