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1. Enrollment Up Again |
by Jennifer Donovan, director of public relations
Enrollment rose again this school year, topping last year's number by 118 students. Fall enrollment figures tallied last night totaled 7,132.
A surge in Graduate School enrollment accounted for the increase, including increasing enrollment of international graduate students. The Graduate School reported 1,189 students, the most ever and a 21-percent increase over fall 2008. The number of international graduate students is up more than 17 percent.
"This is the highest headcount since 1983," said President Glenn Mroz. "It shows that, increasingly, students see a Michigan Tech education as a high-return investment providing them with skills in great demand in our competitive world. Our strategic plan calls for increasing our graduate offerings while maintaining the size of undergraduate enrollment in high-demand science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. That is a critical way to provide the advanced training that will support the expansion of the entrepreneurial knowledge economy in Michigan.
"But to accomplish those goals," Mroz continued, "something must be done about the issue of state funding. We are educating 40 percent more students than we did 40 years ago with the same level of state support."
Jacqueline Huntoon, dean of the Graduate School, said she is extremely pleased to see such a large increase in graduate enrollment this year. "This shows that everyone at Michigan Tech is committed to increasing the size and quality of our graduate programs, in accordance with the University's strategic plan," she said. "It is because of our outstanding faculty, staff and current students that we are able to attract so many students from around the world."
The record graduate student numbers include approximately 100 nondegree-seeking automotive engineers enrolled in a special advanced propulsion technology course offered in Detroit by Michigan Tech and the Engineering Society of Detroit.
Among undergraduates, the average ACT score of entering first-year students rose to 26.0 this year. The ACT score is one of Tech's key indicators in achieving its strategic goal of attracting outstanding students, faculty and staff.
"We are attracting an academically more talented freshman class," said John Lehman, assistant vice president for enrollment. "That indicates that our scholarship and financial aid programs are doing what they are supposed to do, enabling those who have need and are strong academically to attend Michigan Tech."
The percentage of new female students at Tech also rose, from 23 percent last year to 26 percent this year. The University also saw a 9.8-percent increase in undergraduate transfer students, reflecting Michigan Tech's enhanced efforts to reach out to community college students.
Undergraduate enrollment fell by 90 students this fall, to 5,943, although the number of transfer students rose by almost 10 percent. "The decrease is relatively minor and mostly related to the economy," Lehman said. "Our undergraduate enrollment still stands well above totals from 2004 to 2007." |
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2. Around Superior in About Eighty Days |
by John Gagnon and Kara Sokol, marketing and communications
A lean and adventurous twosome, one an alumnus, the other a student, have circumnavigated Lake Superior in kayaks, a fair and foul journey that took nearly three months.
The start of this thousand-mile sojourn, from Houghton to Superior, Wisc., was idyllic. The sky was clear, the lake calm, and the passage uneventful. Hannah Williams, a senior in forestry and environmental science, remembers thinking, "This is going to be a breeze." Her partner, Matt Abbott ’07 of Calumet, wondered: "What are we going to tell people about this? We paddled around the lake and it was easy--a little choppy."
They were eventually disabused of that illusion. They got caught in nine-foot waves off Nipigon Bay, at the head of the lake. They came out from the lee of a stretch of islands and, just like that, they were in trouble, crossing a three-mile gap and no turning back. "It wasn’t something we meant to get ourselves into," Hannah says.
They weathered those troubled waters; in fact, neither of them ended up in the drink for the whole trip, which was marked by routine and rhythm.
Hannah describes a typical day: "Wake up in the morning and paddle. Stop for lunch and then paddle some more. Pull in in the evening, eat dinner, and go right to bed. Up with the sun." They'd lunch on shore whenever they could. "You get out of your boat every chance you get," Hannah says.
They averaged about 20 miles a day. They're fit, but Hannah allows that after a day of being buffeted by waves and wind, "Things hurt." Their longest stretch was 37 miles; their shortest 8 miles. They had 15 days when they hunkered down on shore and waited out the weather. Sit around. Reread books. Work crosswords.
They went 40 days without any conflicts. "Then we got grumpy and bored," Hannah says, "and all of a sudden we fought for a week and a half. But it was really low-key, just little squabbles. At the end of every night you resolved everything and carried on with the trip."
It demanded resilence.
"It was a hard summer because of the weather," Matt says "Cold and wind and it rained a lot."
"We were always wet and cold," says Hannah.
"Physically it was pretty easy, pretty mellow," Matt adds. "Mentally it was a challenge."
Water water everywhere, all too cold to swim. The lake temperature was 46 degrees, 10 degrees below normal. "On nice days," Hannah says, "you spent so many days wet and cold, you had no desire to get in the water."
They kept a journal. Took 10,000 pictures. Saw 15 to 20 eagles a day, especially on the US side. They paddled from a quarter of a mile up to four miles from shore to skirt all the bays. "Point to point," Hannah says. "You move faster and straighter." They'd shower in state parks.
Basically they had cooking gear, a backpacking tent and sleeping bags. They shopped in towns on the lakeshore and bought as much food as they could carry, typically a two-week supply. Lipton meals were standard fare. "It was hard to eat well out there," Matt says. "We had more calories than flavor." They feasted at the Big Two-Hearted River in the eastern UP, where some tourists from Missouri gave them a bag of fresh vegetables. "We sat in the tent and ate peppers as if they were apples," Matt recalls.
The scenery changed from the bulky hills of Canada to the flatlands of the eastern UP; from the Sleeping Giant peninsula off Thunder Bay to the Pictured Rocks at Munising, which they say was the most beautiful stretch of all, even though Canada was spectacular--about which Hannah says, "You hit the start of the boreal forest. You could smell the balsam fir. It was a rush." She adds, "We really felt lucky a lot because we saw the entire lake in ways most people don’t get to."
This experience, however, is not sugared with sentimentality. Beauty? Matt says, "You really get jaded toward the end when you get out there that long." Hannah adds, "You're tired. You're grumpy. And you don't want to see the lake anymore. You sit with your back to the lake, stare at all the trees and then eat."
What did they take from this voyage?
"I did it," Hannah says.
"I learned a lot of patience," Matt adds. "You get stuck in a tent for two or three days, you learn to actually relax. You realize you have to be patient because that's when you get in trouble--pushing things when you really shouldn't."
The best part of it all?
Matt: "Being together out there every day experiencing something that was bigger than us--getting some stories to tell."
"He just said the nicest thing we could say," Hannah says.
Being in the rough waters near Nipigon Bay was the one misstep. They usually dodged the wind. "Common sense took us a really long way on this trip," Hannah says. "It’s what got us around safely and comfortably and happy."
"This stuff isn't that difficult," Matt adds. "Anyone with basic kayaking skills can do it. Know your limitations."
The endeavor was hard to do, but good to have done. "Things like this," Matt says, "are always more fun looking back on them than doing them. When you do something for three months, it all is commonplace. It's just what we did this summer, right now."
Their next sojourn: next May, after Hannah graduates, they will begin to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mexican border to the Canadian border, 2200 miles.
Just before that, they're getting married. "We wanted to use the trip as the last sounding board," Matt says. "Any problems we were going to have were going to come up over 70 days of not being able to get away from each other. It was a good final test."
Surely, they will get married outdoors?
"It depends on the weather," Matt says
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3. Thanks--and Recruiting Begins Anew |
The Graduate School would like to thank everyone involved in achieving the strong fall enrollment numbers. With recruitment for fall 2010 underway, the school once again asks current graduate students and faculty to help in recruiting prospective students.
To view a list of recruitment events, visit the Graduate School Recruitment Calendar: click here.
Events where we need someone to attend:
* September 23--University of Wisconsin-Platteville
* October 7-8--University of Illinois–Urbana and Chicago
* October 13-14--University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Contact Jacque Smith (jacque@mtu.edu or 487-1434) if you are willing to represent the University at any of the recruitment events. The Graduate School offers travel funding and logistical assistance. |
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4. Eat Your Heart Out |
Recall that head gardener Lynn Watson planted fruits and veggies around campus this summer. Sue Sergey, senior executive secretary at Facilities, helped plant a garden by the old grounds building. It's tucked against the south-facing wall that gathers in the sun and has proved to be fruitful.
“This is a true story,” Sergey reports. “To date, we have 122 cucumbers and many more coming. (Yes, I'm counting.) Many people who stop down here leave with cucumbers. They are a hit. I bet I have a half bushel of Roma tomatoes. Just waiting for them to get bigger and riper. I have eight pumpkins and beets, peppers and flowers.”
Sergey tends to the garden on breaks and lunch hour. "It's my baby, my pet project," she says. "I get all excited. This has been fun. Having a ball with it.”
It seems she loves it a bushel and a peck. |
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5. Reminder: Update Campus Banners |
Remember to update your campus banners. Banners that use the old Michigan Tech logo (gold Michigan/black Tech) or the shortened University name, Michigan Tech University, should be discarded.
The University's identity standards website (www.mtu.edu/idstandards) provides guidelines to follow regarding the use of logos, as well as how the University name should be used.
When printing banners that use any of the Michigan Tech logos or the University name, please be sure to work with a licensed vendor. Local licensed vendors include: Superior Graphics, the Print Shop, Copper Island Printing and Homestead Graphics. For a full list of licensed vendors, please visit the Technology and Economic Development website:
http://www.ted.mtu.edu/trademark/licensees.php .
If you have questions or concerns regarding your department's banners, please contact University Marketing and Communications at 487-2354 or at umc@mtu.edu . |
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6. Fire Prevention Day Is Tomorrow |
Fire Prevention Day is Saturday, Sept. 12.
There's a program primarily for children from 11 to 11:45 a.m. in the community room of Daniell Heights. Smokey the Bear will show up to talk safety to the youngsters. As well, free coloring books, stickers and fire helmets will be distributed. Every apartment at the complex has a fire blanket and there will be a demonstration on how to use it.
There will be a session for off-campus students, students in residence halls and the community from noon to 1 p.m. in Lot 14. On tap: a mock bedroom fire; a demonstration of a personal injury accident vehicle extraction; and a look at a decontamination trailer. Free smoke alarms will be given to the first 50 students to arrive.
From noon to 1 p.m., there will also be a cookout on Lot 14, where there will be a fleet of fire trucks and training in how to use a fire extinguisher.
Fire Prevention Day is sponsored by Student Affairs and the Department of Public Safety and Police Services.
Volunteers are needed. Send an email to communityservice@mtu.edu .
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7. Calling All Staff-- |
The Staff Council invites you to join its annual open meeting at noon on Thursday, Sept. 17, in the Memorial Union Ballroom B1.
The open meeting is a chance to meet current staff council members, learn what staff council does, and see how rewarding being a member of staff council is.
The council will hold monthly meetings during the 2009 fall semester at noon on Sept. 17 (Ballroom B1); Oct. 15 (Ballroom B1), and Dec. 3 (Alumni Lounge A).
Membership on the staff council is open to any eligible staff member. For more information, contact Rob Bishop, chair, at 487-1964 or at rmbishop@mtu.edu .
Refreshments will be provided. |
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8. Golf Course Celebrates the Season with Special Events |
The Portage Lake Golf Course is celebrating the fall season with some great events.
Members' Day
Sunday, Sept. 13, will be Members' Day. There will be free food for all members and guests. (One guest per member allowed.) Tee times can be made up to 5 p.m., and there will be raffles, other fun contests, giveaways, putting contests, long drives and more. Members can also join the President's Cup tournament prior to teeing.
President's Cup
Our annual President's Cup Tournament also takes place on Sunday, Sept. 13. To compete in the President's Cup, you must have a valid USGA handicap. The cost is $10 to compete. Also, you must play with at least one other member who is competing for the President's Cup to attest each other's score. The tournament is an 18-hole stroke play contest, and there is a male and female division. Sign up for a tee time at the desk. There will be a skins game ($5) for tournament entrants as well. Defending champions are Ryan DeForge and Mike Mikkola for the men, and Julie Maroste for the women.
Women's Club Championship
The Women's Club Championship will be on Sunday, Sept. 13. Members who would like to compete must sign up for a tee time between 1 and 2 p.m. The sign-up sheet is on the women's league bulletin board. The cost to compete is $10. The tounament is 18- hole stroke play, with flights determined after the front 9 holes. Your score for the tournament can also be used for the President's Cup tournament. Again, to compete in the President's Cup, a valid USGA handicap is a must. Our defending champion is Michele Miller.
Ryder Cup Tournament
This 18-hole tournament will be on Saturday, Sept. 19, and consists of two-person teams. It will include 6 holes of best ball, 6 holes of alternating shot, and 6 holes of scramble. The cost of the tournament is $10 for PLGC members, $15 for Tech students, and $20 for non-PLGC members. Registration is at noon. The shotgun start is at 1 p.m.
Sign up for these events at the Pro Shop. For more information, or to register, call 487-2641. |
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9. Artist, Critic and Publisher Will Speak on Monday, Sept. 14 |
Derek Guthrie, prominent artist, art critic and cofounder of the "New Art Examiner," will speak at 7 p.m. Monday, September 14, in U. J. Noblet Building G002.
The speech will be about his publication and his experiences in the world of art.
The talk is free and open to the public.
Guthrie's paintings are displayed at Finlandia University's Finnish American Heritage Center through today.
This is a collaboration between Finlandia University's art department and Tech's visual and performing arts department.
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10. Reminder: Cap Off K-day with EVE 6 at the Rozsa |
Platinum-selling rock icons Eve 6 will perform at the Rozsa at 9 p.m. today.
Eve 6 is perhaps best known for its lyrics which feature vivid imagery and inventive wordplay. Two of the group's hits include "Inside Out" (number one in America from their self-titled album) and "Promise" (from Horrorscope).
Tickets are available at the Rozsa Box Office, Tech Express, or the Central Ticket Office in the SDC.
To order from home, call 487-3200 or visit: www.tickets.mtu.edu .
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11. Teaching at Tech: Why Don’t Students Like School? Part One |
"You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince," the old saying goes.
This principle seems to hold especially true when it comes to books that purport to translate the contemporary findings of cognitive neuroscience into useful pedagogical principles.
Many of these books offer supposed pearls of pedagogical wisdom based on grossly oversimplified and outdated drivel, such as "the left brain is objective, while the right brain is creative." You have to encounter a lot of these books before you find a worthwhile one.
One such book is Daniel Willingham’s "Why Don't Students Like School?" Willingham is professor of cognitive psychology at the University of Virginia. He has dedicated himself to applying some of the findings of research in the cognitive sciences to the realm of classroom instruction. In his book, Willingham lays out nine findings, supported by scientific research, that can inform and improve our practice as educators.
For example, Willingham's book explores the cognitive principle that people are naturally curious--but are not naturally good thinkers. Unless cognitive conditions are right, he claims, people will tend to avoid thinking. He quotes Henry Ford’s observation that, "Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few people engage in it."
Our brains have evolved to do many things. For example, vast quantities of neuronal real estate support highly sophisticated visual and motor functions. Compared to these systems, our capacity to solve problems by thinking is slow, effortful and relatively unreliable.
Willingham asserts that real thinking is so challenging that we avoid it whenever we can and rely, instead, on our abundant and highly functional memory systems.
Remember driving to work this morning? Probably not! Most of us perform many daily functions by "replaying the tape" of past experience. Our memory systems enable us to do many things at once--replaying multiple tapes, if you will.
But real thinking is quite different. Willingham says humans are curious, but their curiosity is quite fragile and highly contextual. Some people like playing Scrabble or solving crossword or Sudoku puzzles. The appeal to these sorts of challenges, according to Willingham, is primarily that they offer us the opportunity to enjoy the sensation of success.
Neuroscientists now know that there is an overlap in the brain areas and chemicals that are important in learning and those that are involved in the brain’s natural reward systems. Compare the reaction to solving a problem on your own to having someone else show you how to do it, and you’ll get a sense of this.
The difficulty of the challenge is one key element that determines if curiosity will persist or if our interest will wane. If the problem is too easy, there’ll be no flood of pleasure chemicals released upon our solving it. If it’s too daunting, the potential reward won’t sustain the level and duration of curiosity required to solve it.
Educators have called this teachable range the “zone of proximal development,” and it’s very encouraging to discover that there are neurological underpinnings to support the educational theory.
Next week, we’ll examine how thinking actually occurs and how understanding the process can inform our instruction. |
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12. In Print |
Professor Patrick Martin, chair of social sciences, and Jessica Montcalm, master's student in industrial archaeology, are contributors to the Glossario Sextilingüe de Patrimonio Industrial, published in Santiago, Chile, in August, under the editorial supervision of Jaime Migone Rettig of the Departamento de Relaciones Internacionales, Universidad Internacional SEK.
Produced with cooperation of several institutions and under the auspices of the International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage, this is the first installment of a six-language glossary of technical terminology related to industrial heritage.
While this volume features Spanish definitions, it includes brief English, French, Italian, German and Portugese translations. Martin and Montcalm provided the English versions. Future volumes will feature the other languages more prominently. |
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13. On the Road |
Tech students and faculty participated at the 13th Congress of the International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage (TICCIH), held in Freiberg, Germany, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 6.
Bode Morin, a recent PhD in Industrial Heritage and Archaeology, chaired a session and delivered a paper on his research with historic copper smelting sites. New Social Sciences faculty member Fred Quivik delivered a paper in the same session.
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14. Notables |
Professor Patrick Martin, chair of social sciences, has been elected to a three-year term as president of The International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage (TICCIH), a UNESCO-affiliated body that works to preserve and interpret the physical and social remains of the process of industrialization.
Among other things, TICCIH advises the World Heritage Council in identifying and inscribing sites to the World Heritage List. |
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