Rare Florida flowers and fruits.

Commercial catalog of plants offered for sale by Jessamine Gardens.https://stars.library.ucf.edu/floridaheritage/1060/thumbnail.jp

The Femme Fatale Exhibition, Curator: NeridaCampbell

A  critical reflection on the exhibition, The Femme Fatal

The Morris Arboretum \u3cem\u3eQuercus\u3c/em\u3e Collection: Unearthing the Michaux Quercetum

The genus Quercus (oaks), considered by some the most important hardwood genus, plays a significant role in the Morris Arboretum living collection. A recognized NAPCC joint collection (North American Plant Collections Consortium), the strength of the oak collection lies in its great age and species diversity. The Michaux Quercetum is a distinct collection of oaks within the greater Quercus collection, resulting from a large-scale collection of North American oaks in the 1950s. Review of the species diversity, richness, and age structure of the oak collection brings to light a few simple recommendations for the maintenance and enhancement of the nationally recognized collection. The proper maintenance of unique collections projects such as the Michaux Quercetum, combined with oak collection locally and abroad and an increased planting of native oaks, will ensure the high quality of the oak collection at Morris Arboretum in the future

nanay: a response to Perhaps the World Ends Here by Joy Harjo

A poem geographically set in Taiwan, the Philippines, and British Columbia

Bayesian Networks with Expert Elicitation as Applicable to Student Retention in Institutional Research

The application of Bayesian networks within the field of institutional research is explored through the development of a Bayesian network used to predict first- to second-year retention of undergraduates. A hybrid approach to model development is employed, in which formal elicitation of subject-matter expertise is combined with machine learning in designing model structure and specification of model parameters. Subject-matter experts include two academic advisors at a small, private liberal arts college in the southeast, and the data used in machine learning include six years of historical student-related information (i.e., demographic, admissions, academic, and financial) on 1,438 first-year students. Netica 5.12, a software package designed for constructing Bayesian networks, is used for building and validating the model. Evaluation of the resulting model’s predictive capabilities is examined, as well as analyses of sensitivity, internal validity, and model complexity. Additionally, the utility of using Bayesian networks within institutional research and higher education is discussed. The importance of comprehensive evaluation is highlighted, due to the study’s inclusion of an unbalanced data set. Best practices and experiences with expert elicitation are also noted, including recommendations for use of formal elicitation frameworks and careful consideration of operating definitions. Academic preparation and financial need risk profile are identified as key variables related to retention, and the need for enhanced data collection surrounding such variables is also revealed. For example, the experts emphasize study skills as an important predictor of retention while noting the absence of collection of quantitative data related to measuring students’ study skills. Finally, the importance and value of the model development process is stressed, as stakeholders are required to articulate, define, discuss, and evaluate model components, assumptions, and results

Cultural Commitment and Attitudes Toward Seeking Counseling Services in African-Americans

The purpose of this project was to explore possible relations between African-American acculturation level and attitudes of seeking professional psychological help. A sample of 120 African-American residents of Huntington, WV, completed survey questionnaires designed to assess: cultural commitment levels; attitudes toward counseling; and awareness of the Prestera Center for Mental Health Services, a local mental health center. Cultural commitment levels were assessed by self-ratings of African-Americans to the Anglo- and African-American cultures, and to the specific Huntington Anglo- and African-American cultures; respondants also rated their perceptions of mental health professionals\u27 commitment levels to the Anglo-, African-, Huntington Anglo-, and Huntington African-American cultures. Attitudes toward counseling were evaluated by utilizing the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale and awareness of the Prestera Center was assessed from questions provided by the Prestera Center. The only significant relation found was between cultural commitment to the Huntington Anglo-American culture and the ATSPPHS Stigma subscale, F=2.69, p\u3c .05. Significant main effects were found, however, on African-Americans\u27 attitudes toward counseling services as a function of their perceptions of commitment levels of mental health professionals to the Anglo- and African-American cultures: Need subscale, f = 2.77, p\u3c.05; Stigma subscale, F=3.09, p\u3c.05; Confidence subscale, F = 4.15, p\u3c .01; and for the total ATSPPHS, F=3.12, p\u3c.05. These findings suggest that African-Americans\u27 cultural commitment levels may not have direct relations to their help-seeking attitudes. Instead, African-Americans\u27 perceptions of mental health professionals\u27 commitment levels to the Anglo­ and African-American cultures are related to their help-seeking attitudes: African-Americans perceiving mental health professionals to be committed only to the Anglo-American culture have less favorable attitudes towards seeking help than those perceiving mental health professionals to be less committed to the Anglo-American culture. The perceived commitment levels of mental health professionals to the Anglo­ and African-American cultures may influence mentalhealth service utilization rates in African-Americans