The Kansas Board of Regents was to consider establishing a two-part Center of Excellence for Teaching. Stanley Koplik, executive director of the board’s staff, said the proposal called for a teaching research center at Kansas University and a training center for teachers at Emporia State University.

As Republican president Ronald Reagan and challenger Walter Mondale prepared for another debate, Democrats seemed to be dwelling on Reagan’s age of 73, saying “it is definitely something to be considered.” Up to this point, age discussion had seemed to be a relatively taboo subject.

Byron R. “Whizzer” White of the U.S. Supreme Court was in Lawrence for meetings and lectures with teachers and students at the KU Law School. The former Colorado All-American football star had been appointed to the top court by president John Kennedy. White drew large crowds for all his appearances.

A proposal to construct a retail shopping mall near the Kansas River east of city hall had raised a number of concerns among city commissioners. Steve Clark was the key developer for the proposal, one of at least three on the table for the downtown.