This is the Evidence Dance Company performing tonight at 7:30 at Schaeffer Auditorium. See more information below.
The Daily Brief
Thursday, February 17, 2011

Announcements

Dr. Diane King and Dr. Christopher Bloh, both of the Department of Special Education, accompanied eight College of Education majors to Cuenca, Ecuador in July, 2010. Dr. King and Dr. Bloh taught at the University of L'Azuay while the students visited area schools. During the trip, Dr. Bloh trekked deep into the rainforest just to get a photo of his Kutztown University sweatshirt in the Amazonian jungle. On Monday, Feb. 21 at 4:30 p.m. in AF102, an informational session on Multicultural Education - Expanding Perspectives: a three-week study abroad summer program to Cuenca-Ecuador will be offered. For more on this opportunity see the story below.

Also, check out Dr. Bloh’s photo log of last year’s visit at www.flickr.com/photos/KutztownUniversity.  

Multicultural Education - Expanding Perspectives: three-week study abroad summer program to Cuenca-Ecuador.  Informational Meeting:  Monday, Feb. 21 at 4:30 p.m. in AF102. Expand your international understanding. Experience another culture. Become a global thinker. Earn six credit hours from the University of Azuay in Cuenca. Students/participants will live with families, take courses, visit schools, and go on cultural excursions during this three-week experience in May/June. For more information, please contact Dr. Nancy Cardenuto, Elementary Education at cardenut@kutztown.edu  or Dr. Diane King, Special Education at  king@kutztown.edu.   
        Dr. Nancy E. Cardenuto, assistant professor
Science, Math, and Technology Open House - Saturday, Mar. 26, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Boehm Science Center - Students interested in majoring in the science, math and technology areas will have the opportunity to talk with students, faculty, and alumni. For further information or to register online for this event, please visit http://www.kutztown.edu/sciopenhouse, or call at x3-4305. If you have any questions, please e-mail Dean Zayaitz, or Anne Imschweiler at the Dean's Office of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Students who are fearful of public speaking will be interested to know that the Speech Department has dedicated section 063 of SPE010 – Fundamentals of Oral Communication to students with public speaking apprehension. The section is scheduled MWF  at 1 p.m. in Rickenbach 238. Enrollment in the dedicated section will be limited. Interested students should please contact Dr. Ron Grapsy, 234B Rickenbach, grapsy@kutztown.edu. Any interested student will need to fill out a brief survey in order to have the hold lifted. Please spread the word!

Deadline approaching for Spring Commencement Speakers - We are seeking outstanding students to offer commencement addresses at the two spring undergraduate ceremonies. In order to be considered for this distinction, a student needs to: have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 entering the spring 2011 semester; demonstrate service to the university community and demonstrate a record of good university citizenship and cooperation; demonstrate evidence of meaningful co-curricular involvement, and be in good disciplinary standing.

In addition, each candidate needs to complete the Senior Class Commencement Speaker application. This application, along with an interview process, will be used to determine the candidates of choice. The chosen candidates will be needed to provide a brief address (approximately three to five minutes) at their respective spring commencement ceremony scheduled for Saturday, May 7. If you know students who you think are excellent representatives of our student body, please encourage them to apply for this honor. The application is available at www.kutztown.edu/divisions/studentservices. The application deadline is Friday, Mar. 4.
         Julianne Nolan, director, Community Relations & Development Services
With sadness, we announce the Feb. 16 passing of former KU Speech & Theater professor Annette Mazzaferri Robertson. More information may be found here: http://www.kutztown.edu/news/brief/2011/February/MazzaferriRobertson,E.Annette.pdf

This week's MSU Movie Series film is Hereafter which will be shown in the McFarland Student Union Alumni Auditorium on Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Admission is free! Check out the MSU movie website for more information. http://www.kutztown.edu/divisions/studentservices/departments/msub/programs/submovies.asp

ACADEMICS
Mathematics Colloquium - "An Introduction to Fractals" with Professor Randy Schaeffer, associate professor of Mathematics, this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. in Boehm Hall 260. Refreshments at 3 p.m.

This presentation will serve as an introduction to the fascinating world of fractals, in particular iterated function systems, mostly from a geometric viewpoint. Attendees will have the opportunity to construct for themselves - without the aid of a computer-some classic examples of fractals, and we will discover just what makes them so interesting!
Please excuse the following students from classes tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 18. They will be speaking to Kutztown High School gifted students representing the KU Honors Program: Katie Bailey, Erin Sior, Julie Phegley, and Alberto Bayron.
        Johanna Forte, director, KU Honors

 2011 PASSHE Distance Education Virtual Conference Tracks for today:

9 - 10 a.m., Student Perceptions of Important Online Instructor Behaviors in Online Courses
11 - noon, Does One Size Fit All? Examining an Online Course Development Training Program for Faculty
1:30 - 2:30 p.m., Taking Your Science Course Online: Approaches for Designing an Effective Online Anatomy & Physiology Course
3 - 4 p.m., How Online Faculty Improve Student Learning Productivity
The conference is free; no registration is required. Wimba room for each conference session: http://passhe2.wimba.com/launcher.cgi?room=Virtual_Conference
        Bo Zigner, instructional designer   
KU Honors presents WORD - an event celebrating your word, our voice on Wednesday, Wed. Apr. 20,  2 - 9 p.m.  in the MSU Alumni Auditorium and Thursday, Apr. 21, 4 - 9 p.m. in the MSU Multipurpose Room.  The keynote speaker,1 Dr. Jonathan Imber Shaw of the KU English Department, presents "Living Languages, Dead Documents," on Wed. Apr. 20, 3 - 4 p.m., in the MSU Alumni Auditorium. If interested in presenting, please contact mbaj474@live.kutztown.edu
D2L Blogs and Wikis - Thursday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m. - noon  or Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2-3 p.m. in the Learning Technologies Center, RL30 in the Rohrbach Library. Attend this workshop to learn how to add a reflective component (blog) or group project workspace (wiki) to your D2L course. To register for this workshop, please contact Eleanor (El) Ambrose, Dept. of Learning Technologies Secretary, at x3-4900 or e-mail El at eambrose@kutztown.edu. One-on-one training can also be arranged by contacting Will Jefferson, Learning Technologies Center Coordinator, at x3-4757 or via e-mail at wjeffers@kutztown.edu. Please visit our website to learn about other upcoming workshops and events at www.kutztown.edu/academics.

ARAMARK

 You can now view the weekly menus for Viewpoints on our website! Visit http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSE/Kutztown/Menus/Viewpoints.htm.  

Viewpoints Menu - Today:  Chicken parmesan, spinach quiche, spaghetti, herbed veggies and cauliflower. Soups of the day are navy bean soup and potato chowder. 

Friday: Baked haddock, Mediterranean wheat pasta, cheesy mashed potatoes, baby corn and Bok Choy and oriental broccoli. Soups of the day are New England clam chowder and cream of tomato. 

In Case You Missed It:
 (Announcements and other information that have previously appeared in the Daily Brief.)


 Think globally - donate locally!  The Presidential Ambassadors are sponsoring a blood drive today, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of MSU.   
        Alta M. Hart, assistant director, Alumni Relations
KU Presents! Evidence, A Dance Company performs tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Schaeffer Auditorium. Praised by The New York Times as "one of the most profound choreographers of his modern dance generation," artistic director Ronald K. Brown blends African, modern, ballet and social dance styles to tell stories that illuminate aspects of the human experience. Through dance, music, movement, and storytelling they provide powerful connections to history and tradition leading deeper into issues of spirituality, community responsibility and liberation.

Brown uses movement as a way to reinforce the importance of community in African American culture and to acquaint audiences with the beauty of traditional African forms and rhythms. Evidence now tours to some 30 communities in the United States annually. It has also traveled overseas to Cuba, Brazil, England, Ireland, France, Greece, Hungary, Mexico and Senegal. In addition to celebrating its 25th anniversary starting in 2010. Evidence performed at the Vancouver International Dance Festival in conjunction with the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. For tickets, please go to the MSU Info desk or online at www.KutztownPresents.org.
        Andrew Cassano, director, KU Presents!
AFSCME Local 2234 Membership meeting - Please join us for this month’s meeting, Monday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m. at Janelle’s Hall, 360 Fleetwood Rd., Bowers.      
Enjoy performances of poetry, short stories, and drama today, at 11 - 11:50 a.m. in Rickenbach Learning Center 106. These students will present the best performances from Dr. Weckerle's  SPE 120:  Oral Interpretation Classes, Fall 2010. Admission is free!  For more information, please contact weckerle@kutztown.edu. 
        Dr. Lisa Weckerle, associate professor, Speech Communication and Theatre

International Mother Language - Come and enjoy a tribute to Mandarin language as it is related to Chinese culture through demonstration of Calligraphy, the zodiac, and performances by Chinese students and faculty.  The event will be held on Monday, Feb. 21, at 6 p.m. in the Alumni Auditorium, MSU. Co-sponsored by Chinese Students and Scholars Association, Lehigh Valley Bangladesh Community, Modern Languages studies, and the Multicultural Center.
        Petritsa Chatzitziva, assistant director, Multicultural Services

 The following 10 women will be representing KU at the annual Northeast Greek Leadership Conference in Hartford, Connecticut from Thursday, Feb. 17-20. The students know they should have spoken with professors individually and made accommodations to make up any missed work. Please excuse these students from classes:  Tiffany Bates, Lauren Bybee, Caitlin Gaultney, Samantha Lecher, Jasmine Lockhart, Ellen Myers, Heather Parsons, Jill Quigley, Brianne Surber, and Zer Yang.
        Jenni Rach, assistant director, Greek Life
Marriage Equality Workshops - Robyn Ochs, nationally recognized author and award-winning activist, will be facilitating two marriage equality workshops today, Feb. 17. “I Now Pronounce You Equal” will be presented at 3 p.m. in the MSU Alumni Auditorium (183) and “Beyond Binaries: Identity and the Sexuality Spectrum” will be presented at 7 p.m. in the MSU Multipurpose Room (218). Students, faculty, staff, alumni and the public are all welcome to attend. These workshops are sponsored by the GLBTQ Resource Center. For more information please call the GLBTQ Resource Center at x6-4111.
Congratulations to J. Frederick Garman, professor with the Department of Human Kinetics, who recently signed an agreement with Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company to publish his text, Sport and Recreation Operations: Experiential Learning in Sports Management.

Take an additional 25% off all pre-stretched painting canvases at the KU Student Bookstore now through Feb. 28. Many sizes available from 5”x5” to 48”x48.” Stock up for the year at these great savings.  
         Bonnie Humes, KU Student Bookstore, art supply buyer
AFSCME Local 2234 Members meeting - We meet the 3rd Monday of every month.  Please join us for this month’s meeting, Monday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m. at Janelle’s Hall, 360 Fleetwood Rd., Bowers.    
        Annette M. Christman

Bursar Office closure notice - The Bursar Office will be closed Friday, Feb. 18 and Friday, Feb. 25 from 8 - 10:30 a.m. for training on the new student information system, PeopleSoft. As always, our secure and locked drop slot is available for payments during that time period. In addition, we will have limited services during the 'go-live' period of time of PeopleSoft scheduled for the end of February through the beginning of March. More information will be shared on our website when available. 
         Wendy A. Pursell, Bursar

The KU Anime Club is attending the Katuscon Convention, in National Harbor, Md. this weekend, leaving Thursday, Feb. 17 at noon, returning Sunday, Feb. 20. Katsucon celebrates the expanding Japanese influence on youth culture worldwide. Through student initiative the KU Anime Club has grown in numbers and raised funds for this, their one annual outing. Any courtesy faculty might extend to these students, including allowing them to make up missed work or assignments will be appreciated. 

Attendees: Timothy Kelly, Lauren Gillespie, Zach Metz, Zach Lubow, Amy Smith, Sebastian Treciak, Abraham Klein, Samantha Thomas, Job Tazik, Samantha Kopelow, Ian Sweesey, Heather Stephenson, Victoria Grohoski, Katelynn Mallon, Nick Eck, Jerry Riccio, Laura Emert, Geronimo Santillan, Derek Columbus, Melissa Jacobson, Abbey Howe, Courtney Hafner, Mia Andersen, Lee Fehrs, Daniel Wesgatt, Kristen Schappell, Eliza Frederic, Mark Weaver, Max Stubenrauch, Mark Benton, Nicole Rodolico, Daniel Jungkind, Brenda Proctor, Daniel Gable, Andrew Winfield, Chrissy Welikonich, Santiago Benham, Laura Weaver, Kyle Liley, Kristen DiSanza, Kevin Rockwell.
        Kevin McCloskey, faculty advisor, Communication Design

PASSHE Student Certification reminder - This notice is not for AFSCME or SCUPA employees (members of PEBTF).  PASSHE student certification forms were sent out via email on January 24, 2011 to employees with dependent students over age 19.  Certification forms and National Clearinghouse or Registrar verification of full-time status for Spring, 2011 semester are due back in H.R. by February 28, 2011 to ensure uninterrupted coverage for your dependent.  If forms are not received, dependent coverage will be ended retroactively to January 1, 2011 and COBRA notification will be issued.  As always, if your dependent is no longer a FT student, H.R. should be promptly notified. Questions addressed to Ask HR a Question will be replied to promptly. 
        Jean E. Adam, benefits manager