June 2026

Volume 8, Issue 11

• Campus Announcements

  President's Newsletter
  The latest issue of the President's Newsletter includes a letter from President Cavalier, division updates and important articles you may have missed.

• Academic Affairs

  Summer Skills Start Now
  Summer is a great time for students to explore new interests and build career-ready skills at their own pace. With free Coursera access through KU Advance, students can take flexible, noncredit, online courses, earn certificates and stay productive between semesters. A few hours this summer could lead to new skills, stronger résumés and greater confidence for the year ahead.

  Conferral and Diploma Mailing
  The conferral period concludes approximately Friday, June 26, where degrees are recorded on transcripts for students that graduated in Spring 2026 and diploma mailing begins. For questions, please email the Office of the Registrar at regoffice@kutztown.edu.

  University Writing Center
  Please have your student(s) reach out to the KU Writing Center for writing help or to schedule a writing session concerning papers for any subject or discipline. Students can call 610-683-4733 or email wrcenter@kutztown.edu to set up an in-person appointment. They can also schedule an online appointment. Please see our website for additional helpful instructions, screenshots and information about writing help during summer and winter sessions when the Writing Center is not open. Any questions can be directed to wrcenter@kutztown.edu or pytleski@kutztown.edu.

  Transfer Student Coordinator, Briana Tyler
  Transfer students have a dedicated resource to guide them every step of the way. Briana Tyler, coordinator for Student Success and Transfer Engagement, works one-on-one with transfer students to help them navigate their transition to KU, understand university policies and stay on track toward their academic goals. Our office supports both current KU students and those planning to transfer to KU. Students are encouraged to connect early by scheduling an appointment through Starfish to start building their path to success at KU.

  Tutoring Services
  Is your student taking a summer class? Support is available for summer courses through Tutor.com, a virtual 24/7 tutoring platform. For instructions on how to use this service, students should visit the Tutoring Services website. We encourage students to take advantage of this free tutoring resource. Contact tutor@kutztown.edu with questions.

  Sport Management Program Hosts National High School Sport Business Case Competition
  The Sport Management program hosted the national high school sport business case competition in partnership with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, who provided this year’s case challenge. During the two-day event, students from Pennsylvania and beyond gained firsthand insight into the sports industry through immersive experiences. Participants attended an IronPigs game to observe operations, fan engagement and the game-day atmosphere before presenting their case solutions on campus the following day. Teams were evaluated by accomplished alumni from the Sport Management program, whose expertise added valuable industry perspective. Students in SPRT 330 played a key role in coordinating the event, assisting with logistics, hospitality and operations to ensure a successful experience for all participants.

  Sport Management Students Gain Experience Through Keith Haring Day Event
  In partnership with the Student Recreation Center, the Department of Sport Management hosted the annual Keith Haring Day at the Keith Haring Fitness Court Thursday, April 30. The event featured fitness clinics and competitions designed to promote exercise leadership and community engagement, including a friendly competition between Kutztown University and Kutztown Area High School students. Students in SPRT 330 coordinated and organized the event, while SPRT 201 students led fitness demonstrations, providing valuable hands-on professional experience. The annual event also celebrates the legacy of Keith Haring, the internationally recognized artist and activist who was born and raised in Kutztown.

  Sport Management Student Andrew Batista Earns Multiple Honors for Anti-Gambling Campaign Project
  Andrew Batista, an Honors student in the Sport Management program, earned Capstone Project of the Year for his project, “Hedging Our Bets: An Anti-Gambling Campaign for College Campuses.” The project also earned third place at the Tri-State Sport Management (TSSM) Summit, highlighting its academic quality and real-world relevance. Addressing the growing issue of sports gambling on college campuses, the project used an interdisciplinary approach drawing from history, sociology, public relations, psychology and sport management. Batista developed a campaign focused on education, awareness and responsible decision-making among college students, demonstrating strong research, critical thinking and applied learning on a timely issue facing higher education and the sport industry.

  Sport Management Program Hosts First-Ever Wiffle Ball Event
  This spring, SPRT 330 students organized the Wiffle Ball Event. From planning the games to bringing everyone together, the event showcased teamwork, leadership and school spirit. This event was more than just a game. It was an opportunity for SPRT 330 students to apply event management skills in a real-world setting. Organizing schedules, coordinating teams and ensuring everyone had a great experience helped students grow both personally and professionally.

• Administration and Finance

  Spring 2026 Balances
  Some students still owe balances from Spring 2026, which require payment. Late fees continue to be added and holds are added even for smaller balances, based on aging. Residence hall damage fees will be added soon, please watch for those. Housing will email affected students.

  Fall 2026 Tuition, Fees, Housing and Meals Billing
  Tuition rates have not been set for the upcoming year. This will likely not occur until mid-July. Estimated tuition rates are online. In the meantime, we do have an estimating tool worksheet that will be posted on our Financial Guide for First Time Students shortly. Students can use this to estimate their costs outside of their aid package. Email us for this worksheet at any time. This will help the student to set up a payment plan or apply for loans (double the fall amount for loans to ensure you have enough for the academic year).

  Fall 2026 Billing Due Date is Friday, Aug. 7
  Billing will occur mid-July with a due date of Friday, Aug. 7. Tuition bills will include tuition, required fees, on-campus housing and meals, based on the student’s enrollment/selection as of that day (changes can affect charges and aid). Remember, only authorized aid will reduce the amount due on the bill. Aid that is not in authorized status (i.e., awarded aid, or loans not yet certified) may require action and will not be considered as a valid payment type, reducing charges due. Undergraduate students having 12-18 credits of enrollment will see the same tuition line item, although required fees may change based on course selections and the method of instruction. Billing help is found online.

  Statements
  MyKU > Student Account card > Payment Dashboard. There are two types of statements – static and dynamic. Static statements will be ones created at a moment in time, and they don’t change. Dynamic statements are called On Demand Statements. These will update with changes in charges, payments and aid. We encourage students to use the On Demand Statements.

  Fall 2026 Payment Plans
  Payment Plans remain open for the Fall 2026 semester charges (you must use the estimated costs discussed above). The four-payment plan ends Saturday, July 4 (this includes a down payment with three additional payments). The plan then becomes a three-payment plan Tuesday, Aug. 4. Take advantage if you can. A student can sign up for a plan now and adjust the plan balance later, once the actual bills are prepared. There is no fee to increase or decrease the plans as needed, should a surprise scholarship show up or the bill increase due to a housing change, for example. MyKU > Student Account card > Payment Dashboard > Payment Plans. Enter the amount you want for the plan as the Plan Balance > Click Update Schedule twice and proceed with the payment.

  Authorized Users – Third Party Dashboard Access
  Students can grant their parents (or other third party) their own access to the Payment Dashboard, including getting the billing emails and even billing texts (if applicable) as to not solely rely on the students to share their notice. Students go to MyKU > Student Account card > Payment Dashboard (this is different from FERPA access). Authorized Users is on the right side. This is not limited to just one. Some students set themselves up as an authorized user so they can get the notices to their own personal emails.

  Additional Funding Options – Apply in June
  Many students will need additional funding after their awarded aid package from the FAFSA completion. Some will pay the difference, some will use a payment plan (see above) and some will use additional loans. Additional loans should be applied for now so that Financial Aid Services will have time to certify the loan and allow it to show on the Fall bills, thereby reducing the charges due. Don’t wait to apply on the due date, as it can take up to two weeks for a loan to be certified.

  • Alternative Loans are loans in a student’s name with a credit worthy co-signer (some even have a parent option now). These can take up to two weeks to show as pending aid in MyKU.
  • Parent PLUS loans are loans in a parent’s name that they take to help a student. These can take up to two weeks to show as pending on the account. These loans do not apply to students who have lost federal aid eligibility.

  Interest does not start until the funds are disbursed (i.e., September and February). Apply for the full school year now, with the loan period of August 2026 to May 2027. Financial Aid will split the loan in half for you. You can easily reduce the loans later by completing a loan change form once the actual charges are on the account and you see the figures in one place. More information on additional funding options is available online. You can also get more information by calling Financial Aid Services at 610-683-4077.

  Aid Eligibility and Progress
  If a student has lost their access to federal aid due to not meeting the minimum requirements, the student will only have the option to look at Alternative Loans since parent plus loans are federal aid. The minimum requirements for federal aid are a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and a completion rate of 66.67%. Questions can be directed to Financial Aid Services at 610-683-4077.

  Authorized Aid vs. Awarded Aid
  Once the FAFSA is completed, an aid package is prepared for a student by Financial Aid Services. This is awarded aid. This aid will not reduce charges on a bill at this point. To move from awarded aid to authorized aid, students must complete all requirements, such as verification if selected, Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling (if not already completed at KU), submitted their final high school transcript, be enrolled in courses, be eligible for aid (financial aid progress) and lastly, the student must accept the loans or decline them. Only aid that is shown as authorized will be considered as payment towards the charges due. Financial Aid will outreach and show items needed on MyKU, or they can be contacted at 610-683-4077.

  Financial Guide for First-Time Students (Freshman, Transfer and Graduate)
  We have a webpage dedicated to new students covering finances, bills, aid and more. There is a video that details orientation, including a lesson on how aid works. Anyone can benefit from this 15-minute video. There are also wonderful handouts you will find helpful.

  Parking Permits
  Student vehicle registration will open in August for the upcoming school year. This will be located on MyKU > Resources > Vehicle Services. This is also the same location where students pay for any tickets they may incur.

  Summer 2026 Aid Options
  Is your student enrolling for the Summer 2026 semester? There is still time to complete the 2025-26 FAFSA for financial aid consideration. If your student has already filed a 2025-26 FAFSA and/or received financial aid for the Fall 2025 and/or Spring 2026 semesters, they may still qualify for additional financial aid in the Summer 2026 semester. If you have questions regarding summer financial aid, please contact Financial Aid Services for more information by calling 610-683-4077, emailing us at financialaid@kutztown.edu or visit our office at 209 Stratton.

  FAFSA 2026-27
  The new financial aid year begins Fall 2026. Please have your students complete their 2026-27 FAFSA as soon as possible to ensure prompt processing of their financial aid awards. This will allow your students to have their financial aid awards reflected prior to the Fall 2026 charges that will be due in July/August.

  PA State Grant Requirement
  New requirement to qualify for a PA State Grant for the 2026-27 year: All PA high school graduating senior students are required to file a FAFSA for graduation. Students wishing to opt out of the PA State FAFSA filing requirement may complete an opt-out form with their high school. For our continuing students, your FAFSA was required to be filed before the May 1 deadline for continued eligibility. The 2026-27 FAFSA covers the following semesters: Fall 2026, Spring 2027 and Summer 2027.

  Fall 2026 Financial Aid Loan Options
  In addition to the Federal Direct Loans offered to students, parents may apply for additional loans for the next school year in the form of a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan. These loans are based on credit worthiness and should be applied for in June. This will allow your loans to reflect on the students’ account through MyKU by the due date. Please note that applying after June may cause processing delays. When applying for a loan, we recommend applying for the academic school year. To determine loan amounts, the Office of Student Accounts has an Estimated Tool Worksheet a student can use. These will be available at Orientation or can be requested from the Office of Student Accounts. Your loan period for the 2026-27 year should be as follows:

  Fall 2026 – Spring 2027
  - Start Date: August 24
  - End Date: May 8

  New for 2026-27: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) established new loan limits for the Direct PLUS Loan Program, impacting how much parents can borrow for their eligible dependent undergraduate students. Borrowing amounts are as follows:
  - Annual Limit: Not to exceed $20,000 per year per student up to the student’s cost of attendance.
  - Lifetime Limit: $65,000 total per student.
  Students and/or parents also have the option of applying for private Alternative Loans. These loans are also based on credit worthiness and have various lenders to choose from. Please research the lender that works best for you as each lender has different rates. For general questions regarding loan options, please contact the Financial Aid Services Office by calling 610-683-4077, email us at financialaid@kutztown.edu or visit our office at 209 Stratton.

• Student Affairs

  Health and Wellness Services
  To support timely diagnosis and management of illness, all students will be required to take action in their student health portal before the start of the Fall 2026 semester. All students will be required to either upload their immunization record(s) or sign a form acknowledging that, without documented proof of immunity, they may be excluded from campus in accordance with public health guidelines if exposed to certain illnesses. Please visit the Clinical Services webpage for more information.

  Virtual Summer Series for Incoming Residents
  Over the course of Summer 2026, we will host four virtual information sessions (including live Q&A) on various topics to help answer your questions about room selection, meal plans, move-in day, setting up your room and more. Through these conversations, we look forward to sharing campus knowledge with you, answering questions and engaging with our newest Golden Bears. We can't wait for you to see what Live Here, Roar Here means at KU. Welcome home, Golden Bears.

  Social Sorority Recruitment
  Kutztown's Panhellenic Social Sorority Recruitment registration opens Monday, June 1. Women interested in going out for recruitment can sign up online. To be eligible to participate, you need a 2.5 College GPA (2.75 High School GPA). Registration costs $10 and any questions can be directed to involvement@kutztown.edu.

  Join the Kutztown University Activities Board
  Does your Golden Bear want to help plan fun events for the students on campus? KUAB, the Student Activities Board, puts on a variety of events for students, planned by the students. Events include movie nights, make-and-take crafts, pet therapy days, bus excursions and more. Fill out this form to let us know you're interested and stay up to date on summer planning.

  Bear Essential Food Pantry Summer Hours
  The Bear Essential Food Pantry, 153 MSU, offers non-perishable food items, food prep tools, personal care products, clothing and shoes to students year-round. Students can shop the pantry 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email involvement@kutztown.edu if you have any questions.

  Commuter Preview Day
  Join us for Commuter Preview Day 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, 218 MSU. It's a great opportunity for commuter students to learn their way and ask their questions. Sign up online.

• University Relations and Athletics

  Kutztown University Celebrates 2026 Commencement Ceremonies
  Kutztown University celebrated the Class of 2026 during three commencement ceremonies May 15-16. The Undergraduate Ceremony and the Graduate Ceremony recognized students from across all academic colleges as they officially joined the KU alumni community. Families, friends, faculty and staff gathered to honor graduates and celebrate their achievements, hard work and time at KU. We’re proud of all our graduates and excited to see where their next chapter takes them. Check out the Facebook photo galleries from both ceremonies: Undergraduate Ceremony Facebook Gallery | Graduate Ceremony Facebook Gallery.

  Football Tickets
  Season packages for 2026 Golden Bears Football will be available Wednesday, July 1. If you are interested in joining the wait lists or upgrading current locations, please fill out this form by Sunday, May 31.

• KU Campus Store

  KU Campus Store Inventory
  The KU Campus Store will be closed June 24-30 and will reopen Wednesday, July 1. Orders placed during this time will be processed starting July 1.

• KU Foundation

  Celebrate Your KU Student's Experience with a Year-End Gift
  Last month, the Class of 2026 crossed the academic finish line and received their diplomas at commencement. KU graduates are walking into the world prepared and confident – and many would not have had the opportunity to attend college without the support of generous donors. We are grateful to the thousands of individuals who supported scholarships, enrichment, athletics, emergency funds and more. As this fiscal year comes to a close, we ask you to consider making a gift to the KU Annual Fund, Helping Paws Emergency Fund or an area most meaningful to you. Thank you for leading with generosity and creating a culture of philanthropy at KU. Your support makes a difference.

  Honor your KU Grad's Achievements
  Looking for a way to celebrate your Golden Bear? Consider having your graduate's name engraved on a brick in Alumni Plaza. Learn how to purchase a brick in the plaza, one of the most popular spots on campus.

• Dates to Know

  KU Central Calendar
  A full listing of upcoming events and academic deadlines can be found on KU's central calendar.
  
  

  Summer I and Summer 10W Inclusive Access Opt-Out Deadline	Friday, May 29
  Make-up classes will be held for Summer Session I	Sunday, May 31
  Last day for students withdrawing from the university to receive 80% reduction in charges or refund (Summer Session I only)	Monday, June 1
  Last day to drop a course with 100% reduction or refund ends at midnight. No reduction of charges or refunds for individual courses after midnight (Summer 10 Week only)	Monday, June 1
  Graduate international student application deadline for Fall 2026 semester	Monday, June 1
  First day Financial Aid can disburse for Summer Sessions 2026 (subject to change)	Monday, June 1
  Last day for Undergraduate and Graduate students to apply for Summer Session I 2026 graduation	Saturday, June 6
  Juneteenth Holiday - University Closed	Friday, June 19
  Last day to withdraw from a Summer Session I 2026 course and receive a grade of “W”. There is no withdrawal from individual courses after this date.	Monday, June 22
  Summer Session I ends	Friday, June 26
  Final decisions for cancellation of classes for the Summer II 2026 session (subject to change)	Saturday, June 27
  Summer Session I grades available through MyKU at 8 p.m., unless notified	Tuesday, June 30
  Independence Day Observed – University Closed	Friday, July 3
  Summer Session II begins	Monday, July 6