President Golden starts monthly newsletter for campus community
This afternoon look in your email for a newsletter from President Jay Golden. The monthly newsletter, called First Tuesday, will include a message from the president about new initiatives, ideas and programs affecting campus. First Tuesday will be delivered to your inbox the first Tuesday of every month.
How to reopen a step – myPerformance tips and tricks
“I missed my self-evaluation deadline, what can I do now? Can I get an extension?” or “My direct report missed the Self-Evaluation deadline, but no longer has access to their performance evaluation. What can I do?” These are the most common question the myPerformance Team gets this time of year. Here’s what you should do.
Employees – ask your manager to reroute / send your evaluation back to you.
Managers – you have the option to send your direct report(s) evaluation back to them by using “Reopen Step.” This will reroute the evaluation back to your employee so that they may complete the Self-Evaluation step of the evaluation cycle. Once they have saved and submitted their content, the evaluation will automatically route back to you. INSTRUCTIONS: 1) Open your direct report 2019-2020 evaluation 2) select “Reopen Step”. It’s that easy.
Remember: Manager Review is due by the end of this month (Feb. 29). Only managers will have access to performance evaluations during this step, unless they have used the “Reopen” step function to extend the Self-Evaluation deadline to their direct report.
More information, including myPerformance training, go to www.wichita.edu/myPerformance.
Steve Arnold named interim dean of Wichita State's College of Health Professions
Steve Arnold
Steve Arnold has been appointed interim dean of Wichita State University's College of Health Professions by Provost Rick Muma. The appointment is effective Feb. 10.
Arnold, a professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences, joined Wichita State in 2011 and served for seven years as associate dean of the college.
Muma said: “Dr. Steve Arnold is a valued colleague and experienced administrator. I have confidence he will provide admirable interim leadership in the coming months as we assess the needs of the college and search for a permanent dean.”
Arnold will not seek to be considered for the permanent dean position.
During his 30-year career in higher education, Arnold has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in public health, environmental health, occupational health, industrial hygiene and more. He said working with students has always been the most rewarding and enjoyable part of his job, in addition to having also served in numerous academic administrative positions (program director, department chair and associate dean).
Purchasing Office will be closed for training on two separate days this week
On Wednesday, Feb 5, the Purchasing Office will be closed from 11 a.m.- noon for training. The office will reopen at its regularly scheduled time at 1 pm.
On Thursday, Feb 6, the Purchasing Office will be closed from 1-2 p.m. for training. The office will reopen at 2 p.m.
Legislative Update No. 4
WSU Government Relations has provided Legislative Update No. 4 for spring 2020.
The week began with continued hearings on Medicaid Expansion in the Senate Health Committee. The hearings have been stretched out over two weeks allowing the Senate to focus its attention on a constitutional amendment that restricts regulating abortion to the purview of the legislature. That amendment saw a lengthy debate last Wednesday with it passing 28 to 12.
As an amendment to the state constitution, 27 votes are required for passage in the Senate and 84 in the House and is NOT subject to a Governor’s veto. The House has yet to vote but is expected to vote sometime this week. If 84 representatives vote for the amendment, it will be placed on the primary election ballot in August. The amendment is very relevant to the rest of session as critical legislation such as Medicaid is strategically being kept in committee until the amendment is voted on, and the budget will not be worked until late February.
The Governor’s budget bills as well as remortization bills were introduced in both the House and Senate last week. This is a formal step that is customary after the Governor gives her State of the State address. As the legislature makes changes and amendments to the Governor’s recommendations, this bill will be the foundation and the bones of the FY21 budget. The remortization bill is scheduled to be heard next week in Senate Ways and Means. In addition to the $11.9M that is allocated to higher education, the bill also authorizes WSU to bond $25M for the purposes of constructing the new business school building.
The House Commerce Committee also heard testimony on HB 2515 which would establish the Kansas Promise Scholarship Program. The program would focus on two-year community and technical colleges and direct state funds to be “last in” dollars for students going to community and technical college after they’ve sought Pell funds and other scholarships. The bill was heard last Thursday, and it will likely be worked this week. The Senate is drafting a similar bill but limits the scholarship to programs identified by KBOR as high need and would expand the program to four-year institutions.
The House Higher Education Budget Committee heard testimony on HB 2443 which would provide in-state tuition for members of the Native American tribes located in Kansas. This seems self-explanatory, but individual tribes control their own sovereignty and who can be considered part of that tribe. For that reason, there are members of Kansas tribes that are actually located throughout the United States. This bill, if passed, would give all members of those tribes located in Kansas in-state tuition.
Senate Education also introduced SB 355 which is designed to help dual enrolled students. Previously students in high school were responsible for paying negotiated tuition rates to post-secondary institutions. If this bill is enacted, it would allow school districts to pay that cost on behalf of the student to the post-secondary institution the students enroll in. The bill is coming at the request of the Kansas Association of School Boards. It is expected have a hearing this week. As it is revenue neutral to the State, it’s expected to have broad support.
With most of the focus last week was on the constitutional amendment and Medicaid Expansion, there were some informational hearings on items important to the legislature including developing a Highway Plan and studying barriers to economic growth. The three points of emphasis that were made on barriers (as well as opportunities) were high regulation, outdated tax policy and low entrepreneurship especially compared to other states. The entrepreneurship and workforce barriers will likely be critical to the higher education budget hearings later in the session.
In the immediate future, you can expect continued committee work on some of these peripheral issues; however, floor debate will still be dominated by those major issues namely the constitutional amendment and Medicaid Expansion. Now that the Senate has acted on the amendment, there will be pressure on the House to take it up, and the Senate will have nothing impeding its ability to work a Medicaid Expansion bill on the floor. If those items are resolved in the next week or two, the session could move relatively quickly. If not, you can expect protracted debates on some or all of these issues including the budget.
Free professional LinkedIn Headshots offered by the Career Development Center - Feb.
4
Career Development Center is hosting professional LinkedIn headshots for the distinguished Shocker. Stop by Brennan III from 2-4 p.m. today (Tuesday, Feb. 4) to have your picture taken, and we will email it to you at no cost!
Journey East Asian Grill Grand Opening tomorrow
The Wichita State University community is invited to the Grand Opening of Journey East Asian Grill from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 5) in Braeburn Square. Stop in and enter to win some great prizes!
Registration is open for the inaugural Wichita State University Analytics Showcase
The WSU Analytics Showcase will be held from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, April 17, in the Hughes Metropolitan Complex. Registration is free for students and faculty, but space is limited.
Contact the Analytics Showcase organizers
Learn more and register for the Showcase
Barton School's Haley speaks to Wichita NPR on the US-China Trade Agreement and effects on Kansas
Usha Haley spoke at length to Wichita’s NPR station, KMUW 89.1, on China, trade, the US-China Phase 1 trade agreement, and implications for Kansas. China is Kansas’s third-largest export destination.
You may listen to a five-minute excerpt of her interview with KMUW’s Tom Shine, as well as read an interactive discussion with her at "More Hat, Less Cattle."
Haley is the W. Frank Barton Distinguished Chair in International Business, Professor of Management and Director of the Center for International Business Advancement at the Barton School of Business.
Stop by your home away from home
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion invites students, staff, faculty and community members to make the Office of Diversity and Inclusion their home away from home. Stop by the office for a spring open house from 1-2:30 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 5) in 208 RSC, to learn more about available resources and programs. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information, go to Wichita.edu/odi or contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at 978-3034.
Changes in ADA-testing accommodations
The Office of Disability Services (ODS) is giving a friendly reminder to WSU professors of the changes in ADA-testing accommodations. All ADA-accommodated tests are proctored at Testing Services, located in 320 Grace Wilkie Hall. The office hours for Testing Services are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesdays.
Any ADA-accommodated test will need to start and finish during the hours Testing Services is open. If the test, with the appropriate accommodations is not set to be completed during those office hours, the professor and/or the department will need to provide the appropriate testing accommodations for the student. These may include a proctor, extended time to take the test, and a quiet testing environment.
The student must schedule their ADA-accommodated test by registering through email at www.RegisterBlast.com/wsu. The professor needs to complete the test form that was attached to the accommodation letter received from ODS, and send that completed test form to Testing Services at testingcenter@wichita.edu. The phone number for Testing Services is 978-TEST (8378).
There will be no cost to ODS students for the ADA-accommodated / proctored tests at Testing Services. Please call Isabel Medina Keiser, director of Disability Services at 978-3309 or email ODS at disability.services@wichita.edu if you have any questions about the changes.
Need help with HealthQuest?
It’s the start of a new plan year, which means a fresh start for HealthQuest points! Employees enrolled in 2020 coverage through the State Employee Health Plan can earn a premium discount worth $480 annually and HSA/HRA rewards dollars up to $500 per year for each employee and covered spouse, just by participating and logging healthy activities throughout the year!
You may have noticed that the HealthQuest portal has been completely re-designed for 2020 and all employees and spouses must re-register. Click here for registration instructions.
HR Total Rewards is holding two HealthQuest labs in February to help employees get registered, tour the HealthQuest site and get started on activities. Sign up through myTraining.
- 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 in 122 Jabara Hall
- 9-10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19 in 124 Jabara Hall
Any questions, please reach out to HR Total Rewards at TotalRewards@wichita.edu.
Sign up now for Chrome River Invoice training
If you have any involvement with paying invoices (including but not limited to Office Managers, Admin. Assistants, Budget Officers, Business Managers etc.), we strongly encourage you to attend Chrome River Invoice Training. Topics will include transition to Chrome River Invoice, creating invoices, tracking payments, training resources, approvals and live demonstrations in the system. For hands-on experience and step-by-step instructions, sign up now to attend a Chrome River Invoice training beginning Thursday, Feb. 6.
Attendees are encouraged to bring examples of completed ICDs in electronic format to enter into the Chrome River test environment. Sample invoices will also be available for those without invoices to enter.
Chrome River Invoice training will be offered beginning Thursday, Feb. 6.
These trainings are free and available to all WSU employees (faculty and staff). Seating is limited, so sign up early! Log in to myWSU and register through myTraining. For questions, contact myTraining@wichita.edu.
A cosmology lecture for the public at the Physics Seminar Series
Bharat Ratra
A lecture for the public at the Physics Seminar Series. Dr. Bharat Ratra, distinguished professor of physics from Kansas State University, will present a talk "The Accelerating Expanding Universe: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and Einstein’s Cosmological Constant or Why Jim Peebles was Awarded Half of the 2019 Physics Nobel Prize" at 2 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 5) in 128 Jabara Hall.
Attend the Wallace Scholar announcement this Friday
The College of Engineering invites the campus community to the announcement of the fall 2020 freshman class of Wallace Scholars at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 7, in the John Bardo Center lobby. Ten students will be introduced, with a reception immediately following.
In November, 206 high school seniors from 14 states competed in the Wallace Invitational for Scholarships in Engineering, the annual scholarship competition from which Wallace Scholars are selected.
Ulrich event Thursday examines artist and former 'Mad Man' executive's fascination with technology and humanity
Kevin LaGrandeur: "How Lee Adler's Art Anticipates the Bonding of Human and Machine in the 21st Century" will be held at 6 p.m. following a reception at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, at the Ulrich Museum of Art. Admission is free.
Kevin LaGrandeur, professor at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) specializing in technology and culture, will show how Lee Adler’s art anticipated and participated in the cultural spirit that led to an increasingly common blending of human and machine.
Adler (1926-2003) was a native of Brooklyn who came to art-making in his forties, having already established a successful career in marketing - he worked for a time at one of the advertising firms featured on the TV show "Mad Men." At once whimsical and unnerving, Adler's compositions evoke processes of ingestion, digestion, and explusion of matter as it moves through both living and mechanical systems. In Adler's work, the machines are humanized while human figures become machines, and his forms continue to capture something essential today about our reality as hapless cyborgs confused about where "nature" ends and technological culture begins.
Funding for “Voices from the Vault: The 1970s,” is provided by Humanities Kansas, a nonprofit cultural organization that connects communities with history, traditions, and ideas to strengthen civic life, and by Lee and Ron Starkel.
Kick off Black History Month with art that will touch your heart
Join us at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, for the 9th Annual Art That Touches Your Heart (ATTYH) at the Cadman Art Gallery in the Rhatigan Student Center. This is a two-day art experience you don't want to miss.
ATTYH celebrates black art while informing and educating the attendees on the history and traditions of black art and culture, while presenting and celebrating local and global artists. Many times the black experience is seen as a monolith, but this art show exemplifies the beauty and the differences in blackness through artistic expression.
Black art has always been around us and we are proud to kick off Black History month with art that truly touches your heart! This event is free and open to the public; however, vendors and artists will have items available for purchase. You are encouraged to support black art, especially in the local community. Learn more at wichita.edu/attyh. This event is co-sponsored by the Art That Touches Your Heart Foundation, ODI, Cadman Art Gallery, Wichita Chapter of The Links Inc., and Wichita Public Schools.
Purchase Requisition Training scheduled for Feb. 11
Needing to learn how to create a Purchase Requisition or want a refresher on how to enter a requisition in Banner? Plan to attend Purchase Requisition Training scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Topics will include:
- WSU purchase requisition procedures
- Banner 9 Purchase Requisition forms
- Purchasing and Finance Reporting
Please note that training is required for those who are new to entering purchase requisition. Current requestors are welcome to attend as a refresher session.
To view session details and register, go to myWSU > myTraining.
WSU Libraries host Spring 2020 Entrepreneurship Research Series
WSU Libraries presents the Entrepreneurship Research Series for Spring 2020 - helping inventors and entrepreneurs learn how to protect their intellectual property and support their business through research. Upcoming dates include: Tuesday, Feb. 11 - "Intellectual Property Basics;" and Tuesday, Feb. 18 - "Trademark Basics: Protect Your Business Name." Workshops take place from 5:30-7 p.m. in 217 Ablah Library.
Entrepreneurship Research Series
You are invited to the 17th annual POWER Conference
You are invited to the 17th annual POWER Conference at Wichita State University. We are excited to invite people from all disciplines to attend this event. Register for the POWER Conference here.
This year’s theme centers on the 12 Grand Challenges of Social Work – a national initiative that serves as a call to action for social workers and other helping professionals to harness our science and knowledge base, collaborate with people from all fields and disciplines, and to work together to tackle some of our toughest social problems. Our world faces serious, interrelated, and large-scale challenges, and it takes all of us working together to craft solutions.
The Grand Challenges include these areas of focus:
- Ensure healthy development for all youth
- Close the health gap
- Stop family violence
- Advance long and productive lives
- Eradicate social isolation
- End homelessness
- Create social responses to a changing environment
- Harness technology for social good
- Promote smart decarceration
- Reduce extreme economic inequality
- Build financial capability for all
- Achieve equal opportunity and justice
Attendees have the opportunity to engage in up to six hours of pre-conference sessions, focused on safety, eating disorders / diagnosis and ethics, as well as the full main conference day.
POWER gives us the opportunity to connect together, grow together, and change the world together – this conference can help us be inspired by the innovation of others, rejuvenated as practitioners, invigorated by new knowledge, and challenged with fresh perspectives.
All call for WSU Graduate Student of the Year judges
The WSU Graduate Student of the Year scholarship competition is a competitive and prestigious opportunity for graduate students who have proven exemplary leadership, involvement, and service both to the WSU and Wichita communities. Applications and nominations are now open for students who wish to participate. We are calling for judges to serve throughout the selection process. The dates and details for each round are below. We are looking for two different sets of judges, so upon indicating interest, please include which round you would be most interested in serving.
Round 1: Application Review – Completed by Thursday, Feb. 20
- This process would be going through the qualified applicants and meeting to decide on which students move onto the next round.
Round 2: Interviews/Presentations – Friday, Feb. 28
- Our judges panel will sit through a series of interviews which include a presentation of those selected to move on from the application round. Deliberation and decision on the final court of 5 students will follow the interviews.
Please send which round you would like to serve, or any questions to Kennedy Rogers at kennedy.rogers@wichita.edu or 978-7402.
Elliott School of Communication - Where Story Meets Strategy
The Elliott School of Communication produced a new promotional video to showcase their students, faculty, staff and alumni. The ESC prepares students for successful careers and a lifetime of learning in a communication environment that is increasingly social, mobile, visual and global. The curriculum focuses on skills that are the basis of success in digital media, visual storytelling, marketing, advertising, public relations, strategic communication, journalism and related communication fields.
Create change for language learners
We are interested in learning whether one’s first language and cultural background affects how he or she understands education. This is important information for those who teach English to nonnative speakers as well as nonnative speakers who want to learn English. If you are 18 years old, are from another country, and speak a first language other than English, your contribution to this data could be essential!
Click here to access the survey.
For any questions about the research, contact undergraduate student Sierra Bauman at srbauman@shockers.wichita.edu or English professor Dr. Mythili Menon at mythili.menon@wichita.edu.
Join CAPS this semester for Keep Calm & Breathe On
Join Counseling and Prevention Services (CAPS) again this semester for Keep Calm & Breathe On!
Drop in to build structured relaxation time into your life and learn techniques to do relaxation on your own. You will be led in meditation, mindfulness and relaxation practices. The meetings are every Wednesday from 12:15-12:45 p.m. in 257 RSC.
Audiology doctoral students need participants for their research projects
WSU graduate students in the Doctor of Audiology program need participants for their research projects. They are studying clinical techniques in audiology for evaluating function of the ear.
Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35, have normal hearing, have not had an ear infection in the past three months, nor had symptoms of cold, flu, or nasal allergy in the past two weeks.
Participants will receive a free comprehensive hearing evaluation and ear examination prior to testing. The testing will take about one hour. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Brigid Derby at brderby@shockers.wichita.edu or 816-405-4969, or Professor Xiao-Ming Sun at Xiao-Ming.Sun@wichita.edu.
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. To review the eligibility requirements and application process, go to www.wichita.edu/seniorhonor.
Auto loans with Campus Credit Union
Stop in or apply online for a great low rate on a new or used auto loan. Our current loan rates can be viewed online at campuscu.org. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact one of our loan officers at 316-978-3666.
VolunteerICT provides WSU students, faculty and staff access to volunteer opportunities across Wichita
Are you looking for a way to get involved this semester?
Have you thought about volunteering? VolunteerICT has hundreds of volunteer opportunities from local nonprofits throughout Wichita looking for volunteers.
All students, faculty and staff have an account through myWSU, set-up and simple and easy by visiting our website at Wichita.edu/volunteerICT.
For questions email volunteerICT@wichita.edu or call 978-3022.
Spread the love
Have a Hippo Valentine’s Day with SAC, CSB, and SGA from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, on the first floor, RSC.
Come and make flowers to take to your Valentine and make a Valentine’s Day card that we’ll take to the children at the Wichita Children’s Home and Wesley Pediatric Unit. Play some romantic games with Huxley and visit with SGA to let them know how they can show you the love by giving them feedback for what you would like to see on campus.
For more information about SAC-sponsored events, go to wichita.edu/sac or contact us at sac@wichita.edu.
Attend a Community Service Board meeting and learn more about ways to volunteer
Are you new to campus or are you looking for a way to meet new friends and make a great impact on your community? Come to the Community Service Board’s weekly meeting at 3:30 p.m. Thursdays in 142 RSC.
Meetings are free and open to all students. Registration is not required. For more information, email CSB@wichita.edu.
Learn more about the Community Service Board at Wichita.edu/CSB.
Soup of the Week at the Shocker Sports Grill & Lane
Soup is back at the Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes just in time for the cooler weather! A different soup will be featured each week, Monday-Friday. Grab a cup for $2.99 or a bowl for $3.99. For Feb. 3-7, the Soup of the Week is Red Beef Chili.