In the State of the University address, I spoke about "KSU: A Work in Progress – Still." In that address and in the op-ed piece preceding it, I spoke about what was happening on our campus in terms of the capital additions and the technology improvements. I also addressed why continuing to do what we have always done is not good enough anymore in the face of our "new normal." Exactly what is that new normal? It is:

operating with diminishing resources

students who often come underprepared

infrastructures in need of substantial upgrading

a culture that does not always see students as its primary concern

students who need more financial assistance

To help us succeed in our new environment, we are reorganizing our administration and carefully relooking at our budget to make up for the loss in students that KSU and many historically black colleges and universities saw this fall. For KSU, the drop in enrollment resulted in a $4.8 million negative impact on this year's budget, assuming no additional students in the spring. Many of the students who pre-registered but failed to enroll were short of money. Their Pell grants were smaller; more of their Parent Plus Loans were denied because of new federal regulations regarding qualifications. Even more students faced a high hurdle meeting the satisfactory academic progress standard. This meant they were unable to receive financial aid until they came back into compliance, and they also didn't have money to pay for their classes until they became eligible again for financial aid.

stitution and will help us better prepare our students academically and retain and graduate more of them.

All activities and programs should be critical to KSU's mission.

We must identify and confront all issues impacting student success, retention, and graduation/completion.

Our organizational structure must be realigned to be efficient and we must reduce unnecessary institutional rules and the time it takes to earn a degree.

Academic programs at KSU must be efficient and should optimize the use of our faculty. Developmental/supplemental education must be transformed as quickly as possible so college credit counts upfront. Online programs must grow. The use of technology must expand.

KSU must spend efficiently on Financial Aid and increase the opportunities for need based assistance; we must also increase the number of transfer students and the amount of aid going to them.

If we follow the five-point plan, be transparent and present data on a regular basis to ourselves, our Board of Regents and to outside agencies such as the Council on Postsecondary Education, I have no doubt that we will show consistent and sustained improvement.