Higher education is a complex machine, and even small changes to that machine can have a major impact on some of the many students currently in postsecondary education. The Higher Education Action and Research Consortium (HEARC), a collection of interdisciplinary graduate students from across campus, is dedicated to discussing the current higher education world both within and beyond UCSB.
Members of the HEARC Steering Committee were kind enough to answer a few questions for the GradPost to help graduate students decide whether they want to be involved with the organization.
The HEARC Steering Committee (from left): Back row: Jenna Joo, Micaela Morgan. Front row: Veronica Fematt, Akshay Cadambi, Priscilla Pereschica.
Can you tell us about the Higher Education Action and Research Consortium (HEARC)?
The Higher Education Action and Research Consortium (HEARC) is an interdisciplinary campus-wide graduate student organization, which provides a forum for the discussion of higher education research, policies, and trends. Through this effort, we hope to cultivate collaborative relationships across campus and with local colleges and universities.
How can students in across disciplines benefit from attending a HEARC seminar?
Higher education affects students in all fields of study, and we want to be proactive about developing policies and providing a space to discuss higher education issues. Our hope is that HEARC can be an organization where graduate students, undergraduate students, faculty and staff from the physical sciences, social sciences and humanities use to get together and share their valuable insights and experiences in order to contribute to the higher education discussion.
Dr. York of the Technology Management Program (TMP) presents to HEARC at the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education.
Who can attend HEARC events?
HEARC events are open to all UCSB faculty, administrators, staff, and students who have an interest in and/or conduct research on issues pertaining to higher education. As members of the UCSB community and higher education system, we all have a stake in this discourse.
How did HEARC originate?
Like most organizations, HEARC originated out of need. At the start of the 2013 academic year, graduate students from the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education were informed that a couple members of our faculty had accepted positions at another institution. These professors were mentors and advisors to several graduate students who focused on higher education research. Following this announcement, several of us met with faculty to share our concerns and to express our need for a space dedicated to higher education. It was during this meeting that seven of us volunteered to work, as a team, to conceptualize a model for this space.
In conceptualizing a model, we were inspired by UCLA’s Research Apprenticeship Course (RAC) with Dr. Daniel Solórzano. Similarly to Dr. Solórzano’s RAC, we wanted HEARC to be an interdisciplinary and intercampus forum open to all interested students. Initially, we organized seminars based on our individual interests; however, as we continued to grow, we wanted to see what types of seminars members of our campus wanted to attend. So, we administered a campus survey to determine the topics and issues of interest to the larger campus community.
Of course, none of this would be possible without the support of key figures on our campus. Therefore, we would also like to express our gratitude to Drs. Michael Gerber, Richard Duran, Russ Rumberger, Michael Young, and Don Lubach for their continuous support and encouragement during the development of this organization and to the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education for their support as well.
What are some of the goals of HEARC?
The first goal was for HEARC to provide a space where students could discuss the current issues impacting access, affordability, and accountability practices in higher education. Today, public colleges and universities are under great scrutiny and encounter many challenges (i.e., tuition hikes, enrollment caps, privatization, etc.), which affect some populations more than others. Therefore, HEARC wanted to provide a forum where scholars could discuss these issues, share their findings, and collaborate.
Dr. Rios of the Department of Sociology presents to HEARC in a GGSE classroom, which enables greater discussion among attendees.Another goal was to provide students with opportunities to meet the stellar faculty on our campus and learn about the newest research coming out of UCSB. To this end, HEARC organizes seminars featuring UCSB faculty who share their latest research and/or projects and then lead a group discussion with HEARC seminar participants. HEARC also organizes seminars with campus administrators and professionals (e.g., deans, chancellors, grant writers, research analysts, center directors), which focus on their leadership roles and responsibilities and appeal to graduate students who are interested in pursuing careers outside of the professorship and/or are interested in the organizational structure(s) of the university.
Lastly, HEARC was very deliberate about welcoming undergraduate students to our events. Most HEARC members work directly with undergraduates in some type of mentoring capacity, and we recognize that most undergraduates have a vague understanding of what research and graduate school entails. Thus, we welcome undergraduates at our seminars so that they can see another side of academia and interact with faculty and graduate students outside of the traditional teacher-student relationship.
What do you hope to have students come away with from the seminars you hold?
Overall, we want students to leave more informed and knowledgeable about the issues affecting higher education today. We also want to stimulate a dialogue across campus about higher education research and policies. As a campus organization, we strive to provide students with opportunities to learn more about topics that may be relevant to their studies, work, and life experiences. For example, many of our guest presenters this past year were selected from student responses we received through a survey that we developed and administered during the fall quarter.
Also, our seminars are held in classrooms to allow for a more intimate and casual conversation between presenters and participants. Participants are able to ask questions and make comments throughout the presentation, which opens the door for a more natural discussion. Thus, our seminars provide participants with a chance to network with presenters, peers, and staff. In fact, several participants have kept in touch with our presenters, and some undergraduates have walked away with research assistantships. Graduate students, on the other hand, get to meet people with shared interests from other departments, and sometimes it’s nice to step away from one’s department to engage in a conversation about something other than your own research.
Who are the members of HEARC?
Currently, there are five graduate student members who make up the HEARC Steering Committee. Each of us has relationships with different groups and networks on and off campus. As an organization, we capitalize on each other’s networks, skills, and research interests to plan and organize seminars. See all contact info and bios on the The HEARC Steering Committee.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Yes, we would like to reiterate our commitment to organizing events of interest to all members of the UCSB community. So, if someone knows of potential guest speakers or ideas that would align with our mission, purpose and scope, we would love to hear from you. We are also open to event collaborations with other organizations and departments. Also, if you are a graduate student who would like to join the HEARC Steering Committee, please email us as well.
We can be reached through email at ucsb.hearc@gmail.com or through our HEARC Facebook page, where you can also stay informed on all our upcoming events.