Dear Colleague:
My name is Stacye Fraser Thompson, I’m a PDSO with a community college like you. I’m working on my dissertation, and I need your help. Please consider reading and volunteering to participate in my study.
I am conducting a research study to explore how Designated School Officials (P/DSO) have been impacted by Covid-19 in their ability to perform their job duties.
Eligible participants must be:
- Between the ages of 18 and 65;
- Serve as a PDSO or DSO;
- Faculty, staff, or administrators working in a community college
The primary purpose of this study is to explore in what ways organizational support, resources, and control impacted your agency to act a P/DSO in supporting international students during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This is an opportunity to have an impact on the field of international education by exploring the professional role of the Designated School Official.
Participants will be asked to:
- Complete the questionnaire linked to this email communication in order for us to gain informed consent and to gather some general demographic and contact information. This initial questionnaire should take no more than 15-20 minutes to complete.
- Those interested in further participation will be given the opportunity to volunteer for an interview (which may last 1-1.5 hours).
Participation in this research study is voluntary. At any point within the research process if you would like to discontinue participation, you are welcome to do so. There are no expected risks to this study.
Your participation in the research study will be confidential. In published reports, there will be no information included that will make it possible to identify you. Research records will be stored securely, and only approved researchers will have access to the records. If you have concerns or complaints about the research, the researcher(s) conducting this study can be contacted by phone or at the following email address: Stacye Fraser Thompson at (205) 937-3880 and/or sfraser@uab.edu. Contact the researcher if you have questions.
If you are interested in participating in this study, please follow the link below to the informed consent page and questionnaire. By completing the questionnaire, you are consenting to allow your responses to be used in this research.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Institutional Review Board has approved this study. If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, or concerns or complaints about the research, you may contact the UAB Office of the IRB (OIRB) at (205) 934-3789 or toll free at 1-855-860-3789. Regular hours for the OIRB are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.
Sincerely
Stacye Fraser Thompson, PI