Digital Commons Network^™

Identifying Draft-Worthy Pitchers: A Statistical Analysis Of Northwoods League Performance Metrics, Stephen Tyrpak

Honors Theses

The Northwoods League (NWL) is a collegiate summer wooden-bat baseball league that provides college athletes with an opportunity to maintain and enhance their skills during the offseason while competing in game-like conditions. Although prior research has explored player performance in other summer leagues, such as the Cape Cod Baseball League, academic investigation into predictors of draft outcomes in the NWL remains limited. This study addresses this gap by evaluating whether pitch-tracking metrics collected via Trackman systems can predict a pitcher’s likelihood of selection in the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft and by identifying which performance characteristics are most strongly associated …

Low Power Magnetically Shielded Krypton Hall Thruster Design, Grace Klang

Honors Theses

This project investigates the design and modeling of a low-power Hall-Effect Thruster optimized for krypton propellant, serving as a continuation of Western Michigan University’s Hall thruster development series. Krypton is selected as an alternative to xenon due to its significantly lower cost and increased availability, though its higher ionization energy and reduced atomic mass introduce performance, ionization, and efficiency challenges that must be addressed through careful design. The goal of this study is to design two 300-W class thrusters capable of achieving high efficiency and long operational life on krypton propellant while maintaining full compatibility with existing laboratory facilities and …

Investigating The Mechanisms By Which Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis Contributes To The Autoimmune Response In Multiple Sclerosis, Abigail Houtrouw

Honors Theses

This literature review explores the multifaceted relationship between gut microbiome (GM) dysbiosis and multiple sclerosis (MS), highlighting key themes that advance understanding of disease pathogenesis and therapeutic potential for treatments targeting the gut. The review underscores the immune system dysregulation in MS, emphasizing the roles of T cells, B cells, and microglia in neuroinflammation and demyelination. Historically, MS pathogenesis was thought to be driven mainly by T-cell dysregulation, but current research highlights the additional roles of B-cells and microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Additionally, this literature review identifies GM alterations and dysbiosis as critical …

Where Do I Go Next With This Writer? Preservice Teachers’ Responses At The Start And End Of A Writing Methods Course, Nicole M. Martin, Lisa K. Hawkins, Diane M. Bottomley, Brendan Shanahan, Jennifer Cooper Mrs.

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This mixed-methods study sought to extend what is known about preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) preparation for teaching writing by examining their responding to individual children’s narrative, informative, and persuasive writing at the start and end of a writing methods course. Participants were 115 elementary PSTs. Their selections of teaching foci and instructional strategies on a beginningand end-of-semester course task were examined. Overall, PSTs showcased differences in their selections at the two time points, displaying a lessened focus on local features (e.g., spelling, punctuation) and reliance on laypeople’s helping practices (e.g., telling, correcting writing) and a greater focus on global features (e.g., …

Organizational Diagnosis Toolkit, Ann Marie Lindley, Catherine Nolan, Connie L. Halvorsen, Franki C. Hand, Isys S. Mccormack, Jennifer A. Hance, Jess Beutler, Kelsey Spaulding Caras, Sara German Jimenez, Stephanie Graves

Capstone Projects

The complexity of organizations requires organizational diagnosis to be an iterative process tailored to the context, needs, and uniqueness of each organization. This toolkit is designed to walk a consultant or leader through a structured diagnostic approach and the various resources that can be leveraged along the way. It is organized into four sections: foundational diagnostic frameworks and models, practical consulting, case-study application, and reflection and learning. It was created by students in the Western Michigan University Organizational Change Leadership masters and doctoral programs as part of the course OCL 6460, "Organizational Diagnosis and Consulting," under the supervision of Professor …

Extremum-Seeking Approach For Real-Time Self-Healing Of Position Sensor Offset Error In Non-Salient Pmsms, Ramitha Kalhara Dissanayake Ralalage

Masters Theses

The inherent advantages of permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs), such as high efficiency, has led to their frequent use in industry, including safety-critical applications, such as transportation electrification. The accurate measurement of the rotor position is key to achieving efficient and reliable field-orientation-based torque regulation. With the high reliance on the rotor position measurement, position sensor fault diagnosis and mitigation facilitate a layer of safety. Conventional methods for compensating position sensor offset errors in electric drives typically depend on accurate knowledge of motor parameters. However, these parameters are often subject to variation due to temperature changes, system aging, and other …

Position Sensor Offset Fault Calibration In Speed-Regulated Pmsm Drives, Ujala Anuradhi Maha Gamage

Masters Theses

Speed regulation of electro-mechanically actuated systems is common across broad application segments, including industrial and residential sectors. The increasing demand for efficient energy conversion has made permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSM) a preferred choice in modern applications. Vector controlled PMSMs in speed regulation mode being the dominant form of control, accurate speed and position measurement is crucial. However, a misalignment in the position sensor with respect to the true rotor zero position in speed regulated PMSM drives leads to inefficient energy conversion with the possibility of unstable motor behavior. The considered position sensor offset error fault, under severe fault modes, …

An Investigation Of Collateral Activity Effects On Behavior Maintained By A Drl 72‑Second Schedule, Cassidy M. Graham

Masters Theses

Impulsivity is a key behavioral trait with broad implications for clinical disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD, and substance use disorders SUD, where impaired inhibitory control contributes to maladaptive outcomes. In preclinical research, animal models provide valuable tools for examining behavioral processes associated with impulsivity. The Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates (DRL) schedule, offers a precise measure of response inhibition and timing by requiring subjects to withhold responses for reinforcement. This study employed DRL72s schedule to investigate impulsive action in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats, with an emphasis on sex-based differences and the potential influence of environmental factors. …

Advancements In Visualization, Post-Processing And Ai-Enhanced Modeling Of Multi-Scale Micromechanics For Composite Materials, Joao Guilherme Brites Rei

Masters Theses

This study addresses some of the primary deficits of a localization/homogenization workflow for composite materials by focusing on the visualization and enhancement of models based on GMC and HFGMC, with emphasis on their implementation within the NASMAT ecosystem.

This thesis details the development of two dynamic, ParaView-based plugins that convert large hierarchical simulation outputs into interactive insights. While NASMATDiscreteElement systematizes RUC creation with transparent parametrization in a reproducible GUI, NASMATExplorerRUC enables the inspection of deeply nested datasets through accurate cell picking and synchronizes comparisons between parent and child views. Additionally, a shallow U-Net neural network is optimized on HFGMC data …

University Athletic Subsidies Connections To Various Campus-Wide Outcomes, Daniel Vainner

Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between university athletic subsidies and outcomes for the broader undergraduate student population. The athletic subsidy, referred to as an athletic tax, is defined as institutional and student fees used to support athletics. Although athletics are often viewed as enhancing institutional prestige and recruitment, most universities depend heavily on subsidies to sustain their programs. In 2019, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) institutions spent over $18.8 billion on athletics, with $8.3 billion, or 44 percent, coming from institutional and student sources rather than athletic revenue (NCAA, 2019a). This research explores whether such subsidization predicts measurable differences in …

The Effect Of Shared Decisions On Intertemporal Choice, Rosemarie M. Davidson

Masters Theses

Substance use disorders are a significant public health concern, and improving treatment outcomes requires a better understanding of the behavioral processes that influence drug consumption. Delay discounting, or the tendency to overvalue immediate reinforcers, is reliably more severe among individuals with substance use disorders. Recent work suggests that shared decision-making may increase tolerance for delayed rewards; however, prior studies used procedures that confounded delay to token delivery with delay to token exchange, limiting conclusions. The present study evaluates delay discounting across individual and social decision-making contexts using a traditional delay discounting paradigm.

Ten undergraduate participants completed sessions involving choices between …

Pilot Study Of The Barriers To Exercise Adherence And Motivation (Beam) Questionnaire For Adults With Osteoarthritis, Haley Ciara Hughes

Dissertations

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition affecting over 33 million adults in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024). While exercise is one of the leading, non-pharmacological treatments for OA (Zhang et al., 2008), patients often struggle to meet physical activity guidelines, increasing their risk of lifelong disability, falls, and dependence (Wallis et al., 2013). Researchers in physiotherapy have struggled to identify effective, individualized treatments to improve exercise adherence for patients with OA that maintain long-term effects (Ezzat et al., 2015); an area behavior analysts could offer insight and guidance. Behavior analysts have developed indirect functional …

Finding Utopia: An Examination Of Pedagogical Approaches To Teaching Utopianism In U.S. College Classrooms, Brittany Page Brake

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how, and if, utopianism is being taught in college classrooms across the United States. Long considered impractical, overly idealistic, and/or politically dangerous, utopianism has been largely marginalized in political science and American culture. However, this project finds that there are instructors teaching utopianism and they are using the concept to challenge students to think differently about governance, justice, and institutional design. Drawing from political theory literature, course syllabi submitted by faculty from different U.S. universities, interviews with instructors, and personal case studies of my own courses at Central State University and Manchester University, I explore how utopian …

Three Funny Things: A Multicultural Validation, Jon Hook

Dissertations

This dissertation evaluated the efficacy of Three Funny Things, a humor-based positive psychology intervention (PPI) designed to enhance subjective well-being (SWB) and reduce depressive symptoms. Subjective well-being was operationalized through self-reported happiness, measured by the Authentic Happiness Inventory (AHI), and depressive symptomatology, measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). A repeated-measures design was employed across three time points: baseline (Time 1), post-intervention (Time 2), and one-month follow-up (Time 3). Participants (N = 126) represented a racially diverse community sample, including individuals identifying as White (61%), Black or African American (18%), Hispanic or Latino/a (11%), Asian (6%), and …

Development Of The Hydrogeology Concept Inventory And Exploration Of Its Embedded Spatial Thinking Components, Oluwarotimi Akindele Popoola

Dissertations

Hydrogeology is a sub-discipline of geoscience that deals with the occurrence and movement of water and possible contaminants within the subsurface. Understanding basic principles of hydrogeology is important for applying practical solutions to hydrogeology problems. Hydrogeology is a visuospatial discipline in which spatial thinking skills play a significant role. To assess the hydrogeology knowledge of students, a valid and reliable assessment instrument with spatial components is required.

This research was conducted as a series of quantitative studies with three goals: (1) to develop the Hydrogeology Concept Inventory (HCI), a valid and reliable measure of upper-level undergraduate students’ hydrogeology knowledge, (2) …

Design, Optimization, And Initial Results Of An Automatic Impedance Matching Network For Nitrogen Inductively Coupled Plasma, Logan Anthony Alvesteffer

Masters Theses

The electric propulsion industry is witnessing a strategic interest toward the utilization of molecular propellants as alternatives to noble gases due to increasing cost constraints and logistical requirements. This transition is hindered by a fundamental deficiency in the understanding of molecular plasma and radio frequency physics, including the excitation, dissociation, and ionization cross-sections, which mandates a reliance on computationally inefficient, empirically modified atomic thruster designs. Furthermore, current state-of-the-art electric propulsion devices, such as gridded ion thrusters and Hall effect thrusters, utilize an electrode (cathode) for ionization and are thus susceptible to chemical poisoning and material erosion, which is prevalent while …

The Comparison Of Dixon–Mood And 1/Nf Methods For Fatigue Limit Estimation Of 17–4 Ph Stainless Steel (H900), Arthur Pallar Pallar

Masters Theses

This study compares two methods for estimating the fatigue limit of 17-4 PH stainless steel (H900): the Dixon–Mood staircase and Kujawski 1/Nf linear method. Tests were conducted on an MTS Acumen 3 kN system under axial tension–tension loading at R = 0.1 and 50 Hz, following the standard practice defined in ASTM E466-15. Flat specimens were fabricated by water-jet cutting and polished. Tensile tests verified mechanical properties consistent with published data for the H900 condition. Fifteen specimens tested by the staircase method yielded a mean fatigue limit of 1138 MPa. The 1/Nf analysis using four specimens produced 1159 MPa, 2 …

Effects Of Commission Errors During Prompting On Skill Acquisition And Maintenance, Molly K. Mutchler

Dissertations

Procedural fidelity refers to the extent to which procedures are implemented as intended. Engaging in procedural fidelity errors can lead to detrimental outcomes during skill acquisition and maintenance. The purpose of this study was to parametrically evaluate and compare two commission errors during prompting procedures using an arbitrary tacting task taught to college-aged students. Participants learned to tact four sets of arbitrary pictures and names. Prompting errors consisted of either providing the correct letters for a name in an incorrect order (i.e., an error within a component of the name) or providing the correct name for another picture (i.e., an …

Environmental Beliefs Among Evangelical Leadership, Jeffrey Stark

Dissertations

There has been consensus among climate scientists for over a decade about the reality of human caused climate change. Even with this consensus, the public understanding of this issue remains divided based on factors generally unrelated to the science. Evangelical Protestants are one group which consistently polls as more skeptical of climate change. This is true not only when compared to the general population but also when compared to other religious demographics. Most large-scale surveys of evangelicals assume the demographic to be a monolith and do not attempt to break the demographic down further. In this mixed methods study, we …

Who Was It Truly For?: Bernard Bragg, David Hays, And National Theatre Of The Deaf, Eni Buckhanan

Honors Theses

National Theatre of the Deaf is known for being the first professional sign language theatre company in the United States; however, the complexities of its origins and founders are rarely examined. This thesis explores the relationship between Deaf performer and educator Bernard Bragg and hearing set designer David Hays, along with what was prioritized in the creation of the company, and the aftereffects of these choices on the National Theatre of the Deaf and their Deaf and hearing audiences.

Bragg and Hays began correspondence in 1966, as they developed plans for what would become the National Theatre of the Deaf. …

Graduate School Accessibility For Undocumented And Dacamented Scholars Across The United States, Casandra P. Sandoval Hurtado, Ronnie Rios, Kasandra Negrete, Stephany Mendez Ortega, Richard Nunn

Journal of College Access

Literature on higher education accessibility for undocumented and DACAmented (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students has mostly focused on undergraduate students. This paper discusses a comprehensive study of the undocumented graduate student policies of 50 universities across the United States. Using systematic web searches and follow-up interviews with institutional liaisons, we evaluated admissions, tuition classification, funding, and social support practices through an institutional theory lens. This theory posits that institutions prioritize alignment with other institutions, which can lead to a lack of action in providing systemic services. Our findings fit within institutional theory, as many webpages were often confusing or …

Evaluating The Use Of Statewide Summative Assessments In College Admissions: Insights From A Case Study, Yen Vo, Stephen Dunbar, Catherine Welch, Jeongmin Ji, Xiaoting Zhong

Journal of College Access

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing discussions around social inequality have significantly reshaped traditional college admission practices. This study explores the potential of using statewide assessments that are accessible to all students and aligned with curriculum standards as an alternative to college admission tests. Hierarchical linear modeling further revealed that statewide assessment scores contributed an additional 9% of the variance in admission scores above and beyond high school GPA and core coursework. Logistic regression and random forest analyses indicated that high school GPA and statewide assessment scores were the most contributing factors to admissions decisions, followed by core coursework. …

The Practice Of Perfect Mistakes, Kelly Allen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Cheryl VanderMolen Neway, a fashion designer and textile artist residing in Fairfax, Virginia, provided the cover art for the Fall 2025 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). The photograph features a flowing, floor-length duster jacket entitled, The Free Spirit, 2024, made from an upcycled denim jacket with lace and hand-dyed linen, using shibori and indigo-dyeing techniques, modeled by Shamola Crosbie. Cheryl’s designs serve to express emotion, meet her need for creative exploration, and empower her community through fashion. Using resist-dyeing techniques paired with upcycled textiles and salvaged materials, she creates vibrantly unique clothing and mixed-media artwork …

Implicit Bias Training Standards In Health Care: Did Michigan Get It Right? A Policy And Ethical Framework Analysis, Megan Gailliard, Kieran Fogarty, Mary Lagerwey

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

In 2022, Michigan joined a handful of states requiring implicit bias training for its health care professionals. In its ideal application, implicit bias training of health care professionals will result in a reduction of the implicit biases held by health care providers. This bias reduction will, in theory, contribute to improved equity in the delivery of health care services. Ultimately, the less biased health professional, now delivering health care services with a more equitable hand, will help reduce health disparities in the State of Michigan.

This analysis of Mich. Admin. Code R.338.7004 - Implicit bias training standards for licensed and …

The Perception Of Occupational Therapists And Their Use Of Therapeutic Use Of Self When Interacting With Clients And Fieldwork Students, Maria T. Zock, Barbara Nadeau

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The therapeutic use of self is an essential instrument in every occupational therapists' toolbox. Fieldwork is vital to a student’s transition to clinician and the student and fieldwork educator relationship is a critical component of the fieldwork experience. The researchers employed a phenomenological design to explore perceptions of 12 fieldwork educators regarding the similarities and differences in the way they use the therapeutic use of self with clients and students. How one develops their therapeutic use of self begins and evolves throughout fieldwork, impacting a clinician’s practice long-term. Results indicated that while the therapeutic use of self is readily used …

Occupational Therapy Guidelines For Rehabilitating People With Spinal Metastasis: Pathophysiology And Biomechanics, Julie H. Hunley, Ying Guo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists are increasingly treating people living with metastatic spinal cancer because of advancements in cancer treatment. Specific occupational therapy guidance for serving this growing and vulnerable population is limited. This paper provides evidence for occupational therapists to expand their understanding of the pathophysiological and biomechanical reasons for spinal precautions and the importance of individualizing interventions for people with metastatic spinal cancer. Metastatic lesions can compromise bone integrity, increasing the risk of pain, fractures, and spinal cord compression, leading to irreversible neurological damage. Daily life activities create large forces in the spine, putting people with spinal metastasis at high risk …

Wmu Board Of Trustee Board Meeting, Thursday September 11, 2025, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (June 26, 2025 and August 13, 2025

Remarks by the Chair of the Board

Remarks by the President

Updates by the Faculty Senate President

Updates by the Western Student Association President

Updates by the Graduate Student Association President

Western Michigan University Employee Graduates

Presentation: A History of Teaching and Learning; Zhang Legacy Collections Center

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

Professional Instructors Organization (PIO) 2025-2029 Agreement

Remarks following vote by PIO Contract Enforcement Officer

Delegated Board of Trustees Authority to Confer Degrees

Consent Items

• Personnel Report
• Amendment to the Brian Schott …

Transgressive Body, Open Mind, And Perceptive Spirit For Nurturing Soul: A Reflection On Teaching To Transgress, Akie F. Wenk

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

In this reflection essay, I discuss my journey into the liberatory pedagogy bell hooks champions. As a foreign-born Japanese woman, who speaks English as her second language, being in the classroom itself can be seen as a transgressive act. Positioning myself as an educator who strives to creates an environment that is liberatory for me and my students, I discuss my specific experience and relationship to theories surrounding critical feminist pedagogy and how I practice these theories in my own classroom.

High School Students’ Navigation Processes In An Internet Reading Task: A Descriptive Video Analysis, Hyeju Han, Kole Norberg, Byeong-Young Cho, Scott H. Fraundorf

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Most research on internet reading has identified skilled readers based on well-established theories of print reading. Nevertheless, an emerging body of work suggests that higher competency in print reading does not fully account for competency in internet reading comprehension. The authors conducted a descriptive video analysis of high school readers’ online navigation behaviors to identify characteristics that could account for differences in their internet reading outcomes. In particular, they focused on students with high grade point averages but diverging internet reading outcomes. The authors found that the participating students with lower outcomes tended to adopt a linear path of navigation …

Measuring The Accuracy Of Hierarchal Linear Models And Visual Analysis For Evaluating Single-Case Designs, Justin Myers

Dissertations

Behavior analysts often use single-case experimental designs to evaluate behavioral interventions. Data are typically analyzed through the visual analysis of graphs. Visual analysis has several limitations, however. Visual analysis has only moderate inter-rater reliability and small effects can be difficult to detect, especially if data are variable. Hierarchal Linear Models (HLMs) have been proposed as method for quantifying results of single-case designs. HLMs are a type of statistical model that can evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with nested data, whereby sessions are nested within treatment conditions. An advantage of HLMs over other statistical tests is that they do not require …