Dear K-State community: 

This week I have heard from hundreds, if not thousands, of K-Staters who are concerned about a range of issues surrounding Black Lives Matter and the recent outrage over racist tweets. Their messages have one common theme: They want to eliminate the hurtful and hateful speech on our campuses.

Many perspectives have come forward, and not all are in alignment. This reminds me that we’re still continuing on a long journey that started in 1863 when our university was founded during the Civil War. Kansas began as a free state, a distinction that carries enormous weight. While it may seem like ancient history, the vestiges of that struggle remain in our country today. The Black Lives Matter movement tells us there is still much work to be done to remove the stain of racism.

Democracy is a messy system devised by humans who all have imperfections. Many times the answers or decisions we have to live with are also imperfect. What’s happening around us now feels like one of those times. Recent events highlight a fundamental tension in our society. On one hand, we are one of only a few countries that allow citizens the freedom to peacefully protest against their government. Because of that freedom, on the other hand, we sometimes have to hear thoughts or ideas that are not only abhorrent, but may cause people to fear for their personal safety.

When I was in Vietnam as an Air Force fighter pilot, I had sworn to support and defend our Constitution, including the freedom of expression. While I was fighting in the air over Southeast Asia, there were those back home protesting the war and calling our servicemen and servicewomen vile names. Of course, I didn’t agree with their hurtful statements, but I did agree to risk my life and die if necessary for their freedoms.

Students, faculty, staff and alumni who are badly hurt or embarrassed for our university are rightly calling for social justice and demanding change. The university supports these demands and believes actions are needed. When society cries out for justice, we must listen and proceed in making changes within the limits of the law.

Universities have always been places where controversial ideas can be widely shared and discussed. Our goal, embedded in our Principles of Community, is that this discourse be civil, with participants being treated with dignity and respect. We want every student on our campuses, as well as all faculty and staff, to know they are safe and to be treated with respect and common decency. These have been our values since our founding. There is no place on our campuses for racism, hate and bigotry.

Many ask: What can we do? They say we need more than words — we need action.

What we can do is rise up in peaceful protest and let those who spew hatred and bigotry know that we have an even stronger voice. As your president, I’m willing to join these protests and amplify your voices, particularly for those individuals from marginalized populations who are the most vulnerable in these situations.

I’ve asked our administration to fast-track action plans to combat racism and bigotry and other forms of social injustice. We’ll make every effort to make sure everyone’s voice is heard as we address these very serious concerns.

I am sorry these incidents have caused our K-State family great pain and for some to fear for their personal safety. We pledge to work together to protect the well-being of everyone as we strive to eliminate racism, hatred and bigotry on our campuses.

Richard B. Myers '65
Kansas State University president

***

Read more about K-State's action plans to promote diversity and inclusion:

University Plan
Athletics Plan

Dear K-State Alumni, Friends and Supporters: 

Whenever I have traveled wearing my purple K-State clothing, it never fails that I am approached by an alum who is eager to share with me their K-State experience. This past year, I have heard wonderful stories of people meeting their spouses on campus, tales of favorite faculty members, and traditions that have formed indelible imprints on memories of their alma mater. I have loved these conversations and seeing the university through their eyes.

However, at this moment, I want to share with you some thoughts after reading and reflecting on the tweets that went out in mid-June from our Black students and alumni as part of the #BlackatKState initiative sponsored by our Black Student Union. These K-State stories are starkly different from the ones shared with me in airports or alumni events. If you have not read this series of Black students and alums sharing painful experiences of bias and racism while on campus, I ask you to do so. You don’t have to have a Twitter account, just put #BlackatKstate in the Twitter search bar and you will be able to access.

These tweets are powerful, painful and heartbreaking. Though there has been much good work done at the university over the years in creating a more welcoming and inclusive campus, I hope you will agree after taking in the voices of our current Black students and alums, we need to do more and we need to do better.

As vice president for student life and dean of students, one of my main responsibilities is to help ensure students know they matter and that they belong at K-State. I can’t recall a time in my 27 years of working in higher education when this imperative has been more important. National events these past few months have placed a spotlight on what many of our Black students and alums have shared they’ve known their whole lives. Namely, that anti-Black violence, prejudice and bigotry rooted in racism is a burden the Black community has been forced to endure for far too long and for far too many generations in the U.S.

Over the past weeks in Manhattan, there have been several peaceful protests and rallies that have underscored this message. Additionally, our Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Bryan Samuel recently led a Community Action Talk focused on the Black Lives Matter movement where several hundred K-State students, faculty and staff participated. The university is currently holding focus groups with diverse members of the K-State community to dig deeper into insights gained from our recently conducted campus climate survey.

Our Intercultural Leadership Council, made up of student leaders from SGA and several multicultural student organizations, will be working on recommendations developed at this past spring’s SPIRIT program, a one-day workshop facilitated by the U.S. Department of Justice that engaged student leaders, faculty, staff and administrators in identifying K-State strengths and areas of concern surrounding diversity and inclusion. Each of these activities, and many others, will result in concrete action steps that will help move K-State forward in its diversity and inclusion efforts.

The Division of Student Life has recently drafted a new strategic plan for our work. One of our five goals is that “Student Life will represent and advocate for the underserved, those who might be victims of hatred or prejudice, whose voices might be silenced or not heard. We will work to foster a campus of compassion, equity and empathy.”

We will not allow this goal to collect dust on a shelf. To ensure this goal moves forward, I will be asking each of the student life directors, as part of their annual goal setting process, to share with me the action steps they intend to commit to this next academic year. We will track progress and report out annually on what we’ve accomplished. This work of reducing and eliminating racism is difficult and complex and can’t be thought of as a “one and done” activity. We will continue to have conversations throughout the next academic year and beyond regarding our responsibilities and action steps as a Division of Student Life committed to inclusion.

Finally, as a white male, I have a lot of work to do in unpacking my own biases surrounding race. One personal step I am taking is learning more about privilege, systemic racism and what it means be antiracist. I am a big fan of Brene Brown’s work. Recently, I listened to her “Unlocking Us” podcast interview with the author of How to be an Antiracist, Dr. Ibram Kendi. If you want to spend an hour well, I would highly encourage you to listen to this interview.

After listening, I think you will want to dig deeper into Dr. Kendi’s work. In a separate podcast episode, Brown interviews author Austin Channing Brown, who gives a definition of antiracism that has stuck with me since listening. She states simply that being antiracist is “learning to be a better human to other humans.” That is my wish for all of us — to be better humans to other humans.  

In Purple Pride,
Dr. Thomas Lane
Vice president for student life and dean of students

A question that has been on the minds of many K-State students in this uncertain time of COVID-19 is: “What will campus look like when I return in the fall?” 

While the situation continues to evolve, K-State has announced its plans for restarting fall classes.

The university will resume in-person classes for fall 2020, but is moving the start and end dates of the semester up one week. The first day of classes will be Monday, Aug. 17, and the last day of classes will be Friday, Dec. 4, with finals week from Dec. 7-11. The last day for in-person, on-campus instruction will be Nov. 20, right before the student Thanksgiving break. Following the break, the last two weeks of the semester, including final exams, will be completed using distance methods.

"We are making these adjustments to the fall 2020 academic calendar to reduce the risk for students, their families and their communities by reducing the need for students to travel back after Thanksgiving and then leave again several weeks later for the semester break," said Charles Taber, K-State provost and executive vice president. "Rather than traveling three times in a four-week period, students will only have to travel once."

The university will announce specific guidelines in the coming weeks on how in-person classes will be conducted based on guidance from state and local health officials as well as the university’s COVID-19 working groups. Taber said full operations on the K-State campus will include limiting densities in indoor areas, including classrooms, and the continued use of social distancing, face masks and appropriate hygiene practices. Teaching and learning approaches combining both in-person and distance methods also are being developed.

Changes include:

• Reduced capacity in classrooms to conform to recommended social distancing guidelines and ventilation rates. Every classroom/lab on campus as well as potential alternate spaces that may be converted into classroom space are currently being assessed for their viability for use during the pandemic. LEARN MORE
• Updated university face-covering policy to require masks or coverings on the majority of university property. Effective immediately, students, faculty, staff and visitors — including contractors and vendors — must wear face coverings over their mouths and noses while on K-State campuses. The policy specifically mentions coverings in all hallways, public spaces, classrooms and other common areas of campus buildings. Face coverings also are required anytime people are unable to maintain 6 feet of social distancing — even inside an office or outside on K-State campuses. LEARN MORE

Read more about university administration’s thoughts on the return to campus.

COVID-19 housing and dining updates

Residence halls and dining centers will be open for the fall 2020 semester, and K-State is incorporating extra health and safety measures for on-campus housing and dining.

K-State housing and dining updates include: reducing housing density; staggering the move-in schedule to reduce the size of gatherings; additional conduct standards and protocols for residents; modifying dining operations; and enhancing sanitation and cleaning in residence halls, dining centers and other shared spaces.

The university will have the capacity for 4,416 students to live on campus. Students who have already submitted housing contracts will be accommodated under the new plan, and the university will still respect roommate requests.

To accommodate social distancing requirements in university dining, meal plans will be changing to offer breakfast, lunch and dinner access. An all-access plan with unlimited entrances will not be available for at least the fall semester.

Dining room seating will be reduced so that students can maintain six feet of social distance while eating.

With reduced seating in the dining rooms, there will be options for takeout and for food service in other areas. Meals will be served on disposable paperware for eat-in and takeout options.

Face coverings meeting CDC recommendations will be required in the dining centers except while people are eating. LEARN MORE

Graduation ceremonies

Falling in line with the university’s adjusted semester schedule, spring, summer and fall 2020 graduates are invited to participate in combined commencement ceremonies Nov. 20 for the Polytechnic campus and Nov. 23 and 24 for the Manhattan campus. The university’s traditional spring commencement ceremonies were cancelled due to COVID-19.

Find the latest information on the fall commencement ceremonies.

K-Staters helping K-Staters

Despite the hardships brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the K-State family remains strong and committed to helping each other through hardships — including through the KSU Foundation’s new employee emergency response fund.

K-State employees experiencing financial hardships because of COVID-19 furloughs may apply for grant funds — up to $700 — online or in the KSU Foundation’s lobby, 1800 Kimball Avenue.

Hundreds of K-Staters have supported the #KStateStrong Emergency Response Fund since it was established in March to address emerging needs of K-State students, faculty and staff as a result of COVID-19. In early May, university leaders faced the difficult decision to start implementing targeted emergency furloughs and now more than 400 employees are affected.

“The KSU Foundation’s employee emergency relief fund is an example of the K-State family coming together to help each other,” said university President Richard Myers ’65. “Thank you to all our generous donors for their support during this difficult time.”

Discover more about how the #KStateStrong fund is making an impact.

Two years ago, the fire at K-State’s Hale Library damaged more than just a building. 

The library is a special spot on campus that many K-Staters have an emotional connection to. It’s a collection of knowledge, a beautiful example of architecture, and a gathering place for friends and colleagues.   

K-Staters have missed having that spot to go to, especially now as the university has limited its operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’re all missing campus even more. But progress on the library restoration project continues, and K-Staters are looking forward to the time when we can all gather together there again.

Looking back

Two years ago, on May 22, 2018, at 4 p.m., a tragic fire struck Hale Library.

According to the university’s official Hale Library Blog, the fire and the resulting damage from water and smoke impacted several sections of the library, including historic Farrell Library and the Great Room. As a result, nearly 130 employees found themselves out of their regular workspace and had to be moved into more than 13 temporary workspaces throughout campus, including the K-State Alumni Center.

Here’s a walk-through of some of the progress that has been made on the library restoration so far:
 

The Great Room

Most of the damage to the library was a result of the heavy smoke that traveled throughout the building and the water used to extinguish the fire. Pictured above is the west end of the Great Room today, after significant restoration efforts. All the wood beams from the ceiling were taken down, repaired, restored and then put back in the exact same spot.
 

First Floor

After the fire, the library’s first floor had to be gutted before the damage could be repaired. The flooring was removed, and the area was used to temporarily store much of the building’s furniture.

Last fall, students were welcomed back to a brand-new first floor. The Dave and Ellie Everitt Learning Commons is now a collaborative space with technology-enabled group study rooms, open seating and many whiteboards for studying and brainstorming.

Second Floor

If you walked through the library’s second floor entrance back in June 2018, you’d find an area swarmed with giant white tubes that helped circulate air and dehumidify the building.

The new second floor was completed this spring, and holds 99 computer stations for community use. The second floor entrance space also has been repurposed into a living room area, complete with soft seating where students can enjoy the view from a beautiful arched window.

Joyce and Joe’s Cornerstone Café

Various kitchen equipment has been installed in the café, including refrigerators and reach-in coolers. The counters have now been installed as well.

Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab

The Innovation Lab will be available to all students, staff and faculty at K-State, giving them access to new technologies such as digital media production, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, immersive digital environments and other emerging innovations. The lab will be located on the first and second floors of the library with a staircase connecting the two spaces.

The space also will include 14 3D printers, a Glowforge laser cutter and a studio that will allow users to record high-quality video with a single touch of a button.

Pictured above is Jahvelle Rhone ’10, the media coordinator for the K-State Information Technology Services Media Center. He is holding a newly 3D-printed face shield. Rhone and the K-State Digital Fabrication Club have been using 3D printers to create these face shields for local healthcare workers.

What’s next?

Renovation work on Hale Library will continue throughout the summer, addressing projects such as:

• Repairing the bookshelves in the Great Room
• Plaster work in historic Farrell Library area
• Third floor office spaces and graduate student study rooms
• Academic Learning Center on the fourth floor (a partnership between K-State Libraries and K-State Athletics providing space for student-athletes to receive academic support, including one-on-one tutoring)

— Information and photos for this article supplied by the Hale Library Blog

Although the coronavirus pandemic has prevented us from gathering and socializing the same way we used to, K-Staters still find ways to connect and celebrate purple pride virtually. 

On June 10, the K-State Alumni Association hosted its first Wildcat Chat on YouTube. K-State President Richard Myers ’65, Provost Charles Taber and K-State Alumni Association President and CEO Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86 were the featured presenters and answered questions from K-Staters about the university’s response to COVID-19 and other important topics. More than 500 people registered for the event. 

You can watch a recording of the livestream by clicking on the image below, or keep scrolling to read some of the highlights from the event. Thank you to our host Travis Lenkner ’01, who is the managing partner of Keller Lenkner LLC and is a former chair of the K-State Alumni Association’s board of directors.

The chat opened with a topic on the minds of many alumni and friends: football season.

President Myers said right now the plan is to have a football season with fans in the fall, but the percentage of seats in the stadium that will be filled has not yet been announced. K-State also has protocols in place to keep student-athletes, coaches and staff safe as they prepare for the start of the season.

“There’s a big bubble of uncertainty surrounding those plans,” Myers noted. “The virus gets a vote.”

Provost Taber said that when students return to campus for classes in the fall, the key word will be “flexibility.” Some classes will be face-to-face while others may be a hybrid of online and in-person. He stressed the importance of maintaining social distancing in classroom spaces, and one solution might be having half the class members physically present one day a week, while the others learn online, and then switch later in the week.

Housing and dining also will look different in this new era of social distancing, such as the use of two-person or even single-person residence hall rooms. Space also will be set aside for safe quarantining, should the need arise.

While social distancing, face masks and limited public gatherings may seem like a departure from the traditional college experience, these changes are necessary to keep everyone safe.

“We’re trying to take all the precautions we can,” Myers said, adding that the university needs to be prepared to transition to an online-only experience if the situation evolves. “We don’t want to put anybody at risk.”

Enrollment is expected to be down this fall in response to COVID-19, but the university has already seen an uptick in applications thanks to new recruitment measures.

Alumni Association President Amy Button Renz said that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alumni Association cancelled its spring and summer events and developed certain online replacements. For example, in the spring the Association normally hosts ceremonies honoring our student award winners. This year, the students were recognized in creative ways on social media instead.

Renz said that K-Staters should expect a mix of virtual and in-person events in the future, depending on how the pandemic progresses.

“The future’s going to look different,” Renz said. “We’ll still have to remain nimble.”

The Wildcat Chat closed with K-State administrators addressing the tragic death of George Floyd and the national movement against institutionalized racism.

Myers said that K-State continues to have on-campus dialogues about discrimination and racism.

“Social injustice has to be dealt with,” he said. “It has not been dealt with satisfactorily. Racism is alive and well. We can’t ignore that.”

He said now is the time to listen, and act on what we have learned. 

Follow us on Facebook for more information about the next Wildcat Chat.

Did you know that every time you swipe your K-State INTRUST credit card, you could be helping the K-State Alumni Association and its mission to connect Wildcats across the globe? 

The official K-State Powercat VISA credit card allows you to show off your K-State pride, and for every dollar you spend, you are helping to support the K-State Alumni Association’s programs and services. You also get bonus personal benefits, such as cash back or travel rewards.

If you already have a Powercat VISA credit card — thank you! The more you use the card for your regular consumer or business purchases, the more it benefits the Alumni Association. If you are interested in providing the corporate credit card for your employees, please reach out to mreichenberger@k-state.com for more information.

GET THE CARD and click below to learn more about all the great Alumni Association programs that your Powercat VISA credit card purchases help to support: