News
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.
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Mon, 09/08/2025
University Press of Kansas launches new nonfiction line Plainspoken
A new nonfiction trade imprint focused on bringing Midwest stories into national conversations has launched through University Press of Kansas. The first release will be “Whirlwind” by Bill Kurtis, set to publish in September 2025.
Mon, 09/08/2025
KU School of Business partners with Healthy Bourbon County Action Team to strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystem in southeast Kansas
The University of Kansas School of Business has launched a collaboration with a southeast Kansas organization to support local entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Mon, 09/08/2025
Male monarchs throughout history portrayed as ‘mother’ figures, new research reveals
In a new article, Luis Corteguera, a professor of history at the University of Kansas, introduces the concept of “king as mother,” using biblical and classical sources and evidence from nature to explore gendered metaphors meant to shape the perception of male rulers across early modern Europe.
Fri, 09/05/2025
Osage artist wants to engage viewers in conversation
Norman Akers’ paintings on display at Temple Contemporary’s Edgar Heap of Birds Family Gallery raise issues of indigeneity, even as their surfaces beguile the viewer. They are the fruit of Akers’ spring 2025 residency in Philadelphia.
Thu, 09/04/2025
Study prompts new theory of human-machine communication
Because the modern workplace is inextricably interwoven with technology, two KU communication studies researchers have proposed a new theoretical approach they call “Socio-Technical Exchange” as an improvement upon the well-worn Social Exchange Theory that has dominated the field for decades. They spell it out in a new paper.
Wed, 09/03/2025
New book tells story of Kansas labor court that both flirted with fascism, stood up for workers' rights
KU professor Ben Merriman tells the story of the Kansas Court of Industrial Relations in a new book. The author shares how it was the only such court in the nation and the legacy it has for American labor law today.
Wed, 09/03/2025
KU School of Music announces the Bob and Becky Foster Trumpet Artist in Residence Program
The University of Kansas School of Music has announced the establishment of the Bob and Becky Foster Trumpet Artist in Residence, an endowed program made possible through a gift from longtime KU Director of Bands Robert Foster and his late wife, Becky.
Tue, 09/02/2025
Study: Cellophane bees are built for chill temperatures, more so than honeybees
Scholarship from the University of Kansas shows the cellophane bee is specialized by evolution to handle the harsh shocks and cold temperatures of early spring.
Tue, 09/02/2025
New book to help educators empower every student by changing approach to education
Yong Zhao, Foundation Distinguished Professor of Education at KU, is co-author of "Agents of Impact: How Education can Empower Students to Change Themselves, Their Communities and the World," a book that aims to help teachers and communities embrace new technology and ideas to help every student realize they can make a difference.
Tue, 09/02/2025
Educate & Act series will address journalistic accountability, voting rights, role of higher education in democracy
Educate & Act at the University of Kansas returns in its sixth year to host discussions with scholars, practitioners, students and the community about topics relevant to current events and active engagement with governing systems.
Tue, 09/02/2025
12 instructional faculty members earn promotions
Twelve individuals at the University of Kansas Lawrence and Edwards campuses have earned instructional faculty promotions. University leadership extended their joint congratulations.
Tue, 09/02/2025
Scholar writes that dog conflicts signal deeper issues in intentional communities
A University of Kansas scholar says dog-driven conflicts reveal something serious about the problems inherent in kibbutzim, which are a particularly Israeli form of collective, egalitarian living. Omri Senderowicz's writing appears in the new book “Conflicts and Conflict Management in Intentional Communities.”
Fri, 08/29/2025
Democracies’ ‘de-risking’ strategies for trading with China compared in new study
In a new paper, Jack Zhang, assistant professor of political science at the University of Kansas, compares the “de-risking” strategies the U.S. and Japan employ by analyzing legislative measures to identify products considered a security risk when trading with China.
Fri, 08/29/2025
Spanish celebrity couple from last century embraced power of myth
A KU researcher’s journal article on the union of literary critic and journalist Enrique Gómez Carrillo and performance artist Raquel Meller is part of a larger study of a period “obsessed with female artists.” Margot Versteeg's new work is part of a book project about late 19th and early 20th century women performance artists in Spain.
Thu, 08/28/2025
Fair will offer opportunity to explore technology to increase accessibility, independence
The AT Fair on Sept. 9 in Topeka will feature hands-on demonstrations of technology to help Kansans with daily tasks, employment and recreation.
Thu, 08/28/2025
Charlotte Street award show draws on artist’s Asian heritage
In the current exhibition of Charlotte Street Visual Artist Award winners at the University of Kansas’ Spencer Museum of Art, Merry Sun has constructed three monumental sculptures referencing Chinese architecture and migrant identity.
Thu, 08/28/2025
University Distinguished Professor to examine ‘America First’ influence on trade law
KU School of Law faculty member Raj Bhala will present his inaugural University Distinguished Professor lecture, "Deceitful Destruction of International Trade Law: America First and Xenophobic Autarky," on Sept. 15.
Tue, 08/26/2025
KU designated National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research
Researchers and faculty members at the University of Kansas’ Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science recently received redesignation as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research (CAE-R) by the National Security Agency.
Tue, 08/26/2025
Expert on catfishes publishes updated volume on catfish biology and evolution
Researcher Gloria Arratia serves as editor and contributor to the just published first volume of “Catfishes: A Highly Diversified Group,” a two-volume reference.
Tue, 08/26/2025
KU Department of Theatre & Dance celebrates scholarship recipients
Jayhawks studying theatre and dance at KU are able to practice their craft and be more fully engaged as students through the financial support of scholarships. The Department of Theatre & Dance awarded approximately $215,000 in scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year.
Tue, 08/26/2025
26 KU undergraduate students selected for 2025 Millennium Fellowship
Out of 60,396 applicants from more than 7,500 institutions worldwide, 26 University of Kansas students have been selected for the 2025 Millennium Fellowship, a leadership development program overseen by the Millennium Campus Network in partnership with United Nations Academic Impact.
Mon, 08/25/2025
KU Alumni invites university, community partners to participate in Homecoming 2025
The University of Kansas will host its 113th Homecoming from Oct. 2 to Nov. 2, culminating with the KU football game against Oklahoma State on Nov. 1 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The university and local communities have several opportunities to get involved.
Mon, 08/25/2025
Researcher outlines ‘cluster of topics’ for legal approach to address global climate crises
KU Law scholar John Head has outlined the ecological, cultural, global and legal reforms necessary to address climate crises around the world in a new article for the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law Review. While the political reality may seem unlikely to address the issue, Head addresses why it is necessary and what steps could be taken.
Mon, 08/25/2025
Annual Honors Convocation includes faculty, adviser, student accolades
For their outstanding contributions, several members of the University Honors Program community were recognized during the program’s Honors Convocation on Aug. 17. The program pursues a mission to challenge students to launch extraordinary lives through exceptional classes, advising and interdisciplinary opportunities.
Fri, 08/22/2025
KU plans rededication ceremony for WWI memorial
A new memorial at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium renews KU's commitment to honoring Jayhawks who sacrificed their lives in World War I. The public is invited to a rededication ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 29.
Fri, 08/22/2025
Military aircraft to fly over campus Friday, Saturday in advance of football game
Military aircraft will fly over campus three times Aug. 22-23 in advance of Saturday’s football game between the University of Kansas and Fresno State.
Fri, 08/22/2025
AI can imitate morality without actually possessing it, new philosophy study finds
In a new paper, a philosophy scholar at the University of Kansas addresses the moral agency of artificial intelligence. Although AI does not currently have practical judgment, the researcher shows it has a functionally equivalent mechanism, transformer models, which can allow it to form maxims that consider morally salient facts.
Fri, 08/22/2025
New faculty members join KU Lawrence and Edwards campuses
More than 90 new faculty members have joined KU Lawrence and Edwards campuses for the 2025-2026 academic year. This year’s cohort includes representatives from all 12 academic units across the Lawrence and Edwards campuses as well as the Life Span Institute.
Wed, 08/20/2025
Curator links Spencer Museum of Art, community in upcoming exhibitions
The work Sydney Pursel has been doing behind the scenes as curator for public practice at the Spencer Museum of Art will come to fruition with two upcoming exhibitions: “My Mother's Tongue Ties Me Together,” opening Aug. 26, and “Iⁿ‘zhúje‘waxóbe: Return of the Sacred Red Rock,” opening Sept. 9.
Wed, 08/20/2025
B2B sales now require a ‘holistic’ selling approach, study finds
In a new study, Murali Mantrala, the Ned Fleming Professor of Marketing at the University of Kansas, examines how the key role of the salesperson has evolved in business-to-business sales, in response to changing buyer behavior during the purchase journey.