Letters to Campus

January 19, 2010

Dear K-State Faculty and Staff,

In my November Dear Colleague letter, I discussed the need for a top to bottom review of our research infrastructure. In collaboration with Ron Trewyn, Vice President for Research, I have appointed a 13-member task force to spend the spring semester assessing our research capabilities.

Chris Sorensen, University Distinguished Professor of Physics, has agreed to chair the task force. Other members of the task force include:

1. Dean - Carol Shanklin, Dean of the Graduate School

2. Research Associate Dean - Denis Medeiros, Professor and Department Head, Department of Human Nutrition/ Associate Dean, Scholarship and Research, College of Human Ecology

3. Department Head - John Leslie, Department Head, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture

4. Research Infrastructure/Compliance - Kerry Taylor, Assistant Vice President for Research (Animal Care); Director, Comparative Medicine Group

5. Post Award/Financial Management - Shannon Fisher, Associate Controller - Controllers Office

6. Graduate Student Council President - Kara Dillard, doctoral candidate in sociology

7. Office of Research - James Guikema, Associate Vice President for Research

8. Library Representative - Mike Haddock, Assistant Dean, Research, Education and Engagement Division, Hale Library

9. Faculty - Betsy Cauble, Faculty Senate president-elect; Associate Professor of Social Work and Department Head, Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work

10. Faculty - Mary Rezac, Professor and Co-Director Center for Sustainable Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering

11. Faculty - Daniel Marcus, University Distinguished Professor of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine

12. Faculty - Loretta Johnson, Division of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences

So, what exactly will this group do? The charge for the research task force is as follows:

Define and present priorities at Kansas State University in the areas of research, scholarship, and creative activities that will enhance the university’s international prominence. The Task Force should take a broad, overarching approach and examine areas from priority research/scholarship subject areas to administrative needs and changes. The Task Force will make recommendations on steps that should be taken by the university to enhance its scholarly mission in the new decade.

If you have any suggestions or comments for the task force, please do not hesitate to contact any member of this group.

Regards,

Kirk