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An Ethiopian Dilemma: Deep Structures, Wrenching Processes, Donald N. Levine

International Conference on African Development Archives

Please find attached my keynote address presented August 3 at the 4th International Conference of Ethiopian Development Studies at Western Michigan University. Organized by Professor Sisay Asefa, the Conference assembled an edifying blend of thoughtful, forward-looking Ethiopian scholars, and culminated with inauguration of the new Ethiopian Development Studies Association.

The Global Response To The Darfur Crisis, Mehari Maru

International Conference on African Development Archives

This paper examines the global response to the Darfur crisis. The term global refers to non-Sudanese actors in Darfur crisis including but not limited to: international and multilateral governance institutions such as United Nations and its family agencies (hereafter UN), International Criminal Court (hereafter ICC), African Union (hereafter AU), European Union (hereafter EU), North Atlantic Organization (hereafter NATO), and the Arab League; countries such as United States of America (hereafter USA), Peoples Republic of China, Chad, and Central African Republic; and international NGOs such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group and many other relief and humanitarian organizations, …

Investors' Willingness To Pay For Urban Land: The Case Of Addis Ababa City, Alebel Bayrau, Genanew Bekele

International Conference on African Development Archives

The spatial, physical and socio-economic conditions of Addis Ababa City, in general, is by far behind the requirements fundamental to sustain the livelihood of the city. In addressing the problems of the city, the suggested government intervention strategies include, among others, the relocation and resettlement of residents for efficient utilization of potential sites, and bringing balanced and coordinated investment/development in different parts of the city. These strategies, so far, seam to concentrate on the supply side and neglected the effective demand of the majority of investors. This study, therefore, aims to assess determinants of investors' willingness to pay for a …

Private Transfers, Informal Loans And Risk Sharing Among Poor Urban Households, Eskander Alvi, Seife Dendir

International Conference on African Development Archives

This paper contributes to a growing literature that investigates the mechanisms of risk-sharing among poor households. There are two aspects of the paper that are particularly relevant in the context of the literature. First, it focuses on poor urban areas. The disproportionate focus in the literature on rural households has meant that we know relatively little about the risk-sharing practices of poor urban households. Given that formal insurance is largely absent even in urban areas of most developing economies, it is apparent that these households may be no less vulnerable to income risk than their rural counterparts. Furthermore, because of …

Cognitive Vs. Supportive Therapy For Distressed Collegians, Jean Clore

Dissertations

Rates of depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and low self-esteem appear to be growing on college campuses. Determining how best to help distressed collegians is an important public health concern, as these individuals appear to be at significant risk for further deterioration, disrupted quality of life, and impaired ability to succeed in college. This study compared the effects of (a) six sessions of cognitive therapy (CT; training in two cognitive modification strategies—building positive self-thoughts and disputing negative self-thoughts) to (b) six sessions of non-directive, supportive therapy (ST). Fifty-three students from a large mid-western university reporting low self-esteem and significant levels of …

A Study To Investigate The Relationship Between A User’S Thermal Comfort And Seat Pan Materials, Anil Raghavendra Kumar

Dissertations

Workers performing sedentary tasks in job types such as administrative, technical, customer service and executive could be seated for four or more hours during their normal work shift. Due to the prolonged periods of sitting, a worker could experience dissatisfaction, discomfort, and fatigue, which could lead to reduced performance. Symptoms of discomfort could over time lead to injuries and illnesses such as low back pain, cumulative trauma disorders, disc herniation, and pressure ulcers.

Evaluating The Immediate Impact And Short-Term Therapeutic Effects Of The “Internalized-Other” Interviewing With Couples, Shai M. Brosh

Dissertations

The present study examined empirically the immediate and short-term therapeutic effects of the internalized-other interview (Tomm, 1996) with couples during a single session and compared it with the standard method of interviewing couples (i.e., treatment as usual). Thirty-two married couples (N = 64 participants) were randomly assigned into one of two conditions (internalized-other versus standard interviewing). Couples attended an initial interview session and two follow-ups (one and four-weeks respectively). Self-reported measures of session impact were taken immediately after the session, while self-reported measures of marital satisfaction, intimacy, closeness and empathy were taken at baseline (before the session) and during …

Work Stress, Non-Work Stress And Mental Health Among School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists: Effects Of Social Support, Lena Gloria Caesar

Dissertations

This study utilized secondary data from the Work and Well-being of SLPs survey (Caesar, 2004) to examine possible sources (predictors) of work stress, job satisfaction, and psychological distress among 409 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) employed in public school settings in Michigan. This study also investigated the relationship of work-related and non-work-related stress to the mental health status of SLPs and sought to determine the mediating and/or moderating effects of varied types of social support on the mental health of respondents. Data analysis was done in three stages. First, each of the dependent and independent variables were described statistically. Secondly, correlation analyses …

Private Narratives In Public Places: The Experiences Of Predominantly White Gay Male Undergraduates On Lgb Classroom Panels, James Patrick Dolan Jr.

Dissertations

The scholarly literature addresses the common practice and effectiveness of using classroom panel presentations by lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) speakers to increase awareness of LGB experiences and to change attitudes. However, little is known about the experiences of the speakers themselves or how the experience may affect the speaker's sense of self or identity. From an identity as narrative perspective, the goal of this study was to learn what effect the repeated telling of a coming out story in a public setting may have on the teller's identity, the story they tell, and the meanings and feelings associated with …

A Phenomenological Study Assessing African American Women’S Perspectives On Successful Heterosexual Relationships, Shamika Yolanda Latrell Hall

Dissertations

This study seeks to understand successful African American relationships from the perspective of African American females. Recognizing the impact of structural factors on African Americans, as well as the limits of imposing Eurocentric definitions of successful relationships, this study seeks to understand how African American women themselves describe successful relationships and to identify factors that have influenced their ideas about what is required for them to have healthy, happy, long-lasting, nurturing relationships. Design of the present study is informed by findings from Stephens-Williams' (1992) study of successful African American relationships, as well as a broader review of structural, sociological, and …

Citation Analysis And Journal Impact In School Psychology: 1995-2004, Rebecca Lanai Jennings-Knotts

Dissertations

The present study is a citation analysis of the school psychology literature from 1995-2004. Data from six major journals over a 10-year period were analyzed to determine the disciplines, books, and authors who most heavily impacted school psychology. Findings suggest that school psychology is characterized by high levels of interdisciplinary collaboration, and that the school psychology literature maintains relatively low self-citation and cross-citation rates when compared to other domains of psychology. As in previous investigations, the field of education was found to be less influential than the field of special education. The impact of behavior analysis varied significantly by school …

Evaluation Of A School-Based Program Targeting Pediatric Asthma Self-Management Skills In An Urban Population, Dawn J. Dore-Stites

Dissertations

Asthma is the most commonly diagnosed chronic disorder in childhood and is linked with several problematic outcomes including frequent school absences, increased hospitalizations and decreased quality of life. Further, urban populations struggling with low socioeconomic status are disproportionately represented in prevalence statistics and suffer from increased functional morbidity relative to other children with asthma. These findings exist in the midst of largely effective pharmacological interventions.

Asthma self-management programs (SMPs) target several behaviors linked to improved outcomes and are often used as an adjunct to medication management. SMPs have been employed using a variety of techniques and treatment targets in a …

Community College Retention: The Role Of Late Registration Policies, Kay L. Keck

Dissertations

The study provided for a clearer understanding of the impact of late registration on community college retention and student persistence. Of particular interest were the results of the examination of the course-specific side of late registration. The most significant findings of this study were: (1) Students who registered and began a course on time had a greater likelihood to successfully complete the course. The consequences students associated with late registration included missing critical first class day information and feeling rushed and unprepared to begin the class; (2) A majority of late registrants were successful in the late registered course, and …

The Influence Of Pedometers And Heart Rate Monitors On Academic Learning Time In Physical Education, Jeffrey E. Kingma

Masters Theses

This study looked at pedometers and heart rate monitors, to see if they influence academic learning time in physical education (ALT-PE). ALT-PE is a behavioral measurement of quality analyzing the percentage of time students are motor engaged during the physical education class. The study used two physical education classes each participating in a basketball and a soccer unit. Video was taken and analyzed of the two week baseline and experimental units. During the experimental unit, one third of the class received pedometers, one third heart rate monitors and one third no device. Each class day students rotated through each condition. …

Health Monitoring Of Concrete Bridges Utilizing Sensor Technology, Ammar Zalt

Masters Theses

Structural health monitoring using sensor technology is a promising way to provide excellent means for protecting important structures such as bridges, dams, and nuclear reactors. These sensors provide real-time information about structural conditions, They work together as a nervous system to provide timely information for emergency and risk mitigation. The information obtained from these sensors can later be analyzed and compared to the design data so that the problem can be detected and fixed before it develops into a serious and costly hazard.

Throughout the course of this thesis the feasibility and performance of two types of sensors will be …

Mail And Web Surveys: A Comparison Of Demographic Characteristics And Response Quality When Respondents Self-Select The Survey Administration Mode, Dawn M. Mackety

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to use a nonexperimental, quantitative design to compare mail and web surveys with survey mode self-selection at two data collection waves. Research questions examined differences and predictabilities among demographics (gender, ethnicity, age, and professional employment) and response quality (pronoun use, item nonresponse, response extremity, yea-saying, item completion errors, response length, response equivalency, anecdotal comments, and multiple response use) by survey mode and response wave. Analyses were conducted using chi-squares, ANOVAs, t -tests, and binary logistic regressions.

A questionnaire in mail and web formats containing 48 forced-choice and open-ended items was administered to a nonrandom …

Evaluation Of Researchers And Their Research: Toward Making The Implicit Explicit, Chris L. S. Coryn

Dissertations

Due to its very nature, the evaluation of research permeates nearly every aspect of the work of researchers. They evaluate the work of others or have their own work evaluated. They evaluate hypotheses that come to mind, the previous literature, the quality of data, the explanatory power of theories, or the design of experiments or instruments. And this is not always casual evaluation. It is highly skilled evaluation, and becoming a first-rate or world-class researcher is a process of improving the quality of these evaluations. However, deciding when someone is or has become a first-rate or world-class researcher is an …

Metaevaluation Case Study Of Four Evaluations Of Osha Vpp Programs, Jafar Momani

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the controversy about shifts in the U.S. Administration's policy related to the Labor Department (OSHA) shift from enforcement to partnerships and voluntary protection programs (VPP). A metaevaluation of four OSHA VPP evaluation reports was conducted and included the investigation of objectives, methodologies, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Conducting a crosswalk of the 1994 Joint Committee evaluation standards (JCS) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) standards was an opportunity to provide additional validity to the evaluation standards, evaluation reports findings and conclusions, and to highlight the importance of the shared elements between …

The Effect Of Auditory-Motor Synchronization On Physiological Responses And Perceived Exertion During Treadmill Running, Tracy J. Kiel

Masters Theses

Synchronous, asynchronous, and no music were compared to determine the effect of synchronization of musical tempo and running cadence on physiological and perceptual responses to exercise. Eight subjects, three males and five females, participated in one assessment trial and three experimental trials. During the assessment trial, subjects performed a VO_2max test, and researchers then calculated running cadence at a velocity approximating 70 percent of VO_2max.

During the three experimental trials, subjects ran for 20 minutes at approximately 70 percent of VO_2max on a motorized treadmill with synchronous, asynchronous, and no music, where the order of trials …

In Relation: Marguerite De Provence And Her Many Roles, 1221-1295, Cristina Dawn Moody

Masters Theses

This thesis uses a body of letters between Marguerite de Provence, a thirteenth-century French Queen, and others to discuss her role as a link between several European courts, assisting the French crown to be free of major wars in this period. It investigates Marguerite's attempts to reverse the will of her father, which gave Provence to her youngest sister, Beatrice. Marguerite's life speaks to a variety of topics and themes, including but not limited to, queenship, monarchy, political discourse, letter-writing, and the social construction of gender. Since relatively little work has been done on her life, this thesis seeks to …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Special Formal Session July 31, 2007, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Minutes of the WMU Board of Trustees meeting include appendices:

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Recommendation re University Budget, 2007-2008

Wmu Board Of Trustees Special Formal Session July 24, 2007, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Minutes of the WMU Board of Trustees meeting include appendices:

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Recommendation re Tuition
• Resolution Regarding Project Funded by State Building Authority

Emeriti News, Summer 2007, Emeriti Council

Emeriti News

Contents from Volume XII, Number 2:

• Coming Attractions
• Exploring Our Campus
• Emeriti Flu Clinic
• Emeriti Theatre Matinee
• Election Results: The 2007-2008 Emeriti Council
• The Emeriti Council Webpage
• The Year in Review
• Invest in Your Health

The Western Michigan University Magazine, Summer 2007, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Magazine (1997-present)

• Inside and out, it’s a masterpiece
• This year marks WMU’s 50th anniversary as Michigan’s fourth university.
• StoryCorps plumbs local oral histories
• For the love of the game
• Athletics
• College news
• Campus places
• Classnotes/Obituaries

Gatherings No. 40 Summer 2007, Friends Of The University Libraries

Gatherings: Friends of the University Libraries Newsletter

Complete issue of Gatherings no. 40. Edited by Laurel Grotzinger.

Banners Catch And Teach, Michael Whang

Gatherings: Friends of the University Libraries Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Western News, June 21, 2007, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Collaboration saves campus bus service; Performance space named for D. Terry Williams; Four staff members earn Make a Difference awards; On Campus with Kim Smith.

Ceas E-News 06.12.2007, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences News

CEAS Professors volunteer for KAMSC science fair projects

Western News, June 7, 2007, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Farewell events set for Beam, Haenicke, Pisaneschi; WMU, IBM team to build 21st century skills; New office supports WMU parents, families; On Campus with Jean Decker.

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session June 7, 2007, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Minutes of the WMU Board of Trustees meeting include appendices:

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Approval of the Minutes
• Remarks by the Chair
• Remarks by the President
• Remarks by the WSA President and GSAC Chair