Now Is the Time for Change: Reframing Diversity Planning at Land-Grant Universities

Using policy discourse analysis, the author analyzed 21 diversity action plans issued at 20 U.S. land-grant universities over a 5-year period to identify images of diversity and the problems and solutions represented in these documents. Dominant discourses of access, disadvantage, the marketplace, and democracy were most prominent in conveying images of diverse individuals. These discourses shape individuals\u27 ways of thinking and acting, meaning these discursive practices produce (at times competing) possibilities and constrain, even conceal, alternatives. These findings are discussed and recommendations are delineated for how Extension personnel might reframe diversity efforts

The potential of ecofeminism to develop ‘deep’ sustainability competencies for education for sustainable development

Education for sustainable development (ESD) has gained much currency in the literature; yet, less attention has been given to understanding or defining learning outcomes, or rather, what competencies for sustainability should students develop and be able to demonstrate. In this position paper, I ask (and answer) the question, “What might be gained by bringing a feminist lens, and specifically an ecofeminist perspective, to ESD?” I argue that infusing ecofeminism into ESD can develop students’ sustainability competence beyond individual level change to thinking and acting systemically; it can develop the critical consciousness, activist skills, and deeper sustainability knowledge needed to foster social change

Made in America? Assumptions About Service Learning Pedagogy as Transnational: A Comparison Between Ireland and the United States

Using exploratory, qualitative interviews, the authors studied conceptions of academic service-learning in the United States and the Republic of Ireland in order to elucidate the ways in which culture and social context shaped practitioners\u27 perceptions and practices regarding service-learning pedagogy. Participants articulated a shared understanding of service-learning, identified similar barriers to utilizing service-learning and institutionalizing its practice, and discussed tensions surrounding the purpose of service-learning. However, Irish participants distanced their practice from the historical and cultural context of U.S. service-learning, demonstrating the process of localization. We conclude that the overarching tenets of service-learning may be transferable but the social, cultural, economic, historical, and political conditions of individual countries define how these are to be achieved

Comments from the Editor

Editor comments for Volume 23

Comments from the Editor

Editor comments for Volume 22

“Step up and Do It”: Fraternity and Sorority Members’ Beliefs About Citizenship

This qualitative study sought to investigate fraternity and sorority members’ beliefs about citizenship and how students’ involvement in fraternities and sororities contributed to shaping their views on citizenship. Through focus groups and individual interviews with fraternity and sorority members at one private, research university in the Midwest, this study revealed students’ opinions on how their involvement in fraternities and sororities raised their awareness about social concerns, shaped their values, and modeled the necessity to take action in their community. Following a discussion of these findings, the authors propose suggestions for student affairs administrators to develop the role fraternities and sororities must play in fostering members\u27 citizenship development

Comments from the Editor

Editor comments for Volume 21

Nanoscale amphiphilic macromolecules as lipoprotein inhibitors: the role of charge and architecture

A series of novel amphiphilic macromolecules composed of alkyl chains as the hydrophobic block and poly(ethylene glycol) as the hydrophilic block were designed to inhibit highly oxidized low density lipoprotein (hoxLDL) uptake by synthesizing macromolecules with negatively charged moieties (ie, carboxylic acids) located in the two different blocks. The macromolecules have molecular weights around 5,500 g/mol, form micelles in aqueous solution with an average size of 20–35 nm, and display critical micelle concentration values as low as 10−7 M. Their charge densities and hydrodynamic size in physiological buffer solutions correlated with the hydrophobic/hydrophilic block location and quantity of the carboxylate groups. Generally, carboxylate groups located in the hydrophobic block destabilize micelle formation more than carboxylate groups in the hydrophilic block. Although all amphiphilic macromolecules inhibited unregulated uptake of hoxLDL by macrophages, inhibition efficiency was influenced by the quantity and location of the negatively charged-carboxylate on the macromolecules. Notably, negative charge is not the sole factor in reducing hoxLDL uptake. The combination of smaller size, micellar stability and charge density is critical for inhibiting hoxLDL uptake by macrophages

Avalanche Dynamics in Wet Granular Materials

We have studied the dynamics of avalanching wet granular media in a rotating drum apparatus. Quantitative measurements of the flow velocity and the granular flux during avalanches allow us to characterize novel avalanche types unique to wet media. We also explore the details of viscoplastic flow (observed at the highest liquid contents) in which there are lasting contacts during flow, leading to coherence across the entire sample. This coherence leads to a velocity independent flow depth at high rotation rates and novel robust pattern formation in the granular surface.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures in color, REVTeX4, for smaller pdfs see http://angel.elte.hu/~tegzes/condmat.htm