The Federation of North Texas Area Universities was mandated by the Coordinating Board of the Texas College and University System on 3 December 1968, and this consortium was given legal empowerment by the Texas State Legislature. The three federated Universities--North Texas State University, Texas Woman's University and East Texas State University--developed a plan of cooperative action to maximize use of available resources, a plan which included sharing facilities and faculty as well as developing joint program offerings. At a time in history when educational institutions were obliged to maximize their resources, minimize their expenditure, and eliminate duplication, the consortium was an innovative approach to higher education as well as an interesting alternative to having degree programs cut and funding diminished.

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Seven maps depicting general geology, physical properties, environmental geology, soils, soil thickness, slope, and fracture intensity describe the land in the Lake Travis vicinity. The maps, descriptive text, and interpretive tables provide the basis for evaluations of land-use capability. The general geologic map shows variations in bedrock, in surface deposits, and in the structural-geometrical relations of the units. It is a basic data source for constructing and interpreting the other maps. The physical properties map presents qualitative engineering characteristics of substrate and surface materials. Most of the Lake Travis vicinity is underlain by carbonate rocks that are generally stable foundations for construction. The environmental geologic map is based on variations in processes, landforms, and surface and bedrock materials. Process units represent areas subject to flooding and mass wasting as well as loci of aquifer recharge. These areas will sustain only limited use without detrimental environmental effects. Material-landform units represent areas that have constraints to land use; however, with preventive or corrective engineering the land could probably sustain a variety of uses. Soils, soil thickness, slope, and fracture intensity maps present data at a smaller scale than that of the general geologic, physical properties, and environmental geologic maps. Soil cover is generally thin or absent. Most of the land is moderately steeply to very steeply sloping. High-density fracture zones that allow rapid water infiltration occur in some of the area. The land-use capability map constructed to depict suitability for septic tank operation shows that most of the Lake Travis vicinity is generally unsuited for this use. The current land use map delimits areas of population pressure and attendant competitive uses of the land. These pressures intensify the need for enlightened planning so that land use will be compatible with limitations shown or implied on the basic maps. / text

This dissertation examines the role gender plays in predicting referral beyond juvenile court intake. Using referral data from Texas for 1999-2003, multinomial logistic regression is used to examine case processing decisions. Males were found to be more likely than females to be processed beyond intake for both status and delinquent offenses. Legal variables were found to influence processing decisions for delinquent offenses more than non-legal variables. In contrast, non-legal variables were found to influence processing decisions more than legal variables for status offenses. Finally, overall, minority females were not found to be more likely to be processed beyond intake than white females. Further research is needed to determine if the same finding is true for males.

Texas currently maintains the highest installed nameplate capacity and does not require publicly available post-construction monitoring studies that examine the impacts of wind energy production on surrounding fauna. This thesis examines potential wind energy impacts on avian and bat species in Texas through a three-part objective. The first two objectives synthesize literature on variables attractive to species within wind development areas and estimate impacted ranges outside of Texas, based on studies examining wind energy's environmental impacts. The third objective focuses on Texas wind development potential for interaction with rare, threatened and endangered species of birds and bats using GIS analysis with a potential hazard index (PHI) model, which addresses broad-spectrum, high risk variables examined within the first two objectives. Assuming areas with higher wind speeds have potential for wind development, PHI values were calculated for 31 avian and ten bat species, based on an analysis of species range data obtained from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and wind data obtained from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Results indicate one avian species, Tympanuchus pallidicinctus, is at high risk for wind development interaction on an annual basis, with 20 species of birds and nine species of bats at higher risk during the spring season. This macro-scale approach for identifying high risk species in Texas could be used as a model to apply to other conterminous states' preliminary evaluation of wind energy impacts.

The relationship between Texas Baptists and slavery is studied with an emphasis on the official statements made about the institution in denominational sources combined with a statistical analysis of the extent of slaveholding among Baptists. A data list of over 5,000 names was pared to 1100 names of Baptists in Texas prior to 1865 and then cross-referenced on slaveownership through the use of federal censuses and county tax rolls. Although Texas Baptists participated economically in the slave system, they always maintained that blacks were children of God worthy of religious instruction and salvation. The result of these disparate views was a paradox between treating slaves as chattels while welcoming them into mixed congregations and allowing them some measure of activity within those bodies. Attitudes expressed by white Baptists during the antebellum period were continued into the post-war years as well. Meanwhile, African-American Baptists gradually withdrew from white dominated congregations, forming their own local, regional, and state organizations. In the end, whites had no choice but to accept the new-found status of the Freedmen, cooperating with black institutions on occasion. Major sources for this study include church, associational, and state Baptist minutes; county and denominational histories; and government documents. The four appendices list associations, churches, and counties with extant records. Finally, private accounts of former slaves provide valuable insight into the interaction between white and black Baptists.

This study determined what mentoring experiences first-year superintendents have had and what they need from a mentoring relationship. Structured interviews and field notes were used in this qualitative study focused on Texas first-year superintendents' perceived needs from mentors. Three patterns of mentoring relationships were found: 1) no mentor in the first year, 2) mentor-protégé relationship - those who developed mentoring relationships early in a career with a more senior person in the same school system, and 3) mentoring relationships of convenience - young relationships which developed outside the same system. Skills and knowledge areas novice superintendents identified as critical for mentor assistance were school finance, development of effective relationships with groups that have expectations of the superintendent while also improving student achievement, and working within the politics of the position. Mentor characteristics novice superintendents considered necessary for a positive effect on job success include: trustworthiness, confidentiality, empathy, encouraging, active listening, and integrity. An attitude in which the mentor problem solved with the protégé, and did not give an immediate solution was displayed. Mentors actively and frequently initiated contact. Ideas were freely exchanged, giving the protégé undivided attention while not making the protégé feel inferior. The effects that previous mentoring experiences had on novice superintendents influenced whether they chose to mentor another person. Most reported seeking or engaged in a new mentoring relationship. Differences in areas where help was needed among first-year superintendents associated with district size were reported. Assistance in finance was needed regardless of district size, gender, or ethnicity. Superintendents in small districts reported needing assistance in specific skill and knowledge areas. Those in larger districts reported mentor assistance in problem-solving processes to accomplish a task. Differences in needs of first-year superintendents based on gender or ethnicity were identified but generalizations could not be made due to small numbers. Recommendations for university administrative preparation programs and designing formal mentoring programs were made.

Burned rock middens large accumulations of thermally fractured rock are among the most common features in Archaic archaeolgical sites in Central Texas. With a sample of 1654 archaeological sites, the distribution of burned rock midden sites is compared with the occurrence of live oak savanna in an area of approximately 55,800 square kilometers in west central Texas. The objective of this distributional analysis is a preliminary assessment of the hypothesis that burned rock middens relate to prehistoric exploitation of acorns. The similarity of the distribution of burned rock middens to both the modern and postulated Archaic distribution of live oak savanna supports this hypothesis. On this basis, it is Inferred that acorns from Quercus fusiformis and perhaps Q. texana and Q. sinuata, var. breviloba were major foods during at least part of the Archaic period. Burned rock middens are suggested to be accumulations mainly of discarded boiling stone fragments broken from use in stone-boiling of acorn foods. Data on modern areas of live oak savanna are used to show that the acorn production Is quite substantial in some portions of Central Texas and is sufficient in most years to support a population density of 1-3 persons per square kilometer for at least half a year. The implications of this potential are evaluated, especially in regard to the kinds of archaeological remains found at burned rock midden sites. The similarity of the distributions of burned rock middens and live oak savanna suggest that the modern general occurrence of live oak savanna is little changed from that 5000 years ago. The possible loss of oaks in one portion of the study area may reflect either short or long periods of drying conditions at some time since 5000 BP.

This thesis has as its primary purpose determining what, if any, resentment toward junior executive programs may exist among regular or "old" employees of a selected group of petroleum companies in the Port Arthur, Beaumont, and Port Neches area of Texas. At the same time, measures taken in these companies to cope with the problem will be studied and appraised.