Digital Commons Network^™

A Musician’S Livelihood: Bringing Together Educators And Leaders To Examine Perceived Barriers To Profitability Through Musicians’ Lens, Wyvonne M. Hawkins, David Cross

Publications

Building, maintaining, or scaling a sustainable music ecosystem business can be challenging due to a lack of resources to improve business operations, a lack of consistent goals, or know-how to capture and enhance customer value in an oversaturated and competitive music industry. According to Amy Wang, most musicians in the United States make $25,000 a year or less, and Next Big Sound follows up by stating that approximately 91 percent of artists go undiscovered. This study interviewed twelve independent musicians and used four common themes of the business of music, access to resources, digital technology, and performing rights organizations to …

Stigma Communication Surrounding Nonmedical Opioid Use Among Affected Family Members, Emily Pasman, Sydney O'Shay, Danielle Hicks, Stella M. Hicks, Elizabeth Agius, Suzanne Brown

Publications

A growing body of research demonstrates the role of language in stigma toward nonmedical opioid use (NMOU). Terms like “substance abuser” perpetuate stereotypes and evoke punitive judgments. This study examines how affected family members (AFMs) communicate stigma when discussing their loved one’s NMOU. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 adults with a close family member with a history of NMOU. An iterative approach was used to analyze instances when stigmatizing terms or messages were used. AFMs described people engaged in NMOU as underweight, “dirty,” or “nodding off,” and often labeled these individuals “addicts” or opioid “abusers.” Responsibility for the NMOU …

Foreign Born Population In Nebraska, Josie Gatti Schafer, Tara Grell

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No abstract provided.

Nebraska Community Foundation Greater Nebraska Youth Survey Report, Josie Gatti Schafer

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No abstract provided.

Housing Perceptions In Nebraska For The Statewide Strategic Housing Plan, Josie Gatti Schafer, Morgan Vogel, Tara Grell

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Availability of safe, attainable, and accessible housing for all Nebraskans • Consideration of the wide range and various needs of home occupants (i.e. young adults, renters, workforce/middle-income, family, low-income, seniors and aging population) • Data-driven, strategic, and community-driven approaches that deliver a supply of housing that meets the needs of each community • Various housing programs and tools to make sure all Nebraskans have a stable home, including rental options, rehabilitation, diverse financing options, and education • Preparation and investment for the construction workforce to ensure supply and rehabilitation of homes in every community • Representation for individuals in difficult …

Recruitment And Retention Of Nebraska's Transit Drivers, Morgan Vogel, Tara Grell

Publications

Many industries across Nebraska are experiencing workforce shortages, and the transit industry is no exception. Recently, the University of Nebraska at Omaha Center for Public Affairs Research partnered with the Nebraska Safety Center at the University of Nebraska at Kearney to conduct a survey of transit drivers across Nebraska. This work is supported by an ongoing grant both Centers have with the Nebraska Department of Transportation to enhance rural transit operations throughout Nebraska. This survey was informed by an informal focus group with six transit managers representing the six different mobility management regions of Nebraska in the fall of 2022. …

Driver Recruitment And Retention Survey Report, Morgan Vogel, Tara Grell

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No abstract provided.

A Phenomenological Examination Of Female Interscholastic Athletic Directors' Career Paths, Mary Helen Martin, Chris Corr, Sarah Stokowski, Michael Godfrey

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No abstract provided.

Shooting For Equity: Division Ii Basketball Coaches' Perspectives Of Gender Discrimination, Caroline George Fletcher, Sarah Stokowski, Michael S. Carroll, Jonathan E. Westfall

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No abstract provided.

Man Vs Machine – Detecting Deception In Online Reviews, Maria Petrescu

Publications

This study focused on three main research objectives: analyzing the methods used to identify deceptive online consumer reviews, evaluating insights provided by multi-method automated approaches based on individual and aggregated review data, and formulating a review interpretation framework for identifying deception. The theoretical framework is based on two critical deception-related models, information manipulation theory and self-presentation theory. The findings confirm the interchangeable characteristics of the various automated text analysis methods in drawing insights about review characteristics and underline their significant complementary aspects. An integrative multi-method model that approaches the data at the individual and aggregate level provides more complex insights …

Exploring Remote Work In Nebraska, Josie Gatti Schafer, Tara Grell

Publications

Nebraska ranks 37th in the country for the rate of persons that report working from home (12%), according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey for 2021. Nebraska’s low rate of those that work from home, compared to other states, is likely a function of the work most people do in Nebraska. In Nebraska, more people work in low wage compared to high wage jobs, according to previous research from UNO CPAR. Low wage jobs, in 2021, are defined as below the median income for all workers, or approximately $41,500. “Low wage” jobs are more likely to …

Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Nebraska Casa Association Programs, Josie Gatti Schafer, Morgan Vogel, Laurel Sariscsany, Tara Grell

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The Nebraska CASA Association works to recruit, screen, train, and support Court Appointed Special Advocates to speak for the well-being of abused and neglected children. Nebraska CASA includes a network of 22 local programs serving 54 counties. Nebraska CASA partnered with the University of Nebraska at Omaha Center for Public Affairs Research and Grace Abbott School of Social Work to execute a simplified cost-benefit analysis of the CASA program in Nebraska. The intent is to demonstrate some of the benefits of the Nebraska CASA program to both children and the public for which a monetary value could be estimated. Monetizing …

Housing Availability And Quality In Nebraska, Josie Gatti Schafer, Tara Grell

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No abstract provided.

State Of Nebraska Digital Equity Plan: Understanding The Digital Equity Needs Of Covered Populations In Nebraska, Josie Gatti Schafer, Julie L. Masters, Morgan Vogel, Chris Kelly, Laurel Sariscsany, Ignacio Ruelas Avila, Tara Grell

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According to 2021 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 7% of Nebraska households do not have access to a computer and 6% of Nebraska households have access to a computer but no internet. Although recent efforts suggest there is momentum and government action at both the federal and state levels to address lack of broadband (Hammel, 2023; Newman, 2023), this still leaves a considerable number of Nebraskans without access to reliable broadband in the meantime. Furthermore, broadband access is moot if Nebraskans do not have access or cannot afford technology and the cost of internet in the …

Planning Committee 2023 Annual Report, Planning Committee, College Of Public Affairs And Community Service, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Publications

The planning committee of the Nebraska Legislature is charged with establishing and maintaining a future focus on the priorities of the State. Its responsibility is to assure continuity of policy to achieve long term goals. The committee will do so by collecting and analyzing data, identifying priorities, setting long term goals, and establishing benchmarks

Defining Health Affordability, Govind Persad

Publications

Affordable health care, insurance, and prescription drugs are priorities for the public and for policymakers. Yet the lack of a consensus definition of health affordability is increasingly recognized as a roadblock to health reform efforts. This Article explains how and why American health law invokes health affordability and attempts, or fails, to define the concept. It then evaluates potential affordability definitions and proposes strategies for defining affordability more clearly and consistently in health law.

Part I examines the role health affordability plays in American health policy, in part by contrasting the United States’s health system with systems elsewhere. Part II …

Red Wolf Multispecies Justice Publication 2023, Eskar, Elizabeth Bennett, Finley Schad, Alex Baldwin, Oluwaseyifunmi Adejugbe, Mufti Nadimul Quamar Ahmed, Maisie Schad, Sadie Braddock, Azra Soyer, Melih Soyer, Anne-Laure Blanche, Zubair Barkat, Amol K, Sarah Ann Woodbury, Kirsten Vinyeta

Publications

Our understanding of multispecies justice is still solidifying. In spring 2023, a group of Utah State University undergraduate and graduate students attended a course by Dr.Kirsten Vinyeta on Multispecies Justice and Indigenous Approaches to the Environment. Throughout this course, we studied the works of scholars and writers from a variety of social locations and identities who challenge Western theoretical frameworks in social science.

This publication celebrates our intellectual struggle with this emerging field and opens a forum for conversations about justice for humans and additional species. This issue features various writings, reflections, and photos from students taking the Multispecies Justice …

An Investigation Of Media Reports Of Digital Surveillance Within The First Year Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Leigha Comer, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Marionette Ngole, Jacob J. Shelley, Anita Kothari, Maxwell Smith, James M. Shelley, Saverio Stranges, Brad Hiebert, Jason Gilliland, Tommy Cooke, Jodi Hall, Jed Long

Publications

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a surge in digital public health surveillance worldwide, with limited opportunities to consider the effectiveness or impact of digital surveillance. The news media shape public understanding of topics of importance, contributing to our perception of priority issues. This study investigated news media reports published during the first year of the pandemic to understand how the use and consequences of digital surveillance technologies were reported on. METHODS: A media content analysis of 34 high- to low-income countries was completed. The terms "COVID-19," "surveillance," "technologies," and "public health" were used to retrieve and inductively code media reports. …

Use Of Digital Technologies For Public Health Surveillance During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Leigha Comer, Brad Hiebert, Jodi Hall, Jacob J. Shelley, Maxwell J. Smith, Anita Kothari, Jacquelyn Burkell, Saverio Stranges, Tommy Cooke, James M. Shelley, Jason Gilliland, Marionette Ngole, Danica Facca

Publications

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of digital technologies have been leveraged for public health surveillance worldwide. However, concerns remain around the rapid development and deployment of digital technologies, how these technologies have been used, and their efficacy in supporting public health goals. Following the five-stage scoping review framework, we conducted a scoping review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature to identify the types and nature of digital technologies used for surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic and the success of these measures. We conducted a search of the peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 1 December 2019 and 31 December …

The War On Terror & Vigilante Federalism, Maryam Jamshidi

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No abstract provided.

Regional Venture Deals, Paige L. Wilson

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What might allow a region to suddenly excel at attracting venture capital funding, and what role do lawyers play in such a shift? The Midwest offers a useful case study because it has succeeded at increasing the size of its venture capital market by more than five hundred percent over the past decade. This Article is the first-ever empirical study to explore in depth the changing practices of the region. This Article begins by comparing startup lawyering practices in the Midwest to startup lawyering practices in the major innovation hubs on the coasts. Drawing upon lawyer interviews, industry reports, and …

Unequal Homes, Unequal Health: Applying The Loss Of Chance Doctrine To Landlord-Tenant Cases, Delaram Takyar

Publications

Low-income families and families of color in the U.S. are disproportionately likely to live in homes that are negligently maintained by landlords, with significant implications for their physical health. Despite suffering harm, tenants often cannot seek legal relief without ruling out all possible alternate causes of their injuries. For example, if a tenant develops asthma after being exposed to black mold in her home and can show that her landlord had knowingly refused to remediate the mold, the tenant would still be barred from relief if she were genetically predisposed to developing asthma or could have also been exposed to …

Post-Industrial Property Law: Review Of: Claire W. Herbert, A Detroit Story: Urban Decline And The Rise Of Property Informality, Jonathon J. Booth

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No abstract provided.

Mental Health Needs Among Minority Aviation Students, Jorge L. D. Albelo Ph.D., Stacey Mcintire

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Higher education, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, benefit our society and economic growth. However, overcoming gender disparity and increasing the retention of underrepresented minorities within these programs is challenging. Mental health across higher education has shown to be on the rise, and when it comes to the mental health needs of aviation students, research shows that underrepresented minorities experience unique challenges in achieving academic success. This paper focused on identifying aviation minority students' unique challenges in a small STEM university. This mixed-methods action research study collected quantitative data using an adapted version of the Counseling Center Assessment …

From Mcdonaldization To Place-Based Experience: Revitalizing Outdoor Education In Ireland, John Pierce, John Telford

Publications

Outdoor education in Ireland, as in many countries, takes place in a variety of physical locations ranging from urban to wilder, minimally human influenced environments. Irish public outdoor education providers have traditionally placed little emphasis on cultural understandings of the places where learning occurs. Moreover, outdoor education commonly demonstrates characteristics of a McDonaldized experience as opposed to a place-based experience. This paper explores two topics that may help to explain why place is not to the fore in teaching and learning in Irish outdoor education practice: historico-cultural relationships with the land, and the impact of the rationalisation of place on …

A Genealogy Of Social Geomedia: The Life, Death, And (Possible) Afterlife Of Location-Based Social Networks, Jordan Frith

Publications

In the early 2010s, location-based social networks (LBSNs) received significant attention from both the public and venture capital. The “LBSN moment” was an important period of early mobile geomedia history, and this article argues that the reverberations of that moment still shape the contemporary social geomedia landscape. This article examines the LBSN moment through a media genealogy approach that views the period as a moment of juncture for the development of social location-sharing, which ended up being dominated by large platforms like Facebook and Uber. The article also draws from research on technological development to push back against narratives of …

Looking Back To Look Forward: 5g/Covid-19 Conspiracies And The Long History Of Infrastructural Fears, Jordan Frith, Scott Campbell, Leah Komen

Publications

Almost as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading throughout much of the world, conspiracies arose that blamed the virus on the deployment of fifth-generation cellular networks (5G) infrastructure. These conspiracies had significant consequences, including protests against 5G and the destruction of 5G infrastructure. This article uses a media genealogy approach to place the 5G/COVID-19 conspiracies within the long and recurring cycle of conspiracies focused on mobile infrastructure. Placed within that broader history, this article argues that the 5G/COVID-19 conspiracies should have been unsurprising, and these types of infrastructural conspiracies should be a more significant part of mobile media and …

Where’S The E In Oe? The Mcdonaldization Of Irish Outdoor Education, John Pierce, Simon Beames

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This paper presents key findings from a study that aimed to critically examine the practice of outdoor education in the Republic of Ireland. It consisted of 10 months of fieldwork across four public Outdoor Education and Training Centres (OETCs). Data were generated through participant observation, informal conversation, as well as centre websites. Findings from the thematic analysis are presented in the form of a creative non-fiction story—principally to protect the identities and centres involved. The findings were then interpreted through the theoretical lens of McDonaldization. Considering the dearth of outdoor education research in Ireland, McDonaldization provided a lens through which …

Development And Pretesting Of Prescription Opioid Misuse Prevention Messages: Results And Implications For Practice, Holli H. Seitz, Mary Nelson Robertson, Je'kylynn Steen, Sarah G. Dulaney, David R. Buys

Publications

Well-designed health communication campaigns can contribute to the uptake of preventive behaviors, but there has been a lack of attention on using communication research to develop opioid misuse prevention messages. We report the results of two studies designed to inform the development of prescription opioid misuse prevention messages for adults ages 30–59. In Study 1, 16 adults across 4 counties participated in semi-structured interviews to provide input on message concepts addressing six key prescription opioid misuse prevention behaviors. In Study 2, 1,335 adults completed an online, survey-based between-subjects experiment in which participants were randomized to a no message control condition …

A Case Study Of Community Of Inquiry Presences And Cognitive Load In Asynchronous Online Stem Courses, Emily K. Faulconer, Darryl J. Chamberlain Jr.

Publications

The design and facilitation of asynchronous online courses can have notable impacts on students related to persistence, performance, and perspectives. This case study presents current conditions for cognitive load and Community of Inquiry (CoI) presences in an asynchronous online introductory undergraduate STEM course. Researchers present the novel use of Python script to clean and organize data and a simplification of the instructional efficiency calculation for use of anonymous data. Key relationships between cognitive load and CoI presences are found through validated use of NASA-TLX instrument and transcript analysis of discussion posts. The data show that student presences are not consistent …