Shocker Blast: March 23, 2020

 

WSU Catalog 2020-21

The 2020-21 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs are now available!

The 2020-21 Wichita State University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs are now live and online! Links to both catalogs can be found at http://wichita.edu/catalog.

Be sure to check out everything that’s new at WSU. Look on the Degrees and Academic Majors page to browse through all of WSU’s Undergraduate or Graduate degrees, programs and certificates. Click on any of the column headers to sort the list the way you want it, or click on the name of the program and go right to the program information.

Curious about admission? Financial aid? Advising? Commencement ceremonies? Links to all this information and more are available in the catalog.

The catalogs are accessible from your desktop, tablet and smartphone.

While we are excited to have the catalog online, we recognize that a printed catalog is still important and handy. Links to download PDFs of the full Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs are not available at this time, but we are working to get them up within the next few weeks. When the PDF links are available, they will be located at the bottom right of every page next to links creating PDFs of individual catalog pages.


Registrar’s Office updates spring, summer and fall calendars

The Office of the Registrar has updated the spring 2020 calendar, and added the summer and fall 2020 calendars at www.wichita.edu/schedule.


University update on employee and student employee pay status

Dear students, faculty and staff:

I'm writing to provide an update and guidance regarding WSU employee and student employee pay status.

As President Golden has noted in his previous communications to our campus community, we are in unprecedented times. Coronavirus is unlike anything we as a community, as a university, have had to deal with. You continue to hear from a variety of sources that the situation is fluid, evolving by the day – sometimes even by the hour. And while our priorities as an institution remain the health and well-being of our campus community and preserving the student experience, the evolving nature of COVID-19 requires the university to make difficult but critical decisions.

During this time of reduced on-campus presence, the university remains operational with limited facility access. By now, all of our employees have implemented, or will implement, and are adapting to a socially distanced workforce. We appreciate those efforts and understand that this new workplace environment raises a number of questions and concerns about employee and student employee work requirements and pay status.

Read full story

WSU is committed to our entire workforce. To that end, we are implementing the following:

  1. Employees (including student employees) who are able to continue working either on campus or remotely are expected to do so at this time. All employees should work with their supervisor to develop a plan that allows them to maintain communication, productivity and efficiency to meet deliverables.
  2. Employees (including student employees) who are working on campus must practice social distancing. For more information on methods of social distancing, please click here.
  3. Student employees who continue working, either on campus or remotely, will be paid as they are normally.
  4. Student employees whose job responsibilities do not require them to be on campus but cannot be completed or facilitated remotely will be paid as they are normally for the next two pay periods (ending April 18, 2020). Beginning April 19, 2020, student employees for whom there is no longer any available work will not be paid.
  5. GTA/GRA/GAs will continue working for the remainder of their employment period as designated by their epaf, with the understanding that those that are grant funded will be subject to availability of grant funding.
  6. Employees (excluding student employees) will continue to be paid as they are normally as scheduled through the end of FY2020. The university will continue to evaluate all options to maintain its workforce. As the situation evolves, we will continue to communicate our plans to the campus community.
  7. Employees (excluding student employees) who work for WSU centers and institutes, and those who are funded by grants and/or external contracts, will be receiving communication from their director about continuity of operations and pay status.
  8. Beginning March 22, 2020, all employees should use the Coronavirus COVID-19 Time and Leave Reporting (see instructions attached or at this link), as requested by the State of Kansas to better track the financial impact of this pandemic.

We understand that not every question has been answered, nor every situation anticipated.  We will continue to evaluate and review these decisions as the situation evolves. Please continue to monitor www.wichita.edu/covid19news for the most up-to-date information and answers to frequently asked questions. Should you have additional questions, please contact your supervisor.

We appreciate your patience, cooperation and continued flexibility as we navigate through these uncertain times.

Sincerely,

Werner Golling,


Institutional Review Board (IRB) response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and Human Subjects Research

The continued health and wellbeing of students, faculty, staff and community are of the utmost importance. In an effort to minimize the risk of contracting or spreading Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in human participant research, the university is placing temporary restrictions on human subjects research effective immediately and until further notice.

  1. All research studies (both on and off campus) conducted by faculty / investigators that currently require direct person-to-person interactions must immediately pause enrollment and discontinue in-person interactions unless study procedures can be modified to use alternative methods of gathering study data (e.g., Zoom/Skype, telephone interviews, email, etc.). If this is the case, an Amendment form needs to be submitted to the IRB. Please note these changes may quickly inundate the IRB, so please be patient as the requests are reviewed. (Note: If researchers are relying on an outside IRB, please contact the WSU IRB and we will work with any exceptions to this on a case-by-case basis.)
  2. Studies involving no direct person-to-person interactions with participants may continue (e.g., secondary data analysis, remote or online contact, etc.).
  3. IRB review of new studies may be delayed.

Principal investigators will need to partner with their research staff, students and graduate student research assistants who are impacted by this pause in work to identify an appropriate plan moving forward, including any financial ramifications this may pose. You should actively work to communicate this change to your teams.

Please contact the WSU IRB at irb@wichita.edu, should you have any questions.


Career Development Center

Career Development virtual Q&A

Have questions about your resume? Can't find something in Handshake? Not sure what services we offer? Questions about your major?

All these questions and more can be answered in this weekly Q&A Zoom session hosted by the Career Development Center.

Two Zoom sessions are scheduled this week:

1-2 p.m. Tuesday, March 24

9-10 a.m. Thursday, March 26

Check out our events page to find all sessions.

Career Development Events


In a crisis without a place to stay? Don't know what to do? Help is available

The Wichita Children's Home and Safe Place can provide services to any students facing homelessness due to the COVID-19 outbreak. We would love to be able to make our services readily available to Wichita State students.

Wichita Children’s Home   

Safe Place


The 2020 Shocker New Venture Competition has been canceled

We are crushed to announce the cancellation of the 2020 Shocker New Venture Competition. However, we are looking forward to coming back even bigger and better. We hope that everyone stays safe at this time, and we will see you next spring.

Shocker New Venture Competition


SSGL to-go orders

Select menu and to-go orders only at the Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes will be making the following changes effective today (Monday, March 23):

- All food and beverage orders will be made to-go.

- Due to the large decline in the number of visitors, we will be limiting our menu to starters and sides.

- The center will be closed for play (bowling, billiards and darts) until further notice. The only exception is that bowling team members may still use the lanes for individual training and practice.

We genuinely care about the health and safety of our guests and employees. As such, this is our attempt to be responsible with promoting social distancing during these difficult times.


Student Health OVC meds March 2020

Student Health Services is offering monthly deals on over-the-counter medicine

March is the time to get on top of your allergies and begin a daily preventative medicine! For more information about the effects of allergies, click here.


Oak Ridge event

Attend the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Virtual Outreach Fair

Are you a college student or recent graduate looking to gain valuable experience in your STEM field?

The Career Development Center found this event is for you!

The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) is hosting a virtual outreach fair to highlight the variety of paid internships and fellowships available within our Research Participants Program, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, March 25.

ORISE Virtual Outreach Fair


Rock Your PI job application

Rock your PI job application with The Professor is In

The Career Development Center encourages students to join THE expert on getting a PI job, Dr. Karen Kelsky, for Academic Job Applications 101. Items that will be discussed:

- cover letter dos and don'ts

- crafting an effective CV

- writing the all-important research, teaching, and diversity statements

- the job application essentials that will get you on the short list

And they will be raffling off copies of The Professor is In: The Essential Guide to Turning Your PhD into a Job! AND a 1:1 job application consultation session with Karen.

Virtual Outreach Fair


Impact of the coronavirus on the full-service restaurant industry in Kansas

One of the most vulnerable sectors impacted in the United States by the novel coronavirus is food services and drinking establishments, which accounted for 7.3% of all jobs and $1.6 billion in total wages within Kansas in 2018, according to research completed by Wichita State University's Center for Economic Development and Business Research.

Read complete story.


Self-Advocacy study

Participants wanted for a study on self-advocacy

I hope to learn whether students who participate in college TRIO programs at WSU are more likely to self-advocate than their non-TRIO participating peers.

You can complete a questionnaire called the College Student Mentoring Survey (CSMS), which will ask questions related to your mentoring experiences at WSU and the General Self-Efficacy Scale, which will be used to examine your self-decision making. The questionnaires will take between 20-35 minutes.

If you are interested in a follow-up for advocacy scenarios, you will be able to continue the survey and respond to the scenarios; otherwise, at the end of the questionnaire when it asks if you would like to complete the scenarios, you may select “no.” The scenarios will take between 5-10 minutes and will consist of problem-based scenarios where you will be asked to create a solution to the problem.

To be eligible to participate:

  • Must have a fluent understanding of English
  • Must be an undergraduate at WSU

Contact: If you are interested in participating in this study or have any concerns, contact Mercedes Lubbers at mercedes.lubbers@wichita.edu or my Faculty Advisor, Mara Alagic at mara.alagic@wichita.edu. You may click this link to access the CSMS and the GSES questionnaire.


Campus Credit Union relief loans

COVID-19 Relief Loan offers

Campus Credit Union understands the pressing needs of our WSU community given changes resulting from COVID-19. In response, we have created the following loan offers:

#1. Allow any member affected by COVID-19, to skip-a-payment up to 60 days with no fee.

#2. Any member getting a loan due to COVIID-19 issues is allowed their 1st payment date to be in 60 days

#3. For any member in need of money for a COVID-19 issue a special relief loan up to $1,000 at 5% with term up to 12 months.

*Offers #1-3 are with approved credit and subject to change without notice.

We hope this can help remote workers, those with an immediate need, or anyone trying to make ends meet. We want to be there to help. Those who are not members can become members.

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out at (316) 978-3666. We remain in full operation via drive-up, phone, email, home banking, and mobile banking. Our lobby is closed for the next two weeks.

Campus Credit Union


Cops support Shocker Locker

2nd Annual Cops for Shocks Food Drive now to March 31

The WSUPD challenges departments all across campus as we did last year to help stock the Shocker Support Locker.

Donations are accepted at the Police Department lobby from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. We will be glad to pick up and deliver for you, or give your donation to any WSUPD officer until March 31.

Donate shelf stable pantry items, baby food and diapers, hygiene products and bottled water.

Avoid canned green beans, corn, high sugar foods and food past the expiration date.


Wichita Classic PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Event Postponed

In light of US and global health authority guidelines regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus), the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Wichita Classic event set to take place at INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday, April 25 in Wichita, has been rescheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8.

Fans are encouraged to hold onto their tickets, as they will be honored for the rescheduled event. Any refunds will be provided from the original point of purchase for the next 30 days. Fans who purchased via PBR Direct will receive an email with refund instructions. We appreciate the support and understanding of our fans, competitors, partners and staff.