The Kansas Board of Regents voted in a special meeting Thursday to name Matthew Baker as the 19th president of Emporia State.
Baker, who currently serves as vice president of student affairs at Northwest Missouri State, will take over as the university’s top executive following the retirement of ESU President Ken Hush on Dec. 17. He brings with him 30 years of experience in higher education leadership and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kansas State and a master’s in higher education administration from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.
“My enthusiasm for this role is genuine and and deeply personal,” Baker, a Kansas native, said in his remarks following the vote. “Growing up in Kansas, I have long admired Emporia State’s spirit, grit and purpose. Today, I am inspired by the dedication of the people who call this university home.”
Baker said the university’s next chapter is “full of possibility” and he is committed to serving ESU “with humility, partnership and unwavering respect” for those who contribute to student success. As he takes on his new role, Baker intends to keep a student-centered approach in order to better understand the needs of students to help them reach graduation.
“I am built for regional public universities .. Some students absolutely are going to graduate no matter what we do. Some students are not sure they should be here, they suffer from a little imposter syndrome. They’re not sure if they’re really the one that should be here. And I think that making sure that, beginning with students feel welcome, they’re recognized that they have the ability to move forward,” Baker said in a press conference.
“At regional publics, we attract different students (than other universities), and those are the students who need us and we need them. And so what I see our vision forward is we are a student focused institution who understands what students need, so the students can persist to graduation. And I think that really will tell the story of Emporia State into the future.”
Baker’s efforts at Northwest Missouri improved student retention and enrollment for the institution, according to KBOR. On the heels of a 6 percent increase in student enrollment at ESU, Baker says that he will continue to implement current enrollment strategies and explore new ones to grow ESU’s enrollment numbers and combat existing challenges. That means evaluating academic programs and partnerships, examining workforce needs and helping prospective students understand the value ESU could bring to them.
It also means understanding what keeps students at ESU—and what makes them leave.
“I really want to dig into the data. Why do students leave? Why does a student leave after their freshman year, after their sophomore year? And what strategies can we put into place that help a student be able to stay?” said Baker.
Baker’s first day on campus will be March 2.
“It’s like coming home again,” Baker said of choosing ESU. “… It’s Emporia State because I believe in regional publics, I believe in strong town gown relationships. I believe we can make a difference in lives, differences in lives of students at institutions of this size,”
