KU students, staff, faculty and university affiliates facing food insecurity can access the Campus Cupboard in Suite 400 of the Kansas Memorial Union. Jayhawks can visit once a week to receive points to spend on food, household essentials and toiletries. 

The Cupboard also accepts donations of food and hygiene products. Material donations purchased from Amazon via the Cupboard’s wishlist will be delivered to the Cupboard. Other donations of food and hygiene products can be brought to the pantry during operating hours.  

Recommended donations include non-perishable items such as pasta, soups, shelf-stable milk, fish in oil, beans, lentils, cereal, granola bars, peanut butter, and canned fruit and veggies. Opened or expired items cannot be accepted. Monetary donations to the Campus Cupboard can be made online. 

As part of an agreement with Just Food, the Cupboard is the only recognized food pantry on the Lawrence campus. Employees should avoid donating food directly to individuals to ensure that the regulations and policies regarding the safe handling, storage and dispensing of food are followed. Instead, they should direct donations and those seeking assistance to the Campus Cupboard.

Those interested in hosting a drive for the Campus Cupboard can fill out an online form. Questions can be directed to Sarah Grabber, associate director for Impact Programs and Services in the Student Engagement Center.

By Dec. 31, employees need to earn 40 HealthQuest credits for the $480 premium incentive discount on health insurance, and credits must be earned by Nov. 15 for the additional $500 that could go into health reimbursement or savings accounts for Plan C, J and N.

These three steps can help employees earn credits:   

Annual required training modules must be completed by eligible faculty and staff by Nov. 14 through MyTalent. These learning modules are designed to equip KU employees with the knowledge and skills to support students and colleagues by identifying, reporting and resolving potential issues. 

Find the training modules under “Learning” in MyTalent or by using the links below.  

For any questions or help with technical issues, please contact Human Resources at hrdept@ku.edu. 

The KU community logged 541,700 minutes of physical activity during Movetober. Converted into miles, that’s the equivalent of walking 1.21 times around the earth. 

During the KU Employee Wellness program that ran from Oct. 5-31 and encouraged movement in all forms, a total of 245 people and 44 teams participated.

Individual and Team Leaders:

KU Employee Wellness’s next Lunch-N-Learn will tackle how to handle uncomfortable conversations. A guide compiled by Campus Compact, “Engaging in Better Discourse – Navigating Tough Conversations,” helps universities learn, listen and ask questions across divisions to find common ground and promote community. The virtual workshop is from 12-12:50 p.m. Nov. 19.

Presenter Stephanie Ruppen, student program coordinator in the Center for Service Learning, will help participants identify unsafe versus uncomfortable conversations, center relationships, maintain boundaries, and feel more empowered the next time they have a hard conversation in the workplace.

Employees can register in MyTalent and KU affiliates can email wellness@ku.edu. 

Bryan Cisler has been named an October 2025 Employee of the Month for his dedication to developing accessible and innovative technology that improves outcomes for young children.  

Since joining KU in 2018 as a research informatics developer, Cisler has supported the technology needs of research teams at Juniper Gardens Children’s Project within the Life Span Institute. He has been instrumental in conceptualizing, developing and maintaining tools that educators, students, early childhood education providers and caregivers use to support child development, particularly for children with disabilities and complex needs.  

Nominators said Cisler stands out for his desire to seek feedback from those who use the web and mobile programs he develops. They note that Cisler “thrives on getting away from his computer to see firsthand how his tools are used in the classroom — not to see how well they work, but to see how they can be improved.” 

Kenny Taylor has been named an October 2025 Employee of the Month for his hard-working attitude, reliability and exceptional support of his coworkers.  

Taylor has been a custodian at Anschutz Library since 2024, although he has held multiple positions at the university since 2001. From wiping down windows and the restrooms to vacuuming the expansive library floors, Taylor is thorough in his duties and often goes out of his way to assist his colleagues after he has finished his own areas. During the winter, he helps with snow and ice removal around the building, and his coworkers said he is often the first to prepare the tools and start work outside. 

“He works fast as well and the quality of his work is never compromised,” Taylor’s nominator said. “Kenny is always welcoming to everyone – students, staff and faculty alike. He is a go-getter and is very helpful.” 

Read more about Cisler and Taylor’s work on the Employee of the Month Winners webpage.  

Doxing, when someone’s personal information is shared publicly online with the intent to harass or intimidate, can happen to anyone, even when posting from a personal account on personal time. For KU employees, it may be important to keep personal and professional information separate and take steps to protect their digital footprint.

Inside Higher Ed offers a list of seven actionable items that may protect university employees against doxing: 

For additional guidance, visit the Online Harassment Field Manual - Managing Your Online Footprint and Protecting from Doxing. 

The KU IT Knowledge Base provides quick and reliable guidance on many tech-related questions that arise in daily work. Articles address topics such as setting up KU email on mobile devices, campus Wi-Fi, managing Duo two-factor authentication, updating KU passwords, navigating Microsoft 365 tools and more. Each topic includes clear, step-by-step instructions designed to make troubleshooting straightforward. 

The full collection is organized for easy browsing, with popular and frequently referenced articles grouped by category. The Knowledge Base can be accessed anytime through the KU IT website. 

For assistance beyond the resources provided in the Knowledge Base, the IT Customer Service Center is available at itcsc@ku.edu or 785-864-8080. 

This spring the Office of Faculty Affairs will launch The Faculty Collaborative: Faculty Vitality at the Mid-Career Stage.

This program will consist of four sessions throughout the spring semester, bringing faculty together to focus on topics specifically related to faculty experiences and development at mid-career. 

The program is designed around a cohort model, and all full-time faculty and academic staff with a minimum of six years of experience at KU or in total are invited to apply for this opportunity. The deadline to apply is Dec. 1. More information can be found on The Faculty Collaborative website. 

The campus community is invited to join in International Education Week from Nov. 17-Nov. 21. The nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Education honors global learning and cultural exchange. With more than 1,500 international students from 115 countries and hundreds of Jayhawks studying abroad annually, KU leads as a Midwest hub for international engagement. 

During IEW, international education stories will be celebrated. Highlights from the week's events include a Course Internationalization Symposium on Nov. 17, Flavors of the World food festival on Nov. 19 and a Study Abroad Alumni Reception on Nov. 20. View the full IEW schedule online. 

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.