Digital Commons Network^™

How Mediation Is Used By Alternative Dispute Resolution Organizations To Resolve Racial Conflict, Pam Hogan

Master's Theses

This study reports findings of interviews with volunteer mediators for Community Boards, a dispute resolution organization in the city of San Francisco, California, describing their approach to participating as panel members in multiethnic mediations.

The study demonstrates a notable difference in the approaches taken by mediators when race is identified as a point of contention in a mediation. The data show experience and ethnicity as variables in these responses. The findings further suggest that most mediators believe they require further training to feel equipped and comfortable in their handling of such mediations.

"What Was I Created For, I Wonder?" : Occupation For Women In Shirley And Cranford, Julie Anne Tignor

Master's Theses

Charlotte Brontë's Shirley and Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford unite in asking and answering the question of what unmarried women were supposed to do with their time and talents in Victorian England, considering the constraints of both gentility and economic conditions. In writing these novels, Brontë and Gaskell joined mid-nineteenth century feminists such as Francis Power Cobbe and Florence Nightingale in discussing women's occupation. Cranford, rather than presenting the typical young unmarried woman as its heroine, features a community of old maids as its "heroines," revealing their story through the narration of Mary Smith. Shirley's Caroline Helstone examines the socially accepted …

Acalypha Deamii : Distribution East Of The Appalachians And Comparative Studies Of Reproductive Anatomy, Patricia A. Truman

Master's Theses

Acalypha deamii (Euphorbiaceae), once thought restricted to flood plains of the Ohio and mid-Mississippi River systems, is now documented from similar habitats in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia along the James, Potomac, Rappahannock, Roanoke (Staunton), and Shenandoah rivers. This species is recognized by two-carpellate gynoecia, large seeds, and the routine occurrence of allomorphic flowers and fruits, features sporadically found within this large genus. In addition to documenting the newly recognized range extension of Acalypha deamii, this thesis also investigates the nature of its allomorphic reproductive structures. Staminate, pistillate, fruiting, and allomorphic reproductive structures of Acalypha deamii and a closely related …

Out Of Bounds: The Unspoken Rule And The Loyola 1963 Ncaa Championship Team, Nona P. Martin

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Organization Of Public Parks And Recreation Web Pages : Application Of Social Marketing Concept, Peggy Hiu-Nam Choi

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

From Black And White To Mixed : California's Public School System, 1850-1875, Iris M. Jerke

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of Quality Of Life Among Residents Of Berlin, Germany, Kris Freiwald

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Danish It Communication Efforts In America And Implications For Public Relations, Thomas Erik Nielsen

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Ombudsman As Translator: A Critical Hermeneutic Interpretation Of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Elaine M. Lutkitz

Master's Theses

Digitized thesis

A Study Of Factors That Deter Jews From Affiliating With Organizations In The Jewish Community, Janice Sands-Weinstein

Master's Theses

Digitized thesis

The Salvation Army And Government Funding - Blessing Or Bane?, Noreen Scott

Master's Theses

This study was conducted to explore the issues surrounding government funding of faithbased nonprofit organizations. The main question addressed was what, if any, are the positives and negatives for a religious nonprofit faith-based organization accepting government funding. This study examined the Salvation Army, a faith-based 50l(c)(3) charitable organization with a long history of accepting government funding for its social service programs. Seven Salvation Army administrators were interviewed to determine whether government funding for this organization's social services had any impact on the organization in four specific areas:

1. Finances

2. Staffing

3. Administrative reporting

4. Mission

Three noteworthy issues were …

A Case Study In Volunteer Management: Volunteer Stress At A Northern California Rape Crisis Center, Holly Tedford

Master's Theses

This research project is a case study of a rape crisis center's volunteer program. Because the volunteers respond to recent victims of sexual assault in hospital emergency rooms, the study was designed to examine the stressors arising from their confrontation of such emotionally volatile situations. The study focused on the stressors volunteers experienced, how they coped, how the rape crisis center's training program prepared volunteers for job stress, what rape crisis center employees did to mitigate volunteers' job-related stress, and how effective volunteers perceived these efforts to be. The research project also compared the stress experienced by rape crisis volunteers …

A Study Of Native American Philanthropy: Charitable Giving Patterns, Concepcion Guerrero

Master's Theses

This study examines the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of 22 Native Americans (11 women and 11 men) living off the reservation in the Austin and San Antonio, Texas, areas in regard to their philanthropy. Giving among Native American cultures has been greatly overshadowed by negative stereotypes and cultural misunderstandings. Often members of the Native American community are seen as recipients rather than givers. Although Native Americans are people of considerable variety, there are some commonalities shared among their communities that can be helpful in understanding their philanthropy.

Two issues were outside the scope of this research: (1) this study did …

Working Memory In Schizophrenics And Older Adults : A Mediator For Episodic Memory Deficits?, Matthew W. Webster

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of working memory on episodic memory in older adults and adults with schizophrenia. This study included 15 adults with schizophrenia, 20 young adults without psychopathology, and 21 older adults without psychopathology. Storage working memory scores were greater than processing working memory scores in all groups. Young adults had the fewest problems with episodic and working memory, compared to older adults and adults with schizophrenia, who had similar deficits in both memory types. Speed of processing was found to be the greatest predictor of working memory capacity.

The Impact Of The 1918-1919 Influenza Epidemic On Virginia, Stephanie Forrest Barker

Master's Theses

In the fall of 1918 an unparalleled influenza pandemic spread throughout the world. More than a quarter of Americans became ill, and at least 600,000 died. For many Virginians, this was a time of acute crisis that only could be compared to the days of the Civil War. This thesis describes Spanish influenza's impact on Virginia, primarily focusing on the cities of Newport News, Richmond, and Roanoke. It details influenza's emergence in Virginia and explores how state and city officials dealt with this unprecedented epidemic. This study examines how the epidemic disrupted daily routines of life and overwhelmed the state's …

The Evolution Of U.S. Satellite And Space Launch Technology Export Control Policy, Christopher Byron Erickson

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Japanese International Students' Motivation Towards Public Speaking And English, Akihiko Yokomizo

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Public Health Politics And The San Francisco Plague Epidemic Of 1900-1904, Mark M. Skubik

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Organizational Web Sites In Public Relations, Manisha Kamat

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Wisdom Of The Oppressed: Stirring The Voices Of Successful African-American Men, Lois Merriweather Moore

Master's Theses

Digitized thesis

When Inclusion Means Exclusion: A Participatory Research Journey Into The Educational Experiences Of First And Second-Generation Mexican Immigrant Females And Their Parents' Reflections, Debra A. Luna

Master's Theses

Digitized thesis

The Effectiveness Of An Interactive Multimedia Learning Explanation On Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Mathematical Achievement And Self-Efficacy, Margaret Hansen Maag

Master's Theses

Digitized thesis

The Latina Voice In Special Education: Classroom Behaviors, School Attitudes, And Gender Identity Of Female Students In Single-Gender Secondary Level Special Education Classrooms, Jennifer Caroline Booker Madigan

Master's Theses

Digitized thesis

Poetry And The State: The Politics Of Nabat Tradition In Kuwait, Abdullah Alajmi

Master's Theses

This thesis analyzes the relationship between the practice of an old tribal Bedouin oral tradition (Nabat poetry) and the politics of the nation-state in Kuwait. The historical context of this tradition, its development within modern state boundaries, and its current role in the politico-cultural exchange are all examined. Anthropological, ethnohistorical, and Arabic local printed resources are used. In addition, Bedouin oral traditions and personal observation are employed for final analysis. Unlike the pre-state Nabat, the current practice is institutionalized to become an essential aspect of state modern processes. A connection is suggested between the emphasis (in the current practice of …

Leaving The Nest: Why Fiscally-Sponsored Projects Seek Independence, Wendy Strickland

Master's Theses

Leaving the Nest: Why Fiscally-sponsored Projects Seek Independence takes a descriptive approach to the question of why fiscally-sponsored nonprofit organizations seek independence from their sponsors. Sampling projects from California's largest umbrella fiscal sponsors, this study found six factors to be the most common and most important reasons given by the leadership of the sponsored organizations for deciding to leave the sponsor. These six factors were: an economic equation that favored independent provision of essential services; the presence of a previously established plan to separate; a desire to brand the project's name separate from the fiscal sponsor's; a wish to avoid …

Aspects Of A Basic Training Course Comparatively Rated In Retrospective Evaluation By Girl Scout Leaders, Diana Jane Curtin

Master's Theses

One hundred and ninety-one volunteer Girl Scout leaders at a midsize northern California council participated in this study to determine the most and least valuable aspects of their new leader training, which was based on Kolb's experiential learning model (1984). The following were the top five aspects that leaders identified as most valuable: (a) trainer's knowledge; (b) using Safety-wise; (c) where to buy Girl Scout supplies; (d) Girl Scout Promise and Law; and (e) information on council events. The top five aspects which respondents identified as least valuable were: (a) troop government; (b) age-appropriate behavior; (c) performing ceremonies; (d) getting …

Factors Leading To Giving By Known Catholic Donors, Katherine A. King

Master's Theses

The much-publicized low-level giving of Catholic donors versus other denominations has been the source of much debate and a rich topic for many research studies and reports, especially within the last 10 years. The major focus of this current study was to show that Catholics are indeed generous and to seek factors that lead to their giving. The positive aspects of Catholic generosity were sought, rather than focusing on negative factors serving as barriers to giving.

A self-administered questionnaire was sent to 208 known Catholic donors of the Diocese of Oakland in California during its Annual Bishop's Appeal. Donors who …

Perceptions Of Personal Power And Organizationally-Mediated Empowerment Among Participants In Senior Central District Advisory Councils, Shireen Mcspadden

Master's Theses

The survey, conducted at District Advisory Council meetings in each of 10 neighborhood districts designated as "Senior Centrals" by the San Francisco Commission on the Aging, measured senior consumers' perceptions of their organizationally-mediated and personal empowerment as participants in the Senior Central process. The survey also examined differences in organizationally-mediated empowerment and perceptions of power according to gender, age group, and whether or not English was a respondent's primary language.

The main findings indicated a statistically significant correlation between organizationally-mediated empowerment and perception of power in the Senior Central process. However, no statistically significant differences were noted according to gender, …

Graduate Programs In Nonprofit Administration: A Review Of The Roots Of Program Variability, Rebecca Murphy Marton

Master's Theses

Nonprofit management (NPM) education is a relatively new and dynamic academic field with the first programs established in the early 1980s. These programs have developed and multiplied with very little research in the field providing guidance in designing curricula or focusing on what skills are needed to manage a nonprofit organization.

Because degrees in nonprofit management (NPM) are granted by a variety of different schools, this paper attempted to assess the variability in curricular design that might occur as a result of this variability. The hypothesis tested was that the school of origin for a NPM program determines the content …

Factors Influencing Internalization Of Organizational Mission Among Frontline Staff Of The Ymca Of San Francisco, Robert Sindelar

Master's Theses

This research measured which workplace experiences are associated with the internalization of organizational mission by employees of the YMCA of San Francisco. Further, it also measured the association between employee internalization of organizational mission in the line staff of the YMCA of San Francisco and both job satisfaction and employee retention.

This study demonstrated that several workplace experiences are positively associated with employee internalization of mission among the line staff of the YMCA of San Francisco. These factors include attending a new-hire orientation, attending YMCA trainings, contact with YMCA members, donating money to the YMCA, volunteering in the YMCA, and …