Shocker Blast: March 18, 2020

Given the very recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for limited gatherings for at least 8 weeks, this decision was made not only to protect our campus community but also to provide some sense of certainty during these unprecedented times.

In an effort to support public health efforts by Sedgwick County and the State of Kansas, Wichita State University will begin limiting on-campus housing operations at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 22. Students who have already left campus will not be allowed to return without explicit authorization from Housing & Residence Life staff. However, students who have traveled to the following areas over the break will not be allowed to pick up items until they have completed 14 days of self-quarantine as detailed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment:

• California
• New York state
• Washington state
• Eagle, Summit, Pitkin and Gunnison counties in Colorado

Wichita State University Housing & Residence Life recognizes that leaving the residence halls is not an option for all of our students, so we will allow students meeting the criteria outlined below to register to remain on campus:

• International students and students with a permanent address in an area heavily affected by COVID-19.
• Students with health conditions or disabilities that prevent travel home.
• Students who reside with a family member/guardian with health issues that put them at increased risk of COVID-19.
• Students without the ability to return to their permanent residence due to other documented circumstances.

The university is in the process of determining how to address housing and dining refund requests. Once a decision is made, we will update the university’s website https://www.wichita.edu/covid19news

To our students, faculty, and staff: Our Provost, Rick Muma, is working with our faculty to plan for online and/or remote format for the remainder of the academic year. He and his colleagues in Academic Affairs will also be keeping students and faculty and staff apprised of any needed changes involving academic programs.

Dr. Teri Hall, Vice President of Student Affairs, and her colleagues will be providing updates to students, including continuing services for mental and physical well-being and housing.

Vice President for Finance and Administration Werner Golling and our Human Resources office will continue to keep you informed of our policies on pay and benefits, sick leave, telecommuting and more. Some of these communications may be sent through your divisional vice president.

To the parents of our students: I understand and appreciate what you are having to deal with right now to support your child and their needs while also trying to balance home and work. My younger daughter just returned from her college semester abroad, which was cut short. Not only did we have to scramble to get her back to the United States, she is now in a 14-day voluntary self-quarantine in North Carolina. My wife is providing the necessary parental support, such as groceries etc. All of this can be disruptive to family lives. Every decision we make will impact you and your family; we know this. I want to make sure we are doing all we can to minimize these disruptions as best as possible.

To our seniors and those graduate students completing studies this semester: I am saddened that your final semester has been disrupted in this way. Because we can’t predict the near-term future of COVID-19 spread, we are going to have to indefinitely postpone in-person spring commencement. I do want to promise to you and your families that I will make sure your incredible accomplishments will be recognized and that your university and your president will honor all that you have done.

Please know that these difficult decisions are not being made in isolation. I have been meeting with our university leadership team every morning and they are meeting with their divisions throughout each day as well. We have and continue to be in constant discussions with county and state health professionals and are following their guidance.

I and my team members have been consulting and coordinating with our counterparts at the University of Kansas and Kansas State University and, especially, with our Kansas Board of Regents who are working very hard to support all of our university students and institutions. We all want to do what is best for our students, faculty, staff and university community.

Remember, we will get through this together. Take a moment and check on each other and remind each other that you care. Follow CDC and local health guidelines-as we are doing at Wichita State. Please make sure to continue to check our Wichita State University COVID-19 website and FAQ pages at https://www.wichita.edu/covid19news

I will keep you informed. Until my next note, stay safe, stay strong and as always … Go Shocks!

Dr. Jay Golden

President, Wichita State University

NEWSLETTERS

The “First Tuesday” newsletter will be distributed to WSU faculty, staff and students. In addition, the “President’s Connection” will be directed at alumni and community. If you are not an alumnus and want to subscribe, email president@wichita.edu.

The “Wichita State Research” newsletter will publish every other month. To subscribe to the research newsletter, email research@wichita.edu.

SOCIAL MEDIA

President Golden is active on social media. Follow Dr. Golden on Twitter and Facebook. Follow Wichita State University on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.   

President:

Twitter: @presidentwsu

Facebook: @presidentwsu

Wichita State University:

Twitter: @wichitastate

Facebook: @wichita.state

Instagram: @wichitastateu

WSU TODAY

WSU Today will continue for faculty and staff Monday through Friday. News releases and press conferences will also occur as needed.

SHOCKER BLAST

Shocker Blast will continue for students on Monday, Wednesday and Friday when classes are in session in spring and fall.

CAMPUS CONNECTION

Campus Connection also will continue for employees on the Innovation Campus every Tuesday.

How to participate in the U.S. Census 2020?

Starting in mid-March, you will receive a letter of invitation from the US Census bureau in the mail inviting you to participate in the US Census. You will be provided with a geo-code to log on to the website of the US Census Bureau to fill out the census form. Because the geo-code can only be used once to log on to the website, it is strongly recommended that every person who resides in the same address should be present to fill out the census form together. That way, no critical information about any individual who resides in your address will be missed. If you don’t have the geo-code at hand when you fill out the census, you can use your address to log on to the census website, or you can call in to answer the census questions.

If you are a college student who lives with your parents, you should only be counted at your parents’ address. If you live in on-campus housing, such as the flats, dormitories, or fraternity / sorority housing, you should confirm with your residential director as to how you should be included in the census. A census taker might interview you to get information to fill out the census for you; or a census taker might drop off census forms with your building’s contact person who will distribute one to each resident; or a designated representative from your dorm might complete the census form on behalf of all residents in the building.

If you live off-campus in an apartment complex or a group home, all the apartment mates in your address should fill out only one census form online, with everyone’s information included in it. If you spend some time elsewhere during the spring break or go home to visit your parents, you should still fill out the census form with your apartment address. In other words, the address where you spend the most time and sleep on a regular basis is the address where you should be counted for the census.

If you are an international student who lives off campus, you should fill out a census form online that includes everyone who lives at your address. If you have a spouse or children who reside with you, they should also be included in the census form.

Confidentiality: Census workers are required by Federal law to keep all the information you fill out in the census form strictly confidential.  No government agencies, including ICE, FBI, or local police, can use any of the information you provided on the census form against an individual. Census data is used to compile aggregated statistics, so no identity of any individual will be disclosed. The census will ask you to provide information on the number of people at the address, any additional people living or staying there, whether you are a homeowner or a renter, your phone number, name, gender, age, date of birth, whether you are Hispanic, your race, and the relationships of the people who reside in the address.

Why is it important to participate in the U.S. Census? Responding to the census is important, because census numbers are used to distribute more than 6 billion federal dollars to Kansas every year. Every uncounted person costs the state about $2,000 in federal funding. An accurate count of our community can ensure fair congressional representation for Kansas. It will also ensure adequate Federal dollars for Pell Grants, student health services, and upgrading of infrastructure and public transportation in our community.