In case you missed it
The following university update was given at the WSU Weekly Briefing yesterday (Thursday, Nov. 1).
Student Veterans' benefits
We want to take a moment to address a recent concern with the processing of veterans' benefits. Due to employee turnover, we developed a backlog. We are working hard to ensure that all eligible benefits are processed as quickly as possible.
In order to expedite this process, we recently certified three new people to process benefits, plus hired a new director of the Veteran's Center. He is in the process of getting certified.
We are excited about the new protocols and the new leadership in place, and as a result, we have already seen a significant reduction in the backlog. We take the needs of all students very seriously, veterans included, and we will continue working with our students to resolve all remaining issues to ensure they receive all benefits for which they are eligible.
Veteran's Family Night - Nov. 8
Also, with Veteran's Day coming up, the university wants to thank our Veterans for their service by inviting all Shocker- and Wichita-area veterans, and their families, to Veteran's Family Night.
The event is from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 8, at Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes. There'll be free food, bowling, billiards and family friendly games.
Ennovar expansion/CCHT relocation:
In this period of growth for Wichita State, and many of its research entities and community programs, we'd like to make you aware of some department moves.
The Center for Combatting Human Trafficking (CCHT) has returned to the main campus on the second floor of Lindquist Hall.
Ennovar is expanding into the former CCHT space at 238 N. Mead. They will still have a presence on the main campus as well.
The former Visual Communications shop behind the National Institute for Aviation Research is undergoing renovations. Entities that are housed there – industrial and manufacturing engineering labs and Fairmount Technologies – will move to the first and second floors of Beggs Hall.
Virtual U.S. Patent and Trademark Office workshop in Ablah Library
University Libraries is hosting a virtual U.S. Patent and Trademark Office workshop, “Intellectual Property for Beginners: Design Patents” from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. today (Friday, Nov. 2) in 204 Ablah Library.
Part II in the series will give a more in-depth overview on design patents, as well as how and when an entrepreneur or business might consider applying for a design patent as opposed to, or in addition to, a utility patent.
To RSVP to this event and other workshops for inventors and entrepreneurs, visit Intellectual Property for Beginners
YMCA portraits available for download
A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by the YMCA portrait photoshoot recently. Those photos are now available for color and black and white download at wsu.news/FreePics.
These photographs are made possible as a courtesy, thanks to the collaboration with the Office of the President, Strategic Communications and photography major students Dale Small and Huge Zelada-Romero.
College of Health Professions announces keynote speaker for Monday, Nov. 5
Rick Ament
Rick Ament of the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center will be the CHP Week keynote speaker at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5, in the CAC Theater. He will discuss health care services the center offers, his journey toward becoming the director of the center and his accomplishments during his time there.
Participants can come early to take their picture with WuShock at the CHP Week photo booth! Doors open at 5 p.m. Visit wichita.edu/chpweek for a full list of CHP Week activities.
Lecture Series in the Mathematical Sciences presents Chul Moon
Chul Moon from Southern Methodist University will present “Statistical Inference and Learning for Topological Data Analysis” at 3 p.m. today (Friday, Nov. 2) in 372 Jabara Hall. Join us for refreshments before the lecture at 2:30 p.m. in 353 Jabara Hall.
Topological data analysis (TDA) is a rapidly developing collection of methods for studying the shape of data. Moon says their model enables us to predict the geophysical properties of rocks based on their geometry and connectivity.
Wichita State University to host panel discussion and film preview about Kansas as inspiration
The Department of History and Great Plains Studies Certificate Program at Wichita State will host a free and unique exploration of the Sunflower State at 7 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 3) in 233 Rhatigan Student Center.
The discussion of the film “Kansas: An Eclogue” will kick off with a panel discussion by noted experts in the topic. Jay M. Price from the Department of History will introduce the speakers before turning the discussion over to them. Panelists include Victoria Foth Sherry, Marci Penner and Kelly Kindscher. All three panelists have produced extensive work and have either featured Kansas in their creative endeavors or been shaped by their time in the state.
This will be no ordinary panel discussion. This will be an exploration of how being on the ground creates a place to encounter a state often dismissed as “flyover.” In addition, filmmaker Patrick Ross will treat the audience to a trailer for the upcoming documentary “Kansas: An Eclogue.” Following the screening, there will be time for audience Q&A.
Principal funding for the program is provided by Humanities Kansas, a nonprofit cultural organization connecting communities with history, traditions, and ideas to strengthen civic life. The Watkins Museum, in Lawrence, Kansas, is a partner in the presentation of this program series and the production of the documentary film.
The WSU Department of History and the Great Plains Studies Certificate Program is proud to host this program and invites everyone with a love of Kansas and a curiosity about our fascinating state.
Developing Budgets: How to Avoid a Budget Battle before a Grant Goes Out
Please join the Office of Research to ask all your research budget questions from noon-1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, in 405 Jardine Hall. Learn about allowable costs vs. unallowable costs; WSU rates, travel questions; how to build flexibility into grant budgets; what is cost match and where can I find it; what is indirect cost recovery?
Sign up through myTraining on myWSU or call the Office of Research at 978-3285.
Space is available in Employment Relationship Training class on Wednesday Nov. 14
Space is available in an Employment Relationship Training class from 9-11 a.m. Wednesday,
Nov. 14, in 264 Rhatigan Student Center. To register for training, go to myTraining
through myWSU.
This course is provided for leaders who supervise employees (UP, USS, students), and
will focus on the overall employment relationship. It will provide guidance on managing
performance, setting expectations, how to identify when an employee has not met expectations,
and how to effectively address those concerns. This could include concerns with attendance,
job performance, conflict with coworkers, etc.
This training will also introduce you to tools to use to effectively document an unmet expectation. If you have questions, contact mytraining@wichita.edu.
DSI observers – We need your help
The Distinguished Scholarship Invitational (DSI) is quickly approaching and will be
held on Saturday, Nov. 17. The $64,000 Harry Gore Memorial Scholarships are awarded
through the DSI process to three high school seniors to attend Wichita State in the
fall of 2019, and we need your help in selecting the next Gore Scholars!
Observers are WSU faculty, staff and community members and are present in each room
to score the student participants in two activities - an interview and a consensus-building
activity.
There are two times observers can choose from – a morning session from 7:30-10:30
a.m., and an afternoon session from 2:30-5:30 p.m. Of course, you can always volunteer
for both!
If you're interested in serving as an observer, please go to wichita.edu/dsiobserver for more information. Contact Mandy Harmon, associate director in admissions, at mandy.harmon@wichita.edu with questions.
Pay some parking citations with a donation to the Shocker Support Locker
Food For Fines is an initiative to serve the population of WSU while supporting the Shocker Support Locker. During the week of Nov. 5-7, certain parking citations can be forgiven with a designated donation to the Shocker Support Locker.
For more information and details for this initiative, contact the SGA Office by email at sga@wichita.edu, call 978-3480 or click on Food for Fines.
Retirement party planned for Chuck Bouska and Becky North
Save the date for a retirement party for Chuck Bouska and Becky North from 3:30-5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5 in 233 RSC. It will be come-and-go with remarks at 4 p.m. Please come wish them well in retirement!
Bouska has worked for the State of Kansas for 40 years, recently in ITS Application Development.
North has been in ITS Application Training for 14 years.
Graduate School event – Three Minute Thesis 3MT®
Come celebrate the inaugural WSU Graduate School showcase of student oral presentations of original research for the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Oral Showcase Competition. Note the time change to 3-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, in 306 west Shirley Beggs Ballroom, RSC. Students were selected to participate through a 3MT Graduate School video submission competition and nomination process.
The first-place winner will attend the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools meeting.
More information on the competition
Spring 2019 Tuition assistance is open
The HR Total Rewards team is 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.
Graduate School Professional Development Series to feature job search skills
Learn how to translate common skills learned in graduate school to skills employers are seeking from Jennifer Brantley from noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, in 142 RSC. Register before Wednesday, Nov. 7, at wichita.edu/JSS. Log in to co-sponsor Career Development Handshake with your WSU ID and password, and click “Join Event.”
Everyone is welcome to attend: after the first 50 RSVP's have been taken you will need to wait until the RSVP's have gone through the buffet line to eat.
Student improves skills working in real-world classroom
Wichita State student Suzie Wright, a social work major, had the opportunity to work with children through an applied learning experience at the Wichita State Child Development Center.
She says the experience taught her hands-on lessons in working with young children.
‘Forward Together: Applying Collective Impact for Large-Scale Social Change'
Luella Sanders
Luella Sanders, an alumna of WSU and director community impact for United Way of the Plains in Wichita, will be the guest speaker at a Psychology Department Colloquium from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, in 142 Rhatigan Student Center. Her topic will be “Forward Together: Applying Collective Impact for Large-Scale Social Change.”
Sanders works with a broad range of community partners in two primary areas: education (school readiness and grade level reading proficiency) and income (homelessness and financial equity).
Safe Zone Training will be offered on Tuesday, Nov. 6
Safe Zone Training will be offered from 2:30-5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, in 266 Rhatigan Student Center.
The goal of Safe Zone LGBTQ Training is to educate as well as create and sustain a welcoming and inclusive environment for the LGBTQ campus community. This training establishes an identifiable network of supportive people who can provide support, information and a safe place for LGBTQ persons within the Wichita State community.
This training is a dynamic and interactive session that covers topics including inclusive language, coming out, the importance of being an ally, and understanding sexual identity. To get more information and register for this training session, visit Safe Zone.
Thanks to all for supporting the Shocker Support Locker
Here's the culmination of Cops Support Shocks, Shocker Support Locker for the past six weeks through Halloween.
It is estimated that more than 700 pounds of food was collected. Thanks to Fiffy Petty in the finance office, Warner Golling's executive assistant, for the individual person to bring in the most food with her husband along for support.
Second goes to Heather Stafford for spearheading Student Health Services collection of food, and the third highest amount of food goes to Patty Howard from NIAR, who also spearheaded the entire department into collecting non-perishables.
This has been a great experience on behalf of the Wichita State University Police Department, and we want all who participated to know how much their efforts are appreciated as well.
That said, the WSUPD will still be glad to be the conveyance if need be to move food contributions to the Shocker Support Locker, so don't stop your efforts for this great cause, and if the WSUPD can help, please call.
Alternative Spring Break informational meetings
Alternative Spring Break will expose WSU students to complex social and cultural issues through community visits, experiential learning, direct service, group discussion, common readings and reflection activities.
This year we are offering two trips dedicated to service-learning in two different focuses. The first trip will be to Washington, D.C., exploring hunger and homelessness in our nation's capital.
The second trip will be to Houston, focusing on long term disaster recovery post Hurricane Harvey.
Informational meetings will be held from noon-1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5, in 262 RSC, and 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, in 142 RSC. Pick up an application in person at Student Involvement in 216 Rhatigan Student Center, or go to wichita.edu/springbreak to download a copy. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30.