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.
As of fall 2025, news and media updates have been integrated with the Augsburg Now alumni publication. This site archives news stories from before September 16, 2025. Please visit augsburg.edu/now or select "Augsburg Now" from the left navigation for current news.
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 University will host a virtual commencement ceremony Monday, May 3 to celebrate the Class of 2021, the most diverse graduating class in our history. An in-person celebration will follow on June 8. The virtual commencement ceremony consists of a prerecorded ceremony that will be streamed online and graduates, families, and friends can watch and chat together in real time. Visit YouTube.com/AugsburgU to watch the commencement broadcast at 6 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. Visit Augsburg’s commencement site for more details. Find more details about the in-person commencement set for 6 p.m. June 8 at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Class of 2020 will have an in-person ceremony in May, 2022, but members of that class are able to participate in the June 8 ceremony instead if they prefer. The 2021 day graduating class is our most diverse graduating class with 45.6% students of color. Over three years, Augsburg has seen this number increase by more than 20%. About Augsburg Additionally, all campus activities and athletics, except those below, are canceled tonight and Lindell Library will be closed. There will be an Augsburg staff person on hand in each location to support students. Please wear face coverings and maintain social distancing. Space is limited, so we ask that faculty and staff attend only the vigil. In the event of a curfew, Augsburg will suspend campus operations as we have done in the past week. Resident students are still able to leave their residential unit to go to the Dining Commons for the evening meal. For the rest of the week (Wednesday and Friday), all scheduled courses will move to remote learning modalities. As a reminder, courses meeting on Thursday this week were previously canceled. View the different levels of response that have been coordinated with Residence Life, Public Safety, and Day Student Government. “We recognize that one day is not enough, but it is clear that this pause offers space that our community needs, in particular our Black students, faculty, and staff,” said Paul Pribbenow, president of Augsburg University. “On Thursday, please do what you need to do to take care of yourself in the manner that is meaningful for you,” he told students, staff, and faculty. This time of grief and anxiety comes during a pandemic that has changed how we study, live, and work, and makes the challenges of this moment even more difficult for students, faculty, and staff to navigate. Many at Augsburg will want to take time to mourn Daunte Wright, remember George Floyd, and engage in the important work of anti-racism. Essential operations will continue Thursday. Normal class schedules and our COVID-19 modified operations will resume on Friday, April 23. During this time, Augsburg continues to monitor and communicate as needed based on developments in the trial and in our community. About Augsburg In its March 12 meeting, the executive committee of the Augsburg Board of Regents unanimously approved a six-year contract renewal for President Paul C. Pribbenow. “In an era when five- or six-year presidencies are common in higher education, President Pribbenow’s long-term leadership of the university has enabled Augsburg to achieve remarkable things,” said Matt Entenza, chair of the Augsburg Board of Regents. “The university has become one of the most diverse private institutions in the Midwest during his tenure and has welcomed record-breaking first-year classes in the past two years. The university is fortunate to continue to have Paul’s transformational leadership through 2027.” Pribbenow joined Augsburg in 2006 as its 10th president. During Pribbenow’s most recent six-year term, Augsburg changed its name to Augsburg University, recognizing its expansive academic mission serving undergraduate and graduate students on campus and at locations around the world. Pribbenow also led the institution’s largest-ever capital campaign during that time, raising more than $55 million to construct the university’s largest academic facility, the Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion, which opened in January 2018. As a reflection of Pribbenow’s institutional leadership, the Augsburg Board of Regents was awarded the 2017 John W. Nason Award for Board Leadership for its work to initiate an inclusive, five-year strategic planning effort and for leading the institution’s successful capital campaign for the Hagfors Center. Pribbenow is recognized as one of the country’s most engaging teachers on ethics, philanthropy, and American public life. Learn more about his work and presidency. About Augsburg This recording of the call to action also gained attention through a tweet from Princeton University. 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
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
Advisory: Augsburg celebrates Class of 2021 with virtual and in-person commencement
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.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.”Augsburg University Cancels Classes as Verdict is Expected
Augsburg University classes are canceled immediately for the remainder of Tuesday afternoon and evening as a result of this afternoon’s verdict in the State versus Derek Chauvin trial,
Augsburg Cancels Classes, Suspends Operations Thursday
Given all that is happening in the Twin Cities community this week, including closing arguments in the Chauvin murder trial Monday, the likelihood of a verdict being reached in the coming days, increased police presence, and Daunte Wright’s funeral on Thursday, Augsburg has canceled classes and suspended operations on April 22.
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.Board of Regents Approves President Pribbenow’s Contract Through 2027
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.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.”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.
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.