K-State president Richard Linton has cancer. He says he remains committed to university
Kansas State University president Richard Linton has been diagnosed with throat and tongue cancer, he announced Tuesday morning.
"I owe it to you all — my K-State family — to share some personal and difficult news as we prepare to launch forward," he wrote in a message to the K-State community. "This past week, I was diagnosed with throat and tongue cancer, which will require me to pursue daily treatments in Kansas City with the KU Cancer Center for the next few months. This is obviously not how I envisioned starting the fall semester, but it is necessary that I take these steps at this time, as this cancer is treatable and curable."
Linton acknowledged that while he will remain on the job as much as possible during treatment, he will likely need assistance to oversee K-State operations.
After discussions with the Kansas Board of Regents in executive session Tuesday morning, Linton announced that Marshall Stewart, senior vice president and chief of staff for Linton's administration, will step up and collaborate with Linton in decision-making and represent the president as needed.
Richard Linton's tenure has included agriculture expansion, NBAF and K-State 105
Linton, formerly the dean of agriculture at North Carolina State University, has been on the job for about 18 months, starting in February 2022, but has already had a significant impact on the university.
He was appointed the 15th president of K-State in December 2021, with the Regents lauding his land-grant university background and his forward-thinking in meeting the continuing challenges of higher education.
K-State, in the past several years, has keenly struggled with reduced enrollment, as a greater proportion of the state’s graduating high school seniors — historically the university’s biggest enrollment base — decide against higher education altogether.
Linton’s tenure included the beginning of a $125 million construction and renovation project to overhaul K-State’s agricultural buildings and facilities on the north end of campus.
Separately but in partnership with Kansas State University, the long-planned National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility had its grand opening in May, even if research on deadly and dangerous livestock pathogens won’t start until 2024 at the earliest.
Linton also helped kickstart K-State 105, a university-wide goal of spurring economic development by creating 3,000 jobs and adding $3 billion to the state economy over the several years by demonstrating K-State’s land-grant commitment in each of the state’s 105 counties.
"As I look to the future, I want you to know that I look to it with optimism — that is the K-State way, and this community has instilled that in me," Linton wrote. "K-Staters don’t shy away from difficult situations or moments of uncertainty. We face them head on and fight for the greatest outcome. That is what I do for you every day, and that is what I will continue to do for you as I embark on this journey."
Rafael Garcia is an education reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at rgarcia@cjonline.com or by phone at 785-289-5325. Follow him on Twitter at @byRafaelGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: K-State president Richard Linton has throat and tongue cancer
