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Investigating Racial Attitudes in Higher Education Student Affairs Professionals using the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS)
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While the literature has documented the existence of colorblind racism in college students and faculty members, data about student affairs professionals (SAPs) are not yet clear. The purpose of this quasi-experimental interventional single group research was to assess SAPs using the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS) to investigate whether colorblind racism is present within the culture of the student affairs profession. A pretest involved survey questions about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) statements and actions within higher education and reactions to quotations from public figures about race and society. Following a brief self-reflection about racial identity and related access to power and resources, participants completed the CoBRAS. Student affairs professionals employed at a small midwestern university participated in this study. Results documented a relationship between racial identity self-reflection and colorblind racism. Participants indicated race evasion in text entry responses despite low CoBRAS scores. Additional research is needed with meaningful pretest and posttest involving a larger sample. Considerations for future DEI trainings are offered.
Note: this paper uses the term colorblind as used in the literature and as it relates to the CoBRAS. The author acknowledges that some scholars prefer the term race evasion to avoid any tone of ableism. Additionally, white is capitalized when referring to human beings, but capitalization of white is otherwise avoided, a practice used by some scholars to reduce its power
An Exploratory Phenomenological Study of Faculty Perceptions of Student Self-Efficacy Within Traditional Developmental Education Programs and Accelerated Learning Programs
No full textMany students attending community colleges are required to enroll in developmental education classes prior to enrolling into college-level classes. Students who need developmental education have a lower success rate within the college-level class than those students allowed to enroll directly into the college-level class (Pruett & Absher, 2015). Many colleges have attempted accelerated learning programs (ALP), and students utilizing the ALP route have demonstrated higher success rates than traditional developmental education students (Adams et al., 2009, Cho et al., 2012, and Ihara, 2010). Traditionally, the developmental class is taught the semester prior to enrollment into the college-level class. The ALP pathway utilizes the student taking the developmental class at the same time as the college-level class. As many researchers have demonstrated that student self-efficacy is correlated with higher academic success (Chemers et al., 2001, Sothan, 2019, Shih, 2019, and Uchida et al., 2018), this study aimed to distinguish if there was a perceived difference in self-efficacy between students in traditional developmental education and ALP. This study attempted to understand, from faculty member perspectives, the differences between student self-efficacy in traditional developmental education and ALP, and how these differences were perceived by faculty to affect student success. This study was conducted using a social constructivist paradigm. This was an exploratory phenomenological study with semi-structured interviews of faculty members who have taught both traditional developmental education classes and ALP classes. Findings showcase the faculty members’ experiences, their perceptions of higher student self-efficacy within the ALP classes, and the factors they attribute to this difference
“Enemies from Within”: Dissent in the Midst of McCarthyism
No full textOn February 9, 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy took the nation by storm when he declared at a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia that he possessed a secret list of 205 communists working in the State Department. Two days later, he sent a letter to President Truman claiming to have 57 names. What was the reason for this discrepancy? No such list existed and it had all been a lie. Nevertheless, a ruthless strain of anti-communism, quickly titled McCarthyism, permeated American politics and crafted an atmosphere of fear and paranoia which threatened to unravel the nation. With this context in mind, it is worth asking the question of how did dissenters against McCarthyism serve as a guardrail for institutional preservation? This question will be tackled through a variety of sources, including hearing transcripts, interviews, letters, media communications, speeches, and other formats. These materials will be utilized to determine whether the dissenters against McCarthy provided a viable alternative to the American public and, in so doing, blocked the most extreme effects of McCarthyism. The lessons and thoughts individuals can take away are that a strong enough dissent can counter an overzealous power, even if said power is bent on the dissenting group’s destruction
Faith and Frontiers: Religious Pull Factors for Norwegian Immigration to the United States
No full textNorwegian migration to the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries was driven by a mix of factors like economic, social, and religious factors. This paper focuses on the religious pull factors that influenced Norwegian the immigration, diving deeper into how religious freedom and the opportunity to practice faith without the influence of the state motivated thousands of Norwegians to seek a new life in the United States. In Norway, the Lutheran state church dominated religious practices, by imposing restrictions on religious expression. For many Norwegians, America represented a land of spiritual liberty, where religious communities could flourish without fear of persecution or state control. Using sources, including immigrant letters, Norwegian history books, and Norwegian-American newspapers, this research analyzes the role of religion in promoting migration and the impacts that it has on present day. The paper also explores how the pursuit of religious freedom contributed to the cultural and community identities of Norwegian immigrants, shaping their integration into American society. Through this lens, the study seeks to illuminate the profound impact of religious ideals on the migration narratives of Norwegians and the broader story of immigration to the United States
Enhancing Door Authentication Security with RDR8S and iSTAR Ultra G2 Controllers
No full textBackground. Access control systems play a central role in securing physical spaces, where secured areas are accessed only by authorized individuals. As security threats increase and the need for robust authentication rises, the integration of advanced smart card readers and network controllers has become essential. Johnson Controls\u27 RDR8S Smart Card Reader and iSTAR Ultra G2 Controller offer cyber-hardened, scalable access control solutions, designed to enhance security, compliance, and operational efficiency. Research Question/Purpose: This study examines the efficiency of RDR8S and iSTAR Ultra G2 in door authentication security. In particular, it looks at how these products facilitate multi-level access control, encryption, and real-time monitoring, thereby breaking the constraints of traditional authentication methods. Methods: The research involves a technical review of system configurations, security protocols, and their deployment on test setups. Data is collected from the documentation of manufacturers, whitepapers, integration manuals, and case studies in the industry to compare the performance, reliability, and scalability of these authentication devices. Findings: Preliminary results show that the support provided by the iSTAR Ultra G2 for up to 32 readers paired with RDR8S\u27s smart card encryption and multi-factor authentication support significantly elevates door access security. Its trusted execution environment (TEE) and secure boot also shield against cyber attacks, thereby meeting compliance with security standards such as NIST and ISO 27001. Conclusion and Significance This research illustrates how RDR8S and iSTAR Ultra G2 work together to enhance access control via a scalable, encrypted, and cyber-secure authentication system. These findings have important implications for organizations that are seeking to update facility security, discourage unauthorized facility access, and incorporate contemporary authentication technologies within the security system. Future recommendations are to conduct further testing using biometric integrations and apply AI-based anomaly detection to facilitate adaptive security management
The Efficacy of Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC) in the Treatment of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
No full textChildhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder that impairs the ability to plan and coordinate speech movements, resulting in unintelligible speech (Strand, 2020). Children with CAS often make inconsistent errors, struggle with sound transitions, and have difficulty sequencing sounds and words. Early diagnosis and intensive, motor-based interventions are crucial for improving speech intelligibility. Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC) is one of the many integral stimulation treatment techniques used to help individuals with speech disorders, specifically CAS (Strand, 2020). The focus of this poster reviewed the efficacy of DTTC in enhancing motor speech skills and intelligibility in children with CAS
The Relationship Between Screen Time Habits and Language Development in Children
No full textAs digital media consumption has risen dramatically in recent decades, concerns have emerged regarding its impact on early language acquisition and communication skills. This poster presentation examines current research on the relationship between screen time and language development in children, highlighting both potential benefits and risks. While interactive, high-quality content may support language learning, excessive screen exposure has been linked to delays in expressive and receptive language skills. Additionally, this poster presentation explores the critical role of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in guiding families toward responsible media use and integrating evidence-based strategies to foster language development. By integrating recent findings, this poster presentation provides a comprehensive perspective on how screen habits influence children\u27s language growth and how SLPs can support families in promoting balanced media consumption
Dipole Moment of the Human Heart
No full textThis experiment uses an Echocardiogram amplifier and a Tektronix TDS 1012C-EDU Digital Oscilloscope to measure the dipole moment of the heart. The voltage of the heart was taken across the arms of the body and vertically from the legs to the arms. The individual components of the dipole moment of the heart were calculated from voltages reported from the EKG. The typical value of the dipole moment of the heart is on the magnitude of 10^−12???? and the direction is θ=±30°. The value measured in this experiment was |???| = (1.7 ± 0.6) × 10^−13???? and the angle was ?? = −32.7°. The magnitude of the dipole moment was an order of magnitude off from the expected value
A Tool to Predict Binary Eclipses Observable from Your Location
No full textThe general direction of this research was to study eclipsing binary star systems. To start, stars to observe had to be chosen. There were several targeting tools that contained lists of objects and their corresponding information. This is sufficient for most types of variable stars; however, most tools do not consider whether an eclipse was observable on a particular night or at our location; they simply list where the stars are visible. An open-source program was created in Python to calculate when an observer can observe an eclipse. Predictions were generated for the eclipsing binary stars listed in the Otero+ spreadsheet using period and eclipse duration pulled from the Variable Star Index (VSX). The spreadsheet and index are sourced from the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). The program uses the observer location and observer-specified constraints on elevation and sky darkness to generate a list of upcoming full or partial transits observable from their location. Several observations of object V2480 Cyg were taken with the Paul P. Feder Observatory using the times that were calculated from the program. The observed eclipse time was 1.73 hours past the prediction. This could be a result of either the period or the epoch reported in VSX being incorrect, or both. Other objects were observed to confirm that the program works correctly. Fortunately, there was Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) data from NASA that was used to compare the period times for V2480 Cyg. The periods between TESS and VSX agree only to the first three decimal places. Further study of this object is planned to discern the source of this discrepancy
Impact of Sleep on College Students\u27 Well-Being and Academic Success
No full textOur research project highlights the relationship between sleep and its effects on college students\u27 academic performance, mental health, and their well-being as a whole. In our study, we focus on how lack of sleep contributes to stress, cognitive impairment, and long-term health problems among college students. This problem is rooted from the increasing evidence that many college students experience chronic sleep deprivation due to a high amount of homework or studying, social influence, and poor sleep hygiene. Studies have shown that more than half of college students do not achieve the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep every night, which ultimately leads to negative outcomes including decreased concentration, higher levels of anxiety, and lower academic performance. According to The National Library of Medicine, “Daytime sleepiness, sleep deprivation, and irregular sleep schedules are highly prevalent among college students, as 50% report daytime sleepiness and 70% attain insufficient sleep. The consequences of sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness are especially problematic to college students and can result in lower grade point averages, increased risk of academic failure, compromised learning, impaired mood, and increased risk of motor vehicle accidents.” (Hershner and Chervin, 2014) Despite the countless amount of research, healthy sleep is often overlooked regarding the wellness of students. Our study aims to identify barriers in college populations and their healthy sleep habits, and advocate for strategies to improve students sleep health. Findings have suggested that poor sleep hygiene, excessive screen time, and the normalization of sleep deprivation, has contributed to students\u27 poor academic performance in relation to poor sleep quality. Our research methods highlight disparities in healthy sleep across different student data, targeting low-income students, first-year students, student athletes, students with part-time jobs, or students in high demanding majors, who may face additional challenges due to work or school obligations and financial stress. The importance of this research relies heavily in its influence it may have on campus policies and wellness programs. By demonstrating the impact of sleep deprivation, it may advocate for policy changes which may include, mental health support, wellness or relaxation rooms, and sleep education programs. The results, contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between sleep deprivation and how it relates to student health and academic performance, advocating for more interventions to benefit students attending a university. By addressing sleep deprivation as a health priority in college students, it can lead to improved student outcomes, advocating for a healthier and more productive learning environments