WRITER: Chad Lawhorn

Lt. Gov. Toland tells higher education leaders they need to start having some 'uncomfortable conversations'

The Kansas Board of Regents — the organization that oversees the leaders who hand out grades to thousands of the state’s college students — had the tables turned on it at Wednesday’s meeting. Lt. Gov. David Toland, who also is Kansas’ secretary of commerce, came to Wednesday’s meeting and handed out grades on how the state’s major universities are doing in helping attract new businesses and serve ...

Last-minute bill would strip Regents of many oversight powers regarding KU, K-State, Wichita State

A late-arriving bill in the Kansas Legislature has a power struggle brewing between the Kansas Board of Regents and the University of Kansas, among others. A bill introduced Wednesday morning would strip the Kansas Board of Regents of several key oversight powers related to KU, Kansas State and Wichita State University. By Wednesday afternoon, the Regents had unanimously voted to oppose the bill as it works ...

Despite surprise 'no' votes this week, city commissioners want public, state officials to know they still support affordable housing

Affordable housing has been the issue that’s caught the eye of Lawrence voters recently. After Tuesday night’s Lawrence City Commission meeting, it might also have caught the eye of state officials who control the fate of millions of dollars in affordable housing tax credits — and not in the way that local advocates would like. This week’s City Commission meeting included an agenda item that normally ...

Union representing KU faculty says it has reached tentative agreement on labor contract

UPDATED 5:25 P.M. MARCH 6 KU and the labor union representing the university’s approximately 1,600 faculty members have reached a tentative agreement on wages, working conditions and a host of other issues, the union announced Friday morning. Leaders with the United Academics of KU said the agreement — the first ever between the university and the union — will ensure “dignified compensation for ...

KU senate leaders extend voting on survey gauging whether university has confidence in chancellor

Faculty and staff leaders were expected on Wednesday to release the totals of an informal vote on whether KU community members have confidence in Chancellor Doug Girod amid rising labor tensions. No such vote results emerged on Wednesday. Instead, Faculty Senate President Misty Heggeness — one of two organizers of the vote — said a decision was made to keep the online voting open until next week. ...

KU and its faculty union set to resume negotiations as deadline nears on wage issues

KU management and the labor union representing its faculty members were scheduled to negotiate Thursday as the two parties near the date that KU has said it would seek to declare the negotiations at an impasse. An update posted by the United Academics of KU — which represents about 1,500 faculty members as it seeks a first-time labor contract with the university — said negotiations are expected to resume ...