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1. Staff Profiles: Joel Isaacson, Alane Isaacson, Jane Hietila and Kyle Bangen |
In recognition of Staff Appreciation Week, Tech Today is publishing profiles of staff members submitted by Staff Council. Staff profiles for Athletics are featured today.
Athletics
The major functions of athletics are providing opportunities for student-athletes to play and excel in a sport they love while earning a degree; mentoring student-athletes; developing leaders; providing entertainment opportunities to the campus and community; providing opportunities for students to engage in activities outside of the classroom; promoting University spirit and pride; creating positive exposure for the University at local, regional and national levels; and providing opportunities to engage alumni.
Athletics has 35 staff members, including coaches.
Joel Isaacson, assistant athletic director-operations and compliance
Location: Student Development Complex 218
Number of years at Michigan Tech: 7-1/2
Highlights of a typical day for Isaacson include working with student-athletes that are gifted both on and off the court.
I enjoy working at Michigan Tech because of the passion and dedication of the employees and student-athletes that I work with on a daily basis. Michigan Tech people are highly motivated, intelligent and strive for the best. Everyone that has a connection to Michigan Tech respects the work ethic that is developed on campus. Personally, it feels good to be part of a successful team.
Alane Isaacson, secretary 6
Location: Student Development Complex 239
Number of years at Michigan Tech: 18
A typical day can include working with our conference office to confirm schedules for games and officials, processing conference and NCAA forms, and any number of other clerical/administrative duties.
For me, one highlight of working at Michigan Tech is hosting special events, such as the Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and dinner. The planning starts a year in advance, and the final weeks before the event are just crazy. But when the day arrives, it makes all the time and effort worth it. It is so gratifying to see how everything comes together, becoming such a special day for so many people.
Jane Hietila, secretary
Location: Student Development Complex, Hockey Office
Number of years at Michigan Tech: 22
A typical day for me is reconciling travel expenses for teams or coaches; communicating with hotels, travel agents or bus companies regarding upcoming travel; processing various accounting and NCAA forms; answering the phone; replying to emails; and scheduling events in the Begg Conference Room.
For me, a highlight of working at Michigan Tech is getting to know the student-athletes and following their careers after they leave Houghton.
Kyle Bangen, head strength and conditioning coach
Location: Student Development Center
Number of years at Michigan Tech: 3
Highlights of a typical day include training athletes for hockey, football, volleyball and men's and women's basketball; preparing workouts for these sports; and teaching classes.
I enjoy working at Michigan Tech because of the people that I interact with everyday, from the athletics administration to the coaches to the student-athletes, who all share a common goal and work together to achieve that goal. |
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2. From the Benefits Office: TechSelect Deadline Extended to Dec. 5 |
submitted by the Benefits Office
The Benefits Office wants to be sure everyone has had enough time to evaluate which plan to choose, so the deadline for the TechSelect open enrollment has been extended to Friday, Dec. 5. As always, if you have any questions, contact the Benefits Office at 487-2517.
The Benefits Office has been working with Aetna Insurance to provide the most up-to-date health plan information. Please be patient as we continue to work through Michigan Tech's conversion to Aetna. If you experience any problems, please contact the Benefits Office.
Thank you to the employee who notified us of a correction needed on the medical benefit summary: the vision benefit was erroneously included on the medical benefit summary. A corrected summary has been posted at www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/TechSelect/index.shtml .
To receive reimbursement for the eye exam and eyewear materials allowance, employees will need to submit a claim form to Aetna. More information will be available at the Aetna website. |
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3. Tech-Talks Transportation Research Cancelled |
The Tech‐Talks Research session on transportation set for today Tuesday, Dec. 2, has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled for a date in January.
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4. Reminder: Tickets On Sale for Customer Appreciation Buffet |
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Tickets will be on sale through Monday, Dec. 8, for the 11th Annual Customer Appreciation Buffet, to be held on Wednesday, Dec. 10, in the Memorial Union Isle Royale Ballroom. There will be no ticket sales at the door. Tickets, $7.95 per person, are available at the Rozsa Box Office, Tech Express Service Center, SDC Central Ticket Office or online at www.tickets.mtu.edu . Please provide your department name when asked for a company name. |
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5. Tech to Receive Discounts from Airgas on Safety Items |
submitted by Occupational Safety and Health
If your department is looking to buy safety items, check out the University discount with Airgas. Simply log on to www.airgas.com , register and start taking advantage of the savings. If you have any questions or need help registering, call 1-800-261-6615.
Airgas is one of the nation's largest distributors of safety items. |
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6. Dennis Kearns on Campus Today: Son of Inventor Depicted in "Flash of Genius" Film |
Dennis Kearns--son of Robert Kearns, the inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper--will give a talk today, Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 2 p.m. in ME-EM 115 on his father's epic battle with Ford over his invention.
Paramont Pictures recently released a full-length motion picture about Kearns's struggle, "Flash of Genius." A special showing of this movie will take place today and tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m. at the Pic Theater in Hancock; tickets are $3 each.
A reception with Kearns will be held at Nutini's from 5 to 7 p.m. today. Kearns's visit is sponsored by the CenTILE Entrepreneurial Speaker Series. |
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7. First Friday University Social Friday |
A First Friday University Social will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, at the Horner Lobby of the Rozsa Center.
All faculty, staff and graduate students are invited and encouraged to attend.
Complimentary soda and light snacks will be served, and a cash bar will be available. This is the perfect opportunity to view the Christmas trees that are being auctioned as a fundraiser for the Class Acts Outreach Series.
First Friday University Socials have continued for nearly two years to provide a casual setting for faculty and staff to get together informally to talk and socialize.
These socials are in response to a campus survey that indicated that faculty and staff want increased opportunities for dialog and interaction with others across campus--a time and a place to share their work and get to know others.
Such informal gatherings often lead to more-productive work relationships and an appreciation for diversity.
Mark your calendar, and come enjoy the company of your colleagues. This academic year's First Friday University Socials are scheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. at the following locations:
Friday, Feb. 6, March 6 and April 3
Par and Grill at Portage Lake Golf Course
Friday, June 5
Memorial Union Alumni Lounge |
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8. Local Pianist Susan Byykkonen to Perform with KSO on Saturday |
submitted by Visual and Performing Arts
Pianist Susan Byykkonen of Calumet will perform Frederic Chopin's much-loved Piano Concerto No. 1 on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Rozsa Center, in a concert with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra. The concert will also feature the lush, romantic music of Georges Bizet, Gabriel Fauré and Hector Berlioz. This is the second of four special concerts in the KSO "Season of Memories" series, celebrating Milton Olsson's final season as music director.
Tickets--$15 for general public, $7 for students and free for Michigan Tech students--are available from the Rozsa Box Office (487-3200), online at www.tickets.mtu.edu and at the door.
Byykkonen is well known throughout the Keweenaw as both a pianist and flutist and was a featured soloist in the KSO's performance of Jiri Antonin Benda's Concerto in G Minor for Piano and Orchestra in October 1998, as well as in numerous chamber music concerts at Michigan Tech during the past 15 years. She is associate director for the Michigan Tech Concert Choir, which she has accompanied since 1994, and also performs frequently with Studio North Opera.
"Susie and I have worked together with the KSO and the Concert Choir for many years," Olsson notes, "and to showcase her as a concert pianist is very meaningful for both of us."
The Chopin concerto, epitomizing the expressive, emotion-driven music of the European romantic period, is a prized part of the piano repertoire. The orchestra will complement the Chopin with three works by 19th-century French composers: Berlioz's "Marche Hongroise" from his opera "The Damnation of Faust," based on a Hungarian folk melody; Fauré's "Pavane for Orchestra," which Olsson describes as "a gorgeous, sumptuous piece of music that deserves its popularity"; and Bizet's L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1. Bizet, best known for his opera "Carmen," performed frequently in orchestral suites, similarly demonstrates his mastery of the orchestra in L'Arlesienne. The alto saxophone solos in the L'Arlesienne suite will be performed by Nicholas Enz. |
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9. Physics Colloquium Thursday |
Vincent Meunier, from Wayne State University, will present a physics colloquium, "Using Computational Science as a Predictive Tool for New Materials," on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 4 p.m. in Fisher 139.
Meunier is a staff member of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, with the Computational Chemical Sciences Group. His research interests are centered on theory; modeling and computer simulation in areas relevant to nanoscience, with special emphasis on electronic quantum transport; and novel scanning probe microscopy techniques.
For more information, contact Ranjit Pati, patir@mtu.edu or 487-3193, or Claudio Mazzoleni, cmazzoleni@mtu.edu or 487-1226. |
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10. MEEM Grad Seminar Thursday |
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Professor Nigel Sammes of the Colorado School of Mines will present a MEEM graduate seminar on Thursday, Dec. 4, "Why Micro-Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cells?" at 3 p.m. in MEEM 112. |
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11. On the Road: SBE Faculty |
Faculty in the School of Business and Economics were recently on the road:
Assistant Professor Latha Poonamallee presented a paper, "Critical Analyses Organization and Social Theorizing," at the Academy of Management Conference, held Aug. 12-14 in Anaheim, Calif.
Assistant Professor Joel Tuoriniemi presented a paper, "Equitable Tolling Revisited: An Examination of Refund Claims Under IRC Section 6511," at the Academy of Legal Studies International, held Aug. 12-14 in Long Beach, Calif.
Associate Professor William Breffle presented a paper, "Increasing Human Capacity for Global Human-Wildlife Coexistence," at the Pathways to Success Conference, held Oct. 1-2 in Estes Park, Colo.
Assistant Professor Hai Qi presented a paper, "Predict Default Correlation from Equity Correlation," at the Financial Management Associate meeting, held Oct. 9-13 in Dallas.
Assistant Professor Manish Srivastava presented a paper, "All That Glitters is Not Gold: The Impact of Network and Cluster Tech Resources on Breakthrough Innovations in the US," at the Strategic Management Society International Conference, held Oct. 10-16 in Cologne, Germany.
Professor Gary Campbell presented a paper, "Fighting Resistance with Community Engagement: The Case of Kennecott," at the International Conference on Business and Sustainability, held Oct. 14-18 in Portland, Ore.
Associate Dean/Professor Tom Merz presented a paper, "Stuck in the Middle: Experimental Study on Sharing a Strategic Advantage in a Binary Choice Game," at Massey University, in New Zealand, and at the Australian Conference of Economists, held Sept 30-Oct. 3 in Queensland, Australia.
Assistant Professor Maria Schutte presented a paper coauthored by Paul Brockman (University of Missouri) and Sandra Mortal (University of Memphis), "Creative Destruction and Firm-Specific Volatility Abroad the World," at the Financial Management Association Conference, held Oct. 8-12 in Grapevine, Texas.
Assistant Professor Yuliya Strizhakova presented a paper, "Effects of Belief in Global Citizenship on Branding Discourse in the US and Russia," at the Association for Consumer Research Annual Conference, held Oct. 23-26 in San Francisco.
Professor James Gale presented a paper, "The Economics of Agricultural Fairs," and served as a discussant and chair in sessions at the annual meeting of the Missouri Valley Economics Association, held Oct. 22-26 in St. Louis.
Professor Brian Joyce presented a paper, "Stuck in the Middle: An Analysis of the Median Voter in a Binary Choice Game," at the meeting of the North American Economic Science Association, held Nov. 12-15 in Tucson, Ariz. |
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12. In Print |
Assistant Professor Joanne Scillitoe (SBE) published a paper with
coauthors from NJIT and Lehigh University, "Tapping Deep Pockets: The Role of Resources and Social Capital on Financial Capital Acquisition in the Context of Biotech-Pharma Alliances," in the Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 45, No. 8. |
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13. Sports in Brief |
What's Happening This Week in Athletics
All times are Eastern, and home events are italicized.
Wednesday, Dec. 3
Huskies Drive Time, 7:30-8 a.m., live on 93.5 FM
Thursday, Dec. 4
* No. 19 women's basketball at Wayne State, 5:30 p.m., live on Mix 93.5 FM
* men's basketball at Wayne State, 7:30 p.m., live on Mix 93.5 FM
Friday, Dec. 5
* Blueline Club Luncheon, noon (Grant Hockey Ed Center)
* hockey hosts No. 9 Denver, 7:07 p.m., live on Mix 93.5 FM
Saturday, Dec. 6
* Nordic skiing at UP Collegiate Opener (Marquette)
* No. 19 women's basketball at Northwood, 1 p.m., live on Mix 93.5 FM
* men's Basketball at Northwood, 3 p.m., live on Mix 93.5 FM
* hockey hosts No. 9 Denver, 7:07 p.m., live on Mix 93.5 FM
Sunday, Dec. 7
Nordic skiing at UP Collegiate Opener (Marquette)
Last Week's Results
Hockey (2-11-1, 1-8-1 WCHA)
Nov. 28-at Bemidji State 3, Michigan Tech 0
Nov. 29-at Bemidji State 2, Michigan Tech 1
Men's Basketball (3-2, 0-0 GLIAC)
Nov. 29-at Michigan Tech 81, Finlandia 58
Women's Basketball (2-1, 0-0 GLIAC)
Did not compete
Nordic Skiing
Nov. 28-29-Michigan Tech at West Yellowstone Super Tour Races (No team results)
Top News of the Week
Tech to Entertain WCHA Foe Denver
The Michigan Tech hockey team will host Denver this weekend (Dec. 5-6) for a pair of WCHA games at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. Tech played at Bemidji State in a non-conference series this past weekend (Nov. 28-29). Sophomore Jordan Baker scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season in Saturday's game. He is also tied with junior Drew Dobson for the team lead in points with nine.
Huskies Open 22-Game GLIAC Basketball Slate Thursday
The Michigan Tech basketball teams will open the 2008-09 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season Thursday, Dec. 4, at Wayne State. For the first time, the GLIAC will use a 22-game, round-robin schedule. The Tech men played their fifth and final non-conference game Saturday, Nov. 29, and gained an 81-58 victory over Finlandia. The No. 19 Michigan Tech women still have non-league games vs. Finlandia, Dec. 10, and Minnesota Duluth, Dec. 29.
Huskies Open Skiing Season in Montana
A small group of Michigan Tech Nordic skiers kicked off the season at the West Yellowstone Distance Super Tour races. Jesse Lang was the top finisher for the Huskies on the weekend, finishing 27th in the 10-kilometer freestyle in 23:58. He also finished 45th in the 16-kilometer classic race. On the women's side, Catie Cogger finished 51st in the 10-kilometer freestyle in 31:32. Jackie Pribyl was the top finisher in the eight-kilometer classic race, finishing 56th in 40:48. Tech will travel to Marquette for the UP Collegiate Opener this weekend. |
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14. Free Credenza in Accounting |
Accounting Services is giving away a black credenza with woodgrain top, 5 feet long by 29 inches high by 20 inches deep.
If you are interested, please contact Mary Stevens at mpsteven@mtu.edu or 487-2252.
University property may only be transferred between departments, it may not be given or sold to individuals. |
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