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1. Bismarck Steals (oops--Reclaims) Tech's Snow Angel World Record |
Pending review by Guinness World Records, Bismarck, N.D., may have snatched Michigan Tech's snow angel record Saturday, when about 8,900 citizens dropped to the ground and flapped their arms and legs.
Nevertheless, Michigan Tech retains much of its heavenly luster.
"It's now fashionable to have the world snow angel record, and last year we made it what it is, one of the most highly coveted honors in the Snow Belt," said Michigan Tech senior Paul Judge, who helped organize the 2006 effort that yielded the university three Guinness World Records. "So I guess it's not surprising that Bismarck would want it back."
Syracuse, N.Y., made a run at the snow-angel record Thursday, but called off the attempt due to cold and snow. Really.
Two other wintry records remain firmly ensconced at Michigan Tech. "I'm surprised that no one is going for the biggest snowball or the biggest snowball fight," Judge said.
After Bismarck's stunning snow-angel roundup on Saturday, Judge was interviewed for an Associated Press story that has since appeared all over the country. "I haven't been this popular since I was giving out candy in the halls over Halloween," he noted wryly. His mother was not surprised that the story appeared in media as far removed from snow-angel country as the Los Angeles Times. "She told me duh, in English it's the 'The Angels Times,' so of course they'd be interested," Judge said.
As a result of the publicity, he was contacted on FaceBook by a student at Michigan State University, who offered to help if Tech makes another run at the title. Houghton only has 7,000 residents, so rustling up enough snow angels for a bona fide shot at the record might involve a regional campaign.
"That's a lot of people, and the logistics are incredible," he said. "If it ends up happening again, it might have to be a state of Michigan thing."
Whether Michigan Tech will attempt to reclaim its place in the snow-angel firmament has not been determined, however. Judge himself will not be organizing a repeat of Tech's 2006 record attempt. "I'm graduating this spring," he said. "It will be in someone else's hands to reclaim the glory that is rightfully ours."
The university received nearly 300 web clips from news organizations that ran stories about the snow-angel record. Here's one from ABC.com: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2884196&page=1 .
Michigan Tech World Record Facts
Date: Feb. 10, 2006
Place: Michigan Technological University
Organizers: Wadsworth Hall Students Association
Most Snow Angels in a Single Place: 3,784 (previous record, Bismarck, N.D., 1,791)
Biggest Snowball Fight: 3,745 (previous record, Wauconda, Ill., 3,084)
Biggest Snowball: 21 feet, 3 inches in circumference (previous record, Benton Harbor, Mich., 16 feet, 9.5 inches) |
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2. Bill Blumhardt Dies |
Bill Blumhardt, 56, director of campus facilities planning, died Saturday at his home.
On Thursday at the Jukuri-Antila Funeral Home, in Hancock, a prayer service will be held at 4 p.m. with visitation from 4 to 8 p.m.
On Friday, visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. at St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church, in Houghton. The Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11 a.m.
Blumhardt, whose career spanned nearly 30 years at Michigan Tech, was involved in the construction and renovation of about half of the university’s modern campus, including the Student Development Complex, the Walker Arts and Humanities Center, the Minerals and Materials Engineering Building, the Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building, the U. J. Noblet Forestry Building, the Rozsa Center, the Memorial Union and the Rekhi and Opie additions to the library and Fisher Hall.
He came to the university in April 1977 as supervisor of steam plant distribution and received a series of promotions until he was named to his current position in 2006.
“He did a wonderful job working with Lansing,” said Bill McKilligan (Human Resources), former manager of facilities operations, who worked with Blumhardt for 26 years. “He had a lot of credibility there....Plus, he was true blue Michigan Tech, and was once president of the Huskies Club.”
Blumhardt was very active with the Michigan Association of Physical Plant Administrators, an association which includes university facilities directors throughout the state. “He could have been considered the dean of the physical plant administrators in the state. I am hearing the phrase ‘icon.’ Bill gave it his best all the time.”
President Glenn Mroz agreed. "Bill is widely regarded as the dean of facilities managers at the state's universities," he said. "He was often called upon by the Department of Management and Budget to assist them in helping other institutions of higher education to develop better ways to manage their facilities.
"Not surprisingly, because of his reputation, he brought a lot of "firsts" to Michigan Tech, including he first major campus building construction project to be managed by a university, rather than the state back in the late 1980s," said Mroz. "It's difficult at times to gain the attention of people in state government, given our distance from the capital, but Bill had a reputation that was rock solid there. The people in Lansing had enormous confidence in his integrity and abilities, and all of us at Tech have clearly benefited from his work. We are forever indebted to him.
Executive Secretary Sue Sergey worked with Blumhardt for 15 years. “Bill has been a confidant and a friend all that time,” she said. “He had the most even temperament; he never got rattled.”
Ironically, Blumhardt served on the management team that bargained with the AFSCME union, while Sergey was president of the local UAW. “He was extremely tolerant and understood the demands placed on me--the absences and the emergency phone calls,” Sergey said. “It was kind of a humorous thing with us; even though we were on opposite sides, he was very supportive of the UAW and of me as a secretary. I felt good about that.”
“We got along great, and I’m going to miss him terribly.”
Blumhardt was also Houghton mayor pro tem for many years and was active in his church. “He was such a pillar in the community,” Sergey said. He served on multiple organizations, including the Houghton Planning Commission, the Portage Lake Water and Sewage Authority and the Quincy Mine Hoist Association.
His efforts on behalf of the university continue in his absence. “Bill worked diligently on the current $10 million in campus renovations,” Sergey said. “That has to be completed by June, and we’re going to make it.”
In honor of his long and stellar career as a builder, Blumhardt was notified Feb. 13 that he had been named an honorary affiliate member of the American Institute of Architects—Michigan. He will be honored posthumously at an April 20 awards ceremony in Plymouth, Mich.
Blumhardt is survived by his wife, Joanne, of Houghton; three daughers, Heather (Justin) Pakkala of Houghton, Beth Blumhardt of Golden, Colo., and Cindy Blumhardt of Osceola, Iowa; two grandchildren, Olin and Alivia Pakkala; six brothers and three sisters, Thomas (Janice) Blumhardt of Brooklyn, Robert (Karen) Blumhardt of Whittaker, Rosemary (Arnold) Kempher of Clinton, Donald (Mary) Blumhardt of Belleville, Fred (Jean) Blumhardt of Milan, Michael (Terese) Blumhardt of Livonia; Mary Blumhardt of Palm City, Fla., John (Colleen) Blumhardt of Whittaker and Barbara Blumhardt of Middletown, Conn.; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Memorials may be made to Omega House, 2211 Maureen Lane, Houghton, MI 49931, the Portage Health Foundation, 500 Campus Drive, Hancock, MI 49930, and Keweenaw Home Nursing and Hospice, 311 Sixth St., Calumet, MI 49913.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at http://www.antilafuneral.com .
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3. Beta Gamma Sigma Founders’ Week Feb. 18-24 |
The Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society, founded in 1913, will be celebrating Founders' Week Feb. 18-24. Informational brochures will be available in the Academic Office Building lobby. BGS members are encouraged to wear their lapel pins. Any BGS member "caught" wearing his/her key will receive a prize.
While almost 300,000 students receive bachelor's or master’s degrees in business each year, only about 20,000 are inducted into lifetime membership in Beta Gamma Sigma. BGS membership provides many benefits, such as career development advice, leadership conferences, networking with successful business people and scholarships for academic studies.
The co-advisors for the MTU Chapter of BGS are Associate Professor Chelley Vician and Assistant Professor Mari Buche (SBE). For more information about BGS, visit http://betagammasigma.org/index.htm . |
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4. A Very Funny Romp at the Rozsa |
By Valerie Pegg, director, Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts
Remember the often-used Monty Python phrase, "And now for something completely different?" Aquila Theatre's production of The Canterbury Tales fits the bill with this fast-moving, deliciously saucy, slightly naughty and very funny romantic romp. Prepare to be vastly entertained on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m. or Sunday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m. at the Rozsa Center.
Tickets are on sale at the Rozsa Box Office (Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and from noon on Saturday, and at the Tech Express counter in the Memorial Union). Tickets may also be purchased online at http://www.tickets.mtu.edu .
Believing that "the stage is the place" to reinterpret the classics for modern audiences, the Aquila Theatre Company has adapted and translated Chaucer's beautiful Middle English poetry for their 2006-07 production. No stranger to the Rozsa, this company has a national reputation for making the classics understandable and giving them a fresh look while remaining true to the spirit of the originals. Their productions are dynamic and innovative, entertaining and thought provoking.
The play begins on a warm spring morning in April as a group of pilgrims from all walks of English medieval life gather at the Tabard Inn in Southwark near London and prepare to journey to the sacred shrine at Canterbury Cathedral, the resting place of the martyr Sir Thomas Becket. They agree that to keep themselves amused on the long journey, they will recount the stories of their lives.
Seven of the most famous tales are highlighted in the play. The Knight tells a fantastic story of Medieval courtly love, which is swiftly debunked by a bawdy tale from the Miller. The Reeve, offended by the Miller's story, counters with one about a cheating Miller. The outrageous Wife of Bath, a veteran of five marriages, dares to tell the assembly of mostly male pilgrims in no uncertain terms exactly what a woman needs to lead a happy life, and that a marriage in which the wife is the master is the most successful. The Friar recounts the tale of a corrupt Archbishop, and the Summoner, insulted by the Friar, tells one of a corrupt Friar. The Pardoner's tale is about greed, betrayal and just desserts.
As well as the seven tales listed above, The Canterbury Tales will provide a breathtaking and hilarious whistle-stop tour through the remaining stories, introduce us to Chaucer himself and his story of Sir Thopas, and interweave the stories with the dramatic, comic and rancorous exchanges of the pilgrims. Storytelling, songs, dance, slapstick, witty wordplay, fine acting and Aquila's acclaimed physical theater style will bring this ageless masterpiece to vivid life on stage.
The visit of the Aquila Theatre Company has been sponsored by the James and Margaret Black Endowment with additional funding from MTU alumna Jane Laird. This presentation is supported by the Performing Arts Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest funded by the National Endowment for the Arts with additional contributions from General Mills Foundation, Land O'Lakes Foundation and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. |
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5. Small Wind Energy Seminar March 27 |
There will be a small wind energy seminar in the U. J. Noblet Forestry Building, 6-9 p.m., on Tuesday, March 27. The program will cover an overview of wind energy as it relates to homeowners and small businesses, including farmers.
Topics include
* introduction to small wind turbines
* overview of sizes and types of turbines available
* economics of small wind
* interconnection to utility
* net metering
* system maintenance
* USDA Farm Bill 9006 Energy Funding
The program costs $20 for the first person and $10 for each additional person from same family or business. Payment will be collected at the door. For more information contact Warren at 906-786-3032 or schauer@msu.edu . The program will also be given on March 26 in MSU Extension Office of Delta County, Escanaba, and March 28 at the Presque Isle District Library, Rogers City. |
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6. SBE Seminar Friday |
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James Lenz, who has experience working for Boeing Honeywell, the University of Minnesota and John Deere, will give a seminar, "The Conflict between MBA Practices and Quality Engineering," on Friday, Feb. 23, noon to 1 p.m., in Dow 641. This seminar is sponsored by the School of Business and Economics. |
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7. Computer Science Seminar Friday |
Graduate student Jialiang Li (Electrical and Computer Engineering) will give a seminar, "A Delay-Bounded Dynamic Interactive Power Control Algorithm for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs)," on Friday, Feb. 23, 3-4 p.m., in Rekhi 214.
For more information, or an abstract, contact amjabusc@mtu.edu . |
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8. International Civil Engineering Seminar Thursday |
Rui Retagi, master's student and visiting researcher from UFSC-Universidade Federal De Santa Catarwa in Brazil, will give a seminar of historical and geographical overviews of Mozambique from a transportation perspective and a technical presentation on emulsion-stabilized soils on Thursday, Feb. 22, from 11 a.m. to noon, in Dillman 204.
This presentation is sponsored in part by the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute, the University Transportation Center-MiSTI and the Local Technical Assistance Program. |
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9. Sports in Brief Feb.19-23 |
Wednesday, Feb. 21
* Huskies Drive Time on Mix 93.5 FM, 7:30-8 a.m.
* Grand Raffle Drawing, 8 a.m. on Mix 93.5 FM
Friday, Feb. 23
* Husky Friday, wear school colors
* Blueline Club Luncheon, noon (Hockey Ed Center)
* Hockey hosts Wisconsin, 7:07 p.m. (Live Radio, 93.5 FM)
Saturday, Feb. 24
* Nordic Skiing at American Birkebeiner (at Hayward, Wis.)
* Men’s Tennis hosts Lewis, 9 a.m.
* Women’s Basketball hosts Northern Michigan, 1 p.m. (Live Radio, 93.5 FM; CSTV Internet Video Broadcast)
* Men’s Basketball hosts Northern Michigan, 3 p.m. (Live Radio, 93.5 FM; CSTV Internet Video Broadcast)
* Men’s Tennis hosts Ferris State, 5 p.m.
* Hockey hosts Wisconsin, 7:07 p.m. (Live Radio, 93.5 FM)
* Senior Day; Fan Appreciation Day
Sunday, Feb. 25
* Men’s Tennis hosts Lake Superior State, 1 p.m. |
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10. Job Posting |
Staff job descriptions are available in the Human Resources Office or at http://www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/postings . For more information regarding staff positions, call 487-2280 or email jobs@mtu.edu .
Faculty job descriptions can be found at http://www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/facpers/facvac.htm . For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.
Staff Job Posting 02/20/07 - 2/26/07
Office Assistant 4
Seaman Mineral Museum
Regular, part-time, nine-month position (mid-January to mid-October); 30 hours a week
UAW internal and external posting
Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer. |
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