Category: News

The WSU Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC) has hired Courtney McHenry as its new executive director. He will begin in the role Monday, Jan. 9.

McHenry comes to WSU from Ohio after serving as the City of Columbus’ Department of Public Safety EEO compliance officer and assistant safety director. He has also served as acting director and Title IX coordinator for Florida A&M University and senior deputy Title IX coordinator for Florida International University. McHenry is currently pursuing a doctorate in ethical leadership, which he anticipates completing in May.

The OIEC is focused on advancing equal opportunity and inclusion, eliminating harassment and discrimination based on a protected class, and cultivating the benefits of diversity within the university. It houses the offices of Title IX and EEO.

It’s again time to begin the process for submission of funding requests through the Student Government for the Educational Opportunity Fund and Student Services fee for FY ‘24.

Through the student services fee, these programs provide financial support to facilitate students’ academic pursuits (Educational Opportunity Fund) or the funding of programs and activities delivered directly to students (Student Services).

If you’ve submitted requests in the past, the budget/review officer should have received an email from the Budget Office to kick off the submission process. If you have not submitted requests in the past but are considering submitting a new request, please contact Lyndsay Pletcher, Jason Post or David Miller in the Budget Office at 978-3030 for additional information.

Requests are due no later than Friday, Feb. 3.

Wichita State faculty, staff and campus partners can receive a discounted Jr. Shocker Kids Club membership for their children.

For only $25, membership kits include a t-shirt, lanyard and credential, welcome letter from Wu, and special experiences at select events.

Purchase a discounted membership by using promo code JRSHOCKS at the link below. Kits will be mailed directly to customers upon purchase.

The College of Applied Studies has signed the EPPs for Digital Equity and Transformation Pledge, committing to prepare educators with the skills to successfully use technology for learning in face-to-face, hybrid and online classrooms.

The EPPs for Digital Equity and Transformation Pledge is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Education and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

By signing the pledge, Wichita State joins more than 60 institutions committed to preparing teachers to thrive in digital learning environments; preparing teachers to use technology to pursue ongoing professional learning; preparing teachers to apply frameworks to accelerate transformative digital learning; equipping all faculty to continuously improve expertise in technology for learning; and collaborating with school leaders to identify shared digital teaching competencies.

Are you a member of faculty or staff with a student interested in WSU? You’re invited to join us for Shocker Legacy Day, an event to celebrate you and your student for being part of the Shocker Legacy family.

On Saturday, Jan. 14, come learn about the new and exciting opportunities at Wichita State while connecting with Wichita State students and alumni. There are also free tickets for the student and one guest to attend the Shocker men’s basketball game vs the University of Tulsa at 3 p.m. that day.

Registration closes at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10 or when the event reaches capacity. Basketball tickets are limited and available on a first-RSVP, first-served basis.

Wichita State students wanting to earn a degree in American Sign Language may follow their dreams beginning with the fall 2023 semester.

Shockers will be able to tailor the Bachelor of Arts in ASL to their interests and needs by choosing one of three tracks: The Structure of Language; Language and Culture in Context; or Interpreting Methods.

As demand for certified interpreters increases in Kansas, Wichita State’s program will help grow the talent pipeline for the state. The degree is one of only two in Kansas where students can train to become certified ASL interpreters. Candidates wanting to take the Certified Deaf Interpreter Examination are now required to have a bachelor’s degree.

The new degree is a response to demand for qualified interpreters and the need to bring an awareness of signed languages as natural languages. ASL will be a sister degree to Spanish, French and German at WSU.

The major also meaningfully addresses Wichita State’s core value to make the campus inclusive and accessible for everyone. The program will be coordinated through the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures. ASL courses attract more than 100 students who minor in sign language or take ASL to meet language requirements in Fairmount College.

It’s also expected that some MCLL majors will go the bilingual route; for example, French or Spanish plus ASL, making these students more valuable in the workplace with their expanded translation and interpreting skills.

The Winter Teaching Today provides an opportunity to learn more about the January Academic Resources Conference and the many ways it will be tackling issues surrounding digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

Thank you for being a regular reader of Teaching Today, and as always, if you see something you find interesting, please share it with a friend. Have questions about Teaching Today, or want to subscribe? Please email the Office of Instructional Resources at OIR@wichita.edu.

Wichita State University’s success is linked to our ability to respond to the needs of our campus community, as well as the area workforce.

One of the most obvious signs of that commitment can be seen through the physical expansion of campus. You may notice lots of dirt moving around right now.

Here are some of the projects under way:

• The Intensive English Center has moved to Lindquist Hall, and its former home near 17th Street and Hillside will be razed by the end of spring semester.
• A large area outside Clinton Hall has been fenced off to allow for the transformation of Clinton Hall into the Shocker Success Center. The fence stretches from Clinton Hall, along the east side of the Rhatigan Student Center, into the east portion of Parking Lot 7 and circling back up around Clinton Hall, preserving access to the Multicultural Greek Quad and the Plaza of the Heroines. The entire campus community’s patience and understanding is appreciated. We know there will be inconveniences during construction, but it will all be worth it.
• To prepare for the Shocker Success Center, Ablah Library will be integrating connections to the center from the library.
• The ongoing work on the Corbin Education Center will be completed soon. The fountain has been restored to working condition, and the spires are being painted and rewired to allow them to be illuminated at night. Final touches on the building, designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, should be completed by early spring 2023.
• Construction on Millie Marcus Annex will begin in February. The annex will be an expansion of the Marcus Welcome Center and will house the Shocker Career Accelerator offices. The integration of admissions and career services is intended to send a clear message to students about the support they will receive for applied learning opportunities and career development.
• Phase one of the Cessna Stadium renovations will begin in late spring. The east side demolition will begin after the Kansas State High School Track and Field Championship May 26-27.

The Innovation Campus is also experiencing some big changes, with several exciting announcements to come soon:

• Partnership Building 11 recently broke ground. The building is located by P3 and the Hyatt and is being built to house future partners interested in locating on campus and focusing on digital transformation.
• The new home of the National Institute for Research and Digital Transformation (NIRDT) at the corner of 18th Street and Oliver will be completed in February. The 37,000-square-foot building will include a collaboration hub, cyber/data analytics area, testing labs, eight research labs and a 168-rack data center.
• The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) will break ground on its Technology and Innovation Building in fall 2023. The new 85,000-square-foot research facility will be located on the Innovation Campus, near existing research and partnership facilities to take advantage of available infrastructure. This facility’s proximity to other research and instructional spaces and numerous industry partners builds on the proven success of previous programs and extends capacity for additional training and research for the region. 
• The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has started renovations on P3. This will be home to its Center of Excellence, the National Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board, a second National Correlation Center for the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, and will provide a myriad of training in CGI. It will serve as a national academy for the training of ATF’s Intelligence Research Specialists.
• Listen for an announcement this spring about new restaurants and retail opening in Braeburn Square and a new apartment complex across the lake from Braeburn Square.

“The improvements and new projects sprouting up across campus punctuate the growth and progress we’re making throughout the university,” said Wichita State President Rick Muma. “The projects not only add aesthetic appeal to our campus, but many of the updates make our campus and buildings more accessible to our students, setting our Shockers up for success.” 

The RSC and its departments will have shortened hours and / or closures Dec. 19-23.

The building and all departments will be closed Dec. 24-Jan. 2.

Check out the December edition of WSU’s Research and Innovation Newsletter, published throughout the year, cataloging the amazing research being undertaken across our campus.

This latest edition of the newsletter highlights WSU’s new APLU designation, student research projects and other grant-funded research.