The Minutes Of The Marshall University Staff Council Meeting, September 2025, Marshall University Staff Council

Staff Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Leading Through Crisis: Lessons In Leadership From New Jersey Administrators During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alicia Subervi

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

ABSTRACT

This qualitative comparative case study examined the lived experiences of building- and district-level administrators in a single New Jersey school district as they navigated the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study explored how administrators perceived and responded to disruptions, how responses evolved over time, lessons learned, and the ways these insights are being applied in schools today. Data were collected from demographic and technology surveys, two rounds of semi-structured interviews, and a targeted review of district documents. Analysis was conducted using a combination of a priori and emergent coding to identify 27 codes organized into nine overarching …

2025 September 12 - Audit Committee Agenda And Minutes, Board Of Trustees, East Tennessee State University

Board of Trustees Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

2025 September 12 - Board Of Trustees Agenda And Minutes, Board Of Trustees, East Tennessee State University

Board of Trustees Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

2025 September 12 - Board Of Trustees Public Notice, Board Of Trustees, East Tennessee State University

Board of Trustees Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

2025 September 12 - Academic, Research And Student Success Committee Agenda And Minutes, Board Of Trustees, East Tennessee State University

Board of Trustees Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

Wmu Board Of Trustee Board Meeting, Thursday September 11, 2025, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (June 26, 2025 and August 13, 2025

Remarks by the Chair of the Board

Remarks by the President

Updates by the Faculty Senate President

Updates by the Western Student Association President

Updates by the Graduate Student Association President

Western Michigan University Employee Graduates

Presentation: A History of Teaching and Learning; Zhang Legacy Collections Center

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

Professional Instructors Organization (PIO) 2025-2029 Agreement

Remarks following vote by PIO Contract Enforcement Officer

Delegated Board of Trustees Authority to Confer Degrees

Consent Items

• Personnel Report
• Amendment to the Brian Schott …

2025 September 8 - Staff Senate Agenda And Minutes, Staff Senate, East Tennessee State University

Staff Senate Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

A Tale Of Two Schools: A Comparative Case Study Demonstrating Organizational Pathways To Educator Collaborations, Michael W. Valenti Ph.D., Duhita Mahatmya, Elizabeth Levine-Brown, Karen Celedonia, Tracy Sweet

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Effective staff collaboration in schools maximizes educators’ collective capacity, improves educator and student outcomes, and facilitates school-wide improvement efforts. Yet, many school team members struggle to collaborate effectively. Previous studies have demonstrated individual and school-level factors that influence school-based collaborations. This study expands former research by comparing the varying administrative and environmental tools employed by two schools to shape relational networks and foster interpersonal capital. Specifically, this case study explores how school-level factors shape the development of school social networks and staff collaborative behavior. We use comparative case study analysis to explore how differences in individual-level and system-level factors influence …

Students From Low-Income Backgrounds: Characteristics, Common Barriers, And Initiatives To Better Support Student Success, Michael Sparrow

New York Journal of Student Affairs

Students from low-income backgrounds comprise almost a third of undergraduate enrollment, but most colleges are designed poorly to support these students. This misalignment between the characteristics and needs of students from low-income backgrounds and the typical college environment leads to disproportionately low matriculation, persistence, and graduation rates for this population. This literature review provides an overview of common challenges faced by students from low-income backgrounds and characteristics of these students (including strengths). This literature review concludes by providing an overview of some student-focused initiatives from orientation, first-year seminars, peer mentoring, and others that can help mitigate these challenges and improve …

"I Probably Wouldn't Be As Happy": Childhood Parental Separation And Posttraumatic Growth Narratives From Eight College Students, Meagan C. Arrastia-Chisholm, Hoa Nguyen, Africa Pippin, Heather M. Kelley Ph.D.

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Parental separation during childhood leads to long-lasting psychological and socioemotional impact on the lives of emerging adults as they transition into higher education. The long-term effects of childhood parental separation on college students' academic performance, physical health, and overall mental wellbeing are well-documented. However, students can develop resilience to cope with challenging family and life experiences and even demonstrate post-traumatic growth. Post-traumatic growth refers to the positive changes and experiences college students discover after enduring life disruptions, such as being separated from their parents at an early age. To better understand the connection between parental separation and posttraumatic growth, a …

Stand For Support, Shatter The Silence: Administrative Approaches To Eradicate Bullying In Higher Education, Elaine M. Mora, Shawn P. Saladin

Journal of Research Initiatives

Bullying in higher education has become a widespread and complex issue that affects staff, faculty, and students worldwide, causing a detrimental impact on both psychological health and academic achievement. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the phenomenon, encompassing all its manifestations, underlying causes, and significant consequences. The study, which draws on academic literature, outlines the various forms of bullying, including cyberbullying, mobbing, microaggressions, and social exclusion, and highlights the adverse effects these behaviors have on both individuals and academic communities. The research emphasizes how critical it is to comprehend the power relationships that exist in higher education settings and …

Enhancing Critical Thinking Through Interactive Learning Approaches For First-Year University Students, Nana Yaw B. Agyeman, Venessa Vela Aphane Ms

Journal of Research Initiatives

The use of interactive learning methods is considered crucial in equipping university students with critical skills. This could successfully deal with, and address issues encountered in real-world contexts. It has been noted that most first-year university students often face challenges adjusting to university life due to their background. The research methodology utilized in this study was qualitative, as it was deemed appropriate for the research objectives. A case study design was employed to investigate the issue comprehensively. A purposive sample of eight participants was selected. Thematic analysis was employed as the method of data analysis. The study's findings suggest that …

School Leaders’ Perceptions Of Restorative Practices On Student Behavior, Jennifer Mary Herold Fontenot

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

United States public schools turned to a zero-tolerance approach to school discipline with hopes of improving school safety and climate in the 1990s. Administrators dispensed consequences such as suspension and expulsion without considering the whole student, regardless of the student’s conditions, motivations, or background. Many schools today focus on punitive measures rather than a holistic approach that considers the root causes of behavior, such as socioeconomic factors, mental health issues, or the student’s home life. Such actions can lead to disproportionately harsh punishments for marginalized students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds or communities of color, exacerbating existing inequalities. Thus, the …

Engaging Students And Stakeholders In Times Of Crisis: Hbcus Bridging Social Capital On Facebook While Navigating Physical Distancing, Pamela Peters

Journal of Research Initiatives

COVID-19 placed a strain on colleges that tend to rely on tuition, especially small HBCUs, which traditionally serve a high percentage of underrepresented students. Being away from campus, many stakeholders were experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety. Social media offers an outlet for schools and stakeholders to stay connected during a crisis. Using social capital, this study examined how small HBCUs bridged social capital on Facebook during the year before and the first two years of the pandemic. A comparative analysis of Facebook posts of 30 HBCUs with a student population of under 2000 was conducted to determine post …

How Graduates Of Color Developed Marketable Skills As On-Campus Student Employees, Christopher A. Burnett, Z.W. Taylor

Journal of Research Initiatives

Research on how students of color are employed in on-campus student affairs positions and the development of their marketable skills for post-graduation employment is limited. To address this gap, this study examined the experiences of 12 students of color in student affairs roles. The goal was to understand how these students benefitted from their on-campus employment, developed valuable skills, and secured job opportunities after graduation.

The findings indicate that students of color were able to readily identify and communicate the marketable skills they acquired during their time as students. These skills include management, teamwork facilitation, digital literacy, and the ability …

Multi-Generational Biases Perceived By Women To Senior Leadership Positions In Non-Profit Higher Education, Regina Watkins, Deanna R. Davis

Journal of Research Initiatives

Women remain underrepresented in senior leadership in both public and private industry and in non-profit postsecondary education. One reason that has been identified for the gender disparity in senior leadership positions is second-generation or implicit biases. The problem addressed in this study was the existence and persistence of second-generation biases that contribute to the lack of active senior women mentors, potentially inhibiting junior women from Generation X and millennials from achieving senior leadership status in non-profit higher education. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to gain a deeper understanding of the significance of perceptions of second-generation biases, …

Bridging The Gap: Harnessing Emerging Technology To Narrow The Academic Achievement Gaps Of Minority Students, Dionne Williams, Terence Vinson, Kristi Young, Danielle Williams, James R. Mixon

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

The academic achievement gap of Black, Hispanic, and Native American students has historically lagged as it relates to Caucasian students. This work defines academic achievement as standardized test scores, graduation rates, and college completion rates. The persistent educational disparities faced by minority students remain a significant challenge for school systems. The integration of technology offers a promising solution to help narrow these academic achievement gaps and provide equitable learning opportunities. Technology offers educators the ability to utilize self-paced instructional programming, ensuring that the educational needs and deficiencies of minority students are addressed. This work explores how innovative technological tools, ranging …

Transforming Education Through The Cohort Model In Graduate Schools Of Education, Kristi Young, James R. Mixon, Dionne Williams, Danielle Williams

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

The cohort model has emerged as a transformative approach in graduate schools of education for fostering a collaborative learning environment, providing professional networking opportunities, increasing community, and fostering a sense of belonging. This analysis is framed within Mead, Vygotsky’s, and Wenger’s theoretical framework on the interconnectedness of social interaction and cognitive development. Increased engagement, learning opportunities, promoting student success, enhanced leadership development, and improved program components are noted benefits of utilizing the cohort model in graduate schools of education. These authors noted some challenges to the cohort model, such as group dynamics and cohesion, diversity and inclusion, rigid structure, pressure …

Blackloving: The Culturally Responsive Engagement Practices Of Black Middle School Principals, Deandra L. Williams

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Black students are highly capable of learning and contributing to society when school communities are built on a foundation of love and there is meaningful school–family engagement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how Black middle school principals engaged with Black families using BlackLoving culturally responsive family engagement practices as Black students transitioned from elementary to middle school in Boston Public Schools (BPS). The researcher employed Black Indigenous methodology, in the form of talking circles and memoing, to gather the stories of four former Black Boston public school principals (who were all men) and to explore their …

It's Deeper Than Rap. Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Black Faculty With Hip-Hop Epistemologies Through Counterstory, Austin Ashe

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation study explores the experiences of Black professors who carry Hip-Hop epistemologies and utilize Hip-Hop as a method to navigate the social and structural systems within their predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Grounded in Critical Race Theory, the study utilizes narrative inquiry and counterstorytelling. The analysis involved the development of a composite counterstory featuring the fictional protagonist, Hampton Franklin. The findings highlight common experiences among participants. Findings suggest that Black faculty are insiders whose positions grant them access and influence. Second, they are outsiders that navigate hypervisibility, invisibility, and racial battle fatigue. Third, each participant was a “pedagogue of the …

Preparation, Development, And Refinement Of The Interview Protocol In Qualitative Research, David C. Coker, Adebowale Akande

The Qualitative Report

Interview protocols are by far the most common method utilized in qualitative research data collection. Novice and experienced researchers, from working on dissertations to grant proposals or other publications, often lack detailed interview design methods, as many educational programs do not require specific coursework on interview protocols and question development. To improve qualitative research, we make a proposal to incorporate an interdisciplinary approach that operationalizes three stages: preparation, development, and refinement. Preparation involves mapping the extant literature to define broad, narrow, and focused topics to write actionable standards, goals, and objectives. Development uses instructional design and educational psychology to construct …

About The Contributors

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

Transpositions: Reflections On Friendship And Nine Days In October With Peter Beilharz And Sian Supski, Christopher G. Robbins

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

In this essay, the author uses the idea of transposition to reflect on Peter Beilharz and Sian Supski's historic visit to Eastern Michigan University and southeast Michigan in October 2024. Transposition is used to deprivatize Robbins's reflections to consider broader and more generalizable concerns relative to pedagogy and educational philosophy. Further, transposition, in this regard, provided a way to reflect on the (increased) importance of friendship in academia.

Keywords: transposition, translation, friendship

Forging Desire Paths In Undesirable Times, Rachel Dick

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

Drawing on the visit of Dr. Peter Beilharz and Dr. Sian Supski to Eastern Michigan University in October 2024, this essay explores the relationship between desire paths and our intersectional identities. Examining the impact of modernity on our lived experiences and conceptions of utopia, the essay explores the reality of the paths we must navigate daily to function in a society built on systems of power and oppression. Ultimately, the essay argues that marginalized individuals must draw survivance and insurgent lines, rather than truly desirable lines, in order to strive towards utopia.

Keywords: desire paths, utopia, identity, survivance, insurgent

Desire Paths: The Visible And Invisible, Audrey Farrugia

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

This paper explores the concept of desire paths, unplanned routes created by people to move quickly through an environment, and their relationship to inclusivity and social justice. Building on Sian Supski’s public talk at Eastern Michigan University’s College of Education, sponsored by The Workshop for Community+Collaboration and the Morris Chair for Educational Transformation, which highlighted the use of desire paths in everyday life, this paper promotes the exploration of the unconventional and often invisible desire paths created and traveled by marginalized people.

Keywords: desire path, inclusivity, disorientation guide

Sowing The Seeds Of Utopia Collectively, From Australia To America And Everywhere In Between: A Methodology And Practice For Resistance And Emancipation, Rachelle F. Marshall

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

This reflection on internationally renowned scholars Peter Beilharz and Sian Supski’s visit to Eastern Michigan University (EMU) in October 2024 presents utopia as a sociological methodology useful for research in educational studies. Presenting a brief introduction and exploration of the methodology, this article considers the cultural changes that are necessary to teach toward democratic, ecologically sustainable utopias compared to capitalist visions of utopia. As a starting point for further discussion, this personal reflection merely scratches the surface to provide a glimpse into the conditions that would underlie a democratic, ecologically sustainable utopia and serves to document a few of the …

Editors' Introduction, Rachel Dick, Rachel Robbins-Whited

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

2025 August 28 - Academic Council Agenda And Minutes, Academic Council, East Tennessee State University

Academic Council Agenda and Minutes

No abstract provided.

Can We All Get Along? Assessing Interdisciplinary Collaborations At A School Of Health Sciences, Merly Thomas

Dissertations

This study explores the process, conceptualization, and understanding interdisciplinary collaborations through a lens of organizational learning. More specifically, this research focuses on the barriers, challenges, definitions, and self-constructed metrics with a health sciences campus, situated in a religious institution in the Midwest. Through a single institution qualitative case study, this research interviews 16 participants, spanning across program coordinators, directors, and individuals in both operations and administration, to examine how a school of health sciences housed at an academic medical campus, operates across disciplines and departments, to advance interdisciplinary collaborations that foster a more productive and engaged workforce. Findings illuminate the …