eInside Briefs

Kent State Folk Festival Adds Support Acts

David Wax Museum to perform at the Kent Stage on
Saturday, Sept. 24, at 8 p.m. as part of the 45th Annual
Kent State Folk Festival.

The 45th Kent State Folk Festival is just over a week away – set to launch with Grammy Award winners the Carolina Chocolate Drops on the Kent State University campus on Wednesday, Sept. 21. With anticipation mounting, this year’s line-up is even more exciting with the addition of these notable opening acts: David Wax Museum and Sleepy Sun will both appear on Saturday, Sept. 24, in addition to rising stars The Low Anthem, and Seth Glier on Sunday, Sept. 25.  Folk legend Peter Yarrow headlines the festival  on  Sunday at the Kent Stage. Local favorites Mo’ Mojo will get the crowd warmed up for the hot sounds of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band at the Kent Stage on Thursday, Sept. 22.

David Wax Museum caused an unexpected stir at the 2010 Newport Folk Festival. Taking the smallest stage as the result of a contest win, the band brought down the house and was invited to the main stage for this year’s event in Newport. Sleepy Sun blends vocal harmonies and a folky psychedelic sound that might evoke Donovan – or the sound of the future.

Like the songs of Peter, Paul & Mary, Seth Glier uses his music to tell stories and inspire the audience to consider its relationship with the world. A Berklee-educated singer/songwriter/pianist, Glier has played at the prestigious Falcon Ridge and Kerrville folk festivals and appeared with his idol, James Taylor.

Tickets are now on sale for all Kent State Folk Festival concerts and are available at the Kent Stage by phone at 330-677-5005 or online at www.KentStateFolkFestival.org. The festival website has been updated with artist bios and video, along with the complete list of free Folk Alley ‘Round Town performances throughout Kent on Friday, Sept. 23, and community workshops at the Kent Student Center on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kent State students may buy discount tickets for all shows by presenting a valid student ID at time of purchase.

The line-up for the 45th Kent State Folk Festival (all concerts at The Kent Stage unless otherwise noted):

Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m.
The Carolina Chocolate Drops (KSU Auditorium in Cartwright Hall) – $25 reserved, $15 Kent State students

Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8 p.m.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band with Mo’ Mojo – $25 reserved, $15 Kent State students

Friday, Sept. 23 (various times)
Folk Alley ‘Round Town (36 venues throughout Kent) – Free

Saturday, Sept. 24, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Workshops (Kent Student Center) – Free

Saturday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m.
The Low Anthem with Sleepy Sun and David Wax Museum – IN ADVANCE: $20 reserved, $15 students, $10 Kent State students. AT THE DOOR: $23 reserved, $18 students, $13 Kent State students

Sunday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Peter Yarrow with Seth Glier – $35 gold circle, $25 reserved, $15 Kent State students

Festival support is provided by Kent State University, the City of Kent, Marc’s and Kashi, Cascade Auto Group, Dominion East Ohio, Audio-Technica, Seagram’s Smooth, Lehman’s, PARTA, Fifth Third Bank and Great Lakes Brewing Company.

Men’s Basketball Team Begins Quest for Third Consecutive League Championship

Members of the Kent State men’s basketball team along
with head coach Rob Senderoff present President Lester
A. Lefton with championship rings from the 2010 and 2011
season.

In 2011, the Kent State men’s basketball team made history by becoming the first Mid-American Conference (MAC) team in 21 years and only the second in 48 years to win back-to-back outright MAC regular season titles. To commemorate its accomplishments from the past two seasons, the returning All-MAC award winners from 2011, MAC Player of the Year Justin Greene, MAC Defensive Player of the Year Michael Porrini, MAC Sixth-Man of the Year Carlton Guyton along with head coach Rob Senderoff presented Kent State President Lester A. Lefton with championship rings from the 2010 and 2011 seasons on Sept. 6.  

The Kent State Golden Flashes begin the 2011-12 season and their quest for a third consecutive league championship on Tuesday, Nov. 15, in a nationally-televised ESPN contest at West Virginia. The first home game is on Friday, Nov. 19.  Call 330-672-2244 or visit www.kentstatesports.com for ticket information.

Kent State University Supplier Diversity Program Connects University with Wide Range of Local Firms

The Supplier Diversity Program hosted a business
matchmaker workshop to connect entrepreneurs with
architects, project managers and procurement staff to
showcase current university opportunities.

As part of its supplier diversity initiative, Kent State University served as a title sponsor for The Profit Factor conference in Cleveland on Aug. 25. The Supplier Diversity Program hosted a business matchmaker workshop to connect entrepreneurs with architects, project managers and procurement staff to showcase current university opportunities.

More than 50 minority-owned businesses met with staff from the Office of Procurement and the Office of University Architect in 15-minute increments to impact supplier diversity initiatives on a larger scale.

“Businesses were thrilled that they had the opportunity to sit down and have a conversation with the person that would be instrumental in putting forth a RFP (request for proposal), or the end user in many cases,” says Veronica Cook-Euell, Supplier Diversity Program manager.

Tim Konczal, director of procurement, agrees. “We felt it was an outstanding event and provided many opportunities for Kent State University to pursue in the future,” says Konczal.

Launched in 2004, the Supplier Diversity Program aims to increase the university’s spending with diverse suppliers from economically disadvantaged groups, including African-American, Asian American, Native American, Hispanic and women-owned businesses.

“It’s simply a smart way for Kent State to do business,” says Cook-Euell. “Diversity and inclusion is truly a business imperative.”

Kent State is one of the few universities in Ohio with a supplier diversity program aimed at fostering relationships with minority-owned businesses.

“As we strive toward inclusive excellence in every aspect of the university, supplier diversity is without question an area of active engagement that brings in diverse talent and experience,” says Alfreda Brown, vice president for diversity equity and inclusion. “Supplier diversity is a high priority.”

To view a brief video shown featuring Cook-Euell at The Profit Factor conference, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGnm1vovU60.
 
For more information on the Supplier Diversity Program, visit www.kent.edu/procurement/welcome-supplier-diversity.cfm.

Kent State University Museum Opens Exhibit of Civil War Fashion

The Kent State University Museum will open the exhibition On the Home Front: Civil War Fashions and Domestic Life on Sept. 30. A special preview reception will be held on Thursday, Sept. 29, from 6 - 8 p.m. in the Museum Library and is free and open to the public. Reservations are requested and should be made by calling 330-672-3450.

On the Home Front focuses on the daily life and experiences of the American civilian population during the Civil War and the years immediately following. The pieces on exhibit, including women's and children's costumes, supplemented with related photographs, decorative arts and women's magazines, are organized thematically. Far from being a simple, trivial diversion during such a critical period, fashion provides a unique window into the experience of Americans during the Civil War. Despite being far from the battlefields, women and children were deeply and immediately touched by the conflict.

"As Americans observe the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, the Kent State University Museum will present an exhibit about the material circumstances and domestic life during the Civil War and the years that followed," says Jean Druesedow, director, Kent State University Museum.

One of the highlights of the exhibit is the Keckley quilt, made by Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, a former slave who served as Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker. The quilt is believed to have been made from scraps of Mrs. Lincoln's dresses. Also on exhibit are Civil War uniforms, cloaks and wraps including a paisley shawl, underwear including corsets and crinolines, four wedding dresses, numerous children's outfits, accessories such as bonnets and shoes and examples of hair jewelry. The exhibition is drawn primarily from the Kent State University Museum's world class collection of historic fashion, and also includes loans from the Western Reserve Historical Society and the Kent State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives.

The exhibit will be accompanied by a full-color catalogue with close-up detailed images of many of the highlights of the show, available in the museum store.

The museum is located at 515 Hilltop Drive, at the corner of East Main and South Lincoln Streets, in Kent, Ohio 44242. The museum is open to the public Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. - 8:45 p.m.; and Sunday from noon - 4:45 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for children under 18.

The museum is free with a Kent State ID, free to the public on Sundays and offers free parking. For more information, call 330-672-3450 or visit www.kent.edu/museum.

University Libraries Provides Digital Edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education

University Libraries subscribes to the complete online version of The Chronicle of Higher Education for the entire eight-campus university system.

Many Kent State University faculty and staff members have been receiving emails from The Chronicle of Higher Education, offering discounted personal subscriptions to the digital edition of the paper. Before considering this added expense, please be reminded that University Libraries subscribes to the complete online version of The Chronicle of Higher Education for the entire eight-campus university system. 

Visit this link from an on-campus location or from home via the VPN: http://chronicle.com.

Faculty and staff members can also sign up for a number of free email newsletters from The Chronicle of Higher Education at http://chronicle.com/section/Newsletters/85.

For more information, contact Tom Klingler, assistant dean of University Libraries, at tk@kent.edu or 330-672-1646.

Exploring the Branches: Kent State University’s Branch Libraries

A new exhibit is on display in the University Libraries titled,
“Exploring the Branches: Kent State University’s Branch
Libraries.”

A new exhibit is on display in the University Library titled, “Exploring the Branches: Kent State University’s Branch Libraries.”  The exhibit, which occupies five floor cases on the first floor, will be on display through the end of September.  This exhibit provides examples of unique collections found in Kent State’s family of branch libraries on the Kent Campus:
 
The Chemistry/Physics Library
The Joseph F. Morbito Architecture Library
The June F. Mohler Fashion Library
The Map Library
The Performing Arts Library
 
Each library has a unique mission and content, and is here to serve Kent State University and the community.
 
A few of the items in the exhibit include a stuffed ‘animal,’ an image of caffeine, original embroidery samples, old-fashioned jewelry bling, an architectural model, pop-up books, historic maps of Kent and examples of musical CDs and scores available from the Performing Arts Library.

Please contact Diane Sperko at dsperko@kent.edu for more information.

Employee Motor Vehicle Operator License Validations

Departments who have employees driving Kent State University vehicles should expect to receive a memo by Sept. 15 explaining the university's policy requiring driver’s license checks of all university employees who drive a university-owned or leased vehicle.  A form used to collect the drivers information will be attached to the memo. This form should be completed by the department and returned to Police Services so that a proper license check can be done.  If a department has individuals that drive university-owned or leased vehicles and does not receive this memo in campus mail by the above date, please call 330-672-3070 and request a form.  You can also retrieve this information from the Police Services website at www.kent.edu/police.