Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The American University: Attitudes About Safety And The Impact Of Gun Regulations On Campus, April Bixler

Online Theses and Dissertations

An ultimate goal of American universities is to provide a safe and secure environment for all who attend and operate there, but what safety looks and feels like to the individual can vary to a great degree. There are many factors that campus safety departments consider when designing their campus safety policies and regulations. One way universities in the U.S. have chosen to regulate campus safety is by allowing concealed carry (CC) on their campuses. No evidence was found in the state of Kentucky that explains if a CC policy is warranted or being pursued by faculty, staff and students …

An Examination Of The Usage Of Grants And Municipal Bonds To Fund Capital Projects For Local Governments, Collin Patrick Davis

Online Theses and Dissertations

Funding for capital projects is a vital need for local governments. This thesis compares two forms of funding, that being debt funding through municipal bonds or funding from state and federal grants. This thesis compares and contrasts these two forms of funding, looking at the economic and political risks that can come with using municipal bonds, as well as the need of resources that local governments need when it comes to securing grants. This project also looks at the case study of one such local government that needs funding for a capital project, that being the city of Richmond, Kentucky, …

Community Development Through Career And Technical Education In The U.S. Education System For A Higher American Standard Of Living, Marty Stuart Asbridge

Online Theses and Dissertations

The evolution of the public education system to include more career and life readiness skills should be a central matter of focus to education policymakers across the United States by improving the planning, implementation, and evaluation of Career and Technical Education programs. This is because improving the societal standard of living relies on proper Community Development, through the framework of developing the potential quality of America’s most vital human capital, its students entering the workforce. In its current state Career and Technical Education is an important but underdeveloped program set to accomplish building student skills in work ethics and administrative …

Scope Of Homelessness In Kentucky, Shannon Elyse Catron

Online Theses and Dissertations

This paper is based on a data project that pulled together publicly available data from several sources to examine the scope of homelessness in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The primary findings of the project conclude that there is a lack of data regarding counting homeless individuals, and that the available data should be examined to determine changes in the homeless population and demographics over time. Examining this data would also reveal the rate of progress in the number of counties that have began participating in the K-count since 2006. Increasing awareness about the topic and encouraging local governments to develop …

Special Considerations In Gifted Identification: Increasing Access And Equitable Practices For Underrepresented Populations In An Urban School District, Veda Stewart

Online Theses and Dissertations

Low-socio economic and/or minority students are substantially unidentified for gifted education programs. The disparities in gifted education for underrepresented students persist despite the growth in schools across the country of low income and minority students. Despite efforts to tackle equity issues in gifted education the large gaps of disproportionality persist. Explanations for this occurrence of underrepresentation is linked to the general processes for identifying gifted students, which are based largely on norm referenced standardized tests, with a single score criterion and a referral process that relies heavily on teacher and parent nominations. These identification processes tend to overlook the cultural …

The Examination Of Attendance Support Teams In Urban Middle Schools, John Christopher Young

Online Theses and Dissertations

The research study was conducted to analyze effect of an attendance support team in urban middle schools. The study utilized a six-month time window using students in three middle schools that accumulated five unexcused absences. The attendance support team was comprised of a school social worker, a family resource student support coordinator, a district-level director of pupil personnel, and a court-designated worker from family court. The function of this team was to share attendance policies, requirements, and mitigate barriers through system support to increase regular attendance for students. The research was analyzed to measure the effect on gender, grade level, …

Absorbent Household Materials For The Collection Of Ignitable Liquid Residues From Surfaces Of Varying Porosity, Jessica Carlotti

Online Theses and Dissertations

Ignitable liquids (ILs) are used as accelerants to burn items at a faster rate and the presence of an IL indicates that arson has occurred. Upon arrival to an arson scene, fire investigators access the scene and collect substrates containing ILs. The substrates, such as concrete and wood, are removed from the scene by methods that are time consuming, and require heavy machinery and tools. The evidence is transported in air-tight containers to the laboratory where analysts identify the chemical classification of the IL using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In this work, readily available absorbent household materials such as …

Guerilla Government And Policy: Lessons From The Trump Administration’S Family Separation Policy, Omar Salinas Chacon

Online Theses and Dissertations

In early 2017, two asylum officers went to reporters at Reuters to warn the public of a new immigration policy. This policy would see thousands of children separated from their parents; a humanitarian crisis engineered purposefully by the administration would be underway for the next years. Along the way, dissenters would try to stop the administration’s policy. In her seminal work The Ethics of Dissent: Managing Guerilla Government, O’Leary (2019) describes these types of events as guerilla government. Guerilla government occurs when public servants work against the desires of their superiors either out in the open or covertly. This is …

"Pliable And Easily Shaped": History, Harms, And Regulations Of Plastic In The United States, Krista Decima Smithers

Online Theses and Dissertations

The majority of plastic exists in a linear economy, wherein a product is developed with raw materials, used, and then discarded. Because there are many applications for plastic in today’s society unparalleled by alternative materials, removing all or most plastic use from daily life in the United States is unrealistic. Nevertheless, eliminating single-use plastics and improving recycling are reasonably attainable goals.

This thesis offers a detailed discussion of the origins of plastic, including its discovery, initial applications, and growth in the United States. Against this backdrop, this thesis then examines how various nonhuman animal species and ecosystems have been negatively …

Prison Siting In Appalachia: Carceral Expansion, Neoliberalism, And Environmental Harm, Macey Logan Hall

Online Theses and Dissertations

Since 1991, 14 state and federal prisons have been built in Appalachia with a recent proposal for a federal prison to be constructed in Letcher County, KY. Contradicting the narrative that Appalachia remains separated from the national economy, the ills of carceral growth are apparent throughout the region. This study examines the proposal to build a federal prison in Letcher County, KY. The purpose of this study is to gain further insight into the impact that the carceral state, including its promise of economic development, has on environmental harm and land exploitation in the region. The proposed federal prison would …

Population Demographics And Active Foraging Behavior Of Copperheads (Agkistrodon Contortrix) At A Recreational Site In Eastern Kentucky, Jocelyn Hendricks

Online Theses and Dissertations

Recreational areas represent a significant source of human-wildlife interaction, which can have an especially negative effect on organisms, like snakes, that are generally perceived as dangerous by the public. Considering the projected increase in recreation rates in the United States, the threat to this already vulnerable group of organisms deserves attention. While habitat factors associated with recreational areas—fragmentation, decreased canopy cover, altered vegetation composition—have been shown to affect snake thermoregulatory behavior and abundance, detailed studies of wild snake behavior are uncommon due to their cryptic nature. The goal of this study was to reduce human-wildlife conflict at a recreational site …

Supportive Measures: A Grounded Theory Analysis Of The Needs And Aspirations Of First-Generation College Students Enrolled In The Federally-Funded Trio Student Support Services (Sss) Program At A Community College In Rural Kentucky, Michelle R. Carter

Online Theses and Dissertations

For more than forty-nine years (since 1968) the federally-funded TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) programs have served disadvantaged students across the United States of America by providing wrap-around services to further the progress of their enrollment in postsecondary educational opportunities. The SSS program aims to assist students with disabilities, and who identify as low-income and first-generation (LIFG) college students, towards the successful completion of certification in a technical program and an undergraduate level degree from either a two or four-year college or university.

This study evaluated the needs and aspirations of [ten] first-generation college students at the point-of-entry of enrollment …

Validity And Constitutionality Of Inter Parte Reviews Before The U.S. Supreme Court, Helen Kathryn Emmons Kelly

Online Theses and Dissertations

For 400 years, courts have adjudicated disputes between private parties about the validity of patents. Inventors apply for patents to an administrative agency. Patent examiners review the application to determine whether or not an idea is valid to have a patent issued. Patent examiners are people and sometimes errors are made. An administrative agency must have an administrative avenue to review a potential error. Six years ago, Congress created a review with the implementation of inter parte reviews. An argument before the U.S. Supreme Court looks at whether or not Inter partes review violate Article III of the U.S. Constitution. …

College Campus Emergency Preparedness: Is Avoidance A Reason For Concern?, Thomas G. Barnowski

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative and quantitative research study was to explore the factors and outcomes associated with the lack of emergency preparedness activities related to college campuses. Within the context of pertinent literature was the confirmation of existing campus emergency action plans but the stated behavioral expectations contained in those plans raised questions related to effective functional performance. Additionally, the apparent refusal of college campus populations to actively participate in the preparedness process while offing a myriad of justifications for their avoidance has raised a number of concerns related to the achievement of desired positive outcomes. Discussion of attitudes …

Behaviors, Knowledge, And Education Of Leave No Trace Principles In The Red River Gorge Rock Climbing Community, Brian Gregory Clark

Online Theses and Dissertations

Rock Climbing is becoming a very popular and mainstream outdoor activity. With the growth in rock climbing comes an increase in the numbers of visitors that this sport attracts. The increase in visitor usage undoubtedly leads to an impact on the natural environment surrounding these rock climbing areas. Rock climbers acknowledge the impacts that are being made and are taking initiative to lessen their impacts while they are visiting rock climbing areas such as the Red River Gorge in rural southeast Kentucky. We know that rock climbers make a substantial economic impact while visiting and this dissertation looks at the …

Engaging The Public Through Social Media, Christina Anne Cummings

Online Theses and Dissertations

The use of social media by government agencies to spur civic engagement is still a rather new concept, one whose purpose seems to have gotten lost in the excitement of the use of new technology. As a result, there is not an abundance of research into how social media can be used to promote civic engagement.

This paper will attempt to reveal how agencies are using social media as well as try to pinpoint what agencies should be doing. As an example of current procedures in our area this paper will highlight some local government entities in Boyle County, Kentucky …

Federal Preparedness Grants: An Investigation Of The Impacts To Local And State Emergency Management Programs, Brian Alan Barnes

Online Theses and Dissertations

Disasters begin and end locally, but anecdotal evidence suggests that national disaster policies significantly influence state and local approaches. The federal government influences local and state emergency management through national emergency management doctrine as well as providing considerable grant programs to local and state governments who adopt the federal policies. The study attempts to explore some effects of this policy dichotomy.

A survey along with selective interviews were conducted of local and state emergency management officials in North Carolina to examine the impacts of select federal preparedness grants. From 70 surveys and 6 interviews, the following findings were identified. There …

Social Equity In Public Administration, Shana Leigh Goggins

Online Theses and Dissertations

The present study will provide a review of the literature regarding social equity and a place within Public Administration. Social equity is a value that informs theory and practice. The manner in which value informs theory and practice will be included to provide a theoretical basis. Tensions between New Public Administration and the previous school of thought will be highlighted. A case study approach will be utilized in this discussion to investigate and analyze the issue of homelessness. The case study will be used to illustrate the gaps in terms of administrative response in alleviating homelessness for individuals and families, …

Nixon's Wars: Secrecy, Watergate, And The Cia, Chris Collins

Online Theses and Dissertations

Watergate is considered the most infamous political scandal in American history. It resulted in the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon, and it had a profound, lasting, and damaging impact on the American people’s trust in government. The story of Watergate is often intertwined with that of President Nixon—his corruption, paranoia, abuse of power, and dramatic political demise. This thesis argues that the crisis of Watergate was rooted not merely in the personality and conduct of the tragically flawed Nixon, but in the deep, systemic government secrecy that developed in the United States at the onset of the cold war. …

Identifications Of Challenges And Success Factors Of Females Entering And Advancing In The Profession Of Emergency Management, Audra Cronen

Online Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on how women in the emergency management field have identified and overcome challenges when entering and advancing in the profession. The two research questions were:

• What barriers have females experienced when entering and advancing in the field of emergency management?

• In what ways have females overcome barriers when entering and advancing in the field of emergency management?

These questions were answered by five women who work in the field of emergency management and responded to a series of interview questions. These women made it clear that while this is a predominately male-dominated field of work, …

School Accountability Grades: The Influence Of Student And School Characteristics, Tara Isaacs

Online Theses and Dissertations

In the United States of America, several states passed legislation that enacted a grading system by which schools are measured for their performance through a formalized ranking system, which deem schools a success or failure. These accountability systems are developed by legislators and policymakers in order to fulfill federal requirements like the No Child Left Behind Act (No Child Left Behind [NCLB], 2002) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), to encourage systemic improvement across states. In reporting annual school performance for the state of Utah, for example, it is necessary to investigate to what extent student and school characteristics …

The Impact Of Compliance With A Certified Accreditation Standard For Municipal Fire Departments, David Ryan Hickel

Online Theses and Dissertations

This report was conducted to assist public administrators serving in municipal fire departments in making the complex decision to pursue agency accreditation. The research finds that very little information is available to administrators that details the impacts accreditation has on a municipal fire department. The research conducted in this report aims to fill that gap.

Literature was reviewed that focused on the emergence of accreditation within the fire service. Then, an exploratory qualitative research method was utilized for the framework of this research, and interviews were arranged with members of various fire departments possessing unique relationships and experience with the …

An Elliptic Exploration, David Curtis Swart

Online Theses and Dissertations

In this paper I will be giving an introduction to an interesting kind of equation called elliptic curves, and how they can be used to protect our national security through Cryptology. We will explore the unique operation for adding points on elliptic curves and the group structure that it creates, as well as the ECC method, which stands among the RSA and AES methods as one of the modern day's most secure systems of cryptography. In addition, I will also introduce several algorithms and methods that are useful for working with ECC such as Schoof's Algorithm, and I will also …

Longitudinal Variation In Environmental Impact At Rock Climbing Areas In The Red River Gorge Limits Of Acceptable Change Study Area, Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky, Nicholas Walendziak

Online Theses and Dissertations

Recreation ecology began in the 1960s to measure the impacts of recreation on ecosystems. Area of environmental impact is an important objective to assess recreational impact. However, few researchers have examined the trends of these impacts over time. This study measures the environmental area of impact at eight climbing areas, in Red River Gorge, Kentucky, over a six year period, to determine impact trends. The results of this research will help recreation ecologists and land managers understand environmental impacts over time, and possibly predict future impact scenarios. The hypothesis of this research is the total mean area of impact at …

Affirmative Action Within The Fire Service: The Background On The Law And Its Effect On The Fire Service And How Fire Department Policies Reflect The Affirmative Action Legislation., Steven Michael Stecher

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research studied ten full time fire departments in the United States to develop a quantitative study showing demographic make-up of the fire department rosters and the citizens in which they serve. Affirmative action has been a polarizing issue since the day the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed. Many thoughts and feelings had been researched but no quantitative studies could be found. This study asked three main questions. Are the fire departments being studied meeting the number requirements set forth by the law in relation to equal representation of the community serviced by the department? Are the departments’ …

Fire Service Leadership And The Impact Of Civil And Criminal Litigation On Officer Recruitment And Retention, Cameron Edward Borchert

Online Theses and Dissertations

Litigation in any industry is a driving force in the need for change management. There are very few industries that have not felt the direct effects of liability and litigation. For generations the fire service has enjoyed a sort of protected status as a result of the general good will the public has offered. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which being that firefighters routinely will risk their lives in the service of others. However, in recent years, fire departments across the United States have experienced increasing incidents of civil and criminal litigation. The core issue …

An Assessment Of The Relationship Of Online Technical Resources Developed By The National Weather Service (Nws) And United State Geological Survey (Usgs) And The Analysis Of Their Usage By Kentucky Emergency Managers During Preparedness, Response, Recovery, And Mitigation, Keith Joy

Online Theses and Dissertations

Emergency management tasks are essentially uncertain. They require information sharing and quick decision making that incorporates coordination across a vast array of individuals and organizations. During an emergency, communication is key during all four phases of the emergency management process; preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation. In order to communicate effectively and systematically with the incident management team, emergency managers must establish situational awareness during a disaster. Obtaining optimal situational awareness requires emergency managers to use an assortment of technologies in order to relay the most accurate information in real time. The focus of this research is on those technologies and the …

Everybody Matters: A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Support Services Available To Survivors Of Human Trafficking In Central Kentucky, Arika Morgan Bow

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research is designed to identify service and capacity gaps that exist and need to be addressed in Central Kentucky to improve the provision of social services for survivors of human trafficking. Relying upon in-depth interviews with individuals from different organizations/agencies (e.g., social service providers, federal and local law enforcement agencies, human trafficking task forces) in Central Kentucky that work on human trafficking and with survivors, this research provides a comprehensive picture of the social services available to survivors of human trafficking, including the need for additional services. This research offers an analysis of the capacity gaps that exist, making …

The Heroin Problem: Learning From Past Experiments In Narcotic Maintenance, Ashley Marie Phillips

Online Theses and Dissertations

The following paper examines the ongoing political, legal and cultural debate regarding heroin maintenance in the U.S. that emerged after the passage of the Harrison Act. Moreover, it focuses on the United States' very brief experimentation with narcotics maintenance clinics from 1914-1924 and why the clinic system was ultimately dismantled by the Treasury Department. This paper also highlights the U.S. public policy debate that emerged as early as the 1950s and continues today to develop heroin maintenance trials.

Visitor Perceptions Of Black Bear Management Options In Big South Fork National River And Recreation Area, Robert Maxwell Lakes

Online Theses and Dissertations

Human/bear interactions will continue to increase as humans continue to live and recreate in closer proximity to bear habitat. One area positioned for a marked increase in human/bear interactions is Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (BISO). To make decisions on the best management options for the growing black bear population, BISO managers need information about park visitor beliefs and concerns. The purpose of this research was to examine stakeholder views related to black bear management options within BISO. We hypothesized that different stakeholders would have varying opinions about management actions towards black bears. The findings were that …