Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Ua3/10 President's Messages - Spring Semester, Wku President's Office - Caboni

WKU Administration Documents

President's Message emails sent by Timothy Caboni to faculty & staff during spring semester, 2025.

• Accreditation
• Budget
• Buildings
• Cherry Hall Renovation
• Commencement
• Enrollment / Recruitment
• Legislation
• Semester Kickoff
• Semester Review
• Student Retention
• Summer Review

Ai Adoption And Wage Growth In U.S. Industries: A Sectoral Analysis, Demitrius Andrellos

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming nearly every sector and has significant implications for workers and their wages. This paper examines the impact of the utilization of AI on wage growth across various industries in the United States. Through analysis of trends, examination of current research, and regression analysis using real industry data, the research demonstrates the disparate impacts of AI. Research suggests that AI raises wages in tech- and finance-centric sectors where it complements humans but keeps wages down in labor-intensive sectors where it replaces them. Understanding this disparity is important to build equitable workforce policies for the AI age.

Empirical Analysis Of The Impact Of Macroeconomic Determinants On Equity Reit Performance, Chris Morello

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper investigates how equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) respond to key macroeconomic factors: stock market performance, interest rate changes, and inflation. Using annual data from 1972 to 2024, multiple linear regressions are conducted to assess which variables significantly explain REIT returns. The results reveal a strong and consistent relationship between equity REIT performance and S&P 500 returns, while interest rates and lagged inflation measures show no statistically significant impact. These findings suggest that REITs behave more like equities than fixed-income assets, particularly in the long term. While the models have limited explanatory power, the analysis supports the idea …

Determinants Of Wealth Inequality In Central America: A Panel Data Analysis Of Socioeconomic And Institutional Factors, Jose Manuel Fernandez Pou

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This study applies a non-linear panel threshold regression model to examines the factors of economic development in Central America, with an emphasis on institutional and socioeconomic factors. Using data acquired between 2000 and 2023 the research evaluates how different variables like trade openness, FDI, financial development, education spending, inflation and population growth impacts the growth of GDP at different levels of institutional quality. The results demonstrate that institutional quality levels create a distinct threshold effect when trade openness and FDI fail to promote growth in weak institutional settings while inflation volatility strongly hinders growth. FDI and financial development show positive …

Beyond The Road Trip: Investigating The Impact Of Travel Fatigue On Nba Team Performance, Anthony Pugliese

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper investigates the impact of travel fatigue on NBA player performance. In this paper we will look at key variables such as back-to-back games and long-distance travel. By using specific team by team data on factors like game results, travel distance, and rest days. This study examined how specific factors like time zone shifts and travel length influences winning percentage and player efficiency. This paper will also show a regression analysis and visual data to back up results using real life data. The results showed that team performance decreased significantly when teams were at a higher rate of travel …

The Contemporaneous Impact Of Unemployment And Income Inequality On Violent Vs Property Crime Rates In New England: A Panel Data And Machine Learning Approach, Cora Sousa

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper investigates the possible impact of unemployment and income inequality on property and or violent crimes in the New England region in the United States from 2003 to 2022. Using a panel data analysis looking at unemployment rates and factors of income inequality in New England states, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont, along with demographic factors like race and gender aim to find a relationship between unemployment and income inequality with crime rates. Economic distress, usually caused by unemployment, can cause an individual to commit crimes due to hard times. Using machine learning decision trees …

Ua19/16/2 Golf Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU golf teams in spring 2025.

Ua19/16/2 Tennis Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU tennis teams in spring 2025.

Spring 2025 Library Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library Services

Library Services Newsletters

Minnesota State University, Mankato Library Services newsletter (Volume 30, Issue 2) for Spring 2025.

Columnas: The Honors Program Newsletter At Bentley University, Alyssa Galin, Hayden Jennato, Isabella Ramirez, Micaela Corzo, Tiara Morales, Christos Chatziioannou

Honors Program

ADAPTING AND EMBRACING COLLEGE LIFE AT BENTLEY:

Page 2: The Best of Both Worlds by Amanda '25

Page 3: How Bentley Has Changed My Life by Yun Song '25

Page4: From the Andes to Boston by Gabriel E. Mendoza Hancco '28

Page 5: Navigating Imposter Syndrome: A First-Generation Ethiopian Student's Journey

TECHNOLOGY AND ITS IMPACT

Page 6: The TikTok Ban by Khussam Mohamed '28

Page 7: My Haphazard (Yet Steadily Improving) Relationship with AI as a Lifelong Writer by Sahil Raut '27

REDEFINING HAPPINESS

Page 8: Hack Your Happiness by Sadie Fitzpatrick '28

Page 9: Don't Wait by Sinead Keyes …

Cyber Offending Among Adolescents: The Role Of Thoughtfully Reflective Decision-Making And Victimization, Revital Sela-Shayovitz, Tamar Berenblum, Sharon Toys

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

There has been growing attention to the role of the decision-making process in crime involvement in recent years. However, less is known about the association between the decision-making process and adolescents’ online offending. The present study examined whether thoughtfully reflective decision-making (TRDM) and cyber victimization are related to adolescents’ cybercrime. Data were obtained from self-report questionnaires administered to 510 Israeli adolescents aged 13-20. The results indicate that TRDM is negatively associated with engagement in online offending. Furthermore, cyber victimization is significantly associated with online offending. In addition, a significant predictor of online offending is intense activity on social media. We …

Moving Beyond The Baby Blues: Supporting Maternal Mental Health In Minnesota, Rileigh Kronmiller, Mary Montero, Sarah Nelsen, Timothy Taggart

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Untreated mental health challenges are the second leading contributors to perinatal and postpartum deaths in the U.S. as well as Minnesota. There are many barriers for mothers and trans/nonbinary birthing parents to receive the care they need, including social stigma, inadequate prenatal and postpartum screening, and a lack of resources and access to integrated, research-informed care, especially for BIPOC and rural communities. While awareness of this troubling issue has risen in recent years, so too have deaths and other adverse outcomes. Addressing maternal mental health concerns will reduce involvement in the child protection and judicial systems, reduce deaths, and improve …

Hiv Funding Matters: Sustaining Progress, Saving Lives, Paulina Camacho, Gordon Culley, Sharlett Smith, Roxanne Watkins

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

By 2023, 39.9 million people globally live with HIV, 1.4 million children and 38.6 million adults (WHO, 2025), yet unstable funding threatens progress in prevention and treatment. This fragility is starkly illustrated by Minnesota’s 24% HIV case surge in 2023, the largest increase in a decade, signaling urgent needs for sustained investment. Simultaneously, older adults with HIV endure compounding vulnerabilities in long-term care (LTC) systems, where stigma, discrimination, and culturally incompetent care violate their rights. Legislative action, such as the HIV Long-Term Care Bill of Rights, is needed in Minnesota to ensure equitable access and protections for aging individuals living …

Aging In The Shadows: The Struggle For Adequate Resources In Elder Care, Sabina Allakulova, Marissa Carpenter, Kacie Hunt, Elizabeth Meuleners

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Minnesota is aging rapidly: by 2030, 1 in 4 Minnesotans will be over the age of 65, with rural areas feeling this shift most acutely. Yet, the state’s aging services are fragmented and under-resourced, leaving older adults struggling to access care, maintain independence, and stay connected to their communities. Without comprehensive reform, growing gaps will strain family caregivers, the elder care workforce, and healthcare systems.

We urge the Minnesota Legislature to establish a Cabinet-level Department of Aging to unify, strengthen, and lead the state's response to aging population needs. A dedicated department will coordinate services, address workforce shortages, expand home …

Vol. 8, No. 1 Cover

Southern African Journal of Policy and Development

No abstract provided.

Vol. 8, No. 1 Table Of Contents

Southern African Journal of Policy and Development

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of Performance-Based Budgeting For Public Health Care Service Delivery In An Emerging Economy, Isaac O. Randa, Christine A. Adere

Southern African Journal of Policy and Development

This study investigates the determinants and implications of the implementation of performance-based budgeting (PBB) on public health care service delivery at the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) in Windhoek, Namibia. Using a cross-sectional survey research design targeting 100 respondents, this study employed a quantitative research approach involving MoHSS's budgeting and health care services departments. Data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Communication, bureaucratic structures, and implementers’ disposition significantly influenced PBB implementation alignment, thereby enhancing service delivery. However, resource utilisation showed no significant effect. Additionally, implementation alignment effectively mediated the relationship between latent exogenous variables and …

Contested Class Hegemonies And The Limits Of Ethnic Politics In Zambia: The Case Of The 2021 Elections, Jotham C. Momba

Southern African Journal of Policy and Development

Ethnic politics in Zambia is a function of the extent to which the petty bourgeoisie, who thrive largely on the ideology of tribalism, exercise strong hegemony over the other social classes in their respective ethnic groups. However, when other social classes challenge that hegemony, evidence from the Zambian experience shows that the pertinence of ethnicity as a political force is significantly reduced. The members of the petty bourgeoisie in Zambia have exercised hegemony over other social classes in the country’s post-colonial period after they successfully led the struggle for political independence. The petty bourgeoisie are, however, factionalised along ethnic lines, …

Ua19/16/2 Softball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU softball team in spring 2025.

Ua19/16/2 Baseball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU baseball team in spring 2025.

The Price Of Victory: A Machine Learning Analysis Of How Salary Dispersion Influences Team Success In Major League Baseball, Joseph Belsanti

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper examines the effect of salary dispersion on team success in Major League Baseball (MLB). Using data from 29 MLB teams over eight seasons (2012-2019), this study uses multiple models, such as Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), panel data regressions, and Random Forest machine learning, to investigate the degree – if any – that inequalities in a team's payroll impacts success, measured by winning percentage. The study's results show that, contrary to prevailing theories, salary dispersion – measured by a Gini coefficient – is not a significant predictor of a team's winning percentage (team success). Instead, team performance metrics, such …

The Impact Of Tariffs And Institutional Quality On Economic Growth In Latin America: A Panel Data Analysis, Blaisedel Frampton

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper investigates the relationship between tariffs and economic growth in Latin American countries and how institutional quality may impact this relationship. The study will use data from the World Development Indicators Data Bank. The data used comes from 18 high- or middle-income countries within South America and the Caribbean from the years 2003 to 2023. Results from this study were found using a fixed-effects regression model. The results from this study show that overall, there is a negative correlation between tariffs and economic growth in South America. There is also a positive correlation between institutional quality and economic growth …

Passive Vs. Active Etfs: A Comparative Data Analysis Of Market Performance And Investor Behavior, Herrick Louis

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper investigates the long-term performance of passive vs active ETFs. Using a comparative analysis of historical returns from 2015 to 2024, Regression modeling, and time Series Analysis, I assessed whether passive investing offers a strategic advantage overactive management. Drawing on data from VOO Passive, SWANX active, Bitcoin, and MAG 7 technology ETFs, and the Financial Sector.

Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Gendered Happiness: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Oecd Countries, Anusha Khan

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper explores how socioeconomic factors influence life satisfaction across OECD countries and how these effects vary by gender. Using a cross-sectional dataset, the study runs three separate regressions, total, men’s, and women’s happiness to test whether factors like health, education, safety, and support networks impact life satisfaction differently for men and women. A Random Forest model is also used to validate the robustness of selected predictors. Findings show that health and support matter universally, but men’s well-being is more closely tied to educational attainment, while women’s happiness is more sensitive to feelings of safety.

Decarbonization Under Carbon Policy And Pricing Shifts: A Machine Learning-Driven Synthetic Control And Panel Data Analysis, Chanboremey Teng

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This study evaluates the effectiveness of carbon pricing instruments – Carbon taxes and Emissions Trading Systems (ETS) – in reducing CO2 emissions per capita across 152 countries from 1990 to 2023 using dynamic panel regressions with fixed effects. The analysis estimates both short-run and long-run effects while controlling economic structure, energy mix, and environmental policy stringency (EPS). The results show that ETS policies yield the strongest long-term reduction in emissions at approximately 7.35%, followed by carbon taxes at 5.6%, and EPS regulatory measures at 6.35%. However, when all three instruments are modeled together, the marginal effects of pricing mechanisms weaken, …

Examining The Effect Of Climate Change Denialism In American Christianity On International Climate Policy, Hope Mcbride

Selected Honors Theses

While 53% of Americans say anthropogenic climate change is happening, only 32% of American evangelical Protestants share that belief (Alper). Key reasons for this gap include the values and political affiliations held by religious Americans. Historically, there have been dissenting opinions on the role of Christianity in global warming, but ultimately data have demonstrated that the opinions of American Christians can influence major global political decisions, such as President Trump’s executive order pulling the United States out of the keystone Paris Agreement.

Aphantasia And Religion: Exploring The Impact Of Imageless Cognition On Spiritual Experience, Reagan J. Pletcher

Selected Honors Theses

This study examines the intersection of aphantasia – the inability to consciously visualize mental images – and religious experience, here Christianity. Taking a phenomenological approach, qualitative interviews were conducted with three self-described aphantasic Christians to examine how they conceptualize, practice, and experience their faith. Thematic analysis revealed that participants employ abstract thinking, propositional thinking, and moral reasoning rather than visual imagery when engaging with religious texts, prayer, and worship. They valued intellectual and moral aspects of Christianity more than imaginative visualization, demonstrating that religion is not necessarily dependent on mental imagery to participate spiritually. While participants did refer to challenges …

2025- The Twenty-Ninth Annual Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the 29th Annual Symposium of Student Scholars, held on April 16-18, 2025. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

University Libraries Newsletter - Spring 2025, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

University Libraries Newsletters

No abstract provided.

“Like A Fish Being Judged By My Ability To Fly”: Barriers To Accessibility In Postgraduate Study, Molly E. Thompson

Publications and Research

This research paper explores the unique accessibility challenges faced by disabled postgraduate students and what can be done to address them. Testimonies and formal studies alike show how disabled graduate students have to deal with stigmatizing attitudes from their instructors (especially if they hold intersectional marginalized identities) on top of systemic barriers such as strict deadlines, unsustainably heavy workloads, inaccessible travel requirements, and disability services that are not suited to undergraduate needs. These problems are especially prominent in medical school where demands on time and energy are especially rigorous. To address these issues, disability service programs must be reformed to …