WSU Today: April 8, 2020

Open/Alternative Textbook initiative

Open / Alternative Textbook (OAT) application forms 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:

  1. 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%).
  2. 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.

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 Grant applications and Spring 2021 course designations due May 1 for AY 2020-21.

Open/Alternative Textbook Initiative 


NASA Chat April 8, 2020

Chat with NASA Spacewalk Flight Director and Wichita State graduate, Alex Kanelakos – Today

Admissions and the Career Development Center are partnering on a special virtual event featuring NASA Spacewalk Flight Director Alex Kanelakos. During this live chat you will hear about his time at Wichita State University, his job at NASA, and have a chance to ask questions.

Join this virtual event at 11 a.m. today (Wednesday, April 8) at Career Chat.

Shocker Career Chats: NASA


BeoShock training via Zoom by KSU expert Kyle Hutson!

Kyle Hutson is looking at the week of April 20, planning on two hours for this BeoShock training.

The first hour will be an introduction to Linux and HPC in general. It will be mostly show-and-tell, discussing overarching concepts. This will be particularly useful for people coming to BeoShock from a Windows or Mac background.

The second hour will be more hands-on. We will discuss BeoShock in particular, how to submit a job, request specific resources, etc. Have your computer ready to log in. We won't get into the complexities of writing multi-node code, but we will talk about using some of them.

Please use the Doodle poll link below to set your available times if you plan to attend. Note that there is overlap between time choices. By next week at this time, Hutson plans to have a date and time set. Feel free to forward this to anybody you think might be interested.

BeoShock training poll

HPC Training request

Background

The HPC cluster is available to all WSU constituents, and also those outside of WSU who are KBOR constituents. It is jointly administered between WSU, KanREN (Kansas Research and Education Network), and Kansas State.

In order to obtain an account on BeoShock, new users (students and faculty) can request access at HPC New. The system is “bring your own software,” although we do have a few typical software packages already installed.

Terrance Figy (terrance.figy@wichita.edu), an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Physics, is currently the “campus champion” for this system. As “campus champion,” Figy can offer some assistance during the initial stages of projects. However, anybody who is willing to contribute to assisting new users can serve as “campus champion” of BeoShock.

 


University Libraries seeking faculty feedback

University Librarians are asking for faculty input on how the library can replace face-to-face with remote library instruction sessions and workshops. This quick survey will help us to better gauge what kind of support students may need so that we may prioritize our efforts.

Take survey.


Care Team Resources

Care Team has compiled resources for those affected by COVID-19

For those who have lost access to needed resources due to COVID-19, Care Team has compiled resources for emergency assistance and self-care. Resources include housing, health, clothing, food and involvement.

In addition, Care Team and Shocker Strong are conducting a four-week program on Remote Wellness. Learn more at wichita.edu/remotewellness.


Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance is working remotely, but still available to address student and employee concerns

The Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC) continues its commitment to review and address student, faculty and staff concerns pertaining to protected class discrimination and harassment, gender-based discrimination and harassment and sexual misconduct. The OIEC is equipped to provide interim support and available resources both on and off campus. We will also work to identify available resources and support options for students currently outside of the Wichita area.

Complaints can be filed using our online form, emailing OIEC@wichita.edu or by calling 316-978-3205.

OIEC


Zoom Physics Seminar today

Please join us for our next Physics Seminar on Zoom, featuring Dr. Ian Lewis from the University of Kansas at 2 p.m. today (Wednesday, April 8). Click here for the Zoom details. 

Physics


The Summer 2020 Financial Aid Application is available

Want to stay on track to graduate? With WSU summer classes — you can. Speak with your academic advisor today about options for summer enrollment that best fit your schedule.

As a summer Shocker, you’ll enjoy:

  • Access to hundreds of online options
  • Two-, four- and eight-week sessions, leaving you plenty of time to relax before fall
  • And, best of all, eligible federal aid can be applied to summer tuition*.

Click here to find out more about your summer opportunities at Wichita State. 

*Certain limitations apply. Review the Summer Financial Aid Requirements and Conditions for more information.

Additional questions? We’re here to help:

finaid@wichita.edu

316-978-3430

1-855-WSU-1STP (24-hour support)

203 Jardine Hall

8 a.m.-6 p.m. (M-T), and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (W-F)


Faculty Fellows deadline Spring 2020

Faculty Fellows deadlines are approaching

Each year, Academic Affairs supports Faculty Fellows in a variety of areas. Faculty have the opportunity to learn new skills and serve our students in different ways through these fellowships. More information and submission details are provided on the Academic Affairs webpage linked below.

Recruitment Faculty Fellows, deadline April 10, 2020.

Retention Faculty Fellows, deadline April 10, 2020.

Trends in Higher Education Fellows, deadline April 10, 2020.

Service-Learning Scholars Faculty Fellows, deadline April 17, 2020.

Honors College Fellows, deadline May 1, 2020.

Faculty Fellows


SHS Curbside Services April 2020

Curbside Services now being offered through Student Health Services

Student Health Services is now offering Curbside Services! Pick up refilled prescriptions or get your TB test read without having to leave your car. Offered during normal hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.


Self-Advocacy study

Participants wanted for a study on self-advocacy

I hope to learn whether students who participate in college TRIO programs at WSU are more likely to self-advocate than their non-TRIO participating peers.

You can complete a questionnaire called the College Student Mentoring Survey (CSMS), which will ask questions related to your mentoring experiences at WSU and the General Self-Efficacy Scale, which will be used to examine your self-decision making. The questionnaires will take between 20-35 minutes.

If you are interested in a follow-up for advocacy scenarios, you will be able to continue the survey and respond to the scenarios; otherwise, at the end of the questionnaire when it asks if you would like to complete the scenarios, you may select “no.” The scenarios will take between 5-10 minutes and will consist of problem-based scenarios where you will be asked to create a solution to the problem.

To be eligible to participate:

Must have a fluent understanding of English

Must be an undergraduate at WSU

Contact: If you are interested in participating in this study or have any concerns, contact Mercedes Lubbers at mercedes.lubbers@wichita.edu or my faculty advisor, Mara Alagic, at mara.alagic@wichita.edu.

You may click this link to access the CSMS and the GSES questionnaire.


Resume Workshop April 9, 2020

Virtual Resume Workshop with the Career Development Center tomorrow

A resume is a document that presents your education, experience and qualifications in a clear, concise and compelling way, customized for the position to you are applying for.

In this virtual session from 5:30-6:30 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday, April 9) hosted by the Career Development Center, find out from how to organize your experiences, talents and skills together – and most importantly – what employers are looking for in a resume. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. Let us help you make sure you are putting your best foot forward!

Virtual Resume Workshop


Questions about resumes? Handshake? Services the Career Development Center offers?

Have questions about resumes and interviews? Need help navigating Handshake? Need more info on the services we offer? All of these questions and more can be answered in this weekly Q&A. Hop onto Handshake, click the link and come talk with Sarah Rupp from the Career Development Center via Zoom from 9-10 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday, April 9)

Virtual Q&A Session


Talk with Toby April 10, 2020

Talk with Toby coming to your home

Hangout with Toby and Andy at 11 a.m. Friday, April 10. Learn more about how the human body uses food to power life and movement.

Talk with Toby


Madison Perrigan

RH: Shockers adapt to pandemic in many ways

Wichita State senior Madison Perrigan lives on five acres of wooded farmland near Guthrie, Okla. In these times, she lives on five acres that can also be an indoor/outdoor gymnasium.

Perrigan, a catcher on the softball team, plays catch with her sister outside. She hits into inside her father's metal shop building when it rains. She runs outside for cardio work to keep pace with pitcher Erin McDonald.

"I have a lot of tools," Perrigan said. "A bucket of balls. All my softball equipment. My sister sits the ball on a tee for me. My dad is making a net right so she can throw soft-toss to me."

Perrigan, like most Wichita State coaches and student-athletes, is challenged by the circumstances to find new ways of staying active and passing time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some are limited to their backyards or basement weight benches. Others use a nearby park or track

Read complete story.


RSC Engraving April 2020

RSC Engraving resumes production

Having now settled into working remotely and social distancing, the RSC Engraving Shop is ready to resume production to serve all of your engraving and award needs. We realize that while in-person classes have been temporarily halted, the need to recognize students, faculty and staff for their achievements may be more important than ever!

In an effort to promote social distancing, in-person orders are not being taken at the present time. Instead, you can start an order by emailing rsc.engraving@wichita.edu or leaving a voicemail message at 316-978-7048.

Upon completion, we will arrange for curbside service for pick-ups or even deliver completed orders when feasible.