Author: Caelin Bragg

Even while the main campus was closed for the winter closedown, construction continued on Phase 1 of the upcoming Wichita Biomedical Campus, a $300 million, 471,000-square-foot joint health sciences center between Wichita State, WSU Tech and the University of Kansas.

Over the break, workers completed the central elevator pit walls, and work began on the clinic elevator pits. Work halted during the severe winter weather, but the site has been cleared and work continues.

And starting in mid-January, the City of Wichita will make changes to traffic patterns as construction continues on the Wichita Biomedical Campus. The City of Wichita expects these changes to be in place through 2026:

• William Street will be one-way westbound.
• Broadway remains two-way, but narrowed to one lane in each direction.
• English Street will be one-way eastbound. 
• Topeka Street will be one-way southbound. When it is converted to a two-way street, it will be northbound.

In a few weeks, the tower crane will be installed and the Wichita Biomedical Campus will begin taking shape as steel is placed on the site.

If you would like to watch the progress live, you can watch a live broadcast of the construction site online at: bigview.ai/wichitabiomedicalcampusliveview.

Join Zach Gearhart, chief of staff and executive director of government relations, for updates on the Kansas legislature relevant to Wichita State. The first meeting of 2025 is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17 in 101 Morrison Hall.

The meeting is open to all faculty, staff and students and will focus on the governor’s State of the State and recommended budget as the legislative session concludes its first week.

Legislative updates are held every other Friday in Morrison Hall following each legislative session.

Join the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing for the ninth annual Strategic Communications marketing and communications seminar for faculty and staff from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Jan. 30. And if your team is looking to order promo items for your office, visit the Vendor Fair from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The opening session, breakout sessions and Vendor Fair will all be held on the third floor of the Rhatigan Student Center. Gain additional insights, tools and tips to help you improve your marketing and communication efforts. Attendees may choose to attend two of five sessions.

At WSU, we believe in the importance of creating a safe and healthy environment for all of our community members. To that end, we have partnered with Catharsis to provide Title IX & Civil Rights Training. This training is highly interactive and engaging, and is based on research around best practices for healthy communities. As you complete your training, we invite you to reach out to the many referenced resources in order to join the larger discussion of these topics on our campus.

What is the duration of the training?
The duration of the training is approximately 40 minutes.

When is the training deadline?
Feb. 7, 2025

How do I access the training?
Log into myWSU and click on the “Home” tab at the top. You should see the training link on the bottom left side of the screen. If you have trouble accessing the training, contact the Office of Civil Rights, Title IX & ADA Compliance (CTAC) at ctac@wichita.edu or call 316-978-3186.

How do I know if I’ve completed the training?
In myWSU, got to the “Home” tab and look under “Title IX Training.” If you have completed the training already, it should tell you your completion time and date.

Thank you for your participation and for helping us to build the best campus possible. The CTAC office is now located in Shocker Success Center, room number 017.

At WSU, we believe in the importance of creating a safe and healthy environment for all of our community members. To that end, we have partnered with Catharsis to provide Title IX & Civil Rights Training. This training is highly interactive and engaging, and is based on research around best practices for healthy communities. As you complete your training, we invite you to reach out to the many referenced resources in order to join the larger discussion of these topics on our campus.

What is the duration of the training?
The duration of the training is approximately 40 minutes for employees, 40 minutes for graduate students and athletes and approximately 45 minutes for undergraduate students.

When is the training deadline?
Feb. 7, 2025

How do I access the training?
If you do not see the notification in your myWSU profile under the Faculty/Staff or Home tabs, you can access the training through the Office of Civil Rights, Title IX & ADA Compliance (CTAC) website (wichita.edu/ctac). Scroll down to 2024-2025 Title IX & Civil Rights Compliance Training and select your training. Only select the training that applies to you.

How do I know if I’ve completed the training?
In myWSU, got to the “Home” tab and look under “Title IX Training.” If you have completed the training already, it should tell you your completion time and date.

Thank you for your participation and for helping us to build the best campus possible. The CTAC office is now located in 017 Shocker Success Center.

For more information or if you have any questions or issues accessing the training, contact CTAC at 316-978-3186 or ctac@wichita.edu.

Wichita State will remain open Friday, Jan. 10. If you have concerns or questions about working on campus, please reach out to your supervisor.

Students should reach out to their instructors regarding the status of pre-session classes for the day.

Student Engagement & Belonging (SEB) is excited to announce the selection of Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc. for expansion at Wichita State, which will take place starting spring 2025.

Over the past year and a half, the Fraternity and Sorority Life Expansion Selection Committee and members of the Greek community have reviewed and evaluated several national organizations to decide the best chapter to bring to campus.

Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc., a Latino-oriented, all-inclusive fraternity, will charter a colony with the focus of empowering their members to learn about how to provide a dedicated service to the needs of the community, by promoting and maintaining the traditional values of unity, honesty, integrity and leadership.

The organization will join WSU’s growing Greek community of 25 organizations and 550+ students. The community currently averages a 3.2 GPA and raised over $100,000 for various philanthropic causes in 2024. Members have also completed over 30,000 hours of community service in the past year and continue to take great pride in being agents in campus traditions. Omega Delta Phi will join the Cultural Greek Council and will participate in annual CGC events, such as Yard Show, CGC Sweetheart and many more. For more information, contact SEB at seb@wichita.edu or call 316-978-3022.

Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc., was founded Nov. 25, 1987 at Texas Tech University. Its brotherhood was founded to provide to any man a diverse fraternal experience that coincides with a higher education.

Fast facts:

• Philanthropy: Wounded Warrior Project
• Colors: Scarlet, silver and black
• Motto: “One Culture, Any Race”
• Mascot: Knights
• Flower: Silver rose

Students interested in learning about Fraternity and Sorority Life can fill out an interest form.

Are you still looking for a first-year seminar, one that’s anything but ordinary? FYPH 102G Connecting Generations offers a unique, intergenerational experience where you’ll build meaningful connections with older adults at Larksfield Senior Living.

You’ll be able to dive into their life stories, learn from their wisdom and create unforgettable memories. More than just a class, it’s a chance to make a difference, grow personally and have fun along the way.

Interested in attending? You can register for Connecting Generations with the CRN: 23951. The class is from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in-person in Ahlberg Hall.

Wichita State University will continue with the plan to return to normal operations Tuesday, Jan. 7.

We understand that there are extenuating circumstances for some individuals, so employees with questions or concerns are encouraged to reach out to their supervisors. In addition, students taking pre-session classes can reach out to their instructors.

Facilities Services personnel are working hard to clear roadways and sidewalks on campus, but using caution and allowing for extra travel time is always advised when driving and walking on snow and ice.

In response to the current inclement weather, Wichita State University will move to remote operations Monday, Jan. 6. Critical campus operations will remain open, and employees who support these operations are expected to report to campus. All other employees should work remotely when possible. Pre-session classes will be moved to remote delivery.

The university will resume normal operations as soon as possible, and additional updates will be shared as they become available.

Students with questions can reach out to their instructors.

Critical campus operations that will remain open include student housing, dining options (which may reduce business hours as needed), campus police, facilities services, research laboratories (at faculty discretion) and operations otherwise designated by the president, athletic director or any vice president.