Briefly Speaking: Headlines for Week of July 17, 2006

Construction Update: Partial Closing of Summit Street July 17-19

The westbound lane of Summit Street, bordering the southern edge of the Kent Campus between Lincoln Street and Morris Road, will be closed from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. on:

• Monday, July 17
• Tuesday, July 18
• Wednesday, July 19

Pavement repairs will be made to the west bound lane. The city of Kent requests that motorists avoid the area and provide additional travel time when leaving for their destinations. Westbound traffic will be maintained by a local detour. Eastbound traffic will be maintained. However, motorists should expect delays. For further information, please contact the city of Kent Division of Engineering at 330-678-8106.

For other construction-related updates at Kent State, read Roadway, Walkway and Parking Lot Closings for Summer 2006.

Reminder: Mandatory Password Reset Through Aug. 9

Proper identity management, including password security, is the key to maintaining information protection and security at Kent State. The university will continue to use FlashWord, a password management system that enforces password strength requirements, and soon will implement mandatory, twice-a-year password changes by all members of the university community.

For the first phase of this program, all administrative employees must change their FlashLine/kent.edu passwords by Aug. 9 .

To change your password visit the FlashWord Web site at http://flashword.kent.edu and follow the step-by-step directions. If this is your first time accessing FlashWord, you will be guided through a process of selecting and answering four questions that may be used in the future to reset your password — if you forget it.

Many administrative employees will be receiving letters and e-mail notifications of the need to change passwords, which must be completed before Aug. 9. Until password changes are made, individuals will receive regular reminders until the deadline.

After Aug. 9, accounts that have not had their passwords updated will be blocked. At this time, individuals with blocked accounts will have to contact the Information Services Help Desk at 330-672-HELP (4357) for assistance.
 

Porthouse Theatre Features Our Town Through July 22

Porthouse Theatre continues its summer season with the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Our Town through July 22.

"Our Town" follows characters Emily Webb and George Gibbs through childhood, marriage and death, in which they learn the value of the smallest events of their lives. Porthouse Theatre features the award-winning play through July 22. Photo by Bob Christy

Considered one of the most popular and significant plays of the 20th century, Thornton Wilder’s Our Town explores the ordinary lives of small-town people in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire in the early 1900s.

Starring John Woodson as the Stage Manager and Monica Bell as Mrs. Gibbs, this poignant, touching American classic follows Emily Webb and George Gibbs through childhood, marriage and death, where they eventually learn the value of some of the smallest events in their lives.

For the show schedule, performance and ticket information, visit the Porthouse Theatre Web site.

You can also watch a video about this season in “Porthouse Theatre Sets Sail for Summer 2006.”
 

Update Your E-mail Look With the New Centennial Logo

The Kent State Centennial logo has been added to Lotus Notes, which allows users to update their e-mail letterhead with a new look that celebrates the university’s centennial.

You can update your email look by selecting the Kent State Centennial logo as your default letterhead in Lotus Notes.

To update your Lotus Notes letterhead:

1. Open the Lotus Notes e-mail program.
2. Select the Tools button in the navigation pane.
3. Choose Preferences from the Tools drop-down menu.
4. Click on the Letterhead tab in the Preferences pane.
5. In the Letterhead selection list, choose KSU Centennial (as shown in graphic).
6. Click OK.

Once these steps are completed, the new Kent State Centennial logo will appear on e-mail sent from your Kent State e-mail account in Lotus Notes.

For more information about Lotus Notes or related issues, visit the Lotus Notes Mentor Known Issues Web site. Also, stay tuned to e-Inside and the Kent State Web site for further details about the centennial celebration.
 

Older Adults Invited to Share Learning Experience With Kent State Students

Adults ages 65 and older are invited to participate in lively small-group discussions with college students enrolled in the Introduction to Gerontology course at Kent State. The course will provide a broad overview of the field of gerontology with a special focus on the great diversity that exists among the country’s older population.

Each discussion group will consist of two adults, age 65 and older, and four to six undergraduate students. Class lectures and other materials on controversial topics, including whether healthcare should be rationed and what it means to age "successfully," will be the focus of thought-provoking conversations among the discussion groups.

Older adult participants who attend a minimum of six discussion sessions are welcome to attend the Introduction to Gerontology classes at no charge throughout the fall semester.

There is no cost to join a discussion group, but registration is required. To register or for more information, contact Dr. Greg Smith by July 31 at 330-672-9993 or gsmith2@kent.edu.
 

Final Grade Submission Deadlines for Summer Sessions

Dates for online grading for summer session final grades via Web for Faculty and Advisors (WFFA) are as follows:

• Summer I final grades submission ends at midnight on Tuesday, July 18
• Summer II final grades submission begins Thursday, Aug. 3, and ends at midnight on Tuesday, Aug. 8
• Summer III final grades submission Thursday, Aug. 17, and ends at midnight on Tuesday, Aug. 22

The Web for Faculty and Advisors system is available from 8 a.m. to midnight through each deadline. Grading is also now available for any summer 2006 course section that was flexibly scheduled and has already ended.

Web for Faculty and Advisors is accessible from any Internet-capable computer that has the cookies function enabled. You can access the system using FlashLine or through the KSU Logins Web site. You can also visit the Web for Faculty and Advisors home page.

As a reminder, faculty with thesis, dissertation or research courses should issue IP grades for their students who have not completed the coursework or are not graduating. Any faculty member needing personalized instruction on submitting grades via Web for Faculty and Advisors 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 WFFA 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, technical issues or questions with PINs.