Connections, encouragement help Shockers deal with new circumstances
- As the pandemic changed the spring semester, people at Wichita State took time to help each other with the adjustments and uncertainty.
- Provost Rick Muma encouraged colleagues to stay connected and be mindful of the stress created by COVID-19.
- Wichita State's OneStop Student Services helped students move to remote learning check-ins by its call team.
WSU's catalog software, CourseLeaf, will be unavailable tomorrow
Our catalog software, CourseLeaf, will be undergoing a software update on Tuesday, April 14. While this update is going on, it is imperative that no one log in to any CourseLeaf system. So, please stay out of all CIM/CAT forms and Approval pages starting at 7 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, April 14)
The CourseLeaf system will reopen at 8 a.m. Wednesday, April 15.
ITS updates
Devices such as Chromebooks and cellular hotspots for students (requests for these devices are coordinated through the colleges), and some used laptops and cellular hotspots for faculty and staff remain available. For faculty and staff, please go to Working Remotely Resources on the Wichita State website to request a device. Unfortunately, our shipment of new laptops from Dell has again been delayed, this time till May 20, as they prioritize delivery to medical providers first.
Also, please be aware for those using a remote desktop, your computer may freeze, or in the event of a power failure not automatically reboot. In these instances, it will require someone to physically come on to campus to restart the computer.
Please make sure that in your area you have someone designated who can fulfill this responsibility that has both building and office access. In these instances, the Helpdesk can also assist, but please know it will take time for them to gain access to buildings, and they may not be able to gain access to some buildings and offices that do not have electronic entry. We strongly encourage coordination in your area to resolve these issues should they occur.
David Miller
University Budget Director and Interim CIO
Faculty Senate meeting today
The Faculty Senate meeting will be held via Zoom at 3:30 p.m. today (Monday, April 13). The senators have been sent the meeting information. If you are interested in joining the meeting, please email Lee Ann Birdwell for the details.
University Research / Creative Award (URCA) proposal deadline is extended to April 17
Proposals are due to the Office of Research for University Research / Creative Award (URCA) projects no later than 5 p.m. Friday, April 17. 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.
Please contact proposals@wichita.edu to get started, or visit our website for additional information.
Keep your home office secure
Now that most of us are working from home, the responsibility for computer security shifts to us as well. Whether you are "comfortable with computers" or not, there are some things all instructors and staff need to know to keep your files, computer, and home network safe.
With an eye toward serving the needs of all Wichita State employees, no matter how computer savvy, Instructional Design and Access has worked with several campus partners to create a special "Security Extra" issue of the Teaching Today newsletter. The Security Extra is for everyone who is now working from home. Have a look, and if you find this issue useful, please share it with your friends. Have questions? Send them to us at IDA@wichita.edu.
Teaching Today newsletter archive
Faculty experts share perspectives in COVID-19 series
Making sense of the issues surrounding the coronavirus can be challenging. Faculty experts in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Wichita State University are helping clear the confusion.
Please join us for the following events, each held at 3 p.m. on Wednesdays, April 15-May 6.
- April 15 “Modeling the spread of the Coronavirus,” by Adam Jaeger, assistant professor of mathematics and statistics
o Meeting ID: 946 577 627
- April 22 “A history of pandemics,” by George Dehner, associate professor of history
o Meeting ID: 529 143 580
- April 29 “COVID-19 and the impact on local public health practice and policy,”
Panel discussion led by Melissa Walker, associate professor of public affairs
o Meeting ID: 404 843 017
- May 6 “In search of a COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics,” by Bill Groutas, WSU Foundation Distinguished Professor of Chemistry
o Meeting ID: 796 333 682
Zoom Security: What to know for a safe meeting
Zoom is great meeting tool, but due to its popularity, it has been used by anonymous users being disruptive or “Zoom Bombing”. Learn about how to have safe meetings and avoid disruption through insecure settings. Learn how to control screen sharing, lock the meeting, setup the waiting room and more.
Parking lot closing on west side of campus
The Wichita Police Department has requested to use all of lot 1 on the east side of Hillside from Alumni Drive to Memorial Drive for car stop training today (Monday, April 13) to Thursday, April 16.
PTAC to host virtual workshop April 14
Kansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) will host a virtual workshop regarding the basics of doing business with the federal, state and local governments.
The workshop titled “Competing for Government Contracts: Basic Training.” will be offered as a virtual program from 9-11:30 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, April 14). This program focuses on an overview of the way government agencies purchase goods and services. Also provided will be information on how a company can become a contractor to agencies at all levels of government.
The workshop will be taught by Deputy Program Director Scott Knapp. Registration will be required in advance to attend the workshop.
Virtual Town Hall meeting with updates on the design for Woolsey Hall tomorrow
The design for Wayne and Kay Woolsey Hall, the new building to house the W. Frank Barton School of Business, is underway! The architectural team, GastingerWalker out of Kansas City & Gensler Chicago, will hold a virtual town hall meeting to update the campus on the progress of the building.
The virtual town hall meeting for faculty / staff/ students is scheduled for 10-11:30 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, April 14) by Zoom meeting, to present the site plan, floor plans, exterior design, and project schedule for the new building. The chat function will be enabled if anyone has questions during the town hall.
Meeting ID: 272 836 871
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Meeting ID: 272 836 871
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.
JoVE Science Library streaming free for WSU students and faculty
Find innovative instructional streaming collections at JoVE Science Library! Through University Libraries, WSU faculty and students have free access to JoVE through June 15. This online resource has videos on a variety of STEM subjects. More information is available at libraries.wichita.edu/electronicresources/current_trials.
Stay socially connected with us!
Wichita State University welcomes you to our new Employee Connection community!
We need to be physically distant at this time, but not socially distant. Connection is critical, and we are striving to understand the human moments that are happening and create space for employees to find their balance in this new world. Having said that, LET’S CONNECT!
Visit our Employee Connection webpage for ideas on how you can continue to stay socially connected with your teams at Wichita State, and join (and share) our new Facebook page for fun, interactive activities. We want to see your posts about ideas on how YOU are staying socially connected right now. Ready, set.... HAVE FUN at Employee Connection.
Summer 2020 Tuition Assistance deadline approaching
The HR Total Rewards team reminds staff and faculty that the deadline for Summer 2020 Tuition Assistance applications is Wednesday, April 15.
Reminder: Tuition Assistance applications for Summer 2020 are submitted through the new Online Application Form.
Effective for the Summer 2020 term, the fillable PDF form will no longer be accepted.
Due to the volume of applications received each semester, requests to submit late applications will be automatically denied. There will be no exceptions.
Full program details can be found at www.wichita.edu/tuitionassistance.
Questions may be directed to TuitionAssistance@wichita.edu.
Leadership Chat Series
Join us for weekly discussions on Leadership Topics. Every Thursday at 2 pm, we will discuss a topic! Topics such as leading in Chaos, the Enneagram, and more will be sent out the Monday before. Information can be found on our Facebook page or directly e-mailed to you! Register here.
Annualized Salary Spread for Academic Year 2020-21
For exempt nine/10-month employees (faculty and UP) not currently on salary spread but interested in participating in this program, an agreement form must be signed.
Salary spread payments for academic year 2020-21 will begin with the pay period that starts on August 9, 2020 (pay date of Sept. 4, 2020). To exercise this option, please complete the Nine/10-Month Annualized Salary Agreement form.
If you are currently on annualized salary spread, it remains in force from year-to-year unless you elect to discontinue it. To discontinue it, you must notify the Office of Human Resources in writing prior to July 13, 2020. Complete the cancellation form.
We are still responsible employees
As a large percentage of the world has shifted to working, going to school, and living at home, reports of domestic / intimate partner violence and other domestic crime have increased.
Because many Wichita State classes are using video contact with students, it is possible that you may witness something disturbing happening in a student's home. If you witness violence or have reason to believe a student of yours is unsafe, you are a responsible employee and have an ongoing duty to report this to the university. You can find reporting forms online, or if you would like to reach out by phone, you can contact Institutional Equity and Compliance.
The CITI Program is providing two free webinars to help with online functions during COVID-19
The Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program) is temporarily providing two free webinars to help organizations and individuals with timely topics given the COVID-19 emergency. The two webinars currently available are "FERPA and Online Learning in the Time of COVID-19" and "Nuts & Bolts of Running a Virtual IRB Meeting."
These free resources are being provided as part of WSU's subscription to the CITI Program. If you have any difficulties accessing this CITI Program resource, please contact the WSU Office of Research at proposals@wichita.edu.
Need questions answered by the Career Development Center? Visit us via Zoom
Have questions about writing a resume? Need help figuring out your major? Not sure what the Career Development Center does? These questions and more can be answered at this virtual Q&A session from 1-2 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, April 14) via Zoom.
Join KMUW's Digital Democracy on Tap for a live conversation on financial planning in the age of COVID-19
KMUW has put together a series of virtual events — Distance Socials —t o help our community stay connected while safely at home. Engage ICT: Democracy on Tap has joined this effort. It's the same community conversations with expert panelists you're used to, but convened virtually.
Our next event is Digital Democracy on Tap: Financial Triage tomorrow (Tuesday, April 14). Join us for a live conversation at 5 p.m. on KMUW's Facebook page. A panel of money managers, professors, and credit counseling professionals will discuss how to cope financially during the COVID-19 era. We'll organize a financial plan of attack during this difficult time and answer your questions. Learn more at KMUW.org.
Ulrich Museum's ‘Meet Me in the Vault’ invites you to explore its collection online, share your favorite artwork
Need a distraction from the news -- or just looking for a fun virtual escape surrounded by amazing art? The Ulrich Museum of Art on the Wichita State University campus invites you explore our new Collection Portal, which makes available online for the first time the museum's permanent collection of more than 6,000 works of modern and contemporary art.
Pick your favorite piece from our permanent collection and share it with us for our "Meet Me in the Vault" social media campaign. Just email your name, artist and title, and reason for choosing it to ulrich@wichita.edu. We'll share your picks on our Facebook and Instagram sites!
The Ulrich Collection Portal is accessible through our website, or directly through this link.
Wichita State Common Read call for nominations!
Have a book that you would like to suggest for consideration for the Wichita State Common Read program? Send in your nominations for the next common read book for the 2021-22 school year.
Wichita State Common Read is the university's common read program designed to spark conversation between students across majors on campus. This program strives to take educational concepts learned in the classroom and provide meaningful connections with out-of-the-classroom programs and activities. The Office of First-Year Programs is currently reviewing nominations.
Please visit Common Read to submit your book.
If you have any questions, email tahrima.musa@wichita.edu.
Check out Student Health Services' YouTube Channel
Tune in each day to Student Health Services' NEW YouTube Channel! We'll be posting tips and tricks to staying healthy while being stuck inside during the coronavirus, as well as our new staff interview series featuring Faux L'Beau!
Student Health Services on YouTube
Virtual meetup with Northwestern Mutual - learn about new internships and careers!
The Career Development Center invites students to register and attend a virtual meetup with Northwestern Mutual at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 15! This is the perfect opportunity for business students to learn about new and exciting internships and careers. There will be a short presentation and a Q&A to answer all of your questions. Use this link to register for the meetup.
Join us for the live TikTok Talent Show!
All WSU students, faculty, staff, and alumni join us for the live showing of the TikTok Talent Show at 2 p.m. Friday, April 17. Students have created videos in various categories to show off their talent. Come watch and support all of the talented Shockers in the live premier show and vote for your favorite videos. Each category winner will receive a prize.
Join the talent show on Zoom here.
For more information, visit wichita.edu/virtualevents.