Digital Commons Network^™

Taxes And Tournaments, Alex Raskolnikov

Faculty Scholarship

What is the best way to reduce economic inequality? Economists, lawyers, political philosophers, and politicians have pondered this question for decades. Yet there is another group of savvy and highly motivated individuals who have been thinking about redistribution for just as long. Commissioners of the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, and Major League Baseball, together with team owners and player unions, have been inventing and reinventing ways to redistribute resources, and they continue to do so today. The same is true of the President of National Collegiate Athletic Association, along with the heads of …

The Trump Administration Reverses U.S. Position On Unrwa Immunities, Lori Fisler Damrosch

Faculty Scholarship

On April 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice submitted a letter in a civil lawsuit that maintains for the first time that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is not immune from U.S. civil litigation. The letter reverses the position taken by the previous administration in the same lawsuitFootnote 2 and alters nearly eight decades of U.S. practice concerning the immunities of UN entities that are considered subsidiary organs of UN principal organs and thus part of the United Nations itself. Heretofore, the government stated that such organs are entitled …

Hire And Hope: An Exploration Of Principal Turnover, Jessica D. True

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is designed to investigate the possible relationships between principal turnover within K-12 public schools in the State of Texas, and demographic characteristics of school location, principal’s ethnicity, principal’s gender, and principal’s level of post-secondary degree. Data for participating schools was gathered from state-reported educator information specifically for the 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023, and 2023/2024 school years. The longitudinal study reviewed K-12 non-charter public schools in Education Service Center (ESC) 11, which encompasses all public schools in the Fort Worth metroplex of North Texas, allowing this study to analyze a robust and inclusive dataset. The Chi-Square Test of …

Exploring Insect-Based Tourism Potential In Mount Makiling Forest Reserve Through Tourism Insights, Alexis John T. Fajardo, Rogelio T. Andrada Ii, Roberto G. Visco, Dianne Joy D. Aguilon

Journal Article

This study explored the potential of offering insect-based tourism in the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MMFR) to diversify its ecotourism portfolio and reinforce promotion of biodiversity conservation. Addressing a global lack of research that explores insect-based tourism, this study analyzed the perceptions, experiences, attitudes, knowledge, and interests of 584 tourists regarding their motivation and possible participation in such an activity. The findings revealed strong tourist interest, with 73.3% expressing a desire to engage in insect-based tourism and 67.5% specifically stating they would participate if the activity were offered at MMFR. Although 29.8% of tourists were unfamiliar with the concept of …

Sustainable Crisis Management Framework For Suicide Response In The University Setting, Jonathan D. Maliwat

Journal Article

This study evaluates suicide response protocols at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) through a round table discussion involving 21 participants, including university officials, law enforcement officers, and campus security personnel. Utilizing the Rensis Likert method and agree-disagree questions, the study examines key concerns such as reporting suicide threats, police involvement in weapon-related incidents, and the establishment of guidelines for suicide-related deaths. Findings reveal gaps in protocol clarity, interagency coordination, and response efficiency. Based on these insights, the study recommends the development of well- defined policies, mandatory crisis response training, and strengthened multi-sectoral partnerships to enhance suicide prevention …

Teacher Grit, Commitment, And Psychological Well-Being: A Structural Equation Modelling Analysis, Mary Ann A. Artizuela, Fraide A. Ganotica Jr.

Journal Article

Although teacher well-being has been widely examined, limited research has explored how grit and commitment jointly influence psychological well-being among Filipino educators within a robust theoretical framework. This study addresses this gap by investigating the role of grit and commitment in shaping teacher well-being at Palawan State University in Puerto Princesa City, Philippines. According to the Engine Model of Well-being, individual traits like grit serve as inputs that shape internal processes (e.g., teacher commitment), ultimately influencing well-being. Guided by this framework, grit was conceptualized as an input, teacher commitment as a mediating process, and psychological well-being as an outcome. Employing …

Corporate Governance And Tax Compliance Of Publicly Listed Companies In The Philippines, Hans Theo S. Ramirez, Jhulliane Kiss A. Mijares, Alyson Jane D. Constantino, Marwel B. Toledo, Jacob Marius L. Tolentino, Elma L. Mallorca

Journal Article

Corporate tax compliance is the key to the development of the economy. Annual effective tax rate is applied in this study to identify what corporate governance mechanisms—shareholders, management, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy—are responsible for inducing tax compliance. A panel regression analysis of 20 listed companies in the Philippines from 2012-2023 has shown that the sole determinant of corporate tax compliance is CSR strategy. Effective CSR practices help firms to minimize tax avoidance by paying the appropriate corporation tax rate mandated by law. This is an example of how CSR can enhance ethical financial behavior. This study integrates stakeholder, …

A Descriptive-Correlational Analysis Of Environmental Awareness And Practices Among College Students Of Occidental Mindoro State College, Rica Abigail T. Dagos, Rizzi Angelica D. Cleofe

Journal Article

Higher education institutions have an essential role in developing environmental awareness and increasing the environmental practices of tertiary education students. As a state college in Occidental Mindoro, OMSC aims to produce graduates that are locally responsive to societal concerns, including environmental issues. This study aimed to provide relevant information about the environmental education of tertiary education students by analyzing the environmental awareness and practices of the students at Occidental Mindoro State College (OMSC). Using a descriptive-correlational design, the data was obtained from 259 students from various colleges. A four-part online survey questionnaire was used to determine the demographic profile, environmental …

Enhancing Llm Code Generation: A Systematic Evaluation Of Multi-Agent Collaboration And Runtime Debugging For Improving Accuracy, Reliability, And Latency, Nazmus Ashrafi

Theses

The use of large language models (LLMs) for automated code generation has emerged as a significant focus within AI research. As these pretrained models continue to evolve, their ability to understand and generate complex code structures has opened up new possibilities for automating intricate programming tasks with greater accuracy. Although contemporary foundational models demonstrate promising results, researchers continue to explore optimal post-training strategies to enhance code quality. These include supervised fine-tuning, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), debugging, and many others. In this thesis, I combine two such widely used post training approaches—namely (1) multi agent collaboration and (2) runtime execution of information-based …

An Animal Interest Approach Method As A Gateway To A One Health Educated Pipeline, Meghan C. Wulster-Radcliffe, Sarah A. Reed, James N. Macleod, Rebekah B. Epps, J. Scott Radcliffe, Robert J. Coleman, Steven A. Zinn

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Project-Based Learning On Future First Generation College Students’ Oral Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Confidence Levels, And College And Career Readiness, Mandana Marashi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the impact of a project-based learning innovation course on high school students’ oral communication, presentation skills, confidence levels, and college and career readiness in a college and career readiness program housed at a university in the Mid-Atlantic region. Effective oral communication and presentation skills have been continuously emphasized by national organizations and employers to be critical skills for success in students’ academic and professional lives. However, teaching oral communication and presentation skills to high school students has been neglected, which has negatively affected students’ college and career readiness, particularly for students …

Journey To Proficiency: The Impact Of Explicit Problem-Solving Instruction In A Fifth-Grade Math Classroom, Brittany J. Terry

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examined the impact of explicit problem-solving instruction on fifth-grade students’ mathematics proficiency and attitudes across skill levels. At the outset, students relied on rote procedures rather than conceptual reasoning, limiting their ability to apply skills in new contexts or understand why procedures work. Grounded in constructivist and sociocultural learning theories, the study aimed to move students beyond procedural fluency through explicit instruction of problem-solving strategies, modeling, guided practice, collaboration, and reflection. Over 8 weeks, 32 students participated in daily lessons. Findings from pre–post assessments, interviews, and portfolios indicate that explicit problem-solving instruction supported measurable growth in …

Journey Toward Collective Efficacy: ​The Impact Of Lesson Study In A Professional Learning Community, Julia Rose Pabst

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods action research study investigated the impact of a lesson study protocol on elementary teachers’ confidence through the implementation of the Three Read Close Reading Protocol (3RCRP), a research-based reading comprehension strategy. This study, grounded in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, explored how collaborative and practice-based professional learning could bridge the gap between pedagogical knowledge and classroom practice to enhance teacher self-efficacy. The primary research questions focused on how participation in a lesson study influenced teachers’ self-efficacy and which aspects of the protocol were perceived as most influential. Four participants and one participant-observer engaged in a series of Professional …

The Impact Of Incorporating Crp And Growth Mindset Into The Learning Environment For Increasing Student Enrollment In Advanced Mathematics Courses, Srinivas Akella

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods action research study explored the impact of incorporating Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), goal setting, and growth mindset strategies into the learning environment of an advanced mathematics course. The overall goal was to increase enrollment of underrepresented student groups in advanced mathematics courses at a small rural high school in Georgia. The problem of practice addressed in this study is the underrepresentation of African American students in advanced-level mathematics courses, such as Precalculus and Calculus, due to structural, cultural, and psychological barriers. Despite the importance of advanced mathematics for college readiness and access to STEM careers, students from underserved …

Integrity On The Line: An Action Research Investigation Into Cheating Behaviors Among Honors Students, Latasha Arda Smart

Theses and Dissertations

Academic dishonesty remains a persistent issue in education, undermining both learning and institutional integrity. While it has been extensively researched in general contexts, little is known about its occurrence in high-achieving settings such as honors classes, where students are frequently under increased performance pressure. This action research study investigated the prevalence, causes, and consequences of cheating behaviors among honors students at a rural high school.

The study centered on Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior, Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, and Merton's Strain Theory. Data were collected using a qualitative case study design, which included semi-structured interviews with students, teachers, and administrators, …

The Processing Of Emotional Prosody And Semantics In Native And Non-Native Chinese Speakers, Cheng Xiao

Theses and Dissertations

Emotional information in spoken language is conveyed through both semantic and prosodic cues. While listeners interpret the meaning of utterances (what is said), they also detect the speaker’s emotional prosody (how it is said). For non-native speakers, processing these two types of information simultaneously can be challenging, particularly in a tonal language such as Mandarin Chinese, where the same acoustic feature (i.e., pitch) encodes both lexical semantics and emotional prosody. This dissertation reports a series of behavioral and fMRI experiments investigating how native and non-native Chinese speakers perceive and process emotional prosody and semantics in words and sentences. Behaviorally, results …

Improving District Targeted Support For Schools With Low Student Achievement By Implementing Assistance Relationships With School Leaders, Mary Ashley Gaskins

Theses and Dissertations

Riverbend School District faced a challenge: the lack of a formalized structure for providing schools with targeted support that meets their unique needs and increases student achievement. This study explored how the district-level instructional team could customize support to improve English Language Arts and Math performance at schools with low student achievement. The theory of improvement posited that district instructional leaders engaging in assistance relationships – through modeling instructional leadership and providing conceptual and practical tools – would enhance school leaders' capacity, ultimately improving teaching and learning. A key action of the improvement team was the creation and implementation of …

Developing A Comprehensive Schoolwide Discipline Plan In Title 1 Southern Schools, Rose Clark Kebe

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored how teachers in Title I schools across the southern United States perceived and experienced school discipline practices. The study addressed the problem of inconsistent implementation of restorative and preventive frameworks, which has contributed to inequitable outcomes, teacher frustration, and lost instructional time. Although initiatives such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) are mandated across many districts, inconsistent use and limited fidelity have restricted their effectiveness in improving equitable discipline and school climate.

The purpose of the study was to examine teacher perspectives to inform the development of a culturally responsive, schoolwide behavioral system grounded …

Behind The Gens: A Bioarchaeological Study Of Kinship Structure And Social Change In Iron Age Latium, Italy, Andrea Noemí Acosta Caballero

Theses and Dissertations

The cemetery of Osteria dell’Osa is the only completely published Iron Age cemetery from Latium. Its research legacy continues as dietary, mobility, and biological affinity patterns were reconstructed through carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and strontium isotope analyses and biodistance analysis using bone and dental samples for this dissertation project. The main hypotheses tested are:

a) The diet of people buried at Osteria dell’Osa during the Iron Age likely consisted of mostly grains like wheat and barley, which may yield low carbon isotope signatures;

b) The protein consumption of the diet of people at Osteria dell’Osa was mainly composed of terrestrial protein …

A Comparative Analysis Of Two Symphonies By Robert Volkmann: Symphony No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 44, And Symphony No. 2 In B-Flat Major, Op. 53, Baha Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The 19th-century music scene boasts countless names, but some, like Robert Volkmann (1815–1883), have faded from the spotlight despite his prolific output as a composer, conductor, and educator. Volkmann’s music remains largely unknown and unperformed, waiting to be rediscovered. This lack of recognition provides a compelling opportunity to appreciate a talented composer and rekindle interest in his music. While scholarly inquiries into Volkmann are rare, delving into his major orchestral works, particularly his two symphonies, offers not only an understanding of his artistry but also a chance to revive interest in his captivating music.

Robert Volkmann composed only two symphonies …

Food Insecurity And Social Connection Of Nicaraguan Refugees And Asylum Seekers In Costa Rica: A Qualitative Study, Keren Herran

Theses and Dissertations

Background

Given the physical and mental health consequences of food insecurity, solutions should be evidence-based and seek to prioritize vulnerable populations. This qualitative study adds to limited literature on how refugees and asylum seekers use their social connections to mitigate food insecurity by investigating how Nicaraguan refugees and asylum seekers in Costa Rica foster social connections and use these connections to acquire and manage food.

Methods

In fall 2024, 35 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in San José, Costa Rica. Participants were recruited through six migrant-serving nonprofit organizations. For study inclusion, participants had to: 1) be 18 or older; 2) …

Application Of Machine Learning For Vascular System Analysis, Alireza Bagheri Rajeoni

Theses and Dissertations

The analysis of vascular structures is critical for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating vascular diseases such as aneurysms, stenosis, and vascular calcification. Traditional methods often rely on manual interpretation of imaging data, which is time-consuming, subjective, and not scalable. This work explores the application of advanced machine learning techniques to automate and enhance vascular system analysis. Our contributions include achieving state-of-the-art accuracy in vascular segmentation, developing a machine learning pipeline to automatically quantify vascular calcification in peripheral arterial disease, and designing a multi-stage machine learning system for abdominal aortic aneurysm analysis that identifies aneurysm boundaries and estimates aneurysm volume in a …

Identifying And Understanding The Barriers To Sexual Health Information Seeking Experienced By Young Adults (Ages 18-26) Using Social Media, Alexander Nicolas Vera

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation uses a qualitative, constructionist approach to examine the sociotechnical and cultural dynamics that shape digital sexual health-seeking practices of young adults. Guided by information practices and affordance theory, the research draws on semi-structured interviews and digital walkthroughs with 20 young adults (ages 18–26) from a convenience sample of young adults residing in South Carolina. Participants described how they use platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit not only to locate information but to assess its trustworthiness, inclusivity, and personal relevance in real time. Through in-depth accounts and screen-based demonstrations via digital walkthroughs, the study examines how participants engage in …

Recognizing The Unexpected: Deep Learning Across Complex Environments, Ge Song

Theses and Dissertations

Ensuring the security, trustworthiness, and operational integrity of modern autonomous and cyber-physical systems presents a critical challenge. While widely utilized in various engineering applications, such as intelligent transportation and industrial manufacturing, these systems require robust monitoring frameworks to identify unexpected anomalies in real-time, thereby maintaining operational safety and efficiency. This dissertation develops advanced deep learning methodologies for anomaly detection and health monitoring, with a particular emphasis on semisupervised reconstruction-based approaches that identify anomalies in complex environments using models trained only with normal operational patterns.

Building on this theme, the first study focuses on analyzing pedestrian behavior and detecting anomalies at …

Spectral Modeling Of Electromagnetic Radiation From Power Converters, Regan A. Varner

Theses and Dissertations

Switching power converters are increasingly utilized in contemporary electronics. They are becoming more compact and operate at higher frequencies, which contributes to radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI). This EMI is important to quantify for electromagnetic compatibility of the converters with other nearby systems. In this thesis, analytical models have been developed for both ideal and non-ideal switching waveforms, employing piecewise functions to describe time-domain waveforms, with their corresponding frequency spectra derived and compared to empirical spectra. The results demonstrate that the comparisons with measured frequency data exhibit agreement with the analytical models up to approximately 25 MHz. Additionally, our analysis indicates …

Calculating Surface Current Velocities From Video Generated From A Near Forward-Facing Camera, Colby James Weeks

Theses and Dissertations

This work presents a camera system for estimating surface currents. A combined camera and IMU system provide high resolution images and high precision orientation information, respectively. This eliminates the need for leveling and enables forward looking operation. The hardware stack includes a Lucid Vision Triton TRT162S monochrome camera, an SBG Ellipse D with dual antenna GNSS for precise pose, and an Nvidia Jetson Orin for acquisition and processing. The Ellipse D provides a hardware trigger at 10 Hz to time stamp each frame and to synchronize images with inertial measurements.

A camera calibration step estimates the intrinsic camera parameters and …

Multi-Layer Decision Making For Long-Term Autonomous Mission Based On Dual Process Theory, Shruti Jadhav

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly used in precision agriculture, where extended autonomous operation is required for monitoring, intervention, and field management. However, achieving long-term autonomy remains challenging due to battery constraints, environmental uncertainty, and the need to balance exploration with event-driven tasks. To address these challenges, a multi-layer decision-making framework inspired by Dual Process Theory (DPT) is developed. The framework combines reactive return-tobase strategies, exploratory navigation, and directional bias from prior missions, with a conflict-monitoring mechanism that adapts system behavior based on real-time conditions. The approach is implemented in a simulated agricultural grid environment, demonstrating improved adaptability and coverage …

A Qualitative Study Of Middle School Teachers’ Experiences Integrating Computer Coding Into Mathematics Classrooms, George William Austin Iii

Theses and Dissertations

As computers become more accessible in schools nationwide, teachers are embracing them to impact achievement positively (Brudno, 2013; Cetin, 2016). As a result, computer coding instruction has gained attention as a strategy for providing students with skills that will serve them both pre and post-graduation (Burke & Kafai, 2013; Yadav et al., 2016; Ng, 2017). Computer coding is the process of providing instructions for a computer to follow. In 2017, the South Carolina State Board of Education approved Computer Science and Digital Literacy standards for all K-8 public schools in the state of South Carolina (South Carolina Department of Education, …

Enhancing Two-Phase Heat Spreading: Development And Performance Evaluation Of Hermetically Sealed Hybrid Heat Sinks, Walker Ryan Champion

Theses and Dissertations

Modern, high-performance technology presents challenges for thermal management based on power density. To cool heat fluxes to this degree, conventional liquid-cooled heat sinks are utilized because air cooling becomes insufficient (>100 𝑊/𝑐𝑚² ). This study introduces a hybrid heat sink that integrates liquid cooling with a dropwise-enhanced vapor chamber, contains a hermetic seal, and achieves high thermal performance with low energy consumption. The temperature hotspots, thermal resistances, gravitational/pin effects, temperature uniformity, and coefficient of performance were investigated. Experimental results demonstrate a high cooling capacity of 600 W over a 6.25 𝑐𝑚² heating area with a low cooling …

Ursinus Magazine, Fall 2025, Gundolf Graml, Steve Thomas, Jennifer L. Post-Whisted, Alyssa Kratz, Brad Drexler, Connor Donohue, Michelle Yurko

Ursinus Magazine, 1995–Present

Introducing Interim President Gundolf Graml • Transfer agreement signed with DCCC • New Native American and Indigenous Studies minor • Students get front-row seat to optical innovation • Study abroad expands in Ireland • Alumna earns fellowship from French government • Softball roots, Phillies dreams • New Spirit Store now open • Ursinus' youngest student: Making headlines worldwide • Alumna earns Fulbright award • Ursinus, America250PA support PA scholars • Alumni join Ursinus Board of Trustees • When generosity meets vision • Ursinus named to Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll • Field hockey team explores South Africa • Rankings …