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House Rules of the Associated Students of the University of Montana as of December 14, 2021
Get PDFFiscal Policy of the Associated Students of the University of Montana as of SB17-24/25: Amending House Rules Section 2
Predictive Power of Metalinguistic Skills in Children with Developmental Language Disorder
No full textChildren with developmental language disorder (DLD) have difficulty understanding and using spoken language, which negatively impacts their academic outcomes and psychosocial wellbeing. DLD is highly prevalent, affecting approximately two out of every 25 children, but less than 40% of children with DLD are ever identified to receive services. Currently, we rely on parent and teacher referrals to find DLD, which is clearly insufficient. Additionally, 50% of children with DLD will also develop the reading disorder dyslexia, meaning they will struggle with both spoken and written language. Given schools’ limited time and resources, we need an efficient method for (a) identifying DLD and (b) identifying which children with DLD will go on to develop dyslexia. However, there is currently no method of predicting later language/literacy abilities for children with DLD. This study was the first to investigate three metalinguistic skills in children with DLD—phonological awareness, orthographic knowledge, and morphological awareness—which may longitudinally predict language and literacy abilities. As part of a wider NIH grant, this study followed several cohorts of children in Montana and Massachusetts from kindergarten to second grade. Three subgroups of each cohort—those with DLD only, DLD plus dyslexia, and a control group of typically developing children—completed a battery of assessments in kindergarten and second grade. Multivariate multiple regression will be used to evaluate whether the three metalinguistic skills can (a) concurrently predict kindergarten language and literacy scores (i.e., identify DLD) and (b) longitudinally predict second grade scores (e.g., predict dyslexia). To determine if predictive power varies by subgroup, the regression models will include an interaction term dummy coded for group status. If these three metalinguistic skills predict DLD and/or dyslexia, this study will provide a cost-effective identification method that eliminates the subjectivity of parent/teacher referrals, ultimately helping more children get the services they need
Archival is (In)Sufficient: The Dissonant Roles and Instances of Archives in Station Eleven
No full textCompleted as a part of a seminar on “The Contemporary Novel,” this project dissects the contradictory roles of the archive in St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven. The first half of the project makes the claim that Station Eleven argues for the archive as humankind’s central worldmaking, meaning-making device. The centrality of the archive in Mandel’s novel is, by no means, an original take. Transparently, the first part of this project is a sort of synthesis of many of these arguments made by other academics. The second part of this project, however, examines a peculiarity of the archive’s role in Station Eleven that has not, in my research, yet been explored. Despite the (widely recognized) importance of the archive in the novel, Station Eleven simultaneously demonstrates the abject failure of the archive. My thesis is, in short, that, while Station Eleven postures the archive as central to any meaning-making effort (whether that be of the past, present, or future), it ultimately (knowingly or unknowingly) discredits this very claim, both in its story and (more importantly) in its formal construction
Why Are You Laughing Right Now?
No full textThere is no shortage of thinkpieces—online or in print—responding to Todd Phillips’ 2019 film Joker. At the time, it was hailed as a singular vindication for an invisible lower class, a searing evisceration of unchecked capitalism’s poisoning of social morality, and a pitiful and self-righteous (dangerous, even) masturbation for straight, white incels. What fascinated me upon first watch, however, was the subterranean tension between the dreams of protagonist Arthur Fleck and the system which would validate those dreams. Joker is the story of a clown trying to entertain in a world of stand-up comedians, and—working from this premise alone—it will always end in tragedy as these two “factions” will never find reconciliation. As an MFA Directing Candidate and Co-Director of the University of Montana’s upcoming production of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, I (and the undergraduate students of the School of Theatre & Dance) have a unique opportunity to explore this tension between different modalities of performance-based comedy as a form of ongoing, embodied research. As of the time of writing this abstract, Earnest is still in rehearsal, but will have concluded its two-week production run by the time of GradCon 2025.
Why Are You Laughing Right Now? is an exploration of three realms of comedic performance: comedic personage (the clown), comedic irony (the stand-up), and comedic satire (the bouffon). These performance terms have substantive differences from their literary analogues, and to fully appreciate the distinctions between literary comedy and theatrical comedy is to better understand theatre as an art form. To aid in the analysis of these distinctions will be the study of Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Nelson, and the University of Montana’s The Importance of Being Earnest, supplemented by my own research adapting a career in physical comedy to an academic theatre department
Comparing Eating Pathology Among Patients With and Without Previous Anonymous Group Attendance
No full textThe current study aimed to identify the proportion of eating disorder (ED) patients who reported previously attending an ED-related anonymous group (ED-AG; e.g., Overeaters Anonymous), and explore differences in clinical characteristics between ED treatment-seeking individuals who did and those who did not attend ED-AG. Upon admission to an ED specialty clinic, adult patients (N=227) reported their history of ED-AG attendance, ED impairment and pathology, and depression and anxiety symptoms. Almost a quarter of participants (n=50; 22%) reported previously attending an ED-AG, with the majority reporting attending Overeaters Anonymous (n=38; 76%). A one-way between-groups multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to test for differences between those who reported previously attending ED-AG and those who did not on ED impairment and pathology, and depression and anxiety symptoms. Results indicate that there were significant differences in mean responses between those who did and did not attend an ED-AG (F[8, 210]=2.22, p=.03, Wilks’ Lambda=.92, η2=.08). Specifically, those who attended an ED-AG reported significantly more binge eating episodes (p=.01, η2=.03) and significantly fewer episodes of compulsive exercise (p=.03, η2=.02) than individuals who did not attend an ED-AG. There were no significant differences in the other symptoms examined between the two groups. Given that findings show few symptom differences between the two groups, future research can explore whether there is clinical utility or harm in those with EDs attending these types of groups. Additionally, it is possible that individuals with binge spectrum disorders may be more likely to seek ED-AG support than restriction spectrum disorders, as noted by higher binge episodes among those reporting previous ED-AG attendance. It is possible that individuals with binge eating conceptualize their symptoms as an eating or weight issue rather than an ED, leading to seeking out an ED-AG. Future research should explore these possibilities
Applying the Theory of Access to understand access to camping on public lands: A complement to leisure constraints theory
No full textAccess to front-country camping on North American public lands has historically been preferential to those who are White, relatively wealthy, and highly educated. In theory, however, all activities on public lands are available to all people, and everyone has equal right to enjoy the benefits from recreational activities like camping in these spaces. Since the 1960s, research on access has focused on the barriers, or constraints, that influence overall participation in leisure activities. Few studies, however, have examined access to front-country camping.
As a complement to leisure constraints theory, this study used Ribot and Peluso’s (2003) theory of access as a guide to examine constraints to front-country camping in the American West. Access theory focuses on the “ability” rather than the “right” to benefit, and this theory suggests there are several mechanisms of access that mediate how people directly or indirectly benefit from things like outdoor recreation. This study examined how six access mechanisms—Time, Technology, Capital, Social Identity, Social Relations, Rights-based Access, and Knowledge—mediate access to front-country camping on public lands.
Data were collected in an on-site survey of campers at Curecanti National Recreation Area in Gunnison, Colorado during summer 2024. Access mechanisms were measured across 29 variables that were adapted from previous leisure constraints research. Sociodemographic variables were also measured. Data were analyzed to answer the following research questions: (1) Which mechanisms of access are most likely to be constrained among front-country campers? (2) Do the mechanisms of access vary between first-come, first-served campsites and advanced reservation-based campsites?
By identifying key constraints to camping access, this research helps public land managers understand how different management practices—such as advanced reservation systems—may limit access to recreation opportunities for certain groups. The findings can guide future policies aimed at promoting more inclusive and equitable recreation on public lands
The Sequels of Colonialism in the management of African World Heritage Sites – the case of Ghana.
No full textAfrica is a continent of great tangible and intangible heritage riches in both cultural and natural forms. In the past, its engagement with Europe through Slave Trade and Colonialism resulted in partitioning of its continents and people thus impacting community boundaries, cultural practices and heritage management in general. The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (UNESCO 1972 World Heritage Convention) through its Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage List since 1994 has enabled African heritage to be prioritized. Although this convention has all African States as signatories, little is left to show on the World Heritage List exemplifying the true nature of African Heritage Resources and Management Principles. As a mentee of the World Heritage Mentorship Program for Africa, I have participated in a few World Heritage visits to some African countries as a way of examining heritage management in Africa. Our mission to Ghana’s World Heritage Sites reveals how the impact of colonialism continues to eat the fabric in African heritage management from the consequences of disassociating community values and principles of heritage management concepts from African monument management. This presentation is thus a reflection of the realities of many African Heritage Sites linked with Colonialism through the lens Ghana’s iconic World Heritage Sites
A Century of the Irish Border: Revisiting Militarization in the Post-Brexit Era
No full textSince Irish independence in 1923, the border between Ireland and the United Kingdom has undergone periods of militarization and demilitarization; but has been effectively demilitarized since 1998. Amid increases in border conflicts worldwide, crucial questions emerge: What caused these periods of militarization and demilitarization, and why has the border sustained its demilitarized status, even with Brexit’s destabilizing effects? Will the border be remilitarized in the future? To answer these questions, I apply and test two international relations theories, structural realism and social constructivism. In the absence of publicly available data, I gathered and coded an original dataset of Irish border militarization from 1923-2023. Then, I compared this dataset with expectations from the structural realist and social constructivist frameworks. To test structural realism, I collected data on British and Irish relative military-economic capabilities from 1923-2023 to examine whether changes in relative capabilities preceded shifts in border militarization. To test social constructivism, I created a dataset on the formal recognition of British-Irish identities on the Irish island to consider if changes in group identity recognition by the governments preceded changes in border militarization. My tests reveal some support for the structural realist and social constructivist frameworks. I conclude with predictions and policy recommendations for the Irish border and consider the implications of my findings for other border conflicts
Supporting Students\u27 Emotional Wellbeing while Teaching Climate Change Curriculum
No full textNumerous researchers have described climate change as the single greatest threat to humanity. In 2022, a survey conducted by Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse reported that at least 81% of students are worried about climate change, and many consider campus sustainability when deciding where to attend college. As concerns regarding climate change have grown, so have the impacts on mental health, which are often categorized under terms such as climate anxiety and ecological grief. This has increased professional advocacy for climate change education in many disciplines across campuses. The Association for Counselor Educators recently proposed adding climate change/environmental justice competencies and curriculum standards for counselor education and supervision. Further, many universities are developing specific climate change degree programs and incorporating climate change education into general education coursework. The literature suggests that climate change education should be incorporated into every major on college campuses and in the K-12 curriculum standards. Incorporating mental health implications of climate change is a key component of climate change education. This presentation will provide an overview of mental health concerns related to climate change. It will provide strategies from positive psychology to support students’ well-being while meeting the need to incorporate climate change education into coursework. This practical project hopes to contribute to climate change advocacy by demonstrating the need for climate change education standards to be developed across disciplines while supporting students’ emotional well-being and offering exercises in meaning-making and resilience. In the future, this exploratory study plans to gather data using a quasi-experimental pre/post design comparing students\u27 self-reports on climate anxiety, ecological grief, and resilience measures in two courses offered at UM. The data will help inform teaching practices and curriculum standards in climate change education
Heat Stress with once vs thrice daily exposures to heat.
Get PDFThere is an underrepresentation of females in thermoregulatory research and there has been limited research investigating flexible heat acclimation strategies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the sex differences and effect of periodic vs sustained heat exposures during heat acclimation on core body temperature. Males and females were divided into two exposure groups and underwent 90 minutes of heat acclimation (38°C, 60% RH) at an absolute intensity on a treadmill (1.6 m·s-1, 5% grade) for 1 week. A sustained group completed the single 90-minute session continuously daily. A periodic group completed three 30-minute sessions 3 hours apart daily. Therefore, total heat exposure was matched. On days 1, 4, and 7 a telemetry pill was ingested at least 4 hours prior to exercise. Peak core temperature was tracked, and the area under the curve (AUC) of core temperature over time was calculated. Post-heat exposure measures for the sustained group were taken during the 6 hours following exposure. Post-heat exposure measures for the periodic group were taken in the 2 hours following each exposure. AUC was calculated using the trapezoid method. This study shows that there is not a sex-dependent capacity to heat acclimate; however, there are thermoregulatory differences between sexes before and during heat acclimation. The time course of experienced heat stress is an important consideration to make when coming up with heat acclimation strategies. When under varied heat acclimation schedules, a sufficient amount of time at an elevated core temperature must be reached in order to elicit adaptions associated with heat acclimation