Employee Vaccination Drawing Week 4 Winners:
Week four winners of the Kent State University employee vaccination drawing have been announced. Congratulations to the lucky winners!
| Name | Title | Prize |
| John DiAlesandro | Associate Lecturer | $100 |
| Thomas Schindler | Sr Mgr, IT | $100 |
| Lauren Whitten | Lab Assistant-INR | $100 |
| Lynn Berk | Senior Lecturer | $100 |
| Laurie Wagner | Associate Professor | $100 |
| Kristen DeBois | Project Coord-NE | $100 |
| Jennifer Abate | Research & Eval Proj Mgr | $100 |
| Sheila Johnson | Receptionist | $100 |
| Gerald Eveleth | Asst Dir, Arch & Engineering | $100 |
| Donna Taylor | Sr Asst Dir, Admissions Ops | $100 |
| Wilson Chung | Associate Professor | $100 |
| Angela Ridgel | Professor | $100 |
| Mary Hodakievic | Faculty Part-Time -Semester | $100 |
| Jenna Litz | Maintenance Repair Worker, RC | $100 |
| John Rose | Associate Lecturer | $100 |
| Christopher Woolverton | Professor | $100 |
| Justin Cornelius | Financial Aid Coord | $100 |
| Jonathan Mills | Head Golf Coach | $100 |
| Cheryl Walker | Financial Aid Rep, RC | $100 |
| Barbara Verlezza | Associate Professor | $100 |
| Serena Loftus | Assistant Professor | $250 |
| Eric Mintz | Assoc Dean, Arts & Sci | $250 |
| Neil Wells | Professor | $250 |
| Madalynne Stanic Fitzgerald | Mktg, Comm & PR Mgr, CPM | $250 |
| Gary Bateman | Security & Safety Manager, RC | $250 |
| Marianne Warzinski | CCI Commons Director | $250 |
| Lauren Vachon | Assistant Professor | $250 |
| Emily Vincent | Dir, Univ Media Relations | $250 |
| Marissa Lough | Academic Advisor I | $500 |
| Donald Vana | Marketing Coordinator | $500 |
| Amy Barr | Special Assistant | $500 |
| Paula Konz | Asst Dir, Academic Advising | $500 |
| Theresa Yogi | Honors Coordinator II | $1,000 |
| Janet Cash | Business Mgr, Sr | $1,000 |
There is still plenty of time to get vaccinated and enter to win. Visit the Corona Virus Updates website to register your vaccine information and be eligible for upcoming drawings. Good luck!
Outstanding Teaching Award Finalists Announced
The Outstanding Teaching Award Committee announces the 2020 and 2021 Outstanding Teaching Award Finalists! Each year, Kent State University honors full-time, nontenure-track and part-time faculty members who are nominated by their students for being among the most dedicated, highly effective, and motivated professors at Kent State University. The Outstanding Teaching Award is presented by the University Teaching Council. The committee received many excellent nominations for 2020 and 2021. It is wonderful to see how our faculty make an impact on the education and future of our students and community at Kent State University.
The following ten faculty were selected as finalists for the 2020 and 2021 Outstanding Teaching Awards:
Aaron Bacue
Communication Studies, Kent Campus
One might think the proudest moments of my 25-year teaching career might be when the shy, anxious sophomore from my basic public speaking class went on to win second place at the National Forensic Association’s National Speech Tournament under my coaching, or when the inquisitive junior in my relational communication class went on to become one of the most prolific new scholars in the communication discipline. But they are not. I see myself and my work in the classroom as the catalyst for improving students’ personal and professional lives. So, it is the visits, emails, and phone calls from former students thanking me for what they learned in my classes, and how much they have benefited from it that make me proudest.
Kim Carey
Pan-African Studies, Kent Campus
Elizabeth Carr
Fashion Design and Merchandising, Kent Campus
When asked to describe my most ‘noteworthy teaching accomplishments’ I have found it difficult to ascertain what they are. This has puzzled me as I am never at a loss for words or without an opinion on any given subject. Finally, I realized why I have been unable to satisfy this request. There simply is no single significant or noteworthy experience to describe. Truthfully, every day that I walk into my classroom or lab there are daily trials and triumphs. My noteworthy accomplishments are when one of my students grasps a new concept or skill for the first time, or when another student - after experiencing an all-nighter - achieves his or her desired goal and tackles the assigned project with complete success. It’s not about me, but rather about them: my students. Owning the opportunity to help someone succeed is a ‘noteworthy opportunity’ that I enjoy every day in the Fashion School at Kent State University.
Abbey Eng
Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Kent Campus
I teach biostatistics at the undergraduate and graduate level in the College of Public Health, and have designed in-person and online versions of the courses. These are the courses that the students are usually the most nervous about taking, so I have tried to offer as much support as I can in the types of learning materials I have created. I participated in the Innovation Intersession Flipped Classroom Workshop to learn about ways to increase engagement in my classes and received a UTC Summer Teaching Grant to create a resource for Public Health students on using Excel. I have integrated technology in a variety of ways to help support students, such as creating tutorials to explain difficult concepts. For the undergraduates, I created an interactive textbook and use an online question platform to increase engagement in the classroom. Both platforms have helped to increase student success.
Timothy Fritz
Engineering Technology, Tuscarawas Campus
Students from our program have participated in the Kent State Film Festival, Undergraduate Research Colloquium, displayed their games in the 2019 “Open World Arcade” event at Akron Art Museum, built a Virtual Gallery for the Akron Art Museum’s 2020 Gamefest, and participated in the 2021 Smithsonian American Art Museum Arcade Game Jam. We have also hosted a Global Game Jam site each year since 2019. Global Game Jam is an international game jam occurring at more than 800 sites around the world over a weekend. Finally, I have helped to host a computer designed art exhibition that includes student and alumni works since 2005. These are all examples of motivating students to take their learning, and work, beyond the classroom.
Jamie McCartney
Lifespan Development and Education Sciences, Kent Campus
I have had many great accomplishments as a teacher: seeing the light come on for students, engaging in captivating, scholarly discussions with them, and becoming friends as they graduate and move on. I've even had the opportunity to work with previous graduates, and it is a fun and proud experience to see them when they come into their own and engage with them more as a colleague. Once, when the class went to a place of employment that hires interpreters, there were pictures on the wall of all the employees. Many of them had gone to Kent State and it was very humbling. My biggest accomplishment, though, is knowing that I, along with other teachers and the deaf community, have been a part of students getting their degree, and making it possible for them to earn a respectable living and make an impact on the deaf and non-deaf communities.
William Perrine
Fashion Design and Merchandising, Kent Campus
William's academic interests include social justice in the apparel industry, fair trade and the international aspects of the fashion industry. He currently teaches Computer Applications for Retailing, leads a fashion study tour to Germany. He is the faculty advisor for the Kent State University Fashion Student's Organization, one of the largest student groups and the largest and oldest fashion group on the Kent Campus. Additionally, William has been involved with the Fashion/Tech Hack-a-thon, the Fashion School's Stoll industrial knitting machines and TechStyleLab. Before coming to Kent State, William taught at Western Michigan University, Iowa State University, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and the Izmir University of Economics in Izmir, Turkey. He has done retail consulting, managed several Limited Inc. stores, worked as a bridal sales representative, and has held district and national level visual merchandising and management positions with Sears.
Joan Steidl
Human Services Technology, Ashtabula Campus
My most noteworthy accomplishment is that I have been able to create an environment where students can learn, grow, and embark upon the lifelong journey of becoming their best selves.
Gregory Tinkler
Biological Sciences, Kent Campus
I joined the Department of Biological Sciences in 2013 and have taught first year Biology and Pre-Nursing students ever since. My professional achievements include the Teaching Scholars Program at Kent State in 2014. I have been named a National Academies Education Fellow in the Life Sciences in 2015, and received the University Teaching Council’s Summer Course Redesign Grant in 2020. My favorite moments are when past students follow up long after their introductory coursework to thank me for preparing them for a biology career, and tell me about being admitted to professional schools or programs, or obtaining advanced degrees, or landing a good job. Me and my family are routinely cared for by Kent State graduates at local health care centers and I could not be prouder of their successes.
Ana Wetzl
Department of English, Trumbull Campus
Ana Wetzl, Ph.D., is associate professor of English at Kent State University at Trumbull where she teaches composition and applied linguistics courses. Originally from Romania, Wetzl started teaching at Kent State at Trumbull in 2006, where she was also the English Coordinator in the campus Learning Center. She is currently the advisor for the English Club and is involved with diversity initiatives on campus. Her research has been published in Computers and Composition, Research in the Teaching of Writing, Composition Forum, and Praxis. In 2018, her teaching was recognized by Kent State University with the Undeniably Accessible Award.
The Outstanding Teaching Award Selection Committee will be meeting to select three winners of the 2020 Outstanding Teaching Award and three winners of the 2021 Outstanding Teaching Award. The awards will be presented to recipients on October 22. Congratulations to the 2020 and 2021 finalists!
Celebration of Life for Richard Worthing
A Celebration of Life for Richard D. Worthing (1943-2020) will be held on Saturday, October 16, at 1 p.m. in Ludwig Recital Hall in The Glauser School of Music on the Kent Campus. University COVID protocols will be followed.
Richard was born in Castalia, Ohio, and received degrees from Kent State University and Michigan State University. He came to Kent State in 1971, teaching music theory, analysis and orchestration, and serving as the Coordinator of Kent/Blossom Music Festival.
In 1979, he became the assistant dean of the College of Fine and Professional Arts, retiring as dean emeritus of that college. Richard received The President’s Medal in 2004, and served on the board of numerous organizations. An accomplished pianist, his music is published by Ludwig Music. Richard created beautiful furniture as a hobby.
Donations in his memory can be made to The Richard D. Worthing Scholarship at Kent/Blossom Music or The Xavier Atienza Dance Scholarship at Kent State. Contributions can be sent to the Kent State University Foundation, P.O. Box 5190, Kent, Ohio, 44240. Donations can also be made to XaLights at 1 Lake Park Court, # 986, Germantown, MD, 20874. Established in memory of Dick’s grandson, Xavier, XaLights is an organization making night lights for children in need.
Geauga/TAC Offers Virtual COVID Q&A
Join Kent State Geauga and Twinsburg Academic Center on Thursday, October 14, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. for a conversation about COVID-19 with Sanhita Gupta, Ph.D., associate professor of Biological Sciences at Kent State Geauga and the Twinsburg Academic Center.
Before working at Kent State Geauga, she earned her doctorate in Molecular Virology from Case Western Reserve University. Additionally, Gupta was employed as a research scientist at the State of Louisiana Public Health Lab. She is the campus’s resident virologist who aims to educate our community about the COVID-19 virus and its variants, how to stay safe, and how vaccines work.
Please register for this webinar. Attendees are welcome to ask questions and learn more about the scientific perspectives regarding COVID and its impact on their lives.
Farmer's Market at Student Green
The next Kent State Farmers' Market will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 12, from 4 - 7 p.m. at Risman Plaza on the Kent Campus.
Kent State University has partnered with Haymaker Farmers' Market to bring a farmer's market to the Kent campus. The Kent State Farmers' Market provides students with opportunities to learn about the local farming community, select fresh produce and connect with the broader Kent community in addition to creating a community around food with a warm, friendly and fun environment. The market will include selling crafts (photography, prints, glass, fiber) and educational workshops related to food as well as performances (music, dance, theater).
Additional information is available at the Kent State of Well-being website.
Open enrollment Kickoff, Tues., Oct 12
Open Enrollment begins Mon., Oct. 18, and runs through Fri., Nov. 5, 2021
The Open Enrollment Employee Benefits and Wellness Kickoff Forum will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, Oct. 12, from 9 – 11 a.m. To connect simply go to www.kent.edu/zoomopenenrollment. Topics covered during the session include:
- Medical plan updates for 2022 and optimizing your choices
- Tools for decision-making and first-hand testimonials from fellow Flashes
- Need-to-know information related to flexible spending accounts for healthcare and childcare as well as your do’s, don’ts and deadlines for 2021-22
- How HSAs are paired with HDHPs to allow you to maximize healthcare dollars today and prepare for the future
- Learn more about supplemental life and long-term disability insurance benefits for you and your family through Securian Life and UNUM
- Employee Wellness Program highlights for 2022; $200 Flash Your Arm Wellness Reward details
Presenters for this session will be Jack Witt, vice president for Human Resources and Kim Hauge, executive director for Employee Benefits, Wellness and Health Promotion. This session will also be videotaped so employees who are unable to attend the live Zoom can view the recorded edition from our Employee Benefits webpage beginning the week of Oct. 18. The video will be available throughout the Open Enrollment period.
There will be time allotted during our live presentation to submit questions to the presenters. We look forward to seeing you Oct. 12, 9 – 11 a.m., for your Zoom Open Enrollment Kickoff presentation. As a reminder, the Open Enrollment period will begin Monday, Oct. 18, and will end at 4:59 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. All changes are effective Jan. 1, 2022.
Faculty and staff with questions regarding benefit choices for 2022 may contact the Employee Benefits Office at 330-672-3107, or benefits@kent.edu. For questions related to employee wellness programming or rewards, call 330-672-0392, or wellness@kent.edu.
'Tis the Season Stress Relief Challenge, Nov. 15 - Dec. 12
Stress is an unavoidable part of life that everyone experiences. However, there are steps we can take to manage stress more effectively. Unmanaged stress can impact your physical and emotional health and may lead you to engage in unhealthy behaviors. Some studies suggest there is a potential link between chronic stress and diabetes, elevated LDL cholesterol, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, and tooth and gum disease.
You can avoid the unwanted negative consequences of stress by finding alternative ways to respond to stressful events and circumstances. The 'Tis the Season Stress Relief Challenge is designed to help you pay attention to the stressors in your life and find healthy ways to cope with them.
Tracking is completed on the Be Well Solutions portal, so this challenge is open to full-time, benefits-eligible employees only. Actively participate in all four weeks to be eligible for prize drawings and 20 Tier 2 points toward the 2022 wellness rewards program.
Register to participate by Nov. 10, 2021.
For questions related to wellness programming for Kent State faculty and staff, contact the Employee Wellness office at 330-672-0392 or wellness@kent.edu.
Resources to be Aware of During Depression Awareness Month
October is Depression Awareness Month. If you or a loved one suffer from depression or another mental health condition, you are not alone. Join Employee Wellness on Oct. 20 from noon - 1 p.m. for the webinar, Holistic Mental Health, during which Patrice Rancour, MS, RN, will provide a comprehensive review of holistic mental health strategies.
It is a sign of strength to reach out for help. Impact Solutions, Kent State's Employee Assistance Program, is here to support you and your family through all of life's challenges, big or small. Their services include, but are not limited to, mental health counseling, eldercare support, mindfulness coaching, financial counseling, legal consultation, and patient advocacy. Call Impact 24/7, 365 at 800-227-6007 or visit www.MyIMPACTSolution.com to get connected with services.
Lastly, visit the Happiness Resources page, featuring articles, podcasts, free full-length courses, and games to help you cultivate more happiness in your life.
For questions related to wellness programming for Kent State faculty and staff, contact the Employee Wellness office at 330-672-0392 or wellness@kent.edu.
Memorias de Nuestra Tierra: A Retrospective (virtual event)
Wednesday, October 13, noon – 1 p.m.
Baca is a painter and muralist, community arts pioneer, and scholarly-educator who has been teaching in the UC system for more than 30 years. As founder of the first City of Los Angeles Mural Program in 1974, which evolved into the non-profit Social and Public Art Resource Center. Baca has been engaged in the creation of sites of public memory within historically disenfranchised communities since 1976. Register for this event.
Important Information Regarding Fall 2021 Midterm Grading for all Lower-division Undergraduate Courses
Online midterm grading for all Fall 2021 lower-division undergraduate courses (levels 00000, 10000, 20000) meeting in the full term (August 26, 2021 through December 12, 2021) begins September 16, 2021 via FlashFAST. Please remember that midterm grading applies ONLY to courses that meet for the full semester. Grading policies can be found in the University Catalog.
The deadline for midterm grade submission is midnight on Wednesday, October 13. Midterm grades may not be reported after the deadline. The Grade Change workflow cannot be used to report or change midterm grades after the deadline, and the Registrar's Office will not accommodate other late submission requests.
Submit Midterm grades using Midterm Grades Roster
To submit midterm grades via the Midterm Grades roster, login to FlashLine, then click Faculty and Advisors/Faculty Dashboard/Grading Resources. Locate Midterm Grades to submit grades.
Submit Midterm grades using Grade Push (Canvas/Blackboard Users)
If you use either Blackboard Learn or Canvas, there is a tool to make reporting your midterm grades easier—with a push of the button! The process is called Grade Push and it will allow you to “push” the midterm grades recorded in Blackboard or Canvas into our KSU Midterm Grade Roster, thus eliminating the time and effort spent manually entering them.
To access the Grade Push application, login to FlashLine, then click Faculty and Advisors/Faculty Dashboard/Grading Resources. Canvas users will select Canvas Midterm Grade Push to submit grades. Blackboard users will select Blackboard Midterm Grade Push to submit grades.
If you have questions or concerns regarding the Grade Push applications, please direct them to support.kent.edu. Please Note: The Grade Push applications have been developed as an option to assist in streamlining the university grading process. The use of these applications is not mandatory, though it is encouraged.
Tips and Tricks:
Grades Processing Tips and FAQs may be found on the Registrar's website. Any faculty member needing personalized instruction on submitting their grades via the midterm grades roster should contact their campus Registrar's Office during normal business hours for assistance.
Troubleshooting TIP:
FlashLine 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 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.