Margaret Finders, a former professor in Augsburg’s Department of Education, Joaquin Munoz, an assistant professor in the American Indian Studies Department, and Badri Mohamoud ’19 MAE, a licensed secondary mathematics teacher serving as an academic coach at Wellstone International High School, wrote the opinion piece “Think twice, Minnesota teachers, about a ‘cameras on’ rule for remote students” in the Pioneer Press. They explained why “cameras on” rules do not necessarily help with student engagement and how such rules can be culturally insensitive. They offered tips to support engagement during remote learning, including offering students the option to use the chat function and creating breakout rooms where students can interact.
Chris Stedman ’08 Interviewed for “Anti-Racism as a Spiritual Practice”
Chris Stedman ’08, an adjunct instructor in Augsburg’s Department of Religion and Philosophy, was interviewed by Simran Jeet Singh for Religion News Service’s series, “Anti-Racism as a Spiritual Practice.” He spoke about his experiences as an atheist community builder supporting religiously unaffiliated people, about the pros and cons of moving work formerly done in religious communities to a digital space, about his concerns regarding the alt-right’s appeal to some atheists, and about the importance of recognizing the limitations of your own experience and engaging in relationships with those who have a different worldview.
Professor Andrew Aoki Co-Authors Washington Post Article on Asian American Politics
Andrew Aoki, professor of political science and senior fellow at Augsburg’s Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, is co-author of the timely “How to un-model a minority: A micro-syllabus on Asian American politics” in the Washington Post. In it, he and co-author Pei-te Lien argue, “In the midst of the U.S. racial reckoning, recognizing the complexity of Asian Americans can help with the task ahead.” To assist with this, Aoki and Lien have created a micro-syllabus on Asian American politics. The syllabus includes links to articles from the journal Politics, Groups, and Identities that will be available for free for a limited period of time.
Augsburg’s Director of Athletic Diversity and Inclusion Quoted in Story on Chauvin Trial Verdicts
Director of Athletic Diversity and Inclusion Chris Dixon was quoted in the Star Tribune story “Minneapolis streets erupt in elation over guilt verdicts for Derek Chauvin.” Dixon recalled the aftermath of the trial of the LAPD officers who beat Rodney King. Speaking about the Chauvin trial, he said, “I hope it’s a turning point for state and national justice systems to address police violence towards Black folks.”
MPR News Shares Final Keynote for the 2021 Forum on Workplace Inclusion
MPR News on March 17 featured the final keynote address for the 2021 Forum on Workplace Inclusion, a conversation between MPR News host Angela Davis and Eddie Glaude Jr., a professor at Princeton University. Glaude made a call to action for conference participants, encouraging them to tell the truth about what has gotten in the way of full inclusion and to allow people to bring the fullness of themselves to the table. The MPR News site offers a complete audio version of the conversation, “The ‘workplace revolution’ with author and academic Eddie Glaude Jr.”
This recording of the call to action also gained attention through a tweet from Princeton University.
Augsburg Professor William Green Interviewed in PBS Story on the Chauvin Trial
William Green, M. Anita Gay Hawthorne professor of critical race and ethnic studies, was one of the experts interviewed in a PBS NewHour story on the Chauvin trial.
Green commented that, while he was hopeful, he also was concerned that there may not be lasting change, even if Chauvin is convicted. “The very nature of a trial narrows down the issue to a focus that may not deal with any kind of systemic change at all,” he said.
The story is available as a video and transcript at “Minneapolis on edge as the trial in the police killing of George Floyd approaches.”
About Augsburg
Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate degrees to 3,400 students of diverse backgrounds at its campus in the vibrant center of the Twin Cities and nearby Rochester, Minnesota, location. Augsburg educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. An Augsburg education is defined by excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies, guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran church, and shaped by its urban and global settings. Learn more at Augsburg.edu.
KARE 11: Augsburg Graduate Nursing Student Administers Vaccine
Lupita Benavides, a student in the Master of Arts in Nursing program’s transcultural nursing track, is administering COVID-19 vaccines in this KARE 11 story. The February vaccine clinic, sponsored by M Health Fairview and St. Mary’s Health Clinics, targeted members of the Latinx community in St. Paul, which has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
View the story on this Cision page. It begins at 17:04:17.
FOX 9 Highlights Augsburg’s Minnesota Urban Debate League Students
FOX 9 recently featured Minneapolis South High School students Gabe Chang-Deutsch and Clara Conry, who are part of the nation’s top-ranked debate team in the January 2021 National Coaches Poll. Minneapolis South High School is one of the schools that participates in Minnesota Urban Debate League, a program of Augsburg University.
Chang-Deutsch noted that the Urban Debate League’s coaching has helped them be competitive with students from prestigious private schools. Amy Cram Helwich, executive director of the Minnesota Urban Debate League, also was interviewed.
Watch the FOX 9 segment “Minneapolis South High School debate team ranked No. 1 nationally” to learn more about the students’ achievements.
Augsburg Civic Engagement Leader Directs State Higher Ed Testing Efforts
Elaine Eschenbacher leads civic and community engagement at Augsburg University, but when COVID-19 hit, she was tapped by the first lady of Minnesota and Augsburg’s president to help the state get through the pandemic. She became the higher education operations lead for the COVID-19 Testing Work Group at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC).
“At the beginning of the pandemic, the Governor’s office was looking for professionals to fill certain roles at the SEOC and with Gwen Walz being a fellow in the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship at Augsburg, there was a natural fit,” said Eschenbacher about how she landed the role.
In this role, she collaborates with members of the testing workgroup, leaders at colleges and universities, the team of epidemiologists at MDH that focuses on higher education, and others. Eschenbacher remains employed by Augsburg, which has a contract with the state for her time.
Read the full article at the Minnesota Private College Council Website.
Pioneer Press Covers Lecture on Racial Justice by Professor William Green
On January 20, William Green, M. Anita Gay Hawthorne professor of critical race and ethnic studies at Augsburg University, gave a lecture titled “What Happened in This Region to Create the Disparities That Black Americans Continue to Experience Today?” The lecture was part of a series on racial justice sponsored by the St. Croix Valley Foundation. In it, Green spoke about moments in history, such as the Civil War, when people addressed injustice; reflected on whether or not the protests following the death of George Floyd signaled major change; and spoke about the need for leaders to make racial equity a priority if the work is to continue.
The lecture was covered by the Pioneer Press in the article “For racial equity to occur, there must first be a ‘formation of trust,’ professor says.’”