Governance

This governance website is intended to be, for everyone in the Kutztown University Community, a one-stop location for reviewing policies and policy makers related to the operation of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, a member of The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education that consists of 14 state-owned universities. 

The linked topics provided contain a context for understanding the decision making process and select items represent the various facets of the KU Shared Governance System, as they include elements that are unique to Kutztown University. The Policy Register is a listing of local policies and procedures that govern every area of activity at the university. How you utilize this information will vary depending on your role at the University; we hope this information will  provide clarity about university governance for faculty members, administrators, professional staff members, students, parents,  alumni, or others interested in Kutztown University.

Changing a Policy or Creating a New Policy

As a general rule, to change a policy, one must follow the approval process used to create the current policy in effect in the Policy Register. To create a new policy you must examine the governance structure to determine which body or bodies would have jurisdiction. The organizational chart showing the Shared Governance Structure will give some indication of which body initiated certain policies or which one should create new policies. You should pay attention not only to the bodies linked directly to the University Senate, APSCUF Representative Council, and Administrative Council, but to the staff committees at the bottom of the screen. By clicking on the various bodies, you can view each one's current membership structure. Sometimes consulting a member is the most effective way to learn about what they do and how they operate. This chart with live links allows you to quickly identify who is on the committees you would like to learn about.

Faculty, Staff, and Students Getting Involved

The structure and description of each governance body's work and/or jurisdiction provides information helpful to anyone interested in serving on these bodies. This includes faculty, students, and staff. The Committee on Committees makes faculty and staff appointments to Governance Committees, and informs the Student Government Board of vacancies to be filled by students. Each spring the Committee on Committees solicits volunteers to serve on Governance Committees. Interested faculty and staff may complete the Willingness-to-Serve form that is available through Profs Online. This produces a list of volunteers for filling vacancies. One could also volunteer at any time at the University Senate Office in Old Main or emailing any Senate Officer.

APSCUF Representative Council not only approves changes to bylaws for the four major contract committees (Promotion, Tenure, Sabbatical, and Curriculum), but also has a committee structure of its own that does not appear on the Shared Governance Structure organization chart. Listed on the APSCUF-KU website, these include Academic Concerns, Athletics, Audit, Black Faculty Liaison, Bylaws, Coaches, Gender Issues, Grievance, Health & Welfare, Legislative, Meet & Discuss, Membership, Negotiations, Nominations, Public Relations, Retirement, Student Liaison, and Temporary Faculty. Faculty members do not have to be members of the APSCUF Rep Council in order to serve on these committees. Contact the APSCUF-KU office in Beekey Hall either in person, by phone or email.

Faculty members wishing to serve may do so as their academic department's representative to the University Senate or to the APSCUF Rep Council. These representatives would be your best source of information as to how these bodies work and where energetic committee members are needed. Being elected as the department representative to either the Senate or Rep Council is a good first step to getting involved.

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

Annual Safety and Security Report Fire Safety Report

Kutztown University is committed to assisting all members of the community in providing for their own safety and security.

  • Annual safety and security report and crime statistics
  • Fire safety and fire statistics

The annual safety and security report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on-campus, in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Kutztown University, and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. These reports also include institutional policies concerning campus security and fire safety awareness, inclusive of policies concerning sexual assault.

To obtain a copy of the annual safety and security report, please contact:
Kutztown University Public Safety & Police Services
15200 Kutztown Road, P.O. Box 730
Kutztown, PA 19530
p: 610-683-4002
f: 610-683-1530
publicsafety@kutztown.edu

To obtain a copy of the fire safety report, please contact:
Kutztown University Environmental Health and Safety
15200 Kutztown Road, P.O. Box 730
Kutztown, PA 19530
p: 610-683-4050
f: 610-683-4686
firesafety@kutztown.edu