LATEST NEWS FROM THE HILL
Contributed photo
Group of KU faculty, staff and students to perform fall concert
The Bales Choral Society, a group of KU faculty, staff members and students from various departments and disciplines across campus, are set to perform a fall concert.
MORE KU NEWS
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Fall programming at Dole Institute to hit hot-button issues from electoral college to affordable housing
KU’s Dole Institute of Politics has unveiled fall 2025 programming that hits on hot-button issues, including constitutional law, lessons from local governance, housing affordability, the electoral college and more.
KU Reads programming to include free John Green author talk at Lied Center
KU Reads programming this school year will include a free community talk from John Green on his essay collection “The Anthropocene Reviewed,” which is this year’s common book.
Extra law enforcement patrolling through Labor Day in Douglas County; some options to get home safe
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will have more deputies on patrol than usual this weekend through Labor Day, looking for impaired and distracted drivers. Here are some ways to get home safely.
KU Department of Theatre & Dance/Courtesy photo
KU Theatre & Dance season aims for the stars with performances on astronomers, astronauts and more
KU’s Departments of Theatre and Dance have announced a 2025 season balancing the zero-gravity trailblazing of astronomers and astronauts with more grounded narratives of grief and belonging.
Kansas state education board expands scoring range for student assessments
State assessments have shown increasing numbers of Kansas students scoring lower on math, science and English language arts tests since 2016, while achieving marks of post-secondary success, such as higher education degrees and military careers.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
KU alum David Booth donates $300M to Kansas Athletics to propel Gateway District
David Booth, an alum of Lawrence High School and KU, has made a donation of $300 million to Kansas Athletics — which is “among the largest single gifts in the history of college athletics,” according to a KU news release.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission approves tax incentives for KU Gateway District
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday approved a package of tax incentives of up to $94.6 million for KU to develop its Gateway District.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Move-in days underway for KU; Haskell’s coming up late this month
Traffic is about to get heavy (or heavier) in Lawrence as a flock of Jayhawks will soon move into KU’s dorms. Haskell’s move-in days are coming up later this month.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Art exhibitions about Sacred Red Rock and more in Spencer Museum’s fall lineup
Artwork by local artists and Kaw Nation citizens telling the story of the Sacred Red Rock will soon be on display at the Spencer Museum of Art.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission to vote on tax incentives for KU stadium project; neighbors and an expert have concerns
As Lawrence city commissioners prepare to vote on a massive tax incentive package for KU’s Gateway Project, neighbors say a required community input process was not completed, and an expert says STAR bonds can be a gamble.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
‘A systemic failure,’ part 1: Hilltop Child Development Center staff, families say abuse reports are symptoms of bigger issues
Despite reports of abuse surfacing, current and former Hilltop Child Development Center staff members and families say they have deeper concerns, and publicized incidents are a small part of a much larger story.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
‘A systemic failure,’ part 2: Teachers, families say Hilltop’s ‘magic is gone’ after key staff are pushed out
Hilltop Child Development Center has taken a dramatic turn for the worse very recently. Teachers and parents say that “the magic is gone” after two longtime staff members were pushed out.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
‘A systemic failure,’ part 3: Hilltop staff, parents question whether center will be able to open safely after staff exodus
Hilltop Child Development Center is supposed to open its doors for the fall semester on Monday, Aug. 11. But many Hilltop staffers and families are unsure whether that will be able to happen — and if it does, if it’ll happen safely.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Open house celebrates decade of Free State High School prairie restoration project
Local wildlife appeared and wildflowers were in bloom on Sunday as community members toured the decade-old Free State High School prairie.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Students frustrated after KU complies with state order to strip pronouns from email signatures; experts decry vague directive
KU students and faculty are speaking out against KU’s decision to comply with anti-DEI directives that raise First Amendment concerns. It’s also unclear what the penalty might be if the university were to snub the order.






