In this season of gratitude, the employee recognition program Jayhawk Thanks makes it easy to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of colleagues across campus. 

The program, launched by Staff Senate last spring, enables the KU community to thank a Hawk for their work by downloading and sending the Jayhawks Thanks template. The digital card is a quick and meaningful way to recognize the contributions of staff, boost morale and foster a culture of gratitude. 

Those receiving a Jayhawk Thanks are encouraged to share the recognition with their supervisor so it can be included in their performance evaluation. 

Units with a business need and the budgetary resources available may consider offering additional hours to student employees between Dec. 5 and Jan. 19. Guidelines are below and in the Student Employee Eligibility Requirements and Appointment Limits policy. 

As a reminder, the university will be closed from Dec. 25 – Jan. 1 for the Winter Break. Arrangements should be made so student employees do not have to work, except for essential campus functions. Questions about student employees working during breaks should be directed to the HR Transactions team at hrtransactions@ku.edu.  

The Online Student Survey of Teaching is open, and students have until Dec. 5 to complete it. The Student Surveys of Teaching resource page provides information about the survey distribution schedule, survey dashboard access and additional survey resources.   

Recommendations for Instructors: 

A more detailed list of recommendations can be found in a Nov. 14 message sent to faculty, staff and graduate teaching assistants. 

Faculty and staff can watch the most recent town hall on the Provost's website (KU login required).    

During the Nov. 20 town hall, Shelley Hooks, vice chancellor of research, and Kyle Christian, associate vice chancellor of federal relations, discussed the impacts of the recent federal government shutdown. Charli Bankart, senior internationalization officer and vice provost for international affairs, shared details about KU’s partnership with Regensburg University and immigration updates.  

Hooks also addressed a question from the campus community about market wages for faculty and staff. 

Faced with financial challenges, KU Lawrence-Edwards campuses launched a voluntary separation incentive program last month. Faculty eligible for VISP have until 5 p.m. Dec. 1 to apply. Those interested must submit a Notice of Interest Form. 

Individuals approved for VSIP will retire from KU on May 22, 2026. The incentive payout for accepted participants is one year of base salary, minus standard deductions. Detailed information about the program can be found on the 2025 VSIP website, including the full guidelines and FAQs.  

Employees will be notified if their application has been accepted by Dec. 9. Approved employees will receive a Notice of Retirement form, which must be submitted by 5 p.m. Dec. 23. 

This week temporary fencing is scheduled to go up around Sunflower Apartments, 1021 Missouri Street. From Dec. 1-14, the Lawrence Police Department and Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical will utilize the facility for training exercises. Demolition of the apartments is planned to start the week of Dec. 15.  

The 12 triplexes, owned by KU Endowment, were built in 1955 and have served many purposes over the years, including student housing and transitional housing for new KU faculty, unclassified staff, postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars. 

The property will be reconfigured for parking to support stadium and conference center uses as part of the Gateway District.   

Supervisors and employees are reminded that time and leave deadlines are often accelerated during November and December. Missing these deadlines can result in late pay. 

The HR/Pay Calendar tracks standard pay period deadlines and is updated with accelerated supervisor approval deadlines and other important changes to standard processing. The Human Resources’ Holiday Deadlines document provides additional details. 

For information specific to the Winter Break closure, which will occur Dec. 26-31, please refer to HR Winter Break FAQs. For questions, contact HR at hrdept@ku.edu or 785-864-4946. 

For the Nov. 9-22 pay period, supervisors or delegates must: 

The MyTalent Learning homepage has a new look. Users could preview the changes over the past year, but the site has officially transitioned to the new layout, making learning assignments easier to find and view. 

In the simplified layout, learning is divided into three general sections: 

To see additional options and features, click on the drop-down menus in the upper right-hand corner. 

To search for training, use the search bar at the top of the screen to find a topic or class. For additional questions, please contact Human Resource at hrdept@ku.edu. 

The Chancellor’s Holiday Reception will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4 in the Kansas Union’s Ballroom on the fifth floor. 

Employees are invited to celebrate the holidays and reflect on the year with Chancellor Doug Girod at this annual event. The Intergenerational Choir will provide entertainment, and door prizes will be awarded. Free parking will be available in the Mississippi Street Garage.

To recognize and celebrate all that faculty do throughout the semester, the Office of Faculty Affairs is hosting its annual Faculty Finals Fest. The open house event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 4 in 36 Strong Hall.  

Snacks, informal networking and a few fun, low-key activities will be offered to help faculty recharge before finals week. Faculty are invited to drop in at any time. No RSVP is required. 

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.