Implications of Student Debt on Financial Wellness: Can Universities Help?

Introduction. Exploring whether or not students feel prepared financially for graduation is a useful exercise for universities as the results can provide ways to better support their students as they move into life after graduation. Financial wellness plays a role in a person’s overall wellness and happiness. This could be of particular concern for pharmacy students due to increasing cost of education and typically, a minimum of six years of education is required. If universities implemented better ways to educate their students on student loans and financial well-being, new graduates could have decreased financial anxiety, as well as improved overall wellness. Methods. This study was conducted via online survey using Qualtrics. Pharmacy students at Butler University were asked questions relating to the amount of stress they experience due to their finances and access to financial information, then rated their responses on a 5-point Likert scale. Results. There were 107 complete responses from P1-P4 pharmacy students enrolled at Butler University. Results indicated 69.1% (n=74) students agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I feel anxious about my financial situation” and 84.1% (n=74) of students agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I want to learn more about what to do with my loans after college.” When comparing anxiety and desire for financial information, there was a 0.276 positive correlation between anxiety and desire for financial information (p=0.004). Conclusion. Financial anxiety is correlated with desire for financial information in college students with debt. Students feel like they would benefit by having more access to financial planning resolving student loans

Arc lamp power supply using a voltage multiplier

A power supply is provided for an arc discharge lamp which includes a relatively low voltage high current power supply section and a high voltage starter circuit. The low voltage section includes a transformer, rectifier, variable resistor and a bank of capacitors, while the starter circuit comprises several diodes and capacitors connected as a Cockcroft-Walton multiplier. The starting circuit is effectively bypassed when the lamp arc is established and serves to automatically provide a high starting voltage to re-strike the lamp arc if the arc is extinguished by a power interruption

Group Cognition in Problem Solving Dialogues: Analyzing differences between voice and computer transcripts

This project shadows the work of student groups in Math 110, a quantitative literacy class, engaged in exploratory learning excercises. An instructor monitors these groups by both walking around the room and observing group conversation at another computer. Our goal is to put this exercise online, and as a result leave the entire monitoring process up to the computer, assuming the role that the instructor traditionally assumes. Using annotation techniques to decipher meaning in dialogue of students working in groups for a Math 110, we try to see how students collaborate to solve problems together. “Bits of realization”, conversation, and problem solving tags are sorted out and gathered to identify the main points that are expressed during the problem solving of the two-person game, Poison. Expanding upon previous research done by other students, we are able to add bits of realization that students encounter in their work. Our first effort is to explore the differences between voice recorded dialogue and computer-mediated chat dialogue

Ecology on‐exhibit: careers in zoos and aquariums

Published versio

Portable digital pressure indicator for calibrating magnetic tape recorders

The design of a portable Digital Pressure Indicator (DPI) to be used for calibrating the pressure systems on Langley's magnetic tape recorders is described. High-speed magnetic tape recorders require pressure (0 to 20 psig) for providing an air cushion across the tape guides and a slight vacuum (30 inch H2O) for maintaining the proper number of tape loops in the advance and feed chamber. The DPI is a hand-held device that can be quickly coupled to a magnetic tape recorder and includes a two-position switch for selecting either measured pressure or vacuum, to be displayed digitally in engineering units (psig or inches H2O). The DPI is currently in use in Langley's Analysis and Computation Division

A Compilation, Analysis, and Categorization of 403 Atmospheric and Climate Science Misconceptions

The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) has listed the inaccessibility of research related to misconceptions in atmospheric and climate science as a Geoscience Education Research Grand Challenge (Cervato et al. 2018). This project was a direct response to this call for research and consisted of three distinct steps: 1) data gathering, which included reviewing the literature for relevant misconception data, 2) a qualitative analysis, which included compiling, organizing, and categorizing the data collected, and 3) a quantitative analysis, which included determining the prevalence of each misconception across topic categories, demographic categories, and over time. A total of 403 misconceptions related to atmospheric and climate science have been identified. Of those misconceptions, nearly half (approximately 47%) were related to climate change. A little less than a third of the misconceptions (approximately 32%) were related to fundamental atmospheric science topics. Finally, less than a quarter of the misconceptions (22%) were related to general climate concepts (excluding climate change). Of the 403 misconceptions, 80% were identified in students, 16% were identified in teachers and 4% were identified in both students and teachers. Most of the identified misconceptions have not been well-studied. In fact, 74% of the identified misconceptions were only identified by a single study, and only 1.5% were identified by five or more studies. This compilation of misconceptions can serve as a guide for future misconceptions research and as a resource for educators. Advisor: Dawn Kopac

Vinylogous Esters and Amides: Useful Synthons for Diversity-Oriented and Natural Product Synthesis

The first total synthesis of boehmeriasin A was achieved in seven steps from readily available materials with an overall yield of 29%. The absolute stereochemistry of the natural product was determined to be of the (R)-configuration. (-)-(R)-Boehmeriasin A demonstrated potent cytotoxicity in several cancer cell lines including drug resistant cancer cells where paclitaxel is inactive. An efficient and mild method for the construction if chromones was developed that requires only a single purification step at the end of the sequence and results in moderate to good yields of the isolated chromones. This method was applied toward the synthesis of 5-hydroxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone, a neuroprotective chromone. The reduction of tertiary amides using Cp2Zr(H)Cl to the corresponding aldehydes on a preparatory scale results in good isolated yields of the products. Through a modified workup procedure, issues not previously observed were overcome to afford good isolated yields of the corresponding aldehydes

What’s Next for VEBAs? The Impact of Declining Employer-Provided Health Care Coverage and the Affordable Care Act

A voluntary employee beneficiary association or VEBA, is a U.S. tax-exempt organization set up to pay for employee health and welfare benefits. The 2007 establishment of a stand-alone VEBA trust funded by the Big Three US automakers and managed by the UAW seemed to mark a defining moment for employer-provided retiree health care benefits. After years of declining employerprovided medical benefits, the VEBA trust seemed to offer an innovative structure to maintain these promises while moving the liability off of the employer’s balance sheet. Nevertheless, the 2008 financial crisis and government-assisted bailouts of GM and Chrysler immediately tested the stand-alone VEBA structure. Additionally, the passage of the Affordable Care Act is expected to accelerate the decline of employer-provided retiree health care benefits. With retirees able to receive medical coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s health care exchanges, the number of VEBA plans has already begun to decline. VEBAs will still serve a purpose as a tax-advantaged benefit funding mechanism and will be important for companies in financial distress looking to reduce the level and uncertainty of their significant benefit liabilities

No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movements

A Review of No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement by Joseph P. Shapir