January 29, 2007, Northern Today Abridged

NIU political scientists: Poll respondents
exaggerate support for a female president

Polls consistently show that about nine of 10 Americans say they would vote for a qualified female presidential candidate. But new research by NIU political scientists indicates a significant percentage of survey respondents are hiding their true feelings to avoid the appearance of being sexist.

A team of researchers led by NIU’s Matthew Streb found that slightly more than one in four Americans would likely be unsupportive of a female candidate for president. The findings were consistent among both male and female respondents across several demographic groups.

“Our results indicate that a significant percentage of people are hiding their true feelings on questions related to female candidates for the presidency,” Streb said. “Consequently, public opinion polls tend to exaggerate support for a female president.

“We believe our findings have major implications, both with regard to the future of women in political office and to the accuracy of public opinion polls on certain issues,” he added. “While women candidates seem to be making some strides in races for many offices, including executive positions such as governor, the office of the presidency may be difficult to reach.”

The new research, which has caught the attention of national media, could have implications in the 2008 presidential election, as U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., is seen as a frontrunner among likely contenders for the Democratic nomination.

“It should be a concern,” said NIU political scientist Barbara Burrell, a member of the research team. Burrell, former associate director of NIU’s Public Opinion Lab, is working on her second book on women in politics and is president-elect of the Women’s Caucus in Political Science.

“It’s going to be even harder than we might have imagined for a woman running for president to overcome certain stereotypes,” Burrell said. “Of course, Hillary Clinton could still win, but she may have a steeper hill to climb than some observers believe. The study shows gender is a more significant factor than we might have suspected.”

The team of researchers also included NIU graduate student Brian Frederick and Professor Michael Genovese of Loyola Marymount University. The study will be published later this spring in the journal “Public Opinion Quarterly.”

The team examined the effects of “social desirability” in polls seeking to determine public support for a female American president. Social desirability is the tendency of poll respondents to lie when they believe their true answers go against perceived societal norms. The effect has been previously documented on sensitive polling issues involving religion, race and gender. For example, it’s common for poll respondents to overreport church attendance.

The 1989 Virginia governor’s race featured African American Douglas Wilder and his white opponent Marshall Coleman. Although polls showed Wilder with a commanding lead, he won the race by a narrow margin (50.1 percent to 49.8 percent). The 1989 New York City mayoral election between David Dinkins and Rudolph Giuliani followed a similar pattern. Studies attributed the inaccurate pre-election polls to problems of social desirability. 

“Polling is usually fairly accurate, but there is a long line of research supporting the influence of social desirability, or the tendency of respondents to provide socially desirable responses to questions dealing with controversial issues,” Burrell said. “Most public opinion polls don’t tease out whether people are hiding their true feelings.”

In order to do just that, the researchers employed a well-established public-opinion technique known as “the list experiment” to measure public sentiment on female candidates for president.

A baseline group of survey respondents was asked how many of the following four statements make them “angry or upset:”

• The way gasoline prices keep going up.
• Professional athletes getting million dollar-plus salaries.
• Requiring seat belts to be used when driving.
• Large corporations polluting the environment.

A fifth statement was added to the list given to the test group:

• A woman serving as president.

The researchers attributed an increase in the mean number of angry items in the test group to the “woman serving as president” statement. The list experiment question was added to an Opinion Research Corporation CARAVAN telephone poll, a national survey of Americans conducted in March 2006. Of the 2,056 respondents, roughly half were given the test question.

“Traditional polls find anywhere from 5 percent to 15 percent of the public say they will not vote for a female presidential candidate,” Streb said. “We found that roughly 26 percent of respondents expressed anger over a female president. It is extremely likely that those who are angered by the prospect of a female president are not going to vote for a woman.”

The researchers were surprised at the consistency of their findings across most demographic groups. Virtually equal percentages of male and female respondents were upset by the prospect of a female president, and nearly equal percentages also were found among respondents with different levels of education.

“You would think educated people, younger people and females would be less upset about the prospect of a female president,” Streb said. “That doesn’t appear to be the case.”

Streb and Burrell suspect social desirability might also be at play in polls regarding the race of presidential candidates, but they did not address that issue in the study. Many political observers believe U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., could become the nation’s first African-American president.

“We can’t quantify it,” Streb said, “but social desirability is almost certainly going to be a factor in horserace polls regarding Obama.”

COE names Carol Logan Patitu associate dean

Long-ago empowerment from a third-grade teacher has carried Carol Logan Patitu to the associate dean’s job in the NIU College of Education.

Patitu, professor and chair in the Department of Student Personnel Administration at Buffalo State (State University of New York), starts work March 16. Her journey to DeKalb essentially began in Mrs. Clark’s classroom in Marion, Ohio, about 45 minutes north of Columbus.

“She looked me in the eyes and said, ‘You can do whatever it is you want to do in life. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.’ I have never forgotten that, and I tell students that to this day,” Patitu said. “The impact a teacher can have on a student’s life can make them or break them, and Mrs. Clark is the one who’s giving me that light. I always wanted to be the world’s greatest teacher.”

That inspiration took Patitu to the front of the classroom, as a middle school Spanish and English teacher in Florida, where the presence of fellow teachers continuing their education quickly coaxed her into graduate studies.

It kindled a love of higher education that hasn’t dimmed.

She holds an Ed.S. and a M.Ed. in student personnel services in higher education from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. in educational administration and supervision from Bowling Green State University.

In Buffalo for five years, Patitu previously taught at Texas A&M University for nine years. In 2000, she was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of Durban-Westville in South Africa.

When Patitu started looking for new opportunities last summer and fall, NIU’s job description offered such a perfect fit it became the only place where she applied.

She will oversee the college’s curriculum development and assessment practices as well as the college’s recruitment and advising services. Meanwhile, she will work with Dean Christine Sorensen to ensure a positive image for the college through publications and personal interactions.

Other expectations and challenges include preparation for the university’s 2009 review by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education programs and mounting pressure to demonstrate accountability in all programs.

“It was evident when Carol was here interviewing that she is passionate about education and very well-informed about the higher education context today,” Sorensen said. “Her energy was palpable. Her collaborative style was very evident. I believe she will bring new ideas to the college and that she will be a positive force in supporting faculty teamwork and innovation.”

“I’m impressed with the things accomplished in the College of Education and at NIU itself,” Patitu said. “I love the people. I’m impressed with the fact that people have a passion for the work they’re doing there. The people are so genuine, kind and friendly. The people embraced me already as part of their family for the interview. People are working hard, enjoying what they’re doing and happy about it.”

For Patitu, a published poet, passion about work is more than a job incentive. It’s a research interest.

Since writing her doctoral dissertation in 1990 at Bowling Green, she has studied faculty job satisfaction as well as issues and concerns of women and minorities in higher education and minority students.

Patitu combined those interests for “Faculty Job Satisfaction: Women and Minorities in Peril,” a book she co-authored. She surveyed faculty at 32 institutions in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation region.

“What faculty are saying is that, yes, they are definitely very satisfied with their jobs. Most faculty love what they do. They love doing research. They love students,” she said.

She includes herself on that list, of course.

“I love helping people to become successful. Of the people I have mentored, one is now a president at a university. I always tease the students that they’re going to be making more money than I,” she said. “That’s why we love our work so much. It’s a good feeling when you know people succeed because of something you said or something you did for them.”

Her new work at NIU is “a job in heaven.”

“We have to prove to the public we’re preparing students to go into the field. The taxpayers, and especially the parents, want to know if their students are getting a quality education,” Patitu said. “NIU and the College of Education are doing a phenomenal job, and I’m going to help build and enhance the things that are already taking place.”

Patitu brings with her to DeKalb her husband, Tony, a native of Tanzania, and her sons Anthony, 14, and Madiba, 5.

NIU honors former Geneva superintendent

Jacoby on campus as IASBO director, adjunct professor

Michael Jacoby, executive director of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials, is the recipient of the 2006 Getschman Alumni Award from Northern Illinois University.

This accolade, given in honor of Keith Getschman, is awarded annually to an alumnus of the NIU College of Education’s educational administration program who has made substantial and noteworthy contributions to the field of educational administration.

Jacoby, an educator for 26 years, completed his doctorate in educational administration in 1993. He recently served as superintendent of Geneva Community Unit School District 304, and has been an adjunct professor at NIU for 13 years.

The award presentation will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 8, during a ceremony at the NIU-Naperville campus. An hors d’oeuvres reception begins at 5:30 p.m. Joseph Murphy, associate dean and professor of education at Vanderbilt University, will deliver a keynote address on learning-focused leadership. The event is open to the public.

To RSVP, call Amelia Gould at (815) 753-4404 by Thursday, March 1. Call Christine Kiracofe at (815) 753-3404 for more information.

Jacoby’s career includes six years in the classroom, 16 years as a chief school business official and four years as a superintendent. He lives in Geneva with Heidi, his wife of 25 years, where together they have raised three children.

He graduated in 1980 from the University of Iowa with a degree in music education and became the director of vocal music at Morris Community High School in Morris, Ill.

In 1985, he completed a master’s degree in educational administration from Illinois State University and shortly thereafter became the assistant superintendent for business in Geneva. The focus of his research as an NIU doctoral student was teaching and learning, primarily directed toward the incidence and impact of internal and external teacher moonlighting on the teaching and learning process.

As the chief school business official and subsequently as superintendent, Jacoby had the opportunity to guide his school district through enrollment growth exceeding 230 percent. That growth required him to develop and guide eight school referendums for educational facilities and funding, which included 12 separate referendum questions over 20 years.

In addition, he negotiated seven teacher contracts while serving on negotiation teams in Geneva. Five of those contracts were bargained under an innovative “interest bargaining” model developed by the administrative team with his guidance and involvement.

For 16 consecutive years during his tenure in Geneva, he received the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from ASBO International and the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association.

Prior to leaving Geneva for his current position, Jacoby assisted the board of education, the district and the community in developing a 2020 Facilities Master Plan to delineate long-term strategies to address continuing enrollment growth and the build-out of the community. He also commissioned the Student Safety and Well Being Task Force as well as Viking PRIDE (Proud Retired and other Individuals Dedicated to Education).

He served as president of Illinois ASBO in 1999 and 2000, and currently is chairman of the Association for School Business Officials International Editorial Board for School Business Affairs. He has authored numerous articles and has been a presenter at 29 state, national and international conferences on the subjects of multi-year budgeting, school business management and ethical leadership.

He also was one of the authors of the ASBO International Standards for School Business Administrators, which subsequently have become the Illinois standards.

Jacoby currently serves on the board of directors of the Geneva History Center, the Illinois Energy Consortium, the Illinois Liquid Asset Fund and is chairman of the elder board at Fox Valley Bible Church.

Study Abroad Office makes first steps easier

The NIU Study Abroad Office is encouraging students to learn more about the opportunities available to them through two informational series offered this semester.

“Study Abroad 101: First Steps to Study Abroad” is an informal yet informative presentation and question-and-answer session. The sessions are geared for students who are considering studying abroad or who are in the first phases of the process. Content is the same at each session, so students need only attend once to learn the basics. Study Abroad 101 will be offered every Wednesday and Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in the NIU Study Abroad Office, Williston Hall 417.

The Study Abroad Provider Series gives students the opportunity to meet representatives of off-campus study abroad programs. Representatives of the following off-campus (or “cosponsored”) study abroad programs will visit campus during the early part of the spring semester:

• Wednesday, Jan. 31: American Intercontinental University
• Thursday, Feb. 1: International Studies Abroad
• Wednesday, Feb. 7: Council on International Educational Exchange
• Thursday, Feb. 8: Institute for American Universities
• Wednesday, Feb. 14: American Institute for Foreign Study
• Wednesday, Feb. 21: Educational Programmes Abroad
• Thursday, Feb. 22: University Studies Abroad Consortium
• Tuesday, Feb. 27: Study Abroad Italy
• Wednesday, Feb. 28: AustraLearn

“Our goal with these programs is to make study abroad more feasible for NIU students,” said Anne Seitzinger, director of the Study Abroad Office.

The Study Abroad Office has a variety of programs that offer academic excellence as well as affordability. And the staff is trained to help each student find just the right program for his or her needs.

“Too often students view study abroad as a dream rather than an attainable reality,” Seitzinger said. “Students need encouragement to help them overcome common misconceptions. Gen-ed courses and courses in most disciplines are available. Study abroad doesn’t mean delaying graduation. And it is affordable.”

Most representatives will be available between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. across from the Coffee Corner in the Holmes Student Center. Schedules will vary, however; students are encouraged to contact the NIU Study Abroad Office to confirm information table times and locations.

Students with questions about Study Abroad 101, the Study Abroad Provider Series or about study abroad in general are encouraged to call (815) 753-0700, email niuabroad@niu.edu or visit the Study Abroad Office.

Faculty proposals sought for David W. Raymond grant

David W. Raymond, while a member of NIU’s first Board of Trustees, created an endowment to fund an annual grant to faculty working on ways to use new technologies in their teaching.

Income from the endowment is supplemented with funds from the Provost’s Office to provide a $2,500 grant to the faculty member with the best proposal for incorporating new technologies into his or her teaching. Tenured and tenure-track faculty are eligible to apply. Grant funds may be used for software purchases, equipment upgrades, graduate assistantship time or other costs associated with developing courseware or supportive materials that make effective and innovative use of instructional technology.

The recipient of the grant will be expected to discuss and demonstrate the project in a public presentation during the spring following the award.

Raymond will be invited to the presentation each year, and the next winner of the David W. Raymond grant will be announced at that event. A public presentation of the work done by each grant recipient will contribute to faculty knowledge of the benefits, pitfalls and outcomes of using technology in teaching, thus accomplishing one of Raymond’s objectives in establishing this endowment.

Applicants for the grant must describe a project that incorporates instructional technologies in the teaching of a course or the preparation of supporting materials for a course, according to the attached format.

The proposal must include a budget for the project and a letter of support from the chair of the applicant’s department, school or division. If the project requires the involvement of other campus units (for example, Media Services) or collaborators, letters of support or commitment from those units or collaborators must be included with the proposal.

Proposals will be judged by a faculty committee approved by the Provost. The committee will use the following criteria in the priority order listed below for ranking the proposals.

Innovation (includes degree of innovation, creativity, appropriate use of technology, etc.)

Applicability (includes transferability to other campus venues, applicability to other courses and fields/departments, multidisciplinary impact, number of students who would benefit from the project, etc.)

Feasibility (includes leveraging or extending previous work, appropriate use of funds in proposed budget, technical feasibility of proposed project, probability of completion within the timeline proposed, etc.)

The selection committee will recommend finalists to the Provost, who will make the final decision. The winner of the grant will be announced in the spring each year, and funds will be available May 15 so that the successful applicant can make maximum use of the summer months.

Applicants should use the attached format for the proposals. All proposals should be forwarded to: Grant Review Committee, Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center, 319 Adams Hall.

The deadline to apply is March 19. The recipient is announced in April.

Spring ‘Toolkit’ posted online

The Office of Assessment Services presents the Spring 2007 issue of “Toolkit,” its quarterly “nuts and bolts” e-newsletter. “Toolkit” is specifically designed to assist the NIU community with practical assessment issues in a user-friendly format.

This issue features the formation of the Campus Assessment Network, a group providing support and networking opportunities for personnel involved in assessment; a tool and rubric for measuring problem-solving ability; and a look at NIU’s general education assessment plan. Also featured are results from the 2005 Alumni Survey and an upcoming workshop on developing student learning objectives with Stephen Zerwas.

Back issues are posted on the Assessment Services Web site under “Toolkit.” Contributions to the newsletter are welcome at any time. The deadline for submitting articles for the next issue is March 26.

Recreation Services offers healthy lifestyles to members

As a Recreation Services member, NIU faculty and staff have many benefits.

Enjoy full access to the Student Recreation Center, Chick Evans Field House and swimming pools located in Anderson and Gabel halls. Participate in recreation programs including intramurals, personal training, group fitness, massage therapy and acupressure. Take advantage of early-morning and late-night hours of operation. Memberships also are available for a spouse, significant other and dependent(s).

For more information, visit http://www.rs.niu.edu or call Marchelle Ratliff at (815) 753-0233.

Jack Olson Gallery hosts ‘Calligraphics’ exhibition

Jack Olson Gallery has launched the 2007 spring semester with “Calligraphics: John Himmelfarb.”

“Calligraphics” affords the visitor the opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation for Himmelfarb’s artistic career spanning four decades. The exhibition includes early, mid-career and recent works in a variety of media.

For the duration of the exhibition, Himmelfarb will move his studio into the gallery and create a 10-foot-by-28-foot painting.

The exhibition runs through Thursday, Feb. 1, and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. It culminates with a closing reception and artist talk from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1.

Renowned political scientist will deliver public lecture Feb. 1

Clifford Orwin, a leading political philosopher from the University of Toronto, will visit campus for a public lecture from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, in the Lincoln Room of the Holmes Student Center.

Orwin is professor of political science, fellow of St. Michael’s College and director of the Program in Political Philosophy and International Affairs at the Munk Centre for International Studies at the University of Toronto. He has written widely on ancient, modern and contemporary political thought.

His NIU lecture is titled “Some Thoughts on the Globalization of Suffering: Humanitarian Military Intervention in Perspective.”

“Professor Orwin will consider the viability of humanitarian interventions and the humanitarian impulse that inspires them,” said NIU political scientist Andrea Radasanu. “Humanitarianism is helping to shape foreign policy among Western democracies, and is therefore of great interest to us as citizens of the United States and of the world community.”

Orwin was born and raised in Chicago. He studied at Cornell University and Harvard University, where he earned his Ph.D. He has taught at Toronto since 1973 and as a visiting professor at universities across the country and world. This past summer he lectured at the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg.

Admissions seeks volunteers for spring open houses at NIU

The Office of Admissions invites participation in NIU open houses for prospective students and their guests held four times each year (two during the fall semester and two during the spring semester). Last year, NIU welcomed more than 9,000 visitors at the four open houses.

The Office of Admissions is seeking volunteers to work in the open house registration area in the Holmes Student Center Capitol Room/Ballroom. The main role in registration is to provide a warm NIU welcome, distribute bus tour passes and offer a brief description of the day’s activities.

Volunteers work from 8 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m. A complimentary box lunch is provided.

The dates for the spring 2007 open houses are Monday, Feb.19 (President’s Day), and Friday, April 6 (Good Friday). Those who are interested in volunteering for one or both open houses or who have questions should e-mail Cindy Carls at ccarls@niu.edu.

PCSW seeks nominations for two awards

NIU’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Women is seeking nominations for two awards given out in April.

All nominations are due Thursday, March 1, to Betty Baugh, Women’s Resource Center, 105 Normal Road, DeKalb, Ill., 60115. Fax to (815) 753-0337 or e-mail to bbaugh@niu.edu. Call (815) 753-9614 for more information.

The Wilma D. Stricklin Award for the Enhancement of the Climate for Women on Campus is given to an NIU-affiliated individual who has distinguished herself or himself by making continual and extraordinary contributions to the climate for women across campus. Nomination letters should not exceed two pages.

Finalists will have:

• Demonstrated exemplary leadership and service resulting in a more-favorable campus climate for women.
• Provided continual leadership and service over an extended period of time.
• Expended efforts beyond expectations and work responsibilities.
• Achieved results and affected lasting change that has made NIU a better campus for women.

Established in 1997, the Martha Cooper Journalism Award recognizes outstanding writing on women’s issues at NIU. It was named for Cooper, a journalism alumna, in 2000.

The award is open to all NIU students and alumni who have written and published about women’s issues at NIU during the time frame of March 1, 2006, to the present. Eligible entries include news coverage and/or commentary, either individual articles or a series of articles on a topic or topics related to NIU women.

Entries may have been published in campus publications such as the Northern Star and Lifeline or in other newspapers such as the DeKalb Daily Chronicle, the MidWeek or the Chicago Tribune. A selection committee of professionals will judge entries on the quality of writing, originality of content and the significance of coverage.

Applications and criteria are available at the Northern Star, the Department of Communication, the Women’s Resource Center and Women’s Studies.

Visit http://www.niu.edu/women/PCSW for more information.

Geology hosts spring colloquia

NIU’s Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences has announced the schedule for its Spring 2007 Colloquia.

All talks will be held at 4 p.m. in Davis Hall 308 and are co-sponsored by NIU's Graduate Colloquium Committee. Call (815) 753-1943 or click here for schedule updates and more information.

Friday, Feb. 9: Frank J. Pazzaglia, Lehigh University, “The Geomorphic and Geologic Evidence for Active Tectonics in the Northern Apennines: Revision of Geodynamic Models for Mediterranean Subduction.”

Friday, Feb. 16: Stephen T. Hasiotis, University of Kansas, “Expanding the Definition and Application of Ichnology to Problems and Frontiers in the Geosciences.”

Friday, Feb. 23: Bridget Scanlon, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas, Austin, “Impacts of Changing Land Use and Land Cover on Subsurface Water.” 

Friday, March 23: Andrew J. Campbell, University of Maryland, “Chemistry of Planetary Cores.”

Friday, March 30: Dorian Gohr, NIU, “Diatom Occurrence and Association to the Black Layers Found in the Glacial Marine Sediment of Disenchantment Bay, Alaska;” Steve Maglio, NIU, “The Effect of Serpentine Dehydration on the Stability of Sulfide Phases: Implications for the Interior of Ganymede.”

Friday, April 6: Julie Brigham-Grette, University of Massachusetts, “Late Cenozoic Arctic Climate Change recorded in El’gygytgyn Crater Lake, NE Russia: The Science behind Deep Drilling.”

Friday, April 13: Kristine Karuhn, NIU, “Impacts of High-Density Septic Systems on Surface and Groundwater Quality and Quantity;” Bianca Pedersen, NIU, “Aspects of the Hydrogeology and Geochemistry of the Aquifer System of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.”

Friday, April 20: Scott Bair, The Ohio State University, “Beyond the Landmark ‘A Civil Action Trial,’ What the Judge, Jury, and John Travolta Didn’t Know.”

Faculty sought for UNIV 101/201

Want to teach one of the most rewarding classes on campus and help incoming students learn how to succeed in their first-year at NIU?

Become a UNIV 101/201 instructor for fall 2007. UNIV 101 is a one-credit, 12-week course aimed to help freshmen develop the essential academic and social skills needed to make a successful and enjoyable transition into NIU. UNIV 201 is a similar course designed specifically for NIU transfer students.

The university offered more than 83 sections of UNIV 101/201 in the fall, and more than 57 percent of first-time freshmen enrolled in one of these courses. Teaching UNIV 101/201 provides the opportunity to learn about incoming students and help them adjust to life at NIU.

Instructor candidates must be a current or retired member of the NIU faculty, staff or administration, hold a master’s degree and have prior experience teaching at the high school or college level.

If candidates do not meet the last two criteria, they can be paired with a teaching coach. UNIV 101/201 instructors typically receive a stipend of $1,000 for teaching a section or $500 for co-instructing a section.

More information and application materials are available online at http://www.orientation.niu.edu/orientation/FYC/InstructorApplications.htm or by contacting firstconn@niu.edu.

Athletics seeks volunteers for men's golf regional

NIU Athletics is looking for volunteers to assist in making the 2007 NCAA Men’s Golf Regional a success. NIU is teaming up with Rich Harvest Farms Golf Course to host the NCAA Regional from May 17 to 19.

To sign up, please contact the NIU athletic event staff at (815) 752-5300 or via e-mail at athleticeventstaff@niu.edu. To register online, visit www.niuhuskies.com.

1-29-07