In May 2020, President Mark Burstein established a team of faculty, staff, and students to research and recommend how to approach our learning, living, and working environment for academic year 2020-21: 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 comprised five working groups consisting of Lawrentians who bring expertise or important perspectives to the various planning areas. The five groups are:
- Health
- Curricular
- Co-Curricular
- Outside In
- Employees & Legal Aspects
See below for more information regarding each group, including members and work to date.
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; and Megan Scott, associate vice president of communication. Christyn Abaray, assistant to the president, serves as project lead for the entire effort.
Preparing for the academic year 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 launch an academic year 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.
Five Working Groups
Health Group
The Health Group makes recommendations for sustaining health for all members of the Lawrence community in each of the three scenarios. 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.
Mark Burstein (chair), President
Alice Boeckers, Executive Assistant to the President
Mark Jenike, Associate Professor of Anthropology
David Gerard, Associate Professor of Economics
Chris Card, Vice President for Student Life
Ken Anselment, Vice President for Enrollment & Communication
Erin Buenzli, Director of Wellness & Recreation
Jill Drier, Director of Health Services & Campus Nurse
Rich Jazdzewski, Associate Dean of Wellness Services
Amanda Marsh ’21
Chau Le ’21
Curricular Group
The Curricular Group is considering how the University might best accommodate the academic program to each of the three possible scenarios being considered for fall 2020.
Katie Kodat (Co-Chair), Provost & Dean of the Faculty
Brian Pertl (Co-Chair), Dean of the Conservatory
Steve Armstrong, Director of Information Technology Services
David Berk, Director of Instructional Technology
Peter Blitstein, Associate Dean of the Faculty, Associate Professor of History
Jason Brozek, Special Assistant to the President, Stephen Edward Scarff Professor of International Affairs and Associate Professor of Government
Tim Spurgin, Associate Professor of English
Megan Pickett, Associate Professor of Physics
Angi Long, Registrar
Lezlie Weber, Director of Off-Campus Programs
Co-Curricular Group
The Co-Curricular group is charged with reviewing each of the three fall opening scenarios from the broad perspective(s) of the co-curricular program. The group shall consider how each of the scenarios may modify or otherwise impact co-curricular life and offer recommendations on policy, procedures, organizational structure, events and activities relevant to each scenario. The group may consider also co-curricular impacts on personnel, student culture and campus life.
Christopher Card (co-chair), Vice President for Student Life
Christyn Abaray (co-chair), Assistant to the President & Secretary to the Board of Trustees
Amy Uecke, Associate Dean of Students—Residence Education & Housing
Bonny Sucherman, Assistant Director —Residence Education & Housing
Oryan Brown ’21, LUCC President
Greg Griffin, Director of Student Activities & Greek Life
Curt Lauderdale, Dean of Students
Linda Morgan-Clement, Dean of Spiritual & Religious Life, Chaplain to the University
Kim Tatro, Athletics Director
Sterling Ambrosius-Tolbert ’22, LUCC Student Welfare Committee Chair
Jon Meyer, Director of Campus Services
Leah McSorley, Associate Dean of Students for International Student Services
Brittany Bell, Assistant Dean of Students & Diversity and Intercultural Center Director
Yoly Anderson, Executive Assistant for Student Life
Outside In Group
The Outside In Group will develop 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 (co-chair), Executive Director of Alumni & Constituency Engagement
Christyn Abaray (co-chair), Assistant to the President, Secretary to the Board of Trustees
Kimberly Barrett, Vice president for Diversity & Inclusion, Associate Dean of the Faculty
Brian Pertl, Dean of the Conservatory
Mary Beth Petrie, Dean of Admissions
Karen Bruno, Director of the Lawrence Community Music School
Mark Breseman, Associate Vice President of Alumni and Constituency Engagement
Kristen Greiner, Assistant Director of Campus Services
Jon Meyer, Director of Campus Services
Joe King, Director of Facility Services
Curt Lauderdale, Dean of Students
Employees & Legal Aspects Group
The Employee & Legal Aspects group is charged with identifying issues related to employees working on-campus or remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as general legal concerns under the three density models.
Kimberly Barrett (tri-chair), Vice president for Diversity & Inclusion, Associate Dean of the Faculty
Jenna Stone (tri-chair), Associate Vice President of Finance
Tina Harrig (tri-chair), Director of Human Resources
Julia Messitte, University Counsel
Mark Phelan, Chair of Faculty Governance, Associate Professor of Philosophy