We report on a series of pilot programs that we developed and carried out to support the success and satisfaction of new faculty, particularly faculty of color. We hope that others committed to retaining and supporting underrepresented faculty can apply our learning from this pilot project, as a whole or in part.

The purpose of this research was to examine the four aspects of approach‐avoidance behavior (physical, exploratory, communication, performance and satisfaction) of older apparel consumers (those aged 65 and over). This research also examined the differences in age and shopping orientations relative to the importance of retail store attributes. Participants were 208 older consumers residing in the Southeastern part of the USA. Survey results revealed that older consumers preferred to shop department stores and mass merchandisers for clothing. These consumers reported they would spend more time and money in retail stores that offered credit, discounts for those 65 and over, and liberal return policies. Furthermore, they reported they would not return to and would avoid looking around in retail stores without chairs or benches, with difficult to find items, inferior products, and poor business practices. No differences were found in the age of older consumers relative to the importance of store attributes and shopping orientations. However, differences were found in the shopping orientation groups relative to the importance placed on store attributes.

Essential oils are natural antimicrobials that have the potential to provide a safer alternative to synthetic antimicrobials currently used in the food industry. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oils from white wormwood, rose-scented geranium and bay laurel against Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on fresh produce and to examine consumer acceptability of fresh produce treated with these essential oils. Our results showed that essential oil derived from rose-scented geranium exhibited the most effective antimicrobial activity at the same and similar minimum inhibition concentration levels (0.4%, v/v and 0.4% and 0.5%, v/v) respectively against Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7. All three essential oils showed antioxidant properties, with the highest activity occurring in bay laurel essential oil. In a sensory test, tomatoes, cantaloupe and spinach sprayed with 0.4% rose-scented geranium essential oil received higher scores by panelists. In conclusion, rose-scented geranium essential oil could be developed into a natural antimicrobial to prevent contamination of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in fresh produce, plus this oil would provide additional health benefits due to the antioxidant properties of its residue.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to assess tall women's satisfaction with the fit and style of apparel for tall women. Design/methodology/approach -A total of 75 US women, who were at least 5 feet 8 inches and between 18 and 54 years old, were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with misses-size and tall-size apparel, in general, and with seven garment categories (jackets/blazers/coats, button-up blouses, pullover tops/sweaters, skirts, jeans, pants, lingerie). Findings -T-tests revealed that participants were more satisfied with the fit of tall-size apparel than with the fit of misses-size apparel, but were more satisfied with the style of misses-size than with the style of tall-size apparel. In addition, participants most frequently used the misses-size designation to purchase clothing and rated style as more important than fit. Despite reported dissatisfaction with the fit of misses-size apparel, participants appeared willing to sacrifice fit to have the desired styles.Research limitations/implications -The study was limited to US women in Southwestern Virginia. Thus preferences affected by regional product offerings may be reflected in the responses. Practical implications -The paper provides discussion on implications of mass customization in resolving the conflict tall women report between the desire for properly fitting apparel and the desire for current style trends. Originality/value -No existing empirical research has examined tall women's satisfaction with products specifically designed for their special anthropometric and style preference needs. This research serves as the foundation for extending research for the market segment from an applied and basic research approach.

Companies spend valuable resources developing and distributing products to please the consumer; however, products that do not match consumer performance expectations during post‐purchase use often result in consumer dissatisfaction. This situation can lead to redress‐seeking behaviour and negative repurchase behaviour. Understanding factors influencing consumers' post‐purchase behaviour can provide retailers with information to make accurate purchasing decisions and improve interpretation of the post‐return data. This study examines product‐specific variables for apparel purchases and their relationship with post‐consumption behaviour. Product cost and product type were found to be related to redress and repurchase behaviour among dissatisfied consumers. Implications for apparel retailers and consumer educators are discussed.