Men and Masculinities Newsletter

Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community
WINTER 2013
Men & Masculinities
Knowledge Community
Leadership Team
A MESSAGE FROM THE
MMKC CHAIR
Osvaldo Del Valle, Chair
I write this message for the winter issue of the Men
and Masculinities Knowledge Community (MMKC)
Newsletter, at my new local Starbucks in San Francisco. I have written several Messages from the
Chair for the newsletter and this one happens to
be my penultimate message to the membership of
the MMKC and NASPA as Chair of the Men and
Masculinities Knowledge Community. My final submission as Chair will be in our next newsletter—
the Conference Edition. Where did the time go?
Director of Student Conduct
Office of Student Conduct
San Francisco State University
odelvall@sfsu.edu
Patrick Tanner, Chair-Elect
Director of Student/Enrollment Services
Pennsylvania State University—York
ptanner@psu.edu
Ullin K. Rigby, Newsletter Editor
Director of Residence Life & Housing
Virginia Union University
ukrigby@vuu.edu
Thomas Fritz, Awards Chair
Director, North Engagement Center
Michigan State University
fritzjrt@rhs.msu.edu
Christina Kaviani,
Special Projects Coordinator
Coordinator, Safer & Gender Equity Center
California Polytechnic State University
ckaviani@calpoly.edu
Anthony Dustin Rollins,
Special Projects Coordinator
Residence Director for Lakeside Complex
University of Florida at Gainesville
DustinR@housing.ufl.edu
James Lorello, Social Media Coordinator
Hall Director
Appalachian State University
jalorello@gmail.com
Regional Representatives
Shane Daniel Long, Region I
Southern Maine Community College
slong@smccme.edu
Jude Butch, Region II
University at Buffalo
Jude.butch@gmail.com
Hawken Brackett, Region III
Asst. Director of Career Development
Clemson University
Hawkenb@clemson.edu
Richard Lofgren, Region IV-E
Bowling Green State University,
Main Campus
rlofgre@bgsu.edu
Steven Taylor, Region IV-W
Southeast Missouri State University
staylor@semo.edu
Franklin Soares, Region V
Oregon State University
franklin.soares@oregonstate.edu
I hope that everyone had an enjoyable fall quarter/
semester. I know that many of us faced the new
academic year with a renewed commitment to help our students be as successful as they
can be. Now that we are commencing our winter/spring quarter/semester, I hope that
everyone had a wonderful holiday break and new year. I know that for me, this new
year, meant a new position and institution and new exciting challenges.
During the fall quarter, the MMKC leadership has kept very busy maintaining our collective Knowledge Community goal(s) of creating and disseminating knowledge regarding
College Men and Masculinities. Here are a few of the many examples of how the MMKC
has been working for you:
In November, Region I Representative Shane Long (Southern Maine Community College)
collaborated with colleagues to put on a drive-in conference entitled: Today’s College Man:
A Discussion on Men and Masculinities in Higher Education, at MIT.
In October, our Regions IV-East and IV-West Reps Rick Lofgren (Bowling Green State
University) and Steven Taylor (Southeast Missouri State University) teamed up to put together a joint regional drive-in conference entitled: MANifesting Change, Taking Root, at Western Illinois University, in partnership with the Center for the Study of Masculinities and
Men’s Development at WSU. This drive-in is now in it’s second year.
In November, I co-presented with Misha Maagi (Skyline Community College), at the
Western Regional Conference in Hawaii, a workshop entitled: Getting to the
Intersectionalities of Men’s Issues on Campus.
Our Social Media Coordinator, James Lorello (Appalachian State University) has been
quite busy increasing our online presence. A new and improved blog was created for the
group with at least one to three new posts each month. Our Twitter account
(@NASPA_MMKC) has just recently surpassed the 500 followers mark! Lastly, our Facebook group continues to be quite active for both members of NASPA and outside colleagues who work on men and masculinities issues via other disciplines.
In November, the MMKC Chair published an article in the Fall 2012 publication NASPA
Excellence in Practice entitled: She Seems Like a Good Girl: Checking Your Gender Bias in
Student Conduct Decisions.
Our Scholar-Practitioner in Residence, Dr. Chris Wilcox-Eliot (University of Virginia),
submitted an article for the Spring 2013 publication NASPA Excellence in Practice, enti-
Anthony Keen, Region VI
San Diego State University
akeen@mail.sdsu.edu
Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community Newsletter Winter 2013
(Continued on page 3)
Page 2
tled: Boldly Masculine within Socially-Prescribed Borders… We Can Do Better. Be sure to look for the printed publication at the conference!
The majority of our Regional Representatives were present and active at their respective regional NASPA conferences.
Our Special Projects Coordinators: Christina Kaviani (Cal Poly-SLO) and Laurel Dreher (MIT) have been busy working on selecting
MMKC sponsored programs for the national conference. As well as, working on a committee to coordinate the National Conference on College Men in May 2013!
As you can see, the leadership team as been quite busy this academic year and will continue to provide knowledge, networking and
resources on all things Men and Masculinities.
I am frequently amazed when I meet colleagues who are creating, exercising and sharing both scholarship and practice within the
field of college men and masculinities identity development. There are quite a few folks not involved in the MMKC who are doing
tremendous work. It is clear that this topic is not only taking root within the field of student affairs, but it is quickly coming to the
forefront of much of the work being produced. And this puts a smile on my face. See you in Orlando!
Osvaldo Del Valle is the National Chair of the Men and Masculinities Knowledge Community of NASPA and Director of the Office of Stu-
A MESSAGE FROM THE MMKC NEWSLETTER
EDITOR
Winter is considered a time for endings—a time when things die or dissipate so new beginnings
can come to fruition in the spring. However, this issue of our newsletter is far from dead. Stockpiled with narratives and research-based articles, I am proud to introduce you to my final issue as
the Newsletter Editor for our KC. I would like to give a sincere thank you to ALL contributors
during my tenure—your research and ideologies have inspired me to become a better professional
and have also continued the great legacy of the MMKC, which is absolutely awesome as we approach a milestone in our history.
I am extremely grateful to the Leadership Team for their support over the past 2 years, particularly our Outgoing Chair Osvaldo Del Valle, who has provided exemplary leadership and service. His
selflessness and commitment to our cause is admirable and provides a great template for the future of our KC. I also have to thank my predecessor in this role and our next Chair, Patrick Tanner, for his assistance and support when I assumed this role. I am confident that our KC is in great hands for the future.
I encourage all reading this newsletter to become involved in our activities. There is indeed a position for EVERYONE, no matter where your
interest lies. It is a great networking opportunity and professional development tool for those who wish to climb the ranks of higher education,
particularly the arena of student affairs. However, besides the personal and professional gain, there is ALWAYS the cause of supporting further
research and program implementation that supports men and masculinities. This is an ever evolving field of our field that requires continued
commitment and innovative approaches. It is not enough to just box our young men into one, close-minded identity that isolates and ostracizes
others who do not fit the mold. Our work is important. Our work is vital. Our work is progressive. However, above all, our work is NECESSARY.
The articles included in this edition—much like the others before—are stellar, thought-provoking and relevant. The practitioners who submitted them have worked tirelessly to produce high quality work that we as a field should all be proud of. It is inspiring to see so much effort being
put into forwarding the mission of our KC and ultimately, serving our target population. And the study of men and masculinities is NOT a “man
thing.” Over the course of my tenure, several great articles have been published by women who are in the trenches with us as well. In addition,
our leadership team continues to benefit from the work of women who see our cause as a “higher education challenge” not just a “male issue.”
In closing, I thank you all again for your support, encouragement and inspiration. Let us continue to remain steadfast in our desire to uphold the
principles and mission of our KC. Let us continue to be forward-thinkers who see (and embrace) the possibilities. Let us continue to give of
our time and service to lift our KC to even greater heights. It has truly been a pleasure to serve in the role of Newsletter Editor and I look
forward to seeing what we have planned next. Safe travels to all of those venturing to Orlando for the annual conference.
Ullin K. Rigby is the Newsletter Editor for the Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community of NASPA and the Director of Residence Life & Housing at
Virginia Union University. He can be reached at ukrigby@vuu.edu.
Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community Newsletter Winter 2013
Page 3
BROKEN BONDS: RECONSTRUCTING BLACK MASCULINITY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES
According to Chickering, “A student’s most important teacher
is often another student. Bonds formed in college with classmates, hall mates, teammates may last one semester or a lifetime.” These are the bonds that play a crucial factor within a
student’s academic and social integration.
Tinto’s Model of Institutional Departure states that, “to persist,
students need integration into formal (academic performance)
and informal (faculty/staff interactions) academic systems and
formal (extracurricular activities) and informal (peer-group interactions) social systems”.
Campus involvement and participation by students creates an
attachment and sense of belonging, it is critical that student
affairs educators are dedicated to building a campus environment that is perceived as nonthreatening and receptive to the
presence of African American male students (Allen, 1992; Davis, 1994).
Broken Bonds
Black Masculinity & Black Greek Lettered Organizations
(BGLO): Black fraternity men have contributed to the developing image of Black Masculinity on college campuses. However
hazing activities, lack of brotherhood, low academic performance and the negative public perception have tarnished the
image of the organizations as well as black masculinity.
Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community Newsletter Winter 2013
Black Masculinity & Black Male Disengagement: Black male
students are steadily withdrawing from leadership positions as
the gap between men and women on college campuses widens.
Gender shifts have provided women with the opportunity to
take on leadership roles within campus organizations and academic activities. Harper (2009) offer five reasons for black male
disengagement: Men deem sports, physical activity, and athleticism more socially acceptable and “cooler” than campus leadership and purposeful engagement;
Male students typically encounter difficulty working together,
which is often required in student organizations;
Many Black men come to college having already been socialized
to devalue purposeful engagement;
There is a shortage of Black male role models and mentors on
campus who actively and strategically promote purposeful engagement; and many Black men are unable to meet the minimum
2.5 grade point average requirement for membership in one of the five
historically Black fraternities.
Mentorship: One of the major reasons for the slow destruction of
Black Masculinity on college campuses is the lack of mentorship between University staff and Faculty. Michael Cuyjet (2006) states, “In
(Continued on page 7)
Page 4
YOU DON’T KNOW “JACK”: DEVELOPING
PRODUCTIVE MASCULINITIES TO PROMOTE
FACULTY-STUDENT INTERACTIONS
As the body of research on men continues to expand, we have
begun to learn more about the idiosyncrasies between men’s
and women’s experiences as students – including important
distinctions about men’s interactions with faculty. Pascarella
and Terenzini (2005) remind us that student-faculty interactions
significantly impact men and women in a myriad of ways
(including satisfaction with the college experience, academic
achievement, personal and intellectual achievement, and persistence). Other research demonstrates that men are even more
positively influenced by faculty interactions than women. For
example Sax, Bryant, and Harper (2005) demonstrated increases in cultural awareness, commitment to promoting racial understanding, and liberal political views in men only. Men who
interacted with faculty also showed greater increases in their
likelihood to express egalitarian gender roles than women who
interacted with faculty. Despite the tremendous potential for
growth, men interact less frequently and less positively with
faculty than women (Sax, Bryant, and Harper, 2005). Similarly,
men seek help, both from student and academic affairs services,
less often than women (Kellom, 2004). Given the extraordinary benefits of student-faculty interactions, especially for men,
it is important to consider the reasons that men ask for help
and interact with faculty less often than women.
Struve (2009), can help guide this critical analysis of our work
as individual educators as well as of our respective campus cultures.

Drawing from the theoretical work of Alexander Astin (1993)
and other developmental scholars, we believe that student behavior – including men’s tendency (or lack thereof) to interact
with faculty and seek help from educators – is, in part, an outcome of what these students have learned from their social
environments. As men develop, they acquire and internalize

the values, attitudes, and behaviors associated with femininity,
masculinity, or both. College is a particularly important time of
influence. One of the greatest driving forces for college men is
the construction of their identity. Further, gender serves as a
foundational element of identity development, upon which students must make decisions that will have lifelong impacts.

As men begin to solidify their gender identities, their behavior is
impacted by gender socialization, the social construction of
masculinity, competence, self-efficacy, gender role conflicts, and
the environmental ethos (Harris, 2008). These interrelated factors can serve as the basis for initiatives aimed at increasing
men’s interaction with faculty and help seeking behavior. In
fact, our work as educators impacts these factors, regardless of
if we create intentional initiatives or not. Therefore, it is important to explore the ways in which the services, policies,

practices, courses, and programs we facilitate may socialize men
to embody perceptions of masculinity which undermine their
likelihood to interact with faculty and to ask for help.
The following considerations, initially offered by Harris and
Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community Newsletter Winter 2013
Many men arrive on campus having been socialized to embrace stereotypical and narrow beliefs and attitudes about
masculinity. For example, Harris and Struve (2009) found
that men had very specific ideas about the roles that they
should assume in the home and the majors they should
pursue. Campuses that prioritize patriarchy and competitiveness reinforce these attitudes and beliefs. Instead, campuses should focus on guest speakers, course readings,
class discussions, service-learning projects, and other interactive activities that broaden men’s ideas about masculinity
and about what constitutes appropriate gender related
behavior.
We should find ways to have men interact with men from
diverse backgrounds. For example, faculty can provide
space for cross-cultural interaction in their courses. Further, residence life and student activities professionals can
establish community-wide programs that promote a sense
of teamwork for a common goal.
Educators should constantly examine which groups of men
garner the most attention on campus and which groups of
men are marginalized. Initiatives to support and promote
the marginalized groups should then follow. Harris and
Struve (2009) suggest that a committee, comprised of
members of student affairs, academic affairs, athletics, enrollment services, and other key units provide leadership
and strategies specific to the marginalized groups.
Student affairs professionals must continuously question
the impact of their initiatives on students’ development of
masculinity. Here it is important to consider what messages about men and masculinity are being communicated.
(Continued on page 8)
Page 5
THE JOURNEY OF BEGINNING A MEN
AND MASCULINITIES PROGRAM AT
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY,
CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO
When I first began my position at the Cal Poly
“Women’s Center” in 2009, I felt a little uneasy. In conversations, I would explain my role and the educational
programming of our center, and always anticipate the
person who would say, “Well what are you doing to
specifically educate men?” I would stutter and hesitantly
let them know that we educate thousands of men about
sexual assault prevention. “But what about the education on gender norms and masculinities? What about
educating men about foundational identity development
before discussing sexual assault?” they asked. Soon
enough I realized that our Women’s Center needed to
be re-vamped, re-investigated, and re-named. I was determined and kindly offered to assist me in my journey to get this proto change our Women’s center to become a Gender Equity
gram off the ground. Osvaldo has an incredible amount of
Center.
knowledge in the field of Men and Masculinities. I remember my
first conversation with him when he asked me if I knew the
I sent an email to the Vice President of Student Affairs explain- definition of hegemonic masculinity. Needless to say, Osvaldo
ing my reasons, and within a couple weeks I was granted the go has been a guiding light and wealth of information during the
ahead to change our name to the Gender Equity Center (GEC). first year of implementation.
I was very excited to begin emphasizing gender identities in our
programming, and opening up the scope of discussion to include This year we have been able to accomplish an incredible
men and masculinities. I was proud that we could have a name
amount, all of which has no precedent at Cal Poly. We partthat implies what we strive for as a university: fairness regardnered with our Greek system, and held a Movember Campaign
less of a person’s gender identity. Our Center could now be
which raised awareness about prostate cancer. We started a
more inclusive to a diversity of people.
men’s discussion group called The Den. We created a month of
programming during “Manuary” (also known as January), in
Then next step was getting more men involved. Interestingly
which we hosted workshops and discussions about male body
enough, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo image, masculinity and relationships, among others. In February,
(Cal Poly) was the last California State University to open a
Men and Masculinity Programs presented at the 2012 Change
Women’s Center in 1994 but is the first to open a GEC on Feb- the Status Quo Conference, and lead a workshop entitled, “Jack
ruary 14, 2011. And since we have changed the name of our
in the Box, The Intersections of Stereotypical Masculinity and
center, we have welcomed double the amount of men working Sexual Assault.” We successfully introduced a gender dialogue
as student assistants, staff and attendees to our events. Now,
and theater series called “Phallacies” to Cal Poly, after Osvaldo
the GEC is not a center for only women, but a center for all
suggested we watch a video from University of Massachusetts –
people.
Amherst. Phallacies originated at UMASS, and is a wellestablished and successful program.
After the name change occurred, I realized that changing the
title was the easiest part of redesigning our center; now we
Men and Masculinities program has also teamed up with Safer
needed to change the programming. We needed to be more
to create a program specific to men who have been accused of
focused on the male population, gender norms, stereotypes,
any gender violence. It is a six-week program that examines
gender identities, transgender issues and the various masculini- masculinities and relationships, gender norms and violence while
ties that are alive in our society.
engaging in activities and reading intriguing articles.
Beginning to lay the foundation for our new program was like
going into a gigantic store with aisles and aisles to choose from.
Where do I begin? I found different types of events and workshops going on. I felt overwhelmed with beginning the framework of a new program in two months. I was a lucky woman
for a many reasons. Osvaldo Del Valle, the National Chair of
the Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community and a Learning
Community Coordinator, was a colleague of mine at Cal Poly
Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community Newsletter Winter 2013
Cal Poly is also proud to be hosting our second annual Gender
Symposium on May 19. With the work of Nick Bilich, Osvaldo
Del Valle, Tom Trice, Veronica Heiskell and myself. Last year,
the focus of the symposium was on religion, race and culture.
Our keynote speaker was Dr. Jason Laker, who published his
book entitled Masculinities in Higher Education. Jason is an internationally known expert, scholar, and speaker on issues
(continued on page 7)
Page 6
(Continued from page 4)
the absence of viable African American faculty to serve as mentors and advisors to African American students, it is imperative
for institutions to develop cadres of non-African American faculty to serve in these roles. Although many students lament the
lack of availability of faculty who share common gender, cultural,
ethnic, and racial background experiences…”
What should be done to repair these Broken Bonds
Collect data from African American men who are uninvolved on campus: Surveys, interviews, forum and group discussions
Collaborate with key stakeholders who are interested in the
development of African American men: Faculty, multicultural
affairs, residence life and athletics
(continued from page 6)
Create and support groups specifically for African American affecting the engagement, development and success of male
men: Organization that uplift black masculinity, provide engaging college students.
activities and dialogue
There are a few things I have realized during my time working
Provide financial and advisory support for African American with the GEC and Men and Masculinity programs. First, you can
do a lot with a little amount of money. Second, you can do
Male Initiative Programs: Request additional funds for promore than you originally thought, simply by just doing it and not
gramming and leadership development
overthinking it. Third, people are always willing to say yes to any
changes that encourage more discussions with men. And lastly,
Incorporate diversity, identity development and leadership
men that care about this movement and are willing to talk to
into the universities/college curriculum: Course on College
other men, are some of the most inspiring people I have ever
Men and Masculinities
met.
Mentor Development: Effective mentor training and follow up
The Cal Poly GEC is growing and evolving everyday. Discuspractices
sions, events and workshops on gender are happening on a
weekly basis, and men are clearly visible in the movement to
Recommended Readings
educate and support more men. The GEC is a center where
people congregate with unified intentions and equal aspirations
Allen, W.R. (1992). The color of success: African
of creating a community and society that allows every person to
American college student outcomes at predominantly White and hisbe free to be themselves, not be put into a box that tells them
torically Black public colleges and
who or how they need to be. The GEC is a place that encouruniversities. Harvard Educational Review, 6E 26-44.
ages people to ask questions and explore their personal identity.
Cuyjet, M. (2006). African American Men in College. Jossey-Bass; 1st It challenges gender stereotypes and asks students to examine
themselves, their words, their behaviors and actions. The GEC
edition.
is a place where epiphanies happen and where light bulbs turn
Davis, J.E. (1994). College in Black and White: Campus environment on. It is a place where heated discussions occur, where battles
and academic achievement of African males. Journal of Negro Edu- are fought and where being outspoken is encouraged. It is a
cation, 63(4), 620-633.
place that educates students on how to develop a positive identity and how to feel empowered to empower others. It is a cenHarper, S. R., & Quaye, S. J. (Eds.). (2009). Student engagement in ter that intervenes when something wrong is happening to a
higher education: Theoretical perspectives and practical approaches
fellow student. It is a place that encourages people to respect
for diverse populations. New York: Routledge.
other people.
Allen Rice is a student assistant at Southeast Missouri State
University. He can be reached at adrice1@semo.edu.
I am proud to call the Cal Poly GEC my home.
Christina Kaviani is one of the MMKC Special Projects CoordinaSteven Taylor is the Region IV-West Representative for the Men & tors and the Coordinator of the Safer and Gender Equity Center at
Masculinities Knowledge Community and is the Coordinator of Univer- California State Polytechnic University. She can be reached at
sity Tutorial Services at Southeast Missouri State University. He can
ckaviani@calpoly.edu.
be reached at staylor@semo.edu.
Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community Newsletter Winter 2013
Page 7
(Continued from page 5)
Examine 1.) the large scale programs that are facilitated on
campus; 2.) campus policies; 3.) common practices – do
these model the images of masculinity that most educators
hope men integrate into their identity?

Men’s relations to their peers are central to the ways in
which they define their identities, often resulting in behavior
choices that are consistent with peer group norms. Universities should establish support and discussion groups that
are focused on helping men rely more on internal and less
on external ways of making meaning of their identity.

Because peers have tremendous influence, training around
gender identity development and diverse conceptualizations
of masculinity should be incorporated into paraprofessional DVD REVIEW: WHITE SCRIPTS AND BLACK
(i.e., RA, orientation leader, peer health educator, student
organization executive member, etc.) training programs and SUPERMEN: BLACK MASCULINITIES IN COMIC
workshops. For example, teaching student leaders that ac- BOOKS
tion-oriented activities are often useful to establish interper- My protégé is an avid comic book reader; I, on the other hand,
sonal connections with men, may enable leaders to more
am not so my limited knowledge of comic book superheroes is
successfully engage men in their work.
centered around his love of all things Marvel. However, upon
hearing about this DVD, I became really excited. I was not
In sum, higher education professionals impact men’s identity
aware of any black superheroes besides Blade and, from what I’ve
development and ultimately their engagement with faculty and
heard, his character is questionable.
staff. Because colleges and universities are social environments,
this influence on men’s identity is present whether educators
This DVD—a work by California Newsreel, a non profit film
choose to address it or not. The authors strongly encourage all distribution and production center which focuses on African
educators to consider the recommendations offered by Harris
American life and history and race, as well as health and safety—
and Struve (2009), presented here, in order to shape their influ- is a well-thought and well-researched documentary on the origins
ence of men and enable them to develop robust relationships
and evolution of black superhero characters. The producers
with faculty and staff.
delve into the histories of many characters, including the Black
Panther, Blade and Green Lantern. With superhero fascination
Tyler Portman, Ph.D. is a Residence Hall Director at Old Dominreaching epic proportions due to several big screen adaptations
ion University. He can be reached at tfortman@odu.edu.
of comic book heroes, the production provides a refreshing historical perspective on how black men have been portrayed over
the years.
Andrew Fortman is the Coordinator for Student Organizations at
Old Dominion University and can be reached at afortman@odu.edu.
Ranging from controversial, muscle bound figures to more positive and progressive images, the commentators provide sharp
(and thought provoking) insight into a genre that has contradicted itself many times in the creation and introduction of black
characters. There is talk of powerful images and there is also
talk of characters being played by Caucasian actors when big
screen productions are made. A rare topic that not many discuss, the DVD is a must watch. I viewed it with a few of my students and the conversation that ensued was a deep, barrierbreaking dialogue that challenged society’s view of black men and
what it means to even be a “man who happens to be a superhero.” Have we progressed or have we regressed in our depiction
of minorities? How sensitive can a race be about something as
“simple as a comic book?” It is an excellent work and I encourage all to view it.
For more information about the DVD, contact Brendan Carroll
at bc@newsreel.org.
Ullin K. Rigby is the Director of Residence Life & Housing at
Virginia Union University. He can be reached at ukrigby@vuu.edu.
I AM MORE THAN MY HAIR: DISCUSSING PROFESSIONALISM FOR BLACK MEN
Black males struggle with stereotypical public images and assumptions of character based on their appearance daily (Foster,
1995). These assumptions and images unfortunately reinforce
numerous negative stereotypes amongst Black males. College
campuses have always been viewed as havens for free thought
and open-mindedness. Staff, students and faculty have enjoyed
freedom of expression within the higher education setting. Why
is this expression so important? The answer is simple. There is
more to a hairstyle, a look or our wardrobe than what is viable.
From a cultural point of view, our appearance sometimes defines who we are. As our society progresses and our student
population continually changes, conversations are still being held
amongst student affairs professionals regarding how a person’s
appearance is an important part of their identity, history, and/or
culture. Appearance and expression of identity provides an opportunity to express freedom, uniqueness, diversity, heritage,
and change which should not be construed negatively or unprofessional amongst Black males.
Current research demonstrates the challenges that Black males
in our society face pertaining to education, health, discrimination, and economics (Brown, 2004; Eberhardt et.al, 2004; Eckholm, 2006; Kaba, 2005). Unfortunately, these challenges within
our society and on college campuses also include issues of appearance and expression. In the interest of fairness and logic,
Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community Newsletter Winter 2013
one must acknowledge that a non-Black male dressed in a
grunge style with long or spiked hair would probably turn a few
heads and those that gander at him may immediately make assumptions on his education, family upbringing, and role in our
society. With that said, when a college professor or student
body president walks into the neighborhood movie theater or
through the campus student union with dreadlocks, braids, or
corn rolls, stereotypical red flags immediately go up. Fair or unfair, social media and the entertainment industry provide the
most common images of Black males. Based on these images and
the portrayal of Black men, the Black male college student or
administrator with long braids, twists or dreadlocks tends to
send many different messages and assumptions related to their
character, demeanor, and behavior within our society. Unfortunately, in the eyes of many, none of these images convey the
message of professionalism.
Society tends to shape how a person may think, act or view
someone. In recent years, we have witnessed several Black male
celebrities and athletes change their appearance to look more
“professional” in order to gain more prominent and lucrative
endorsements or to be viewed as “less threatening”. Similarly,
in the field of student affairs, some Black males have changed
their appearance by cutting their hair in an effort to be perceived “more professional” during the interview process and/or
Page 9
in their current position. Interestingly enough, several of these
positions state in their position description, “Professional demeanor and appearance required.” What exactly does that mean
and how is it interpreted? For a Black male, does cutting his hair
make him more professional? If so, who is making the decision,
defining professionalism, and what standard of professionalism is
being used?
Professionalism in the work place may vary depending on the
guidelines set forth by the employer or the career field. International Business Machine (IBM) is well known for their traditional
“clean shaven” and “blue suit” standard and some firms have
very strict guidelines and dictate work attire including the proper shoes and shirt. Higher education, as a work environment,
has generally been more flexible than traditional Fortune 500
companies. For some prospective and current student affairs
practitioners, the less-conforming environment of higher education draws them to this field as a career choice. As a result of
this “laid back” environment and fewer guidelines, professionalism can be highly debatable. Despite the ambiguity in professionalism, it appears that limits are still in place for Black males with
long hair as they continuously ask, “What do I do with my hair?
Should I cut it? How will I be perceived with my braids, dreadlocks, or twists?” The answers may appear to be simple for
some, but for a lot of these men, the answers are difficult as this
decision could dictate how far they may go in their career. This
inconclusive idea of professionalism, standards of appropriate
dress and attire may vary by gender as well.
As previously mentioned, Black men have a myriad of hair styles.
Yet, many of these styles may be considered professional for
one gender (i.e. African American Women) and not the other.
For example, Black men who wear their hair long, no matter
how neat and groomed may be considered unprofessional by
different administrators, departments, students, or even the
community. In contrast, a Black woman with the same type of
hairstyle may be perceived more professional in comparison to
Black men. Is this bias due to their appearance or the negative
connotations associated with the style for Black men? While
professionalism is highly debatable, what message is being sent to
these Black male students, upcoming student affairs practitioners, etc.?
When discussing a culture or cultural characteristics, we tend to
group people into categories based on one single characteristic
(i.e. hair) (Talbot, 2003.) Talbot expressed the trouble of this
notion, “The danger in doing this is that it becomes too easy to
disallow for individual differences within groups and even easier
to stereotype based on group membership” (p. 47.) Racial identity theorists have concluded that negative stereotypes play a
direct role in African American achievement, or lack thereof, in
higher education (Steele, 1997.) Steele’s research on stereotype
threat acknowledged that African Americans must constantly
contend with negative stereotypes in many academic settings
including college campuses.
Considering the dynamics of stereotypical views as they relate
to appearance, student affairs professionals are challenged to
Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community Newsletter Winter 2013
create intentionally inclusive educational environments that
serve to engage and accept all students and administrators who
may or may not look like the “norm”, “mainstream”, or
“professional” by mainstream standards and promote a meaningful and enlightening dialogue about inclusion vs. exclusion. Grammy Award winning artist India Arie signified this notion in one of
her famous songs titled “I Am Not My Hair” by emphasizing the
importance of redefining who we are and the significance of
what’s underneath our heads and not what’s on it.
Who we are consists of what we have experienced and how we
view our roles in society. These roles and views change over
time, and our identities change with these new experiences
(Alfred, 2001.) An individual’s identity is shaped by life experiences, historical events, and who the world says he or she is
(Alfred, 2001; Phelps et al., 2001; Tatum, 1997.) Beverly Tatum
(1997) stated, “The concept of identity is a complex one, shaped
by individual characteristics, family dynamics, historical factors,
and social and political contexts” (p. 18.) The worth and or value
should not be based on the appearance of an individual. Instead,
strategies need to be reemphasized to help ensure equal access
in admission, student participation, graduate education, faculty
and administration for Black males.
References
Alfred, M. V. (2001). Expanding theories of career development: Adding the
voices of African American women in the white. Adult Education Quarterly, 51,
108-127.
Brown, L. (2004). America’s Black male: Disadvantaged from birth to death. Penn
GSE Perspectives on Urban Education. University of Pennsylvania, Graduate
School of Education.
Eckholm, E. (2006, March 20). Plight deepens for Black men, studies warn. The
New York Times, p. A1.
Eberhardt, J.L. et al. (2004) Seeing Black: Race, crime, and visual processing.
Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 87, 876.
Foster, Herbert (1995). Educator’s and non-educator’s perceptions of Black
males: A survey. Journal of African American Men, 1, 37-70.
Kaba, A.J. (2005). Progress of African Americans in higher education attainment:
The widening gender gap and its current and future implications. Educational
Policy Analysis Archives, 13, 1-34.
Phelps, R. E., Taylor, J. D., & Gerard, P. A. (2001). Cultural mistrust, ethnic identity, racial identity, and self-esteem among ethnically diverse Black university
students. Journal of Counseling and Development, 79, 209-216.
Steele, C. M. (1997). A threat in the air: How stereotypes shape intellectual
identity and performance. American Psychologist, 52(6), 613-629.
Tatum, B. D. (1997). Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria? New
York: Basic Books.
Kevin A. Dougherty, Ed.D. is an Assistant Dean of Students at the
University of California, Los Angeles. He can be reached at
kdougherty@saonet.ucla.edu.
Aaron J. Hart, Ed.D. is the Director of Housing and Residence Life at
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He can be reached at
aarohart@iupui.edu.
Page 10
THEORY TO PRACTICE: CREATING INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT FOR MEN’S DEVELOPMENT
AT OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
Oregon State University has accomplished a lot in recent years
to enhance college men’s development and respond to unique
needs of male students. Most recently, the Men’s Implementation Team was formed in the fall of 2012 with the task of recommending necessary changes to develop a new office that responds to recent research detailing concerns for men’s experiences in college. The result of the Men’s Implementation Team
was the initiation of Men’s Development & Engagement at Oregon State University. The following shares the history of OSU’s
process towards implementing a new office and that office’s
current and future plans. We believe the following will inform
practitioners about our evolving process for developing programs and services on behalf of male students.
The mission of the department is, “We create a diverse and
collaborative learning environment that positively influences
men’s development.” The department is committed to, “the
diverse experiences of men; the development of responsible,
authentic and compassionate masculine identities; challenging
power, privilege and oppression; and creating an inclusive and
safe campus environment for all.”
History at Oregon State University
about men and masculinity and toward creating new pathways
for men to explore and develop their masculinity, Michael
Henthorne partnered with the Office of the Vice Provost of
Student Affairs to create a 2-year position for Men’s Support
Programs (later called, Men’s Development Programs). After
Nick Daily was appointed to the position, the goal of the project was to discover the state of college men and masculinities
in the world, in the U.S. and at OSU specifically, with a special
focus on statistics and programs that were already in existence.
The results of research and assessment on college men led to
the creation of OSU’s Men’s Implementation Team.
Men’s Implementation Team
The Men’s Implementation Team was designed as an opportunity to get various offices and students involved charged with recommending details of a new office: a mission and vision; the
scope of the program (full-time employee, part-time employee,
or graduate assistant); the reporting structure; and the funding
structure of the program. The Team was advertised to various
offices and listservs across campus requesting a participant capable of committing to 1 hour per week in Fall 2012. From this,
we acquired a committed team of about 8 people from various
offices throughout campus.
At Oregon State University, many endeavors to take on the
This team included people connected with The Office of Fratertopic of men and masculinities have come and gone in the past
nity and Sorority Life, Associated Students of Oregon State Uni5+ years. As OSU began moving beyond the flawed assumptions
(Continued on page 12)
(Continued from page 11)
versity, University Housing and Dining Services, International
Student and Advising Services, Admissions, Foreign Languages
and Literatures, Engineering, College Student Services Administration, and Women Studies. The team was structured in such
a way that it would meet about a topic on the agenda and after a
discussion and brainstorming session with the entire group, the
two facilitators (Lucas Schalewski and Nick Daily) would meet
to make sense of the information gathered and present that
information at the following meeting.
Strong relationships and support from faculty and academic affairs has been a crucial competent to the present and future
success of Men’s Development and Engagement. Future programs for Men’s Development and Engagement may include:
Healthy Masculinities Town Hall
U-Engage (academic focused first year seminar class)
Film series
Workshops
Resources on College men and masculinities
Consulting and training
Awareness building
Based on meaningful discussions from the Men’s Implementation Outreach to OSU and community partners
Team the name “Men’s Development and Engagement” and the Mentorship
program’s mission was created. The mission statement and
commitments were created through a three week process. This Future Plans for Men’s Development and Engagement
process started with developing a shared understanding of beliefs and values from which Nick Daily and Lucas Schalewski
The Men’s Implementation Team recommended the office of
crafted the mission of Men’s Development and Engagement.
Men’s Development and Engagement be enhanced starting 2015.
The presented mission and commitments reflect the most imThere is a very strong need for this office to become larger and
portant beliefs that are pertinent to college men’s issues at Ore- have more resources to address the issues college men face at
gon State University. The mission and commitments also align
Oregon State University. The report stated a need for a fullwell with the supervising office, Healthy Campus Initiatives, Of- time position to be hired and lead Men’s Development and Enfice of Dean of Student Life, Division of Student Affairs, as well
gagement starting Fall 2015. The team also believed the office
as the mission of Oregon State University itself. The Division of should be transferred into Intercultural Student Services starting
Student Affairs has planned to support funding for a graduate
in 2015 due to potential changes in departments and alignment
assistant during 2013-2015 academic years. Additional program- of missions and values.
ming funding will be requested through Oregon State University
Student Fees Committee.
We welcome any comments, questions, or suggestions on Men’s
Development and Engagement.
Programs
Current programs within Men’s Development & Engagement
include assessment and research on men’s issues at OSU, a Film
Series focusing on men and masculinities titled: “Are You Man
Enough?” In this series, we ask men to question the dominant
forms of masculine presentation and reflect on what it means
for them to be men in the U.S. One film focuses on fatherhood
and friendship, while another interrogates Asian male representations in television and film. With this focus on various and
diverse masculinities, we hoped to integrate our goal of allowing
this program to be for all campus community members. Another program we are facilitating, in collaboration with the Office of
Childcare and Family Resources & Family Housing Association,
is a Fatherhood Group, which focuses on student fathers attempting to create a community of care.
Nick Daily is a Graduate Assistant in the Office of Men’s
Development & Engagement. He can be reached at
nicolas.daly@oregonstate.edu.
Luke Schalewski is a Graduate Assistant in the Office of
Admissions at Oregon State University. He can be reached at
lucas.schalweski@oregonstate.edu.
Beginning OSU’s Winter 2013 term, Men’s Development and
Engagement will have the exciting opportunity to collaborate
with Dr. Bradley Boovy’s course titled Men and Masculinities in a
Global Context. This course seeks o answer the questions: What
does a “real man” look like and how do representations of men
and masculinity influence our understand of what it means to
“be a man” in today’s world? The class will have an end of the
term service component to it that will be involved within Men’s
Development and Engagement programs.
Volume 1, Issue 1
Page 12
ARTICLE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
should inquire with the Technology Chair for deadlines.
1. Articles should be no less than 300 words and no
5. Please take the time to proof and edit your work.
more than 1500.
6. All work should be saved in .doc (Word) format.
2. All articles should be relevant to the mission and
7. Photos and artwork should be sent as high qualipurpose of the Men and Masculinity Knowledge
ty .jpg files.
Community.
3. Articles should include the name of the author,
job title, email and school affiliation.
8. All submissions must be sent to the MMKC ChairElect—Patrick Tanner at ptanner@psu.edu
4. Anyone with an article that is time sensitive
The Purpose of the Men & Masculinities Knowledge
Community
The purpose of the Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community (MMKC) is to provide a venue for discussion, research, and the distribution of information about men’s
gender identity development, in the context of college
campuses.
5.
To assist Student Affairs professionals in navigating the
tensions between male privilege and men’s personal
needs (e.g. challenge and support,) including support
through the professionals’ personal frustrations in this
regard.
The goals of the MMKC are:
6.
To create guides to best practices in teaching male students about diversity, gender identity, and other critical
issues affecting their personal growth.
7.
To promulgate and/or distribute men’s issues and development scholarship for use in graduate preparation
programs.
1.
To make gender identity(ies) a salient lens for viewing
and working with male staff and students.
2.
To develop and distribute resources that will enhance
student affairs professionals’ ability to respond to the
needs of male students
3.
To inform the profession about new research and practices regarding the development of masculine identities
as manifested in people in general, and men in particular (e.g. inclusive of masculinities performed by
Trans/Queer, women.)
4.
To offer technical and creative assistance to colleagues
as they develop programs and services for male students.
This KC was founded upon a pro-feminist, anti-racist, gayaffirmative agenda with the hope of providing resources to
increase multi-cultural competence among male students
by providing the NASPA membership with tools to invite
and engage men into this process. The underlying assumption is that men in general are interested in social justice,
capable of enacting it, and that they need language and a
connection to the process.