Kansas university leaders tell appropriations committee state investments spurred enrollment gains, facilities and workforce programs

Members of the Kansas House Committee on Higher Education heard updates Tuesday from presidents and chancellors at Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, Pittsburg State University, Kansas State University, the University of Kansas, Washburn University and Wichita State University about how recent state appropriations and federal grants have been applied to facilities, student aid, workforce programs and cybersecurity.

The presentations — delivered to the committee before the group moved on to a scheduled Senate Ways and Means hearing — detailed capital projects, debt defeasance, nursing program expansions and investments in need‑based aid and cybersecurity that university leaders said are producing measurable savings and enrollment gains.

The updates matter because the institutions said state funding has enabled immediate project starts and program growth tied to workforce needs such as nursing, cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing. The presidents also described grant interruptions and federal “stop work” notices that could erode research funding and regional economic activity.

President Ken Hush of Emporia State University said the campus has used demolition and space‑optimization funds to reduce deferred maintenance and cut operating costs. “We announced last year that we didn’t no longer need the $15,000,000 bond. We had paid for it,” Hush said, adding that defeasing that debt “saved $8,000,000 in interest” and helped avoid what he estimated would have been roughly a $450 annual student fee over time. Hush told the committee Emporia has torn down two buildings, plans two more demolitions in the next 24 months and sold one building as part of a space‑optimization strategy he said will reduce deferred maintenance by about 20% and increase space utilization roughly 15%.

Fort Hays State University President Tisa Mason said state support has expanded the university’s nursing, cybersecurity and telehealth training programs. Mason said the state provided $15 million toward the expansion of Stroop Hall and that construction documents are about 30% complete, with final documents expected by April 1. She also described a $3 million state appropriation used to create a telehealth certification program that has served roughly 500 learners and a $500,000 investment in a cybersecurity institute and technology incubator. Mason said Fort Hays’ nursing majors now exceed 600.

Pittsburg State University President Dan Shipp credited recent recurring funding and targeted one‑time investments with allowing the university to offer four‑year scholarship packages and to buy lab equipment that attracted a private employer. Shipp said a $3 million recurring appropriation now supports about 700 students through four‑year academic merit scholarships, and a $500,000 lab equipment purchase helped recruit EaglePicher to Pittsburgh, Kan., with an anticipated 80–100 high‑tech jobs.

Kansas State University President Richard Linton described multiple statewide initiatives funded in recent years, including a biomanufacturing and training initiative, capital renewal dollars and ARPA‑matched projects for agricultural facilities. Linton said the university has leveraged state dollars to attract federal grants, cited a $5.5 million local match for extension work, and said the university’s investment in need‑based aid totaled about $11.1 million over three years, helping more than 2,000 students.

University of Kansas Chancellor Doug Girod told the committee the university’s activities have an estimated $15 billion annual economic footprint and recounted a donor challenge that helped create what the university expects will be a $500–$600 million cancer center. Girod said KU’s enrollment has reached more than 30,000 students and that state aid layered with KU’s own financial aid has driven freshman class growth.

Washburn University President JuliAnn Mazachek noted that Washburn is governed by an independent board and therefore does not always participate in some statewide funds. She said Washburn used demolition funds to remove about 60,000 square feet of aging space, that a $3 million ARPA appropriation is being used to renovate a building now, and that Washburn Tech purchased a former retail property with $3 million in state support to create a new manufacturing training center.

Wichita State University President Richard Muma summarized investments that he said have supported enrollment growth, student success programming and research and development. Muma told the committee WSU’s R&D expenditures have risen substantially since 2020 and that the university is pursuing market‑based compensation changes to retain faculty amid competitive recruiting.

Committee members also asked about the balance of in‑person and online enrollment, program review and reorganization at Emporia State, and the effect of federal grant stoppages. Several presenters said most recent enrollment gains represent increases in on‑campus students and campus housing use. University leaders reported specific recent grant interruptions: Kansas State estimated approximately $119 million in affected projects, largely USAID funding; the University of Kansas cited multiple Department of Education stop‑work orders and noted an NIH directive that, if implemented, would have an estimated economic impact close to $35 million; Wichita State and others said they had a small number of grants paused or instructed to stop work.

Separately, the committee recorded two bill introductions at the start of the meeting. Representative Barb Wasinger (seconded by Representative Francis) introduced RS 15 79 described by the sponsor as “an act concerning nursing workforce development relating to nursing schools and setting a maximum education levels for” (text not fully read at the introduction). The chair then introduced RS25RS1599, “an act concerning courts relating to court fees and costs,” seconded by Representative Estes; both introductions were seconded and advanced by voice vote.

The committee limited questions because the presidents and chancellor were scheduled to appear before the Senate Ways and Means Committee and adjourned to allow them to proceed to that hearing.

— Ending note: Committee filings, bill texts and the universities’ written handouts (distributed to the committee) contain additional detail on project timelines, grant names and proposed budget requests.