registration 9 AM in RATC 123

I 9:15 - 10:30 AM (6 sessions, George Zestos, UGRC contact)

II 10:45 - noon (6 sessions, Peter Knipp, UGRC contact)

lunch in Student Center 150 (Alumni Room)

III 1 - 2:15 (3 sessions, Peter Knipp, UGRC contact)

IV 2:30 - 3:45 (6 sessions, Robert Colvin, UGRC contact)

V 4 - 5:15 (5 sessions, Alicia Willson-Metzger, UGRC contact)

DETAILED schedule (all rooms are in Ratcliffe Hall)

9:15 - 10:30 AM (6 sessions, George Zestos, UGRC contact)

Room 112, Peter Knipp presiding

1.   9:15 Workplace environment influence on productivity and satisfaction
   Andrea C. Kissell, Thomas D. Berry
   Past studies on workplace environment and its effects on worker productivity are evaluated. Selection of employees is often the focus of designing a successful workplace; however, it has been found that the workplace environment is an essential component to examine when designing or redesigning an organization. The following literature brings light to aspects of the working environment such as office design and technology, and it examines the impact of these components on the productivity and satisfaction of the workers. It has been found and discussed in the following study how the color of a room and the size of a computer screen can greatly enhance or inhibit workers from working to their greatest potential. The growing amount of technology appearing in the workplace is a concern to be addressed as added technology is an added feature to the work environment that can contribute to stress and dissatisfaction among workers. These elements of the workplace and their ability to greatly influence worker productivity and satisfaction are discussed.
   
2.   9:40 Examining the relation between procedural justice and third party fairness perceptions when in-group membership is perceived
   Tristan Johnson, Jeffrey A. Gibbons
   Procedural justice focuses on the process by which allocations are made in an organization. The perceived fairness of an organization's formal policies and guidelines used in an allocation decision can greatly influence the work behavior of an employee. When procedures are viewed as fair, employees are more likely to be satisfied with their job, trust their supervisor, be committed to the organization, and perform organizational citizenship behaviors. An employee's fairness perceptions can result from a personal experience with a supervisor, who enforces an organization's policy, or from observing co-workers' interactions with a supervisor. Third-party perceptions are important to focus on because not only is the co-worker's fairness perception affected, but others who are observing the interaction are influenced as well. Perceived fairness can also be altered if observers consider themselves to be in-group members of the supervisor. Group membership can be perceived if the observers match the supervisor's sex or identify themselves as having supervisor-like qualities. This paper will review the literature on procedural justice and the influence third-party in-group membership plays in determining perceived fairness.
   
3.   10:05 The psychology of gender inequality
   Kathleen Phillips, Stacy Rilea
   This review investigated the psychology of gender inequality. We examined evidence of gender inequality in the forms of abuse, harassment, and workplace discrimination. After establishing the existence, prevalence, and relevance of these three manifestations of gender inequality, the research explored the origins at the root of each. Further discussed is the enforcement of gender inequality over time by the culture and its media, as well as on a day to day basis by the people who both offend and are victimized by skewed gender-views. The researchers concluded that there is limited research on the seemingly lesser forms of gender inequality, and that psychology would benefit from further investigation of such instances, particularly in a rapidly diversifying workforce.
   

Room 116, Phillip Hamilton presiding

1.   9:15 SBI/The Real BreadShop
   Ivelisse Medina, Stephanie Bardwell
   Under the direction of Dr. Bardwell, Director of the Small Business Institute at Christopher Newport University, our team worked with Mr. Peter Arce, owner of The Real BreadShop in Virginia Beach, to provide him with solutions to improve his business. Our research included interviewing Mr. Arce using the CIA Technique, gathering business data provided by The Real BreadShop, conducting both employee and customer surveys, and developing a full comparison of The Real BreadShop's Website with its competitors' Websites. Analysis of this research combined with the analysis of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) matrix, allowed us to target the needs of The Real BreadShop. We then focused our efforts into finding solutions to meet those needs. Among the improvements for The Real BreadShop are a business plan, a redesigned Website, a national customer database, and a local customer email list. In addition, we are providing Mr. Arce with "One Dozen Low Cost/No Cost Improvements," including a new bookkeeping record system and menu for the shop. This project encompasses the process of researching, analyzing, and implementing final improvements for The Real BreadShop. The main challenge was the limited time in which to complete the project. Within one semester, we have been able to use the business skills we have learned to tackle a real life business challenge.
   
2.   9:40 Agents of political socialization translated into political action
   Kevin Orchison, Peter Carlson
   The accepted conception of political socialization is the process in which people acquire their political attitudes and values through a variety of agents that encompass many facets. Major agents of political socialization include parental influence, ethnicity, religion, and social institutions like labor unions and political parties. However, the purpose of this paper will be to identify three widely accepted agents of political socialization, and determine if they possibly lead to a greater amount of political action. Does belonging to a church organization, a labor union, and/or a political party necessarily translate into greater political action? Because this is a quantitative work, the data that will be analyzed and later statistically compared will be from the European and World Values Survey 1999-2002, from the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research. The independent variables that will be analyzed are belonging to a church organization, a labor union, and a political party. Adversely, the dependent variable will be an index variable that will be entitled "political action," and will consist of the variables that include signing a petition, joining in boycotts, attending lawful demonstrations, joining unofficial strikes, and occupying buildings. The European and World Values Survey will be limited in scope as in not to encompass every participating country. Only Western European nations will be compared with the United States and Canada in order to provide comparative analysis between similar industrial democracies.
   
3.   10:05 Spi in the sky-Thaddeus Lowe and the United States Balloon Corps
   Hilliary Turner, Phillip Hamilton
   Due to changes in technology, weaponry, and transportation, the Civil War has often been called the "first modern war." Nothing proved this more true than the establishment of the United States Balloon Corps under the direction of Thaddeus Sobieski Constantine Lowe. Lowe and the United States Balloon Corps used aerial reconnaissance, aerial telegraphy and aerial photography to forever change the face of war reconnaissance. In the summer of 1861, the first balloon was seen in the sky above Washington DC. The sight of the large object in the sky caused wonder, amazement and skepticism. On this first flight, information was gathered on the enemy, thus proving the worth of spying from the air. A balloon corps was established and Thaddeus Lowe was chosen as the chief aeronaut. Aerial reconnaissance proved to be so valuable that the South began building their own balloons, causing a "war of the aeronauts." Despite their worth, the balloon corps ceased to exist by the end of 1863 due to changes in the Union high command and war aims. However, Thaddeus Lowe and the United States balloon corps left their mark on aerial reconnaissance by being a precursor to the modern air force and giving people in the nineteenth century a glimpse into the future of warfare.
   

Room 100, Anton Riedl presiding

1.   9:15 Factors effecting tree ring width in Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) within refuges of the Mid-Atlantic region
   Shana D. Merry, Amy M. Seim, Robert B. Atkinson
   Atlantic white cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoides (cedar), once occurred from the outer coastal plain of Maine and south to Florida along the Gulf coast states. Since European colonization, about 98% of swamps have been converted to agriculture or replaced by red maple (Acer rubrum) and other species through extensive logging, fire suppression, and hydrologic modification. A dedicated effort to restore former stands is called for; however, important components of the ecosystem are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to compare the response of cedar to precipitation at two swamps with differing water levels. Study sites were located in Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (GDSNWR) and Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge (ARNWR). The trees were randomly selected within two plots adjacent to nine water table monitoring wells that were located on 100-m intervals along transects for a total of 18 sampling plots per sampling site. A Velmex TA sliding stage was interfaced with image analysis and the software Measure J2X was used to measure and record the tree ring widths. Precipitation data were obtained from three sources near the study sites including Norfolk, Edenton, and Wallaceton-Drummond climatological stations. ARNWR had the highest inundated rates, 62.1%, and the water table was rarely more than 20 cm below the surface. At GDSNWR, inundation only occurred after hurricanes and the water table was below 20 cm for about 70% of the growing season. Mean ring width was 0.237 mm at GDSNWR, which was greater than at ARNWR, which was 0.129 mm (P < 0.05); however, the mean tree age was not different (GDSNWR = 53 years and ARNWR = 63 years (P > 0.05)). Future analyses will attempt to detect the relationship between width and precipitation.
   
2.   9:40 XML web services in an academic environment
   Marshall Huss, Tony Oswald, Stephen Landolt, Anton Riedl
   As the number of interconnected computers and networked devices increases, a greater call for interoperability arises. Traditionally, the existence of different operating systems and hardware architectures has made it difficult to quickly and securely share data among multiple parties using diverse software applications. In recent years, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has addressed these issues and has developed XML, a markup language intended to bridge the gap between heterogeneous systems. Web services, which are based on XML, can offer solutions that make development, interoperability, and user interaction safe and efficient. In our project, we have investigated security aspects of XML technologies and have examined the possible use of web services in a university environment. We have specifically considered how web services can interconnect universities to allow quicker, more convenient ways for students to transfer credit or find courses at other schools. By allowing other institutions to request student transcripts and students to find courses at other schools that transfer, it eliminates the inconvenience of paperwork and makes the process more efficient. Possible candidates for this type of research could include the Virginia Tidewater Consortium.
   
3.   10:05 Using GIS to analyze the activity distribution of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along the Elizabeth and lower James Rivers.
   Edwin Strange, Jennifer Sandoval, Kevin Foss, James Reed
   In previous bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) field studies along the Elizabeth River (ER) and Craney Island Expressway (CIE) of the lower James River, few attempts have been made to correlate activity behavior with location. Using the GIS program, recorded data creates visual data points which can then be used to determine if there is a distinct distribution pattern in bottlenose dolphin activity. Commercial traffic along this sector is projected to double within the next few years; thus, knowledge of preferred areas would be ideal for management purposes. Data from three seasons were converted from a Microsoft Excel Worksheet (.xls) to a dBASE (.dbf) file for use in ArcView GIS 3.3. Activities observed were separated into three general categories: Social (Mating/Social activity), Travel (Slow Travel/Travel), and Feeding/Probable Feeding (any activity generally associated with probable or direct feeding). All observation points for each category were displayed using a point theme over a map of the ER/CIE area. To detect any particular activity pattern, each category was mapped separately to avoid distribution overlap. The information from the plotted themes was then used to determine any associations between distribution of activity and location. This information can also be used along with other data, such as temporal and environmental, to refine the determination of spatial preferences.
   

Room 105, Doris Archer presiding

1.   9:15 The controversies surrounding the 2000 presidential election
   Carissa Faulkner, Lori Underwood
   The 2000 Presidential election has become one of the most contentious races in U.S. history. After citizens cast their votes on November 7, 2000, they were forced to wait over a month before the final decision was announced on whether Republican candidate and Texas Governor George W. Bush or the Democratic candidate Vice President Al Gore would become the next president. As the night of Election Day progressed, it became evident that all Bush or Gore needed was Florida's 25 electoral votes in order to exceed the 270 electoral votes required to win a presidential election. Because of the extraordinary close race, Florida state law required an automatic recount and allowed Gore to request manual recounts in four counties. A combination of problems in deciphering the voter's intent caused a heightened level of difficulty when attempting to recount the votes fairly. The Florida Supreme Court decided to continue the recounts by considering the intent of the voter. However, the U.S. Supreme Court stopped the recounts, reversed the decision, and allowed Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris to certify the state's electoral votes to Bush. The ruling brought charges that the Supreme Court had acted politically rather than on any strict interpretation of the law. Although Al Gore clearly won the popular vote in the United States as a whole, the Electoral College decides a presidential election, and Florida's electoral votes determined that Bush would become the next president.
   
2.   9:40 Samkhya, artificial intelligence and the Imitation-Duplication problem
   Philip Prince, George Teschner, Lori Underwood
   The issue of imitation versus duplication is one of the main problems in the development of artificial intelligence. If a machine acts as if it has a mind, does it really have one, or is it merely imitating one? Different theories of mind take different stances on this problem. Traditional mind-body dualism holds that the best a machine can do is imitate. Physicalism, on the other hand, holds that duplication is possible, but does so at the expense of reducing consciousness to matter. The Indian philosophy of Samkhya, however, offers a third alternative to the imitation-duplication problem. Samkhya posits two ontologically distinct categories of reality, purusa ('consciousness') and prakrti ('Nature,' 'matter') in such a way as to create a consciousness-cognition distinction and bifurcation. Cognition is entirely material while pure consciousness is irreducible to matter. The Samkhya philosophy of mind allows for the full duplication of human cognition while avoiding reductionism.
   
3.   10:05 Christian theology in the Matrix trilogy
   Dustin Wyatt, George Teschner, Kip Redick
   The Matrix Trilogy has been viewed as the most successful group of science fiction films of all time, breaking box-office sales records across the globe. However, what sets The Matrix Trilogy apart from other movies is not its huge popularity or tremendous box- office sales, instead it is the tremendous amount of Christian theological similarities that can be found within the film. It is no coincidence that the first Matrix film was release on Easter and thus I will explore the many Christian theological messages found within the Matrix Trilogy such as the concepts of virgin-birth, self-knowledge, faith, salvation, messianism, prophesy. In addition, Neo, Morpheus, Trinity, Cypher, the city of Zion and the Nebuchadnezzar of the Matrix trilogy will be closely analyzed and compared to Biblical theology to prove my thesis that the Matrix Trilogy exemplifies a group of science fiction films with Christian theological similarities. The significance of this argument is the develop a understanding that the Matrix Trilogy is not simply another trio of violent films found in American's pop culture, but has substantial philosophical and religious meaning specifically in relation to Christian theological similarities. In addition, another purpose for my argument is to allow readers to develop a cognitive orientation of the religious philosophy of the Matrix and the Christian theological intent that the Wachowski brothers used in creating the world of the Matrix and its characters.
   

Room 107, Georgeta Georgescu presiding

1.   9:15 Interfaith dialogue and pluralism
   Ryan L. Williams, Graham Schweig, Kenneth Rose, Kip Redick, George Teschner
   Interfaith dialogue is one of the most important and controversial topics in religion in modern times. Unfortunately interfaith dialogue has become directly associated with pluralism. No matter which interfaith organization, website, or forum you choose, pluralism and the ideas associated with it are always present. The problem with this is that often people begin dialogue with a pre-formed conception of pluralism. Also, people come to the interfaith table already placed in categories as exclusivists, inclusivists, or pluralists. The paper suggests that interfaith dialogue is possible without accepting pluralism. Pulling from the work of such well-known philosophers as John Hick, Diana Eck, David Tracy, Martin Buber among others, this paper explores the uniqueness and relevance of this topic as well as a new approach to interfaith dialogue which takes a step away from pluralism and the often misunderstood philosophies behind it. It also reexamines Martin Buber's dialogic communication theory offering a foundation in the basics of dialogue while showing that taking a step back and rediscovering the meaning of true dialogue in its relation to various religious traditions will help us realize some of the problems and benefits pluralism can and has had for the interfaith community as well as allow us to see that we need to refocus our attention toward the heart, passion, and love within religious traditions.
   
2.   9:40 The wilderness experience is an encounter with the Holy
   Matthew W. Humphrey, George Teschner, Kip Redick
   Living in the contemporary technological paradigm, the world is viewed primarily as a mechanism that is predictable and controllable. Ubiquitous in contemporary culture are such technologies as the microwave oven, fast food restaurants, shopping malls and theme parks, all promising a made-to- order experience of comfort that veils the natural world which surrounds us. The wilderness, in radical contrast to the technological culture, does not function as a mechanism, and the processes which occur in the natural world exist independent of humankind. The wilderness as a physical space serves as a metaphor for the interior wilderness of the mind, the places in life where man is unable to exert his control, and is reduced in his stature and importance. An experience of the wilderness is an encounter with something that transcends cognitive knowledge. The experience of the wilderness is nothing to be fantasized, but feared. The wilderness is a reality that humankind cannot comprehend and a place where the forces of control transcend mankind and therefore threaten our ordered lives. In the wilderness, we find a space that is inconsistent with the rules and ways we impose on our world. The wilderness experience is an encounter with the Holy.
   
3.   10:05 The image of Kālī
   Emily Barnhill, Graham Schweig, George Teschner
   In the Shakti school of Hinduism, is the paradoxical image of the goddess Kālī. Kālī has four arms, a sword in one and a skull in another. She wears a garland of severed heads and a girdle of severed arms. Kālī is all black except for the red droplets of blood splattering her body. Frequently she is pictured standing upon the body of and dominating her husband, Siva. As horrific as this image may seem, her devotees worship her as a mother, a concept unfamiliar in the West. This paper presents that both the destructive and creative aspects, along with the feminine gender of Kālī are not problematic but rather necessary to understand existence. The gender roles are explored as they appear reversed; a deity is worshipped in the feminine and the feminine is pictured dominating the masculine. The informed begins to understand that the gender roles take on a natural form. This paper asserts that this image of Kālī provides insight into the creative and destructive aspects of human existence.
   

Room 117, Robert Colvin presiding

1.   9:15 Rock's broken promise
   Russell Roles, Linda Baughman
   The 1960s were a period of social revolutions and change for American society. The rock 'n roll revolution was one such movement. To its followers, rock promised true freedom, freedom from the constraints of the family structure, freedom from labor, and freedom from sexual bondage. During the period of the rock revolution, another revolution was taking place: second-wave feminism. Feminists and their allies sought to liberate women from patriarchal society. Although rock promised liberation for all, many of rock's champions composed lyrics that reinforced traditional gender roles for women. This pilot study explores how the lyrics of 1960s rock music represent women, with the intent of drawing some conclusions on the relationship between rock and the second- wave feminist movement.
          A content analysis was performed on the top 50 lyrics from "The Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of all Time." The results are compared with those of Virginia W. Cooper, who performed a similar study of women in popular music lyrics. This research highlights the stereotypes that exist in popular classic rock lyrics and reveals how frequency each stereotype occurs.
   
2.   9:40 A look at gender differences in communication through comedy.
   Jonelle Hanson, Linda Manning
   Comedy is considered a universal form of expression. Comedians play a strong role in giving account about what really is going on in life. They give a good portrayal of our everyday occurrences and then transform that occurrence into comedy. We laugh to show our approval, but that's what comedy does. Comedy reinterprets everyday occurrences. What twists it is that we know we shouldn't laugh about it but we do. However, when we take our gender differences into consideration, how do we determine this as a universal expression? Through analysis, gender differences in comedians can be seen. In this research, differences in topics, style and use of humor were deconstructed to pinpoint gender differences.
   

10:45 - noon (6 sessions, Peter Knipp, UGRC contact)

Room 112, Jeffrey Gibbons presiding

1.   10:45 Hemispheric processing of exocentric and endocentric rotations
   Kristin Garrett, Stephanie Kimbrough, Kelly Morgan, Heidi South, Andrea Duffy, Stacy Rilea
   Previous research (Zacks, Rypma, 1999) suggests that exocentric rotation (rotation of object) and endocentric rotation (rotation of self) are processed in different portions of the brain, at least in men. Specifically, exocentric rotations are processed more efficiently in the right hemisphere, whereas endocentric rotations are processed more efficiently in the left hemisphere. McGlone (1980) suggested that men's brains were organized more asymmetrically relative to women's brains. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to examine whether this same pattern of hemispheric processing emerged for women. Fifty undergraduate women were asked to decide whether a human stick figure, presented bilaterally for 100 ms, was either the same as or different than a previously observed prototype. Results provide additional evidence for mental rotation processing in the right and left hemispheres in women.
   
2.   11:10 The experience of a consulting internship
   Shelley Rusnak, Andrea Kissell, Thomas D. Berry
   This presentation discussed the experiences and knowledge gained from holding an internship position in a small, independent consulting firm. Upon completing this internship, we have developed opinions and knowledge of the job of a consultant and feel that we are more prepared to make the important decision concerning a possible career in this field. This internship allowed us to become familiar with a client-consultant relationship, the structure and organization of a small consulting firm, as well as the tools used to assess organizations and their effectiveness. Significant knowledge and familiarity in the area of consulting has developed as a result of this internship placement. Upon being apart of this system, we have noted several pros and cons of this occupation. These include worker benefits, the amount of hours worked, and working with others in the organization. After experiencing this first-hand, we would like to share them in an attempt to educate and even encourage others into this field.
   
3.   11:35 Reiterative synopses lead to encoding specificity in newspaper headlines but interfere with recognition in tabloid headlines
   Jacob Smeland, Kira Walsh, Cameron Smith, Richard Walker, Jeffrey Gibbons
   The experimenter manipulated the believability of headlines and the presence of synopses at both time 1 and time 2. Participants rated the believability of believable and unbelievable headlines at both time 1 and time 2 and then made recognition judgments. The presence of synopses at both time 1 and time 2 increased believability ratings for believable headlines. Moreover, participants recognized believable headlines best if synopses conditions were congruent at time 1 and time 2. However, recognition was better for the unbelievable headlines if synopses conditions were not congruent.
   

Room 116, Phillip Hamilton presiding

1.   10:45 Shifting gears: the journey of a wholesaler to retailer
   Lisa Napier, Brian Hollowell, Scott Shields, Brian Link, Sophia Chen, Stephanie Bardwell
   Our client is Mr. Buck Jones who owns and operates "Natural Selections". "Natural Selections" is a wholesale import operation. Mr. Jones started this business upon his departure from Zimbabwe, when a friend handed him some pottery and told him to sell it, with the reassurance that there was plenty more where that had come from. Mr. Jones goes in search of his merchandise all around the world. Products are hand selected by Mr. Jones and then they are placed in cargo containers and stored in his warehouse located in Canada.
          Mr. Jones has sought our help with transitioning into a retail store operation. The decision to transition from wholesaler to retailer was determined by Mr. Jones as he saw others like him leaving the field. This is a viable alternative and it promises a greater longevity to Mr. Jones and his already established career. Mr. Jones' retail store will open in May 2005 within Lynnhaven Mall, Virginia Beach.
          Through the various forms of research and analysis, including surveys, we developed the twelve low cost and/or no cost steps: (1) Change business name, (2) Establish company logo, (3) Establish company trademark and copyright, (4) Create mission statement, (5) Develop marketing plan, (6) Develop floor plan, (7) Create seasonal merchandising plan, (8) Create and maintain catalog of products, (9) Develop product labels for inventory, (10) Organize and maintain financial data, (11) Develop and implement employee, (12) Develop and maintain functional website.
          In conclusion, the S.B.I. Team members learned a plethora of information regarding international business and the development of a retail store, literally from the ground, up.
   
2.   11:10 Correcting a fundamental flaw of leadership study
   Jordan Maroon, Bob Colvin
   As a leadership student, I have come to recognize what appears to be a fundamental flaw in the study of leadership. This is the failure to differentiate between leaders and those who are leading. I propose that leadership scholars and students need to correctly identify true leaders by looking at more than isolated incidents. Leading in a single situation does not make an individual a leader any more than drinking a glass of wine makes one an alcoholic. I believe that true leaders can be identified through the habitual exercise of leadership, instead of through the current strategy of observing an individual exercising leadership and automatically labeling this individual a "leader." If the study of leadership is to ever identify the characteristics, behaviors and traits of true leaders, then this habitual definition of leadership must be adopted.
   
3.   11:35 The path to Republican victory in the 1860 election
   Timothy N. Barnes, Phillip Hamilton
   As the presidential contest of 1860 began the United States was bitterly divided over the issue of slavery and its expansion. This was reflected in the various parties and their candidates. The dark horse who emerged as the Republican's Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, positioned himself as the best alternative to the favored William Seward due to his views on slavery and his personal attributes. Meanwhile, an ad hoc coalition of third and defunct party members came together to form the Constitutional Union Party. Running on a platform of moderation they nominated the uncontroversial John Bell as their candidate. More consequentially, the once strong and unified Democratic Party dissolved. The Northern faction turned to Senator Stephen Douglas, an advocate of popular sovereignty, as their standard-bearer. The Southern faction, promoting a federal slave code, settled on Senator John Breckinridge as their champion. The division of the Democratic Party opened a path for Republican victory and they seized on this unique position. Having only to concern themselves with an exclusively Northern electorate, the Republicans crafted a platform and ideology that resonated. When the ballots were counted the young party had their first President and the stage was set for the nation's greatest external struggle.
   

Room 100, Lisa Webb presiding

1.   10:45 Response of red maple (Acer rubrum) to altered hydroperiods in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
   Amy M. Seim, Shana D. Merry, Robert B. Atkinson
   Atlantic white cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P. (cedar), swamps have decreased in area and the ecosystem is listed as globally threatened. The decline may have resulted from drainage, which was followed by conversion to agriculture or replacement by hardwood species such as red maple, Acer rubrum L. Congress created the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in 1974 and mandated the restoration of cedar and bald cypress, Taxodium distichum (L.) L.C. Rich. The purpose of this study was to determine the response of red maple to altered hydroperiods associated with creation of the refuge. A mixed stand of cedar and red maple was selected in the refuge and mean annual tree ring widths were measured for 27 red maple trees within 9 plots. Widths were compared with hydrologic data, including records of ditch alterations and historic precipitation data from four local climatological stations. Tree age ranged from 28 to 61 years (mean = 49). The mean annual ring width prior to 1970 was 1.053 mm, SD = 0.849 mm, which was narrower than ring width after 1970, which was 1.848 mm, SD = 1.100 mm (p< 0.001). Refuge records indicated that hydroperiods may have been lengthened by a water control structure that was established in the mid 1970s, and our data suggest that current water levels are not adequate to eliminate red maple. However, the increase we observed in red maple ring widths may have been a response to decreased shade, which might have occurred if the canopy were reached around this time. Future research will attempt to distinguish between these and other factors to determine optimum water levels for cedar establishment.
   
2.   11:10 A study into the effectiveness of IPSec and its practical applications in the Internet
   Mike Ruffing, Peter Foytik, Doug Farley, David Ball, Anton Riedl
   As the Internet expands in size and more users are connected to corporate and private networks, there is an increasing need for a comprehensive and ubiquitous network security model. The original design of the Internet and the Internet Protocol (IP) was for functionality and connectivity and not for security and authentication of communication. The Internet Engineering Taskforce (IETF), the rulemaking and standards committee that presides over the Internet, has since developed a security framework to address these security needs and concerns. Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) is the hybrid security framework that can be applied to both the existing Internet Protocol version 4 and the newer Internet Protocol version 6, as developed by the IETF. IPSec ensures private and secure end-to-end communication. This is accomplished with the addition of encryption, an authentication scheme, and functionality embedded on the Internet Protocol stack. Without such authentication and security the Internet is unsafe for sensitive or confidential communication between individuals and businesses. In this study we examined its practical application to current and future network technology as well as its security characteristics. Furthermore, a simulation of IPSec in a practical use case was included in this study.
   
3.   11:35 Finding the optimal course distribution for a university English department
   Mike Anderson, Jason Henderson, Glenn Weber
   The English Department at Christopher Newport University desired to improve the distribution of courses among its faculty members. The department wished to limit the number of different course preparations to two per teacher, while still maximizing the faculty's satisfaction. The study consisted of using linear programming to formulate the problem and explore the feasibility of the English Department desires. In doing so, faculty members provided a numeric ranking of their desire to teach each course. Using the computer application LINDO to solve our linear programming problem, we determined that it was not possible to limit every English teacher to two different courses. However, in further analysis of alternate formulations, we were able to minimize the total amount of preparations department wide, while significantly improving the satisfaction of the faculty members with their assigned courses.
   

Room 105, Alicia Willson-Metzger presiding

1.   10:45 Strategies of Poststructuralism in Contemporary Visual Art
   Matthew Alexander Crim, George Teschner
   Jacques Derrida once claimed that 'the most efficient way of putting deconstruction to work is by going through art and architecture'. In other words, it is easier to show what deconstruction does rather than say what it is. Inversely, contemporary visual art itself is dominated by poststructuralist strategies. It is impossible to think, speak, or write skillfully on contemporary visual art without having a basic understanding of poststructuralism. A few main features of poststructuralism, a genre of literary theory, include: the problem of linguistic referentiality, the decentering of the subject, the rejection of "reason" as universal or foundational, and a stress on difference. Poststructuralism supplies contemporary cosmopolitan culture with a vocabulary in which to comment on the routinely disorienting exhibitions appearing in museums such as The Hirshhorn, The MoMa, and The New Museum or magazines such as Art Form, Art in America, and Sculpture Magazine. This essay takes a tour through three installations that illustrate exactly how contemporary visual art is dominated by poststructuralist strategies: Xu Bing's Book from the Sky; Olafur Eliasson's The Weather Project; and Cai Guo-Qiang's Dome.
   
2.   11:10 Why the beatings of Rodney King were a violation of his civil liberties.
   Allan Curtis Morgan, III, Lori Underwood
   On April 29, 1992, four police officers beat Rodney King to the ground after he supposedly resisted arrest and lunged at one of the officers. The beating was caught on tape by a man named George Holliday, who had just gotten a new video camera. Under the law, if a man is beaten by another man, then the beater has violated the victim's civil liberties. In this presentation, I will explain why the police officers were not simply defending themselves, but instead, viciously beating Rodney King. The purpose of this paper is to explain why exactly the police were not just following their typical protocol, but in all actuality, severely beating Mr. King. With the video evidence, I believe that I can prove a violation of Mr. King's civil liberties did occur.
   

Room 107, Greg Lloyd presiding

1.   10:45 The use of "personal sanctuary" in Penguin Blues and Song of Solomon
   Amy Jo Martin, Denise Gillman
   The word "sanctuary" has long been associated with a sacred religious place, most often found inside church. However, it actually contains many different significant definitions and implications, such as a "personal sanctuary," a refuge within one's self or within another person, immune to physical and emotional molestation from outside sources. Ethan Phillips' short play Penguin Blues explores the concept of "personal sanctuary" through the use of two seemingly different characters, Angelita, a nun, and Gordon, a voice over artist, inside of an alcoholic recovery clinic. As the play progresses they confide in each other, relaying the painful realizations of the core of the alcoholism, which ironically happens to be the church. They are each other's route to their true selves. Very similar to Penguin Blues is Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon, which also explores the journey to self-identification with the use of other people. Milkman ventures to his father's childhood homeland to find a pile of gold and in turn embarks upon his ancestral history, his personal sanctuary and identity. Song of Solomon and Penguin Blues, although different on the surface, both challenge the conventional concept of sanctuary as a religious location, and in turn create a new identification of sanctuary as a created personal place. This paper will explore the history of the concept and qualities of religious sanctuaries and extensively excavate the two texts in order to explain the concept of "personal sanctuary."
   
2.   11:10 "What's to say about Malvolio?"
   Thomas Fellers, Douglas Gordon
   This essay explores the theme of ambivalence in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, focusing chiefly on the minor character Malvolio, the household steward. Ever since the play's conception, readers have struggled with how they should properly judge Malvolio. Briefly, Malvolio chides the festive characters of the subplot for their carousal, and, in return, those characters seek vengeance by exposing his own imperfections. His abrupt exit at the play's conclusion leaves readers with a perplexing question: Did Malvolio get what he deserved, or should we pity him for such humiliation? Following critical voices over the last couple hundred years, we divide this study into three sections. The first section sides with the tricksters and argues that Malvolio is an unsympathetic character. The second section sides with Malvolio and says the tricksters are in the wrong. And the third section recapitulates and analyzes both arguments, proving that Shakespeare constructed Malvolio in such a way that readers' mixed feelings stem from their own personal convictions.
   

Room 117, Jean Filetti presiding

1.   10:45 The mythical construction of the "Curse of the Bambino" narrative
   Allison Burr-Miller, Linda Baughman
   Prior to the Boston Red Sox's 2004 World Series victory, the franchise had not won a championship since 1918. Boston's championship drought has been attributed to an infamous trade that sent Babe Ruth from Boston to New York prior to the 1920 season. Prior to 2004, the Yankees won 26 World Series titles after Ruth's trade, whereas the Red Sox failed to win any. The "Curse of the Bambino" narrative developed from this trend. It suggests Ruth placed an eternal hex on the Red Sox franchise that resulted in years of inexplicable failure for Boston and unremitting dominance for the New York Yankees. The mythical justification for this trend was cultivated by society and is perpetuated and fortified by the media. My research examines the question: How does the media's reproduction of the "Curse of the Bambino" narrative reinforce the mythical construction of the Boston Red Sox as losers? This paper provides a close reading of the 2003 HBO documentary, "The Curse of the Bambino." The construction of the Red Sox's identity within the documentary is examined through its use of metaphor and metonymy to create mythical accounts of Red Sox history. The documentary demonstrates how the "curse" myth is rearticulated onto both past and present moments, which are ultimately linked back to Babe Ruth's trade. The curse narrative functions not only as a coping mechanism for the Red Sox franchise's defeats but also to create expectations for future outcomes. Myth functions to justify Boston's losses to society and to allow their perplexing defeats to be perceived as natural.
   
2.   11:10 Kickin' Identity: The construction of identity in female, youth soccer players.
   Jessica Kotula, Michaela D.E. Meyer
   Soccer is now one of the most popular pastimes for young women in America. Across the country, youth leagues form every day that are either same-sex or co-ed. Sports are typically correlated with masculine behavior, and young women's increasing participation in soccer programs demonstrates how sports discourses are appropriated across gender lines. In this essay, I examine how playing soccer at a young age helps shape the identity in females. Using the layered account methodology, I incorporate my own experience as a female soccer player, observations about an under-eleven girls' soccer team that I currently coach, and contemporary research on women and sports. Thus, the essay explores how youth identity compares to identity as an adult, how playing soccer affects perceptions of self identity, and how time and experience can alter the way young women construct identity.
   
3.   11:35 Greeting cards influence on gender
   Caitlin Austin, Linda Manning
   Everyone has received a greeting card at some point in their life. I analyzed greeting cards at Target seeking out the influence they had with our society, compelling us believe our sex has certain roles that must be fulfilled. Many of these cards are addressed to persons of a particular sex. But does our sex determine what type of card we are going to receive? And if it does, then we are having subliminal messages sent to us, stereotyping the relationship between gender and sex to our entire society. I analyzed three main components in the cards: color, images, and text. Through the study it was obvious the greeting cards were pushing a gender onto the receiver. The cards were stating women should only be feminine and men should only be masculine. From the day we are born we are told to conform to the gender society prescribes for us. Girls are told to be pretty, wear dresses, like flowers, make-up, etc. Males are told to be brave, not to be a "sissy", and to pursue what they want (Wood, 2005). Both of the sexes are complimented in various modes of communication when they do the above, and one of the modes is through greeting cards. Symbolic interactionism says we learn who we are and what that means in the culture into which we have been born. People are described as having certain characteristics. With each label, others offer people a self image, and people then internalize others' views to arrive at their own understanding of who they are (Wood, 2005). The point is our biology is not our destiny. Society must stop praising a boy or a girl on their sex traits but rather on them as a person.
   

1 - 2:15 (3 sessions, Peter Knipp, UGRC contact)

Room 112, Phillip Hamilton presiding

1.   1:00 The effects of reading instructional method and teachers' beliefs about reading on children's reading comprehension scores
   Marisa Isaac, Kelly B. Cartwright
   There has been a heated debate regarding which reading methodology is best when teaching beginning readers: phonics or whole language (Chall, 1967). Previous research shows a balanced approach to teaching reading helps children to have higher reading comprehension scores and understanding (Pressley, et al., 1996; 2001; 2002). Additionally, the judgments teachers make regarding materials and emphasis on reading components can also affect children's reading comprehension (Stern & Shavelson, 1983). The present study proposes to examine the relationship between reading instructional method and children's reading comprehension scores. This study also describes what is being taught in today's classrooms and examines the concurrence between teachers' beliefs and practices when teaching reading. Ten teachers responded to surveys adapted from Baumann and colleagues (1998) that assessed teachers' reading instructional methods and teachers' beliefs about reading. Results provide insight about the practices and beliefs teachers are implementing in today's classrooms.
   
2.   1:25 Assessing the effect of light exposure on the sleep of men and women
   Jennifer Vencill, Jeffrey Gibbons
   The current experiment will test the effects of bright light exposure before bedtime on the sleep of men and women. Participants will consist of 30 men and 30 women, all over the age of 65. Men and women will be split into 2 additional groups: those individuals receiving 2500 lux of bright light exposure at night and those individuals receiving a control level of 300 lux of light exposure at night. The resulting 4 groups will be men receiving 2500 lux, men receiving 300 lux, women receiving 2500 lux, and women receiving 300 lux. Participants will be monitored in a sleep lab for 2 consecutive nights and assessed on sleep quantity. Participants who receive light exposure prior to sleep are expected to sleep longer than participants who do not receive bright light exposure prior to sleep, and women are expected to sleep for longer periods than men. Moreover, the 2500 lux group is expected to sleep longer than the 300 lux control group, and this difference in sleep quantity is expected to be greater in men than in women.
   

Room (poster session in lobby), Tarek Abdel-Fattah presiding

1.   Genetic analysis of isolated cotton stainer populations
   Amber L. Richards, Tiffany J. Schuldt, Fallon A. Shippen, Chevon N. Dunnings, Linnea Harper, Alicia G. Middleton, Kara G. Segna, Harold J. Grau, Lisa S. Webb
   The purpose of this project is to investigate possible genetic polymorphisms among several geographically isolated populations of St. Andrew's cotton stainer (Dysdercus andreae), an insect found throughout the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Unlike many of the other species of Dysdercus, the D. andreae of St. Thomas do not appear to migrate or otherwise exhibit any considerable changes in distribution. Geographic isolation of these populations could lead to some degree of genetic distinction, and an earlier morphological analysis has shown that phenotypical differences exist between these populations. We hypothesize that these geographically isolated insect populations will also be genetically diverse, and these genetic differences can be determined using biotechnological methods.
          Mitochondrial and nuclear genomic DNA were extracted from dried cotton stainer insects (Dysdercus andreae) using various methods. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on the extracted DNA using oligonucleotide primers designed from Dysdercus spp. nucleotide sequences deposited in the GenBank database (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Partial or full DNA sequence data are available for several Dysdercus genes: the cytochrome oxidase gene (encoded in the mitochondrial genome), and the 16S, 18S, and 28S ribosomal RNA genes (encoded in the nuclear genome).
          Here we present our preliminary results from this project. We have successfully extracted DNA from dried specimens of D. andreae and amplified segments of genes from both the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. We utilized restriction endonuclease digestion to confirm the identity of the amplified sequences. We will use these procedures, along with DNA sequencing of the amplified segments, to analyze the remainder of the isolated populations for genetic polymorphisms.
   
2.   The influence of "otherness" on our everyday lives
   Elise K. Campbell, Ashley R. Holsomback, Thomas D. Berry
   The presence of others has a profound influence on an individual's behavior and attitudes. Since Cooley and Mead, socialization has been seen as a consequence of an individual's context of real and imagined social others. Practically, we see that seat belt use increases and decreases when others are present. Hand washing behavior has been shown to vary when others are present or not. Even eating behaviors change by virtue of having friends present during lunch and dinner. University research on student alcohol use has shown the powerful influence of drinking buddies. Social psychology, too, has shown how the presence of others influences a wide variety of our own behaviors and attitudes, such as pro-social behavior, aggression, and facilitation. This paper attempts to construct a heuristic model to explain how "otherness" gains such a powerful influence over individual behavior and thinking.
   
3.   Comparing the group dynamics between traditional teams and virtual teams
   David Karmolinski, Andrea Kissell, Shelley Rusnak, Thomas D. Berry
   As the study of group dynamics expanded in the social science literature, it also emerged in the study of groups within business, political science, and communication disciplines. Today, the study of group dynamics is instrumental in understanding group decision-making and communication processes. Advances in computer technology are changing the way people interact. With so many people having access to the internet, email, and chat rooms, many work-related relationships are being developed and maintained in cyberspace. Management of internet work-related relationships has become a new leadership challenge. The virtual team is an increasingly common strategy to accommodate internet-based work typical of cyber-space savvy management and employees. The virtual team is the common label used to describe teams that interact over the internet. Often, virtual teams rarely meet one another face-to-face. Companies may form these teams for a variety of reasons. For example, to reduce the cost of office space employers may have employees work from a home computer and submit reports over the web. Research implications and the applied significance of virtual teams will be discussed in the context of work based collaboration, effectiveness, efficiency, and leadership.
   
4.   The impact of color vocabulary and gender on color identification.
   Erin N. Earley, Kristen M. Kang, Rachel E. Boynton, Thomas D. Berry
   The relation between gender and detail of color naming was examined using a test of fancy and basic colors. The participants consisted of 62 undergraduate students with an equal number of males and females. Participants were asked to identify the names of 20 colors, which were displayed at the front of the classroom on PowerPoint. Students were given approximately 15 seconds to view each color and write down the color name on their response sheet. After all colors were displayed, participants were asked to turn to the next page and complete a vocabulary test to assess their knowledge of fancy color words. The study showed that (a) women score higher than men on a task identifying colors, (b) all participants used more detailed color words for fancy colors than basic colors, and (c) women used greater detail than men in naming fancy colors but no difference was found in the language of women and men in naming basic colors. The results of a MANOVA indicated that women knew the definitions of a significantly larger number of fancy colors than men and a Pearson Correlation indicated a relationship between fancy color averages and average scores on the post-experimental vocabulary test. In general, women used more descriptive words than men when identifying colors, which could indicate that women have superior verbal abilities and use more expressive language than men. The results of the study are similar to the findings of previous research, which has shown that men and women use different language and terminology to describe the same colors.
   
5.   Resistance to change in organizations
   Sarah DuBose, Thomas D. Berry
   The current literature review examines resistance to change in organizations at both the microlevel and the macrolevel. Resistance to change is a natural and normal response to change. At the microlevel, employees can be resistant to change because they lack adequate information about the change, feel the change is unnecessary, are fearful of the change, feel the goals are unattainable, or feel a lack of control. Employees may also be resistant to change because the timing is poor, the leadership does a poor job implementing the change, or they are trying to protect vested interests. Resistance to change can be observed in entire organizations, not just in individual employees. At the macrolevel, resistance to change in organizations can be seen as serving a legitimate function—it is a survival mechanism that avoids unnecessary change. Resistance to change at the macrolevel can also be explained using the stages of mourning: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The key to overcoming resistance to change in organizations is to use credible leaders who will empower employees by giving them enough information, time, and resources to effectively implement the change. Allowing employees to actively participate in the change process will make all employees involved more committed to the change process and less likely to resist change.
   
6.   The bureaucratic and climatic factors impacting customer satisfaction
   Jennifer Elsasser, Diane Catanzaro
   This study investigated the climatic and bureaucratic factors found in organizations to determine if a relationship existed between rankings of climatic factors and the percentage of customers reporting complete satisfaction with their experience at a nationally recognized home improvement retail store. The management teams of two local stores of the organization completed a rank order survey to assess which factors they found most and least important in regards to customer service. The data generated from the management teams was then compared to survey information provided by the company's own independent research on the percentage of customers reporting complete satisfaction with their shopping experience. The information was used to test the hypothesis that higher rankings of climatic factors will be positively related to a higher percentage of customers reporting complete satisfaction. Correlation statistics revealed no relationship between the percentage of customers reporting complete satisfaction and the rankings of climatic and bureaucratic factors.
   
7.   Information processing skills as a basis for relations between theory of mind understanding and counterfactual reasoning
   Katie Hallett, Jessica Parker, Nicole Guajardo
   Developmental psychologists have been interested in how young children come to understand the mental world. In particular, many have examined children's abilities to attribute mental states to themselves and others. Such understanding has been called theory of mind. Guajardo and Turley-Ames (2004) demonstrated that preschool children's abilities to generate counterfactual statements, statements that consider alternative outcomes to situations, were related to their theory of mind performance. They suggested that an underlying information processing skill, particularly one that involves holding multiple representations simultaneously, could account for the association between counterfactual reasoning and theory of mind understanding. The purpose of the present study was to examine this suggestion. Approximately sixty 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds completed language, theory of mind, counterfactual, working memory, and cognitive flexibility tasks. Findings indicated that information processing skills accounted for part of the variance shared by counterfactual and theory of mind performance. The implication of these findings will be discussed.
   
8.   An examination of the domain specificity of theory of mind understanding and counterfactual thinking
   Jennifer Wignall, Jennifer Silvent, Nicole Guajardo
   Much research has focused on young children's abilities to consider their own and others' mental states and how such mental states relate to behavior. These abilities are conceptualized as theory of mind (ToM) understanding. Guajardo and Turley-Ames (2004) demonstrated that preschool children's abilities to generate counterfactual statements, statements that consider alternative outcomes to situations, were related to their ToM performance. They proposed that an ability to consider situations counter to reality provides a basis for performance on theory of mind tasks. The purpose of the present study was to extend their work by examining whether children's abilities to consider counterfactuals within a social domain would account for more unique variance in theory of mind performance than would counterfactuals of physical situations. Approximately 60 preschool aged children completed language, theory of mind, physical counterfactual, and social counterfactual tasks. The findings will be discussed as they inform arguments of the domain specificity of social cognitive processes.
   
9.   Risk involvement and personality
   LeJay Parker, W. Richard Walker
   Risk is defined as the possibility of suffering harm, loss, or danger. It is well known that college students are one of the highest risk-taking age groups. Need for Cognition is a personality variable that describes how much individual enjoys thinking and solving problems. The present study examined whether a risk-taking individual's personality was a factor associated with the reason that he/she took risk. The researcher believed that there would be a negative correlation between risk-taking and Need for Cognition. The participants were thirty-four students. Participants completed an 18-question Need for Cognition scale and a 24-question Risk Involvement scale. The risk involvement scale included 12-items considered to be psychological risks (Lying to friends, Over-committing) and 12-items that were considered to be physical risks (Unprotected Sex, Driving Drunk). Participants were given 10 minutes to complete the 2 surveys on Risk and Cognition. A Pearson-Product Moment Correlation was used to assess if a relationship existed between risk and Need for Cognition. The results indicated that there is no correlation between Risk and Need for Cognition. Psychological risk and physical risk were positively correlated. The results suggest that if individuals take physical risks, they are more likely to take psychological risks.
   
10.   The effects of music on heart rate and blood pressure
    Kelechi C. Anyanwu, W. Richard Walker
    A qualitative design was used to determine if music had a significant effect on heart rate and blood pressure. Fifteen African American students participated in this study. When the participants first arrived in the laboratory their blood pressure and heart rate were assessed. The students were exposed to two different kinds of music. Participants were given 3 minutes to listen to each selection. The first type of music was rap music. The second type of music was gospel music. Immediately after exposure to each type of music, the participants had their blood pressure and pulses assessed again. The experiment took about 12 min for each participant to complete. An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the effect of music on blood pressure and heart rate. It was thought that the different types of music would either raise or lower the heart rate and blood pressure. It was found that although there was a difference in the participant's blood pressure and heart rate after listening to the different kinds of music, no correlation was found between music type and heart rate or blood pressure.
    
11.   Altruistic behavior among those in social groups
    Stephanie Robinson, W. Richard Walker
    The current study focused on the notion that altruistic behavior is directly related to social involvement (i.e. clubs/organizations). Many social organizations engage in activities aimed at helping people and solving problems. A prediction was made that individuals who are high in altruism are more likely to engage themselves in social activities. The participants in this study include thirty undergraduate students on the campus of Winston-Salem State University. The participants who participated in this study were given a fourteen question survey entitled "Personality Survey" that was then used to measure their level of altruistic behaviors. Six of the fourteen questions indicated a strong altruistic behavior, while eight questions indicated selfish behaviors. Participants also completed a survey that evaluated their level of activity involvement in campus activities. After the data were collected and analyzed, a Pearson Product Moment Correlation showed that there was no direct correlation between social activities and altruism or selfishness. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that there is no correlation between altruism and an individual's social involvement in campus clubs and organizations.
    
12.   A critical review of the literature on physical and psychological stressors and its impact on the human immune system
    Matthew Deans, Timothy Marshall
    The current review analyzes the literature in the world of stress research and the implications of the processes and ways that stressors (acute and chronic), affect the human immune system. The human brain and immune system form a two-way informational network in which the immune system acts as an organ that senses and informs the brain of events in the body. It is through the network that immune cells are activated to make changes that are associated with the sickness response (e.g. fever, perspiration, sleepiness, and loss of sexual desire). The human body has adapted in such a way to elicit an anticipatory reaction which is characterized as a fight or flight reaction to stressors. Stress has been shown to affect the body's reaction to infection, depression, and suppression of specific immunity.
    

Room 105, Alicia Willson-Metzger presiding

1.   1:00 The relevance of the Christian gospel
   Steven Day, Stephen Strehle, Jouett Powell, Kip Reddick, George Teschner
   The nature of the Bible and its relevance has been argued for the past 2000 years. The most pressing question is what separates the Bible and Christianity from all other world religions. This paper contends that Biblical Christianity is the fullness of all other revelations of the Divine, which are found in the religions of the world. This claim is supported by a series of contentions, the first being that Jesus is the greatest prophet. Secondly, that the Bible holds the clearest definition of the Divine. Thirdly, that Biblical Christianity has features within it that are unique and separate it from all other religions. Finally, that Biblical Christianity created a unique systematic theology.
   
2.   1:25 SATs: reasonable or irrational?
   Robert Peresich, Christina Reid, Eric Smialek, Lori J. Underwood
   A large amount of information shows that the SAT is not a reliable source for indicating a successful college future. The University of California, Berkeley President Richard Atkinson stated in 2001 that he believed his university should no longer use the SAT for determining the acceptance of potential college students. His remarks brought about controversy and a change to the SAT. Even with the new SAT, there are still indications that there are racial and gender biases in the test. SATs also fail to take into account environmental and social conditions at a campus which may cause a student to stray from academic success. Students who have taken both the original and new tests have commented that there were differences, but that the new test took longer and adds concerns about the essay portion because they believe that it will not be graded objectively. Several colleges have stated they will be pursuing the development of their own admissions test for students, instead of using the SATs. Overall, the SATs should be evaluated by colleges to determine whether or not they are a reliable source to determine the admission of desired students.
   
3.   1:50 Is euthanasia morally permissible?
   Jenny Auchter, Phill Condrey, Joanna Stancampiano, Elyse Walker, Lori Underwood
   We are taking a viewpoint that is in support of euthanasia. We will be discussing arguments for euthanasia as well as counter arguments. We will cover religious views, political views, professional views, the Hemlock Society, mental capacity and the legalization of euthanasia. We will also discuss the differences between assisted suicide and euthanasia as well as the differences between active and passive euthanasia.
   

2:30 - 3:45 (6 sessions, Robert Colvin, UGRC contact)

Room 112, George Zestos presiding

1.   2:30 Active manual haptic perception
   Kristy Tinsley, Sanford Lopater
   This extensive literature review will explore the many aspects of active manual haptic perception. First, the project will describe the neurophysiological aspects of the human skin, specifically in the human hand. Next, the project will outline many theoretical perspectives on human touch and haptics, focusing on the most recent hypotheses tested by Klatzky and Lederman. Finally, the project will explore some everyday applications and the significance of understanding haptic perception, by outlining the most recent research on the topic.
   
2.   2:55 The relationship between job stress, role expectations, and control
   Tiffany S. Rook, W. Richard Walker
   The workplace is found to be one of leading causes of stress on an individual. The current study investigated the relations between role expectations and employee control at the workplace and personal stress and job satisfaction. It was predicted that a job that states clear and specific role expectations while giving the employee personal control would be perceived as less stressful than a job with vague expectations and no personal control. Twenty African-American students participated in this study. Participants were giving eight job descriptions to read. Two descriptions were for jobs with specific expectation and personal control. Two descriptions were for jobs with specific expectations and no control. Two descriptions were for jobs with vague expectations and personal control. Two descriptions were for jobs with vague expectations and no control. A survey was given at the end of each job description to rate how stressful the job is, if salary determined decision to apply, the desire to apply, and the desire to stay. Participants were given 15 minutes to read the job descriptions and complete the surveys. An ANOVA was used to assess whether the various descriptions elicited different responses for the questions of stress, salary, desire to apply, and desire to stay. Results showed that personal control was more important than role expectations in determining participants' responses to the survey items. Specifically, job descriptions with little personal control were judged as more stressful, less likely to be applied for, and less likely to stay at. The results suggest that as long as employees have control at their workplaces, they are likely to be satisfied with their jobs.
   
3.   3:20 Improving recognition accuracy by using reaction time to reduce false alarms
   Lindsay N. Cloutier, Melanie A. Herrington, Carrie A. Condon, Lakela S. Brand, Jeffrey A. Gibbons
   Participants viewed 40 words on a computer screen and made recognition judgments for 40 previously exposed words and 40 new words. Superlab Pro recorded recognition accuracy and reaction times. Combining reaction time and recognition judgments predicted exposure above and beyond recognition judgments alone, but only when false alarms were initially high. The new instructions were unsuccessful at increasing the incidence of false alarms. Therefore, future research will use high frequency words and semantically related foils to the targets in an attempt to increase false alarms.
   

Room 116, Michael Lewis presiding

1.   2:30 Netline Sports
   David Baer, Colin Young, Dwight Keys, Meg French, Stephanie Bardwell
   Our client is Kim Reardon, owner of Netline Sports Inc. Netline sports is a group of separate online sporting retail stores specializing in goodies, trinkets, and apparel instead of the traditional stores that offer the sporting equipment necessary to play the sport. Netline Sports is an S Corporation owned mostly by Kim Reardon, but also owned by her husband, who focuses on the financials as well as legal issues.
          Our team began our research by communicating with the client in person or via phone and e-mail. We learned about Netline Sports Inc.'s goals, challenges, legal issues, financial status, and future direction. Our next step was to survey existing customers and to survey separately a random population in order to discover areas to improve and how to improve those areas. We simultaneously conducted an intense competitor comparison for the same purpose: improve on areas lacking relative to competitors.
          Through our research, survey findings, data analysis, and continued client discussions, we have developed recommendations for Netline Sports Inc. in order to increase the business's effectiveness through improvements that are of low cost or no cost to Kim Reardon.
          In conclusion, our group has gained the knowledge of how Netline Sports Inc. is run; therefore giving each individual on our team a further understanding of general business practices and operations. More specifically, we have experienced a deeper appreciation of the e-business world. Our team is grateful for the opportunity to gain such insightful real-world experience and can only hope our efforts can prove as valuable for Netline Sports Inc.
   
2.   2:55 Remember the ladies: women's contributions in the Civil War
   Laura Simpson, Phillip Hamilton
   Abigail Adams admonished her husband John Adams to "remember the ladies." Less than one hundred years later, this warning had largely been forgotten. With the outbreak of the Civil War, men went off to fight and it was expected that their wives, mothers and sisters would stay at home as they had always done. Instead, women took up arms in many ways: they became nurses, viviandieres or daughters of the regiment, and posed as men and became soldiers. This paper looked at why women decided to go against stereotypes of the time, why women disguised themselves, how women participated and to what extent. This paper also looked at women specifically who performed in these roles such as Emma Edmonds, Jennie Hodgers, Loreta Janeta Valazquez, to name a few. This paper exposed the role women served in the American Civil War and heeded Abigail Adams' call to "remember the ladies."
   
3.   3:20 Mothers have influence
   Natasha McKellar, Gwenn Meredith
   Mothers in history have had significant influence on their children's lives, as well as on their society. Three of these mothers are Cornelia, of second century B.C.E. Rome; Pan Chao, of first century B.C.E. China; and Dhouda, of the ninth century C.E. Carolingian world. This paper illuminates the differences and similarities between these three independent women, all of whom were mothers, wives, and professionals.
          Each woman operated in a different sphere. Cornelia affected the political realm through her children; Dhouda wrote didactically on spiritual, moral, and practical matters; and Pan Chao wrote on morals around which Chinese culture revolved, explaining duties and responsibilities females owed to their family and society. Each of these women's cultures agreed that humility and subservience were characteristics a woman must possess in order to be deemed virtuous. Each woman enriched her society, while not performing in ways considered unfeminine by her peers. It was a great challenge for these women to strive to create change in ways for which they would not be condemned, but it was one which they mastered.
          Cornelia's Rome praised her for remaining a univera, or a woman who chose not to remarry after her husband's death. Pan Chao and Dhouda also received remembrance as faithful mothers and wives. Each woman wrote to her children and these writings eventually reached masses. Each of these women deserves recognition for her contributions to society. This paper brings to light the remarkable contributions with which these three women endowed upon their husbands, children, and society, in addition to the legacy they each left to further enhance the study of women and gender.
   

Room 100, Gihan Mandour presiding

1.   2:30 Irreversible growth of atomic or molecular structures
   Michael Aiken, A. Martin Buoncristiani
   The understanding of subatomic particles has advanced significantly in the recent past. It is important to understand the interactions of these particles to further our knowledge of how systems work and how to create new materials to continue technological advancement. Through the past year, I have been doing research on nanostructures. Using advanced mathematical programs, I have been implementing a simulation to show how a crystallike structure forms. This simulation will provide a diagram that will show the interaction of particles and the dipole forces that bind them together. By understanding such systems, we can determine how to control various components of the growth. With facilities that can manufacture the simulation, we can produce new and useful products.
   
2.   2:55 Nanoelectronic single-electron encoded logic for use in digital circuits and neural networks
   David A Ball, Costa Gerousis
   Single-Electron Tunneling (SET) devices are believed to be one of the most viable candidates for future nanoelectronic circuits. There have been proposals for different methods to utilize this technology to its potential, among them the technique of Single-Electron Encoded Logic (SEEL). This paradigm uses various characteristics of the SET technology to represent common digital logic devices as Threshold Logic Gates (TLG), allowing the creation of ultra small-scale, power efficient gates. The TLG topology also lends itself to the manner in which neural networks are structured, making the construction of a simple SEEL neural network a logical step. This research concentrated on the theory of SET technology, the SEEL paradigm, and the construction of basic logic gates and a simple neural network using these schemes.
   
3.   3:20 Optimization of roommate compatibility
   Adria Thornton, Glenn Weber
   Currently at CNU, the roommate assignments each year are done on a rather ad hoc, suboptimal basis. In order to develop a more systematic, optimal solution, the problem was mathematically modeled and solved using operations research techniques. A roommate compatibility survey was designed and a database was created to quicken data entry from the surveys. After the database organized all the survey information and assigned weights to the different survey questions, it then formulated the optimal roommate compatibility problem in a linear programming format. In order to solve this linear programming problem the computer application LINDO was used. The results from this program generated optimal roommate assignments.
   

Room 105, Alicia Willson-Metzger presiding

1.   2:30 Legislating death
   Kelley D. Word, Lori Underwood
   End of life decisions are difficult for both the patient and the patient's family. Making the decision of continuing life-sustaining measures is an issue for the terminally ill, the elderly and the parents of severely handicapped newborns. These decisions are no longer derived from ethical and religious beliefs. They now include laws, regulations, and charges of homicide if an individual is connected to assisting in the death of another. Each state has the authority to create its own legislation for dealing with active euthanasia/physician assisted suicide, but most have not. Currently, the law only covers passive euthanasia, also known as "pulling the plug."
          This paper argues in support of a rational and competent person's decision to hasten his or her death. This decision does not impact on anyone else's rights; therefore active euthanasia/physician assisted suicide should be legal. Legislatures cannot continue to ignore this topic. With the advances in health care technologies, the rights of the terminally ill and their guardians must be examined and weighed in comparison to the amount of physical and emotional suffering that will be tolerated under the American legal system.
   
2.   2:55 Restructuring affirmative action
   Jonas King-Holzsager, George Teschner
   Affirmative action fails to address current ethical dilemmas in both businesses and educational institutions. Affirmative action, while successful in the past, has reached its limit for diminishing discrimination in modern society. While it has managed to reduce older discriminations, particularly against minorities and women, it fails to address current issues that have arisen since its creation. Such issues include the notion of glass ceilings, which limit both women and minorities in the level of promotions that they are given. In addition, affirmative action creates discrimination against members of what most call the majority (Caucasian males). This should not be construed to mean that affirmative action is no longer necessary; on the contrary, without it there would be a massive increase in discrimination. Rather, it is necessary to restructure affirmative action or supplement it with other policies in order to update it to address modern issues of discrimination. Many arguments include suggestions to change affirmative action to concentrate more on the economic class or situation of the beneficiary rather than race. If affirmative action is to remain effective, it is necessary to update it to meet modern ethical dilemmas, rather than try to address outdated ones.
   
3.   3:20 Is the USA "Patriot Act" impeding upon our constitutional rights and civil liberties?
   Sean Van Demark, Lori Underwood
   Based on the application of the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution I have found that certain provisions within the USAPA are unconstitutional and therefore it must be reformed and/or have these provisions stricken from the document. The First Amendment is violated by the expansion of the term "agent of a foreign power" to include "any member of a foreign organization" bringing into question anyone who is a member of Amnesty International, thus allowing for wiretaps on that individual based on free speech in conjunction with a peaceful organization. This occurs within Section 218 of the USAPA. The Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments are violated on based on its protection from unreasonable search and seizures and the need for the government to show probable cause for investigation and obtain a warrant. Section 213 allows the FBI to search an individual's home without issuing a warrant to the individual to ensure that the search is within the realm of that warrant. The search can occur while the individual is not home and they are given the power to "take, alter, or copy any tangible items" and not inform the individual within a reasonable period thereafter (deemed to be 90 days). This is allowed in any case where informing the individual could "seriously jeopardize" the investigation, which could be claimed for almost any investigation. These warrantless investigations can occur in regard to any federal investigation, not only terrorism, from marijuana investigations to the falsification of information on a student loan application. Section 218 allows the government to unchecked power in searching through an individual's library, bookstore, and other third party records. This violates both the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment in regard to warrantless search and seizure of private information and the deprivation of property without due process of law.
   

Room 107, Jana Adamitis presiding

1.   2:30 Flaubert: the impressionist and Madame Bovary: the painting
   Cory Jay Barfield, Scott Pollard
   "Art requires neither complaisance nor politeness; nothing but faith -- faith and freedom." - Gustave Flaubert, April 22, 1854 (Letters)
   The words of a Realist writer, or the words of a man who rejected his so-called fatherhood of Realism with vehement spitefulness? Both, apparently, as Gustave Flaubert is, primarily for his writing of the classic novel Madame Bovary, classified as a French Realist in most literary glossaries, yet he, himself, would never once refer to himself thusly; therefore, the proposed intent of this research paper is to cast a new light on Flaubert as a proto-Impressionistic writer, a genre in art, usually visual, not commonly referenced in regard to literature. By laying out the philosophies of both Flaubert and the flagship artists of Impressionism, many parallels can be drawn between their views of reality - the treatment and shaping thereof - and subject matter (or the lack thereof), and it can be especially espoused that the tool of both was inarguably their style, above and beyond concern for all else. Thus, when it is detailed how similar their styles are, then it is quite possible to presume them as very similar artistic entities. Several passages from Madame Bovary will be explored in the context of an Impressionistic perspective, utilizing several paintings by the Impressionists, namely Monet, Renoir, and Sisley, to serve as tools for comparison and further elaborate on the uncanny shared ideas between Flaubert and the later movement in Art, plus how they manifested in both sets of works. The ultimate goal of this research paper, however, is not to definitively redefine Flaubert as an Impressionistic writer, for there are valid arguments against such a presumption, but to open up the grounds for discussion of the blurring of boundaries between Literature and Art, and the folly of segregating one from the other; for, after all, “Art requires neither complaisance nor politeness, nothing but faith—faith and freedom.”
   
2.   2:55 The Construction of Femininity in Nausicaa
   Maggie Schneider, Tracey Schwarze
   In his novel Ulysses, James Joyce explores both masculine and feminine gender performance. Particularly in the thirteenth chapter, "Nausicaa," Joyce examines the construction of femininity through Gerty MacDowell. Ultimately, Joyce exposes how, at least in late nineteenth/early twentieth century Ireland, many women constructed their cosmetic self-image from commercial advertisements and their moral self-image from sentimentalist novels. The image of the perfectly constructed female was fragile, however, prone to come apart should anyone see through its façade to an underlying flaw.
   

Room 117, Mary Best presiding

1.   2:30 Christian liturgy
   Joshua Blakely, Kip Redick
   What happens when Christians focus more on reciting the correct prayer than on the feelings a worship service brings? Why is it that all too often Christians declare on Sundays that they love the poor but walk past the homeless on Monday without a second thought? Why has Christian liturgy lost its power?
          This paper focuses on Christian liturgy and finds that what is missing is personal experience to validate the worship. When Christians simply go through the motions of their worship service instead of fully embracing it, they cheat themselves out of an experience of an encounter with the holy. Similarly, when Christians fail to enact the beliefs found in the liturgy they make hypocrites out of themselves.
          In addition to these ideas, this paper explores the Christian concept of stewardship and how it relates to liturgy. Most liturgical churches call for its parishioners to maintain the world either ecologically or socially through love. This is considered being stewards of the world and this personal experience is essential for validation of the liturgy.
          Personal experience comes in many forms. Whether the experience comes in submersing oneself in worship, going out into the world to enact that worship, or simply maintaining the world in stewardship, it is essentially for bringing Christian liturgy to life. If personal experience is forgotten then the liturgy is meaningless.
   
2.   2:55 The problem of gender in popular song lyrics
   Allison Burr-Miller, Linda Manning
   Music is everywhere and conveys ideas about everyday life, many of which are so familiar and taken-for-granted that listeners are not conscious of the concepts being articulated. This paper examines the representations of sex and gender within song lyrics to answer the question: what stereotypes and expectations regarding women and men, masculinity and femininity, are perpetuated within musical texts? I selected five songs played on the radio for the mainstream public, to examine what ideas and values were communicated about gender and our culture. My research uncovers in song lyrics many stereotypes that are held within society about women and men and the roles they are expected to fulfill, while also exposing resistances to dominant gender ideals within musical lyrics. The purpose of this analysis is to convey the problematic nature of the confining gender standards reproduced in song lyrics and to raise awareness, to combat this trend.
   
3.   3:20 Masculinity and death in firefighting
   Dan McCleese, Michaela Meyer
   Stuart Hall and other communication theorists often study the "gap" in representation; this study will use this body of work as a theoretical background. This paper will focus on two feature films on firefighter: Backdraft (1991) and Ladder 49 (2004). The goal of examining these mediated depictions of firefighting is to discover the role of masculinity in firefighting and how the subject of death is presented. The paper attempts to answer questions such as: What attempts are made to provide fixed meanings in firefighting media? How accurate are these attempts to represent firefighting? To what extent do gender and culture impact these meanings? How do mediated images affect firefighter's daily lives and identities? What stigmas are placed on firefighting organizations because of these representations? In order to answer these questions, literature that surrounds firefighting, containing first hand accounts and other qualitative information, will be compared to what is presented in each of the two films.
   

4 - 5:15 (5 sessions, Alicia Willson-Metzger, UGRC contact)

Room 112, Robert Colvin presiding

1.   4:00 Bipolar disorder in preadolescents and adolescents
   Eric Edmond, Tim Marshall
   Recent research has discovered that manic-depression or bipolar disorder is not as rare in children as once thought. Until recently manic-depression was thought to impinge on people in their early twenties. It is now believed that the onset of bipolar disorder can occur much earlier than a person's twenties with some research pointing to the onset of the disease as early as infancy. A major problem with bipolar disorder in children is that it is usually misdiagnosed due to the fact that the disease manifests itself differently in children than in adults. In children there seems to be an overlap of symptoms with other childhood psychiatric disorders such as attention deficit disorder (ADHD) and obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD). This current report examined preadolescent and adolescent onset of bipolar disorder and examined issues surrounding the topic such as comorbidity of the disease, problems with diagnosis and suggested treatments.
   
2.   4:25 Faith, hope, and the fading affect bias
   Nicole Morris, W. Richard Walker
   Negative emotions fade faster than positive emotions, a finding that has been termed The Fading Affect Bias. The current study examined whether a person's hopefulness or faith influenced the fading of positive and negative emotions. Forty-four African-American students participated in this study. Participants completed the 7-item Hope Scale and the 10-item Faith and Spirituality Scale. Participants were also given the necessary materials to recall six event memories (three positive and three negative) and make ratings for each event memory. These ratings included the Initial Emotion associated with the event and the Current Emotion associated with the event. Participants were given 20 minutes to recall the event memories and to make the ratings for each memory. Participants were given 10 minutes to complete the two surveys on Faith and Hope. A stepwise regression analysis was used to determine if Faith and Hope predicted the Fading Affect Bias (which was calculated by taking the difference between the Initial and Current Emotion Ratings). A Pearson-Product Moment Correlation was used to assess the relation between Faith and Hope. Three results are emphasized. First, the Fading Affect Bias was replicated: Negative emotions faded more than positive emotions. Second, neither faith nor hope predicted the fading affect bias. Third, there was a reliable positive correlation between faith and hope. These results suggest that the fading of emotions in memory is not related to a person's level of hope or faith.
   
3.   4:50 The effect of media portrayed gender stereotypes on participants' memory for positive and negative characters in written scenarios
   Ashton Hurdle, Lindsay M. Boutwell, Kristin M. Wilson, Jeffrey A. Gibbons
   The current study examined media-portrayed gender stereotypes and their effect on participants' memory for positive and negative characters in written scenarios. The participants read four scenarios that were either all positive or all negative in affect. Each story includes a leading character (either male or female) and a supporting character (either male or female). The participants also completed three interpolated tasks: the Bem Sex Role Inventory, the Need for Cognition Scale, and an aggression scale. After the interpolated tasks, the participants completed a character sex survey regarding their memory for character sex and story affect. One half of all participants completed a movie survey before reading the scenarios, whereas the other half of all participants completed the movie survey after completing the character sex survey. This procedure is to determine if the media (movies watched by participants) is able to prime the participants' memory for character sex. This study hypothesizes that the media primes participants' memory for character sex. This study hypothesizes that character sex is remembered best for characters primarily viewed by participants in the media. For example, if the participants primarily watch positive male characters in the media, then it is hypothesized that character sex is remembered best for positive male characters in leading roles.
   

Room 116, George Zestos presiding

1.   4:00 Union sympathy in North Carolina during the Civil War
   Liz Healy, Phillip Hamilton
   The South, during the Civil War, was not a unified body acting to preserve slavery. North Carolina was divided on the issues of slavery and secession before and during the war. In the election of 1860, nearly half of North Carolina's citizens, 46.2 percent, voted for the pro-Union presidential candidate, John Bell. When North Carolina was called to form two regiments of Union troops, the governor of North Carolina refused. The call for troops to fight against their southern brothers finally tipped the balance and pushed North Carolinians to secede. This decisive action did not resolve the pro-Union, pro-secession divide within the state. Many North Carolinians eagerly joined confederate troops, but others did not. During the war, North Carolinians like David Hoggard expressed Unionist sympathies by attempting to evade confederate conscription. Members of his county's home guard, his friends and neighbors, shot Hoggard when he was discovered. Others expressed their preference for the Union by deserting from Confederate military units. Desertion became so prevalent in North Carolina that General Robert E. Lee assigned General Robert F. Hoke to the mountain area to flush the deserters out of hiding. Newspaper editor and future North Carolina governor, William W. Holden, and others participated in peace movements during the war. Perhaps the action that most clearly reflected Union sentiment was the enlisting of many North Carolinians in the Union Army. In this southern state, four Union regiments were organized and actively participated in the war.
   
2.   4:25 What is normal?
   Christina LiPuma, Michael Lewis
   This study examines the effects of the child with special needs on the parents' perceived stress level. Families of children with special needs are more likely to experience high levels of stress due to their need for normality. Our experience with this population has shown references to normality as a major theme of parents of children with special needs. Parents have been quoted stating that it is "harder than" or their child is "less than," continuously comparing to other parents, families, and children. Drawing on prior research, these studies have stressed finances, special programs, failed expectations, and an inability to be accepted by society as focal causes of stress to the family structure. Through an analysis of parental accounts, the perceived stress level of parents of children with special needs is higher due not only to just the aforementioned studied causes of stress, but primarily due to the parents' need for the normality of their child.
   
3.   4:50 Growth and competitiveness in the EU countries: the Lisbon Agreement
   Beth Emmert, George Zestos
   European Union countries have experienced high unemployment rates and slow economic growth during the last decade. The European leaders considered this in 2000 at the EU summit in Lisbon, Portugal, where they decided to reverse this trend by launching the Lisbon Agenda. With the Lisbon Agenda, EU government leaders committed themselves to adopting all the necessary policies in their nations to transform the European Union into the most competitive economy in the world.
          This year marks the halfway point of the launching of the Lisbon Agenda. EU leaders will soon meet to evaluate the successes and failures of the Lisbon program. This meeting will be an opportunity for the EU leaders to modify and adopt new policies to reinvigorate the EU economy.
          This study will examine all the areas on which the EU leaders must focus, and all of the necessary reforms that must occur to induce growth in the European Union. In order to shed light on this complex issue of economic growth in the EU, I will examine the performance of the EU countries in relation to several economic variables. The business, legal, and social environment of the EU countries will be studied for the purpose of examining whether this environment is conducive to economic growth. The slow growth in EU countries can often be attributed to over-regulation and labor market rigidity; this claim will be investigated. As a result of the Lisbon agenda, most EU countries adopted programs to reform their economies and overcome bottlenecks to economic development and growth. All such programs will also be evaluated.
          I plan to evaluate the performance of the EU and the U.S. by examining the impact of economic, institutional, and social factors on competitiveness and growth. A comparison of EU and U.S. historical statistical data on labor productivity, unemployment rates, real per capita GDP growth, labor participation rates, workweek hours, and population will be presented in tables and graphs.
   

Room 105, John Thompson presiding

1.   4:00 Goddess worshipping societies of early history: did they really exist?
   Hali Wood, Gwenn Meredith
   It is believed that goddess worshipping societies ruled Earth in a time before men and the written word came along. Their societies had egalitarian values and social justice, but all that was turned upside down 5,000 years ago with the rise of patriarchal power. From then on men ruled the home, community, and the world at large, but humanity seemed disadvantaged because of it. There was social injustice, subordination of women, instigation of wars, and more problems that persist to this day. There are several causes of the patriarchal revolution, such as the introduction of agriculture, the male realization of their own role in the process of procreation, and more that celebrate the power of men over women. Since the patriarchal overthrow, people have been asserting the existence of matriarchal civilizations. Referencing societies like that of Catal Huyuk and even the mythical race of the Amazons as evidence of matriarchal societies' existence. In these civilizations they find artifacts, paintings, figurines, decorations and more that allegedly point to the existence of these females-reign-supreme societies, however, there are problems with these findings. Although there is a lot of pictorial evidence including figurines, there is no written evidence, and much of the evidence from which they are drawing inferences of matriarchal society's existence is vague, ambiguous and often sexless. The evidence used to assert its existence is subjective and causes many different beliefs. My paper will examine the evidence presented by the proponents for the existence of matriarchal societies and suggest reasons for believing in the validity of matriarchal societies. Although the possibility of pre-historical matriarchal societies does exist, without the existence of substantial, objective, written evidence to support their existence, it is a mere guess to suggest the existence of matriarchal societies.
   
2.   4:25 The necessity of radical freedom in Christianity
   Jennifer Bragg, Jouett Powell, Kip Redick, Deborah Campbell, George Teschner
   Christian salvation has long been defined as an act of God in which people have little to no involvement. While Christian traditions have long supported this idea, the Bible, contains a different understanding of salvation. The Bible speaks of salvation as a transformation that takes place within human beings, and, therefore, a transformation people must be active in. In order to be active participants in their own salvation, people must not only be free, but also radically free. They must be creatures that are not bound by a single nature, but rather can will their nature into existence. With God's guidance, they are able to transform themselves into new and holy beings. They are also free to turn themselves into depraved creatures that are enslaved to sin. Regardless, people are free to choose whether they will take part in Christian salvation and the Kingdom of God, and they are free to choose how Christian salvation will transform their lives.
   
3.   4:50 Religion and technology
   Andrew Hill, George Teschner
   Technology has harmful affects on the relationship between human beings and God. As more technological advances are made, the Church stands as an age old figure caught in a battle to adapt or fail. The Church should strive to resist any profane elements and remain a sacred institution. Some churches have accepted various forms of technology into their services, making use of power point and big screens that present all the information being discussed. It might seem like a great idea to show information visually on such a large scale, but it can make Christians unfamiliar with their Bibles. The harmful affects of technology work to join the sacred and profane elements of the religious life together when we are told to “be in the world, not of it.” Various sects such as the Quakers, Mennonites, and the Amish believe that a separation needs to be maintained in order for the sacred circumference of the Church to remain. Churches feel the need to make use of technology in order to reach non-believers. “Hot” media such as television creates an idea that the Church is about entertainment. Even religious architecture has been influenced with the profane ideas of multipurpose rooms instead of a sacred sanctuary. If the harmful affects prevail, religion will lose its sacred elements.
   

Room 117, Scott Pollard presiding

1.   4:00 Crossdressing and the subjectivity of gender and sexuality in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
   Kate Armstrong, Douglas Gordon
   In modern society, many of us take for granted that the common conceptions which we hold are natural and finite; on the contrary, many of our beliefs, especially concerning gender and sexuality, are anything but. While some would say that William Shakespeare sought to validate traditional social views concerning marriage, sexuality, and gender roles in his work, I argue that he actually seeks to actively question their presence and structure. I examine the gender and sexual binaries that are manifested both in Elizabethan and present day society and explore the actions and expressions in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night that strive to defy them. I explore how Shakespeare uses transvestite disguise in his play to bend ideas about the subjectivity of gender roles and the ambiguity of sexuality.
   
2.   4:25 The Flammability of Emma Bovary’s Dusty Life
   Thomas Fellers, Corey Barfield, Scott Pollard
   The main character of Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary had serious issues. She was temperamental, delusional, and bored. In addition to that, her marriage had plateaued shortly after exchanging vows with Charles. Clearly, some would argue that these factors were a direct cause of Emma Bovary’s fatal downfall. After all, as one critic puts it, Emma and her husband were diametric opposites. There was no way they could have sustained a decent marriage. Nonetheless, the laundry list of Emma’s problems comes from a deeper issue. The heart of the matter is not that she and Charles are incompatible; rather, it is that her active, dynamic soul directly opposes her passive, static role in a socially prescribed, immobile marriage. Taking a New Critical approach, this paper supports such a claim by exploring Flaubert’s images of dust. Initially, we see that dust is an indicator of the stagnant nature of Emma’s domestic state. Then, we see that dust magnifies Emma’s impulsive drive for movement. Finally, we see that dust is extinguished by the burning of her wedding bouquet. In the end, Emma seeks transcendence over the inactivity of wifedom. And it is because of this solecistic existence that she ends up killing herself.
   
3.   4:50 Archaeology of musical instruments
   Bethany Donahue, Clyde W. Brockett,Jr.
   It is plain that music played an integral role in the lives of the inhabitants of all classes in colonial and post-Revolutionary Virginia. Moreover, Williamsburg and its surrounding area remained one of the most vibrant cultural and political centers in Colonial America. Archaeological excavations have for years revealed insightful clues as to the material culture and the nature of daily life during the era. However, archeological data on musical instruments remains sparse. This is largely because many instruments were made of wood and, therefore, were not preserved in the ground. In addition, most instruments were considered prized valuables, symbols of social and intellectual status, and would not have been discarded. Archaeological examples of musical instruments are generally inexpensive, common instruments such as jaw harps and harmonicas that are made of metal and would have survived two or three hundred years in the ground. However, rare examples exist of more valuable instruments that survived due to preservation in water and were either discarded after being broken or were destroyed intentionally or by accident. The archeologist may also conclude that examples of instruments and instrument parts may be uncovered in the future and so they must, therefore, have a working knowledge of types of instruments, their historical setting, and the distinction between their wooden and metal parts. This paper will discuss the various examples of musical artifacts uncovered in the Tidewater area as well as briefly explore records of music-making in the area and the construction of musical instruments, both of which would provide a basis for drawing conclusions in historical archeology.
   

Room 100, Kip Redick presiding

1.   4:00 Reflections on Rudolph Otto's characterization of the Holy and Mount Rainier
   Matthew W. Humphrey, Kip Redick
   Rudolph Otto characterizes the Holy as tremendom and fascinans. We are both terrified and drawn toward the sacred. Walking around Mount Rainier on the Wonderland Trail, one has the experience of Otto's characterization in relation to the symbolism of the wilderness. At the same time, one of the nations largest metropolitan areas is just below, sometimes in view. At night, while camping on the western slopes of the mountain, the lights of this vast urban sprawl are spread out like tiny jewels on a dark sheet. This paper explores ideas of our technological age in light of the human need for an experience of the Holy that remains beyond the reach of that technology.
   
1.   4:25 A spiritual flight
   Mike Hilleary, Kip Redick
   The Appalachian Trail (AT) creates its own world within the forest, its own social characteristics, beliefs, law, an anti-society opposed to much of what is found in modern civilization. This world has many parallels with the underworld as described by author Chuck Palahniuk in his cult classic, Fight Club. It is the physical abandonment of worldly possessions and the metaphysical breaking down of oneself for rebirth. This paper is a comparison of characters and themes of Palahniuk's book with the world of the people who hike the AT.
   
2.   4:50 What we bring with us into the wilderness: exploring Heidegger and the technological tether
   Kelly Garner, Kip Redick
   The objects that enable humans to face the perils of wild places such as mountains and deserts represent the pinnacle of technological development. Hiking technology in 2005 is radically different from the hiking technology of the 1980's. This highly efficient equipment and the utilization of time-saving technologies enable people to venture into wild places in a way that is unique to our historical situation. Some who participate in this activity view this as an "escape from the clutches of technological society." This paper will show that these excursions into the wilderness are not escapes from technological society but, rather, as they are made possible by it, are manifestations of it in which one becomes most intimately aware of technology. While not "escapes," wild places can provide a clearing where technology may reveal itself in a new way and where one has the possibility of establishing what Mar