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The Rise And Fall Of Public Confidence In Higher Education, Anthony J. Gaughan

Nebraska Law Review

During the 20th century, college came to be viewed as an essential credential on the path to middle-class prosperity. But in the 21st century, a growing percentage of Americans have come to doubt the value of higher education. Consequently, the future for colleges and universities has never been more uncertain.

This Article explores the rise and decline of public confidence in higher education. Part One explores how higher education gained the confidence of the American people. In the 1800s, the idea that higher education would uplift the country became an article of national faith. The 20th century saw further gains …

Masthead & Table Of Contents, Vol. 103, No. 3

Nebraska Law Review

No abstract provided.

Absolutely Unnecessary Immunity, Eileen Prescott

Nebraska Law Review

Prosecutors, like judges, cannot be sued for their professional misconduct in most jurisdictions. As long as their actions are sufficiently tied to their job duties, their actual malice does not matter, even if they had demonstrable malice—a prosecutor could bring baseless charges against an ex-spouse specifically to harass them, with absolute immunity from suit. This immunity allows prosecutors to abuse the power of their office without civil recourse. In theory, absolute immunity aims to protect the office by resolving cases simply and quickly, but in reality, courts get bogged down litigating whether a prosecutor’s specific action was sufficiently tied to …

Lessons From The Vieth Dissents: Partisan Gerrymandering, Party Construction, And The Challenge Of Judicial Intervention, Jacob Eisler

Nebraska Law Review

No topic endured more uncertainty over the past fifty years than the legality of politicized districting. In 1986’s Davis v. Bandemer, the Supreme Court first indicated that sufficiently egregious partisan gerrymanders might be unconstitutional, while offering a test so vague that federal courts virtually never found districtings to be illegal. In 2004’s Vieth v. Jubelirer, a plurality of the bench announced the Supreme Court lacked appropriate constitutional tools to identify such partisan gerrymanders—but Justice Kennedy’s concurrence suggested that while no test had yet been found, one might be found in the future. It was not until 2019’s Rucho …

Diversity Statements, Academic Freedom, And The First Amendment, Keith E. Whittington

Nebraska Law Review

Diversity statements have become a common component of applications for faculty positions and student admission at universities across the country. They have also become politically controversial, with several states banning the use of such requirements at public universities. The use of diversity statements also raises difficult constitutional questions under the First Amendment at public universities and academic freedom questions at both public and private universities. Although there are versions of such statements that might pass constitutional muster, as commonly designed and implemented, the use of diversity statements likely violates both First Amendment and academic freedom principles. Indeed, diversity statement requirements …

Correction On The Status Of Nematodes Pavidus Horn, 1886 (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Dromaeolinae: Dromaeolini), With Redescriptions Of Two Species From The Southeastern United States And The Caribbean, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

The status of Nematodes pavidus Horn (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae), in relation to Nematodes punctatus LeConte and Nematodes teres Horn is being questioned after Muona (2000) revised the family in the Nearctic region. Investigations into the status of N. pavidus included explorations of the histories among these three species and examining images of the types through the Museum of Comparative Zoology’s website. It has been confirmed that Muona erred by synonymizing N. pavidus with N. teres before transferring both N. punctatus and N. teres to Dromaeolus Kiesenwetter. A correction has been made by transferring N. pavidus …

Blue Exoskeleton, Aridity, And Thermoregulation In Some Western Nearctic Spider Wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae), Frank E. Kurczewski

Insecta Mundi

Several Nearctic spider wasp genera and subgenera in the subfamily Pompilinae (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) in the arid western United States and northern Mexico are characteristically blue, violet, or purple in color: Aporus Spinola; Plectraporus Bradley; Chelaporus Bradley; Psorthaspis Banks; Chalcochares Banks; Evagetes Lepeletier; and Allochares Banks. Other genera and subgenera of Pompilinae in western United States and northern Mexico have one or more bluish or violaceous species: Episyron Schiødte; Notiochares Banks; Pompilinus Ashmead; Anoplius Dufour; Hesperopompilus Evans; Ammosphex Wilcke; and Arachnospila Kincaid. In California, 27/79 (34.2%) species of Pompilinae are blue, violet, or purple. The number of blue, violet, or purple …

New State And Adult Host Records For Species Of Anthaxia Degeer And Melanophila Eschscholtz (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) In The Western United States, Richard L. Westcott, Luc Leblanc

Insecta Mundi

New state records are provided for one species of Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) Reitter, six species of Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) Richter, and one species of Melanophila Eschscholtz (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in the Western United States. One new adult host record is provided for Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) aeneogaster Gory and Laporte, two are provided for Melanophila atropurpurea (Say), and one for Phaenops intrusa (Horn).

On The Paratypes And Distribution Of Hemipeplus Quadricollis Pollock, 1999 (Coleoptera: Mycteridae: Hemipeplinae): Does It Occur In Peru?, Sajan Kc

Insecta Mundi

Hemipeplus quadricollis Pollock, 1999 (Coleoptera: Mycteridae: Hemipeplinae), was originally described from Rondonia State, Brazil, as its type locality, with 10 paratypes: eight from Brazil (Rondonia State) and two from Peru (Madre de Dios and Loreto departments). However, one of the paratypes from Peru (Madre de Dios) was later identified as a cryptic species, Hemipeplus pseudoquadricollis KC and Pollock, 2025. This raises questions about the single remaining paratype from Peru—whether the species truly occurs in Peru—and how many of the paratypes of H. quadricollis are actually H. quadricollis. In this study, all seven remaining paratypes of H. …

A New Species Of Allotriopsis Champion From Guatemala (Coleoptera: Elateridae), E. R. Fuller

Insecta Mundi

Abstract

Allotriopsis schusteri Fuller (Coleoptera: Elateridae), new species, is described from cloud forest habitat in Zacapa Department, Guatemala, and compared with Allotriopsis nasalis Champion from Quezaltenango Department, Guatemala.

Resumen

Se describe Allotriopsis schusteri Fuller (Coleoptera: Elateridae), nueva especie, del hábitat del bosque nuboso en el departamento de Zacapa, Guatemala, y se compara con Allotriopsis nasalis Champion del departamento de Quezaltenango, Guatemala.

Checklist Of The Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) Of Panama, Alfredo Lanuza-Garay, Miguel A. Monné

Insecta Mundi

Abstract

A checklist of the Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) of Panama is provided, including 1,031 species and subspecies distributed in 433 genera, 63 tribes and subtribes, and five subfamilies. In addition, provincial distribution data are provided for each species. The following new country records for Panama are reported: Ischioloncha lineata Bates, 1885 (Panama and Colon Province) (Lamiinae: Apomecynini), Oncideres macra Thomson, 1868 (Panama and Panama Oeste Province), Oncideres minuta Thomson, 1868 (Panama province, San Blas Comarca), Oncideres ochreostillata Dillon and Dillon, 1952 (Barro Colorado Island) (Lamiinae: Onciderini). A new province record is presented for Rileyellus panamensis Wappes and Santo-Silva, 2020 (Darien Province) …

Three New Species Of Lepidocyrtus Bourlet (Collembola: Entomobryidae) From Florida, Usa, And Descriptive Notes On Lepidocyrtus Floridensis Snider, Felipe N. Soto-Adames, Emily Jenks, Kathryn M. Daly

Insecta Mundi

Abstract

In North America, the genus Lepidocyrtus Bourlet (Collembola: Entomobryidae) is represented by 18 species, but only three (L. floridensis Snider, L. millsi Snider, and L. pallidus Reuter) have been reported from Florida. We investigated species diversity in leaf litter samples from counties in the north-central and southern part of the state, as the reportedly low species diversity in Florida may be due to under-sampling. As a result, in this contribution we describe three species of Lepidocyrtus new to science: L. bobwoodruffi Soto-Adames, Jenks and Daly, new species, L. brambilae Soto-Adames, Jenks and …

Descripción De Una Nueva Especie De Tetralicia Harrison (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) De Petén, Guatemala, José Francisco García-Ochaeta, Vicente Emilio Carapia-Ruiz

Insecta Mundi

Resumen

Se describe una nueva especie de Aleyrodidae, Tetralicia dubeyi Carapia-Ruiz y García-Ochaeta nueva especie, fue encontrada en el envés de las hojas de Hamelia patens Jacq. (Rubiaceae) en San José, Jobompiche, Petén, Guatemala. Esta nueva especie es incluida en el grupo abnormis del género Tetralicia Harrison. Se ilustran con fotografías las estructuras morfológicas del pupario, se discute la relación con especies cercanas y se proporciona una clave para la identificación de los grupos y especies del grupo abnormis.

Abstract

A new species of Aleyrodidae, Tetralicia dubeyi Carapia-Ruiz y García-Ochaeta new species, was found on the underside of the …

Habitat Definition For Pepsis Elegans Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae: Pepsinae), Frank E. Kurczewski

Insecta Mundi

Recent (2024) photographs of Pepsis elegans Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae: Pepsinae) females searching through plant litter disclosed no clues about its nesting behavior or host spider. However, coupled with geographic site locations, they reveal important habitat information. The various site locations are specifically defined as part of the Eastern Temperate Forests Level I Ecoregion of North America, numerous Level III Ecoregions of the Continental United States, several United States Forest Type Groups, and natural habitat designation of mesic open woodland.

A Taxonomic Note On Lecanium Vaccinii Macrocarpum Nomen Dubium Status, Rhys J. L. Campo, Barbara D. Denno, Douglass R. Miller

Insecta Mundi

Lecanium vaccinii macrocarpum Goethe, 1884 (Hemiptera: Coccidae) is a subspecies of which the original description is inconsistent with its current taxonomic placement, and its recorded synonymy with other species is questionable. The original type material is likely lost or destroyed. For these reasons, L. vaccinii macrocarpum is proposed to be treated as nomen dubium.

New Host Record Of Dahlibruchus Bridwell, 1931 On Cultivated Dahlia Cav. In Mexico And Description Of Two New Species (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), Jesús Romero Nápoles

Insecta Mundi

Dahlibruchus Bridwell is a genus in the family Bruchidae (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea) and all species have as host plants species in the genus Dahlia Cav. (Asteraceae). Usually they arrive on hosts when flowers appear and start feeding on nectar and pollen; later females lay eggs on bracts, and a few weeks later the adults emerge. Presently, the genus Dahlibruchus contains three species. The description of two new ones (Dahlibruchus castroi, new species and Dahlibruchus ruizi, new species) brings this number to five. A key to all species is presented. Dahlibruchus conradti Bridwell is recorded for the first …

Descriptions Of Four New Species Of Leptophloeus Casey (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) From The United States, Michael C. Thomas, Kyle E. Schnepp

Insecta Mundi

Four new species of Leptophloeus Casey (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) are described: L. barbarus Thomas and Schnepp is described from Florida; L. glacialis Thomas and Schnepp is described from Alaska; L. peregrinus Thomas and Schnepp is described from Hawaii; and L. shoshone Thomas and Schnepp is described from Wyoming. Diagnoses and figures are provided for the new species.

A Review Of The Genus Necydalis Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) From North America With Proposed Subgeneric Reclassification, Daniel Heffern, Tatsuya Niisato, Ronald Alten

Insecta Mundi

All North American species of Necydalis Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) are removed from the nominotypical subgenus with species allocated into four subgenera: Neodalis Niisato new subgenus, Heterodalis Niisato new subgenus, Mesodalis Niisato new subgenus and Necydalisca Plavilstshikov, 1936. Neodalis and Heterodalis are endemic to the Nearctic, whereas Mesodalis and Necydalisca also occur in the Palearctic. Necydalis (Neodalis) copei Niisato, Heffern and Alten new species is described from Nevada, USA. Necydalis californica Linsley, 1940 new status is elevated from a subspecies of N. diversicollis Schaeffer, 1932 to full species status. Male terminalia of all species are …

Living A Lie: The Truth Behind Isohydnocera Curtipennis (Newman) And Other Historically Confused Species Of Phyllobaenus Dejean, With The Description Of The New Genus Neohydnocera (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae: Hydnocerini: Hydnocerina), John M. Leavengood Jr.

Insecta Mundi

Taxonomic changes in the New World Hydnocerina (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae: Hydnocer­ini) at the species and genus level are presented. Phyllobaenus suturalis (Klug, 1842) and Hydnocera limbata Spinola, 1844 are designated junior synonyms of P. pallipennis (Say, 1825), new synonymy. Phyllobaenus nigrescens (Schaeffer, 1909) is designated a junior synonym of P. verticalis (Say, 1835), new synonymy. Iso­hydnocera curtipennis (Newman, 1840), P. lineaticollis Spinola, 1844, and Clerus brachypterus Klug, 1842, are re-established as junior synonyms of P. verticalis (Say, 1835), status reinstated, and I. curtipennis is accordingly reassigned to Phyllobaenus Dejean as P. curtipennis …

The First Species Of Prococcophagus Silvestri (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) From America North Of Mexico, Zachary Lahey, Alvin M. Simmons, Sharon A. Andreason

Insecta Mundi

Prococcophagus tobiasi (Myartseva) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) is newly recorded from the state of Florida. This represents the first record of the genus Prococcophagus Silvestri in the United States. Amendments are made to the original description based on the newly collected specimens, and the species is placed in the context of the genus based on a phylogenetic analysis of 28S rDNA. The status of the specimens comprising the type series is discussed and notes are made on the unusual coloration exhibited by living specimens.

First Report Of Corn Leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) In The Usa Midwest Suction Trap Network, Doris M. Lagos-Kutz, Isabel Plasencia, Christopher H. Dietrich, Joseph Laforest, Brian Mccornack, Erin Hodgson, Raul T. Villanueva, Nicholas J. Seiter, Anthony M. Mcmechan, Michael S. Crossley, Steven J. Clough

Insecta Mundi

Corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLong and Wolcott) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is native to Central and South America, but invasive in the United States. This species is a threat to corn, Zea mays L., one of the main crops of economic importance in the US, because it is also a vector of three pathogens responsible for corn stunt diseases complex: corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS), maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MBSP), and maize rayado fino virus (MRFV). Therefore, monitoring the dispersal of this pest is necessary to document its geographic expansion and anticipate the incidence of corn stunt disease. Based on trap catches obtained …

Distributional Records Of False Click Beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) From Western North Carolina, John M. Leavengood Jr., Robert L. Otto, Mary Kait Brown

Insecta Mundi

Two new state records (North Carolina) and eight total species of false click beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) are reported from a survey site in western North Carolina. Updated distributions are provided for each species.

Tetraleurodes Gilli (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodidae), A New Whitefly Species On Quercus L. From California, Natalia Von Ellenrieder

Insecta Mundi

Abstract

A new species of Tetraleurodes Cockerell (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodidae), T. gilli, occurring on Quercus L. (Fagaceae) in California is described and illustrated based on its puparium, adults, and nymphs. The puparium of the new species can be recognized from that of other black whiteflies devoid of dorsal wax that occur on oaks by the combination of a filamentous marginal wax fringe as wide as a third to full width of puparium, cephalothoracic setal formula 1 0 1 1, longitudinal suture margined by tubercles, presence of eyespots, a concentric dorsal submarginal fold, ventral spinules medially to legs decreasing …

Wife, Mother, Worst Of The Worst: America’S Death Penalty Schemes As Gendered And Arbitrary, Abby Slyter

Nebraska Law Review

The legal landscape surrounding capital punishment in the United States has evolved significantly since its inception, and women’s status on death row has not been left untouched by these developments. Following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Furman v. Georgia, the constitutionality of the death penalty as it applies to women has faced increased scrutiny.

This Comment explores the history of capital punishment for women, the status of women on death row as of March 2024, and analyzes capital punishment sentencing as a gendered process through the Chivalry and Evil Woman Theories. An examination of Furman and subsequent cases …

Art Teams: Teaching With Arts And Emerging Media Year 3 Infographic, Azadeh Hassani, Hyeonjin Yoon, Guy Trainin, Kimberley D'Adamo, Jiabin Lyu

Research and Evaluation in Education, Technology, Art, and Design

Grant annual report, year 3, infographic

Universty of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2025

Art TEAMS, Year 3: Supporting K-12 Teachers through the Integration of Arts-centered Practices and Emerging Media

Art Teams Grant Report Year 4, Guy Trainin, Kimberley D'Adamo, Hyeonjin Yoon, Azadeh Hassani, Zohreh Tamimdari, Jiabin Lyu, Michael Nti Ababio, Sarah Trainin

Research and Evaluation in Education, Technology, Art, and Design

Year Four of the Art TEAMs grant was designed to continue the professional learning for cohort two while following cohort one to measure implementation sustainability. Our second cohort of educators is excited about the program. It brings great diversity in art forms, including five ceramics teachers, a digital media teacher, and generalists from career and technical education and family and consumer science. This diversity of teaching domains helps illustrate the versatility and impact of the arts across K-12 curricula. We have revamped our professional learning curriculum and the process of learning from the educators who take part in the program. …

Court Review: Journal Of The American Judges Association, Vol. 61, No. 1, Eve M. Brank, David J. Dreyer, Reba Page

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

Contents

We Need Cvility Now More Than Ever, Benes Z. Aldana

Bias of Work-Related Psychological Claims, Melissa Lin Jones

An AI Primer for Judges, Joseph Regalia

Editor’s Note

President’s Column, Vincent L. Johnson

Thoughts from Canada: The Supreme Court of Canada Considers the Application of the Common Law “Exigent Circumstances” Doctrine to the Warrantless Searches of Electronic Devices, Wayne K. Gorman

Crossword: Four 38-acrosses, Victor Fleming

Court Review Author Submission Guidelines

The Resource Page

What Judges Can Do about Implicit Bias: Evidence-based Recommendations and Practices, Jerry Kang

When One Door Closes: Legal Education And Racial Justice After Students For Fair Admissions, Michael I. Meyerson

Nebraska Law Review

In Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, the Supreme Court ruled that the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited colleges and universities from using race as a factor in admissions decisions. Many have feared that this ruling portends the end of racial diversity in higher education. Law schools, however, can choose to treat this decision as creating a fresh opportunity to pursue racial justice in a comprehensive and meaningful way. Most of the early scholarly writing on Students for Fair Admissions focused on either its …

Wrongful Birth After Dobbs And The Limits Of Tort Law In Areas Of Dissensus, E. Travis Ramey

Nebraska Law Review

As the abortion debate has raged in this country, a secondary debate over wrongful birth has accompanied it. Wrongful birth is a medical-malpractice-like claim brought by parents who allege that a medical provider negligently failed to provide accurate information about the fetus and that had they received accurate information they would have terminated the pregnancy. Courts rejected the tort theory until Roe v. Wade was decided. Post-Roe, courts were heavily divided over whether to recognize the claim and what damages were recoverable. Now, after Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the continued viability of wrongful birth is …

Incentivizing Accelerated Federal Student Loan Repayment, A Small Change, Steve Lydick

Nebraska Law Review

This Comment suggests incentivizing accelerated repayment as a practical solution to provide relief to stakeholders in the federal student loan program. By using its existing legal authority, the Department of Education can permit borrowers to satisfy their loan obligations through partial overpayments. This strategy allows borrowers to play a more active role in expediting their loan repayment, benefiting both the borrowers and the Department.

I. Introduction

II. Postsecondary Education and Federal Student Loans ... A. Student Loans & the Federal Government: World War II through 2005 … B. Expanded Student Loan Repayment Options from 2005 to Today

III. Federal Student …