News

While votes are still being counted today, we find ourselves waiting for our next president to be declared. Although this campaign and the election results show a divided country, we all have much in common. We all want a bright future for our country. We all have the same hope for progress that will create a better world for our children and grandchildren.

As we move through the final days before the 2020 general election on Tuesday, many of you, like me, may feel inundated with political advertisements. No matter which candidates you support at the federal, state and local levels, the 2020 election seems to engender more divisiveness than I can recall in past elections. We cannot seem to escape it.

Emporia State saw a slight decline in overall headcount enrollment for fall 2020, thanks in large part to a record number of graduate students.

Emporia State University lost a dear friend when Dr. Harry Stephens, a former administrator and current ESU Foundation trustee, died on Saturday. Dr. Stephens was “Harry” to all who knew him, and his love for students, our university and our community was at the forefront of everything he did.

Sadly, I must share with you that James Calvert, former professor in our physical sciences department, died Saturday. During his 32 years at Emporia State, Jim also served as President of the Faculty and interim department chair. Jim always worked for his students and their success.

Emporia State University will be closed Tuesday, Aug. 11, to make needed repairs to the campus electrical system. During the closure — between 6 a.m. Aug. 11 to 6 a.m. Aug. 12 — the campus will have no power. All buildings will be closed and locked.

Emporia State University has partnered with a Lenexa laboratory to provide testing for COVID-19 to all faculty, staff and students expected on the Emporia campus for fall 2020. Funding came from the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce, which is in charge of distribution of CARES Act funding.

I am very pleased to tell you that the federal government today rescinded its guidance that would have forced Emporia State international students to leave the United States if we must move to remote classes. The guidance, originally issued July 6, was rescinded to resolve a federal lawsuit brought by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Many of you have heard in the media of the newly proposed Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) guidelines impacting international students studying in the United States.

I want to thank all who watched yesterday’s Town Hall in which I discussed our Fiscal Year 2021 budget. I also appreciated the thoughtful questions you asked.