eInside Briefs

Kent State Launches Video in Support of You Can Play Project

Kent State University is is showing its support for lesbian,
gay, transgender and bisexual (LGBT) student-athletes via
a new video that champions the national You Can Play
Project. 

Kent State University is showing its support for lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual (LGBT) student-athletes via a new video that champions the national You Can Play Project. The video was released on the university’s social media channels on Oct. 1, which marked the start of National LGBT History Month.

The video can be viewed at https://youtu.be/8yMFoIpX4Rs.

Kent State President Beverly Warren, Athletic Director Joel Nielsen and more than a dozen student-athletes are featured in the video, which promotes inclusion across the campus community while encouraging athletes to take part in sports with the confidence of knowing that Kent State accepts everyone for who they are.

“We want all athletes to know that we celebrate and support you unconditionally,” Warren says. “This video reaffirms our support for all student-athletes, and Kent State stands united in this mission.”

The video is about 90 seconds long and supports the national You Can Play Project that was launched in 2012 as a way to end homophobia in sports among fans, players, coaches and the locker room while ensuring the safety and inclusion of all LGBT athletes.

“Kent State Athletics is proud to be included in an initiative like You Can Play, supporting inclusion and spotlighting a spirit of competition provided for all student-athletes,” Nielsen says.

Kent State is committed to offering a safe, secure learning environment that maximizes individual and collective contributions, thereby creating an environment that welcomes diversity of thought, continuous personal growth, academic attainment and above-average achievement. This inclusive excellence is a distinctive quality that characterizes great institutions.

“At Kent State, we honor equality, respect for difference and individuality in sports,” says Alfreda Brown, Kent State’s vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion. “It does not matter what the difference might be. If you can play, you can play.”

The video includes the support of Kent State’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Student Center, which provides resources and support for LGBTQ students and their allies from informed staff in a welcoming environment. The center, located on the lower level of the Kent Student Center on the Kent Campus, also strives to educate the campus community about sexual orientation and gender identity to ensure Kent State remains a safe space for all students.

For more information about the You Can Play Project, visit http://youcanplayproject.org.

For more information about Kent State’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, visit www.kent.edu/diversity.

For more information about Kent State Intercollegiate Athletics, visit www.kentstatesports.com.

WKSU Celebrates 65 Years On Air

Pictured is former Kent State University President Brage
Golding, who served from 1977-1982, with staff on air
at WKSU. WKSU celebrates 65 years on air this year.

(Photo credit: Kent State's Department of Special
Collections and Archives)

On Oct. 2, 1950, Walton D. Clarke (then director of the radio program at Kent State University) announced, “WKSU now signs on the air,” as he threw the switch sending WKSU’s signal out over the airwaves for the first time. This year, WKSU celebrates 65 years on air and looks forward to a new era broadcasting the best in news, information and other public radio programming throughout Northeast Ohio. To mark the anniversary, the station is planning a series of public events throughout the region.

What began with a 10-watt transmitter broadcasting 25 hours of programming each week has grown into a nationally recognized and award-winning radio station covering a quarter of the state of Ohio from five towers and a smaller repeater signal. When online audio became a reality, WKSU was the first public radio station in the country to host live streaming content on its website. The station has been at the forefront of the digital vanguard, sustaining four distinct content streams at WKSU.org and over HD Radio from each of the five repeater stations.

“I’m honored to be one of only five people to have managed WKSU – the region’s original public radio station,” says Dan Skinner, WKSU general manager. “The station has a national reputation for creating great work and looking to the future, while respecting the past. We’re excited to see what the next 65 years hold for WKSU!”

Through the years, as the WKSU studios made their way from Kent Hall to Kent State’s Music and Speech Building (now the Center for the Performing Arts) to its current broadcast center (built for WKSU as a stand-alone radio facility), the station has presented the highest-quality programming, constantly working to create radio lineups that are responsive to community needs. With generational change, WKSU has shifted its focus from music to the strength of news and storytelling-based content from NPR, other public radio partners and the station’s own highly praised news staff. In the coming months, WKSU will open an expanded, state-of-the-art newsroom in its Kent Campus Broadcast Center.

The station’s musical history is honored with continued classical and folk music offerings and the ongoing work being done with FolkAlley.com, the 24-hour streaming Americana and roots music Web radio station. Folk Alley carries WKSU’s reputation for excellence to NPR, where it often represents its genre. A presence on station airwaves since the very beginning, WKSU airs nine hours of classical music daily along with the classical-only music stream.

Along with creating groundbreaking radio, WKSU also serves as an ambassador for Kent State and a training ground for its journalism students. Kent State students who worked at WKSU and went on to greater roles in media include former WEWS anchor Ted Henry, Senior Vice President for Original Content at Audible Eric Nuzum (formerly programming vice president for NPR), Michigan Public Radio News Director Vincent Duffy (also chair-elect of RTDNA), WYEP Production Director Brian Siewiorek, podcaster Andrew Walsh (co-host of "TBTL: Too Beautiful to Live With Luke Burbank"), and Mandy Jenkins, director of news at Storyful. This year, student assistant Lyndsey Schley earned a first-place award from the National Federation of Press Women for Feature Writing – Collegiate for a story she created on a program Goodyear offers to hire returning veterans.

As WKSU 65th celebration events are finalized, information will be posted at www.WKSU.org.

Kent State Kicks Off Campus Sustainability Month With Transportation Sustainability Theme

Kent State University’s Office of Sustainability kicks off its yearlong theme of Sustainable Transportation during Campus Sustainability Month this October. Campus Sustainability Month is a nationwide effort devoted to recognizing successes, challenges and innovations of sustainability in higher education. Kent State faculty, staff and students are encouraged to explore alternative forms of transportation.

There are many different alternative methods of getting across campus. For individuals with their own bikes, new racks are being installed across campus, and secure indoor bike storage is available in most residence halls.

Flashfleet, Kent State University's technology-based,
bike-rental program, is available to students, faculty and
staff.

For those without a bike, Flashfleet, a bike-sharing program, is available to all students, faculty and staff. The bikes are rental quality, technology-based and each one has a GPS computer. The computer allows users to rent the bikes with no attendant necessary. Flashfleet has racks at various locations across campus and downtown. Flashfleet’s NextBike mobile app is now available in the App Store. The app allows users to find and rent available bikes, review their account and communicate with customer service.

“The app is not necessary for Flashfleet use, but is a convenient option,” says Chris John, assistant director of Recreational Services.

Bike lane decals and small signs will be installed along the length of the Lefton Esplanade to help cyclists and pedestrians share the space safely. 

“Our hope is that the eight-location system will allow time savings when traveling around campus, less vehicle traffic on campus, a little bit of stress relief and an opportunity for some physical exercise,” John says.

The Portage Area Regional Transit Authority (PARTA) has a bus service serving the Kent Campus and surrounding community. PARTA provides three on-campus routes: the Campus Loop, Allerton and Stadium/Front Campus. These routes are open to all students and visitors of the university.

For those times when a car is the only way to go, the car-sharing service Zipcar is available on campus.  The convenient and reliable transportation can be reserved for as little as an hour at a time at an affordable rate.

There are many other ways to get involved with Kent State’s campus sustainability events.

Bra Recycling Drive: Thursday, Oct. 1, to Friday, Nov. 6

For the third year, Kent State’s Office of Sustainability and the Women’s Center are hosting a bra recycling drive to collect reusable or worn-out bras. Bras that are in good condition will be donated to local charities in need, and worn-out bras will be recycled. Bras that are washed and clean can be dropped off at the Women’s Center Carriage House or at the Office of Sustainability at Suite 101 in Harbourt Hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Game Day Challenge: Saturday, Oct. 24

The Game Day Challenge is a national competition between colleges and universities to promote waste reduction at football games. Schools track and report waste and recycling data that is used to rank the schools.

For more information about events marking Campus Sustainability Month and other sustainability initiatives at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/sustainability or contact Leah Graham at lgraha13@kent.edu.

For more information about National Campus Sustainability Month, visit www.aashe.org/campus-sustainability-month.

Popular Research Competition “Three Minute Thesis” Coming to Kent State in October

All Kent State University graduate students are eligible to
participate in the Three Minute Thesis, a research
competition that is offered at more than 170 universities,
and is coming to Kent State this October. 

The Three Minute Thesis, a research competition that is offered at more than 170 universities, is coming to Kent State University in October. All graduate students are eligible to participate in this competition that gives students just three minutes and one PowerPoint slide as tools to explain their research in an engaging and concise manner to a nonspecialist audience.

The Three Minute Thesis will feature three preliminary rounds from noon-2 p.m. in the Kent Student Center Ballroom Balcony on Oct. 21, 22 and 23. Up to 20 students will be selected to compete in each preliminary round with the top presenters advancing to the finals on Oct. 30 from noon-2 p.m. in the Kent Student Center Kiva. During the finals, a panel of judges will award monetary prizes to the top three presenters. Audience members will be able to text their vote for the People's Choice Award.

The registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 9.

Free refreshments will be served at the preliminary rounds and finals. We encourage students, faculty and staff from across the university to attend the Three Minute Thesis. It is an entertaining and educational experience for audience members. It is a unique opportunity to view many engaging presentations from graduate students representing a variety of disciplines conducting innovative research at Kent State.

If you have questions, please contact Kyle Reynolds, assistant director of student services in the Division of Graduate Studies, at kreynol3@kent.edu.

For more information about the Three Minute Thesis, visit www.kent.edu/graduatestudies/3mt. 

Steam Shutdown Notice

A one-day steam shutdown is needed this month in order for the Power Plant to perform a repair task. The steam shutdown is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 11, beginning at 4 a.m., and all systems are anticipated to be at normal operating conditions by 2 p.m. During the 10-hour period, steam will not be available for heating, hot water, air conditioning or for other purposes.
 
If the steam shutdown has to be delayed for any reason, the back-up date will be Sunday, Oct. 18, and departments will be notified of the change.

If you have any questions, please contact Frank Renovich, associate director, energy operations, at 330-672-0775 or frenovi2@kent.edu.   

Get Screened at National Depression Screening Day

Be Well: Body and Mind

The theme for this year's annual National
Depression Screening Day at Kent State
University is "Be Well: Body and Mind." 

The 21st annual National Depression Screening Day at Kent State University will be held on several Kent State campus locations in October, and is open to all faculty, staff and students, as well as the larger community.

Campus screening days and locations are listed below:

• Kent State University at Stark: Thursday, Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Herbert W. Hoover Foundation Counseling Center
• Kent State University at Trumbull: Thursday, Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Enrollment Management and Student Services, Room 131
• Kent Campus: Friday, Oct. 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the second floor mezzanine of the Kent Student Center
  

For those unable to attend an in-person screening, a free confidential online screening module also is available 24-hours per day throughout the year, and provides individuals with feedback, referrals and resources upon completion.

As part of the free in-person screening, participants have the opportunity to complete a questionnaire, which screens for depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and to speak with a clinician in the mental health field to review their results. If necessary, appropriate referrals can be made, and participants may also find information on depression and other mental health issues for themselves or for someone about whom they may be concerned.

Kent State’s National Depression Screening Day is coordinated by several units in the Division of Student Affairs, including Psychological Services, University Health Services and the Office of Health Promotion on the Kent Campus. National Depression Screening Day also is co-sponsored by Counseling Services at Kent State Stark, Counseling and Wellness Services on the Columbiana County Campuses and Counseling Services at Kent State Trumbull.

For more information, please contact:

Kent Campus: Psychological Services at 330-672-2487 or either one of the co-coordinators, John Schell, Ph.D., at jschell@kent.edu or Carrie Berta, Psy.D., at cberta@kent.edu.

Kent State Stark: Counseling Services at 330-244-5048 or coordinator Emily Ribnik at eribnik@kent.edu.

Kent State Salem and Kent State East Liverpool: Counseling and Wellness Services at 330-337-4287 or
coordinator Katherine Vance-Righetti at counselingcolumbianaco@kent.edu.

Kent State Trumbull: Counseling Services at 330-675-7603 or coordinator Barbara Ozimek at bozimek@kent.edu.

Important Information About Final Grading of Fall 2015 First 5 Weeks (F1) Classes

Online final grading for fall 2015 First 5 Weeks (F1) courses meeting from Aug. 31 through Oct. 4, 2015, began Thursday, Oct. 1, via FlashFAST. Grading also is now available for any fall 2015 course section that was flexibly scheduled and has an end date no later than Oct. 4, 2015. The deadline for grading submission is midnight on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015. Any final grades for Fall 2015 First 5 Weeks
(F1) courses not reported in FlashFAST by the grades processing deadline will have to be submitted using the Grade Change Workflow. These fall 2015 First 5 Weeks (F1) courses will be available in the Workflow on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015.

Incomplete Mark and NF/SF Grades:

The administrative mark of IN (Incomplete) may be given to students who are unable to complete the work due to extenuating circumstances. To be eligible, undergraduate students must be currently earning a D or better grade and are unable to complete the required work between the course withdrawal deadline and the end of classes. Graduate students must be currently earning a C or better grade and are unable to complete the required work between the course withdrawal deadline and the end of classes. Instructors are required to complete and submit an Incomplete Mark Form to the department chair when an incomplete mark is assigned. Access the form from your Faculty Toolbox in FlashLine.

The grade 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.

The grade NF (Never Attended-Fail) denotes that the student neither attended one class session nor formally withdrew from the course.

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 at www.kent.edu/catalog.

Grades Processing Tips and FAQ may be found on the Office of the University Registrar's website at www.kent.edu/registrar/faculty-grades-processing. 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.

To access FlashFAST to post your final grades, log in to FlashLine from www.kent.edu (click FlashLine Log in from top right menu bar) then click the Faculty & Advisor Tools tab. Locate the Faculty Toolbox, and select Final under the Submit Grades heading.

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.