To my fellow Shockers,
The past couple of months have been very difficult to navigate for everyone. I may not know each of your situations, but know that I am listening and advocating for you. Since April, I have been serving on the Health and Safety Taskforce as well as the Reintegration meetings to discuss what fall 2020 will look like for all of us. I would like first to reassure you that Administration, Faculty, Staff and SGA have been working diligently on your behalf to provide as much guidance as possible in these times of uncertainty. In order to be as effective with communication as possible, Strategic Communication has created a FAQ page specifically for students: www.wichita.edu/studentfaqs This page is being updated continuously as we get closer to classes beginning. Suggestions for additional FAQs are always welcome.
This webpage was created in an effort to answer some of the important questions you may have, however I know that it does not touch on all of them. Below I have provided further information and clarification on what some of the guidelines for what classroom and campus safety will look like.
Safety guidelines across campus will include required face coverings, social distancing in all campus spaces, frequent disinfecting of classroom and public spaces, and continued education and communication campaigns about the importance of public health safety. Each classroom, meeting room, and gathering space has a capacity that will be a guideline in order for everyone across campus to maintain proper social distancing.
If at any point you feel uncomfortable in your classes please discuss your concerns with your instructor first, to see if there are ways to increase your comfort. Students are also encouraged to reach out to the department Chair of your college or any staff, faculty, or administrator you are close with. Additionally, the Student Government Association is a resource for students’ comfort and safety. If you have a condition or disability that may need an accommodation, please contact the Office of Disability Services: disability.services@wichita.edu.
Classroom setup and academic curriculum will be determined by individual faculty. Many courses have been added to the Fall 2020 webpage for you to get an idea of what your class may look like. More communication on instruction will be pushed out in the upcoming weeks. Until then, here are some key things to consider.
Hybrid classes may utilize both in-person meeting times and online course instruction. Synchronous instruction requires the class to meet at the same time. Asynchronous instruction allows students to engage the course materials independently, ‘on-demand’. IIE is the code for classes that are completely online.
Student fees have been locked in place as of June 26th and will not change if courses are moved to an online format for safety purposes.
If you are concerned about your academic success in the upcoming semester, I urge you to reach out to our tutoring services by going onto your myWSU and requesting a tutor. Additional resources are available to you to ensure academic success as well. Please see www.wichita.edu/studentsuccess
These are uncertain times and many students are struggling with their mental health right now. Please, if you are finding yourself anxious or in need of support, reach out to Counseling and Prevention Services at 316-978-4792.
The Student Government Association is and will continue to be a resource for all students. We are working on behalf of the students to ensure that student voices continue to be heard. Thank you for bearing with us while decisions are being made. Please continue to check your student email for more information in the coming weeks. Also, feel free to email me at sga.vice.president@wichita.edu with any questions you may have or ask for any resources you may need.
Empowering Shockers, Together.
Mackenzie Haas, Student Body Vice President