Adjunct Professor in the College of Business Administration Publishes Book for Students
Professor James Ferguson, adjunct in the College of Business Administration recently published his first book called "WorkTopia: a down-to-earth look at work, navigating today's job market, and rising to the top". Written with college students and young adults in mind, WorkTopia seeks to encourage a healthy view of work, practical tips, and foundational principles for leaders.
"WorkTopia" is available exclusively through Amazon.com in paperback or eBook. The website is www.WorkTopia.info.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Continues Yearlong Virtual Series
The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is continuing the yearlong virtual series, Shaping a Better Future: Dialogues and Strategizing for Change. This town hall series focuses on identity, understanding and change, and exploring the diversity of the American experience. Sandra Morgan, director, external affairs and communications in the College of Arts and Sciences, serves as the moderator for these engaging events.
The series is a collaborative effort, and includes the College of Arts and Sciences, the Jewish Studies Program, the Department of Pan-African Studies, the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality, the Women’s Center, the LGBTQ+ Center, the Latino Networking Caucus and the School of Theatre and Dance.
To learn more about the series and register for events, visit Shaping a Better Future Town Hall Series Continues.
Submit a Nomination for the 2021 Alumni Awards
Do you know a Golden Flash who is an exceptional leader, citizen and colleague? The Alumni Awards honor Kent State’s brightest alumni and students who have made an incredible impact at the university, in their profession and community. These awards are Kent State’s highest alumni honor, presented each year to just six graduates and one student in the following categories:
- Distinguished Alumni Award
- Distinguished Citizen Award
- Professional Achievement Award
- Outstanding New Professional Award
- Kent State Advocacy Award
- Golden Flash Award (student award)
Kent State has a strong community of driven, talented and generous individuals whose work is deserving of these prestigious honors. Nominate a graduate or student for an Alumni Award at www.kent.edu/NominateAlumni. The deadline to submit a nomination is March 14, 2021.
Great Colleges To Work For Survey Opens March 15
Now in its 14th year, the “Great Colleges to Work For” program is a national survey that recognizes institutions that get top ratings from faculty and staff for building great workplace practices and policies.
Last year, Kent State University was one of only three Ohio colleges recognized as a Great College to Work For in The Chronicle of Higher Education, a top trade publication for colleges and universities, by ModernThink LLC, a strategic human capital consulting firm.
For nine years Kent State has landed on the prestigious list, but in 2020 we were identified for the first time in three categories: Confidence in Senior Leadership; Facilities, Workspace and Security; and Work/Life Balance for universities with 10,000 or more students.
The University is again participating in the Great Colleges to Work For program to track its progress in responding to your insights through an invaluable internal and external benchmarking process. As such, we encourage you to share your feedback regarding Kent State.
Although acknowledgment is not guaranteed, we remain wholly optimistic about the value we can derive from this program. Your input allows us to improve existing practices and implement new programs and procedures.
On or around March 15, an invitation to take the Great Colleges to Work For survey will be distributed to a random selection of our employees and faculty members, meaning you may or may not be chosen to provide feedback. If you receive an invitation, we welcome and encourage you to participate and share your honest viewpoints, as a high response rate helps ensure an accurate representation of our community. We thank everyone who participated last year.
Please note that the survey, which runs March 15 through April 2, is voluntary and completely confidential; our institution cannot trace results back to individuals. ModernThink LLC, an independent management-consulting firm focusing on workplace quality in higher education, will process your survey.
Thank you in advance for your participation. Please contact Dr. Susan Perry, Assistant Provost for Accreditation, Assessment and Learning, at assessment@kent.edu, if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Melody Tankersley
Senior Vice President and Provost
Wick Poetry Center Collaborates With Gerald H. Read Center for International and Intercultural Educational
A new innovative website has been developed by Wick Poetry and the Gerald H. Read Center in honor of International Mother Language Day this year. The site, Untranslatable: An Ode to the Mother Tongue, honors poetry and people around the world by allowing users to see and hear global poetry and upload their own. Please go to untranslatable.travelingstanzas.com to participate.
2021 Performance Evaluations and Webinars are Here
Performance evaluations for classified and unclassified employees will take place from April 15 through June 15.
As a reminder, access is available to the performance log that employees and supervisors can use throughout the year to record personal accomplishments, training and discussions.
Two webinars will be available for supervisors and managers. The first, "Navigating the Online Evaluation Process," will familiarize evaluators with the online assessment tool. The second webinar, "Assessing and Improving the Performance of Others," is a webinar for new managers and supervisors regarding how to evaluate employees.
Below are the registration links for the Performance Evaluation webinars:
Assessing and Improving the Performance of Others April 7, 2021, 10:00 a.m.
Navigating the Online Performance Evaluation System April 20, 2021, 10 a.m.
Assessing and Improving the Performance of Others May 13, 2021, 2:00 p.m.
Navigating the Online Performance Evaluation System May 26, 2021, 2 p.m.
Information, Training Aids and Supervisor Manuals are located on the Human Resources Performance Evaluation website. If you have any questions, please call Karen Watson at 330-672-4636 or email kswatson@kent.edu.
March is National Nutrition Month
Resources for Proper Nutrition
A nutrition education and information campaign sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, National Nutrition Month focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating habits. To celebrate National Nutrition Month, Employee Wellness has highlighted resources below which are available to support you in adopting healthy eating behaviors. Whether you're interested in joining a support community, taking advantage of individualized accountability, or finding information and new recipes on your own, we have something to fit your needs and lifestyle.
Community
Do you find it easier to stick to your health goals when you have the support of others? Then you may consider joining the WW (Weight Watchers) community! Through Kent State's partnership with Medical Mutual, employees and their dependents aged 18+ who are covered under the university-sponsored health plan can join WW and save almost 50% off the regular cost! Eligible employees can enroll in WW by emailing ww@medmutual.com or calling 1-800-251-2583. For more information on the different types of memberships and how to enroll, visit our WW web page at www.kent.edu/hr/wellness/ww.
One-on-One
Meeting with a dietitian can help you take meaningful steps toward your nutrition goals. Registered dietitians provide support and accountability through an evidence-based approach. Full-time, benefits eligible employees can schedule a nutrition counseling session by logging into the Be Well portal and clicking on the link for nutrition counseling under "My Appointments". Part-time employees and family members can access nutrition counseling through IMPACT Solutions by calling 800-227-6007.
Self-Help
There are also web-based options for nutrition education and resources. For webinars and videos, visit our Wellness Your Way course on Blackboard or visit Be Well's "Video Library" under "My Resources" in the Be Well portal (both are eligible for Tier 2 points!). Scroll to the bottom of our Virtual Resources to Support Health & Well-Being web page to find nutrition resources for planning, prepping and cooking at home, including healthy recipe hubs. Finally, explore the National Nutrition Month toolkit for informational PDFs on a variety of topics relevant to all ages, games, and more (available in several languages!)
For questions related to health and wellness offerings for faculty and staff, please contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu or 330-672-0392.
Disease Management Programs Through MMO
Chronic Condition Management Program Offered Through Medical Mutual
If you or one of your dependents are living with a chronic health condition, Medical Mutual of Ohio (MMO)'s Chronic Condition Management Program can offer education and support to help you achieve your best overall health. This program is available if you are covered under the university's group health insurance plan with MMO and have been diagnosed with one or more of the following conditions:
-
Asthma
-
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
-
Congestive heart failure
-
Coronary artery disease
-
Diabetes
Benefits of enrolling in this program include:
-
Access to specially trained Health Coaches that can provide valuable knowledge about your condition(s)
-
Proactive education to improve understanding of your condition
-
Tips to help self-manage your condition and adopt healthy behaviors
-
Condition-specific supplies, and more
There are no out-of-pocket costs for enrolling in this program. To check eligibility and enroll, you may call 800-590-2583 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. You can also learn more by logging in to your Medical Mutual portal at https://member.medmutual.com/, selecting the "Healthy Living" tab and clicking on "Chronic Condition Management". Also within the Healthy Living tab, you will find information about Medical Mutual’s other programs, including their Maternity Program, Tobacco Cessation QuitLine, and discounted WW (formerly Weight Watchers) memberships.
For questions related to Medical Mutual and other benefits for faculty and staff, please contact the Employee Benefits office at benefits@kent.edu or 330-672-3107.
Important Information about Final Grading of Spring 2021 – First 7 Weeks (W1) Classes
Online final grading for Spring 2021 First 7 Weeks (POT W1) began Thursday, March 4, via FlashFAST. Grading is also now available for any Spring 2021 course section that was flexibly scheduled. The deadline for grading submission is midnight on Wednesday, March 10. Any final grades for Spring 2021 courses not reported in FlashFAST by the grades processing deadline will have to be submitted using the Grade Change Workflow. These Spring 2021 courses will be available in the Workflow on Friday, March 12.
To access Final Grades via FlashFAST, log into FlashLine and click on the Faculty & Advisors Category / Faculty Dashboard / Grading Resources Section.
Blackboard Grading Process:
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. Grade Push 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 Grade Push, log into FlashLine and click on the Faculty & Advisors / Faculty Dashboard / Grading Resources.
If you have questions or concerns, please go to support.kent.edu and search “Grade Push.”
Incomplete Mark Workflow:
The instructor must create and submit an Incomplete Mark contract via the 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.
NF/SF Administrative Marks:
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 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.
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 University Catalog.
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 help with these issues. Please contact them at 330-672-HELP (4357) for one-on-one assistance and technical issues.