Records obtained by The Hays Daily News Newly show Fort Hays State University (FHSU) President Tisa Mason texted Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) President and CEO Jennifer Bonds-Raacke and KBOR Chair Alysia Johnston on Sept. 22 about plans to close the public-facing operations of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.
The message came after an unknown person disclosed the closure on social media on the evening of Sept. 21.
“I met with Reece to talk about closing Sternberg,” Mason wrote. “Meeting went well.”
Mason then described the planned order of notification: “Communication protocol — meeting scheduled with staff next, then I speak with senate presidents, then Cabinet, and campus update.”
She added that Reece had informed staff about the meeting and “shared more details than he should have,” that staff members were on Facebook, and that her team was “managing the communication.”
Bonds-Raacke replied: “Thanks for the update, Tisa. I didn’t know about the plans for the Sternberg. I imagine this will be tough for all.”
Johnston replied, “Thank you for the information. It is the correct decision in my view,” Johnston replied.
The exchange establishes that Mason informed KBOR’s chief executive about the closure plan by Sept. 22.
Mason expected to testify Oct. 26 before budget committee
A second set of records shows Mason has been asked to provide testimony in Topeka Monday, Oct. 26 about the Sternberg Museum to the Kansas Legislature’s Legislative Budget Committee.
In an Oct. 14 email, Kansas Legislative Research Department Senior Fiscal Analyst Luke Drury told FHSU General Counsel Joseph Bain that the committee would meet Monday, Oct. 26, beginning at 9 a.m. in Room 548-S at the Statehouse. Drury said the chair had requested information about Sternberg beginning at 1 p.m.
Drury requested the presenter’s name and title, written testimony in PDF format by Friday, Oct. 23, and 30 printed copies for the meeting. Bain replied Oct. 15 that he believed Mason would present. Mason forwarded that exchange later that day to Bonds-Raacke and Johnston, saying only “FYI ?.”
The Legislative Budget Committee is a joint House-Senate panel directed by state law to compile fiscal information and study state revenues, expenditures and agency operations, with the goals to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Senator Rick Billinger, a Goodland, KS business owner and farmer, chairs the Legislative Budget Committee. He has represented District 40 since 2017, after serving in the House from 2011 to 2017.
The current committee roster identifies Rep. Troy Waymaster as vice chair. Other members are Sens. Rick Kloos and Pat Pettey and Reps. Barbara Ballard, Kyle Hoffman and Kristey Williams.
the public is invited to attend committee meetings because Kansas has an open legislative process.
The agenda is not yet available; however, the records place the Oct. 26 meeting in Room 548-S, with the Sternberg portion scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. The Kansas Legislative Research
Visit https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/committees/ctte_leg_budget_1/ for more information.
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