Fall 2020 Newsletter

COVID-19 Course Content Gives Students Opportunities for Real-Life Applications

Amidst the chaos, confusion and grief of the coronavirus pandemic, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty stretch their teaching skills and use the experience for teachable moments.

Shaunna Millar, clinical professor of social  work, teaches the Social Welfare Policy and Analysis class SCWK 717. Including materials about the pandemic allows her students to examine the disproportional impact of COVID-19 on people who are older, health-challenged and part of communities of color.  Students see how systems meant to support  vulnerable populations are affected.

Shaunna Millar

“Students have the opportunity to understand that systems that are under stress during routine times will be more stressed in times of crisis, such as with COVID,” Millar said.

Ellen Terhan, a student in Millar’s  class, said the most important thing  she’s learned is that although everyone is experiencing personal sacrifices and losses because of the virus, its’ impact  is not equal across populations. 

"As a disease, COVID-19 has taken a disproportional toll on those most vulnerable in our society, specifically minorities and children living in poverty,” said Teran, a graduate student in social work. “These (impacts) are highlighted by the educational, health and economic effects these populations are experiencing.”

For Alexander Smith, who’s in the same class, it was learning that some of the progress that has been made across the globe is being reversed for the first time  in more than 20 years. 

“For example, it is estimated that nearly 71 million people are expected to be pushed back into extreme poverty in 2020,” Smith said. “This is the first time we’ve seen a rise in global poverty since 1998.”

Several Fairmount College faculty have  incorporated content on COVID-19 into their courses. By being introduced to emerging research, current publications and historic events, students have the opportunity to look at the health crisis with the viewpoint of the academic discipline, and use their critical thinking and analytical skills to  imagine solutions or improvements. Students  spend time thinking about changes to recommend for systems or processes. 

Teran is especially concerned about students and educators in the Wichita school district.

“It is imperative that our community start now in working to help the education system work efficiently and effectively to meet the needs of the students in our city. The Wichita Public School district is the largest district in the state and reports that 76.5% of its students come from homes of poverty,” Teran said. “Our community must work to find creative ways to ensure that students have access to resources, nutrition and support necessary to help them be successful, even in these unprecedented times. This includes staff and teacher trauma-informed training, recognizing that many students have or will experience significant trauma as a direct result of COVID-19. Educational policy moving forward must allow our local and state educators to have flexibility and resources necessary to help all students succeed.”

Her classmate Smith is concerned about the increase in poverty and wants to enhance services at his practicum placement where youth range in age from 6 to 18. 

“Some of them come from lower-income homes and may not have access to multiple square meals a day, especially with school being remote now for many  of them,” said Smith. “I would love to be able to set up some sort of weekly time where we could either cook a meal for  the kids at the office, or send them home with food items, as needed.”

As more becomes known about the pandemic,  faculty and students will have many opportunities to learn through real-life applications how to improve systems with lasting effects. 

“Perspectives on the Pandemic" Features Faculty Views on COVID-19

Bill Groutas studies possible treatments for COVID-19. Chase Billingham imagines Wichita after the pandemic has ended. Breanna Boppre researches COVID-19’s effects on prison populations and their families.   

Each of these three Fairmount College faculty, in addition to several others, gave presentations about the virus and COVID-19 during the college’s recent “Perspectives  on the Pandemic” series. 

The two-part series, meant to provide deeper understanding of the scope of the virus’s power to disrupt all dimensions of life, features faculty, community health experts, and performing arts professionals giving their viewpoints through the lens  of their academic discipline. 

Dinorah Azpuru, professor of political science, presented on COVID-19’s threats to democracy and also attended several sessions in the series.

“‘Perspectives on the Pandemic’ was a fantastic contribution to a better understanding of the  impact and implications of this global threat,  and the importance of multidisciplinary work,”  she said. “Bringing together professors from different fields showed the breadth of issues that are covered within the college.”

Andrew Hippisley, dean of Fairmount College, conceived the series idea in March as the virus started its spread across the U.S. Hippisley invited faculty with research interests applicable to the pandemic to present  their perspectives to a Zoom audience.

Nine sessions were offered: four in the spring semester and five this fall.

“Part I aimed at a better understanding of the nature of the virus: its spread, its chemistry, its similarity to plagues and pandemics through history,” Hippisley said.

“Part II focused more on the social and human disruption and pain: the disrupted life of the city, the threat to vulnerable populations, the loss of live interactions between people, such as music and theatre.” 

Each session in the series is archived on the Fairmount College YouTube channel, https://BIT.LY/31mgrNH. Read more about each presentation below. 

Part I, Spring 2020

April 15 “Modeling the spread of the Coronavirus,” by  Adam Jaeger, assistant professor of mathematics and statistics 

Adam Jaeger

While multiple models exist for predicting the infection rates and plateaus of pandemics, they are generally limited by assumptions of all individuals having an equal probability of transmission. As a result, the projections for infection rates tend to focus on larger geographic scales, such as states, resulting in an incomplete picture at a local level. This talk introduces statistical modeling concepts relating to prediction of COVID-19 rates at a county level and specifically introduces the notion of spatial correlation, which recognizes that there is a connection between county proximity and amount of social movement between areas.

April 22 “Influenza pandemics since Russian Flu: Do they  provide insight to COVID-19?” by George Dehner, associate professor of history

George Dehner

The surprising appearance and rapid spread of COVID-19 has prompted comparisons with pandemic influenza. This presentation examines influenza pandemics from 1889 Russian flu through the novel 2009 H1N1 pandemic with an eye to making comparisons to what is known about COVID-19’s rapid global transmission.

April 29 “COVID-19 and the impact on local public health practice and policy,” moderated by Melissa Walker, associate professor and interim director of Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs 

Melissa Walker

Cities, counties, states and nations are making difficult choices to protect citizens and support local health care systems. From stay-at-home orders to physical distancing, we are changing our daily routines. What happens if these steps are taken too late? Or rolled back too soon? What is happening to the most vulnerable among us: elders, individuals who experience disabilities, those who do not have health insurance and access to regular medical care? A panel of local experts will explore these questions for us  in Sedgwick County. 

May 6 “In search of a COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics,” by Bill Groutas, Erach Talaty Endowed Research Professor of Chemistry 

Bill Groutas

As of May 6, there were currently no FDA-approved vaccines or small molecule therapeutics for the treatment and prophylaxis of COVID-19, underscoring the need for effective countermeasures to halt the growing pandemic. This presentation briefly reviews coronaviruses, their life cycle, and state-of-the-art progress in the development of vaccines and immunotherapeutics, as well as the use of repurposed drugs. Lastly, progress by our research group related to the discovery of inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease, an enzyme essential for viral replication,  
is discussed briefly.

Part II, Fall 2020

Aug. 26 “Democracy in the world in times of COVID-19,” by Dinorah Azpuru, professor of political science 

Dinorah Azpuru

Beyond the effects on health, the COVID-19 pandemic has had huge effects on the economy, but also on politics in countries around the world. More specifically, in certain countries, it has impacted democracy in a negative way. This presentation examines the overall impact of the pandemic on countries with democratic regimes, with emphasis on the democratic backsliding that has occurred in some of them. It also looks at the tightening of authoritarianism and human rights violations in countries that were already authoritarian when the pandemic began. Quantitative indicators that show the impact of the pandemic are also discussed.

Sept. 2 “Rethinking the city and the community for a post-pandemic world,” by Chase Billingham, associate professor of sociology 

Chase Billingham

Cities are places characterized by constant activity, dense social interaction, and innovation fostered in collaborative working environments. With the widespread adoption of social distancing, bans on large gatherings, and remote work as public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, those quintessential urban characteristics have been fundamentally transformed. Will those changes be temporary or permanent? And what will they mean for the future of urban economies, neighborhood life, and inequality in the coming years? This presentation addresses these questions, drawing out many of their implications for important urban processes like social dislocation, economic development, and gentrification. While offering a broad perspective on issues affecting cities in general, the discussion draws special attention to potential impacts of the pandemic on urban growth, decline, and inequality in the Wichita region.

Sept. 9 “The impacts of COVID-19 on incarcerated people and their families,” by Breanna Boppre, assistant professor of criminal justice 

Breanna Boppre

This presentation discusses the implications of COVID-19 for correctional agencies nationwide and in Kansas. Boppre provides preliminary results from her ongoing mixed-methods study that examines families’ experiences of having a loved one incarcerated during the pandemic.

Sept. 16 “COVID-19 health disparities: Minority health and health equity,” moderated by Melissa Walker, associate professor and interim director of Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs 

The disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on the health of racial and ethnic minorities is becoming clear. Essential workers, many in low wage jobs, and racial and ethnic minorities are at greater risk of contracting the virus. In addition to the economic impact due to job loss, COVID-19 has exposed disparate access to up-to-date information about the virus, to PPE and to health care. Hospitalization and mortality rates among African Americans are the highest of any group. Why is this happening? What can we do? A panel of local experts explore these issues including how access to testing  and treatment could reduce the toll of COVID-19 for racial and ethnic minorities. 

Sept. 23, “COVID-19: Its impact on the performing arts and its audiences,” moderated by Rodney Miller, dean of the College  of Fine Arts

Rodney Miller

The disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on the events industry, of which the performing arts is a significant portion, is devastating. It was the first industry to close down and will be the last to fully open back up. When shutdowns occurred in March, this vital aspect of the American economy essentially ceased to exist. It ceased to exist on college campuses as well. But we need what the arts bring us now more than ever. 

“Somos de Wichita: We are Wichitans"

Catholic Mexican Club, 1937-38

Seeking to preserve the history of Wichita’s Latino families, Jay Price, professor and chair of history, and Enrique Navarro, associate professor of Spanish, have collaborated on a virtual exhibit hosted  by Wichita State University Libraries. 

The virtual exhibit, “Somos de Wichita (We are Wichitans),” documents the story of Latino families who arrived in Wichita from the American southwest and Latin America in the early 20th century, and negotiated the complex process of maintaining cultural ties to Latin America while also becoming part of a largely Anglo American community. In a time when immigration is a major national topic and where Latino migration is reshaping the Great Plains, these stories can help guide a conversation in which both Anglos and Latinos learn from the experiences of prior generations. 

Families may contribute their own photographs and histories to the project. The portable version of the exhibit will appear in venues as the COVID-19 pandemic permits. The project has received support in part through a Humanities Kansas grant. For more information visit somos.wichita.edu or see the video at https://bit.ly/3jcifil.

Day of the Dead at NoMar

Jay Price

Enrique Navarro

New Faculty Hires

• Laurence Dumouchel, assistant professor of anthropology
• Rachael Goodman-Williams, assistant professor of psychology
• Christopher Green, assistant professor of mathematics
• Sarah Green, assistant teaching professor, criminal justice
• Jeoung Min Lee, assistant professor of social work
• Quan Lei, assistant professor of psychology
• James Schwartz, assistant professor of philosophy
• Haifan Wu, assistant professor of chemistry

To learn more about our new faculty go to: www.wichita.edu/newfacultyfc

In Memoriam

Dharam Vir Chopra, 89, died Sept. 14. He joined the mathematics faculty in 1967, eventually serving as department chair for mathematics and statistics, and later as interim department chair for computer science. While chair of the mathematics and statistics department, he led the faculty during the beginning of its doctoral program. He began phased retirement in January 2020.  

Jim Erickson, 88, died June 10. He joined  the English faculty in 1964 and retired in 1996. When not teaching, he held acting roles in locally produced commercials and theater productions. Locally known as Ol’ Flick, he hosted movies on KAKE-TV, but more recently reviewed movies for KMUW, signing off with “Over and out.” Memorial contributions may be made to the Jim Erickson Memorial, WSU Foundation, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002.

Dean’s Message

Dear Fairmount College alumni, faculty, staff and friends,

Faculty in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are teacher-scholars. Our students benefit from instruction that is informed by cutting-edge scholarship. This is how students are exposed to the nuanced ways in which the field is evolving, and how they can find opportunities to collaborate with faculty in addressing the pressing questions. This kind of instruction is the hallmark of the student experience at a research-based Kansas Board of Regents institution. 

Back in March, the value of a research-active  faculty was brought into sharp focus in our “Perspectives on the Pandemic” series. The goal was to bring Fairmount College research expertise to bear on the evolving COVID-19 crisis. The Zoom format allowed us to invite in the community and alumni to engage in statistical modeling of the coronavirus’s spread in Kansas, the historical context of the pandemic, the chemistry of the virus and the implications for a vaccine, global responses to COVID-19 and their potential threat to democratic institutions, and so on.

The series demonstrated the continuous need for research-driven expertise. But it also made the case for strong community engagement with our research findings. Going forward, we aim to explore more avenues to showcase our research to the broader community in an accessible and stimulating fashion. 

Scholarship in the college takes a variety of forms depending on discipline: large federal grants with a research team; community grants and contracts; scholarly publications including books; contributions to television, radio and newspapers, to name a few. Recently faculty in the college had the opportunity to participate in the $1.2 million new university-wide Convergence Sciences Initiative. The premise is that the most interesting problems whose solutions have the greatest societal impact require a convergence of disciplinary lines of inquiry. Proposals were solicited that contained large cross-disciplinary research teams to address issues in health disparities, digital transformations and sustainability. A fourth category was the wildcard option, designed to allow proposals the other categories did not capture. 

Fairmount College, with the largest range of disciplines, unsurprisingly had faculty involved in all 18 submissions. Two of the four winning projects had lead researchers who belong to the college: Twyla Hill from sociology and Mythili Menon from English. A requirement of the initiative was that each project have robust student participation. In a college that prides itself in the way it involves students in research, the requirement was enthusiastically fulfilled.

As faculty develop and sustain their research programs, the students and community benefit. To support the faculty, the college awards internal grants for pilot studies, proof of concept testing and professional development. We are grateful to Lora and Don Barry for their generous donation to help make this possible. If you’d like to help support our faculty research enterprise, please send me an email at andrew.hippisley@wichita.edu.

Yours, 

Andrew Hippisley, 

Dean 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Fairmount College held its first day of classes on Sept. 11, 1895 for 13 students taught by four faculty members. In 2020, approximately 5,000 students are pursuing a Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences degree, taught by nearly 200 faculty.

Happy 125th, Fairmount College!