Digital Commons Network^™

Fertility Control Options For Management Of Free-Roaming Horse Populations, Ursula S. Bechert, John W. Turner Jr., Dan L. Baker, Douglas C. Eckery, Jason E. Bruemmer, Candace C. Lyman, Tulio M. Prado, Sarah R. B. King, Mark A. Fraker

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The management of free-roaming horses (Equus ferus) and burros (E. asinus) in the United States has been referred to as a “wicked problem” because, although there are population control options, societal values will ultimately determine what is acceptable and what is not. In the United States, free-roaming equids are managed by different types of organizations and agencies, and the landscapes that these animals inhabit vary widely in terms of access, size, topography, climate, natural resources, flora, and fauna. This landscape diversity, coupled with contemporary socioeconomic and political environments, means that adaptive management practices are needed to …

U.S. Public Opinion Of Reproductive Control Options For Free-Roaming Horses On Western Public Lands, S. Nicole Frey, Jeffrey L. Beck, John Derek Scasta, Loretta Singletary

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Free-roaming horses (Equus ferus caballus; horses) inhabit public rangelands located primarily in 10 western U.S. states. Recent horse population increases are impacting rangeland ecosystems, native wildlife species and their habitats, and exacerbating conflicts with domestic livestock grazing. While contraceptives and physical sterilization are promising options to manage horse herd levels, public opinion concerning the use of fertility control is not well understood. To better inform policymakers, we completed a rigorous study of a random sample of public land stakeholders across the United States (n = 3,500) in 2020 using a Likert scale online survey to assess their …

Stakeholder Acceptance Of Wild Equid Fertility Control Mirrors Global Shifts In Attitudes To Wildlife Management, Giovanna Massei, Stephanie L. Boyles Griffin

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild equid (horses [Equus ferus] and burros [E. asinus]) populations have increased on public lands in the United States since the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. As of March 1, 2022, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) estimated that wild equid populations on designated herd management areas (HMAs) may exceed 82,000 animals. In 2020, the total population of wild equids in the United States was estimated to exceed 300,000 animals. The BLM sets an appropriate management level (AML) for wild horse and burro herds on each HMA and removes animals …

Dehydration And Mortality Of Feral Horses And Burros: A Systematic Review Of Reported Deaths, John Derek Scasta, Eric Thacker, Jacob D. Hennig, Karl Hoopes

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Water is a requirement for all organisms, including equids. Dehydration-caused mortality of feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) is often cited as a cause of concern and as justification for management of feral horses, yet a paucity of information exists on the matter. We conducted a systematic review from September 1, 2020 through January 15, 2021 of available news reports of feral horse and burro (E. asinus) dehydration mortalities and public interventions to save horses using a public search engine with a priori defined search term combinations and additional snowball sampling. We found 15 uniquely reported mortality …

Partnerships Create Success For The Devil’S Garden Wild Horses, Laura K. Snell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Many wild horse (Equus ferus caballus) populations that inhabit designated federal land in the United States currently exceed management objectives. Overabundant wild horse populations can adversely impact the ecosystem, native wildlife, and other land uses. Unfortunately, there is not a universal solution, as each impacted area may differ ecologically, economically, socially, and politically. Wild horse management is not just a 1-time project but a long-term program where buy-in is needed from the federal and state agencies, local governments, and private partners. Local county governments and private partners can have important insights and significant influence on the development and …

Students Perception Of Racial Inequality On Utah State Campus, Abigail Pilling, Elmer Reyes

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

This paper will discuss racial inequality studies at Utah State University Campuses and include multiple studies of racial inequality on campuses around the United States. Each of these additional studies is focused on different aspects of how a campus can be neglecting or hurtful to their students or patrons, in ways such as academics, financial aid, athletics, rigorous schedules, student and classroom atmosphere, and lack of student resources and encouragement. This paper and study will focus on different racial minorities and what racial oppression and social class inequality they have experienced on campus, and how it creates barriers for them …

Patients' Perceptions Of Stigma During Emergency Department Visits: Measuring Impacts On Healthcare Satisfaction, Treatment Adherence, And Mental Health, David Suisse

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

Emergency departments (ED) in the United States receive many patients who have mental health or substance use issues. This population often reports experiences of stigma when seeking emergency healthcare. Stigma is a negative biased perception based on a socially undesirable characteristic. Stigmatization in healthcare can lead to apoor quality of life and psychological distress for stigmatized groups along with reduced rates of treatment completion and treatment seeking in the future. The goal of the current study is to examine the relationship between mental illness and substance abuse patients’ experiences of stigmatization in the ED and their patient satisfaction, treatment adherence, …

Antisocial Personality Disorder/ Psychopathy With An Increase Of Violent Crime, Meagan Lym

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

The work below is other research conducted in the same area, does having antisocial personality disorders or psychopathy make a person more violent. The study will include those who have committed a violent crime; to narrow the pool more, these individuals will be serving life sentences or be on death row. The individuals will have a rigorous interview to go through that will establish what traits they carry and if they have any specific disorders. The individuals’ files will then be analyzed. We are looking for what kind of crime, the nature of the crime, the violence used during the …

Perceived & Personal Mental Health Stigma, Katie White, River Jarman, Brenden Jones, Gabrielle Archambault

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

An exploration of stigmatizing beliefs held by college students, as well as the students' experiences with stigma and discrimination in relation to their own reported mental health problems. The Day's Mental Illness Stigma Scale and the Mental Health Stigma Scale were used to measure varying aspects of stigmatizing beliefs including treatability, relationship disruption, hygiene, anxiety, visibility, recovery, professional efficacy, discrimination, disclosure, and positive outcomes.

Racial Disparity On Holding Penalties In The Nfl, Alex Dayley, Katelyn Williams, Terrance Bankhead, Cameron Wood

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

Numerous studies have identified and analyzed the existence and impact of racial discrimination on different aspects of United States culture, including the criminal justice system and professional sporting associations. For example, in the criminal justice system, research has found that minorities are more likely to experience a search of their vehicle during a traffic stop especially if the police officer is of a different race than the motorist. This analysis of racial bias can be applied to professional sporting associations, where split-second decisions are made which allows for the possibility of racial discrimination. In the NBA, research has found that …

Gender & Social Support In Young Adults, Sierra Howe, Amy Jensen, Kaitlin Welsh, Jalena Warner

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

The effect of social support on mental health outcomes is important in understanding how best to address mental health issues in the general population. Young adulthood is a time of extreme stress and change which can often be a trigger for mental illness to occur. Previous research indicates gender as a major determinant for mental health outcomes, especially when exploring help-seeking behaviors. While women are more likely to seek support for mental illness, men are much more likely to self-medicate rather than seek help. Trans and gender diverse individuals were much less likely to receive social support for mental illness, …

Violent Crime With The Influx Of Immigrants Along The Southern Us Border., Jesse Clark

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

The United States citizens have a perception that the foreign-born, especially “illegal aliens,” are responsible for the carnage and the reported increase in violent crime rates along the U.S.and Mexico border, and the media and popular myth often perpetuate this mentality. But these perceptions are not supported empirically; instead, they are proven wrong by the scientific evidence. If we understand “carnage” to mean criminal violence and killings, state and national crime data doesn’t support this narrative. Although an increase of property crimes, due to the sheer number of border crossers, have been attributable to traveling migrants — like break-ins, cut …

Opportunities And Challenges Of Qualitative Research As A Young Researcher, Alyssa Burton

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

After joining a sociological research project—one well outside the bounds of my current major in music therapy—I have been introduced to the opportunities and challenges of qualitative research. To encourage other students in their research pursuits, this presentation will discuss qualitative research in general, my experience implementing it, and its implications for both the current project and my future. Every student, no matter their discipline, deserves the opportunity to participate in research.

Coping Strategies In Utah State Students With Depression, Mekenzie Orton, Emma Wirtz, Lauren Ambuehl

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

In this study, a Sociology student research group looked at previous and ongoing coping strategies of college students at Utah State University. Previous research indicates that college students suffer from depression and use copious coping strategies to deal with this debilitating mental illness. They may be positive or negative in nature. Previous research is dated, and new material should be conducted to continue the education on coping strategies students use to deal with depression. This paper will outline the steps taken, research done, and an overall analysis of data of Utah State University students and their coping strategies for depression. …

A Look Into Indigenous Perceptions Of Oil And Gas Companies In The Uintah Basin, Tisean Chapoose, Josie Tollefson

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

Our research is centered around the opinions of the Ute Indian Tribe in regards to Oil and Gas development in and around their land. This tribe is one of six hundred federally recognized indigenous tribes in the United States. However they are particularly of interest due to their working relationship with oil and gas companies and development. Setting them apart from previous surveys on indigenous peoples opinions as none before had such close relations to oil and gas. We collected qualitative data through in depth interviews, based loosely around a pre-written questionnaire, as we wanted these interviews to be a …

Creating Safe And Brave Spaces On Gender And Sexuality Via Autoethnography Assignments On Campus, Emily Wells, Ilyena Wagner, Audrey Thomas

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

Discrimination is still a prominent and widely faced issue on college campuses across the United States, especially in the case of gender and sexuality. Many college environments are unsafe spaces for those whose identities fall outside of the socially accepted norms and can lead to dangerous isolation and feelings of invisibility. Issues faced by students in the LGBTQ+ community and their health and well-being have only been studied more recently, and further research is required to build a safe college environment for all students. This study explores the use of autoethnographies as a method of improving campus environments and analyzes …

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda, December 2, 2021, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews
• Other Business

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes, December 2, 2021, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of 4 November 2021 Minutes
• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews

Educational Policies Committee Minutes, December 2, 2021, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of 4 November 2021 Minutes
• Curriculum Subcommittee Report
• Academic Standards Subcommittee Report
• General Education Subcommittee Report
• Other Business

Educational Policies Committee Agenda, December 2, 2021, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Curriculum Subcommittee Report
• General Education Subcommittee Report

The Transition To Parenthood: Exploration Of Systemic Changes And Implications For Future Treatment, David B. Jenks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The transition to parenthood is change that alters the very structure of the family system. Families who engage in this transition are often in need of assistance as they navigate and attempt to manage the changes and challenges that arise. The biopsychosocial-spiritual model is a modality that helps providers more holistically examine the biological, psychological, social and spiritual realms of life’s experiences. This model provides a valuable way to look at the transition to parenthood and understand some of the interactions taking place that may contribute to the development of challenges such as mental health concerns. The present dissertation was …

A Qualitative Review Of A Culturally Responsive Education Program For Native American Youth, Tamara Ellington

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research uses a qualitative case study approach and a culturally based framework to examine an educational program’s community for Native American youth. The purpose is to develop an in-depth understanding of an effective educational intervention’s community that increases graduation rates of Native American youth and how they incorporate culture. I use Tribal Critical Race Theory to describe the continuation of colonization and assimilation efforts Native youth face in education systems and to portray the indigenized efforts the Konaway program implements in educating from an Indigenous lens. The framework was constructed from the nine tenets of Tribal Critical Race Theory …

Assessing The Relationship Between Geophytes And The Archaeological Presence Of Maize In North America, Paige Dorsey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis investigates the possible relationship between the archaeological presence of maize, in the United States, and historical environmental variables, rainfall and temperature, in addition to the number of underground plants that store energy and nutrients, in a given area. The thought behind this is that where the abundance of these underground plant species is highest, the lower the number of archaeological sites containing maize because such resources were a more attractive alternative food than maize. Conversely, where geophytes are less abundant, archaeological instances of maize should be more abundant because maize is a better option in such environments for …

Candidate Ideology And Small Donor Contributions, Ryan Kobe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

While individual citizens are the biggest source of campaign fundraising in Senate and House elections, previous research has focused on individuals donating over the reporting limit of $200. The Federal Elections Committee now makes available data on individuals who donate less than $200, and as these donors take on a bigger role in congressional fundraising, a new analysis of donor motivations is needed. This thesis investigates if and how candidate ideology is related to amount contributed. Specifically, I ask whether the dollar amount of contributions changes depending on how conservative or liberal a candidate is. These results have important implications …

Examining Segregation Between Chinese And Euroamerican Residences Using Suitability Modeling Within The Built Environment At Terrace, Utah: A Case Study, Kelly N. Jimenez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Suitability modeling is a useful approach for exploring human interactions with their environments. Within a geographic information system (GIS) environment, locations are weighted relative to each other, resulting in a landscape hierarchy that displays regions from least to most suitable. Suitability modeling is used in various disciplines, from urban planning to natural resources, but a gap exists in research concerning social human behavior. This method can especially contribute to the investigation of social inequality at archaeological sites by considering multiple attributes within a site. In this thesis, I use method to determine social inequality between cultural groups at the historic …

The Impact Of Gender-Based Microaggressions And Internalized Sexism On Mental Health Outcomes: A Mother–Daughter Study, Nicole D. Feigt, Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez, Alejandro L. Vázquez

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Although research is emerging on the subtle slights that women experience, research is needed regarding the frequency with which gender-based microaggressions occur, their impact on mental health, and how views on gender roles may influence their impact. Objective: The current study examined how mothers and daughters experienced gender-based microaggressions, internalized sexism, and mental health symptoms. Methods: The sample included 102 predominantly White mother–daughter pairs. Adolescents were 14 to 18 years old, and mothers were 34 to 68 years old. Mothers and daughters answered surveys including a demographic questionnaire, the Gender-Microaggressions Scale, Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, the Patient Health Questionnaire—9 for …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, November 15, 2021, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Approval of Minutes – October 18, 2021
• University Business
• Education Policies Committee
• Academic Freedom and Tenure Annual Report
• Libraries Advisory Council Annual Report
• Faculty Evaluation Committee Annual Report
• USUSA Annual Report
• Old Business
• Code 401 Track Changes | Clean 1st Reading
• Code 402 Track Changes | Clean 1st Reading

Using Dyadic Observation To Explore Equitable Learning Opportunities In Classroom Instruction, Alyson L. Lavigne, Thomas L. Good

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

Because of poverty, many children do not receive adequate prenatal care, nutrition, or early childhood education. These inequities combine to ensure that many students enter school with considerably less academic content knowledge and skills for learning than their peers. Teachers and schools did not create these gaps, but they must address them. The impact of schools in reducing gaps has been explored for decades only to yield inconsistent findings. One possible reason for these contradictory results is because these studies ignore classroom process. We argue for the inclusion of process in research on opportunity and achievement gaps to better articulate …

Educational Policies Committee Minutes, November 4, 2021, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of 6 October 2021 Minutes
• Curriculum Subcommittee Report
• Academic Standards Subcommittee Report
• General Education Subcommittee Report
• Other Business

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

Educational Policies Committee

• Curriculum Subcommittee Report
• Academic Standards Subcommittee Report
• General Education Subcommittee Report
• Other Business