Save the date for next Town Hall on Oct. 25
Thank you to those persons able to attend the recent Town Hall related to priorities for 2018-19. As promised and in an effort to facilitate shared governance, the feedback from that Town Hall is available here for your information. Access is also available at www.wichita.edu/aa.
Your time and your willingness to openly share your thoughts about our current priorities and your hopes for our shared, future successes are appreciated. The Office of Academic Affairs has already begun the process of elevating suggestions for immediate implementation, and will continue to scour the list for other opportunities.
Please save the date for the next Town Hall from 3-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, in Shirley Beggs Ballroom, third floor, RSC. A dessert reception will follow. The topic for the next Town Hall is “Activating the Strategic Plan.” Your voice matters!
Clash of the Colleges save the date for Aug. 23, 2019
Student Success: First-Year Programs and Campus Recreation hosted the 4th annual Clash of the Colleges on Aug. 24, with more than 1,000 participants representing seven academic colleges and an additional 150 spectators, including students, faculty and staff. The W. Frank Barton School of Business was named the 2018 Champions, and the Spirit Award went to the College of Engineering.
We invite the campus to save the date for the 5th annual Clash of the Colleges, which will be held on the first Friday of the fall semester, Aug. 23, 2019.
For more information, go to Clash of the Colleges.
Join us today (Tuesday, Oct. 9) for Alternative Credentials in Graduate Education
Join us from 2:30-4 p.m. today (Tuesday, Oct. 9) in 156A Corbin Education Center for a presentation on Alternative Credentials in Graduate Education. Alternative credentials provide opportunities to address the evolving workforce development needs, and in some instances can be integrated into traditional degree programs. For example, building pathways to a master's degree by stacking a pair of graduate certificates (each representing half of the degree) is an attractive way to increase entry points into your program, while also providing credentials that be taken by students in other programs.
WSU Center for Real Estate releases 2019 Kansas Housing Markets Forecast Series
Kansas home prices should rise by 6.3 percent next year according to the 2019 Kansas Housing Forecast published by the Wichita State University Center for Real Estate.
“Home prices across the state continue to climb at a strong pace in the face of tight inventories,” said Stan Longhofer, director of the WSU Center for Real Estate.
Stan Longhofer
Longhofer will present the forecast at 9 a.m. today (Tuesday, Oct. 9) at the Kansas Association of Realtors Annual Conference and Education Expo at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Overland Park.
The 2019 Kansas Housing Forecast Series reviews current housing market conditions in the major markets across the state – including Kansas City, Lawrence, Manhattan, Topeka and Wichita – and forecasts housing market activity through the end of 2019. The series also includes Housing Outlooks for 20 smaller markets across the state.
Copies of all of the forecasts and outlook publications in the series can be found at www.wichita.edu/realestate.
Retirement reception for Eric King on Friday, Oct. 26
Eric King, associate vice president for facilities, is retiring after four years of service to Wichita State University. Previously Eric served as the Director of Facilities for the Kansas Board of Regents for 17 years and another 18 years of service to three other Regents universities prior to that.
Eric and his wife plan to move to Manhattan, Kansas, to enjoy retirement and be closer to family.
Please join us for a reception in his honor from 2-4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, 245 RSC. Remarks will be at 2:30 p.m., and refreshments will be served.
‘Call Me Crazy' film screening and panel discussion is today (Tuesday, Oct. 9)
Come out to view “Call Me Crazy,” a film that displays powerful relationships built on hope and triumph that raises a new understanding of what happens when a loved one struggles with mental illness. The film screening will be held at 6 p.m. today (Tuesday, Oct. 9) in 208 Hubbard Hall.
After the film there will be a panel discussion from professionals on mental illness and how it affects communities of color. This event is sponsored by WSU Black Psychologists, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Black Student Union, African American Faculty Staff Association, and the Division for Diversity and Community and Engagement.
Come to the Advising Fair today (Tuesday, Oct. 9)
Faculty, staff, and students: Plan on coming to the Advising Fair from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. today (Tuesday, Oct. 9) in the Shirley Beggs Ballroom, third floor, Rhatigan Student Center.
Meet the staff and learn about the broad array of services provided by advising departments and student support services areas, grab a bite and win prizes. For more information, contact patricia.phillips@wichita.edu.
Graduate School Professional Development Series presents ‘Microaggressions & the Classroom' tomorrow (Wednesday, Oct. 10)
“Microaggressions & the Classroom” will be offered from noon-1:30 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, Oct. 10) in 142 RSC. Presenters will be Alicia Sanchez and Danielle Johnson, Office of Diversity & Inclusion; Carolyn Speer, Instructional Design & Access; Kevin Harrison, Diversity & Community Engagement.
Microaggressions are covert and unintended discrimination towards socially marginalized groups. The interactive training encourages an environment of self-exploration into social identities and microaggressions. Participants will learn the types of microaggressions and reflect on ways to address them and foster an inclusive environment.
***This will be part of a series of events with a pedagogical focus that students are eligible to take throughout the year to earn an alternative credential (non-credit badge)***
Doctoral students need participants for their research projects
Two WSU graduate students (Doctor of Audiology and Doctor of Philosophy) need participants for their research projects. They are studying an existing and a newly developed clinical technique for evaluating function of the middle ear.
Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35, have normal hearing, have not had an ear infection in the past three months, nor had a cold or flu in the past two weeks.
Participants will receive a free comprehensive hearing evaluation and ear examination prior to testing. The testing will take about an hour. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Devon Holt at deholt2@shockers.wichita.edu or 586-747-3774 or Professor Xiao-MingSun at xiao-ming.sun@wichita.edu.
Faculty and staff judges needed for Shocktoberfest
Campus Traditions is looking for faculty and staff to help judge competitions during Shocktoberfest. There are two events, Banner competition and Songfest, that need your help! If interested, please fill out the form(s) on Shocktoberfest in the judges section, by Monday, Oct. 15, for one or both events.
If you have any questions email the Campus Traditions chair, Emily Kirkman, at emkirkman@shockers.wichita.edu.
2019 Open Enrollment is in progress!
Log in to the Member Administration Portal at to make your elections, even if you don't plan to make any changes from 2018. All benefits-eligible state employees must make their 2019 elections by the deadline on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Those who do not will be defaulted into medical Plan N with a use-it-or-lose-it HRA and all other coverage types waived effective Jan. 1. If you waived all coverage or only had vision or supplemental options in 2018, those elections will carry over into 2019. Otherwise, you must make your 2019 elections during Open Enrollment.
We've developed many ways to learn about 2019 plan changes and get help completing your online enrollment! See how we can help you get enrolled for 2019.
In addition to online resources, in-person presentations, webinars and lab sessions are all in full swing this week!
- Registration is required for KDHE webinars. Register online
- Registration is required for HR lab sessions. Register in myTraining at myWSU.wichita.edu.
- For a full listing of Open Enrollment events and resources, see the Open Enrollment website.
Total Rewards is hosting an in-person presentation at 9 a.m. today (Tuesday, Oct. 9) in 233 RSC. There is a KDHE webinar scheduled for noon today (Tuesday, Oct. 9).
IEE Professional Speaker Series to feature presentation by Timothy D. Unruh
Timothy D. Unruh
The IEEE Professional Speaker Series, hosted by the IEEE student branch at WSU, will feature a presentation by Timothy D. Unruh, executive director, National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO) at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, in 266 RSC. Unruh's topic is “I graduate from WSU, then what happened? How I turned my degree into a career!”
In his current position, Unruh works with state, local and federal policymakers to advance the efforts of energy service companies to provide efficiency services in a cost-effective manner.
Previosly, he was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Renewable Power at the U.S. Department of Energy. In this role, he oversaw more than $500 million in annual research and development efforts performed by his department. Unruh has a long history of working in the clean energy industry, starting his career in the power quality field, before moving into energy efficiency shortly thereafter.
Unruh is a Kansas native, growing up in Wichita, and attended Wichita State University, earning his bachelor's, master's and Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering.
Last chance to RSVP for Strategic Communications Seminar
The Strategic Communications Seminar will be held from 10 a.m.-noon tomorrow (Wednesday, Oct. 10),, in the Shirley Beggs Ballroom, RSC third floor.
RSVP for the third annual Strategic Communications Seminar and gain additional insights, tools and tips to help you improve your marketing / communication efforts.
Please RSVP for 3 breakout sessions:
*Advertising: Seeking Strategic Success: How university marketing and advertising is elevating its game.
* Creative: The Strategic Communications website: your toolbox to creatively build on the WSU brand, and the updated photobank.
* Events: Yes! You can have an event or program on the east side of campus and Braeburn Square. Learn about event operations for WSU's new spaces and places.
* News and Media: Telling your story – It's important to tell the story of what students, faculty and staff in your department or college are doing. Learn how to identify those stories and the most effective ways to tell them.
* Social media: How to improve your social media engagement and email effectiveness using #wsunow.
* Web: Search Engine Optimization is vitally important to the success of the WSU website. The new CMS provides new tools to help you get the best search engine results possible with just a little work.
Don't forget to register for Trunk or Treat
Trunk or Treat is a fun and safe alternative for families and kids of all ages to interact with Wichita State University student organizations and campus departments, trick or treat, and participate in interactive and festive fall activities. This Halloween-themed carnival on Saturday, Oct. 20, is packed full with games, activities, inflatables and a petting zoo!
Would you like to register your organization for Trunk or Treat or volunteer to help SAC facilitate the event? Go to wichita.edu/sac.
Empty Bowls Chili Cook-off coming Saturday, Oct. 13
You're invited to the Empty Bowls Chili Cook-Off from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, in the Experiential Engineering Building.
Join the fight against hunger in our community! In exchange for your $20 donation ($10 for students), choose a bowl to keep as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world.
Select your favorite bowl from hundreds of handmade ceramic vessels, fill it to the brim with over 25 varieties of chili donated by local celebrity chefs, and enjoy a fun-filled afternoon. All proceeds will benefit the Kansas Food Bank in honor of Hunger Awareness Month.
This year, Dillons will donate 10 meals for each bowl sold in celebration of Zero Hunger | Zero Waste. Spirit Aerosystems is the event's official sponsor. Follow Empty Bowls on Facebook for more information.
Volunteers needed to help with the Pumpkin Run
It's that time of year again as we prepare for the annual 5K & 1K Pumpkin Run on Saturday, Oct. 20. This event brings close to 1,000 participants to campus for fun, laughter, community and a little exercise.
A percentage of the funds generated from the event this year will go towards ICTSOS, aiding their efforts in ending human trafficking. So if you know of anyone or groups that would be interested in volunteering for this event, please share this email and the web address bit.ly/volunteerpumpkinrun. We are capping volunteers at 100.
If volunteering doesn't sound appealing and you would prefe to run instead, sign up online at bit.ly/PumpkinRun5K.
$10 long-sleeve tees on Wednesday
Stop by the Shocker Store in the RSC this week for their next one-day-only sale! Starting
at noon Wednesday, Oct. 10, the Shocker Store will have two long sleeve T-shirts for
$10 each, while supplies last. These will sell out, so hurry in! Limit three per customer.
Sale is in-store at the RSC location only. Offer not valid with other discounts or
promotions, and all sales are final.