Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons^™

An Investigation Into The Student And Faculty Knowledge, Perception, And Usage Of Chatgpt, Isabella Burns

Honors Theses

Artificial Intelligence (ChatGPT) has become a significant topic in academia. Professors and university officials have been contemplating an all-out ban on utilizing such tools for undergraduate academic work. Sullivan et al (2023) noted “…student behaviors led some universities to ban the use of ChatGPT…” (p. 32). Instead of teaching students how to leverage ChatGPT as a powerful resource to enhance the learning process, universities have deemed use of ChatGPT unacceptable, equating its use with serious academic dishonesty offenses consistent with plagiarism (Hawdon et al., 2025). Directly copying from ChatGPT can constitute plagiarism and poses a significant issue for college-level studies, …

Evaluating Moisture Content , Organic Matter And Mineral Matter In Mangrove Sediments Of The Wouri Estuary, Cameroon, Fama A. Dia

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Mangroves are important coastal ecosystems that support carbon storage, coastal protection, biodiversity, and sediment dynamics. However, the variability and composition of sediments in the tropical Wouri Estuary (Cameroon) remain poorly understood. This study investigates the relationships between key properties such as moisture content, organic matter, and mineral matter in mangrove sediments of the Wouri Estuary. Three sediment cores were collected from the west (Mungo), central (Koo), and east (Dibamba) flanks of the estuary and analyzed using the Loss on Ignition (LOI) method. Samples were oven-dried at 105°C for 48 hours to determine moisture content and combusted at 550°C for 4 …

Ownership Duration In The U.S. Business Jet Market, Yuchen Hu

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study analyzes ownership duration in the U.S. business jet market using FAA registry data as of February 16, 2026 (N=12,359). The analysis reveals a structured distribution with a mean of 5.86 years and a median of 5.00 years. Crucially, retention varies by acquisition status: new aircraft owners exhibit an average hold of 7.36 years, whereas pre-owned aircraft holders show a significantly higher turnover of 5.11 years, with most resales occurring within a 3–7-year window. These findings suggest that ownership behavior is driven by structured asset management and lifecycle planning, providing a predictive framework for identifying aircraft replacement and trade-in …

Protecting Free Speech And Promoting Civility: The Dueling Responsibilities Of American Colleges And Universities, Tara N. Parsons

International Journal on Responsibility

Freedom House estimates that 75% of the world’s population lives in countries that experienced a democratic decline in 2020. Even in long established democracies, liberal democratic values have been shaken. As democracy requires an enlightened citizenry cultivated by a college education, many American universities and colleges adopt civic instruction and engagement as a core responsibility and mission. However, growing anti-intellectualism has drawn increased scrutiny and suspicion towards the programming, curriculum, and core values of universities. Powerful political figures regularly accuse universities of stifling conservative voices and discouraging free speech. The tension between free speech and civic dialogue requires a reframing …

The Impact Of School Resource Officers (Sros) On Background Juvenile Arrest Rates, Marcell D. Dely

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

School Resource Officers (SROs) are widely used in U.S. schools with the goal of improving safety and preventing violence. However, research shows mixed results regarding their overall effectiveness. While SROs can help deter serious threats and create a safer school environment, their presence is also associated with increased disciplinary actions and arrests for minor, non-violent behaviors. This study examines whether SROs reduce school violence or contribute to the criminalization of student misconduct. Findings suggest that outcomes largely depend on factors such as implementation, role clarity, and school policies. The paper highlights the need for clearer guidelines, limited involvement in minor …

Stylemys Nebrascensis Predation Hypothesis, Noah Lohrmeyer, Amanda Peng

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

In 2008 a fossilized tortoise shell was brought into the Sternberg Museum of Natural History. As we prepared the fossil, we observed markings that resembled predation. We are trying to find what species from the White River Formation could preyed on the tortoise. There are few publications on predation for this species. With few publications, we want to find what predator would hunt these species. We cross referenced the site of the tortoise and observed several carnivorous species. We used straight carapace length (Hermanson et al., 2024) and a regression formula (Wilson et al., 2016) to analyze the species we …

Exploring Innovative Display Of Painting Through Creating A Dual-Sided Suspended Piece, Erin K. Tichota

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

For this project, I aimed to expand upon my existent painting skills and learn new methods through unconventional techniques for display. My concept of this piece was to convey the sinking and stagnant feeling of being in a rut of depression. The ropes are meant to convey a web of thoughts that the subject is trapped in, while they are sinking deeper in their bed. The dual sided aspect of this project is meant to further emphasize the concept through creating a sense of  duality and permanence.

Spectroscopic Characterization And Extraction Optimization Of Catechins In Green Tea, Zach J. Mckinley, Masakatsu Watanabe

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This research initiative immerses students in a multifaceted analytical chemistry investigation of catechins—polyphenolic antioxidants prevalent in green tea—through the application of both classical and modern techniques. The project emphasizes hands-on experience with real-world sample analysis, method development, and critical data interpretation.

Catechins were extracted from various commercial green tea products, including loose leaves, powders, and dietary supplements, by trituration with ethyl acetate followed by solvent partitioning using a methanol and water solution. The resulting extracts were analyzed using UV-Visible spectroscopy to quantify catechin content. Selected samples were further characterized by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS), confirming both the identity and purity …

Mumm Vs. Minium: A Tale Of Two Quarries, Kale Link, Amanda Peng

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

In 2025, a discrepancy was discovered in the field numbers of a selection of mammal fossils, which had been mistakenly catalogued as originating from the Minium Quarry in Graham County, KS instead of the Mumm Quarry in Rawlins County, KS. While both quarries belong to the Ogallala Formation, they demonstrate differing biostratigraphic ages, faunal assemblages, and taphonomic settings. Mumm is Clarendonian aged, while Minium is Hemphillian. To correct this issue, all the Mumm specimens were assigned to an updated locality with more precise geographic and biostratigraphic data.

Developing Strategies For Pce Outreach, Mariah Blankenbaker, Gordon Carlson, Daniel Adesoji, Levi Eck

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

In collaboration with Professional and Continuing Education (PCE), we produced projects to automate their internal tasks, as well as to promote their services. By taking advantage of software techniques, we bridged live-action footage with 2D and 3D computer visuals for promotional material. In addition, we researched the capabilities of creating a custom Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) and trained it to analyze and interact with thousands of industry datapoints.

Depth-Dependent Variation Of Organic And Inorganic Components In Mangrove Sediments: Dibamba Vs Koo Mangrove, Khady Christine Diouf

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Mangroves are important carbon sinks and play a key role in the global climate system, yet tropical estuaries such as the Wouri estuary, Cameroon, remain poorly studied. This study aims to improve understanding of how organic matter varies with depth within mangrove sediments. Sediment cores were collected from two locations within the estuary: Dibamba River mangrove (DM; 3°56′14.0″N, 9°44′54.0″E) and Koo tidal creek mangrove (KM; 3°57′36.0″N, 9°38′51.0″E). Sediments were subsampled at regular depth intervals and analyzed using Loss on Ignition (LOI). Samples were dried at 105 °C for 48 hours to determine moisture content, heated at 550 °C for 4 …

Hydrodynamic Control On Organic Matter Deposition In Mungo And Dimbamba (Wouri Estuary)”, Maimouna Traore

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study investigates how hydrodynamic energy controls organic matter (OM) deposition in the Wouri Estuary using sediment cores from Mungo and Dimbamba. OM was determined using the Loss on Ignition (LOI) methods with samples dried at 105°C  for 48 hours and combusted at 550°C for 4 hours .

High OM values at Mungo (27.4–42.6%) indicate a low-energy environment that promotes sediment deposition and OM preservation. In contrast, low OM values at Dimbamba (15.7–30.5%) reflect high-energy conditions that enhance sediment reworking and limit OM accumulation.

These results confirm that OM content is an effective proxy for hydrodynamic energy and depositional processes.

Community Cultivation: Building Community Health, Growth, And Sustainability Through A Community Garden, Lauren J. Franks

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The Community Cultivation program is a grant proposal project that explores how a community garden can improve access to healthy food in rural areas, with a focus on Hays, Kansas. Guided by the question of how community-based food initiatives can reduce nutrition-related disparities, this project responds to the HaysMed Community Health Needs Assessment, which identifies nutrition and access to fresh produce as critical concerns for Ellis County. The program offers a sustainable, community-centered approach that increases the availability of fresh produce while building individual gardening and cooking skills. With an emphasis on food-insecure and low-income individuals, the Community Cultivation Garden …

Flood Frequency Analysis Of Big Creek, Ryan S. Funai, Jason T. Santoli, Gunnar F. Wainscott, Callen Zurn

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The primary purpose of flood frequency analysis is to determine a timeframe of potential flood events. Analyzing flood frequency is a process that involves collecting years of quantitative data on discharge rates, calculating the probability of exceeding a certain rate of discharge, and calculating the average interval between events equaling or exceeding a certain rate of discharge. The Big Creek Watershed drainage area covers an area of 549 square miles in Western Kansas, including Ellis, Trego, Gove, and Sheridan Counties. This research analyzes 79 years of data collected by the USGS at the intersection of Big Creek and US-183. Water …

Immigration And Policy: Who Influences Who?, Madison May Albers

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This project examines how public opinion on immigration changes in response to the framing of major immigration policies in the United States. The study is grounded in Policy feedback theory, which argues that shifts in public opinion reflect the dominant frames of policy. The independent variable is the framing of the legislation, measured by presidential State of the Union addresses, and the dependent variable is the public's sentiments on immigration, measured by the media's portrayal. Utilizing a qualitative comparative historical design, the project analyzes the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, DACA in 2012, the Trump travel …

Variation Of Organic Matter In Mangroves Sediments, Fatou A. Mbaye

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Variation of Organic matter in mangroves sediments

Abstract

Mangrove ecosystems are major zones of sediment accumulation and organic matter preservation, playing a key role in coastal carbon storage and depositional processes.This study investigates the vertical distribution of organic matter in sediment cores collected from three mangrove environments in Cameroon: Koo mangrove located in the central zone of the Wouri Estuary, DiBamba mangrove situated in the eastern sector of the estuarine system, and Mungo mangrove. Sediment cores were collected from 1–144 cm (Koo), 1–177 cm (DiBamba), and 1–178 cm (Mungo).

Organic matter content was determined using the Loss on Ignition (LOI) …

Oer Showcase: Process Of Developing An Open Textbook Focused On Course Design Resources And Why, Zhongrui Yao, Magdalene Moy, Danielle Reilley

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This OER showcase will demonstrate to the audience a detailed process of developing an open textbook focused on course design resources and why. We will discuss how we used AI when creating and editing the chapters, how to organize chapters, and why we included AI-related content. This textbook is in the editing phase. Peer reviewers have already returned the feedback. This textbook aims to provide a one-stop shop for faculty who are interested in designing new courses or redesigning courses.

Inorganic Carbon Distribution And Its Sources In Koo And Dibamba Mangroves Sediments, Mouhamed Seck

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Mangrove sediments store valuable evidence about carbon cycling and environmental changes in coastal ecosystems. In particular, the amount of inorganic carbon can highlight differences in carbonate inputs. The Wouri Estuary in Cameroon is a large tidal system where several rivers converge. However, the Wouri Estuary in Cameroon a large tidal system where several rivers converge has never been explored in this regard, particularly with respect to inorganic carbon preserved in mangrove sediments. In this context, we are trying to examines the distribution and potential sources of inorganic carbon in sediment cores from Koo Tidal Creek and the Dibamba River mangroves. …

Acceleration Battery Predictive Model Utilizing Field-Based Testing​, Peterson Bohannon, Justin L. Montney, Emily Washburn, Jenifer Bechard, Michael Frangello Iii

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Sprint performance is a key determinant of success across many sports (particularly track and field athletes). Many of the biomechanical and physiological factors contributing to sprint performance are typically assessed using laboratory-based tools that are not accessible to most coaches. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a practical, field-based testing model capable of predicting 60 m sprint performance and identifying key performance determinants in sprint and jump athletes.

A cohort of 40 collegiate track and field athletes (ages 18–24) completed a comprehensive testing battery including 30 m acceleration, 30 m fly sprint, standing long jump, standing …

Fhsu Western Kansas Regional Water Quality Study, Gunnar F. Wainscott

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study, conducted by Fort Hays State University faculty and graduate students, aims to analyze water quality through systematic sampling and analysis of wells, ponds, and streams across the region. Each sample is analyzed for a suite of eighteen parameters, such as arsenic, lead, nitrate, etc. By combining laboratory results with spatial data, this project seeks to identify regional patterns, establish a foundation for future monitoring efforts, and provide participating landowners with clear, accessible information about their own water quality.