ϳԹ and the College of Education, Health and Human Services Welcome 18 International Fulbright Educators
In February, EHHS and the Gerald H. Read Center for International and Intercultural Education welcomed 18 international Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) in Media Literacy program participants to the Kent campus. The Fulbright educators represent the countries of Bulgaria, Estonia, Romania, Hungary, Turkey, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Ukraine, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The participants are K12 educators in their home countries. This cohort will engage with content around Media Literacy teaching and learning and will return to home with resources to implement local, national, and international Media Literacy training. Returning with this expertise will allow them to train other teachers, inform regional and national policy, and impact their communities.
Marty Jencius, Ph.D., KSU Fulbright TEA co-director said, "We not only get to hear about the impact this program has on their countries, but the immediate impact is felt here on campus, in the classroom, and in our local schools and the surrounding Kent community."
The program participants engage with K12 content in local classrooms and experience co-teaching with local teachers. They also have the opportunity to learn about American culture and partner with Kent community residents who host them in the surrounding area.
"I am incredibly proud to host this cohort and for ϳԹ's renewal of the grant by IREX as funded through the US Department of State's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs," said Amanda Johnson-Toala, Ph.D., co-director of the program and director of the Gerald H. Read Center.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Employee and Supervisor Training
LIVE VIRTUAL PRESENTATION – March 8, 2022
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that provides certain employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per designated 12-month period. FMLA applies to all public agencies, including institutions of higher education.
Recently, FMLA for ϳԹ has gone through a LEAN process improvement. As a result, the HR Employee Benefits Office has:
- Developed this educational webinar to increase understanding regarding:
- How to apply for FMLA
- What conditions or circumstances may be eligible for FMLA
- How does FMLA interact with other leaves (e.g., sick, vacation, workers’ comp, etc.)
- Employee responsibilities while using FMLA
- Supervisor roles and responsibilities related to FMLA
- How to report and approve time while on FMLA
- Automated the application process for employees applying for FMLA
- Developed and integrated email updates to keep employees, supervisors and stakeholders informed throughout the leave process
All supervisors and employees are encouraged to on March 8, 2022, from 10 – 11:30 a.m. This webinar will include Q & A at the end of the presentation and will also count as 1.5 hours toward your annual Beyond Compliance training.
Nominate Today! for the ϳԹ 2022 Alumni Awards
Do you know a Golden Flash who is an exceptional leader, citizen, colleague, or classmate? The Alumni Awards recognize ϳԹ’s brightest alumni and students who have made an incredible impact at the university, in their profession, and in their community. These awards are the university’s highest alumni honor, presented each year in six award categories:
- Distinguished Alumni Award
- Distinguished Citizen Award
- ϳԹ Advocacy Award
- Professional Achievement Award
- Outstanding New Professional Award
- Golden Flash Award (students only)
ϳԹ has a strong community of driven, talented, and generous individuals who are deserving of these prestigious honors. Submit a nomination for alumni, students, or yourself by Sunday, February 27, at www.kent.edu/AlumniAwards.
School of Theatre and Dance Presents Freaky Friday, February 25 - March 6
ϳԹ's School of Theatre and Dance continues its 2021-2022 season with the production of Disney’s Freaky Friday, running Feb. 25, through March 6, in E. Turner Stump Theatre.
With a book by Bridget Carpenter, music by Tom Kitt, and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, the musical is based on the novel Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers and the Disney films. Directed by Eric van Baars, choreographed by assistant professor Jennifer Black, and music directed by associate professor Jonathan Swoboda, Freaky Friday explores what happens when an overworked mother and her teenage daughter magically swap bodies and have just one day to put things right again. A heartfelt, comedic, and unexpectedly emotional tale – can a mother and daughter come to appreciate, and realize the immeasurable love and mutual respect that bond them together?
The Freaky Friday production team includes costume design by Michelle Souza, lighting design by Wes Sneed, scenic design by Brian Seckfort, sound design by Ian Macdonald, props supervision by Travis Williams, and technical direction by associate professor Steve Pauna. Lexi Snoddy is the production stage manager. Learn more.
Upcoming Wellness Webinars on Sleep and Retirement Planning
These upcoming Employee Wellness webinars are open to all ϳԹ staff and faculty. Full-time, benefits-eligible employees participating in the wellness rewards program earn 10 Tier 2 points for each webinar. Click on the titles below to register.
, March 1, noon - 1 p.m.
What goes into a good night's sleep? The amount of sleep we get daily can have a direct impact on our weight. Join Keith Zimcosky, exercise physiologist, as he reviews the health benefits associated with a good night's sleep and the steps we can take to ensure a good night's sleep.
, March 3, noon - 1 p.m.
Since the global pandemic has disrupted people’s lives, finances are the top cause of employee stress - above employment, health, and relationship stress combined. Securian Financial, ϳԹ’s life insurance provider, wants to empower you with information to help your overall financial picture. Join Securian to learn how to stay on track and save for your retirement from your 20s into your 60s.
For questions related to wellness offerings for ϳԹ faculty and staff, please contact the Employee Wellness office at 330-672-0392 or wellness@kent.edu.
Important Information About Final Grading of Spring 2022 First 5 Weeks (POT F1) Classes
Online final grading for Spring 2022 First 5 Weeks (POT F1) began Thursday, February 17, via FlashFAST. Grading is also now available for any Spring 2022 course section that was flexibly scheduled. The deadline for grading submission is midnight on Tuesday, February 22. Any final grades for Spring 2022 courses not reported in FlashFAST by the grades processing deadline will have to be submitted using the Grade Change Workflow. These Spring 2022 courses will be available in the Workflow on Thursday, February 24.
Submit Final Grades Using the Final Grades Roster
To submit final grades via the Final Grades roster, log in to then click Faculty & Advisors/Faculty Dashboard/Grading Resources. Locate Final Grades to submit grades.
Submit Final grades using Grade Push (Canvas/Blackboard Users)
If you use either Blackboard Learn or Canvas, there is a tool to make reporting your final grades easier—with a push of the button! The process is called Grade Push and it will allow you to “push” the final grades recorded in Blackboard or Canvas into our KSU Final Grade Roster, thus eliminating the time and effort spent manually entering them.
To access the Grade Push application, login to then click Faculty & Advisors/Faculty Dashboard/Grading Resources.
- Canvas users will select Canvas Final Grade Push to submit grades.
- Blackboard users will select Blackboard Final 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.
Incomplete Mark Workflow:
The instructor must create and submit an Incomplete Mark contract via the workflow. Instructors can no longer select the incomplete mark (IB+, IC+, IC-, etc.) from the final grade roster in FlashFAST (Self-Service Banner). The primary instructor must initiate and submit the contract using this new workflow process, which mimics the old paper process. Once the contract has been accepted by the student and approved by the department chair/campus dean, the student’s grade will be updated automatically. The primary instructor will be able to initiate and submit the contract for a student after the deadline to withdraw (10th week of a regularly scheduled section in fall and spring, or prorated for flexibly scheduled sections) through the end of final grading.
Access the Incomplete Mark workflow in FlashLine from the Faculty Dashboard under Grading Resources or Faculty Workflows.
NF/SF Administrative Marks:
The administrative mark NF (Never Attended–Fail) denotes that the student neither attended one class session nor formally withdrew from the course. If a student has never attended your course, mark the student as “Not Started” on the Academic Presence Verification Roster, and the NF will automatically populate to your Final Grades roster.
The administrative mark SF (Stopped Attending–Fail) denotes that the student stopped attending the course and did not formally withdraw and must be accompanied by a date of last attendance in the course. If a student has stopped attending your course the SF can be entered on the Final Grade Roster along with the student’s last date of attendance.
For complete information on university grading policies including Incomplete Mark and NF/SF grading policies, procedures, and timelines, please visit the Grading Policies and Procedures section in the University Catalog.
Grades Processing Tips and FAQs may be found on the Registrar's website. Any faculty member needing personalized instruction on submitting their grades via FlashFAST should contact their campus Registrar's Office during normal business hours for assistance.
Troubleshooting TIP:
FlashFAST 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 FlashFAST and/or FlashLine by improving your connection to the server. Our Helpdesk is prepared to offer assistance with these issues. Please contact them at 330-672-HELP (4357) for one-on-one assistance and technical issues.