The Poor and Marginalized Among Us: Contingent Faculty in Jesuit Universities

Faculty of institutions of higher learning have an opportunity to discuss, debate,and discern how to create workplaces that are just and inclusive.As members of Jesuit institutions, wehave a moral obligation to do so. How, then, can Jesuit universities justify the poor treatment of contingent faculty, who are now a majority not just in our institutions but in the country as a whole? Tenure-track employment is a fading tradition in universities throughout the United States. The data also show that non-tenure-track faculty, particularly the growing number of part-time adjunct faculty, constitute a population of marginalized, often poor,employees working alongside more privileged colleagues. Furthermore, the data show that the burden of inequality falls more heavily on women and people of color. How do Jesuit values and the mission statements of Jesuit universities guide us in this situation? How do Catholic social teaching principles help us to see and articulate the current situation more clearly, and find a path to more just and equitable employment in Jesuit higher education

Sketches - Winter Student Dance

Poster for Sketches - Winter Student Dance Concert presented by the Theatre Arts Department December 14-15, 2012 in the Danny Peterson Theatre

Sketches - Winter Dance Concert

Program for Sketches - Winter Student Dance Concert presented by the Theatre Arts Department December 14 & 15, 2012 in the Danny Peterson Theatre

Hamlet/Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead Combined Theatrical Program

Play program for Theatre Arts Department productions of Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard. Productions were produced in rotating repertory in the Danny Peterson Theatre in the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts, March 8 - April 15, 2012

Test Anxiety and Other Factors as Predictors of Outcome For an Undergraduate University\u27s Examination of Writing Competency

Testing in American schools has increased dramatically in recent years (Cizek & Burg, 2006), increasing the need for research in test anxiety (TA). Writing apprehension, a subcategory of TA, may be of particular concern among students at all levels of education given the recent addition of writing assessments on the SAT and GRE tests. Very few recent studies have examined demographic correlates of TA and the demographics of students in higher education have been changing for some time. These changes include an increase in all categories of nontraditional students. Nontraditional students, by definition, face a particular set of challenges in attending college. They tend to have significant family responsibilities, work and/or other obligations beyond those of traditional students (Ryan, 2003), leaving less time and energy to focus on academics. The research findings on age trends have been variable. However, some research shows a slight decline in the prevalence of TA in the college years (Hembree, 1988; Zeidner, 1998). Early studies have shown that African American students, in general, show higher levels of TA than Caucasian students (Payne, Smith, & Payne, 1983; Rhine & Spaner, 1983). There is minimal research that examines TA specifically for writing exams, or writing apprehension. Earlier studies found that writing apprehension is highly negatively correlated with performance on writing competency assessments and general essays (Daly, 1978; Faigley, Daly, & White, 1981). Given this, it is important to consider the factors that impact writing competency. Graham and Harris (2000) noted much support in the literature for the impact of transcription, or handwriting abilities, on writing competency but also point to self-regulation as another key factor in writing competency. They observed that skilled writers tend to have better self-regulation skills than less skilled writers. In a related area, White and Bruning (2005) found that students\u27 belief systems concerning writing are related to the quality of their writing. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between TA, writing apprehension, trait anxiety, and other factors on the outcome of a writing competency examination. The study also assessed the relationship between variables related to nontraditional college students, and TA and writing apprehension. One hundred thirty-seven students at an undergraduate Historically Black College or University (HBCU) participated in the study. Each participant was registered to take the Examination of Writing Competency (EWC) in the semester in which they participated. Participants completed a demographic survey and several measures assessing trait and test anxieties, writing self-regulation, and writing apprehension. The results indicated that only self-regulation during writing was significantly related to writing competency. The relationship was significant only for participants\u27 total score on the EWC and did not predict whether they passed or failed the exam. A discussion of the results, including limitations of the study and directions for future research are presented

As You Like It - Theatrical Play Program

Theatrical program for Theatre Arts Department production of As You Like It by William Shakespeare. Produced November 2009 in the Danny Peterson Theatre

Two Rooms - Theatrical Program

Program for Theatre Arts Department production of Two Rooms by Lee Blessing. Performed in Stage II of the Morrison Center

The Gondoliers - Theatrical Program

Program for Theatre Arts and Music Departments production of The Gondoliers by Gilbert & Sullivan. Performed in the Special Events Center

Metamorphoses - Theatrical Play Program

Theatrical program for Theatre Arts Department production of Metamorphoses based on the myths of Ovid, written by Mary Zimmerman. Produced March 2010 in the Danny Peterson Theatre. The production featured an innovative set featuring a 2,700-gallon custom pool built by Theatre Arts faculty, Mike Baltzell & Fran Maxwell and Theatre Arts students

Obstacles to Inclusion: One Early Childhood Inclusive Teacher’s Perspective

In spite of the attention given to the topic of including children and youth diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disorders in general education classrooms; there has been an absence of empirically sound research to guide policy and practice. With the passage of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) there has been an increase of students with cognitive, social and emotional disorders included in general education classrooms. Significant debate continues to surround the issue of students with emotional and behavior disorders and other disabilities for placement in general education settings. This chapter will explore the experience of one such environment in which several students with emotional disturbances are included in a first grade classroom. The frustrated teacher expressed a perceived lack of knowledge in handling behaviors and persistent feelings of helplessness. She struggled with how to handle the behaviors of the students with emotional disturbances and questioned if their inclusion in the general education classroom was best for all. Although the outbursts and negative behaviors did not cease; it was observed with consistent approaches to addressing behavior, the teacher was successful at cultivating empathy among students and examples of positive behaviors and care were shown in student interactions