Since the beginning of the summer season, a few things have taken place on and around Kent State University’s campus. Here are a few updates that you may have missed.

Medical school breaks ground for new building, changes name

Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy broke ground May 17 for a $42 million Research and Graduate Education building on its Rootstown campus. The four-story, 80,000-square-foot building will help the medical school work toward its goals in research, commercialization and job creation.

The new building will accommodate research teams focused on diagnosis and treatment of common medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and arthritis. The school expects the new facility to be complete in 18 months.

NEOUCOM is also in the process of a name change. On April 29, Gov. John Kasich approved the university’s new name, Northeast Ohio Medical University. According to its website, reasons for the decision to change the name include the university’s growth from a single College of Medicine to a three-college university and its current work on a new strategic plan that will address opportunities for funding and growth.

“It’s been in the works for awhile,” said Heather Bing, a public relations and marketing specialist for the university. “It went through the House to the Senate and finally to Governor Kasich.”

The university will officially launch the new name Aug. 15.

The new pharmacy program’s first students graduated on May 21. The graduating pharmacy class had 61 members.

KSU director emeritus of communication studies dies at age 79

Kent State Professor Emeritus and Director Emeritus of Communication Studies D. Ray Heisey, Ph.D., died May 20 after battling thyroid cancer. He was 79. Heisey was recognized for his contributions to intercultural communication, and he initiated different exchange programs between Kent State and universities in England, Sweden, Poland and China.

In May 1997, Heisey received the Presidents Medal, presented and proclaimed by the Kent State University Board of Trustees for his 30 years of service and dedication to the university. Heisey is survived by his wife, sister, three sons and their families and a host of nieces and nephews.

Kent State names new dean of College of Public Health

Starting July 1, Dr. Sonia Alemagno, professor of health policy and management, will be the new dean for the College of Public Health. Alemagno joined the Kent State staff in 2009 to assist with development of this new college. She previously served as chair of the Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies and director of the Institute for Health and Social Policy at the University of Akron.

Alemagno has a master of arts in sociology from Kent State and a doctor of philosophy degree in medical sociology from Case Western Reserve University.

Kent State’s dorms “going green”

Twenty-eight residence halls on Kent State’s campus are “going green” with the help of $20 million in low-interest bonds from the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority. The university estimates the project will save more than $1.8 million per year in energy and water bills. To make the residence halls more energy efficient, work this summer will include new lighting, special equipment and mechanical system upgrades that will assist in automatically saving energy in the buildings.

Contact Summer Kent Stater managing editor Raytevia Evans at [email protected].