The University of Kansas

The University of Kansas

Latin: Universitas Kansiensis
Motto	Videbo visionem hanc magnam quare non comburatur rubus (Latin)
Motto in English	"I shall see this great sight, why the bush does not burn". (Exodus 3:3)
Type	Flagship state university
Established	March 21, 1865 (1865-03-21)
Affiliation	Kansas Board of Regents
Academic affiliation	AAU, APLU, EDUCAUSE
Endowment	$1.86 billion
Chancellor	Bernadette Gray-Little
Provost	Neeli Bendapudi
Academic staff	2,663
Students	28,091 total (fall 2015)
Location	Lawrence, Kansas, U.S. 38°57′29″N 95°14′52″W / 38.95806°N 95.24778°W / 38.95806; -95.24778Coordinates: 38°57′29″N 95°14′52″W / 38.95806°N 95.24778°W / 38.95806; -95.24778
Campus	College town, Urban, 1,100 acres (450 ha)
Colors	Crimson and Blue
Nickname	Jayhawks
Mascots	Big Jay & Baby Jay
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – Big 12
Website	www.ku.edu

The University of Kansas, often referred to as KU or Kansas, is a public research university in the U.S. state of Kansas. The main campus in Lawrence, one of the largest college towns in Kansas, is on Mount Oread, the highest elevation in Lawrence. Two branch campuses are in the Kansas City metropolitan area: the Edwards Campus in Overland Park, and the university's medical school and hospital in Kansas City. There are also educational and research sites in Parsons, Topeka, Garden City, Hays, and Leavenworth, and branches of the medical school in Wichita and Salina. The university is one of the 62 members of the Association of American Universities.

Founded March 21, 1865, the university was opened in 1866, under a charter granted by the Kansas State Legislature in 1864 following enabling legislation passed in 1863 under the Kansas State Constitution, adopted two years after the 1861 admission of the former Kansas Territory as the 34th state into the Union following an internal civil war known as "Bleeding Kansas" during the 1850s.

Enrollment at the Lawrence and Edwards campuses was 24,708 students in fall 2015; an additional 3,383 students were enrolled at the KU Medical Center for an enrollment of 28,091 students across the three campuses. The university overall employed 2,814 faculty members in fall 2015.