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Acuta Journal Of Telecommunications In Higher Education

ACUTA Journal

In This Issue

Convergence Concepts Come Together Curt Harler

Planning Convergence at FSU

Columbia University's Formula for the Future

Assessing and Managing Privacy and Security Risks

The Human Side of Convergence

Convergence: A Work in Progress

The Reinvention of USU lT

Book Review

Interviews

President's Message

From the Executive Director

Energy Use And Concerns Of Rural Nebraskans, Rebecca J. Vogt, Randolph L. Cantrell, Miguel A. Carranza, Bruce Johnson, David J. Peters

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Energy prices have steadily increased during the past year. Rural residents are now faced with higher costs to drive and heat and cool their homes. Given these conditions, how much of a problem have rising energy costs been for rural Nebraskans? What are their opinions on future energy sources? What changes have they made or do they plan to make due to the price increases? This paper provides a detailed analysis of these questions.

This report details 2,496 responses to the 2008 Nebraska Rural Poll, the thirteenth annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. Respondents were asked a series of …

Water Current, Volume 40, No. 3, Summer 2008

Water Current Newsletter

Latest on Water Science, Economics and Law at October Colloquium
Water is Theme for UNL at September's Husker Harvest Days
From the Director: What I Didn't Do During My Summer Vacation
Meet the Faculty: Jinsheng You, Gary L. Stone
Water.unl.edu Gateway to All Things Water
Water Resources Advisory Panel Expands; Members to Reconvene in September
Agricultural Water Management Network
UNL and China Explore
Hydroinformatics Collaboratory
Water and Climate Change: Perfect Storm in Sight
2008 Water and Natural Resources Tour: Republican River Basin of Kansas and Nebraska
Water Brief News
A Primer on Emerging Contaminants
What's New at the Water Sciences …

“West Of The West?”: The Territory Of Hawai’I, The American West, And American Colonialism In The Twentieth Century, Aaron Steven Wilson

Department of History: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Hawai’i holds a somewhat nebulous place in American History. While it easily fits in the dominant narrative surrounding the Spanish American War of 1898 and World War II, Hawai’i rarely factors into other major historical fields, often making a brief cameo appearance when it does. Because the state is geographically placed at the western extreme of America, one supposes that western historians would gladly accept the task of chronicling Hawaiian history; yet, even academics in this field hesitate to embrace the region. In fact, some scholars who study the American West completely dismiss the notion of including the Hawaiian Islands. …

Acuta Journal Of Telecommunications In Higher Education

ACUTA Journal

In This Issue

Disasters, Emergencies, and Residence Hall Communications

GWU's Safety Systems Built Around Telecommunications

ln the Face of Disaster

Advertorial: Contact 101 : Strategies for Emergency Notification

University Approaches to Emergencies and Emergency Communication

A Reasoned Response to Crisis

Digital Forensics: What ls lt and Why Should I Care?

Exploits, Guidelines, and Vulnerabilities: Protecting Digital Resources

Classifying Events, lncidents and Disasters

President's Message

From the Executive Director

Here's My Advice

Acuta Enews April 2008, Vol. 37, No. 4

ACUTA Newsletters

ln This lssue

From the President..................Walt Magnussen, Texas A&N Univ., ACUTA President

Board Report.........................Riny Ledgerwood, San Diego State Univ., ACUTA Sec./Treasurer

Campus Safety Legislation Mulled in Wake of Shootings ......Raymond Thrower, Jr., IACLEA

Tech Talk: We'll Ask Again: ls This a Phone You Want on Your Network? Kevin Tanzillo, Dux PR

12th Annual Strategic Leadership Forum Topics

DC Update .............Jeanne Jansenius, Sewanee, The University of the South

Nominate Now for ACUTA Ruth A. Michalecki Award

lnfo Links ............. Randy Hayes, Univ. of Northern lowa

Welcome New Members

Check lt Out: RFls/RFPs, Job Postings, Press Releases

Priority Lincoln: We’Re Listening A Community Conversation On The City Budget

University of Nebraska Public Policy Center: Publications

This is a background document to prepare you for the Priority Lincoln: We’re Listening discussion on the Lincoln City Budget on April 12. This discussion guide is intended to serve as a jumping-off point for our upcoming conversation. The discussion is not a test of facts, but rather a chance to offer your perspectives on the issues with other Lincoln residents.

The Rural Firefighter, Issue 04-08--November 2008

The Rural Firefighter

A Professional Choice; Les Lukert Conference; Turkey Fryer Safety; Tips From Tex; Nugget of the Day; No Fire Protection?; Sandy’s Corner; Rural Firefighter Also Available on the Internet; Calendar of Events; Happy Thanksgiving & Merry Christmas!

A Case Study In Data Sharing: 211 Helplink And The Airs Xsd, Ian Cottingham, Ben Kutsch, Nancy C. Shank

University of Nebraska Public Policy Center: Publications

The Coordinated Assistance Network (CAN) helps communities prepare for and respond to disasters. The ability to exchange up‐to‐date information about resources and clients is central to effective response. To facilitate the exchange of resource data, CAN has been working with information & referral organizations, namely 2‐1‐1s, to ensure that their existing data about community services may be easily and quickly shared with CAN in the event of disaster. CAN has been working with 211 Helplink (San Francisco, California) to develop an exchange using the data standard developed by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems, AIRS XSD 2.07. The data …

Priority Lincoln: Budgeting For Outcomes

University of Nebraska Public Policy Center: Publications

As a centerpiece to its 2008-09 budget determination process, the City of Lincoln invited the community to provide input about how the City should prioritize budget items. Several thousand residents provided input over a period of approximately 90 days, starting in February 2008 and ending in May 2008. This Report presents the results from the City’s public participation process.

Views Of Community Life In Rural Nebraska, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Global Climate Change: Opinions and Perceptions of Rural Nebraskans

Global Climate Change: Opinions And Perceptions Of Rural Nebraskans, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Where Do Rural Nebraskans Plan to Retire?

Combined User Multiplexing And Data Modulation Through Non-Binary Turbo Codes For Uwb, K. Popovski, Tadeusz Wysocki, B. J. Wysocki

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications (to 2015)

With significant research being conducted in Ultra Wideband communications to increase error performance, this paper proposes a combination of user multiplexing and data encoding to achieve a BER improvement. Through the use of non-binary turbo coding, data is modulated to form a time hopping code which is applied to a time-reversed UWB system. Comparative results with conventional binary coding are given, showing the possibility for BER improvements in systems with a low number of users. Slight performance degradations for a large number of users exist. The effects of a user applying turbo coding on other users not applying forward error …

Views Of Community Life In Rural Nebraska, Rebecca J. Vogt, Randolph L. Cantrell, Miguel A. Carranza, Bruce B. Johnson, David J. Peters

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Most of the smaller communities in rural Nebraska have experienced population decline since 2000 while most of the larger communities have experienced population growth. Given these conditions, how do rural Nebraskans feel about their community? Are they satisfied with the services provided? Are they planning to move from their community next year? How do they view the quality of life in their community? What factors are important in contributing to the quality of life in their community? Do their perceptions differ by community size, the region in which they live, or their occupation? This report details 2,496 responses to the …

Perceptions Of Well-Being And Personal Finances Among Rural Nebraskans, Rebecca J. Vogt, Randolph L. Cantrell, Miguel A. Carranza, Bruce B. Johnson, David J. Peters

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Nebraska has experienced slow economic growth recently. However, the state has also seen higher farm income this past year. How do rural Nebraskans perceive their quality of life? Do their perceptions differ by community size, the region in which they live, or their occupation? How concerned are rural Nebraskans about their personal finances? This report provides a detailed analysis of these questions.

This report details 2,496 responses to the 2008 Nebraska Rural Poll, the thirteenth annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their individual well-being. Trends for some of these questions are …

Agency-Sponsored Treasure Hunts: Providing Alternatives To Traditional Geocaching, Virginia Reams, Stuart West

United States National Park Service: Publications

Geocaching, a sort of modern-day treasure hunt using Global Positioning System (GPS) units, has been prohibited in most national parks largely due to federal regulations prohibiting disturbance or damage of natural features and leaving behind unattended property. National parks, including Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine, are continually challenged by unauthorized geocache sites within their borders. The National Park Service (NPS) must take enforcement action when necessary to prevent resource damage and ensure visitor safety. However, it has become clear that geocaching is a well-established, popular pastime that is more than just a trend, and some parks perceive positive …

Priority Lincoln: Budgeting For Outcomes

University of Nebraska Public Policy Center: Publications

As a centerpiece to its 2008-09 budget determination process, the City of Lincoln invited the community to provide input about how the City should prioritize budget items. Several thousand residents provided input over a period of approximately 90 days, starting in February 2008 and ending in May 2008. This Report presents the results from the City’s public participation process.

Perceptions Of Well-Being And Personal Finance Among Rural Nebraskans, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Energy Use and Concerns of Rural Nebraskans

Immigration In Nebraska

Strategic Discussions for Nebraska

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Introduction

Nebraska Demographics

Definitions

Nebraska’s Immigration History

Covering the New Nebraska

Immigrants and Refugees

An Employer’s View

FOUR NEBRASKA COMMUNITIES

Scottsbluff

Lixington

Crete

Omaha

IMMIGRATION RESEARCH

Reading List on Immigration

Other Organizations

Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Project: 2008 Activities Report

Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Bibliography and Database

Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that is close to being eradicated in the United States, but still poses a significant risk to domestic livestock, wildlife, companion animals, and humans throughout the world. The Michigan Bovine TB Eradication Project involves a multiagency team of experts from the Michigan Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Community Health, Michigan State University, and the US Department of Agriculture.

Sharpshooting Suburban White-Tailed Deer Reduces Deer–Vehicle Collisions, Anthony J. Denicola, Scott C. Williams

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Too many deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) are one of the primary reasons local governments implement lethal deer management programs. However, there are limited data to demonstrate that a reduction in deer (Odocoileus spp.) densities will result in a decline in DVCs. We conducted sharpshooting programs in 3 suburban communities to reduce deer numbers and to address rising DVCs. Annual or periodic population estimates were conducted using both helicopter snow counts and aerial infrared counts to assess population trends. Management efforts were conducted from 3 to 7 years. Local deer herds were reduced by 54%, 72%, and 76%, with resulting reductions …

Likelihood Of Using Drug Courts: Predictions Using Procedural Justice And The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Evelyn M. Maeder, Richard L. Weiner

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The current research compares two theoretical models borrowed from social psychology (theory of planned behavior and procedural justice) to predict intentions to make use of a drug court. Medicaid-eligible substance users answered a number of questions regarding their intentions to use a drug court in the future, including items from planned behavior and procedural justice scales. When procedural justice was considered alone, only trustworthiness predicted intention to use drug courts. When planned behavior was considered alone, only deliberative attitudes predicted the intention. After combining the two models, deliberative attitudes from the theory of planned behavior were the only significant predictor …

Evaluation Of An Electrified Mat As A White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Barrier, Thomas W. Seamans, David A. Helon

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) pose economic and safety problems for agricultural and transportation industries. We tested an electronic mat to determine if it would reduce deer crossing through fence openings. We measured deer intrusions and corn consumption at five sites with charged mats and five sites with non-charged mats. Weekly intrusions at treated sites decreased an average of 95% from pre-treatment. Weekly intrusions at control sites were reduced 60% during weeks 1 and 2 and increased to 10% reduction by week 6. Weekly corn consumption at treated sites decreased from pretreatment through all treatment weeks. Weekly corn consumption …

Downside Risk Of Wildlife Translocation, R. Chipman, D. Slate, C. Rupprecht, M. Mendoza

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Translocation has been used successfully by wildlife professionals to enhance or reintroduce populations of rare or extirpated wildlife, provide hunting or wildlife viewing opportunities, farm wild game, and reduce local human-wildlife conflicts. However, accidental and intentional translocations may have multiple unintended negative consequences, including increased stress and mortality of relocated animals, negative impacts on resident animals at release sites, increased conflicts with human interests, and the spread of diseases. Many wildlife professionals now question the practice of translocation, particularly in light of the need to contain or eliminate high profile, economically important wildlife diseases and because using this technique may …

Informal Regulation Of Space Activities, Rachel A. Yates

Nebraska Law Review

The most studied and academically debated laws regarding outer space consist of the five United Nations treaties, which were entered into force from 1967 to 1984. After this condensed period of treaty activity, United Nations resolutions and principles took the place of treaties on which consensus otherwise needed to be achieved. Hard space law developed primarily at the national level in the form of various acts or regulations adopted by individual nation states. Even though formal laws can typically be promulgated more quickly at the national level, such hard laws still may not be the most efficient method for governmental …

Carnivores, Urban Landscapes, And Longitudinal Studies: A Case History Of Black Bears, Jon P. Beckmann, Cael W. Lackey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

As urban landscapes expand across the globe, it becomes imperative to understand how these landscapes affect large carnivore populations. We examined the effects of human-altered landscapes on age-specific fecundity and life history parameters for female black bears (Ursus americanus) in urban and wildland regions in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains of Nevada, including the Lake Tahoe Basin. We followed 12 marked female bears in an urban environment and 10 females in wildland habitats from 1997–2006. Our results show that female bears in urban areas have higher age-specific fecundity rates than did wildland female bears. Despite this difference, female …

Assessment Of Costs Associated With Deer–Vehicle Collisions: Human Death And Injury, Vehicle Damage, And Deer Loss, John A. Bissonette, Christine A. Kassar, Lawrence J. Cook

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Collisions between large vertebrates and vehicles along roadways are an increasing concern, not only because of ecological consequences, but also because of associated economic and social costs. We used a large-scale, long-term data set comprising several databases from Utah to summarize and analyze these costs. The overall cost for 13,020 collisions from 1996 to 2001 in Utah was approximately $45,175,454, resulting in an estimated average per year cost of about $7,529,242 and a mean collision cost of $3,470. These figures include human fatality costs of $24 million (53% of total costs); vehicle damage costs of $18 million (39%); loss of …

Locations Of Deer–Vehicle Collisions Are Unrelated To Traffic Volume Or Posted Speed Limit, John A. Bissonette, Christine A. Kassar

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Consensus is lacking regarding the influence of vehicle speed and traffic volume on deer–vehicle collision (DVC) rates. Yet, annual average daily traffic fl ow (AADT) and posted speed limit (PSL) typically are used to measure these variables. To resolve this conflict, we studied the effects of traffic volume and vehicle speed on DVCs in Utah. Our results showed no relationship between AADT or PSL and DVC occurrence. There are at least 3 explanations for our results: (1) no causal relationship exists; (2) AADT and PSL, as measured, actually explain little of the variation; and (3) data quality problems exist. We …

Demographics Of Non-Hunted White-Tailed Deer Populations In Suburban Areas, Anthony J. Denicola, Dwayne R. Etter, Thomas Almendinger

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Burgeoning deer populations in urban and suburban areas, along with the inherent problems stemming from this increase, are becoming increasingly widespread. To address these problems, wildlife biologists need quality baseline data of herd composition for harvest and treatment forecasts for management and fertility control research programs. In this study, we provide white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population data from 4 areas where localized suburban white-tailed deer populations were substantially reduced utilizing sharpshooting as a management tool. In each area, legal hunting was nonexistent for >10 years preceding the sharpshooting program. The areas ranged in size from 300 ha to …

Deer–Vehicle Collision Statistics And Mitigation Information: Online Sources, Terry A. Messmer, Destiny R. Messmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Although good data are lacking, published estimates suggest that >1.5 million deer– vehicle collisions (DVCs) occur annually in the United States. The estimated losses exceed 1 billion dollars. In some states, DVCs are a major cause of reportable accidents. Federal, state, and private partners have cooperated in monitoring trends in DVCs and implementing mitigation measures. Most of this information about such measures is readily available via the Internet. The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with a broad overview of and a guide to the information currently available online to mitigate DVCs.