President’s Newsletter: July 2026

From the Desk of Dr. Philip Cavalier

President of Kutztown University

President's Update

Summer is officially here and I hope everyone is finding time for some rest and relaxation. We miss the hustle and bustle of students on campus but be assured our community at KU is active and preparing for the start of a new year.

I started my summer by participating in our study abroad program in Ireland in May – one of the best experiences I've had in my career. This was faculty work and student engagement at the highest level. I had a chance to not only participate in events in Belfast and Derry, but also to observe students in each of the three classes. I was so impressed by how fully engaged our students were, and how polished and high-level of an experience our faculty have built for our students (kudos to Dr. Eric Johnson, Dr. Jason Lanter and Dr. Andrew Vogel). This is the kind of high-impact experiential learning opportunity I want all our students to have access to.

Summer is the ideal time to renovate our campus infrastructure. The full renovation of Keystone Hall is underway, with expected completion in 2028. We are refreshing the brick on the exterior of Old Main, a multi-year process to keep our oldest building strong. Johnson Hall renovations continue with expected move in this August.

We expect to get clarity on tuition rates for our Pennsylvania undergraduate students this month at the State System (PASSHE) Board of Governors Meeting. Students can reference our website for financial planning.

The search for our next dean of the College of Business was a tremendous success, thanks to the impressive work of our search committee. We had a very strong pool of candidates and ultimately, Dr. Deborah Kidder is going to bring us critical external relations experience for the college with a strong background as a dean. Welcome to KU, Dean Kidder.

We named Matt Assad our permanent vice president for Administration and Finance in June. Matt's leadership and strategic thinking will lead him to a long and successful career at KU.

When we go through a search process, it is imperative that we find the best possible candidate for our university. Our next vice president for Enrollment Management will play a critical role in our future, and I felt that our recent search did not produce the candidate to lead this area. A new search will resume in the fall, with hopes of welcoming a new vice president in 2027.

One of my top priorities when I arrived at KU last July was to aggressively work with the KU Foundation to fundraise. There are good signs our work is paying dividends, as we achieved the highest fundraising year in our history this past fiscal year. We've invested a tremendous amount of time and effort this past year to share our vision and embrace the positive energy that is felt across our campus.

Our presence continues to increase in Reading, including through a new partnership with Santander Arena. Fans attending events, concerts and sporting events in the coming academic year will see the newly branded Bears Den, along with additional advertising throughout the arena. It's important for us to emphasize our presence in, and commitment to serving Reading, and we will continue to pursue opportunities to serve our community.

Next week marks my one-year anniversary at KU (July 7). This experience continues to dramatically exceed my expectations, and every day I get more excited about working to enhance the tremendous potential our university has to offer.

Dr. Phil Cavalier

Division Updates

Academic Affairs

After a long series of discussions with the U.S. Department of Education, KU has been approved to utilize funds from the Title III grant to create two additional sensory rooms on campus for student use. Spaces have been selected in the Rohrbach Library and Old Main. These rooms will complement the current room in Rothermel Hall and will be available for use by any KU student. Work to prepare the spaces for use is underway, with a goal that students will begin to have these offerings available in Fall 2026. Sensory rooms at KU and beyond provide space and tools that promote students' ability to manage sensory challenges and develop their processing skills.

Administration & Finance

Campus is in full swing this summer, with several visible improvements and planning efforts underway to support the upcoming academic year and the university's long-term needs. Work includes replacement of aging steam pipes, building envelope repairs and restoration at Old Main, resurfacing of several parking lots and the completion of the life-cycle renovation of Johnson Hall, which will return for the Fall 2026 semester. Construction has also begun on the life-cycle renovation of Keystone Hall, an 18‑month project. In addition, a new digital parking payment system is being implemented in the MSU lot, replacing previous meters and improving convenience for students and visitors. Additionally, Amazon lockers have been installed near Dixon Hall and University Place to provide added convenience for residential students.

This summer also marks the launch of a comprehensive space utilization study, the first step in our Facilities Master Plan, to better understand how campus spaces are used and how they can support future academic, student life and operational needs. The university has partnered with SmithGroup to lead this effort, with an initial campus visit in July and broader engagement planned for the fall. The study will assess classroom and office usage, scheduling patterns and overall space efficiency to identify opportunities to optimize existing space, inform capital planning and align with enrollment trends and program priorities.

KU Foundation

Save the dates for the eighth annual 1866 Giving Challenge, Oct. 20-21, when the KU community will unite to support today's Golden Bears – because together, we're GOLDEN. That weekend, we look forward to welcoming alumni, students and families to Homecoming 2026, Oct. 23-24. Registration opens Friday, July 31. We also encourage faculty and staff to update their contact information with the Kutztown University Foundation. Keeping your information current helps us stay connected and ensure you receive the latest Foundation news, events and opportunities.

Student Affairs

Productive discussions have led to new ideas and reframed thinking that will positively impact and improve experiences for our students, families and the greater community. The recent "all-hands" meeting on June 25 invited the campus community to learn more about the summer orientation program and how everyone plays a role in welcoming our new students and families. Further, an invitation will go out in July for the next "all-hands" meeting Monday, Aug. 17 to prepare for Move-in, Convocation and Welcome Week. Finally, our Traditions, Events and Programs workgroup has streamlined the fall events calendar to better promote collaboration and resource sharing across the university. Let's continue to look critically at our programs and processes to promote efficiency and effectiveness.

University Relations & Athletics

Golden Bear fall sports schedules for football, field hockey, women's soccer and women's volleyball are now available at the KU Athletics website. The three-time defending PSAC champion KU football team will begin the season 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3 at Assumption. Football will host five regular season home games in 2026 including Family Day, Sept. 26, vs. PSAC East rival Shepherd and Homecoming, Oct. 24, vs. division rival West Chester. Lackawanna College, based in Scranton, Pa., has joined the Eastern Division and will visit KU for the first time Saturday, Oct. 10. After opening at Adelphi Thursday, Sept. 3, Golden Bear field hockey will look to extend its regular season winning streak with back-to-back home games against Saint Michael’s and Southern Connecticut State Sept. 5-6. Women's soccer starts on the road at Lackawanna and powerhouse Shepherd before hosting rival East Stroudsburg Wednesday, Sept. 9. Women's volleyball will host Goldey-Beacom in its home opener Wednesday, Sept. 2, after four matches to open the season at the D'Youville Tournament. With the Keystone Hall renovation underway, women's volleyball will play all home matches at Brandywine Heights High School in nearby Mertztown. KU cross country, tennis and women's golf will also have contests in September; final schedules will be posted on the KU Athletics website. We look forward to seeing you as we cheer on our Golden Bear student-athletes in the year ahead.

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