Faculty/Staff News Now

Join us for the 2026 NCAA Watch Party on Friday, March 20, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Ray's Place (Upstairs), 135 Franklin Avenue. Stop by to catch the games, take part in exciting raffles and support the local community. A portion of all food and beverage sales will be donated to United Way of Portage County. This fun-filled afternoon is a great way to enjoy March Madness while giving back.

University Libraries’ will choose a faculty member to receive the Open Educational Resources Faculty Champion Award for successfully integrating OER into their courses. Nominate a faculty colleague or yourself for using OER to enhance student learning and engagement, while removing financial barriers to accessing class content. The recipient will receive $750 and a commemorative award to mark the achievement. Visit the OER Faculty Champion Award web page to learn more and to submit your nomination. The deadline for nominations is March 20, 2026. 

Applications are now open for the John and Fonda Elliot Design Innovation Faculty Fellows Program at Kent State University. This six-week summer fellowship supports faculty from any discipline who want to explore interdisciplinary collaboration, human-centered design and innovation-driven teaching, research or creative work. This year, new co-sponsored fellowship opportunities focused on community-engaged research and global/intercultural initiatives are also available. Deadline to apply is Friday, March 20. 

Looking for a welcoming spot to unwind or gather with friends? Check out Board & Bevy in downtown Kent. This cozy café-style venue combines a love of board games with a thoughtfully curated selection of coffee, craft beverages and light bites. With shelves stocked full of classic favorites and modern strategy games, Board & Bevy offers a relaxed atmosphere perfect for team bonding, casual meetups, or a fun after-work break. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just looking to try something new, it’s a unique local gem worth visiting. 

The KSU Retirees Association invites all faculty and staff, retired or not, to attend their next presentation on Wednesday, March 11, from 3-5 p.m. in the Kent Free Library. They will host Behind the Scenes of a Sports Broadcast: A Look at the Complexities Involved in a Telecast, by Paul Richey, Youngstown State University. This presentation will describe and show the multi-camera coverage used by televised sportscasts. It also will describe what each crew member does and what roles Paul has had as a member of the broadcast crew as a veteran freelance sports broadcaster.