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Wmu Board Of Trustee Board Meeting, Thursday February 12, 2026, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Approval of the Minutes (December 4, 2025)
• Remarks by the Vice Chair of the Board
• Remarks by the President and Celebrating WMU Employee Graduates
• Updates by the Faculty Senate President
•  Updates by the Western Student Association President
• Updates by the Graduate Student Association President
• Presentation: An Overview of Our Research Innovation and Creative Scholarship Enterprise: Yesterday, Today, and the Future
• Public Comments Regarding Action Items
• Action Items
• WMU Board of Trustees Annual Officer Election
• WMU Board of Trustees Bylaws Revisions
• City of Battle Creek Lease College of Aviation Property
• Transfer Stewardship of Asylum Lake Preserve to …

Necessary, But Insufficient: School Counselors’ Informal Learning Experiences With Writing Letters Of Recommendations, Mandy Savitz-Romer, Tara Nicola, Julius Dilorenzo, Jen Ha, Amy Desiderio, Sebastian Munoz Galvez, Matthew O'Brien

Journal of College Access

Submission of recommendation letters from high school counselors is a requirement for undergraduate admission at many selective colleges. However, there has been limited research to-date examining these critical application components and the front-line professionals who generate them. This study examines how high school counselors, who are key actors in holistic admission practices, learn how to craft recommendation letters. Given previous research has found that counselors have limited training in college admission counseling, understanding the learning processes that shape their letter writing is a critical first step for improving the quality of letters and their utility for student success in the …

The Ethical Limits Of Physician Autonomy In Reproductive Medicine, Isabel Martens

Honors Theses

In vitro fertilization is a relatively new medical practice that helps people who face infertility be able to reproduce. Reproductive medicine providers face ethical dilemmas often in their field, only some of which have standards of care. There are questions in the medical landscape pertaining to physician autonomy versus patient autonomy, which heavily apply to reproductive medicine providers. Patient autonomy is highly valued in medical ethics; however, physician autonomy should also be considered. When a physician decides who can and cannot reproduce, ethical considerations must be followed to maintain the practice of reproductive autonomy. Limited policies exist that manage reproductive …

Meeting Population Health Needs: Are Occupational Therapy Health Promotion Programs Scalable?, Tracy Chippendale, Szu-Wei Chen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Facilitators And Barriers To Sustainable Global Rehabilitation Projects, Fredrick Pociask, Rosanne Dizazzo-Miller

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The sustainability of projects addressing significant rehabilitation needs in lower-resource countries is considered one of the most critical outcomes of these initiatives. While some information is available from public health and medical projects on promoting sustainability, less evidence exists on facilitators and barriers to the sustainability of global rehabilitation development projects. Interviews with eleven medical and rehabilitation professionals, each with over 8 years of experience in global project development, contributed to the discussion of barriers and facilitators for sustainability with direct implications for occupational therapy practice and research. The presence of established professional standards was a distinctive facilitator, and disruptions …

Brain Gains: A Review Of Remediation Treatment Strategies Using Exercise Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Jessica Smith, Kristin Biggins, Loriann Helgeson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

In this Opinions in the Profession article, we explore remediation treatment strategies using exercise for recovery from post-traumatic brain injury and aim to justify the use of such treatment in the occupational therapy profession to increase skills for functional gain. Common treatment strategies used by occupational therapists after brain injury are compensatory strategies, indicating the client learns a new way to perform the task. Though effective, it is also necessary to consider how remediation and neuroplasticity are essential. Teaching new approaches to complete tasks results in functional gains; however, focusing on foundational skills using exercises to relearn motor patterns to …

Investigating The Efficacy Of An Online Multigenerational Awareness Course For Occupational Therapy Students – A Pilot Study, Susan Blair, Barbara M. Doucet, Jerilyn Callen, Kirsten Davin, Shelby Hutchinson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

In today’s multigenerational society, particularly in health care settings, thriving can be challenging because of generational differences. Occupational therapy educational programs (OTEPs) prepare students for work environments where three to four different generations may be present. This study examines the effectiveness of an online multigenerational awareness (MGA) course. The secondary objectives include increasing students’ knowledge of enhanced multigenerational collaboration and communication strategies in preparation for future clinical practice. A pilot group of eight participants from various university departments reviewed the course content and completed preenrollment and postenrollment surveys, providing feedback regarding the applicability and perceived usefulness of the multigenerational awareness …

Ruth Coleman Denard (1906-2002): One Of The First Registered Black Occupational Therapists, Mirline Milien

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The experiences and contributions of underrepresented groups in the occupational therapy profession are insufficiently explored and largely absent from occupational therapy education. For instance, the narratives of early Black occupational therapists and students are virtually nonexistent in the literature. As the profession moves toward greater inclusivity, it is essential to uncover these hidden stories and legacies to better understand the profession’s evolution and help shape its future. This article highlights Ruth Coleman Denard, one of the first registered Black occupational therapists in the United States, and provides an overview of her career trajectory. Historical research methods, including a review of …

An Occupation-Based Review Of Assessments Used In Pediatric Occupational Therapy Practice, Alysha Skuthan, Wendy B. Stav, Gracyn Mcvey, Jennifer Martinez, Marissa Hunter, Erin Diroll, Maureen Flanagan

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Assessment tools are a critical component of the occupational therapy evaluation process. Despite the profession’s push toward occupation-centered practice, the classification of assessment tools as occupation-based versus skill-based does not exist. An occupation-based review of pediatric occupational therapy assessment tools was completed and scored according to the Occupation-Based Practice Assessment to classify assessment tools on a continuum of discrete or skill-based to occupation-based. Of the top 11 most frequently used tools, four were classified as occupation-based, three were classified as intermediate, and four were classified as discrete. In total, only 36% of commonly selected assessment tools are occupation-based. Pediatric occupational …

A Polyvagal And Sensory Integration And Processing Approach To Supporting Development In Young Children With Autism, Catherine Cavaliere, Nadia Rust, Michelle Rogowski, Alyssa Calderone, Rebecca Marash, Amy Zdrodowski, John Damiao

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The polyvagal theory presents a framework for understanding the autonomic nervous system’s role in influencing behavior, engagement, and connection. Children with autism experience regulation and sensory integration and processing differences that impact their sense of felt safety and engagement in their environment. The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is an auditory program designed to stimulate the vagal system and support nervous system regulation.

Methods: A retrospective multiple subject pretest-posttest design was used to examine the impact of the SSP on regulation, engagement, and skill acquisition in children with autism ages 2 to 3 enrolled in an early intervention center …

More Than Covering Ears: A Clinical Inventory For Characterizing Decreased Sound Tolerance (I-Dst) In Autism, Tana B. Carson, Angela Medina, Katherine L. Long, Yuxi Qiu, Monica Noriega

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Decreased sound tolerance (DST) is among the most common and distressing forms of sensory over-responsivity experienced by children with autism spectrum disorders. DST includes hyperacusis and misophonia, among others, and can limit participation in daily activities. Recently, a new screening tool, the Pediatric Hyperacusis and Misophonia Questionnaire (PMHQ-4) has been developed to allow health professionals to better identify and differentiate these conditions using a single assessment. Additional clinical tools are needed to further characterize DST symptoms to facilitate treatment planning after diagnosis.

Methods: In this mixed-methods study n = 15 parents of autistic children 6 to 17 …

State Of The Journal: Advancing And Promoting Frames Of Reference For Occupational Therapy Practice, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Navigating Kingship: Sea Power And Sovereignty In Gower's Confessio Amantis, Elizabeth D. Brissey

Accessus

This article examines John Gower’s Apollonius of Tyre in the Confessio Amantis through the lens of the blue humanities, giving special attention to the ways in which the tale treats the sovereign’s maritime domain as integral to the terrestrial. Apollonius depicts sovereignty over aquapelagic space, with the sea serving both as a channel of exchange and as a figurative medium through which sovereignty is negotiated. The crucial issue that aligns the Apollonius tale with the concept of English sovereignty lies in its vision of thalassocratic space in which kingship is grounded in sea power and the sea as a connecting …

Hoccleve Vs. Mowbray: Whose Book Is It?, Joyce Coleman

Accessus

Writing in 1994, Derek Pearsall suggested that, c. 1411-14, the future Henry V had commissioned Thomas Hoccleve to write The Regiment of Princes, and then to oversee the creation of copies to distribute among important courtiers, in “a concerted attempt ... to cement relationships with possibly doubtful friends” (Pearsall 1994: 396).

Ten years earlier, however, Kate Harris had proposed that the arms in the initials under the famous presentation image and on ff. 1 and 71 of London, BL Arundel 38 were all linked to John Mowbray, the future duke of Norfolk—not to the prince and to Thomas FitzAlan, earl …

Scriptor Latinus Morigeris -- Some Aspects Of Gower’S Latin Usage, Mark T. Riley

Accessus

This paper describes the distinctive characteristics of John Gower’s Latin as illustrated primarily by his Vox Clamantis, although his shorter Latin works are occasionally mentioned. Topics include Gower’s Latin education, his extensive Latin vocabulary and mythological references, the paragraphing of his poem, his procedures for using or adapting quotations, as well as his characteristic wordplay and punning. Further topics cover Gower’s medieval use of various verbs, pronouns, and conjunctions, with the accompanying grammatical structures, some of which may present difficulties for the translator. Also included is a section on the meter of the Vox Clamantis, with some notes on …

Women And Magic In Medieval Romance: Genre, Intertextuality, And Power, By Jane Bonsall, Melissa Elmes

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, And Learning In Gcf Mitigation Projects: Early Findings From India & Bangladesh, S M Shariful Islam, Paul Clements

Waldo Library Student Exhibits

Climate finance is vital for mitigation in the Global South, but weak MEAL structures undermine transparency, comparability, and replicability. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) — the largest multilateral climate fund — often reports ambitious mitigation outcomes that lack verified measurement.

This study evaluates how GCF-funded mitigation projects in India and Bangladesh perform in transparency, reliability, implementability, and cost-effectiveness. This poster was created to exhibit in WMU’s International Education Week in November 2025.

Special Tribute To Fred Sammons, Phd (Hon), Otrl, Faota

OJOT Sponsor Profiles

No abstract provided.

Special Tribute To Barbara A. Rider, Phd, Otrl, Faota

OJOT Sponsor Profiles

No abstract provided.

Iberoamerican Neomedievalisms: “The Middle Ages” And Its Uses In Latin America, Edited By Nadia R. Altschul And Maria Ruhlmann, Emily Francomano

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

A Convert’S Tale: Art, Crime, And Jewish Apostasy In Renaissance Italy, By Tamar Herzig, Lyn Blanchfield

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

White Before Whiteness In The Late Middle Ages, By Wan-Chuan Kao, Thelma Trujillo

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

The Hungry City: A Year In The Life Of Medieval Barcelona, By Marie A. Kelleher, Jessica Minieri

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

The Permeable Self: Five Medieval Relationships, By Barbara Newman, Laura Moncion

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

"I'M Going To College": Protective Factors Shaping The College-Going Identity Of Prospective First-Generation College Students Of Color, Joseph M. Williams, Yakob Lemma, Nina R. Schoonover, Morgan Rustia, Ben Allen

Journal of College Access

A college-going identity reflects a mindset in which individuals view college as a realistic, attainable, and desirable goal. It is characterized by the belief that higher education is a vital part of one's educational journey and is accompanied by a strong aspiration to earn a degree. For students from low-income and marginalized backgrounds, this identity serves as a critical protective factor, buffering against systemic inequities, resource limitations, and low expectations that often shape their educational experiences. This qualitative study examines the protective factors shaping the college-going identity of prospective first-generation, low-income middle school students of color (N = 17). Centering …

Reframing Narratives, Reclaiming Futures: Antiracist School Counseling And Black And Brown Girls In Stem, Renae D. Mayes, Lia D. Falco, Shontell Zenon, Dequindre Hughes, Yijia Chen, Lydia Ross, Medha Dalal

Journal of College Access

Black and Brown girls often have educational experiences that stifle their career aspirations, especially in STEM fields. These experiences can be exacerbated by educators who misunderstand and refuse to recognize their STEM potential, thus limiting their opportunity to build STEM identities. School counselors can disrupt these experiences through antiracist practices that cultivate homeplace and joy for Black and Brown girls to heal and grow while working to address harmful policies and practices. In this paper, authors discuss how school counselors can specifically use antiracist school counseling practices to support Black and Brown girls in STEM as a part of multi-tiered …

Problems And Possibilities Of Namelessness In Late Antiquity And The Early Middle Ages, Jamie Wood, Hope Williard, Máirín Maccarron, Julia Hillner, James R. Burns

Medieval People

No abstract provided.

61st International Congress On Medieval Studies, Medieval Institute, Western Michigan University

International Congress on Medieval Studies Archive

The printed program of the 61st International Congress on Medieval Studies (May 14–16, 2026), together with the Corrigenda.

Chaucer And Becket’S Mother: “The Man Of Law’S Tale,” Conversion, And Race In The Middle Ages, By Meriem Pagès, Daisy E. Black

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Complete Issue, Christopher Tremblay, Patrick J. O'Connor Phd, Laura Owen, Diana Camilo, Moya Malcolm

Journal of College Access

No abstract provided.