Digital Commons Network^™

The Economic Impact Of Des Moines Parks & Recreation Services, Kristine Fleming, Oksana Grybovych, Brian Gedlinske, Wade P. Kooiman, Jill Lankford, Sam Lankford

Other Faculty and Staff Publications

Park and recreation programs provided by the City of Des Moines deliver services that have a range of benefits or values to residents, businesses, economy, and local government. Many of these benefits are often overlooked and rarely quantified. The purpose of this effort is to quantify the economic value received due to the operation of the City of Des Moines’ Parks and Recreation Department. These values are arranged to reflect factors that produce revenue for the city government, wealth increasing factors for citizens and businesses, cost saving factors to citizens, and cost saving factors for the city government.

Included in …

Virtual Assembly, John D. Inazu

Scholarship@WashULaw

This Article provides one of the first scholarly considerations of the constitutional boundaries for online groups. It explores both why and how we should protect these groups by asking two related questions. The first question is theoretical: do online groups implicate the kinds of values that warrant elevated constitutional protection. The second question is doctrinal: what is the best framework for providing constitutional protection to these groups. The Article argues that we should protect online groups because they advance important First Amendment values and because the line between our offline and our online groups is collapsing. Turning to the doctrinal …

Motivational Changes In Reading Recovery Children: A Pre And Post Analysis, Salli Forbes, Susan King Fullerton

Curriculum & Instruction Faculty Publications

This investigation set out to determine whether Reading Recovery students demonstrate positive responses in regard to motivational constructs of self-concept, competence beliefs, and/or valuing of reading within Reading Recovery.

Constraining Targeting In Noninternational Armed Conflicts, Peter Margulies

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

An American drone pilot thousands of miles away from Afghanistan sees a tempting target on his computer screen. Thanks to the Predator drone's video capabilities,' the pilot is treated to the spectacle of a known Taliban commander and over a dozen other armed men greeting a dozen tribesmen, who are also armed to the teeth. Everyone depicted on-screen has a gun. The pilot fires the Predator's missile. Shortly thereafter, he confirms the deaths of thirty Taliban fighters and associated forces.

While the facts above, particularly the presence of the known Taliban commander, tend to show that the strike was consistent …

Does Baby Sign Open The Door To Second Language Learning?, Nicole A. Hulme

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this thesis project is to determine the relationship between an infant's acquisition of Baby Sign and their ability to acquire a second language later in life. An explanation of why infancy is a critical time for language development will be presented and information about the impact of Baby Sign on an infant's development will be provided. There are many research and popular claims regarding Baby Sign that will be discussed, in addition to research findings concerning second language learning. Based on this research, conclusions about the connection between Baby Sign and second language learning will be drawn …

It's A Juggling Act: An Examination Of Work-School Conflict, Danielle Barbara Stuck

Honors Program Theses

Working while enrolled in college has become increasingly prominent, yet its effects on school outcomes and student well-being are not yet understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of individual differences and nuances in the school and work domains to obtain a more precise model of Work-School Conflict [WSC]. Data were collected from 401 undergraduate and graduate students from the University of Northern Iowa and analyzed using hierarchical (blocked) linear regression analyses. While job flexibility negatively predicted WSC, job permeability interacted with number of hours worked off-campus and workload, differentially predicting WSC; while permeability decreased WSC …

Clogging The System, Harrison Postler

Honors Program Theses

This thesis manifested itself in the form of a one-act play, which I wrote and directed at the University of Northern Iowa's Interpreters Theatre. The play is entitled "Clogging the System" and is a comedy with seven characters and one toilet, none of which were played by me. I endeavored to examine how shame functions within our society and how it is indoctrinated at a very young age by using toilets as a vehicle to explore shame based around bodily waste. Additionally, I have incorporated the burgeoning field of literature concerning how humans negotiate the taboo placed upon doing two …

Use It Or Lose It!: Results Of A Use Study Of The Print Sources In An Academic Library Reference Collection., Jane G. Kessler

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

Describes a use study of a reference collection, which found that 7.1 percent of total volumes in the reference collection were used over the course of the fall semester.

Applying Forensic Anthropological Data In Homicide Investigation To The Depravity Standard, Karl Reinhard, Michael Welner, Matthias I. Okoye, Melissa Marotta, Gary Plank, Brianna Anderson, Theresa Mastellon

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Forensic anthropology can provide detailed information regarding the perpetrator’s treatment of a homicide victim. This data may inform The Depravity Standard (DS), a forensic science inventory used to assess the severity of a homicide’s intent, actions, victimology, and attitudes. Skeletal data enabled the reconstruction of a homicide case involving mutilation and possible torture. Using The Depravity Standard (DS) the skeletal data underwent evaluation in order to provide evidence of depravity. The osteological data alone offered sufficient evidence for a number of criteria of depravity, demonstrating the importance and application of osteology in resolving specific questions about the depravity of a …

Undefined Genre, Or, A Study Into Work Reliant On Visual Art Mediums To Transform The Protagonist Function Of The Human Body In Performance, Tony Currie

Theses : Honours

This thesis is a study into performance art, specifically examples of work in which the artist engages with a physical object or visual arts medium to create a work of art in the presence of an audience. The subsequent work of art created can vary from works on paper, to living structures, or any other physical and tangible structure. I have addressed the audience demographic of performance art, the genre’s conceptual genesis, its ephemeral nature, and its commoditisation to analyse its relevance to the current artistic climate. During my study, an importance has been placed on live performance, not on …

Arrighi On Sino-Sudanese Relations : Trade, Investment And Diplomacy In The Twenty-First Century, Benjamin A. Hale

Theses : Honours

This research project will investigate the increasingly complex and dynamic relationship between China and Sudan from 1995 to the present within the context of Giovanni Arrighi’s understandings of World Systems Theory. In this project I will examine how the relationship between China and Sudan has manifested through trade, investment, and diplomacy since 1995. Further, this dissertation will situate Sino-Sudanese relations within the context of Giovanni Arrighi’s theories regarding the roles of China and Africa within the current world-system. As such, this study will ask how the relationship between China and Sudan reflects Arrighi’s arguments concerning coreperiphery relations, declining US hegemony, …

The Stigmatisation Of Alcohol And Other Drug Services, Kim Eaton

Theses : Honours

People who are dependent on alcohol and other drugs (AOD) are often stigmatised. Evidence suggests that the people who provide AOD users with health and welfare supports also feel the stigma experienced by users. However, the literature supporting this proposition consists of inadvertent findings and findings generalised from other populations. A systematic review of the limited research into stigma experienced by people working in the AOD field was conducted. This involved a multi-phase database, journal and website search, with additional hand searching of relevant referenced articles. Overall, 146 relevant studies were found, 38 of which were applicable to this review, …

Communication Disorders And Indigenous Australians : A Synthesis And Critique Of The Available Literature, Jasmyn Hall

Theses : Honours

Purpose: To synthesise and critique the available diverse literature related to communication disorders experienced by Indigenous Australians. This is in order to provide health professionals with a resource guide for evidence based decision making. The review has a specific focus on prevalence, assessment and effective treatment of communication disorders and explores these across the lifespan.

Method: A three phase systematic search process was adopted. A number of key databases, speech pathology journals and grey literature sources were searched to obtain articles relevant to the research aims. Two researchers independently rated articles for inclusion as well as methodological quality using the …

Fathers At Birth : Women's Experiences Of Their Partner's Presence During Childbirth, Sarah Dlugosz

Theses : Honours

Childbirth is an ordeal of nature. It is an experience that elicits a range of emotions for the labouring woman; recognition of which has highlighted women’s needs for psychological support during the birth process. Research has shown that a mother’s perception of a positive birth is influenced by how supported she feels throughout her experience. In Australia it is common practice for the labouring woman’s partner to be her main support person; however research into women’s experiences of this phenomenon is scarce. This research aimed to explore the lived experiences of women in this context, asking the question “what meaning …

Improving Functional Outcomes For Children And Adolescents With Anxiety Related Disorders Through Occupational Thrapy : A Narrative Review ; Perceptions Of The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Community Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs), Paula J. Anderson

Theses : Honours

Background/Aim: Children and adolescents experiencing anxiety find it challenging to maintain optimal occupational performance, thus the specific role of occupational therapy in the management of anxiety requires investigation. This narrative review examines the current available literature surrounding the use of occupational therapy approaches for children and adolescents experiencing anxiety.

Methods: Academic journals as well as a variety of sources were considered, due to the paucity of literature surrounding this topic. Articles were included if they discussed the occupational therapy role in treatment of children experiencing anxiety symptoms, including anxiety related disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive …

Speech And Language Processes In Children Who Stutter Compared To Those Who Do Not Within An Oral Narrative Task, Sarah Pillar

Theses : Honours

Background and Purpose: Language ability in children who stutter has been linked to the occurrence of stuttering, however, the validity of research supporting this connection has been recently questioned. Previous research, within this area, has been limited by methodological confounds, such as lack of appropriately matched comparison groups, and the use of measures with insufficient sensitivity to potentially examine the subtle differences between children who stutter (CWS) and children who do not stutter (CWNS). Frequent hesitations or pauses are defining characteristics of the speech of people who stutter. However, little is known about the nature and frequency of the pauses …

The Life Individual Resilience Scale And Cognitive Reflection Test : Predictive Utility In Special Forces Selection, Anthony Moffitt

Theses : Honours

The use of psychometric testing by the military in the screening and selection of its personnel has played a significant role in test development (Aiken, 1997). Several studies have demonstrated the utility of such tests to identify and select elite Special Forces personnel specifically for their employment in complex and dangerous environments (Picano, Roland, Williams, & Rollins, 2006). Research of additional discrete personal attributes beyond traditional cognitive ability and personality traits has inspired studies into the measurement of specific aspects of performance, including perseverance, hardiness and decision-making (e.g., Beal, 2010; Temby & Drobnjak, 2010). However, the empirical evidence for these …

Singapore Malay Migrants' Concepts Of "Filial-Piety" And Its Support For Aged Parents To Age-In-Place In Australia, Nur Y. Mohd Ali

Theses : Honours

This study investigates the perceptions of first-generation Malay migrants from Singapore in Perth, Western Australia, who are caring for aged-parents at home. This research examines their interpretation of the Confucian concept of “filial piety” and how this influences their aged-caring. Using a social constructionism epistemology and interpretive phenomenological theoretical framework research methodology, data was collected through semi-structured indepth interviews, supplemented by observation of verbal and physical expressions. This research used purposive criterion sampling to achieve a culturally homogeneous sample. Results were analysed according to themes from previous findings, and newly identified themes. Among new themes discovered included a refined interpretation …

The Use Of The Communication Checklist - Adult (Cc-A) For Assessing The Communication Abilities Of Individuals Post Traumatic Brain Injury, David B. Fitzgerald

Theses : Honours

Background and aims: Standardised and non-standardised assessments are used in speech pathology to evaluate an individual’s communication abilities post traumatic brain injury (TBI; e.g. Turkstra et al., 2005b). However, valid, reliable and norm-referenced standardised assessments that examine functional communication abilities of individuals post TBI outside of the clinical environment are limited. This study sought to investigate the validity of the Communication Checklist - Adults (CC-A; Whitehouse & Bishop, 2009), a caregiver questionnaire that assesses the communication abilities of individuals post TBI.

Method: The project recruited 14 participants post TBI with varying communicative impairment severities. Each participant completed a routine communication …

Recruitment Discrimination Against Middle Eastern People In Western Australia : The Case Of Accountants, Tiny Pinkerton

Theses : Honours

The population of all Western countries are ageing and humanitarian efforts saw increasing numbers of people from Middle Eastern origin settle in Australia. Whilst older people are encouraged to remain in paid employment longer, it is not clear whether Middle Eastern people and the older population are as readily hired as are Anglo Australians and the younger population. Pairs of fictitious, unsolicited job applications were used to test for age and racial discrimination of Middle Eastern people in the Western Australian labour market. The study employed a 2 x 2 between subjects design with race (Anglo Australian and Middle Eastern) …

International Students At Uni: An Analysis Of Experiences, Kellie Petersen

Honors Program Theses

It is important that people feel welcome in a society. It contributes to the health and comfort of individuals as well as strengthens society as a whole. This is particularly important to immigrants, who are entering a new country and therefore a new society and culture. Due to their immigrant status, they may feel disconnected from this new society and culture. Such a feeling could be intensified if some individuals within the society and culture display xenophobia. This generally refers to intense and irrational dislike or even a fear of people from other countries, but for the purposes of this …

Implausible Injuries: Wal-Mart V. Dukes And The Future Of Class Actions And Employment Discrimination Cases, Marcia L. Mccormick

All Faculty Scholarship

In 2001, a class action suit was brought against Wal-Mart, where plaintiffs sought to certify a class of every woman who did work for the giant retailer or had worked for it since 1998, seeking relief related to promotion and pay policies. Plaintiffs alleged that they were all discriminated against on the basis of sex. The Supreme Court agreed with Wal-Mart, finding that the class did not meet requirements for class actions set by Rule 23. This article explores the reasoning behind the Supreme Court’s split decision that the class did not meet the commonality standard, which relied significantly on …

The Roberts Court And The Law Of Human Resources, Matthew T. Bodie

All Faculty Scholarship

The rise of human resources departments parallels the increase in the myriad statutory and regulatory requirements that govern the workplace. The Supreme Court's decisions in labor and employment law cases are largely monitored and implemented by HR professionals who must carry out these directives on a daily basis. This article looks at the Roberts Court's labor and employment law cases through the lens of human resources. In adopting an approach that is solicitous towards HR departments and concerns, the Roberts Court reflects a willingness to empower these private institutional players. Even if labor and employment law scholars do not agree …

Is Seasteading The High Seas A Legal Possibility? Filling The Gaps In International Sovereignty Law And The Law Of The Seas, Ryan H. Fateh

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Seasteading--homesteading of the modern era--is a desire to develop above-water settlements in international waters known as seasteads. Once a fleeting dream, seasteading has entered the realm of possibility with the technological advancements and financial contributions of The Seasteading Institute (TSI). TSI's ultimate goal is ambitious: to establish permanent seasteads as sovereign states recognized by the United States and eventually by other members of the United Nations. Because international law promulgated by the United Nations addresses only state actors and TSI is a nonstate actor, this Note argues that international law does not prohibit the seastead communities from merely existing in …

A Behavioral Economic Approach To Nuclear Disarmament Advocacy, Alexander S. Rinn

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Nuclear disarmament advocates have provided a strong moral voice for the total disarmament of nuclear weapons, but if they are to remain credible participants in the disarmament process, they must redouble their efforts to assist in the difficult technical and political obstacles that stand in the way of a world without nuclear weapons. This Note first outlines impediments to disarmament towards which advocates could helpfully direct their attention, such as: conventional force imbalances; developing "proliferation-safe" civil nuclear technologies; enforcing nonproliferation obligations; and verifying nuclear disarmament. Second, it explains how tools from behavioral economics and negotiation theory could inform a more …

Reverse-Rhetorical Entrapment: Naming And Shaming As A Two-Way Street, Suzanne Katzenstein

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

"Naming and shaming," the process of exposing, publicizing, and condemning human rights abuses, is one of the most important and common strategies used by human rights advocates. In an international political system where power is typically defined in terms of military strength and market size, advocacy groups draw on a mixture of moral and legal means to pressure governments to improve their human rights behavior. In general, the mere act of naming and shaming can promote human rights norms by reinforcing the shared understanding that some types of government conduct are beyond the pale.'

Naming and shaming may also work …

Expanding The Vienna Convention On Consular Relations, Sarah G. Mccroskey

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Article 37 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR) aims to protect the interests of foreign national children by requiring consular notification whenever these children come into the custody of the state. Consular assistance can be invaluable for foreign national parents and children who may not understand the language or the culture and who may be subject to discrimination based on their nationality. However, the VCCR is currently inadequate in two major ways. First, the protections of Article 37 are only triggered when the child in custody is a foreign national, leaving vulnerable to unfair treatment families in which …

Don't Paint Your Chevy Blazer In High Visibility Orange, Roy R. Behrens, Rich Dana

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Personal Account From Sister Mary Mccauley, Mary Mccauley

Postville Project Documents

An account of the Agriprocessors immigration raid by Sister Mary McCauley, who was the pastoral administrator for the parishes in northeastern Iowa at the time, telling of the actions taken by her and the surrounding community on the day of the raid and the weeks following.

In-Corp-O-Real: A Psychological Critique Of Corporate Personhood And Citizens United, Teneille R. Brown

Utah Law Faculty Scholarship

It seems absurd today that a robot’s political speech could ever warrant First Amendment protection. And yet, fifty years ago the same claim regarding corporations would have seemed equally absurd. But here we are, with anthropomorphized corporations enjoying political free speech rights equal to ordinary human beings. While corporations are constitutional people and robots presently are not, it is not obvious that this will, or should, remain this way forever. In the not-too-distant future, robots will more closely resemble human beings in appearance and function. When — not if — this happens, how will courts distinguish corporations from robots for …