Author: Caelin Bragg

Keeping our community safe during severe weather

At Wichita State University, the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff is our top priority. During periods of inclement weather or extreme cold, we closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions about campus operations.

Each weather event is different, and decisions require input from many parts of the university. The university is not a single-function organization – it is a residential community, a center for research, a workplace and an academic institution all at once. Facilities staff assess whether sidewalks, parking lots and campus roadways can be cleared and maintained. Dining and housing staff evaluate whether they can continue supporting thousands of students who live on campus and rely on university services regardless of closures. Academic leaders consider the implications for classes, labs and clinical rotations, while Human Resources evaluates employee obligations and safety.

The university’s inclement weather policy may be accessed here: WSU Policy 5.17 / Inclement Weather And Emergency Event. In an effort to address frequently asked questions, here’s what you need to know:

How do we decide when adjustments to university operations are necessary?

University leadership reviews local weather, evaluates transportation conditions, and assesses campus facilities and operations in relation to:

• Weather forecasts and environmental conditions
• Road and campus safety
• Availability of essential services on campus
• Impact on campus education and research activity, residential students, clinical and field education experience, and paid applied learning

When do we adjust university operations (including moving to remote operations)?

In the event of severe weather, the university may determine that it is necessary to adjust the university’s normal operations. We consider such adjustments when:

• Projected excessive wind chills, especially when combined with snow, ice or hazardous travel conditions.
• Road conditions are deemed unsafe for commuting.
• Campus infrastructure is significantly compromised by the weather (e.g., heating systems, pathways, parking lots).
• High risk of property damaging storms

What happens if we go remote?

• Most classes will be held online. Your instructor will notify you as to how or whether your class will be held. At certain times, staff may be called to campus in support of operations.
• Faculty and staff will work remotely unless they hold a position that supports critical campus operations, as defined in WSU Policy 5.17 / Inclement Weather And Emergency Event.
• Campus services such as dining, housing and childcare will remain operational. Student health will be delivered using telehealth. Hours for campus services may be adjusted. For any questions, contact information for campus services is provided below.
• University notifications will be sent via email, text alerts and posted on the university website and social media. Individual class information will be sent out through Blackboard and/or may be included in course syllabus.

Contact information for campus services:

• Dining/Food Services – 316-978-3477
• Rhatigan Student Center (RSC) – 316-978-4636
• Housing and Residence Life – 316-978-3693
• Student Health Services – 316-978-4792
• Child Development Center (CDC) – 316-978-3109
• University Libraries – 316-978-3584

Shared and personal responsibility

No decision can perfectly fit the circumstances of every member of our community. That is why we emphasize shared and personal responsibility. Weather conditions can vary widely depending on where you live or the time of day you travel. Each individual must evaluate their own situation, prioritize personal safety and make responsible choices about whether it is safe to come to campus.

Freezing temperatures, in the absence of precipitation, will not likely result in the closure of campus or remote operations. Therefore, it is important to be, and stay prepared for, inclement weather. Examples of things that you should be doing:

• Dress in layers and limit time outdoors during extreme cold.
• Keep your devices charged and check your email regularly for updates.
• Review and bookmark the university’s Weather Emergencies page for the latest information.
• Review WSU Policy 5.17 / Inclement Weather And Emergency Event

In Kansas, thunderstorms are common in the spring and fall months, while at the same time the actual severity of storm events, and their location, are difficult to predict by even the best meteorologist. Storms can occur within very short notice and often last for a short duration of time. During these events it is important to stay up-to-date with weather notifications, and if outside you may need to seek shelter quickly.

Thank you for trusting our process

We understand that weather-related decisions can impact individuals in different ways. Please know that our closure and delay decisions are made with the best intentions by university leaders who are working diligently to balance the safety of our community with the need to maintain operations. These decisions are based on the best information available to us at the time, including weather forecasts, road conditions and guidance from local authorities. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility.

The Open Enrollment window to submit 2026 benefits elections is now more than halfway over. Supervisors will begin receiving email updates this week if members of their team have not submitted 2026 elections. The HR Total Rewards team is asking all supervisors to help spread the word to all staff and faculty that Open Enrollment is mandatory.

Reminder: All benefits-eligible state employees must make their 2026 elections by the deadline on Oct. 31. Employees currently enrolled in medical coverage who do not complete an open enrollment election will be defaulted into medical Plan N with a use-it-or-lose-it HRA effective Jan. 1. Employees should log in to the Member Administration Portal at sehp.member.hrissuite.com to make their elections, even if they don’t plan to make any changes from their current 2025 coverage.

There are many resources available to employees at wichita.edu/openenrollment, including open enrollment presentation as well as an on-demand webinar.

Watch SEHP’s on-demand webinar.

This past spring, the UPS-USS Council of the Kansas Board of Regents worked together to conduct a survey on its campuses with support from the universities’ administrative leaders. This council represents both Unclassified Professional (UPS) and University Support Staff (USS) at the six Regents universities, and the survey focused on topics related to employee satisfaction.

The survey was conducted in April by the Docking Institute and was emailed to 1,951 UPS and USS employees at WSU. The Docking Institute received 517 completed surveys, resulting in a response rate at WSU of 26.5%. The response rate decreased considerably from the 2022 survey, when 37.5% of staff members responded. It should be noted that only 31 USS employees responded to the survey. Across all six participating universities, the Docking Institute received a response rate of 36.6%.

Key findings:

• More than 70% of WSU UPS employees and 60% of WSU USS employees said their work is greatly appreciated by their immediate supervisors. Over half of both groups also feel appreciated by their coworkers. In fact, WSU USS employees reported higher appreciation from department heads (58%) compared to the statewide average (41%).
• About 45% of USS employees and 40% of UPS employees said morale had worsened in the past two years. Salary stagnation and added duties without additional pay were the main reasons cited. Concerns about leadership, workplace culture and workload were also noted.
• Pay and compensation ranked as the most important issue for both USS and UPS. Nearly 90% of WSU USS employees and more than 80% of WSU UPS employees placed it at the top of their priorities.
• Employees placed high importance on flexible scheduling, hybrid work options, improved health care benefits, tuition assistance and professional development. Parking, workload balance and leadership transparency were also frequent concerns.
• Nearly 30% of USS employees and more than a third of UPS employees said they are looking for another job. Most of those reported interest in leaving for off-campus employment. This is consistent with the statewide average.
• Roughly 80% of WSU UPS employees and 87% of WSU USS employees said they enjoy the things they do at work and feel sufficiently trained to complete their duties. This is higher than the statewide average.

As the Staff Senate moves forward, along with WSU administration, it will look closely at the results of the survey to determine what initiatives can be developed on campus to act on the issues and topics brought forth in the responses. If you have any comments, suggestions or questions as Staff Senate proceeds, reach out to Staff Senate President Jacob Mendez or to your representative.

The Staff Senate thanks President Rick Muma for agreeing to fund the survey for Wichita State employees.

Interested in studying abroad? The first step, would be to attend one of the Study Abroad information sessions. The last study abroad information session of the fall semester will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 in 203 Rhatigan Student Center, Lancelot Room. See the Study Abroad website for the complete list of information sessions or for the video option and to register if you plan to attend.

Student Health Services has flu vaccines available for WSU students, faculty and staff. Cost is $25 plus administration fee but may be free with your health insurance benefits (all plans are different). Financial assistance for self-pay students may be available for the administration fee. Walk-in to the Student Wellness Center 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday for your flu vaccine before cold and flu season.

Student Health Services is also hosting two upcoming pop-up flu shot clinics:

• 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21 in the Shocker Hall lobby
• 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23 in 142 Rhatigan Student Center, Harvest Room

While squirrels and other wildlife are a familiar sight on campus, leaving food out for them can attract pests and other unwelcome visitors. The university encourages the community to help maintain a safe and sustainable campus environment.

What you can do to help:

• Avoid feeding the animals on campus: Let wildlife take advantage of the natural nutrients across campus, as additional feeding can attract unwelcome pests or large animals. These animals can disrupt campus activity, especially after hours, or the natural ecosystem.
• Support wildlife by letting nature take the lead: Campus wildlife like squirrels have natural instincts and seasonal behaviors that help them thrive. Interfering can disrupt these patterns and may lead to dependency on humans or poor health. Observe and appreciate wildlife from a distance to help them remain safe and self-sufficient.
• Keep our campus spaces and artwork clean: Help preserve the beauty and integrity of campus by keeping shared spaces clean and free of food waste. Food left out can lead to damage of benches, gardens, landscaping and outdoor sculptures from the Ulrich Museum of Art as pests and other animals are attracted to campus.

Thank you for your help keeping our campus safe, not just for us, but also for the local wildlife, where they can thrive in their natural habitats.

Join the first meeting of the WSU Faculty/Staff Club from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6 at Club 95 in Partnership Building 11. The event will feature the College of Health Professions, the College of Fine Arts and University Libraries with a rotating slide presentation. There will also be three live TEDx Talk starting at 4:30 p.m.:

• Dr. M’Lisa Sheldon will present on the state of access to care and rehabilitation for children in our local school districts.
• Ed Baker will present his TEDx Talk titled “Replace Fear of the Unknown With Curiosity,” centered on the power of curiosity to overcome fear and unlock human creativity and growth.
• Brent Mai will present  “The Volga Germans of Kansas”, a niche group of ethnic Germans who spent 110 years living on the Russian steppe before migrating to the plains of Kansas in 1876 and who have had a significant impact on all things Kansan.

Come have fun and enjoy the company of your colleagues as well as some good music, food and drink.

Wichita State has a number of programs that help students travel the country or the world while simultaneously working toward their degree. Students should explore academic travel opportunities such as Study Abroad early so they can prepare financially and academically.

Another Broken Egg Cafe is a partner of Wichita State, and that means students like yourself can get a 10% discount while using your Shocker ID. Conveniently located just two miles north of campus, its hours are 7 a.m.-2 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m.-3 p.m. on weekends. You can check out the menu ahead of time at anotherbrokenegg.com and then stop by at 4862 E. 35th St.

Another Broken Egg Cafe is owned and operated by Wichita State graduates Jacob O’Conner and Jon Peterson.

Shockers, you can now view the schedule of courses available during the spring 2026 semester. Plan ahead and schedule an appointment with your academic advisor now so you’re ready to enroll in your classes starting Nov. 10.