News Briefs

New Technology Exists for Accessing University Resources From Off-Campus Locations

Beginning on July 1, and throughout the fall semester, the Kent State proxy server will be retired. The proxy server allows access from off-campus locations to university resources that are restricted to authenticated users for security or licensing purposes, including library resources and research databases. In its place, members of the university community can use secure, remote access technology known as the Kent State University Virtual Private Network, or KSU VPN.

The KSU VPN has been in use as an alternative to the proxy since Fall Semester 2007. Most users have experienced little change in the transition to the KSU VPN. Required is a simple, one-time installation of the program on your computer. When you need access to a restricted resource, simply run the program. After entering your FlashLine ID and password, you will be connected to the campus network. You then can access restricted resources just as you would from on campus.

Once the KSU VPN has been installed and tested, users will need to turn off proxy access to avoid conflict issues. Instructions for each step of this process are available on the Information Services Web site.

Please contact the Helpdesk at 330-672-HELP (4357) or helpdesk@kent.edu with any questions. Additional information is available online.

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Food 4 Thought Cyber Cafe Announces Summer Hours

The Food 4 Thought Cyber Cafe welcomes faculty, staff and students to stop by this summer. The cafe is located on the second floor in White Hall.

Food 4 Thought offers healthy foods, such as soups and wraps, along with real fruit smoothies and fair trade coffee and teas. Menu items have included tuna salad wraps, peanut butter and banana empanadas with skim milk and chicken Caesar salads. Summer hours are:

• Through July 31:
  Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Aug. 1 to Aug. 15:
  Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Each week this summer, Food 4 Thought will offer a different healthy special. The cafe is equipped with wireless access, two televisions and plenty of tables for working or studying.

More information is available online.

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Joint Needs Assessment Engages Discussion Among Faculty and Thought Leaders

The second phase of the Kent State University-Lakeland Community College joint needs assessment is evaluating unmet short-term educational needs, identifying not-yet-conceived opportunities and determining how best to increase participation in higher education and implement innovative solutions.

This update includes highlights from seven discussion groups with faculty and thought leaders in Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake counties. Among the key findings:

• Students and their families face a multitude of issues beyond the cost of tuition, such as the cost and difficulty of finding child care. This led to a suggestion that campuses collaborate with social service organizations to assist students with nonacademic life issues.
• A college readiness center, sponsored by all colleges in the community, would provide the foundation for students to be successful in college.
• The campuses in the tri-county area should expand their role to include marketing the value of higher education overall, providing information about jobs available in the region, the education needed for those jobs and the educational opportunities available locally.
• Faculty and thought leaders believe strongly in providing the maximum number of online courses and schedules that allow students to plan their courses from start to finish in a degree program.
• Northeast Ohio is uniquely suited for studies in soils, botany, horticulture and conservation due to its proximity to the lake, golf courses and wineries.
• Information sharing among the campuses needs to improve as a first step in any further collaboration efforts.

The final two Kent State University-Lakeland Community College joint needs assessment updates will wrap up the information gathered in the project’s second phase and outline next steps.

Read more on the Graduate Ohio blog.

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Dix Stadium Goes High-Definition

Kent State recently chose Daktronics Inc. and its industry-leading HD-X light emitting diode (LED) video technology to provide a new, high-definition scoreboard as part of the second phase of renovations currently underway at Dix Stadium. The agreement will provide Kent State with new integrated systems not only for football, but also for indoor track and field.

“We are looking forward to the enhancement of the game experience with the new displays. The ability to have instant replay and interact more with our fans is very exciting for our administration, staff and athletes,” Cynthia Stone, facilities and operations manager, says.

Dix Stadium, home to Kent State football, will be one of the first collegiate facilities to showcase Daktronics HD-X technology, and the Golden Flashes will be the first team in the Mid-American Conference to incorporate it. The new display will measure approximately 36 feet wide by 20 feet high. The video screen can serve as one giant display or be divided into multiple zones to show a wide variety of statistics, information, graphics, animation and video.

Additional improvements to the stadium will include a plaza and concessions area on the south side; new entrance, ticket and concession areas on the west side; and a new fence line with brick pillars around the stadium. In addition, entrances will feature decorative bricks, new graphics will be added to the stadium, HVAC improvements will be made to the President’s and Blue and Gold loges and 30 new parking spots will be added.

More information is available online.

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Return to Issue of June 30, 2008