FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 4, 2021
Newly elected KBOR Chair leads discussions on strategic priorities
Regents emerge from retreat focused on job creation, enrollment gaps, facilities and student health
(Topeka, Kan.) – On July 1, Cheryl Harrison-Lee took the helm as newly elected Chair of the Kansas Board of Regents. She is leading the effort with the Board in establishing benchmarks around enrollment and graduation gaps and advancing the system’s strategic vision.
The Regents met last week in Lenexa to develop priorities for the state’s higher education system.
“The Board’s annual retreat provides the Regents with an opportunity to meet with leaders from state universities, have a dialogue about the challenges and opportunities facing our institutions, and develop an action plan to ensure that our system is serving Kansas as best it can,” said Chair Harrison-Lee. “One critical thing we’ve learned from the crises caused by the global pandemic is the need to reengineer higher education. As the Board frames priorities, we will take into account student needs related to facilities, enhanced distance learning opportunities, and the alignment of our academic offerings with the workforce demands of the future.”
Themes that emerged from discussions included the next step in the Board’s facilities renewal initiative, a framework for closing enrollment and graduation gaps for underserved students, an analysis of student health centers, and the development of a plan to support job creation and investment in Kansas. In addition, the Board will conduct presidential searches for Kansas State University and Pittsburg State University.
The Board’s priorities and goals for the upcoming year will support Building a Future, the strategic plan adopted by the Regents in 2020. Building a Future is focused on the ways in which the higher education system can support Kansas families, businesses and economic prosperity.
The Regents will vote on their annual goals and approve a unified budget request for the system in September.
Chair Harrison-Lee's bio and photo are available on the Board's website.
For more information, please contact Matt Keith at (785) 430-4237 or
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About the Kansas Board of Regents:
The nine-member Kansas Board of Regents is the governing board of the state’s six universities and the statewide coordinating board for the state’s 32 public higher education institutions (six state universities, one municipal university, nineteen community colleges, and six technical colleges). In addition, the Board administers the state’s student financial aid, adult education, high school equivalency, and career and technical education programs. Private proprietary schools and out-of-state institutions are authorized by the Kansas Board of Regents to operate in Kansas.
Visit the Kansas Board of Regents online at www.kansasregents.org.