Newswise — As back-to-school season approaches, a variety of Central Michigan University faculty and staff experts are available to comment on topics related to the annual return to the classroom.
Expert sources and their respective areas of expertise include:
TOPIC: School violenceSOURCE: Kevin Love, professorDepartment of management
Kevin Love is available to provide commentary on school violence based on his experience in professional emergency management and having worked with SWAT teams in designing and evaluating emergency scenarios. A personnel selection and evaluation expert, Love worked with the Michigan State Police to measure organizational culture and attitudes during a major restructuring. Other law enforcement projects include using interactive behavioral simulations to select and train undercover officers. Love also developed an assessment center for the selection and certification of professional emergency managers, a key player in the battle against terrorism. He continues to publish research and provide managerial consulting services regarding the use of assessment center-based police promotional systems.
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TOPICS: Sexual aggression, stalking and partner violenceSOURCE: Stephen Thompson, associate professorDepartment of physical education and sport& coordinator, Sexual Aggression Services
Thompson can speak about the conditions that can lead to an outbreak of violence in a relationship. He is a national authority on issues dealing with sexual aggression, rape, harassment, avoidance and prevention strategies, behavioral analysis, and profiles of offenders. He is the author of the book "No More Fear" and a comprehensive study of the criminal profile of date/acquaintance rape offenders, and he also founded Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates, a nationally recognized CMU program designed to boost sexual assault awareness on campus.
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TOPICS: School violence, teen victimization, cyber-bullyingSOURCE: Betty Kirby, assistant professorDepartment of educational leadership
Betty Kirby, an expert on school violence, is a former high school principal with significant experience working with issues related to teen victimization. She has worked closely with the Michigan Victim Alliance and the National Center for Victims of Crime to implement educational projects designed to educate teens and raise awareness of the frequency of victimization.
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TOPICS: School violence and the changing role of teachers in maintaining safe schoolsSOURCE: Joseph Rivard, professorDepartment of teacher education and professional development
Rivard is an authority on the prevention of school violence, addressing the aftermath of critical incidents, and understanding adolescents in crisis. His study of high school students led to the development of a collaborative training program by CMU and the Michigan State Police for law enforcement personnel to help them establish trust relationships among police, youth and the community.
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TOPICS: Cheating and ethics in high schools, cyber-safety, teachers and technologySOURCE: David Whale, associate professorDepartment of educational leadership
Whale is an experienced administrator at the elementary, middle and high school levels. He has research interest in high school-level cheating and ethics. Whale's earlier research focused on the use of technology by educational leaders. He analyzed teachers in 220 Michigan public school districts to evaluate the technology skills of teachers. His research indicated that more states should evaluate teachers on their use of technology and require teachers to take a course that measures their skills prior to receiving initial licensure. Also, in terms of technology, Whale has an interest in children's online safety; he has conducted parent workshops on the subject.
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TOPIC: High-school athleticsSOURCE: Scott Smith, assistant professorDepartment of physical education and sport
Smith, director of the sport management division of CMU's physical education and sport department, has expertise in interscholastic athletic administration and can speak about several aspects of high school-level athletics, including sportsmanship, pay-to-participate programs and booster clubs. He is a certified athletic administrator whose teaching profile includes such courses as Sport in America, Sport Fundraising, Administration of Sport and Physical Education, and Sport Facilities.
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TOPIC: Service-learning and its place in the curriculumSOURCE: Tom Kromer, professorDepartment of teacher education and professional development
Kromer is an authority on service-learning programs that promote student learning through community service. One of CMU's first service-learning advocates, Kromer has made numerous presentations on the subject and works closely with Michigan Campus Compact, a service-focused, statewide coalition of colleges and universities. He serves on the CMU service learning advisory board and is a member of the service-learning faculty study group. He has written and directed numerous grants related to service learning at CMU and the state of Michigan. He mentors CMU faculty interested in developing service learning resources and has co-authored a step-by-step booklet on service-learning implementation in PK-12 classrooms. In February 2007, Kromer received the Michigan Campus Compact Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to engaging in service activities and teaching his students to do the same.
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TOPIC: Nutritional school lunch choicesSOURCE: Roschelle Heuberger, associate professorDepartment of human environmental studies
Heuberger, a registered dietitian, specializes in geriatric nutrition, drug and nutrient interactions, and epidemiological methods. Her studies often involve obesity, alcohol, medication and nutritional status research. Her teaching profile includes courses in clinical nutrition, nutrition education and counseling, community nutrition, geriatric nutrition, and eating disorders.
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TOPICS: Avoiding the "Freshman 15," making healthy lifestyle choicesSOURCE: Marianne "Mari" Croze, health and fitness representativeCentral Health Improvement Program
Croze is a health and fitness representative for the Central Health Improvement Program Facility, a fitness and rehab facility serving CMU faculty, staff and retirees. Her advice regarding quick but effective workouts has been quoted in such media outlets as the Chicago Tribune and WebMD.com.
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