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The West Virginia Board of Regents, age 20, statewide governing board for higher education, died June 30, 1989 as a result of legislative termination. Like so many of its progenitors, the Board, an abstraction without constituencies or political proponents, was quietly written out of the State Code. There were no eulogies. In a retrospective search for the cause of death, the enactment, implementation, and termination of the Board were analyzed. The dynamics of the political processes through which the structure of higher education governance was modified during its two decades were documented. The political legacy and challenging cultural bequests of the Board were profiled. A political epitaph for the Regents included the following inscriptions. The governance structure of higher education in the great state of West Virginia is what the governor, the legislature, the campus presidents, and their creation(s), the board(s), perceive it to be. In its finest hours, structuring can be a political coalition, a partnership, dedicated to the public interest, striving for quality, access and excellence. In its darkest days, Structure can become a political target, an object of control, a source of rivalry and competition. Restructuring is a ritual within a highly individualistic political culture which reveres higher education as an instrument of government. Restructuring is invoked when one or more of the partners is shunned or shunted and, as a result publicly reveals that structuring is a political process. Then, structure must be sacrificed to restore trust, to revive public confidence in those entrusted with governance. Restructuring produces a new governance structure and reestablishes a process of structuring. / Ed. D.

This study describes the biostratigrapaic distribution of Meramecian conodonts from three measured sections of the Greenbrier Limestone (Meramecian-Lower Chesterian), located in the Greendale and Hurricane Ridge Synclines of southwestern Virginia and southern West Virginia. The Little Valley Formation, Hillsdale Limestone and lower portions of the "Denmar-Gasper" and "Ste. Genevieve" Formations, consisting of rocks deposited in a variety of shallow carbonate-ramp environments, were investigated. Two new multielement conodont apparatuses were recognized: Kladognathus sp. A and Hindeognathus ("Apatognathus") laevipostica. Elements of Kladognathus sp. A are morphologically distinct from homologous elements of the K. levis-K. tenuis group. Evolutionary change from K. levis to K. tenuis is marked by slight Sa and Sb element changes, and the addition of an X element, DE Lambdagnathus fragilidens. Species of Kladognathus are promising Meramecian biostratigraphic markers. Also recognized in this study are species of: Cavusgqnathus, Gnathodus, Hindeodus, Idioprioniodus, Lochriea, Rhachistognathus, “Spathognathodus," Synprioniodina? and Taphrognathus. Meramecian formations in the study area can be correlated with the Mississippian stratotype (Illinois Basin) based on the following zones: Taphrognathus varians - "Apatognathus," "A." scalenus - Cavusgnathus aad Gnathodus bilineatus - Cavusgnathus charactus. Southward thickening of the "A." scalenus zone from the Hurricane Ridge Syncline (11 m) to the Greendale Syncline (180-200 m) reflects higher rates of sedimentation and subsidence in the depositional area of the latter. In addition, thinness of the zone in the Hurricane Ridge Syncline may be due to a hiatus between this zone and the younger G. bilineatus zone. This hiatus is not indicated by conodont faunas from the Greendale Syncline, which preserves a more complete Meramecian biostratigraphic record. Conodont and litahologic evidence for a coeval hiatus exists in other areas of eastern North America: the Illinois Basin stratotype, eastern Kentucky, Southern Ohio and eastern Tennessee. / Master of Science

The Streamside Management Zone (SMZ) is a cornerstone of forestry Best Management Practices to protect streamwater quality from non-point source pollution resulting from silvicultural operations. However, the exact width and harvest intensity of SMZs that best protects water quality while allowing for commercially valuable timber harvesting has not been determined. The long-term objective of this study is to characterize SMZs and watersheds before and after harvest with different SMZ widths and harvesting intensities in the Allegheny Plateau of West Virginia. The objective this paper is to present the pre-harvest SMZ and watershed characterization. Each of the watershed SMZs were characterized pre-harvest in terms of vegetation, water, soil, carbon, and monetary value within SMZs to predict how silvicultural treatments will affect the future stands. The major overstory tree species found are Acer saccharum, Liriodendron tulipifera, Fagus grandifolia, Tilia americana, Betula lenta, snags, Betula lutea, Fraxinus spp., and Acer rubrum. The overall average streamwater temperature is 13°C. Highest daily temperature occurred in the mid-afternoon and lowest temperatures occurred just before sunrise. Streamwater quality was good, with near neutral pH, low nitrogen content, and high dissolved oxygen. USLE erosion estimates predicted an erosion rate of 2.9 Mg/ha/yr in the SMZ. However, the sediment rods showed an overall accumulation of soil in the SMZ, averaging 173 Mg/ha/yr. This equates to an average watershed loss of 10.9 Mg/ha/yr. In-stream and SMZ LWD volume was approximately equal at 28 and 33 m3/ha. Large woody debris was more decayed in the SMZ than in-stream LWD. / Master of Science

Fisheries scientists have utilized electrofishing extensively to sample and assess aquatic populations. The physiological responses of fish exposed to electroshock ranges from sensory recognition, through electrotaxis and electronarcosis, to death. This study examined the effects of repetitive electroshocking overtime on population survival, and the effects of mortality on the estimation of population size using single census, multiple censuses and depletion techniques. Highly significant differences (P < 0.01) were seen between the number of shocks a population of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) received per day and the survival of those fish. Populations receiving the two control treatments and a single 4 s electroshock per day exhibited very low mortality (0.40 to 0.67 mean percent mortality per day), whereas mean percent mortality for fish shocked two and three times per day was 2.67 and 7.47, respectively. Handling was not found to significantly increase mortality in fish already subjected to electroshocking. Known population levels of fathead minnows and dace (Rhinichthys atratulus) were electroshocked daily for 10 days in raceways with sand, gravel, cobble and boulder/bedrock substrates. Actual combined population levels declined 17.2 percent over the study period. Average daily depletion estimates closely reflected this change; however, single census techniques indicated population increases to 48.3. Small and large proportion marked sample single census techniques as one group were significantly different (P < 0.05) from depletion estimates and actual population levels as two groups. In general, the depletion estimates for both species most closely followed actual population levels in all raceways as compared to single census estimators. Substrates had a significant influence on the estimated population levels. Virtually all fish were available for capture over sand and gravel substrates, whereas, sampling over cobble and boulder/bedrock substrates yielded an average of 43 and 46 percent, respectively of the actual population in those raceways. Rocky substrates provided refuge for fish which resulted in lower percentages entering the catch as compared to sand and gravel substrates. An "expected mortality" was derived from the average percentage catch per sampling run in raceways and the mortality associated with a comparable number of electroshocks in laboratory tests to predict electroshock mortality over sampling periods and substrate types. A "predicted mortality" derived through the linear regression of depletion estimates over time yielded results very similar to the observed and expected mortality for fathead minnows and was more representative of the change in population size for dace over all substrates than the expected mortality. The composite analysis of field data showed a 146.7 percent increase in one sample single census estimates, a 44.0 percent increase in two sample single census estimates, and a 55.0 percent decrease in depletion estimates in the final samples as compared to initial samples. Expected mortality estimates were consistently less than predicted mortality when adjusted for the period before intermittent streamflow. This work has demonstrated that repetitive exposure to electroshocking induces mortality in a predictable manner on fish populations. Depletion estimates are usually accomplished with a much-reduced expenditure of time and effort over mark-recapture methods, however, mortality can be expected due to repetitive electroshocking alone. Researchers are cautioned to examine the objectives of a particular study before deciding on a particular estimation technique. / Ph. D.

Larval fish distributions were determined in the lower Winfield Pool, Kanawha River, West 85, Virginia, using a 0.5-m plankton net and a 1-m² dropbox. Five habitats were sampled with the plankton net, 3 habitats with the dropbox. The 5 deep water water habitats, greater than 1.5-m in depth, sampled by the plankton net included surface tows in Bill's Creek backwater, main channel border upstream and downstream of Little Guano backwater, and Little Guano Creek backwater, where deep tows (1.5 m deep) were also taken. The 3 shallow water habitats, less than 1 m in depth, sampled by the dropbox included open water over silt substrate, open water over a sand substrate, and emergent vegetation. <i>Lepomis</i> species, emerald shiners (<i>Notropis atherinoides</i>), and gizzard shad (<i>Dorosoma cepedianum</i>) were the dominant taxa. The emerald shiner taxa could also have included some larvae of <i>Notropis</i> species which are also present in the Kanawha River but whose larvae have not been described. Overall, the mean total larval density did not differ between the backwater or the main channel borders but the species associated with each habitat differed greatly. The <i>Lepomis</i> larvae were found predominantly in backwater areas. These areas provide suitable spawning sites for many centrarchids of this river. Upon leaving the nest, the <i>Lepomis</i> larvae moved into the deeper open water areas within the backwater. After reaching the juvenile stage, these same larvae returned to the shallow water habitats where they inhabited vegetated areas. Emerald shiner larvae, while present in both backwater and main channel habitats, were most abundant in the main channel borders. This is probably a result of their parent's pelagic spawning strategy. In all habitats, emerald shiner larvae predominated in the upper 1 m of water. Upon becoming larger, the emerald shiner larvae appeared in the backwaters. This increase in numbers could be due to movement, differential mortality, or higher growth rates. Other cyprinids (excluding emerald shiners and carp) were equally abundant in both backwater and main channel areas. These other cyprinid larvae were also distributed equally, Gizzard shad larvae were found predominantly in the main channel borders. Presumably, these higher densities were the result of main channel spawning. The gizzard shad larvae present in the backwater areas were distributed evenly throughout the water column. Overall, the backwaters were important for the nest-building species found in the river and also for the larger larvae of the pelagic species, and thus acts as a nursery area for these species. Therefore, the backwaters do seem to be important for the fishery of the Kanawha River. / Master of Science

The importance of streamside management zones (SMZ) in minimizing the impact of non-point source pollution from silvicultural operations is recognized by the forestry Best Management Practices of most states. However, research concerning the SMZ width and harvesting intensity required to maintain water quality and biotic communities is limited. The goal of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of different SMZ widths and forest harvesting intensities within SMZs, in maintaining the water quality and biotic communities of 22 headwater streams located in the mountains of East-central West Virginia. Streams were organized in four blocks and randomly assigned one of six silvicultural treatments involving variation of SMZ width and harvesting intensity within the SMZ; 30.5 m SMZ with no residual harvest, 30.5 m SMZ with 50% residual harvest, 15.3 m SMZ with no residual harvest, 15.3 m SMZ with a 50% residual harvest, 4.5 m SMZ and control (no harvest within the watershed). Stream water chemistry parameters (in particular, NO3, NH4, Ca, Mg, conductivity and total dissolved solids) as well as aquatic macroinvertebrate communities were monitored from June 2003 through March 2005. Average nitrate concentration in streams harvested with a 4.5 m SMZ was more than 4 times as high as that of control streams. Average summer and fall stream temperatures were inversely related to SMZ width. Mean values for a number of macroinvertebrate community metrics were indicative of poorer water quality in streams harvested with a 4.5 m SMZ. During this short-term study SMZs of at least 15.3 m appeared to be sufficient to maintain water quality. However, harvesting was restricted to one side of the stream and logging induced stream disturbances were observed even with SMZs of 30.5 m. For these reasons SMZs of at least 30.5 m are recommended as a cautionary measure to minimize the potential for impacts to biotic communities. In addition, residual harvest of up to 50% of the basal area within the SMZ did not appear to impact water quality during the temporal scope of the study. / Master of Science

This project investigates the development of Western Man's relationship with nature by comparing and contrasting it with the relationship that Native Cultures, particularly Native American Cultures have with nature. This reveals Western Man's reliance on the concept of objectivity and the resultant objectification of the natural world. In so doing Western Man has put himself apart from the rest of the world, somehow above it. Although I do not argue that this is wholly unjust, I do argue that it has resulted in a loss of an essential component of the human experience. Creative Participation is identified as a way to bring together some of the lessons of the Native communities with the existing knowledge of Western Society. This knowledge is then applied to the practical problem of Mine Land Reclamation in Southern West Virginia. Creative Participation, at its heart, is a way to reconnect man with the reality of his connection to the rest of the world, rather than his separation and control of it. / Master of Landscape Architecture

This thesis has five objectives. They are as follows: (a) to present a study of the existing conditions of local government facilities within the city of Welch, West Virginia, showing the need for a new local government building and fire station; (b) to present the findings of a study made to determine the facilities needed to fulfill the requirements of the city government and fire department; (c) to present the findings of a study made to select the best available site; (d) to present a study of the possibilities of remodeling an existing building for use as a city hall and fire department; (e) to present a design of a new local government building which shall house the administrative and enforcement offices and departments of the city government, together with a fire department. This building shall be designated, “A City Hall for Welch, West Virginia.” / Master of Science

This thesis deals primarily with the importance of the arts to society and a means by which the arts might be used to develop our culture. First it was necessary to investigate the effects of the arts on society and the relationship between the arts and everyday life in America. From the findings of this investigation evolved a means by which our culture might be advanced through the arts. This means takes the form of art centers on a community scale. Charleston, West Virginia was selected by the author as an appropriate location for such an art center because of the interest displayed in the arts by many of its local organizations and because of its lack of facilities to house the functions of these organizations. The basic concept of the Creative Arts Center to serve this community not merely as a place for exhibition and presentation of the arts, but as a workshop where music, the dance, architecture, sculpture, painting , and literature will play a great part in the public's daily lives, was of paramount consideration. / Master of Science