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
As we mark the Fourth of July and reflect on 250 years of American independence, I keep coming back to the ideas that have always made this country worth striving for: that opportunity should be real, that knowledge should matter, and that every generation has a responsibility to make the world better for the next one.
That responsibility has never belonged to one field, one institution, or one moment in time. It belongs to all of us. Today, I offer three reminders that America’s greatest progress has always come when bold ideas are matched with hard work, shared purpose and a commitment to one another.
KU’s mission is rooted in service
Public higher education exists to expand opportunity, and that remains at the heart of KU's purpose. For me, that mission has always carried a deep sense of service. As a physician, through military service, and now through the privilege of serving as your chancellor, I have seen how much people rely on preparation, discipline, and institutions committed to something larger than themselves.
That same spirit defines KU. Students come here not only to prepare for a career, but to discover how they can make a meaningful difference in the world.
KU scholarship reflects the needs of our state and country
Research at KU changes lives. Our faculty and students tackle challenges ranging from cancer, neurological disease, clean energy, rural health, and national security to the questions explored through history, language, literature, philosophy, and the arts.
Those fields may look different, but together they help us build healthier communities, stronger institutions, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and one another. That breadth is part of what makes KU distinctive.
KU brings people together
You see it in our classrooms, laboratories, and health system, and across every one of our campuses. You see it in the way Jayhawks support one another and in the pride KU inspires across Kansas and beyond. We are rooted in this state, but our impact reaches far beyond it. We prepare students to lead, generate ideas that matter, and strengthen communities in ways that are both practical and enduring.
This is a moment that calls for confidence in who we are and where we're headed, even as change becomes a constant. KU has always been strongest when we are united by a shared purpose and a commitment to serving others.
That is who we are. And that is why this university will continue to matter … for our students, for Kansas, for the nation, and for the generations that follow.
Two things to share
KU student named Astronaut Scholar
Arthur Benson, a Lawrence native and University of Kansas School of Engineering student, has been named a 2026-2027 Astronaut Scholar. The program awards approximately 60 scholarships annually to sophomores and juniors in STEM who demonstrate exceptional academic performance, significant research experience and a commitment to pursuing a career in research. Learn more about Arthur and his achievements at KU.
School of Medicine-Wichita helps manage ‘long-overdue’ community testing
KU is assisting with a program that offers free health screenings to community members who may have been exposed to groundwater contaminated by chemicals in north-central Wichita. On behalf of the Kansas Health Foundation, which is administering the program, the KU Department of Population Health is providing experience in public health and grant management for the multimillion-dollar effort. Learn more about this program.
"One KU"
If you plan to travel for KU-related business, or you book travel for someone who does, please familiarize yourself with the new University Business Travel Policy, which was recently published in the Policy Library. This One KU policy aligns the previously separate KU Lawrence/Edwards and KU Medical Center travel policies and procedures to ensure consistency and best practices across all campuses. It also ensures KU policy aligns with State of Kansas and federal requirements.