KU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has established a Peer Community Space in Room 452 of the Kansas Union. Faculty and staff can help make students aware of this space, which is staffed by HOPE @ CAPS Peer Educators and is the new home for one-to-one peer listening sessions, skill workshops and other mental wellness-related events.  

Located on the fourth floor next to Alderson Auditorium, the space has games, coloring books, fidget toys, massage chairs and other stress-busting amenities. Student organizations and KU units interested in booking the space can contact Eric Lowery. More information about the Peer Community Space can be found on the Student Affairs website. 

The KU Ombuds Office has launched its annual community survey. Any student, staff or faculty member at the KU Lawrence and Edwards campuses can respond. The Ombuds team is particularly interested in hearing from individuals who have used the office’s services in recent months. 

The brief survey will be open until April 18. 

The University Ombuds Office provides confidential, informal and impartial space to all members of the university community and supports fair and equitable treatment of all. Ombuds Office staff provide training and conduct confidential consultations that can help KU employees and students with work-environment concerns, conflict management with classmates, co-workers or administration; policy navigation; discrimination or harassment; referral for services; and more. 

Results from the confidential survey will help inform the office’s work and will also provide valuable data for University Governance’s annual assessment of the Ombuds Office that is shared with the Provost. 

At noon today, KU Lawrence and Edwards campuses will test the KU Alerts mass notification system and the emergency address system as part of a tornado drill. At the same time, Douglas County Emergency Management will activate outdoor warning sirens.  

The emergency alert system tests are part of Severe Weather Awareness Week. On Thursday, March 13, KU Emergency Management will partner with Douglas County Emergency Management to host a Severe Weather Night to share information on preparing for severe weather. 

The National Weather Service will give a presentation on thunderstorm features and safety. Additionally, participants can sign up for free emergency alerts and buy a weather radio, which can be programmed for free on-site. The event will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in Room 1111 of Capitol Federal Hall.

More information on emergency preparedness can be found on the KU News website.  

4 p.m. Today

Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer will host the next KU Lawrence and Edwards campuses virtual town hall from 4-4:50 p.m. today to discuss the changes in KU's research and higher education environment. 

The KU community can watch the town hall livestream at the Provost Office website. A recording will be available later behind single sign-on. To submit a question or comment for a future town hall discussion, please use this form. 

Topics will include general updates, diversity and inclusion, the Dear Colleague Letter, academic freedom and more. Town hall sessions will continue on Monday afternoons through the spring semester. No session will take place during spring break.

Four candidates for the dean of the School of Business will hold public presentations in the coming weeks. The name of each candidate will be announced approximately two business days before their respective campus visit. Their public presentations will take place in Room 1020 of Capitol Federal Hall and are scheduled for the following dates: 

More information about the search can be found on the School of Business Dean Search site. 

March 13

Early career faculty are invited to attend “Developing your Scholarly Footprint with Research Partnerships,” where they will be introduced to the directors of the Hall Center for the Humanities, the Institute for Policy and Social Research, The Commons, and the Center for Research Methods Consultation. The conversation will cover the ways faculty can connect and get involved, access the valuable resources each unit has to offer, and continue to network and build scholarly impact. 

This Early Career Faculty Foundations 1.0 event from the Office of Faculty Affairs will be from 3-4:15 p.m. Thursday, March 13 at the Hall Center for the Humanities, Seminar Room 1. 

Elections Scheduled March 19-27

Staff Senate elections for the 2026 fiscal year will be held March 19-27. Voters will select the president-elect as well as determine15 open senate seats.   

The candidate slate and bios will be available for review on March 19.  Please review voting options before opening the ballot, which will be emailed to all staff on March 19. Staff can only complete one ballot, and no save-and-continue feature is available.    

The Staff Senate represents all KU staff in University Governance and before KU leadership. Please visit the Staff Senate website to learn more. 

Starting on March 19, when connecting to the Jayhawk and eduroam Wi-Fi networks, you may be prompted to accept a new certificate on your computer or mobile device. 

KU IT is implementing a new security certificate for campus wireless networks on March 19. On that day, you may see a one-time message, like the one on the left, on your device when connecting to campus wireless networks. If you are away from campus at that time, you may see the message on your device the first time you connect to the wireless network after returning to campus.

This is a valid prompt and it is safe to trust and accept this new certificate. 

One KU campus circulator, Route 42, will run a limited schedule between 7 a.m.-6 p.m., March 17-22. All other university routes (30-38, 43 and 44) will not be in operation over spring break. City-operated Routes 4 and 8 and coordinated Routes 11 and 12 will continue regular services. 

Visit KU Transportation Services for additional information on routes and schedules. 

If you’re traveling over spring break, ensure your computer has the KU Anywhere VPN installed. For seamless internet access, use eduroam Wi-Fi, available at thousands of institutions worldwide. Log in with your username as onlineID@home.ku.edu. Check the U.S. or international locations maps for available networks. For more details, visit KU’s eduroam Knowledge Base page. 

Campus Insider will pause during spring break. The next edition will be published on Monday, March 24. 

A weekly newsletter that goes to all KU Lawrence and Edwards faculty and staff, Campus Insider provides timely information and reminders of activities, opportunities and deadlines. News items can be shared with Christine Metz Howard, assistant director of campus communications.

Deadline: March 25

Faculty and staff have access to confidential personal, academic, research and proprietary data. That access comes with a responsibility to protect the information and help safeguard our campus systems. The “Cybersecurity at KU – 2025” module provides simple steps faculty and staff can take to protect themselves, colleagues, students and KU.  

The module takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. The training is required and must be completed by March 25. Visit the FAQs to learn more or contact hrdept@ku.edu for additional questions. 

March 13 and 15

On Saturday, March 15, an all-day power outage is scheduled for Anschutz Library, Chalmers Hall and Marvin Studios. The buildings will be taken out of service at 6 a.m. with power expected to be restored by 8 p.m. A power outage is also scheduled from 6 to 8 a.m. Thursday, March 13. The buildings will be closed during the outages. 

While the power is out, all heating and cooling systems, lighting and general-purpose outlets will be out of service throughout the buildings. Emergency backup power will not be affected and the Hawk Route elevator in Anschutz Library will continue to operate. 

Your KU email account is the official channel for important university communications.

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and procedures and is the Title IX Coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY. Reports can be submitted by contacting the Title IX Coordinator as provided herein or online and complaints can be submitted with the Title IX Coordinator or online.

The University of Kansas is a public institution governed by the Kansas Board of Regents.