Roxboro House Roundtables

In 2017, Jefferson University, previously known as Philadelphia University, merged with Thomas Jefferson University. With the renaming of the University, the issue of how to properly deal with the complicated legacy of one our Nations’ founding fathers arose. In is accepted that Jefferson, a slave-owner to his dying day, fathered children with Sally Hemings, a much younger slave. Many believe that any sexual relations with a slave would amount to rape. For several years prior to the merger, one of PhilaU’s academic buildings featured a statue of Jefferson on a bench writing the Declaration of Independence. After the merger, several students raised the issue that the presence of Jefferson, in light of his history, was distressing to students of color on the campus. As a result, based upon the decision of then President Stephen Spinelli, the statue was quickly removed without discussion. The issue at this roundtable was how should Jefferson University, as a learning institution, best deal with the legacy of a man who while accomplishing great deeds, also practiced personally many behaviors that could be considered morally repugnant today. Listen to Professor Evan Laine, Law & Society student Co-Host Dontresse Hazelett and the panel of Jefferson University students as they discuss this controversial issue and suggest possible solutions.

Listen to Dr. Kathy Smith, Director of Law and Justice at Harcum College, Dr. Rick Frei lead researcher for the Fox Rothschild Center for Law and Society, Dr. Evan Laine, Program Director for Law and Society at Jefferson University and students from Jefferson University’s forensic psychology class and Community College of Philadelphia’s descriptive research methods class, as they discuss the future of sexual harassment by examining the results of their recent survey on commonly accepted sexual harassment myths. You will be surprised at the beliefs individuals have regarding sexual harassment, what it means and why it occurs.

Congressional Funding And Health Policy: Listen to nationally known archives expert and Arlen Specter Center research fellow, Dr. Sean Kelly of California State University, Channel Islands, discuss with the panel how Congressional funding affects policy, law and practice. Dr. Kelly discussed how the interaction of the democratic process and personal beliefs of politicians influences federal funding and how that impacts healthcare and practice in the United States. More particularly, the panel discussed how President G.W. Bush’s ban of federal funding for stem cell research negatively affected the advancement of research in that area. Further Dr. Kelly discussed with the panel how provisions within funding bills have seriously impacted a woman’s right to choose.

Listen to Arlen Specter research fellow, Menika Dirksen, of Temple University, as she discusses with the panel how tensions between the police and black community in 1970’s Philadelphia were alleviated by actions of Arlen Specter and others, through the work of community organizations such as PAL and Safe Streets Incorporated. In addition, present at the Roundtable were Prof. Hillel Levinson, former city manager under Mayor Rizzo, and Dr. Reed, a member of the Crisis Intervention Network in the 70s.

Listen to this Roundtable hosted by Arlen Specter Center research fellows, Jessica Schoenherr and Elizabeth Lane, of Michigan State University, as they discuss the confirmation process for Supreme Court Justice in the United States. Are these hearings “vapid and hollow charades,” as described by Associate Justice Elena Kagan, or are they important windows the minds of these future justices? Is the process a mere political spectacle held for the entertainment of the public, or are there serious political vetting processes? Finally, the panel discussed whether the confirmation process is even valid in today’s political climate.

Dare to Care: Students and Suicide Prevention - Part 3

Lawrence Katz Memorial Lecture presented by the Arlen Specter Center

(audio of keynote and panel discussion)

- Suicide prevention is a crucial issue on campuses across the nation.

- Suicide is currently the second most common cause of death among college students.

- Nearly 4,000 people age 15-24 die by suicide each year in the United States.

- According to the JED Foundation, half of college students have had suicidal thoughts.

- Surveys suggest an increase in overall student emotional distress in recent years.

→ What are the signs and what you can do to prevent suicides?

→ How can we address this critical issue on campus?

Moderator: Maiken Scott, MA, Host of "The Pulse" a weekly WHYY radio show/podcast about health, science and innovation. Formerly, Behavioral Health Reporter, NPR

Panelists:

Keynoter: Matthew Wintersteen, PhD, Assistant Professor and Director of Research in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Thomas Jefferson University (Center City)/Jefferson Medical College. Currently, he is working on a study funded by the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD) designed to assess parent, adolescent, and family predictors of suicidal behavior in high-risk youth, and is involved in many other research endeavors and projects related to suicide prevention

Meghan K. O’Meara, Director, Counseling Services, Jefferson University (East Falls Campus)

Nicole Johnson, Ph.D., LPC, CAADC, CCDP-D -- part-time faculty member, Community and Trauma Counseling Program, Jefferson University (East Falls), has over 16 years of experience working in the behavioral health care system in Philadelphia and surrounding counties; has served in a variety of roles: Therapist, Clinical Supervisor, Unit Manager, Clinical Coordinator, Accreditation Manager and Program Director

Kimberly Riordan, first year Community and Trauma Counseling graduate student at Jefferson University--Kimberly is the co-founder and president of the campus chapter of Active Minds, a mental health awareness and advocacy organization dedicated to empowering students and encouraging help-seeking

Dare to Care: Students and Suicide Prevention - Part 2

Lawrence Katz Memorial Lecture presented by the Arlen Specter Center

(audio of keynote and panel discussion)

- Suicide prevention is a crucial issue on campuses across the nation.

- Suicide is currently the second most common cause of death among college students.

- Nearly 4,000 people age 15-24 die by suicide each year in the United States.

- According to the JED Foundation, half of college students have had suicidal thoughts.

- Surveys suggest an increase in overall student emotional distress in recent years.

→ What are the signs and what you can do to prevent suicides?

→ How can we address this critical issue on campus?

Moderator: Maiken Scott, MA, Host of "The Pulse" a weekly WHYY radio show/podcast about health, science and innovation. Formerly, Behavioral Health Reporter, NPR

Panelists:

Keynoter: Matthew Wintersteen, PhD, Assistant Professor and Director of Research in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Thomas Jefferson University (Center City)/Jefferson Medical College. Currently, he is working on a study funded by the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD) designed to assess parent, adolescent, and family predictors of suicidal behavior in high-risk youth, and is involved in many other research endeavors and projects related to suicide prevention

Meghan K. O’Meara, Director, Counseling Services, Jefferson University (East Falls Campus)

Nicole Johnson, Ph.D., LPC, CAADC, CCDP-D -- part-time faculty member, Community and Trauma Counseling Program, Jefferson University (East Falls), has over 16 years of experience working in the behavioral health care system in Philadelphia and surrounding counties; has served in a variety of roles: Therapist, Clinical Supervisor, Unit Manager, Clinical Coordinator, Accreditation Manager and Program Director

Kimberly Riordan, first year Community and Trauma Counseling graduate student at Jefferson University--Kimberly is the co-founder and president of the campus chapter of Active Minds, a mental health awareness and advocacy organization dedicated to empowering students and encouraging help-seeking

Dare to Care: Students and Suicide Prevention - Part 1

Lawrence Katz Memorial Lecture presented by the Arlen Specter Center

(audio of keynote and panel discussion)

- Suicide prevention is a crucial issue on campuses across the nation.

- Suicide is currently the second most common cause of death among college students.

- Nearly 4,000 people age 15-24 die by suicide each year in the United States.

- According to the JED Foundation, half of college students have had suicidal thoughts.

- Surveys suggest an increase in overall student emotional distress in recent years.

→ What are the signs and what you can do to prevent suicides?

→ How can we address this critical issue on campus?

Moderator: Maiken Scott, MA, Host of "The Pulse" a weekly WHYY radio show/podcast about health, science and innovation. Formerly, Behavioral Health Reporter, NPR

Panelists:

Keynoter: Matthew Wintersteen, PhD, Assistant Professor and Director of Research in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Thomas Jefferson University (Center City)/Jefferson Medical College. Currently, he is working on a study funded by the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD) designed to assess parent, adolescent, and family predictors of suicidal behavior in high-risk youth, and is involved in many other research endeavors and projects related to suicide prevention

Meghan K. O’Meara, Director, Counseling Services, Jefferson University (East Falls Campus)

Nicole Johnson, Ph.D., LPC, CAADC, CCDP-D -- part-time faculty member, Community and Trauma Counseling Program, Jefferson University (East Falls), has over 16 years of experience working in the behavioral health care system in Philadelphia and surrounding counties; has served in a variety of roles: Therapist, Clinical Supervisor, Unit Manager, Clinical Coordinator, Accreditation Manager and Program Director

Kimberly Riordan, first year Community and Trauma Counseling graduate student at Jefferson University--Kimberly is the co-founder and president of the campus chapter of Active Minds, a mental health awareness and advocacy organization dedicated to empowering students and encouraging help-seeking

Sexual violence, active shooters, mental health challenges, and many other factors pose challenges to assuring that our campuses are safe. The Clery Act (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)) was passed following the rape and murder of Jeanne Clery in 1986 at Lehigh University. The intent of the law was to improve campus safety by making information about crime more accessible. One key provision of the law, the emergency notifications and timely warnings requirement, has great potential to be useful in promoting campus safety. But there is an inherent tension between respect for the rights and privacy of victims of crime and the need to keep the public informed. How do we keep the public informed but also avoid victim blaming and revealing information that could cause emotional trauma or worse, trigger retaliation for reporting crime?

Healthcare and our digital trail are two things vital in our society. In this podcast you will notice and learn about the generated systems that are piecing together information to know who we are. Tax Companies such as Experian do a lot more than just your taxes.