Author: Caelin Bragg

Registration for spring 2025 classes is now open. Go to the myClasses tab in your myWSU portal and find “Student Registration (Banner 9)” to begin registration.

If you would like additional help or have questions regarding spring registration, please make an appointment with your advisor.

If you have any holds that prevent your registration, you may not be able to register until those holds are lifted. Find out if you have holds on your account by checking the Student Holds channel on the myClasses tab in myWSU.

People with disabilities are frequently the subjects of research, with much of that focus on their health challenges and the obstacles they face in navigating society.

PhotoVoice changes those dynamics by offering adults with disabilities a chance to show what makes their life enjoyable.

Wichita State University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is partnering on the PhotoVoice research project with AbilityPoint, an organization focused on the needs of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Participants are given a digital camera and memory card to take 50 (or more) pictures of the people, places, things and activities that bring them joy.

Heading to Charles Koch Arena for a Shocker men’s basketball game? Fuzzy’s Taco Shop has you covered with new free shuttle services to and from all men’s home basketball games. Park conveniently and for free at Braeburn Square and let Fuzzy’s do the driving.

The next game is at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 against Montana State, so come early, grab a dinner and enjoy a round of drinks with friends before hopping on the shuttle to kick off game day.

Stop by from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Nov. 6 in the Rhatigan Student Center atrium to visit with your fellow Shockers and grab free donuts and coffee with the Shockers Vote Coalition. The Prevention Ambassadors will also be available to provide information about counseling and mental health services provided on campus. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Faculty and staff can request a presentation from the University Police Department for their department, organization or classroom.

Police Chief Guy Schroeder, officers and other staff in UPD can sit down and discuss their duties on campus, the resources available to the campus community and answer questions from faculty, staff and students. UPD officials and staff are also open to hearing feedback or other concerns from campus.

Want to request a presentation? Email police@wichita.edu with the subject “Presentation request,” and staff with UPD will work with you on topics to cover and schedule a time and date.

UPD wants to remind the campus community that it is available 24/7, 365 days of the year. And remember: See Something? Say Something; call UPD at 316-978-3450 for emergencies while on campus.

The Rie Bloomfield Organ Series is presenting its second Distinguished Guest Organist, James O’Donnell, in its 2024-25 season at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12 in Wiedemann Hall. WSU students can get a ticket at no additional charge with their Shocker IDs, thanks to the Student Government Association.

O’Donnell will be performing a recital of English, French and German organ music, particularly Franz Liszt’s epic on “Ad nos ad salutarem nostram.” Don’t miss the Conversation with the Artist following the intermission in which Professor Lynne Davis interviews Dr. O’Donnell about his many experiences.

O’Donnell, currently professor of organ at Yale University, is the former organist and music director of Westminster Abbey in London. His last duty there was to organize the music for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.

Review the policies for Veterans Day compensation hours below or consult the Veterans Day FAQ.

Non-exempt employees:

• The “Holiday Pay Non-Exempt” earn code is defaulted on your timesheet. Do not remove or adjust this.
• If you work on Veterans Day:
  • Select “Holiday Worked Comp Earned 1.50” for comp time earned and enter the number of hours worked. There will be two entries for Nov. 11.
  • Or select “Holiday Worked Paid 1.50” for overtime paid and enter the number of hours worked. There will be two entries for Nov. 11.
• If you did not work on Veterans Day, no further action is needed.

Exempt employees:

• If you worked on Veterans Day, no action is required on your leave report. You will have eight hours of Veterans Day to use until the end of the fiscal year, June 7, 2025.
• If you did not work or worked a half day on Veterans Day, select “Veterans Day Exempt Holiday” on Nov. 11 and enter hours in half-day or full-day increments.

For additional questions regarding Veterans Day, email timekeeping@wichita.edu.

Shocker Blast has a new look in your email. Make sure to check your student email every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to learn about the latest events and news at Wichita State.

Dr. James Rhatigan’s, who passed away earlier this week on Oct. 27, memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 at the University Congregational Church with a reception later that day from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Rhatigan Student Center.

Memorials may be made to University Congregational Church — where Rhatigan and his wife, Beverly, were charter members — and the Rhatigan Emergency Fund at WSU. The Rhatigans established the fund in the 1960s to help students in crisis.

Find the livestream of the memorial services.

The Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College has been named a Partners in Peace institution, a new distinction awarded in partnership with the Nobel Peace Center in Norway and the National Collegiate Honors Council. This recognition highlights the college’s commitment to fostering global citizenship, peaceful dialogue and leadership among its students, and it places Wichita State among a select group of institutions that champion peace-focused education.

The Partners in Peace initiative celebrates honors programs and colleges that illuminate the work of Nobel Peace Prize laureates through dedicated curricula and hands-on learning experiences. By examining the lives and accomplishments of individuals and organizations that have promoted peace since the Nobel Peace Prize was first awarded in 1901, students are encouraged to engage with both historical and contemporary issues impacting peace.