Wage disparity: a comparison of residual differences in predicted and actual faculty wages by gender at Iowa State University

This research project outlines the rigorous and detailed methods used in conducting a gender-related salary equity study. Specifically, this study looks into the question of whether salaries received by female faculty members are significantly different from the salaries received by Caucasian-male faculty members. In this study, data for five academic years are analyzed to judge whether salary levels for female and Caucasian-male faculty members within selected disciplines, departments, and/or colleges at a major land-grant academic institution are impartial across gender after controlling and/or accounting for variations in individual faculty characteristics.;After assembling the data, the author uses a five-step analytical model to ascertain whether gender-related wage disparities exist at the institution: (1) Select independent clusters of faculty members for comparison. (2) Generate autonomous salary regression equations for each faculty cluster chosen. (3) Compute the predicted wage for each faculty member in the independent clusters. (4) Compute the salary residuals (i.e., subtract the predicted annual wage from the adjusted wage) for faculty members of each cluster. (5) Compare the salary residuals of the Caucasian-male faculty members to the salary residuals of the female faculty members in each of the selected clusters. For the five-year study, 95 faculty cluster comparisons were performed using the five-step process.;Initial results of comparing the salary residual means of female faculty members with Caucasian-male faculty members in the 95 independent comparison clusters exposed five significant (alpha ≤ .05) cases of gender-related wage disparity and ten noticeable (.05 ≤ alpha ≤ .15) cases of gender-related wage disparity at the university.;Final computations, measuring for the magnitude of gender-bias in the wage compensation system, revealed that the wage dispensing practices at the university favored female faculty members in four of the five years studied. These apparent findings are tempered with the suggestion that sporadic factors could have caused the study results to be misleading or inaccurate. In closing, nine melded statements are presented to provide advice and direction to those working and doing research in the field of higher education

Ecological forestry to enhance stand complexity: Songbird community response in a red pine (Pinus resinosa) forest

Structural complexity has long been recognized as important for maintaining songbird diversity. In recognition of the simplified condition of many managed forests, forest scientists have initiated efforts aimed at increasing the structural and compositional complexity of forest stands. Songbird community assemblage following timber harvest has been studied to assess these enhancement efforts, though current literature is largely limited to short-term responses and may not reflect longer-term patterns in response. Through a designed, replicated (n = 4) experiment located in northern Minnesota, we evaluated bird community response to differences in forest structure created through retention harvesting over a ten-year period. Treatments include three overstory manipulations (dispersed retention; aggregated retention with small harvest gaps; aggregated retention with large harvest gaps), one understory manipulation (mechanical brush removal), and controls (unharvested overstory; and/or unbrushed understory). Treatments were designed to alter forest structural complexity compared to controls and to restore more open understory conditions that resulted from now-suppressed surface fires. I hypothesized that songbird response would be different in treatment stands than in unharvested controls as a result of increased structural heterogeneity in harvested areas. Surveys were conducted in 2003, each odd year thereafter through 2011, and in 2012. Over this period avian community abundance and richness increased in overstory treatments compared to unharvested controls; no community-level differences were found between understory treatments. Foliage gleaning and tree- or shrub-nesting guilds represented the greatest number and abundance of species; cavity nesting guild abundance and richness were comparably low. Species positively responding to overstory treatments were generally associated with early seral and edge habitats (e.g., American Redstart [Setophaga ruticilla], Chestnut-sided Warbler [Setophaga pensylvanica], and Mourning Warbler [Geothlypis philadelphia]) or a mature overstory component (e.g., Yellow-rumped Warbler [Setophaga coronate]). Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) were found at higher densities in the unharvested controls and within the matrix areas of aggregate retention treatments compared to dispersed treatments and gaps. American Redstarts were more abundant at unbrushed understory treatments. Additionally, a blocking effect was found for this species that appears related to vegetative compositional differences measured between experimental blocks. My results suggest that forest birds respond to increased structural complexity created through retention-based timber harvesting, and that forest stand composition is an important habitat consideration for certain bird species. Further, divergence in avian community composition between treatment sites and unharvested controls suggest an important component of a biodiverse forest landscape includes areas of mature, uncut forest

Perceptions of African American Male Students Enrolled in Developmental Education Programs in the Community College

This study sought to understand the perceptions of African American male students who are enrolled in developmental education programs. The researcher gathered information by interviewing students at 2 Mississippi community colleges and by reviewing information collected from the student’s demographic profile. This qualitative research allowed the researcher to learn directly from students, factors that contribute to African American male students developing a negative perception of developmental education programs. Participants were 20 African American male students enrolled in developmental education program in 2 Mississippi community colleges. Data collection occurred during the spring and fall 2016 semester. Each participant was asked 12 questions to determine his perspectives of developmental education programs and factors contributing to the student’s academic success. Moreover, the study provided solutions that can help dispel the negative perceptions of African American male students and suggested strategies for academic achievement. The factors included the following: support of community college leaders, supportive instructors, and peer support group. Data suggested that to support the academic success of African American male students, an understanding of their culture can benefit their advancement in the community college. The participants believe that if instructors would not give into the negative stereotypes and increase their willingness to go the extra mile to insure that African American male students become successful, the negative perception of developmental education program will change. Participants conveyed the need to feel cared for, understood, and supported by instructors and community college leaders. The findings from this study can assist community college leaders and instructors to develop educational interventions that will support African American male students. This research study is an attempt to provide information that will improve academic success of African American males enrolled in developmental educational programs in the community colleges

A Comparison of Two Distinctive Jazz Trombone Artists, David Steinmeyer and Curtis Fuller

This dissertation discusses two jazz trombonists, David Steinmeyer and Curtis Fuller. Six solos performed by these two artists are analyzed for the purpose of studying and comparing their individual styles of playing. Each solo is analyzed melodically, harmonically, and rhythmically with musical excerpts from each solo included to provide emphasis on a particular area. This dissertation also includes comparisons of overall styles, full transcriptions of each solo, discographies for both artists, and brief biographical sketches of each artist. Although the artists play in different styles, they still share similar philosophies in approaching the performance of playing jazz trombone

Dynamical systems defined on simplicial complexes: symmetries, conjugacies, and invariant subspaces

We consider the general model for dynamical systems defined on a simplicial complex. We describe the conjugacy classes of these systems and show how symmetries in a given simplicial complex manifest in the dynamics defined thereon, especially with regard to invariant subspaces in the dynamics

Oral History of Eddie Lee Webster, Jr. (Part 2 of 2)

In this second of two interviews, Webster shares about his childhood and the people who surrounded him growing up. Webster reflects on life in the rural areas of Quitman County near Lambert, MS. Webster shares about the woman who raised him, Arizona Bradford, a godmother who legally adopted Webster and his brother and sister. Bradford also raised five other children.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/cssc_interviews/1003/thumbnail.jp

Oral History of Eddie Lee Webster, Jr. (Part 1 of 2)

Eddie Lee Webster, Jr. is a resident of Marks, MS in Quitman County who participated in the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign sponsored by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/cssc_interviews/1002/thumbnail.jp

Reconstitution of an Infectious Human Endogenous Retrovirus

The human genome represents a fossil record of ancient retroviruses that once replicated in the ancestors of contemporary humans. Indeed, approximately 8% of human DNA is composed of sequences that are recognizably retroviral. Despite occasional reports associating human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) expression with human disease, almost all HERV genomes contain obviously inactivating mutations, and none are thought to be capable of replication. Nonetheless, one family of HERVs, namely HERV-K(HML-2), may have replicated in human ancestors less than 1 million years ago. By deriving a consensus sequence, we reconstructed a proviral clone (HERV-K(CON)) that likely resembles the progenitor of HERV-K(HML-2) variants that entered the human genome within the last few million years. We show that HERV-K(CON) Gag and protease proteins mediate efficient assembly and processing into retrovirus-like particles. Moreover, reporter genes inserted into the HERV-K(CON) genome and packaged into HERV-K particles are capable of infectious transfer and stable integration in a manner that requires reverse transcription. Additionally, we show that HERV-K(CON) Env is capable of pseudotyping HIV-1 particles and mediating entry into human and nonhuman cell lines. Furthermore, we show that HERV-K(CON) is resistant to inhibition by the human retrovirus restriction factors tripartite motif 5α and apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like (APOBEC) 3G but is inhibited by APOBEC 3F. Overall, the resurrection of this extinct infectious agent in a functional form from molecular fossils should enable studies of the molecular virology and pathogenic potential of this ancient human retrovirus