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COACH Survey Commences

For all full-time tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty

Last week, full-time faculty were invited to participate in a survey of faculty job satisfaction. Although there are many surveys that faculty are asked to complete, this one is unique because it was designed entirely to examine current job satisfaction compared to faculty at peer institutions. This survey research is part of a national program called the , which has been operating from the Harvard Graduate School of Education since 2003. Other climate studies conducted at �鶹��Ƶ have focused on all faculty, students, and staff. In contrast, COACHE specifically focuses on faculty themes including, but not limited to, department engagement, mentoring, research, shared governance and tenure and promotion.

Participation entails completing a 25-minute, web-based survey; a unique link to the survey is emailed to faculty directly from COACHE. To protect confidentiality and guarantee that the results of this survey cannot influence personnel decisions about individual faculty members, institutional research staff will disseminate survey results only with data aggregated in cells of five respondents or more, so that individual faculty and individual departments cannot be identified.

We welcome this opportunity to learn from an independent, research-driven, comparative study. Faculty views are especially important as �鶹��Ƶ strives to attract and retain the best and brightest scholars and teachers and increase the satisfaction of all faculty. We believe that �鶹��Ƶ has the potential to be one of the best places for scholars to work, and with your help we can learn how best to support that goal. However, data from the COACHE study will be meaningful only if we have broad participation.

Thank you in advance for helping us through your participation in this study.

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Dr. Susan Perry, Assistant Provost, Accreditation, Assessment and Learning at sperry31@kent.edu or 330-672-3931, or COACHE at coachefaculty@abtassociates.com.

Pan African Faculty and Staff Association Celebrates 50th Anniversary

The Pan African Faculty and Staff Association (PAFSA) is one of �鶹��Ƶ’s seven Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), and one of the oldest organizations of its kind in the our country. Celebrating 50 years of advocacy and service, PAFSA was founded in 1972 by the Institute for African American Affairs. The name changed to the department of Pan-African Studies, now the Department of Africana Studies. The Institute was established in 1969 under the directorship  Edward W. Crosby, Ph.D., with the assistance of other staff members.

The organization was formed to promote employment, participation in university affairs, and the intellectual contributions of the Pan-African community toward the growth and success of �鶹��Ƶ. The association is open to all faculty and staff. Its primary goal is to build communications and promote diversity, equality and inclusion in education and employment throughout our eight-campus system. 

According to the Harvard Business Review, ERGs have served and supported the culture of organizations in our country since the 1970s. They are usually organized around a shared identity like race, gender and age, and serve as a haven of belonging, offering a space for underrepresented employees to find one another, reduce the sense of isolation, and experience a reprieve from the daily aggressions they may endure in the workplace. A formal validation process from leadership is extremely important.

ERGs bring many benefits to organizations, including identifying and developing internal organizers, which can lead to higher retention rates. They also educate employees, including senior leaders, through internal events and employee panels. Additionally, they may help companies recruit and retain underrepresented individuals and develop a talent pipeline.

Heart Disease in Men & Women: A Survivor's Story & Call to Action 

Do you know what causes heart disease in women? What about women’s survival rate? Or whether women of all ethnicities share the same risk?

The fact is, heart disease is the number one killer of women, causing one in three deaths each year. That’s approximately one woman every minute! Heart disease doesn’t affect all women in the same way, and the warning signs for women aren’t the same for men. Heart disease is also the leading cause of death for men of most racial/ethnic groups, killing nearly one in four in the U.S. What’s more, these facts only begin to scratch the surface of the devastating effects of heart disease. 

Come and hear Christi Eberhardt’s firsthand encounter with heart disease and her incredible survival story, along with the key components that have given her a second chance in life. You’ll also learn what you can do in the way of self-care and how �鶹��Ƶ is responding to the need for increased awareness and CPR training. 

Join Christi and Employee Wellness for this special virtual presentation on Friday, February 25, from noon – 1 p.m. All full- and part-time faculty and staff are eligible to join this webinar. In addition, full-time, benefits-eligible employees can earn 10 points toward Tier 2 of the wellness rewards program. .  

For questions related to wellness offerings for �鶹��Ƶ faculty and staff, please contact the Employee Wellness office at 330-672-0392 or wellness@kent.edu. 

Share Your Ideas for the �鶹��Ƶ Sustainability Plan

�鶹��Ƶ is developing its first comprehensive campus sustainability plan, and your input is needed!

Please take a few moments to complete the “.” This survey is designed to engage the campus community in the development process of the sustainability plan by gathering feedback on specific sustainability initiatives. You will have the opportunity to share what you think are the most important focus areas for our campus and provide additional comments. Deadline to participate is Friday, February 18.

For more information, contact Melanie Knowles at 330-672-8039, or email mknowle1@kent.edu.

What is the Purpose of the Reporting Line for Fraud and Fiscal Abuse?

�鶹��Ƶ is responsible for the stewardship of university resources and is committed to the highest standards of fiscal responsibility. The reporting line provides a formalized mechanism to communicate concerns related to fraud and fiscal abuse. The university's reporting line was recently enhanced with , which provides another option for reporting fraud and fiscal abuse.

Employees are encouraged to discuss concerns with a supervisor, department head or another appropriate university official. If this is not a viable option or if you believe your concerns have not been addressed after reporting fiscal fraud or abuse, reports may be communicated through the reporting line provided by an independent company, and can be accessed 24/7 by calling (800) 683-5621.

Individuals making a report have the option to remain anonymous. Individuals who engage in good faith disclosure of a suspected violation are protected from retaliation in accordance with university policy 7-02.9, Administrative policy for reporting and investigating fraud and fiscal abuse.

For more details on reporting concerns of fraud and fiscal abuse, visit the university’s Internal Audit website for Reporting Fraud and Fiscal Abuse.

Medical Advocacy Available Through Impact Solutions

One of the many services provided by your Impact Solutions Employee Assistance and Work/Life Program is medical advocacy. 

It can be frustrating to understand and navigate all the choices available through the health care system. That is why Impact Solutions offers medical advocacy. Impact’s advocates can help interpret medical information related to claims, coverage, and medical diagnosis. They can also assist with insurance navigation, care transition, medical appointment preparation, discharge planning, and more. Call Impact 24/7 at 800-227-6007 to get connected with an advocate. 

Impact's services are confidential and provided by credentialed professionals. All �鶹��Ƶ employees, household members, dependents in and away from home, and parents/parents-in-law are eligible for the services available through Impact. Learn more. 

For questions related to wellness offerings for �鶹��Ƶ faculty and staff, please contact the Employee Wellness office at 330-672-0392 or wellness@kent.edu. 

Does My University-sponsored Health Plan with Medical Mutual Cover Me When I Travel Abroad?

Yes. Your health plan will cover you when you are abroad, but you need to take action too. When you receive medical treatment in another country, you may be asked to pay for the service at the time it is rendered. To receive reimbursement for medical treatment (emergency or non-emergency) received outside the United States, you must call AXA Assistance, Medical Mutual's travel assistance coordinator.

You can reach AXA Assistance by calling (800) 207-9912, toll free, or (630) 616-4573, collect. In the event of an Emergency Medical Condition where it is not possible to call AXA Assistance prior to, or during, the course of your emergency treatment in a foreign country, you may submit the claim to Medical Mutual directly for reimbursement. If you need to submit the claim directly to Medical Mutual, be sure to obtain an itemized bill from the Provider at the time of service, with the bill translated into the English language and dollar amounts converted to the current rate of exchange. No coverage or reimbursement is available for non-Emergency Medical Conditions that are treated in a foreign country unless you receive prior approval from AXA Assistance. In addition, all services rendered must be eligible for coverage in accordance with the benefits described in your plan.

For questions about your plan or benefits, please contact a Medical Mutual representative at (800) 382-5729 (TTY/TDD 711 for hearing impaired). For general questions regarding your employee benefits, you may contact the Employee Benefits Office at 330-672-3107 or benefits@kent.edu or you can visit our website at /hr/benefits.