From Interim President Andy Tompkins
Dear campus community,
I wanted you to know about the potential for an exciting expansion of our partnership with NetApp. We’ve been talking for several months with NetApp’s leadership about the possibility of having their employees and facilities relocate to Innovation Campus, to work even more closely with WSU students, faculty and other researchers. NetApp, a world leading solutions provider in digital transformation, is already one of the largest employers of our students.
Those conversations have reached a point where both the company and university believe the move would be beneficial. So today, WSU and NetApp are beginning a process that will include working with city and county government, the Greater Wichita Partnership, the Kansas Board of Regents, NetApp employees and members of the campus community to refine the vision and gain support for the project.
NetApp gathered its employees this afternoon to share this information that I’m sharing with you now.
Robin Huber, vice president and general manager of NetApp E-Series and site manager of Wichita operations, told their employees Monday that the company would like to move into a complex to be built in the next few years in the southeast quadrant of Innovation Campus, near 17th and Oliver.
Details are still being worked out. NetApp has a lab on Innovation Campus, uses meeting rooms across campus and is looking forward to expanding its presence.
Robin said: “NetApp has had a relationship with Wichita State University for more than 20 years that has been focused on technological innovation, applied learning and regional economic growth. We are committed to expanding our partnership in those areas, and that’s why we’re exploring the possibility of relocating NetApp’s Wichita operations to the WSU Innovation Campus.”
There are a lot of bridges to cross before any of this is certain to happen, but Provost Rick Muma, President-elect Jay Golden and I are excited at the possibility that this move could kick off additional applied learning and research opportunities, keep high-paying jobs in Kansas and drive economic development for the region.
We’ll let you know more as things develop.
All the best,
Andy
