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Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, September 23, 2013, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Education Policies Committee Annual Report - Larry Smith
• Libraries Advisory Council Report - Jennifer Duncan
• Parking Committee Report - James Nye
• Honors Program Report - Nick Morrison
• Recent changes to the Honors Program - Noelle Cockett
• PRPC Section 402, Language on RCDE, USU Eastern, and GSS (Second Reading) - Stephen Bialkowski
• EPC Items - Larry Smith
• Discussions on Disposition of Unfinished Business from 2012-2013 - Yanghee Kim

The Utah Statesman, September 10, 2013, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student Newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Membrane Lipid-Modulated Mechanism Of Action And Non-Cytotoxicity Of Novel Fungicide Aminoglycoside Fg08, Sanjib Shrestha, Michelle Grilley, Marina Y. Fosso, Cheng-Wei Tom Chang, Jon Y. Takemoto

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

A novel aminoglycoside, FG08, that differs from kanamycin B only by a C8 alkyl chain at the 4″-O position, was previously reported. Unlike kanamycin B, FG08 shows broad-spectrum fungicidal but not anti-bacterial activities. To understand its specificity for fungi, the mechanism of action of FG08 was studied using intact cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and small unilamellar membrane vesicles. With exposure to FG08 (30 µg mL−1), 8-fold more cells were stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate, cells had 4 to 6-fold higher K+ efflux rates, and 18-fold more cells were stained with SYTOX Green in comparison to exposure to kanamycin B …

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes, September 5, 2013, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

General University

• Prefix Change

Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

• Title Change, Credit Hour Change, Prerequisite Change, Course Description Change
• Delete Course

Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences

• New Course

Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education

• New Course
• Prerequisite Change
• University Studies Request

Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation

• New Course

Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation

• New Course

Department of Biological Engineering

• New Course

Department of Computer Science

• Prerequisite Change

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Course Description Change
• Delete Course

Department of Engineering Education

• Title Change

Department of History

• University Studies Request

Department of …

The Utah Statesman, September 5, 2013, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda, September 5, 2013, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

General University

• Prefix Change

Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

• Title Change, Credit Hour Change, Prerequisite Change, Course Description Change
• Delete Course

Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences

• New Course

Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education

• New Course
• Prerequisite Change
• University Studies Request

Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation

• New Course

Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation

• New Course

Department of Biological Engineering

• New Course

Department of Computer Science

• Prerequisite Change

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Course Description Change
• Delete Course

Department of Engineering Education

• Title Change

Department of History

• University Studies Request

Department of …

Female Elk Contacts Are Neither Frequency Nor Density Dependent, P. C. Cross, T. G. Creech, Michael Ryan Ebinger, Kezia R. Manlove, K. Irvine, J. Henningsen, J. Rogerson, B. M. Scurlock, S. Creel

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Identifying drivers of contact rates among individuals is critical to understanding disease dynamics and implementing targeted control measures. We studied the interaction patterns of 149 female elk (Cervus canadensis) distributed across five different regions of western Wyoming over three years, defining a contact as an approach within one body length (∼2 m). Using hierarchical models that account for correlations within individuals, pairs, and groups, we found that pairwise contact rates within a group declined by a factor of three as group sizes increased 33-fold. Per capita contact rates, however, increased with group size according to a power function, such that …

Dispersal Behavior Of A Polygynous Carnivore: Do Cougars Follow Source-Sink Prediction?, David C. Stoner, Michael L. Wolfe, Clint Mecham, Mclain B. Mecham, Susan L. Durham, David M. Choate

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The source-sink model of population dynamics predicts that density drives emigration of subordinate animals to habitats offering lower competition for resources. Several authors have suggested use of this model as a potential framework for conservation of exploited carnivores when precise enumeration is unfeasible. Dispersal is a critical behavioural mechanism for management based on this model, yet there is a lack of knowledge on the habitat and social conditions that motivate carnivore emigration and settlement. The cougar Puma concolor is a widely distributed and heavily exploited carnivore, indigenous to the western hemisphere. We evaluated patterns in cougar dispersal behaviour from two …

Improving Resilience In Mixed Farming Systems To Pending Climate Change In Far Western Nepal, D. Layne Coppock

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) exercises were conducted in four cluster-VDCs in Bajura district, Far Western Nepal from May 19 to June 8, 2013. These exercises were undertaken to gain a better understanding of community resources and to identify opportunities that will assist these rural farming communities to cope with and adapt to climate change. Ten key tools were applied during the PRA exercise in each community cluster: Social Resource Map, Transect Walks, Farm Sketches, Disadvantaged Group mapping, Historical Community Timelines, Gender Daily Calendar, Seasonal Farming Calendars, Institutional/Stakeholders Analysis (Venn Diagrams) and Focused Group Discussion.

Can Cows Eat Snow?, Jim Keyes

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes situations where cattle can survive on snow without having any other watagriculer supply.

The Benefits Of Tannin-Containing Forages, Jennifer W. Macadam, Joe Brummer, Anowarul Islam, Glenn Shewmaker

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes tannins, a group of chemical compounds produced by a number of broadleaf forage plants, that can bind proteins.

What Makes A Good Bull?, James Keyes

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes the importance of a good sire and how to select one.

Horse Marketing: Answers And Options, Jim Keyes

All Current Publications

As marketing a horse in today's world can be difficult, information on marketing options in provided, including preparing a horse for sale and realistic horse values.

Temporal Contingency, C. R. Gallistel, Andrew R. Craig, Timothy A. Shahan

Psychology Faculty Publications

Contingency, and more particularly temporal contingency, has often figured in thinking about the nature of learning. However, it has never been formally defined in such a way as to make it a measure that can be applied to most animal learning protocols. We use elementary information theory to define contingency in such a way as to make it a measurable property of almost any conditioning protocol. We discuss how making it a measurable construct enables the exploration of the role of different contingencies in the acquisition and performance of classically and operantly conditioned behavior.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, August 26, 2013, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Graduate Council Report
• Research Council Report
• Election of new Committee on Committees Member
• PRPC Section 402, Language on RCDE and USU Eastern
• Post Tenure Review process revision update (e.g. results of straw poll vote)

Periphyton And Phytoplankton Chlorophyll A Levels In The Little Bear River And Hyrum Reservoir, Utah, Katie Fisher

Natural Resources and Environmental Issues

This study was conducted to assess the applicability of the River Continuum and Serial Discontinuity Concepts to the Little Bear River, using chlorophyll a values along the gradient of the river and within Hyrum Reservoir. Periphyton was analyzed from seven sites and phytoplankton from nine sites (including Hyrum Reservoir) in September 2012. The lower parts of the Little Bear River is heavily influenced by agricultural and anthropogenic sources of nutrients and other pollution, creating poor water quality in its lower reaches. Periphyton levels in the river increased along the gradient, peaking just below Hyrum reservoir, and then decreased with distance …

Algal Nutrient Limitation Throughout The Little Bear River Watershed, Jared Baker

Natural Resources and Environmental Issues

The objective of this study was to use a 5 day bioassay experiment to assess whether nitrogen or phosphorus limited the growth of algae in the Little Bear River watershed. Four sites were sampled along the river in September 2012. The locations of the sites were south of Avon (Station 2), near Paradise, UT (Station 6), downstream of Hyrum Reservoir (Station 7), and downstream of the Waste Water Treatment Facility in Wellsville (Station 10). Chlorophyll a analysis was conducted prior to, after 2.5 days, and at the conclusion of the 5 days. Varying combinations of nitrogen and phosphorus were added …

Studying Light Pollution In And Around Tucson, Az, Rachel K. Nydegger

Physics Capstone Projects

Eight housed data logging Sky Quality Meters (SQMs) are being used to gather light pollution data in southern Arizona: one at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) in Tucson, four located at cardinal points at the outskirts of the city, and three situated on surrounding mountain tops. To examine specifically the effect of artificial lights, the data are reduced to exclude four natural contributors to lighting the night sky, namely, the sun, the moon, and the Milky Way. Faulty data (i.e., when certain parameters were met) were also excluded. Data were subsequently analyzed by a recently developed night sky brightness …

Using Field-Level Characteristics As Proxy Measures To Test For The Presence Of Economies Of Scale In Nonpoint Pollution Control, Arthur J. Caplan, John Gilbert, Devalina Chatterjee

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

We use parametric and nonparametric methods to estimate correlations between average control cost and three field-level characteristics—field size and delivered phosphorous per field and per acre—as proxies for economies of scale in controlling nonpoint pollution. We combine load and delivery-ratio estimates for more than 12,000 fields in the Bear River Basin, Utah, with estimates of control costs and effectiveness of management practices from the literature. Results suggest a negative relationship between control cost and delivered phosphorous per field and per acre. Ranking fields by phosphorous load therefore prioritizes management-practice subsidies by economies of scale.

Preventative Behavioral Parent Training In A Primary Care Context: Initial Evaluation Of A Universal Prevention Program For Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Jessica L. Malmberg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

One of the biggest challenges parents face is effectively managing their child’s engagement in various disruptive behaviors including noncompliance, tantrums, and aggression. Typically when children begin exhibiting disruptive behaviors, parents will express their concerns to their pediatricians; however, there are significant barriers to parents gaining adequate guidance due to clinic time constraints, insurance reimbursement issues, and the limited training pediatricians receive in addressing these concerns. As such, children are generally referred to outside mental health clinics where additional barriers arise including waitlist delays and mental health stigmatization. The treatment for conduct problems (CP) that has proven most effective is referred …

Invasive Plants In U. S. National Wildlife Refuges: A Coordinated Research Project Using Undergraduate Ecology Students, Martha F. Hoopes, David M. Marsh, Karen H. Beard, Nisse Goldberg, Alberto Aparicio, Annie Arbuthnot, Benjamin Hixon, Danelle Laflower, Lucas Lee, Amanda Little, Emily Mooney, April Pallette, Alison Ravenscraft, Stephen Scheele, Kyle Stowe, Colin Sykes, Robert Watson, Blia Yang

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Answering large-scale questions in ecology can involve time-consuming data compilation. We show how networks of undergraduate classes can make these projects more manageable and provide an authentic research experience for students. With this approach, we examined the factors associated with plant species richness in US national wildlife refuges. We found that the richness of harmful invasive plants and the richness of native plants were positively correlated in mainland refuges but negatively correlated in island refuges. Nonnative richness and invasive richness were also positively correlated with colonization pressure as indicated by nonnative richness around each refuge. Associations between refuge characteristics and …

Utilizing Remote Sensing And Geospatial Techniques To Determine Detection Probabilities Of Large Mammals, Patricia A. Terletzky-Gese

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Whether a species is rare and requires protection or is overabundant and needs control, an accurate estimate of population size is essential for the development of conservation plans and management goals. Wildlife science has traditionally relied on human observers in airplanes, helicopter, or ground vehicles to count the number of individuals seen during wildlife surveys. However, these traditional surveys of wildlife require significant resources, are difficult to conduct quickly and safely over remote and/or extensive locations, are disruptive to the studied species, and are prone to significant error due to unobserved or missed animals and multiple counts of single animals. …

Characteristics Of 4-H Participants And Their Psychosocial Development, Lauralee Lyons

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Volunteerism is an important component in the 4-H program. It was initially used as a method to help agents reach the many youth interested in participating in 4-H. Community service has since become a required component for every club project. Research shows that volunteering can impact youth in many different ways. Other research shows that 4-H youth are more likely to contribute or do some type of community service.

The present study uses the Modified Extended Version of the Object Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOMEIS), the Cognitive Autonomy and Self-Evaluation (CASE) inventory, and an instrument specifically designed to study …

Common Raven Density And Greater Sage-Grouse Nesting Success In Southern Wyoming: Potential Conservation And Management Implications, Jonathan B. Dinkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Declines in the distribution and abundance of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter "sage-grouse") in western North America over the past century have been severe. The goal of my research was to increase the understanding of factors influencing where sage-grouse hens placed their nests, how common ravens (Corvus corax: hereafter "raven") impacted sage-grouse nest success, and whether high raptor densities negatively impacted hen survival of sage-grouse. I compared raven and raptor densities at sage-grouse nest and brood locations to available habitat. I also assessed how sage-grouse positioned their nests and broods relative to proximity to man-made structures, …

A Rhetorical Analysis Of Strategic Communication In The Amalga Barrens Wetlands Controversy, Laura Vernon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Laura Vernon conducts a study to discover how, against the odds, the Bridgerland Audubon Society (BAS), located in Cache Valley, Utah, influenced a change in public policy regarding the Amalga Barrens reservoir proposal. In 1991, the state of Utah proposed developing the Bear River in northern Utah and constructing an off-stream storage facility (a reservoir) on the wetlands known as the Barrens near the town of Amalga. The Barrens served as a bird habitat for migrating shorebirds and waterfowl. In the late 1990s, BAS led a grassroots effort to remove the Barrens as a proposed site from the Bear River …

Jack London: Landscape, Love, And Place, Kristin Yoshiko Ladd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In Jack London: Landscape, Love, and Place, American Studies theories and methods formed the prime basis for analysis of London's biography, historical context, and literary significance. Particularly, the ideas of agrarianism, the Turner Thesis moment, Western literature, American masculinity, Victorian ideals, and sustainable farm practices in America were used to understand London's motivations for writing and creating his farm, his influence on American literature, and his texts' abilities to open avenues between literature and place-based education. Key concepts that influenced how London's works could be incorporated into and applied to didactic theory included David Sobel's seminal works in place-based education. …

Climate Change And Plant Demography In The Sagebrush Steppe, Aldo Compagnoni

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We used demographic methods to address one of the main challenges facing ecological science: forecasting the effect of climate change on plant communities. Ecological forecasts will be crucial to inform long-term planning in wildland management and demographic methods are ideal to quantify changes in plant abundance. We carried out our research in the sagebrush steppe, one of the most extensive plant ecosystems of Western North America. Our research intended to inform ecological forecasts on an exotic invader, cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). Moreover, we investigated the general question asking: to what degree competition among plants influences the outcome of ecological …

Selected Neuropharmacology Of Resurgence, Adam D. Pyszczynski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The reemergence of problem behavior (i.e., relapse) is a key concern in most behavioral interventions. Resurgence refers to the reappearance of a previously rewarded behavior when reward for an alternative behavior is also discontinued. It is especially relevant to the reappearance of problem behavior because many behavioral interventions discontinue reward for aberrant behavior while simultaneously rewarding an appropriate response.

Understanding the underlying neuropharmacology of behavioral phenomena such as resurgence is important because it helps elucidate the neural processes at the root of such behavior, and also has implications for pharmacotherapies. Existing information about the neuropharmacology of resurgence is scarce, but …

Presence And Function Of Tetrodotoxin In Terrestrial Vertebrates And Invertebrates, Amber N. Stokes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin found in a variety of species. This toxin has long been of concern to human health as it is found in puffer fish, which are a delicacy in Japan. Since the distribution of this toxin is so great, there are many questions regarding the evolution and ecology of organisms that have TTX. My research has focused on further investigating three topics with this research: production, predation, and identification of novel TTX bearing taxa. In order to perform this research I first refined a Competitive Inhibition Enzymatic Immunoassay methodology to quantify levels of TTX in …

Modeling Habitat Use Of A Fringe Greater Sage-Grouse Population At Multiple Spatial Scales, Anya Cheyenne Burnett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) are a prominent bird species of sagebrush-dominated landscapes across the western United States. Over the past 15 years, sage-grouse have gained international attention due to decreasing population trends despite management efforts. In 2010 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated this species as warranted for listing under the Endangered Species Act, but the listing was precluded by other species at higher conservation risk. Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation have been implicated as primary sources of declines in sage-grouse distribution and abundance. The Bald Hills population in southwestern Utah occupies an area with …