Open / Alternative Textbook (OAT) application forms are open
The Open / Alternative Textbook (OAT) initiative is designed to promote, incentivize, and grow the use of freely-available resources in WSU classes to reduce the economic impact of textbook costs on the student body.
The project has two elements:
- OAT Course Designation: Provides an incentive to faculty based on a $10/student course fee, which will be applied to an approved course that is using Open / Alternative textbooks that have no cost to the students. This money is split between the department offering the course (60%) and the Open / Alternative Textbook grant program (40%).
- OAT Grant Program: Provides $2,000-5,000 grants to faculty who apply for the grant
to redesign a course with no-cost resources, or to write or contribute to an open
educational resource, or other alternative text that can be provided to the students
free of charge. These grants are funded by the course fees.
Read more on Open / Alternative Textbook application forms.
The OAT Initiative will be managed by Academic Affairs. OAT Course Designations and Grant Applications will be submitted via web form and reviewed by a panel be made up of: Two faculty members (appointed by Faculty Senate), a representative from University Libraries , a representative from Instructional Design and Access, at least one student (appointed by SGA), and the Associate Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management (ex officio).
Apply now for Fall 2020 course designation. Deadline: Feb 1.
Grant applications will be due May 1 for AY 2020-21.
Help available with Strategic Planning Initiatives
Need help entering your Strategic Planning Initiatives prior to the winter break? It’s not too late to have your initiatives included. Open labs have been established. Support is available in person the following dates / times in 124 Jabara Hall.
11 a.m.-noon Thursday, Dec. 12
3-4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16
1-2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18
Comfortable moving forward on your own, take advantage of online support. Instructional videos are available 24/7 on the Strategic Planning “How-To” website.
Apply now for the 2020 John A. See Innovation Award
Applications for the 2020 John A. See Innovation Award will be accepted now to Friday, Jan. 31. The award was established in December 2013 by John A. See to support prototype development, which may include development of products in engineering and science, development of life-enhancing therapeutic products, creation of application of new knowledge and artistic ventures.
Faculty and students are eligible to apply for the proof of concept award. For more information and access to the online application options go to www.wichita.edu/innovationaward.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers wide variety of services to employees at no charge
As an employee of the state, benefits-eligible employees of WSU and their dependents have access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services at no charge. EAP can provide information and connect you with professionals who can help with a wide variety of services, and your use of EAP services is completely confidential.
Some services provided are:
- Connecting with a financial expert for financial related issues and questions
- Legal advice for concerns such as divorce, custody, adoption, real estate, debt, landlord/tenant issues, etc.
- Locating support groups
- Short-term personal counseling services
- Family and parenting questions
- Customized resources and referrals for child and elder care, moving, pet care, home repair, selling a home, college planning and more.
You can find more information here. To check out the EAP services offered, visit the EAP Website at www.guidanceresources.com using Company ID: SOKEAP or call EAP at 1-888-275-1205 (option 1).
SEM Update: Goal 4
From Carolyn Shaw, Associate Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management
Goal 4 Increase enrollment along the I-35 corridor
- Our enrollments of students along the I-35 and I-70 corridors have grown significantly
with the expansion of our Shocker City and Shocker Select tuition discounts for students
in Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Between 2016 to 2019, we’ve seen 111% growth.
This year, we see an increase of 34 new First Time in College (FTIC) students, 106
returning or transfer students, and seven graduate students, bringing our total from
these regions to 936.
Read recruitment and retention tips, plus see SEM Shout Outs
Recruitment and Retention Tips:
- Create a sense of belonging and shared identity with college / department swag (T-shirts, lanyards, etc.) These can also be shared with prospective students.
- Conclude all of your written communications to students with an invitation to contact you if they have questions. This creates an environment for greater engagement.
- Recognize and celebrate student successes in your programs (leadership, event planning, research, scholarships, etc.). One-third of our non-returning students are high achievers. They need to see their opportunities for success here too.
SEM Shout Outs:
- To departments in the Barton School of Business and Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who have pursued new articulation agreements with two-year colleges outside the state, creating a clear path for transfer students’ classes to apply toward their degree at Wichita State.
- To Jason Bosch in Engineering who sends the Tuesday News Flash to all the students in the college with advising reminders, scholarship information, upcoming events, and other important news.
- To Alicia Newell who connects at orientation with parents and give her cell number to them if they have concerns or questions.
Personal finance grant presentation will be hosted at Wichita State’s John Bardo Center
The Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner will award three of four consumer education grant checks for financial literacy at 1 p.m. today (Thursday, Dec. 12), in John Bardo Center at Wichita State.
John Bardo Center, formerly the Experiential Engineering Building, is located on WSU’s Innovation Campus, facing 17th Street between Oliver and Hillside.
The three grants will each be awarded to Consumer Credit Counseling Service Inc. (CCCS), the Kansas Council on Economic Education (KCEE) and The Pando Initiative.
Each of these agencies are based in Wichita, but their financial literacy efforts impact all of Kansas. WSU collaborates with all three grant winners in various ways.
Consumer Credit Counseling Services
CCCS provides financial counseling and education in Kansas. Last year it reached over 7,300 Kansans about topics ranging from budgeting, credit reports, identity theft, student loan debt, costs of college and debt reduction.
CCCS’s grant will support similar educational presentations in schools and in the community.
Kansas Council on Economic Education
KCEE’s vision is that every Kansas K-12 student will become economically and financially literate so they will be more knowledgeable consumers, wiser savers and investors, better employees and more responsible citizens.
The grant will support KCEE’s Kansas Personal Finance Challenge, a competition for middle and high school students to test their personal finance knowledge.
The grant also supports the personal finance area of the KCEE LifeSmarts program, helping students to become more knowledgeable consumers.
WSU’s Barton School of Business hosts KCEE, a nonprofit organization affiliated with all six Kansas public universities.
The Pando Initiative
The Pando Initiative teaches Reality U to high school students, a financial simulation which teaches them about personal finance and the importance of good decision-making.
Through the Office of the State Bank Commissioner, they have gone from serving several Wichita high schools in 2002 to over 10,000 middle and high school students throughout Kansas this year.
Their grant will support Reality U and its ongoing growth across Kansas high schools and middle schools.
WSU graduate student's business makes Most Fundable Company list
Wichita State graduate student Tammy Dorsey and her company, Prenatal Hope, recently reached a No. 11 rank on the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School’s Most Fundable Companies List.
Prenatal Hope competed against thousands of early-stage U.S. companies with less than $10 million in annual revenue to be named one of the most fundable companies.
Dorsey, founder and CEO of Prenatal Hope, found her passion for reducing infant mortality while earning her Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering at WSU. She is currently a graduate student in WSU’s Master of Innovation Design (MID) program. Dorsey attributes the success of Prenatal Hope to The Institute of Biomedical Entrepreneurship, her team (co-founder and WSU MID graduate James Balman) and Wichita State.
Prenatal Hope is a medical device manufacturer that specializes in prenatal monitoring. The company’s headline product is VivO2, a non-invasive, in-utero testing device that provides pH levels of an unborn baby’s blood, which correlates directly to fetus’ oxygen levels. This data helps reduce the risks associated with oxygen deprivation during childbirth.
Read complete story on Prenatal Hope.
Wichita State University holiday shutdown hours
Wichita State University’s holiday shutdown will begin Monday, Dec. 23, and go through Wednesday, Jan. 1. Some hours will vary by department.
Submit your applications for Senior Honor awards
Applications are being sought for Wichita State’s 2020 Senior Honor awards. This is considered one of the most prestigious honors a student can receive at WSU. Up to 10 students are chosen for this honor each year. Application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, 2020. To review the eligibility requirements and application process, go to www.wichita.edu/seniorhonor.
Higher Education in Student Affairs Graduate Weekend
On March 13-14, 2020, Student Affairs and Educational Psychology will host a graduate weekend for current and prospective students to learn about and interview for graduate assistant positions within Student Affairs / Student Services.
As we prepare for this weekend, we would like to gauge which departments may have assistantships open for FY21, and would like to participate in this weekend. If your department plans to have open positions and would like to participate in this weekend, please fill out the following form by Jan. 31, 2020. For questions about the weekend, email HESA.gradweekend@wichita.edu.
For more information about assistantships available in Student Affairs / Student Services, click on assistantships.
Click here for more information about the graduate weekend.
Invitation to the Governor’s budget listening session
Gov. Laura Kelly is hosting the Governor’s Kansan to Kansan Budget Listening Session from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, at the Hughes Metropolitan Complete. The public is invited to attend.
Listening session information on Facebook.
Sign up for Instructor Training Day on Jan. 15
Wednesday, Jan. 15 is "Instructor Training Day" at the RSC. Choose from many topics and times by signing up through myTraining. Topics include:
* Applying the QM Rubric (APPQMR)
* Image Manipulation for Classroom Use
* Creating Accessible Video (covers adding video to classes in different platforms)
* Accessibility Exceptions Procedures (counts as your mandatory accessibility training for 2019-20 academic year)
*Aligning Blackboard Content to your Face-to-Face Class
Trainings are offered all day, so choose one or several topics based upon your interest and time availability. Please bring your laptop or other device to the trainings you choose.
To find the trainings in myTraining, simply search by name or look on Jan. 15 on the training calendar. Spaces are limited, so sign up today.
Testing Services will close for expansion
Testing Services will close for Winter Break, with renovations starting Monday, Dec. 16. Testing Services will reopen in the same location on Monday, Jan. 6.
Fire Safety conducting quarterly fire sprinkler alarm testing
Fire Safety will conduct quarterly fire sprinkler inspections from Monday, Dec. 16 to Friday, Dec. 20. Part of the inspection will cause the fire alarm to sound for approximately 10-15 seconds. If the alarm sounds longer than 10-15 seconds, please evacuate the building.
Tickets still available for WSU Intrust Bank Arena game
Tickets are still available for Wichita State's basketball game this Saturday, Dec. 14, at Intrust Bank Arena. Purchase yours today and spend the evening cheering on your Shockers as they take on the Oklahoma Sooners! Tip-off is at 5 p.m.
Basketball game tickets for WSU vs. Oklahoma
12 Days of Christmas sale continues today (Thursday, Dec. 12)
Looking to find your favorite Shocker a holiday gift? Stop by the Shocker Store’s Rhatigan Student Center location for its annual 12 Days of Christmas Sale from now to Saturday, Dec. 14. Or shop the sale online at shockerstore.com.
New sale items are added daily and will stay on sale the remainder of the promotion, or while supplies last. Visit the Shocker Store Facebook page each day to find out the new sale item(s). The sale item for today (Thursday, Dec. 12) is $23 on a select hoodie.
Help us reduce WSU’s carbon footprint; we need your help!
As part of the effort in Sustainability Plan at WSU, we are currently researching the amount of CO2 we are emitting on Wichita State University. However, we need to obtain data from everyone on campus. It will only take about five-to-10 minutes to fill out the survey.
If you have question, contact Dakota Blair at drblair@shockers.wichita.edu, or Ikram Ahmed at ikram.ahmed@wichita.edu.
The survey response is anonymous. If you have taken the survey before, we would like to express our gratitude. You don't have to fill out the survey again. Help us by filling out the survey here.
Teen study participants needed
Are you a parent of a teenager?
The Inspyre research lab is exploring what makes relationships healthy or unhealthy in adolescence. The purpose of the study is to explore perceptions of healthy and unhealthy relationships in teens.
After parental consent and teen assent has been obtained, teens will be asked to participate in a survey that gathers information on demographics and perceptions of dating relationships.
The survey will take about 20 minutes to complete. Participants must be 13-19 years old, and participants must be fluent in English.
Flexible locations are provided for study participation. Study participation can be done:
*in person in 417 Jabara Hall
*in person at an outdoor public meeting place (Eg: ICT Pop-Up Urban Park, Bradley Fair)
*through email
*through mail
Compensation: A small prize will be offered.
Interested? Contact the Inspyre Research Lab at inspyre@wichita.edu or call 316-978-6180.
Call for Fiscal Year 2021 Educational Opportunity and Student Fee Funding Requests
It’s again time to begin the process for submission of funding requests through Student Government for the Educational Opportunity Fund and Student Services Fee for FY ‘21. Student Fees provide funding for programs / activities delivered directly to students, and the Educational Opportunity Fund provides funding for financial assistance to students.
If you’ve submitted requests in the past, the Budget / Review Officer should have received an email from the Budget Office to kick-off the submission process. If you have not submitted requests in the past, but are considering submitting a new request, please contact Lauren Smith, Jason Post, or David Miller in the Budget Office at 978-3030 for additional information.
Requests are due no later than Friday, Jan, 24.
Shop the Shocker Store for doorbuster tumblers and more on Saturday
Visit the Shocker Store’s Braeburn Square location this weekend as you shop for the Shocker fans in your life. On Saturday, Dec. 14, they will have a $10 tumbler doorbuster item that will be available while supplies last. Also, on both Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15, take 20% off blankets and enjoy buy one, get one half-off apparel.
Sales are in Braeburn Square location only. Hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 12-6 p.m. Sunday.
Join WSUSSLHA's annual Barnes and Noble fundraiser
Wichita State’s Student Speech and Language Hearing Association is having their annual Barnes and Noble fundraiser on Dec. 14. This will take place at the Barnes and Noble located at 1920 N. Rock Road, and will last from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Join WSUSSLHA for shopping, book readings and crafts! WSUSSLHA will also be providing gift wrapping for your Barnes and Noble purchase. Donations are welcome and we hope to see you there.
Submit info by noon today (Thursday, Dec. 12) for the last Shocker Blast edition of fall
The final edition of Shocker Blast for the semester is tomorrow (Friday, Dec. 13). The submission deadline is noon today (Thursday, Dec. 12).
Shocker Blast will resume on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020.
Shocker Blast is the email newsletter for WSU students.