KU Alerts

Emergency Notifications

The University of Kansas uses a range of tools to keep students, faculty, staff and visitors informed in the event of an emergency that could affect their health and safety. These tools include:

• text messaging
• campus email
• public address speakers
• the @UnivOfKansas handle on Twitter
• this webpage

Alerts are sent when there is an immediate threat to the campus and in situations requiring immediate action.

Separately, the university also sends alerts when campus is closed due to winter weather. The university does not issue alerts for severe weather such as tornados, flooding or dangerous lightning. For this information, students and employees should rely on local media and the National Weather Service.

Text message alerts

Students are automatically subscribed to emergency text messages and can view/edit their cell phone number at Enroll and Pay. 

Faculty and staff can subscribe to receive text messages and view/edit their cell phone number through the Employee Emergency Notification app at the myKU Portal.

KU Police Department

The university benefits from having its own on-campus law enforcement department, the KU Police Department. This office is responsible for the Lawrence campus and often works in conjunction with the Lawrence Police Department.

The KU Police Department maintains a 24-hour operation, employing commissioned law enforcement personnel, noncommissioned security officers and 911 dispatchers. Uniformed officers patrol the campus on foot, and in marked police cars. The department also monitors closed-circuit cameras located in parking lots and public areas throughout campus, including all major residence halls.