Twelve individuals at the Lawrence and Edwards campuses have earned instructional faculty promotions over the past year. 

These promotions are determined and awarded through school or departmental reviews, which concluded by early summer. Those promoted represent five different programs from the College and professional schools.

Promotions for tenure-track faculty and scholarly positions, announced late last spring, follow a separate process that is reviewed by the University Committee on Promotion and Tenure and approved by the chancellor. 

Ten faculty members were selected to join the Senior Administrative Fellows cohort for the 2026-27 academic year. The signature KU program dates back to 1993.   

Through the program, fellows learn more about KU and administrative roles, engage in self-reflection and assessment of their own leadership styles and preferences, and consider possible leadership pathways in academia. 

The 2026-27 senior cohort includes:  

The Senior Administrative Fellows program is led by Mary Banwart, associate vice provost for faculty development, mentoring and growth. Each class of fellows is selected from applications and nominations solicited in the spring semester of the previous academic year. 

Twenty-one graduating seniors have returned to KU this fall as Self Memorial Scholars, beginning their first year as master’s or doctoral students. 

The students have entered programs in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and at the KU Medical Center, as well as the schools of Architecture & Design, Business, Engineering, Health Professions, Journalism, Public Affairs and Administration, and Social Welfare. Biographies of the incoming 2026-27 scholars are now available online. 

The Madison and Lila Self Memorial Scholarship is a merit-based award given to outstanding seniors transitioning into their first year of a master’s or doctoral program. The students selected demonstrated achievement in leadership and scholarship and the ability to envision and attain goals that require energy and tenacity. 

The Self Memorial Scholarship provides each recipient with a $10,000 scholarship award, $1,000 professional development award, the Scholar Development Program and an opportunity to be part of an interdisciplinary cohort of graduate students. 

Since 2018, the Self Memorial Scholarship has supported nearly 130 graduate students. The scholarship application cycle for 2027-28 will open Feb. 15. 

The KU Bookstore’s FY26 Annual Review highlights its work to make course materials and educational resources more affordable and accessible to KU students. 

Through KU Auto Access, students in participating courses receive first-day access to required digital course materials through Canvas at a reduced price. During the 2026 fiscal year, Auto Access supported 419 course sections and more than 20,000 student enrollments, generating over $460,000 in student savings. The campus adoption submission rate reached 70%, with several departments achieving 100% participation. 

Jayhawk Ink also produced nearly 13,800 affordable coursepacks at an average price of $37, helping keep required materials accessible to students. Other highlights include $225,000 in educational savings on Apple products and more than $11,600 awarded to 74 students through the Student Course Material Fund since 2024. 

View the full KU Bookstore Annual Review to learn more about these programs and the bookstore’s impact on students and the KU community. 

KU Libraries is accepting proposals for the Deans OER Grant Initiative, which supports faculty in adopting open educational resources in high-enrollment courses.

Launched by the university’s Deans Council with a $225,000 investment from the Office of the Provost, the initiative aims to reduce textbook costs for students and improve retention by targeting courses with high DFW rates—grades of D, F, and withdrawals—and costly required course materials.   

Proposals are being accepted now with anticipated review to begin on Nov. 4. Grants are awarded for two to three projects per semester and include: 

KU Libraries staff are happy to help identify potential OER materials and talk through what a proposal could look like. Learn more on the KU Libraries' Deans OER Initiative page or contact oer@ku.edu. 

In August the Center for East Asian Studies welcomed Hyunjin Seo as its new director, bringing her experience in global communication, digital inclusion and international partnerships to the leadership of CEAS. 

A University Distinguished Professor in the William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications, Seo has worked across South Korea and the United States as a journalist, scholar and collaborator with international institutions. CEAS looks forward to advancing its academic and outreach mission under her direction.  

Akiko Takeyama, professor of women, gender and sexuality studies, stepped down from her role as director after finishing her five-year term in June. During her time as director, Takeyama provided dedicated and innovative leadership to the center and the promoition of East Asian studies. 

Read more about the leadership transition.

The National Association of College and University Business Officers announced that Heather Abernathy, business manager for the School of Engineering, was selected to join the 2026-27 cohort of its Emerging Leaders Program. 

The national program uses online and in-person experiences to help participants develop their leadership and communication skills while they deepen their understanding of the evolving higher education business environment. Abernathy was one of 76 business officers, representing 69 colleges and universities from across the nation, selected. Some of the other institutions represented in the cohort include Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Vanderbilt University, Michigan State University and Pennsylvania State University. 

Expect a partial lane closure at the northwest corner of Mississippi and 11th streets until Oct. 1. Two lanes of traffic will remain open; however, westbound traffic on 11th will have to shift to the center lane just west of Mississippi. Large vehicles going north on Mississippi may have difficulty turning west onto 11th, which could delay buses on routes 4, 30, 34, 36 and 38. See map for details.

KU has been a national leader in rural health for generations. As rural providers face ever-increasing shortages in funding, resources, and staff, Jayhawks help Kansans get better — better access, better treatments, better outcomes.

See how KU creates a healthier Kansas in the Created by KU multimedia feature, Reviving Rural Health. 

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