Daily Brief

Science Olympiad at KU

Science Olympiad needs volunteers. Looking for something fun to do over spring break? Want to add a little something to your résumé? Volunteers are needed to help KU host the Central Eastern Regional Science Olympiad Thursday, March 19 (snow date Friday, March 20). The Science Olympiad is a competition held on campus that hosts nine middle schools and 33 high schools from nine counties. More than 600 students will compete in approximately 46 events based in science disciplines such as biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, computers and technology; we need your help to make all that happen. You do not need a science background to be a volunteer. We need help with registrations, lobby info, food sales/delivery, set-up, scoring, event assistance and so much more. You can judge an event or help with the Appeals Board. Club advisers, please get your club involved. Contact our volunteer coordinator Dr. Michael Davis at midavis@kutztown.edu if you are interested or check out our Science Olympiad at KU website for more information. We look forward to having you as part of the team. This year's logo was designed by KU student Hannah Bubb '28.

Eric Laub, Joann Monko and Hannah Wolfe, KU Science Olympiad

Painting Faculty Solo Exhibit in New York City

Mike Shultis, assistant professor of Art, currently has a major solo exhibition in Chelsea, New York, at Morgan Presents Gallery, placing him among leading contemporary artists working today. The exhibition titled “Rome” features eight new paintings and assemblage works that build off of Roman historical references as well as famous motifs from across centuries of art historical movements. Everyday materials are layered with paint in a process of simultaneous accumulation and destruction, generating complex, seductive, horrifying and humorous scenarios that serve as a reflection on our present moment in time and history. A solo show of this magnitude demonstrates a significant achievement in the art world and is a point of pride for the painting program and the Art and Design department at-large. The exhibition is on view through Wednesday, March 11.

Morgan Presents Mike Shultis: Rome

Michael Covello, Art and Design

Digital Accessibility Training

Ensuring digital accessibility is essential for creating an inclusive and digitally accessible environment. To help you streamline accessibility and improve the quality of digital assets, we're offering training sessions on powerful tools within D2L Panorama: AutoPilot and Structural Remediation. These AI-enabled tools are designed to make accessibility remediation easier, faster and more effective. Training will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 200 Stratton or via Zoom.

Troy Vingom, CIO, Information Technology

Test of KU Alert System

There will be a test of the Kutztown University emergency alert systems at 10:50 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12. You will receive test messages through the Omnilert text message and email system. Campus loudspeakers will be activated during this test. Messages will also be seen on the university website, social media and on select campus televisions. Thank you for your patience as we complete this required test. Faculty and staff must opt-in to receive messages. If you already have an account, now is the time to review it to make sure your account is up-to-date and validated. Please take note of the expiration date that is seen after you log in. To create or review your account, use your KU single sign-on credentials online.

University Relations

Celebrate America's 250th Anniversary with Pacifica Quartet

Grammy Award-winning Pacifica Quartet has established itself as the embodiment of the American quartet sound. Join us 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, Schaeffer Auditorium, where they will feature works that create a musical collage based on themes from the American experience. From the incorporation of American hymn tunes in the first quartet of Charles Ives, to the popular sounds from Hollywood's silver screen in Korngold's String Quartet No. 3, to the indigenous folk influences found in Dvorak’s beloved “American” Quartet, this program gives listeners a unique opportunity to celebrate the diversity of America's musical landscape captured over its 250-year history. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 610-683-4092. KU students can access $15 tickets by logging in with their MyKU login, or get all performances for $25 with our new Student Membership.

Tickets for Pacifica Quartet

KU Presents!

Faculty Awarded Tenure, Spring 2026

The Office of the President is pleased to announce that tenure has been granted to the following faculty members effective with the 2026 Spring Semester:
- Renee Hellert, Intercollegiate Athletic Services
- Elizabeth Schneider, Art and Design

Anne Imschweiler, Provost Office/Academic Affairs

Advancing Adult Education and Degree Completion at KU Task Force

Kutztown University is launching a university-wide task force focused on adult education, degree completion and workforce-aligned credentials. This initiative centers on access, completion and relevance. It reflects KU’s public mission and our commitment to serving learners at all stages of life. We are at an inflection point, one shaped by changing demographics, workforce demands and an unmet opportunity across the commonwealth. More than one million adults in Pennsylvania have some college credit, but no degree. Many live and work in our region and are only a few courses away from credentials that could change their lives. The task force will focus on developing a coordinated strategy for adult degree completion pathways and stackable certificates, credit for prior learning and transfer practices, adult-centered advising, scheduling and support services, strategic partnerships with community colleges and employers, and alignment with PASSHE priorities and statewide workforce needs. This work requires faculty expertise, administrative insight, policy fluency and creative problem solving across divisions. Diverse perspectives will be essential to ensure that new pathways are academically rigorous, operationally sound and genuinely adult-friendly. The effort will be structured and multi-phased, with clear goals, defined subgroups and a focus on removing institutional barriers that prevent adult learners from persisting and completing. Success will be measured not just by the number of programs launched, but by adults completing degrees they once thought were out of reach, enrolling in KU programs with confidence and achieving tangible career and economic outcomes. Membership will be finalized in the coming weeks, with an initial meeting planned soon to set priorities and establish the work ahead. This initiative represents one of the most consequential opportunities for KU in the years ahead and one that directly advances our mission and impact. Email sheperis@kutztown.edu if you would like to serve on the task force.

Melissa Lincoln, Office of the Vice Provost

NYT Subscription Moves to SSO

The library recently moved to single sign on authentication for our institutional subscription to the New York Times website. Instructions for new users and existing users are available online. Please contact Bob Flatley, flatley@kutztown.edu with questions or problems.

Bob Flatley, Rohrbach Library

CEL Hour of Power

Join us 10-11 a.m. Thursdays, 6 Rohrbach Library, for the Hour of Power, a one-hour writing retreat in the Center for Engaged Learning. We'll hold your phone, close the door and track time so you can focus on your work in a distraction-free environment.

CEL Programs and Events

Center for Engaged Learning

Comp Convo Event - Assigning Writing in the Time of AI

Composition is hosting a professional development session, Assigning Writing in the Time of AI, 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, 6 Rohrbach Library. We all know that assigning writing is valuable for building our students’ writing skills, fostering critical thinking and enabling self-expression. But when AI is ever-present, how do you successfully assign substantial writing assignments? In this session, we will share pedagogical and technological strategies, tools and techniques on how encourage students to use or not use AI responsibly for your assignments. This session is designed for faculty who teach COMP and A4 Gen. Ed. courses, but all faculty who teach and assign writing are welcome.

Sandra Leonard, English

New CEL Workshop - The Writing on the Wall

The Center for Engaged learning is hosting a new workshop, The Writing on the Wall, 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, 6 Rohrbach Library. From assignment handouts to textbook chapters, getting students to read remains a persistent challenge, and AI is further altering the landscape. This session will share research on why students often struggle with or avoid assigned readings, followed by practical strategies instructors can use to better support students' engagement with course texts.

CEL Programs and Events

Center for Engaged Learning

Preparing for Life After Graduation

The Office of Clinical Education and Partnerships in College of Education proudly welcomed back our teacher candidates for an inspiring "Life After Graduation" professional development event. Presenters Dr. Tracy Driehaus, assistant dean for Clinical Education and Partnerships, Ms. Georgiann Fischer, director of Human Resources at Upper Perkiomen School District, and Mr. Dylan Frendt, Student Pennsylvania State Education Association representative for the Eastern Region, celebrated our teacher candidates' journey toward the profession and featured engaging conversation on graduation versus certification, additional certifications, collective bargaining agreements, pay scales and interview and workspace best practices. Our teacher candidates came with a professional mindset filled with enthusiasm, engagement, enjoyment regarding their clinical placements and excitement for their future in education.

College of Education

Fall 2024 Student Learning Outcome 7 Annual Report Available

The General Education Program and Assessment Committee has published the Fall 2024 Assessment Report for Student Learning Outcome 7. Faculty and staff, especially those teaching FYSM 100, are encouraged to review the report.

Office of the Provost/General Education Program and Assessment Committee