California State University System Research Articles

Role-based privacy cynicism and local privacy activism: How data stewards navigate privacy in higher education

This study examines the impact of role-based constraints on privacy cynicism within higher education, a workplace increasingly subjected to surveillance. Using a thematic analysis of 15 in-depth interviews conducted between 2017 and 2023 with data stewards in the California State University System, the research explores the reasons behind data stewards’ privacy cynicism, despite their knowledge of privacy and their own ability to protect it. We investigate how academic data custodians navigate four role-based tensions: the conflict between the institutional and personal definitions of privacy; the mutual reinforcement between their privacy-cynical attitudes and their perceptions of student privacy attitudes; the influence of role constraints on data stewards’ privacy-protective behaviors; and the contrast between the negatively valued societal surveillance and the positively valued university surveillance. The findings underscore the significance of considering organizational privacy cultures and role-based expectations in studying privacy cynicism. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of privacy cynicism and offers practical implications for organizations, emphasizing the importance of aligning organizational definitions of privacy with employees’ understanding. Future research should further explore the mutual reinforcement of privacy cynicism in the relationship between data providers and data consumers (which we call the “spiral of resignation”) and consider the impact of role-based constraints in other organizational contexts.

When Covid-19 Disrupted University Teaching: The University Fought Back

The Covid-19 pandemic caused the California State University system to shift completely to online learning in March 2020. Before the end of the spring 2020 semester the CSU system announced that Fall 2020, and then Spring 2021 courses would be delivered online. During the summer of 2020 online training courses are available to all Faculty and instructors to prepare for online delivery. The courses were developed by curriculum designers and delivered by volunteer faculty with both expertise and comfort in online instruction. At one of the schools in the CSU system 800 instructors signed up to take the course. The purpose of this paper is to understand how faculty implemented teaching practices online after participating in the training provided by the participant university in the summer of 2020. Using the Universal Design for Learning framework for analysis; survey results, teaching strategies, and recommendations are included.

A Conversation: The Exodus of Faculty Librarians of Color from the California State University System

A Conversation: The Exodus of Faculty Librarians of Color from the California State University System

Comprehensive Sexual Health Educational Learning Modules for College Students.

Sexual health education in the United States continues to be a controversial topic of discussion with no federal regulations. Due to this, the sex education students receive before college varies greatly. Our team discovered that no mandatory, comprehensive sexual health education is required for students once they enter the California State University system. At Cal Poly specifically, it was found that students were engaging in risky sexual behaviors. For example, the 2021 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III Fall 2021 Data Report revealed that less than half (42.1%) of students reported regularly using condoms during vaginal sex, and a mere 5.1% of students reported barrier method use during oral sex. To fill in the noticed gaps in our students' sexual health education, our team developed a set of 10 comprehensive sexual health educational learning modules. The modules cover topics ranging from condom use and STIs to pleasure, porn literacy, and having difficult conversations with a partner. This anonymous online resource provides students with easy-to-read written material and engaging graphics. Future research will focus on user engagement and the effect of the resource on sexual health best practices across our campus.

Lean Project Delivery in the United States Public Sector – History and Current State

Since the late 2000s, public agencies in the United States have been developing alternatives to traditional capital project delivery models in pursuit of better project outcomes. Most public agencies have legal authority to deliver projects through a design-build contract and have been using this contracting method to foster greater collaboration and to integrate the target value design process into a Lean project delivery model. The approaches and practices of four public agencies - San Diego Community College District, University of California San Francisco, the University of Washington, and the California State University System - that have been utilizing this approach are highlighted in this paper. Specific requirements identified to foster the desired collaborative environment, integration of Lean principles and practices, value creation, budget and cost performance, and schedule performance are shared. Metrics from selected projects give evidence that this approach is delivering greater value for these institutions, the design and construction community, taxpayers, and most importantly the internal customers that are using the constructed assets. Knowledge transfer of the resources developed to procure these types of projects and to create and sustain the environment necessary for project success has greatly benefited these institutions and serves as a potential portal for other public agencies to follow.

SNAP-Ed Programming for College Students Experiencing Food Insecurity: A Qualitative Process-Focused Evaluation

BackgroundGrowing recognition of food insecurity experienced by college students has led to efforts on college campuses to provide students with food assistance benefits and related nutrition education. A Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—Education (SNAP-Ed) program was developed for college students as one of these efforts. ObjectiveTo explore program content, recruitment, and implementation through experiences of program implementers in a novel SNAP-Ed intervention among college students. DesignThis qualitative study used focus groups and a case study approach to elicit program implementers’ experiences delivering SNAP-Ed to college students. Participants/settingStudents, staff, and faculty (n = 26) implementing SNAP-Ed with college students experiencing food insecurity across eight campuses in the California State University system participated in 8 focus groups in 2021–2022. Main outcome measuresA process evaluation framework was used to evaluate content fit and orientation; recruitment, retention, and reach; and structure and capacity for implementation. Analyses performedFocus groups were recorded, transcribed, and coded via thematic analysis using NVivo (QSR International, Burlington, MA). ResultsFive themes were identified: (1) need for this work to extend college-based basic needs services; (2) importance of aligning programming with college student context/needs; (3) common factors important for attracting/engaging the audience; (4) program barriers; and (5) training/team sharing for extending ideas. ConclusionsStudy findings suggest tailoring SNAP-Ed programming to the needs of college students experiencing food insecurity, such as integrating student-relevant cooking skills, recipes, and topics of interest. Additional intervention and research efforts may lead to a new model for serving college students with SNAP-Ed.

Nationally Recognized Open Door Model

The White House brochure during a US Presidential Award ceremony stated of Oppenheimer: “He has developed an open door model that encourages students of all economic strata and ethnic groups to participate in his research.” The national recognition noted in the title of this paper included:1) a US Presidential Award for science research mentoring, a White House program administered by the National Science Foundation. The White House brochure said that Oppenheimer’s philosophy was that all interested students should be given the opportunity to do research.Research should not be reserved for the elite.2) election as a Fellow of the American Association for the advancement of science (AAAS). A Fellow of the AAAS is defined as a Member whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its application are scientifically or socially distinguished. Specifically of Oppenheimer as a AAAS Fellow it noted for studies on cell surface carbohydrates in morphogenesis and malignancy. And also for award winning programs that bring advances in science to the student3) statewide Trustees Outstanding Professor Award of the 500,000 student California State University system (largest public university system in the United States). Two of about 20,000 faculty are selected for this highest system wide award each year.These honors resulted from an open door student research program, student career outcomes, student co-authored publications and 14 textbooks/textbook editions. Most of all Oppenheimer’s enthusiasm, energy and humor were instrumental in this success. This program is replicable for those with the energy, enthusiasm and motivation to work with many research students. This paper will explore all the components of this program (Note 1-94).

To eat or to learn? Wagering the price tag of learning: Zero cost textbook degree

The escalating costs that are associated with earning an undergraduate degree often force students to make difficult choices regarding whether they can afford the financial costs to remain in school. Our students encounter many economic challenges and hardships as they attempted to earn a degree. We believe that required textbook costs for courses should not hinder student learning or be the obstacle that prevents students from completing their courses and graduating. For many students, textbook affordability is a pressing retention need. If the choice that students need to make is deciding on whether they can afford to pay the rent, purchase food for the month, or buy a textbook, the probability of investing in a textbook is slim at best. Within the context of this paper, we discuss the challenges and opportunities that emerge in the California State University system, when moving from traditional high-priced textbooks to low or no cost Open Educational Resources for university course offerings that can reduce the financial burden on students and potentially increase retention to graduation rates.

The Chicano Student Movement at California State College Los Angeles, 1967–1971

The authors examine the successful efforts to set up the first department of Mexican American Studies, possibly the first Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) in the California State University system, the establishment of a community center, and a Black and Brown House on the campus. The article details the negotiations among administrators, students, faculty, staff, and community. The goal is to highlight how the background of the East Los Angeles Blowouts, the response to the Vietnam War, the reaction to police violence, and the rise of La Raza Unida Party were central to the success of establishing these academic and university programs. At the same time, the essay underscores how these constituencies, given their divergent interests, were able to shift the institution. The authors use archival documentation and oral histories to demonstrate their points.

Bibliometric Analysis of Educational Researches on Bilingualism

The aim of this research is to perform a bibliometric analysis of published academic studies on “bilingualism” in the category of educational research in the Web of Science (WoS) database. Research titles were searched using the keyword “bilingualism” in all WoS data bases on the Web of Knowledge Web page. In order to reach a holistic interpretation, the study was done to cover the 51-year time period between the years 1970-2021 by starting from the oldest date available in the database. As a result of the search, the bibliometric data of the 1975 academic study was used as the data set of the study. The bibliometric analysis was used as the data analysis technique in the study. The research topics and orientations of the academic publications examined within the scope of the study were visually mapped through the keywords in the publications. Within this direction, WordArt online word cloud software was preferred. The social network analysis of the keywords of the 1975 academic study on bilingualism that is one of the bibliometric analysis tools, was visualized by using the VOSviewer (Version 1.6.16) package program. As a result of the analysis done, the year 2020 was the year with the most publications on bilingualism in the WoS database. In the field, mostly English publications were made. Most of the detected publications are of the article type. The California State University System – USA ranks first as the institution in which the authors publish on bilingualism. Most publications on bilingualism were done in the International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. The country with the most publications and the country with the most cooperation network is the USA. It has been determined that concepts such as bilingualism, multilingualism, bilingual education, language policy, language switching, dual literacy, identity, language ideologies, second language acquisition, code change and literacy are used in scientific publications. It is thought that the study draws a broad framework for researchers in the field and contributes to the field.

Open Access and the End of a Big Deal

After the California State University system canceled a large journal package in 2015, California State University Northridge analyzed usage and overlap data and proceeded with a subscription to a small number of single titles. This collection development decision was coupled with an attempt to improve discovery and linking for open access content. In the years since the cancelation, overall usage of the publishers journal content has remained comparable to pre-cancelation usage, while downloads of open access content have increased.

Reasons Faculty Teach, or Do Not Teach, Service-Learning Courses in a Pandemic: The Role of Faculty Investment and Clues for the Future of Service-Learning

Objectives: Current issues impact the number and type of service-learning courses (SLCs) offered across universities. Our research aims to address the barriers and offer solutions to implementing SLCs. Methods: Instructors (<em>n</em> = 117) in the California State University system, the largest in the United States, who taught SLCs in fall 2019 and spring 2020 were contacted to understand why they chose to continue, or discontinue, teaching SLCs in Fall 2020. Results: The majority of participants continued to teach an SLC. Those who had more experience teaching SLCs were more likely to continue. Additionally, female participants trended toward being more likely to consider the use of service-learning as a high-impact practice as more important in their decision to continue teaching an SLC compared to male participants. Additional results and further implications are addressed. Conclusions: While there are significant barriers to teaching SLCs in a remote environment, there are viable solutions.

Impacts of Student-Led Sustainability Efforts at Fresno State

As California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) continues to develop institutional capacity to improve sustainability within the contexts of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the university mission, and strategic objectives identified by the California State University (CSU), student activism has played a critical role in establishing the groundwork for current efforts. Despite progress towards an overarching goal of integrating sustainability into all parts of the institution, near constant turnover within the institution and student-led organizations often leaves uncertainties about institutionalization, with questions often arising about the respective roles of faculty, staff, and students. It is also often unclear whether the sustainability efforts contributed by students acts to empower them or if it serves as an additional burden. In our research, we compare a case-study of our student-led efforts towards the integration of sustainability at Fresno State to a landscape analysis of integrative sustainability efforts findable across websites of all other CSUs. The aim of this paper is to examine the current roles that students are playing in both campus and system-wide sustainability efforts. Case study and landscape analysis results suggest that while students look to their campuses to provide sustainability leadership, youth-led efforts are apparently the most numerous in advancing efforts across the CSU system. This supports more contemporary views of students and the need for asset-mindedness, as well as the idea that educational institutions--who are charged with leading sustainability (i.e., AASHE)--can increase equity and reduce student burdens by recognizing, supporting, and intentionally collaborating with leading student efforts.

Virtual Undergraduate Internships: One COVID-19 Side Effect THat Academic Libraries Should Keep

In spring 2020, the California State University System and its 23 campuses became the first in the United States to commit to a year of remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote instruction separated the system’s librarians from their users, whose needs were especially great within the system’s ethnically, economically, and academically diverse student body. At California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI), public health guidelines and closures prevented many students from fulfilling internship and field experience requirements needed for graduation. CSUCI’s John Spoore Broome Library established a work-around by implementing a virtual internship program for one undergraduate that benefited both the student and the library. This paper, coauthored by the intern, documents the virtual internship, describes the model and structure of the experience, and argues that such remote internships are one pandemic side effect that should remain to promote equity in library and information science.

Ethnic Studies Today: Battles and Possibilities

When California’s Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1460 into law on August 17, 2020, we cheered.1 As educators of color who teach in the California State University (CSU) system and as ethnic studies educators, we celebrated the fact that the discipline of ethnic studies was being recognized for the value it brings to all students’ lives. AB 1460 requires CSU students to take one 3-credit unit of any qualifying ethnic studies courses. Almost a year later on October 8, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 101 making California the first state that requires students to take Ethnic Studies to earn a high school diploma. The approved AB 101 legislation requires that by 2025 all high school students take one semester course in Ethnic Studies. Despite these victories—mandated Ethnic Studies in the CSU and in California high schools—the battle continues as the implementation of Ethnic Studies remains contentious. Nonetheless, we are still hopeful in the transformative possibilities of Ethnic Studies in California.

Campus Smoking Policies and Smoking-Related Twitter Posts Originating From California Public Universities: Retrospective Study.

BackgroundThe number of colleges and universities with smoke- or tobacco-free campus policies has been increasing. The effects of campus smoking policies on overall sentiment, particularly among young adult populations, are more difficult to assess owing to the changing tobacco and e-cigarette product landscape and differential attitudes toward policy implementation and enforcement.ObjectiveThe goal of the study was to retrospectively assess the campus climate toward tobacco use by comparing tweets from California universities with and those without smoke- or tobacco-free campus policies.MethodsGeolocated Twitter posts from 2015 were collected using the Twitter public application programming interface in combination with cloud computing services on Amazon Web Services. Posts were filtered for tobacco products and behavior-related keywords. A total of 42,877,339 posts were collected from 2015, with 2837 originating from a University of California or California State University system campus, and 758 of these manually verified as being about smoking. Chi-square tests were conducted to determine if there were significant differences in tweet user sentiments between campuses that were smoke- or tobacco-free (all University of California campuses and California State University, Fullerton) compared to those that were not. A separate content analysis of tweets included in chi-square tests was conducted to identify major themes by campus smoking policy status.ResultsThe percentage of positive sentiment tweets toward tobacco use was higher on campuses without a smoke- or tobacco-free campus policy than on campuses with a smoke- or tobacco-free campus policy (76.7% vs 66.4%, P=.03). Higher positive sentiment on campuses without a smoke- or tobacco-free campus policy may have been driven by general comments about one’s own smoking behavior and comments about smoking as a general behavior. Positive sentiment tweets originating from campuses without a smoke- or tobacco-free policy had greater variation in tweet type, which may have also contributed to differences in sentiment among universities.ConclusionsOur study introduces preliminary data suggesting that campus smoke- and tobacco-free policies are associated with a reduction in positive sentiment toward smoking. However, continued expressions and intentions to smoke and reports of one’s own smoking among Twitter users suggest a need for more research to better understand the dynamics between implementation of smoke- and tobacco-free policies and resulting tobacco behavioral sentiment.

Outside the R1: Equitable data management at the undergraduate level

Universities within the California State University System are given the mandate to teach the students of the state, as is the case with many regional, public universities. This mandate places teaching first; however, research and scholarship are still required activities for reaching retention, tenure, and promotion, as well as important skills for students to practice. Data management instruction for both faculty and undergraduates is often omitted at these institutions, which fall outside of the R1 designation. This happens for a variety of reasons, including personnel and resource limitations. Such limitations disproportionately burden students from underrepresented populations, who are more heavily represented at these institutions. These students have pathways to graduate school and the digital economy, like their counterparts at R1s; thus, they are also in need of research data management skills. This paper describes and provides a scalable, low-resource model for data management instruction from the university library and integrated into a department’s capstone or final project curriculum. In the case study, students and their instructors participated in workshops and submitted data management plans as a requirement of their final project. The analysis will analyze the results of the project and focus on the broader implications of integrating research data management into undergraduate curriculum at public, regional universities. By working with faculty to integrate data management practices into their curricula, librarians reach both students and faculty members with best practices for research data management. This work also contributes to a more equitable and sustainable research landscape.

Teaching Faculty to Reach First-Generation College Students: The Impact of a Professional Development Course on Faculty

The Teaching First-Generation College Students Across Cultural Strengths course was developed in the context of a large-scale initiative to eliminate equity gaps in graduation rates within the California State University system. The online course enabled faculty to revise curriculum and instructional practices in the summer and support implementation in fall. Faculty developed the course using Longerbeam and Chávez’s cultural framework for teaching and learning to help faculty understand why and how to make modifications to deepen learning for first-generation college students by drawing upon students’ strengths. This study reports the impact on faculty practice and their beliefs about their students and themselves.

Course Design and Academic Outcomes in Quantitative Literacy After Eliminating Required Remediation

In Fall 2018, remedial mathematics courses were eliminated from the 23-campus California State University system under Executive Order 1110. Incoming first-year students were placed into college credit-bearing mathematics courses with options for corequisite support. This study examines the academic outcomes for students at California State University Monterey Bay in a college credit level quantitative literacy (QL) mathematics course with optional corequisite support during the 2018-2019 academic year. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that required remediation is not necessary for success in college-level QL. The corequisite support model also has potential to support more equitable outcomes for all students. However, further study is needed to identify institutional, departmental, and pedagogical best practices for effective corequisite support in QL.

The Great Sham of the California State University System

The Great Sham of the California State University System