Wichita State University responds to verdict
Like many of you, during these past few weeks, our thoughts, minds and attention have
been turned to Minneapolis and the trial of Derek Chauvin.
As an educational institution, we are called upon not only to be safe harbors for
diversity of thought and life, but also to be catalysts of positive change in all
respects – knowledge, research, economics and culture. One of our distinctive university
values is to be an institution of inclusive excellence: to be a campus that reflects
and promotes – in all community members – the evolving diversity of society.
Wichita State is committed to ensuring that all members of our community are and feel
valued and respected, and we know there is more to be done. The future requires us
to recognize and learn from the sacrifices and injustices that have occurred. This
demands that we speak with a unified voice and non-violent actions to end inequality
and injustice wherever it takes place and to whomever it affects.
Campus leaders and key university offices will continue to guide our institution in
strong and deliberate conversations, engagement and action. In the meantime, we are
here for you. If you need support, please seek out any of the many support organizations
on campus: Counseling and Prevention Services, CARE Team, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Student Affairs, Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Marche Fleming-Randle, and many cultural student organizations.
Exchange Student Spotlight: Ruben Dominguez
Learn more from our exchange students about their experiences here at Wichita State. This week, read about Ruben Dominguez's time as a Shocker and his favorite part about studying at Wichita State! Visit www.wichita.edu/studyabroadspotlights to read more about his experience.
Check in with your students
Mental Health Awareness Week is a great time to check in with your students and encourage them to check in with one another. If a student is struggling, refer them to Counseling and Prevention Services (students can call to set an appointment at 316-978-4792) or consider submitting a CARE report at wichita.edu/CARE.
Learn more about being a #WSUWeSupportU Mental Health Advocate at wichita.edu/Advocate.
The Shocker Career Accelerator launched the First Destination Survey
The Shocker Career Accelerator has launched the First Destination Survey (FDS) to all undergrad and graduate students who have filled out an application for a degree this spring and summer of 2021. The FDS is completed by graduating students online and, based on national standards, captures how new college graduates fare in their careers within six months of graduation. The information collected from the FDS provides clear, concise, and consistent data on the outcomes associated with a college education on a national scale.
Outcomes include:
- Types of employment — full or part-time, contract, freelance, and so forth
- Additional education, e.g., accepted to graduate or professional school
- Still seeking either employment, further education, or military
- Starting salary for those employed full time (not a required field)
Encourage your graduating students to take the short survey.
Blackboard login and landing pages to change
On Saturday, May 29, Blackboard's login page and landing page (the place you come to first when you login) will change significantly. This is a cosmetic change and will not impact Blackboard's functionality. The change will be triggered at 8 a.m., and by 9 a.m. it will be complete.
What will happen on May 29? Our login area will become streamlined with a photo of campus on the left side of the page, and a login box on the right. You will access the login area the same way you do now, and your same credentials will work. Once you login, you will access your "my courses" area by clicking the "courses" link in the left-hand menu.
What will not change? Once you enter your course, it will look very similar to how it looks now. There will be some color changes as all courses will be standardized in terms of color. Everything should be in the same place, however. And tool availability will be the same. Your courses will still be in "old familiar Blackboard" and will not be in the "Ultra course format."
Why is this change is happening on May 29? This date allows spring term grades to be turned in and for summer pre-session classes to be complete before the cosmetic changes to the login and landing pages happen.
How will students will be notified? Students will be notified through Shocker Blast and their advisors. Please help spread the word.
Where to go with questions: The Office of Instructional Resources has created an FAQ page. If you have other questions, please send them to OIR@wichita.edu
Submit your Finals Frenzy events
Finals Frenzy is scheduled to happen from May 3-7. SAC is seeking events that are being hosted by various campus departments during this time. If your department has an event during the first week of May, we would love to share about it.
Celebrate Earth Day at Wichita State
On April 22, Wichita state is celebrating Earth Day both in-person and virtually. Stop by the community garden and make your own Earth Day t-shirt, listen to Laura Lapp, vice President of sustainability at Chartwells, and view student research projects and presentations.
Check out the full schedule of events
Wichita State film project: 'The Rule of Three'
Wichita State University Theatre has produced a four-episode web series, "The Rule of Three," as part of the WSU Theatre season this year. The show was written by Theatre professor and director of filmmaking at Wichita State, Bret Jones.
"The Rule of Three" is a comedy and drama that follows Douglas, a writer in the making, who has three people who are close to him all die on the same day at the same time. They come back as ghosts and haunt Douglas as he tries to get used to their deaths and with them being in his life from beyond the grave.
WSU Theatre has been making a film project as part of their annual season for the past few years. “The training for the actors working in front of the camera is a valued part of our performers’ training,” Jones said. Students that get cast in the film project learn what is required to act on camera, expectations on a set, and other aspects of performing in film. The training complements the students work in theatrical productions, as well as audio work, which the students are exposed to while participating in the theatre program at Wichita State University.
The Rule of Three cast: WSU Theatre students—TJ Wade, Alice Cashman, Nora Dooley, Mirta Santana Morales, and Wesley Sweigart. Student directors: Julian Cornejo, Sang Le, and Ryan Reise.
Market-based compensation implementation briefing for faculty and staff
Market-Based Compensation implementation briefing for faculty and staff will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. on Friday, April 23.
Please join the WSU senate presidents and human resources professionals for a status update of the university’s transition to market-based compensation. A presentation will be conducted to update the status of the project and information provided about next steps. The briefing, hosted on YouTube, will be recorded and available on the HR dedicated webpage for Market Based Compensation for anyone who is unable to attend the live session.
Faculty and staff to be recognized
The President’s Distinguished Service Awards and the unclassified professionals’ Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award honorees will be recognized at 2 p.m. Friday, April 23 in the Lowe's Auditorium in the Hughes Metropolitan Complex.
To RSVP for in-person attendance or to view the livestream visit Wichita.edu/shockerpride.
Holmes Museum exhibition opening
The spring 2021 Museum Exhibition class is hosting an exhibits opening from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday, April 26 at the Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology on the first floor of Neff Hall. The opening will also include exhibits from the spring 2020 Museum Exhibition class.
Register for Shocker Legacy Day
Are you a Wichita State faculty or staff member with a high school student? We want to celebrate your student for being part of the Shocker Legacy family. On Saturday, May 1, come to campus at 10:30 a.m. and learn about the new and exciting opportunities at Wichita State while connecting with students and alumni. We’re even offering tickets to you and one guest to attend the Shocker Men’s Baseball game versus East Carolina at 2 p.m. that afternoon!
Register for Shocker Legacy Day
Meet the Engineering Council candidates
Join Engineering Council to meet the candidates from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, April 23 on Zoom before elections next week to get to know the candidates. This event will host all candidates in separate breakout rooms for the opportunity for you to converse with them personally.
Learn more about the Engineering Council at www.wichita.edu/engineeringcouncil.
Wichita State softball Family Day
Wichita State Softball will be hosting Family Day at noon Sunday, April 25 at WSU's Wilkins Stadium. Sponsored by The Wichita Eagle, purchase includes four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas, and four bags of popcorn for only $32. Come support the Shockers as they take on conference opponent USF for tons of family fun.
Holmes Museum director sheds light on African artifacts featured in exhibition
The Ulrich Museum of Art's current exhibition, "Renée Stout: Ghosts," draws much of its inspiration from the art and traditions of both Africa and African diasporas. At 10:30 a.m. today, Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology director Rachelle Meinecke will talk about the six objects from the Yoruba culture of present-day Nigeria that the Lowell Museum is sharing with the Ulrich to give audiences important context for Stout's compelling work.
The Yoruba culture had a great influence on Black diasporic culture in the Americas and Yoruba art is particularly well-represented in the Holmes collection. Meinecke will talk about the objects included in the exhibition as well as other African objects in the Holmes Museum.
"Renée Stout: Ghosts" is on display at the Ulrich Museum of Art on the Wichita State University campus through May 8. Admission is always free; open 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Closed Sundays and university and major holidays.
This Ulrich Virtual Senior Wednesday program is free and open to all, but you must register to get the Zoom link.
Faculty invited to NSF grant seminars
The WSU Office of Research is offering seminars and mock proposal reviews to prepare faculty for applying to upcoming deadlines to the National Science Foundation. The first seminar is National Science Foundation Proposal Development and will be led by Dr. Coleen Pugh, dean of the Graduate School and associate vice president for research.
The second seminar is National Science Foundation CAREER Proposal Development and will be led by Dr. Jan Twomey, associate dean of engineering for research and faculty development.
After attending the seminars, Faculty are invited to submit proposal documents for review by a panel of your peers. Faculty who submit proposal documents must also commit to reviewing other proposal documents and sharing feedback at an in-person review event.
- 3 p.m. April 23: NSF Proposal Development seminar led by Dr. Coleen Pugh (addresses general proposal applications to NSF)
- 11 a.m. April 30: NSF CAREER Proposal Development seminar led by Dr. Jan Twomey (addresses the NSF CAREER program in greater detail)
- 5 p.m. May 21: Deadline for submissions of proposal documents for peer review
- 11 .m. June 4: Peer Review Discussion led by Dr. Pugh and Dr. Twomey. Lunch provided.
Please email proposals@wichita.edu or sign up via myTraining to attend. Please email fran.cook@wichita.edu if you have any questions.
Doctoral student needs participants for a hearing research
A doctoral student in communication sciences and disorders is conducting a study on comparison of an existing and a newly developed clinical technique for evaluating function of the middle ear. Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35, have normal hearing, have not had an ear infection in the past three months, nor had a cold or flu in the past two weeks. Participants will receive a no-cost comprehensive hearing evaluation and ear examination prior to testing. The testing will take about one hour in Room 106 Hubbard Hall. We have implemented a virus protection plan following university guidelines. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Kara Barrus at 316-650-5329, or Dr. Xiao-Ming Sun at Xiao-Ming.Sun@wichita.edu.
JCPenney Suit-Up event is online this spring
From April 28 to May 2, shop online at JCPenney and take an extra 30% off select men's and women's career dress apparel, shoes and accessories. Faculty, staff, and students are all invited.
Text SHOCKS to 67292 to receive your coupon!
- Check out our newest seasonal items like career dress apparel, fashion jewelry, handbags and luggage
- Turn up the style with locks of savings. New clients get 20% off their salon services with a designer or senior designer.
- Receive a free beauty consultation at the in-store Sephora.