KPERS 457 workshops and seminars
To help you manage your finances and prepare for retirement, KPERS 457 is providing no-cost seminars. Wichita seminars will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at KDOT Metro, Hillside Office – Training Center, 3200 E 45th St N. All employees of WSU, including those in non-benefits eligible positions, are eligible to begin or continue their retirement savings through a KPERS 457 plan.
To register, email your name with the date, location and time you’d like to attend to kpers457@kpers.org. Call or email with any questions at 1-800-232-0024. The sessions available for below:
Controlling Your Financial Future – 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27
- For employees with more than 5 years until retirement
- 5 hours
Your journey to retirement is unique. But to get on the right path, everyone should answer 3 questions:
- Where are you today?
- Where do you want to go?
- How do you plan to get there?
This interactive workshop will help you answer these questions, while learning ways to:
- Improve your financial future.
- More effectively manage your finances.
- Prioritize your financial goals.
Fundamentals of Investing – 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27
- For all employees
- 30 minutes
Asset allocation and diversification help you find the best balance of risk and potential return when investing for retirement. But one size doesn’t fit all. We’ll look at how to keep your investment portfolio on track. We’ll also talk about the options available through KPERS 457 to help you build a diversified portfolio across different asset classes.
Managing Your Retirement Income – 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27
- For employees within 3 years of retirement
- 5 hours
How you spend money in retirement is as important as how you save it.
This workshop can help you create a well-planned, worry-free, spend-down strategy with tools and resources to achieve your vision of retirement success.
Are You Saving Enough? – 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27
- For all employees
- 30 minutes
Important Note: KPERS 457 retirement counselors only work for KPERS 457 participants and do not make a commission. They’re motivated to provide service and education, not to sell.
Your contribution rate can have the biggest impact on your retirement income. Are you saving enough?
A retirement specialist will discuss:
- How to know how much you need to save.
- How to come up with the money to save.
- How to get started saving or increase your savings.
Nearing Retirement – 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27
- For employees within 3 years of retirement
- 45 minutes
You’re ready…but are your finances?
A retirement specialist will discuss:
- Steps to consider with your KPERS 457 before retirement.
- Income replacement and income needs in retirement.
- Options for continuing benefits from KPERS 457 in retirement.
Website Experience – 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27
- For all employees
- Joint session with Roth 457 Option
- 30 minutes
Join us for a demonstration of your KPERS 457 online account experience. We’ll explore the user-friendly features designed to make it easier for you to enroll in the plan, set up a login, find information, track progress and make changes to how you save and invest.
Roth 457 Option – 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27
- For all State of Kansas employees
- Joint session with Website Experience
- 30 minutes
The Roth 457 will allow additional after-tax contributions to the plan
A retirement counselor will discuss:
- What a Roth 457 is.
- What rules apply with Roth 457.
- How to get started with Roth 457.
Severe weather preparedness drill scheduled for Tuesday, March 5
This year, as we have done in the past, WSU will participate in the annual statewide severe weather preparedness drill.
The annual drill this year is Tuesday, March 5. If the weather is clear that day, all of the severe weather sirens in Sedgwick County will go off at 10 a.m. When the severe weather sirens sound, proceed to your designated severe weather shelter area.
Emergency Building Coordinators in each building will ensure that all building occupants safely make their way to the designated severe weather shelter area.
Departments should use this opportunity to ensure that all faculty, staff and students know where to go to protect themselves in a severe weather event.
SGA to live stream interview with Provost Rick Muma on Shock the Future referendum
SGA will live stream an interview on Facebook with Provost Rick Muma at 3 p.m. today (Thursday, Feb. 21), where students can tune in and ask questions, or submit any questions they have to SGA President Shelby Rowell.
RSVP by tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 22) for Faculty Appreciation Day lunch hosted by Meritrust at Braeburn
Join Meritrust for a WSU Faculty Appreciation Day and let us recognize your hard work and dedication from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, March 1, at Meritrust at Braeburn Square.
Stop by to check out their new branch location in Braeburn Square, meet the staff and have lunch on Meritrust.
RSVP by Friday, Feb. 22 at chi.bolander@meritrustcu.org.
School of Business Town Hall today (Thursday, Feb. 21)
Anand Desai, dean of the W. Frank Barton School of Business, will host a School of Business Town Hall meeting to answer questions and spark discussion on the Shock the Future Referendum, a student-led campaign that identifies a list of academic and student success infrastructure needs.
You’re invited to attend the Town Hall at 3:30 p.m. today (Thursday, Feb. 21) in 107 Clinton Hall.
This is your opportunity to listen to students’ thoughts on WSU’s future and find out more about the potential changes coming to our campus.
Young Shocker Professionals invite you to happy hour tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 22) at P.F. Chang’s
Young Shocker Professionals will also host a happy hour at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 22) on P.F. Chang’s private, heated patio.
Follow our Facebook page for more information on YSP happenings!
Accessibility training for faculty – graduate student version!
Whether you are a GTA or have a personal interest in accessible teaching, this session is for you! Plan on attending accessibility training for faculty – graduate student version from noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, in 142 RSC. Lunch will be provided to the first 15 students.
Did you know that all WSU instructors are required to take accessibility training each year? This in-person version of the instructor accessibility training will cover terms, policies, law, accessible digital documents, accessible face-to-face teaching, and accessibility training for students.
GTAs who choose this version of the training will meet their WSU academic year accessibility training requirement. The presenter will be Carolyn Speer, Instructional Design & Access.
SPTE forms are due by Feb. 25
Student Perception of Teaching Effectiveness (SPTE) Request forms are due to the Social Science Research Lab by Monday, Feb. 25. If you do not have a form, you can download a fillable pdf request form at https://wichita.edu/SPTE_forms located on our website. You can also get additional SPTE information on our website at www.wichita.edu\sslab.
You can email the electronic version to sandra.ranney@wichita.edu; mail paper form to campus box 107 or hand carry the form to 429 Lindquist Hall.
ISME Colloquium tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 22)
Dr. Gregory Sharp, associate professor in Radiation Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital will present “Technology and Physics in Radiation Oncology” from 11 a.m.-noon tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 22) in 218 Hubbard Hall.
Visiting ceramicist Casey Whittier to give artist talk this afternoon (Thursday, Feb. 21)
Casey Whittier will present an artist talk from 4–5 p.m. today (Thursday, Feb. 21) in 210 McKnight Art Center. A reception with the artist will follow from 5–6 p.m.
Whittier's exhibition "For Desires that We Wish To Name," is on view in the Clayton Staples Gallery through Saturday, March 2. Her intricate ceramic works investigate the fine line between the need to preserve and the need to re-imagine, re-configure and re-contextualize the world around her. Whittier teaches ceramics social practice at the Kansas City Art Institute.
‘The Comedy of Errors’ to be performed this week
“The Comedy of Errors” by William Shakespeare will be performed at 7:30 p.m. today (Thursday, Feb. 21) to Saturday, Feb. 23, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, in Wilner Auditorium. WSU students receive one free ticket with their WSU student ID. Tickets are $15 general public; $12 military / senior citizens / faculty / staff; and $10 students.
For tickets, contact the Fine Arts Box Office or call 978-3233. The show is rated G.
And for added fun on Saturday Feb. 23, the School of Performing Arts invites you to join the Hollywood fantasy by attending the show dressed as your favorite Hollywood personality.
8th annual Art That Touches Your Heart
The 8th annual Art That Touches Your Heart celebrates 400 years of African American history with black art! Stop by from 6-9 p.m. tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 22) or noon-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, on the first floor of the Rhatigan Student Center to see local and national Black artists, and enjoy artists and performances that will showcase an array of talents.
Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) squad leaders wanted
Are you interested in leadership development of yourself and your students? We are calling for 5 squad leaders to mentor students at the 2019 Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) this year. The 5 day event will take place on from May 20-24, 2019. We will host a few meetings leading up to the event to discuss logistics and preparations for the week. This week is time spent developing yourself as well as mentoring our students through their leadership journey! You’ll be part of community building and leadership exploration both during the institute as well as when we return to campus!
If you are interested, please fill out the application online.
For any questions, contact Kennedy Rogers at kennedy.rogers@wichita.edu or 978-7402.
Sponsors needed for 10th Annual Shock the Yard Step Show
The Multicultural Greek Council is seeking sponsors for the 10th Annual Shock the Yard Step Show, at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 27, in Charles Koch Arena. This event allows organizations around the Midwest to show off their ability to step and grants them the opportunity to be named the best step team in the Midwest.
We hope that you will consider sponsoring our show. You can find more information on our website or by emailing Rani Somers, coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life, at rani.somers@wichita.edu.
Special offer for upcoming WSU women’s basketball game with UConn
The Shockers will host UCONN at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26. There will be a mini basketball giveaway at this game as well. Group tickets are available for $12 for reserved seating for a group of 10 or more (save $3 a ticket) or $8 for general admission for a group of 10 or more (save $2 a ticket). You can purchase tickets at the link below.
WSU / UConn women's basketball game
Jump!Star call for entries: Tell a ‘star story’
As part of the Creative Concourse of the Diverse Women's Summit, Jump!Star artist George Ferrandi invites members of the WSU community to submit their own "star stories" inspired by Jump!Star's 12 star characters.
Presentations could be stories, images, poems, monologues, videos, songs or performances. All presentations must be seven minutes or less, relate to the attributes of the Jump!Star characters, and meet the submission deadline of Wednesday, March 6.