Vice Chancellor Message

Im extremely honored to serve as vice chancellor of the University of Kansas Edwards Campus.
I have a long history with the campus, first attending classes as a graduate student and later teaching. I
have served on a number of KU Edwards boards and committees over the years as well.
I truly believe the Edwards Campus not only has a special place in the Kansas City community, but also
has the remarkable potential to extend KUs education, research and community engagement mission to
the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Thanks to strong support from the Johnson County community, the Edwards Campus has been able to
respond to the workforce needs of the metropolitan area for over two decades. Since 1993, the campus
has contributed more than $500 million to the Johnson County economy through education, research
and service initiatives.
As the needs of the workforce grow and change, KU Edwards is positioned to fulfill these evolving needs
by working with business, education and government to achieve this vision. The campus is committed to
being:
nimble and flexible to meet the needs of our students and community partners;
innovative, and not afraid to fail in our quest to find creative solutions to future challenges;
perhaps most importantly, a strong partner with community colleges, K-12 schools, and industry leaders
The presence of our undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture, design and planning, business,
education, engineering, liberal arts, journalism and social welfare have contributed to more than 8,500
graduates. Through the great support of Johnson County, we opened the new Business, Engineering,
Science and Technology Building and added eight new degree programs and graduate certificates that
serve critical workforce needs for Kansas City.
One of our most significant achievements to date is the addition of KUs Continuing Education division to
the Edwards Campus. The integration of Continuing Education into the campus creates a regional hub
for undergraduate, graduate and continuing professional development and training.
Centers and institutes on the Edwards Campus also partner with the community to develop innovative
research and address pressing societal needs. These include our Confucius Institute, Kansas Center for
Autism Research and Training, Hartley Audiology Clinic, Center for STEM Learning and KU Public
Management Center.
Please visit us anytime to learn more about our programs and to provide us with new strategies to best
serve the community. We are constantly looking for new ways to improve.

David J. Cook, Ph.D
Vice Chancellor