June 9: A message from MIAD President Jeff Morin
Dear MIAD community,
In some ways, it feels the world has changed drastically since I wrote to you last Monday. And yet, we all know that structural inequities simply have not changed for Black Americans.
I have heard from many of you, via social media or directly by email, that we have failed to create the type of environment we promised you. I would like to acknowledge today the lack of trust so many of our Black students, and other students of color, share toward this college. I apologize for the institutional failures not only under my tenure, but for those that precede me.
We had originally planned to release our 3-year plan for equity and inclusion later this month. The plan covers nearly every aspect of the college’s operations and is informed directly by data from this spring’s campus climate survey and academic research. However, our best intentions do not excuse the absence of Black voices, perspectives, and lived experiences among MIAD’s senior leadership. Before proceeding, we are committed to listening. We will be reaching out to local organizations this week to solicit guidance and feedback.
I hear you. I strongly want to have all the answers to solve these issues, but I do not. I am calling on every member of the MIAD community to begin the work of fighting anti-Black racism and systematic oppression. These efforts require an investment of time, resources, and critical competence. This will be a long-term effort, and it’s one that I am deeply committed to.
A summary of the work completed this year related to equity and inclusion, as well as a summary of the climate survey data was shared with all students and employees at the end of May. To view this information, please visit www.miad.edu/college-services/inclusivity/action.
Many of you have asked about our relationship with the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD). We have no joint policing arrangements with MPD and have no MPD officers on our Security staff. We will not employ MPD officers at any events in the future.
We will be able to offer more specifics on our actions in the near future. Until then, I welcome your questions and concerns as we work together on these efforts.
Sincerely,
Jeff Morin
MIAD President
News
Penfield Poster 2024 winners announced
Continuing a long-standing collaboration between advertising agency Cramer-Krasselt and the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD), juniors in Illustration IV designed posters for the Annual Croquet Ball fundraiser at the Penfield Children’s Center.
Milwaukee Ballet sponsor features work by Illustration senior
Working through the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design’s (MIAD) Lubar Innovation Center, Illustration senior Kayla VanProoyen was hired to produce an ad highlighting the Milwaukee Ballet’s presenting sponsor, the Herzfeld Foundation.
Löwe: Senior Exhibition 2024
“Löwe,” Zach Scharrer’s ’24 (Product Design) senior exhibition project at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD), is a bespoke adaptive formalwear line designed in collaboration with employees at Independence First.
Forgotten Nation: Senior Exhibition 2024
“Forgotten Nation,” Tanesha Spencer’s ’24 (Communication Design) senior exhibition project at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD), is a guerilla marketing campaign intended to bring awareness to the 5,712 missing and murdered Indigenous women in the United States.
MIAD celebrates one-year anniversary of offsite gallery
The Gallery at The Ave, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design’s (MIAD) first offsite gallery, celebrated its one-year anniversary at the opening reception of its newest show, “Culture Starters: Emerging from Quarantine.”