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This study examines AI tool implementation in Academic English courses, focusing on communication through syllabi and assignments. Survey results show high awareness of AI policies and effective use of color-coded tool indicators. While single-point rubrics showed promise for AI integration, their irregular usage and challenges in citing AI content suggest areas for improved guidance

Domjan, Krisztina

EnglishUSA Journal 
Volume 11 Article 10 
Establishing Transparency Boundaries in AI Adoption: 
Responsible Use and Student Awareness 
Krisztina Domjan 
American University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/englishusa_journal 
Recommended Citation 
Domjan, Krisztina () "Establishing Transparency Boundaries in AI Adoption: Responsible Use and Student 
Awareness," EnglishUSA Journal: Vol. 11, Article 10. 
Available at: https://surface.syr.edu/englishusa_journal/vol11/iss1/10 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at SURFACE at Syracuse University. It has 
been accepted for inclusion in EnglishUSA Journal by an authorized editor of SURFACE at Syracuse University. For 
more information, please contact surface@syr.edu. 
Establishing Transparency Boundaries in AI Adoption: Responsible Use and 
Student Awareness 
Abstract 
This study examines AI tool implementation in Academic English courses, focusing on communication 
through syllabi and assignments. Survey results show high awareness of AI policies and effective use of 
color-coded tool indicators. While single-point rubrics showed promise for AI integration, their irregular 
usage and challenges in citing AI content suggest areas for improved guidance. 
This article is available in EnglishUSA Journal: https://surface.syr.edu/englishusa_journal/vol11/iss1/10 
J O U R N A L  A R T I C L E
Introduction
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have created
significant disruption in higher education, and the
academic English courses have not been immune
to it, as students quickly discovered their potential
as shortcuts for completing assignments. This
widespread but random adoption raises critical
ethical concerns about potential misuse and over-
reliance on AI-generated content. As both students
and instructors increasingly experiment with AI
tools—students for coursework and instructors for
lesson planning and classroom tasks—English
language programs must establish clear
boundaries and guidelines for responsible AI
adoption. The proper implementation of this
rapidly evolving technology requires a strategic
approach that emphasizes two key elements:
transparent integration of AI tools and
development of essential AI literacy competencies. 
The adoption of Artificial Intelligence in academic
English language courses presents both
opportunities and challenges for academic
institutions. Rather than banning or ignoring AI
technology, this study advocates for a proactive
approach to foster responsible AI integration in the
classroom. As noted by MIT SMR Connections
(2024), "Instructors and students are almost
certainly already using or experimenting with it.
Instead [of banning], offer instructors a range of
generative AI policies, from strict to loose, that
they can adapt according to their needs" (p. 7).
Educational pioneers in AI integration have
recommended implementing structured support
systems, such as color-coded AI Assessment Scales
(AIAS), to guide students in ethical engagement
with both Generative and Assistive AI tools.
According to Perkins et al. (2024), "The AIAS has
emerged as a response to these changing
dynamics, highlighting the need for a more 
structured approach to the integration of GenAI in
academic settings" (p.5). This study examines
student responses to specific AI-related
interventions in an academic English course,
including:
Coursework requiring Assistive AI tools (ONeill
& Russell, 2019) for both in-class and homework
activities
Assignment design incorporating explicitly
listed Generative AI tools in the course syllabus
Student interaction with color-coded AI
assessment scale banners in Canvas LMS that
indicate various levels of AI tool permissions
(Perkins et al., 2024)
While Academic Integrity Codes and AI Writing
Codes of Conduct are typically included in course
syllabi, questions remain about students' ability to
integrate AI tools ethically within academic
guidelines (Weaver, n.d.; Microsoft, 2024).
Furthermore, students face challenges in properly
citing AI-mentored, AI-edited, and AI-generated
content (Eaton, 2023; Foltynek et al., 2023),
highlighting the need for clearer documentation
guidelines. The findings of this study aim to identify
areas for instructional design improvement (Ellis &
Lodge, 2024; ISTEASCD, 2024), particularly
regarding AI integration protocols and
documentation requirements. Additionally, the
research seeks to enhance rubric adherence habits
(Albarracin et al., 2024) to better support students
in responsible AI use.
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Establishing Transparency Boundaries in
AI Adoption: Responsible Use and Student
Awareness 
by Krisztina Domjan
Study
The goal of this study is to answer four questions:
   
How do students understand and engage with
institutional AI policies regarding course-
approved Assistive and Generative AI tools,
including the color-coded AI permission system
in Canvas LMS?
1.
To what extent do students effectively
interpret and apply the AI Writing Code of
Conduct when integrating AI tools into their
coursework?
2.
What challenges do students face when citing
AI-mentored, AI-edited, and AI-generated
content, and what areas require clearer
documentation guidelines?
3.
How effective are current grading rubrics and
instructional design elements in guiding
students' AI integration and documentation
practices?
4.
Methods and Materials
The study was conducted with 46 international
students in four courses at American University in
the English language program during the Spring
semester of 2024. Data was collected through an
online survey developed as part of the Artificial
Intelligence in Instruction Faculty Fellowship. This
comprehensive survey instrument included
multiple-choice, Likert-scale, and open-ended
questions that examined students' awareness of AI
policies in course syllabi, their understanding of
the AI Writing Code of Conduct, their use of AI
tools across various assignment types, the
frequency of their AI disclaimer submissions, and
their comprehension of single-point grading rubric
items requesting AI disclosure. Data collection was
conducted anonymously through Qualtrics, a
university-approved online platform. The survey
assessed key metrics including students'
awareness of AI policies, their perceived clarity of
AI guidelines and grading rubrics, their basic AI
literacy skills, and the challenges they encountered
when citing AI-generated content.
The AI integration framework involved a thorough
review of course syllabi and assignment
instructions on the Canvas Learning Management
System (LMS) to evaluate AI integration strategies.
A novel approach was implemented using color-
coded banners in Canvas assignment boxes to
indicate permitted AI tools, and student feedback
on this system was collected and analyzed. For
data analysis, descriptive statistics were employed
to examine quantitative data, with particular
attention to the frequency of AI policy mentions
and patterns in student AI tool usage. Open-ended
responses underwent thematic coding to identify
recurring challenges in AI content citation and
rubric use. The analysis also examined trends in
instruction clarity and consistency in AI tool
referencing across different assignments. The
research adhered to ethical guidelines established
by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), ensuring
informed consent and maintaining confidentiality
of student data throughout the research process.
Results
The results of the present study confirmed the
researcher’s expectations and revealed gaps in
instructional design. The survey data revealed that
100% of participating students were aware of the
AI policies and understood the AI Writing Code of
Conduct outlined in the course syllabi. When
checking the coursework posted on the Canvas
LMS, most students (98%) noted the visible color-
coded banners that indicated various levels of
permissions for AI tools. However, only 72% of
students regularly used the provided single-point
grading rubrics to guide AI tool usage and
disclosure, with some indicating that the rubrics
were unclear for certain assignments. Furthermore,
while 74% of students claimed to have included AI
disclaimers when required, several reported
difficulties with citing AI-generated content,
particularly distinguishing between different types  
2 0 2 4  F A L L / W I N T E R  |  P A G E  4 0
of AI tools (Generative AI like ChatGPT vs. Assistive
AI like Grammarly). Many students were unsure of
where to seek help with AI tools on campus but
suggested resources such as the IT department,
professors, and online tutorials. Around 70%
believed that their teachers and peers could likely
distinguish between AI-generated and human-
produced work, while others were unsure. Most
students felt confident using AI for tasks like
brainstorming, planning, and revision, but fewer
were comfortable with more advanced
applications such as text, image generation, or
source synthesis . These findings highlight a need
for clearer guidelines on AI literacy training, rubric
use, AI documentation, and citation practices in
academic settings . A detailed analysis of the
student responses is provided in the summaries
and the figures below.
AI tools, when used ethically, enhance learning
by speeding up processes (brainstorming,
revision, proofreading, editing, assignment
planning, and outlining)
Less confidence in using AI for advanced tasks
like source synthesis, image generation, or
presentations
Some confidence in using AI as a personal tutor
Concerns about over-reliance on AI, fear of
losing independent critical thinking skills
Unsure of where to seek help with AI tools on
campus
Mixed ability to distinguish between AI-
generated and human-produced work
Challenges with AI Disclaimers:
Difficult to determine which tools should be
cited
Unsure of how to properly format AI citations
Forgetting disclaimers
Finding the process time-consuming, (when AI
tool use was minimal)
Boundaries between using AI for good
(assistance) and bad (text generation) unclear
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2 0 2 4  F A L L / W I N T E R  |  P A G E  4 2
Rubric Use and Clarity of Color-Coded AI
Permission-Level Banners:
Students find color-coded banners indicating
levels of AI use clear
Some found rubrics unclear or inconsistent
with assignment expectations
Students often bypass rubrics for less
significant tasks 
Rubric information feels redundant after class
discussions
Students rely on color-coded banners to
determine AI tool usage instead of rubrics
Citing AI-Generated Content:
Uncertainty about citing AI-generated content,
(image generation and paraphrasing tools)
Unclear how to provide proper credit for AI
contributions
Students calling for more structured guidelines
and examples/templates
Student Recommendations for AI Integration:
Better integration of AI tool guidelines into
course rubrics 
Clearer instruction on when and how to cite AI-
generated content
Faculty should promote responsible AI use as a
learning aid
Request for more detailed training on AI
citation practices to reduce confusion
Implication and Conclusion
This study reveals both promising developments
and areas for improvement in AI integration within
Academic English courses. The findings
demonstrate widespread awareness of AI policies,
with all students reporting familiarity with
syllabus-outlined guidelines. The novel
implementation of color-coded banners to indicate
acceptable AI use levels proved highly effective,
with nearly universal student recognition and
comprehension. However, this success highlights
the need to better align these visual indicators with
grading rubrics to create a more cohesive
assessment framework. Several key challenges
emerged from the study. While students
demonstrated comfort with basic AI applications
like brainstorming, planning, and revision, they
struggled with more complex aspects of AI
integration. Particularly notable were difficulties in
properly citing AI-generated content,
distinguishing between different AI tools (such as
Generative versus Assistive AI), and consistently
utilizing grading rubrics. The mixed responses
regarding the detectability of AI-generated content
suggest a need for enhanced education about the
distinctions between human and AI-produced
work. These findings point to three primary areas
for improvement:
Better alignment between color-coded
banners, rubrics, and assignment descriptions
to create a more unified and transparent
assessment system of AI use
Development of clearer, more structured
protocols for citing various types of AI
assistance, with specific attention to different
AI tools and levels of contribution
Enhanced institutional support through faculty
guidance and campus resources to help
students navigate responsible AI use
Looking ahead, academic English language
programs should focus on developing more
comprehensive AI awareness strategies that
address both technical skills and ethical
considerations. As AI technology continues to
evolve rapidly, policies and instructor support
systems must remain flexible while maintaining
clear boundaries for responsible use. Future
research should examine the long-term
effectiveness of these interventions and explore
new approaches to fostering ethical AI integration
in academic settings.
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References
Albarracin, D., Fayaz-Farkhad, B., & Granados
Samayoa, J. (2024, May 3). Determinants of
behaviour and their efficacy as targets of
behavioural change interventions. Nature Reviews
Psychology, 3. 10.1038/s44159-024-00305-0
Eaton, S. E. (2023, February 25). 6 Tenets of
Postplagiarism: Writing in the Age of Artificial
Intelligence. Learning, Teaching, and Leadership.
Retrieved September 21, 2024, from
https://drsaraheaton.com/2023/02/25/6-tenets-of-
postplagiarism-writing-in-the-age-of-artificial-
intelligence/
Ellis, C., & Lodge, J. (2024, July 8). Stop looking for
evidence of cheating with AI and start looking for
evidence of learning. LinkedIn.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stop-looking-
evidence-cheating-ai-start-learning-cath-ellis-
h0zzc/
Foltynek, T., Bjelobaba, S., Glendinning, I., Khan, Z.,
Santos, R., Pavletic, P., & Kravjar, J. (2023). ENAI
Recommendations on the Ethical Use of Artificial
Intelligence in Education. International Journal for
Educational Integrity, 19(12).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-023-00133-4
Furze, L. (n.d.). Teaching AI Ethics: Practical
Strategies for Discussing AI Ethics in K-12 and
Tertiary Education (Furze). LibreTexts.
https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Educat
ion_and_Professional_Development/Teaching_AI_Et
hics%3A_Practical_Strategies_for_Discussing_AI_Et
hics_in_K-12_and_Tertiary_Education_(Furze)
Hibbert, M., Altman, E., Shippen, T., & Wright, M.
(2024, June 3). A Framework for AI Literacy.
EDUCAUSE Review.
https://er.educause.edu/articles/2024/6/a-
framework-for-ai-literacy
ISTEASCD. (2024). Transformational Learning
Principles | ASCD+ISTE. ISTE + ASCD.
https://iste.ascd.org/transformational-learning-
principles
Mcgahey, P. (2024, September 17). Unlock
generative AI safely and responsibly—classroom
toolkit. Microsoft Ignite.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-
us/training/educator-center/instructor-
materials/classroom-toolkit-unlock-generative-ai-
safely-responsibly
Miao, F., & Cukurova, M. (2024). AI competency
framework for students. UNESCO. ISBN:978-92-3-
100707-1
MIT SMR Connections. (2024, June 17). Enhancing
Higher Education With Generative AI: A
Responsible Approach. MIT Sloan Management
Review.
https://sloanreview.mit.edu/mitsmr-
connections/enhancing-higher-education-with-
generative-ai-a-responsible-approach/
ONeill, R., & Russell, A. (2019). Stop! Grammar time:
University students’ perceptions of the 
automated feedback program Grammarly.
Australasian Journal of Educational 
Technology, 35(1).
https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.3795
Perkins, M., Furze, L., Roe, J., MacVaugh, J. (2024).
The Artificial Intelligence Assessment 
Scale (AIAS): A Framework for Ethical Integration of
Generative AI in Educational 
Assessment. Journal of University Teaching and
Learning Practice, 21(6)
https://doi.org/10.53761/q3azde36
TeachAI. (2023). Principles | AI Guidance for
Schools Toolkit. TeachAI. Retrieved September 21,
2024, from
https://www.teachai.org/toolkit-principles
Weaver, K. D. (n.d.). The Artificial Intelligence
Disclosure (AID) Framework: An Introduction. arXiv.
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2408.01904
In her work, Krisztina Domjan advocates for
establishing inclusive pedagogy through the use of
technological tools in education. In order to
enhance the learning experience, inclusion, and
student retention, she supports lifelong learning,
innovative teaching practices, continuous
fieldwork, and qualitative research. She teaches
Research Writing/Composition, Discussion, and
Intercultural Understanding courses at American
University.
2 0 2 4  F A L L / W I N T E R  |  P A G E  4 4


English

Establishing Transparency Boundaries in AI Adoption: Responsible Use and Student Awareness

EnglishUSA

EnglishUSA Journal 
Volume 11 Article 12 
Sponsors and Upcoming Events - EnglishUSA, v. 11 
EnglishUSA 
Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/englishusa_journal 
Recommended Citation 
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12. 
Available at: https://surface.syr.edu/englishusa_journal/vol11/iss1/12 
This Front Matter is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at SURFACE at Syracuse University. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in EnglishUSA Journal by an authorized editor of SURFACE at Syracuse University. 
For more information, please contact surface@syr.edu. 
Sponsors and Upcoming Events - EnglishUSA, v. 11 
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In this study, we explored the use of reading metacognitive strategies of 133 college students, comparing the self-reported use of L1 and L2 English students. Results indicate that while both groups report using strategies often when reading academic texts and having similar preferences in types of reading strategy, L2 readers use strategies more frequently than their native-speaking peers, particularly for support strategies

Bentahar, Adil

Biler, Alisha

Reading Strategically: Comparing the Use of Metacognitive Strategies in L1 University and L2 IEP Students

Full Issue - EnglishUSA, v. 11

Frazier, Shawnda

Mend 
Volume 3 Issue 1 Article 12 
2025 
Strong Lakota Women 
Shawnda Frazier 
Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/mend 
Recommended Citation 
Frazier, Shawnda (2025) "Strong Lakota Women," Mend: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 12. 
Available at: https://surface.syr.edu/mend/vol3/iss1/12 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at SURFACE at Syracuse University. It has 
been accepted for inclusion in Mend by an authorized editor of SURFACE at Syracuse University. For more 
information, please contact surface@syr.edu. 
32
1
Frazier: Strong Lakota Women
Published by SURFACE at Syracuse University, 2025
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MEND 2025 | 33
What do you see when you look at me?
Just another drunk Indian, some may say, 
little do you know you made me this way
Invading my people and our land, making it 
so we could not take a stand
Offering us a poisonous drink that allowed us 
not to think
About what your intentions really were, or 
that colonization was about to occur
My grandfathers and grandmothers  
suffered and died, for what? Because the 
government lied
Broken treaty upon broken treaty,  
you made us desperate and needy
Promised us food and necessities, but instead 
brought us to our knees with disease
Crying, broken, and torn,  
wishing we’d never been born
Unable to speak our Native tongue,  
to teach and nourish our Native young
The beatings were relentless and became our 
new way of life, to keep you from cutting our 
hair became such strife
You wanted us to conform to your ways, now 
that we have, we’re seeing the end of our days
The trauma you inflicted left an imprint 
on our DNA, our children may never learn 
their way
Don’t judge my sister for sitting on the 
corner, for drinking her vodka and gin, she 
just gave up the ultimate fight within
Don’t put my mother in jail to rot, this is the 
only world she’s been taught
Intergenerationally cursed is what we are,  
loving and stable we are not by far
Don’t tell me to move on and forget the past, 
this is the kind of pain that will always and 
forever last
My ancestors tell me to stay strong, keep 
surviving, and live long
Don’t let the palefaces bring you down, be 
confident our spirits are still around
Stay looking up, eyes to the sky, don’t believe 
the government’s lie
You’re worth more than you know, let that 
strong Lakota woman show
Strong Lakota Woman
Shawnda Frazier
2
Mend, Vol. 3 [2025], Iss. 1, Art. 12
https://surface.syr.edu/mend/vol3/iss1/12


Strong Lakota Women

Rivera, Richard

Mend 
Volume 3 Issue 1 Article 16 
2025 
Crazy: The Pursuit of Men's Helath Behind Bars 
Richard Rivera 
Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/mend 
Recommended Citation 
Rivera, Richard (2025) "Crazy: The Pursuit of Men's Helath Behind Bars," Mend: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 16. 
Available at: https://surface.syr.edu/mend/vol3/iss1/16 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at SURFACE at Syracuse University. It has 
been accepted for inclusion in Mend by an authorized editor of SURFACE at Syracuse University. For more 
information, please contact surface@syr.edu. 
42
The subject of this research is the study of men’s health from the perspective of incarcerated people. My goal was 
to explore how incarcerated men understand 
health and how they go about accessing the 
means to pursue healthy lifestyles. What fol-
lows is an excerpt of a larger study. 
Soon after I began my study it became 
clear that the incarcerated peoples’ defini-
tions of health were varied and diverse. In the 
broadest sense, incarcerated individuals have 
a holistic understanding of health and healthy 
living. To many incarcerated people, health 
Crazy: 
The Pursuit of Men’s 
Health Behind Bars
           Richard Rivera
means complete well-being, i.e., physical, 
mental, and spiritual health. Some incarcer-
ated individuals promote physical exercise, 
others nutrition, and still others gravitate to 
faith communities. Most, however, credit 
“taking care of the total being,” with helping 
them cope with the “stresses of prison,” which 
they consider detrimental to their mental and 
emotional “survival.” These are some methods 
used to take care of one’s health. 
Weight Court Politics
Most incarcerated individuals prefer to join 
1
Rivera: Crazy: The Pursuit of Men's Helath Behind Bars
Published by SURFACE at Syracuse University, 2025
La
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MEND 2025 | 43
a weight court as a means of staying healthy. 
Belonging to a weight crew is seen as a status 
symbol, indicating that the individual has 
been “cleared” of any stigma. Incarcerated in-
dividuals belonging to a weight crew also tend 
to form social and supportive bonds within 
the group, which extend beyond their work-
out routines. They “look out” for one another, 
sharing food and vitamin supplements, secur-
ing time-slots on the phones, hanging out, and 
sharing personal problems with one another; 
providing themselves with a system of physi-
cal, moral, and emotional support.1
Incarcerated people who belong to a weight 
court and have access to regular workout peri-
ods report feeling less “stress” and “anger.” One 
informant reported “yelling less and demand-
ing less” from his family. Others credit work-
ing out with keeping them “out of trouble.”2
The weight courts, however, are hyper-
masculine and highly competitive spaces. 
Crews are very strict and protective of the 
courts, time slots, weights being used, and 
are “leery” of others entering the court when 
they are working out. There is always a poten-
tial for “trouble.” When I asked what would 
happen in the event that someone “disre-
spected” the court, the response was forceful 
as it was unanimous: “We’ll take care of it.” I 
didn’t have to push any further to know what 
that meant. Apparently, along with the health 
and social benefits of joining a weight crew, 
there is a tacit agreement to defend and pro-
tect the court in the event of trouble, placing 
the crew members at risk of injury, disciplin-
ary sanctions, and loss of merit time, all for 
a weight court that ultimately belongs to the 
New York State Department of Corrections 
and Community Supervision (DCCS). These 
incarcerated individuals did not seem to re-
alize the irony of their relationships to the 
weight courts.
Weight courts are “claimed’’ public spaces. 
The courts are managed by incarcerated people 
with little or no security, i.e., “police’ involve-
ment. Because the weight courts are coveted 
spaces, they are “commandeered” by incarcer-
ated people who tend to exhibit a high pro-
pensity for violence or are perceived to have 
the ability to enforce their will by force or vio-
lence. The manager of the court sets the rules, 
assigns time slots for the various members or 
work teams, and determines who gets to work 
out on the court. The gym has a total of eleven 
courts, parceled out among various factions—
e.g., Crips, Bloods, Muslims, Latinx, Whites, 
etc. Each faction maintains and cares for its 
courts, enforcing rules, keeping its crews in 
check, and, if necessary, defending its space. 
Although the situtation is highly volatile, 
there is rarely a problem in the gym. The unof-
ficial system, governed by informal rules and 
norms, ensures respect and maintains peace 
among the members of the courts.
Incarcerated individuals who engage in 
other forms of exercise, like running and cal-
isthenics, do not appear to form social bonds. 
Most tend to be loners, either by choice or be-
cause they have not been “cleared.” Ironically, 
these social loners and pariahs enjoy a regular 
workout without the risks of having to defend 
a piece of state property or engage in other 
high-risk behaviors.
Being an “outcast” seems to be more ben-
eficial to an individual’s health than being a 
member of a crew.
Faith Families
Faith plays a big part in the incarcerated in-
dividuals’ understanding of health. Everyone 
2
Mend, Vol. 3 [2025], Iss. 1, Art. 16
https://surface.syr.edu/mend/vol3/iss1/16
44
I interviewed for this project professed some 
sort of belief in God, Allah, or a “Higher 
Power.”3 Most belong to one of the two major 
faith communities in the facility: Christian-
ity and Islam. The faith communities operate 
as structured familial environments in which 
individuals can form lasting and meaningful 
social bonds. The communities are emotion-
ally and spiritually supportive, contributing 
to the individuals’ social and psychological 
well-being. Many incarcerated individuals 
report feeling “accepted, respected, and cared 
for” by their respective communities. The fa-
cility maintains a mosque, Protestant chapel, 
and a Catholic church where services are held 
once a week. In addition, members of the faith 
communities can access these spaces, located 
in the yard, during most recreational periods 
for classes, scriptural studies, and, in the case 
of the Protestants, band practice. These areas 
provide members with “safe spaces” where they 
can meditate, meet with their religious leaders 
(civilians and incarcerated individuals), and 
form social networks.
Along with offering social and moral support, 
the communities are self-policing and protective 
of their members. On several occasions, I have 
observed members of a religious group, usually 
leaders (“facilitators”), come forward to settle dis-
putes involving members of their communities, 
such as paying debts. Although the faith commu-
nities are open and more accepting of other incar-
cerated individuals, those who join  are required 
to convert and abstain from “sinful” behavior; 
stealing, cheating, extortion, and substance abuse, 
for example, are strictly prohibited.
Conclusion
Although many incarcerated individuals pur-
sue healthy activities, they often engage in 
unhealthy habits and behaviors that could re-
sult in injury or administrative disciplinary ac-
tions, including their being given time in the 
Special Housing Unit (“SHU”). In this way, 
it seems that the pursuit of health can have 
consequences that are detrimental to an indi-
vidual’s health. These negative consequences, 
however, have more to do with the limited 
availability of resources, the lack of nutritional 
options, the stresses of institutional living, and 
the hypermasculine prison environment.
The incarcerated individual’s motivation 
to pursue health is largely a response to the 
conditions of incarceration. Although defi-
nitions of health vary among incarcerated 
people, such goals are almost universally seen 
in terms of surviving “the bid.” In this sense, 
health takes on existential meanings for in-
carcerated individuals.
Health is about preparing the mind, body, 
and soul to survive the prison experience, i.e., 
the sentence. No one wants to die in prison. 
During the course of my research, a popular 
incarcerated individual committed suicide at 
another facility. This person had served forty 
years and had recently been denied parole for 
the tenth time. The news sent a ripple of in-
tense and conflicting emotions through the 
older folks. Many expressed grief, but many 
were angry that the person “had given up.” 
A similarly situated incarcerated individual 
told me:
“I knew (him) since the 1980s and worked 
out with him for years. He was my friend. 
I thought he was stronger than that. He 
should’ve kept fighting. I’m never giving up… 
I wouldn’t give them [DOCCS] the satisfac-
tion. I don’t care if I [die] as soon as I put foot 
outside that front door, but I ain’t dying in this 
bitch.”
3
Rivera: Crazy: The Pursuit of Men's Helath Behind Bars
Published by SURFACE at Syracuse University, 2025
MEND 2025 | 45
Instead of expressing grief over his friend’s 
death, this informant was visibly angry and 
disappointed with his friend and took his 
suicide as a personal affront—as if a trusted 
soldier had cut and run from the field of 
battle. Many other old-timers expressed 
similar sentiments.
Ultimately, health is about finding ways 
of surviving, sometimes seriously, other times 
irrationally, and still other times desperately. 
Harold is a 64-year-old man with 36 years of 
continuous incarceration serving a 50-years-
to-life sentence. Harold runs daily and works 
out with weights “at least three times a week, 
when I can, you know.” Harold reports that 
he tries to eat “well,” although his diet consists 
of “mostly ramen soups, beef sausages, and 
sardines.” He is also suspicious of anything 
DOCCS, particularly the water, which he be-
lieves contains “a stomach virus.” He distrusts 
the food served in the mess hall and by medi-
cal staff. Harold attributes his health to his ex-
ercise regimen. He wants to “stay healthy” be-
cause he has “an appeal” pending and “might 
make it home.” Harold has 14 years remaining 
in his sentence.
Harold encapsulates everything that health 
means in prison. The story he tells himself is 
objectively irrational, contradictory, and unre-
alistic: crazy. He lives on a poor diet of ramen 
soups and processed meats. He doesn’t take 
advantage of medical services or seek regular 
checkups because he is distrustful of “the Sys-
tem.” After 36 years, it is very likely that he has 
exhausted all his appeals. He will be 78 when 
he first becomes eligible for parole, with no 
guarantee that parole will be granted. In fact, 
it is very likely that Harold will die in prison. 
Yet none of that matters. What matters is the 
story he tells himself—it works for him. It 
Endnotes
1 I have observed that incarcerated people 
belonging to a particular crew seem to cre-
ate bonds that extend beyond the gym. I in-
terviewed several. Azul and Minor work out 
together every morning, after which they 
take their showers and continue hanging out 
throughout the day. They treat each other with 
brotherly affection. One is rarely found without 
the other. During my interview with Azul, an-
other incarcerated person came over and asked 
about Minor. “He’s in the visit,” Azul told the 
guy, giving him a suspicious look. When I asked 
the guy why he had asked Azul about Minor’s 
whereabouts, the guy said, “These niggas always 
together!” I have observed these bonds among 
every workout crew, without exception. Azul 
says that it is about trust—”You can’t work out 
with someone you don’t trust,” he stated, but 
the sort of camaraderie I observed seems to ex-
tend beyond trust. 
2 Azul credits his workouts with keeping him 
out of trouble and helping him control his 
anger. Azul is a model incarcerated person 
who is married and regularly participates 
in the Family Reunion Program with his 
wife. 
3 Many of the incarcerated people I inter-
viewed refused to identify with any “official” 
religion and professed belief in an undefined 
“higher power” instead. Even among the 13 
established religions, many Christians re-
fused to identify as Catholic or Protestant, 
preferring to be called “Christians” or “Fol-
lowers of Christ.”
keeps him busy, focused, hopeful; it’s keeping 
him running. To Harold, and all the incarcer-
ated individuals who are constantly encourag-
ing him, that is all that matters. 
4
Mend, Vol. 3 [2025], Iss. 1, Art. 16
https://surface.syr.edu/mend/vol3/iss1/16


Crazy: The Pursuit of Men\u27s Helath Behind Bars

Hale, Michael Shane

Mend 
Volume 3 Issue 1 Article 18 
2025 
Falling 
Michael Shane Hale 
Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/mend 
Recommended Citation 
Hale, Michael Shane (2025) "Falling," Mend: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 18. 
Available at: https://surface.syr.edu/mend/vol3/iss1/18 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at SURFACE at Syracuse University. It has 
been accepted for inclusion in Mend by an authorized editor of SURFACE at Syracuse University. For more 
information, please contact surface@syr.edu. 
00
Falling
Michael Shane Hale 
 
48
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Hale: Falling
Published by SURFACE at Syracuse University, 2025
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MEND 2025 | 49
In prison, running keeps illness and weak-ness at bay. You cannot be weak in prison. Vulnerable, yes. Weak, no. Running gives 
you the ability not to be broken by change. 
Somewhere between a quarter mile and a half 
in, everything in my system is telling me to 
stop, slow down. Instead, I bear down, culti-
vating focus that keeps my feet pounding the 
ground to drive my body forward. 
Not so long ago my feet drove our bodies 
forward. Gary’s life visibly hovered somewhere 
between his cancer-ridden body and the gray 
sky that shook us with its chill. A relief of black 
limbs climbed into the sky just above the prison 
wall. Bleak and bare. As I remember this day 
my mind struggles to fill in tiny green buds cre-
ating an aura of life, of abundance—of denial 
as Gary and I dance along the precipice of life, 
meaning, awareness. In the end, I discover that 
the dizzying cliffs mean little—only the ability 
to drop my pretense and what I think about the 
fall matter. 
“Hale.” I hear my name, and my stomach 
goes queasy. A man in a blue uniform, car-
rying the title Corrections Officer, has the 
power of a god over my life. He calls my 
name again; I stifle my fear and step obedi-
ently, dutifully forward. I smile when I say 
“Yes.” It’s my go-to position. I smile so I seem 
weak, less than, not a threat. The officer’s red 
hair and drifting blue eye see me. His thin 
lips part: “Take Sickler over to sick call. He 
only wants you to take him. Between you and 
me, he shouldn’t even be here. Just get him 
there in one piece!” I take the small, rectan-
gular piece of blue paper that will allow me to 
move from the prison industry shop through 
the prison compound to the medical unit. 
I sigh when I see Gary. He already looks 
disappointed. His once white, now brownish 
cup with coffee granules sits void of hot water. 
I look and I smile—I’m not a threat, I’m not a 
threat, I’m not a threat. We begin our journey. 
I want him to lead. He’s strong, independent, 
stubborn, Quaker, opinionated, well-informed. 
His body betrays my memory. Cancer treat-
ment, remission, recurrence, over and over 
he’s fought these cells that don’t know how to 
stop—that like him, are obstinate. My memory 
is rooted elsewhere. We’re in a gym shower. His 
body is beautiful. His perfectly rounded chest 
sits atop a body with little body fat, belying his 
being 60 plus years of age, reflecting his disci-
pline. I’m attracted because he embodies all the 
things I’m working on in my life. That symbol 
of inspiration evaporates as his first steps are 
halting. He reaches for balance. My arm slips 
around his back and comes up under his arm-
pit. We can’t walk this way. I withdraw and look 
puzzled. How can I carry Gary? I try again and 
slip my arm around his and entwine our fingers. 
He looks cross. He shakes his head, pitying me. 
I hold my forearms out as if waiting for a fal-
con to land. Gary grabs the stiffness. We toddle 
forward. 
With each step I pour myself into Gary’s 
boots and merge with his shadow. I’m shaken 
for a moment when his feet beat on the pave-
ment, steps that are usually taken without a 
thought—only a vague wish that point B will 
soon be attained. 
Gary ran like a gazelle. He understood the 
power of running, of exercising, of moving 
through space and time. His strength and 
focus conditioned him to step through the 
pain. Step, step, step, step, stop. In the pause 
2
Mend, Vol. 3 [2025], Iss. 1, Art. 18
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he regains his breath and resolve. I check out 
the ugly pavement. I breathe in Gary’s pain. 
I see how far this journey will be at this pace. 
I exhale, a wish riding on my breath for Gary 
to experience peace. Step, step, step, stop. 
The emotions of outrage and sadness and 
frustration and grief rip open my face. Good 
and graphic. Each step is our last. At least un-
til the next one. 
“Shane, what’s wrong with you?” asks D. 
He looks snug in his watch cap and army coat 
as he pushes an empty cart that will soon be-
come full of property from people coming into 
the prison. I smile. “No, it’s not him. It’s me.” 
Gary’s voice makes the situation plain. He finds 
strength to set the record straight—that he’s 
carrying this trouble, this bag of bones. 
Stepping, stopping, I notice the refuse of 
orange rinds, milk cartons, toast…. I see Gary 
and me—the refuse of society—mixed in this 
mess that lies angrily on the pavement. Another 
man, Abdullah, tall, muscular, Muslim, asks if I 
am OK and pulls me out of my dumpster dive. 
Gary repeats his plain words, looking at the de-
parting figure wondering how there could be so 
many stupid people in the world. 
We step into the main yard. A large rectan-
gle of asphalt penned in by four buildings with 
quarried stone dating back to the 1800s bit-
terly greets us. A male nurse sees us and comes 
over. Small talk, chitchat. I smile and realize I’m 
holding my breath while holding Gary up. He 
tells Gary to go back to his cage and gather his 
things before going to the hospital. The nurse, 
on the other side of Gary, transforms us into 
falconers, pulled along after the same prized 
falcon. 
In Gary’s cage, we begin packing his be-
longings. He carefully puts things just so. We 
fit, push, prod all of his belongings into feed 
sacks that are carefully marked with the large 
black numbers spelling out Gary’s identifica-
tion number. Gary’s first two numbers are 69, 
the year he became state property. I quickly do 
the math—over forty years. Living history, he 
watched as wardens were phased out and re-
placed by superintendents, as grass and trees 
were asphalted over, as punitiveness overtook 
rehabilitation as a correctional goal. Gary cites 
an article as an example of how an aging prison 
population costs society two or three times as 
much to incarcerate as one made up of younger 
people. I notice that Gary’s number (if the six 
were inverted) could be my number: 99, the 
year I became state property. I have a long sen-
tence. Gary has been “deuced” a number of 
times by the parole board (denied parole for 
two years) and has become increasingly bitter. 
The thought arrives like an arrow: Have I been 
tending to my future, aging incarcerated self? 
An officer comes to the gate and tells me in 
a surly tone, “Hale, for the last time, you have 
to get back to the shop.” I look at Gary. His 
agitation and stress are building. He becomes 
apologetic. “I know, I’m sorry, don’t get us into 
trouble.” I firmly look at Gary and ask him 
what he wants me to do with his cassette player. 
As I shut out the world, the officer fades away. 
I’m willing to suffer the consequences of my 
compassion. I feel for the officer also. Although 
he has the authority of a god, he only directs 
it against his subjects, not on their behalf. His 
focus is his ritual of counting bodies. The ritual 
takes place several times a day. This is why he is 
here, to count us, but Gary and I are two bodies 
too many. 
Packed up, I push myself into a small space 
in a room that is only eight feet long. I try to 
afford Gary the dignity of pseudo-privacy as he 
changes his clothes. I look sideways and stifle 
50
3
Hale: Falling
Published by SURFACE at Syracuse University, 2025
another explosion to my senses. Naked from 
the waist up, Gary’s bones push on his skin, 
like the limbs that push into the sky—a relief 
of hard lines contrasted by swollen skin. I look 
away, ashamed, seeing now what I didn’t see 
when I pulled on his body earlier. The descrip-
tion of Holocaust survivors as walking skeletons 
works its way through my mind. Living death. 
He calls me. I must help him disrobe from the 
waist down. He unbuttons and unzips. I lov-
ingly guide the fabric downward. I untie the 
laces and with patience release the tenderness 
held within the boots. Undressed, we reverse 
the process. I see the anxiety of putting his feet 
into another pair of boots. He can’t stand any 
longer as we finish. He’s spent. He confides 
to me that it took him nearly an hour to get 
dressed this morning. His determination not 
to become weaker than he has to saturates the 
space between us. 
I go to get a wheelchair and find a stretcher. 
Its rusted parts are bent to take on the shape 
of a high chair with no arms. I sit Gary down 
and realize the seat belts are horribly rusted 
and will not work. They hang limp from the 
contraption, like Gary. I let him know every-
thing that is happening because I want to re-
lieve him of any doubt or confusion. We roll 
forward. The steps of the building are coming 
up. These guards don’t dare help. Assisting this 
man would get them labeled as an “inmate 
lover,” a label used to control compassionate 
impulses. A man with coarse hair and thick 
eyebrows moves to help me lift Gary into the 
air. The flying wheelchair gives Gary wings to 
clear the stairs with nary a bump. Outside the 
building, I meet a CO who tells me to “just 
drag him.” I’m flummoxed for a moment. 
Dragging conjures painful images of those in 
power manipulating the powerless. I’m doubt-
ful—Gary’s comfort is my business. It’s in my 
blood, my sinews. I slowly obey with the right 
to object on Gary’s behest. 
“You know, if you weren’t here, I’d be doing 
this myself.” We pull Gary with no problem. I’m 
taken aback by this admission that is beautifully 
human. With a few words, we are transformed 
into human beings helping one another, tran-
scending labels like falcons released into the air. 
Inside the medical unit, I help Gary to stand 
while he gets a real wheelchair. For a second, I 
take my eye off Gary to push away the stretcher. 
He begins to sit down, exhausted with nowhere 
to sit as I slide the wheelchair up. Gary screams 
out because he’s misjudged the chair’s height. 
The fear of falling has broken him and me as we 
tumble down the sheer cliffs of uncertainty. I 
have never heard Gary scream before. The nurse 
administrator asks him how he is doing. “Oh, 
the pain, the pain! I’ve never felt such pain! My 
whole body is on fire!” The door closes. I’m left 
with a dilapidated stretcher to return. 
Gary dies the next day. The day after his 
death, I eulogize Gary at a Dharma talk, during 
a partial-day sitting. I am moved and humbled 
by the space that our community has cultivated 
for our practice, a practice that allowed me to 
carry Gary one step at a time, one breath at a 
time. It enabled me to be with him as the mo-
ment revealed Gary, me, pain, and life’s pre-
ciousness. 
Postscript: “Shane, I don’t want to die like an 
animal in here!” Gary shared this with me a 
couple of years ago. I smile, remembering Gary 
running and cultivating the strength to em-
brace the pain of slowly dying in prison only to 
realize his final wish: to die in a hospital outside 
these prison walls. 
19 September 2013 
MEND 2025 | 51
4
Mend, Vol. 3 [2025], Iss. 1, Art. 18
https://surface.syr.edu/mend/vol3/iss1/18


Falling

Haraszewski, Dymitri Hubert

Mend 
Volume 3 Issue 1 Article 20 
2025 
The Fall 
Dymitri Hubert Haraszewski 
Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/mend 
Recommended Citation 
Haraszewski, Dymitri Hubert (2025) "The Fall," Mend: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 20. 
Available at: https://surface.syr.edu/mend/vol3/iss1/20 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at SURFACE at Syracuse University. It has 
been accepted for inclusion in Mend by an authorized editor of SURFACE at Syracuse University. For more 
information, please contact surface@syr.edu. 
-
56
the Fall
Dymitri Hubert Haraszewski
1
Haraszewski: The Fall
Published by SURFACE at Syracuse University, 2025
-
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MEND 2025 | 57
“I don’t wanna hold him,” Matthew de-murred. “I’m no good with dogs.” 
“Oh come on,” she scoffed. “He doesn’t 
bite; just take him for a minute!” She pushed 
the over-groomed and undertrained little pure-
bred into his arms, and the dog, instinctively 
sensing Matt’s lack of commitment, squirmed 
and launched himself into the midst of our 
city park, a vast lawn awash in the golden glow 
of a late autumn afternoon. We all gave chase, 
the three of us, but rat-dog was quick, goading 
us by coming within arm’s reach before bolting 
away. He kept us bumbling behind him like 
a trio of Keystone Kops, but for some reason 
the girl just wouldn’t wait for her dog to calm 
down; she had to keep running, cranking up 
his dial ever higher. 
“Why aren’t you helping!?”she bleated 
when I’d stopped darting after the frenzied 
animal. I tried to explain that if we could 
break the dog’s rhythm, he might slow down 
enough for us to snatch him up, but her manic 
scuttling was counterproductive. She brushed 
me off, and when I caught Matt’s eye it was 
clear that he understood. But because she was 
his friend, he just shrugged helplessly and 
jogged off to rejoin her hopeless campaign to 
run down the Energizer puppy. 
• • • 
High above the waves where they’d played the day 
away, a frigid evening wind whips through their 
loose clothing; still, their flushed faces fairly glow 
in the ghostly moonlight. It’s been a long day, by 
turns awkward and exhilarating, and now the 
unlikely pair giggle like schoolchildren as they 
chase each other around boulders and around the 
deathly dark chasms that invaginate the towering 
cliffs above the beach. They tag and re-tag each 
other, then run some more until finally, collapsing 
as a single body, they pant with the giddy laughter 
of newly realized love, neither of them knowing 
nor caring much what may come next so long as 
whatever it is, they experience it together. 
• • • 
I kept calling out to Matt and the girl, all but 
begging them to stop their futile zig-zagging as 
the dog led them close to the edge of the park, 
but they carried on, pushing him toward the 
road where nothing good could transpire for 
a hyper little dog and the spazzed-out tween 
flailing behind him. I tried appealing to my 
friend’s common sense, but the dog, then the 
girl, then Matthew, too, disappeared around 
a corner, the whole dysfunctional pack now 
charging headlong down the sidewalk. By 
the time I’d reaching the curb they were out 
of sign again, having turned a second corner 
where our quiet side street met the high-
traffic main avenue, and a deep unease began 
to wash over me. 
• • • 
The young couple huddles against the envel-
oping cold on a bench by the edge of the cliff, 
their heads touching and hearts pounding as 
2
Mend, Vol. 3 [2025], Iss. 1, Art. 20
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they stare into billions of brilliant white dots 
twinkling across the inseparable inky blackness 
of sky above and sea below. Without warning, 
C pushes away, moving quickly to the opposite 
end of the bench, but when S’s shocked expres-
sion silently asks what’s wrong, C’s grin reas-
sures that all is well. With a quick tug and a 
peal of nervous laughter, C suddenly stands re-
vealed, a lithe moonlit body now fully exposed 
to the unkind elements as well as to the sur-
prised but infinitely kind and protective gaze 
of a special friend.
• • • 
I found myself propelled by dread toward 
Main Street. I tried to remain positive; maybe 
the dog understood sidewalks? Maybe he was 
smart enough to fear cars? Still, I couldn’t shake 
my anger over the girl’s recklessness, selfishly 
thrusting her pet into such danger. I wanted to 
stay hopeful, really I did, but I also knew that 
stories like these seldom ended other than one 
way, and it wasn’t happily ever after. 
• • • 
S stares at C’s impromptu display of flawless 
and forbidden skin, mouth agape and imagin-
ing what’s next, but the trance is broken and 
pants are raised expeditiously when a disturb-
ingly nearby noise snatches their focus. Some-
thing scurries out of the bushes…is it a squirrel? 
Ha! Exactly that, just a gray squirrel swirling 
around in the underbrush. It’s a strange omen, 
though: S’s nickname is Squirrel, and they joke 
a bit nervously while trying to ditch the agitated 
little avatar, who just keeps following them. Is it 
rabid? A vague unease settles over the pair, since 
squirrels normally dodge humans while this one 
pursues them relentlessly, as if it were trying to 
deliver a message. Peculiar, all of this. 
• • •
I was halfway down the block when Matthew 
rounded the corner, no longer chasing but 
walking alone, and my spirits jumped. They’ve 
caught the goofy mutt! I thought with relief. She 
must be holding on to her dog again, just as she 
should’ve been doing all along. Wonderful!
• • •
The chilly duo hike back to the car, mildly 
unnerved by the oddly menacing furball, but 
still in high spirits. With souls warmed by love 
and bodies chilled to the bone, they each put 
on an extra item of clothing belonging to the 
other. As they crank up the heater and drive 
away with soaring hearts into a universe of 
unknowable tomorrows, it seems to them both 
that just here, just now, everything is as it 
should be, and all is right with the world. 
• • • 
When Matthew came closer, I could see that 
he wasn’t smiling. He shook his head silently 
and my heart sank. “What happened?” I asked 
stupidly, not wanting to hear the only answer 
that could possibly be true. “He’s in the street,” 
Matt reported, and that was all. 
• • •
Inside their cozy refuge, a couple of best friends 
hold hands and sing along with the radio, joy-
ously off-key. No sounds can reach them over the 
music, but when harsh red and blue lights flash 
58
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Haraszewski: The Fall
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riotously into the car, confusion grips the pair as 
their tranquil contentedness morphs into fear. 
What is happening? Why? 
• • •
Matt and I walked in silence to where a pile of 
matted and soggy fur lay near the center lane, 
a line of cars stopped behind the gore but no 
one doing much. The girl sat nearby, bawling, 
and when Matthew tried to console her, she 
ran off. She had loved the dog, but in the end, 
her ego had left no room for a second creature 
in her life. 
• • • 
Terror, incoherent cop shrieks, and a cacophony of 
metallic clanking—is it chains? guns?—fill the once 
peaceful night air, and suddenly, impossibly, two 
become none in a world compelled to deflate even 
the smallest bubbles of unproductive love, to oblit-
erate the unconventional like a pair of needlessly 
crushed lungs inside a dead dog’s mangled rib cage. 
MEND 2025 | 21
Care through Empathy 
Congratulations to Mend editor Marion 
Rodriguez, who inspired Ebony H. Flag’s 
Beloved (top right), part of the exhibition 
This Woman’s Work, featuring the work of 13 
artists who celebrate Black women’s commu-
nity care. 
Marion says, “Since my return home from 
jail more than 20 years ago as an organizer 
against mass incarceration, I have lent my 
voice to many campaigns. As the creative 
founder of ?MUVSU?, What Moves You, I 
raise my voice by intentionally giving back.” 
Each of the bags she creates (bottom right) 
includes personalized notecards for a woman 
returning home after incarceration.
59
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