Digital Commons Network^™

Department Chairs’ Impact On The Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Of Their Departments, Nicholas R. Garcia Ii

Theses and Dissertations

Department chairs serve not only as the leaders of their departments but also as middle managers in their schools, colleges, and universities. While many department chairs see their role as having little authority, they still play an integral role in day-to-day campus operations (Hunt & Jones, 2015). As leaders of their departments, chairs can directly influence the department’s organizational culture (Schein, 2010), including the culture of diversity and inclusiveness. Departments nationwide are being held responsible for increasing the diversity of the faculty and responding to students' calls for diversity. Departmental organizational culture and the role of the chairperson are essential …

Code Beats - Teaching Computer Programming Coding Via Hip Hop Beats, Douglas Lusa Krug

Theses and Dissertations

Computer programming is a crucial skill for future professionals, not only those working as computer programmers but most modern workers. To train the next generation, society has created many initiatives to introduce computer programming to young students. These initiatives range from classes in a formal academic setting to informal, extracurricular sessions in after-school and summer camps. Even with the increasing offer of these initiatives to expand the opportunities to learn computer programming, the interest in computer programming remains low, especially among populations underrepresented in computing. This lack of interest could be impacted by stereotypical views of computer programming as tedious …

The Living Legends Of Sholoukh – شلوخ الأساطير Facial Scarification In Sudan, Ayah S. Elnour

Theses and Dissertations

Sholoukh — ritual face scarring—is a dying art form in Sudan.

Used to distinguish members of one tribe from another,

Sholoukh reflects the tribal pride of an individual. In the past,

sholoukh was seen as important as having a passport for a tribe

member, however, it was not always applied by choice. Using

just a razor blade, the wisest, most senior tribal elder would scar

the face of a child, initiating them into the tribe for life.

As this tribal art form fades away, the dwindling Sholoukh-bearers

have become living legends in Sudan. To honor them, I create

a collage …

Review Of Residencies Revisited: Reflections On Library Residency Programs From The Past And Present, K. Adolpho

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

In Residencies Revisited, editors Preethi Gorecki and Arielle Petrovich compile essays and narratives from current and former diversity resident librarians, residency scholars, and other residency stakeholders to discuss challenges, opportunities, success, and the future of residency programs. The opportunities that diversity residency programs provide for recent graduates have been discussed for decades. This collection, which centers the experiences of diversity residents, will help academic librarians and administrators better understand the harm of these programs, if they are not carefully planned, well-structured, supported, and resident-centered. Residencies Revisited is long-awaited and essential reading for those involved in planning, implementing, and proposing …

Characteristics Of Culturally Inclusive Art Education Pedagogy: A Historical Document Analysis Study, Fatemah A. Khawaji

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this mixed methods historical document analysis is to identify the characteristics of culturally inclusive art education pedagogy. Using the theoretical lenses of intersectionality, critical theory, and socially inclusive pedagogy, this study seeks to determine the reasons for the misapplication of diversity and inclusion in art education. Qualitative and quantitative methods are applied to the historical document analysis of National Art Education Association articles in two major journals: Art Education and Studies in Art Education. The findings indicate that for the last 20 years, 20% of the articles published in Studies in Art Education and 30% of …

Cultural Diversity Professional Development In Schools Survey, Krystal R. Thomas, Hillary Parkhouse, Jesse Senechal, Zoey Lu, Laura Faulcon, Julie Gorlewski, David B. Naff

MERC Publications

This report presents findings from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) Cultural Diversity Within Schools Survey. This survey was designed for school- based professionals (i.e., teachers, instructional staff, administrators) within the MERC region. Administered in the fall of 2018, the survey collected information about experiences of professional development related to cultural diversity, attitudes toward cultural diversity within schools, perceptions of barriers and opportunities, and perspectives on the need for professional development. Section 1 of the report discusses the context for this survey effort: increased cultural diversity in our schools, increased cultural mismatch between students and teachers, and multicultural education as …

Challenging The "Good Fit" Narrative: Creating Inclusive Recruitment Practices In Academic Libraries, Jennifer Stout, Sojourna Cunningham, Samantha Guss

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

As a profession, we talk the talk of valuing diversity and inclusion, but do we walk the walk with our hiring practices? The profession stresses the importance of “a good fit” when hiring, but we rarely interrogate the fact that “a good fit” can be a reflection of our implicit biases. Academic librarians conducted a survey of hiring policies with a focus on the processes (or lack thereof) of recruiting candidates from underrepresented groups. This session will report on their findings and recommend the implementation of specific practices designed to create an inclusive candidate pool and an equitable search

Exploring The Impact Of Diversity Training On The Development And Application Of Cultural Competence Skills In Higher Education Professionals, Kendra Cabler

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years the terms diversity and inclusion have become major buzzwords across industries and fields of study. Within the field of education broadly, and higher education in particular, a shifting student demographic can be seen across the country. Issues of equity and inclusion have become central complexities for present day educational strategists, and organizations committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion must do so with intentionality. In the context of higher education, this often requires the intentional development of professionals within a particular college or university. There has been a great deal of research concerning the development of cultural …

Assessing K12 Online Teachers Knowledge Of Online Student Identities And Characteristics, Brianne L. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

As K12 online learning continues to grow across the nation, the population of online students, much like the population of face-to face students, continues to change. As the online student population becomes increasingly diverse, not only in terms of race, but in terms of religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status, research must be undertaken to assess the level of preparation that K12 online teachers have in terms of teaching this population. This dissertation intends to serve as a baseline analysis, providing information on K12 online teachers' knowledge of the types of student characteristics and identities that may be present in …

Integrating Obesity And Eating Disorder Prevention: A Pilot And Feasibility Trial Of Inspire, Courtney C. Simpson

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity and eating disorders are pervasive concerns among young adult women, and profoundly impact physical and psychological functioning. Weight-related disorders are typically chronic conditions; their treatment is often complex and frequently ineffective. Moreover, Black and Latina women have disproportionately high rates of obesity, and experience rates of eating disorders comparable to those of their White peers; yet, they are less likely to be referred to appropriate treatment. Given the intractability of weight-related concerns and their detrimental consequences, attempts to prevent unhealthy eating attitudes and behaviors are essential. To date, few prevention programs have significantly reduced both obesity risk and eating …

Why Do Racial Disparities In School Discipline Exist? The Role Of Policies, Processes, People, And Places, Adai Tefera, Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, Rachel Levy

MERC Publications

This brief is part of larger regional study of racial equity in discipline policies and practices conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC). The goal of the broader project is to: (1) analyze racial disproportionality in discipline across the Richmond area, (2) explore various interventions designed to ameliorate disproportionality, and (3) provide recommendations that inform policymaking and practice in the Richmond region. This is the first of two research briefs on racially inequitable school discipline. The subsequent brief will examine the history and theory of action behind different discipline models or interventions, as well as evidence of …

Boomerang Studio: Community Design For Action, Jessica Walton

Theses and Dissertations

An arts education space, focusing on concepts of design thinking aimed at providing low income middle and high school teens of color the opportunity to learn about interior design, architecture and crafts. Ultimately, Boomerang Studio hopes to engage students in the world of design as a means of creating greater diversity within these disciplines.

Ethnic Diversity Of Boards Of U.S. Companies: Business Sustainability And Group Dynamics, Saajan Sappal

Undergraduate Research Posters

Ethnic minorities are significantly underrepresented on the Board of Directors of large US firms. White males comprise nearly twice the proportion of directorships of Fortune 1000 companies as they do the total US population. Ethnic diversity in corporate governance is valued as an asset per two prominent theories: Resource Dependence theory and Agency theory. However, Ethnic diversity on the Board of Directors can also impair the group process per Status theory and constraints such as tokenism and marginalization. This paper is aimed at developing both a theoretical and empirical understanding of the value of ethnic minorities on the Board of …

Strengthening The Pipeline— Talent Management For Libraries: A Human Resources Perspective, Agnes K. Bradshaw

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

In order to both increase the pipeline of new librarians and develop “bench strength” (which is a human resources term used to refer to the capabilities and readiness of potential successors to move into key professional and leadership positions), librarians of color can work to form and develop strong, sustaining professional networks (in and outside the employing library) in order to help navigate the hiring process and to develop a support network that can be utilized throughout a professional career.

Twenty Years Of Virginia Organizing: A Historical Analysis, Ruth Berta

Graduate Research Posters

Virginia Organizing is a non-profit, non-partisan statewide grassroots community organization aimed at empowering people to affect change in their communities. They celebrated their 20^th anniversary in 2015 and this process evaluation identifies the unique role that the Virginia Organizing State Governing Board has had in governing the organization. It determined the historical themes from this governing body’s 20 years of meeting minutes and assessed its membership diversity over time. In attempting to answer these questions: What themes emerge from the first 20 years of Virginia Organizing State Governing Board meeting minutes? How has the diversity of the membership of …

Determinants Of Turnover Intent In Higher Education: The Case Of International And U.S. Faculty, Jaehee Park

Theses and Dissertations

In spite of the increase in the number of the international academic workforce and their potential benefits, international status has been relatively under-studied in Public Management and Higher Education literature in comparison with studies of age, gender, and race. Given these realities, the present study identifies characteristics of internal and external variables that influence international and U.S. faculty turnover intentions in a large public South Eastern research university.

To understand the variations in short-term and long-term turnover levels while controlling for various demographic, structural, and external variables, eight Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression analysis were performed using turnover intentions as …

Crossing Boundaries: Building A Model To Effectively Address Difference In Community Practice, Jason Sawyer

Theses and Dissertations

Community organizing has a rich tradition within the field of social work. Prevailing community practice models, approaches, and frameworks remain primarily based on practice wisdom, experience, and intuition. Difference, pervasive in various contemporary contexts of practice, largely mediates interactions at the community level. Although difference is addressed at various levels of the practice continuum and within the IFSW and NASW codes of ethics, few methodologically driven tools exist within the literature to guide practitioners. This grounded theory study initiates early development of a community practice model based on forging alliances across boundaries of difference. The Critical Difference Engagement model is …

Affirmative Action In College Admissions: A Compelling Need And A Compelling Warning, Scott Finnie

Ethnic Studies Review

Higher education has been historically recognized as the very door to opportunity and success for our nation's youths and future leaders. Following the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, the cry and pressure for access to America's college campuses have intensified, especially along the lines of racial and gender discrimination. The long record of oppression has translated into an intense debate over the feasibility of affirmative action as a viable policy to rectify the past and the present This article will afford a brief overview of the necessity of affirmative action in college admissions as well as an …

Diversity As An Orientalist Discourse, Mariela Nuñez-Janes

Ethnic Studies Review

The goal of promoting diversity is deep-rooted in the post-civil rights activities of U.S. educational institutions. Universities across the country attempt to foster diversity by seeking a diverse student body, creating initiatives that promote diversity, institutionalizing committees and administrative positions with the sole purpose of overseeing diversity, and implementing curricular strategies to support academic diversity. The pursuit of diversity is so integral to the survival and attractiveness of college campuses that some universities even lie in order to appear diverse to potential students and public supporters. Such was the case of the University of Wisconsin, Madison whose officials digitally inserted …

Schooled In Silence, Patricia M. Amburgy, Wanda B. Knight, Karen Keifer-Boyd

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

What is not said, is often more powerful than what is spoken about diversity, difference, and identity in U.S. classrooms. Examples are everywhere: Although no students of color may be enrolled in a course at a prominent research university, members of the class do not believe there is such a thing as institutional racism. A handful of women are discussed in course textbooks, all authored by men, but no one thinks it odd that only men have written accounts of women's achievements that appear on the syllabus. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people do not speak for themselves, either, in …

[Review Of] James P. Danky And Wayne A. Wiegand, Eds. Print Culture In A Diverse America. The History Of Communication Series, Ellen M. Gil-Gomez

Ethnic Studies Review

This volume functions both in illuminating minority perspectives in print culture and describing and furthering the field of "print culture studies." The introduction then both discusses the structure and purpose of the field and argues that the book's contents challenge it in a variety of ways. Three thematic sections follow which cover, respectively, "lost" serials, the publishing industry, and written reconstructions of historical events.

A Mountain Cultural Curriculum: Telling Our Story, Christine Bellengee Morris

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

Jim Wayne Miller, professor of English at Western Kentucky University, declared that school children in West Virginia have more exposure to other cultures than they do to their own. His concern was that, “Lack of knowledge about the area’s history helps perpetuate negative stereotypes about the region’s mountain people” (Associated Press, 1994). If the Mountain Culture, to which many of the students belong, is not reflected in the curriculum, their identity, voice, heritage, history, and arts are censored and the Mountain Cultural youth are rendered invisible in their own state. Results from a survey of three elementary schools located in …

[Review Of] Julie Brown, Ed. Ethnicity And The American Short Story, Phillipa Kafka

Ethnic Studies Review

Replete with essays, all excellent in diverse ways and covering a broad range of American ethnicities, this cutting-edge text successfully answers questions about claims of uniqueness and difference for ethnic American short stories as the grounds for inclusion in critical discussions of the genre.

Art Teaching For Peace And Justice, Kristin G. Congdon

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

The social goals of peace and justice are not removed from art processes and products, and especially not from curricula in art classrooms. In this article, six topic areas are suggested for the art educator which further the causes of peace and justice: 1) Appreciating diversity; 2) Understanding that art creates individual and group identity; 3) Encouraging collaboration in art processes; 4) Working respectfully with the earth's ecosystems; 5) Analyzing art which deals specifically with war and violence; and 6) Promoting peace and justice through art.

Visibility And Invisibility In Art And Craft, Fiona Blaikie

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

The visibility and invisibility or censorship of art and craft is determined by individual and group ontologies. Their production has often been constricted and/or defined by gender, class, culture, race, religion, and politics. In this paper, I am concerned with the visibility of varieties of art, design, and craft. I will examine censorship based on three criteria; gender, culture, and class, with the censorship of artwork because of gender being the dominant theme.