2020

Dear Lawrence Community,

2020 brings two important moments in civic life: elections at the national, state, and local level, and the completion of the 2020 Census. I want to share information about both of these critical exercises and to ask all members of our community to participate in these important civic events. As we approach this next year we need to commit ourselves to upholding our value of civil discourse and debate as we seek understanding. We also need to respect the free expression of political views by all members of our community.

The 2020 Election Cycle

The 2020 election cycle is in full swing. Iowa holds caucuses today, and the New Hampshire primary is not far behind. They will be followed by dozens of states across the nation in the coming weeks and months. Wisconsin’s presidential primary is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7. Our home state is set to be a battleground in this year’s presidential election. Several important state and local offices are also up for election on April 7, including the mayor of Appleton and a state supreme court justice. These two positions have direct impact on our daily lives here in Appleton. The primary for these state and local races is on February 18. One of the central responsibilities of being a citizen of this country is participation in the democratic process. I encourage all Lawrentians who are eligible to exercise their constitutional right to vote in these important upcoming elections. To be eligible to vote in Wisconsin, you must be at least 18 years old, be a U.S. citizen, and have lived in Appleton for at least 10 consecutive days.

As was the case in previous national election cycles, many politicians or their representatives may visit the Fox Cities, including Lawrence’s campus as they seek to share their message with voters. Lawrence is committed to the free expression of political views by members of our community; the university values civil discourse and debate as an essential underpinning of a liberal arts education. We must also ensure that any political activity on campus complies with state and federal law; the University’s policy governing campus involvement in electoral activity reflects this commitment. Please review this policy and understand our procedures, especially if you belong to an organization or department that is interested in hosting a campaign event on campus. The opportunity to engage with candidates for office provides all Lawrentians with a unique educational experience. I hope to see such opportunities available to our community in the coming months.

The Census

This year offers us the opportunity to exercise another important civic duty: the completion of the 2020 Census on April 1. The census is conducted every 10 years. It counts everyone who currently lives in the United States, regardless of citizenship status. Its results are the basis for congressional representation and help determine how more than $675 billion in federal funds is distributed each year to support vital programs in states and communities across the nation. These funds shape our local health care, housing, education, transportation, employment, and public policy. The better our census completion rate, the more funding our community is eligible to receive.

Lawrence is partnering with the U.S. Census Bureau to support the census, and a campus committee is currently working to get the word out about this important initiative. Please stay tuned in the coming week for more information about the voter registration process and the 2020 Census to be shared via email, in the LU Insider, or through other communication channels.

We must engage compassionately with community members during this election season. We live in a truly polarized moment for our nation. It is difficult to find objective news sources; at times it can even be hard to converse respectfully with friends, family, and colleagues.  In this environment, we must uphold the tenets of our community: respect for others; openness to different, challenging ideas; and reliance on research and non-partisan sources to help determine our decision.

I look forward to connecting with our campus, local, and national communities in the coming year as we engage in the democratic process and help to set the course for our collective future.

Yours,

Mark

Dear Lawrence Community,

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the news that Terry Franke ’68 passed away Tuesday morning at the age of 73 with family at his side. Terry served as the chair of Lawrence’s Board of Trustees from 2011 to 2015, a capstone to five decades of service. During this extraordinary service to his alma mater he provided calm, insightful leadership and mentored countless students, alumni, and fellow Board members. 

Terry’s passion, unbounded energy, and strategic vision have carried Lawrence successfully forward. As Board chair, he delivered steady guidance during a time of great transition. His connection to Lawrentians on and off campus and his persistent support of many aspects of our learning community has had an extraordinary impact on the University. As Board chair during the presidential transition, Terry’s leadership ultimately brought me to the Lawrence community in 2013 as the University’s 16th president. He provided an essential sounding board during my first years in role. I know many Lawrentians join me in remembering moments when Terry’s advice offered exactly what you needed to hear to be the best version of yourself.

During his 16 years as a trustee, Terry chaired the Board’s Investment Committee during a critical time period, stewarding the endowment through the Great Recession of the late 2000s. His recruitment of many talented Lawrentians to that Committee fostered a decade of sustained endowment growth through appreciation and new gifts. Thanks to his leadership and the efforts and investments of many others, our endowment doubled during this period to more than $350 million today. It was also during his time leading the Board that we launched the Full Speed to Full Need campaign to support student scholarships. Upon leaving the Board four years later, he was honored by an anonymous donor, who gave a $1 million gift to establish the Terry and Mary Franke Scholarship Fund. 

Terry was a dedicated member of the Lawrence community from the moment he stepped on campus as a student in 1964. Since graduating in 1968, he fostered and maintained connections, sharing his time and knowledge with alumni, as well as current and future Lawrentians. He was always ready to lend a hand as an event volunteer, an admissions volunteer, and a member of reunion committees. He took particular joy in mentoring student interns at his consulting businesses. As a proud member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, he connected often with past and current fraternity members. 

Terry spent most of his professional career at Hewitt Associates, where he was a senior partner. He also served as a senior consultant for Productive Strategies Inc., a management and marketing consulting firm based in Northfield, Illinois, and Franke Associates, a consulting firm focused on clients in the higher education sector.

You can read more about Terry’s service to Lawrence in a moving tribute to his life and service here. We will share details on a Lawrence gathering to celebrate his life at a later date.

On a personal note, I will miss Terry immensely as a mentor, sounding board, and friend. I will especially miss seeing him hold court in the Viking Room during his frequent visits to campus. I know I am joined by many others in our community, as well as his family, friends, and colleagues, in mourning this loss and celebrating the life of this true Lawrentian.

Sincerely,

Mark