The Center for Teaching Excellence released its 2024-2025 academic year annual report, showcasing accomplishments from the past academic year and sharing challenges posed by shifting federal priorities and new state laws.  

Key Highlights: 

A interactive online version of the12-page report with links to more examples and strategies can be found on the CTE’s website. 

Student Affairs offers resources and events that can make finals week a little less stressful for students. Encourage students to take advantage of these opportunities:

As part of the second phase of the Gateway District project, parking lots 92, 94 and 97 on the east side of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will close permanently on Dec. 15.

To accommodate for the loss of yellow zone spaces in these lots and for overflow parking from nearby residence halls, KU Transportation Services will make the following changes this spring: 

See map for more details. Vehicles remaining in lots 92, 94 and 97 after Dec. 15 will be towed. 

Yellow zone parking will continue to be available on the west side of the stadium in lots 50, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60 and 65. Yellow zone permit holders are also encouraged to explore park and ride options in lots 302 and 300 in the West District, where circulator buses can deliver riders to Jayhawk Boulevard in 10 to 20 minutes. 

Scott Anderson, a former high school teacher who now shares his passion for KU and higher education as an admissions representative, has been named a November 2025 Employee of the Month.  

Recognized for his work ethic and enthusiasm, Anderson manages Office of Admissions recruitment efforts for Shawnee Mission School District; Kansas City, Missouri; and Arkansas. As part of his work, Anderson presents to prospective students and their families about KU and the admissions process, supports recruitment events, and consults on strategy with the assistant director of recruitment.  

A nominator shared that “his responsiveness to co-workers to keep the work moving, his willingness to arrive early and leave late to support recruitment efforts, and his tenacity in learning daily the current, ever-changing information” to serve prospective students make him an exemplary employee. 

Kaila Colyott has been selected as a November 2025 Employee of the Month for her efforts, selflessness and dedication as a teaching innovation program manager with the Center for Teaching Excellence.

In her role, Colyott conceptualizes, designs, leads and evaluates all of CTE's programs and resources for graduate student instructors, including the New GTA Orientation program. In addition, she plans, facilitates and evaluates programming for postdoctoral scholars and faculty to build community around teaching; promote effective, inclusive and innovative teaching strategies; and support teaching scholarship. 

“Kaila is the kind of person who consistently delivers exceptional work without ever seeking the spotlight,” her nominator said, “whether it's pivoting an entire semester-long program online, managing a complex multi-department initiative, fielding Canvas questions from confused new GTAs, or quietly setting up chairs and troubleshooting technology so a colleague's workshop runs smoothly.” 

Read more about Anderson and Colyott’s work on the Employee of the Month Winners webpage.

Join the Office of the Provost for its final TGIT of 2025 from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Hawks Nest on the Kansas Union's first floor. The event will provide an opportunity for faculty and staff to connect and enjoy complimentary snacks and beverages.  

Grab a colleague and enjoy some much-deserved relaxation before winter break. RSVPs are encouraged for planning purposes. 

With winter weather visiting Kansas last week and more likely to come, now is a good time to review KU's Inclement Weather Policy and time reporting details. The Inclement Weather and Campus Closing Eligibility Chart (.xlsx) is a helpful guide for employees to know how the policy directly relates to their position.  

For questions and/or concerns, visit Human Resources’ Inclement Weather FAQ page or email hrdept@ku.edu. 

Staff are invited to join KU Staff Senate to review key findings from the Docking Institute Employee Satisfaction Survey and share their feedback to help shape recommendations for KU leadership. The virtual session will be held 10-11 a.m. Dec. 18. Staff can reserve a spot through MyTalent. 

The session will include survey highlights, small-group discussions and opportunities to share ideas for improving staff engagement. The survey was conducted independently last spring through the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University in partnership with KU and other Kansas Board of Regent universities. It assessed staff experiences and perceptions across areas such as compensation, leadership, workplace culture and overall engagement. 

KU IT will perform a routine cleanup of IT accounts and groups that have been inactive for an extended period. No impact is expected for active accounts. Questions or concerns can be directed to regular IT support groups or the IT Help Desk at 785-864-8080 or itcsc@ku.edu.

Beginning at 6 a.m. Dec. 15, Mississippi Street will close between Spencer Drive and Memorial Drive. Memorial Drive will be accessible from the northbound lane of Mississippi Street but not the southbound lane. Spencer Drive and Lot 91 will be accessible from the southbound lane of Mississippi Street but not the northbound lane.

See map for more details. 

The street is expected to reopen by the end of the day. This schedule is weather dependent, so work may be delayed if necessary. The closure will allow trucks and heavy equipment to complete work on Dyche Hall. 

At KU Employee Wellness’ next Move-N-Learn, employees can enjoy a guided exploration of the Spencer Museum of Art’s different interpretations of winter themes through artworks drawn from its vast collection. From 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. Tuesday, the session will include visiting the museum’s Goddard Study Center, where employees will see works from the archives specifically selected for this visit. Kate Meyer, curator of works on paper, and Liz Pfeiffer, Lee engagement coordinator, will lead the group.

KU employees can register through My Talent. KU affiliates can email wellness@ku.edu to register. 

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