Campus news

The University of Kansas School of Law students will once again assist eligible community members with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Last year, the VITA clinic filed 141 returns totaling $223,486.

Tuition assistance is now available for all qualifying Kansans for the online Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) Training Program at the University of Kansas. The 40-hour program has been approved statewide for funding under the U.S. Department of Labor’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity.

Two current KU leaders will assume new leadership roles at the University of Kansas. Arash Mafi will serve as the provost and chief academic officer for KU and executive vice chancellor for the Lawrence and Edwards campuses. Jennifer Roberts will become the executive dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas has announced Dole Institute Visiting Fellow Jerry Seib will return to the institute this spring to moderate “Inside the Electorate: A Bipartisan Look Ahead to the 2026 Midterms.” The event will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 26.

A new theatre work being staged at the University Theatre gives 21st century vibes to a classic tale of belonging. Told in metatheatrical style, the play by Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin explores love, friendship and loss, showing the power of theatre to help audiences appreciate life’s daily experiences. Performances begin March 6.

The Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas will open two special exhibitions Feb. 19 that feature contemporary work by Japanese and Japanese American artists.

The Commons at the University of Kansas will host Red Hot Research sessions in February, March, April and May, including one session in conjunction with the Office of Faculty Affairs and one Red Hot Graduate Research event. The first event will take place at 4 p.m. Feb. 20 at Watson Library, 3 West.

The University of Kansas has announced participants selected for the 2026 Staff Fellows Program, which seeks to strengthen the university by developing leaders at all levels of the institution.

Legal scholars and environmental advocates will gather in Lawrence on March 6 to discuss these issues at the first biennial Environmental Law Symposium hosted by the University of Kansas School of Law.

The KU Natural History Museum has a full lineup of science-themed public events this spring for both youth and adults. Programs will cover a range of topics, including STEM activities related to legendary scientists and their discoveries, as well as public presentations on digitizing natural history collections and paleontology fieldwork in Turkey.