K-State Athletics Strategic Plan

Mission

Our mission is to foster a culture in which our student-athletes have every opportunity to reach their maximum potential academically, athletically, mentally and socially while operating an organization that is anchored by a genuine commitment to K-State, our supporters and each other.

Values

At K-State, we are FAMILY. Our bond envelops our students, coaches, staff, alumni, donors and fans. The connection is constant, as we are linked from the time we are together on campus and always thereafter.

We strive to recruit students, coaches and administrators who are of the highest moral CHARACTER. We push INNOVATION and seek EXCELLENCE while emphasizing the significance of acting with HONESTY and INTEGRITY. A K-Stater understands that COLLABORATION, community ENGAGEMENT and HARD WORK lead to perseverance and success throughout life.

Strategic Priorities

Support Student-Athlete Success and Well-Being
Win Championships
Provide the Best Fan Experience in the Big 12
Foster a Department Culture that Embraces and Celebrates Excellence
Grow and Efficiently Manage Financial Resources
Foster a Sense of Belonging with All Student-Athletes and Department Staff on Campus
Cultivate an Atmosphere of Compliance

Support Student-Athlete Success and Well-Being

Supporting our student-athletes in their pursuit of a top-level education, and providing them the resources and experiences necessary for success after college, is our ultimate priority. We will:

Support Students Academically
We will be steadfast in providing access to proper academic resources and connection to our campus partners. We will focus on retention of student-athletes and their progress toward timely degree completion, with additional focus on minority and first generation students. We will dedicate resources to academic learning spaces, academic counseling staffs, specialized learning programs and technology upgrades to enhance the overall educational experience of all student-athletes.

Enhance Skills for the Future
We will foster the development of our student-athletes to ensure a well-rounded college experience and successful transition to life after sport. Evaluation of staffing and resources will occur on a regular basis, with emphasis placed on the continued growth of our career development programming. We will create a comprehensive plan to guide personal, professional and leadership development from the time student-athletes step on campus to the time they graduate.

Focus on Student-Athlete Well-Being
We will invest in the emotional well-being of our student-athletes. We will enhance programming for mental wellness, sexual violence prevention awareness, transition to college and social issues–providing forums and better communicating available resources to our student-athletes.

Celebrate Student-Athlete Success
Appropriate benchmarking measures will be used to evaluate student-athlete support resources, staffing and programming for the overall success of the student-athlete. This information will allow us to be intentional with our programming to prepare student-athletes to be great representatives of K-State, as well as equip the department to provide compelling content that tells each student-athlete’s story.

Win Championships

Our goal for every sports program is to compete for Big 12 championships and to qualify for, compete and advance in the post-season. In order to accomplish this, we will:

Recruit and Retain Top Student-Athletes
We seek to recruit student-athletes, who are incomparable competitors on the playing fields and who personify our values. Student-athletes at K-State are special and we will work tirelessly to support their educational and athletic goals. We will showcase student-athlete success, the accomplishments of the Athletics Department and the University, and the charm and positive experience of living in the “Little Apple” through multi-platform distribution of robust recruiting content.

Hire and Retain Top Coaches
We will strive to employ the most qualified coaches, who will work tirelessly to bring out the best in our student-athletes. They will embody our commitment to having winning programs without sacrificing our integrity or the welfare of our student-athletes. We will provide our coaches with competitive salaries and benefits, while giving each coach the support necessary to reach the highest level of success.

Maintain the Highest Quality Facilities and Equipment
As we construct new athletic facilities, we will continue the tradition of creating state-of-the art buildings that will help our student-athletes attain optimal results. In addition, we will pursue the use of cutting-edge technologies to enhance training and maximize achievements in competition.

Emphasize Student-Athlete Performance, Health and Safety
We have dedicated nutritionists, certified athletic trainers, equipment staff and strength and conditioning coaches to support our student-athletes. We will continue to evaluate our student-athletes’ needs on a consistent basis to ensure that they are receiving the resources needed to improve their performance to compete at the highest level.

Provide the Best Fan Experience in the Big 12

We strive to create the Best Fan Experience in the Big 12 by providing a game-day environment that is safe, welcoming, engaging, entertaining and unique. Our daily interactions will focus on serving fans, donors, alumni and friends with an exceptional customer experience through accessibility and transparency in communication with the department. We will:

Serve the K-State Family
We will offer a wide range of access to all members of the K-State Family, including value ticket pricing options, creative experience packages and a welcoming game day-atmosphere. We will make it as easy as possible for fans to interact with athletics staff and to attend games. We will utilize fan feedback to make data-based improvements and share these improvement plans with the K-State Family.

Engage with K-State Students
We will develop innovative plans, collaborating with key campus partners, aimed at remaining at the forefront of cultural trends specific to the college student demographic. We will create connections and deliver lasting memories between K-State students and student-athletes, coaches and staff. We will place an emphasis on retention of students throughout their collegiate journey and relationship development to convert graduates into long-time ticket-holders and donors.

Evolve the Game Day Experience
We will invest in technology, facilities improvements and entertainment to differentiate the K-State experience from other entertainment options and to create efficiencies in fan experience services like ticketing, parking, concessions and merchandise purchases.

Elevate the K-State Brand
We proudly embrace the responsibility of building the K-State brand throughout the state of Kansas, nationally and internationally. Expanding the reach of our digital content will occur through sharing the stories of our student-athletes’ academic and athletics achievements. Our staff will be built with talented individuals, who will be prepared to capitalize on team accomplishments.

Foster a Department Culture that Embraces and Celebrates Excellence

K-State Athletics values every department member. We recognize each person plays a unique role in achieving our short and long-term goals with the following:

Transparency and Execution of Vision
We will continue to improve the communication, interaction and cooperation between athletics administration, department heads, coaches, staff and student-athletes to enhance the overall academic and athletic experiences of our student-athletes.

Live Our Mission: Make Family Matter
We will uphold an environment in which coaches and staff feel supported, respected and enjoy coming to work every day. We will be known as a department in which employees desire to work and student-athletes are able to thrive and reach their goals. We will provide regular programming aimed at creating collaborative and supportive relationships among staff.

Employee Support
We will strive to maintain competitive salaries and benefits while remaining fiscally responsible. Orientations and training sessions will be reviewed to ensure that employees have the information and resources needed to be successful, and all coaches and staff will receive annual feedback through supervisor evaluations.

Provide Professional Development
We will encourage staff to be ambassadors locally, regionally, and nationally and pursue development opportunities in their field. We will share the accomplishments of our staff with the K-State Family and promote staff externally for national awards.

Grow and Efficiently Manage Financial Resources

In order to preserve our leadership role in the Big 12 and intercollegiate athletics, it is critical that we explore all means of development and fiscal responsibility including:

Expanding the Ahearn Fund
Our National Fund for Student-Athlete Excellence will continue to grow by proactively exposing its mission to new potential members like recent graduates, alumni and friends, former student-athletes, season ticket holders and other K-State fans. We will continue to creatively enhance membership growth and retention by appropriately stewarding existing members through personal contact, membership benefits and other engagement activities.

Collaborating with Strategic Partners
We are proud to operate with several long-term strategic partners in areas like apparel, concessions, licensing, media rights and more. We will seek creative opportunities to drive additional revenue through these present agreements, as well as look for new avenues of financial sustainability by way of partnership negotiations and new, unique affiliations.

Elevating Athletic Operations Through Philanthropic Campaigns
We are committed to strategic fundraising in order to provide an elite student-athlete experience, world-class facility improvements, and significant financial resources for our teams to compete for conference and national championships. This will be executed through cultivating leadership contributions from donors, families, foundations and corporations.

Managing Resources Responsibly and with Transparency
While raising revenues is critical, how those resources are utilized and managed have a tremendous impact on the financial health of the department. We will meet current debt payment requirements by maintaining a balanced budget and remain steadfast to operating with sound fiscal judgment that includes responsible spending and investment. We will be open and transparent in communicating the details of our financial operations.

Seeking and Evaluating Ancillary Revenue and Non-Traditional Opportunities
We will look to participate in new activities that expose the K-State brand to a broader audience through community events, entertainment, and revenue generating competitive opportunities.

Foster a Sense of Belonging with All Student-Athletes and Department Staff in Our Community

We will focus on department-wide initiatives that actively promote excellence through support of all populations. Our collective efforts will include:

Cultivating an Academic Atmosphere of Student Belonging
Nurturing a strong sense of belonging on campus has nothing but a positive impact in retention, well-being and life satisfaction on our student population at large, and our student athletes are no different. Our department will continue building on the existing relationships with the campus, forge communities of support for all students, and cultivating a culture of student belonging.

Recruitment and Retention
We will actively and intentionally recruit a wide-ranging student-athlete population. In addition, we will be diligent in our efforts to recruit a broad set of applicants for department staff and coaching positions, including using department personnel and national resources to create comprehensive hiring pools.

Identification of Resources and Support for All
To provide a rewarding student-athlete experience, campus and department resources will be readily available to support all populations. We will also provide and promote professional development opportunities for coaches and staff through various intercollegiate organizations.

Encouragement of International Student-Athletes
With student-athletes from more than 30 countries around the world, we recognize the importance of acclimating to a new country and to a different environment. We strive to make the transition seamless from providing appropriate resources, to exposing the cultures of the student-athlete to the broader community.

Cultivate an Atmosphere of Compliance

We are committed to integrity in compliance and will adhere to following these principles:

Institutional Control & Head Coach Responsibility
Kansas State University is committed to maintaining institutional control by promoting a culture of compliance that emphasizes the shared responsibility among all staff members and student-athletes. Each staff member and non-staff member promoting the athletic interests at Kansas State University has the responsibility to ensure that they are acting in compliance with all NCAA, Big 12, and University requirements. All individuals shall understand their obligation to report any potential violations. Head coaches shall promote an atmosphere of compliance in their programs, communicate to their staff about the importance of compliance and monitor the activities of their staff members.

Training and Education
Take reasonable steps to provide regular and effective rules education by communicating applicable regulations, policies and procedures to all staff, student-athletes, donors and fans. Various methods of delivering educational resources will be utilized.

Reasonable Policies and Procedures
Department policies and procedures will be continually evaluated for effectiveness as well as to ensure that they are compliant with federal and state laws and NCAA, Big 12, institutional, and departmental rules and regulations. Policies and procedures will be implemented or updated appropriately and made readily available to all staff. We will take seriously our obligation to regularly educate department personnel on anti-discrimination and whistleblower protection policies.

Commitment to Compliance
The President is responsible for the overall administration of the institution, which includes the athletic department. The Director of Athletics will exercise oversight of the compliance program and delegate authority to the compliance staff, which shall be appropriately supported and empowered to fulfill their obligation of administering an effective and ethical compliance program.

Kansas State University Athletics

Mission, Values, Vision