WSU Today: Friday, March 15, 2024

Parking and Traffic

Lot 19E by Eck Stadium to be closed March 15-17

Lot 19E, the parking lot near Eck Stadium, will be closed Friday, March 15 through Sunday, March 17 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. 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 parking on campus

Human Resources

Planning for 2024-25 myPerformance evaluations is due March 31

Annual non-teaching employee performance evaluations for 2024-25 are now accessible for managers to complete the planning step of the myPerformance evaluation cycle. Planning should be completed by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 31.

See the 2024 designated holidays for State of Kansas employees

To help you plan your time-off and work schedules throughout the year, Wichita State is happy to share the 2024 holidays.

News

Dr. M. Edwin Sawan to serve as director for School of Computing in College of Engineering

The College of Engineering has announced that Dr. M. Edwin Sawan will serve as the director of its School of Computing for a term of three years. He had been serving as an interim department chair for the College of Engineering since 2022. Within his role as an interim department chair, Dr. Sawan was particularly passionate about ensuring faculty, staff and students feel valued. During the recent search for someone to serve in a more permanent role, Dr. Sawan was one of the candidates recommended by the department faculty, and ultimately, was selected.

Before serving as the interim department chair for the School of Computing, Dr. Sawan served as a professor in the (then) Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department for 30 years. During his tenure, he won numerous teaching awards and was published many times. Following the death of his wife, Dr. Sawan founded the Maha “Maggie” Sawan Fellowship for international graduate students in 2011, which awards two new Sawan Fellows each academic year.

Presentations and Talks

Learn more about ethics of space exploration with JS Johnson-Schwartz at Interstellar Seminar

Join Interstellar Seminar for a discourse on the ethical questions that surround multi-generational missions to the stars from 2:30 to 3:20 p.m. Wednesday, March 20 in 104 Jabara Hall and online with Dr. JS Johnson-Schwartz, assistant professor of philosophy.

How does society articulate and defend the intrinsic value of the knowledge gained from space science in the context of planetary stewardship? How does it frame the questions that lead to the ethical principles defining permissible human space settlement?

Dr. Johnson-Schwartz studies the philosophy and ethics of space exploration at WSU, touching on space policy, law, inclusivity, the environment and metaphysics. A prolific author, she is a thought leader on the epistemic values of space exploration, exploitation and settlement.

Learn more and find the Zoom link

Shocker Athletics

Enjoy spring with family and Shockers by purchasing Junior Shocker memberships

Junior Shockers has a plethora of benefits for your young Shocker fans. As a member, your child can attend all regular-season home baseball games and all regular-season home conference softball games at no additional charge. There is also one designated Junior Shocker Kids Club Day game that offers unique experiences only for Junior Shocker Kids Club members. Last year on Junior Shocker days, members got to tour the stadiums, throw out the ceremonial first pitches and meet softball and baseball student-athletes to get their autographs.

Soon after signing your child up as a Junior Shocker, you will receive a membership kit mailed directly to your address that includes a membership T-shirt, a lanyard with credential and a welcome letter from WuShock.

To sum it all up, children can receive admission to various WSU sporting events, unique Junior Shocker experiences and a membership kit all for $30.

For questions, email marketing1@goshockers.com or call the Shocker Ticket Office at 316-978-3267.

Events and Recreation

Join Society of Public Historians for its monthly meeting

The Society of Public Historians welcomes the campus community to its second monthly meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, March 21 in Fiske Hall.

It will finalize its Spring Walking Tour as well as other upcoming plans for the club.

Retirement celebration scheduled for Johny Buchanan-Spachek

Join the Office for Workforce Professional and Community Education (WPCE) in celebrating Johny Buchanan-Spachek at a come and go retirement reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, March 22 in Hughes Metropolitan Complex, room 132.

Johny has served the WSU community as an office manager for 12 years in multiple offices including the Student Government Association and the College of Applied Studies, spending the past year and a half with WPCE. During her time at WSU, Johny was an active member of the Staff Senate for many years and even served as senate president from 2016-17. She is also a part of the Women of Wichita State University, where she served two terms as its treasurer.

Help show appreciation for her service to the university by joining the celebration for refreshments and light snacks while wishing Johny all the best as she heads back to Texas.

Join University Libraries for its next Entrepreneurship Workshop: Trademarking Your Business

Join University Libraries for its Entrepreneurship Research Lunch and Learn from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, March 29 at Ablah Library in the Digital Learning Commons (in-person and online).

Discover types of trademark protection and learn search strategies for existing marks and logos. Bring a lunch and spread the word. The session is free and open to all.

Learn more and register