About Edgewood College

College Overview, Mission, and Vision

College Overview

The main campus of Edgewood College is located on Lake Wingra in Madison, the capital city of Wisconsin. The College offers roughly forty majors and as many minors. Educational programs are organized into five Schools: School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Education, School of Integrative Studies, and the Henry Predolin School of Nursing. The overall College enrollment in college registration for both undergraduate and graduate programs is about 2,500 students.

Edgewood College provides academic and personal development opportunities for a diverse student population. The College offers its campus residents a variety of living accommodations in residence halls and apartments. Student services include academic advising, personal counseling, the availability of a spiritual counselor, financial aid, career planning, health services, recreational facilities, athletic and fine arts events, and social activities. Edgewood College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison offer a collaborative program that allows for course opportunities and shared use of libraries. The College offers personalized educational services and close interaction of students, faculty and staff. The College shares the Monroe Street campus with the Edgewood Campus Grade School and High School.

Edgewood College’s Deming Way campus is located on the far west side of Madison and is home to a number of graduate programs and the College Completion program.

Identity

Sponsored by the Sinsinawa Dominicans, Edgewood College is a community of learners that affirms both its Catholic heritage and its respect for other religious traditions. The liberal arts are the foundation of all our curricular offerings in the humanities, arts, sciences and professional programs. Committed to excellence in teaching and learning, we seek to develop intellect, spirit, imagination and heart. We embrace and aspire to reflect the rich diversity of the world’s cultures and perspectives.  We foster open, caring, thoughtful engagement with one another and an enduring commitment to service, all in an educational community that seeks truth, compassion, justice and partnership.

Mission

Edgewood College, rooted in the Dominican tradition, engages students within a community of learners committed to building a just and compassionate world. The College educates students for meaningful lives of ethical leadership, service and lifelong search for truth

Vision

Edgewood College will be an inclusive model of learning, teaching, and scholarship. Our students, alumni, faculty, and staff will be recognized for their pursuit of purposeful lives, vibrant and sustainable communities, and a just world.

Sinsinawa Sponsorship

The Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation of Catholic Sisters, founded in 1847, has throughout its history engaged in an ongoing commitment to sponsored ministries in an effort to further its mission. In each of their sponsored institutions, the Sinsinawa Dominicans, in partnership with administrators, faculty, staff, board members and friends, seek to influence the ongoing development of each unique ministry. Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters serve on the faculty and staff at Edgewood College.

The elected leaders of the Sinsinawa Dominicans are responsible for representing the mission of the Congregation to each institution. These elected leaders, along with their General Finance Officer, form the Corporate Members. The Corporate Members are empowered to:

• Create, amend and restate the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
• Approve the mission.
• Assess the implementation of the mission.
• Approve appointment of members to the Board of Trustees.
• Approve acquisition, purchase and sale of the assets of the corporation.
• Approve dissolution, consolidation or liquidation of the corporation.

Institutional Policies

Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability

It shall be the policy of Edgewood College to ensure that no qualified person shall, solely by reason of disability, be excluded from participation in, or be denied benefits of, any program or activity operated by Edgewood College.

It is the responsibility of the student seeking services to provide all necessary information and documentation of special requirements for assistance well in advance of actual need for those services. It is recommended that all information be submitted 30 days prior to the beginning of a term. Requests for some services such as alternative textbook formats and sensory impairment accommodations may require more notice. Services for students with disabilities are coordinated through Student Accessibility and Disability Services.

Diversity Statement

Learning: Anchored in our Dominican heritage…

1. Sponsored by the Sinsinawa Dominicans, Edgewood College is a community of learners that affirms both its Catholic heritage and its respect for other religious traditions and spiritual perspectives.

2. Dominicans are called to preach the Gospel as a way to nurture relations among people of every rank and class, based upon recognition of their basic needs, human dignity, and infinite value.

3. A Sinsinawa Dominican education celebrates a diverse and collaborative community.  Students are taught to share their talents and insights, to collaborate with others, to recognize diversity and differences in our world with respect.

4. In that tradition, we welcome people who reflect the rich diversity of the world’s cultures, perspectives, and experiences.

Beliefs:  What does this really mean to us...

1. Injustices and inequities of power and privilege are a reality in our world, and their existence serves to perpetuate both overt and subtle discrimination, intolerance, hate, micro-aggressions, and attitudes of indifference.

2. Each of us has the ability and responsibility - in our pursuit of justice - to address inequities in all aspects of our institutional life that interfere with the fulfilling of our mission, vision, and values.

3. Diversity is an essential element of meaningful teaching and learning.  Its presence deepens and makes more authentic our search for truth through multiple perspectives.

4. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion draws us into the world and invites the world to our College.  It acknowledges our mutual dependency and shared responsibility for each other and the common good.

Actions:  What we are called to do…

1. We seek to create inclusive living, learning, and working environments that reflect the demographics of the communities we serve and that foster open, compassionate, and thoughtful dialogue and engagement with one another.

2. We expect all members of our College to assume responsibility for understanding and engaging with the diverse individuals and communities that comprise our learning community, with particular attention to groups that have been historically been marginalized in society and institutions of higher education.

3. We will acknowledge and confront inequalities and injustices, including those that negatively impact teaching and learning and those that exist at the institutional level - structures, policies, and practices.

4. We will ensure that ongoing opportunities for learning and professional development around issues of diversity and inclusion exist for our students, faculty, and staff.

Reporting

Edgewood College is committed to providing an inclusive and safe environment for all members of the Edgewood community. While on campus, if you have been the target of or witness to an incident of discrimination or bias, you may report the incident through a confidential online form (http://diversity.edgewood.edu/Report-an-Incident).

Equal Opportunity Employment & Affirmative Action Statement

It is the policy of Edgewood College to administer its employment practices in a non-discriminatory manner, without regard to race, color, religion, creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected category.

We commit and support not only Equal Employment Opportunity, but also Affirmative Action through special efforts to search for talented faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds.  We believe that taking affirmative action will advance our goal of building an inclusive College where individuals across the rich spectrum of diversity succeed and belong, especially from underrepresented and historically marginalized groups.

This policy applies to the recruitment, appointment, retention, promotion or transfer, professional development, compensation, benefits, and termination of employees, in all areas and departments of the College.

Nondiscrimination Policy and Harassment Policy

Overview

Edgewood College will not tolerate discriminatory or harassing behaviors.  The College’s Dominican Catholic heritage calls all members of the community to foster a learning environment that is free from any form of discrimination or harassment.  Edgewood College is committed to maintaining a community free from discrimination and harassment, including discriminatory behavior.  To fulfill this commitment, the College will work to prevent discrimination from occurring and will ensure that federal, state and local laws, and campus policies prohibiting discrimination are fully enforced.

Persons who believe that they are being or have been subjected to discrimination or harassment are encouraged to seek resolution as soon as possible.  Due to the private nature of educational and personnel records, the College may not be able to fully disclose the actions taken in response to a report of discrimination or harassment.  The College recognizes that rights of all individuals involved in claims of discrimination to a fair framework for encouraging resolution of complaints.  Deliberate falsification, distortion or misrepresentation of information during the course of a complaint process may be grounds for disciplinary action and may violate other standards of conduct.

As a Dominican Catholic institution of higher education, Edgewood College is committed to the search for truth, the advancement of knowledge and the principles of academic freedom.  This policy is not intended to limit or restrict employees or students in the legitimate exercise of their academic freedom or expression, as the conduct defined under this policy is not within the scope of protected academic freedom.  The Non-Discrimination and Harassment Policy affects all relationships within the College community.

FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment, provides that students have the right to see their records (accessibility) and to determine who will see their records (confidentiality). Detailed information on the provisions of the Act and its applications are included in the Student Handbook.

Student Handbook/Edgewood College Student Rights and Responsibilities

Edgewood College has its primary objective, the academic, social and personal development of each student. The College strives to preserve for all of its students an environment that is conducive to academic pursuit, social growth and individual discipline. All students are expected act responsibly and within the regulations and standards, established by the College and all civil laws and ordinances. As a guide, the College publishes a student handbook, called the Edgewood College Student Rights and Responsibilities, that outlines the College Code of Conduct and the judicial process. The Student Code of Conduct applies to all undergraduate, graduate and professional students attending Edgewood College. Additionally, all students are responsible for complying with the rules, regulations, policies and procedures contained in other official College publications, including but not limited to, the Residence Life Handbook, Parking Policies, and Student Athlete Policies along with program handbooks and announcements which may he issues from time to time. Please see https://edgewood.edu/studenthandbook or contact the Dean of Students for more information related to these documents.

Cancellation of Classes

The Eagle Emergency Notification System was designed to provide notification and instruction to students, faculty and staff in the event of an emergency on campus or cancellation of classes. The mass notification system will only be used to send critical safety information to the Edgewood College community. Students, faculty and staff should sign up for notification through Edgewood Express (https://express.edgewood.edu/ICS/Emergency_Alert.jnz - you must be logged in to view information on this site).

In the event of an emergency or cancellation of classes, the main Edgewood College webpage will have the most up-to-date information (www.edgewood.edu). During a weather event student should assume that the College is open unless notification of class cancellations has been posted to the Edgewood College website.