Digital Commons Network^™

Femina: A New History Of The Middle Ages, Through The Women Written Out Of It, By Janina Ramirez, Jo Koster

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Caroline Bergvall’S Medievalist Poetics: Migratory Texts And Transhistorical Methods, Edited By Joshua Davies And Caroline Bergvall, Ruth Evans

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Maternal Materialities: Objects, Rituals And Material Evidence Of Medieval And Early Modern Childbirth Edited By Costanza Gislon Dopfel, Claire Kilgore

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Resistance To Love In Medieval English Romance By Hannah Piercy, Amy N. Vines

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Thousands And Thousands Of Lovers: Sense Of Community Among The Nuns Of Helfta By Anna Harrison, Silvia Negri

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

English Women’S Spiritual Utopias, 1400–1700: New Kingdoms Of Womanhood, By Alexandra Verini, Kirsty Bolton

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Women And Medieval Literary Culture: From The Early Middle Ages To The Fifteenth Century Edited By Corinne Saunders And Dianne Watt, Melissa Elmes

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session February 5, 2025, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (December 12, 2024 Meeting)

Remarks by the Vice 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

Employee Graduates

Climb Onward – A Look-in on WMU Athletics’ Strategic Plan

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

Western Michigan University Board of Trustees Annual Officer Election

Delegated Board of Trustees Authority to Confer Degrees

Faculty Senate Constitution Amendments

Campus Master Plan 2025 and Beyond

2025 General Revenue Bonds

Consent Item

• Personnel Report
• Curriculum Proposals …

Amy Wagenfeld, Phd, Otrl, Scem, Faota

OJOT Sponsor Profiles

No abstract provided.

Collections As Data: A Data Literacy Tool For Community Engagement, Daria Orlowska, Lynn Houghton

University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

The Collections as Data initiative begun by Thomas Padilla strives to reframe digital objects as data that is community-oriented, contextualized for easy reusability, and empowering reimagination in creative ways. In an effort to increase the accessibility of University Libraries archival collections to researchers and students, we began investigating the feasibility of this initiative on our campus using the digitized South Haven Lighthouse Log Collection as a starting point. The lighthouse logs are a series of digitized journals originally compiled at South Pierhead Light in South Haven, Michigan, recording passing vessels, weather remarks and lighthouse expenditures between 1878-1892. A collection assessment …

Courtly And Queer: Deconstruction, Desire, And Medieval French Literature, By Charlie Samuelson, Anna Klosowska

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

The Once And Future Sex: Going Medieval On Women’S Roles In Society, By Eleanor Janega, Emily C. Francomano

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Feminist Medievalisms: Embodiment And Vulnerability In Literature And Film, By Usha Vishnuvajjala, Lucy Barnhouse

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Nascere. Il Parto Dalla Tarda Antichità All’Età Moderna Edited By Alessandra Foscati, Costanza Gislon Dopfel, And Antonella Parmeggiani, Marjolaine Raguin

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Marian Maternity In Late-Medieval England By Mary Beth Long, Sarah Friedman

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Remember The Hand: Manuscription In Early Medieval Iberia By Catherine Brown, Lara Farina

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Gender And The ‘Natural’ Environment In The Middle Ages, Edited By Theresa L. Tyers And Patricia Skinner, Danielle Allor

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Beyond Average Effects In Education Research Syntheses: Explaining Heterogeneity Of Concept Mapping Research In Science Education Through Meta-Regression Modeling, Aaron Wenger

Dissertations

Contemporary education research seeks causal inferences in order to guide policy and practice. Often well-controlled quasi-experimental and experimental designs are used as they are very useful for supporting and contextualizing causal inferences. Nevertheless, individual studies, even high-quality, resource-intensive randomized controlled trials, are not able to establish generalized claims. Because primary studies vary over dozens of variables (e.g., grade, subject, duration) simply conducting additional primary studies cannot change this. Furthermore, the informal assessments of primary studies common in literature reviews are unable to resolve certain challenges (e.g., publication bias) that are described in the emerging field of meta-research. These challenges require …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session December 12, 2024, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (September 26, 2024 and October 16, 2024 Meetings)

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

Presentation: Advancing EV Technology through Education

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

Policy and Procedures for Periodic Assessment of the University President

Presidential Assessment

Consent Item

A. Personnel Report

B. Curriculum Proposals

C. Commercial Lease Agreement - 603 Ransom, Kalamazoo, MI

D. Natural Gas Pipeline Easement at West Hills

E. Membership Change …

Women, Collective Creative Practice, And Community Health, Anne Hensley

Honors Theses

A growing body of research shows that art therapy yields positive outcomes for those experiencing stress and mood disorders. Creative arts therapies have been shown to lower cortisol, improve personal and universal outlook, decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression, increase self-esteem and confidence, alleviate burnout, help individuals to cope with trauma, and support brain function through activity-dependent plasticity. However, little research has been done on collective and collaborative arts, and the enhanced benefits communal practice might bring. Additionally, art therapy is inaccessible to many, due to a dearth of practitioners and cultural and socioeconomic barriers to participation. Peri-, menopausal, and …

The Impact Of Major Sporting Events In Kalamazoo On Consumer Behavior, Nicholas Biel

Honors Theses

Sporting events are a force in the growth and sustainability of a community’s economy. In a market like Kalamazoo, collegiate football games such as those at Western Michigan University and annual events like the Kalamazoo Marathon play a pivotal role in bolstering the economy. This research demonstrates the effects on consumer behavior at restaurants in Kalamazoo, Michigan that are caused by these major sporting events. By examining data from the platform Placer.ai, and conducting interviews with local restaurants, this research examines trends in consumer habits, movements, and engagement. Placer.ai is a platform that tracks location analytics using data collected anonymously …

An Exploration Of Russian "Plea Bargaining": Americanization And Administratization Theses, Nathaniel Brewer

Honors Theses

This Project attempts to answer the question: Why did Russia adopt a legal practice that is seemingly inconsistent with its inquisitorial legal history? The Project examines this question through two theses posited by Máximo Langer and applying them to the Russian Federation’s Code of Criminal Procedure (“CCP”) Chapter 40. Chapter 40 of the CCP creates the Special Trial Procedure (“STP”), a summary proceeding allowing the defendant to agree to the charges they face in exchange for a reduced sentence. In inquisitorial legal systems, this sort of proceeding is not meant to occur because they are meant to be predicated on …

Reflecting Faith In The Heartland: A Study Of The Architecture Of Mainline Protestant Christian Churches In Kalamazoo County, Mi., Ian Russel

Honors Theses

The Midwest is a region with fuzzy borders and an equally confusing place in the American imagination. Is it the last refuge of a more wholesome, innocent America filled with white picket fences or a drab, suffocating post-industrial landscape? Despite largely dominating how the region is depicted in popular culture, neither of these representations is entirely accurate. One possible step towards developing a more accurate understanding of the Midwest is examining the churches that dot its towns and cities. Many of these churches belong to mainline Protestant Christian denominations such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), …

All Sports Spectacular Event Plan And Data Review, Ashley Dale

Honors Theses

The following report is the event plan for the All Sports Spectacular hosted by the Irish Hills Regional Chamber of Commerce (IHRCC) on October 5, 2024, at the Mill Sports and Event Center in Onsted, MI. The report investigates different elements of the event and how they contributed to the overall success of the event. It also provides recommendations for changes that can be made in the future to increase the fundraising potential of the event.

The project’s main goal was to raise funds for the IHRCC so that they are able to continue their mission of promoting business growth …

Neurodivergent Experiences In Communication Sciences And Disorders Programs As Reflected In Reddit, Shadha Al Kalbani

Honors Theses

By definition, neurodivergent students are those whose brain function differs significantly from societal expectations (Walker, 2014). The term ‘neurodivergent’ is associated with the Neurodiversity Movement. Although the Neurodiversity Movement was spearheaded by the Autistic1 community, the term commonly includes other forms of neurodivergence such as ADHD and dyslexia. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of neurodivergent students in Communication Sciences Disorders (CSD) programs, where systematic data on their demographics and experience is relatively limited. Specifically, this study analysed posts from the online social media platform Reddit that are dedicated to the college experience of neurodivergent students …

What Is Known And Not Known About The Impact Of Social Media On Self-Esteem: Systematic Literature Review Of Research On Adolescents (2014-2024), Kailen Mokhantha-Sopraseuth

Honors Theses

Prior research has found social media can impact how users feel about themselves and can influence how individuals perceive the world around them. Due to the increase in adolescent usage of social media, a systematic literature review of research available through Western Michigan University’s library was conducted. This study was aimed at summarizing and critically evaluating research on the impact of social media use on adolescent’s self-esteem using a qualitative systematic literature review from the last decade, with some quantitative analysis. Specifically, this study examined 1) what methods of data collection was used, 2) research designs implemented, and 3) results …

The Immune System Under Pressure: Understanding The Impact Of Stress On Immune Function And Health, Kaeshwinie Murugan

Honors Theses

Stress has a profound impact on the immune health of college students, exacerbated by challenges such as academic pressures, sleep deprivation, and inadequate coping strategies. This study investigates the relationship between stress and immune function among students at Western Michigan University, utilizing survey data and existing literature to explore mechanisms of stress-induced immune suppression and identify effective interventions. The survey, conducted with 100 participants, revealed that over 70% experienced stress that adversely affected their immune systems, with 60% reporting insufficient sleep and 20% sleeping less than five hours per night.

The survey further highlighted students' reliance on specific coping mechanisms, …

Phonological Awareness: A Unit Plan For Kindergarten, Allison Beasley

Honors Theses

This Kindergarten phonological awareness unit plan provides a clear, structured approach to developing essential early literacy skills by helping children recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken language. Through systematic, explicit, and differentiated instruction, students engage in multiple practice opportunities using varied examples of sounds, including beginning and ending sounds, rhymes, medial vowels, blending, segmenting, syllables, and sound manipulation. The plan incorporates flexible group sizes, from whole-class instruction to small groups and partner activities, allowing for personalized support tailored to diverse learners. Engaging, hands-on activities such as tongue twisters, sound clap games, rhyming circles, Elkonin boxes, and movement-based lessons make abstract …

The Benefits Of Using Children's Books In Lesson Planning, Katie Bethel

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the many benefits that children’s books provide for children. The purpose of this thesis was to create lesson plans for teachers to use that specifically incorporate children’s books into their teaching. This thesis begins with my rationale for this topic as my rationale pulled together both my career and personal connections to some of my life experiences. Then this rationale is followed by a research paper that looks into the many benefits that children’s books provide. With this research and background information, I was able to gather a list of children's books that exemplified many of the …

Esg Systems And Financial Reporting, Madison Layton

Honors Theses

This thesis presents an informational overview of ESG systems and associated financial reporting requirements. This writing focuses on two main types of ESG systems, carbon taxes and emission trading systems, also known as cap-and-trade programs. Both carbon taxes and emissions trading systems are market-based approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon taxes offer price certainty as governments set a tax rate to incorporate the negative environmental effect of producing a good or service into the cost of that good or service. Emissions trading systems provide reduction certainty as a government or other entity will set a cap on total emissions …