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Governance matters

For further information, contact the governance office at govern@ku.edu.

PROPER PLANNING:

University Governance bodies work closely with university leaders on many types of planning to ensure that the voices of students, staff and faculty are heard as the university charts the future.

The University Senate's Planning and Resources Committee, led this year by Joseph Heppert, chair and professor of the Department of Chemistry, monitors and contributes to the university's planning and budgeting processes. The PRC does this in close coordination with other bodies, especially SenEx.

Beyond these ongoing efforts, governance leaders also respond to requests from the provost and chancellor to suggest individuals to serve on ad hoc planning and advisory bodies, such as the group that the provost formed this spring for tuition planning.

At the highest level, the university periodically undertakes planning on an institutional scale, as in "Initiative 2015." In these circumstances, governance seeks every opportunity for the KU community to raise issues, ask questions and make suggestions. In that spirit, the provost requested time to meet with the University Senate on Feb. 28. During that visit, he indicated his strong commitment to return to the Senate and to other forums as the next stages of planning unfold to share information, listen to suggestions and respond to questions.

As this academic year approaches its end, student, staff and faculty leaders are working to sustain this dialogue about planning. They are working with incoming governance leaders to use this information to prepare timely charges for governance committees and task forces, as well as for University Senate, for 2008-09.

TOPONYMS:

Fred Kurata, a distinguished professor and pioneer in thermodynamics research (1947-78), set up the precursor to Kurata Thermodynamics Laboratories in the old Broadcasting Hall east of the Art and Design Building. After two lab explosions in 1959, the lab was moved to a west campus building later razed to make way for the Lied Center. The present Kurata Thermodynamics Laboratories, on Crowell Drive, opened in 1990. For more, visit KU Buildings.