Digital Commons Network^™

Serve At Your Own Risk?: Service-Learning In The Promotion And Tenure Process, Jacquelyn B. Frank, Mark Malaby, Laura Raidonis Bates, Marcie Coulter-Kern, Sheron Fraser-Burgess, J. R. Jamison, Linda Stalker Prokopy, Nathan A. Schaumleffel

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Pre-tenure faculty integrating service-learning into their professional roles are often uncertain about its position in the faculty reward system. This study gathered data from administrators at five institutions of higher education in Indiana to learn if and how service-learning is credited toward tenure and promotion at their institutions. The results point to the need for junior faculty members and administrators to be cautious when implementing and evaluating service-learning initiatives.

Memory-Optimized Model For Simulating Yang-Based Devices Using Netconf And Gnmi Interfaces, Anonymous

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure provides a memory-optimized model for simulating network elements (NEs) that expose YANG-based management interfaces such as Netconf and gNMI. Traditional simulators that run full device software in virtual machines or load YANG schemas consume multiple gigabytes of memory per device and cannot scale to the tens of thousands of devices needed to validate Network Management Solutions (NMS). Snapshot simulators reduce overhead but create disk I/O bottlenecks and lack flexibility.

The disclosed model represents device data using lightweight YangNode objects, which store all values as strings and avoid schema metadata entirely. This design reduces memory usage by ~99%, eliminates …

An Ai Framework For Automated Generation Of Multiple Content Formats From Multi-Camera Productions, Sunil Kumar Jang Bahadur, Girish Nair, Varun Mishra, Gopala Dhar

Defensive Publications Series

Manual post-production of multi-camera footage can be a labor-intensive process, and some existing automated solutions may have limitations in comprehending narrative context or adapting content to the cinematic principles of diverse output formats. The disclosed technology relates to a framework that can facilitate multi-format content generation by first synchronizing raw footage and extracting rich metadata, which can include information such as speaker identification, emotion, and scene segmentation. A narrative-specific agent can then utilize a knowledge base of cinematic rules to score and rank video segments according to a desired output format, for example, a movie, a social media reel, or …

A System For Providing Language Models With Contextual Guidance Discovered From Software Library Packages, Michael Bleigh

Defensive Publications Series

Large language model (LLM) based coding agents may exhibit inconsistency when using software libraries, for example, by referencing outdated APIs from training data or generating calls to non-existent APIs. Some existing mechanisms for providing supplemental context may involve manual discovery and configuration by the user. A described system and associated standard allows library authors to package guidance, which may be specific to language models, directly within their distributable software package, for instance, in a dedicated directory. Tooling can be configured to discover this guidance across a project's dependencies, aggregate it, and provide it to a coding agent in a structured, …

A Method For Converting Business Process Models Into Orchestrated Ai Agent Workflows, Leonid Kuligin, Max Tschochohei

Defensive Publications Series

Automating complex business processes with large language models (LLMs) can present challenges, as monolithic prompts containing extensive domain-specific information and instructions can be difficult to develop and evaluate, and LLMs may lack certain adaptive business logic capabilities. The described method can address such challenges by transforming standard business process flowcharts (for example, decision trees or business process diagrams), into an orchestrated workflow. In this approach, a node of the flowchart can be converted into a distinct step for execution by a dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) sub-agent. The sub-agent may receive a targeted prompt containing relevant context from the flowchart's descriptions …

A Method For Line Number Referencing In Large Language Models Using Embedded Metadata, Christopher Jonathan Phoenix

Defensive Publications Series

Large Language Models (LLMs) can have difficulty identifying or referencing specific line numbers in a file, which may affect their performance in tasks involving precise text or code manipulation. This disclosure describes a method to provide LLMs with positional awareness by embedding line number metadata into the file content. The technique can involve preprocessing a file to wrap each line in a structural marker, such as an XML-style tag, that contains the corresponding line number. When presented with this augmented file, the LLM may process the content and its associated line number metadata simultaneously. This can enable the model to …

Harnessing Wind Energy For A Green Hydrogen Revolution In Oman: Potential, Challenges, And Economic Viability, Navid Nasiri, Morteza Mohammadzaheri, Rayyan Muhammad Rafikh, Maryam Farrizi, Hooman Nasiri, Intisar Al-Busaidi, Sulaiman Al-Hashmi

The Journal of Engineering Research

This study is the first to comprehensively evaluate green hydrogen production from wind energy across 14 geographically diverse sites in Oman, filling a critical research gap in the MENA region where wind-to-hydrogen feasibility remains underexplored. Unlike prior studies focused on Europe (Dincer & Acar, 2015) or solar-heavy MENA projects (Mohammed et al., 2024), this simulation-based analysis leverages Oman’s unique wind resources and arid climate to pioneer regionspecific insights. Using Weibull distribution for wind resource assessment, we calculate Capacity Factor (CF), Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH), annual hydrogen yields, and CO₂ emission reductions. Results highlight …

Fostering Students’ Ethical Engagement By Employing Online Interactive Platforms For Engineering Ethics Education, Waleed Ahmed, Rihab Hamza, Omar Alkhatib, Essam Zaneldin

The Journal of Engineering Research

This study examines the integration of online interactive tools in engineering ethics education to enhance student engagement, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making. These platforms allow students to generate and respond to questions based on ethical concepts and real-world case studies, turning traditional instruction into a dynamic, student-centred experience. Key features such as gamification, self-paced learning, and collaborative discussions foster healthy competition and motivation. The tools also support knowledge retention through peer discussions, quizzes, and interactive exercises, while multimedia resources and instant feedback help students refine ethical reasoning and apply professional standards. To evaluate the impact, student performance was assessed over …

Effective Maintenance Management Framework Through A Health Index: A Case Study In The Oil And Gas Industry, Khalid Al Fahdi, Hakan Gultekin, Emad Summad

The Journal of Engineering Research

The oil and gas sector is transforming rapidly, driven by global energy demand and the need to address climate change. Effective maintenance management is critical for ensuring asset reliability and operational safety in this sector, where predictive and proactive strategies replace traditional reactive maintenance practices. This paper introduces a comprehensive health maintenance management framework designed to enhance oil and gas industry maintenance practices. The proposed framework includes six essential stages: asset registration, maintenance strategy selection, capability promotion, maintenance implementation, reporting, and continuous improvement. A key innovation of the framework is using a Health Index (HI), which provides a quantitative and …

2025 September 22 - Faculty Senate Agenda And Minutes, Faculty Senate, East Tennessee State University

Faculty Senate Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

Young Adults’ Self-Perceptions Of Parenting Styles And Attachments Influencing Juvenile Criminality, Keristin Zanda Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parenting styles, parent-to-child attachments, and parental involvements are contributing factors leading to juvenile delinquency. Adolescents are committing offending acts at a younger age, recidivating, and perpetrating with peers or parents. However, there is a lack of empirical research on juvenile perceptions of parenting, juvenile criminality, and desistance implications. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore past juvenile criminal offenders’ lived experiences and the corresponding influence parenting styles had on their deviant behaviors. Ainsworth and Bowlby’s attachment theory, Baumrind’s parenting style theory, and Bandura’s social learning theory provided a lens for examining young adults’ perceptions of parenting related …

Usa V. Amir Wilson

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Introduction To Roots Of Justice: A History Of Race And Racism In Nebraska, M. Dewayne Mays, Paul Olson

Truth and Reconciliation History Project

Nebraska has made racism a way of life through most of its history. It is still the way of life for many. In 2020, a Nebraska columnist wrote the following about Nebraska: “[T]he issues stemming from racism can seem like foreign concepts, confined to the larger cities (or the American South) and relics of a distant past.”2 The column goes on to show that these issues were not confined to large cities or to the South; they rested on our back door in Nebraska. Yet, one often heard back as far as one could remember that Nebraska is not and …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Tier Iii Restorative Practices: An Examination Of The Teacher-Student Mentorship Program And Disciplinary Approaches Towards Students With Disabilities, Jacquelyn M. Van Orden

Theses and Dissertations

This program evaluation was initiated to determine the effectiveness of a one-on-one mentorship program at Maple Grove Middle School. The program emerged in response to a troubling pattern in disciplinary data from the previous school year, of which 18 students received ten or more discipline referrals in 2023-2024. Notably, 14 of these students were classified with a disability, highlighting a disproportionate rate of disciplinary action towards students receiving special education services. In an effort to address this issue, each student was paired with a mentor, with the intent to provide support for positive behavior, and an improvement in academics. This …

Functional Role Of Cysteine Residues In Vtlr Of Agrobacterium Tumefaciens, Suravi Islam

Theses and Dissertations

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a soil-dwelling plant pathogen known for transferring DNA to host plants through a type IV secretion system. Central to its virulence and cellular regulation is the LysR-type transcriptional regulator, VtlR, which controls processes including biofilm formation, motility, tumorigensis, and small RNA expression. Although VtlR’s regulatory role is established, the specific functions of its conserved cysteine residues have only recently begun to be explored. This study investigates VtlR’s four cysteines (C144, C236, C244, and C273) through site-directed mutagenesis and a combination of phenotypic assays and transcriptional profiling. Phenotypic assays confirmed that C144 and C273 are important for proper …

Robert Sofaly V. Portfolio Recovery Associates Llc

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Kobe Pinkney V. Meadville, Pennsylvania

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Estate Of Frank P Lagano V. Bergen County Prosecutors Office

2025 Decisions

USDC for the District of New Jersey

Examining The Influence Of Schools’ Federal Designation Of “Continuous Support And Improvement” On Teachers’ Workplace Stress And Self-Efficacy, Kimberly Michelle Seybolt

Student Theses and Dissertations

Workplace stress among teachers, accompanied by diminished self-efficacy, particularly in virtual environments, may lead to higher teacher turnover and hinder school improvement efforts. This qualitative, phenomenological study examined teachers’ lived experiences at a virtual charter school federally designated as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement school to understand whether this designation influenced workplace stress and, in turn, whether that stress affected teacher self-efficacy in the areas of classroom management, instructional strategies, and student engagement. More specifically, the study explored how federal designation influenced teachers’ workplace stress and whether this stress influenced teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs. The conceptual premises of Bandura’s Social Cognitive …

Quality Improvement Project Enhancing Nursing Faculty Competency In Dimensional Analysis: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Kimberly Mcdonald

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Medication dosage calculation errors remain a persistent concern in nursing education and practice, often tied to inconsistent teaching methods that leave students unsure and underprepared. Dimensional analysis (DA) has been shown to improve accuracy and confidence in solving dosage problems, yet many faculty have not received structured training in this method. To address that gap, a quality improvement (QI) project introduced a six-week DA training program for nursing faculty in a pre-licensure program. The initiative was guided by the Roy Adaptation Model and Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory, with change supported through Kotter’s 8-Step Model and the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework. Using a quasi-experimental, …

Roots Of Justice: A History Of Race And Racism In Nebraska, Kevin Abourezk, M. Dewayne Mays, Paul Olson, Gabriel Bruguier, Preston Love Jr., Adam Fletcher Sasse, Heather Fryer, J.S. Onésimo (Ness) Sándoval, Sharon Ishii-Jordan, Emira Ibrahimpašić, Julia Reilly

Black Studies Faculty Books and Monographs

There is much to understand about the history of Nebraska and how the past shapes the present. This book attempts to bring into clearer focus the triumphs and trials of five broad groups whose lives have often been overlooked when the state’s history is told. The authors know some of this history of racism firsthand: Most of them have lived as people of color in Nebraska. They’ve experienced “the good, the bad and the ugly” that makes up our state story. We encourage educators, scholars and family historians to continue to dig, to document and to tell these stories. And …

Identification Of Leadership And Managerial Roles Used By School Superintendents To Manage Rural School Districts, Bruce Allen Gillham

Student Theses and Dissertations

The role of rural superintendents is multifaceted, often requiring a balance of strategic leadership, operational management, and community involvement within school systems that face resource limitations and geographic challenges. However, existing job descriptions for rural superintendents frequently do not reflect the realities of their daily tasks, resulting in misunderstandings and misalignments between governing bodies and the superintendents. This study aims to enhance the understanding of rural superintendents' roles by examining the experiences of four superintendents from southeastern Oklahoma. Drawing on Mintzberg's managerial role framework and an interpretive phenomenological approach, this research highlights the importance of the researcher's self-reflection and the …

Population Genomic Assessment Of The Endangered Cumberland Darter (Etheostoma Susanae), Hilary Canada

Student Theses and Dissertations

The Cumberland Darter (Etheostoma susanae) is an endangered species of freshwater fish endemic to the tributaries of the Cumberland River above the Cumberland Falls in Kentucky and Tennessee. Once recognized as a subspecies of Johnny Dater (E. nigrum), E. susanae was elevated to species level based on morphological and mtDNA variation. Habitat degradation and modification is a primary concern for the species with its preference for slow-flow streams. Fragmented populations increase the risk of disrupting historic gene flow between tributaries which could potentially result in genetically distinct populations. In 2011, E. susanae was listed under the Endangered Species Act by …

Ron Nischwitz, Former Coach, Men's Baseball, Wright State University, Ron Nischwitz, Kathy Morris, Dan Abrahamowicz

Wright State University Retirees Association Oral History Project

This oral history interview documents the life and career of Ron Nischwitz, a Dayton native, former Major League Baseball player, and longtime Wright State University baseball coach. Nischwitz reflects on his journey from collegiate and professional baseball to building a successful coaching career, while also managing a business and overcoming significant personal challenges, including major health issues. The interview highlights his lasting impact on Wright State’s baseball program, his dedication to student development, and the legacy he established through both athletics and philanthropy.

The Echo: September 22, 2025, Taylor University

2025-2026 (Volume 113)

No abstract provided.

Quantum General Relativity, James Glimm

Department of Applied Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

We construct a quantum general relativity model of spin 2 Yang-Mills fields, complete at the level of theoretical physics with complete mathematics not included. The construction includes a cosmological model. Existing Type Ia supernova data analysis used for this cosmology shows zero cosmological constant and zero dark energy.

The Pedagogical Experiences Of Online Correctional Education English Composition Faculty, Candace Chambers

Journal of Prison Education Research

With increasing efforts to expand correctional education college programs, previous research has primarily explored the experiences of instructors teaching in face-to-face settings. However, little is known about the experiences of faculty teaching in online correctional education programs within the United States. This qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study addresses this gap by examining the experiences of five online English composition correctional education instructors. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and a focus group. Findings revealed that instructors adapted their teaching practices to accommodate the online format, faced challenges in building relationships with students, and desired more professional development. These insights …

Comparing Standards-Based Grading And Traditional Grading Practices: The Influence Of Two Grading Practices On State-Standardized Test Scores And High School Grades, Brooke Daugherty

Student Theses and Dissertations

Standards-based and traditional grading practices were compared in this research by the analysis of state-standardized test scores and classroom grades. The problem described in this quantitative comparative study is that state-standardized test scores do not always match a student’s knowledge. Students, teachers, and parents are affected because learning must be communicated to all parties. The purpose of this study is to compare state-standardized test scores through traditional and standards-based grading practices in elementary and high school mathematics. Using the four stages of Kolb’s experiential learning theory, the grading experience was examined. Approximately 700 students’ state-standardized test scores and 350 classroom …

Development Of An Instrumented Test System To Evaluate Mechanical Characteristics Of Belted Conveyor Systems, Coleman Emerson Wilson

Student Theses and Dissertations

The use of conveyor systems within industrial and warehouse settings gives the ability for increased productivity and increased speed of moving objects. As in many settings, the use of these conveyor systems requires large amounts of continuous runtime, and the ability to save even small amounts of energy over a large period can create large improvements in the total overhead cost of running the facility. Research into the ability to characterize the components within a conveyor system gives the ability to identify sources of large amounts of wasted energy and quantify these losses. There is a need to quantify the …

Comparative Analysis Of Belt-Slider Pan Configurations On The Power Consumption Of Belted Conveyor Systems, Asib Ridwan

Student Theses and Dissertations

Conveyor systems are widely used in industrial applications for material handling, but their high energy consumption remains a significant challenge. This study investigated the influence of different belt-slider pan configurations on conveyor power consumption, aiming to optimize efficiency while minimizing energy losses. Three types of slider pans; mild steel, galvanized steel, and powder-coated steel, were analyzed under controlled experimental conditions to determine the motor torque and power consumption of a test conveyor system under various loading conditions. Torque and power values were derived, plotted, and comparatively analyzed across all configurations to determine performance differences. Static friction coefficients of each type …