University Organizational Culture through Insider Eyes: A Case Study of a Writing Program

Using a case study approach, the authors examined university administrator and instructor perspectives about a writing program's organizational culture. In so doing, members of the writing program were invited to participate in interviews over a three-year period. The case study suggests that examples of culture through a three-lens perspective (integration, differentiation, and fragmentation) provided a more nuanced reading of the program's identity than a single lens could. The authors suggested that this wider frame of organizational culture for understanding policy and practice has implications for leadership in such areas as personnel evaluation and the encouragement of experimentation with teaching

Views of Psychosocial and Organizational Dimensions: The Case of Two Elementary School Leaders

Using a case study approach, the authors explored psychosocial and organizational dimensions of leadership among two elementary school leaders (principals) in Southern California. At each school, interviews with the school's principal as well as two key informants were conducted, and we analyzed the findings based on principals' mental models, self-efficacy, and immunities to change. Using Kellar and Slayton's leadership framework, we considered how psychosocial and organizational leadership contexts fostered conditions to promote organizational change. The findings for this study highlight some of the conditions principals believed were important for organizational improvement as well as challenges faced.  Findings indicate that psychological and organizational dimensions reveal complexities of educational leadership by providing a fine-grained portrait of leadership and organizational learning. A study implication is that leaders must not only have time for reflection but also be open to identifying their immunities that may deter efforts at growth and change. Research directions are proposed, including further exploration of how leaders' efforts are shaped by their contexts as well as particular challenges experienced in the role

University Organizational Culture through Insider Eyes: A Case Study of a Writing Program

Using a case study approach, the authors examined university administrator and instructor perspectives about a writing program's organizational culture. In so doing, members of the writing program were invited to participate in interviews over a three-year period. The case study suggests that examples of culture through a three-lens perspective (integration, differentiation, and fragmentation) provided a more nuanced reading of the program's identity than a single lens could. The authors suggested that this wider frame of organizational culture for understanding policy and practice has implications for leadership in such areas as personnel evaluation and the encouragement of experimentation with teaching

Perceptions of Latina K-12 Leaders' Experiences with Mentorship and Career Advancement

The purpose of the study reported in this article was to explore Latina leaders' perspectives about their mentorship and career advancement in K-12 education. Potential school administrators who are Latina are at particular risk to achieve a position of leadership within the educational setting for a variety of reasons (Méndez-Morse, 2000; 2004; Magdaleno, 2011). This article describes how six Latina leaders within California describe their mentoring and career progression, including their perceived barriers and sources of support from family and other mentors. Implications are presented for purposes of building the capacity of Latina K-12 school leadership in a way that is reflective of the ethnic community they serve

Accreditation Routines in a Demoralized School: Repairing, Expanding, and Striving For Improvement

The purpose of this paper was to explore how accreditation processes aided a school principal in making reform happen. Using routinized action theory (Feldman, 2000), we examined how the routines in school accreditation were used to transform what had been a demoralized, low performing middle school. This theoretical lens is important as it demonstrates that routinized actions can offer more than stabilizing elements in a school organization but also help administrators seeking to make change. We begin by describing the setting of Ironwood Middle School, presenting the research inquiry methods, and examining how accreditation processes enabled the school to move forward in the face of uncertainty and instability.        AbstractThe purpose of this paper was to explore how accreditation processes aided a school principal in making reform happen. Using routinized action theory (Feldman, 2000), we examined how the routines in school accreditation were used to transform what had been a demoralized, low performing middle school. This theoretical lens is important as it demonstrates that routinized actions can offer more than stabilizing elements in a school organization but also help administrators seeking to make change. We begin by describing the setting of Ironwood Middle School, presenting the research inquiry methods, and examining how accreditation processes enabled the school to move forward in the face of uncertainty and instability.  

Prospectus, February 18, 1981

PARKLAND WOMEN\u27S TEAM RATED 15TH IN NATION; Prospectus photo contest; Week in Review; Letters to the Editor; BSA plans weekly activities; Kresca appears; StuGo sponsors MID-DAY; Apply for job at 4-H camp; Stage crews needed; Astronomy Club; TEAMS competition at Parkland Feb. 21; It\u27s the Soul Bowl; Woman to Woman seminar comes to Parkland Feb. 25; Take care of your lawn!; Classifieds; he\u27s ramblin\u27, Journey album well worth it!; Clash album \u27not too good\u27; Did you know that..?; Busboys serve up a fun-loving brand of music; Top 30; The Volley-thon is a success; Magic And Mystery: Fabjance appears at Parkland; LaBadie sees tight finish in finals; Cobras make strong shwoing in Parkland Invitational; Scoreboard; Virginia, Notre Dame featured; Cobras hang on to beat Lincoln Land; Cobras rally from 10 point deficit to beat Olney; Lopeman posts an 11-1 record to win Fast Freddy; Ingrum, Cobras cruise past Lincoln Land, 75-57; Fast Freddy Contest; Cobras rip Olney, 85-48; Women\u27s National Top 20 rankingshttps://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1981/1027/thumbnail.jp

Gpr17 deficiency in POMC neurons ameliorates the metabolic derangements caused by long-term high-fat diet feeding

BACKGROUND: Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) control energy homeostasis by sensing hormonal and nutrient cues and activating secondary melanocortin sensing neurons. We identified the expression of a G protein-coupled receptor, Gpr17, in the ARH and hypothesized that it contributes to the regulatory function of POMC neurons on metabolism. METHODS: In order to test this hypothesis, we generated POMC neuron-specific Gpr17 knockout (PGKO) mice and determined their energy and glucose metabolic phenotypes on normal chow diet (NCD) and high-fat diet (HFD). RESULTS: Adult PGKO mice on NCD displayed comparable body composition and metabolic features measured by indirect calorimetry. By contrast, PGKO mice on HFD demonstrated a sexually dimorphic phenotype with female PGKO mice displaying better metabolic homeostasis. Notably, female PGKO mice gained significantly less body weight and adiposity (p < 0.01), which was associated with increased energy expenditure, locomotor activity, and respiratory quotient, while males did not have an overt change in energy homeostasis. Though PGKO mice of both sexes had comparable glucose and insulin tolerance, detailed analyses of liver gene expression and serum metabolites indicate that PGKO mice could have reduced gluconeogenesis and increased lipid utilization on HFD. To elucidate the central-based mechanism(s) underlying the better-preserved energy and glucose homeostasis in PGKO mice on HFD, we examined the electrophysiological properties of POMC neurons and found Gpr17 deficiency led to increased spontaneous action potentials. Moreover, PGKO mice, especially female knockouts, had increased POMC-derived alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone and beta-endorphin despite a comparable level of prohormone POMC in their hypothalamic extracts. CONCLUSIONS: Gpr17 deficiency in POMC neurons protects metabolic homeostasis in a sex-dependent manner during dietary and aging challenges, suggesting that Gpr17 could be an effective anti-obesity target in specific populations with poor metabolic control

Prospectus, February 25, 1981

MARIJUANA LEGALIZED? DIFANIS SAYS YES.; PC ROTC program big success with 500% increase; \u27Woman to Woman\u27 Workshop tonight at 7 p.m.; Week in Review: World, Nation; Letters to the Editor: Student feels strongly towards draft, Ah hah! Widloski makes first mistake; 1st Ms. Parkland; EMT holds workshop on tornadoes; Student Government notes; BSA tells us of their week of events; Deering speaks at PACT.; Diane Propst and Cancer: Dying is Not Dead; Did you know that..?; Student Government Presents: Michael Spiro; Holbrook puts on a sparkling performance; Reggae music popular; The Tavern to be presented at Parkland this weekend; Child Abuse becomes more of a problem in C-U area.; Do you want a cute pup? There is a place where you can find one.; Women\u27s Forum presents Toxic Shock ; Circle K always willing to help society; Classifieds; Photo contest offers great opportunity; Cobras whup Kaskaskia; Illness hits Cobra women: lose badly to Vincennes; Bench Warmer: Cobra confidence shows!; Cobra track team finish second in state; Good teams in spotlight; Cobras trounce Kaskaskia; Dunson, Pratt spark late game rally: Cobras edge Kankakee; Fast Freddy Contest; DeYoung the master this weekhttps://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1981/1026/thumbnail.jp

Clustering of supernova Ia host galaxies

For the first time the cross-correlation between type Ia supernova host galaxies and surrounding field galaxies is measured using the Supernova Legacy Survey sample. Over the z=0.2 to 0.9 redshift range we find that supernova hosts are correlated an average of 60% more strongly than similarly selected field galaxies over the 3-100 arcsec range and about a factor of 3 more strongly below 10 arcsec. The correlation errors are empirically established with a jackknife analysis of the four SNLS fields. The hosts are more correlated than the field at a significance of 99% in the fitted amplitude and slope, with the point-by-point difference of the two correlation functions having a reduced $\chi^2$ for 8 degrees of freedom of 4.3, which has a probability of random occurrence of less than 3x10^{-5}. The correlation angle is 1.5+/-0.5 arcsec, which deprojects to a fixed co-moving correlation length of approximately 6.5+/- 2/h mpc. Weighting the field galaxies with the mass and star formation rate supernova frequencies of the simple A+B model produces good agreement with the observed clustering. We conclude that these supernova clustering differences are primarily the expected outcome of the dependence of supernova rates on galaxy masses and stellar populations with their clustering environment.Comment: ApJ (Letts) accepte