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Annual Employee Appreciation Day

������ faculty and staff will be recognized with a complimentary lunch, entertainment, games, giveaways, dancing and fun on Tues., Sept. 13, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the Kent Student Center Ballroom. A special evening event will be held for second- and third-shift workers from 10 - 11:30 p.m.   

To provide a consistent experience for all employees, lunch and events will be held concurrently throughout the three-hour period so departments can schedule release time for staff. Workers are not required to use designated sick or vacation leave to attend. Participation in this event should be coordinated with guidance from your supervisor or manager.

All Regional Campus employees are invited to attend the Sept. 13 event on the Kent Campus. However, Regional Campus employees will be recognized during an employee appreciation component at designated open enrollment and wellness fairs this fall. Details and dates for these visits will be included in open enrollment communications.

Registration is open through Sept. 2. If you would like to attend, please register by selecting the day or evening event button on the Employee Appreciation Day home page. All employees registered by Sept. 2 at 11:59 p.m. will automatically be entered to win a prize.

If you have questions, please contact the Employee Engagement and Outreach Office at 330-672-2100 or engage@kent.edu.

Please note: Although the university certainly values its graduate assistants and student employees, Employee Appreciation Day events are intended for all full- and part-time faculty and staff. This does not include graduate assistants and student employees.

Kent State Web Redesign Update – Newly Branded Site to Launch in October

Earlier this spring, the university announced the Kent State Website redesign initiative and next steps that would serve as the springboard for launching our new site, and all department websites, which will align with the university’s new brand.

To date, much work has been accomplished by the redesign team, comprised of a cross-divisional team that includes members from our branding agency 160over90, Information Services, and University Communications and Marketing. Earlier this summer the cross-divisional team was expanded to include our webmaster partners from each department, as they answered the call to make template selections.

Next steps and milestones will be critical to attain the Oct. 30 launch date of all university websites. As a result, please be sure that your department webmaster is prepared to review and finalize the home page rebuilds that will be handled by redesign team members. Collaboration dates will be determined in mid-September and working time with your webmaster, although minimal, will occur between Sept. 8-Oct. 21.

If you have questions about the process or timeline, please contact Lin Danes, director of web services in University Communications and Marketing, at ldanes@kent.edu, so that she can partner with Sameer Jaleel, director of systems development for Information Services, to triage your inquiry and reply.

Fall Student Employment Reminders

Student Employment Forms: Student Employment has updated several of the forms used in the hiring and process of student positions, including the Offer of Student Employment given to students who have not worked on campus before and the Discontinuation of Student Employment Position. To ensure you are using the most current forms available, please download the documents as you need them from the Forms Library in the Student Employment Handbook.   

Posting Student Positions: We know that there are many new and returning students who are currently seeking an on-campus job.  As a reminder, all departments are required to post their position openings through Career Services’ posting system to ensure equal access under Federal law.  Departments should also direct all of their candidates to apply through to further comply with equal employment opportunity standards.

Supervisors seeking to post for the first time should request access by emailing Career Services at campusworks@kent.edu prior to creating an account. Whether you have posted in the past or are new to the system, please review the On-Campus Employer User Guide (attached) prior to utilizing . 

Position Descriptions: All departments should keep a current description for each position on file. This description should be shared with student employees in the position posting, during the interview and/or orientation, and will guide the performance evaluation process. The On-Campus Student Employment Position Information Form located in the Forms Library illustrates the necessary components of a detailed position description.

Student Work Schedules: As you establish your student employees’ availability to work during the upcoming semester, please keep in mind that students are not permitted to work during scheduled class times.  We recommend that you are always aware of a student’s current class schedule to ensure that their work schedule does not conflict with class meeting times.  If a class is cancelled, dismissed early, etc., the student may work but you should document the irregularity in the schedule.

Please contact Ami Hollis at ahollis@kent.edu or 28380 if you have any questions.

Summit Street Improvement Project Update

Work on the first phase of the Summit Street: Building a Better Way improvement project continues this fall. Please share the information below with faculty and staff in your department.

• Two-way traffic has resumed in the construction area from Whitehall Boulevard to East Campus Center Drive. 
• One-way, one-lane eastbound traffic will be maintained from Fraternity Circle to East Campus Center Drive.
• The north end of Ted Boyd Drive remains closed while work continues on the first roundabout, meaning the only entrance to the Student Recreation and Wellness Center is from the south end of Ted Boyd Drive, via Campus Center Drive.  
• The by Johnston and Ted Boyd Drive will be completed this fall.  More information, including a “how to navigate a roundabout” video, will be shared to educate motorists, cyclists and pedestrians when the open date is confirmed.
• The entrance to Johnston Drive from Summit Street will remain closed until the first roundabout is completed.  The C-Science and R8 lot can be accessed from Loop Road. Cars may exit Johnston Drive from the intersection but may only go eastbound. 
• For up-to-date construction and traffic updates, visit www.kent.edu/summitstreet/news-announcements.
• Questions about the construction project should be sent to summitst@kent.edu or call the city of Kent’s Division of Engineering at 330-678-8106. 

Dates to Remember:
September is National Hispanic Heritage Month
Sept. 8 - International Literacy Day
Sept. 11 - Day of Remembrance
Sept. 13 - Employee Appreciation Day - www.kent.edu/hr/employee-appreciation-day
Sept. 16 - Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
Sept. 21 - International Day of Peace
Sept. 22 - First Day of Autumn (Autumnal Equinox)