Dr. Charletta Barringer-Brown, an adjunct faculty member at Virginia Peninsula Community College, has added another publication to her body of scholarly work. The veteran educator also recently presented during an AI research forum at Virginia Commonwealth University
Her latest work, “Removing Barringer: University Renaming Governance, Campus Racial Climate, and the Limits of Symbolic Reform,” was published in the Journal of Research Initiatives. She co-wrote the piece with Daniel N. Brown of the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies. It examines how two Virginia universities handled decisions to remove the name of a former university leader whose views conflicted with modern-day institutional values.
The writers also explored the aftermath of name removal. They believe the conversation about history should not end with removing a name. Further, they maintain, institutions should use those moments to teach students about the history behind the decision.
Additional research yielded her companion article, “University Naming as Governance: Institutional Continuity, Policy Variation, and Organizational Change.” That paper has been accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed academic journal Theory and Practice in Social Studies.
Barringer-Brown is a prolific researcher and writer with numerous works to her credit. She emphasized these efforts keep her “curious and honest” as an educator and scholar.
“I have spent more than 25 years in K-12 and higher education classrooms, administration and policy work. I have learned that many of the challenges students face … need evidence, not assumptions,” she stated.
“That same idea drives my governance research. Institutions make decisions every day that shape students’ experiences, and those decisions deserve careful study,” she added. “My scholarship lets me study those questions closely and bring what I learn back to my students. It also shows my students that learning never stops, even for their professor.”
In other research, Barringer-Brown explored how schools respond to artificial intelligence. She carried that focus into her Oct. 16 presentation at VCU’s College of Humanities and Sciences AI Research Summit.
Her session at the Richmond-based university was titled “Human-Centered AI in Education: Equity, Integrity and Institutional Response Across K-12 and Higher Education.” In the roundtable discussion, Barringer-Brown described “human-centered AI” as technology that supports teaching and learning without replacing human judgment, relationships, or integrity.
With keen attention to institutional policy and responsible implementation, her presentation aimed to inspire fellow educators to look beyond measures to prevent students from misusing AI. She said the alternative is to consider how schools can design policies, learning environments and support systems that use AI fairly and responsibly.
“I hope people see AI as a question of institutional responsibility, not only a technology question,” she said.
Barringer-Brown’s research also informs her teaching approach. Having joined VPCC in late 2025 teaching SDV 100 -College Success Skills, she brings current research and real-world examples into her classes while highlighting evidence, critical thinking and reliable sources.
“(Research and teaching) constantly inform each other. Research keeps my teaching grounded in evidence and current issues. It also helps me model inquiry, critical thinking and the use of reliable sources for my students,” she stated.
“Teaching keeps my research grounded in reality. My students’ experiences, questions and challenges often become the starting point for what I choose to study,” added Barringer-Brown, who also serves on VPCC’s Faculty Senate.
Her diverse experience spans higher education, state government and consulting. Her background includes service as both a special education and general education teacher and case manager, K-12 administrator, tenured professor, department chair, dean and academic program leader.
She’s held faculty and senior leadership positions at Fayetteville State University, Virginia State University and Southside Virginia Community College. Barringer-Brown also served with the Virginia Department of Correctional Education and the Virginia Department of Health.
Her contributions have not gone unnoticed. Special recognition includes the 2023 Outstanding Faculty Award in Political Science from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and Dominion Energy.
With a bachelor’s degree in psychology from VCU, Barringer-Brown holds a master’s degree in special education from Virginia State University. She completed advanced doctoral study in administration and supervision of special education at Virginia Tech and earned a doctoral degree in public policy and administration, with a concentration in law and public policy, from Walden University.
For the Chesterfield County resident, scholarship and teaching connect to serve a broader goal. It’s understanding how educational institutions can make decisions that serve students equitably.
“The future of education depends less on any single tool or reform and more on the human decisions behind them,” she concluded.
