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1. Michigan Tech Board of Control Approves $6.15 Million Bond Issue |
by Jennifer Donovan, public relations director
Acting to advance Michigan Tech’s strategic plan and meet its primary goals, the University Board of Control today authorized issuing $6.15 million in bonds for buildings and facilities.
A portion of the bond revenue will be used to construct a new building at the Keweenaw Research Center at the Houghton County Memorial Airport and to perform maintenance to the third floor of the Memorial Union. The remainder is earmarked for purchase of the UPPCO building in downtown Houghton and related remodeling of campus buildings.
“These projects are essential if Michigan Tech is to keep moving ahead to reach our goals,” said President Glenn D. Mroz. “They will provide much-needed space for several academic units and enhanced space for our students.”
Each of the projects supports three main goals of Michigan Tech’s strategic plan:
• to attract and support a world-class and diverse faculty, staff and student population;
• to deliver a distinctive and rigorous discovery-based learning experience grounded in science, engineering, technology, sustainability and the business of innovation; and
• to establish world-class research, scholarship and innovation in science, engineering and technology that promotes sustainable economic development in Michigan and the nation.
Construction of a new design center and office complex at the Keweenaw Research Center (KRC) addresses all three strategic goals. The KRC is a multidisciplinary research center completely supported by external corporate and governmental agency funding. Research and development activities there focus on many aspects of ground vehicle performance.
Most of the current center is housed in 56-year-old quonset huts built by the Army.
“The new design center and office complex will enable the KRC to attract more research dollars and expand its work with University academic programs, including Enterprise and Senior Design projects and the Summer Youth Program,” said Dave Reed, vice president for research.
The Memorial Union will receive extensive and overdue maintenance to the third floor. University departments, student organizations and community groups use the ballroom for 700 different events annually.
“The third floor can and should be a premier space,” said Theresa Coleman-Kaiser, director of the Memorial Union. “This upgrade will enhance the look and functionality greatly.”
Purchase of the UPPCO building will enable Michigan Tech to expand certain academic programs on campus by moving some administrative offices to the downtown building.
“The School of Business and Economics, the Department of Social Sciences and the Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences expect to see faculty growth in the near future because they play a key role in a number of interdisciplinary initiatives, including global studies; sustainability; preparation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics teachers; and exploration of the interaction between humans and machines,” explained Provost Lesley Lovett-Doust.
A University task force will be appointed to determine which offices and departments will move.
In other business, the Board of Control
• approved awarding US Senator Carl Levin an honorary Doctorate in Sustainable Science and Engineering;
• approved a proposal to install synthetic turf at Sherman Field. Gifts from football alumni and friends will be used to support the purchase.
• gave final approval to a new BA in Theatre and Electronic Media Performance;
• learned that research expenditures through the second quarter of fiscal year 2008 totaled nearly $29.5 million, a 17.3 percent increase over the second quarter of FY2007. Research has been increasing steadily from $30 million in FY2002 to a projected $63 million this year;
• approved emeritus status for Jong K. Lee, Department of Materials Science and Engineering; and
• approved appointments with tenure for Jean-Celeste Kampe, Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Darrell Radson, School of Business and Economics; Stephen L. Kampe, Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Karla Kitalong, Department of Humanities; and Ching-An Peng, Department of Chemical Engineering. |
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2. Registration Open for Equity in the Classroom Conference |
The 18th Annual Equity in the Classroom Conference, "Inclusion, Leadership and the Classroom: Making the Connection," will be held March 30-April 1 in Big Rapids.
The conference will be hosted by Ferris State University and is sponsored by the King-Chavez Parks Initiative, 15 public and five private universities, along with GEAR Up Michigan.
The conference is intended for faculty, student affairs staff, department chairs, directors, deans, vice presidents, provosts, presidents and other executive leaders who are willing to implement new ideas and strategies in campus programming, curriculum and pedagogy development, and student retention.
The conference agenda, speaker information and registration details are available at http://eup.wmich.edu/olle/conferences/equity072/ . Since Michigan Tech is a co-sponsor, there are no registration fees (meals are included).
Completed registration forms must be sent to Chris S. Anderson, Institutional Diversity, or faxed to 487-3101 by March 12.
The Equity Conference will be held at the Holiday Inn located at 1005 Perry Ave. in Big Rapids. When making reservations (231-796-4400), mention that you are a participant of the Equity in the Classroom Conference to receive the special rate of $85 (plus taxes) per night. After March 7, hotel reservations will be made based on space and rate availability only. |
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3. Today Final Day of Tech Arts Festival |
Today, Friday, Feb. 29, is the final day for viewing the Memorial Union Board's Annual Tech Arts Festival art show, open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Peninsula Room. Please register your vote for People's Choice.
The final lunchtime craft project of the Tech Arts Festival will be offered in the Keweenaw Commons from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
On Friday, the final workshop of the festival will be a spoken word workshop by renowned poet, activist, recording artist and two-time HBO Def Poet Amir Sulaiman. The workshop begins at 5 p.m. in the Keweenaw Commons.
Sulaiman will also be hosting the Spring Poetry Slam "Return of the Slam" on Saturday, March 1, at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom. Admission is $2 per person. |
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4. Register for Family Fun Day by March 7 |
Family Fun Day will be held Saturday, March 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the SDC and Memorial Union. Free hot dogs, sloppy joes and chips will be served in the SDC from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and free soft drinks, coffee and ice cream will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The following free activities will be available for Michigan Tech employees and their families:
* cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, recreational forest and Nordic ski trails, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
* free equipment rental, Gates Tennis Center, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
* free badminton, basketball and volleyball equipment, SDC Multipurpose Room
* jogging or walking, SDC Multipurpose Room track
* racquetball, handball, wallyball (no black-soled shoes), the SDC courts, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
* swimming, lifeguard on duty, SDC pool, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
* ice skating, SDC ice arena, 1 to 3 p.m.
* free equipment use (no one under 12, and children under 16 must be supervised), SDC Fitness Center, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
* bowling (one-game limit if busy) or billiards (12 years or older only), Memorial Union, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
* climbing at the SDC climbing wall (liability form required, parent/guardian signature needed if under 18), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
New activities for 2008 include
* yoga class, SDC Dance Room, 10 to 11 a.m. Availability is limited, so pre-registration is encouraged (funday@mtu.edu ); first-come, first-served on the day of the event.
* aerobics class, SDC Dance Room, 11 a.m. to noon. Availability is limited, so pre-registration encouraged (funday@mtu.edu ); first-come, first-served on the day of the event.
For more information, email funday@mtu.edu or contact the SDC manager's office at sportsrec@mtu.edu or 487-2578.
To register, fill out and return the slip on the bottom of the family fun day poster sent through campus mail by March 7 or visit www.admin.mtu.edu/staff_council . |
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5. Def Poetry Alum Amir Sulaiman to Emcee Poetry Slam |
Amir Sulaiman, a nationally known poet and hip-hop emcee, will host the Spring Poetry Slam "Return of the Slam" Contest Saturday, March 1, at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom.
The Poetry Slam will feature 18 competitors performing original poetry under National Collegiate Poetry Slam rules. Open mic acts will also be performed throughout the night.
Competitors will be judged on a 10-point scale by Betty Chavis, director of outreach and multiethnic programs in Educational Opportunity; humanities graduate student Roxanne Gay; Shalini Suryanarayana, executive director of Educational Opportunity; humanities professor Randy Freisinger; and humanities assistant professor Matt Seigel.
The winning student will be sent to the National Collegiate Poetry Slam competition in April at the University of New Mexico. Other prizes will be awarded.
Originally from Rochester, N.Y., and a devout Muslim, Sulaiman was a freestyle rapper before becoming a poet. His writings were influenced by the Black Arts Movement, the literary and artistic extension of the Black Power Movement of the 1960s and '70s.
Many of his poems were derived from his own experiences, especially from growing up as a Muslim. During his sophomore year at North Carolina A&T, he published his first book of poetry, "Words of Love, Life and Death."
After completing his degree, he moved to Atlanta and self-released his first spoken word album, "Cornerstore Folklore," in 2001. Three years later, Sulaiman gained a national audience on HBO's Def Poetry showcase.
He has since released spoken word albums "Dead Man Walking" and "Broad Daylight." Brooklyn emcee/actor Mos Def brought Sulaiman on his Breed Love Odyssey tour in 2005-06, and on his return, Sulaiman recorded "Like a Thief in the Night," featuring appearances from Mos Def, Dead Prez's M-1 and the Last Poets.
Organizations such as Amnestry International, Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and the American Civil Liberties Union have used Sulaiman's art and voice to bring life to multiple campaigns dealing with social justice and art.
You can view Sulaiman performing his poem "Danger" on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=WczGIhmaJ_M and "She Said I Prefer a Broken Neck (to a Broken Heart)" at www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHnHvgciGmk&feature=related .
The Poetry Slam is sponsored by the National Society of Black Engineers and the Memorial Union Board. Everyone is invited, and admission is $2 at the door. |
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6. RSI Seminar Monday |
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Research scientist Nancy French (MTRI) will present a Remote Sensing Institute seminar, "Using Remote Sensing-derived Fire Severity to Assess Fuel Consumption Variability Across Regional Scales," Monday, March 3, 4-5 p.m. in M & M U113. For more information, contact Will Cantrell at cantrell@mtu.edu . |
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7. Two Environmental Engineering Seminars Monday |
Professor James Mihelcic and PhD student Mark Rowe (CEE) will give back-to-back presentation Monday, March 3, at 3 p.m. in Dow 642. A reception follows in the eighth-floor atrium.
Rowe will give the first talk, “Modeling the Influence of Atmospheric Stability on Air-Water Exchange of Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics in the Great Lakes.” Coauthors are David Tobias, also an environmental engineering PhD student, and Associate Professor Judith Perlinger (CEE).
Mihelcic follows with the seminar “Compost Latrines in the Developing World: Pathogen Destruction or Fertilizer Production?” This talk is based on research performed by environmental engineering master's students Danny Hurtado, Josephine Kaiser and Jessica Mehl, who have participated in the Master’s International Peace Corps program. They served as water/sanitation engineers and performed research in six communities in Panama. |
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8. New Funding |
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Craig Friedrich (MEEM) has received $338,928 from Mott Community College for "IOFIS Phase 1: Instrumented Intramedullary Nail and Smart Orthopedic Membrane." |
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9. In Print |
Associate Professor Brian Barkdoll (CEE) is a co-editor of a special issue of the American Society of Civil Engineers' Journal of Hydraulic Engineering on the topic of sediment transport modeling. In addition, he is co-author of "Surface-based Fractional Transport Predictor: Deterministic or Stochastic," a technical note in the special issue.
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10. Teaching at Tech: Then and Now |
by Bill Kennedy, director, Center for Teaching, Learning and Faculty Development
We live in many mental worlds. Each world comes equipped with its own language and aphorisms or memes. I remember when my kids would describe this or that fellow high school student as a “straight A” student. When I asked what made those kids "straight A" students, my kids would suggest that it was the possession of some extraordinary set of mental powers perhaps with a very small measure of diligence and determination mixed in for good measure. Teachers make these same sort of mystical generalizations when they refer to certain students as bright. The attribution of brightness must be in the eye of the beholder.
I suspect that students who get labeled bright are the ones that don’t need much help. Some, I would guess, have developed good schmoozing skills. I suspect they have good time management skills, have their personal lives pretty much under control, and have made the social and academic adjustment to college life. I suspect most are joiners rather than loners because I think part of earning the reputation of being bright is being somewhat articulate and that tends to come, if it comes at all, with some nurturing and practice. I suspect that the students called bright know their place and understand their position in the college pecking order. They know when to say, “Yes, sir,” and “No, ma’am,” and how to ask a question without issuing a challenge or appearing disrespectful or impudent.
I suspect that we gear a lot of our instruction to the ones we fancy as the bright kids. After all, every one of us can make a test that no one could pass or a test that everyone could pass. At some level of consciousness, we make a decision about what students should know, be able to do, and value as a result of taking our class, and we set out to make assessment measures that rank students along this imagined standard. I’m surprised when otherwise functional folks are able to say things like “I think the average grade on the final will be somewhere around an 86 percent.” When I ask, “Is that good?” they’ll answer, “It’s neither good nor bad, it’s just the way it is.” Yet if I ask, “How many students should flunk your class?” the answer will be something like, “That’s a stupid question.” It’s not more or less stupid than the first question. In fact, it’s the very same question.
The typical contemporary college course has become a ridiculous exercise in gluttonous duplication. Student supposedly read the course material in the textbook or course reader, hear it explained out loud in class, see it dancing across the screen in bullet points, practice the ideas by doing homework problems and assignments, and then are given the opportunity to demonstrate whether or not that they have anticipated and memorized that mysterious subset of information that appears on the exam.
Now, students are demanding podcasts of those lectures. Some want podcasts so that they can avoid coming to class if more pressing matters necessitate their absence. They want practice exams. “Will the slides be on the web, professor?” “Will the final be cumulative, professor?” “Do you grade on a curve, professor?” “Do you give partial credit?”
At the inception of university study as we know it, the few who could afford to be students hung onto every word of their professors because that was the only source of becoming aware of the continuing advances in human understanding. Students took notes because once the lecture was over, that rare and valuable knowledge evaporated into the ether unless you had captured it in your notes. Listening to a lecture, you were an eyewitness to the latest emanation of human understanding. At the end of the year, you were given an opportunity to demonstrate your growth by writing a comprehensive exam. Hard to cram for.
Now, we are literally drowning in knowledge, textbooks abound, the internet is full of tantalizing tidbits, and attending the university is almost considered an entitlement of citizenship. Most students don’t enroll in the university because they are hungry for knowledge. They come because they want to live the American dream, and we have placed this archaic, Herculean hurdle between them and the opportunity to achieve the good life.
The task has changed, and our methods must change. We need to spend less time focusing on the acquiescent and more time figuring out how to engage the rest. |
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