Digital Commons Network^™

The Politics Of Ecology: Land, Life, And Law In Medieval Britain, Linda E. Mitchell

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Heart Rate Monitor Use On Student Intensity In Elementary Physical Education, Gerrit J. Van Klaveren

Masters Theses

Heart rate monitors (HRM) were used with 80 fifth grade students during an eight-day basketball unit in one elementary school located in Otsego County, Michigan to see if the implementation had any effect on increasing the intensity of the participating students. Specifically, the HRM measured the amount of time the students were engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). It was hypothesized that with the use of HRM, students would increase their MVPA and maintain that time in MVPA by the eighth day. The eight days were split into four levels where students were introduced to a new feature …

Snow And Non-Snow Events Based Winter Traffic Crash Pattern Analysis And Developing Lake Effect Snow Induced Crash Count Prediction Model, Bandhan Dutta Ayon

Masters Theses

This study aims to (i) find the spatial-temporal traffic crash pattern and (ii) develop a statistical model for predicting LES induced traffic crash counts. Three southwest Michigan counties: Allegan, Kalamazoo and Calhoun are selected to conduct this study. Snow and non-snow event based comparative analysis are conducted using Getis-Ord Gi* statistic to identify high density crash cluster locations in the study area. While several new and oscillating hot spots are detected in Allegan during snow, no hot spot is detected during non-snow events based analysis. In Kalamazoo, traffic crashes do not exhibit much difference in spatial-temporal trend during snow or …

Deadly Hostility: Feud, Violence, And Power In Early Anglo-Saxon England, David Ditucci

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the existence and political relevance of feud in Anglo-Saxon England from the fifth century migration to the opening of the Viking Age in 793. The central argument is that feud was a method that Anglo-Saxons used to understand and settle conflict, and that it was a tool kings used to enhance their power. The first part of this study examines the use of fæhð in Old English documents, including laws and Beowulf, to demonstrate that fæhð referred to feuds between parties marked by reciprocal acts of retaliation. This assertion is in opposition to Guy Halsall’s argument that …

Western News, May 25, 2017, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Medical school scholarship honors Dunn, Delta partners with WMU for maintenance training, Anthropologist named to state group, Strike Gold TV spot lauded, Faculty Senate acts on new gen ed design, Physician-author to discuss how racism, income inequality impact health care, On Campus with Marcel Alkemade, Medieval unit launches new short-form book series

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session April 27, 2017, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Approval of the Minutes (March 15, 2017 and April 12, 2017 Meetings)
• Remarks by the Chair
• Remarks by the President
• Comments by the Faculty Senate President
• Comments by the Western Student Association President
• Comments by the Graduate Student Association President
• Presidential Scholars Presentation
• Public Comments Regarding Action Items
• Action Items
• Student Room and Board Rates 2017-2018
• Five Year Capital Outlay Plan
• Naming of Western Heights and Heritage Hall South Conference Room
• Consent Items

How To Plan, Budget, Write, And Implement A Student Sustainability Grant, Annalisa Wilder

Honors Theses

The Student Sustainability Grant program was created to give students valuable grant writing experience and to promote a culture of sustainability on Western Michigan University’s campus. Despite the enormous opportunity that this program provides, few students apply for the grants with their sustainable ideas. Even fewer students are able to fully complete the projects, research, and initiatives that receive funding. In order to help increase the number of grants that are fully implemented and to provide students interested in writing a grant with a useful resource, this guide was created. This ‘how-to manual’ provides an undergraduate student’s perspective on the …

What Roles Does Food Sovereignty Play In Exposing The Consequences Of Globalization, And In Conveying Solutions To The Consequences Of Globalization Pertaining To Food Access In West Africa And U.S. Midwest?, Nia Evans

Honors Theses

The social problem being studied is food access in the U.S. Midwest in comparison to food access in Western Africa. In the Midwest U.S., there is a problem of food deserts. There are primarily urban areas where there is a lack of physical access to healthy foods because there is a lack of stores or vendors that sell it. An investigation exposed whether or not the same problem exists in Western Africa. The research question is the following: What role does food sovereignty play in exposing the consequences of globalization, and in conveying solutions to the consequences of globalization in …

Trends In U.S. Tea Imports: 1991-2015, Evan Kennedy

Honors Theses

Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world, and over the past two decades it has experienced a newfound popularity in the United States. Over this time period, ready-to-drink and loose-leaf tea has increased in popularity, whereas tea bags and instant tea declined in popularity. Since the United States produces almost no tea itself, an increase in consumption requires increased imports. Therefore, this paper examines U.S. import trends as a means to begin an examination of consumption. Ten countries (Argentina, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam) provide approximately 80% of the …

State-Wide Patterns In Diabetes Screening Service: Comparing 3 Medical Insurance Plans, Stephen Anim-Preko

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

In the U.S, diabetes has become one of the major health concerns. In like manner, health insurance coverage is vital to the health needs of individuals. Adults having elevated glucose levels are recommended to receive glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) testing to determine the average blood sugar concentrations. Differences in insurance coverage has significant impact on recommended screenings.

The study analyzes secondary data from 2011 to 2013 for three different health plans being Medicaid, Blue Care Network (BCN) and Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of Michigan. Statistical methods were used to ascertain the best regression model for count data and the association …

Modeling Channel Response To Dam Removal In Lansing, Michigan, Using Swat, Ryan Filbin

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

The removal of dams has increased in recent decades in the United States, largely resulting from decaying infrastructure and greater efforts to restore rivers to a more natural, free-flowing state. Dam removal presents the opportunity for increased public safety, improved environmental prosperity, and improved economic prosperity in conjunction with riverfront revitalization projects. The City of Lansing, Michigan, contains two moderate-to high-risk dams along the Grand River that pose a significant risk to the surrounding area in the event of structural failure.

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is applied to model the impacts of the Moores Park Dam and …

Measuring Quality Of Life For Shanghai’S Floating Population Employed In Urban Renewal Sites, Jacob A. Watkins, Gregory Veeck

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

Chinese internal migrants continue to struggle to obtain social and economic equity in some of China’s largest cities. Shanghai, China’s largest city, houses one of the largest floating populations in the country. As city officials and the CPC continue to spend on urban renewal sites in the city proper, new opportunities may be emerging for migrant workers. These sites contain hundreds on new commercial and service based businesses that could potentially provide stable employment for rural-to-urban migrants in Shanghai and influence migrant quality of life as well as provide the means for migrants to remain in the city long-term. This …

The Socializer-Spring 2017, Department Of Sociology

The Socializer

Spring 2017 Sociology departmental newsletter.

Emeriti News, April 2017, Emeriti Council

Emeriti News

• Contents from Volume XXVI Number 2:
• Emeriti Council
• Message from the Chair: Andy Brogowicz
• Announcements and General News
• Emeriti Council Scholarships

Are The Leadership Behaviors Of K–12 Leaders In Mid-Western Urban School Districts Influenced By Their Beliefs And Attitudes Regarding Spirituality?, Ericka M. Taylor

Dissertations

Working in a stressful and chaotic environment can be difficult for building principals in urban school districts (DeNisco, 2013; Stokley, 2002; Thompson, 2004). Presumably, the job is only expected to get more arduous with the increasing demands to improve student achievement (Allison, 2012; Kimball & Sirotnik, 2000; Queen & Schumacher, 2006). What is quite apparent today is that the role and responsibilities of the principal have changed dramatically over the past twenty years (Carlson, 2012; Hill-Yeverton, 2003) shifting from a factory model of management of learning to one in which teachers and principals have to create more student-centered and project-based …

Modeling Channel Response To Dam Removal In Lansing, Michigan, Using Swat, Ryan Filbin

Masters Theses

The removal of dams has increased in recent decades in the United States, largely resulting from decaying infrastructure and greater efforts to restore rivers to a more natural, free-flowing state. Dam removal presents the opportunity for increased public safety, improved environmental prosperity, and improved economic prosperity in conjunction with riverfront revitalization projects. The City of Lansing, Michigan, contains two moderate-to high-risk dams along the Grand River that pose a significant risk to the surrounding area in the event of structural failure.

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is applied to model the impacts of the Moores Park Dam and …

Western Michigan University Magazine, Spring 2017, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Magazine (1997-present)

• A Students’ Prez. A Big-idea Leader. A Dunn Deal. Because of President John M. Dunn, WMU moves into the future with an international reputation for student success, valuable partnerships, innovation and sustainability. His July retirement marks the culmination of a productive presidency.
• Welcome, Dr. Montgomery: Noted public policy expert is WMU’s ninth leader
• Degreed to Succeed: Our latest postgraduate success rate: 92 percent
• Can Biologists Cure What’s Ailing Bats?: A seemingly unstoppable fungus has killed millions
• Archaeological Aspirations: Unearthed Scholarship winner digs into her ambitions
• Foiling Fake News: Catch the untrue before it catches you
• Public Health Defenders: New public …

Cultivating The Concrete Jungle: Examining Urban Agriculture In The Motor City - Detroit, Mi, Sultan Muhammad

Masters Theses

The maintenance and development of sustainable food systems is becoming an essential aspect of maintaining an efficient urban environment. Likewise, addressing food and job security within America for the entirety of the population has proven difficult in the face of increasing poverty, particularly in urban areas. Urban agriculture has become a favored system of producing local fresh quality food, increasing employment opportunities, beautifying brown spaces and improving environmental conditions through the benefits of increased vegetation. UA exists in America, but as of yet have not sufficiently addressed the prevailing conditions of food insecurity, particularly within poor communities. This study will …

Assessing Changes In Land Cover In Southeast Louisiana From 2001 To 2011 Using Time-Series National Land Cover Data, Ashley Tarver

Masters Theses

Each year, Louisiana loses 20 to 25 square miles of land. If land loss persists at the current rate, a forced migration of the human population with serious implications may be warranted. Although studies have measured land use/land cover change in southeast Louisiana over multiple decades, a recent analysis of landscape changes since Hurricane Katrina’s landfall in 2005 is needed to identify areas with chronic long-term wetland losses and associated economic development patterns. This study, therefore, compares land cover and land use changes including wetland loss, and subsequent increases in developed land in ten parishes from 2001 to 2006 (pre-Katrina), …

A Corporate Model: Aligning National Nonprofit Expectations With Regional/Local Efforts To Serve The Mission, Emma A. Powell

Dissertations

This study seeks to provide a body of knowledge and application of research to the national nonprofit audience. The focus is to study conditions that could lead to better alignment between regional staff understanding and implementation of the national expectations, by identifying alignment behaviors in five indicator areas. These indicators are fundraising, mission delivery, volunteer engagement, HR/operations, and PR/external communications.

Research in the areas of nonprofit structure design, motivation, and mission alignment continue to be significant to the sectors maturity and distinction. Corporate model nonprofit organizations structure is unique to other nonprofits within a local community. Understanding the corporate model …

Measuring Quality Of Life For Internal Migrants Working Urban Renewal Sites In Shanghai, China, Jacob A. Watkins

Masters Theses

Chinese internal migrants continue to struggle to obtain social and economic equity in some of China’s largest cities. Shanghai, China’s largest city, houses one of the largest floating populations in the country. As city officials and the Chinese Communist Party continue to spend on urban renewal sites in the city proper, new opportunities may be emerging for migrant workers. These sites contain hundreds on new commercial and service based businesses that could potentially provide stable employment for rural-tourban migrants in Shanghai and influence migrant quality of life as well as provide the means for migrants to remain in the city …

Alaska Native Artifacts; Eskimos And Aleuts Of The Bering Sea Rhythm Of The Sea Collection, Marcia Sue Taylor

Masters Theses

“Only his artifacts provide his earthly testimony” (Thiry 1977, p. 5). The purpose of the research is to catalogue Eskimo and Aleut artifacts that comprise an unprovenienced (anonymous) collection in the Anthropology Department at Western Michigan University, and provide a corresponding ethnography. This will be accomplished in two ways: (1) a museum curation project, and (2) an ethnographic study that will focus on cultural synthesis within the parameters of artistic styles of harpoon head artifacts and geography as these pertain to the artifacts and their distribution. Analysis of the collection’s harpoon heads will provide both artistic and inventive evidence of …

Tourism Planning And Local Community Participation: Veron – Punta Cana Municipal District, Dominican Republic, Jose Ernesto Fernandez Lorenzo

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the attitudes and perceptions of local residents in regards to tourism development and local community participation, as well as their willingness to participate in the tourism planning process. The data was obtained from a household survey questionnaire conducted in the municipal district of Verón - Punta Cana in the province of La Altagracia in the Dominican Republic. The sites selected for this study include Juanillo, Verón, and Friusa. Through several Chi-square (χ2) analyses, this thesis is able to conclude that residents in Friusa and Verón share positive perceptions in regards to tourism development when compared to residents …

Veterans’ Satisfaction With Veterans’ Administration Healthcare Systems, Dale Arnold

Masters Theses

There are currently over 600,000 veterans in the State of Michigan served by only five Veterans’ Administration Medical Centers. These medical centers are not evenly distributed throughout the state with the majority located in the southernmost portion of the state. There necessarily will be a number of veterans for which it is unreasonable to travel to these medical centers to receive care to which they are entitled. This research will investigate the number of veterans that are currently required to drive excessive distances to receive adequate care under the present system, and to possibly suggest solutions to the current situation.

Good Looking In The Dark: A Narrative Across Three Mediums, Aimee J. Valentine

Dissertations

Good Looking in the Dark: A Narrative Across Three Mediums is a single story presented in three distinct formats: short story, stage drama, and graphic narrative. This project is an exploration of the creative process and its relation to medium, reader anticipation, participation and response. Reflecting my position that narrative meaning is made primarily in the dark space of the reader’s mind, the story selected for this project is one that takes place almost entirely in the dark. In Good Looking in the Dark, two strangers are locked in a closet and engage one another without seeing the other—just …

Michigan Geographic Bee, John M. Dunn

WMU President John Dunn

No abstract provided.

Western News, March 30, 2017, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Grad programs ranked among nation’s best, University gets final OK to offer classes in Florida, Presidential search process ‘on track and on time’, Fulbright Scholarship has Jon Davis talking math in South Africa, Open house slated to obtain input on new student center, Today’s changing perspectives on gender to be discussed, On Campus with Deanne Puca, Psychologist to deliver lecture in honor of Croteau

March, 2017 Global News, Haenicke Institute

Global News

• Living the Arts in the Libraries to take place in April
• Michigan State Geographic Bee to return to WMU's Fetzer Center
• Annual Clark Lecture, two other political talks offered at WMU
• Take advantage of global engagement opportunities in April
• Some 700 to participate in 2017 César Chávez March
• See the world on a budget at 28th International Festival
• 5K walk to raise funds for clean water initiatives
• British author, adventurer to take WMU audience on a journey
• WMU's Ming Li among national diversity award honorees
• WMU to launch Collegiate Pathways program with Forest Hills Public Schools
• Welcoming messages going up …

Playthings In Early Modernity: Party Games, Word Games, Mind Games, Allison Levy

Ludic Cultures, 1100-1700

Why do we play games—with and upon each other as well as ourselves? When are winners also losers, and vice-versa? How and to what end do we stretch the spaces of play? What happens when players go "out of bounds," or when games go "too far"? Moreover, what happens when we push the parameters of inquiry: when we play with traditional narratives of ludic culture, when we rewrite the rules?

An innovative volume of fifteen interdisciplinary essays at the nexus of material culture, performance studies, and game theory, Playthings in Early Modernity emphasizes the rules of the game(s) as well …

February 2017 News Items, Office Of Vice President For Research

Research and Discovery News

• WMU celebrates research, diversity and global engagement
• Professor wins prestigious Japanese literary prize for poetry