HAYS – On Wednesday, June 14, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly will be on the campus of Fort Hays State University for a signing ceremony for House Bill 2290, the strategic affiliation plan put forward in the state legislature earlier this spring by Fort Hays State University, Northwest Kansas Technical College (Northwest Tech), and North Central Kansas Technical College (NCK Tech). 

The ceremony will take place in the Sunset Atrium of the Memorial Union at 10 a.m. Kelly will be joined by FHSU President Tisa Mason, Northwest Tech President Ben Schears, and NCK Tech President Eric Burks.

About the plan

The strategic affiliation institutional partnership initiative was created by the three presidents as a way for the three institutions to address major demographic and economic challenges in rural Kansas, Mason said. Key areas of focus include:  

• Developing academic programs and integrated student services that meet the educational and professional needs of today’s and tomorrow’s students.

• Aligning and optimizing inter-institutional operations to remove unnecessary bureaucratic barriers to student success.

• Creating a coalition with regional businesses, industries and communities focused on increasing opportunities for students, expanding entrepreneurship and meeting workforce development needs in rural Kansas.

Learn more about the strategic affiliation plan online atfhsu.edu.affiliation.