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Students, alumnus talk with KARE 11 about need for accessible bathrooms

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Kare 11 - logoThree Augsburg College students and a recent alumnus sat down with KARE 11 reporter Adrienne Broaddus to discuss “bathroom bills” that are popping up across the U.S. concerning transgender rights. In Minnesota, proposed legislation would define which restrooms transgender people could legally use.

Jens Pinther ’15 and Duina Hernandez ’16 expressed the importance of gender-neutral bathrooms, and the story described Augsburg’s intentionality in offering these facilities on campus.

Watch Students at Augsburg College talk gender-neutral bathrooms on the Kare 11 site.

Scott Washburn discusses public figures’ privacy with MinnPost

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Scott Washburn, assistant director of Augsburg College’s StepUP® program, was one the experts interviewed by MinnPost for an article examining public figures’ right to privacy as well as the rights of the public figures’ significant others. The article examined an overarching theme that probed, “How much of a candidate’s own personal life should be made available for public debate?”

In responding to a question on whether it is appropriate for the mental health or addiction history of a political spouse or other family member to be made public, Washburn argued that sort of political playmaking goes over the line.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate at all,” Washburn said. “The candidate is running, not the family member. The electorate is voting for the candidate, not the family member. The family of a presidential candidate is going to be dragged into the public eye, but I think it’s important to respect some boundaries here. It’s an issue of respect and privacy. The candidate would be fair game from my perspective, but I don’t think family members should be. It just reflects how low things have gone in this political race.

All that being said, if the family member chooses to publically disclose his or her personal history, then that is a different conversation.”

Read additional responses from Washburn in “When is a public figure’s mental health or addiction status off limits?” on the MinnPost site.

Michael Lansing interview appears on Minnesota Public Radio

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mprNEWS - logoMichael Lansing, associate professor of history at Augsburg College, was interviewed by Minnesota Public Radio for a segment that compared political movements from the early 1900s with the contemporary political landscape. Lansing is the author of “Insurgent Democracy: The Nonpartisan League in North American Politics,” which presents the history of The Nonpartisan League and describes its continued influence in the upper Midwest.

Lansing describes the League as a grassroots organization started by farmers who were discontent with large grain milling and transportation corporations in the region. He told MPR News host Tom Weber that The Nonpartisan League is the reason for the large number of co-operatives in North Dakota today, and the party was comprised of farmers who sought candidates that supported their platforms, regardless of party.

Listen to: ‘Insurgent Democracy’ the demise of The Nonpartisan League (14 minutes) on the MPR site.

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder interviews Jennifer Jacobs on diversity in athletic administration

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Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder - logoThe Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder recently interviewed Jennifer Jacobs, assistant athletic director at Augsburg College, for an article on the challenges present as colleges seek to increase the diversity of their coaching and administrative staff.

In the article, Jacobs discusses some of the steps higher education administration can take to create a pipeline for people of diverse backgrounds to enter leadership roles. She notes that it is important for institutions to encourage women to seize new opportunities and to promote candid conversations on difficult topics like race.

“[Schools] need to find and foster the female student athletes that would want to get into coaching, administration — you name it, all the way up to the presidential level,” Jacobs said.

Read Navigating through Minnesota Nice on the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder site.

A legacy remembered: Martin Olav Sabo ’59

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Upon his passing, Augsburg College alumnus and former U.S. Representative Martin Olav Sabo ’59 was remembered as one of the most effective members of Congress ever to come from Minnesota. An editorial published by the Minneapolis Star Tribune noted that Sabo was a “career politician” in the best possible sense and that he gave his all to strengthen democracy.

Augsburg College President Paul Pribbenow said that Sabo was, “a national leader and public servant, and an inspirational legend dedicated to revitalizing the role of higher education in equipping students for active engagement in citizenship and democracy.”

Following Sabo’s retirement from public service, Augsburg founded the Martin Olav Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship to carry on his legacy of important work. The Sabo Center is committed to fostering civic agency and engagement on campus and in the larger community.

Sabo’s career and accomplishments were recapped by national, state, and local media, including the following:

  • The New York Times: Martin Sabo, Minnesota Congressman Known for Compassion in Era of Partisanship, Dies at 78
  • WCCO-TV: Looking Back At Martin Sabo’s Impact
  • Pioneer Press: Martin Olav Sabo, longtime Minnesota representative, has died
  • Washington Post: Martin O. Sabo, Minnesota congressman for 28 years, dies at 78
  • KSTP-TV: Former DFL U.S. Rep. Martin Olav Sabo Dies
  • WDAY-TV: Former U.S. Rep. Martin Olav Sabo dies
  • BringMeTheNews: Longtime DFL lawmaker Martin Olav Sabo dies at age 78
  • Star Tribune: Martin Sabo, longtime DFL congressman and politician, dies
  • Minnesota Public Radio: Longtime Minnesota Congressman Martin Sabo dies at 78
  • Politico: Martin Olav Sabo, longtime congressman, dies at 78
  • Star Tribune: Martin Olav Sabo: He gave his all to strengthen democracy
  • The Column: Rep. Martin Sabo, a longtime supporter of LGBTQ equality, dies at 78
  • Pioneer Press: Klobuchar, Dayton and others react to death of former U.S. Rep. Martin Sabo
  • CBS Minnesota: Political Leaders React To Martin Sabo’s Death
  • KARE-TV: Former congressman Martin Sabo dies at 78

Star Tribune story shares Hagfors Center specs

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Minneapolis Star Tribune - logoThe Star Tribune recently published an overview of the forthcoming Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion. Augsburg College will break ground on this new academic building featuring classrooms, offices, and laboratories in April.

The article said, “The inclusion of scientific and religious disciplines within the same building is meant to express ‘a firm belief in the intersections and fluidity of boundaries’ on Augsburg’s campus.”

Learn more about Augsburg’s campus improvements in Hot Property: Hagfors Center for Science, Business and Religion in Minneapolis on the Star Tribune site.

Congratulations to Auggies named to Fall Semester Dean’s List

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Nearly 1,000 Augsburg College undergraduate students were named to the 2015 Fall Semester Dean’s List.

The Dean’s 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.

2015 Fall Semester Dean’s List PDF

Students who wish to notify their hometown newspapers of their achievement can do so at their discretion. Visit the hometown news announcement web page for more information.

Diana Pierce ’15 MAL to keynote Mentor Morning event

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Screen Shot 2016-01-11 at 10.21.35 AMAugsburg College alumna and KARE 11 news anchor Diana Pierce ’15 MAL will deliver a keynote address at Mentor Morning, an event to introduce young women to some of central Minnesota’s most powerful women leaders. Mentor Morning includes general networking opportunities and Pierce’s speech, which will focus on the importance of finding and working with mentors.

Pierce recently completed her master’s degree in leadership at Augsburg and believes mentoring is key to help develop upcoming leaders, according to a recent St. Cloud Times story on Mentor Morning.

“You’re always going to be in a position of leadership or being lead,” Pierce said in the article. “So the more tools you have in your tool kit the better off you are.”

Read: Helping connect women with mentors on the St. Cloud Times website.

David Lapakko appears on AM 950 radio

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David Lapakko, associate professor of communication studies, was interviewed on AM 950 radio on January 9. He discussed his competitive success at the Great American Think-Off, an annual exhibition of civil disagreement and argumentation.

Lapakko was crowned “America’s Greatest Thinker” at the 23rd Great American Think-Off held in New York Mills, Minnesota, in June 2015. The debate question was, “Does Technology Free Us or Trap Us?” and Lapakko argued for the liberating qualities of technology as he took home the prize.

Augsburg College global education program touted for excellence in serving students of diverse backgrounds

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An article published by the Association of American Colleges & Universities commented on the successes Augsburg College’s Center for Global Education and Experience has had in serving students of diverse backgrounds as they travel to locations around the globe. The article, titled “Global Learning: Key to Making Excellence Inclusive,” described why global experiences are recognized as an essential dimension of a liberal education and how a variety of institutions support increased student participation.

In particular, the article noted that Augsburg maintains permanent centers for global learning in Mexico, Nicaragua, and Namibia. The centers have deep-rooted connections to local communities, and staff members understand the diverse needs of the Augsburg students.

“For example, Augsburg has arranged culturally appropriate homestay placements for single parents who needed assistance with childcare, safe home environments for LGBTQ students, sober homestays for students in recovery (in addition to connecting students in Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous programs with sponsors), and access to mosques for Muslim students. This commitment to creating environments for student success is a hallmark of Augsburg’s study abroad programs,” the article said.

Visit the AAC&U website to read the story in its entirety.