eInside Briefs

Save the Date for Veterans Day Observance Nov. 10; Note New Time

Kent State will hold its annual Veterans Day observance on Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 4 p.m. on Risman Plaza. The outdoor program will include a flag-raising ceremony conducted by a joint color guard from the Army and Air Force ROTC programs, remarks from Kent State University President Lester A. Lefton and Rachel Anderson, director of the Center of Adult and Veteran Services.

A reception in the Kent Student Center Kiva lobby will follow the brief program.

The university community, as well as residents of the city of Kent and surrounding communities, are invited to attend and show appreciation for those who have served or are currently serving in a branch of the military.  A special invitation is extended to faculty and staff who are in the military or have family members in the military, and community members who are veterans. Veterans in attendance will receive a certificate of appreciation and a Kent State Centennial memento.

Reservations are requested and can be made by contacting Joshua Rider at 330-672-0510 or jrider@kent.edu by Nov. 8. 

Posted Nov. 1, 2010

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Kent State Football to Square Off Against Alabama in 2011

Kent State University and the University of Alabama announced on Oct. 20 that the schools have signed a contract to meet on the gridiron in 2011. The Golden Flashes will travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to face the Crimson Tide on Saturday, Sept. 3, in the season opener for both teams. The game will take on added significance due to the fact that Alabama head coach Nick Saban is a Kent State graduate.

The game will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools and Kent State's first visit to a Southeastern Conference school since traveling to Kentucky in 2007.
 
"What a tremendous opportunity for us to open our 2011 season against one of the preeminent programs in the country, especially when the head coach is a Kent State alumnus," said Kent State Director of  Athletics Joel Nielsen. "In addition to the obvious tie to coach Saban, the experience of playing in that kind of atmosphere will be a memorable one for our players and fans."
 
Saban played defensive back for the Golden Flashes from 1970-72. He was teammates with NFL Hall of Famer Jack Lambert and current Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel in 1972 when Kent State won the only Mid-American Conference championship in school history under the direction of College Football Hall of Fame coach Don James.
 
A 1973 graduate of Kent State with a bachelor's degree in business, Saban went on to earn a master's degree in sports administration in 1975 while serving as a graduate assistant with the Flashes for two seasons. He then spent a year as the linebackers coach on the 1975 squad. His wife, Terry, received her bachelor's of science degree from Kent State in 1974 before earning her master's degree in education in 1977.
 
Saban led Alabama to the 2009 BCS National Championship after directing LSU to the 2003 title. He is 34-9 (.791) in four seasons for the eighth-ranked Crimson Tide and owns a collegiate coaching record of 125-51-1 (.709) in 15 seasons as a head coach, having also directed the programs at Michigan State and Toledo.
 
The remainder of Kent State's 2011 nonconference schedule is composed of home dates with Louisiana-Lafayette (Sept. 10) and South Alabama (Sept. 24) and a road trip to Manhattan, Kan., on Sept. 17 to square off against Kansas State.

                                                                                                                     

By Alan Ashby

Posted Nov. 1, 2010

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Search is on for New Vice President of Research and Sponsored Programs

Kent State University has launched an ambitious search to identify high-caliber leaders for the position of vice president of research and sponsored programs. To see the position description, please visit this link: http://www.kent.edu/provost/upload/position-description-final-ksu-vp-092210.pdf . This search is critical to the university's aspiration of moving into the top tier of comprehensive research institutions.

The committee seeks individuals with impeccable research credentials, superior levels of extramural funding success, broad knowledge of research across academic units, a bold and future-directed vision for sponsored research, an extensive professional network in the research and grant community, and demonstrated distinction as leaders and administrators.

Faculty members are encouraged to assist with the identification of appropriate candidates.  If you know of potential candidates, if you wish to nominate a candidate or if you have suggestions regarding people or groups the committee should contact during the search, please send this information to search committee chair Dr. Stanley Wearden at swearden@kent.edu.  The committee wants to be as proactive as possible in this search, and any assistance provided would be most appreciated.

For more information about the search, visit http://www.kent.edu/provost/vpsearch/index.cfm .

Posted Nov. 1, 2010

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Haiti Relief Campaign Continues With Tractor Fundraiser

It's been 10 months since Haiti was devastated by an earthquake. While many in America have tucked the disaster away in the back of their minds, a group of students, staff and faculty at Kent State University are still working to help the country recover.

Kent State United for Disaster Relief (KSUDR) is an organization that has been working to aid people in their time of need for the past five years. The group is well known on campus for helping to rebuild the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.

Now the focus is on raising $50,000 to buy a farm tractor for Institution Univers School in Quanaminthe, Haiti. The tractor would help the school's staff to cultivate its own food on school property. The school instructs and feeds 2,000 students from pre-kindergarten through grade 13.

Professor George Garrison, and Gary Padak, dean of Undergraduate Studies, are leading students and others in this effort. 

Garrison and Padak met Hugues Bastien, the director of the school in Haiti, while Bastien was visiting the United States.

"He told us about the food shortage situation that his school was experiencing, and we decided to mount a campaign to purchase a farm tractor for them," Garrison says. "They have land sufficient to grow their own food, but not the necessary equipment."

Now to raise money, KSUDR is looking to the Kent State community. The campaign's theme is "100 Percent Participation."

"This campaign is based on the notion that modest donations, if everyone participates, would be sufficient to achieve our goal," Garrison says.

Last spring, the Kent State students raised money for Haiti through the "10 in 10 in 10" campaign. The idea was to raise $10,000 in 10 weeks in 2010. Students exceeded that amount and collected $11,518. The Kent State Chapter of UNICEF donated the money to UNICEF relief projects in Haiti.

"I think it says a lot about the students at Kent State and even a lot more about our generation when we are willing to put aside differences and reach out to those in need around the world," says Taiwo Adesina, president of Kent State United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).  "This was more than a fundraiser. It was a test of our leadership and ability to come together to make a difference. And we did more than pass; we excelled."

The donations were collected with the help of organizations and people all over campus. Some of the supporting organizations included the Advocates of Culture and Knowledge, Focus on the Future, Exquisite Inc, Phi Beta Sigma, Delta Upsilon and the Undergraduate Student Government, which was under the leadership of Scott Sherwood.

"Other individuals such as students Ciara Monai and Michael Matousek also took it upon themselves to initiate fundraisers and events of their own to raise money for the cause," says Adesina.

The campaign to raise money for a farm tractor for Haiti is not associated with UNICEF, but the organizers hope for similar results. To donate to the campaign or for more information, contact Garrison at ggarriso@kent.edu or Padak at gpadak@kent.edu. Checks should be made payable to the Kent State University Foundation: Haiti Tractor.

Checks can be mailed to the foundation, c/o Institutional Advancement, Executive Suites, Kent State University Library, Kent, OH  44242-0001.

By Carrie Drummond

Posted Nov. 1, 2010

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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.

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. Posted Nov. 1, 2010

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Show Your Kent State Support and Pride Through Membership in the Alumni Association

As a Kent State employee, you have a significant tie to the university. The Alumni Association would like to invite you this month to take that connection one step further through membership in the Kent State University Alumni Association.

Your membership helps make a significant impact on the Kent State community. Alumni association members support programs for students and alumni, including scholarships and awards to honor faculty, such as our recently presented Distinguished Teaching Awards. Each year, the alumni association also hosts Homecoming, a celebration bringing together faculty, staff, alumni, students, friends and family to enjoy a day of Kent State pride and traditions.

Membership also provides many benefits to faculty and staff such as valuable online discounts, a free annual Kent State University calendar, free or discounted admission to alumni association events and a number of valuable networking opportunities.

Even if you are not an alumnus or alumna of the university, becoming a member of the alumni association is a way to show your support and pride in Kent State University while taking advantage of the many benefits offered through membership. By becoming a member during the month of November, you will be able to take advantage of a special member offer and receive a $5 gift card to Chipotle.

In the coming weeks you'll be hearing more about the Alumni Association, including testimonials from university employees and members. Until then, if you'd like to learn more about the Alumni Association and our programs, please take a few minutes to view this video.

Click here to join the alumni association online or call the Alumni Association office at 330-672-5368. Also, you can take advantage of payroll deduction to easily make your membership payment or utilize an installment plan. Click here to print a payroll deduction form and send it back to the alumni relations office.

Posted Nov. 1, 2010

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It's Time for Final Grading for F2 Fall 2010 Courses

Online final grading for courses meeting in H1 part of the fall term (Oct. 4 to Nov. 7) begins Nov. 4 via FlashFAST. The deadline for F2 course grade submissions is midnight on Tuesday, Nov. 9.

Grading is also now available for any fall 2010 course section that was flexibly scheduled and has already ended.

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 & Advisor Tools tab. The link to grade rosters is located in the Faculty & Advisor Toolbox, under the Submit Grades heading.

Grades Processing Tips and FAQ may be found on the Office of the University Registrar's website at http://www.kent.edu/registrar/facstaff/facresc.cfm. 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.

Also, as a helpful tip, it is recommended 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.

Posted Nov. 1, 2010

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New Web-Based Tools Help in Sustainability Efforts

The Kent State University Sustainability Task Force subcommittee on community outreach hosted the Campus Sustainability Day webinar, Empowering a Climate Change Movement, for task force members and representatives of the campus community Oct. 20. Faculty, staff and students were presented with specific program strategies and tools that have been successful in other communities.

The webinar was titled and focused on the fundamentals of Social Change 2.0: A Blueprint for Reinventing Our World, authored and presented by David Gershon. Gershon's Social Change 2.0 focuses on "a proven methodology to enable citizen behavior change and large system transformation in cities around America and the world."

The webinar included four main components of Social Change 2.0 that can help campuses reduce their carbon activities:

• Innovate: Invent empowering social innovations that address problems and unmet needs.
  
• Transform: Create social innovations capable of changing the game.
  
• Collaborate: Bring all the players together around the transformative social innovation.
  
• Disseminate: Design the transformative social innovation to be replicable and scalable.

Gershon has worked with cities, government agencies, organizations and social entrepreneurs to change behaviors and to support large-system transformation. He also served as an advisor to the Clinton White House and the United Nations on behavior change, community empowerment and sustainability issues.

For more information about Social Change 2.0 and David Gershon, visit www.socialchange2.com.

For more information about the Kent State Sustainability Task Force, visit http://www.kent.edu/sustainability/taskforce.cfm.

By Brittany Macchiarola

Posted Nov. 1, 2010

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Student Honors National Group Lauds Kent State Chapter

The Kent State University chapter of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) was awarded silver STAR status at NSCS' 2010 National Leadership Summit earlier this semester. The National Society of Collegiate Scholars is an honors organization for high-achieving freshmen and sophomores with more than 270 student-run chapters at universities across the country. The Kent State University NSCS chapter was founded in 2000.

STAR status is determined by chapter program success, community service, member engagement and on-campus involvement. Chapters are also required to hold an induction ceremony for new members each term. The chapter's officers accepted the award along with a $100 chapter scholarship toward the funding of chapter programs and events for the 2010-2011 academic year.

NSCS chapters can attain one of four STAR status levels - bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Each level is determined based on the quantity and quality of events a chapter held the previous year. Members worked diligently during the year to execute and improve long-standing NSCS programs such as Planning for College Success, a mentoring program for middle school students and I Stand for Integrity Week - a week dedicated to supporting the NSCS integrity initiative.

Other requirements to attain silver status include holding an induction ceremony for new members, creating an on-campus membership recruitment campaign and sending at least one member to last year's NSCS Convention.

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies and is the nation's only interdisciplinary honors organization to invite first- and second-year college students. Membership is by invitation only, based on grade point average and class standing. NSCS offers members exclusive access to scholarships, career resources, leadership and networking opportunities. NSCS has more than 750,000 members and more than 270 chapters in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Posted Nov. 1, 2010

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