Digital Commons Network^™

Essays In Mutual Funds, Aadhaar Verma

Doctor of Business Administration Dissertations

This dissertation examines mutual fund portfolio formation, the economic forces that determine how fund managers construct their portfolios, and the market effects of fund portfolio disclosures.

In the first chapter of my dissertation, I study how funds modify their portfolios around disclosure dates in order to cater to their investors’ non-financial preferences. Using social norms and investor boycotts surrounding tobacco and firearm sectors as a proxy for non-financial preferences, I find that these stocks experience significant negative returns on portfolio disclosure dates and significant positive returns on the day after the portfolio disclosure. I also find that funds accelerate their …

Santa Cruz County Prepares For The Next Major Wildfire, Antonio Lucero

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Office of Response, Recovery, and Resiliency (OR3) was established in 2020 and is a part of the County of Santa Cruz’s Strategic Development Department. The OR3 has been established to improve the emergency response and capabilities for the County of Santa Cruz in the event of another major environmental disaster. The CZU Lightning Fire Complex of 2020 was a significant wildfire and the largest the county had seen in over 100 years. Global warming led to climate change that has made this area of California more vulnerable to uncontrollable wildfires. In addition, severe drought conditions have left Santa Cruz …

Providing Resources And Knowledge To Empower The Youth, Iliana Jimenez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The project was developed to provide opportunities and resources to first-generation youth from possibly following in their parents footsteps whose jobs may often be marred by racial and ethnic inequality at United Way of Santa Cruz, with the Jovenes SANOS program. During a three-semester internship, and through interactions with the program's youth, the need for school related resources, and college readiness became apparent. Such missing resources and readiness are due to a lack of access to tutoring; absence of a study place, home care responsibilities, lack of access to mentorship for college readiness, and missing employment pathways. Consequently, such factors …

Social-Emotional Learning Icebreakers, Annabell Melgoza-Lopez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Youth Alliance is a non-profit organization located in Hollister, California. GUIAS is a program that encompasses youth leadership, supports, and guides students to become socially responsible and emotionally stable to confront challenges. San Benito High School (SBHS) is one of the many schools that GUIAS focuses on in social-emotional learning among students through case management. It is important for students to be aware of their social, emotional, and cognitive development challenges and coping mechanisms. The problem addressed is that students ages 8-18 do not understand the importance of Social-Emotional Learning. Some contributing factors to this are that students’ culture leads …

Reproductive Health Education For Teens, Nataly Diaz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The paper focused on Reproductive Health Outreach for Teens, through the implementation of a new teen brochure. The purpose of this project is to create new outreach pathways for teens of the Watsonville, CA community to take advantage of the free services Salud Para La Gente has to offer. Specifically, services relating to reproductive health and sex education.

A Soul's Shape Is Beautiful, Alondra Orozco

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

A memoir engaged with the seminar's theme of Change, Transformation, and Transition. It follows my story and how I came to discover my true self. This is a coming-out story, with the purpose of sharing my experiences and potentially getting others to understand non-binary or transgendered people better. It delves into my personal thoughts and experiences, as well as transphobia from my parents. Since the story begins in my early childhood, the diction and writing style change throughout the story. I also incorporate the use of stream of consciousness to show my progression from cisgendered to a non-binary person.

A Plan For Your Pets: Education And Outreach Through The Perpetual Care Program, Tatyanna Horoszko

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

With the number of older and senior adults increasing in the United States, and specifically in Monterey County, there is a growing demand for services that support aging adults. However, many pet owners, especially those of older age, fail to realize the importance of estate planning for their pets due to technology gaps, lack of knowledge and education regarding estate planning, and poor physical and mental health. Consequently, the lack of an estate plan results in the burden being placed on family and friends, the abandonment of pets, and the euthanization of pets. Peace of Mind Dog Rescue (POMDR) strives …

Increasing High School Students’ Awareness Of The Effects Of Gender Stereotypes, Kelly Y. Shepherd

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Gender stereotypes can prevent many adolescents from exploring aspects of their identity. One reason being, gender stereotypes are reinforced in media and society on a daily basis, constantly reaffirming the beliefs of what a male and female should act and look like. These beliefs may cause an adolescent to make choices about their identity without thinking or questioning, which is known as identity foreclosure. As a result, adolescents may limit themselves academically or socially which might restrict future career paths and job opportunities. My capstone project focused on teaching adolescent Girl Scouts of California Central Coast how to identify, question, …

Estudiantes Exitosos, Erik Estrada

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey is a faith based non profit organization that provides aid to individuals and families in need. Catholic Charities focuses on three main areas of services, immigration and citizen services, family supportive services, and tattoo removal program. They provide services that help people regardless of their faith who struggle with poverty and complex issues. Every year low income families struggle to provide their children with the basic school supplies they need to start a new school year. This contributes to families not being able to afford school supplies, and because of the unexpected pandemic a shortage …

Building Capacity For Evidence Representing Qualitative And Quantitative Data Of Monterey County’S Child Welfare Services, Devin Dunn

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Current processes for policy development in Monterey County are primarily focused on qualitative data and anecdotes from agency personnel. The Onsite-Review component of the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) set forth by the Children’s Bureau is structured to help Monterey County identify its strengths and areas needing improvement. These quarterly reviews ensure that Monterey County adheres to federal child welfare guidelines, helps to develop a narrative of what children and families experience while engaging with the county’s child welfare services, and enhances capacities for positive outcomes for these individuals. A Data Dashboard was developed to visually represent quantitative data …

Parent And Child Cookbook For Parental Involvement, Natali Juarez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The agency with the internship opportunity is the Greenfield Branch Library. The purpose of this capstone project is to address the problem of lack of parental involvement. The lack of parental involvement in the community could have major consequences like low academic achievement, low literacy rates, and childhood obesity. The project is a cookbook with healthy recipes consisting of both meals and snacks. The recipes are made specifically for children to be able to make with their parents. The capstone project is a 6 week program. Every Wednesday there is a grab and go bag with a copy of a …

Girls Support Group, Cindy Garcia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this capstone project is to keep girls connected with other girls through zoom. Due to the pandemic, schools were closed and a lot of the girls became isolated from their peers as well as after school activities. The project addresses the main consequences of the shelter in place order which are social isolation, mental, and emotional health. The project promotes coping skills to help them stay connected and adapt to this new way of living. Adjusting to a new way of living can be hard for young girls affecting them both mentally and emotionally. This can have …

Responding To Domestic Violence With Transformative Justice And Community Accountability, Anaiis Nysether

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center (WAFWC) wanted to create a survivor-driven transformative justice program for survivors of domestic violence and the people who caused them harm. The program needed to be customizable enough to suit the specific needs and individual safety considerations of the participants, but also needed enough structure that it could be reproducible from case to case. In order to design a program that was based on these ideas and able to be used in the context of a non-profit organization, WAFWC researched ways other communities had been using transformative justice and community accountability to address issues …

Being The Voice For The Voiceless, Marina Lemus

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many students are eager to step inside a classroom, but this eagerness and excitement can be difficult for shy students. The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is enhancing shy students’ engagement in the classroom. This is an important issue for students because of the fear that arises when speaking in front of their peers, which can be detrimental to their education. The three stakeholder perspectives examined were a special education high school teacher, a second-grade teacher, and a library media technician. An evidence-based argument is offered that shy students are falling behind in classrooms due to their inability …

Pobody’S Nerfect: Improving The Identification And Diagnosis Of Learning Disabilities, Katie Szeto

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is on improving the identification and diagnosis of learning disabilities. This is important because diagnosing a child properly will help teachers understand the students' learning styles and better position the teachers to create more effective learning environments. Also, teachers will be able to better support and accommodate their students both academically and socially. It is argued that many teachers do not have the right resources, understanding, or authority to diagnose learning disabilities. The primary stakeholder perspectives obtained were from teachers, staff, and students because of their relevant experiences and roles in identifying and addressing …

Plead To The Usl Championship Side, Oscar Alejos

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This creative project invites the United States Soccer League side Monterey Bay Football Club The Union, to change, transition and transform its format allowing for fair play, competition, and growth at all levels.

Doers Not Dreamers: Supporting Un-Daca-Mented Students After College, Fatima Perez Murguia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Thinking about life after college can be exciting. However, for some, it can be a scary and uncertain time. The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is on how to support undocumented college students better to prepare them for life after graduation. This is an important issue for undocumented college students because they are working hard to earn their degrees but cannot get a job in the fields they are prepared for. An evidence-based argument is made that investment should be made in the future of undocumented students, as they are well prepared and qualified to take on jobs …

Future Possibilities For Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Nicolas Leonardi

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder’s nature of presenting socially awkward behaviors creates barriers for those with ASD in the job interview process. This problem raises questions on how the interview process can be redefined to be more inclusive. Dillenburger et al. conducted a study on interventions provided for individuals with ASD. The study concluded that most jobs do not provide an appropriate job interview process for those with ASD. Solomon et al. and Maras et al. both conducted studies that highlighted the social behaviors presented by individuals with ASD that prevented them from being hired during the job interview process. Both of …

College Students Rape Myth Acceptance And Men's Objectification Of Women, Samantha Dunlap, Devyn Fries

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand the extent to which college students believe in and adhere to common rape myths and victim blaming beliefs, the extent to which college aged men objectify women, and lastly, the extent to which these two variables are related to one another. Using two groups divided based on gender and sexual orientation, participants responded to the Rape Attitudes Belief Scale (RABS) and the Men’s Objectification of Women Scale (MOWS). The survey questions used on these scales were designed to gather information about a person’s belief of common rape myths as well as men’s …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites - Field Sampling Plan (Fsp) Bres No. 154 – Clark Mill Tailings Ne., Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites - Field Sampling And Investigation Plan (Fsp) Bres No. 104 - Colorado Dump – Final, Revision 1, Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Butte Silver Bow Snow Management Plan, Mike Mcanulty, Eric Hassler

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

60 Update: Email - Faculty Winter Break Certificate Institute – January 2022, University Of Northern Iowa. General Education Re-Envisioning Committee.

General Education Re-envisioning Committee Documents

An email announcing the winter break certificate institute held in January 2022 for faculty wanting to develop or revise a multidisciplinary certificate proposal for the general education program.

61 Update: January 2022 Certificate Application, University Of Northern Iowa. General Education Re-Envisioning Committee.

General Education Re-envisioning Committee Documents

The application packet for faculty wanting to attend the winter break certificate development institute held in January 2022.

Pittsburg State University Annual Commencement, Dec 2021, Pittsburg State University

Commencement, 1903-Present

Program of undergraduate and graduate commencement exercises at Pittsburg State University on December of 2021

Effect Of Cyclic Heat Stress On Feeding-Related Hypothalamic Neuropeptides Of Three Broiler Populations And Their Ancestor Jungle Fowl, Giorgio Brugaletta, Elizabeth S. Greene, Travis Tabler, Sara K. Orlowski, Federico Sirri, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Heat stress (HS) has been increasingly jeopardizing the sustainability of the poultry production. Moreover, modern high-performing chickens are far less able to withstand HS than their predecessors due to higher growth rate and metabolic rates. Performance losses caused by HS are mainly ascribed to decreases in feed consumption. Since feed intake is tightly controlled by the hypothalamic centers of hunger and satiety, we sought to determine the effect of chronic cyclic HS on the expression of feeding-related hypothalamic neuropeptides (FRHN) in unselected chickens (i.e., the ancestor junglefowl—JF) and three broiler lines from diverse stages of genetic selection (i.e., the slow …

Information Technology And The New Capitalism, James Bessen

Faculty Scholarship

Harnessing Digitalization for Sustainable Economic Development: Insights for Asia describes digitalization’s role in raising the productive capacities of economies. It examines how digital transformation can enhance trade, financial inclusion, and firm competitiveness, as well as how greater digital infrastructure investment, internet connectivity, and financial and digital education in the region can maximize digitalization’s economic benefits. It also explains the importance of striking the right balance between the regulation and supervision of financial technology to enable innovation and safeguarding financial stability and consumer protection.

Part I of the book seeks to build an understanding of digitalization’s effects on macroeconomic performance, including …

Health Reform Reconstruction, Lindsay F. Wiley, Elizabeth Mccuskey, Matthew B. Lawrence, Erin C. Fuse Brown

Faculty Scholarship

This Article connects the failed, inequitable U.S. coronavirus pandemic response to conceptual and structural constraints that have held back U.S health reform for decades and calls for reconstruction. For more than a half-century, a cramped "iron triangle" ethos has constrained health reform conceptually. Reforms aimed to balance individual interests in cost, quality, and access to health care, while marginalizing equity, solidarity, and public health. In the iron triangle era, reforms unquestioningly accommodated four legally and logistically entrenched fixtures - individualism, fiscal fragmentation, privatization, and federalism - that distort and diffuse any reach toward social justice. The profound racial disparities and …

Regulating Mobility Limitations In The Franchise Relationship As Dependency In The Joint Employment Doctrine, Andrew Elmore

Faculty Scholarship

Franchisors often impose exhaustive operational standards on franchisees, and enforce those standards by restricting the mobility of their franchisees and their franchisees' employees. But courts often ignore mobility limits when applying joint employer doctrine. This Article argues that courts and agencies should be more likely to find, and presume, that franchisors and their franchisees are joint employers under federal and state employment law based on proof that a franchisor restricts the mobility of franchisees or their employees. In so doing, this Article traces how the Chicago School's efficiency arguments in favor of relaxing antitrust law enforcement of vertical restraints developed …

Labor's New Localism, Andrew Elmore

Faculty Scholarship

Millions of workers in the United States, disproportionately women, immigrants, and people of color, perform low-paid, precarious work. Few of these workers can improve their workplace standards because the National Labor Relations Act ("NLRA") does not sufficiently protect their right to form unions and collectively bargain. Lacking sufficient influence in federal and state government to strengthen labor and employment law, unions and worker centers have increasingly sought to build power in cities. The shift to local labor lawmaking has delivered local minimum wage, paid sick leave, and fair scheduling ordinances covering millions of low-wage workers, as well as groundbreaking unionization …