KU Information and Resources

KU's mission guides all University endeavors. Institutional rankings provide evidence of KU's reputation of academic excellence in the larger educational community. The university fact book, KU Profiles, is a comprehensive source of information about KU as an institution as well as the university community of students, faculty, and staff.

KU is a comprehensive public research institution with a complex array of teaching sites, research centers, and affiliated corporations. A minimalist administrative structure and a shared governance system enable the University to actively address the changing needs of students, faculty, staff and the people of the state of Kansas. The University of Kansas and the other five state universities are governed by the Kansas Board of Regents, a nine-member body appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.

At KU, research and teaching are mutually reinforcing, with scholarly inquiry underlying and informing the educational experience at the undergraduate, professional, and graduate levels. A talented and dedicated faculty are actively engaged in fulfilling KU's research, teaching, and service missions. The KU Honors Program, one of the oldest in the country, provides enriched educational opportunities for intellectually talented undergraduate students. Student international experience is emphasized and KU ranks eleventh among public research institutions in the proportion of its students studying abroad.

KU's commitment to undergraduate academic achievement was nationally recognized by KU's inclusion in the book Student Success in College, which describes policies, programs, and practices from 20 exemplary institutions as part of the Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) project.

KU traditionally has attracted talented and ambitious students. KU's average 24.8 student ACT score for Fall 2008 was well above the national average of 22.1. The KU average ACT score for Fall 2009 was 24.7. KU students have a strong record of prestigious fellowships, including Fulbright Fellows and Rhodes Scholars. During the past decade, overall student retention rates have increased and the 2005 senior survey reported that 91 percent of students were satisfied with their overall education at KU.

As a public research university, KU provides service and outreach in ways that stem directly from its research capacity and expertise, as well as its educational and cultural centers. Continuing education programs serve the professional and academic needs of individuals across the state of Kansas and throughout the nation. KU prides itself on a tradition of active and meaningful student involvement through both curricular and co-curricular activities.

Planning activities at KU typically include students, faculty, and staff. KU's newest planning effort, Initiative 2015, was launched in January 2008, and will play a key role in guiding KU's development and focus in the 21^st century.

The Lawrence campus master plan provides a framework for the physical development needed to effectively support KU's academic mission. Over the past decade, more than $300 million in new building projects have been funded.

To provide more predictability in tuition and fees, students at KU proposed the concept of a guaranteed four-year tuition plan. On March 16, 2005, KU's Student Senate approved a resolution that supported the development and implementation of this tuition compact. The student-driven initiative, endorsed by the University administration, is the basis of KU's Four-Year Tuition Compact and was approved by the Kansas Board of Regents on June 28, 2007.

The overarching philosophy that guides planning and budgeting decisions at KU is to
protect and enhance the academic core and mission. The budgeting process includes
discussions among administrators and faculty that focus on the relationship between unit
and institutional goals. KU Administration and Finance sustains and advances the
University's mission to create, preserve and disseminate knowledge through leadership and
innovation in business strategy and processes.

Providing access to information through the innovative use of technology is crucial to support the teaching, research, and service mission of KU. A complex, integrated information system was recently implemented to more effectively serve student, faculty, and institutional data needs. Management information systems provide timely operational and managerial data allow campus leaders to make data-informed decisions.