Category: Human Resources

The 2026 Retirement Planning Seminar is March 27. The seminar agenda, videos and information can be found on the HR Total Rewards website.

While most of the topics are aimed at employees who are 55 or older and close to retirement, the “Basics of Estate Planning” presentation is open to all employees who are interested. Presented by the EAP provider, ComPsych, the webinar will be at 11 a.m.. Registration is required. You will need to enter your State of Kansas ID and date of birth to register, and you will be sent a confirmation email with the meeting link.

Annual non-teaching employee performance evaluations for 2025-26 will be available for manager signatures beginning March 8 provided that their employee has submitted their employee signature in myPerformance.

Managers should log into myPerformance then electronically sign and submit their employee’s 2025-26 evaluation by 11:59 p.m. Saturday, March 14.

Helpful hints:

• Progress through each page of the evaluation to review all comments and ratings.
• Enter your name in the signature field, click “Sign,” and then click “Submit” on the approval signature page and the submit review pop-up window.
• Check the box that says “Show completed and expired tasks” if you think an evaluation has disappeared from your scheduled tasks.
• Don’t forget that the first step of the 2026-27 myPerformance evaluation cycle, “Planning,” is due on March 31.

Note: The first step of the evaluation cycle, “Planning,” for 2026-27 evaluations is accessible to managers in myPerformance. The planning step is for setting expectations and goals for the new review period which runs March 1, 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027. If you have not already done so, you should enter and submit this information in myPerformance, and then meet with your employees by March 31. Your employees will not have access to their 2026-27 evaluation until Jan. 1, 2027, so it is important to provide them with a copy to use as a reference throughout the year.

A change was made for the 2026-27 evaluation form based on university feedback to simplify and reduce redundancy in the competency section comments. There is now only one comments box to capture performance expectations and progress versus a comments box for each competency.

For more information (including myPerformance training, quick reference guides and other resources) go to the myPerformance webpage (wichita.edu/myPerformance).

The annual WSU Retirement Planning Seminar is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 27. This is an all-virtual event designed to offer information to employees who are beginning to plan for this transition.

Vendors will present on a variety of topics including estate planning, Medicare and retirement plan specific information. There are also two on-demand videos available now from HR Total Rewards covering retiree health plan options and the WSU retirement process.

The seminar agenda, videos and information can be found on the Human Resources website.

The EAP presentation requires registration; all others can be joined at the time of the meeting. Content will continue to be updated and meeting links will be added as the event draws closer.

Annual non-teaching employee performance evaluations for 2025-26 will be available for employee signatures beginning March 1 provided that their manager has submitted their manager review in myPerformance.

Employees should log into myPerformance then electronically sign and submit their 2025-26 evaluation by 11:59 p.m. March 7.

Helpful hints:

• Let your manager know if you don’t have access to your evaluation. Managers must submit their manager review for you to have access.
• Progress through each page of your evaluation to review all comments and ratings.
• Enter your name in the signature field, click “Sign,” and then click “Submit” on the approval signature page and the submit review pop-up window.
• To find in-progress or past evaluations in myPerformance, check the small box “Show completed and expired tasks” then click “Search.”

For more information (including myPerformance training, quick reference guides and other resources) go to the myPerformance webpage (wichita.edu/myPerformance).

All Wichita State University benefits-eligible employees can access their YTD 2025 Total Compensation Statement in myWSU. The Total Compensation Statement provides you with a complete view of your compensation package, including both direct compensation, such as pay and leave, and indirect compensation, such as benefits paid by WSU.

To access the summary:

• Visit mywsu.wichita.edu and select login to myWSU.
• Sign in with your myWSU ID and password.
• Under the “Employee Self-Service” channel in myWSU, select the direct link titled “Total Compensation Statement.”
• From the drop-down choose the year 2025.*

*You may also view your Year-to-Date 2026 totals throughout the year at any time and/or a prior year statement.

If you are participating in the Kansas Board of Regents Retirement Plan, you additionally may view the “Special Notice Regarding your 403(b) Retirement Plan Contributions.”

Contact HR Total Rewards at totalrewards@wichita.edu with questions regarding the summary.

Note that the email address for Leave Administration has changed. Effective Feb. 16, all leave-related inquiries and documentation should be sent to leaveadmin@wichita.edu. The previous email address (totalrewards@wichita.edu) will no longer be used for leave administration purposes.

If you have any questions or need assistance, reach out to the new email address. There is also helpful information located on the Human Resources website. Thank you for your attention to this update and for helping ensure a smooth transition.

Annual non-teaching employee performance evaluations for 2025-26 are now accessible to managers to complete the Manager Review step of the myPerformance evaluation cycle. Managers, go to myPerformance to access and complete performance evaluations for your non-teaching employees which are due by 11:59 p.m. Feb. 28.

Follow these steps to complete your evaluations for the 2025-26 review period which began March 1, 2025 and ends Feb. 28:

• Provide summary comments for expectations, competencies and goals.
• Select rating for all competencies.
• Progress through each page of the evaluation and select “Save” then “Submit” on the final summary page for the evaluation.
• Meet with your employee(s) to review their evaluation and provide them with a copy.

Helpful hints:

• Managers have unlimited access to update and edit performance evaluations throughout the month of February.
• Evaluations must be saved and submitted to progress to the employee signature step on March 1. Employees will not have access to their evaluation if the manager has not submitted their review.
• Managers can add co-planners during this step. A co-planner is someone who has managed a portion of the employee’s work assignment during the evaluation period.
• To find in-progress or past evaluations in myPerformance, check the small box “Show completed and expired tasks” then click “Search.”

Note: End-of-year performance review conversations are also a great time to set expectations and goals for the new review period. The 2026-27 evaluations are now accessible to managers in myPerformance so you can discuss both the current end-of-review (2025-26 Manager Review) and the upcoming begin-of-review (2026-27 Planning) at the same time, if desired.

A change was made for the 2026-27 evaluation form based on university feedback to simplify and reduce redundancy in the competency section comments. There is now only one comments box to capture performance expectations and progress versus a comments box for each competency.

For more information (including myPerformance training, quick reference guides and other resources) go to the myPerformance webpage (wichita.edu/myPerformance).

There are upcoming changes to the WuHire approval processes for both job requisition and offers related to benefit eligible positions. This change is being made to ensure that department leadership has discussed the need for the position and budgetary oversight as part of the job requisition process. This only applies to positions within the Market Based Compensation program.

Job requisition approval changes – Effective Feb. 3

For the purpose of creating operational efficiencies and optimizations, Benefit Eligible (BE) job requisitions will require approvals from two department leaders*. The updated job requisition approval process is listed below:

• Hiring department submits request to hire; provides justification
• Department leader #1 (department budget officer) approves/declines; ensures justification is provided
• Department leader #2 (direct report to divisional officer) approves/declines; ensures justification is provided
• Hiring Review Committee (HRC) approves/declines/holds for more information
• MBC conducts compensation review, creates position number
• Budget Office reviews/secures funding
• Talent Team initiates hiring process

HRC approval applicable when required.

Offer approval changes – Effective Feb. 3

Starting Feb. 3, all offers will require approval from two department leaders*. Offers not in compliance with Market Based Compensation (MBC) guidelines are required to go through the divisional officer** approval process, which include the two department leaders approval in addition to the divisional officer. The revised offer approval process is outlined below:

• Hiring department submits offer request
• Talent consultant selects appropriate onboarding path
• MBC (Market Based Comp) conducts pay analysis, makes recommendation, notates if request is an exception to comp guidelines
• Department leader #1 (department budget officer) reviews. If approved, provides justification for offer
• Department leader #2 (direct report to divisional officer) reviews. If approved, ensures proper justification is provided
• Divisional officer approval required*
• If a grant, Post Award reviews to ensure compliance with grant

*Department leader #1: Department budget officer
*Department leader #2: Direct report to the divisional officer (senior leader)
**Divisional officers are Rick Muma, president; David Miller, senior vice president for Administration, Finance and Operations; Monica Lounsbery, senior executive vice president and provost; and Kevin Saal, director of athletics

For questions, contact your dean or department leader, or if still unclear, contact employment@wichita.edu.

Non-Teaching Employees, it’s time to complete your self-evaluation in myPerformance. The self-evaluation step in the performance evaluation cycle is your opportunity to provide input on your job performance and accomplishments since the beginning of the current review period that began on March 1, 2025. Go to myPerformance to access and complete your self-evaluation which is due by 11:59 p.m. Jan. 31.

Helpful hints:

• You can access your performance evaluation as many times as you need during the month of January to update and complete your self-evaluation. Access will route from you to your manager on Feb. 1.
• Be sure to save and submit anytime you update or make changes to your self-evaluation. You still have access to make changes after you save and submit.
• To find in-progress or past evaluations in myPerformance, check the small box “Show completed and expired tasks” then click “Search.”

For more information (including myPerformance training, quick reference guides and other resources) go to wichita.edu/myPerformance.

Watch your inbox this week for an email from HR Total Rewards with the subject line “Changes to your Benefit Deductions.” This email will show changes in deduction amounts for the benefit elections you made during open enrollment for coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

Note:

• The 2026 benefit elections have been finalized and cannot be changed.
• If the new deductions match what you elected for 2026 there is no action required. You can review your benefit elections in the Pending Election Statement email you received from SEHP.
• If there is a discrepancy, reply directly to the email you receive, and a member of the team will respond after winter break. If you do not receive an email, it simply means that your elections and deduction amounts will not change.
• Recent new hires: Reminder that you may have multiple premium deductions on the first paycheck that includes benefit premium deductions.