Faculty/Staff News Now: Join the Communiversity Band, Kent Chorus or Gospel Choir; Rick Feinberg Elected to Board of Fulbright's NEO Chapter; Open Football Practice Aug. 20; Blue & Gold Slideshow; Fall Speaker Series; In-Person Health Coaching

Join the Communiversity Band, Kent Chorus or Gospel Choir

Kent State's Glauser School offers faculty and staff the opportunity to play in the Communiversity Band or sing in the Kent Chorus and the KSU Gospel Choir. No class registration or fees are required to join these groups! Rehearsals begin the first full week of the fall semester. Find out how to become a member at the Community Ensembles website.


Anthropology Professor Elected to Board of Prestigious Scholar Program

Rick Feinberg, professor emeritus of anthropology and president of the Kent State University Retirees’ Association, has been elected to the board of directors of the Fulbright Association’s Northeast Ohio Chapter.

The Fulbright Association extends the Fulbright international exchange into a lifelong experience for U.S. alumni. It connects alumni and friends of the Fulbright program through lifelong learning, collaborative networking, and service projects at home and abroad.

Established on February 27, 1977, the Fulbright Association is the U.S. alumni organization of the Fulbright Program, representing 140,000 U.S. alumni – 70 years of Fulbrighters since the program’s inception – and friends of international education. It supports a thriving alumni community that helps increase visibility for the Fulbright effect and helps preserve Fulbright exchanges for future generations.

Through its 54 local chapters, the Fulbright Association hosts more than 230 regional and national programs each year for visiting Fulbrighters and alumni throughout the United States. Programs include educational events, career development seminars, music and art presentations, networking events, volunteer activities, and more.

The group serves as a hub for Fulbright alumni to connect in meaningful ways, as well as a community of friends of Fulbright who support international education and cultural understanding around the world.


Mark Your Calendar: Open Football Practice Aug. 20

Head coach Sean Lewis' Golden Flashes will take to the gridiron at Dix Stadium on Friday, August 20, at 6 p.m., making their last practice of this year's training camp available to Kent State faculty, staff, family and friends. More information to follow.


Blue, Gold and Grateful Slideshow Photo Gallery

The Staff Appreciation Day Cookout at Risman Plaza on the Kent Campus was a rousing success with delicious food, good music, lots of fun and plenty of blue and gold! View the slideshow.


Fall Speaker Series, Sept. 21 and 28

Thriving During Times of Change 

Employee Wellness is pleased to announce its Fall Speaker Series, Thriving During Times of Change. All faculty and staff are encouraged to attend both sessions of this virtual, two-part series. For full-time, benefits-eligible employees participating in the wellness rewards program, each session will be worth 30 Tier 2 points for a total of 60 points for the series. Click on the titles below to learn more and register for each session.  

Part One 
Managing Change vs. Change Managing You 
Tuesday, Sept. 21, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

The old saying, the only constant is change, has never been more apparent than our life experience the past 18 months when the world seemingly felt upside down. It is understandable that many may still have lingering emotions, particularly as we begin the process of returning to our workplaces and finding our rhythm again. In this session, Sandra Bishop will discuss and engage you in practical skills to use when you're feeling like the world is falling apart. In addition, we will learn skills to help put loss in perspective when facing a changing environment. 

Part Two 
Emotional Resilience: From Stress to Success 
Tuesday, Sept. 28, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Stress is a fact of life and, much like change, there is no escaping it. Many individuals cope with stress in ways that only compound the problem. There are also many healthy ways to manage and cope with stress. Emotional resiliency can be taught at any stage in life and empowers you to bounce back quicker from difficult situations or life events. This session, led by Kelsey Loushin, LICDC, CDP, will teach resiliency techniques to enhance work styles and the way you manage other day-to-day pressures and life events. 

For questions related to health and wellness offerings for Kent State University faculty and staff, please contact the Employee Wellness office at 330-672-0392 or wellness@kent.edu.  


In-Person Health Coaching at the Kent Campus, September 2

Are you striving for better health but not sure where to start? Perhaps you have a specific health goal but seek expertise and accountability. If either of these statements resonate with you, you may consider scheduling a health coaching session with Be Well Solutions. A health coach can help you go from thinking about doing something to doing it. You get to choose the topic you want to discuss, and during an individualized session, your certified health coach will support you in setting short-term and long-term goals. 

Onsite health coaching sessions will be available monthly at the Kent campus in addition to unlimited virtual/telephonic health coaching available year-round. Onsite sessions are held in the Heer Hall Wellness Resource Room (room 103). The next available health coaching date is Thursday, September 2.  
 
To schedule your coaching session: 

  1. Login to your personal Be Well portal 
  2. Click on "Worksite Health Coaching" under "My Appointments" 
  3. Select a time that fits your schedule and follow the prompts to register .

Be Well coaching is available to full-time employees*. For those participating in the wellness rewards program, each session is worth 10 Tier 2 points. 

*All Kent State employees, as well as household members, dependents and parents and parents-in-law, can receive nutrition counseling through Impact Solutions. To schedule an appointment, call Impact at 1-800-227-6007. 

For questions related to health and wellness offerings for Kent State University faculty and staff, please contact the Employee Wellness office at 330-672-0392 or wellness@kent.edu.


Important Information Regarding Student Registration into Classes

The Office of the University Registrar asks for your assistance in making sure that all students are properly registered for their fall 2021 courses.

As per University policy, only officially registered students are permitted to attend courses. Go to Faculty & Advisors/Faculty Dashboard to find the link to official class rosters in FlashLine. 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 Registrar's website, click the Schedule of Classes quick link, and select fall 2021, or in FlashLine, go to Faculty & Advisors/Resources/Courses and click on the Registration Deadlines and Tuition Credit Search Link.

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 require faculty and Office of the University Registrar approval.

Grades Submission Information
The deadline for submitting final grades can be found on the Registrar's website.
   
Incomplete Mark and NF/SF Administrative Marks:
The administrative mark 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. If a student has stopped attending your course the SF can be entered on the Final Grade Roster along with the student’s last date of attendance.
   
The administrative mark NF (Never Attended–Fail) denotes that the student neither attended one class session nor formally withdrew from the course. If a student has never attended your course, mark the student as “Not Started” on the Academic Presence Verification Roster, and the NF will automatically populate to your Final Grades roster.
   
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 earning a D or better grade and are unable to complete the required work between the course withdrawal deadline and the end of classes. 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 Contract.
   
Incomplete Mark Contract Workflow
The instructor must create and submit an Incomplete Mark contract via the new workflow. Instructors can no longer select the incomplete mark (IB+, IC+, IC-, etc.) from the final grade roster in FlashFAST (Self-Service Banner). The primary instructor must initiate and submit the contract using this new workflow process, which mimics the old paper process. Once the contract has been accepted by the student and approved by the department chair/campus dean, the student’s grade will be updated automatically. The primary instructor will be able to initiate and submit the contract for a student after the deadline to withdraw (10th week of a regularly scheduled section in fall and spring, or prorated for flexibly scheduled sections) through the end of final grading.

Access the Incomplete Mark workflow in FlashLine from the Faculty Dashboard under Grading Resources or Faculty Workflows. The incomplete mark and default grade will no longer be available to assign via the final grade roster or the Grade Push Application.

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


Important Information about Final Grading of Summer 2021 Full Term, Second 7 Weeks, and Summer 3 Classes

Online final grading for Summer 2021 Full Term, Second 7 Weeks, and summer 3 (POT 1, W2, S3) begins Tuesday, August 17, via FlashFAST. Grading is also now available for any summer 2021 course section that was flexibly scheduled. The deadline for grading submission is midnight on Sunday, August 22. Any final grades for summer 2021 courses not reported in FlashFAST by the grades processing deadline will have to be submitted using the Grade Change Workflow. These summer 2021 courses will be available in the Workflow on Tuesday, August 24.

To access Final Grades via FlashFAST, log into FlashLine and click on the Faculty & Advisors Category/Faculty Dashboard/Grading Resources Section.

Blackboard Grading Process:
The Grade Push application has been developed as an option to assist in streamlining the university grading process. The use of this application is not mandatory, though it is encouraged. Grade Push will allow you to “push” the final grades recorded in Blackboard into our KSU Final Grade Roster, thus eliminating the time and effort spent manually entering them.

To access Grade Push, log into FlashLine and click on the Faculty & Advisors/Faculty Dashboard/Grading Resources. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Help Desk and search “Grade Push.”

Incomplete Mark Workflow:
The instructor must create and submit an Incomplete Mark contract via the workflow. Instructors can no longer select the incomplete mark (IB+, IC+, IC-, etc.) from the final grade roster in FlashFAST (Self-Service Banner). The primary instructor must initiate and submit the contract using this new workflow process, which mimics the old paper process. Once the contract has been accepted by the student and approved by the department chair/campus dean, the student’s grade will be updated automatically. The primary instructor will be able to initiate and submit the contract for a student after the deadline to withdraw (10th week of a regularly scheduled section in fall and spring, or prorated for flexibly scheduled sections) through the end of final grading.

Access the Incomplete Mark workflow in FlashLine from the Faculty Dashboard under Grading Resources or Faculty Workflows.
 
NF/SF Administrative Marks:
The administrative mark NF (Never Attended–Fail) denotes that the student neither attended one class session nor formally withdrew from the course. If a student has never attended your course, mark the student as “Not Started” on the Academic Presence Verification Roster, and the NF will automatically populate to your Final Grades roster.

The administrative mark 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. If a student has stopped attending your course the SF can be entered on the Final Grade Roster along with the student’s last date of attendance.

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.

Grades Processing Tips and FAQs may be found on the Registrar's website. Any faculty member needing personalized instruction on submitting their grades via FlashFAST should contact their campus Registrar's Office during normal business hours for assistance.

Troubleshooting TIP:
FlashFAST is accessible from any Internet-capable computer that has the cookies function enabled. We recommend that you clean out your cookie and cache files regularly to help your computer run faster, and to potentially restore or improve your access to FlashFAST and/or FlashLine by improving your connection to the server. Our Helpdesk is prepared to help with these issues. Please contact them at 330-672-HELP (4357) for one-on-one assistance and technical issues.

POSTED: Monday, August 16, 2021 01:54 PM
Updated: Saturday, December 3, 2022 01:02 AM