CPM Faculty Take Third Place in National Poster Competition
Every summer, members of Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine (CPM) faculty, staff and the student body pack up and head to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Annual Scientific Meeting.
Dubbed the National, the meeting is hosted in a different U.S. city each year, with this year’s location being Salt Lake City, UT. While CPM’s alumni booth graces The National exhibit hall in every city, attendees at this year’s conference may have noticed CPM garnering a bit more attention than usual thanks to its outstanding faculty and alumni.
CPM faculty member Dr. Jill Kawalec, director of Research, professor and head of the Division of Pre-Clinical Sciences; Dr. Lawrence Osher, professor of Radiology in the Division of Podiatric and General Medicine; and Dr. Duane Ehredt, Jr., associate professor in the Division of Foot & Ankle Surgery and Biomechanics, took home third place in the research poster competition for their work titled, “Inaccuracy of Forefoot Axial Radiographs in Determining the Coronal Plane Angle of Sesamoid Rotation in Adult Hallux Abducto Valgus Deformity: A Study using Weight-Bearing CT Scanning.” A collaborative effort among the CPM community, former students Kelsi Nutter, class of 2019, Joseph Fleck, class of 2018, and Kiarash Bakhaj, class of 2016, authored the poster project along with the faculty cohort.
The study questioned the use of the standard pre-operative forefoot axial (FFA) view, used by orthopedic and podiatric surgeons to evaluate the hallux valgus deformity that does not put the foot in a weight-bearing position. The research compared the sesamoid rotation angles measured from this x-ray view against CT scan views of the foot in two different weight-bearing positions. The results clearly demonstrated significant differences in the angles between the two, extreme weight-bearing positions, calling into question the pre-operative accuracy and usefulness of “industry standard” FFA studies, thus potentially impacting surgical practice worldwide.
Kent State University congratulates the CPM faculty and former students for their award-winning collaborative efforts in representing the college on a national stage.
Let the Games Begin!
Geauga Campus and Regional Academic Ctr. Esports Club Bring Computer Gaming
Kent State Geauga and Regional Academic Center has an Esports student organization. Despite long-held assumptions that computer gaming in fact will drain students’ brains and pull their attention away from their studies, researchers say they provide an opportunity to learn skills such as critical and analytical thinking. Colleges and universities across the U.S. are starting to embrace the phenomenon through their extracurricular and varsity sports programs, including Kent State University and its regional campuses. Read the full story.
Shana Klein Receives Farris Family Innovation Award
Shana Klein, Ph.D. and an assistant professor of Art History, received the Farris Family Innovation Award to help fund her book project, “The Fruits of Empire: Art, Food, and the Politics of Race in the Age of National Expansion.”
This three-year fellowship is offered to full-time tenure-track faculty at Kent State University to support their research. Each research fellowship offers a maximum of $8,000 for each of the three years, potentially totaling $24,000 over the life of the fellowship. Dr. Klein is one of the first recipients to receive this award outside the scientific community. Read the full story
Kent State University United Way Campaign Underway
The United Way of Portage County engages local communities and raises funds to meet local needs. Over 300 volunteers and a staff of five work to better the lives of those in our community. Monies raised through at-work campaigns and special events are used locally to fund 42 programs supported by 13 agencies, as well as to provide grants to organizations like the Ben Curtis Foundation, Raven Packs and SOAR, a medical student-run clinic at NEOMED for the uninsured and underinsured in Portage County. More information on these programs can be found at United Way of Portage County.
“Thanks to the generosity of Kent State University’s employees, United Way of Portage County is able to Fight Harder for the Education, Health and Financial Stability of the 43 percent of families in Portage County who are struggling, living pay check to pay check,” said Bill Childers, chief executive officer of the United Way of Portage County.
Kent State University is the largest employer in Portage County, and therefore, runs the largest at-work campaign. As an institution of higher education, KSU is helping to make the community strong and vibrant. As such, students and employees volunteer for, and get help from, the United Way and their community partners.
A big THANK YOU to those who have supported the United Way in the past. Please continue your support by renewing and possibly increasing your pledge. If you haven’t already, please consider joining this campaign. The university’s goal is $115,000. Start today at a minimum of $2 per pay. This level of commitment across the university community will make KSU’s goal very reachable. The United Way campaign ends Nov. 15, 2019, so please pledge today.
Log into FlashLine. Select University Resources> Giving Back> United Way and follow the prompts. Visit the university’s United Way web site for detailed instructions.
Kent State Named Bicycle-Friendly University by League of American Bicyclists
The University is not just spinning its wheels when it comes to bicycles. Kent State is now recognized as a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly UniversitySM by the League of American Bicyclists.
The university joins an elite group of 208 colleges and universities in 47 states and the District of Columbia that are taking action to address the health and environmental challenges facing America by creating campuses more welcoming to people who bike.
“Congratulations to Kent State University on its inclusion in an elite class of 48 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly universities nationwide,” said Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. “By meeting one of the four award levels, universities and colleges demonstrate a commitment to fostering academic achievements and developing model environments where people can safely bike and contribute to healthier, more sustainable outcomes.”
Learn more about the League and its Bicycle Friendly University program at bikeleague.org/university.
Employee Wellness Holiday Hold Challenge
Staying on top of your weight goals can feel daunting during the holidays, but maintaining your weight is achievable. The Holiday Hold Challenge is a program designed to encourage participants to beat the odds this holiday season and is available to all full-time, benefits eligible employees. You are not required to be covered under the University-sponsored health plan to join this challenge.
How the Holiday Hold Challenge Works
The program begins with a weigh-in before Thanksgiving and ends with a weigh-out after New Year’s. You can do this on your own, privately. Participants will report their pre- and post-holiday weight, on their own, to Be Well Solutions.
Participants will receive educational materials throughout the challenge to help them avoid the one- to two-pound weight gain that most Americans experience between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.
Bonus
All participants who register for the Holiday Hold Challenge and submit their pre and post weight to Be Well by the deadline will receive 20 Tier 2 wellness reward points to jump start their Tier 2 total for 2020. In addition, all participants who have successfully 'held their own' will be entered to win a New Year's prize drawing.
Visit tinyurl.com/HolidayHold to register. Registration closes Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. For questions, contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu. Additional program details will be send to all registrants from Be Well Solutions closer to the start date.
Lunch & Learn: Managing Diabetes - Nov. 5
According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report released in 2017, more than 100 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes.
The disease continues to be a growing health problem as it is ranked as the seventh leading cause of death in the US. Fortunately, diabetes can often be managed through physical activity, diet and the appropriate use of medications and insulin.
On Tues., Nov. 5, from noon - 1 p.m. in Heer Hall, Abby Saponaro, MS, RDN, LD, of Be Well Solutions will provide you with an overview of the latest research regarding diabetes management and prevention. After this seminar, participants will understand:
- Lifestyle factors that may increase risk for diabetes
- The most up to date research behind managing diabetes through diet and nutrition
- The role of physical activity in diabetes management and prevention
Registration required and a light lunch will be provided to all attendees. If you have registered and find you are unable to attend, please use the cancellation link on your confirmation email or notify Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu immediately.
Important Information about Final Grading of Fall 2019 Second 5 Weeks (POT F2) Classes
Online final grading for Fall 2019 Second Five Weeks (F2) begins Mon., Oct. 28, via FlashFAST. Grading is also now available for any Fall 2019 course section that was flexibly scheduled. The deadline for grading submission is midnight Sun., Nov. 3. Any final grades for Fall 2019 courses not reported in FlashFAST by the grades processing deadline will have to be submitted using the Grade Change Workflow. These fall 2019 courses will be available in the workflow on Tues., Nov. 5.
To access Final Grades via FlashFAST, log into FlashLine and click on the Faculty and 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 Faculty and Advisors/Faculty Dashboard/Grading Resources.
If you have questions or concerns, please visit the support web site and search “Grade Push.”
Incomplete Mark Workflow:
The instructor must create and submit an Incomplete Mark contract via the 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 can 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 with 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 or improve your access to FlashFAST and FlashLine by improving your connection to the server. The Helpdesk is prepared to help with these issues. Please call 330-672-HELP (4357) for one-on-one assistance and technical issues.