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
Free Speech Week
KU takes pride in being a place where individuals can exercise their First Amendment right to free expression. With this in mind, I encourage you to take a moment to recognize Free Speech Week, a nationwide celebration of free speech and freedom of the press that happens each year in October. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the importance of free speech in our democracy — and to celebrate that freedom. For resources specific to KU, visit our free speech website.
State of the University Address
Thanks to all of you who took time to attend my annual State of the University Address last Thursday. I appreciated the opportunity to discuss our latest initiatives, challenges and opportunities, with a focus on how our “One KU” initiative is enhancing the way we fulfill our mission. A recording of the address is now available online.
Partner visits
Last week, we hosted the Kansas Board of Regents for their monthly meeting in Lawrence and at KU Medical Center. The two-day visit enabled us to highlight KU’s research enterprise – including a discussion of our high-performance computing and critical infrastructure needs – and included sessions in which the Regents engaged with students and Lawrence campus governance.
Looking ahead to this Saturday, prior to the football game between KU and Kansas State University, we will host Gov. Laura Kelly and key Kansas legislators who help shape the state’s education budget. In partnership with KSU, we will use this opportunity to discuss with lawmakers how the state’s research universities serve Kansans and drive economic growth, and how state funding is crucial to our mission.
Two things to share
Student networking
For students, network-building is no longer optional. That's the premise of a recent essay in the Chronicle of Higher Education that argues that, for students, developing social capital is as foundational as mastering a subject area. At KU, we have a responsibility to pair academic excellence with structured opportunities for students to connect and thrive beyond the classroom. Mocktails & Mingle, a collaboration between KU Alumni and the University Career Center, is an example of how we create opportunities for students to connect with alumni from professional industries.
Disagreement in an organizational setting
In an article titled, "A Smarter Way to Disagree," Harvard Business Review contributors Julia A. Minson, Hanne K. Collins and Michael Yeomans argue that, to foster constructive disagreements, organizations should encourage individuals to modify their observable behaviors during conflicts.
"One KU"
As you know, we continue to advance our “One KU” initiative, which is designed to foster collaboration across our campuses so we can be stronger, more efficient and better positioned to address opportunities and challenges.
To help continue to implement this effort, we have launched a new “One KU” website, where we will share additional information, strategies, success stories and FAQs related to this initiative. I encourage you to visit the site and continue to think about ways in which you can adopt a university-wide approach that benefits your work.