Perkins releases ambitious 5-year plan

In a slick, 24-page booklet mailed to Williams Fund members, season-ticket holders and media representatives this week, Kansas University athletic director Lew Perkins released his five-year strategic plan, detailing goals of the athletic department to be met by 2011.

Perkins accompanied a letter with the booklet urging those associated with the Jayhawks to keep an eye on KU’s progress.

“You will note that many of our goals are quite ambitious,” Perkins wrote. “: we expect you to hold us accountable.”

The plan is divided among 12 goals, ranging from excellence in academics and athletics, community relations, development of facilities, fiscal responsibility and fund-raising ambitions. The plan is titled “Unparalleled Excellence.”

Many of the overall goals are basic and typical, but a few tactics for reaching those goals are intriguing, such as:

¢ Developing a facilities master plan to address 15 venue needs, including a rowing facility, soccer-field upgrades, a tennis facility and student-athlete housing.

¢ Increasing season-ticket sales for football by a 10-percent average in each of the next five years. If met, season-ticket totals at Memorial Stadium five years from now would exceed 38,000.

¢ To “foster, celebrate and add to Kansas athletics’ tradition,” developing criteria for jersey retirement and inclusion into the newly founded Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame.

KU’s main athletic goal was to finish in the top 25 of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics’ annual Director’s Cup by 2011. Kansas finished 61st last year.