College students more likely to report campus threats if 'connected' to school—UF study
Posted June 7, 2010
GAINESVILLE, FL—College students who witness a threat of violence on their campus are more likely to report the incident if they feel connected to their school and trust campus police and administrators, according to a University of Florida study.
The dissertation study by Michael Sulkowski, a doctoral student in school psychology at UF’s College of Education, queried 820 UF undergraduates.
In his survey, Sulkowski (pictured, right, in front of Century Tower on the UF campus) found that students who felt connected to the campus environment and had well-established peer relationships were more likely to report threats. Those who believed police would respond effectively, and not interrogate the caller, were more likely to report an incident.
Students with a history of delinquency—such as selling illegal drugs, stealing or physical aggression–were less likely to report threats or trust campus authority figures.
For most respondents, fear of negative peer evaluation had no bearing on whether or not they would report a threat.
“The higher degree of maturity in college students might partially account for this,” Sulkowski said. “There are pretty strong social pressures against peer-reporting in adolescence, yet these pressures may not be as influential on college students. Norms may exist in college communities that condone or actually encourage threat reporting.”
In more than 80 percent of school shootings, at least one other person knows in advance of the planned attack, according to a 2002 federal report by the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Education. Sulkowski said it is often difficult to distinguish between legitimate and passing threats. Students and faculty must pay close attention to the actual content of a perceived threat. For example, if a threat contains specific details, such as when and where the threat would be carried out, the type of weapon to be used and the identity of specific victims, this information should definitely be reported.
Sulkowski cautions against aggressively stereotyping or profiling students since there is no surefire profile of someone on the verge of committing mass violence. It’s important, he said, for schools to remove barriers to threat-reporting and receiving mental health treatment, while respecting the diversity of the student body.
“Adjusting to college is a challenge for all students and many will display signs of distress. For some, though, it can be a particularly poignant experience adjusting to a new lifestyle or culture,” he says.
At UF, Sulkowski found students’ trust in the campus support system, including police and faculty, to be relatively high, despite recent high-profile incidents such the police tasering of Andrew Meyer in 2007. His study, though, was conducted prior to the controversial March 2 university police shooting of graduate student Kofi Adu-Brempong.
Most students surveyed said they would directly contact the University Police Department to report a crime. Students also were willing to report incidents through UF’s new anonymous reporting system, Silent Witness, which allows people who witness a disruptive behavior on campus to report it anonymously on the UPD website.
Sulkowski said university police, administrators and counselors do more behind the scenes than students realize to protect students and assist those with social or emotional problems. UF police officers train regularly for a variety of threats, including a gunman on campus, and have comprehensive response plans. The conflicts that are resolved successfully often don’t make the news because of student privacy laws and regulations.
“Overall, college campuses are safe. In fact, research indicates that they are safer than their surrounding communities,” Sulkowski said. “You only hear when something goes wrong. You don’t hear about a counselor talking a student down from a suicide attempt or when campus police intervene with a student who is planning something violent.”
His findings stress the importance for colleges to focus on increasing student connectedness and trust in the institution.
“When people feel as if they are members of the university community, they are going to take measures to preserve it.”
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When Max Parker finished his doctorate at UF in the mid-1970s, he wasn’t ready to bid farewell to Norman Hall. Instead, he dedicated the next 26 years to an exemplary career on UF’s counselor education faculty, establishing himself as a campuswide leader and pioneer in multicultural counseling and development. He contributed to numerous college and university committees and advisory boards, and was a part-time counselor at the UF Counseling Center. Parker’s influence, though, extended beyond campus boundaries. He disseminated his research findings in numerous books and journals and received the Most Prolific Contributor Award for his work with the Journal of Multicultural Counseling. He collaborated with several Florida school districts and consulted with numerous colleges and universities. He also conducted group discussions and research in West Africa and Puerto Rico. His experience as an educator spans four decades, and in 1996 he received two universitywide awards for excellence in teaching and research. Although Parker retired from academia in 2003, he still lives in Gainesville and currently works as a mental health counselor in UF’s Student Health Care Center.
Linda Behar-Horenstein
Jennifer Drake Patrick is a busy mother of three with a husband on military deployment overseas, but she doesn’t waste any of her free time. Last December, she took a break from her household duties to defend her revolutionary dissertation on subject-area literacy. Her research on the unique language of science contributes groundbreaking information to a rarely studied topic in literacy. Patrick’s dissertation details how effective teachers interpret and apply reading strategies geared specifically for science in their classrooms. Her research is based upon the premise that each subject area has its own unique dialogue, requiring teachers to adjust their teaching methods based on the subject they instruct. She explores how personal characteristics of a teacher, such as the depth of their understanding of the material, can impact their ability to teach a subject’s complex language. Her dissertation earned her a fiercely competitive fellowship from the National Academy of Education. Patrick has presented at several professional conferences and co-authored numerous publications while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA at UF.
Kali Davis knows how to ignite support for a cause. While a student at UF, she established Coalition Save our Schools, drawing more than 200 students to support the College of Education last year after severe state budget cuts threatened college programs. She invited school, district and state officials and educators to speak at an evening candlelight vigil to protest the cuts. She has organized several other coalition rallies throughout the state in support of higher education, invigorating college and education advocates. Davis, who graduated from the ProTeach program in December 2009 with a 3.89 GPA, demonstrated the leadership skills that are imperative to good teaching. As the 2009 president of the Student Florida Education Association, she coordinated with student chapters across the state and coordinated a state conference in Jacksonville. She also presented at the FEA national conference in San Diego. Davis focused on special education in her studies, preparing to teach students with unique emotional and behavioral needs.
Alexandria Harvey received her master’s degree in May from the Unified Elementary ProTeach program with a specialization in special education and a 3.66 graduate level GPA. She excelled not only in her coursework, but also in her performance as a teacher-in-training. She engaged in professional development activities well beyond her course requirements. Harvey took extra graduate level courses to prepare for teaching the most vulnerable students—those with pervasive special needs and disabilities. Her supervising teachers say she distinguished herself in her internship and practicum placements, demonstrating an ability to carefully plan lessons appropriate for students with special emotional and behavioral impairments. She also proved capable in reflective self-assessment, identifying not only her most effective teaching practices but also the areas to address to improve her instruction. When putting her lesson plans into action, she always found a way to engage students in learning and bolster their participation. She tried to involve parents in their children’s education, maintaining close communication with them. One of her internship supervisors stated that in over 40 years of supervising interns, Harvey would rank in the top 1 percent.
“Secretary Duncan was seeking specific examples and input on the language to use in the proposed reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (the formal name of No Child Left Behind),” Cavanaugh said. “I shared the data work we’ve done through UF’s Virtual School Clearinghouse and shared the findings of the 2009 report I wrote for the Center for American Progress about how virtual schooling can save money and expand learning time during the school day.”
UF's extensive accreditation preparation was headed by Tom Dana, associate dean of academic affairs; Theresa Vernetson, assistant dean of student affairs, and Elayne Colón (pictured right), director of assessment and accreditation.
Engaged scholarship comes naturally to Jacobbe, who blends his teaching and research in mathematics education with service to high-need elementary schools in his community. He teaches a math methods class to the elementary students and also provides supervised teaching opportunities for his UF preservice students. His activities not only support our future elementary math teachers but also benefit hundreds of schoolchildren from low-income families who are often marginalized in today’s education system. Jacobbe and his UF students also stage Family Math Night events two or three times each year at the schools, bringing together the schoolchildren and their families for fun math games and learning. These activities also model engaged-scholarship-in-action for UF doctoral students in math education. Jacobbe studies the impact of these efforts on preservice teacher and elementary student learning and disseminates his findings so other educators might benefit.
Gagnon’s research and advocacy pursuits have focused intently on “the public good” for nearly three decades. He interrupted his teaching career early on in the 1980s to become a Peace Corps volunteer for two years in Morocco, where he taught schoolchildren with various disabilities. He returned to Sebring, Fla., as a special educator, determined to improve the education and plight of students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. He received his doctorate in behavioral disorders in 2002 from the University of Maryland, where he became affiliated with the National Center on Education, Disability and Juvenile Justice. His research on curriculum, assessment and accountability policies in exclusionary school settings has earned him national acclaim. He has published extensively on policy issues and academic improvement for students in confinement, and he has served as an expert consultant and court monitor for the civil rights division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Miller heads the college’s CAPES (Collaborative Assessment and Program Evaluation Services) program, which provides vital assessment and research support for grant programs across UF and in partnering school districts. He has worked with the Jacksonville Children’s Commission since 2008 to provide an effective model for evaluating their many child and family services. He also is devising evaluation standards for the commission’s New Town Success Zone, serving mostly at–risk children. Last year, a report Miller wrote analyzing the state of Alabama’s Teacher Certification Testing program helped end nearly 30 years of litigation concerning the methods of Alabama’s teacher testing programs. He also has provided assessment or expert-witness services, mainly on educational issues, to numerous states, Florida school districts and area charitable organizations.
While some teachers are slow to embrace the latest classroom technology, Randy Hollinger worked tirelessly last summer to plan and pilot-test a new cyber-based approach to teaching his 7th grade science class. No textbooks were needed. Instead, Hollinger taught his students to integrate the latest Web tools into personal learning pages to research poisonous and venomous creatures. He helped his students improve their digital literacy skills and navigate the Internet effectively, and even advised them how to respectfully request assistance from university scientists all over the world. His students engaged in the scientific process and created digital artifacts using multi-media and digital posters. Hollinger noted measurable improvements in students’ writing, scientific reporting and research skills. His rapport with students extends beyond his classroom to a phenomenally popular musical performing arts class, and the PKY cross-country teams he coaches are perennial state title contenders.
Barber, a Santa Fe College psychology instructor, has developed an impressive automated system for collecting data on his students’ engagement in learning and academic achievement. He has integrated this work into his doctoral studies aimed at identifying students’ personal traits and involvement in learning that will accurately predict their academic performance. His research provides a model for enhancing student engagement in higher education and has influenced the teaching methods of numerous UF instructors and teaching assistants with whom Barber shared his findings during his two years as a teaching assistant in educational psychology at UF. His self-assessment methods are proving particularly important in helping first-generation college students maintain their motivation and achievement. Barber has been involved in learning communities at the community college level which have been impacting students for many years.
Putz, at UF since 1982, is an international expert on the ecological consequences of different land use practices. His research findings provide a sound ecological basis for forest conservation through sustainable use, balancing the protection of parks with the need to include livelihood-supporting approaches in forest management. In the 1980s, he executed the first forest certification audit for the organization that would become the Forest Stewardship Council. In the 1990s, he pioneered studies on the carbon benefits of “reduced-impact” logging. His research, and that of his students and collaborators, is influencing the development of worldwide policy on the best practices for forest management in the face of global climate change. He also is very involved in local environmental issues and efforts to increase environmental consciousness.
Janssen in 2008 became the first female superintendent of the Pinellas County School District, bolstering both the secondary and higher education programs in the county. She has worked extensively with UF’s Lastinger Center for Learning in recent efforts to “reinvent” professional development as a tool to improve teaching and learning and leadership in Pinellas County schools. Janssen has previously worked as a math teacher, high school principal and adjunct professor at the University of South Florida, where she earned her Ed.D. degree. She has held various leadership roles in Pinellas County schools and has consulted with school districts throughout the nation as a curriculum specialist. She balances her career with involvement in numerous civic causes and holds leadership posts with two local cancer-fighting foundations that she helped start.
Koro-Ljungberg, an associate professor in research and evaluation methods, is one of 33 UF faculty researchers selected. UF’s research foundation awards the professorships to faculty who have made recent contributions in research and a have a strong research agenda likely to lead to continuing distinction in their fields. The three-year award includes a $5,000 annual salary supplement and a one-time $3,000 grant.
Koro-Ljungberg named to prestigious UFRF Professorship
Gagnon Jacobbe Miller Hollinger 
*May 16, 2010 — Sevan Terzian, social foundations of education
During her spring semester 2011 sabbatical, Cavanaugh will be based at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal located in the Himalayas of South Asia. She will train and work with faculty and graduate students there to increase access to education through improved classroom technology and online learning programs. Nepal in is one of the world’s newest democracies, with about half of its population living below the international poverty line.
Sandy is an indispensable employee in the business office because she goes above and beyond her duties as Office Assistant. She has been a vital resource during the college’s recent faculty search in the early childhood studies program. She made sure announcements about the search were posted publicly and in a timely manner. She also has been quick to respond to questions or to seek clarification about search committee procedures and activities. Faculty and staff she interacts with voice appreciation for Sandy’s willingness to assist beyond normal expectations and to do so with a positive attitude. She is a talented, knowledgeable and devoted professional whose top priority is to make a direct and positive impact on every employee and student with whom she has contact. Her quiet strength is an inspiration and her energy and sense of humor make working with her a joy for co-workers.
As the scheduler, planner and perpetual hostess of many special events staged within and by the College of Education, Jodi has one of the most constantly pressure-packed, detailed and deadline-oriented jobs in the college. Yet she pulls off these sophisticated events seemly without a hitch, and always maintains her cool, quick wit and sharp sense of humor. Occasionally, things do go wrong, but Jodi is so well-prepared that very few guests at her events are aware that the caterer was late, the microphone check failed, the laptop containing the dean’s PowerPoint slide show froze up and a server spilled the last vegetarian entrée before placement at the vegan’s dinner setting. The guests never know about all these behind-the-scene glitches because Jodi has a spur-of-the-moment resolution to virtually any problem that arises. She is everyone’s favorite party hostess, event planner, and involved co-worker at the College of Education.
Professors Mary Brownell and Paul Sindelar helped draft a set of recommendations concerning special education teacher quality and evaluation in a report submitted in late March to the U.S. House education committee, which is considering President Obama’s recent proposal to overhaul the NLCB act. Brownell and Sindelar also conducted much of the research on which the recommendations were based.
Brownell, co-holder of the Irving and Rose Fien Professorship in Education, helped write the special education recommendations while Sindelar served as a consultant on the effort. They currently co-direct the college’s National Center to Inform Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development, or NCIPP for short, and they previously oversaw UF’s Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education (COPPSE). 
During his four-week internship, Giddo (pictured in UF's computer lab with student Kristen Brooks, left, with instructor Kara Dawson looking on) created a virtual tutorial on earthquakes, graded assignments, and improved his communication skills as he learned to give explicit, easy-to-understand instructions online. He hopes to use such technology in his own classroom once he graduates into the teaching profession in May. He hopes he can blend online learning with traditional face-to-face instruction in a “hybrid” classroom.
In this month’s column, I‘d like to review the key components that will most affect colleges of education, and conclude with a general comment on the heavy-handed approach to a very real and serious problem in this state – improving the academic performance of students, particularly those who attend the most challenged and diverse schools.
Headlines
PRESENTATION TITLE: Improving Students’ Proportional Thinking Using
Health ed virtual simulator opens 10-year run at Tampa museum
College business, events in good hands with 2010 Staff Members of Year
Special ed professor lands CEC honor for excellence in teacher education
Yendol-Hoppey, D., & Dana, N.F. (2010). Powerful Professional Development: Building Expertise Within the Four Walls of Your School. Thousand Oaks, CA. Corwin Press.
Mendoza, P. (2010). Does Student Debt Impact College Completion? A Causal Model. To be presented in May as a Fellow at the 2010 Houston Higher Education Finance Roundtable, sponsored by the University of Houston Law Center’s Institute of Higher Education Law and Governance, Houston, TX.
Advance tickets for PKY’s spring production of the Tony-award winning murder-mystery musical comedy, Curtains, are now on sale. Get them now before prices go up. The PKY box office is open every Wednesday 3-6 p.m. Starting April 12 through May 2, box office hours extend from 12-6 p.m. weekdays. Reserved seating tickets may also be purchased online at 
*Feb. 17, 2010 — Diane Ryndak, special education
*March 8, 2010 – Griff Jones, UF Teach
ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWSWIRE, 
The young pupils don’t realize their teacher-in-training also wears another crown of sorts.
“I firmly believe in the ripple effect,” she says. “Even if you only reach one student at a time, they’ll go and do something that will reach a few other people, and those people will do something to reach a few more people. You really never know how far the ripple goes.”
COE Dean Catherine Emihovich has announced the appointment of Matthew (Matt) Hodge to the new position of senior director of development and alumni affairs at the College of Education.
Luis Ponjuan, assistant professor in educational administration and policy at UF’s College of Education, was one of five national experts on minority education who participated in a panel discussion at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C.
Since the magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Jan. 12, Cirecie West-Olatunji, associate professor of counselor education at UF’s College of Education, has been involved in efforts of two national counseling organizations—the American Counseling Association and the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development—to share information with fellow counselors about symptoms of traumatic stress and associated interventions.
Lastinger Center founding director Don Pemberton (pictured, right) said the initiative could impact as many as 4,500 students in high-needs middle and high schools in Pinellas County. The training opportunities for their teachers include summer sessions and on-the-job training. Those in the degree program will take online classes and also study under UF education “professors-in-residence” who will visit them on site.
It’s difficult to pin a label on College of Education graduate Anita Zucker (BAE ’72), this year’s University of Florida Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. She is a former educator, a lifetime education advocate, a committed philanthropist, a history-making businesswoman, and one of Charleston, South Carolina’s leading citizens.
College of Education students need more exposure to diversity through activities like studying abroad, said a panel of four College of Education professors, joined by UF International Center Dean David Sammons (pictured, right). The group discussed strategies for internationalizing UF as part of the college’s recent International Education Week festivities.
All teachers will encounter students with international backgrounds, and teachers who speak a second language are most prepared for this, said Maria Coady, assistant professor in ESOL/bilingual education.
Two University of Florida counselor education faculty members have been recognized for their work in advancing the globalization of the University of Florida campus and curriculum through teaching, research and service.
Cathy Cavanaugh, associate professor in education technology at UF’s College of Education, has received international recognition for advancing innovative online learning in public primary schools.
This March, the 2010 Census will arrive in every Gainesville resident’s mailbox. The responses will directly affect the distribution of more than $400 billion in federal funding for education, healthcare, transportation and the environment. Off-campus students must fill out the form with their housemates and return it by mail before April 1. It is important that everyone in Gainesville fill out the census form to ensure funding that will help keep The Gator Nation–and the EduGator Nation–great. For more information, visit 
Hodge appointed senior director of development-alumni affairs
Dixon, A. L., & Hansen, N. (2010). Fortid, nutid, fremtid (past, present, future): Professional counseling in Denmark. Journal of Counseling & Development, 88, 38-42.
LA radio-theater group works with PKY student performers
Suzanne Colvin
Swapna Kumar
Philip Poekert
Jacqueline Zeig
Darby Delane, School of Teaching and Learning
Christopher Sessums, postdoctoral associate in education technology at UF’s School of Teaching and Learning, is one of two invited experts who will offer insights Nov. 18 on a nationwide Webinar, hosted by Education Week’s online publication edweek.org, titled “Can Web 2.0 Save Teacher Professional Development?”
Behar-Horenstein, professor in educational administration and policy and a UF Distinguished Teaching Scholar, has already appointed a new editorial board. The college’s educational administration and policy program launched the blind peer-reviewed e-journal in spring 2007.
Although Halloween is over, the education gremlins are still lurking in state and national policy circles. What are the education gremlins? They are the imps who whisper in policymakers’ ears that colleges of education are not sufficiently meeting the challenge of preparing the next generation of high-quality teachers to help increase student learning, especially in the nation’s most underserved schools.
Brownell, M. T., Bishop, A. B., Gersten, R., Klingner, J., Dimino, J., Haager, D., Menon, S., Penfield, R., & Sindelar, P. (2009). Examining the Dimensions of Teacher Quality for Beginning Special Education Teachers: The Role of Domain Expertise. Exceptional Children, 75(4), 391-411.
Mpofu, E., & Oakland, T. (2010). Assessment in Rehabilitation and Health. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
Clark, M.A. (2009, July). A Cross Cultural Study of Gender Differences in Educational Achievement and Persistence. 2009 Oxford Symposium in Barcelona in School-Based Family Counseling. Barcelona, Spain.
