By Nora-Kathleen Berryhill
In a June 27 Zoom meeting hosted live by Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Edgewood President Andrew Manion spoke with President Jack E. Daniels of Madison College and Chancellor Rebecca Blank of UW-Madison about facilitating online learning, confronting campus racism, and fostering diversity.
Both UW-Madison and Edgewood College are adopting a hybrid plan by offering in-person and remote classes, with all in-person classes online after Thanksgiving break. Madison College has committed to a primarily remote fall semester.
“Everything has an asterisk next to it,” said Manion about Edgewood’s fall plan. Every Madison-area school will have to adapt current fall policies to future Dane County and statewide guidelines.
Manion also announced new on-campus protocols requiring students and faculty to “wipe down their workstations” with sanitary wipes and either routine randomized or systematic COVID-19 testing. All three colleges are implementing the wearing of face masks and social distancing on their campuses.
Each president spoke about plans to ensure the success of their lower-income students with remote learning.
Manion and Blank underscored the importance of keeping some form of residence living available, as on-campus educational resources and access to the UW health system are essential for lower-income students.
Daniels expressed his intention to help students feel connected with and supported by faculty, as well as keeping them focused on degree completion. “We are trying to provide for them the opportunity to see what’s the next level on their career journey.”
Each institution is providing either laptops or tablets and Wi-Fi hotspots to students without home internet access.
Each president also addressed how their college is working to combat racism and create an environment of inclusivity, both on campus and in the greater Madison community.
“We have been a home to a large number of faculty who have worked, written about and educated on these issues,” Blank said, pointing to UW-Madison as a high-level research institution with the ability to use its influence to elevate conversations about racial justice.
She said that UW-Madison has a responsibility to use targeted community outreach to increase the number of Black students in graduate programs and majors which currently have little representation.
For two-year technical schools like Madison College, Daniels described engaging with the wider community as “the hallmark of what we do.” He said that technical schools are vital to improving the quality of life for people of color by providing educational opportunities. “I believe that if we are not going to be strong in our stand against racism as a college, then we are not serving the needs of not only the wider community, but of society.”
At Edgewood College, Manion believes that his newly announced task force to eradicate racism and vice president of diversity position will make anti-racism a priority within the administration. Manion emphasized the parallels of anti-racism and Edgewood’s Dominican values. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion flow naturally from our mission. This is part of who we are supposed to be.”
Rev. Dr. Marcus Allen, the interviewer in the meeting, had advice for how these colleges can welcome Black students back to campus in the fall: “Be very intentional about hearing their voices, hearing their complaints and also putting action behind it so that they feel comfortable in their space of learning.”
The meeting is available to watch on the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Facebook page.
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