KU Travel Services has announced changes to the international travel approval process. Employees who are representing KU on international trips will add and complete an International Export Control & Laptop Checkout Info form while creating their Concur Travel Request, with no need to separately log into TDX to complete the form.  

Additionally, personal international trips involving KU technology or research require a Zero Dollar International Travel Request to initiate export control reviews and required loaner laptop checkout. 

More information about changes to KU travel policies and procedures can be found in a recent email from KU Travel Services. 

As the region experiences extreme cold weather, be sure all external windows and doors are firmly shut and the heat is left on in every space to prevent frozen pipes.  

When returning to workspaces after periods of extreme cold weather, please be on the lookout for water leaks and frozen pipes. Signs of frozen pipes include little or no water flow from the pipes, frost or ice on exposed pipes, unusual odors, and strange noises, such as banging, clanging or gurgling, coming from the pipes.  

To request service or report an urgent issue, call 785-864-4770 or submit a service ticket in Maximo. 

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Bichelmeyer will host a virtual town hall meeting from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday. She will be joined by Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Research Officer Matthias Salathe to share updates impacting the research community, Chief Human Resources Officer and Senior Vice Chancellor Chari Young to discuss employee compensation and Vice Provost and Senior Internationalization Officer Charli Bankart to share information about changes affecting KU's international population.   

Other town hall dates for the spring semester include Feb. 19, March 26, April 23 and May 14. To submit a question or comment for a future town hall discussion, please use this form. 

Last year, KU completed a $1.2 million, donor-supported revitalization project for Potter Lake, an iconic landmark that has served as a space for education, recreation and celebration for more than 100 years. 

This video, created by KU students at The Agency, explores the work KU Operations did overseeing the restoration project, which included dredging the lake, rebuilding portions of the original edge wall, installing a new concrete sidewalk, adding a boat ramp and improving the spillway and sediment basin.  

Today, thanks to those improvements, Potter Lake is healthier with better water quality and easier to maintain. 

The Office of Civil Rights & Title IX is offering Introduction to Belonging trainings throughout the spring semester. These two-part trainings are designed to engage KU employees in personal reflection, teach key concepts and strengthen interpersonal engagement strategies that foster belonging in the workplace.  

Part One: Foundational Concepts 

Part Two: Discussion 

Registration is required via MyTalent for employees on the Lawrence and Edwards campuses and through a webform for university affiliates who do not have access to MyTalent. To learn more and register for the training, visit the OCRTIX website. 

Researchers at KU combine their expertise in music and science to unlock music’s therapeutic potential to improve lives from infancy to adulthood. Find out more through KU Marketing’s new multimedia storytelling platform, Created by KU.  

Subscribe for more stories about how KU is making a difference in people’s lives. 

The KU community is invited to an open house at the Kansas Union from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday. The open house will showcase the Kansas Union’s catering, facilities and services available for academic conferences, workshops and special events.  

Visitors will have the chance to tour the venue, meet with staff and see various setup options for events. Light refreshments will be served throughout the building, including a cash bar.  

Participants should check in at Jayhawk Ink, Level 2

From counseling and mental health services to health coaching and support in managing work-life balance, the Employee Assistance Program offers a wide variety of services and support to KU benefits-eligible employees. Learn about the free options available to employees at a virtual EAP Orientation with ComPsych from noon to 12:45 p.m. Tuesday.  

Representatives from ComPsych will explain the benefits available to employees and answer questions about accessing these services. Hosted by the KU Medical Center, the session is open to all KU employees. Register online.   

For the next month, the walkway and north entrance of Ritchie Hall will be intermittently closed so a crane can operate in the area. While the crane is onsite, additional fencing and barricades will be in place to maintain safety.  

When the north walkway is closed, the north exit of Ritchie will be restricted to emergency use only. Please follow all posted signage and allow extra time when traveling through this area. All other entrances in Ritchie will remain accessible, as well as the sidewalks leading from the tunnel underneath Naismith Drive and around Slawson Hall to Jayhawk Boulevard.

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.