Tools

  Print Page

The mission of the University of Kansas is to lift students and society far above by educating leaders, building healthy communities, and making discoveries that will change the world. Our 2012 State Agenda contains measures that will advance that mission.

Enhancing Efficiency in University Operations

Maintaining Efficiency of Construction Projects.  KU received legislative support for streamlining construction projects two years ago through SB 9.  These efficiencies have been quite beneficial to KU, saving both time and money.  Working with representatives from various trade associations, including architects, general contractors, and professional engineers, SB 9 allowed universities to adopt campus-based processes for the selection and bidding of various services for construction projects.  This law sunsets after FY 2012 and we are seeking the removal of that sunset by the Kansas Legislature.

Streamlining IT Projects.  Increasing cost savings in the management of information technology projects continues to be a key priority.  In 2011, the Kansas Senate adopted SB 8, which increases the threshold for IT projects to be subject to time-consuming and oftentimes redundant review processes in Topeka.  The measure was not acted on in the Kansas House and we are seeking its further consideration or similar statutory relief in 2012. 

Fostering Excellence in a Challenging Economy

Promoting Achievement in Educating Leaders and Making Discoveries. In advancing its mission for the betterment of Kansans, KU is committed to strengthening our stature in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). 

Recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty and staff is vital to educating the leaders of tomorrow, building healthy communities, and making discoveries that will change Kansas and the world.  From acclaimed faculty to the individuals who maintain our IT departments, these men and women are essential to the success of our university and those we serve.  We must be better positioned to recruit and retain these key personnel.  Universities are seeking adequate state funding to meet these needs and KU supports the Board of Regents request for a 1.8 percent increase in base funding, as well as a 2.8 percent increase in student financial aid to improve access to higher education.

In addition, KU seeks $3 million to recruit professors of the highest stature to galvanize efforts around KU’s four strategic initiatives.  As members of national academies, each of these 12 “Foundation Professors” would enhance KU’s standing within AAU.  Their hiring would also be supported by substantial start-up investments, made possible via donations to our comprehensive campaign. 

Preserving the Kansas Bioscience Authority.  Kansas is the envy of other states thanks to the enlightened enactment of the Kansas Economic Growth Act, which established the Kansas Bioscience Authority.  Given its support for initiatives like the KU Cancer Center, preserving the integrity and funding stream of the KBA is of key importance in generating prosperity in Kansas via state universities.

Removing Statutory Barriers to Commercialization.  Discoveries at universities are often turned into new jobs and businesses, such as the 22 active companies created by KU research.  This research and its related economic activity can fuel an otherwise stagnant economy.  However, from time to time we encounter inadvertent, outdated statutory barriers to turning discoveries into jobs and prosperity.  

Currently, universities cannot benefit from involving faculty researchers when we’re working on agreements to incubate start-up companies where their research is involved.  The revision sought makes it clear that involvement by the faculty member is appropriately limited.  For example, a researcher would not have the authority to negotiate the terms or to approve the contract or set terms on behalf of the university, but would still be able to provide knowledge and input that would benefit the university.

Serving Kansans’ Health Needs

Providing a Strong Medical Workforce for Kansas    The state’s only School of Medicine has enormous pressure to educate the next generation of doctors, conduct research that changes and saves lives, provide clinical care to our citizens and compete with other academic medical center for key resources. 

Meeting the medical workforce needs of rural Kansas is a core objective and the Kansas Medical Student Loan Program is highly successful in that regard.  Administered by the University of Kansas Medical Center, the program provides tuition fees and a monthly stipend in the form of loans for medical students.  Students work off the loan by entering a primary care specialty and then practicing in a medically underserved area of the state, or forego the service and repay the loan with 15 percent interest.

For FY 2013, the Medical Student Loan Program will have a shortfall of $1.8 million because more students are meeting their obligation through service in lieu of payment.  Unless this funding is restored, 38 fewer loans will be available.  This will have a direct impact on the future supply of primary care physicians in Kansas, exacerbating current shortages of health providers.

Strengthening Medical Education in Kansas.  KUMC is one of this country’s fastest-rising academic medical centers.  But to sustain and enhance the institution for the years ahead, vital work is taking place to implement a five-year plan for KUMC.  Central to this plan is producing a larger, well-trained medical workforce for Kansas in order to meet a significant predicted physician shortage in the years ahead.  KU is seeking state support for a new Medical Education Building to increase each class size by 50 students in order to help address the state’s anticipated physician shortage. 

Preserving Quality at KUMC.   Clinical care at the KU Medical Center is carried out by our physician faculty and residents, and issues surrounding quality assurance/peer review are sensitive and important.  To ensure the highest protection of quality care involving faculty and residents, KUMC is seeking a statutory definition that, for purposes of quality assurance only, it can obtain these records from our clinical partners, the University of Kansas Hospital and KU Physicians, Inc. 

How to Get Involved

Jayhawks for Higher Education is a group of KU alumni and supporters who advocate for KU in the Statehouse.  Visit kualumni.org/jhe to learn more about how you can become an advocate for KU.

For more information about the KU agenda, please contact Kathy Damron, director of state relations, at (785) 235-2525 or mkdtopeka@aol.com.