Faculty/Staff News Now: CPM Faculty/Staff w/ 20+ Years; Perry Roth; Molly Wang Gets Fellowship; Fit for Life; Meditation; Performance Evaluations Extended to 8/15; Financial Wellness; OTOR; Summer Registration

CPM Faculty and Staff Celebrate 20 or More Years

Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine (CPM) has only existed in its current form for eight years. Formerly known as the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, it was acquired by Kent State University in 2012, which has afforded students and employees an array of new opportunities and resources.

While our alumni may still be warming up to the idea of being a Golden Flash, or may not recognize the CPM campus in Independence, many of them have formed lasting connections to the nineteen unique individuals that have worked for the college for two, three and even four decades. 

Please join CPM in recognizing the nineteen faculty and staff members who have been with the College for twenty years or more – through the move to Independence, the merge with Kent State University, and the graduation of thousands of doctors of podiatric medicine.

41 Years: Stephanie Starks Anderson, Business Manager of the Cleveland Foot & Ankle Clinic
Hire date: February 23, 1979

40 Years: Joan Lannoch, Senior Graphic Designer
Hire date: October 1980

40 Years: Donna Perzeski, Library Director
Hire date: June 16, 1980

38 Years: Larry Osher, DPM, Professor
Hire date: July 1, 1982

36 Years: Edweana Robinson, MD, MPH, Adjunct Faculty
Hire date: July 9, 1984

31 Years: Vincent Hetherington, DPM, Senior Associate Dean
Hire date: January 1, 1989

31 Years: Kathy Siesel, DPM, Associate Professor
Hire date: July 1, 1989

30 Years: Joann Eble, Assistant Professor
Hire date: August 1, 1989

30 Years: Mary Mooney, MD, Adjunct Faculty
Hire date: November 9, 1989

27 Years: Stephanie Belovich, PhD, Associate Professor
Hire date: July 1, 1993

27 Years: Scott Spencer, DPM, Associate Professor & Interim Clinic Director, CFAC
Hire date: August 9, 1993

26 Years: Kathy Wright, Assistant Director, Financial Aid & Student Services
Hire date: June 3, 1994

25 Years: Rita DiLoreto, Business Officer
Hire date: May 1, 1995

24 Years: Jill Kawalec, PhD, Professor & Director of Research & Division Head: Pre-Clinical Sciences
Hire date: August 1, 1996

22 Years: Barbara Strong, Special Assistant
Hire date: May 4, 1998

22 Years: Tim Whittingham, Adjunct Faculty
Hire date: August 1, 1998

22 Years: Michelle Gerhard, Special Assistant
Hire date: November 3, 1998

21 Years: Lori Albert, Executive Assistant
Hire date: March 1, 1999

21 Years: Joe Johnson, Custodial Worker
Hire date: October 18, 1999


Saxophonist Joins the Glauser School of Music’s Faculty This Fall

Saxophonist Perry Roth has joined Kent State University’s Glauser School of Music faculty as an instructor of music. He begins in the upcoming fall 2020 semester, having previously served on the faculties of The Hartt School at the University of Hartford and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. At Kent State, Roth will teach the classical saxophone studio as well as work with chamber music groups.

“I am very excited and honored to be joining the faculty at Kent State,” said Roth. “I look forward to working with the wonderful students, faculty and staff in the fall.”

Throughout his performance career, Roth has built an impressive roster of collaborative partnerships with some of the country's leading ensembles and composers of contemporary classical music, including the JACK Quartet and American Modern Ensemble along with premieres of works by Martin Bresnick, Joel Love and David MacBride, among others. He has also held the tenor saxophone chair with the Barkada Quartet—an all-saxophone ensemble focused on exploring unique artistic collaborations—since 2017. As a soloist, he has performed concertos with the Foot in the Door Contemporary Players, Capital University Wind Ensemble and the Louisiana State University Wind Ensemble. In 2019, he won the Paranov Concerto Competition leading to a performance of John Anthony Lennon’s “Symphonic Rhapsody” with the Hartt Wind Ensemble. He can be heard on the Innova and Impermanence record labels.

“Perry brings with him exceptional teaching and performance experience,” said Kent McWilliams, D.M.A., director of the Glauser School. “I look forward to welcoming him to campus this August and working with him as we continue to grow our already thriving and diverse saxophone studio.”

Roth holds a D.M.A. in saxophone performance with a minor in music history from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford. There, he was a graduate teaching fellow and recipient of the Regents’ Honor Award, the university’s most prestigious award for graduate students. He holds additional degrees from Louisiana State University and the University of South Carolina. His principal teachers include Jan Berry Baker, Griffin Campbell, Connie Frigo, Carrie Koffman, Clifford Leaman and Deborah Chodacki (clarinet).

Learn more about Dr. Roth on his website.


Kent State Geauga and Twinsburg Academic Center Professor Dr. Molly Wang Receives Fellowship to Attend Conference

Back in February 2020, before social distancing became a guiding principle in daily life, a group of Kent State University administration and faculty members attended a conference designed to be a thought-provoking, interactive meeting of the minds within the realm of post-secondary education in Ohio. Among them was Zhiqiang Molly Wang, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Kent State University Geauga and Twinsburg Academic Center, who was granted a fellowship to participate. Learn more.


Fit For Life Goes Virtual - Summer III

The School of Health Sciences offers the Fit For Life program. Fit for Life is a supervised exercise program for registered faculty, staff and students. For this summer, classes will be held remotely. There are two time options available.

Key Features
Fit for Life provides individual and small group instruction aimed at improving your fitness goals at your own pace. This one-credit workshop is a perfect way to do Wellness Your Way and achieve the success you've been looking for in your personal health and fitness journey. This 60-minute class aims to increase cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and balance.

Participants will be led through a variety of online and "do on your own" exercise sessions that will be designed to require minimal equipment. Sessions will be fun, unique and motivating. Faculty and staff eligible for tuition benefits may use their waiver for this one-credit course. Eligible dependents may also take advantage of the tuition waiver for this course.

For employees participating in the Wellness Your Way Rewards Program, you may earn 10 points for each Fit for Life class up to a maximum of 100 points towards your Tier 2 total for 2020. Simply complete the Group Exercise Form located on your Be Well portal and have your instructor verify attendance.

Don't Delay, Register Today!
Classes will be held Monday, Wednesday and Friday and you may choose the 6-7 am session or the 5:30-6:30 pm session. You will select your preferred time during registration. Classes for Summer III 2020 are enrolling now and will run July 10 to August 12. 

To register, visit the Office of Continuing and Distance  Education website, Under Credit Workshops scroll down and select your semester for Fit for Life to get the CRN for the class time you are seeking and proceed with the registration information noted on the web page.

Questions regarding registration may be directed to the Office of Continuing and Distance Education at continuinged@kent.edu. For questions regarding the program itself, please contact Dr. Angela Ridgel, faculty coordinator and program administrator for Fit for Life, at aridgel@kent.edu.


Summer Online Meditation and Mindfulness Classes

This summer, Kent State of Wellness is offering members of the Kent State University community the opportunity to engage in meditation via virtual platforms. The 30-minute meditation sessions, which are free to join, will take place at noon every Tuesday and Thursday through Aug. 20. For more information, visit the Kent State of Wellness meditation website.

Kent State of Wellness also is offering free Koru Mindfulness classes online for Kent State community members. This is a four-week, 75-minute class that teaches evidence-based mindfulness classes to help you become more rested and less stressed, among other benefits. For more information and to register, visit the Kent State of Wellness Koru Mindfulness and Meditation Training website.


Performance Evaluations Deadline Extended to August 15

The deadline to submit performance evaluations is extended through August 15, 2020. Employees taking the voluntary separation are not required to have an evaluation this year. Although if the employee is separating please complete the evaluations of employees reporting to them prior to June 30, 2020.


Upcoming Financial Wellness Webinars

During these trying times, finances are a source of stress for many. It is important to remember you are not alone in this situation, and there are resources available to help support financial health for you and your family. Don't forget about financial counseling available through our employee assistance program, IMPACT Solutions. Click here for a refresher on financial counseling with IMPACT. Then, read on to learn about and register for upcoming webinars that will provide information on financial well-being. 

Pay Yourself First – June 16, Noon – 1 p.m.
Join Victor Russel of Apprisen to learn strategies on building wealth, how to build assets and reduce liabilities, and basic information regarding different savings strategies that promote asset building. Click here to register.

Six Steps to Financial Peace, June 30, noon - 1 p.m.
You can't get there overnight. Achieving financial freedom takes the right planning and the discipline to stick to the plan even if things are sometimes harsh. It also means a lot of sacrifices. Presenter Kurt Mears, CRPC, NSSA, will review the 6 critical things every individual should be doing if they desire to achieve the financial freedom they want. Click here to register

These webinars are open to all full and part time faculty and staff. For employees participating in the Wellness Your Way Rewards Program, each session is worth 10 points toward your Tier 2 total. We will continue to add new financial wellness offerings for our Kent State community. Check our Financial Wellness Programming page regularly for the most recent offerings. 


Two Free Sessions of Online Teaching Orientation and Refresher this Summer

Kent State Online is offering two sessions of the Online Teaching Orientation and Refresher (OTOR) this summer. Both sessions are 100 percent online, self-paced and asynchronous, and are FREE for current Kent State faculty and staff.

Based on the tremendous faculty response, we are currently exploring our capacity to expand our Online Teaching Orientation and Refresher this summer. Please continue to register to be added to the OTOR waitlist. If you have any questions regarding remote instruction and/or your fully online course, please contact us at keeponteaching@kent.edu.

The OTOR is perfect for both beginning and experienced online faculty, Graduate Teaching Assistants, and staff members who want to learn more about online teaching and learning. Participant feedback suggests each module takes approximately 2-5 hours to complete and, because the course is self-paced, participants have freedom and flexibility in choosing how and when to complete the activities by the end date of the session.  

Module Topics include:  The Student Experience, The Instructor Experience, Getting Set-Up for Successful Instruction, Preparing for Challenges, Building the Peer Learning Community, Mastering Teaching Presence, and Providing Feedback and Grades. Upcoming sessions include:

OTOR Session 1
June 1 - July 3, 2020 
   
OTOR Session 2
July 13 - August 14, 2020

Enroll at any time for either session, up to one week before the session close date. Begin when you want, and complete at your own pace. Enrollment is limited, so sign up today at the Online Teaching website.


Important Information Regarding Student Registration into Classes

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 Summer 2020 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 Summer 2020, 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 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 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 at catalog.kent.edu.

POSTED: Friday, June 5, 2020 08:09 AM
Updated: Sunday, June 7, 2020 07:51 AM