April is Earth Month: Restore our Earth, Restore our Community, Restore our Self
April 22 marks the 51st anniversary of Earth Day. Fittingly, the Kent State Earth Month Committee has planned events throughout the month based on the theme, “Restore Our Earth, Restore Our Community, Restore Our Self.” Activities including:
- An online scavenger hunt from April 1 - 22
- Garden to Energy: Kent Sustainable Food Systems panel discussion on April 6
- An online book club discussing “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer on April 27.
- An online Earth Day Environmental Justice Conference titled, "How to Build a DIY Rain Barrel with Geauga Gardeners
- Worm Composting with Dr. Clement
- An Earth Stanzas interactive poetry project
- AMLCI Materials Day Keynote, Research and Presentations
- A virtual Walk for Water, and more
The 2021 Earth Month Committee is chaired by the Office of Sustainability and comprises over 30 departments, offices and student organization representatives.
Join the celebration on social media using hashtags: #FlashesGoGreen and #RestoreOurEarth.
For a complete list of all Earth Month events viis the Earth Month website.
Bringing New Energy to CPM
At 9:35 a.m. on March 1, 2021, Dan Ridgway, director of operations for the College of Podiatric Medicine (CPM), flipped a switch that would energize a new future of sustainable power on campus. The button officially activated a brand new 315.2 kilowatt-DC solar PV array consisting of 788 solar panels and extending electrical connection to campus. In layman’s terms: that’s clean energy to serve nearly 30 percent of campus electricity.
The project began in fall 2020, through an energy conservation collaboration with The Brewer-Garrett Company. The 25-year Power Purchase Agreement requires no upfront capital expense to the college, and all electricity produced will be purchased at a negotiated rate with Paradise Energy Solutions, LLC based in Sugarcreek, Ohio.
“We need to be in front of this movement as a university,” said CPM Dean Dr. Allan Boike. “I think it’s our responsibility, and this project gives us the opportunity to reduce our energy costs by half a million dollars over a period of time.”
The field will produce a minimum 25-year electric cost savings of about $16,500 during the first year, and over $550,000 after 25 years. In the summer months the solar array will reduce stress on the electric grid when electricity use is highest to air condition the facility.
Now that the solar array is hard at work producing clean energy for the campus, native pollinators like wildflowers and other plants will be seeded around the perimeter of the array this spring to increase the honeybee population and various other beneficial insects.
You can see the installed solar array and get more information on its benefits in this promotional video. To follow-up on its progress, a solar energy dashboard will soon be available on the CPM homepage to track progress and allow real-time data use for educational purposes and community interest.
Although in the early stages, this project is considered a huge win for CPM and the environment.
“We’re putting another foot forward for sustainable energy,” said Bob Misbrener, project manager.
Get the Job Done, Better And Faster
KSU Geauga/TAC Offers Concentration in Logistics & Supply Chain Management
By Estelle R. Brown
The Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management Technology now offers a new concentration in Logistics & Supply Chain Management at both the Kent State Geauga and Twinsburg Academic Center locations.
Four concentrations are now available: Logistics & Supply Chain Management; Business Administration; Management and Entrepreneurship; and Marketing/Sales. The degree program provides students with a fundamental core in Math, English, Science, Technology and Communications. Each concentration includes a strong business core, and robust specialized courses.
“We’re excited to offer this opportunity to our students who can start and finish with us at Geauga or Twinsburg," said Susan Emens, Ph.D., assistant dean of Academic Affairs. "Students have the flexibility to complete this degree 100 percent online or in person.”
The new concentration in Logistics and Supply Chain Management focuses on the efficient and effective planning and control of procurement, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, inventory control, and other activities involved in the delivery of goods and services. Dr. Joseph Muscatello, Associate Professor, Business Technology, states, “The global supply chain is now a $30 Trillion industry and growing. The current shortage of Supply Chain professionals is nearing 1 million positions worldwide! This shortage is caused by the rate of job expansion which far outpaces the qualified professionals, and the concept of Supply Chain Management is not widely understood by undergraduate students.”
To put it in current context, “Logistics are at the crux of coordinating vaccine, COVID-19 test kits and even nurses around the world to meet the needs as hotspots erupt,” Emens added. “It’s about coordinating the flow of product and human capital to solve problems. Kent State Geauga and the Twinsburg Academic Center is committed to building pathways for students to get a good education and be in a position to respond to in-demand career opportunities.”
Click here to learn more about the two-year Associate of Applied Science in Business Management Technology program.
Reporting Line for Fraud and Fiscal Abuse
What is the Purpose of the Reporting Line for Fraud and Fiscal Abuse?
Kent State University is responsible for the stewardship of university resources and is committed to the highest standards of fiscal responsibility. The reporting line provides a formalized mechanism to communicate concerns related to fraud and fiscal abuse.
Employees are encouraged to discuss concerns with a supervisor, department head or another appropriate university official. If this is not a viable option or if you believe your concerns have not been addressed after reporting fiscal fraud or abuse, reports may be communicated through the reporting line provided by an independent company, and can be accessed toll free, 24/7 by calling (800) 683-5621.
Callers have the option to remain anonymous. Individuals who engage in good faith disclosure of a suspected violation are protected from retaliation in accordance with university policy #7-02.9, “Administrative policy for reporting and investigating fraud and fiscal abuse.”
For more details on reporting concerns of fraud and fiscal abuse, visit the university’s Internal Audit website for Reporting Fraud and Fiscal Abuse.
Deadline Extended for Kent State Climate Study Survey on Race
The deadline to take the 2021 Kent State University Climate Study on Race: Our Voices, has been extended until Sunday, April 11. All faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in this confidential assessment to let all voices be heard and impact change. The goals of the survey are to gauge progress from the efforts conducted since the university’s 2016 climate study; to hone in on the experiences related to race and its intersectionality with other identities to inform Kent State’s practices; and to further inform the university’s anti-racism efforts.
If you have not taken it, please take the survey today.
The Virtual Gratitude Graffiti Project Launches Today
When life is going well, gratitude allows us to celebrate and magnify the goodness. But what about when life isn't going well? Should we still feel grateful even when circumstances seem grim? The answer is yes - not only will a grateful attitude help - it is essential. In fact, it is precisely under crisis conditions when we have the most to gain by a grateful perspective on life.
Gratitude can help us cope with hard times. Consciously cultivating an attitude of gratitude builds up a sort of psychological immune system that can cushion us when we fall. There is scientific evidence that grateful people are more resilient to stress, whether minor everyday hassles or major upheavals. So, it is important for us to stop and take a moment, or two, throughout the day to reflect on the aspects of life we are grateful for, however big or small.
For the fifth consecutive year, Kent State will participate in the Gratitude Graffiti Project, a practice of purposeful reflection and appreciation expressed through interactive art. For the first three years, you likely saw poster boards filled with colorful post-it notes expressing sentiments of gratitude, and window displays reflecting chalk expressions of thankfulness across all KSU campuses. Last year, Gratitude Graffiti went virtual, and that will continue in 2021.
Starting today, employees are encouraged to add electronic sticky notes with messages of gratitude to our shared virtual Gratitude Boards. There will be a new board and prompt each week. Click here to access the board for week 1. Bookmark the Gratitude Graffiti website and stay tuned to Employee Wellness email updates for links to each week's board.
For questions related to the Gratitude Graffiti Project and other wellness offerings for faculty and staff, contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu, or 330-672-0392.
Wellness Rewards Program Tier 1 Deadline is April 30
Don't Leave Your $300 on the Table!
Full-time, benefits-eligible employees who practice healthy behaviors can earn $300 each year for participating in the Wellness Your Way Rewards Program.
The program consists of two tiers. Completing Tier 1 is worth $100, and participants have until April 30 to complete the following activities:
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Health Risk Assessment (complete on the Be Well Solutions portal)
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Consent, Waiver & Release Agreement (download from the Be Well portal and submit to Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu)
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Know Your Numbers Health Screening
Health screenings can be completed with your primary care physician, onsite at the Kent campus with Be Well Solutions, or at a LabCorp facility for regional campus employees. Login to the Be Well portal to schedule a screening or access the Physician Screening or LabCorp Screening form. The FINAL onsite screenings at the Kent campus will take place April 6 and April 29. Schedule your appointment today, as the Tier 1 deadline is one month away on April 30. As a reminder, your personal health information remains confidential and is never shared with your employer.
Earn an additional $200 reward for completing Tier 2. Choose from a menu of activities to rack up points toward Tier 2 your way! Your goal is to accumulate 350 Tier 2 points by October 15, 2021. You must complete Tier 1 to be eligible for the Tier 2 reward. While you can work on both tiers simultaneously, you will not receive a Tier 2 payout until your Tier 1 activities are complete.
Did you know you can check your completed activities and Tier 2 points at any time? Monitor your progress by logging into the Be Well portal and clicking on "Wellness Reward Program" under "My Wellness." Open the green Tier 1 and Tier 2 dropdown tables to view eligible activities, download verification forms, check your points earned and submit forms.
For questions related to the wellness rewards program or other health offerings for faculty and staff, please contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu, or 330-672-0392.
April Employee Wellness Offerings Focus on Happiness
It might sound obvious, but happiness is good for both mental and physical health. However, it isn't happiness per se that promotes well-being, but rather the pursuit that's key. According to a Harvard study, people attempt to find happiness in three ways: doing good for others; doing things you're good at; and doing things that are good for you.
In other words, happiness is something that can be cultivated. Regularly indulging in small pleasures, getting absorbed in challenging activities, setting and meeting goals, maintaining close social ties, expressing gratitude, and finding purpose beyond oneself all increase life satisfaction.
How will you choose to pursue happiness in your life? Visit the Employee Wellness April Focus page for inspiration. Here you’ll find webinars, online gratitude boards, happiness resources like podcasts, and more.
For questions related to health and wellness offerings for faculty and staff, please contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu, or 330-672-0392.