Kansas State is again in an exciting time of its history- selecting a new president to lead our university community.

On June 17, the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) approved a closed committee to search for the next KSU president, and appointed Carl Ice, a prominent alumnus and donor as the chair.  The closed nature of the committee means that it is not obligated to make public the list of candidates.  But it will be able to receive input from the public on who to consider.

We, the undersigned members and/or stakeholders of Kansas State University, ask KBOR to prioritize the hiring of a candidate who represents one or more groups who have historically been excluded from leadership and power: Women; indigenous nations and people of color; and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The past year and a half has been a painful period in our collective lives- but also one in which the winds of change have filled our sails.  The dual crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and our national awakening to systemic racial injustice have made us rethink the previous ways we’ve done things- as individuals, as families, as communities, and as a society.

Likewise, we want to envision a new possibility for KSU’s leadership.  What if our president embodied our commitment to diversity and inclusion?  What if those members of our faculty, staff, and students who had never before seen someone like them occupying Anderson Hall, could see themselves reflected in the head of the university?  What if, in choosing a minority leader, Kansas State could not only make a bold statement to those groups who wish to divide us, but also raise our national and global profile and draw more people to study, teach, and work here?

All this and more is possible.  We ask that you, Mr. Ice and the presidential search committee, feel the tug on your sails, imagine a new future with us, and make it happen.