Daily Brief

Governor Shapiro Announces New Partnership with Google, PASSHE to Train and Expand Commonwealth’s Workforce for High-Growth Jobs

In keeping with his commitment to expand workforce development efforts across the commonwealth, Governor Josh Shapiro announced Tuesday, Aug. 29, a new public-private partnership between Google and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) that makes industry-recognized Google Career Certificates available to students and the public to help them secure good-paying jobs.

News and Media web page

University Relations

President Hawkinson's Welcome Back Message

Check out President Hawkinson's video message recorded for the University's social media channels last week.

https://youtu.be/82d2z8zlyLA

Kayla Hudak , University Relations

Student and Professor Win Award for Best Paper

Dr. Greg Shelley, department chair, psychology, and senior Michelle Kenstler won the Best Paper Award for “Love of Nature in Time of Climate Change: Examining Eco-Anxiety, Nature-Relatedness, and Resilience Among Environmental Science Majors” at the International Organization of Social Sciences and Behavioral Research (IOSSB) Summer 2023 Conference. Congratulations!

University Relations

Professional Development Committee 2023-24 Guidelines

The Professional Development Committee 2023-2024 guidelines are now available. The Professional Development Committee reviews proposals on an as-needed basis, university calendar and other professional obligations permitting. All applications are considered in the order in which they are received. For all categories, proposals must be submitted prior to the activity, program, event or course for which support is being requested. Please follow the link below for more information.

Professional Development Guidelines

Heather Arbuckle, Office of Grants and Sponsored Projects

KUR Speaks with Jason Graver

KUR recently spoke with Jason Graver, who maintains the Kutztown University historical displays at the Old Main Concourse. This approximately six-minute interview podcast details Jason’s background and how he became involved with this project, some of what can be found at the displays, and how listeners can get in touch with information on any historical artifacts they may possess dealing with KU history. KUR plans to maintain contact with Jason over the coming months and years with information on updates and refreshes to the display.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/27Vwj1hu962AGfepnnarCd?si=0bc353df6cfb451d

Mike Regensburger, Kutztown University Radio

10th Annual Reading Fightin' Phils LGBT PrideNight

Join KU at the 10th Annual Reading Fightin' Phils LGBT PrideNight: Reading Fightin Phils vs. Portland Sea Dogs at FirstEnergy Stadium, Reading, Pa., Tuesday, Sept. 5. The Reading Fightin Phils are a Minor League Baseball team based in Reading, Pa., playing in the Northeast Division of the Eastern League. 
- Faculty, staff and students can pick up free game tickets at the Boxwood House or at the MSU Information Desk.
- Bus departs MSU Parking Lot at 5:30 p.m. Limited bus seating available. If interested, register for the free bus on Engage. 
- Game time is at 6:45 p.m.

https://engage.kutztown.edu/event/9170884

Diane Biehl, LGBTQ+ Resource Center

Boxwood Bash Open House Event

Join us to chill out at the Boxwood Bash, 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept 6, Boxwood House. Faculty, staff and all students are invited to tour the house, where the Women's Center and LGBTQ+ Resource Center are located, and to learn about our services, resources and upcoming programs. Also, check out the student clubs that we work with at Boxwood which include: FLMA, Allies, It's On Us and learn how to get involved. There will also be a Kona Ice truck, music, food, games, giveaways, crafting and more.

https://engage.kutztown.edu/event/9203403

Diane Biehl, Women's Center and LGBTQ+ Resource Center

Faculty Promotion Informational Meetings

This semester the University Promotion Committee (UPC) will offer three virtual informational sessions to discuss promotion related issues and address any concerns. The procedures and required documents for tenure and promotion have changed from previous years, so we strongly encourage any promotion candidate to attend this meeting, as well as department chairs and DPC chairs. The members of the University Tenure Committee will also be available. The meetings will be held on Zoom at https://kutztown.zoom.us/j/8962249170 on the following dates:
- 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 14
- 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20
- 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 12

Nicole Johnson, Special Education

Faculty and Advisors - Excused Absence for Military Students

Due to increased unit missions, some actively serving students are required to attend extended military training this fall semester, either during the first two weeks of class or throughout the semester. Affected students will make every effort to provide their professors documentation for their military-related absence in advance of their duty. These students should be marked "excused absence for military duty." Faculty members should make every effort to provide an alternative opportunity or offer equivalent credit for a student to complete missed coursework due to a military-related absence, without prejudicial influence. Contact KU Military & Veterans Services for assistance, 610-683-4228.

https://www.kutztown.edu/about-ku/administrative-offices/military-and-veterans-services/policies-and-legislation.html

T. Brown, Military & Veterans Services

Call to Faculty for Non-Credit AI Practical Use in the Workplace Workshop

The Office of Extended Learning is interested in offering a lunch and learn, free, noncredit workshop on "Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: An Introduction to Using AI at Work."  This workshiop is for faculty and staff who want to learn the basics of AI and will provide tips for incorporating AI tools into daily operations. If you are interested in facilitating and have the expertise to teach this workshop, please contact Lori at 610-683-4478.

https://www.kutztown.edu/about-ku/administrative-offices/extended-learning.html

Lori Lentz, Office of Extended Learning

Please Excuse Students Attending Adirondack Field Trip

Please excuse the following students from class on Thursday, Aug. 31 and Friday, Sept. 1.  These students will be traveling on a five-day geology field trip to the Adirondack Mountains to learn how chemicals in nature interact to form rocks (subterranean flow of mineral-rich natural springs through fractured aquifers, superheated geothermal waters that eat marble and deposit crystals, molten magmas that freeze many miles deep underground, and the brute-force recrystallization in the unfathomable heat and pressure of metamorphism). These students will return circa 10 p.m. Monday, Sept. 4, so should be in class Tuesday. They will probably still be pretty tired.
Cassidy Bordonaro, Isaias Caba, Jamie Cook, Tyler Glass, Willow Grimaldi, Jessica Lackey,  Thomas Long, Fred Martin Jr., Todd Messner, Venus-Gene Miller, Joaquin Perez, Joshua Scherer, Jake Simins, and Maddy Will.

https://www.kurtfriehauf.org/

Kurt Friehauf, Department of Physical Science