Digital Commons Network^™

University Policies In An Unjust World: Typographic Illustrations, Layal Shuman, Nina Rastgar

Gatherings

In this research-creation project, we use typographic illustrations as a visual method to portray how universities in Canada enable genocide in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians while suppressing their rights to protest these injustices on campuses over the past three years. We conceptualize institutional policies as weapons, especially those covering codes of conduct, discrimination, harassment, and freedom of speech. The goal is first to show how universities are directly invested in the manufacturing and selling of weapons currently used in Palestine and Lebanon, and second, to argue that the strategic wording of institutional policies on diversity and inclusion …

Spaces Of Transformation, Love, And Poetry: Autoethnographic Reflections On Learning During The 2024 Student Solidarity Encampments And The 2019 Lebanese Thawra, Anna Wessels

Gatherings

This paper utilizes autoethnographic modes to reflect on the student movement in solidarity with Palestine, specifically the spring 2024 student encampment in Washington, DC. I frame this reflection through my experience as a student in a Women and Gender Studies class during the semester of the encampment, as well as through feminist theories of teaching and learning as liberatory practices. I analyze two sites of learning that moved beyond the ideological and physical boundaries of the university into public protest spaces during times of political mobilization: downtown Beirut during the October 2019 Lebanese thawra (revolution) and the student encampments for …

Symbol Of Defiance: Cultural Reclamation And Resilience In The Symbolism Of The Watermelon, Shukri Mohamed

Gatherings

This paper examines the watermelon as a cross-cultural symbol of nonviolent resistance and identity reclamation in both Palestinian and African American contexts. In Palestine, the watermelon embodies defiant cultural identity amidst occupation, symbolizing resistance against erasure. Within African American communities, it has evolved from a racially charged stereotype to a reclaimed symbol of pride and agency. Through postcolonial theory, intersectionality, transnational feminism, and visual cultural critique, this article examines how marginalized groups repurpose familiar objects to assert identity and reclaim autonomy under oppressive conditions. Drawing on Lila Abu-Lughod's work on media and everyday resistance, Ania Loomba's postcolonial perspectives, Patricia Hill …

Embodying Palestinian Freedom: Yogis For Palestine As A Site Of Transnational And Anti-Imperial Feminist Solidarity, Sheena Sood

Gatherings

In a climate marked by the rise of global fascism, yoga is often appropriated toward the reproduction of caste supremacist and ethnonational agendas, colonial and racial capitalist relations, and neoliberal spirituality. Still, it has also been harnessed for collective liberation. We see this through the effort of Gaza-based yoga teacher, Hadeel Al-Gharbawi, using trauma-informed yoga to help the children of Al-Jawad Camp cultivate endurance during a genocide, and the solidarity of practitioners activating yoga toward Palestinian self-determination. This article examines the social and political activities of Yogis for Palestine (YFP), a Philadelphia-based collective whose vision for collective liberation includes unwavering …

Roots That Refuse To Die: Narratives Of Displacement And Solidarity In Palestinian And Chicanx Feminist Traditions, R. H., Lea Colchado-Joaquín

Gatherings

Amidst the recent passing of Senate Bill 17 and increasing restrictions on academic freedom, and efforts to shut down encampments, political tensions have been on the rise at Texas university campuses. As women of color scholars learning to navigate these challenges, we are committed to fostering safe pedagogical spaces that honor minoritized students’ voices. This paper examines interpretations of solidarity narratives between Chicanx and Palestinian feminist authors through a decolonial feminist lens and employs an autoethnographic methodological approach such as autohistoria-teoría to highlight parallels between the authors' lived realities. Authors begin this conversation by using their own narratives of resistance …

"In-Dialogue” As Feminist Praxis: Palestine, Poetry, And Affective Knowing, Besan Jaber, Natalie El-Eid

Gatherings

Presenting a methodological praxis of being “in dialogue,’ this essay questions what it means today to be in feminist solidarity with Palestine via an intimate conversation inspired by a set of poems written by [one of the authors to this piece]. In this conversation, two feminist Arab scholars reflect on their professional and lived experiences in the US amidst the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the friendships and love they found, including with one another, as well as the paradoxical feelings of disappointment and frustration they experienced watching many feminists in the West completely abandon their feminist values when it came …

Gatherings 3.2 (Complete Issue), Besan Jaber, Asmaa Malik

Gatherings

p. 111: Echoes of Loss: Exploring Palestine and Feminism Through Art / Ala Alshadfan -- p. 117: In-Dialogue as Feminist Praxis: Palestine, Poetry, and Affective Knowing / Besan Jaber and Natalie El-Eid -- p. 130: Kinship as Ethical Caring in Genocidal Times / Khawla Badwan and Sunny Singh --  p.150: Roots That Refuse to Die: Narratives of Displacement and Solidarity in Palestinian and Chicanx Feminist Traditions / R. K. and Lea Colchado-Joaquín -- p.169: A Poem for Palestinian Liberation from Låguas yan Gåni / Ha’åni Lucia Falo San Nicolas -- p. 171: Embodying Palestinian Freedom: Yogis for Palestine as a …

Ruins And Remedies: Hospital Site Archaeology In Medieval Southeast Asia, Karen Hill

Classical Mediterranean and Middle East Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Action Steps Toward Equity In Communication Sciences And Disorders: A Program Evaluation Of Student Self-Efficacy, Monica Bellon-Harn, Lekeitha Morris, Mark Trahan

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Abstract

Purpose: Within communication sciences and disorders (CSD), preparing students for equitable practice requires instruction aligned with social justice principles. Because students’ confidence in engaging in these practices may influence future behavior, this study examined the effects of an asynchronous program, Action Steps toward Equity (ASE-CSD) on undergraduate and graduate CSD students’ self-efficacy for practices aligned with social justice principles.

Method: A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was used with undergraduate (n = 16) and graduate (n = 33) CSD students who completed ASE-CSD. Participants completed the Social Justice Scale (SJS; Torres-Harding et al., 2012), which assessed self-efficacy associated with …

Equity In Evaluation: Examining Grading Practices And Student Experiences In Speech-Language Pathology Education, Jennifer Essig

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Traditional grading practices remain the norm in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) education, despite evidence these systems may exacerbate inequities and affect motivation and perceptions of learning. This study examined how traditional and alternative grading practices are experienced by undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in CSD programs. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, survey data were collected from 73 students regarding perceptions of grading, motivation to learn, and emotional responses to assessment. Quantitative analyses indicated that students in alternatively graded classrooms reported significantly higher perceptions of fairness, clarity, and learning than those in traditionally graded settings. Qualitative analysis revealed contrasting emotional …

Targeted Interprofessional Education (Ipe) Curriculum For First-Year Speech-Language Pathology (Slp) Graduate Students, Cody Marie Busch

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

ASHA requires that SLP graduate programs facilitate opportunities for interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP). Research suggests that IPCP initiatives should be integrated throughout the curriculum, rather than isolated interprofessional education (IPE) experiences. 15 first-year SLP graduate students participated in a year-long IPE curriculum focused on the IPEC Core Competencies. Quantitative and qualitative data revealed improved perception of IPCP and appreciation of opportunities to interact with other disciplines. Students noted that SLP graduate programs should integrate IPCP opportunities because they set them up for success with collaboration and help remove the SLP “silo.” Finally, students reported that they plan to use the …

Supporting Neurodivergent Students In Communication Sciences And Disorders: Best Practices Integrating Udl And Tilt In Academic Courses, Jacqueline A. Towson, Nancy Mcintyre, Alexis Cunha

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

In this tutorial, we explore effective andragogical strategies to support neurodivergent students in higher education programs, specifically within academic course in the field of communication sciences and disorders (CSD). By integrating the evidence-based education practices of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework, faculty can create inclusive and supportive learning environments in academic courses to better support neurodivergent students in CSD programs. We discuss practical applications of these frameworks through two sample assignments, supported by recent research, and provide actionable recommendations for faculty in higher education. The goal of this tutorial is to …

Csdeep Learning Seminar: Connecting Students, Faculty, And Alumni To Promote A Creative Path To Success, Chao-Yang Lee, Emily Jones

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

What do the best college students do to cultivate their intellectual and personal development? How does learning type lead to professional success and personal fulfillment? We report the design and implementation of a seminar in which undergraduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders collaborated with peers, faculty, and alumni to explore the meaning and application of deep learning. Participants examined how learning type shapes college experience through book discussions and conversations with alumni. Feedback from participants suggests that the book discussions and alumni conversations broadened the students’ perspective on learning type, purpose of college education, and success and failure. The …

Simulated Participant Engagement In Communication Sciences & Disorders Programs: A Scoping Review, Jason Konzelmann, Richard I. Zraick

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Introduction. Simulated participants (SPs) are widely used in medical and nursing education, but their application in allied health, including Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD), remains limited. Despite accreditation standards supporting simulation in CSD training, student engagement with SPs is still uncommon.

Objectives. This scoping review examined recent literature on SP use in CSD programs involving speech-language pathology or audiology students or providers. We explored how SPs were integrated and identified gaps for future research.

Methods. Guided by PRISMA-ScR, we searched six databases and an internet search yielded one additional article. Studies published between 2019 and 2025 were included if they …

Correcting And Connecting Character Formation, Dane C. Joseph

Essays in Education

This essay details some assumptions that the author, through his lived experience working in higher education character formation and assessment, has identified as being potentially problematic to institutional endeavors to form character. These assumptions are framed using theoretical perspectives from within the behavioral and social sciences. A few solutions are offered, with the main one being to reframe formation from passive, single events to an activity navigated responsibly by and with all stakeholders, as well as to assess formation via everyday lived experiences both within and outside the classroom.

Conserving Seabirds: Actions Of The Pacific Seabird Group During Its First 40 Years., Craig S. Harrison

Marine Ornithology

The Pacific Seabird Group (PSG), founded in 1972, is “dedicated to the study and conservation of Pacific seabirds and their environment.” During its first 40 years, PSG undertook scores of conservation actions, although as an all-volunteer organization, PSG lacked the capacity to implement many programs or projects. It achieved its conservation goals through leadership, raising issues, bringing the best science to decision makers, and serving as a catalyst for others to act. PSG has been especially influential in six areas: (1) eradicating invasive alien animals from seabird colonies; (2) conserving Marbled Murrelets Brachyramphus marmoratus; (3) protecting seabird colonies in …

Behavioral Insights Into The Galapagos Penguin Spheniscus Mendiculus: A Day In His Life—An Ethological Portrait., Jonathan Cueva, Wilson Iñiguez, Gregory Marshall, Christian Sevilla, Andrea Coloma, Lorena Venegas, Gustavo Jiménez-Uzcátegui

Marine Ornithology

The Galapagos Penguin Spheniscus mendiculus, endemic to the Galápagos Archipelago, faces increasing ecological pressures threatening its population. This study aimed to characterize its daily behavioral patterns to better understand its adaptations and vulnerability to ecosystem changes. In one breeding locality, the Marielas Islets, we mounted a Crittercam on a male penguin to assess interactions with its mate and its behavior over a 24-hr period. Behaviors were classified as Diving, Foraging, Grooming, Intraspecific Interaction, Interspecific Interaction, Loafing, Prospecting, Resting, Surface Dipping, and Swimming. We analyzed behavioral data using chi-square tests and transition heat-maps. Results revealed predominantly surface behaviors—Prospecting (41.2% of …

Breeding Parameters Of The Gull-Billed Tern Gelochelidon Nilotica In Boughrara Lagoon, Southeast Tunisia., Amel Neb, Slaheddine Selmi

Marine Ornithology

We provide, for the first time, data on the breeding parameters of the Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica in Tunisia, at Boughrara Lagoon. From May to July 2024, we monitored a breeding colony located on a small islet in the northern part of the lagoon. In total, 112 nests were monitored: 71 nests initiated in mid-May (early clutches) and 41 in early June (late nests). Clutch size ranged from one to four eggs (mean ± standard deviation [SD] = 2.51 ± 0.06), with no significant difference between early and late nesters. Egg volume ranged from 14.65 to 49.23 cm3 (mean ± …

Sex And Age Characteristics Of Northern Fulmars Fulmarus Glacialis Used In Programs To Monitor Plastic Ingestion., Jan A. Van Franeker, Susanne Kühn

Marine Ornithology

Carcasses of beached or accidentally killed Northern Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis, collected for monitoring plastic ingestion, have shown that the incidence of litter may vary over time and by region. Age, sex, and season of fulmar collection appear to affect the quantity of plastics ingested. More detailed analyses of monitoring data thus require reliable and consistent methods for assessing age and sex. Methods were first described in a monitoring manual in 2004 and later in international guidelines, but age and sex definition required further clarification. A large dataset of 3,790 dissected birds now allows for detailed descriptions of sex and …

Seabirds As Ecosystem Engineers: Providing Arthropod Habitat On Oceanic Islands., Kanon Mizukoshi, Kazuto Kawakami, Takashi Kamijo

Marine Ornithology

Seabirds play several important ecological roles on oceanic islands through their high-density breeding. Their ecosystem functions—such as nutrient cycling through excretion or terrestrial vegetation disturbance through trampling—are well known; however, little is known of their roles as ecosystem engineers. Nests and burrows can be densely concentrated in seabird colonies, by which seabirds can affect adjacent terrestrial ecosystems, especially affecting arthropods that use these structures as food or habitats. However, studies investigating the species composition of arthropods that inhabit seabird nests are limited. To characterize the arthropod faunas in seabird nests, this study surveyed and analyzed 90 nests of three seabird …

Comparing Counts Made From Drone-Based And Boat-Based Photography For Surveying Thick-Billed Murre Uria Lomvia Cliff Colonies., Ewan Macdonnell, Sarah E. Gutowsky, Kyle H. Elliott

Marine Ornithology

Surveys of cliff-nesting seabirds from sea level or ground level often miss individuals hidden by topography, leading to underestimates of abundance. Thick-billed Murres Uria lomvia are especially challenging to survey accurately due to their dense nesting on vertical cliff ledges in remote northern regions. In Canada, updated colony surveys are needed, as currently used population estimates, done from boats, are outdated. Drones offer better vantage points and may reduce availability bias (i.e., the proportion of birds present but not visible), but direct comparisons with boat-based counts are essential. We compared murre counts from drone- and boat-based photographs of six vertical …

Foraging Areas Of Breeding Adult Sooty Terns Onychoprion Fuscatus On Bird Island, Seychelles., Jessica L. Neumann, Ruth E. Dunn, Malcolm A. C. Nicoll, Christine S. Larose, Chris Foster, Gary Brodin, Chris J. Feare

Marine Ornithology

The foraging areas used by adult Sooty Terns Onychoprion fuscatus during incubation and early chick-rearing on Bird Island, Seychelles, were investigated using small GPS loggers. Birds departed the colony mainly during the night and foraged by day. Most foraging trips were completed within 24 hr, but during incubation the longest duration recorded was seven days and 14 hr (during which the bird travelled 2,783 km and reached a maximum of 692 km from the colony). Departures were generally in an arc from south (180°) through westerly to 40°. Sooty Terns foraged frequently in waters over the Seychelles Bank shelf break, …

First Gps Tracking Of The Black Storm Petrel Hydrobates Melania., Jorge Cristerna, Gemma Abaunza, Joel Aarón López-Hernández, Cecilia Soldatini, Yuri Vladimir Albores-Barajas, Federico De Pascalis, Jacopo G. Cecere

Marine Ornithology

The research reported here, conducted at Archipiélago de Espíritu Santo National Park, Baja California Sur, Mexico, establishes the first successful application of biologging on a Black Storm Petrel Hydrobates melania. Results yielded preliminary insights into this population's marine movements during nesting. The device used, weighing less than 3% of the bird's body mass, recorded a 181-km foraging trip. Subsequent trajectory analysis indicated navigation behavior that potentially was optimized to use crosswind assistance. The individual showed no weight loss post-retrieval, a finding that suggests this method is viable and unharmful, demonstrating the feasibility of using miniaturized tracking devices to unravel …

Predicting Suitable Marine Habitat For Pink-Footed Shearwaters Ardenna Creatopus In The Waters Along The Pacific Coast Of Canada., Sonya A. Pastran, Patrick D. O’Hara, Kenneth H. Morgan, Caroline H. Fox, W. Eric Gross

Marine Ornithology

Anthropogenic activities are threatening global marine ecosystems, with seabirds representing a vulnerable group that has experienced pronounced population declines in recent decades. The ability to identify important marine areas for vulnerable seabirds is fundamental to conservation initiatives. The Pink-footed Shearwater Ardenna creatopus (listed as Endangered in Canada) breeds only in Chile, but during the non-breeding season, it ranges northward to waters off Canada's Pacific coast and the northern Gulf of Alaska. Using at-sea survey data spanning from 1992 to 2019, we examined the relationship between the species' distribution and environmental variables using a two-step generalized additive model approach. Cross-validation with …

Tasmanian Records Of Vagrant Penguins, 1991–2025., Eric J. Woehler

Marine Ornithology

During the period 01 January 1991 to 31 August 2025, there were 274 records of vagrant penguins in Tasmania. These records represented three genera: Aptenodytes, Pygoscelis, and Eudyptes. The most frequently reported species were Fiordland Penguin E. pachyrhynchus, Royal Penguin E. schlegeli, and King Penguin A. patagonicus. High numbers of records were reported from 10 years, with a peak in 1999 and a lower peak in 2023. Records from January to March accounted for approximately 42% of all vagrant penguin occurrences and corresponded with the arrival of pre-moult birds of all ages. A range …

Comparative Diet Analysis Of Three Larid Species Nesting At Isla Rasa, Gulf Of California, Mexico., Enriqueta Velarde, Lloyd T. Findley

Marine Ornithology

Isla Rasa, situated in highly productive waters of the Gulf of California, has the largest nesting colony of Royal Terns Thalasseus maximus (as many as 17,000 individuals) in the Mexican Pacific, sharing this site with 300,000 Elegant Terns T. elegans and 260,000 Heermann's Gulls Larus heermanni. During eight breeding seasons between 1996 and 2011, we found that the Royal Tern diet contained over twice the number of prey species as the other two seabirds' diets: the Royal Tern's diet included 36 species of fishes, in 20 families, and pelagic squat lobster Grimothea planipes, whereas the Elegant Tern and …

Evidence For Colony Attendance By Immature Streaked Shearwaters Calonectris Leucomelas During The Chick-Rearing Period., Helen M. Pružina, Akiko Shoji, Masaki Shirai, Sakiko Matsumoto, Ken Yoda, Annette L. Fayet

Marine Ornithology

Many seabird species have a long breeding-deferral period, during which individuals mature and spend most of their time at sea, making them particularly difficult to study. In some species, immatures are known to start visiting colonies before reaching adulthood, presumably to learn the behaviours required to secure a nest and mate for future breeding. However, immature colony attendance remains undocumented in many species, particularly those that are difficult to observe, such as nocturnal, cavity-nesting species and species in which immatures are indistinguishable from adults. Here, we studied the attendance patterns and behaviour of Streaked Shearwaters Calonectris leucomelas on Awashima Island, …

First Record Of Leucism In Kerguelen Shag Leucocarbo Verrucosus, Kevin Guille

Marine Ornithology

The first case of leucism in the Kerguelen Shag Leucocarbo verrucosus was observed on Mayes Island, Kerguelen Archipelago, in the southern Indian Ocean between October 2021 and November 2022. The individual exhibited extensive white plumage with scattered black feathers while maintaining normal eye pigmentation, consistent with leucism rather than albinism. Despite exhibiting typical behavior and social interactions, no breeding activity was recorded. This observation highlights the occurrence of pigment abnormalities in sub-Antarctic seabirds and underscores the importance of continued monitoring to better understand their ecological or genetic implications.

Satellite Tracking Of Galapagos Petrel Pterodroma Phaeopygia Reveals Distribution And Movements During Chick Rearing., Carolina B. Proaño, Sebastian M. Cruz, Josh Adams, Martin Wikelski

Marine Ornithology

We tracked 19 adult Galapagos Petrels Pterodroma phaeopygia during the chick-rearing seasons in 2009 and 2010 (Santa Cruz Island [n = 16] and Floreana Island [n = 3]) in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Eight petrels performed 27 complete foraging trips lasting 0.6 to 18.8 days. Short trips (3.2 ± 2.1 days; 785 km; max displacement 671 km) and long trips (10.8 ± 3.9 days; 2,856 km; max displacement 1,034 km) resulted in concentrated use of waters off southern and western Isabela Island and within the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR). Less concentrated time extended farther southwest and eastward, in …

Unfamiliar Plumage Aberration Observed On A Razorbill Alca Torda At Machias Seal Island., Daniel Oliker, Antony W. Diamond, Heather L. Major

Marine Ornithology

Aberrant plumage variation in seabirds can be caused by both heritable genetic mutations and non-heritable somatic mutations due to environmental stressors. In Razorbills Alca torda, aberrant colouration has been documented four times: three as cases of melanism and one seemingly of leucism, both heritable mutations. Here, we describe the observation and subsequent capture of a Razorbill with an unfamiliar plumage phenotype we hypothesize to be caused by a somatic mutation. To our knowledge, this is the first reported instance of a somatic mutation affecting the plumage of a Razorbill in the primary literature.