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The Department of Educational Policy and Community Studies provides students with an understanding of urban educational issues, with a focus on the historical, political, economic and socio-cultural contexts of communities, schools and society.

Join our program and explore the causes of inequality in urban communities and schools and learn about strategies for addressing urban challenges.

Contact

Office of Student Services
soeinfo@uwm.edu
414-229-4721

Mailing Address
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Department of Educational Policy and Community Studies
School of Education
PO Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53201

Educational Policy Department Statement Against Police Brutality and Racial Oppression

The Department of Educational Policy and Community Studies unequivocally supports the protests against police brutality, killing and injustice that have taken to the streets around the nation. We know that racial injustice is deeply rooted in institutions like police departments and schools. American society was “stamped from the beginning,” as Ibram X. Kendi writes, with racism. This current uprising is the most recent example of a long history of legitimate efforts to stand up for real equality and to fight for change. Not just the police system, but all of our systems need to be transformed and racism rooted out.

Our department was founded in response to debates and conflict around racial and economic inequality during the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1970s. We have been addressing issues of racial justice since our department was formed. Creating a safe space for Black, Latinx and other underrepresented racial groups within a large university was a fundamental justification for the creation of our department.

At this time of conflict and hope for change, as a faculty we recommit to extending our focus on anti-oppressive, anti-racist educational practice, seeking to contribute to change in our small way through our teaching, writing and community work. We follow behind the courageous activists and marchers, always learning from our students as we go. We seek to provide spaces in our classes that might support the practices creatively developed in the streets today and in the future.

Have questions about a program or looking for academic or career advice? Our advisors are here to help. Community education majors are assigned to faculty advisors in Educational Policy and Community Studies. The department also offers drop-in advising for new students, transfer students, current students and students seeking information about the program. For graduate programs, we assign individual faculty advisors at admission.

Toshiba Adams, Lecturer in Educational Policy & Community Studies.
  • Lecturer, Educational Policy and Community Studies
Raquel Farmer-Hinton, Associate Professor in Educational Policy and Community Studies.
  • Associate Professor, Educational Policy and Community Studies
  • Program Director, Alternative Education
Darwyn Fehrman
  • Lecturer, Educational Policy and Community Studies
Florence Johnson, Lecturer in Educational Policy and Community Studies.
  • Lecturer, Educational Policy and Community Studies
Okja Kwon
  • Lecturer, Educational Policy and Community Studies
Calvin Lewis, Lecturer in Educational Policy and Community Studies.
  • Lecturer, Educational Policy and Community Studies
Kalyani Rai, Associate Professor in Educational Policy & Community Studies.
  • Associate Professor, Educational Policy and Community Studies
Aaron Schutz, Professor in Educational Policy and Community Studies
  • Professor, Educational Policy and Community Studies
  • Department Chair, Educational Policy and Community Studies
  • Program Director, Community Engagement and Education
  • Program Director, Cultural Foundations of Community Engagement and Education
Rajeswari Swaminathan, Professor in Department of Educational Policy and Community Studies
  • Professor, Educational Policy and Community Studies
Javier Tapia, Associate Professor in Educational Policy and Community Studies
  • Associate Professor, Educational Policy and Community Studies
Ben Trager, Lecturer in Educational Policy and Community Studies
  • Lecturer, Educational Policy and Community Studies
Aaria Troiano, Teaching Faculty III in Educational Policy and Community Studies
  • Teaching Faculty III, Educational Policy and Community Studies
Agnes Williams, Lecturer in Educational Policy and Community Studies
  • Lecturer, Educational Policy and Community Studies