President’s Newsletter: October 2025

From the Desk of Dr. Philip Cavalier

President of Kutztown University

President's Update

We’ve settled into the heart of the fall semester. Our campus is vibrant and active, with new activities happening every day.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve attended some fantastic campus events that offered excellent opportunities to engage with our students and others from the campus community. The Rock the Lawn concerts behind Schaeffer Auditorium featured incredible performances from our Music students. I attended a class in our Visual Impairment program; thank you to Dr. Nicole Johnson for the invitation. The Bienvenidos celebration and sofrito cooking demonstration hosted by the Multicultural Center were highlights as well.

I’m looking forward to my first Homecoming at KU this weekend. I’ve heard so much about the energy and fun this tradition brings, and I can’t wait to meet alumni and families of students as we enjoy a memorable weekend and a strong Golden Bear tradition.

Earlier this month, we hosted the Middle States Evaluation Team for our university review. I am deeply grateful to our Middle States Steering Committee (Dr. Karen Rauch, Dr. Gregory Shelley, Michael Demetor, Dr. Krista Prock, Tammy Wert) and everyone who participated in the accreditation self-study process and hosted our visiting team. Your hard work and dedication were evident throughout their visit. I was blown away by the outstanding student research projects showcased during the opening reception – our students represented KU with sophistication and confidence. The visiting committee shared glowing feedback about our hospitality and campus spirit. We’re looking forward to learning the outcome of the visit from the Middle States Commission in the spring.

We are in the heart of recruitment season, and our Admissions team is hard at work. I’ve met principals, guidance counselors and superintendents from across Berks and Lehigh counties and one thing is clear – our Admissions team has done a tremendous job building strong, supportive relationships that help students and their families navigate the college application process with confidence. It was fun meeting families at our first Snack and Submit Instant Decision Day, Thursday, Oct. 2, where students discovered their scholarships and began picturing themselves as Golden Bears.

Our renewed outreach efforts in the city of Reading and the surrounding communities have been very well received. We’re currently planning an event to bring Reading High School students and their families to campus — an exciting opportunity to show them everything that makes KU special.

We will begin the search for a new vice president for Enrollment Management in November, with the goal of having a permanent leader in place by March to contribute to the conversion of admits this spring, while also leading planning efforts for next fall’s admissions cycle.

It was wonderful to see such strong attendance at our recent Town Hall meetings – it surpassed my expectations. The conversations provided specific issues that concern our students, faculty and staff. Stay tuned for details about our November Town Halls.

And yes — I had a great time (and a few laughs) filming my first Instagram video with the Golden Bear women’s lacrosse team. Even though I took a tumble in goal, it was worth it for the chance to connect and have fun with our students.

My best wishes to everyone as we enter the second half of the semester. I hope to see you at one of the many events and activities happening on campus.

Phil (Dr. Cav)

Division Updates

Academic Affairs

University service is a crucial part of a campus that reaches its mission and a community characterized by collaborative efforts. In recognition of this, three new awards are being implemented this year: Faculty Exceptional Service Award; Staff Exceptional Service Award; and Diversity Exceptional Service Award. Each of these award processes begins with active nominations from university community members. For more information or to nominate, visit the university website.

Equity & Compliance

In the 2024-25 academic year, Kutztown University Human Resources supported employee growth through 355 tuition waivers benefiting 111 employees. Among them, 37 employees completed 127 courses, advancing their skills and careers. Additionally, 90 dependents of 80 employees accessed tuition-free education, helping families thrive. Whether you're pursuing professional development or supporting a loved one’s academic journey, the tuition waiver program is a valuable resource. Take advantage of this benefit and explore new learning opportunities today.

Finance & Facilities

The university continues its path to financial sustainability as outlined in Goal #5 of our Strategic Plan. Although fiscal year 2024-25 was challenging and resulted in a deficit, we did improve in three of the four financial indicators as measured by the State System. Our two-year change in annualized FTE enrollment of 1.7% continues to be green (PASSHE’s top ranking for certain financial and operation metrics). Our three-year moving averages for annual operating margin and primary reserve ratio both improved and remain orange and yellow (PASSHE’s mid-level rankings), respectively. Our days of cash on hand, or university minimum reserves, dropped but remains green at 181 days. Based on these results, the chief financial officers and chief academic officers across the State System voted unanimously for KU to remain in sustainability plan 1 with an overall ranking of yellow.

KU Foundation

The 1866 Minute Giving Challenge is underway – and Homecoming is this weekend! Your Golden Opportunity is here: make your mark by giving back to what means the most to you at KU. Every minute counts. Every gift makes a difference. Then, return to campus for a weekend full of Golden Bear pride. Homecoming is your chance to reconnect, celebrate and be part of something unforgettable. Support today’s Golden Bears. Come home this weekend. Let’s make it a celebration worthy of KU’s legacy.

Student Affairs

Homecoming 2025: Born to Be Golden: Thursday, Oct. 16, brings campus alive with Pop-Up Spirit Stations at 11 a.m., Golden Bear Men’s Tennis at 3:30 p.m., a festive Spirit Dinner in South Dining Hall (4-8 p.m.) and the high-energy Spirit Rally at 8 pm. in Andre Reed Stadium. Friday features a Can Stacking Contest at 5:30 p.m. in 218 MSU, followed by Homecoming S’mores at 7 p.m. in South Dining Hall. On Saturday, Oct. 18, enjoy the Homecoming Tents and Food Collection 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the DMZ. Cheer on the Golden Bears with Field Hockey at 10 a.m. and Football at 3 p.m., with Spirit Court Champions announced at halftime. Wrap up the week Sunday, Oct. 19, with a Community Cleanup at 9 a.m., meeting in front of The Strand on Whiteoak Street in the Borough of Kutztown. Visit the Homecoming 2025 website for full details and alumni event signups. See the KU Foundation website for the weekend’s events for alumni and friends.

University Relations, Athletics & Enrollment

Kutztown University and SIDEARM Sports partnered to launch a refreshed look for the Golden Bears' athletic website, KUBears.com. KUBears.com is the hub for the latest news, results, recaps, rosters, schedules and statistics surrounding Kutztown University's 23 varsity athletic programs. Visitors can quickly access live event coverage, KU athletics social media channels, photos and videos, while finding information on KU sports camps, shopping for the newest Golden Bear gear and supporting the athletic department and its student-athletes. The redesigned site aims to create a fresh look and feel while focusing on functionality and accessibility for visitors, particularly on mobile devices. The site utilizes SIDEARM's latest web platform and technologies. The responsive design allows users to experience the same site and features tailored to the device they're visiting KUBears.com on. Whether it's a desktop computer, tablet or mobile phone, KUBears.com will reconfigure itself to fit each device.

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