Ethnocentrism and University Students in Ethiopia (1995–2018)

Since 1995 and until it apparently eased with the coming of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, ethnicity has become the dogmatic principle of the country for its social and political policies. Consequently, it has permeated through university campuses and affected relationships among students belonging to different ethnic groups. This study makes a micro-sociological ethnographic description and analysis of different “sites” of student interactions in curricular activities such as in classroom learning, extracurricular activities such as sporting, and service deliveries such as common residential compounds and dining halls at Addis Ababa University’s Main Campus.

Impact of Virtual Interviewing on Time and Financial Costs for NRMP© Applicants: Did Regional Campus Students Save More?

Background and Objectives: The sudden change from in-person to remote interviews by the National Residency Matching Program© (NRMP©) in 2020 was expected to result in significant financial and time savings for applicants. This project aimed to compare savings before and after the 2020-2021 interviewing season reported by students graduating from our institution’s regional and main campuses. Methods: Data were collected over a six-year period at a Midwestern medical school. Each year, approximately 120 main campus and 75 regional campus students are surveyed regarding specialty choice, number of applications and interviews, time, and expenses to complete the NRMP. Chi-square and t-tests were used to determine statistical differences by campus and by specialty in savings during the 2020-21 interviewing season compared to the previous five years. Results: Data were provided by 957 students. The response rates were 81.5% (regional) and 82% (main campus). Compared to the previous five years, in 2021 main campus students saved $3,990 (79.9%) and regional campus students saved $2,789 (77.1%). The previous highly significant differences in expenses between campuses ($1,386 ± $243) dropped to $185 (p = 0.3). On both campuses, applicants to non-primary care specialties saved more than their classmates applying to primary care. The largest average saving was reported by non-primary care applicants on the main campus ($4,207) and the smallest by regional applicants to primary care ($2,328). Main campus applicants reported saving 13.1 and regional campus 15.4 days interviewing in 2021. The smallest average time saving was reported by main campus applicants to non-primary care (12.7 days) and the largest (16.2 days) by regional campus applicants to primary care. No significant changes occurred in number of applications, interviews, or Match outcomes in 2021 compared to previous years. Conclusion: Prior to 2021, students from our institution’s regional campus reported lower costs and similar interviewing time than their peers on the main campus. Cost and time were significantly decreased in 2021 for both regional and main campus students applying to any specialty and differences between campuses reduced to non-significant levels. The number of applications, completed interviews, and Match outcomes remained similar to previous years. Changes to the NRMP© incorporating remote interviewing may reduce applicant costs by 80% and provide up to two weeks of available curricular time in the senior year of medical school.

Avifauna within the Main Campus of Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Avian diversity of two zones within the main campus of IMSIU University was studied during the period from July 2019 to June 2020. A total number of 1,653 individual birds was recorded across the main campus which falls under fifteen species belonging to thirteen families. Out of this number, 760 individual of them were recorded in Zone-A versus 893 individual in Zone-B. Species richness in Zone-A was 15 while species richness in Zone-B was 13. Census index of the Birds was recorded as follows: 4.6 Birds/ha and 7.9 Birds/ha in both Zones A and B, respectively. Bird species sighted was higher in Zone-B as compared with Zone-A, as indicated by Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (H) which accounts for 1.83 in Zone-A and 1.65 in Zone-B. Pigeon (Columba livia), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) were among the most frequently sighted. From the current study, it is recommended that Zone-B be pedestrianized for the enrichment and protection of the avian species. Also, new policies should be put forward by the relevant authority within the main campus to maintain avian diversity, such as expanding afforestation and green landscapes, in addition to the establishment of artificial lakes and ponds.

Management and containment of a SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant outbreak at the Malawi University of Science and Technology

Outbreaks of COVID at university campuses can spread rapidly and threaten the broader community. We describe the management of an outbreak at a Malawian university in April 2021 during Malawi's second wave. Classes were suspended following detection of infections by routine testing and campus-wide PCR mass testing was conducted. Fifty seven cases were recorded, 55 among students, two among staff. Classes resumed 28 days after suspension following two weeks without cases. Just 6.3% of full-time staff and 87.4% of outsourced staff tested while 65% of students at the main campus and 74% at the extension campus were tested. Final year students had significantly higher positivity and lower testing coverage compared to freshmen. All viruses sequenced were beta variant and at least four separate virus introductions onto campus were observed. These findings are useful for development of campus outbreak responses and indicate the need to emphasize staff, males and senior students in testing.

Peer Review Declaration

All papers published in this volume of IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science have been peer reviewed through processes administered by the Editors. Reviews were conducted by expert referees to the professional and scientific standards expected of a proceedings journal published by IOP Publishing. • Type of peer review: Single-blind • Describe criteria used by Reviewers when accepting/declining papers. a) An articles will be accepted if they meet the following requirements: match the article template, number of pages (max 10 pages), grammar, abstract, pictures and captions, tables and captions, references, article contents (result and discussion), abstracts, methods, and conclusions. b) An articles will be rejected (declined) if they do not meet the following requirements: Doesn’t match the article template, number of pages (max 10 pages), grammar, abstracts, pictures and captions, tables and table captions, bibliography, contents of the paper, abstracts, methods, and conclusions. As an additional, if the similarity index more than 30% checked by turnitin (plagiarism checker) the article will be also rejected. Was there the opportunity to resubmit articles after revisions? Yes, there was opportunity to resubmit an article after revisions. • Conference submission management system: Konfrenzi Automated Conference System. • Number of submissions received: 110 articles • Number of submissions sent for review: 110 articles • Number of submissions accepted: 101 articles • Acceptance Rate (Number of Submissions Accepted/Number of Submissions Received X 100): (101/110) x 100% = 91.8% • Average number of reviews per paper: 2 (twice) • Total number of reviewers involved: 20 people. • Any additional info on review process (ie plagiarism check system): Plagiarism check was conducted by turnitin for all articles. For similarity index more than 30%, the article will be rejected before review. • Contact person for queries: Betrin Natasya: [email protected] Graduate School of Hasanuddin University (Main Campus) JL Perintis Kemerdekaan KM 10. Makassar, South Sulawesi 90245 Sri Widodo: [email protected] Graduate School of Hasanuddin University (Main Campus) JL Perintis Kemerdekaan KM 10. Makassar, South Sulawesi 90245

The Secret of the Main Campus Water-Wells, Arba Minch University, Ethiopia

Groundwater is one of the precious water sources for domestic, irrigation, and industrial demands in arid and semiarid regions of the world. The same is true in Ethiopia context. In this study, seven groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for various chemical constituents (pH, TDS, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42−, Cl−, HCO3−, and NO3−) to assess the hydrogeochemical characteristics and water types of the groundwater wells. Among the seven sampled groundwater wells, five wells are found and used for domestic water supply in Arba Minch University (AMU) main campus. The remaining two are used for industrial and irrigation demands located at the compound of Textile Factory and Haile Resort, respectively. Results showed that the main campus groundwater wells are saline and harder than the two wells from Textile Factory and Haile Resort. Moreover, elevated concentration of nitrate and potassium (greater than the maximum permissible level allowed in Ethiopia) were obtained in the groundwater sources used mainly in the AMU main campus wells. These elevated concentrations of potassium and nitrate beyond the enriched salt contents in the AMU main campus wells could pose kidney, cardiovascular, and other related health problems. This study, therefore, recommends the AMU to find other groundwater sources for drinking purpose other than the studied water-well field.

Affiliated Libraries Feature Specialized Collections

The George A. Smathers Libraries Affiliated Libraries program serves to make specialized collections in partner libraries accessible. These satellite libraries showcase how the UF Libraries reaches beyond our own physical spaces and collections to support creative use of partner libraries' collections. Ten affiliated libraries each host distinctive collections in subjects ranging from tropical horticulture, plant specimens, and citrus research to architecture, art studies and LBGTQ readings. These collections are managed by entities on campus and across the state, reaching distant students and the public far from UF’s main campus.