Wichita State Innovation Alliance Board Meeting
April 26, 2018
9:00 am
Morrison Hall Boardroom, Room 101
Wichita State University
Agenda
- Approve Minutes from November 9, 2017
- WSIA Presentation - Stacia Boden, Gael Tisack, Mark Torline
- Annual Conflict of Interest Disclosures - Stacia Boden
- Industry Challenges Initiative - Alan Goodnight
- Innovation Campus Update - Andy Schlapp
Minutes
In attendance were Directors Lou Heldman, Willie Kendrick, Elizabeth King, Rodney Miller, David Mitchell, Bill Moore, and Andy Schlapp. John Bardo joined the meeting at 9:20 am. Also present were Mark Torline, Gael Tisack, Stacia Boden, David Moses, Alan Goodnight, Lois Tatro, Anna Lanier, Lainie Mazzullo, and Suzanne Perez-Tobias from the Wichita Eagle.
Call to Order
Schlapp called the meeting to order at 9:09 am.
Minutes
Draft minutes of the November 9, 2017, board meeting were distributed to the Board. Mitchell moved to approve the minutes. Miller seconded the motion. Motion approved.
WSIA Presentation
Schlapp introduced Boden as legal counsel for WSIA and WSIAIC.
Boden presented an overview of the functions, governance and staff of the affiliated corporations WSIA and WSIA Investments Corporation. Torline presented on WSIA technology transfer. Tisack presented on the WSIAIC investment portfolio.
King asked Torline about where the technology originates. Torline discussed examples of both faculty and student innovations.
Bardo discussed the university’s role as a public research university and the importance of having structures in place to identify, track and commercialize university inventions. Mitchell discussed the importance of leading as an innovation university and the importance outside funding plays in a time when state funding is shrinking.
Bardo discussed the university’s mission and the university’s role as part of an innovation district that is being developed to include a diverse set of assets to facilitate education, growth, networking and student training.
Conflict of Interest
Boden distributed the WSIA conflict of interest policy and disclosure statement and asked each of the Board members and staff to review the policy and return signed disclosure statements.
WSU Business Issues and Challenges Series
Goodnight updated the Board on the first in the series of “Business Issues and Challenges” seminars and public forums in March on cybersecurity. WSU’s Cyber Security and Forensics Research Group presented. These seminars provide an opportunity for local businesses and governmental agencies to come to the campus and to interact with WSU faculty and staff. The seminar was well attended by a wide array of public and private entities in the Wichita Area and generated several applied learning opportunities for April 26, 2018 Page 2 students and a potential research project for WSU Ennovar. Goodnight discussed how these types of initiatives align with the vision and mission of WSU, WSIA and WSIAIC. WSU Ventures is hosting these and is working towards hosting four of these a year. The next series will focus on additive manufacturing. Other topics include artificial intelligence, risk management, and robotics manufacturing. Goodnight reported that the companies who attended the forum would not stop talking about the excitement being generated by WSU and its innovation development and initiatives.
Innovation Campus Update
Schlapp provided an update on Innovation Campus projects. Schlapp referred the Board to a recent Harvard Business Review article published in January: “Why Companies and Universities Should Forge Long-Term Collaborations” by Kenneth R. Lutchen. Schlapp discussed the focus of the article was on the mutual benefits of collaborative relationships between companies and universities. Schlapp discussed some early examples of this, including Silicon Valley in the 1950s and the public-private partnerships improving healthcare in the Boston area. Schlapp stressed how the wide variety of P3s demonstrated how all departments have an opportunity to explore and forge public private partnerships. Miller discussed similar collaborations in Nebraska.
Schlapp discussed the history of the University when it was established as a state institution in 1964. Schlapp discussed that the acquisition of the golf course property in 1967 was intended to grow the University. The golf course was a very early example of a public private partnership that lasted for almost 50 years. Since then other properties have been operated by affiliated and unaffiliated entities, including the Marcus Welcome Center and the Rhatigan Student Center.
Schlapp presented an update on the Innovation Campus projects, including new buildings on the Innovation Campus: i. Hotel. Schlapp discussed the status and continued efforts to ensure the hotel met the needs and vision of the university. ii. The FLATS Phase 2. Schlapp discussed the demand for student housing, the decrease in state investing in student housing, and the advantages to leasing versus financing the infrastructure. iii. NIAR Crash Dynamics Laboratory. Schlapp discussed project and external funding sources to support project. iv. YMCA Student Health and Wellness Center. Schlapp discussed the recent reveal and upcoming ground breaking. v. Retail - Braeburn Square, Phase 1. Schlapp discussed the developer was in the process of securing a mix of retail and restaurant tenants and everyone should be seeing some exciting changes in the fall. April 26, 2018 Page 3 vi. Wonder School. Schlapp discussed the location of the new Wonder School and how it ties into the university’s mission and innovation initiatives. The school will be built next to the business building. vii. Partnership 2 Building. WSU’s College of Engineering, FirePoint, Engineering Student Success Center and NIAR will be in this building. SPIRIT will also be leasing space. viii. Partnership 7 Building. Schlapp reported that we reviewed proposals from several developers and will be moving forward with a lease.
Schlapp discussed the growth and success of the EEB. The EEB has been very successful. In addition to WSU’s Go Create, it has several industry tenants: Dassault Systemes, Hexagon, Youth Entrepreneurs and Turkish Aerospace. Had over 650 visitors, given over 105 tours/events, featured in 32 articles, six high school visits, and was the location for a public private collaboration project with Airbus and Dassault Systemes where the team successfully developed a thrust reverser in 83 days.
Mitchell noted it was amazing how quickly the innovation campus has become land locked.
Bardo discussed that life-long learning and continuous education requires an everchanging and ever-growing environment. Bardo discussed additional university initiatives with regard to credit courses, expanding Pell grants to programs, and micro-masters degrees.
Miller discussed the growth and innovation extended beyond the innovation campus. Miller discussed the studio space in the old Wichita Mall location and the College of Fine Arts will be offering a new type of degree that is very vocationally orientated. Miller discussed the exponential growth in that program which, based on current applications, will generate an additional 200 students who would have pursued a similar degree elsewhere.
Torline also noted that one university start-up was close to signing a contract with ESPN on gaming.
The board discussed the legislative funding proposal from the Senate.
Minutes drafted by: Stacia Boden, task delegated by the Secretary.