Influence of Career Services on Time to Undergraduate Degree Completion

A national concern exists surrounding the value and quality of American higher education, as well as the extended time required to complete an undergraduate degree. Extending the time-to-degree completion costs students in tuition, room, board, and most importantly, missed career opportunities. More than 60% of students fail to graduate within four years, delaying entry to the labor market and increasing costs associated with a college degree (Bound, Lovenheim, & Turner, 2012; National Center for Education Statistics, 2017). Numerous studies highlight college student persistence and retention efforts (Goodman, Hurwitz, & Smith, 2017; Hull-Blanks et al., 2005; Tinto, 1987, 2017), a few examine time-to-degree completion (Bound et al., 2012; Cullinane, 2014; Kramer, Holcomb, & Kelchen, 2017; Letkiewicz et al., 2014), and fewer consider the influence of career services on time-to-degree completion (Sang, 2015). This non-experimental, cross-sectionalstudy examined the influence of using career services on time-to-degree completion. A census sampling was used to survey 223 undergraduates who applied to graduate from a four-year institution in the South during the Fall of 2018 and Spring of 2019 semesters. A researcher-created electronic instrument served as the data collection tool. Study findings reveal differences in time-to-degree completion for participants who used career services versus participants who did not. This study increases the knowledge of the influence of career services on time to undergraduate degree completion. Future time-to-degree completion research should consider a qualitative design and inclusion of other institutions

The Relationship Between The Health Behaviors Of Female University Freshmen And Their Academic Success

The purpose o f this study was to characterize the relationship between the health behaviors and academic achievement o f university women. To this end, female freshmen at Mississippi University for Women were given questionnaires measuring their healthrelated lifestyle habits that were then correlated with the students’ grade point averages. Lifestyle habits were assessed via the Wellness Worksheet questionnaire (WW), and academic success, first semester grade point averages (GPA). The analysis revealed a moderately weak and positive relationship between healthier lifestyle choices and first semester GPA, r = .34. Among the behaviors addressed by the WW, alcohol and other drug use correlated most highly with GPA, r = .43

HBCU crises and best practices in the discourse of renewal: a crisis communication case study of three institutions

Crises have been a part of all societies over the course of time. Leaders of small, primitive societies may have dealt with these crises by directly communicating with their citizens or by taking other hands-on approaches to crisis management and recovery. However, in large post-modern technological societies, leaders must find more efficient ways to handle and recover from crises. This qualitative study examines three crises that occurred at three Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs) in the last six years. Crisis communication planning and practices are explored with a special focus on elements of the discourse of renewal theory each institution implemented. The majority of existing research and literature in the field of crisis communication focuses on crisis management in corporate or governmental environments. This study, through each case presented, provides valuable insight into crisis communication in the educational sector. Additionally, the unique character and challenges of Historically Black Colleges and Universities are presented to add to the body of knowledge about these institutions. The ultimate purpose of this study is to develop a best practices model for continued renewal for each institution featured in this case. Generalized best practices are also provided for all HBCUs, students, scholars, and journalists to use in implementing and studying future post-crisis renewal efforts

Charles Babbage and Mathematical Aspects of the Miraculous

Charles Babbage is widely known as the father of the computer, but he is lesser known for his contributions to natural theology and apologetics. In 1837 Babbage wrote the Ninth Bridgewater Treatise in response to a series of writings concerning faith and science that had been commissioned by the Royal Society. Among the remarkable features of the Ninth Bridgewater are mathematical analogies concerning the miraculous. We will explore these ideas, which range from the difference engine to a family of fourth degree curves, illustrating that for Babbage, miracles are not exceptions to natural law, but rather instances of a larger pattern. In addition we will see how Babbage employed probability to refute Hume’s argument against miracles

Taylor, Melba

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/pohp/1011/thumbnail.jp

Wireless Sensor Networks for Long-Term Monitoring of Urban Noise

Noise pollution in urban environments is becoming increasingly common and it has potential to negatively impact people’s health and decrease overall productivity. In order to alleviate these effects, it is important to better quantify noise patterns and levels through data collection and analysis. Wireless sensor networks offer a method for achieving this with a higher level of granularity than traditional handheld devices. In this study, a wireless sensing unit (WSU) was developed that possesses the same functionality as a handheld sound level meter. The WSU is comprised of a microcontroller unit that enables on-board computations, a wireless transceiver that uses Zigbee protocol for data transmission, and an external peripheral board that houses the microphone transducer. The WSU utilizes on-board data processing techniques to monitor noise by computing equivalent continuous sound levels, LeqT, which effectively minimizes data transmission and increases the overall longevity of the node. Strategies are also employed to ensure real-time functionality is maintained on the sensing unit, with a focus on preventing bottlenecks between data acquisition, data processing, and wireless transmission. Four units were deployed in two weeks field validation test and were shown to be capable of monitoring noise for extended periods of time

Visualising cyclododecane on porous materials using cryogenic scanning electron microscopy

This paper is published in the book ‘Subliming Surfaces: Volatile Binding Media in Heritage Conservation’, ed. Christina Rozeik (University of Cambridge Museums, 2018), pp. 65-66.Since its introduction in the mid-1990s, cyclododecane (CDD) has found increasing use in the field of conservation. However, the physical effects of deposition and sublimation remain somewhat unexplained. This study used cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) to explore the physical interaction of cyclododecane with porous substrates commonly encountered among cultural materials: paper, wood and clay. It aimed to visualise whether the consolidant lined or filled pores, as well as whether it formed a uniform coating or an open network within pores. Comparing images of untreated and treated clay, wood, and paper samples reveals that the CDD forms a fairly uniform coating that closely mimics the topography of the substrate. Cracking and delamination of the coating was sometimes observed and may be related to the plunge-freezing process. Cryo-SEM proved limited in its ability to peer into the pores of the treated substrates because the cryogenic stage does not offer enough rotation samples themselves were too small to be easily manipulated and/or cross-sectioned, particularly while maintaining frozen conditions. Because only the topmost sample surfaces were observed, it was not possible to assess the depth of consolidant penetration or the force exerted by the consolidant upon the substrate. This study permitted an assessment of the physical interaction between CDD and the surfaces of treated substrates, revealing a close correspondence and suggesting thorough coverage of porous materials when the consolidant is applied as a saturated solvent solution