Daily Brief
Aug. 26, 2024
Watch: Hawkinson Announces Upcoming Retirement as KU President
The President of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson, announced his upcoming retirement at the university's 2024 Faculty and Staff Convocation and Celebration, Friday, Aug. 23. Hawkinson, the 12th president of KU, said he would step down next summer (2025, date to be determined). He will have completed 10 years as president at that time. President Hawkinson’s full public retirement announcement can be viewed online.
University Relations
Weather
Weather forecasts are provided by KU's Dr. Michael Davis and "Monsoon Mike" Regensburger
Shortwave disturbance to pass through which could produce some afternoon storms. Mostly sunny conditions are expected for most of the day. High temperature near 85.
Announcements
A Heartfelt Thank You to the KU Campus Community and Donors This Summer
I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible support you have shown our students over the summer break. Early this summer, I reached out for help, and your response has been nothing short of extraordinary. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to ensure that no student went hungry this summer. Your contributions made a significant impact:
- A total of $1,775 in grocery store gift cards were donated, allowing every student to receive several gift cards throughout the summer.
- We made several trips to the Friend, Inc. food bank to gather essential supplies.
- Perishable and non-perishable food items, bedding and even Folk Festival tickets were donated, brightening our students' days.
- Additionally, I received weekly donations of delicious meals such as pastas, meatballs, tacos, lasagnas and more, which provided consistent nourishment for our students.
- The PA Hunger-Free Grant at Kutztown University provided 100 meal tickets for students to use in the South Dining Hall this summer.
- PROFS generously provided 50 additional meal tickets to further support our students' needs.
Our office became a hub of support, with students visiting regularly for meals. On average, each student visited about seven times, with some students coming by as many as 16 times throughout the summer. Your contributions directly ensured that these students had access to the food they needed. Thank you notes from students reflect the profound difference your generosity made in their lives. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your unwavering support. You have shown what it truly means to be a community. I am deeply proud to be a part of such a compassionate group of individuals.
Nadia Daher, Office of Student Assistance/PROFS
New Student Accounts Baby
The Office of Student Accounts is blessed to welcome Jericho Stone to our family. Sarah Stone '20, Student Accounts Tech and Residency Coordinator, and her husband Jesse Stone '20 welcomed baby Jericho Monday, Aug. 12, 2024 (ironically, her actual due date). We must be honest - he is absolutely adorable. Well wishes for the Stone family can be sent to the Office of Student Accounts, 225 Stratton, to be shared with them as they enjoy some quality time as a family of three.
Office of Student Accounts
UPC/UTC Informational Sessions
UPC/UTC will hold an informational session 3-4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9. Please use the Zoom link to attend.
Nicole Johnson, UPC Chair
Departmental Deposits
Effective Monday, Aug. 26, all departments making deposits at the Office of Student Accounts must submit this deposit slip, completed in its entirety for proper accounting to occur. The new system will not accept a deposit without all three items (Cost Center, Fund Center and GLA). Deposits submitted without this slip or lacking all three cirtical items needed will be delayed in processing and crediting of the funds, until all items are shared. Questions about these needed accounting items can be directed to accounting@kutztown.edu. Thank you and have a great semester.
Wendy Pursell, Office of Student Accounts
Disability Services Office: Informational Tables
Disability Services Office (DSO) staff will host informational tables in the Old Main Concourse/Lobby 9:30 a.m. to noon, Aug. 26-27, to answer any questions or concerns that faculty, staff or students may have regarding disability services and/or campus accessibility. Please feel free to stop by if you are available and have any questions or concerns, or if you would like to schedule a training session with the DSO. Faculty and staff can also schedule a training session with the DSO by completing the DSO Training Request Form.
McKenzie Hollenbach, Disability Services Office
Academics
New CEL Journal Post
Welcome back! Please take a few minutes to visit the KUtztown exCEL faculty journal to read our first post of the 2024-25 academic year. This month, we are featuring Dra. Leslie C. Sotomayor II, Frederick Douglas Institute (FDI) Scholar and assistant professor in Art Education, who proposes finding intersections where decolonization, borderlands and culturally relevant and sustaining practices converge with Universal Design of Learning (UDL). Also, be sure to check out all of our posts from the 2023-24 academic year.
Center for Engaged Learning
Academic Department Chairs and Secretaries List
The updated Academic Department Chairs and Secretaries list has been uploaded to the Provost, Academic Affairs website under Resources and Forms/Faculty and Staff Resources.
Academic Department Chairs and Secretaries
Anne Imschweiler, Office of the Provost
Disability Services Office: Accommodation Letters
A friendly reminder that students may send electronic Accommodation Letters to assigned fall course professors via the Accommodate Portal. All faculty on campus can access their Accommodate Faculty Portal using this link or the link on the DSO webpage. A faculty quick start guide is available within the Faculty Accommodate Portal under the “Resources” tab, found on the left-hand menu. If you have not already done so and would like to schedule a training session with the Disability Services Office, please click here to complete the DSO Training Request Form.
McKenzie Hollenbach, Disability Services Office
Upcoming Events
Date | Time | Event |
Aug. 26 | 8 a.m. | First Day of Fall Semester |
Aug. 29 | 11 a.m. | Unity Rally Schaeffer Lawn (Rear) |
Aug. 30 | -- | College Colors Day |
Sept. 2 | -- | Labor Day - University Closed |
Accommodations
Persons with a disability, and who require accommodation, should notify the Disability Services Office two weeks prior to the event at 610-683-4108 or email DSO@kutztown.edu, TDD number: 610-683-4499, in order to discuss accommodations. Every effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations. Please note: Kutztown University does not provide wheelchairs or other mobility devices.
Non-Discrimination Statement
Kutztown University does not discriminate in employment or educational opportunities on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status. To discuss a complaint of discrimination, please contact the Office of Social Equity, Old Main A-Wing, Room 02, by phone at 610-683-4700 or by email at pena@kutztown.edu. Pursuant to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Kutztown University does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, including admissions and employment. Any inquiries regarding the application of Title IX at Kutztown University may be made to Bradley Davis, the university’s Title IX coordinator, located in Old Main A-Wing, Room 02A, by phone at 610-683-4782 or by email at titleix@kutztown.edu. You may also contact the Office for Civil Rights located in the Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Bldg., 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-1100, by phone at 800-421-3481 (TDD: 800-877-8339), by fax at 202-453-6012, or by email at OCR@ed.gov.