Digital Commons Network^™

Applications Of Simulation And Animation In Facilities Planning And Design, William Joseph Mattingly

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Recent developments of simulation software have made computer simulation and animation popular system problem-solving techniques. One field that has many potential applications for computer simulation and animation is in the area of facilities planning and design. The purpose of this paper is to provide the facilities planner with information to assist in determining when, why, how and what simulation software should be implemented to solve facilities planning and design problems. Also, the usefulness of simulation and animation to the facilities planner is evaluated and areas for improving software for future application in facilities planning and design are identified. TO assist …

A Rapid Acquisition Technique For Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Systems By A Pn Phase Multiplexed Correlator, Greg S. Rawlins

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

With the proliferation of direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) systems in the communications arena, synchronization techniques that offer improved performance and higher speed are of great value to the spread spectrum designer and user. Matched filter approaches have gained momentum in recent years due to SAW filter technology, while sliding correlators have experienced slower development. This paper introduces a unique multi-phase correlator intended to decrease the mean time to acquire synchronization by exploiting properties of Gold codes and other pseudo-noise (PN) sequences. These properties are used to create a novel signal structure for the local correlator. A brief explanation of …

Implementing Path Control, English Motion Commands And Off Line Programming On Minimover-5 Robot, Mark S. Chen

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

According to Alan L. Porter and Frederick A. Rossini (1987), 50,000 robots are expected to be installed by year 2000. This increasing number of robots to be used in industry has lead to the need for skilled robot operators and programmers. However, to train this specific class of personnel using an industrial robot as a training tool can be expensive and dangerous due to the possibility of robot accidents. Therefore, in order to provide a safe, inexpensive, and effective training tool, the use of the Mini-Mover-5 educational robot is proposed. The MiniMover-5 has only a primitive programming capability. A use-friendly …

Analysis Of Flexible Pavement On The Basis Of Deflection Basins, Dinesh M. Kamath

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The pavement at research park called Research Parkway and Discovery Drive was found Deteriorated within two years of the construction. The need to evaluate the extent of the damage and the estimate of remaining life of pavement initiate the research study. The analysis presented in this report is based on the measurements of the surface deflections and the layered elastic theory. The life expectancy of the pavement can be estimated by the amount of pavement deflection developed within the pavement system. The parameters used in the analysis are the applied load, material of the pavement components and environmental effects. Trial …

Applications Of Artificial Intelligence In Military Training Simulation, Igor V. Golovcsenko

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This report is a survey of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology contributions to military training. It provides an overview of military training simulation and a review of instructional problems and challenges which can be addressed by AI. The survey includes current as well as potential applications of AI, with particular emphasis on design and system integration issues. Applications include knowledge and skills training in strategic planning and decision making, tactical warfare operations, electronics maintenance and repair, as well as computer-aided design of training systems. The report describes research contributions in the application of AI technology to the training world, and it …

Selling The Stereotype: Sexist, Ageist, And Racist Typecasting In Network Television Advertising In 1986, Helen S. Becker

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Beginning Teacher Program: How Administrative Or Peer Teacher Attitude And Peer Teacher Assignment Affect Its Success, Elaine C. Henris

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Florida's Beginning Teacher Program was evaluated to determine if there were significant differences in administrative attitude and perception of success between Orange County and Seminole County. Further evaluation was conducted to determine if the four possible gender-pairings of beginning teachers and peer teachers/mentors resulted in differing success rates. Finally, the program was examined to determine if administrative or peer teacher/mentor attitude was related to the success of the program. Beginning teachers, their peer teachers/mentors and administrators in Orange County and Seminole County were surveyed to accomplish these evaluations, using the Administrative Attitude Scale and the Beginning Teacher Success Scale developed …

An Evaluation Of The Orientation And Training Programs Of A Fast Food Franchise, Cheryl M. Donahey

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Very few attempts have been made to adequately evaluate training programs. The research reported here is an attempt to evaluate the effects of the revised orientation and training programs of a fast food franchise. Subjects consisted of 676 hourly employees of a Central Florida fast food franchise who completed questionnaires soliciting measures of the following perceptions: managements' consideration and structure levels and the effectiveness of the revised orientation and training programs. Modest support was found for the prediction that the revised programs would increase the employees' perception of managements' consideration. No evidence was found to support the hypotheses that employees …

Real Time Signal Processing Using Systolic Arrays, Jack Boulay

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses and presents the design of systolic arrays used in modern real time signal processing. A methodology to map a given algorithm into a systolized VLSI implementation is described. The architectural alternatives for a given signal processing algorithm are discussed and investigated at a function level using a simulation package that has been developed using the “C” programming language. The similarities and differences between wavefront array processors and systolic array processors are presented.

Design And Analysis Of A Voice Band Qpsk Modem, John F. Doud

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this paper is to design and construct a modem using the Quadrature Phase Shift Key digital modulation technique. The modem is designed to transmit information over a telephone line at the rate of 1200 bits per second subject to noise and imperfect channel response in the form of magnitude and delay distortion. The device is constructed using CMOS logic to minimize power consumption. To analyze the design with respect to the above constraints, it was necessary to build a pseudorandom bit sequence generator and correlator, a variable magnitude white noise generator and a digital error detector/indicator.

Validity Of Student Evaluations: A Comparison Of Student Ratings To Instructor Self-Evaluations, Rebecca A. Hopson

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Ada Tools For The Description And Simulation Of Digital Signal Processing Systems, Mark D. Happel

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

While specialized hardware description languages allow for maximum capability and efficiency in a design automation system, the use of a general purpose language in the same role can make the system more available or more available or more practical for a larger set of users. This project demonstrates the use of ADA* for the description and simulation of small digital signal processing systems. Building on conventions and primitives proposed by Denyer and Renshaw, a simple subsystem was described in ADA and then tested with a small simulator also written in ADA.

* ADA is a trademark of the United States …

Promoting The Department Within The Institution, Thomas M. Scheidel

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article outlines effective strategies for departmental leadership and institutional advocacy based on a case study from the University of Washington’s Department of Speech Communication. Emphasizing the chair’s central role in promoting departmental visibility and influence, the discussion identifies two essential requirements: active advocacy and evidence-based representation. The chair must serve as a visible and persuasive representative of the department through continual institutional engagement, cultivating relationships across administrative levels, and contributing to governance through service on committees. Equally important is the use of demonstrable evidence—teaching excellence, curricular strength, scholarly productivity, and faculty service—to substantiate departmental claims of quality. Drawing on …

The Department Chair And Merit Salary Increases, Anita Taylor

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article analyzes the administrative and ethical challenges faced by department chairs in implementing merit-based salary systems within higher education. Drawing on the author’s decade of administrative experience, it examines how varying institutional structures (from unionized, step-based systems to wholly merit-driven allocations) shape the chair’s discretion and accountability. Using the case of George Mason University, the discussion details procedures for goal-setting, annual review, and salary distribution, highlighting tensions between equity, gender parity, and institutional policy. The article critiques both the subjectivity of qualitative evaluations and the rigidity of quantitative point systems, arguing for a balanced, evidence-informed approach to faculty assessment. …

Ideas, Comments, And Suggestions On Theatre Administration, Donald L. Loeffler

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article offers a comprehensive account of effective departmental management within a university theatre program, emphasizing practical organization, personnel selection, and administrative collaboration. Using the Department of Speech and Theatre Arts at Western Carolina University as a model, the discussion details the chair’s responsibility for building a cohesive administrative environment through the strategic hiring of qualified secretarial staff, faculty cooperation, and student commitment. The paper underscores the importance of accurate bookkeeping, courteous communication, and efficient operations as extensions of the department’s public image. It also addresses recruitment and retention practices, faculty evaluation procedures, and cross-departmental cooperation in theatre, music, and …

Corporate Management Strategies: Applications For Communication Administrators From Iacocca: An Autobiography, Ladonna Mcmurray Geddes

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article interprets Lee Iacocca’s managerial philosophy for application in academic and communication administration. Framing Iacocca’s principles of motivation, accountability, and leadership within a university context, the discussion explores how participatory management and clear goal articulation can improve departmental performance. The analysis emphasizes Iacocca’s model of “management by wandering around” as a strategy for maintaining visibility and fostering open communication. It also adapts his quarterly review system and “equality of sacrifice” concepts to faculty evaluation and workload distribution. Drawing from administrative experience, the author proposes a Distribution of Effort Agreement to formalize faculty commitments across teaching, research, and service, aligning …

Applications From In Search Of Excellence By Thomas Peters And Robert Waterman, Jr., Robert S. Goyer

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article interprets Thomas Peters and Robert Waterman’s In Search of Excellence (1982) for application in academic administration, particularly within communication departments. The analysis outlines the authors’ critique of the rational-analytic management model and their advocacy for a value-driven, people-centered approach to organizational effectiveness. Goyer argues that while analogies between corporate and academic contexts are imperfect, two of Peters and Waterman’s eight principles—“productivity through people” and “simultaneous loose-tight properties”—offer meaningful guidance for departmental leadership. The first emphasizes creating an environment in which every faculty member’s contributions are recognized and rewarded through systematic yet flexible evaluation. The second highlights the chair’s …

Hiring Practices At An Independent College, Richard W. Platt

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article details the hiring process for communication faculty at Marist College, an independent liberal arts institution with a growing communication arts program. It outlines institutional structures, administrative procedures, and decision-making protocols involved in recruitment and selection. Emphasis is placed on the interaction between program-level planning, divisional coordination, and centralized administrative approval. The paper documents each stage of hiring—from needs assessment and position authorization to advertisement, search committee formation, candidate evaluation, interviewing, and appointment. The description highlights the integration of affirmative action compliance, equitable search practices, and procedural transparency. Faculty expectations include teaching, research, and service responsibilities consistent with the …

Aca News

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This issue of ACA News provides organizational updates and reports on leadership transitions, conference activities, and new administrative initiatives within the Association for Communication Administration (ACA). J. Robert Wills of the University of Texas at Austin assumed the ACA presidency, succeeding Robert K. Tiemens, while Robert M. Smith of Wichita State University was named President-Elect. Newly elected Executive Committee members included Robert E. Davis, Martha Nell Hardy, and James Symons. The bulletin also lists referees and paper submission data for the 1986 publication year, reflecting high participation and a 32% acceptance rate. Salary data from national sources are summarized for …

Minutes Of The Executive Committee Meeting Chicago November 12, 1986

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

The annual meeting of the Association for Communication Administration (ACA)'s Executive Committee, held in November 1986 in Chicago, Illinois.

The State Of Mass Communication, Ellen Wartella

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article evaluates the state of mass communication as an academic field, examining its organizational, educational, and theoretical conditions in the mid-1980s. The discussion situates mass communication within a context of growing public, institutional, and industrial interest in media and communication technologies. Three major areas are identified. Organizationally, the field is experiencing departmental consolidation and debate over nomenclature as traditional speech and journalism programs merge into unified communication units. Educationally, enrollments are expanding rapidly, yet faculty shortages and an industrial hiring model threaten academic rigor. Theoretically, the discipline faces tensions between professional training and liberal arts orientations, as well as …

Assessing The Health Of The Profession: A Diagnosis Of Theatre, Douglas N. Cook

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article assesses the overall condition of theatre as both a professional and academic field within the broader context of the performing arts. Using a metaphor of medical diagnosis, the analysis identifies theatre as a “fabulous invalid”—ailing but resilient. National data demonstrate the expansion of regional and nonprofit theatre, with significant growth in professional companies, productions, and employment since the 1970s, despite persistent financial instability. The discussion links this professional growth to developments in theatre education, including the proliferation of degree programs, the acceptance of the MFA as a terminal degree, and the emergence of cooperative relationships between professional and …

Faculty Involvement In Departmental Decision Making, Don B. Morlan

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the complex relationship between departmental leadership, faculty participation, and administrative accountability in decision-making within academic units. Drawing on literature from organizational management and personal experience across both public and private institutions, the analysis argues that the degree of faculty involvement in departmental decision making is less a matter of chair preference than a product of institutional structure and administrative culture. While participatory models—such as Theory Z and Likert’s human relations frameworks—are often idealized, actual practice is constrained by hierarchy, accountability, and resource dependence. The essay proposes that effective chairs must balance consultation with authority, aligning faculty expectations, …

Reflections Of A First-Year Department Head, Blaine Goss

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This reflective essay documents the first year of administrative experience as a new department head at New Mexico State University. Organized around three themes—learning the job, learning the system, and being the “new man in town”—the narrative traces the author’s transition from faculty member to administrator. The discussion emphasizes the paradoxical nature of departmental leadership: the chair functions simultaneously as manager, faculty colleague, and intermediary between conflicting demands. Early lessons concern balancing responsiveness to faculty, staff, and central administration, navigating institutional routines and politics, and managing expectations from multiple constituencies. The essay highlights the emotional and cognitive challenges of leadership, …

A Leader Among Peers: The New Department Head's Role In Faculty Development, Lorayne W. Lester

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the department chair’s role in fostering faculty development as a central dimension of effective academic leadership. Arguing that professional growth is too often treated as a peripheral administrative concern, the discussion contends that faculty development must be understood as a continuous and reciprocal process that benefits both the department and the chair. Drawing on research on administrative burnout and personal experience, the analysis distinguishes between chairs who overextend themselves in operational management and those who sustain professional vitality through active teaching and scholarship. Faculty development, the article maintains, requires the cultivation of research productivity, teaching quality, and …

The Piper, The Animals, And The Hustler, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article analyzes the economic and ideological transformations confronting higher education during the Reagan era and their implications for academic independence. It identifies three interrelated developments: the increasing dependence of universities on corporate funding, the widening salary disparities among faculty, and the evolution of the department chair into a fund-raising administrator. The discussion warns that emerging partnerships between universities, government, and private industry threaten to form a “military-industrial-educational complex,” compromising scholarly autonomy and reshaping curricula toward corporate priorities. Faculty marketization, driven by differential utility to corporate sponsors, is shown to exacerbate internal inequities and distort academic values. Finally, the paper …

Hiring Practices In An Ma Program, Kenneth D. Frandsen

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article provides a detailed account of faculty recruitment and hiring practices in the Department of Speech Communication at the University of New Mexico, focusing on strategies for achieving program stability within a master’s-level institution. The discussion identifies the department’s dual challenge: maintaining rigorous hiring standards while managing the instability created by faculty turnover. Operating as a “committee of the whole,” the faculty conducts affirmative action–compliant searches that emphasize collaboration, transparency, and collective decision making. Candidates are assessed for their fit within the department’s tripartite mission of teaching, research, and service, with balanced competence across all areas preferred. Particular attention …

Hiring Faculty At Doctoral Institutions, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the distinct challenges of faculty recruitment in doctoral-granting institutions, proposing a structured framework for balancing departmental needs, institutional goals, and candidate qualifications. Gillespie articulates six “laws of hiring” that collectively emphasize balance, probability, faculty quality, publication assessment, student feedback, and long-term recruitment strategy. The first principle defines hiring as a process of equilibrium—balancing competing departmental and institutional interests. The second underscores the probabilistic nature of selection, advocating for evidence-based rather than intuitive decisions. The third and fourth stress the importance of institutional pedigree and demonstrable scholarly productivity, while the fifth highlights consultation with former graduate students as …

Mfa Degree Programs: Where Are They Going?, Russell E. Green

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the proliferation and sustainability of Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree programs in theatre, arguing that the rapid increase in such programs has created a system-wide imbalance between available training opportunities and viable employment for graduates. Drawing on data from the National Association of Schools of Theatre and the University/Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA), the discussion documents trends in enrollment, expenses, and recruitment practices that contribute to what the author describes as an “anemic” marketplace. The analysis identifies administrative pressure to maintain full-time equivalencies (FTE) and high enrollment as a driving factor in lowering admissions standards and expanding …

Part-Time And Temporary Faculty In Theatre, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the increasing reliance on part-time and temporary faculty in university theatre programs and identifies the pedagogical, artistic, and administrative implications of their use. It argues that part-time and temporary faculty fulfill three primary functions: they introduce new ideas and creative approaches into established departments; they maintain vital links between academic and professional theatre; and they provide specialized expertise that complements permanent faculty strengths. The discussion distinguishes theatre from other disciplines whose centers of innovation are academic, emphasizing that the creative core of theatre remains in professional practice. Accordingly, guest artists, designers, and actors serve as essential conduits …