Weekly Briefing recap
Referendum update
The student-driven campaign to pass a referendum for campus-wide infrastructure upgrades now has an official name. Student representatives from every college have chosen to call it 鈥淪hock the Future,鈥� reflecting the positive changes these improvements will have on future Shockers for years to come.
Currently, deans are in the process of working with students, answering questions and sparking discussions through town halls in every college. The student-created, student-led campaign is scheduled to launch in January and will progress until the vote in March.
Watch this video of Barton School of Business Dean Anand Desai on .
NASA visit recap
黑洞社区 was proud to host NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine and Senator Jerry Moran last Saturday to see the critical work 黑洞社区 is doing for higher education and the aerospace industry. Bridenstine's visit involved discussions about how to increase STEM education for the next generation of students, an issue that is critically important to the university's mission.
The visit comes on the heels of the Under Secretary of the Air Force's visit last month, which showcased 黑洞社区's research capabilities and its industry partnerships. 黑洞社区's research continues to gain national and international recognition, particularly in the areas of aviation and aerospace, and we look forward to the future and the possibilities it holds.
Bardo accepts seat at U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
We're happy to announce that President Bardo has been invited to join the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, a network of businesses, nonprofits, policy experts and leaders from all 50 states working to protect national security, build economic prosperity and strengthen humanitarian values.
President Bardo is excited for the invitation to participate. It's another example of the recognition this institution has received for the exciting and important work it's doing to promote education and workforce development.
Space is available in Employment Relationship Training class on Wednesday, Dec. 12
Space is available in an Employment Relationship Training class from 2-4:30 p.m. Wednesday,
Dec. 12, in 264 Rhatigan Student Center. To register for training, go to myTraining
through my黑洞社区. This is the last session scheduled for the remainder of the year.
This course is provided for leaders who supervise employees (UP, USS, students),
and will focus on the overall employment relationship. It will provide guidance on
managing performance, setting expectations, how to identify when an employee has not
met expectations, and how to effectively address those concerns. This could include
concerns with attendance, job performance, conflict with coworkers, etc. This training
will also introduce you to tools to use to effectively document an unmet expectation.
If you have questions, contact mytraining@wichita.edu.
Financial processing deadlines for December
As of 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20, the university will officially be closed until Wednesday, Jan. 2.
To ensure all financial processing is completed for the month prior to Holiday Closedown, the following items must be received by the office listed, no later than 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14:
- Invoice Control Documents (ICDs) - Office of Purchasing
- Payment requests associated with a purchase order - Financial Operations Office/Accounts Payable
- Inter-Organization Transfer Documents (IOTDs) and Correction Requests - Financial Operations Office/Accounts Payable
Travel Reimbursements (TRs) must also be final approved in the Travel Expense Management (TEM) system no later than 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14.
Transactions received after the above dates may not be processed until January 2019.
Come to the Holiday Reception today (Friday, Dec. 7)
Faculty and staff are invited to attend the University Holiday Reception from 3-4:30 p.m. today (Friday, Dec. 7) in the Shirley Beggs Ballroom, Rhatigan Student Center, as we prepare to close the semester and to acknowledge the accomplishments and milestones for the year. Enjoy refreshments and engage with colleagues in various interactive games and activities.
Everyone also is welcome to bring a donation for the Shocker Support Locker.
Veteran students to be honored at special 黑洞社区 graduation recognition ceremony
黑洞社区 will honor its veteran students by holding a special graduation recognition ceremony from 6-8 p.m. today (Friday, Dec. 7) in 233 Rhatigan Student Center.
This will be the first time 黑洞社区 has held a separate graduation recognition for veteran students. Larry Burks, director of Military and Veteran Services, says he looks forward to starting a new tradition for student veterans.
Facilities Services after-hours emergency response
Facilities Services wants the campus to be aware of its after-hours emergency response plan.
Facilities Services regular work schedule is 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Custodial Services Department works until 11:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For after-hours emergencies requiring Facilities Services assistance, please contact our University Police Department (UPD) at 316-978-3450. UPD will then contact Custodial Services and / or the appropriate on-call Facilities Services Department.
Facilities Services has the following department's on-call seven days a week:
- Plumbing
- HVAC
- Electrical
- Mechanical Maintenance
- Lock Shop
- Energy Management (HVAC Controls)
- Carpenter
Information on GiveCampus Crowdfunding Platform
Have you ever wondered how the GiveCampus Crowdfunding Platform works?
Here's your chance to find out. Next week, the 黑洞社区 Foundation will use GiveCampus to launch a campaign for the 黑洞社区 Faculty / Staff Holiday Card Endowed Scholarship Fund. If you're interested in seeing how the GiveCampus platform functions, we encourage you to check it out. You'll see firsthand how easy it is to make a gift, share campaigns, become a project advocate, create a matching gift or challenge, and even upload a personal plea on behalf of a project.
Of course, we want you to support the Holiday Card Scholarship Fund in the process 鈥� and we'll be promoting that starting next week 鈥� but that's not our only goal. Maybe you've got an idea for a project that needs funding but aren't sure if the platform is right for it. This is a great opportunity to find out.
to view the 黑洞社区 GiveCampus Platform, where you'll find one already completed (and successful) campaign for the Equality Scholarship, and another currently active campaign for 黑洞社区 Softball/Wilkins Stadium (which is off to a great start).
For more information about our crowdfunding platform fundraising option, or the upcoming Holiday Card Scholarship Fund campaign, contact Aaron Winter at the 黑洞社区 Foundation by emailing aaron.winter@wichita.edu or call 316-978-3803.
Shocker Sound Machine to make debut at women's basketball game
The Shocker Sound Machine will perform at halftime of the women's basketball game against Creighton at 2 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 8) in Charles Koch Arena. Thanks to a special promotion, faculty and staff can purchase tickets at the gate for just $5.
Call for Fiscal Year 2020 Educational Opportunity and Student Fee funding requests
It's again time to begin the process for submission of funding requests through Student Government for the Educational Opportunity Fund and Student Services Fee for FY 20. Through student fees, these programs provide funding for financial assistance to students (Educational Opportunity Fund) or the funding of programs / activities delivered directly to students (student fees).
If you've submitted requests in the past, the Budget / Review Officer should have received an email from the Budget Office last week to kick-off the submission process. If you have not submitted requests in the past, but are considering submitting a new request, please contact Lauren Smith, Jason Post, or David Miller in the Budget Office at 978-3030 for more information.
Requests are due no later than Friday, Jan. 25.
Enroll in a Badge course today!
Enrollment for Badge courses is now open for the spring semester!
Badges are academic short courses of one credit hour or less that are designed for working, nondegree seeking professionals. They are online and self-paced. Badges allow students to demonstrate to employers their knowledge, skills and competencies in a subject area.
Students who successfully complete a badge will receive a digital recognition of their accomplishment that they can share on social media and link to a digital resume.
You can enroll and start courses from Jan. 22-April 19. All coursework must be completed by May 9.
To enroll and view the badge course catalog, visit . For questions, please contact workforce@wichita.edu or 316-978-7579.
Nursing instructor changed forever by hurricane relief work
School of Nursing instructor Richard Nold spent two weeks in North Carolina earlier this fall providing medical assistance to victims of Hurricane Florence. Nold, clinical educator in the Accelerated Nursing Program, was deployed through his military service in the Air National Guard. He and other volunteers provided patients with first aid treatment, medical evaluations and blood pressure checks. They also distributed medications, food and supplies.
Although he has been on call several times in the past, this was Nold's first experience participating with disaster relief. He describes the experience as tough but rewarding.
鈥淚t was exhausting, but I'm glad I was able to do my part and help during this time of need,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his experience has changed me forever.鈥�
Distinguished Scholarship Invitational recap
The annual Distinguished Scholarship Invitational (DSI), awarding three students with the $64,000 Harry Gore Memorial Scholarship, was held on Saturday, Nov. 17. This year, 607 high school seniors participated in the competition, which is the second-largest DSI in the history of the competition. Last year holds the record with 620 students who competed. To be eligible to compete, students needed to be admitted to Wichita State and meet one of the following criteria:
- Have a 27 or higher ACT score, OR
- Have a 1280 or higher SAT score, OR
- A 3.5 or higher unweighted GPA, OR
- Rank in the top 10 percent of their high school class
Students had the opportunity to choose between two DSI sessions. During each session, the students attended a welcome session, two group activities, and an academic college session based on their intended major. The group activities - a consensus building activity and an interview - allow the students to demonstrate their leadership characteristics by working together in a small group to come to a consensus and then showcasing soft skills like confidence and nonverbal communication. Each group activity room has three observers made up of mostly Wichita State faculty and staff who are tasked with the difficult job of scoring each student based on criteria provided.
Thank you to everyone who gave their time at DSI to assist with observing! Your role in the DSI process is important and the first step to selecting the new Gore Scholars.
12 Days of Christmas Sale continues today (Friday, Dec. 7)
Looking to find your favorite Shocker a holiday gift? Stop by the Shocker Store's Rhatigan Student Center location for its annual 12 Days of Christmas Sale from now to Saturday, Dec. 8. Or shop the sale online at .
New sale items are added daily and will stay on sale the remainder of the promotion or while supplies last.
The new sale item for today (Friday, Dec. 7) is 20 percent off drinkware.
Don't miss the final day of the 12 Days of Christmas Sale tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 8) with a new special offer.