Two new parking lots were constructed over the summer and are now open. The new yellow-zoned Lot 89, east of Downs Residence Hall at the corner of 18th Street and Naismith Drive, has 173 spaces available for student parking.  

A new addition to the red-zoned Lot 34, next to Price Computing Center on Sunnyside Avenue, has 209 spaces for faculty and staff parking. In addition, all spaces in Lot 117 east of Watkins Memorial Health Center have been changed to blue permit parking.  

Additional color zone changes include the following: 

Last year, Lots 94 and 92 east of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium were permanently closed to accommodate stadium renovations and Gateway District construction. Students with yellow permits can use the added yellow parking in Lots 89 and 61. An updated parking map can be viewed online. 

The fall bus schedule begins today, and the 2026-2027 Transit Guide highlights several changes.  

The Office of Civil Rights & Title IX will host the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2026 Public Summit on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education on Oct. 21-22.  

The event marks the first time this summit will be hosted in the heartland, bringing together higher education leaders, researchers, practitioners, students and community members to explore evidence-based approaches that strengthen institutional culture, promote accountability and foster communities of respect. This summit is free and open to all.  

More details on the summit will be shared soon. For more information on the National Academies, their Action Collaborative, the summit or to register, visit OCRTIX’s website.

KU Student Affairs is rolling out RealResponse, an anonymous reporting platform accessible to Lawrence and Edwards campus students, staff and faculty through text, email or WhatsApp. 

RealResponse provides an opportunity for individuals to report information confidentially, which allows KU to intervene and disrupt hazing culture more effectively. When RealResponse is contacted about a hazing or conduct concern associated with a KU student or organization, the phone number is anonymized to keep the person’s identity and data protected. Student Conduct and Community Standards will then follow up via the messaging platform to gather more information.

Concerns can be reported to RealResponse via text message and WhatsApp at 785-333-4458 and email at tellsomeone@ku.realresponse.com. Staff or faculty concerned about a student can find resources at the Student Support resource list. More information can be found on the Student Affairs website.

Faculty should upload all fall 2026 course syllabi to Simple Syllabus by Sept. 8 to comply with KU’s Syllabus Policy. If faculty use Simple Syllabus to generate their syllabi, the requirement is met. Resources and guidance — including required policy language and syllabus templates — are available on the Academic Success and CTE Syllabus Resources websites.

Please note new required elements beginning fall 2026: 

Three important deadlines mark the end of the 2026 fiscal year staff performance evaluation process. 

Detailed instructions for supervisors evaluating performance reviews and submitting their acknowledgement are available on the HR website. 

Once the supervisor has met with the employee and completed the evaluation, the employee will receive an email notification that the evaluation form is ready for acknowledgement. Detailed instructions for employees acknowledging the evaluation review are also available on the HR website. 

For questions, contact the Employee Relations team. 

Program closures may need to happen for a variety of reasons. The deadline to submit a request to discontinue an active academic program is Sept. 11.  

Article VIII, Section 2 of the University Senate Rules and Regulations outlines the policies, procedures, recommendations and timeline for program discontinuance. Additional guidance on preparing and submitting a discontinuance request is available on the Academic Affairs website.  

The Finance Shared Service Center will host monthly office hours throughout the fall semester. These drop-in, virtual sessions are available to KU faculty, staff and students. 

The office hours provide a chance to ask questions about purchasing, requesting travel or non-travel reimbursements, submitting P-Card receipts, and navigating and submitting tickets on the Finance Service Portal. 

Upcoming Office Hours: 

More information about office hours and how to join them is available on the SSC website. 

Construction on a private residence on the east side of Mississippi Street just north of the parking garage has closed parking spaces and the sidewalk in front of the property.   

The sidewalk on the west side of that section of Mississippi remains open; however, farther north, the west side of the sidewalk is closed as part of the stadium construction project. This closure was reported in last week's Campus Insider. Pedestrians should use marked crosswalks and follow posted directional signage when navigating through this area. 

A completion date for the private residence project is unknown at this time.

The KU community mourns the death of Susan Root, who was a custodian in the St. Andrews Office Facility. Root, who died Aug. 9, first worked at KU from 2005 to 2010 and then returned in 2023.  

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Read her obituary on the Rumsey-Yost website. 

KU Football will kick off its 2026 schedule with two Friday evening home games on Sept. 4 and Sept. 11. On those days, game-day parking restrictions will take effect. More details outlining restrictions will be sent to faculty, staff and students in the coming days.

Unit and department leaders may want to consider the potential impact of game-day traffic and parking on classes and staffing arrangements and, when appropriate, adjust schedules or arrange for staff to work remotely during the afternoon.  

TEDxKU Edwards returns with a new lineup of engaging speakers. This year’s theme is Perspective & Connection and will feature students, faculty, alumni and community members covering topics such as “The Art of Holding Space” and “Breaking Cycles, Building Futures: The Magic in the Mundane.”

The event will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 18 in Edwards' Regnier Hall Auditorium. Tickets are $11 (including a $1 fee), and space is limited. Visit the TEDxKU Edwards website for details.

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.