August 26, 2026

Dear Colleagues,

Last week, we had the privilege of welcoming a new group of students to Wright State. From move-in and the traditional Clap In to college connections, cookouts and other Weeks of Welcome activities, faculty, staff and student leaders came together to create a memorable start to the academic year. Thank you to everyone who contributed their time and energy to helping our newest students feel welcomed and supported as they began their Wright State journey.

While classes are now underway, Weeks of Welcome continues through October, offering many opportunities for students to build connections, discover resources and strengthen their sense of belonging. In the coming weeks, students can participate in events such as the Strong Start Celebration on Aug. 27, which connects students with key campus resources while offering free food and giveaways. Additional engagement, involvement and success-focused programs will be held throughout the first several weeks of the semester.

I encourage you to promote these opportunities to your students and to participate when your schedule allows. A strong start can make a meaningful difference in student success, and these events help students establish the connections and confidence needed to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

Faculty Intervention Dates at a Glance

Due Dates
	Full Term	A Term	B Term
Participation Roster Reports due from faculty by 11:59 p.m.	Tuesday, Sept. 1	Tuesday, Sept. 1	Tuesday, Oct. 20
Midterm Grades due by noon (Only applies to FULL term classes; required of all undergraduate classes, optional for graduate classes)	Monday, Oct. 12
Last day to drop with a W grade	Friday, Oct. 23	Friday, Sept. 18	Friday, Nov. 6

Participation Rosters

In order to comply with federal financial aid regulations, instructors are required to determine if a student has established attendance or participated in each course. This information must be reported each semester during the first week of each class using the Participation Roster form (WINGS). Variable-date classes (known as X term) must report by the end of the eighth day after the start date of the course.

All undergraduate and graduate courses are required to report Participation Rosters. This includes any lab classes that are worth credit, thesis/dissertation classes, independent studies courses, etc. The only courses exempt from reporting are those that are not eligible for federal financial aid. This includes College Credit Plus classes taught in the high schools and zero credit classes. Additional information is available on the Registrar’s Participation Rosters page.

Midterm Grades

Faculty will regularly submit midterm grades for all undergraduate courses. Further information is available on the Registrar’s Grading page.

Career Escalators Network: Faculty Training Opportunity

The Career Hub is launching the Career Escalators Network, a faculty-focused initiative that supports Wright State’s broader Career Is Everywhere strategy to embed career readiness throughout the student experience. Recognizing that faculty are often the first people students turn to with questions about careers, internships, graduate school and life after graduation, this training will provide practical tools and resources to help faculty guide students toward career success.

Participants will learn about campus career resources, strategies for navigating career conversations with students, the integration of the National Association of Colleges and Employers Career Competencies into coursework, the role of AI in career readiness, identifying employment scams and using Handshake to support students. Faculty attendees will also receive a Handshake account to assist with these efforts.

An in-person training will be held on Friday, Sept. 11, from 9 a.m.–noon. Register for the Career Escalators training.

Student Success and Academic Engagement

Academic Success Centers

Embed academic success in your course by connecting students to the Academic Success Centers early in the semester. Faculty play a key role in helping students understand the support available to them. Here are three ways you can connect students with these resources:

Put support information in your syllabus. We have ready-made snippets you can use on our Faculty and Staff Resources webpage.
Bring your students to the Academic Success Centers or have us visit your class. You can request tours and classroom visits through our Class Visit Request form.
Add the Academic Success Centers widget to your Pilot homepage.

If you are unsure if your course is supported by the Academic Success Centers, check here: course-based tutoring, the Math Learning Center, Supplemental Instruction and the Writing Center.

Contact Dr. Alison Witte, director of the Academic Success Centers, with any questions.

Peer Navigators

The Peer Navigator Program connects students with upperclassmen for regular support and mentorship. Peer navigators focus on holistic well-being by providing support, problem-solving and goal-setting tips that assist students in reaching their educational goals.

The program seeks to:

Increase sense of belonging with a built-in peer support system
Initiate early intervention strategies as needed
Provide an additional touch point via regular follow up
Identify barriers prohibiting student success
Allow students to see their peers model excellence
Assist in the transition between high school and university life
Promote healthy classroom behaviors

Learn more.

Raising Early Alerts for Students

Faculty play a critical role in identifying students who may benefit from additional support. Early Alerts can be submitted through the Slate Student Success Portal by accessing the course roster and selecting “Submit Alert/Referral” for a student of concern. Early Alerts enable timely intervention from campus support teams and help connect students with resources that promote academic success. Questions may be directed to academic-engagement@wright.edu.

Learn more.

Start the Semester Strong event

The Division of Student Success is offering regular events to equip students with the academic resources they need to navigate the university successfully.

The first event, the Strong Start Celebration, will be held Thursday, Aug. 27, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., in the Student Union Atrium. This event connects students with resources to help them start the semester strong. Faculty are encouraged to promote this event to their students.

Faculty Activity Reporting

As a reminder, faculty should continue to maintain and update their activities in Watermark Faculty Success for the 2025–2026 academic year (fall 2025 through summer 2026). Activity reports reflect the prior academic year.

Because the faculty review process is being updated to align with Senate Bill 1 requirements, the evaluation rubric and related review procedures are still being finalized. Faculty should focus on ensuring that their activities are current and complete in Faculty Success. The submission window for forwarding Faculty Activity Reports to department chairs is expected to open in early September. Additional guidance will be shared once the process is finalized.

Faculty who need assistance using Faculty Success may contact Faculty Success Questions to schedule an individual training session.

Proposed Academic Reorganization: Feedback Requested

The Office of the Provost has shared a proposed reorganization of the university’s academic enterprise intended to better align the institution with Strategic Plan 2030 and position Wright State for future growth. The proposal is designed to strengthen strategic enrollment efforts, align academic units with emerging workforce and industry needs, expand collaboration in key areas such as defense, engineering, technology, healthcare and P–12 education, and support research, entrepreneurship and creative activities.

To learn more about the proposed academic reorganization, review the organizational chart and proposed academic unit structure using the links below.

Faculty and staff are invited to submit comments and recommendations through the online feedback form by Sept. 16. Comments are being reviewed regularly as they are received, so community members are encouraged to submit feedback as early as possible rather than waiting until the deadline. Log in with your Wright State credentials to access the materials.

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.

The Student Success Navigator showcases the wide range of resources designed to support our students. Whether students are interested in joining a student organization, looking for access to mental health services, playing a sport or finding a job, all information is available in one central location.

I am grateful for your dedication to promoting student success.

Jim Denniston, Ph.D.
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost