Category: News

Beginning Nov. 1, several parking lots on the north and west side of campus will be restricted as basketball-only parking three hours before the start of the game. Members of the campus community who usually park in  these lots will need to plan a head and park in another lot or leave by the posted time.

For more information, please visit the athletics parking a map of lot closures.

Wichita State University’s Environmental Finance Center will help create WaterCorps, a project to connect students to applied learning opportunities in the water workforce.

Wichita State is one of 10 organizations selected to receive part of a $3.8 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The new program will help build the water workforce by connecting individuals to internships in the drinking water and wastewater utility sectors and expanding public awareness about the benefits of careers providing vital water services.

The Environmental Finance Centers at the University of New Mexico and Syracuse University will join WSU on the project.

Wichita State’s project description states that funding will be used for WaterCorps, a nationwide network of high school and post-secondary students along with school counselors and water utility professionals, who will connect the students to water utility internship experiences, educational resources, guidance from field experts, and facility tours. Students participating in the WaterCorps program will have the added support of a peer network, providing enhanced learning, shared experiences and broad engagement with water professionals.

“We hope to recruit WaterCorps members from geographically diverse and tribal communities so that the students are able to learn from peers and professionals from a wide variety of community water systems across the United States. As the WaterCorps members share experiences with others beyond their own community they will build a strong connection to the water industry,” said Tonya Bronleewe, director of WSU Environmental Finance Center. “We will share our methods, resources, educational materials, and toolkits in the Environment-Focused Learning Academy online portal. We want what we develop through this project to be available to any school, utility, organization or individual who has an interest in helping young people to find their careers in water.”

The water industry is facing widespread shortages of qualified workers, due to expected retirements, new investments in the nation’s physical infrastructure, and new technical and scientific skill sets required to operate and maintain these systems. These grants will expand public awareness about job opportunities in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector and will address the workforce needs of drinking water and wastewater utilities.

About WSU Environmental Finance Center

Across the country, the costs of environmental services, programs, and infrastructure continue to rise. At the same time, the individuals, communities, and governments tasked with paying for environmental protection are experiencing significant financial burdens. The WSU Environmental Finance Center helps solve the issue of how to pay for environmental protection.

Wichita State will feature a YouTube livestream of the inauguration ceremony for Dr. Richard Muma at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29 at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex. Members who wished to attend the event in person should have reserved their spot by Oct. 15.

Dr. Richard Muma was selected as 15th president of Wichita State University in May. Muma had been serving as interim president of Wichita State since September 2020.

For more information, call 316-978-3258 or email inauguration@wichita.edu.

Presenters in the “Legacies of Racism in American Culture” series will give their perspectives on religion, immigration, business, supremacist thought and labor economics. Andrew Hippisley, dean, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will host the series.

Presentations will be delivered at 3 p.m. Nov. 3, Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and Dec. 8 via Zoom. Login information will be the same for each talk (Meeting ID: 998 4330 8081, Passcode: 441316).

The series includes:

Nov. 3  “The Bible and Race in American Christian Cultures,” by Rannfrid Lasine Thelle, associate professor of religion

Nov. 17  “Who Can Become an American? U.S. Immigration Policy, Racism, and Civil Rights Struggle in the 20th Century,” by Laila Ballout, assistant professor of history

Dec. 1 “‘Jim Crow’ in the Business World: The Birth, Growth, and Disappearance of Black-Owned Insurance Companies,” by Robert E. Weems, Jr., Willard W. Garvey Distinguished Professor of Business History

Dec. 8  “Labor Economies in the Forces of Insurrection,” by Chuck Koeber, associate professor of sociology

Videos of the previous Perspectives series are archived on the Fairmount College YouTube channel.

The Immigration Student Advocacy Organization (ISAO) is hosting a refugee drive in collaboration with the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

The IRC is helping hundreds of Afghan refugees with their relocation within the Wichita community by providing common household necessities. The drive will run from Oct. 27 to Nov. 15. Our donation box will be located in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, RSC 208.

With each donation,  you will be entered into a prize drawing. The winner will be announced on Nov. 16.

This fall the College of Applied Studies celebrated the inaugural class of Hall of Fame inductees. Nominations are now open for 2022 inductees.

The CAS Hall of Fame recognizes individuals or groups of individuals who have made significant positive impact on the college at any point since its founding. This includes the full range of programs that have been associated with the college at various points in its history. The traits or qualities hall of fame members possess should be reflective of the college’s core values of collaboration, discovery, diversity, integrity and leadership.

Nominations will be accepted until Feb. 11, 2022, and can be submitted through the link below. 

Celebrate students, faculty and staff in the College of Health Professions during CHP Week Oct. 25-29. We encourage you to appreciate the huge impact CHP has on health care, the economy and our communities. Join the fun on social media and use the hashtag #CHPWeek.

The current pandemic-related supply chain issues are affecting everyone worldwide, including the Shocker Community.

According to an article in PPB Newslink, the situation started with a shortage of factory workers in China and other factories worldwide that produce raw materials, components and finished products, coupled with an increase in shipping costs for imported materials and products. The transportation issue was exacerbated due to the scarcity and cost of shipping containers, available space on ships and a shortage of dockworkers to unload the ships once they got to the U.S. ports.

According to Ellen Abbey, Wichita State director of Auxiliary Services, the supply chain has caused a backlog of products and supplies offered at Wichita State, including Shocker Printing Solutions and Central Services Supply. This includes T-shirts, as there is a shortage of raw materials to make yarn, and other printed products. There is also an increase in shipping from both UPS and FedEx, even sometimes causing the shipping to cost more than the item purchased.

While the supply chain issues continue Abbey advises customers of both Shocker Printing and Central Services Supply to plan ahead and to make sure they have the resources to print materials and hold events.

The Behavioral Economics Laboratory at Wichita State University is recruiting participants.

• An unconditional $5 show-up fee: If you show up at the campus lab at the scheduled time, you earn $5.
• On average, $15-20 per hour: The amount for participating in the games will vary, and will be based on each participant’s decisions. On average, students earn $15-20 per hour.
• Learn more about behavioral science and contribute to university research: Behavioral economics games were originally used by Nobel Prize laureate Vernon Smith, for educational and research purposes. You can help Wichita State professors and students publish their research in high-quality academic journals.

Low-cost flu shots are available for Wichita State students, faculty and staff at the Student Health Services (SHS). Members who wish to receive the shot should bring their health insurance card as flu shot coverage depends on your type of health insurance.

The shots are provided by appointment only with limited shots available. To make an appointment,  call 316-978-4792.