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March 2012

Volume 9 | Issue 8

It’s Performance Evaluation Time

Please make sure 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 15 has been designated as the time to conduct the 2012 online performance assessment for classified employees. The period for unclassified performance evaluations is April 9 through June 6.

Managers and supervisors of classified employees will receive email notification prior to March 15 with detailed information regarding the process and access instructions. Some enhancements this year include a performance log that can be used by your employees throughout the year to record their accomplishments, trainings and discussions.

There are also two webinars available for supervisors and managers. Navigating the Online Assessment Tool will familiarize evaluators with the online assessment tool and will be offered on March 27, from 2-3 p.m. and again on April 12, from 2-3 p.m.

Assessing and Improving the Performance of Others is a webinar for new managers and supervisors. This webinar will be offered on April 18, from 10-11 a.m.

You can register for either webinar at www.kent.edu/hr/employee/performance-evaluation-classified-managers.cfm. If you are unable to attend one of the sessions, they will be taped and available for viewing a few days after the presentation.

If you would like an HR representative to come to your unit and present an overview of the evaluation process, contact Karen Watson, employee relations manager, at 330-672-4636 or kswatso@kent.edu.

If you have questions about the classified performance evaluations, contact Watson or Sandra Cole at 330-672-7501 scole3@kent.edu.

Change in Leave Reporting for Unclassified Staff and 12-Month Faculty

Effective April 1 there will be a change in the time period allowed to report leave for unclassified staff and 12-month faculty. Currently this group of employees has up to three months after taking vacation, sick or personal leave to report it in the MyHR tab of FlashLine. With the change, the time frame will be reduced to one month.

For example, an employee who takes vacation during the pay period ending April 15 will have through the end of the next two pay periods to record the leave (through the May 15 pay period). The change is necessary in order to improve the accuracy of time reporting records.

As a manager, please make sure that between now and April 1 employees who report leave through FlashLine have accurately reported the number of vacation, sick or personal hours taken and have submitted it for approval. Employees can check their leave reports in the Time Reporting in Banner channel in the MyHR tab of FlashLine. Once there, click on the More link to view past pay periods.

Managers should also make sure that time approvers for unclassified employees and 12-month faculty approve all leave reports in a timely manner and regularly check to make sure that employees submit all vacation and leave time that is taken. Prior to scheduling leave, the employee is responsible for scheduling vacation time in advance with his/her supervisor.

If you have any questions, contact a member of the HR Records Staff at 330-672-2901 or records@kent.edu.

Hiring Reminders for Student Employees

The Career Services Center has some reminders for supervisors of student employees. If a student’s employment ends before the final date you originally entered on the CampusWorks job offer, you must complete a Discontinuation of Student Job form. A student’s job may end early due to graduation, loss of eligibility, resignation, etc. This is crucial for the accuracy of the timekeeping system and student employment records, which are accessed for years to come for things such as employment verifications.
 
Beginning April 15, departments may hire student employees for the summer, fall and fall /spring terms through CampusWorks. To determine the proper hiring term you should refer to the Hiring and Assignment Dates. In addition, please be reminded that a student cannot begin work until they have met eligibility requirements, including the Credit Hour Enrollment Requirement. Once all requirements are met, supervisors and students will be sent the Job Confirmation email.
 
If you have questions, contact Ami Hollis at ahollis@kent.edu or 330-672-8380.

Get Fit and Have Fun With the Biggest Winner

Kent State employees are invited to form a team, join the fitness fun and compete to be the Biggest Winner in a new eight-week wellness program.

The Biggest Winner team competition will run March 12 through May 4 on the Kent Campus. Open to faculty and staff, the goal is for participants to increase physical activity levels to achieve and maintain weight loss goals, and develop healthy lifestyle habits that can be maintained after the program ends. The winning team will receive a $500 cash prize.

All you need to do to participate is assemble a team of five co-workers and register online on or before March 12. The cost is $20 per team member.

The registration fee includes access to facilities and equipment at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center (excludes Group Fitness classes), a pre- and post-physical assessment done by University Health Services, weekly weigh-ins, weekly newsletters and prizes and biweekly wellness sessions.

Teams will earn points weekly for their activities and for the percentage of body weight lost. There will be weekly team winners, in addition to an overall winning team. Each member of the overall winning team will receive $100.

Please make sure employees in your unit are aware of this new wellness initiative. For more details, visit www.kent.edu/hr/benefits/biggestwinner.cfm or contact Rachael Decker, university wellness coordinator, at rdecker4@kent.edu or 330-672-8368. Decker is also available to speak to groups about the program.

The Biggest Winner is a collaborative initiative sponsored by the Division of Human Resources, University Health Services and the Department of Recreational Services.

Compensation Staff on the Move

If you need to see a member of the HR Compensation staff, please note that the office has moved from Wright Hall to Terrace Hall Annex, with many of the other HR units. The phone numbers and email addresses for the staff are the same. If you need to contact Compensation, call 330-672-3107.

Important Information About Minors at On-Campus Events

The Office of the General Counsel reminds anyone involved with on-campus programming where minors may be present that Ohio law requires certain professional personnel to report any incidents of actual or perceived child abuse.

As defined by law, a child is anyone under the age of 18. Under Ohio law an abused child is one who is the victim of sexual activity, is endangered, or exhibits evidence of any physical or mental injury or death.

If a university employee knows, or has reasonable cause to know, that an incident of child abuse has occurred on a Kent State campus, you are obligated by state law to immediately report the incident. Reports, which can be made anonymously, can be made by contacting one of the following:

  • Kent State Police Department (330-672-3070)
  • City of Kent Police Department (330-673-7732)
  • Portage County Sheriff’s Office (330-678-7012)
  • Kent State Anonymous Threatline (330-672-SAFE or www.kent.edu/threatline/index.cfm)

When making the report, be sure to provide as much information as possible, including the name and address of the child and his/her parents or custodial guardian (if you have that information); the child’s age and extent of injuries, abuse or neglect.

Please share this information with your staff, especially in departments that are directly involved with on-camps programming and events. For information on how to recognize sexual assault and resources available to victims, visit the Sexual Assault Response Team website. Legal questions on this topic should be directed to the Office of General Counsel at 330-672-2982.

Mail Services Offers Webinars

Mail Services will be offering another webinar this month. Mailology 102 will be presented on Tuesday, March 13, at 10 a.m. and will provide an overview of what Mail Services can provide for your department. This will include information about presorted mail, automated mail, barcodes, business reply mail and using USPS for package shipping.

You can register for the webinar at this link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/932020770. For additional information, contact Steve Finley, manager, Mail Services at 330-672-8703 or sfinley7@kent.edu.

Standardizing University Terminology

In an effort to improve communication and processes across the university, a Standardizing University Terminology committee has been formed. This working group’s goal is to help reduce confusion for faculty, staff and students by promoting the standardization of four very basic terms associated with student, faculty and staff identification at Kent State:

  • Kent State ID number (also referred to as Banner ID) - This term will replace all variations of Student ID, Banner ID, Employee ID and university ID.
  • FlashLine user name (the first part of your Kent State email address) – This term will replace all variations of FlashLine ID, user name, email ID, user ID.
  • Kent State email address - This is the term to be used instead of University email address, KSU email address, Kent email address and FlashLine address.
  • FLASHcard – This the proper spelling for the faculty, staff and student ID and will replace all variations of FlashCard, Flash card and FlashCARD, which are most commonly misused in text treatment.

A committee member will contact your department in the coming weeks to begin a project plan for your area. These plans will involve an audit of existing materials and steps for educating employees, especially those who interact with students and new employees. The plan will also include updates to Web applications, websites, brochures, admissions letters, fliers and other materials. Please begin considering who you will appoint as the liaison from your area to this committee.

Dates to Remember:

Women’s History Month, Irish American Heritage Month

 March 7 Spirit of Women in Business Conference, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Kent  Student Center. More information is available at www.kent.edu/business/wib
 March 7-8 Purim: Jewish observance begins at sundown
 March 8 International Women’s Day
 March 11 Daylight Saving Time begins (turn clocks ahead one hour)
 March 17
 St. Patrick’s Day
 March 20 
 Spring Begins
 March 19-25 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.