KSU's President Accepts Position as President of Washington State

[colbycheese]

KSU's president, Kirk Schulz accepted a position as the next president at Washington State starting in May. It should be interesting to see how this shakes up the KSU athletic department, specifically:

• If Curry, KSU's AD leaves or gets replaced by the new president
• Replacement of the vampire
• Conference expansion

 

[Gorm]

Kasnas State to Washington State...

Lateral move at best...

Isn't Manhatten bigger than Pullman? Interesting move to say the least.

 

[surly]

Huge blow down here. Kirk was very well liked and extremely successful in building K-State over the past 7 years. New buildings everywhere on campus and a billion dollar national lab under construction. WSU and K-State ranked about the same on the academic side. I suspect this had to do more with state funding than anything else. Very sad day for me. I knew him well. Thought he'd be here for 10 years.

And yes, he hired John Currie. Both hold national leadership positions dealing in athletics and both have been on many 'hot lists.' Not surprised if John leaves soon. He was on Texas's short list.

 

[Rabbuk]

Moving up from the Juco ranks?

 

[Dr.bannedman]

wonder if how the state of kansas is being ran helped him decide.....

 

[colbycheese]

Huge blow down here. Kirk was very well liked and extremely successful in building K-State over the past 7 years. New buildings everywhere on campus and a billion dollar national lab under construction. WSU and K-State ranked about the same on the academic side. I suspect this had to do more with state funding than anything else. Very sad day for me. I knew him well. Thought he'd be here for 10 years.

And yes, he hired John Currie. Both hold national leadership positions dealing in athletics and both have been on many 'hot lists.' Not surprised if John leaves soon. He was on Texas's short list.

Speaking with some of the faculty on campus, the suspicion was that it had, at least in part, something to do with upcoming budget cuts, and possibly the implementation of the new concealed carry laws that start in July of next year.

The move to Wazzu does sort of seem like a lateral move, imo.

Also, Curry isn't a very popular man. He can fund-raise well, but isn't a people person. I'm seeing a lot of comments on the interwebs asking Schulz to take Currie with him.

 

[cycloneML]

Moving up from the Juco ranks?

have you been?

 

[DowntownDave]

I've known Kirk for a long time. As far as I can tell, he has done an outstanding job at K-State, but if I were president of a state school in Kansas, I would get out ASAP. Higher ed funding has been abysmal under Brownback and just keeps getting worse. To make what is pretty much a leteral move and be farther away from family (on the east coast) says something about how bad things are in Kansas.

 

[ArgentCy]

Higher education doesn't know what a "bad economy" is. I mean you said it yourself, they are building tons of new buildings including a Billion dollar research lab. Oh the humanity.

I am sure that they will be able to find a perfectly good president that can handle the job.

 

[surly]

I've known Kirk for a long time. As far as I can tell, he has done an outstanding job at K-State, but if I were president of a state school in Kansas, I would get out ASAP. Higher ed funding has been abysmal under Brownback and just keeps getting worse. To make what is pretty much a leteral move and be farther away from family (on the east coast) says something about how bad things are in Kansas.

Funding and control. Brownback and his minions in the legislature have fixed tuition rates. So, with state funding cutbacks, the university couldn't make-up the difference through tuition. It's just dumbfounding how the governor treated higher education.

Both WSU and K-State were ranked in the 140's by US News for whatever that's worth. The school did rise in the Carnegie Foundation rating to a top tier research university under Kirk's leadership.

 

[ArgentCy]

I'm sure the guy was a good guy and leader which is why he is looking to move on. Fixing tuition rates (for how long?) is a typical stupid politician move with little understanding of economics. I can understand sending less money from the state budget but at the same time tying their other hand behind the back is stupid.

 

[DowntownDave]

Higher education doesn't know what a "bad economy" is. I mean you said it yourself, they are building tons of new buildings including a Billion dollar research lab. Oh the humanity.

I am sure that they will be able to find a perfectly good president that can handle the job.

It is true that there is plenty of money for buildings and capital improvements if you are a good fundraiser. People will give $$ to put their name on a building and corporations and foundations will contribute to research labs. But funding for day-to-day operations, for paying salaries and insurance and hiring faculty and so forth, is another story. State funding continues to decline, and if you can't raise tution, all you can do is cut salaries, cut staff, cut benefits, increase class size, drive away potential faculty, and generally damage your school academically.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

For those of you not familiar with the cave, it's futile to try to argue with Argent about this. He believes everyone should just be home schooled.