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On Monday, February 13, Interim President Ronald A. Johnson and SGA President Savion Briggs hosted the first “Leaders-to-Leaders” summit giving an opportunity for clear communication and dialogue between KSU’s administrative leadership and student leaders. The discussion centered around campus issues and the challenges facing KSU as per House Bill 250, and our solutions reframed around the “An Intended Future for KSU” narrative. “The summit is now a permanent fixture and provides a more formal line of communication with our students, and student townhalls will follow each summit,” said Interim President Johnson.
 
Student and campus leaders introduced themselves and shared their backgrounds. Interim President Johnson set the tone of the meeting from the start with a focused agenda and the campus road map to sustainability. Next, the leaders engaged in productive dialogue centered around three essential questions:

 

1.  How can we improve our mental health services to help students in crisis and to ensure students feel supported and have a sense of belonging to persist through the attainment of their degree?
2. How can students support the “KSU Intended Future“ narrative during Spring 2023?
   
   
3. How can KSU better prepare students and families for the transition from high school to college, including applying for financial aid, the steps involved in the application process for college, providing early information, and making student orientation more interactive and reflective of the student experience?

There were occasional laughs, but those in attendance talked about the campus community’s serious issues, including the lack of HBCU culture, a sense of acceptance and belonging, and student mental health and wellness.
 
Interim President Johnson and his leadership team took questions from student leaders, and SGA President Briggs noted that the discussion was open and honest. “There is still a lot of work to be done, but today is a move in the right direction.”
 
The students all expressed a renewed sense of hopefulness and energy. “I feel motivated, knowing working together, we can accomplish more to ensure students have an opportunity to amplify the voices of those who feel unheard or struggling to establish a sense of belonging,” expressed SGA President Briggs.
 
The next KSU leaders-to-leaders meeting will be decided after a student town hall meeting on February 28th, which will help campus leaders plan more efficiently for the next semester. In addition, student and administrative leaders are eager to engage in more effective communications and joint actions to ensure students have access to the resources needed to support a well-rounded academic experience and campus life, including mental health and wellness.
 
Interim President Johnson is already planning what we can do for the next semester and how to bring awareness to the issues facing our campus community.