Experts from Google for Education and other Google divisions will kick off a weeklong “Falling into AI” event that invites the Jayhawk community to engage with KU researchers and industry leaders working with artificial intelligence.

From Sept. 29 to Oct. 3, AI-focused labs and centers across campus will open their doors to showcase how they are applying AI in their work. Open houses will include in-person and virtual options, with treats, prizes and giveaways available for in-person attendees.

The kickoff event is from 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 29 in the Kansas Union. Speakers from Google will highlight the company’s initiatives supporting AI education and research in higher education, demonstrating how AI drives innovation across disciplines. After the keynote address, Google experts will hold a panel discussion and Q&A session, followed by breakout sessions for students, faculty, researchers and health care professionals.

The event is hosted by Lisa Dieker, director of the Center for Flexible Learning Through Innovations & Technology, a center within the Achievement & Assessment Institute, and Ed Hudson, KU chief information officer and vice chancellor for information technology. 

More information about the event and a full schedule of activities can be found on FLITE’s website.

KU Employee Wellness is launching Movetober, a new wellness initiative that encourages movement in all forms from Oct. 5 to Oct. 31.

Either individually or in teams of three to six, employees can track their minutes of movement for a chance to win prizes for creativity, consistency and spirit. Each week will feature themed group walks at 12:10 p.m. Tuesday and a coordinating virtual component.  

Here’s how to participate:  

Sign up and log in: Individuals do not need to register and can begin logging their movement minutes in the Movetober Weekly Tracker.

By Oct. 3, teams must have one person register their team name through the Movetober Team Registration Form. Then, team members select that name when logging their weekly totals in the Movetober Weekly Tracker.  

Track Movement: Participants keep track of any activity that gets them moving, such as walking, running, dancing, yard work, fitness classes, yoga or biking. Minutes from the previous week should be logged by noon Monday to be entered for weekly prizes. All minutes must be entered by 5 p.m. Nov. 6. 

Watkins Health Services offers flu vaccine clinics for students, faculty, staff and affiliates each fall. 

Flu shots provided by Watkins Health Services are covered in full as a preventive care benefit for current employees and their spouses enrolled in the State Employee Health Plan. Otherwise, the cost for a regular dose of flu vaccine is $40. Those 65 years and older wanting the high-dose vaccine must schedule an appointment at Watkins. 

Be sure to bring a health insurance card and save time by completing the necessary forms in advance. Request a printable version of these forms by emailing the Registration & Records Office.

Flu Shot Schedule

During the spring 2025 semester, a suggestion among associate deans, chairs and directors brought about the idea of a new council that could connect with university leadership on timely topics for the KU Lawrence and Edwards campuses. This newly formed advisory body, KU Council of Academic Leaders, is composed of representatives from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the professional schools, Libraries and research centers at the Lawrence and Edwards campuses.  

The purpose of the council is to provide a formal venue for individuals in leadership roles to engage directly with university leadership and provide informed feedback and recommendations on topics that are critical to the university’s mission and strategic goals. 

The council will meet three times during each fall and spring semester. Previous meeting notes can be found on the Office of the Provost's Council of Academic Leaders webpage.   

The annual Staff Leadership Summit will be held this Thursday and will focus on the theme of “Shaping our Future.” In-person registration is at capacity, but KU employees can still participate virtually. 

Virtual participants will be able to watch the opening address by Barbara Bichelmeyer, provost and executive vice chancellor, and closing remarks by Chari Young, chief human resources officer and senior vice chancellor for human resources. Additionally, the breakout sessions in Woodruff Auditorium and the Big 12 Room will be available to watch virtually. Visit the Staff Leadership Summit webpage to view the day’s agenda and access the livestream channels. 

KU employees with health insurance plans C, J and N have until Nov. 14 to earn up to $500 for their health reimbursement or saving accounts. For all health insurance plans, employees have until Dec. 31 to earn the 40 HealthQuest credits needed to receive the $480 premium incentive discount on health insurance.  

HealthQuest points are earned by completing activities that promote physical, mental and emotional health, such as preventive exams, lab work, health information webinars, or HealthQuest challenges and coaching.  

Credits for preventive exams and lab work are rewarded when claims are automatically submitted through State Employee Health Plan vendors Aetna, BCBS of Kansas or Delta Dental of Kansas. It can take up to four weeks for credits to appear. For HealthQuest Reward Dollars, credits must be displayed in the HealthQuest Portal by Nov. 14.    

Visit the FAQ page or the HealthQuest portal for more information.  

The KU Police Department oversees the Lawrence campus’s central Lost and Found location. Items that are lost are stored with the KU Police for 30 days.  

To contact Lost and Found, people can email lostandfound@ku.edu or complete the Lost and Found form. When inquiring about lost items, be sure to include the following information: name, description of the item, location of where the item may have been lost, phone number and email address.   

Items can be picked up at the KU Police Department between 9 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.   

KU departments and buildings also have Lost and Found locations. A list of those locations is available on the KU Police website.  

KU must comply with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act as a recipient of federal funds. As part of that compliance, the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX provides members of the campus community with information about KU’s Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program. The DAAPP contains important information, including the following: 

Members of the KU community are encouraged to review the full DAAPP, found on pages 31-65 of the biennial report. 

Faculty and staff can watch the most recent town hall on the Provost's website.   

During the Sept. 18 town hall, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Bichelmeyer spoke with Kyle Christian, associate vice chancellor of federal relations, Jennifer Roberts, senior vice provost for academic affairs and graduate studies, and Charli Bankart, senior internationalization officer and vice provost for international affairs. The leaders provided updates on federal relations, the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI programs and student success initiatives as part of Jayhawks Rising. 

Additional town halls are scheduled for Nov. 20 and Dec. 18 as well as the provost’s State of the Campus address on Oct. 27. Questions or topic suggestions can be submitted through the anonymous online form. 

The free expression of ideas is essential to the functioning of KU, and the university fully supports the academic freedom of its faculty and academic staff as they engage in classroom instruction. Last year Public Affairs created an online resource, Free Speech, which provides a broad range of information and downloadable handouts covering topics of free speech, public assembly, social media and more.  

As a reminder, it is inappropriate to use departmental, university-branded social media accounts and communications channels — such as KU department email accounts or websites — to share political commentary or personal views, because they can be misinterpreted as representing the viewpoint of the university.

Personal views should be disseminated only through personal accounts. The Kansas Board of Regents policy provides additional context.

The Office of Faculty Affairs invites all new and early-career faculty to attend the fall "How to at KU" series. The October session will feature Faculty Insight experts from Analytics, Institutional Research & Effectiveness.

The event will be held virtually from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 7. Registration is required.

Faculty Insight is a portal that enables faculty to record their research, teaching and service activities. During this session, faculty can learn more about Faculty Insight and ways to leverage this tool for their scholarship and collaboration needs.

KU IT has made it easier to report changes to campus technology systems. Faculty and staff can now submit requests online and work directly with IT to discuss that change's feasibility, implementation and communication.  

Anyone with a KU online ID can use this new process. To see the complete how-to guide, next steps and responsibilities of the process, view the article within the KU IT Knowledge Base: Change Management - Campus Public IT Environment Change Submission. 

Those with questions can contact the IT Change Management team at it_chgmgmt_dl@ku.edu. 

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.