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
Thank you for your feedback on Provost/CAO and EVC finalists
I want to thank everyone who took time to submit feedback on our four finalists for the position of Provost/Chief Academic Officer for the University of Kansas and Executive Vice Chancellor of the Lawrence Campus. Approximately 950 feedback forms were submitted across our campuses, providing immensely helpful data to our search committee as they work through the final stages of this process. I look forward to sharing an update with you in the days ahead. In the meantime, you can visit the position search webpage for details.
Congress finalizes funding bills that avoid deep cuts to research
Last week, President Trump signed into law a five-bill FY26 spending package, ending a partial government shutdown. With the passage of these five bills, Congress has now passed 11 of 12 FY26 appropriations bills, which collectively fund most scientific research agencies at much higher levels than President Trump proposed in his FY26 budget request, avoiding the draconian cuts to federal research funding that many in the scientific community had feared. I encourage you to view the AAU summary of how this impacts individual agencies.
Mark your calendar for the University Research Awards on April 14
As one of the nation’s leading research universities, KU has a special role in fostering a culture of research that addresses society's grand challenges. With this in mind, I hope you mark the evening of April 14 for our annual University Research Awards event to celebrate KU's most outstanding researchers across the Lawrence and KU Medical Center campuses. You will receive a formal invitation and a list of this year’s honorees in the coming days.
Two things to share
Check out KU Marketing’s new multimedia experience, Created by KU
The Created by KU storytelling platform highlights brilliant KU creations and the Jayhawks who make them possible. Explore these stories to learn how KU transforms world-class research into real benefits for people in Kansas and beyond. Share these stories with family and friends, and subscribe to receive future stories.
Americans support federally funded research, survey shows
A recent study by the Pew Research Center showed that 84% of Americans think U.S. government investments in scientific research aimed at advancing knowledge are worthwhile..
"One KU"
One KU initiative resonating with external partners
It's been a busy few weeks of appointments with external partners, including Kansas legislators in Topeka, the Kansas Board of Regents, and donors in Kansas City and Lawrence. In having these conversations, it's clear that our One KU initiative to better align our campuses is resonating with these stakeholders in various ways.
For example, in Topeka we are able to tell a much broader and more compelling story about how KU serves Kansas using a One KU framework. Additionally, our One KU model is making it easier for industry partners and supporters to plug into KU and access specific programs and services.
Certainly, there is much work to be done to continue advancing this initiative. In the meantime, thank you for your efforts to move our university forward in a more collaborative, unified way.