WSU breaks down Masterson’s job expectations, salary at on-campus Koch workshop
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- WSU said it has no employment contract with Ty Masterson for the GoCreate directorship.
- The 2022 job description requires a high school diploma and nine years’ experience.
- WSU said Masterson has actively led GoCreate’s leadership and strategic direction.
Wichita State University has broken its silence on Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson’s on-campus employment after previously choosing not to comment on his expectations or performance as director of GoCreate, a Koch Collaborative.
The WSU general counsel’s office provided some information in response to a Kansas Open Records Act request for a copy of Masterson’s employment contract and details about the source of his salary at the Koch family-funded makerspace.
“WSU does not have an employment contract with Ty Masterson,” the general counsel’s office said in an email.
However, the response included a 2022 document outlining the GoCreate director’s job responsibilities and necessary qualifications — a high school diploma or equivalent and at least nine years of experience working in operational management or a related field.
Masterson, the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for governor, has faced attacks from GOP primary rival Philip Sarnecki, who publicly questioned whether Masterson is qualified for the directorship and what he does to earn his six-figure salary.
The WSU job description outlines five “essential functions” of the GoCreate director: managing the program’s overall vision; building and maintaining relationships with community, faculty, students and industry partners; pursuing philanthropic and grant funding opportunities; mentoring program staff and overseeing GoCreate’s budget, including acquiring tools and determining “appropriate staff and resource allocations.”
Masterson’s construction company, Masterbuilt Homes, failed in 2006 — the year after he was appointed to the Legislature. Masterson filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2010, blaming his financial predicament on a former employee’s errors.
He was named GoCreate director before the community workshop opened in 2017. Public records show he has been paid more than $1.1 million since then, including $163,000 in 2025. The WSU budget book lists Masterson’s salary at $217,350, but he goes on unpaid leave during the Kansas Legislature’s annual session, which cuts into his take-home pay.
Masterson’s campaign confirmed in a statement that he went back on the WSU payroll after the Senate gaveled out in April. The campaign also pushed back against accusations of a “no-show” job, saying the candidate “continues to work in person nearly every week and remotely when he’s not on campus.”
Who pays Masterson’s GoCreate salary?
The WSU general counsel’s office provided only basic information about the source of Masterson’s salary at the Koch makerspace.
“Mr. Masterson’s salary is not funded by WSU Foundation — or a single source of funding,” the email said, describing The Star’s records request as “overly broad”.
“Nevertheless, we can confirm that, over the years, GoCreate has been supported with funding from various sources including grants, philanthropic donations, university and affiliate funding, and revenue generated directly by GoCreate,” the general counsel’s office said.
“Wichita State University employs Mr. Masterson and pays his salary. Funding comes from GoCreate’s budget and account,” the email continued.
The WSU budget book notes that the director’s pay, like that of all GoCreate staff, is “fully funded from restricted use sources.”
In March, when the Legislature was hammering out the state budget, Sen. Patrick Schmidt, a Topeka Democrat, proposed defunding the GoCreate director role during a floor debate.
“I’m concerned that this position isn’t actually being filled right now,” said Schmidt, who is one of 11 Democrats running to challenge U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall this year.
Masterson retorted that Schmidt’s budget amendment wouldn’t save the state any money, saying the position is “funded by philanthropy.”
“No matter what you do there, you’re not saving the state coffers a dime,” Masterson said. “All you’d be doing is trying to damage something that’s going really good down at Wichita State.”
No Democrats or Republicans in the Senate joined Schmidt in voting for his amendment, which died.
‘Deceitful at best’
The morning after The Star published its reporting on Masterson’s GoCreate job, he went on Pete Mundo’s KCMO radio show to address the story and criticism he had received.
“It’s what you’d expect from political opposition,” Masterson said
“It’s deceitful at best. But I couldn’t be more excited about what I do down there (at WSU),” he added. “And so, just like a good Republican, I want people to judge me on my outcomes, on my merits.”
Masterson went on to say that the work he’s done at GoCreate has changed lives.
“Nothing gets me more excited than a single mom with no degree starting a small business that’s successful,” Masterson said. “So, I don’t feel like I need to answer for anything other than the results.”
Masterson’s campaign said GoCreate has had more than 2,000 members since 2017.
In a statement to KWCH in Wichita, WSU defended Masterson’s tenure at GoCreate.
“Mr. Masterson has been actively engaged in the leadership and strategic direction of GoCreate and continues to make significant contributions to the development and advancement of key institutional initiatives,” the statement said.
“The nature of Mr. Masterson’s responsibilities extends beyond maintaining a physical presence in the office and includes strategic planning, collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, and work conducted across multiple locations and settings.”
