Statement by DA Suzanne Valdez: Departure from KU Faculty Position

Yesterday, January 28, 2021, I resigned from the University of Kansas as a full-time faculty member. I will no longer be a Full Clinical Professor of Law and the Connell Teaching Chair at the KU School of Law. I have greatly valued teaching, advising, and mentoring a generation of KU Law students for the past 21 years. While at KU, I taught upper level practical skills courses, and I developed the nationally recognized Deposition Skills Workshop. I taught legal and prosecutorial ethics, and I co-authored a law school textbook titled, “Prosecutorial Ethics.” In addition to my teaching and scholarship, I served the university community in many ways, including as University Faculty Senate President, where I advocated for fair and equitable treatment of faculty, staff, and students. For faculty and staff, I spoke out on issues related to racial injustice and gender inequity. For students, I voiced the importance of addressing campus sexual assault in a trauma-informed manner.

It is unfortunate that KU refuses to make positive changes on these very important university and community issues. On behalf of the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, I hope the KU administration will put its people first, and will collaborate with my office and other community partners on the goal of creating a safe and healthy environment for Douglas County.

As of January 11, 2021 when I took office, these are the objectives of the District Attorney’s Office:

1. Promote fair and equal justice for everyone. Our policies will reflect the will of the community.
2. Prevent crime by engaging in community outreach and education.
3. Protect and support victims of crime and assure their voices are heard.

It takes our entire Douglas County community to create a safer environment for everyone, and we hope that KU will join us in our efforts.