Author: Caelin Bragg

Wichita State University will be open Monday, Jan. 26 for normal operations. In-person classes will be in session, and campus operations will continue as normal.

University leadership carefully reviews weather forecasts, transportation conditions, campus safety, essential services and the potential impact on education, research, residential life and applied learning, assessing safety risks and whether they can be mitigated through campus response and individual caution, before deciding to remain open. Because everyone’s circumstances are different, you are encouraged to assess your own situation and use reasonable judgment in deciding if it’s safe for you to travel to campus.

Students with questions or who are unable to safely travel or get around on campus can reach out to their instructor.

Faculty or staff with similar concerns should immediately contact their supervisor or department chair to develop an alternative plan that accommodates your needs and minimizes disruption to operations.

Facilities Services personnel are working hard to clear roadways and sidewalks on campus. Using caution and allowing for extra travel time is always advised.

We understand that weather-related decisions can impact individuals in different ways.

Please know that these decisions are made with the best intentions by university leaders who are working diligently to balance the safety of our community with the need to maintain operations. We appreciate your flexibility.

Join the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing for the ninth annual Strategic Communications marketing and communications seminar for faculty and staff from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Jan. 29. And if your team is looking to order promo items for your office, visit the Vendor Fair from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The opening session, breakout sessions and Vendor Fair will all be held on the third floor of the Rhatigan Student Center. Gain additional insights, tools and tips to help you improve your marketing and communication efforts. Attendees may choose to attend two of five sessions.

Jonathan Cross and Stephen Cross Jr., investment adviser representatives with Voya Financial, will be available for in-person meetings at Wichita State Monday, Feb. 9. Faculty and staff can get one-on-one advising and review their Voya Financial accounts as part of their KBOR retirement plan, or new employees can receive assistance in enrolling in their KBOR plan.

If you are interested in meeting with Jonathan or Stephen, you can schedule a time to meet and select the “Wichita State University / One-On-One Financial Counseling” while selecting your location. Time slots are limited, so reserve a time soon. For questions, you can call 316-788-0788.

Kurzweil 3000 is a powerful reading, writing, studying and test-taking tool available to all WSU students for free. Encourage students stop by for open training either between 8 a.m. and noon Monday, Feb. 2 or between 1 and 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, both in 106 Shocker Success Center, Assistive Technology Lab.

Contact the Office of Student Accommodations and Testing at osat@wichita.edu or 316-978-3309 for questions regarding Kurzweil 3000 or the training.

Power. Propaganda. Political intrigue. Discover how art and architecture shaped politics, religion and society by taking Power and Art History (ARTH 125C), CRN: 23339, this spring. The deadline to enroll in classes for the spring semester is today, Jan. 26.

Peek behind the political curtains in Diplomacy and Negotiation (POLS 361), CRN: 22251, which explores the strategies, psychology and cultural and political pressures that drive high-level negotiations. Today, Jan. 26, is the last day to enroll in full-term classes for the spring 2026 semester.

Do you want to be the star of your own video feature for Wichita State’s social media? Video introductions are now being accepted from students just like you.

You can submit your video through the online Student Stories form. Videos should be under two minutes long and briefly showcase your story and personality. If selected, Wichita State will produce a short feature video to be posted on WSU’s social media.

The following are a few examples of similar features created by WSU:

• From WSU to NASA: My Journey Into Space Innovation
• This Shocker Followed His Passion at Shocker Studios
• This Shocker Made Wichita State University His Home

For questions, contact Marcus Wright, director of videography in the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing, at marcus.wright@wichita.edu.

All students on campus have access to the all-you-can-eat Shocker Dining Hall, located on the first floor of Shocker Hall. Pay at the door, grab a plate (or two) and fill it with options from multiple kiosks. Want to see what’s on the menu? Head over to dineoncampus.com/wsudining.

Students, have you been to student hours yet? If your answer is no, take the opportunity this week to visit at least one of your professors in their office during their student hours. Only a handful of students each semester use this opportunity to get to know their professors outside of the classroom. You might even gain an advisor, mentor or get the answer to your questions from your text.

The table below is to assist instructors with certain dates regarding CES. These dates are for the spring 2026 semester.

• The first column includes the various start/end (part-of-term) dates for spring semester courses.
• The second column includes dates meant for instructors. This is the timeframe when instructors will receive emails about the CES process and procedures that they should complete. Instructors will receive additional emails during and after the student CES access dates.
• The last column includes the dates that CES will be available for the students to complete course evaluations.

The full CES administrative schedule can always be found on the website.

If your course is in bold, then your spring 2026 CES evaluation process will start soon. Review the start/end dates in each column so you know when your access to the CES system will start and end.