Kansas State University

University Handbook, Section B:
University Structure

(July 2006, 04/10/12, 09/08/14, 06/05/15, 02/22/17, 2/22/18, 12/10/19, 10/13/20, 3/9/22, 6/13/23, 9/12/23 revisions)

Administration

Below are listed the members of the administration that include the president and those who report to the president at the vice-presidential level or equivalent. Vice provosts and other administrators are linked on the website.

B1 President. The chief administrative officer of the university is the president, who serves at the pleasure of the Board of Regents. The Office of the President is the focal point for plans, policies, and operational decisions crucial to institutional progress. To fulfill the responsibilities for administration, the presidential offices include provost, vice presidents, chief information officer, and chief financial officer. The Office of the President includes the chief of staff, chief diversity and inclusion officer, university general counsel, chief government relations officer, and other staff. For additional information, see the Office of the President website.

B2 Provost and Executive Vice President. The provost, as the chief academic and program officer for the university, provides leadership to teaching, research, and extension programs. The provost is responsible for administration of all programs of instruction, enrollment management, and academic student success and for promoting academic excellence for the University’s faculty and students. The provost works closely with the president in developing and implementing university priorities and in administering program budget and faculty and unclassified professional policies. The provost serves as the university's representative to Regents' Institutions Council of Chief Academic Officers. For the units and programs reporting to the provost and additional information about this office, see the Office of the Provost's website.

B3 Vice President for University Operations and Chief Operating Officer. The vice president for university operations and chief operating officer (COO) is responsible for oversight of facilities, planning and maintenance, risk and compliance, environmental health and safety, parking services, campus public safety, and administrative support center services. For the units reporting to this office and additional information about this office, see the Vice President for University Operations website.

B4 Vice President for Research. The vice president for research advances the research mission of the university by promoting and facilitating scholarly activities while ensuring compliance with applicable research regulations and guidelines. For a list of offices and administrative areas that fall under the authority of this office, see the website for the Vice President for Research.

B5 Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students. The vice president for student life and dean of students oversees all dimensions of the non-academic university student experience and promotes student success in the classroom and in life. The vice president for student life and dean of students fosters a commitment to students’ success through developing and implementing programs and services that enrich student learning, build and maintain a strong sense of community, and support the social and personal development and well-being of students at K-State. For a list of the offices and units reporting to this office and additional information about this office, see the website for the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students.

B6 Vice President for Communications and Marketing. The vice president for communications and marketing is responsible for promoting the Kansas State brand and working to enhance Kansas State University’s national and international reputation. For the units reporting to this office and additional information about this office, see the website for the Vice President for Communications and Marketing.

B7 Vice President for Human Capital Services. The vice president for human capital services is responsible for the ongoing development and implementation of innovative, progressive and responsive human capital structures and programs as a centralized and integrated entity at Kansas State University. For additional information about this office, see the website for Human Capital Services.

B8 Chief Information Officer. The chief information officer (CIO) serves as the University’s senior information technology executive and is responsible for the leadership and management of Information Technology Services (ITS), with strategic and operational oversight of university-wide IT services including communications, networking, and server/storage infrastructure and services; academic, administrative, and instructional technologies and support services; desktop support; university-wide technology training; research computing infrastructure; data and information management; and information technology security, risk mitigation, and business continuity. For a list of the units reporting to this office and additional information about this office and its services, see the Information Technology Services website.

B9 Chief Financial Officer. The chief financial officer (CFO) advises the President and Provost on all matters pertaining to the management and operation of accounting, budget, and financial affairs for the university. The CFO ensures overall fiduciary integrity of the university and provides insights on financing, long-term planning, financial sustainability, operations, and resourcing to support the accomplishment of the university’s mission and goals. For the units reporting to this office and additional information about this office, see the Chief Financial Officer website.

Colleges and Academic Units

B31 The administrative responsibilities of each department/unit are given to a head/chair/director (unit administrator), whose appointment is recommended to the provost on the basis of recommendations originating with the dean of the college with the advice of the faculty of the department/unit concerned. A unit may adopt specific policies concerning such matters as the selection, retention, evaluation, and job description of the unit administrator. Policies must be within the mission of the college and with the concurrence of the dean of the college, provost, and two-thirds vote of its faculty. 

B32 Refer budgetary questions to the unit administrator or dean's representative. 

K-State Olathe

B34 K-State Olathe is the academic presence within the Olathe Innovation Park in Olathe, leveraging K-State’s broad capabilities and its resources on the Manhattan campus. Academic programs are supported by faculty housed in the School of Applied and Interdisciplinary Studies, as well as partnerships among units across K-State, including the university's Graduate School and Campuses, as well as K-12 schools, community colleges, and four-year colleges and universities. For more information see the K-State Olathe website.

Kansas State Polytechnic

B35 Kansas State Polytechnic is the polytechnic campus in Salina, Kansas emphasizing a small campus atmosphere with a professional learning environment built on theory, research, and industry application, particularly in the areas of aviation, engineering, and technology.  Polytechnic offers a range of undergraduate programs, secondary majors, certificates, and minors and a professional master of technology.  Formerly known as K-State Salina, the name was formally changed in October 2015. For more information, see the Kansas State Polytechnic.

K-State Global Campus

B36 The K-State Global Campus is responsible for administering a variety of credit and non-credit outreach programs for Kansas State University. For more information see the K-State Global Campus website.

Libraries

B37 Kansas State University Libraries consist of the main administrative unit, Hale Library; three Manhattan campus branch libraries: Paul Weigel Library of Architecture, Planning and Design; Math / Physics Library; Veterinary Medical Library; and K-State Polytechnic library. For more information see the libraries’ website.

The Graduate School

B40 Programs leading to degrees beyond the baccalaureate level are offered in most of the recognized fields of learning. Advanced study and research are administered through the Graduate School in conjunction with the departments in each of the colleges. The dean is the chief administrative officer of the Graduate School. For more information see the Graduate School website. 

B41 Within the framework of the administrative organization of the university, the policies of the Graduate School are made by the graduate faculty and its representative body, the Graduate Council. The Graduate Council is the chief legislative and policy-formulating body of the Graduate Faculty. Its duties are to formulate, review, and approve policies concerned with the conduct of graduate study at Kansas State University, providing effective leadership in advocating graduate education and scholarship of the highest caliber.

B42 The Graduate Council is composed of one representative from each college having a graduate program and additional representatives throughout the university. View more information about specific members of graduate council.

B43 Each academic area will elect four representatives to the Graduate Council, and each representative will have a term of three years. Terms will be arranged so that at least one member is elected each year from each academic area. The four representatives of each academic area must be from at least two colleges. Each college will elect one representative to the Graduate Council, and each representative will have a term of three years. Terms will be arranged so that at least two college representatives are elected each year. No academic unit may have more than one member on the Graduate Council. A representative may serve no more than two terms consecutively. The Dean of the Graduate School, or the dean's designated representative, is the presiding officer of the Council, but not a voting member. For additional information on election procedures, see the Graduate Council Constitution, By-Laws, and Procedures. 

B44 Membership on the graduate faculty is initiated by recommendations of the department with which the faculty member is primarily associated. Action on such recommendations is taken by the Graduate Council at its regular meetings. Approval for membership entails the recognition of the faculty member’s right to participate in meetings and elections of the graduate faculty. It further indicates that the member is accredited for teaching graduate-level courses and supervising research of graduate students. View details on admission to the graduate faculty.

To direct doctoral dissertations, a member of the graduate faculty must be certified, or recertified, in keeping with the policy set forth in the Graduate Handbook, which requires evidence of contributions by the faculty member to his or her field within the preceding four years.

For additional information concerning the regulations and procedures of the Graduate School, see the Graduate Handbook.

Research and Extension Units

B50 Kansas State Research and Extension-Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Kansas State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service. A major research arm of the university, the Agricultural Experiment Station is supported by both federal and state funds. Besides full-time investigators, its staff includes teaching or extension faculty engaged in part-time research. View more information about the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service.

B51 Engineering Experiment Station. The research division of the College of Engineering, the Engineering Experiment Station, is staffed from faculty of that college who collaborate with government agencies, industry, and other educational partners to conduct and publish research in the field of engineering. These efforts utilize numerous research centers, groups, laboratories, institutes and programs. View more information about Engineering and Graduate Programs.

B62 Engineering Extension at Kansas State University offers technical assistance, training and outreach in the areas of pollution prevention, environmental compliance, radon and energy. For additional information, see Engineering Extension. 

International Programs

B70 Established in 1991, the Office of International Programs is the center for a wide variety of educational functions in many parts of the world. For more information, see the Office of International Programs.

University Governance

B80 The faculty and unclassified professionals of Kansas State University elect as their representative body the faculty senate, to exercise the powers outlined in the University Handbook, Appendix E: Constitution of the K-State Faculty Senate. The senate is charged to execute the principles of shared governance as articulated by the American Association of University Professors, facilitating participation of faculty and unclassified professionals in the establishment of university policies and interpretation of university procedures. The elected president of the faculty senate presides at all faculty senate meetings. Copies of the faculty senate minutes are posted on the faculty senate webpage.

B81 The faculty senate is the representative body for the faculty and unclassified professionals of the whole university. Each college and each department has its own scheduled faculty meetings and structure for faculty participation. Within smaller units variation in arrangements appears in accordance with needs. The concept of a community of scholars relating to each other as equals applies to Kansas State University in its major functions more accurately than does the concept of hierarchy.

The Faculty Senate

A copy of the constitution of the K-State Faculty Senate is included as Appendix E.

B90 The faculty senate is a representative body whose members are elected by unclassified personnel (“unclassified personnel” as used here and in the constitution refers to faculty and/or unclassified professionals). The faculty senate is composed of distinct caucuses representing various units on campus. All unclassified personnel at Kansas State University on a regular or term (non-temporary) appointment, are represented in the faculty senate and are eligible for membership except as noted in the faculty senate constitution. Select extension personnel are not represented on faculty senate. Members of the senate are elected to three-year terms. Committees and subcommittees of the senate are important units in the organization and functions of the university. For more information see the faculty senate website.

B91 The standing Senate committees are:

The Executive Committee
The Committee on Academic Affairs
The Committee on Faculty Affairs
The Committee on Professional Staff Affairs
The Committee on University Planning
The Committee on Technology

B92 Committee membership is defined in the Faculty Senate Constitution.

B94 Service as faculty senate president, president-elect, immediate past-president, secretary, and chair of faculty senate permanent committees shall be considered as part of the members' assigned responsibility during the term of appointment. Service in leadership roles in the faculty senate is time consuming and must be recognized as such in the departmental role and reward process. Serving as president requires at least 30% time, while serving as chair of a standing committee is at least 25%, secretary 20%, president-elect and past president 15%. Members of a standing committee may spend 10% or more of their time in that role, depending on the agenda in a given year. Thus, while the dean and departmental administrator will not evaluate performance in faculty senate work, they shall ensure that service as faculty senate leadership shall be given appropriate consideration in decisions affecting teaching and department assignments, annual merit salary adjustment, and promotion. Credit shall also be given for service on university taskforces and faculty senate semi-permanent subcommittees which develop extensive reports such as Salaries and Fringe Benefits Subcommittee.

University Planning

B95 The faculty senate at Kansas State University is the principal forum for faculty and unclassified professionals participation in the governance of the university. On matters related to university planning, the president, president-elect, and past-president of the faculty senate, and others chosen by the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, represent the faculty and unclassified professionals on university-wide planning groups.

The provost will consult with the Faculty Senate Leadership Council on matters related to university planning. When appropriate, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee may refer specific tasks related to university-wide planning to the Faculty Senate Committee on University Planning (FSCOUP).

FSCOUP is composed of one representative from each caucus and the student body president or their designee. The student representative shall serve as ex officio with voting rights. Liaisons from the Provost’s Office and University Support Staff Senate will serve as ex officio without voting rights. The senators in each faculty senate delegation select one person  to be their representative for a three-year term. Those selected members of the committee need not be senators but must be unclassified personnel eligible for Faculty Senate membership as outlined in the faculty senate constitution. The chair of the committee is elected by the committee membership and serves a one year renewable term.

FSCOUP is charged by the faculty senate to actively advocate the need for comprehensive institutional planning and to monitor planning activities, evaluate their effectiveness, and make recommendations for improvement in the planning process. FSCOUP also advises the faculty senate representatives on university planning and budget committees. The chair of FSCOUP is responsible for keeping the members of FSCOUP informed as to the activities of these various planning groups.

FSCOUP responds to faculty concerns about planning and, if necessary, develops recommendations for consideration by the faculty senate.

The Colleges' Committee on Planning (CCOP), Extension Committee on Planning (EXCOP), and University Libraries CCOP, are representative bodies for the college or unit whose members are chosen by by an approved selection process. The CCOPs meet on a regular basis to provide input relative to university and college planning directives which require faculty and staff involvement.

The college dean or unit administrator shall consult with CCOP on issues related to, but not limited to: college planning, college reorganization, strategic planning, program discontinuance, and financial exigency.

Members of CCOP shall include tenure-track faculty, tenured faculty, non-tenure track faculty, university support staff, and unclassified staff who are assigned to a college, department, or other unit. Those faculty and staff members with a total university appointment of five-tenths or more will be eligible to serve on CCOP. Department heads are eligible to serve on CCOP in an ex officio non-voting capacity. Given the purpose of CCOP to provide input to college administrators, deans are not eligible to serve. The faculty and staff of each college or unit shall be responsible for establishing its own selection procedures; this procedure must be approved by a majority of the faculty. Membership shall represent a cross-section of position types, departments, discipline areas, or other organizing unit within the college or administrative unit. In addition, the college or administrative unit's FSCOUP representative will be an ex officio member of CCOP. CCOP selection procedures will be kept on file with the dean or unit office. A copy of CCOP selection procedures shall also be provided to the office of the secretary of the faculty senate.

Presidential and Advisory Committees

B100 In the general administration of the university, several committees advise the president of the university. Leadership council provides consultation regarding membership on these committees. Members are selected from faculty, unclassified professionals, students, administrators, staff and others according to interests and needs. View the membership of these committees along with a list of faculty senate committees and subcommittees.

Deans Council

B110 The deans of the colleges, the libraries, and the Graduate School meet on a regular basis with the president and the provost to develop and review policies and goals regarding instruction, research, and extension programs. This group has responsibility for development and coordination of strategies and procedures for each of these and other programs.

B111 As need exists, there are meetings of representatives of the deans council and the faculty senate for the purpose of reviewing and discussing issues related to academic policy.

Selecting Deans and Heads/Chairs/Directors (Unit Administrator) of Departments/Units

B120 Kansas State University affirms the principle of participation of faculty and/or unclassified professionals in the selection and reappointment of all administrators, including interim positions. Short-term (generally up to three months) acting assignments may sometimes be necessary without the opportunity for faculty or unclassified professional input. When extended interim service is anticipated, an internal process involving faculty and/or unclassified professional input will be followed. For more information about acting assignments and interim appointments, please see PPM Chapters 4410 and 4650.

Except when modified as specified in B31 and C157, the following general policies apply to the appointment, reappointment, and evaluation of administrators.

B121 A search committee, primarily composed of faculty, unclassified professionals and other staff members, who are representatives of the group to be served shall act in an advisory capacity to the administrator responsible for making the appointment. As circumstances require, students, alumni, and representatives of other university-related groups may also be named as members of the search committee; however, the majority of its membership will consist of faculty when the administrative position has academic responsibilities. The search committee will be appointed by the administrator responsible for making the appointment and will reflect recommendations from the group to be served or a representative subgroup. For central administrators, the search committee will be appointed in consultation with faculty senate leadership and will reflect their recommendations.

The search committee shall keep the faculty, unclassified professionals and other staff of the group to be served regularly informed of the status of the search. The search committee and/or administrator responsible for filling the position are expected to gather information from sources which include a candidate's current and/or previous employers, supervisors, peers and subordinates. As a component of the evaluation of candidates for departmental and college administrative positions, a confidential written survey will be sent to the faculty, unclassified professionals and other staff holding appointments of five-tenths time or more within the group to be served. The search committee and administrator making the appointment will be responsible for administering this survey. The results of the survey will be made available to the search committee and an unranked list of candidates, whom the committee judges to be acceptable based on their qualifications, will be provided to the appointing administrator.

B122 Faculty members who will serve directly under the position to be filled will be informed that a position is available and shall have the privilege of recommending to the search committee names of candidates and other considerations which they feel to be important. Individual faculty, unclassified professionals or other staff members shall have the privilege of a private conference with the search committee and/or the administrator making the appointment and can assume that their recommendations and views will be held confidential and will receive serious consideration. In addition, the search committee and administrator responsible for making the appointment may consult with faculty, unclassified professionals, or other staff.

B123 Administrator Evaluation Procedures. The policy and procedures for Administrative Assignments and Five-Year Comprehensive Reviews have been moved to Section C159.

B125 Administrators, including faculty and unclassified professionals, in acting or interim positions, shall be justly compensated for their administrative work during the time they hold the position. (See C21.2, Policy to Designate Change in Salary for Administrators Who Return to Faculty Positions.)