KU forms Hilltop work group as Girod calls closure final

The University of Kansas has announced a new work group to address Hilltop, while Chancellor Douglas Girod said the closure decision is final.

What KU announced

KU’s announcement creates a work group focused on Hilltop. The announcement identifies the group as part of the university’s response to the Hilltop situation.

The announcement does not change the stated closure decision. Girod said that decision is final.

What the statements mean

The two developments address different parts of the issue. The work group is intended to handle or examine Hilltop-related matters. Girod’s statement addresses whether the closure itself will be reversed: He said it will not.

That leaves the university with a work group operating after the closure decision has been settled. The announcement does not establish how long the group will work, who will serve on it, what authority it will have or what recommendations it will make.

What comes next

The work group’s role and activities will be important to follow as KU addresses Hilltop. Girod’s statement sets the university’s position on the closure, while the group’s work concerns the response to that decision.

The announcement and Girod’s statement mark the latest development in KU’s handling of Hilltop.