Everything you need to feel at home before your first day. Consider this your unofficial guide from a colleague who's been in your shoes.
The practical things that will make your first week smooth.
WSU uses a license-plate-recognition parking system — no stickers or hangtags. Faculty park in yellow-signed lots and purchase an ePermit through the Shocker Parking portal. Enforcement runs 7 a.m.–5 p.m. weekdays when classes are in session. You can set up payroll deduction for your permit. Questions? Email wsuparking@wichita.edu or call 316-978-5526.
The Shocker Card is your official WSU ID. You'll use it for building access, library services, campus events, athletics discounts, and even riding Wichita Transit buses for free. Pick yours up at the Shocker Card Center in the Rhatigan Student Center (RSC), Room 105. Hours are Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Bring a valid photo ID. Call 316-978-3456 with questions.
WSU's interactive campus map is your best friend for finding buildings, parking lots, and walking routes. Bookmark it on your phone. The main campus address is 1845 Fairmount St, Wichita, KS 67260.
Rhatigan Student Center (RSC) — the campus hub with dining, Shocker Card Center, and meeting spaces. Ablah Library — main library and study rooms. Jardine Hall — home to the FARE faculty development office. Morrison Hall — postal services and RSC administrative offices. Your department will introduce you to your building.
WSU runs a free shuttle system from satellite lots at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex (29th & Oliver). It's a handy option if campus lots are full or if you'd rather skip the permit cost.
Get connected before your first class.
An email address is created for you automatically. Log in at o365.wichita.edu using your myWSU ID followed by @wichita.edu and your myWSU password. You also get full access to Microsoft 365 (Word, Teams, OneDrive, etc.) with up to five installations on personal devices.
The myWSU portal is your single point of entry for everything — pay stubs, benefits, class rosters, training, and more. Your first step is setting up your password at mywsu.wichita.edu → "Manage your password." Set up Duo two-factor authentication early — you'll need it.
Connect to WSU Secure (not WSU Guest) using your myWSU credentials. It's available campus-wide with WPA2 encryption. The first time you connect, you may need to accept a security certificate. If you hit issues, contact your department's tech support team or the Help Desk.
WSU uses Blackboard Ultra as its learning management system. Every course you teach gets a Blackboard shell. At minimum, post your syllabus there. For training, the Office of Instructional Resources (OIR) runs open lab sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 1–3 p.m., and provides on-demand training. Email OIR@wichita.edu for same-day help.
University Libraries (based in Ablah Library) gives you access to full-text databases, e-books, e-journals, interlibrary loan, and the SOAR institutional repository for publishing your research. Subject-specialist librarians in Room 122 of Ablah can help with everything from course guides to collection requests. Explore the Library Support for Faculty guide or call 316-978-3481.
As faculty, you also receive free access to Adobe Creative Cloud, LinkedIn Learning, and other professional tools through the university. Check myWSU or ask the Help Desk about what's available to you.
The people and offices you'll want to have on speed dial.
Passwords, myWSU, computers, software
316-978-4357 (HELP)
helpdesk@wichita.edu
Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 9am–6pm
Benefits, onboarding, employment records
316-978-3065
hr.servicecenter@wichita.edu
wichita.edu/hr
Dr. Monica Lounsbery, Senior EVP & Provost
Vice Provost: Ashlie Jack
316-978-3010
Academic Affairs
President: Christopher Stone
Woolsey Hall 209F
316-978-6722
christopher.stone@wichita.edu
Insurance, retirement, leave, compensation
TotalRewards@wichita.edu
Benefits overview
ePermits, lot questions, citations
316-978-5526
wsuparking@wichita.edu
wichita.edu/parking
Blackboard, teaching tech, course design
OIR@wichita.edu
wichita.edu/oir
Safety, ShockerAlert system, after-hours
316-978-3450
Emergency: 911
On your second day of work, you'll attend a virtual New Employee Orientation (NEO) via Teams at 8:30 a.m. HR will send you the details. After the live session, you'll complete online orientation modules at your own pace. Visit wichita.edu/NEO for details.
WSU invests in your growth as a teacher and researcher.
FARE is WSU's dedicated faculty development office, located in Jardine Hall, Room 112. It offers mutual mentoring grants, faculty networking events, support for tenure and promotion, and programming in collaboration with the Office of Research and the Provost's office. Stop by for a cup of coffee and to meet Dr. Debby Hinsdale, the Faculty Development Coordinator. Email fare@wichita.edu or call 316-978-6008. Visit wichita.edu/fare.
The Teaching Matters program is a podcast and seminar series supporting faculty in strengthening student retention and teaching excellence. Meanwhile, the Academic Resources Conference (ARC) runs three times a year (August, January, May) with advanced training for instructors on Blackboard, pedagogy, accessibility, and classroom technology. The Office of Instructional Resources also offers weekly open lab sessions and one-on-one support.
The Office of Research provides grant development specialists to help you find funding and prepare proposals. A searchable funding database is available for federal and private grants. WSU Ventures supports intellectual property and commercialization efforts. Post-award services assist with grant management after funding is secured. Faculty can also access the SOAR institutional repository to publish and archive research. Visit wichita.edu/research-support.
WSU offers structured support for your career path, including annual faculty evaluation (FAR), tenure and promotion guidance, a Pre-Tenure Club, sabbatical leave opportunities, and faculty awards programs. The Faculty Senate meets on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month (3:30–5:00 p.m.) and welcomes all faculty. Explore the Faculty Advancement page for the full picture.
Don't overlook your benefits — WSU employees receive tuition assistance for themselves and dependents, access to the State Employee Health Plan (SEHP) with Aetna or BlueCross/BlueShield of Kansas options, KBOR 403(b) retirement with an 8.5% employer match, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Contact TotalRewards@wichita.edu for details.
You're going to like it here more than you might expect.
The Wichita Art Museum, Ulrich Museum on campus, Music Theatre of Wichita, Wichita Symphony Orchestra, and monthly First Friday art crawls make for a surprisingly rich cultural scene. Don't miss the Frank Lloyd Wright Allen House — ranked among the top Wright home tours in the country.
Wichita is where Pizza Hut and White Castle were born. Today, you'll find everything from James Beard Award–semifinalist Georges French Bistro to iconic diners like Old Mill Tasty Shop. The craft beer and coffee scenes are thriving — try Reverie Coffee Roasters (a USA Today 10Best pick).
The Keeper of the Plains and its nightly Ring of Fire ceremony at sunset is unmissable. Botanica Wichita, the Sedgwick County Zoo, Great Plains Nature Center, and Exploration Place (with a new Adventure Playscape opening in 2026) make Wichita incredibly family-friendly.
Wichita offers a genuinely affordable cost of living with a short commute culture — most places are 15–20 minutes away. The Old Town district is the social heart of the city, packed with restaurants, galleries, and nightlife. Riverfest (May 29–June 6, 2026) is Kansas' biggest annual festival. And WSU's campus itself is home to the Corbin Education Center, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, along with the Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection. You'll find that Wichitans are warm, welcoming, and proud of their city — and that spirit extends across campus every day.