Daily Brief

FDI Debate Competition

Kutztown University's Frederick Douglass Institute's new debate team, The North Stars, participated in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) FDI Research and Debate Conference held at Millersville University on April 9-10. The debate resolution was: "The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania should implement school choice in K-12 education." School choice is a prominent topic nationally as politicians consider utilizing federal, state, and local education funding for school vouchers to subsidize private and religious school tuition.

Mark-Handy Phanor (Political Science, '26) and Damaiya Turner (Criminal Justice, '27) proudly represented Kutztown University in the FDI debate competition. Their participation underscored their dedication and the caliber of education at Kutztown. In preparation for the competition, the students underwent rigorous training on debate conventions, rhetoric, and public speaking led by Dr. Amber Pabon (FDI Director, Associate Professor) and Mr. Dan Sleiman (EdD Transformative Teaching and Learning '26). During the competition, The North Stars engaged in debates, networked with peers, and honed valuable skills. Most notably, Phanor and Turner emerged victorious in their first round. FDI invites everyone to celebrate our accomplished debaters!

FDI expresses gratitude to the Provost’s Office, Student Success, the KU Foundation, and the Business Office, as well as Dr. Joseph Croskey, the FDI Executive Committee, FDI Executive Director, and Dr. Denise Pearson, Vice Chancellor, for their generous support.

Frederick Douglass Institute

Sienna Sky, The Fredrick Douglass Institute

FDI Honors #BlackLivesMatter with the 1619 Project Critical Book Club Celebration

The Frederick Douglass Institute (FDI) 1619 Project Critical Book Club concluded its semester with a thought-provoking discussion facilitated by FDI Scholars, Dra. Leslie Sotomayor (Art Education) and Dr. SungEun Min (EMLT). Participants in the meeting reflected on the final chapters of Hannah-Jones' compelling text and engaged in discussion focused underrepresented voices in historical narratives, the lived experiences of BIPOC in the United States, and their ongoing quest to learn ancestral lineages when records are missing or distorted.

The participants highlighted the importance of even small gestures of kindness and advocacy as signals of acknowledgment and support for marginalized people. Participants also explored methods to build communication channels and break barriers to foster inclusivity within academic spaces. They recognized the power of storytelling in challenging societal norms and fostering micro-conversations that lead to tangible change.

The meeting also featured discussions on the intersect of Asian American and African American histories, generational wealth disparities, and the ongoing struggle for equality in educational institutions.

Dr. Pabon, Director of FDI, remarked, "Our discussions underscored the importance of recognizing and preserving diverse histories. Through our book club meetings, we aim to empower individuals to share their stories and advocate for positive change within their communities."

As the semester concludes, the FDI Critical Book Club looks forward to reconvening in the fall for further enriching discussions and initiatives. To stay connected to FDI’s events and/or get involved, follow us on Instagram at ku_douglass_institute or visit our website at: https://www.kutztown.edu/about-ku/administrative-offices/frederick-douglass-institute.html

Frederick Douglass Institute

Sienna Sky, The Frederick Douglass Institute

Kutztown University Council of Trustees Meeting

The Kutztown University Council of Trustees will meet Thursday, April 25, McFarland Student Union Building.
Committee meetings will begin at 1:30 p.m.:
- Academic and Student Affairs Committee, 323 MSU.
- Finance, Property, and Audit Committee, 322 MSU.
- Human Diversity Committee, 325 MSU.
- University Relations and Athletics and Advancement Committee, 324 MSU.
The Plenary Session will begin at 3 p.m., 250 MSU.

Office of the President

College of Visual and Performing Arts Spring Celebration

Please join us for the College of Visual and Performing Arts Celebration Day 4-5 p.m. Thursday, April 25, Wells-Rapp Center for Mallet Percussion Research. Light refreshments will be served. Recognition Ceremony begins at 4:15 p.m. All VPA students, staff and faculty are invited to this end-of-year celebration. We look forward to seeing you there.

CVPA Celebration

Amy Pfeiler Wunder, College of Visual and Performing Arts

Communication Studies Senior Showcase

The Communication Studies Senior Capstone Showcase event provides graduating seniors the opportunity to demonstrate and celebrate their years of hard work in the major. The last Wednesday of each semester is reserved for soon-to-be graduates, their friends and family, as well as the campus community and rising seniors to hear from and learn about Senior Capstone projects. Majors spend the last semester of their undergraduate academic careers developing and implementing projects that reflect the principles and fundamentals of the Communication Studies discipline. Many graduating seniors work on their projects for several semesters. These can range from scholarly research projects to working with local businesses developing everything from public relations and publicity plans to creating online and social media content, as well as large-scale strategic communication initiatives. Capstone night also celebrates graduating seniors through awards, and overall, it gives them a special occasion to display their four years of academic growth via a fun and festive evening. This year's event will be held 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, 223 MSU.

Joseph Harasta, Communication Studies

University Senate Meeting

The next University Senate meeting is 4 p.m. Thursday, May 2, 202 Academic Forum. The agenda can be found on the University Senate website. Minutes and documentation are available in the May 2024. SharePoint folder. Please email any Senate representative changes to senate@kutztown.edu. Light refreshments will be served at 3:30 p.m.

University Senate website

Lisa Frye, University Senate

Men's Rugby Set to Compete at 2024 Collegiate Rugby Championships This Weekend

The Golden Bear men's rugby team has qualified for and is ready to compete in the 2024 National 7s Collegiate Rugby Championships (CRCs) this weekend. The Golden Bears’ first match is scheduled for 9 a.m. this Friday, April 26, against Southern Nazarene on Field 12 at the Maryland Soccerplex, Boyds, Md. in the Men’s Premier Cup. The men's bracket and championship game will be held Friday and Saturday. The championship is run by National Collegiate Rugby, the association responsible for more than 600 men's and women's rugby programs in the nation. The winner of Kutztown University's first match will take on the winner of Dartmouth and South Carolina inside the stadium at 11:40 a.m. Follow the action using the link below and on the kubears.com website.

Men's Premier Cup

C.J. Hemerly, Sports Information