Spring enrollments up from spring 2019
By Carolyn Shaw, Associate Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management
At 20th day census, WSU had 14,016 students, an increase of 255 over spring 2019, a 1.9% increase. We had growth in undergraduates (85), graduates (72), and non-degree seeking students, mostly high school guests (98). In terms of student credit hours (SCH) we ended with 151,498, an increase of 2,171 over spring 2019 for an increase of 1.5%.
We enrolled 1,370 new students (1st time at WSU as undergrads, grads or non-degree seeking students) for an increase of 39 over spring 2019; Perhaps more importantly, we saw an increase in returning students from last spring which may reflect our ongoing retention efforts. Underrepresented minorities* are at their highest for any spring term at 20.3% overall, and 25.3% for freshmen.
The Colleges of Fine Arts and Applied Studies saw the largest increase in students over last spring, with 14.4% and 9.0% growth respectively.
*American Indian/Alaskan Native, black non-Hispanic, Hawaiian & Hispanic
‘Breaking Ground: Women in Engineering Initiatives in Australia’
Kristin Alford will present “Breaking Ground: Women in Engineering Initiatives in Australia,” from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. today (Wednesday, March 4) on the second floor, Ulrich Museum.
Alford is a futurist and the director of MOD at the University of South Australia. MOD is an immersive museum of discovery that showcases research and emerging technologies on broad exhibition themes such as waging peace and hedonism.
Prior to this role, Alford was the founding director of foresight agency Bridge8, facilitating futures and engagement on water sustainability, climate futures, emerging technologies and advanced manufacturing. She also has experience in minerals processing engineering and marketing, and holds postgraduate degrees in chemical engineering and strategic foresight.
Reception and light refreshments will follow the talk, which is sponsored by the College of Engineering, Ulrich Museum, and NSF ADVANCE Catalyst project.
How to teach online in an emergency
Life doesn't always go as planned. You may find yourself in a situation where you need to move your in-person class online quickly. Instructional Design and Access (IDA) created a comprehensive guide that can walk you through options for moving a face-to-face class online in a personal or campus-wide emergency. To find out more, go to Wichita.edu/bbnow. Have questions? Contact IDA at IDA@wichita.edu. IDA is part of the Media Resources Center.
Wellness Expo today!
The Wellness Expo from Campus Recreation is happening today (Wednesday, March 4). Join us for free wellness screenings, tips, and maybe some freebies from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Heskett Center gym. Hope to see you there!
Physics Seminar Series today
Please join us for our next Physics Seminar at 2 p.m. today (Wednesday, March 4) in 128 Jabara Hall. This week’s seminar features our own Dr. Mathew Muether. The title of the talk is “New Technologies for Measuring Massive Neutrinos From the NOvA and DUNE Experiments.
WSU airline quality expert comments on potential impact of COVID-19 on air travel
Dean Headley
Dean Headley, co-author of the national Airline Quality Rating from Wichita State University, says public concerns over COVID-19 will mostly negatively affect air travel internationally, but will certainly have some impact on domestic air travel as the virus spreads.
“At this point, the biggest impact is on international travel,” said Headley. “Truth be told, there’s a silver lining for those travelers who continue to fly domestically. If the coronavirus results in a reduction in passengers flying commercially, airline performance will likely be better. History shows that fewer travelers helps the system perform better. Of course, the downside for the airlines is they’ll lose money because fewer people are traveling.”
Initially, Headley says the large US airports will likely be affected more than smaller regional airports because they handle most of the international traffic. The hub and spoke system of air travel also presents challenges to all airports in trying to contain the virus.
Leisure travelers are in the process of making their summer plans now, so depending on the spread of the virus domestically, there could be a reduction in leisure travel for the summer, according to Headley. “There’s a lot of complex issues, especially concerning human nature and what people are willing to do despite warnings in terms of air travel and the community spread of the virus,” said Headley.
Looking back, the events of 9/11 come to mind regarding when air travel was considered a risky choice. At this point, Headley says the airline industry shouldn’t suffer as much from COVID-19 as it did following 9/11.
“It took a couple of years for domestic air travel to recover from 9/11,” said Headley. “The coronavirus is scary, but I don’t think it scares the public like 9/11 did. A lot will depend though on what shape the virus takes over the next few months. Airlines and consumers alike should learn from this and be better prepared for next year and the year after that. Unless the coronavirus becomes more widespread in this country, the impact isn’t going to be as serious as post 9/11.”
WSU Registrar's Office will be closed for Staff Town Hall meeting Thursday
The WSU Registrar's Office will be closed from 1-2:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5, to allow staff to attend the President's Town Hall meeting.
HealthQuest points now available at WSU
There are more reasons to take part in Campus Recreation programs. Campus Recreation has partnered with HealthQuest to offer you 4 points for attending 40 group fitness classes between Jan. 1-June 30. We offer over 30 classes a week, so come support our student instructors, get fit and get credit for it!
We also offer 1 point for attending our nutrition discussions, future sessions scheduled from noon-1 p.m. Friday, March 13, and Friday, April 10. If you have been attending classes already, don't worry, we will backtrack from Jan. 1.
For more information or if you have any questions, contact Andy Sykes at andy.sykes@wichita.edu.
History Department's spring lecture explores LGBTQ+ activism in Cold War Germany
The Department of History will feature Dr. Erik Huneke, assistant professor of history, University of Central Oklahoma, presenting “What Difference Did a Wall Make?: LGBTQ+ Activism on Both Sides of the German Cold War Divide.” The talk will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 12, in 218 Hubbard Hall.
Call for graduate student abstracts for GRASP 2020
Professors, GRASP Abstract submission is open now through Friday, March 6. Please encourage your graduate students working on research or scholarly projects to submit an abstract! Abstract requirements and deadlines are listed on the GRASP website.
University Research / Creative Award (URCA) proposals are due by April 3 to the Office of Research
Proposals are due to the Office of Research for University Research / Creative Award (URCA) projects no later than 5 p.m. Friday, April 3. The URCA provides funding of up to $4,500 for faculty to retool or reestablish productive research / creative projects or as seed money to develop pilot data where external funding is available. Proposers must work with a Grant Specialist in the Office of Research prior to submission and all complete applications require an endorsement from the Chair and Dean. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed or considered.
Contact proposals@wichita.edu to get started or visit our website for additional information.
Wichita State hosts APLU IEP conference
Last week, a group of visiting university representatives came to Wichita State as we hosted the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities’ Innovation and Economic Prosperity (IEP) conference. The conference was an opportunity for participating universities going through the process of earning the IEP designation to learn from each other. There were 34 representatives of these universities and interested individuals who came to campus from across the country to take part in the conference. Selected universities in attendance have demonstrated a meaningful, ongoing and substantial commitment to economic and communication development.
The IEP Universities program helps institutions advance their economic engagement which encompasses ways universities work with public-private partners.
A pipe organ on campus? Discover it during Wednesdays in Wiedemann
Come join us for the Rie Bloomfield Organ Series Wednesdays in Wiedemann with Lynne Davis at Wichita University on the great Marcussen organ at 5:15 p.m. today (Wednesday, March 4), in the magnificent Wiedemann Hall.
Everyone loves J.S. Bach, and the program will be centered around this great genius of the Baroque era.
Davis gives a brief explanation of each piece, while you sit back and relax in the comfort of the beautiful hall.
Admission is free.
ISME Colloquium on LoRaWAN for Smart Campus Development by Michael Milhon
Michael Milhon will present “LoRaWAN for Smart Campus Development” at the ISME Colloquium from 11 a.m.-noon Friday, March 6, in 211 Engineering Building.
Most people are familiar with WiFi, Bluetooth, and RFID, but have no exposure to Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANS). LPWANS are not going to replace other wireless technologies we are used to, but they will augment them. They are best suited for environmental sensors, asset tracking, and smart metering. This presentation explains LoRaWAN and how anyone can use the community gateway which covers most of Wichita State University main campus and part of the neighborhood to the south for research and general use. This is a quickly evolving Industry 4.0 hot topic, and LoRaWAN is an area of IoT where a competitive business may be started with a low cost of entry.
Bio: Mike Milhon is an adjunct CATIA instructor for WSU-Tech and has been in this role for seven years. He is a part-time employee of the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State. He has worked there for eight years, including four on location at Beechcraft.
Student Showcase will feature presentation of papers, art, skits and poems on the theme ‘Expanding Equality’
The Diverse Women’s Summit on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 10-11, will feature student papers, arts, skits and poems on the theme “Expanding Equality.” The summit is free and open to the public. The event will be held on the third floor, RSC.
The summit is organized by the Department of Women’s Studies in sponsorship with the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, League of Women Voters – Wichita, and Centennial Celebration of the 19th Amendment
- Student Showcase will be from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, third floor, RSC.
- International Women’s Day Keynote Speech, “Citizenship before the Women's Suffrage Amendment: African American and Native American, Rights and Resistance,” will be delivered by Professor Kim Warren of the History Department, Kansas University, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, in the Shirley Beggs Ballroom, third floor, RSC.
- Creative Concourse will be from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. third floor, RSC.
SAC presents We Can Do It for Women's History Month!
Come celebrate female empowerment with the Student Activities Council from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, March 16, on the first floor, RSC. Take pictures in our photo booth and tell us what makes you proud to be a female or proud to know the strong females in your life.
For more information about SAC-sponsored events, go to wichita.edu/sac or contact us at sac@wichita.edu.
Sponsored by Student Activities Council.
Women's Summit at WSU
The Center for Women's Studies, in sponsorship with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, League of Women Voters of Wichita and Centennial Celebration of the 19th Amendment, convenes the annual Diverse Women’s Summit (DWS) March 10-11 in the Shirley Beggs Ballroom, Rhatigan Student Center. It is a meeting of individuals and groups from different backgrounds on local, regional and global diversity issues. The theme will be “Expanding Equality.”
The purpose of the event is to celebrate women’s right to vote, its implications for different women, and increasing opportunities for the future of women and gender with challenges posed by class / poverty, race / ethnicity, sexuality, disability, religion, and other pyramids of power.
- Students Show Case (presentations - papers, art, posters and other projects by students) from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, March 10.
- International Women’s Day Keynote Speech, “Citizenship before the Women's Suffrage Amendment: African American and Native American, Rights and Resistance,” will be delivered by Professor Kim Warren of Kansas University at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 10.
- Creative Concourse: (poetry, skits, stories and other presentations by community members including students) will be held from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11.
All events are free and open to the public.
Donations needed
The Career Development Center is in desperate need of professional clothing for our Career Closet event! Donate your professional dress items now through March 17 to Brennan III, M-F 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed Tuesday mornings).
Professional dress items include suits, dress pants, professional shirts or blouses, professional skirts, belts, neckties, briefcases, cuff links, tie clips, and more. We particularly lack women’s petite and men’s small. For questions, contact Kim Kufahl at 978-6981 or kim.kufahl@wichita.edu.
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.
Participants wanted for a study on dialectical thinking and creative problem solving
We hope to learn whether different age ranges (18-24) and (50+) experience different levels of correlation between diverse thinking and the ability to creatively problem solve.
You can complete the questionnaire called the Social Paradigm Beliefs Inventory (SPBI) which will score your dialectical thinking skills from Absolute, Relativistic, or Dialectical and should take about 30 minutes to complete. You can also choose to complete four problem-based scenarios, which we will use to determine creative problem-solving, and that portion of the survey should take no longer than 5 minutes.
To be eligible to participate:
- You must be between the ages of 18-24 or 50+
- Must have a fluent understanding of English
- Must be an undergraduate at WSU
Contact: If you are interested in participating in this study, contact Mercedes Lubbers at mercedes.lubbers@wichita.edu or click here to access the questionnaire.
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
Purpose of this study: To explore perceptions of healthy and unhealthy relationships in teens
Procedures: 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.
Time: This survey will take about 20 minutes to complete.
Eligibility Criteria: Participants must be 13-19 years old, and must be fluent in English.
We provide flexible locations for study participation. Study participation can be done:
*in person at Jabara Hall room 417 @ WSU
*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 316-978-6180
Professional LinkedIn headshots for the distinguished Shocker!
Stop by Brennan III to have your professional photo taken from 1-3 p.m. Friday, March 6, and we will email it to you at no cost. This is open to all Wichita State faculty, staff and students. See you Friday!
First-Generation Student Organization meeting on March 6
The First-Generation Student Organization (FGSO) seeks to raise awareness within Wichita State University’s student and professional community through activities and programs designed to foster the education of first-generation students.
We will have our next meeting from 1-2 p.m. Friday, March 6, in 266 RSC.
Plus, we have the pleasure of hosting President Jay Golden and Vice President for Student Affairs Teri Hall and Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs V. Kaye Monk-Morgan. While in attendance, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in conversation concerning your experiences as a First-Gen at Wichita State University.
We are looking forward to making long-standing connections and doing great things with and for the First-Generation College Students at Wichita State University, while having fun in the process. Please join us for this exciting FGSO relaunch event!
Bundle and save at Starbucks in the RSC
Save when you bundle Ethos Water, chips, avocado spread and any panini for $10 during the month of March from Starbucks in the RSC only.
F5 Shockers Indoor Cricket Tournament on March 15
The International Students Union is pleased to announce its first Indoor Cricket Tournament. This event will be played starting at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 1 on courts C and D, Heskett Center. All WSU students, alumni, and faculty are welcome to participate in this event. Each team needs to have a maximum of 8 players to register. The entry fee per team is $40.
In order to register and pay for the tournament please visit our site here.
If anyone has any questions, contact Sam D’Souza on 316-765-2084 or email u246z887@wichita.edu.
We would love to see you on the court!