October - 2013

October 2013
Volume 11 | Issue 4

Save the Date — 20th Annual Celebrating College Teaching Conference, Oct. 24-25

The 20th annual Celebrating College Teaching Conference takes place Oct.  24 and 25, at the Kent Student Center. The University Teaching Counsel’s annual conference focuses on the four pillars of a Kent State undergraduate curriculum — knowledge, insight, responsibility and engagement.

Many favorite activities will be returning:  the Provost’s Breakfast at 8:30 a.m.; followed by refereed round tables; invited round tables, including the Emeriti Round Table; panel discussions, poster displays; the President’s Luncheon; and the Glenn W. Frank Lecture. The conference culminates with a dessert reception at 2:30 p.m., to honor recipients of the Distinguished Teaching Awards and the Outstanding Teaching Awards and the wealth of teaching excellence at Kent State.

All conference events are free and open to all those who teach or support teaching at Kent State University.  Registration is required at http://bit.ly/UTC20th.

If it’s October, it’s Open Enrollment Time!

Kent State faculty and staff are invited to attend an Open Enrollment and Wellness Fair that is most convenient, based on time and location being offered. The Open Enrollment and Wellness Fairs will take place on all campuses at the following times, dates and locations:

Employees will be able to meet with representatives from the university’s various benefits providers for 2014, find out more about the voluntary insurance options available and get information on the wellness resources offered.

The fair is an excellent opportunity for employees to get the information they need to make their decisions for Open Enrollment, which is Oct.13-25. Please make every effort to coordinate work schedules so employees may attend the fair.

A list of the vendors and additional activities can be found on the Open Enrollment Fair page. You may also contact the Benefits Office at 330-672-3107 or benefits@kent.edu.

Still Time to Register for Your Flu Shot

Managers are asked to share this reminder with faculty and staff.

University Health Services, in collaboration with the University's OneWellU Wellness Program, offer a series of flu clinics at several campuses each year. These clinics are open to faculty and staff (and their dependents age six and over).

For employees and their dependents covered by one of Kent State's medical providers, Anthem or Medical Mutual, the cost of the flu shot is covered in full. You must bring your insurance ID card with you. For all others, the cost is $20, payable by cash or check. Below are links for the remaining flu clinics. Click on the link you prefer for registration: 

• 2013 Kent State Salem Flu Clinic - Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• 2013 Kent State Stark Flu Clinic - Thursday, Oct. 3, from 8 a.m. to noon
• 2013 Kent State Ashtabula Flu Clinic - Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• 2013 Kent State East Liverpool Flu Clinic - Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• 2013 Kent Campus - Open Enrollment and Wellness Fair – Tuesday, Oct. 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
• 2013 Kent State College of Podiatric Medicine Flu Clinic - Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• 2013 Kent Campus Flu Clinic - Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• 2013 Kent State Regional Academic  Center in Twinsburg Flu Clinic - Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For questions, please contact Samantha Heald-Sott, human resources benefits specialist, at 330-672-3107 or shealdso@kent.edu.

Institute for Excellence Seeking Candidates for the 2014 Class

The Institute for Excellence will soon be seeking applications for its fourth class. Submissions are scheduled to start in mid-October and will be accepted through mid-November. The Institute for Excellence provides a unique development opportunity for administrators and individual contributors to develop their leadership skills.

The institute is coordinated by the Training and Development unit in the Division of Human Resources. The 10-month program, designed to create and promote a culture of excellence, has two tracks: the Administrator, for faculty or staff who manage or chair a department or unit, and/or supervise others; and the Individual Contributor, for employees not currently in a managerial role, but who have the desire to improve their capacity to lead change.

The Institute for Excellence will begin in January, with both tracks meeting one to two days each month for either full- or half-day sessions. The two tracks will meet separately, with some opportunities for joint sessions. There are eligibility requirements and an application process for each track. The Institute for Excellence website will be updated soon with a complete list of criteria, 2014 program dates and curricula, video testimonials and the online application.

For more information, contact Bob Hall at 330-672-0894 or rhall4@kent.edu.

Election Poll Worker Guidelines

This is the time of year to remind managers and supervisors that the university has a category of paid leave for employees who volunteer as poll workers during a general, primary or special election. Permanent part-time and full-time classified and unclassified employees can request “poll worker leave” from their supervisor, subject to the following conditions:

• The request must be made in writing, at least 14 calendar days prior to the election;
• The request must include the employee’s intent to serve as a poll worker and specify the county in which the employee intends to serve; and
• The request must be turned in to the employee’s immediate supervisor.

Employees are only eligible to receive paid leave for their time as a poll worker on an hour-for-hour basis, up to the maximum number of hours the employee was regularly scheduled to work on an election day.

Following the election, the employee must submit a Poll Worker Leave Verification form, signed by the employee and a representative from the Board of Elections. More information is also available at our website.

If you have additional questions regarding this option as it relates to classified and unclassified staff, please contact the Human Resources Records Office at 330-672-8316. Faculty should contact Academic Personnel at 330-672-2220.

Dates to Remember:

LGBT History Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Italian-American Heritage Month

Oct. 1 International Day for the Elderly
Oct. 5 Kent State Homecoming; events include the Homecoming parade and
the football game between the Golden Flashes and the Northern Illinois Huskies. More information is available at www.ksualumni.org/homecoming.
Oct. 14 Columbus Day (university open, holiday is observed Nov. 29); Canadian Thanksgiving Day
Oct. 16 National Boss’s Day
Oct. 19 Sweetest Day
Oct. 24 United Nations Day
Oct. 24-25 The 20th annual Celebrating College Teaching Conference. For more information and to register, go to http://bit.ly/UTC20th. 
Oct. 26 Make a Difference Day
Oct. 31 Halloween

Tell Us What You Think

This e-newsletter is designed to keep you, the managers and supervisors, informed. Please take a few minutes to let us know what you think of it, along with any comments or suggestions. You may contact us at managersfeedback@kent.edu. We look forward to hearing from you.

For information about events and programs for university employees, please check out the Faculty and Staff calendar and share the information with your staff.