Digital Commons Network^™

Soul For Sale: An Empirical Study Of Associate Satisfaction, Law Firm Culture, And The Effects Of Billable Hour Requirements, Susan Saab Fortney

Faculty Scholarship

This article analyzes the results of an empirical study to illustrate the effect of billable hour requirements on associate satisfaction and law firm culture. Part I briefly describes the survey design and the general profile of the survey respondents. Part II discusses current billing practices and pressures analyzing the study results related to billing expectations and guidance as well as firm culture and work alternatives. Using findings from the study, Part III considers the detrimental micro and macro effects of increasing billable hour expectations. Part IV proposes various steps and measures that can be taken to address the negative consequences …

Job's Syndrome, M A. Yousafzai, K Nasim, S Q. Nizami

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

No abstract provided.

A Profile Of School-Age Care Programs, Barbara Vandenbergh, Eddie Locklear

Journal of Extension

This study provides a profile of school-age care (SAC) programs in North Carolina. The purpose was to determine the characteristics of school-age care programs and staff. A survey instrument of 22 questions was mailed to 3,052 school-age care providers in North Carolina; 486 surveys (16%) were returned. Responses were received from 89 of the 100 counties in North Carolina. Major characteristics identified by the study include sponsoring agencies; number and ages of children served; staff size, educational level, and income; and operational functions of the programs. School-age care programs can be improved through a partnership of parents, communities, employers, and …

Impact Assessment And Participant Profiles Of Extension's Education Programs For Agricultural Chemical/Seed Retailers And Crop Advisors, Michael A. Schmitt, Beverly R. Durgan, Sarah M. Iverson

Journal of Extension

Developing and maintaining ag education programs for agricultural product retailers and service providers can be an important niche for university Extension programs. Extension programs at the University of Minnesota have targeted this audience for several years and conducted a survey to learn about this audience and Extension's impact. Results from this specific audience indicate that Extension programs have positive agronomic and environmental impact, but that all programming issues are not superior to programs offered by other organizations. Respondents indicated that their attendance was determined based on topics and speakers, whereas specific sponsor and cost of the program were the lowest …

Planning Educational Volunteer Forums: Steps To Success, Ken Culp Iii

Journal of Extension

Both volunteer and paid staff devote considerable time, energy, and resources to developing, planning, and staging local, area, district, state, and regional Volunteer Forums or Conferences. This article proposes five "steps to success" that can help ensure the success of these educational volunteer events. These steps include: Constructing the Steering/Planning Committee; Contracting Facilities; Planning the Program; Arranging for Food, Meals, and Catering; and Developing the Budget. Each of these five steps is explained in detail. By focusing on these five steps, conference planners can coordinate a successful Forum or Conference while avoiding being bogged down in detail management.

The Educational Needs Of Small Business Owners: A Look Into The Future, Glenn Muske, Nancy Stanforth

Journal of Extension

A significant growth element in the U.S. economic expansion has been small businesses. Continued growth will depend on that trend continuing. Many of the future owners are today's college students. This article reports on a study examining the entrepreneurial plans of students. The study found significant numbers of students anticipate starting their own business. The students indicated that they would use future nonformal educational programs to help them start and run the business. Cooperative Extension has played a significant educational role in helping business owners be successful. This article suggests that the demand for such help will remain strong in …

Implementation Of A Web-Based, Self-Scoring Version Of The Family Assessment Device (Fad) For Parent Education, Rick Peterson, Janet Prillaman

Journal of Extension

The article reports on the implementation of a Web-based, self-scoring version of the Family Assessment Device (FAD) in parent education for needs assessment and evaluation purposes. The FAD measures overall family functioning and six key areas of family functioning. Results of the analysis of each subscale indicated that participants increased their level of family functioning with respect to problem-solving, communication, affective involvement, affective responsiveness, roles, behavior control, and general functioning. Paired t-test results indicated that a statistically significant change occurred on five out of the seven measures. Implications of the application for needs assessment and outcome purposes are discussed.

The Oregon Master Woodland Manager Program: Comparison Of 1991 And 1998 Questionnaire Results, Steve Bowers

Journal of Extension

Comparisons of a 1991 and 1998 questionnaire were performed to determine whether Oregon's Master Woodland Manager (MWM) training program continued to adequately assist participating woodland owners in meeting the demands placed on them in the management of their woodland property and in successfully performing volunteer service. Results indicated an increasing amount of volunteer service per MWM, and, while the adequacy of training and materials was deemed satisfactory, there was an increasing demand from MWMs for expanded training in several areas. Results of the questionnaire revealed that lack of knowledge remained the primary barrier in managing woodland property, thus indicating the …

Money 2000™: Feedback From And Impact On Participants, Barbara O’Neill, Jing Xiao, Barbara Bristow, Patricia Brennan

Journal of Extension

This article reports results of the first comprehensive study of MONEY 2000™ participants. The study obtained feedback and impact data from MONEY 2000™ program participants in New Jersey and New York. The sample of 520 MONEY 2000™ respondents had a higher income and educational level than average Americans. The two main reasons that participants enrolled in MONEY 2000™ were to reduce debt and to increase financial knowledge. The most helpful aspect of MONEY 2000™ was the quarterly newsletter, followed by tips/ideas/information, Extension publications, and workshops/classes/conferences. The least helpful aspect was none/nothing, followed by workshops/classes/conferences. Since enrolling in MONEY 2000™, three …

Assessment Technology: Its Use In Improving Leadership And Management Performance, Gail J. Gunderson, Bill R. Haynes

Journal of Extension

Assessment centers are one of the most effective selection, promotional, and training tools ever developed. Many organizations use them today, including a large percentage of Fortune 500 corporations and federal, state, and local government agencies. Assessment centers offer immediate and targeted application supporting leadership, assessment, and development for managers. Both participants and practitioners value assessment centers for their content validity, predictive accuracy, objectivity, and relevance to the job. Ohio State University Extension is successfully using assessment centers to identify and evaluate the supervisory, managerial, and leadership capabilities of its professional staff.

The Revolving Client Pool: One Solution To Value-Added Programming Challenges, David G. Kraenzel

Journal of Extension

A growing Extension audience segment is interested in value-added businesses that pose new challenges for program planning, design, and delivery. How can Extension provide more specialized training, education, and instruction to individual clients at critical times during the agribusiness development process? The Revolving Client Pool (RCP), combined with the powerful technique of forming a mentoring relationship, offers one effective "Tool of the Trade" to address this programming need.

Developing A Farm Newsletter For Better Communications Between Tenant And Landowner, Joe Parcell, J Bob Wells

Journal of Extension

It is not uncommon for a tenant seldom to have contact with the landowner outside of the customary rental settlement. Agriculture is an evolving industry that has had to deal with technological adoption and the realization of the term "economies of size" during the past 10 years. A combination of increased competition for land to benefit from economies of size and more landowners not understanding production agriculture technology adoption has caused communications between tenants and landowners to become crucial. One method Extension farm management specialists can recommend to improve communications between tenants and landowners is for the tenant to develop …

Teacher Perceptions Of Collaboration And Engagement In Five Twenty-First Century Restructuring Schools In Indiana, Cynthia L. Kujawski

Dissertations

School restructuring is a process which can facilitate school improvement. One approach to school improvement is based on the principles of learner-centered instruction. These principles, “by focusing on students and bringing their frames of reference to the implementation of educational innovations” (McCombs & Lambert, 1998, p. 501), relate that more students will be successful in school, and the innovations will be more effective in improving achievement. In Indiana, five restructuring “Indiana 2000” school proposals contained one or more goals for the development of collaboration and teacher-student engagement. Teachers at these restructuring schools completed a 60-item, investigator-created questionnaire designed to assess …

Supervisory Identity Development And Its Relationship To Supervisory Experience, Counseling Experience, And Training In Supervision, Nadine Joy Pelling

Dissertations

The relationship between supervisory identity development and supervisory experience, counseling experience, and training in supervision was investigated in this study. A developmental model of supervisory identity development was utilized, the Supervisor Complexity Model, in both the conceptualization of supervisory identity development and the measurement of supervisory identity development. Consequently, supervisory identity and some factors thought to effect its development are reviewed. Counseling professionals likely to be engaged in providing supervision services were surveyed by mail. Participants completed a measure of supervisory identity development, the Psychotherapy Supervisor Development Scale, and also indicated their supervisory experience, counseling experience, and training in the …

Journey To Self: The Experience Of Inner Life Of Helping Professionals, Candace W. Ross

Dissertations

Based on the assumptions that self-awareness is an important factor in healthy and effective functioning of helping professionals (Corey, Corey, & Callanan, 1998) and that the self of the therapist is an important tool in effective therapy (Baldwin, 2000), this phenomenological study was conducted to explore the experience of inner life of helping professionals. Three women and two men, either licensed counselors or psychologists who were working in therapeutic settings, agreed to participate in a two-part interview. In the first interview, the participants described their experience of inner life, including what facilitated or hindered their experience, how inner life informed …

Membership At Risk: Representation Of Disability In Popular Counselor Education Textbooks, Nancy A. Rosenau

Dissertations

Representations of disability in American culture are saturated with negative images and meanings. Pervasive negativity threatens full societal membership and its related benefits of a sense of belonging, connectedness, and inclusion, and a source of identity, social networks and empowerment for people with disabilities.

Disability pride is a resistant movement that seeks to denaturalize assumptions about the negative experience of disability. The multicultural turn in counseling recognizes that competent practice requires awareness of diverse groups in society. Disability as the largest minority group in the U.S. requires counselor awareness. This study examined the representation of disability in a sample of …

The Mandatum, Again, Gerard V. Bradley

Journal Articles

President's Page

Bradley writes about the mandatum requirement of Canon 812, which Ex Corde Ecclesia presents as central to the Catholicity of college or university.

Gender Differences In Presenting Symptoms, Treatment, And Outcome In Myocardial Infarction, Alona Dalusung-Angosta

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purposes of this study were to compare the presenting symptoms, treatment, and outcome between men and women with MI. The study sample consisted of 300 patients (N = 300) who were diagnosed with MI in a county hospital in the Southwest area of the United States.

Chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, and left arm pain were the most common symptoms reported by both genders. Men had more chest pain than their women counterparts (p = .022). No significant difference was found in the cardiac enzyme levels between both genders. Men had more Q wave changes during MI than …

Environment, Cultures, And Social Change On The Great Plains: A History Of Crow Creek Tribal School, Robert W. Galler Jr.

Dissertations

This study explores the socio-cultural history of a school for Native American students on the Crow Creek Sioux Reservation in central South Dakota. The case study places the school's history (1886-present) within the context of the historic interaction between environment, cultures, and social change on the Great Plains.

This work focuses on a Catholic school and the multi-dimensional students and staff who constitute its story. These individuals acted neither as perpetually passive students nor simplistically sinister administrators. Instead, this dissertation broadly explores the challenging nature of intercultural relations that led to the founding of the school and how tribal/Catholic interactions …

Breastfeeding Personal Efficacy Beliefs Of Women University Students, Ann Pollard Cleveland

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Many women do not initiate breastfeeding although breastfeeding promotes their baby's health. Three reasons why women do not breastfeed are women's mental organization, cultural beliefs about breastfeeding, and women's breastfeeding personal efficacy beliefs. The conceptual framework for personal efficacy beliefs is Bandura's social-cognitive theory (1992, 1995, 1997). This dissertation used a new research instrument to examine women university students' breastfeeding personal efficacy beliefs. The instrument was tested by mail survey techniques that resulted in a 70.6% respondent rate. University women's personal efficacy beliefs about breastfeeding factored into five factor subscales. In order of magnitude, the personal efficacy belief factors were …

Development Of A Membrane Resistance Based Modeling Framework For Comparison Of Ultrafiltration Processes, David Albert Masciola

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A parametric study was conducted to develop a more general modeling framework as a basis for comparison of ultrafiltration membrane modules and separation processes. Discrete experiments were performed to examine the effects of operating parameters on permeate flux behavior in the tubular and high-shear rotary ultrafiltration (HSRUF) systems using a synthetic metal working (MW) fluid as a surrogate feed stream due to its relevance in industrial process and treatment applications. The conventional thin-film model was successfully applied to permeate flux data collected at low feed oil concentrations; however, model predictions at high concentrations were physically meaningless due to the formation …

Development Of An Integrated Project-Level Pavement Management Model Using Risk Analysis, Jennifer A. Reigle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Historically, federal highway funding focused on the construction of new pavements and the upgrading of existing pavements. Today, much of the infrastructure is in place. Therefore, the focus of federal funding is shifting toward pavement maintenance and preservation. With this is mind, highway agencies are directing attention toward pavement preservation strategies that yield the greatest value from existing pavements.;Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) is a decision-making tool that highway agencies may use in selecting an optimal pavement preservation strategy. Traditionally, LCCA models for pavement management use discrete input values that represent a conservative "best guess" of each parameter. Thus, inherent …

Process Control Of Applied Laser System For Enhanced Glass Production, Liyun Zheng

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Existing glass crack-off methods often result in considerable loss of glassware and require subsequent edge finishing that is labor intensive. The main objective of this dissertation is to contribute to the development of a laser-enhanced cutting and finishing method that will decrease waste and improve productivity in the manufacturing of handblown glass.;The main objectives of this dissertation were to perform modeling and simulation of the laser glass interaction, to contribute to the lab prototype machine construction, to participate in experiments to investigate the process parameters governing successful glass cutting, and to pursue the design and validation of controls for the …

Covalidation Of Dissimilarly Structured Models, Samuel A. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

A methodology is presented which allows comparison between models constructed under different modeling paradigms. Consider the following situation: Two models are constructed to study different aspects of the same system. One model simulates a fleet of aircraft moving a given combination of cargo and passengers from an onload point to an offload point. A second model is a linear programming model that optimizes the aircraft and route selection required for the same scenario. We develop a methodology to structure the comparison between large-scale models such as these. Models that compare favorably using this methodology are deemed covalid. Models that perform …

The Effects Of Colonization On The Career Development And Occupational Choices Of African Students Studying In The United States, Augustine E. Bessong

Dissertations

A quantitative research design was utilized to understand the perceptions of the effects of colonization on career choices and occupational development of Africans in the United States. In face-to-face, 60-90 minute interviews using a semistructured interview guide developed by the researcher, participants were asked open-ended questions about the effects of colonization on their career choices and occupational development. Using purposeful sampling, 12 African male and female students, 7 enrolled at one Southeastern university and S from a large metropolitan city in the Southeastern United States, were interviewed for data collection.

Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were analyzed using the …

An Account Of Novice Phylogenetic Tree Construction From The Problem-Solving Research Tradition, Terrance E. Brisbin

Dissertations

Both the content and strategic knowledge used in phylogenetic tree construction are described to account for novice performance. A review of the literature is used to place this research with respect to studies in: problem solving studies (both expert, and novice), the history and practice of evolutionary systematics, and the teaching of evolution. The computer-based problem-solving environment is discussed along with model problems used for the research.

Each of the five research problems consists of an encoded matrix containing phylogenetic data organized by taxa and characters. Twelve participants (high school students) volunteered to solve the research problems, on their own …

Developmental, Psychosocial, And Economic Predictors Of Healthy Newborns In Michigan’S Teenage Pregnancies, Cheryl Lauber

Dissertations

Teenage pregnancy is a critical health indicator. Using a risk reduction model, this study examined the relationship between the characteristics o f the teenage mother i and her newborn. The research questions were: ( I) what risk factors are associated with poor birth outcomes, (2) is addressing each factor the best way to reduce the risk, and (3) has the overall risk changed as the birth rate has declined? Developmental, psychosocial and economic risks were identified as independent variables, while age and race were mediators.

Combining the birth certificate records of women under age 20 from 1990 through 1997 resulted …

Emotional Expressiveness And Problematic Behaviors Among Male Juvenile Sexual Offenders, General Offenders, And Nonoffenders, Carin M. Ness

Dissertations

This analytic variable study examined the potential differences that exist among male juvenile sexual offenders (JSOs), general offenders (GOs), and nonoffenders (NOs) on the emotional expressiveness variables of alexithymia and affective orientation, and three problematic behavior variables including self-defeating behavior, risk taking, and reckless behavior. It was hypothesized that JSOs and GOs would be statistically significantly different than NOs on all variables but not different from each other.

Hypotheses were tested by a MANOVA. When statistical significance was indicated, ANOVAs were computed to identify the specific groups and measures, which were statistically significant The significance level for all analyses was …

Venture Behavioral Health Southwestern Michigan Treatment Of Depression Collaborative Study: The Effectiveness Of Behavioral Activation Group Therapy: An Initial Investigation, Jeffrey F. Porter

Dissertations

A recent empirical study (Jacobson et al., 1996) suggested that the Behavioral Activation (BA) component of Beck’s Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CT) for depression (Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979) may be as effective a treatment for clinical depression as the full CT treatment. BA involves intervention choices that are fewer in number and more straightforward than those contained in CT, making BA a more efficient treatment than CT. The purpose of this study was to extend the research on BA by administering it as a group therapy and to evaluate this treatment in a natural setting. This was achieved by classifying …

The Effects Of Radiation Damage On The Vortex Dynamics Of High Temperature Superconductors, Andra Petrean

Dissertations

This work focuses on the interaction between magnetic vortices in high temperature superconductors and defects introduced by irradiation with protons and heavy ions. The study concentrates on the high temperature superconductor YBa;Cu30 7J5. This material is used to investigate the role of disorder in phase transitions, a topic of great interest in Solid State Physics. In addition, this study analyzes the interaction between vortices and columnar defects in various doses and defect morphologies, including the thermal stability of columnar defects.

We present experimental evidence of the vortex glass phase in proton irradiated Y B a:Cu:!0 -.15. For the first time, …