WSU Today: Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Fall Address

RSVP for the 2025 President’s Fall Address

The 2025 Fall Address for will be held at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13 at Miller Concert Hall in Duerksen Fine Arts Center. Doors will open at 2 p.m. Attendees will also have the opportunity to pick up a copy of Wichita State’s new book, “Student Centered, Innovation Driven: A Guide to Transforming Higher Education,” at the reception following the address, while supplies last.

Join President Rick Muma and guest speakers Monica Lounsbery, senior executive vice president and provost; Kevin Saal, director of athletics; Jen Friend, dean of the College of Applied Studies; Ashlie Jack, senior associate vice president for Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Enrollment Management; Chris Stone, Faculty Senate president and chair/clinical associate professor, Department of Management; and Jacob Mendez, assistant dean for Student Success in the College of Engineering; as they outline key focus areas for the coming year.

Following the address, refreshments will be available at 305/306 Rhatigan Student Center, Beggs Ballroom. Refer to the faculty/staff parking map for nearby lots.

RSVP by Friday, Aug. 8

News

Submit your letters for a card shower for Deltha Colvin’s retirement

Deltha Colvin poses in front of a gray background

Wichita State is hosting a card shower to honor Deltha Colvin, associate vice president of college readiness/retention programs at TRIO Student Support Services, who is retiring after 55 years of service to the university.

Since Colvin is not currently in Wichita, in lieu of an in-person celebration, the campus community can send cards to the Office of Academic Affairs, who will route them to Colvin, care of Laura Manning, executive assistant to the provost. No postage is necessary. Please send your cards to Academic Affairs by Wednesday, Aug. 13.

Colvin, a nationally recognized leader in student support and access programs, has been a driving force behind TRIO initiatives at WSU, including Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Veterans Upward Bound, McNair Scholars and GEAR UP. She was also among the first graduates of TRIO Upward Bound when it launched in 1965.

New University Event & Meeting Services and Facility Services table and chair procedures and charges start July 1

Starting July 1, 2025, new request procedures and rental/delivery charges will be in place for additional table and chair deliveries from University Event & Meeting Services and Facilities Services.

The procedures and fees are for additional tables and chairs that are delivered by facilities services. It does not affect furniture that is already in a space.

For more information and to view the updated procedures and charges, visit the University Event & Meeting Services website. Questions? Email myevent@wichita.edu.

Parking and Traffic

Lot 41 by Woolsey Hall to be partially closed July 31

Approximately half of lot 41, the parking lot near Woolsey Hall, will be closed Thursday, July 31 for an event in the building and is scheduled to reopen in the early afternoon. 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.

Applied Learning

James Wright stands with how teammates in the ViBracelet team, who competed at the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization Global Pitch Conference

WSU senior prepares for aviation workforce with NIAR internship

James Wright’s work in the Environmental Test Lab for the National Institute for Aviation Research includes measuring salt spray fallout, welding and CAD modeling.

Through each day of his paid internship, one benefit stands out – problem solving. Wright, a Wichita State University senior majoring in aerospace engineering, is from Joplin, Missouri, and works as a mechanical student assistant at NIAR.

“It’s a lot of problem solving,” he said. “I think that it’s vital to learn how to operate in this sort of environment while you’re at school, so that once you make it into the workforce you’re comfortable learning things the hard way and clawing your way up when you’re in a new and unfamiliar situation.”

Faculty and Staff Resources

Join the Shocker Teaching Community of Practice

The Shocker Teaching Community of Practice is available for all who teach at WSU (tenured, tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty, adjunct faculty, GTAs, etc.). The Shocker Teaching Community of Practice, rooted in the Student Experience Project created by the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities and the Coalition of Urban-Serving Universities, provides a monthly gathering space for community members to learn about, implement and reflect on the core components of student success that can be implemented in teaching practices. The Shocker Teaching Community of Practice will gather on the last Wednesday of the month at 2 p.m.

For questions or more information about the Shocker Teaching Community of Practice, contact Brett Bruner, assistant vice president for Student Success & Persistence, at brett.bruner@wichita.edu.

Presentations and Talks

Artist Just Favela poses in front of an American Flag in a skeleton tee and red sweater

Artist Justin Favela will give a presentation in McKnight Art Center

Born in Las Vegas, Justin Favela is renowned for his large-scale installations in cartonería, the traditional Mexican art of piñata making. Favela celebrates his heritage and identity while reflecting on themes of Latinidad, cultural appropriation and art history. By reflecting on the intersections of tradition and contemporary culture, Favela challenges the ways Latine identity is represented, commodified and misunderstood in North American cultural spaces, inviting the viewers to reconsider notions of authenticity, value and artistic ownership.

Favela’s installations create immersive spaces that playfully dismantle institutional hierarchies, making his work just as subversive as it is accessible and fun. Favela will give an artist talk associated with a new site-specific installation at the Ulrich, opening Aug. 4. This free event starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 31 in 210 McKnight Art Center. Everyone is welcome.