Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing The Impact Of Local–State Revenue Shares And Property Tax Structure On Effective Farmland Tax Rates: Panel Evidence From Seven Midwestern States, 2009–2022, Imtiaz Amin Chy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Property taxes are the primary revenue instrument of local governments in the United States, yet the burdens they impose are distributed unevenly. Farmland, because it cannot be relocated, often absorbs a disproportionate share. This paper examines two related questions: what fiscal factors determine how heavily agricultural land is taxed, and do those tax rates capitalize into farmland asset values? Using an annual panel of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin from 2009 to 2022, we first document how each state allocates property tax revenue across four major spending categories (education, public welfare, health, and utilities) finding that all …

Data-Driven Optimization Of Memory Effects And Critical Components In Cascading Failure Interaction Networks, Md Farhan Tanvir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cascading failures are a major concern for modern power systems‚ where a small failure can cascade through the network to create a large blackout. Because such an event could have catastrophic economic and social costs it is important to understand cascading failures‚ how to model them‚ and the possibility of reducing them. In this thesis‚ we develop a data-driven framework based on actual utility outage data to model and reduce cascading failures. The proposed methodology is based on generation-dependent interaction models and in this study interaction matrices obtained from historical outage events are used to describe the interaction between generations. …

The Fertilization President: A Rhetorical Analysis Of The United States’ Rebirth Of Pronatalism, Kara Vetch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The United States experienced one of the lowest birth rates in decades in 2024 and has been blamed by policymakers for poor economic and societal outcomes. To combat this, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to encourage healthcare insurances to lower the cost of fertility treatments. Policies encouraging more births align with pronatalist ideologies, the belief that higher national birth rates are better for society. Furthermore, Vice President JD Vance and social media influencers, Malcolm and Simone Collins, have built a strong resurgence of pronatalist ideologies through public addresses and interviews long before Trump’s executive order. For an in-depth …

Computational Modeling Of Biophysical Transport: Respiratory Drug Delivery And Tissue-Level Physics, Md Tariqul Hossain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The nasopharynx, the upper part of the pharynx located at the back of the nose serves as a critical hotspot for initial respiratory infections via inhaled transmission, largely due to the presence of specific surface receptors that pathogens can exploit for cell invasion, combined with a relatively sparse local mucociliary substrate. To enhance the therapeutic efficacy against certain pathogens, such as the SARS and Influenza viruses, it is therefore essential to improve the targeted delivery of drugs to the nasopharynx. This study explores the use of intranasal sprays as a method for drug administration and models the transport of sprayed …

Strong Foundations: Supporting Mental Well-Being In School-Age Youth, Skylar Simpson

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

School-age youth in the United States increasingly face stressors that disrupt their overall mental well-being, highlighting a need for accessible preventative interventions. To address this gap, this doctoral capstone project developed a program titled Strong Foundations: Supporting Mental Well-Being in School-Age Youth, an evidence- and occupation-based program consisting of various interventions designed to enhance the well-being of youth attending a San Francisco Recreation and Park (SFRPD) community-based summer camp. Through embedding occupational therapy-based programming into an environment that currently lacks dedicated mental well-being promotion methods, the Strong Foundations aims to foster mental well-being among school-age youth through occupational engagement that …

Access Resource Guide For Bay Area Cultural Arts Organizations Developed In Collaboration With People With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Clarissa Junio

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

Background: Hidden access barriers persist within cultural arts organizations. As a result, people with IDD continue to experience reduced levels of community participation, limiting the associated benefits to health, well-being, and quality of life. Organizational-level occupational therapy (OT) consultation can address barriers and expand organizational capacity to meet the needs of people with IDD.

Purpose: The project aimed to strengthen organizational capacity of Bay Area cultural arts organizations and expand existing accessibility resources by co-developing a resource guide centered on lived experience to maximize community social participation for people with IDD. The guide was disseminated to cultural arts …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Developing Aquatic Programs For Children Diagnosed With Autism, Giavanna Stavros

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

There is a need for inclusion in therapeutic aquatic programming for children diagnosed with autism (ASD), as their increased participation in aquatic interventions and activities promotes safety and well-being for this population. Pediatric occupational therapists (OTs) are vital to fill this gap in skill, as pediatric OTs consistently work with children diagnosed with ASD (Jaicks, 2024), and core principles of the occupational therapy (OT) profession include enhancing one’s safety and well-being (American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 2025). Children diagnosed with ASD must have the opportunity to engage in swimming and aquatic therapy, as this population is at a higher risk …

Promoting Postpartum Maternal Self-Efficacy Through Prenatal Pelvic Floor Health And Sensory Modulation Education, Cate Smith

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

Pelvic floor therapy, also called pelvic floor health care, is an emerging field for occupational therapy practitioners. Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is a common health outcome after pregnancy and childbirth. Although most women receive consistent prenatal health care, they do not receive the education they need to manage symptoms of PFD such as incontinence, pain, and sensory dysregulation during the postpartum period. Occupational therapy can play a meaningful role in educating and supporting women during the prenatal period, postpartum healing, and role acquisition. This doctoral capstone project researched educational strategies to improve self-efficacy among perinatal women. Albert Bandura defines self-efficacy …

Strengthening Communication And Collaboration Between The Student Support Triad (Teachers, Caregivers, And Health Professionals) In Schools, Jasmine E. Henley

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

Teachers, caregivers, and health professionals, who are key stakeholders that form a student support triad, each face a range of challenges and barriers that impact their ability to communicate and collaborate with one another, therefore impacting the student and their ability to access and participate in meaningful occupations. Though these challenges and barriers for each stakeholder are well-documented individually, there is limited evidence on solutions to strengthen communication across the triad and solutions that center the student and their engagement in meaningful occupations. This project aims to bridge this gap, despite the greater systemic barriers, by developing remedial solutions that …

Sensory Friendly Summers: Designing Inclusive Camp Experiences For Children With Sensory Processing Challenges, Isandla Blanc

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

Children with sensory processing challenges may experience barriers to participation in everyday activities. While summer camps offer opportunities for social development, play, and growth, staff may have limited training and resources to support children with different sensory needs. This can create challenges to participation and inclusion within traditional summer camp environments. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a staff training program aimed at increasing staff understanding of sensory processing and providing practical strategies to support campers with sensory processing challenges.

A project-level needs assessment was conducted through informal staff conversations, observations of daily camp …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Promoting An Accessible Playground Environment For Parents With Physical Disabilities, Molly M. Busby

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

Limited implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards and concepts of universal design in the playground environment restrict parents with physical disabilities' engagement in the co-occupation of visiting the playground with their children. The outdoor playground environment promotes the child’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development and has positive benefits on the mental health of the parent. Local community park organizations have the power to make accessibility changes to playgrounds in the community but often they lack the knowledge to do so. The purpose of this capstone project is to facilitate increased inclusivity and physically accessible playground …

Challenging Stem Learning Spaces: The Paradigm Of Contemplative Traditions As The Bedrock Of Creativity And Healing, Raaghav Pandya, Christopher Emdin

Publications and Research

As the post-pandemic classroom and pedagogy evolve to remedy oppressive norms, young people’s mental health and alienation has taken front stage (Rahmani & Zitouni, 2022). Traditional STEM learning spaces often teach inquiry as a linear, non-deviated approach to problems about self and nature (Hrisa & Psillos, 2022). Furthermore, because our classrooms often strip students and educators of their inherent creative abilities through constant assessments, improvement scales, and market-driven expectations, classrooms cease to become places of healing (Pandya, 2021). Eastern wisdom traditions and their associated philosophies provide a unique pedagogical lens that emphasizes a deep inquiry into self, empathy, and creativity …

Ancient Wisdom & Its Cultural Relevance: Reimagining Deeper Learning In Science Classrooms Through The Lens Of Yoga And Vedānta, Raaghav Pandya

Publications and Research

Contemporary calls to reconceptualize how science is taught and understood have brought deeper learning to the forefront of education at-large for its emphasis on critical perspectives, creativity, and student-centered inquiry. Yet this paper argues that its prevailing framework remains constrained by Cartesian dualism, a materialist foundation that disassociates the individual from self, other, and nature, and falls short of addressing the mental health, environmental, and cultural challenges facing youth today. To address this limitation, this paper proposes a complementary convergence between deeper learning and the contemplative traditions of Yoga and Vedānta, whose ancient paradigms of self-inquiry, interconnectedness, and well-being offer …

A Brief Measure Of Decisional Balance For Health Equity Engagement Among Health Professionals, Amanda Lee Almond

Publications and Research

Racial health and healthcare inequities are sustained in part by health professionals’ beliefs about the benefits and costs of equity-focused action, yet no validated decisional balance measure exists for this domain. This study introduces and evaluates the Health Equity Decisional Balance (HEDB) scale. Eighty-eight health professionals completed the scale of ten proposed items assessing perceived pros and cons of engaging with health and healthcare equity work, along with a measure of Anti-Racist Efficacy (ARE) (Eschmann et al., 2023). Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to test the latent structure of the scale and its predictive validity. A …

Impact Of Foreign Direct Investment On Employment In The Metropolitan Statistical Areas Of North Carolina, Matthew Y. Xiong

Doctor of Business Administration Dissertations

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is widely recognized as a catalyst for regional economic development; however, limited research has examined its relationship with employment growth at the metropolitan level within individual U.S. states. This study examined the relationship between FDI and employment growth across fifteen North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) from 2010 to 2019. Guided by Dunning's Eclectic (OLI) Paradigm (1988), Endogenous Growth Theory, the Human Capital/Absorptive Capacity Framework, and Institutional Capacity Theory, this quantitative study employed a balanced panel dataset of 150 MSA-year observations. Fixed-effects panel regression models with cluster-robust standard errors were used to examine the effects of …

The Fiduciary Game, Lauren R. Roth

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

Fiduciary duties are supposed to bridge the gap between public and private law. Private actors who engage in “public or quasi-public” functions (e.g., corporate directors and pension administrators) are often subject to fiduciary constraints to protect vulnerable parties who lack power in relationships with these actors. Recently, scholars have argued that both courts and legislatures have inappropriately expanded the use of fiduciary duties to purely private relationships. But what if the problem is not the expansion of fiduciary duties to private relationships, but the increasing delegation of public powers to private actors whose behavior cannot be adequately constrained by fiduciary …

Navigating State Law In Local Climate Action, Vincent M. Nolette, Daniel J. Metzger, Olivia N. Guarna, Amy E. Turner

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Local governments are well-positioned to lead the fight against climate change by reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions, promoting renewable energy resources, and otherwise advancing climate mitigation and adaptation goals. Many local governments have already taken actions, and there is more they can do. In mitigating and adapting to the climate crisis, local governments must be aware of and act consistently with preemptive state laws that limit their authority. This report provides state-by-state information, resources, and analysis for nineteen states on key state-local preemption issues.

The states covered in this report represent several of the “swing” states that are the most …

A Poor Man's Cup: Chicory Experimentation In Nebraska,1890-1900, Rebecca Hupp

Dissertations and Theses

“A Poor Man’s Cup” explores how Nebraskans actively confronted the problems of the late nineteenth-century through experimenting with new commodities. Prolonged severe drought, economic depression, and poor grain prices created a troublesome situation that grew in complexity as U.S. markets expanded globally and agriculture underwent professionalization. Some lay farmers, like Gabriel and Philomena Bazelman of Holt County, did not wait for new methods to find their way through the experiment station system and instead conducted trials themselves. Through piecing together the story of Nebraska chicory production with periodicals from the 1890s, experiment station bulletins, and Congressional reports, this thesis demonstrates …

Recalibrating Deference In Sentencing, Meghana Nemali

Fordham Law Review

The U.S. Sentencing Commission (the “Commission”) is responsible for promoting consistency, transparency, and fairness in federal sentencing. In pursuit of this mandate, the Commission publishes the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), which are accompanied by official commentary. In Stinson v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court endowed the commentary with controlling authority. However, nearly three decades later, the Court in Kisor v. Wilkie granted courts greater discretion in deciding whether to defer to the commentary. Moreover, in 2024, the Court eliminated the absolute deference regime for administrative agency determinations in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. As a result, …

Remote Access Restrictions To Immigration-Related Court Records, Doris H. Zhang

Fordham Law Review

Journalists today often report on newsworthy federal court cases by remotely accessing the court records online. However, thanks to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2(c), remote access is not available by default in immigration-related cases. To obtain any court records in immigration cases, journalists must go to the courthouse, hire someone to go on their behalf, or ask the court to exercise its discretion to lift the Rule 5.2(c) remote access restrictions. These alternatives are burdensome, hindering the ability of the press and the public to keep track of immigration cases in federal courts. Despite the burdens on the press …

Virginia Commonwealth University Professional Bulletin (2026), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Professional programs bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2026-2027. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses.

Virginia Commonwealth University Courses (2026), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Listing of courses for the 2026-2027 year.

Virginia Commonwealth University Undergraduate Bulletin (2026), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Undergraduate bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2026-2027. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for undergraduate programs

Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate Bulletin (2026), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Listing of courses for the 2026-2027 year.

Economic Impacts Of Alaska Fiscal Options 2026, Brett Watson, Noah Burke, Mike Jones, Spencer Perry, Brock Wilson

ISER Reports

The State of Alaska faces persistent budget challenges resulting from declining oil prices and production. Because current major revenue sources—petroleum and the Permanent Fund (POMV)—are not explicitly tied to internal economic activity, there is an "Alaska disconnect" between state growth and public revenue. ISER researchers evaluated 11 primary fiscal options + three variations. These included changes to state spending, broad-based taxes, and business taxes. Nine of these options were selected to match those ISER evaluated in 2016. In addition, ISER modelled two new options related to business taxes. ISER also evaluated three variations of these options. Any options implemented will …

A Pull Toward Independence: Improving Pessary Removal Ease And Patient Independence Using Dental Floss, Stephanie Haly

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Stress Urinary Incontinence are the most common medical conditions for prescribing a vaginal pessary. Treating these conditions is vital to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. Treatment options vary from surgical options to less invasive alternatives. Due to various reasons, a patient might opt to avoid surgical management which leaves a vaginal pessary as the next best treatment option. Barriers to pessary self-management are seen frequently and can reduce patient independence and compliance. This quality improvement project sought to answer the following research question: In women using vaginal pessaries for pelvic organ prolapse or stress …

Rooted In Relationships: How Personal And Workplace Social Capital Help Sustain Principal Leadership, Megan Scelfo

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

It takes five or more years to fully realize a vision for change in any organization (Fullan, 2002; Snodgrass Rangel, 2018), yet the average tenure for a public-school principal in their same school is 4.5 years (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2023). This work adds to our understanding of what factors may improve principal longevity to positively impact school effectiveness. This multiple-case study (Yin, 2018) incorporated a survey and interviews to determine how components of social capital (Bourdieu,1986; Coleman, 1988; Tsounis 2022, Wang et al., 2014) may impact the retention of Pennsylvania public school principals. The survey asked about …

Nurse-Facilitated Cbt-I Using The Cbt-I Coach Free Application, David Berhanu Mr.

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Chronic insomnia is a prevalent condition associated with significant physical, psychological, and functional impairment. Although Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is recommended as first-line treatment, access remains limited, resulting in continued reliance on pharmacologic therapies. This DNP project evaluated the effectiveness of a nurse practitioner (NP)-facilitated CBT-I program, supported by the CBT-I Coach, in improving sleep outcomes and reducing reliance on sleep medications among adults with chronic insomnia in an outpatient setting. Methods: A pre–post intervention design was utilized. Adult participants with chronic insomnia were enrolled in a structured CBT-I program consisting of an initial 60-minute intake session followed …

Empowerment Vs. Oversight: Student Perspectives On Classroom Genai Policies, Jessica A. Drass

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

The widespread availability of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools and their rapid evolution has prompted faculty and institutions to develop classroom policies in effort to manage use, yet little empirical research exists on how such policies impact students. This qualitative study sought to explore how higher education students define academic integrity and GenAI’s place within it, how they perceive and evaluate classroom GenAI policies, and how such policies shape their academic self-efficacy, motivation, and engagement. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen undergraduate and graduate students at a mid-sized public university located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Interview …

Beyond Superpowers And Stereotypes: Female High School Band Directors Navigating Gendered Expectations In Leadership, Rachael L. Urquhart

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Female high school band directors (FHSBDs) are significantly underrepresented (approx. 25%) in a male-dominated field. This inequity is sustained by societal gender stereotypes that create a double standard for traits like assertiveness and empathy. This mixed-methods study examined the leadership perceptions and career aspirations of female music teachers and highlighted the career obstacles and encouragements of female high school band directors (FHSBDs) by applying feminist theory to gender roles, self-concept, and leadership conceptualization. A survey of female music teachers yielded 89 responses. Then, 10 FSHBDs participated in a narrative-mapping activity and follow-up interview.

Survey data confirmed that leadership is a …