I am honored to lead Kentucky State University's 2016-2021 strategic planning process. During my short time as Interim President, I have been inspired by those around me; students, faculty, staff and administrators, Board Members, community leaders and alumni. I have also been inspired by the history and heritage of KSU. I know my role is not only to lead us toward a better future, I must also protect this great institution's past. Our past, in many ways, frames the road ahead. To move forward we must build upon our historic strengths while concurrently harnessing our best strategic thinking. Our predecessors worked tirelessly, often during uncertain times, and we must do the same. The road to our brightest future requires our collective intellectual capital, and a commitment to organizational agility and fearless informed decision making.
The KSU mascot, the Thorobred, is a symbol of hard work and discipline. The Thorobred lineage resulted from 200 years of investments over time. Thorobreds love to run and they live to win. They are beautiful creatures that are inherently destined to finish first. The informal meaning of Thorobred is "of outstanding quality" and it is this meaning that undergirds the University's tag line "In all Things Excellence". So too, KSU has a 130-year history of investments made by loyal, hardworking student scholars, faculty and administrators, all who were disciplined in their efforts and destined to make KSU a better place. And so today, together, we are poised to Race Toward KSU's Brightest Future.
I recognize that many members of the KSU community have invested their time and talent in developing this map to the future. The process began as many planning processes do, with a planning committee, focus groups and colleagues working together to develop an initial draft. Their efforts laid the groundwork that serves as this plans foundation. The early draft was broad in scope, and in some ways represented all things to all people, but today, we need to focus on those goals that are mission central. Once our foundation is strong, we can rapidly move to higher ground.
The initial draft, was in some ways usual and customary, heavy on development and light on deployment. Over the past several months we have realized that the task before us is not usual or customary, and it is this awareness that has lead us to this revised document. The strategic processes and targeted outcomes included in this plan represent our greatest expectations, expectations that can only be realized through collaboration, shared accountability, and discipline. I invite all KSU stakeholders to embrace the vision of our future and the collective hard work required to get there.
Sincerely,
Aaron Thompson, Ph.D. Interim President
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