A special gift of time for employees
In times of great change and challenge, organizations often have to ask for one of the most precious things an employee has, more of their time. In appreciation for all the extra time and effort devoted on behalf of WSU during these ever-changing and challenging times, WSU wants to provide back a bit of what it has had to ask of our employees.
WSU is providing benefit-eligible employees three personal days away from work during the upcoming campus shutdown. Employees will not have to use accrued leave on Monday–Wednesday, Dec. 21-23, 2020. If an employee is unable to take personal days away from work on those dates, they may substitute the dates of Monday– Wednesday, Dec. 28–30, 2020.
We wish you and your family a safe and restful Holiday. Please take with you our gratitude for all you do.
For more information about who is eligible for the personal days away from work during the campus shut down, instructions on recording time and information on what to do if you are unable to take a personal day(s) away from work on Monday–Wednesday, Dec. 21–23, click here.
A letter from the past presidents of the UP and USS Senates
Wichita State University Staff:
As the largest employee group at Wichita State, university staff should be a vital and vibrant element of the university’s shared governance model. Drawn together from the ranks of administrative professionals, advisors, accountants, analysts, counselors, custodial staff, directors, electricians, research engineers, nurses, programmers – among many others – staff employees represent a diverse body of individuals who are committed to the mission of Wichita State. Administrators and students come and go during our decades of employment, but university staff embody the steady heartbeat of the institution and ensure the day-to-day operations are carried out professionally and effectively.
That’s why aligning our collective voice is a key reason to support the proposed Constitution of the Wichita State University Staff Senate, which combines the previously separate Unclassified Professional (UP) and University Support Staff (USS) Senates.
Together, as the past presidents of the UP and USS Senates, we write to ask your support for the proposed unified Wichita State University Staff Senate.
We support a combined Senate for the following reasons:
- Collective voices are stronger and can better represent and advocate for all university staff.
- Equal representation for eligible non-exempt (hourly) and exempt (salaried) staff ensures representation at all levels of the university staff employment experience.
- Joint representation offers better efficiency of senators’ time and University resources and ensures the Senate has people available to participate in shared governance.
- Leadership representation for UP and USS leaders on the Kansas Board of Regents Senate Councils is preserved through representation of both groups on the University Staff Senate executive committee.
On Dec. 9, 2020, help us elevate the staff voice and influence in Shocker Nation by voting YES to approve the University Staff Senate Constitution.
More information about the Staff Senate merger is available at wichita.edu/senatemerger.
Sincerely,
USS and UP Past Presidents
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Ellen Abbey |
Camille Childers |
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Matthew Albers |
Gina Crabtree |
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Johny Buchanan-Spachek |
Joe Kleinsasser |
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Sally Fiscus |
Brett Morrill |
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Matt Houston |
Mark Porcaro |
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Ali Levine |
Kim Sandlin |
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Stacy Salters |
Julie Scott |
Options available for students experiencing academic difficulties
Hello, Shockers.
Given the challenges of 2020, including a shift to online and hybrid learning, and the uncertainty of this pandemic, it’s understandable that some students are experiencing academic difficulties. Therefore, Wichita State University would like to remind students of three options to students who might be struggling during the fall 2020 semester:
- Contact your instructors: Your instructors want you to be successful, so reaching out to faculty should be your first course of action. Some faculty members might offer extensions or assistance under certain circumstances.
- Late withdrawals: Any class that had a withdrawal deadline of Oct. 27 or later, the withdrawal deadline is being extended to today (Thursday, Dec. 3). Contact your advisor to discuss this option. For more information on how to withdraw from a class, click here.
- Scholarships: Students who drop below the minimum requirements to maintain a scholarship — either due to withdrawal from a class or GPA requirements — can appeal for a probationary period while they work on their GPA. Students do not need to wait until the scholarship is withdrawn to file an appeal. Students with circumstances related to COVID-19 or the uncertainty of the pandemic are strongly encouraged to apply for an appeal.
All of us in our Shocker community are ready to support our students in any way we can. Do not hesitate to reach out to our faculty and staff to learn more about your options for academic success.
With Shocker Pride,
Shirley Lefever
Interim Executive Vice President and Provost
Congratulations Bender of Twigs Class of 2020!
Bender of Twigs was conceived in 1951 by then University of Wichita President Harry Corbin (1949-1963), his assistant Kathryn Griffith, and English Professor Bill Nelson. This unique designation is bestowed upon employees who have served 25 years of service to Wichita State University.
The name "Bender of Twigs" is a reference to the similarity between the way a young sapling bends toward the light as it grows and how faculty and staff help lead the student in their search for knowledge.
Go to wichita.edu/BenderOfTwigs2020 to learn more about the Bender of Twigs Class of 2020 (recently inducted during Service Recognition on Nov. 19), and to read their induction remarks online!
Evergy invests in WSU's electrical engineering program with solar panel initiative
- In February 2020, Evergy invested in three initiatives that add valuable assets and opportunity to Wichita State's College of Engineering Program.
- The Solar Panel Initiative provides funds and resources for the installation of solar panels on the roof of the John Bardo Center.
Pictured here: Aravinthan Visvakumar, associate professor and associate department chair, believes solar panels create a unique applied learning opportunity for Wichita State students.
Please do not upload video files directly to Blackboard
Video files such as .mov and .mp4 files are very large and cause technical and storage problems in Blackboard. Please do not upload these files directly to the Blackboard system.
If you would like to share videos with your students, please upload the files to Panopto or YouTube first, and share the link in your Blackboard class. Contact Instructional Design and Access for help if you are having problems: IDA@wichita.edu or come to one of our online labs [https://wichita.edu/idalabs].
Degree Works down for maintenance on Friday
Degree Works audits will be unavailable Friday, Dec. 4 while necessary upgrades take place. Access to Degree Works for staff and students will resume Monday, Dec. 7.
Holiday grab-and-go reception; RSVP by Dec. 7
Interim President Rick Muma and the executive team cordially invite you to a come-and-go reception for an afternoon grab-and-go treat from 2-3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10. Please wear your face covering and respect social distancing.
Please RSVP and select a pick-up location that works best for you by Monday, Dec. 7.
Campus road repair begins soon
Patching repair and construction will begin soon on short sections of Perimeter Road and Mike Oatman Drive. Completion is scheduled before the resumption of classes on Feb. 1.
While the work will result in lane closures, traffic will continue to use all roads during construction. Flagmen will direct one-way traffic during work hours.
Fire alarms will be tested this week
Fire Safety will be sounding the fire alarms in buildings. This testing will take place between 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, and Friday, Dec. 4. If the alarm is sounding in your building and you want to verify that you need to evacuate, call Facilities Services at 978-3444 for information.
Human Resource Office closure
The Human Resource Office will close at 11:30 a.m. Friday Dec. 4, so staff can participate in a virtual holiday celebration. The office will reopen at 8 a.m. Monday Dec. 7.
Call for Higher Education Student Affairs Graduate Assistantships
On March 19-20, 2021, 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 FY22 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. 29, 2021.
For questions about the weekend, please email HESA.gradweekend@wichita.edu.
For more about the Master of Education in Educational Psychology: Higher Education/Student Affairs Track, click here.
'Walk with Wu' celebrates 125 years of Wichita State
In honor of Wichita State University's 125th anniversary, three Wichita State faculty members have teamed up with an alumna artist to create "A Walk with Wu," a graphic novel that chronicles the university's rich history through the eyes of our beloved mascot: WuShock.
“We hope that readers will appreciate the different phases of Wichita State’s story and how we have changed while maintaining the core of who we are," said Dr. Jay Price, professor of history and one of the book's authors.
It's the perfect gift for all Shockers. The books, which sell for $12, are available in the Rhatigan Student Center Shocker Stores beginning Dec. 2.
Purchase your “Walk with Wu” graphic novel.
Faculty and Staff Virtual Town Hall on Dec. 11
A live YouTube virtual staff and faculty town hall will be held from 3-4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11. This is an opportunity to hear and interact with Interim President Rick Muma and Interim Provost Shirley Lefever. The event will be moderated by presidents of the UP, USS and Faculty Senates.
Faculty and staff wanting to participate are encouraged to do so during the live YouTube stream. If you don’t currently have a YouTube account, click here for more information on how to create one.
You can watch the town hall live and recorded after the event at Virtual Town Hall.
Sign up for Banner 9 Schedule Building Training – Dec. 9 & 10
New Banner Schedule Builders are invited to attend the upcoming Summer 2021 and Fall 2022 Schedule Building Training sessions presented by the University Applications Training and the Registrar’s Office on Dec. 9 and 10. Both Sections 1 and 2 are required for new schedule builders.
Attendees will learn to enter the course schedule and view information using Banner 9, Self Service and WSU Reporting. Registration is required, sessions are posted on myWSU > myTraining.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing, spaces are limited and restricted to new schedule builders only. Please contact Madelyne Toney in Applications Training if you have questions, 978-3083 or madelyne.toney@wichita.edu
**Please note: Current Schedule Builders are welcome to attend the remote Schedule Building Overview Session posted in myTraining on Jan. 7.
Go to wichita.edu/schedulebuilding webpage for schedule building related information.
Have you been impacted by recent changes to full remote learning for school-age children?
As the COVID-19 activity has increased in the community, more local schools are moving to full remote learning. If these changes are causing an interruption in your childcare, there may be paid leave options available to you under the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA)
If you are experiencing an interruption in childcare due to school closures, daycare closures, or other sources of childcare no longer available due to COVID-19, please complete the COVID-19 Request Form and submit to totalrewards@wichita.edu to determine whether you are eligible for such leave benefits.
More information about the FFCRA leave benefits can be found in the Employee Leave and Benefits section of the COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Join ADCI for Ronda Bruce's retirement reception today
Ronda Bruce
Please join the School of Art, Design and Creative Industries (ADCI) for a retirement reception for Ronda Bruce from 12:30–2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, in the atrium of McKnight Art Center. Cupcakes will be available to grab and go.
Ronda has served ADCI as the senior administrative assistant for the past 15 years. Prior to that, she worked in many university departments, including NIAR, computing services, purchasing, the controller’s office, and financial operations. If you are not able to join us in person, you may send Ronda a note at ronda.bruce@wichita.edu.
Wichita State, USD 259 partner to help children with Tenacious Men program
Third grade is not too early to learn to tie a tie, discover a love of math and direct a young life on the right path.
“We want to be part of the solution,” said Kevin Harrison, community engagement coordinator for the Office of Military, Veterans and First Responders at Wichita State University. “We believe there are no bad kids. There may be some kids who have made some bad decisions. There may be kids who have been in bad situations. We want to see if we can help kids change that trajectory.”
Wichita State’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion is organizing Tenacious Men, a program designed to provide mentoring and STEM education for under-represented students in Wichita Public Schools. The program, which will begin in January, will serve 10 third-graders and 10 fourth-graders and is sponsored by Textron Aviation.
Saturday Sale in the Shocker Store
This Saturday save on some great gifts in the Shocker Store! That day only, take 20% off blankets, drinkware and ornaments. Sale is in both the RSC and Braeburn Square locations.
Shock the Halls Sale
The Shocker Store’s big holiday sale will look a little different this year, but we are so excited for it!
The usual 12 Days of Christmas Sale will not occur due to COVID precautions and the need to allow for social distancing. Instead, we’ve combined all those days of sales and promotions into a one-day-only awesome sale -- the Shock the Halls Sale!
Join us from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, in the Rhatigan Student Center Shirley Beggs Ballroom to find great deals on Shocker apparel and gifts! Stay updated on our Facebook event page for more information and sneak peeks to come.
Shocker-branded buses hit the streets of Wichita
Two new battery-powered buses wrapped in Shocker pride will soon be seen zipping through Wichita's streets.
Wichita Transit recently unveiled the Wichita State University-branded buses, which are ecofriendly, filled with modern conveniences, and will circulate among the university’s main campus, as well as Wichita State South, WSU Tech and the Metroplex.
Wichita Transit took over Wichita State’s bus routes in August. Bus services and all Wichita Transit bus services come at no additional charge for staff, faculty and students. However, all Shockers MUST show their Wichita State ID card when they board the bus. Guests and visitors to the Wichita State campus can ride routes 21A and 202A at no additional charge.
The state-of-the-art eco-friendly buses are equipped with a fold-down bike rack on the front of the bus with spaces or positions to hold three bikes, free Wi-Fi and 24 seats per bus. Riders can also opt to stand and use the buses’ balancing handles.
Pictured above: WuShock presents the two new Shocker-branded, battery-powered buses that will be circulating among Wichita State University's main campus, WSU Tech, and the Metroplex.
Santa letters available at WSU Post Office
WSU Postal Services is selling letters to Santa now to Wednesday, Dec. 16. The letters will be sent to Santa Claus, Indiana, and will receive a pictorial cancellation when sent to the recipient. The cost per letter / envelope is $1.50 and covers all postage.