News Releases

Monday, March 28, 2011

Kris Kobach

Kris Kobach, Kansas secretary of state, will speak at the Lied Center of Kansas at 7 p.m. April 12.

Kobach’s lecture, which is part of the KU School of Business’ Annual J.A. Vickers Sr. and Robert F. Vickers Memorial Lecture, is titled, “State and Local Laws Discouraging Illegal Immigration: Their Economic and Security Impact.” The lecture is free to the public. Tickets are not required.

Kris Kobach was elected Kansas secretary of state in 2010. He played a significant role in the drafting of the Arizona state law that attracted national attention as one of the country's most broad and strict — at the state level — anti-illegal immigration measures. In his role as secretary of state, he has been focusing on the areas of illegal immigration and election fraud.

Prior to his election as secretary of state, Kobach was a professor of constitutional law at the University of Missouri – Kansas City for 15 years. He also served as chairman of the Kansas Republican Party.

The J.A. Vickers Sr. and Robert F. Vickers Memorial Lecture Series was created in honor of J.A. Vickers, KU alumnus and founder of Vickers Petroleum Company. His son Robert administered and coordinated the lecture until his death in 1995. Robert’s wife, Susan Vickers, Wichita, added her husband’s name to the lecture series after his death and now administers the series. The Vickers Lecture Series is presented each year by the School of Business.

Question and Answer Session

A question and answer session will follow the lecture. Questions can be electronically submitted before the lecture or physically submitted the day of the lecture at a kiosk in the Lied Center of Kansas. Kobach will answer as many submitted questions as time allows.

If you would like to submit questions electronically, e-mail bschoolinfo@ku.edu. Please include your first name and identify yourself as a "student" or member of the "public" at the top of your e-mail.