Spring 2019 Tuition assistance now open
The HR Total Rewards team is now accepting Tuition Assistance applications for the Spring 2019 semester for benefits-eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Because the Dec. 1 deadline is not a university business day, applications will be accepted by email through 11:59 p.m. CT Monday, Dec. 3. Applications received after this deadline will be automatically denied. There will be no exceptions.
The Tuition Assistance for Spouses and Dependent Children policy has been revised to reflect an updated definition of dependent children. The revised definition removes the requirement for the child to be covered as a dependent for income tax purposes and increases the age limit from age 25 to age 26. This definition more closely aligns with the FAFSA requirements, which is more appropriate as tuition assistance is applied as a scholarship to the student's account through Financial Aid and will result in access for a greater number of dependent children.
Several procedures in the application process have been updated this semester to improve processing times. The Total Rewards team asks all applicants, new and returning, to thoroughly review the new website pages at Tuition Assistance for application guidelines, FAQs and a fillable PDF of the recently updated application.
Heffner, host of ‘The Open Mind' on PBS, to speak at WSU
The host of “The Open Mind” on PBS, Alexander Heffner, a journalist, writer, commentator and educator, will be the keynote speaker at the Elliott School of Communication's annual CommWeek held at Wichita State University this month.
The keynote address is scheduled for 7-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18 at the CAC Theater on the WSU campus. Following the address, Heffner will hold a Q&A session. This event is open to students, faculty, staff and the public free of charge.
Heffner's keynote speech, “Civil Discourse in an Uncivil Age: The Quest for a Post-Partisan Citizenship,” will cover, according to Heffner, “the effects of divisiveness on discourse and governance and the impact of social media, fake news and filter bubbles that polarize information intake.”
Join the Purple Mile walk to increase domestic violence awareness
The Purple Mile is a walk to increase domestic violence awareness and show support for survivors. The mile will be held from 9-10 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 13), beginning and ending on the east side of the RSC. Students, faculty, staff and members of the local community are encouraged to attend.
This event is sponsored by the Wichita / Sedgwick County Domestic Violence / Sexual Assault Coalition, Wichita State University - School of Criminal Justice, The Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, School of Social Work, Wichita State University Police Department, Criminal Justice Student Association, Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes and Pepsi.
Following the walk, there will be information tables and activities for everyone.
Shawna Harp-Mobley who originally coordinated the event started as a lecturer at WSU in 1991 and became an adjunct faculty member in the School of Community Affairs (as the School of Criminal Justice was then known). She died from cancer in 2015, but her vision to provide domestic violence awareness and show support for survivors has lived on through this walk.
WSU Tech Dental Assistant program moves to AEGD facility
WSU Tech's Dental Assistant program has moved to the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) building at WSU. The remodeled space features a dental clinic with eight operatories, sterilization lab, three X-ray suites, locker room and modern classrooms and offices.
In the new facility, WSU Tech students and AEGD dental residents will learn and work together in a collaborative environment.
ISME Colloquium presentation today (Friday, Oct. 12)
“Continuous Improvement Efforts Targeting Quality Defects” is the title of a presentation by MSIE student Thomas Jones from 1-2 p.m. today (Friday, Oct. 12) in 214 Clinton Hall.
Workshop training day for instructors set for Monday, Oct. 15
Instructional Design and Access will host several in-person training opportunities for instructors from 9 a.m.-noon or 1-4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, in the RSC. Each session will have three workshop opportunities to choose from.
Topics include: Panopto, Introduction and Intermediate Blackboard, Faculty Accessibility Training, Blackboard Ally and running effective online discussions in Blackboard.
For more information, visit IDA's Workshop webpage. Sign up for any session through myTraining.
Department of Geology Technical Session features talk about Pluto by Alden Consolver
On July 14, 2015, at 11:49 UTC, New Horizons, an interplanetary space probe, launched as part of NASA's New Frontier's program, flew 12,500 km (7,800 miles) above the surface of Pluto, making it the first spacecraft to explore the dwarf planet.The Department of Geology Technical Session at 3:30 p.m. today (Friday, Oct. 12) will feature a talk by Alden Consolver in 101 Geology Building. Consolver will talk about what scientists are continuing to learn about Pluto.
The goal of the mission is to understand the formation of the Pluto system, the Kuiper belt, and the transformation of the early Solar System. The last recorded data from the Pluto fly-by was received from New Horizons on Oct. 25, 2016. Among other unusual items, the probe carried ashes of Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto in 1930. Unknown to many, Tombaugh was a Kansan.
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 2 p.m. today (Friday, Oct. 12) in 256 RSC. Total Rewards is facilitating lab sessions at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. There also is a KDHE webinar scheduled for 11 a.m. today (Friday, Oct. 12).
Accessibility Training: An in-person session
Instructional Design and Access will offer the first of several in-person accessibility training opportunities for instructors from 1-3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, in the RSC. This training will meet the accessibility training discussed by the Provost on Oct. 10.
If you are interested in receiving this training in-person, please sign up to attend. To sign up, go to MyWSU and then go to myTraining. The session can be found on the training calendar for Oct. 15. If you can't make it, don't worry. There is an online training available as well, and additional in-person training opportunities will be offered in December.
WSU volleyball this weekend in Koch Arena
The Wichita State volleyball team returns home to Charles Koch Arena for two American Athletic Conference matches this weekend.
The Shockers take on the East Carolina Pirates for Farmer Appreciation Night at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, before welcoming the Cincinnati Bearcats for Wichita Eagle Family Day at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14.
Farmer Appreciation night Friday will feature a mobile milking truck and themed WuShock photo booth, while Family Day Sunday will offer fans an opportunity to purchase four tickets, four hot dogs, four bags of popcorn and four drinks for just $32! As always, Wichita State students receive free admission with a valid student ID.
Discounts for Shockers, courtesy of Wichita Center for Performing Arts
Wichita Center for Performing Arts presents their fall shows at discounted prices for all WSU students and employees. The show “Little Red Riding Hood,” a production by Wichita Children's Theatre & Dance Center's Professional Touring Company, will be held at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, and 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20.
Coming in November: “Diary of a Worm, a Spider, & a Fly,” a Dallas Children's Theater production, showing at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2; and “Rosie Revere, Engineer,” a TheaterWorks USA production, showing at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9.
Tickets are $5 per show with discount code PERFORMING. Purchase at WichitaCenter.org. For more information call 316-201-6654.
Halloween decorating safety tips
In order to keep work areas and our residence halls safe from fire this Halloween, please take these simple precautions.
If you have questions about your holiday decorating, contact WSU Fire Safety at 978-5803 or 978-5531 or email scott.murray@wichita.edu or dennis.moore@wichita.edu.
Halloween safety decorating tips
WSU Police thank you and ask for continued support for the Shocker Support Locker
The WSU Police Department thanks those who have contributed food and non-perishables for the Shocker Support Locker so far this fall, but the need is ongoing. The response has been great, but the need continues.
Between now and Halloween, the WSU Police Department challenges students, faculty and staff to continue to donate canned food and non-perishables for the Shocker Support Locker. The Shocker Support Locker runs low fairly often, and there is a need now for some students than ever before.
If you want to make a difference, give your donation to any uniform officer on campus or bring donations to the University Police Department.
If you want an opportunity to win a WSU mug or WSU Police Department challenge coin as part of a raffle at the end of the drive, just leave your name and phone number with the officer or at the University Police Department when making a donation of any size.
WSU Cops support Shocks and they challenge you to do the same!
Donation Wish List
- PROTEINS: peanut butter, canned chicken/tuna, beans, canned chili, nuts
- FRUITS: canned fruits, applesauce, tomato juice, raisins, dried fruit
- GRAINS: pasta, rice, cereal, noodles, oatmeal
- MEALS & MIXES: baking mixes, soups, instant potatoes, mac and cheese, hamburger helper, spaghetti sauce
- SNACKS: granola bars, crackers, popcorn, pudding
Students, faculty and staff are welcome at the Shocker Support Locker
The Shocker Support Locker was founded in 2015 by the WSU Student Government Association to relieve food insecurity among WSU community members. Today, the locker provides both nonperishable and fresh food items, as well as hygiene products, professional clothing and textbooks.
Individuals who would like to use the Shocker Support Locker must be currently enrolled at Wichita State as students or currently employed faculty or staff. If you fit this criterion, you are welcome to use the pantry once per week and may take up to 10 items per visit.
For more information or questions about the Shocker Support Locker call 978-3480 or visit Shocker Support Locker.
Empty Bowls Chili Cook-off is tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 13)
You're invited to the Empty Bowls Chili Cook-Off from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. tomorrow (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.
University Libraries to host a trial of a major citation database
University Libraries is hosting a trial of Scopus, a major citation database from Elsevier, from now through mid-November. In conjunction with the trial, there will be two vendor presentations from 10-11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, and from 1-2 p.m. on the lower level of Ablah Library.
Learn more about Scopus, the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature, e.g. scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Scopus is a competitor of Web of Science, a citation database currently held by the library, and the presentation will cover a comparison of the two databases.
This is open to all faculty, staff and students. Refreshments will be served. To access the trial and sign up for one of the presentations, go to Scopus trial.
Girls to explore STEM careers at sixth annual Expanding Your Horizons event
Wichita State University invites middle school girls from the surrounding area to attend the Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) workshops on Saturday, Nov. 3.
This will be the sixth annual EYH, an event promoting career exploration in fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for young women. The EYH Network is a national program that gives girls a chance to engage in hands-on activities and meet role models in STEM disciplines. The purpose of the event is to inspire girls from all backgrounds to recognize their potential and pursue opportunities in STEM.
Registration is limited to 200 participants to maximize interaction at workshops, and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis through Tuesday, Oct. 30. The registration fee of $15 includes lunch at Shocker Hall, a T-shirt and bag for the student attending.
Students will be able to register for three workshops. Workshops this year include “Infectious Outbreak,” “DNA Necklace,” “Despicable Me, Money and More,” “The Broad Street Mystery,” “Rube Goldberg Design,” “All Keyed Up!,” “Start your Own ISLAND!,” “Archaeology of Food,” “Light Up Your Life (Electronics),” “The Science Behind Gaming,” “The Secret Lives of Flowers,” “Smelly Science,” “Air Powered Rockets,” and “Geology Rocks.”
The event will start with a keynote address by Dr. Asona Lui, a Kansas native involved in cancer treatment research at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. Families are welcome to attend the opening ceremony and attend a parents' session on topics, such as financing higher education, college preparation during middle and high school, and the process of applying to colleges. Campus tours will also be provided after the event.
For more information about EYH, contact WSU Conference Office at 978-6493 or visit the conference website. Middle school girls and their parents can register online or by mail with the registration form also accessible from website.
ME Graduate Seminar coming Oct. 19
Melanie M. Derby
Melanie M. Derby in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering at Kansas State University, will present an ME Graduate Seminar from 3-4 p.m. Friday, Oc. 19, in 128 Jabara Hall. Derby's talk will be “Multi-phase Flows and Phase Change Heat Transfer in the Food, Energy and Water Nexus.”
Applications are open for AAFSA scholarships
The African American Faculty & Staff Association awards scholarships every November from freshmen to graduate students. The scholarship amount ranges from $250-$500 depending on how many applicants are awarded. Those students will receive the money in January 2019 for their spring semester.
The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19.
Little Shockers Camp coming soon!
Little Shockers Camp is back! Upcoming dates are Friday, Oct. 19, and Monday, Oct. 22. Little Shockers Camp is a supervised, interactive and educational day camp open to children ages 5-12. Children will enjoy arts and crafts, games and other activities designed to send them home worn out and happy.
For more information or to register your child visit wichita.edu/littlecamp.