Current Students and their Parents

In accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, masks are not required for students, employees or visitors, regardless of vaccination status, while on or in Wichita State University premises or while attending campus activities or athletic events (unless otherwise noted). This includes all indoor and outdoor campus locations.

The university continues to strongly recommend that all individuals engage in COVID-healthy behaviors including, but not limited to, being vaccinated if able, wearing a mask where social distancing is not possible, testing, and staying home if you feel ill. COVID testing and vaccines are readily available at no charge to WSU students and employees at the WSU Student Wellness Center. No appointment is necessary. Additional information about the vaccine and available locations can be found at www.vaccines.gov. For more information about testing sites, please visit the Sedgwick County Health Department’s webpage.

Although there are no campuswide mask mandates, in certain cases there may be programmatic or facility requirements dictating the wearing of masks — for example, in our patient-serving clinics or students on clinical practicums and rotations, or in those instances where close contact cannot be avoided and additional precautions may be warranted. Please consult with your supervisor and/or instructor for further instructions, and be sure to follow all posted facility requirements.

No. We do not currently require the COVID vaccine, but do highly encourage them for those who are able to get them. Vaccines are available for through Student Health Services.

Wichita State understands this is a stressful time and we want to help students through this process as best we can. If you suffer from anxiety and need to talk to someone, please contact Counseling and Prevention Services at 316-978-4292. You can also follow them on social media for daily wellness tip and free mindfulness training @ShockersCAPS and #WSUWeSupportU. To see past training videos visit the CAPS YouTube channel

Student Health Services is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday to provide health care services to students. You can find help at our website at wichita.edu/shs.

Student Affairs has also developed an FAQ of emergency and self-care resources.

WSU recognizes that this is a very fluid situation, and we may need to adjust quickly. The WSU COVID-19 News website, wichita.edu/covid19, is regularly updated by WSU Strategic Communications.

Students should stay connected to the university by regularly checking emails and announcements in Shocker Blast. In addition, university administration will communicate through email blasts and virtual town hall meetings.

Regular classroom capacities will be maintained with no distancing limitations in the classroom. Instructors may choose, however, to divide their classes as they have previously in order to have fewer students in a classroom at a time to maintain distancing. Our hybrid class codes will allow for flexibility in these course designs.

Courses for fall 2021 will be offered with a mixture of four course types:

• Hybrid (HYB): Courses with mixed delivery, with some in-person course work and some online coursework.
• Fully Online - Internet Instruction Synchronous (IIS): Internet Instruction Synchronous courses require some form of “live” virtual class times where attendance is required for discussion, presentations and labs. IIS may be a good option for students new to college and for those who do best with live lectures and enjoy social settings.
• Fully Online - Internet Instruction Asynchronous (IIE): Internet Instruction Asynchronous courses are designed by the instructor to be self-managed for studies, learning and demonstration of learning. While time management is flexible, the course may require scheduled benchmarks such as quizzes and projects.
• Hybrid Online (HYO): All course materials delivered online, but with tests given in-person (on campus or at a remote testing site).

Students can visit wichita.edu/summer2021 and wichita.edu/fall2021 to see how much content is online or in-person.

Go to the Registrar's Instructional Methods page for further information about course types.

Full-semester classes begin on Aug. 22. The last day of the fall semester will be Dec. 8 , with finals proceeding Dec 10-15. Commencement is scheduled for Dec. 18.

Fall Break is scheduled for Oct. 15-18.

Please check each of your classes in Blackboard and keep an eye on your WSU email for information! If there is no information for a particular class, or if a class doesn’t have an instructor listed yet, please call OneStop at 1-855-978-1787 to be connected with the academic department offering your course.

A hybrid course gives instructors opportunity for flexibility and creativity. Content may be delivered in-person and online; it can be synchronous or asynchronous depending on instructor preference.

The Kansas Board of Regents approved a proposal to remove the online course fee, allowing students to enroll in whatever type of course best fits their learning needs without having to worry about an online fee.

Yes. Students are expected to meet the stated requirements for their courses. If a student believes they have a condition which requires accommodation where they cannot attend in person, they should contact the Office of Disability Services. Instructors will work with ODS to meet these identified accommodations.

However, instructors are encouraged consider ways other than in-person attendance to assess participation and/or engagement.

Yes. Instructors are responsible for coordinating schedules with their departmental chairperson and must clearly communicate their availability with students.

Some instructors require students to have proctored exams for online testing. The university supports ProctorU and Respondus for proctoring options.

Additional information can be found at the Media Resources Center's Online Testing page.

We are reminding instructors to keep those disabilities in mind as content is created for the class. For students with hearing impairments, any video will need accurate captions. For students with visual impairments, any content will need to be accessible those students as well.

(316) 978-3309.

Instructors should be responsive to students who are sick, just as they were before the emergence of COVID-19, by helping students make up work and stay on track in class.

No. Beginning March 4, 2022, masks are no longer required at Wichita State University.

Wichita State University has developed a Remote Student Support website to help with remote learning

Academic Advisors are great resources, as are Success Coaches. Either can help answer questions you have about your studies.

The Office of Student Success has a number of resources to help you maximize your potential for success.

Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction (SI) are available online. If your class has SI, consult your class on Blackboard for the latest schedule. Your SI leader will maintain their schedule and hold sessions on the same days / times. If you currently have a tutor, email your tutor for specific information. If you need to request a tutor, go to your myWSU and click on Request a Tutor under Student Tools.

• Need help with study skills?
• Need to explore tutoring options?
• Don’t know where to go for help and need someone to help out?
• Need tutoring help from GEEKS for engineering?
• Need tutoring help from the Math Lab?
• Need tutoring help from the Writing Center? (available in Blackboard)
• I don’t know how to navigate my classes anymore.
• I need someone to help keep me on track.

Ablah Library is open. For the daily schedule, check wichita.edu/libraryhours.

If you have a problem with your class, the first step is to communicate your concern to the instructor. If the problem cannot be resolved with the instructor, you should communicate with the chairperson of the department that is offering the class. Ex: MATH100 – Speak to the chair of the Math department. See contact information for all chairpersons here. You may also reach out to the Student Advocate for assistance with these communications.

You can follow directions provided on the Media Resource Center's Zoom Training page.

Yes. For students who don't have access to a computer, there are a limited number of Chromebooks available. Submit a request using the link below. If you do not have internet access, contact WSU Help Desk at 316-978-HELP, Option 1, to submit a request.

View the requirements and submit a request

Because those students working remotely may have limited or no internet access, a limited number of cellular hotspot devices (MiFis) from Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T are available from Information Technology Services. These devices will be available to students through the end of the Spring 2021 semester only. We do have a limited number of devices, and they are first-come, first-served. The availability of devices is expected to fluctuate throughout the semester.

Submit a MiFi Request

The Shocker Support Locker is open to all Wichita State University students, faculty and staff and offers anyone who needs it access to food, clothing, toiletries, and baby/family products. The Shocker Support Locker is coordinated and managed by the Student Government Association.

To limit the spread of COVID-19, all students, faculty or staff are asked to complete the Shocker Support Locker Order Form to request items from the Shocker Support Locker until further notice

Locker staff will contact the user to coordinate a pick-up time between 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Questions? Please contact sga.supportlocker@wichita.edu

Wichita State’s Care Team helps students and employees with health or mental health concerns, academic struggles, financial stressors, housing and food concerns and more. For information, go to wichita.edu/careteam, email care@wichita.edu or call 316-978-3149.

The emotional, financial and social disruptions caused by COVID-19 uncertainty are creating serious challenges for many of our students. Students with pre-existing and new conditions will require extra support. It is important that instructors refer students who might need assistance to the WSU Counseling and Prevention Services (CAPS) website to learn options for addressing mental health and wellness during COVID-19.

For information on symptoms and suggestions for what you can do for prevention, go to the Student Health coronavirus page.

If you are sick or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19:

• Please do not come to campus. Notify your instructor you are ill through the process detailed in your syllabus.
• Contact your health care provider. Call ahead before seeking medical care.
• All current WSU students can contact Student Health Services (SHS) by calling (316) 978-4792 or sending a secure message through the myShockerHealth student portal (studenthealth.wichita.edu). Student Health’s hours are Mon- Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• COVID-19 testing is available for symptomatic WSU students through SHS.  Learn More.
• For after-hours care options, there is a list of immediate care clinic and/or hospitals on the SHS website.

Have you had prolonged close contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus? If yes, quarantine according to the CDC Quarantine and Isolation Calculator.

Wichita State University has adopted procedures and protocols to alert members of our community, including our students, employees and campus partners, if the University has knowledge of potential COVID-19 exposure. It strongly encourages all students, faculty, and staff to self-report if they believe they may have been exposed to, or tested positive for, COVID-19.

Students can self-report by completing the COVID-19 Report Form found on the wichita.edu/reportit website. Completing this form will connect students with the campus resources through the care coordinators and Student Health Services for support during isolation or quarantine periods.

If you are enrolled in online classes, or hybrid classes that are fully online with no in person requirements, continue to complete course work as needed. You may decide to reach out to the instructor to let them know you are in quarantine of isolation, but this is not required.

If you are enrolled in a hybrid class, where in-person sessions are required (such as a lab) contact your professor and let them know that you are being quarantined and cannot attend class.

Consult the CDC Quarantine and Isolation Calculator for guidance. Call Student Health Services at (316) 978-4792 if you have questions about your results.

It is recommended that you reach out to all of your instructors, informing them that you may need additional time to complete work and/or miss any in- person classes due to being in quarantine or isolation. Students can self-report by completing the COVID-19 Report Form. Completing this form will connect students with the campus resources through the care coordinators and Student Health Services for support during isolation or quarantine periods.

If you are in a shared living space while in quarantine or isolation, take the following steps to reduce transmission risk to those you live with:

• Stay away from other people in your home as much as possible, stay in a separate room with a closed door and using a separate bathroom, if available.
• Avoid sharing household items, including drinking cups, eating utensils, towels or even bedding. Wash these items thoroughly after using.
• Clean high-touch surfaces daily using a household cleaner or wipe. These (per the CDC) include: “counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and bedside tables”.
• When you cough/sneeze cover your mouth and nose with a tissue; immediately throw tissues in garbage; wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; if that’s not available, clean with hand sanitizer that has at least 60 percent alcohol.
• No visitors unless the person needs to be in your home.
• If someone needs to help care for you, they should wear a face covering and try to limit close contact with you.
• If you need medical attention, call ahead and tell them you are in quarantine or isolation.
• Wear a face covering if you must be around other people, such as during a drive to the doctor’s office or if out of your bedroom walking through common spaces in the home.
• Limit contact with your pets. There is a small chance humans can pass the disease to dogs or other pets, though very few cases of transmission to pets has been reported.

Yes. The University has created a COVID-19 Dashboard that is updated weekly. University officials, in conjunction with the Sedgwick County Health Department, are closely monitoring all information as it relates to the health and safety of its campus community. The university is prepared to take all action necessary in the event that students, faculty or staff are believed to be faced with heightened risk of exposure, including, but not limited to, closing housing facilities and pivoting all classes to remote or online.

The university has adopted and implemented policies, procedures and practices regarding reports of known exposure or positive cases on campus. The university continues to follow the guidance of federal, state and local health officials in combating the spread of COVID-19.

More information about the number of positive cases in the area can be found on Sedgwick County’s website.

Recent Kansas legislation enacted to protect the privacy and confidentiality of information prevents the university from engaging in contact tracing efforts. 

In the event of a positive test, employees are encouraged to contact Human Resources, and students are encouraged to report using the COVID-19 Report Form.

The Shocker Support Locker is open to all Wichita State University students, faculty and staff and offers anyone who needs it access to food, clothing, toiletries, and baby/family products. The Shocker Support Locker is coordinated and managed by the Student Government Association.

All students, faculty or staff are asked to complete the Shocker Support Locker Order Form to request items from the Shocker Support Locker until further notice

Locker staff will contact the user to coordinate a pick-up time between 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday for the spring semester. Questions? Please contact sga.supportlocker@wichita.edu

No. Wichita State is not allowed to conduct contact tracing

On June 9, 2020, Kansas enacted HB 2016. This legislation created the “COVID-19 Contact Tracing Privacy Act.” Under this Act, only the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the local health officer are authorized to conduct contact tracing. Only the KDHE and the local health officer can grant permission to other state entities to do contact tracing.

In other words, the Act prohibits other state entities, such as Wichita State University, from performing any “contact tracing” activities unless this tracing is specifically authorized by KDHE or the local health officer.

Under the HB 2016, “contact tracing” has its own definition. And that means that the University has to follow and rely upon that definition – not how “contact tracing” is commonly understood or defined by the CDC or by any other state.

For purposes of HB 2016, “contact tracing” means identifying persons who may have been exposed to an infected person for the purpose of containing the spread of COVID-19 by notifying the contact that the contact may have been exposed, should be tested and should self-quarantine.

Since we are a state entity, the University is prohibited by law from notifying any student, employee, or visitor of any potential known exposure – even in general terms.

Wichita State University has adopted procedures and protocols to alert members of our community, including our students, employees and campus partners, if the University has knowledge of potential COVID-19 exposure. It strongly encourages all students, faculty, and staff to self-report if they believe they may have been exposed to, or tested positive for, COVID-19. Reporting can be done as follows:

• Employees should contact HR Total Rewards (totalrewards@wichita.edu)
• Students are encouraged to report using the COVID-19 Report Form.

Students living in the residence halls are required to contact Housing staff if they test positive for COVID-19 or have been identified as a close contact of a confirmed positive COVID-19 case. Housing staff will work with students to facilitate quarantine and isolation spaces on campus, if needed.

For information on what constitutes a "close contact" consult CDC guidance.