Digital Commons Network^™

An Occupation-Based Protocol Designed For Women With Cardiac Conditions, Erika Swirzcki, Andrea Young

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in women worldwide as well as the number one cause of death in the United States (American Heart Association [AHA], 2010). Women are not adequately represented when entering phase II of cardiac rehabilitation due to the numerous barriers that they may experience. The purpose of this scholarly project is to help meet women’s unique needs and facilitate their return to meaningful life roles and occupations after experiencing a cardiac event. This protocol provides guidelines for occupational therapists to use during phase II of cardiac rehabilitation and addresses the implementation of occupation-based …

The Expected Adjustment And Academic Outcomes Of Honors College Students, Christina R. Washington

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The transition to an institution of higher education can present challenges and difficulties, but it is a student's expectations that can ultimately predict adjustment (Jackson, Pancer, Pratt, & Hunsberger, 2000). A larger number of students who experience difficulties in their adjustment end up withdrawing from the institution (Baker & Siryk, 1986). There is evidence that for some students there is a vast disconnect between their expectations regarding the institution of higher education, and the reality of their experiences. Students may not realize that what was expected of them in high school will differ greatly in college. It is this lack …

Competencies Required Of Human Resource Professionals In The Government Contracting Industry, Dawn Denise Boyer

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a unique set of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) were required of Human Resource Practitioners (HRPs) in federal-level Government Contracting Companies (GCC) in the United States. Study results identified additional sets of HR-related KSAs to perform with minimum competency within a government-contracting environment. The results of this study can assist in creation and development of training or education curriculum for HRPs interested in or currently working in GCCs. Study results provided parameters for job descriptions for HRP recruitment within GCCs and HRP promotional opportunities.

A New Phase Speciation Leaching Procedure For The Determination Of Metals In Oxic And Anoxic Sediments, Brandon R. Gipson

OES Theses and Dissertations

Toxic trace elements such as cadmium, lead, chromium, and arsenic released by human activities can accumulate in marine and estuarine sediments, where these metals are often sequestered until local environmental changes (e.g., redox, salinity, and/or pH) allow these elements to be reintroduced into the food web. In order to assess the extent of toxic trace element contamination in sediment, numerous leaching schemes have been developed that separate sediment-bound trace metals into operationally defined geochemical phases. These "phase speciation" leaching schemes are typically designed with the purpose of being used on either oxic or anoxic sediments. However, natural sediments often contain …

An Epidemiological Model Of Rift Valley Fever With Spatial Dynamics, Tianchan Niu, Holly D. Gaff, Yiannis E. Papelis, David M. Hartley

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

As a category A agent in the Center for Disease Control bioterrorism list, Rift Valley fever (RVF) is considered a major threat to the United States (USA). Should the pathogen be intentionally or unintentionally introduced to the continental USA, there is tremendous potential for economic damages due to loss of livestock, trade restrictions, and subsequent food supply chain disruptions. We have incorporated the effects of space into a mathematical model of RVF in order to study the dynamics of the pathogen spread as affected by the movement of humans, livestock, and mosquitoes. The model accounts for the horizontal transmission of …

Enhancing Elementary School Prevention Program Implementation Through Influential Contextual Factors, Alice Schmidt Hanbidge

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

A current gap in the literature exists with regard to formulating a holistic view of contextual factors involved in school-based prevention programming implementation. The purpose of this grounded theory study is to further explore how multilevel ecological and cross-system factors influence prevention program implementation. This study builds on development of a theory to guide the practices for preventive program implementation with fidelity. The Integrated Program (IP) conceptual framework, initiated in an earlier paper (Schmidt Hanbidge, 2009) identified key program contextual and motivational factors that critically influence prevention program implementation. Taken from an ecological perspective, the IP framework incorporates multi-levels of …

A Strategic Model For Ingo Accountability Systems, Sarah Elizabeth Wardwell

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis reconstructs the concept of International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) accountability to beneficiaries through the development of a strategic model for INGO accountability to beneficiaries. It works through the history and arguments surrounding the rise of the debate around whether INGOs should be held accountable to their beneficiary populations. Unique definitions are developed for the terms and concepts related to this topic and a framework for understanding the strategic model for INGO accountability to beneficiaries is outlined: Accountable to whom? Accountable for what? Accountable how? A practical example of an internal assessment for measuring an INGO's accountability to beneficiaries is …

Interpersonal Conflict And Employee Well-Being: The Moderating Role Of Recovery Experiences, Caitlin Ann Demsky

Dissertations and Theses

Recovery during nonwork time is essential for restoring resources that have been lost throughout the working day. Recent research has begun to explore the nature of recovery experiences as boundary conditions between various job stressors and employee well-being. Interpersonal conflict is an important work stressor that has been associated with several negative employee outcomes, such as higher levels of psychosomatic complaints, anxiety, depression, and frustration. This study contributes to recovery research by examining the moderating role of recovery experiences on the relationship between workplace interpersonal conflict and employee well-being. Specifically, it was hypothesized that recovery experiences (e.g., psychological detachment, mastery, …

The Neuroanatomical Functions Of Tourette Syndrome And A Treatment Analysis, Kacie L. Curd

CMC Senior Theses

The etiology of Tourette syndrome has been elusive for researchers ever since its discovery, making treatment especially difficult. After proving the disorder was organic in the second half of the 20^th century, researchers have been creating theories of the underlying neural basis for Tourette’s symptomatology. These theories include abnormalities in brain structure, dysregulation of the dopamine system, dysregulation of the serotonin system and overall neurotransmitter system interactions. The etiology is likely a complex combination of all of these. Treatments for this disorder include pharmacological, behavioral and surgical. I believe the best approach for treatment is behavioral first, followed by …

The Presidential Apology: Lessons From Tricky Dick And Slick Willy, Megan Morris

CMC Senior Theses

The concept of an apologetic president has only recently emerged in the United States. All presidents have made mistakes, but only recently have Americans come to expect apologies from them. The development of an increasingly critical media has necessitated that future presidents hone the art of apologizing. This thesis extrapolates lessons in this skill from the apologies of Presidents Nixon and Clinton. Watergate and Lewinsky-gate were cover-up scandals that rocked the nation in the 1970s and '90s. Although the presidential misconduct in both cases were similar, the way each president opted to navigate his controversy differed dramatically. Both presidents initially …

The Third World War: American Hegemony In Latin America And The Overthrow Of Salvador Allende, Samuel Mitchell

CMC Senior Theses

Why has the United States frequently intervened in the affairs of Latin American governments? How have the motivations changed over time, and how have they stayed the same? Are American Presidents more motivated by economic or political threats to hegemony? What methods has the United States used to maintain its dominance over the Western Hemisphere, and how have they changed?

This paper seeks to address all of these questions, using a full historical examination as well as the case study of Salvador Allende's Chile. Drawing upon numerous scholars' work as well as individual research and investigation, this paper seeks to …

Can Online Sentiment Help Predict Dow Jones Industrial Average Returns?, Aria K. Krumwiede

CMC Senior Theses

In this paper, we explore the relationship between a Global Mood Time Series, provided by Wall Street Birds, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) from April 2011 to December 2011. My econometric results show that there is no long run equilibrium relationship between the level of global mood and the level of the DJIA. These results apply to the whole period, as well as in the six-month subperiods. Furthermore, daily changes in global mood do not Granger cause DJIA returns. However, changes in global mood do appear to be useful in forecasting the volatility of the DJIA, and my …

Poor Millionaires: A History Of Free Agency In Major League Baseball And The National Football League, Cameron Conley

CMC Senior Theses

In 2011, both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Football League (NFL) saw the expiration of their collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) between the players’ unions and owners. Without an agreement in place, the two leagues would have been unable to play the next season. The CBAs established basic contract provisions, pensions and other benefits for players, and, most importantly, granted players the right to move between teams at their own discretion and outlined the manner in which they could do so. This process of changing teams was known as free agency.

Changes In The Effects Of Determinants Of Earnings Inequality And Their Labor Implications In Urban China, 1988 - 2002, Maira T. Mercado

CMC Senior Theses

This study seeks to analyze the changes in the effects of determinants of earnings inequality and their labor market implications in urban China from 1988 to 2002. It analyzes urban individual data from the 1988, 1995, and 2002 surveys of the China Household Income Project by studying its inequality measures and summary statistics, and by conducting an ordinary least squares regression, quantile regression, and regression-based decomposition analysis. It finds that the labor market has indeed been rewarding human capital variables, in which age and work experience, which are related to seniority, have been decreasing in their contribution to earnings inequality, …

Deinstitutionalization And Its Discontents: American Mental Health Policy Reform, Olga Loraine Kofman

CMC Senior Theses

In 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Mental Retardation and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act, establishing the beginnings of deinstitutionalization in the United States. By some counts, this Act was a stupendous policy success—by others, a dismal failure. 50 years later, no cohesive national mental health care policy has emerged to deal with increased rates of mental illness among the homeless and the incarcerated. However, California has made enormous strides to create a state policy which provides adequate services to the mildly, moderately, and severely mentally ill as well as adequate funding for those services through Proposition 63, …

Effects Of Early Round Venture Capital Syndication On Ipo Exits In Europe And The United States, Rosabella M. Magat

CMC Senior Theses

While the importance of venture capital (VC) can be highlighted by policy goals outlined in the 'Lisbon agenda', the European VC industry remains nascent in comparison to the more sophisticated VC market in the US. Researchers have identified key determinants that foster VC success on a broad level, and have often identified syndication as an important factor of success. This paper seeks to understand the role of syndication on the VC-backed company's success. I take a novel departure from past research in this area in three ways 1) I measure performance from the perspective of the portfolio company, rather than …

The Individual Mandate, Commerce Clause, And Supreme Court: Predicting The Court's Ruling In Hhs V. Florida, Nicholas Medling

CMC Senior Theses

An analysis of the evolution of the Commerce Clause, the Justices on the Supreme Court, and the arguments presented in this case indicate that the minimum coverage provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will be struck down. Although the Court will likely be split 5 to 4 along ideological lines, each of the justices will have a unique rationale behind their decision. Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Scalia, and Justice Kennedy were heavily targeted by both parties’ oral and written arguments because there was speculation that any one of these traditionally conservative justices could be the fifth vote …

Buy Global, Think Local: Direct Trade Coffee And Community Renaissance In Olympia, Washington, Maren E. Hotvedt

CMC Senior Theses

The development of the specialty coffee industry in the United States occurred in the latter half of the twentieth century not as an independent phenomenon but rather as a result of a series of interrelated movements that began to coalesce in the late 1960s. Direct Trade, the latest development in gourmet coffee sourcing and marketing, is an amalgam of elements of an American food revolution that gained national prominence in the 1970s, the environmental movement, and movements for social justice through conscious consumption. Direct Trade coffee is differentiated in particular by roasters' rejection of the notion of coffee as a …

Incentivizing Biodiversity Conservation: The Ecological Icms In Brazil, Erin Franks

CMC Senior Theses

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the ecological ICMS (ICMS-e) in the Brazilian Amazon, an intragovernmental transfer for incentivizing biodiversity conservation. Tax funds are passed from state governments to municipalities in proportion to the amount of protected area within their borders; biological reserves, sustainable use areas, and indigenous lands are all considered. Econometric analysis using a fixed effects model found that the policy had little positive effect on increasing protected areas compared to the significant negative influence of poor land tenure, agricultural influences, and lack of monitoring for illegal deforestation. However, the policy may increase municipal governments' acceptance of and …

Understanding And Exploring Narcissism: Impact On Students And College Campuses, Emily J. Hudson

CMC Senior Theses

"Narcissist" is a term that may be used lightly to describe or label someone that is self-centered. However, research that suggests a possible increase in narcissistic personality tendencies among college-aged American students has a very real and serious impact on society. The goal of this paper is to examine the evolution of the concept of narcissism and its detrimental effects on society. This will then be applied to the impact that narcissism has on college students and campus environments. It is important to note that individuals high in narcissistic traits encounter many problems including difficulties with interpersonal and professional relationships, …

Does A Change In A Logo Affect The Value Of The Brand? The Case Of Starbucks, Brittany Isobe

CMC Senior Theses

When the first Starbucks opened in 1971, not even the founders expected that just two decades later, it would become one of the strongest international corporations. Starbucks has experienced unprecedented growth and unfathomable success. The company grew from 17 stores in the company’s founding years to approximately 17,000 stores across 55 countries just 40 years later.1 According to the corporate website, the Starbucks mission is “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time”.2

In order to fulfill their mission statement, Starbucks has to mold their company to align with the …

Prose And Polarization: Environmental Literature And The Challenges To Constructive Discourse, Paige E. Costello

CMC Senior Theses

This work explores how authors employ literary modes to persuade readers towards one side or another of the environmental debate and whether the works promote constructive discourse on environmental issues. It uses two seminal works from each side of the environmental discourse, Silent Spring and The Population Bomb and The Ultimate Resource and The Skeptical Environmentalist, to analyze stylistic differences and similarities, to compare public reception, and to explain the increasing polarization of environmental discourse.

Pulling Back The Veil: The Hijab Ban And The Evolution Of French Nationalism, Meghan Henkel

CMC Senior Theses

In 2004, a French law went into effect banning girls in state sponsored schools from wearing the hijab, a Muslim head covering. While the law also banned the Jewish kippa and large cross necklaces from being worn in public schools, the hijab took center stage in what became a worldwide media frenzy. The ban of the hijab as well as more recent laws that banned full face veils in all public spaces and a ban on Muslim prayer being performed in the street show a growing divide in the French populace. This thesis argues that these recent laws, as well …

The Rise And Fall Of Public Higher Education In The United States: Implications For Socioeconomic Inequality, Chantal Bao-Chau Hoang

CMC Senior Theses

This paper aims to explore how shifting federal, state, and individual priorities have transformed public higher education from a bastion of quality higher education for the greatest number of people to a more privatized state that only provides access and choice to those who can afford them. Decreased public support and state appropriations for public higher education schools have led many institutions to privatize themselves through increasing tuition prices and enrolling more out-of-state and international students who can afford to pay the full sticker price. At the same time, federal financial aid programs have become more and more geared towards …

The High Cost And Value Of Patents: Finding The Appropriate Balance Between The Rights Of The Inventor And The Advancement Of Society, Andy Segal

CMC Senior Theses

Property rights are the backbone of Western Civilization. Capitalism can only be successful if individuals feel secure about the ownership of their assets. Patents are the property rights granted to the inventor by the government. Without these rights, inventors will find it extremely difficult monetizing their contributions to society. Thus, in an effort to incentivize innovation and commit society to human progress, our Founding Fathers built our country on a strong set of intellectual property rights.

At the same time, nothing impedes innovation like a monopoly and, in essence, all a patent amounts to is a monopoly, the right to …

The Politics Of Physical Education Reform, Ari Zyskind

CMC Senior Theses

The purpose of the paper is to determine why today's youth are so physically inactive by examining the role and efforts of physical education, and the state and federal governments responsibility in supporting these programs, in fighting today's obesity epidemic by creating generations of healthy and physically active children. Research led to the determination that states have failed to maintain and improve physical education resulting in a physically inactive youth. Therefore, the nation should look to federal legislation to support state-led physical education, which this paper found to be constitutional if the enactments followed the provisions established in South Dakota …

China's Censored Leap Forward: The Communist Party's Battle With Internet Censorship In The Digital Age, Caitlin Feeney

CMC Senior Theses

Citizens around the world are using the Internet to connect with an international community, speak out against governmental injustices, and dissolve informational barriers. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a regime known for its strict control and harsh repression, is faced with the challenge of balancing an appropriate amount of civilian freedom on the Internet while still maintaining its monopolistic power. How does a one-party system successfully maintain control over the flow of information and sustain its unchallenged control of citizens in an increasingly-liberalized world? The Party’s answer to this question is a finely-tuned Internet censorship strategy, which this paper seeks …

The Disappearing Middle Class: Implications For Politics And Public Policy, Trevor Richard Beltz

CMC Senior Theses

What does it mean to be middle class? The majority of Americans define themselves as members of the middle class, regardless of their wealth. The number of Americans that affiliate with the middle class alludes to the idea that it cannot be defined simply by level of income, number of assets, type of job, etc. The middle class is a lifestyle as much as it is a group of similarly minded people, just as it is a social construct as much as it is an economic construct. Yet as the masses fall away from the elite, and changes continue to …

Weiser Carrots And Sticks: Motivation Beyond Money At The Shakedown Café, Julian A. Martinez

CMC Senior Theses

It is generally assumed that monetary incentivization is the most effective means of motivating organizationally-beneficial behaviors. Individuals, under this line of thought, pursue their own objective self-interest above all else. However, evidence is being uncovered that indicates that human motivation may be a much more complicated facet of the human psyche. The purpose of this study is to examine the deeper underpinnings that drive people work that might lie beyond financial rewards. In order to do this, the Shakedown Café, a student-run restaurant on Pitzer College’s campus, will be examined. This specific organization is of particular interest because it does …

Complexities In The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Thyroid Cancer: Discussions, Observations, Research And Public Policy, Hannah V. Gordon

CMC Senior Theses

The impact of the increasing incidence of thyroid cancer presents an interesting case study in public health policy and resource allocation. During the last three decades, thyroid cancer cases have increased by more than 400%. As an illness that affects the lives of hundreds of thousands each year, the human and economic costs will be magnified in the next decade. It is estimated that approximately 13-67% of people will have thyroid nodules during their life of which approximately 5% will be malignant. The standard treatment, a thyroidectomy frequently followed by radioactive 131 iodine treatment, accordingly would seem to be a …