Recordpub.com - ALONG THE WAY: Colin McEwen

By Colin McEwen

Visitors to Kent State University may have noticed a new welcome mat at the intersection of Main and Lincoln streets painted on the thoroughfare in the school's blue and gold.

The pedestrian crossing at South Lincoln Street is located at the northeast entrance to the university. Inside the white-striped crosswalk is a large navy rectangle, with "KSU" in the middle in gold block letters.

Kent Service Director Gene Roberts said the crosswalk was a collaborative effort of the city and KSU. The university picked up the tab for the long-lasting thermal plastic and the city carried out the work.

The plastic was torched onto the pavement last week, making the special crosswalk more durable than the typical painting, Roberts said.

Typically, the paint in a restriping project -- such as a crosswalk -- might only last one to two years. The new crosswalk is expected to last for at least seven years.

And, it looks good. That helps.

"I think it's a great introduction to the university," Roberts said. "Instead of restriping the crosswalk, it's bigger and bolder. It's a good thing."

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The university might need that nice crosswalk for its upcoming celebration.

KSU is getting ready for its 100th birthday, with a massive fund-raising campaign for excellence in academics to mark the occasion.

There are also plans in the works for a giant party.

The KSU Office of Donor Relations recently sent out letters to area business and organizations to donate $1,000 for a planned $80,000 celebration. Even Kent City Council, on behalf of the city of Kent, was asked to toss $1,000 into the hat (the city has yet to respond).

The KSU Office of Institutional Advancement and the KSU Centennial Campaign are already planning for the next 100 years.

Ron Pizzuti, the KSU Centennial Campaign Chair, said in a statement that the goal of the campaign is to raise $250 million for endowments, capital projects and current operating funds -- with emphasis on student scholarships.

Already, individuals, foundations and corporations have committed to $154.9 million through outright and planned gifts, bequests and grants. Supporters have endowed 322 new funds, including 261 new scholarships.

"In the current economic climate, it might seem difficult to embark upon this effort," Pizzuti said. "But our momentum is strong, as university staff and volunteers have been working on the quiet phase of the Centennial Campaign for the past few years."

Specifics on the fund-raising effort, as well as detailed plans about the party, are not yet available. Stay tuned.

KSU President Lester Lefton may have said it best recently, discussing the university's centennial plans with the university's Board of Trustees.

"We only turn 100 once," he said.

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A university-wide reception took place Monday afternoon to honor the 151 faculty and staff leaving KSU as part of the University Employee Separation Plan.

The reception, which took place in the Kent Student Center Ballroom, was an opportunity to say farewell to employees taking part in the plan. About half of the employees who accepted the buyout attended the reception.

Faculty and staff at KSU with 15 or more years of service were given the option in March to leave the university in the separation plan.

The separation plan is expected to save the university about $2 million. Of the 151 people, two-thirds are staff members and about 50 are faculty.

Officials do not yet know the number of employees who will be asked to stay, so there is not yet a firm dollar figure attached to the cost savings.

"If we can even reduce our expenditure budget by $2 million, then we will have been successful," President Lefton said.