Digital Commons Network^™

Welcome To The Circus: An Analysis Of Kennedy V. Bremerton, Ryan Spencer

BYU Education & Law Journal

Since the inception of the public education system, schools have played numerous roles in student’s lives. Public schools and their employees have acted as educators, babysitters, role models, safe havens, disciplinary settings, and have filled the role of parents for most of each day; so much so, that the legal doctrine of in loco parentis (“in the place of the parents”) has been applied to public schools during school hours. Balancing the numerous roles schools play for the students becomes more difficult when the school must also consider the students’ legal rights as well as those of employees and parents. …

The Legality Of Second Chances: Employment For The Formerly Incarcerated, Ella Paligo

Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

The United States has one of the highest incarceration and recidivism rates globally. This is largely attributed to the fact that a large number of employers reserve the right to not hire those with a criminal record. To combat this, cities and states have enacted “Ban the Box” legislation which prohibits employers from inquiring about criminal history before the interview round. However, with this decision being left up to local and state officials, marginalized individuals are left open to employment discrimination. This paper explores how federal protection, like “Ban the Box” laws, must be implemented to avoid recidivism and reimprisonment.

Free Speech Or Fair Elections? A Call For Campaign Finance Reform And A New Definition Of Corruption, Annabelle Crawford

Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

This paper argues that to protect free speech, the Supreme Court must authorize stricter limits on independent expenditures and expand the legal definition of corruption. It scrutinizes the historical trajectory of Supreme Court rulings concerning the control of political expenditure, emphasizing the delicate balance between safeguarding freedom of expression and mitigating corruption in electoral processes. The paper highlights the Court's limited interpretation of corruption, advocating for a broader conceptualization that encompasses not only direct quid pro quo transactions but also subtler forms of corruption including undue influence and distortion. The paper illustrates how unregulated independent expenditures can subvert democratic principles …

The Tiktok Dilemma: Regulating Tiktok For Minors In The Age Of Free Speech, Julia Waters

Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

The influence of social media platforms, particularly TikTok, on the mental health and well-being of adolescents has become a matter of increasing concern. This paper examines the constitutionality of Montana's proposed ban on TikTok, arguing that while well-intentioned, such a ban would infringe upon citizens' First Amendment rights. Instead, the focus should be on addressing the underlying issues of data collection practices and content moderation. The paper proposes federal legislative solutions, including age verification requirements and amendments to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to hold social media platforms accountable for harmful content. By addressing these issues, policymakers can …

Byu Online Language Team On-Boarding Training, Iolanda Costa

Instructional Psychology and Technology Graduate Student Projects

In the early stages of departmental training (2018-2019), BYU-O instructional designers (IDs) focused on developing a Canvas training course to meet diverse needs and equip their student employees, also known as instructional design assistants (IDAs). However, the incorporation of specific needs and skills for the language team was postponed. The purpose of this project was to optimize and unify the training process to address the BYU-O Language Team needs and develop a training experience for all teams.

Exploring Caregiver Support For Advanced Practice Nurses Following An Error, Sunnie L. Nield

Student Works

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) are a growing population of employed individuals within the healthcare system, working in outpatient and inpatient settings. Like other healthcare professionals, nurse practitioners can and do make errors while practicing. Nevertheless, little to no research has focused on them. This research aimed to better understand nurse practitioners’ attitudes towards error approach, perception, and cause using the Medical Error Attitude Scale (MEAS). Additional purposes included the further exploration of APRNs' experiences following an error and support they may or may not receive. A convenience sample of ARPNs licensed in Utah was sent an electronic survey via …

Robot Proficiency Self-Assessment Using Assumption-Alignment Tracking, Xuan Cao

Theses and Dissertations

A robot is proficient if its performance for its task(s) satisfies a specific standard. While the design of autonomous robots often emphasizes such proficiency, another important attribute of autonomous robot systems is their ability to evaluate their own proficiency. A robot should be able to conduct proficiency self-assessment (PSA), i.e. assess how well it can perform a task before, during, and after it has attempted the task. We propose the assumption-alignment tracking (AAT) method, which provides time-indexed assessments of the veracity of robot generators' assumptions, for designing autonomous robots that can effectively evaluate their own performance. AAT can be considered …

Experimental Evidence On Leadership Experience And Women’S Political Participation In Malaysia, Grace Burns

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

Across the globe, there is a lack of gender parity in the political realm (Darcy, Welch, and Clark 1994). Solving this important issue will ensure increased representation for women’s issues (Bratton 2005), greater diversity and effectiveness in leadership styles (Kathlene 1994), and better outcomes for countries as a whole (Cole et al. 2017; Garikipati and Kambhampati 2020). In Malaysia, women rank highly on many indicators such as literacy and labor force participation (“World Bank Open Data” n.d.), but lowly in political polarization, due to cultural and religious factors (Ariffin 1992). Women are not socialized to view themselves as leaders and …

Prison Labor: The Ethical And Economic Implications Of Rethinking The Thirteenth Amendment And Fair Labor Standards Act, Peter Holland

Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

Prisoners have historically been paid extremely low wages, if any, for the jobs they perform while incarcerated. The Thirteenth Amendment, which made slavery illegal except as a punishment for crime, has often been used to validate this practice. This paper will argue that denying prisoners minimum wage is a misapplication of both the Thirteenth Amendment and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Additionally, the paper claims that paying prisoners minimum wage would have many positive economic consequences.

Immortality Through Obliteration: Buddhist Influences On Juche Thought, Christian Curriden

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

North Korean Juche philosophy has come to be considered a quasi-state religion. Since its inception in the mid-192os as a slogan encouraging selfsufficiency and anti-Japanese struggle, it has undergone a series of changes. First, the focus of animosity changed from the Japanese to the Americans during the Korean War. During the 1960s, it morphed into a more comprehensive nationalist ideology emphasizing political independence, economic autarky, and military self-defense. With the addition of the "political-social body" concept in 1986, it evolved yet again into a quasi-religious metaphysical worldview, asserting that the leader, party, and people were all organs of an immortal …

The Tree Of "Bitter Fruit": Why Anarchism Failed In Transylvania, Richard Bruner

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Today, the word "anarchy" conjures images of bombs, anti-government protests, and chaos. Achough that may be the modern perception of anarchy, the image did not begin like that. The term has existed for ages, only evolving toward its modern connotation during the nineteenth century. The Greek meaning of the term is "contrary to authority or without a ruler." Anarchy existed as a loose term for the lack of government, or to describe chose who opposed government-often with a derogatory meaning attached to it. Then, in the 1840s Jean-Pierre Proudhon adopted the term to describe his political and social philosophies. Simply …

The Implementation Of A Mass Casualty Simulation For Utah County Search And Rescue, Nathan Smart, Scott Summers, Craig Nuttall, Janelle Macintosh

Student Works

Background: Utah County’s population growth has precipitated a surge in search and rescue (SAR) missions, including mass casualty incidents (MCIs) in remote wilderness areas. Recognizing the critical need for enhanced preparedness in MCI response, Utah County SAR sought assistance to expand the training of their medical team in MCI. This project was initiated with the primary objective of augmenting the knowledge and readiness of Utah County SAR volunteers for managing MCIs in wilderness settings.

Methods: A one-day, on-site MCI simulation event designed by the project team was held at Rock Canyon, Provo, UT, on June 24, 2023. Focused …

Marriage And Family Therapists' Perspectives Of Working With Couples Impacted By Aphasia: General Perceptions And Response To Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training, Madison Rae Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

The psychosocial needs of couples impacted by aphasia are often unmet. Sixty-one marriage and family therapists' (MFTs) experiences, perceived knowledge, confidence, comfort, and barriers in working with couples impacted by aphasia, and their interactions with speech-language pathologists (SLPs) were investigated using survey methodology. All MFTs were licensed, practicing in the US, and had at least 3 years of experience. Participants completed the following in order: (a) a pre-intervention survey, (b) one of two intervention conditions, and (c) a post-intervention survey. Twenty-eight respondents were randomly assigned to an education-alone intervention and 33 respondents were assigned to an education plus Relationship-Centered Communication …

Rfi Mitigation And Discrete Digital Signal Processing Rfsoc Algorithm Implementations For Radio Astronomy And Wideband Communication Systems, Devon Christopher Ward

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the massive increase of active transmitters broadcasting over wideband frequencies, such as 5G wireless systems, LEO/MEO satellites, satellite constellations, and the increase of IoT devices in the average home, the radio frequency spectrum is becoming more and more congested by interference. Passive receivers face additional challenges due to the growing use of wideband frequency transmissions aimed at boosting communication system throughput. As a result, passive receivers must adopt more robust and intricate techniques to mitigate radio frequency interference. A proposed RFI removal system, known as the true time delay Hadamard projection algorithm, has been introduced in previous work …

Drug Modification Of Synaptic Plasticity At The Inhibitory Synapses Involving Gaba Neurons In The Ventral Tegmental Area, Jie Wu

Theses and Dissertations

The neurobiological underpinnings of substance use disorders (SUDs) involve complex alterations in synaptic plasticity within the mesolimbic dopamine system, particularly within the ventral tegmental area (VTA). While dopamine neurons in the VTA are extensively studied in addiction research, less attention has been given to the plasticity exhibited by VTA GABAergic neurons, despite their established regulatory role in modulating dopamine cell activity. Building upon the ground-breaking work of Bocklisch et al. (2013), we investigated the plasticity at the GABAergic to VTA GABA neuron (VTA GABA-to-GABA) synapse utilizing whole-cell electrophysiology in GAD67 GFP knock-in mice. Our findings revealed an exceptionally rare duo-plasticity …

Transformational Experiences And Decision-Making Processes: Factors Influencing The Choice Of College Major, Ashley Hunsaker

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the influence of transformational experiences on decision making when it comes to choosing one’s major. Participants attended a one-on-one interview with the primary researcher where questions were asked about how they chose their major and how much they enjoy it. Participants were given the chance to tell stories about how they discovered their major and how they decided to pursue it. Results suggested that transformational experiences, internal and external factors, and mentorship led students to choose and stick with a major where they felt a sense of belonging and “fit.” When belonging and perceived fit were not …

The Impact Of Online Orientation Activities In A Blended New-Student Orientation Modality On Social Connectedness, Pamela Potoma Smalley

Theses and Dissertations

Transitioning from high school to college has been a challenge for most students. The inability to make successful transitions has affected students' ability to integrate and graduate from college. Higher educational institutions look to programs such as new-student orientations to support students as they learn to navigate their new academic (and for many, new living) environments. The COVID-19 pandemic changed how new-student orientation worked as all traditional institutions switched completely to online orientation activities from completely in-person activities. As institutions emerged from the aftermath of the pandemic, they implemented blended new-student orientation modalities consisting of both online and in-person activities. …

Prosodic Speech Rate, Utterance Duration, Interruption Rate, And Turn-Taking Latency In Autistic And Neurotypical Adults, Grace Madeline Bell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the following prosodic elements: speech rate, turn-taking latency, number of interruptions, and utterance duration across two groups' neurotypical and autistic young adults. Furthermore, the end goal of this study is to help provide a baseline and clinical application of prosodic differences between autistic and neurotypical adults. Speech samples were collected from 11 neurotypical and 11 autistic young adults from the ages of 18-26. Speech samples were recorded responses from a 10-minute interview between two research assistants and the autistic or neurotypical individual. Using Praat software, speech samples were analyzed and used to …

Digital Performance Management: An Evaluation Of Manufacturing Performance Management Andmeasurement Strategies In An Industry 4.0 Context, Nathaniel David Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Manufacturing management and operations place heavy emphasis on monitoring and improving production performance. This supervision is accomplished through strategies of manufacturing performance management, a set of measurements and methods used to monitor production conditions. Over the last thirty years the most prevalent measurement of traditional performance management has been overall equipment effectiveness, a percentile summary metric of a machine's utilization. The technologies encapsulated by Industry 4.0 have expanded the ability to gather, process, and store vast quantities of data, creating opportunity to innovate on how performance is measured. A new method of managing manufacturing performance utilizing Industry 4.0 technologies has …

Potential For Climate-Based Financing Of Watershed Management To Restore Streams And Improve Water Quality Following A Wildfire: A Case Study Of The Provo River Watershed, Braxton Wayne Porter

Theses and Dissertations

Following wildfires, water quality in forested watersheds is prone to degradation, impacting drinking water treatment and causing increased emissions due to additional energy consumption. We explore the potential for climate-based financing to support wildfire mitigation and watershed restoration and thereby reduce potential water treatment energy demand within the Provo River watershed of Utah, USA. Pre- and post-wildfire erosion and water quality in the Provo River is modeled using GeoWEPP. Energy data from the Don A. Christiansen drinking water treatment plant in the watershed and related literature data are used to estimate the increase in energy use for treating degraded water. …

Angles And Angels: Political Unity And Spiritual Identity In Anglo-Saxon England, Susannah Morrison

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

The development of nationalism in Europe is a contested process, and most historians conclude that nationalist sentiments did not arise in the shattered remnants of the Western Roman Empire until the twelfth century. However, a national consciousness developed in England long before this date. Although it was a fundamentally abstract concept, largely limited to the intellectual domain of the highly educated elite, English national identity in the Anglo-Saxon period was a vibrant and powerful cultural force. Memorably articulated by the Venerable Bede in the eighth century, this proto-national sentiment identified the Angles-the Germanic tribes who had invaded and occupied Britain …

Solving The Hiv Enigma: Investigating Mutant Long-Term Non-Progressor Vpr Strands, Megan Knight, Bradford Berges

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2024

Different variants of HIV:

➢ Rapid Progressor: aggressive symptoms, quick progression into AIDs

➢ Wild-Type: regular symptoms, regular progression into AIDs

➢ Long-Term Non-Progressor: little-

Neural Epigenetic Changes In Response To Morphine: A Peek Into The Science Of Addiction, Timothy Smartt, Jeffrey Edwards, Addison Smartt

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2024

Introduction

Since the 1990's, the United States has experienced a crisis of opioid addiction and overdose. The effects of opioids on the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the reward center of the brain, are a primary cause of opioid dependence.

Distinguishing Leukemic Cells Using Fractal Chromatin Patterns And Machine Learning, Abigail Gordhamer, Ryan Cordner, Paul Young

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2024

One of the most important tests in the clinical laboratory is the Complete Blood Count, which involves identifying the white blood cells in a patient’s blood. The respective counts of the different white blood cell types correlate with various states of health and disease and are critical to diagnosing diseases such as leukemia. Leukemic cells (blasts) are considered especially difficult to distinguish, and it is of the upmost importance that these cells are identified correctly. To aid in the process of leukemic cell identification, we quantified fractal patterns in the chromatin of white blood cells and used the data to …

Ultrasound Imaging Of Abductor Hallucis Volume Demonstrated By Strong Agreement With Mri, Jacob Willes, Aaron W. Johnson

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2024

Due to the complexity of assessing the individual strength and function of certain deep small muscles within the body such intrinsic foot muscles, ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may provide a means to appropriately evaluate these muscles. Assessing foot muscles using US and MRI provides a unique and important model to compare muscle volume. Since intrinsic foot muscles are crucial for function and mobility while influencing quality of life, being able to accurately measure foot muscle volume is important. For example, the tracking of atrophy or hypertrophy due to disease or therapeutic intervention. While MRI is often considered …

Exploring Extended Reality In An Aqueous Processing Test Bed For Nuclear Material, Sam Wald

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research aided in the ongoing creation of an extended reality training experience for Beartooth, an aqueous processing test bed for nuclear material, by exploring what will be comfortable and effective for users of the experience. Participants consisted of staff members from Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and authorized members of the Augmented Learning Lab at BYU. We conducted usability testing with participants who were given extended reality (XR) equipment to explore the Beartooth virtual training system. We also performed a heuristic evaluation on the system using an augmented reality evaluation checklist. Findings were discussed with the INL team and recommendations …

Full Issue

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

No abstract provided.

A Method To The Madness Iraqi Strategy And Diplomacy In The Persian Gulfwar, James D. Smith

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Most Americans are familiar with the essentials of the Persian Gulf War: Iraq invaded Kuwait, triggering a massive buildup of American troops in Saudi Arabia. These troops eventually invaded Kuwait and drove out the Iraqis, who fled in terror before the American juggernaut. Beyond this, few Americans know much. The war is, perhaps, too recent to have developed the wide interest that currently exists in older conflicts such as the Civil War or World War II; the textbook-worthy strategies employed by General Norman Schwartzkopf's forces therefore go largely unnoticed by the public at large.

Search And Destroy: The U.S. Military's Contribution To The Victory Of The North Vietnamese Army, Mike Baer

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

On August 7, 1964 both houses of Congress approved the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, placing congressional support behind the president in repelling "any armed attack against the forces of the United States." The president was also empowered to take, upon request from any nation in Southeast Asia, "all necessary steps, including the use of armed force, to assist {that nation} in the defense of its freedom." This allowed the U.S. to circumvent the Geneva Accords of 1954, which had severely limited the U.S. troop contingent in South Vietnam and prevented any offensive military campaigns. Less than a year after passage …

Corporate Rivalry In The Rocky Mountains: The Hudson's Bay Company's Involvement In The American Fur Trade Rendezvous System, Dale Topham

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

In 1825 Wtlliam H. Ashley, co-owner of the Ashley-Henry Fur Company operating out of St. Louis Missouri, instituted the annual rendezvous system. The rendezvous, a summertime gathering of fur trappers, allowed Ashley's employees to remain in the West year-round to trap beaver. A yearly caravan brought supplies out from St. Louis to the rendezvous, where trappers sold their year's catch of beaver and purchased supplies for the oncoming season. Lasting through the summer of 1840, this system of resupplying trappers attracted a variety of people to the rendezvous sites, including Native-Americans, Protestant missionaries traveling to Oregon, adventurers from Europe, and …