Daily Brief
Sept. 15, 2025
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month 2025
Kutztown University celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. This national, month-long celebration recognizes the diversity of the Hispanic/Latino/x/e culture and commemorates the achievements, contributions and histories of American citizens who have ancestry from Mexico, Spain, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Kutztown University acknowledges the celebration of cultural heritage year-round but loves to spotlight and honor its unique beauty. KU appreciates National Hispanic Heritage Month as an important reminder to honor the past and present influence Hispanic/Latino/x/e culture has on the university and around the country. During the month-long celebration, the university hosts a variety of events.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month 2025
University Relations
Weather
Weather forecasts are provided by KU's Dr. Michael Davis and "Monsoon Mike" Regensburger
High pressure briefly takes control and allows for a mostly sunny day. Clouds will be increasing as a system off the Carolina coast moves northward and impacts the area for Tuesday. High temperature near 80.
Announcements
Governance Committees: Willingness to Serve
The Governance Committee has the following openings:
Professional Staff
- Committee on Committees (one opening): Makes faculty and professional staff appointments to university-wide committees as needed. It also makes recommendations on the structure of the committees to which it makes appointments. Must have three years of full-time service at the university by August 2025. This is a two-year term. KU employees designated "Professional Staff" are all those represented by SCUPA and managers below rank of Cabinet.
Faculty
- At-Large Faculty/Coach Senator (one opening): Senator representing the views of all faculty/coaches at the university. Must have three years of full-time service at the university by August 2025. This is a three-year term.
- One College of Education representative for the Academic Exceptions Committee (one-year term).
- One College of Visual and Performing Arts representative for the Strategic Planning and Resources Committee (one-year term).
- One Female Faculty representative for the Commission on the Status of Women (two-year term).
- One Male Faculty representative for the Commission on the Status of Women (two-year term).
Kutztown University faculty, managers and staff members: please use this online form to indicate your willingness to serve on University Governance Committees. Log in using your full KU email address and password. Willingness will close at 11:45 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15. Engage access questions can be sent to Leah Cassellia at casselli@kutztown.edu. Information about governance committees, including mission statements, bylaws and memberships can be found on the Governance Committee website.
Governance Committee Descriptions
Lisa Frye, University Senate President
AFSCME Election and Membership Meeting
In accordance with the AFSCME International Constitution, nominations for president, vice president, recording secretary, secretary-treasurer, three executive board members and one three-year trustee will be held at the next general membership meeting 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, 203 Academic Forum. Elections will take place at the Nov. 17 meeting. Dinner will be provided Sept. 15; please plan to attend.
Christina Ferris, Biology/AFSCME Local 2234
Rohrbach Library Open House
Join us for Rohrbach Library's annual Open House, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16. This event is a fantastic opportunity for new students to explore the library's services and resources. The open house includes a scavenger hunt that will lead students through the building and our website to answer specific questions. Participants who complete the hunt will have a chance to win prizes. For more information, please contact Sylvia Pham at spham@kutztown.edu.
Sylvia Pham, Rohrbach Library
Rock the Lawn Concert Series
Rock the Lawn is back. Join us 6 p.m. every Tuesday on the lawn behind Schaeffer Auditorium. Bring your blanket, some friends and get ready to be amazed by our talented commercial music students. Rock the Lawn is free and open to everyone. See you there.
Maya Strava Kokkinou, Music
Carpooling to PASSHE Summit
Are you planning to attend the 2025 PASSHE Summit "Together We Thrive," Oct. 29-30 at Penn West Clarion? If so, would you like to possibly carpool with other staff, faculty or students attending? If so, please email me to let me know that you are interested in possibly carpooling at schearer@kutztown.edu. If you haven't registered yet for the summit (can also attend virtually), please do so today.
Jerry Schearer, Diversity and Inclusion/Chief Diversity Officer
Honorary Degree Nomination
The honorary degree may be awarded to recognize distinguished contributions in the service to humanity, scholarship, government, business, creativity, science or the community. It is strongly recommended that nominees for an honorary degree from Kutztown University have an affiliation with the university. The nomination must come from a member of the university community. Information about the honorary degree, including the nomination process and nomination form, can be found on the Honorary Degree Committee website. The submission deadline is Saturday, Nov. 1.
Lisa Frye, University Senate President
Professional Development Committee 2025-2026 Guidelines Now Available
The Professional Development Committee 2025-2026 guidelines are now available. The Professional Development Committee reviews proposals on an as-needed basis, university calendar and other professional obligations permitting. All applications are considered in the order in which they are received. For all categories, proposals must be submitted prior to the activity, program, event, or course for which support is being requested.
Professional Development Committee
Heather Arbuckle, Office of Grants and Sponsored Projects
Academics
Free Walk-in Math Tutoring
The Department of Mathematics offers free walk-in peer tutoring for students in mathematics classes from MATH 17 through and including the Calculus sequence. Please encourage your students to take advantage of this valuable resource. Tutors are available 2-5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 207 Lytle.
Mathematics Tutoring Resources
Brian Kronenthal, Mathematics
CEL Professional Learning Opportunities
The Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) offers a variety of teaching and learning events designed to connect colleagues, spark ideas and provide practical tools you can use right away. All events take place in the CEL, 6 Rohrbach Library.
Thursday, Sept. 25, Writing AI Assignments
Explore strategies for keeping assignments meaningful in an AI-driven landscape. We'll examine pedagogical techniques, assess AI's strengths and weaknesses and develop practical takeaways.
Learn about KU's many funding opportunities, from small grants to KU Bears. Discuss effective applications, share resources and leave with an action plan to support your scholarship and teaching.
Inspired by the hit TV show, faculty teams will use a “mystery basket” of teaching materials to design and present engaging lessons. Judges and candy prizes included.
Innovative Pedagogy Book Club, we meet every-other Monday at noon. We are reading: “10 to 25” by David Yeager.
This fall's CoP focuses on Classroom Visiting, observing not evaluating colleagues' teaching to spark conversations, insights and shared takeaways. Our first meeting is 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 11.
Comp Conversations, biweekly sessions on writing instruction topics.
Hour of Power, weekly one-hour writing retreats, 10-11 a.m. Thursdays.
Center for Engaged Learning Events
Center for Engaged Learning
Upcoming Events
| Date | Time | Event |
| Sept. 15 - Oct. 15 |
-- | Hispanic Heritage Month |
| Sept. 15 | 11:30 a.m. | Bienvenidos Kickoff Hispanic Heritage Month Multicultural Center |
| Sept. 15 | 5 p.m. | AFSCME Meeting 203 Academic Forum |
| Sept. 16 | 10 a.m. | Open House Rohrbach Library |
| Sept. 16 | 5 p.m. | Dominoes Tournament Hispanic Heritage Month Multicultural Center |
| Sept. 16 | 6 p.m. | Rock the Lawn Schaeffer Lawn |
| Sept. 20 | -- | Family Day |
| Sept. 20 | 5 p.m. | KU Presents! Family Series: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Schaeffer Auditorium (Tickets) |
| Sept. 23 | 11 a.m. | Town Hall with President Cavalier 183 MSU |
| Sept. 23 | 6 p.m. | Rock the Lawn Schaeffer Lawn |
| Sept. 25 | 1:30 p.m. | Council of Trustees Committee Meetings 322, 323, 324, 325 MSU |
| Sept. 25 | 3 p.m. | Council of Trustees Plenary Session 250 MSU |
Athletics
| Date | Time | Event |
| Sept. 17 | 5:30 p.m. | Field Hockey vs. IUP Andre Reed Stadium (Watch | Stats) |
| Sept. 17 | 7 p.m. | Women's Soccer vs. Shepherd Keystone Field (Watch | Stats) |
| Sept. 19 | 5 p.m. | Field Hockey vs. D'Youville Andre Reed Stadium (Watch | Stats) |
| Sept. 20 | Noon | Football vs. Gannon Andre Reed Stadium (Watch | Listen | Stats | Tickets) |
| Sept. 20 | 1 p.m. | Women's Soccer vs. East Stroudsburg Keystone Field (Watch | Stats) |
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.