Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Musselman Library Strategic Plan: 2020-2023, Musselman Library

All Musselman Library Staff Works

Musselman Library’s strategic plan is designed to guide the library’s efforts for the next three years, 2020-2023. The library’s plan reflects Gettysburg College’s current strategic plan for 2016-2021 and grounds itself in our ongoing mission to support a liberal arts education at Gettysburg with the library as the intellectual center of campus.

The plan includes four strategic directions: support student success, design inspiring and accessible spaces, reimagine library collections, and cultivate an inclusive and responsive library climate.

I Saw That: Being Observed Reduces Race-Based Shoot Decisions, Sarah S. Kramer, Kaitlin M. Lewin, Allison S. Romano, Brian P. Meier

Student Publications

The shooter bias effect reveals that individuals are quicker to “shoot” armed Black (vs. White) men and slower to “not shoot” unarmed Black (vs. White) men in a computer task. In three studies (N = 386), we examined whether being observed would reduce this effect because of social desirability concerns. Participants completed a “shooting” task with or without a camera/live observer supposedly recording behavior. Cameras were strapped to participants’ heads (Studies 1a/1b) and pointed at them (Study 1b). In Study 2, a researcher observed participants complete the task while “filming” them with a smartphone. We replicated the shooter bias, …

What’S Up With Textbooks?, Janelle Wertzberger

All Musselman Library Staff Works

Presentation at a faculty meeting on textbook costs and actions that instructors can take to improve student learning

You Only Remember Your Tragedies, Anonymous

SURGE

I am tired. I am tired of going to class and listening to my professor’s ignore my history. I am tired of going to office hours and them telling me that I am too biased to conduct research on the genocide of the country my family is from. I am tired of the way people give me these looks of pity whenever I tell them what happened to my family. I am tired of not being able to talk to anyone about this because I just feel like I’m spewing absolute nonsense because it feels like no one believes me. …

A Role For Contrast Gain Control In Skin Appearance, Richard Russell, Carlota Batres, Alex L. Jones, Aurélie Porcheron

Psychology Faculty Publications

Apparent contrast can be suppressed or enhanced when presented within surrounding images. This contextual modulation is typically accounted for with models of contrast gain control. Similarly, the appearance of one part of a face is affected by the appearance of the other parts of the face. These influences are typically accounted for with models of face-specific holistic processing. Here we report evidence that facial skin appearance is modulated by adjacent surfaces. In four experiments we measured the appearance of skin evenness and wrinkles in images with increased or decreased contrast between facial skin and adjacent image regions. Increased contrast with …

Dear Society, Anonymous

SURGE

“I can not wait to study abroad” multiple friends tell me

All I do is shake my head and reply “mhm I can not wait either”

I lied to them

I can not go out of the country, I can not explore the world

I am stuck in one place

This place is known as the United States of America that one day they said will bring the American Dream for my family

I wake up each day and I live in a world of fear, mistrust, and silence..." [excerpt]

Nathifa Greene, Assistant Professor Of Philosophy, Musselman Library, Nathifa Greene

Next Page

In this latest Next Page column, Assistant Professor of Philosophy Nathifa Greene ’03 shares her longtime love of Toni Morrison, Zadie Smith, and George Eliot, as well as a newfound appreciation for speculative fiction.

Living...In Fear, Anonymous

SURGE

“What do you fear?”

“What is your weakness?”

Every time I get asked these questions, whether it’s by interviewers or friends, I dread every moment of it.

How can I possibly put into words the fear I live with every single day of my life?

How can I put into words the pain I feel inside of me to help you understand?

My parents have raised me to be the strong independent woman that I am.

They have taught me to discipline myself and always work 10x harder than everyone else.

They have warned me from a very early age …

I Am, Anonymous

SURGE

Hearing undocumented I want it to be for means of empowerment,
I am tired of the pity look, of the silence, of hesitation, of the thick air and the tension
Whenever I let people in.
When I let people in, I expect respect as a human being,
And not as a saving cause.
The last thing I ask is for reassurance or comfort
I had been undocumented for the last eleven years
Eleven years that I have internalized a distorted false narrative of who I am [excerpt]

Open For Whom? Equity In Open Knowledge, Scholarly Communications, Michelle Williams

All Musselman Library Staff Works

This display was created as part of Musselman Library's Open Access Week 2019 programming and highlights challenges and opportunities within the global open access movement.

Surveillance And The Self: Understanding Privacy And Identity In Digital Environments, Alecea Ritter Standlee

Friday Forum

The widespread use of internet enabled devices among contemporary US adults has given rise to a series of questions about issues of identity, privacy and group behaviors. The increasing use of algorithmic systems in social media and the attendant privacy concerns among users may also contribute to increased levels of strategic management of identity among users. In order to contribute to this discussion, this project examines perceptions and practices of privacy and self-representation in digital spaces among college age adults 18-24. This project utilizes semi-structured interview data collected with college students in the Eastern United States and focuses on both …

A Journey Through The Development Of A Dh Program For Undergraduates, R.C. Miessler, Clinton K. Baugess, John Dettinger, Kevin Moore

All Musselman Library Staff Works

In institutions that do not actively integrate DH into the curriculum, introducing undergraduates to DH tools and methods can be difficult. However, Gettysburg College has facilitated a summer research experience for undergraduates. This interactive workshop will introduce participants to the Digital Scholarship Summer Fellowship program and provide a high-level overview of its development and implementation. Workshop leaders will provide guidance on developing a summer program tailored to participants' institution's needs and aspirations. Participants will come away with strategies for identifying stakeholders and partners, developing program goals, selecting digital tools, designing workshops, and methods to incorporate aspects of assessment and sustainability.

The Harold G. Evans Chair Of Eisenhower Leadership Studies And The Eisenhower Institute Undergraduate Fellowship, Brendan Cushing-Daniels

Friday Forum

The Evans Chair is an important link between the academic program and the Eisenhower Institute (EI), and one of the most important roles of the Evans chair is directing the EI Undergraduate Fellows (EIUF) program. This program provides a small group of Gettysburg College seniors the chance to develop their leadership skills and to immerse themselves in the world of public policy. Today’s talk is designed to get faculty members from across the divisions to consider applying for the Evans Chair and to ask all members of the College community to encourage all students, particularly those who have felt excluded, …

Deconstructing Perceptions Of The Border Patrol At The U.S.-Mexico Border, Claire H. Woodward

Student Publications

The U.S.-Mexico border is a space for public debate on the legal and political aspects of immigration. Politicization of the southern border has resulted in polarized public opinion regarding immigration, leading to discrepancies between public perceptions of the Border Patrol and agents’ perceptions of their job. Agents’ work requires emotional labor, and lack of training for difficult encounters, pressure within the agency to detach from emotions, and public outcry lead to dissonance in agent perceptions of their own role in immigration enforcement. In addition, economic, ethnic, and gender-based factors contribute to agent identities, which intersect with perceptions of their roles …

Sex Trafficking In Asia: The Impact Of Policy, Economic Opportunity, And Globalization, Emma C. M. Lavoie

Student Publications

This paper examines the prevalence of sex trafficking in Asia and considers factors that make it stand out among other regions of the world. It explains the consequences of poorly designed policy on sex trafficking, using the Chinese One Child Policy as an example. It also looks at the lack of economic opportunity in countries like Thailand and Cambodia, that can incentivize the selling of women to traffickers. Finally, this paper considers the role of globalization in making the transport of sex trafficking victims easier as well as the effect of modern communication technologies on trafficking.

Effects Of Un Peacekeeping Missions, Blake I. Dudley

Student Publications

Of everything the United Nations does, probably one its most scrutinized programs is its peacekeeping missions across the globe. Even though humanity is experiencing an unprecedented level of peace, deadly civil wars still occur across the world, especially in developing nations. The UN has become involved in many of these conflicts, sending peacekeeping forces to the country in crisis. UN peace efforts are very important because they have the potential to save thousands of lives and preventing the further damages of war. It is for this reason that it is vital to examine the UN peacekeeping missions and evaluate the …

African American Disparities In Healthcare, Emma E. Bedell

Student Publications

African Americans constantly experience disparities in health care due to various factors. They typically face differences in insurance coverage, quality of care, geographic variation, and stereotyping by providers. These social inequalities are ultimately inevitable, however; changes need to be made to better the care that Black patients receive. The differences Black men and women receive in healthcare can put their life in danger or even give them unnecessary medical treatment. There is no simple solution to fix this problem, but action needs to be taken immediately.

The Imposition Of White Beauty Standards On Black Women, Sabrina E. Robinette

Student Publications

This paper explores the impact of racist beauty ideals on black women through a survey of personal testimonies and an examination of media’s role in perpetrating white beauty. Without sufficient black representation in media, Western beauty standards have excluded black women from defining beauty, which inflicts psychological, physical, and even economic harm on women of color. Companies make profits off of black women’s insecurity from products such as skin lightening cream, chemical straighteners, and hair dye, all of which are an economic burden on black women at best and are life-threatening at worst. Often, black women are forced to turn …

Healthcare: A Universal Human Right Or White Privilege?, Nicole E. Heller

Student Publications

It is an undeniable fact that racism has been present in the United States since the beginning of the European colonization of the nation. Structural racism and implicit biases are the modern reality of the African American experience, reflecting years of direct racial targeting, mistreatment and discrimination. Today, there are many examples of deeply rooted racial discrepancies, de facto segregation, and modern acts of colonization. Perhaps one of the most troubling disparities present between African Americans and white Americans is the alarming difference in their experiences with healthcare. After a long history of medical torture, mistreatment, and a denial of …

Inequality In Crime And The Criminal Justice System, Kyleigh A. Dinnien

Student Publications

This piece is to reflect upon the current criminal justice system we currently live in. There are significant gaps in reform and punishment when looking at minorities. This paper reflects the corruptness that is the criminal justice system and the segregated world we continue to live in today.

An Examination Of Housing Along The U.S.-Mexico Border: Colonias In Texas And Its Impact On Children, Gisselle Flores

Student Publications

Colonias in Texas have been constructed over the past 65 years, and many of these housing units started off as temporary solutions for the lack of affordable public housing for migrant farmworkers. Children in colonias are one of the most vulnerable residents in an already vulnerable population, and the obstacles that residents in colonias face have a severe impact on children. One of the most prominent challenges that impact children living in Texas colonias is food insecurity. These challenges that these communities face in food security is also contributing to the rise in health issues especially for these children.

The Narrative Of Black Athletes In The National Hockey League, Julia E. Koller

Student Publications

Major league sports have existed in the United States since the 1920s; today we have four major league sports - the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and Major League Soccer. All of these sports have changed drastically, especially their demographics. All throughout the 20th century, Black people had fought for rights, both in and out of sports. This paper explores the narrative of Black players in the National Hockey League. Factors such as, socioeconomic status, interest level, and racism look to explain why so few players in the NHL are Black.

Gender-Based Experiences Of Migrant Smuggling At The Us-Mexico Border, Sarah E. Rinehart

Student Publications

The US-Mexico border has been increasing its security measures, which has corresponded with increases in migration. Due to increasing restrictions on who is able to legally migrate, many turn to irregular migration, and the more effective way of achieving irregular migration is through use of a migrant facilitator. Migrant smugglers are individuals who receive compensated for assisting others in crossing a national border through illegal means. In discourses about irregular migration from the media and political, migrant smugglers are typically portrayed as criminalized men who take advantage of vulnerable, victimized women migrants. While the experiences of men and women migrants …

Campus-Based Agriculture: The Future Of Food At Gettysburg College, Bryn K. Werley

Student Publications

This research investigates various methods for producing food on the campus of Gettysburg College in order to improve food sustainability. The transportation of food contributes to the increased use of fossil fuels, which in turn leads to global warming and climate change. By producing a larger portion of its food on-campus, Gettysburg College could reduce the amount of food transported to the school, thereby lessening the College’s environmental impact. Urban farming techniques, hydroponics, aquaponics, and greenhouse-based agriculture are explored as viable methods for achieving this goal. Examples of the use of these techniques on college campuses are drawn from Allegheny …

The Enigma Of Electability: How Do Voters Predict Who Can Win?, Emily C. Dalgleish

Student Publications

Ideological moderation is often assumed to inform a candidate's electability. This article examines the effects of a voters’ perceptions of a candidate’s ideology on the voters’ belief in the candidate’s ability to win the election. Using data from the American National Election Survey from 2008 and 2016, the paper compares the effect of the perceived ideology of a candidate and individuals' predictions about the candidate that will win. Opinions regarding Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Donald Trump are analyzed. The results suggest that for the Democratic candidates, voters who believed them to be more moderate or conservative were …

Designing Women: Essentializing Femininity In Ai Linguistics, Ellianie S. Vega

Student Publications

Since the eighties, feminists have considered technology a force capable of subverting sexism because of technology’s ability to produce unbiased logic. Most famously, Donna Haraway’s “A Cyborg Manifesto” posits that the cyborg has the inherent capability to transcend gender because of its removal from social construct and lack of loyalty to the natural world. But while humanoids and artificial intelligence have been imagined as inherently subversive to gender, current artificial intelligence perpetuates gender divides in labor and language as their programmers imbue them with traits considered “feminine.” A majority of 21st century AI and humanoids are programmed to fit female …

American Society’S Fear Of Social Change Reflected Through The Ostracizing Of Nfl Free Agent Colin Kaepernick, Emma Hedgepeth

Student Publications

Systemic racism continues to plague Black Americans. However, demonstrations that attempt to bring attention to racial discrimination are often met with anger from white Americans that claim oppression on the basis of race is no longer an issue. Former NFL athlete Colin Kaepernick is no exception to this trend and his peaceful protests during the national anthem led to a swift denunciation and his eventual dismissal from the league. Consequently, the NFL's treatment of Kaepernick is reflective of a larger issue in American society where any person or organization that attempts to challenge the racial hierarchy, is vilified.

Economic Implications Of Racism In The United States, Pranav Kayastha

Student Publications

Racism in the United States has evolved with time, and has now taken a subtle and discreet, yet equally dangerous, form. Hiding under seemingly innocuous political agendas, media outlets, and criminal justice system, the current form of racism is not as easy to call out as it once used to be. Nonetheless, we as a society are targeting, discriminating, and denying equal opportunities to the African American community in a variety of ways. This is hurting not just those directly affected, but the U.S. economy as a whole. To identify and fight against the subtle forms of discrimination, therefore, is …

The Ncaa: A Racist Institution, John J. Ryan

Student Publications

The NCAA has a long history embedded in racism due to systemic abuse and unfairness for people of color. This paper will examine how the NCAA is a racist institution, which includes exclusion of most blacks from the college system while still making revenue off of black athletes, not valuing the education of these black athletes, and tight control over these black athletes by the NCAA and college institutions. All of these factors create a different educational experience than white students receive. The paper will also highlight multiple cases showing this and propose the course of actions for changes to …

Hbcus Importance To The Black Community, Jarrett A. Torromeo

Student Publications

This paper looks at the importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Black community. It explores how they are necessary in order to bring a sense of belonging to the Black community and how they can grow. They are critically underfunded compared to other universities/colleges but this can change with the sports that they have to offer.