University Village concept to be presented in town hall
I wanted to write you this brief note in advance of a community Town Hall that will be hosted from 1-2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, regarding the 鈥淯niversity Village鈥� concept. As many have already heard during one of the numerous town halls on campus, we believe our students, faculty and staff as well as our neighbors would benefit from amenities that come with an urban public research university, like 麻豆破解版 State University.
We are making progress on our campus with the new Student Wellness Center, planning for an updated Academic Affairs service center in Clinton Hall after the completion of Woolsey Hall, and having discussions around a new Convergence Sciences building on the main campus 鈥� along with ongoing upgrades to our academic buildings.
However, there are still gaps to address based on the input and suggestions by many of you and our neighbors surrounding our campus, including partners on the Innovation Campus.
This includes certain amenities and services within walking distance, such as: local and healthy food options/restaurants, grocery store with international foods, a 24-hour pharmacy, dining that could include a bakery or smoothie shop, and more child care, to name just a few.
At the community Town Hall, campus and community leaders 鈥� will be presenting our interest in working with local and national developers interested in partnering to explore the possibilities to bring these amenities on properties located adjacent to our campus.
Ongoing updates related to our progress and information about some of the ideas we receive for your input will be shared. You can view the Town Hall .
Go Shocks!
Acting President and Provost Rick Muma
Changes to logging in to WSU Reporting
now has additional information on how to login, and if you have questions please reach out to helpdesk@wichita.edu.
Free webinar series for Kansas faculty on Open Educational Resources
Join us for the free Open Educational Resources Webinar Series this semester brought to you by the KBOR OER Steering Committee.
Outlining Problems: Cost and Pedagogy 鈥� 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1
Creative Commons Introduction 鈥� 3:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26
Repositories & Platforms 鈥� 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2
Zoom links to register and descriptions of the sessions are available on the .
Participate in a UP/USS combined Senate listening discussion
The Unclassified Professional (UP) Senate and University Support Staff (USS) Senates invite you to attend a listening session to discuss the possibility of merging the two Senates to be a unified voice for all university staff. These conversations, which started in 2017, will provide us an opportunity to engage with staff members about the pros and cons of merging the Senates. This is the first step in a semester-long conversation that will culminate in a staff vote and decision in December.
Attend a virtual listening session at 4 p.m. today (Tuesday, Sept. 29). A Zoom link will be sent in advance to those who RSVP. If you have questions or are unable to attend and want to send feedback, contact UP Senate Vice President/President-Elect, Gabriel Fonseca at gabriel.fonseca@wichita.edu.
Overshadowed: The 麻豆破解版 State Football Crash
The original air date of this program was Sept. 7 on KDVR-TV in Denver. It was produced by Jeremy Hubbard.
2021 Benefits Open Enrollment Oct. 1-31!
This is once again an active enrollment, meaning that all covered state employees must participate, or be enrolled in a default plan.
Events this week:
Thursday, Oct. 1: SEHP will begin opening throughout the day. All benefit-eligible employees should have access to their benefits open enrollment portal by close of business on Oct. 1.
Thursday, Oct. 1: Presentation on Optional Life Insurance Open Enrollment Webinar by The Standard @ 10:30 a.m., .
The Total Rewards Team is not available for walk-in traffic or to make individual appointments regarding open enrollment. Please take advantage of the scheduled live virtual presentations and on-demand options. For additional information, visit the . Any questions should be directed to TotalRewards@wichita.edu.
CORRECTION: SEHP originally communicated that medical rates for Employee+Spouse and Employee+Family tiers were decreasing 2.5%, but they have since corrected it to 2.0%. This correction was made after emails were sent out last week and open enrollment flyers were printed.
Ability Ally Training is now online!
Ability Allies are a network of faculty, staff, and students who take a visible role in promoting disability awareness, supporting persons with disabilities, and maintaining resources for working and interacting with people with disabilities. This Diversity in Action interactive training is designed to shape your perspective on ability versus disability and providing an open forum for questions and concerns for those interacting with individuals with disabilities.
For more information about the Diversity in Action Program, go to .
This training is free and available to all WSU employees (faculty, staff, and student employees). Log in to myWSU and register through myTraining. For questions, contact myTraining@wichita.edu.
Your vote makes all the difference in the world! Be sure you are registered to vote. Get started today by visiting to register here in Kansas or back in your hometown.
Sign up today to receive election reminders, get registered to vote, and apply for your absentee ballot. Let's show them that #shockersvote.
Questions? Contact gabriel.fonseca@wichita.edu for more information.
TRIO DSS is accepting student applications for the 2020-21 Academic school year
WSU's TRIO Disability Support Services (DSS) Program is excited to enroll students with disabilities for this academic school year. They offer numerous free services such as academic advising, career development, study skills assistance, financial literacy assistance, tutoring, and more. Many DSS graduates cite DSS as a critical program on campus that provided the support, university connections, and resources necessary for their success.
I will apply what I have learned through TRIO DSS to the next chapter of my life - completing a Master's Degree! I am really thankful for the relationships that I have formed through TRIO DSS and look forward to what new challenges there are to conquer in my near future.
-Tiffany H.
My Advisor believed in me when everyone wrote me off. That kind of belief and caring is so strong, it turned a college dropout into a student with a WSU GPA of 3.8 who is going to graduate in a month. I was able to get my first all 鈥淎鈥� semester last fall because of their encouragement. Without my advisor鈥檚 support, I do not think I would be graduating at all.
-Ben L.
For more information, or to apply, go to or call 978-5949. TRIO DSS is located in 158 Grace Wilkie Annex.
Virtual panel series seeks to identify critical conversations surrounding the pandemic
How are "expert" perspectives formed in relation to the pandemic? How is research done and what resources are needed?
In this series, library and departmental faculties will explore approaches and methodologies for researching the impacts of COVID-19, as well as issues relating to the disruption and potentials of academic research during a pandemic.
Go to for a full list of expert panelists, event descriptions, and direct Zoom links for this virtual series.
Questions? Message meghann.kuhlmann@wichita.edu.
Use a smartphone? Want to be in a research study? We need participants!
We are looking for participants who want to be in a research study examining cell phone usage and the neck. The best part? It won't take weeks and weeks of exercises or participation on your part, actually less than 30 minutes!
The study is being sponsored by students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. The principal investigator is Barb Smith.
If you are interested, please click the to see if this study is right for you!
Mask Up activities set for today
The Shocker Health Ambassadors, students in Public Health Sciences, invite the 麻豆破解版 State learning community to participate in free Mask Up activities from noon-3 p.m. today (Tuesday, Sept. 29), on the east patio of the RSC. Join us for trivia and prizes while learning how to reduce your risk of getting COVID-19.
Shockers must work together to learn together, so please join us and follow Shocker Health Ambassadors on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for additional tips to stay healthy and keep moving forward.
* Wash your hands
* Stay at least six feet apart
* Use a mask
Physics Seminar Series talk on Wednesday features Graduate Research Fellow Lynn Buchele
Join us for our next Physics Seminar at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, via featuring Lynn Buchele, E. Schall Graduate Research Fellow at WSU. Lynn鈥檚 talk is titled 鈥淪tellar Modeling with On-The-Fly Opacities.鈥�
The meeting id is 944 200 607 56 with passcode 128. Discussion afterwards
EFC sponsors 3rd Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival
WSU Environmental Finance Center is proud to sponsor the 3rd annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival produced by Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams (KAWS). Join live on Saturday, Oct. 3 from the comfort of your couch for this year's virtual film festival! The festival will stream a lineup of films to immerse you in the ebbs and flows of our natural world. Tickets are $10, and all proceeds support KAWS鈥� work on the Arkansas River.
This year鈥檚 festival will take you on a journey in the wild to explore:
- One group's creative way to bring awareness to the global issue of plastics in our oceans.
- The mysterious other world just below the surface of our rivers.
- The scenic places both close and far from home through the film, "Wild Toddler Chronicles."
- Spots of refuge in our nature system through the kick-off film, 鈥淪anctuary.鈥�
Post-Presidential debate discussion
Join us for a bipartisan panel discussion of the presidential candidates' policies following the first presidential debate of the 2020 election at 9:20 p.m. today (Tuesday, Sept. 29). Register to receive the zoom discussion link at .
Latinx or Nah?
A new, gender-neutral, pan-ethnic label, Latinx, has emerged as an alternative that is used by some news and entertainment outlets, corporations, local governments, and universities to describe the nation鈥檚 Hispanic population.
Join us in our discussion from 1-2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, via Livestream to see who is using the term Latinx. And is it accepted by the Hispanic/Latino community at large? We have a great lineup of panelists who will be part of this virtual panel. Sign up at .
For questions, contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at 316-978-3034, diversity@wichita.edu.
Managers of USS and Non-Teaching UP employees - It鈥檚 mid-review time!
myPerformance evaluations for USS and Non-Teaching UP employees are still available to you for 2020-21 mid-review. Managers should update expectations, competencies, and goals for the 2020-21 review period, then meet with their employees to review. Don鈥檛 forget to provide them a hard copy of their evaluation for reference throughout the year! Mid-Review should be completed by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30.
For more information (including quick reference guides and other assistance) go to
Helpful Hints:
- Your direct reports will not be able to access their 2020-21 myPerformance evaluation until the Employee Self-Evaluation step beginning Jan. 16, 2021, which is why you should provide a hard copy of their 2020-21 review and review it with them!
- Managers have access to update and edit their direct reports myPerformance evaluations as many times as they would like until Employee Self-Evaluation time beginning Jan. 16, 2021!
- Save then SUBMIT! Make sure to SUBMIT after saving every time you update a myPerformance evaluation! Your direct reports will not be able to see the information and you will still have access to their evaluation until Jan. 16, 2021 even after selecting SUBMIT.
- Need a copy of a past performance evaluation? Check the box that says, 鈥淪how completed and expired tasks鈥�, then 鈥淪earch鈥�! Save it as a PDF or print as needed.
- myPerformance Training is available as an online module through myTraining and includes a condensed 鈥渕yTraining for Managers鈥� version.
Impacted by the layoffs in 麻豆破解版?
In the news lately we鈥檝e been hearing about the impact across 麻豆破解版 of the market uncertainty and layoffs that are affecting local businesses and their employees.
If you are a benefits-eligible employee at WSU and you or your spouse is losing health insurance through another employer, this can be a qualifying event for you to add your spouse and/or children to your existing coverages within 31 days of the date the other coverage ends. Email TotalRewards@wichita.edu for more information or assistance with this change.
Human Resources developed a website with information and resources which might be helpful for employees who may be directly impacted by layoffs. Please go to for information and resources available to you.
State Employee Health Plan updates in response to COVID-19
Governor Laura Kelly announced four (4) provisions on March 13, 2020 that have been extended through October 31, 2020 for employees and dependents enrolled in medical insurance through the State Employee Health Plan.
- SEHP will cover medically necessary diagnostic tests that are consistent with CDC guidance related to the COVID-19 at no cost share to member, where it is not covered as part of the Public Health Service response.
- SEHP will allow early refills on 30 or 90-day prescription medications and/or allow
members to use their mail order benefit.
More information
- Given the nature of the COVID-19 outbreak, seeking in person medical care has the potential to further spread the virus. SEHP partners with Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas to provide Telehealth services with a virtual doctor鈥檚 office. There is 24/7/365 access to this service. The member cost share will be waived for any Telehealth service. In addition to telehealth services provided by Teledoc or Amwell, the member cost share will also be waived for services from your in-network physician that are billed as telehealth services.
- For plan participants that reside in the Topeka area, the HealthQuest Health Center available to members enrolled in the health plan, is located at 901 S. Kansas Ave., Topeka
- Phone screening is recommended before going to the center: 785-783-4080
- If a patient walks into the clinic, they will have them put on a mask and clean their hands with hand sanitizer. The health center staff will evaluate the patient鈥檚 symptoms and recommend they isolate if the initial findings and/or symptoms present are a positive indicator for the virus.
- COVID-19 testing is available at the HealthQuest Health Center for State of Kansas employees. Curbside testing will be available at the center by appointment only.
For all up to date information regarding COVID-19 and the WSU campus please visit .
Changes to your HSA/HRA/FSA for 2020 due to CARES Act
Due to the recent CARES Act legislation, there have been some updates to how you can use your HSA, HRA and/or Healthcare FSA funds. Updates include the ability to use funds for over the counter (OTC) medications without a prescription and for menstrual care products. These changes are retroactively effective to Jan. 1, 2020.
Your NueSynergy debit card may not immediately work for purchases of these items as merchants are in the process of updating their systems to accommodate these changes, but you are able to pay out of pocket and submit reimbursement requests through the NueSynergy .
You can find more information from NueSynergy here: . If you have more specific questions about eligible purchases, you can reach NueSynergy directly at 1-855-750-9440 for further assistance. When calling, identify yourself as a State of Kansas employee, and be prepared to provide your SHaRP ID (found by logging in to myWSU and hovering the mouse over the white box in the 鈥淪HaRP ID鈥� channel).
CEI staff contributes to the Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice
Staff at the Community Engagement Institute (CEI) led the editorial team for the Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice. This free, online journal includes peer-reviewed practice and research studies from across the world and has more than 1,000 subscribers.
Dr. Nicole Freund, editor, and team members from the Center for Applied Research & Evaluation and Center for Public Health Initiatives at CEI see their production and organization of the Global Journal as a great opportunity to promote this type of work, learn from others, and celebrate accomplishments.
As the world continues to change at a rapid rate with more news pouring in every day, community psychology practitioners are doing the work daily to try to make it tolerable for those managing these changes. This issue鈥檚 themes are focused on community psychology values and participatory engagement. There are a wide variety of domains, but the values of empowerment and equity are presented throughout, including a study that indicates bias continues to infiltrate social constructs in insidious ways.
Carnita Tostada Special - WSU Catering
Grab this delicious family meal including Chipotle Lime Pork Carnitas Tostadas (two per person) or Roasted Vegetables (vegetarian option). Toppings Include refried beans, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce and sour cream. Served with Spanish rice and black beans and mini cinnamon churros for dessert. Add corn chips and fresh house salsa for $3. Family style meal serving four for just $44.99.
Call or email to place your order for curbside pickup at the Rhatigan Student Center at 316-978-5863 or wsucatering@compass-usa.com.
Free coffee for National Coffee Day
Enjoy free tall drip coffee to celebrate National Coffee Day at Starbucks in the RSC today (Tuesday, Sept. 29)!
Enjoy your Lunch & Learn with Women of 麻豆破解版 State University!
Join Women of 麻豆破解版 State University for our monthly luncheon via Zoom! From 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, we will watch the video 鈥淭he Procrastination Monkey,鈥� and then discuss what we learned during the lunch hour. The Zoom link will be sent to WWSU members via email, along with a fun recipe to go along with our topic theme.
Not a member yet? There is still time to join! Annual membership is only $12, which is used to support scholarships for 麻豆破解版 State students! Go to for more information.
Shocker Printing Solutions to work remotely
Shocker Printing Solutions is working remotely while work is being done to level the floors. There will be no service window hours during this time.
Shocker Printing Solutions employees will process printing jobs offsite and bring them back to campus for delivery to your offices. Please plan ahead and allow additional time to meet your printing deadlines. We expect the work to be completed by Oct. 19, and business will resume as usual.
Register for E-Launch now!
E-Launch aids entrepreneurs with early-stage ideas in discovering their customers and validating their value proposition.
If you buy, sell, eat or grow food, we want your input. Take this survey by Sept. 30.
The city of 麻豆破解版 and Sedgwick County want your input on developing a Food System Master Plan.
A Master Plan is a long-range planning document that lays out a community's vision for its growth. Communities use Master Plans to guide land use, economic development, transportation, health and other dimensions of civic life.
A healthy and sustainable regional food system can bring economic, environmental and social benefits to a community, but these benefits don't happen automatically. Food systems need planning, too! Planning brings structure and strategy to local food systems鈥� growth, and helps align policies, such as ordinances, zoning and incentives to support the local food system.