2021

Category: 2021

Fall 2021 Plan Update (April 28, 2021)

Dear Lawrence Community, 

A few weeks ago I shared the news that the Lawrence Pandemic Planning Team (LPPT), in consultation with campus colleagues and public health experts, was developing plans for Fall Term.  In the meantime, our community commitment to Honor the Pledge has continued to keep infection rates below 0.5% for most weeks during this academic year.  Many members of our community have also diligently pursued vaccination.

Thanks to this shared effort, we can now confirm our plan to return to in-person living, learning, and working this fall.  The university made this decision grounded in the guiding principles that have framed our planning from the pandemic’s inception:  to protect the health and safety of our community; to sustain our academic mission; and to support faculty, staff, and students.  We continue to pair these principles with our core Lawrentian values of community, equity, and student empowerment. 

To protect community health, we will require all students accessing or residing on campus to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.  This requirement begins this summer and joins the existing requirement that students be immunized for various other highly contagious diseases.  Exceptions will be made for medical reasons, religious beliefs, or personal conviction.  Faculty and staff are highly encouraged to be vaccinated.  Aspects of university activity will be restricted to vaccinated individuals in order to sustain community health.  For members of the Lawrence community who are living, learning, or working on campus, the Fox Cities offers several opportunities for vaccination.

 Thanks to the efforts of many, our plans for the fall are now taking shape. 

  • Faculty have worked hard to reestablish in-person classes.  The class schedule provides more specific details.  In person services provided by staff offices are being evaluated and expanded to meet the needs of all constituents
  • The housing lottery has begun.  All residence halls will be available except for 300 South Meade Street (Big Exec) and the guest houses along North Park Avenue, which will be reserved for potential quarantine and isolation needs. 
  • We have relocated new student move-in and orientation from September 6 to September 9.  This orientation will be augmented with online programs provided during the summer for incoming students. 
  • For students currently in their first year at Lawrence, we also plan to provide time before the Fall Term begins to reconnect to campus. 

More information regarding orientation and move-in dates will be shared in the coming weeks.

We know the pandemic will continue to have an impact on campus life.  We will adapt the university’s health framework as the CDC and others provide new guidance.  Additional information will be provided by the LPPT in the coming weeks and months, including: 

  • Updated health and safety protocols, including changes to the Lawrence Campus Community Pledge, surveillance testing, and campus guest guidelines. 
  • New rules for hosting public events and providing public access to campus. 
  • New guidelines regarding employee density in campus offices and departments.  
  • An updated travel policy.  

We are planning a live question and answer session for students and families as well as for faculty and staff within the next few weeks.  Please stay tuned to your email for additional details.  In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about our plans, or other issues surrounding the pandemic, please email coronainfo@lawrence.edu.  Even as we create a framework for the fall, we need to continue to be flexible as new information and conditions unfold.  If adjustments to our fall plans are needed, we will be in immediate communication.  

Examples of our community’s creativity and resilience will always be foremost in my many memories of my time at Lawrence.  Thank you, again, for your commitment to your fellow Lawrentians. 

Yours, 

Mark

Mark Burstein

President, Lawrence University

Welcome to Spring Term (March 30, 2021)

Greetings Lawrentians, 

Welcome to Spring Term whether you have joined here in Appleton or you are joining from around the globe.  Spring has always brought thoughts of renewal for me and, I expect, for many of you as well.  After a long 12 months of the pandemic, we do seem to be turning a corner.  I am looking forward to attending outdoor athletic competitions and campus events again, to hearing music across the campus, picnicking on Main Hall Green, and, of course, to celebrating our graduating seniors at Commencement in the Banta Bowl.  David and I will savor each of these experiences even more as our time on campus draws to a close.  

We have spent this academic year together in a hybrid mode, which has allowed all of us to make our decisions about whether to come to campus or to join this learning community from home.  About 70% of students decided to live on campus.  Thanks to our community’s commitment to Honor the Pledge, we have managed to keep infection rates well below 1% for nearly the entire year.  With your leadership and vigilance, we will be able to maintain this remarkable record. 

Through the ingenuity of our students, faculty, and staff we have found ways to reimagine teaching, learning, and community.  Many memories will remain in my mind of this past year, but examples of our community’s creativity and resilience will always be foremost.  I am also thankful for our community’s efforts to become a more antiracist, equity-minded institution, even as the pandemic occupied much of our energy.  Current events reinforce the importance of this work for us. 

As vaccination rates rise and infection rates decline, we are ever more hopeful to enjoy the gift of human connection, face-to-face instead of screen-to-screen.  We have begun to make Fall Term plans that allow for a return to in-person experiences in our classrooms and labs, on the playing field and stage, and through campus activities.  These plans will continue to closely follow CDC and State health guidelines.  At the same time, we are mindful that the pandemic has taught us to be agile, which is why we are also developing plans to modify our housing processes, workplace rules, and course modality should conditions warrant. 


We will continue to update you with our plans as they are finalized for the academic year.  I look forward to being with you this spring as we work together to sustain and deepen this learning community we call Lawrence. 

Yours,

Mark

Mark Burstein

President, Lawrence University

Anti-Asian Hate Crimes (March 19, 2021)

Dear Lawrence Community,

The recent shootings in the Atlanta area mark another tragedy involving gun violence. We mourn the loss of the lives of all eight victims. But the fact that six of those killed were women of Asian descent serves as a troubling reminder of the increase in anti-Asian hate incidents, harassment and discrimination in this country since the beginning of the pandemic.

As a community that values inclusion, I know you join me in standing with the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities; we must oppose all forms of hate, including the scapegoating and xenophobia directed at individuals who belong to these groups. This is part of our commitment to become an anti-racist campus community.

If you seek support or need someone to talk with, please contact campus resources including Wellness Services, Spiritual & Religious Life, the Diversity & Intercultural Center, International Student Services, the Center for Academic Success and Office of Diversity & Inclusion. For those remaining on campus during Spring Break all centers will be open. Additionally, our employee assistance provider, ERC, is available at no cost, and employees on the university health plan can access an in-network counselor or mental healthcare provider by searching the United Healthcare Choice Plus Network online.  

For any incidents of concern, contact Campus Safety at 920-832-6999 or security@lawrence.edu.  If you witness a bias incident, please complete a bias incident report  or contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In addition, the Rave Guardian App could provide access to safety and community resources. Information on downloading the app is available on the Lawrence website.

As we continue to move forward through these challenging times, I hope you find peace and support with friends, family, or other loved ones during the break.

Yours,

Mark

Mark Burstein

President, Lawrence University

Commencement 2021 (March 18, 2021)

Dear Seniors,   

As Winter Term comes to a close I am sure most of you have started to think about Commencement. I am pleased to announce that Lawrence will host an in-person, outdoor Commencement ceremony on Sunday, June 13 at 10:00 a.m.  Like many of the events since last March, Commencement 2021 will look different than in years past. Our goal will continue to be a celebration of your time at Lawrence and the milestones you and your classmates have achieved. Many details still need to be worked out, but so far we know that:   

  • Commencement will be held at the Banta Bowl in order to safely accommodate all attendees. 
  • All seniors will be invited back to campus to participate in the ceremony, including those who currently live off-campus. 
  • Each graduate will be allowed up to two guests in order to accommodate our social distancing guidelines.  
  • The university also plans to host commencement events such as Baccalaureate and the Commencement concert. Some events may take place in a virtual format. More details will be provided in the coming weeks. 
  • As in years past, Commencement will be streamed live via Lawrence’s YouTube channel, so it will be available to friends, family and graduates around the globe. 
  • All regalia, including caps, gowns, and tassels, will be provided to graduating seniors by the Lawrence University Alumni Association (LUAA). 
  • We are also developing plans for a virtual alternative if the need arises.  
  • More details will be shared via email as they become available.  You can also visit go.lawrence.edu/commencement, to find up-to-date information about the ceremony.  

A survey will be sent to all seniors within the next two weeks requesting information regarding your plans for Commencement.  It is important that you respond to this survey as soon as possible so that we can begin to finalize ceremony arrangements. 

As we end our last year at Lawrence, together, I am deeply thankful for your leadership of our learning community.  I am particularly grateful for your commitment to Honor the Pledge, which has allowed us to consider an in-person celebration of your time here.  Since your arrival in Appleton, I have had the honor of watching you take full advantage of the Lawrence experience. Your successes as Lawrentians are even more meaningful in light of the challenges of this past year. I am so honored to be able to celebrate this important milestone with you, in person. I look forward to seeing you on campus or via zoom during Spring Term. Until then, I wish you a restful and healthy spring break.  

Sincerely,  
Mark

Mark Burstein
President, Lawrence University

University Update on Efforts to Create an Antiracist Equity-minded Campus Culture (January 14, 2021)

Dear Lawrence Community,

Like many of you, I am still digesting last week’s assault on the Capitol:  What does it mean for me?  What does it mean for Lawrence and our learning community?  The symbol of Confederate flags paraded through the nation’s capital continues to be in my thoughts and nightmares.  With many of us limiting human contact due to the pandemic and the beginning of the term, it is likely that it is much more difficult to process these events.  To play our part in responding to this attack on this nation’s basic principles of democracy, liberty, and justice for all, I believe that we must rededicate ourselves to our goal of becoming an antiracist, equity-minded institution and community.

In a statement last spring, the Board of Trustees wrote:  “Centuries of discrimination based on race have embedded inequities in every aspect of our lives, including here in Appleton and on the Lawrence University campus.  We affirm our commitment, led by all members of our community—the administration, faculty, students, and staff—to continue to eliminate the impacts of racism at Lawrence as we prepare our students to be leaders in their communities.”

Below is a summary of our current efforts, including initiatives connected to CODA’s recommendations and concerns from last fall.  We know that addressing structural racism is an urgent need, and while some of the initiatives will take some time to review and implement, we are prioritizing this work.  I want to again thank student leaders, as well as the many faculty and staff, whose energy is moving us forward.  Each entry is listed with the name(s) of the leader of the effort and a goal for completion.  While interconnected, the initiatives are grouped into three categories:  Changes in Processes and Policies; Fostering a More Diverse Community; and Creating a Safe Home for All.  These initiatives will provide a strong basis for future endeavors.  If you want to better understand any of these initiatives or potentially get involved, please contact the lead directly.  Our communal aspirations require all of us to engage.

I hope to see you at one of the MLK Day events this Monday.  You can find a full program schedule here.

Yours,

Mark

Mark Burstein

President, Lawrence University

___________________________

Changes in Processes and Policies

  • Many have suggested ways to improve our Bias Incident Response process.  We will begin an external review of the process immediately with the hope that suggestions from peer institutions will enter into our discussions by the beginning of Spring Term.  In the meantime, we are in the process of adding 2 student representatives to the Bias Incident Response Committee, and we are developing a new way to provide summary data from the process.  Lead:  Kimberly Barrett
  • An interim Anti-Hate Speech policy was instituted in November in consultation with the Faculty Committee on University Governance, LUCC and others.  A group of faculty, students, and staff are developing a more permanent policy which will be reviewed through shared governance committees by the end of the academic year.  Lead:  Kimberly Barrett
  •  The Office of Communications will introduce visual media procedures and policies, including the opportunity for community members to annually opt-out of having their image used for communication, marketing, or publicity purposes.  Communications will also organize its image inventory and work with the Registrar and Human Resources to help enforce this process.  The new visual media procedures and policies will be in place for fall of 2021.  Lead:  Megan Scott
  • Lawrence has created a Preferred Name Policy to enhance transparency and to make it easier for people who want to use a preferred name to access information about the process.  The policy will also be used in training with faculty and staff to help prevent outing and other biased behavior related to gender identity.  We will identify ways to modify Argos reports to allow more specific designation of student preferences regarding names used for various purposes this summer.  Lead:  Kimberly Barrett
  • The Facilities team will consult with the Disability Working Group by the end of Winter Term to ensure that we create a physical campus that is accessible to all.  Lead:  Mary Alma Noonan
  • For the current admissions cycle and beyond, the admissions office has reviewed and reworked application review guidelines to reduce reader bias or self-centering when assessing applicants’ quality of writing and match with Lawrence, as well as to significantly lessen the influence of test scores and high school ratings, both of which are strongly tied to socioeconomic status.  Lead:  Beth Petrie 
  • For the current admissions cycle and beyond, the financial aid office has created a supplemental financial aid application as a student- and family-centered alternative to the CSS Profile, with far fewer questions and no cost to the student, removing significant barriers to completing the financial aid process.  The financial aid office is also investigating digital signature replacements for the cumbersome physical signature requirement for financial aid verification for implementation by the fall of 2021 if not sooner.  Lead:  Ryan Gebler
  • Since the summer of 2020, the admissions and financial aid offices have been auditing communications to ensure inclusive and welcoming descriptions (more student-focused, with less “institutional speak”) around Lawrence’s features, processes and expectations.  Lead:  Ken Anselment
  • A committee of faculty is working on restructuring the Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion processes to better serve a diverse professoriate.  This effort is supported by a grant from the Mellon Foundation and follows an external review of these processes.  Proposed changes to our processes will be discussed in shared governance committees starting this spring.  Lead:  Bob Williams
  • The University has instituted new processes for faculty and staff searches to ensure that Lawrence attracts candidates from all backgrounds.  The number of BIPOC candidates hired since new processes were instituted has increased significantly.  We expect these processes will ensure the University continues to attract diverse and talented candidates on all searches this year and in future years.  Leads:  Katie Kodat, Kimberly Barrett, Tina Harrig

Fostering a More Diverse Community

  • The presidential search committee and its search firm Isaacson, Miller are focused on attracting a diverse set of candidates for the 17th president of Lawrence.  Lead:  Christyn Abaray
  •  A committee of faculty is involved with an effort to implement inclusive pedagogy and curricular transformation in the humanities and humanistic social sciences.  Faculty have been implementing specific curricular and pedagogical changes for the past four academic years and will continue to do so influenced by this effort.  This initiative is supported by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.  Lead:  Kathy Privatt
  • A committee of faculty is working to engage science students of all backgrounds and identities through an Inclusive Excellence Initiative funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.  The initiative will lead to the redesign of all introductory courses in biology, chemistry and physics over the next two academic years.  Lead:  Stefan Debbert
  • Funding for the Diversity and Intercultural Center has been increased in response to the increase in the number of BIPOC students in our community this academic year and will increase as is necessary in future years.  Lead:  Christopher Card
  • The University will discuss with students ways Merit Pages, an online platform that showcases student accomplishments inside and outside the classroom, may be used that work against fostering an inclusive learning community.  Ideas stemming from the review will be implemented before fall of 2021.  Leads:  Katie Kodat and Megan Scott
  • The Career Center is working to establish a summer internship program in Social and Environmental Justice in partnership with nonprofit organizations based in the Fox Cities and Milwaukee.  The program will begin this summer and is funded by a series of gifts through the Campaign.  Lead:  Mike O’Connor
  • Antiracism training is being developed for the student body and will be implemented by fall of 2021.  Lead:  Christopher Card
  • The required diversity training for faculty and staff will be augmented with antiracism and accessibility learning modules effective this spring.  Lead: Kimberly Barrett
  • Students have raised concerns about possible tokenization in our promotional material.  The University will foster conversations this spring with students, faculty, and staff on how to best present itself as a diverse and welcoming community to the larger world that both honestly represents the community demographics and our aspirations.  Lead:  Kimberly Barrett, Brittany Bell, Megan Scott
  • The University is investigating ways to address the basic needs of BIPOC students and access to haircare services, products, and ethnic foods, not readily available in the Fox Cities.  Lead:  Brittany Bell
  • Lawrence will move the food pantry to an ADA accessible location and confirm funding and management by fall of 2021.  Lead:  Mary Alma Noonan
  • This spring the space between Mudd Library and Wriston Art Center will be dedicated as “Kaeyes Mamaceqtawuk Plaza” (pronounced Ki ace Mamah chitawuk) as part of the University’s continuing effort to increase the diversity of campus iconography and acknowledge the presence of Wisconsin’s current Native American tribal communities.  The dedication will include the installation of a contemporary commissioned art sculpture by an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, Chris Cornelius, an Associate Professor of Architecture in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning.  The name of the plaza is in recognition that the University currently occupies land original to the Menominee Nation. The name of the new space will be written in the Menominee language, meaning Ancient People – a word the Menominee people historically use to refer to themselves.  Leads:  Beth Zinsli and Brigetta Miller

Creating a Safe Home for All

  • The University has reinstituted the safety escorts and rides for emergencies and essential trips both on and off campus.  We will evaluate additional ideas to extend the safety net of campus to downtown Appleton in partnership with the City of Appleton and local businesses this winter.  Lead:  Christyn Abaray.
  • Campus Safety and Student Life staffs have begun a series of training programs to support their work in the residential spaces.  Staff will continue to participate in diversity and anti-bias trainings to better ensure that engagements with students in the residences are welcoming, professional and consistent with the highest standards of safety.  Lead:  Christopher Card
  • Lawrence introduced the new Rave Guardian App earlier this term.  It allows students, faculty, and staff to connect with Campus Safety and access important campus resources like Wellness Services, LU Safewalkers, Bias Incidents, COVID-19 concerns, and facility work requests.  Lead:  Christopher Card

Welcome to Winter Term (January 7, 2021)

Dear Lawrence Community,

I am sure all of you expected Winter Term to be unlike any other, but events, both national and local, have solidified the start of this new term as one that we will never forget.  

The vision of a mob storming the nation’s Capital yesterday violated the very core of what we stand for.  President-Elect Biden said, “At this hour, our democracy is under unprecedented assault unlike anything we’ve seen in modern times.  An assault on the citadel of Liberty, the Capitol itself…… Let me be very clear.  The scenes of chaos…..do not reflect a true America, do not represent who we are.”  The President-Elect was joined in words of condemnation by many other elected officials on both sides of the aisle, including our own Congressional representative Mike Gallagher.  

Closer to home, the Kenosha County District Attorney’s decision earlier this week to not press charges in Jacob Blake’s case painfully illustrates the continuing inequality in our society.  These events and many others work powerfully against the values of Lawrence and the community we hold dear.  

We also continue to live in the middle of a pandemic.  Thank you to those who have decided to connect from locations around the globe and to those joining us here on campus.  I am grateful for our community’s resilience and care for each other.  I want to thank every member of our community who showed up for testing and who carefully observes the pledge as we gather in Appleton.  As the contours of COVID-19 continue to change, we will do everything we can to keep our community healthy and safe.  

Many of us have now lost loved ones to this deadly virus.  Within our own community, it was with a heavy heart that I learned of Pat Powell’s death earlier this week.  Pat, a beloved member of the Bon Appetit staff, contracted the virus after the end of fall term.  I know you join me in sending our thoughts and prayers to her loved ones and all others who have been touched by this deadly virus.  

It is against this backdrop that we begin our term.  Our world is certainly not one that meets the expectations of our community or the principles we discuss in classrooms, laboratories, residence halls, and studios.  Our challenge will continue:  to work every day to lead our college, our community, this nation and others around the world to meet our aspirations and the values we teach and learn here.  Your efforts to reach this goal inspire me every day.  

I look forward to seeing you soon on campus or via zoom.  Be well and please continue to make decisions that keep others well.  

Yours, 

Mark