Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Social Media & Negative Effects On Body Image, Jack Fechter

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Since the beginning of the 2010’s, social media has grown to affect every aspect of our daily lives. With children using it earlier in their lives, they are getting mass exposure to societal ideals about what body type should be. This has negatively impacted adolescents’ view of body image, which has led to dissatisfaction with their own bodies. This leads to depressive symptoms and even in some cases suicide, which has gone up among adolescents in the past decade. The article that follows details how and why these issues occur, as well as solutions to fix them. These solutions discussed …

Save The Rich, Connor Harris

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The problem of medication pricing and lobbying in the healthcare industry has caused millions of people within the United States to not be able to afford medications essential to their lives. Pharmaceutical companies are taking advantage of the need people have for certain drugs by setting the sale price far higher than it costs to produce. My suggested solution is to make lobbying illegal in the United States so that pharmaceutical companies would not have control over government officials who pass laws to help or hurt the issue of medication pricing. Illegalizing government lobbying will take away the incentive politicians …

Impact Of Whitetail Deer Overpopulation With Hunting On The Decline, Matthew J. Lamprinos

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The whitetail deer is a key species for Pennsylvania’s forests, but their ecological balance has been disturbed by unregulated growth and urban sprawl. The deer population in Pennsylvania has exploded since the 1880’s causing a wide range of damage on the ecosystem, and humans. To reduce deer populations to sustainable levels, the Pennsylvania Game Commission relies heavily on hunters to dedicate time in the fall to go out and fill the tags the they issue. Hunter participation all around the world is decreasing for a variety of reasons. Fewer hunters out in the field causes revenue losses for the Game …

The Struggle Of Mental Health Within College Students, Skyler R. West

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

One in five college students have thoughts of committing suicide daily. We often wonder what may lead to thoughts like this. This essay uses a subjective approach to broaden the knowledge of readers regarding mental health problems within college students. In this essay, readers discover the statistical findings of factors like alcohol, nicotine, schoolwork and athletics factoring into a student's psychological destressed mental state. Without having available and anonymous resources accessible to them, students are not able to get the help they need.

Mental Health In Music: Why Are We Not Talking About It?, Christian Pence

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The music business has taken many hits over the past 20 years, and we are seeing musicians slowly going extinct. There are so many factors that are hurting musicians, and workers in the music business. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, we were investing in music like no tomorrow. So many concerts were happening, and so many Broadway shows were going on. We were really supporting our musicians, and we were helping them in any way we could. But society, has not been investing in musicians, causing certain problems, like financial stability, mental health problems, and making music more of …

The Physical And Mental Toll Of The Recent Asian American Hate Crimes, Zachary M. Schwedes

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The United States has multiple wicked problems now, the tense political atmosphere, COVID-19, but the wicked problem that has only just been getting major media attention are the hate crimes that the Asian American community is facing. These hate crimes have been happening since March of 2020. Luckily, these hate crimes have been getting attention from Asian American actors like Olivia Munn and Daniel Dae Kim as well as the most recent deadly attack in Atlantic City. Hate crimes against the Asian American community has seen a 150% increase in large cities like New York City and Los Angeles. There …

Physician Burnout: Stress Within The Health Care System, Aidan Hauser

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

As our nation’s healthcare system expands, more stress and responsibility are placed on our physicians and frontline healthcare workers. The pressures of the daily job often prove extremely damaging to the employee’s mental and physical health. Physician and worker burnout is a growing epidemic that is damaging our care providers more and more every day. Burnout effects not only workers, but all of those surrounding them as well. This plague is not going to be repaired by one single change, but it is clear that many adjustments must be made to reform our healthcare system.

Mental Health And Covid-19, Haley Thiel

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The recent pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s mental health. Transitioning to full freedom and opportunity to lockdown with no human interaction was a huge adjustment. The global pandemic especially hit home to college students and had a significant impact on universities. In this paper we discuss and analyze how the pandemic has shifted college students mental health and the negative toll it had. We will examine how anxiety, depression, and other general mental health disorders have skyrocketed in college students during the pandemic. The need for reform and attention on college campuses to preserve students mental health is …

Police Body Cams Reducing Police Brutality, Shane M. Secrest

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

This paper shows 3 main reasons of how police worn body cameras being equipped on every single police officer in the country will be effective in reducing police brutality issues. The research is based of 3 sub points being officer, suspect and community safety, the educational value that can be gained from police worn body cameras, and how police worn body cameras can benefit the US court system. Each subpoint is broken down with how and why police worn body cameras would benefit each area.

Aspects Of Climate Change, Anthony Defusco

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Climate change continues to become a global issue, and with that, more people being affected by the harmful factors that come with it. Climate change not only effects the environment, but also has aspects of cultural and health issues. Different cultures view this problem differently than other as it affects different aspects of that culture. Health risk is on the rise as air pollution is more prominent and diseases spread. The climate is being warmed, causing extreme weather and drought. These different perspectives on global warming allow for new and unknowing people to be exposed to this issue and allow …

Tuition Prices Are Through The Roof, Zara Zerman

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Tuition prices have increased at a rate that is making it difficult and impossible for students to not accumulate debt. Education is a necessity for society because it gives students opportunities to pursue any career they have interest or desire in. There are many discussions and conversations about the higher education system being too expensive but there have not been any changes or solutions to make college more affordable for students. Loans, federal aid, and other scholarships that help students with the cost of college will never be enough to help with the overwhelmingness of tuition prices and student debt. …

Lower Tuition, Eliminate Debts, And Enjoy Your Education, Damon Dejesus

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

College students live in a world where financial struggles and hardships take away from a lot of their freedoms after graduation. The ongoing student debt issues have crippled many of their freedoms and put limitations on the various luxuries they should be able to enjoy after completing the long journey of getting a degree. Through a few simple yet effective methods I think that there are ways to combat this wicked problem, things such as lowering the price of tuition, distributing more financial aid to students, and reducing the rate of interest attached to loans that some students may be …

Bridging The Gap, Jerenita Sokan

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Relationships are very important in our everyday life, especially in the medical field. Doctors tend to be the determining factor for many patients when it comes to life or death, and the patient requires a positive doctor patient relationship for many reasons. A good relationship is very important to foster trust thus creating a welcoming environment leading to more people taking steps to get help. However, when the doctor patient relationship is broken negative results are yield. Today the relationship between African American women and doctors is one that is broken and drifting further away from what is viewed as …

United States Judicial System Failures And Solutions, Braden P. Barker

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

For years, the American judicial system has unfairly punished the American people. These actions have led to serious societal consequences. We have prisons that sentence people to harsh punishment for nonviolent offenses, an overfunded and militarized police force, and racial biases that lead to the tragic killings of black people at the hands of the police that are intended to protect and serve us. This essay looks to diagnose the United States judicial system’s woes. More importantly, we take a look at what steps can be taken immediately to begin reversing the negative impact of these issues.

Student Debt Crisis, Celia Diloretto

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Student debt has been dated back to 1965 when the federal government began guaranteeing student loans. Today in 2021 student debt is now a crisis. Solutions have been trialed and errored when trying to forgive student debt, but no one solution seems to work right for students with outstanding debt today. Here are some of the effects student debt can cause and why debt needs to be prevented for future students.

Towards A Safety Learning Culture For The Shipping Industry : A White Paper, Barry Kirwan, Beatrice Bettignies-Thiebaux, Matteo Cocchioni, Raphael Baumler, Maria Carrera Arce

Documents

Within the framework of the EU-funded SAFEMODE project, a series of confidential, in-depth interviews of seafarers and investigators was carried out to ascertain the current status of Safety Culture in the shipping industry, and to recommend possible avenues for improvement. The interview script covered practices in incident and accident investigation and reporting, the Human Element, the factors that keep the ship safe, the role of the Safety Management System, Just Culture and Safety Learning. The seafarers’ and investigators’ interviews were complemented by small focus groups with unions, education and safety bodies. Participants were open and genuine in providing their opinions, …

Pedagogical Agents, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What are pedagogical agents?

Pedagogical agents are “lifelike characters presented on a computer screen that guide users through multimedia learning environments” (Clarebout & Heidig, 2012, p. 2568). Pedagogical agents can vary in multiple ways. The following characteristics have been most studied: appearance (two-dimensional [2D] vs. three-dimensional [3D]), eye gaze, facial expression, gesturing, motion, and gender. The simplest pedagogical agent would be a static, 2D image with just text, and a complex agent would be a dynamic, 3D person or character that talks, gestures, and has eye movements and facial expressions.

Why are pedagogical agents valuable?

Pedagogical agents are valuable because …

Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, Zero-Tolerance Discipline, And The School-To Prison Pipeline, Lois V. Woods

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Zero-tolerance discipline policies led to the introduction of police on school campuses and have resulted in a disproportionate number of in-school arrests and referrals of Black middle-school students, subjecting them to the school-to-prison pipeline. Data shows the negative effects of zero tolerance; however, less is known regarding alternative evidence-based strategies such as the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). Grounded in the labeling theoretical framework, this study examined whether JDAI status (pre-JDAI and post-JDAI) could predict arrests and referrals while controlling for race, gender, and age. Secondary data were collected from a juvenile court in northwest Georgia on 1,303 middle-school students. …

The Ultimate Struggles Of A Classroom, Jackson R. Luneburg L

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Abstract: In a time where classrooms need more development as a whole to be more sustainable for kids that might have learning disabilities, We will look into universal design techniques that teachers could use to help children succeed in their environment. Having some sort of adaptability in the classroom is important for all students. By changing the ways we teach some tools teachers can use will be more comforting for the student with a learning disability to learn at quicker and faster paces. Design and having structure is very effective to student learning efficiency. Looking at new ways to innovate …

Noble Intent Is Not Enough To Run Veterans Court Mentoring Programs: A Qualitative Study Of Mentors’ Role Orientation And Responsibilities, Anne S. Douds, Eilenn M. Ahlin, Cassandra Atkin-Plunk, Michael Posteraro

Public Policy Faculty Publications

Mentoring is a key component of veterans treatment courts, a diversionary problem-solving court for justice-involved military veterans. Mentoring programs are unique to veterans’ courts; no other problem-solving courts systematically include them as critical components of their court programming. Despite their prominence in veterans courts, little is known about mentor program operations and court expectations for mentors’ roles and responsibilities. This study examines mentors’ roles and responsibilities as perceived by mentees, mentors, and veterans treatment court staff. Using in-depth interview data from respondents from each of these groups, supplemented by observational data from court hearings and pre-court meetings, we identify three …

Evaluation Of Sport Facilities In Sport Cities In Jordan, Sari Hamdan

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

The aim of this study was to evaluate facilities in sport cities in Jordan. The sample of this study consisted of (24) employees in sport cities the researcher bilt a tool and validity and reliability was done for the research tool. The results showed that sport cities were in a good condition, however, El-Hussien city was significantly better than the other sport cities. The researcher recommended to using the research tool of this study as instrumentation to evaluate sports facilities in sport cities.

Italian Ambitions In Syria And Lebanon (1870-1945), Ahmad Alshrideh

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

The aim of this study is to clarify the Italian Ambitions in Syria and Lebanon (1870-1945), and shows the Italian orientation in this region, and to know the Italian methods to achieve its ambitions. The study talks about the Italian movement towards Lebanon, and the Italians Intervention in Lebanese civil war 1860. Finally, the study recalls the Italian claims her mandate to Syria and Lebanon as an alternative to the French mandate. The study concluded that, despite Italys efforts to achieve its ambitions in Syria and Lebanon, it deeply collides with the legacy institutions that established by England and France …

The Impact Of Implementing The Principles Of Good Governance On The Quality Of Administrative Reports In The Palestinian Municipal Councils, Faeyz Abuamria, Nasser Mohammad Soud Jaradat, Mohammad Shaded

Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات

This study aims at clarifying the impact of implementing the principles of good governance on the quality of administrative reports in the Palestinian municipal councils. A questionnaire was designed to pilot the views of mayors, deputy mayors, directors, heads of departments and employees in Bethlehem and Hebron directorates. Results showed that it is too early to talk about sound governance at local councils in the absence of applying the minimal principles of governance such as accountability, transparency and involving staff in decision-making. Furthermore, the administrative reports administered by the heads of administrative departments do not reflect the real situation nor …

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: March 2021, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

Veteran employment trends and statistics among various demographics during March 2021.

Discourse On Digital Government And Regulation: A Bibliometric Analysis, Prakoso Bhairawa Putera, Amelya Gustina

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study aims to discuss digital government and regulation, analyzed through the bibliometric approach with the Scopus database for the last 20 years and visualized through the VOSviewer software version 1.6.16. The results indicate that the topic of e-government has become essentially prominent and has been the most discussed in the past two decades. Approximately 41.1% of digital government and regulation articles are classified under the subject area of 'Computer Science', continued by Social Sciences (18.3%), and Business, Management and Accounting (10.2%), with the majority of being 'All Open Access' (46%). The trend of publication in this field includes the …

Disparities In Access To After-Hours Care In The U.S.: A National Study, Kavita Mosalpuria, Fernando A. Wilson, Mohammad Siahpush

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

After-hours care provides timely access to continuity of care for chronic illnesses and episodic care for acute illness. Lack of timely access to primary care services is one of the main drivers of emergency department overuse. Our aim was to examine disparities in access to after-hours care based on race, income, geographic location, type of insurance, and health care setting. We used data from the 2010 Health Tracking Household Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess disparities in access to after-hours care. We found disparities by type of insurance, geographic location, and type of health care setting. People with …

U.S. Prisons And System Reform, Darian Reimels

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Prison systems, specifically in the U.S., are a wicked problem. For years prisoners have been treated inhumanely inside and outside of prison, with everyone looking at them with a judgmental eye. This essay aims to point out and bring light to these issues within the prison system. Specifically, it focuses on how inmates are treated during and after serving their sentence, and solitary confinement. To better understand and explain the problems to you, extensive research was done. Articles were read, organizations were researched, and a documentary was watched to gather the information needed to write this essay. The results showed …

Dampak Penerapan Kebijakan Self Assessment Guru Dalam Program Pengembangan Keprofesian Berkelanjutan (Pkb) Di Tahun 2016 Dan 2018 Terhadap Hasil Uji Kompetensi Guru (Ukg) Di Indonesia, Indri Astuti Irmalita, Thia Jasmina

Jurnal Kebijakan Ekonomi

The Continuous Professional Development (CPD) program and Teacher Competency Test (TCT) have been national programs to enhance teachers' competency in Indonesia since 2012. In 2016, there was a change in the implementation of the CPD program where the teacher self assessment policy was applied as an instrument in alternative learning mode (various mode) of the CPD program. However, subsequently, in 2017-2018, its implementation was changed to only a face-to-face mode for all results of the teacher self assessment. The main objective of this study is to see how the change of the implementation of the teacher self assessment policy in …

Webinar: Rethinking Streets During Covid, Clare Haley, John Larson-Friend, Marc Schlossberg, Aliza Whalen

TREC Webinar Series

Re-allocating space on streets to accommodate new uses – particularly for walking, biking, and being – is not new. However, COVID-era needs have accelerated the process that many communities use to make such street transitions. Many communities quickly understood that the street is actually a public place and a public good that serves broader public needs more urgent than the free flow or the storage of private vehicles. This seminar describes a new case study book that captures some of these quick changes to city streets in response to societal needs during COVID, with two open questions: 1. What changes …

Urban Resilience And Impact On Utility Services - Panel Discussion Iii, Noman Ahmed, Laeeq Ahmed, Sadia Dada, Javed Younas

CBER Conference

The government services departments are ill-equipped to provide sufficient services to the people of Karachi. The authorities are solely responsible for lack of provision of services resulting in the city’s dysfunction in the event of natural disasters. The physical existence of service delivery corridors should be notified to the public and a comprehensive plan needs to be put in place to create awareness about the rights of the consumers and utilities service providers. 75% of Karachi today does not experience load-shedding, adding that the illegal encroachment in the city is leading to safety impairment. Currently the eco-system is not conducive …