Dear Colleagues,
As we enter the second half of the Fall Semester, I want to thank you all for your continued dedication and support to our students. Your impact on students is immeasurable, and your commitment has a direct impact on retention and student success. I talk with students each week, and every week, I am happy to hear from students about an individual faculty member and how important they have been to that student’s experience. You are making a difference, and I am so thankful.
Student Success Summit
Please join us for Conversations on Student Success with Dr. Amy Salazar, associate vice provost of student success at Sam Houston University, on Friday, November 3, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Student Union Atrium. Registration is not required.
In her address, “Learning Loss and Student Success,” Dr. Salazar will discuss student success metrics and her efforts to examine and respond to student learning loss at Sam Houston.
Dr. Salazar oversees several functional areas related to student success, including Academic Advising, Academic Support, First Year Experience, Career Success, Global Engagement, First Gen Student Center, and Academic Redesign and Course Enhancement. In addition to the leadership of these areas, Dr. Salazar works at the institutional level to identify barriers to student success informed by data and designs and implements solutions to increase the likelihood of student persistence and degree attainment.
She is currently focused on the effects of COVID-19-related learning loss and the ways it has shaped both the student and faculty experience. Her prior experience and publications have focused on student success in the areas above and TRiO programs, high-impact practices such as undergraduate research, and mentorship programs. Her current teaching foci include assessment in higher education, teaching and learning for student success, and advocacy for underserved student populations in higher education.
Midterm Grading
Midterm grading for the Fall Semester closed last week, and we are happy to report that 95% of required classes reported midterm grades! Over 30,000 grades were submitted, and more than 8,500 students received this important progress information. I would like to congratulate the College of Engineering and Computer Science, which had a 98.69% submission rate, and the Boonshoft School of Medicine, which submitted 100% of its required grades. We know that issuing midterm grades is a high-impact practice for student success and look forward to improving this process as we strive for 100% compliance.
Open Enrollment
The 2024 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 2024. Elections made during open enrollment take effect on January 1, 2024. For more details, including informational session dates and times, visit the Benefits homepage.
Events
- Student Success and Career Exploration Event—Tonight
5:30–7:00 p.m., Millett Hall Atrium
Hosted by the College of Liberal Arts and open to all students, this event will feature an interactive panel of alumni and an informational and networking table fair for students to explore potential careers. Students will also receive advice on being successful during their college career and beyond. Registration is not required, and food and beverages will be provided. Learn more.
- Graduate Programs Open House
The College of Graduate Programs and Honors Studies will host a graduate programs open house on Thursday, November 2, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Student Union Apollo Room. Future graduate students can learn more about Wright State University’s certificate, master’s, and doctoral programs during the event. Students should register online.
- Lake Campus Open House
Lake Campus will host an open house for future students on Thursday, November 16, from 5 to 8 p.m. I encourage you to invite prospective students and their families to register to attend and learn why it’s a great time to be a Laker!
Research and Sponsored Programs
- The Research and Sponsored Programs Pre-Award team is changing the weekly meeting format for virtual office hours beginning in November from an open forum to specific training and troubleshooting opportunities. Training is encouraged for those who are new to submitting proposals as well as researchers who have not submitted recently. Upcoming topics include Finding Funding Opportunities, Starting a Proposal through Cayuse Sponsored Projects, Electronic Submission through Cayuse Proposals S2S, and Documents, Forms, Budgets, Etc.
Office hours are hosted on Wednesdays from 1 to 2 p.m. on Webex. Use the password Preaward2023 to join.
- Research and Sponsored Programs’ Human Research Protection Program hosts virtual office hours every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to noon on Webex (Meeting Number: 2302 494 3505).
- Office of Technology Transfer—Ask the Expert!
These 30-minute virtual sessions are a wonderful opportunity for Wright State University researchers to discuss the potential commercialization of your research and intellectual property protection.
Online appointments are available on November 7 from 9 to 3 p.m. Schedule your appointment. For more information, visit the Office of Technology Transfer’s resources webpage.
Healthy Minds Survey
Remember to complete the Healthy Minds Study. It is important as we want to better understand faculty and staff mental health, well-being, sources of support, and other mental and emotional health topics.
The online, anonymous survey takes about 15 minutes to complete and is your chance to reflect on important topics in your life and our campus community.
Those who have not completed the survey will receive regular emails with a personalized survey link.
Participating in this survey will automatically enter you into a sweepstakes for one of two $500 prizes or one of ten $100 prizes. The drawing will be conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in the summer of 2024. Winners will be notified by email and provided with information about how to collect the prize.
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
