Author: Caelin Bragg

Marie Bukowski, dean of the College of Fine Arts, has been appointed as the interim director of the Ulrich Museum of Art to facilitate a smooth transition as the university moves forward in the search process for a new permanent director.

The decision to appoint Bukowski was made in part based on precedent and grounded in Bukowski’s more than a decade of leadership experience in the arts within higher education, as well as her direct museum and gallery experience in both university and public settings. Additionally, Bukowski is integrally involved in the community, the university and with many key stakeholders both on and off campus, and she will continue to maintain and grow these relationships as interim director.

Wichita State thanks Bukowski for her leadership in stepping into this role on an interim basis.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded the boil water advisory for Wichita, and Wichita State University has returned to normal operations.

Most dining options on campus have resumed normal hours and are serving their standard menus. Starbucks will have a temporarily limited menu but will still serve beverages.

Wichita State thanks the campus community for its cooperation and service to students during this time.

Visit wichita.edu/wateradvisory for more information.

Update:

Out of an abundance of caution, Facilities Management is flushing as many water lines on campus as possible but recommends faculty, staff and students flush water lines in their building. To flush lines, the City of Wichita recommends running faucets and other water lines until they feel the water noticeably change temperature.

Once flushed, faculty and staff may remove any signs on drinking fountains and bottle-filling stations.

The majority of university life takes place outside of the classroom. Use your time in school as an opportunity to find lifelong friends and make connections by getting involved with the many student organization on campus.

See what events are coming up this weekend by exploring ShockerSync, your portal for student organizations at WSU, by visiting wichita.edu/shockersync.

The citywide boil water advisory issued by the City of Wichita is still in effect, and Wichita State University continues advising students, faculty and staff not to use campus drinking fountains or bottle-filling stations until further notice. The city expects to have an update later this afternoon.

As a reminder, this advisory applies throughout the Wichita area and does not only affect campus.

Due to food service interruptions caused by the ongoing boil water advisory, Wichita State Dining Services is providing the following food and beverage options:

Free bottles of water will be available in the Rhatigan Student Center, Kiah Duggins Shocker Support Locker and Shocker Hall. Please take what you need while being mindful that supplies are intended to serve the entire campus community.

The following options in the RSC will be open with limited menus during normal business hours: Panda Express, Chick-fil-A, Freddy’s and Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes.

Additionally:

• Food and beverages will be offered for purchase at a pop-up convenience store in the RSC food court. Offerings include soda, sandwiches, nachos, candy and chips.
• Shocker Hall will be open with an altered menu and limited beverage options.
• The Market at GroundHouse is open and selling pre-packaged food items. No coffee is available.

For the latest updates and information, please visit wichita.edu/wateradvisory.

The Heskett Center pool remains closed as a comprehensive assessment of the facility continues.

While the original plan was to close the pool for approximately four weeks beginning Aug. 17, mechanical issues delayed the start of the draining process by more than a week. As a result, the evaluation timeline has been extended.

As the assessment progresses, we hope to have a clearer understanding of the pool’s condition and potential next steps in the near future.

Additional updates will be shared as more information becomes available. For the latest information, visit wichita.edu/heskett.

Leo Wetta, investment adviser representative with Voya Financial, will be available for in-person meetings at Wichita State Monday, Sept. 21 and Tuesday, Sept. 22. Faculty and staff can get one-on-one advising and review their Voya Financial accounts as part of their KBOR retirement plan, or new employees can receive assistance in enrolling in their KBOR plan.

If you are interested in meeting with Leo, you can schedule a time to meet and select the “Wichita State University – Rhatigan Student Center Room” location. Time slots are limited, so reserve a time soon. For questions, you can call Voya Financial Advisors at 316-686-2428.

Note: If your Voya servicing agent is Jonathan Cross or Stephen Cross Jr., you can reach them at 316-788-0788 or visit crossadvisorygroup.timetap.com to schedule an appointment.

The Kansas Board of Regents voted to name three faculty and one staff member from Wichita State as some of the Faculty and Staff of the Year for 2026. The program recognizes the outstanding contributions of faculty and staff at state universities to teaching, student success, research, institutional excellence and Kansas communities.

Faculty of the Year:

• Dr. Amy Drassen Ham, clinical professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences in the College of Health Professions
• Dr. Suresh Keshavanarayana, professor and chair of the Department of Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering (not pictured)
• Dr. Imran Musaji, assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Health Professions

Staff of the Year:

• Debbie Franklin, associate vice president of Strategic Initiatives and Industry Engagement

As Wichita State University continues its advance toward becoming an R1 research institution, WSU is expanding the infrastructure and support systems that enable faculty, staff and students to pursue high‑impact research and innovation. To support those efforts, two new leaders have joined WSU: Shannon Lunt, director of research security and compliance, and Mark Bookout, the inaugural director of research technology.

Lunt will lead the Office of Research Integrity, Security and Compliance (RISC) and work closely with the research community to strengthen research practices and safeguard growing research enterprise. She can be reached at shannon.lunt@idp.wichita.edu or at 316-978‑6436.

Bookout will lead efforts to expand and enhance research technology infrastructure, services and support for students, faculty, staff and research partners across the university, including the Beoshock High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster. Academic research faculty and staff with technology needs tied to their proposals are encouraged to contact Bookout early in the proposal development stage for guidance and assistance. He can be reached at mark.bookout@wichita.edu or 573‑647‑1935.

These new roles reflect WSU’s commitment to scaling research capabilities and supporting the faculty, staff and partners who drive innovation across campus.

The City of Wichita has issued a boil-water advisory for Wichita water customers following a disruption at the city’s water treatment system. Out of an abundance of caution, Wichita State University is advising students, faculty and staff not to use campus drinking fountains or bottle-filling stations until further notice.

Wichita State is actively monitoring the situation and will provide updates as additional information becomes available.

Faculty and staff are asked to place signs on drinking fountains and bottle-filling stations in their areas indicating that they should not be used until the advisory is lifted

Expect interruptions in food and beverage services on campus. There will be free bottled water available at the Rhatigan Student Center.

For the latest updates and information, please visit wichita.edu/wateradvisory.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience as we work to help keep our campus community informed and safe.

Voting the 2026 midterm elections for the Student Government Association Student Senate is now open. From Monday, Sept. 14 through Wednesday, Sept. 16 you can vote for your representation in the Student Senate. Your voice matters and so does your vote, so keep an eye out on your WSU email for a link to vote or vote here.

Voting can also take place in-person 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 on the RSC east atrium and enjoy free dirty soda from Just-a-Sip

Check out @wichitastatesga on Instagram to learn more about the candidates on your ballot and voting incentives.

Don’t delay. Vote today.