Positioning KU to thrive
The following message is from Douglas A. Girod, chancellor of the University of Kansas, and Arash Mafi, Chief Academic Officer and Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor for the Lawrence and Edwards Campuses.
Colleagues:
Today, we want to share some background and context for recent financial decisions for the Lawrence campus, as we recognize that everyone may not be fully aware of the facts. How we fund our mission, balance investments and honor our academic values have been part of KU’s conversations for years — in governance meetings, open forums, budget presentations, media interviews and our everyday storytelling. But we can always do more, and that is why we write to you today.
The national higher education landscape is under extraordinary pressure due to declining public support, demographic shifts and the transformation of intercollegiate athletics. Institutions like KU are being asked to do more for students and communities with comparatively fewer flexible dollars, even as expectations for transparency, equity and outcomes continue to rise.
Over the past several years, KU has had to make tough choices, including evaluating the current structure and viability of every facet of our enterprise and, at times, applying austerity measures. Initially, this work was driven by a very real structural deficit. It has since evolved into a One KU reimagining of how we responsibly meet our mission as a top-tier public research university while fulfilling the expectations of our many stakeholders and serving the public good.
In this environment, every budget decision involves tradeoffs that reasonable people can, and will, disagree on. Yet at the end of the day, decisions must be made.
Kansas Athletics
It is crucial to the success of our academic mission that we continue to invest in teaching and research. At the same time, it is also necessary to invest wisely in Kansas Athletics, as a strong athletics program is integral to KU’s identity and a powerful driver of our reputation and revenue streams. In doing so, we are strengthening one of the key platforms that draws students to KU, inspires pride in Jayhawks everywhere and generates resources that support the broader university.
KU’s academic core is primarily supported by state appropriations, tuition and fees, research grants, philanthropy and other restricted sources that cannot simply be redirected to other purposes at will. Kansas Athletics, by contrast, operates within a complex mix of conference revenues, ticket sales, sponsorships, donor support and, in this new era of direct student-athlete compensation, tightly regulated distributions that are legally and contractually distinct from most academic funds.
For years, KU was one of only a small number of universities whose athletics program generated enough success to transfer money to the university — roughly $15 million annually to support the broader institution and student‑athletes. But times have changed, and now the university must ensure our athletics program can continue to be viable and strong in this transition by providing institutional support for student-athlete tuition, scholarships and housing. However, to be clear, the dollars now directed to student‑athletes for revenue sharing and Name, Image and Likeness are coming from Kansas Athletics, not the university itself.
Facilities
The emerging national model in higher education makes clear that institutions cannot ignore the cycle of competitive investment in facilities and still expect to remain competitive in recruiting students, faculty and research funding. For KU, modern learning environments, research labs and clinical spaces are every bit as essential to academic quality as updated stadiums and arenas are to the visibility and revenues that help sustain the broader institution. We are deeply committed to strengthening and modernizing our academic infrastructure in the years ahead, ensuring our core academic mission remains at the forefront of these investments.
Within that framework, the Gateway District and stadium project were structured with an eye toward long-term financial sustainability and economic impact — including significant private investment and projected gains for Lawrence and the region that would not be available if KU chose to let its facilities fall behind. Without broad support, this project would never have moved forward. The Gateway District project is primarily funded through a mix of private donations, Kansas Athletics debt service, and state ARPA/economic development funds. It also uses public incentives like STAR bonds, TIF, and a CID to leverage future sales tax.
Employee compensation
Our most important asset is our people. In January, we reaffirmed that, across KU, we are committed to building a compensation system that is fair, sustainable and grounded in market data. Over the past several years, KU has taken deliberate steps to implement improved staff and faculty salary structures aligned with external benchmarks and market-based adjustments. In fact, from FY 2022-25, cost of living salary increases on the Lawrence campus totaled 9.5%. We recognize that more work is needed to address salary compression at the university, and we are committed to doing our best to close this gap as we build our budgets over the next several years.
Starting this year, all staff across the university have been brought to a defined living wage threshold, and our recent agreement with UAKU specifically addresses the lowest paid faculty with an allocation to bring all represented faculty members to an agreed minimum. This year included a significant reinvestment of savings directly into salaries through a campuswide adjustment of compensation structures to reflect market-aligned ranges, paired with an across-the-board increase and larger adjustments for those furthest below benchmarks.
These steps do not erase every concern, and they do not imply that everyone is where they should be. But they do demonstrate a clear and continuing commitment to move KU employees closer to competitive, market‑informed pay as resources allow.
Moving forward together
In a moment when division is tearing at institutions across the country, we are confident KU can instead come together to address challenges in a way that builds trust and shared purpose. Our strength will always come from people with different perspectives and talents pulling in the same direction for our students and for the state of Kansas. It is the smart, kind and inspiring individuals across this institution who make KU what it is. Despite our financial challenges, they remain the reason students choose KU and the foundation of the lifelong connection our alumni carry with them.
What comes next for KU will not be simple, and it will not be free of tension. It can, however, be grounded in shared facts, mutual respect, transparency and a common commitment to the students and communities we serve. If we choose to approach one another in that spirit, KU will emerge from this moment stronger and better prepared to serve the next generation of Jayhawks and Kansans.
Respectfully,
Douglas A. Girod
Chancellor
Arash Mafi
Chief Academic Officer
Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor for Lawrence and Edwards Campuses