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Educational Policies Committee Agenda, February 4, 2021, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Subcommittee Reports

• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee

Other Business

• Missing course descriptions (missing descriptions/examples)
• Institutional Certificates

Self-Reported Ptsd Symptoms And Social Support In U.S. Military Service Members And Veterans: A Meta-Analysis, Rebecca K. Blais, Vanessa Tirone, Daria Orlowska, Ashton Lofgreen, Brian Klassen, Philip Held, Natalie Stevens, Alyson K. Zalta

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: The mental health burden of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is high in U.S. military samples. Social support is one of the most robust protective factors against PTSD and a recent meta-analysis indicates that this relationship is even stronger in military samples compared to civilian samples. Yet no meta-analyses have explored factors impacting this association in veterans and military service members (VSMs).

Objective: The current meta-analysis examined demographic, social support, and military characteristics that may moderate the relationship of PTSD severity and social support among U.S. VSMs.

Method: A search identified 37 cross-sectional studies, representing 38 unique samples with a …

Social And Cultural Dynamics Of Non-Native Invasive Species, John Schelhas, Janice Alexander, Mark W. Brunson, Tommy Cabe, Alycia Crall, Michael J. Dockry, Marla R. Emery, Susan J. Frankel, Nina Hapner, Caleb R. Hickman, Rebecca Jordan, Michael J. Lavoie, Zhao Ma, Joe Starinchak, Jelena Vukomanovic

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Invasive species and their management represent a complex issue spanning social and ecological systems. Invasive species present existing and potential threats to the nature of ecosystems and the products and services that people receive from them. Humans can both cause and address problems through their complex interactions with ecosystems. Yet, public awareness of invasive species and their impact is highly uneven, and public support for management and control of invasive species can be variable. Public perceptions often differ markedly from the perspectives of concerned scientists, and perceptions and support for management are influenced by a wide range of social and …

Reviewing Tools For Evaluating K-12 Instructional Materials Through An Implementation Lens, Kristen R. Rolf, Sarah E. Pinkelman, Kaitlin Bundock

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

This review examined how state-created tools for evaluating instructional materials support local schools and school districts to address implementation when adopting instructional materials. We followed a priori, systematic procedures to conduct a web search and visit each state’s department of education website in search of instructional materials evaluation tools. After identifying all of the state-created instructional materials evaluation tools in the areas of English/language arts and mathematics, we reviewed the tools and coded them for evidence of alignment with the six implementation indicators defined by the Hexagon Tool (Metz and Louison, The Hexagon Tool: exploring context. Based on Kiser, Zabel, …

Community Agriculture: Concepts, Models, And Impacts, Bayli Hanson, Roslynn Brain Mccann, Sean Damitz

All Current Publications

Community agriculture initiatives are often run by organizations (1) relying on volunteer structures; (2) growing produce sustainably; and (3) aiming to improve health and access to food in their communities. To clarify “growing produce sustainably,” the Utah Conservation Corps Urban Community Farm (UCC UCF) (a volunteer and AmeriCorps-driven community agriculture model based in Logan, Utah) engages in regenerative agriculture practices, which are reviewed in this fact sheet. Community agriculture benefits and challenges are explored.

Understanding The Transient Nature Of Stem Doctoral Students’ Research Self-Efficacy Across Time: Considering The Role Of Gender, Race, And First-Generation College Status, Kaylee Litson, Jennifer M. Blaney, David F. Feldon

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Developing research self-efficacy is an important part of doctoral student preparation. Despite the documented importance of research self-efficacy, little is known about the progression of doctoral students’ research self-efficacy over time in general and for students from minoritized groups. This study examined both within- and between-person stability of research self-efficacy from semester to semester over 4 years, focusing on doctoral students in biological sciences (N = 336). Using random intercept autoregressive analyses, we evaluated differences in stability across gender, racially minoritized student status, and first-generation student status. Results showed similar mean levels of self-efficacy across demographic groups and across …

The Utah Statesman, January 19, 2021, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Faculty Senate Agenda, January 11, 2021, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC Monthly Report – December 3, 2020
• HR 385 Code Change (redline-summary-final)
• Council on Teacher Education Annual Report
• Scholarship Advisory Board Annual Report
• Ombudsperson Report
• USU Promotion and Tenure Process Survey
• USU Response to Dixie State University Resolution

(Info)Graphically Inclined: A Framework Of Infographic Learning, Jennifer M. Smith, Marla K. Robertson

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

Infographics are appearing in children’s magazines, picture books, and informational texts. Understanding, and ultimately creating, these complex visual representations of information or data requires higher level thinking skills to analyze and understand how the text and graphics work together to convey meaning. The authors provide a framework for infographic exploration, investigation, creation, and integration into larger writing pieces. Each phase of the framework includes specific considerations to assist teachers in scaffolding their students’ infographic learning. Providing students with support through exposure to many types of infographics and modeling infographic interpretation prepares students to critically examine and use infographics as they …

Our Potential: A Collection Of Essays From Aggie First Scholars, Volume 1, Aggie First Scholars

Our Potential

A collection of essays from first-generation college students at Utah State University.

Investigating Financial Biases That Can Increase Impact On Paying Bills And Saving, Lucy M. Delgadillo

Applied Sciences, Technology and Education Faculty Publications

This article explores financial biases and their relation to financial management behaviors. Using cognitive, evolutionary psychology, and behavioral finance theories, this study suggests that biases can be intentionally used to our benefit. The study shows statistically significant associations between some biases and financial management practices such as paying bills on time and saving regularly in the surveyed sample. The study provides insights into intentionally using financial biases to increase impact and success by helping individuals commit to the best course of action or choose the least costly financial alternative.

History Of Speech Communication And Communication Studies At Utah State University 1890-2000, Harold J. Kinzer

Faculty

This history of the Communications Department at USU, written by Emeritus Professor Harold J. Kinzer, covers early speech instruction at the University, the involvement of women in speech instructions, and the development of the Communications Department throughout University history. Biographies of select faculty are also included.

Voices Of Usu: An Anthology Of Student Writing, Vol. 14, Utah State University Department Of English

Voices of USU

This collection of student writing represents the voices of over 2,000 students who enroll each academic year in Utah State University’s second-year composition course, Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode. Voices of USU celebrates excellence in writing by providing undergraduate students of diverse backgrounds and disciplines the opportunity to have their work published.

Utah State Magazine, Winter 2021, Utah State University

Utah State Magazine

The quarterly magazine for friends and alumni of Utah State University.

The Violence Of Competing Masculinities In Emilia Pardo Bazán’S Los Pazos De Ulloa, Zachary Erwin

Decimonónica

Emilia Pardo Bazán’s Los pazos de Ulloa (1886) takes place in rural Galicia against the backdrop of Spain’s Revolution of 1868. Its plot is largely told through the eyes of Julián Álvarez, a young priest who travels from Santiago de Compostela to the once-grand and now- decaying Ulloa estate to become its new chaplain. There, he finds Pedro Moscoso, the de facto marquis of Ulloa, who is dominated by the estate’s peasant majordomo, Primitivo, and who has fathered an illegitimate son with his maid, Sabel, Primitivo’s daughter. Pedro marries his wealthy cousin, Nucha, in hopes of shoring up the Ulloa …

Shifting Critical Approaches To The Elusive Jewishness Of María By Jorge Isaacs, Naomi Lindstrom

Decimonónica

This study examines and evaluates the ways in which critics have dealt with the question of a Jewish thematic current, self-awareness, or perspective in the much-reprinted 1867 novel María by the Colombian writer Jorge Isaacs (1837-1895). While scholars have long exhibited an awareness of Isaacs’s paternal Jewish descent and at times made observations concerning Jewish references or a Jewish outlook in the novel, it was Doris Sommer’s 1989 article “El mal de María: (Con)fusión en un romance nacional,” later included in her influential Foundational Fictions: The National Romances of Latin America (1991), that launched the current discussion over Jewish themes …

Mental Health Awareness And Advocacy Assessment Tool (Mhaa-At), Ty B. Aller, Elizabeth B. Fauth, Joshua R. Novak, Sarah Schwartz

Human Development and Family Studies Faculty Publications

The Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy Assessment Tool l (MHAA-AT) consists of three types of items: 1) declarative knowledge items (30 items); 2) self-efficacy items (20 items); and 3) behavior items (15 items). These items are then divided into the three micro-processes that define mental health literacy: a) identifying mental health issues; b) locating evidence-based resources; and c) responding to mental health issues (see Figure 1 below).

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Of Online-Delivered Act-Enhanced Behavior Therapy For Trichotillomania In Adolescents, Michael P. Twohig, Julie M. Petersen, Jeremiah Fruge, Clarissa W. Ong, Jennifer L. Barney, Jennifer Krafft, Eric B. Lee, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Student Research

Treatment of adolescent trichotillomania is understudied, and treatment providers are difficult to find. In this pilot study, we compared ACT-enhanced behavior therapy to a waitlist, with treatment delivered over Zoom, to 28 adolescents who met criteria for trichotillomania. This study partially occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. A detailed description of the treatment protocol is provided for ACT-enhanced behavior therapy adapted to a Zoom format for adolescents. Pretreatment assessments were completed over Zoom by an assessor unaware of study condition; pretreatment and posttreatment questionnaires were completed online. Results indicated that therapy was delivered with fidelity and competence over Zoom, with 100% …

Ehealth Parent Education For Hearing Aid Management: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Karen F. Muñoz, Guadalupe G. San Miguel, Tyson S. Barrett, Courtney Kasin, Kelsey Baughman, Bailey Reynolds, Caitlyn Ritter, Makynzie Larsen, John J. Whicker, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Student Research

Objective: Parents frequently experience challenges implementing daily routines important for consistent hearing aid management. Education that supports parents in learning new information and gaining confidence is essential for intervention success. We conducted a pilot study to test an eHealth program to determine if we could implement the program with adherence and affect important behavioral outcomes compared to treatment as usual.

Design: Randomized controlled trial

Study sample: Parents of children birth to 42 months who use hearing aids. Eighty-two parents were randomly assigned to the intervention or treatment-as-usual group. Four parents assigned to the intervention group did not continue after baseline …

Integrating Storytelling Into The Theory And Practice Of Contextual Behavioral Science, Carter H. Davis, Brandon A. Gaudiano, Louise Mchugh, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Student Research

The practice of generating and interpreting stories can be examined through a behavioral lens and has many potential implications for clinical practice. However, storytelling has for the most part yet to be integrated into the field of contextual behavioral science (CBS). A bedrock of human culture, storytelling has influenced both individual behavior and intergroup cooperation for millennia. Basic principles of relational frame theory, such as those pertaining to coherence, perspective-taking, and the transformation of stimulus function, may help to reveal how stories derive their psychological impact. In turn, understanding storytelling from a CBS perspective can facilitate the broader integration of …

Organizational Effectiveness Measures And Their Relationship To Donor Contributions, James T. Morton, Chris Hanna

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between organizational effectiveness measures and donor contributions for National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletic departments. For this study, donor contributions were used as a proxy for donors’ perception of organizational effectiveness for these athletic departments. Using a combination of the goals attainment model (Price, 1972) and the strategic constituencies model (Connolly, Conlon, & Deutsch, 1980) the effectiveness measures used were athletic performance, student athlete welfare, and student athlete academic success. The whole of Division I, as well as the three subdivisions, were examined for the five-year period from 2013 …

Common Raven Impacts On Nesting Western Snowy Plovers: Integrating Management To Facilitate Species Recovery, Cheryl Strong, Kriss K. Neuman, Jenny L. Hutchinson, Jamie K. Miller, Amber L. Clark, Lena Chang, Joanna Iwanicha, Elizabeth Feucht, Matthew J. Lau, David J. Lauten, Sarah Markegard, Benjamin Pearl, David L. Sherer, Rachel Tertes, Susie Tharratt, Travis Wooten

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The U.S. Pacific coast population of the western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus; plover) has declined due to loss and degradation of coastal habitats, predation, and anthropogenic disturbance. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the subspecies in 1993 as threatened under the Endangered Species Act due to the population declines and habitat loss. Predation of nests and chicks has been identified as an important cause of historic population declines, and thus, most predator management actions for this subspecies are focused on reducing this pressure. In recent years, common ravens (Corvus corax; ravens) have become the most …

Sharing Science Through Shared Values, Goals, And Stories: An Evidence-Based Approach To Making Science Matter, Bethann Garramon Merkle, Evelyn Valdez-Ward, Priya Shukla, Skylar R. Bayer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Scientists in and beyond academia face considerable challenges to effectively sharing science, including lack of time and training, systemic disincentives, and the complexity of the modern media/attention landscape. Considering these constraints, 3 achievable shifts in mindset and practice can substantively enhance science communication efforts. Here, we provide evidence-based and experientially informed advice on how to center shared values, articulate science communication goals, and leverage the power of stories to advance our communication goals in connection with the values we share with our stakeholders. In addition to a discussion of relevant, foundational principles in science communication, we provide actionable recommendations and …

Getting Lead Off The Landscape: A Theory And Data-Driven Approach To Increase Non-Lead Ammunition Use Among Hunters In The California Condor Range Of Utah (Usa), Jacob C. Richards, Jordan W. Smith

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

The leading cause of mortality in California condors (condors) is lead poisoning, which occurs when condors ingest lead-based ammunition left in carcasses. As a critically endangered species with approximately 100 individuals remaining in the American southwest, increasing the adoption of non-lead ammunition is essential to the recovery of the species. In Utah, the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) uses communication with hunters as the primary tool for increasing the adoption of non-lead ammunition in southwestern Utah. In this research, we use social science theory and data collected from a survey of hunters throughout the region to develop a strategic communication …

Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Two Low-Intensity Weight Loss Maintenance Interventions Based On Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Or Self-Regulation, Jason Lillis, Leah Schumacher, J. Graham Thomas, Michael E. Levin, Shira Dunsiger, Jessica L. Unick, Erin Evans, Jacqueline F. Hayes, Rena R. Wing

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Weight regain is common following behavioral obesity treatment and attenuates many of the benefits of initial weight loss. This paper describes a randomized controlled trial that will evaluate the efficacy of two low-contact weight loss maintenance interventions based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and self-regulation (SR). Potential mechanisms of action and moderators of treatment effects will also be evaluated.

Methods: Adults (anticipated N=480)with overweight or obesity will complete an initial 3-monthonline weight loss program (Phase 1). Participants who achieve ≥4 kg weight loss (anticipated N=288) will then be randomized to an ACT or SR weight loss maintenance intervention. …

A Randomized Trial Of Brief Online Interventions To Facilitate Treatment Seeking For Social Anxiety, Margaret R. Tobias, Lauren N. Landy, Michael E. Levin, Joanna J. Arch

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: This study developed and evaluated a brief, single-session online intervention designed to facilitate treatment seeking among adults with clinically significant social anxiety (SA) symptoms, who generally seek treatment at exceptionally low rates.

Method: Adults (N= 267) reporting significant SA symptoms were recruited online and randomized to a brief, single-session online intervention: Education consisted of brief psychoeducation and treatment resources, or Education+Motivation which added treatment seeking-focused motivational content adapted from Motivational Interviewing and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Attitudes, intentions, perceived control, and treatment seeking were assessed at Pre, Post, and one-month follow-up (FU).

Results: Both interventions were feasible …

A Preliminary Examination Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (Act) Versus Exposure And Response Prevention (Erp) For Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder On An Optimal Dose Of Ssris: A Randomized Controlled Trial In Iran, Mehdi Zemestani, Mojgan Salavati, Asrin Seyedolshohadayi, Julie M. Petersen, Clarissa W. Ong, Michael P. Twohig, Ebrahim Ghaderi

Psychology Student Research

This study compared the effects of adding acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) or exposure and response prevention (ERP) to adults diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) already on an optimal and stable dose of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Forty adults on SSRIs who were diagnosed with OCD participated in a randomized controlled trial in Iran of 12 individual weekly sessions of either ACT+SSRI, ERP+SSRI, or continued SSRI only. The results showed significant reductions in OCD symptom severity in ACT+SSRI and ERP+SSRI conditions at posttreatment with significantly greater reductions in both conditions compared to SSRI-only at follow-up. Additionally, psychological inflexibility …

The Role Of Psychological Inflexibility And Perspective Taking In Anti-Racism And Anti-Sexism, Carter Davis, Jennifer Krafft, Elizabeth Tish Hicks, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Student Research

Racism and sexism are pervasive forms of discrimination that cause significant individual and societal burden.Understanding manipulable psychological processes that contribute to these modes of discrimination would aid in developing anti-prejudice interventions that target them. Psychological flexibility has been proposed as a potential tool in combating prejudice by modifying one’s relationship with unwanted or automatic prejudicial thoughts, in addition to the ability to take the perspective of marginalized groups. A survey assessing psychological inflexibility and perspective taking along with anti-racist/anti-sexist attitudes and behaviors was administered to a sample of 395 undergraduate students. Perspective taking predicted anti-racist/anti-sexist behaviors above and beyond their …

In-Person And Online-Delivered Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Hoarding Disorder: A Multiple Baseline Study, Clarissa W. Ong, Jennifer Krafft, Franchessca Panoussi, Juliana Petersen, Michael Levin, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Student Research

Hoarding disorder (HD) is associated with distress and functional impairment not only for the individual but also for their family members and community. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) already has broad empirical support and may be helpful for treating HD. In this nonconcurrent multiple baseline study (N = 6), we examined the effect of ACT on HD symptom severity, functional impairment, quality of life, co-occurring symptoms, and other outcomes. Participants consistently reported decreases in HD severity, clutter, functional impairment due to clutter, and depression at posttreatment. Scores were maintained at follow-up for two of three participants. Changes in other …

Preliminary Findings On Processes Of Change And Moderators For Cognitive Defusion And Restructuring Delivered Through Mobile Apps, Michael E. Levin, Jennifer Krafft, Woolee An, Clarissa W. Ong, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Student Research

A process-based therapy approach emphasizes examining how and for whom specific therapeutic components linked to specific processes of change function. This preliminary study explored the processes of change for cognitive defusion and restructuring with daily ratings of self-criticism from a larger component trial as well as self-compassion as a moderator of these daily effects. A sample of 51 adults high in self-criticism (M age = 22.69, 78% female, 88% non-Hispanic White) were randomized to a cognitive defusion or restructuring mobile app for two weeks and completed daily assessments. Both conditions improved over time on daily frequency, defused noticing, challenging, …