eInside Briefs

Open Enrollment Is Coming Next Week

The annual Open Enrollment period for eligible faculty and staff to select medical, vision, dental insurance and other benefits-related options for next year will begin on Sunday, Oct. 17, and will run through Nov. 8. The booklet detailing the benefits selections will be available online at the Open Enrollment Web site, beginning Oct. 17. On that website, you will also find many other resources and the link to the secure, online enrollment site.

Open enrollment begins soon.

A series of informational sessions on the 2011 benefits will be held the week of Oct. 18. There will also be several open computer lab sessions where an HR staff member will be available for people who need assistance with the online enrollment process.  You can view a schedule of the sessions

If you have questions about Open Enrollment that are not answered through the above resources, call the Benefits Office at 330-672-3107 or send an e-mail to benefits@kent.edu.

E-Inside Message Boards Open for Business

The e-Inside Message Boards, a popular classified ad-type feature that many of our readers frequently ask about, is up and running!

Due to technical issues, the Message Boards were inactivated. Now, with a new technology, the Message Board is available once again.

Clicking on the link to the Message Boards will take you to a submission form. Please fill it out completely, and don't forget to make a selection from the drop-down menu, indicating in which section you would like your message to appear.

Please feel free to indicate a date range for your message, but know that messages do not remain on the Message Boards indefinitely.

All messages must be approved by e-Inside editorial staff. As we reactivate the Message Boards function, please understand that there may be a delay in posting approved messages. In all cases, please allow several days of lead time in the event you would like to post a time-sensitive message.

The Message Boards are intended to be a service available to Kent State faculty and staff only.

Is Your Emergency Contact Information Updated?

Did you know that faculty and staff can update their personal emergency contact information through FlashLine? It only takes a few minutes to complete and in an emergency situation having the most current information will make it easier to contact the appropriate person. This information is also extremely helpful to police officers, fire fighters, emergency medical personnel and others.

To view and/or update your emergency contact information, follow these simple steps:

1. Log on to FlashLine;

2. Click on the My HR tab;

3. Go to the Employment Details tab on the left, then click on Personal Information;

4. Look for the links to your emergency contact information. This will allow you to see the information listed and to make any needed updates. You can list more than one contact person.

If you have questions, please contact a member of the Records staff at 330-672-2901. 

Updated Campus Safety, Security and Fire Safety Bulletin Available

Consistently ranked as one of the safest campuses in Ohio, Kent State University has posted the 2010-2011 Campus Safety, Security and Fire Safety Bulletin. The annual safety bulletin is posted each year to meet the requirements of the Clery Act, a federal mandate requiring all institutions of higher education that participate in the federal student financial aid program to disclose information about crime on their campuses and in the surrounding communities.   

Information that is new to this year's bulletin includes Missing Persons, Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures, and Fire Safety. The updated bulletin is posted at www.kent.edu/publicsafety/safetybulletin.cfm, and links to this document are available in multiple areas of the university's website, including the Public Safety, Future Students, and Parents and Families pages.

Kent State is ranked among the safest campuses in Ohio, based on the number of reported crimes by the FBI Uniform Crime Statistics report and Consortium for Higher Education Campus Crime Research. Kent State also ranked first among public universities in Ohio with a 92.5 safety rating in a report released by StateUniversity.com earlier this year.

Kent State University Police Services, an accredited law enforcement agency, was one of the first nationally accredited law enforcement agencies in Ohio and was the second university police department in the United States to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Kent State's police department has been twice awarded as a Flagship Agency by CALEA, which recognizes law enforcement agencies that represent extraordinary examples of excellence in law enforcement accreditation. Kent State is the first university police agency in the country to be awarded Flagship status and is also designated as a Meritorious Agency for having the distinction of being accredited for more than 15 years.

To review the 2010-2011 Campus Safety, Security and Fire Safety Bulletin, visit www.kent.edu/publicsafety/safetybulletin.cfm.

Chaya Kessler Named Director of Kent State's Jewish Studies Program

The Jewish Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences at Kent State University is under new leadership this fall. Chaya Kessler has assumed the position as director of the program in addition to teaching courses in elementary and intermediate Hebrew, as well as introduction to Jewish studies. Kessler takes over from Dr. Richard Steigmann-Gall, director of the program since 2004, who stepped down over the summer to return to his research and teaching full-time in the university's Department of History.

Chaya Kessler

"I am honored to be the next in a long line of devoted directors and am completely committed to making Kent State's Jewish Studies Program the premier program of its kind in Northeast Ohio," Kessler says.

Born in Russia and raised in Israel, Kessler served in the Israeli Army Intelligence Unit before teaching high school. Following her army service, she earned a bachelor's degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in English literature and education. While raising a family, she resumed her studies and completed her master's in history with honors from Youngstown State University. Kessler was the 2004 recipient of the B'nai B'rith graduate award from the history department. She is a member of Phi Alpha Theta and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. 

"I am delighted that Chaya Kessler will continue and grow the strong tradition of excellent leadership and programming for the Jewish Studies Program," says Timothy Moerland, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "Her credentials are impeccable, and she has a vast network within the Jewish community, both here and abroad, that will greatly enhance our program. Her relationships, both on campus and throughout the community, dovetail perfectly with the goals of the university." Moerland also thanks Steigmann-Gall for his significant contributions to the Jewish Studies Program over the past five years.

The Jewish Studies Program offers courses and activities that promote understanding of all aspects of Jewish life. A minor or certificate in Jewish studies enables students enrolled in any major to become acquainted with the culture, language, literature, history, philosophy, and religious customs of the Jewish people from antiquity to the present.

Kessler has three goals for the program this year: to increase enrollment in the Jewish studies minor; to create collaborative partnerships with other departments and programs on campus in order to offer varied courses and activities; and to enrich student life by bringing exciting and relevant speakers, films, music and exhibits to campus.

The Jewish Studies Program at Kent State University was introduced in the fall of 1975 and has served Kent State students, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, with quality academic and general interest programs.

For more information about the program, visit www.kent.edu/CAS/JewishStudiesProgram.

Kent State Welcomes Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellows

Kent State University will host five new international students as part of the U.S. Department of State's Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program. Joining the Kent State University community are Ulviyya Asadzade and Gunay Rzayeva from Azerbaijan, Maia Shalashvili from Georgia, Vadim Caramalac from Moldova and Ganna Velykotska from Ukraine.

Established by the U.S. Congress in 1992 to encourage economic and democratic growth in Eurasia, the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State, and administered by IREX. By selecting emerging leaders from 12 countries of the former Soviet Union, the Muskie program aims to promote mutual understanding, build democracy and foster the transition to market economies in Eurasia through intensive academic study and professional training. In addition to their academic programs, Muskie fellows gain exposure to American values through a community service experience and develop professional skills through a full-time internship in their field of study.

The Muskie program is highly competitive, averaging nearly 4,000 applications per year with a 4 percent rate of acceptance. For more information, visit http://www.irex.org/programs/muskie.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries to promote friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations, as mandated by the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchanges Act of 1961. ECA accomplishes its mission through a range of programs based on the benefits of mutual understanding, international educational and cultural exchange, and leadership development. For more information about ECA exchanges, visit http://exchanges.state.gov.

Cleveland Cavaliers Offer Special Ticket Prices for Kent State Nights

The Center of Student Involvement is joining forces with the Cleveland Cavaliers for this upcoming NBA season. As a part of a special offer, the Kent State community will have an opportunity to choose from three Cavs games for which tickets will be offered at discounted prices.

Prices will range from $35 to $77 for the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic matchups, and prices will vary from $28 to $53 for the Chicago Bulls game.

The games are as follows:

• Tuesday, Nov. 30 vs. Boston Celtics; Order deadline: Wednesday, Oct. 27
•  Wednesday, Dec. 8 vs. Chicago Bulls; Order deadline: Friday, Nov. 5
•  Monday, March 21, 2011 vs. Orlando Magic; Order deadline: Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

Order forms can be obtained from the Center for Student Involvement or scan a PDF order form here.

For information about seating location and prices, call the Center for Student Involvement at 330-672-2480.

By Erin Orsini

Preventing Identity Theft

All Kent State employees should be aware that the university has a policy regarding identity theft prevention. University Policy 7-11 outlines the prevention program and procedures as they relate to student enrollment and covered accounts (e.g., university credit card accounts, loans, phone accounts). The policy is in compliance with the Red Flags Rule established the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003.

Business and Administration Services has developed a guide and training materialsfor faculty and staff on preventing identity theft. The guidelines, University Measures for Identity Theft Prevention, and a PowerPoint presentation are available online at the Business Administrator Services website. 

If you have questions or would like to arrange for training for your department, please contact Anne Brown, associate vice president, Business and Administration Services, at 330-672-0984 or abrow116@kent.edu.

United Way Campaign Rolls on With Upcoming Cornhole Tournament Nov. 18

Back by popular demand, the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs is sponsoring Kent State's United Way Cornhole Tournament.

Last year, the tournament was a popular event.

This event is an officially sanctioned, single elimination tournament that can accommodate a maximum of 64 teams. Registration is now open, at a cost of $50 per team. The event is open to faculty, staff, students and affiliates of Kent State.

The tournament will again take place in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, beginning at 4 p.m. on Nov. 18.

Payment is due at time of registration. The fee includes the official event T-shirt.

Register at https://commerce.cashnet.com/uway.

For additional information, contact Barbara Boltz at 330-672-1306 or bboltz@kent.edu.

Freshman Midterm Grades for Fall 2010 Full-Term Courses Coming Due

Online midterm grading for freshmen in full-term fall 2010 courses begins Thursday, Oct. 14, via FlashFAST. Please remember that midterm grading applies ONLY to courses that meet for the full semester. The deadline for midterm grade submission is midnight on Tuesday, Oct. 19.

FlashFAST is accessible from any Internet-capable computer that has the cookies function enabled. To access FlashFAST, log in to FlashLine at http://flashline.kent.edu and click the Faculty and  Advisor Tools tab. The link to grade rosters is located in the Faculty and  Advisor Toolbox, under the Submit Grades heading.

Grades Processing Tips and FAQ may be found on the Office of University Registrar's website at http://www.kent.edu/registrar/facstaff/facresc.cfm. Any faculty member requiring personalized instruction on submitting grades via FlashFAST should contact their campus registrar's office during normal business hours for assistance.

University Libraries to Initiate Book Delivery Service

Beginning Oct. 18, 2010, University Libraries will provide book delivery to Kent Campus departmental offices. If you are a faculty or staff member, or a graduate assistant with an on-campus departmental office, you are eligible to participate.

In order to ensure we have your correct departmental address, we invite you to update your information on FlashLine, under My HR. Click on Personal Information, then under Employment Details, Update Addresses and Phones. Make sure that your Current Business Address Line 1 contains your department name. You may wish to include your building name on Address Line 1 for clarity, and to help expedite delivery.

For more information, contact Cindy Kristof, head of Access Services, University Libraries, at 330-672-1641 or ckristof@kent.edu .

Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority Sisters Cut Ribbon on New House During Homecoming

Members of the Alpha Beta chapter of Sigma Sigma Sigma, a National Panhellenic Conference Sorority at Kent State University introduced their new sorority house, located at 1066 Fraternity Circle, to the community during Homecoming.

Winnie Warner and Abby Snowberger are the Tri-Sigma alumnae advisors who spearheaded the project. The 9,578-square-foot home sleeps 16 women and will accommodate more than 100 women during social events. The home features a fire suppression system, walk-out basement, fireplace, handicap accessible restrooms, study rooms, walk-in pantry, extra large kitchen and meeting room space.

The Alpha Beta chapter was founded at Kent State in 1925 and has rented several different properties for the past 20 years. The Housing Corporation purchased the vacant lot in 2004 from Theta Chi Fraternity and has been raising funds for the construction ever since.