Experts dealing with college students discuss how COVID-19  has affected college students and how best to cope with the challenges posed by this unprecedented modern pandemic.   Evan Laine,  Associate  Professor of  History  and Faculty Director of the Arlen Specter Center,  moderates the panel  made up of Henry Humphreys, Ph.D., Vice-Chancellor, Dean of Students, Thomas Jefferson University – East Falls,, C. Virginia O’Hayer, MA, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Thomas Jefferson University - Center City, Julia Smith, BA, Advanced Student, MS in Community & Trauma Counseling Program, Thomas Jefferson University – East Falls and  Jefferson Undergrad  Raffaela Gualtieri

Coping with COVID-19 on the College Campus

Fashion  design and  merchandise students discuss   the difference between  cultural  appropriation and cultural;  appropriation  and how the University can be more sensitive to the  difference  and how  it should be best handled

Cultural Appropriation of and by Design

Neurodiversity, in the broadest sense of the term, refers to the diversity of human brains and minds While there is great variation in the way our brains think and process information, the current design of our environment and society often does not account for these differences. 
The Americans with Disabilities Act recognizes that we must create an environment that supports diversity in our physical bodies (mandating curb cuts, ramps, etc.); However, there are no similar regulations or guidelines to support a neurodiverse population. As such, our society requires individuals across the neurodiverse continuum to adapt to the environment as it is, rather than intentionally creating an environment to support a variety of human minds. Individuals with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder or others have greater diversity in the way their brains 
manage problem-solving, perspective taking, communication and/or processing what they hear, see and feel. This population is thought to represent 30-40% of the total population in the United States. 
During this round table, members from the university and health care will discuss perspectives on what it means to create accessibility and belonging for a neurodiverse society.

All In: Neurodiversity in a University and Healthcare Environment

Student orgs at Thomas Jefferson University,  Nextgen and Bridge, discuss about how to register to vote, whether it is a write-in, in-person, or absentee and why it is so important to exercise this right. They also discuss why college students are reluctant to vote and why this  is a mistake

How to Register to Vote and  Why  You Should

Students describe their experiences and challenges in coming out to their friends and family.  Students also  discuss the process of inviting in allies

Coming Out Or Inviting In

Michael Smerconish an American radio host and television presenter, political commentator, newspaper columnist, author, and lawyer, addresses how irresponsible  media, self  sorting, misinformation and the spectacle of politics have transformed our political climate to one that is toxic and dangerous to the health of our Nation.

Michael  Smerconish On How to Fix the Broken Political System

Are students free to speak their minds at a private university?  What pressures are on them to speak or not speak their views?  Students and Former TJU  President Mark Tykochinski weigh  in on this topic.

Capstone- Free Speech On Campus

In the U.S., the candidate with the highest number of votes wins, except the President. The most powerful individual in the nation is instead chosen by the Electoral College. This Roundtable explains how the Electoral College works, why it was created, how it has led to the election of 2 Presidents, in the modern era (Bush and Trump), who did not win a majority of votes and finally, why should be eliminated.
We also discuss how the origin of the Electoral College comes from slavery.

Electoral College Roundtable

In August 2023, the first study of menstrual products using real blood was published in the British Medical Journal. A month prior, Florida enacted the "Don't Say Period" bill banning reproductive health instructions, including menstruation before sixth grade. Why is menstruation still taboo in today's day and age? This roundtable is an open discussion about the stigmas surrounding periods and period-related topics. There will also be many personal stories about first periods and period-related topics. There will also be many personal stories about first periods and period mishaps or experiences. Please stop by, share your own stories, and learn more about menstruation. Let's change the norm and finally talk about periods!

Lets Bloody Talk (Again!) Roundtable

Within your lifetime, you’ve likely heard several stereotypes revolving around Asian people. Such as them being competent but cold, excellent at math, and anti-social beings. These “observations” serve as thinly veiled racism that underpins the Model Minority Myth. This widely believed concept is a gross-generalization of a non-monolithic group of people. This Roundtable will unpack these racist assumptions, and how they are leveraged to discourage Asian people from becoming lawyers. We will discuss openly the effect this phenomen has on law school admissions, Asian mental health, and workplace discrimination. By looking at the history of Asian immigration to the U.S. and Asian Americans starting to pursue law on American land, we will aim to answer the question: of the 2,396 elected prosecutors in the U.S. last year, why were only eight of Asian descent?

Asian Americans in Law

Instead of this being a roundtable for educational purposes, the Jefferson Housing roundtable was a time for students to air out their opinions about their current or past living experiences on the East Falls campus. Students were able to share what they did and did not like about living on campus. Included is a general guide to cover a wide range of housing topics, along with an open discussion with fellow students! General topics were covered include; the guest sign-in process, laundry facilities, the cost, the residency requirement, the quality of housing, and more. This Roundtable occurred on November 30th, 2023

Residential Life

Professor Evan Laine of  Thomas Jefferson University and Professor Timothy  Welbeck of Temple University explain how the Electoral College works and how it favors small states over large states.  Further, the racist origin Electoral College is discussed, and how it was designed by the Southern states to keep the institution of slavery intact.

Explaining How the Electoral College Works, and Why it  Was  Created  &  Why it  Still Exist

Join us for a dynamic discussion on the role of grassroots print journalism in combating misinformation and fostering civic engagement. We will feature The NW Local, which has been serving the community with reliable news since 2014. Our discussion will tackle the issue of "bad faith" journalism and its deceptive tactics. Learn how to identify and counter misinformation using online tools and discover the benefits of free local newspapers in building community trust and fighting misinformation through social media, events, and local success stories

Misinformation In The Media

Aristotle once conveyed that rhetoric is the art of persuasion through any available means. Unfortunately, "any available means" has been explored to its limits, where we are in an age that bans, or threatens to ban, social media, books, or even artistic expression through drag. How have we gotten to this point? How have we gotten to the point where a significant portion of political and media discourse is more concerned with exercising power against people than even solving problems?

The Dangerous Rhetoric of Politics

What is QAnon exactly?  Who is Q?  How did this all start, and what have been its implications?  What do they believe, how do they spread it, and finally, who in power believes or supports it?  All those questions are addressed in this very informative and somewhat disturbing  Roundtable

What is QAnon?

Pennsylvania State Legislator and Majority leader  Matt Bradford led the Roundtable.  Assisting him in this discussion were  Justin Klos from the House Democratic Caucus’ Demographics team, Pat Brier,Esq. and Dan Brier, Esq.  According to the Public Interest Law Center, Pennsylvania elected officials, through a process called Gerrymandering, have manipulated the congressional map so completely that it has been labeled one of the top three starkest partisan gerrymanders in the country and the worst in Pennsylvania's history. Gerrymandering is the political manipulation of electoral district boundaries to create undue advantage for a party, group, or socioeconomic class within the constituency. The Moderator of the event was Prof  Evan Laine

Gerrymandering

Panel discussion with:
Members of Career Services at Philadelphia University (Tracy DePedro, Patrick Ryan, Laura Bickert Ciarlello), Residence Life (Dillon Eppenstein), and Student Engagement (Ali Stefanik). 

The staff presented and facilitated discussion along with representatives from the transgender community (Joanna Kindt and Kameron Winters) and shared their individual experiences in their own job searches and personal experiences.

Simple Recorder

Transition(s): Navigating your career and professional development as a transgender employee

During this Roundtable, we discussed exactly what Net Neutrality is, how important it is towards the democratic dissemination of information and how it may be dissolving in front of our eyes. Our experts discussed whether the dissolution of net neutrality in the best interest of the public or just for corporate greed.  If you want to know the repercussions that will follow the ending of net neutrality and the potential motives behind the drive to end it, listen to this podcast.

Net Neutrality

In this rountable we discussed the most recent relations with Russia and how that can affect the United States now, and in the future. How does other see the difference between Russia years ago, now, and what they expect it to look like in the future? Join us to understand the issues that lie around Russia and how people are currenly feeling about it.

What does Russia Think?

Being a Democrat or a Republican is simple, but how simple is it is you aren’t? Independent Pennsylvanians are often times given limitations when it comes to voting, especially in the primaries. If an individual is registered as anything other than the two main parties, they are unable to vote in the most critical part of the election process. Often times, this discourages many people from moving forward and voting in the general election, due to the feeling of being powerless and having no voice. The voice needs to be given back to the people, regardless of their political affiliation. There are better methods out there that do not force others to be powerless in the primary elections; there are methods out there that can put the feeling of power and a voice to those Independent Pennsylvanians.

Independent Pennsylvanians

Join us as we explore the current healthcare system in the United States and what will happen in the near future is something is not done. Throughout this roundtable, we compared healthcare systems in the United States to healthcare systems globally such as ones in Canada by looking at the number of people who get healthcare there versus in the States. We looked into the ways that our current system is negatively impacting people, and how the only effective way to change it is to start from the bottom with the newest generation.

Health Care

In this roundtable you find the invigorating conversation regarding the future of work. Where will society be along with the economy in the near future with the support of Artificial Intelligence? Will our jobs be lost? What are now considered "safe" jobs?

The Future Of Work

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.

Algorithmic Justice For Health Care Data

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 2

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.

Supreme Court Justice Confirmation; Substance Or Show

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.

A Sexual Harassment Conference Across Two Campuses

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.

How Should Jefferson University Handle the Controversial Past of Its Namesake

Listen to the inspirational story of David Tuck and his story as a holocaust survivor. An educator worldwide, David Tuck shares his experiences, his hardships, his highs and the blessings he is thankful for. During a time of high political climate Mr. Tuck reassures the young generation of the world we live in.

Holocaust Survivor David Tuck and His Story

LSPN
(Law & Society Podcast Network)
Announces it First Show
Civil Discourse
Hosted by Nick Franchi and Sierra Reddi
 
These Law & Society Sophomores differ political on almost every topic, however while their ideology may clash, application of their worldviews may sometime intersect. This podcast is not about arguing, rather it is their reaction to current events and their implications from two individuals who while they disagree politically and socially, agree that it is absolutely necessary that we discuss our views in a respectful and constructive manner

Civil Discourse Episode 1

In this podcast, Jefferson University Professor Evan Laine and Hayden, President of the Jefferson University Graduate Sustainability Network as well as Professor Tom Schrand and Professor Rob Fleming discussed why Jefferson University Students are joining the World Climate Strike. Students, Faculty, and Staff explored what the Global Climate Strike concerns,  what are the risk to the health of the planet and what possible solutions are available. The Roundtables will now be heard on the 1st and 3rd Sundays starting in October on WGGT-LP 92.9 Germantown Community Radio.

Why Jefferson University Students are joining the World Climate Strike

In this podcast, Jefferson University Professor Evan Laine and Patrick Ryan, Associate Director of Career Services, explored the relationship between Trump, the First Amendment and Free Speech on this special Constitution Day Roundtable. Students, faculty, and staff discussed opposing views on what it means to have free speech in today’s political climate and how the First Amendment interacts with or affects social media. A major portion of the conversation focused on whether Trump’s declaration that the press is an enemy of the people and his continued charges of media fake news effectively chills free speech expression. Roundtables will now be heard on the 1st and 3rd Sundays starting in October on WGGT-LP 92.9 Germantown Community Radio.

Special Constitution Day Roundtable: Trump, the First Amendment and Free Speech

In this Roxboro House Roundtable, sponsored by Thomas Jefferson University's Arlen Specter Center, Law & Society Senior Liz Sussman Hosted a zoom roundtable on Eating disorders. She discussed the challenges faced by those who suffer from them as well as coping and helping strategies.

The Challenges and Coping and Helping Strategies within Eating Disorders

The Roxboro House Roundtables are interdisciplinary discussions on any topic from health and science, to fashion, economics, and politics. These talks take place at Jefferson University East Falls and provide an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to explore and consider a variety of themes in the cozy, historical Roxboro House living room.

Roxboro House Roundtables are presented by the Arlen Specter Center for Public Service at Jefferson University East Falls, which facilitates and promotes public service and civic education in a cross-disciplinary, nonpartisan setting.

Roxboro House Roundtables

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