Category: Faculty and Staff Resources

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.

Discover fresh ideas, spark innovation and energize your teaching with “Teaching Matters” — a podcast created for WSU faculty who are passionate about student success. Each episode connects you with practical tools, evidence-based strategies and campus partners ready to support your work in the classroom and beyond.

Hear insights from colleagues across campus, learn about programs you can implement right away and explore approaches that improve learning, engagement and retention.

If you’re looking for inspiration, collaboration or simply new ways to support your students, this podcast is your next stop. Listen and explore at wichita.edu/teachingmatters.

Periodically, information will be posted regarding Watermark’s Course Evaluations & Surveys (CES) tool to help users better understand Wichita State’s course evaluation tool.

Today’s focus is on emails.

• CES uses email communication to send out information regarding the evaluation process. 
• Emails will come from WSU Evaluations (evaluations@ces.wichita.edu).
• Emails are sent according to a specific timeline. CES operates from the course’s part-of-term, meaning the course start and end dates will determine when emails are sent out.
• If you teach courses that are in different terms, you will receive duplicate emails. These emails provide information that pertains to that part-of-term.
• The emails will also inform instructors if they need to take any specific actions regarding their course(s) within CES. 
• Students will receive an email certificate once an evaluation is submitted.
• There is a dedicated CES website that includes additional information.

For questions, contact Sandra Ranney at evaluations@ces.wichita.edu.

Multiple opportunities to engage with the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College are available to faculty and staff. Visit the Resources for Faculty in Honors page for more information.

• Propose an Honors seminar course: Submit a seminar course proposal through the Course Information Management (CIM) system by March 1 for the following spring. Include information in your syllabus about what makes the course Honors. You may use the separate course proposal form for more preliminary ideas and discussion with the faculty council. For more information about current Honors courses, visit the undergraduate catalog.
• Departmental honors courses: Departments may offer an honors (H- suffix) section of any existing department course by adding a cross-listed course through the CIM system. These courses are scheduled and supported by the department. Department chairs are welcome to contact your college’s honors faculty council member with any questions.
• Faculty-initiated honors options: Faculty may invite any student (honors students and students who are not in honors) to earn honors credit for a department course. Each student pursuing a faculty-initiated honors option must submit an honors option agreement form. A student may initiate an honors option in a course by talking with the instructor before the third week of the semester. The submission deadline may be extended for faculty-invited honors option agreements.
• Just curious about Honors? Sign up to receive the honors weekly update, a Friday email with information and opportunities, by emailing honors@wichita.edu

The Shocker Share-A-Meal program sends alerts when leftover, free food is available on campus after catered events. When there are extra portions, anyone who is signed up will receive a notification so they can take advantage of the leftovers.

This initiative helps reduce food waste while keeping the community informed about available leftovers. Signing up is quick, secure and open to all – faculty and staff with a WSU ID and currently enrolled students.

Sign up at wichita.edu/shareameal.

Join the next meeting of the WSU Faculty/Staff Club from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18 at Club 95 in Partnership Building 11. The event will feature the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Applied Studies, College of Innovation and Design, and Cohen Honors College with a rotating slide presentation.

There will also be three live presentations starting at 4:30 p.m. from:

• Joe Mazzara, director of Wichita State Esports, providing an overview of esports at Wichita State, including the teams’ accomplishments and the impact they’ve had on campus
• Francis Connor, associate professor and chair of the Department of English, and Darren DeFrain, professor of English, will discuss their upcoming book, “No Choice but Action: The Kansas Postpunk Revolution”
• Troy Tabor, director of innovation intelligence in the College of Innovation and Design, will host “A conversation with AI” with faculty and staff

Come have fun and enjoy the company of your colleagues as well as some good music, food and drink.

The annual Strategic Communications Seminar was held Jan. 29 in the Rhatigan Student Center. Attendees were able to choose to attend two of five sessions to gain additional insights, tools and tips to help improve marketing and communication efforts in their university departments.

Materials from the seminar are now available to view.

Strategic Communications and Shocker Career Accelerator have partnered to open the photo booth in the Marcus Welcome Center to faculty and staff for professional headshots. This solution will replace scheduled headshot days in the RSC on a trial basis. The change will allow for more flexibility and convenience as the booth will be available to use at any time during normal Marcus Welcome Center operating hours.

For more information, visit wichita.edu/headshots.

The Office of Faculty Advancement, Retention, and Excellence is partnering with WSU faculty to host weekly faculty writing groups this semester. All groups will begin the first week of February.

There are two weekly writing group opportunities:

• 2-4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays beginning Feb. 3 in person at the FARE Office in 112 Jardine Hall, facilitated by Trevor Nelson, musicology assistant professor
• 1-3 p.m. on Fridays beginning Feb. 6 occurring virtually on Microsoft Teams, facilitated by William Weare, University Libraries associate dean

For those who desire feedback on their writing, William Weare will also be facilitating a weekly hour-long cross-disciplinary Writing Circle as a means of giving/receiving structured input to strengthen the clarity and organization of your writing. This group will meet weekly from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Feb. 4 in 112 Jardine Hall. This group will not close its membership, so faculty may come as they are able or when they are in need of feedback on their work.

How to join: Email Dr. Debby Hinsdale at FARE@wichita.edu express interest or get more information.

Upcoming Research and Writing Sprints:

More than 30 faculty participated in FARE’s January Writing Sprint, dedicating three days the week before the start of the semester to working on their research and writing goals. Mark your calendars now for the next two planned FARE Research and Writing Sprints, coming March 17-19 and May 19-21.

Faculty can face a large range of challenging situations across their careers. In this month’s New Faculty On-Ramp to WSU, the Office of Faculty Advancement, Retention, and Excellence (FARE) is hosting leaders from Faculty Affairs, Faculty Senate, the Ombudsperson program, HR and CTAC to discuss how to manage difficulties when they arise and the pathways available to faculty for concerns or conflict.

Faculty in their first three years are invited to attend in person from noon to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4 in 262 Rhatigan Student Center, Herrman Room. If you are unable to attend but would like access to the content or a recording of the event, contact Dr. Debby Hinsdale at fare@wichita.edu.