KU School of Business Shared Expectations for Industry Partners and Professionals

General considerations

If you have been invited to participate in a structured event (such as a career/internship fair or general recruiting event, as a guest lecturer, as a program/classroom presenter, etc.), the faculty member or program director overseeing the event will share with you the dates/times and expectations for your participation. They will also make arrangements for any materials you may have or need, parking, and other logistical considerations.

For all other engagements (e.g. if you or your firm has a particular research or consulting interest with faculty, to recruit new employees/interns, to discuss industry partner interests or contributions, personal donations or visits, etc.), please reach out to Cheryl Webb, Business Relations Coordinator, or Jordan Yochim, Chief of Staff.

Please become familiar with KU’s visitor policy.

Most students have reached the age of majority (18) and are free to choose how they engage with industry partners and professionals. The School does not represent a student’s interests in these interactions. We do prioritize student safety and security, strive to teach students best practices for specific situations (e.g. when hosting a guest lecturer, preparing for an interview, etc.), and expect visitors to behave consistent with these expectations when working with students.  If these expectations are not met, students are encouraged to inform School faculty or staff. The School may choose to discontinue its relationship with partners and professionals who fail or refuse to adhere to these expectations.

General expectations

All your interactions with students should be primarily of a professional nature and appropriate to the context and may include:

• Conversations about a student’s qualifications for a position/internship, academic background, professional interests and experiences
• Information about a firm’s expectations from employees, professional development opportunities, benefits, etc.
• Information about professional training, career advancement in a specific field, etc.
• Information about your own professional training, experiences, and advice for entering and advancing in your industry or professional field
• Guidance and insights about particular business topics or cases, analyses, tools, activities, about performing specific duties, etc.

Questions about a student’s personal background, race or ethnicity, beliefs, orientation, etc., are rarely necessary or appropriate. Consistent with state and federal law, the University prohibits sexual harassment, racial harassment, and all other forms of unlawful discrimination.  The prohibition applies to the behavior of visitors. Students are encouraged to report such behavior to the University’s Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, and faculty and staff are mandatory reporters under University policy.

Full transparency with and disclosure to students of all terms in advance of an offer for internship or employment is an expectation. This may include:

• All qualifications required, including licensing or certifications necessary
• A clear and complete description of the duties/assignment
• Salary and benefits offered, if any
• Remote and on-site work expectations and schedules
• Commissions, bonuses and related performance criteria
• Sign-on bonuses, professional training scholarships, relocation or site travel expenses paid, etc.
• Legal requirements including international work authorizations, NDAs, employment contracts, probationary terms, etc.

If you are representing your firm at an event and wish to distribute promotional items, they should be of a nominal value – not such that would compel a student’s attention or consideration – and must be provided to all interested students. Distributing cash, cash equivalents, or items with a realizable cash value (e.g. a gift card) is strongly discouraged.

All invitations to students for off-site meetings should be arranged with the student in advance, at your or your firm’s offices or a public location, during standard business hours.

Access to engage with students in a classroom setting is granted by faculty members by invitation only. Faculty members are under no obligation to accommodate drop-in classroom visits; they will prioritize students’ shared classroom expectations. Similarly, access to engage with students in co- or extracurricular activities is granted by faculty or program staff by invitation/registration only. Unregistered and uninvited participation is not welcome and will not be accommodated.

The School’s physical facilities, including Capitol Federal Hall, are dynamic places of education and engagement. As public, state buildings, you are welcome to visit during regular business hours. If you would like a tour, contact the Dean’s Office (deanoffice@ku.edu). Please be considerate of faculty members’ and students’ time and refrain from impromptu meetings. Also, keep in mind the nature of the buildings as teaching and research spaces that are primarily devoted to the activities of the School; meeting and work space is very limited and must be arranged in advance through the Dean’s Office.

These guidelines and expectations also hold true for School events and activities held off-site.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding as we work together to create a welcoming and robust educational environment that offers students diverse opportunities for engagement and professional development.