Featured news and headlines

Book outlines how to move beyond reliance on student surveys to evaluate, improve college teaching

“Transforming College Teaching Evaluation,” a new book from scholars at the University of Kansas and colleague institutions, outlines a project that developed new ways to more fully evaluate the value of college teaching. The book details how three institutions developed a new, more robust method of evaluation that recognizes how to fully evaluate teaching and how schools can overcome resistance to implement the methods at their campuses.

An image of a graduation mortarboard cap atop a pile of books.

Wed, 03/06/2024

KU Theatre explores labor and community in award-winning drama ‘SWEAT’

“SWEAT” was based on research and dialogue that arose from the playwright embedding herself with the working class community of Reading, Pennsylvania, exploring how marginalized people build community and how they respond when that community is divided against itself.

Wed, 03/06/2024

Humanizing the witch on stage, screen

Don't forget there may be witches in the audience, author and scholar Jane Barnette urges theatre practitioners when presenting witches on stage and screen.

Wed, 03/06/2024

Study: SCOTUS created two-tier health care system with Dobbs decision

A KU professor co-wrote new research showing that the Supreme Court's refusal to connect the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision to gender-based ramifications resulted in the creation of a system of health care that exacerbates existing disparities in health care.

Tue, 03/05/2024

ESPN commentator, professor Kevin Blackistone speaking at KU's 'Race and Sports' symposium

The seventh annual “Race and Sports in American Culture” symposium will feature a keynote address from Kevin Blackistone, an award-winning sportswriter, author, ESPN commentator and University of Maryland professor, as well as a panel discussion with former KU student-athletes Derek Fine (football) and Austin Richardson (women’s basketball).

Tue, 03/05/2024

Second annual KU School of Business entrepreneurship celebration to feature leader in innovation

Bestselling author and leader in innovation Steven Johnson will be the keynote speaker of the second annual Startup Jayhawk, a KU School of Business multiday event in March celebrating entrepreneurship.

Mon, 03/04/2024

Media advisory: New book chronicles successful business model for rural newspapers

Teri Finneman, associate professor of journalism, can discuss book that details experiment with new newspaper business model, how it can pave the way for rural news organizations.

Mon, 03/04/2024

KU to test emergency alert system on Lawrence campus March 6

The University of Kansas will conduct an all-systems test of its emergency alert systems for the Lawrence campus at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 6. The test will include the Lawrence campus emergency public address system, tornado sirens, text message alerts and email alerts.

Fri, 03/01/2024

KU Army ROTC places 3rd, 6th at Northern Warfare Challenge

The KU Army ROTC program sent two teams to participate Feb. 23-24 in the Northern Warfare Challenge in La Crosse, Wisconsin, known as “the hardest race in ROTC.”

Fri, 03/01/2024

Brown v. Board at 70 conference will explore legacy of landmark decision

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, the University of Kansas and the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park, Topeka, will host a free public conference April 18-19.

Fri, 03/01/2024

Educate & Act Series will cover Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act

An ongoing series at the University of Kansas will host virtual events this semester for the Jayhawk community to learn more about the policies and procedures that characterize democracy in the United States and connects attendees to resources for further learning.

Thu, 02/29/2024

KU students to present at Kansas Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol

KU students will join their peers from other Kansas Board of Regents public four-year universities to deliver in-person poster presentations March 1 at the Kansas Capitol Rotunda in Topeka.

Thu, 02/29/2024

Giselle Anatol named director of KU’s Hall Center for the Humanities

A KU professor of English will lead the Hall Center for the Humanities, effective March 3. Giselle Anatol has led the center in an interim capacity since former director Richard Godbeer retired in fall 2022.

Thu, 02/29/2024

KU School of Business accounting faculty again earn top spot in BYU rankings

For the fifth year in a row, accounting faculty at the University of Kansas School of Business earned a No. 1 global ranking for their audit archival research contributions over the past six and 12 years, according to Brigham Young University’s 2023 rankings.

Thu, 02/29/2024

University announces new Higher Education Administration graduate certificate

The KU Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, part of the School of Education & Human Sciences, has created a new program to introduce education professionals to academic scholarship on higher education.

Thu, 02/29/2024

Geopolitical tensions provide multinational corporations with diplomatic leverage, but ‘frenemy’ strategy can backfire

A KU School of Business professor’s new research, titled “My Best Frenemy: A History-to-theory Approach to MNCs’ Corporate Diplomatic Activities,” appears in the Journal of International Business Studies.

Thu, 02/29/2024

Study: Mutations in hereditary Alzheimer’s disease damage neurons without ‘usual suspect’ amyloid plaques

A University of Kansas study of rare gene mutations that cause hereditary Alzheimer's disease shows these mutations disrupt production of a small sticky protein called amyloid.

Wed, 02/28/2024

KU center to bring festival celebrating Eastern European and Eurasian culture to downtown Lawrence

The Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies will have its annual Spring Festival on March 3 at Liberty Hall. The free public festival will feature Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian music, dance, food and crafts from the region.

Wed, 02/28/2024

New books examine how to foster meaningful interactions between students, faculty to bolster college success

Two new books co-written by a University of Kansas professor examine how to move beyond the conventional measures of student-faculty interactions to consider new ways of building meaningful relationships between educators and pupils.

Wed, 02/28/2024

Interdisciplinary Red Hot Research sessions return for spring 2024 semester

The Commons at the University of Kansas will host Red Hot Research sessions throughout March and April 2024, including three themed sessions with faculty presenters, one graduate student session and two collaborative sessions co-hosted by internal, interdisciplinary awards.

Wed, 02/28/2024

University announces 2024 Staff Fellows

The Staff Fellows Program offers KU employees an opportunity to build their leadership skills, gain experience to advance their careers and work together on a strategic campus project that benefits the university. Sixteen staff members were selected.

Mon, 02/26/2024

KU welcomes Ukrainian food anthropologist, historian as visiting professor

An anthropologist and historian from Lviv, Ukraine, with expertise in the cultural exchange and culinary traditions of Eastern Europe has joined KU for the 2024-25 calendar year, with a public talk planned April 15 on "Food as Power: Between Decolonization and Nationalism of the Gastronomic Culture."

Mon, 02/26/2024

Study shows news organizations still lead in sharing difficult information on social media

Social media has allowed citizens and community organizations to reach people much more easily while news organizations have shrunk. But a new study found news outlets still lead the way in sharing difficult information on topics like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fri, 02/23/2024

Kansas chemist Kristin Bowman-James wins award honoring decades of commitment to science statewide

University of Kansas Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Kristin Bowman-James will receive the will receive the Joseph G. Danek Award, which recognizes her commitment to enhancing the research infrastructure in Kansas by forging collaborations across institutions and disciplines.

Fri, 02/23/2024

University Distinguished Professor Sarah Deer will highlight advocacy in lecture that examines tribal statutes on sexual violence

Sarah Deer will present “What if Survivors Wrote the Laws? An Exploration of Tribal Statutes on Sexual Violence” at 5:30 p.m. March 4 in the Malott Room at the Kansas Union.

Fri, 02/23/2024

Social work Grand Challenges event focuses on supporting older adults facing social isolation

The School of Social Welfare’s Center for Community Engagement & Collaboration will host an interactive panel virtual panel Feb. 27 on supporting older adults through social isolation with intergenerational alliances.

Thu, 02/22/2024

New NSF grant to fund water management data ecosystem in Kansas

The National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator has awarded $650,000 to a team led by KU scientists to develop a water data dashboard for local government officials and state government agencies.

Thu, 02/22/2024

Portraits reveal insight into gender-ambiguous luminaries of early modern Europe

Professor Marta Vicente studied the portraits of two renowned gender-ambiguous individuals: the 17th century Spanish soldier Antonio/Catalina de Erauso and 18th century French diplomat the Chevalier d’Eon. Their paintings appear as part of the artistic and scientific explorations that negotiated changing concepts of nature during early modern Europe.

Thu, 02/22/2024

KU Law students offer local assistance with free tax preparation

Tax season is underway, and KU Law students can help eligible community members with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Legal Services for Students also offers free tax filing assistance through a VITA grant from the Internal Revenue Service.

Thu, 02/22/2024