eInside Briefs

Stay Informed With Flash ALERTS

Stay up-to-date on critical campus information, such as weather and other emergency campus closings, by subscribing to Flash ALERTS.

Flash ALERTSis Kent State's official emergency text notification system to alert subscribers of critical information no matter what time it is or where they are in the world. Flash ALERTS expands the university's ability to send critical news and information to the university community during campus emergencies.

The subscriber-only service allows students, faculty and staff to sign up to receive urgent notification on a text-enabled mobile phone or device. Sign up is simple - just use your FlashLine username and password. Begin the step-by-step subscription process. You are able to access the system anytime to update your mobile number or add a parent to receive the alerts. Each subscriber can include up to five contact numbers as a Flash ALERTS recipient.

During a campus emergency situation, Flash ALERTS will send subscribers a message delivering critical information. Flash ALERTS will be an enhancement to the several existing communications tools used by the university to reach students, faculty and staff, including the Kent State home page, alert monitor system, broadcast e-mail alerts, broadcast voice-mail messages and public media outlets.

In the event of a university closing or emergency, Flash ALERTS will be sent to all subscribers. The message will include information about the specific situation, as well as an indication of which Kent State campus is impacted. 

Go to www.kent.edu/flashalerts to learn more about or subscribe to Flash ALERTS text messages.

Interested in Free Publicity for Your Event?

You may have noticed a "What to do at KSU" list of events on the Kent State's home page.  And you may be wondering if your department or departmental organization can post an event here.  The answer is yes!  And luckily, the steps are few and simple:

• Go to http://www.kent.edu/news/event-submission.cfm.
• Fill out the online event submission form. Your submission must be an event with a definitive time and place. The calendar will not post announcements, holidays or closings.
• After you submit an event, University Communications and Marketing will review the submission for content, spelling and grammar before publishing it in the calendar. In order to allow for this review process, please submit your event at least one week in advance.

If you are planning on using the calendar more than 10 times a year, please e-mail Tim Priester at tprieste@kent.edu in order to set-up a department calendar. 

By Abbey Linville

Kent State Post Office Continues to Deliver

Kent State University's United States Post Office has seen a sharp increase in business over the last year.

"We expanded what we do over the last few years, and now offer a full range of services in a convenient location," says Assistant Manager Tim Ritzert.

The post office, located in the lower level of the Kent Student Center, has been in operation for nearly 10 years.  But it recently launched a new marketing campaign highlighting its many services such as stamp sales, priority and express mail, international shipping, money orders and copy and fax services.

"We are right in the heart of campus," says Ritzert. "That provides a great resourse close by and we are open far more hours and days than any other shipping business."

During the academic year, the post office is open from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays.

"We are getting more customers than ever," said Ritzert. "Students, faculty and staff really like that they have a place to buy stamps, as well as mail letters and packages safely and securely right here on campus."

And, the Kent State post office has a commitment to customer service.

"There are many options when it comes to mailing. We work with our customers to make sure their mail gets to its destination quickly, securely and at the lowest price possible," adds Ritzert.

The Post Office is also open during semester breaks and some holidays. For more information, call 330-672-8189 or visit the lower level of the Kent Student Center.

Federal, State Health Care Legislation Will Impact Kent State Health Plans 

Mandates in both the Ohio 2009 state budget bill and the new federal health care legislation will impact Kent State University health plans for faculty and staff.  Kent State will implement the changes effective Jan. 1, 2011; detailed information on the changes will be available during the annual Open Enrollment period this fall.

One change pertains to continued health care coverage for dependent children over the age of 21. Under the federal legislation, medical coverage for Kent State employees (medical, vision and prescription drug) must be made available to dependents ages 21-26 that do not have another source of employer-sponsored health insurance.  Coverage is also required regardless of :

•  Whether  or not the adult child is currently enrolled under the employee's medical plan;
•  The child's marital status;
• The child's residency status or whether or not they are enrolled in school.

The dependent must meet these eligibility requirements and the employee must show verification that the person is a legal dependent.

Under the state legislation, adult dependents, ages 26 to 28, who meet the state eligibility requirements may also be covered under the employee's medical plan. Eligibility requirements for coverage under the state legislation includes that the adult dependent is:

•  Single;
•  A natural child, stepchild or adopted child of the employee;
•  An Ohio resident or a full-time student at an accredited public or private institution of  higher learning;

•  Is not working for an employer that offers a health benefit plan for which the child is eligible;
•  Not eligible for coverage under Medicare or Medicaid.

An additional premium charge will be assessed for dependents in this group. Details regarding the additional charge will be communicated during the annual Open Enrollment period.

A chart summarizing the eligibility requirements for dependent health care coverage is available.

Questions should be directed to the benefits office at 330-672-3107 or e-mail benefits@kent.edu.

Kent State Unveils Plans for New Recreation Field

Kent State University's Department of Recreational Services announced the construction of its new multipurpose recreational fields that will be located across from the Student Recreation and Wellness Center on Summit Street. Construction of the fields will begin this November and will be available for use by fall 2011.

Kent State University President Lester A. Lefton hosted a preview event on Tuesday and revealed the architectural renderings of the fields.  The new site will provide Kent State students, faculty and staff, and community members with two lighted recreation fields, two tennis courts and a basketball court.

Kent State's Director of Recreational Services Gretchen Julian says the new fields are in response to the university's growing enrollment and the demand for more residential housing. Julian adds that these new fields will help accommodate more than 9,000 students that participate in intramural and club sports at Kent State.

Julian says that the project has been a work in progress for three years and is now a reality thanks to Lefton, adding that the construction of the fields is another way to keep Kent State "one of the best universities around." Lefton says that these fields will be around for a long time and thousands of students will ultimately enjoy them, giving students a place to round out their lives.

For more information about the new recreation fields, contact Jason Hawk, marketing coordinator for the Department of Recreational Services, at 330-672-0465 or jphawk@kent.edu.

By Aubrey Haskins   

FlashTrack, New Self-Service Work Order System, Is Up and Running

Campus Environment and Operations and Residence Services are pleased to introduce FlashTrack, a new self-service work order system that will replace the Campus Environment and Operations Work Request and Rapid Track systems.

Effective Aug. 8, all staff, faculty and students will use one system to enter all maintenance requests and services.  FlashTrack will allow requestors to create, view, manage and edit requests on their work orders. FlashTrack also contains a user-friendly billing section for staff and faculty that details materials and labor charges for reconciliation and tracking purposes.

All users can access FlashTrack from https://flashtrack.kent.edu. Staff and faculty can also access FlashTrack through the "My Action Items" tab in FlashLine.

Kent State Partners With Empower Portage to Provide "Bridges Out of Poverty" Training for Residence Services Staff

Kent State University partnered with Empower Portage to present "Bridges Out of Poverty" training to more than 300 Department of Residence Services staff on Aug. 20 in the Kent Student Center Ballroom.

The "Bridges Out of Poverty" training included presentations by Empower Portage and Kent State's Office of Experiential Education and Civic Engagement. The "Bridges Out of Poverty" training sessions are brought to Portage County by Empower Portage, a communitywide initiative dedicated to reducing the poverty rate through an innovative approach that examines the economic class system. 

Empower Portage incorporates best practices from three national initiatives aimed at ending poverty in America. The "Bridges Out of Poverty" general training is designed for community members, businesses, schools, churches and organizations. "Getting Ahead" classes are for those seeking to transition out of poverty, and the Circles Campaign is an ally-based component designed to support those who complete "Getting Ahead." All of these programs have been specifically tailored to Portage County.

The "Bridges Out of Poverty" training demonstrates what drives the way people live, think and behave in all economic classes and illustrates the community tools to prevent, alleviate and reduce poverty. 

The Office of Experiential Education and Civic Engagement was established in April 2009 to create and support civic engagement opportunities that enhance student learning, foster humanitarian values and build collaborations between faculty, students, alumni and community organizations. In the past year, the office has collaborated with many Kent State faculty members and community organizations to ensure experiential learning that serves a purpose in bettering surrounding communities.

Family & Community Services, Inc. is one of the largest nonprofit social service agencies in Portage County and has been dedicated to serving the needs of area families since 1941.  Two years ago, Family & Community Services and the Portage Foundation began the groundwork for Empower Portage by sponsoring a communitywide training attended by nearly 400 service providers, community, church and business leaders. Since that initial training, Empower Portage has developed numerous partnerships throughout the county and is set to begin offering free community trainings. 

For more information regarding the "Bridges Out of Poverty" Department of Residence Servicestraining at Kent State, contact Office of Experiential Education and Civic Engagement Coordinator Tina Kandakai at 330-672-8723 or experiential@kent.edu. For more information about the Department of Residence Services, contact Charles Holmes-Hope at 330-672-9469 orcholmesh@kent.edu.  

To learn more about Empower Portage or to schedule training for your group, contact Tyler Spey at 330-297-7027 ext. 314 or visit www.EmpowerPortage.com.   

By Bob Burford

Deadline Extended to Sept. 17 for President's Excellence Award Nominations

Nominations are currently being accepted for the second annual President's Excellence Award.  The award recognizes Kent State University staff who have demonstrated exceptional performance in advancing one of the goals of the university's excellence agenda during the previous fiscal year (July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010).

Full-time classified and unclassified employees at all campuses who have been employed by the university for a minimum of one year and are in good standing with the university are eligible to be nominated.  Past recipients are not eligible for a minimum of two years following their award and faculty are not eligible.

The nomination deadline for the 2010 awards has been extended to Sept. 17. The award recipients will be announced in December and each recipient will receive a $1,000 cash award.

Details on the award criteria and the nomination form are available on the President's website. Nominations may be submitted by faculty, staff or students.

For more information, contact Carla Wyckoff at 330-672-5857 or cwyckof1@kent.edu.