KU Today: Stay on top of Jayhawk news with these must-follow Twitter accounts
So, you’ve moved into your residence hall, toured the campus, located where your classes will be, gotten a parking permit and thoroughly read ALL the brochures you’ve received from Kansas University (wink, wink).
Now it’s time to get oriented with the KU Twitter-sphere.
Twitter is a great place to spot breaking KU news, trending conversations and helpful hints about navigating life as a Jayhawk — but the social media scene is a noisy, crowded place.
You’ll discover plenty of your own favorite handles to follow, but here are our top recommendations for your baseline.
@LJW_KU
Followers: 4,714
All the Journal-World’s KU news coverage is broadcast through this handle. Scoops on construction projects, policy changes affecting sexual assault investigations, KU professors doing mind-blowing research, students winning big awards, Heard on the Hill blog posts, how many millions of dollars KU spends to keep its private jet in the air — if we write it, you’ll spot links here. (Plus notable retweets, such as when the basketball team does something major like, oh, wins a world championship.)
Research-driven KU plans to light up 100-gigabit Internet on campus by mid-2016 http://t.co/UcvxWaR5Ct pic.twitter.com/CGMV9UHrpC
— LJWorld KU News (@LJW_KU) August 11, 2015
@saramarieshep
Followers: 1,590
The actual human behind the @LJW_KU handle, yours truly, Journal-World KU and higher education reporter, Sara Shepherd. I tweet my own KU stories, other KU stories, pictures and bytes from campus, live updates from Kansas Board of Regents Meetings, higher ed news stories I find interesting plus occasional wonky journalism, crime news and art history stuff.
Heard on the Hill — Where did all the lilacs go on KU's Lilac Lane? http://t.co/zx9Rjvb0KC pic.twitter.com/TeyJrlvPfs
— Sara Shepherd (@saramarieshep) August 21, 2015
@KUNews
Followers: 50.3K
This is KU’s official Twitter account. It tweets everything from basketball to research on Malaysian biodiversity research to upcoming arts events — often with polished photos and videos from the KU marketing team.
The staff members who manage the account love their hashtags, photos and audience interaction. But it’s certainly not the only Twitter word from the university. Search for your own residence hall, department or organization’s handle, and you will almost certainly find it.
Memorable stories, like Susan Savage’s ride up Mt. Oread, fill #KU150 history: http://t.co/xtWbuCL2IJ#KUexperience pic.twitter.com/lcCUm4dwEe
— University of Kansas (@KUnews) August 17, 2015
@KUInfo
Followers: 4,410
Go ahead, ask anything. This is the tweeting arm of KU’s long-running information service, KU Info. Its Twitter feed is full of fun and must-know facts about what’s going on at KU (i.e., how to make sure you’re walking down the correct side of the hill for graduation or the deadline for dropping a class and getting a refund). You can call, email, text or tweet your questions to the service.
Our favorite question from today: "Why are there so many songs about rainbows?"
— KU Info (@KUInfo) July 15, 2015
@KansanNews
Followers: 12.4K
For student-oriented news at KU, check out the Twitter feed of The University Daily Kansan, KU’s student newspaper. Follow it for breaking campus news, multimedia, sports and reporting on KU and Lawrence.
Looking for a night out on a budget? Here's five shows this month under $10 in #LFK. http://t.co/YQGtVEV5HQ
— Daily Kansan (@KansanNews) August 21, 2015
@KUSenate / @KUPresident
Followers: 1,775/1,814
The official accounts of KU’s Student Senate and student body president, who is Jessie Pringle for 2015-2016. Both are sources for news about what KU’s student government is up to and a venue to engage with Student Senate.
#TBT to when Student Senate helped launch the parking ticket forgiveness quiz! Learn more about it here: http://t.co/xkR0ag0PkL
— KU Student Senate (@KUSenate) August 13, 2015
Look out Topeka, I'll be the next SAC chair. I'm so excited to work with the rest of the KBOR Student Body Presidents this upcoming year!
— KU Student Body Pres (@KUPresident) May 20, 2015
@suaevents
Followers: 3,336
Student Union Activities has planned events at KU for 75 years. The student-run board brings in hundreds of cultural, fine arts, music and other sorts of activities every year. Its feed gives you a heads-up about what’s coming.
Are you as excited as we are about Vic Mensa coming?! Get your tickets tomorrow at 11 AM so you don't miss out
@kuhistorytoday
Followers: 3,178
KU has been around for 150 years, making for quite a bit of fodder for KU History Today. A project of KU Memorial Unions, the online history service digs for facts from the university’s archives. Every day, KU History Today posts happenings at KU on that day in years past.
1914-Potter Lake is open for swimming again as funds were raised to pay for lifeguard- basketball star Lefty Sproull. pic.twitter.com/BQrA8fWdOb
— KU History (@kuhistorytoday) July 22, 2015
@KUJBS
Followers: 2,306
Stay safe with the Jayhawk Buddy System — and its tweets. @KUJBS acknowledges that KU students, from time to time, drink when they go out and emits tips for staying under control and reminders for making it home safe.
From its website: “The intent of the Jayhawk Buddy System is to empower students to intervene when their friends are moving in a direction that is likely to result in arrest, injury or other undesirable consequences.”
2 heads are better than 1! Be sure u return tonight w/same buddy u left with. #besmart #buddyup pic.twitter.com/tq5eBqu5e6
— Jayhawk Buddy System (@KUJBS) August 16, 2015
@FreeFoodAtKU
Followers: 7,158
A KU student favorite for obvious reasons, @FreeFoodAtKU tweets (and retweets) are dedicated to providing the best intelligence for getting pizza, cookies, hamburgers and other Lawrence fare on a budget — from chain restaurant specials to on-campus meetings with snacks.
Free drinks and food in the Koch commons in Summerfield! https://t.co/9SL8DWXlnh
— Free Food At KU (@FreeFoodAtKU) May 13, 2015