Foundation year-end gift receipt information for 2018 tax credit
Checks without a postmarked envelope will need to be delivered to the WSU Foundation by 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, as we close at that time. Checks with an envelope postmarked by Dec. 31, need to be at the Foundation no later than noon Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.
Information for credit / debit cards to be processed in office will need to be to us by 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31.
Online bank drafts need to be initiated by 6 p.m. Dec. 31, but online credit cards will be able to be processed until midnight.
Cheerfully,
Foundation Finance Team
Irvin named Equal Opportunity Coordinator
Effective Thursday, Jan. 3, Michael Irvin will join the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC) at Wichita State University as the Equal Opportunity Coordinator.
Irvin comes to us from the Employee Relations Office of Sedgwick County. We are excited to have him join the Wichita State team.
HR has early deadline to post positions and make job offers
The HR Talent Team will have an early deadline to post positions and to make offers to ensure they are processed prior to the holiday shutdown. This will also allow the team to prepare for the Jan. 3 New Employee Orientation. To accomplish this, the following deadlines are in place:
- All position descriptions must be completely approved in the PeopleAdmin routing process by Tuesday, Dec. 18 to be posted to the WSU website prior to the shutdown.
- All offers must be accepted by Tuesday, Dec. 18 to be able to start on Jan. 3, 2019.
Any pending position descriptions or requests for posting after Dec. 18 will continue processing on Jan. 2. Any offers that are accepted after Dec. 18 will be able to start on or after the Jan. 14 New Employee Orientation.
Please call Human Resources at 978-3605 with any questions.
New Ulrich Museum initiatives
All faculty are invited to include a visit to the Ulrich Museum of Art in each of their courses. When you come to the museum with your students, we will facilitate a discussion around selected works of art that follows the Visual Thinking Strategy (VTS) model allowing us the opportunity to reach across all disciplines.
VTS is a research-based, student-centered teaching system and uses art to build the capacity to observe, think, listen and communicate. VTS builds cognition through art, develops critical-thinking skills, expands language literacy, and encourages students to look, think and talk. During VTS discussions, students practice expressing complex ideas and emotions while building confidence with spoken language, which supports their development into effective communications.
Contact Leslie A. Brothers or Jana Durfee with any questions at leslie.brothers@wichita.edu or jana.durfee@wichita.edu. Contact Durfee to schedule your visit.
More information and deadlines on Ulrich Museum initiatives
How much do you know about the WSU Faculty / Staff Holiday Card Scholarship?
Over 50 years ago, Dr. Nicholas Pronko, professor emeritus of psychology, came up with a unique fundraising idea for Wichita State. He called on faculty and staff to give the few dollars they normally would spend sending each other holiday cards to a scholarship benefiting WSU students with financial need – and this became the Holiday Card Endowed Scholarship Fund.
Now, with more than 3,400 donations and nearly $82,000 contributed (and that’s just during the time we’ve been able to track), it’s easy to see how successful Dr. Pronko’s vision has become. The endowed fund has grown to the point we are able to award up to four scholarships a year averaging more than $1,000 each. It is truly impacting the lives of WSU students.
Unfortunately, support for what was once an important holiday tradition for WSU faculty and staff has been declining over the past few years. With many loyal supporters having retired, and so many new employees, it’s easy to understand how this happened. This is a renewed appeal for you to help turn the tide. Whether this is the first you’ve heard of the scholarship – or you’ve supported it for years – please consider participating this year.
Visit the Holiday Card Endowed Scholarship Fund site by clicking here. You’ll be able to learn more about the scholarship and can even give a gift. If you’re unable to support financially, you can still make an impact by advocating for the scholarship and promoting it to your friends and colleagues. Your involvement at any level will make a difference.
If you have questions, or would like to learn more about ways you can support the WSU Faculty/Staff Holiday Card Scholarship Fund, please contact Aaron Winter at the WSU Foundation by emailing aaron.winter@wichita.edu or call 316-978-3803.
Happy holidays to all – and congratulations on another great year at WSU!
WSU Tech awarded $100,000 for new Metallica Scholars Initiative
WSU Tech will be able to better support students preparing to enter the workforce thanks to a $100,000 Metallica Scholars Initiative grant designated for student support. The initiative is funded by Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation (AWMH).
This major workforce education initiative provides direct support to community colleges to enhance their career and technical education programs. These programs provide skills and services to students who are looking to enter a traditional trade or other applied learning program. WSU Tech is one of 10 community colleges from across the country chosen through a competitive proposal process to receive $100,000 to support students training to enter the American workforce. These students will become the first cohort of Metallica Scholars.
“WSU Tech is honored to be chosen as a recipient of the Metallica Scholars Grant,” said WSU Tech President Sheree Utash. “We look forward to advancing ‘Women in Manufacturing’ with this funding in aviation sheetmetal, machining and welding. Building upon the success of WSU Tech’s Wichita Promise and Wichita Promise MOVE initiatives, WSU Tech is excited about the opportunity to engage women into pursuing career opportunities in the manufacturing industry.”
Partnering with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), a Washington, D.C.-based organization that represents the nation’s 1,103 community colleges, the Metallica Scholars awards are designed to provide support of relevant job skill training for community college students, reinvest in communities that supported Metallica during its recent United States tours, and leverage the influence of Metallica to elevate the importance of career and technical education.
Kansas Kids @ GEAR Up receive ‘The Good Apple’ award
Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP has recently been awarded, “The Good Apple" from Wichita Public Schools for their community impact.
This fall semester, Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP executed a community project, Motivational Words at Wilbur Middle School. It took two full days (in-services days) to paint 16 bathroom stalls. Each stall has a motivational / encouraging quote. This has created a ripple effect within USD 259 schools, and this project has been requested to be implemented in the future.
Facilities Services after-hours emergency response
Facilities Services wants the campus to be aware of its after-hours emergency response plan.
Facilities Services regular work schedule is 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Custodial Services Department works until 11:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For after-hours emergencies requiring Facilities Services assistance, please contact our University Police Department (UPD) at 316-978-3450. UPD will then contact Custodial Services and / or the appropriate on-call Facilities Services Department.
Facilities Services has the following department's on-call seven days a week:
- Plumbing
- HVAC
- Electrical
- Mechanical Maintenance
- Lock Shop
- Energy Management (HVAC Controls)
- Carpenter
WSUAA announces 64th class of Wichita State Alumni Award honorees
Since 1955, the Wichita State University Alumni Association has sponsored an alumni awards program to celebrate the accomplishments and service of Wichita State alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the university. This is the 64th class of award recipients: Freddy Simon ’49, Alumni Achievement Award; Cindy Carnahan ’73, Alumni Recognition Award; Rodney Miller, University Recognition Award; Rhonda K. Hicks ’95, Laura Cross Distinguished Service Award; and Kyle ’17 and Ricki ’09/16 Ellison, Young Alumni Award.
These Class of 2018 honorees will be the center of attention at a banquet ceremony slated for Thursday, April 18, 2019 at WSU’s Rhatigan Student Center Beggs Ballroom.
Free WSU Bear with $75 purchase at the Shocker Store
Spend $75 in store at our RSC or Braeburn Square locations or online at shockerstore.com and get a cuddly, Shocker friend (while supplies last). Limit one bear per customer, per visit. Merchandise sub-total must be $75 or greater.
Shocker Dollars at the Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes
You can now use Shocker Dollars for food purchases in the Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes. We accept both Dining Dollars associated with residential dining plans as well as Shocker Dollars. Sorry, but Bonus Dollars and Staff Dining Dollars are not accepted. Purchases for play and alcohol are excluded.