FHSU has crucial effect on economy
Fort Hays State University, one of six schools governed by the Kansas Board of Regents, provides important economic and resource tools to Ellis County and the city of Hays.
FHSU, the fourth largest of the regents schools, has set enrollment records for five consecutive years. The 20th day count for the 2006-07 academic year was 9,122 students, passing the record set in 2005-06, which had 9,019 students. The total increase was 1.1 percent, or 103 students.
FHSU is worth approximately $177 million in the local economy.
Students, faculty, staff and visitor expenditures comprise the direct effect figure, which is almost $100 million. Add in the indirect figure, which includes money generated by businesses who purchase goods and services from other local outlets, and the economic effect reaches $160 million annually.
The community also benefits from several different service learning projects conducted by FHSU students each year.
Service learning has become a core component to the educational philosophy of FHSU. Each semester, numerous instructors incorporate community projects into their course curriculum.
One of the efforts to engage the community is seen in the American Democracy Project.
The FHSU chapter of ADP was launched in 2004 as part of an effort to promote active citizenship throughout the students and faculty.
FHSU wants to increase service learning components and volunteerism in its curricula. The goal is to produce citizens who are active within their community after they graduate from FHSU.
The ADP brings in guest speakers and organizes forums to allow students and faculty to gain exposure to different aspects of the community. Each day, the ADP distributes hundreds of copies of The Hays Daily News and the New York Times throughout campus.
The ADP also sponsors a lunchtime discussion group called Times Talk. At Times Talk, faculty and students give presentations about issues featured in the New York Times or in the community.
Another aspect of service learning is observed in the campus volunteer organization, Tigers in Service.
Tigers in Service organizes alternative break trips, which allow students to see the country and volunteer to help out in those communities. Recent trips have included visits to communities ravaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita and also a trip to San Diego to work in a StandUp for Kids shelter.
The group also performs numerous volunteer projects in the local community, including Make a Difference Day and Clean and Green, in which the group cleans up the campus and surrounding area.
Facing declining funding from the state since the early 1990s, FHSU made a move to expand the Virtual College to an international audience.
Since that time, Virtual College enrollment has expanded to 4,620 in 2006.
The increase is due in part to nine foreign partnerships. Eight different universities in China and one in Turkey have partnerships with FHSU.
The foreign partnerships have brought financial gain to the university. The partnerships have brought in $3.8 million, which is nearly 5 percent of FHSU's $73 million budget.
FHSU President Edward H. Hammond has set a goal of one day enrolling 5,000 on-campus students and another 5,000 Virtual College students. While on-campus enrollment fell slightly in 2006, down 32 students, Virtual College enrollment increased by 135.
FHSU has been setting enrollment records since 2002. In that year, the enrollment expanded by 14 percent. In 2003, the enrollment was pushed up another 15 percent. In 2004, enrollment increased by another 15 percent. The pace dropped off somewhat, but enrollment still increased by 6 percent.
FHSU students come from all across the country and 30 foreign countries. However, approximately 75 percent of the students are from Kansas.
The main campus sits on 200 acres of land. The state owns 4,160 acres of land, which are deeded to the university. The campus includes 40 limestone buildings that create a peaceful academic atmosphere. Big Creek winds through the west end of the main campus, separating the quadrangle from Cunningham Hall and Gross Memorial Coliseum. The flowing stream provides a tranquil atmosphere and natural laboratory for students studying the biological sciences.
FHSU offers a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio, with 267 on-campus faculty members employed at FHSU.
Four colleges make up the university: arts and sciences, education, business and leadership, and health and life sciences. FHSU also has a graduate school.
FHSU students can choose a major field of study from any of the 30 departments. The campus has an electronic learning environment that includes free wireless Internet access for students.
Beginning fall 2007, all incoming freshman students will be required to own a Tablet PC or an Apple laptop.
The university has an extensive intercollegiate athletic program. Approximately 350 athletes compete each year in eight men's and seven women's sports.
This year, FHSU will begin its second year as a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, which includes 10 schools from Kansas and Missouri. Next July, University of Nebraska-Omaha will join the conference to bring the membership total to 11.
The university is a cultural center for western Kansas. Fine-arts exhibitions, performing-arts presentations by students, faculty and traveling professionals, and a Presidential Lecture Series make up the many different activities on campus.
FHSU's Forsyth Library opened in 1902 with 702 books. Today, the library is made up of 300,000 items in the main library, with the government documents section adding another 500,000 items.
The award-winning Docking Institute of Public Affairs, founded in 1980, provides FHSU a public policy research institute.
The institute staff, which includes faculty, business-based staff and policy fellows, includes expertise in economic development, telecommunications and public administration to health care, education and natural resources.