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1. Women's Basketball Welcome Home Celebration Slated for Thursday |
The campus and community are invited to a welcome-home celebration for the Michigan Tech women's basketball team, who made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II National Championship in San Antonio. The Huskies were defeated by Minnesota State Mankato Tuesday, in a hard-fought, 61-53 battle.
The celebration is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday, March 26, in the Wood Gym of the Student Development Complex.
Expected to be present at the celebration are Michigan Tech President Glenn Mroz, Athletic Director Suzanne Sanregret, Head Coach John Barnes, members of the team, the Pep Band and Blizzard T. Husky.
Come out and celebrate an incredible season! |
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2. Forest Service Official: Clean Snowmobile Challenge Helps Sustain the Natural World |
The US Forest Service's second-highest-ranking official told participants in the 2009 SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge Saturday that their efforts contribute to the future of America's wild places.
"Our mission as an agency is sustaining America's forests and grasslands," Joel D. Holtrop, deputy chief of the national forest system, said March 21 at the Challenge awards banquet. "We won't be able to do that unless people love the outdoors."
The Forest Service is a longtime sponsor of the Challenge.
Recreation connects the public with the natural world, he said. Snowmobiling in particular brings people to the forest in winter, when they can experience the beauty of the woods at a time when many people barricade themselves indoors.
"Some of our best partners are snowmobilers," Holtrop said. "They aren't just our partners, they're our friends."
Holtrop noted that the sport has raised concerns among some groups. "There are people who worry about the impacts of snowmobiling," he said. "But the cleaner the machines are, the quieter they are, the easier it will be to manage this recreational opportunity for the benefit of all Americans."
"You are making a difference," he told the 200-plus student engineers, advisors, sponsors and organizers of the Clean Snowmobile Challenge. "You are establishing your legacy: caring for the natural world. We are very grateful for your help." |
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3. Dress Fashionably and Affordably: Women's Week Features Fashion Show |
Today's Women's Week event is a fashion show that will feature how to dress fashionably on a budget.
"Fashion Cents," free and open to the public, will be at noon today, Wednesday, March 25, in Memorial Union Ballroom B. Light refreshments will be served, or you may bring your own lunch. There will be a prize drawing.
All outfits were purchased at a bargain or came straight out of the closet. Models will demonstrate that with a little thrift, you can take something you have, or clothing purchased at Goodwill, thrift shops and clearance sales, and turn them into a fashionable or leisure outfit.
Michigan Tech students Victoria Peters and Tolou Shokuhfar created the fashions and will narrate the show. Mark Wilcox, of the Daily Mining Gazette, will emcee the event.
The theme for 2009 Women's Week is "Overcoming Barriers to Success: Women Helping Women."
Women's Week is sponsored by Educational Opportunity. If you have any questions about the fashion show, please call Wendy Davis at 487-3539 or email wmdavis@mtu.edu . |
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4. VITA Returns to Michigan Tech This Tax Season |
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, VITA, offered by the IRS on university campuses across the country each tax season, is sponsored at Michigan Tech annually by the School of Business and Economics.
To qualify as a VITA tax preparer, upper-division accounting students must complete an IRS self-study course, attend a tax seminar and then pass an IRS test. The students prepare basic, individual income tax returns at no charge for other Michigan Tech students and for members of the local community who could not otherwise afford professional tax preparation services.
VITA sessions are held in Academic Office G010D and are offered on Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.; Tuesdays from 1 to 3 p.m.; Wednesdays from 1 to 3 p.m.; and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 5 p.m. No appointment is necessary. To take advantage of this service, bring your W-2s and other tax information plus a copy of your tax return from last year. For further information about VITA, contact Joel Tuoriniemi, jctuorin@mtu.edu , or Anne Warrington, acwarrin@mtu.edu . |
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5. Reminder: Flexible Spending Account Claims Deadline March 31 |
The deadline for employees with Flexible Spending Accounts to submit any claims for 2008 is March 31.
All medical, dental and optical claims must first be processed through your insurance plans before submitting them to your health care reimbursement account. You must attach the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from your insurance plan to the claim form when submitting a claim.
If you have any questions, contact Karen Hext at kphext@mtu.edu . |
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6. One Funny, Funny Lady Comes to the Rozsa |
Comedian Tissa Hami, one of the world's few female Muslim stand-up comics, will perform twice at the Rozsa Center--on Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m.
From the perspective of an Iranian-American woman, Hami takes on Islamic fundamentalists, white liberals and racists everywhere. She hopes her comedy will help break down stereotypes about Muslim women and foster understanding between Iranians and Americans.
The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine says of her, "Sassy, sexual, sarcastic . . . she spins laughter out of anger, turning Islamic stereotypes inside out." And Newsweek International says, "She fearlessly tackles the hot-button issues."
Hami grew up in a traditional Iranian family in a predominantly white suburb of Boston. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in international affairs from Ivy League universities.
Her comedy begins with her own life. She says that her parents are thrilled that she is using her expensive education to pursue comedy, and she says that her mother insists that it's not too late for her to go to medical school.
Check out Hami's website at www.tissahami.com .
Ticket prices for the general public are $25 and $20; Michigan Tech student prices are $20 and $15 (ID required). To purchase tickets contact the Rozsa Box Office at 487-3200, the Central Ticket Office (SDC) at 487-2073, Tech Express (Memorial Union) at 487-3308, or go online at tickets.mtu.edu . No refunds, exchanges or late seating, please
This event is sponsored by the James and Margaret Black Endowment. |
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7. This Could Be the Start of Something Big: Indian Students Host New Celebration |
Have you enjoyed Diwali Night each fall?
Now enjoy another celebration of a prominent festival in India just like the Diwali, only this one is a celebration of the arrival of spring: It's called Holi Night.
"We wanted to start a tradition of sharing the experience of this spring festival with the whole campus," says Sunand Santhanagopalan, of the Indian Students Association (ISA). "It is for fun and a celebration that the Indian students can enjoy along with their friends from all cultures across campus."
Besides Indian cuisine, there will be song and dance. Dueling DJs will be given a time slot and play whatever music they like. It will be a competition, and the winner will be voted by the audience.
Holi Night is scheduled for Sunday, March 29. Dinner will be in the Memorial Union Commons from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The War of the DJs will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Admission is $8 for individuals, $6 for groups of four or more and free for children below age five. Tickets are available at the ISA ticket booth in the Memorial Union from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. |
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8. Michigan Tech, NMU Jazz Bands Perform Today in the Rozsa |
submitted by Visual and Performing Arts
The premiere bands from the UP's two jazz studies programs--Michigan Tech's Jazz Lab Band and Northern Michigan University's Jazz Ensemble--join forces on the Rozsa stage today, Wednesday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. for their annual "Home and Home" jazz concert.
This mid-March joint performance, alternating between the Houghton and Marquette campuses, is a highlight of both schools' seasons, not to mention a late-winter spirit booster for everyone who attends. Both bands are at the peak of their powers this time of year and play in a variety of styles, from Count Basie classics to the latest Latin rhythms.
Directors Mike Irish, of Michigan Tech, and Mark Flaherty, of NMU, are well-known throughout the Midwest for the strength of the jazz studies programs that they lead.
Tickets for the "Jazz Alive" concert are available from the Rozsa Box Office, at www.tickets.mtu.edu , or at the door for $10 general, $5 K-12 students and free to Michigan Tech students with ID. |
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9. Reminder: SOT Candidate Seminar Thursday |
Postdoctoral Research Fellow Ying Wang, from the Industrial Automation Lab at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, will give a one-hour talk, "Vision-Based Autonomous Grasping of Unknown Objects Using Mobile Robots in an Unstructured Environment," at 1 p.m., tomorrow, Thursday, March 26, in EERC 315.
Wang is a candidate for a faculty position in electrical engineering technology.
He received his PhD in Robotics and Automation from the University of British Columbia in January 2008. He received his BS and MS degrees from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. His research interests are in robotics, controls, mechatronics and automation.
For more information, contact Nasser Alaraje at 487-1661 or at alaraje@mtu.edu . |
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10. ECE Faculty Candidate to Speak on Computing Architectures Thursday |
Tarek Taha, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Clemson University, will give a talk, "Computing Architectures for Neuromorphic Algorithms," Thursday, March 26, from 4 to 5 p.m. in Rekhi G05.
The position is part of the 2009 Strategic Faculty Hiring Initiative in computational discovery and innovation.
For more information or an abstract, contact Lisa Rouleau, 487-2627 or ljroulea@mtu.edu . |
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11. Webinar Thursday on Assisting Students with Disabilities |
The Professional Development Committee of Student Affairs will feature a webinar, "Making the Grade: What Advisors and Administrators Need to Know to Better Assist Students with Disabilities," on Thursday, March 26, 2-3:30 p.m. at the Advanced Technology Development Complex.
Topics of the webinar include
* the Americans with Disabilities Act as the basis for providing services and support for students with disabilities in higher education
* strategies for supporting these students in higher education
* techniques for building collaborative relationships with students with disabilities, disability support services and other campus organizations
Additional information is available at www.nacada.ksu.edu/Webinars/W24.htm .
"We are all teachers in the lives of our students, whether we are in front of a class or helping individuals navigate their college experience," said Stephen Patchin, director of Youth Programs outreach and engagement. "This webinar will add another source of inspiration to your educator's tool chest." |
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