About Kent State University
History
A major research university with eight campuses, Kent State University has fostered academic freedom since being founded in 1910. One hundred years after William S. Kent donated his farmland so the state could build a teacher-training school for the area, Kent State stands out as a world-class institution, with programs and partnerships that boldly expand the boundaries of knowledge.
Kent State University is one of 76 public higher-research universities, as categorized by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Ranked. Kent State is ranked in the top 100 national public universities by U.S. News & World Report. This prestigious distinction is recognition of continued growth in academic reputation and student retention. Kent State also generates $1.96 billion in added income to the Northeast Ohio economy.
As Northeast Ohio's number one choice among universities, Kent State earns worldwide recognition for its optimum balance of high-quality undergraduate programs, including learning opportunities in more than for 282 bachelor's degree programs; significant graduate programs, including master's degrees in more than 100 programs, the educational specialist degree in six areas and doctoral degrees in more than 48 areas; and selected areas of research excellence, including biology-biomedical sciences, education, liquid crystal technology, mathematics-computer science, physics and psychology.
Pioneering breakthroughs in liquid crystal display materials and technology at the Glenn H. Brown Liquid Crystal Institute• place Kent State in the pivotal role of the world's largest and most comprehensive academic center devoted to research on flat-panel display systems. Kent State is also on the forefront of distributed learning and information technologies. Its newest school, the School of Digital Sciences, combines elements of computer science, computer information systems, computer technology, library information science, visual communication design, journalism, communication studies and instructional technology.
Kent State also boasts one of the nation's top 10 schools of Fashion Design and Merchandising; a School of Journalism and Mass Communication that is pioneering the integration of print and electronic media; and the largest residential nursing program in the country. The College of Public Health was established in 2009 to meet the state's growing needs for healthcare professionals
In 2012, the university added the College of Podiatric Medicine, the only accredited podiatry school in Ohio and one of the most respected podiatric medical education institutions in the country. Also in 2012, the university opened the May 4 Visitors Center, which pays homage to the seminal events of May 4, set against the political and cultural changes of the 1960s. Using images, artifacts and multimedia, the center's exhibits tell the story of the decade leading up to May 4, 1970, the events of that day that thrust Kent State into the international spotlight, the aftermath and the historical impact.
Proving its dynamic commitment to the future success of Kent State students, faculty and staff, the university unveiled two new buildings in 2016 on the Kent Campus as part of its Foundations of Excellence project. Foundations of Excellence includes a range of improvements from the construction of new buildings to environmentally conscious upgrades. The new Center for Architecture and Environmental Design is sited along the Lefton Esplanade, the primary connection between the university and its namesake city. Also part of Foundations of Excellence, the Center for the Visual Arts is the new home for the university's School of Art. The state-of-the-art building will unite all School of Art disciplines under one roof and be home to major programs in art education, art history, ceramics, drawing, glass, jewelry/metals/enameling, painting, print media and photography, sculpture and textiles, as well as the cross-disciplinary foundations program.
In addition to its eight campuses, the university has U.S. locations in Cleveland, Twinsburg, Independence, Columbus, New York City and Washington, D.C., along with international facilities in Geneva, Switzerland; Florence, Italy; and Beijing, China, for students enrolled in study-away programs.
Today, nearly 41,000 students — including 3,000 international students — come from all 50 states and 120 countries. And Kent State’s worldwide alumni family exceeds 234,000. The addition of new learning environments from the sciences to the arts, and the development of exciting new academic programs such as aerospace engineering, geographic information science and business analytics characterize Kent State’s focus on transformational educational experiences.
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| University History |
| Presidential Priorities |
Priorities and University-level Initiatives
Priority 1: Students First -- Provide an inclusive and engaged living-learning environment where all students thrive and graduate as informed citizens committed to a life of impact.
Priority 2: A Distinctive Kent State - Drive innovation, idea generation and national distinction through top-tier academic and research programs, including the recruitment and support of talented faculty and staff.
Priority 3: Global Competitiveness - Advance Kent State's impact and reach as a leading international university.
Priority 4: Regional Impact - Serve as the innovative engine and engaged partner to meet community needs and enhance quality of life in the region and state.
Priority 5: Organizational Stewardship - Ensure a culture of continuous improvement and the efficient stewardship of university resources and infrastructure.
Human Resources Mission Statement In support of the university mission, Human Resources (HR), in the Division of People, Culture and Belonging, commits to excellence by attracting, retaining, and developing a community of talented and diverse individuals. More information on the division of HR and the resources it offers to employees can be found online at www.kent.edu/hr.
COMPLIANCE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
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| Affirmative Action Plan |
The mission of the Office of Compliance/EOAA is to ensure equal access to employment and educational opportunities in support of the university's commitment to equal opportunity, affirmative action and diversity.
It is the policy of this university that there shall be no unlawful discrimination against any faculty, staff, student, contractor or person involved with Kent State University because of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, military status, or identity as a veteran with a disability or veteran of the Vietnam era. Such policy shall apply to, but not necessarily be limited to, the following: employment, services, recruiting, admission, access to programs, financial aid, social, recreational and health programs. (Policy 3342-6-02)
Any employee who feels he or she is a victim of, or witness to, discrimination or harassment, or subject to retaliation as a result of reporting discrimination or participating in a discrimination investigation should contact the Office of Compliance and Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action at (330) 672-2038.
Affirmative Action Plan
Annual reports of status and progress; work force analyses; analyses of major job groups; appraisals of labor force utilization shall be compiled and submit to the vice president for human resources annual reports of the status and progress of Affirmative Action goals established by the Federal Government. The report shall include, but not limited to, annual analyses of the university work force, and of major job groups, and of the utilization of the available labor force with special reference to women and members of minority groups who are qualified in terms of job-related position specifications in the university.
Filing a Formal Complaint
All formal complaint and/or enforcement procedure records are maintained by the Office of Compliance/EOAA. This would include faculty, staff, students unions and contractors conducting business with the university. When a formal grievance or complaint is filed consisting of or including alleged discrimination in violation of the equal opportunity, the Office of Compliance/EOAA is notified.
Handling Complaints Involving Persons With Disabilities
The Director of the Office of Compliance/EOAA is designated as the Compliance Coordinator for purposes of compliance with law applicable to persons with disabilities. The Office of Compliance/EOAA administers accommodation requests and decisions for all faculty and staff related decisions. Special care will be taken to ensure that employment practices and criteria are job related and do not needlessly have the effect of excluding the person with a disability from consideration.
Veterans Status and Protections Covered
The university has the responsibility to provide provisions relative to disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era. The requirements for these provisions are mandated sections in 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the American Disabilities Act of 1990, The Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, and other relevant federal, state and local regulations as required by law. The Office of Compliance/EOAA is designated as the Compliance Coordinator for purposes of compliance with law applicable to disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam Era. The Office of Compliance/EOAA, will annually review employment matters including but not limited to: factors used in the hiring and promotion process, work force goals, and statistics related to protected Veterans.
Title IX Responsibilities
Unlawful gender-based discrimination, which includes sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking and intimate partner violence, is prohibited at Kent State University. The university is required to afford a prompt, thorough, and impartial response from the University to an allegation of gender discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, and intimate partner violence. Policy 3342-5-16.2 applies to all students, faculty, staff, independent contractors, guests, visitors, applicants, university departments and programs, and university recognized student organizations. It shall apply to all incidents occurring on any of the university's campuses or centers (including international locations), university events off campus, and any incidents occurring off campus that involve both a student or employee as the alleged victim and a student or employee as the accused. The management and reporting responsibilities are assigned to the Office of Compliance/EOAA for the position of Title IX Coordinator.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mission Statement
In support of the university mission, the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) will promote and implement programs, processes and policy recommendations that work towards sustaining an inclusive, non-discriminatory, welcoming, and highly productive workplace and learning environment for all members of the university community. Visit DEI's webpage online at www.kent.edu/diversity.
What Is Diversity? At Kent State University, diversity is defined as differences that result from a variety of opinions, abilities, experiences, cultures, races, ethnicities, gender, gender identities and expressions, national origins, religions, languages, appearances, personalities, sexual orientation as well as other types of human distinctions between individuals and groups.
Kent State's Diversity Stance Kent State is committed to fostering a campus environment where human differences are recognized, appreciated and leveraged to achieve the highest level of performance among community members. Kent State prides itself on being culturally aware and respectful of human dignity in a world where cultural differences abound. The university views diversity as the inclusion of a dynamic variety of human distinctions and value it as our universal approach to increase the quality of education.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion New Faculty and Staff Resources DEI conducts various programming and events for new faculty and staff. The programming is generally facilitated by Kent State's Women's Center (www.kent.edu/womenscenter) and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Center (www.kent.edu/lgbtq).