Team Vision Focusing on the Future: Assessing Community Needs and Outreach

Faced with this challenge, Team Vision took a multi-pronged approach toward generating a solution. The first prong looked internally to delineate the scope of the problem, define community and community engagement, and understand VCU’s current commitment to community engagement. Next, looking external beyond the University, the team identified model institutions from which an approach for assessing community needs and determining appropriate projects could be garnered. Specifically, Team Vision, investigated Carnegie designated “Community Engaged Universities:” those institutions which have met stringent curricular and partnership criteria. The third step was to identify assessment tools and methods already in use at the University and in the City of Richmond. The final step was to come up with a series of recommendations that the University can implement. VCU’s definition of community, “Where the University has a sustained presence,” is based upon the Carnegie Foundation classification of “Community Engagement.” The Foundation term “Community Engagement” describes the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity1. VCU has demonstrated its commitment to maintaining this Carnegie Foundation classification through its multi-faceted approach toward community engagement. Of the 61 other institutions that also have this designation, Team Vision chose to investigate Portland State University, North Carolina State University, Michigan State University, Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis, and Elon University to investigate

Interdisciplinary Honors Module and Sequence: Honors Seminar in Women\u27s Health

The proposal includes the development of a pilot involving a sequence of two honors modules (each one-and-a-half credit hours) in the Department of Psychology. Other disciplines involved would include psychiatry, sociology, women\u27s studies, and women\u27s health. During the first module, scheduled during the first half ofthe semester, the course would be seminar in format on alternating course days with independent experiential work and assignments with chosen faculty on interim class days. Students would write a paper on their experiences and work during the course. The responsibility for coordination of the independent study course would rest with a graduate student (or faculty member) in the home department. Resources for the frnding of this pilot seminar and module would be framed within the current structure for the ftnding of Honors modules. Any additional resources would be requested from the Dean, Provost\u27s and President\u27s offices. Costs for the course would include support for the graduate student coordination ofthe module and a small research fund to support the activities of each honors student. This pilot would be an opportunity to develop a model for interdisciplinary honors module development. Additional ftnding opportunities for expansion of this strategy would be identified with Samantha Marrs in VCU\u27s Office of Corporate and Foundation Giving. In addition, this strategy could inform undergraduate course and academic program development within VCU\u27s Social Science Initiative and ñžnding could be sought in coordination with that effort

Implementing the Dream: Lessons from the Houston Community College

With a commitment to affordable, open access education, community colleges provide a key access point to higher education, especially for low-income students and students of color. Using a qualitative approach, this report analyzes the experiences of six Houston area community colleges that are participating in Achieving the Dream, a national initiative designed to use data-driven decision-making to promote student success

A Racial Impact Analysis of HB 462

The adoption of House Bill 462 into law brings forth questions about the probable impact on the physical, mental, emotional and financial well-being of the women in Virginia. In particular, analysis of its effect on the minority and underserved female population is required. Understanding the origin of this new legislation and the thinking behind its proposal and subsequent adoption dictates an endeavor into the backgrounds and intended goals of its sponsors and supporters. Proponents of HB 462 were unresponsive to requests for an interview to expound on their perspective about the importance of the legislation. This precipitated the use of media clips from televised political discussions and newspaper articles to acquire direct quotes in an effort to gain insight into their position. Legislation of morality emerged as the key them from the research materials assembled. This belief is shared by many who oppose the law. The Supreme Court put forth the following as the reasoning behind its decision, in Planned Parenthood v. Casey: “Some of us as individuals find abortion offensive to our most basic principles of morality, but that cannot control our decision. Our obligation is to define the liberty of all, not to mandate our own moral code...at the heart of liberty is the right to define one\u27s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.” Opponents of HB 462 regard the law as contrary to the decision. If, in fact, this legislation is not intended to impose the morality of its sponsors on all Virginians, as the research suggests, it is probable that it will have a disparate impact on the minority and underserved segment of the population

A Racial Impact Analysis of HB 994: Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking has become an international crisis that has caused a devastating impact on the Commonwealth of Virginia. The purpose of this report is to examine the racial equity impact of Virginia House Bill 944. HB 994 was introduced to the House by Delegate Barbara Comstock, along with 13 other members of the House and was passed by the House of Delegates and was Passed Indefinitely in Courts of Justice with letter in 2014. This Bill, as initially introduced, would have made it a felony to participate in Human Trafficking by expanding the definition of abduction/kidnapping. It also would have provided additional protection for minors by taking away the defense of consent. This report reviews the practices of Human Trafficking and provides an overview of how HB 944 being passed indefinitely harms minority communities

A Racial Impact Analysis of HB 32: Minimum Wage Increase

The racial equity impact of HB 32 is important because minorities in Virginia disproportionately work in minimum wage positions. The purpose of this report is to provide a racial impact analysis of House Bill (HB) 32, legislation proposed in the 2014 Virginia General Assembly to increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to$8.50 an hour. According to 2013 data, 1.8 million workers in Virginia are paid hourly rates and 6.8 percent of these workers earn the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Examining fiscal years 2015 to 2020 for the Commonwealth, such an increase would cost$2,712,696. This impact includes the costs to cover additional staff for enforcement of the bill. Moreover, based on data provided by the Department of Human Resource Management, such an increase would also affect 264 salaried employees, costing an additional $296,252. In sum, this report examines the various and differing components surrounding HB 32 and minimum wage from a comprehensive perspective. This report examines why HB 32 failed, analyzes minimum wage versus living wage, and discusses what steps can be taken to promote racial income equality. In addition, this report charts a path forward toward policy that can be implemented legislatively with a positive effect on Virginia’s communities

Facilitation College Success Among Emerging Hispanic Serving Institutions: Multiple Perspectives Yield Commonly Shared Diversity Goals

Utilizing a qualitative approach, this research brief analyzes multiple perspectives on factors related to Latino student success. The central findings of this brief suggest that, while multiple perspectives exist, there are common areas of consensus relative to promoting cultural competency and fostering Latino student success

HB 828: TANF Eligibility; Drug-Related Felonies

House Bill 828 (HB828) was proposed in 2016 to remove the ban on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for individuals with felony-related drug convictions who are otherwise eligible to receive benefits. The TANF program is designed to help low income families achieve self-sufficiency. States receive block grants to design and operate programs that accomplish one of the purposes of the TANF program: 1) Provide assistance to needy families so children can be cared for in their own homes; 2) Reduce the dependency of parents by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage; 3) Prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies; 4) Encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Section 401). With nearly 700,000 people released from state and federal prison each year, access to TANF benefits is particularly critical for helping formerly incarcerated individuals transitioning back to their home communities. Significant disparities in convictions and incarceration coupled with variations in state population between Whites and Nonwhites translate into a disproportionate impact of the felony drug ban (The Sentencing Project, 2015). Virginia is one of 14 states with a full ban on TANF benefits for individuals with felony-related drug convictions. Adoption of HB828 proposes to eliminate this lifetime ban and provide an opportunity for low income families to meet their basic needs during the period in which they are in most need