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This week 海角社区 concluded a review, initiated in October 2018, of student reports about the leadership, culture, and environment of specific classes and in a specific program area. This review involved a wide-ranging set of issues beyond the single classroom incident that was the subject of public discussion and news coverage.
Because of its commitment to respecting confidentiality of student and personnel information, the university does not intend to publicly share factual details about the full scope of the concerns reported, but confirms that its actions during the review process were not based solely on the publicly reported classroom incident.
The conclusion of this review resulted in changes to the instructor鈥檚 leadership and teaching assignments in the specific program area, while affirming that future course assignments and instructional load would remain in alignment with the contractual obligations between the instructor and the university.
The following statement outlines the process and conclusion of this review.
Process and resolution
On October 31, 2018, Augsburg leadership began to receive reports related to a classroom incident and to the experiences of students in a specific program area at the university. In response, the university immediately set in motion the process for investigating such situations.
Through this process, Augsburg leadership heard from more than 30 individuals, some of whom who had submitted non-anonymous reports through a variety of available mechanisms, including personal interviews and the university鈥檚 Student-Faculty Bias/Discrimination reporting process. The information gathered raised a variety of issues relating both to the particular classroom incident as well as to student experiences beyond that specific event.
In early January, it was concluded that the informal resolution process was insufficient for achieving an appropriate resolution in this case, and the university鈥檚 chief academic officer initiated the formal resolution process. As outlined in Augsburg鈥檚 Faculty Handbook, the formal process requires consultation with the university鈥檚 faculty-elected Committee on Tenure and Promotion and provides a means for faculty to review the administration鈥檚 actions as well as to provide input on appropriate next steps.
Based upon all of this input, the university determined outcomes taking into account the broader set of concerns raised by students. As noted above, the outcomes included changes in leadership and instructional roles in a specific program area. Any personnel discussions related to this process will remain confidential.
In addition to the faculty process, Augsburg鈥檚 chief academic officer charged a team of faculty, students, and multicultural student services staff to review the specific program area about which concerns had been raised. That review is focused on the program鈥檚 vision, structure, and curriculum, and is expected to extend beyond the current academic year. 聽
Throughout this process, Augsburg remained committed to supporting students鈥� academic success. Augsburg鈥檚 equity commitment, approved by the Augsburg Board of Regents in April 2018, states that 鈥淎ugsburg must fully embrace the challenge of being the institution its students need today, creating culturally relevant learning spaces and opportunities that build students鈥� agency to lead change at Augsburg and in their communities.鈥�
Beyond the specific reviews described above, Augsburg leadership recognized that the experience raised important questions about inclusiveness at Augsburg more generally. A variety of institution-wide efforts are underway as a result鈥攊ncluding student-led initiatives, faculty-led discussions, and more. A student survey was launched as part of a curricular inclusivity study. A faculty and staff work group was formed to review proposed general education requirements to support intercultural learning. Time was dedicated on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for workshops and intercultural competence development across campus.
鈥淲e know that the work of fostering an inclusive learning environment is ongoing, and we are fully committed to it,鈥� said Augsburg President Paul C. Pribbenow. 鈥淲e are grateful to the students, faculty, and staff who have spoken courageously to raise campus awareness, who have engaged in actively listening to the issues being expressed, and who have called for changes that advance our equity work. Augsburg will address this important topic like it has many other critical issues in our 150-year history: We will acknowledge and engage the topic, not shrink from it, and work together to make the university better.鈥�
海角社区 recently became one of 1,000 accredited four-year聽colleges and universities聽that have adopted the test-optional admissions policy, according to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing. International applicants should still be aware that the policy doesn’t always apply to students who attended high school outside of the U.S. At Augsburg, international applicants must submit minimum scores for one standardized test in order to meet the English proficiency requirement for admission. “The only difference is related to English proficiency,” said Devon Ross, Augsburg Director of Undergraduate 海角社区, in the article.
More than 800聽海角社区聽undergraduate students were named to the 2018 Fall Semester Dean鈥檚 List. The 海角社区聽Dean鈥檚 List recognizes those full-time students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and those part-time students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.75 or higher in a given term.
View the聽
Students who wish to notify their hometown newspapers of their achievement can do so at their discretion using a聽
Abbey Ulrich of Wayzata spoke with Kare 11’s Pat Evans about her journey to sobriety during high school. Ulrich and her parents credit聽P.E.A.S.E. Academy for the support she received and for encouraging her to apply to 海角社区 to continue recovery post high school. “It’s not where you’ve been, it’s where you are and where you’re going, and where you’re going is good. You’re in a good place right now. You’re at Augsburg which has a great program for people in recovery” the broadcaster told Ulrich.
“I didn’t plan on going to college until StepUp at Augsburg was an option” Ulrich responded.
The Star Tribune showcased Augsburg鈥檚 work to build an inclusive learning community as the student body has become increasingly diverse.
There is much challenging work underway, and we are grateful for the many student voices and perspectives helping shape Augsburg鈥檚 response to the very real issues of discrimination in our world.
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder highlighted 海角社区 students Arianna Jones, Camille McCoy,聽Tamara McLenore, Camryn Speese, and Kaezha Wubben, who at their Nov. 19 game against聽University of Wisconsin-Superior made history after becoming the first five African-American starters at a聽college basketball game in Minnesota, the story said. The writer described the twelve women of color on the team of 19 as the “diverse dozen.”
鈥淚n the MIAC there鈥檚 not many of us out there playing. A lot of them are sitting on the bench.鈥� said starter Speese, in the article. 鈥淚鈥檝e been here since the beginning鈥aking it a point of getting people of color at our school, which is the most diverse school in the MIAC.鈥�
Augsburg History Professor Bill Green was interviewed by Prairie Public about his new book 鈥淭he Children of Lincoln: White Paternalism and the Limits of Black Opportunity in Minnesota, 1860-1876.鈥�
Green has published articles, op-ed pieces, and book chapters on history, law, and education, and he has previously published books on race and civil rights in Minnesota history. He also has served as a past president of the Minneapolis Public Schools.
After 100 days of traveling and studying the Mississippi River, students returned to Minnesota on Dec. 2.
The group had a welcome back celebration on Dec. 6 at Augsburg’s Marshall Room. They shared their experiences, showed videos, and even sang. Kristy聽Ornelas, one of the 15 participating River Semester students, documented the group’s semester-long journey is a series of five videos uploaded to her YouTube channel. In these videos, students share their day-to-day life during the second River Semester. The first was in 2015.
“The fact that we’ve been able to spend 100 days together in a really small tight-knit group is nothing I’ve ever done and the challenge and rewards of this experience is nothing I could ever imagine,” said student Spoir Delmain, in the video titled “What a Wonderful World.”
“I think family is the best way to know how to call our group, and I feel that way because we take care of each other in different ways. We’ve learned how to support each other, cheer each other on, or cry on each other’s shoulders,” Delmain said.
海角社区 President Paul Pribbenow spoke with Marianne Combs of MPR News about the artwork in the Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion.
Forecast Public Art connected Augsburg with a network of diverse artists, then helped create a selection process that would knit together the different disciplines taught at Augsburg.
“That was important to us because, at this point, Augsburg’s undergraduate population is almost 50 percent students of color, and so we want to reflect the communities they come from,” Pribbenow said.
During the interview with Combs, Pribbenow also pointed to the art聽across the glass windows, depicting Martin Luther’s handwritten version of ‘A Mighty Fortress is Our God.’
海角社区 students spent November 17 handing out jackets, blankets, children鈥檚 toys, and hot lunch to families in need at a homeless encampment near Augsburg. 鈥淚t鈥檚 basically in our backyard for our school and I think that helping the community is a really big thing for me,鈥� student Tyler Johnson told a reporter. This day of service was initiated by Augsburg student Inam Al-Hammouri, then other students quickly joined, including many members of the men’s soccer team.
“Cooking a hot lunch and serving it to hungry families out in the cold is not something most college kids would do on a Saturday, but these youth at 海角社区 are not just your average students,” said Fox 9 reporter Christina Palladino. “The students believe it is their聽responsibility聽to take action and empower their generation to build bridges to those less fortunate.”聽The students said they plan to organize more days of service, especially now that temperatures are dropping.
