WSU to update information with expiration of public health emergency

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that the Public Health Emergency, declared in January of 2020 in response to COVID-19, is due to expire on May 11. 

In preparation, Wichita State will begin transitioning campus, website and student healthcare services to reflect national changes. Signage promoting social distancing, mask-wearing and hygiene will be gradually removed from campus. 

COVID-19 information will also be updated on the WSU website to reflect the transition. Vaccination and testing information will be revised, and previous COVID-19 precautions and information will be archived.

With daily COVID-19 cases down 92%, healthcare providers will be limited on what controlled substances they can prescribe without in-person appointments. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration says it’s working to create an outline of exceptions that will allow patients increased flexibility in certain circumstances to ensure quality care and treatment. Student Health Services operations will revert to pre-COVID-19 operations to reflect the expiration of the health emergency.

Those with additional questions regarding the upcoming changes on their department or office websites are encouraged to contact their supervisors.

WSU awarded $10 million to host new EPA environmental justice center

The United States Environmental Protection Agency announced that Wichita State University will be one of 17 locations to house a new Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (EJ TCTAC). 

The center will be established in the WSU Environmental Finance Center, and the university will be awarded $10 million to make the necessary changes and improvements to the facility.

The EJ TCTAC aims to increase community access to address environmental concerns and provide grant application and writing training. As the only EJ TCTAC in the Midwest, the center will provide unique services to stimulate environmental justice action.

Various nonprofit partners, like the Center for Rural Affairs and the Climate and Energy Project, will support the new EJ TCTAC with technical training and aid.

15 student teams to compete at Shocker New Venture Trade Show 

After rigorous judgment and critique, 15 Wichita State teams will advance to the penultimate stage of the 2023 Shocker New Venture Competition (SNVC) Trade Show. The competition challenges students to create a sustainable business concept with market analysis and value propositions. 

Fifteen single-person and multiple-member teams, such as the ‘Bauble Budger,’ ‘Female Engineering Matters,’ and ‘Secret Squirrels,’ will participate in the Trade Show on April 21.

Each Trade Show judge will be allotted $10,000 “Shocker dollars”’ to invest in their venture of choice. The six teams with the most investments will advance to the final round, where the winners will be awarded $10,000 in start-up capital to fund their concepts.

Muma and former chief of disguise at CIA chat on ‘Forward Together’ podcast

Former CIA chief of disguise Jonna Mendez joined President Rick Muma on his monthly podcast ‘Forward Together.’ A WSU alumna, Mendez joined the CIA after becoming engaged to a CIA officer. 

During her career, Mendez spoke and presented masks and disguises to prominent government figures, like George H.W. Bush. She spoke about the CIA recruitment process and how WSU has contributed to the law enforcement and intelligence pipeline.

“Jumping into the CIA, I could see an opportunity to do something worth doing and maybe to help make a difference,” Mendez said during the podcast. “And I think a lot of your WSU people … have the same kind of motivation.” 

The full episode can be viewed on the WSU YouTube page, Spotify, Stitcher and Google, Amazon and Apple Podcast services.

WSU nursing faculty take part in walk across Kansas

Nursing faculty are participating in a Walk Across Kansas Challenge to commemorate the launch of the new WSU- Kansas State Justin Hall nursing facility. 

Participants will log 130 miles, the distance between the WSU main campus and the Kansas State campus, between April 1 and August 1. 

Faculty from both schools are starting their trek from the WSU or KSU campus to promote the new Manhattan-based WSU Nursing degree program.