Page 27 - October 2023

GRANT PROGRAM COMMITTEE MINUTES (DRAFT) (3)
best discussions have come from those opposing viewpoints. It is important to distinguish from the impulse to tell the meeting what we know, regardless of how it moves the debate, from the impulse to challenge, to ask questions. Challenging and asking questions gives life to the debate and moves us away from the Abilene Paradox. There is also the risk of the other extreme – disagreeing for disagreement’s sake. Overall, individual members said they feel comfortable asking tough questions. There is a high level of professionalism and trust within the group. One observation was that the Committee is often deferential to its past. We should feel freer to challenge past practice and more willing to try new things.
10. Disability programing
a. George Washington University research update
Bobby introduced Dr. Maxine Freund (Max), Associate Dean for Research and External Relations for the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University, and Dr. Elisabeth Kutscher, Assistant Professor for Special Education and Disability Studies at GWU who appeared before the Committee via Zoom. In 2022, JSF awarded GWU a grant of $250,000 over 2 years for a 3-phase study of State University System of Florida students and graduates with disabilities. The research is now in Phase 2.
Due to recent developments in the project, Bobby asked Dr. Freund to update the Committee, present multiple options for consideration and a recommendation for moving forward. The following materials had been circulated: a report from a videoconference held in August 2023; an interim report from GWU dated August 30, 2023; and an email from the GWU team explaining 2 options for next steps.
Max explained that the recruitment of students and graduates to interview has not been robust. The tracking of graduates is extremely limited at the 12 SUSF campuses, which has hindered the research team’s ability to locate individual recipients of the Johnson Scholarship. Fliers seeking Johnson Scholars to participate in the study had been distributed on the campuses, but these generated a large number of spam responses and only a handful of legitimate ones. Max and Elisabeth had hoped for 40 legitimate responses but have only received 12 to date. Elisabeth presented 2 options: either wrap up the project in December 2023 at Phase 2 or continue with the project through the conclusion of Phase 3 in April of 2024 as planned. Concluding the project in December would mean JSF’s third and last grant installment of $62,500 would not be funded.
Max and Elisabeth were asked whether the problem was an inability to reach the prospective candidates, or if the prospective candidates were being reached but were not responsive. Elisabeth said they have been unable to reach the prospective candidates. There is a reluctance of some students and graduates to disclose that they have a disability. Another issue is that the researchers are relying on Disability Resource Center staff at the schools and leaders of campus clubs to make the contacts. The thinking was that students and alumni would be more likely to respond to people they know. Also, their Institutional Research Board approval limits how much student and graduate data they can access.
Max and Elisabeth were also asked if the information they have received thus far has been valuable. They said that it has. They learned that 2 graduate interviewees obtained jobs online rather than through the Career Services office at their schools. Also, several students said the Johnson Scholarship significantly improved their college experience.
Asked which option they would recommend, Max and Elizabeth said they would recommend the first option. Max said she believed continuing on to Phase 3 would be a bit of a reach. She and Elisabeth left the meeting.
During the discussion that followed, the Committee questioned whether the researchers could have been more proactive in seeking students. They made appeals at the SUSF annual meeting for 2 consecutive years. Several schools publish news articles about their Johnson Scholars on their websites and social media. Raising the dollar amount of the incentives, using a graduate assistant and better planning were all suggested as things that might have helped recruitment.
The Committee approved as presented a recommendation by George Washington University researchers to conclude their 3-phase study of State University System of Florida students and graduates with disabilities at
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