News
Mon, 12/01/2025
When it Comes to Promoting Health Equity: Language Matters!
The recent Executive Orders EO 14151 and 14173, which aim to reverse the nation’s efforts toward racial diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), have created tremendous confusion and fear within organizations whose missions involve delivering health, housing, and social services to vulnerable populations.
Almost all federally supported efforts to understand and resolve demographic discrepancies in health, environmental, or economic outcomes have ceased, creating ripple effects across network
Mon, 10/27/2025
Study documents wind regulations across all Kansas counties, can help guide energy policies nationwide
Researchers at the University of Kansas have published a study based on the Kansas Energy Transition Atlas. The site documents wind energy regulations across all 105 of the state's counties, and findings from the study document which regions of the state tend to have enabling or blocking restrictions, how agriculture influences policy, whether voting habits play a part and more.
Tue, 10/14/2025
Study finds group reflective practice beneficial to planning commissions, staff, yet rarely used
A University of Kansas researcher conducted a study on how staffing reports for planning commissions could be improved. The results showed that group reflective practice, or simply making time for elected officials and staffers to discuss why they do what they do, can lead to better practice.
Wed, 10/08/2025
KU School of Public Affairs and Administration Welcomes Dr. Brian Nakamura as Robert A. Kipp Professor of the Practice
Lawrence, KS - The University of Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Brian S. Nakamura has been named the Robert A. Kipp Professor of the Practice. Nakamura brings more than 25 years of distinguished service in local government and a passion for developing the next generation of public service leaders.
Tue, 10/07/2025
School of Public Affairs and Administration highlights 2025-26 speaker lineup
The School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) is spotlighting its 2025-26 speaker lineup, which features thought leaders addressing some of today’s most pressing issues in governance, policy, and public service.
Mon, 09/29/2025
KU SPAA Founding Member of Accountability and Reform Research Consortium
The Accountability and Reform Research Consortium will study the impact of changes to the federal workforce on public service delivery, citizens, and democratic governance
Tue, 09/09/2025
SPAA Assistant Professor, Hala Altamimi, studies find nonprofits' use of flexible labor negatively affect operational outcomes, lack long-term financial benefit
Hala Altamimi of the University of Kansas is co-author on several studies examining how the push to increase efficiency, or "do more with less," has affected nonprofit organizations. A pair of studies has found that relying on flexible labor affects nonprofits' operational outcomes and can provide short term financial benefits, but not long-term fiscal improvement.
Wed, 09/03/2025
New book tells story of Kansas labor court that both flirted with fascism, stood up for workers' rights
KU professor Ben Merriman tells the story of the Kansas Court of Industrial Relations in a new book. The author shares how it was the only such court in the nation and the legacy it has for American labor law today.
Tue, 07/29/2025
Study finds high levels of social infrastructure lead to healthier communities
The United States spends significant amounts of money on health care every year, but health outcomes have not improved. New research from the University of Kansas has found that high levels of social infrastructure, especially in the arts, is connected to healthier communities.
Wed, 06/04/2025
School Recognizes 2024-2025 Graduates
LAWRENCE – On May 17, 2025, the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) celebrated its graduates with its annual graduation recognition ceremony which recognizes the graduates of Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025.
Fri, 04/25/2025
KU Graduate Students to Present Research on Recent City Issues on May 8 at the Cider Gallery
On May 8, graduate students in KU’s UBPL 763: Politics and Planning class will present research on recent Lawrence projects and issues at a drop-in event from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Cider Gallery (810 Pennsylvania St. Lawrence, KS). The class is part of KU's Urban Planning program, which is within the School of Public Affairs and Administration. It is celebrating 50 years of graduating Jayhawk Planners and 75 years of educating public servants, respectively.
Wed, 04/09/2025
The University of Kansas Retains No. 1 Position as a Leader in Local Government Management
KU School of Public Affairs and Administration is Premier Institution for Local Government Management in National Rankings
Fri, 03/14/2025
KU Public Management Center announces new director
Kristi Northcutt will direct the center that provides professional education and leadership development programs and events for public service professionals across Kansas and beyond.
Tue, 02/11/2025
Democratic accountability standards and the education of public administrators: A call to action
Is it time to reaffirm democratic accountability standards in the education of public administrators through our accreditation processes?
Mon, 12/16/2024
Gound-Level Environmentalism: Trumpism's Unexpected Outcome Part Two
Part Two foresees that Americans’ shared commitment to environmental health, beauty, and conservation will incite a response unseen in most of our lifetimes: localized, ground-level, grassroots citizen mobilizations. Similar upwellings of emotion, activism, and politicking founded, over a half-century ago, our system of using law and science to safeguard our natural environment.
Thu, 12/12/2024
Gound-Level Environmentalism: Trumpism's Unexpected Outcome Part One
America’s current environmental protection enterprise – the complex but effective blend of institutions, laws, and personnel at every governmental level – will not survive the Trump presidency unscathed. Trumpism’s Project 2025 pledged to favor profits over protection. Part One of this article anticipates how its implementation will remodel agencies, rewrite laws, and exile federal experts.
Mon, 12/02/2024
KC Star Guest Commentary: Federal Remote Work Works for America
Karl Brooks is Professor of the Practice at the University of Kansas' School of Public Affairs and Administration and was EPA Regional Administrator in the Heartland from 2010 to 2015, then EPA national operations manager from 2015 to 2016.
Mon, 09/30/2024
Study: Conflicting goals, focus on economic development lead to underperforming streetcar systems
Streetcar systems that prioritized taking people to highly desired locations tended to outperform those whose goals were economic development, a new University of Kansas study shows. Understanding this goal tension can help future systems meet public needs.
Fri, 09/27/2024
Thom Allen named as Fall 2024 Service Learning Instructional Mini-Grant recipient
The Center for Service Learning has recognized Thom Allen, assistant professor of the practice of urban planning and associate director of the University Honors Program, as a Service Learning Instructional Mini-Grant recipient for fall 2024.
Tue, 07/30/2024
KU experts can comment on 2024 elections, related topics
LAWRENCE — As a contentious U.S. election season heads toward November, University of Kansas experts are available to discuss with media the candidates, key issues, procedures and narratives of the 2024 races.
Read on for experts by topic; some experts appear under multiple categories.
Thu, 07/18/2024
The Story I Want to Tell of Me: Speculative Fiction meets Speculative Non-fiction
2024 ACSP Junior Faculty of Color Workshop
Hosted by the University of Kansas
Mon, 07/01/2024
Strengthening Democracy through Accountability with Dr. Chris Koliba - NAPA Management Matters Podcast
In this Management Matters podcast episode, Chris Koliba, Distinguished Professor at the University of Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration and Academy Fellow, discusses liberal democratic accountability standards, inclusive governance, and ways to strengthen democracy in today's environment.
Thu, 05/30/2024
SPAA Professor Chuck Epp Wins Law & Society Mentorship Award (Opens in new window)
This article was published by the Law & Society Association on May 30, 2024 and written by Crissonna Tennison. ...
Thu, 05/30/2024
SPAA Professor Chuck Epp Wins Law & Society Mentorship Award (Opens in new window)
This article was published by the Law & Society Association on May 30, 2024 and written by Crissonna Tennison. ...
Thu, 05/23/2024
New grant will fund study on preemption's effects on health, economic disparities in Kansas City
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute’s Policies for Action program has awarded more than $382,000 to researchers at KU and the National Academy of Public Administration for a study of how preemptive public policies may contribute to economic insecurity and health inequities in the Kansas City area.
Mon, 05/20/2024
School Celebrates Accomplishments of Graduates
LAWRENCE – On May 11, 2024, the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) celebrated its graduates with its annual graduation recognition ceremony which celebrates those who graduated in summer of 2023 as well as fall and spring 2024. To view photos from this event, visit here and if you...
Wed, 05/08/2024
Leading Edge Program Finds a New Permanent Home at the University of Kansas Public Management Center (Opens in new window)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE...
Mon, 05/06/2024
Accountability standards based on rules of democracy needed in times of rising political violence, scholar argues
Populism, violence and democratic backsliding are all reasons to establish accountability standards for government administrators and public administration scholars, a KU professor writes in new work for the journal Public Administration Review.
Wed, 04/24/2024
Jayhawk Planners Take On the National Planning Conference 2024
#JayhawkPlanners were everywhere at this year’s National Planning Conference amongst the over 4,000 attendees and 200 sessions and mobile workshops. The in-person conference was April 13-16 in Minneapolis. Twelve current students attended, and we spotted alumni and KU Urban Planning Advisory Board members out and about, but especially at the...
Wed, 04/10/2024
KU #1 in Latest Local Government Management MPA Program Rankings
Continuing Its Legacy of Excellence: KU SPAA Reaffirms Its Status as the Premier Choice for Local Government Management Education ...