Digital Commons Network^™

Women And Magic In Medieval Romance: Genre, Intertextuality, And Power, By Jane Bonsall, Melissa Elmes

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Matched Freespace And Wall Damping On Stiffness Perception, Madeleine Toland, M Bourgeois, Emma Treadway

Engineering Faculty Research

Stiffness perception has previously been shown to be influenced by damping. This work addresses open questions about what damping conditions are best for enabling classification of virtual walls by their stiffness. Through a forced-choice classification experiment with 12 participants, we found that the highest mean classification performance (in terms of both information transfer and percent correct responses) occurred when freespace damping matched wall damping, rather than being higher or lower. However, statistically significant differences did not appear between the closest damping values employed, suggesting that the effects do not become pronounced until the damping is quite mismatched.

Crossing Borders: Teaching Migration Through Experiential Learning, Katherine Rule

Spectrum

This project was born out of curiosity after watching an episode of Dark Tourism. In the episode, host David Farrier embarks on a simulated southern border crossing with a group of tourists to understand the challenges people informally migrating face on the migrant trail. The simulation included coyotes, harsh terrain, staged robberies, and even interactions with border patrol. By the end of the simulation, both the host and tourists articulated an increased understanding of the journey itself. Watching this made me begin to wonder whether an activity like this could be replicated in a classroom setting. Could a similar experience …

Decreasing The Prevalence Of Hiv/Aids Misinformation And Stigma In South Africa, Matt Jasper

Spectrum

Misinformation about HIV/AIDS, an insidious disease spread by contact with infected blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or breast milk, persists in South Africa, a long-time epicenter for the pandemic. One of the largest contributors to the continuation and social harm associated with this disease is stigma. In a study that examined stigma towards HIV/AIDS in South Africa using surveys, 76% of people stated that people living with HIV (PLWHIV) experience stigma and are treated differently. Along with this, 45% of people reported that they were uncomfortable being around PLWHIV, and among those that have the disease, 73% believe that disclosing their …

Poverty And Health: Skeletal Evidence Of Syphilis At Charity Hospital Cemetery #2, New Orleans, Louisiana (1842-1929), Connor Lincoln

Spectrum

No abstract provided.

How We Treat The Unclaimed Dead: Initial Research Into Human Remains Laws Across The U.S., Rhydian Schaaf

Spectrum

No abstract provided.

Board Attributes, Firm Performance, And The Moderating Role Of National Culture: A Meta-Analysis, Matthew Farrell, Chris H. Willis, Nathapon Siangchokyoo, Ryan L. Klinger, Jamil Kreugel, Hami Usta, Timiry R. Tian, Ying Thaviphoke, Samuel Wilson

Management Faculty Publications

Research Question/Issue

The impact of board structures on firm performance remains a contentious governance topic with competing theoretical paradigms and inconclusive empirical support. Scholars propose that national culture could reconcile contradictory evidence; yet, argumentation is fragmented and direct tests are rare. We meta‐analyzed 513 samples across 54 countries to examine relationships between board structures (i.e., board size, board independence, and CEO duality) and firm performance. We model national culture, using Hofstede's six cultural dimensions, as moderators to test whether these relationships align with agency or stewardship theory across different cultural settings.

Research findings/insights

Findings indicate a substantial moderating role of …

Cultivating Creative Courage: How Metacognition And Choice Influence Risk-Taking In Secondary Visual Arts, Shea Meehan

Master of Education in Transformational Teaching and Learning

This action research project explored how embedding metacognitive reflection and elective levels of challenge into classroom routines influenced students’ willingness to take creative risks in a secondary visual arts classroom. Conducted in two high school graphic arts classes totaling 38 students, the study introduced daily reflection prompts, structured choice through a “Creative Risk Ladder” (Safe, Stretch, Bold), critique activities and opportunities for student voice and autonomy within open-ended creative projects. Data was collected through student surveys, daily reflections, observational field notes and student artifacts. Findings suggest that students were more willing to engage in creative risk-taking when projects felt personally …

The Power Of Choice: Avoiding The Plight Of Sisyphus, Tauno Latvala

Master of Education in Transformational Teaching and Learning

The purpose of this study was to learn how to more effectively engage students in productive struggle and specifically how student feedback and choice could enhance their level of engagement and future achievement. This study was conducted over a 2-week period between April 17 and May 1. Students were given a pre-survey, followed with 3 assignments with options of problem sets to solve that had varied levels of challenge, and then finalized with a post-survey. Among the results were that there was diversity of reasoning as to why they made their choices, there were students who chose to do multiple …

The Joy Of Reading: An Action Research Project, William Cronin

Master of Education in Transformational Teaching and Learning

This study is to investigate what impact sustained silent reading in class will have on student enjoyment in reading. The study was conducted over a two-week period in which students were given 10-15 minutes for sustained silent reading of a hard-copy book of their choice at the end of each class meeting. They were then asked in a survey how they felt after reading, and to give a reason why they answered in that way. Students were also surveyed at the beginning and end of the study with a series of questions about their reading habits and enjoyment level. The …

Emptiness Is Enlightenment: Two Interpretations Of Nāgārjuna's Middle Way As Buddhist Soteriology, Isabella R. Sullivan

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis investigates the soteriological implications of Nāgārjuna’s doctrine of emptiness (śūnyatā) as presented in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (MMK), or Root Verses of the Middle Way. While Nāgārjuna’s radical denial of intrinsic existence (svabhāva) is widely recognized as a masterful critique of metaphysics, modern scholarship remains divided on whether this "right view" can sufficiently ground the Buddhist Path to Liberation. This project centers on a comparative analysis of two prominent modern interpretations: Jay Garfield’s semantic anti-dualism and Giuseppe Ferraro’s anti-metaphysical realism.

The inquiry evaluates these perspectives against the doctrinal frameworks of the Four Noble Truths, dependent …

Antimicrobial Activity Of Violacein Extracted ​ From Janthinobacterium Lividum​, Catherine M. Brownhill-Slatore

Scripps Senior Theses

Abstract

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been a threat since the discovery of antibiotics. The increased rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has created an immediate need for new antibiotics. Violacein, a purple bisindole pigment produced by Janthinobacterium lividum, has been shown to be a promising new antibiotic. Its efficacy has not been completely demonstrated, and this project aims to further investigate the effectiveness of violacein as an antibiotic. To do this, a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test was conducted. Violacein was grown, extracted, purified, and tested across concentrations ranging from 1.0 to 500.00 µg/mL to cover values well above and below previously cited …

Data-Driven Thresholds For Standardized Classification Of Severe Alzheimer’S Disease Neuropathology Using Digital Neuropathology, Ryan K. Shahidehpour, Allison M. Neltner, Mitchell A. Klusty, Cole Corbett, Angelique D. Gonzalez, David A. Gutman, David W. Fardo, Adam D. Bachstetter, Cody Bumgardner, Margaret E. Flanagan, Peter T. Nelson

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Alzheimer's disease neuropathological changes (ADNC)—operationalized with semi-quantitative parameters—represent the consensus-based gold standard for diagnostic evaluation of disease severity. Although useful, ADNC diagnostic frameworks have limitations, particularly in advanced disease stages where pathological severity varies widely within a given diagnostic category. Further, some individuals lacking cognitive impairment are inappropriately categorized as having severe ADNC. In this study, quantitative pathology metrics and alternative tissue sampling schemes were integrated with data about premortem cognitive status, in order to derive clinically informed neuropathologic diagnostic thresholds. Specific goals of the current study were to generate data-driven, standardized diagnostic cut-points, with the most severe stages of …

Developing A Community-Driven, Locally Sourced Medically Tailored Meal Model: A Pilot Linking Healthcare, Farmers, And Patients, Julie Brown, Ashton Potter, Leandra Forman, Jairus J. Rossi, Anna Cason, Christa Mayfield, Alison Gustafson

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: Food is Medicine (FIM) programs improve health outcomes by integrating nutrition interventions into healthcare delivery, yet gaps remain in community partner capacity and local food system integration. This program aimed to build community capacity to develop a locally sourced, medically tailored meal (MTM) model connecting farmers, healthcare providers, and patients. Methods: Meals were developed by a registered dietitian following American Heart Association (AHA) Heart-Check and MyPlate nutrition standards. Recipes were adapted for freezing, scaled for production, and sourced from 26 central Kentucky farms. Eligible participants with hypertension or type 2 diabetes (T2D) were referred through the Food as Health …

Library Advisory Council 2025-2026 End Of Academic Year Report, Central Washington University

Library Advisory Council for CWU Libraries

Library Advisory Council 

2025-2026 

End of Academic Year Report 

Infringement Through Imitation: Ai Chatbots And The Characters They Infringe, Isabella Herrera

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

Chatbots that purport to embody the personas of copyrighted characters are poised to be a central issue for the IP legal field and the entertainment industry. In September of 2025, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character.AI, a leader in the “character” chatbots market, demanding removal of numerous chatbots that were reportedly based on characters from Disney franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, and the Pixar films. Character.AI allegedly removed all infringing characters, however it remains unclear whether character chatbots platforms are required to do so under IP law. This Note addresses the issue of copyright infringement for character chatbots and …

Designing Theranostic Radiopharmaceutical Trials For Uterine Cervix Cancer, Denise Fabian, Molly E. Buffington, Brianna S. Cagle, Steve M. Keefe, Michael K. Schultz, Charles A. Kunos

Radiation Medicine Faculty Publications

Designing and interpreting early phase trials of theranostic radiopharmaceuticals remains challenging because it is difficult to isolate effective levels of activity in enriched patient populations that would be worth following up in later-phase development. This study explores the known challenges and emerging opportunities for clinical research on patients with uterine cervical cancer. We identified eight randomized combination trials for advanced-stage uterine cervix cancer that were activated between 2011 and 2022 and tabulated their results to determine whether combinations were better than individual constituents and which suitable study population is best situated for the study of a new theranostic agent. In …

John W. "Bud" Fowler: The Black Tourist's Baseball Journey, Mark E. Eberle

Monographs

What is known of the baseball career and associated events in the life of John W. “Bud” Fowler (1858–1913), an inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, is described in a chronological set of essays. Some essays are incomplete, reflecting the limited information available. In addition, the absence of essays for months, sometimes nearly entire years, also highlights gaps in what we know about Fowler’s career. These aspects of the essays are intended to help focus additional study by researchers on particular dates and places to fill the gaps and present a fuller understanding of this baseball pioneer’s life. …

Broadening The Fetal Alcohol Paradigm: Bdnf Methylation As A Link Between Paternal Alcohol Use And Offspring Neurodevelopmental Deficits, Caitlin E. Muñoz

Scripps Senior Theses

Developmental effects of fetal alcohol exposure are extensively documented as a consequence of maternal gestational alcohol consumption. However, similar consequences of paternal alcohol consumption remain understudied. This proposed pilot study will examine preconception paternal alcohol consumption within its capacity to induce heritable epigenetic modifications in sperm, such that offspring are susceptible to adverse in utero neurodevelopment and neonatal neurobehavioral outcomes. Specifically, it will examine DNA methylation patterns along the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) exon IV promoter in paternal spermatozoa. BDNF exon IV is considered a key locus in neurogenesis regulation, synaptic plasticity, and cortical development. It is hypothesized that BDNF …

Regulation By Deposit Insurance, Todd Phillips

Marquette Law Review

The fact that the United States has three banking regulators poses challenges to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in carrying out its statutory mandates. The agency relies on other regulators with priorities different from its own to limit the risks that banks take, to require holding companies to take losses before the FDIC in case banks fail, and to enforce the FDIC’s regulations. Moreover, the FDIC cannot enact its preferred policies if it wishes to avoid a regulatory race to the bottom with other regulators.

This Article proposes a novel solution to this well-known problem: regulation by deposit insurance. …

Ghostwriting The Government, Bridget C.E. Dooling

Marquette Law Review

Ghostwriting is when a writer prepares materials to be issued under someone else’s name. The word describes a politician’s use of a speechwriter, a student’s purchase of a term paper, or a tongue-twisted admirer asking a poet to craft a love letter on his behalf. It also happens inside organizations every day: staff draft documents for others “up the chain” to sign. But when legislators rely on staff and lobbyists to draft bills, when an agency head relies on staff or contractors to write a rule, and when a judge relies on her clerk for a draft opinion, the benefits …

Public Rights, Democracy, And The Separation Of Powers, James L. Huffman

Marquette Law Review

This Article examines the concept of public rights in the contexts of democratic governance and the constitutional separation of powers. While the concept of public rights has a long history in Anglo-American law, over the last several decades, the term is often employed with only vague reference to its historic meanings and with little or no definition. With reliance on the centrality of the concept of rights in American constitutional government, it is commonly claimed that public rights, like private rights, can be enforced in the courts as constraints on legislative and executive actions.

In American caselaw public rights have …

Collegial Support As A Key Component Of Beginning Special Education Teacher Retention, Olivia A. Brammer

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reviews current studies to examine how collegial support is a key component of beginning special education teacher retention through classroom and instructional support, observations and coaching, and emotional and mental health support. The literature shows that across rural and urban school districts in the United States, colleagues and their support play an important role in the retention of beginning special education teachers. The thesis also points to the need for further research on mentorship and induction programs for beginning special education teachers as they navigate their unique roles. While the results show the impact of collegial support on …

Finding Meaning And Value In Old Age, Jane Nell Morgan

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project addressed finding meaning and value in old age. The research conducted explored barriers to achieving meaning and value and how to overcome those obstacles. The research specifically focused on senior adults who reside in a Christian-based assisted living home located in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. In response to this problem, the researcher studied the lives of three older biblical characters, Jacob, the author of Psalm 71, and Anna, and reviewed relevant literature on barriers senior citizens face today. In addition, research included the damaging effects older adults face when they fail to find meaning in their lives and …

Making The Punishment Fit: Individualization And Parity As Principles Of Proportionality, Sonia Anand Knowlton, Sylvia Rich

Dalhousie Law Journal

Proportionality is the fundamental principle of sentencing in Canada: a sentence must be proportionate to the gravity of the offence and the blameworthiness of the offender. In order for a sentence to be proportionate, the Supreme Court has stated that it must be individualized to the particular event and also that it must maintain parity with similar offences committed in similar circumstances. Parity tends to compare the relative severity of offences in the abstract, lending itself to the gravity analysis. Individualization, on the other hand, customizes the sentence to the individual’s culpability, lending itself to the blameworthiness analysis. But these …

Work In Progress: The Impact Of Classroom Interventions On Student Success And Retention In Electric Circuits, Cherian Mathews

All Faculty Articles - School of Engineering and Computer Science

University of the Pacific has embarked on a university-wide endeavor to improve student success and retention. This effort involves academic coaches being placed in each unit, early grade reporting in the fifth week of the semester, follow-ups by faculty advisors and academic coaches for struggling students, and documentation of interactions with such students in the university CRM system. These follow-ups with students typically involve conversations to explore factors contributing to poor performance (e.g., health issues, excessive work hours, study skills), suggesting approaches to improve performance, and making referrals to care teams and supplemental instruction. Despite all these efforts, DFW rates …

Lived Experiences Of Men Working In Both White-Collar And Blue-Collar Jobs: A Systematic Literature Review, Pius Omolewa, John Bressan, Nassrine Noureddine, Adekemi Adedipe

All Faculty Scholarship

The objective of this systematic review was to identify, appraise, and meta-synthesize qualitative evidence regarding the experiences and perceptions of men in both white-collar and blue-collar jobs. The systematic review of qualitative studies searches was conducted in MEDLINE, Scopus, EBSCohost, ProQuest, CINAHL, and PsycINFO of articles published between 2005 and 2025 to ensure information is current and relevant to modern practices and to analyze trends and the evolution of a research field over a significant period of 20 years. In total, 2,074 articles were identified, and after screening using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, …

Personal Strength As A Core Dimension Of Posttraumatic Growth: A Multi-Method Study Of U.S. Military Veterans, Steven Moore

Social Work Dissertations

U.S. military veterans are frequently exposed to traumatic and morally challenging experiences that can disrupt core assumptions about identity, purpose, and control. While much of the veteran mental health literature has emphasized psychological distress and functional impairment, growing attention has been directed toward posttraumatic growth and strengths-based outcomes. This dissertation examined posttraumatic growth among U.S. military veterans with a specific focus on personal strength as a central dimension of growth following trauma.

Using a multi-method design, this dissertation integrated findings from three complementary studies. First, a scoping review mapped how posttraumatic growth, personal strength, and related constructs have been conceptualized, …

Mckee Library Annual Report 2025-2026, Southern Adventist University

Annual Reports

The 2025-2026 Annual Report includes library utilization, information on the ongoing strategic plan, Campus Research Day, the impact of artificial intelligence, and statistics on the Writing Center and Tutoring Center.

Feudal Is Fine Because Property Is Sovereignty: Rational Basis Equal Protection And The New Noncitizen Land Laws, Jill M. Fraley

Scholarly Articles

States are enacting a new wave of land laws restricting noncitizens’ ownership of real property, prompting immediate constitutional challenges grounded in equal protection and federal preemption. Most commentators assume these laws are unlikely to survive modern scrutiny. This Article argues that these land laws rest on a constitutional logic that remains both doctrinally intact and normatively compelling: the treatment of real property as an incident of state sovereignty rather than an ordinary site of economic regulation.

Against prevailing accounts, this Article shows that the Court’s jurisprudence has never subjected all citizenship-based classifications to heightened scrutiny. Instead, the Court has consistently …