Record Enrollment, Research, and Building Projects highlighted in State of the University Address
- Adolfo Blanco
- Sep 7
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 14
Kansas State University is seeing record growth in enrollment, research funding, and construction projects, according to this year’s State of the University address.
President Richard H. Linton, speaking to students, faculty, and community members last week, outlined a long list of achievements for the campus. The university’s total enrollment has reached about 21,228 students, its highest number since 2014, and includes the largest freshman class in seven years. The true number of enrollment to be announced at a later date.
Linton said the increase comes from new recruitment strategies, expanded scholarships, and stronger outreach to guidance counselors across the state.
Research spending is also at an all time high. According to federal data, Kansas State’s research expenditures rose 21.5% in one year, from $217 million to $264 million.
“That’s the largest increase in our history,” Linton said during the address. “We think it’s the largest among all land grant universities in the country.”
Campus Master Plan and Construction Projects
After the address, Linton spoke with reporters about the university’s next steps, including its campus master plan, which has not yet been formally presented to the Kansas Board of Regents.
“The next Kansas Board of Regents meeting is in two weeks,” Linton said. “We will present it that Wednesday or Thursday and get any additional feedback. They have to officially bless the campus master plan.”
Renovation of Anderson Hall is a major part of that plan. Linton explained that the project is divided into four phases, with parking lot repairs and a renovated first floor already complete. The third phase will focus on the exterior, with attention to the building’s historic brick, mortar, and woodwork, while the final phase will include a renovation of the unfinished third floor.
“That total project is a $42 million project,” Linton said. “$21 million will come from the state of Kansas. The other $21 million will come from philanthropy and that requires a one to one match. However, from that project, because it's a historic building, we'll receive an additional $15 million in tax credits.”
The project also includes changes to the surrounding area, with plans to remove front parking while keeping visitor access.
“We think the disruption will be minimal,” Linton said. “It might actually be easier to navigate the campus.”
Balancing Priorities
When asked about balancing investments between agriculture, STEM, and fine arts, Linton said the focus has been on agriculture due to ongoing projects but that the arts remain a priority.
“We have goals to be able to build out the College of Engineering, we have goals to be able to build out many different aspects of the College of Arts and Sciences,” he said. “As you looked at those STEM based buildings, as an example, you saw that there were those three or four buildings that were connected to each other. That's all to be able to support arts and sciences, and fine arts is a big part of that as well. And today, I think as a part of the presentation, we highlighted fine arts and how important they are to this institution.”
He also addressed challenges with research funding, noting that some programs have lost federal support.
“Like other universities, we did have some of our research funding that was cut. We certainly have adapted to be able to keep the programs in place that are very important.” Linton said. “And for some of those other programs, we're seeking additional funding with different sources of funding. So already, with some of the funding that was lost, researchers immediately wrote grants and were successful at getting different sources of funding from those areas that were not impacted by the federal government. And in some cases, unfortunately, the programs could not continue.”
Closing Remark: Focus on Students
When asked about his biggest challenges moving forward, Linton said navigating changes in research funding remains a major concern. However, he emphasized that the university’s priorities remain tied to students and their experience.
“For our students, I would say, I believe that students at Kansas State University have the best student experience in America,” he said. “We’re happy to have them. We’re thrilled to have them. We’re honored to have them. Make the most of your experience at Kansas State, OK?”
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