Digital Commons Network^™

Who Benefits? Assessing The Author Experience And Impact Of Open Access Agreements, Lindsey Skaggs, Rachel E. Scott

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

In this session, we share findings from surveys and interviews conducted with ISU authors who have published under transformative agreements as corresponding author. The presenters provide insight into authors’ awareness of library OA agreements, authors’ experience navigating various publishers’ OA platforms and processes, how OA agreements impact author venue selection, author order, and selection of corresponding author, and whether authors perceive OA agreements to be an endorsement of a publisher. The presenters also explore how their university’s transformative agreements benefit researchers at other institutions and investigate the impact of these agreements on inter-institutional collaboration. In doing so, the presenters share …

Blurred Lines: Did Booker Change Federal Sentencing Outcomes?, Hugh M. Mundy

Pace Law Review

This article considers whether United States v. Booker, the 2005 Supreme Court decision that replaced the then-mandatory federal sentencing guidelines system with an advisory scheme, had any enduring impact on sentencing outcomes. Commemorating Booker’s recent twentieth anniversary requires a balancing act: at once, recognizing the decision’s watershed impact while avoiding claims of lasting change where little exists. The criminal defense community hailed the ruling as a kind of liberation from the guidelines’ dispassionate rigidity. Today, while most lawyers and defendants would still prefer the current system, a legitimate question exists about Booker’s actual effect on federal sentencing. I propose that …

The Constitutionality Of The Special Trial Counsel Under The Apogee Of Judicial Deference, Josef Danczuk

Pace Law Review

Congress has undertaken some of its broadest reforms of military courts-martial in decades. The creation of the Special Trial Counsels (STCs) intentionally removes nearly all courts-martial powers from military commanders for “covered offenses,” some of the most serious prosecutions. Many commentators have expressed concern that this change untethers the courts-martial system from its historical anchor of discipline within the military—an anchor that the Supreme Court has used to grant exceptional deference to Congress for its legislation pursuant to the Make Rules Clause. However, the constitutionality of the STCs and the deference federal courts grant Congress in this realm should not …

Letter From The Dean, Jason Bohm

Journal of Law and Government

No abstract provided.

School-To-Prison Pipe Dream, Kadeen C. Frazier

SUURJ: Seattle University Undergraduate Research Journal

The school-to-prison pipeline is a disturbing reality that is one of the most grotesque and ironic manifestations of systemic failure. This phrase, school-to-prison pipeline, is used to describe the national trend where children almost exclusively from marginalized communities are funneled out of public school and into the juvenile and criminal justice system. The United States public education system pushes its most vulnerable citizens, children, from an institution where they are sent to safely learn and grow, into one that is like hell on Earth, where they will be stripped of their humanity and work as slave labor in privately owned …

Suurj Volume 10 Entire Volume, Editors Of Suurj

SUURJ: Seattle University Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Dangers Of Unregulated Artificial Intelligence: Should The United States Adopt International Ai Regulations?, Katrina P. Perea

Widener Commonwealth Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Promise And The Punishment: A Critical Analysis Of Pbis At The Intersection Of State Discipline Policies In Louisiana, Ashley D. Willis-Brooks

Doctoral Dissertations

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) emerged as a preventative instructional alternative to exclusionary and punitive school discipline practices emphasizing tiered systems of support, data-based decision making, and proactive behavioral instruction. Despite its strong theoretical foundation and widespread adoption, PBIS implementation has produced uneven outcomes, particularly in policy contexts where state discipline statutes continue to authorize exclusionary practices. In Louisiana, PBIS is promoted through state guidance as an evidence-based framework; however, governing discipline policies simultaneously permit suspension, expulsion, and zero-tolerance provisions. This coexistence raises critical questions regarding alignment, coherence, and equity within the state’s discipline system. The purpose of this …

Law Enforcement Officers' Perception Of Human Trafficking And The Efficacy Of The Training They Receive, Christian Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Knowledge To Freedom: Implications Of Race, Gender, Socioeconomic Status, And Spiritual Health On Adolescent Well-Being Under Westernization, Doralis Maria Allen

Masters Theses

The aim of the current study was to extend the understanding of the well-being of adolescents and to further information on the psychological relationships between wellbeing, spiritual health, intersectionality, and Westernization. A total of 315 students from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette were recruited via SONA to participate in a study entailing of a five-part online survey through Qualtrics, and 301 respondents in total were measured. The survey measured five aspects of each participant’s health through the perspective of their adolescent selves; well-being, spiritual health, subjective socioeconomic status, and their perception of their race/ethnicity and gender. Well-being is a …

A Study On The Perception Of Fear Of Crime Among Ul Lafayette Students, Md Rakibul Hasan

Masters Theses

Research has constantly found that campus crime rates are relatively low compared to those in the surrounding areas. Many students still experience a meaningful level of fear of crime that significantly influences their daily routines and impacts their lives. This study examines the perceived fear of crime among students at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) and how it varies across demographic groups. The study used a quantitative, cross-sectional design with a non-probability convenience sampling technique. Data were collected from 512 currently enrolled UL Lafayette students during the spring 2026 semester using a Qualtrics online survey. The survey …

Staff Education To Improve Adolescent Behavioral Health Referrals Through Crafft Screening And Motivational Interviewing Training, Franca Achaleke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Jsd: Novel Methodology For Synthetic Data Evaluation, Jeffrey Lane, Scott Wang, Vincent Chang, Bojun Zhang

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

The proliferation of sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (PII) on dark web marketplaces has created an urgent need for robust data protection systems, especially for vulnerable populations such as minors. Traditional PII redaction often fails to identify implicit privacy risks—such as author gender indicators or non-fictional child-related context—hidden within large-scale e-commerce datasets. This paper presents JSD, a dual-stage framework for the detection and protection of sensitive text data. The Detection phase utilizes Transformer and CNN-based architectures and Human-in-the-Loop AI to surpass the "semantic ceiling" of traditional NER approaches, enabling context-aware identification of implicit PII. The Protection phase introduces GASE (Genetic Algorithm …

The Federal Trust ​​​Responsibility ​And Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction: Restoring Justice In Tribal Nations​​​ ​, Sofia Sallas

American Indian Law Journal

Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction (SDVCJ), enacted through the Violence Against Women Act, was designed to address jurisdictional gaps that long allowed non-Indian perpetrators of domestic violence in Indian Country to evade accountability. Yet despite restoring Tribal authority, SDVCJ remains significantly under-implemented. This Note argues that this failure is not merely a policy shortcoming, but a legal one. Congress restored Tribal criminal jurisdiction while conditioning its exercise on federal funding, coordination, and institutional support. Federal agencies, however, have failed to provide the consistent infrastructure necessary for SDVCJ to function in practice. These failures breach the federal trust responsibility, which imposes …

Novel Oral Fluid Drug Screening Device Evaluation, Sarah Jenkins

ETDs from 2020-2029

Oral fluid (OF) has been determined comparable to blood while being a more accurate specimen to reflect recent use than urine. OF roadside testing devices utilize the ease of access and toxicological information provided by OF. These devices are designed to be used as a roadside screening device that can detect the presence of drugs. In 2018, Alabama was the first state in America to implement a comprehensive state OF drug testing program for screening and laboratory testing. At the current moment, there are five approved devices for use in Alabama. Part of the development of the program involved evaluating …

Applying Signal Detection Theory Using Evofinder To A 10-Consecutively Manufactured Barrel Study That Included Damaged Bullets, Ruheen Firoz Charania

ETDs from 2020-2029

The science of firearm and tool mark identification is based on the premise that no two tools produce the same microscopic detail and the tool that made the marks can be distinguished from all others. Based on the AFTE Theory of Identification, firearms comparisons can be classified as Identification, Elimination, Inconclusive, or Unsuitable for examination, with inconclusive indicating insufficient individual characteristics to support identification or exclusion. Error rates in firearm examinations are typically calculated by counting how often examiners make false-positive and false-negative conclusions relative to known ground truth, but inconclusive decisions complicate these calculations because they neither support nor …

Teaching Peace Where Borders Divide: Interdisciplinary Praxis In A Criminal Justice Program, Lucas Espinoza

Peace and Conflict Studies

This article describes a criminal justice senior-level undergraduate course, CRIJ 4350: Peace, Nonviolence, & Justice, at a Hispanic-serving institution known as the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. The course centers five key frameworks: critical pedagogy, intersectionality, decolonial theory, restorative and transformative justice, and trauma-informed care, as this course departs from carceral models of justice education. Grounded in theory, literature, and research from criminal justice, criminology, peace and conflict studies, sociology, political science, ethics/philosophy, social justice, human rights, and critical pedagogy, the course centers student reflection from course evaluations, relationships, and experiences of a faculty member. …

The Reading Quiz And Reflective Writing At The Start Of Class, Geert Dhondt

Open Educational Resources

This assignment uses brief, unannounced reading quizzes and reflective writing exercises at the beginning of class to promote preparation, engagement, and accountability in introductory economics courses. Through low-stakes assessment and opportunities for reflection, students develop critical thinking, metacognitive awareness, and a deeper understanding of course material while providing instructors with immediate insight into student comprehension and misconceptions. By informing class discussions and encouraging collaborative learning, the assignment creates a student-centered environment that supports active participation, independent learning, and ongoing intellectual growth.

How To Pay Attention To Detail, Gregory Crosby

Open Educational Resources

This assignment examines how writing cultivates attention by asking students to describe their commute to campus, first from memory and later through deliberate observation. By comparing the two accounts, students reflect on the selective nature of perception and how conscious attention alters what they notice and record. A final rewriting exercise inspired by Raymond Queneau’s Exercises in Style demonstrates how language, perspective, and form shape the interpretation of experience, reinforcing the connection between observation and craft.

Enhancing Postsecondary Outcomes For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders: A Design-Based Mixed Methods Approach To Transition Planning, Kate M. Schrum

Dissertations

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) experienced significantly lower postsecondary outcomes when compared to same-aged peers. These outcomes included lower graduation rates, higher unemployment rates, and difficulty establishing independent living arrangements (Wagner & Newman, 2015). Following a human-centered, design-based approach, the scholar-practitioner found a lack of consistent and meaningful transition support specifically designed for students with EBD. Working with a stakeholder team of educational professionals directly involved in supporting transition for students with EBD at an alternative special education program, the scholar-practitioner developed a "Transition Toolkit". The toolkit contained scaffolded grade-level checklists (for grades 6–12) with self-advocacy and goal-setting …

Disability And Constitutional Legitimacy, Katherine A. Macfarlane

Washington Law Review

Disability classifications can take one of two forms. The more familiar form targets people with disabilities on account of their disability and harms them. This type of government classification receives deferential rational basis review and is therefore difficult to challenge. But government action that benefits people with disabilities also classifies on the basis of disability and receives rational basis review. This Article focuses on classifications that provide preferential treatment to disabled people precisely because of their disability—through disability affirmative action programs—and argues that their legitimacy is bolstered, not weakened, by the rational basis standard. It does so by distinguishing the …

Cross-Enforcing The Plain Smell Doctrine, Alexa Perez

Washington Law Review

In a state that has legalized marijuana, does a state officer have probable cause to conduct a warrantless search of a vehicle based on the smell of marijuana alone, because marijuana is still prohibited under federal law? This Article is the first to consider that unsettled question. Over the last ten years, almost every state has altered the legality of marijuana in some way, either through decriminalization or legalization. Yet the possession, use, and cultivation of marijuana continue to be illegal at the federal level. Prior to these reforms, state courts generally upheld warrantless searches of vehicles based on nothing …

Mr. Trump Goes To Washington Part Ii: A Review Of Richard Delgado's 2025, Kevin Johnson

Seattle University Law Review

Richard Delgado’s The Rodrigo Chronicles have captivated a generation of law students and legal scholars.  Mapping the terrain of race, racism, and Critical Race Theory (CRT), the skillful, and long-running narrative series stands as a testament to Delgado’s dedication to justice for all.

The Rodrigo Chronicles are simply one of Delgado’s many intellectual contributions and part of an unparalleled scholarly legacy.  As one of the founders of CRT, he produced a landmark body of scholarship –authoring the field's primary text,  making the argument for the regulation of hate speech,  forcefully challenging the Black/white binary of civil rights that long dominated …

June 2026 Library News, University Libraries

Library News

No abstract provided.

Off-Label Neuroimaging, Jane C. Moriarty

Law Faculty Publications

The growth of neuroimaging evidence in the courtroom is consistent with the increased reliance on technical and machine-based specialties at trial. Litigants routinely seek to introduce neuroimaging evidence in both civil and criminal trials to supplement traditional medical, psychiatric, and psychological opinion testimony. A substantial portion of neuroimaging evidence is still in the developmental stage—what I term “off-label neuroimaging.” Unsurprisingly, evaluating the reliability of developing neuroimaging poses challenging questions for gatekeeping courts. Among the complex evidentiary issues neuroimaging presents for courts and litigants, this Article considers one foundational question: How should courts determine whether neuroimaging evidence is sufficiently reliable for …

Addressing Homelessness And Hunger Through A Human Rights Approach Focused On Collective Responses, R. Denisse Córdova Montes, Tamar Ezer

Georgia State University Law Review

The United States is experiencing unprecedented levels of homelessness and food insecurity. In 2024, the number of unhoused persons on a single night reached the highest ever recorded, and in 2023, 13.5% of the population lived in food insecure households, including 7.2 million children. Both homelessness and food insecurity disproportionately impact individuals based on race and gender.

In this context, community-led tools, such as community kitchen events and public feedings, have played an important role in providing those experiencing extreme hardship with access to adequate food and safe community spaces.

However, rather than supporting these efforts or addressing the root …

Every Knee Must Bend: What The Death Penalty Requires From The Rule Of Law, Corinna B. Lain

University of the Pacific Law Review

No abstract provided.

Pedagogy Of Care: Exploring Climate Justice Frameworks In Cuny Undergraduate Courses, Ismerlyn Gonzalez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Climate justice centers the human rights of communities most impacted by the climate crisis rather than solely focusing on the scientific aspects of environmental challenges and disasters. Higher education institutions play a key role in advancing climate justice education, but research shows that frameworks are not consistently defined across institutions. The IRB-approved study that produced the findings in this capstone sought to explore how climate justice frameworks are implemented at the CUNY undergraduate level and learn more about the instructors delivering these courses. From February to April 2026, instructors from different CUNY undergraduate campuses were surveyed, interviewed, and asked to …

Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems And The Principles Of Distinction And Proportionality, Nicholas Cromie

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) challenge the core principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), distinction and proportionality, by delegating life-and-death decisions to algorithms rather than human judgment.  This dissertation examines whether LAWS can conform to these principles and, if so, under what conditions.  Through process tracing, the study traces the historical integration of disruptive weapons technologies, including chemical, biological, nuclear, and armed drones, into IHL-compliant frameworks or their exclusion via prohibition.  Each case reveals distinct pathways: outright bans for indiscriminate or inherently inhumane systems (chemical and biological weapons), normative restraint and limited acceptance despite destructive power (nuclear weapons) and phased …

School Just Wasn't For Me: Investigating The Intersections Of Education, Incarceration, And Improvisation, Kelly L. Brady

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

New York City is the largest city in the United States and home to the nation's largest school system.  NYC public schools are also the country's most segregated, according to a 2021 report from the UCLA Civil Rights Project.  This qualitative, Arts-Based Research study follows the development and performance of an applied theater piece created by formerly incarcerated and court-involved youth exploring their early educational experiences before encountering the juvenile justice system. Using Disability/Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) and Critical Performance Ethnography this project investigates how structural systems of education and incarceration intersect to construct youth as "others," including special education, …