Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Assessing The Impact Of The Tennessee Equine Industry, Olivia Watson

Masters Theses

The Tennessee equine industry is alive and prevalent across the entire state. However, due to the expansiveness of the industry, lack of consistent record keeping, and large discrepancies among reporting agencies, it has proven to be difficult to accurately account for the total impact of the industry in terms of population, demographics, and overall economic impact. The objective of this study was to 1) determine population demographics and economic impact of the equine industry in Tennessee and 2) determine the public perception on the addition of live equine racing within the state. An anonymous, online assessment was developed (March-August 2022; …

College Is A Scam Full Of Leftist Liberal Ideas: An Exploration Of Rural And First-Generation College Students' Memorable Messages About Higher Education, Margaret Keene

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence Vocational Anticipatory Socialization (VAS) and memorable messages have on rural first-generation college students’ interest in higher education. This study will utilize methodology regarding Vocational Anticipatory Socialization Messages and Sources from Powers and Myers (2017), the College Influence Choice Scale from Martin and Dixon (1991), as well as thematic analysis derived from survey questions designed by the researcher. The results of this study found that students report family as their most influential source to encourage higher education, peers as their most influential source to discourage higher education, and numerous encouraging and …

Incentive Payments For Planting Upland Bird Habitat Field Borders In Tennessee, Nathaniel Scott Bruce

Masters Theses

Crop yields along field perimeters that are adjacent to trees and other tall-herbaceous are known to have the lowest yields in a field. An alternative use of these areas that might be more profitable and sustainable is to remove the land from crop production and enroll these areas into the upland bird habitat (UBH) buffer program. However, the adoption of UBH buffers have been limited by producers, despite being eligible for receiving an incentive payment for adopting UBH buffers. Therefore, the objective of this thesis was to determine the breakeven incentive payment for corn [Zea mays L.] and soybean …

The Economic Implications Of Evolving Aviation Funding Policy In Tennessee, Hunter Pressley Mccracken

Masters Theses

The majority of state funding for capital improvements at Tennessee’s general aviation and commercial airports comes through grants awarded from the Tennessee Transportation Equity Trust Fund (TETF). Through a 4.5 percent sales and use tax on the consumption of aviation fuel, users help to fund the continued improvement and maintenance of aviation facilities around the state. Aircraft refueling operations associated with the FedEx “SuperHub” in Memphis were responsible for two-thirds of the TETF’s revenue for Fiscal Year 2014. In response to speculation that FedEx would relocate its refueling operations to reduce its fuel tax liability, the Tennessee General Assembly passed …

America’S Lethal Dilemma: Legitimating Old Methods Of Execution In An Era Of Abolition, Kyle Ward Letteney

Masters Theses

American capital punishment has been facing new opposition from abroad. In 2011 the European Union (EU) placed an embargo on the export of the primary lethal injection drug, sodium thiopental. Since the 2011 embargo, the 32 American states with the death penalty have been unable to obtain additional quantities of sodium thiopental and have since depleted or nearly depleted their supply, prompting a discussion of alternatives. This study analyzes that discussion. Specifically, the analysis of pro-death penalty rhetoric used by Tennessee state politicians who have recently taken steps to retain the death penalty despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the death …

Tennessee Consumers’ Willingness To Pay For Beef Produced In Tennessee, Leah Moore Dobbs

Masters Theses

Little is known about Tennessee consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for beef produced in the state or about the type of outlet where they would expect to purchase Tennessee beef. Tennessee beef cattle production and sales decision making can be guided by the willingness to pay of consumers, demographics profiles of those willing to pay a premium for Tennessee beef, and outlet choice for purchasing local beef. A telephone (land-line and wireless) survey of major metropolitan areas in Tennessee was conducted in 2013 to collect data from a total of 1,209 respondents. This data is used in probit models to …

A Dendroecological Evaluation Of The Effects Of Coal Ash On Tree Growth, Kingston Fossil Plant, Harriman, Tennessee, U.S.A., Niki Ann Garland

Masters Theses

Tree growth is a function of many environmental variables, and it is possible to detect differences between natural and human-related factors on tree growth. Radial growth of trees in one year and in subsequent years that follow is influenced not only by climate and other overarching multi-year processes, but also by pulse disturbance events. On December 22, 2008, an embankment at an impoundment for wet storage of fly ash at the Kingston Fossil Plant, Harriman, Tennessee collapsed, releasing 4,434,400 cubic meters of coal ash into the Clinch and Emory Rivers, impacting aquatic life as well as terrestrial flora and fauna. …

Contextualizing The Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site (40wg59): Understanding Landscape Change At An Upland South Farmstead., Daniel Whitaker Howard Brock

Masters Theses

This thesis focuses on a contextual archaeological approach to investigate the historic landscape of the Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site. Tipton-Haynes is a late eighteenth- through twentieth-century upland south farmstead located in Johnson City, TN. Home to two prominent Tennessee families and occupied until acquired by the state in the 1960s, the site has experienced many alterations to the landscape over time. The analysis presented views the landscape as material culture investigated through a multidisciplinary approach including historic research, architectural survey, geophysical survey, dendrochronology, and archaeology. To make sense of the complex nature of the Tipton-Haynes site, multiple methods were used …

Feasibility Of On-Farm Milk Processing, Packaging, And Marketing For Tennessee Dairy Farmers, Jonathan Joel Moss

Masters Theses

The Tennessee dairy industry has experienced a milk price and feed cost squeeze over the past several years, resulting in declining dairy farm numbers. Many dairy farmers are looking for ways to capture more of the food dollar. One alternative is employing a value-added enterprise. With added managerial and financial responsibilities, it is important that a market and financial feasibility be examined prior to entering into such an undertaking. This study focused on the feasibility of on-farm processed milk, cheese, and yogurt. The feasibility analysis consisted of two major components: market potential and financial feasibility. Market potential was examined for …

A Methodology For Evaluating The Role And Impact Of Planning Support System Technologies And Scientific Information In A Planning And/Or Decision-Making Process, David Craig Brashier

Masters Theses

This thesis focuses on the application of scientific information and planning support system (PSS) technologies to community planning and decision-making processes. Years of scientific research and recent technologicaladvances have produced a wealth of information and increased accessibility to this information. Technological advances have also enhanced the types of analysis that can be done to support planning and decision-making processes. However, having the capability to access this wealth of information and perform advanced analyses does not necessarily mean it results in incorporation of the data and analysis into. the planning or decision-making process.

The main objective of this research is to …

Community, Violence, And The Nature Of Change: Whitecapping In Sevier County, Tennessee, During The 1890'S, William Joseph Cummings

Masters Theses

During the 1890s, a series of extra-legal and illegal activities known as "whitecapping" occurred in Sevier County, Tennessee. While the early episodes were based on traditional responses to deviant behavior in rural communities, whitecapping reflected the loss of community within the county. This study examines the relationship of whitecapping and community in Sevier County and how it changed during the 1890s. The several, often contradictory, social conditions which affected the life of every Sevier Countian are also examined to show the decline of community consensus during this period. Finally, the events galavanizing public opinion against the whitecaps are analyzed to …