Status of the Mountain Lion in Arkansas

Two authenticated kill records of the mountain lion, Felis concolor, in Arkansas are reported as well as numerous reliable sight records spanning an approximately 30-year period. Distribution of sightings in the state is discussed in relation to an expanding deer population. The cougar probably never was exterminated in Arkansas but it still may be considered endangered

Status of the Mountain Lion in Arkansas

Two authenticated kill records of the mountain lion, Felis concolor, in Arkansas are reported as well as numerous reliable sight records spanning an approximately 30-year period. Distribution of sightings in the state is discussed in relation to an expanding deer population. The cougar probably never was exterminated in Arkansas but it still may be considered endangered

An Introduction to Sked

In this note I give an overview of the VLBI scheduling software sked. I describe some of the algorithms used in automatic scheduling and some sked commands which have been introduced at users requests. I also give a cookbook for generating some schedules

Predicting Graduation and College GPA: A Multilevel Analysis Investigating the Contextual Effect of College Major

Despite the overwhelming evidence that higher education data are nested at various levels, single-level techniques such as regression and analysis of variance are commonly used to investigate student outcomes. This is problematic as a mismatch in methodology and research questions can lead to biased parameter estimates. The purpose of this study was to predict cumulative grade point average (GPA) and the likelihood of four-year and six-year graduation while simultaneously accounting for select pre-college characteristics, during-college experiences, and the interrelationship between student-level and major-level predictors. To achieve the desired outcomes, the study applied multilevel modeling techniques to secondary data for new undergraduate students first enrolling at one research institution in the Midwestern United States during Fall 2010 and Fall 2011. Results suggest that approximately 30% of the variation in cumulative GPA, 32% of the variation in four-year graduation, and 48% of the variation in six-year graduation can be attributed to differences in academic majors. Results also indicate that the strength of the student-level predictors of high school GPA, changing one’s major, first-year GPA, and student organization involvement vary across academic majors. Collectively, the study contributes to the application of quantitative research methodology in higher education by demonstrating a more accurate predictive model of academic success for undergraduate students

A Quantitative Exploration of the Effects of Employment on High-Achieving African American College Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between employment status and student involvement for academically high-achieving African American students (HAAASs) attending one master’s-granting, large, predominantly White institution in the Midwestern United States. Findings from this study contribute to and expand upon existing literature by suggesting that employment does not influence the amount of time HAAASs study or participate within student organizations. Implications for future research are also explored

Strategies for Improving the IVS-INT01 UT1 Estimates

We discuss an alternative scheduling strategy for the IVS-INT01 sessions and demonstrate that it is more robust and produces lower formal errors than the strategy used for the operational Intensives

GSFC Technology Development Center Report

This report summarizes the activities of the GSFC Technology Development Center (TDC) for 2012 and forecasts planned activities for 2013. The GSFC TDC develops station software including the Field System (FS), scheduling software (SKED), hardware including tools for station timing and meteorology, scheduling algorithms, and operational procedures. It provides a pool of individuals to assist with station implementation, check-out, upgrades, and training