In May 2020, a team of faculty, staff, and students was established to research and recommend how to approach our learning, living, and working environment for academic year 2020-21 and beyond: the Lawrence Pandemic Planning Team (LPPT).
The LPPT’s work is grounded in three guiding priorities:
- Protecting the Health and Safety of our Community
- Sustaining the Academic Mission
- Supporting our Students, Faculty, and Staff
The team is currently comprised of three working groups consisting of Lawrentians who bring expertise or important perspectives to the various planning areas. The three groups are:
- Health
- Co-Curricular
- Outside In
LPPT also works closely with two standing university committees to address specific issues:
- Emergency Council for Academic Affairs
- Facilities Request Group
See below for more information regarding each group.
The Lawrence Pandemic Planning Team’s leadership is comprised of each group’s chair(s), plus Ken Anselment, vice president for enrollment and communication; Jason Brozek, special assistant to the president and Stephen Edward Scarff Professor of International Affairs and Associate Professor of Government; Mary Alma Noonan, Vice President for finance and administration; Brian Pertl, dean of the conservatory; Megan Scott, associate vice president of communication, and Ty Collins, assistant director, Career Center, and staff representative. Christyn Abaray, assistant to the president, serves as project lead.
Mitigating the spread of the pandemic is a full community effort, engaging both individual departments and offices and the existing committees within our governance structure, and we’d like to thank everyone for their efforts to successfully support our mission in this challenging environment. Information about the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is ever-evolving, and the LPPT meets weekly to address the the virus and its impact on campus and the Fox Cities. If a policy change is needed, the LPPT discusses options with appropriate shared governance.
LPPT Working Groups
Health Group
The Health Group makes recommendations for sustaining health for all members of the Lawrence community. The group regularly consults with many outside experts both within Wisconsin and around the country (e.g., the American College Health Association, preeminent health care experts in the state of Wisconsin). The group’s work is foundational to each of the other groups’ suggestions.
Christyn Abaray (chair), Assistant to the President & Secretary to the Board of Trustees
Amellalli Herrera Alvarez ’23
Ken Anselment, Vice President for Enrollment & Communication
Alice Boeckers, Executive Assistant to the President
Zoë Boston ’22
Erin Buenzli, Director of Wellness & Recreation
Chris Card, Vice President for Student Life
Laurie Carter, President
Jill Drier, Director of Health Services & Campus Nurse
David Gerard, Associate Professor of Economics
Rich Jazdzewski, Dean of Wellness Services
Mark Jenike, Associate Professor of Anthropology
Co-Curricular Group
The Co-Curricular group offers recommendations on pandemic policy, procedures, organizational structure, events and activities relevant to co-curricular life. The group may consider also co-curricular impacts on personnel, student culture and campus life.
Christopher Card (co-chair), Vice President for Student Life
Rich Jazdzewski (co-chair), Dean of Wellness Services
Brittany Bell, Assistant Dean of Students & Diversity and Intercultural Center Director
Curt Lauderdale, Dean of Students
Leah McSorley, Associate Dean of Students for International Student Services
Jon Meyer, Director of Campus Services
Linda Morgan-Clement, Dean of Spiritual & Religious Life, Chaplain to the University
Bonny Sucherman, Assistant Director-Residence Education & Housing
Kim Tatro, Athletics Director
Amy Uecke, Associate Dean of Students-Residence Education & Housing
Outside In Group
The Outside In Group develops a set of parameters that address how we welcome guests on campus while protecting the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff.
Matt Baumler (chair), Executive Director of Alumni & Constituency Engagement
Mark Breseman, Associate Vice President of Alumni & Constituency Engagement
Karen Bruno, Director of the Lawrence Community Music School
Jen England, Senior Associate Director of Admissions & Director of Visit Experience
Joe King, Director of Facility Services
Curt Lauderdale, Dean of Students
Jon Meyer, Director of Campus Services
Brian Pertl, Dean of the Conservatory
University Standing Committees
Emergency Council for Academic Affairs
The Emergency Council for Academic Affairs considers how the University might best accommodate the academic program in light of ongoing pandemic mitigation strategies.
Katie Kodat (Convener), Provost & Dean of the Faculty
Peter Blitstein, Associate Dean of the Faculty & Associate Professor of History, Instruction Representative
Sara Ceballos, Associate Professor of Music, Governance Representative
Horacio Contreras, Associate Professor of Music-Cello, Conservatory Advisory Representative
Beth De Stasio, Raymond H. Herzog Professor of Science & Professor of Biology, Governance Representative
Sonja Downing, Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology, Academic Advising Representative
Steve Jordheim, Professor of Music & Teacher of Saxophone, Financial Planning Representative
Victoria Kononova, Associate Professor of Russian, Academic Advising Representative
Angi Long, Registrar
Melissa Range, Associate Professor of English
Steve Sieck, Associate Professor of Music & Co-director of Choral Studies, Curriculum Representative
Martyn Smith, Associate Professor of Religious Studies & Director of First-Year Studies
Facilities Request Group
The Facilities Request Group is charged with making recommendations for all requests to use campus facilities and determining what, if any, reconfigurations or capacity limits are necessary to comply with COVID protocols.
Mary Alma Noonan (chair), Vice President for Finance & Administration
Matt Baumler, Executive Director of Alumni & Constituency Engagement
Erin Buenzli, Director of Wellness & Recreation
Jon Meyer, Director of Campus Services
Brian Pertl, Dean of the Conservatory
Steve Sieck, Associate Professor of Music & Co-director of Choral Studies
Kim Tatro, Athletics Director
