Welcome back to campus from what was hopefully a restful and fun summer! Here are some helpful tips and reminders for returning to campus.   Blue and Gold and Grateful To celebrate the kickoff to the fall semester, employees can come to work in casual blue and gold through the end of August. Don't forget to take pictures and post them in the comment section of this pinned KSU Facebook post. You just might win a prize! Employees also get one free meal swipe per week this semester by showing their Flashcard. Masks Keep up to date on whether your campus is weari...

Kent State University partnered with Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City for an international, cross-cultural exchange for students to study how sustainable gardening projects aid immigrant populations.  The program enabled 11 Kent State students from the Stark and Kent campuses to spend their spring break in Mexico, and a group of 11 students from Universidad Panamericana (UP) to spend a week in Northeast Ohio in June, working at Shanti Community Farms in Akron’s North Hill neighborhood, which is home to large groups of immigrants.  Sarah Schmidt, assistant director of Gl...

Co-PIs Dr. Michael Strickland (Professor and Chair, Physics), Dr. Qiang Guan (Assistant Professor, Computer Science), and Dr. Barry Dunietz (Associate Professor, Chemistry) have received a $500k grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a quantum computing (QC) training program at Kent State University.   The grant addresses a critical need in the US to develop a skilled workforce in quantum computing.  With the funding, Drs. Strickland, Guan, and Dunietz will construct a project-oriented training program to assist scientists and students in the development of q...

Culinary Services boasts a new meal plan for faculty and staff, as well as a variety of new initiatives and locations. Details are below. The FAST Plan - for faculty and staff New this fall, we are introducing the faculty/staff meal plan. The FAST Plan can be used at all culinary locations, it never expires and is easily accessible via your FLASHcard ID. To learn more, and to sign up via payroll deduction, click here. OZZI Program In an important commitment to sustainability – we will no longer provide disposable to-go containers at DI and Eastway Dining. Inste...

According to vacation policy 6-11.7, the maximum amount of vacation an employee can carry over is that which can be earned in a three-year period. Each year, at the end of September, vacation balances are cut back to the maximum accrual allowed per the policy.   Vacation hours are earned each pay period and your accrual rate varies according to your years of service and your type of appointment (i.e. classified or unclassified status). An explanation of vacation accrual rates, eligibility and usage is explained in more detail at the vacation leave website.  At this point in tim...

Every person should have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life. Healthy aging is about creating the environments and opportunities that enable people to be and do what they value throughout their lives. Research has identified steps we can take to maintain our health and functioning as we get older. Adopting healthy habits and behaviors like improving your diet and levels of physical activity, staying social and involved in your community, using preventive health services and managing chronic conditions can contribute to a productive and meaningful life. September is Healt...

The Kent Campus Benefits and Wellness Fair will be held Oct. 19, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., in the Student Center Ballroom. The fair is an opportunity for employees to learn more about the benefits available to them and get answers to questions about Annual Open Enrollment, which will be from 8 a.m. Oct. 17 through 5 p.m. Nov. 4, 2022. The Employee Benefits and Wellness teams and representatives from the University’s various benefits providers will be present to answer questions, and employees will have the opportunity to enter raffles for prizes donated by the university and...