Colleagues,
Welcome to "3, 2, One KU," a weekly memo in which I'll share updates and thoughts for the week ahead. The title of the memo is derived from the format: each edition will include three things to know, two things to share, and one reflection on how our "One KU" initiative is enhancing collaboration across our campuses. I hope you find this weekly communication informative.
Respectfully,
Doug
Three things to know
Finalist presentations for Provost/CAO and EVC continue this week
Michelle Mohr Carney, dean of our School of Social Welfare, is the second of four finalists for the position of Provost/Chief Academic Officer for the University of Kansas and Executive Vice Chancellor of the Lawrence Campus. Carney will deliver a presentation today at 3 p.m. in the Burge Union, followed by a reception at the DeBruce Center. For those who cannot attend in person, the presentation will be live-streamed on the position search webpage.
Presentations to Kansas lawmakers
It’s a busy month in Topeka, with multiple opportunities for Regents leaders to visit with Kansas legislators to discuss higher education. Last Wednesday, I presented to the House Higher Education Budget Committee about how KU drives economic growth, provides healthcare to Kansans and conducts research that benefits society. This morning, I shared a similar message with the Senate Ways and Means Committee, and this evening I will help present to lawmakers about how college athletics are impacting university finances. My core message in all these discussions is straightforward: KU can drive prosperity and serve our state like no other entity can, but we need support from lawmakers to do it.
Shoutout to operations crews for winter weather response
Let’s take a moment to recognize the incredible folks who worked through the weekend to address winter weather on our campuses. This was a tough weekend for these dedicated staff members — and as usual, they came through and enabled the university to continue operating as smoothly as possible. To these employees, I want to say, thank you. You are crucial to our mission, and we appreciate all you do for KU.
Two things to share
KU swimming and diving team posts highest GPA in the nation
KU’s swimming and diving team was named a Scholar All-America Team for the fall semester by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America. KU posted a 3.83 team GPA, tying Rice for the highest Division I swimming and diving GPA in the nation.
Fall 2025 enrollment grew slightly, but the details matter
Across the nation, undergraduates drove growth, but graduate headcounts fell amid a loss of foreign students, per the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
"One KU"
Employees can register to receive alerts from other KU campuses
Employees can now register to receive emergency text message alerts from multiple KU campuses. Specifically:
- Lawrence and Edwards employees can register to receive emergency text notifications from KU Medical Center by texting "KUMC" to 226787, then looking for a confirmation message.
- KU Medical Center employees can register for text notifications from the Lawrence by texting "Jayhawk" to 226787, then looking for a confirmation message.
This functionality has been added to address the increasing number of employees spending time on multiple campuses as part of the One KU initiative.