Category: Faculty and Staff Resources

The table below is to assist instructors with certain dates regarding CES. These dates are for the spring 2026 semester.

• The first column includes the various start/end (part-of-term) dates for spring semester courses.
• The second column includes dates meant for instructors. This is the timeframe when instructors will receive emails about the CES process and procedures that they should complete. Instructors will receive additional emails during and after the student CES access dates.
• The last column includes the dates that CES will be available for the students to complete course evaluations.

The full CES administrative schedule can always be found on the website.

If your course is in bold, then your spring 2026 CES evaluation process will start soon. Review the start/end dates in each column so you know when your access to the CES system will start and end.

Award for Research/Creative Projects in Summer (ARCS) proposals are due to the Office of Research no later than 5 p.m. Feb. 6, 2026.  The ARCS opportunity provides funding of up to $4,000 to enable faculty to pursue research or creative projects during the summer.

Proposers must work with a grant specialist in the Office of Research prior to submission and all complete applications require an endorsement from the chair and dean. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed or considered. Email proposals@wichita.edu today to get started or visit the website for additional information.

The Office of Faculty Advancement, Retention, and Excellence (FARE) is hosting a research and writing sprint for faculty from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 14-16, 2026 at Wichita State Connect. Before the semester gets crazy, join FARE for some quiet space to write and the camaraderie of your colleagues all crushing their writing goals.

FARE will provide drinks, snacks and lunch on the first day. Faculty can choose from half days or whole days. You say you can only come one day? No problem. Come as you are able to. Contact fare@wichita.edu with any questions.

The University Staff Senate has established a scholarship to support the advancement of WSU staff and their dependents. Staff members or their dependents beginning or continuing their first bachelor’s degree are eligible to apply. This scholarship can be combined with university Tuition Assistance and other awards and can be used for tuition, books and fees.

Applications for the University Staff Senate Scholarship close Feb. 1, 2026 for the fall 2026 award. For more information and to apply, visit the Staff Senate Scholarship webpage.

Periodically, information will be posted regarding Watermark’s Course Evaluations & Surveys (CES) tool to help users better understand Wichita State’s course evaluation tool.

Today’s focus is on results.

• Results will only be available at the end of the completed semester. It does not matter when your course took place during the semester. Holding results until the end of the semester complies with KBOR policy and allows for accurate norming.
• Results will become available the Friday after grades are due to the Registrar’s Office.
• The electronic results can be found through the Instructor Dashboard under Project Results.
• There are restrictions on results. If the response rate is 0% or if the number of respondents is lower than four, then there will be no results. This restriction includes both statistics and comments.
• Results will include the mean, standard deviation and median for the course. Reports will also show these statistics by university and division benchmarks. This benchmark data will be from the same semester as the evaluation and will not include any other data.
• The report option called “Results Home” incorporates all the report options under one roof. It also provides a quick glance at the results without creating a report. 
• Also included is a table of the “Mean of Means” by course and instructor questions. 
• There is a dedicated CES website that includes additional information.

For questions, contact Sandra Ranney at evaluations@ces.wichita.edu.

Sometimes, it’s good to start slow. Start your graduate education at WSU with a course this spring.

On Monday, Dec. 1, Graduate Admissions is waiving the application fee for Non-Degree B programs for WSU staff and eligible faculty. Make use of your tuition benefit and take a class (or two) this spring.

Non-Degree B allows you to complete courses numbered 500 through 799. With good planning, these courses may be used toward a future graduate degree or certificate.

All you need to apply is:

1. An earned bachelor’s degree
2. Be an eligible WSU staff member

Apply using our quick application, open only on Dec. 1. Then, complete your tuition assistance application and submit it by the Dec. 1 deadline.

The application isn’t a commitment, it’s the first step, your first step, to your future in the Graduate School. The full degree and certificate application is always available.

Amid the busyness of the semester, it can be challenging to make progress on your research and writing goals. The Office of Faculty Advancement, Retention, and Excellence (FARE) has got you. Jan. 14-16, 226, join colleagues from across campus at the Wichita State Connect building for another three-day Research & Writing Sprint sponsored by FARE.

FARE will provide the space, caffeine, sustenance and camaraderie. You bring your pile of work and choose the schedule that works for you – full days or half days. As the time aligns with the Academic Resources Conference, there will also be space available for faculty to participate in those sessions and discuss while attending the Research & Writing Sprint.

Contact Dr. Debby Hinsdale at fare@wichita.edu for more information.

The Faculty Research Collaborative, sponsored by the Office of Faculty Advancement, Retention, and Excellence (FARE), is an effort to establish a multidisciplinary research partnerships across Wichita State University. The final gathering of the semester will be from 2 to 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3 in 142 Rhatigan Student Center, Harvest Room.

The events feature three brief presentations by faculty, followed by Q&A and free time for discussion. December’s presenters include:

• Mathew Muether and Terrance Figy of physics presenting on their grant proposal “From Fundamental Physics to Real-World Applications: Training the Next Generation in AI/ML and Image Recognition,” which will be of interest to those wanting to explore High-Performance Computing for their research
• Aweke Tadesse of social work presenting on Community-Based Financial Capability Intervention Targeting Low-Income/Vulnerable Groups
• John Hammond of mathematics presenting on Success Measures of Students in Corequisite Math Courses

For more information, contact Debby Hinsdale at fare@wichita.edu or faculty facilitators Susan Castro and Nils Hakansson.

All faculty and teaching staff are invited to an American Association of University Professors (AAUP) chapter meeting for updates on campus issues. The meeting will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21 in 257 Rhatigan Student Center, Ashton/Bridges Room.

Bring a friend or two for updates on events around the campus and state. For questions or a link to a zoom remote link, contact AAUP chapter secretary, George Dehner, via email at george.dehner@wichita.edu.

Jonathan Cross and Stephen Cross Jr., investment adviser representatives with Voya Financial, will be available for in-person meetings at Wichita State Dec. 4. 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 Jonathan or Stephen, you can schedule a time to meet and select the “Wichita State University / One-On-One Financial Counseling” while selecting your location. Time slots are limited, so reserve a time soon. For questions, you can call Voya Financial Advisors at 316-686-2428.