Student Government Association bi-weekly Town Hall for students
SGA will continue to host Virtual Town Halls as we know there are probably still so many questions about how WSU is handling these times.
Join the Student Government Association at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 23, as we host a Virtual Town Hall focusing on the student experience live on YouTube, moderated by Student Body President Rija Khan. The panel will include David Miller, University Budget Director; Scott Jensen, Associate Dean of Students and Director of Housing and Residence Life; Matthew Pray, Director of Dining Services; Kevin Konda, Associate VP of Student Affairs Auxiliaries and Director of the Rhatigan Student Center; John Lee, Director of Campus Recreation; Alicia Sanchez, Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion; and Nancy Loosle, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Involvement.
The Town Hall will be hosted on WSU YouTube.
We will accept questions live during the Virtual Town Hall, but to submit a question ahead of time, please click here.
From the president
Jay Golden
Dear Shocker Nation,
Together with Wichita State University’s Office of International Education, I’m encouraged at the federal government’s decision to rescind last week’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) guidelines regarding international students and the requirement to participate in hybrid or in-person courses in order to remain in the U.S. As a result of this rescission, the guidance issued by SEVP on March 9, 2020, and March 13, 2020, will be extended for the fall 2020 semester.
All of our students, including those from other countries and backgrounds, are valued at Wichita State. We greatly celebrate the diversity of thought, culture and traditions that our international students bring to the Shocker community.
International students should expect an email from Vince Altum, director of the Office of International Education, in the coming days. The office is also in the process of creating a new set of FAQs that will be shared with students soon.
We will continue to get through these complex and ever-changing times together, as one campus community. In the meantime, should you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Office of International Education at iss@wichita.edu.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jay Golden, President
Dr. Greg Hand has published over 140 scientific articles and book chapters. “I am excited to be joining Wichita State University, which has a reputation as a university on the move,” he said.
Wichita State hires new dean for College of Health Professions
Dr. Greg Hand, professor of epidemiology, medicine and physical activity and sports sciences at West Virginia University, has been named dean of the College of Health Professions at Wichita State University, effective Sept. 7, 2020.
“In Dr. Hand’s interviews, it was obvious from his background in providing health care leadership, conducting research in the health field and conceptualizing new public health educational programs, that he was the best choice to lead the College of Health Professions,” said WSU Executive Vice President and Provost Richard Muma, who appointed Hand.
Muma said he has asked Hand to prepare to focus immediately on embracing the culture of the College and health care community and connect its faculty and staff to WSU’s focus as an urban public research university by increasing enrollment opportunities and helping the health care industry solve some of their most pressing issues.
Information every employee needs to know about and comply with if they are exhibiting symptoms, have been exposed or diagnosed with COVID 19
The HR Total Rewards team has developed procedures for supervisors and employees to follow when an employee has symptoms, has been exposed to, or is diagnosed with COVID-19. These procedures are available on the HR main website at www.wichita.edu/HR, and all supervisors and employees must familiarize themselves with these procedures and follow them in situations that apply.
No employee who is exhibiting symptoms or has been diagnosed with COVID-19 should report to work in person, and should leave work immediately if they have an onset of symptoms. Similarly, if an employee is notified by public health officials that they have been identified as a close contact of a known case of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “being exposed”), they should not report to work in person, even if they do not display symptoms.
Employees who are able to do so should work remotely while their leave status is being determined Those who are not able to perform their work remotely should log absences as Sick Leave. If a different leave benefit is determined to apply, this will be corrected during payroll processing.
All employees, including temporary, student, and grant-funded employees, may have paid leave benefits available for COVID-related circumstances under the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA).
• Supervisors are not responsible for determining which leave benefits apply to their employees. If an employee is absent from work for reasons related to COVID-19, they should email TotalRewards@wichita.edu, and the Leave Administrator will work directly with the employee to discuss applicable leave and pay benefits.
o Supervisors are responsible for following the appropriate Supervisor Procedures when an Employee is Diagnosed With or Exposed to COVID-19 or when an Employee Becomes Ill at Work.
o Supervisors are responsible for notifying the HR Total Rewards team of any employee who reports symptoms of, diagnosis with, or exposure to COVID-19, using the above procedures to maintain confidentiality.
o Supervisors are responsible for maintaining confidentiality of medical information, including an employee’s diagnosis, pending test results, or reported exposure to COVID-19. Do not, under any circumstances, disclose any information about the employee, including the name or any information that could identify the employee (e.g., gender, age, physical description), to any other individual. There is no need for supervisors to do any investigation into potential contacts other than gathering the requested information from the Affected Employee. If an individual is identified as a “close contact” of an infected employee, they will be notified directly by the Sedgwick County Health Department.
• At this time, WSU is relying upon local health officials and medical professionals to make the determination of when an employee has been cleared to return to work. High testing volume may delay test results, but an employee should not be permitted to return to on-campus work until they have been medically cleared to do so.
SBIR/STTR Proposal Preparation Webinars
The SBIR/STTR Proposal Preparation Webinars will be presented by Jim Greenwood, and are free to anyone who is interested. Each webinar will cover a SBIR/STTR Overview.
The Wednesday, July 22 webinar will also go over a review process for developing a competitive Phase 1 proposal with emphasis on ISDA format and submitting through grants.gov.
The Tuesday, July 28 webinar will include a discussion of differences among agencies and a DoD proposal format will be highlighted.
Registration is required for both webinars and can be done at www.wichita.edu/sbirproposalprep.
We need your help!
Please consider volunteering for the October 2020 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 10. This time-honored tradition provides our very own Wichita State graduates with well-deserved congratulations and a formal celebration of their accomplishments!
As a volunteer, you'll work with a group of fun people who will feed you well. You'll play an important role in helping us make sure that everyone is welcomed and that things are running smoothly.
If you are interested in participating, please fill out the Volunteer Form located on our volunteer page. More details about the types of volunteer positions are also listed on that page.
Further questions may be directed to the Commencement Office at commencement@wichita.edu
Thank you for your consideration! - Commencement Team
Student and graduate assistant positions open at University Libraries
University Libraries has two positions open! WSU students can apply for our opening here and graduates can apply here. Questions? Send us a message at librarystaff@wichita.edu.
Students can have their textbooks delivered to their dorm room
Incoming WSU residents can have their textbooks waiting in their room when they arrive on Move-In Day! Students can place textbook orders with the Shocker Store online between now and July 31, and have them delivered to their dorm room before they move in!
WSU shows commitment to visually impaired students with state-of-the-art braille printer
- Wichita State purchased the Braillo 300 S2 Braille Printer.
- The braille embosser will allow Wichita State to deliver error-free accessible content to visually impaired students.
Pictured above: Emily Schlenker believes Braillo is the best braille printer on the market.
Last chance to see MFA gallery show
"Hiding in Plain Sight," a thesis show by Chuck Purviance, is on view from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. through tomorrow (Tuesday, July 21), in the Clayton Staples Gallery, Room 205, McKnight Art Center.
Purviance graduated this spring with a Master of Fine Arts in studio art (ceramic media). The ceramic sculptures in "Hiding in Plain Sight" reference the artist's mental health struggles.
July 21 Tuesday Talk with SHS will discuss health management on campus for new US citizen students
For new Shockers this fall, join Nurse Heather and WSU students to discuss what Kansas and out-of-state students need to know about staying healthy at Wichita State. Tune into Facebook Live at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, and ask any questions you have about managing your health on campus!
July 28 Tuesday Talk with SHS will accept parent questions about health management on campus
For new Shockers this fall, join Nurse Heather and WSU students to discuss what parents need to know about staying healthy at Wichita State. Tune into Facebook Live at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, and ask any questions you have about students managing their health on campus!
Tuesday Talk with Student Health Services
Episode 3 of ‘Hindsight: Looking Back at 100 Years of Women's Suffrage’ is out now
“Hindsight: Looking Back at 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage” is a six-episode podcast series from KMUW. Historian and host Dr. Robin Henry examines the history of women’s suffrage, political involvement, and social activism in the United States from the middle of the 19th century through today with a blend of historical context and conversations with scholars, politicians, and activists.
Episode 3, "Regionalism, Race, And The Right To Vote," is out now. Listen at KMUW.org or look for Hindsight wherever you get your podcasts.
Dr. Muma will join KMUW to discuss back-to-school preparedness at the next Digital Democracy on Tap
KMUW's Engage ICT: Democracy on Tap presents a digital community conversation at 5 p.m. (tomorrow) Tuesday, July 21. The topic of this discussion is Back-to-School Preparedness. We will talk with representatives from USD 259 and Wichita State University, including Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Richard Muma, about the practices, policies and suggestions for returning to school safely this fall.
The conversation will be streamed live from KMUW's Facebook page and at engageict.org. Submit your questions for our panelists by emailing info@kmuw.org or commenting on the live Facebook video. More information can be found at engageict.org.
Badges transitioning from Credly to Acclaim
To improve our badge service, Wichita State has transitioned all badges from the Credly.com platform to Acclaim, Credly’s improved platform. If you have earned any Credly badges in the past, you should have already received an email about this transition. All you need to do is follow the information in the email from Acclaim and accept the new version of your badge. All badges going forward will come directly from Acclaim.
Child participants needed for online study on COVID-19
Researchers at Wichita State University, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, are doing an online research study to see what 10-17 year-old children think about COVID-19 and what they think about their parents' beliefs and behaviors during this time.
When children complete the survey, their family will be entered into a raffle for a $10 gift card. We hope about 250 children complete our survey, and we will raffle 50 of the gift cards. If you have a child living in your home who is 10-17 years old, your child might be eligible for this study.
If you are interested in learning more about being in this study, please copy and paste the link below into your browser:
https://wichitastate.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5bzHDOpp9rcHVSB
If you have any questions, please contact Samantha Gregus, Ph.D., at samantha.gregus@wichita.edu.
Learn more about study abroad programs
A virtual online study abroad information session is now available on our website! The information session is an overview on study abroad programs, including details on when and how to apply, scholarships, and student experiences abroad.
Our study abroad information session video will replace all of the in-person summer sessions that had been planned. It’s never too early to start planning, and we recommend students interested in programs for next year start the process now.
Visit our new webpage to learn more and watch our study abroad info session video.
Wallace Hall to close July 24-25 for electrical replacement work
Please note that Wallace Hall will be closed to occupants on Friday and Saturday, July 24-25, in order for the electrical contractor to install a new main distribution panel.
The building closure is due to portions of the fire alarm system being offline, and building power being on emergency generator power only.
Join us this summer at Boats & Bikes!
Enjoy the summer at Boats & Bikes this summer! We are open from 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. every day. We have kayaks, stand up paddleboards, pedal boats, and trikke available for rental. For more information visit wichita.edu/boatsandbikes or call us at 316-265-9359. Follow us on social media for any updates.