No description available.

The objective of this dissertation is to ascertain empirically whether there are non-linearities between interest rates and selected macroeconomic variables in the monetary policy transmission mechanism. This is accomplished by using recently-developed econometric techniques to uncover, and model, the non-linearities. We consider relationships between five variables along the path of the transmission mechanism (commercial interest rates, consumption, investment, output growth and inflation changes) and interest rates over which the central monetary authority has significant control (such as a long-short yield spread or a short-term money market rate). Our findings reveal that there is evidence in favor of non-linearities, with expansionary policy having a smaller impact on the key variables than a contractionary policy in the United States. In some instances we are successfully able to capture these non-linearities using either threshold or neural network models.

<p> The use of corporal punishment as a form of student discipline has long been a controversial form of student discipline used in schools throughout the world. Research gathered showed that the use of corporal punishment has supporters and opponents. The supporters usually reference the Bible or corporal punishment as a traditional form of punishment. Opponents fear that physical punishment is a thing of the past and a form of physical abuse. Qualitative data were gathered from 12 superintendents in Missouri, one communications director from a Missouri professional teacher organization, and two attorneys who specialize in school law and policy to gain their perceptions of corporal punishment. The perceptions of superintendents regarding corporal punishment ranged from strongly disagreeing with the use to strongly believing it is an effective form of discipline. A few superintendents were hesitant to explain its practical use. The comments from the attorneys who were interviewed centered on legal and policy issues, while the communications director from the teacher organization expressed support of the teacher based on the school district's policy of allowing or not allowing corporal punishment. Results and conclusions from this study may assist local school boards in deciding if corporal punishment should be used within their school districts.</p>

No description available.

No description available.

The introduction of sustainable forest management has fostered international change in forest management and policy because economic, environmental and social forest values are now recognized as interconnected components that ought to be balanced. However, the degree to which these values and related ideas have become embedded in Manitoba’s forest policy regime and the extent to which they have led to change in forest management and policy development is unclear. Through semi-directed interviews and a qualitative document review, change in the values and ideas that guide Manitoba’s forest policy regime were identified. The most important changes have been recognition of ecological values and social components of forestry through forest guidelines and policies. Logging in most of Manitoba’s provincial parks has been legally prohibited through the Forest Act. However significant this change to legislation it can be marked as the only significant change to forest legislation in Manitoba in terms of recognizing values beyond traditional forestry activities. Entrenched forestry institutions, such as long-term tenure arrangements, have limited the amount and pace of change in the regime. The number of actors with interests in Manitoba’s forest policy regime has expanded, but participation in decision making remains restricted. Institutional inertia provides a stable system in which policy change follows a normal or incremental pattern of change. However, there is potential for paradigmatic policy change to occur. Paradigmatic change can occur when new actors are invited into the policy network during periods of conflict or when new actors promote their interests and these become pursued within the policy network or when incremental change occurs cumulatively in one direction. In Manitoba’s forest policy regime, escalated concerns could turn into conflict creating an opportunity for new actors. In fact, existing government actors are slowly recognizing the interests of Aboriginal actors, which could represent incremental steps towards Aboriginal forestry

<p> In the United States, approximately 50 percent of people experience mental illness during their lifetimes (Cunningham, 2009). However, previous studies estimate that up to 80 percent of people living with a mental illness do not access services (Mackenzie et al., 2007). While there are numerous explanations for such disparity, this study posited that stigma associated with mental illness is a significant contributory factor. </p><p> In an attempt to address the gap between prevalence of mental illness and access to services, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), 2010 (US Government Printing Office, (a) 2011) mandated that Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) integrate physical and mental healthcare. This research employed case study methods to examine the implementation of this federal policy in FQHCs, focusing on what role, if any, stigma plays in such implementation. Analyzing data obtained from in-depth interviews and direct observations at two case study sites, as well as key informant interviews, and background information, this research explores the following questions: Does stigma impact the implementation of mental health policy and affect access to treatment in FQHCs for people living with mental illness? And, if stigma does impact mental health policy implementation and access to mental healthcare in FQHCs, how does this occur? </p><p> Study findings include: multiple definitions of and approaches for integrating physical and mental healthcare; mental healthcare being subsumed into, rather than integrated with, the medical model; and institutional stigma persisting in the agencies studied, resulting in the reinforcement of exclusionary policies and practices and limited access to mental healthcare for FQHC patients. </p><p> Empirical findings inform a new theoretical framework that identifies the role of institutional stigma in mental health policy development and implementation in FQHCs. Policy recommendations include: the adoption of non-stigmatizing practices in FQHCs; the inclusion of a single clear definition of integration within enabling legislation; restructuring of mental healthcare funding streams to facilitate agencies' access to resources; and federally mandated reporting of mental health outcomes to improve FQHC accountability. These recommendations aim to promote the equitable implementation of integration policy within FQHCs and increase access to mental healthcare for those persons in need.</p>

<p>ABSTRACT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PER PUPIL EXPENDITURE IN MARICOPA COUNTY K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND STUDENT UNDER PREPAREDNESS AT THE POST SECONDARY LEVEL Edmond Allen Lamperez, Jr. Student under preparedness is one of the major challenges facing community colleges in the United States. When students are not prepared for college level course work, it decreases their chances of successfully meeting their goals, whether that is an associate?s degree, a certificate, or transfer to a university. When students do not meet their academic goals in college, then they are unable to reach their full potential. A contributing factor of student under preparedness at the postsecondary level is an inequitable and inadequate distribution of resources at the K-12 level. Schools and school districts are funded, in large part, with local property tax levies, which results in large disparities in per pupil funding. Students residing in socio-economically disadvantaged school districts that often expend less money per pupil are disproportionally under prepared for college-level course work. This study examined the relationship between per pupil expenditure in Maricopa County K-12 public school districts and student under preparedness at the post-secondary level; specifically the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD). Subsequently, this study advocates policy transformations aimed at equalizing opportunity for Maricopa County students to make education an avenue for social mobility. The population of this study consists of Maricopa County Community College District students who attended a Maricopa County public K-12 school district, and who took placement testing at MCCCD for course placement during the fall 2013 semester. Purposive sampling was used to identify students who currently attend MCCCD and took placement tests to enter MCCCD during fall 2013. In order to assess the relationship between per pupil expenditure at the secondary level and student preparedness at the post-secondary level two logistic regression models were utilized. The first model uses per pupil expenditure quartiles as the independent variable and student preparedness as the dependent variable. The second model uses an interaction between Arizona Department of Education high school grade and per pupil expenditure (per pupil quartiles) as the independent variable and student preparedness as the dependent variable. The difference between the two models is stark?Model 1 (only per pupil quartiles) shows that the students in quartile four, where the most money is being spent, are the least likely to be prepared?that appears to be because the students in quartile four are largely made up of students that are socio-economically disadvantaged. The results of Model 2 are consistent with the notion that increased per pupil expenditure and more effective schools will result in a higher proportion of college ready students. The implications of the findings of this study are twofold. First, the issue of ?ecological equity? must be addressed in Maricopa County. Second, the issue of equity and adequacy in per pupil expenditure must be addressed in Maricopa County (and perhaps the State of Arizona). Policy transformations are needed in these two areas of educational public policy. The issues of ?ecological equity? and adequacy and equity in education funding must be addressed concurrently. Specific policies recommended include quality preschool education, extending school hours, providing health and social services in schools, and expending more money per pupil in school districts with concentrated poverty.

Two areas of sustainable development were investigated to test the importance of economic development and the planning process on energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions outcomes between 2000 and 2010 across all sectors in the 100 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the United States. Following this, a model was developed to evaluate the social benefits and costs of solar photovoltaic programs in the City of Atlanta. Results indicated that some econometric models relating emissions to GDP per-capita are poor descriptors over this decade. Planning process and growth in GDP per-capita are shown to be better indicators of performance, although these are also subject to specific contextual differences between regions, notably through adversarial polycentrism. Existing solar photovoltaic programs are also estimated to provide tens to hundreds of millions in cumulative net benefits to the City of Atlanta, although this is likely only a fraction of the potential. These findings suggest that the management of energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions could be improved through increased participatory planning approaches and through the removal of barriers to realizing cost-effective improvements in energy and carbon performance.

The introduction of sustainable forest management has fostered international change in forest management and policy because economic, environmental and social forest values are now recognized as interconnected components that ought to be balanced. However, the degree to which these values and related ideas have become embedded in Manitoba’s forest policy regime and the extent to which they have led to change in forest management and policy development is unclear. Through semi-directed interviews and a qualitative document review, change in the values and ideas that guide Manitoba’s forest policy regime were identified. The most important changes have been recognition of ecological values and social components of forestry through forest guidelines and policies. Logging in most of Manitoba’s provincial parks has been legally prohibited through the Forest Act. However significant this change to legislation it can be marked as the only significant change to forest legislation in Manitoba in terms of recognizing values beyond traditional forestry activities. Entrenched forestry institutions, such as long-term tenure arrangements, have limited the amount and pace of change in the regime. The number of actors with interests in Manitoba’s forest policy regime has expanded, but participation in decision making remains restricted. Institutional inertia provides a stable system in which policy change follows a normal or incremental pattern of change. However, there is potential for paradigmatic policy change to occur. Paradigmatic change can occur when new actors are invited into the policy network during periods of conflict or when new actors promote their interests and these become pursued within the policy network or when incremental change occurs cumulatively in one direction. In Manitoba’s forest policy regime, escalated concerns could turn into conflict creating an opportunity for new actors. In fact, existing government actors are slowly recognizing the interests of Aboriginal actors, which could represent incremental steps towards Aboriginal forestry