Digital Commons Network^™

Prevalence Of Sexuality Implicit Bias In Entry-Level Dental Hygiene Students, Monica Drew, Emily Ludwig, Jessica Suedbeck, Adaira Howell

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose Bias and discrimination may create barriers and affect the delivery of culturally competent care to sexual minorities. An awareness of biases early in education may promote more equitable oral health care delivery to diverse populations. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of sexuality-implicit attitudes in entry-level dental hygiene students at one university.

Methods This cross-sectional survey study included a convenience sample of dental hygiene students from one university (n=74). The Implicit Associations Test (IAT), a validated tool for measuring implicit bias, was modified for use in dentistry with permission from Project Implicit(®) The IAT requires …

Conceptualizing And Problematizing Inclusion Porn In Education Scholarship And Practice, Justin A. Haegele, Anthony J. Maher

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Discourses of inclusion are currently used without clear and consistent meaning and multiple and varied interpretations exist, therefore stunting our ability to enhance or utilize the concept in social justice and education scholarship and practice. In this article, we argue that the ambiguous, conflicting, and contested features of inclusion have opened a door for nondisabled policy makers, academics, practitioners, and other stakeholders to exploit the concept of inclusion by crafting the logics and taken-for-granted assumptions that become associated with it. Accordingly, these nondisabled stakeholders gain social, cultural, and symbolic capital in the fields that they operate, while (some) disabled students …

Artificial Intelligence & Criminal Justice: Cases And Commentary, Benjamin Perrin

All Faculty Publications

When I was given the chance to develop a seminar this year at UBC’s Peter A. Allard School of Law, I jumped at the opportunity to develop something new and engaging. After brainstorming ideas with students, it quickly became evident that there was substantial interest and enthusiasm for a seminar on the growing integration of artificial intelligence and the criminal justice system.

Embarking on this journey has been a steep learning curve for me as my students and I worked together to shape the course along with input from generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, along with open-source …

Stream Response To A Dam Removal: Mill Creek, Davenport, Ca, Jessica J. Williamson

Master's Theses

Dams have many effects on stream morphology and ecology, including a loss of sediment supply downstream, reduced access to the entire stream for aquatic fauna, and a flooded area upstream of the dam. Dams are a hurdle for migrating organisms such as anadromous fish, which is a group of concern. An over 100-year-old dam on Mill Creek, a stream draining a coastal watershed in central California, was removed in the fall of 2021. The site is in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where endangered salmonids such as steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss, have historically lived. To study the change in the stream from …

Sauce For The Gander: The False Symmetry Of Myths And Stereotypes Against The Accused In Sexual Assault Trials, Janine Benedet

All Faculty Publications

As sexual assault laws evolved to be expressed in sex-neutral language, so too have arguments relating to myths and stereotypes in the context of sexual offences. This article evaluates the argument that myths and stereotypes, traditionally a reflection of systemic discrimination against female complainants in rape trials, also operate against male accused. Understood correctly, this trend repackages anti-feminist backlash to early equality reform efforts, ultimately working to revive the belief that women’s accusations of sexual assault are often false. The Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in R v Kruk affirms that this historical context matters when it comes to claims …

The Chironian 2025, New York Medical College

The Chironian

The Chironian is distributed to a readership of 16,000 faculty, alumni and employees of New York Medical College, government and community leaders, affiliated hospitals and selected media. Each issue is carefully crafted to provide a balance of articles on cutting-edge research, personality profiles, student accomplishments and alumni news from all five schools on the NYMC campus. Inquiries can be sent to [email protected].

Whipped Into Shape: Infrastructure As Punishment For The Unruly Citizen, Eliza Mortimer

Anthós

This article interrogates how inflexible designs and policies of airline seating, as well as critical socio-political rhetoric, discipline and marginalize bodies that do not conform to normative standards. Situating airline seating within fat and disability studies models, Mortimer argues that these punitive measures are not neutral, but rather reflective of cultural narratives of productivity, morality, and bodily discipline. Mortimer draws from ethnographic analyses of first-person accounts and policy reviews to demonstrate how shrinking seats, rigid policies, and moralized discourse construct a “space of calculability” that pressures fat individuals to monitor and minimize their bodies to justify their presence in public …

Voices To Faces: The Midnight Cowboy’S Picaresque Journey, Dave Patterson

Anthós

John Schlesinger’s 1969 film, Midnight Cowboy, tells the story of Joe Buck, a Texan who dreams of working as a hustler in New York. Schlesinger’s resulting tale follows the framework of the picaresque, wherein a naive rube ventures to the big city to pursue a better life and exposes societal ills along the way. In this article, Patterson reveals how Joe Buck’s internal tension derives from his materialism, symbolized as disembodied voices, and his devaluing of human connection and empathy, symbolized as faces. The voices from his radio’s advertisements and game shows reinforce his flawed assumptions about life. A midpoint …

Behavioral Response Of House Flies (Diptera: Muscidae) To 3 Bittering Agents, Panchalie B. Gunathunga, Bethia H. King, Christopher J. Geden

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

House flies, Musca domestica L., are pests at livestock facilities. House fly numbers are controlled mainly by manure management and chemical controls, like use of toxic baits. Some toxic baits contain denatonium benzoate as a bittering agent, to avoid poisoning of children. House fly behavioral response to denatonium benzoate was examined, using 2 different diluents, sucrose solution or orange juice. Response of flies to quinine and sucrose octaacetate, 2 other bittering agents, was also examined in sucrose. Sucrose is the sweetener in commercially available toxic house fly baits. The proboscis extension response of both male and female flies was significantly …

Comparison Of Dynamic Mode Decomposition With Other Data-Driven Models For Lung Cancer Incidence Rate Prediction, L. Raymond Guo, Jifu Tan, M. Courtney Hughes

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Introduction: Public health data analysis is critical to understanding disease trends. Existing analysis methods struggle with the complexity of public health data, which includes both location and time factors. Machine learning offers powerful tools but can be computationally expensive and require specialized knowledge. Dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) is an alternative that offers efficient analysis with fewer resources. This study explores applying DMD in public health using lung cancer data and compares it with other machine learning models.

Methods: We analyzed lung cancer incidence data (2000–2021) from 1,013 US counties. Machine learning models (random forest, gradient boosting machine, support vector machine) …

Relevance And Reciprocity: Fostering Meaningful Inquiry In The Social Studies Classroom, Christy Cartner

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

This dissertation investigates the factors contributing to students' perceptions of meaningful inquiry. After using the C3 Framework and designing instruction using the Inquiry Design Model for a decade, I wanted to better understand the students' experience to fine-tune how I implement inquiry in the classroom.

Article 1 was written for Social Education and describes the year of IDM blueprints that I designed to loop the concept of equality through units spanning the social studies disciplines of sociology, history, civics, geography, and economics. Through designing and facilitating these inquiries, I discovered my problem of practice, which was how to better engage …

International School Leaders’ Lived Experiences Of Crises And Perceptions Of Trust, Shary L. Marshall

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

International school leaders worldwide have navigated their schools through a variety of crises. Their unique lived experiences offer insights into the role of trust in leadership, particularly during times of crisis.

This qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of 12 experienced international school leaders. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Using the theoretical lenses of authentic leadership, sensemaking, loose coupling, and crisis leadership, this study illuminates the central role of trust in leading schools through crises.

Three significant themes emerged from the analysis. First, trust is foundational to leadership and is built through intentional, transparent …

Leadership Vision For Technology Use Post Covid-19, David J. Lucian

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

The integration of 1:1 devices in K–12 education has been widely debated for over two decades, yet few studies have addressed the rapid implementation that occurred post–COVID-19. This study examined a K–8 school in an urban Title I district that, prior to the pandemic, lacked the funding and infrastructure for a 1:1 model. Federal relief funding enabled a swift transition to virtual learning, catalyzing long-term shifts toward 21st-century instructional practices. Using a Mixed-Methods Action Research (MMAR) design, this study explored teacher experiences, challenges, and support needs during the transition. Data collection included interviews with middle school teachers and an analysis …

The Use Of Peer-To-Peer Observation And Feedback Cycles To Address Factors Impacting Perceived Professional Self-Efficacy Of School Librarians In A Kentucky School District: A Mixed Methods Action Research Study, Kelli D. Reno

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

Research has shown that the school librarian occupies a unique and singular role in school settings. As such, their belief in their ability to master professional competencies is often self-referential and subject to negative influence from external organizational forces. This Mixed-Methods Action Research study explored the effect targeted institutional support for professional practice, via Peer-to-Peer Observation and Feedback cycles, has on perceptions of professional self-efficacy among the school librarians in one district.

A literature review focused on self-efficacy theory and school library research relating to role perception, organizational positioning, professional competencies, and job satisfaction anchored the diagnosis phase of this …

"Bridging The Gulf" Perception And Experiences Of Arab Gulf International Female Students' Engagement Process In The U.S. Higher Education Institutions., Nouf Kh Almazyan

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This study explores the engagement experiences of international female Arab Gulf students while studying in U.S. higher education institutions. Thus, a phenomenological approach through a qualitative research design was applied to collect data based on semi-structured interviews with eleven female participants from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman. The researcher conducted the interviews to ascertain how these students perceive and experience academic, social, and cultural engagements and the factors influencing their adjustment and integration into American university communities. During the data collection process, concrete measures were taken to establish the credibility and trustworthiness of the research findings. Data were analyzed using …

Middle-Level Central Office Leadership In A Turbulent Edu-Political Climate, Bonnie Fineman

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This study investigates how middle-level central office leaders navigate the challenges of an increasingly turbulent educational-political (edu-political) climate shaped by The Trump Effect—a political phenomenon that emerged during Donald Trump’s 2015 campaign and continued beyond his first presidency. Research has suggested that this effect has contributed to a distressing school environment, creating an educational leadership crisis across the United States. Grounded in the theory of Districts as Institutional Actors (DIA) and systems thinking, this research explores two key questions: 1) How do middle-level central office leaders do their jobs in the current edu-political climate?, and 2) How do middle-level central …

Factors Impacting The Educational Environment Of A Phd Student After Experiencing Intimate Partner Abuse: An Autoethnography, Cadie B. Hall

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

This autoethnography examines the impact of intimate partner violence on the educational outcomes of a PhD student. Through a qualitative study of personal narratives and media and document analysis, this research explores the challenges faced by a survivor of assault during an online graduate program, including physical and mental well-being, academic performance, the impact of social support structures, and responses from the University of Kentucky. By integrating lived experiences with existing literature, the study identifies gaps in university policies and offers recommendations for creating more supportive educational environments for online graduate students who have endured intimate partner violence. This work …

Recipient Experiences Of Donor-Funded College Scholarships: “I Don't Know What You Want To Know About Me. I Don't Know What I Know About You.”, Teresa Waddle Gotthardt

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This qualitative study explores the experience of receiving donor-funded scholarship support facilitated through a higher education institution, especially when the recipient has interacted with the donor of the funding. This recipient-and-donor-interaction is common at American post-secondary institutions in the form of written thank you notes and attendance at donor recognition events. This research addressed the following questions: How do donor-funded scholarship recipients experience this funding? How do donor-funded scholarship recipients experience interaction with the donor of the scholarship? These questions were explored through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 23 recent alumni from five private universities and colleges who received donor-funded scholarships …

Social Control And Inclusive Freedom: An Embedded Single Case Study Of Campus Expression At A Southern Public University, Christopher J. Ciarcia

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This study examines how staff at a Southern public university experienced and interpreted their participation in the institution’s Open Expression Support Team (OEST), a campus initiative designed to maintain an educational environment where students feel free to engage in freedom of speech and expression without fear of intimidation or coercion. Using an embedded single-case study design, the research draws on interviews, documents, and observations to explore the OEST’s role in supporting inclusive freedom (Ben-Porath, 2017), which emphasizes the balance of free expression and inclusion in higher education.

Findings reveal that the OEST functions as a mechanism of social control, employing …

“Always Looking Over Your Shoulder”: College Students' Experiences With Codes Of Conduct At Evangelical Colleges & Universities, Kayla B. Powell

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This qualitative research study investigated the experiences of college students enrolled at evangelical institutions that are affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) and require students to follow an extensive code of conduct. These codes extend beyond academic expectations and mandate behavior in all aspects of daily life. Students who fail to comply are subject to a range of punishments as severe as expulsion. Sixteen traditional-aged undergraduate students from across the U.S. participated in semi-structured interviews that were analyzed using thematic analysis. Students described varied personal convictions regarding the rules; some earnestly strove to obey their campus …

“Hard To Rememeber, Then Hard To Forget:” A Qualitative Exploration Into The Attitudes And Lived Experiences Of Black People With Black Names, Destin L. Mizelle

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Naming practices within the Black American community are vibrant and deeply rooted in cultural traditions and shared values. Much like other ethnic groups, these names tell stories, reflect heritage, and connect individuals to their community, making each choice meaningful and significant. However, due to the systemic effects of anti-Blackness, Black Americans often have a complex relationship with their names. While previous research has primarily utilized quantitative methodologies focusing on the negative associations and consequences of having a Black name, this study aims to amplify the voices of Black people who possess Black names. Using reflexive thematic analysis, this qualitative study …

From Ads To Enrollment: Understanding How Targeted Marketing Affects College Choice, John W. Roberts

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the perceived impact of targeted marketing on college choice. Research on college choice is an established area of scholarship that explores the variables that are at work when a student chooses to attend a college or university. Given that the enrollment landscape for higher education continues to be competitive, colleges and universities are doing what they can to “stand out” among the competition in a crowded marketing and advertising space. And, as technology improves, segmenting and personalizing marketing to reach the right students at the right time is becoming more commonplace …

Competent Readers’ Online Multimodal Reading Strategies Use, Hyoju Ahn

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

As reading spaces evolve, it is imperative to identify and describe the strategies and skills used in constructing meaning. I examined online multimodal reading strategies, those used in constructing meaning from multimodal information sources (e.g., images, audio, written words) on the Internet. Participants read online multimodal texts from a laptop screen and provided verbal reports as they read to learn a scientific topic. Through verbal protocol analysis, I cataloged and described their multimodal reading comprehension strategies. Complementing retrospective interviews, reader-computer interaction videos, and written pre- and post-knowledge reports accounted for how they read strategically. Strategies were coded to provide insights …

Pathways To Financial Wellness: Using Intersectionality Theory To Understand Black Women’S Financial Socialization, Courtney J. Wright

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Black women experience high levels of financial vulnerability and consistently exhibit poor financial outcomes across the literature; however, few studies have investigated Black women’s financial socialization processes and outcomes. As a function of gendered racial marginalization, Black women occupy a unique standpoint that may influence their financial socialization experiences. Therefore, research that investigates Black women’s financial socialization and perceived financial capability, responsibility, and well-being is warranted.

Within this dual-manuscript style dissertation, the first manuscript investigates the sources, content, and methods of Black women’s family financial socialization messages. Using a critical-constructivist research paradigm and Reflexive Thematic Analysis for data analysis, findings …

The Torch: 2024-2025 In Review, College Of Arts & Sciences Honors Program

Torch Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Constitutional Law: First Amendment Disequilibrium, Christina Koningisor

The Judges' Book

No abstract provided.

The Fascist Economic Paradox: Countering And Co-Opting Capitalism And Socialism In Interwar Europe, Vicente Pérez Catalán

History Undergraduate Departmental Honors Theses

One of the ambiguities within the study of fascism and political history in the 20th century is defining, in logical terms, the development of a coherent fascist economic identity. Three fascist governments will be examined in this project, Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Vichy France, with the goal of understanding if there is indeed a distinction on their exertion of economic power as opposed to other ideological systems that could aid outlining fascism not merely as a political or philosophical doctrine, but perhaps also an economic one.

This study examines the political background prior to the formation of the three …

Map Marker Accuracy: Evaluating Spatial Data Quality In A Simplified Mapping Survey, Christopher Sean Ghormley

Masters in GIS Practicum Reports

Collecting spatial information using maps is a recurring need in research and policy (Evers, 2020; Gottwald et al., 2016; Hitchins, 2018; Tang & Liu, 2016). Survey participants frequently abandon map-based surveys at the first mapping task (Poplin, 2015). In his survey of wildfire risk management personnel, Evers (2020) applied a simplified web-mapping interface that uses circles as the sole input geometry for all spatial representations. The current project examines an updated version of this web map. An anonymous survey gathered data from participants who completed six mapping exercises within Portland, Oregon, and provided feedback on the survey experience. A working …

Does Coil Build Social Capital? Trust, Tolerance, And Political Engagement Among Students In The Usa And Uae, Lindsay J. Benstead, Kristina Katsos, Sally S. Mudiamu, Corinne Hughes

Politics and Global Affairs Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite technological innovation and the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a dearth of experimental research on the effects of virtual instruction. Using an original field experiment conducted among 100 UAE and USA students, we investigate how a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project on international development shapes social trust, tolerance, and political engagement. In an experimental design, UAE-based students were randomly assigned to a group with either their classmates or, through online interaction, with USA-based students, while in a quasi-experimental design, USA-based students collaborated online with UAE-based students. UAE-based COIL students developed greater interpersonal trust of others in their society, but …

Will Malaysia Become An Active Middle Power?, Bruce Gilley

Politics and Global Affairs Faculty Publications and Presentations

Malaysia’s economic growth and democratisation since 2003 have vaulted it into the ranks of the middle powers in the international system. However, Malaysia remains hesitant about its middle power status. It has assumed a counterhegemonic or pro-multipolarity role; it has supported some new international rules and institutions; it leads regional governance institutions; and it advocates for small countries on development issues. However, these middle power behaviours are countered by a continuation of traditional Malaysia diplomacy which is inactive in shaping the emergence of superpower China as well as being disruptive and personalistic, most recently because of its embrace of radicalisms. …