Patricia Long, associate professor of psychology, finds sexual violence not only an interesting research topic but also a problem across college campuses.
“Sexual violence is prevalent on college campuses,” Long said. “This study is important in figuring out what we can do to prevent it.”
Long presented her research at the fifth annual Faculty Research and Professional Activity Day in Wilson Library Nov. 6.
For her presentation, “Personality Variables Related to Sexual Assault and Rape Perpetration by College Men,” Long studied a group of 521 male participants at Oklahoma State University and the University of La Verne to learn more about sexual violence and the individual characteristics of sex offenders.
Long became interested in the psychology of sexual violence while in college, when she assisted a professor with his research.
More than 60 other members of the ULV faculty participated in the yearly celebration of scholarship and creativity and shared their academic research interests with the University.
Yingxia Cao, director of institutional research, shared her research on the connection between private higher education and the labor market in China.
Cao’s research included interviewing college presidents, alumni and others.
“Getting a job is the primary goal for Chinese students in college,” Cao said.
According to Cao, the majority of students in China attend three-year colleges that are similar to trade schools dedicated to learning a vocation.
In these trade schools, Chinese students receive associate degrees; few continue on for a fourth year and a bachelor’s degree.
“Ten percent at most earn a B.A.,” Cao said.
Donna Bentley, reference-access services librarian, will take a sabbatical leave this spring to further study online tutorials for off-campus students.
Bentley wants to get students more involved in Web 2.0.
Bentley’s presentation, “ Keeping up with the Changes: Web 2.0 and Information Literacy in Universities” looks at the social networking aspect of the World Wide Web.
According to Bentley, few students are aware that ULV has a great library blog that shares news because “ students come with a specific purpose and don’t notice.”
Bentley is an advocate for communication between on and off campus students through wikis and other means of social networking.
“We’re pushing a lot of information out there, and social networking has brought a great opportunity to be interactive,” Bentley said.
Bentley encourages students to take advantage of the library’s services such as LINK+, a program that allows students to check out books from other participating libraries.
The Faculty Research Day is a “very important time,” Clark said. “It is a time to share.” Research is “promoted by group insights.” Faculty members, he said, fuel each other’s curiosity and growth of knowledge through their interactions.
“Every faculty member gets new ideas and new leads from their colleagues,” Clark said.
Faculty Research Day offers the opportunity for faculty members to “let people know what they’re doing,” Clark said.
Contrary to what many may think, Clark said, faculty members do not always have the opportunity to share what they are discovering.
Clark calls faculty research an “exchange.”
“It is not so much about talking,” Clark said. “ It is a meeting of minds.”
ULV not only celebrates faculty research at this annual event; there are other ways to recognize scholarship efforts.
Faculty lectures are held weekly, and, according to Clark, the ULV Academy is the “ epitome of faculty researchers and publishers.”
Plus, every seven years, a faculty member may request to go on sabbatical for a semester with pay in order to dedicate more time to his or her research.
In the spring, ULV will hold a Faculty Book Day for faculty members to read from their published work.
Victoria Farlow can be reached at victoria.farlow@laverne.edu.
Victoria Farlow
