Daily Brief

Smith Named 2024 Employee of the Year

Congratulations to Julie Smith, laboratory manager, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, on being named the 2024 Kutztown University Employee of the Year. Smith was named the Employee of the Year during KU's Faculty and Staff Convocation and Celebration Friday, Aug. 23. Smith, Employee of the Month for December 2023, was 1-of-12 finalists for the annual award. Smith has been with the university since 2015. Read More.

University Relations

Speak at Ignite Kutztown

We are seeking speakers for Ignite Kutztown, 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, 135 Rickenbach. Mark your calendar to, at the very least, attend and see what this is all about. Ignite is a speaking event that follows a specific format. The basic idea behind Ignite is: 'what’s the nerdy passion you want to share with other people?' Make a five-minute speech about it, with 20 slides that advance automatically every 15 seconds. This can be anything you’re passionate about, from a hobby, to a research subject to a general interest. Thus far, we’ve had topics ranging from "The Last of Us," to "Apples," to "Playing with Action Figures as an Adult," and many others. Here’s a great video of an Ignite talk about giving an Ignite talk. If you’re stumped for topics, there are many YouTube videos of Ignite talks from around the country. Contact cripe@kutztown.edu for more information.

Emily Cripe, Communication Studies

Pride Night at R-Phils - Free Tickets Available

We still have free tickets available for Pride Night at the R-Phils vs. Erie Seahawks, 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3. Gates open at 6 p.m. Tickets available at the Boxwood House or 109 Stratton. Transportation available for students and faculty/staff, if space allows. RSVP for transportation online. Wear your KU gear!

Engage

Jerry Schearer, Diversity and Inclusion/Chief Diversity Officer

University Senate: Professional Staff – Willingness to Serve

University Senate nominations for an elected position are now being accepted for the following position: Professional Staff Senator (one opening, two-year term): Senator representing the views of all professional staff at the university. Must have three years full-time service at the university by August 2024. This is a two-year term. KU employees designated "Professional Staff" are all those represented by SCUPA and Managers below rank of Cabinet. To self-nominate to be on the ballot, please complete the electronic form located at this link. You will be prompted to log in to Engage@KU with your username (full KU email address) and KU Windows password. Form submissions must be received by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4. To resume a form you have already started or view a form you have completed, click here. If you have questions about the position, contact senate@kutztown.edu. If you experience problems with the online system, contact Leah Cassellia at casselli@kutztown.edu.

University Senate

Kim Shively, Chair, Committee on Committees

University Senate: Staff – Willingness to Serve

University Senate nominations for an elected position are now being accepted for the following position: Staff Senator (one opening, three-year term): Senator representing the views of all staff at the university. Must have three years full-time service at the university by August 2024. This is a three-year term. KU employees designated "Staff" are all those not represented by SCUPA, Managers below rank of Cabinet, faculty or coaches. To self-nominate to be on the ballot, please complete the electronic form located at this link. You will be prompted to log in to Engage@KU with your username (full KU email address) and KU Windows password. Form submissions must be received by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4. To resume a form you have already started or view a form you have completed, click here. If you have questions about the position, contact senate@kutztown.edu. If you experience problems with the online system, contact Leah Cassellia at casselli@kutztown.edu.

University Senate

Kim Shively, Chair, Committee on Committees

Social Equity Policies Training

This fall, the Office of Social Equity will offer six Social Equity Policies training sessions pursuant to the university's Anti-Harassment, Anti-Discrimination, Sexual Misconduct and Amorous Relationships policies. To register for a training, please click here.
- 9 a.m., Monday, Sept. 9, via Zoom
- 9 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 26, in-person, SE Training Room/My Place
- 9 a.m., Friday, Oct. 11, via Zoom 
- 9 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 22, in-person, SE Training Room/My Place
- 9 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 6, via Zoom
- 9 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 19, in-person, SE Training Room/My Place

Reminder: All faculty and staff must take the Social Equity Policies training on a yearly basis. If you cannot recall when you last completed the training, please contact the Office of Social Equity and we will be glad to check our records. If you would like to schedule an in-person training for your department, please send a request by email to socialequity@kutztown.edu or contact the Office of Social Equity at extension 3-4700. Please obtain approval from your supervisor if necessary.

Sign Up

Social Equity and Compliance

Rohrbach Library Open House

Join us for the Rohrbach Library's Annual Open House 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 17. 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.

Open House

Sylvia Pham, Rohrbach Library

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.

Student Accounts

Wendy Pursell, Office of Student Accounts

CEL Fall Program Sign Up

The Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) is excited to announce its Fall 2024 events. 

Innovative Pedagogy Book group: Do you feel like the feedback you give students isn’t being utilized? Are you stuck in “grading prison?” Does it seem students are just unmotivated to make meaningful changes? This semester’s Innovative Pedagogy Book group might be a good fit for you. We will be reading Grading for Growth: A Guide to Alternative Grading Practices that Promote Authentic Learning and Student Engagement in Higher Education by David Clark and Robert Talbert (preview the eBook). This learning community will explore how different ways of assessment can help us achieve our learning goals and spend less time grading. This book group is co-facilitated by Jacob Sewall and Danielle Seier and meets throughout the semester on Mondays from 1-2 p.m. in the CEL office, 6 Rohrbach Library. You can sign up for the book group by using this online form. If this time doesn’t work for you, please suggest an alternate time on the form.  

Hour of Power (New): Do you need to make progress on a project and can't find the time? Join us for the Hour of Power, a series of one-hour writing retreats in the CEL Center. Reserve time in your schedule before it fills with committee meetings and grading. Sign up for as many sessions as you like; we'll send you a reminder the day before. As a bonus, for each successful Hour of Power completed, you get to pick a prize from the CEL treasure chest. 

Don't let other obligations take over your writing time. We'll hold your phone, close the door and keep track of time so you can work undisturbed for an hour. Fill out the online form to choose your Hour of Power.

Center for Engaged Learning

Erin Kraal, Center for Engaged Learning

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

Center for Engaged Learning