Welcome to the 2024-25 Academic Year

Barbara A. Bichelmeyer, Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor
Thursday, August 22, 2024, 8:15 a.m.
KU Lawrence Edwards Faculty, Staff and Affiliates

Dear Jayhawk,

We are about to welcome new and returning students to our programs and help them develop into creators, problem-solvers, professionals, achievers and leaders. It’s a transformation we are fortunate to both shape and witness. It is strengthened through your commitment to constant learning, exploration and collaboration. Our students’ goals and dreams are tied to your successes and experiences as faculty and staff at KU.

As scholars and higher education professionals we have an opportunity to use every interaction with our students – and with each other – to support each other and to improve our community. KU’s IRISE values – Integrity, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship and Excellence – set the standards for how we act and how we treat others at KU. Our IRISE values were developed in partnership with University Governance leaders and serve as an agreement within the community of what it means to be a Jayhawk. Please take a moment to review the IRISE values and contemplate how you can enact them this academic year.

HLC Accreditation Cycle

This academic year we achieve a major milestone – the culmination of our current 10-year cycle for reaffirmation of accreditation. So many of you have helped us reach this point, and I thank you for your efforts.

Please mark your calendars with some important dates:

  • September 9-10, HLC Mock Site Review
    • September 9 for KU Lawrence and Edwards
    • September 10 at KU Medical Center
  • March 3-4, HLC Site Visit

Please plan to participate in these events; honestly, we need you to be there to tell your KU story. Some of the best preparation will be to review the assurance argument, review KU’s mission, vision and values, be able to articulate our six institutional learning goals for all students, and review Jayhawks Rising, our KU Lawrence and Edwards strategic plan. You can learn more about what to expect at the Mock Site Review on our KU HLC Accreditation website. This site also provides a link to the assurance argument KU submitted in July.

Freedom of Expression

Our IRISE values will guide us and our students as we all engage with each other in respectful freedom of expression.

In a setting as diverse as KU, we will inevitably encounter ideas, opinions and philosophies that are different than our own and which some personally find uncomfortable or offensive. To be clear, threats, incitement of violence and targeted harassment are not protected speech under the First Amendment. Offensive speech, although it can be painful, is generally considered protected speech. We need to strongly encourage and facilitate civil and respectful discussion and interaction. We simply must not inhibit or penalize expression protected by the First Amendment. The Kansas Board of Regents provides guidance in its Statement on Free Expression.

Academic Freedom

As a leading research institution, it is our privilege and responsibility to explore and discuss novel and challenging issues and ideas in our classrooms, in our hallways, or at our conferences. At KU we value academic freedom as we conduct our research, teaching and scholarly activities. You can read more about our dedication to academic freedom in Section 4 of the Code of Ethical Conduct.

Wellness Resources

We continue to face challenging times that affect people differently. Please be aware of how your fellow Jayhawks – coworkers, students, colleagues – are faring, and connect them to support if you notice they are struggling.

COVID and other respiratory illnesses are still part of our environment. Watkins Health Services offers helpful information on prevention strategies, treatment, testing, vaccinations and more.

The Support Care and Referral Team, once focused solely on students, now offers care and wellbeing guidance to all members of the KU community – students, staff and faculty. Students also have access to services through Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and to 24/7 support through the Telus Student Support Program.

Each one of us can make a difference in someone’s life. Learn to spot the signs and put the individual in touch with campus and regional resources. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 9-8-8 on any activated phone, will automatically connect to a crisis call center. You can learn more about the lifeline and resources at the HeadQuarters Kansas in Lawrence or the Johnson County Mental Health Center.

Support for Teaching and Instruction

The Center for Teaching Excellence website offers guidance for questions that come up during the semester. CTE also provides a broad array of programs and resources to help instructors at every turn. The Center for Online and Distance Learning also provides free course design, course transformation and implementation services for online, hybrid and flexible courses. Additional instructional resources and academic career support are available through KU Libraries, Spencer Museum of Art, KU Information Technology and the Office of Faculty Affairs and its programs for faculty development and growth.

Resources, Offices and Policies to Know

KU has numerous resources to guide and support you throughout the academic year. While not a comprehensive list, these policies, resources and offices may help you find quick access to helpful information.

A few sites to further highlight this semester include:

As a leading research institution and a public university, our goals are to facilitate Access, Belonging, Respect and Success. The citizens of our state need access to our programs and resources. Each Jayhawk in our community seeks connection and belonging. Our freedom of expression must be balanced by respect for each other. Ultimately, we all are here to support the personal and professional success of each other.

Beginnings of a Great Semester

Thank you for all you have done to prepare for the semester. Your efforts to support our students, advance discovery and innovation and further the success of your colleagues help make KU the extraordinary learning community we are, as together we lift each Jayhawk and advance society.

Respectfully,

Barb

Barbara A. Bichelmeyer

Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor