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K-State Today

August 24, 2016

Welcome to the fall 2016 semester

Submitted by Gen. Richard Myers

Interim President Gen. Richard Myers

Dear faculty and staff,

Welcome to a new fall semester! As your "new" interim president, I’d like to give a special shoutout to all the folks who have worked so hard over the past months to finish up our new buildings. If there is a single word to describe this semester, it is "new."

Many in our K-State family are occupying new spaces, such as the Berney Family Welcome Center, the College of Business Administration building and Wefald Hall. Just last week, we hosted an 1863 Society gathering for faculty and staff members in the new College of Engineering expansion. If you have not yet visited these new spaces, please do yourself a favor and make time. They are wonderful additions to the Manhattan campus.

Many new facilities also are underway. The K-State Student Union continues to open new space and the Seaton Hall renovation is really taking shape. Let's also remember those who now occupy spaces that are new to them, thanks to the recent space migration efforts. 

This year we face some new challenges, and some that have been around. As we start the semester, let us renew our commitment to continued progress on our K-State 2025 goals. I have asked our cabinet members to compile their goals for the upcoming year into one PDF document. As you look at these goals with fresh eyes, please think about what new ideas might help us propel this plan forward.

We know the months ahead will present many opportunities, and we must continue to improve our university while looking for efficiencies. The faculty and staff of this university have a reputation for resilience and courage when it comes to meeting a challenge. Together with the Kansas Board of Regents, we will find ways to grow and prosper even with our "new normal" budget challenges.

There is a phrase that caught my eye the other day, a line used by the Beach Museum of Art that packs a lot of meaning into a few words. Linda Duke and her staff encourage us to "think anew" about art and the role of creative thinking in the world. As we enter this new semester, let us all think anew about how to move our wonderful institution forward.

Thanks for all you do for Kansas State University.

Gen. Richard Myers, USAF, Ret.
Interim President