
Public universities must continuously earn the confidence of students, families, taxpayers, employers, and policymakers. Wichita State embraces transparency, accountability, academic rigor, and open inquiry as essential elements of that trust. The university is committed to providing a high-quality education, stewarding public resources responsibly, and ensuring that students are prepared to contribute to their communities, the workforce, and the nation's future. The following summarizes Wichita State University's approach to the questions presented in the Education Department's call to action.
Public universities must continuously earn the confidence of students, families, taxpayers, employers, and policymakers. Wichita State embraces transparency, accountability, academic rigor, and open inquiry as essential elements of that trust. The university is committed to providing a high-quality education, stewarding public resources responsibly, and ensuring that students are prepared to contribute to their communities, the workforce, and the nation's future. The following summarizes Wichita State University's approach to the questions presented in the Education Department's call to action.
How Wichita State University ensures that admissions criteria are transparent and wholly described to prospective applicants and ensures admissions decisions are based on merit, achievement, and the university's mission.
Wichita State publishes its admission requirements, application processes, residency requirements, scholarship criteria, and program-specific standards through publicly accessible websites, catalogs, and admissions materials, in accordance with the Kansas Board of Regents qualified admissions policies. Our admissions standards are specific, published, and applied consistently. The university provides clear information regarding academic requirements and pathways to admission before applying.
Admission decisions are based on academic preparation, demonstrated achievement, applicable state requirements, and the educational objectives of the university and its academic programs. Wichita State is committed to administering admissions processes consistent with federal and state law and to providing all applicants with a fair opportunity to demonstrate their qualifications.
The university continuously reviews admissions communications and procedures to ensure prospective students and families receive clear, accessible information regarding the applicable admission requirements, cost of attendance, available support services, and pathways to degree completion.
Wichita State University employs clear admission standards for first-time freshmen. Applicants are assured of admission if they: 1) earn a cumulative high school GPA of 2.25 or higher; or 2) achieve an ACT composite of 21 or higher (or an SAT score of 1060 or higher). Students who complete college coursework while in high school must also earn a minimum college GPA of 2.0. Wichita State is test-optional for admission. These standards — along with published requirements for transfer, adult, international, graduate, and nondegree students — are available on the university’s admissions website. Admission decisions are based on these published academic criteria and applicable university policy, including the Wichita State University Nondiscrimination Statement.
Students who do not meet assured-admission standards are still encouraged to apply and may have their application reviewed through the established university processes. Wichita State does not measure its success by how many applicants it turns away. We measure it by whether the students we admit understand the expectations ahead of them and have the resources to meet them.
Wichita State University’s Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech), the affiliated technical college, operates under an open-admission policy. Any program-specific prerequisites are published in its college catalog. WSU Tech offers more than 100 degree and certificate programs developed with employers in aviation, healthcare, manufacturing, and other high-demand fields. Students can begin coursework at WSU Tech that transfers toward a bachelor’s degree on the main WSU campus through a partnership called the Shocker Pathway. Together, assured admission on the main campus and open admission at WSU Tech give every Kansan a clearly defined, publicly stated point of entry into Wichita State University.
Academic achievement is rewarded through published, criteria-based scholarships, many of which require no application beyond admission. On the main WSU campus, Freshman Merit Scholarships, worth $4,000 to $24,000 over four years, are awarded based on high school GPA and ACT or SAT scores. For Kansas residents, the top merit-based award — the $16,000 Presidential Merit Scholarship — covers nearly half of tuition and fees over four years. University Academic Scholarships, worth $4,000 to $12,000, are awarded based on high school GPA. National Merit Finalists are eligible for a WSU National Merit Scholarship valued at $50,000 over four years. High-achieving students may also compete for some of the largest undergraduate scholarships in Kansas, worth up to $80,000, and the university’s academic colleges award more than $2 million each year to continuing students. Merit awards carry renewal standards that reward sustained achievement. National Merit recipients, for example, must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA and earn at least 24 Wichita State credit hours each year for annual renewal consideration.
Need-based programs ensure that financial circumstances do not prevent qualified students from enrolling. Examples include the Sedgwick County Shocker Promise Scholarship and the Kansas Shocker Promise Scholarship, which provide last-dollar tuition and fee support to students from limited-income families.
How Wichita State University protects the free exchange of ideas, wide-ranging debate, and open-minded campus discourse.
The pursuit of knowledge depends upon the free exchange of ideas. Wichita State supports free expression, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity consistent with the First Amendment, Kansas law, and university policy.
The university encourages robust discussion, debate, and scholarly inquiry across a broad range of viewpoints. Faculty, students, staff, and invited speakers are free to engage in lawful expression, even when views expressed may be controversial or unpopular.
At the same time, Wichita State maintains Wichita State maintains policies that protect expressive activity while allowing the university to carry out its educational mission safely and without disruption. The policy establishes reasonable restrictions to protect people and property and provides an appeals process when expressive activity is denied, limited, or prohibited.
The university will continue promoting civil discourse, constructive engagement, and opportunities for students to encounter differing perspectives in educational and co-curricular settings.
The free exchange of ideas is essential to higher education and central to Wichita State’s mission. The University's Values on Freedom of Thought, Speech and Expression ensures that every member of the university community has the greatest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn, consistent with applicable law. These values were developed by a campus-wide Free Expression Working Group that included faculty, staff, students, and the independent student newspaper. They were further affirmed by a university resolution on free speech, free expression, and academic inquiry adopted in 2021, and they align with the Kansas Board of Regents Statement on Free Expression.
That commitment is put into practice through Policy 11.12, Use of University Campus for Free Expression Activities, most recently revised in 2025. The policy requires that all scheduling, oversight, and enforcement related to expressive activity be content neutral. It is explicit that expression may not be suppressed because some, or even most, members of the community find it offensive or wrong, and that those judgments belong to individuals, not to the university as an institution. Decisions that deny or limit an expressive activity may be appealed.
The same policy protects the ability of every member of the community to learn, teach, and work. Expressive activity must remain orderly and peaceful. It may not disrupt classes, block access to buildings, offices, or classrooms, or interfere with university operations. Speakers, including those engaged in protest, may not be subjected to harassment; and members of the community retain the right to peacefully protest any activity. The Wichita State University Police Department supports these protections, providing security for events when needed to uphold the rights of speakers and the safety of the community. Wichita State’s nondiscrimination policies also prohibit discrimination on the basis of political affiliation.
Wichita State’s commitment to open inquiry was established in 1937 by the Forum Board Lecture Series, which brought more than 500 nationally and internationally known speakers to campus over 65 years. Today, the Craig W. Barton Speaker Series continues that tradition with the express purpose of exposing students to differing points of view and encouraging critical thinking and conversation. Over the decades, the university has hosted public figures from across the political spectrum.
Wichita State believes freedom of expression is a right and an educational value. By protecting the ability to express ideas, engage in debate, and encounter differing perspectives, the university prepares students to think critically and participate fully in civic life.
How Wichita State encourages intellectual pluralism in all its academic units.
Wichita State recognizes that intellectual progress depends upon examination of competing ideas, evidence-based reasoning, and open scholarly inquiry. Faculty hiring and advancement are based on academic qualifications, professional achievement, and contributions to the university’s teaching and research mission. Academic judgments follow established processes rooted in disciplinary standards and professional expertise.
The university supports and protects academic freedom and the responsible exploration of ideas across disciplines. Students are evaluated based on academic performance and demonstrated learning. Wichita State’s Student Code of Conduct Handbook directly states that “freedom of inquiry and freedom of expression are valued as critical components in the generation and transfer of knowledge to advance the university’s mission."
A university’s strength depends on preparing students to think critically and independently about complex issues. Wichita State advances that goal through rigorous academics and a commitment to effective teaching and learning. Academic excellence depends on the open exchange of ideas, rigorous scholarly inquiry, and the freedom to follow evidence wherever it leads. At Wichita State, these values are protected by academic freedom and upheld through faculty-led standards of scholarly judgment.
Faculty are evaluated on the quality of their work. Under Policy 4.21, Tenure and Promotion (T&P) are awarded based on demonstrated excellence in scholarship, teaching, and service. The specific criteria are developed by faculty at the college, school, University Libraries, or department level, which provide defined expectations. Candidates are reviewed through a multi-level process (including the department, college, university levels with the final decision rendered by the president) clearly outlined in university policy. Faculty continue to be reviewed after tenure through annual evaluation and post-tenure review.
Faculty hiring follows a structured, documented process under Policy 3.20, Recruitment, Hiring and Onboarding, most recently revised in 2025. Selection is based on position requirements, including education, training, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Search committees use consistent practices, criteria, and interview questions tied to the position description, and they must document the basis for their decision on every candidate who meets minimum qualifications. University Policy 3.02, Notice of Nondiscrimination also prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of political affiliation, along with other protected characteristics.
Intellectual pluralism is also part of how the university engages with hard questions. Faculty working groups such as Responsible AI@ICT welcome perspectives ranging from enthusiastic early adopters to skeptics. Wichita State believes academic vitality is strongest when ideas can be explored openly, evidence examined critically, and differing viewpoints engaged thoughtfully. These commitments prepare students for informed citizenship, professional success, and lifelong learning.
As Kansas’ only urban public research university, Wichita State conducts research intended to advance knowledge and generate tangible benefits for communities, industries, and society. The university’s research enterprise supports innovation in disciplines including aerospace, engineering, manufacturing, health professions, business, cybersecurity, data science, education, applied sciences, and other fields. Through its research centers, institutes, and external partnerships, Wichita State works to accelerate discovery and innovation and bring new technologies and products to the marketplace.
The scale of that work is reflected in Wichita State’s research activity. In the National Science Foundation’s latest Higher Education Research and Development Survey, covering 2024 R&D expenditures, Wichita State reported $392 million in total research expenditures. The university ranked No. 1 nationally in aerospace engineering R&D expenditures, No. 9 in total engineering R&D expenditures, and No. 2 in engineering R&D funded by industry and defense.
Research activities are subject to applicable federal and state regulations, sponsor requirements, ethical standards and institutional oversight intended to promote integrity, accountability, and compliance.
Wichita State's contribution to advancing knowledge also extends through scholarly and creative activity. Faculty and students produce original work that enriches both the university and the wider community. The College of Fine Arts alone provides more than 500 performances, presentations and exhibitions annually, bringing that work to audiences on campus and throughout Wichita. Wichita State’s Arts and Culture Impact study demonstrates the broader value of this work and the role of the arts in advancing knowledge and strengthening community life.

How Wichita State University ensures that families can access affordable, high-return, degrees while containing costs, improving pricing transparency, and ensuring that every academic program equips students to repay their loans.
Providing access to an affordable, high-quality education remains a central component of Wichita State’s mission. The university works to keep the cost of attendance manageable while giving students clear information about tuition, financial aid, and the value of their investment.
The university strives to contain costs while maintaining instructional quality, student services, and research excellence. Wichita State provides students and families with information about tuition, fees, financial aid, scholarships, degree requirements, and educational outcomes so they can make informed decisions regarding enrollment and academic planning.
The university emphasizes experiential learning, internships, cooperative education, applied research, and industry engagement to strengthen student career readiness. Through partnerships with employers and organizations across Kansas and beyond, students gain practical experience that supports successful transitions into the workforce.
Wichita State regularly assesses academic programs, student retention, graduation rates, and workforce outcomes to ensure institutional resources are aligned with student success and evolving workforce needs. Nearly half of our undergraduates (48%) are the first in their families to attend college, and we take seriously our responsibility to make their investment worthwhile.
Tuition at Wichita State is set annually through a public process by the Kansas Board of Regents, and full tuition and fee rates are published on the university’s website. For 2026–27, in-state tuition and student fees for 30 credit hours total $10,329 per academic year. Wichita State identifies itself as the most affordable research university in Kansas and compares favorably with public research universities throughout the Midwest. Merit and need-based scholarships, including the Shocker Promise programs described above, further reduce costs for eligible students. Wichita State also provides students access to a range of academic and student-support resources, including tutoring, the Writing Center, and the Kiah Duggins Shocker Support Locker, which provides food, hygiene items, and school supplies to students in need.
A distinctive component of Wichita State's approach to affordability and value is applied learning, with opportunities built into every degree the university offers. In 2025–26, students held more than 12,000 applied learning positions with more than 1,000 employers and earned over $40 million, offsetting educational costs while gaining professional experience. Students are supported from enrollment to graduation. The Shocker Success Center brings together 18 offices focused on student success in a centralized location. In the first year, the Shocker Success Center recorded more than 38,000 visits. Efforts such as the Shocker Comeback Program help returning adult learners finish degrees they started. There was an 8% increase in fall-to-fall persistence (retention) among undergraduate students, a reflection of Wichita State’s student-centered focus.
Wichita State measures value by what a degree makes possible. Through the Shocker Career Accelerator, students receive career coaching and employer connections beginning before they enroll. Of graduates employed after graduation, 75.4% work in Kansas, strengthening the state’s workforce. Programs are developed in partnership with employers to meet workforce needs, including the Teacher Apprentice Program™, which helps address Kansas’ educator shortage.
How Wichita State University incentivizes rigor in the age of AI, combats grade inflation, and prioritizes excellence in teaching and learning.
At Wichita State, rigor is protected through faculty-led assessment of student learning, a clear academic integrity policy, and a deliberate approach to artificial intelligence that strengthens, rather than replaces, the thinking a university education is meant to develop.
Wichita State does not rely on grades alone to measure what students learn. Under the university’s general education assessment, departments responsible for foundation courses in English composition, public speaking, and mathematics evaluate student learning and overall course outcomes. The General Education Committee reviews these outcomes periodically in discussion with the University Assessment Committee. Undergraduate academic programs also undergo program review through the Kansas Board of Regents process. Together, these assessment and review processes provide faculty and the university with evidence for evaluating student learning and academic program quality.
Every Wichita State course uses a required, institution-wide syllabus template. Each syllabus must state measurable student learning outcomes; and course materials, assignments, and assessments are expected to align with them. This applies in every format, from traditional classrooms and labs to independent study and dissertations. The template also includes the university’s credit-hour definition based on Policy 2.17, Student Academic Integrity, and it requires separate learning outcomes and assignments for undergraduate and graduate students in mixed-level courses.
Under Policy 2.17, Student Academic Integrity, all members of the university community share responsibility for ensuring that students have demonstrated mastery of the learning objectives for each academic activity. The required syllabus policies treat unauthorized use of generative AI as a violation of that policy and prohibit AI use except where an instructor specifies it in assignment instructions, which allows faculty to incorporate AI deliberately where it serves learning. When unauthorized AI use is suspected, a student may be asked to demonstrate mastery of the learning outcomes in another format, such as a verbal interview or an additional problem set. Any integrity sanction, regardless of severity, must be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. Students who believe they have been graded unfairly have access to a formal academic appeals process coordinated by the provost.
Artificial intelligence presents significant opportunities for teaching, research, innovation, and workforce development. It also requires universities to maintain clear expectations regarding academic integrity and demonstrated learning. Wichita State supports responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence technologies while recognizing that faculty remain responsible for course design, assessment methods, and evaluation of student performance.
The university encourages instructional practices that ensure students demonstrate authentic learning, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and professional competencies. Faculty are empowered to establish appropriate expectations regarding AI use within their courses and disciplines. As AI technologies continue to evolve, Wichita State will continue evaluating its educational impact and refining guidance, training, and governance practices to maintain academic rigor and integrity.
Wichita State’s AI strategy is coordinated by an AI Strategy Council and is grounded in the principle that AI should be applied thoughtfully, purposefully and ethically. Through the Office of Instructional Resources, faculty have access to guidance and resources for using AI and addressing AI use in the classroom. Responsible AI@ICT provides an interdisciplinary forum for researchers and educators considering both the opportunities and risks associated with AI. The Faculty Senate’s Artificial Intelligence Literacy Taskforce is developing a proposal for a guaranteed AI literacy opportunity for all students, including consideration of technical knowledge, prompt engineering, safety, discipline-specific professional standards, ethics, and societal impacts. The Applied AI in Education Lab, launched in 2025, serves as a regional resource on how AI is actually being used in classrooms. The Center for AI Security, Evaluations, Control and Cooperation supports the safe, effective, and responsible application of advanced AI through applied research, solution development, and guidance aligned with national best practices. The center also represents Wichita State as an official member of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Consortium, which is developing measurement approaches and methodologies to promote innovative and secure AI development and use.
Wichita State believes academic rigor and technological innovation reinforce each other. By pairing high expectations for student learning with careful adoption of new tools, the university prepares graduates who can think critically, communicate effectively, and exercise sound judgment in an AI-enabled world.
How Wichita State University protects academic programs from foreign influence and safeguards the integrity of the research enterprise.
Wichita State supports international collaboration while maintaining strong safeguards to protect research integrity, intellectual property, sensitive information, and national security interests.
The university maintains compliance programs addressing research misconduct, security, conflict-of-interest reporting, export controls, cybersecurity obligations, and sponsor disclosure requirements. Researchers are expected to comply fully with federal regulations, funding requirements, and institutional policies concerning external relationships and research activities.
The university is committed to strengthening research security practices consistent with evolving federal guidance and expectations while preserving legitimate international scholarly engagement.
Wichita State conducts research for federal agencies, defense organizations, and industry partners, and it takes seriously its responsibility to protect that work. The university supports international scholarship and collaboration while maintaining strict standards for transparency, disclosure, and security. Under Policy 13.16, Foreign Gifts and Contracts, any gift of value from a foreign source must be reported to the Office of General Counsel within 20 business days of receipt. Any contract of any value with a foreign source must be submitted to General Counsel at least 30 days before its effective date. These requirements allow the university to review foreign-source agreements and determine whether federal disclosure requirements under the Higher Education Act apply.
Individual researchers are held to the same standard of transparency. Under Policy 3.04, Commitment of Time, Conflict of Interest, Consulting and Other Employment, employees must disclose outside employment, consulting relationships, significant financial interests, and other commitments annually. Those disclosures are reviewed, monitored, and managed to protect the integrity of university research. Researchers on sponsored projects meet additional disclosure and training requirements set by federal sponsors, including the Department of War (Department of Defense), National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and NASA.
The university’s Research Compliance Office oversees export compliance, international shipping, and conflict-of-interest management, and it screens individuals and entities against federal lists of restricted and debarred parties. Export control review is built into hiring and visitor processes. Access to export-controlled information, technology, and research is subject to federal export-control requirements and university review, with additional controls or federal authorization required in some circumstances. Work with the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) and the university’s Industry and Defense Programs, much of which is subject to export controls and research security requirements, requires review before any engagement begins.
Policy 13.20, Out-of-State and International Travel most recently revised in 2026, prohibits employees from performing university work, using university equipment, or accessing university systems during any international travel, personal, or professional, without prior review and approval. Requests are reviewed by Risk and Compliance Services for security and compliance risks. University work, equipment, and system access are prohibited in elevated-risk locations, including those identified by the federal government as posing risks to national security, research integrity, or foreign influence. Any exception requires the approval of a divisional vice president in extraordinary circumstances.
The Institutional Review Board provides oversight for research involving human subjects. The university’s Information Security program and Policy 19.20, Data Sensitivity Classification, establish requirements for classifying and protecting university data based on its sensitivity and applicable legal and external requirements. The National Institute for Aviation Research, one of the nation’s leading aerospace research organizations, operates under rigorous quality management, accreditation, and compliance frameworks that support secure management of sensitive and federally sponsored work.
Wichita State believes that discovery flourishes when research is conducted with integrity, transparency, and accountability. These safeguards protect the university’s research enterprise and the public investment that supports it.

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How Wichita State University advances American security interests, delivers academic programs that meet urgent workforce needs, and contributes materially to the Nation’s prosperity.
Wichita State’s mission is closely aligned with workforce development, economic growth, national competitiveness, and public service. The university contributes to American prosperity and security through workforce-focused education, research that serves national needs, and partnerships with industry, federal agencies, and the military. As Kansas’ only urban public research university, it prepares graduates for high-demand careers and delivers research and talent that address national priorities.
The university works closely with employers, government agencies, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and community partners to identify emerging workforce needs and align educational programs accordingly. Emphasis is placed on disciplines critical to Kansas and national priorities, including aerospace, advanced manufacturing, engineering, healthcare, cybersecurity, business, technology, and teacher preparation.
Wichita State is a national leader in aerospace and defense research. In the most recent National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development Survey, the university reported $392 million in research expenditures, a 7% increase over the prior year. It ranked first in the nation in aerospace engineering research and development, second in engineering R&D funded by industry and defense, and ninth in engineering R&D from all sources. Much of that work is led by NIAR, established in 1985. NIAR provides research, testing, certification, digital engineering, and advanced manufacturing support for federal agencies, the armed forces, and industry, including programs for the Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Air Force. Its newest research facility, the Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Research, is the largest additive manufacturing facility in the United States, helping small businesses adopt advanced and smart manufacturing processes into their business practices.
The university’s defense partnerships extend beyond NIAR. FirePoint brings together expertise, technology, and capabilities from industry, academia, and government to accelerate the development and delivery of new capabilities for military partners. FirePoint also operates a Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub, the only one in the nation located on a university campus, connecting small and medium-sized businesses in Kansas and the Great Plains with defense innovation opportunities. The National Security Agency has redesignated Wichita State as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity through 2029, recognizing that the university meets rigorous cybersecurity education standards.
Wichita State also partners with federal law enforcement to strengthen public safety nationwide. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) operates the Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Excellence, the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network National Correlation and Training Center II, and the ATF Forensic Crime Gun Intelligence Laboratory on the university’s Innovation Campus. The laboratory opened in 2026 in partnership with Wichita State’s Midwest Criminal Justice Institute. With funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, the institute develops crime gun intelligence curriculum and training for students, law enforcement, and public safety workforce. In fall 2026, the university launched Master of Science programs in Forensic Firearms and Forensic Biology to help address a national shortage of crime laboratory professionals. These partnerships give students hands-on experience alongside federal professionals and create direct pathways into public service careers.
Wichita State serves those who serve the nation. Through Wichita State University at McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita State supports military-connected students through degree pathways, flexible course delivery options, and specialized on-base support services designed to meet the unique needs of services members, veterans, and their families. The university’s Army ROTC program prepares future officers, and Wichita State is recognized as a 2026–27 Gold Military Friendly School and Gold Military Spouse Friendly School. Policy 3.46 provides employment preference for qualifying veterans and persons with disabilities, consistent with Kansas law.
These efforts are reinforced by the applied learning model described earlier, which connects thousands of students each year with employers in aerospace, manufacturing, healthcare, education, and other fields essential to Kansas and the nation. Wichita State believes public research universities play a vital role in national strength. Through education, research, and partnership, the university contributes the talent, innovation, and expertise that support American competitiveness and security.