Jayhawks Rising May Update

Dear Colleague,

This spring, the first buds of progress on Jayhawks Rising are beginning to appear. After a winter of brainstorming and fine-tuning, objective co-leaders have begun working with campus stakeholders to implement activities designed to advance us toward achievement of our three institutional priorities. The conclusion of the academic year makes this an ideal time to take stock of where we are and where we’re going by highlighting some of the strategies we’ve been working on and our progress so far:

Priority #1:  Student Success

• Initial development of a strategic enrollment management (SEM) plan that includes refinements to tuition pricing and other measures to increase enrollment and ensure alignment of our academic portfolio with market demands and unit enrollment goals
• Preliminary mapping of the Jayhawk Global brand and operation
• Embedded advising process for undergraduates that will support student retention and completion
• Development of learning outcomes and degree maps for all undergraduate programs to enable evidence of student mastery and timely progress toward degree completion

Priority #2:  Healthy & Vibrant Communities

• An in-depth salary market study to determine areas for compensation leveling and enhancement of workplace satisfaction
• A comprehensive five-year financial plan for KU Lawrence-Edwards that prioritizes revenue growth and efficiency
• Recommendations from the ACE Internationalization Lab Study
• 80% of Equity Advisors embedded in professional schools have completed DEIB-related plans; plans are 60% complete

Priority #3:  Research & Discovery

• Research Rising launched; winners of the competition to be announced in June
• Investment in research to stimulate growth and continue upward trajectory of research expenditures
• Increased diversity in scholars and projects
• New organizational framework to promote innovation and entrepreneurship

While the work guided by Jayhawks Rising is off to a good start, it’s only the beginning. By aligning our strategic efforts with our core foundations to ensure each person who works and studies here has the opportunity to flourish, no matter their circumstances or individual goals, we can become the leading research university we aspire to be, lifting one another and advancing the state, the nation, and the world.

Please visit jayhawksrising.ku.edu for more information on each priority area and a complete list of objectives and planned strategies. We invite you to view the short video to gain an overview of what it means for Jayhawks to rise. Going forward, we’ll add more resources to the site to expand awareness and opportunities for engagement so that you, too, feel a part of this effort.  

Thank you for all you do for KU.

Together, we are Jayhawks Rising.

Respectfully,

Barb

Barbara A. Bichelmeyer

Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor