Rate My Professor Betsy Cooper

Professor Betsy Cooper, also known as Elizabeth A. Cooper, serves as Professor of Management in the College of Business at the University of Rhode Island. She holds the position of Management Area Coordinator, effectively acting as department chair, and is the designated Area Coordinator for Management, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, providing guidance to students in these fields. Cooper's research specializes in organizational psychology, human resource management, gender equity, motivation theories—particularly expectancy theory—and related topics such as workplace behaviors, dual commitments, and inclusive practices. Her scholarship addresses equity perceptions, academic performance predictors, student motivation assessment, rural maternity care challenges, nonprofit HRM trends, leadership development through shadow work, GLBT workplace experiences, and emotional intelligence in professional roles like auditing.

Cooper has made substantial contributions to peer-reviewed literature over decades. Key publications include 'Referent selection in determining equity perceptions: Differential effects on behavioral and attitudinal outcomes' (with RW Scholl and JF McKenna, Personnel Psychology, 1987); 'Predicting academic performance: The impact of expectancy and needs theory' (with MA Geiger, The Journal of Experimental Education, 1995); 'Using Expectancy Theory to Assess Student Motivation' (with MA Geiger, Issues in Accounting Education, 1996); 'Dual commitment among unionized faculty: A longitudinal investigation' (with LL Beauvais and RW Scholl, Human Relations, 1991); 'Rural maternity care services under stress: the experiences of providers' (with S Grzybowski and J Kornelsen, Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine, 2007); 'Research in nonprofit human resource management from 2015 to 2018: Trends, insights, and opportunities' (with ADV Phelps and SE Rogers, Employee Relations: The International Journal, 2020); and 'Gender relations and sexual harassment in the workplace: Michael Crichton's Disclosure as a teaching tool' (with DR Comer, Journal of Management Education, 1998). These works have influenced discussions on motivation, gender dynamics, and organizational inclusivity. In her teaching, Cooper emphasizes authenticity, inclusiveness, and understanding to enhance student experiences at URI.