[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6098260,"mediaKeyId","2824225-c4301a90bfff6cc7378b454d01371116","parentId",2824225,"title","Regents committee approves Feb. 12 minutes and recommends consent agenda for full board","audioSeconds",4925,"startMs",119000,"endMs",5044000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2824225-c4301a90bfff6cc7378b454d01371116&start=119&end=5044","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2824225-c4301a90bfff6cc7378b454d01371116/thumbnail_119000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6098260/Kansas/Regents-committee-approves-Feb-12-minutes-and-recommends-consent-agenda-for-full-board","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6098260-157729db8db7bd7795e4373b29707987/orig.mp4?Expires=1770878620&Signature=PisF83oDpdvMuqAElmR66Eobx5saksd-uyFePyf~T-7CIog6Rrv0B6UU7~3qaHSj5tP0YHjB~plzaqnd6OvwkCi5Yes~nzJm7k~odUSP~OZcT98XUGxOhA~mHGKD9m3b8DAYKf3xPEf8qV5jCTBa4rV9XK7qZQrQt5JehU8RtS9pIqH5PLPEQm~WwB6S8KWu4FBZlxcCEIMVKWfOz5KL9fX2ERq5ANC9O7Ain8IkInsMr3rnJktsAkFPSMSOhq7W7pCuOghwAcDvl64eBdgL~k2-eP3syB-~DLpXoj-uvxnLeyoW0JEDBMo1hujvZi8xDmRThpmqKNF6XEiVhly9lQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Board of Regents ","date","2025-03-12T00:00:00Z","article","At the March 12 meeting of the Kansas Board of Regents Fiscal Affairs and Standing Committee, the committee approved the minutes of its Feb. 12 meeting and voted to recommend approval of two items on the board's consent agenda.

Chair Benson called for discussion of the Feb. 12 minutes and Regent Rolfe moved to approve the minutes; Regent Dicus seconded. Chair Benson asked, \"All those in favor, say aye.\" The chair recorded the motion as approved by voice vote.

Later in the meeting the committee considered the day's consent agenda (two items) and Regent Rolfe again moved that the committee recommend approval of the consent agenda to the full board; Regent Dicus seconded. The chair called for a voice vote, \"All those in favor, say aye,\" and the committee recommended the consent agenda to the full board.

The committee recorded no roll-call tallies in the transcript; both actions were approved by voice vote as recorded in the meeting minutes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Regents Fiscal Affairs and Audit 03-12- 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Board of Regents Fiscal Affairs and Standing Committee voted to approve minutes from its Feb. 12 meeting and recommended approval of two consent agenda items to the full board during its March 12 meeting.","taxTitle","Board of Regents, Departments, Boards, and Commissions, Organizations, Executive, Kansas","taxId",25292,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6098264,"Wichita State cites record headcount, international-student visa losses and a projected $2.5M tuition shortfall",611,3591000,4202000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2824225-c4301a90bfff6cc7378b454d01371116&start=3591&end=4202","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2824225-c4301a90bfff6cc7378b454d01371116/thumbnail_3591000.jpg","/articles/6098264/Kansas/Wichita-State-cites-record-headcount-international-student-visa-losses-and-a-projected-25M-tuition-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6098264-72b8cd7252461d00ca8bb9ba16cbdcdb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770878620&Signature=SrCCo4UcgUYQWkbAWErv3G9Pby8yaIVcjY8ajFUX2CxcjtPoTAuNr-9ouUpr5UddgPuMva3RKpZD3ISHU2orE7rMEtbIAw~eV2wKlBKu2Uji6V-IqNlgI7eyhA0E5Y0pGfS2oegVZPfauLgJHb95mZwF0gSgSb8eXj1DC8N2EdUpqFg5szx3CqmXSRQckQ1tuzf4t0TDYjWh-nOAlGU6hMMzvFySgdcGcD0NKwO6uvF3bZQ6kBNp232kvOYw8CtQCwPb17dJhTy8OmDOOfUJ7v3bzkI5ezYj9mjFGelPLjmqClhBnmjIpICWJcE52xssUgwVEo3EgpDhSIM3-6iQDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","David Miller, senior vice president for finance and administration at Wichita State University, told the Board of Regents Fiscal Affairs Committee on March 12 that the university achieved its largest fall headcount in 2024 but anticipates a tuition shortfall driven principally by international-student enrollment and visa denials.

Miller said fall 2024 headcount reached about 17,700 students, up from roughly 16,000 three years earlier. He described international students as an important financial component because they typically pay higher tuition and because they contribute to applied learning and regional workforce development.

Addressing the projected shortfall, Miller said the university expects to run about $2.5 million below the adopted budget for the year, tied largely to international enrollment challenges. He described a student survey that found roughly 50% of admitted international students who ultimately did not enroll had been denied visas. To mitigate the gap this year, Miller said Wichita State will realize roughly $1 million of salary savings from vacant positions and delay or set aside several capital projects.

Miller also highlighted long-term budget pressures: athlete-related costs and compensation competitiveness. He said about 81% of General Use funded positions are currently about 5% or more below market and estimated a one-time cost to close that gap of roughly $21 million. He reiterated that Wichita State intentionally positions itself as a lower-cost research option to remain affordable for students while growing applied learning and research that support regional economic goals.

Miller presented the university's reserve and debt picture: about half of Wichita State's debt is supported by housing revenues (with occupancy about 96%), and other debt is supported by parking fees, trustee-approved fees and student fees. He said ongoing research growth and the Innovation Campus have increased depreciation and research-related spending, which factor into expense trends.

Regents asked for additional information about athletics costs and first-generation student percentages; Miller said Wichita State had a notably high share of first-generation freshmen (47.5% for the class referenced) and offered to supply comparative peer data later.","Wichita State told regents it recorded its highest headcount in fall 2024 but faces a projected $2.5 million shortfall tied largely to international-student visa denials; the university plans salary savings and paused capital projects to offset the gap.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6098269,"Fort Hays State reports tuition gains, capital project timing and a recovering FTE after multi-year declines",530,2253000,2783000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2824225-c4301a90bfff6cc7378b454d01371116&start=2253&end=2783","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2824225-c4301a90bfff6cc7378b454d01371116/thumbnail_2253000.jpg","/articles/6098269/Kansas/Fort-Hays-State-reports-tuition-gains-capital-project-timing-and-a-recovering-FTE-after-multi-year-declines","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6098269-67d11c4b8912c8bde6bf75a2886e8bfe/orig.mp4?Expires=1770878620&Signature=EQtLCN4~Ry2FlqmECIRQ-6eT7~JW-1OqBPT-KM~S8-F1a0~pZw4JTdOgsoWu5T8gkPgqBPevC61kGhnAzx~Mnqb58bdhRvh5ZC8piPNM9cjGZF0VBNkU5z3OCWBJwkP5XM0-2K7IXjBNiqVsVlwXwN7ijVjvUEuY8azM2tEMAX6orAkSWkjdDDLfitMo1rX08o7DSuOT2o-y~Uy6dyQ~CAUfq9FpBjyEHy5MCArkXYioSaRDMUk6KO-G1o5~dowHXtLoDEQ8cHEaUnfgo88hInlxHImnCSSCzy972PJ-G218-SFD4INvQu4cW9toWcjgJrr6fTQVEX7suAMvfuCTQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wesley Winch, chief financial officer for Fort Hays State University, told the Board of Regents Fiscal Affairs Committee on March 12 that Fort Hays reversed several years of decline with an increase in full-time equivalent students in fiscal year 2024 and is managing capital project timing and operational expenses.

Winch said about 60% of the university's students are resident Kansans and that the campus posted an FTE increase of roughly 331 students last year, including 173 native Kansans. He emphasized the growth in several on-campus undergraduate programs — including nursing, social work, history and informatics — and said first-time, full-time freshmen were up for fall 2024.

On revenues, Winch explained that Fort Hays' tuition collections increased partly because the university raised tuition in 2024; online modalities still represent a large portion of tuition revenue at about 55% while on-campus represented about 31% and cross-border about 14% in fiscal year 2024. He presented a midyear snapshot (as of Dec. 31) projecting roughly $43 million in tuition revenue and said the campus had spent about 47% of its expenses at midyear.

Winch explained a timing effect for capital spending: the campus had $17 million in capital improvements in the budget but had spent only about 9.3% of that because roughly $15 million is allocated to the Stroop Hall project; design documents are about 60% complete and construction is expected to start this summer, so much of the capital spending will occur next year and the year after.

On debt and reserves, Winch said the memorial union bond will be fully paid off in about May and the university's debt service remains manageable at about 1.3% of revenues. The university's composite financial index rose to about 5.0 in the most recent year; Winch said that level is healthy for the institution and that much of the recent rise reflected favorable foundation returns.

Winch listed fiscal challenges common across institutions — enrollment pressures, inflationary cost and compensation pressures, and political/regulatory uncertainty — and highlighted strengths including affordability and strategic program growth through affiliations with technical colleges and other partners that, he said, are beginning to produce pathway students.

Regents asked about early affiliate impacts and whether Fort Hays is tracking revenue and enrollment outcomes from affiliated pathways; Winch said systems are being set up to track affiliate student flows but that quantified revenue figures are not yet available. Regent discussion also touched on sustaining higher operating expense levels achieved during recent years and the role of state stabilization funding in maintaining strategic initiatives.","Fort Hays State told regents it saw an FTE increase last year, tuition revenue rose after a tuition increase, capital spending timing explains current low capital outlays, and the university aims to sustain affordability while investing in student success.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6098274,"Emporia State reports stabilization in enrollment, uses reserves and cuts to balance budget",526,1533000,2059000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2824225-c4301a90bfff6cc7378b454d01371116&start=1533&end=2059","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2824225-c4301a90bfff6cc7378b454d01371116/thumbnail_1533000.jpg","/articles/6098274/Kansas/Emporia-State-reports-stabilization-in-enrollment-uses-reserves-and-cuts-to-balance-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6098274-3444098b0e874dafeb61cfb376d1a8bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770878620&Signature=Im66OwcI6UzrndYoLhr6vk9sjHVR63etuSYYFU-vYmKeWBNd3j3lWoqy8LITw5YvBd4qm4dmOU1QAVcE02myJy3RZppNu5VmSmAd6CXQn0kNXxTjnJSzCtJApt3ztPQALaFxg8BO4VDaIg44wdsR15yebJm7HVjFTwxK-Sy1LMiVFI8EJDZDL~xFyFihZSMimM-PO1AyJ5wPtdgxecsP~NYjCe6yY4KtxfkPL4NoAx-Y6iUPCrQo0t5zZR4TNWdZ8BPpmgUlAWOlASrHTG0OBjvvuCYSTxcdvbU6~d-zvDBoMs7ZaSXOoPdCxALaGDRXld854et8cR5uWT5yJ7OrVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Angela Wilgram presented Emporia State University's midyear financial report to the Kansas Board of Regents Fiscal Affairs and Standing Committee on March 12, saying enrollment declines eased and the university has taken steps to balance a deficit budget.

Wilgram said fall headcount showed smaller-than-expected declines — \"our enrollment would be down around 5%... it really came in around 2 or 3% down\" — and that the campus now has roughly a 50/50 split between on-campus and online students. She noted improvements in retention: first-to-second-term retention rose from 89% to 93%, and first-to-third-term retention grew from 68% to 74%. On-time graduation was at 67%, the second-highest among the Regents system.

On budgeting, Wilgram said Emporia State had budgeted to use $2.7 million in cash reserves and implemented about 3% cost reductions — roughly $3 million — to close a deficit. She detailed the cuts: \"Vacant positions... projects put on pause or reduced... travel was reduced along with some training.\" The university also reduced its operating budget by 3% and plans to spend donor-funded capital on finishing building projects, which will lower composite financial index (CFI) measures next year, she said.

Wilgram described the university's decision on a finalized debt payment related to the student union: rather than defease the bond issuance with escrowed cash (which would remove the liability at extra cost), Emporia State kept the funds centrally and will continue annual payments to save on interest and earn returns on cash balances.

Wilgram highlighted programmatic pivots and priorities: focus on nursing, health sciences, business technology and cybersecurity; use of EAB Navigate for early alerts and student success; and a recently completed HLC reaccreditation awarding a 10-year reaccreditation with Open Pathways.

Regents asked clarifying questions: Regent Rolfe confirmed the university cut about $3 million. Regent Winter asked whether the on-time graduation metric referred to four-year graduation, and Wilgram said it is the four-year metric but she would double-check. Emporia State said it is building plans to grow on-campus enrollment to about 5,200 and will continue monitoring spring revenues as a possible upside to the year’s tuition projections.

Wilgram concluded that the university has \"really good enrollment signs\" alongside substantial work ahead to reach sustainable enrollment and financial footing.","Emporia State told the Board of Regents’ Fiscal Affairs Committee it achieved slight enrollment stabilization, improved retention and on-time graduation rates, cut about $3 million and used budgeted reserves to balance a deficit budget for the year.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6098279,"Foundation leaders tell regents donors remain committed but cautious amid economic uncertainty",201,232000,433000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2824225-c4301a90bfff6cc7378b454d01371116&start=232&end=433","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2824225-c4301a90bfff6cc7378b454d01371116/thumbnail_232000.jpg","/articles/6098279/Kansas/Foundation-leaders-tell-regents-donors-remain-committed-but-cautious-amid-economic-uncertainty","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6098279-193228dbc90b425b3311090bf808ede0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770878620&Signature=nJRZlwmv5ARcMe38SlNcV1LkDbtGh4ar2Wr20dZDGTQqbnW6K~qYO2fvY80z6i8jntFXsEWQzDBnp0hRVTRXRZO0uZ1WJ4zTt0VpDxwNKIbR6I-w2nzU5kGMdvL6hhbLg1YobwlSh1m9e8AtO7aw2cW4uuX6-YDMl6iaDXYCQhfXyX230n1ZZUZLSzwz-MEUPatwZDjN8C29FNxy2Ee~wJJmpMISLvpSmHH7Fw0NPX3Lu0dY3lhTxJdYoHbC3gd-maa74Ss0djmdlXl6WNo1XRIRGVETCVl5A0V9JX8wPrCqfpGrOiV70WK8IeiIDPsL3xZ79JSQmSfxlIe5EAUwNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Greg Willems, representing the Kansas State Foundation, and Jason Willoughby of the Fort Hays State Foundation told the Kansas Board of Regents Fiscal Affairs and Standing Committee on March 12 that donors remain committed to Kansas higher education but are increasingly nervous about the economy and federal policy uncertainty.

Willems said, \"People are still making gifts. People are still working on their estate plans. They're still proud of their institutions, but I think we could see a dip in philanthropy as a kind of a bellwether to what I think everyone could agree is uncertainty in the country right now.\" Willoughby added that donors increasingly expect to see measurable impact from gifts: \"Show me. And they wanna see an ROI and so we have to be more strategic...we spend a lot of extra time earning that philanthropy.\"

The foundation directors described how restricted giving and donor expectations shape campus projects. Willems said most gifts carry restrictions and that institutions typically coordinate philanthropy with state or federal funding sources and university reserves. Willoughby noted variation among foundations' capacities, citing the University of Kansas foundation's unrestricted assets as an example that not every foundation shares: \"When you've seen one foundation, you've seen one foundation. All of them...their constitution is different in terms of what assets they have that might be restricted or unrestricted.\"

Both leaders said foundations are wary of using endowments or unrestricted funds to backfill large, recurring cuts. Willoughby said carving funds off foundations for short-term fixes would weaken long-term capacity: \"The worst thing you could do would be to take a foundation and find a way to carve money off of it, treating it like a donor parts car to fix a crisis.\" Willems and Willoughby said foundations prefer to work with donors to sustain priorities rather than raid existing philanthropic capital.

On recent policy developments, both directors said the donor-intent protection legislation has not yet produced legal tests affecting their operations. Willoughby said he \"was very nervous when it came out\" but that the statute had not been tested in their work to date. Both directors praised the Kansas Comprehensive Grant match as especially effective in generating scholarship dollars; Willoughby called it \"really successful\" and supported the regents' advocacy to keep the program growing.

Regents asked about potential federal policy changes, including proposals to tax endowment income or corpus at wealthy institutions. Willems said those ideas, if applied broadly, would be harmful to regional public institutions and warned of negative impacts: \"It would be wholly inappropriate for smaller schools and it would simply take away from our mission of helping Kansas students today and in the future.\" Willoughby said the proposals appeared politically targeted at elite institutions and urged broader scrutiny if policymakers move forward.

The directors flagged longer-term risks to higher education that intersect with philanthropy. Both singled out enrollment trends and institutions’ ability to adapt to changing student expectations. Willoughby said enrollment drives the future donor base: \"If we don't enroll Kansas students today, we won't have alumni tomorrow. If we don't have alumni tomorrow, we won't have donors tomorrow.\" Willems emphasized the need for institutions to adapt more quickly to changing consumer expectations about cost, delivery and outcomes.

The regents thanked the foundation directors for the briefing and encouraged continued coordination between foundations, presidents and legislative advocates on programs such as the Kansas Comprehensive Grant.","Kansas university foundation directors told the Board of Regents’ Fiscal Affairs Committee that donors remain supportive but are increasingly cautious; leaders urged patience, emphasized relationship-building and praised the state'matched Kansas Comprehensive Grant program.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Regents committee approves Feb. 12 minutes and recommends consent agenda for full board

Wichita State cites record headcount, international-student visa losses and a projected $2.5M tuition shortfall

Fort Hays State reports tuition gains, capital project timing and a recovering FTE after multi-year declines

Emporia State reports stabilization in enrollment, uses reserves and cuts to balance budget

Foundation leaders tell regents donors remain committed but cautious amid economic uncertainty