The Influence of Tribal Colleges and Universities on Native American Student Persistence

This chapter explains how and why Tribal College and University (TCU) enrollment positively influences Native American student persistence in mainstream four‐year institutions. It also explores existing partnerships between TCUs and mainstream four‐year institutions that could help to improve the transfer process, and overall, Native American student persistence. The ways in which academic and student affairs can partner creatively are emphasized throughout.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151326/1/ss20320.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151326/2/ss20320_am.pd

Ambiguity Aversion and Experiential Learning: Implications for Long-Term Savings Decisions

This paper evaluates potential methods for reducing ambiguity surrounding returns on equity to improve long-term savings decisions. We evaluate 221 undergraduate students in the U.S. and first assess the degree of ambiguity aversion exhibited by individuals in the sample population as they decide between a risky (known probability) option and ambiguous (unknown probability) option pertaining to their chances of winning $0 or$1 in a hypothetical lottery. Allowing participants to experience the underlying probability through sampling significantly influences behavior, as participants were more likely to select the ambiguous option after sampling. Similarly, we test whether sampling historical return data through learning modules influences long-term decision making regarding asset allocation within a retirement portfolio. Here, we find that participants who receive interactive learning modules—which require users to manually alter the asset allocation to produce a sample of historical return data based on the specific allocation entered in the model—increase their post-learning equity allocations by 10.1% more than individuals receiving static modules. Interestingly, we find no significant evidence of ambiguity aversion playing a role in the asset allocation decision

Exploring Micro-, Meso-, and Macro- thriving in engineering: Implications for engineering education and engineering ethics

This research explores and advocates for including engineering thriving as a crucial component of engineering ethics education with implications at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. Engineering directly impacts the thriving of society (at the macro-level) and organizations (at the meso-level), yet the education of engineering students is not known for thriving (yet). To design products that serve to improve the thriving of diverse populations and societies, it is an ethical necessity to provide an education that strives for thriving at the micro-level to maintain the integrity of engineering at the macro and meso-levels. Prior work on engineering thriving has largely focused on the micro-level (individual) and meso-level (organizations) with little focus on the macro-level (social institutions). However, governments are increasingly evaluating societal progress through not just measures of economic growth (gross domestic product) but also sustainable development (gross happiness index). This research focuses on key considerations when educating engineering students to become moral agents of technological change that drive wealth and wellbeing. Overall, this research will serve several purposes: 1) introduces the boundaries and key considerations between micro-thriving, meso-thriving, and macro-thriving; 2) advocates for the importance of engineering thriving considerations within engineering ethics education at each of the three levels

Evaluation of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Maintenance Rating Program

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) relies on its Maintenance Rating Program (MRP) to systematically measure conditions on state-owned roads and rights of way. Every year, the Cabinet evaluates 300-400 road segments in each of its highway districts. Segments receive aggregate scores ranging from 0 to 100, with the target score being 80. This report appraises the MRP and discusses potential strategies for its improvement. Compared to asset management programs established at other state transportation agencies, KYTC’s performs quite well. Between 1999 and 2019, MRP data show that scores improved across all road types. In 2011, the average score for all roads eclipsed 80 and has remained above this threshold since (albeit with some fluctuation). Currently, the category of rural secondary roads is the only one with an average score below 80, although it exceeded this threshold in 2015, 2016, and 2018. KYTC maintenance staff participated in a survey that gauged whether the components evaluated as part of the MRP are relevant and useful. The component which the highest percentage of respondents said is not useful is Right-of-Way Fence (62%). Smaller but still a considerable number of respondents said Striping components lack utility (31%), followed by General Aesthetics and Regulatory/Warning Sign Assemblies (about 27%). Despite the low ranking, staff will continue inspecting right-of-way fences because of their presence on divided highways and due to funding allocations. Additional guidance could be issued to mitigate the subjectivity of aesthetic judgments. Moving forward, the Cabinet will benefit from offering robust training to MRP data collectors to ensure scoring is consistent between districts and staff

United States Food Law Update: Shrouded by Election-Year Politics, State Initiatives and Private Lawsuits Fill in the Gaps Created by Congressional and Agency Ossification

Observers of food law in the 2012 presidential election year witnessed a dramatic slowing of federal initiatives-perhaps arising from a desire by both Congress and the administration to avoid upsetting critical constituent groups during a year seemingly dominated by campaigns and endless talking points. For example, Congress failed to take action on a unique compromise between what some had considered mortal enemies-the Humane Society of the United States and United Egg Producers-that would implement a federal animal welfare standard for laying hens in return for abandoning ballot measures in various states. Similarly, the FDA waited until the early days of 2013 to issue the proposed rules implementing the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Recall that Congress passed this landmark statute not in 2012, but January of 2011. Despite this apparent reluctance to tackle some big issues in 2012, the FDA did decide two significant food law issues: a refusal of a request seeking to rebrand high fructose corn syrup as corn sugar, as well as promulgation of a long overdue rule on salmonella testing in shell egg production

Building Research-Informed Teacher Education Communities: A UCET Framework

©UCET December 201