Friday Night Reception & Ignite Talks @ 5:30 - 7:30 PM
Celina Eagles Lodge
Welcome
Joe Cavanaugh, Professor, Economics, WSU Lake and AURCO Board Member
Diane Huelskamp, Associate Professor, Science Education, WSU Lake
5:45 PM
Diane Huelskamp, Associate Professor, Science Education, WSU Lake
Celina Eagles Lodge
Burnout and Psychological Distress Among Regional Campus Faculty in Ohio
Faculty at regional campuses often navigate high teaching loads, limited resources, and geographically dispersed institutional structures, all of which may place them at increased risk for psychological strain and burnout. The present study examined mental health and burnout among regional campus faculty across the state of Ohio. Ninety faculty members completed an anonymous survey assessing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress using the DASS-21, along with burnout measured by the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI).
Results indicated that 30% of respondents reported scores above the normal range on at least one of the DASS-21 subscales (depression, anxiety, or stress), suggesting elevated psychological distress in a substantial portion of the sample. In addition, 21% of participants reported moderate levels of burnout on the OLBI. These findings highlight meaningful levels of emotional strain among regional campus faculty.
Given the critical role regional campuses play in expanding access to higher education, understanding faculty well-being is essential for institutional sustainability, student success, and workforce retention. The results underscore the importance of targeted institutional supports, community-building initiatives, and mental health resources tailored to regional campus contexts. Future research directions are discussed, including the examination of protective factors that may buffer against burnout and interventions to assist faculty mental health.
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Elliott JardinMiami MiddletownFaculty
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Madison RobertsMiami MiddletownOther
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Taylor WhittonMiami MiddletownOther
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Daisy ParkMiami HamiltonOther
Friday Night Reception - Celina Eagles
Promoting STEAM via AR development with Lens Studio and Snapchat
We often see students glued to their phones, but what if those phones became the primary tool for creative engineering? This high-energy Ignite talk challenges the "distraction" narrative by showcasing how Augmented Reality (AR) development through Snap’s Lens Studio can bridge the gap between creative arts and technical programming.
In just five minutes, I will demonstrate how "micro-projects" can be a hands-on learning experience. By using the hardware students already own, we democratize access to cutting-edge tech and turn passive consumers into active creators.
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Tasha PenwellNo College AssociationOther
Friday Night Reception - Celina Eagles
Utilizing Campus Environments to Induce Awe
There has been an increase in internalizing symptoms of mental health disorders in recent and incoming undergraduate populations, with the majority focusing around depression and anxiety. Awe is a newly-studied psychological experience that has shown to be effective at reducing anxiety, and research is showing that it is simple to induce. One way in which this has been studied is by having individuals disconnect from technology and take thirty to sixty minutes to spend time in nature. Students at Wright State Lake Campus have done this during their classes by spending half an hour by Grand Lake St. Marys without having cell phones, laptops, tablets, or any electronic device present. The responses have indicated a drop in stress levels and a greater appreciation for what they experienced during the walk. This "awe walk" is an activity that can be utilized during class time as a tool to help our current students combat the stressors of daily life that can lead to detrimental mental health effects.
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Joshua RickerWright State LakeFaculty
Friday Night Reception - Celina Eagles
Saturday AURCO Conference Welcome and Keynote
Wright State University - Lake Campus
Breakfast & Check-in
Grab something to eat, greet your colleagues, check-in.
8:00 - 9:00 AM
Dicke Auditorium, Dwyer Hall
Rooted and Rising: How Regional Campuses Change Lives
Dr. Faber explores how regional campuses expand access to higher education while strengthening the communities they serve. Drawing on experiences from Wright State University Lake Campus, the talk highlights how proximity, affordability, and personal relationships help students succeed. The presentation underscores the powerful role regional campuses play in building confidence, developing workforce talent, and serving as the front door of opportunity for their regions.
Appointed in February 2022, Andrea Faber, Ph.D., is the vice provost and chief administrative officer of Wright State University–Lake Campus. She is responsible for overseeing the daily business operations and academic mission of Lake Campus, as well as developing, nurturing, and enhancing key community partnerships.
Appointed in February 2022, Andrea Faber, Ph.D., is the vice provost and chief administrative officer of Wright State University–Lake Campus. She is responsible for overseeing the daily business operations and academic mission of Lake Campus, as well as developing, nurturing, and enhancing key community partnerships.
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Andrea Faber, Ph.D.Vice Provost and Chief Administrative OfficerWright State University–Lake Campus
Dicke Auditorium, Dwyer Hall
Session 1 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
The “Capital Gap” and Higher Education
Literature indicates that first-generation and lower-income students enter college with “capital gaps.” These gaps also exist among what I have defined as the 1.5-generation college student. Within higher education, capital is defined but limited to navigational, informational, academic, temporal, cultural, and social capital. Higher education continually seeks to address the “capital gaps” through various initiatives. This paper will outline various initiatives that Wright State University has developed and how these initiatives address student “capital gaps.” I would also propose that higher education address these “capital gaps” in high school, as college seems to be too late.
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Giovanna FolloWright State LakeFaculty
DH 150
College Preparedness and Postsecondary Progression Among First-Generation College Students: A Literature Review
This proposed presentation examines scholarly literature on the systemic and explicit barriers that impede the transition from high school to college for First-Generation College Students (FGCS). Using three conceptual frameworks: college preparedness, familial support, and FGCS identity, this review situates the transition experience within a broader socio-ecological context.
While all three frameworks contribute to understanding the challenges of persistence and progression faced by FGCS, the primary focus of this presentation is college preparedness. Specifically, the review synthesizes research on academic readiness indicators, including standardized testing, the rigor of secondary coursework, and participation in school-based college preparatory programs.
By examining these dimensions, this presentation highlights how structural and institutional factors shape postsecondary access for first-generation students and identifies evidence-informed opportunities to strengthen pathways to college success.
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Bernard CaldwellMiami HamiltonFaculty
DH 150
The Coming-of-Age Motif in the Western: Some Ohio Writers
The coming of age motif is central to the narrative and ideological development of the formulaic Western novel. Zane Grey's first novels exploit the device, Jack Schaefer's Shane (1949) complicates it, Charles O. Locke's The Hell Bent Kid (1957) hardens it, and Elmore Leonard's Hombre (1961) and Thomas Berger's Little Big Man (1964) satirize it. That four of these five Western writers hail from Ohio raises a question about geographic correlation, the Western, and the coming of age motif.
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Matt WanatOU LancasterFaculty
DH 154
Shakespeare in the Blended CCP/Regional Campus Classroom: A Miami University Regionals (MUR) Case Study
Contemporary debates about the selection of literary texts in Common Core and state curricula often focus on the disproportionate representation of canonical works. In response, some reading activists have urged for the inclusion of texts emblematic of diversity concerns, rather than the reproduction of Western literary giants. Indeed, what is frequently referred to as the “opening of the canon” has resulted in a more diverse student reading experience for many decades now. However, William Shakespeare remains the only author explicitly cited in the Common Core and an identifiable vestige of the historical privileging of Western European culture. Additionally, both secondary and post-secondary learners often encounter his plays during crucial stages in both their literacy and psycho-social development.
In light of William Shakespeare’s unique curricular positioning, this essay seeks to answer the following question: How is critical literacy scholarship informing contemporary approaches to teaching the plays in an introductory course at Miami University’s regional campus serving a majority of College Credit Plus students in an Early College Academy (ECA)? Underlying this question is the assumption that the plays often act exclusively towards some learners (i.e., as a result of their reading difficulty; ethnic, gender, or racial depictions; and complex plots). Thus, this paper offers experiential and research-based strategies for how instructors can mitigate such circumstances based on a blended classroom comprised of CCP and regional campus learners in an introductory Shakespeare class (ENG 134) at Miami University’s Hamilton campus.
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Katherine KickelMiami HamiltonFaculty
DH 154
Leveraging Self-Graded Assignments to Engage Students and Build Self-Efficacy
Homework assignments are too often a missed opportunity for learning. Students see them as something to complete for points rather than an opportunity to test their knowledge. Fearful of losing credit for incorrect answers, students tend to use their notes instead of retrieving the answers from memory, or they cut and paste the answers on digital assignments. Instructors provide meticulous feedback that goes unread because students did not review the comments, think about the faults in their logic, or use the assignments to study. Self-graded assignments are an alternative to traditional assignments that promote self-efficacy and metacognitive practices by creating low-risk opportunities for students to test their comprehension and learn from their mistakes. While comparing their own answers to a provided answer key, students identify gaps in their knowledge with the chance to self-correct in real time. The reflective aspect of self-graded assignments allows students to think about not just what they learned in the process but how they learned, which truly empowers them to become self-regulated learners. I’ll share the results of a classroom research project that found high performing students graded themselves more critically than did lower performing students on self-graded assignments. In addition, high performing students focused on the details when grading while lower performing students focused on the general concepts. Effective utilization of self-graded assignments can guide a student’s approach to complex content and promote self-awareness of their own learning style.
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Stacey BentonUC Blue AshFaculty
DH 177
How to "Excel" at Making Review Activities Fun With Commonly Available Software
Studies over the past several years have shown benefits to using game-based strategies (gamification) during class to enhance student engagement. Often, these games can be done as review activities before a major test. Some drawbacks of review games include potentially the need for special props or kits to set up the game, but these issues can be mitigated through creative use of resources already on hand.
In this presentation, examples of fun game-based review activities will be shared, with the common thread that all of them can be easily created using ordinary office applications such as Microsoft Excel, Word, or PowerPoint. These activities are versatile in that they can be used regardless of the instructor's subject area, and only a bit of familiarity with office applications is required to prepare the activities. The presentation will go over the game ideas, the setup of the activities, and if time permits, demonstrate an actual game activity with the audience.
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Thomas StringfieldUC Blue AshFaculty
DH 177
Intentional Mentoring in Action: A Guided Planning Workshop
Make the time to invest in you! Whether you are a faculty member, an early-career administrator, or an established leader, intentional mentoring relationships can be transformative at every stage of your professional journey. Mentors provide more than advice—they offer perspective, insight, and support that help you navigate complexity, make informed decisions, and continue to grow with confidence and purpose.
In this interactive workshop, we will explore the purpose of mentoring relationships and how they differ from other important professional connections. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of how mentoring can be leveraged strategically to support both personal and professional development.
Creating a mentoring plan—thinking it through, writing it down, and following through—is a critical yet often overlooked step in career development. In an environment where you are continually asked to do more with less, it can be difficult to slow down and focus on yourself. This workshop intentionally creates the time and structure to do just that. You will be guided through a reflective process to identify what matters most to you at this point in your career and how mentoring can support those priorities.
Together, we will identify your current goals, assess gaps in support or expertise, and determine the types of mentors who can best help you move forward. By the end of the session, each participant will leave with a personalized mentoring map—an actionable framework that identifies key individuals and relationships that can support your growth, and long-term success
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Cathy Bishop-ClarkMiami HamiltonOther
DH 226
The Assessment Dead Zone: A Candid Discussion of Learning in the AI Era
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning literature is flooded with "showcase" narratives focused on novel Generative AI integration. From Teaching of Psychology to Education Sciences, the discourse emphasizes "leveraging" tools for a "new frontier." However, many faculty and students find themselves navigating a new academic environment where the mechanisms that drive learning can be side-stepped with a few clicks. Just as rising temperatures create hypoxic "dead zones" in our oceans, the unavoidable presence of AI risks creating an academic environment where the "oxygen" of the learning process—cognitive struggle and effortful retrieval—is being depleted (Sol et al., 2025).
This session acknowledges AI's potential while focusing on the challenges it poses to learning. Research on "desirable difficulties" (Bjork & Bjork, 2011) and the "testing effect" (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006) demonstrates that assessment is not merely for measurement; it is a vital tool to facilitate the "heavy lifting" required for mastery. We now face an emerging "Assessment Dead Zone," particularly in online asynchronous environments, where AI allows students to side-step essential cognitive hurdles. Recent perspectives (Sol et al., 2025) suggest this "cognitive offloading" threatens the foundation of student development.
Instead of a showcase, this session offers a candid space to discuss the problematic presence of AI. Discussion will center on firsthand experiences at Ohio regional campuses, sharing frustrations and brainstorming strategies for reclaiming assessment and learning. We will explore how to maintain "desirable difficulty" in a rapidly changing environment, and identify ways to foster genuine learning in an AI-saturated landscape.
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Taylor WadianUC Blue AshFaculty
DH 229
Session 2 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Student Poster Competition - Presentations and Judging
An Assessment of Student Confidence in Knowledge of 20th and 21st Century Historical Subjects
This presentation considers the results of a survey of regional students’ confidence in world history subjects from the post-1945 world. It shows how students lack confidence in their knowledge of world history subjects, and how their confidence decreases as subjects become both more specific and further removed from American history. It then examines students’ self-reported historical education backgrounds and what pathways of historical education, or lack thereof, exist in K-12 curriculums to explain the paucity of student confidence. It concludes by assessing what measures could be used to improve historical education on regional campuses
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Thomas BourilMiami MiddletownFaculty
DH 150
How to Unhide an Empire: Exploring Transnational Sonic Circuitries in the Classroom
Many Americans were up in arms due to Bad Bunny’s Superbowl halftime presentation. The fact that Bad Bunny was singing reggaeton hits in Spanish could not have been anything more antonymic as what could be “deemed” American. Although Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since World War 1, Bad Bunny was nonetheless deemed a foreigner. What historical reasons could explain why many Americans found Bad Bunny’s performance so out-of-place?
In his book, How to Hide an Empire, Daniel Immerwahr explains how the U.S. and its territorial empire (such as the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam) focused on continental extension, using maps that excluded overseas territories, calling them “territories” rather than “colonies”, and replacing territorial control with a “pointillist” network of military bases. However, as educators if we expose students to these “territories” via their sonic circuitries, we can explore a plethora of people with rich cultures and a desire for self-determination.
In the fall of 2024, I taught a course titled Fresh Topics in History Seminar: Introduction to Caribbean Studies at the University of Cincinnati while I was a Charles Phelps Taft Postdoctoral Fellow. In this talk, underscore multiple topics covered in my class such as jazz, bugalu, salsa, hip-hop and reggaeton. Also, I will highlight zines I used in my classroom Influenced by the Bad Bunny syllabus and overall reggaeton literature.
In closing, teaching this content expands Students understand of the complexity of the American experience which alters their own understanding of what it is to be American.
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William Garci-MedinaUC Blue AshFaculty
DH 150
AURCO Benefits Rundown
For most, retirement and healthcare are not likely to be the most engaging topics, but their importance cannot be denied. Although there are many significant differences between the plans available across the Ohio’s State University Systems there are also many common features. We will compare the retirement and healthcare options available to faculty and staff at AURCO campuses and provide some suggestions worthy of consideration. In particular, this past year has brought many significant retirement saving changes that can potentially have a significant impact on the flexibility of your spending in retirement. Your future you will thank you and you will likely be comforted today from a more secure future.
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Joseph CavanaughWright State LakeFaculty
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Diane HuelskampWright State LakeOther
DH 152
Analyzing the Public Discourse of Unions in Ohio Today to Understand the Importance of Unions: A Case Study of the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College
How do unions participate in the discourse of higher education in the context of significant, rapid changes in the industry in Ohio? What can we see about the importance of unions on Ohio regional campuses today through an exploration of public action of union activists at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College (UCBA)? While pay equity has been a particularly salient point of focus for the college, notable changes in higher education in approximately the past year—including Senate Bill 1, the higher education “Dear Colleague” letter, and the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education—have highlighted other issues that have drawn the attention of union activists at UCBA. Furthermore, the prospect of ICE on campuses recently has spurred union public engagement. I provide a case study with rhetorical analysis of the public action and discourse of the American Association of University Professors at UCBA from the beginning of 2025 through the present. I consider UCBA activist actions, University-wide public actions that UCBA faculty participated in, and select public statements on timely issues voted on by the AAUP UC membership. These kinds of actions are sites of communal faculty response to issues in higher education in Ohio today that impact the work we do at UCBA, and they illustrate the importance of unions in our work. While faculty have a wide range of opinions and perspectives on the various issues arising, academic freedom and care for students are important values for many faculty and underlie UCBA union activism.
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Neely McLaughlinUC Blue AshFaculty
DH 152
Cross-Departmental Collaboration to Raise Student Awareness of Successful Study Habits in Content Heavy Science Courses
The UC Blue Ash Veterinary Technology sophomore year clinical curriculum is challenging. Students often struggle with the dense content because they have not yet developed effective study habits to digest, organize, and recall the material. A collaborative effort between the Biology and Veterinary Technology departments examined performance in pre-requisite science courses including introductory biology, microbiology and chemistry to identify any predictors of success in the Veterinary Technology program. Additionally, a survey was administered to freshman microbiology students as well as clinical Veterinary Technology students to gather data on their study habits, use of available resources, non-academic work commitments, and perceived barriers to success. Interestingly, success in both the introductory biology and microbiology courses was correlated with success in the Vet Tech program, but success in the chemistry pre-requisite course was not. The survey showed a high diversity of study strategies regardless of self-reported grade. Certain passive strategies (e.g. reading the textbook) correlated negatively with success (p-value = 0.0028). Unsurprisingly, hours of non-academic work per week also correlated negatively with success (p-value = 0.00405). To help students identify and develop effective study habits early, we used the data to create an infographic to share not only with students directly in the classroom, but also with advisors and science tutors who support student success. By using data from actual student experiences, we hope to create a list of useful strategies that future students will find relevant and worth implementing in their own study routines.
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Amy MillerUC Blue AshFaculty
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Stacey BentonUC Blue AshOther
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Zachary ZalewskiUC Blue AshOther
DH 154
Hardy-Weinberg Law: A Mathematical Application to Population Genetics
The Hardy-Weinberg Law is an application to population genetics. If the allele frequencies in a population are known, and if certain other conditions are met, then the genotype frequencies and the phenotype frequencies can be calculated through simple algebraic equations.
As an example, the frequencies of the four ABO blood types can be calculated. If the frequency of the A allele is 0.28, the frequency of the B allele is 0.16, and the frequency of the O allele is 0.56, then the four blood types have these frequencies: 0.3920 (blood Type A), 0.2048 (blood type B), 0.0896 (blood type AB), and 0.3136 (blood type O). The calculation can be done in reverse: if the blood-type frequencies are known, then the frequency of each allele can be calculated.
The author uses three Mendelian characteristics (plant stature, flower color, and seed texture) of the common garden pea. If the allele frequencies for tall plant, purple flower, and smooth seed are known, then the frequencies of the 27 genotypes and of the eight phenotypes can be calculated. The author defines two terms (homozygous index and heterozygous index) in connection with a trihybrid crossing of these characteristics.
The author discusses other questions about population genetics, including the prevalence of the allele for sickle-cell hemoglobin in high-malaria regions. The abnormal allele provides some degree of resistance to malaria, but the allele frequency must be low, since the allele also contributes to sickle-cell disease, an extremely serious medical condition.
The author discusses special situations where the Hardy-Weinberg Law must be modified, such as incomplete dominance (flower color in carnations) and XY sex-linked characteristics (colorblindness in males and in females).
This presentation would be especially valuable for high-school biology teachers and for college biology instructors. This important topic is often neglected, since the algebraic equations might seem to be formidable. The author shows how these equations can be used to engage student interest and understanding. The author himself taught high-school biology around four decades ago, and his students grasped the Hardy-Weinberg principle and understood the mathematical calculations.
This presentation should be information to both biology teachers and the general public. It discusses a complicated topic, and it shows how this topic can be applied to everyday situations with population genetics.
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Brent FoxBGSU FirelandsStaff
DH 154
Teaching to code 'Functions'
In introductory programming courses, one of the most difficult concepts for students to comprehend and code is 'functions'. As a student, I had a tough time with the concept as well especially understanding ‘arguments’ and ‘parameters’. Since I started teaching in 2010, I have taught various programming courses and conducted research on this topic. This is the concluding presentation of the research. In this talk, I will share my journey with teaching functions and the exercises I have developed that target the areas where students struggle while learning to code 'functions'. The exercises I will share are written for Java, Python and SQL but they can be modified for other programming languages.
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Adity MutsuddiUC Blue AshFaculty
DH 177
Tribute to Students and Instructors
This is a 12 minute visual and musical power point presentation of Ohio regional campus participants in what they do and what they are. The pictures are taken from 22 years in the AURCO system and represent education just prior to AI . The audience will recognize perhaps no one yet will understand and miss every soul from those times.
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Jack VazzanaKSU East LiverpoolFaculty
DH 177
Beyond Walls: Enhancing Student Learning Through Real-World Community Engagement
Beyond Walls is an interactive, faculty-focused workshop that explores how regional college faculty can leverage their close ties to local communities to enhance student learning across disciplines. Grounded in proven methods, this session highlights how applied and experiential learning outside the classroom walls—through community engagement, co-curricular involvement, and interactive practice—can enhance practical understanding while creating reciprocal benefits for students and community partners.
Participants will examine how community-engaged pedagogy supports student success, practical life experiences, and transferable workplace skills- outcomes that are central to the mission of regional institutions. Presenters will share successful examples and facilitate guided activities and collaborative discussion. Following which, faculty will begin designing a community-engaged assignment aligned with their course outcomes and academic goals, incorporating intentional reflection as a tool for learning and assessment.
Open to faculty from all disciplines, this workshop invites participants to share ideas, learn from one another, and leave with practical strategies for connecting coursework to real-world experiences that strengthen both student learning and the communities served by regional campuses, creating a lasting impact.
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Gail MaueUC Blue AshFaculty
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Kimberly CliffordUC ClermontOther
DH 226
Building Career and Life Skills Through Economics at a Regional Campus
In our session, attendees will:
• Explore and identify opportunities to integrate career and life skill development into academic subject matter within courses.
• Practice creating subject matter (i.e., English, Marketing, Mathematics, Business, and Economics) pedagogy that integrates transferable workforce skill and life skill development.
• Apply inclusive and flexible teaching strategies that support first-generation and working students while strengthening career readiness.
Regional campuses are uniquely positioned to connect classroom learning with workforce readiness, particularly for local, first-generation students. Introductory economics courses at UC Blue Ash College are intentionally designed to emphasize transferable career skills alongside foundational economic concepts.
We will demonstrate how we use local and regional economic issues as relevant and timely examples (cost-of-living analysis using Cincinnati-area data, local labor market trends, housing affordability, grocery price hikes as inflation case studies, and how policies impact local businesses and households). These personalized, experiential learning opportunities help develop skills such as critical thinking, public speaking, presentation, problem-solving, and research skills that can be translated into jobs outside academia.
Using economics courses to meet the needs of regional college students, classroom practices include flexible assignment structures, scaffolded group projects to build confidence and foster peer-to-peer learning, low-stakes assessments or self-evaluative formative assessments, and career- and community-relevant projects.
The UCBA mission statement emphasizes a student-centered approach to teaching and comprehensive services so that students can acquire the knowledge and skills needed to succeed academically, personally, and professionally.
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Nahreen RahmanUC Blue AshFaculty
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Dr. Rodney SwopeUC Blue AshOther
DH 229
Session 3 @ 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
An Inquiry of Identity: How Rural Regional Students Make Meaning of a Cultural Immersion at the Pine Ridge Reservation
This presentation will look at how nine rural, regional nursing students, eight of whom were first-generation, experienced and made meaning of a ten-day cultural immersion (a.k.a service learning opportunity) with the Oglala Lakota people at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. These students are enrolled in the nursing program at my home campus, the Kent State University Salem Campus in the Appalachian county of Columbiana, Ohio. In the fall of 2024, I accompanied these students on the ten-day immersion, and my purpose was to conduct qualitative research on how these students’ identities are storied, iterative, and always-in-progress. My research consisted of pre and post trip interviews with the students as well as my field observations of the students at Pine Ridge medical facilities, at the Pine Ridge school, and at historical sites on and near the reservation, including the Wounded Knee Site and Memorial and Crazy Horse Mountain. I will look at the storied nature of identity through the lens of sociologist Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice. While many scholars have applied Bourdieu’s theory to the experiences of first-generation college students, and some have applied his theories to the experiences of rural college students, there is not any notable research applying Bourdieu’s theories to the cultural immersion or service learning experience for first-generation rural college students. I posit that my study has something to tell us about the significance of these kinds of experiences for regional campus students, who have far less access to study away opportunities than students at residential four-year campuses.
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Kristine HarringtonKSU SalemFaculty
DH 150
Health Status and Resource Awareness of College Students at a Regional Campus
Background: With the newfound independence and personal responsibility college students find themselves with, their overall health can quickly become strained. College students report lower levels of activity, poor dietary behaviors, high stress, increase in substances, and a lack of oral hygiene practices (Peterson et al., 2018). In addition to the ample amount of on campus resources and knowledge we have on the benefits of physical activity and oral health practices, we are still seeing students ignore these small steps to increasing their overall health. The current study aims to address the overall health status of regional campus college students, determine if they are meeting physical activity guidelines and oral health reccomednations, and identity motivating factors.
Methods: Participants were recruited at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash Regional Campus. Researchers provided a brief explanation of the study, after which participants used a computer to complete the online survey via Google Forms. The survey process began with a research information sheet, which included a question about consent to agree or decline participation. Only those who gave consent proceeded to the anonymous questionnaire.
Results: Participants included 141 students from the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash Campus. 94.3% of students indicated that they were physically active, but 63% of students were not meeting the 150 minutes of physical activity recommendations. Top three reasons why students may not participate in physical activity were; I do not feel comfortable being physically active in front of people (26%), I do not have time to be physically active (25%), and I do not know how to be physically active (16%). When asked about oral health practices, 61% of students said that they brushed their teeth twice a day and 47% of students said they flossed once a day. When asked about how many dental cleanings they had in the past five years, 76% of students did not meet the recommendation of two dental cleanings per year. Top three reasons why students do not get dental cleanings were; I do not have time (25%), I have dental insurance but cannot find an in-network provider (17%), and I have dental insurance but cannot afford it (15%).
Conclusion: With just our preliminary data we can see small trends on overall health among students at our regional campus. While most students value physical activity for health reasons, barriers like discomfort in public settings and lack of time remain significant obstacles. Dental care appears to be influenced heavily by insurance coverage, with many students citing insurance as a reason for regular cleanings and lack of insurance coverage as a barrier.Future endeavors aim to address campus needs and begin programming for students where we see most fit.
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Kelsi BeckerUC Blue AshFaculty
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Shawna StaudUC Blue AshOther
DH 154
Emotion Regulation and Academic Achievement: Evaluating the ERT Model in Varied Examination Contexts
Emotional regulation is a critical determinant of academic success, yet its impact may vary significantly across testing environments. Guided by the Emotion Regulation During Test-Taking (ERT) model, this study investigated how four regulatory processes: Cognitive Appraisal (CAP), Task-Focusing (TFP), Regaining Task-Focusing (RTP), and Emotion-Focusing (EFP), predict performance in diverse contexts.
Using a between-subjects design, 39 undergraduates recruited from 3 psychology courses at Miami Regionals were assessed on final exams across two conditions: Online Standardized (n = 22) and In-Person Non-Standardized (n = 17). Moderated Multiple Regression initially examined exam type as a moderator; however, due to extreme multicollinearity (VIFs > 300), a simple effects approach was adopted, splitting the analysis by context.
Results revealed a divergence between contexts. In the Online Standardized context, the model explained 31.5% of the variance (R^2 = .315), with Cognitive Appraisal Processes (CAP) emerging as a significant positive predictor of test performance (𝛽 = .817, p = .046). Conversely, in the In-Person Non-Standardized context, the model was weak (R^2 = .200) with no significant predictors. Interestingly, further analysis of CAP sub-components (Goal Congruence, Agency, and Efficacy) yielded no significance, suggesting that the broad regulatory processes, rather than specific sub-strategies, may be more influential in online standardized contexts.
While limited by sample size and the confounding of modality with standardization, these findings suggest that the predictive power of emotion regulation is context-dependent. This study implies the need for educators to consider the specific regulatory demands of different exam modalities when designing interventions for high-pressure academic environments.
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Daisy ParkMiami HamiltonFaculty
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Devika KhatiwadaMiami HamiltonOther
DH 150
Enhancing Engagement and Mathematical Thinking in Online Courses: A Case Study for PMIQ Activity
This presentation reports on a classroom-based research study examining the impact of the PMI-Q (Pluses, Minuses, Interesting points and Questions) activity on student engagement and interaction in online mathematics courses at the University of Cincinnati – Blue Ash College. Designed to address limited interaction in quantitative reasoning (QR) and college algebra (CA) courses, the PMI-Q activity integrates student-generated problem creation, video presentations, peer feedback, and structured reflection to promote three-way interaction (student–content, student–student, and student–instructor).
Implemented across six online courses (n = 116), the study used a pre–post survey adapted from the Students Assessment of their Learning Gains (SALG) instrument to measure changes in attitudes, motivation, self-efficacy, and perceived learning gains. Results indicate increases in students’ confidence in their mathematical ability, communication of mathematical ideas, active peer interaction, and application of problem-solving strategies. Notably, gains were observed in students’ ability to find their own ways to think and solve problems, share ideas collaboratively, and engage in rigorous reasoning.
Findings suggest that the PMI-Q framework is an adaptable, scalable strategy for fostering analytical thinking, creativity, communication skills, and self-efficacy in online mathematics environments. The presentation will discuss implementation strategies, assessment design, and implications for enhancing engagement in virtual and hybrid courses.
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Adam ChekourUC Blue AshFaculty
DH 177
Evaluation of Workforce Skills
A two-stage survey was conducted evaluating Workforce Skills of high school students as well as the workforce pool available in the Mercer County area. Based on the Ohio Mean's Jobs Career Readiness Seal traits, area employers provided feedback on the perception of workforce skills of the local labor pool. Area high school students also provided feedback on their self-perception of their own workforce skills.
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Greg HomanWright State LakeFaculty
DH 177
Developing Proficiency in Student Work: How to Implement Specifications Grading in Your Classroom
Specifications grading is often referred to as a mastery-based system of grading where students are evaluated based on their ability to demonstrate a clearly defined instructor-specified level of proficiency over specific learning objectives. Students receive either full credit for achieving this level of proficiency or no credit for achieving less than this standard. Students then have the opportunity to revise their work and repeat the assessment multiple times to reach this standard. Grades therefore reflect the number of learning objectives the students have demonstrated proficiency with rather than an accumulation of a partial credit that may fall short of mastery.
This interactive workshop will introduce participants to the core principles of specifications grading and provide practical guidance for implementation. Drawing on experiences from two different courses, we will share examples of course design, assessment structure, retake systems, and strategies for managing workload.
Participants will engage in activities to brainstorm how specifications grading might be adapted in their own classroom. They will develop a possible plan of action and some initial materials to help with this implementation.
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Matthew DeMatteoUC Blue AshFaculty
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Smita JadhavUC Blue AshOther
DH 229
Lunch, Student Awards, Concluding Remarks
Lunch, Student Awards, Concluding Remarks
Join us for lunch, celebrate our students, learn about AURCO.
1:00 - 2:00 PM
Dicke Auditorium, Dwyer Hall
AURCO Business Meeting
AURCO Business Meeting
Two representatives from each Ohio regional college are invited to join us for our fall and spring Business Meetings.
2:00 - 4:00 PM
TBD
