— FEATURE Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson reflects on his presidency BY VICKI MAYK When President Kenneth S. Hawkinson, Ph.D., announced his retirement in August 2024, he called his decade as the university’s 12th president “an amazing gift.” During that time, he guided the university through a global pandemic while still achieving signifcant goals strengthening institutional fnances, fundraising and increasing student enrollment, diversity and retention. As he prepared to pass the gift of governing KU to its new president, Hawkinson refected on the accomplishments during his tenure. When you joined KU in 2015, you outlined 53 initiatives for the university. Several of those initiatives focused on finances. As you retire, KU is in an enviable position with eight years of balanced budgets with no tuition increases and the successful completion of the $46 million Together, We’re Golden campaign. Why was this important to you? Today, universities cannot survive without being in a strong fscal position. So much is tied to fscal health: enrollment and reten tion, the ability to undertake construction projects, and maintaining the campus. Even employee morale can be afected. A comprehensive campaign is essential in managing the university’s fnances because the funds raised fll in gaps in fnancial support for our students and pay for construction projects. Together, We’re Golden was a big campaign for a relatively small university and I’m proud of its success. It couldn’t have happened without the eforts of the KU Foundation’s executive director, the foundation board, and our campaign chairs. KU has seen increased retention, improved graduation rates, and recruited a freshman class with the highest average high school GPA in university history. How were those milestones achieved? Our success with student recruitment started in 2016 with a rebranding of the university that went back to our roots, emphasizing that our students have grit. An increase in student fnancial aid and scholarships also was key. When I arrived at KU in 2015, our institutional fnancial aid was around $2 million. Now, it’s over $12 million. During my frst year, we also raised admission standards, ensuring our students were better prepared to go to college. We also put pro grams in place to support them while they are here both factors benefting retention. Right: President Hawkinson, Ann Marie Hayes-Hawkinson and Wynnie (KU's frst dog). 14 TOWER | FALL 2025
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