Faculty spotlight on Molly Wang - Exemplifying Excellence According to the Kent State Model
Zhiqiang Molly Wang, Ph.D., was recently promoted to full professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Kent State Geauga and the Regional Academic Center. Last spring semester, she was honored at Kent State's 9th Annual Mothers, Mentors and Muses Celebration for her nurturing ‘Mother’ role among students, helping to birth new ideas and to nurture a supportive academic environment. Read more.
Janice Lessman-Moss, professor of textiles in ’s School of Art, has been named Cleveland Arts Prize’s 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Read more.
2020 Open Enrollment Schedule and Campus Fairs
The Open Enrollment period for selecting benefits for the 2020 plan year begins Mon., Oct. 14 at 8 a.m. and ends Fri., Nov. 1 at 4:59 p.m.
The annual Open Enrollment Kiva presentation is scheduled for Wed., and Thurs., Sept. 25 and 26, from 9 – 11 a.m. The Sept. 25 presentation will be live streamed and recorded for play back.
Campus Fairs:
- Ashtabula – Oct. 10
- Twinsburg - Oct. 15
- Twinsburg – Oct. 15
- Trumbull – Oct. 16
- Tuscarawas – Oct. 17
- Geauga – Oct. 22
- Kent – Oct. 23
- CPM – Oct. 24
- E. Liverpool – Oct. 29
- Salem – Oct. 30
- Stark – Oct. 31
Universal Electronic Survey of Student Instruction (SSI) Arrives at Kent
The new Electronic Survey of Student Instruction (SSI) arrives at Kent State this fall. SSI provides an environmentally friendly and convenient alternative to the traditional paper surveys used in classrooms. It also expands the functionality of the electronic surveys that, until this fall, were used exclusively for online courses. SSI allows departments, schools and faculty to customize questions and release dates.
The change in the SSI was approved by the Faculty Senate in Spring 2018. Since then, representatives from Academic Operations and Administration, the Faculty Senate, and the Center for Teaching and Learning have implemented the system, developed informational and training materials, and interacted with unit administrators and course schedulers to ease the transition process.
Information and resources for students, faculty and staff are being updated on a regular basis and made available at the Flash Survey website.
Questions regarding technical or operational aspects of the new system can be directed to Anthony Parker, system support specialist for Academic Affairs Operations and Administration, at flashsurvey@kent.edu. General questions about the interpretation or incorporation of SSIs in a faculty member’s portfolio for review can be addressed to Jenny Marcinkiewicz, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, at ctl@kent.edu. Direct questions on the development of the new SSI to Pamela Grimm, chair of Faculty Senate at pgrimm@kent.edu.
Enhanced Security for Your Kent State Account
The Division of Information Technology is pleased to announce that additional security for your Kent State account is now available. Register today at .
Enhanced security (often referred to as multi-factor or dual-factor authentication) for your Kent State account provides increased protection beyond relying solely on your password because it requires an additional method to verify your identity.
You probably already have experience with similar security features for your bank account and other services you use – the ones that make you enter a code every time you log in, or periodically force you to change your password.
Your experience with the Kent State technology will be different because it considers a multitude of factors, such as location, device and network, before asking you to verify your identity. If access to your account is determined to be low risk and nothing concerning the login is suspicious, you are unlikely to be prompted.
You’re in control
You have the ability to manage how you receive authentication prompts based on your preferences. .
Every member of the Kent State community, regardless of role, has a responsibility to protect personal information and university data. IT provides this powerful tool to help you keep this information safer than ever before.
To learn more about the enhanced security project and to apply multi-factor authentication to your Kent State account, .
New Faculty Benefits, Retirement Plans and Orientation Sessions
In the next 30 days you have important and time-sensitive decisions to make as it relates to your healthcare (medical, prescription, vision and dental) and life insurance coverage, and retirement plan options. Please register to attend one of the New Faculty Orientation sessions listed below in Heer Hall room 107 by contacting the benefits office at benefits@kent.ed, or call (330) 672-3107 to reserve your seat.
- Mon., Aug. 19, 8 a.m. – noon
- Wed., Aug. 21, 2 - 4 p.m.
- Fri., Aug. 23, 9 - 11 a.m.
- Mon., Aug. 26, 9 - 11 a.m.
- Wed., Aug. 28, 2 - 4 p.m.
- Thurs., Aug. 29, 2 - 4 p.m.
- Fri., Aug. 30, 2 - 4 p.m.
Please visit the New Hire Benefits information webpage at /hr/benefits/new-hire-benefits-information and/or the University Benefits website for more complete and detailed information.
ETW Enhancements Go Live in September, 2019
As a university focused on continuous innovation and development, we are pleased to announce the re-designed Employee Transaction Workflow effective September, 2019.
Developing the new system’s architecture and technology took careful planning and execution, and allows HR Records and Academic Affairs to move the workflow from dated technology to a sustainable platform called Outsystems. With this launch comes additional system capabilities. Listed below are some of the new features:
Changes for ETW Initiators
- The new and refreshed ETW is for all staff job changes, staff supplemental pays, and FT faculty job changes. The link to start the ETW is in the same location in the HR and Employees Workflow section of Flashline.
- You now have the ability to start an ETW and save it as a DRAFT to finish later.
- Paper Supplemental Pay forms, previously routed through the Compensation Department, are now completed through the ETW process.
- Staff Additional Pay assignments are now processed using the Supplemental Pay feature of the new ETW.
- The enhanced ETW is very intuitive. Any required information you need to provide is based on the reason for the job change.
- Enhanced job descriptions during initiation of the ETW will make it easier to choose the necessary action.
- Faculty ETWs will be used for FT Faculty job changes only. Any faculty additional pays should be requested through the ePAF process.
Changes for ETW Approvers
- A “Need to Take Action” email notification will be sent when ETW approvals are required.
- The previous “bug” with PI approvers has been fixed.
- Editing of “In Process” ETW information is enabled for divisional budget officers and compensation approvers.
- Approvers can upload documents to the ETW during the approval process.
Additional Fetures
- Any web browser can be used (Safari, Chrome, Explorer, Firefox, etc.)
- Enhanced SEARCH features:
- Efficient filtering
- Easier tracking of the ETW approval process
- Visual display to review how many days an ETW has been waiting for action
Questions?
Regarding staff ETWs, contact HR Records at 2-8316, or email hr-records@kent.edu. Concerning supplemental Pay Form Feature on the Enhanced ETW, contact Compensation at 2-2100, or email compensation@kent.edu. For faculty processing, contact Academic Personnel at 2-8717, or email academic_personnel@kent.edu.
Information on Student Class Registration
As we begin the new semester, the Office of the University Registrar asks for your assistance in making sure that all students are properly registered for their fall 2019 courses.
As per University policy, only officially registered students are permitted to attend courses. Go to Faculty & Advisors, Faculty Dashboard to find the link to official class rosters in FlashLine. Students who are not officially registered within the appropriate time period will not receive a grade or earn credit for the course even if they attend the entire course and complete all required work.
Registration and schedule adjustment deadlines for courses can be found in the Detailed Class Search. To access the Detailed Class Search, visit the Registrar's website, click the Schedule of Classes quick link, and select fall 2019, or in FlashLine, go to Faculty & Advisors, Resources, Courses and click on the Registration Deadlines and Tuition Credit Search Link.
Instructors are asked to remind students that it is important to finalize and verify their registration within the proper timeframe. After the published deadlines, adjustments in registration will require faculty and Office of the University Registrar approval.
Grades Submission Information
The deadline for submitting final grades can be found on the Registrar's website.
Incomplete Mark and NF/SF Administrative Marks
The administrative mark SF (Stopped Attending–Fail) denotes that the student stopped attending the course and did not formally withdraw and must be accompanied by a date of last attendance in the course. If a student has stopped attending your course the SF can be entered on the Final Grade Roster along with the student’s last date of attendance.
The administrative mark NF (Never Attended–Fail) denotes that the student neither attended one class session nor formally withdrew from the course. If a student has never attended your course, mark the student as “Not Started” on the Academic Presence Verification Roster, and the NF will automatically populate to your Final Grades roster.
The administrative mark of IN (Incomplete) may be given to students who are unable to complete the work due to extenuating circumstances. To be eligible, undergraduate students must be currently earning a D or better grade and are unable to complete the required work between the course withdrawal deadline and the end of classes. Graduate students must be currently earning a C or better grade and are unable to complete the required work between the course withdrawal deadline and the end of classes. Instructors are required to complete and submit an Incomplete Mark Contract.
Incomplete Mark Contract Workflow
The instructor must create and submit an Incomplete Mark contract via the new workflow. Instructors are no longer able to select the incomplete mark (IB+, IC+, IC-, etc.) from the final grade roster in FlashFAST (Self-Service Banner). The primary instructor must initiate and submit the contract using this new workflow process, which mimics the old paper process. Once the contract has been accepted by the student and approved by the department chair/campus dean, the student’s grade will be updated automatically. The primary instructor will be able to initiate and submit the contract for a student after the deadline to withdraw (10th week of a regularly scheduled section in fall and spring, or prorated for flexibly scheduled sections) through the end of final grading.
Access the Incomplete Mark workflow in FlashLine from the Faculty Dashboard under Grading Resources or Faculty Workflows. The incomplete mark and default grade will no longer be available to assign via the final grade roster or the Grade Push Application.
For complete information on university grading policies including Incomplete Mark and NF/SF grading policies, procedures and timelines, please visit the Grading Policies and Procedures section in the .
Information on Final Grading of Summer 2019 Full Term, Second 7 Weeks, and Summer 3 Classes
Online final grading for summer 2019 Full Term, Second 7 Weeks, and Summer 3 will begin Thursday, August 15, via FlashFAST. Grading is also now available for any summer 2019 course section that was flexibly scheduled. The deadline for grading submission is midnight on Sunday, August 18. Any final grades for summer 2019 courses not reported in FlashFAST by the grades processing deadline will have to be submitted using the Grade Change Workflow. The Grade Change Workflow will be available on Tuesday, August 20.
To access Final Grades via FlashFAST, log into FlashLine and click on the Faculty & Advisors Category, Faculty Dashboard, Grading Resources Section.
Blackboard Grading Process Available
If you use Blackboard, there is a new tool to make reporting your final grades easier—with a push of the button! The process is called Grade Push and it will allow you to “push” the final grades recorded in Blackboard into our KSU Final Grade Roster, thus eliminating the time and effort spent manually entering them.
To access the Grade Push application, log into FlashLine and click on the Faculty & Advisors Category, Faculty Dashboard, Grading Resources Section.
If you have questions or concerns, please visit support.kent.edu and search “Grade Push.”
Please note: The Grade Push application has been developed as an option to assist in streamlining the university grading process. The use of this application is not mandatory, though it is encouraged.
New Incomplete Mark Workflow and NF/SF Administrative Marks:
The instructor must create and submit an Incomplete Mark contract via the new workflow. Instructors are no longer be able to select the incomplete mark (IB+, IC+, IC-, etc.) from the final grade roster in FlashFAST (Self-Service Banner). The primary instructor must initiate and submit the contract using this new workflow process, which mimics the old paper process. Once the contract has been accepted by the student and approved by the department chair/campus dean, the student’s grade will be updated automatically. The primary instructor will be able to initiate and submit the contract for a student after the deadline to withdraw (10th week of a regularly scheduled section in fall and spring, or prorated for flexibly scheduled sections) through the end of final grading.
Access the Incomplete Mark workflow in FlashLine from the Faculty Dashboard under Grading Resources or Faculty Workflows.
The administrative mark SF (Stopped Attending–Fail) denotes that the student stopped attending the course and did not formally withdraw and must be accompanied by a date of last attendance in the course. If a student has stopped attending your course the SF can be entered on the Final Grade Roster along with the student’s last date of attendance.
The administrative mark NF (Never Attended–Fail) denotes that the student neither attended one class session nor formally withdrew from the course. If a student has never attended your course, mark the student as “Not Started” on the Academic Presence Verification Roster, and the NF will automatically populate to your Final Grades roster.
For complete information on university grading policies including Incomplete Mark and NF/SF grading policies, procedures and timelines, please visit the Grading Policies and Procedures section in the .
Grades Processing Tips and FAQs may be found on the Registrar's website. Any faculty member needing personalized instruction on submitting their grades via FlashFAST should contact their campus Registrar's Office during normal business hours for assistance.
Troubleshooting TIP: FlashFAST is accessible from any Internet-capable computer that has the cookies function enabled. We recommend that you clean out your cookie and cache files regularly to help your computer run faster, and to potentially restore and/or improve your access to FlashFAST and/or FlashLine by improving your connection to the server. Our Helpdesk is prepared to offer assistance with these issues. Please contact them at 330-672-HELP (4357) for one-on-one assistance and technical issues.
Environmental Health and Safety Fall Training Courses
Environmental Health and Safety will offer two types of training open to all faculty and staff.
General Safety Training includes concepts that are important at work and can also be useful at home. Classes are every Wednesday and Thursday from 1 – 2 p.m. in Harbourt Hall conference room 331. Class size is limited to 10 individuals. The class schedule follows:
- Office Ergonomics, Sept. 4, 5, 11 and 12
- Defensive Driving, Sept. 18, 19, 25 and 26
- Back Safety, Oct. 2, 3, 9 and 10
- Cold Weather Stress, Oct. 16, 17, 23 and 24
- General Office Safety, Oct 30, 31, Nov. 6 and 7
Designed for supervisors, the OSHA 10-hour General Industry Certification is a two-day class held Sept. 9 and 13, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. in Heer Hall conference room 107. Attendance at both sessions is required for completion. This class meets Beyond Compliance requirements. There will be in-depth discussions on the following:
- Introduction to OSHA
- Blood borne Pathogens
- Electrical Safety
- Ergonomics
- Exits and Emergency Action Plans
- Fall Protection
- Hazard Communication
- Hazardous Materials
- Industrial Hygiene
- Machine Guarding
- Material Handling
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Safety and Health Programs
- Walking and Working Surfaces
To request services or information, please call Environmental Health and Safety at 672-9565, or email Don Head at dehead@kent.edu.
WKSU Takes Home Two National PRNDI Awards
WKSU was honored with two national PRNDI Awards from Public Radio News Directors, Inc. WKSU competes with public radio stations across the country in Division A, representing newsrooms with seven to 15 full-time staff. The awards were presented during PRNDI’s annual conference in Washington, D.C.
Second-place PRNDI Awards went to M.L. Schultze for Best Nationally Edited Feature and Amanda Rabinowitz for Best Newscast.
Rabinowitz is the local producer/host for NPR’s Morning Edition. The submitted newscast from February 2018 included a report on a death after a local school shooting and high school protests in response to the Parkland shooting. She also offered election coverage, weather updates and other local news. Rabinowitz produces her newscasts each morning for airing beginning at 5 a.m.
Schultze reported about eBay’s first-in-the-nation Retail Revival, a partnership with Akron and more than 100 small businesses. The venture included training for sellers in online marketing and a shared brick and mortar shopping space in the city’s Northside District. Her story aired on NPR in March 2018.
Nearly 190 awards were given for work created in 2018. During the conference, PRNDI membership voted to rename the organization (which began as the Public Radio News Directors Association in the early 1980s) as the Public Media Journalists Association.
Update Departmental Information in Online Directory
To ensure complete and accurate directory listings, University Communications and Marketing is requesting that designated departmental representatives verify and update as it is not synced with Banner or Human Resources information. Learn more.
Music Man at Porthouse Theater Photo Gallery
Last week, more than 130 faculty and staff and their family and friends attended a special presentation of the Music Man at Porthouse Theatre on the grounds of Blossom Music Center, presented by students from the College of the Arts.
Employees received complimentary gifts and dined on Mexican-style cuisine in the Thornbury Pavilion courtesy of Fresco. As is customary, the group was also serenaded with several show tunes by student-actors before the start of the matinee performance. View pictures from the event.
Meditation Across Campus and Koru Mindfulness Training Resume This Fall
Kent State of Wellness, ’s healthy campus initiative, will resume its Meditation Across Campus program this fall, beginning in September. Meditation Across Campus offers members of the Kent State community the opportunity to participate in free, facilitated meditation sessions at various locations across the Kent Campus.
“This past school year, more than 1,000 Kent State community members participated in our Meditation Across Campus program,” says Melissa Celko, director of Kent State of Wellness. “We encourage new and returning participants to take advantage of these free meditation sessions to help with stress relief. Particularly for those who have never meditated before, we want to invite faculty and staff to try out one of the sessions.”
Participants can attend any meditation session that is convenient for them and there is no commitment to attend.
For more information about dates, times and locations for the Fall 2019 Semester, visit the Kent State of Wellness website.
Additionally, Kent State of Wellness will again offer free Koru Mindfulness training to members of the university community this fall. This evidence-based, four-week, 75-minute mindfulness class will help you discover how to incorporate mindfulness skills and meditation into your life to better manage stress.
Kent State, in partnership with the Center for Koru Mindfulness, offered a teacher training workshop this summer to certify more Koru Mindfulness trainers on campus.
“We have newly certified Koru teachers, which means that we can offer more mindfulness classes to members of our community,” Celko says. “We hope to equip many more of our students, faculty and staff with evidence-based mindfulness skills that will come in handy for them at any point in time.”
Find more information about Koru Mindfulness classes at Kent State, including registration, dates, times and locations.
For more information about Kent State of Wellness, visit www.kent.edu/stateofwellness.
Lunch and Learn: Navigating News Related Stress
Streaming Available - All Campus Access
News has gone beyond information overload into emotional, political, and social overwhelm. On Tues., Aug. 27, from noon - 1 p.m. learn how to avoid feeling like you're at the mercy of every news cycle without losing hope or compassion.
This timely presentation will be brought to you by one of your favorite IMPACT presenters, Daron Larson. This session is open to all full- and part-time faculty and staff and will be presented live at Heer Hall, space is limited, or via live streaming directly to any computer or mobile device with an internet connection. Please register for the session of your choice by selecting from the links below:
. (space is limited)
.
Employees participating in the Wellness Your Way wellness program will receive 10 Tier Two points for participating in this lunch and learn session. For questions, please contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu or extensions 20392 or 27501.
Wellness Your Way 2019 Deadline Approaching
There's Still Time to Earn Your Tier 2 Reward!
As part of Kent State's Employee Wellness Program, all full-time, benefits-eligible employees may earn up to $300 annually in wellness dollars by simply participating in healthy lifestyle activities.
Nearly 1,400 employees have taken advantage of earning their first $100 by completing their Tier 1 activities by April 30, 2019. To earn an additional $200 reward, employees have through October 15, 2019, to complete action items of their choice from the "Wellness Your Way" programming.
The chart below shows one example of an employee earning their 350 points to earn a Tier 2 reward of $200. This is easy to do no matter where you are, when you work or how busy you may be.
|
*Wellness Activities - Jane Doe |
Points |
|
Dental checkup and cleaning (can earn up to 80 points total) |
40 |
|
Annual well check with age appropriate screening |
100 |
|
Annual eye exam |
40 |
|
Wellness Your Way |
20 |
|
Simply Strength 28-Day Challenge |
20 |
|
Mindfulness 3-part webinar series |
75 |
|
IMPACT or Be Well Scavenger Hunt completion (do both for 30 points.) |
15 |
|
On the Move Challenge |
60 |
|
*This is just an example of how you can achieve your 350 points! We encourage you to do Wellness Your Way! |
370 |
There are also a host of sessions (more than 150 points) available on Blackboard Learn under the "Wellness Your Way" channel. Simply complete the session(s) of your choice, take the short quiz, and earn Wellness Your Way points towards Tier 2.
For more details, visit your personal wellness portal at for a full list of eligible actions that can earn you points.
Tier Two activities must be completed between Jan. 1, 2019, through Oct. 15, 2019. Final paperwork must be completed and submitted to Be Well no later than Oct. 30, 2019, for the 2019 incentive period.
Join TEAM KENT STATE in the Akron Heart Walk Sept. 7 at Lock 3
The Heart Walk is the American Heart Association's premiere event for raising funds to save lives from the #1 cause of death in the United States, heart disease. Join the walk on Sat., Sept. 7 at Lock 3 in downtown Akron at 200 S. Main St, Akron, OH 44308. Lock 3 is an outdoor park in the heart of downtown Akron, family and pet-friendly, and surrounded by great eateries to enjoy cool refreshments or lunch afterwards. Kent State faculty, staff, students, friends, family and community members are invited to join our team, KSU Faculty/Staff Walkers, or create their own KSU Heart Walk team.
A Fun Day for All
Enjoy pre-walk festivities at the Healthy for Good Festival beginning at 8 a.m. Meet up with Team Kent State, visit vendor tables, have your blood pressure checked, and more. There will also be activities for children and dogs. The walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. Choose from a leisurely one or three-mile walk through downtown and the Towpath Trail, suitable and enjoyable for the entire family - including your furry, four-legged family members.
Prize Raffles Along the Way
The American Heart Association has generously donated a $50 Barrio gift card to support our Heart Walk efforts. Barrio, a well-known and loved taco establishment with multiple locations in Cleveland, will be opening a new location in Kent late this summer. In addition, Employee Wellness will raffle off two $25 gift cards for Amazon and Target. Here's how you can enter to win these great prizes:
- Register and attend the walk = 1 entry
- Register and donate $25 upon registering = 5 entries
- Earn an additional five entries for every $25 you raise!
Bonus: Move for a Cause Points
For faculty/staff participating in the Wellness Your Way rewards program, attending the walk is worth 10 Move for a Cause points. Be sure to meet up with Team Kent State and sign in at the event to earn your points. .
Not able to make the walk but still want to support Kent State's Heart Walk efforts? You can easily donate to this great cause through our team page. All funds raised by Team Kent State will support the American Heart Association's life-saving efforts. Together, we can make healthier, longer lives possible for everyone. .
For questions, contact Deanna Duffy or Kim Hauge in the Employee Wellness Office at 330-672-0392 or 330-672-7505. See you at the walk!
Marianne Pickering Retires
Benefits Coordinator Marianne Pickering is retiring after 23 years with KSU. Dina Dusek will be the point of contact for work-related injuries and Workers’ Compensation claims. Dina can be reached at 2-2726, or email ddusek@kent.edu.
Dates to Remember:
Aug. 21
National Senior Citizens Day
Aug. 22
Fall classes begin