Mayor Sandra Green issued an official proclamation congratulating Kutztown University’s Dr. Kenneth Hawkinson on his recent inauguration as president during Kutztown Borough Council’s April 19 meeting.
The university hosted an inauguration ceremony for Hawkinson Friday, April 15. The ceremony featured both local and state dignitaries as well as students and faculty of the school.
Hawkinson is now the university’s 12th president.
Green took a moment to officially congratulate Hawkinson on becoming inaugurated.
“Dr. Hawkinson has had an extensive and impressive career at Western Illinois University that made him the perfect candidate to lead Kutztown University into the future,” said Green.
“The Borough Council of Kutztown looks forward to continuing a great and lasting town and gown relationship with the university,” she added.
So much so that it was later mentioned that the president and the council would be creating a committee to further better the relationship between the town and the university.
In his speech thanking the council, the president reminisced back to his first visit to Kutztown. During his visit, he hosted some residents for a tour in his future home, he said.
“The first people we were able to connect in the area were members of the Kutztown community. That bonded us with the community,” said Hawkinson.
“I’m also delighted that we can start the Town and Gown Council,” he added.
The Town and Gown Council is an initiative led by Green, Hawkinson and other members of the university’s faculty.
“We come together ever six weeks or so to discuss different challenges and opportunities, and I know there a few challenges,” said Hawkinson. “But the opportunities are enormous.”
In a report later given by council member Derek Mace, it was stated that on the weekend of March 19, St. Patrick’s Day weekend, 42 arrests were made. These arrests were said to have been made in conjunction with a student event called “Kutz Paddy’s Day.”
When asked about the effect these events had on the community. Green said, “It’s important that we continue to work together to come up with solutions.”
Some members of the board even proposed solutions during the meeting to help contain the problem on the student’s end.
“The events were unsavory and people were looking to see what we can do,” Mace said.
Mace also said the council has considered occupancy limits and a rooftop ordinance and currently hosts an open forum for landlords.
“This is training landlords to have more rigorous leases so they can evict students more quickly, and this has been very successful,” Mace continued.
Mace even commended Hawkinson on his open letter to students chastising them for their actions.
“Sometimes in the past, the borough has felt the university has not had much of an interest in monitoring the students or helping us, but I don’t think that is true currently,” he added.
In other news, Green also honored first responders who were on the scene of the Feb. 20 stabbing of a Kutztown University student.
For their heroic actions and ultimately their saving of the student’s life, both Sydney Shade and Horace Foraker were honored with a Civilian Service Award.
Also, Borough Manager Gabriel Khalife reviewed the borough’s first-quarter finances, which appear to be doing well.
“We will receive about $315,000 in bond savings this year,” he said.
“Overall, this is just a small snapshot of what is going on and how we’re moving forward.”
