黑洞社区

黑洞社区 enrollment exceeds 16,000; highest student credit hours in university history

For the first time in nearly 30 years, more than 16,000 students have enrolled for fall classes at 黑洞社区. The total headcount at 黑洞社区 for fall 2019 is 16,058 students, an increase of 274 students, or 1.7%, over fall 2018.

Total student course credit hours are 165,903 for fall 2019, an increase of 1% compared to fall 2018 and the highest in 黑洞社区 history.

As reported today by the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR), KBOR's defined full time equivalent (FTE) students for 黑洞社区 is 11,397, an increase of 1% over last fall's 11,285. For KBOR reporting purposes, full time is considered to be 15 hours for undergraduates and 12 hours for graduate students per semester.

Join 黑洞社区鈥檚 largest volunteer opportunity!

Are you looking for a way to make a big impact in your community and have fun? Sign up for 黑洞社区鈥檚 largest volunteer event, Wu鈥檚 Big Event from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5.

Join the Community Service Board and 250 of your fellow classmates and community members for a morning of volunteering with local nonprofits. T-shirt, lunch and transportation to volunteer sites provided.

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For questions, email CSB@wichita.edu.

Spring tuition assistance now open

Tuition Assistance applications for spring 2020 are now being accepted.

The spring course catalog is not yet available, so employees will be able to submit their application for employee tuition assistance once the required course CRNs are available. Spouse and dependent applications do not require CRNs, and can be submitted right away.

A fillable PDF application can be found online here. For additional program information, visit .

Applications for the spring 2020 semester are due no later than Dec. 2.

Applications with incorrect or incomplete information, including missing signatures, will be returned to the applicant for completion, and will be considered submitted as of the date of submission of the fully completed form. Applications returned for completion will be denied if they are not submitted with all complete and accurate information prior to the deadline. Due to the volume of applications received each semester, late applications will be automatically denied. There will be no exceptions.

Questions may be directed to TuitionAssistance@wichita.edu.

Strategic Planning Initiative assessment tool training sessions

黑洞社区's assessment and tracking system lets you report and track the progress of strategies that are aligned with the university's goals. Classes and open labs to help you learn to use this important new tool are scheduled throughout October. To sign up, log into my黑洞社区 and select myTraining. Find classes by searching for "Strategic Planning."

Learn more about Strategic Planning at 黑洞社区.

Faculty Town Hall meetings conclude today (Thursday, Oct. 3)

All faculty are encouraged to attend the town hall meeting from 2-3:15 p.m. today (Thursday, Oct. 3) in 262 RSC. The meetings are designed to solicit faculty feedback on revisions to general education and faculty workload. Both issues come to the faculty based on the work of two ad hoc committees that met last year. Faculty are encouraged to attend, learn about the issues, and share their opinions on the issues. The Senate will continue to debate both issues at their October meetings.

Documents for both issues are available on the senate website.

Parking lot closure for tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 4)

Half of parking lot 35s, next to the Experiential Engineering Building, will be blocked for multiple events tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 4).

2020 employment forecasts released for Kansas, Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City

黑洞社区鈥檚 Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR) has released its 2020 industry-level employment forecast for Kansas, Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City.

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Kansas NASA EPSCoR Program accepting Rapid Response Research (R3) proposals

The Kansas NASA EPSCoR Program (KNEP) is seeking proposals for a unique NASA opportunity titled the Rapid Response Research (R3) Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN). This CAN opportunity is a collaborative effort between EPSCoR and the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Planetary Science Division, Earth Science Division; HEOMD Space Biology Division, and the Commercial Space Capabilities Office (CSCO). The R3鈥檚 purpose is to provide a streamlined method to address research issues important to NASA.

NASA plans to make up to five $100,000 awards, with no cost-share requirement. Proposals must address topics identified by the involved NASA divisions (see Appendices A-F of the NASA Announcement - NNH20ZHA001C).

Kansas can only submit one NASA proposal per technical area. Therefore, KNEP will carefully review and select proposals for final NASA submission based on criteria clearly identified in the CAN announcement. The Kansas deadline for proposal submissions is Dec. 6, 2019.

New Shock the World campaign videos highlight priorities

The 黑洞社区 Foundation is focusing on two priorities in the final year of the Shock the World Campaign: provide additional need-based scholarships for students and increase support funds for faculty. Visit us online at .

Click the links below to view the two videos.

Political Science is hosting a speaker on Ranked Choice Voting and the 2020 Elections

Come learn about Ranked Choice Voting, which will be used in the 2020 Kansas Democratic Presidential Primary. The Department of Political Science and the Wichita Metro Chapter of the League of Women Voters are hosting a talk by Erica Frazier, Research Analyst with Fairvote.org. The event is free and open to the public, 7-8:30 p.m. today (Thursday, Oct. 3) at Hughes Metropolitan Complex, Room MX 132.

Direct any questions to Neal Allen, Chair of Political Science, at 978-7133 or neal.allen@wichita.edu.

Writing Now / Reading Now series features 黑洞社区's newest creative writing faculty member Ben Nickol

Ben Nickol

黑洞社区's newest creative writing faculty member, Ben Nickol, will read from his recently released collection of stories, "Sun River," at the Ulrich Museum of Art this week as part of the Writing Now / Reading Now series. The event starts with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by the reading at 6 p.m. today (Thursday, Oct. 3). The event is free and open to the public.

Nickol has been described as a writer who "reveals how we love and how we lose what we love" (E.J. Levy) and whose voice greets the reader "like dark thunder" (Alyson Hagy).

His collection of stories, "Sun River," explores the unraveling of families, and the mysterious life that grows out of that unraveling. Nickol's stories and essays have appeared widely in such magazines as Alaska Quarterly Review, Boulevard, Fourth Genre, and Crab Orchard Review.

Register to attend the Business Continuity table top exercise

A Business Continuity table top exercise is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 11, at the Marcus Welcome Center, Armstrong Room. The trainer will lead us in a simulated 鈥渆vent鈥� to test the business continuity plan for each area. If your department is involved in continuity planning, someone from your department is required to participate in the simulation. You will not need to bring a printed copy of your plan as was previously announced.

Check in starts at 1 p.m., and the exercise will start promptly at 1:30 p.m. We will serve refreshments and hope to conclude the exercise by 5 p.m. Do not bring your laptops to this exercise, but you may want to bring paper and a pencil to take notes.

The Fourth Annual Ad Astra Conference for first-generation students is scheduled for Oct. 25-26

This conference is a two-day event where first-generation college students across the state meet each other, share common challenges and opportunities and get information about how to better understand the college experience and society.

This year's conference will focus on topics such as imposter syndrome, using your strengths for success, developing soft skills, and the importance of the advising relationship, among others. It will include a game night, fashion show and other interactive networking sessions.

Ad Astra Conference

Basketball scrimmage, garage sale set for Oct. 5

It's out with the old and in with the new on Saturday, Oct. 5 when Wichita State hosts its annual athletic department garage sale followed by the 2019 Black & Yellow Scrimmage.
 
From 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Shocker fans will get their first look at the 2019-20 men's and women's basketball teams during an intrasquad doubleheader. The women take the court first, followed by the men.
 
Fans are also invited to stop by the garage sale that morning from 7-9:45 a.m. inside the Aetna Multi-Purpose Gym (enter through the exterior doors on the east side of Charles Koch Arena). Items are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and include jerseys and uniforms, assorted apparel, bags, and equipment. Prices listed are non-negotiable. Customers are encouraged to pay with cash, however, credit cards will also be accepted.

Join the Graduate School for writing a literature review in the sciences and engineering

Drowning in sources? Unsure where to begin? The Graduate School is partnering with University Libraries to help you learn all the steps to create an effective literature review, from conducting comprehensive searches to synthesizing perspectives and presenting your findings.

While this workshop will emphasize resources and strategies appropriate to the sciences, students of all majors are welcome to attend. So, join us from 5-6:30 p.m. today (Thursday, Oct. 3) in 266 RSC, to conquer your next literature review.

Professional Development Series

Shock Doc: Healing Kansas, a special initiative by 黑洞社区 students

Wichita State psychology major Ngoc Vuong started Healing Kansas as an effort to heighten mental health discussions in the Wichita community. Described as a grassroots initiative, Healing Kansas seeks to bring creatives together and raise awareness on local mental health problems by telling stories about addiction and substance abuse.
 
With the help of media arts major Masara Al-Sharieh, the two students have been working to produce a short film focusing on how children are affected by the substance abuse of a family member, and hope to submit it to film festivals after its completion.
 
Ultimately, Ngoc's goal for Healing Kansas is to branch out into more short films and documentary pieces, as well as eventually establish a scholarship to promote the next generation of filmmakers, graphics designers, and artists who have a passion for mental health advocacy. .

Sickle Cell Knowledge and Perceptions Study

 

Participants are needed to help with the study 鈥淎ssessing the Knowledge, Perceptions, and Attitudes of Sickle Cell Disease in Healthcare, Black and Latinx American, and General Populations within the Midwest.鈥�

In this study, we hope to learn about your understanding of sickle cell disease and trait, the complications, stigma, and perceptions related to the disease. The survey will ask questions to gauge your knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes about sickle cell disease. For example, you will be asked questions about knowledge, such as 鈥淭rue or False. Sickle cell disease can be inherited if one parent has the trait and the other parent does not.鈥�

Questions about perceptions may include, for example, 鈥淲ho gets sickle cell disease?鈥�

 Lastly, questions about attitudes, for example will ask how strongly do you agree or disagree that 鈥淗aving a child with sickle cell disease would be very scary?鈥�

Volunteers needed for a research study

Study name: Effects of Lower Extremity Blood Flow Restriction Exercise on Strength Generation and Interleukin 6 Levels in the Elderly

Research Topic/Purpose of the study: To determine whether Blood Flow Restriction therapy during moderate exercise by people 55 years of age or older results in improved functional activity and health outcomes. Such findings may provide a new approach to promoting health through moderate exercise.

Procedures: Participants will pedal an exercise bike with or without Blood Flow Restriction therapy for approximately 30-minutes, three times per week over a 12-week period. At the beginning of the study and every three weeks, blood samples will be collected and tested for proteins related to exercise and a 30 second sit-to-stand activity will be performed to assess exercise functional outcomes.

Send first-gen students to TRIO Student Support Services

Student Support Services (SSS) is funded by the U.S. Department of Education to provide free academic services to students from First Generation (FG) and Limited Income (LI) backgrounds, as well as students with disabilities.

The free services include individualized tutoring, academic advising; textbook loans; assistance completing financial aid application; and scholarships exclusively for student participants.

Please refer prospective students to our program in Suite 309, third floor of Grace Wilkie Hall. For more information, go to  or call 978-3715.

Career Development is reorganizing

In an effort to bring our services to students into sharper focus, the Career Development Center is reorganizing.

Student internships, co-ops, apprenticeships, and other experiential learning opportunities will be combined with the growing number of applied learning experiences such as those with NIAR, Ennovar, Textron, and other partners in the community.

Women of Wichita Brown Bag Lunch on Oct. 9

Join us for a casual lunch at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, in 261 RSC. Attendees are invited to bring their own lunch, whether homemade or purchased.

Kim Kufahl, assistant director for Student Engagement and Branding, is the guest speaker. She will share information about the 黑洞社区 Career Closet, which provides 黑洞社区 students with free professional clothing for interviews, networking, and employment.

Donations would be awesome! They accept all professional career apparel -- suits, dress pants, shirts / blouses, skirts, belts, neckties, briefcases, shoes, cuff links, and tie clips.

There is no charge for this event, but please RSVP to the website by Friday, Oct. 4 to ensure an accurate headcount for seating.

Ulrich Museum of Art seeks presenters for PechaKucha style presentations highlighting campuswide research

FUN / Future Now at the Ulrich is a series of PeckaKucha-style presentations featuring campuswide research - three Fridays, four presentations, seven minutes each.

There are spots available for the following dates:

4-5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, with reception. Deadline for submission Friday, Oct. 11

4-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, with reception. Deadline for submission Friday, Nov. 1

We are simply asking that an email proposal be sent to jana.erwin@wichita.edu with the following info:

Name / Title / Department / Research Topic / Preferred Date

This program is an extension Solving for X 鈥� a series of exhibitions organized by the Ulrich Museum of Art in collaboration with university scholars across campus. The objective is to explore the potential for the museum, as a 黑洞社区 public access point, to make accessible the fascinating and essential research taking place on campus.

Special scholarships available for study abroad summer 2020

Faculty-led programs for summer 2020 for students with financial need. All other summer programs will have a March 1 deadline for the study abroad scholarship application. Questions: Email ann.burger@wichita.edu

Links to each program:

Italy Travel Seminar

Costa Rica Travel Seminar

International Leadership Program in Peru

Sport Management Study Abroad

Study Abroad special scholarships

黑洞社区 School of Performing Arts Theatre presents 鈥楾he Moors鈥� by Jen Silverman

黑洞社区 School of Performing Arts Theatre presents 鈥淭he Moors鈥� at 7:30 p.m. today (Thursday, Oct. 3) to Saturday, Oct. 5, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, in Wilner Auditorium. The show is rated PG-13 for mild adult themes.

黑洞社区 students receive one free ticket with their 黑洞社区 student ID.

Tickets are $15 for the general public; $12 for military / sr. citizens / faculty / staff); $10 for students.

For tickets, go online to  or call 978-3233.

Volunteers needed for fall commencement ceremony

The 2019 Fall Commencement ceremony will be held Sunday, Dec. 15. The Commencement Office is looking for individuals who are available to work from approximately noon to 5:30 p.m. that day. If you are interested in assisting, please visit the commencement website and sign up to assist at fall commencement volunteers. If you have questions about assisting with commencement, contact the commencement office at commencement@wichita.edu.

Transition Mentor application is open!

First-Year Programs in Student Success is seeking nominations for next year鈥檚 transition mentor staff! We are looking for exceptional students who are passionate about 黑洞社区 and want to help welcome new students to our campus.

Transition Mentors are responsible for transitioning students to 黑洞社区 beginning in the summer with orientation, and mentoring new freshmen throughout the fall semester.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to make nominations now through Wednesday, Oct. 30, at or email Shareika Fisher at shareika.fisher@wichita.edu.

Host a trunk at Trunk or Treat!

Trunk or Treat is a family-orientated event welcoming Shockers of all ages to campus for a safe alternative to traditional trick-or-treating. Student Activities Council wants your department or student organization to host a trunk!

Register your department to host a festively decorated trunk at the event and provide candy and/or interactive activities for the families of 黑洞社区 students, faculty, and staff, as well as kids from the local USD 259 school system. Register your trunk here! Registration closes Friday, Oct. 18.

Contact Randi Beggs at randi.beggs@wichita.edu with any questions about the event.

Shocker Ticket Office introduces Pick-3 package

A flexible, new ticket package offers Shocker fans first-choice on the best seats to some of the best games on Wichita State's 2019-20 men's basketball schedule before they go on sale to the general public.

Pick-3 Dynamic Ticket Packages 鈥� available now through the Shocker Ticket Office 鈥� include one premium home game (VCU, Ole Miss, Houston or Cincinnati) and any two standard games (see list below) for just $120.

Mentalist Eric Dittelman to present show on Oct. 4

Have you ever wanted to know what someone is thinking or what their next move is going to be? If that鈥檚 you, then come join SAC and the mentalist Eric Dittelman at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, in the CAC Theater.

Dittelman has been reading minds at theatres, colleges, and comedy clubs across the country, combining his amazing mind reading ability with stand-up and improv comedy.

He has been featured on Ellen, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and was a semi-finalist and judge favorite on America鈥檚 Got Talent,

Come get your mind blown, but be careful ... he鈥檒l know what you鈥檙e thinking!

Admission is free to 黑洞社区 students with Shocker ID, $3 faculty/staff; $5 families and general admission and $1 for kids 12 and under.

Doors open at 7:30 p.m. No advance ticket sales. Cash or check only accepted at the door. For more information about SAC-sponsored events, go to wichita.edu/sac or contact us at sac@wichita.edu.