eInside Briefs

Nominate a Kent State Staff Member for the President’s Excellence Award

The President’s Excellence Award was
established to recognize staff members
who demonstrate their daily commitment
to carrying out the university’s Excellence
Agenda. Nominations for the award will be
accepted through Sept. 14.

Nominations for the fourth annual President’s Excellence Award will be accepted through Sept. 14. Kent State President Lester A. Lefton established the award program in 2009 as a way to recognize staff members who demonstrate their daily commitment to carrying out the university’s Excellence Agenda.

In the first three years of the program, 31 recipients have been recognized and each recipient received a check for $1,000 after taxes. Past recipients have come from diverse areas of the university and include custodians, residence hall workers, academic advisors, administrative support staff, a police officer and a head coach from Intercollegiate Athletics.

The President’s Excellence Award recognizes exceptional performance during the previous fiscal year (July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012). 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 are eligible to be nominated. Past recipients are not eligible for a minimum of two years following their award. Faculty are not eligible.

The award recipients will be announced in December. Details on the award criteria and the nomination form are available online at www.kent.edu/president/excellenceaward/index.cfm. 

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

Deadline Extended for Two-for-One Centennial Campaign Celebration Concert Tickets

Kent State University faculty, staff and alumni can get a
limited time two-for-one ticket promotion for the Centennial
Campaign Concert that will take place on Sept. 8 at Dix
Stadium.

On Sept. 8, the first concert in more than two decades will be presented at Dix Stadium.  Because you are a valued member of our staff, faculty and/or alumni, we are offering a limited time two-for-one ticket promotion. From now through Sept. 4, all Kent State University faculty, staff and alumni will have the opportunity to buy advance tickets at half price. That’s two chair back seat tickets for $50 or two general admission tickets for $35. Don’t miss this great concert and a chance to celebrate the success of our Centennial Campaign, which raised $265 million for student scholarships, capital projects and research. 

Proceeds from the concert benefit the Campaign for Change student scholarship program. Be part of the fun and the celebration.  The concert starts at 6 p.m., and there is a free tailgate party outside the stadium from 4 - 6 p.m. 

To purchase your discounted tickets, visit the Kent State Ticket Office in the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center or click here. If you are unable to access the link, please call the Kent State Ticket Office at 330-672-2244 to order your tickets. The Ticket Office is open from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. This promotion only lasts until Sept. 4. Buy your tickets now … don’t miss out on this great event.   

In fact make a weekend out of it … look what else is going on Sept. 7-9 in Kent!

• Enjoy live music Friday night (Sept. 7) at The Kent Stage when American singer-songwriter of blues and folk music Ruthie Foster is performing. 
• Get your share of local goodness at the renowned Haymaker Farmer's Market on Saturday morning from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Be sure to make time for the 19th Annual Art in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 8, and Sunday, Sept. 9, featuring more than 100 artists and live music at Fred Fuller Park (free admission and parking), or take a trip down the picturesque Cuyahoga River on a canoe or kayak through Crooked River Adventures. 
• Relax in one of the nearby hotels, such as Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn & Suites at the Kent State rate of $99 plus tax.  There's so much to do, so take the time to eat, shop, play and stay in downtown Kent!
  

For a complete list of all the best places to eat, shop, play and stay in Kent, visit www.mainstreetkent.org. Send an email to info@mainstreetkent.org if you need help finding something downtown. Enjoy Kent! 

Register Your Homecoming Event by Aug. 24

Kent State students participate in a Homecoming parade
along Main Street.

The deadline to register Homecoming events being planned by university departments or offices is Friday, Aug. 24. The registration form is available on the Kent State University Alumni Association’s website and can be submitted online. Registered events will be promoted on the Homecoming website and as space allows in other marketing materials.  Individuals interested in participating in the Homecoming parade can also download a registration form at the alumni website.

Many fun-filled activities are already planned for Homecoming. The festivities will kick off early on Oct. 20 with the annual Bowman Cup 5K Race and will include the alumni continental breakfast at the Williamson Alumni Center, the parade down Main Street, the second annual Kiss on the K and the Homecoming game against the Western Michigan Broncos.

For additional information on Homecoming 2012, please visit www.ksualumni.org/homecoming or email alumni@kent.edu. 

Calling for May 4 Symposium On Democracy Proposals

Pictured above are panelists at a previous May 4
Symposium on Democracy.

The 2014 May 4 Symposium on Democracy advisory committee is seeking May 4 content program proposals through Oct. 30, 2012.

Every year, Kent State University hosts a symposium to commemorate the events of May 4, 1970. The May 4 Symposium on Democracy honors the memories of the four students who lost their lives on that day – Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder – with an enduring dedication to scholarship and public engagement that seeks to prevent violence and promote democratic values and civil discourse.

The symposium will be take place in April 2014. Up to a $50,000 fund will be awarded for the winning proposal (matching funds, either internal or external, are encouraged but not required).

The May 4 Symposium on Democracy is free and open to the public.

Proposal Criteria
There are no other specifications for or limitations to the content or format of the 2014 May Symposium on Democracy. Proposals that show innovation or creativity are encouraged. Interdisciplinary proposals (i.e. proposals that crossover between units, departments, colleges, etc.) are also strongly encouraged.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following:

• Relevance
• Innovation and creativity
• The potential to engage the university community
• Appeal to and attract the participation of members of the public
  

All proposals require a letter of support from the administration of the submitting unit (i.e. chairpersons, deans, unit supervisors).

The May 4 Symposium on Democracy was held annually from 2000 until 2012. Descriptions of previous symposia can be viewed in the “Democracy Symposia Archive” at www.kent.edu/democracy/symposium_archive.cfm.

The May 4 Symposium is now held every other year and is administered by the Office of the Dean of University Libraries, in consultation with an ad hoc advisory committee.

Questions should be addressed to Jim Bracken, dean of University Libraries at jbracke1@kent.edu or 330-672-2962.

Click here for more information, including the proposal submission requirements.

Kent State Alumni Association Appoints National Board of Directors, Officers and New Members

The Kent State University Alumni Association Inc. announces the following new members for its National Alumni Board of Directors:

John Garofalo, of Sagamore Hills, Ohio, continues his role as president of Kent State University’s Alumni Association National Board of Directors. Garofalo is vice president of community investment for the Akron Community Foundation. He earned a Bachelor of Science in community health education in 1987 and a Master of Education in health education in 1993 from Kent State.

Maria Schneider, of Copley, Ohio, continues her role as president-elect. Schneider is managing consultant at Premier Segment, Institutional Relationships at TIAA-CREF in Westlake, Ohio. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance in 1986 from Kent State.

Brian Marino, of Avon Lake, Ohio, has been appointed vice president. Marino is financial advisor and special care planner with Skylight Financial Group/Michael Carter Group in Cleveland. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in business management in 2001 from Kent State.

H. Scott Westover, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, has been appointed secretary. Westover is curator for the Progressive Art Collection in Mayfield Village. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy in 1997 from Kent State.

James Bailey, of Hudson, Ohio, has been appointed treasurer. Bailey is vice president of PNC Bank in Akron, Ohio. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance in 2003 and a Master of Science in financial engineering in 2004 from Kent State.

In addition, the following new members, all alumni of Kent State, have been appointed to serve a three-year term ending in 2015:

Joshua Jenkins, of Solon, Ohio, is partner, Assurance Services with Ernst & Young LLP in Cleveland. Jenkins earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting in 1996 from Kent State.

Lori Stevic-Rust, of Chesterland, Ohio, is a board-certified clinical health psychologist for Stevic-Rust & Assoc. LLC Healthcare Consultants in Willoughby, Ohio. Stevic-Rust earned a Master of Education in community counseling in 1986 and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology in 1990 from Kent State.

For more information about the Kent State University Alumni Association, visit www.ksualumni.org.

Kent State's Welcome Weekend Invites New Students to Get Familiar With Campus

Welcome Weekend is organized for new Kent State students
to transition into the university environment and learn about the
academic and social opportunities that exist at Kent State.

Before the fall semester gets into full swing beginning Aug. 27, new students are invited to participate in Welcome Weekend, a four-day orientation program that will run from Aug. 23-26 and help acclimate students to the Kent State community. The event is an opportunity for students to transition into the university environment and learn about the academic and social opportunities that exist at Kent State University.

“Welcome Weekend is traditionally for first-year students, and both residential and commuter students are encouraged to attend. Our hope is that this weekend provides opportunities for students to get involved on campus and to have fun before classes begin,” says Andrew Crawford, assistant director of student success programs, who coordinates the program. “Ultimately Welcome Weekend provides an opportunity for our freshmen to learn about Kent State and meet other students, as well as faculty and staff.”

Move-in for students begins Thursday with the rest of events continuing through Sunday.

The four-day program is a requirement for first-year students, and features a slew of activities including a comedy show, movie screening of The Hunger Games, Convocation, Discover Downtown, Blastoff and many other events sponsored by various campus departments.

The activities also include a discussion on Friday, Aug. 24, of the 2012 summer reading book, The Other Wes Moore.

While Welcome Weekend is required for all first-year students, Crawford says students will have an opportunity to pick and choose some of the events. All students are required to attend Welcome Weekend check-in to pick up information and supplies; attend all events scheduled between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 24; and Saturday, Aug. 25, between 10 a.m. and noon. The required events are highlighted on the Welcome Weekend schedule.

A complete listing of events and the schedule can be found online at www.kent.edu/destination/welcome/schedule.cfm.

During Welcome Weekend, “We Can Help” booths will be located on the first floor of the Kent Student Center and at various locations on campus if students need assistance.

For more information about the 2012 summer reading book, visit http://theotherwesmoore.com.