Campus Frequently Asked Questions

The University Science Club officially adopted the famous "Rock Chalk" chant in 1886, as a cheer created by chemistry professor, E.H.S. Bailey. At first, their version was "Rah, Rah, Jayhawk, KU" repeated three times. Later, in place of the rahs, an English professor suggested "Rock Chalk," a transposition of chalk rock, the name for the limestone outcropping found on Mount Oread, the site of the Lawrence campus. To find out more and learn about other KU songs, visit this page. For a video of the history, visit this page or this page!

The motto of Kansas, "Ad Astra per Aspera" is Latin for "to the stars through difficulties." John James Ingalls coined the motto in 1861 stating, "The aspiration of Kansas is to reach the unattainable; its dream is the realization of the impossible." According to the Office of the Governor of Kansas: "This motto refers not only to the pioneering spirit of the early settlers, but also the difficult times Kansas went through before becoming a state. The anti-slavery forces and slavery proponents waged battles in the electoral process as well as on the battlefield. Kansas earned the nickname "Bloody Kansas" because of the war regarding slavery, much of which was fought on Kansas' soil."

See https://lawrencetransit.org/routes/ for a map of bus routes across Lawrence and campus, as well as their route times. 

You can also download the app MyBusLawrence on your smartphone for a live map of busses currently running. 

Yes! There are many! Here's a little information about each, but for more try clicking the link to go to their website.

Better Alternative Transportation Services (BATS): 24/7 door-to-door service; individual rates; offers student rates. 

Affordable Limousine: 24/7 door-to-door service, call/visit website to make reservations, rates for individuals to max. 20 people. 785-841-0463 or 785-979-4689



Champion Shuttle: 24/7 door to door service, discount for KU Students (Code: Jayhawks), Can make accommodations for single or group shuttle. Call 913-937-9444.



SDM Transportation: 24/7, door to door, private car airport shuttle service with advanced reservation. Contact Shannon D. McCoy @ (785) 979-2428 or email: reservation@sdmtransportationks.com 



Jawhawk Taxi :24/7 door-to-door service; fixed rate to the airport for 1-2 passengers.



Super Shuttles: 24/7 door-to-door service; group rates; discount if you use the group discount code: S6Q2W.



Five Guys Transportation: 816-891-9999 24/7 door-to-door service; rates per van, not per person. Can fit up to 6 people!

Here 2 There Shuttle: 24/7 DD service, airport shuttle, and reservations for special events. Can hold up to 10 passengers at once. Call or text 785-380-8879.

Show Me Shuttle: Economy Door-to-Door service. Can hold up to 3 passengers. Luxury vehicles and additional passengers are by appointment only. Call 1-844-524-7433 or email showmeshuttle@gmail.com

Prestige Transportation: Provides black car and limousine services. 

Lawrence Airport Shuttle: 24/7 curb-to-curb service, private car, $65 each way. Call 785-218-2741 or email lawrenceshuttle@gmail.com

Check or call before to confirm pricing/availability and whether they carry appropriate liability insurance. KU and KU Info are not responsible for these services.



(Note: KCI stands for Kansas City International which actually has the official airport code MCI.)

In addition to these, you can also order an Uber by downloading the app and paying an up front fee. Typically, an Uber that distance will be about $80 (give or take, we recommend you check for yourself during the same time of day you will need to travel!).

The Jayhawk Nation deserves access to basketball and football around the globe. To help with that, The Jayhawk Radio Network has set up a page of all its affiliates. Click here to see all the stations and to listen to them online. Go Hawks!

The term "Jayhawk" was originally a term used by pro-slavery Kansans to describe Free State supporters during the "Bleeding Kansas" period in the 1850s. Over time, "Jayhawk" lost its war-like connotations and Kansans came to embrace the title as a term of endearment.

The bird itself is mythical, and the name probably comes from two birds common to the area, the sparrow hawk and the bluejay. The Jayhawk became the mascot for the University (before that it was the Bulldog, among others), when Eureka, Kansas student Henry Maloy created the first cartoon in 1912. There have been 7 different Jayhawks over the years, and the current "smiling" incarnation was created in 1946.

Want to make sure you are actually a student before you move to Lawrence and climb the hill? Go to admissions.ku.edu/status, click on Check Status and Check Now. Enter last name, first initial, birth date, and the last four digits of your social security number. Transcript information is also here.

KU's alma mater, "The Crimson and the Blue," was written in 1891 and is a very recognizable derivation of Cornell's song. There are three verses and a chorus, but usually only the first verse is sung, followed by the chorus, and then rounded out with the Rock Chalk Chant.

Here are the words:

"Far above the golden valley

Glorious to view,

Stands our noble Alma Mater,

Towering toward the blue.

CHORUS:

Lift the chorus ever onward,

Crimson and the blue

Hail to thee, our Alma Mater

Hail to old KU."

You can listen to KU's alma mater by clicking here.