Holiday grab-and-go reception; RSVP by today
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.
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.
Employees – Please review your personal information by Dec. 11
In an effort to maintain current HR data and to better serve our employees, Human Resources is asking all employees to perform a quick review of their personal information within Employee Self-Service by Friday, Dec. 11. Personal information includes:
- Mailing address
- Personal email and phone
- Emergency contact information
- Ethnicity and race
- Veteran classification
- Disability status
To access and review your personal information, please log in to myWSU.wichita.edu and access the Employee Self-Service link titled:
Address / Email / Phone / Emergency Contacts
Thank you for keeping your personal information current, and please contact Human Resources with any questions at HR.ServiceCenter@wichita.edu.
WSU Foundation 2020 Requisition Holiday Schedule
Christmas:
WSU Foundation will be closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 25. Please have all requisitions submitted by noon Monday, Dec. 21. Requisitions will be processed on Wednesday, Dec. 23.
New Year’s:
WSU Foundation will be closed Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. Please have all requisitions submitted by noon Tuesday, Dec. 29. Requisitions will be processed on Thursday, Dec. 31.
Hiring deadlines prior to the 2020 Holiday Shutdown
The following deadlines will be implemented related to hiring to provide a more positive experience for candidates, while ensuring positions are posted and employees are hired successfully prior to the 2020 Holiday Shutdown.
Benefit Eligible Positions:
- Position descriptions must be approved in PeopleAdmin by noon on 12/16/2020, to be posted prior to the shutdown
- Hiring requests pending on 12/16/2020 will be handled after the shutdown
- To attend the first 2021 New Hire Orientation (NEO) on 01/11/2021:
o Verbal job offers must be accepted by 01/05/2021
o The hire process must be completed by noon on 01/08/2021
Non-Benefit Eligible Positions (i.e. Student/Grad, Lecturer, Temp):
- Hire Request forms must be submitted to employment@wichita.edu by Wednesday, Dec. 16 to be processed prior to the shutdown
- ePAFs must be approved by noon Friday, Dec. 18, to be processed prior to the shutdown; others will be returned to the department to be resubmitted for the next payroll period
*Reminder – Employees are not able to work if the ePAF has not been approved.
Please email Human Resources at employment@wichita.edu with any questions.
Wichita State signs MOU with local community organizations to create the 'Refugee Learning and Resettlement Team'
Wichita State has signed a memorandum of agreement with five local community partners to create the “Refugee Learning and Resettlement Team.”
The local community partners are Kansas Leadership Center, Breakthrough Community Church, Saint Francis Ministries, City of Wichita, and the International Rescue Committee. These partnerships will expand existing service-learning and applied-learning opportunities for WSU students to work with refugee and asylee populations. In addition, the partnerships will explore the possibility of sponsoring an annual conference on refugee issues, creating certificate programs in migration studies, and advancing the vision to become an important resource for addressing refugee resettlement issues, serving Kansas and beyond.
The “Refugee Learning and Resettlement Team” was created as part of Phase I of the Center for Educational Technologies to Assist Refugee Learners, funded through the President's Convergence Science Initiative.
For more details, contact PI Mythili Menon, Assistant Professor of Linguistics.
Students should reflect on the semester to set goals for the future
Students should consider taking time to reflect on the past 16 weeks and look ahead to the upcoming spring and summer as they are wrapping up this semester. Thinking about what went well and what they would change are important steps to improving student performance and success.
Students can meet with a Success Coach or a Peer Financial Coach in Student Success for assistance in setting goals, completing success plans or designing a financial plan to remain on the path to graduation. Considering future co-curricular opportunities are also important in developing goals and plans for next year. Students should think about what applied learning experiences they are interested in as well as social and leadership opportunities, which can be found in Student Involvement.
Spring Semester Tuition Assistance deadline extended through Tuesday, Dec. 8
The University recognizes all the extra time and effort devoted by our employees during this ever-changing and challenging time. For that reason, the University is offering a one-time extension of the Tuition Assistance deadline until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8.
If you wish to take advantage of this one-time deadline extension, please complete and submit the Tuition Assistance Application. The online Application is the only way Tuition Applications are accepted, is automatically scheduled to close at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, and will not be available after this time.
Please note that we will not be extending the deadline for future semesters so we encourage all employees who utilize the Tuition Assistance benefit for themselves, a spouse or a dependent to mark on your calendar the deadlines for each semester, which are the same for each year.
|
Term |
Applications Accepted |
Application Deadline |
Notification of Award |
|
Fall |
May 1 |
July 1* |
July 31 |
|
Spring |
October 1 |
December 1* |
December 31 |
|
Summer |
February 15 |
April 15* |
May 15 |
*When the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, applications will be accepted through the end of the following University business day.
Additional information about the Tuition Assistance benefit can be found by clicking here.
Available Blackboard templates will speed your course creation
Spring courses are now loaded into Blackboard, and if you would like to speed up your class development, you might want to try one of the two available Blackboard templates now available to you.
Templates make class development easier because they provide structure, organization, and some standardized content for you. Instructional Design and Access has created two templates, one with a "traditional" organizational style using a "Course Materials" menu item containing 16 weekly folders, and one with each week's content linked in as a "main menu" (left-hand) link that goes directly to the week.
You can learn more about templates and download them at https://wichita.edu/bbtemplates and if you have any questions, contact Instructional Design and Access at IDA@wichita.edu.
REMINDER: Gift Card Policy
Tis' the season for giving. Please refer to WSU Policies and Procedures before purchasing a gift for employees.
Please see Campus Policy 13.21/Gifts to Employees: 'No cash or cash equivalent, i.e., gift cards, may be given as a gratuity, gift or other favor to a University employee from any fund source.' This includes Foundation funds. Any Foundation Requisition requests to reimburse gift card purchases will be denied.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Kimberly Pham at foundation.ap@wichita.edu.
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.
Testing Services is still open to students and community members
Testing Services is open for students and community members. If you need to take a proctored exam this semester, we are here for you! Our hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. We will be closed for the Holiday Shutdown but will return on Jan. 4, 2021.
Zoom appointments are available to students registered with the Office of Disability Services only and require prior instructor approval. Please note that Zoom appointments are first come, first served and we ask for at least 72 hours notice.
Testing Services cares about your safety. We disinfect all testing stations after use and require all who enter wear a mask. Plus, we've expanded our space to offer better social distancing and have limited private rooms available.
Please call WSU-TEST (978-8378) for more information.
Call for Fiscal Year 2022 Educational Opportunity and Student Services Funding requests
It’s again time to begin the process for submission of funding requests through Student Government Association for the Educational Opportunity Fund and Student Services Fee for FY ‘22. Through the student services fee, these programs provide financial support to facilitate students’ academic pursuits (Educational Opportunity Fund) or the funding of programs / activities delivered directly to students (Student Services).
If you’ve submitted requests in the past, the Budget Review Officer should receive an email from the Budget Office to kick-off the submission process. If you have not submitted requests in the past, but are considering submitting a new request, please contact Lauren Smith, Jason Post, or David Miller in the Budget Office at 978-3030 for more information.
Requests are due no later than Friday, Jan. 29.
Help ODI and the KLC Beat the Virus!
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is participating in the Kansas Leadership Center’s statewide initiative to help “Kansas Beat the Virus.” We are tasked with convening and facilitating 20 virtual meetings of 8-12 people to come up with action ideas that will help Kansans stop the spread of Covid-19.
If you are able to help convene a group of your staff, students and friends, please reach out to Alicia Sanchez at alicia.sanchez@wichita.edu to schedule a meeting. The meetings must take place before Monday, Dec. 21.
Health Professions faculty and staff - Sign up for IRB and Data Security Workshop
WSU Office of Research Workshop: Institutional Review Board Overview and Data Security: Dec. 8, 2020
Register to attend the virtual WSU Office of Research Workshop: Institutional Review Board Overview and Data Security.
Linda Steinacher, IRB/IACUC administrator, will discuss the process of applying to the WSU Institutional Review Board for research involving human subjects.
Misha Jacob-Warren, Deputy General Counsel, will discuss the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and its relevance to university researchers.
Finally, Mark Rodee, Chief Information Security Officer, will discuss data security with regard to sensitive data such as personally- identifying information, controlled unclassified information, and research data in general.
This workshop is recommended especially for those in health professions and those whose research involves working with human subjects or sensitive data. A session will be offered from 10:30 a.m.-noon Tuesday, Dec. 8,
Please sign up through myTraining or by emailing proposals@wichita.edu.
Cultural Value Orientation as a Predictor of Adolescent Bullying
Are you a parent of a teenager?
The INSPYRE Research lab at Wichita State University is conducting a study to explore how parent and child values relate to how adolescents respond to bullying situations.
In order to be a part of the study, parents and their teen must be together at the start of the survey, and parents must provide permission for their teen to participate. We will ask parents to complete demographic questions and study measures. Then, we’ll ask the parent to hand the study off to their teenager to complete the remaining survey. This study should only take 15 minutes to complete in total. Parents must be at least 18 years old, adolescents must be between the ages of 10-17 years old, and both must be able to read English in order to participate. At the end of the study, the family has the opportunity to be entered into a raffle to win a prize.
For more information, click the survey link to find the parent consent form.
If you have any questions, please e-mail Dr. Samantha Gregus, director of the INSPYRE lab, at inspyre@wichita.edu or call at 316-978-6180.
If you have any questions, contact Samantha Gregus, Ph.D., at samantha.gregus@wichita.edu.
GRASP 2021 abstract submission is open!
The Graduate School is now accepting abstract submissions for the 17th annual Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects (GRASP) Symposium. GRASP 2021 will be held on Blackboard again this year with video presentations open for WSU community viewing starting on April 2. Please encourage your graduate students to take advantage of this opportunity to showcase their research! Abstract submission closes on Feb. 11.
UP & USS joint senate meeting set for Dec. 15
The UP and USS Senates joint meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, via Zoom. All meetings are open to the campus community. If you are interested in joining the meeting, please contact Kayla Jasso at kayla.jasso@wichita.edu for the Zoom link.
View meeting dates, agendas and minutes here.
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).
Give the gift of relaxation this holiday season
Come into the Heskett Center to pick up two 60-minute massage gift certificates for $80.
Under Armour shooter shirt
Shocker fans, snag the Under Armour shooter shirt now for just $20! Available in sizes small-3XL. Available online at shockerstore.com and in both the RSC and Braeburn Square locations. No other discounts permitted.
Student Health is still open!
Student Health Services is still open even though students aren't on campus! You can make an appointment by calling 316-978-4792. We'll be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday until the winter shutdown begins after Dec. 18.
Have you been struggling managing your study time?
Finals are finally here! If you've been struggling to manage your online classes, revisit this Tuesday Talk from SHS with Nurse Heather and Dr. Leonard from CAPS for some tips and tricks to manage your time for virtual learning.
Funding opportunity for WSU female entrepreneurs
The Women for Women's Innovation Scholarship Fund is awarded to Wichita State University female students to support innovative ideas showing promise of commercialization. The fund was established in 2020 in order to support women leaders and entrepreneurs in moving their ideas forward by providing recipients a boost to “Shock The World.”
All full- and part-time WSU students are eligible to apply. The deadline for application is Dec. 11.
Women for Women Innovation Scholarship
Enroll for an in-person service-learning course in psychology!
The INSPYRE research lab (directed by Dr. Samantha Gregus) is currently recruiting undergraduate mentors for a 3-hour service-learning course in psychology (PSY 416) for the spring 2021 semester!
Prior to enrolling in PSY 416 (Psychology and Problems of Society) mentors are required to: pass an interview and background check, have reliable transportation, lunch availability from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at least twice a week, and attend class on Mondays from 3:30-6 p.m.
We have a course syllabus, class readings, and paper assignments. Mentors will receive training at the beginning of the course and a grade at the end based on attendance and completion of assignments. We are interested in recruiting mentors from any college and major.
For more information, please contact the INSPYRE research lab at inspyre@wichita.edu ASAP.
WSU offers Spanish course for Shockers who grew up speaking Spanish with family
SPAN 321, WSU's Spanish course for heritage speakers, will be offered again in spring 2021. The course offers bilingual Shockers an opportunity to develop their Spanish reading and writing skills, while exploring topics related to Spanish-speaking communities in Kansas.