Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Applying Indices Post-Grutter To Monitor Progress Toward Attaining A Diverse Student Body, Roger W. Reinsch, Sonia Goltz, Hong Chen, Joel C. Tuoriniemi

Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy

The Supreme Court decision in Grutter v. Bollinger provided more definitive guidance for institutions of higher education desiring to use racial preferences in an effort to achieve a diverse student body. This Article first examines Grutter and other relevant cases to set forth the parameters established by the Supreme Court concerning how university preferences, including but not limited to race, may be used in an admissions policy. This Article then provides a framework for creating and using diversity indices that can help institutions implement the guidelines found in these court decisions and monitor whether or not the goal of diversity …

Party Line Newsletter Spring 2012, Hollins University

Party Line - Political Science Department Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Public Support For Military Interventions Across Levels Of Political Information And Stages Of Intervention: The Case Of The Iraq War, Cigdem Sirin

Departmental Papers (PS)

This study examines the effect of political information levels and intervention stages on the formation and continuity of public support for military interventions by analyzing survey data pertaining to the 2003 military intervention in Iraq. The results show that before and immediately after the launch of the intervention, politically uninformed individuals expressed higher support for the war compared to politically informed ones. However, as the intervention proceeded and casualties were incurred, higher rates of decrease in support were observed among the politically uninformed. Politically informed individuals, on the other hand, demonstrated more stable levels of support throughout the course of …

Examining The Effects Of Fear Of Failure, Self-Efficacy And Gender Role Conflict In Male And Female Engineering Students, Krista L. Nelson

Doctoral Dissertations

The field of engineering continues to have significantly fewer women engineers than men. Engineering has long been considered to be a male dominated career, with fewer women receiving bachelor's degrees in engineering and gaining employment in the engineering field. The present study was an attempt to determine influencing factors that discourage women from pursuing engineering as an educational and career choice. The current study examined gender role conflict, self-efficacy, and fear of failure as potential factors influencing women's preferences to pursue an engineering degree. Both male and female genders were participants in the research to determine gender differences for these …

Research Motivation In Professional Psychology Doctoral Students: Examination Of The Psychometric Properties Of The Research Motivation Scale, Carly Bischoff Mayer

Doctoral Dissertations

Previous research suggests that the majority of clinical and counseling psychology doctoral students report low levels of research interest while in graduate school, and indicate little or no intention to pursue postdoctoral research despite having been trained within a scientist-practitioner model. Contextual and individual factors related to research interest, such as the research training environment (RTE) and self-efficacy, have been identified as potential contributors to research outcomes. Although these variables seem to be linked, many studies have found that they do not account for a substantial portion of variation in research interest. Recently, Deemer, Martens, and Buboltz (2010) developed the …

The Effect Of Varying Compensation On Teacher Satisfaction Across Three Louisiana School Districts, Glen E. Gleason

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research endeavor was to explore possible statistical relationships between school districts with varying pay scales in regard to teacher job satisfaction within the district. An on-line satisfaction survey was set up, utilizing the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). Letters were distributed to teachers in three districts eliciting participation in the study. A total of 115 responses was recorded with the greatest participation occurring in the district with the highest teacher compensation. To explore possible differences in areas of job satisfaction between the districts, teachers were asked questions dealing with (a) working conditions, (b) supervisory support, (c) co-worker …

Information Rights, Human Rights, And Political Rights: A Précis On Intellectual And Contextual Issues For Library And Information Science, John Buschman

Library Publications

No abstract provided.

How Technology Changed Us, Lori Brassaw, Sherill Shaw, Denise Reid, Aimee Lauritsen

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Personality And Forgiveness Of Sexual Infidelity In Marriage, Karen Suggs Roper

Doctoral Dissertations

Discovery of sexual infidelity is often accompanied by a strong desire for infidelity relevant information (Peluso, 2007). This study explored how information and conceptualization of situational factors affects forgiveness in a spouse who discovers the extramarital sexual activity of his or her spouse. The current study focused on knowledge of details and how such knowledge affected rumination and motivations of revenge, avoidance, and benevolence. Popular literature currently promotes a process of healing that begins with a revelation of the details associated with the extramarital behaviors of the offending spouse. A unique objective of this study was consideration of the specific …

The Economic Impact Of Research Activities At The University Of Texas At El Paso (Fiscal Year 2010-11), David Ramirez, Roberto Tinajero, David A. Schauer, Dennis L. Soden

IPED Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

So, You Want To Be A Southeastern Librarian? Entry-Level Academic Library Job Trends In The Southeast, Robert Detmering, Claudene Sproles

The Southeastern Librarian

While it is no secret that looking for one’s first job as a librarian can be difficult, especially in the current economic climate, the process can be even more challenging when one’s search must take place within a particular geographic area or region. For a variety of reasons, including financial constraints and family obligations, many entry-level candidates are not in a position to move to any part of the country and start their new lives as professional librarians. The need to focus a job search on a specific region, however, necessarily limits the number of available jobs. Developing a strong …

The Kids Aren't Alright: Every Child Should Have An Attorney In Child Welfare Proceedings In Florida, Michael J. Dale, Louis M. Reidenberg

Faculty Scholarship

This article is a continuation of a discussion as to why, as a matter of Florida constitutional law, public policy, and professional ethics, Florida's children need independent attorneys from the inception of all dependency and termination of parental rights cases to their completion. It is based upon events which have occurred since the authors' last article on this topic in the Nova Law Review, including the Barahona case, the resolution by the American Bar Association (ABA) in August 2011 at its Annual Convention in Toronto adopting the ABA Model Act Governing the Representation of Children in Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency …

Gypsy Curse Or Gypsy Cursed: An Attempt To Isolate “Roma-Phobia” In The United Kingdom And Russia, Alina Larisa Shvartsman

Featured Research

More commonly known as “gypsies,” the Roma represent a subgroup of the “Romani” people, characterized by migrant lifestyles and transient living patterns. The Roma make up any where from 8 to 14 million people worldwide. History has shown that despite their presence around the world they are among one of most disadvantaged minorities around the world—on need only look at the Nazi regime in Germany to gain some insight as to their treatment over the course of history. While this marks the apex of discrimination against the Roma, they continue to face widespread prejudice. The Roma are treated unfavorably almost …

All Roads Lead To Fragmentation: Exploring Habitat Connectivity And Wildlife Underpasses Through The Florida Panther And The Jaguar, Carroll Courtenay

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

The global transportation system is the “giant now embracing us,” and its omnipresent nature influences ecosystems worldwide (Forman, 1998: iv). The diversity of environmental effects associated with transportation systems challenges researchers to focus on concrete aspects of intertwined ecological systems. Examining habitat fragmentation associated with transportation networks, however, exposes some of the most direct impacts of these networks on fauna populations. As transportation networks expand, road corridors hinder habitat connectivity, which can greatly impact habitat health and genetic diversity in ecosystems (Corlatti et al., 2009; Tewksbury et al., 2002). Animal-vehicle collisions, decreased reproductive success, movement constraints, decreased colonization, and increased …

The Effects Of Sedimentation From Unpaved Roads On Coral Reefs: An Analysis Of St. John, Usvi And Koh Tao, Thailand, Dillon Vassallo

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

As the tourism industry drastically expanded on St. John, US Virgin Islands, developers constructed hundreds of unpaved dirt roads to facilitate the fast-paced population growth on the island. During rain storms, the unpaved roads created runoff from the mountainous terrain of St. John, and sedimentation smothered the coral reefs surrounding the island. Due to the geography of the island, coral reef characteristics, and dirt road network, the biggest threats to coral reefs around the island was considered sedimentation from unpaved roads. Sedimentation drastically threatens the ability for reefs to survive. This study uses existing research on the sedimentation from unpaved …

Chicago’S Transportation History: Informing The Future Of Sustainable Transportation Planning, Asha Phadke

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

Throughout Chicago’s history, urbanization has led to an influx of people migrating from the rural to urban environment, due to the increased economic opportunity in the city. With this influx of population, the role and capacity of Chicago to provide sustainable transportation becomes essential. During the mid 1800s Chicago experienced the largest population growth in the world, starting with 4,000 inhabitants and growing to over 90,000 inhabitants by the end of the century. Since then, Chicago has reached a more stable population of 2.6 million people today. The transportation history of Chicago is linked to this population growth and has …

Existing Knowledge, Understudied Ecosystems, And Rapid Development: The Environmental Impacts Of Roads On The Wetlands Of The Pantanal, South America, Ethan Strickler

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

Wetlands are particularly diverse habitats because they are home to both aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna. Wetlands are important for conservation because they are often home to many rare and endangered species. For example, in the United States alone, over a third or all rare or endangered species reside in wetlands. Wetlands offer many benefits for both humans and wildlife because they are hydrologic modifiers, wildlife centers, and beneficial for both water quality and nutrient cycling (Forman, et al. 2003). As wildlife centers, wetlands are the most botanically productive habitats on earth and support high abundance and diversity of …

The Effect Of Land Use Change On Exposure To And Transmission Of Pathogens, Mary Nagle

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

According to WHO, within the last 20 years, at least 30 new diseases have emerged to threaten the health of hundreds of millions of people (McMichael 2004). Most of these emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are zoonotic, as catalogued by the Institute of Medicine (Daszak et al. 2001). Understanding the way in which human interactions with the environment facilitate vector-host interactions may improve preventative measures and public health practices. Human-induced environmental change plays a major role in the emergence of zoonotic diseases (McMichael 2004, Eisenberg et al. 2007), often because these changes increase human-vector interactions (McMichael 2004). Malaria is the world’s …

A Maine Guide For Developing Community Wind Projects, Rick Harbison

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

In recent decades, wind power has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sources of energy in the United States. By the end of 2011, 46,919 megawatts (MW) of wind power had been installed across the country.1 A number of factors have driven this growth, chief among them are: technological innovation, increasing public support for renewable energy, and state and federal policies that encourage wind development.

While the predominant model for wind development in the United States—and Maine—has been large-scale commercial wind farms, a small but growing sector of wind development, known as “community wind,” is beginning to gain a foothold. …

Integrating Gender Into The Political Science Core Curriculum, E. C. Cassese, Angela L. Bos, L. E. Duncan

All Faculty Articles

The New Research on Gender in Political Psychology Conference brought together new and experienced teachers with interests in gender politics. The conference session Teaching Gender throughout the Curriculum generated a great deal of discussion concerning the pedagogical practice of gender mainstreaming. Gender mainstreaming-the integration of gendered content into courses required for a major-was recognized as one of 11 recommendations for reforming the undergraduate political science curriculum in the 1991 APSA report Liberal Learning an The Political Science Major: A Report to the Profession (popularly referred to as the Wahlke Report). Little information is available on the prevalence of gender courses …

How Can An Organization Use The Differences In Behavior And Perception Of Its Members To Build Collaborative Relationships? - A Case Study On An Ethiopia-Japan Cross-Cultural Organization For Development -, Akie Nawa

Capstone Collection

This study explores differences in behavior and perception between the Japanese and Ethiopian staff members of a small development Non-Government Organization (NGO) based in Japan. Eight categories of difference are identified: ways to get work done, the value of money, pride, positive attitude and cheerfulness, attitude towards work and learning, openness and informality, sense of ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’, and humaneness. In order to supplement the findings, a previously conducted study on this subject was consulted; this helped to identify additional differences. This study also explores ways to use these differences in behavior and perception effectively to build a more collaborative …

Community Perspectives- How Study Abroad With Service Learning Impacts The Locals, Sarah J. Delcambre

Capstone Collection

This case study focuses on the community perspectives of homestay families, partner organizations, and local program staff that collaborated with Xplore USA Summer Language Adventure Camps in the Summer of 2011, in Asheville, North Carolina. The researcher focused on the service work aspect of the Xplore programming, and its impact on the local community via the local community’s perspective, to inform the reader of an underexplored subject. Interviews and survey results showed that the volunteer service projects performed by Xplore students and their local brothers and sisters were perceived as beneficial by an overwhelming majority of all local parties concerned: …

Challenges In The Land Of Hope: Phoenix Area Refugees And The Recession, Valerie E. Nightingale

Capstone Collection

Refugees in the United States today have greater access than ever to training programs and specialized service providers who assist with cultural adjustment to the U.S. as well as pre-employment training, job placement and retention services. Service providers develop job opportunities in the local community through partnerships with dedicated employers who see value in hiring new Americans and purpose in collaborating with voluntary agencies to overcome barriers for employees. During the recession there has been greater challenges for employment specialists to find employment for refugee clients and employers have noted some reluctance in hiring employees with low or non-existent English …

Nebraska’S Written Contracts Rule, J. David Aiken

Cornhusker Economics

Nebraska farmers and ranchers are used to doing business on a handshake. The culture is that if you ask someone to put the contract in writing, you are implying that you don’t trust them to keep their word. Doing business on a handshake is fine so long as no one breaks their promise, or if everyone’s recollection of what the deal is, is the same. But if one person wants out of the handshake deal the other person can be left holding the bag, even if they didn’t do anything wrong.

The Next Page, Library And Information Technology

The Next Page

The Next Page is a semi-annual newsletter published by Bucknell University's Library and Information Technology department. The publication serves the community by providing software, project, and service updates. Regular features include a letter from the Vice President for L&IT, new staff updates, and interviews. This issue includes the following articles: "From the Vice President for Library and Information Technology," "B-buy: E-Procurement at Bucknell," "Extreme Creativity," "Special Collections in the Classroom," "Library and IT Staff Presentations," "Making a Difference Beyond the Work Place."

Ask Not What E-Books Do For People, But What People Do With E-Books: An Exploration Of The Uses And Gratifications Theory In Regards To E-Book Technology, Emily Birgitte Defosse

Masters Theses

Paul F. Lazarsfeld's theory of uses and gratifications looks at why people chose to use or not use the media that is available to them. It was first used with the technology of radio and eventually applied to various other forms of media technologies such as comic books, television, and the Internet. In this study, the researcher expands uses and gratifications research to include one of the newest communication technologies -- e-books. Participants of the study completed a survey in regards to their electronic and print reading habits, and the results of the survey along with quantitative data found in …

To Post Or Not To Post: An Examination Of Gender Differences In Undergraduates' Self-Disclosure On Facebook, Alyson Thompson

Masters Theses

Due to the popularity and role Facebook plays in society, the present study seeks to better understand why undergraduates disclose on Facebook and what they are willing to share. The research questions for the study include: RQ 1: Are undergraduate women, ages 18-23, or undergraduate men, ages 18-23, more likely to disclose personal information on Facebook?, RQ 2: Are undergraduate women, ages 18-23, or undergraduate men, ages 18-23, more likely to disclose contact information (e-mail address, phone number, address, instant message screen name) on Facebook?, and RQ 3: Are the reasons for engaging in self-disclosure different between undergraduate women, ages …

From A Rodent To A Rhetorician: An Ideological Analysis Of George Alexander Kennedy's Comparative Rhetoric, James Begley

Masters Theses

George Alexander Kennedy, a professor of classics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has given birth to a new understanding of rhetorical studies: he argues for the evolution of rhetoric from animals to humans. Using Sonja Foss's methodology of "ideological criticism," this thesis examined Kennedy's case as presented in his book, Comparative Rhetoric: an Historical and Cross-Cultural Introduction. This study discovered that the book was heavily influenced by a secular, pro-evolutionary ideology which dually contributed to its selective use of scientific evidences and production of inconsistent arguments. Evaluated on the basis of Biblical principles, this thesis concluded …

American Sueño: Hispanic Immigrants' Cultural Adaptation In American Small Cities, Tatiana Almeida

Masters Theses

This study investigated certain aspects of the cross-cultural adaptation process of Spanish-speaking Hispanic immigrants residing in small cities in the United States. Using Young Yun Kim's cross-cultural adaptation theory as a theoretical framework, the researcher investigated the journey those sojourners undergo and how their cultural identities are shaped throughout the process. The two questions that guided the research were: (1) What are the difficulties that Hispanics that migrate to small cities in the United States encounter? (2) What are the mechanisms (media usage, language acquisition, habits, life style etc.) utilized by them in order to adapt to the new environment? …

Orientalism And Three British Dames: De-Essentialization Of The Other In The Work Of Gertrude Bell, Freya Stark, And E.S. Drower, Lynn Sawyer

Masters Theses

Although postcolonial criticism has run its course for thirty years, a fresh look at Edward Said's Orientalism offers insight into how Orientalism functions in the writings of three British dames. Gertrude Bell in The Desert and the Sown, Freya Stark in The Southern Gates of Arabia, and E.S. Drower in The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran, however, challenge Said's theory. Their writing raises questions about how gender alters the discourse about the Other, and whether Said essentializes the Occident. Bell, Stark, and Drower serve as case studies in which to analyze the politically and rhetorically complex interactions between the West …