Farewell to Farley

Photo by: JOHN BURNS

Dr. Jerry Farley retires as president of Washburn University Sept. 30, 2022, although he’ll continue to have an office on campus to assist with fundraising, international student recruiting, alumni engagement and other projects that will benefit from his enthusiasm and expertise.

His exit date fortuitously allows for one last opportunity to assist with student move-in activities in August. His specialty? Toting pillows and chit-chatting with students and parents often surprised by his exuberant curbside welcome to the place that welcomed him in 1997.

What drew you to Washburn University?

I thought being the CFO at the University of Oklahoma was my dream job. I wasn’t looking for anything else. One day, the man I’d hired to run the OU union, Tom Ellis, brought me a copy of the job description. I listened politely when he told me about it but didn’t pursue it. Tom sent my name in anyway, and I had a nice chat with the search committee and then came to Topeka to visit. I liked what I saw and got serious about getting the job. I was wrong about my position at OU being my dream job. This has been my dream job. And when I got this job, I brought Tom back to Washburn. He said if I was going, he was too. He served as my executive assistant for15 years.

During your tenure, Washburn University has accomplished a lot, including a new KBI building, law school construction, a remodeled welcome center and more. What do you consider to be the top three things you and your administration accomplished?

I tend to get a lot of credit for being involved in a lot of projects, but I didn’t accomplish anything on my own during the past 25 years. Everyone—groundskeepers custodians, faculty members, vice presidents—made contributions so that significant enhancements were possible. With all that help, these three things stand out the most for me—the Living Learning Center, changing the property tax that benefited the University to a sales tax and adding Washburn Institute of Technology.

Living Learning Center: When I arrived, the campus had drifted toward more of a commuter-type campus, and I thought we should go back to our residential campus roots. We built the residence hall, created a Vice President of Student Life position to provide more activities for kids to do on the weekends, opened a recreation center, enhanced athletics and upgraded the landscape, all of which helped create the vibrant image we were hoping to achieve. Because of those collective efforts, enrollment went up.

Tax Transition: Topekans paid a significant property tax each year to help fund Washburn’s operating budget. Without that money, Washburn wouldn’t have been able to fulfill the mission its citizens wanted it to fulfill, namely generating jobs and developing the people to fill them. A lot of residents wantedto support Washburn but didn’t like the idea of paying property taxes to do it. Someone suggested transitioning to a sales tax. Gov. Bill Graves signed the bill a month after Shawnee County supported the idea. About a third of the sales tax comes from people who shop in Shawnee County, which broadens the financial support even more.

Washburn Institute of Technology: We persuaded surrounding high schools that we could take over Kaw Area Vocational Technical School. Now known around our community as Washburn Tech, it’s been a phenomenal success. The affiliation with the University changed the outlook of students and community perceptions about technical education. Our graduates are doing amazing things for our local workforce. And now we have a campus in East Topeka to further build on our success.

How did your bow tie affinity become such an important part of your Washburn persona?

I had worn a bow tie about once a week as the CFO at the University of Oklahoma and I wore one the day I was interviewed by a Washburn Review reporter. In his story about me, the reporter mentioned that people would know me by my bow tie, so I’ve worn one ever since.

What’s the best advice or adage you’ve embraced during your career?

“If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I’ve always been a hard worker and tried to do a good job. Some of my days at Washburn begin at 7 in the morning and end at 9 at night and that’s fine with me. Susan and I love attending events at Washburn.

You’re a first-generation college student and you’ve spent your career helping others achieve their goals. What sparked your mission?

I was the first person in my extended family to go to college and it was all because an advisor at the University of Oklahoma spotted me in an auditorium and encouraged me to apply. I grew up in Tipton, Oklahoma, a very small town. A close friend and I were in band together—he was good, I was not. He got a $100 scholarship to OU to pursue music, so I took off work from my dad’s service station and went with him to collect his award, which at that time was enough to cover tuition and books. The advisor saw me sitting in the back and asked me why I wasn’t enrolling. I told him I didn’t have a scholarship. He said I didn’t need one and explained that I could work my way through college. With his encouragement, I enrolled and got in. I studied hard and worked hard. Fortunately, back then, a few bucks could buy a lot of hot dogs. I was a good student in high school, but I’m not sure anyone would have bet on me to make it. I didn’t even know what college was until that day at OU. Susan says I need to stop telling people that, but it’s true. I ended up earning a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and a doctorate in business. I think about how serendipitous that moment was in my life for that advisor to step in at such a pivotal time. I can’t think of a better mission than helping others believe in possibilities and reach their potential.

What do you plan to do with your free time in retirement?

I’m a private pilot but I’ve been too busy to fly much. I plan to spend a substantial amount of time—and probably money too—flying again and hanging out at Philipp Billard Airport. I flew my wife, Susan, to the Bahamas for our honeymoon in a four-seater. I’m not sure she’d do that again—marry me, yes, but fly there with me, probably not. I’ve flown to Canada and Mexico and to both coasts. It’ll be fun to take off to whatever destination pops into my mind. I also run every day. At one point, I was running 3,000 miles a year, but I don’t do that anymore. My high school physics teacher used to say, “Work is not defined by speed.” If you saw me run, you’d know that’s true.