Diverse Campus Research Articles

Towards waste management in higher education institute: The case of architecture department (CIC-New Cairo)

Waste Management represents a significant challenge Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) face as they strive to achieve their sustainability goals. The fundamental concern lies in the impact of waste on health and socioeconomics. Consequently, there is a pressing need to adopt effective waste management techniques. The issue becomes more complex within HEIs, which generate substantial types of waste. The amount of waste produced by HEIs and diverse campus activities exacerbates the problem. Compounding this challenge is the lack of proper waste segregation and disposal methods. The research aims to define the specific checkpoints for waste management that should be considered to apply the waste management plan in HEIs by developing a workflow of waste management in HEIs. Any HEI can create a closed-loop system for effective waste management by following these workflow processes. To be able to test the efficiency of the workflow, the research employs a questionnaire via question-pro targeted at all CIC-architecture department users, followed by creating a four weeks project in the environmental control course by applying the process of the workflow of waste management in HEIs which finds that the most waste type for architecture engineering is papers which resulted in developing the waste management methods to be applied on most of the curriculum's courses then ended by suggesting another method related to cooperating with non-profit recycling firms. Finally, the results confirm the research objectives which shows that the existence of waste management workflow helps the stakeholder to develop a waste management plan suitable to the activities of each college.

Reexamining the Relationships of Religious Communities and the Public University: A Call-Back to Two Previous Scholars’ Responses With New Lenses

Higher education in the 2020s remains deeply divided on the role of religion, or what the Council on the Advancement of Standards (CAS) in 2023 describes as “religious, secular, and spiritual identities.” In two previous articles in this Journal, one 2010 article by the late Peter Magolda and one in 2014 by Perry Glanzer, detail the ways in which students and the student groups themselves should be considered in relationship with their institutions. However, ten years after those arguments, questions of how religious leadership should relate to and interact with the institution still remain. The ways in which institutions are utilizing critical religious pluralism theory are at the forefront of three relationship-minded considerations the authors wish to highlight. Initially, understanding the relationships requires reexamination of the ways interpretations of the First Amendment affect public and the private university settings for religious life. This article explores the relevance of professionalizing the relationship between religious leaders and the institution, the ways in which such a relationship can support stability of the religious communities themselves, and the importance of progressive Christian groups as a part of a more religiously diverse campus’s pluralistic religious and spiritual ethos. The gaps in Magolda and Glanzer’s arguments, plus the emergence of critical religious pluralism theory, offers new opportunities to consider higher education policies and practices related to “religious, secular, and spiritual” identities.

Universiti Sains Malaysia Campus Nature Challenge: A Collaborative Citizen Science Initiative For Biodiversity Conservation And Environmental Awareness

Considering the growing global biodiversity crisis, citizen science initiatives have emerged as powerful tools for long-term ecological data collection involving non-experts in research. “USM Campus Nature Challenge”, a collaborative effort led by the USM Library in partnership with the School of Biological Sciences and the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies, aimed to create awareness about ecological concerns and biodiversity conservation within the university community by documenting biodiversity at USM’s main campus. Methodologically, the project organized a 6-week ‘bio blitz’ event open to citizen scientists to explore the flora and fauna of USM’s diverse campus habitats while cataloging species through the iNaturalist app. The results revealed that plant species dominated the observations, constituting 64.9% of recorded biodiversity and reflecting the rich botanical diversity on the USM campus. Further observations included insects (10.4%), fungi (7.6%), birds (6.3%), and various other species, underscoring the complexity of the ecological web of the campus. An evaluation of data quality revealed that 36.6% of the species identifications were categorized as “Research Grade”, 47.8% were designated as needing further identification, and 15.7% were graded as “casual”. In conclusion, the project leveraged the approach to create more public awareness about local ecological concerns and to strengthen the University community’s connection to nature. This USM Library’s pilot initiative closely aligns with the Open Science movement related to citizen science in Malaysia.

Navigating Threats of Wildfires and Individual Rights to Adopt 100% Tobacco-Free Policy in Rural California Community Colleges.

In California, all four-year public colleges have adopted 100% smoke-/tobacco-free policies (TFP) whereas community colleges (CCs), particularly rural CCs, are less likely to have tobacco-free environments. This raises concerns about health equity, particularly because smoking prevalence is higher in rural areas compared to urban. We examined policy adoption barriers and facilitators for rural California CCs with the aim of providing lessons learned to support TFP adoption by rural CCs and improve conditions for student health and well-being. A multiple case study of four CCs in California with (n = 2) and without (n = 2) TFPs was conducted. Semi-structured interviews with 12 campus and community stakeholders, school administrative data, and policy-relevant documents were analyzed at the case level with comparison across cases to identify key barriers, facilitators and campus-specific experiences. All four CCs shared similar barriers to policy adoption including concerns about wildfires, individual rights, and fear of marginalizing people who smoke on campus. These CCs have experienced serious wildfires in the last ten years, have high community smoking prevalence, and fewer school resources for student health. For the two tobacco-free CCs, long-term wildfire mitigation efforts along with leadership support, campus/community partnerships and a collective approach involving diverse campus sectors were essential facilitators in successful TFP adoption. Study results underscore contextual pressures and campus dynamics that impact tobacco control efforts at colleges in rural communities. Strategies to advance college TFP adoption and implementation should recognize rural cultural and community priorities.

Understanding the social significance of a sports club for university students in South Korea

ABSTRACT Aiming to explore the meaning and value of the space of a sports club for university students in South Korea, this study employs the idea of spatial culture by Henri Lefebvre. The foundation of the cultural experience of a sports club is the cultural experience of a specific space; therefore, this paper takes the concern of spatial culture as the theoretical starting point. The research method is participant observation, and the researchers explored a sports club culture in South Korea for 4 months. The topics discussed in this study, such as, the boundaryless atmosphere within the sports club which provides the possibility for students to seek empathy; the sports club provides an obvious boundary with daily life which allows students to build another identity for resisting dissatisfaction with life; and last, it also provides the possibility of learning for students in a changing and diverse campus environment.

Appreciation of differences: promoting diversity and flourishing among college students

PurposeCollege students who are interested in experiencing and learning about other cultures could be potential agents to ongoing social and policy initiatives in promoting societal changes. As universities intensify their efforts toward embracing cultural diversity, it is imperative to gauge how these diversity initiatives resonate with students' developmental stage and pursuits in diverse campus climates. However, what kinds of educational experiences/contexts students choose for enhancing cultural competence, and how seeking diversity experiences might benefit college students in emotional wellbeing and cognitive skills, are under-investigated.Design/methodology/approachThis study explores the relationships among college students' diversity-seeking behaviors, cultural competence, perspective-taking, and flourishing. A total of 359 college students from a STEM-focused university participated in this study. Students were recruited from classes over four semesters, from 2021 to 2023.FindingsStudents exhibited moderate to high levels of interest in seeking diversity in their learning experiences. Results from the structural equation modeling showed that higher levels of diversity-seeking in learning were associated with higher levels of perceived cultural competence, as well as higher levels of perspective-taking and flourishing.Originality/valueThis research delves into experiential and extracurricular dimensions of learning diversity, bridging a significant gap in academic literature. This study also elucidates the links between aspects of diversity engagement, cultural competence, and positive outcomes for college students, which underscores the significance of diversity-focused educational opportunities in higher education. Such opportunities are instrumental in enhancing cultural proficiency and further implications on cognitive growth and emotional well-being.

Prevention and Control of Infections in the University Community

The pressing issue of infectious diseases in Nigerian university communities was examined in this review, where unique challenges stemming from high-density interactions and diverse campus environments necessitate targeted infection prevention and control strategies. Focusing on prevalent infections such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and the recent impact of COVID-19, with the aim of providing comprehensive recommendations that empower institutions to safeguard the health and well-being of their communities. The paper critically assesses the current prevalence and impact of infectious diseases among university students, examining existing prevention and control measures to identify strengths, weaknesses, and resource gaps. By proposing context-specific strategies, including enhanced hand hygiene practices, early testing protocols, technology integration, promotion of good hygiene, and ensuring basic amenities, the article aims to guide universities in customizing approaches based on their unique needs. The article also explores the influence of socioeconomic and cultural factors on the feasibility and success of these strategies. Emphasizing the crucial role of individual responsibility and community engagement, the research seeks to foster a sustainable culture of health within Nigerian university campuses. This article contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering practical insights and recommendations tailored to the specific challenges faced by university communities in Nigeria, ultimately promoting resilient and health-conscious educational environments. Keywords: university community, infection, prevention, control

The work of college counseling centers in the early 21st century.

For many years, the mental health of college students has been a major concern in higher education. Through a review of the research literature, this article will illuminate the reasons why at this time in history the mental health of college students is a top priority, the value of investing in campus counseling centers, and how college student mental health care must continue to evolve in order to meet the needs of increasingly diverse campuses. This article will provide an understanding of how college and university counseling centers past and present have always centered their work in the context of the socioecological environment of the times. Special attention will be paid to how societal and institutional forces have shaped both expectations for and delivery of care in the first quarter of the current century. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A regional gap analysis to inform the implementation of the Irish Healthy Campus Framework

Abstract Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) constitute prudent ecological contexts for ‘whole-setting’ health promotion (HP) encompassing institutional policies, built environments, sociocultural norms, transdisciplinary research, and capacity-building curricula. As potent life course conduits for both monitoring and addressing public-health priorities, evidence-based HP within HEIs synergistically aligns with cross-sectoral agendas, including the UN SDGs, Okanagan Charter for Health Promoting Universities, and the EU Global Health Strategy. In Ireland, the health-enhancing potential of the higher education sector has been recognised, and validated, via the design and implementation of the Irish Healthy Campus Framework (IHCF). Concurrently, however, there remains a dearth of empirical evidence to underpin the efficacy of ecological HP interventions in contemporary HEIs. As the first inter-institutional collaboration of its kind to inform the implementation of the IHCF within two HEIs in Ireland (N > 37,000 students, N > 4,700 staff), this mixed-methods (QUAN-QUAL) research aims to examine the health and lifestyle profiles of inherently diverse campus populations, in addition to exploring the qualitative perspectives of cross-campus HP stakeholders. Pertinent measures will include two comprehensive web-based health instruments, comprised of iteratively devised items, in addition to a series of validated scales. Qualitative analyses will be rooted in an empirical model, which will be utilised to map and evaluate the ecological reach of HP services and interventions, serving as a regional gap analysis. This novel research will identify thematic priorities amongst a heterogeneous target population comprised of students and staff across two distinct universities, spanning seven regional campuses in the southwest of Ireland. Given the magnitude of HEIs as settings for health, these data will be of interest to a multitude of public health practitioners, academics, and policy makers. Key messages • This research is the first inter-institutional collaboration of its kind to inform the implementation of the Healthy Campus Framework within two HEIs in Ireland (N > 37,000 students, N > 4,700 staff). • Emerging international frameworks recognise universities as potent, and highly-scalable, life course conduits through which to monitor and address public health priorities.

The Current Landscape of Faculty Developers in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Across Diverse Campuses in the United States

The Current Landscape of Faculty Developers in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Across Diverse Campuses in the United States

Addressing and preventing food and housing insecurity among college students: An asset-based approach

Universities have implemented a range of initiatives to address food and housing insecurity, but few studies have examined how campus communities are engaging around these issues. This article explores how North Carolina State University conducted asset-mapping workshops, a community-based participatory research (CBPR) method, to mobilize the campus community and identify solutions to address the root causes of food insecurity and other forms of basic needs insecurity among students. Workshop participants identified exemplary resources focused on addressing students’ immediate needs (e.g., campus food pantries, a student emergency fund). At the same time, they stated that basic needs insecurity is tied to longer-term, systemic issues like wage inequality and a lack of affordable housing. Participants also noted that historically marginalized students (e.g., LGBTQ+, low-income, first-generation college) often experience food and housing insecurity in complex ways requiring targeted solutions. Our results suggest that CBPR methods like asset mapping offer an approach that, when done well, can center the voices and experiences of diverse campus populations to identify and address the complex structural and systemic processes that shape students’ experiences of food and housing insecurity.

Global communication skills: contextual factors fostering their development at internationalised higher education institutions

ABSTRACT Communication skills are highly sought after by employers, as industry reports repeatedly show. At the same time, those reports also reveal that many employers are dissatisfied with their newly hired graduates’ communication skills. In addition, increasing globalisation has led to the call for ‘global graduates’ who can function well in culturally diverse contexts. Considering both aspects, it is important, to explore which factors help foster students’ global communication skills. This paper investigates this issue, testing the impact of potential factors identified from previous literature. Data was collected from 2359 students in seven different institutions located in five different countries. A linear regression model was tested to identify those factors which most contribute to global communication skills development. Results show that motivation to improve communication skills and the experience of social and academic integration into the campus community made the most significant contribution to participants’ higher levels of global communication skills development. Besides, students who were presented with relevant opportunities and support from their respective institution and those engaged with foreign languages also demonstrated higher levels of global communication skills development. The paper concludes that for students to acquire the communication skills needed for working successfully in diverse contexts, and hence to become ‘global graduates’, it is essential that they venture out of their comfort zones and engage with the diverse campus community. At the same time, this engagement requires universities’ guidance and support to help maximise the learning gains from such intercultural encounters.

Facilitators of a Campus Tobacco-free Policy: Navigating the Politics

Objective: In this paper, we discuss prioritization, formulation, and adoption of a comprehensive campus tobacco-free policy on a large, diverse campus at a public university in the United States. Methods: We examined the comprehensive campus tobacco-free policy experience through Kindgon’s Multiple Streams Framework, which stipulates that policy change can happen when problem, policy, and politics align. We focus on the factors that led the political stream to align with the problem and policy streams to create a “window of opportunity” for adopting this policy. Results: The campus experience with COVID-19 helped spur policy adoption. Support from leadership, a committed faculty-administration team, engagement with stakeholders and community partners, knowledge of the policy adoption process, and sustained advocacy all contributed to policy adoption. Conclusions: Campus tobacco-free policy advocates can navigate the politics of prioritizing, formulating, and adopting a campus smoke-free policy by knowing the context and process, being comfortable with policy work, engaging with tobacco prevention stakeholders, sustaining their efforts and advocating in multiple ways, and considering implementation and evaluation early.

Impact of COVID-19 on college students at one of the most diverse campuses in the USA: a factor analysis of survey data

ObjectiveThis survey study is designed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stress among specific subpopulations of college students.Design, settings and participantsAn online questionnaire was sent to the...

Adaptation Strategy to Speak Sundanese as Intercultural Communication In Padjadjaran University

Intercultural communication often occurs in student life. The diverse campus consists of multi-ethnic students. One of them is the existence of Padjadjaran University which is a campus thick with its motherhood and is an educational destination for students outside Bandung. The purpose of this study was to find out how non-Sundanese students adapted and used what strategies to speak Sundanese with Sundanese students at Padjadjaran University. The theory used for this study is the accommodation communication toeri. this research method is qualitative. This study used Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT). The subjects of this study were three students from Padjadjaran University and the object of the study was what strategy they used to speak Sundanese as intercultural communication. The data collection technique of this study used semi-structured in-depth interviews. The results of this study showed that the three students used convergence strategies in intercultural communication. This strategy emphasizes speakers to follow the local language because they feel they have something in common with the Sundanese identity, are willing to use the Sundanese language and learn to use their accents and tones, and have the same motivation, namely using the Sundanese language to adapt to the local culture.

P085 Understanding Oklahoma State University Students’ Awareness of Campus Food Security Resources

<h3>Background</h3> Food insecurity is a prevalent issue in college campuses across the country. The Hunger on Campus study found that 48% of college students face food insecurity. Studies conducted in 2018 and 2020 found approximately 42% of Oklahoma State University-Stillwater students were food insecure. Sophomores, juniors, seniors, and minority students were at the highest risk, yet were not using campus or community food security resources. <h3>Objective</h3> Identify factors contributing to limited use of campus food security resources. <h3>Study Design, Setting, Participants</h3> The qualitative study was conducted in October 2021 on the OSU Stillwater campus. Sophomores, juniors, and senior-level students were recruited using a randomized email list and through ethnically diverse campus organizations. The interview questions were developed based on findings of the previous studies by researchers and campus life administration familiar with the study. Six interviews were conducted either in-person or virtually. Participants were incentivized with a $10 University Dining gift card. <h3>Measurable Outcome/Analysis</h3> Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Two researchers independently analyzed the data for each interview and identified themes across interviews, then met to discuss and resolve differences. The data and themes were reviewed by a third researcher to minimize bias. For each overarching theme summary statements were written and quotes were extracted. <h3>Results</h3> Saturation of information was received after conducting 6 interviews. The majority (71%) of respondents represented minority racial/ethnic groups. The primary factor limiting student usage of resources was a lack of awareness and perceived stigma for needing food assistance. The recommended strategy for increasing awareness was to distribute information on campus via social media followed by A-Frames. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Campus food security resources are underutilized due to students' lack of awareness and perceived stigma. The findings can be used by student governments and campus life leaders in promoting food resources. The long-term implication is increased awareness of food security resources at OSU-Stillwater. <h3>Funding</h3> None

The Power of Campfire Spaces for Diversity Education: A Case Study Analysis of a Diversity-Focused Outdoor Adventure Program

Diversity interventions on college campuses provide engagement opportunities for students to interact across lines of difference. Despite these efforts, hate crimes, racial and cultural insensitivity, and a lack of engagement with diverse peers are prevalent. This qualitative case study used an embedded single-case design to explore a new type of intervention: diversity-focused outdoor adventure trips. These trips draw participants from diverse campus communities and create bridges across student populations who might not interact otherwise. Findings from this study suggest that students experience meaningful experiential learning about diversity on outdoor adventure trips. Students are then able to create connections with diverse peers that impact their views of the campus and diverse peers in their community. These findings have implications for extending campus diversity education beyond the traditional classroom or workshop environment and demonstrates the potential for outdoor recreation and education contexts to be opportunities for powerful personal connections among diverse participants. These connections among individuals illustrate the potential for outdoor recreation experiences to forge new bonds between across disparate communities.

Challenges and Strategies Facing International Students and Faculty in U.S. Higher Education: A Comprehensive Literature Review

With increasing numbers of international students on university campuses in the U.S., culturally and linguistically responsive (CLR) practices become more important than ever in helping students fit in a new environment and achieve their academic goals. However, not all universities and faculty are prepared or equipped with the knowledge to adopt CLR methods in classrooms across the disciplines. The purpose of this literature review is three-fold: (1) to examine the cultural and linguistic challenges that international students face in U.S. higher institutions; (2) to investigate faculty’s perspectives on international students and implementing CLR practices in their classroom teaching; and (3) to explore CLR strategies or recommendations that have been used successfully to alleviate the challenges. In assessing the current status of CLR in tertiary education, this article reviewed 21 research studies and found that both international students and faculty at U.S. institutions of higher education are facing challenges in terms of language, culture, classroom discussions, academic expectations, and interpersonal relationships. These findings hold implications for promoting the development of CLR practices among faculty and tertiary institutions to foster a diverse campus capable of truly accommodating and supporting students from multicultural backgrounds. Keywordsinternational students, culturally and linguistically responsive practices, challenges, faculty

A perspective on collaborative partnerships to expand campus buy-in for digital collections

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore, from the perspective of a medium-sized academic library, how libraries can pursue and use collaboration with other units on campus to increase support and buy-in for digital collections.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is approached from the perspective of a medium-sized academic library located in Alabama, USA. This study examines ways to foster collaboration with diverse campus units, the challenges that can be encountered and ways to overcome these barriers to collaboration. Examples of the potential and realized benefits are also enumerated.FindingsThis paper demonstrates that, while there are challenges that must be overcome, regular and sustained collaboration with nonlibrary campus units can result in the creation of unique digital collections that such units are not capable of pursuing without library partnership. These partnerships increase visibility for the library and its services, as well as buy-in and support for digital collections from other campus units and, importantly, university administration.Practical implicationsAcademic libraries, especially those at small- to medium-sized institutions, face continual budget restrictions and calls to justify the resources expended. This impacts all aspects of library services, but especially the creation of digital collections, which are cost- and labor-intensive. By offering examples of collaboration, libraries can explore ways to partner that will foster buy-in and support at their own institutions.Originality/valueThis paper provides examples and details considerations that can make the process of collaboration simpler and more effective for other academic libraries to pursue.

Increasing Patron’s Outreach and Engagement through Relationship Marketing: A Case Study

Increased diversity, demographics, and population shifts in higher education have led many academic libraries to reexamine their marketing efforts and adopt strategies that promote relationships and inclusivity. This requirement has become more prominent among libraries serving a highly diverse user community, particularly in a more racially and ethnically diverse campus. Adopting a marketing model that cultivates more meaningful long-term relationships with customers ensures long-term satisfaction and loyalty to the library brand. Using marketing and promotional examples from the James White Library, this article addresses the academic library’s relationship marketing strategy in an increasingly multicultural higher education environment.