Public access to congressional records: Present policy and reform considerations

While the records of the Senate and House of Representatives are among the most valuable sources of information for enhancing public knowledge of congressional operations and decisions, they largely have not been available for examination unless they have been distributed as an official publication. Some have suggested that this situation could be rectified by making Congress subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act. There are, however, both constitutional and practical problems in this approach. Nonetheless, there are those within the two Houses who are aware of the need for reform in this area, and efforts have been made to modify archival policies. Arguably, both citizens and legislators can benefit from improved records access arrangements.     

Colleges in the making of manhood and masculinity: gendered perspectives on African American males

Using an interdisciplinary approach, this paper explores the ways in which colleges become sites that socialise African American men as gendered beings. Twenty-four African American men enrolled in 12 colleges and universities across the 19 southern and border states of America participated in this study. The purpose is to illustrate how constructions of manhood and masculinity among this group potentially influence collegiate efforts to serve African American college men academically, socially, and developmentally. The following themes of manhood construction emerged: (1) self-expectations; (2) relationships and responsibilities to family; and (3) worldviews and life philosophies. Respondents reported differences in the ways in which they were treated and engaged in historically black and white institutions, also reinforcing various manhood constructs. The paper is a resource to advance the field’s thinking about this group’s college experiences, retention, and identities.