LATEST NEWS FROM THE HILL

Lawrence author Tessa Gratton talks political resistance, telling marginalized stories in advance of their new book
Lawrence writer Tessa Gratton works on all their books for multiple years, but they’ve been thinking about their newest work, “The Mercy Makers,” since the 2000s. The epic fantasy untangles themes of justice, complicity and the greater good.
MORE KU NEWS

KU entrepreneurship hub gets $10M boost from donor
A donor’s $10 million gift will support the construction of a new entrepreneurship hub at the former home of McLain’s Market, KU announced Thursday.

More than a dozen carillon recitals coming up in Lawrence
Carillonneurs from across North America are heading to Lawrence, and numerous concerts are scheduled throughout the second week of June. There will also be Sunday evening concerts all summer.

Students want KU to push back against state law requiring university to eliminate DEI programs
Some students at KU said they are worried about the impact of a new state law prohibiting state universities from funding positions or programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion starting Aug. 1.

Fired student worker sues, alleging KU violated his First Amendment rights
Anthony Alvarez, a KU student who served as a proctor for a scholarship hall, has filed a lawsuit against KU after he was fired from his position in the wake of speaking out against the university’s decision to end the hall’s gender-inclusive housing.

Jewish leaders mourn ‘devastating blow’ after former Kansas student killed in D.C. shooting
The leaders of a Jewish center at KU joined a chorus of sorrow and outrage over the killing of alumna Sarah Milgrim and her partner Wednesday night outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

‘Uncertainty is always full of opportunity,’ KU chancellor tells Class of 2025
KU Chancellor Douglas A. Girod told the Class of 2025 graduates that they’ve been educated and trained for this moment in time, and they will rise to the occasion.

KU proposing 3% tuition increase for undergrads, 5% for grad students amid federal changes
KU is proposing tuition increases of 3% for undergrads and 5% for grad students as the chancellor said the university is grappling with changes coming from the federal level.

Graduations for Free State, Lawrence High, KU and more coming up
Ceremonies are beginning this week for graduates from Lawrence high schools and specialized programs, and KU’s commencement is set for Sunday.

KU names professor of finance as next dean of business school
Jide Wintoki, a professor of finance and associate dean of graduate programs at KU, has been selected as the next dean of the university’s School of Business.

Kansas universities face pressure to ditch diversity efforts. Experts fear losing years of progress
Trump has issued executive orders aimed at ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs at colleges altogether. That’s led universities in Kansas and elsewhere to make sweeping changes in an effort to protect their federal funding.

Lawrence City Commission approves boundaries for KU Gateway District tax breaks
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday held public hearings and approved proposed boundaries for areas of tax breaks KU has requested for its Gateway District project.

Event to feature KU grad students’ research on Lawrence city government
Graduate students at KU will present research on various city issues, including affordable housing and the land development code, at a drop-in event next week.

Monarch Watch’s annual spring plant fundraiser is live; free open house to follow
Thousands of pollinator-friendly plants are available for purchase during Monarch Watch’s annual online sale and spring open house.

Kansas research could help treat a form of breast cancer that affects Black women more
Triple negative breast cancer is aggressive and hard to treat. It also disproportionately affects Black women. A KU medical researcher is working to find out why and expand treatment options.

‘I want to uplift and inspire’: Education advocate, KU student crowned Miss Indian World
KU student Dania Wahwasuck, Prairie Band Potawatomi and Pyramid Lake Paiute, has been named the 2025-26 Miss Indian World. As a cultural ambassador, she plans to continue advocating for youth education.