Budget transformation: An update on fall 2026 Advisory Budget Committee activities

Dear colleagues,

Since our last update in early September, the Advisory Budget Committee, or ABC, has resumed its work supporting the ongoing implementation of the Next-Gen K-State Budget Transformation initiative.

The committee has reviewed projected implementation outcomes for year one, recognizing that calculations for enrollment-generated revenues are still being finalized based on the recently released fall 2026 enrollment census and that the final recommendations for the 5% Operational Support Fee appeals process will not be finalized by the appeals working group and the Executive Budget Committee until later on this fall.

Ultimately, these year one revenue projections — and the institution’s projected needs for FY 2028 — are informing the work of a set of fall 2026 ABC sub-committees charged with a combination of continuing to build out budgetary lever implementation, reviewing key financial considerations and challenges, and creating recommendations for optimizing and adjusting our budgetary levers as required. These sub-committees include:

• 90/10 College Performance Metric Sub-Committee: The committee will work with academic college deans on identifying the path forward for college-specific performance metrics — a step intentionally deferred for FY 2028 implementation by the spring 2026 sub-committee.

• Scenario Planning Sub-Committee: The committee will evaluate a range of situations for how the university’s budgetary levers may perform under various conditions and as a result, identify potential adjustments that could strengthen institutional financial resilience and support strategic priorities.

• Financial Challenges Sub-Committee: The committee will review the factors applying budgetary pressure to the university and recommend potential adjustments to institutional prioritization in an effort to continue to balance the institution’s overall financial capacity and strategic priorities.

The following sub-committees will specifically review FY 2027 outcomes by lever and recommend optimized FY 2028 implementation mechanics:

• 5% Operational Support Fee Transactions Sub-Committee
  • Parallel conversations will also continue regarding the 5% Operational Support Fee and its ongoing implementation considerations for the Salina campus, Olathe campus, Ag Research, Extension and the Veterinary Medical Center, just as they did in spring 2026.

• 1.1% Budget Reallocation Sub-Committee

• GU Cash Carry-Forward Sub-Committee

Additionally, the Office of the Vice President for Research will continue to advance discussions on potential FY 2028 optimizations to the F&A Distribution Formula and the Salary Recovery Model for Sponsored Projects.

Ultimately, all committees are charged with completing their recommendations by the end of November, ensuring full review and comprehensive evaluation by the Advisory Budget Committee in December, followed by the Executive Budget Committee's review and approval in January.

This projected timeline aims to provide a longer runway leading up to the FY 2028 implementation, subject to other external factors, including legislative budgetary actions.

Full sub-committee membership rosters are available on the Budget Transformation Governance Committees page of the Budget Transformation initiative website.

The Budget Transformation initiative continues to be a living and breathing endeavor — one characterized by intentional collaboration and prioritization of our core financial objectives. Collectively, we all contribute to this effort, strategically positioning K-State as the nation’s premier next-generation land-grant university.

Go 'Cats!

Jesse Perez Mendez
Provost and executive vice president

Ethan Erickson
Vice president for administration and finance