Category: From the President

Dear Shocker family:

Welcome back to campus! I hope you had a restful and rejuvenating winter break. As we step into a new year filled with opportunities, I want to take a moment to thank you for the passion and dedication you bring to our students and our university. Together, we continue to make Wichita State a place where innovation and excellence thrive.

I’m also excited to introduce Dr. Monica Lounsbery as our new provost and executive vice president. Dr. Lounsbery brings a wealth of experience and a strong vision for academic excellence. You can find her in 109 Morrison Hall, and she can be reached at monica.lounsbery@wichita.edu or 316-978-3010. I encourage you to stop by, send her a note or say hello if you see her around campus.

To formally welcome Dr. Lounsbery, we will be hosting a meet-and-greet event at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23 in 233 Rhatigan Student Center, Santa Fe Trail Room. I hope you’ll join us!

Thank you for all you do to support our students and community. Let’s make this semester one to remember.

Go Shockers!
President Rick Muma

President Rick Muma and First Gentleman Rick Case want to wish everyone in Shocker Nation happy holidays!

Dear faculty, staff and students –  

Today, a media article raised misrepresentations about the academic integrity of my 2004 dissertation, alleging that certain portions were plagiarized. These allegations are not only deeply personal, but also quite serious, and I want to address them with you directly. To be clear, I attributed and cited all sources in my dissertation, and I have complete confidence in the integrity and originality of my research. These are technical oversights where text was reused, and those attributions did not have quotation marks, and I am taking steps to make corrections.   

Four weeks ago, I became aware that there was a general concern surrounding my dissertation from two decades ago. The reporter refused to share specific allegations until publishing his article today. Given the seriousness of the allegations, I requested that the university conduct an inquiry to determine if a violation of policy had occurred.  

As required by policy, this inquiry was conducted by the Executive Vice President and Provost, in consultation with the university’s Research Officer. The inquiry was comprehensive and included both an internal review and an external independent review of my dissertation by a leading expert in plagiarism, who is unaffiliated with the university.  While all sources referenced in my dissertation were attributed and cited, there were instances, primarily in the literature review section, where this attribution should have included the use of quotation marks around reuse of text. I was advised that the amount of affected text consists of less than 5% of my entire dissertation. The facts led to a determination that these were technical omissions that did not rise to the level of misconduct, and the matter was closed. 

Again, I am taking steps to make these corrections. These technical oversights do not change the outcome or validity of my research.  

As I have shared with others in recent days, it is important to me to be transparent, open and honest, which is why I am sharing this message with you today. I trust that the entirety of my work and my words and actions over the years remain the true measure of my integrity.    

Sincerely, 

President Rick Muma  

Hello, Shockers.

I can’t wait to see all of you back on campus for the beginning of the 2024 academic year at Wichita State. We have a lot of exciting new buildings and areas on campus for you to explore, with some completed over the summer, including the Milly Marcus Annex at the Marcus Welcome Center — home of the Shocker Career Accelerator; the Shocker Success Center in the former Clinton Hall; the Digital Research and Transformation Hub on the Innovation Campus; and the new Adelante Juntos (Forward Together) mural at the Duerksen Amphitheater.

I encourage you to take the opportunities available to you at Wichita State to foster innovation, collaboration and personal growth.

Let’s make this a year of discovery, connection and achievement.

Go Shockers!

Hello, Shockers.

I can’t wait to see all of you back on campus for the beginning of the 2024 academic year at Wichita State. We have a lot of exciting new buildings and areas on campus for you to explore, with some completed over the summer, including the Milly Marcus Annex at the Marcus Welcome Center — home of the Shocker Career Accelerator; the Shocker Success Center in the former Clinton Hall; the Digital Research and Transformation Hub on the Innovation Campus; and the new Adelante Juntos (Forward Together) mural at the Duerksen Amphitheater.

I encourage our faculty and staff to take the opportunities available to you at Wichita State to foster innovation, collaboration and personal growth.

Let’s make this a year of discovery, connection and achievement.

Go Shockers!

Hello, Shockers. On behalf of all of us at Wichita State University, I extend our warmest congratulations for your achievements. Your hard work and dedication have brought you to this moment, and we couldn’t be prouder.

As you step into the world, know that all of us at Wichita State stand firmly behind you, to support you and champion your ambitions as you become the leaders of tomorrow.

Join Wichita State for our spring 2024 commencement ceremonies, held on Saturday, May 11 in Charles Koch Arena.

Dear colleagues,

It is with mixed emotions that I announce the upcoming retirements of Dr. Shirley Lefever and Werner Golling. Both Shirley and Werner recently informed me separately of their plans to retire.

After nearly 20 years at Wichita State, Shirley will retire as provost and executive vice president at the end of the calendar year. And Werner, who has been at WSU for more than seven years, will retire as vice president of finance and administration in July.

Please be assured that while they are leaving WSU in the same year, the timing is coincidental. I am truly happy for Shirley and Werner as they move on to this next phase of their lives. I’ll miss their influence at Wichita State and the pleasure of working with them each day.

I am starting the process of forming search committees to conduct open national searches to replace both positions. I’ve asked Shelly Coleman-Martins, vice president of Strategic Communications and Marketing, to lead the search committee for the provost position and Zach Gearhart, chief of staff and executive director of Government Relations, to lead the search committee for the finance and administration position.

Stay tuned to WSU Today for announcements about the next steps in the search process and plans to celebrate Shirley and Werner’s time here.

President Rick Muma

Hello, Shocker family. Growing up in Houston and attending college in Galveston, Texas, Juneteenth is widely celebrated as a day of remembrance to commemorate the day enslaved people in Texas were notified of their freedom. General Order No. 3 was issued on June 19, 1865, in the City of Galveston informing the people of Texas that enslaved people were free.

In 2021, President Biden recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday; and earlier this year, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced it as a state holiday. Along with other KBOR institutions, Juneteenth (on June 19) will be an official university holiday, starting in 2024.

The university will be closed every June 19. Anyone with questions about how this might affect your work schedule can reach out to their supervisor or read the frequently asked questions.

As we celebrate Wichita State’s first official Juneteenth holiday in 2024, it’s my hope that we reflect on the significance of this day in our shared history.

President Rick Muma

Share a few laughs with President Rick Muma and First Gentleman Rick Case as they share their holiday greeting with Shocker Nation.

President Rick Muma and First Gentleman Rick Case cordially invite you to the Wichita State Winter Party from 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30 in the Shirley Beggs Ballroom, third floor, Rhatigan Student Center. Attendees will be greeted by the President’s Executive Team and will receive a complimentary holiday glass — the second in a yearly series of vintage WuShock glasses — while supplies last (one per person). The Winter Party is a come and go event. 

A general arrival time is appreciated to assist our catering staff in preparations.

Kindly RSVP for one of the two time slots to let catering know when you are planning to attend by Wednesday, Nov. 22.