The Rise of Unaccountable Power: The Fight for Self-Determination at the University of Oregon

142 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of Political Science and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Science, Spring 2015.The creation of the new Board of Trustees at the University of Oregon in 2014, through SB 270, catalyzed a power struggle between University administrators and campus stakeholders that had simmered beneath the political surface for decades. While past literature on university governance has generally focused on its structural implications, this paper explores not only the impact of the structure of the UO Board, but also the political narratives that revealed themselves through open political conflict during the first year of its existence. Drawing on interviews with stakeholders, media accounts, primary documents, and the author’s firsthand experience working in the University Senate and in Salem during the 2013 legislative session, this paper reveals the conflicts created between stakeholders with two distinct visions of what excellence looks like at the University of Oregon (UO). Starting with a historical account of major issues facing the UO, this paper first explains the motivations behind the intense lobbying effort to remove UO from the Oregon University System (OUS). It then analyzes the political landscape that existed in Salem during the 2013 legislative session that produced, after significant compromise, SB 270. Next, this paper delves into the political conflicts (e.g. the “Policy on the Retention and Delegation of Authority” and the “Policy on University Policies”) that have occurred since the Board came to power, and the resulting implications of the Board’s decisions for the future of the University. This paper concludes with a look to the future, commenting on observed patterns, and offering suggestions as to how the Board can avoid future conflict while moving forward

End-results of plastic operations on the kidney pelvis for hydronephrosis

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/32613/1/0000755.pd

Forgetting to Remember: Formative Assessment in Sixth Grade Mathematics Classroom

In this action research study of a sixth grade mathematics classroom, I investigated what would happen to the students’ understanding of mathematical concepts and what student learning would look like when multiple formative assessments were implemented and descriptive feedback was given by the teacher. I also examined how my own teaching would be affected when I utilized descriptive feedback on formative assessments in attempts to decrease the number of retakes needed on summative assessments. I discovered that my students were better prepared for summative assessments when multiple formative assessments were implemented and when I utilized information from the formative assessments to frame the teaching and re-teaching of concepts in my classroom. I found that I was given more opportunities to communicate with my students about their strengths and weaknesses through the use of descriptive feedback. I believe that the characteristics of my research project led to giving me a deeper understanding of my students’ mathematical proficiency. As a result of this research, I plan to implement portions of my practice with new classes of sixth grade students. I am interested in implementing these strategies in other subject areas, such as science or language arts

Examining the Effects of the Contraceptive Coverage Essential Mandate on Unintended Pregnancy Rates Pre- and Post-Implementation of the Affordable Care Act

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of the Affordable Care Act’s essential benefit of contraceptive coverage on the rate of unintended pregnancies nationwide. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), state-sponsored and most private or group insurance plans are required to fully cover contraceptive devices prescribed by a provider. Data from the 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 waves of the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) allow me to examining changing patterns of contraceptive use before and after the implementation of the ACA. This study uses regression analysis to compare study variables affecting contraceptive usage in relation to unintended pregnancy. With implementation of the ACA occurring in late 2012 for some plans, and full implementation in January 2013, this study compares the effects of the early years of the mandate. The findings suggest that implementation of the ACA has affected a decrease in the unintended pregnancy rate by increasing access to Medicaid coverage, thus increasing access to prescription contraception, particularly for women of lower socioeconomic status in education, race and income