Dr. Barry Lanman, Professor of the Practice and Director of UMBC's Martha Ross Center for Oral History, will be teaching the following course on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 to 3:45 pm.

Oral History, HIST 736

Course Description

Oral history is a powerful yet complex methodology for creating unique historical primary sources available in no other way. While it seems deceptively easy as turning on a recording device and striking up a conversation, doing so effectively while ensuring that the results are useful and meet accepted professional standards is challenging. While some of the techniques and methodology can be learned in the classroom, practical experience is essential. Thus, the course will integrate the theory, the historiography and the practice of oral history.    

Almost all scholars working in recent historical research must use or conduct oral history interviews.  Anyone working in historical societies, museums, historical preservation, archives and many other venues will eventually deal with oral history and video history in some capacity. Oral history and video history projects are funded from a diverse set of sources. Therefore, project evaluation, project use, project development and acquisition of funding are also themes of the course.

Every effort will be made to accommodate students’ existing research projects and interests so that the interviews and associated work can be directly relevant to their professional goals.      

Building on 25 years of experience in public policy research, UMBC alumnus Chris Haffer has started a new leadership role with the key federal agency that enforces civil rights laws against discrimination in the workplace. Haffer, M.P.S. ‘91, public policy, and Ph.D. ‘93, public policy, is now the first chief data officer and director of the Office of Research, Information and Planning for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“In this role, I have an opportunity to help foster innovation and creativity to proactively identify how we share data safely with the public and ensure the greatest impact and reach for the community,” says Haffer.

Haffer began his first year of college with a love of foreign languages, and he expected that would be his career. That was until a social sciences requirement introduced him to sociology.

The course sparked in him an interest in applied research, leading to a summer job as a research assistant at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. He continued on to UMBC’s master’s and Ph.D. public policy programs, and a career spanning over two decades at the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMMS).

For Haffer, UMBC offered an important bridge between public policy theory and practice. Professors emeriti Marvin Mandell and Donald F. Norris, public policy, shared their vast applied research experience through both their teaching and also connecting Haffer with opportunities in the Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Research. Both mentors also guided Haffer to the highly competitive Presidential Fellows Program that began his 25-year service at CMSS.

“I remember Chris as a smart, talented and driven graduate student who was passionate about public service,” says Norris. “I know him now as a friend and it has been no surprise to me that he has achieved so much and risen so highly in governmental service.”

Through Norris and Mandell’s examples, Haffer says, he saw how public policy could make a difference in people’s lives. “I learned that with applied public policy research I could turn research into action in a focused way to help programs and agencies better meet the needs of the community,” he shares.

His advice for anyone wanting to work with big data and in the federal service is to move beyond misconceptions. Haffer explains that big data is not only about analysis, nor is federal service solitary work.

“We need more creative minds to help tell a more engaging and accessible data story,” says Haffer. He encourages graphic designers, media and communications majors, and marketing graduates to consider federal service careers in data-focused areas.

The most rewarding aspect of big data and federal service for Haffer has been learning how to best use, disseminate, and implement data with the collaboration of interdisciplinary teams.

“When you are trying to solve a problem, you may be able to do it faster yourself,” reflects Haffer, “but the product a team creates is better because it represents the intersection of different views. It will be of more value to your customers, who will be as diverse as the team that created the product.”

Banner Image: Chris Haffer at the EEOC.  All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

It’s official: UMBC is one of the best universities to work for in the nation, for the ninth year in a row.

UMBC is one of a select set of universities across the country to be named to the Chronicle of Higher Education’s 2018 “Great Colleges to Work For” list. The university is also distinguished as an exceptional “honor roll” university for the eighth year in a row, excelling in nearly every measured category.

This year, UMBC’s categories of top achievement include:

• Collaborative Governance
• Compensation and Benefits
• Confidence in Senior Leadership
• Diversity
• Job Satisfaction
• Professional/Career Development Programs
• Respect and Appreciation
• Teaching Environment
• Work/Life Balance

“This honor is meaningful for us because it reflects how UMBC is truly a supportive and inclusive community,” says President Freeman Hrabowski. “This is a place where we believe in mutual respect and in achieving great things when we combine our strengths and work together toward our shared vision.”

The Chronicle describes the “Great Colleges to Work For” survey as the “most comprehensive workplace study in higher education.” All accredited U.S. institutions with enrollment of at least 500 students were invited to participate, and 253 colleges and universities did so this year. The 2018 findings are based on survey responses from more than 53,000 faculty, staff, and administrators.

UMBC is the only research university in Maryland to be recognized as a Chronicle of Higher Education “Great College to Work For” this year.

See more rankings coverage through UMBC News.

Banner image: UMBC in spring 2018. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.