Student Conduct & Community Standards (SCCS) is raising awareness regarding certain policies in the Code of Conduct at WSU, and the focus for January is damage and destruction of property.

Damage or destruction of property is defined as “Engaging in the intentional, unintentional, reckless or unauthorized defacement, damage or destruction of University property or the property of another. This includes all acts of vandalism.”

More details regarding Damage and/or Destruction of Property and other policies in the Student Code of Conduct can be found in Section VI: Prohibited Conduct in the Student Code of Conduct Handbook.

SCCS is here to help ensure that students have a safe experience at Wichita State. To report any potential conduct issues to our office throughout the school year, please use the conduct incident response form. To explore other reporting forms at WSU, visit the “Report It” homepage.

Wichita State University and the WSU Police Department are committed to the safety and security of our students, staff and faculty.  With this in mind, everyone in the campus community is encouraged to download the Rave Guardian Mobile Safety app.

This app is available for both iPhones and Android devices and can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Guardian sends alerts when there is a safety concern on or near campus. It also provides users access to safety resources to report tips and contact information for various campus offices. The app also includes a feature that allows user-designated, virtual guardians to follow you as you walk on campus, send tips to the WSU Police Department to report information, and connect to the ShockerAlert system.

Shockers, with more people on the WSU campus each year, there are naturally more people traveling to and from classes, offices and events.

Drivers should drive the proper speed throughout campus: 20 mph on streets, 15 mph in parking lots and 10 mph in the parking garage. Please stop for pedestrians crossing the road and always be prepared to stop at crosswalks.

If you’re walking or riding a bike, skateboard, etc., please only cross streets at crosswalks and look before you cross. Keep your eyes up when walking through parking area, as well.

Let’s all do our part to keep our fellow Shockers and campus guests safe!

Students, faculty and staff are invited to join us for a discussion about campus safety from different perspectives. A panel of diverse representatives of Wichita State University will discuss campus safety from their own unique perspectives at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 in 233 RSC (Santa Fe Trail room).

  • Moderator: Dr. Michael Birzer, professor in the School of Criminal Justice

Panelists:

  • Guy Schroeder, chief of police  for Wichita State University Police Department
  • Dr. Marche Fleming Randle, vice president and chief diversity officer
  • Dr. Teri Hall, vice president for student affairs
  • Alicia Newell, assistant vice president for student affairs, assessment and retention
  • Dr. Kevin Harrison, assistant teaching professor and director of diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Gabriel Fonseca, director of student engagement, advocacy and leadership
  • Josh Davis, graduate student in the School of Criminal Justice and former police officer

Bring your lunch and join us for this informative discussion. This event is open to the public.

The cooler weather is finally upon us, and with the drop in temperature comes the use of space heaters. Each year, about 1,700 fires, 80 deaths and 160 injuries are caused by portable space heaters, as estimated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Space heaters also use considerably more energy than other heating sources.

WSU Fire Safety would like to remind you that the use of space heaters is prohibited in campus buildings. Please remove all space heaters from campus buildings, whether they are in use or not. Please review WSU Policies 11.20 Space Heaters and 11.27 HVAC Systems Standards.

As we head into the mid-point of the fall semester, please remember these tips to continue to have a safe and productive year. 

  • Hide any valuable items that are in your vehicle, take your keys and lock your vehicles. 
    
  • Be alert and aware of your surroundings and utilize the buddy system when walking at night or very early in the morning.  
    
  • WSU Police are here for you. If, at any time, you feel unsafe or would prefer to have an escort on campus, you can contact the WSU Police Department at 316-978-3450, dial 911 from an on-campus phone, use the emergency call boxes (blue lights) or use the RAVE Guardian App.  
    
  • Please report any suspected criminal activity on campus to the WSU Police Department. 

The university has resources available to support victims of crime, including confidential counseling support available through Counseling and Prevention Services (CAPS). CAPS can be contacted at 316-978-4792.   

As we head into the mid-point of the fall semester, please remember these tips to continue to have a safe and productive year. 

  • Hide any valuable items that are in your vehicle, take your keys and lock your vehicles. 
  • Be alert and aware of your surroundings and utilize the buddy system when walking at night or very early in the morning.  
  • WSU Police are here for you. If, at any time, you feel unsafe or would prefer to have an escort on campus, you can contact the WSU Police Department at 316-978-3450, dial 911 from an on-campus phone, use the emergency call boxes (blue lights) or use the RAVE Guardian App.  
  • Please report any suspected criminal activity on campus to the WSU Police Department. 

Did you know that 85% of university housing fires are cooking fires? Unattended cooking is by far the leading contributing factor in college cooking fires, and there are more than 3,000 university cooking fires each year, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Please observe the following safety precautions while cooking on campus.

  • Cook only where it is permitted.
  • Never leave cooking unattended.
  • Frying poses the greatest risk. In case of a grease fire, put a lid over it. Never put water on a grease fire.
  • If a fire starts in a microwave, keep the door closed and unplug the unit.
  • If you use electric appliances, be careful to not overload circuits.
  • Stand by your pan. If you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off.
  • For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

The office of Student Conduct and Community Standards is looking for students to join its Academic Integrity and Student Conduct hearing boards. The committee offers students an opportunity to gain community service hours and have a lasting impact on their college campus.

Along active and engaged board member training, students who join the Student Conduct Board will help create the future of what these boards look like.

Serving on the Academic Integrity Committee or Student Conduct Board will students to meet and work with Wichita State faculty and staff, engage with their peers and broaden their network.

As the new school year begins, Wichita State and other college students across the country are returning to campuses as in-person learning resumes for many higher education institutions. Through their annual Campus Fire Safety for Students campaign in September, the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) and the Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS) are working together to help ensure living spaces are safe for students.

Every September, Campus Fire Safety Month helps raise awareness about the threat of fires in both on- and off-campus housing and puts relevant information into the hands of students, their parents, campus housing staff and administrators.

According to data from CCFS, from January 2000 to April 2022, 94 fatal fires have been documented that claimed 134 lives on college campuses, in Greek housing or at off-campus housing within three miles of campus. Of the 94 fires documented, 38 were accidental and involved cooking, candles, smoking or electrical equipment, and took the life of 51 students.

NFPA research shows that September and October are the peak months for campus fires, particularly during the hours between 5-9 p.m.

“As students return to college life this fall, we encourage them to review fire safety tips to learn how to prevent fires; the more prepared we are, the more we can do to reduce fire risk,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president of outreach and advocacy and CCFS advisory council member. “Campus Fire Safety Month provides a great opportunity to share materials and action steps and to foster a culture of awareness and preparedness about fire safety on our college campuses.”

These tips from NFPA and CCFS can help students reduce the risk of fires and save lives:

  • Know and practice your building’s evacuation plan and look for alternate routes out of the building.
  • Cook in intended areas only and never leave cooking equipment unattended when in use, even briefly.
  • Test smoke alarms monthly in an apartment or a house. Ensure smoke alarms are installed in all sleeping areas, outside of all sleeping areas and on every level of the apartment or house. Never remove or disable smoke alarms.
  • Keep combustible items away from heat sources and never overload electrical outlets, extension cords or power strips. Many fires are caused by portable light and heat sources, like space heaters and halogen lamps.
  • Keep common areas and hallways free of possessions and debris. Never block exit routes.

For more information about the Campus Fire Safety for Students campaign and to find free resources, visit the NFPA website or the CCFS website.

Students, faculty and staff can also contact the WSU Fire Safety office at 316-978-5803 or 5531.