Abstracts

What are the attitudes of EMU College of Business undergraduates toward professional image in the workplace? To answer this question, we used data from a survey created by our graduate research methods course specifically relating to attitudes on dress, piercings, and tattoos in relation to professional image. Some of the results were as we expected, but there were also some surprising findings. For example, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between dedication to dress and the effect of image on the evaluation of interview candidates. But we found no statistically significant correlation between age and the belief that a professional image is critical in an interview. Another surprising finding was that respondents with one or more visible tattoos were less likely to think a company has the right to ask them to abide by a policy that includes visible tattoos.

While offering retirees and senior citizens opportunities for engagement on college campuses is not a novel concept, a newer trend that involves retirement living on campus is emerging. One of the more innovative ways higher education is engaging retirees is through the creative practice of university-linked retirement communities (ULRC). ULRCs are a relatively new in the world of retirement living and have been growing in popularity since the mid 1980s; ULRCs now exist on more than 50 campuses across the United States. The ULRC concept is one that meets both the needs of retirees and the university. This presentation overviews the trend of ULRCs as well as the in-progress analysis and findings concluded from dissertation research. The research was conducted at three distinct ULRCs located in the Northeast, Midwest, and South and analysis includes excerpts from 46 participants. This research employed a qualitative, interpretive, ethnographic approach utilizing a series of individual life-history interviews, observations, and artifact collection as the main content for data analysis. The researcher will present insights on how the conceptual framework that drew upon psychosocial theories of aging, including activity, role, continuity and life course theory, led to a deeper understanding of residents' attraction to and lived experiences in a ULRC.

Each state, community, and school district has an opinion of what is the 'best' method for evaluating teaching to increase student achievement. Michigan is now looking to implement a process for teachers to be evaluated annually using data on student growth as a measure of teacher effectiveness. More than 300 Michigan school districts have filed waivers claiming they currently have an effective evaluative tool in place. The impact of the new tenure law is up to conjecture; however, one result of the new law is increased workload for administrators. Evaluations must be completed annually with decisions based on student yearly growth. Although the process is in its early stages, this project is the first step in understanding the goals of the state and unified implementation of an evaluation tool.

In the last decade, an increase in crisis situations in schools has created a need for crisis management communication plans so the faculty, students, and support staff can act quickly and effectively during a crisis. This study began with a review of the literature to determine current best practices with crisis management communication plans and includes an analysis of one school's crisis response plans as well as data collected from four interviews of school officials who currently serve on the school crisis response team. After analyzing the plans and comparing them to the crisis communication plan recommendations from the literature, the researcher concluded that the school's current plans are thorough, complete, and effective. Specific recommendations to enhance the plans include additional staff training, improving the debriefing process following the crisis, and providing additional support for the staff and students in the aftermath of the crisis.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by symptomatology similar to bulimia nervosa, though there is an absence of compensatory behavior. BED may precede the onset of bulimia. Interpersonal sensitivity (IPS) is linked to bulimia, but there is a lack of literature on its relation to BED. One hundred and ninety-eight undergraduates completed an online survey assessing weight, eating habits, alcohol use, depression, self-harm, and IPS. The sample is 83.2% female, with a mean age of 21.2 years. BED criteria were met by 5.8% of participants, consistent with previous studies. It was hypothesized that participants who scored highly on self-consciousness and fear of negative evaluation measures would be more likely to have both BED and depression. Results showed that high scores on only fear of negative evaluation were significantly associated with BED and depression. Results suggest that fear of negative evaluation may be an important focus of treatment for BED as well as bulimia.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is common on college campuses, but little is known about its association with physical and mental health care utilization. We estimated relative risk of past year mental and physical health care utilization as a function of BED alone and in combination with other psychiatric comorbidity (binge drinking, cigarette smoking, anxiety, and depression). The sample, which included 8,597 college students drawn from 15 colleges and universities, was 58.9% female and 62.2% Caucasian, with the majority (63.5%) in the 18-22 year old range. Results of logistic regression analyses indicated that BED alone conferred a nearly two-fold risk for past year use of psychological services and also significantly increased the likelihood of seeing a health care provider in the past year. Future research should evaluate whether prevention efforts targeting binge eating may reduce demand on typically strained campus resources available to address students' physical and mental health needs.

To find out whether bird-keeping is a risk factor for lung cancer, researchers conducted a case-control study of patients at four hospitals in The Hague, Netherlands, in 1985. Forty-nine patients under 65 years of age with lung cancer were compared to ninety-eight community-matched controls. Data were collected on the sex, age, socioeconomic status, years of smoking and bird-keeping status of the subjects. A fitted logistic regression model was selected to analyze the data. It was found that smoking and bird-keeping were significantly related to the incidence of lung cancer. The odds ratio for lung cancer among people who kept birds as pets was estimated to be 4.4 after adjusting for the effect of smoking. The results of this study suggest that there is a strong association between lung cancer and bird-keeping.

This qualitative study looks outside of traditional educational spaces to explore the worlds of young Black females engaged in community activism. Through community activism, the young women featured in this study share their stories about the consciousness-raising, knowledge construction, and empowerment that are promoted through activism. The city of Detroit serves as the canvas on which the stories of these women are painted. Through in-depth interviews and observations, the narratives, reflections, and poetry of these young women are revealed. Key themes such as self-efficacy, feminist consciousness-raising, and engaged public pedagogy reveal that youth activism is a mechanism for educational advancement. These findings illuminate facets of the research on urban education, which has largely ignored the voices of young Black female community activists.

This review discusses the book Writing Outside Your Comfort Zone: Helping Students Navigate Unfamiliar Genres by Eastern Michigan University professor Cathy Fleischer and high school English teacher Sarah Andrew-Vaughan. The book presents theory and practice concerning a language-arts unit, The Unfamiliar Genre Project, which develops research and inquiry skills for reading and writing in emerging and unfamiliar genres. The Unfamiliar Genre Project asks students to choose a genre of writing that is challenging or unfamiliar to them and practice effective research and inquiry skills in investigating the genre, and finally culminates with the composition of an original piece from within the genre. In essence, it teaches students how to critically evaluate examples from any genre of writing and develop the skills and strategies necessary to read a text like a writer would.

Personal mythmaking is the art of creating an autobiographical tale focusing on universal truths. The process begins with a personal anecdote in which the author looks for interconnections, significant themes, and metaphors. A personal myth is written for oral performance and focuses on rhythm, pace, and language patterns within delivery. There is less focus on literal truth, as fabricated plot may be necessary to piece a memory together and, ultimately, connect with audiences. Personal myths can be a weaving of stories within one theme, often under the frame of separation, initiation, and return.

Despite difficulties with social cognition and nonverbal communication, there are a limited number of neuroimaging studies that have examined the neural correlates of direct versus averted gaze in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). To examine potential aberrant connectivity, brain activation during direct versus averted gaze was compared in individuals with autism and matched controls using Magnetoencephalography (MEG), a noninvasive technique that maps magnetic fields arising from cortical electrical activity. Brain activity was analyzed with MR-FOCUSS, a current density technique (Moran et al., 2005). Latency of brain activation was measured during direct gaze and averted gaze (-0.1 to .65 sec). Differences between ASD's and controls in latency of activation are hypothesized to occur with averted versus direct gaze and may be dependent on left versus right gaze procedures, consistent with hemispheric differences in neuronal processing.

In analysis of sexuality and gender formation, feminist research relies upon a binary sex categorization of female/male. I argue that this dualistic understanding of sex is based on socially constructed criteria for categorizing human beings. Stepping outside this binary understanding of sex categorization is difficult for current theories of gender construction; gender construction typically corresponds to sex categorization, whether through traditional conceptions of female/male and feminine/masculine, or when discussing transgendered individuals' perspectives of the self through a binary of femininity/masculinity. Drawing from Anne Fausto-Sterling and other authors, I argue for a more intersectional approach to gender and sexuality. Such an approach gives us the tools to articulate a theory of gender and sexuality that dissolves reductive male/female categories that govern how we gather knowledge and create feminist theory. Breaking away from binary sexual categories will alter the way feminist research is conducted.

Infants presenting with dysphagia [difficulty swallowing] that are improperly diagnosed and/or managed are at an increased 'risk for poor nutrition and health outcomes' (Arvendson, 2008). Swift, accurate diagnosis and management is imperative for this population. When dysphagia is present in the absence of concomitant factors, there is potential for delay in diagnosis and intervention. The transition from identification to diagnosis and intervention requires clear communication between professionals involved in the child's case. For the interdisciplinary team involved in the assessment and treatment of breastfeeding neonates presenting with dysphagia in the absence of concomitant factors, an overlap in scope of practice exists between speech-language pathologists and lactation consultants. The purpose of this presentation is to validate the necessity for speech-language pathologists to understand the evaluation process employed by lactation consultants in the assessment of oral mechanism function and dysphagia in the absence of concomitant factors in the breastfeeding neonatal population.

Building automation systems (BAS) are key when implementing energy reduction strategies into the design of a facility. The use of BAS in a facility lowers energy use, increases the occupant's comfort, and also allows off-site building control. BAS systems include temperature control, lighting control, security control, and other mechanical systems. This study will explore the use of BAS in a facility, which design strategies should be used to achieve optimal comfort, and cost and energy savings.

This poster presentation will report the findings of an ethnographic study that examines the experiences of African American female professors in the occupational therapy field. The everyday lives of participants are explored as well as the micro and macro cultures in which they live and work.

This project provides interpretation and analysis of the proposition that 'the legitimacy of the [U.S.] Constitution ought to derive solely from its utility as an instrument of democratic government.' (R.A. Dahl 2003, How Democratic is the American Constitution?) Using examples from past presidential elections, specifically the Bush _ Gore contest of 2000, the analysis indicates that despite structural inequities of democratic principles within the Constitution, remedies exist to perceived breaches of the public trust. Those remedies, however, require large measures of political will, which are very difficult to muster in a partisan political landscape.

Businesses have long been focused on profitability, disregarding the negative impacts their business practices have on the environment and their customers. Using IKEA as a case study, this presentation explores steps companies can take to promote globally responsible business practices while remaining profitable. IKEA has taken aggressive action: eliminating disposable bags, ending the sale of energy hungry incandescent bulbs, and utilizing both geothermal energy and solar panels, all in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of their stores. The continued success of IKEA demonstrates that in today's global market, a business can shift emphasis from the traditional profit only driven mentality to one that is also more socially and environmentally responsible and thrive while doing so.

Interior designers can influence behavior with their designs. If a hotel is designed in such a way that it's easy to recycle, the designer could influence a person to act in a sustainable way. The easier a task is to do, such as recycling, the more likely people are to do it. Using smart design and sustainable products is just a start to influencing the population to be sustainable. A designer's job is to make sure the design is done in a way that will make people stop thinking about recycling and just do it because it has become second nature.

The iPad is changing lives by allowing students with cognitive impairments (CI) the opportunity to communicate, access vital information, and facilitate the routine of daily life. When utilized to accomplish these tasks, iPads can be considered assistive technology (AT) and can thus be written into students' Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). This research project will examine how the iPad may be used to meet the needs of students with severe CI in accordance with their IEP goals.

The importance of secure attachment on child development has been well documented. While attachment quality is considered to be relatively stable over time, significant environmental experiences may influence fluctuations. This study explores changes in the caregiving environment in relation to the stability of attachment security. Participants included a community sample of 120 primarily low-income, unmarried, pregnant women. Attachment security was measured at one (T3) and two years (T4) postpartum using the observer-rated Attachment Q-Set. Maternal and contextual risks measured at pregnancy (T1), T3, and T4 included maternal PTSD symptoms, negative life events, and monthly income. Repeated measures ANOVAs will be used to explore how changes in the caregiving environment are related to infant attachment patterns over time.