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Suburban Bay Area City Approaches To Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion (Dei), Arianna Bush

Master's Projects

The ultimate goal of government is to serve the community for the greater good. Creating an inclusive and representative environment for those working in government and for the population they serve will improve many aspects of public service. In recent decades, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have been increasingly prioritized as America has become increasingly diverse. However, this effort intensified in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests. “Three years after Floyd's death and the movement hit the streets, 74% of Black executives said they saw positive change in hiring, retention, and …

Managing The Personalized Order-Holding Problem In Online Retailing, Shouchang Chen, Zhenzhen Yan, Yun Fong Lim

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Problem definition: A significant percentage of online consumers place consecutive orders within a short duration. To reduce the total order arrangement cost, an online retailer may consolidate consecutive orders from the same consumer. We investigate how long the retailer should hold the consumer’s orders before sending them to a third-party logistics provider (3PL) for processing. In this order-holding problem, we optimize the holding time to balance the total order arrangement cost and the potential delay in delivery. Methodology/results: We model the order-holding problem as a Markov Decision Process. We show that the optimal order-holding decisions follow a threshold-type policy that …

Ai-Enhanced Education In Nevada And Its Transformative Impact On Workforce Development, Employment Prospects, And Tomorrow’S Job Market Proficiencies, Tiffiany Howard, Jingyao Xiang, Otoniel Ramos, Maya Price

Political Science Faculty Research

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Nevada's education system holds transformative potential for workforce development, economic growth, and job market readiness. This report examines the state's current educational and workforce infrastructure to assess Nevada’s preparedness for an AI-driven economy, and identifies areas where policy interventions could enhance AI and computer science literacy among students.

Nevada is making strides in incorporating AI and STEM education at various levels. The state has established foundational computer science standards in K-12 schools, with a notable achievement of nearly 96% of high schools offering at least one comprehensive computer science course, positioning Nevada as …

Variation In Las Vegas Tree Diversity Based On Socioeconomic Status, Fabrizio Ciccone

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

An increased level of plant biodiversity has been observed in urban communities of above average socioeconomic status. This phenomenon was previously termed the luxury effect. This study aimed to identify potential disparities in tree diversity of different communities across Las Vegas and Henderson. Communities were selected based on the zip code’s median income for 2023; this information was gathered from the Healthy Southern Nevada database. Public parks were chosen from a range of zip codes, with trees initially being identified with PictureThis, then cross-referenced with Southern Nevada Water Authority’s regional plant list for validity. Trees were counted, identified, and …

Unlv Title Iii Aanapisi & Mcnair Scholars Institute Research Journal 2024, Jesica Godinez-Paredes, Kian Hassankhan, Apia Hickman, Robin Ruth Kee, Kevin Ayala Pineda, Briana Melendez, Kalli Ramos, Saturn L. Reyes, Fabian Leija, Selena Pepe, Silva Topchyan, Celeste Ainsley, Mayra Arzate, Jessica Balistreri, Zantana Ephrem, Mirella Jasso, Karl Panou, Nichole Pelaez, Miklo Alcala, Akshay Dave, Mey Mey Heng, Michael Finkle, Janessa Montenegro, Reynafe Naol Aniga, Victor Mejia, Angelica G. Diaz, Anayeli Flores-Garibay, Kari Lee Joe Goold, Samantha Hernandez, Lianelys Cabrera Martinez, Caitlin Reynolds, Kimberly N. Usbeck, Abdulrahman Alahdal, Angelica Diaz, Willaine Mae Kahano, Raquel Jackson, Cecia Ruiz-Hernandez, Kers Ung-Watson, Yessenia Henriquez, Vanessa Marie Booth, Alexia Brown, Darlyn Magana, Bianca Navarro, Nicholas Pereira, Gia Renemae Calip, Lucky Heng, Ralph Sagun, Lucas Abreu, Alexandra Maria Acosta, Tristan Benally, Cosset Hernandez Pena, Adrian Montenegro, Cierra Paaaina-Daquioag, Nicole Torosian, Tracy Fuentes, Julissa Martinez, Medina Mcallister, Michal Newhouse-Van Vlerin, Tiria Carr, Nima Abkenar, Isabella Aceituno, Yuhan Bi, Victoria Campos, Melika Cummings, Zachary J. Johnigan, Alexis Sotolongo-Marin

McNair Journal

Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the AANAPISI, LSAMP, and McNair Scholars Program.

Table of Contents

About AANAPISI

Dr. Chris Heavey, Interim President

Dr. Keith Rogers, Vice President for Student Affairs

Ms. Zhanna Aronov, Associate Vice President for Retention & Outreach

Ua94/6/18 Stephen Flora Student / Alumni Papers, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Stephen Flora during his years as a student at Western Kentucky University.

Navigating Success In Higher Education: Generative Ai, Financial Well-Being, And Parental Support, Tanya Gardner

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

Postsecondary education is viewed as a sure path to economic mobility. This dissertation contains three essays which examine correlates of postsecondary value. Postsecondary students face a variety of stressors throughout their college career which may impact their ability to be successful. They must complete their coursework and pass their classes while balancing work, social, and familial obligations. Tools such as generative AI may help students achieve their goals even in the face of personal challenges such as low financial stability or the inability to afford the high costs of college. Together these essays add to the body of literature which …

Essays On Public And Nonprofit Financial Dynamics, Yunjun Kim

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

This dissertation consists of three essays that explore different dimensions of financial dynamics in the public and nonprofit sectors. Each chapter examines how the fiscal behavior of neighboring jurisdictions, policy interventions, and financial practices influence fiscal decision-making and financial performance within these entities.

In the first essay, I investigate yardstick competition in local government spending in South Korea by leveraging the exogenous variation introduced by by-elections. This approach allows me to estimate the influence of neighboring jurisdictions on local expenditures. Contrary to previous empirical studies from other countries, my findings reveal no significant interdependence in spending among South Korean municipalities, …

Spatially Allocated Population Characteristics For Oregon Counties From The 2017-2021 Acs Pums, Version 1.0" [Computer File], Population Research Center, Portland State University

Publications, Reports and Presentations

A novel dataset and documentation containing spatially allocated estimates based on analysis of the 2017-21 ACS PUMS for counties in the State of Oregon. Analysis was performed by iterative adjustment to the ACS weights such that results were consistent with selected tables generated from the full ACS sample published by the US Census Bureau. The data are delivered in two pipe-delimited text files. Each row represents one county, and columns represent standard data fields described in the codebooks. Oregon Department of Human Services supported the analysis and selected the indicators for production; race/ethnicity are reporting in a manner consistent with …

Racial Disparities In Snap Receipt For Eligible Asian Americans In Massachusetts, Sokha Eng, Weichun Yan, Brian Beauregard, Susan R. Crandall

Center for Social Policy Publications

Despite qualifying as income eligible, many Massachusetts families do not access SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. Due to the sharp increase in the cost of living, especially the cost of housing and food expenses, more families are facing food insecurity. Thus, it is critical to ensure that families in need receive SNAP benefits. While previous studies have examined racial disparities, there is a limited focus on Asian American families. Even fewer studies disaggregate data to explore disparities among Asian American ethnic subgroups. Further, few studies have addressed disparities in SNAP receipt specifically for income eligible families.

The purpose of …

Speed And Judgment: The Effect Of Caseload On Florida’S District Courts Of Appeal, Isabella C. Johnston

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Florida District Courts of Appeal have undergone many changes over the last three years, including the adoption of video conferencing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the creation of a brand-new district for the first time since 1979. Included in this series of changes was a new rule that moves most of the circuit court’s appellate jurisdiction into the jurisdiction the District Courts of Appeals (DCAs). This change has added to the systemic pressures of the Florida DCAs. While the creation of a new district is a step in the right direction to protect the effectiveness and perception of …

Sustainable Tourism Development In Greece: A Phenomenological Study Of Municipal Leaders, Panagiote G. Tsolis

Theses and Dissertations

The Hellenic Republic relies heavily on the summer tourism industry for economic growth (Kouri, 2012). The objective has been to increase demand for lesser-known destinations and encourage visitation outside the peak summer period. However, expanding the tourism offering is complex, as tourism destination networks are some of the most complex systems (da Fontoura Costa & Baggio, 2009). There are no official national framework for sustainable tourism in the Hellenic Republic. However, multiple national frameworks for sustainable tourism within the Hellenic Republic have been designed, focusing on tourism or regions and natural preserves. The problem is that municipal leaders' perspectives are …

Ai And English Language Teaching: Affordances And Challenges, Helen Crompton, Adam Edmett, Neenaz Ichaporia, Diane Burke

STEMPS Faculty Publications

English is one of the most used languages for jobs, markets, tourism, discourse and international connectivity. However, English learners face many challenges in gaining English language skills. Extant studies show that AI has affordances to support in English language teaching and learning ELT/L. This study answers the call to examine specific challenges and affordances for using AI in ELT/L. A systematic review method was used with PRISMA principles to identify 42 studies. Findings reveal the geographical locations of studies, learner ages and years of study. Grounded coding was then used to identify affordances of the use of AI in ELT/L …

Giving Voice To The Victims Of The Insurgency In Eastern Uganda In The Late 1980s And Early 1990s: A Phenomenological Research Study, Lawrence Egulu

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

After five years of protracted guerilla warfare, Uganda’s current President Yoweri Museveni capturedpower in January 1986, displacing the preceding regime that had been dominated by Northern politicians and Eastern Ugandans (army and police). Feeling humiliated, deprived, and out of government, several rebel insurgencies erupted, among which was the Uganda People’s Army in the Teso region. The experiences of the affected population at the hands of the army, rebels, and the Karamojong cattle raiders from the North East have remained largely unexplored, unheard, and undocumented outside of the region, and neither have how the victims made meaning of their conditions. The …

Animal Adoption Experiences In Hong Kong, Suet Ying, Coco Cheung

Bachelor of Social Sciences – Senior Theses

This study explores how the different aspects and variables will affect the experiences of animal adoption. Animal adoption is the process of adopting strays or abandoned animals, which is also an alternative to obtaining pets. The research provides a theoretical framework to further understand the dynamics of animal adoption in various dimensions, such as the drivers of animal adoption, the role of animal adoption organizations, and the normative expectations of animal adopters. This research attempts to empirically fill this topic's research gap to explain the relationship between the variables and adoption experiences. In this study, the adoption experiences will be …

Education Out Loud Case Study: Iid, Alexander Towne, Sladana Krstic, Miriam Linder

International Education Research

The education system in Bangladesh has undergone significant change since the country’s independence from Pakistan in 1971. In 1973 the community-sponsored school system, in which communities felt a moral obligation to take an active role in schools, was transformed into a centralised national system. This caused a shift in the sense of ownership of the education system and a disconnect between community and school. This in turn led to the development of a system, which lacks accountability and community monitoring, and has left the system vulnerable to shocks that disproportionately affect already disadvantaged students. Nevertheless, there have been some notable …

Hablando Sobre Inmigración: How Members Of The House Of Representatives In 118th Congress Frame The Issue Of Immigration, Guadalupe Castañeda Martinez

History and Political Science | Senior Theses

Historically, Immigration has played a critical role in forming the nation’s identity, economic prosperity, and promoting cultural diversity. Considering that the issue of Immigration has been in the news and is considered by many to be important and in need of policy solutions, little progress has been made on passing comprehensive immigration reform since the 113 th Congress in 2013. How members of Congress talk about Immigration is important because framing can influence public opinion, shaping perceptions of the issue and affecting policy decisions. Members may use their platform to communicate how they think about policy issues. Research has been …

Health Consequences Of Racial Disparity In Access To Abortion: A Systematic Review, Lacy M. Frye, Calvin Odhiambo

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

Prior to the 2022 Dobbs decision, Black women already experienced negative maternal health outcomes at an alarmingly disparate rate in comparison to White women. Given that the Dobbs decision emboldens state power to enforce abortion restrictions or protections, there has been significant strides made in both directions. Nonetheless, within states where reproductive rights have been significantly eroded, the heightened abortion restrictions may compound the limited access that Black women previously had before Dobbs. This, in turn will exacerbate the already disparate negative maternal outcomes that Black women experience. However, research on the relationship between the lack of access to abortion …

The Role Of An Occupational Therapy Practitioner In Professional Advocacy: A Scoping Review, Sarah Mckinnon, Natalie Petrone, Amanda Tarbet

Translational Science in Occupation

Background: Participation in professional advocacy amongst occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) is necessary for strengthening the profession. Although advocacy remains essential for practice, specific activities of OTPs in professional advocacy remain inconsistent and unclear.

Purpose: To examine the activities occupational therapy practitioners are engaging in related to professional advocacy. To identify key strategies and future opportunities to strengthen OT practitioner participation in professional advocacy.

Methods: We systematically searched 4 databases and 1 search engine for relevant articles- MEDLINE via PubMed, The Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Complete via Ebscohost, ERIC via Ebscohost, APA PsycInfo …

Interrogating The Value Of Return Of Results For Diverse Populations: Perspectives From Precision Medicine Researchers, Caitlin E Mcmahon, Nicole Foti, Melanie Jeske, William R Britton, Stephanie M Fullerton, Janet K Shim, Sandra Soo-Jin Lee

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Over the last decade, the return of results (ROR) in precision medicine research (PMR) has become increasingly routine. Calls for individual rights to research results have extended the "duty to report" from clinically useful genetic information to traits and ancestry results. ROR has thus been reframed as inherently beneficial to research participants, without a needed focus on who benefits and how. This paper addresses this gap, particularly in the context of PMR aimed at increasing participant diversity, by providing investigator and researcher perspectives on and questions about the assumed value of ROR in PMR.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews with a …

Identifying And Promoting Qualitative Methods For Impact Assessment, Heidi Walker, Jenny Pope, Angus Morrison-Saunders, Alan Bond, Alan P. Diduck, A. John Sinclair, Brendan Middel, Francois Retief

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Qualitative methods for impact assessment (IA) represent a broad spectrum of approaches that are important for realising effective IA practice. The purpose of this paper is to identify and promote qualitative methods that are available for use in contemporary and future (next-generation) IA processes. From an extensive literature review, an international survey (145 responses), expert interviews (48 interviewees), and a workshop attended by 27 IA practitioners, 17 qualitative method categories were identified. These were further subdivided into three classes: conventional qualitative methods, highly participatory methods, and mixed methods. Each method is described, and an indication given of how each can …

Defining And Evaluating Quality In Early Childhood Education, Abigail Jacob, Anna Nayyir, Vaughn Nebbitt, Nate Terrell

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Quality early childhood education is essential to ensure that children grow into well-adjusted, healthy, and happy adults. Early childhood is considered a child’s first five years before kindergarten, and nearly 90% of brain development occurs in these five short years (Brain Development, n.d.). According to the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood, preschool attendance decreases the likelihood that the child will drop out of high school, be held back a grade, or be placed in special education (Importance of Early, n.d.). Not only does early childhood education benefit the child, but it can also positively influence society. Early childhood education …

Analysis Of Implementation Of Student Homeless Programs Per County School District In The State Of Georgia, Hannah Watson

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This report investigates the implementation of federal and state policies concerning homeless students within school districts across Georgia. This analysis focuses on understanding how these policies are translated into practical strategies to meet the unique needs of homeless students, encompassing identification, enrollment, and provision of essential support services that result in proof of academic success. Through a combination of policy assessment techniques of current county school district procedures and services offered to students experiencing homelessness and a descriptive assessment of the contents of the current policies through the lens of public administration theories; we will develop a series of key …

The Violence Of Numbers: A Critical Appraisal Of The Justice Capabilities Framework, Abhineet Maurya

Socio-Legal Review

Systems of indicators and international rankings have today become a new mode of evaluating social, political, and economic life. In the context of measuring the rule of law and justice delivery systems at a local as well as a global level, such indicators enable empirically grounded solutions to justice reform issues. However, scholars like Siddharth Peter de Souza argue that the existing discourse concerning the rule of law and access to justice indicators promote a specific vision of a well functioning justice system grounded in western normative considerations. de Souza, in his book Designing Indicators for a Plural Legal World …

Centering Community Voice And Knowledge Through Participatory Action Research, Jennifer Lucko

Education | Faculty Scholarship

This paper analyzes a Participatory Action Research (PAR) Project focused on improving public safety and community lighting in one Latinx immigrant community in California as a case example to better understand the possibilities for university-community-government partnerships. The paper explores residents' motivations for their sustained participation in the project, the relationships and power dynamics that led to a $100,000 commitment from the city government to fund the recommendations of the PAR collective, and the social contexts that allowed community residents to position themselves as political actors as the PAR project progressed over the 2021-2022 academic year. This case example illustrates how …

Caught In The Crosshairs Of Educational Reform: How Teacher Labor Markets Respond To Polarized Education Policies, Danielle Duffy Chipman

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

Since the passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) teachers have been caught in the crosshairs of political debates about education policy (Davis, 2014; EPE Research Center, 2013a; Steiner & Woo, 2021; Woo et al., 2022; Zubrzycki, 2016). As political polarization between parties increased in the 2000s, debates about education policy became more acrimonious impacting teachers’ work lives (Heltzel & Laurin, 2020; Iyengar, 2021; Layman et al., 2006). The topic of these debates ranges from curriculum changes such as Common Core and Critical Race Theory (CTR), school shootings and safety, battles over school choice and voucher programs, teacher activism about …

Tax Streams, Land Rents, And Urban Land Allocation, Yugang Tang, Zhihao Su, Yilin Hou, Zhendong Yin

Center for Policy Research

This paper examines the fiscal motives behind municipal governments' decisions to allocate commercial and residential land when two categories of land use are subject to different fiscal revenue alternatives: business-related tax and/or land rent. We use urban parcel-level land transfers during China’s peak period of urbanization, match commercial parcels with residential parcels, and find significant price discounts on commercial parcels relative to adjacent residential parcels. The observed discounts arise from the future tax flows from commercial use, i.e., expected taxes from developed commercial land reduce its transfer price. We conduct a structural estimation to examine the implications on land use …

Ledroit Park Photograph Collection, Jaclynn Martin

Prints and Photographs Department

The LeDroit Park Photograph Collection is a limited edition of ten (10) 12" x 12" gelatin silver print photographs capturing the revitalized LeDroit Park and its surroundings, taken in 2003 by Steven M. Cummings. The LeDroit Park Initiative, spearheaded in the late 1990s by then-Howard University President H. Patrick Swygert and Ms. Jamie Gorelick, Vice Chair of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), aimed to renovate and redevelop Howard University-owned properties within the LeDroit Park area. The initiative also explored innovative mortgage rates and payment assistance programs to enhance homeownership opportunities for the university-affiliated and neighboring community. Notably, the …

Education Out Loud Case Study: The Gear Alliance, Alexander Towne, Sladana Krstic, Sam Boering

International Education Research

This case study is part of a larger body of work funded by the Global Partnership for Education’s (GPE) Education Out Loud (EOL) programme. It explores the advocacy and policy influencing (API) activities of the GEAR Alliance, a transnational alliance of four East African civil society organisations (CSO) receiving funding from EOL, and the process, results and impact of action research project they conducted in partnership with MDF/ Australian Council for Education Research (ACER), an EOL ‘Global Learning Partner’ (GLP). EOL is the GPEs fund for advocacy and social accountability. The fund aims to support CSOs to be active and …

Civil Society Contributions To Improving Learning Outcomes: An Education Out Loud Global Learning Partner Report, Alexander Towne, Sladana Krstic, Desmond Bermingham, Jolanda Buter, Miriam Linder, Sam Boering

International Education Research

This report shares the findings from an action research project conducted on behalf of Global Partnership for Education’s (GPE) Education Out Loud (EOL) programme by the Management for Development Foundation (MDF) and the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) Consortium, in its capacity as global learning partner (GLP). The project involved working directly with three organisations (grantees) in receipts of EOL funds, across five GPE countries. The Consortium supported them to conduct action research projects, which tested the underlying assumptions of their programme’s theory of change, in order to validate their approaches to advocacy and policy influencing (API) and support …