Dear Colleagues,
As communicated on Monday, we as Wright State University employees have enthusiastically supported local causes in many ways for many years. During our fall 2024 Combined Community Campaign, we will focus on external community partners by supporting Culture Works and United Way this year. The campaign began on Monday and runs through Friday, November 15.
You can learn about each partner and how you can donate at wright.edu/event/combined-campaign. I look forward to participating and hope you will consider participating in the 2024 Combined Community Campaign as well.
If you have questions about this year's campaign, please contact Lisa Ragan at 937-775-2919 or lisa.ragan@wright.edu.
Core Transition Proposals
In consultation with the administration and Core Oversight Committee, the deadline to submit Core Transition Forms to Curriculog has been extended to November 8. However, draft OT36 applications are still due to Hideo Tsuchida at hideo.tsuchida@wright.edu by November 1.
All Core courses are expected to submit an OT36 application. In only a handful of cases will a course be included in the Core if it does not qualify for OT36, and these courses will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Core Oversight Committee.
National First Generation College Celebration
Wright State University will join with other institutions of higher learning to celebrate students who are the first in their families to further their education on National First Generation College Day on Friday, November 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Student Union Atrium.
The celebration will include opening remarks from Kurt Holden, the university’s director of public safety who was a first-generation student; testimonials from alumni, graduates, and first-generation supporters; and music, refreshments, networking opportunities, and a photo booth.
All students, faculty, and staff are welcome!
Register for Fall Commencement
Commencement is an opportunity to show support for our students and celebrate and recognize our graduates and their families and loved ones.
Faculty and staff members are invited to attend one or both fall commencement ceremonies by registering to attend.
Registration is required and is now open. The deadline to register is November 25.
Fall commencement ceremonies will take place in the Wright State University Nutter Center on:
- Graduate Ceremony: Friday, December 13, at 7:00 p.m.
- Undergraduate Ceremony: Saturday, December 14, at 10:00 a.m.
Information about renting regalia from the Raider Landing Campus Store was emailed on October 3, with a deadline of November 16.
Open Enrollment
The 2025 Benefits Open Enrollment period is November 1 through November 14. Benefits Open Enrollment is a once-a-year opportunity for benefit-eligible employees to reflect on their current benefit elections and make necessary changes for the upcoming year. All benefit-eligible employees are required to take action to waive, terminate, continue, or enroll in coverage for 2025. Elections made during open enrollment take effect on January 1, 2025. For more details, including informational session dates and times, visit the open enrollment webpage.
Events
The College of Graduate Programs and Honors Studies will host a graduate programs open house on Thursday, November 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Student Union. Many of you will be at the event recruiting new students. Thank you! If you are not volunteering, please stop by and meet some prospective students.
Mental Health First Aid Training – Requirement Reminder
Full-time employees are required to participate in mental health first aid training. This important training will equip you with skills to support others facing mental health or substance use challenges. The course is designed to teach you how to assist others in need.
Virtual and in-person sessions are offered over a variety of dates and times. Classes are facilitated by Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services or Wright State University trainers and run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., including breaks and a lunch break. Upon completion, your training is valid for three years.
If you have any questions, contact mhfa@wright.edu. Thank you for your commitment to fostering a supportive environment at Wright State! We look forward to seeing you in training.
Faculty Resources and Workshops
- On Wednesday, November 13, at 2:00 p.m., The Chronicle of Higher Education will host a free virtual forum to learn more about the perspectives of faculty and staff members on using AI to streamline communications with students. This presentation will address how chatbots are playing a larger role in the classroom and at the institutional level and how generative AI tools are transforming higher-ed practices — including how faculty and staff members communicate and engage with students.
The session will also discuss the findings of a national survey of faculty and administrators conducted by The Chronicle about how AI is changing communications with students.
Register for How AI May Change Student Engagement.
- 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 “How Can I Leverage ChatGPT to Support Students with Disabilities?” are available through November 3. To access the presentation, use “leverage227” as the password.
- Closing the Loop on Course Assessment: At the beginning of the term, assessment plans were created for each course. Now that the term is wrapping up, it is time to collect, report, and analyze the data. This workshop will walk through these processes to close the loop on course assessment for the term. Participants will learn how to report and/or collect data in the Planning and Self-Study system, receive tips on analyzing assessment results, and identify data-informed opportunities to improve student success.
Tuesday, November 26, 2:30-3:25 p.m., in-person
Friday, December 6, 11:15 a.m.-12:10 p.m., virtual (Webex link will be sent upon registration)
Thursday, December 12, 12:30-1:25 p.m., in-person
Register
Research and Sponsored Programs
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will host two webinars, NIH Grants Process Primer: Application to Award: Part One and Part Two:
Part One: Wednesday, November 13, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Part Two: Thursday, November 14, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Due to the popularity of these topics, there is a strong possibility of reaching capacity on Zoom so participants should plan to log on early on November 13-14. Once capacity is reached, you will be redirected to a live stream on YouTube.
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 hope you all have a wonderful week! You are appreciated!
Amy Thompson, Ph.D.
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
