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Gc Minutes Mar 20, 2025, Graduate Council

Graduate Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Jill Hunsberger, Oral History Interview, 2025, Kat Hacanyan

Oral Histories

Jill Hunsberger is Associate Vice President for Advancement at EMU and a long time supporter and advisory board member of the Center for Jewish Studies. Since making her way here in 1999, Hunsberger has established herself as a dynamic and engaged community leader through her work with the EMU Foundation and the EMU Chapter of Women in Philanthropy. She became involved with the Center for Jewish Studies early on and helped to advance its initial growth and development. In this interview, Hunsberger talks about her deep rooted background in community service, developing university programs from start to finish, and how …

Artificial Intelligence And Communication Technologies In Academia: Faculty Perceptions And The Adoption Of Generative Ai, Aya Shata, Kendall Hartley

Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies Faculty Research

Artificial intelligence (AI) is ushering in an era of potential transformation in various fields, especially in educational communication technologies, with tools like ChatGPT and other generative AI (GenAI) applications. This rapid proliferation and adoption of GenAI tools have sparked significant interest and concern among college professors, who are dealing with evolving dynamics in digital communication within the class-room. Yet, the effect and implications of GenAI in education remain understudied. Therefore, this study employs the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) as theoretical frameworks to explore higher education faculty’s perceptions, attitudes, usage, and motivations, as the underlying …

Measuring Perceived Stress Levels And Physiological Variables In Undergraduate College Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Sarah J. Milner

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This study aimed to analyze changes in perceived stress and physiological variables in undergraduate students over one semester. A quasi-experimental study was conducted using non-random convenience sampling with 30 undergraduate students enrolled in an Introduction to Stress Management class at a small, regional institution in the upper Midwest in the fall of 2022.

Data collection included the use of the Perceived Stress Scale (i.e., PSS-10) and stress physiological variables (e.g., heart rate, breathing pattern, respiration rate). Participants were surveyed three times using pre-, mid-, and post-treatment assessments but ultimately, participants’ pre- and post-treatment surveys were compared. Both descriptive statistics and …

Sam Hirsch, Oral History Interview, 2025, Kat Hacanyan

Oral Histories

Sam Hirsch is Vice Chair of the EMU Foundation Board of Trustees and member of the Center for Jewish Studies advisory board. A retired pathologist from the University of Michigan, Hirsch first stepped into the EMU community while his daughter was a student here; and joined CJS in part because the founding director, Marty Shichtman, was her favorite professor. Since then, he's developed a greater appreciation for Eastern and the things that distinguish it from U of M. In this interview, Hirsch talks about his unexpected place at EMU as an outsider, what being on the advisory board means, and …

An "Exceedingly Persuasive Justification": Affirmative Action As Protected By The Free Exercise Clause, Kristin O'Bryan Pereira

Pepperdine Law Review

In 2023, the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard (SFFA) decision effectively outlawed the use of race-based affirmative action programs in higher education, holding that such programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Meanwhile, the current Supreme Court has been unprecedently friendly to claimants seeking Free Exercise Clause protection from government restraints on religious exercise. The intersection between these two areas of law has implications for a category of schools not explicitly considered in the SFFA decision—private, religious schools …

How To Grow Research Data Management Services And Uptake At A University, Janine Lockhart

Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences

The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), through the library, has ensured a functional environment to foster good Research Data Management (RDM) practices and services for the university community and in line with FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) principles to ensure transparency. The first RDM policy was approved in 2013 and subsequently reviewed, a research data repository, called eSango, powered by Figshare, was established in 2018 and a Data Management Plan (DMP) tool was developed and deployed. A preservation platform, Arkivum, was procured and a CoreTrustSeal submission is in process to secure and build trust in the research data …

Reimagining Career Services' Role In International Students' Higher-Education-To-U.S.-Work Transition, Evan W. Faidley

New York Journal of Student Affairs

International students’ job search experience encompasses cultural and learning experiences from home and host country living. The higher education-to-work transition of international students to meet their career goal in working in the United States requires attention of both international students and higher education administrators. This literature review explores the intersection of the international student experience, their career development, and the advising/support received by career services professionals. A clearer understanding of international students through a six-dimension binary cultural lens (Hofstede, 2011) affords professionals the knowledge and work with students’ existing understanding of home and host cultural norms and job seeking.

The Heart Of Higher Education: Rediscovering Meditation From The Margins Of Learning To A Liberatory Pedagogy In The Post-Pandemic University, Jinting Wu, Yuejia Wang, Yu Wu, Qi Zhang

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

On May 14^th, 2022, a racially motivated mass shooting occurred in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Western New York. The trauma brought fresh anguish to a fraught social landscape already shaken by COVID-19 and resurgent racism. This paper explores the formation of a campus meditation group that emerged in light of the shooting tragedy and prolonged pandemic suffering, and its members’ journeys of healing, self-discovery, and transformation. While scholars have critiqued the neoliberal higher education for producing self-enterprising individuals motivated by economic rationality, this paper offers our humble attempt to re-center meditation as a liberatory pedagogy in fostering …

Enhancing University Retention Through Faculty/Staff Mentor-Mentee Relationships: An Interpersonal Communication Approach, Emma Catherine Richardson

Master's Theses

This study investigates the role of interpersonal communication in faculty and staff mentorship and its impact on undergraduate student retention, focusing on struggling students at Louisiana Tech University. With a national retention rate of 68.2% and persistent disparities among underrepresented groups, improving student retention remains a critical issue in higher education. The research addresses a gap in understanding how communication practices, such as active listening, empathy, and constructive feedback, influence mentorship effectiveness. Guided by Interpersonal Communication Theory and Social Support Theory, this qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews with 12 undergraduate students. Thematic analysis revealed key findings: mentors who demonstrated empathy, …

Artificial Intelligence In Higher Education Accreditation: Advancing Quality, Accessibility, And Special Education Inclusion, Jacques D. Singleton

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming higher education accreditation by enhancing quality assurance, accessibility, and inclusion. Traditional accreditation relies on manual evaluation, but AI- driven tools improve efficiency through realtime data analysis, predictive insights, and automation. This chapter explores AI’s role in adaptive learning, automated accessibility tools, and predictive analytics for student success, with a focus on supporting students with disabilities and ensuring compliance with accessibility standards. Ethical concerns, including bias, privacy, and transparency, are addressed to ensure AI complements human judgment. Through case studies and policy recommendations, this chapter provides a roadmap for institutions and accrediting bodies to integrate AI …

Balancing Minds And Missions: Mental Health, Wellness, And Accountability Leadership In Higher Education, Asher M. Pimpleton-Gray

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Now, more than ever, mental health and wellness have become more dominant and pronounced threads within the fabric of our daily landscape. These terms have been emerging more often in conversations within nearly every industry, ranging from entertainment and sports to politics and law enforcement. Higher education is no different. With increased rates of difficulties regarding mental health and wellness it is even more important that colleges and universities create institutional structures and resources that can aid students, faculty and staff in tending to their mental and emotional wellbeing. In this chapter, implications for higher education leaders are explored and …

Exploring The Leadership Identity Development Of Emerging Leaders Who Have Answered The Call To Academic Administration Within U.S. Higher Education, J. "Clay" Hurdle, Nicole Lamee Perez Stedman, Matthew Sowcik, Sebastian Galindo, R. Elaine Turner

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Leadership identity (also known as leader identity) has been established as a sub-identity of general self-concept. A greater degree of leadership identity could have implications for leadership self-efficacy. Research on leadership identity development in the last 20 years has mostly been quantitative with limited qualitative efforts. Exploring the leadership identity development of academic leaders remains mostly absent from the literature. Using the Leadership Identity Development Model, a descriptive qualitative study was conducted with cohort members of two national academic leadership development programs, the Food Systems Leadership Institute and LEAD21. Interviews explored participants’ leadership identity development during their careers leading up …

Factors Associated With Student Engagement In Online Learning During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review, Yam B. Limbu, Christopher Mckinley

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

While extant literature reveals various factors associated with student engagement in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings are inconsistent. A systematic review of the factors influencing student engagement in online learning during the pandemic will provide state-of-the-art knowledge of existing literature and offer future research directions. This study systematically reviews factors driving college student engagement in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Performed in accordance with the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, a systematic search of four databases identified 50 eligible studies. The most prevalent factors associated with student engagement were student-related factors …

Lowell Hardin: Mentor Extraordinaire, Larry L. Murdock, Thomas W. Hertel, Gebisa Ejeta

Purdue University Press Books

Lowell Stewart Hardin (1917–2015), an Indiana farm boy who became an enormously influential international agriculturalist, made the world a better place for the poor and the hungry on this earth. For seventeen years he led the Ford Foundation’s agricultural development efforts, contributing to the Green Revolution. He helped to found and guide international agriculture research centers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He inspired others to get involved and opened doors for them. He taught by example, gave others credit, and always stepped back, avoiding the limelight himself. In this volume, twenty-two people who knew him well share stories of …

Tales Of A Contemplative Academic: Lessons Learned From Integrating Meditation In The College Classroom, Steve Haberlin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

In this autoethnographical reflective essay, the author recounts his struggles and micro-victories with integrating brief meditation with undergraduates at a private college. The reflection offers three major insights for other faculty considering sharing meditation in higher education.

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes Feb 7, 2025, A-State Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

Meeting minutes for the Faculty Senate held on February 7, 2025.

An Exploration Of Self-Efficacy Of Online Dissertation Chair-Only Faculty During The Mentoring Process: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Heather L. Strafaccia

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the self-efficacious experiences in the dissertation mentoring process for online dissertation chair-only faculty at higher education institutions in the United States. The theory guiding this study was self-efficacy theory. The central research question of this study was: What are the self-efficacious experiences of online dissertation chair-only faculty at higher education institutions in the United States? The examination of the self-efficacious experiences of 11 online dissertation chair-only faculty was explored utilizing a qualitative transcendental phenomenological design. Participating individuals must have held an online dissertation chair-only role in a higher education institution …

Navigating Artificial Intelligence Governance: Insights From South African Higher Education It Decision-Makers, John Mangundu

The African Journal of Information Systems

Academics and students alike can benefit from the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. AI governance lowers AI risks while ensuring that anticipated AI use objectives are achieved. However, research on AI governance has been lacking, especially in higher education in emerging economies such as South Africa. In light of this serious research gap, the current study presents the findings of a qualitative exploratory investigation of the maturity and preparedness of AI governance in South African higher education institutions. Informed by a combination of the TOE framework, the traditional IT governance model and the adapted IT governance maturity assessment …

Martin "Marty" Shichtman, Oral History Interview, 2025, Kat Hacanyan

Oral Histories

Martin "Marty" Shichtman is professor emeritus and the Founding Director of the Center for Jewish Studies at EMU. A professor of English and Literature for nearly four decades, Shichtman taught both graduate and undergraduate level courses in subjects like Arthurian literature and Jewish-American literature. During his tenure at EMU he introduced the first Jewish Studies class, which soon led to the creation of a Jewish Studies minor, and eventually the Center for Jewish Studies. Shichtman served as the center's director from its opening in 2012 to his retirement in 2022 and continues to be involved as a member of the …

Understanding Women Leaders’ Perceptions Of Compassion In Higher Education, Elle (Kelleen H.) Griffin

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This qualitative research study was conducted to better understand women leaders’ perceptions of compassion in higher education. Specifically, what are the types of distressing events and the settings wherein a compassionate response was offered; what are the compassionate actions experienced or offered, and what might enhance or inhibit the process of compassion. The study was also conducted to examine if and how compassion enhances or influences learning (Knowles, 2011), growing and healing (Rogers, 1967), and thriving at work (McGregor, 1960). Kanov et al.’s (2017) process theory of compassion was used as the theoretical framework to gain insight into compassion in …

A Systematic Review Of Research On The Experiences Of Rural Black Men Attending Four-Year Institutions Within The Us Since 2002, Jarvis Marlow-Mccowin

The Rural Educator

This systematic literature review focuses on the experiences of rural Black men attending four-year colleges and universities within the US. The review addresses three research questions: How is rurality defined within the literature reviewed? What characteristics (e.g., identity dimensions) are included within the literature? What does the available research say about the experiences of rural Black students, mainly rural Black men, specific to factors explored and identified to foster success? These research questions were answered by reviewing literature published in academic journals from 2002–2023. Findings from the data collection, extraction, and analysis process are relevant to how rurality is discussed …

Introduction: 2024 State Of The Field Report, Rosalind Latiner Raby

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

It Was Mainly My Own Choice: Examining The Decision-Making Process Of Chinese Undergraduates And Their Parents On Study In The United States, Shizhu Liu, Desiree Baolian Qin, Adam Grimm, Mingjun Xie, Yemo Duan, Chi-Fang Tseng, Mikiko Sato

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Factors Influencing Jordanian College Understudies' Impressions Of Learning Through Emergency Distance Learning (Edl), Abdelnaser Sanad Alakayleh

Journal of Research Initiatives

In this study, which used a quantitative and correlational approach, the variables influencing Jordanian university students' perceptions of their education under emergency remote learning scenarios were investigated. An online survey was administered to a sample of 765 male and female education stage students. Jordan offers higher education for both genders and at different levels in different regions. Many criteria connected to perceived learning were taken into consideration when administering the study questionnaire. It was discovered that the economics students had a more positive perception of learning than the education and science students, followed by deep learning, avoiding superficial learning factors, …

Culture Shock: Exploring The Truths & Benefits Of Remote Work In Higher Education, Teresa M. Stephens, Kristen Poston, Sarah Miller, Catherine O. Durham, Amy Williams

International Journal of Transformative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

In “Culture Shock,” Gallup’s 2023 publication, the authors explore the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on work and life, urging a reevaluation of leadership strategies, especially for remote work. They highlight a significant shift, with many U.S. employees hesitant to return to traditional offices, favoring new remote work environments that integrate work and life. This shift is also evident in higher education, where faculty see benefits in productivity and well-being, despite some pressure to revert to old norms. Clifton and Harter (2023) argue that the focus should be on how organizations build and maintain relationships in this evolving landscape. Their thesis emphasizes …

Faculty As Ambassadors Of Diversity Initiatives: Promoting Inclusive Pedagogy Through Innovative Professional Development Program And Community Of Practice, Hyunjin Jinna Kim, Rose Tirotta-Esposito, Luis Colón, Yi Zhang

International Journal of Transformative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The national and global demographic trends call for attention to advance efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in U.S. higher education. Incorporating DEI initiatives in higher education institutions (HEIs) is more important than ever as accelerated globalization increases student mobility. Implementing effective and inclusive pedagogical approaches in higher education classrooms is also more emphasized as meeting students’ diverse needs is proven to increase students’ engagement, achievement, retention, and even sense of belonging (Barnett, 2020; Kim et al., 2023a; Maguire et al., 2017). This brief paper presents preliminary findings of the data collected from a Faculty as Inclusive Teaching Ambassador …

What's Their Story? To Help Save The Humanities, Let's Listen To English Majors, Kevin T. Caffrey

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Amid declining enrollment in humanities programs throughout the United States, the English major has been hit the hardest. This article gives voice to current English majors about why they choose to enroll in a program that often receives criticism pertaining to its value and worth. This study provides a literature review of the history of higher education in the United States, an examination of the humanities backlash that has evolved over the past half-century, and an exploration of the value of a degree in English. In addition, it provides survey results from a small group of English majors currently enrolled …

Navigating The Academic Terrain: Examining The Challenges And Success Factors Of Student Veterans In Higher Education Institutions, Katherine Reyes, Corey Idleburg

Education Division Scholarship

This study investigates the academic experiences of student veterans, addressing specific challenges they face in higher education. Using Schlossberg’s adult transition theory, it explores the effects of invisible barriers, enrollment trends, and institutional factors on veteran student success, leveraging the VA’s GI Bill Comparison tool to examine public versus private school support. Findings underscore the need for targeted resources, faculty training, and institutional awareness to foster a supportive and inclusive environment that enhances veteran students' academic success and sense of belonging.

“That’S Where I Learned To Be A Good Mommy” Understanding How Adults Learn In A Home Visitation, Community-Based Partnership, Kelli R. Kerbawy

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In higher education, a growing interest exists in fostering partnerships between institutions and community-based programs to enhance the lives of individuals. These initiatives have encompassed a variety of programs, including life skills development and civic engagement opportunities facilitated by academic experts. Despite the plethora of educational prospects surrounding health, community engagement, and civic improvement, assessing the efficacy of adult learning in community settings remains challenging. Previous research has indicated inadequacies of conventional prenatal education programs in addressing the complex needs of expecting mothers.

This study centered on the adult learning experiences in the Maternal Infant Health Outreach Worker (MIHOW) program, …