Iowa Board of Regents Efficiency and Transformation Study
Departmental Information Regarding Academic Programs
Name of College Social and Behavioral Sciences_
Dean Brenda Bass
Use academic year 2013-2014
36. Research challenges and opportunities
Applied Human Sciences
ID Studios in interior design meet for 5 or 7 hours each week and create time constraints for research
productivity. The calculations for credit hours and contact hours were reworked for consistency with
faculty loads in other areas to enable faculty time for research. Interdisciplinary connections (for
example - gerontology and interior design, counseling and interior design) within SAHS provide good
support for developing strong branches of research. Both core faculty members belong to the Interior
Design Educators Council (IDEC) and one faculty serves on the Board of Directors of the Environmental
Design Research Association (EDRA). Membership in both organizations create strong conduits for
research and pedagogical associations.
COUN Experimentation with technology to compare current and traditional training practices.
COUN Application of creativity and innovation.
COUN Sample research includes: Adlerian Play Therapy in a Cedar Falls elementary school. Examining
strategies to address disruptive behaviors. Some children are receiving individual play therapy, some are
receiving group play therapy; children of divorce - adolescent group in local community, looking at selfesteem though qualitative and quantitative measures; Learner-Centered Assignments - qualitative
analysis of an assignment in a graduate course, for students' perceived effectiveness/usefulness of these
types of assignments; Wellness in Practicum Students - single case design measuring practicum students
levels of wellness and changes over the course of practicum experience.
Geography
A research opportunity for our students and faculty rests with the fact that Geography and Geographic
Information Science are currently very fundable fields for external research grants. Our department has
cultivated a history and culture of grants; those grants lead to scholarships, publications, and helps to
generate and fund undergraduate and graduate research experiences. As part of this effort we founded
the GeoTREE Center and ARCSES Lab that serve as research hubs and provide experience and help with
grant writing and research. The full potential of those activities is still being realized.
One challenge to research activities that we face is the lack of full post-award support for external
grants. Managing the grant accounts typically falls on the shoulders of the department secretary;
however, in a department with one full-time secretary, management of several grants is time prohibitive
and conflicts with the secretary’s responsibilities to the department’s office and the students. This is
compounded by the difficulties in getting many granting agencies to support clerical staff. Cobbling
together part-time help is inefficient and uncertain but is currently the most common method of
overcoming this challenge.
History
As noted earlier, one of the major strengths of the Department of History is the commitment of most
faculty to scholarship. Despite our success, we do face some challenges with regard to scholarly activity.
I. Challenges 1. The most problematic and immediate issue regarding scholarly activity is the current effort within
CSBS and our department to define what is sometimes called “alternative” or “emerging” scholarship.
This is an issue being debated across the country as departments of history seek both to adapt to
changes in research and publication related to the digital age and as fields, like Public History, emerge in
which scholarly activities do not conform to traditional definitions.
2. Another concern is the level of University support for research and writing. Some historians feel that
the Rod Library does not sufficiently meet the research needs of faculty or students in fields in which
access to resources is sometimes problematic. There is also some concern that diminishing University
resources will further negatively impact support for scholarly/creative activities at a time when these
remain an integral part of standards for promotion and tenure.
3. A third challenge is that of awakening more undergraduate and some fledgling graduate students to
the importance and benefits of research and presentation of their work in public forums where they can
build confidence, poise, and communications skills, as well as benefit intellectually from the constructive
criticism of other students and professional historians. Such experiences will serve them well as they
enter the post-collegiate world of work or further education.
II. Converting Challenges to Opportunities 1. The complicated and potentially divisive debate over alternative scholarship has the potential to
ultimately broaden the department’s definition of scholarly/creative activity in such a way as to
provide professional recognition to a greater range of accomplishments and to provide recognition and
rewards commensurate with such accomplishments.
2. Concerns over University support for research has the potential to draw faculty into a more active
advocacy role with the public and with state legislators in an effort to affirm the importance of what
faculty and the University as a whole do for not only students but for the people of Iowa. We have
never been very good at conveying this message, but, if done successfully, it might yield greater popular
and state support of the University. At the same time, static or declining resources may force faculty to
think more creatively about the substance and significance of their scholarship and creative work and to
articulate this more effectively in their efforts to seek external support for their work.
3. Cultivation of student research and conference presentation has the potential to build confidence
and skill in our majors and to strengthen their résumés as they seek employment or admission to postgraduate study. The department has already begun to encourage both undergraduate and graduate
students to become more involved in conference activities on campus, such as the CSBS Research
Conference and the department’s own newly-established Research Conference that began two years
ago. We also encourage them, especially the graduate students, to participate in professional
conferences, such as the Missouri Valley Historical Conference. There is already University and College
support for student research and travel and History now has a donor who has provided an annual
subsidy for undergraduate research and conference presentations. Meanwhile, the family of a former
professor has provided funds for such activities among graduate students.
Political Science
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Faculty have to be able to balance heavy teaching loads (normally 3 courses a semester) with
their research productivity. This balance can be very challenging at a comprehensive university.
Small grants from CSBS, as well as pre-tenure fellowships from the Provost’s office aid with
faculty research. However, there is a limited amount of funding available for those who do
resource-intensive work (i.e., they need larger sums than are normally available internally).
Students that attend UNI can, as undergraduates, be involved in faculty-led research, as well as
their own student research. Having few (or no) graduate students within a department could
mean limited assistance and research mentoring opportunities for faculty. However, our highquality undergraduate students can and do assist faculty with research.
Several members of the department have begun a multi-year panel study of Iowa voters and
their political attitudes. The project is being funded from internal sources, but as it proves to be
a successful project, it could be the basis for seeking external funding.
Psychology
New research space and clinic spaces in Bartlett present new opportunities for research by upgrading
facilities.
The Department of Psychology is seeking ways to encourage faculty to obtain external funding to
support research.
Currently no start-up funds (as traditionally defined and awarded at other institutions) are available to
set up a research laboratory in the Department of Psychology, this makes it difficult to hire new faculty
members.
As mentioned in the response to question 34, enrollment in Introduction to Psychology (PSYCH 1001)
has been declining due to students bringing in AP credit or community college transfer credits. This
creates a challenge given that faculty members’ research in part depends on the research pool formed
from Introduction to Psychology students.
Social Work
Both CSBS and the university offer multiple grants and scholarships for faculty research. These are very
much appreciated.
Increased funding for travel could help faculty who wish to collaborate on research projects with faculty
from other universities.
Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology
Clemens Bartollas, Criminology
 Aaron Plycroft and I are coauthors a volume of previously unpublished papers entitled, Whole
System Approaches in Criminal Justice and Social Work: Applying Complexity Theory.
 I am contributing a chapter, "Constituting the System: Radical Development in Post-Newtonian
Society.
 This v plume will be published by Polity Press in England in May 2014.
 Frank Schmallenger and I are beginning a study of crime and evil. Having nearly finished my reading,
I will begin working on this manuscript this summer.
 Research-Gangs: Jorja Leap and I are writing a book on profile of gangs, comping them in the West,
South, East, and Mdwest. The twenty gang members who will be interviewed are analyzed in terms
of a number of variables and characteristics. This book is due to be put in production at Oxford Press
in September of 2014.
 I am doing the biography of Willie "Rico" Johnson, the head of the Vice Lord nation. My intent is to
have a manuscript by the end of the summer of 2014. I have had the opportunity to interview many
Vice Lords and other gang members as part of this project.
 The fourth edition of Van Wormer and mine, Women and the Criminal Justice System, was
published by Pearson in September 2014.
 The third edition of Larry Siegel and mine Corrections in America is being put into production by
Wadsworth in April 2014. It will be published in January 2015.
 The second edition of Bartollas and Schmallenger's Juvenile Delinquency Brief is being put into
production by Pearson in May 2014. It will be published in January 2015.
 My biography of Richard Quinney, An Extraordinary Human Being: The Biography of Richard
Quinney, needs some final tuning up and is ready for publication. Quinney is the sociologist and
criminologist who has made such a contribution to American criminology. He is one of the major
players in the development of the field, especially Marxist criminology.
 My biography of Thomas Ross, The Quiet Giant: The Biography of Thomas Richard Ross, is complete
and ready for the publisher. He was a great teacher that I had in college who impacted so many
lives.
Carissa Froyum, Sociology
 Challenge: lack of available research moneys for basic research costs such as transcription and
transportation; lack of graduate students to collaborate with.
Mark Grey, Anthropology
 Rapid Ethnic and Linguistic Diversification of Iowa communities and institutions. Challenges for
health care providers, law enforcement, social service providers, EMS, and others.
Kristin Mack, Sociology
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Continue interdisciplinary collaboration
Expand usage of existing data sets, especially those available through ICPSR
Gayle Rhineberger-Dunn, Criminology
 Lack of small grant monies to fund relatively inexpensive items for research (e.g, <$200 worth of
items).
Marybeth Stalp, Sociology
 UNI Logo Fabric Project:
o Marybeth C. Stalp and Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi. 2013. “Establishing and Extending UNI
Memories Through Symbolic Fabric.” Poster presentation at the Creative UNIversity
Conference & Celebration. University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, December 3, 2013.
o Project is undergoing a “feasibility study” by a student team in the Business course,
“Entrepreneurial Strategy” taught by Katherine Cota-Uyar and with guidance from the
Pappajohn Center.
o Related Internal Grant under review: Marybeth C. Stalp and Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi. 2013.
“Establishing and Extending Memories Through Symbolic Fabric” Commercialization Grant
(up to $20,000) for Panther Fabric Project. Capacity Building Grant, Provost’s Office, UNI.
(decision pending)
 Internet press related to the 2013 article published:
o http://intellectquarterly.com/2013/05/
o Winge, Theresa M., and Marybeth C. Stalp. 2013. “Nothing Says Love Like a Skull and
Crossbones Tea Cozy: Crafting Contemporary Subversive Handcrafts.” Craft Research
4(1):73-86.
 Research Presentations:
o Theresa M. Winge, and Marybeth C. Stalp. 2014. “Virtually Crafted Communities: An
Exploration of Fiber and Textile Crafting Online Communities.” Paper Presentation at the
Textile Society of America’s 14th Bienniel Symposium (New Directions: Examining the Past,
Creating the Future). Los Angeles, CA, September 10-14, 2014.
o Theresa M. Winge, and Marybeth C. Stalp. 2014. “Craft + Activist = Craftivist: Crafting
Politics with Creativity, Humor, and Subversion.” Paper Presentation in the Conference
Stream: “Gendering the Creative: Creative Work, Creative Industries, Creative Identities.”
Gender, Work & Organization Biannual Conference, University of Keele, Keele, England, June
24-26, 2014.
o Marybeth C. Stalp. 2014. “At the Kitchen Table With a Cuppa Tea: Researching Quilting in
Ireland.” Quietly Revolutionary: Everyday Acts of Community, Panel Discussion, Midwest
Sociological Society Annual Meetings, Omaha, NE, April, 2014.
o Marybeth C. Stalp, and Emer Fahy. 2013. “Bookmarks Through the Life Course: Storytelling
Through Patchwork.” 4th Global Conference on Storytelling: Global Reflections on Narrative.
Prague, Czech Republic, May 21-24, 2013.