For PEBTF members (AFSCME & SCUPA) - PEBTF’s Get Healthy Program Health Assessment period will run from Apr. 1 through Apr. 22. PEBTF-covered employees and their spouses/domestic partners are strongly encouraged to take the Health Assessment online. Paper Health Assessments are available for those PEBTF-covered employees and their covered spouses/domestic partners who cannot or do not want to take it online. The deadline for ordering a paper health assessment from PEBTF at 800-522-7279 is Apr. 5.
        Jean E. Adam, benefits manager, HR

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This message is intended for APSCUF Faculty and Coaches only: As a result of the tentative agreement via collective bargaining, H.R. will be holding sessions on the Voluntary Retirement Incentive Program for eligible faculty and coaches. Information regarding the VRIP as well the dates and times for informational sessions can be found on the H.R. website. Please email jadam@kutztown.edu with your preferred session as seating for each session is limited.
        Jean E. Adam, benefits manager, HR

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The Waldorf Education Study Group is offering a free lecture Saturday, Mar. 16, 1 p.m. at the Kutztown Community Library. Join us for a discussion with Thomas Roemer, who has been a grades 1-8 teacher at Prairie Hill Waldorf School in Wisconsin, and is the parent of five children who have attended Kimberton Waldorf School in Pennsylvania. We will reflect upon the following questions: "How would we like the education of children in our care at this time to be the same or different from the education which we experienced as children?" and "How might we best prepare our children to meet the needs of their future?"
        Carrie Nordlund, associate professor, Art Education

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 On Saturday, Mar. 16, thirty-three Kutztown students will be leaving for the Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program. They will spend a week building houses with Habitat for Humanity in TN, WV, and NC. They have each paid a program fee and participated in fundraisers for the opportunity to do service for others for the week. They will be staying in cabins, church basements, etc. Every year we like to send each group (4 groups) of students with a token of appreciation and to show support from the staff and faculty of Kutztown University. If you would like to participate we welcome a variety of snacks (granola bars, trail mix packets, crackers) and drink boxes (the type to go in lunch boxes) that they can take to the work sites each day, as well as breakfast items (breakfast bars, pop tarts, fruit, cereal-on-the-go boxes/bowels, etc.) that they can eat before they leave each morning. If you would like to contribute items, please bring them to the Community Outreach Center  in MSU, anytime this week, Mar. 11-15. Any amount is welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.
        Jerry W. Schearer, assistant dean, New Student Programs

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Kutztown University's College of Business and Dean, Dr. William Dempsey, hosted a welcome reception for international scholar Dr. Jun-yi Ren on Tuesday. Dr. Ren, a professor of Management Science at Yantai University in China, will conduct research at KU through August 2013. If you would like to welcome Dr. Ren to campus, please e-mail him at cont-ren@kutztown.edu.

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National Student Exchange (NSE) placements for 2013-2014 have been completed. Please join us in congratulating Thalia Cepeda for her placement at Florida International University in spring 2014 and Shannon Wilson for her placement at the University of Hawaii at Manoa for fall 2013 and University of New Mexico for spring 2014. KU will also potentially host NSE students from Minnesota State University Moorhead, Sonoma State University (California), University of Northern Iowa, and University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in the 2013-2014 academic year. Placements are still available for 2013-2014, so please encourage your students to consider this program for a unique study away experience. More information is available at www.nse.org and interested students can email studyaway@kutztown.edu to get started.
        Nicole Becker, assistant director, International Admissions

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Kutztown University Writing Center offers Get Real: Rocking the Standardized Essay Test workshop. Are your students dreading the GRE, PAPA, LSAT, GMAT, or MCAT? Tell them to register now for a free hour-long workshop with the KU Writing Center and learn exactly what those test readers expect. Tuesday, Mar. 26, 11 a.m.- noon in OM 132. Limited space. Students may reserve a seat by emailing or calling wrcenter@kutztown.edu  or x3-4733.
        Amanda Morris, director, University Writing Center

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