The Office of Graduate Studies has changed its name to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs, reflecting KU’s commitment to fostering inclusive, trainee-centered and professionally relevant experiences across more than 200 graduate programs and a growing postdoctoral community. 

This transition aligns KU with national best practices and responds to the increasing importance of postdoctoral scholars and fellows in research and innovation. By integrating graduate and postdoctoral support under one office, KU is creating a more streamlined and collaborative approach to advanced training and career development.  

The expanded scope includes policy review and development for postdoctoral appointments, support for the KU Postdoctoral Association, administration of the postdoctoral travel award program, and assistance with professional development opportunities. The office will remain the central hub for graduate education at KU and continue to provide services in academic progress, policy development, student support and professional development.  

For more information, please visit the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs website or contact the office at graduate@ku.edu.  

From keeping fans safe at athletic events to clearing sidewalks and roads after snowstorms, KU Operations' behind-the-scenes efforts enable KU’s success. This video, created by KU students at The Agency, explores the around-the-clock work that KU Operations’ eight units and more than 450 employees do to maintain and improve the Lawrence campus.   

KU community members are invited to learn more about the scope of work of the KU Police Department, Transportation Services, Custodial Services, Facilities Services, Facilities Planning & Development, Space Management, Operations Business Office, and Enviornment, Health & Safety by watching the video or visiting their respective websites. 

Starting this week and continuing into January, deans and vice provosts for the Lawrence and Edwards campuses will be giving their strategic alignment presentations. These unit-level plans demonstrate the intentional ties between their unit’s work and the priorities of Jayhawks Rising.

The presentations identify the critical success factors used to measure progress and highlight institutional-level metrics that their unit influences. The strategic alignment presentations are delivered to KU leaders, including several members of the chancellor’s cabinet from Lawrence, Edwards and the KU Medical Center, as well as the provost, deans, vice chancellors, vice provosts, KU Endowment and university governance leaders.

This fall the Jayhawks Rising Strategic Alignment Model for fiscal year 2026 was released, providing updated campus goals around the institutional priorities of research and discovery, healthy and vibrant communities, and student success.

The time and leave approval deadline for the Dec. 7-Dec. 20 pay period is accelerated due to the holidays.  

Missing the deadline may cause a minimum two-week delay in pay as off cycles and KUEA Endowment loans may not be available during the winter break closure. 

Please refer to HR Winter Break FAQs for more information or contact HR at hrdept@ku.edu or 785-864-4946.   

Before leaving for winter recess, employees should make sure all windows are shut and the heat is left on in every space to prevent frozen pipes. Additional information about changes to building temperatures, access to buildings during the winter recess and mail delivery schedules can be found on the Winter Recess website. KU winter recess will run from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1.

Additionally, unit leaders should fill out the unit plans for winter recess form before the start of the break. The online form gathers information on unit schedules during the winter recess, mail preferences and emergency contacts. All units should report their plans, as it allows for KU Operations to track units with special needs or those that require in-person services or activities during the winter recess.

KU Dining will have reduced hours and operating locations during the academic break. The Coffeehouse on the fourth floor of the Kansas Union will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Dec. 19 and then reopen 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday through Friday, starting Jan. 5. The Kansas Union will have the adjusted hours of 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday beginning this week. It will be closed during the winter recess. 

The Market, Chick-fil-A, Underground, Courtside Café, Shake Smart and most Coffeehouses will be closed until the first day of classes on Jan. 20.

The Studio, in Hashinger Hall, will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. until Jan.12. Mrs. E’s will reopen on Jan. 13, while the South Dining Commons and North College Café will reopen on Jan. 19. View the complete schedule on the KU Dining website. 

Jayhawk Boulevard is now open to drive-through traffic and will remain open until Jan. 20, when classes resume. 

New this year, Route 42 will not operate during the academic break. On Friday, bus service ended for routes 30, 34, 36, 38, 42, 43, 44 and 53. Routes 1-10 will be on their normal schedules throughout the break, and routes 11 and 12 will operate on the B schedule. Bus route information can be found on the Lawrence Transit website.  

Additionally, parking is open and free in green and yellow zones throughout the academic break, with some exceptions during men’s home basketball games. Red, blue and gold zone parking lots are restricted year-round. Visit KU Parking for a detailed campus parking map. 

Employees looking to grow or learn new professional skills over the academic break can check out the thousands of high-quality video tutorials available through LinkedIn Learning in MyTalent. The tutorials provide technical training on Microsoft and Adobe products, as well as cover topics on leadership, management, working remotely, generative AI, time management and interpersonal skills.   

Courses are virtual and can be taken at any time. Employees should speak with their supervisors about the time commitment needed to view videos.  

To explore LinkedIn Learning tutorials, log in to MyTalent and then click on the Learning tile. From the Learning page, click “browse library” and then check “LinkedIn Learning” under source in the left-side drop-down menu. The search function at the top can also be used to find specific topics or courses.   

The Spencer Museum of Art will hold its Friends and Family Day from 12 to 5 p.m. Dec. 27. Visitors will have the opportunity to view the exhibitions “My Mother’s Tongue Ties Me Together” and “Iⁿ’zhúje’waxóbe: Return of the Sacred Red Rock” before they close in January.

This event is free and open to all. Other than Dec. 27, the Spencer will be closed Dec. 25 through Jan. 1 during KU’s winter recess. 

KU’s top-tier research saves lives and connects communities, all powered by the determination of our faculty and students. This article previews KU Marketing’s new storytelling platform, Created by KU, a multimedia experience showing how KU leads the way to a better future.  

Be sure to subscribe for more stories coming soon. 

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.