News Briefs

• WKSU-FM Adds New Programs to Weekend Schedule
• Construction Update: Ashtabula's New Building, Wayfinding on the Kent Campus and Prentice Arch 
• Kent State Launches Program to Teach English to Hospitality Workers in Costa Rica
• Human Resources Question of the Week: What happened to the Time Reporting Leave Request function in FlashLine?

WKSU-FM Adds New Programs to Weekend Schedule

WKSU-FM is using the loss of Weekend America, which is ceasing production, as an opportunity to rearrange the station's Saturday and Sunday broadcast schedules.

On Saturday, Jan. 24, WKSU-FM began offering four programs new to the station and moved others to make weekend listening more enjoyable and informative. Fresh to the schedule are "Hearing Voices" (Saturdays at 6 a.m.), "The Splendid Table" (Saturdays at 1 p.m.), "Marketplace Money" (Saturdays at 2 p.m.) and "Travel with Rick Steves" (Sundays at 5 p.m.).

With the new line-up, "Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!" the popular news quiz from National Public Radio, moves to Saturdays at 11 a.m., "On the Media" shifts to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and WKSU-FM's rebroadcasts of area classical music concerts on "In Performance" will now be heard at 3:30 p.m. on Sundays. An hour-long version of "Whad'Ya Know? with Michael Feldman" airs Saturdays starting at noon.

WKSU-FM Program Director Mark Urycki says, "The public radio system produces a wealth of quality weekend programming, much more than there is room for on WKSU-FM. Although we will miss 'Weekend America,' we are very excited to bring shows including 'The Splendid Table,' 'Marketplace Money,' and 'Travel with Rick Steves' to Northeast Ohio."

For a behind-the-scenes look at WKSU, look here.

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Construction Update: Ashtabula's New Building, Wayfinding on the Kent Campus and Prentice Arch

The Office of the University Architect administers construction projects throughout the eight-campus Kent State system. Below is an update on some of the more visible projects currently underway:

Ashtabula Campus Health and Science Building
A new, two-story, 55,000 square-foot Health and Science Building is being built on the Ashtabula campus. The new facility will house the Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Radiation Technology programs; science laboratories; general classrooms and offices. Utility work at the site has been completed and the building shell is nearing completion. Installation of interior walls is well underway and windows are being installed. At the west end of campus, a new student parking lot is being added to accommodate the new building; this new lot will be completed in early spring. Construction continues through May 2009.

Campus Environment and Operations Fleet Services Relocation-Centennial Research Park
Fleet Services recently moved out of its original location in order to make more space available for potential tenants of Centennial Research Park. An addition for Fleet Services will be built on the north end of Campus Environment and Operations’ maintenance shop.

Demolition of Selected Small Group Buildings
Seven former residence halls that comprised Small Group housing will be demolished. Out of the original 11 buildings, only Van Campen, Heer, Harbourt and Stewart halls will remain. Utility relocation, building demolition and site grading work commenced mid-January and should be completed by April.

Kent Campus Wayfinding Signage Replacement
Wayfinding signs around the Kent Campus will be repaired and/or replaced. Additional wayfinding signs for campus visitors and building identification signs for the Student Center, Library, Kent Student Center Kiva, Williams Hall, MAC Center and Gym Annex will be installed. As weather permits, this project continues through winter.

Lincoln and East Main Streets Gateway – Prentice Arch
The Prentice Arch was reconstructed and a gateway sign installed at the corner of Lincoln and East Main streets. As weather permits, the concrete walk leading from the gateway to the parking lot will be poured. Landscaping will be completed during the spring planting season.

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Kent State Launches Program to Teach English to Hospitality Workers in Costa Rica

The group was accompanied by Dr. Mary Anne Saunders, director of the Office of International Affairs, which, in collaboration with Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center, was awarded the training contract by the Cleveland Foundation. A bon voyage reception for the volunteers was held at Van Campen Hall on Jan. 23.

To learn more about the Office of International Affairs, visit its Web site.

To apply, contact Klaus Gommlich at kgommlic@kent.edu.

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Human Resources Question of the Week: What happened to the Time Reporting Leave Request function in FlashLine? 

In January, the Leave Request option was removed from the Time Reporting channel in FlashLine. Leave Report, the process to report hours taken, remains active and is the official process for unclassified and faculty employees to report leave (sick, vacation and personal) taken.

With the removal of the Leave Request option, units and departments are encouraged to develop an internal process (e-mail request, etc.) for employees to request future leave.

Leave Report pay periods in the Time Report and Time Approval channels will remain available for three months. The Human Resources records manager will approve any outstanding leave reports after one month. The Human Resources records manager will attempt to notify employees who have leave reports "in process." This means the employee has not yet selected the "submit" button, and the approver has not received the report.

Human Resources is in the process of developing training videos for leave reporting and leave approval to assist employees in using the electronic leave system. Watch for these in your FlashLine My Action Items page in the near future.

 View the Human Resources Question of the Week archive. 

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Return to Issue of Feb. 9, 2009