Thunderstorms, some heavy during the morning hours, then skies turning partly cloudy during the afternoon. High around 85F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..
A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
Updated: September 22, 2023 @ 5:07 am
Q: What’s so special about K-State’s new Economic Prosperity Plan announced last week?
A: Well, to start with, university officials say it’s unusual. CEO of K-State Innovation Partners Kent Glasscock said that it’s “very rare” for a university to create and pursue “intentional programming” with a goal of creating jobs and attracting more investments from outside Kansas.
KSU officials announced last Friday the creation of the Economic Prosperity Plan. The plan is intended to help the university create 3,000 new jobs and bring $3 billion in additional investments into the state in the next 10 years. Glasscock said this plan was the product of a request from the Kansas Board of Regents. The Regents’ strategic plan includes three pillars, one of which is “advancing Kansas prosperity.”
“I think that’s basically unheard of, to have that in a higher education system’s strategic plan,” Glasscock said.
Glasscock said the Regents will track both the number of jobs created by the plan and the number of dollars attracted to the state from around the country.
“What K-State has done is take that charge … and created a monster initiative that will play out over next 10 years,” Glasscock said, “that will have a significant economic impact in our region and state.”
Glasscock said he’s “never seen anything like this” regarding the formation of a university-wide economic prosperity plan.
The plan will focus on four areas of strength: food and agriculture systems innovation; digital agriculture and advanced analytics; biosecurity and biodefense; and extension and outreach. Officials said Friday the food and ag systems portion of the plan use the university’s research on crops, livestock and natural resources to attract new investment in the state and position the university as a leader in agricultural innovation and technology.
The plan also calls for the creation of a biotechnology development module within the university’s Biosecurity Research Institute that will allow corporate partners to develop diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative measures for a range of emerging zoonotic diseases, meaning those that can affect animals and people. K-State vice president for research David Rosowsky said university officials seek to make KSU a global leader in the field of biodefense.
The final area of focus in the plan is called “K-State 105: Every Town to Gown,” which officials said will assist businesses and communities across Kansas by utilizing the university’s statewide extension presence. The “105” is a reference to the number of counties in Kansas, and elements of this part of the plan include creating a network of economic development liaisons and assisting companies with access to technical research.
Glasscock said this plan is “the real deal.”
“It’s a stunning amount of money,” Glasscock said. “The thing I love about the goals is that they’re measurable. You can really have a sense of progression, and they’re understandable to people on Main Street.”
You can submit a question to this column by e-mail to news@themercury.com, or by regular mail to Questions, P.O. Box 787, Manhattan, KS 66505.
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