The purpose of this study was to explore the phenomenon of community colleges creating pathways to degree completion in professional-technical programs by breaking degree programs into smaller portions, referred to as "chunks." The purpose or possible advantage of chunking was that it would improve the rate of degree completion among...
The primary responsibility of electric utilities is to supply consistent, dependable, and affordable energy to private customers, businesses, and industries. As with many businesses, electric utilities are experiencing the effects of an aging workforce and expending considerable resources to train their current and replacement workers. Community colleges can partner with...
This thesis develops a geology training manual for the Interpretation staff of Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve (CRMO) in southern Idaho. The manual will help the staff convey geologic principles to park visitors who are experiencing a landscape formed by volcanic processes. Basic geology and the most...
The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experience of courage among community college leaders across the United States. The following questions guided the research: (1) What is the courageous experience like for a community college leader? (2) What is the process of courage development? (3) What are...
Technology is a key determinant of comparative advantage among nations. As information technology improves and the nations of the world become economically integrated, concern arises over the dissipation of high-income economies’ technological advantage. The three essays in this dissertation explore the trade and technology relationship, which is essential to economic...
The lower Columbia River (LCR) riparian zone is rich in habitat diversity. However, the natural beauty and species diversity along the river have increasingly become affected by human activity. This study quantifies the areal extent and degree of wetlands change and associated causes along the LCR over the past 44...
May We All Wake Up One By One is the beginning of a novel set in the West African country of Guinea. The story follows Sean Wake, a twenty-something American who finds himself working for the Feed the World Program as the country falls apart around him. While his co-workers...
Low income, first-generation college students face many barriers in their pursuit of a college degree. As a result, the retention rates for this student population have traditionally been lower than for other student populations. In order to support the persistence of this student population it is important to study the...
Coastal wetlands provide basic linkages between productive estuarine and freshwater ecosystems. Throughout the Mexican coast, rates of wetland loss and change are unknown. This project developed wetland inventories for 1973 and 1991, including ecological functions and values, and human activities in and around the wetlands. Data was integrated by use...
In recent years there has been concern over the deterioration and lack of adequate
funding for the US road and highway system. The main goals of this study are to
examine how increasing use of general financing methods effects road quality, to
determine if capital outlay and maintenance expenditure impact...