A letter from WSU President Dr. Jay Golden
Dear Students, Families, Faculty and Staff,
I want to start this message with two important reminders.
First, as I often tell people around the country, Shocker Nation and 成人头条ns are an incredible group of individuals, unsurpassed in America. I have not been part of a campus or community where the people are so caring and supportive of one another. Leading 成人头条 is truly an honor.
Second, it is because of the strength of our community that I have no doubt that we are all going to get through these difficult times just fine.
As a nation, events are rapidly evolving. It was my hope that I would be able to provide you better news but 鈥 given newly issued federal guidelines 鈥 I am letting you know today that 成人头条 has made the difficult decision to continue online and/or remote instruction through the end of the semester. We will not be resuming in-person classes.
Given the very recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for limited gatherings for at least 8 weeks, this decision was made not only to protect our campus community but also to provide some sense of certainty during these unprecedented times.
In an effort to support public health efforts by Sedgwick County and the State of Kansas, 成人头条 will begin limiting on-campus housing operations at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 22. Students who have already left campus will not be allowed to return without explicit authorization from Housing & Residence Life staff. However, students who have traveled to the following areas over the break will not be allowed to pick up items until they have completed 14 days of self-quarantine as detailed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment:
- California
- New York state
- Washington state
- Eagle, Summit, Pitkin and Gunnison counties in Colorado
成人头条 Housing & Residence Life recognizes that leaving the residence halls is not an option for all of our students, so we will allow students meeting the criteria outlined below to register to remain on campus:
- International students and students with a permanent address in an area heavily affected by COVID-19.
- Students with health conditions or disabilities that prevent travel home.
- Students who reside with a family member/guardian with health issues that put them at increased risk of COVID-19.
- Students without the ability to return to their permanent residence due to other documented circumstances.
The university is in the process of determining how to address housing and dining refund requests. Once a decision is made, we will update the university鈥檚 website /covid19news
To our students, faculty, and staff: Our Provost, Rick Muma, is working with our faculty to plan for online and/or remote format for the remainder of the academic year. He and his colleagues in Academic Affairs will also be keeping students and faculty and staff apprised of any needed changes involving academic programs.
Dr. Teri Hall, Vice President of Student Affairs, and her colleagues will be providing updates to students, including continuing services for mental and physical well-being and housing.
Vice President for Finance and Administration Werner Golling and our Human Resources office will continue to keep you informed of our policies on pay and benefits, sick leave, telecommuting and more. Some of these communications may be sent through your divisional vice president.
To the parents of our students: I understand and appreciate what you are having to deal with right now to support your child and their needs while also trying to balance home and work. My younger daughter just returned from her college semester abroad, which was cut short. Not only did we have to scramble to get her back to the United States, she is now in a 14-day voluntary self-quarantine in North Carolina. My wife is providing the necessary parental support, such as groceries etc. All of this can be disruptive to family lives. Every decision we make will impact you and your family; we know this. I want to make sure we are doing all we can to minimize these disruptions as best as possible.
To our seniors and those graduate students completing studies this semester: I am saddened that your final semester has been disrupted in this way. Because we can鈥檛 predict the near-term future of COVID-19 spread, we are going to have to indefinitely postpone in-person spring commencement. I do want to promise to you and your families that I will make sure your incredible accomplishments will be recognized and that your university and your president will honor all that you have done.
Please know that these difficult decisions are not being made in isolation. I have been meeting with our university leadership team every morning and they are meeting with their divisions throughout each day as well. We have and continue to be in constant discussions with county and state health professionals and are following their guidance.
I and my team members have been consulting and coordinating with our counterparts at the University of Kansas and Kansas State University and, especially, with our Kansas Board of Regents who are working very hard to support all of our university students and institutions. We all want to do what is best for our students, faculty, staff and university community.
Remember, we will get through this together. Take a moment and check on each other and remind each other that you care. Follow CDC and local health guidelines-as we are doing at 成人头条 State. Please make sure to continue to check our 成人头条 State University COVID-19 website and FAQ pages at /covid19news
I will keep you informed. Until my next note, stay safe, stay strong and as always 鈥 Go Shocks!
Dr. Jay Golden
President, 成人头条
State Employee Health Plan updates in response to COVID-19
Governor Laura Kelly announced four provisions on March 13, that are effective immediately and for the next 60 days for employees and dependents enrolled in medical insurance through the State Employee Health Plan.
- SEHP will cover medically necessary diagnostic tests that are consistent with CDC guidance related to the COVID-19 at no cost share to member where it is not covered as part of the Public Health Service response.
- SEHP will allow early refills on 30 or 90-day prescription medications and/or allow members to use their mail-order benefit.
- Given the nature of the COVID-19 outbreak, seeking in-person medical care has the potential to further spread the virus. SEHP partners with Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas to provide Telehealth services with a virtual doctor鈥檚 office. There is 24/7/365 access to this service. The member cost-share will be waived for any Telehealth service.
For all up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 and the WSU campus, go to .
For plan participants who reside in the Topeka area, the HealthQuest Health Center available to members enrolled in the health plan, is located at 901 S. Kansas Ave., Topeka
- Phone screening is recommended before going to the center: 785-783-4080
- If a patient walks into the clinic, they will have them put on a mask and clean their hands with hand sanitizer. The health center staff will evaluate the patient鈥檚 symptoms and recommend they isolate if the initial findings and/or symptoms present are a positive indicator for the virus.
- Testing is not available at the health center for COVID-19 and the clinic will refer all patients that meet the risk criteria to the local health department for testing and further evaluation.
Continuity of Instruction Task 2: How to use Zoom in a class
To support instructors during this time of transition from in-person classes to online / remote delivery, Instructional Design and Access has created 10 set of tasks to help those who are new to online learning to be successful. Each day we will post one "Task Set" for instructors to work through.
Task Set #2: Using Zoom
Task 2 walks instructors through how to get Zoom on their computers and how to run a class session using Zoom, including how to record sessions for later use. Please send any questions to IDA@wichita.edu.
Search for new Chief Information Officer has been moved to a Zoom meeting
The in-person meeting scheduled for noon Thursday, March 19, to discuss the search for a new Chief Information Officer has been moved to a Zoom meeting. If you are interested, please join the meeting as follows:
. The password is 823784
Or iPhone one-tap:
US: +13462487799,,887545956# or +16699006833,,887545956#
Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923
Meeting ID: 887 545 956
University Libraries offers spaces for easy recording / editing
If any 成人头条 State faculty are looking for places to easily record / edit for online teaching, University Libraries offers both its One Button Studio (Ablah second level) and Sound Booth (Ablah C-Space). Reserve online at .
University Libraries provides plentiful online resources
Find all of your academic needs in one place! 成人头条 Libraries will continue to provide plentiful resources online. See for more details.
Applications Training seeks your input about online training options
ITS Applications Training is exploring options for online and remote training sessions. Your input would be greatly appreciated! to share your thoughts.
SEM Update: Goal 8
By Carolyn Shaw, Associate Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management
Goal 8: Increase enrollment of new fall transfer students
- WSU remains the top transfer destination in Kansas for the 8th year in a row, with more students transferring to WSU than to KSU and KU combined. Despite WSU鈥檚 appeal to the transfer population, we were not able to grow this group of students this year. In the past four years, our top three community college feeder schools have gone from a combined 11,600 students to fewer than 9,900. These declining enrollments, combined with a strong employment rate has made recruitment of transfer students very challenging.
- We continue to work on articulation agreements with other institutions to create clear paths to transfer credits. Potential transfer students can see how the credits they have already taken can apply to different degrees by using our
- Over 8,000 users have accessed our Transfer Gateway this academic year. 3,290 new courses have been evaluated by our faculty to determine their equivalencies to our courses, adding to an already sizable database of courses.
Recruitment and Retention Tips:
- Invest the time to design and maintain an attractive and informative webpage. This is the primary way that all prospective students, high school, transfer and international, learn about our programs.
- Host or support a career exploration event that will help current and prospective majors understand the opportunities available to them.
SEM Shout Outs:
- To Neal Hoelting, Community College Coordinator in the Office of Admissions, who travels extensively to all the community colleges in the state. He regularly goes above and beyond his normal job duties to accommodate students.
- To all of our advisors who carry out dual advising: Caroline Fulbright, Patricia Phillips, Sheri Barnes, Ricki Ellison, Tierney Mount, Sherena Langley, Ana Lazarin, Yadid Perez, Mandy Konecny, Benjamin Donals, Alicia Fullilove, Janet Ives, Sanya Wiles, Noelle Wilson, John Sandlin, and Jessica Raburn.
Facilities Services position open to WSU employees only
Facilities Services is looking for a Journeyman (Licensed) Plumber. Applications will be accepted until 4 p.m. Friday, March 20, 2020. To apply, go to Internal Postings and follow the directions there. For questions or assistance, contact the Talent Acquisition Team.
Study Abroad updates: COVID-19
All university-sponsored international travel is discontinued at this time for all students, staff and faculty, which includes Study Abroad programs per the university announcement last week. The university has decided to make these changes in an abundance of caution. Although university offices will be open during this time, we are making some changes that will impact the services we normally provide in the Garvey International Center for the area of Study Abroad.
Postponed - 成人头条 Analytics Showcase
The 成人头条 Analytics Showcase has been postponed until further notice following the COVID-19 response by the university. The organizing committee is working to bring this event to the community at a future date. For updates, continue to check . Thank you for your understanding.
成人头条 Libraries events suspended
All 成人头条 Libraries events are suspended until further notice. 成人头条 Libraries will continue to provide plentiful academic online resources. See for more details.
4th Annual DiverseCity has been postponed!
After much thought and consideration, we have made a difficult decision to postpone the 4th annual DiverseCity Showcase, originally scheduled from April 13-18.
We are taking the advice of the CDC to practice social distancing due to COVID-19. 成人头条 and WSU Student Health Services are closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak. The health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and community members is our highest priority.
Student Success: First-Year Programs is seeking Orientation Faculty Fellows for 2020-21
Student Success: First-Year Programs invites faculty to apply to become an Orientation Faculty Fellow. If you are interested in officially welcoming the newest members to Shocker Nation, we are interested in considering you for a Faculty Fellow position. Faculty should have a student-centered educational philosophy, demonstrated success in teaching new students and support out-of-class educational experiences. Letters of interest are due to kim.sandlin@wichita.edu by Friday, April 3.
Orientation Faculty Fellows will work closely with the undergraduate Transition Mentors (TMs) and the Orientation staff to provide a welcoming atmosphere while communicating expectations within the college classroom.
The time commitment for Faculty Fellows includes one 45-minute session during each Freshman Orientation program for students and their guests (Faculty Fellows and TMs with Success Coaches if desired), and one 40-minute session during each Transfer Orientation and Transfer/Returning Adult Orientation program for students and their guests (with the advising center from your college). We will schedule a meeting in advance of the programs to go over content and address questions. Orientation dates are listed on the Orientation website here.
You are also encouraged to attend lunch during freshman programs and asked to attend the college receptions during the transfer/returning adult programs.
Please note, we will have two Orientation programs scheduled in January 2021 for new students starting at WSU in the spring semester. We do expect participation from the Faculty Fellows during those programs as well. January dates will be shared when available.
Faculty Fellows may also be asked by International Education to assist with the International Orientation program annually scheduled the week prior to the fall and spring semesters. Look for communication from International Education when it becomes available.
Those interested in being considered for an Orientation Faculty Fellow position should possess the following characteristics:
- Student-centered educational philosophy
- Experience and demonstrated excellence in teaching first-year students
- Genuine interest in mentoring new students
- Support of the out-of-class educational experience
We will select two Faculty Fellows from each academic college. Each Fellow will receive a $1750 stipend for serving in this role, as well as lunches at programs throughout the summer. If interested, please submit a letter of interest indicating why you would like to serve as an Orientation Faculty Fellow and how you meet the characteristics above to Kim Sandlin at kim.sandlin@wichita.edu, by 11:59 p.m. Friday, April 3.
Share your sustainability news
As WSU prepares to celebrate Earth Day in April, we are creating a list of sustainability initiatives on campus. Submit upcoming sustainability events, current sustainable practices, or accomplishments by faculty, staff or students related to sustainability. Use our brief submission form to share these with the Sustainability Steering Committee. Consider joining one of the Working Groups, too!
Call for Service-Learning Faculty Scholars for 2020-21
The Service-Learning Faculty Scholars program has been designed to empower committed service-learning faculty to cultivate and support interest in service-learning in their fellow faculty members and through their classes and college. Our goal is to infuse the campus and community with a spirit of service-based academic engagement that ties the classroom experience to applied learning and experiential knowledge. The goal of the Faculty Scholars program is to involve faculty in the advancement of the service-learning pedagogy among fellow faculty. For a full list of program responsibilities, faculty support, and application information, go to Service-Learning Scholars. wichita.edu/servicelearningscholars
Questions can be directed to the Service-Learning Faculty Fellows team: Dr. Rhonda K. Lewis at rhonda.lewis@wichita.edu, or Dr. Chelsea Redger-Marquardt at chelsea.redger@wichita.edu. All application materials are due on Friday, April 17, by midnight to Dr. Lewis.
Service-Learning Faculty Resources
Help WSU by taking the National Collegiate Health Assessment
Win a red parking spot for an entire semester or other prizes such as free massages and gift cards to the Shocker Store by entering a drawing through the National College Health Assessment and the Prevention Services Advisory Board. Simply fill out the survey sent to your 成人头条 email address and be automatically entered. For information, go to .
National Collegiate Health Assessment
Volunteers needed for a research study
Purpose of the study: We are studying active listening and are interested to see if relative age has an effect on how a person feels they are communicating with another.
If interested, follow the link below to take an anonymous online survey that should take no more than 10 minutes. This survey is to be completed only by those 18 years of age or older.
If you have any questions or comments, contact Ardalia Criner at ardalia.criner@wichita.edu, Jill Fisher at jill.fisher@wichita.edu, or Robert Zimmerman at rdzimmerman@shockers.wichita.edu.