WSU Today: Friday, March 1, 2024

Required Training

Updated access to annual Title IX & Civil Rights Compliance Training

At WSU, we believe in the importance of creating a safe and healthy environment for all of our community members. To that end, we have partnered with Catharsis to provide Title IX & Civil Rights Training. This training is highly interactive and engaging, and is based on research around best practices for healthy communities. As you complete your training, we invite you to reach out to the many referenced resources in order to join the larger discussion of these topics on our campus.

Parking and Traffic

Lot 41 by Woolsey Hall to be partially closed March 1

Approximately half of lot 41, the parking lot near Woolsey Hall, will be closed Friday, March 1 for an event in the building. Faculty and staff that typically park in this lot will need to park in other yellow lots in the area of the building. The YMCA lot is not available for faculty, staff or event guest parking and could result in a citation.

The purpose of lot reservations is to help accommodate large groups of guests visiting campus for events or the event itself. Lot reservations are not to be used for WSU affiliates. Remember, visitors to campus can park without an ePermit up to three times each semester.

Red reserved and ADA stalls are not subject to lot closures and proper use is permitted during this time.

Find other faculty/staff parking

Lot 19E by Eck Stadium to be closed March 1-3

Lot 19E, the parking lot near Eck Stadium, will be closed starting Friday, March 1 through Sunday, March 3 for an athletics event. Faculty, staff and students that typically park in this lot will need to park in other lots per their ePermit type in the area of the building. The YMCA lot is not available for faculty, staff or event guest parking and could result in a citation.

Red reserved and ADA stalls are not subject to lot closures and proper use is permitted during this time.

Find other available parking on campus

Game day parking enforced March 2

For the Saturday, March 2 Shocker men’s basketball game, a number of lots in the vicinity of Charles Koch Arena will be reserved for Shocker Athletic Scholarship Organization parking beginning at 3 p.m. During this time, signage will be in place alerting drivers of the impending lot assignment changes.

Anyone previously parked in these lots will need to move their cars by 3 p.m. Any unauthorized parking in a game day lot carries a $50 citation fine.

This is the final men’s home game of the season.

Learn more about game day parking

Human Resources

Employee signature for 2023-24 myPerformance evaluations is due March 7

Annual non-teaching employee performance evaluations for 2023-24 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 2023-24 evaluation by 11:59 p.m. Thursday, 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).

Check out the new HR website landing page

The Office of Human Resources has launched the first pages of its new website. You’ll notice a new look and feel to the HR website starting today and continuing throughout the year as it generates easier employee access to HR information, tools and resources.

Designed to improve navigation for existing employees and potential candidates, it brings the information, tools and resources that you are looking for to the forefront of the page. This new landing page also highlights employee success, important news and how the HR team is here to help you.

The HR team would love to hear any feedback you have as they continue this work. Go to the main landing page and look around. Use the survey widget on the site to share any feedback on the usability of the site or if there are resources you would like to see as a quick link.

Stay tuned for further development of the service area pages.

Master Plan

Learn more about Wichita State’s upcoming 10-year master plan March 1

The campus community is invited to learn more and ask questions about the next Wichita State Master Plan from 2 to 3 p.m. March 1 in 110 Woolsey Hall, Frank A. Boettger Auditorium or virtually via YouTube livestream. President Rick Muma and Dr. Shirley Lefever, provost and executive vice president, will speak at the event along with representatives from Gensler, a global architecture, design and planning firm that helped develop the plan. Please RSVP to attend.

RSVP to attend the session

News

TRIO McNair Scholars Program is accepting applications

The McNair Scholars Program is accepting applications for 2024-25 academic year. McNair assists students who are underrepresented in higher education to prepare for graduate school.

It will be hosting two informational events next month for students who are interested in learning more about the program.

Wednesday, March 6: TRIO McNair Scholars Program informational events:

In-person at 11 a.m. in 165 Grace Wilkie Annex
Virtual at 2:30 p.m. via Zoom

RSVP to the events at 316-978-3139 or mcnairscholars@wichita.edu to receive more information.

Student who are unable to attend an informational, can book a time to meet individually at the following link.

Hear from current and former students in the program.

Learn more and submit an application

Barton School and Envision Arts partnership continues with new art installation

The Barton School of Business has installed a new art exhibit in partnership with the Envision Arts Program. Gretchen Howarth is the latest artist who is visually impaired to be showcased on the third floor of the Barton School.

“The Envision Arts installation has become a stalwart exhibit at Woolsey Hall,” said Dr. Duane Nagel, senior associate dean of the Barton School of Business. “It is a true inspiration to everyone.”

Howarth is legally blind with much of her vision gradually lost to Stargardt, a genetic eye disorder that causes progressive vision loss. This disorder creates thousands of holes in the retina. For Howarth, she sees through “a galaxy of tiny dots” and has no center focus.

Learn more about the new installation

Encourage your students to apply for the Library Research Award

Your students have an opportunity to win $1000 for using the library. The Library Research Award recognizes undergraduate and graduate students who have effectively utilized University Libraries’ resources for their research or creative projects during the past academic year (summer through spring semesters).

Students must complete the application/essay by April 8. Applicants are required to have a faculty member submit a brief letter of support that is due by April 12.

For questions, email lib.award@wichita.edu.

Learn more about the award

Graduate School seeks judges for GRASP Symposium

The Graduate School is seeking faculty, staff and community volunteers to judge during the poster session of the 2024 Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects (GRASP) Symposium Friday, April 26 in the Rhatigan Student Center Ballroom.

The Graduate School is counting on volunteer services this year, and this will give volunteers an excellent opportunity to learn about the research graduate students have been engaged in across campus.

Podcasts

Create Space podcast features a multidisciplinary collaboration between two departments in Fairmount College

Jessica Newman, assistant educator in the Elliott School of Communication, produces and hosts the podcast Create Space. The show focuses on creativity and storytelling and has featured WSU faculty, students and alums.

Presentations and Talks

Biological Sciences seminar series continues with Dr. Mohamed Fakhr March 4

The Department of Biological Sciences spring 2024 seminar series continues from 4 to 5 p.m. Monday, March 4 in 231 Hubbard Hall, with Dr. Mohamed Fakhr, of the University of Tulsa, with his talk, “Campylobacter Survival In Retail Meats: An Interesting Story.”

Seminars are open to the public and undergraduates are encouraged to attend.

Learn more about living off land in outer space with Alex Ellery at Interstellar Seminar

Dr. Alex Ellery, a mechanical and aerospace engineer from Carleton University in Ottawa, will join Interstellar Seminar from 2:30 to 3:20 p.m. Wednesday, March 6 in 104 Jabara Hall and online to discuss in-situ resource utilization, space manufacturing and the interplanetary economy.

Regenerating spacecraft during multigenerational voyages, when there is no chance of resupply, requires ingenuity, planning and flexible additive manufacturing.

Ellery’s work touches on space robotics, biomimetic design, autonomous systems, lunar mining and self-regenerating von Neumann probes. Find zoom details and an archive of past Interstellar Seminars on the Wichita Space Initiative webpage (wichita.edu/space).

Events

Join the French Division of MCLL for French Ciné-Club showing March 1

Sponsored by the French Division of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures (MCLL) at Wichita State, French Ciné-Club is presenting “Les Intouchables” with English subtitles at 4 p.m. Friday, March 1 in 209 Hubbard Hall followed by a short discussion.

The event is open to everyone and popcorn is provided.

Enjoy Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day at the Rhatigan Student Center

The Rhatigan Student Center presents Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day. All day Friday, March 1, Wichita State faculty, staff and campus affiliate/partner staff can enjoy deals and freebies exclusively for them.

Faculty and staff must show their Shocker ID to be eligible.

Learn more about the day

Join Kansas WISE fourth annual Women’s Conference March 7

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Kansas WISE 2024: Taking Action will take place March 7. This year’s events are designed to emphasize the empowerment of taking action in your own lives whether it be personally or professionally.

The event is free and open to all State of Kansas employees. A more detailed agenda and session descriptions are below along with registration information.

Kicking off late morning with a panel discussion of inspiring women, we will transition to an afternoon of breakout sessions where you choose your path. Afternoon sessions include the power of self-talk, community engagement and action steps we can take to support women’s advancement and sense of belonging in the workplace.

Each event has a separate registration. You will receive a confirmation email for each event you register to attend that includes your unique link and the option to add the event to your calendar.

Panel discussion
11:45 a.m. -1:15 p.m.
Join Kansas WISE and a panel of inspiring women in a conversation about their unique experiences with taking action and making choices and the empowerment and self-care that comes with it. Panelists to be announced soon.
Session one, one breakout. 1:30-2:30 p.m.:
The Power of Self-Talk
Self-talk is the inner dialogue that shapes our thoughts, feelings, and actions. In this session, explore how negative and positive self-talk can impact our work and well-being. Walk away with strategies to improve self-talk patterns for the better.
Session two, two breakouts, choose one. 3-4 p.m.:
- Civic Leadership Pathways
  Presented by Emily Vietti from the KU’s Institute for Leadership Studies, Civic Leadership Pathways prepares you to be more civically engaged by giving you the confidence to say “Yes!” to serving your community. You’ll also learn more about the Ready to Run Campaign Training for Women and how to get involved in their 2024 class.
- Advancing and Belonging in the Workplace
  Join KU’s Inspiring Women in Public Administration for a facilitated conversation using Covey’s Circle of Influence and Control to reflect on actions steps we can take to support women’s advancement and sense of belonging in the workplace.

Please direct questions to KansasWISE@ks.gov.

Encourage students to attend Procrastination Prevention Night at Ablah Library

Don’t let the mid-semester blues get your students down. Encourage them to join the Shocker Learning Center and University Libraries for a night of support at the late-night study event, tailored just for them, happening from 6 p.m. to midnight, March 27 at Ablah Library.

Featuring workshops, tutoring sessions, arts and crafts, mindfulness activities, and more. They’ll have all the tools they need to conquer the rest of the semester.

Plus, they’re covered with coffee and snacks to keep them fueled and focused throughout the night. More information to come.