WSU Today: Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026

Human Resources

A road sign with the words Open Enrollment Ahead is pictured on a country road that is surrounded on both sides by trees with fall foliage.

Upcoming 2027 benefits Open Enrollment events

All benefits-eligible state employees must participate in Open Enrollment. Log in to the Member Administration Portal at sehp.member.hrissuite.com to make your elections.

Upcoming events:

1:30 p.m. Oct. 14: WSU virtual presentation via Microsoft Teams
9 a.m. Oct. 15: WSU In-person presentation in 266 Rhatigan Student Center, Pike Room

No registration is required for the WSU presentations. Visit the open enrollment presentations webpage to add these to your calendar and/or access the meeting link.

During this busy time, the HR Total Rewards Team is not available for walk-in traffic or to make individual appointments regarding Open Enrollment. Take advantage of the scheduled virtual and in-person presentations, as well as on-demand options. For additional information, visit the Open Enrollment website. Any questions should be directed to TotalRewards@wichita.edu.

University shares schedule for the 2026 Winter Break

To help employees plan for time off and work schedules throughout the year, the university has shared Winter Break has been approved this year to commence at the end of the day on Friday, Dec. 18, 2026, and the university will reopen on Monday, Jan. 4, 2027. The break is 10 business days, three of which are paid holidays. Thanks to President Rick Muma, employees may use four “Additional Personal Days” to remain in pay status during Winter Break. Classes will not be in session during this period.

Unclassified Professional and University Support Staff may use accumulated paid leave, Additional Personal Days or their 2027 discretionary day* to cover time off during Winter Break. Non-exempt employees may also use accumulated compensatory time off during Winter Break.

If an employee’s role requires them to work during Winter Break, it must be approved in advance by their immediate supervisor.

Dates of Winter Break:

Monday, Dec. 21, 2026
Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2026
Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2026
Thursday, Dec. 24, 2026 (paid holiday**)
Friday, Dec. 25, 2026 (paid holiday)
Monday, Dec. 28, 2026
Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2026
Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2026
Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026
Friday, Jan. 1, 2027 (paid holiday)

An employee must be in pay status the entire workday before and the entire workday after state holidays to receive holiday pay. This year the official state holidays (bolded) are Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Employees required to work during Winter Break will be allowed to use their four Additional Personal Days anytime from Dec. 21, 2026, through Jan. 31, 2027.

*The discretionary day for 2026 must be used on or before Friday, Dec. 18, 2026, prior to the beginning of Winter Break. The discretionary day for 2027 will be available as of Sunday, Dec. 20, 2026, and may be used during the 2026 Winter Break.

**The governor may designate additional paid holidays for state employees, often around holiday seasons in some years. In 2026, with Christmas falling on Friday, the governor has designated an additional holiday for Thursday, Christmas Eve.

Learn more about Winter Break

Military and Veterans

Military and Veterans Services honors the 251st birthday of the United States Navy

On Oct. 13, Military and Veteran Services proudly joins the nation in celebrating the 251st birthday of the United States Navy, recognizing its distinguished service, sacrifice and unwavering dedication to defending the nation and preserving freedom around the world. Military and Veteran Services calls on the campus community to reflect on its legacy while looking forward to the generations of leaders and sailors who will carry its traditions into the future.

On Oct. 13, Military and Veteran Services proudly joins the nation in celebrating the 251st birthday of the United States Navy, recognizing its distinguished service, sacrifice and unwavering dedication to defending the nation and preserving freedom around the world. Military and Veteran Services calls on the campus community to reflect on its legacy while looking forward to the generations of leaders and sailors who will carry its traditions into the future.

The Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment reflect integrity, accountability and leadership, qualities that resonate throughout the Wichita State community. Military-connected students bring these values into the classroom, research, campus organizations and their careers, enriching WSU through their experience, dedication and service.

As the Navy marks this historic milestone, Military and Veteran Services honors the generations of sailors who have served, recognizes the sacrifices of Navy families and expresses gratitude to veterans, active-duty sailors, reservists, military spouses and families within the Shocker community. Their service and commitment strengthen WSU and exemplify lifelong learning, leadership and dedication to others.

Founded on Oct. 13, 1775, the United States Navy has grown from a small fleet established during the American Revolution into one of the world’s most advanced maritime forces. For more than 250 years, generations of sailors have demonstrated courage, resilience and dedication while protecting national interests, supporting humanitarian missions and promoting global security. Serving around the world and often far from home, Navy personnel continue a proud tradition of excellence, service and commitment to duty.

Military and Veteran Services is available in 318 Shocker Success Center. Learn more about Military and Veteran Services on its website. For inquiries, you can email veterans.services@wichita.edu or call 316-978-3207.

Presentations and Talks

Getting Your Journal Article Published - John Bond

Hear from John Bond on getting your journal article published

Join scholarly publishing professional, author and consultant John Bond for a practical workshop on navigating the scholarly publishing process, from identifying the right journal and developing a writing plan and making the most of your work after publication from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 virtually via Microsoft Teams.

This session is recommended for those who are preparing their first manuscript or looking to strengthen their publication strategy.

Chemistry and biochemistry hosting seminar by Professor Vladislav Klepov from University of Georgia Oct. 14

Join the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry for its next weekly seminar, which will take place at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14 in 224 McKinley Hall. The department is honored to host Professor Vladislav Klepov from University of Georgia who will deliver a talk titled “Hypervalent Structural Units in Lanthanide and Uranium Intermetallics.”

Join ‘The Art of Immunity: Seeing Protection Through a Different Lens’ panel discussion Oct. 22

The Ascension Via Christi - Wichita State University School of Nursing and the Ulrich Museum of Art will present "The Art of Immunity: Seeing Protection Through a Different Lens" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22 in 200 Ahlberg Hall.

Fine Arts

WSU Symphony Concert spotlights Marcussen organ

The WSU Symphony Orchestra performs in concert with faculty artist Lynne Davis, the Robert L. Town Distinguished Professor of Organ, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 in Wiedemann Hall. The program features music by Handel, Walton and Saint-Saens, and will be led by Mark Laycock.

Events and Recreation

Hugo Wall Day 2026. A Celebration of Public Service. October 30, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wichita State Connect. Hosted by the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs at Wichita State University.

Celebrate public service at Hugo Wall Day 2026

Join the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs for Hugo Wall Day 2026, a celebration of public service starting at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30 at Wichita State Connect.

This annual event brings together alumni, students, faculty, staff and public service professionals for a day of timely discussions, networking and recognition of outstanding contributions to public service. This year’s program will explore how public and nonprofit leaders navigate budgetary constraints and promote public service careers in a changing environment.

Registration is $25 and includes morning coffee service and lunch. WSU students attend free with a valid Shocker ID.

Learn more and register

Support student engagement through ShockerSync

Looking for ways to support students on campus? Check out the ShockerSync calendar for events hosted by the nearly 300 student organizations at WSU. Many events are also open to faculty and staff.

Professional Development

Register for Microsoft OneDrive essentials training

This hands-on training, from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 virtually via Microsoft Teams, is designed to help staff and faculty work more efficiently with Microsoft OneDrive by learning how to organize files, collaborate with others, share content securely, restore previous versions, manage storage responsibly and reduce the clutter of email attachments and duplicate documents.

Whether you’re new to OneDrive or looking to build better habits, you’ll leave with practical skills you can immediately apply to your daily work.

To register, log in to myTraining and search for “OneDrive Essentials.” Space is limited, so register early.

Register for Microsoft PowerPoint essentials training

This hands-on training, from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20 virtually via Microsoft Teams, covers foundational skills in one of the most widely used presentation tools in higher education.

Whether you are new to PowerPoint or looking to strengthen your existing skills, this session will leave you better equipped to navigate and utilize the tools in PowerPoint to create compelling presentations with efficiency.

To register, log in to myTraining and search for “PowerPoint Essentials.” Space is limited, so register early.