eInside Briefs

Employee Appreciation Day – Register by Sept. 4

Kent State University's Employee Appreciation Day will
take place on Sept. 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the
Student Green at Risman Plaza. Registration for the event
is due by Sept. 4.

On Thursday, Sept. 11, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., the Student Green at Risman Plaza will turn into a fun-filled employee appreciation event!

As the committee works out the additional details and activities, you will be hearing much more regarding the complimentary lunch, entertainment, games, demos, giveaways and more that will make up this day of appreciation.  Information will also be posted on the Employee Appreciation Event Web page. Lunch and events will take place throughout the three-hour period so that departments may schedule release time for staff, and employees will have the same experience no matter what time they attend. Employees are not required to use designated sick or vacation leave to attend; however, the time for participation in this event should be coordinated with guidance from their supervisor or manager.

The university administration is looking forward to bringing this event to all full- and part-time faculty and staff at all Kent State University campuses for all that YOU do to make the university a great place to work!

For lunch-planning purposes, kindly RSVP your attendance at the Employee Appreciation Day registration site. All pre-registered employees will be automatically entered into our free prize drawings. Registration is requested by Sept. 4.

If you have questions, please contact the Employee Engagement and Outreach Office at 330-672-8075 or hrweb@kent.edu.

We’ll see you at the Student Green!

Kent State Vice President for Research to Return to Faculty Position

Grant McGimpsey, Ph.D., Kent State
University's vice president of research
and sponsored programs, has chosen
to return to a faculty position. McGimpsey
will remain in the position until a successor
 is in place.

Grant McGimpsey, Ph.D., has chosen to return to a faculty position, after having served successfully as vice president for research and sponsored programs at Kent State University for the past three years. He has agreed to remain in the position until a successor is in place.

“We are fortunate to have Grant at Kent State,” says Todd Diacon, Ph.D., Kent State's senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “I am so very pleased that he will continue to add value to our university, now as a professor and researcher. I especially wish to thank him for agreeing to continue in his current role until a successor is named.”

Under the direction of the vice president for research, Kent State’s Division of Research and Sponsored Programs helps faculty and staff secure external funding to support their research and instructional and public service projects.

Once a new vice president for research is selected, McGimpsey intends to focus on his own research as a member of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Kent State. His research interests include surface chemistry, particularly as it applies to biology and biomedical engineering, photovoltaics, implantable prosthetics and nanoscience.

“Those who know me well understand just how passionate I am about research,” McGimpsey says. “Over the past 25 years, working with outstanding undergraduate students, graduate students, post-doctoral associates and collaborators from many scientific and engineering disciplines, I have been fortunate to be able to focus on problems and challenges that I care deeply about, including the creation of advanced implantable prosthetics for military amputees, the development of medical sensors for field use by the armed forces and the design of photovoltaic devices for solar energy conversion.” 

McGimpsey came to Kent State in August 2011 after serving as director of the Bioengineering Institute, associate provost for research and professor of chemistry and biomedical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts. A native of Canada, McGimpsey earned both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in chemistry from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. He received his doctorate in physical chemistry from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

“I have had the honor and pleasure of working with many at Kent State, including the university’s Research and Sponsored Programs team, who are the most dedicated, hard-working and kind group of people I have met in my professional life,” McGimspey adds.

For more information about research at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/research.

New Director Announced for Kent State’s May 4 Visitors Center

Mindy Farmer, Ph.D., has been
appointed director of the May 4 Visitors
Center in the College of Arts and Sciences
at Kent State University.

Mindy Farmer, Ph.D., has been appointed new director of the May 4 Visitors Center in the College of Arts and Sciences at Kent State University, effective July 1. Farmer also will teach public history courses in the Department of History as an assistant professor starting in spring 2015. She most recently served as the founding education specialist at the federal Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California, since 2009.

“We are excited to welcome Mindy to Kent State,” says Todd Diacon, Ph.D., Kent State’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.  “She brings a wealth of experience and energy, and we think she will provide outstanding leadership for the May 4 Visitors Center.”

Farmer succeeds Laura Davis, Ph.D., professor emerita of English, who retired June 30 after serving as founding director of the May 4 Visitors Center, which opened in October 2012. Davis, a Kent State freshman in 1970 who witnessed the shootings, was one of the four co-authors of the application to add the May 4 site to the National Register of Historic Places.  She and Kent State University Professor Emerita of Communication Studies Carole Barbato, Ph.D., who passed away April 30, 2014, co-taught the university’s May 4 course and co-chaired the 2009 Symposium on Democracy. Working with university and community members, Davis coordinated and co-led the creation of an audio-guided walking tour of the May 4 historic site that was dedicated during the 40th commemoration.

“I am humbled to stand on the shoulders of giants,” Farmer says. “From the faculty who worked to build the center to the deans who pledged their support and the students who continue to inquire, learn and reflect, I know that this is a campus dedicated to understanding its past.” 

Davis welcomes Farmer’s arrival and says, “During her interview at Kent State, Mindy Farmer commented, ‘You have to make peace with controversy. It is in such events that you become stronger critical thinkers.’ With such wisdom and knowledge, she will advance the May 4 Visitors Center as a place where students and members of the public may learn important lessons that make them stronger citizens of the democracy in which they participate.” 

One of Farmer’s very first job opportunities at furthering nonpartisanship at the once private Nixon Library was to rewrite the panel on Kent State to acknowledge — in clear terms — that the National Guard was responsible for shooting the students. 

“Mindy studied and taught in Ohio and is coming to Kent after an excellent period working as an education specialist at Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum,” says James Blank, Ph.D., interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “She has a strong commitment to public history, especially in the context of what it can tell young students about our country. This position is a natural fit for her. The biggest immediate opportunities for the center are in meeting the significant interests of such a large and diverse community both on and off campus.” 

Farmer says she plans to use the events of May 4 as a teaching tool by:

• Hosting a series of issues forums to prove that forevermore no issue is too difficult to talk about on campus;
• Supporting Kent State faculty as they guide students through multidimensional learning experiences in the center to deepen their knowledge and critical thinking;
• Partnering with other archives and museums to host conferences and virtual lectures on important, relevant topics;
• Creating a student-soldier oral history program to better understand the experience of young veterans on campus; and 
• Working with local school districts to create teacher workshops and ultimately increase the number of students who visit the center.
  

“Sometimes, it is in the difficult moments that we can learn the most,” Farmer says. “The mission of this center is to continue the conversation that started in the 1970s using the technology and issues of today.  I firmly believe that Kent State should lead the national, and indeed international, discussion on how to teach and interpret the events of May 4, 1970.”

Before joining the center, Farmer’s primary mission at the federal Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum was to further the nonpartisanship of the once highly partisan, private institution. She played a key role in some of the Nixon Library’s most high-profile successes, including the creation of the Watergate Gallery and the first academic conference.  She also worked closely with local educators on a variety of programs and oversaw the school tour program. 

Farmer has taught a variety of courses at the Ohio State University and the University of Dayton. She holds a doctorate in modern United States history from The Ohio State University and a master’s in history and bachelor’s in history and social studies both from Western Kentucky University.

“The history department is excited to have Dr. Farmer join Kent State and our department as she will be teaching a public history course using the May 4 Visitors Center regularly,” says Kenneth Bindas, Ph.D., professor and chair of Kent State’s Department of History.

Farmer, a Kentucky native, recently moved from Long Beach, California, and now resides in Akron. 

The May 4 Visitors Center is located in Room 101 of Taylor Hall at 300 Midway Drive on the Kent Campus. Using images, artifacts and multimedia, the center’s exhibits tell the story of the decade leading up to May 4, 1970, the events of that day, the aftermath and the historical impact.

For more information about Kent State’s May 4 Visitors Center, visit www.kent.edu/may4.

Kent State College of Nursing Professor Emerita to be Inducted Into the American Academy of Nursing

Ruth E. Ludwick, Ph.D., Kent State
University alumna and professor emeritus
at the university’s College of Nursing, has
been selected for induction into the
American Academy of Nursing.

Ruth E. Ludwick, Ph.D., CNS, RN.C, Kent State University alumna and professor emerita at the university’s College of Nursing, has been selected as one of 168 nurse leaders to be inducted as fellows into the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) during the Academy’s 2014 Transforming Health, Driving Policy Conference on Oct. 18 in Washington, D.C. Inductees are selected based on their leadership in education, management, policy and work to improve the health of the nation. 

Ludwick, a life-long resident of the area, earned B.S.N. and M.S.N. degrees and a Ph.D. in sociology from Kent State and was a Kent State College of Nursing faculty member for 35 years. She is currently employed part-time as director of nursing research at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna, Ohio, and works as an independent consultant.

“I’m honored to have been chosen to be inducted into the American Academy of Nursing,” Ludwick says of the award. “It is a distinct privilege for my accomplishments to be recognized by a panel of my peers and I look forward to working with them to further advance healthcare and nursing.”

As a gerontological nursing researcher and educator, Ludwick’s work extends to a global network. With more than 80 articles and book chapters, and numerous presentations, she serves as guest lecturer, visiting professor and consultant in her collaborative international research. Her use of the factorial survey method has resulted in funded projects in Australia, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This work served as a foundation to launch global initiatives through course development, workshops, consultation and invited presentations in Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey and Zambia.

According to the American Academy of Nursing, criteria for induction into the AAN include evidence of significant contributions to nursing and health care and sponsorship by two current Academy fellows. Applicants are reviewed by a panel comprised of elected and appointed fellows, and selection is based, in part, on the extent the nominee’s nursing career has influenced health policies and the health and wellbeing of all. New fellows will be eligible to use the credentials FAAN (Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing) after their induction in October.

“The American Academy of Nursing welcomes this stellar cohort of new fellows,” says Academy President Diana Mason, Ph.D., RN, FAAN. “As clinicians, researchers, educators, executives and leaders in all sectors of our society, they are joining the nation's thought leaders in nursing and health care.”

The Academy is comprised of more than 2,200 nurse leaders in education, management, practice, policy and research from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 24 countries. Academy fellows include hospital and government administrators, college deans and renowned scientific researchers. Selection for membership in the academy is one of the most prominent honors in nursing. Ludwick was selected as a fellow based on her leadership related to standards for the nursing care of the aging population and the preparation of nurses here and internationally through her research, numerous publications and presentations, and curricular work.

For more about Kent State’s College of Nursing, visit www.kent.edu/nursing.

For more information about the American Academy of Nursing and the 2014 policy conference, visit www.AANnet.org.

Important Information Regarding Student Registration into Classes

As the new semester begins, the Office of the University Registrar asks for your assistance in making sure that all students are properly registered for their fall 2014 courses.

As per university policy, only officially registered students are permitted to attend courses. The link to official class rosters is found in FlashFAST, under the Faculty Toolbox within the Faculty and Advisor Tools tab. Students who are not officially registered within the appropriate time period WILL NOT receive a grade or earn credit for the course even if they attend the entire course and complete all required work.

Registration and schedule adjustment deadlines for courses can be found in the Detailed Class Search. To access the Detailed Class Search, visit the Office of the University Registrar's website at www.kent.edu/registrar, click the Schedule of Classes quicklink, and select Fall 2014 or click on the Registration Deadlines and Tuition Credit Search link under Calendars on your Faculty and Advisor Tools tab in FlashLine.

Instructors are asked to remind students that it is important to finalize and verify their registration within the proper timeframe. After the published deadlines, adjustments in registration will only be considered for review by the Office of the University Registrar in situations where students have fully complied with their responsibilities.

Grades Submission Information

The deadline for submitting final grades can be found on the Office of the University Registrar's website at www.kent.edu/registrar/calendars-deadlines.

Incomplete Mark and NF/SF Grades

The grade SF (Stopped Attending–Fail) denotes that the student stopped attending the course and did not formally withdraw and must be accompanied by a date of last attendance in the course.

The grade NF (Never Attended–Fail) denotes that the student neither attended one class session nor formally withdrew from the course.

The administrative mark of IN (Incomplete) may be given to students who are unable to complete the work due to extenuating circumstances. To be eligible, undergraduate students must be currently passing and have completed at least 12 weeks of the semester. The timeline shall be adjusted appropriately for flexibly scheduled courses. Graduate students must be currently earning a C or better grade and are unable to complete the required work between the course withdrawal deadline and the end of classes. Instructors are required to complete and submit an Incomplete Mark Form to the department chair when an incomplete mark is assigned. Access the form from your Faculty Toolbox in FlashLine.

For complete information on university grading policies including Incomplete Mark and NF/SF grading policies, procedures and timelines, please visit the Grading Policies and Procedures section in the university catalog at www.kent.edu/catalog.

Yoga at the Women’s Center

The Women’s Center at Kent State University will offer Yoga classes this fall for faculty and staff beginning the week of Sept. 8 through the week of Oct. 13. These are relatively small classes that can currently only accommodate faculty and staff. Student yoga classes are available at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center.

The six-week session costs $50 for returning Yoga class students and $55 for new students. Fees can be paid to the instructor on the first day of class.

Email Alicia Robinson at arobin16@kent.edu to secure your spot for Fall Session I. Make sure to include which class you are interested in.  All classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and do fill up quickly.

Class sessions and instructors are listed below:

Tuesday, noon – 1 p.m.
Carly Sachs
 
Tuesday, 2 – 3 p.m.
Margot Milcetich
 
Wednesday, 5:15 – 6:15 p.m.
Mary Lou Holly
 
Thursday, 5:15 – 6:15 p.m.
Kjera Melton