Climate Scientist Publishes Trends in 'Weather Whiplash' Events
Who hasn’t heard the somewhat sarcastic phrase “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes”? Did you know there is now a term for this? They are called ‘weather whiplash’ events.
Many wonder if climate change is the reason we’ve had these day-to-day dramatic changes from hot to cold or cold to hot.
As a climate scientist, Cameron Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Geography in the College of Arts and Sciences at Kent State University, gets asked this question a lot. Looking beyond just the average temperatures and statistical means, he decided to take a more analytical look at weather whiplash and add to a growing body of climate change literature examining temperature variability trends. Read the full story.
Ashtabula Awarded $140,000 Grant From Foundation for Health Sciences Equipment
Grant will fund upgrades to Radiologic Technology and Respiratory Therapy programs
The Ashtabula Foundation has awarded Kent State University at Ashtabula a grant totaling $142,850 to upgrade equipment for two allied health programs.
“I am grateful to the Ashtabula Foundation for their generous support of our students,” said Susan J. Stocker, Ph.D., dean and chief administrative officer. “The grant will allow us to purchase state of the art equipment that will better prepare our students for the real-world clinical experience.”
The Radiologic Technology and Respiratory Therapy programs will receive substantial equipment upgrades with the grant. Among the improvements are a floor mount digital x-ray unit, digital x-ray upgrades, drop coverage for x-ray cassettes, and a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) for Radiologic Technology and the addition of an adult/infant lung simulator for Respiratory Therapy. Read the full story.
Trumbull Nursing Student Named to Eastern Ohio Area Health Education Center Scholars Cohort
“We are so proud of Kyla,” said Dr. Gina Severino, professor & Kent State Trumbull BSN Coordinator. “We are always looking for ways to serve and strengthen our communities. AHEC is a perfect program to connect our students to the needs in the Mahoning Valley and all of Northeast Ohio."
Cozadd-Teeters becomes the third Kent State Trumbull BSN student to gain acceptance to the program, joining 2021 graduates Chelsey Palmer and Tiffany Burwell. Palmer was named one of two "Scholar of the Year" award winners this past spring.
"Reading Chelsey's story and learning more about the program, I knew for certain that this is something I want to continue, not only for me but for Kent State Trumbull," said Cozadd-Teeters. "The next 18 months are going to be intense, but that is what I am here for."
She grinningly acknowledged that she won't get much of a break from nursing when she is at home. Her mom, Kelly Teeters, is a nurse and just completed the work to become a nurse practitioner.
New Virtual Exercise Class - Office Express
Employee Wellness and Recreational Services are pleased to introduce a new exercise offering inspired by feedback from faculty and staff.
Limited on time, space, or equipment to exercise during your workday? Stay active and energized with Office Express, a 30-minute, office-friendly virtual workout led by Recreation Program Coordinator, Beth Michel. Each session focuses on strength, cardio, and flexibility, and Beth will demonstrate how to modify the workout, making it adaptable for all levels of fitness.
Beginning January 19, this class will take place on Wednesdays from 12:15 - 12:45 p.m. In addition to Office Express, the following faculty/staff exercise classes will be offered during the spring semester starting the week of January 17:
- Monday - Total Body Toning (12:15 - 1 p.m.)
- Tuesday - Yoga (12:15 - 1 p.m.)
- Friday - Cardio Kickboxing (12:15 - 1 p.m.)
Those participating in the wellness rewards program will earn 10 Tier 2 reward points for each exercise session they attend. Visit the wellness events calendar to register for sessions.
For questions related to health and wellness offerings for faculty and staff, contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu, or call 330-672-0392.
Chronic Condition Management with Livongo
Employee Wellness is excited to announce that Kent State’s partnership with Livongo, which previously offered complimentary diabetes management services to employees and dependents covered under the university-sponsored health plans, has expanded to include comprehensive services for pre-diabetes, diabetes, and hypertension.
Livongo members have access to the following services to help manage conditions:
- Connected devices. Receive a free blood glucose meter, or a blood pressure monitor that automatically uploads your readings. Depending on your health goals you can also receive a smart scale. Track your progress and manage your health all within a private account on an easy-to-use app.
- Coaching, anytime, anywhere. Expert health coaches are ready to help. Together, you will create a custom plan to meet your needs and focus on health areas that are important to you.
- Digital behavioral health support. Get 24/7 access to practical tips and techniques that help you better manage stress, sleep, anxiety, depression, weight and more.
You must meet the health criteria for each program in which you wish to enroll. To learn more, visit www.kent.edu/hr/wellness/livongo or navigate directly to be.livongo.com/KENTSTATE/new and use registration code KENTSTATE to enroll today.
Have questions or need help enrolling? Call Livongo member support at (800) 945-4355 and mention registration code KENTSTATE for assistance.
January Wellness Webinars
What better time than the start of a new year to recommit to yourself and your self-care routine?
Join Employee Wellness for the following webinars this month to draw inspiration for recommitting to self-care. Employee Wellness webinars are open to all staff and faculty, and those participating in the wellness rewards program earn 10 Tier 2 points for attending. Click on the titles below to register. To view the full list of January offerings, visit the January wellness focus page.
Home Workouts: Building a Successful Routine, January 20, noon – 1 p.m.
Home workouts are becoming increasingly popular, but it can be difficult to figure out how to get started and stay on track. Join Kelly Schlather from Be Well Solutions to learn best practices and suggested resources for creating a personalized, well-rounded, and successful workout routine at home.
Setting and Achieving Your Health and Wellness Goals, January 25, noon – 1 p.m.
Goal setting is a proven part of changing behavior. Join Doug Newton as he discusses the process of wellness goal setting, including creating a health vision, identifying areas of change, and how to effectively move through the change process toward optimal well-being.
For questions related to health and wellness offerings for faculty and staff, contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu, or call 330-672-0392.
Benefits Tip of the Week
How much money does Kent State University contribute toward the Health Savings Accounts for employees enrolled in the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with Medical Mutual, and when will that money be available for 2022?
Kent State contributes as much as $1,100 for employees enrolled in the single HDHP and $2,000 for employees enrolled in the family HDHP. That contribution will be posted to enrolled employees’ PNC HSA accounts two to three business days after the first pay date in 2022. Please keep in mind that Monday, January 17, is a federal holiday and financial institutions are generally closed. Therefore, you should expect an additional one or two days delay in posting to your PNC account.
For questions, email benefits@kent.edu.
January LinkedIn Learning Resource Toolkit
Explore the January 2022 LinkedIn Learning Resource Toolkit, chock full information, including the December 2021 LinkedIn Workplace Report, the LinkedIn Learning Hub, upcoming trainings and webinars, a new monthly challenge, seasonal promotional materials and more.
Important Information Regarding Student Registration into Classes
The Office of the University Registrar asks for assistance to ensure that all students are properly registered for spring 2022 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 spring 2022. Or in FlashLine, go to Faculty and 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. This mark must be accompanied by a date of last attendance in the course. If a student has stopped attending your course the SF mark 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 can no longer 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 University catalog.