WSU Urban Studies Blog

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UAI participates in Clothesline Project

Student staff of the UAI participated in the Clothesline Project, representing the institute. The event took place in Sheehan Hall, where there were shirts for students to include written messages like facts about sexual assault, parts of their own story or messages of hope to survivors among the WSU community. Students that passed by Sheehan Hall where the shirts were hung up could see what peers had shared and take part in the event. The purpose of the activity/event was to bring awareness to any college student facing that problem, show they're not alone, that there are people available to help them get through it and it doesn't define who they are.

Housing Justice Summit 2024

Pascual Vasquez, Ricaury 2024-03-27 On March 12th, the Urban Action Institute (UAI) team hosted its first Housing Justice Summit. With a total of 71 participants and 12 community partners involved, there was an incredible crowd at this event. The Housing Justice Summit, led by Director Danielle X. Morales and Assistant Director Midaly Carrasquillo Delgado, was sponsored by the Urban Studies Department, the Binienda Center for Civic Engagement at Worcester State University, Quinsigamond Community College, and UniBank. The summit was created to bring awareness about how housing insecurity can affect students at Worcester State University and Quinsigamond Community College. Some of the learning outcomes from the event were: a) Building the collective capacity in the local higher education community and advancing housing justice goals, specifically in terms of helping housing-insecure students locate resources and connecting students with city advocates and service providers; b) have an o

Community Leaders tackling Housing Justice at University Summit

https://news.worcester. edu/community-leaders-tackle- housing-justice-at-university- summit/

Students Present Research at a National Conference in Washington DC

front, l-r: Elizabeth Stone, Abigail Holden back, l-r: Dr. Conroy, Kael Briesacher, Dr. Briesacher WSU students Elizabeth Stone '24 (Urban Studies/Environmental Science) and Abigail Holden '24 (Sociology) presented their recent research at the Eastern Sociological Society national conference in Washington DC. Their qualitative project is a deeper look beyond an earlier quantitative report on Advanced Placement Exam participation and performance at Worcester Public Schools that showed since AY 2007, and amid a 300% increase in AP test taking, WPS students fail more than half of their AP Exams. On average over that period, 62.2% of students outright failed their exams (scored a 1-2) with some years reaching 68%. Furthermore, another 20.6% of test takers earned scores of 3, which are also not worth college credit at a growing list of the nation's higher education institutions. Supported in part by a Summer Undergraduate Research Grant from the WSU Foundation, Liz, Abby, and

WSU Teaching Garden

Pascual Vasquez, Ricaury January 25, 2024 The WSU Teaching Garden Highlights I interviewed Isabel and Dylan last semester, to learn more about the highlights of the WSU Teaching Garden and how the growing & harvesting seasons went this past year. Isabel is the Manager of the Worcester State Garden. Isabel shared her difficulties with the Garden and her proudest moments this year. Isabel stated that her most challenging moments were frosts that happened in the middle of May which affected the growth of the plants, making it difficult for her and the community to harvest/produce. Additionally, she explained the water was shut off for a whole month which made it quite difficult to get water for the plants, having to travel to different places and making sure they were getting enough to keep the plants alive. Another thing Isabel would have preferred is less rain, as it was very rainy this year. Isabel's highlight when working in the garden this year was helping the children a

The UAI's First Housing Justice Summit announced on WSU News

The Urban Action Institute is taking proactive steps to address the pressing issue of housing insecurity in Massachusetts by organizing its first Housing Justice Summit on March 12. This half-day event, open to the public, aims to bring together various community organizations, housing experts, and city officials to shed light on the housing crisis in Worcester and beyond. Through panel discussions, presentations, and networking opportunities, the summit seeks to foster collaboration and action to tackle issues such as high housing costs, a severe shortage of affordable housing, and increasing demand for emergency shelter. With support from key sponsors like the Urban Studies Department,Th e Binienda Center for Civic Engagement, Quinsigamond Community College, UniBank and many others. You can read more about the event on the article written by Deborah Alvarez O'Neil at: https://news.worcester.edu/worcester-state-university-announces-housing-justice-summit-open-to-the-community/

Tle Latest CityLab Infographic Makes it to the Worcester School Committee

The latest CityLab Infographic, entitled WPS Discipline Data Update --2024 , was released in January 2024. CityLab researchers have been following discipline statistics in WPS since 2013 when Worcester was identified as one of the nation's highest suspension schools for Latino students. At the time, CityLab researchers found a disconcerting disparity in the frequency at which Latino students were disciplined relative to their share of WPS enrollment and a corollary disparity among White students who were disciplined far below their percentage of the student body. The Latino student disparity has decreased over time, but this is due less to a decrease in the rate at which Latino students are disciplined -- it was 53.8% in AY 2013 and 56.7% in AY 2023 -- than it has to do with Latinos comprising more of the school population. In other words, as the Latino population grows, it is catching up to that group's historically high percentage of disciplinary actions. Further, the di

Research Seminar Students Commemorate Completion of Final Projects at the Boynton

In keeping with department tradition, Dr. Murphy's Research Seminar/Capstone students commemorated the submission of their final projects by having lunch at the Boynton Restaurant on Highland Street in Worcester. The students spent the semester working hard and supporting one another to develop projects on a variety of important topics including but not limited to participatory urban planning, affordable housing, urban farming, gentrification, literary urban studies, and community engagement. Congratulations students!

UAI staff shows solidarity with victims of relationship violence

The students and some of the staff at the Urban Action Institute actively participated in the Red Flag event as a demonstration of solidarity with victims of relationship abuse and as a means to raise awareness about this critical issue. This initiative underscores the university's commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all students and community members. The Red Flag event is a symbol of the collective determination to confront relationship abuse, encouraging open conversations and an informed understanding of the signs and consequences of such abuse. Through a series of impactful activities and discussions, the Institute aims to engage not only the campus community but also the broader Worcester community, forging vital connections between academia and real-world issues. By joining the Red Flag event, the Urban Action Institute at Worcester State aimed to continue promote a culture of respect, empathy, and support while offering resources and guidanc