Kansas State University

Kansas State University, officially named "Kansas State University of Agriculture and Applied Science"^[5] but commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States. A branch campus, including the College of Technology and Aviation, is located in Salina, Kansas. Kansas State has an official enrollment of 23,332 students for the 2007–2008 school year.^[6]

History

Kansas State University, originally named Kansas State Agricultural College, was founded on February 16, 1863 as a Land Grant institution under the Morrill Act.^[7] The school was the first Land Grant college newly created under the Morrill Act although several other universities claim to be the oldest Land Grant school.^[7] K-State is the fourth-oldest school in the Big 12 Conference and the oldest public university in the state of Kansas.

The institution was initially located on the grounds of the old Bluemont Central College, which was incorporated in Manhattan by the Kansas Territorial legislature in 1858.^[8] The university moved to its present site in 1875.^[7]

The early years of the institution witnessed debate over whether the college should provide a focused agricultural education or a full liberal arts education. During this era, the tenor of the school shifted with the tenure of the Presidents. For example, President John A. Anderson (1873-1879) favored a limited education and President George T. Fairchild (1879-1897) favored a classic liberal education.^[7] Also during this era, in 1882, the study of home economics originated at Kansas State. Currently, the university offers a full range of majors and many graduate programs.

Recent history

The name of the school was changed in 1931 to Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science. In 1959, the name was changed again to Kansas State University to reflect a growing number of graduate programs^[9]. From 1943 to 1950, Milton S. Eisenhower was President of the University, being succeeded by Dr. James McCain, who served from 1950 to 1975. Buildings, including residence halls and a student union, were added to the campus in the 1950s. The 1960s witnessed demonstrations against the Vietnam war, though fewer than at other college campuses. Enrollment was relatively high through most of the 1970s, but the university endured a downward spiral from approximately 1976 to 1986, when enrollment decreased to 17,570 and a number of faculty resigned. In 1986, Dr. Jon Wefald assumed the presidency of Kansas State University. The university community responded well to Wefald's management style, and enrollment and donations increased under his leadership. Wefald also introduced an innovative student recruitment office, which lured students from all over Kansas and the United States, and expanded the international student program. On May 12, 2008, Wefald announced that he would retire at the end of the 2008-2009 academic year.^[10]

Several of the buildings on the campus including Cardwell Hall, Ward Hall, Waters Hall, Weber Hall, Call Hall, the engineering complex, the Wind Erosion Laboratory and the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house were heavily damaged by an EF4 tornado on June 11, 2008. Total damage estimates were at $20 million plus. ^[11]

Historic buildings

After the school moved to its present location in 1875, Holtz Hall was the first new building erected, in 1876.^[7] It is now the oldest free-standing building on campus. The signature building at Kansas State University, Anderson Hall, was erected in three stages between 1877 and 1884. The building, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has housed the University's administrative offices for most of the 20th century.

Academic profile

Since 1986, Kansas State ranks first nationally among state universities in its total of Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, and Udall scholars with 124 recipients.^[12]

In 1991, the former Kansas Technical Institute in Salina, Kansas was merged with Kansas State University by an act of the Kansas legislature. The College of Technology and Aviation is located at the Salina campus, and is commonly referred to as K-State Salina.

K-State is also known for its distinguished lecture series: Landon Lecture, Lou Douglas Lecture, Huck Boyd Lecture and Dorothy Thompson Civil Rights series.

K-State implemented an academic honor code in 1999.^[13] When students are admitted, it is implied that they will adhere to the Honor Pledge: "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work."

Research and cultural resources

Physics

Among the university's research facilities are the James R. Macdonald Laboratory for research in atomic, molecular and optical physics and the NASA Center for Gravitational Studies in Cellular and Developmental Biology. The excimer laser, which made LASIK eye surgery possible, is among the inventions discovered by Kansas State researchers.^[14]

Agriculture

The university has had a long-standing interest in agriculture, particularly native Great Plains plant and animal life. The Kansas State University Gardens is an on-campus horticulture display garden that serves as an educational resource and learning laboratory for K-State students and the public. The Konza Prairie is a native tallgrass prairie preserve located south of Manhattan, which is co-owned by The Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University and operated as a field research station by the Department of Biology. The university also owns an additional 18,000 acres across the state that it operates as Agricultural Experiment Stations in research centers in Hays, Garden City, Colby, and Parsons.

Arts and culture

The university is home to several museums, including the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art, the KSU Historic Costume and Textile Museum, and the Chang, Chapman and Kemper Galleries which feature faculty and student artwork. The university also offers an annual cycle of performance art, including concerts, plays and dance, at McCain Auditorium.^[15]

Landon Lecture Series

The Landon Lecture Series is offered by Kansas State University for students, faculty and the community. The Landon Lecture Series is named in honor of former Kansas governor and presidential candidate, Alfred Landon.

Prominent leaders and former leaders, primarily political or heads of government, have given speeches in the series. On January 23, 2006, U.S. President George W. Bush delivered the University's 143rd Landon Lecture at Bramlage Coliseum. On March 2, 2007, his predecessor, Bill Clinton, delivered the 149th Landon Lecture.^[16] Overall, six U.S. Presidents and three foreign presidents have given Landon Lectures at K-State.^[17] There are approximately four speakers per year.

Athletics

Basketball

Men's Basketball

Kansas State's men's basketball team began competition in 1902. The program has appeared in 23 NCAA basketball tournaments. Kansas State lost to the University of Kentucky for the national championship in 1951, reached the Final Four four times, the Elite Eight 11 times, and the Sweet Sixteen 16 times. When Street & Smith's Annual listed the 100 greatest college basketball programs of all time in 2005, K-State ranked 22nd. Despite the strong tradition, in recent years the Wildcats struggled on the court. The team returned to postseason play after 2006-2007 regular season, being invited to the NIT Tournament under first-year head coach Bob Huggins. The Wildcats ended the season going 23-12, two wins shy of the school single-season record for victories. Shortly after, Huggins left to coach his alma mater West Virginia. First-time collegiate head coach Frank Martin took over as coach of the team for the 2007-08 season and led a freshman-led team to 20 wins and third place in the Big 12 Conference with a conference record of 10-6 and an overall regular season record of 20-10. The Wildcats lost their second round game of the 2008 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament, against Texas A&M, 63-60, after getting a first round bye as the third place team in the conference. The Wildcats also earned their first berth to the NCAA Tournament since 1996, where they earned the #11 seed in the Midwest Region.

Women's Basketball

Football

Kansas State's football team began play in 1893. Despite some shining moments in the 1920s and 1930s, the school was historically one of the worst programs in the NCAA until 1989, when the athletic department hired Bill Snyder as head coach. Success and high rankings followed, culminating in a #1 national ranking during the 1998 season and a Big 12 Conference championship in 2003. Bill Snyder retired following the 2005 season, and Ron Prince was named the new head coach. In his first season, Prince guided the Wildcats to their first winning record (7-6) in three years and a spot in the inaugural Texas Bowl against Rutgers University. Prince's second season ended with a 5-7 record. The KSU Marching Band, also known as the Pride of Wildcat Land, performs at all home football games.

Baseball

Kansas State's baseball team began play in 1897. The Wildcats earned what is believed to be the school's first varsity championship in 1907 under coach Mike Ahearn. The Wildcats went on to win a Missouri Valley Conference championship in 1928 and Big Six Conference championships in 1930 and 1933. The Wildcats have not won a baseball conference championship since. Recently, fifth-year head coach Brad Hill led the Wildcats to three consecutive years of 30-plus wins, including a trip to the Big 12 tournament in 2007. Hill's teams have also earned national rankings in three of his first four seasons.

Distinguished alumni

Campus

The main campus of Kansas State University in Manhattan covers 668 acres. Since 1986, Kansas State has added over 2 million square feet (186,000 m²) of buildings to the campus, including a new library, art museum and plant sciences building.

Main campus buildings

Student life

Residential life

Kansas State has 10 residence halls on campus: Boyd Hall, Ford Hall, Goodnow Hall, Haymaker Hall, Marlatt Hall, Moore Hall, West Hall, Putnam Hall, Van Zile Hall, and Smurthwaite as well as the KSU Jardine Apartments. Ford and Boyd Halls are all female and Marlatt Hall is all male. The residence halls are divided into three complexes: Derby, Kramer, and Strong. ^[19]

Student organizations

The Student Governing Association is the largest organization of student leaders composed of elected and appointed officials. The Student Governing Association is modeled after the U.S. government, with executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

The executive branch is composed of a student body president and student body vice president (elected at large by the student body) and their appointed cabinet members, who must be approved by the Student Senate.

The legislative branch is composed of a Student Senate; Senators are elected by the student body and serve one-year terms. It is also composed of five standing committees, which are the Student Council Allocations Committee, Governmental Relations Committee, Senate Operations Committee, Privilege Fee Committee, and the University Relations Committee.

The judicial branch is composed of five main judicial boards - Student Tribunal, Student Review Board, Parking Citations Appeals Board, Judicial Council, and Housing & Dining Services Judicial Boards - and other judges appointed through Ad Hoc.^[21]

The highest ranking of these, the Student Tribunal, interprets the Constitution of SGA, tries bills of impeachment, and acts as the final appellate court before appeals go to the university president.

All judicial boards are headed by the student Attorney General; he or she is appointed by a group of students in consulation with the student body president.

Student media

References

^ "KSU Foundation Annual Report 2007" (English). Retrieved on 2008-03-12.
^ "Kansas State University Fact Book 2007" (English). Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
^ "K-State posts record enrollment totals" (English). Retrieved on 2008-04-05.
^ "Kansas State University Fact Book 2007" (English). Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
^ KSUCVM - Kansas State University
^ Kansas Board of Regents. "Board of Regents Announces 2007 Fall Semester Enrollment". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Willard, Julius (1940). History of Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science. Kansas State College Press.
^ Willard, Julius (May 1945). "Bluemont Central College, The Forerunner of Kansas State College". Kansas Historical Quarterly. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
^ "University Archives Facts and Flyers". Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
^ "Wefald Announces Retirement Plans". Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
^ Wichita Eagle-Beacon Tornadoes rip Manhattan, KSU damage more than $20 million
^ "Top Scholar Rankings 1986-2008" (English). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
^ "KSU Honor Code". Retrieved on 2007-03-02.
^ "Kansas State University Achievements" (English). Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
^ "McCain Auditorium website". Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
^ "Landon Lecture Series - Past Speakers". Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
^ "Landon Lecture Series - New Speakers". Retrieved on 2007-03-02.
^ (1914) Record of the Alumni of the Kansas State Agricultural College.
^ K-State Housing and Dining Services
^ Student organizations
^ Student Governing Association

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