Welcome to the Sunken Place

People of Color entering into the field of Student Affairs continue to face discrimination, racism, systematic oppression and microaggressions. The authors in this article aim to 1. highlight personal experiences, 2. relay some approaches that have paved way for folks within their positions to educate others who hold the power to make conscious decisions and changes for student affairs professionals, specifically People of Color. The article also references scenes from the movie, Get Out (Blum & Peele, 2017) which portrays Chris, a Black man, who is the protagonist and relate to the exploitation and isolation of many People of Color in the field today

Electronic Cigarette Topography: A Quantitative Validation Study of the Wireless Personal Use Monitor

Background: Electronic cigarettes are battery powered nicotine vaporizers built with a heating element that atomizes an e-liquid solution. Studies have been conducted to understand user nicotine exposure however, replicating realistic use patterns, puff topography, is necessary to conduct accurate emissions studies. Previous studies have been conducted in the laboratory environment using the CReSS Micro System however, this instrument has limitations making it impractical to measure natural use behavior. The Wireless Personal Use Monitor (wPUM), developed at RIT can overcome the CReSS limitations to capture usage behavior in the natural environment. The wPUM was deployed in 2015 to measure the usage behavior for 20 electronic cigarette users for one week in the natural environment. The study reported anomalies in the subjects’ data files which was later found to have impacted the wPUM performance. Results of this study prompted the team at RIT to investigate the performance of the wPUM under different conditions in a controlled environment. Goal: The goal of this research is to validate that the wPUM is capable of gathering electronic cigarette topography data under various controlled conditions and to characterize the wPUM’s working range. Methods: The wPUM was tested utilizing RIT’s Programmable Emissions System (PES) to drive the desired puffing topography. Puffing characteristics varied to determine the wPUM’s working range for puff duration, volume, period and flowrate. Standard profiles were also tested including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) / International Organization of Standardization (ISO) Standard, the Massachusetts Department Public Health Standard, and the Health Canada Intense (HCI) Regimen Standard. Each test was performed with three electronic cigarette brands under dry and condensation conditions. Results: The results of this study show that the wPUM is capable of detecting variable puffing topography under various testing conditions and environments. It is a reliable device for capturing data in the natural environment

Grammy Foundation, The Entertainment Law Initiative (“ELI”), Breakfast with ELI, October 23, 2012

“What a prosperous looking bunch of lawyers,” was keynote speaker Scott Borchetta’s opening remark to the assembled group of entertainment lawyers, music industry professionals, and law students at last month’s Breakfast with ELI. This post was originally published on the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal website on November 12, 2012. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above

Relationship Between Motivation, Job Satisfaction, and Company Performance in Virtual Teams in the U.S. Insurance Industry

Information technology (IT) leaders in the U.S. insurance industry are concerned with sustaining employee motivation in virtual teams, as it is a key challenge in managing virtual employees. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this quantitative ex-post facto study was to examine the relationship between achievement, recognition, and company policy with job satisfaction and company performance. The participants were 54 U.S.-based insurance companies listed in Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance (2021), with data sourced from publicly available financial reports and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s EDGAR system. The result of the multiple linear regression analysis for job satisfaction was significant, F(3, 50) = 89.6, p \u3c .001, R2 = .843 with recognition (t = 3.26, p = .002, ß = .324) and achievement (t = 4.24, p \u3c .001, ß = .494) as significant predictors. However, the result of the multiple regression analysis for company performance was not significant, F(3, 50) = 2.22, p \u3e .05, R² = .12, indicating that recognition and achievement did not have a statistically significant relationship with company performance. A key recommendation is for information technology leaders to prioritize employee recognition and opportunities for achievement to enhance job satisfaction. The implications for positive social change include the potential to enhance employee well-being, support local economies, and foster community stability

When Children Have Children: Teenage Pregnancy

Because teenage pregnancy affects so many people, it is receiving a great deal of attention in the United States as well as in other leading nations. Teaching young people that sex before marriage is not acceptable does not prevent pregnancy. Recognizing that teen’s sexual behavior is a crucial part of their development will lead to honest and accurate information about sex. This will help teens express their sexuality in safe and healthy way. Therefore, prevention strategies should be created that address the needs of sexually active teens. Males should also be included in prevention strategies. Young males are often overlooked when it comes to preventing teenage pregnancy, although their roles are just as important as females’ roles. Teenagers who become pregnant are at a higher risk for serious complications during childbirth. At the same time, male’s socioeconomic status should be taken into consideration. Young fathers are usually poor, less educated, and often times involved in other risky behaviors. All of these factors should be taken seriously when dealing with teen pregnancy because teens having children can be a serious problem