Heart of Virginia College of Commissioner Service
Annotated Bibliography of Postgraduate Papers
A listing of Commissioner College Doctoral & Postgraduate Papers
Sullivan, Charles W. – 1987 “The positive effect of the Cub Scout Roundtable on Unit Programs.” (Robert E. Lee Council, BSA)
Examines the positive effects of Cub Scout Roundtables on the unit’s program. (24 pages)
Crutchfield, George T. – 1986 “Meeting Management as a Commissioner Service Tool.” (Robert E. Lee Council, BSA)
The purpose of this paper is not to advocate alternate commissioner activities, however, it is to provide a management view of commissioner meetings and administration. (8 pages)
Louthan, Thomas A. – 1987 “Performance Follows Expectations.” (Shenandoah Council, BSA)
The purpose of this thesis is to develop a program to improve quality and quantity of Unit Commissioner visitations. (25 pages)
Stevens, Norm – 1987 “Development of a Multi-Media School Night for Scouting presentation.” (Robert E. Lee Council, BSA)
Using previously developed programs and Scouting materials develop a high quality color slide program for use on School Night by units in the council. (17 pages)
Hodges, Nancy L. – 1987 “A procedure for determining why unit leaders do/do not attend Cub Roundtables.” (Stonewall Jackson Council, BSA)
A survey to determine why unit leaders do/do not attend Cub Scout Roundtables. (8 pages)
Barb, Mary E. – 1987 “What is a Scouting Coordinator?” (Stonewall Jackson Council, BSA)
Defines the role and duties of a Scouting Coordinator. (6 pages)
Hall, Ann R. – 1989 “Helping the Improve Attendance at Cub Scout Leader’s Basic Training.”(Shenandoah Council, BSA)
Looks at ways to improve Cub Scout Basic Training attendance. (11 pages)
Rockett, Frank – 1990 “Different situations call for Different Styles of Leadership.” (Stonewall Jackson Council, BSA)
The purpose is to ascertain when Commissioner perceive their duties and responsibilities were and compare that with their performance. (16 pages)
Lippard, Bonnie R. – 1990 “Reorganization turns Failing Units into Thriving Units.” (Robert E. Lee Council, BSA)
The purpose is to show the impact a restored unit has on the Scouting organization outside the unit. Letting a unit fail and then form a new unit is not best method. Reorganization may be a better solution. (22 pages)
Johnson, James M. – 1991 “To determine why some Commissioner in the Capital District are performing their duties and other are not.” (Robert E. Lee Council, BSA)
Early descriptions of leaders accepted the hypothesis that leadership was largely an inherited ability. This hypothesis underlay the psychological classification of characteristics that differentiate leaders from followers. (30 pages)
Ryan, Thomas J. – 1991 “To produce an automated Registration Management and Operations Plan for the Robert E. Lee College of Commissioner Science.” (Robert E. Lee Council, BSA)
Registration for the College presented difficult problems because of the lack of structural organization and the wealth of material and data involved. This thesis is to produce an automated Registration Management and Operations Plan via the IBM type PC computer. (101 pages)
Hudson, Edward L. – 1996 “Scouting – Is it cost feasible?” (Robert E. Lee Council, BSA)
The cost involved in Scouting prohibits, or hinders a boy’s ability to enjoy the benefits of a complete Scouting program of which contributes to a number of units classified as “High Risk”. If this is so, what are we doing about it? (36 pages)
Kochansky, Thomas M. – 1998 “Are We Really Delivering the Promise?” (Gulf Ridge Council, BSA)
Are we really Delivering the Promise? Are we providing the excitement that a boy expects to find in Scouting? I believe a wide spectrum exists in what Scoutmasters consider adequate to providing that excitement. If our literature is correct, boys want to be in the outdoors. My personal experience has been that boys prefer campouts to even the best conducted troop meetings. Many of us Scoutmasters do too believe the troops that we all consider successful are those with healthy outdoor programs. But is it more than that? Are there other contributing factors? Are they the Best Kept Secrets in Scouting? (40 pages)
Menefee Sr, Michael R. – 2000 “The Commissioner’s Guide” (Robert E. Lee Council, BSA)
There are over twenty-two different publications in Scouting that covers various aspects of Commissioner Service. This research project is an attempt to bring the key points of all these publications into a single source without duplicating the existing publications. It is written in layman terms along with suggestions, hints, goals, and ideas derived from training sessions and discussions with other commissioners. (105 pages)
Berry, Gerald J. – 2002 “The Venturing Silver Award.” (Robert E. Lee Council, BSA)
The Silver Award was introduced in 1950 and phased out in 1966; Why? The Venturing Silver Award was introduced in the late 1990’s. This award is a unique award and deserves unique treatment and recognition. (31 pages)
Bryant, William G. – 2003 “Quality Unit Award” (Heart of Virginia Council, BSA)
The Boy Scouts of America is like most large organizations in the world today, an inherit desire exists to provide the highest level of product or service quality possible. Within the current structure of the Boy Scout programs, there exists a method of objectively identifying units that deliver a program designated to be a “quality” program. The program is called the National Quality Unit Award program. This program has been operating for approaching two decades. The criteria for are well established and communicated within the units on a regular basis in leader training and indoctrination, annual charter renewal, and ad hoc sessions among leaders. (110 pages)
Dadisman, Kemper – 2004 “Trail to Scouting.” (Stonewall Jackson Council, BSA)
The concept of showing the aspects of Scouting, the adventure of camping, caving, hiking in the forest with someone that knows what he is doing and can detail the pleasures of nature, the advantages of joining the Order of the Arrow, the advancement program and how to get there. What really happens at the Council Camp? An explanation of the wonders of a patrol box and all the equipment in it. Venturing activities and the advantages of this program. All this under one roof, in the dry and warm, could this give these youths an easing of the concerns of entering Scouting? (33 pages)
Smith, Robert – 2009 “Learning Disabilities Awareness – A Guide for Leaders.”(Heart of Virginia Council, BSA)
A report primarily designed for the unit leader. This report defines what are learning disabilities and how to identify them. (24 pages)
Hahn, Larry D. – 2010 “Contingency Planning Guide” (Colonial Virginia Council, BSA)
The Boy Scout’s motto is “Be Prepared,” making it one of Scouting’s highly recognized organizational pillars. Those two simple words are an essential and critical key to successfully surviving and managing ones way through an emergency or disaster. For it is the act of being prepared that leads one to perform in ways that support successful outcomes and to develop solutions to problems experienced under the stress of an emergency or unplanned circumstance. However, it is not just an act of preparation, such as ensuring you pocket a knife or carry extra food and water, but rather it is also a state of mind. The motto helps instill the idea of preparedness in our Scouts, and within the movement, creating a culture of preparedness that teaches our young people to be smart about dealing with a contingency situation or an emergency. Many experts will note that it is this attitude and state of mind that is the most crucial aspect to how well a person or group can deal with an emergency that was unforeseen and unplanned. (179 pages)
Chaffin, Bill – 2010 “Creating Faith-Based Venturing Programs” (Heart of Virginia Council, BSA)
A faith-based application of the Venturing method encourages and empowers youth to dig deeper into their faith. This is true whether they are currently members of the youth group or new to the group. When this happens, the youth in a church youth group become more effective leaders and a healthier church evolves. The church then experiences a direct benefit to their youth ministry and their overall mission. That benefit begins when a new or existing church youth group is chartered as a Venturing crew. (23 pages)
Smith, Paul E. – 2010 “Total Commissioner Involvement in the Recharter Process” (Heart of Virginia Council, BSA)
During the 2008 Recharter process, Capitol District had 44 out of 48 units complete the internet recharter prior to the December 31st deadline. On February 10th, the District Executive called to inform me that 17 units had not completed recharter and they were in danger of being dropped on February 28th. Capitol District was not unique; the other Districts had similar results. Why did this happen? Was it lack of communication, lack of coordination, or lack of knowledge of who is responsible for tracking and following up on unit recharters? (22 pages)
Dunnavant, Lloyd – 2011 “Deep Bench Scouting, Support Volunteer Recruitment on the Unit Level” (Heart of Virginia Council, BSA)
Many Scout units suffer crisis and possible failure because unit leaders often fail to recruit, train, and support their replacements. This thesis provides a plan and training outline that will support a healthy unit leadership transition process. (45 pages)
Merica, Phillip – 2012 “Training to Fit Unit Needs, The Commissioner’s Role.” (Stonewall Jackson Council, BSA)
This thesis explores the problem of trained leaders through the eyes of the Unit Commissioner. What are the root causes of why we have so few trained leaders and what actions the Unit Commissioner can take to help improve the number of trained leaders? (37 pages)
Larson, Mark A. – 2012 “A New Scout Center” (Heart of Virginia Council, BSA)
The design and layout of a Scout Support Center provides a vision into what a Scouting Center could be. The Center needs to be focused on the Scouting program and not merely the business of Scouting. The Center should showcase the fun in Scouting through activities and challenges while supporting the volunteer leaders. (35 pages)
Pupa, Dennis – 2013 “A Unique and Alternative Venue for Scout Reach – A Cub Scout Level program in the Regional Jail” (Stonewall Jackson Council, BSA)
This thesis explores the relationship between incarcerated mothers and their sons by using the Cub Scout program as a medium by providing rehabilitation incentives. It also shows the benefits not only to Scouting, in general, but also to the community specifically to the women and children directly involved. (49 pages)
Nicolay, John – 2016 “A Scout is Reverent.” (Stonewall Jackson Council, BSA)
This research paper provides an examination of the evolution of the Scout Oath (“duty to God”) and 12th point of law, “A Scout is Reverent”. Scout movement founders Baden-Powell, Seton and Beard were vague or ambivalent about the urgency of connecting a formal designation to faith principles. They preferred that the boy derive ministerial reflections from observing nature and striving to be a responsible, valued citizen. (32 pages)
Fletcher, Marian M. – 2016 “Recharter Tools” (Heart of Virginia Council, BSA)
The current recharter process is quite complex and, as such, has many areas that, if not done properly, will cause a recharter to be rejected or delayed once it leaves the unit coordinators possession. Automated tools, at this time, are not available to prevent many of the errors that happen during recharter processing. (30 pages)
Everett, Adam – 2018 “Webelos II to Scout Transition” (Stonewall Jackson Area Council)
This thesis explores the loss of Webelos II youth during the transition period from the beginning of the Webelos II period through shortly after graduation into a Boy Scout troop. I address the Webelos-to-Scout transition by correlating elements of the national transition plan with ideas that can be affected by unit commissioners and other district volunteers. Local commissioners potentially connect local unit and district resources to improve the effectiveness of the Webelos-to-Scout transition.
Postgraduate Papers
Commissioner College 2022