Digital Commons Network^™

Production System And The Development Of Tobacco Cultivation In Morocco, A. Salhi

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

The article reviews the historical evolution of tobacco cultivation in Morocco and examines the production system that supported its expansion. It traces the crop’s introduction, the role of the tobacco monopoly and public supervision, the spread of experimental stations and extension efforts, and the shift from larger industrial-style cultivation toward small family-based production in mountainous regions. The author shows that this family farming model reduced average plot size while improving quality, broadening planter participation, and adapting tobacco cultivation to areas with limited agricultural alternatives. Tobacco is presented as an example of how agro-industrial organization can reshape rural production structures and …

Some Reflections On Agricultural Policy: Constraints, Policy Levers, Degrees Of Freedom, And Choices, J. Molinier

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

This paper offers a conceptual reflection on agricultural policy by distinguishing between its structural constraints, its main instruments, and the room for public choice. The author argues that agricultural policy cannot be separated from broader economic policy and identifies major constraints linked to natural conditions, economic structures, political objectives, and international trends. The article reviews the principal levers available to governments, including policies on production techniques, farm structures, prices, population, and incomes, together with the financial means used to support them. It concludes that technical progress, price policy, and farmer training and organization are among the most decisive factors for …

Irrigation And The Development Of Sugar Production, Othmane Lahlou

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

The article examines the role of large-scale irrigation in Morocco’s agricultural modernization and in the expansion of sugar beet and sugar cane production. It reviews the country’s hydraulic potential, the history of hydro-agricultural development, and the public investments that made irrigated agriculture possible after independence. The author also discusses the technical, social, and organizational constraints of irrigation schemes, including land consolidation, farmer participation, and infrastructure management. Within this framework, sugar crops are presented as a strategic example of how irrigation can transform production, reduce imports, and move the country toward greater self-sufficiency.

Agricultural Development And Popular Participation In Senegal, Moussa Ndoye

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

Focusing on Senegal, this paper argues that agricultural development can succeed only if rural populations participate directly and effectively in its implementation. After placing agriculture at the center of development strategy in the Third World, the author reviews Senegal’s post-independence experience in administrative reform, rural institutions, training, and support structures. The article stresses the need for fair prices, adequate public investment, better-trained rural cadres, stronger agricultural services, and policies that connect growth with social justice. It presents popular participation not as a slogan, but as a necessary condition for sustainable agricultural transformation.

Concealed Feudal Privilege: The Past And The Future In The Making Of Property Law, Ugo Mattei

Texas A&M Journal of Property Law

This article critically examines the evolution of private property law from its origins in European and American legal traditions to its current entanglement with global capitalism and digital technology. Drawing on historical analysis and recent scholarship, the author argues that modern private property, far from realizing the promise of emancipation from feudal privilege, has served to cloak new forms of class domination. Through narratives crafted by jurists, property law has continually mediated the interests of the powerful and marginalized popular masses, substituting class-based privilege for blood privilege. The article explores how legal concepts—such as privacy and the social function of …

Property In The Short Twentieth Century, Fernando Atria

Texas A&M Journal of Property Law

This article examines the evolution of property law in the "short twentieth century," focusing on the shift from a classical, unified, and individualistic concept of property toward one defined by its "social function." Drawing on Anna di Robilant's historical analysis and legal developments in Chile, the article discusses three interrelated strands of the social critique of property: the doctrine of abuse of right, the concept of the social function of property, and the pluralist ("tree-like") model of property regimes. It contrasts the Will Theory and Interest Theory of rights to clarify the nature of "fractured rights," where legal powers may …

Lessons From The Making Of Modern Property: Reinventing Roman Law In Europe And Its Peripheries, 1789–1950, Laura S. Underkuffler

Texas A&M Journal of Property Law

This article examines the evolution and reinvention of Roman law concepts in shaping modern property law across Europe and its peripheries between 1789 and 1950. Focusing on Anna di Robilant’s analysis, it explores how nineteenth-century jurists utilized the ideal of dominium—property as an individual’s absolute entitlement—to respond to the social and economic upheavals of the era. While this model emphasized personal autonomy, freedom, and equality, it was inherently in tension with the demands of collective needs and societal change. The article discusses the practical and philosophical clashes between dominium and the social function of property, tracing the historical debates and …

Rapid Plant Functional Trait Responses To Warming, Flooding, And Herbivory In High‑Latitude Coastal Wetlands, Cristina Chirvasa, Matteo Petit Bon, Kelvyn K. Bladen, Katharine C. Kelsey, A. Joshua Leffler, Tyler J. Williams, Karen H. Beard

Wildland Resources Student Research

Climate change is rapidly altering high-latitude coastal wetlands through increasing temperatures, more frequent flooding, and changing herbivore abundance and distribution. Examining plant functional trait responses to these drivers provides insight into how plant communities are shaped by climate change. We used a one-year full-factorial mesocosm experiment in coastal Alaska to assess immediate responses of two size-related traits (vegetative height and leaf area) and two leaf economics traits (specific leaf area [SLA] and leaf dry matter content [LDMC]) to warming, flooding, and goose herbivory in three dominant species across two wetland communities (Lowland and Upland) differing in landscape position. We sampled …

Romanist-Bourgeois Property And The Development Of The Modern Capitalist World System, Anna Di Robilant

Texas A&M Journal of Property Law

This article examines the role of Romanist-bourgeois property law in the development of the modern capitalist world system, focusing on how nineteenth-century jurists deliberately crafted and adapted Roman law-based property doctrines to address the evolving social relations of production in both Europe and its peripheries. Rather than viewing legal concepts as merely reflective of broader economic transformations, the author highlights the active role played by a professional class of jurists in shaping property law to legitimize and structure emergent capitalist class dynamics. The article critically engages with competing scholarly perspectives that either privilege market expansion or downplay class relations, arguing …

Workplace Diversity In A Diverse World: Why Inclusion And Ethics Matter, Julianna Cutcher

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

As global populations grow and evolve, diversity becomes an increasingly prominent and complex characteristic of society and the workplace. Diversity encompasses the vast array of individual differences and similarities among people, affecting how organizations operate and interact. In the United States, the diversity index rose to 61.1% in 2020, reflecting a significant demographic shift. However, promoting diversity alone is insufficient; effective management also requires attention to equity and inclusion. Organizations must foster ethical workplace cultures that support diverse perspectives through comprehensive training, employee development, and inclusive policies. By embracing a holistic approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), businesses can …

From Farm To Fork, And Beyond: The International Politics Of Food Standards, Julia E. Srnec

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

Food safety standards are incredibly politically charged due to how much they can differ between countries and how implementing new standards in a country can impact the economy of those depending on the exports of food products. The political division regarding food safety standards can begin to be understood once the impacts on national and international economics, as well as the consequences of regulations beyond the economy, are considered. Nongovernmental organizations such as the World Health Organization help to mitigate conflict over trade policy disagreements, however some divisions persist.The use of non-tariff barriers on the imports of food-related goods can …

Cbdcs Vs Decentralized Currencies: Considerations For 21st Century Global Financial Challenges, Andrew Michael Sobhy, Shuai Wang

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

As digital currencies gain prominence in everyday life, policymakers in the United States at the federal, state, and local levels debate the potential for innovation, surveillance, global relations, and a plethora of areas that concern citizens. While existing literature highlights the opportunities and pitfalls within this new digital age, including inclusivity and challenges to traditional banking, this study aims to contribute a quantitative approach to the discussion utilizing Federal Reserve data, studies from financial institutions, and various credible resources that hold a stake. Specifically, comparing novel Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) and Decentralized Financial Currencies (DeFi) will provide a foundation …

Scheduling As An Organizational Capability, Felix Delmonte

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

This study synthesizes evidence on schedule governance as an organizational capability integrating Lean practices, BIM, Digital Twin, and AI to convert scheduling into continuous, data driven decision making that links front line observations to executive risk appetite and funding choices, showing how 4D/5D BIM, clash detection, automated material takeoff, and IoT enabled twins shorten planning horizons, reduce design errors by up to 80%, improve timeline adherence by 20%–30%, and, when AI is applied, further cut delays by about 18% and procurement costs by approximately $2.5 million; a four layer Integrated Lean–Digital Framework is proposed to align strategic intent, collaborative digital …

Heat And Socioeconomic Deprivation Compound To Drive Coronary Heart Disease In Los Angeles, Shutong Huo, Tessa R. Pulido, Reginald S. Archer, Joshua B. Fisher, Jason A. Douglas

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Background:

Socioeconomic deprivation and environmental heat exposure each increase cardiovascular risk, yet evidence is limited on how these stressors co-occur and jointly shape disease burden within cities. Mapping their overlap can inform equity-oriented planning and needs-based allocation of health and social protection resources.

Methods:

We conducted an ecological geospatial analysis of 2,513 census tracts in Los Angeles County. Adult coronary heart disease (CHD) prevalence was obtained from CDC Population Level Analysis and Community Estimates (2021). Socioeconomic deprivation was measured using the Social Deprivation Index (SDI), and heatwave surface heat hazard was measured using land surface temperature (LST) retrieved from the …

Mechanism-Aware Ml Identifies A Protease-Chemokine-Galectin (Pcg) Axis That Links Plasma Proteomics To Single-Cell Signaling And Enables Compact Severity Classification In Covid-19, Félix E. Rivera-Mariani, Albersy Armina-Rodriguez, Tashoy Campbell, Emily Solomon

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

Ethics Of Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers: Resistance Is Futile: Candor, Supervision, And Fees, Cliff Mckinney

Arkansas Law Notes

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, the Borg deliver their iconic warning to every species they encounter: “Resistance is futile.” The line resonates because it conveys the inevitability that once the Borg arrive, escape is no longer an option.

For lawyers, the duties of candor, supervision, and fairness in fees are just as inescapable. ABA Formal Opinion 512 (“ABA Opinion”) makes clear that, regardless of how powerful artificial intelligence becomes, it cannot relieve attorneys of their obligation. Attorneys must verify what they file, oversee how their colleagues use the technology, and ensure that clients are charged fairly. This installment examines …

Ethics Of Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers: You Will Be Assimilated: Best Practices For Lawyers Using Artificial Intelligence, Cliff Mckinney

Arkansas Law Notes

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, the Borg, a species augmented with artificial intelligence, give a chilling ultimatum to every civilization they encounter: “You will be assimilated.” The warning is terrifying because it suggests not destruction, but absorption with the loss of independence to a relentless collective.

For lawyers, the rise of artificial intelligence carries a similar threat of assimilation. Artificial intelligence is already entering law practice, whether lawyers welcome it or not. The real question is not if lawyers will be assimilated into a future integrated with artificial intelligence, but how they will use these tools without sacrificing judgment, …

Editorial: Advances And Challenges In Mobile Robot Design And Control For Diverse Environments, Hongjun Xing, Weihua Li, Mojtaba Sharifi, Yuan Yang

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Opportunities, Challenges, And Conspicuous Absences: An Integrative Review Of The Social Work Literature On Artificial Intelligence, Michael J. Massey, Ian G. Williams, Grace C. Polistina, Eathan A. Breaux

Publications and Research

INTRODUCTION: Social work discourse regarding artificial intelligence (AI) in practice, research, and education has proliferated over the last 5 years, reflecting both excitement over its potential and ambivalence about its ethical challenges. However, the extent to which social work is fully engaging with the structure of AI and its enormous impacts on the environment, labour, and distribution of power remains unclear.

METHODS: An integrative review of social work literature from 2020–2024 was conducted to address two research questions: 1) What is the nature of the social work discourse related to AI? 2) To what extent is the discourse …

Association Between Bmi Z-Score And Postoperative Complications In Pediatric Neuromuscular Scoliosis Surgery, Alexander K Mihas, Dion Birhiray, Chun Wai Hung, Lorenzo R Deveza, Dallas Vanorny, Frank Gerow, Darrell Hanson, Benny Dahl

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Study Design

Single-center retrospective review.

Objective

To investigate the association between BMI Z-scores and postoperative complications in pediatric patients with neuromuscular scoliosis undergoing spinal instrumentation.

Methods

Pediatric patients who underwent spinal instrumentation for neuromuscular scoliosis from July 2012 to June 2016 with a minimum 2-year follow-up were included. BMI and BMI Z-scores were calculated, and patients were stratified into CDC-defined BMI-for-age percentiles: underweight (< 5th percentile), normal (5th to < 85th percentile), overweight (85th to < 95th percentile), and obese (≥95th percentile). Logistic regression assessed associations of BMI, BMI Z-score, and BMI groups with postoperative complications.

Results

In total, 147 patients were included. Average follow-up was 3.2 ± 1.4 years. The most common diagnosis was cerebral palsy (39.5%). Complications occurred in 65 (44.2%) patients: 32 (21.8%) had a surgical site infection (SSI), …

Hospice Ownership & Quality Metrics (Analytics & Policy Link), Craig Rijkaard

Doctoral Student Association Conference

The landscape of hospice ownership has undergone a dramatic shift over the past two decades (2005-2014 and 2015-2025). Historically, hospice has been chiefly profitable as an industry comprising not-for-profit agencies. From 2015-2016, private equity entities have increasingly impacted for-profit ownership, which now owns approximately 12% of hospice agencies. This trend has raised concerns that private equity entities' emphasis on short-term profitability may reduce the quality of hospice care and services, potentially affecting end-of-life care.  The aim of the research is to examine how hospice ownership status, patients’ primary hospice diagnosis, and the setting of hospice care predict three measures of …

Ai In Government Accounting & Fraud Detection, Amy Hernandez Paz

Doctoral Student Association Conference

The United States is seeing an alarming rise in financial fraud and suspicious activity trends within its government entities (Bruce et al., 2024). According to the Accountability Office (2024) the federal government estimates the annual financial loss has increased from $233 billion to $521 billion, based on data from fiscal years 2018 through 2022. Advancements in technology are not strictly limited to government financial solutions. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (2024) found a rise in generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) exploitation among criminals to facilitate financial schemes such as fraud and extortion. The literature review aims to investigate the gap in …

Ai And Qualitative Data Analysis, Cecily Jackson

Doctoral Student Association Conference

While completing my dissertation, I had the opportunity to use AI to support my qualitative data analysis. During my presentation, I plan to share insights from the literature regarding the use of AI in analysis, as well as my own experiences, including both the benefits and the limitations. The purpose of this discussion is not to promote the use of AI, but rather to foster an open and honest dialogue about its role in research.

Poster: Reserve & National Guard Student Transitions, James Crotty

Doctoral Student Association Conference

A qualitative study of a subgroup of veteran students facing unique socialization challenges when transitioning from the military to academic environments. This qualitative, exploratory study will use narrative inquiry to examine the socialization challenges of RANG (Reserve and National Guard) military students in the higher education community college environment. By analyzing these challenges, the researcher hopes to contribute to a greater understanding of non-traditional students and how college administrators and instructors can more effectively support their academic and career goals.

This presentation would be of particular interest to students and candidates in the Instructional Design Leadership doctoral program.

Gen Ai And Academic Integrity, Valerie A. Storey, Tracy Greene, Lori Salgado

Doctoral Student Association Conference

This qualitative study explored online professional practice doctoral students’ and recent graduates’ (2022-2025) use of editing tools, examining their employment practices and institutional policy recommendations. Using ethical authorship theory, emphasizing attribution, autonomy, and authenticity, researchers analyzed responses from 29 participants. Thematic analysis revealed four themes, three key distinctions, and six commonalities in editorial resource usage. Findings indicate that Gen AI tools increasingly support academic writing processes, creating complex academic integrity implications. Participants demonstrated ethical authorship consciousness and emphasized the necessity for guidelines ensuring editorial technologies support, rather than undermine, academic integrity. Respondents opposed blanket bans on Gen AI tools, advocating …

First-Generation Doctoral Student Book, Stacey Horn

Doctoral Student Association Conference

Thriving as a First-Generation Doctoral Student: How to Navigate Academia Without a Map is a useful, encouraging, and strategic guide for students who are the first in their families to go to college and want to get a PhD. This book talks about the problems that first-generation doctoral students often face but don't always see, like imposter syndrome, the hidden curriculum of academia, financial stress, mental health issues, and not having enough access to mentors and professional networks. It does so from the point of view of someone who has lived through them and as a scholar-practitioner.

Instead of seeing …

Lightning Talk: Ai Adoption In The Workplace (Utaut Model), Arnetta Knight

Doctoral Student Association Conference

Lightning Talks (Short Presentation with Discussion)

• AI adoption in the workplace (UTAUT model) – Track 1
  Arnetta Knight

Critical Friends Groups (Organizational Intervention Angle), Valerie A. Storey, Amiee Wagner

Doctoral Student Association Conference

Online doctoral programs face a persistent crisis with completion rates of only 40-60%, and alarming attrition rates 10-30% higher than traditional programs. While research identifies social and academic isolation as primary factors, few studies examine actionable interventions that higher education institutions can implement to reverse the trend. This sequential mixed-methods study bridges the gap between knowing the problem and implementing a solution.

Our study investigates how a Doctoral Student Association (DSA) employs Critical Friends (CF) protocols to address the challenges faced by online doctoral students. Drawing on Tinto’s model of institutional departure and Astin’s student involvement theory, we examine both …

Librarian–Teacher Collaboration Study, Beth Kiernan Ferrigno

Doctoral Student Association Conference

Educational organizations in a suburban-rural county in the New York metropolitan region struggle to support systematic librarian-teacher collaboration despite evidence of its benefits for student learning. This proposed phenomenological study will examine the lived experiences of certified public school librarians regarding collaboration and the organizational conditions that enable or constrain collaborative practice.

All certified public school librarians (estimated N=200-250) across the county will receive an invitation to participate in the study. Phenomenological interviews with 15-20 certified school librarians will explore their lived experiences of organizational conditions, organizational learning systems, and the meanings they attribute to collaboration.

The study will integrate …

Mexican Gray Wolf Reintroduction: Community Impact & Policy Tension, Jennifer Boer Vis

Doctoral Student Association Conference

The reintroduction of the Mexican gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) falls between a highly contested crossroads. Tensions in Catron County are felt in local ranches, hunting camps/communities, and rural living. In Catron County, ranching and hunting are the backbone of the economy. The reintroduction has proven to be a highly controversial topic among the communities, with most against the ESA.

Using a mixed-method approach to my research, this study unifies gathered data from government entities and oversight reports, and academically published articles. The qualitative evidence gathered during in-depth interviews with local Catron County ranchers and hunting guides …