Your daily dose of news, notes and links from around Kansas University.

• So it looks like the boycott of the academic publisher Elsevier that some KU folks were involved in recently had an effect.

The publisher dropped its support of the Research Works Act, a measure introduced by Republican U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa. Opponents argued that the measure would have limited free and open access for academic journal articles.

“While we continue to oppose government mandates in this area, Elsevier is withdrawing support for the Research Work Act itself,” the publisher said in a statement online.

More than 7,500 people had signed the online petition against Elsevier as of Monday evening.

• Here’s an interesting article I spotted in the Chronicle of Higher Education recently that says that women are studying abroad at a much higher rate than men.

The Institute of International Education Network ranks KU 17th in public doctoral, “extensive research” universities in study abroad participation, with 23.1 percent of undergraduates participating, in 2009-10, the latest data available from the group.

That ranking has fallen from a high of seventh in 2005-06, when 29 percent of KU undergraduates participated.

But in that same academic year, 2009-10, the Chronicle reported nearly two-thirds of all study abroad participants were women.

Colleges are looking to find ways to drum up male participation, apparently: The University of Minnesota has taken out ads in the sports section of the satirical newspaper The Onion.

The newspaper posits several potential explanations for the disparity. One, men seem to be less inclined than women to study abroad after getting more engaged with their peers.

But maybe, as one commenter at the Chronicle pointed out, it’s just because men don’t like asking for directions.

• And finally, I had several people share this amusing photo from the KU Alumni Association featuring KU fan and “Saturday Night Live” star Jason Sudeikis along with friend and “Mad Men” actor Jon Hamm, who’s a Missouri alumnus.

The two were at a KU Alumni Association watch party in Los Angeles.

Hamm definitely looks sadder than Sudeikis looks happier, but it’s still a nice pictorial representation of the last true border battle.

• If you hear stuff on the hill, spread the love and make sure to send me a tip at ahyland@ljworld.com.