From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

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Two KU Debate teams qualify for National Debate Tournament
LAWRENCE — Two University of Kansas debate teams have been selected as automatic qualifiers for the 2023 National Debate Tournament, to take place March 30-April 4 in Chantilly, Virginia. The team of seniors Mickey McMahon, Leawood, and Michael Scott, Glenview, Illinois, and the team of Jimin Park, Topeka, and Jet Semrick, Prairie Village, were among the top 16 teams in the country to receive automatic qualification. This is the 56th consecutive year that KU Debate has qualified teams for the National Debate Tournament.

KU Institute of Health + Wellness Design hosting Health, Equity & Architecture symposium
LAWRENCE — Leading architects are gathering at the University of Kansas on Feb. 20 for a discussion on how architecture can bridge the gap between social equity and human well-being. The KU Institute of Health + Wellness Design’s sixth annual symposium, Health, Equity & Architecture, will begin at 2 p.m. in the School of Architecture & Design’s Marvin Hall Forum and online via livestream.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Scott Harris, KU Debate, 785-864-9878, [email protected], @KansasDebate
Two KU Debate teams qualify for National Debate Tournament

LAWRENCE — Two University of Kansas debate teams have been selected as automatic qualifiers for the 2023 National Debate Tournament, to take place March 30-April 4 in Chantilly, Virginia. The team of seniors Mickey McMahon, Leawood, and Michael Scott, Glenview, Illinois, and the team of Jimin Park, Topeka, and Jet Semrick, Prairie Village, were among the top 16 teams in the country, based on season-long performance, to be selected by the NDT National Committee to receive automatic qualification. This is the 56th consecutive year that KU Debate has qualified teams for the National Debate Tournament. It is the first time since 2017 that KU has had two teams selected as automatic qualifiers.
In 1973, the National Debate Tournament began recognizing the top 16 teams in the country as automatic first-round, at-large qualifiers for the tournament. The order of the committee rankings is kept secret until the tournament. KU has now had 44 teams receive first-round automatic qualifications. This is the fourth time that McMahon and Scott have qualified to compete at the NDT and the second time they have received an automatic top-16 qualification. Last year the pair reached the Final Four of the National Debate Tournament. This is the second time that Park and Semrick have qualified to compete at the NDT and their first time as an automatic qualifier. Last year the pair qualified for the single-elimination debates at the NDT.
Joining KU as automatic qualifiers are California State University at Long Beach, Dartmouth College (two teams), Emory University (two teams), Georgetown University, Harvard University, the University of Kentucky, the University of Michigan (two teams), Northwestern University, the University of Texas and Wake Forest University (two teams). The rest of the 78-team field for the tournament will be filled through regional qualifying tournaments and second-round at-large selections over the next few weeks. KU has finished in the top four at the NDT in six of the past seven seasons, including winning the national championship in 2018.
“Jet and I are thrilled with the honor of being selected as a first round qualifying team to the NDT,” Park said. “We are grateful for all of the hard work of the coaching staff and the entire squad that helped make it possible.”
“We have the best coaches in the country, and we are thankful for all they do to help us succeed,” McMahon said.
The coaching staff is led by Brett Bricker, associate director of Kansas Debate, along with assistant coaches Azja Butler, Nathan Davis, Jyleesa Hampton, Derek Hilligoss, Ned Gidley, Max Reese, Jesse Smith and Alaina Walberg. Scott Harris is the David B. Pittaway Director of the debate program.
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Contact: Dan Rolf, School of Architecture & Design, 785-864-3027, [email protected], @ArcD_KU
KU Institute of Health + Wellness Design hosting Health, Equity & Architecture symposium
LAWRENCE – Leading architects are gathering at the University of Kansas on Feb. 20 for a discussion on how architecture can bridge the gap between social equity and human well-being.
The KU Institute of Health + Wellness Design’s sixth annual symposium, Health, Equity & Architecture, will begin at 2 p.m. in the School of Architecture & Design’s Marvin Hall Forum and online via livestream.

The symposium will feature a keynote address by Curtis Moody, FAIA, founder and board chair of Moody Nolan, the largest African American-owned architecture firm in the United States.

After the keynote, a presentation by Bonny Slater, ASID, of Gensler, will be followed by a response by Diamond Bronson, AIA, of Hoefer Welker. Bronson will then moderate a question-and-answer session.
The symposium will be followed by a reception at 3:30 p.m. in the Forum.
American Institute of Architects (AIA) members in attendance may earn 1.5 Health, Safety and Welfare continuing education units (CEUs). Details will be available at the end of the symposium.
Symposium presenters:
1. Curtis Moody, FAIA, is the founder and board chair of Moody Nolan. The firm has won more than 300 design citations, including 46 from the American Institute of Architects and 43 from the National Organization of Minority Architects. Moody Nolan was awarded the AIA 2021 firm award and named one of the most innovative architecture firms of 2022 by Fast Company.
2. Bonny Slater, ASID, is the Regional Health & Wellness Practice leader and senior associate at Gensler, Washington, D.C. Her specialty is creating inspiring places to support health and wellness. With expertise in both design and psychology, she brings a unique perspective to her projects through a research-driven approach to design for the diverse needs of users.
3. Diamond Bronson, AIA, is a KU alumna and member of Hoefer Welker’s Healthcare Studio Leadership Team in the firm’s Kansas City office. She recently completed the Pillars Leadership Program with the AIA-Kansas City chapter. Her passion for philanthropy and mentoring allows her to use her talent as an architect to give back to the community while nurturing the growth potential in our future architecture leaders.

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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs

From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

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Contact: Michelle Keller, KU Endowment, 785-832-7336, [email protected]; @KUEndowment
University of Kansas prepares for One Day. One KU. on Feb. 16

LAWRENCE — One Day. One KU. returns Feb. 16, marking its sixth anniversary. The theme of the 24-hour day of giving this year — EveryONE Counts — exemplifies the collective impact of each gift toward a common goal: building a greater University of Kansas.
Each year, the generosity and commitment to KU on this single day inspires others to give. In 2022, donors contributed 4,790 gifts totaling more than $3 million in support of programs and initiatives across all five KU campuses: Lawrence, the Edwards Campus in Overland Park, and medical branches in Kansas City, Wichita and Salina, along with The University of Kansas Health System.
Going into its sixth year, One Day. One KU. is well positioned to meet a new fundraising record with a wide variety of matching gifts and challenges to inspire donors to add their support. More than 130 unique matches and challenges, totaling nearly $700,000, have been made through the generosity of donors, including those provided by KU leadership:

1. Chancellor Douglas A. Girod and Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer’s challenge is championing an effort to encourage gifts, in any amount, to benefit the Jayhawk Student Support Fund. When 50 gifts are made to the Jayhawk Student Support Fund, an additional $10,000 will be unlocked.
2. Kansas Athletics Director Travis Goff and his family have pledged a series of three challenges in support of KU student-athlete mental health and wellness and women’s athletics initiatives. The Goff family will make a generous contribution to Kansas Athletics when 300 gifts are made.
3. To support members of the KU Medical Center community, Executive Vice Chancellor Robert Simari and Kelly Simari will match dollar for dollar all gifts up to $5,000 to the Thrive Food Pantry.
4. KU Alumni Association President Heath Peterson and Carrie Peterson will match all gifts dollar for dollar up to $1,000 in support of the KU Alumni Association.

Gifts made online, by phone and in person between midnight and 11:59 p.m. CST Feb. 16 will count toward One Day. One KU. Visit ku.edu/OneDayOneKU to find out more and to donate.

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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs

From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

Headlines

Study finds only about half of AI-generated ads labeled as such
LAWRENCE — A University of Kansas study has analyzed more than 1,000 AI-generated ads from across the web and found that they are only labeled as ads about half the time — and that they intentionally appeal to consumers in positive ways to influence them. Vaibhav Diwanji, assistant professor of journalism & mass communications, and co-authors wrote that such advertisements should be subject to the same FTC and FCC regulations as human-created advertisements.

Second dean candidate for KU Libraries to present Feb. 16
LAWRENCE — The second candidate for the University of Kansas Libraries dean position will give a public presentation at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 16 in Watson Library in Watson 3 West Event Space. Scott Hanrath currently serves as interim co-dean of KU Libraries and associate dean for research engagement.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Mike Krings, KU News Service, 785-864-8860, [email protected], @MikeKrings
Study finds only about half of AI-generated ads labeled as such
LAWRENCE — If you’ve been online today, chances are you’ve seen an AI-generated ad, likely without knowing it. A University of Kansas study has analyzed more than 1,000 AI-generated ads from across the web and found that they are only labeled as ads about half the time — and that they intentionally appeal to consumers in positive ways to influence them.
The technology has the potential to influence consumer behavior and decisions without viewers understanding whether the content was an advertisement or if it was developed by humans or bots. The prevalence of AI in programmatic advertising shows how frequently the technology is used and that it can skirt guidelines that human-developed ads have to follow, according to researchers.
“AI is not just a passive technology anymore. It’s actively being engaged in what we think — and in a way, how we make our decisions,” said Vaibhav Diwanji, assistant professor of journalism & mass communications. “The process has become more automated and is taking over the role of creative content online.”
Diwanji was the lead author of a study that analyzed 1,375 AI-generated programmatic ads found on social media, news sites, search engines and video platforms. The study, written with Jaejin Lee and Juliann Cortese of Florida State University, was published in the Journal of Strategic Marketing.
AI-generated ads are those created by algorithms to develop content that is contextualized and personalized for an individual based on their internet usage and demographics. The research team analyzed the ads to better understand if they are labeled as ads, what sort of appeals they made to consumers and how they used sentiment. Only about half of the ads were clearly labeled as such, meaning people frequently see content that they might believe is organic, such as a post by a friend on social media or a news item.
The primary problem with that lack of transparency is that humans must follow guidelines set forth by agencies such as the FCC and FTC when creating advertising content. AI is not bound by such restrictions so far, Diwanji said.
“Higher levels of nondisclosure in the AI-enabled ad content, similar to native advertising, would be likely to cause consumer deception, tracking them into false beliefs, confusion or dissatisfaction. At its core, AI-enabled advertising should be a fine balance between providing consumers with clear source disclosure and offering content that meshes with and provides value similar to the context in which it is placed,” the researchers wrote.
In terms of approach, the ads tended to be positive in their appeals, containing messages that were neither negative or neutral in the way they touted the good or service represented. They also tended to focus on the consumer and the benefit the individual could experience from what was being sold. Analysis showed that ads found on social media platforms revealed sponsorship most frequently, and news and publishing sites labeled them least frequently.
“You leave your footprint wherever you go online, and this is one more way for advertisers to try to persuade you in purchasing decisions,” Diwanji said. “It’s interesting how AI has evolved from a tool people could use to something unprompted. Only about half of the ads we saw revealed their brand sponsorship. From an ethical standpoint, you’re showing us sponsored content, but not telling us. That can create a conflict.”
AI-generated programmatic ads can also be developed much faster than human-generated ads. And with creative optimization, they could be far more effective in their appeals than traditional ads. While that may be good for business’ bottom lines, it could be both deceptive and potentially threaten jobs in creative industries, including advertising. And when ads are not clearly labeled, AI can place them higher in the results of search engines, leading people to click without realizing the link leads to sponsored content. For those reasons, the authors argue that FTC guidelines and federal policy should be updated to require more transparency of AI-generated advertising.
“It’s not wrong to use AI. It’s just important that you disclose that in an ad or marketing appeal,” Diwanji said. “When humans create content, they are bound by guidelines of the FCC, FTC and others. If you’re not told it’s AI-sponsored content, it could influence your decisions outside of those restrictions.”
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The official university Twitter account has changed to @UnivOfKansas.
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Contact: Evan Riggs, Office of the Provost, 785-864-1085, [email protected], @KUProvost
Second dean candidate for KU Libraries to present Feb. 16
LAWRENCE — The second candidate for the University of Kansas Libraries dean position will give a public presentation at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 16 in Watson Library in Watson 3 West Event Space.
The presentation will be livestreamed, and the passcode is 384141.
Scott Hanrath is the second of four candidates who will describe his vision and aspiration for the role of libraries in the next 10 years at a flagship university. He currently serves as interim co-dean of KU Libraries and associate dean for research engagement.
The university is seeking a leader who will guide KU Libraries beyond its traditional responsibilities to meet the emerging needs of the university and the community it serves.
The other candidates will be announced approximately two business days before their respective campus visits. All campus presentations will take place in Watson Library in the Watson 3 West Event Space, and they will be livestreamed. Public presentations for each of the candidates are scheduled for the following dates:
1. Nadia Ghasedi: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Feb. 13
2. Scott Hanrath: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Feb. 16
3. Candidate 3: 3-4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 21
4. Candidate 4: 3-4 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23.

Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to offer their impressions and observations of each candidate online. There will be a limited-time feedback survey where members of the KU community will have the chance to share their opinion on each candidate. Feedback on Hanrath’s presentation is due by 5 p.m. Feb. 21. A recording of his presentation will be available on the search website until the survey closes. Additional search information is also available on the Provost Office website.
Each candidate will meet with Chancellor Douglas A. Girod, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara A. Bichelmeyer, senior administrators, KU Endowment, KU Alumni Association, University Governance and KU Libraries groups, including faculty, staff and the board of advocates. Each candidate will tour KU Libraries’ facilities.
A KU employee for 16 years, Hanrath has been with KU Libraries since 2010. As associate dean for research engagement, he participates in setting strategic directions and aligning resources as a member of KU Libraries’ leadership team. His areas of responsibility include digital initiatives, collections strategy and development, research and learning, and scholarly communications units, as well as collaborative oversight of KU Libraries applications and development with KU Information Technology.
Hanrath has published and presented on topics including usability and library discovery systems, web analytics and library digital platforms, metadata and institutional repositories, and supporting open access policies. His professional service activities have included the DSpace and Steering Leadership groups – where he chaired a product visioning working group – and ArchivesSpace Technical Advisory Council. He has completed the KU Senior Administrative Fellows program, Harvard Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians and Triangle Regional Libraries Network Management Academy.
Hanrath’s previous roles in KU Libraries include assistant dean for digital initiatives and discovery services, director of integrated technology and web services manager. Before joining KU Libraries, he worked as a senior programmer and systems analyst with KU Information Technology and in the Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology at Iowa State University, and as a research associate at a private science and mathematics education research firm.
Hanrath holds a master’s degree in information science from the University of North Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy from St. Olaf College.

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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs