WSU Today: June 17, 2019

“You’re not supposed to be coming into this to totally turn the ship another direction,” he says. “You’re supposed to help it keep moving in the direction it was going.”

A lifelong educator and a former CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents, Tompkins was named interim president at WSU following Bardo’s death.

Tompkins was part of the search committee that brought Bardo to the university in 2012, and says he already knew the former president’s vision for what WSU could be, while controversial at times, was paying big dividends.

And Tompkins — whose lean frame and genial nature feel indicative of a man who was admittedly happy in retirement — says he knew he had to answer the call when asked to keep that momentum going.

“My goal has been to try and keep (the university) moving in a good direction and then make sure we’re ready for that next person,” he says.

Listening to learn

Tompkins has held down the fort, so to speak, before.

He served as interim president at Fort Hays State University from December 2016 to November 2017.

Michael Barnett, vice president for administration and finance at the school, says Tompkins played a crucial role in helping the university during a difficult time after former president Mirta Martin resigned for personal reasons.

Barnett, who served a short stint as interim president before Tompkins, says he was the right fit.

“Andy was great to work with,” he says. “His personality and style brought a really calming influence to campus.”

Tompkins’ focus never strayed from students and keeping the university moving forward, Bennett says, though he had to make some difficult decisions.

“He did what needed to be done,” Barnett says.

Tompkins says one of the biggest lessons he learned, that he now brings to WSU, is to ask the right questions and listen for the right answers. It helps the next president.

Barnett says Tompkins did that at Fort Hays, helping the transition to new president Tisa Mason.

At WSU, Tompkins says, there is a strategic plan in place. While he moves it forward, his ultimate goal is another successful handoff to his successor.

“My goal is to listen a lot while I’m here,” he says.

Presidential search

Wichita developer Steve Clark is heading the advisory committee tasked with finding the next president, the same role he held for the committee that ultimately landed on Bardo.

Unlike that search, this will be a closed process.

The idea behind it, he says, is that it makes for the strongest pool of candidates for the Board of Regents to make their eventual appointment. He says candidates don’t have to worry about their interest becoming public.

Clark likes the closed approach, though he says he understands both arguments. He says the last search produced a weak pool of candidates and that WSU was lucky to have found Bardo.

“We had to kiss a lot of frogs to find the handsome prince,” he says.

Clark said the first meeting of the 20-person committee was largely organizational. The next significant meeting is in early September, where it will meet in closed session to discuss potential candidates.

Alabama-based Wheless Partners, a search consultant, was in Wichita last week meeting with university and community stakeholders to begin forming the job profile that will presented to potential candidates.

Meanwhile, Clark says Tompkins — as he was at Fort Hays State — is the right interim leader.

His knowledge of the education system and “all the moving parts,” Clark says, make Tompkins uniquely qualified to keep WSU’s momentum going as the search progresses.

“He is a tremendous person and we could not have anyone better than Andy at the helm out there,” says Clark, a WSU graduate and former Regent.

Tompkins is not a candidate, though he’ll stay in the role until the Regents have the next president. He thinks that could stretch into 2020 by the time the new president is in office.

The successor, Clark says, will be stepping into a critical time at WSU, where the imperative will be to continue the momentum that Bardo began.

“We are looking for Superman or Superwoman,” Clark says.

Student-focused

For his part, Tompkins says WSU has so much going for it that he expects the school to draw an impressive list of candidates.

From its mission and ties to the community, to new offshoots such as WSU Tech and even its recent realignment into the American Athletic Conference, Tompkins says administrators will be attracted to the school’s growing profile.

That includes growing momentum and a thriving community around it that makes Wichita a destination that can attract top faculty, something he says any potential president would have high on their list.

And then, of course, there are the students.

At 71, Tompkins maintains an undeniable energy. But his excitement for his work is most apparent when he talks about students.

And being on campus in Wichita, he says, has only deepened his appreciation for the work Bardo did to bind the university to the business and broader community and put a new emphasis on applied learning.

It was all designed, Tompkins says, to give students the best education possible and follow it with opportunities to remain and work in Wichita after graduation.

“This is a pretty powerful vision for an institution,” he says. “I think it has brought a lot of energy to campus.”

Monday, June 24

Ablah Library, Media Resources Center, Grace Wilkie / Grace Wilkie Annex, Heskett Center, Clinton Hall, Neff Hall, Engineering Building, Geology Building

Tuesday, June 25

Aviation Testing Lab, NIAR, Wallace Hall, Beggs Hall, Gaddis Physical Plant Building, Central Power Building, Ahlberg Hall, Elliott Hall, Experiential Engineering Building (EEB), P2 Building

Wednesday, June 26

Brennan Hall 1, Brennan Hall 2, Brennan Hall 3, Garvey Center, Intensive English, Wilner Hall, Henrion Hall, Metro Building, Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD)

Thursday, June 27

Human Resources (HR), Jardine Hall, McKinley Hall, Fiske Hall, Duerksen Fine Arts Center, Wiedemann Hall, Koch Arena, Morrison Hall, Rhatigan Student Center

Friday, June 28

Shocker Hall, Devlin Hall, Hubbard Hall, Corbin Hall, The Flats, The Suites, Marcus Welcome Center, Woodman Alumni Center, Jabara Hall

Monday, July 1

238 N. Mead

Contact:  Mike Strickland, director of Environmental, Health and Safety, 978-3347.

While you aren’t riding the rapids, you can participate in any of the land and flatwater activities including the Sandridge Sky Trail, newly expanded Sky Slide complex, Rumble Drop, cloud bounce, rock walls, kayaks, stand up paddle boards and more.

The only activity not included is the SKY Zip. This can be purchased separately at the park.

During your day you can freely explore the park on your own or with a group of friends. Grab lunch at the Big Water Grill at your own convenience and enjoy your day.

The group will meet at the park entrance promptly at 5 p.m. to depart. To get your tickets go to bit.ly/CROutdoorAdventures. Follow up communication will be emailed within a week prior to trip. Contact Kaycee Miller at Campus Recreation for any questions at cr.outdooradventures@wichita.edu.