Digital Commons Network^™

Please Wait: Re-Defining The Waiting Experience Through Design, Kedzie Rutan

Capstone Projects

Waiting is an unavoidable part of the commercial flying experience. From checking into the airport, navigating through the maze of security checkpoints, to checking personal belongings, every traveler experiences the ritual of waiting.

While airports aid in assisting travelers from one destination to another, airport designs and programs risk being too vast to understand differences in user sensitivity.Cultivating customer satisfaction presents a challenge in the context of air travel. The unfamiliar environment, noise levels, large crowds, long lines and changes in routine are inherent in the airport journey and can be anxiety-provoking for travelers.

Airport waiting areas are often designed …

Jane Baas: Student To Professor, A Career Dancing On East Campus, University Libraries

East Campus Oral Histories

WMU Professor Emerita and WMU Alum Jane Baas meets with Cassie Kotrch via Zoom to share stories and memories of her time as a student, professor, and dean at WMU, specifically teaching while Dance occupied portions of East Campus.

25 Year Club: 41st Annual Gala, Western Michigan University

25 Year Club

25 Year Club: 41st Annual Gala

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

• Reception
• Welcome
• Dinner Buffet
• Remarks
• 1997 in Review
• Recognition - New Club Members from 2020 & 2021
• Induction - New Club Members 2022

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session June 23, 2022, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes

Remarks by the Chair

Remarks by the President

Updates by the Faculty Senate President

Updates by the Western Student Association President

Updates by the Graduate Student Association Vice President

Presentation – WMU’s Investment in the Future – Academic Tenure and Promotion

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

• Proclamation - Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Title IX
• Academic Tenure and Promotion
• Teaching Assistants Union (TAU) Labor Agreement
• Police Officers Association (POA) Labor Agreement
• Tuition and Required Fee Rates Fall 2022
• General Fund Budget, Fiscal Year 2022-2023
• Student Room, Board, and Apartment …

Electromagnetically Propelled Garage Door, Connor Seifert

Honors Theses

Garage door systems are loud and energy inefficient given their many contact points and need for continual maintenance. Most garage door systems use a loud, bulky electric motor to pull the garage door up and down using a chain. To reduce noise and energy loss due to friction from the electric motor and chain, electromagnetic forces used in Electromagnetic Suspension (EMS) trains were researched and adapted to a garage door system. The electromagnetically propelled garage door (EPGD) system was designed and validated using SOLIDWORKS and ANSYS simulation with significantly less contact points due to non-contact electromagnetic propulsion (EMP). The design …

The Importance Of Public Space During The Covid-19 Pandemic With A Case Study Of The City Of Kalamazoo’S Kik Pool, Natalie Baker

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session January 20, 2022, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (December 16, 2021 Meetings)

Remarks by the Chair

Remarks by the President

Updates by the Faculty Senate President

Updates by the Western Student Association President

Updates by the Graduate Student Association Vice President

Educator Excellence Recognition

The Rhythm of Recovery: WMU’s Brain Lab

Celebrating Student Achievement

WMU Year in Review

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

Board of Trustee Officer Election

Consent Items

• Personnel Report

General Public Comments

Faculty Senate Yearbook, 2022-23, Wmu Faculty Senate

WMU Faculty Senate Yearbooks

No abstract provided.

Applying Critical Race Theory And Risk And Resilience Theory To The School-To-Prison Pipeline: Theoretical Frameworks For Social Workers, Christopher Thyberg, Christina Newhill

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social workers are essential stakeholders in the mounting efforts to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. This article presents a theoretical framework integrating Critical Race Theory and Risk and Resilience Theory as a tool for social workers and other school-based social service providers seeking to create meaningful change to school discipline policies. In this article, we apply the theories to expand the understanding of the school-to-prison pipeline and why it has persisted, compare and contrast each theory’s relative strengths and limitations, and conclude with implications for social workers, counselors, and social service providers at the practice, policy, and research levels.

A Qualitative Exploration Of Justice System Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of Disproportionate Minority Contact And Behavioral Health Access Among System-Involved Youth Of Color, Tiffany D. Baffour, Dawn X. Henderson, Denise Nation, Pedro M. Hernandez

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Previous research demonstrates that system-involved youth of color experience procedural and structural biases within the U.S. juvenile justice system. These biases and disparities are evident in behavioral health access and treatment. This study examined justice stakeholders’ (social workers, therapists, court counselors, judges, and school resource officers) perceptions of barriers and facilitators to behavioral health treatment among youth of color in the juvenile justice system. This qualitative exploratory study examined data from six focus groups comprising statewide stakeholders (n = 55) from a southeastern state. Results showed that the stigma associated with behavioral health treatment and the incapability of juvenile justice …

Promote Smart Decarceration And Eliminate Racism Grand Challenges For Social Work: Reimagining Marijuana Policy, Charles H. Lea Iii, Gaby Mohr, Susan A. Mccarter, Sarah B. Coughlin, Aaron Gottlieb, Briana S. Partlow, Keshawn S. Matthews, Branden A. Mcleod

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Marijuana decriminalization and legalization policies are being passed in many state and local jurisdictions throughout the United States (U.S.). In this process, many lawmakers have used the argument that these policies and associated practices will redress racial disparities in the criminal punishment system. Yet, the evidence suggests this is not the case. We, therefore, use Critical Race Theory (CRT) to interrogate how marijuana-related policies and practices perpetuate collateral consequences and racial disparities in mass incarceration and recidivism to uncover the ways in which they challenge efforts to promote smart decarceration and eliminate racism. We argue that in order to effectively …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 49, No. 2

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Non-Contractual Relations Between Private Mutual Aid And Government During A Crisis, Roland Zullo, Heather Kiningham

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

We examine United Ways 211 call data to test for a non-contractual relationship between a mutual aid nonprofit network and the distribution of federal stimulus checks during the COVID-19 economic recession. Data trends reveal an increase in requests for cash-equivalent relief at the early stage of the 2020 recession, and that the spike in requests from government sources was more than double, proportionately, than for requests from private mutual aid sources. Regression results indicate that the probability of a request for cash-equivalent relief from a government source, as well as United Ways referrals to government agencies, were elevated by the …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session December 16, 2021, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (November 4, 2021 and November 16, 2021 Meetings)

Remarks by the Chair

Remarks by the President

Updates by the Faculty Senate President

Updates by the Western Student Association President

Updates by the Graduate Student Association Vice President

Community Policing: Campus Safety through Service-Oriented Operation

Annual Presidential Assessment

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

• Approval of Capital Expenditure for WMU Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine
• Presidential Compensation

Consent Items

• Curriculum Proposals
• Personnel Report
• Revised WMU Duty to Report Criminal Acts Policy
• WMU Lease Agreement with FedEx Office and Print Services
• Annuity …

Eyewitness Identification, Alley Chan

Honors Theses

Eyewitness identification often plays a crucial role in the criminal justice system. It can be used to make an arrest, both exonerate and convict suspects, fuel police interrogation, and influence a plea bargaining decision. In the meantime, eyewitness misidentification has contributed to approximately 69% of the wrongful convictions, making it the leading factor in wrongful convictions nationwide. Hence, the central question that will be explored in this thesis is: Why eyewitness testimony is so powerful despite it is prone to error? To answer this question, this thesis will examine the role of eyewitness identification played in the criminal justice system …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session November 4, 2001, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda – Chen-Zhang

Approval of the Minutes (September 17, 2021 Meeting) – Chen-Zhang

Remarks by the Chair – Chen-Zhang

Remarks by the President – Montgomery

Updates by the Faculty Senate President – Kritzman

Updates by the Western Student Association President – Morris

Updates by the Graduate Student Association Vice President – Braman

Transforming Relationships: The Power of Faculty and Student Engagament in Research – Bott

Public Comments Regarding Action Items – Schuemann

Action Items – Chen-Zhang

• Permanent Easement Request from the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County – Scarff
• Western Michigan University External Audit – Rinvelt

Consent Items …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Sessionseptember 17, 2021, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda – Chen-Zhang

Approval of the Minutes (June 24, 2021 Meeting) – Chen-Zhang

Remarks by the Chair – Chen-Zhang

Remarks by the President – Montgomery

Updates by the Faculty Senate President – Kritzman

Updates by the Western Student Association President – Morris

Updates by the Graduate Student Association President – Hiremath

Navigating Excellence in Aviation – Powell

Public Comments Regarding Action Items – Schuemann

Action Items – Chen-Zhang

1. Labor Agreements

• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Labor Agreement – Van Der Kley
• Professional Instructors Organization Labor Agreement – Bott
• Western Michigan University American Association of University Professors …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session June 24, 2021, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda – Chen-Zhang

Approval of the Minutes (April 22, 2021 Meeting) – Chen-Zhang

Remarks by the Chair – Chen-Zhang

Remarks by the President – Montgomery

Comments by the Faculty Senate President – Kritzman

Comments by the Western Student Association President – Morris

Comments by the Graduate Student Association Interim President – Hiremath

Public Comments Regarding Action Items – Schuemann

• Action Items – Chen-Zhang

Trustee Emeritus Recognition for Ron Kitchens – Schuemann

Honorary Degree for Audrey Morean Petersen – Montgomery

Academic Tenure and Promotion – Bott

Sale of Parcel in WMU BTR2 to Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch Authority …

Community Attitudes Toward Police In Benton Harbor And St. Joseph, Michigan, Brian Molina

Dissertations

The present study sought to help investigate which public safety interventions may be appropriate for improving the safety and quality of life of Benton Harbor community members. To begin answering this question, researchers collected baseline measures of community attitudes toward police (ATP). St. Joseph residents were sampled to allow for a direct comparison of two sister cities within the same county, with nearly opposite racial and economic characteristics.

To obtain these data, surveys were administered to both Benton Harbor and St. Joseph community members. There were nine demographic/predictor variables included in the community perception survey. The variables were (a) location, …

Extreme Cold Event Perception And Preparedness Of Western Michigan University Students, Connor J. Landeck

Masters Theses

Preparing for disasters at universities differs throughout the country but taking preventative measures is the first step in reducing loss of life and recovery measures. This research examined differences among undergraduate students regarding perceptions when it comes to extreme cold events at Western Michigan University (WMU). The main focus of the thesis was to determine if there is a lack of awareness and/or preparation measures of extreme cold events. Data were collected online using a specially designed questionnaire through Qualtrics. Survey questions were coded and analyzed using SPSS software using standard univariate descriptive statistics and/or multivariate statistical tests deemed appropriate. …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session April 22, 2021, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Acceptance of the Agenda – Chen-Zhang
• Approval of the Minutes (March 18, 2021 Meeting) – Chen-Zhang
• Remarks by the Chair – Chen-Zhang
• Remarks by the President – Montgomery
• Comments by the Faculty Senate President – Kritzman
• Comments by the Western Student Association President – West
• Comments by the Graduate Student Association President – Morris
• Presentation – Discovering a Pathway to Purpose – Montgomery
• Public Comments Regarding Action Items – Schuemann

Action Items – Chen-Zhang

• Undergraduate Tuition Simplification Strategy – Bott
• WMUK-FM COVID-19 Relief Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan – Bott

Consent Items – Chen-Zhang

• Curriculum Proposals
• Personnel Report
• General Public …

“Police Perceptions Amid The Black Lives Matter Movement”, Eadoin Grim

Honors Theses

In 2014, following the police-involved deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, researchers focused their attention on the existence of a “Ferguson Effect,” such that rising homicide rates could be attributed to a reduction in proactive policing due to concerns over heightened public scrutiny. While UCR data would eventually refute the existence of such an Effect, previous research has found that there does appear to be evidence of a perceptual belief in the Ferguson Effect among municipal officers. To date, very little research concerning officer perceptions or experiences has been conducted with campus police departments, creating a substantial gap in …

Western Michigan University Magazine, Spring 2021, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Magazine (1997-present)

• Persisting through the pandemic
• Student well-being
• Redefining normal
• Groundbreaking research
• Designing a bright future
• Centering on resilience
• Pandemic impacts on teaching
• University News
• Alumni Profile
• Expert Insights
• Classnotes
• In Memoriam
• In Tempo

Social Work And Diverse Models Of Public Safety: Advocating With And On Behalf Of African American Communities, David R. Hodge, Stephanie Clintonia Boddie

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

George Floyd’s death sparked an intense national debate about policing practices. In social work, the discussion has generally focused on whether the profession should partner with, or shun, law enforcement. While affirming the need for structural change, this paper suggests a different approach; that social workers should advocate with and on behalf of African American communities to implement a public safety model that reflects their preferences. After discussing how practitioners can facilitate structural reform in this arena, five alternative models of public safety are reviewed to familiarize readers with options that may have some degree of currency with African Americans: …

Narratives In Sex Offender Management Laws: How Stories About A Label Shape Policymaking, Mauricio P. Yabar

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Serious scholarly inquiry regarding the role of social constructions and narratives in sex offender management laws is relatively a new undertaking. In the last two decades, a myriad of studies exploring the negative effects of Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) policies were added to the literature, a trend that appears to be slowing down today. The purpose of this paper is to recommend the integration of the narrative policy framework (NPF) with Schneider and Ingram’s (1993) theory of social construction of target populations in the analysis of SORN policies. The author provides a critical review of SORN policies while …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 48, No. 2

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Complete issue of Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare Volume 48, Number 2

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session December 10, 2020, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda – Bolger
Approval of the Minutes (November 5, 2020 Meeting) – Bolger
Remarks by the Chair – Bolger
Remarks by the President – Montgomery
Comments by the Faculty Senate President – Kritzman
Comments by the Western Student Association President – West
Comments by the Graduate Student Association President – Morris
Presentation – Student Athlete Achievement – Beauregard, Harrison, and Caliendo
Annual Presidential Assessment – Rinvelt
Outgoing Trustee Appreciation for Behen and Bolger – Schuemann
Public Comments Regarding Action Items – Schuemann

Action Items – Bolger

• Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy – Crawford
• Trustee Emeritus Recognition for …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session December 10, 2020, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

1. Acceptance of the Agenda – Bolger
2. Approval of the Minutes (November 5, 2020 Meeting) – Bolger
3. Remarks by the Chair – Bolger
4. Remarks by the President – Montgomery
5. Comments by the Faculty Senate President – Kritzman
6. Comments by the Western Student Association President – West
7. Comments by the Graduate Student Association President – Morris
8. Presentation – Student Athlete Achievement – Beauregard, Harrison, and Caliendo
9. Annual Presidential Assessment – Rinvelt
10. Outgoing Trustee Appreciation for Behen and Bolger – Schuemann
11. Public Comments Regarding Action Items – Schuemann
12. Action Items – Bolger
    1. Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy – Crawford
13. Trustee Emeritus Recognition for …

A Radar And Model Based Synopsis Of Surface Soil Moisture State As It Relates To Back-Building Thunderstorm Behavior: Northern Great Plains, Skye Leake

Masters Theses

Severe thunderstorm behavior across the Great Plains of North America can result in negative economic impact, put infrastructure at risk, and pose a hazard to the lives of those calling the area home. Substantial research has been conducted throughout the Great Plains on a variety of severe weather conditions such as extreme wind, hail, tornadoes, and flash flooding, however such research is limited in the northern portion of the Great Plains. Some research has been conducted on these severe phenomena produced by thunderstorms in the northern Great Plains; however, little has been done in the realm of training/back-building of storms. …

Application Of Artificial Intelligence And Geographic Information System For Developing Automated Walkability Score, Md Mehedi Hasan

Dissertations

Walking is considered as one of the major modes of active transportation, which contributes to the livability of cities. It is highly important to ensure walk friendly sidewalks to promote human physical activities along roads. Over the last two decades, different walk scores were estimated in respect to walkability measures by applying different methods and approaches. However, in the era of big data and machine learning revolution, there is still a gap to measure the composite walkability score in an automated way by applying and quantifying the activityfriendliness of walkable streets. In this study, a street-level automated walkability score was …