History & Philosophy of SCMM Briefs

The SCMM Briefs were first published by the American College Personnel Association’s (ACPA) Standing Committee on Men & Masculinities (SCMM) at the 2001 Convention. Originally, there was only one category of Briefs known as the Research Brief. These Briefs were intended to be short theory-to-practice primers distributed to ACPA members and other student affairs professionals interested in men's issues. They were published as one page double-sided handouts with literature reviews, analyses and an extensive listing of resources. These Briefs were and are intended to be accessible to both the potential author as well as the potential reader. Authors have ranged from individuals with PhDs to masters degree candidates in College Student Personnel Programs.

Beginning in 2004, the SCMM expanded the range of Briefs to include three areas: Research, Practice and Thought. It was the committees hope that these expanded categories would encourage more dialogue on men’s issues as well as expand the resources available to student affairs practitioners.

SCMM accepts briefs in the areas of research, thought, and practice as well as book reviews. All submissions must focus on masculinities and/or gender-related work. For detailed information about submission guidelines, please go to the following website.

For more information on SCMM Briefs, contact Zac Foste at fostezh@muohio.edu.

Research Briefs

The "Research Briefs" category was the first to be published by the Standing Committee For Men. Research Briefs usually involve literature reviews, extensive reviews of existing research, or the presentation new and original research. Sometimes they have been briefs of pre-existing articles by the author (with permission) or modifications to graduate student papers and/or theses. They most always include an extensive list of references and citations.

Research Briefs should be approximately 1000-1500 words including references. Remember, the purpose of these briefs is to provide a research primer, not an exhaustive article on the topic. The Brief should be written for a broad audience who may not be fully familiar with research into men's issues. As such, the Brief should contain information that directs readers to additional information (key references, journals, newsletters, web-sites, videos, national associations, etc.)

Past Research Briefs include:

Exploring the Impact of Identity on the Experiences
of Entry-Level Men in Student Affairs (Dissertation excerpt)
Dan Calhoun (2009)

Masculinity at the Intersections: An Exploration of Hegemony, Oppression, Performance, and Self-Authorship
Vern Klobassa, and Dr. Tracy L. Davis (2009)

Low SES White Males and College Participation and Success (Excerpt from dissertation titled, Factors Affecting Low SES White Males Persistence to Graduation) 
Brian D. Reed (2009)

Men in Elite, Undergraduate Scholars Programs Distinct from Peer Women in Stress Management, Self Assessment and Goal Setting
James Williams, Kate Z. Williams and Dr. Dennis Wiese (2009)

Promoting Social Justice Attitudes in College Men: A preliminary Investigation
Zach Nicolazzo and Tracy Davis (2007)

Boys Career Day
Jason Laker (2006)

Suggested Reading List
(2007)

On the Need for Mentoring Women: A Man’s Call to Action
Paul G. Brown (2004)

A Primer on College Men Research
Dr. Randall B. Ludeman (2005)

Coping Strategies of Gay Men in College Fraternities
Jack Trump and Dr. Charles Eberly (2003)

Practice Briefs

The purpose of the Practice Brief is to profile unique, new or innovative programs and approaches to working with men and gender issues on campus. Practice Briefs should include a brief background from which the program arose, a detailed description of the program implementation and foundational research or thought, suggestions on how to modify the program to fit numerous campuses with different needs, and success and challenges associated with the program's processes and outcomes.

Practice Briefs should be approximately 1000-1500 words and include references where appropriate (reference are included in the word count). Remember, the purpose of these briefs is to share successful programs and strategies with other student affairs professionals. The Brief should contain as many details about the program as possible and should be presented in such a way that it could be modified and implemented across many different student populations. As such, the Brief should contain information that directs readers to additional information regarding the practice (websites or contact people may be of most help).

Past Practice Briefs include:

Conduct Based Interventions for Men: The MAGIS
Program
Peter Paquette (2009)

Masculinity Dialogues: A Theory to Practice
Program
Vern Klobassa (2009)

Redefined, Retrained, and Rejuvenated: Displaced Male Students Head to College
Dr. Christopher L. Giroir and Chris Burke (2009)

Men and Feminism: Structural, Symbolic and Practical Accountability
Ryan Barone (2007)

Making Men Care About Rape
Roger Nasser Jr. (2004)

Thought Briefs
 

The purpose of the Thought Brief is to provide a forum for articles that may not fall under the traditional definitions of "academic" work. Following some of the paths trailblazed by our feminist colleagues, we hope the Thought Brief will provide a forum open to a broader range of authors and readers. Thought Briefs may be personal stories of men or people that work with men to provide unique insight into an issue or an experience. Thought Briefs may also be opinion pieces highlighting important issues in work with men, or a position piece, or a call to action or change in practice. Thought Briefs are intended to make the reader think. They can be provocative, polemical, or simple narratives. The best Thought Briefs will provoke reflections, reactions, or actions within a reader. Thought Briefs may not need citations, but Briefs such as opinion pieces should also include a foundation in research or cited fact where appropriate.

Practice Briefs should be approximately 1000-1500 words and include references where appropriate (reference are included in the word count). Remember, although the requirements for the Thought Brief may seem broad, there are standards relating to the content for which the Standing Committee for Men is looking. As such, questions relating to appropriate content for Thought Briefs should be directed to the SCM Coordinator for Research and Scholarship.

Past Thought Briefs Include:

I Am Struggling – Can You Help Me?
Zach Nicolazzo (2009)

When Yes Means No
Roger "Mitch" Nasser Jr. (2006)

Back When… The History of the Standing Committee For Men
Dr. Harry Cannon (2004)

Bad Dogs: Rethinking Our Engagement of Male Students
Dr. Jason Laker (2003)

Book Reviews

Book Reviews should be approximately 1000-1500 words and should review a publication relevant to the SCMM. Book reviews should include references where appropriate (reference are included in the word count).

New Black Man by Mark Anthony Neal
Jonathan L. Johnson (2009)

The Gender Gap in College: Maximizing the Developmental Potential of Women and Men by Linda J. Sax
Zach Nicolazzo (2009)

 

Submitting Briefs
Please follow the guidelines listed below for submitting a SCM Brief:

1. Choose the appropriate type of Brief for the information you wish to convey: Research, Practice, or Thought. Review the descriptions above for guidance. If you are unsure about what format would best convey your idea, thought, or message, contact the SCMM Vice Chair for Research and Scholarship.

2. Contact Zak Foste (fostezh@muohio.edu), the SCMM Vice Chair for Research and Scholarship with an "intent to submit". Your "intent to submit" should include information about the type of Brief you are looking at authoring, who the author(s) is/are, the topic of the Brief, and contact information for all authors.

3. All Briefs should be submitted to the SCMM Vice Chair for Research and Scholarship. Email submissions are preferred. Before submitting the Brief, make sure it adheres to APA style and guidelines. Since many of the Briefs are similar to what might be found in the ACPA's About Campus Magazine, you may wish to refer to their "Author Guidelines" for further suggestions:

4. The SCM will contact you to convey your Brief's (1) acceptance, (2) acceptance with minor revisions, (3) acceptance with major revisions, or (4) denial. Should the Brief require revisions, via email the SCMM Coordinator of Research and Scholarship will provide you with a revised copy, or suggested areas for revision.

5. A proof with the Brief designed in the PDF format will be sent via email.

Joint Publication (PDF)