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
Looking ahead to a new academic year
Colleagues,
I am excited to begin another semester with you as we advance our mission of education, service and research. With classes now in full swing, I’d like to highlight several themes that will guide our work this year.
Education
Though official data isn’t available until September, we know we have another large freshman class and strong enrollment across our campuses. This reflects success in both student recruitment and retention — each underpinned by your work to make KU a true community of scholars. The first weeks of the semester are especially important for our new students, and I know I can count on you to help welcome and support them.
Service
KU’s commitment to Kansas takes many forms, including our work in health care. This fall, we continue construction of our Wichita Biomedical Campus and KU Cancer Center facility, which together will strengthen our ability to educate the next generation of health care providers, develop new treatments and enhance patient care. We also continue to serve Kansas communities by monitoring natural resources, training first responders, connecting student interns with companies, driving economic development and staffing health care clinics in underserved areas.
Research
KU strives to make discoveries that benefit the world, and thanks to you we are doing that every day. At the same time, significant uncertainty in federal research funding is creating challenges across our campuses. Our leadership team will continue working with elected officials and policymakers to advocate for the resources you need to pursue your work. We will also continue focusing on research areas where KU can make a meaningful difference, including health, security and energy. KU's research enterprise is one of our greatest assets, and your creativity and expertise make it possible.
Alignment and One KU
We will continue advancing the One KU initiative to better align our campuses and position our institution to address challenges and opportunities. This year, we are moving into the next phase of Strategic Framework development with our Mission Priority Design Teams, which will help turn priorities into action by developing the metrics and strategies to achieve our goals. We can all help this effort by looking beyond traditional boundaries and finding new ways to collaborate. Thank you for embracing this perspective and helping to move KU forward.
Engagement
KU is stronger because of the partners who believe in our mission — from donors and alumni to elected officials, industry leaders and communities across Kansas. These partners choose to engage with us because of the tremendous work our faculty and staff are doing. Of course, engagement does not happen by accident, and I am grateful to our colleagues in KU Endowment, KU Alumni and Kansas Athletics, as well as everyone across the university who builds and strengthens these relationships every day. In today’s challenging higher education environment, these partnerships matter more than ever.
Thank you
Again, thank you for everything you do for our students, our state and our university. I am excited about what we will accomplish together in the year ahead.
KU Cancer Center celebrates construction milestone
The University of Kansas Cancer Center celebrated a key milestone Friday in the construction of our new research and clinical care building. A steel beam signed by faculty, staff, patients, construction partners and community supporters was raised as a symbol of progress and shared commitment. Read more about the life-changing work that will happen inside the new building.
Signage is now up at Wichita Biomedical Campus
Earlier this month, signage went up at our Wichita Biomedical Campus — an exciting milestone as we look toward its scheduled opening in 2027. You can check out some fun photos on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. As we’ve frequently discussed, the campus is a partnership between KU and Wichita State University and will significantly enhance our ability to educate the next generation of health care practitioners, with a particular focus on traditionally underserved parts of the state.
Two things to share
College applications are up nationwide … but it’s complicated
Americans may be questioning the value of higher education, but students continue to apply to college in large numbers. According to a recent Common App report, 1.5 million students submitted 10.7 million applications during the 2025-26 cycle, a 6% increase from the previous year. Applications from low-income and first-generation students saw some of the largest increases, while international applications are down. Additionally, a recent analysis by Axios suggests the nation’s college pipeline is growing in the South and shrinking across the Northeast and California.
Thank you for welcoming our newest students
It’s been a busy few days in Lawrence, with students moving into residence halls Thursday and Friday, Traditions Night on Friday and various academic welcome events Sunday. To everyone who worked through the weekend – as staff or volunteers – thank you for welcoming our newest Jayhawks to campus. As we know, these students are generally excited and nervous, which is why your efforts are so meaningful.
"One KU"
Learn about the next phase of the University of Kansas Strategic Framework
As mentioned above, we are now entering the next phase of Strategic Framework development with the formation of Mission Priority Design Teams. These teams will develop metrics, targets and strategies to advance each of our mission priority areas. I invite you to learn more about the teams and their work.