Tuesday, July 12, 2022

submitted by farrisr@augsburg.edu

In a fitting upgrade for the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the women’s locker room remodel in Si Melby Hall should be completed by the beginning of the academic year. The renovation includes much-needed improvements to the shower and toilet facilities, and each of Augsburg’s 12 women’s teams will have their own year-round team room going forward. The women’s locker room was constructed in 1979 in what was formerly a dirt-floor batting cage known as “the pit.” Prior to that time, the women’s teams used the men’s visiting team locker room. (Learn more and check out throwback images in Lindell Library’s women’s athletic archive: https://www.augsburg.edu/now/2019/04/22/womens-athletics-archive-nears-the-finish-line/)

On the sustainability front, the extensive project to install LED light bulbs and fixtures across campus is also nearing completion. These minor-seeming changes make a big difference. Along with upgrades to our HVAC equipment, improvements in energy efficiency mean that we will consume less electricity than we purchase from our solar partners going forward. We expect to receive annual refunds from Xcel Energy as a result. These anticipated refunds will not only cover the cost of the lighting and HVAC upgrades themselves—they’ll also pay for the new dome and turf on the athletic field.

Find more campus updates on the Facilities blog.

submitted by rjohn@augsburg.edu

I am pleased to announce two new leadership roles in the Department of Public Safety.

First, Bob Harri joined Augsburg University this week as Director of Public Safety. Bob brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education and public sector safety. He has served as director of public safety at St. Catherine University and, most recently, at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Bob is committed to education, student engagement, and fostering a community of safety. He has taught safety and security in elementary school programs and college-level courses, and served for nearly a decade as an elected member of the public school board in Montrose, Minnesota. Bob has a bachelor’s degree from Moorhead State University and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Concordia University, St. Paul.

With Bob’s arrival, Tony Erchul has taken on a new position as Public Safety Policy and Training Manager. In this new role, Tony is responsible for public policy development for DPS as well as for the institution overall. He will organize and manage a professional training plan for all public safety staff, as well as assist in ensuring training related to work and personal safety, crime prevention, and emergency procedures for students, staff, and faculty across the university.

I am excited to have such strong public safety leadership in DPS and for the university overall. Please join me in welcoming Bob and congratulating Tony on his new role.