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How to Report Time During a University Closing or Delayed Start

The Division of Human Resources has created a quick reference document that includes a set of frequently asked questions on how to report time for classified, hourly and student employees in the event of a university delay or closing. You may want to bookmark this information for future use.  Please share this information with your classified, hourly and student employees. The quick reference document is located on the Human Resources website.

Should you have additional questions or a specific circumstance not listed within the guidelines, please contact Human Resources Records at 330-672-8316 or the Payroll Office at 330-672-8640.

Institute for Excellence Application Deadline Approaching

The Institute for Excellence is seeking applications for its fifth class. Submissions will be accepted through Feb. 12 for the award-winning institute, �鶹ӰԺ’s leadership development initiative led by the Division of Human Resources.

The mission of the Institute for Excellence at �鶹ӰԺ State is to develop and promote a culture of excellence for faculty and staff. Research has shown that while many important qualities associated with excellence – collaboration, agility, foresight and strategic thinking – are inherent, these are traits that also can be learned. When that learning takes place, the result is improved performance for the individual and his or her work unit.

The Institute for Excellence will begin in March, with the Administrator and Individual Contributor tracks meeting monthly for either a full- or half-day session. The Administrator track is for faculty or staff who manage or chair a department or unit, and/or supervise others. The Individual Contributor track is for employees not currently in a managerial role. Both tracks are for high performers who display leadership now and want to improve their ability to lead change for �鶹ӰԺ State.

The focus for the Administrator and Individual Contributor versions are different even though they are designed to facilitate development around many of the same qualities associated with excellence – such as collaboration, execution, agility, strategic thinking, foresight and communication.

“Both administrators and individual contributors need to excel at things like collaboration and strategic thinking; the difference lies in how those specific individuals apply the information to their respective roles,” says Bob Hall, �鶹ӰԺ State’s director of HR Training and Development.

The two tracks will meet separately, with some opportunities for joint sessions. A partial list of session topics include discussions with �鶹ӰԺ State President Beverly Warren and other �鶹ӰԺ State officers, increased financial literacy, emotional intelligence, two 360° assessments to benchmark skills, using neuroscience and physiology to improve leadership performance, diversity in higher education and understanding team dynamics. The sessions will combine in-class discussions, self-development tools and opportunities for hands-on application.

There are eligibility requirements and an application process for each Institute for Excellence track. All participants must be employed full-time by the university for a minimum of one year and must have received a rating of “meets expectations” or higher on their most recent performance evaluation. The Institute for Excellence website includes a complete list of criteria and other important information.

Interested faculty and staff should read the online application worksheet and then complete the online application form. Applicants selected for the Institute for Excellence will be notified by the Training and Development Office in February.

For more information, contact Hall at 330-672-0894 or rhall4@kent.edu.

Employee Transaction Workflow (ETW) Training

Each year, approximately 4,000 transactions for faculty and staff come through for various types of personnel and job status changes.   Those transactions are currently initiated through a paper Personnel Action Form (PAF) or a paper Change in Status form (CIS), which often took up to two weeks to route through the many steps and approvals before the transaction could be complete. 

To eliminate this paper intensive process, the Division of Human Resources, in collaboration with Academic Personnel and Information Services, created the new Web-based Employee Transaction Workflow (ETW). The ETW also will provide these additional advantages:

• Ability for originators and end users to see the form en route
• Ability for originators to upload supporting documents
• Provide better communication to stakeholders through email confirmations

If you, or a member of your staff, process or sign off on Personnel Action or Change in Status paperwork, you will need to register for the Employee Transaction Workflow (ETW) training. Please visit the online registration site and select the ETW training session most convenient for you. A variety of session times and dates start this month and run through early June. 

If you have questions, contact the HR Records Office at 330-672-8316 or records@kent.edu.

Spring Employee Recognition Events

Mark your calendars now for the university’s two annual spring employee recognition events. The Office Support Staff Luncheon will be held Wednesday, April 29, in the �鶹ӰԺ Student Center Ballroom. This program recognizes university employees who provide office support in departments throughout �鶹ӰԺ State’s campuses. Invitations will be mailed the first week in April. Managers and supervisors are asked to coordinate work coverage in their units so those who are invited may attend.

The 20-Year Club dinner will take place on Wednesday, May 20, in the �鶹ӰԺ Student Center. This year, 31 staff members who will mark 20 years of continuous service at �鶹ӰԺ State during the current fiscal year will be recognized. The list of inductees and more details on the dinner will be communicated next month.

For more information on either event, contact Kim Hauge at khauge@kent.edu or Sandra Cole at scole3@kent.edu. 

Dates to Remember
Black History Month Feb. 4 Rosa Parks Day
Feb. 6 National Wear Red Day
Feb. 7 Employee, Family and Friends men’s basketball vs. Miami Univ. at 7 p.m.
Feb. 12 Lincoln’s Birthday
Feb. 13 College of Podiatric Medicine Spring Classes End (third-year students)
Feb. 14 Valentine’s Day
Feb. 16 President’s Day (university open)
Feb. 16-27 College of Podiatric Medicine Spring Finals (third-year students)
Feb. 18 Ash Wednesday
Feb. 22 Washington’s Birthday
Feb. 25 Employee, Family and Friends women’s basketball vs. The University of Akron at 7 p.m. Get tickets at .
Feb. 27 College of Podiatric Medicine spring classes end (fourth-year students)
Feb. 28 Employee, Family and Friends men’s basketball vs. SUNY Buffalo at 7 p.m. Get tickets at .

Tell Us What You Think

This e-newsletter is designed to keep you, the managers and supervisors, informed. Please take a few minutes to let us know what you think of it, along with any comments or suggestions. You may contact us at managersfeedback@kent.edu. We look forward to hearing from you.
For information about events and programs for university employees, please check out the Faculty and Staff calendar and share the information with your staff.