ֱ State Is Again Recognized As "Great College To Work For"
ֱ State University is one of only three universities in Ohio to be named a best college to work for, according to a new survey by The Great Colleges to Work For® program.
“Great college recognition is a terrific affirmation of ֱ State University as a community that values the contributions of, and responds to the needs of, our faculty and staff,” said Melody Tankersley, interim senior vice president and provost at ֱ State University. “It is certainly our people who make ֱ State a great place to work as we create an outstanding experience for our students.”
The results, released last week in a special insert of The Chronicle of Higher Education, are based on a survey of 221 colleges and universities. In all, 79 of the 221 institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies. Results are reported for small, medium and large institutions, with ֱ State included among the large universities with 10,000 or more students.
“This year’s list of recognized institutions in the Great Colleges to Work For® program was united in their commitment to organizational culture, even in the face of a global pandemic,” said Richard K. Boyer, senior consultant at ModernThink. “They stand apart in their recognition that workplace culture can actually be a roadmap for navigating uncertainty.”
ֱ State University won honors in three categories this year:
1. Confidence in Senior Leadership
Senior leadership was defined as the most senior members of the institution (e.g. Chancellor or President and those who directly report to them). There are six statements on the survey that directly reference senior leadership, one example being Statement 27: Senior leadership provides a clear direction for this institution’s future.
2. Facilities, Workspace, and Security
Three statements comprise this category, notably Statement 29: The institution takes reasonable steps to provide a safe and secure environment for the campus.
3. Work/Life Balance
This recognition category is based on two factors: the combined results of three specific survey statements, notably “This institution's policies and practices give me the flexibility to manage my personal and family life” along with responses to the benefits like Work/Life Balance programs and Vacation/PTO.
The Great Colleges to Work For® program includes a two-part assessment process: a survey (ModernThink Higher Education Insight Survey©) administered to faculty, administrators, exempt professional and non-exempt staff; as well as adjuncts at 2-year colleges, and an institution questionnaire that captures employment data and workplace policies and practices from each institution. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution receives “Great College to Work For” recognition is employee feedback.
The Great Colleges to Work For® program is one of the largest and most respected workplace recognition programs in the country. Now in its thirteenth year, it recognizes the colleges that get top ratings from their employees regarding workplace practices and policies.
By the numbers:
• 221 institutions participated in 2020, including 127 four-year institutions and 94 two-year institutions.
• 79 institutions are recognized as a 2020 Great College to Work For, including 54 four-year institutions and 25 two-year institutions.
• 42 institutions are on the Honor Roll, recognized as stand-outs in their size categories.
For more information and to , visit the Great Colleges program website at www.greatcollegesprogram.com. ModernThink, a strategic human capital consulting firm, administered the survey and analyzed the results.
Glauser School of Music Welcomes Six New Faculty, Staff
This fall, the ֱ State University Glauser School of Music welcomes several new faculty and staff members to the ֱ Campus. In addition to the previously announced appointments for athletic bands and saxophone, additional new faculty include artist-teachers of cello, choral conducting, trumpet, violin and viola, and music education as well as music office staff.
Si-Yan Darren Li joins the Glauser School faculty as a cello instructor and chamber music coach. Li made his professional debut at nine years old, launching an international career as a recitalist, chamber musician and teacher.
Previously, he taught at Indiana University and Central Florida before joining the faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music. His chamber music experience is extensive, including several years as cellist in the Euclid String Quartet which also includes founding member and ֱ State alumnus violinist Jameson Cooper. Li holds degrees and diplomas from The Juilliard School and Peabody Conservatory.
Jesse Reed is a spring 2020 graduate of Glauser School, returning this fall as the conductor of Cantique—ֱ State’s treble/alto choir. He earned dual master’s degrees in conducting and voice performance from ֱ State, where he spent the 2019-20 academic year leading the Cantique as a graduate assistant. Throughout his studies at ֱ State, Reed conducted and performed extensively, working with the ֱ State Chorale and ֱ State Opera Theatre. He also coordinated the 2018 and 2019 editions of the All-Star Choir Festival. He holds a bachelor’s of music in music education from the University of Mount Union.
Amanda Bekeny, D.M.A., is a new trumpet instructor, joining now-retired, continuing part-time faculty member Michael Chunn as a member of the brass area faculty. Bekeny has led an active teaching and performance career since earning her doctorate from The Ohio State University School of Music. Since 2008, she has taught trumpet and chamber music at The College of Wooster. She also spent two years leading the OSU trumpet studio from 2010 to 2012. In performance, she can be heard as a member of CityMusic Cleveland, Inc, Firelands Symphony Orchestra, Diamond Brass and Olympic Brass Quintet. Bekeny also regularly performs with the Akron Symphony Orchestra.
Eunho Kim, D.M.A., joins the Glauser School of Music as an instructor of violin and viola. Previously, Kim served on the string faculty at the University of South Dakota Department of Music teaching violin and viola, leading the chamber orchestra and performing in the acclaimed Rawlins Piano Trio. After moving to ֱ in 2017, she quickly established herself as an in-demand musician, joining the Akron Symphony, CityMusic Cleveland and the Crea Chamber Ensemble. Kim holds her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She is married to KSU’s Director of Orchestra, Jungho Kim.
In music education, 2013 alumna Kristin Coen-Mishlan, A.B.D., returns as an instructor after serving in a visiting professor position in Texas this past academic year. Before embarking on a career in higher education, Coen-Mishlan taught band for eight years Huntington Local Schools located in rural southeastern Ohio. Her research interests include feminist and socio-cultural issues in music education. Coen-Mishlan previously served as a visiting assistant professor in music education from 2017 to 2019.
Joining the staff in the music office is 2020 Glauser School music education graduate Kaitlin Mabrey. A saxophonist, Mabrey was an active member of ֱ State’s chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, an honorary service and leadership organization for band students that engage in service projects, social events, fundraisers and other activities that serve to increase the well-being of students in the program. Megan Denman also joins as a staff collaborative pianist.
Webinar - Beyond Blue: Understanding Mental Illness
Wednesday, October 7, noon - 1 p.m.
One in four Americans will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, whether it be depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder or other addictive behavior. Most episodes occur during one's working life. It is imperative that every employee is aware of the risks and signs of mental illnesses, as well as coping strategies and pathways to support either yourself or perhaps a loved one.
Join Alan Gecht, MA, LPCC, of IMPACT Solutions, ֱ State's Employee Assistance Program provider, on Oct. 7 from 12-1 pm as he discusses:
- The most common mental illness and their signs/symptoms
- Specific features of depression and anxiety
- The stigma of mental illness
- The impact of undiagnosed/untreated mental illness on the workplace
- How to access support and treatment
This webinar is open to all full and part time faculty and staff. For those participating in the Wellness Your Way rewards program, this session is worth 10 points toward your Tier 2 total. .
For questions, please contact the Employee Wellness Office at 330-672-0392 or wellness@kent.edu.
Stay on Track with Your Fitness Goals with ֱ State’s (NEW!) Virtual Group X Classes
This past year has certainly seen its share of challenges, but this time has also given us the opportunity for growth. We hope everyone has been staying healthy and happy, and we would like to welcome you back for a new semester! We have been doing a lot at the Department of Recreational Services, and the Fitness and Wellness area to make sure we can provide safe, fun and flexible programming this fall. We will resume in-person Group X classes as soon as it's safe, but in the meantime, take this opportunity to work on your personal growth, in the comfort of your own home, with our new Virtual Group X program.
Whether you need a mind/body class to help you relax and de-stress, or a heart-pumping workout to burn off that extra energy, we look forward to providing the programs you need!
For more information about our Virtual Group X program, visit the Rec Services website to find out how to purchase the new Virtual Group X Pass and register for classes.
Virtual Health Coaching Appointments Available for October 1 and 14 - Telephonic Coaching Too
Virtual "face-to-face" health coaching is available as an alternative to traditional onsite coaching for faculty and staff. Virtual coaching sessions are held on a video conferencing platform and appointments are generally 25 minutes in length. These sessions are conducted with one of Be Well Solutions' certified health professionals and designed to help you take meaningful steps toward your wellness goals. You get to choose the topic you want to discuss, and your health coach or registered dietitian will provide support and accountability through an evidence-based approach. This service is confidential, complimentary and unlimited for full-time, benefits-eligible faculty and staff.*
Health Coaching or Nutrition Counseling - What's the Difference?
Health coaching topics may include, but are not limited to, physical activity/building an exercise plan, stress management, mindfulness, healthy lifestyle, and tobacco cessation. Nutrition counseling sessions are provided by licensed and registered dietitians (RD) and focus on topics such as weight management, nutrition for an active lifestyle, nutrition to support chronic disease management, navigating food intolerance, and more.
There are currently virtual coaching dates available for scheduling on the on October 1 and October 14. To schedule your appointment, login at and click on "Virtual/Video Health Coaching" or under "My Appointments". For telephonic coaching, select “telephonic coaching.”
For those participating in the Wellness Your Way incentive program, each session is worth 10 Tier 2 wellness reward points per session. Be Well Solutions will automatically apply your points after each session.
*Full- and part-time employees and family members can access nutrition counseling and mindfulness coaching through our IMPACT Solutions Employee Assistance Program. Visit the and login with username "KENT" to request an appointment today, or call IMPACT at 1-800-227-6007.
For questions, contact Employee Wellness at 330-672-0392, or wellness@kent.edu. You may also contact Be Well at 1-888-935-7378 or ksu@bewellsolutions.com.
National Bike to Work Day
Leave your car at home on Tues., Sept. 22, from 7 - 9 a.m. as part of National Bike to Work Week. Help reduce our carbon footprint at KSU as you enjoy the health benefits of riding your bike to work.
Ride over to the Beverly J. Warren Student Recreation & Wellness Center to check-in, get a free breakfast, and win some prizes while learning about biking activities and amenities available on campus, as well as our newly formed Bicycle Advisory Committee.
. Contact Chris at clukas@kent.edu with any questions.
Business Administrator Services (BAS) Forum
The Business Administrator Services (BAS) forum promotes and supports cooperation and communication between central administrative and financial offices and the decentralized business office functions across ֱ State University. In addition to regular communications through the BAS listserv and website, the BAS forum hosts three to four meetings each fiscal year as a way to keep employees with business and administrative functions aware of current or upcoming business process improvements, system developments, or general topics of financial, business or administrative nature.
If you would like to join the BAS forum listserv for business and administrative related communication, including BAS meeting invites, please use the BAS forum membership roster link: .
For more information about the BAS Forum, please contact Stina Olafsdottir, AVP for Business and Administration Services at kolafsdo@kent.edu.
Important Information about Final Grading of Fall 2020 First 5 Weeks Classes
Online final grading for Fall 2020 First 5 Weeks (POT F1) begins Thursday, September 24, via FlashFAST. Grading is also now available for any Fall 2020 course section that was flexibly scheduled. The deadline for grading submission is midnight on Wednesday, September 30. Any final grades for Fall 2020 courses not reported in FlashFAST by the grades processing deadline will have to be submitted using the Grade Change Workflow. These Fall 2020 courses will be available in the Workflow on Thursday, October 1.
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 go to support.kent.edu and search “Grade Push.”
Incomplete Mark Workflow:
The instructor must create and submit an Incomplete Mark contract via the workflow. Instructors are no longer able to 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 .
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 and/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.