Education council honors K-State president

Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz is getting top honors from a leading higher-education advocacy group.

The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education has named Schulz its 2012 chief executive leader. The award recognizes a college president or chancellor who demonstrates the ability to create a vision and inspire others. It will be presented Dec. 11 at the council’s district conference in Chicago.

“According to the selection committee’s comments, they were thoroughly impressed with the initiatives started at Kansas State University and the strides we’ve made since I joined in 2009,” Schulz said in a statement Monday. “Committee members were also enthused by the comprehensive K-State 2025 plan that will elevate Kansas State to a top 50 public research university by 2025.”

Kent Bradley, K-State Alumni Association board chairman, nominated Schulz for the award. He said Schulz has had an enormous effect on the university in a very short time.

Since Schulz arrived in 2009, K-State has seen record student enrollment every year, the opening of a new graduate-level campus in Olathe, a record $137 million in research funding brought in by faculty in fiscal year 2011-2012, the opening of a recruitment office in Vietnam, and the start of academic and research initiatives with Australia.