October 5, 2015
The American Educational Research Association and the Association for the Study of Higher Education extend their deepest condolences to the families of the 10 victims of the shooting at Umpqua Community College and to the entire campus community. As organizations committed to the nurturing of students and the betterment of society, we are saddened by yet another senseless loss of lives in a learning environment. Of all societal settings, the classroom, whether it is in an elementary school or on a college campus, should be the safest and most embracing space, and a haven from the violence that too often afflicts the country.
We call on the education research community to further commit itself to expanding the body of research on school safety and climate at the K-12 level and extending it to higher education. Developing and promoting research-based programs and policies to reduce the risk of violence on college campuses also needs to be a major focus of education research. To foster the advancement of this research agenda, AERA and ASHE will convene a special joint forum at the AERA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., in April 2016. We recognize our responsibility to educate diverse publics in ways that can truly reduce violence in society.
About AERA
The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national professional organization devoted to the scientific study of education. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Find AERA on Facebook and Twitter.
About ASHE
The Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) is a scholarly society with about 2,000 members dedicated to higher education as a field of study. ASHE promotes collaboration among its members and others engaged in the study of higher education through research, conferences, and publications, including its highly regarded journal, The Review of Higher Education.
Contact:
Tony Pals, AERA
Victoria Oms, AERA
Kim Nehls, ASHE