Today, more than ever, the world needs people who are equipped to navigate the complex issues of our time. Augsburg is committed to educating students for that very purpose (it’s in our vision statement), so we are launching Augsburg Bold, a set of unique programming and responses to the current environment that demonstrate our commitment to students. Below are just some of the plans we have in place—or in the works—for fall 2020.

Fall semester. What’s most important for us this fall is providing a high-quality learning environment and a safe on-campus experience. Because of uncertainty right now about what the public health requirements for our campus will be in the fall, we are developing a flexible learning model that blends on-campus and online classes. Our goal is to maximize the opportunity for students to engage directly with faculty while also ensuring the health and safety of our campus community. Our faculty will be working over the next month to design our approach to the fall semester, and we expect to provide more detail in June. 

On-campus housing. Augsburg also is preparing to welcome students to our residential community this fall. In fact, we have kept our residence halls open for students who meet certain criteria this spring, and will continue to do so through the summer. As a result, we have experience with the public health policies and practices required by the Minnesota Department of Health to help keep our community safe and healthy. This fall, we expect that all returning students will be able to live in the residential units they selected in mid-February.  And, because Augsburg has a broad variety of campus living arrangements—from apartments to traditional college residential hall units—we also are able to offer a number of campus housing options for new students. Next week, our Residence Life team will send a communication to incoming Auggies to provide more detail about the residential options available to them. 

Tuition freeze. To assist all full-time undergraduate students, a tuition freeze has been approved for the 2020-2021 academic year. The full-time tuition rate for 2020-2021 will be reset to the 2019-2020 rate. This means that returning students will not see their tuition increase for the coming year. New incoming first-year and transfer students will receive a mailing that documents the revised tuition, the lower cost of attendance, and the resulting savings for the 2020-21 academic year. The amount of financial aid that students receive from Augsburg will not be reduced.

A new summer learning opportunity. This summer, Augsburg is offering—for free—a selection of our most popular courses online to our incoming undergraduate students. Designed to give students the chance to meet Augsburg’s amazing faculty, this option allows students to get a head start on earning college credits in a relaxed environment, while learning more about what to expect at Augsburg when all classes resume in the fall. Details about these special courses and instructors will be provided during Student Orientation and Registration (SOAR) in June.

Technology access. No one should have to complete a research paper on a smartphone. To ensure that every Auggie has the tools needed to be successful in college, Augsburg launched a program earlier this year to support students who need laptops or internet access. More information about technology resources is posted on the Resources for Students page of Augsburg’s Outbreak Planning website.

Study abroad from home. We are excited to announce the Augsburg Experiential Semester, a new program that offers incoming students a unique opportunity to engage with Augsburg’s international sites, even while international travel is restricted. The semester courses are taught by Augsburg’s Cuernavaca, Mexico-based faculty and include engagement with culturally-diverse residents and businesses in nearby Midtown Minneapolis. Once it is again safe to travel, Augsburg will cover airfare, lodging, and meal expenses for the students in the program to travel to Augsburg’s Cuernavaca location to meet and engage in person with the faculty who taught their courses. Information about this program will be provided during Student Orientation and Registration (SOAR) in June.

A distinctive experience in a committed community. The Augsburg Bold framework—including the initiatives outlined above, and potentially more to come this summer and fall—is a reflection of the distinctive experience offered at Augsburg. We understand that making friends, bonding with faculty, and discovering your gifts and callings are all part of the college experience. Augsburg University is called to help students strive toward this sense of community and discovery no matter what mode of instruction and public health practices we will need to implement to keep our community safe. 

About Augsburg
Augsburg University, celebrating its 150th anniversary, 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. 

How we keep our campus safe during the COVID-19 pandemic:
The Augsburg coronavirus task force includes an epidemiologist, nursing faculty, academic deans, global education leadership, staff from across campus, and dedicated student representatives.The task force monitors new directives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Minnesota Department of Health and works to implement public health guidelines across our programs. Find more details about Augsburg’s response to the pandemic and resources for students at the Outbreak Planning website.

Augsburg University will host a virtual commencement ceremony to celebrate the Class of 2020.

The virtual commencement ceremony consists of a prerecorded ceremony that will be streamed online. There are two viewing times when graduates, families, and friends can watch and chat together in real time.

• Friday, May 29, 2020, 7 p.m. Central.
• Sunday, May 31, 2020, 2 p.m. Central.

You can follow the celebration through the hashtag #AuggieGrad on all social media platforms, where students will be sharing images of their virtual celebration.

As soon as it’s safe to have large gatherings, an in-person commencement ceremony will be planned for the Class of 2020 with the more familiar traditions of commencement.

The in-person commencement ceremony, previously scheduled for May 4 at U.S. Bank Stadium, was canceled given the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visit Augsburg’s commencement site for more details.

Augsburg’s student government approved paying for the pass by student fee so no undergraduates pays out of pocket to commute to campus, internships, jobs 

(Minneapolis) — Augsburg University now offers the Auggie Pass, a universal transit pass that gives undergraduate students unlimited rides on buses and light rail in a first of its kind partnership between Metro Transit and a Twin Cities college.

Skye Ryge was an Augsburg student government environmental officer last year when she advocated for student government to approve a $5 green fee increase to $20 per semester to pay for the Auggie Pass. She believes it will help reduce students’ financial strain and improve their chances of accepting jobs and internships involving a commute.

“As someone who uses the bus everyday, it’s great not to have that financial burden,” said Ryge ‘20, who will be a fourth-year student this fall and used to pay more than $100 monthly to ride the bus. “It’s really economically advantageous to students who pay for school like me to not have to choose between textbooks and bus fare.”

“Efficiently connecting people to schools, work and other destinations is at the heart of what a quality system does,” said Metro Transit General Manager Wes Kooistra. “We are excited about this partnership, connecting Augsburg University students to our system and our region, and hope this develops into a model that can be duplicated with other schools.”

The Auggie Pass is valid throughout the school year and is paid for by the student Green Fee and University operating funds. All undergraduate day students who pay the semester Green Fee are eligible. Students can now pick up their Auggie Pass in the Lindell Library at the circulation desk on the ground level. Visit Augsburg transportation webpage for more details.

The push for the Auggie Pass was an effort to support Augsburg’s Transportation Plan goals:

• Enhance Augsburg’s commitment to the city, its urban location, and environmental stewardship;
• Maximize the use of other transportation options, including light rail, bus, biking, and ride-sharing;
• Ensure students access classes, campus services, and educational opportunities;
• Support employees at the Minneapolis campus in getting to work.

View the announcement at Metro Transit’s site.

For details, contact: Gita Sitaramiah, Director of PR and Internal Communications. sitarami@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1476.

About Augsburg. Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and 10 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.

(Minneapolis) — Gardening. Moving. Painting. River and neighborhood cleanup. Augsburg University’s record first-year class of more than 600 students will be working in the community for their first day of college on September 3.

During Augsburg’s annual City Engagement Day, first-year students traditionally work in the community to launch their Augsburg education. The Class of 2023 is the largest ever as Augsburg celebrates its 150-year anniversary, with more than 650 students expected.. Augsburg is one of the most diverse private colleges in the Midwest — and this first-year class is the third in a row in which students of color are expected to make up the majority. Official numbers will be finalized mid-September.

This year, the first day of school will include (times approximate):

• City Engagement Day lunch outdoors in the Augsburg “Quad.”  More than 650 students in Augsburg T-shirts geared up to volunteer, along with faculty and Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Working in a Cedar-Riverside community garden at Augsburg on 20th Avenue South: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
• River cleanup with the National Park Service along the Mississippi River near 34th Street in Minneapolis. 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
• Cedar-Riverside cleanup. Meet at Wienery restaurant, 414 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis, at 1 p.m. 1 to 4 p.m.

Media are invited to photograph/film students at work.

For more information, contact: Gita Sitaramiah, director of public relations and internal communications. 612-330-1476. 651-353-0061-cell.

About Augsburg. Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and 10 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.