Shocker Family Newsletter

Dear parents and families,

I am excited to connect with you! As a partner with Student Affairs and as the Director of Student Success, it has been a pleasure to help create content and outreach opportunities to welcome the families of our newest members of Shocker Nation this summer. Whether a family member of a new or continuing Shocker, I hope you are doing well.

I also hope that each of you have had the opportunity to think about what the temporary normal will be this fall as we prepare to welcome back thousands of Shockers next month. Please know the university is doing everything we can to make sure we are providing the best student experience we can, while following all state, local and university guidelines to protect the health and safety of everyone in our campus community.

I wanted to offer a few pieces of advice in preparation for classes this fall.

Continue to check-in often with your student regarding their health (mental, academic, financial, social, etc.). Remember to have your student list you as the Emergency Contact on their record if you expect to be notified by the university in case of a future emergency. Support services are available for students if needed through Counseling and Prevention Services and our Care Team.
Make sure your student is checking their student email daily – this is the place where they will receive updates including any potential calendar changes, COVID-related information and other official notifications from the university.
Help your student prepare for the semester. They will be expected to wear face coverings on campus, including while they are in class. They will also need access to technology in order to successfully perform in all of their classes.
Know it is okay to let them fail. Continue to move from doing, to coaching, to moving to the sidelines. This is advice we share with new parents at orientation, so many of you have heard this before. THEY need to be the ones advocating for their own success. For instance, you should not have your student’s account information, nor be conducting university business on their behalf. This is often the hardest thing to do as a parent, but we promise to help you (and your student) along the way.

A few pages that will be of help as you prepare for fall are listed below:

Updates related to COVID, including Frequently Asked Questions
Tips on how to become a successful online learner, including basic information on technology needs
Information on how your student can connect with their Success Coach (and what Success Coaches can do for your student)
Schedule for Family Table Talk sessions, hosted remotely by Alicia Newell and me

I wish you continued good health and look forward to helping welcome you and your student to campus next month.

Go Shockers!

Kim Sandlin
Director of the Office of Student Success

Important Dates

Tuesdays – Tuesday Talks with Student Health at 2 p.m.

Wednesdays – Virtual drop-in Q&A with Career Development Center from 9 to 11 a.m.

Friday, July 3 – Campus closed for Independence Day

July 4 - 5 – Blackboard to be inaccessible due to updates (click here for more information)

Wednesday, July 15 – Spring 2020 diplomas available

Thursday, July 16 – Last day to drop second four-week course with a W

Friday, July 24 – Last day of classes

Tuesday, Sept. 15 – Summer 2020 diplomas available

Sunday, Nov. 15 – Last day for students graduating summer 2020 to order academic transcripts and have the transcript fee waived

Monday, June 29 – First day of second 4-week session

Monday, Aug. 3 – Fall presession begins; last day for 100% refund for presession course

Tuesday, Aug. 4 – Late registration for presession courses only

Click here for the full fall 2020 semester academic calendar.

New Student Information

There’s a lot to cover in orientation. As we approach the fall semester, here are some things that new students and families need to know:

ShockerAlert

Get the emergency information you need instantly and effortlessly! With the Shocker Alert System, we will contact you by email the moment there is an emergency or weather alert that affects the campus. Learn more about ShockerAlert and the Rave Guardian mobile app at wichita.edu/shockeralert.

Student Health

Student Health Services (SHS) has a page just for incoming students to learn about healthy habits, what students need to bring to campus, forms, tuberculosis, medical emergencies, and services available to students on campus.
Click here to learn about wellness resources available on campus, and click here for services provided by SHS.
Health insurance can be complicated and confusing, so students and families alike might benefit from Student Health Services’ page explaining health insurance.

Parking

Whether you have questions on student parking permits or visitor parking, you can find the answer to your questions on the Parking Services page.

Housing

Residents should have received an email on Monday, June 22 requesting that they log in to the housing portal and select their arrival time slot for Move-In. Students are able to pick a date and time from 8 a.m. on Aug. 8 to 5 p.m. on Aug. 15. Students are asked to limit the number of guests they bring to Move-In and are encouraged to bring a face covering to wear during Check-In. See Housing & Residence Life’s Move-In page for more information on the move-in process, as well as Arrival Guides, a packing list, and even tips for living with a roommate!
The 2020-21 Academic Year Housing application is still open! Students can now complete the initial pages of the application, submit the $75 non-refundable application fee, and submit the $200 prepayment. Your housing application can be found in the Student Housing section of your myWSU portal. Click here for detailed instructions.
Housing and Residence Life has a page full of resources just for parents and families! Special topics include care packages, personal property insurance, and the potential benefits of a power of attorney document. Click here to read on.

Questions on housing or move-in? Read the FAQ by clicking here, or contact Housing & Residence Life at housing.wsu@wichita.edu or at 316-978-3693.

Virtual Q&A Sessions

If your student is new to WSU, you and your student both probably have a lot of questions. Shocker Family and Student Affairs are offering live, virtual Q&A sessions for families and students to help answer your questions. These sessions allow you to learn more about important topics and on-campus resources and submit your own questions, either ahead of time or in live chat.

Shocker Family Table Talks

Shocker Family Table Talks are virtual Q&A sessions with campus experts, intended to inform and allow viewers to ask their own questions. Upcoming sessions are:

Housing & Campus Involvement | July 7, 12 – 1 p.m.
Housing & Campus Involvement | July 9, 6 – 7 p.m.
Payment, Parking, Academic & Campus Support | July 28, 12 – 1 p.m.
Payment, Parking, Academic & Campus Support | July 30, 6 – 7 p.m.

Click here to RSVP to attend Shocker Family Table Talk.

Click here to submit questions ahead of time.

Click here to see previous sessions on FERPA, Advising and Enrollment.

Virtual Connections with Student Affairs

Virtual Connections with Student Affairs is a series of Q&A livestreams to give incoming students the opportunity to learn more about the different opportunities to get involved and get connected available to them at Wichita State. Each session will feature guest experts from different areas of campus to talk about their area and answer questions.

Click here to see upcoming dates and topics, and to RSVP.

Click here to submit questions ahead of time.

Click here to see previous sessions.

Decoding Shocker Lingo

FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid: This determines your eligibility for federal student aid. Complete it online at fafsa.ed.gov. Questions? Visit wichita.edu/financialaid.

GROUNDHOUSE – Early morning or late at night, the Groundhouse is one of WSU’s top places to study, grab a bite and get your caffeine fix. It’s located on the first floor of Shocker Hall next to Shocker Dining Hall.

HESKETT CENTER – Home to Campus Recreation and where Shockers come to PLAY and stay healthy!

HIPPO – Officially known as Hippodrome, this is one of WSU’s oldest and most-loved events. It’s a week of fun activities building up to Hippo’s main attraction, the student skit competition.

JAY GOLDEN – As the 14th president of WSU, President Golden started his term on January 2, 2020. He is full of new ideas and is helping transform WSU into the optimum environment for students, professors, researchers and industry to learn, work, live and play.

KOCH/ROUNDHOUSE – Short for Charles Koch Arena, this 10,506-seat area is home to Shocker basketball and volleyball — and one of the loudest, proudest student sections you’ll find anywhere.

METROPLEX – Short for the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex located at 29th and Oliver.

MILLIE – WSU’s very own big, bronze millipede sculpture. You’ll find her between Wilner Auditorium and Henrion Hall.

ODI – Office of Diversity and Inclusion: A place for people who want to empower others and strive for academic success.

ONESTOP – A resource for fast, accurate answers and student-focused support for virtually all WSU-related questions. Available 24/7 at wichita.edu/onestop or in-person in Jabara Hall, Room 122.

OSMM – Office of Student Money Management: Offering free personal finance education for students to help them make good financial decisions before, during and after college.

#PLAYANGRY – If you don’t know already, you will learn. #PlayAngry! #StudyAngry! #LeadAngry! Let’s go SHOCKS!!!

PLAZA OF HEROINES – A circular plaza, located on the busy walkway between Ablah Library and the RSC — with plenty of space to sit and take in some sunshine between classes.

RSC – Rhatigan Student Center: The RSC is the place to relax, study, play, eat and socialize on campus. Home to Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes.

RSO – Registered Student Organizations: There are more than 200 registered student organizations at Wichita State for you to get involved in. Visit shockersync.wichita.edu for a complete list.

SAC – Student Activities Council: A student-run organization dedicated to bringing a ton of great events to campus each semester, including Welcomefest, Mud Events, Finals Frenzy, Family Carnival, Gamefest and live entertainment, just to name a few.

SHOCKER SPORTS GRILL AND LANES – Located in the lower level of the RSC, Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes has great food and good times — including billiards, bowling and lots of big screen TVs.

SHOCKER NATION – A name representing Wichita State’s legion of students, alumni and fans — and our limitless amount of Shocker pride.

SHOCKTOBERFEST – WSU’s annual weeklong celebration of Shocker pride — including a banner competition, mud events, three-on-three basketball, and the main event, Songfest, a lip-synching and dance competition.

SI – Student Involvement: With more than 200 student organizations to choose from — plus, volunteering opportunities, Greek Life and semesters jam-packed with events — SI has something for everyone.

ALSO

SI – Supplemental Instruction: Offers extra help with traditionally difficult classes through weekly study sessions led by experienced SI leaders. Additional free tutoring for almost any class is offered through the Office of Student Success.

STUDY DAY – The Friday before finals week. It’s a day without classes — giving extra time to study for your finals.

THREE WOMEN WALKING – WSU is home to numerous famous sculptures, and this is one of our more better-known pieces. You’ll find these women near the RSC and Grace Memorial Chapel.

WUSHOCK (AKA WU) – A big, bad, muscle-bound bundle of wheat — WSU’s mascot since 1948, a friend to every Shocker fan and #1 supporter of all things Wichita and Wichita State.

First Tuesday

A Monthly Message from Wichita State President Jay Golden

University welcomes back students, celebrates 125 years

I hope this note finds you and your families doing well and that you are healthy and in good spirits. It is hard to believe that in just over a month’s time that our students will be back on campus. I know they are very excited to come back and be with their friends, and we are excited to welcome students back, too.

This is exemplified in the fact that we are only 3% below last year’s enrollment, which was the fourth year in a row of sustained enrollment growth. Importantly, Wichita State continues to be a national leader in providing access and affordability to higher education. In fact, in fall 2019, 44.5% of our undergraduate degree seeking students were first-generation.

Click here to read more.

Click here for the First Tuesday Archive.

Financial Aid News

Understanding Your Financial Aid

By now, you have received your financial aid offer letter. We understand that you might have questions about how to interpret your offer.

The first thing to understand is that financial aid is a combination of awarded or loaned money to students and/or their families to pay for educational expenses. It includes scholarships, grants, work-study employment, and loans. Your student’s eligibility for this aid is determined by a number of factors, not just your income.

Click here to read more.

Scholarships

Scholarships are a type of financial aid awarded to a student to further their education, and do not need to be repaid. Scholarships are awarded based upon various criteria, such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, financial need, among others, or some combination of criteria. Scholarship criteria usually reflect the values and goals of the donor or founder of the award. Students must generally apply for scholarships in order to be considered for receiving them.

Click here to learn about scholarship opportunities through WSU.

Outside scholarships are awarded by civic groups, religious institutions, high schools, and organizations other than Wichita State. Click here to learn about outside scholarship opportunities.

The office of Financial Aid can be contacted via phone at (316) 978-3430 or via email at finaid@wichita.edu.

Campus News

Phases of Reopening – Fall 2020 Course Plans

We are pleased to present you with the framework for course delivery for the fall semester:

Our goal is to resume limited, in-person instruction for this fall, as long as public health mandates allow. Wichita State University will be observing the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) guidelines.

Phase 1 — no more than 10 people meeting together
Phase 2 — no more than 30 people meeting together
Phase 3 — no more than 90 people meeting together

It is prudent to plan on Phase 1 or 2 capacities for the fall.

Everyone is expected to observe physical distancing in the classroom, which will reduce classroom capacities. Adjusted capacities and classroom assignment will be shared by email this week.

Instructors have been instructed to assume that their revised classroom capacity will be reduced by one-half to two-thirds of its usual capacity, and to (re)design their fall classes in order to take these limits into consideration.

As a precaution in the event it becomes necessary to transition back to remote delivery at some point, all classes will be listed as either HYB (hybrid) or IIE (fully online). All TCI (traditional classroom instruction) classes will be changed to HYB.

HYB includes limited in-person instruction, some synchronous online engagement (with participants meeting at the same time), and/or asynchronous content delivery (with participants engaging the materials independently). There are no additional fees for HYB courses.

Check out how your student’s classes will be offered this fall at wichita.edu/fall2020.

Campus Resources

Registered Student Organizations (RSO)

Getting connected at Wichita State means engaging in out-of-the-classroom experiences that provide opportunities to interact with other students, faculty and staff. Getting involved in campus life includes participating in student clubs and organizations.

WSU students have created organizations that range from creative writing and publishing to the appreciation of animation and comics. With over 240 diverse student clubs to choose from, there’s something to make sure your student’s college experience is an unforgettable one!

See the full list of RSOs at ShockerSync.

Office of Diversity & Inclusion (ODI) – Your Home Away From Home

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion aims to cultivate and sustain an inclusive campus. ODI strives for academic excellence by creating an environment that educates, empowers and mobilizes our students, campus and community. In the ODI community, members view themselves as ambassadors for fundamental freedoms and respecting the differences in others.

The office provides dynamic programs, which range from speakers and film showings to award ceremonies, cultural festivities and LGBTQA programming — each representing a small piece of the diversity displayed on the WSU campus.

Click here to visit ODI’s site and learn more.

OneStop

OneStop is a one-stop-shop for information about everything WSU. There are advisors there who are there to answer any question you may have from class schedules and financial aid to getting involved, BlackBoard help and technical support.

Get in touch at wichita.edu/OneStop.

Student Success

The office of Student Success helps students maximize their academic potential and reach their personal goals through a range of programs and services, regardless of personal background. Their goal is to help students develop skills and plans to graduate in a timely manner while engaging with our community of learners.

Learn more and connect with Student Success at wichita.edu/studentsuccess.