Digital Commons Network^™

Measuring Strategic Plans In Cosma Accredited Programs, Coral Bender, Michael Smucker, Zachary Beldon, Jay Jisha, Dene Williamson

The COSMA Journal

Strategic planning is an important part of ensuring efficiency across industries, despite this, many struggle with writing measurable and appropriately aligned strategic planning documents. Summatively, strategic planning documents should be a guiding force for all things, including budgeting. The present paper analyzes every Operational Effectiveness Goal (OEG) and corresponding measure made publicly available for COSMA Accredited programs during the 2023-2024 reporting to gain a better understanding of what accredited sport management programs priorities in the measurement of their strategic plans. Emphases on community affiliations and feedback as well as a reliance on institutional level data emerged. Practical applications for sport …

Towards An Inclusive Labour Market: Skills For The Future, Eva Erjavec

Economic and Business Review

In the transition to a knowledge-based society, human capital has become a key driver of economic growth, innovation, and social progress. As industries evolve and new technologies reshape labour markets, the development of future skills plays a crucial role in ensuring workforce adaptability, productivity, and long-term competitiveness. A bibliometric analysis aims to examine the importance of human capital for economic growth and the transition to a knowledge economy, synthesizing existing research and academic discussions. By systematically reviewing the literature, this paper seeks to provide insights into how skills and education contribute to sustainable economic development and social resilience. Furthermore, it …

From Wall Street To Main Street: The Financial–Operational Performance Link In Hospitals Across Geographies, Chulho Christopher Lee, Lan Luo, Yinfei Chen, Taylor K. Brown, Hyoun Sook Lim, Ying Chen

Economic and Business Review

This study examines the relationship between hospital financial performance and operational efficiency. Using data from the American Hospital Association (AHA), we find that profitability, debt coverage, and working capital efficiency are positively associated with hospital efficiency, while liquidity and capital structure exhibit a negative correlation. Fixed-asset efficiency, however, shows no significant impact on hospital operational efficiency. Furthermore, we find that the operational efficiency of urban hospitals is, in general, more sensitive to financial performance than that of rural hospitals. These findings provide practical insights for healthcare administrators and policymakers aiming to enhance hospital operational efficiency and promote equitable care delivery.

The Nexus Between Economic Growth, Energy Consumption, Technology Innovation, And Co2 Emissions In Vietnam, Ha Thi Thu Nguyen

Economic and Business Review

Vietnam's rapid economic growth has intensified environmental pressures, heightening concerns about the country's ability to decouple growth from rising CO₂ emissions. Although green policies and initiatives have been introduced, questions remain regarding their effectiveness and the extent to which technological innovation and renewable energy can mitigate environmental degradation. This study applies the stochastic impacts by regression on population, affluence, and technology (STIRPAT) framework and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach to investigate the short- and long-run impacts of economic growth, foreign direct investment (FDI), technological innovation, renewable energy consumption, and forest area on CO₂ emissions in Vietnam, using annual …

The Reading Quiz And Reflective Writing At The Start Of Class, Geert Dhondt

Open Educational Resources

This assignment uses brief, unannounced reading quizzes and reflective writing exercises at the beginning of class to promote preparation, engagement, and accountability in introductory economics courses. Through low-stakes assessment and opportunities for reflection, students develop critical thinking, metacognitive awareness, and a deeper understanding of course material while providing instructors with immediate insight into student comprehension and misconceptions. By informing class discussions and encouraging collaborative learning, the assignment creates a student-centered environment that supports active participation, independent learning, and ongoing intellectual growth.

Public Preferences For Critical Mineral Mining In The U.S.: Evidence From A Discrete Choice Experiment, Bamidele Ajiga, Kwame Awuah-Offei, Mahelet G. Fikru

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Even though there is widespread recognition that we need to mine more critical minerals for national security and energy needs, concerns about environmental impacts often lead to public opposition to proposed new mining projects. The literature lacks sufficient data from communities with proposed mineral projects to assess drivers of differences in support. This study investigates public preferences for mining projects in three states in the United States with proposed critical minerals projects, using a discrete choice experiment. Respondents evaluated projects that vary in job creation, state tax revenue, tailings reprocessing content, groundwater impacts, and surface water impacts. We also randomly …

Exploring Information Literacy Skills, Attitudes, And Barriers Among Medical And Nursing Students In Bahrain: A Mixed-Methods Perspective, Asif Altaf, Suchita N. Dsilva, Simple Sibi Joseph, Fida Mukhtar, Muhammad Zeeshan, Bindhu Nair

Communications in Information Literacy

Information literacy is essential for evidence-based medical education, yet Gulf-region studies rarely examine student competencies and barriers. This study examines the information literacy skills, attitudes, and challenges faced by medical and nursing students at RCSI Bahrain. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining a quantitative survey (n = 343) with qualitative focus groups (n = 10). Students reported high self-perceived information literacy across domains. Time constraints and information overload were identified as the primary barriers to effective communication. Focus group findings highlighted the late introduction of curricula, technical access challenges, and inequities between medical and nursing programs. Library training attendance, academic …

Teaching Inquiry As Conversation: Bringing Wonder To Life, Barbara K. Stripling, Darryl Toerian

Learning Hub

In Teaching Inquiry as Conversation, Barbara Stripling and Darryl Toerien invite school librarians, classroom teachers, and education leaders into a deeper conversation about what inquiry can make possible for learners. Building on the Stripling Model of Inquiry and Toerien’s FOSIL framework, the book presents reflective inquiry as more than an academic process. It is a whole-child approach that helps students develop curiosity, identity, cultural responsiveness, voice, agency, and lifelong learning skills.

In their ALiVE! Library Project interview with Dr. David Loertscher, Stripling and Toerien discuss inquiry as a communal process of coming to know and understand the world. Their …

Beach Pollution Messaging: Effects Of Negativity/Loss And Fear Appeals On Perceived Threat And Beach Protection Intentions, Cypress Brice

Communication Studies

Beach and ocean pollution are major environmental issues for all communities, but they have an especially deep impact on coastal communities, where beaches are part of everyday life. Marine pollution includes both chemical pollution and trash, and a lot of it starts from land-based human activity before it reaches the ocean. This study examines how different messaging styles about beach pollution affect how people respond to the issue and whether they feel motivated to help protect beaches and oceans. Using an online experiment, participants viewed one of two beach pollution posters and then answered questions about their reaction to the …

An Analysis Of Immigration Frames In The News Media Post- Second Trump Administration, Olivia Hartley

Communication Studies

Immigration has been a particularly controversial issue since the 2nd Trump Administration. There has been an increase in Immigration Customs Enforcement activity, including deportations and detainments of immigrants across the United States (Craft & Witherspoon, 2026). Given the uptick in media coverage regarding these events, it is essential to understand how this information is being presented to the public. The framing of news media impacts how the public perceives issues, determining the acceptable treatment of immigrants in our society. In this study, a content analysis was performed to determine the prevalence of generic immigration news frames following the start of …

Librarian Leaves Behind A Lasting Impact, Jennifer Hoyt

Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

A retirement party to recognize Stuart Frazer, Administrative Services Librarian & Assistant Dean of Libraries, brought dozens of colleagues, friends, and family to Perry Library’s Gallery space, along with dozens of freshly-baked brownies. A must on the party menu, guests prepared their own special batches with full knowledge that the retiree prefers the signature dessert. When asked what ingredients helped define Frazer’s longtime career, guests listed a unique mix of expertise, knowledge, and creativity.

Examining How Student Involvement And Identity Shapes Perceptions Of Cal Poly Administrative Communication And Organizational Change, Ellenor Rose Nunes

Communication Studies

This study examined the relationship between student organization involvement, sense of belonging, and perceptions of administration at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). Using survey data collected from 176 students, independent samples t-tests and correlation analyses were conducted in SPSS Version 25 to examine whether involvement in student organizations was associated with perceptions of administration and institutional belonging. Results indicated no significant relationship between levels of involvement and perceptions of administration or organizational change communication. However, students involved in student organizations reported significantly greater feelings of mattering and belonging compared to non-involved students. Additionally, students with stronger feelings of belonging …

The Heart Of Camp: Belonging, Relationships, And Growth Of Character And Skills, Alecia Moser, Nila Rosen, Maurice Elias, Sarah R. Sprayberry, Andrea Vest Ettekal

Journal of Youth Development

This study examined how campers’ experiences of belonging, counselor support, and new close friendships relate to life skill and character development in North American Jewish youth. Residential summer camps are relational settings that promote positive youth development. Although belonging and supportive relationships are theorized to drive such development, few studies have tested these camp features in current camper populations, and less is known about how friendship formation and perceptions of counselors distinctly interact with belonging to shape development. In this study, end-of-summer surveys were administered to middle- and high-school-aged campers at five Jewish residential summer camps. Measures included assessing belonging, …

How Lesson Type Shapes First-Grade Scienceengagement And Enjoyment, Stella Cybulski, Brooke Towner, Joy James

Journal of Youth Development

Although traditional classroom instruction often emphasizes passive forms of learning, growing evidence highlights the value of active play in promoting curiosity and conceptual development. Grounded in guided play theory, this study investigated how young learners experience science lessons across three instructional contexts: indoor inactive, indoor active, and outdoor active. Thirty-two first-grade students in a Title I laboratory school completed an enjoyment survey and drawing task following each lesson type. Results demonstrated that active play, particularly in outdoor contexts, was associated with higher enjoyment and more dynamic depictions of science learning. Thematic analysis of drawings indicated that students connected more deeply …

Rhode Island Teen Institute Remains Impactful After More Than A Decade Hiatus, Tayla Von Ash, Anusha Gupta, Michael J. Thompson, Jennifer Stevens, Terese Gregg, Sandra Del Sesto

Journal of Youth Development

Rhode Island Teen Institute (RITI) is a 5-day residential program based on the Positive Youth Development approach that exposes participants to intensive training in individual and community advocacy, decision-making, interpersonal communication, and leadership development. Results from prior iterations of RITI (2002-2009) demonstrated that the program was efficacious at improving leadership and other related skills among participants. However, unfortunately due to loss of funding, the program did not run from 2010-2023. The present study assesses the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the 2023 implementation of RITI after more than a decade-long hiatus. The program was successfully implemented with 44 youth …

White Matter Microstructure Of Sensorimotor Projection Fibers In Chronic Low Back Pain, John R. White, Jennifer M.C. Vendemia, Zachary Baty, Sheri Silfies, Stephen A. Coombes

Faculty Publications

Introduction: 

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is linked to altered cortical sensorimotor structure and function, yet white matter microstructure in sensorimotor projection fibers remains poorly characterized. Objective: To address this gap, we used diffusion MRI to comprehensively characterize sensorimotor projection fibers in 44 patients with cLBP and 41 matched healthy controls.

Methods: 

We estimated an array of microstructural measures, including fractional anisotropy (FA), extracellular free water fraction (FW), free water–corrected FA (fwcFA), and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) metrics.

Results: 

General linear models identified significantly higher FA and fwcFA and lower orientation dispersion index (ODI) in cLBP vs …

Book Review: Blood, Mud, And Oil Paint: The Remarkable Year That Made Winston Churchill, Kevin J. Weddle

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: J. Furman Daniel III

Reviewed by: Kevin J. Weddle, Distinguished Fellow, US Army War College

In Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint, J. Furman Daniel III captures the transformative year that shaped Winston Churchill’s resilience, leadership, and artistry. From the trenches of World War I to the quiet refuge of his painting studio, Churchill’s journey reveals a man grappling with failure, reinvention, and the pursuit of purpose. This compelling portrait blends military history with personal introspection, offering a fresh lens on one of the 20th century’s most iconic figures.

©2026 Kevin J. Weddle

Book Review: Total Defense: The New Deal And The Invention Of National Security, Michael S. Neiberg

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Andrew Preston

Reviewed by: Dr. Michael S. Neiberg, Chair of War Studies, US Army War College

In Total Defense: The New Deal and the Invention of National Security, Andrew Preston reveals how Franklin D. Roosevelt’s domestic reforms laid the groundwork for America’s modern national security state. Blending political history with strategic insight, the book uncovers how the New Deal reshaped the U.S. approach to global threats long before World War II. It’s a compelling story of how internal crises forged a new vision of American power on the world stage.

Closing Time?, Aziz Z. Huq

Michigan Law Review

A review of No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States. By Erwin Chemerinsky.

Incentives, Evidence, And Reminders For Bureaucrats: Overcoming Barriers To Policy Scale Up, Patrick Agte, Daniel R. Morales, Christopher Neilson, Sebastian Otero, Guatam Rao

Discussion Papers

Scaling up effective policies often requires the attention of frontline bureaucrats with many competing responsibilities. Even when policymakers adopt effective programs, implementation may not follow. In a nationwide experiment in the Dominican Republic, we test interventions to increase school principals' implementation of an educational program proven effective in a previous RCT. Only 37% of control schools verifiably implemented the intervention when ordered to by the Ministry of Education, compared with 83% in the original trial. Implementation was no higher among schools that previously implemented the program in the RCT, suggesting that fixed costs of adoption do not explain non-adoption. We …

Report On The Ethical Use Of Ai For Participatory Planning, Sahana Kotha, Blythe Wilson

City and Regional Planning

This report provides an overview of key considerations for using artificial intelligence for community engagement in urban planning. As interest in AI adoption in the public sector increases, an understanding of ethical issues is needed to guide responsible AI implementation. Informed by a literature review and interviews with urban planning practitioners and academics, this report describes and analyzes different AI-supported community engagement methods, explores case studies, and outlines key concerns and opportunities for using AI. We recommend that AI use for community engagement prioritizes transparency, human oversight and accountability, intentional AI implementation, and community involvement.

Evidence Brief: Shifting Attitudes And Social Norms On Fgm Through Community-Based Interventions In Somaliland, Stella Muthuri, Dennis Matanda, Francis Obare, Stephen Kizito, Chi-Chi Undie

Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Choices

This study, conducted in Sool and Sanaag regions of Somaliland within the context of The Girl Generation Support to the Africa-Led Movement (TGG-ALM), provides insights into how community-based, dialogue-driven interventions influence attitudes, social norms, and behavioural intentions related to FGM and gender.

Findings show that while personal opposition to FGM is relatively high, this does not consistently translate into perceived or collective opposition. Individuals tend to view their own attitudes as more progressive than those of their families and communities, pointing to a critical “norms misalignment” that constrains behaviour change. This gap suggests that entrenched social expectations – particularly around …

Social Media Is A Juggernaut: Lagged Correlation Analysis Using Ngram Data On “Internet” And “Social Media” With Amplification By The Advent Of The “Iphone”, William Zywiak, Gao Niu, Nicolas Petrell, Victoria Nichele, Kirsten Hokeness

Mathematics and Economics Faculty Journal Articles

The amount of new information transmitted per day can be overwhelming. The data available through Ngram Viewer allows statistical examination to determine the most salient topics, as well as lagged correlation and lagged variance to support possible causal connections between concepts. Using this database, we determined that COVID, crypto, microplastics, and especially social media are important topics of the last few years. We also present results that suggest the development of the internet and the iPhone fueled the prominence of social media, and the access of the iPhone also increased access to the internet.

"I Just Broke Down": Critical Care And Secondary Traumatic Stress In Multilingual Schools, Elaine Allard, Barbara Thelamour, Yusra Ali , '24, Naw Hser Nay Paw , '27

Educational Studies Faculty Works

Drawing on nearly a decade of qualitative data collection and educator engagement at an immigrant-serving high school in Philadelphia, this essay explores the intersections of critical multilingual pedagogy with secondary traumatic stress (STS). STS is a mental health condition impacting professionals who work closely with trauma-impacted individuals, which can adversely impact their job satisfaction and career trajectories. Weaving teacher accounts with scholarship on critical care, STS, and teachers’ working conditions, the authors paint a complex picture of how, in spite of its myriad benefits for students, critical care can increase educators’ risk of developing STS in multilingual, immigrant- serving schools, …

Oer Hss214 Social Gerontology, Maureen Doyle

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

2026 June, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for June of 2026.

Joining Forces: Enhancing Website Usability Through Ux And Assessment At An Academic Library, Josie Cotton, Liz Bober

Researchers, Instructors, & Staff Scholarship

In this chapter, we show how we used assessment and user experience (UX) methods to improve our library’s website. We conducted usability testing, during which we observed participants complete tasks on our website. To help support our testing, we used our library’s biennial user satisfaction survey, where we included several targeted questions that assessed user engagement with the website. We used the results of both assessments to inform updates to the website. Together, the results of our usability testing and survey provide a full picture of website use and lead to a more user-centered website. While the survey was quantitative …

Hunger, Hardship, And Distress In Late Life: A Moderated Mediation Analysis Of Wealth, Food Insecurity, And Psychological Distress Among Older Kenyans, James Muruthi, Gabrielle Maloney, Beatrice Oppong, Joy Ogingo, Diana Orawo, Risper Kirui

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

2026 Research, Policy, And Practice Summit: “Protecting Access To Rural Community Living For People With Disabilities”, Will Hoard, Lillie Greiman, Rtc: Rural

Independent Living and Community Participation

This summit summary examines the critical personal assistance workforce shortage in rural communities, where demand for care increasingly outpaces supply. Drawing on national data and expert panel insights, the event highlighted how structural barriers including low wages, administrative complexity, and limited data undermine the safety, independence, and dignity of disabled people in rural areas. The summit concluded that protecting rural community living requires coordinated policy investments in workforce wages, working conditions, and data systems, recognizing direct care workers as essential to the health and independence of the people and communities they serve.

Cross Section Curve Data Autoregression, Peter C.B. Phillips, Liang Jiang

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper develops and applies new asymptotic theory for estimation and inference in parametric autoregression and vector autoregression with function valued cross section curve time series. The study provides a new approach to dynamic panel regression with high dimensional dependent cross section data. We deal with the stationary case and provide a full set of results extending those of standard Euclidean space autoregression, showing how function space curve cross section data raises efficiency and reduces bias in estimation and shortens confidence intervals. Wild-bootstrap methods are also developed to improve testing and inference. The findings reveal that function space models with …