InstitutionalReviewBoard(IRB)ApprovalRequestForm

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval Request Form

For Research with Human Participants

Title of research: A Reflection on Diversity at Kennesaw State University

Date research will begin: July 1, 2007 Expected completion date: September 30, 2008

If proposal is for external funding: Agency: N/A Deadline:

You agree that you have read the University's "Assurance of Compliance with HHS Regulations for

the Protection of Human Research Participants" (/irb/) and

agree to provide for the protection of the rights and welfare of the participants that participate in

this research as outlined in the Assurance. You also agree to submit any significant changes in the

procedures of your project to the IRB for prior approval. YES

Name of Investigator(s): Sarah Robbins and Jorge Pérez

Department (include mail drop #): Office of the President (0101)

Student Faculty Other (please describe)

Phone: 3545 Date: June 5, 2007 Email: *********************

FOR RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY STUDENTS OR NON-FACULTY STAFF: This research

involving human participants, if approved, will be under the direct supervision of the following

faculty advisor:

Faculty Advisor: N/A

Department (include mail drop #):

Phone: Date: Email:

1. Have you submitted research on this topic to the IRB previously? Yes No

If yes, list the date, title, name of investigator, and study number, if known:

2. Description of research

a. Purpose of research: The purpose of this research is to explore diversity at Kennesaw State

University. The study will examine diversity along four dimensions: 1) access, success and

retention, 2) campus climate, 3) education and scholarship, and 4) institutional structures

and resources. Two primary areas of focus will be family and work life balance, and

recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities.

b. Nature of data to be collected: Demographic data, responses to Likert scaled statements

(quantitative), answers to open-ended questions (qualitative), and existing institutional data.

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c. Data collection procedures: The initial stage of the research will be limited to qualitative data

obtained via four focus group sessions: two with faculty and two with staff. Focus group

sessions will be videotaped and audiotaped (see consent form below). A review of the

literature will be undertaken, and existing institutional research will be obtained. Surveys

will be administered via Survey Monkey.

d. Instruments to be used: Draft scripts that moderators will follow in the focus group sessions

appear below. (Since focus group discussions are open-ended, the order of questions may

change somewhat, and facilitators may need to ask follow-up questions for clarification.) A

subsequent survey will depend upon the outcome of the institution’s application for a grant

from the Sloan Foundation. If the grant is awarded, we will administer the instrument

provided by Sloan. Otherwise, a survey instrument will be developed by the researchers in

collaboration with KSU colleagues, the Burruss Institute, and external sources. When it is

finalized, the researchers will append the survey instrument to this application for IRB

approval.

e. Method of selection/recruitment of participants: All faculty and staff will be invited to

participate in this research via email (see draft invitation below). If too few volunteers sign

up, or if there is a clear imbalance in the volunteer group (e.g., all women or all men) for a

particular session, then individual invitations to participate may be issued.

f. Participant age range: 25 to 70 Number: approximately 24 in focus groups, total; 2000 or

more in surveys

Sex: approximately 50/50 Female/Male as a target (Note: Researchers cannot control return

rate on surveys, so an imbalance may occur.)

g. Incentives, follow-ups, compensation to be used: Participants will not be compensated, and

non-participants will not be penalized.

3. Risk. Describe in detail any psychological, social, legal, economic or physical risk that might occur to

participants. Note that all research entails some level of risk, though perhaps minimal.

No known risk Risks include:

4. Benefit. University policy requires that risk from participation be outweighed by potential benefits to

participants and/or humankind in general.

a. Identify benefits to participants resulting from this research: 1) Insights into and subsequent

improvement of KSU’s campus climate, an academic environment in which participants are

stakeholders. 2) Enhanced understanding of the resources and benefits available to

underrepresented minorities and individuals with special family needs.

b. Identify benefits to humankind in general resulting from this research: New knowledge about the

dimensionality of diversity, an oft-studied and complex construct.

5. What is the consent process to be followed in this study? All studies must include informed consent.

Consent may require signature as seen in the sample consent form

(/irb/sample_), or may simply require that participants be informed

as seen in the sample cover letter (/irb/sample_cover_). Include

form(s) to be used. If deception is necessary, please justify and describe, and submit debriefing

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procedures. The invitation to participate, focus group draft scripts and consent form appear below.

Deception will not be used.

6. Minors and other vulnerable participants. If minors or other vulnerable participants are involved,

please outline procedures to be used in obtaining their agreement (assent) to participate, in addition to the

consent of their authorized representative such as parent or guardian. If you do not wish to include minors,

it may be useful to include related language in the cover letter or consent form.

We do not plan to include minors or other vulnerable participants in this research.

7. Future risk. How are participants protected from the potentially harmful future use of the data

collected in this research?

a. Describe measures planned to ensure anonymity or confidentiality. Focus group participants

will be identified by a cardboard plaque that contains a first name only. Participants will be

given the option to choose a pseudonym for the plaque. Transcriptions will identify

participants with initials only.

Survey respondents will remain anonymous.

b. Describe methods for storing data while study is underway. Digital data will be stored on secure

computers. Videotapes, audiotapes and transcripts will be stored in a locked file cabinet in

Multimedia Development Group (during production) or the Office of the President (post-production). However, transcripts will be retained in digital form on flash drives or CDs.

Videotapes and audiotapes will be erased after transcriptions have been checked.

c. List dates and plans for destroying data and media once study has been completed. Videotapes

and audiotapes will be erased.

d. If audio, videotape or other electronic data are to be used, when will they be erased? At the

completion of the study in September of 2008.

8. Illegal activities: Do the data to be collected relate to any illegal activities? Yes No

If so, please explain.

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Letter Inviting Focus Group Participation

Note: If you would like to participate in the opportunity described below, please respond to Judith Walper

***********************.

Dear colleagues,

As one dimension of the ongoing work KSU’s Diversity and Equity Council is doing, we (Jorge Perez

and Sarah Robbins) are helping to facilitate focus groups to gather input around two aspects of climate in

our university community—1) balancing family/workplace responsibilities and 2) recruitment and

retention of members of under-represented groups.

These two broad topics emerged from a campus self-study of diversity themes and issues carried out by

the Council during the most recent academic year, and they represent areas that the Council aims to

address in the coming months as part of President Papp’s call for KSU to be a leader in commitment to

diversity in all its forms. Because we understand that having meaningful input from as many stakeholders

as possible is crucial to diversity-oriented goals, we will also be gathering survey data from the campus

community in the coming months. At this point, however, we are seeking to assemble qualitative,

experience-based input from staff and faculty who would like to share their ideas, suggestions, and

personal perspectives around these two topics.

Faculty volunteers will help facilitate two focus groups for faculty members; staff volunteers will help

facilitate those for staff.

Participation in a focus group is purely voluntary, and your input will be anonymous. Transcriptions of

the focus group conversations will not identify any participants by name. Council members will study this

data (i.e., the transcriptions of the groups’ conversations) to help set priorities for future programs,

resource requests, and infrastructure-building to promote diversity-oriented goals.

Please do consider joining us for one or both of these sessions:

For Staff:

Balancing family/workplace responsibilities: July 24, 2:00-4:

Recruitment and retention of under-represented groups at KSU: July 26, -

[Please respond by July 16.]

For Faculty:

Balancing family/workplace responsibilities: August 16, to

Recruitment and retention of under-represented groups at KSU: August 16, 2: to 4:

[Please respond by August 6.]

Ifyouwouldliketoparticipate,**************************************************.Shewillprovide information on the location of the session for which you are signing up.

Thanks in advance for your support of KSU’s Diversity and Equity Council.

Jorge Perez and Sarah Robbins

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CONSENT FORM: Focus Groups

I, (participant's name)____________________________, agree to participate in the research entitled “A Reflection on

Diversity at Kennesaw State University,” which is being conducted by members of the Kennesaw State University faculty. I

understand that this participation is entirely voluntary; I can withdraw my consent at any time before or during the focus group

session. After the focus group session, I can request that my comments be excluded from the transcript that will be prepared

from the audio tape and videotape.

The following points have been explained to me:

1. The reason for the research is to explore campus climate and diversity issues such as balance between family and work,

and recruitment and retention of minority faculty and staff. The benefits that I may expect from it are:

Insights into and subsequent improvement of KSU’s campus climate, an academic environment in which I am a

stakeholder;

Enhanced understanding of the resources and benefits available to underrepresented minorities and individuals

with special family needs.

2. The procedures are as follows:

I will take part in a facilitated discussion of open-ended questions related to balance between family and work life

or recruitment and retention of minority faculty and staff. The discussion will be videotaped and audio taped. A

transcript will be prepared. Videotapes will be kept in a secure area in a locked cabinet. At the completion of the

study, videotapes will be destroyed.

3. The discomforts or stresses that may be faced during this research are: (if none, so indicate).

None, beyond any normally associated with participating in small-group discussion.

4. Participation entails the following risks: (List all potential physical, psychological, social, or legal risks. If there are no

known risks, so indicate. If risks exist, list the steps to be taken if harm should come to the participant, including any

availability of medical treatment if needed).

No known risks

5. The results of this participation will not be released in any individually identifiable form except as outlined above, unless

required by law.

Signature of Investigator [Faculty member facilitating the focus group]

Date:

Signature of Participant

PLEASE SIGN BOTH COPIES. KEEP ONE AND RETURN THE OTHER TO THE INVESTIGATOR.

Research at Kennesaw State University that involves human participants is carried out under the oversight of an Institutional

Review Board. Questions or problems regarding these activities should be addressed to Dr. Martha E. Myers, Chairperson of

the Institutional Review Board, Kennesaw State University, 1000 Chastain Road, #1101, Kennesaw, GA 30144, (770) 423-6378. Last updated September 26, 2005

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Focus Group Script – Family and Work Life Balance

1. What challenges have you or your colleagues faced in providing care for children, partner, and/or

parents, and how have you addressed them? In what ways was KSU helpful?

2. In what ways have your work responsibilities been scheduled or timed or “flexed” to

accommodate your personal and family needs? If not, how would you like for them to have been,

under what particular circumstances?

[Dependent on responses, facilitator may add:

Here are some additional examples of “flex” you might wish to talk about:

 Stopping tenure clock

 Synchronizing with local school vacation times

 Job-sharing

 Telecommuting

 Shifting to part-time for a period of time

 Informal sabbatical]

3. What new or enhanced benefits would you recommend KSU institute, as a matter of policy, to

support effective balancing of family and work life?

4. Are you comfortable identifying yourself to your supervisor as having special family and/or

personal needs? Why or why not?

5. In the years ahead, do you anticipate any family-related events or circumstances that may make it

difficult for you to manage your work responsibilities effectively? If so, how might KSU help you

prepare for those challenges and handle them well as they develop?

6. Overall, do you feel KSU has a family-friendly climate? Why or why not?

7. What else would you like to say?

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Focus Group Questions: Recruitment and Retention

1. What would be your answer to a colleague at another institution who asked, “Should I come to

KSU?” Why?

2. How welcome do you feel as a fully invested member of the campus community? Why?

3. What attracted you to KSU? What keeps you at KSU?

4. What, in your opinion, might cause a member of an under-represented group to leave KSU?

5. Are there any negative communication patterns in place that you feel hinder retention of under-represented groups at KSU? If so, explain or describe them.

6. In what ways have you been mentored at KSU? In what ways would you have liked more

mentoring?

7. What besides money are the three things that would make KSU a better place for you to thrive?

8. In an earlier open-ended exercise carried out with a group of faculty and staff, one participant

wrote: “Tenure and promotion are used as weapons against minority faculty to keep them

submissive.” What is your reaction to this statement?

9. What else would you like to say?

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