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March 2011

Volume 7 | Issue 8

Performance Evaluation Time Is Here

Please make sure that staff in your unit are aware that performance evaluations for classified and unclassified employees will take place in the coming months. March 15 through May 13 has been designated as the time to conduct the 2011 performance evaluations for classified employees. Unclassified employee evaluations will take place April 19 through June 6. 

Managers and supervisors will receive e-mail notification prior to the start of each online evaluation period, which will include detailed information regarding the process and access instructions.

There are several enhancements to the online evaluation system, including a new look to the home screen after log-in, the ability to input information on an employee’s performance throughout the year, and an option to view an employee’s evaluation from the previous year. 

New managers and supervisors, as well as those who have done performance evaluations before, are encouraged to attend a webinar, Navigating the Online Performance Appraisal Process, on March 21 at 2 p.m.  There are also several in-person training sessions being offered. You can register for any of the sessions at www.kent.edu/hr/register.  Once there, select the button for Instructor-led Training. You can also view an archived one-hour webinar on Assessing and Improving the Performance of Others.

Questions on classified performance evaluations should be directed to Karen Watson at 330-672-4636 or Sandra Cole at 330-672-7501.

Campus Closing Reminders

The winter weather has resulted in numerous class cancellations and campus closings throughout the Kent State campuses. As a manager, it is your responsibility to make sure that staff and student employees in your unit understand that in most instances university services and offices remain open when classes are canceled. It is only when a campus is closed that offices are closed and some services are unavailable.

During a closing, only essential staff must report to work. For employees represented by AFSCME, all positions are considered essential except the following: parking facility attendant, pool technician and Residence Services locksmith. For unrepresented, classified employees and unclassified employees, it is up to each department head to determine which positions, if any, are essential in the event of a closing.

Affirmative Action Plan Complete

Kent State has completed and submitted its annual Affirmative Action Plan. The plan is a federally required report, and the information is used to evaluate each division's annual progress toward major workforce placement goals. The plan will be submitted to the Board of Trustees at its March meeting and will be posted online later this month at http://www.kent.edu/hr/aa/aaplan/index.cfm.

Placement goals serve as management tools to ensure all qualified applicants and employees receive equal opportunity in areas of recruitment, selection, advancement, compensation, training, and attainment of equal employment opportunities with veterans and individuals with disabilities. The university’s Affirmative Action office will schedule meetings with division leaders throughout the spring and summer to review their respective results, discuss workforce planning priorities and the associated placement goals. 

For more information, contact the Office of Affirmative Action at 330-672-2038.

HR to Conduct Online Exit Interviews

In the coming months Human Resources will implement an exit interview for faculty and staff who voluntarily leave the university. Employees who are leaving will be asked to share their perspective on their work experience at Kent State.  The data will be analyzed to study trends in employee turnover and to provide Human Resources and the unit manager with a better understanding of the job responsibilities and the skills required for the position.

The request to complete the exit interview is optional, and it will be initiated as part of the voluntary resignation workflow. Managers and supervisors are asked to start the workflow as soon as possible upon receipt of a voluntary resignation.  For more information on the exit interview, contact Karen Watson at 330-672-4636.

Celebrate Excellence in Action on March 2

Faculty and staff are invited to a special event on Wednesday, March 2.  TOGETHER: Excellence in Action celebrates our shared commitment to excellence and shows appreciation for the faculty and staff that demonstrate excellence in action every day.
 
This event recognizes and reinforces that together, Kent State represents a powerful force – individually, locally and internationally.   Through working together and through the resources, both human and capital, of our large, successful institution, we can accomplish great things and will continue to do so.
 
The appreciation event will be held in Room 306 of the Kent Student Center, and there are two sessions to accommodate busy schedules: from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and from 3-6 p.m. The activities include an ice cream social and some “most excellent” giveaways.

Mail Seminar Provides Tips on “Using the USPS for Package Shipping”

The advantages to using the U.S. Postal Service to send packages first-class, priority, parcel post and express will be some of the topics discussed at the March 17 Mail Services seminar. There will also be information on the new postage rates that take effect April 17. While the cost of mailing a first-class letter will remain at 44 cents, other mailing classes will increase.

The March program will be held from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in Room 320 of the Kent Student Center. The seminar is free, but registration is requested. You can register online at www.kent.edu/hr/register.

For additional information, contact Steve Finley at sfinley7@kent.edu or 330-672-8703.

Annual Faculty and Staff Campaign Rallies the Community

The annual Faculty and Staff Campaign will launch next month, providing the university community with an opportunity to further Kent State’s mission through philanthropic contributions to scholarships, academic programs, student life and research. The collective goodwill of our university community impacts the lives of current and future students and the quality of a Kent State education. Please take a moment to reflect upon the generous contributions of our faculty and staff and share the impact philanthropy has on your department with your employees this month.
 
All members of the university community will receive a personal invitation to participate later this month. The campaign provides several options for giving to accommodate every budget — simply visit http://www.givetokent.org to give through payroll deduction or monthly credit card installments, or you may respond to the letter you will receive later this month.
 
For more information, contact the Office of Annual Giving at 330-672-0434 or visit the campaign's website.

Learn How to be Happy

The Faculty Professional Development Center is sponsoring a free, five-day workshop for faculty and staff.  Out of the Matrix is focused on teaching individuals about happiness and the benefits of being happy. The knowledge learned can be applied in both the workplace and at home, and can result in more peace of mind, better productivity, more self-confidence and a greater sense of purpose.
 
The instructor is Dr. Walter Davis, a Kent State professor emeritus. The sessions will be held every Wednesday for five weeks, from March 30 through April 27, from 2:30 -5 p.m. in the Kent Student Center.
 
Registration is required and can be completed at www.kent.edu/hr/register.  For more information, please go to www.outofthematrix.org or contact Davis at 330-931-1116 or wdavis@kent.edu.

Dates to Remember:

Irish American Heritage Month
National Women’s History Month
March 8    International Women’s Day
March 9    Ash Wednesday
March 10    Spirit of Women in Business Conference, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Kent Student Center. For more        information, visit www.kent.edu/business/wib
March 13    Daylight Saving Time Begins (turn clocks ahead one hour)
March 17      St. Patrick’s Day
March 19-20    Purim:  Jewish observance begins at sundown
March 20    Vernal equinox
March 21-27    Spring Break

Tell Us What You Think

This e-newsletter is designed to keep you, the managers and supervisors, informed.  Please take a few minutes to let us know what you think of it, along with any comments or suggestions. You may contact us at managersfeedback@kent.edu. We look forward to hearing from you.

For information about events and programs for university employees, please check out the Faculty and Staff calendar and share the information with your staff.