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APRIL FOOLS: The University of Kansas and Kansas State University announce plans to merge

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Here at RCT, we decided not to try and prank you this year. However, we had several great ideas that we would have used, and they were entertaining enough that we still wanted to share them with you.

Citing budget difficulties and "a sense of state pride", University of Kansas chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little announced in conjunction with outgoing Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz, who is leaving his post to become the new president at Washington State University in mid-May.

"We are pleased to announce this partnership between two flagships universities starting today," said Gray-Little. "Our institutions have a shared bond as higher institutions of learning in the great state of Kansas.

"This move has been in the works for years," said Schulz. "We both recognized the challenges facing our schools in the upcoming years, and this will give us the opportunity to leverage the unique strengths of each location as we look to the future."

Details are not finalized, but it is thought that the name of the combined university will be "The State University of Kansas". Gray-Little will lead the new university, and course offerings on each campus are still being finalized. In terms of sports teams, Bill Self is expected to coach the new basketball team, with Bill Snyder the head coach of the football team. David Beaty, current coach of the Jayhawks football team, is expected to remain on staff as the "head coach in waiting". The new mascot is still under discussion, but the early leader is the "Wild Jayhawk". The only certain thing is that any mascot of the university will be in full costume, which was welcome news to all the frightened children of Wildcat fans.