Greetings faculty colleagues,

KU’s research impact continues to grow. In fact, fiscal year 2024 marked the ninth consecutive year of research growth for KU as our research expenditures rose to $546.1 million. Every day, faculty contribute time, talent, and energy to make our research enterprise what it is. Our extensive research portfolio is something to be proud of, especially now, when some of our endeavors may feel uncertain.

We recognize the importance of faculty scholarship in our community and beyond, and the Office of Faculty Affairs celebrates your research accomplishments. We are honored to partner with you and other units on campus in sharing your work and your stories of transformation through research. 

Join us next week to hear some of these outstanding research stories. First, our upcoming Distinguished Professor lecture will take place on April 8 at 5:30 p.m. in the Kansas Room of the KU Memorial Union as University Distinguished Professor of English, Marta Caminero-Santangelo presents her inaugural lecture, “Imagining a Latino Heartland: Storytelling in Kansas, Then and Now,” sharing her research on Latina/x/o communities close to home. Learn more about Caminero-Santangelo's work and her upcoming lecture here.  

We also look forward to celebrating some of KU's top research achievements during the annual University Research Awards, which take place on April 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the Jayhawk Welcome Center. Please plan on joining your colleagues at KU’s celebration of research if you are able to and register at this link. 

As you hear inspiring stories from others, consider engaging in opportunities to share your own story. On Friday, April 11, the Institute for Policy and Social Research will host Communicating Research to Varied Audiences, where Associate Professor Jennifer Raff will speak about her own experiences in communicating her scientific work and ways in which universities can support faculty who wish to do more public engagement. And on May 22, we will host our Research & Innovation Day as part of Faculty Development Academies week. This year’s session will focus on growing the impact of your scholarship and promoting your innovations locally and globally.  

Recognition plays a big part in sharing the scholarship of our faculty and we are excited to expand our recognition efforts as Robin Lehman, Director of Faculty Recognition & Awards, joins our team. Robin supports nominations for faculty research awards and will be partnering with Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Policy and Recognition Meagan Patterson on cultivating a faculty recognition culture at KU. Robin also serves as a connection point with the KU Office of Research as we partner closely to identify prestigious award opportunities for faculty. Robin is excited to help faculty make connections. Please feel free to reach out to her directly at rlehman@ku.edu.   

We know the work of faculty isn’t always easy – but it is valued. Share the impact of your work with a friend, colleague, your unit or us (facultyaffairs@ku.edu). Now is the time to share our stories of innovation and discovery and elevate these stories because what we do matters. 

With gratitude, 

Amy Mendenhall 
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs  
Professor, School of Social Welfare 

Vice Provost Amy Mendenhall and Associate Vice Provost Meagan Patterson answer questions about promotion & tenure with early career faculty at March 25 workshop.

The KU management and United Academics of Kansas bargaining teams have continued to meet on a regular basis this spring to negotiate the terms of our first comprehensive collective bargaining agreement. You can now find lists of the proposals and counterproposals passed in bargaining sessions on the Office of Faculty Affairs Collective Bargaining site. 

As explained in our Faculty Collective Bargaining FAQs page, the state public bargaining law (PEERA) requires employers and recognized unions to bargain with respect to salaries, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment – concepts referred to as “mandatory subjects of bargaining.” Even though there is not yet an agreement in place, the university recognizes and makes a commitment to fulfill this obligation to engage with UAKU when topics or actions arise that relate to the mandatory subjects of bargaining. 

Four candidates have been selected to present their vision and strategy for the KU School of Business. The first candidate's presentation took place on March 27 and the second candidate presented on April 3. Remaining candidates will give presentations from 4:00-5:00 p.m. on April 8 and 10 in room 1020 of Capitol Federal Hall and will be announced approximately two business days before their respective campus visits. Candidate profiles, presentation recordings and the online feedback form is available on the Provost Office's search page through April 15.  

With the implementation of KU Core 34, faculty governance voted to require a capstone course for all undergraduate degree programs. To support departments in developing or refining capstone courses, the Center for Teaching Excellence, in collaboration with Undergraduate Education, is hosting workshops to support faculty in designing or revising capstone courses. These sessions will highlight best practices in capstone development. Please register for the session that works best for you.  

More details about capstone courses are available here. Please note this is not a workshop series. Select the individual session that best fits your schedule. 

Mark your calendars to attend the 2025 KU Employee Wellness Fair! This event will highlight over 50 internal and external services, providers, programs, and opportunities in all areas of personal wellness (e.g., physical and mental health and wellbeing, financial, social, etc.). It is also an opportunity to network and socialize with your colleagues, enjoy live music, free chair massages, catered food, and dozens of prizes and giveaways.

Please join your colleagues in celebrating KU's research achievements at the annual University Research Awards at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, at the Jayhawk Welcome Center. This event is an opportunity to highlight the great research happening across our Lawrence and KU Medical Center campuses and to celebrate this year’s research awards winners.

All members of the KU community are invited to attend. We ask that you RSVP in advance to assist in our planning. Appetizers and drinks will be served.

Join this CTE workshop where faculty will learn to harness the power of feedback in research-informed ways. While participation in the series is encouraged, faculty will benefit from attending individual sessions.

Register for the in-person session, which takes place in Budig 135 from 11 a.m. - noon.

Join ISPR to hear from Jennifer Raff, associate professor of anthropology during IPSR's Research Luncheon: Communicating Research to Varied Audiences.

The importance of communicating research to different nonspecialist audiences is more evident than ever these days. In this talk, Raff will speak about the challenges and opportunities of maintaining a dual focus in her career on both research and science communication, and ways in which universities can support faculty who wish to do more public engagement.

Lunch will be provided. Please email ipsr@ku.edu to attend and let them know if you require any accommodations or have any dietary restrictions.

It is that time of the semester, isn’t it? While spring weather makes it much more enjoyable to walk to and from classes and meetings on campus, it is also the time of year when you might be racing to meet deadlines for conference submissions, grading mid-term projects and exams, finding more comprehensive exam/thesis/dissertation and/or capstone prep meetings and defenses on your calendar, and an array of student requests in your inbox for recommendation letters. How to balance it all? Be sure to check out the extensive resources NCFDD has curated on a variety of ways that academics can manage the ebb and flow of a semester, along with your goals and aspirations for all aspects of your career. And, you might wish to sign up for – or watch later on demand! – their upcoming webinars on how to manage both your task list and progress toward your goals.  

And, as a bonus for early career faculty at KU: are you looking for best practices, advice, and suggestions you can implement for tackling your inbox, calendar, and task list? We can help with that! Join us and a panel of your colleagues on April 9 for Time Management and Getting your Feet on the Ground! As a reminder, KU is an institutional member of NCFDD, which ensures all KU academic faculty and staff can register for an NCFDD membership at no additional cost. To join the NCFDD community, be sure to sign up here.     

The University Core Curriculum Committee is seeking nominations for the Christopher Haufler KU Core Innovation Award, an annual recognition honoring academic departments that exemplify innovative teaching and learning within KU Core 34 or capstone courses. A $3,000 award, funded by the Office of the Provost, is granted to the recipient’s academic department to support initiatives in teaching, learning and assessment.

More information, including details about the nomination process and selection criteria are available on the KU Core website. For more information, please contact kucore@ku.edu.  

The Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships invites you to apply for a Research-Intensive Course Mini-Grant. These grants of $500, incorporate a larger assignment that challenges students to develop their research and creative skills and offers support from the Center through workshops and advising.

Learn more about Research-Intensive Course Mini-Grants and apply at this link.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program 2026-27 competition is officially open! Applications are due Sept. 15, 2025 by 4:00 PM Central. The following resources are a great place to get started if you are interested in applying:

Ready to get started? Access the application at this link.

Service-Learning Instructional Mini-Grants encourage and support instructors in engaging undergraduate students with the broader community through service-learning, by integrating community-based experiences and learning as part of the course curriculum. Applicants may request $500 per course section.

Learn more about Service Learning Instructional Mini-Grants and apply at this link.

Uma Outka, William R. Scott Professor of Law, has been recognized as a Fulbright Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources Law and Environmental Law by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and World Learning!

All dates above apply to full semester courses. Some deadlines may exclude certain schools and colleges. See the entire Spring 2025, Summer 2025 and Fall 2025 calendars on the Registrar’s website.  

KU Reads 2025 Academic Year Common Book Announcement

The University of Kansas is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 KU Reads: A Common Book Experience selection, “The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet,” by John Green. This collection of essays explores various aspects of the human experience while considering the interconnectivity of life, encouraging readers to think critically about the world around them.

Faculty and staff who are considering teaching the book in the fall or next spring, or developing related programming for students, may request a copy via the webform. Student copies of the book will be available in August.

For more information, please visit the KU Reads webpage.  

Virtual Town Halls

Held on Monday afternoons for the Lawrence and Edwards campuses, virtual town halls provide an opportunity for the provost to discuss with leaders across campus changes in KU’s research and higher education environment.

Previous town halls, are available to watch online (KU login required). To submit a question or comment for a future town hall discussion, please use this form.    

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