Digital Commons Network^™

Deboer V. Snyder: A Case Study In Litigation And Social Reform, Wyatt Fore

Michigan Journal of Gender & Law

On April 28, 2015, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments for four cases from the Sixth Circuit addressing the constitutionality of state bans on same-sex marriage. This Note examines DeBoer v. Snyder, the Michigan marriage case, with the goal of providing litigators and scholars the proper context for our current historical moment in which (1) the legal status of LGBT people; and (2) the conventional wisdom about the role of impact litigation in social reform movements are rapidly evolving.

A Structural Equation Model Of The Influence Of Personal, Behavioral, And Environmental Factors On The Writing Performance Of First-Year Students At A Selected Michigan Community College, Thula I. Norton Lambert

Dissertations

Problem.

While previous writing performance studies have examined a range of motivational variables such as self-efficacy or writing apprehension, certain contextual variables and variables related to current writing pedagogy and practice have not been included, which has resulted in gaps in the research literature.

Method.

A non-experimental, correlational, cross-sectional, ex post facto, survey research design was used to examine the personal, behavioral, and environmental factors that had been identified as being of potential influence to students’ writing performance. A census was conducted among the 233 students enrolled in English Composition on the two campuses of a small two-year college in …

Gvsu Press Releases, 2015, Grand Valley State University

University Press Releases, 1961-Present

A compilation of press releases for the year 2015 submitted by University Communications (formerly News & Information Services) to news agencies concerning the people, places, and events related to Grand Valley State University.

Implementing Sustainable Literacy In Grand Rapids, Mi, Joe Neikirk, Hannah Swanson, Sam Blumer

LIB 322: Wicked Problems of Sustainability

Recognizing the dimensions and complexity of wicked problems, Phoenix Farms has decided to address the issue of sustainable illiteracy in Western Michigan. With a goal to work with local stakeholders, we have partnered with Sonder Farms in order to develop advertisements and classes aimed to raise awareness about, and interest in, sustainability. This partnership with Sonder Farms, a self-sustaining farm located in the Grand Rapids and Allendale communities, has given us the opportunity to put our skills, knowledge, and values to use in our local community. Sonder Farms practices conventional farming as well as aquaponics. Their hope is to target …

Hockey's Cutting-Edge Canvas – The Art Of The Goalie Mask, Jacob Becker

Capstones

My project is about the industry of hockey goalie mask artwork told through the perspective of primarily one artist, Ray Bishop, whom I visited at his Michigan workshop in October. "Hockey's Cutting-Edge Canvas" reports Ray's story, which includes details of his business, his background and struggles. The story also offers differing views from former goaltenders and current artists on the trend of goalie artwork across the NHL and lower-level leagues.

Somewhere Amongst The Ashes, Keith Rebec

All NMU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

SOMEWHERE AMONGST THE ASHES

By

Keith Rebec

This story collection explores how human beings deal with loss. Whether the loss stems from death, the loss of personal innocence, or the loss of love, the characters within are forced to make decisions that he or she wouldn't make if given the choice. Some of the characters, in an effort to prevent the same or a similar type of loss from reoccurring in their lives, desperately seek ways to avoid the issues altogether, which further complicates their troubles. Others, unbeknownst to their impending loss, must make split second decisions that will …

Blueprint For The Great Lakes Trail, Melissa K. Scanlan

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

The Great Lakes are vast yet vulnerable. There is a need to focus the public’s attention on the significance of the lakes for the region as a cohesive, binational whole. To address this need, build on existing water law, and engage the public, this Article provides a blueprint to establish a Great Lakes Trail on the shores of the Great Lakes. The Trail will link together 10,000 miles of coastline and provide the longest marked walking trail in the world. It will demarcate an already existing, yet largely unrecognized, public trust easement and engage the public with their common heritage …

Seasonal Roads, Lynn K. Fay

All NMU Master's Theses

Lynn Kimball Fay has been publishing for twenty-five years under the pen-name L. E. Kimball.
As a writer, I’m interested in the way Truth seems to me—intuitively—nonlinea. I’m interested in story cycles that examine Truth from different points of view, usually nonlinearly; and I’m interested in the way setting reveals Truth and how it reveals character. I’m interested in Faith—a kind that is not irreconcilable with science, the kind it takes to put that foot in front of the other.
The kind we have in one another.
I have always, therefore, been fascinated with layers of Time, the nonlinear and …

Resting Site Characteristics Of American Marten In The Northern Lower Peninsula Of Michigan, Robert L. Sanders

Masters Theses

American marten are usually associated with forests that are characteristically late successional, closed canopy, and diverse in structure; attributes that meet habitat requirements and provide resting site structures. Resting site structures are required habitat components that are used daily and provide protection from predation and inclement weather. I identified resting site characteristics of American marten in the Manistee National Forest in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula from May 2011 to December 2013. Twenty five marten (15 male and 10 female) were monitored using radio telemetry to identify what types of resting sites structures were used. I identified 522 unique resting site structures; …

No Fracking Way! A Study On The Spatial Patterns Of And Changes In Perception And Distance From A Michigan Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing Site, Shannon Mcewen

Masters Theses

The research investigates whether Michigan residents' perception of risk from an oil and natural gas (ONG) well site that employs the use of horizontal hydraulic fracturing (fracking) changes with distance. The research goal is to determine if residents that live farther from a fracking site perceive it to be more dangerous than those who live closer. Secondary research goals include determining if increasing distance from a fracking site cause residents to overestimate their proximity to a fracking site and if gender and education levels have an effect on residents' perception levels. Data were collected from residents in three counties in …

The Sewer Tile Clay Pottery Of Grand Ledge, Michigan, Marsha Macdowell, Kurt Dewhurst

Northeast Historical Archaeology

No abstract is available at this time.

From Commonwealth To Constitutional Limitations: Thomas Cooley's Michigan, 1805-1886, Robert Allan Olender

SJD Dissertations

In response to what he perceived as the challenges associated with republican governance in the later portions of the nineteenth century, Michigan’s Thomas McIntyre Cooley penned his treatise concerning constitutional limitations on legislative power. In it, Cooley offered a vision of government where courts would check government power and would raise constitutional barriers against the impact of improper influences on legislators. As a student of history, Cooley grounded his beliefs and doctrines in experience, not philosophical reflections. Believing that “the fruits of speculative genius in government are of little value,” Cooley submitted that governing structures and law “must be the …

American Black Bear–Apiary Conflicts In Michigan, Beverly K. Mckinley, Jerrold L. Belant, Dwayne R. Etter

Human–Wildlife Interactions

American black bear (Ursus americanus) damage to apiaries can result in substantial economic loss. We used records of black–bear apiary conflicts collected by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to characterize damage in the Upper and Northern Lower peninsulas of Michigan from April 2003 to May 2011. Most conflicts occurred between May and July, and the number of conflicts decreased across years. The number of reported conflicts was directly correlated with bear population size. However, we found no positive association between numbers of reported conflicts with bear condition as indexed by winter severity and hive abundance. Intolerance toward …

Maps On The Backs Of Our Eyes, Joan Paulette Robinson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A collection of poems related to places in the Mojave Desert and the Las Vegas area or in rural central Michigan. Most poems deal with history and memory and the overlapping nature of experience.

Climate Change And Metapopulation Implications For Species Re/Introductions: A Spatial Analysis Of Suitable Habitat For The American Marten (Martes Americana) In Northern Michigan, Joshua Michael Green

Masters Theses

The American marten (Martes americana), which was extirpated from Michigan by 1939 due to logging and trapping, has cultural significance as a clan animal to Great Lakes Native American Tribes and ecological significance as a forest health indicator. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SBD) is considering reintroduction, but several factors must first be considered in assessing the habitat suitability. The goals of this study were to 1) enhance an existing habitat suitability model by including additional relevant variables, 2) conduct a spatial analysis of the habitat within the study area using a metapopulation perspective and 3) incorporate climate …

Factors Affecting Elicitation Of Vocal Response From Coyotes And Population-Level Response To A Pulsed Resource Event, Tyler Robert Petroelje

Theses and Dissertations

Long-distance vocalizations by canids play an important role in communication among individuals. I evaluated efficacy of broadcasted coyote (Canis latrans) group-yip calls and gray wolf (C. lupus) lone howls to elicit vocal responses from 18 GPS-collared coyotes on 144 occasions. I concluded that eliciting coyote vocalizations where wolves are present will not bias responses, and recommend eliciting coyote vocalizations using recorded coyote group-yip howls during July–September to estimate species’ presence or density. From foraging theory, generalist predators should increase consumption of prey if prey availability increases. I estimated densities for coyotes, adult deer, and fawns, and collected coyote scat to …

Characteristics Of White-Tailed Deer Visits To Cattle Farms: Implications For Disease Transmission At The Wildlife-Livestock Interface, Are R. Berentsen, Ryan S. Miller, Regina Misiewicz, Jennifer L. Malmberg, Mike R. Dunbar

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is endemic in free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in MI, USA. Currently, the rates of farm visitation by deer and co-use of forage resources by cattle and deer are poorly understood. To evaluate the extent deer and livestock may share forage resources, we investigated farm, yard, and cattle-use area visitation by white-tailed deer and compared visitation with common livestock management practices. We fitted 25 female white-tailed deer near the bTB-infected zone in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula with global positioning system collars. Livestock management practices associated with farm visitation included presence of confined feeding pastures, number of …

Michigan's Auto Workers: Tracking Their Transition During Significant Industry Restructuring, Randall W. Eberts

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Development Of Method For Detection Of Lead In Samples Collected From Keweenaw Peninsula Mines, Michigan In Collaboration With Environmental Biology Research Students, Sindhu Reddy Aaireddy

All Capstone Projects

Mining is one of the most important industries and a main cause of global pollution due to release of heavy metals into air, water, and soil. Some of these elements are persistent in the environment for years and bioaccumulation in living organisms causing toxic effects. Such elements are known as PBTs (persistent, bioaccumulate and toxic). The nature of toxicity depends on the properties, size of population exposed to it and period of exposure. For this reason, we are interested in developing a method to detect heavy metals in soil samples, mine tailings, plant and animal samples collected from surroundings of …

Landscape Characteristics Of Upland Sandpiper Habitat In Michigan, Jacob Lawrence Korte

Wayne State University Theses

Grassland bird populations have declined across North America due to habitat loss but at a disproportionately higher rate in the midwestern United States, where extensive coverage of grasslands and other open land ecosystems have been converted to other land cover types. The upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda Bechstein, UPSA) is a migratory, area-sensitive, terrestrial shorebird that breeds in grasslands and other open land ecosystem types across their North American range. Although breeding habitats of the Great Plains contain the greatest concentrations of this species, anthropogenic openings such as hayfields and pastures serve as surrogate habitat elsewhere, as do remnant patches …

The Natural History Of The Ants Of Michigan's E.S. George Reserve: A 26 Year Study, Mary Talbot

Faculty Scholarship

The results of a 26-summer study of the ants on an 1146 acre (464 ha) natural history preserve in southeastern Michigan are presented. Habitat distribution and nest construction for each of the 87 species are recorded. The sites of collections of each species on the Reserve are shown on maps. In addition, records of colony populations, brood development and nuptial flights of many of the species are presented.

Method For Arsenic Detection In Mine Samples From The Upper Peninsula Of Michigan, Vinay Babu Yalamanchili

All Capstone Projects

Arsenic is the 20th abundant element in the earth crust. High concentrations of Arsenic is seen in mine operating countries which can affect public health and biological environment. This may reach to drinking water through ground or surface run-off water. Long term exposure to arsenic causes cancer of bladder, skin, and lungs. So detecting the amount of arsenic in soil and drinking has been an analytical challenge. Arsenic is found in variety of chemical forms in organic and inorganic compounds which results in chemical and physical interferences in the analysis. Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (GFAAS) was used to measure …

Winter Habitat Selection And Genetic Relatedness Of Southern Flying Squirrels In Southwest Michigan, Sheila M. Miara

Masters Theses

Few studies have examined winter habitat selection for southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) in northern latitudes where winter conditions are harsher than southern latitudes and resource availability is particularly limiting. Winter den tree characteristics and use by 19 southern flying squirrels (10 females and 9 males) were investigated from November through February in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. The mean home range size using 100% minimum convex polygon for 18 individuals was 3.40 ha (±0.46 0.46 SE) and there was no significant difference between genders (P= 0.56) or ages (P=0.50). The mean 95% fixed kernel home range size was 0.15 …

Archaeological Investigations Of Control And Autonomy At The Colony Farm Of The Michigan State Asylum, 1880-1950, Alison Thornton

Masters Theses

This project is designed to look into mechanisms of control and patient autonomy in institutional confinement, using Colony Farm in Kalamazoo, Michigan as a case study. I have chosen to specifically examine landscape, architecture, foodways, and personal goods/dress as avenues in which to parse out information regarding control and autonomy. The main themes throughout this paper are work as a cure, patient labor, and the blurring of roles between patients, staff members, and paid hired workers. These themes are intertwined with landscape, architecture, foodways, and personal goods/dress and highlight the contradictions inherent in institutional confinement, especially in the context of …

High Risk: Michigan's Coastline In Danger, Adira Jenna Weixlmann

Undergraduate Theses—Unrestricted

Practically every summer since I was 10-years-old, my family has been going to Lake Michigan. But how much longer will that last? 31 out of 41 coastal counties of Michigan are considered High Risk Erosion Areas. Though the beaches are currently disappearing rapidly, with proper care, the situation can improve.

Bird Consumption Of Sweet And Tart Cherries, Catherine A. Lindell, Rachael A. Eaton, Erin M. Lizotte, Nikki L. Rothwell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Identifying species responsible for crop damage is an important first step in developing management strategies. Previous studies have surveyed bird species flying through cherry orchards but have not documented which species were consuming cherries. We conducted traditional surveys and behavioral observations in orchards of sweet cherries (Prunus avium) and tart cherries (Prunus cerasus) in Michigan during 2010 to compare results from the 2 techniques. American robins (Turdus migratorius) were detected most frequently during sweet cherry surveys, while behavioral observations showed that cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) consumed more sweet cherries than did robins. …

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors: Implementation Of Electric Fencing For Establishing Effective Livestock-Protection Dogs, Thomas M. Gehring, K. C. Vercauteren, Anna C. Cellar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

To be effective, livestock protection dogs (LPDs) must be carefully integrated with the livestock they will be protecting. Others have developed guidelines to assist producers in this training and assimilation process. In many areas fencing is necessary; however, guidelines for containing LPDs and their livestock behind electric fencing are lacking. We present results from larger projects involving LPDs where we encountered issues with fencing and preventing LPDs from roaming from their owner’s property. We found that ranging and escaping from pastures was exhibited by LPDs that were not properly introduced and trained to electric fencing at an early age. LPDs …

Wilson, Ivan, 1889-1981 (Mss 356), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 356.  Correspondence, photographs, sketches and drawings, writings, journals and clippings of or relating to Ivan Wilson, an artist and faculty member in the Art Department at Western Kentucky University  from 1920 to 1958.  Includes some materials related to other artists.

Gvsu Press Releases, 2011, Grand Valley State University

University Press Releases, 1961-Present

A compilation of press releases for the year 2011 submitted by University Communications (formerly News & Information Services) to news agencies concerning the people, places, and events related to Grand Valley State University.

Predator Cues Reduce American Beaver Use Of Foraging Trails, William J. Severud, Jerrold L. Belant, John G. Bruggink, Steve K. Windels

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Herbivores must balance energy needs with avoiding risks, using various cues to assess predation risk. The American beaver (Castor canadensis) is a semi-aquatic herbivore vulnerable to predation on land by wolves (Canis lupis). We tested the use of wolf urine as a potential tool to reduce human–beaver conflicts. We used infrared cameras to monitor use of terrestrial foraging trails by beavers during food cache construction in Seney National Wildlife Refuge, Michigan, from September to November 2008. Two foraging trails at 15 colonies (30 total trails) were monitored for 1 week to establish baseline use. One trail …