The Birman exact sequence for 3-manifolds

We study the Birman exact sequence for compact $3$--manifolds, obtaining a complete picture of the relationship between the mapping class group of the manifold and the mapping class group of the submanifold obtained by deleting an interior point. This covers both orientable manifolds and non-orientable ones.Comment: 30 pages, no figures. v2: Major re-write following referee suggestions. To appear in Bull. Lond. Math. Soc.; v1: This paper gives an alternative, more algebraic, proof of the main result of arXiv:1310.7884 (with less exposition

The Kakimizu complex of a connected sum of links

We show that |MS(L_1 # L_2)|=|MS(L_1)|\times|MS(L_2)|\times\mathbb{R} when $L_1$ and $L_2$ are any non-split and non-fibred links. Here $MS(L)$ denotes the Kakimizu complex of a link $L$, which records the taut Seifert surfaces for $L$. We also show that the analogous result holds if we study incompressible Seifert surfaces instead of taut ones.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures. This result has been proved independently by Bassem Saa

BOHMs AWAY! Lessons from a Collection Survey

VCU James Branch Cabell Library underwent a major renovation and expansion from 2014 to 2016, necessitating a move of all special collections and archives materials. After the move we surveyed our collections to help us regain intellectual and physical control. In addition, the survey allowed us to assess whether collections were in need of additional processing or reprocessing to make them more accessible physically and intellectually, identify special formats, and address conservation issues. To conduct the survey, we created a form and used this in conjunction with the assessment tool in Archivists’ Toolkit. The form included checklists to note information such as material formats other than paper, specific condition and preservation issues, as well as a general notes field. For brevity and consistency, we created a list of abbreviations to use. Collections were ranked using an agreed upon set of criteria in multiple categories. The rankings have helped determine which collections are in most need of attention. During the course of the survey we discovered that not all collections were processed equally, meaning that they didn’t always conform to best practices and standards. This poster will expand upon what we learned and what we’re doing with the information we obtained

E-Learning in Postsecondary Education

Over the past decade postsecondary education has been moving increasingly from the class room to online. During the fall 2010 term 31 percent of U.S. college students took at least one online course. The primary reasons for the growth of e-learning in the nation\u27s colleges and universities include the desire of those institutions to generate new revenue streams, improve access, and offer students greater scheduling flexibility. Yet the growth of e-learning has been accompanied by a continuing debate about its effectiveness and by the recognition that a number of barriers impede its widespread adoption in higher education

THE NEXT GENERATION OF GREENWASH: DIMINISHING CONSUMER CONFUSION THROUGH A NATIONAL ECO-LABELING PROGRAM

Since the 1990\u27s there has been a continuously growing movement among advertisers to appeal to consumers by touting how environmentally friendly their products are. This note addresses the prominence of misleading and deceptive environmental claims that have prompted appeals for improved federal regulation. Specifically, the Note focuses on the emerging trend of carbon advertising and national and international models that provide guidance on preventing deception. Part I conveys the current status of environmental advertising and the necessary background principles for establishing regulations. Part II details major criticisms of the current environmental advertising guidelines and proposed models for restructuring environmental advertising regulations. Finally, Part III proposes a voluntary national eco-labeling program that will address the current criticisms and improve consumer confidence in environmentally-beneficial product purchases