Step-by-Step Online Classroom Guide for Students
As your course content moves online, you may have questions about how to access these materials. A webpage has been developed with step-by-step guidance to help. Check out these instructions at https://wichita.edu/remotestudent.
Stay Home Order: What faculty and students need to know
These past two weeks have been a period of great transition for our university as we navigate the uncertainty of COVID-19 and its impact on university operations. There have been changes to classroom instruction, housing operations, university-sponsored travel and commencement.
Yesterday’s Stay at Home Order issued by Sedgwick County will require us, as a community, to pivot yet again as we enter the next phase of our operational plan. Our county officials understand and recognize that WSU, as a higher education institution, must be allowed to continue essential services and operations to support our learning and research. However, effective 12:01 a.m. today (Wednesday, March 25), we must do so in compliance with the Stay at Home Order.
In an effort to help guide you through the weeks ahead, below is a link with updated information in light of the Stay at Home Order. We fully expect students, faculty and staff to comply with these temporary emergency measures as we work to do our part to slow the rate of community spread of COVID-19.
READ FULL STATEMENT FROM PROVOST RICK MUMA
Student Health Services is still open!
The door sticks, so pull hard! Student Health Services hours are subject to change. Hours are currently from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Staff will be screening all individuals prior to entrance, and additional visitors are asked to stay home.
Starting tomorrow (Thursday, March 26), please use the southwest entrance to access the Student Wellness Center. This entrance is off the parking lot closest to the lake. Thank you.
Regalia refund information from the Shocker Store
Wichita State University has indefinitely postponed spring commencement ceremonies. Students who have already purchased regalia will be eligible to receive a refund if you so choose. Refunds will be accepted as long as items purchased are still in the original packaging and condition that it was sold, and you have a receipt showing it was purchased for spring commencement. If packaging is opened, store credit may be issued with receipt. Returns accepted at Rhatigan Student Center location only. For more information, email shockerstore@wichita.edu.
Thank you, and keep up the good work!
Wichita State University is soliciting donations of any PPE, including N-95 respirator masks, surgical masks, Latex gloves, surgical gowns and protective face shields.
Wichita State University is a central community repository and will coordinate with the Kansas Department of Emergency Management, the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County on distribution of all PPE. The Shocker Store has curbside pick-up – Rhatigan Student Center (Lot 7) Dock. Monday-Friday; 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Please visit Wichita.edu to learn more.
Nominate an advisor for the Excellence in Academic Advising Award
Do you know of an advisor who goes above and beyond for students? The Advising Network (TAN) is proud to support student success by recognizing academic advisors at Wichita State University. Anyone who provides advising services in any role (faculty or staff) is eligible for nomination.
These awards recognize individuals who demonstrate qualities and practices that make significant contributions to the improvement of academic advising at WSU and beyond.
Nominate an advisor by completing an online form by April 3.
URCAF 2020 canceled
The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Forum (URCAF), originally scheduled for April 10, has been cancelled in order to align with COVID-19 protective measures. There are no plans to reschedule at this time. Please contact the WSU Conference Office at conference.office@wichita.edu with any questions.
Online tax appointments
The Office for Student Money Management encourages all students, faculty, and staff to file their taxes as soon as possible before the April 15 deadline. We currently partner with the United Way to offer a free online tax program at MyFreeTaxes.com through H&R Block. While our services are free, this software MAY charge for any individual who has a health savings plan, 1099s, or other Schedule C-D-E tax forms. It does not charge for filing W2's and 1098T.
We also help international students using the Glacier Tax Filing software found on their MyWSU. International students will need to have a personal laptop / computer, their passport, I-20, and I-94 forms ready. Please be sure to have an access code for creating a new account through Glacier prior to scheduling with us. An email from the International Office has already been sent out on these instructions.
Our staff is fully trained to help guide you through the process of doing taxes on your own. Please take this opportunity and schedule an appointment with us. We are now providing our services ONLINE ONLY and are not meeting students in-person.
For all other questions or to schedule an appointment, call us at 978-3254 or email at osmm@wichita.edu.
Participate in the US Census 2020
College students tend to be one of the demographic groups that's the most under-counted in past censuses. Do your part and participate in the US Census 2020.
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.
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.
Help WSU by taking the National Collegiate Health Assessment
Win a red parking spot for an entire semester or other prizes such as free massages and gift cards to the Shocker Store by entering a drawing through the National College Health Assessment and the Prevention Services Advisory Board. Simply fill out the survey sent to your Wichita State University email address and be automatically entered. For information, go to wichita.edu/PSABgiveaway.
National Collegiate Health Assessment
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.
Your opinion is valuable and appreciated
In January 2020, Wichita State University President Dr. Jay Golden launched several task forces and studies as a commitment to shared governance, transparency and refining the focus of the university.
The Marketing and Branding Study is charged with actively engaging members of our campus community to examine how effectively we are branding and marketing our institution and provide recommendations.
The Student and Community Experience Survey seeks to engage students, campus community and the greater Wichita community to examine how effectively we are creating a positive "Shocker" experience for events and programs at Wichita State.
Your opinion is valuable and appreciated.
Update from the Shocker Store
The Shocker Stores of Wichita State University and WSU Tech want to ensure our customers’ safety during the COVID-19 outbreak. We’re offering free shipping over $25 online and free curbside pickup at our Rhatigan Student Center location. More information can be found here.
We also have created a FAQ page that will help answer questions you may have during this time about textbooks, buyback, ordering Shocker gear and more. We will regularly update this page with the most current information. Visit our FAQ page here.
Postponed - Wichita State University Analytics Showcase
The Wichita State University Analytics Showcase has been postponed until further notice following the COVID-19 response by the university. The organizing committee is working to bring this event to the community at a future date. For updates, continue to check www.wichita.edu/analytics/. Thank you for your understanding.