Digital Commons Network^™

Disclosure Benchmarking By Lawyers: Evidence Fromthe Ipo Setting, Michael S. Drake, Jeff Mcmullin, Kenneth Merkley, Chase Potter, John Treu

Faculty Publications

Lawyers play an important advisory role in drafting financial reports, yet empirical evidence documenting the influence of external legal counsel on this process remains sparse. This study focuses on a specific aspect of lawyers’ drafting process: the practice of reviewing disclosures previously filed by other issuers—a practice termed “disclosure benchmarking.” Using initial public offering (IPO) disclosures as the setting, we find that disclosure benchmarking is associated with amore efficient Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) review process. We further find that it is associated with several measures of disclosure quality, including disclosures that are less likely to be revised in subsequent …

What's In A Name? Standardization Of Vernacular Names For Trichechus Manatus, A. A. Mignucci-Giannoni, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske, Anmari Alvarez-Alemán, Jamie Aquino, D. Caicedo-Herrera, Delma Nataly Castelblanco-Martínez, Diane Claridge, M. Fabiola Corona-Figueroa, Adolphe O. Debrot, Benoit De Thoisy, Carlos Espinoza-Marin, J. Galves, Eddy Garcia-Alfonso, Hector M. Guzman, Jalaludin Ahmad Khan, Jeremy J. Kiszka, Fabia De Oliveira Luna, Miriam Marmontel, Leon David Olivera-Gomez, Christine O'Sullivan, James A. Powell, Enrique Pugibet-Bobea, Indranee Roopsind, Carlos J. Silva

Faculty Publications

Trichechus manatus is one of 3 recognized extant species of manatees of the mammalian Order Sirenia. Currently, it is known by various vernacular names, none of which are descriptive of its biology and known distribution. This lack of standardization has led to confusion and miscommunication, hindering conservation efforts for this species. We propose standardizing the vernacular names used to refer to the species and its 2 subspecies based on appropriate geographical characterization in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, and Portuguese, respectively: “American Manatee”, “Manatí de las Américas”, “Lamantin d’Amérique”, “Amerikaanse Lamantijn”, and “Peixe-boi das Américas” for T. manatus; “Florida Manatee”, “Manatí …

Children At Work, Parental Rights–And Rhetoric, Naomi Cahn, Maxine Eichner, Mary Ziegler

Faculty Publications

This Article examines the resurgence of child labor law rollbacks across the United States and argues that legislators and business‑aligned advocates increasingly deploy the rhetoric of “parental rights” to mask deregulatory efforts that primarily advance industry interests rather than children’s wellbeing or family autonomy. Tracing the historical tension among parental authority, state parens patriae power, and children’s welfare, the Article shows how contemporary invocations of parental rights—echoing arguments used a century ago to resist child labor reforms—operate as political cover for expanding hazardous work, extending hours, and reducing oversight in ways that endanger children and undermine their educational and economic …

Sound Marks, Deborah R. Gerhardt, Jon J. Lee

Faculty Publications

A lion roars just before a film rolls. A doughboy giggles. A giant green man laughs a hearty, "Ho, Ho, Ho." These iconic sounds are all federally registered as trademarks. They identify specific brands and distinguish their products and services from the competition. Human brains treat sounds like these as categorization tools and cognitive shortcuts—ideal trademark symbols. But what about the sounds your favorite toys or electronic devices make? Or those made by a fictional character in the latest blockbuster?

This Article tackles these issues and others. We push back against the widely-held belief that all unconventional trademarks—product designs, colors, …

Masking Identity At Public Protests, Deborah R. Gerhardt

Faculty Publications

This Article will explore these issues to assist those seeking to enact constitutionally valid mask policies. To situate today’s mask regulation challenges in the context of American history, Part I reviews events that led to enactment of anti-mask laws many years ago. Part II explains when the First Amendment protects the right to wear a mask in public and when such permission may be lawfully abridged. The section explains the importance of analyzing whether wearing a mask in public is sufficiently expressive to merit First Amendment protection. When it is, the next challenge is to identify the constitutional standard for …

Labor Law’S Impact On The Post-Dobbs Workplace, Jeffrey M. Hirsch

Faculty Publications

The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision has left many workers, especially in states with restrictive abortion-related laws, in a precarious position. Labor laws and unions, however, provide one avenue for providing these workers with more protections. Unions can demand bargaining to protect or expand health care, leave, and other terms of employment that give workers with means to obtain abortion-related care. Unions can also provide members legal defense and other support if they face prosecutions. Additionally, both union and non-union workers who make up the vast majority of workers in states with restrictive laws may have labor law protection for discussing …

Democratizing Administrative Law, Joshua D. Blank, Leigh Osofsky

Faculty Publications

When agencies make statements about the law, people listen. This insight yields a fundamental tension. According to one set of views, such agency statements, and their ability to influence public behavior, are critical not only for a well-functioning bureaucracy but also for our entire system of government. According to another set of views, this agency power, if left unchecked, could border on tyranny.

Administrative law responds to this tension through an extensive, purportedly comprehensive, framework that attempts to police agency statements. The framework places different types of agency statements into different legal categories. On the one hand, legislative rules make …

Medical Board Discipline Of Physicians For Spreading Medical Misinformation, Richard S. Saver

Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE False medical information disseminated dangerously during the COVID-19 pandemic, with certain physicians playing a surprisingly prominent role. Medical boards engendered widespread criticism for not imposing forceful sanctions, but considerable uncertainty remains about how the professional licensure system regulates physician-spread misinformation.

OBJECTIVE To compare the level of professional discipline of physicians for spreading medical misinformation relative to discipline for other offenses.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional study analyzed and coded publicly reported medical board disciplinary actions in the 5 most populous US states. The analysis included data from January 1, 2020, through May 30, 2023, for California, Florida, New …

The Uptake And Measurement Of Alternative Approaches To Domestic Violence Intervention Programs: A Scoping Review, Julia K. Campbell, Sydney Nicolla, Deborah M. Weissman, Kathryn E. Moracco

Faculty Publications

This scoping review explores the breadth and depth to which Domestic Violence Intervention Programs (DVIPs) in the United States and globally: (a) incorporate components that address the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and social injustice, racism, economic inequality, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs); (b) use restorative (RJ)/ transformative justice (TJ) practices, individualized case management, partnerships with social justice actors, and strengths-based parenting training in current programming; and (c) measure effectiveness. In 2021, we searched 12 academic databases using a combination of search terms and Medical Subject Headings. In all, 27 articles that discussed at least one key concept relative …

Natural Objects And Testamentary Freedom, Kevin Bennardo

Faculty Publications

This Article explores the tension between inheritance law’s designation of certain beneficiaries as natural and unnatural for certain purposes and its organizing principle of testamentary freedom. Either inheritance law is primarily concerned with effectuating the preference of the decedent or it is primarily concerned with safeguarding the economic health of the family. It cannot be both. Ultimately, one of these two must yield. Either we acknowledge that decedents don’t have the level of dispositional freedom that is advertised or we change the law’s designation of some devises as natural and other as unnatural.

This Article proposes a pathway to relieve …

American Association Of Law Libraries Academic Special Interest Section White Paper On Continuing Status And Tenure Of Law Librarians, Aall Special Interest Section On Academic Law Libraries Subcommittee On Continuing Status And Tenure, Stephanie Davidson, Cindy Hirsch, Caroline Osborne, Brian Quigley, Jessica Whytock

Faculty Publications

In 2023 the ALL-SIS Continuing Status/Tenure Committee was charged with developing a white paper to provide information on the status, rights, and responsibilities of academic law librarian positions. The information provided in this paper is intended to allow law librarians to make informed career choices, increase knowledge of the rights and obligations of librarian positions, and ensure the development of necessary skills and education for future new positions. Clarity on how positions are structured, their required skills, and credentials is essential at all levels of experience for planning and development for future career growth.

This White Paper does not advocate …

Data Controllers As Data Fiduciaries: Theory, Definitions & Burdens Of Proof, Noelle Wilson, Amanda Reid

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding Our Digital Fingerprints: Metadata, Competency, And The Future Practice Of Law, Stacey Lane Rowland

Faculty Publications

Metadata, often referred to as “data about data,” plays a crucial role in the digital world. It encompasses embedded information within electronic documents that reveals details about their creation, modification, and transmission. In legal proceedings, metadata can be both helpful and controversial, as it can expose sensitive information and potentially support or refute claims of fabricated evidence. With the widespread use of smartphones and other electronic devices, individuals generate vast amounts of personal data, including metadata, that can provide detailed insights into their lives.

This Article explores the significance of metadata in various contexts, such as digital photographs, and highlights …

Managing Differences In The Family, Alina M. Baltazar

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Support Of The Health Message And Health Practices In A Global Sample Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Duane C. Mcbride, Alina M. Baltazar, Karl G. D. Bailey, Shannon M. Trecartin, Peter Landless, David J. B. Trim, Galina A. Stele

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

How Individuals’ Opinions Influence Society’S Resistance To Epidemics: An Agent-Based Model Approach, Geonsik Yu, Michael J. Garee, Mario Ventresca, Yuehwern Yih

Faculty Publications

Background: Protecting public health from infectious diseases often relies on the cooperation of citizens, especially when self-care interventions are the only viable tools for disease mitigation. Accordingly, social aspects related to public opinion have been studied in the context of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. However, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of opinion-related factors on disease spread still requires further exploration. Methods: We propose an agent-based simulation framework incorporating opinion dynamics within an epidemic model based on the assumption that mass media channels play a leading role in opinion dynamics. The model simulates how opinions about preventive interventions change over …

‘Routines’ And ‘Formulaic Language’ In Conversation Analysis (Author's Extended Data), Danielle M. Pillet-Shore

Faculty Publications

Though the field of conversation analysis (CA) was founded upon examinations of interactional “routines” such as conversation openings and closings, conceptualizing and categorizing communicative phenomena as “formulaic” is anathema to CA. This chapter details how, since its inception, CA work has empirically elucidated how participants to recorded episodes of naturally occurring social interaction actively and collaboratively accomplish conversational activities as ‘routine’ or not by selecting from available action alternatives, spontaneously coordinating their selections vis-à-vis one another. Taking a multimodal CA approach, this chapter reviews state-of-the art literature on how people open and close in-person and telephone conversations, showing the immense …

Gnss Software Defined Radio: History, Current Developments, And Standardization Efforts, Thomas Pany, Dennis Akos, Javier Arribas, M. Zahidul H. Bhuiyan, Pau Closas, Fabio Dovis, Ignacio Fernandez-Hernandez, Carles Fernandez-Prades, Sanjeev Gunawardena, Todd Humphreys, Zaher M. Kassas, Jose A. Lopez Salcedo, Mario Nicola, Mario L. Psiaki, Alexander Rugamer, Yong-Jin Song, Jong-Hoon Won

Faculty Publications

Taking the work conducted by the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) software-defined radio (SDR) working group during the last decade as a seed, this contribution summarizes, for the first time, the history of GNSS SDR development. This report highlights selected SDR implementations and achievements that are available to the public or that influenced the general development of SDR. Aspects related to the standardization process of intermediate-frequency sample data and metadata are discussed, and an update of the Institute of Navigation SDR Standard is proposed. This work focuses on GNSS SDR implementations in general-purpose processors and leaves aside developments conducted on …

What I Think I Learned, Andrew S. Gibbons Iii

Faculty Publications

A retrospective review of fifty years of research and development experience showing the connectedness of the author’s theoretical ideas to practical application. An effort to show designers how over the span of a career new ideas begin as work-related insights and discoveries that by problem solving flow together to create a unique personal view of design and designing. Encouragement for individual designers to be willing to experiment with new ideas that may step beyond received practice and to learn from those experiences, even to the extent of testing and adopting new worldviews that may differ from the general view. Encouragement …

Exploring The Associations Between Being Single, Romantic Importance, And Positive Well-Being In Young Adulthood, Nicole K. Watkins, Jonathon J. Beckmeyer, Tyler B. Jamison

Faculty Publications

Objective: The goal was to explore if perceived romantic relationship importance moderated associations between single status and young adults' positive well-being.

Background: Singlehood is often framed within a deficit framework, with the expectation that being single during young adulthood may be costly for well-being. That approach, however, does not account for young adults' romantic goals, which may shape how being single is connected to well-being.

Method: Participants were 909 American young adults, ages 18–35 (M = 26.6, 51% female, 81% heterosexual, 58% White, non-Hispanic), who completed an online survey in December 2019.

Results: Being single, compared to having a romantic …

"What Is A Wave But 1000 Drops Working Together?": The Role Of Public Libraries In Addressing Lgbtqia+ Health Information Disparities, Vanessa Lynn Kitzie, A. Nick Vera, Valerie Lookingbill, Travis L. Wagner

Faculty Publications

Purpose. This paper presents results from a participatory action research study with 46 LGBTQIA+ community leaders and 60 library workers who participated in four community forums at public libraries across the US. The forums identified barriers to LGBTQIA+ communities addressing their health questions and concerns and explored strategies for public libraries to tackle them.

Design/methodology/approach. Forums followed the World Café format to facilitate collaborative knowledge development and promote participant-led change. Data sources included collaborative notes taken by participants and observational researcher notes. Data analysis consisted of emic/etic qualitative coding.

Findings. Results revealed that barriers experienced by LGBTQIA+ communities are structurally …

Introduction: Market Dynamics And Worship Technology, Nicholas Zork

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Contextualizing Singlehood Among Young Adults: Exploring The Meanings And Perceived Reasons For Being Single, Jonathon J. Beckmeyer, Tyler B. Jamison

Faculty Publications

Objective: We explored how young adults discussed their experiences with singlehood and their reasons for being single.

Background: Despite singlehood being normative during young adulthood, less research has focused on the diversity of singlehood compared to that of romantic involvement.

Method: In Study 1, 35 young adults participated in in-depth qualitative interviews about their romantic histories. We explored singlehood meanings and reasons in the context of their relationship histories. In Study 2 we used data from 155 single young adults to explore the factor structure, internal reliability, and initial validity of the Reasons for Being Single (RBS) scale, which we …

Youth Identity And Postsecondary Decision Making In A Rural State: Evidence Of A College For All Master Narrative, Jayson Seaman, Cindy L. Hartman, Andrew D. Coppens, Erin H. Sharp, Sarah Jusseaume, Molly Donovan

Faculty Publications

This study examined the normative messages that inform youth postsecondary decision making in a predominantly rural state in the northeastern U.S., focusing on the institutionalization and circulation of identity master narratives. Using a multilevel, ecological approach to sampling, the study interviewed 33 key informants in positions of influence in educational, workforce, and quality of life domains. Narrative analysis yielded evidence of a predominant master narrative – College for All – that participants described as a prescriptive expectation that youth and families orient their postsecondary planning toward four-year, residential baccalaureate degree programs. Both general and domain-specific aspects of this master narrative …

Appendices For Designing Authentic Language Learning Simulations To Support Student Engagement, Cherice Montgomery, Jon Balzotti, Derek L. Hansen

Faculty Publications

Appendices for article titled "Designing Authentic Language Learning Simulations to Support Student Engagement."

The Influence Of Body Mass Index On Ready-To-Wear Clothing Preferences Of Young African-American Female Consumers, Jung-Im Seo, Vadel Shivers

Faculty Publications

Although consumers’ body shapes are various, the sizes of bust, waist, and hips of ready-to-wear (RTW) are fairly standardized in the apparel manufactures’ sizing charts, leading to clothing fit issues for many consumers. Body Mass Index (BMI) is an important factor that has an impact on body image perception, but there is little research on the influence of the obesity prevalence on RTW clothing preferences. The purposes of this study are to examine the correlation between African-American women’s obesity prevalence represented by BMI and RTW clothing preferences such as store preference and clothing benefit sought as well as clothing fitting …

Atmospheric Flash Drought In The Caribbean, Craig A. Ramseyer, Paul W. Miller

Faculty Publications

Despite the intensifying interest in flash drought both within the United States and globally, moist tropical landscapes have largely escaped the attention of the flash drought community. Because these ecozones are acclimatized to receiving regular, near-daily precipitation, they are especially vulnerable to rapid-drying events. This is particularly true within the Caribbean Sea basin where numerous small islands lack the surface and groundwater resources to cope with swiftly developing drought conditions. This study fills the tropical flash drought gap by examining the pervasiveness of flash drought across the pan-Caribbean region using a recently proposed criterion based on the evaporative demand drought …

A Survey On Mosquito Control Knowledge And Insecticide Use In New Orleans, La, 2020–2021, Erin R. Cloherty, Janet C. Mcallister, James A. Ottea, Kristen Healy, Claudia Riegel

Faculty Publications

Mosquitoes are a known public nuisance and can vector various diseases. Historically, New Orleans, LA, has long been acquainted with the burden of mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria and yellow fever in the 20th century and West Nile virus in the 21st century. Government mosquito control awareness campaigns have been around for decades as has the use of organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides by mosquito abatement districts. However, few data are available on public perception of mosquito control and public usage of insecticides to kill mosquitoes in New Orleans. We conducted a survey from August 2020 to July 2021 to evaluate …

A Repeated-Measures Study Of Relational Turbulence And Transition Processing Communication During The Summer Of Covid-19 (Summer 2020), Kellie St Cyr Brisini, Denise Haunani Solomon

Faculty Publications

Drawing upon relational turbulence theory and the experiencing life transitions model, this study examined communication and relationship qualities as married couples experienced work-family changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sixty-four American married, different-sex partners affected by job-related changes due to COVID-19 reported their relationship qualities and their own and their spouse’s engagement in transition processing communication weekly for 10 weeks. Hypotheses addressed associations between relationship qualities and communication experiences both averaged across the 10 weeks and indexed by within-week deviations from those averages, controlling for the previous week’s reports. Husbands’ and wives’ own attempts—and also their perceptions of their spouse’s attempts—to …

Linking Stress To The Emergence Of Relational Turbulence In Marriage, Kellie St Cyr Brisini, Denise Haunani Solomon, Miriam Brinberg

Faculty Publications

The assumption that stress negatively impacts marital relationships is widely accepted; however, the majority of research has focused on marital satisfaction as the outcome of interest. Relational turbulence is a quality of romantic associations on par with—but distinct from—satisfaction, in which partners conceptualize their relationship as chaotic or tumultuous. This paper draws on relational turbulence theory (RTT) and stress spillover research to propose that day-to-day stress corresponds with perceptions of relational uncertainty and interdependence, which contributes to increases in relational turbulence. We evaluated these assumptions using data from 64 heterosexual married partners who experienced work-related disruptions due to the COVID-19 …