Public Land-grant University Research Articles

Navigating challenges in American higher education: Korean international Christian students’ use of spiritual capital in response to white Christian nationalism

Despite extensive scholarly debates on Christian privilege and Secular privilege in American higher education, the voices of international students have often been absent from this discourse. This article is a response to a recent call for diverse perspectives to advance current discussions on white Christian nationalism in American higher education. Borrowing Bradford Verter’s (2003) spiritual capital, we explore Korean international Christian students’ experience of white Christian nationalism and its counter-movements in a college town near a public land-grant university in the Northeast. Through life history interviews with 16 participants, our study reveals the complex, problematic, and nuanced relationship between Korean international Christian students and white Christian nationalism. On the one hand, our participants acknowledged that the dominance of whiteness in Christianity led their professors and classmates to overlook the possibility that Asians could also be Christian, resulting in feelings of isolation and marginalization in class. On the other hand, they encountered the perception of Christianity as outdated, broken, and unintellectual among American professors and colleagues, which silenced their voices. In navigating these challenges, participants drew on their spiritual capital to construct their meanings, identities, and belongings in the social, academic, and religious realms.

Service, Interrupted: Analyzing Chat Reference Referrals

ABSTRACT This study examines chat reference interruptions at a public land grant university, focusing primarily on referrals. Since interrupted service is never ideal, how do we best handle these situations, both with the patrons and within and across library departments? Researchers examined chat transcripts and pinpointed transactions that contained interruptions or delays in service. The transcripts with service interruptions were then combed and analyzed to discover which strategies and actions proved most successful, and which library departments or staff members were absorbing most of the referred queries. Findings not only provided evidence and case studies for better reference training and interdepartmental cooperation, but also shed light on the intricacies of referrals. The analysis revealed many paths forward, including creating targeted canned chats, utilizing our findings in reference trainings, and improving communication and cooperation with the most referred-to library department.

Improving population health and well-being in academic institutions and health care systems with the Chief Wellness Officer: A vital yet untapped nursing leadership role

BackgroundThere is an epidemic of chronic conditions throughout the world. Although the majority of chronic disease can be prevented, the U.S. invests so little of its healthcare spending in wellness and prevention. Nurses are an ideal profession to lead a needed paradigm shift as chief wellness officers (CWOs). PurposeThe aim of this paper is to describe the role of the CWO in improving population health and well-being in universities and health systems. MethodsAn example of how the CWO role was implemented at a large public land grant university is provided. The socioecological model and life course perspective was adopted as the framework to guide an ambitious wellness strategic plan using an evidence-based quality improvement strategy. DiscussionThe CWO is a vital leadership role in today’s institutions of higher learning and health systems. ConclusionThere is an urgent need for nurses to step up into these impactful CWO positions.

Navigating Hidden Hunger: An Exploratory Analysis of the Lived Experience of Food Insecurity among College Students.

College students are a vulnerable population to food insecurity (FI), which has significant implications for academic and health outcomes. The aims of this study were to explore the meaning of FI and its impact on students’ lived experiences and food decisions, facilitators and barriers to food access as a student, and students’ proposed solutions to address FI. Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with thirty students from a large, public land grant university in the Southeast United States. Grounded theory methodology was utilized with a constant comparative coding strategy to guide thematic analysis. Nine main themes emerged. Themes included the perceived meaning of FI, students’ lived experience with FI, and food related coping strategies and decisions. Facilitators to food access were found to be social-networks and on-campus resources, while barriers to food access included financial burden of higher education, and stigma and social comparison. Proposed solutions to FI aligned with two main themes: food access solutions and information access solutions. Both of these themes included multiple subthemes that provided specific suggestions to address food insecurity for students. The findings aid in understanding the complex lived experience of FI and can inform future efforts to center student experiences, perceptions, and feedback into institutional frameworks to best meet student needs.

Transactional factors influencing the implementation of intercollegiate Extension programs at U.S. land-grant universities

University engagement within communities is becoming more important, and public land-grant universities (LGUs) are uniquely situated to create knowledge that benefits society. Intercollegiate Extension programs could be a novel approach to improving university engagement by using the Extension mission as a catalyst for socially relevant programs. However, a gap remains in the literature regarding specific guidelines to overcome barriers toward intercollegiate Extension programs. The purpose of this study was to explore how transactional factors influenced the implementation of intercollegiate Extension programs at LGUs. A qualitative descriptive phenomenological research design was used. The Organizational Change model guided the interview protocol creation. All eight participants were employed by LGUs. Template analysis was applied to the data combined with the constant comparative method. Four themes and six sub-themes emerged from the interviews. The transactional themes were: (a) promotion and tenure, (b) utilizing LGUs’ organizational structures to support intercollegiate Extension programs, (c) task and individual skills required for successful intercollegiate programs, and (d) professional recognition. Utilizing LGUs’ organizational structures to support intercollegiate Extension programs was most relevant to the success of intercollegiate programs. Intercollegiate Extension programs should use existing assets like the county-based infrastructure to assist in disseminating university knowledge relevant for addressing public needs.

Registration of TN13‐4304 soybean germplasm with good yield, high meal protein, and resistance to peanut and southern root knot nematode

AbstractTN13‐4304 (Reg. no. GP‐450, PI 699660) is a conventional late maturity group (MG) IV (relative maturity 4.9) soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] with high seed yield potential, high meal protein, and resistance to southern root knot nematode, peanut root knot nematode, and stem canker. It was developed and released by the University of Tennessee soybean breeding program. TN13‐4304 was developed from reselection within the Asian Vegetable Development Center cultivar ‘AGS 292’, which was originally released for use in the edamame market. In replicated field trials across 26 environments of the USDA Southern Soybean Preliminary MG V Early and Uniform MG V Tests, TN13‐4304 yielded 108 and 101%, respectively, of the average yield of the commercial checks. In the 2018 United Soybean Board Southern Diversity Yield Trials MG IV Late (USBDIV4L), tested across three states, TN13‐4304 yielded 115% of the average of three Asgrow commercial cultivars and had an average seed protein content and oil content of 429 and 219 g kg–1, respectively. In the same test the three Asgrow cultivars had an average seed protein content of 403 g kg–1 and an average oil content of 225 g kg–1, reported using a near infrared spectrometer. In the USBDIV4L, TN13‐4304 was one of only two genotypes that met all targets of yield, seed protein, oil, and meal protein in the test. TN13‐4304 has white flowers, gray pubescence, and a determinate growth habit. The pods have a tan pod wall and the seeds are yellow with smooth seed coats. For decades soybean genetic improvement has focused on increasing yield, which typically increased seed oil content at the expense of protein content in the meal. Although yield remains the top priority, improvements to seed composition have become very important and can have a significant impact on value. There is a limited supply of conventional (non‐genetically modified) germplasm lines available for soybean breeders. Typically, these are released by public land grant universities and by the USDA‐ARS. Release of soybean line TN13‐4304 would provide a conventional line with high protein meal and disease resistance that is useful for breeding programs.

Specialty Crop Germplasm and Public Breeding Efforts in the United States

The United States Department of Agriculture/Agriculture Research Service/National Germplasm System (USDA/ARS/NGS) plant germplasm collections contain more than 600,000 different accessions of 16,289 species, including virtually all the ethnic and specialty crops of interest to United States (U.S.) agriculture. These and additional collections of plant seeds and asexual propagules are maintained at various laboratories and facilities geographically dispersed in the U.S. including NGS and many public land grant university institutions. The majority of these species fall under the definition of “specialty” crops since their utility is either narrow in scope or has not been fully developed. This paper summarizes the status of “specialty” and ethnic crop species germplasm in the U.S. including where the collections are maintained and how they are being used.

Determining whether Public Communications Campaigns Based on the The Social Norms Approach are a Viable COVID-19 Prevention Strategy for College Campuses

The purpose of this study is to (a) outline the formative steps that universities can follow to determine if a media campaign based on the social norms approach (SNA) is a viable method for increasing COVID-19 prevention behaviors among their students, (b) present formative research data collected at a large public land-grant university in the U.S., and (c) as a test case, apply that data to assess the SNA’s viability for promoting COVID-19 prevention behaviors among students at that institution. Over time, a series of fast-track surveys were conducted to determine the descriptive and injunctive norms for four COVID-19 prevention strategies: wearing a mask in public, physical distancing, limiting the size of indoor gatherings, and receiving or planning to get a vaccination. The results demonstrated that, at this particular university, an SNA-based public communications campaign would be a promising strategy for promoting these protective behaviors. First, a clear majority of the survey respondents reported engaging in the behaviors. Second, the respondents perceived the behaviors to be less common than was actually the case, with one exception: wearing a mask. In all four cases, they perceived the behaviors to be less approved of than what the surveys documented.

Beliefs, mental health, healthy lifestyle behaviors and coping strategies of college faculty and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: To assess faculty and staff beliefs about returning to campus as well as their mental health and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Participants: Faculty and staff at a large Mid-west public land-grant university. Methods: A survey was emailed to a random sample of faculty and staff (N = 6,000 faculty; N = 6,000 staff). Results: Response rate was 35.6% for faculty (n = 2,138) and 37.8% (n = 2,226) for staff. Participants who were working from home (>60%) had less confidence about returning to campus safely than those who had been working on campus. Eighteen to 27% of faculty and 25%–31% of staff met the cutoff for clinical anxiety and the rates of depression were 4.4%–8.3% and 9.7%–10.0% respectively. Conclusion: Institutions of higher education must build wellness cultures and accelerate access to mental health services, which should be evidence-based and include a focus on promoting and maintaining overall wellness.

Development and implementation of a scalable and versatile test for COVID-19 diagnostics in rural communities

Rapid and widespread testing of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is essential for an effective public health response aimed at containing and mitigating the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Successful health policy implementation relies on early identification of infected individuals and extensive contact tracing. However, rural communities, where resources for testing are sparse or simply absent, face distinctive challenges to achieving this success. Accordingly, we report the development of an academic, public land grant University laboratory-based detection assay for the identification of SARS-CoV-2 in samples from various clinical specimens that can be readily deployed in areas where access to testing is limited. The test, which is a quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR)-based procedure, was validated on samples provided by the state laboratory and submitted for FDA Emergency Use Authorization. Our test exhibits comparable sensitivity and exceeds specificity and inclusivity values compared to other molecular assays. Additionally, this test can be re-configured to meet supply chain shortages, modified for scale up demands, and is amenable to several clinical specimens. Test development also involved 3D engineering critical supplies and formulating a stable collection media that allowed samples to be transported for hours over a dispersed rural region without the need for a cold-chain. These two elements that were critical when shortages impacted testing and when personnel needed to reach areas that were geographically isolated from the testing center. Overall, using a robust, easy-to-adapt methodology, we show that an academic laboratory can supplement COVID-19 testing needs and help local health departments assess and manage outbreaks. This additional testing capacity is particularly germane for smaller cities and rural regions that would otherwise be unable to meet the testing demand.

Decentering an Engineering Ethics Center

In this article we reflect on ethical issues arising amid our efforts over the past four years to set up a university-level engineering ethics center to facilitate faculty, staff, and student collaborations across disciplines. In this account we place considerable emphasis on relations with campus administration, including conflicts arising over the interests of potential donors and research sponsors; state and national political contexts; turf (specifically the balance of ownership over vision-setting and action between faculty and administrators); and the scope and role of ethics in a STEM-focused public land grant university. We also discuss challenges we faced in communication, both across disciplines in a large university setting, and with administrators inclined to conflate professional ethics with other topics such as technology ethics or public policy concerns. We share discussions we have had among ourselves around what types of alternative structures might facilitate our mission; and how such alternatives might help us resist replication of the kinds of problematic power dynamics we are already witnessing and navigating. It is our hope that our participation in this conversation provides an opportunity for us to learn from others, share what we have learned thus far, and come to a position of greater clarity regarding our intentions and priorities. Most of all we seek moral imagination to identify creative paths forward for a broad set of stakeholders to more deeply encounter professional ethics in discovery, learning, and engagement.

Contestations of Imperial Citizenship: Student Protest and Organizing in Qatar's Education City

Texas A&M, a public land grant university in College Station, Texas, has a long history of engagement with the Bush family. These ties highlight the university's entanglement with US imperial enterprises, which extend into the Persian Gulf. George H. W. Bush's own explanation of why he decided to place his presidential library at the campus despite not attending Texas A&M focused on these connections: “Over the years, Aggies have provided great service to the Armed Forces of our country. Patriotism abounds at A&M.” Meanwhile, Qatar hosts the largest concentration of US troops abroad. The US military's Central Command is at Al Udeid Air Base, not far from the Education City complex that hosts TAMUQ and several branch campuses of American and other foreign universities. The students at these institutions are Qatari citizens, South Asian and Arab immigrants, and international students, primarily from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Incorporating Diversity Into Undergraduate Nonprofit Management Education: Can Reading Diverse Narratives Increase Students’ Perspective-Taking Capacity?

Although the use of narratives has been shown to increase students’ ability to empathize, which can be an indicator of their perspective-taking ability, no studies have focused on the use of narratives specifically within the context of nonprofit management education. In this study, we tested a pedagogical technique designed to increase students’ perspective-taking capacity. Specifically, we incorporated reading assignments of personal narratives by a diverse body of nonprofit leaders into two undergraduate nonprofit management courses: one an in-person course at a large public land-grant university in the Southeastern United States ( n = 85) and the other an online course at a large public university in the Northeastern United States ( n = 20). We conducted pre- and postinstruction assessments to explore whether the use of these narratives enhanced students’ empathy and perspective-taking abilities. Our findings indicate that narratives are effective in improving perspective-taking skills and can be effective in both online courses and in-person courses. These findings should be of interest to nonprofit management educators. Subscribe to JNEL

Effects of the MINDSTRONG© CBT-based program on depression, anxiety and healthy lifestyle behaviors in graduate health sciences students

Objective To evaluate effects of the MINDSTRONG© cognitive-behavioral skills building program versus an attention control program on mental health outcomes and lifestyle behaviors of graduate health professional students. Participants: 201 entering graduate students from seven health sciences colleges at a public land grant University in the U.S. Midwest. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with three-month follow-up. Valid and reliable instruments measured depression, anxiety, stress, healthy lifestyle beliefs and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Results: Students receiving MINDSTRONG© reported less depression/anxiety and healthier lifestyle behaviors than those receiving the control program. Students with elevated levels of depression/anxiety at baseline demonstrated greater benefits from the program. Conclusions: MINDSTRONG© can be used as a preventive and early intervention for improving mental health outcomes and lifestyle behaviors in graduate students. Because the program can be delivered by trained non-mental health professionals, it has the potential to be widely scaled on campuses throughout the U.S.

Just UnDo It: Men Faculty Addressing Gender Inequities in Academia

This study examines the Advocates & Allies initiative, a men faculty peer-to-peer professional development program designed to disrupt gender inequities in academia. The pedagogical approach is grounded in a grassroots-based critical analysis, was developed at a public land grant university, and has been introduced at over twenty additional higher education institutions. Data from five universities and two professional association conferences are included in this study. Results of this mixed methods case analysis illustrate why academic men may be motivated to engage in gender equity work; findings also confirm that the model increases participants’ knowledge of unconscious bias and its impacts, prepares men with tools to enact change, and enhances personal commitment to gender equity, thereby affirming and extending the existing knowledgebase on effective allyship. The data suggest that the approach is an effective transformative model of intellectual activism that could be adopted by a wider sphere of academic institutions.

Millennials: Shifting Values and Influences for Civic Engagement

Civic engagement is a complex field of study covering a spectrum of activities and is well-documented, especially among the millennial generation. Individuals of Generation Y, also referred to as millennials, are quickly approaching the point of becoming members of the largest living adult generation. Past research has indicated what motivates an individual to initiate civic engagement, but motivators that cause one to get involved civically often are not the same reasons that sustain civic engagement. However, getting on the pathway to civic engagement is a critical step to becoming an active and engaged citizen. To gain a better understanding of factors that initiate engagement, this study was conducted with a sample of millennials (n = 159) participating in 13 service-learning classes at a public land grant university. This report shares results from that study examining the values and influences of several possible “initiating factors” for civic engagement using Pancer’s (2015) Integrative Theory of Civic Engagement.

An Evaluation of Researcher Motivations and Productivity Outcomes in International Collaboration and Partnerships at a U.S. Research-Intensive University

This paper examines factors that influence faculty at a research-intensive U.S. public land grant university to engage in international collaborations and partnerships. Using a mixed-mode (web, mail, and telephone) survey, we collected data from 764 researchers at Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA, to provide a baseline and current context of demographic characteristics, motivations, barriers, and academic outcomes in relation to international research collaboration. Our results suggest that funding, reduced organizational and institutional barriers, effective institutional support, previous global experience, and research outcomes can encourage faculty to engage in international collaboration. We also found that faculty involved in international collaboration, on average, exhibited higher productivity and a positive correlation with scholarly output, especially through joint publications and student training. The results of this study may provide a reference for research-intensive institutions interested in optimizing their internationalization agendas through partnerships, and examining their policies, strategies, and messaging to increase faculty engagement in collaborative research that promotes co-creation, reciprocity, mutually beneficial partnership, and organizational transformation.

Taking a Partnered Approach to Managing Academic Stress: An Undergraduate Study

ABSTRACT The ability to positively adapt to situations of stress and adversity enables student progress, growth, and learning. In the context of undergraduate building and construction education in the United States, little is known about the resources necessary for students to manage stressors associated with their studies. Twenty undergraduate building and construction students from a large, public land-grant university in the United States were interviewed. Inductive thematic analysis was used to explore the antecedents and impacts of academic stress, and deductive thematic analysis was used to identify resilience-building resources using the Resilience at University (RAU) framework. Resources identified to reduce stressor severity were focused on modifying the learning environment and implementing a scaffolded approach to learning and skills development. Resilient-building resources aligned with the six dimensions of the RAU were identified at the student level and the university level. An important contribution is the pivotal role of the student–university partnership in managing academic stress and building student resilience capability, acknowledging both students and the university as key actors. The findings will be of interest to educators and students who can implement a partnered approach to reduce the prevalence of academic stressors together with building students’ capacity to manage stress.

Abolishing the frontier: (De)colonizing ‘public’ education

ABSTRACT In this paper, we situate the public university as a frontier where structures of settler colonialism, racialization, and citizen formation are both created and contested. We use the historical-geographical position of the University of Georgia, the first public land grant university chartered in the United States, to consider the broader implications of the settler-native-slave triad in the history of public higher education. We use these historical insights to expand upon W. E. B. Du Bois’ notion of abolition democracy and Indigenous discussions of decolonization. We animate the possibilities of abolition democracy informing public higher education through three interventions that question the ways in which people within public institutions of higher education can destabilize and work to democratize the systems that enclose land, labor, and education as private property.

Workplace Wellness Champions: Lessons Learned and Implications for Future Programming

Background: Wellness champion teams can be a critical "grass roots" strategy in building a culture of worksite wellness; however, little is known about key elements of programs to prepare individuals for this role and their level of impact.Aim: To describe the components of a worksite wellness champion program at a large public land grant university in the Midwest and the characteristics of individuals who participate in this role.Methods: The Wellness Innovator program components, including processes of recruitment and retention, as well as demographic data of the Innovators are described.Results: 464 Innovators currently serve in the role. Support from supervisors/managers is key for sustained Innovator engagement.Conclusions: The Wellness Innovator program is an important strategy in encouraging faculty and staff to participate in wellness activities and services. More research is needed to determine the impact of wellness champion teams on health and wellness outcomes.