Council Advocacy Areas

1. Investment in Graduate Education and Research

Research universities prepare the next generation of scholars and researchers. Investments in graduate programs through scholarships, assistantships, and fellowships are vital for creating an active climate of scholarship and inquiry, for conducting robust research, for enriching undergraduate experiences, and for recruitment of high quality faculty.

2. Quality Information Technology

Modern research requires a modern infrastructure for information technology and telecommunications, access to national and international high-speed computing networks, secure mobile computing, and innovative tools for modeling, analysis, and data management. It is essential that we keep pace with technological needs affecting all areas of research and scholarship.

Modern libraries include electronic databases and publications along with special collections of books, journals, and historical materials. It is essential that our research libraries keep pace with rising costs to not only maintain but also build collections critical to faculty research and scholarship.

3. Attract and Retain Outstanding Faculty

Top-level research is conducted by top-level academic scholars. Faculty salaries and research/teaching infrastructure must be commensurate with competitive levels in order to attract and retain outstanding faculty.

4. State Support for Faculty Positions of Distinction

The Kansas Partnership for Faculty of Distinction program encourages private donors to help attract and retain professors of distinction. Specifically the program provides state funds to match the annual payout from a private endowment created to fund a faculty position. With this program, Kansas joined many other states in establishing an incentive program for the creation of endowed professorships.

We commend the Kansas Board of Regents and the State Legislature for making this excellent investment in the future of the state.

We recommend that each research university set a goal of having 10 percent of its faculty in positions of distinction.