Faculty/Staff News Now: Vincent Hetherington named Emeritus Professor; Julie Mazzei Pens Op Ed for Cleveland.com; Dinner With Friends is March 3; Trumbull Campus President's and Dean's Lists: 20-Year Club FAQs; March Employee Wellness Offerings

Vincent J. Hetherington Appointed as Emeritus Professor at the College of Podiatric Medicine

After nearly 32 years of service, it was difficult to imagine the College of Podiatric Medicine (CPM) without Dr. Vincent Hetherington, DPM, following his retirement in September 2020. Thankfully, that wasn’t a reality that the community had to imagine for long. Effective January 2021, Dr. Hetherington has assumed a new title that will allow CPM to benefit from his continuing identification with the college he has served so long and so well: Emeritus Faculty.

 Emeriti faculty members are appointed by the President and are regarded as valued contributors of the university community. As such, they are entitled to represent the university at various ceremonial and social functions, serve on university committees as advisors without vote, and are granted privileged access to university libraries, campus facilities and special event tickets. In his new role, Hetherington looks forward to continuing his support of CPM students, academic programs, alumni outreach initiatives, student research project development, as well as bridging international opportunities.  

Emeritus status rightfully acknowledges Dr. Hetherington’s lasting contributions and legacy as a valued faculty member. CPM thanks Dr. Hetherington for his many years of dedicated service and congratulates him on this significant new role.

--Madalynne Stanic Fitzgerald


Local Publisher Posts Op Ed Penned by Poly Sci Prof

Cleveland.com recently ran an opinion piece on democracy written by Julie Mazzei, associate professor of Political Science and faculty affiliate with the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Read the Op Ed.


Community Engaged Learning Offers Dinner With Friends

Dinner with Friends is a new, virtual program for Kent State staff, faculty and students built on engaging, facilitated small-group conversations over dinner that allow participants to connect with other members of the Kent State community. 

Topics include:

  • Building community in virtual spaces
  • Supporting mental health in challenging times
  • Promoting civic involvement and community engagement
  • Achieving equity and inclusion
  • Responding to food insecurity

Participants gather in a large group at the beginning of the virtual event and then are spun off into small "dinner tables," or breakout rooms, for a time to get to know each other and begin their discussion guided by a trained facilitator. Near the end of the program, participants will return to the large room and conclude the event with some reports from each conversation and some general observations on participants' experiences.

The first Dinner with Friends event will take place on Wednesday, March 3, from 6 - 8 p.m. Registration is required, and we ask that all participants commit to participating in the entire length of the program. 

Click here to learn more and register. Discover Dinner with Friends on the following social media platforms.


Kent State Trumbull Announces Fall 2020 President’s and Dean’s Lists

Kent State University at Trumbull proudly announces students who were named to either the President's or Dean's lists for their academic achievements during the Fall 2020 semester.

In recognition of an extremely high level of academic excellence, a President's List is compiled each academic semester. To qualify, students must have a grade point average of 4.00 and must have completed 15 or more letter-graded credit hours (A, B, etc.) by the end of that semester.

The Dean's List features qualifying students possessing a grade point average of 3.40 or greater and must have completed 12 or more letter-graded credit hours (A, B, etc.) by the end of that semester. View the lists.


20-Year Club Updates and Information

Due to the Coronavirus shutdown and postponement of events, certain aspects of the 20-Year Club event have changed. 20-Year Club inductees can find answers to some frequently asked questions.

Who is eligible for the 20-Year Club?

20-Year Club celebrates classified and unclassified employees who have dedicated 20 years of continuous, full-time service to Kent State University. The induction year is determined on a fiscal year basis, not a calendar year. For example, the 2021 Inductees will include employees who celebrated their 20-year milestone between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021.

When will I be notified that I have hit my anniversary?

20-year anniversary letters are mailed at the same time as all significant anniversary letters, on or before the 25th of the month preceding your anniversary month. Because so few employees are currently on campus, anniversary information is being mailed directly to the employee’s home address, whereas the information was previously sent to the office of the employee's direct supervisor.

What are my gift options?

20-Year Inductees may choose either a chair or a lamp for their office, or have a bench placed on campus in their name. Due to cost, benches can only be ordered if at least four inductees request one. The new bench would be adorned with a plaque that includes the names of all 4+ inductees. At this time, having a tree planted is no longer available as a gift option.

When will I get to select my gift?

Previously, gift orders were placed shortly before the induction ceremony. Gift orders are now placed on a quarterly basis. Your anniversary letter will include details on when you can expect your gift selection information.

Please email any questions regarding the 20-Year Club to Kelsey Tomlinson at hrd@kent.edu.


March Employee Wellness Offerings 

The year 2020 was associated with loss and challenging times for many, and the grief didn't simply disappear when the clock struck midnight on January 1. Loss is something that binds us together as human beings, and grief is a part of life that all of us experience when we suffer loss. If a colleague has a shorter fuse than usual or has been bringing a poor attitude into the workplace, it is possible they are going through a difficult time. We cannot control the actions or attitude of others, but we can control how we react and treat them in turn. We can choose to treat others with kindness. 

This March, Employee Wellness offerings will focus on addressing grief and approaching workplace interactions with positivity and kindness. Click here to learn more about our March Wellness Focus, including the monthly Wellness Your Way Spotlight and featured offerings, such as a two-part guided book discussionMindful Mondays with Daron, and several webinars. Read below for a preview of March webinars. Click on the titles to register.  

Social Security and Your Retirement on Tuesday, March 2, from 9 - 10:30 a.m. 

This webinar will address the role of Social Security in retirement planning and the effect of the Windfall Elimination and Government Offset Provision as it relates to OPERS/STRS. It will also cover the costs associated with retirement and will help attendees calculate the amount of income they will need and how social security fits in to their overall retirement income plan.

Positive Interactions and Respectful Communication on Thursday, March 11, from noon - 1 p.m. 

This webinar will explore what is and what isn't respectful behavior and then move into communication techniques and how to effectively conduct conflict negotiation using the MEET model: M (make time to discuss), E (explore differences), E (encourage respect) and T (take personal responsibility). 

Two-Part Grief Series 

Part 1 of this series will provide an overview of grief and how to move through the complex process of healing. Part 2 will explore how grief manifests in the workplace and provide insight to better understand the needs of grieving colleagues. 

Part 1 - Grief: It's Complicated on Thursday, March 18, from 9 - 10 a.m. 

Part 2 - Understanding Grief at Work on Wednesday, March 24, from 9 - 10 a.m. 

For questions regarding wellness offerings for faculty and staff, please contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu, or 330-672-0392. 

POSTED: Monday, February 22, 2021 08:29 AM
Updated: Wednesday, March 10, 2021 08:20 AM