Year: 2024

Join President Rick Muma and other university representatives for the 2024 Fall Address at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14 in Miller Concert Hall at Duerksen Fine Arts Center. Doors open at 2 p.m. After the Fall Address, light refreshments will be available at the Shocker Success Center in the former Clinton Hall.

All new Wichita State courses are now in the Blackboard Ultra Course Format. All instructors need this vital information:

• Your old courses will still be in their original course format. Please do not convert Classic Blackboard courses directly to Ultra. Remember: copy, don’t convert.
• Your existing course material can be copied directly into an Ultra Course Format class. Please follow these directions to copy your existing course materials to your new Ultra course area.
• If you use Panopto, your videos will have to be relinked in your Ultra Course Format class.
• If you need help, instructors can email the Office of Instructional Resources at OIR@wichita.edu for help. OIR staff runs that email during the week and checks it on the weekends for emergency needs.
• All instructors of any rank and all WSU staff are invited to attend the free Academic Resources Conference (ARC) being held online Aug. 5-9. The ARC will provide technical training in Blackboard, and that’s not all. ARC will also have sessions on pedagogy, mindfulness and generative AI. It’s also a great time to meet your accessibility training requirement for AY 24-25. Most sessions are also recorded, so if you miss one, you can grab the link directly from the schedule page and watch later.

The College of Health Professions (CHP) recently held its third annual Kansas High School Health Science Teacher’s Workshop, aimed at enhancing high school educators’ knowledge and teaching strategies related to the healthcare industry. The workshop featured speakers Dr. Sam Smith, Brittni Mayagoitia and Dr. Rhonda Williams, who provided insights into mastering the nervous system through active learning, transitioning from healthcare practice to classroom teaching and utilizing a hands-on approach for teaching clinical skills.

Participants engaged in interactive skill-building exercises and toured the college’s cutting-edge laboratories, including the Gross Anatomy, Human Simulation, and School of Nursing Simulation labs. These experiences were designed to equip teachers with innovative methods and resources to inspire their students to pursue healthcare careers.

In addition, travel scholarships were offered to support teachers from outside the Wichita area in attending the workshop. The college extends its gratitude to Ascension Via Christi for co-sponsoring the event and contributing to its success.

Did you know that WSU provides funding for faculty research and creative activity projects? The Faculty Support Committee encourages you to explore this year’s URCA, MURPA and ARCS opportunities.

Funding ranges from $4,000 up to $7,500 for multi-disciplinary projects. These opportunities are perfect for faculty looking to retool or reestablish productive research/creative projects or as seed money to develop pilot data where external funding is available.

The first opportunity deadline for the 2024-25 academic year is in October, so check out the Internal Grants Opportunity webpage for more information today.

The National Orientation Directors Association (NODA), the leading association for orientation, transition and retention in higher education, has appointed Kaelyn Hannah as co-chair for the Communication and Technology Committee for the 2024 NODAC conference. Kaelyn will manage conference communications, serve as the onsite AV company liaison for large events, handle presentations and media, support accessibility efforts and develop the conference mobile app.

At Wichita State, Kaelyn is pursuing a masters degree in communication and is also the student program coordinator for the Office of First-Year Programs. She plans the annual Clash of the Colleges, develops new student transition programs such as Syllabus Party and Winter Welcome, oversees transition mentors and manages marketing initiatives.

Join Harvester Arts + Gallery Place Project for a Tie Dye Party from 9:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, July 31 at the Ulrich Museum.

This event is for all ages and all art supplies and admission are free. After tie-dying, stick around and draw on the mobile mural wall and enjoy other free creative family fun, including guided art tours at the Ulrich Museum when you sign in using the Sunflower Summer App.

The 2024 Academic Resources Conference (ARC), Aug. 5-9 and 12, is filled with all sorts of sessions covering topics ranging from Blackboard Ultra to mindfulness. With the transition to Ultra complete, there are quite a few sessions focusing on Blackboard Ultra and how you can use it in your classes. In addition, ARC has much more information including AI, Microsoft tools, OER options and more.

Most sessions are held online which means you can pick and choose which sessions you want to attend. Whether you are looking for something focused on Blackboard Ultra, mindfulness or the classroom, there’s a little bit for everyone.

Visit the August 2024 ARC webpage to find a downloadable PDF schedule, see session descriptions, add sessions to your calendar and find meeting links.

Get ready for the ultimate showdown. Clash of the Colleges is back, and this year its celebrating the 10th anniversary with a competition like never before.

Join Clash for a field day Aug. 23 in Cessna Stadium filled with exciting team events, thrilling relay races, virtual challenges and more to see which college will reign supreme. Organizers are pulling out all the stops to make this milestone event unforgettable. Whether you come solo or with a group of friends, you’re in for an evening packed full with fun and unforgettable moments. Secure your spot now by placing your reservation here.

Contact Kaelyn Hannah at kaelyn.hannah@wichita.edu for any questions.

The Office of First-Year Programs is thrilled to announce the 10th anniversary of Clash of the Colleges, and this year’s event promises to be bigger than ever. It is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to help make this milestone celebration a success.

As a volunteer, you’ll not only play a key role in one of WSU’s biggest campus traditions, but you’ll also receive a special Clash of the Colleges T-shirt and bandanna. Plus, you’ll be entered into a raffle with exciting prizes up for grabs.

This is an opportunity to connect with colleagues, engage with the campus community and be a part of a memorable event. If you’re interested in volunteering, complete the sign-up sheet by 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2.

Contact Kaelyn Hannah at kaelyn.hannah@wichita.edu for any questions.

Road striping on campus will continue July 29-Aug. 2, weather permitting. Expect delays and one lane traffic.

Fairmount Street, North Yale Avenue and Mike Oatman Drive will be restriped at a later date. Stay tuned in the newsletter for more information.