Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security announced a new rule that will replace Duration of Status with a fixed admission period for F-1 and J-1 student and scholar visa holders.  

The duration of status policy allowed students to stay in the country as long as they were making normal progress toward their degree. Under the new ruling, students will be admitted for a fixed period of time based on the student’s program of study, but not to exceed four years, plus a 30-day grace period. Staying beyond that time will require a formal extension‑of‑stay process. 

Under the new DHS rule, school transfers and changes in major or educational level will be restricted. This nationwide policy change will take effect Sept. 15 and represents one of the most significant updates to student and scholar immigration regulations in decades. 

International Support Services has been preparing for this change and has communicated with affected KU students and scholars. ISS will continue working with campus partners to support implementation. Faculty and staff who work with international students and scholars are encouraged to review the latest information to support their units during the implementation period. Guidance can be found on the ISS website.

KU has acquired a new tool, TidyUp, to help instructors manage digital course materials and streamline the effort to ensure compliance with digital accessibility requirements.

When courses in Canvas are updated semester after semester, they can become cluttered. It can be common to have duplicated, unused or extraneous files that grow in number.  

TidyUp helps keep Canvas course sites manageable by providing an easy method to scan each course with a centralized view of files and content, allowing instructors to quickly identify:

Cleaning up and removing unneeded Canvas content also helps instructors reduce their digital accessibility remediation efforts, allowing them to focus only on those documents they currently plan to use for their courses. To learn more, visit the TidyUp Canvas page.

Annual faculty and staff parking permits expire on Friday. Permits for the 2026-27 academic year should be purchased before Saturday to avoid receiving a ticket. Faculty and staff parking permits can be purchased in the KU Parking Portal, and KU affiliates can fill out this form to purchase permits. 

KU Parking continues to offer payroll deductions for annual permits and short-term options for daily, 15 and 30 uses. For more information, refer to KU Transportation Services’ email from June 23 or visit the KU Parking website. 

As new faculty and staff arrive for the start of the academic year, they should be assigned electronic card access to the spaces they will be using. Most buildings on campus require electronic card access for entry outside of publicly opened hours. Employees who need to access buildings and spaces during that time should be added to the access list. 

To add someone to an access list, submit a service request through Maximo. If a KU ID card was issued before 2017, it may not have the technology to allow electronic access. The KU Card Center provides free replacements for any KU ID four years or older. A new card can be requested through the KU Card Center website. 

Other helpful links include reporting a lost card, locations of doors with card access (in the menu select "Card Access outside doors" under "Building Features") and additional information about locks and access on campus. 

The Office of Civil Rights & Title IX will be hosting a presentation series on recent significant federal and state guidance on discrimination.

“Executive Orders, Dear Colleague Letters, Resolution Agreements, & Toto Too!” will cover various executive orders, Dear Colleague letters, and resolution agreements that are currently shaping civil rights in higher education. Colleagues will gain a clearer understanding of some of the changes impacting KU from federal and state levels.

Each session will provide identical information and the presentations are open to KU Lawrence and Edwards campuses and KU Medical Center staff, faculty and affiliates on the following dates:

Find more details and a link to register online at the OCRTIX website.

KU’s youngest fans have an opportunity to cheer on the Jayhawks all school year long with the Junior Jayhawk Pass. For children in eighth grade or younger, the $75 2026-27 general public membership provides the following benefits:  

Membership begins in August and ends in May. To receive full benefits, individuals must sign up before Aug. 31. For more information about the program and to register, visit the KU Athletics website. 

Douglas County residents looking to toss personal electronics can bring them to the City of Lawrence’s Electronic Recycling Event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 8 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper Street.  

Accepted items include a wide range of electronics that use electricity or have a cord, including computers, laptops, speakers, keyboards, mice, servers, printers, microwaves, TVs, gaming systems, light fixtures, stereos, radios, phones, audio and visual equipment, lab equipment, cables, battery backup systems, monitors and other small appliances. 

Some TVs and monitors will be accepted for a fee. Before bringing items to the event, be sure to check the full list of accepted items. Sponsored by Teknix Solutions, the event provides a safe and responsible way to recycle old electronics, protect data and help keep e-waste out of the landfill. More information can be found on the city’s website.

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.