Digital Commons Network^™

Acknowledging The Racist Roots Of Disinvestment And Abandonment: How Local Government Can Set The Stage For Change, Dana M. Malkus

All Faculty Scholarship

Disinvestment and associated property abandonment are defining features of many post-industrial legacy cities. While the reasons are varied and complex, racist law and policy are at the root. Though abandoned properties negatively affect an entire city, their effects usually disproportionately fall on neighborhoods of color. Law and policy have been major drivers of how such neighborhoods look and feel today. Because law and policy have been part of the problem, they are also a necessary part of the solution.

This kind of large-scale, multi-disciplinary problem is beyond the ability of a single institution or sector to address. Stakeholders such as …

A Personalized Values Intervention To Increase Health Behaviors In College Students, Jessica M Criddle

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

College students in the United States face unique health risks such as problematic alcohol use, poor nutrition, low sleep quality, and low rates of exercise. Research increasingly shows interventions utilizing individualized approaches lead to longer term pro-health behavior change. Values-centered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a useful framework to for development of personalized, effective interventions. One reason for this may be that impersonalized interventions and researcher-generated target behaviors common in other literatures may not hold the same evocative effect and connection to health behaviors for each or every participant. In ACT, valuing increases the probability of values-consistent behavior, such …

Virtual Learning And Its Impact On Belonging And Mental Health, Chelsey Highley

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined virtual learning and the link between sense of belonging and mental health. Specifically, this qualitative study assessed the perceptions and opinions of 15 high school students from a rural high school setting who participated in virtual learning for at least one semester during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research questions that guided this study were: (a) How did high school students experience belongingness with teachers and peers when engaged in virtual learning; and (b) How did high school students experience mental health issues during virtual learning? The data was collected via individual interviews and analyzed. The category emerging …

Factors Influencing Attitudes Towards Assistance Animals, Anna R. Ledonne

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Service animals and emotional support animals are gaining a greater presence in many public spaces. The purpose of the following study is to explore attitudes towards service animals and emotional support animals in a more rigorous fashion than previous research and to explore possible predictors of people’s attitudes towards service animals and emotional support animals. Specifically, this study examined the following predictors: public and self-stigma against mental health, ableism, and attitudes towards pets or pet ownership. Data was collected utilizing an online survey distributed to an online general population sample (n = 105). A measure of attitudes towards service …

Analyzing Collaborative Practices Of Education And Mental Health Professionals In An Education Program Serving Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders: A Case Study Utilizing A Cultural Historical Activity Lens, Elizabeth A. Jara

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative single case study examined systemic collaborative practices related to service implementation for high school students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) in a public school intensive therapeutic intervention program. Specifically, this study explored the interdependent and co-creative relational structures, actions, and activities of education and mental health professionals as supported by program leadership. This study used semi-structured interviews to investigate (1) how special education and mental health leadership support implementation of service, and (2) how ideologies of education and mental health professionals’ impact collaborative practices? Cultural Historical Activity Theory served as the theoretical and methodological lens for this …

Addictive Technology And Its Implications For Antitrust Enforcement, James Niels Rosenquist, Fiona M. Scott Morton, Samuel N. Weinstein

Articles

The advent of mobile devices and digital media platforms in the past decade represents the biggest shock to cognition in human history. Robust medical evidence is emerging that digital media platforms are addictive and, when used in excess, harmful to users’ mental health. Other types of addictive products, like tobacco and prescription drugs, are heavily regulated to protect consumers. Currently, there is no regulatory structure protecting digital media users from these harms. Antitrust enforcement and regulation that lowers entry barriers could help consumers of social media by increasing competition. Economic theory tells us that more choice in digital media will …

Awareness And Patronage Of Library Reference Services Among Undergraduate Students In Adeyemi College Of Education, Ondo State, Nigeria, Oresiri Jamogha, Ejiro Jamogha

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Reference services are personal assistance given to library users in their search for information and these services are most likely patronized by those who are aware of them, hence, this study investigated the awareness and patronage of library reference services among undergraduate students in Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo State, Nigeria. The study adopted survey design and a multistage sampling technique was used to select 370 undergraduate for the study. Questionnaire was used for data collection and was administered to 370 respondents out of which, 317 copies were found useful for the study. The research questions were answered using simple …

Empowerment By Design: Classroom Innovation And Inquiry Through Design Thinking And Action Research, Cory Rayala

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly standardized and assessment-driven educational systems are failing to meet the needs of many students, replacing their love of learning with a fear of failure. Importantly, the fear of failure is a common mindset of not only students but also teachers, administrators, and policymakers. This qualitative, action research study is situated in a design thinking/growth mindset conceptual theory that posits that the design thinking process can serve as a meaningful growth mindset opportunity for teachers and students. The prototyping mindset inherent in design thinking may mitigate the fear of failure by focusing on rapid iteration rather than striving for perfection. …

A Cultural Perspective Of The Adult Attachment Projective Picture System With Latino Youth, Erika J. Leacox

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the usefulness of administering the Adult Attachment Projective Picture system (AAP) through a cultural lens with two Latino youth receiving mental health treatment. The AAP is a measure developed from the Bowlby-Ainsworth developmental attachment theory that is used to assess an attachment state of mind for individuals. These case studies facilitated an understanding of how the attachment perspective may be combined with knowledge of cultural themes represented in the AAP results to inform mental health treatment. Each of the participants of this single-subject study design are youth who have experienced symptoms of trauma. We observe from this …

Social Movement Splintering: An Examination Of Stockton Stands With Minneapolis And News Media Representation, Kevin Ozomaro

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The phenomenon surrounding news media’s power to alter group identity and group cohesion is something that rarely a point of focus in communication studies. In this study I worked with a local social movement group called Stockton Stands with Minneapolis. This group illustrated the importance of maintaining shared values. Utilizing relational Interviewing, SSWM members provided evidence showing the connection between news media and group success. News media has had a role in shaping group members’ understanding of SSWM and activism. SSWM has faced internal conflict as a result of negative news representation. SSWM is a relatively small and young (2 …

The Impact Of Sexual Abuse On Children, Alina M. Baltazar

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Legal Recognition Of Animal Sentience: The Case For Cautious Optimism, Jane Kotzmann

Animal Sentience

Rowan et al.’s target article provides a valuable indication of the work that was required to reach the point where animals are recognised as sentient in various laws. To ensure this work was not in vain, the language of sentience needs to be used as a moral currency to demand further cultural change involving greater human respect for animals.

Animals May Be More Reliably Emotional Than Humans, Gerben A. Van Kleef

Animal Sentience

Despite considerable advances in the study of animal sentience, reluctance to credit non-human animals with emotional capacities persists. I argue that this reluctance is untenable in light of (evolutionary) theory and empirical evidence. Humans may differ from animals in their ability to reflect on, reason about, and deliberately regulate their emotions. If anything, however, this implies animals’ emotional displays provide a more valid and reliable window into their internal states than do humans’, whose displays may be strategically altered. Any signs of pleasure or distress thus constitute direct readouts of animal wellbeing. It is time we start treating animals accordingly.

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2021/2022, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--Definitions
--Some Comparisons
--Annual Report Data
--Summary of Attendance
--Attendance by Session
--Degrees Granted 2021/22
--Degree Summary 2021/22
--Program Certificates 2021/22
--Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--Degrees Granted by College, Degree and Racial/Ethnic Classification

Cyber Whistleblowers: The Black Sheep Of Whistleblowing?, Andrew Wisniewski Jr.

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

From the Introduction:

Contrary to popular belief, this paper argues that cyber whistleblowing can contribute to a greater cyber security posture. However, this requires the development of clearer legal obligations and protections for cyber whistleblowers. This paper will explore the psychology behind whistleblowing, the effectiveness of whistleblowing in a cybersecurity context, how to create a safer and more transparent environment for whistleblowers and companies, and how current laws contribute to cyber whistleblowing.

Decitizenizing Asian Pacific American Women, Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, Margaret Hu

Faculty Scholarship

The Page Act of 1875 excluded Asian women immigrants from entering the United States, presuming they were prostitutes. This presumption was tragically replicated in the 2021 Atlanta Massacre of six Asian and Asian American women, reinforcing the same harmful prejudices. This Article seeks to illuminate how the Atlanta Massacre is symbolic of larger forms of discrimination, including the harms of decitizenship. These harms include limited access to full citizenship rights due to legal barriers, restricted cultural and political power, and a lack of belonging. The Article concludes that these harms result from the structure of past and present immigration laws …

You Can't Live Off Pride: Welfare And Farm Aid In The Reagan Era, Jeremiah David Brockman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Popular conceptions about those receiving welfare benefits have long been less than flattering, while those of farmers have been the opposite. Even though both were receiving federal aid in the 1980s, welfare recipients were usually portrayed as black women and farmers as white men. The former was a group perceived to be lazy, undeserving, and tearing at the fabric of American society; the latter was viewed as noble, hard-working, and a source of moral fiber for the nation. Welfare recipients in the Reagan Era received “money for nothing” but so too did farmers. Yet farmers were still largely portrayed in …

Leading Early Childhood Education In Iowa Schools, Alaina T. Daters

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Over the last 15 years, Iowa’s Statewide Voluntary Preschool Programs (SWVPP) have undergone significant growth. By the end of the 2021-2022 school year, 323 out of 327 (99%) of Iowa public school districts offered preschool (Iowa Department of Education, 2022c). As a result, well over 450 Iowa administrators are potentially responsible for leading their district’s preschool program.

The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to gain an understanding of the experiences, knowledge, and pedagogical needs of licensed Iowa administrators that are responsible for their district’s SWVPP. Data was collected through a survey and analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis …

The Happy Marriage Of Afro-Pessimism And U.S. Universities: Eurocentrism, Anti-Communism, And An Educational Recipe For Defeat, Derek R. Ford, Nino Brown

Education Studies Faculty publications

No abstract provided.

Duty And Diversity, Chris Brummer, Leo E. Strine, Jr.

Vanderbilt Law Review

In the wake of the brutal deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, lawmakers and corporate boards from Wall Street to the West Coast have introduced a slew of reforms aimed at increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) in corporations. Yet the reforms face difficulties ranging from possible constitutional challenges to critical limitations in their scale, scope, and degree of legal obligation and practical effects.

In this Article, we provide an old answer to the new questions facing DEI policy and offer the first close examination of how corporate law duties impel and facilitate corporate attention to diversity. Specifically, we …

Multi-User Eye-Tracking, Bhanuka Mahanama

Computer Science Faculty Publications

The human gaze characteristics provide informative cues on human behavior during various activities. Using traditional eye trackers, assessing gaze characteristics in the wild requires a dedicated device per participant and therefore is not feasible for large-scale experiments. In this study, we propose a commodity hardware-based multi-user eye-tracking system. We leverage the recent advancements in Deep Neural Networks and large-scale datasets for implementing our system. Our preliminary studies provide promising results for multi-user eye-tracking on commodity hardware, providing a cost-effective solution for large-scale studies.

Campus-Wide Student Learning Assessment: Campus Student Learning Outcomes, Academic Year 2021-2022, University Of Minnesota-Morris

Institutional Effectiveness and Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Closing The Achievement Gap Among Foster Care Children, Ralph Cheriza

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

In recent years, the legal landscape has changed to support a framework that guarantees educational stability to foster care students as a subgroup facing myriad adverse developmental outcomes and risk factors that impede academic achievement. In 2013, California has discovered an invisible achievement gap among this distinct subgroup with unrecognized and unmet educational needs. Nationwide, the trend has not been different, prompting a need to get insight into the school setting in Florida to meet the needs of foster care students.

The literature review has suggested that foster care students remain invisible to teachers and have unmet, unstudied, and unrecognizable …

Leadership Strategies Amidst Disruption And Shock: Communication Implications, Stephanie K. Douglas, Robin A. Roberts, Hermen Díaz Iii

Publications

Leaders’ prompt communication about the COVID-19 pandemic was critical to stakeholders’ safety and knowledge about the uncertainty of organizational operations. In this study, the communication of various university leaders was analyzed in response to the new decade’s deadliest exogenous shock, the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. Content analysis of statements from a sample of leaders in public universities contained elements of situational, behavioral, and adaptive leadership. The analysis was conducted to identify leaders’ statements detailing contingencies being implemented for the survivability of their universities. Primarily studied were leader statements responding to the intensity and severity of the pandemic, rapid …

Nav1.1 Is Essential For Proprioceptive Signaling And Motor Behaviors, Cyrrus M. Espino, Cheyanne M. Lewis, Serena Ortiz, Miloni S. Dalal, Snigdha Garlapalli, Kaylee M. Wells, Darik A. O'Neil, Katherine A. Wilkinson, Theanne N. Griffith

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

The voltage-gated sodium channel (NaV), NaV1.1, is well-studied in the central nervous system; conversely, its contribution to peripheral sensory neuron function is more enigmatic. Here, we identify a new role for NaV1.1 in mammalian proprioception. RNAscope analysis and in vitro patch-clamp recordings in genetically identified mouse proprioceptors show ubiquitous channel expression and significant contributions to intrinsic excitability. Notably, genetic deletion of NaV1.1 in sensory neurons caused profound and visible motor coordination deficits in conditional knockout mice of both sexes, similar to conditional Piezo2-knockout animals, suggesting that this channel is a major contributor to sensory proprioceptive transmission. Ex vivo muscle afferent …

Predicting Cervical Cancer Biopsy Results Using Demographic And Epidemiological Parameters: A Custom Stacked Ensemble Machine Learning Approach, Krishnaraj Chadaga, Srikanth Prabhu, Niranjana Sampathila, Rajagopala Chadaga, S. Swathi, Saptarshi Sengupta

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for most cervical cancer cases worldwide. This gynecological carcinoma causes many deaths, even though it can be treated by removing malignant tissues at a preliminary stage. In many developing countries, patients do not undertake medical examinations due to the lack of awareness, hospital resources and high testing costs. Hence, it is vital to design a computer aided diagnostic method which can screen cervical cancer patients. In this research, we predict the probability risk of contracting this deadly disease using a custom stacked ensemble machine learning approach. The technique combines the results of several machine …

Markov Decision Process For Modeling Social Engineering Attacks And Finding Optimal Attack Strategies, Faranak Abri, Jianjun Zheng, Akbar Siami Namin, Keith S. Jones

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

It is important to comprehend the attacker's behavior and capacity in order to build a stronger fortress and thus be able to protect valuable assets more effectively. Prior to launching technical and physical attacks, an attacker may enter the reconnaissance stage and gather sensitive information. To collect such valuable data, one of the most effective approaches is through conducting social engineering attacks, borrowing techniques from deception theory. As a result, it is of utmost importance to understand when an attacker behaves truthfully and when the attacker opts to be deceitful. This paper models attacker's states using the Markov Decision Process …

Discrimination Experiences During Covid-19 Among A National, Multi-Lingual, Community-Based Sample Of Asian Americans And Pacific Islanders: Compass Findings, Van M. Ta Park, Marcelle M. Dougan, Oanh L. Meyer, Bora Nam, Marian Tzuang, Linda G. Park, Quyen Vuong, Joon Bang, Janice Y. Tsoh

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Reports of escalated discrimination among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) due to COVID-19 are alarming, making this a public health priority. However, there are limited empirical studies on the scope and impact of COVID-19-related discrimination among AAPIs. Using the COVID-19 Effects on the Mental and Physical Health of AAPI Survey Study (COMPASS) data (N = 4971; survey period: October 2020–February 2021), which is a U.S.-wide multi-lingual survey, we examined the prevalence of, and factors associated with discrimination experiences attributable to being an AAPI during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, 60.7% reported experiencing discrimination; the group prevalence ranged from 80.0% (Hmong) …

Cuentos Criollos: Colombian Internally Displaced Families As Knowledge Producers, Liliana Salazar De Deck

Doctoral Dissertations

Colombia continues to report the highest number of internally displaced people (IDPs) with over eight million registered in 2021 (UNHCR, 2021). The majority of the internally displaced people are campesinos, AfroColombians, and members of Indigenous communities. Historically, people in these demographic groups have been excluded from political participation and wealth accumulation, and their identities are minoritized (Bello, 2003). Urban schools have become contact zones (Pratt, 1991) for internally displaced families and various economic, social, and political discourses attempt to explore and explain their experiences. However, the voices of the families themselves are not often found within this body of scholarship. …

An Automated Classifier For Child-Directed Speech From Lena Recordings, Janet Y. Bang, George Kachergis, Adriana Weisleder, Virginia A. Marchman

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.