Digital Commons Network^™

Challenges To Environmental Impact Reports Under The California Environmental Quality Act: To Partially Decertify Or Not, That Is The Question, Andrew Dallas Kent

San Diego Law Review

This Comment will provide (1) a background of CEQA and the importance of the EIR for decision-making; (2) a framework of the current split in the California Courts of Appeal as to whether an EIR can be partially decertified; (3) a breakdown on the current split; (4) an analysis of the potential impacts the split has on development projects; and (5) solutions that clarify a court’s remedies explicitly allowing partial decertification of an EIR under CEQA.

‘Safe Couch, Safe House’ Program (Scshp): Reducing Exposure To Toxic Flame Retardants For Children In A Low-Income Public Housing At Hunters View, Bayview-Hunters Point, San Francisco., Aliza Khan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Since the 1970s, flame retardants have been used extensively in consumer goods, including furniture, textile, and electronics, to meet California’s flammability standards. (Gibson et al.,2019) Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs), once the most widely used flame retardants being used in consumer products, were phased out from use in manufacturing as evidence emerged about PBDEs persistence and toxicity. (Hoffman et al.,2017) PBDEs were replaced by Organophosphate Flame Retardants (OPFRs), which has proven to be a case of ‘regrettable substitution’ as exposure to OPFRs is ubiquitous and pervasive in humans due to their volatility and propensity to leach from products into the environment. …

Identifying The Geography Of Opportunities For Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Nekya Jenise Young

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Most historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are in metropolitan areas and operate as anchor institutions in predominantly minority-occupied neighborhoods (Wright, 2021). Because HBCUs are in the heart of diverse communities, their level of responsibility is automatically heightened solely because residents look to these cultural institutions to analyze and provide solutions for their neighborhoods’ unprioritized or neglected problems (Lowe & Shipp, 2014). In efforts to apply quantitative methods to assess social opportunity for HBCU neighborhood residents, I selected U.S. Census datasets to analyze as policy-relevant factors in R and use QGIS to investigate the geography of opportunities between 1990–2019 within …

Smart Cities-A Structured Literature Review, Jose Sanchez Gracias, Gregory S. Parnell, Eric Specking, Edward A. Pohl, Randy Buchanan

Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Smart cities are rapidly evolving concept-transforming urban developments in the 21st century. Smart cities use advanced technologies and data analytics to improve the quality of life for their citizens, increase the efficiency of infrastructure and services, and promote sustainable economic growth. Smart cities integrate multiple domains, including transportation, energy, health, education, and governance, to create an interconnected and intelligent urban environment. Our research study methodology was a structured literature review using Web of Science and Google Scholar and ten smart city research questions. The research questions included smart city definitions, advantages, disadvantages, implementation challenges, funding, types of applications, quantitative techniques …

Do-It-Together: Informal Transformative Sustainability Education, Derek Brannon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Climate Crisis is an urgent and inescapable reality students are thrust into. Learners must be prepared adequately for their futures, not only for their sakes but also because collective and transformative change is required. Transformative sustainability education provides one pathway to this transformation and focuses on radically altering students’ perceptions about the world and their agency in effecting change on ecological issues. The field of transformative sustainability education is emergent and thus is still fragmented, leaving gaps in the literature. Little research has been conducted on how informal and nonformal university spaces can be used to create transformative experiences …

Towards A Social Justice Model Of Inclusion For University-Community Engagement, Dalon Taylor

Lyle S. Hallman Social Work Faculty Publications

University-community engagement often professes to center the shifting needs and issues that communities face but these are often pushed to the periphery in knowledge creation. The methods of engagement, research agenda, outcomes, as well as the measures of success are typically grounded in the academe and universities can almost always pinpoint immediate benefits for the co-creation of this knowledge. Universities are usually able to secure funding and gain prestige to undertake these engagements and projects are put forth as testaments of universities commitments to social change. Communities often struggle to do the same and many are often not equipped with …

Promoting Sustainable Environments Through Urban Green Spaces: Insights From Kenya, Arnold Mwanzu, Joseph Mwangi, Winnie Nguyu, Jacob Nato

Libraries

Kenya has experienced rapid population growth and urbanization in recent years leading to major changes in its natural environment. Urban infrastructure has a significant influence on carbon emissions and environmental degradation. Urban green spaces are some of the interventions that demonstrate how the impact of increased urbanization can be managed. An exploration of the current state of urban green spaces in Kenya is essential to identify equitable and sustainable development strategies. Kenya has a few green spaces and community gardens for relaxation and recreational activities. These spaces’ continued renovation and preservation strongly indicate Kenya’s commitment to maintaining urban green spaces …

Evaluating Nebraska’S State Health Assessment (Sha) And State Health Improvement Plan (Ship) Methodology To Inform The Redesign Evaluation Plan, Austin J. Osborn

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The Division of Public Health (DPH) within the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is redesigning its State Health Assessment (SHA) and State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) procedures. This study aimed to support the Nebraska DPH SHA/SHIP redesign evaluation plan by determining the local health department (LHD) health priority determination processes, Tribal and LHDs’ (T/LHD) CHA/CHIP methodology, and if any differences exist between rural & urban and small, medium, and large jurisdictional size health departments in Nebraska. The results show that most health departments utilize the MAPP process to conduct their CHA/CHIP, one tribal entity utilizes a different …

Annual Report Evaluation Highlights, Sophie Weider, Michaela Fascione, Kelsi West, Marcy Doyle

All Materials

No abstract provided.

The Water Mills Of The Historic Río Arriba In Northcentral New Mexico, 1598-1975, José A. Rivera Ph.D, Thomas F. Glick Ph.D

Faculty Publications

The water mills of New Mexico played a major role in the agricultural economy of the Río Arriba for centuries following the introduction of wheat from the Old World to the Americas. Wheat, in its ground form as flour, was a staple during the Spanish colonial period. To process raw wheat, local grist mills (molinos) were essential infrastructure as were the aceq uias (ditches) that powered them. Situated near the banks of rivers, the internal components of each mill were driven by the gravity force of water from an acequia, itself diverted from the river. Researchers have documented …

Comparing The Effectiveness Of Different Boosting Algorithms For Ground Water Quality In Telangana Region, Divy Jot

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This culminating experience research project explores the parameters needed to predict the water quality levels for use in different climatic conditions pre and post monsoon from 2018 to 2020 in Telangana State, India. A study was conducted on the water quality analysis by using linear regression with water quality Index in Telangana region. However, in this study we are replicating the water quality analysis by using stack model and machine learning algorithms such as Light Gradient Boosting Machine, Random Forest and Artificial Neural Network. The research Questions are: (Q1) What are the sources of the significant parameters that impact groundwater …

A Mixed-Method Study On The Walkability Of Streets In Hospital-Anchored Neighborhoods, Xiaowei Li

All Dissertations

The field of healthcare design is adopting planning and design principles from the Healthy Communities movement to connect hospitals to their adjacent communities. This research explores the impact of neighborhood and street design on the walkability of Hospital-Anchored Neighborhoods (HANs), a concept integrating hospitals and satellite services with their surrounding communities to enhance public health. Walkability, a crucial marker of healthy and vibrant communities, was investigated through a mixed-method study across three HANs. A comprehensive Walkability Framework with 17 built environment dimensions was developed from the literature to inform data collection utilizing GIS archival data, ethnographic observations, street audits, and …

Creators For The Earth: The Academic Library’S Role In Supporting Sustainability Creators And Practitioners Across All Disciplines, Jennifer K. Embree, Neyda V. Gilman

Library Scholarship

The image of a creator often brings to mind individuals that can take an abstract or unique idea and transform it into an impressive, tangible creation. Whether it’s an architect crafting a new building design, an artist painting on canvas, or an interior designer mapping out a new room layout, creators are generally seen as those who can formulate conceptual ideas that are then realized to showcase amazing ingenuity. In the world of higher education, this type of work is often first associated with disciplines like art, design, architecture, and engineering—fields where acts of “making,” “creating,” or “building” are integral …

Strengthening Social Capital Through Digital Platform: Neighborhood Community In Dki Jakarta, Syora Alya Eka Putri, Fidan Safira, Rizka Nadhira, Hamdi Hamdi, Ferena Debineva, Nafiza Samditya Putra, Reisa Siva Nandika, Dinda Mutiara Qurani Putri, Ukhti Paundria Nagari, Tivani Shakilla Ervi

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

This study investigates how digital platforms can be leveraged to strengthen social capital and thus support sustainable urban development in Jakarta. Despite positive strides, there are several obstacles that hinders the optimal utilization of digital platforms in terms of information dissemination and enhancing stakeholder trust: (1) constraints posed by the communication medium; (2) digital literacy of stakeholders, and (3) ineffective participation of community members. Employing a qualitative method, this case study reveals that stakeholders across all levels play a pivotal role in encouraging participation among community members. Moreover, the findings indicate that utilizing integrated digital platforms for information management within …

Relations Between Community Engagement Levels And Citizenship Competence Among Tertiary-Level Students At A Public Institution Of Higher Education, Ernesto L. Bastida Jr.

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

This mixed-methods sequential explanatory study seeks to explain the relationship between community engagement and citizenship competence among tertiary-level students at Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Dasmariñas, a public institution of higher learning in Dasmariñas in Cavite, Philippines. Specifically, it seeks to (1) determine students’ level of engagement in various community development activities and their levels of citizenship competence; as well as (2) discuss and analyze the relationship between these two variables. Quantitative surveys were conducted on 331 students, followed by semi- structured interviews and focus group discussions with 30 purposely selected participants to gather follow-up data during the qualitative phases.

The …

What Unique Supportive Strategies Do Nonprofit Leaders Utilize To Promote Sustainability?, Mary Althea Edwards Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Abstract Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) have been deemed important to communities. They are designed to fill gaps in community societal requirements by supplying resources, goods, and services that other companies in public sectors and neighborhoods do not offer. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the country reportedly has 1.5 million nonprofit organizations (NPOs). There are many NPOs in the United States, but statistical projections indicate that over half will fail, with 30% failing within a few years of their creation. Researchers have shown that NPOs collapse yearly due to various factors, including a lack of money and resources. These organizations …

Developing Public Service Leadership: Understanding The Field Immersion/Comparative Cases Model For Mid-Career Professional Education In Environment And Natural Resources Leadership, Erin M. Steinkruger

Dissertations and Theses

Public administrators in the United States face increasingly complex challenges and are called to leadership by position and in practice. In a hyper-pluralistic society, individuals must lead from where they sit, arbitrating value differences in day-to-day functions and taking on adversity and uncertainty in pursuit of the public good. These individuals are served by a variety of leadership training programs both internal and external to their organizations. This study characterizes the field immersion/comparative cases (FICC) model for public service leadership development and uses a grounded theory approach to build understanding about how individuals learn about leadership; what learning outcomes emerge …

A Message From The Editors, Rhiannon M. Cates, Vicki L. Reitenauer

Amplify: A Journal of Writing-as-Activism

An introduction from the founding co-editors to the second issue of Amplify: A Journal of Writing-as-Activism: Volume 2, Issue 1: So to Speak.

Sustainable Development: An Analytical Vision For Smart Dubai City Social Policies, G. Sajwani, H. Al-Othman

Information Sciences Letters

This study explores the sociological perspective required for achieving holistic and sustainable development in social contexts. It focuses on Dubai as a smart city exemplar, investigating the integration of comprehensive development that encompasses social, economic, cultural, and technological aspects, as well as sustainable development that includes environmental sustainability. The research provides valuable insights into Smart Dubais social dimensions and highlights its commendable efforts towards sustainable social development. The discussion explores the various social policies implemented in Dubai, which serve to regulate the conduct, initiatives, and practices of both the government and non-governmental entities, as well as individuals, in order to …

National Expert Roundtable Discussion: Understanding And Improving Law Enforcement Investigations Of Human Trafficking: Focus On Sex Trafficking, Alison Boak, Daniela Peterka-Benton, Donna Meeker-O'Rourke, Francesca Laguardia, Christabelle Robinson

Articles, Presentations, and Reports

The National Expert Roundtable on Sex Trafficking convened by GCHT alongside AEquitas, Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Foundation, Fermata Discovery, and Woolf Group Strategic Solutions, brought together law enforcement agents, survivor leaders, service providers, and attorneys to explore how investigations and prosecutions of sex trafficking can be improved. Participants emphasized the urgent need for standardized national training, trauma-informed approaches, and meaningful survivor inclusion in awareness campaigns, operational planning, and legal proceedings. They also called for more consistent community outreach and bias-awareness training to ensure equitable treatment across diverse populations. This 43-page report compiles evidence-based recommendations to elevate law enforcement response …

Yale University Faculty Handbook July 1 2023, Yale University

Faculty Handbooks

No abstract provided.

Bjmlspa - Newsletter, Barbara Jordan Mickey Leland School Of Public Affairs

Newsletters

We had an unexpected series of events throughout 2023, but we made the best of it, nonetheless. Thank you for all your hard work. Cheers to an even better 2024!

Spring / Summer 2023

Institute Of Public Health Newsletter- Volume 5, Issue 2, Institute Of Public Health (Iph)

Institute of Public Health Newsletter (IPHNL) and Other Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The “What’S Up Down South” Economic Summit: A Platform For Business Leaders To Share Ideas, Paul A. Hill, Amanda D. Ali

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The What’s Up Down South economic summit is southern Utah’s largest business gathering. The event provides the business community with economic insights to assist them in making informed decisions. USU Extension evaluated the 27^th annual What's Up Down South economic summit. Results showed the event was an effective platform for disseminating information and advancing knowledge on economic and business topics. Participants felt the summit provided a valuable experience to the business community. These findings support the continuation of the summit's information dissemination activities in the future.

Creating An Engaging And Ecocritical Project Based Curriculum For High School Environmental Science, Hannah Stewart

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question that inspired this curriculum project was: How can educators create an engaging and ecocritical project based curriculum for high school environmental science? This curriculum utilizes a project based learning framework, based on A Framework for High Quality Project Based Learning, in order to create an engaging curriculum for students in a high school environmental science class. Additionally, this curriculum incorporates themes of critical ecology. Critical ecology is a way of studying the environment that asks us to consider how our perceptions and attitudes toward the environment can perpetuate the environmental and social injustices we are facing in …

Transcorporeal Habitus: Adapting Sociological Embodiment To The Self-Conscious Anthropocene, Trevor Bleick

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The knowledge that humans have become a geological force necessitates a reimagining of what it means to be human. This thesis explores the ways in which bodies (both human and nonhuman) are represented within the self-conscious Anthropocene. This tripartite analysis, synthesized in the term ‘transcorporeal habitus,’ presents a framework through which we can better understand the ways bodies are entangled within a greater ecosystem. By drawing on the works of scholars in the fields of sociology, ecocriticism, and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) this thesis provides the groundwork for reimaging humanness in a period of immense change. Pierre Bourdieu and Stacy …

Academic Officers And Services, Saint Mary's College Of California

Undergraduate Academic Catalog

No abstract provided.

Universities As Agents For Innovation, Living Values, Sustainable Community Development And Progressive Society Building, Danjoo Ghista, Ravi S. Sharma

All Works

In this paper, we revisit Higher Education 4.0 and examine the power of universities as agents of new knowledge and innovations, for sustainable community development and progressive society building. With the benefit of retrospective economic analysis, we may posit that universities will continue to be central to socio-economic development. We can envision that in the face of a changing economic landscape, universities have the potential to serve as powerful agents of change toward a more equitable, just, and sustainable world. The power of universities in this modern era lies in their ability to create and disseminate knowledge, foster critical thinking, …

Developing Sustainable Smart Cities To Improve Citizen's Quality Of Life And Well-Being, Mohammed Ali Berawi, Mustika Sari, Perdana Miraj

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

In the wake of urbanization and environmental challenges, cities nowadays face multiple issues related to uncontrolled urban growth, insufficient public infrastructure, and inadequate citizen participation in the management of public affairs. Sustainable urban development cannot be achieved without addressing these challenges, necessitating a paradigm shift in urban space management. Therefore, urban development needs to shift traditional concepts and focus on incorporating smart and environmentally friendly practices that allow cities to adapt and implement intelligent solutions to meet the needs of their citizens while continuing to protect the environment.

To achieve sustainability, cities should prioritize a balance between economic activity, population …

Accessibility Of Blended Learning For Special Needs Students In Higher Education, Reem Yaseen Al-Sulaimani

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated the experiences of visually impaired students and their faculty members with blended learning at University X. Qualitative research methods were employed to gather data through interviews with six visually impaired students and six professors. The study analyzed the data using two frameworks, Universal Design of Learning (UDL) and Community of Inquiry (CoI). The findings indicate that the course design, personalization of accessibility, social inclusion and classroom dynamics, university support and resources, and technology accessibility and digital literacy have an impact on the experiences of visually impaired students and their professors. The study provides recommendations for improving the …