Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Elementary Music Scheduling And Vertical Alignment On First-Year Middle School Ensemble Readiness: A Study Of Music Teacher Perceptions, James Mock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students entering middle school encounter many changes in how music is taught and organized. During this transition, music students are introduced to a greater emphasis on ensemble performance. These students enter middle school with diverse backgrounds in musical training and knowledge. Additional factors affecting students’ musical development include funding, socioeconomic background, and demographics. Elementary music scheduling and program vertical alignment may also influence students’ preparedness as they enter middle school. To become highly successful in music ensemble performance, students must have appropriate prior musical training before entering middle school.

This qualitative study will examine how elementary music schedules and vertical …

The Impact Of Direct Democracy On Policy Formation, Tricia Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As political polarization and distrust in elected representatives increases in American politics, voters are turning to direct democracy as a mechanism to drive policy making. Proponents of both legislative mechanisms and the use of direct democracy argue that their means of policy making is the most democratic. The Founding Fathers chose a representative system to limit the influence of faction and try and prevent Tocqueville’s tyranny of the majority. This study examines both direct democracy and legislative outcomes at the state level through the lens of adult use cannabis sales policy. Adult use cannabis sales were first legalized in the …

Employees With Disabilities: Determining If Servant Leadership Moderates The Relationship Between Accommodations And Job Performance, Rachael E. Stout

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over 11% of working-age adults have a disability in the United States. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act established accommodations as the gold standard to help disabled individuals perform at work. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was to evaluate the moderating effect of servant leadership on the relationship between accommodation support and job performance across different types of disabilities. This study used a cross-sectional online survey with NSHD disability types, the servant leadership SLQ-7, a question about the effectiveness of accommodation support, and the IWPQ for job performance. Survey responses were collected anonymously from 248 disabled workers …

The Predictability Gap: A Correlation Study Of Supporting Pillars And Repertoire Success In Abrsm Practical And Performance Grades Piano Examinations, Arthur Chit-Ho Ng

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the structural predictability trajectories within the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) graded piano framework. Utilizing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the project analyzed a longitudinal dataset (N = 449) to investigate variance in student achievement and the emergence of developmental plateaus, conceptually identified as the “Reading Wall.” Quantitative modeling revealed distinct structural divergences within the syllabus architecture: the traditional Practical Grades maintained a stable correlational signal between technical components and outcomes (r = .826 at Grade 7), whereas the digital Performance Grades yielded a non-significant association (p = .355). Furthermore, Grade 5 Music …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Female College Athletes: A Phenomenological Study On Power Dynamics, Title Ix Noncompliance, And The Need For Policy Reform, Keri A. Miles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand experiences with power dynamics and Title IX noncompliance for female college athletes at public and private colleges and universities across the United States. At this stage in the research, lived experiences about power dynamics were generally defined as the lived experiences of female college athletes as they navigated the power structures, Title IX noncompliance, and policies within their athletic programs. The theory guiding this study was Critical Policy Analysis as it emphasized the social context in which policies are created by considering Title IX’s implications on women in college sports. The …

Differentiated Instruction For Gifted Students In A North Carolina Title I School System: A Case Study, Kristal Land

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to explore the differentiation of instructional methods used for cluster-grouped gifted students in third through eighth-grade regular education classes at TCSS, a Title I school in North Carolina. For the research, differentiation for cluster-grouped gifted students was defined as students who have been identified as gifted and are grouped together, typically in clusters of three to more than 10 students in a regular education setting. In this environment, teachers differentiate instruction to meet the advanced learning needs of their students. The theory guiding this study is Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Multiple intelligences …

2026-09-17 Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate meeting minutes from September 17, 2026.

Multi-Level Grey Optimization Of Dimensional Deviations And Productivity In Fdm-Printed Pla And Petg Spur Gears, Atidel Ghorbel, Rania Ben Amor, Adama Traore, Sosso Gloire Kondo, Youmni Rakib, Ahmed Elloumi

Babylonian Journal of Mechanical Engineering

This study investigates the multi-level Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) for the simultaneous optimization of dimensional accuracy and productivity in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) of PLA and PETG spur gears. A Taguchi L9 orthogonal array was employed to evaluate the influence of key process parameters, including layer thickness, printing speed, and flow rate. Dimensional accuracy was assessed through multiple geometrical responses, namely internal diameter (Di), head diameter (Da), tooth thickness, and base thickness (Sb). These responses were integrated into a single performance index using Grey Relational Analysis. The results show that the optimal condition for PLA (Exp 9) achieves a maximum …

Academic Standards Subcommittee Minutes, September 17, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Welcome and approval of March 2026 Minutes
• Topics for Discussion
• 1. Proposal to sunset the current Undergraduate Degree Enrichment Policy
• 2. Proposed change to the current Earned Admission Policy
• 3. Proposed Reduced Credit Bachelor Policy (Bachelor of Applied Science)
• Next Meeting: Thursday, October 15, 2026

Academic Standards Subcommittee Agenda, September 17, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Welcome and approval of March 2026 Minutes
• Topics
• Proposal to sunset the current Undergraduate Degree Enrichment Policy
• Proposed change to the current Earned Admission Policy (High School Applicants section)
• Proposed Reduced Credit Bachelor Policy (Bachelor of Applied Science)
• Next Meeting: Thursday, October 15, 2026

Methodological Variations In Environmental Justice Screening Tools And Their Impact On Disadvantaged Community Designations, Thomas Robbins, Qingran Li, Stephen Bird

Faculty Publications

Government agencies in the United States have developed environmental justice screening tools (EJSTs) and designations to promote equitable distribution of benefits from environmental policies to disadvantaged communities (DACs). However, the methodological choices embedded in these tools, including the selection, weighting, and aggregation of environmental justice indicators, vary across EJSTs, and their implications for DAC designation outcomes are poorly understood. Here we systematically compare four EJSTs at the federal and state levels and show that these tools produce substantial variation in the DAC census tracts, with some tools emphasizing socioeconomic burdens while others prioritize environmental risks. Using quantitative regression models, we …

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes September 17, 2026, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Spartan Daily, September 17, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 167, Issue 12

Montana Kaimin, September 17, 2026, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Molecualr Detection Of Antibiotic Resistance Genes Blactx-M, Mcr1, Teta And Sul1 Among Escherichia Coli Isolated From Patients With Nosocomial Infections, Ameer Sabah Tayeh Al-Janabi, Raghad Ali Sahib Al-Musawi

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: Nosocomial infections primarily caused by a wide range of pathogenic bacteria that colonize healthcare environments and infect vulnerable patients. These infections are often associated with both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms, with Gram-negative bacteria being particularly prominent due to their high levels of antibiotic resistance.
Objectives: To detect antibiotic resistance genes (blaCTX-M, mcr1, tetA and sul1) produced by E. coli isolated from patients with nosocomial infections.
Materials and Methods: A total of 155 specimens were collected from patients with nosocomial infections at Marjan Medical City and Al-Sadeq Hospital in Al-Hillah Province between October 2025 …

Nutritional Fingerprints: The Future Of Personalized Nutrition And Disease Prevention, Mataz J. Jamai, Mohammed Mahdi Sami, Tamara Ahmed Abd Alkareem

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

A unique methodology in nutrition research, nutritional fingerprints amalgamate metabolomics, gut microbiota characterization, and nutritional markers to ascertain individual responses to various diets. This inquiry focuses on the scientific foundations, therapeutic applications, and integration with pharmacological treatments, challenges, and future possibilities of nutritional fingerprints. Nutritional fingerprints provide individualized dietary recommendations that enhance health outcomes, transcending conventional ``one-size-fits-all'' legislation. Metabolomics clarifies the comprehensive physiological impacts of food, whereas nutritional biomarkers provide definitive evidence of dietary intake. Nutritional fingerprints may enhance personalized meal planning, diabetes and obesity therapy, and nutritional pharmacology. Besides their nutritional advantages, they may also aid in the prevention …

Evaluating The Physical, Digital, And Sovereign Risks To U.S. Data Centers, Kevin Chen, Katrina Mcdermott

Reports, Projects, and Research

This report is intended to inform DHS officials, law enforcement, critical infrastructure personnel, and the wider Intelligence Community on the urgent physical and digital threat landscape confronting domestic data center infrastructure.

The growth of technologies that are reliant on data centers, most notably AI, has transformed these facilities from passive data repositories into multi-dimensional platforms that are attractive targets for hostile state and non-state actors.

The Role Of Street-Level Bureaucrats In Relieving Food Insecurity Among African American Single Mothers, Andre Bakajika Kazadi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Washington, DC, African American single mothers continued to experience food insecurity despite available assistance, as financial and bureaucratic barriers limited access to and utilization of these programs. This problem is relevant because identifying barriers to food assistance can inform recommendations to improve Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) implementation and effectiveness. Findings from existing literature, conducted primarily from clients’ perspectives, found that food insecurity remained prevalent among African American single mothers. However, limited research has examined the perspectives of SNAP workers, known as street-level bureaucrats, who implement food assistance policies and mediate access to benefits. The purpose of this generic …

Volatile Evidence At Scale: Forensically Sound Preservation And High-Performance Memory Forensics For Containers And Ros-Based Robots, Taha Gharaibeh Ph.D.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Volatile memory holds evidence that reaches persistent storage rarely or never. Containers and robots destroy that evidence as a matter of routine operation rather than through adversarial action, and memory forensic tooling was built for neither platform. This dissertation develops and evaluates a memory-centered approach spanning acquisition, analysis efficiency, and robot forensics, and demonstrates that volatile evidence can be reliably preserved and analyzed at scale across containers and ROS-based robots.

First, we measure why memory forensic analysis is slow. Benchmarking the Volatility Framework across four Python runtimes on 14 memory samples totaling 173 GB shows that PyPy is 15 to …

Quaker Campus, September 17, 2026 (Vol. 25, Issue 2), Whittier College

Quaker Campus

No abstract provided.

Brittle Bone Disorders Consortium Of The Rare Disease Clinical Research Network, Bettina Willie

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Exceptional Holography (2025 Renewal, Revised Budget), Oscar Varela

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

The Parthenon, September 17, 2026, Trista Honaker, Davina Snyder, Soleil Woolard, Alana Romero Lozano, Claire Johnson, Hannah Anderson, Tally Mamula

The Parthenon

No abstract provided.

"The Frontier Years In Florence", William Lindsey Mcdonald

Research Articles

The article presents a brief depiction of the frontier period of Florence, Alabama, including the infrastructure and early impactful figures.

"The Grave Of A Patriot's Widow", William Lindsey Mcdonald

Research Articles

The widow of Revolutionary War veteran, Brigadier General Levi Casey, Elizabeth Duckett Casey is buried in a Lauderdale County cemetery. The article offers a brief overview of her and her husband's lives, as well as information on the degradation of the cemetery she rests in.

"Interesting Facts About Florence", William Lindsey Mcdonald

Research Articles

A quick fact sheet about Florence, Alabama, including its infrastructure, notable figures, history, and natural features

"It Was Big News When The Whistles Blew", William Lindsey Mcdonald

Research Articles

The article presents a brief history of the rise of factories and industries in East Florence, Alabama in the late 19th Century through the lens of the experience of locals Charlie "C.D." and Melvin Brown.

"Lauderdale County Named For War Of 1812 Hero", William Lindsey Mcdonald

Research Articles

As the article's title suggests, Lauderdale County, Alabama was named after a veteran of the War of 1812 named Lieutenant Colonel James Lauderdale. The article offers a brief historical overview of the colonel.

"Man Buried Underneath Tennessee Street", William Lindsey Mcdonald

Research Articles

The article relates the brief narrative of local outlaw, "Mountain" Tom Clark, who is buried beneath Tennessee Street in Florence, Alabama.

"Green Hill", William Lindsey Mcdonald

Research Articles

The community of Greenhill in Lauderdale County, Alabama was named after Captain Green Berry Hill. The article relates a brief history of the community and its industries. In celebration of Green Hill's heritage, a historical marker honoring the industry of the Kennedy Gun Factory was unveiled with McDonald's delivery of the information. Information on the historical marker can be accessed here.