AERA Statement on the Justice Department’s Announced Cancellation of School Safety Studies

Contact: Tony Pals, tpals@aera.net (202) 238-3235, (202) 288-9333 (cell)   Collin Boylin, cboylin@aera.net (202) 238-3233, (860) 490-8326 (cell)

Statement by AERA Executive Felice J. Levine on the Justice Department’s Announced Cancellation of School Safety Studies March 27, 2018   The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, has announced on its website that it has cancelled two initiatives that research school safety—the (1) Comprehensive School Safety Initiative and (2) Research and Evaluation of Technologies to Improve School Safety. The NIJ reported that the FY 2018 appropriations bill passed on March 23 eliminated funding for the programs: “With the enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, the funding planned for these solicitations is no longer available for research and evaluation. Instead, it will be used for other purposes under the Stop School Violence Act of 2018.” Our concern is not about the passage of the Stop School Violence Act, but about the de-funding and cancellation of these research efforts.  Losing these programs is tragically counter-productive and short-sighted at a time when the need for evidence-based policies and practices that protect schools, students, and society has never been greater. Congress needs to invest in—not slash—investments that help school and policy leaders better understand the root causes of school violence, develop strategies for increasing school safety, and rigorously evaluate innovative efforts. On March 2, AERA joined the broader science community in calling on Congress to provide dedicated federal funding for research on gun violence. AERA has also asked association members and other Americans to show their support by signing the March for Science petition and contacting their elected representatives. Now is the time for our leaders in Washington, D.C., to support funding for more high-quality empirical research that can inform evidence-based policies and programs to prevent gun violence in the United States. We urge Congress to support and promote research-based programs and policies to reduce the risk of violence in communities, schools, workplaces, settings of worship, and other public spaces. There is too much at stake for Congress not to act. ### About AERA The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national interdisciplinary research association devoted to the scientific study of education and learning. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Find AERA on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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¡A Viva Voz! ­ Banned Books of Ana Castillo & Carmen Tafolla

RSVP to bannedbooks.eventbrite.com to be entered in book raffle. Learn more about banned books here.

Native American & Indigenous Student Space @ UT Austin

Native American & Indigenous Student Space started this petition to College of Liberal Arts Randy L. Diehl and 1 other

While Native American and Indigenous students focus much of our time at the University of Texas at Austin on ensuring academic success, the quality of our lives outside of academics greatly influences our student experience on campus.  Although many spaces have been welcoming and inviting to the Native American and Indigenous student body, there is a need for a centralized space that caters specifically to this student body and community.  Such space would provide Native American and Indigenous students a centralized organization, and the opportunity to construct our own representations as Native American and Indigenous students to the wider UT-Austin/broader Austin community.

With this in mind, we, as Native American and Indigenous students and allies at UT-Austin, demand that The University establish a Native American and Indigenous student center in central campus. Compared with other peer institutions who have Native American and Indigenous studies programs, UT-Austin is part of the few universities that do not have (or have plans to build) a space specifically for students.  For example, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has established a Native American and Indigenous student-led space, Wunk Sheek, that serves students of Indigenous identity and members of the UW-Madison community interested in Indigenous issues, culture, and history.  UT-Austin could follow their example by considering the establishment of such a space on campus. Its presence on central campus would emphasize the importance of the Native American and Indigenous student body and community to the University of Texas at Austin as well as increase visibility of diversity on campus.

Despite the intentional violence against our peoples, we are still here.  Our ancestors prayed for us to heal and exist so that one day we may do the same for the next seven generations.  We are actively engaging in these processes of healing from this intergenerational trauma and remembering our purpose and medicine along the way.  We recognize that these processes of colonization extend beyond our own communities and are all connected.  With this understanding we strive to heal with and build bridges of solidarity with all our relations.  

https://www.change.org/p/randy-l-diehl-native-american-indigenous-student-space-ut-austin-dd2e7c79-a99a-4039-b5a5-7e9a21883025?recruiter=829793284&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=share_petition 

DEADLINE EXTENSION: Intersectional Qualitative Research Methods

DEADLINE EXTENSION

Dear Colleagues:

We extended the application deadline for these two programs that advance the mission of inclusion of underrepresented minority doctoral students and early career faculty in the fields of behavioral and social sciences and education. Applications are due on Friday, March 16, 2018 at midnight (CST).

The Consortium on Race, Gender, and Ethnicity at the University of Maryland and the Latino Research Initiative at The University of Texas at Austin seek participants for the following two programs:

1. Intersectional Qualitative Research Methods Institute for Early Career Faculty (IQRMI-ECF) focuses on methodological skills, writing for publication, and navigating the academic environment to ensure retention, tenure, and promotion.
2. Intersectional Qualitative Research Methods Institute for Advanced Doctoral Students (IQRMI-ADS) focuses on completion of a doctoral degree, navigating the job market, postdoctoral fellowship applications, and writing for publications in preparation for a successful research career.

Please spread the word to prospective participants. Institute goals are to provide early career faculty and advanced doctoral students with practical experience to enhance qualitative intersectional research skills, writing skills and scholarly practices, and to create a network of intersectional scholars. 

They are now accepting applications:

• IQRMI-ECF at the University of Maryland will take place June 3-8, 2018. Apply here.
• IQRMI-ADS at The University of Texas at Austin will take place June 24-29, 2018. Apply here.

Please share the attached flyers about these institutes far and wide to your doctoral students, colleagues, listservs, and networks.

We appreciate your assistance in helping to build and strengthen pathways to successful research careers for Latinos and other underrepresented minorities through

participation in these institutes.

DEBORAH PARRA-MEDINA, MPH, PhD, FAAHB

Director, Latino Research Initiative

Professor, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

The University of Texas at Austin | 512-475-9315 | liberalarts.utexas.edu/lri