Messages
Signs that Commencement is near are evident across the university. Students are taking finals and completing end-of-the-semester projects, while faculty members are preparing for research trips or summer courses. And our facilities staff is busy making sure the Lawrence campus is beautiful and ready to welcome thousands of visitors this weekend.
The University of Kansas would be a very different place without the support of private donors.
I am writing to invite you to the Employee Recognition Ceremony on Thursday, May 3 at 1:30 p.m. in the Kansas Union Ballroom. A reception will follow. This is KU's annual event to honor our employees for their years of service to the University. Service pins are given to 5 through 15-year honorees, and gifts are given to honorees with 20-45 years of service. Employees of the Month are recognized and the Employees of the Year are announced.
The past several years at the University of Kansas Medical Center have seen tremendous growth and progress toward fulfilling the university’s mission. Overseeing this progress has been Dr. Barbara Atkinson, in her roles as executive vice chancellor and executive dean of the School of Medicine.
The past few weeks, we’ve all enjoyed watching our student-athletes excel on the national stage. Coach Self and his team have played their way into tonight’s NCAA National Championship, while Coach Henrickson and her squad advanced to the Sweet 16.
Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little today commended fans for safely celebrating the University of Kansas' 64-62 win over Ohio State in the Final Four on Saturday night
As a center for scholarship and research, the University of Kansas is committed to making discoveries that change the world. But for those discoveries to have the maximum benefit for the state and society we serve, they must be shared.
This winter you may have noticed some Kansas Athletics billboards around the Kansas City area stating, “We are Kansas City.” These billboards featured enduring moments in the history of Jayhawk athletics in the city, but that sentiment is shared across the university, and by the tens of thousands of KU alumni who live in Kansas City and surrounding communities.
As the state’s flagship university, the University of Kansas has a responsibility to contribute to the health, vitality and prosperity of our state. Included in that mission is encouraging the commercialization of KU discoveries.
In November, I wrote to you about the duty we each have as human beings to immediately report to law enforcement any abuse or sexual assault of a child, including reports you receive from others. I also told you we were examining university policies to codify that responsibility for our employees.
As our students were completing their finals last month, I was meeting with the Board of Regents to share the aspirations we have set for ourselves as a university, as well as outlining how we will achieve them.
Finals began today and the semester will soon come to a close. But before we turn our attention to spending time with loved ones during the break, I want look back over what has been an eventful and successful fall at the University of Kansas.
From climate change to shortages of vital resources like water and fuel, our world faces a range of challenges. How we as a university, nation, and society meet these challenges will determine the health, well-being and prosperity of not just our children and grandchildren, but all of us.
Next week we’ll celebrate Thanksgiving. Many will head home for the holiday, while many of our international students will be welcomed into the homes of local residents as part of the 57th annual Betty Grimwood Thanksgiving Homestay Program.
The University of Kansas Medical Center has undergone remarkable growth and progress during Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Atkinson’s leadership. More Kansans are being treated by KU-educated health professionals, and more patients have access to new treatments discovered by KU researchers thanks to accomplishments at the medical center
The shocking allegations of abuse at Penn State serve as a reminder to us all of the importance of reporting crimes and other offenses to the proper authorities, including law enforcement.
KU is dedicated to being recognized among the top-tier public international research universities. To achieve this goal, we must transform our institution in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. Our resources should be carefully dedicated to meeting our mission of educating future leaders, building healthy communities, and making discoveries that will change the world.
As someone who believes a truly great university educates its students on how to make a good living and a good life, I’ve followed with some concern the pressure placed on universities to only educate students for their careers. This is most often felt in the humanities and is something I spoke about at the Reinvention Center’s national conference last year.
In my previous message, I discussed how the initiatives underway at KU fit together and how work on each one helps us make progress on the other two. This time, I want to focus specifically on the important role that graduate programs — especially doctoral education — play in KU’s ability to achieve its mission.
We are engaged in three big initiatives: Bold Aspirations, the strategic plan; Changing for Excellence, our project to increase efficiency and effectiveness; and Far Above, the comprehensive fundraising campaign. One question I’ve been asked is why we’re undertaking these, and specifically why we’re doing them all at the same time.
This week we mark a milestone in the University of Kansas’ drive to cure cancer.
I’ve often talked about the special role the University of Kansas fills as the state’s flagship research university. We’re called upon to educate tomorrow’s leaders, conduct innovative research, and build strong, healthy communities through service.
Welcome to the first day of classes of the 2011–12 academic year at the University of Kansas! It was a pleasure to see many of you at Convocation last night as we formally started the latest chapter in the history of our university.
As you know, the effects of the national recession and resulting state budget crisis have not spared the University of Kansas. In this context, it is clear that we must do things differently if we are to maintain current standards of quality, let alone make the improvements that are necessary to ensure KU’s future success.
Scholarships are one of our best tools for recruiting talented students to the University of Kansas. That’s why we’ve been realigning our scholarship programs to offer renewable scholarships to more incoming students.
Another successful academic year at the University of Kansas is about to conclude. Students start finals today and Commencement is now less than a week away. It’s sometimes easy to get caught up during the rush of the semester and forget about what a remarkable institution we work for.
This weekend brought news that two members of the Association of American Universities were leaving the organization – one voluntarily and one after a vote by two-thirds of AAU members to discontinue its membership. This came after a review of both universities’ status was initiated by the AAU last year.
Later this afternoon, we will be announcing an effort to transform the way the University of Kansas does business, thereby enabling new investments in education and scholarship. I wanted to share details of that effort with you first.
Last April, I announced that the Lawrence Campus would be developing a comprehensive sustainability plan, setting measurable goals toward minimizing our negative environmental and social impacts. Today I'm pleased to share an update on that process, along with opportunities for you to get involved with sustainability initiatives in our community.
The University of Kansas is an active member of communities throughout Kansas. Our faculty, staff and students volunteer countless hours in service of others, both on their own and through events organized by university groups.
I wanted to send you a short message today updating you on two efforts that are central to the future of KU: the strategic planning process and the comprehensive campaign.
In the two previous messages this semester, I've talked about how events in Topeka shape our ability to carry out the university's mission. This time I'd like to focus on how actions in Washington also affect KU.
Service to others is central to our mission. We serve our students by inspiring them to reach their full potential. We serve the world through scholarly and creative endeavors that enhance quality of life and create jobs and prosperity. And we serve society through the work of countless individuals on our campuses, around the state, and all over the globe.
As we start the spring semester I want to invite you to attend the State of the University Address, this Thursday, January 27 at 4 p.m. in Woodruff Auditorium. This event will give us an opportunity to look at the major events of the past year, as well as to talk about the challenges and opportunities facing KU in the coming months.
There’s one more week left in the semester and one final flurry of activity before the university becomes a much quieter place for a few weeks.
Thanksgiving is only a few days away, which means many of us will be making trips to visit family and, in the case of our students, get a home-cooked meal and a short break before finals begin.
Tonight the steering committee and three work groups representing university constituencies will begin the task of identifying strategic action items, including metrics and a timeline that will enable us to measure our progress. As they prepare to do so, I want to briefly share with you some of the reasons why this process is not only important, but urgent.
The education provided in our classrooms and through scholarly experiences beyond the classroom plays a crucial role in what students learn at KU. But we should also remember that the structure of the curriculum has a significant effect on what our students learn during their time here.
Recruiting students to become active members of the KU community is one of the most important jobs at our institution. Too often, however, we assume that the job of recruiting undergraduates falls only to the staff in the Office of Admissions, when in reality recruiting is a responsibility we all share.
I’ll be coming to Convocation after attending the Board of Regents’ annual retreat that afternoon. During this year’s retreat, the Regents have asked university leaders to outline their plans for the future of their institutions. I want to give you a preview of what I’ll talk about with the board.
Today marks the last day of Danny Anderson's term as interim provost and executive vice chancellor, but the legacy of his service in that position will extend far into the future.
The university is making marked progress on several goals important to our academic and research endeavors. These initiatives are fundamental to our ability to extend the boundaries of human knowledge and advance the horizons of our students, the state and our world.
It is hard to believe that my first walk down the Hill is a week away. It seems like only yesterday that Shade and I made our first visit to the Outlook, took our first stroll down Mass. Street, and experienced for the first time the warm welcome of the Jayhawk family.
As I wrote to you last month, we have been closely monitoring the budget deliberations in Topeka. One of the key dates in those deliberations has now passed and legislators are set to return to Topeka this Wednesday, so I wanted to update you on the current status of the state budget.
First let me say how moved I was by the inaugural ceremony yesterday. It is an honor to lead an institution that has such devoted faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends. I look forward to working with all of you to advance the initiatives I outlined in my remarks, as well as achieve our broader goals in the areas of teaching, research and service.
You see a lot of blue on our campuses. Usually it is paired with crimson and worn to support the Jayhawks. But at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in Yoder, just outside of Hutchinson, there's a different reason most people are dressed in blue.
As much as I'd like to again send you a message about the memories that Jayhawks continue to share with me about their experiences at KU, I need to instead update you on where the university's budget and other priorities currently stand in the Kansas Legislature.
As you might imagine, the Chancellor's Office receives an incredible amount of mail - communications from campus units, official correspondence from the Board of Regents, reports from other universities, and sales pitches from vendors.
Most of us can remember our favorite teacher or professor - someone who engaged and mentored us, opening our eyes to a new field of study or career path. For me, it was two high school teachers who inspired a love of language and of philosophy.
In addition to the beginning of spring classes, this week also marked the start of the 2010 Legislative Session. State leaders face serious budget challenges, but I was gratified to hear Governor Mark Parkinson begin the session on Monday with a strong endorsement of the benefits universities provide to Kansas.
It seems hard to believe that the end of the fall semester is upon us, with finals starting next week. Wasn't it just yesterday that we came to campus, ready to start a new school year? It doesn't seem possible that it was four months ago that Shade and I started to unpack in the beautiful Outlook.
I came to the University of Kansas with three initial goals: Increase our retention and graduation rates, enhance the university's scholarly and research profile, and ensure we have the resources to accomplish these goals.
The start of the school year two months ago meant a return to campus for students, faculty and staff. But it also meant the return of an unwelcome visitor - the H1N1 flu virus.
Kansas is a big state. It's easy to see that on a map, but only when you start to travel do you fully appreciate its size and diversity.
That's what I've spent many days doing these first two months as chancellor - traveling the state that our university was founded to serve. These trips not only help me get to know Kansas but also serve as an opportunity to help Kansans better know KU.
The state constitution calls for educational institutions dedicated to the "intellectual, educational, vocational and scientific improvement" of Kansas. That's where we derive our mission of teaching, research and service to the people of Kansas. Our work in these areas provides our state with educated graduates, life-changing research and service projects that benefit Kansas communities.
I've officially been chancellor of the University of Kansas for a little more than two weeks now and I can tell you I'm more excited about this university and this job than when I started.
The following are University of Kansas Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little's prepared remarks for convocation, held Aug. 19.
It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve as interim chancellor of the University of Kansas for the past six weeks. I thought that as I finish my "term" it would be a good time to share my observations about this experience.
You likely have heard about the stimulus funding that is being provided to KU and the KU Medical Center via the Board of Regents. In the current and previous fiscal year, the two campuses combined will receive $15.8 million in stimulus funding.
Our goal throughout the state budget crisis has been to be as open and transparent as possible, letting you know what we know and getting your feedback on how the University of Kansas can continue to fulfill its teaching and research missions during these challenging times.
Today, Gov. Mark Parkinson announced an additional 2 percent cut to the Kansas Board of Regents' budget. This will amount to a $2.2 million cut in KUMC's state general fund and $50,000 reduction for the Kansas Medical Student Loan program, which will not affect students enrolled for the next academic year. On the Lawrence campus, it will amount to a $2.77 million cut from the state general fund.
Today it is my honor and privilege to begin my service as the interim chancellor of the University of Kansas for the next six weeks. Yesterday marked the close of Robert Hemenway's tenure as the 16th KU chancellor. He will be on or near campus enjoying a sabbatical year after which he will return in the fall of 2010 as a professor of English.
You likely have heard about the stimulus funding that is being provided to KU and the KU Medical Center via the Board of Regents. In the current and previous fiscal year, the two campuses combined will receive $15.8 million in stimulus funding..
Our goal throughout the state budget crisis has been to be as open and transparent as possible, letting you know what we know and getting your feedback on how the University of Kansas can continue to fulfill its teaching and research missions during these challenging times.
Today, Gov. Mark Parkinson announced an additional 2 percent cut to the Kansas Board of Regents' budget. This will amount to a $2.2 million cut in KUMC's state general fund and $50,000 reduction for the Kansas Medical Student Loan program, which will not affect students enrolled for the next academic year. On the Lawrence campus, it will amount to a $2.77 million cut from the state general fund.
Today it is my honor and privilege to begin my service as the interim chancellor of the University of Kansas for the next six weeks. Yesterday marked the close of Robert Hemenway's tenure as the 16th KU chancellor. He will be on or near campus enjoying a sabbatical year after which he will return in the fall of 2010 as a professor of English.
One of the traditions at the University of Kansas is "Stop Day" - a day when we pause to prepare for the finals to come.
This Stop Day, let's stop the consumption of dangerous amounts of alcohol. We have seen all too well the toll that excessive alcohol consumption imposes on KU students, as well as their friends and families.
As you may have read this weekend, the state's new revenue forecast indicates very challenging times ahead for the Kansas economy. This forecast changes the budget situation faced by state agencies and universities.
Even though it appears to be coming in windy fits and starts, with the Kansas winter reluctant to give up its hold on us, you can tell from the activity on campus that spring is here.
While much of the state's attention in recent days has been devoted to the Jayhawks' yearly run through the NCAA Tournament, the attention of the men and women of the University of Kansas has remained focused on our mission of teaching, research and service.
During a time when the news seems inundated with talk of economic woes, it may be easy to forget about all the good news that KU has received in recent days and weeks.
Like you, I have been closely following the discussions in Topeka regarding the state's budget crisis and how it will impact the University of Kansas.
The 137th Commencement of the University of Kansas is scheduled for Sunday, May 17,2009. Again this year we will host a Commencement lunch for graduates and their families from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m on Commencement day at the Outlook.
This year enrollment at the University of Kansas exceeded 30,000 students for the first time in our history, also setting KU records for academic achievement and diversity.
On Tuesday, Governor Sebelius issued her recommendations for the current and FY 2010 budget years. We are still analyzing the impact on KU, but clearly the state's poor economic condition has led to budget cuts to higher education.
During a time of uncertainty and worry, this message of hope and of giving is more important than ever. Fortunately, the desire of the members of the KU family to give back is as strong as ever.
I believe it is time for me to take a new role. That role can be simply stated. I believe June 30, 2009, will be an appropriate time for me to step down as Chancellor. I will continue as Chancellor until June 30, after which I will transition to scholarly duties, writing and teaching. I have spoken with the Board of Regents and they will develop a transition plan. I will be on sabbatical for the 2009-10 school year, working on a book about intercollegiate athletics and American values.
How do you measure the value of the University of Kansas?
One way would be to look at the number of degrees granted - almost 6,000 last year - and the lives and livelihoods enhanced by the knowledge gained during the pursuit of those degrees.
As you know, the national economy has continued its downturn this fall. As a result, Governor Sebelius recently revised her request, asking that state agencies reduce current year spending by 3 percent instead of the original 2 percent and warned that, "Deeper reductions in FY 2010 will almost certainly be necessary." The "deeper reductions" means that 2010 may see cuts of 7 percent.
KU Endowment announced that it had its best year ever, not only in terms of the amount of financial support it provided to the university, but also when it comes to the number of Jayhawks who pledged their support to KU.
The United States and much of the world is in an economic downturn, with economic indicators such as consumer spending, home construction and unemployment showing us the problem goes far beyond a turbulent stock market.
One of the great things about living in the United States is the fact that we have the right to elect those who will represent us in government. This is a right that many have fought and died for, and that many more around the world still seek.
This morning we celebrated the $20.2 million National Institutes of Health award to medicinal chemistry professor Jeff Aubé and his research team. The grant establishes a Specialized Chemistry Center at KU as part of a major initiative in the NIH national "roadmap" to transform medical research during the next decade. Aubé and his team will work within a prestigious national network to identify new molecules for fighting disease and advancing human health.
As you all know, the United States is currently experiencing an economic downturn. While the Kansas economy has benefited from high commodity prices and has not been hit as hard by declining home prices, budget forecasters in Topeka remain concerned about the revenue outlook for state government.
As I write this, students are returning to campus, with Hawk Week already in full swing. Faculty and staff are preparing for the first day of classes and all that entails. Freshmen are looking for classrooms, while new faculty members are finding their way around campus. Throughout the entire community there's a buzz in the air.
Last January, we launched a strategic planning process for KU called Initiative 2015. Three task forces were created - Teaching and Learning, Discovery and Innovation, and Working for Kansas. During the spring, more than 60 faculty, staff and students from throughout the university met to discuss these key issues and draft recommendations for addressing them.
It's a great time to be a Jayhawk. In football, men's basketball and women's basketball KU is currently a combined 37-3, with the biggest win being an Orange Bowl victory that was a true team effort and a testament to the hard work and dedication of all our student-athletes.
The Orange Bowl gave us an opportunity to tell KU's story to a wide audience, and what a story it is.
For more than a century, Kansans have looked to the University of Kansas as a source of healing and hope. Our health science schools in Kansas City and Wichita and our hospital in Kansas City have consistently worked for the people of Kansas by training health-care professionals and offering excellent care to patients.
I am pleased this week that the University of Kansas Medical Center, the University of Kansas Hospital and the doctors of KU Physicians, Inc., reached an agreement that will advance our KU mission of improving the quality of health care in Kansas.
KU has experienced a magical football season with our beloved Jayhawks going undefeated for most of the season, accomplishing things never before achieved in KU history.
Coach Mark Mangino, his staff, and the team have given us memories that will be treasured for a long time. They have taught us the value of hard work and dedication.
You may have noticed the recent press release announcing the new KU-Fort Leavenworth Program, to be directed by former Ambassador David Lambertson. I want to describe the new program and its antecedents a bit more fully, to give you some idea of what we hope it can achieve.
Autumn is in the air, and football is on many people's minds. KU's national ranking has attracted much attention.
We are certainly proud of the team, and its success reminds us that KU makes big plays in the classroom and breakthroughs in the laboratory as well.
At this time of the year people always ask how KU did with the Kansas Legislature. The session was marked by spirited debate that at times turned into tumult. But as the session drew to its close in late May, we found much support for the University of Kansas, and consequently, many people to thank.
Without question, the 2005-06 school year has been a very successful one for the University of Kansas. Today and tomorrow, I will be summarizing accomplishments of the school year for two very important audiences: first, to the Kansas Board of Regents in my annual presentation and, second, to the university community at large in my remarks at the All University Supper. Because these remarks will be available to you on the KU Web site, I won't elaborate further on the Big Picture. However, I do want to take this opportunity to review a subject of great importance to all of us: the recently completed session of the Kansas Legislature.
As all the Jayhawk nation knows by now, a ferocious wind storm hit campus on Sunday, March 12. It pummeled 74 of the Mount Oread campus buildings, destroyed 100 trees, blew out windows in buildings and cars, twisted the KJHK radio tower, cracked red roof tiles and hurtled them across lawns, and knocked out our electrical power for the better part of the day. In the storm's wake, we were left with $6 million to $7 million in damages.
New Year's greetings and welcome back to those of you who are returning to campus after semester break.
Six years ago the Chronicle of Higher Education published a column I wrote on the evolution controversy. My point of view then, and remarks I have made publicly many times since, should surprise no one: Evolution is the central unifying principle of modern biology, and it must be taught in our high schools, universities and colleges.
As we enjoy Spring Break, two matters weigh heavily on the mind — the Kansas Legislature and the Kansas basketball team.
Many of you may have noted that recently I attended the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
The holidays are a time for taking stock, both of our work lives and the "common welfare."
We are encouraging students this year to obtain the vaccine that protectsagainst some--not all--of the strains of meningitis.
June is always a time to pause, catch our breath, and settle in for the summer heat.
The holidays encourage us to count our blessings, and this last year has been bountiful for KU.
Last year at this time, the Legislature and the Governor were still hard at work hammering out a very contentious state budget.
In my last memo, I said I would follow-up by talking about the November budget cut of 3.9 percent and our ability to deal with it.
One of the privileges of being Chancellor is sharing KU's excellence with others.
I have been slow to begin my e-mail messages this school year, and for that I apologize.
Greetings to all of you at the beginning of a new and exciting academic year!
KU's finances have been in the news a great deal lately, so I am using this memo to keep you informed about how the university has dealt with the state's financial crisis.
The longest legislative session in Kansas history came to an end May 31.
As finals week arrives and the academic year comes to an end, I want you to know how proud I am of the faculty and staff of the University of Kansas.
For the last five months, KU has been engaged in a dialogue about tuition.
The Governor's statutory budget proposal contained the largest cuts ever recommended for higher education in Kansas.
Last week Governor Graves took the unusual step of describing, before Christmas, the fiscal year 2003 State budget that he will submit to the legislature on January 14, 2002.
The newspapers have been full of dire economic news lately, and experts have concluded that the country is in a recession.
We were waiting for the other shoe to drop, and now we hear the tramp of combat boots.
KU has had an eventful summer and a successful beginning to the new semester.
Except for formal adjournment on May 31, the Legislature has concluded its 2001 session.
You have all heard by now that the State of Kansas has a budget problem -- a $200 million problem.
I want to bring you up to date on the Regent's budget in the legislature.
Two weeks ago I shared with you information about the state's budget recommendations for FY 2002.
On January 8, Governor Bill Graves submitted his budget recommendations to the 2001 Legislature.
For more than a century, KU has required of Kansans only one credential to be admitted-a degree from a Kansas high school.
I want to thank all of you who responded to my message about rankings.
Some of KU's greatest challenges are the obstacles to communicating across the whole institution-the "one university" called the University of Kansas.
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