The first few weeks of the fall 2025 semester will set the tone for incoming students' university experience. Once again, faculty and staff have the opportunity to connect with the greater KU community as Jayhawks prepare to return to campus; several units need additional support and expertise in their efforts to welcome new Jayhawks to campus and make an impactful first impression on families.

Student Affairs invites individuals to sign up for any of these Move-in and Hawk Week volunteer opportunities:

To sign up or learn more about these volunteer opportunities, visit the Student Affairs webpage. For questions, contact studentaffairs@ku.edu.

As new faculty and staff arrive for the start of the academic year, they can be assigned electronic card access to the spaces they will be using. As KU transitions away from metal keys, more buildings will require electronic card access on weekends and between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays. Employees who need to access buildings and spaces during that time should be added to the access list.

To add someone to an access list, submit a service request through Maximo. If a KU ID card was issued before 2017, it may not have the technology to allow electronic access. A new card can be requested through the KU Card Center website.   

Other helpful links include reporting a lost card, locations of doors with card access (in the menu select "card access outside doors" under "building features") and additional information about locks and access on campus. 

Sean Hill has been selected as a July 2025 Employee of the Month for his professionalism, attentiveness and precision in coordinating executive-level leadership searches at KU. 

As the faculty appointment coordinator in the Office of Faculty Affairs since 2019, Hill manages faculty appointment data and timelines, as well as facilitates their requests and approvals in coordination with partner units on campus. He also manages the workflow for faculty pay, external activities reporting, conflict of interest reporting, emeritus status, tenure and promotion deadlines, departures and more. 

Hill additionally supports the Office of the Provost in coordinating the details of executive leadership searches, which require significant planning and detailed execution.  

“Sean consistently performs his job with reliability, professionalism and a positive attitude,” a colleague noted. 

Over the past year, Drew Vartia’s work has helped ensure KU was in a strong position to navigate the Higher Learning Commission’s reaccreditation process. For his efforts, Vartia has been named a July 2025 Employee of the Month.  

As the documenting learning specialist in the Center for Teaching Excellence, Vartia consults with KU’s degree programs on the assessment of their students’ program-level learning outcomes. He also manages the annual review process of assessment materials. During the HLC reaccreditation process, a major focus was placed on student learning assessment, an area that seemed to have made a favorable impression when the HLC site team visited KU this spring, nominators noted.  

“Drew is an innovative and highly effective specialist in assessment and the improvement of student learning whose work is highly valued by faculty and administrators across campus,” one nominator noted. 

Read more about Hill and Vartia’s work on the Employee of the Month Winners webpage.   

Deadline: Sept. 2 

Nominating employees for the Employee of the Month award is a great way to recognize exceptional university staff members and show appreciation for their contributions. The deadline for the next round of nominations is Sept. 2. 

Winners receive a $750 award, a surprise visit from a member of the Provost’s leadership team and become a candidate for the 2026 Employee of the Year Award.   

Eligible nominees must have a half-time or greater appointment in a regular, ongoing position with one year of service at KU or a recognized affiliate. Nominate a colleague using the online nomination form.

Five University of Kansas faculty members have been named University Distinguished Professors, including two from the Lawrence campus: Raj Bhala from the School of Law and Hyunjin Seo from the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Major criteria for selection include a record of exceptional scholarship, participation in university affairs and professional organizations, service to the community, and support for the growth and success of nominees' students, colleagues and the institution. The University Committee on Distinguished Professorships reviews nominations and forwards its recommendations to the provost for final approval.

Their appointments will be effective at the start of the fall 2025 semester. Learn more about the recipients in a KU News article.

The State of Kansas is encouraging employees to assess their contributions to the KBOR Voluntary Retirement Plan With both pretax and Roth options, a voluntary retirement account is one of the most flexible and tax-efficient tools to build long-term financial security.

For additional information about the voluntary retirement plan and investment options, visit humanresources.ku.edu or check out the KBOR Retirement Plan Guide.

KU IT will perform maintenance on the Science DMZ firewall from 11 p.m. Aug. 5 to 2 a.m. Aug. 6. No downtime is expected, but there may be brief interruptions to internet connectivity during the maintenance window. 

The Science DMZ firewall supports Research File Storage (ResFS), Science DMZ file sharing and the Instrument VLAN. Systems that require a consistent internet connection should be paused during the maintenance timeframe. 

Join Renee Huey, assistant technical director, for a VIP tour through the Lied Center, including the auditorium, Pavilion, and backstage areas. You’ll hear stories about everything from Broadway tours to former presidents to temporary ice-skating rinks.

The tour will take place from 12:10-12:50 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 13. Participants will meet in the front lobby of the Lied Center. Employees can register through My Talent. 

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.