Faculty/Staff News Now: Tips for COVID Vaccine; WKSU Launches Learning Curve; Student Employee Appreciation Week; Cynthia Smith Gets AFROTC Award; Shana Lee Appointed to Higher Ed Task Force; Humor Webinar; Happiness Webinar; Final Grading of Spring 2021 (2024)

Tips for Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

By March 29, every Ohioan age 16 and older is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. However, scheduling an appointment for a shot can be challenging. Here are some helpful tips to successfully find a vaccination appointment:

1. Start with the state. Visit https://gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov/location-select, for a complete list of all locations in your area that are offering shots. You can search by zip code to find many options.
2. Widen your search. Search within as wide a radius from your home as possible. You may find it easier to make an appointment if you don’t mind driving a bit to get your vaccine.
3. Sign up! Register for a vaccine in more than one place. You can’t always know which locations will have open appointments, so it’s better to sign up for several places to improve your chances.
4. Network! Ask your family and friends who have had luck getting an appointment to share their secrets for success.
5. Look for end-of-day shots. Hospitals and clinics that are offering vaccines often experience people who don’t show up for their appointments. Medical facilities don’t want to waste vaccine and often are looking for people who can come for a vaccine on short notice. If possible, see if you can sign up to be on these types of end-of-day call lists.
6. Don’t be picky! Remember that all three vaccines – Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson – have proven to be safe and effective against COVID-19. Unless you have a medical reason to not receive one of the three, take the first vaccine you are offered. The best vaccine is the one you can get!
7. Taking Time Off. Supervisors are asked to cooperate with their employees if there is a need to take working time off when getting vaccinated. If possible, try to modify work schedules to accommodate this. And, of course, employees can always take sick, vacation, or other earned leave time if necessary. As a general matter it is suggested that employees be allowed up to two hours of paid time (four hours total if gettingtwo shots) before having to use any earned leave. For timekeeping purposes for hourly employees, the supervisor will enter job code “University Business” AND a note in Time Clock Plus of “COVID PTO”. Any questions about individual situations can be directed to hrweb@kent.edu.
8. Be prepared! When signing up at online sites you may have a limited time to register or lose your spot. If you schedule through a hospital website, they may ask you for your MyChart patient account number or request that you set up an account before you can schedule an appointment. Although vaccines are paid for by the federal government, it’s always a good idea to have your medical and prescription card information readily available in the event this information is requested. By the time you go searching for this information, you could lose your appointment or the system may time out. If you need a card, visit:

WKSU’s Learning Curve Examines Ohio’s K-12 Public Education

WKSU is leading Learning Curve, a statewide multimedia collaborative looking at the challenges and opportunities facing public education in Ohio. The series launched in mid-February and will continue running throughout the spring.

Learning Curvewill examine the state of funding, opportunity gaps, curriculum, services offered and the impact of the pandemic. The series will also explore what’s next for public education and how public educators, researchers, government officials and advocates are using the pandemic to improve public education for the future.

The goal of the series is to bring public awareness to solutions that could transform public education positively for future generations. And, the initiative will provide information that parents, teachers and community members can use to advocate for their public education needs and goals.

The series kicked-off with a look into the history and future of school funding. You can catch the stories on 89.7, or visit WKSU.org/learningcurve.

Student Employee Appreciation Week

Student Employee Appreciation Week will take place from Monday, April 5 - Friday, April 9, 2021. Student employees perform invaluable services with enthusiasm, dedication, and initiative.This week is set aside to draw the awareness of others, both on and off campus, as the perfect opportunity to show your appreciation. Suggestions on how to celebrate your student employees follows:

1. Feature your Student Employee as part of the celebration on the CED Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.
2. Invite your studentto attend a virtual Q&A with Jenna Palek on using social media in theircareer. Jennais aformer student employee and 2020 Kent State alum whocurrently works full-time at TikTok as a Brand Ambassador.
3. Create a thank you card with athemed sticker mailed directly to each student employee.

Please direct questions tocampusworks@kent.edu or 330-672-2360.

Cynthia Smith is an AFROTCAward Winner

Congratulations to Cynthia Smith who was named the 2020 United States Air Force (USAF), enterprise wide, University Employee of the Year. She was named the 2014 Civilian Employee of the Year by USAF, making this the second time she has received national recognition at Kent State Universityfor her knowledge base and exemplary work skills.

Smith began working for KSU in the Aerospace Studies Department, more widely recognized as Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corp (AFROTC), in 2009. She brought to the university 13 years ofexperience with the State of Ohio, and a desire to complete her education.

Since joining the AFROTC team, Smith has earned two degrees from KSU, an Associate of Science with Distinction, and a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations, having graduated Summa Cum Laude. She earned commissions in the State of Ohio as a notary public and justice of the peace. During Covid-19 she performed a marriage ceremony on the KSU flight line for a newly commissioned Air Force officer and his bride.

Smith provides leadership, planningand innovative solutions to ensure effective organizational functions,academic, administrative,and student coordination and compliance among10 Northeast Ohio universities and colleges that comprise Detachment 630, as part of the AFROTC program.

“The Air Force core values are: 'Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do,'"said Smith. “I love my job and I am honored to be a part of the U.S. Air Force team.”

Shana Lee Appointed to AHEPPPDiversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion Task Force

Shana Lee, Kent State University’s Assistant Dean of Students, has been selected to serve as a member of the Association of Higher Education Parent Program Professionals (AHEPPP) Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion (DEAI) Task Force. AHEPPP is the premier national association for higher education professionals who work with parents and family members of college students.

Lee, who currently oversees engagement of Kent State’s parents and families, spent 26 years working with the university’s underrepresented students as Director of the Student Multicultural Center and later the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

“I felt my experiences at Kent State made me a qualified applicant,” she said. “Also, as a new member to the organization, I felt this was a prime opportunity to learn more and engage in the work I am passionate about.”

Lee is one of six selected by the Board of Directors to serve on the DEAI Task Force.

Executive Director for AHEPPP Lindsay McKinney said she is thrilled to have someone of Lee’s caliber join the Task Force.

“We are truly so excited and optimistic about our new DEAI Task Force and grateful for the committed members [like Shana] who are willing to serve and lead in this new initiative.”

Together, with leaders from the AHEPPP Board of Directors, the DEAI Task Force will:

• Develop a plan for a new AHEPPP Committee to be submitted to the Board of Directors
• Name the Committee
• Define Committee goals, make-up, and application process
• Define what an anti-racist association means
• Develop an Association of Higher Education Parent Program Professionals and DEAI statement
• Develop a strategic plan for an ongoing Committee

Ultimately, Lee is optimistic this experience will bolster not only Kent State’s parents and family engagement efforts, but those of all universities.

“It is my hope the final outcomes generated will provide a framework for parent and family areas to be intentional with regard to diversity, equity, access, and inclusion,” Lee said.

For more information on family engagement in higher education,visit the AHEPPP website.

WellnessWebinar: Humor as a Life Plan

Facing the world with a smile positively affects your mood, your outlook, and your relationships. JoinJudith Eugeneto learn the science behind why smiling and laughing are important for good health and learn how to incorporate more of it into your life. Judith will discuss tools for handling stress and how to keep a positive outlookdespiteit. Laughter counteracts worry, frustration and stress - it really is the best medicine.

This webinarwill take place on Wednesday, April 14, from noon - 1 p.m. andis open to all full and part time faculty and staff. For full time, benefits eligible employees participating in the wellness rewards program, this session is worth10points toward your Tier 2 total.Click hereto register. 

To discover moreevents and resources centered around thetopic of happiness, visitthe EmployeeWellnessApril Focuspage. For questions related to health and wellness offerings for faculty and staff, please contact Employee Wellness atwellness@kent.eduor 330-672-0392.

WellnessWebinar: Happiness

Most people want to be happy, but many don't realize they can make changes to get happier. New research shows you can train yourself to be happy. During this webinar, presenterSandra Bishopwill share:

• Myths about happiness

• The science behind happiness

• Skills to get more joy inlife

This webinarwill take placeon Tuesday, April 20 from noon - 1 p.m. andisopen to all full and part time faculty and staff. For full time, benefits eligible employees participating in the wellness rewards program, this session is worth10points toward your Tier 2 total.Click hereto register.

To discover more events and resources centered around the topic of happiness, visit the EmployeeWellnessApril Focus page. For questions related to health and wellness offerings for faculty and staff, please contact Employee Wellness atwellness@kent.eduor 330-672-0392.

Reminder: Great Colleges To Work For Survey

Important Information about Final Grading of Spring 2021 – Second 5 Weeks (F2) Classes

Online final grading for Spring 2021 Second 5 Weeks (POT F2) begins Tuesday, March 23, via FlashFAST. Grading is also now available for any Spring 2021 course section that was flexibly scheduled. The deadline for grading submission is midnight on Monday, March 29. Any final grades for Spring 2021 courses not reported in FlashFAST by the grades processing deadline will have to be submitted using the Grade Change Workflow. These Spring 2021 courses will be available in the Workflow on Wednesday, March 31.

To access Final Grades via FlashFAST, log into FlashLineand 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 and 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 University Catalog.

Grades Processing Tips and FAQs may be found on the Registrar's website. Any faculty member needing personalized instruction on submitting grades via FlashFAST should contact your 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 andimprove your access to FlashFAST andFlashLine 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.