A Racial Reckoning: Anti-Asian racism and exclusion in higher education

The Atlanta massacre on March 16, 2021, spurred a series of solidarity statements with the broader Asian and Asian American1 community from higher education institutions across the nation. While many colleges and universities have expressed their grief and support with the larger Asian and Asian American community, the same institutions have yet to reflect and reckon with their own history of exclusion, which has omitted Asian and Asian American students from larger conversations of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The purposes of this brief are to name the forms of anti-Asian racism that already exist in higher education institutions and to propose a series of recommendations to address the foreseeable forms of overt and covert anti-Asian violence that may occur when students return to campuses in fall 2021 and beyond. We recommend that institutions of higher education: create effectual task forces to think strategically about racism and xenophobia towards Asian and Asian American students; increase funding for ethnic studies, specifically, Asian American Studies Departments, Programs, and Centers; and collect and report disaggregated data on diverse subgroups of Asian and Asian American students

Anti-Asian Bullying and Harassment: Symptoms of racism in K-12 schools during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed many challenges for K-12 students. However, these challenges have not been experienced equally across student groups. There has been a significant increase in mainstream media coverage of anti-Asian racism, but very little attention has been given to Asian American youth, who are not immune from incidents of bullying and harassment in our K-12 schools. This brief discusses how Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)1 students face unique challenges associated with bullying and harassment because of their racial and ethnic identity. We examine the historical context of bullying and harassment of Asian Americans and how that persists as anti-Asian racism today. Finally, we propose policy solutions to create a more positive learning environment and address racist attitudes towards this specific community. Notably, we propose that K-12 leaders disaggregate data by ethnic subgroup, collect more comprehensive data on school bullying, harassment, and victimization disaggregated by AAPI ethnic subgroups, and invest in culturally sustaining mental health resources and curriculum

A New (Old), Invasive Ant in the Hardwood Forests of Eastern North America and Its Potentially Widespread Impacts

Biological invasions represent a serious threat for the conservation of biodiversity in many ecosystems. While many social insect species and in particular ant species have been introduced outside their native ranges, few species have been successful at invading temperate forests. In this study, we document for the first time the relationship between the abundance of the introduced ant, Pachycondyla chinensis, in mature forests of North Carolina and the composition, abundance and diversity of native ant species using both a matched pair approach and generalized linear models. Where present, P. chinensis was more abundant than all native species combined. The diversity and abundance of native ants in general and many individual species were negatively associated with the presence and abundance of P. chinensis. These patterns held regardless of our statistical approach and across spatial scales. Interestingly, while the majority of ant species was strongly and negatively correlated with the abundance and presence of P. chinensis, a small subset of ant species larger than P. chinensis was either as abundant or even more abundant in invaded than in uninvaded sites. The large geographic range of this ant species combined with its apparent impact on native species make it likely to have cascading consequences on eastern forests in years to come, effects mediated by the specifics of its life history which is very different from those of other invasive ants. The apparent ecological impacts of P. chinensis are in addition to public health concerns associated with this species due to its sometimes, deadly sting

Floral volatiles from Clarkia breweri and C. concinna ( Onagraceae ): Recent evolution of floral scent and moth pollination

Clarkia breweri ( Onagraceae ) is the only species known in its genus to produce strong floral fragrance and to be pollinated by moths. We used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify 12 abundant compounds in the floral headspace from two inbred lines of C. breweri. These volatiles are derived from two biochemical pathways, one producing acyclic monoterpenes and their oxides, the other leading from phenylalanine to benzoate and its derivatives. Linalool and linalool oxide (pyran form) were the most abundant monoterpenoids, while linalool oxide (furan form) was present at lower concentrations. Of the aromatic compounds detected, benzyl acetate was most abundant, whereas benzyl benzoate, eugenol, methyl salicylate, and vanillin were present as minor constituents in all floral samples. The two inbred C. breweri lines differed for the presence of the additional benzenoid compounds isoeugenol, methyleugenol, methylisoeugenol, and veratraldehyde. We also analyzed floral headspace from C. concinna , the likely progenitor of C. breweri , whose flowers are odorless to the human nose. Ten volatiles (mostly terpenoids) were detected at low concentrations, but only when headspace was collected from 20 or more flowers at a time. Trans-β-ocimene was the most abundant floral compound identified from this species. Our data are consistent with the hypothesized recent evolution of floral scent production and moth pollination in C. breweri.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41639/1/606_2004_Article_BF00983216.pd

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions: Areas of Growth, Innovation, and Collaboration

This policy brief aims to raise the national visibility of the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) program and link the needs of these institutions to the hundreds of similar Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) (e.g., historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribal colleges and universities). More specifically, this brief demonstrates how and why the MSI policy strategy is an effective way to increase the success of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) college students, and how the AANAPISI program can be further strengthened

Race and Class through the Lens of Asian American and Pacific Islander Experiences: Perspectives from Community College Students

While the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population is one of the fastest-growing college student populations, there is very little known about their situated experiences within community colleges, which is the sector of higher education where they are mostly likely to be enrolled. Community colleges are a particularly important sector in higher education for low-income AAPI students who are the first in their families to attend college. This study describes the financial vulnerability of low-income AAPI students, how their financial circumstances intersect with other aspects of their lived experiences, and how students describe the choices they make to navigate competing demands in their lives

Race and Class through the Lens of Asian American and Pacific Islander Experiences: Perspectives from Community College Students

While the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population is one of the fastest-growing college student populations, there is very little known about their situated experiences within community colleges, which is the sector of higher education where they are mostly likely to be enrolled. Community colleges are a particularly important sector in higher education for low-income AAPI students who are the first in their families to attend college. This study describes the financial vulnerability of low-income AAPI students, how their financial circumstances intersect with other aspects of their lived experiences, and how students describe the choices they make to navigate competing demands in their lives