Dear Colleagues,
What an eventful week and weekend we had! The Homecoming celebrations were exciting and I enjoyed seeing so many of you. It is hard to believe, but we are entering the middle of our semester. Spring is hopefully just around the corner.
New Library System
Exciting changes are coming to the library—the University Libraries (along with all academic libraries in Ohio) will move to a new library system this summer. The library system includes the online catalog that provides access to library resources including e-books and e-journals, articles, physical books, media, and more. It also controls day-to-day library operations such as checking out materials and cataloging, ordering, and receiving library resources. The library system generates the underlying data that drives business decisions and reporting.
Because there will be a pause on materials from both our internal library and OhioLINK, reserve your materials before the date(s) below. To prepare for this transition, important dates are:
- March 28: The University Libraries will suspend ordering and processing new materials until the new system goes live in June.
- May 23: OhioLINK borrowing and lending will be suspended until the new system goes live in June. SearchOhio borrowing and lending will be suspended until late fall 2025.
- June 18: Wright State’s new library system will go live, and ordering and processing of new materials will resume.
- June 20: OhioLINK borrowing and lending will resume.
- Fall 2025 (date TBD): SearchOhio borrowing and lending will resume.
Information for Faculty:
- If you link to materials in the current library catalog, the current library QuickSearch, or the current library eJournals list (off-site), you will need to update your links after the new library system goes live on June 18.
- Borrowing and lending of Wright State physical materials will continue throughout the migration.
- Interlibrary loan will continue throughout the migration.
- Course Reserves lending will continue throughout the migration. Please submit summer requests as soon as possible to account for processing delays.
Additional products will be implemented after June, including a mobile app and a product that integrates with Pilot to share library resource lists.
Midterm Grading Begins on Monday
Midterm grade reporting opens on Monday, February 17, for all full-semester spring classes. A, B, and X term classes are not included in midterm grade reporting. Midterm grade reporting is required for all full-term undergraduate courses, with some exceptions.
Midterm grades are due by noon on Wednesday, March 5. Detailed instructions for posting grades can be found on the Registrar’s grading webpage.
Faculty reporting grades in WINGS Express (and not via Pilot) only need to enter the midterm grade and can ignore the “Last Attend Date” and “Attend Hours” fields.
Grades of Incomplete (I) should only be issued at the end of a term if requested by a student for documented extenuating circumstances that prevented completion of the final part of the course.
Faculty teaching graduate courses are encouraged to submit midterm grades but are not required to do so.
For technical questions about reporting grades (such as reporting from Pilot), contact the CaTS Help Desk at 937-775-4827 or helpdesk@wright.edu.
For additional grading questions, please contact the Office of the Registrar at 937-775-5200 or wsu-registrar@wright.edu.
Associate to Full Professor Mentoring Program – Deadline Extended
The deadline to apply to the Provost’s Office’s Associate to Full Professor Mentoring Program has been extended through February 15.
Participation is open to all associate professors interested in going up for promotion in the fall of 2025 or 2026. Participation is limited to 15 faculty members and preference will be given to those applicants who have been at the rank of associate professor for five years or more.
Green and Gold Admitted Student Days: Faculty Involvement
Throughout the spring semester, the Office of Admissions will host four Green and Gold Admitted Student Days. Your involvement during this time is important and encouraged—your deans and college recruiters can provide ways for you to welcome admitted students and families and help us show them what a welcoming and supportive community we foster.
Green and Gold Admitted Student Days will take place on February 18, March 19, April 4, and April 22.
Faculty Resources and Workshops
- The Center for Faculty Excellence is pleased to bring weekly tips to your inbox through Monday Morning Mentors. These are quick video presentations with additional materials provided. The presentation and supplemental material for “What Challenges Do Neurodivergent Students Face in the College Classroom?” are available through February 16. To access the presentation, use “challenges255” as the password.
- Wright State Online, in association with the Center for Faculty Excellence, will host workshops focusing on ADA compliance:
- February 14 from 1:30-3:00 p.m.: Compliant Documents: Best Practices
- February 21 from 1:15-2:10 p.m. and February 25 from 2:00-2:50 p.m.: Mapping Program to Institutional Learning Outcomes
- February 28 from 1:30-3:00 p.m.: Alt Text and Images: Best Practices
- March 14 from 1:30-3:00 p.m.: Recorded Lectures: Video Best Practices
- March 21 from 1:15-2:10 p.m. and March 25 from 2:00-2:55 p.m.: Introduction to Academic Program Review
- March 28 from 1:30-3:00 p.m.: Graphic Design: Best Practices
- April 11 from 1:30-3:00 p.m.: Pilot/LMS: Best Practices for Instructional Design and Course Organization
- April 18 from 1:15-2:10 p.m. and April 22 from 2:00-2:55 p.m.: Entering Course Assessment Results
- The Center for Faculty Excellence will continue the Quality Matters (QM) Applying the QM Rubric (APPQMR) (7th Edition) Workshop on Friday, March 21, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Participants will learn about drafting helpful recommendations as you apply the rubric to an actual course. The effective instructional design principles included in the workshop apply to all learning environments (face-to-face, online, and blended learning). This workshop is helpful for designing and developing courses and for those considering the adoption of a quality assurance process for online and hybrid learning.
The APPQMR Workshop is an eight-hour, one-day online session. Registered participants will receive information about the session—including the Webex link—the week of the class.
Register for the workshop.
Research and Sponsored Programs
- As part of our membership with Hanover Research, whose services include proposal review and revision, Research and Sponsored Programs is excited to announce that Hanover Research’s 2025 webinars are available to faculty and staff. Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Keys to a Competitive NSF CAREER Proposal
- Artificial Intelligence Policies Among Federal Grantmakers
- Facilitating Stakeholder Engagement in Grant Development
- Deciphering Feedback from Grant Reviewers
- Developing Competitive NSF Proposals
View the complete list of upcoming presentations and past recordings.
- Registration is open through tomorrow to present at the Celebration of Undergraduate and Graduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities event, which will be held on Thursday, March 13.
The event gives students from a wide array of disciplines the opportunity to showcase their academic endeavors. Students will exhibit posters and present discoveries, advances, and scholarly explorations. We encourage students to register to present as it is a wonderful opportunity to showcase their incredible talents and achievements and highlight the outstanding resources in your college.
When a Student Needs Support
Wright.edu/help is a great resource for helping students or making referrals. This site contains contact information for emergency or essential departments that can assist your students all in one location.
I am grateful for your dedication to promoting student success. I hope you have a wonderful and productive week!
Jim Denniston, Ph.D.
Acting Provost
