Higher Education Commons^™

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 …

Understanding Aspiration And Education Towards Desistance From Offending: The Role Of Higher Education In Wales, Mark Jones, Debbie Jones

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

There has been a growing recognition of the value of education in facilitating desistance from offending. Yet, despite a determined push to “widen access” universities continue to be an unwelcoming place for those with a criminal record. To better understand the role of higher education in raising aspiration towards desistance, this paper draws on findings from a study in Swansea, Wales. Adopting a Pictorial Narrative approach the findings suggest that, whilst the participants identified potential benefits of attaining a higher education, those aspirations were outweighed by a distrust of the “institution” and a fear that the stigmatisation experienced through the …

Vcu Service-Learning Impact Measure (Slim) Report, 2020-2021, Katie Elliott, Jackie Stephens

Division of Community Engagement Resources

The VCU Service-Learning Office distributes the Service-Learning Impact Measure (SLIM) at the end of every semester to evaluate the impact of service-learning classes on student learning. Results are used to guide program improvements that enhance the quality of service-learning courses and outcomes for students, faculty, and partners. This report covers the 2020-2021 academic years and highlights assessment focus areas including: career readiness, academic learning, civic learning identity development, diversity and inclusion, and the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Service-Learning Community Partner Impact Assessment Report, 2021, Rebecca Hoppe, Katie Elliott, Lynn E. Pelco

Division of Community Engagement Resources

In 2021, the Service-Learning Office at VCU conducted an assessment of the impact of service-learning on community partner organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The assessment aimed to collect actionable feedback to inform and improve upon current service-learning course practices. Partners (N = 18) were prompted with questions to assess the following topics: operational capacity, economic functioning, social environment, and partnership quality, both prior to and in concurrent with the COVID-19 pandemic. Quantitative findings suggested an overall improvement in scores from the 2017 assessment. Qualitative findings indicated the importance of relationships, concluding that adaptation, communication, and involvement were key factors …

Vcu Service-Learning Impact Measure (Slim) Report, 2020-2021, Katie Elliott, Jackie Stephens

The VCU Service-Learning Office distributes the Service-Learning Impact Measure (SLIM) at the end of every semester to evaluate the impact of service-learning classes on student learning. Results are used to guide program improvements that enhance the quality of service-learning courses and outcomes for students, faculty, and partners.

The Relationships Between Adolescents’ Future Aspirations And Postsecondary Enrollment: Finite Mixture Models, Chu Yi Lu Qiu

Theses and Dissertations

This study took person-centered statistical approaches to explore the multidimensional construct of adolescents' future aspirations and its associations with three covariates (i.e., gender, race, and SES) and a binary, distal outcome measure, postsecondary enrollment. Fourteen survey items representing the multidimensionality of adolescents' future aspirations were extracted from two-waves of Educational Longitudinal Study:2002 student data. The multidimensionality or the latent construct of the adolescents' future aspirations were explored using two finite mixture models called latent class analysis (LCA) and latent transition analysis (LTA). Based on the students' response patterns on the fourteen indicators, three latent classes representing three levels of aspiration …

“You’Re Almost In This Place That Doesn’T Exist”: The Impact Of College In Prison As Understood By Formerly Incarcerated Students From The Northeastern United States, Hilary Binda, Jill D. Weinberg, Nora Maetzener, Carolyn Rubin

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

This qualitative study examines the immediate and lasting impact of liberal arts higher education in prison from the perspective of former college-in-prison students from the Northeastern United States. Findings obtained through semi-structured interviews with formerly incarcerated people are presented in the following three areas: self-confidence and agency, interpersonal relationships, and capacity for civic leadership. This study further examines former students’ reflections on the relationship between education and human transformation and begins to benchmark college programming with attention to the potential for such transformation. The authors identify four characteristics critical to a program’s success: academic rigor, the professor's respect for students, …

Revision: Creating A Roadmap To Institutional Improvements, Tina Carter, Cynthia Olvera

Division of Community Engagement Resources

The Policy’s responsible office is charged with evaluating the policy’s effectiveness at achieving desired results and necessity for changes on an ongoing basis. Have you been wanting to or been asked to make a change to your policy? Writing or updating university rules and policy can seem daunting for many of us. Two universities will share their review process and lessons learned, including how focusing on risk management driven policy helped garner buy in and how it strengthened both policy and Youth Programs Manual through key modifications.

Community-Engaged Research And The Opioid Epidemic, F. Gerard Moeller

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

From Informing To Empowering: Best Practices In Community Engagement, Chimere Miles, Alicia Aroche

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Spotlight - Rva Street Singers, Robin Rio, Colette Dailey, Cameron Carter, Meghan Mack

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Spotlight - Richmond Openair Project, Jeremy Hoffman, S S. Fong

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Spotlight - Health Hub At 25th, Natalie Pennywell

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Hackathon Agenda, Matthew James Vechinski, Katie Elliott, Lynn E. Pelco

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Community Engagement Hackathon, Matthew James Vechinski, Katie Elliott, Lynn E. Pelco

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Initiating And Sustaining Partnerships, Erin B. Brown

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Initiating And Sustaining Partnerships - Resource Handout, Erin B. Brown

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Initiating And Sustaining Partnerships - Agenda, Erin B. Brown

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Inclusive Collaboration - Group Norms, Jennifer Early

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Inclusive Collaboration - Group Work, Jennifer Early

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Inclusive Collaboration - Slideshow, Jennifer Early

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Community Engaged Research And Service Learning - Agenda, Katie Elliott, Lynn E. Pelco

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Community-Engaged Research And Service Learning, Tracey Gendron, Meghan Z. Gough, Katie Elliott, Lynn E. Pelco

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

21st Century Community Engagement - Agenda, Lynn E. Pelco

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

21st Century Community Engagement, Lynn E. Pelco

Community Engagement Institute

No abstract provided.

Debate For Civic Learning, S Bodnar-Deren, E Coston, D Mthethwa, L.E. Pelco, E Peron, M Pyles, T Swecker

Division of Community Engagement Resources

No abstract provided.

Vcu Service-Learning Impact Measure (Slim) Report, 2018-2019, Tamanna Sohal, Katie Elliott

Division of Community Engagement Resources

The VCU Service-Learning Office distributes the Service-Learning Impact Measure (SLIM) at the end of every semester to evaluate the impact of service-learning classes on student learning. Results are used to guide program improvements that enhance the quality of service-learning courses and outcomes for students, faculty, and partners.

Service-Learning Faculty Assessment: Report Of Results, 2018, Lynn E. Pelco, Katie Elliott, Katie Schifano

Division of Community Engagement Resources

In Spring 2018, the VCU Service-Learning Office sponsored an evaluation process that gathered feedback from faculty members who teach service-learning classes. The goal was to deepen understanding of the barriers faced by VCU’s service-learning faculty instructors and to solicit feedback about key strategies for overcoming these barriers. An independent research consultant conducted the evaluation in two phases: an online anonymous survey and a 30-minute phone interview. Eighty service-learning instructors completed the online survey, and a stratified sample of 18 instructors completed the telephone interviews. Findings indicated that both the online survey respondents and phone interview participants experienced similar supports and …

Initiating And Sustaining Partnerships Presentation, Erin B. Brown

Community Engagement Institute

Initiating & Sustaining Community-Academic Partnerships

Erin Burke Brown, Ph.D., Director, ASPiRE

This workshop presents “5 Simple Steps” for initiating and sustaining community-academic partnerships. Participants will move through the 5 steps to consider the unique aspects of community-academic partnerships, the importance of deliberate and intentional conversations to find mutual benefit, and knowing when/if to terminate the partnership.

Initiating And Sustaining Partnerships Handout, Erin B. Brown

Community Engagement Institute

Initiating & Sustaining Community-Academic Partnerships

Erin Burke Brown, Ph.D., Director, ASPiRE

This workshop presents “5 Simple Steps” for initiating and sustaining community-academic partnerships. Participants will move through the 5 steps to consider the unique aspects of community-academic partnerships, the importance of deliberate and intentional conversations to find mutual benefit, and knowing when/if to terminate the partnership.