Phase 2 Results: Where Are We Now

Jump to: | To Dos | Assets | Barriers | General comments

The K-State 2025 Phase 2 report compiles information collected between April and early November 2010 to document "where we are now" as part of the K-State 2025 planning initiative. The suggestions, comments, and ideas were gathered through an online survey, email, and 49 targeted focus groups involving faculty, staff, students, alumni, the Manhattan community, and others. Results are organized in four categories representing the questions posed during Phase 2: To Dos (what do we need to do to become a Top 50 public research university?), Assets, Barriers, and General Comments.

This report will be used as background as planning continues for K-State 2025.

Statistics

Focus groups: 49
Online respondents: 161 (Self-identified as: 72 faculty, 26 students, 52 alumni, 6 parents, and 7 community)

To Dos
increase faculty salaries!	#FACULTY
Upgrade facilities. Research labs in older buildings are in poor shape and much of the instrumentation is 15-20+ years old.	#FACULTY
Better faculty salaries to attract and keep productive, prestigious researchers and teachers	#FACULTY #ALUMNI #PARENT #COMMUNITY
Focus on areas we "own" in KBoR (Grain/Animal Science, Nutrition, Food Science, Vet Med)	#FACULTY
Greater infrastructure in terms of high throughput sequencing and genome analyses.	#FACULTY
Graduate program in philosophy	#FACULTY
Administrators who have participated in grant writing process.	#FACULTY
Must place importance with additional benefits to support the Faculty and Staff.
Publications indicate good research, so good writing skills are essential. Providing writing instruction would help publication.	#FACULTY
If you can't afford it, cut it. This is the harsh reality. You can't have everything.
Dramatically improve teaching, research, and physical plant infrastructure.	#FACULTY
Improve faculty salaries and faculty retention. Faculty must become invested in the institution.	#FACULTY
Reward faculty and UG students for formalized research and creative endeavors.	#FACULTY
Provide more university-, college-, and departmental-level TAs and RAs for doctoral student support.	#FACULTY
Establish a tiered university-, college-, and departmental-level award system for faculty teaching and research achievement.	#FACULTY
In the reward system, each recognition must be linked to graded percentage salary increase.	#FACULTY
Encourage the Provost to establish unit faculty and staff annual evaluation plans/metrics that reward ALL contributions.	#FACULTY
Develop as many top 50 PhD programs as possible	#FACULTY
Develop a few top 10 PhD programs	#FACULTY
Become a destination for top undergraduate students from outside of Kansas	#FACULTY
Establish higher standards in undergraduate classes	#FACULTY
Provide a clear statement of the university's priorities and then reward faculty accordingly	#FACULTY
Continue to build top athletic programs for public visibility.	#FACULTY
Retain excellent faculty and attract excellent students.	#FACULTY
Eliminate our student-focus and become research focused will help fulfill this President's dream	#FACULTY
Hire faculty to 100% research appointments and reduce emphasis on outreach and teaching	#FACULTY
Streamline grants and awards process to not make it so difficult to get grants submitted in timely fashion	#FACULTY
Hire basic researchers instead of applied researchers	#FACULTY
Raise academic standards to get into K-State	#STUDENT
Organize our existing resources better	#FACULTY
More interaction with K-12 in Kansas to make sure we're getting well-prepared freshmen.	#FACULTY
Focus on the outcome instead of getting stuck on measuring the process	#FACULTY
More well paid support staff; encourage faculty to do more sponsored research. Better equipped, modern labs.	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Garner financial support from Regents, Legislators, voters, alumni.	#FACULTY
Reduced teaching loads for those involved in research is a must. Heavy loads with no GTA makes extended research nearly impossible.	#FACULTY #PARENT
We have to have the facilities to attract teachers and students alike. If we do not upgrade, we don't have the capacity to improve	#STUDENT
Upgrade all college and department websites to look uniform.	#STUDENT
Remind the faculty that they are there to TEACH. I have 2 degrees from K-State and many faculty see students as nuisance	#ALUMNI
One of a kind teaching and research experiences. IT capabilities focused on cloud computing. Competitive salaries. Top facilities.	#STUDENT
Improve the Miller School of Journalism/Mass Communications, its reputation has been slipping	#STUDENT
Improve public image across the nation - more publicity, outreach!	#STUDENT
Double the endowment, atleast.	#ALUMNI
Create a better student life experience which will increase retention, and graduation rates.	#ALUMNI
Build, remodel and expand our current facilities.	#ALUMNI
Create more residential communities, increase the amount of incoming students involved in Wildcat Warm-up.	#ALUMNI
Create a freshmen seminar of 18 students, which are taught by KSU faculty with a $500 stipend.	#ALUMNI
Build research strengths in Ag, Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Physics & Vet Med	#FACULTY
Highlight some of the outstanding research/researchers that are already in place at K-State. Enable others to take some initial steps.	#FACULTY
create an atmosphere that embraces innovation & removes faculty stagnation	#ALUMNI #COMMUNITY
Find huge additional income streams.	#FACULTY
Please provide the ratio of state support dollars/undergraduate student for KSU vs. peer institutions.	#FACULTY
hire more faculty	#FACULTY
Find ways to reward teaching faculty.	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Reduce teaching load
Establish new facilities, offer competitive salaries to get top instructors, establish more research connections with other universities.	#ALUMNI
Let everyone know about K-State and all it has to offer.	#ALUMNI
Messaging - personalized message important and utilize faculty. People interested in college rather than university. Horizontal rather than vertical messaging. Need to know entire university and talking points for each college.	#FOCUS GROUP
be clear in your goals and your strategy.	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Trustees need to receive communication throughout the year, not just at trustees weekend. Update of how we are doing - regular updates for progress, challenges, failures. Scorecard - email to us every so often.	#FOCUS GROUP
Messaging - need short mission statement - catchy - stays in people's minds and sticks.	#FOCUS GROUP
Messaging - Inspired interaction with students - have students help deliver message - that's why we're here. We want to help students. If students are involved, it's not just words on paper.	#FOCUS GROUP
Having a better counseling/mentorship program for students entering college would help to focus in students in the right majors the first time. Choosing a major that's right for you when you're 18 is something few kids are equipped to do. This would improve retention as well as the classroom experience if the right kids are in the right classes.	#ALUMNI
Increase academic fundraising efforts from K-State family	#ALUMNI #PARENT
Invest more in other departments at K-State, other than the Ag Dept, Engineering and Architecture.	#ALUMNI
develop undergrad/graduate programs in alternative energy, green building, sustainable design.	#ALUMNI
AAU membership became a discussion point during conference realignment. It seemed to be a standard other schools recognized. Is it a goal?	#ALUMNI
Better advising for ug students with a lower ratio of students to advisors	#ALUMNI
More options/encouragement for ug students to continue their education	#ALUMNI
Encouragement for all instructors to get training in best educational practices	#ALUMNI
More research opps. for ug students	#ALUMNI
A focus on outreach to KS high schools to recruit their best and brightest academic stars (not just good athletes)	#ALUMNI
Affordable tuition, highly qualified instructors, community involvement, publicity - need a new hook for KSU	#ALUMNI
Like a great new slogan using the past and present to = the future	#ALUMNI
Increase faculty size by 50% in all productive programs to bring these in line with faculty sizes of top 50 universities	#FACULTY
Garner more media attention to grants received, research being done	#ALUMNI
Recruit and retain high quality faculty	#FACULTY
Maintain the most capable faculty and staff with competitve salaries and benefits.	#STUDENT
Provide tuition waiver/support to all graduate students to attract the best an the brightest and compete favorably with peer institutions
Establish quality control checks for distance ed courses to further enhance the lead that K-State already enjoys among peers
Work more closely with the City of Manhattan to develop a world class university town that attracts outstanding people (eg, bus system)	#FACULTY
We need a Department of Religious studies. It is unbelievable that there are so few religion courses at KSU.	#FACULTY
More money for faculty development. More sabbaticals for faculty, so they can pursue book writing instead of just teaching.	#FACULTY
http://www.wku.edu/chhs/cms/index.php/cec
Persuade the State Legislature to increase funding. This requires demonstrating value to the state	#FACULTY
Reduce the teaching load for pre-tenured faculty to allow them to focus on research.	#FACULTY
Develop support systems to help faculty and graduate students obtain grants and conduct research	#FACULTY
Provide strong incentives for high quality teaching and research.	#FACULTY
Provide more opportunities for graduate students by providing tuition waiver and GTA opportunities	#STUDENT
Start recruiting the best Kansas students in grade school.	#ALUMNI
Establish partnerships with Kansas' community colleges.	#ALUMNI
Make county extension offices more than college of agriculture outlets	#ALUMNI
Be less of an advocate for corporate agriculture	#ALUMNI
Establish partnerships with other universities - NYU, Columbia, etc.	#ALUMNI
focus on research, graduate students and the undergraduate experience	#FACULTY
Few state schools are as conservative as Kansas State. I am a moderate, but this must change.	#ALUMNI
Require a research component for graduation for UGs; be researcher or res. subject	#ALUMNI
To be competitive with the top 50, we need a very large increase in faculty positions.	#FACULTY
Remember that KSU is recognized for its quality undergraduate education	#FACULTY
Provide incentive and be able to reward the faculty that excell	#FACULTY
stop concentrating on being a sports school and start being a school school	#STUDENT
Continue, expand patnership with KU on NCI-CC research	#ALUMNI
Increase the number of faculty in areas where significant research funding is available	#FACULTY #ALUMNI #PARENT
Support research computing with supercomputer-class resources	#FACULTY
Expand the university's international focus, relationships, and reputation	#FACULTY
Provide research that is not being done anywhere else.	#PARENT #COMMUNITY
Increase PhD candidates	#FACULTY
Increase external grants funding	#FACULTY
Coach faculty for external awards like we do undergrad students	#FACULTY
religion classes
Create an academic and research environment equivalent to Top 50's	#FACULTY
Improve on research vastly to become ranked high (or in the Top 50)	#STUDENT
Encourage Graduate Degrees/Improve on Graduate Programs	#STUDENT
K-State should give more out-of-state students opportunities for scholarships that are realistic to keep.
K-State needs to venture to other states on the east and west coast to gain diversity among students.
Mean when we say that K-State and Kansas are part of the community - local, national, and global .	#FACULTY
heightened emphasis in elementary arts, humanities, and sciences curriculua	#FACULTY
Improve the quality of students accepted in graduate programs (including international students)	#ALUMNI
IRB seems to take off during the summer. I have been waiting for approval of my survey to do research. How can that be a good thing?	#FACULTY
Better research instractucture support for succesful groups in place at the University awarded on a non-pollitical basis.	#FACULTY
Faculty salaries that are even remotely competitive	#FACULTY
Benefits such as tuition waivers that help attract and retain top faculty members	#FACULTY
Higher quality reserach space based on research productivity	#FACULTY
establish clear priorities as an institution; evaluate those programs that don't match priorities and/or are unprofitable	#ALUMNI
Realize that K-State will never become a Top 50 institution to begin with.	#ALUMNI
more international, cultural, and religious studies academic programs
Support the programs and researchers that have achieved international recognition.	#FACULTY
We need to build a network/partnership with other universities to find out what they're doing differently.	#ALUMNI
Determine the criteria now to rated in the Top 50 institutions? Do we know?
Determine the criteria now to rated in the Top 50 institutions? Do we know?	#ALUMNI
The stated goal in 'research' should be secondary to achiving distinction in the major disciplines in all their branches. Example, Engineering: Chemical ,Civil, Electrical etc. The research goal would be enhanced accordingly by its interpendence on increasing stature in the individual programs. The goals already in place can be adjusted to this broarder goal. The primary purpose of an University is to produce outstanding graduates, not just in advanced degree category or research.	#ALUMNI
Pay more respect and salary to the faculty.	#FACULTY
Same as when I was a student in the late 70's. Get english speaking math department. It will help your freshman retention.	#ALUMNI #PARENT
Attract more prestigious researchers (via endowed positions)	#ALUMNI
Increase national visibility of K-State	#ALUMNI
Establish private funding to replace reduced state support	#ALUMNI
Build presence in Kansas City (i.e., attract students, keep in contact with alumni, access to donors, etc.)	#ALUMNI
Raise admission standards	#ALUMNI
Focus on departments in which we have a comparative advantage to establish elite status in said programs	#ALUMNI
Support best research faculty we have now!	#FACULTY
Elevate image, perception, regard by branding the essential roles--protect food supply, etc	#ALUMNI
Hire more academic adivors, reduce case load, and increase pay	#FACULTY
think out of the box and try new ideas	#FACULTY
We need to provide tuition waiver to our GRA’s to get the best candidates.	#FACULTY
More national presence - like Texas and Michigan. More advertising to out-of-state students.	#ALUMNI
Take a serious look at all academic facilities and their current condition/disrepair.	#ALUMNI
Brand and promote ourselves - we need to tell our stories of excellence!	#FACULTY #ALUMNI
Pay administrators less, pay facutly more	#FACULTY
Raise admission criteria!
improved seed grant program	#FACULTY
Expand graduate study, get new grants, increase national brand, improve facilities	#STUDENT
Take care of your aging buildings, make it a professional campus where students want to be.	#ALUMNI
Take care of the infrastructure on campus and do a better job with on-campus orientation with new students.	#ALUMNI
Become a member of AAU	#ALUMNI
MORE RESEARCH--HIGHER RATINGS OF INDIVIDUAL COLLEGES	#ALUMNI
become sustainable	#STUDENT
why not concentrate on teaching students and forget research.	#ALUMNI
Project Management certificate or secondary major available to all.	#ALUMNI
Market K-State accomplishments in trade and industry publications	#ALUMNI
Improve the stature of the Graduate School
@doctorates increase number of GRA & GTA positions offered	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates increase opportunities for Ph.D. students to teach on campus	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates increase stipends for GRA & GTA positions	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates partner with sister KS institutions (Cloud Co CC, MATC, Barton Co CC) to increase opportunities above	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates follow-up persistently & aggressively when doctoral student leaves K-State ABD	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates facilitate doc students travel & conference experiences with increased funding & mentoring	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates professional development (as opposed to simple coursework) for doc students wishing to remain in academia	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates utilize doc students within departments & colleges; K-State is minimizing the talent available	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Give Tution waivers to PhD students, and attract top tier students using that	#ALUMNI
Critically evaluate entry-level classes for STEM degrees	#STUDENT
domestic partner benefits are essential to retain a skilled workforce	#FACULTY
There needs to be more assets and pride placed in programs that are socially and culturally oriented.	#ALUMNI
Appraise K-State culture. Determine is the culture healthy to become Top 50?	#FACULTY
Improve athletic experience by moving the student sections (football to center of stadium and basketball to underneath the posts)	#STUDENT
Promote a central marketing message	#STUDENT
Higher more prestigious professors	#STUDENT
Improve building infrastructure	#STUDENT
Higher support for more general athletics	#STUDENT
Better network infrastructure on campus, more restaurants on campus, areas to eat, things to do	#STUDENT
be able to document undergraduate research experiences	#FACULTY
The numbers show we need to improve across the board.	#FACULTY
start a pharmacy school	#STUDENT
Better parking for faculty.	#FACULTY
Create endowed chairs in core disciplines, promote some of our best faculty into them and hire excellent faculty w tenure to others.	#FACULTY
more international breadth. religious studies dept needed to teach about islam, hinduism, asian and middle eastern religions.
Increased reserach money will bring elite faculty & increase honors. These faculty must remain committed to thr UG student education.	#ALUMNI
Differentiate K-State from other public universities in areas where it excels.	#ALUMNI
Create national presence through sports, engineering contests, contribution to national issues.	#ALUMNI
Position K-State as the source on issues, such as sustainability, renewable energy, small-scale farming, botany and agronomy.	#ALUMNI
recruit high quality students; reduce number of faculty members by attrition; bring in high quality faculty at senior levels.
Culinary Arts Program	#COMMUNITY
Take the already successful programs to the max at the expense of less successful departments	#STUDENT
Improve facility's, quality of the education, athletic programs, extra curicular programs, and also bring in more students.	#STUDENT
Establish a law school or medical center	#ALUMNI
Build a stronger and more independent graduate student organization.	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Make facult feel that are important and having a cenrol role to play	#FACULTY
Evaluate based on what is important to us for all UG students: K-State 8 /kstate8/	#FACULTY
Emphasize international and cultural experiences. K-State is well behind our peers on these types of experiences as well.	#FACULTY
Strengthen focus on international research and education	#FACULTY
Increase international student numbers to at least 10% of enrollment	#FACULTY
Endowed professorships	#FACULTY
Tuition waivers for GRAs	#FACULTY
Graduate student fellowships	#FACULTY
Teaching releases and other help (post award support like project management assistance) for faculty who obtain large grants	#FACULTY
More books and journal subscriptions in the library	#FACULTY
Better grantwriting support	#FACULTY
Endowments need to be directed to improve the environments in research and development	#FACULTY
Get more diversity!!! There are far too few ethnic minorities on campus for us to be considered in the elite of colleges across the country.	#STUDENT
Streamline undergraduate research with enrollment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Share with students what type of nonscientific research is occurring.	#FOCUS GROUP
Market the tutoring program and centralize it.	#FOCUS GROUP
Encourage students to attend office hours.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase "manpower" in larger classes.	#FOCUS GROUP
Have students take ACIC Career Placement Survey at Orientation and Enrollment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Make DARS reports easier to read and understand.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reexamine the correlation of classes required for a degree to their use in the industry.	#FOCUS GROUP
Improve elective courses.	#FOCUS GROUP
Market availability of opportunities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Honors program needs fixing.	#FOCUS GROUP
Share with students what K-State is researching.	#FOCUS GROUP
Use CES technology to put research opportunities online.	#FOCUS GROUP
Tell students they will likely be here more than 4 years so they can plan financially.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase English proficiency for TAx, GTAs, and professors.	#FOCUS GROUP
Establish checkpoints with advisors/faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
Pre-advising surveys so advisors can plug students into the right involvement activities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Promote community service.	#FOCUS GROUP
Mandatory group living.	#FOCUS GROUP
Examine Freshmen core classes to create identity.	#FOCUS GROUP
Involvement opportunities for all Freshmen students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Mentoring program (Leadership Studies students?) that looks at the ocncepts of accountability and goal setting.	#FOCUS GROUP
Expand the GPS program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Create Freshman Leadership Committees (like FLC in Engineering and CAT in Ag) in all colleges.	#FOCUS GROUP
Smaller class size.	#FOCUS GROUP
Expand GPS.	#FOCUS GROUP
Mandatory to live on campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Scholarships/financial aid.	#FOCUS GROUP
Better advising.	#FOCUS GROUP
Mentor program (paired with faculty/older students).	#FOCUS GROUP
Mandatory Wildcat Warm-Up.	#FOCUS GROUP
Special orientation for out of state enrollment and special orientation for small town enrollment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Points system (rewards for involvement)	#FOCUS GROUP
Higher admissions standards.	#FOCUS GROUP
More opportunities for tutoring (mentor program).	#FOCUS GROUP
Tutoring consolidation.	#FOCUS GROUP
Academic accountability.	#FOCUS GROUP
Honors program improvement, improve facilities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Better advising/planning (flow charts)	#FOCUS GROUP
More personalized advising.	#FOCUS GROUP
Upperclassman/GA advisors.	#FOCUS GROUP
Advertising the value of a KSU degree.	#FOCUS GROUP
Stable networking program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Sophomore help.	#FOCUS GROUP
Mentoring.	#FOCUS GROUP
More renewable scholarships/scholarships for upperclassmen.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lower GPA requirements for scholarships.	#FOCUS GROUP
Academic probation programming.	#FOCUS GROUP
Tutor recruitment.	#FOCUS GROUP
More programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Thesis required to graduate.	#FOCUS GROUP
NEED A DEFINITION	#FOCUS GROUP
Better promotion.	#FOCUS GROUP
CES-type website with publicity.	#FOCUS GROUP
All professors have undergrad research assistants.	#FOCUS GROUP
Expand School of Leadership Studies.	#FOCUS GROUP
Team up with industries.	#FOCUS GROUP
Collaboration with Regents schools.	#FOCUS GROUP
Allow parental contact between the parent and academic advisor.	#FOCUS GROUP
Any efforts to better match roommates in the residence halls would help students feel more comfortable.	#FOCUS GROUP
Use information from surveys of students who leave the University in a more consistent and comprehensive way.	#FOCUS GROUP
Peer and young alumni mentoring/advising would benefit new students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Connect young alums with current students to help with academic advising to tie course choice to career. Additionally, mentoring relationships are perceived to be powerful and could help focus students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Require Wildcat Warm-up of all new students.	#FOCUS GROUP
How can we take a community building experience like Wildcat Warm-up and continue it through the year? Is it possible to have peer leaders provide support and guidance and possible early warning for students in need?	#FOCUS GROUP
Connect students to careers much earlier (in their freshman and sophomore year). Job fairs and other events designed for freshman and sophomore years or extra encouragement for students in these classes to attend the existing career events would benefit young students. Help colleges and departments that lag in this area.	#FOCUS GROUP
How can we help students become well known in their college and well connected in their college? How can we build community within colleges and disciplines?	#FOCUS GROUP
Call both students and parents one to two times per year and ask them about their experience. Address concerns and provide support, as needed.	#FOCUS GROUP
We should market the university correctly with all of the new opportunities that are arriving on campus (i.e., NBAF).	#FOCUS GROUP
Programs for middle school and high school students that expose them to industry and research prior to matriculation serve as a conduit to undergraduate research. K-State could offer more programs in various parts of the state to promote this engagement early. Sciences, design, and engineering are all major fields in the Kansas City area. How can we reach those interests with opportunities?	#FOCUS GROUP
Somewhere that looks at proposals and tries to put similar proposals together - someone in pre-awards.	#FOCUS GROUP
Get the proposal, a really good one, and MARKET what we are doing. Advertise publications.	#FOCUS GROUP
We have to stop thinking small.	#FOCUS GROUP
Website that promotes KUS's new equipment, etc. Advertised new science and technology.	#FOCUS GROUP
Why are our students leaving? Need to look at incentive (tuition, housing, books, etc.) to keep them here and continue on with the K-State experience.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at beefing up our career student services and employment services.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at incentives (financial or counting toward load/time) for faculty to take on UG or research students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need well-known, quality faculty members in order to recruit masters/PhD students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need good grad students...need good packages that are attractive to bring them into our university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Re-evaluate programs - so many on campus. Need to see if they are all feasible.	#FOCUS GROUP
Implementation and prioritization of campus needs to be done really well for us to move up into the rank of Top 50.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to look at benchmarks and decide who has the best and then divide and conquer.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at maybe targeting certain areas that will do primarily research and other areas that will provide the academic respect for the university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Admissions criteria - need to look at and review.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need an awareness of tools available to use on campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Open house for faculty members.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to create the culture - need to change the culture - is it possible to change?	#FOCUS GROUP
Hire top faculty and weed out those who can't and hire those who can.	#FOCUS GROUP
Undergraduate research experience - dollars needed to fund - identify the different types of UG research experience - what constitutes an UG experience.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at other institutions and what is their admission requirement compared to ours.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to set high expectations, need to think like a Top 50 - are we able to do that?	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to have resources to allow us to be Top 50.	#FOCUS GROUP
Hammers and carrots - how do we do this - need to weed out those who can't and keep those who can.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to have a plan/goal/mission/view in place that will support a university with ever decreasing state funding.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to look at aggregate skill sets to get us to the top.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look to our alumni to give back to the university upon graduation.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research and scholarly activity - be engaged.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to hire entrepreneurial mindset individuals.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to hire people who want to do science.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need more attractive hiring packages.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to be more strategic.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at how the institution hires for researchers and does research.	#FOCUS GROUP
How are faculty awards defined - distribute criteria to make sure faculty nominated for the right award.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need more doctoral advisors - or should our faculty be advising more students?	#FOCUS GROUP
Need better lab facilities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need more endowed chairs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to review retention and time to completion for master's and PhD students. Need baseline data.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need a concentrated effort on nominating and obtaining prestigious awards for our faculty. For example, the National Academy of Science.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need better trend-line and data information among peer institutions to compare the following: 1) ratio of faculty advisors to students in doctoral programs (are our peers working with more students per faculty member?), 2) data on time to completion (do our doctoral students take longer to complete?), and 3) while intramural funding level has increased, how does it compare to baselines of peers above us?	#FOCUS GROUP
Should we continue and enhance special graduate faculty qualifications process just started by the Graduate School?	#FOCUS GROUP
Should we tenure individuals at the assistant professor rank that are excellent teachers but not researchers?	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to review recruiting efforts. Are we spending sufficient resources to attract PhD's and master students to campus?	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to reward grant obtainment as part of scholarship when looking at promotion and tenure.	#FOCUS GROUP
Colleges have different ways to do things but aspire to meet criteria for awards. Are those the accurate criteria?	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to strategically place funds to get most bang for bucks.	#FOCUS GROUP
Deans' Council could be more instrumental in rewards system.	#FOCUS GROUP
We have two options - increase the size of our faculty or increase the portion - it's a futile cycle - can't increase size of faculty without increasing the size of your infrastructure - where do we start - build a new resarch complex - then you must have more graduate student support - can't have more graduate students without more faculty, more infrastructure, which is more money.	#FOCUS GROUP
Use a different management style - we need to rotate department heads - top universities do this - look at Iowa State, North Carolina State, Colorado State, and Nebraska - how are they managing their departments.	#FOCUS GROUP
Looking at KSU in terms of faculty resources, we face certain facts of life - demographics and geographic isolation (people of Kansas are fundamental populists) - we have to do a much better job in terms of selling ourselves to the public in terms of who we are as researchers - this is one good thing that is coming out of this process.	#FOCUS GROUP
To be in the top 50 universities, the idea would be to go across the board strong - past KSU central administrators had the idea that we really can't do everything well, so target and focus - this is not realistic - you can't have one dominating factor and be strong.	#FOCUS GROUP
Many departments are not getting grants, funding, or doing any research - comes down to requiring faculty to do research - many faculty just go home for the summer - this culture needs to change - change needs to come from the top (problem with this is how will we support these faculty - 99% or our faculty are 9 month).	#FOCUS GROUP
KAES having the biggest research portfolio should be empowered to develop research excellence in animal and plant sciences and should also support fundamental biological research scross campus to strengthen the overall research reputation of that unit and of the university.	#FOCUS GROUP
University needs to provide intramural research funding.	#FOCUS GROUP
Hire a National Academy member - this would give us some bartering power.	#FOCUS GROUP
Mentor young faculty who might be potential academy members/give them proper exposure.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need a central administrative office to coordinate and work with promotion of faculty - put together packages to compete for national awards (unaware of many awards - need to pay closer attention).	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to do better with faculty awards - pay closer attention and nominate.	#FOCUS GROUP
UDPs on campus are an amazing resource - their collective resources have been untapped by the University as a sales element for telling the public who we are - UDPs need to profile themselves (however, if this is done only in terms of the benchmarks being discussed, an enormous amount of accomplishments nationally and internationally will be missed).	#FOCUS GROUP
It's our job as a University to present ourselves to the legislature/public - this should be part of our public relations - what goes to the media could possibly feed to a wealthy entrepreneur who might endow the University if they think it is successful.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is money in the State of Kansas, people in Manhattan with money - need to let them know about our research - get them interested.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to do an in-depth study of Iowa State - they are good at what they do and most like us - they have five times the faculty we do in biological sciences - also have a federal laboratory (particularly need to study their success inthis area since NBAF is coming here) - Iowa State has a large amount of lottery funding - how did they get it - need to research this.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase tuition waivers for Graduate Research Assistants in order to recruit quality graduate students to the research enterprise.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase stipends and scholarships for graduate students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase endowments that will support research activities at the University (President must raise funds).	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase salaries for faculty to attract and retain quality researchers.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need training and support for graduate directors - mentoring - Graduate School should take the lead in accomplishing this.	#FOCUS GROUP
Mentoring - Intellectual swap would be beneficial between graduate program directors and the dean of graduate school - are there small things that could benefit others?	#FOCUS GROUP
Need more partnering within the University - more peer mentoring - find a mentoring system to help build graduate programs - departments that are doing well should mentor other departments that are not doing as well - not all departments know how to build a quality graduate program - when a good program is identified, the University as a whole needs to know how they did it - Graduate School needs to be more aggressive in identifying these areas.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to improve the process for recruiting graduate students globally - research is global and our competition for the best graduate students needs to be more flexible.	#FOCUS GROUP
Important to identify graduate students early on and get them admitted early.	#FOCUS GROUP
Student retention - Change processes for eliminating students - continue building retention task force - numbers will change.	#FOCUS GROUP
Make sure the State Legislature understands the importance of graduate research and where Kansas State University stands in graduate research (President's role is helping to build the research culture).	#FOCUS GROUP
Build up undergraduate research programs such as the SUROP program.	#FOCUS GROUP
KSU has a lot of teaching awards, but very few research awards - this needs to change.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to look at what pieces of research process need to be added - how can we improve the process is important to changing the outcome measures that are desired to become a top 50 public university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at peers and what they are doing - what is their process - KU has three times the number of people working in Pre Awards then at K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
Must become both a good research and teaching institution (they benefit each other).	#FOCUS GROUP
Identity of Kansas State University is providing an undergraduate education - we need to change this by recognizing the importance of research in building a top 50 public university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Culture issue - President must push the culture of research issue with the Legislature and other key constituents.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need more interdisciplinary positions and ways to easily evaluate academic performance that is conducted in an interdisciplinary setting (for example, tenure and promotion).	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to look at the process of tenure (voting process) - we don't know the process well enough - have more consistency of focus in applying.	#FOCUS GROUP
Not all programs at KSU should be directing their energies towards producing PhD students - waste of time for many departments - producing a glut of PhDs within certain programs wouldn't be wise - the placement of well-trained PhDs is important.	#FOCUS GROUP
"Unboundary" many of the traditional groupings, such as graduate reserch vs. undergraduate research, private enterprise vs. public education, "pure" vs. applied research, "liberal" education vs. professional training, local vs. out-of-state students, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
"Unboundarying" the delivery of education - trend research claims that in a decade we will no longer use the term "distance education" - delivery of education will occur in a host of formats, non of which will be necissarily exclusionary - K-State already recognizes the value of distance education - time to move to the fore with the various hybrid models of exchange.	#FOCUS GROUP
The infrastructure is the foundation of all the benchmarks. We need to think big! The University needs a robust and reliable infrastructure.	#FOCUS GROUP
University must be willing to make an investment in the IT infrastructure. It must be seen as strategic and valued by the university - not just as an expense that the university cannot affort - and it must be ongoing. The university must be thoughtful, collaborative, and deliberate in making the investment in the infrastructure. Consider rethinking IT governance structure so that the Deans, VPs, etc., all have input into the investment in IT.	#FOCUS GROUP
The university needs to overhaul its classrooms in order to provide an appropriate learning environment. We need to think beyond now and prepare for the future and be able to collaborate globally. We need a learning environment that extends learning beyond the four walls of a classroom.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to improve the university's web presence in order to communicate our story in an effective way - nationally and globally.	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State is currently in a culture that thinks small and that needs to change. It will cost millions of dollars for K-State's infrastructure to be where it needs to be. Historically, we pull away from big projects becasue of lack of funding - piece-mealing to hold things together will not sustain K-State. IT needs to be a much higher priority.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need a systematic change regarding IT purchases/services on campus as there is currently no coordination among offices.	#FOCUS GROUP
Business intelligence must be available to drive the university's decision-making.	#FOCUS GROUP
The IT organization needs to be agile to meet the expectations outlined in Vision 2025.	#FOCUS GROUP
There should be centralized and decentralized coordination of efforts to find out who has IT support and who doesn't. The lack of communication about what is available needs to be addressed as well as how to disseminate the information.	#FOCUS GROUP
As colleges have prepared their proposals for how they will use their $10/credit hour fees, they have no plan for the long-term upgrade and maintenance of items being purchased with these funds. There needs to be an intelligent distribution of information between colleges and IT.	#FOCUS GROUP
Endowment - IT investments have never been part of a development officer's story of where funding is needed. Need to include IT in fund campaigning.	#FOCUS GROUP
Explicit recommendations in the [Research Infrastructure TF] report.	#FOCUS GROUP
Formalized way of promoting faculty for awards, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
Formalize centralized way of collecting the number of students in research experience.	#FOCUS GROUP
Broaden scholarships, retention, academic recruits.	#FOCUS GROUP
Strategies.	#FOCUS GROUP
Interdisciplinary work must be valued when promotions and tenure are on the table.	#FOCUS GROUP
Funding interdisciplinary programs better - reinforcing.	#FOCUS GROUP
Promote superior programs of research and use a model or a strength to strengthen weaker research program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Cluster huge, small and internal departments putting them together.	#FOCUS GROUP
Successful program - targeted excellence - evaluated what are the success - what are the failures?	#FOCUS GROUP
Using people who collaborate and have an interdisciplinary attitude, not an "empire".	#FOCUS GROUP
Hiring people @ competitive salaries - new colleagues could possibly make more, but it's for the "whole".	#FOCUS GROUP
"Knowing your role" on the departmental team - programs that aren't "getting it done" need to go - don't spend resources on programs that don't produce.	#FOCUS GROUP
Right now - equal cut from everybody - no strategic plan for budget cuts - benchmark to make cuts?	#FOCUS GROUP
Similar effort [needed] for faculty, like students for Rhodes, Udall, Truman, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase faculty research (domino effect) productivity - as for endowment, we need better sports teams - sports linked to giving.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase more pride to school when graduating.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty attitudes may need to be adjusted by allowing their time to research - will it hurt their teaching and how will they be rewarded?	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at our acceptance policy for admission.	#FOCUS GROUP
Tuition remission - Graduate, higher GRA/GTA pay, higher quality Graduate students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Animal Science has line items in the budget - we need more.	#FOCUS GROUP
Transparency and continuity has to be apparent in graduate school.	#FOCUS GROUP
Vet Med could be a springboard for solid graduate/model program for building a graduate school.	#FOCUS GROUP
To get students, you need to have funding in place.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reassess the structure, level of funding centrally for graduate school/students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to be continuity in resources and organization - structured school with knowledgeable staff	#FOCUS GROUP
Liason	#FOCUS GROUP
Raise entry requirements for undergraduate students - Freshman year 28 ACT requirement - make it competitive - KSU is viewed as a school that takes "everyone".	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF - formalized process that set in motion the pros of NBAF and how it can positively affect K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
Old data - need current, accurate data.	#FOCUS GROUP
Total University Endowment - needs to be addressed with goal/plan.	#FOCUS GROUP
National Academy Membership - how do you qualify - where do you nominate - groom individuals and have a plan - are you rewarded by the University - start mentor program - keep accurate track of awards - bench or social scientists recognized?	#FOCUS GROUP
External Awards - what is criteria? Increase dollars for awards.	#FOCUS GROUP
Doctorates Granted - investigate doctorates offerings through distance.	#FOCUS GROUP
First Year Retention Rates - research what colleges are doing with good plans. Are these numbers true freshmen?	#FOCUS GROUP
Six Year Graduation Rates - who does this include - needs clarification. Make sure all the same data is collected.	#FOCUS GROUP
Do not lose focus (teaching) on students for research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase research dollars.	#FOCUS GROUP
Centralize collecting data - accurate (all same) data.	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention - use twitter, facebook to keep students connected.	#FOCUS GROUP
Have mentoring program newsletter.	#FOCUS GROUP
Develop workshops to provide general population information.	#FOCUS GROUP
Bring in freshmen with the capacity to succeed. Some are prepared to learn, but don't have the discipline to follow through.	#FOCUS GROUP
We can do a better job of meeting their needs [graduate, particularly international students], perhaps provide a "cradle" to optimize ways to assist. The Graduate School should include an orientation to the Library for these students. Perhaps an Orientation Day where it is shared what is expected as a graduate student. This could occur when departments are teaching Research Methodology or at a point of specific need.	#FOCUS GROUP
Review of the benchmarks show that graduate programs are the "meat" of the efforts, so raise the bar high for admittance for this particular group.	#FOCUS GROUP
We are a really good undergraduate library based on our usage totals but we need to put money behind what we do to provide the necessary support for our faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to really promote what outlets are available to get the research out. Research is interdisciplinary. The Library should not be forgotten in this process as we can build a bridge between the research completed and the programs that will disseminate projects. The Library can create the websites and other avenues to get it out.	#FOCUS GROUP
The Library needs to develop a mission/direction and stick to it. Lack of communication creates a disconnect to the mission. A clear summary of purpose will help the Library to expand their role to assist with the 2025 vision.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to reward the risk-taking - it's healthy for the University even if we don't get the award, our name is out there.	#FOCUS GROUP
We should emulate the institutions who do things well...utilize best practices from other schools and the research community. They are open to sharing ideas and findings.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at Iowa State (compare: what are they doing?)	#FOCUS GROUP
Promote what K-State does best.	#FOCUS GROUP
Specify things that set us apart from other institutions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Make it OUR OWN.	#FOCUS GROUP
Memberships/Awards - encourage faculty, support for applying, create a center or office that will help with the process. Faculty need to be recognized. Collaboration of the Deans - who should we nominate?	#FOCUS GROUP
Endowment = money. Salaries for faculty (retain). Find money sources. Donor restrictions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Graduate School - increase budget, add more programs for graduate/post docs, change curriculum, allocate more resources, marketing position, recruitment packages need to be updated. They need more help.	#FOCUS GROUP
Six year graduation rate/retention rate - due to economic problems - is it out of our control? Map out a program (help students succeed). Exit survey (find out why students are leaving/) Transfer students (fiind out why they are going to other places; for example, other programs that we don't have at K-State). K-State has increased 1% every year - Clemson dropped 12%. Casual increase every year may not be bad. Look at other reports (find a reason).	#FOCUS GROUP
Undergraduate Research Experience - getting more students involved, incentive program for students (give credit for the work), collaborations with NBAF and BRI, work to become a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU).	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to do a better job of marketing the research that is being conducted at KSU. There are great research opportunities at KSU for undergrads, gradutate students and faculty, but they need to be promoted better.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to acknowledge graduate students who make significant contributions (i.e., teaching, mentoring undergrads) to research conducted at K-State with awards and greater financial support.	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State is generally known for undergraduate education but we need to promote KSU better for graduate studies and research institution.	#FOCUS GROUP
Memberships & Awards - we need to find a way to get people nominated/becoming involved with this process. Hire a full time person to help in the process (ex. Jim Hohenbary). Figure out the money needed to nominate. Culture enhancement. Communication between Deans and Department Heads. Needs to be in the forefront.	#FOCUS GROUP
Deferred Maintenance - if we want research enhanced at K-State, we need better maintained facilities. The power plant and older buildings are not efficient. Infrastructure support. Look at where money is going/how can we allocate it (SRO) differently. Develop priorities - we can't fund everything. Require more for indirect costs. BOR - adjust allocation schedule - should not be based on square footage but on NEED and AGE. K-State getts the short end all the time. Look at changing State Policy on spending within a fiscal year (R&R).	#FOCUS GROUP
Design management development programs (mentoring).	#FOCUS GROUP
Better communication (in all areas).	#FOCUS GROUP
Continue to keep a safe environment at K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
Funding - we need to look at how money is being distributed and what it is being spent on - there needs to be an understanding on what kinds of money comes in and who gets it. Needs to start at the top (Administration, Deans, Department Heads, etc.). Be able to support a research infrastructure. Need to find a funding stream. Private dollars is a key factor. Discontinue programs that aren't productive. Research is a benchmark - find the funds to make it happen. Invest in compliance activities. Recognize the investment in Federal guidelines.	#FOCUS GROUP
Streamline the Human Resources processes. Know what the going rates are for positions/stay consistent.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to develop proper tool to measure student involvement in research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to integrate research into all disciplines - sort of like a "research overlay".	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to get faculty in the arts and humanities to learn and participate in grant writing. Schedule grant writing workshops.	#FOCUS GROUP
Commit multiple personnel in all colleges (not just Pre-Award Services) to hunt for grant opportunities and match faculty with those opportunities. Sort of like Career and Employment Services for grant opportunities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Funding/larger funding base to support grant specialists to assist faculty in obtaining grants.	#FOCUS GROUP
Higher admission standards (open admissions sets up students who struggled through high school for failure).	#FOCUS GROUP
Implement developmental advising approach in all colleges to aid in retention of students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Develop a hard push for research involvement (much like Bosco pushes Leadership Studies) to incoming students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Communication and Marketing should do an informational campaign targeting high school counselors that outlines benchmarks for student success (so they're better prepared when they come to K-State and are retained).	#FOCUS GROUP
It would be helpful to know why faculty come to K-State and stay. What are the key elements/characteristics/criteria that keep them here?	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to know the retention rates of faculty and staff so we have a starting point.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need clear standards for performance articulated from above.	#FOCUS GROUP
Support programs that will get us to the top 50 - target our strengths.	#FOCUS GROUP
Send research teams to our aspirational peers to see what they're doing that makes them successful.	#FOCUS GROUP
Morrill Act requires we keep education accessible, so raising admission standards may not be consistent with the land grant mission.	#FOCUS GROUP
Sell everybody. Provide the dollars - role of the Foundation. Spend money to raise money. National Academy. Funds to doctorate to give assistantships.	#FOCUS GROUP
Support land-grant mission to serve - do not change admission standards.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at base of programs for freshmen. Mentioned athletics. At-risk.	#FOCUS GROUP
High school students not equipped to work or go to college. Intermediate program. Identifying at -risk factors.	#FOCUS GROUP
Raise money - invest so we can transfer. Internally - how much? Example of students who left due to finances so the (Foundation) will know how much it will take. Do a gap analysis. Strategy - need to know need!	#FOCUS GROUP
Highlight things that put a star on. #1 - Big 12 membership. Identify stakeholders to accomplish and inspire our goal. Should it be a higher goal?	#FOCUS GROUP
Influence, networking.	#FOCUS GROUP
Foundation needs to inspire to give. Like to have a common cause. Match up with how you can make a difference.	#FOCUS GROUP
National Academy faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
Investments in basic research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Must remember agriculture.	#FOCUS GROUP
Utilize alumni: our alumni are in positions where they know these same statistics that were presented in the slide show and they need to back up our legislators when they want to focus on education. Must keep a dialogue open with our alumni and tap that base of support.	#FOCUS GROUP
Calling and letter-writing campaign to get K-Staters stories out there to potential students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Legislative mechanisms to keep our international graduate students here instead of going back to their native countries.	#FOCUS GROUP
Endowment - need some kind of incentive or match on endowments from the legislature. Expand on the Faculty of Distinction program to include research and scholarships to help jump-start our endowment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Find the right "high roller" to infuse funds into the university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Conduct estate planning conferences/workshops for alumni. Get the Alumni Association and Foundation to work together on this.	#FOCUS GROUP
Focus on the culture that's available in Manhattan. Foster a culture that fosters excellence.	#FOCUS GROUP
Our entrepreneurial/commercialization effort needs to be focused and mesh with the university's mission. Must do this before it becomes a barrier.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to find out what our aspirational peers are doing to get them positioned higher in the rankings than Kansas State University.	#FOCUS GROUP
Community impact - we need to represent the community well. Emphasize K-State and Manhattan's positives and strengths we already have. Support the community so the community can support K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
Tell/market our stories better - online, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
Personalize the message for undergraduate and grad students coming to K-State. Each needs different things while here.	#FOCUS GROUP
Admission requirements - if possible, could standards be raised? Not all agreed that this was necessary.	#FOCUS GROUP
Other land grant institutions have different [admission] standards. Should we increase ours? Do we want K-State to be KU?	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to represent the community well. We are a ten-minute town and we should represent that better. If we appreciate that aspect, others will also.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to market the friendliness here and the accepting nature of K-Staters. For example, how many teachers give their cell phone numbers to their students? Even though they don't have to, they do and that's because of their genuine interest in their students. How do we harness that and market it?	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to emphasize the strengths we already have. Our personal touch has an impact on those visiting and considering K-State. We have a good relationship with Ft. Riley - we need to pursue and maintain that.	#FOCUS GROUP
How well do we tell our stories? How is the web marketing of K-State? New position of Marketing and Communications will have a good impact on strengthening that aspect. Find out what web pages people are visiting most and utilize better.	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State needs to support the community so the community can support K-State. One way is by using local vendors instead of taking business elsewhere or using the Internet. Money is being sent outside of Manhattan, whereas it could be spent locally and there is more of a personal touch included. We're cutting out local businesses by doing this and hurting the Manhattan community instead of supporting it.	#FOCUS GROUP
Advertising - we need to advertise and utilize the NBAF factor. Make sure people know Manhattan is a quality place to live. Be more proactive about advertising - it shouldn't be an afterthought.	#FOCUS GROUP
Undergraduate vs. graduate students - both sets of students need and want different things while they are here. Graduate students are more likely to have families, so how, as a community, are we doing with providing acceptable day care, pre-schools, etc. Market different strengths on our web pages for the two different types of students. What pages are they visiting? Use these to speak to them.	#FOCUS GROUP
In order to deal with the issues raised in the Research Task Force Report and recruit top level faculty, we need funding to support faculty incentives and maintain higher salaries.	#FOCUS GROUP
Ensure that our core mission as a Research Land Grant institution is maintained.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research faculty are the key - they write the proposals, they get the awards, they recruit the students. So putting money into our research faculty will ultimately result in more overall research support and student recruitment for the university. The top 50 university programs get the importance of research at their institutions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Work toward retention of our faculty - engaging them so that they too share the passion of our undergraduate degree alums for K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
Develop an attitude of Research - in our undergraduates, graduates, and faculty - each go hand in hand.	#FOCUS GROUP
External sources of funding are needed to realize all of these goals. We must engage Alumni to support Research. But - how do we get the word out to the average K-State supporter so that they can understand the importance of Research at K-State. The average alumnus doesn't understand how critical a strong research program is to K-State. Media would be one way to relay the message.	#FOCUS GROUP
Also we must develop programs that will aid in getting our alums behind this concerted effort of K-State to make the top 50.	#FOCUS GROUP
Private funding generated to build the Leadership Studies building - why not generate similar funding to update laboratories and enhance K-State's overall research program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Revisit priorities as to where the limited funding goes addressing specific programs and groups.	#FOCUS GROUP
The passion of our alumni and their allegiance to K-State is stellar. These alum have a very high work ethic and are often members of our Cat-Backers group. They support our sports program enthusiastically, but we need to find a way to get these hard working alums to understand the "other" part of K-State. Our greatest barrier will be to educate these alumni and get them motivated to contribute to the Research sector of K-State. We need a major initiative/program to get this message through. Just as in the past no one knew who the scholarship winners at K-State were - but through publicity - this information is now common knowledge. We also need to share information about our eminent research faculty so that they will become household names to our alumni and encourage their generosity.	#FOCUS GROUP
Our mission [Alumni Association} will be to make research a marketing standpoint, making it click with our biggest asset, our alumni. Help them to understand the relevance of research and the status of K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to encourage undergraduates to remain for graduate school and just as important, recruit undergraduates from other universities to our graduate programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark # 6 - First Year Retention Rates - reportedly, KU is planning to raise their admission standards. Should K-State consider this same option. Admission standards are controlled by the Board of Regents, so we'd need their support.	#FOCUS GROUP
When Pat welcomes new students, we need to encourage him to spread the message of the opportunity for undergraduates/freshmen to engage in research when they arrive at K-State. By broadening the sales pitch, we wil assist in building a better foundation of students involved in research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty need to be rewarded for their scholarship - salaries are at the bottom of the Big 12 - need to be competitive with salaries and awards.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to hire more multicultural faculty in programs which would help in recruiting and retaining more diverse undergraduate and graduate students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Concentrate on retaining multicultural faculty we have which will help in recruiting and retaining more diverse faculty and students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Focus on increasing recruitment and retention of culturally and ethnically diverse students to provide educational opportunities for those from groups that are historically underrepresented in higher education.	#FOCUS GROUP
Search procedure needs to be improved to recruit a more diverse faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need an attitude of progression. We are a conservative university that needs to embrace a spirit of progression and not be afraid of change.	#FOCUS GROUP
Highlight achievements of faculty with awards and salary increases.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to have mentors to help in recruiting/retaining diverse faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
Should have a minimum pay policy enforced for each rank of professors, faculty and staff. Postdocs, graduate students, etc. should not be remunerated below the minimum pay set by university policy. Lack of uniformity in minimum pay affects morale and does not provide incentive for retention.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to have a mentoring program for administrators, faculty, and staff to grow the individuals that are here. Senior level scholars to mentor junior level.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need mentoring to promote advancement for diverse faculty. Right now, only 3 full professors are of color and very lean in upper administration. Need to show a visible commitment for this from the top down. Need to hire or promote diverse faculty to administrative level positions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to take care of our own.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need a global presence when it comes to recruiting/retention.	#FOCUS GROUP
Use some sort of incentive when it comes to recruiting faculty that are diverse (i.e., like 20% of the person's salary would be covered by the President).	#FOCUS GROUP
The multicultural faculty are always asked to serve on committees which takes a lot of time away from research, teaching, advising, etc., however, they are not allowed to count this as service for promotion and tenure. This needs to be changed.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need a multicultural research center - freestanding.	#FOCUS GROUP
More resources to grow diversity efforts on campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty of color are highly recruited. We must have competitive, attractive salary package to attract them to come to KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
Develop the Olathe campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Salary incentives - like summer research stipends or new monies for women/faculty of color.	#FOCUS GROUP
Provide top notch service to our students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Facilities improvement to make our classrooms, labs, and library modern and valuable to faculty and students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research should be centralized. Could be carried out/implemented around specific themes.	#FOCUS GROUP
Promote diversity.	#FOCUS GROUP
Develop/build stronger relationships with private industries (business, engineering, and science).	#FOCUS GROUP
Stonger relationship with City of Manhattan to attract diverse students, faculty, and staff.	#FOCUS GROUP
Streamline divisions (silos, duplication of programs).	#FOCUS GROUP
Offer tuition discounts for students in neighboring states (to attract more talent).	#FOCUS GROUP
Departments need to be accountable - need measures to insure that they are meeting goals.	#FOCUS GROUP
Incentives for faculty who bring in external awards.	#FOCUS GROUP
Graduate School needs to become more visible (i.e., promote summer research programs, recruiting students).	#FOCUS GROUP
Fuse the academic side with the student services side.	#FOCUS GROUP
Provide more scholarships and more job opportunities to undergrad and graduate students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Strengthen and support graduate students with tuition waivers and be equitable in defining salary for graduate students. Increase graduate diversity student support.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to help our Ph.D. students to publish, which will help to improve our academic visibility and we need to collaborate on international projects.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to have a mentoring program for faculty and staff.	#FOCUS GROUP
Offer more options for using the arts as a jumping off point to pursue academic discussions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Promote the arts more effectively as being part of the overall university experience.	#FOCUS GROUP
Ensure that K-State is seen where the arts are thriving.	#FOCUS GROUP
Move past the old perceptions and stereotypes that K-State is agriculturally-oriented. It has so much more to offer, including world class arts experiences.	#FOCUS GROUP
Significantly enhance K-State arts education, engagement, and outreach programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Enhance endowment resources for arts program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Use engagement in arts experiences as multi-pronged resource to improve freshman to sophomore retention rate.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research funding needs to include creative pursuits within the live performing arts (new works, study of intrisic value of arts experiences, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
Staff resources need to be in place for developing and executing arts, outreach, and engagement activities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Live performing arts facilities need to be congruent with top 50 status.	#FOCUS GROUP
Endowment funding must be in place to ensure long-term stability for arts programming and engagement activities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Accessibility - maybe we need to make our unit [Communications and Marketing] more accessible to more people.	#FOCUS GROUP
Social media is the key to reaching most students, undergraduate and graduate, but we need to be able to aim our efforts at 4 or 5 audiences. We almost need modular media to reach each group - undergrads, grads, alumni, older community members, parents.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to be proactive and stop playing catch up. Cell phones/smart phones are the way to reach undergraduates and most graduates for the forseeable future. What about alumni? They are the ones who give money.	#FOCUS GROUP
The President is going back and consolidating areas, which is a good start. We have too many redundancies.	#FOCUS GROUP
When there are budget cutbacks, K-State cuts resources from everyone. We need to stop bleeding everyone and selectively cut departments. Be strong across the board and cut without cutting academics - NISTAC, for example.	#FOCUS GROUP
In order to get to the top 50, you must have good, solid departments from each area throughout campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is a barrier in supporting areas of academics and need to strengthen academics at the expense of non-academics. The President should find internal places to say "no" to certain funding and pass that funding on to academics.	#FOCUS GROUP
Needs to be identification of areas that are without external funds and return to subsidizing funding to central administration. If a department or area is on their own, there will be an incentive for that department to get out and find their own money. They need to eliminate non-academic use of academic funds. State resources should not be used as seed money, but get funding from external sources. To make an area self-sustaining, the departments need to go out and get the funding for various projects.	#FOCUS GROUP
University needs to look beyond the money once a project is no longer funded. State needs commitment over the long term. For example, Pat Robert's pork money. Why start something that is not sustainable?	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty Senate should be an interpreter to the faculty for adding clarity, balance, and motivation of the benchmarks for the University.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lay-out of the matrix should be clear enough for everyone as to what the goal is for each of the benchmarks that the University would like to accomplish.	#FOCUS GROUP
Everyone should back the President and enforce the commitment to rehabilitate our current buildings instead of building new ones. K-State can't be in the Top 50 with poor facilities or depressed faculty that have laboratories out of date.	#FOCUS GROUP
KSU is in close proximity to the military. We need to expand our distance education globally. Military experts expect rigor from University programs. This may not be sustainable.	#FOCUS GROUP
Define "research" to get an accurate representation. Is research supervising a research project that is not part of a class other than undergraduate research, but part of the research process. What is meant when referring to faculty research or creative endeavor?	#FOCUS GROUP
Define what ways we need to obtain data, such as to chart attaining benchmarks in every discipline and put a value on those benchmarks.	#FOCUS GROUP
Post the power point presentation on the 2025 or President's website.	#FOCUS GROUP
Expand the Graduate program allowing Faculty time for research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Put sabbaticals in place for the Faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
Develop partnerships with main campus and other universities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Streamline paperwork to free up time.	#FOCUS GROUP
Work with Hale Library to help with vendor contracts.	#FOCUS GROUP
Be careful not to outsource all work so as not to lose identity.	#FOCUS GROUP
Shared online catalogs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Inventory procedures.	#FOCUS GROUP
Embrace more of the academic culture at the Salina campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Recognize yearly the achievements of the faculty through K-Statement or other university news source.	#FOCUS GROUP
Encourage staff to talk with each other about Salina achievements and research being done.	#FOCUS GROUP
Salina started being proactive - need to keep momentum going.	#FOCUS GROUP
Get specialized materials for research projects.	#FOCUS GROUP
Make campus aware of what can be possible. Be aware of the amazing things going on.	#FOCUS GROUP
Realign the workload during times of grant and award paperwork.	#FOCUS GROUP
Utilize advertising of the Olathe campus and NBAF to promote K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reallocation of resources and strategy to leverage use of NBAF and Olathe to assist in attracting top research faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
Highlight new facilities and labs at Olathe campus to attract top research faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
To be a top 50 research university, funding will be needed. Less state funding is available to universities. We somehow need to compensate for this. Strategies and techniques need to be up and in place.	#FOCUS GROUP
More centralization is needed throughout the university. Administration needs to be involved in decision-making regarding resource issues.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF is not quite far enough along to leverage its impact, but BOTH K-State Olathe and NBAF will have to have a strategy to utilize those assets. (Animal Health Corridor opportunity)	#FOCUS GROUP
Reallocation of resources and strategy to leverage use of NBAF and Olathe will be key in becoming top 50.	#FOCUS GROUP
Time and talent will be needed to become a top 50 and incentives may be needed to start this. Therefore, reallocation of funds could be used in helping to offer these incentives.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research incentives for graduate programs, etc. Where are we going to invest in chasing research dollars? Where are the places we can really improve specific graduate programs - how do you then support those programs? Also, is it possible to create policy whereby grants pay for GRAs?	#FOCUS GROUP
Resource acquisition centers need to be more cultural. How can we generate resources to put in the pot? Can we fund something locally versus outsourcing it? Are we most productive and efficient with what we're doing? Teaching load is high...so look at it and see if we can make efficient changes. May have been done before, but has it been done recently?	#FOCUS GROUP
2025 as a goal allows a reasonable amount of time as changing a process takes time. Student dollars from newly instituted credit hour fees creates opportunity. Need to be thinking strategically about use of those funds.	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State could hire faculty members who have already received faculty awards. It should nominate its faculty members for awards like this. That would help us reach our benchmark.	#FOCUS GROUP
In dealing with how K-State can move their numbers up, one solution would be to hire people to move the numbers up.	#FOCUS GROUP
I suggest moving beyond lip service. We need to make improvements in research.	#FOCUS GROUP
The president needs to actually listen to concerns...	#FOCUS GROUP
Research - promote strong graduate programs. Just saying we are benchmark means nothing.	#FOCUS GROUP
Everybody must have a senior research class.	#FOCUS GROUP
All the research that goes on in departments must be counted.	#FOCUS GROUP
Pay students monthly to conduct research that would help them to develop.	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State needs to do something more useful for the whole university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Suggest an evaluation of things.	#FOCUS GROUP
Provide credit-granting research opportunities for undergrads. Need dollars for K-State and for travel.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need dollars from Foundation for undergraduate research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Propose having a number for independent research studies that would be identical across the campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to do somthing to improve stipends for students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Offer extra dollars to students (signing bonuses).	#FOCUS GROUP
Six-year graduate rate - we have to deal with the students we have now. We have to figure out how to work with them more effectively.	#FOCUS GROUP
Intro classes are huge. If we could reduce the class sizes, maybe students will not feel just like a number.	#FOCUS GROUP
It is critical to work very closely with first year students and really be aware of their needs; like with multicultural students - work with them to strengthen math, etc., and also have a social connection and maintain contacts even after they graduate.	#FOCUS GROUP
Combine classes and give professors semesters off to do research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Smaller classes for freshmen students are best because they are not used to the really large classes. If we want to increase retention, we must do this.	#FOCUS GROUP
Freshmen classes should be smaller. Large classes are a mistake for first year students.	#FOCUS GROUP
All undergrad/grad teachers should become multicultural educators - in research, training, readings, and class assignments; global and very aware of the world, and be incorporated in the classroom. It opens up the world to students.	#FOCUS GROUP
External Faculty Awards - there has to be someone who works with them and provide support.	#FOCUS GROUP
When faculty write proposals, a lot goes into overhead. KSU has a high overhead rate. Faculty are denied grants sometimes because KSU demands too much overhead. Why not have overhead around 34% as some schools do?	#FOCUS GROUP
We lose people because of salary. We need to pay better if we are going to have awards in the future and infrastructure has to improve.	#FOCUS GROUP
Junior faculty need to get more. They leave when we don't pay them what they deserve.	#FOCUS GROUP
Strengthen graduate programs (doctorates granted). How can you finish research if you have no dollars to travel with? There should be something at K-State to help them finish.	#FOCUS GROUP
Should have USRG (University Small Research Grants) for students.	#FOCUS GROUP
First Year Programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Academic Advising.	#FOCUS GROUP
Academic Support Programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Small Introductory Classes - tradeoff is less research being done by faculty. How can we achieve smaller and more welcoming classes while at the same time producing more research?	#FOCUS GROUP
Add more faculty - but is this fiscally practicable?	#FOCUS GROUP
Teach differently.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to understand what we are doing at K-State and try to refocus the culture - we are not focused on research. Is the bar set too low?	#FOCUS GROUP
Recognize scholarly output, especially in the Arts (Media Relations).	#FOCUS GROUP
Become self-motivated.	#FOCUS GROUP
Create an evaluation process/range of performance/measure, particularly for post-tenure faculty where review is almost non-existent.	#FOCUS GROUP
Educate the university about research (ex: Humanities).	#FOCUS GROUP
Need access to funding in order to meaningfully improve faculty productivity.	#FOCUS GROUP
Hire senior faculty members for purposes of mentoring younger faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at Iowa State (compare) - what are they doing better?	#FOCUS GROUP
Boost tenure standards, but requires resources to make that possible.	#FOCUS GROUP
Define the Undergraduate Research Experience.	#FOCUS GROUP
Create a desire/incentive for good research.	#FOCUS GROUP
OSRP needs to explore relationships/collaborations (within departments/colleges).	#FOCUS GROUP
Give credit for research activity (students and faculty).	#FOCUS GROUP
Funding/Resources.	#FOCUS GROUP
Graduate Programs - very important in terms of research at K-State. The way the system is set up now feels like there are limitations to what students and faculty can do. We need to allow students to pick a curriculum that fits their needs and wants. We need to eliminate the barriers of having departments.	#FOCUS GROUP
Can we start crossing disciplines and changing curriculum?	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to expand programs to provide more opportunities and attract students to come to K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to be more organized.	#FOCUS GROUP
Deans from all colleges need to work together to form more cross-discipline work for the graduate/post doc students.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to tailor graduate programs that fits what their student wants. Could there be some problems with the Faculty and their involvement?	#FOCUS GROUP
We need a chairman-ship. Faculty report to a "Chairman" and Deans report to a "Headman".	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at the University of Nebraska and Colorado State (compare). Find out what these other institutions have in terms of administrative structure.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to know what the institution is about (spreads to the faculty and students - one common goal).	#FOCUS GROUP
Promote ourselves.	#FOCUS GROUP
Higher administration needs to get involved with the faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to make our presence known.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to nominate faculty for awards and national memberships.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need more resources to help with the space issues/lack of labs/lack of equipment.	#FOCUS GROUP
KSU Foundation - look more at the corporate sector for private funds/resources.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at University of Oregon - arranges with other companies which brings in more people, more research, and more money.	#FOCUS GROUP
Departments need to take charge and be involved with the KSU Foundation - make a stronger connection and build off that.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to play off our assets to show what K-State has to offer compared to all the other institutions - what makes us who we are.	#FOCUS GROUP
What do we offer that others don't? Be different.	#FOCUS GROUP
Create opportunities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Create a "Preparing Future Faculty Program" - university-wide effort for graduate and post doc students. Help these individuals make the right decision - could be very attractive.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #1 - Research and Development Expenditures. Establishing Research Institutes/Centers in addition to our existing departments. Encouraging more cooperative research. (But be careful of the potential administrative costs associated with the addition of proposed research institutes/centers).	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #1 - Research and Development Expenditures. Reinstate the Targeted Excellence Awards - very helpful in getting young faculty established in the research arena. The interdepartmental seed grants need to be reinstated.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #1 - Research and Development Expenditures. Tapping NBAF related industry relocating in Manhattan for research funding on the main campus, particularly as it might relate to undergraduate and graduate student support.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #2 - Total University Endowment. Perhaps through better use of our Alumni Publications - highlighting research in the publications would have the potential of encouraging readers/alumnus to donate to our research base.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #2 - Total University Endowment. Encouage donors and industry to fund student research programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #2 - Total University Endowment. Pattern possible Ag fellowships privately funded using Engineering's privately funded fellowships as the model.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #3 - National Academy Membership. We need Merit Scholars, Endowed Chairs, National Academy of Science members.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #3 - National Academy Membership. Dedicate an office/person to identiying and nominating faculty to the National Academy of Sciences.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #3 - National Academy Membership. There are no Endowed Chairs in the College of Agriculture. Need funding to encourage this endeavor.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #3 - National Academy Membership. Even if we were to successfully recruit National Academy member professors or get existing faculty named as members, we would need a plan in place to keep them there. Competitive salaries, sufficient start-up funding are just a couple of the criteria needed to attract National Academy of Science caliber faculty to our campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #3 - National Academy Membership. Funding/money to enhance our speakers programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #3 - National Academy Membership. Perhaps Endowment funding could be sought to aid in funding high caliber research speakers, thus exposing our campus and our research to peer institutions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #3 - National Academy Membership. We must learn to "toot" our own horns - we need press releases understandable by the General Public. We need to show others what we do here so that all can be proud of K-State and in so doing, attract stellar scientists to our campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #4 - External Faculty Awards. Concern voiced that USDA faculty rankings and awards are not included as part of the "benchmark criteria". A better coordinated effort university-wide encouraging faculty to nominate their peers for various outside awards - this would not only honor the faculty member but bring notice to the research initiatives at K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need better programs to enhance our image, i.e., bring in more speakers so that they can spread the word that this is actually a very fine place to relocate. Air service direct to Dallas will definitely help our image. One faculty member suggested a "mood" slide at the beginning of any invited talk - a photo of the Konza or Tuttle Creek Reservoir or the local landscape to show off the natural beauty of our area.	#FOCUS GROUP
Landon Lecturers are predominately political types - how about considering an eminent scientist for one of the lectures each year?	#FOCUS GROUP
Encourage our alumni publications to reflect on the research ongoing at K-State. We need to show off our expertise. We need to publicize our efforts in both basic and applied research - bringing this to the eyes and ears of the general public.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #5 - Doctorates Granted. Establish graduate fellowships - rather than assistantships - as the term fellowship seems to carry more weight with the applicants.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #5 - Doctorates Granted. Establishment of a funding source for graduate student recruitment - perhaps using endowment funds.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #5 - Doctorates Granted. As doctorates granted increased in one department, the masters degrees seemed to decrease below the level encouraged by the Graduate School. Perhaps we should lower the MS number requirements in favor of increasing doctorate awards granted. Ultimately - decide where the emphasis in each department should be focused. If Ph.D. is the benchmark, then perhaps less emphasis on MS would be warranted.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #6 - First Year Retention Rates - Fall Cohort. Institute and fund a separate Undergraduate Research Program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #6 - First Year Retention Rates - Fall Cohort. Re-evaluate entrance requirements providing students with a better chance of "making it".	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #6 - First Year Retention Rates - Fall Cohort. Develop means of evaluating and enhancing the preparatory course work high school students are taking to better their chances of success at university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #8 - % Undergraduate Students in Research. Currently we have no structure with which to count the number of undergrads actively doing research in our laboratories. Often students are hired for general lab work - dishes, etc. - and then if an aptitude or interest is displayed the faculty member encourages that interest and actively involves the student in research-related work. Perhaps formalized internships either in each college or centrally at the university level could be offered to undergraduates or perhaps Freshman research credit hours could be offered as a means of attracting freshmen to the laboratories. This would also provide the documentation needed to track. Some undergraduates engage in research work for 0 credit hours.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #8 - % Undergraduate Students in Research. We do have in place programs such as the SUROP (Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program) sponsored by the Graduate School and the REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) via NSF (the National Science Foundation). Perhaps enhanced funding could identify a larger number of SUROP participants and faculty should be encouraged to write proposals to NSF for REU funding.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #8 - % Undergraduate Students in Research. Also mentioned was the work via the One Health Kansas Award inititated in the Kansas City area high schools as a means of identifying prospective high school students interested in the sciences. (Somewhat related to the K-State Olathe mission, this program pertains primarily to Vet Med interests.) Perhaps a similar program could be instituted by the university to encourage high school students who show an interest in the sciences. This could be incorporated with summer internships between high school graduation and their freshman year. Once again, source of funding presents the largest hurdle.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #8 - % Undergraduate Students in Research. Another possible scenario would be to formalize our outreach resources, i.e., Extension agents and contacts with 4-H. We should utilize our existing county extension agents to go to Kansas high schools with encouraging messages to these students regarding research opportunities for freshmen at K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #8 - % Undergraduate Students in Research. Tapping industry relocating in Manhattan that are possibly related to NBAF for research funding on the main campus, particularly as it might relate to undergraduate and graduate student support.	#FOCUS GROUP
One of the things we need is research assistance. We need a lot more administrative support. Here I can't even get a grader to help relieve some of the workload. We get very little assistance.	#FOCUS GROUP
There needs to be a benchmark added that would be a number of research publications and top tier review journals or appropriate academic outlets. This will include everyone.	#FOCUS GROUP
You have to be able to retain young scholars. We also have to be able to retain the top scholars that we already have. It's a lot more expensive to get new people than to retain old people. Yes, we need new people, but we need to keep the ones we have.	#FOCUS GROUP
Creating a clinical Ph.D. category [Business] for people that do want to teach.	#FOCUS GROUP
We have to get a Ph.D. program [Business]. We will attract more professors, increase productivity, and it focuses the college in a different way and you want a research reputation. It solidifies your research when you have Ph.D. programs and everything that comes behind it.	#FOCUS GROUP
Accounting doctorates are what is needed right now and would be an easy and quick way to gain higher reputation.	#FOCUS GROUP
KU - why couldn't we do a joint Ph.D. program with them? The consortium approach would be a good idea. They would have incentive because they don't have a good reputation for their Ph.D. program and don't place well. We have some good faculty and so do they and it decreases the cost and the state legislature likes it. We could do things we don't normally do and they have very good stats so our students could absorb that and play on each other's strengths. It helps with resource constraints.	#FOCUS GROUP
We spend a lot of money on leadership studies. Minor trends are on the way out unless they are language-based and it will not enhance our top 50 in any way, shape, or form. If we are putting significant resources into something and it's not lining up with these goals, then it needs to go.	#FOCUS GROUP
People need more research monies and they need release time and endowment needs to increase. Increase research by bringing in top researchers.	#FOCUS GROUP
If you are going to rank, you have to spend some money.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lower endowment, budget cuts, economy, and the university needs to decide that it's going to strategically align itself with what the priorities are in this plan and maybe eliminate programs that we aren't as good at. They are tangling themselves into this Top 50 web, then they need to decide what is relevant to the goal. You may have to cut weak programs to accomplish it and are they willing to do it?	#FOCUS GROUP
You have to take risks. We have to make hard choices that no one is going to want to make to be more productive.	#FOCUS GROUP
They should consider getting into the AAU (Association of American Universities).	#FOCUS GROUP
Students share that they want more training on general skills such as general note-taking, how to properly prepare citations on papers, etc. Need more programs to help the students that need specific subset skills - separate from and more extensive than the current University Experience program. The needs of these students [needing more training in general skills] have a direct impact on faculty. Time and resources for students who require assistance are always a challenge. Time spent "retraining" these students take away from time that could be spent on research. Raising the quality of our undergraduate base could alleviate this.	#FOCUS GROUP
Kansas has a good number of community colleges that serve an important role in preparing some students. Could K-State partner with them to create a program that will teach students the needed skills? We need to collaborate more with the community colleges to prepare students to come to K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
Create a program like the Bridges program to help mentor students and prepare them. Include a research aspect.	#FOCUS GROUP
Many of our students want to be clinicians. We need to actively recruit students who are interested in research and then we must have packages that assist their research that will keep them here.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to post the awards that qualify for benchmarks for all of campus to see.	#FOCUS GROUP
Recognition of achievements seems to favor the privileged. Has to be a way to recognize top achievements of all programs, not just those on the list.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty has to do a better job of communicating accomplishments.	#FOCUS GROUP
We as a university need to focus on external funds rather than state funds for the additional resources necessary to improve our performance as a public research university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Put money and resources into places where it makes sense, such as faculty recruitment packages.	#FOCUS GROUP
University needs to think outside the box in terms of receiving funding.	#FOCUS GROUP
Every department has opportunities. There is a list of faculty awards that help define those opportunities. Department heads or deans need a list for faculty awards. The University needs something centrally to coordinate faculty interested in applying for those awards, such as the approach The Ohio State University took in coordinating faculty applications for American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) awards in 2003.	#FOCUS GROUP
Not all faculty know how to put the application packages or packets together [for faculty awards]. An administrative coordinator similar to the one we have for nationally competitive student scholarships would be a good way to focus effort on increasing the number of faculty awards.	#FOCUS GROUP
Develop culture to enhance inter-departmental research by tenure and promotion.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at other schools, such as our peer institutions, and see what they have in place in helping us move to higher rankings in the matrix.	#FOCUS GROUP
University needs to start thinking in new, entrepreneurial ways and to focus on how to reward and recognize faculty for their entrepreneurial efforts.	#FOCUS GROUP
Departments need ways to provide incentives to faculty who bring in additional funds, because then people will see what the return is on their investment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Agree with the Research Task Force that research dollars will follow interdisciplinary research clusters and that it is important for disciplines to encourage creative activities or endeavors among their faculty that can be the leading edge in their field or impacting the world. A barrier to this would be that the timetable required to put together a faculty member's portfolio for tenure consideration does not allow them the flexibility to explore their creative interests and pursue their passions during the time they are earning tenure.	#FOCUS GROUP
Suggestion that the University create new ranks for faculty to allow them more flexibility in pursuing their creative interests. Often faculty must choose between research ideas that truly impact society or the broader community and ideas that impact their field. More motivation must be provided for faculty to pursue research with greater impact.	#FOCUS GROUP
The acronym "RSCA" (Research, Scholarship, and Creative Arts) as used in the Research Infrastructure report, and not just Research, should be used in formalized documents (such as Departmental guidelines for tenure and promotion, as well as the University Handbook). Most departmental documents refer to the specific type of RSCA applicable to their respective field.	#FOCUS GROUP
The University needs to look outward instead of inward and needs to help faculty learn more from its peer institutions and what others in the world are doing.	#FOCUS GROUP
Focus more effort on maintaining contact with international alumni. K-State had 785 graduate international students in Fall 2009 (from a total of 1,717 international students). We need to capitalize on that as many of the graduates students were PhD students and many international alums are leaders in their home countries, in business, universities, and even heads of state.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to focus on the Three C's = Communicate-Collaborate-Congratulate. People and groups need to be recognized for their efforts. Units are developed and work hard to take leadership roles on a specific issue (e.g., Engagement, International, or Sustainability) but can be left on an island with little communication about what they have accomplished. Better communication is needed to recognize the work of all units.	#FOCUS GROUP
How K-State seets itself and talks about itself influences the way we work and how others see K-State. We need to change the way we talk about K-State in order to effect significant change.	#FOCUS GROUP
The key to enhancing grants, awards, and etc., starts with graduate programs. Graduate students are the drive for the enterprise and we need high quality graduate students. Graduate students need enhanced support: tuition, better stipends and grants awarded. Offer more competitive stipends.	#FOCUS GROUP
Attracting graduate students: need to attract more domestic graduate students. It's easy to get international students. This would make us more competitive with our peer institutions. It's very competitive to attract under-represented groups.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is a large group of faculty that really opposes research so there needs to be a change because when I came here, there was no expectation of research and if you did it, that was abnormal. I've been here for 14 years and the rules are changing in the department. The faculty will need a higher standard.	#FOCUS GROUP
Tie students to the research, both undergraduates and graduates, and make it both student-centered and a research university.	#FOCUS GROUP
The only way this can happen is with an increase in faculty members.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is no way we will ever get there without a substantial influx of new faculty. Attract high quality faculty that can conduct research. Both quantity and quality of new faculty is needed and will need to be paid well.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to hire at the senior level. We have a number of very active seniors that are getting ready to retire and we are hiring good junior people, but they are still juniors. And that will create a shift. And the middle people are important too. If we only have junior people coming up, then the middle people leave.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reward a teaching track and reward a research track. We don't do that and it's all lined out in our guidelines that we are all equal. Clearly we have different levels of capabilities, but there is not much recognition for teaching number-wise. Teachers are not rewarded as much as those that excel in research. It varies in rewards through the departments and there are lots of models through the departments and we must develop tracks for rewarding.	#FOCUS GROUP
There are ways of thinking about different types of work that are already happening that we can reward.	#FOCUS GROUP
Academy members and recognized faculty - you have to keep creating an internal system somehow, you have to keep nominating, and there has to be a concentrated effort to nominate people. It's a long-term effort.	#FOCUS GROUP
Marshall, Rhodes, and Goldwater - we must have a similar engine to focus our research.	#FOCUS GROUP
If you really want to do this, there needs to be facility improvement for workspace, lab space, and resources. The infrastructure needs to be updated.	#FOCUS GROUP
We could really show how K-State is a contributor to the economic state of Kansas. That is something that we could broadcast more to the legislature. It may have more attraction. Extramural grants are equivalent to a small business. It would bring in economic developments to the city that would be equivalent to a small business. But I don't see the Kansas Legislature in the near term giving the money. Two or three years down the road the legislature would stop funding and we wouldn't have the kind of continuity to carry it through.	#FOCUS GROUP
Endowments - private sources, having a larger foundation operation would be useful. I don't see that public sources are where the money will come from.	#FOCUS GROUP
Cluster models - which created a tremendous change in culture. You hire a senior faculty member to mentor two junior faculty members. Then you hire across departments and colleges. It's a shared position and that would change culture.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to make Manhattan a more livable place for the faculty and their families. The quality of living and community that you are able to sell help bring in faculty. It's too narrow of a culture and we need to focus on that. Engage the community to make the benchmarks more attainable.	#FOCUS GROUP
Definition of "formalized research" pertaining to undergraduates is needed. CAPD no longer grants undergraduate degrees, having changed to a five-year, first professional, master's degree for all disciplines. ALL students in CAPS engage in research/scholarship, but for students who enter as undergrads, research most often occurs in their 4th and 5th year, when they are graduate students, with some exceptions.	#FOCUS GROUP
The recommendations of the Research Task Force Report have to happen in order for K-State to become a Top 50 institution. The two most important K-State 2025 benchmarks to achieve are total endowment and research and development expenditures.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase funded research by facilitating grant proposals, notifying the college about opportunties. Maybe CAPD needs a research director to develop funded research capabilities in the college and direct the PhD program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to increase tenure standards, retain faculty better, change selection process for new faculty. Faculty candidates should exhibit more research focus/capability and be supported in building upon and funding these talents. Faculty should show clear evidence of excellence in research, scholarship, and/or creativity (in short, be regionally and nationally recognized by peers in their respective fields). Interviewees often have great ideas for K-State but we don't have the facility or funds to create new research agendas.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to continue engaging in outreach activity, both funded and unfunded. Need to report how they engage in outreach in a way that contributes to the university's goal of becoming a Top 50 research institution (in other words, outreach must have a scholarly purpose or dimension, or be reflected upon, written about, and shared in a scholarly manner).	#FOCUS GROUP
Does CAPD need specific researchers, i.e., more PhDs or differential roles, in order to contribute to endowment and research/development benchmarks? Without the differential roles, is CAPD in the way of the university achieving the Top 50 university goal.	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention Rates: Stronger dialogue between academic affairs and student affairs needed - feedback loop needs to be quicker so we can help students in academic distress.	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention Rates: If students don't meet academic qualifications of a college, how do we help them move on to another college? A system needs to be in place to help them.	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention Rates: Academic policies/practices negatively affect retention. Departments may need to modify course requirements so students can get into courses.	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention Rates: Build an academic advising center, better training for advisors, annual training/event for all advisors, central training for advisors.	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention Rates: Clearly define the students who do not continue on. Find out why they have left the university. Are there ways to keep these students? More money for "grant" assistance for students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention Rates: What about changing admission requirements? Admission requirements are now 21 ACT. Future: core college-prep classes required for admissions. Look at "exceptions" we grant each year (10% window). Two years ago, two thirds of these students left.	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention Rates: Need more money for mentoring students who aren't succeeding. Struggling students don't have any idea of what they need. New program "Map Works" identifies students who may be prone to struggle in college. Program offered through residence halls.	#FOCUS GROUP
Six-Year Graduation Ratios: Look at predictor factors of students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Six-Year Graduation Ratios: Need a structured experience for every new student. Require a university experience for every new student.	#FOCUS GROUP
Six-Year Graduation Ratios: Spend more money recruiting higher achieving students. Will need better scholarship packages.	#FOCUS GROUP
Six-Year Graduation Ratios: Enforce academic progress reports through the Provost.	#FOCUS GROUP
Six-Year Graduation Ratios: Exit survey/interview for non-returning students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Six-Year Graduation Ratios: Have mandatory program that "exception" students and students on academic warning must participate in.	#FOCUS GROUP
Six-Year Graduation Ratios: Increase Pilots Program funding.	#FOCUS GROUP
Six-Year Graduation Ratios: Look at programs that are losing students or the count for returning students is dropping. Do these programs need to be discontinued?	#FOCUS GROUP
Six-Year Graduation Ratios: Student success center for all services - one NEW building.	#FOCUS GROUP
Six-Year Graduation Ratios: Show graduation rates separately (at-risk students on category, other students another category).	#FOCUS GROUP
First Year Retention Rates: Focus on being your best self and it will attract the people around you to your success. Creating a positive environment in every classroom, area, place on campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Use the synergy in all areas to grow more globally, not just in research, but in using the benchmarks to make every area stronger at KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
Conference affiliation does affect research $$ - the Big 10 coordinates undergraduate and faculty research programs within the conference. As a conference, have a better coordination of activities within a conference. Research centers. Exchange of faculty - the more cooperation of research will raise the reputation within the conference. Athletes are in the top of their specific programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
First Year Retention Rates: Graduation rates - look at subgroups (family educational history, 1st time college student, SES, ethnicity, and ACT scores coming into the university, etc.)	#FOCUS GROUP
Advising - at undergraduate and graduate level, have a centralized advising system. Helping students get in the right career, taking away from loyalties to a specific college. Graduate students - track graduate students' success that isn't benefiting their mentor or professor. Advisors need to be more supportive in career choices. Advisors not doing research, but doing service to students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Culture change looking at things more integrated, not fighting against each other to survive on campus (funding, etc.). Recognize that not everyone can do everything - some more teaching, some more research - but there has to be a connection - adding in students. What do we have to sacrifice? Has to be comprehension in within the university using the existing services on campus to make everything alive in every room on campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to act like a university as a whole and individual colleges second.	#FOCUS GROUP
More concentration on how to get $$ for KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF - other programs suffered for this focus - we need to decide what KSU wants to focus on.	#FOCUS GROUP
Mandated freshman class - intro class that involves life and academic skills to help the students get off on the right foot - EVERYONE HAD TO TAKE IT.	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at the parts of KSU that are doing well and what can we learn from them.	#FOCUS GROUP
Administrative things need to change in order to be more efficient.	#FOCUS GROUP
Leverage what we already have.	#FOCUS GROUP
Tracking undergraduate research - universal way of tracking - making it easier to participate and publicizing to the new students on campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Make rules and regulations more clearly to faculty so they can involve the undergraduate students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Utilize federal work study money to make a concerted effort to allow students to get paid and have exposure to research. Students want jobs on campus making it convenient in their lives in between classes. Research programs maybe more flexible for students? How many projects are out there on campus?	#FOCUS GROUP
Define what undergraduate research is and explore what we can do to get more students involved.	#FOCUS GROUP
Admission standards - what is being shared and promoted to potential students. Need to include more inclusive look at KSU. Start to make undergraduate research required for a degree. Know up front what the college expectations are and try to match students with our expectations with KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
If serious about the jump to the Top 50, we need to have higher standards in admission to KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
Promote research and other services on campus that will help them understand their goals by identifying through recruitment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Demolish that we are stereotypical AG school. Talk about the engineering or other high tech programs that are there to enhance the technology and scientific areas that KSU offers. Still promote AG, but with a different look using new and innovative technology and programs that the university offers to enhance the agriculture industry.	#FOCUS GROUP
Eliminating certain programs of studies, in order to concentrate on the certain areas that you want to be excellent in or be prominent in the realm of the Top 50 research.	#FOCUS GROUP
50% of the scholarships given to incoming freshmen go to families with gross income of 200,000 or more. Average Kansas family doesn't approach that. Raise money for scholarships based more on need - increasing retention by providing them the financial support they need. Sophomore scholarship based on freshmen performance. Possible to refocus current $$ to balance or award these rewards.	#FOCUS GROUP
Keeping faculty here and happy - doing a survey trying to find out what is missing in a place to live, what things are missing on campus, different faculty who like it here, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
Promoting the changes in the community and building events to appeal to all people in the area. What jobs are you bringing, what PhD programs will this create? More research money?	#FOCUS GROUP
Good neighbor program - example - college students renting/living next to full time residents. Cause tension - need to find programs to foster their relationships. Community development with tying into a degree or a 1st year program making them aware that you are a part of the community and there are others living around you. (Help with retention).	#FOCUS GROUP
Letting the people stay good in their field (advising, teaching, research).	#FOCUS GROUP
Competition with community colleges to get students to KSU and insist that the first two years at KSU, you will get a better academic quality. KSU makes more money from first two years of classes because they have larger class sized and have less cost to take. Scaled/tiered tuition - pay more for the higher level of course numbers. Success rates for junior college transfer. 2 plus 2 program - try to track the success rate of these programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Renewable transfer scholarships. Why not give that money to students who have already been here and performed?	#FOCUS GROUP
Have to decide what we are and provide the services only for those areas that we support.	#FOCUS GROUP
Have to make the decision of what is going to be sacrificed for this goal - programs, admission standards?	#FOCUS GROUP
Every student has a chance at KSU - raise the minimum GPA by giving them a chance BUT not letting it slide when students do not perform.	#FOCUS GROUP
For financial aid - our academic standards are lower than the federal aid standards - should flip that our academic standards be above the federal aid standards.	#FOCUS GROUP
Must market ourselves - Manhattan and Salina campuses alike.	#FOCUS GROUP
Awareness of Salina and what they offer.	#FOCUS GROUP
Must find our own "T Boone".	#FOCUS GROUP
More connectedness with K-State Salina and Olathe.	#FOCUS GROUP
Emporia State and Fort Hays State - future opportunities with these institutions.	#FOCUS GROUP
External and internal awards for faculty need to improve.	#FOCUS GROUP
This group [Student Life] could look at how retention sophomore year and beyond can be improved through programs - near future. Retention rate of students who go through a pre-freshman year program like Wildcat Warm Up.	#FOCUS GROUP
Cautious on the kinds of students we recruit out of state - usually not the best students. Don't "sell ourselves out" for the money.	#FOCUS GROUP
Doctoral - financially help current staff members get their doctorate. Furthers professional development and recruiting.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to utilize military market surrounding us.	#FOCUS GROUP
Extension needs to be reinvented/developed.	#FOCUS GROUP
Always seems to be a battle between teaching and researching. Hope to see in 2025 a much greater blend of teaching and research in the classroom. Research component a mandatory part of classroom experience.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to figure out how to track data and get to the finish line.	#FOCUS GROUP
Simplify the 2025 message for alumni and students. Make it clear what their role is as a whole and individually (in some cases) is in 2025.	#FOCUS GROUP
To improve graduation rate, better educate students on what it takes and the consequences of changing majors. Improve advising - make more seamless from one department to another and one college to another.	#FOCUS GROUP
To address graduation rate in six years, make more general education classes available to first and second year students, so that if/when they switch majors, they did not "waste" a lot of credit hours that will not apply to their end major.	#FOCUS GROUP
Enforce an exit interview/survey to ask why students have left the university. We may find out it is for legitimate reasons (i.e., nursing school).	#FOCUS GROUP
Establish a definition of research for the benchmark.	#FOCUS GROUP
Consider what the increase of external faculty awards will do to the student learning environment. If faculty are required to spend more time applying for awards, conducting research, then that time is being taken away from teaching and student engagement/advising. How will this be addressed?	#FOCUS GROUP
Survey students to document volunteering. Provide definition for volunteering.	#FOCUS GROUP
Require student participation to achieve 2025 goals to ease load on faculty and staff. This undertaking could be overwhelming to faculty alone.	#FOCUS GROUP
At New Student Orientation, require a K-State pledge to be involved in one or more things on campus -help the university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Mid-term goals should be set to break large task into smaller pieces. This will also help to re-evaluate where we are since there are so many moving targets.	#FOCUS GROUP
Address the "so what" for students to care about 2025. For instance, if K-State is a Top 50 research institution, then it could make a big difference in what kind of job/pay they get out of school.	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State and K-Staters need to do a better job of talking about what we already do.	#FOCUS GROUP
Many universities are trending toward more adjunct professors for budget reasons; however, our initiatives would require more full-time tenured faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
Must do a better job of reporting university and professor accomplishments - set up a culture for faculty and staff to self report. During faculty/staff evaluations, make reporting accomplishments a requirement.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need money to pay for faculty and supporting doctoral candidates.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to recruit for faculty and staff like we recruit for athletes.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to have a high ranking among industry. Market our rankings among "societies" - for example, "XYZ" rates our architect program as one of the top in the nation".	#FOCUS GROUP
Improve upon the process and support needed on obtaining grants.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need partnerships in community and industry to do research and/or projects. Need to educate alumni of these opportunties.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need public transportation to improve ability to recruit faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
In regards to student retention - having support for students as well as parents. For example, have a hotline where a parent can call and say that Johnny is feeling lonely but would never call himself. Need to keep students involved in the university. Need to survey students that leave K-State. Need scholarship money to be available for upper classmen, not just when they are freshmen. Need to do a better job of marketing how students can find employment while attending K-State. Do not stop marketing university after student has enrolled - keep in touch with parents during the school year.	#FOCUS GROUP
Create a clearinghouse to promote and aid faculty applying for top awards similar to how Nancy Twiss and Jim Hohenbary do for student scholars. Iowa State does this for their faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to do a better job of promoting K-State to draw top scientists and research dollars. Promote and document our strengths and achievements.	#FOCUS GROUP
Why should the basic alum care about this process? Make sure this is emphasized when the plan is rolled out.	#FOCUS GROUP
Should we combine college units or departments (e.g., Ag. Comm.) to strengthen the University academically?	#FOCUS GROUP
Alumni Association can look at additional ways to share how and why 2025 matters.	#FOCUS GROUP
Include messaging that this is important because of decreased state funding.	#FOCUS GROUP
Could be helpful to have someone in to help faculty award application process place (e.g., Jim Hohenbary for students).	#FOCUS GROUP
Look at infrastructure to improve cross-disciplinary collaboration.	#FOCUS GROUP
Define what we mean by "student research" (e.g., history, social media).	#FOCUS GROUP
Once the vision 2025 plan is completed, use it as a way to prioritze the physical plant maintenance list. [comments received by email]	#FACULTY
I suggest once we have established the major goals later in the fall semester that we assign a $ amount estimate to those goals (i.e., how much will it cost to achieve the goal). I think of moving up on each of the 8 metrics we will use to measure our progress toward top 50 status as the primary goals and I assume that under each of the 8 metrics that we will want to have specific strategies for moving us up on that list (e.g., to move from position X to position Y on number of national academy members (could be any of the 8 metrics) we need to do these four (or some other #) things and here is the estimate on how much each will cost over the Z period). That way, we will be better able to understand the costs of this effort which will allow for better $ allocation decisions and allow for specific fund raising requests. [comments received by email]	#FACULTY
I am impressed with the vision. Accomplishing the objective will require tremendous focus and leadership and I am sure K-State is up to the task. An asset none of our peer institutions have is our fabulous School of Leadership Studies. I hope the administration will view SLS as a resource for accomplishing this vision. Yes, SLS can help with the benchmarks related to retention, graduation, and undergraduate research, but the faculty, staff, and students should be leveraged to assist with the process of implementing this vision. Faculty, staff, and students could help facilitate and surface critical conversations that will be necessary for success.	#ALUMNI #COMMUNITY
Need to look at all the initiatives that dovetail with Vision 2025. How do you message?	#FOCUS GROUP
One coordinated message to everyone. Vehicle in place to do so (Jeff Morris). Message needs to be more personalized. What do you want me to do about it (tell me what to do). Salina can physically interact vs. just monetary gifts from outside the state because distance keeps them from participation. How can I contribute - not just money?	#FOCUS GROUP
Messaging - Engage everyone. Receive email from master's school weekly about accomplishments. Phone-a-thon - address and email correct - email from dean next day and student thank me in tow days. Personal contact necessary.	#FOCUS GROUP
Messaging needs to be concise, translated to grab hold of and be passionate. Student-centric moves me. Touches heart from global perspective. What are we doing through this world.	#FOCUS GROUP
Messaging - NBAF needs to tie in, more than stats - about exciting things. Certain venues are inspirational (basketball) - personalize whether faculty or students. Tell us the impacts and outcomes - people like to make gifts where they can save and change lives. This is much broader than philanthropy. People tend to make gives in areas to have impact and felt in lives of real people.	#FOCUS GROUP
Initiatives to lowest department. Starting with top down, need to work bottom up. Can get into people's objectives. What does this mean to me and what will I do in the next year? It will add up over time.	#FOCUS GROUP
Include more faculty as trustees,	#FOCUS GROUP
15 years is a long period of time. I think it's reasonable. However, I would be concerned that it's important that there be short term goals - interim metrics - to monitor progress and to ensure campus stays engaged. All of us would like a report card to know how we're doing along the way.	#FOCUS GROUP
In addition to the announcement of the Vision 2025 plan coming out some time next year, with the new communications group, it would be outstanding for them to have a plan to announce every 5-10 years to keep it out on top for us and in the public to know we're moving forward as well.	#FOCUS GROUP
Messaging - I am on gopowercat.com all the time. The video of 2003 OU game has been watched over and over again. If we could have a short, five minute video that could be emailed to friends, and so on, that would be one recommendation. Make it short and sweet - about KSU. Start out with athletics. This is what will make football and basketball better at KSU is to have a top notch university. A video would be a great idea.	#FOCUS GROUP
Messaging - Most of us with money are older and may not get on the computer for everything. We would prefer a slick tri-fold brochure that would fit in a business envelope so we could write a personal note and mail it. I want a small billfold-size sheet I can stick in my wallet. Something to the point. Business card size.	#FOCUS GROUP
Be sure to recruit club leaders at local level in your communications plan as well.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need to publicize short-term accomplishments - a win. It will help recruit better faculty and students. Showing success in really important.	#FOCUS GROUP
Keep the lines of communication open with the legislators.	#FOCUS GROUP
Some of KU's big donors have also given to FHSU and KSU. Review donor lists at other universities because they might give to KSU too, if the right person would just ask.	#FOCUS GROUP

Assets
Most K-State faculty care very deeply about the university, despite their pay	#FACULTY #ALUMNI #PARENT #COMMUNITY
Advertise K-State in areas with our alumni in medical, legal, business sectors	#FACULTY
Philosophy department	#FACULTY
For a writing course, we have a strong English department with a technical writing component.	#FACULTY
Some established PhD programs that are recruiting decent grad students	#FACULTY
Name value due to athletics	#FACULTY
Strong library	#FACULTY
First-rate staff in the offices across campus	#FACULTY
Increase our number of Rhodes, Marshall, etc. scholarships as we have a lead here which can help build recognition.	#FACULTY
K-State always impresses people who visit here or go to school here. It is a great place to work, and Manhattan is a great place to live.	#FACULTY
Great people & attitudes	#FACULTY
Increase starting salaries so we can attract better faculty.	#FACULTY
Lots of faculty with great potential, and excellent opportunities for students who are motivated	#FACULTY
Researchers who are willing to try. Well trained staff though overworked and underpaid.	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Overachieving faculty that bring in extramural dollars.	#FACULTY
Hale Library has improved greatly, mainly due acquisitions made possible through our National Endowment for the Humanities grant fund.	#FACULTY #PARENT
Great people, great work ethic, great atmosphere, strong but small alumni base, and great relationships nationwide	#STUDENT
Strong people and atmosphere. Hunger to do more with less. Strong scholarship program. Strong leadership	#STUDENT
athletics department	#STUDENT
engineering program	#STUDENT
NBAF	#STUDENT
awesome town!	#STUDENT
K-State's greatest asset will always be the people. No one does more with less than KSU.	#ALUMNI
The K-State brand, and K-State family will help us become a top 50 institution.	#ALUMNI
Potentially competitive to competitive research programs now in place in these areas	#FACULTY
A capable and responsive faculty and staff.	#FACULTY
The younger, primarilly below 35 years, faculty and unclassified staff	#ALUMNI #COMMUNITY
Several faculty members are poised to help reach Top 50 if the funding is found to support their abilities and programs.	#FACULTY
creative, hardworking, smart, dedicated scholars and teachers	#FACULTY
Biosecurity Research Institute, IGP Executive Conference Center	#FACULTY #STUDENT
We have a loyal group of alumni, and a state legislature that should want us to become competitive nationally...Let's use both	#ALUMNI
Division of Biology, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology; Little else.	#FACULTY
Great faculty, great alumni, great support from the state of Kansas	#ALUMNI
While I appreciated that most of my classes were taught by professors instead of TA's, I found that few professors were actually good at teaching. They were very knowledgeable but were more concerned with their research then actually helping students learn. I know research is important to a university but the university doesn't exist without the students. If a professor is going to have this kind of attitude I would prefer the TA teach, because they are atleast more sympathetic to the student	#ALUMNI
Tie academic fundraising to athletic marketing success	#ALUMNI #PARENT
Hire Athletic Department officials that know what they are doing	#ALUMNI
A great place to go to college, beautiful campus, some excellent instructors	#ALUMNI
community involvement - could be more, great nationally recognized programs (vet med, ag, etc)	#ALUMNI
Outstanding program to assist students in applying for prestigious scholarships	#ALUMNI
Excellent faculty	#ALUMNI
Recruit and retain high quality undergraduate and graduate students.	#FACULTY
Strong programs in Human Ecology, Engineering, Biology, Physics, Agriculture, Architecture and others.	#FACULTY
Expertise at helping undergraduates procure major awards. Could this inform similar efforts for faculty and grad students?	#FACULTY
Name recognition associated with sports.	#FACULTY
Nationally recognized state school with a seemingly strong image.	#STUDENT
College of Architecture, College of Engineering, Vet Medicine, Konza Prairie	#ALUMNI
Biological and Ag Engineering Design Teams	#ALUMNI
BRI, Student life, strong leadership	#FACULTY
The faculty is open and honest with students. I say that is the best asset in place.	#ALUMNI
Great faculty who care and are dedicated to making KSU the best it can be	#FACULTY
Loyal students and alumni	#FACULTY
we have the crumbling infastructure, and plenty of low wage professors	#STUDENT
Enthusiastic, energetic faculty members	#FACULTY #ALUMNI #PARENT
Beocat is the biggest academic research supercomputer in Kansas, but 1/4 of what it needs to be.	#FACULTY
Faculty in departments with existing international contacts that need to be utilized better	#FACULTY
Bio-Agriculture infrustructure is in place at Kansas State University.	#PARENT #COMMUNITY
Veterinary and Agriculture Colleges	#FACULTY
Kansas City Animal Health Corridor	#FACULTY
Federal labs (NBAF, ABADRU)	#FACULTY
The bare minumum, if that, in academic and research quality/output	#FACULTY
Going green and financial stability are both musts	#STUDENT
New university leadership inviting innovative ideas and talents	#FACULTY
Appreciation for advanced information and communication technology	#FACULTY
Support for student organizations and activities	#FACULTY
Support for non-traditional students	#FACULTY
Online learning	#FACULTY
We have many strong researchers in place who need to be retained.	#FACULTY
Some of our programs have strong reputuations that are already in place.	#FACULTY
we have great faculty and staff. they need someone to provide the direction to lead them to what it takes to be a top 50	#ALUMNI
K-State doesn't have the resources to reasonably achieve this goal.	#ALUMNI
The above-mentioned programs and researchers. The international body of students, faculty, and researchers who have come to K-State.	#FACULTY
Our biggest asset is our PEOPLE. This should be marketed better for the institution's prospective students, faculty, donors, etc.	#ALUMNI
We have the people, work ethic and drive to be all we can be give the criteria and goal!
We have the people, work ethic and drive to be all we can be give the criteria and goal!	#ALUMNI
good programs including agriculture, engineering, and related	#FACULTY
good programs coming with bio tech. Need to capitalize on this opportunity, good for undergrad dual degree opporunities.	#ALUMNI #PARENT
Still some of us (very small percent) who think we may have a chance!	#FACULTY
The advisors are very invested and most would welcome some change to the structure	#FACULTY
we are loosing quality faculty because of inflexibility of administrators	#FACULTY
Great Faculty.	#ALUMNI
Marketing expertise in terms of qualified personnel, creativity, dollar resources to put the creativity to best use	#FACULTY #ALUMNI
keep strong junior faculty once they become successful. Don't allow them to be lured away.	#FACULTY
more obvious and clear reward system for research productivity	#FACULTY
Great people, history, leadership team, powerful student body, great city and local community, nationally ranked programs	#STUDENT
CURRENT STATUS OF PROGRAMS, PROFESSIONAL AFFLIATIONS	#ALUMNI
Various courses touch on some parts of Project Management.	#ALUMNI
Highlight the success of student and alumni	#ALUMNI
@doctorates ... doc & masters students underutilized	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates ... primary focus upon traditional undergraduate students/refocus upon non-traditional & grad students	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates ... build upon interdisciplinary networks among and between departments & colleges	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Opportunities for UG research	#STUDENT
partner hiring programs for faculty	#FACULTY
There are currently programs that provide a good foundation for for these programs (journalism, for example).	#ALUMNI
High Quality Staff	#STUDENT
Low student to faculty ratio	#STUDENT
many undergraduates are participating already in formal or informal arrangements	#FACULTY
land is cheap, so place more schools	#STUDENT
College of Agriculture, NBAF	#ALUMNI
Strong position in sciences, architecture, engineering, agriculture to start.	#ALUMNI
Expanding liberal arts curricula that will help ensure a diverse student body	#ALUMNI
Wonderful campus, atmosphere for education, growth	#ALUMNI
everything is already in place, but not to the critical extent needed.
You already have a food safety research facility that is obviously related.	#COMMUNITY
The Salina Campus possesses allot of potential, making it more of a research campus rather than a Vo-tech one.	#STUDENT
A good alumni basis along with a fairly good educational program.	#STUDENT
Supportive and faithful alumni	#ALUMNI
New Administration at all levels. This is a time to make change.	#FACULTY
Higher rankings of our Athletic teams. Use this PR to help fundraising that benefits all areas of campus	#FACULTY
Community: we could attract even better researchers, professors, etc. if we can publicize the community support of the campus	#FACULTY
Office of International Programs	#FACULTY
Strong programs in certain areas to support further and to set the bar in other areas	#FACULTY
Continuous nourishment of targeted excellent area of study	#FACULTY
Professors that are open and available.	#FOCUS GROUP
Free, available tutoring.	#FOCUS GROUP
Alumni.	#FOCUS GROUP
Family atmosphere.	#FOCUS GROUP
NABF will be an asset.	#FOCUS GROUP
Easy to get into groups.	#FOCUS GROUP
New summer reading program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Week of Welcome.	#FOCUS GROUP
Involvment keeps students here.	#FOCUS GROUP
School of Leadership Studies.	#FOCUS GROUP
Involvement opportunities.	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State "Family".	#FOCUS GROUP
Strong Greek system.	#FOCUS GROUP
Student life experiences.	#FOCUS GROUP
UPC.	#FOCUS GROUP
Activities on campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Big 12 sports.	#FOCUS GROUP
Intramurals.	#FOCUS GROUP
Tutoring is free.	#FOCUS GROUP
Honors program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Award-winning professors.	#FOCUS GROUP
Professors who care.	#FOCUS GROUP
Involved RAs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Alcohol EDU.	#FOCUS GROUP
Flow charts (like those used in the College of Engineering).	#FOCUS GROUP
KSU/Manhattan environment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research (especially undergrads).	#FOCUS GROUP
CES.	#FOCUS GROUP
Career fair.	#FOCUS GROUP
Student organizations.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reasonable academic standards.	#FOCUS GROUP
Study abroad program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Honors classes (ability to make any class an honors class).	#FOCUS GROUP
Undergraduate research is obviously important to us (see our mission statement).	#FOCUS GROUP
Ability to attend conferences.	#FOCUS GROUP
Greek life and other organized group living options create smaller communities in which students build connections.	#FOCUS GROUP
Peer advising happens informally in student living groups, clubs, and organizations.	#FOCUS GROUP
Wildcat Warm-Up, the University's extended orientation program, was recommended as a strong program for welcoming and educating new students, contributing to retention.	#FOCUS GROUP
Personality of K-State makes it a comfortable and welcoming place.	#FOCUS GROUP
Dr. Pat Bosco and his efforts contribute greatly to student success.	#FOCUS GROUP
College of Engineering was cited as effective in being personable, accessible, having a great student body, and a strong following at events.	#FOCUS GROUP
Leadership ambassodors, Texas ambassadors, and other small groups that allow students to find support and a way to contribute were referenced as successful in keeping students at K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
Implementation of Alchohol.edu in Fall 2010 was commended as a means of supporting student success.	#FOCUS GROUP
Naming a Vice President for Communications and Marketing is a positive.	#FOCUS GROUP
High quality faculty, commitment to students, producing a good product.	#FOCUS GROUP
Exceptional mentoring program within college - supportive of young faculty members coming into the university.	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State has lots of people who can do a good job with the appropriate resources.	#FOCUS GROUP
We have great IT staff poised and ready to move forward.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is a lot of passion for K-State and people want to see it succeed and are willing to invest themselves in this effort.	#FOCUS GROUP
Being a land grant university, K-State has a presence all over the state.	#FOCUS GROUP
Assets are the people - environment needs to foster interdisciplinary faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
Easier to interact with people here.	#FOCUS GROUP
Asset and Barrier - area not much to boast geographically, however it's the people.	#FOCUS GROUP
New leadership - giving people power and leadership roles.	#FOCUS GROUP
Does NBAF directly impact this? It is an attraction for researchers, which is a domino effect, with faculty awards, etc. Buy in from faculty that this is.	#FOCUS GROUP
Few, given the benchmarks don't include CVM.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reasonably loyal alumni "Top 50 graduates".	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF - more services, not so much grants.	#FOCUS GROUP
Very deserving faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
Possibility to hold another focus group.	#FOCUS GROUP
Motivated graduate student council that is working to increase the visibility of graduate students at KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
President Schulz has been supportive of the graduate student council by providing funding and attending monthly meetings. He recognizes the importance of graduate students and his involvement will help achieve the goal of increasing visibiilty and recognizing the value that graduate students bring to the university.	#FOCUS GROUP
There are a lot of departments engaging undergraduate students in research.	#FOCUS GROUP
We have well-placed and successful alumni.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase in tuition waivers for dependents and spouses from 3 to 7 hours.	#FOCUS GROUP
Local faculty who love to teach students. This makes K-State a special place.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF can be a huge asset but need to make sure it's a benefit to K-State and not a detriment.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF - it will be good for faculty with research projects and they can hire technical staff.	#FOCUS GROUP
Manhattan Regional Airport - getting it upgraded will be good for the region.	#FOCUS GROUP
Kansas has been designated as a business friendly state.	#FOCUS GROUP
Kansas Bioscience Authority and business-university collaborations - encourages education in sciences - boosts research - may have outlived its usefulness now that we have NBAF - could invest money diverted to KBA in universities and get the same result.	#FOCUS GROUP
Alumni are our strength.	#FOCUS GROUP
Citizens can be educated and work all in the same state - you can go from production agriculture on a family farm, to getting your education, to working in a national lab, and never leave the state.	#FOCUS GROUP
Physical plant.	#FOCUS GROUP
Work ethic of Kansans.	#FOCUS GROUP
People want to come back to Kansas.	#FOCUS GROUP
International students add a richness of diversity.	#FOCUS GROUP
Commercialization opportunities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Vet School and how it complements the research area and strong research in the agricultural base we have in Kansas.	#FOCUS GROUP
Personal touch of K-State family. Makes an impact.	#FOCUS GROUP
Accepting of other cultures. Encouraging of diversity.	#FOCUS GROUP
People come to K-State and end up staying.	#FOCUS GROUP
Ten-minute community with bigger cities nearby.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF factor.	#FOCUS GROUP
Entrepreneurship program. Utilize this to keep new business owners local.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF will ensure our chances of making our ultimate goal of attaining top 50 status. Private company take off's related to the research at NBAF will enhance our growth and encourage outstanding faculty to come to K-State. Alumni look forward to the movement of dirt and pouring of concrete ensuring NBAF's commitment to Manhattan and K-State. We must engage our political allies to push this project forward and ensure that allocations are made as needed to build the facility.	#FOCUS GROUP
Top notch faculty and dedicated staff.	#FOCUS GROUP
McNair program and others like this but we need to promote and increase support of these programs and create more programs like this.	#FOCUS GROUP
We are a 3 campus system, which is a huge asset, but needs to be branded better.	#FOCUS GROUP
The Olathe campus (Research Park) - but how is that research energy generalized to the other two campuses.	#FOCUS GROUP
Student services dedicated to retention (PILOTS, BRIDGES, Developing Scholars, etc.)	#FOCUS GROUP
Multicultural student and faculty/staff organizations.	#FOCUS GROUP
Diversity and Dual Career Development office - work on problem resolution with students and staff - university-wide programming.	#FOCUS GROUP
Diversity point people in Colleges.	#FOCUS GROUP
Multicultural student groups.	#FOCUS GROUP
Upward Bound, McNair, PILOTS, MEP	#FOCUS GROUP
Monetary gifts from Koch, Cargill, Dow Inc., Conoco Phillips.	#FOCUS GROUP
Dual career opportunity to keep or hire spouses.	#FOCUS GROUP
Alianza/BFSA - faculty led organization to provide support for students of color.	#FOCUS GROUP
Administration is ambitious and practical.	#FOCUS GROUP
Active international program that brings international students to Manhattan.	#FOCUS GROUP
Student advisors provide valuable service and advice.	#FOCUS GROUP
We are close to Ft. Riley so we need to leverage that opportunity to become a leading force in military research.	#FOCUS GROUP
In a general sense, the land grant mission opens doors for applied research and potential collaboration across disciplines.	#FOCUS GROUP
Some collaboration with other Regents' institutions.	#FOCUS GROUP
The integration of the Division of Communications and Marketing is a step forward in many areas. This can benefit our Research and Development and Endowment goals.	#FOCUS GROUP
Undergraduates who want to be involved in research can be involved - there is no shortage on research projects across campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Young campus students with positive mind set is an asset.	#FOCUS GROUP
Support between faculty members is an asset.	#FOCUS GROUP
Asset and Barrier - Salina small campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Top 5 Aviation College.	#FOCUS GROUP
One faculty member in Aviation is published.	#FOCUS GROUP
Excel in undergraduate teaching and athletics.	#FOCUS GROUP
Newly created Olathe campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Connection to KC and greater metro area will be helpful to K-State in endowment funds.	#FOCUS GROUP
Olathe campus is set to be a major influence on this, especially with regard to funding. We can help bring up the bar. It provides a "platform" and "portal" to K-State for them to display their research.	#FOCUS GROUP
In order to reach top 50, we need a significant urban presence that makes connections to main campus that adds to it. Barrier has been a connection to larger cities in surrounding areas. K-State Olathe will help in this area. KC and metro area is an untapped opportunity for K-State and this puts us in a good place to become top 50.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reports seem to indicate that K-State excels in undergraduate teaching and athletics (assets), but in greater KC, the opinion is we have a great institution already. Voters have a very HIGH perception of our university. Natural tendency is for us to have a glum outlook in time of recession; however, this is an opportunity to focus on and utilize our assets to get to top 50. Utlizing K-State Olathe will be key.	#FOCUS GROUP
Again, endowment could be upped by having connections to Olathe. Fundraising and maintaining relationships to bridge the gap and keep it closed has the potential to positively impact K-State and its ranking. There are untapped opportunties. Can improve research profile and endowments and retain faculty that have connection to KC.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF has a postive effect on K-State. Look for ways to increase funds from having the NBAF - more research dollars will flow in.	#FOCUS GROUP
Have more companies involved - example: Research Triangle Park.	#FOCUS GROUP
Teaching - what people like at K-State - build on it in research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Bring good, young people to K-State - even at the graduate student level.	#FOCUS GROUP
We are at an opportune time for recruitment and hiring with the economy.	#FOCUS GROUP
We produce quality undergraduates.	#FOCUS GROUP
Proximity to Fort Riley provides great potential.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF - will bring people with a broader mindset.	#FOCUS GROUP
Johnson Cancer Research program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Our unique traits that define K-State and our cultural identity.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty care about creating a name for themselves.	#FOCUS GROUP
One asset the University has in attracting faculty is great groups of people who work well together all across campus and we need to capitalize on the diversity of cultures and environment and make that a selling point in faculty recruitment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Cultures are shifting and because of that shift, it could help us think differently and empower people to consider new ways of thinking.	#FOCUS GROUP
What is good is that the junior people come in with good attitudes and a different mindset. They are willing to work with grad students and the people that are leaving are the people who are not willing. So there is a positive side to that as well.	#FOCUS GROUP
First Year Retention Rates: One of the top notch university of students in receiving awards (Truman scholars, etc.).	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF will provide opportunities in research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Manhattan is the place people want to live.	#FOCUS GROUP
The people who are focusing on student development and help the entire whole for students. The people on campus now that are servicing students and who will be the first people who provide the front line service to increase retention reate and graduation rate.	#FOCUS GROUP
KSU is seen as friendly.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF is an asset, but we have to have our own ducks in a row.	#FOCUS GROUP
Starting programs to help students coming to KSU to keeping them here, increasing 1st year retention.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reap benefits from alumni who started and loved KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research and development expenditures - NBAF coming and bringing companies and identifying what they want to partner with them to bring more faculty (money), which then results in more students participating in research. As a university, we can promote these private industries.	#FOCUS GROUP
Graduates having the opportunities to stay at KSU with NBAF coming to Manhattan.	#FOCUS GROUP
Have the image of being very accomodating, which is great for KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State First.	#FOCUS GROUP
Administration is doing a good job of being transparent.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty - committed to students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Emotional support of faculty and staff.	#FOCUS GROUP
Students are excellent, very involved, and emotionally invested.	#FOCUS GROUP
Sports + Success.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF - we need to be ready to use opportunity as a catalyst.	#FOCUS GROUP
Collaboration is a strength at K-State and in Kansas.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF will draw top scientists to NBAF, draw scientists to K-State and allied industries, improve collaborative research opportunities, and create linkages between KSU and NBAF.	#FOCUS GROUP
Great faculty and research base to build upon.	#FOCUS GROUP
Collaboration.	#FOCUS GROUP
Average K-Stater is passionate about their alma mater.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF.	#FOCUS GROUP
The base and collaboration.	#FOCUS GROUP
Strong university leadership and team spirit.	#FOCUS GROUP
A real aspiration and goal to stretch the university.	#FOCUS GROUP

Barriers
Salaries need to be competitive. The state legislature needs to care about higher ed.	#FACULTY #ALUMNI #PARENT #COMMUNITY
Strategically recruit/retain faculty that generate research funding	#FACULTY
Address recruiting/tenure process to emphasize research funding	#FACULTY
Among faculty: low salaries, non-existent raises, low morale	#FACULTY
Kansas has a smaller population than the other states in the charts.	#FACULTY
The Department of English has a technical writing component but not a research writing component, except one undergraduate course.	#FACULTY
Because of the TEVAL system, there is a climate of relatively low student expectation in courses.	#FACULTY
Because of infrastructure issues, teaching and research activities are curtailed compared to peer institutions.	#FACULTY
There is a lack of academic freedom at K-State compared to peer institutions. This "academic culture" issue must be shifted.	#FACULTY
Lack of money to recruit and retain good faculty	#FACULTY
Focus on undergraduate education/Belief that research is not important	#FACULTY
A lot of our buildings are a disgrace	#FACULTY
Lack of funding to do research the way it should be done	#FACULTY
Heavy teaching and service loads in many departments	#FACULTY
We're viewed as a mediocre university that is satisfied with mediocrity	#FACULTY
A lot of faculty are happy with things the way things were in the Wefald regime	#FACULTY
The town is small and the university doesn't care about things like child care or spousal employment	#FACULTY
Maintain our practice of distributing authority, responsibility, resources, and accountability throughout our organization.	#FACULTY
Continue to grow our student body, and thereby our alumni base.	#FACULTY
Take advantage of our ever-increasing alumni base to build our endowment and lessen our dependence on tax dollars.	#FACULTY
K-State is obscure. Salaries are not high enough to retain faculty. It is hard to maintain initiative with high turnover of faculty.	#FACULTY
It will be very difficult to achieve the Presidents vision without changing the applied research, student, and outreach focus at KSU.	#FACULTY
Culture of not always working together	#FACULTY
Provide more comprehensive support for faculty wanting to get external funding.	#FACULTY
Interact more with Manhattan to create a more desirable place to live, so we can recruit better faculty.	#FACULTY
We're seen as an ag & engineering school, but we need to attract top students in all faculties	#FACULTY
Raising the money to upgrade facilities; staff salaries.	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Overachieving faculty that leave because salaries are poor, infrastructure is crumbling.	#FACULTY
More money for faculty travel to conferences and for research at institutions such as the Library of Congress is imperative.	#FACULTY #PARENT
Lack of funding from the state of kansas, lack of dollars to support our top faculty, poor professional programs, Geographical location	#STUDENT
Lack of private donations from alumni to something other than scholarships.	#STUDENT
Not enough room or facilities to house our faculty and students which diverts them to other schools.	#STUDENT
Funding both state and local. Terrible facilities for teachers AND students. Poor salaries. Poor grad schools. Physical location	#STUDENT
Location	#STUDENT
Facilities, and deferred maintenance. We need to make sure that keep up our facilities.	#ALUMNI
Affordablity, we need to make K-State affordable and when tuition increases providing the proper amount of aid.	#ALUMNI
Scholarships do not cover the full cost of attending KSU, which means we can't always attract the best students.	#ALUMNI
Need attitude towards research/scholarship to shift and for it to be seen as a critical part of the job	#FACULTY
This is going to take money and lots of it at a time when resources are very limited.	#FACULTY
The older faculty, unclassified staff & leadership are blocking innovation & progress & running off talent	#ALUMNI #COMMUNITY
Lack of money. Lack of state support.	#FACULTY
Don't get hung up chasing only Federal dollars. Federal dollars are the perceived simple solution.	#FACULTY
physical facilities, salaries, already overworked faculty	#FACULTY
Office and lab space is inadequate for many faculty and graduate students	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Location of the school, lower revenue stream then other institutitions, Real or perceived bias against the school...	#ALUMNI
You don't have the Univesity supported core facilities to get this started.	#FACULTY
A top-heavy administration.	#ALUMNI
Isolated location, hick image	#ALUMNI
vagueness in goals, lack of clear strategy, unmotivated, traditional faculty with 60s-era mindsets, perhaps too much of the tenure system	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Market K-State and Manhattan for what we do well and our attributes	#ALUMNI
"Image" - Based upon the image of Clemson and Auburn, I was surprised to see IS ranked higher.	#ALUMNI
Achieving the higher metrics won't mean much if we still have the image of a small state school in the midwest.	#ALUMNI
Ability to attract major/award winning researchers to the area	#ALUMNI
money, more donations, scholarship opportunities, costs	#ALUMNI
In Kansas, problems with image east of Topeka. Do more to address that.	#ALUMNI
Increase endowments and extramural funding - the Kansas Legislature will never provide the funding that we need	#FACULTY
Without more funding, how can we attract and retain top faculty? The inability to mobilize dual hires will lead to faculty leaving us.	#FACULTY
Our state legislature does not recognize value of supporting education.	#FACULTY
Manhattan is not perceived as an attractive destination for faculty, especially those who are non-white and/or liberal.	#FACULTY
Most departments have sub-standard (or non-existent) research facilities.	#FACULTY
overpaid underqualified administration	#COMMUNITY
$$$$$	#STUDENT
Poor cooperation, coordination and collaboration among departments and colleges.	#ALUMNI
No vision and strategy to achieve vision.	#ALUMNI
provincialism and lack of confidence in K-state	#FACULTY
The school needs to reach for more foreign students. Manhattan should also become a place of fun and youth. Like University of Illinois.	#ALUMNI
Our nearly open admissions presents a significant barrier to the benchmarks involving undergraduate retention and graduation.	#FACULTY
Many of the eight benchmarks require money - not an asset that apears to be readily available	#FACULTY
Resource shortage - too few faculty, not enough research space, etc.	#FACULTY
Difficulty in attracting the best to students and faculty to KSU due to location and scholarships/wages.	#FACULTY
getting rid of and downgrading the sports spending	#STUDENT
Besides more faculty the biggest barrier is space (instructonal and research)	#FACULTY #ALUMNI #PARENT
Consistent administrative support	#FACULTY
Work between departments on joint projects of broader scope than has been traditionally seen is hampered by territorialism	#FACULTY
Governement and private corporation intervention/influence.	#PARENT #COMMUNITY
Failure to focus and do cluster hires to achieve excellence in research	#FACULTY
Lack of grad student tuition waivers	#FACULTY
more money to start a religion dept
Honesty rather than public relations regarding currrent distance from Top 50's.	#FACULTY
Financial woes and taking money away from places that need it most	#STUDENT
Stale bureacratic practices - redundant and outdated offices/roles, self-destructive competitiveness	#FACULTY
low institutional self-esteem	#FACULTY
Xenophobic beliefs and attitudes	#FACULTY
Fear of rejection	#FACULTY
incestuous hiring, preference for locals (creating a groupthink mentality)	#FACULTY
We need to have access to human subjects approval 12 months a year.	#FACULTY
We need to promote the University based on real accomplishments and strenghts.	#FACULTY
We need endowed chairs to bring in and retain top level faculty members	#FACULTY
We need to convince the Regents and State Legislators that we are as worthy of support as the University of Kansas	#FACULTY
financial. we need to allocate resources according to our clear priorities.	#ALUMNI
The current Top 50 institutions will work to maintain their positions or move ahead so moving past them will be virtually impossible.	#ALUMNI
poor funding. we need to add programs and resources and faculty.
airport, transportation	#ALUMNI
A major barrier (besides salary range) is the difficulty of persuading top researchers and their spouses to move to Manhattan.	#FACULTY
Be efficient and cost effective showing the rest of the public institutions how to get max return on taxpayer investment.	#ALUMNI
to attract excellent faculty	#FACULTY
Need to focus on undergrad teaching, forget the PHD instructors that can't get down to an undergrads level	#ALUMNI #PARENT
No medical school	#ALUMNI
No law school	#ALUMNI
Funding	#ALUMNI
Lack of elite researchers	#ALUMNI
Mentality change. Average on everything. No pay raise for postdocs.	#FACULTY
Need to increase pay for advisor	#FACULTY
Award new ideas instead of placing barriers up for those that want to be innovators the status quo is hard to change	#FACULTY
Regional publicity.	#ALUMNI
Comfortability with the status quo, a willingness to embrace the next generation of ideas	#FACULTY #ALUMNI
Costs	#FACULTY
National recognition, expanding our brand, financial limitations, small alumni base, poor facilities, non-competitive salaries	#STUDENT
Location and reputation as a "farm school"	#ALUMNI
THE STATE'S CONSERVATIVE ANTI-INTELLECTUAL REPUTATION	#ALUMNI
budget for campus and faculty and tuition for students	#STUDENT
Need coordination of existing decentralized assets, maybe some addl courses to fill gaps.	#ALUMNI
Show that K-State not only has high educational standards, but community standards as well.	#ALUMNI
K-Staters are involved and give back to their community. Free public relations	#ALUMNI
Engage alumni to talk to future students and industry groups about K-State	#ALUMNI
Promote the K-State success story outside of the state of Kansas	#ALUMNI
@doctorates minimization of graduate student presence & talent	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates minimization of talent & life experience of non-traditional students	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates exclusive (ivory tower) attitude that ridicules tech colleges & CCs	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates gender bias within engineering/mathematics/computer science	#FACULTY #STUDENT
@doctorates minimal linkages between (for instance) mathematics and education	#FACULTY #STUDENT
the mindset of old faculty members	#ALUMNI
Language barries; many students and faculty have English as a second language	#STUDENT
Open, honest, accountable, and collaborative effort to align culture with vision 2025	#FACULTY
K-State is known as the "Ag school" and K-State needs to find a way to overcome this	#STUDENT
K-State being known as very "conservative" scares some away	#STUDENT
we have not been able to gather the information from the various programs and departments - lack of data sharing	#FACULTY
funds and approvals	#STUDENT
Low stipends for Graduate Teaching Assistants in core disciplines (e.g. math), which impede recruitment esp. of quality domestic students.	#FACULTY
UG admission standards are a barrier, however, K-State is a public university and should remain a "farily" open enrollment process	#ALUMNI
Image as agricultural college with little to offer those interested in liberal arts	#ALUMNI
Funding to support expansion of research and hiring of necessary faculty	#ALUMNI
Competition with other universities for state funding	#ALUMNI
don't glorify athletic; no quality student would choose a university for the sake of its name in sports.
There are few top programs, so the barriers should be minimal.	#COMMUNITY
Improving facility's, improving student body size, and improving research programs.	#STUDENT
Other "competitors" in the market as defined above.	#ALUMNI
The system of student representation as it is now.	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Infrastructure. While some of the buildings are very nice, others require basic, energy-saving updates	#FACULTY
"Because it's always been done that way." Seek out and try to understand resistance to change across campus.	#FACULTY
Limited awareness of importance and role of international research and relationships in strengthening institutional prestige	#FACULTY
A culture change so that research is truly valued, no something to be tolerated	#FACULTY
Limited investment in improving infrastructures	#FACULTY
Lack of money and scholarships available for 5th-year students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Close proximity to professional schools (e.g., leaving K-State early for nursing).	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of tutoring for college-specific courses.	#FOCUS GROUP
Advising.	#FOCUS GROUP
Inefficient advising and pre-advising.	#FOCUS GROUP
Non-living group students are reluctant to get involved.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack mentoring of Freshmen by Seniors.	#FOCUS GROUP
Many core classes are available for a cheaper price at JUCOs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Communication about changing curriculum.	#FOCUS GROUP
Checklist for what students actually need to take.	#FOCUS GROUP
Scholarships for open option.	#FOCUS GROUP
Funding.	#FOCUS GROUP
Communication between programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
"Big" school.	#FOCUS GROUP
Isolated.	#FOCUS GROUP
KU.	#FOCUS GROUP
Community colleges.	#FOCUS GROUP
Public transportation within Manhattan.	#FOCUS GROUP
No large airport.	#FOCUS GROUP
Rising tuition.	#FOCUS GROUP
Costs of textbooks.	#FOCUS GROUP
Marketing and publicity (windmills are only scenery on ESPN).	#FOCUS GROUP
Strong "Ag" feel.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase culture.	#FOCUS GROUP
TEVALS.	#FOCUS GROUP
Students transferring out.	#FOCUS GROUP
Advising costs money.	#FOCUS GROUP
Manhattan as a town.	#FOCUS GROUP
Leveling the "scholar" playing field, EMAT (Every Man a Truman).	#FOCUS GROUP
Dead week isn't real.	#FOCUS GROUP
Tough to finish honors program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Do we know why students leave K-State? This information would be useful in allocating resources and designing programs to meet needs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Do we adequately address overwhelmed students? Perception was that students are overwhelmed and often do not know immeidately where to go for assistance. Students feel overwhelmed in large classes.	#FOCUS GROUP
Do we leverage the academic advisor relationship to our advantage? Perception was that academic advising is uneven in terms of quality and advisor attention across colleges. Concerns were voiced about Arts & Sciences students and undecided students. Students need more time with advisors. One parent reported that his student "didn't get the time of day" from her advisor. Students need reassurance in class selection and class options.	#FOCUS GROUP
Parents expressed concern about classes being cancelled at what they viewed as an excessive rate. One parent said her daughter walked to campus in the rain only to find her class was cancelled.	#FOCUS GROUP
Do we help students know where to go when things go wrong?	#FOCUS GROUP
Alcohol use and misuse is a challenge in the college environment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Perceived barrier is the tenure process. Tenured professors were described as complacent and uncaring towards students and their success.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of a medical school is a barrier to offering research opportunities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Standards for entering the college of engineering. - we let everyone in - should we be more stringent in acceptance rates?	#FOCUS GROUP
We don't have enough college/university-wide fellowship programs. 4 out of 5 accepted into this fellowship-money.	#FOCUS GROUP
GRA - no tuition waiver.	#FOCUS GROUP
Administrators not effective, need to make connections, be more in touch with what we were funded, walking corridors for DC, bigger presence in DC, program manager...target in on one project.	#FOCUS GROUP
Always behind schedule - forward looking administrators, not just earmarks, but establishing relationships with program manager.	#FOCUS GROUP
Pre-Awards - work hard, but may be overworked.	#FOCUS GROUP
No structure for interdisciplinary work.	#FOCUS GROUP
We don't have the basic centers that other Universities have.	#FOCUS GROUP
Funding bulletin comes out too late.	#FOCUS GROUP
Different colleges "bean counting" - inconsistency in funding with divisions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Technically advanced - we are not seen as this in NSF's mind.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to have university-wide resources to be able to support all areas of campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Number of programs vs. number of faculty don't allow much time to the assessing of benchmarking to be successful.	#FOCUS GROUP
Community/area has limited resources to draw faculty and students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Funding trends tend to send us to the bottom - that may continue to happen.	#FOCUS GROUP
We are too decentralized.	#FOCUS GROUP
Making of local decisions.	#FOCUS GROUP
How do we set the priorities? Someone has to be enforced to make/set the priorities.	#FOCUS GROUP
We haven't hired anyone and lost a lot of faculty - hire mostly at the assistant professor level because of funding - departing senior faculty are replaced by assistant professors.	#FOCUS GROUP
Overall we just don't have the culture of excellence at K-State - no culture in certain departments/no expectations - we need to change this - get people fired up.	#FOCUS GROUP
We are traditionally underfunded but do amazingly well for what we have - everything that will help will cost a lot of money - more facilities and more faculty are the two key issues - they are the goal and the barrier.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack resources for PhD programs - would need significant increase in funding for graduate students, library resources, etc., - would rather have no PhD program than a bad one - without adequate staffing and funding, faculty would rather put their efforts into their own research and publishing.	#FOCUS GROUP
In certain fields no one would ever be promoted if these types of grant funding were required - they just aren't available - there are other elements of scholarship.	#FOCUS GROUP
We need a whole lot of money - some of us can't pull our weight in terms of bringing in external dollars.	#FOCUS GROUP
There are departments that have not done a substantial amount of research in a long time - in some cases, faculty have given up and are discouraged because of teaching loads, etc., - there are many departments capable of doing research, but have been knocked down many times - deans and department heads need to change this culture and push to turn things around.	#FOCUS GROUP
Disparate IT systems are not integrated.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is no relationship between the IT organization and the research organization at the university. IT should be part of research proposals to aid healthy research endeavors of the university.	#FOCUS GROUP
A lack of emphasis on IT as a player in the success of the university was evident in the Research Infrastructure Task Force Report as there was only two paragraphs devoted to IT. There is a major lack of undertanding of how important IT is to the entire university.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is no formal coordination, initially or ongoing, between IT and colleges, with investments and strategic planning for purchase of IT equipment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Not recognized for articles, awards, etc., if it's not in their discipline.	#FOCUS GROUP
Holes in faculty because of attrition.	#FOCUS GROUP
Are people in your department willing to hire people better than they are?	#FOCUS GROUP
Big problems with personnel on Salina.	#FOCUS GROUP
Underproductive at research and teaching - tenure, tenure documents, chronic underachievement, "standards so low you can't roll underneath them".	#FOCUS GROUP
Is money an issue with retention?	#FOCUS GROUP
We don't do a great job at helping people write grants, especially when they are new. Many institutions have "grant writers" or mentors from those with experience.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty Awards.	#FOCUS GROUP
People here are very deserving, but there's no one to put together those applications.	#FOCUS GROUP
Big change.	#FOCUS GROUP
Shouldn't be done at the expense of the undergraduates.	#FOCUS GROUP
There's no set salary for Graduate Students - highest $35,000 but they have special training.	#FOCUS GROUP
Graduate students, particularly international students, are underserved. There is an expectation that they have a particular level of knowledge and the tools needed to be successful, but that is not always the case.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is a lack of assessment. Researchers may not understand all needs of data support and the Librarian may not clearly know the needs of the researcher.	#FOCUS GROUP
We do a terrible job of promoting what we do. The GIS program is not widely know on campus and should be. Many times we undersell what we can do because we don't have the capacity to handle the projected demand...for example, document support...faculty does not always communicate what they need and choose to go elsewhere.	#FOCUS GROUP
There are, at times, communication issues. Faculty, when hired, are promised certain resources but that need is not always communicated to the Library, so we are unable to support the research of the faculty member. Need to inform and communicate to the people involved before making promises so we can assure we have the ability to fulfill their needs.	#FOCUS GROUP
The University says NO to a lot of requests due to budgetary concerns. We are resource-strapped.	#FOCUS GROUP
We tend to be reluctant to take chances and seem too afraid of failure. But taking chances will create exposure, which is good.	#FOCUS GROUP
Geographic location.	#FOCUS GROUP
Educating students on research opportunities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Tuition.	#FOCUS GROUP
Funds and other resources (for GTAs, GRAs, and GAs).	#FOCUS GROUP
Other Board of Regents institutions and Washburn University.	#FOCUS GROUP
Graduate students do not receive as much financial support through assistantships compared with peer institutions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Student Governing Association is dominated by undergrads, therefore the small number of representatives from the graduate students do not feel like their voice is heard on legislative issues, which is frustrating since they contribute so much to research and teaching at KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
We don't have the capacity to grow (space, faculty, etc.).	#FOCUS GROUP
Funding/Resources (how is it allocated?).	#FOCUS GROUP
Capacity to grow.	#FOCUS GROUP
Developing priorities - can't fund everything.	#FOCUS GROUP
Deferred maintenance.	#FOCUS GROUP
Maintain current enrollment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Retaining good people/salaries.	#FOCUS GROUP
Incentive-based programs - can we create this?	#FOCUS GROUP
Engaging faculty - will they want to be engaged?	#FOCUS GROUP
There is no mechanism to adequately track and measure students' contributions to research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Advisors are overworked so it's difficult to give students attention they need and makes it difficult to retain them.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty salaries are too low.	#FOCUS GROUP
Culture change is needed for Facilities administration to know priorities - Anderson Hall administrators need to tell Facilities administrators what is truly a priority (research/teaching vs. administration) if we want to make it to the top 50. There exists an impression that serious faculty issues (related to lab and instruction spaces) get overlooked, yet any work order from Anderson Hall gets immediate attention.	#FOCUS GROUP
Limited resources are not strategically committed.	#FOCUS GROUP
Moving facilities/programs to where it's expedient rather than where it's wisest (i.e., moving Animal Support Facility to a flood plain to make room for NBAF).	#FOCUS GROUP
Losing state employees to federal employers (NBAF, Ft. Riley) due to better pay structures.	#FOCUS GROUP
Cuts to custodial services staff impacts the image of departments and university to outside visitors.	#FOCUS GROUP
Why are students leaving - financial or academic? Hard to suggest a solution if we don't know why.	#FOCUS GROUP
Money - salaries to attract and retain high-quality faculty isn't available.	#FOCUS GROUP
Legislature - in terms of our diminishing level of support to our universities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Are we doing too many things in the university? Do we need to focus on what we're good at?	#FOCUS GROUP
Duplication of programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Number of state-funded institutions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Incentives to doing research while in school. Are they known so students will avail themselves of research opportunities?	#FOCUS GROUP
Population of state - we do not compare population-wise to Iowa.	#FOCUS GROUP
People can't afford to come back to Kansas because there are no jobs and/or salaries are not competitive.	#FOCUS GROUP
We don't advertise our strengths as much as we should.	#FOCUS GROUP
Perception is that in the middle of Kansas we are not accepting of different cultures, nationalities, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
Inferiority complex.	#FOCUS GROUP
Too decentralized - message needs to be crystallized.	#FOCUS GROUP
Manhattan living - we have expensive cost of living, however, what do we offer? What do we have that offsets that? Quality of life is good; low crime rate; proximity; near larger metro areas (Topeka, KC, etc.)	#FOCUS GROUP
Dual career opportunities - Can the city work with the Office of Diversity and Dual Career to try to improve the dual career opportunities? K-State has lost several prospects because of not being able to find career opportunity for mate. Chamber does help in welcoming new faculty and families. How can we improve communication in this area?	#FOCUS GROUP
Talented faculty but need more resources and a workload to support their research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of funds to increase programming, fund research, and hire faculty and staff.	#FOCUS GROUP
Campus commitment to diversity/welcoming climate.	#FOCUS GROUP
Losing faculty/staff of color.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of professional mentorship.	#FOCUS GROUP
No incentive to diversity faculty/staff.	#FOCUS GROUP
Drop out rates of multicultural students - there needs to be centralized retention efforts in Diversity and Dual Career Office.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of critical mass of faculty and staff on tenure track.	#FOCUS GROUP
General lack of appreciation for diversity work on campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of knowledge about what the other K-State campuses are doing so it is hard to collaborate with them. Focus needs to be defined for the 3 campuses.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is no formula for the number of graduate students and course workload. You cannot negotiate your teaching load when you are also required to work with graduate students and get them through their programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Recruitment is not intense enough to get a diverse applicant pool.	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention is difficult because there are no mentors and limited number of faculty of color.	#FOCUS GROUP
Too centralized - dollars are wasted in overlapping programs, classes, and services.	#FOCUS GROUP
Unequal funding and staffing status/opportunity in different schools/colleges within KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
Hard to keep top researchers.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty salaries are not competitive. Low salaries = low morale.	#FOCUS GROUP
Our reputation is based on the integrity of our colleges, but that is a double edged sword - these colleges create "silo" or "turfs". They are unwilling to share resources or collaborate - a campus cultural bias.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of faculty/staff diversity leaves us mono-cultural when conducting research - institutional bias interferes with research and other growth.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of fringe benefits as compared to other public institutions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of support for current staff to seek graduate degrees.	#FOCUS GROUP
Accessibility issues for the community to gain access to K-State's arts experiences must be overcome, especially with regard to parking and wheelchair seating at performances.	#FOCUS GROUP
Arts funding for facility [McCain Auditorium} and programming upgrades.	#FOCUS GROUP
Facilities is another issue. Some areas seem to benefit more than others. There are several buildings in need of updating and repair. There doesn't seem to be enough support from the state. Are other schools better marketing or better talking to the state?	#FOCUS GROUP
Graduate students (low numbers). I know in our department there has not been a lot of support for graduate students. I have not seen a commitment from the University. Our charge has not been to cover them as we should. Most of the work is focused on the undergraduate level. We haven't tapped the graduate pool enough.	#FOCUS GROUP
Websites not consistent across the university and some are just bad.	#FOCUS GROUP
Facilities - the last two buildings built were not designed as classroom facilities, so they do not alleviate the need for classrooms for other programs. As far as Faculty Awards and National Academy members, we need the facilities to support them.	#FOCUS GROUP
Barrier is the number of community colleges within Kansas. Iowa has a significantly lower amount. Therefore, state funds are divided up between more public institutions in Kansas.	#FOCUS GROUP
Paperwork can be too time consuming.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty members have full teaching loads - achieving and maintaining certification in aviation is on-going and time-consuming.	#FOCUS GROUP
Funding.	#FOCUS GROUP
Deterioriating facilities (buildings, laboratories, etc., in need of maintenance).	#FOCUS GROUP
Seems that repetition in positions for each unit happens a lot. Is this needed? For example, IT support and marketing and communications are duplicated among colleges. This could possibly be part of decentralization. This can be both an asset and barrier. It appears that K-State is working towards becoming more centralized.	#FOCUS GROUP
Facilities are important and K-State Olathe provides an attractive opportunity with lab facilities available and office space for incoming faculty. This can build on a cluster of experience. On the flip side, K-State Manhattan campus has a barrier with current facilities and their need of maintenance. Infrastructure is an expensive problem to fix. This needs attention to attract appropriate faculty. However, focus can be given to raising money to renovate and upgrade. At this point, it doesn't seem we can expect the state to do more.	#FOCUS GROUP
One of the biggest problems I see is the NBAF (National Bio and Agro-defense Facility) that is going to be settled right in the middle of campus. I believe that in terms of the development of the university, it could hurt-especially in terms of endowed support for the university and obtaining students. There is tremendous fear. The scientific faculty were told not to talk about it. Even though it seems like it's a victory to those at the top, I think it's going to hurt us, and I think that it should stop right now.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty might be harder to recruit and retain also if NBAF is on campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
In Arts and Sciences, some departments don't hae the necessary resources to conduct their research. Departments are struggling to get funds.	#FOCUS GROUP
There are huge differences in departments' infrastructure. The sciences have more than the social sciences and humanities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Infrastructure is critical. It is very important and I think we lack infrastructure at K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
We cannot do quality research if we do not have quality graduate students.	#FOCUS GROUP
We have a hard tme recruiting graduates because the stipends are so low here; students go to other schools that pay more.	#FOCUS GROUP
We lose so many students because we cannot compete with other institutions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Most departments have low numbers in faculty, so have no one to teach the courses.	#FOCUS GROUP
Junior faculty don't have time to do research because of their class workloads, which means we could possibly lose them.	#FOCUS GROUP
Salary is a big problem is we want to transform this institution to a top 50.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of funding/resources.	#FOCUS GROUP
Salaries - can we pay Top 50 salaries?	#FOCUS GROUP
Hiring more senior faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
Method for measuring performance (metrics).	#FOCUS GROUP
Communication (working together).	#FOCUS GROUP
External revenue source.	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State's current structure.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks - are we setting ourselves up for failure?	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention.	#FOCUS GROUP
Convince Kansas that Higher Education is a right, not a privilege (we need state support).	#FOCUS GROUP
The Graduate School has some practical problems. Money is a problem - there is none.	#FOCUS GROUP
The separation of the Dean of Graduate School/Vice President for Research may have weakened the Graduate School. If we eliminate barriers, we may need to rethink our funding and other administrative aspects of the Graduate School.	#FOCUS GROUP
Department Heads stay way too long (3-6 years, then out). The Department Heads tend to turn towards the Dean instead of talking to the faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
KSU Foundation focuses too much on other things - ex: undergraduates, buildings, and football.	#FOCUS GROUP
Funding/Resources - how do we balance?	#FOCUS GROUP
Size of our departments (# of faculty members).	#FOCUS GROUP
Infrastructure.	#FOCUS GROUP
Salaries.	#FOCUS GROUP
Geographic disadvantage.	#FOCUS GROUP
Cultural change.	#FOCUS GROUP
Educating the Board of Regents (what it takes to be in the Top 50).	#FOCUS GROUP
Preaward Services is still quite understaffed. They desperately need more staff to assist faculty in the proposal preparation and submission (i.e., industry funding is waiting on Preaward to process before the funds can be deposited - sometime as long or longer than 2-3 months).	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #4 - External Faculty Awards. Kansas and Kansas State University presents recruitment difficulties as our image isn't the greatest.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #5 - Doctorates Granted. Difficulty recruiting top level graduate students - as when a really good student applies, often funds or at least sufficient and competitive funds are not available and they have to let the student go. Then when they do have grant funding to support a student, they don't get the quality of applications they hoped for.	#FOCUS GROUP
We are cutting budgets, freezing faculty positions, and increasing class sizes. When our teachers are teaching more, then they have less time to do research.	#FOCUS GROUP
If you are going to be a research school, you have to commit in a big way and that frankly won't happen here.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is a conflict with funding and the activities that are rewarded.	#FOCUS GROUP
I don't see how in any of these we will be top 50 unless the endowment is doubled.	#FOCUS GROUP
You lose a quality faculty member that is doing good research and it's more expensive to hire to replace them.	#FOCUS GROUP
The very productive people will always have an outlet to find a new job and it's unbalanced. Because of the market, we have access to good people - we just aren't utlizing it.	#FOCUS GROUP
Mentoring - we don't do a very good job of mentoring new faculty. The first year I was thrown in a pool. And mentoring can bring a lot of people together. I've written several articles and books with my last mentor. I still call my advisor for information.	#FOCUS GROUP
The biggest stumbling block in the College of Business is that we don't have a Ph.D. program and everyone else in the Big Twelve does. We will not get to the top 50 without it and in business especially.	#FOCUS GROUP
Major contributing factor to our low percentages in Freshman-to-Sophomore Retention Ratio and Six-Year Graduation Rate could be attributed to our low admission standards. That requiring students to only meet 1 of 3 criteria for admission may be setting some students up for failure and that many of the admitted students do not possess the skills necessary for success in college.	#FOCUS GROUP
Infrastructure is not there for the doctoral level.	#FOCUS GROUP
Major challenges are budget restrictions.	#FOCUS GROUP
The difference between bench and applied sciences and the recognition given respectively.	#FOCUS GROUP
Problems within the University start with the budget in terms of recruitment and retention of faculty, as there will not be merit increases and K-State is unable to provide competitive employment packages to any potential faculty members compared to those provided by our peer institutions.	#FOCUS GROUP
Regarding the generation and use of new funds, the University seems able to start new initiatives, but rarely has an exit strategy. Some of these new initiatives are kept going (using lots of resources) when maybe they have passed their time.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty evaluations often disincentivize entrepreneurship and creativity by giving poor reviews to faculty whose creative efforts fail or do not succeed within the evaluation cycles of review (annual, mid-tenure, tenure, and promotion).	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of consistency in the tenure expectations across departments due to the University's decentralized system. While the decentralized system has its value, it also has a tendency to place a large burden on department heads.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is not complete harmony across the university on many issues because we are so decentralized.	#FOCUS GROUP
Since we currently emphasize undergraduate education, we lose the ability to develop competitive packages to attract more graduate students. Specific fundraising for graduate programs is difficult. It is harder to get donors to provide scholarships and fellowships to support graduate students as opposed to undergraduate students since most of our donors are alums of our undergraduate programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
It's an added disadvantage being in the middle of Kansas so we need to be offering more. K-State is well below stipend in peer groups.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty members are timid about research - is there some training (or resources) that we could provide for more confidence? You have to build layers and for faculty who have been teaching successfully, it can be very hard to transition.	#FOCUS GROUP
How do you mentor new faculty when senior faculty members have not been engaged in the same culture?	#FOCUS GROUP
The main message K-State sends now is student-centered and athletics. Not much marketing to show we even do research. We need the communications people to understand the complexity of research.	#FOCUS GROUP
We can't absorb 16,000 members into the research program. A research active faculty member can't be involved with too many students because it takes time. Is it realistic? You have to have the people and the capacity to make it work.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is absolutely no time for my faculty to engage in research because we are a big department. We don't have time to do research. Our department is targeting undergraduates.	#FOCUS GROUP
10% of my students might benefit from hands on research in my department. Of course, it is always good for students to be exposed to research, but every student isn't going to be interested in research.	#FOCUS GROUP
There are two types of research foundations - intellectual property and fundraising. We are not utilizing that effectively.	#FOCUS GROUP
It won't happen in the facilities we work in. We can't hire. We can put all the money that we want into getting the people, but we don't have the facilities.	#FOCUS GROUP
We do subsidize our teaching with research dollars. The SRO is needed just to operate the office and that's kind of the way we operate everything here at K-State. You find the resources to do what you need to do. Kansas has three places of higher learning per capita - by far, that's bigger than Iowa.	#FOCUS GROUP
Students and stakeholders can't be thrown under a bus. Building a culture of research is very different than being a Top 50 institution. It's not about keeping busy - it's about keeping busy at what? The goal is to be an excellent university. If we could develop more collaborative team-based long term goals and really try to compete in areas that we have strengths in, we would be successful. Every department is fighting separately. People work in silos.	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention is an overall problem. People want to leave.	#FOCUS GROUP
If we keep developing the community in a way that does not inspire people to live here, then they don't want to be at K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research and development expenditures - changes are needed within the university to let CAPD know about opportunities - need more support and more information shared related to funding activities. CAPD does not know what opportunities some of the listed benchmarks contain. How do they nominate for faculty awards? How do they get listed to academies?	#FOCUS GROUP
All faculty in CAPD have the same expectations (heavy in teaching). Faculty have limited time for funded research because they primarily teach (and these teaching commitments are often very labor intensive). However, CAPD faculty believe they excel in the last three selected benchmarks (retention, graduation rate, and undergraduate research experience).	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention Rates: Academic advising - ratio of advisors to students needs to be lower, uneven advising between colleges and departments. How much help do academic advisors give students with problems?	#FOCUS GROUP
First Year Retention Rates: Many KSU students who are from rural communities are getting smacked in the face with the reality of college and having negative experiences at the beginning of their experiences.	#FOCUS GROUP
First Year Retention Rates: Compartmentalization. Students get caught into a program and the teachers have no sensitivity in their students and are focused on research and departments. Value the research and students are getting caught in the cracks and not making it through their undergraduate programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
First Year Retention Rates: Barriers for students that are transferring from community colleges and getting them into the appropriate advising and what programs are here and available.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research is not the reason students come to KSU. Doesn't seem to correlate with why we are getting kids to KSU. Lack of support both academically and socially. How to incorporate the community for ALL students (racial, ethnic, etc.). May not feel comfortable in all areas.	#FOCUS GROUP
Financial reasons hold up students or they don't know what they want to do (six year graduation rate).	#FOCUS GROUP
Staffing our programs - career center has no student workers - very counter productive to student services overall.	#FOCUS GROUP
No consistency across the board at the graduate level. Horrible mess of customer service. No power at the actual graduate school. Assistantships are low/tuition fees. Spouse and dependents' tuition (only in Big 12).	#FOCUS GROUP
Advising issues in each college.	#FOCUS GROUP
Not an effectively coordinated retention rates.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lots of students not academically prepared to come to KSU. Basically anyone can get into KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
Students who have no focus on graduation as their final goal.	#FOCUS GROUP
Many coming to do research will not want to do advising. Advisors on campus stretched too thin in being able to keep up with the demand of students on campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
By having this image [of being accomodating], we spread our resources too thin.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reinstatement to the university standards aren't at the standard they need to be. Even if no academic progress has been made - not helping the students when they haven't proved to work hard. How long do you let the students?	#FOCUS GROUP
Exhausting and frustrating - the process of trying to get things done.	#FOCUS GROUP
Mindset that "K-State" is already doing everything right - attitude change. We must look at other institutions' programs that are successful and be willing to change for the better.	#FOCUS GROUP
Time/work/people time - sacrifices, not extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation will eventually wear thin.	#FOCUS GROUP
People who are effective are tired of these "just hanging on".	#FOCUS GROUP
Possible ways to be compensated without using monetary bumps.	#FOCUS GROUP
Admission criterion.	#FOCUS GROUP
Diversity needs to have a focus in the student life area, not just academic. No multi-cultural center. Needs to be more inclusive - not just African Americans, not just race. Not always supportive of different kinds of diversity activities, especially with Salina activities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Total endowment increase will be difficult as all other initiatives require money to improve - a sort of counter production.	#FOCUS GROUP
How to engage students who are not involved.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reporting what we are doing already.	#FOCUS GROUP
Can provide and communicate info on 2025 to students/faculty/alumni, but not all will take action.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need more resources, non-state resources.	#FOCUS GROUP
Lack of resources.	#FOCUS GROUP
Have we picked the right broad markers that everyone can agree on.	#FOCUS GROUP
Regarding research, teaching, and extension - there is a real division between research and the others.	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State's geography.	#FOCUS GROUP
Historically, K-State doesn't toot its horn. K-Staters are too modest.	#FOCUS GROUP
The image of the state of Kansas hurts us.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is a barrier between those wanting centralized administrative university governance and those wanting decentralized administrative governance. The general public doesn't know or understand how K-State is governed internally. They only hear the "news".	#FOCUS GROUP
Workloads for faculty has made it difficult for them to focus on external applications.	#FOCUS GROUP
Admission standards - we try to be all things to all people. This tends to spread us thin and then we are not as effective as we should be.	#FOCUS GROUP
Worry about 15 years time frame and ownership. Everyone needs to tie in. Magna Carta to sign to help transition for buy in. Business community has ability to make decisions and instantly move ahead. Universities don't move as quickly - if going to set mandate for change - why could speed move quicker rather than "it just takes longer." Charter schools moving forward - need to have attitudinal change to make it happen. Higher education moves slowly.	#FOCUS GROUP

Additional comments
Provost Mason lack of understanding in awarding raises to persons on grant support is indicative of the lack of awareness of the whole researech process. Can we assume that she will provide salaries to persons whose funding runs out in the following year in order for them to get the raise they were denied this year?	#FACULTY
I believe K-state once had a reduced tuition program (paying in-state tuition) for graduate students' spouses. I believe that was a very attractive offer for graduate students to come to K-state. Missouri, Texas, and many other states allow graduate students under a quarter assistantship to pay in-state tuition. However, Kansas does not allow this. No wonder the two above mentioned suggestions are deeply related to the enrollment and qualification of graduate students.	#FACULTY
Support the faculty and staff financially (income, research travel money, grants, vacation, etc). Each year, with cost of living increasing, we are being asked to do more work for less money. Its unfair to say the least. Excellence cannot be expected when there is near zero incentive for both faculty and staff. Where is the support?
The best way to show strong research at an institution is the publication record. The publications record influences grant proposals, which is another way of indicating strong research at an institution. Many researchers have difficulty with the publication component of the research process, and KSU does not have a focused, dedicated set of courses to help with that component. The English department does have a technical writing program with an undergraduate constituency, but nothing directly focused on graduate level writing. There are many resources available, but they are scattered around the university, not consistently available, and not necessarily part of academic units. I strongly suggest having a single academic unit, like the English department, provide instruction for undergraduates and graduates on writing research for publication. All other writing instruction can be coordinated with that unit.	#FACULTY
We can't be good at everything. At the same time, most of the universities already in the Top 50 are good in many areas. We need to avoid doing things that cause us to be viewed as a "top ag school" or a "top tech school". We need to decide on a minimum standard for all of the colleges in the university. It will take a lot more to compete with NC State than just dumping money into a few departments.	#FACULTY
The successes of the past 20 years have been phenomenal. KSU has made incredible progress BECAUSE of the 5 areas of focus listed above. The 2025 visioning process sets forth new and different measures, but the bottom line is, we will be judged by our employers (the public) as successful if we simply continue to improve in the areas listed above.	#FACULTY
It seems to me that winning the NBAF facility for Manhattan indicates that by a substantial number of measures we are already a top tier research university. Therefore, I would start by questioning the validity of the measures that show us as being about number 85. By continuing to focus on the things that we already do well, and by doing a good job of managing our relationship with NBAF, we can earn the stature we seek, regardless of the measures chosen.	#FACULTY
My sincere hope is that K-State does not lose its strong focus on students by pursuing a more competitive research status. It is one of the things that is most attractive to me about K-State. K-State has a very personal feel about it, which was not the case at the larger, more research-focused university from which I came.	#FACULTY
These exercises are extremely frustrating to me. We have several faculty in our department that are recognized as the very best in their professional societies; however, these rankings mean nothing in the "new" metrics being proposed. The metrics as designed do not reward excellence in teaching, applied research, or outreach. All three of these are areas where K-State, and especially our department, excels compared to the peer institutions in your list. We would have to eliminate 50% of our current faculty and hire basic researchers for our department to be successful in these metrics. My main question is: Why does KSU have to follow the route of every other major land-grant university and ignore stakeholders and students in order to chase basic research grant dollars? All of these other universities are struggling with relevancy in their states and we are proposing following their lead.	#FACULTY
I feel a big thing holding us back is the fact almost anyone from high school can get in. A 2.0 GPA is not that hard to achieve and neither is a 21 on the ACT. I feel that if you raise the standards up to a 2.5 and a 23 on the ACT, more of the students would be quality students. This would in turn increase the retention rate. The higher academic standards also would increase the prestige of the school bringing more research grants and more prestigous professors. I feel that raising the academic standards would start a domino effect in the right direction.	#STUDENT
Need to be able to try new things without fear of problems	#FACULTY
Find more ways to emphasize academic excellence to prospective students, such as highlighting the Honors Curriculum. Make a K-State degree more prestigious by requiring students to pass an entrance exam/test to declare a major. Support creative faculty by opening up the criteria used to judge one's qualifications for tenure--having been a graduate student at one of the country's most prominent research universities, I'm amazed by the rules and procedures here that keep our faculty from taking intellectual risks in their work. Those rules and procedures create a culture in which hiring committees (in my dept, anyway) are encouraged, consciously or not, to select middle-of-the-road candidates over those with unusual talents or unexpected qualifications.	#FACULTY
All of the individual rank parameters clearly require financial support in order for K-State to increase in rank in any one category. Thus, the bottom line is that K-State needs to be better supported financially. This need will only be met if the Kansas Regents, legislators, voters, alumni and student body recognize that Kansas needs to make a greater commitment to its institutions of higher learning. I think President Schulz made a very astute link between our recent situation with finding ourselves without a collegiate conference and our low "third tier" academic ranking. This link may be one that Kansas citizens can appreciate.	#FACULTY
If K-State is to ever become a Top 50 institution, faculty pay should at least reach the 50th percentile among American colleges and universities. I have served on over a dozen search committees at KSU, and several times our preferred candidate has rejected us due to the abysmal salary which was being offered. The lack of any pay raise whatsoever in the past two years for KSU faculty, on top of many years where even those with superior evaluations received less than a 2% raise, has caused a severe slump in faculty morale as well as an exodus of valuable younger professors. Free KSU tuition for the entire course load taken by children and spouses of KSU faculty would do a lot to improve the quality of our student body, since many of the children of KSU faculty are among the brightest students to graduate from Manhattan High and are the most likely to go out-of-state for college. Not having to pay for your spouse's or child's tuition at KSU would be a major morale booster for KSU faculty as well, and could help alleviate some of the ill will generated year after year by minimal or non-existent raises. The lack of decent raises also impacts negatively on faculty research. I cancelled a week-long research trip to the Library of Congress this summer when I found out that I would not receive any raise for the second year in a row, even though my evaluations both years placed me far above the departmental average and expectations. This postponement will delay the completion of my book project for at least a year. I would also participate in many more national and international conferences if I did not have to pay about 90% of all the costs myself. My department has no budget for travel funds now, and in most years could never allocate more than $200 per person to give a presentation at a national conference. (My department has never supported travel to participate in international conferences.) Even the funds available through the President's Faculty Development Award are too minimal. Two years ago, my FDA application for funds to go to a major European conference was rejected, even though I was on the planning committee for that event, gave a paper (chosen through a blind submission process), and chaired another session. I paid 100% of my costs for that conference myself, since I felt it was worthwhile for my professional development.	#FACULTY #PARENT
Our brand needs to become national rather than regional. Nobody on either coast recognizes the powercat or knows what the K in K-State stands for in my experience. Our websites are fun and are reflective of our personality, but they are not uniform and often look unprofessional and somewhat primitive. Additionally, we need to start selling the upgrades to rooms on campus to private donors since the state refuses to fund the student experience.	#STUDENT
Great creativity on campus. Way too much time wasted on issues like diversity and sustainability. Nice thoughts, but not our main concern at the moment. Sell the idea to alumni to invest in facilities and opportunities rather than scholarships. It becomes worth more to students education to have great learning environment rather than a 250 dollar scholarship sometimes.	#STUDENT
Why settle for second when first is available? This should be the question KSU is asking. KSU has so many great things going for itself, but we can do better. Everything should be evaluated, from personnel to financing to the endowment. No stone should be left unturned. Some people might become upset, but we deserve better. The people of Kansas deserve better. I believe that K-State can become a top 50 institution by addressing these issues: Creating a residential community, increasing the amount of scholarship (produced by professors and the amount of scholarship available to student), increasing the opportunities to have extended learning opportunities outside of the classroom with community service and study abroad, and providing a dynamic and active division of student life. The current school that I work at has over 800 volunteers for their move in day! A third of the freshmen attend their version of Wildcat Warm-up. They have faculty who live in the residence halls as faculty in residence, to provide more learning opportunities outside of the classroom. Faculty and staff members are eager to teach the freshmen seminar class which is capped at 18 students, and the employees only receive a stipend of $500. In fact, faculty and staff also host students during welcome week for dinner at their house. Students are broken into groups during welcome week were they have another opportunity to find a sense of community just after they move into the residence halls. These are just some simple things that KSU can implement to make it a little bit better. Can you tell that I am a student pursuing a Student Affairs masters degree?	#ALUMNI
PLEASE improve our website, it is not as visually appealing/useful as it could be. Thanks!	#STUDENT
Need to hire young faculty and not let them be discouraged by deadwood currently in most departments; need to change minimum faculty performance standards to something meaningful in all areas for all departments - many are now meaningless; need to convince faculty that they want to be (and can be) at a place that is in the Top 50. Many just want to get through to retirement (or until they die) as an Associate professor who doesn't need to work too hard. Need to convince cynics like me that this process really is going to take us somewhere. Need to find the $$$ it will take to do what needs to be done.	#FACULTY
In the focus group that I attended, I was concerned about the implication, at least, that K-State will have to sacrifice teaching in order to become a top 50 research institution. That would be a major tragedy and an abandonment of a service that K-State is known to do with excellence. Excelling in research should not come at the expense of teaching.	#FACULTY
I am a former student and member of the workforce at K-State. Since we now have a greatly improved President and Provost, I believe the greatest challenge for K-State is the lack of opportunity and change in the faculty and staff. Far to often people come to K-State and stay for 30 or 40 years. This creates a lack of opportunity for advancement and does not bring in new talent and ideas to the college. The barriers cause junior members to leave and creates a mindset that is opposite of what a University should be. Rather then embracing ideas and fostering their development, Senior members work to undermine any junior member at the cost of the student. Additionally, progress is often hindered by decade old feuds that have nothing to do with current situations. They only work to poison the well and drive off quality faculty and unclassified staff. The best way to fix K-State is to produce a culture shift away from fear and the good ol' boys club and shift it to one that embraces progress and promotes the development of high quality teaching and academic ideals.	#ALUMNI #COMMUNITY
We need additional faculty so that we do not leave our primary teaching mission unfulfilled while we grow the research component. If we do not do a good job of teaching undergrad students, all the bragging rights about being a Top 50 research institution will go unsupported by those parents (taxpayers) who send us their students. We need to build on our success, being careful not to trade our role as an undergrad teaching institution for a graduate research institution. We need a balance of both teaching and research. Actually, we need to excel at both!	#FACULTY
This is something the university absolutely must do, and as soon as possible. Something that will help revenue wise is if we can get our athletics programs to continue garnishing national attention...keep up what you're doing President Schulz.	#ALUMNI
You need seed capital. Where are you going to get the funds to invest in the infrastructure and seed grants that you will need to accomplish your goal of accomplishing a doubling of grant income in two years?	#FACULTY
The President of the University stated that his first year was a good one for KSU. What a joke. You had major budget cuts, the continuation of an athletic department scandal and pending law suit, tuition increase of 7% along with fee increases, hiring freeze. How is that good? Hiring a new provost does not make a good year.	#ALUMNI
I think you are taking a great approach to becoming a Top 50 institution. I support your efforts.	#ALUMNI
be clear in your goals and your strategy. This change will happen incrementally, not all at once. You might as well be clear with the community: Which departments would you like to advance "to the next" level first, as a priority? The business school? The Chinese department?	#FACULTY #STUDENT
While I want to see great things from K-State, I would hate to see Manhattan lose its small, college-hometown feel. Such a great town and full of history and natural beauty. Take care of Manhattan. Growth isn't always progress.	#ALUMNI
Affordability is huge concern with many KS families - the costs can be a negative - if we could find a way to lower costs (maybe even for freshman year) then perhaps more students would go to KSU over like Emporia or Ft Hays State. Maybe the university could also come up with new programs for incoming freshmen - to make an impact - classes for money management, life skills, etc.	#ALUMNI
K-State is a student-centered university. This is part of our mission, heritage, and culture. We must not lose the emphasis on undergraduate education in a quest to become a Top 50 institution.	#FACULTY
I was the head of AFROTC at K-State from 1981-1984. I have two thoughts: 1. Continue to emphasize being a land grant university and all that entails. 2. Need more Anderson Hall support for the Air Force and Army ROTC departments. Although this will not, by itself, put KSU in the Top 50, there are many wonderful spinoffs from these programs. One quick example would be the career of Gen Richard Myers and all the great PR K-State received from his career. There are many others. Tom Fryer 785-537-7146	#COMMUNITY
I'd like to see the College of Human Ecology and the Department of Hotel & Restaurant Management open up a student-run hotel and restaurant complex to compete with the larger HRM schools.	#ALUMNI
Why don't we have a department of religious studies?	#FACULTY
One thing that would help the research aspect of this university is to instead of spending so much money and attention on the athletics, use some of that money for the education and research of this university.	#STUDENT
I really think we should establish some measure of sustainability as one of the metrics for assessing our standing. By 2025 it will seem very short-sighted not to have included such a metric.	#FACULTY
Look at the President's vitea. He has probably has not even been on very many a top "50" university campi. So, it's likely that he doesn't know what they look like, much less how they operate. KSU doesn't need another self serving cheerleader like Wefall!	#COMMUNITY
I am a political operative and work on campaigns in Chicago. I see too much apathy, Kansas State should really look into becoming more exclusive. The recruitment process should extend its requirements to both politically active students and community active students it would gain a huge reputation. I also believe that my hometown of Chicago is way too ignored. KU is benefiting from the intellect and aggressiveness of the Chicagoland student. If Kansas State makes runs here, in Milwaukee, and in Denver they will gain a much better reputation and that will only serve us better in 2025. My name is Robert Peters and I believe in a stronger Kansas State.	#ALUMNI
The number of faculty at North Carolina State, Iowa State, and Colorado state is much higher than at KSU (300-700 MORE). Several of the benchmark items are likely strongly correlated with the size of the faculty. To be competitive with the top 50, we need a very large increase in faculty positions. Our nearly open admissions presents a significant barrier to the benchmarks involving undergraduate retention and graduation. We start there with a large barrier and unequal playing field, compared to the top 50.	#FACULTY
I think this slide show is disappointing in the fact it focuses on only these eight areas that K-State does not apparently perform well compared to our peers. I would like to see another presentation that focuses on areas that K-State excels compared to these same peer institutions. If we only focus on these eight areas and forget our current strengths we will not move forwards as quickly towards this goal as we otherwise could. I think the faculty and students need to hear not only that there are areas to improve but that K-State is an excellent place with many outstanding things to offer.	#FACULTY
If we ever want to be a "research institution", we need to get rid of the six and seven figure sports related wages, and make the classrooms state of the art, not just the stadium.	#STUDENT
There are a couple changes in the way grants are handled that would strengthen KSU. 1. Interdepartmental collaboration is encouraged by groups such as the NSF, but it is often penalized in the KSU evaluation system when PIs within a department get to share credit for a grant, while PIs in different departments have to divide up credit. 2. The KSU preawards office needs more staff so that it can function more efficiently.
We need to be cautious in spending money on the promise of productivity. The Margin of Excellence program was a sham to funnel money to faculty that never have produced outside funding. Space and internal support should come after outside funding is in hand, not before. We need to find a way to not give up our reputation as an outstanding undergraduate teaching institution. The alumni that support us and open doors to corporate funding are overwhelmingly Bachelor's graduates.	#FACULTY #ALUMNI #PARENT
President Kirk, thanks for continued opportunities to input. The vision and direction of new leadership is exactly why a new President is selected. Taking us places we have not been - exactly the upward path sought. Advancing the institution takes a plan and a planner; you are demonstrating that with these efforts. Critique of what I see: In the benchmarking the implication is we "should look like them", referring to the institutions employed as examples. Not so sure we need more "just like them" basic science institutions UNLESS we can maintain, sustain and grow the many excellences that are K-State successes. These standout accomplishments of K-State are so "unlike" them. And, as you've presented and written, it appears some core excellence that has been K-State will be left at the side of the road on the way to being more "like them". This is a critical concern that I hope you will seriously consider going forward. The metrics utilized in comparison for in-house U to U fails to measure the impact of K-State for society and for international business. Working in agriculture for over 4 decades as a proud K-State alumnus, I can assure you that the power of Applied Research, Teaching and Outreach over many years is global. Furthermore it is influential at a level orders of magnitude greater than the schools used in the comparison metrics logic model presented. That a basic science only school can successfully spin great dollar and faculty award numbers is undeniable. My critique is the minimal footprint of valuable and valued applied research and outreach that is the mantle of most of the schools compared. (Iowa State is a minor exception.) K-State IS the recognized center as I travel the world - milling, animal science, grains and production, agribusiness, engineering - K-State people and influence are everywhere. This is a result of core excellence in teaching and a mission to meet the real here-and-now needs of our world, not just a focus on the technical future. The metrics used in the presented benchmarking constrain and narrow the focus as I read them. This will clearly affect future hires and the valuing of present faculty and programs in a tilt away from these great core values of K-State. This truncates the value of K-State and K-Staters to a needy world. In conclusion, I hope the scope of the metrics you consider in the definiton of what constitutes "Top 50" be broadened considerably. They should reach beyond the inward-focused metrics presented comparing K-State to the "like them" institutions. The many bright people contributing to this 2025 mission are certainly capable of compiling, tabulating and valuing outward-focused K-State accomplishment as well. In the end it is not about where we stand in the dollar-and-awards bar charts. It is about where we make a real difference for our grandchildren in a hungry, crowded world. K-State now leads and others follow eagerly. Losing that focus to remain the leader, just to be more "like them", would be institutional abandonment; that is not the K-State history.	#ALUMNI
I did a quick scan through "The Center for Measuring University Performance"'s 2009 report, and 42 of the 50 top American research universities have had a supercomputer on the Top500 list, and 49 of fifty had at least one major computer cluster on campus to support researchers. With computational modeling, data mining, and bioinformatics a critical part of most research fields, we cannot fail to adequately support our scientists, without likely failing to reach the top-50 goal. - Dan Andresen, Associate Professor, Computing & Information Sciences	#FACULTY
My remarks come from recently reading a book by Jeffrey M. Smith, titled "Seeds of Deception". I certainly encourage everyone who is working on the development of Kansas State University to become a leading research University within the next 15 years to read Mr. Smith's book. Mr. Smith raises questions about food safety associated with genetically modified (GM) plants/foods and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The end result of producing more yield of a crop at lower expense is a good outcome in the effort to produce more food for both animals and human, but the element of food safety, I understand, is not getting any research at all. Research into the food safety of genetically modified foods would be one aspect of research Kansas State University could enter into that apparently no other research University in the world is doing. Respectfully, Jack L. Woelfel 3524 SE 25th Street Topeka, Kansas 66605-1990 (785) 267-6552	#PARENT #COMMUNITY
ksu needs to expand its course offerings. in the world we live in, it's unbelievable that there is no religion dept. it's crazy!
Speaking as a faculty in the College of A&S, the greatest hurdles include the following: 1) Concerns regarding the disparity between where we are and where we need to be to reach the Top 50 (e.g. what are the disparities between teaching loads, numbers of PhD granting programs, research output and faculty salaries at KSU today and current Top 50's?) 2) How many Top 50's do not have degree granting programs in religious studies, classics, Middle Eastern studies, etc? KSU has none of these, among others. 3) Academic standards for undergraduate education. How many Top 50's have an Honors Program that is as poorly funded/supported as is the current one at KSU. Some thoughts on how we might address the above mentioned concerns: 1) Begin a conversation within and across every department on what the department would have to be like to qualify as Top 50. Among other hard questions that should be asked are: are current faculty producing research which would get them tenure at a Top 50? How would teaching loads and research productivity have to change to be commensurate with Top 50'S? How would faculty salaries need to be adjusted to be commensurate? I would think asking every department to form a committee to explore these questions is essential. 2) What is the feasibility of creating new M.A./Ph.D programs under current economic constraints? For instance, were current faculty asked to do more for less, this is an open invitation to apply elsewhere (offset, no doubt by troubles elsewhere, but only somewhat). 3) What do we need to do to ensure that students with degrees from KSU are comparable in what they can demonstrate they know with students from Top 50's. A well-functioning rather than anemic Honors Program, smaller upper-level courses, more degree options for brighter students who currently transfer (e.g. because they want a degree in Middle East Studies, etc.). To summarize, I've pressed the above points mainly because many faculty are very skeptical about this project (not the motive but the feasibility). So publicly addressing such issues will help alleviate this skepticism, a skepticism which has the potential to undermine the goal itself. Finally, on a related point, much of the public information has the appearance of having been "massaged by a PR firm" and this needlessly raises concerns from faculty (e.g. the decision to avoid making public how KSU stacks up to KU on grounds that "we are different" does not pass any reasonable "smell test").	#FACULTY
To help to become a greener institution, I would love to see the English department go electronic. I cannot tell you how surprised I was to find out they weren't and how instead of holding writing classes in a computer lab it is held in a traditional classroom. No only does doing papers on the computer save trees, but it also often gives professors tools to check against plagiarism as well. Also, even Johnson County Community College's English department is electronic.	#STUDENT
K-State leadership needs to think more outside the box with creativity and independence. We need to stop comparing us with other institutions. Examine the origin and foundational principles of the university and come up with strategic plans to achieve those intellectual and humanitarian goals. We need to go back to the focus on basics of higher education. Part of the failure of our society, morally and financially, as a system has been accelerated by the universities’ mimicking the industry and losing its mind, soul, and heart, especially due to the external, financial pressures. Universities are to be leaders not followers. We need to lead the industry and government, not becoming succumbed to the external pressures and become subservient to their material power, when we are supposed to be their spiritual guide and mentor. K-State is a university, not a coalition of agricultural or engineering colleges, or not a technical college for that matter, for a good reason. We need to be innovative as the needs and desires of the society, local communities, and the globalized world change. We have to train our students' minds. K-State is in that position to guide the youth and public to the light out of the tunnel by teaching them the fundamentals of civil, free, and productive society and critical and independent thinking ability and demanding excellence (not GPA per se). But, providing information about the world to our students, which is what is going and what needs to be done. We have to be different from others and take a stand when all others are chasing money, control, and athletic power and fame. Figuratively speaking, we have to provide tough medicine to our kids, not comfort food, if we really care about the humanity in general and our younger generations' and the country's future in particular. If K-State wants to become a top 50 higher education institution, we have to restore the mind, heart, and soul of K-State and educate our kids to do more outreach through the Office of KSRE or other educational routes.	#FACULTY
I have been trying to finish my doctoral studies for 3 years now. I have poor communication with my professors, and there seems to be very small windows of time when I can do certain things such as get my committee to meet, correspond with me, and move the process along. There seems to be a lot of barriers, which does not bode well for K-State.	#FACULTY
I have spent the last 3 weeks researching in a Biology lab in Aarhus Denmark. Their facilities, salaries, and technical support are so much better than at KSU I can hardly believe it. Some departments at KSU approach this, but their research productivity does not come close to others who struggle for SRO support, modern research facilities, and other institutional support.	#FACULTY
K-State has all the tools in place to become a great institution, but the decentralized system currently in place will not allow k-state to excel. we can no longer be all things to all people. we need to set priorities and allocate resources based on those priorities.	#ALUMNI
I'm all for making this top 50 list, but it scares me to think that this university might get more caught up in research than in teaching the students. I don't pay nearly $4000 per semester to have instructors not give their all in teaching me the material. I've already had one bad experience with an instructor who didn't care about his students at all, and I think it's complete crap. Don't get me wrong, I love K-State, but sometimes I wonder why so much attention is given to doing research instead of producing the best teachers, engineers, business men and women, etc. in the nation. Once again, I'm all for trying to be a top 50 research university, but not if it's going to cost me, or even my children the education that we pay for.	#STUDENT
K-State needs to get back to its land grant university roots. Do a good job of teaching the basics. The students will excel and bring the top 50 recognition.	#ALUMNI #PARENT
It is difficult to become a Top 50 institution in the eyes of most without Law and Medical schools. Adding these schools is probably not the direction to go though. It would be best to pursue a reputation as a truly elite school in several departments that are both reasonable to do so and important enough to improve our standing. For instance, engineering, business, and Vet Med are all programs that K-State is established in with a solid reputation that could be improved further. All three of these areas also carry enough weight to warrant the attention.	#ALUMNI
Honestly, besides President and Provost, who else really think we have a chance in the central administration, among Deans and Department Heads. Please let go those who use "land-grant mission" as an excuse for not doing research!	#FACULTY
encourage and support research grants, no reward to invest in new ideas and projects you might as well do nothing and use the time selfishly as there is no difference in pay, loads, or recognition.	#FACULTY
I want K-State to remain an affordable state school for Kansas residents more so than I want it to become a Top 50 institution. While I think improving our standing is a fantastic goal, balancing that with affordability for Kansans is extremely important. As an alumni, I appreciate that my student loan debt coming out of K-State in 2006 was significantly lower than my peers in the workforce. My savings at K-State has enabled me to more quickly save and plan for my future.	#ALUMNI
There is a huge pay disparity between administrators and faculty that have been at KSU similar lengths of time. There should not be a pay premium to be an administrator. In fact, it should be the lowest paying job of all the faculty slots.	#FACULTY
Currently the Open Option advisors starting salary is 30,000 and requires a MS degree. This is horrible!! These advisors see very strong (avg ACT is around 24) and very marginal students (as low as 10) but have nearly 400 advisees each. There is not enough time to deal with the exploration and indecision these students have. If we want to increase retention, then time needs to be spent with these students. Sometimes an advisors schedule fills within hours for the coming week. A troubled or confused student must then wait to have their needs addressed causing frustration and poor and uninformed decision making. These advisors are aslo housed in the Dean's office of Arts and Sciences but advise for programs across the university. This is true for the pre-health folks, law, and scholarship advisor. They advise students for the entire campus. Yet very little if ANY resources come to them from Business, Ag, Engineering etc. Create an advising center and pool resources to address the needs of the students in a more timely manner. This can have a significant impact on retention.	#FACULTY
Brand and trumpet the essential qualities of what KSU does for the state (and nation). KSU protects the food supply [biosecurity], supports rural Kansas [extension], builds strong families [Human Ecology], etc. Perception that KU graduates the "prestige" professions, such as MDs and JDs, and K-State is the far second as a "cow college".	#ALUMNI
I find our USRG program to be very disappointing (to be polite and to put it mildly). I've written 3 or 4 applications in my 2+ years at KSU and all but one have been funded. However, the awards are insufficient and the reviews received are horrendous. This cycle, I received an award ($1500). However, the award is always far less than the amount requested and far less than the amount necessary to do the project; if a researcher proposes a budget of $5000, what's the point of awarding $1500? We're just setting a GREATER number of people up to do WORSE projects. Additionally, I have little confidence in the ability of the reviewers (despite my relative success thus far). This cycle, I received one set of informed comments but the other set was incredibly brief (<10 words), seemingly rude and sarcastic, and obviously little effort or thought had been put into the ratings or comments. I think an effective (and better funded) USRG system could go a long way toward supporting the preliminary data collection needs of young researchers. However, the current system (both the funding and the set-up) is just a waste of everyone's time. Thanks for listening.	#FACULTY
Facilities are my biggest concern both academic and athletic facilities are outdated, small and not cutting edge enough to attract students who visit other schools. We also have a need for the most up-to-date technology available to students to utilize at all times. Many of our tech upgrades have been great especially in the Library. If all buildings on campus could provide some of the same options in their labs and rooms, it would be a huge improvement. Something as simple as Photoshop on every computer throughout campus means a lot.	#STUDENT
I think the best way to do it is to be very strategic about expenditures. A good b school, engineering school and LAS is necessary. The track record of certain colleges (like architecture) also need to be played up. More research in all areas is important--I hear (in Calif) about food science and architecture. The need to attract 1st rate scholars is really important--maybe more research affiliations with KC and Wichita based organizations?	#ALUMNI
Become SUSTAINABLE! utilize sustainability in every aspect, throughout our actions across campus and through the curriculum in every department or college at K-State. further education in this area, it is the future we should be concerned about! other schools have realized the potential and need for this education, K-State needs to catch up. our students need this information	#STUDENT
This may be something that we want to consider benchmarking against or working toward: WSU plant, animal scientists ranked 13th internationally By Kathy Barnard, College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences WSU Today August 9, 2010 PULLMAN - Plant and animal scientists at WSU are among the most productive and most impactful in the world, according to rankings recently released by Thomson Reuters. In its "Essential Science Indicators," the business and professional information gathering company ranked WSU 13th in the world and sixth in the United States based on the number of journal articles produced by faculty scientists. More important were the number citations those articles generated. From January 1999 to June 2009, WSU researchers produced 2,473 scientific papers, which garnered 32,544 citations by other scientists. "This ranking is by citations per paper among those institutions that have collected 25,000 or more citations in plant and animal sciences," according to the company. "The ranking by citations per paper seeks to reveal heavy-hitters based on per paper influence, not mere output." That reflects the quality and scope of plant and animal science being conducted at WSU in the colleges of science, veterinary medicine and agricultural, human, and natural resources sciences, said Howard Grimes, WSU vice president for research. "The fact that the science we're producing is foundational to other work being done around the globe is especially important," he said. "This speaks volumes about the kind of inquiry we're tackling." Full text: http://wsutoday.wsu.edu/pages/publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=20867&TypeID=1.	#FACULTY
Project Management is a skill set that would enhance any degree/curriculum. PM skills can be applied immediately in any workplace, and can help our alumni distinguish themselves from their peers by being able to "get things done and make things happen", which is the essence of project management. There is a mature structure to PM certification, which we could plug into -- see PMI.org.	#ALUMNI
The focus on the 18-25 year old undergraduate needs to be balanced with a refocus on traditional-aged, non-traditional-aged, and graduate students. The talent of the non-traditional and/or graduate student needs to be recognized and grown and mentored actively, not in spare moments or secretly. There needs to be transparency when positions for grad students open and when teaching opportunities arise OR there needs to be developed an active, open ecological partnership with MATC and the KS community college system. The Ivory Tower exclusivity common in engineering/mathematics/computer science, even in education, is exclusive and demeaning to women especially.	#FACULTY #STUDENT
Pl. check the salary levels of deans and compare that to the president of the university and other public service officials. Reduce the salaries of deans and use that money for institutional progress.	#ALUMNI
As of right now, some of the entry level STEM classes have a survival of the fittest attitude among students due to sheer size. Many lecture professors with a large class refuse to give students copies of their notes or post them online; obviously due to encourage attendance, but it is my experience that many students suffer when receiving lecture notes from a second-hand source. This is especially the case with math-based classes. For a large portion of STEM degrees, experience in Calculus is required, yet many tests from Calculus I-III have a steep curve, allowing students who effectively failed the class to pass with, in many cases, a C-average. It is my experience many students also suffer in complex concept classes, such as Calculus and Physics, due to international instructors or lecturers. Increased funding to student-run programs, such as SAS, would allow for an increased employment of student tutors to further be utilized by sitting through lectures or studio classes taught by newly arrived international faculty members with English as a second language. Participation of SAS tutors in these classes could theoretically be nonexistent, however by the simple act of being present in these classes, SAS tutors are better able to understand what students are having difficulties with. Acknowledgment of SAS tutor schedules in large STEM classes is also highly important and should be implemented as soon as possible. Increased funding or scholarship opportunities for STEM student tutors will allow for an increased flow of knowledge from higher level STEM students to the entry level STEM students, thus allowing for a more solid basis for their continued education. Too many students currently rely on curves in classes that should be the very foundation of their continued college career. Unacceptable. Students are best able to relate to other students the trials of difficult core classes, and whatever barriers preventing students from taking in everything essential core classes offer. With a better foundation, especially in the STEM field, more UG students will be able to contribute their knowledge and experience to the betterment of the university.	#STUDENT
I think that more funding for programs like Mass Communications and Journalism would be a good investment for KSU. Not only is journalism one of the more honorable fields in our culture a good mass communications program is something that gets recognized.	#ALUMNI
You need to make it easier for students to find teachers that are researching. I was looking for a research position and I emailed over 70 faculty. Only 10 replied. I got 1 yes, 1 maybe, and 8 no's. Why isn't there a place on the website that has a place for students who are looking for a research position and teachers that need help?
Develop and follow a road map for continuous improvement plan which has metrics and measurable.	#FACULTY
There are many students already participating in research projects, but we have no way to count them. There is a relatively easy, cheap fix: have any UG student who is participating in research (whether paid or not) enroll in a no-credit course number that identifies them as participating in UG research for that semester. The challenge will be to get the word out to all advisors and research faculty to encourage/remind students to enroll in the course number each term while participating in research so that they can be tallied.	#FACULTY
140 characters, really? I'll be surprised if you get much meaningful with restriction. Need to do: We do need to increase the amount of quality, meaningful competitive research that is going on. But as an alum, I went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which is ranked in the Top 25 Public Research Universities, and the focus there was almost entirely on research. I would not recommend that someone send their son or daughter there for an undergraduate degree because he/she would have very little interaction with faculty. They expressed surprise that the percent of alums that gave back to the school was so low but based on my experience there I wasn’t. My graduate advisor there is a National Academy of Sciences member, but honestly think his impact on campus is less than what Micheal Wesch’s is on this campus. My former advisor probably brought in more money, but not everything is about money. So we need to improve research and funding levels, but I don’t want us to get tunnel vision like I saw there. We also need to improve our first year retention rates and graduation rates. Part of this is by improving the education to the students we have currently, the other part is to try to attract better students as well. It would be interesting to see how ACT scores for freshman compare between the different Universities. Barriers to overcome We need tuition waivers for graduate research assistants. This is a huge disadvantage compared to other Universities. Grad students perform the research and generate ideas; until we can be competitive for the best grad students it’s going to be difficult to be competitive in research. This is like if our athletic teams only offered partial scholarships and then were expected to compete with other universities that gave full scholarships. Infrastructure - We really need improvement here. My belief is that we should try to improve our existing infrastructure before turning our attention to new buildings. This means backup generators etc. to try to optimize what we have already. Assets to overcome We have some departments/units that are doing well. The key is to try to support or enhance what they’re doing while changing the attitudes/capabilities of the departments/units that should be expected to do well.	#FACULTY
K-State also needs to recognize US News & World Report's influential and popular rankings of public universities. We were just ranked 132nd. We need to work on improving in the areas they look at. It should be a goal to be ranked comfortably within the top 100.	#ALUMNI
Student parking should be in a remote location and faculty should have priority access to parking close to buildings.	#FACULTY
I honestly believe that become a Top 50 institution is really not that important. If you are serious about becoming a Top 50 intuition, then academic programs need to be eliminated and that money reinvested into programs that are or can become Top 10.	#ALUMNI
Be realistic; don't tweak statistics to somehow place KSU in the top 50 category; it is being done, and like anything else, respect and recognition are earned.
Food programs for chefs are hot! Hell's Kitchen, Master Chef, Iron Chef, Top Chef, etc. People have to eat, and you need programs that students can benefit from practically everywhere.	#COMMUNITY
Wit the limited resources we have, you can't be known for everything. Some things will need to succeed at the cost of others.	#STUDENT
The enormous emphasis and the expenditures spent on athletics do not contribute to K-State's becoming a top research university. If this is really your goal, put your resources there.	#FACULTY
How will this affect the undergraduate program when the real professors we pay for will be too busy to teach class and teaching the class is put on graduate students??	#STUDENT
Faculty moral issues should not be overlooked. I list 2 examples below: 1. Faculty coming to school every day competing with students for parking spots is demoralizing. Many large university simple does not provide parking the the academic areas for students. 2. I have seen some K-State's own C-grade graduate, who barely made to graduation, was later employed by K-State as a low level technician, but he was eligible for election to the Faculty Senate.	#FACULTY
We can increase revenue greatly, as well as national and international perception, by recruiting students from other states and international students. A little investment in these areas can go a long way fiscally for the University.	#FACULTY
Reviewing the top 10 research universities in the list from the Center for Measuring University Performance (the list that KSU is using as our metric), one will note the significant numbers of international students: Columbia University, 6685 (26% of enrollment) MIT, 3408 (31%) Stanford University, 3976 (25%) Harvard University, 4735 (23%) University of Pennsylvania, 4635 (19%) Duke University, 2466 (18%) University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, 5790 (14%) Yale University, 2094 (18%) University of California-Berkeley, 3506 (10%) University of California-Los Angeles, 5590 (15%)	#FACULTY
My K-State heritage goes back three generations, but I'm proud to be a Wildcat. But I'm not so proud of what we are currently promoting in agriculture. I would like to see K-State become more sensitive to growing concerns by the public over the products of industrialized agriculture. How can we (as the proud carriers of a tradition as one of the best Ag schools anywhere) become less dependent on (and less cheerleaders for) chemical-ized, heavily fossil-fueled agriculture that empties our rural counties of people, and leaves the few remaining farmers more and more at the mercy of giant industrial companies? Can Kansas farmers look to feeding Kansans as one of their main goals? Can building soil become once again one of the important elements of being a good farmer? Can K-State support those younger faculty members who are looking seriously at issues of sustainability? [comments received by email]	#ALUMNI
I applaud the K-State 2025 project, which is much needed. I would only suggest that in addition to the benchmarks you've selected for KSU to work toward, the university should also focus on moving up in the U.S. News rankings, which are very widely read and regarded as the gold standard among the general public. Also, there is a new ranking in Washing Monthly (http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college guide/rankings 2010/national university rank.php) that rates schools "based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country). This is an excellent new ranking that KSU should work on rising in. [comments received by email]	#ALUMNI
As a veteran, I realize I represent a small percentage of the student body at Kansas State University - one that is often overlooked in the grand scheme of the University's plans and priority. Having transitioned from military life in the Marine Corps to pursuing my academic studies, I have found KSU nothing but enjoyable and a positive - though the transition has not been easy and relating to my other college peers has been anything but successful. With this in mind, I would love to see one of Kansas State's goals for the 2025 plan to be the top rated military veteran friendly college in the nation, as well as the top picked college of veterans to attend after their service is over. With thousands of veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan war planning on going to college, it would be, in my opinion, unwise of the university to not make great efforts to recruit military bases across the United States. Thre are many programs available out there such as "troops to teachers" or "helmets to hardhats" that KSU could promote and accept to help prior service personnel not only choose Kansas State as their place of study but also help veterans obtain their goal of a college degree. I do not see how the effort to recruit college bound military personnel could be anything but a success for Kansas State. Simple advertisement sent to bases "educational center" would greatly benefit in promoting KSU to a vast amount of potential students in an audience that, as of now, is untapped. I know that KU has implemented a veteran lounge in their union as a place for veterans attending KU to relax, do homework, use the computer, and have a common place to not only meet other veterans but use them as a support system as they transfer into not only civilian life but one as a college student. I would love to see KSU follow in these footsteps and produce such a place on campus. There are many things this university could do to promote a veteran friendly university to attract what some say is the next "greatest generation". I hope to see this at least discussed and would love to share my ideas of how this could be implemented, if needed. [comments received by email]	#STUDENT
In addition to the currently suggested nationally-recognized land-grant institution metrics, please consider metrics that will evaluate the undergraduate and graduate student experience at K-State as it compares to benchmark or aspirational peer institutions. I am confident that the Student Affairs Division would be willing to assist in finding, and recommending, such metrics for consideration. [comments received by email]	#FACULTY
The President has stated that this is not just a research focused plan; but that we also want to be excellent in education (I think he said undergraduate education). My suggestion is to put some teeth into that aspect of the plan by incorporating additional metrics that will help us understand our current position and aspired position for undergraduate teaching top 50 status. Currently, freshman to sophomore retention rates and 6 year graduation rates appear to be the only undergraduate teaching related metrics among the 8 being used. While these are important, to me they do not represent measures of undergraduate teaching excellence. I believe that measures/metrics that more clearly demonstrate undergraduate teaching excellence would be well received by many of our external and internal constituents. [comments received by email]	#FACULTY
Go K-State!	#ALUMNI #COMMUNITY
Statistics to provide about our benchmarking universities: % of students in non-living groups and their involvement, % of non-traditional students, and any mentoring programs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Statistics to provide about our benchmarking universities: their proximity to other professional schools and % or students that change their major.	#FOCUS GROUP
I hear time and time again KU allocates more money to older students whereas K-State gives money to Freshmen and hangs older students "out to dry". We need elite new students, but let's make sure this disparity isn't true.	#FOCUS GROUP
Across the board: make education more hands on. Push internships/coops so students can experience "real world" application of their learned knowledge.	#FOCUS GROUP
Let's work on promoting the fact that K-State is a fabulous foundation for graduate programs. Incoming students shy away because (for example) we don't have a nursing or med school. How can we recruit those students to come here and graduate if we don't have those schools for their future?	#FOCUS GROUP
We give students, parents, and family members too much information at the beginning. How can we time messages in a more manageable way?	#FOCUS GROUP
Do students know "someone will miss me if I am not here?"	#FOCUS GROUP
What additional efforts can K-State implement to help students figure out their passion and direction? Can the advisor relationship provide the guidance? Personality or strengths testing was suggested. Who helps students reflect on their skills, abilities, and passions? Can this person be someone in industry, young alumni, faculty, staff, or an advisor?	#FOCUS GROUP
Howe can we recognize students that are successful in their educational goals, even if their goals do not equal graduation? (i.e., student who attends K-State for two years and then transfers to a nursing school.)	#FOCUS GROUP
Decentralized tracking of research hours and experiences for undergraduates presently.	#FOCUS GROUP
Cross curricular needs to happen - how do we count students in more than one college.	#FOCUS GROUP
Passing numbers server - providing each department with their numbers, paid and upaid honor/or undergrad research experience.	#FOCUS GROUP
No centralized: what about students that, 8 protocols, annual, quantitative or qualitative, important metics, need to be see every year, what is the benefit?	#FOCUS GROUP
Grants bring in a lot of money, endowments for graduates.	#FOCUS GROUP
Undergraduate teaching excellence, depts. keep that money for graduate school in their dept.	#FOCUS GROUP
Groups together on campus to make a "center" - some bring in $10 million.	#FOCUS GROUP
NISTAC	#FOCUS GROUP
NSF, DARPA, CERDP, ESTCP - reports, emails being tracked.	#FOCUS GROUP
Safety nets.	#FOCUS GROUP
Formal rules to structure interdisciplinary - 1 strong personality.	#FOCUS GROUP
Central administration needs to recognize that each college has their own mission and products they offer to the university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Theme - quality of faculty, their ability to get grants funded, patents, etc., mindset of faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
International is not mentioned in the criteria - something to look at?	#FOCUS GROUP
#5 should say earned, not granted, on the slide.	#FOCUS GROUP
What are we going to give up to attain status/move up?	#FOCUS GROUP
What are priorities and central administration must commit to those?	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks - size of our student body isn't much different from the other institutions, but size of our faculty is quite different (North Carolina has twice the number of faculty in certain departments, Iowa State, too) - this brings in more income, produces twice the publications, more PhD students, etc - this skews the statistics - doesn't give us a good benchmark from the start.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks - how realistic are these objectives - the possibilty of achieving them if other measures aren't considered (where does this #50 come from and exactly how are they measured.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks - are there other benchmarks that can be measured - other benchmarks that might be more applicable to our campus - benchmarks we should recommend.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks -we are shooting ourselves in the foot by limiting the benchmarks by the means of how we measure success?	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark on retention - if we're looking at performance of the undergraduate student body and we're interested in research, then retention from the sophomore to junior or sophomore to senior would be much more pertinent.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks - if we want to do a measure of success - freshman to sophomore is not a good place to do it.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks - dismayed by this whole process - doesn't measure what should be included in the process - if we define ourselves by their definition, we're going to come out the losers and only have ourselves to blame - we need to redefine the agenda.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks - we need to adjust some of the ways things are measured - particularly the business that we aren't selective when we bring in freshmen - need to make everyone aware, not change it necessarily - can't use this measurement - it's not fair - (US World News report - people have been pushing for an expansion of the definitions in terms of how you measure things - that's why you see the rankings shift frequently - because people push - we need to take a proactive role in this).	#FOCUS GROUP
Student retention - KSU has the legacy of letting anyone attend our institution - we spend a lot of money bringing people up to speed - it's an admirable mission (working with first generation college students, underprepared students, students from small western Kansas schools) but we have a limited amount of resources.	#FOCUS GROUP
Student retention - except for Oklahoma State, no one else has an open admissions policy - while we claim not to, we do - so retention is going to be lower - can't measure ourselves against institutions that don't have open admissions (look at how low we rank/very short-sighted/real problem).	#FOCUS GROUP
Student retention - in essence, we are an open admissions university because of the populists - need to make an argument - point our that an open admissions policy is a good thing - we are a land grant university with a populist tradition out of which came our open admissions policy and we do a very good job.	#FOCUS GROUP
Nebraska, Colorado State, Iowa State - they moved forward - how did they do it: 1) hired senior faculty (several from KSU, as a matter of fact), 2) put a lot of state dollars into research, 3) hired senior faculty that put together a research institution, 4) revamped their research centers, and 5) established several centers and got state dollars to support them.	#FOCUS GROUP
Task Force report - sets us up for failure.	#FOCUS GROUP
Task Force report - creative endeavors are not reflected in the report - we need to speak out on this - do other institutions collect data on their number of university publications (bottom line is - if we collect data for this and no one else does, it doesn't do any good).	#FOCUS GROUP
Task Force report seems to focus on bottom line dollars - not one reference on research output that isn't translated into dollars - for instance, the English Department has poets - what about peer recognition - for instance, how many of us here have served as presidents of our professional institutions/national organizations.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reputation matters (in terms of being in the top 50) - attracts quality graduate students and faculty, ability to attract grant funding - all this translates into not only our ability to teach but to advance knowledge, which is the fundamental mission of a university.	#FOCUS GROUP
There's lots of room for us to improve - national perception is important so we can attract students nationally - the President has hired a new vice president for communications and marketing - hopefully, that will help.	#FOCUS GROUP
Questioned if the CIO needs to be part of the larger governance group at the university rather than only reporting to the academic side.	#FOCUS GROUP
Feels like IT just "treads water" when it desperately needs to move forward. It will take some tough decisions, which will hopefully be made through the K-State 2025 process.	#FOCUS GROUP
This powerpoint was made pre-task force report.	#FOCUS GROUP
6 NSF Peer Awards.	#FOCUS GROUP
Cumulative count on National Awards.	#FOCUS GROUP
Expenditures from NSF (source)?	#FOCUS GROUP
National Academy - "closed club" - "buy one" -once you get one, domino effect.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty awards - change year to year.	#FOCUS GROUP
Survey of earned doctorates, grad programs - 9 years.	#FOCUS GROUP
Dept. of Ed., Regents' pressure, bad graduation rates over 6 year period.	#FOCUS GROUP
Transcript criterion - "Reserved Experience" - "International Experience".	#FOCUS GROUP
What are our outcome measures on student transcripts? (experiments university-wide @ KU).	#FOCUS GROUP
Data collected via transcripts and course #s.	#FOCUS GROUP
Developing scholars, honors programs are created at KSU as "research experience".	#FOCUS GROUP
Breakdown of students & their level of education on entrance until they graduated w/ Ph.D.	#FOCUS GROUP
Is this powerpoint depressing?	#FOCUS GROUP
Decentralized, only at the department level - think of as an institution.	#FOCUS GROUP
Provost leadership of dens interdisciplinary recognizing "cohesive".	#FOCUS GROUP
Take time, effort - changing the culture.	#FOCUS GROUP
Human resources - who can we bring in?	#FOCUS GROUP
"Artist in residence" creativity.	#FOCUS GROUP
Cooking at the "holes" and caring an interdisciplinary approach to use what we have - "synergy".	#FOCUS GROUP
Working climate matters.	#FOCUS GROUP
So much worry already put into this group.	#FOCUS GROUP
Construction not so much independence.	#FOCUS GROUP
External faculty awards.	#FOCUS GROUP
DVM not included on benchmark #5 numbers.	#FOCUS GROUP
Clarification - graduate students, but only 3rd year, doing research, technically a "grad student" but at the same point in academic career as most undergrads. Should it be included?	#FOCUS GROUP
4 benchmarks totally disclude DVM school, benchmarks don't portray CVM as an asset at this point. Unfortunate for CVM, but KSU overall needs faculty to impact these areas.	#FOCUS GROUP
No credit for teaching or education of students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Will faculty be "on board" with changing the direction of the school?	#FOCUS GROUP
Clemson - no Vet School.	#FOCUS GROUP
What is unique about K-State? Probably undergraduate research experience.	#FOCUS GROUP
14 hour-bar on retention rates of students - are we looking at it the right way? 25% of students are coming in with 14 hours or more.	#FOCUS GROUP
Endowment, Research and Development, Doctorates, Undergraduate involved in research - 60% are in DVM but no BA/BS early admissions students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Veterinary Medicine worried they won't be seen as an asset.	#FOCUS GROUP
Vet School can only focus on a few benchmarks because it's a specialty curriculum - Research and Development, Endowment.	#FOCUS GROUP
Funding model - been argued that there is no funding coming back to Vet School off Masters.	#FOCUS GROUP
Questioned number of individuals in the National Academy membership.	#FOCUS GROUP
How are external faculty awards defined.	#FOCUS GROUP
2025 too long, 2020 better.	#FOCUS GROUP
Not asked to collect data - how is it reported?	#FOCUS GROUP
Are there trade-offs to be included and do we want to do?	#FOCUS GROUP
K-State is nationally ranked in some area.	#FOCUS GROUP
Not academic unit [DCE]. How does unit place in University?	#FOCUS GROUP
Is Outreach included in research/teaching numbers?	#FOCUS GROUP
Is research information disseminated - if so, how?	#FOCUS GROUP
Report focuses on academics - how does administration support come into play?	#FOCUS GROUP
Focus group participants were in agreement that the University needs to develop a plan to accomplish the recommendations in the report.	#FOCUS GROUP
Low freshman retention rate and our 59% 6-year graduation rate could be attributed to admission standards being lower than they should be. We spend a lot of time as Librarians showing students how to be prepared and this is not only freshmen, but upper class students as well. Many students do not have the skill set required for this level.	#FOCUS GROUP
Admission standards - What is the Library's role in this? Is it remediation and literacy? This has not been clearly delineated across campus. A coordinated effort needs to be established between the Librarians and the Colleges. Many times a student seeking help is sent to the Library and then told they should consult their professor, who is the person who sent them to the Library.	#FOCUS GROUP
Much discussion regarding the communication between campus departments, faculty, and the Library.	#FOCUS GROUP
The Library can help faculty put data into reports but there is not always the support needed from the University. At one point the GIS was staffed with 2 people and soon there will be none. The Sorenson report resonated that we are not supporting the faculty. We cannot do so without support from the University.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks - should we refocus our efforts to support these? Particularly regarding research, access to materials, etc.?	#FOCUS GROUP
We are not included as part of the Grant process. Why not? Should the Librarians be embedded into the research process, involved in grants? It would be good to visit other schools, such as Purdue, to obtain best practices and see how they are getting this accomplished.	#FOCUS GROUP
Do efforts to obtain tenure hamper the Library's support of campus? Should the Library move away from tenure? We spend a lot of time trying to model after an academic unit but we act as a service unit. This creates a conflict that is detrimental to our mission. Countless hours are spent to support tenure status, which is counterproductive. We fight for representation on national committees and not for service to our university.	#FOCUS GROUP
The tenure process at the Library was compared to extension work as far as teaching, service, and research are concerned.	#FOCUS GROUP
Tenure, institutionally, is at odds with collaborative sharing and creates a barrier of academic controls.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to know how we ranked prior to 2003 - perhaps to the beginning of the data set from ASU.	#FOCUS GROUP
What will we get once we get to the top 50 spot? Bragging rights, prestige, notoriety. Will that help attract quality faculty and students?	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to know the correlation of demographics to endowments.	#FOCUS GROUP
Priority for fund raising for Leadership Studies was misguided. If that message can be relayed, maybe we can get that kind of money to put where it's really needed, not direct them at a non-priority program.	#FOCUS GROUP
Why are we not setting the bar higher?	#FOCUS GROUP
Feedback - has it been lukewarm or okay? Needs sense of the feelings of campus, external.	#FOCUS GROUP
Why did we pick these? Are there composite metrics? Why are we not measuring students getting a job? Or their salary after five years?	#FOCUS GROUP
$150,000 for seven years. Did we succeed? Yes, but did we make our goal? No.	#FOCUS GROUP
How much money does it take to get to the top 50?	#FOCUS GROUP
We didn't come up with the timeframe on dollar amount. Central administration did. We need to know how much before we can decide. Goals need to be inspirational and aspirational. Does top 50 sell? Is the goal even right?	#FOCUS GROUP
Challenge basic premise. Concerned about marketable skill - jobs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Future donors - fifteen-year process.	#FOCUS GROUP
Help make me feel like I am successful. Bring in career placement.	#FOCUS GROUP
You are missing the student experience. First five are all about faculty. Not speaking to Kansas. Reverse three better. Buy into work ethic - not full rides, but two half rides. Not student-focused. How it is packaged. Message might be okay.	#FOCUS GROUP
Struggle with academia and how it relates to private sector.	#FOCUS GROUP
Questions are not right.	#FOCUS GROUP
Always thought research was the way to do it so we can be sustainable. Not a private university. Disagree with the goal to be a top 50.	#FOCUS GROUP
Are we satisfied to be a 23,000 student institution? Provide definition of what is the optimum number to be successful.	#FOCUS GROUP
Is there too much of a focus on research? Will it intimidate students?	#FOCUS GROUP
What percentage of funding comes from the state for each of the peers/aspirational peers mentioned in the presentation?	#FOCUS GROUP
Has the data changed since 2006? Why do we not use ratings like U.S. News and World Report?	#FOCUS GROUP
Why isn't KU on the list?	#FOCUS GROUP
What is the purpose of being top 50? Better recognition, better research opportunities, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
Resident impact - parents and families should show their support of K-State by encouraging their children to attend here vs. elsewhere. It seems we have a "Kansas Inferiority Complex" feeling. In other words, "if it's here, how good can it be?" We need to pat ourselves on the back as a community. Be more supportive, more "purple", not less.	#FOCUS GROUP
Future donors of K-State are the business owners of Manhattan. Therefore, students that come here and have business ideas should be encouraged and supported to stay. The Entrepreneurship program, in conjunction with support from local business owners, can be an avenue to help promote this.	#FOCUS GROUP
Support from companies - intellectual property issues.	#FOCUS GROUP
National Academy membership - the Board of Regents doesn't seem particularly interested in these outstanding types.	#FOCUS GROUP
How can we engage fellow alumni to support the need for our faculty to consist of members of the National Academy of Science. What will they gain - "enhancement of the value of the degree earned at K-State". How do we retain top level faculty when very few have any real commitment to K-State per se.	#FOCUS GROUP
Growth of our pool of Academy level professorships will ultimately improve both the undergraduate and graduate experience in research at K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #5 - Doctorates Granted - there seems to be little incentive for the masters student to stay on to complete the Ph.D. The difference in earning power from the BS to the MS is very substantial, but not so much from the MS to the Ph.D. The graduate student must weigh the difference between staying on for another two years, potentially incurring more debt to complete the Ph.D. Depending on the discipline, often times the gain just isn't high enough.	#FOCUS GROUP
Graduate students need engagement and gratitude for their contributions. Depending on the chosen discipline of the graduate students, the entire game is completely changed.	#FOCUS GROUP
If we can recruit and keep more graduate students who will ultimately become our alums, we stand to gain substantially from their potential future contributions and connections. As they go to other universities to become faculty members or to corporations as leaders, their K-State connection can be shared enhancing our overall goals toward recruitment.	#FOCUS GROUP
These changes need to happen sooner rather than later for changes to be made. Many times all of these ideas/information are collected but nothing ever happens after the plan/report/recommendations are made.	#FOCUS GROUP
The metrics should include diversity.	#FOCUS GROUP
It seems like not everyone is playing on the same team. In our unit, there are people who have been here for over 20 years, and with big changes happening, it is a little unsettling.	#FOCUS GROUP
We do have the message "K-State First", and I agree with it, but we haven't done a good job of getting that message out.	#FOCUS GROUP
For our unit in terms of what we do, it is "K-State First". However, during meetings there is not a lot of time to reach consensus. I came from the outside, and we had to make decisions quickly and live with it.	#FOCUS GROUP
We have to set high goals in order to reach them, and making us the leading food safety university in the country is going in the right direction.	#FOCUS GROUP
Student retention - The K-State First mission is a good start. It is embarrassing where we stand in comparison to other schools. I'd like to know what they are doing to improve retention.	#FOCUS GROUP
KU has the geographic advantage when it comes to recruiting - they are only 45 minutes away from the airport, 25 minutes from downtown Kansas City, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
Any news that Pat Bosco's division wants covered about undergraduates generally is, while the Graduate School and graduate students generally haven't gotten the same coverage. Our unit needs to decide what's important and publish those items. We typically try to publish news items so that we get national attention, which is a good way to help improve all areas. Trade-offs have to be made.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research is necessary, but not "sexy".	#FOCUS GROUP
There is competition among units for business rather than as a collective "family" that could be shared. Competition does not need to be there.	#FOCUS GROUP
Also, why are we not supporting our own units? Some units continue to contract (outsource) for work that we could do. We need to look internally and identify the specialists in each area and put them together. The goal is to be able to look at one part of KSU and it looks similar to KSU units in other areas.	#FOCUS GROUP
Student publications is now writing for all entities, not just new student services. Printing Services looking at more digital outputs.	#FOCUS GROUP
Resources - how are funds allocated? I know there are some gifts that have no restrictions, so how are those funds distributed across the university?	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks - Research and Development and Endowment are key - if you have them, the rest will follow. Ohio is doing it. They are raising funds and improving the institution.	#FOCUS GROUP
When the money does come in, where it is going is important. What is the Foundation going out and getting support for?	#FOCUS GROUP
Most colleges do their own fundraising.	#FOCUS GROUP
Increase in tuition will affect the number of students staying at the University.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty involvement can be focused by us [Communications and Marketing] and we can get it out to the right people. We could help bring them notoriety and money here. We can support these benchmarks, but we need to work together as a unit.	#FOCUS GROUP
A few group members questioned how and what Iowa State is doing. They have the same type of legislative backing with only a slightly larger population than that of Kansas State University. One person stated that Iowa puts their lottery money back into education, unlike Kansas.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need to look to the future prospective students in terms of distance education, such as today's 4th and 5th graders. These students won't be used to a physical location to receive their education. Not all the group members agreed that a virtual type classroom atmosphere is the way to go, but that we need to sell the advantage of being a physical location, especially the fact that we need facilities to research in laboratories. Universities that are strictly online are not competing for the same people as K-State is. Students like a connection of history and allegiance to a physical location.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #4 - record and promote faculty recognitions, both nationally and internationally.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #6 - Range is pretty tight and will be hard to move up.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #7 - We have a lot of transfer students from community colleges and students who take advanced courses in high school - this affects our graduation rates based on the fact that they are tracking students that attend our institution from freshman to senior.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #8 - "recognized" research needs to be clarified. There is a fine line from research experience versus research as class assignments.	#FOCUS GROUP
Everyone should read a book entitled "Crossing the Finishing Line" by William G. Bower.	#FOCUS GROUP
Larger workforce gained through larger student population.	#FOCUS GROUP
Sometimes need to choose between award or grant - grant means dollars for the university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Characteristics of students entering K-State as a result of admissions was mentioned; however, other universities seem to be in the same boat as far as retention rates.	#FOCUS GROUP
This kind of research [NBAF] will be U.S. Government run. BRI (Biosecurity Research Institute) was a money loser. The university had to subsidize it. Departments would generate funds, but they went to cover the costs of BRI.	#FOCUS GROUP
We are in a bad economic situation in the College of Arts and Sciences. Most colleges generate additional fees from tuition, but not the Arts and Sciences.	#FOCUS GROUP
Fees are not equitable. The College of Arts and Sciences should be able to generate fees from the classes that it's providing to the whole university. The College of Arts and Sciences needs to be on an equal level with other colleges. It should not be behind in terms of obtaining economic support. There needs to be some economic benefit.	#FOCUS GROUP
The top 15 institutions and research seems to be lost somewhere.	#FOCUS GROUP
Placement for graduation is much different that it used to be.	#FOCUS GROUP
We can't change the benchmark because we have to play by the rules.	#FOCUS GROUP
Undergrads and graduate students can be tied. Good graduate students as models can help undergrads. If there are no good graduate students, it is harder for undergrads to get in grad school.	#FOCUS GROUP
In the last two years, people who have won awards are junior faculty with less than five years at K-State.	#FOCUS GROUP
The university does have dollars, so what's the problem? Athletics gets support/money and academics is secondary. This is a huge problem.	#FOCUS GROUP
Men get big increases and women do not.	#FOCUS GROUP
Students can apply for travel money, but they get like $70.	#FOCUS GROUP
Change to a higher SAT/ACT Score for admission would immediately improve retention, but at great cost to our accessibility and traditions as a land grant school.	#FOCUS GROUP
Why do we use two categories that in no way help us...but hurt us (Freshman to Sophomore Retention Rate & Six Year Graduation Rate) because of our large number of community college transfers and transient population from Ft. Riley - do we need to pick benchmarks that help us? Will the bottom three benchmarks help us achieve the goal in becoming a Top 50 Research Institution? They seem more about satisfying the Board of Regents than achieving higher status as a research university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Why not select different benchmarks - post docs and annual giving (where we do well)?	#FOCUS GROUP
Can we truly achieve this goal of becoming a Top 50 Research Institution or is this an aspiration goal to inspire greater effort?	#FOCUS GROUP
Board of Regents - the direct connection to the benchmarks - what is necessary/what is not.	#FOCUS GROUP
The top 5 benchmarks are outside our control as arts and humanities faculty. We can have no meaningful effect on them and they seem aimed at science and engineering faculty.	#FOCUS GROUP
Do many of these benchmarks pertain to the Arts?	#FOCUS GROUP
Other benchmarks - the Center for Measuring University Performance.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is room for improvement [retention].	#FOCUS GROUP
Graduation and retention rates effect tuition.	#FOCUS GROUP
Scholarly output can affect the benchmarks.	#FOCUS GROUP
What can we do to make K-State a more attractive place to want to do research? Do we think too much like a private institution?	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention rates - referred to an article in Washington Monthly. Should we be more selective in who attends K-State in terms of ACT Score, etc.? We don't want to be like KU - that is not our style. Who are we attracting to K-State - we are not a private institution. Do we change our admission requirements? Who comes to K-State? Who do we want at K-State?	#FOCUS GROUP
How is K-State organized when we look at other institutions that are comparable to us? What do these other institutions do that we don't?	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark #6 - First Year Retention Rates - Fall Cohort. Biology reportedly advertised $30,000 fellowships and had great applicants.	#FOCUS GROUP
Strive to be in the Top 50 - but don't lose our land grant mission or teaching and extension in the process. We currently have superior cooperation between teaching, research, and extension faculty and hope this remains. We need to strive for more interdepartmental and intercollegiate collaborations providing a link between basic and applied research. Determine a way to capitalize on our ability to cooperate.	#FOCUS GROUP
If we enhance our research, it will help the teaching.	#FOCUS GROUP
Business professors do research and we do a lot of it and there is a lack of knowledge that we are because our research isn't grant-driven. We've done a poor job of letting other people in our university know so if the university doesn't know about our research, then no one else does.	#FOCUS GROUP
It's confusing to me that we are trying to be in the top 50 of these eight areas. Why these? And how does that correlate? What about those programs and departments as a whole?	#FOCUS GROUP
Who is the target? Who are we trying to impress with our top 50? The public or other universities or who?	#FOCUS GROUP
We have two different things going on - a top 50 university and a top research university.	#FOCUS GROUP
Most people in Kansas don't care about those 8 topics.	#FOCUS GROUP
A lot of ways it's going to have to be more with the administration. We haven't heard anything since Wefald left about putting out high quality students and we used to very often.	#FOCUS GROUP
It's the whole package you have to sell to get faculty to be willing to stay and they don't want to have to uproot their families.	#FOCUS GROUP
These benchmarks are not the benchmarks that the public is going to care about. The ranking game is a PR game that takes a lot of resources to get rank. There are two types of benchmarks here and metrics don't correlate.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is no outcome measure.	#FOCUS GROUP
The number of publications and top scholarly journals is critical whatever the subject is. The metrics and standards aren't the same.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is no metric up there to attract market people.	#FOCUS GROUP
My last university is competing with the University of Texas and Michigan and at A&M, the faculty were divided into two groups: clinical professors for winning in teaching and the other is the research professors who teach just one class but are demanded to publish five articles of research within a five year span.	#FOCUS GROUP
In the school of management, they aspire and they do everything possible to put their professors at the top. What are the top journals for each department?	#FOCUS GROUP
It takes a very large resesarch investment to get there. Clinical professors are paid decently and you have to hire many more clinical because research professors are not teaching as much.	#FOCUS GROUP
We don't like people that have been recognized to leave the college. They want to recruit top researchers and keep them here.	#FOCUS GROUP
Number of doctorates is a poor metric because it's a quantity instead of quality measure. It would be better to have quality.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty awards - depends on what they are awarded for. Are you awarded for research or teaching?	#FOCUS GROUP
Research Infrastructure Task Force - looking at the folks who were on the committee and it's a very weird combination of folks to look at the research position of this university. The report was very biased to the agriculture side of K-State. Everyone should have been represented and not just the life science and English professor.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research Infrastructure Task Force - we don't relate to that kind of metric. It wouldn't carry over well to business because it's beyond the natural sciences.	#FOCUS GROUP
Research Infrastructure Task Force - family studies brought in the most money and weren't represented on the task force and the top schools are them, biology, and education, to name a few, all of whom were not represented.	#FOCUS GROUP
We would have a better chance at being top teaching than research. We already have Marshall and Rhodes scholars and employers like our graduates.	#FOCUS GROUP
We are not going to be able to place our Ph.D. students in top schools if the focus is classroom teaching.	#FOCUS GROUP
Budget dictates this [admission standards]. We tend to sacrifice quality for quantity. However, we are an undergraduate Land Grant institution so we have a commitment to serve.	#FOCUS GROUP
Do we really compare to Clemson and Auburn?	#FOCUS GROUP
We may not be able to serve everyone, but wouldn't it be awesome if these underserved, unprepared students could see K-State as a place where success is possible? Would hate to see us become so selective that we cannot serve this population.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks - research heavy? Focused primarily on the bench sciences. We do a lot of applied and creative work that seems excluded...for example, Extension and Human Ecology courses are pretty much excluded.	#FOCUS GROUP
We know research is a major focus, but we have many programs that are equally important and don't necessarily show on paper. All needs to be valued. It's not necessarily the grants earned but the marketability of our graduates that should matter. We produce a lot of quality undergraduates.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmarks make us buy in to what others say is valuable. We are captive to the opinions of others and stand to lose what makes K-State unique.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty in the hard sciences can produce publications faster than applied.	#FOCUS GROUP
Favor tends to be toward the funded research and not showing support to what others are doing. Fear of being told to hit the road if not bringing in funds.	#FOCUS GROUP
Would be great to be a Top 50 Public Research Institution, but at what cost/sacrifice will it take to get there?	#FOCUS GROUP
It is understood that we either go this way or be left behind. If we don't pursue a Top 50 status, we become a mid-range teaching college.	#FOCUS GROUP
National Academy Members/Faculty Awards. Can the faculty awards list be broadened to truly encompass more applied? Don't forget those in the fine arts.	#FOCUS GROUP
University's fate is not tied to funding received from Topeka, but depends on what we do to attract external funding, whether it be through major gifts, grants, or private gifts. Funding from Topeka is not likely to grow in the coming years, but the situation will be the same for our peer institutions and those in the Top 50 research universities.	#FOCUS GROUP
Sometimes the University keeps things afloat because those things work well for a while, such as mega projects versus small individual projects.	#FOCUS GROUP
Once faculty receive tenure, they tend to branch out in different areas or interests. Until they receive tenure, faculty members are focused on accomplishing X, Y, & Z related to tenure review requirements.	#FOCUS GROUP
Definition of formalized research or activities should include theater, arts, the humanities, and other fields that may not fit with the most common image of formal undergraduate research.	#FOCUS GROUP
The group questioned whether or not the university's aims should count undergraduates who have a formal research experience during one period of their degree program instead of counting the total number involved in formal research at any given time.	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty demographics will be changing in the future; therefore, we can look at turnover as an opportunity to guide what kind of faculty hires are sought and ohw those new faculty are nurtured to encourage more RSCA related to K-State's goals. Conditions in the economy may make retirement a less desirable alternative.	#FOCUS GROUP
More emphasis should be placed on graduate education, but this comes at a cost. By increasing our emphasis on research and the number of PhD students, will we reduce our emphasis on undergraduates?	#FOCUS GROUP
Administrators and faculty - inertia that the people are just scared and just don't want to go down this path.	#FOCUS GROUP
Can we be a student-centered research university and still be in the Top 50? It's sort of a handicap on the image.	#FOCUS GROUP
Many people that do research don't want to teach an introduction class. Students just get in the way.	#FOCUS GROUP
We have doubled the number in my department over the years that I've been here. The people that are doing the research couldn't be doing it if it wasn't for the people that are teaching.	#FOCUS GROUP
Everybody else is competing and we are not doing so well. We aren't just competing against other universities, we are also competing with private research.	#FOCUS GROUP
Through my department we do have a committee and we generated more than 60 awards in our department and have received more than any other institution, but how many people around this table even knew that?	#FOCUS GROUP
External awards - we can try to go after awards, but there are different amounts and degrees that may not be recognized in the same way, so different departments have a different set of metrics and we can't gloss over that. If awards become available, we will go after them, but there is not much available in this department.	#FOCUS GROUP
It's discouraging when you have alumnni who are members of the National Academy and the faculty mentors are not even mentioned.	#FOCUS GROUP
More information needed: compose a budget or bill - it could be a rough estimate. What is that number? It makes the realistic aspect of this come into a sharper focus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Iowa State has double the faculty but it is only generating three percent more research than we are. We aren't seeing the whole story. So we may be better off, but we don't know with the data we have. We would like to see rank in per capita.	#FOCUS GROUP
If students have lower capabilities and we still graduate 80 percent, we may be doing better than peer institutions that have a higher admission standard.	#FOCUS GROUP
Our college is very supportive that the culture needs to shift. If we want to do it as rapidly as 2025, then there will have to be big decisions that need to be made that may not make the culture what we are looking for.	#FOCUS GROUP
What will it do to the overall culture? Research and Top 50 are two different goals and it's a concern. The quality of education to our students needs to be upheld. What sells in the academic environment may not sell as good to the Board of Regents and the taxpayers.	#FOCUS GROUP
Concern was expressed about limiting the focus to only 8 selected benchmarks and whether it is possible to become a top 50 public research university if other benchmarks are not considered. There are many rubrics CAPD has exelled in that are not reflected in the 8 benchmarks. They don't want other benchmarks overlooked or devalued.	#FOCUS GROUP
CAPD has excelled in freshman to sophomore retention rates and 6-year graduation rates. The student-centered, professional studio culture leads to good retention.	#FOCUS GROUP
CAPD can contribute to all benchmarks, including increased external research funding, but needs to define measurements of creative works. Are there national measurements of excellence in creative works, such as the Top 50 rankings?	#FOCUS GROUP
CAPD has at least 6 Fellows; however, this professional recognition is not listed on the Faculty Awards sheet. Fellows are highly respected and valued, but the distinction is not only based on research. Are there any CAPD prominent grant and fellowship programs not included in the comprehensive faculty award list?	#FOCUS GROUP
Mission: Preserve and promote the culture of CAPD and expansion of the mission to include increased research and endowment.	#FOCUS GROUP
See need for information on developing an interdisciplinary research group as well as mentorship between colleges regarding national faculty awards.	#FOCUS GROUP
First Year Retention Rates: Danger in explaining why the retention rate is lower, really focusing on what students will be successful at KSU. What is our recruitment standard? How do we decide who comes to KSU? If we increase our standards of students, it will drop enrollment rates but have more talent and readiness on campus, hopefully decreasing the 1st year retention rate. Can you define standards?	#FOCUS GROUP
First Year Retention Rates: Research is not separate from teaching and STUDENTS should still come first!	#FOCUS GROUP
Can't leave everything to the faculty, so what programs can we [Student Life] provide to help students become more successful? Redefining the purpose of certain programs. For example, housing and dining services - only to provide food and a place to live OR are they helping students overall in their experience at KSU?	#FOCUS GROUP
Goals are conflicting - looking and comparing such different things - wanting the research money BUT wanting to improve retention rate, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
Unrealistic goal to be in the Top 50 - we need to focus on everything as a whole. Teaching - research - service. Left the word research on the discussion question. Why don't we choose which areas we need to improve on and what programs we need on campus?	#FOCUS GROUP
Struggle of having students who are ready for research vs. students who are stuggling to even be in a university setting.	#FOCUS GROUP
If money is put into something - research, retention, etc. - then there seems to be a higher correlation with success.	#FOCUS GROUP
Supporting the people who are providing the services to the students and the "face of KSU". How are you keeping the people providing the students services happy and excited about their jobs - professional development, financially, support, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
National Academy Awards - rather low. Resources high in other places. Geographic area?	#FOCUS GROUP
What can we do with where we are at? Outdated doctorate offered. Interdisciplinary degrees.	#FOCUS GROUP
Doctorates granted for employee.	#FOCUS GROUP
How are institution retention rates calculated? Transferring out, dropping out, verified through clearinghouse?	#FOCUS GROUP
Overselling - are we recruiting to the point that the picture of KSU is skewed?	#FOCUS GROUP
Admission by exception questioned.	#FOCUS GROUP
How will being a Top 50 Research University impact our culture from #6 and #7 - how will non-faculty be rewarded for being effective with #6 and #7?	#FOCUS GROUP
University because we give diplomas, land grant institution because we research. How do we achieve both?	#FOCUS GROUP
KU making politicial moves become more elite, got backlash.	#FOCUS GROUP
HR - track/assess undergraduate research experience, new lab, talent tracking, student employment experience.	#FOCUS GROUP
Huge cultural shift - is this good for K-State?	#FOCUS GROUP
There are some cooperations that target schools that in the top ranking in certain areas.	#FOCUS GROUP
Spending a lot of money preparing students on what high schools should have done to prepare students before coming to a university. Is this a waste of our funding?	#FOCUS GROUP
1st year retention is only focusing on spending lots of money on the first year, but what happens after that year? Do we need to focus on the students with the low success rate? Enhance all areas by reaching everyone.	#FOCUS GROUP
Know your role? How many students are we supposed to have on campus and we can successfully educate and support the students with the services we can provide.	#FOCUS GROUP
"Quality or Quantity" - academic standards, admissions? Who is going to make it through?	#FOCUS GROUP
Faculty would want to work with students who are here for higher level of learning at the university who are very intelligent.	#FOCUS GROUP
Changes in Manhattan with our student population will automatically shift in the direction we are moving. Cause tension with the local community who are not affiliated with KSU. Keeping in mind the local population to alienate the small town feel of Manhattan, which keep people here. Don't destroy this in the moving forward of KSU.	#FOCUS GROUP
Students picking smaller success to be more involved in athletics, horse judging, etc.	#FOCUS GROUP
It will be painful to reach this goal.	#FOCUS GROUP
Can't carry dead weight when budgets are already tapped out - can't do all things for everyone.	#FOCUS GROUP
What are other universities doing to reach these goals? Admissions criteria, average admitted classes, changed their culture, recruiting message? What are we comparing ourselves to the state schools, Big 12, and Top 50 when recruiting?	#FOCUS GROUP
Four year public institutions with a smaller population in the state with so many other four year institutions in the state. Eliminating programs at the universities to have only one program in the state - it would be hard. How many students come in open option?	#FOCUS GROUP
If we redefine ourselves, we will have a smaller environment, but retain in the long run.	#FOCUS GROUP
Doctorate programs - going deeper and finding who is using the resources and where are the areas with the most potential to increase more doctorate programs that may be close any way.	#FOCUS GROUP
Can we back up what we're bragging about? Let's be truthful and accurate in our reporting.	#FOCUS GROUP
No central location that collects the needed data - seems scattered. OEIE, IDEA, Registrar's, but nothing central for this purpose/benchmarks.	#FOCUS GROUP
Sometimes reports don't match up between university offices, numbers on students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Endowment, grants, research - they can "market" for us - get the awards.	#FOCUS GROUP
What happened with the budgets? The ideas were out there on solutions. Budget cuts - we saw no reorganization or consolidation - we just took cuts across the board.	#FOCUS GROUP
Trying to convince people that education, divisions matter - they have separate goals and missions get questioned in times of bad budgets.	#FOCUS GROUP
Money issue - sometimes you need to spend money to make money. Department head not wanting to spend the department's money because it wasn't their idea/direct programs, "spend your own money", but our department will benefit from it, no team approach.	#FOCUS GROUP
Auxiliary units - don't want to be taken advantage of - always paying for "unfunded" programs - we want to see the results of that money.	#FOCUS GROUP
Competing values - will being at "top research university" make the undergraduate student experience suffer?	#FOCUS GROUP
Feds are tracking more retention rates for the first time.	#FOCUS GROUP
Working full time hinders the ability to complete the PhD program in a timely manner.	#FOCUS GROUP
R&D.E. - Extension component to our university obligation to develop the people, research, and environment in our state, as a land grant institution.	#FOCUS GROUP
Numbers from separate sources contradict themselves in published??	#FOCUS GROUP
As a land grant, AG school, how sustainable are we really?	#FOCUS GROUP
Sustainability - research and outreach resources put to good use.	#FOCUS GROUP
If we all advance each other, we all advance.	#FOCUS GROUP
Are multicultural constituents being involved in planning? How do they come into play in the future?	#FOCUS GROUP
Of the doctorates granted, how many students did undergraduate work at other schools?	#FOCUS GROUP
Are distance students involved in this?	#FOCUS GROUP
What is the current university layout in terms of how many students in each major? How is that going to change with NBAF?	#FOCUS GROUP
What does it take to get tenured? Does that process take faculty focus off their students' success?	#FOCUS GROUP
Higher admission requirements = higher retention.	#FOCUS GROUP
Where will we get these "non-state" resources?	#FOCUS GROUP
Research grants become more important as a funding source.	#FOCUS GROUP
Will the new Communications and Marketing be promoting KSU?	#FOCUS GROUP
There is a connection between having top faculty and having higher endowments and research dollars.	#FOCUS GROUP
KU is pushing to to a top school in cancer research. What is K-State pushing to become?	#FOCUS GROUP
In Kansas City, the KU Med Center has done a good job of promoting and marketing itself in the KC area.	#FOCUS GROUP
Need people to buy into the concept that K-State experiences still exist with personalized interaction.	#FOCUS GROUP
Association can help this process by being involved in branding of the University (e.g., K-State, Kansas State, KSU). We can help by continuing to promote successes (e.g., University of Nebraska marketing).	#FOCUS GROUP
What is our employment rate and should we compare to our peers?	#FOCUS GROUP
How does this intiative impact the economy and help sustain the state?	#FOCUS GROUP
Retention roles for Alumni Association and University may differ.	#FOCUS GROUP
Can we further quantify faculty/staff ratios?	#FOCUS GROUP
Friend raising leads to fundraising and helps enhance retention rate.	#FOCUS GROUP
Should there be a measurement of student successes in this plan?	#FOCUS GROUP
Quantifying numbers of student achievement could increase because we know we're utilizing the plan.	#FOCUS GROUP
Is there any way to identify outstanding alumni researchers to impact this process?	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF could be an asset and barrier because of uncertainty of federal funding.	#FOCUS GROUP
Top 50 as a goal - if other institutions above would sit still - use a measure of growth rather than a "Top 50". Use percentage increases. Growth targets from where you are today.	#FOCUS GROUP
How do you account for the dynamism of the industry?	#FOCUS GROUP
If you move up in growth, but not to #50, would you still be successful?	#FOCUS GROUP
Individual goals - if a goal is outside their control, the excuse rate is higher when don't achieve. Under their control and responsibility, would achieve success.	#FOCUS GROUP
2025 long time away - messaging issue - length of time in sending message - keep excitement.	#FOCUS GROUP
Appears we are bad and have to work our way up - it sounds like we are in dire straights - 80th in the group - how do you package it positively - how do you put it out there so it doesn't sound like a stretch goal?	#FOCUS GROUP
Message: # of elite scholars important here and now we just want to expand other areas - encompass a larger group - make it a positive - right now it sounds like blunt news.	#FOCUS GROUP
No business makes a 15 year plan - in today's world, it is too far of a stretch. Had President for 23 years - unusual - will administration continue that tenure?	#FOCUS GROUP
15 year long period of time - interject college priorities for shorter term goals and benchmarks so it doesn't feel so long.	#FOCUS GROUP
15 year period - if had resources today, what would it take to accomplish goals? Faculty would take awhile to arrive and build programs. Whole package could be complete earlier, so 15 years out might not be out of line - it can't all happen overnight.	#FOCUS GROUP
Exercise is of great benefit - KU is disarray at various levels - they are looking at what we are doing with tinge of envy and similar direction - encouraged by the process. 1st generation college student from western Kansas - great privilege to come to K-State and life changing. Want for future students and for everyone to know what we have and are capable of doing. Let's get it done.	#FOCUS GROUP
Great initiative and feels like we have the whole team behind. It is long term (15), but businesses do long term planning. Are you discussing methodology of what you are NOT going to do? Start, stop, and continue - what programs are you going to discontinue to make the rest happen?	#FOCUS GROUP
Marketing tactic to recruit the best. Need mission statement to share. Top 50 doesn't sound so wonderful from marketing - 78 of us will be on the downside of the curve. If about marketing, craft message so it is consistent for students coming in. Some colleges are at top tiers and don't forget to share them.	#FOCUS GROUP
Top 50 - what does that mean to outside world? Top 50 might sound good to us, but is that really a positive goal to the rest of the world? Could be lofty goal, could be achievable, but need to message it positively.	#FOCUS GROUP
What are grad rates for graduate studenies, not just undergraduates? What are grad rates across the academy - physics vs. humanitities? Information like that would be helpful. It it takes on area longer than another, 15 years isn't that long. If you produce masters and PhDs, studies are longer.	#FOCUS GROUP
Benchmark transfer students - separate cohort - not in data, but is tracked. Is ASU tracking transfer students? Not just freshman retention. Community colleges will come in more and more. Need to establish a goal of how students enter system. Would like to present retention rates to include transfer students.	#FOCUS GROUP
Message should be presented differently outside KS. Alumni in AZ not involved in K-State anymore - they need to be "reinterested".	#FOCUS GROUP
Motivation and giving comes from being proud. Motivation comes from pride: student accomplishments, athletic accomplishments, success stories after they graduated.	#FOCUS GROUP
Inspirational needs to be student-centric. Build passion, success of where we are today. Everyone likes to follow a winner.	#FOCUS GROUP
Reconnection that got me back - barely a state-supported school and now realize we have a public institution with a private funding model. We need to take ownership to assist. Wake up call - how many people grasp that. Pretty profound.	#FOCUS GROUP
When you look at peers, do we know why. Money or other impacts or lessons to learn from other institutions (best practices).	#FOCUS GROUP
15 years - keep momentum going for that term. How will we send the message?	#FOCUS GROUP
Concern - key resources been identified? Plans in place to adequately fund? Adequate funding for well know sources. If had, faculty could expand programs. Stakeholder buy in - how is faculty buying in? Faculty are not interested when share - don't have time, supervise. Identify resources and internal stakeholder buy-in.	#FOCUS GROUP
NBAF - what is going to happen? Significant change to community within 15 year period. If will happen in 10 years, won't that change the 15 year plan? Are we thinking of external metrics? Recognize the possiblity of the vision to change with the influence NBAF will have on community and campus.	#FOCUS GROUP
Terms of 15 year window - keep in mind not playing game in static environment. Other universities are trying to move up too - remember the "top" could change during the 15 years. Is the faculty really informed? Faculty saying "try to make sure I don't lose faculty positions - I am not thinking about vision 2025". Faculty not concerned about NBAF.	#FOCUS GROUP
How is message marketed? Students are our product that we want to educate for workforce. How do goals impact student experience? Top 20 motivates rather than a top 50 - impacting students means more.	#FOCUS GROUP
Should increasing the number of PhD students be an absolute percentage or a percentage compared to faculty or undergraduate students or some other number?	#FOCUS GROUP
Do Vet Med docs count toward PhDs?	#FOCUS GROUP
What about libraries and research library status? What about the library of the future? Is it books or internet?	#FOCUS GROUP
Will you be measuring masters' students?	#FOCUS GROUP
All sporting events should be held here - not in KC. All 50,000 fans could then come to campus to see what's going on here.	#FOCUS GROUP
Every one in a while, we need to have something at the Sprint Center [sporting events]. With a footprint in the KC area now, it would be good to have athletic events there for Johnson County.	#FOCUS GROUP
How does Vision 2025 mesh with the KSU Foundation's next capital campaign?	#FOCUS GROUP
Some of these themes won't be involving KSU Foundation. How are these themes prioritized?	#FOCUS GROUP
If we raised our [academic] requirements, how would that affect the athletic programs?	#FOCUS GROUP
There are 8 benchmarks. To say there's only one at the Foundation, I want to challenge that thinking a little. All 8 require Foundation thinking about fundraising. One reason we lose students, for example, is for financial reasons. More scholarships would help there. From research to facilities - it all takes money. The executive committee has gone through these key benchmarks and preliminarily all 8 require the Foundation's focus and direct involvement to raise dollars for each of those.	#FOCUS GROUP
The President used the term "glacial" in his presentation. It seems like things take a long time. Have to have short-term success. We need to have an attitude. K-State Proud. Family togetherness. Students have that.	#FOCUS GROUP
Messaging - Any time our students speak, they are so articulate. Based on the family theme, I would like to hear voices from multiple generations. When you're here, your appreciation of K-State is different 10 years from now, 50 years from now. It changes over time.	#FOCUS GROUP
There is an opportunity for us to do something spectacular. There is a lot of negative news, but we are in a position to do something spectacular.	#FOCUS GROUP
How are the faculty inspired by all this? They are having direct contact with students and retention. We don't hear much about that.	#FOCUS GROUP
Vision 2025 seems to be all about funds: facilities, faculty, scholarships. When is the next campaign going to be?	#FOCUS GROUP
I have a hard time with homeruns. We need to hit more singles. Is it ever the desire to address the bottom end of faculty, students, or alumni we haven't heard from or who aren't contributing?	#FOCUS GROUP
Are we going to address the tension of serving a wide variety of Kansas students and attracting the brightest students to stimulate the rest of the student body? A natural tension exists. What are the implications? We have to attract the best and brightest and yet be accessible to all.	#FOCUS GROUP

Kansas State University

2025 Visionary Plan

Phase 2 Results: Where Are We Now

Statistics