Category: News

The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has launched its Executive-in-Residence program. This program will provide Barton School students, faculty and the Wichita community with vital perspectives and knowledge from industry leaders. Tom Gentile, president and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems, will serve as the program’s first resident for the fall 2021 semester.

“The wisdom of industry leaders is so vast and inspirational,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business at Wichita State. “This program will tap into that knowledge. We’re honored to have Spirit AeroSystems CEO Tom Gentile as our first resident. His insights will be an unprecedented and valuable resource to our students and faculty.”

This is our final episode of the first season of “Let’s Talk About It.” It’s been a journey that we’re honored to have shared with you. In this episode, we’re looking at the unique experience of student-athletes. How do they deal with the pressure and publicity that comes along with the student-athlete experience? How do they foster both the athletic part of themselves but also everything about them that isn’t their sport? Here to break this down with us are:

• Mike Ross, assistant professor in the Department of Sport Management and coordinator of the E-Learning program
• Sarah Mathews, director of compliance for the WSU athletics department
• Rachel Johnson, junior in sport management major and former WSU basketball player.

Stay tuned for Season 2 coming in August 2021.

About “Let’s Talk About It” — The mission of the FUSE ICT is to prepare and inspire students to achieve their true passion and purpose; while providing the tools, opportunities, and diverse programming options for them to grow. One of the most effective tools that we have to spark dialogue and unearth passion is dialogue. Our goal with “Let’s Talk About It” is to create a safe, comfortable and casual environment that will foster connection with diverse people in an effort to create meaning, ask questions and start honest conversations about the topics that matter most to college students today.

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The comments from the SPTE-R for fall 2020 and spring 2021 early sessions have been mailed. The departments should receive them early next week. Check with your department’s administrator if you have been waiting on these comments.

Applications for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) program are due on May 14, 2021.

Please email proposals@wichita.edu as soon as possible if you are interested in applying, so that a grant specialist will be assigned to assist you.

DURIP is designed to improve the capabilities of accredited U.S. institutions of higher education to conduct research and to educate scientists and engineers in areas important to national defense, by providing funds for the acquisition of research equipment or instrumentation.

The President’s Distinguished Service Awards and the unclassified professionals’ Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award honorees were presented at 2 p.m. Friday, April 23.

To see the list of honorees or view the livestream visit Wichita.edu/shockerpride.

Applications for the Summer 2021 Shocker Innovation Corps (I-Corps) are now being accepted. The deadline to apply is June 1, 2021.

Wichita State University is a National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps site.  The Shocker Innovation Corps nurtures and supports Wichita State entrepreneurial teams interested in transitioning their STEM [1] ideas, devices, processes or other intellectual activities into the marketplace in anticipation of profit.

The holiday closedown period has been approved this year to commence at the end of the day on Friday Dec. 17 and reopen on Monday, Jan. 3. We are communicating the schedule at this time to ensure all employees can manage their time off appropriately. The closedown is 10 days, two of which are paid holidays. Classes will not be in session during this period.

Unclassified Professional and University Support Staff who would normally be scheduled to work the days may use accumulated vacation leave or their *2021 discretionary day during the holiday closedown. Non-exempt employees can also use accumulated compensatory time off during the holiday closedown.

If your role requires you to work during the holiday closedown it must be approved in advance by your immediate supervisor.

Closedown dates: 

• Monday, Dec. 20
• Tuesday, Dec. 21
• Wednesday, Dec. 22
• Thursday, Dec. 23
• Friday, Dec. 24 (State Paid Holiday)
• Monday, Dec. 27
• Tuesday, Dec. 28
• Wednesday, Dec. 29
• Thursday Dec. 30
• Friday, Dec. 31 (State Paid Holiday)

An employee must be in pay status the entire workday before and the entire workday after state holidays in order to receive holiday pay. The official state holidays are Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

For those who are required to work during the holiday closedown, we appreciate your dedication and service to the university.

*The discretionary day for 2021 must be used on or before Dec. 25, 2021.

The Cadman Art Gallery, located on the first floor of the Rhatigan Student Center, is accepting applications for fall 2021 exhibits through midnight on Sunday, May 9. The world needs art now more than ever. The Cadman accepts proposals from degree-seeking students wanting to exhibit their work solo, group shows with several students, or groups sponsored by student groups, clubs, or faculty and staff. All proposals must be art oriented, and there is no limit on the style of art displayed. Applicants will interview with a selection committee on the evening of Thursday, May 13. For more information and our easy application, please visit wichita.edu/cadmangallery.

Join our podcast crew as they traverse the cosmos — and the Libraries’ vast resources — for info on UFO research. Kerry Majher, WSU program coordinator for NASA in Kansas, drops in as well. Listen to “That’s A Shocker.”

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This issue covers what you need to know about the change from Blackboard Learn to Blackboard Ultra, and what you need to prepare to see after May 29. We also talk about the Academic Resources Conference week in May, when we will be focusing on more advanced topics and material than usual to give everyone something to think about as they move into summer. We wrap up the issue with an essay from Aaron Rife, the First Year Seminar faculty coordinator on the topic of “thinking during a pandemic.”