WSU Today: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026

WSU Critical Alert

"Alert. Boil Water Advisory" on a yellow background.

City of Wichita boil water advisory: Avoid campus drinking fountains and bottle-filling stations

The City of Wichita has issued a boil-water advisory for Wichita water customers following a disruption at the city’s water treatment system. Out of an abundance of caution, Wichita State University is advising students, faculty and staff not to use campus drinking fountains or bottle-filling stations until further notice.

Wichita State is actively monitoring the situation and will provide updates as additional information becomes available.

Faculty and staff are asked to place signs on drinking fountains and bottle-filling stations in their areas indicating that they should not be used until the advisory is lifted

Expect interruptions in food and beverage services on campus. There will be free bottled water available at the Rhatigan Student Center.

For the latest updates and information, please visit wichita.edu/wateradvisory.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience as we work to help keep our campus community informed and safe.

Events and Recreation

A graphic of the Personnages Oiseaux mural on the front of the Ulrich Museum of Art sits in the center of a white background with the text, "Wichita State University. Shocker Pride. Nationwide. Celebrate the Arts - 2026."

Join the arts at WSU for ‘Shocker Pride. Nationwide. Celebrate the Arts’ on Oct. 1

Join the arts at Wichita State for "Shocker Pride. Nationwide. Celebrate the Arts," a spotlight on the creativity, talent and innovation that define the university's vibrant arts community.

Athletic training program to host open house Sept. 22

The athletic training program invites faculty, staff and students to an open house from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22 in 134 Heskett Center.

Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the athletic training lab, learn more about the Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) program, and meet faculty and current students. Join to explore the program and discover the hands-on learning experiences and career opportunities available to students pursuing athletic training.

Attend WSU AAUP chapter update on program discontinuance and mergers

All faculty and teaching staff are invited to an American Association of University Professors (AAUP) chapter meeting for a discussion of program discontinuance and department mergers and for other updates on campus issues.

The meeting will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18 in 266 Rhatigan Student Center, Pike Room. Bring a friend or two for updates on these important issues. For questions or a password to the Zoom remote link, contact AAUP chapter secretary George Dehner via email at george.dehner@wichita.edu.

Print the Past: The Declaration of Independence. Panel & Printing Workshop, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 4pm, Book Technologies Lab (Lindquist 601). (images of the manuscript and printed versions of the Declaration in the background).

Learn about the Declaration of Independence and print your own copy at the Book Technologies Lab

Join the Book Technologies Lab at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 in 601 Lindquist Hall for its first-ever Print the Past event. One part academic panel, one part printing workshop, a totally new way to learn about a famous text. This year, in honor of its 250th anniversary, the event will be spotlighting the Declaration of Independence.

Learn about this remarkable document from an interdisciplinary panel: Dr. Katie Lanning, English; Dr. Alex Middlewood, political science; and Dr. Jay Price, history. Then try your hand at printing your own copy of the declaration on the handpress.

This event is co-sponsored by the Robert L. Cattoi Book Technologies Lab and the departments of English, history and political science. It is free and open to the public. Learn more about the Book Technologies Lab at wichita.edu/booklab.

Foundation and Alumni Engagement

Founders Day Is Tomorrow Get ready to make a difference

Tomorrow, Sept. 17, is Founders Day, Wichita State University’s annual 24-hour day of giving.

For one day only, Shockers everywhere will come together to support the colleges, programs, scholarships, student organizations and initiatives they care about most. Whether you’re passionate about student success, academic excellence, athletics, the arts or any area of campus, Founders Day is your opportunity to make an impact.

This year, many gifts can go even further through special matches and challenges happening throughout the day. Make sure you check them out the day of on the Founders Day page.

Remember: Participation matters. Gifts of any size help create momentum and demonstrate the collective power of the Shocker community.

Mark your calendar, choose the fund you care about and join tomorrow as Shocker Nations celebrates Wichita State’s future together.

Faculty and Staff Resources

Decorative flyer: The Faculty Research Collaborative will spotlight research at the intersection of Education and STEM; Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2:30-3:45 pm at Wichita State Connect, 1900 Research Place. There will be an optional tour of the Project Innovation Hub in John Bardo Center to follow. The event is hosted by FARE, in partnership with the colleges of Education and Engineering.

FARE Faculty Research Collaborative Sept. 23 will feature presentations on STEM and education

The next Faculty Research Collaborative will be from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23 in 106/107 Wichita State Connect. The event will feature three-minute presentations by researchers at Wichita State whose inquiry is at the intersection of STEM and education, followed by Q&A and time for discussion and networking.

Campus Safety

September is Campus Fire Prevention Month. Your building is part of the fire safety team

During Campus Fire Safety Month, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety reminds the campus community that fire alarms, sprinklers, fire doors and extinguishers are all designed to help protect lives during an emergency. Understanding how these systems work and keeping them unobstructed can make a difference when they are needed most.

Presentations and Talks

Chemistry and biochemistry hosting seminar by Professor Ahmed Hamid from Auburn University Sept. 16

Join the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry for its next weekly seminar which will take place at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 in 224 McKinley Hall. The department is honored to host Professor Ahmed Hamid from Auburn University who will deliver a talk titled “Developing Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry and Machine Learning for Clinical Applications.”

Dr. Adnan Mansour, University of Maryland, will present at physics seminar Sept. 16

Join the Department of Physics seminar at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 in 128 Jabara Hall featuring Dr. Adnan Mansour from the University of Maryland, who will present a talk on “Simulation & Characterization of Ion Acoustic Solutions for Debris Detection in Low-Earth Orbit”

The seminar series brings several speakers to WSU each semester and is funded by the Eddy and April Lucas Fund, Wichita.

Dr. Adam Scheffler will speak at the next KMUW ‘Why Should I Read This?’ lecture

Throughout 2026, KMUW is sponsoring a lecture series with the five professors from the “Why Should I Read This?” on-air series. Each professor will offer a deep dive into some of their favorite works.

The next lecture is at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18 at KMUW, 121 N. Mead, Suite 200. Dr. Adam Scheffler from the Department of English will lecture on the poetry of James Wright, winner of the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.

The event is open to all. No need to RSVP and no required reading. Refreshments will be on hand.

Five professors. Five lectures. Zero papers.

Graphic with black background, spiderwebs and halloween font, "Career Nightmares &

ICTNext presents career nightmares and resiliency panel

Every career has its plot twists. Join ICTNext starting at 6 p.m. Oct. 14 at Watermark Books, 4701 E. Douglas Ave., for a candid panel conversation with public sector professionals as they share some of the unexpected challenges, setbacks and career nightmares they’ve experienced along the way — and how they navigated those moments to get where they are today.

Hear from Lindsay Poe Rousseu, chief finance officer with Sedgwick County; Tanya Bulluck, executive director of Child Start; and Tim Johnson, director of public utilities for the City of Augusta, as they share real stories, lessons learned and advice for navigating your own career journey.

Networking starts at 5:30 p.m. Come for the stories, stay for the lessons.

Barton School welcomes leadership expert and author Margaret Andrews as distinguished speaker

The Barton School of Business will welcome leadership expert, educator, executive and author Margaret Andrews as its next distinguished speaker as part of the school’s centennial celebration. An interactive keynote will take place at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 27 in 141 Woolsey Hall, Fidelity Bank Ballroom. Doors will open at 9 a.m.

Andrews will bring decades of experience spanning business and higher education to the Barton School for conversations focused on leadership, creativity, emotional intelligence and the skills professionals need to lead themselves and others effectively.

Following the program, attendees are invited to remain in Woolsey Hall for networking and a book signing with Andrews featuring “Manage Yourself to Lead Others.” The event is free and open to the public. Seating is extremely limited, and advance registration is strongly encouraged. To RSVP, visit wichita.edu/there.