Category: Faculty and Staff Resources

The Office of Faculty Advancement, Retention, and Excellence (FARE) will hold a two-day Class Prep Sprint for faculty to prepare for the semester starting. FARE will provide coffee, bagels, snacks and camaraderie. Sign up now to let FARE know to expect you to prepare enough refreshments.

• When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 4 and Tuesday, Aug. 5. Participate for half-days or whole days. There will be a lunch break from noon to 1 p.m. Bring your lunch so that you can spend that time getting to know your colleagues, if you’d like.
• Where: Wichita State Connect, rooms 106 and 107
• What: In one room, there will be a quiet space for working on your class prep. In the room next door, you can either choose to participate in Academic Resource Conference sessions, discuss plans with colleagues or get advice from Office of Instructional Resources staff or FARE coordinator Dr. Debby Hinsdale, a curriculum specialist.

To pre-schedule time to consult with Office of Instructional Resources staff, fill out the request form here.

The Faculty Ombuds program offers a confidential, impartial and informal space to talk through workplace concerns. Whether it’s a conflict, a policy question, or just something that doesn’t feel right, the ombuds are here to help you think it through.

The State Employee Health Plan (SEHP) Open Enrollment period is from Oct. 1-31 for benefits effective Jan. 1, 2026. If you wish to receive a printed copy of the Open Enrollment Guide from SEHP, be sure to submit your request by July 31 by clicking the request link through SEHP and completing the request form. 

Be on the look out for future communication in WSU Today from the Total Rewards team with information and reminders about enrolling for your 2026 SEHP coverages.

The Office of Strategic Communications will offer headshot photos to WSU faculty and staff at no additional charge. These opportunities are quick and walk-in only without needing to schedule an appointment.

The next headshot photo event is from 9 to 11 a.m. Aug. 6 in 266 Rhatigan Student Center, Pike Room.

Additional dates will be announced in the future.

Learn more about headshots and what to expect at wichita.edu/headshots.

The following table is to assist instructors with certain dates regarding CES. The dates shown below are for the summer 2025 semester.

• The first column includes the various start/end (part-of-term) dates for summer semester courses that start in July.
• 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.

CES summer 2025 – Courses with July start dates

The HR Total Rewards team reminds staff and faculty that the priority deadline for fall 2025 Tuition Assistance applications is Tuesday, July 1. The final deadline for fall 2025 application applications is Aug. 4 through the Online Application Form.

Due to the volume of applications received each semester, requests to submit late applications will be automatically denied with no exceptions.

Full program details can be found at wichita.edu/tuitionassistance. Questions may be directed to TuitionAssistance@wichita.edu.

If you find your motivation lagging or you could use a little more structure to achieve your summer research goals, join the summer faculty writing group from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Wednesday in June and July in 302 Woolsey Hall, Berry Foundation Room, hosted by the Office of Faculty Advancement, Retention and Excellence (FARE).

Each writing session begins and ends with goal setting and accountability check-ins. FARE provides coffee, tea and light snacks. You can either leave for lunch or pack a lunch (there’s a microwave available).

If you want to join, email fare@wichita.edu to let the office know to expect you.

Save the date for Faculty Advancement, Retention and Excellence’s (FARE) two-day class prep and ARC watch party event, with support from OIR, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 4-5 at Wichita State Connect. Faculty can come to work on their courses alongside their colleagues and get advice on course design. Watch your email for the sign-up coming in July.

Wichita State recognizes the importance of mental health and well-being for faculty and staff. The university offers a variety of resources to support employees during challenging times.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): EAP provides confidential counseling services, crisis intervention and workshops on stress management and coping strategies.
• Peer support: In addition to professional resources, employees are encouraged to lean on their colleagues for support. Building a strong network of coworkers can provide emotional support and a sense of community. If you are concerned about one of your colleagues or students, submit a CARE Team report.

The Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at Wichita State offers free hearing evaluations to faculty and staff. During the evaluation, a graduate student — under the direct supervision of a licensed audiologist — will test the patient’s hearing to determine if there is hearing loss and the type and severity of the loss. Hearing evaluations will last approximately one to two hours. If a patient does appear to have hearing loss, the appointment may last longer.

To schedule an appointment, call 316-978-3289. The clinic is located at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex at the intersection of 29th and Oliver streets.