Sue McDaniel, Tech Topics student writer, 906-487-2343

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SEPT. 11 OBSERVANCES AT MICHIGAN TECH: MEMORIAL DEDICATION WEDNESDAY

The Air Force and Army ROTC departments will dedicate a memorial on Wednesday, Sept. 11, the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

The event is open to the public and begins at 8 a.m. in front of the ROTC Building. The memorial will include a flag pole and a separate granite monument. Area firefighters and police will be on hand for the dedication, and all members of the University community are invited.

At K-Day, on Friday, Sept. 6, at McLain State Park, President Curt Tompkins will say a few words as part of a memorial program that will include a cadet commissioning.

Monday at 5 p.m. is the deadline for submitting entries for the Walls of Remembrance. Everyone is welcome to provide writings, mementos and other tributes to be displayed at the Memorial Union and in Wadsworth Hall, near the Campus Cafe. The Walls of Remembrance will be available for viewing Sept. 11-20.

The His House Christian Fellowship student group is organizing a walk-in prayer tent in the central campus for quiet reflection. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

From noon to 12:30 p.m., the MTU chapter of the National Coalition Building Institute, the Presidential Commission on Diversity and Affirmative Programs will hold a memorial observance on the Memorial Union steps, near the campus clock.

The Intervarsity Christian Fellowship will hold a candlelight vigil from 8:30 to 9 p.m. at the memorial site, near the ROTC Building.

For more information, contact Rob Bishop at 487-1963 (rmbishop@mtu.edu).

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TOMPKINS FEATURED ON "COPPER COUNTRY TODAY" SUNDAY

President Curt Tompkins will be the featured guest on radio personality Dick Storm's "Copper Country Today" set for Sunday, Sept. 8, from 9 to 10 a.m. The program is broadcast on WCCY 1400 AM and WHKB 102.3 FM.

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MTU EMPLOYEES TO RECEIVE SIX SEASON DAYS OFF OVER THE HOLIDAYS

  President Curt Tompkins is designating Dec. 23, 26, 27 and 30 and Jan. 2-3 as season days this year. "This is an expression of appreciation for your extraordinary efforts," he said.

  These season days provide 48 hours off with pay, pro-rated for part-time employees. Anyone required to work during the season days will be given equal time off to be arranged with their supervisor.

Research and part-time employees should check with departmental timekeepers on their eligibility.

"I wish each of you a happy holiday season, and I look forward to continuing progress in the coming year," Tompkins said.

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MIHELCIC RECEIVES NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION AWARD

  Professor James Mihelcic (Civil and Environmental Engineering) has been selected to receive the 2002 AEESP/Wiley Interscience Award for Outstanding Contributions to Environmental Engineering and Science Education from the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors.

The award includes a $1,000 cash prize donated by the John Wiley & Sons, Inc., publishing company. It honors educators for "the development of innovative teaching methods, including the application of these methods in the classroom and the dissemination of methods to the academic community. "

 "Jim has worked tirelessly on behalf of our students and the whole civil and environmental engineering department," said C. Robert Baillod, department chair. "He richly deserves this recognition for his success not only in education, but also in research and service. He is an outstanding scholar, and his efforts have played a big role in building Michigan Tech's national reputation in environmental engineering."

Mihelcic was a leader in establishing Michigan Tech's Peace Corps Master's International Program in Civil and Environmental Engineering, the only engineering program of its kind in the nation. He actively promotes the environmental engineering profession among area high school students and has instituted innovative teaching approaches at the undergraduate and graduate level.

He coauthored the textbook "Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering," which was recently translated into Spanish, and also spearheaded MTU's undergraduates' successful participation in the WERC International Environmental Design Contest. His environmental engineering Web site (http://www.cee.mtu.edu/BSEE/BSEEweb1.html), which he codeveloped with fellow faculty member Kurt Paterson, provides prospective students with a broad base of information about the profession.

 "We have heard nothing but positive statements from students who talk about the enthusiasm Dr. Mihelcic projects about our profession and who have used this Web-based tool to investigate a career in environmental engineering," said Presidential Professor John Crittenden and Professor Martin Auer (Civil and Environmental Engineering) in nominating Mihelcic for the award.

Mihelcic joined the Michigan Tech faculty in 1989 and earned his PhD in Civil Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. His dissertation was recognized in 1988 by AEESP with an Engineering Science/AEESP Doctoral Dissertation Award. He will receive the education award at AEESP's annual luncheon banquet in October held in conjunction with the Water and Environment Federation's 75th Annual Technical Exposition and Conference.

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BEACH SELECTED TO RECEIVE GRADUATE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

  Graduate student Deborah Beach (Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences) has been selected by the graduate school to receive the Graduate Student Achievement Award. She was chosen for her outstanding professional, research and teaching experience; strength of her nomination letter; depth of her publications; and for service that exemplies doctoral study at the University.

Beach received her BS in Geological Engineering at MTU in 1998 and following work as a research assistant at MTU and as a project engineer at MKM Systems and a systems engineer at Church and Associates, is now enrolled as an MTU Whirlpool Fellow. She is MTU's first student in the doctoral program in geological engineering, and has made four conference presentations with published abstracts and three conference proceedings papers. She also received the prestigious National Science Foundation Scholarship award. She is a member of the American Association of Engineering Geologists and has research interests related to contaminant fate and transport in hydrological systems. Beach has also served as a youth instructor, graduate teaching assistant and personal tutor, and hopes to teach undergraduate and graduate level courses in the areas of contaminant transport, hydro-geology and vadose zone hydrology. She would like to take an active role in course development and classroom education while working toward her doctorate. According to Ted Bornhorst, chair of GMES, "I am very excited to see Debbie chosen to receive this award. Her outstanding professional, research and teaching experiences exemplify the spirit of graduate education at Michigan Technological University".

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STAFF COUNCIL ANNOUNCES EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE AWARD LUNCHEON

  The Employee Excellence Award luncheon will be held on Thursday, Sept. 26, from noon to 1 p.m. in Memorial Union Ballroom A, Staff Council has announced.

  This year's award recipients are Kathy Dorvinen, Central Ticket Office; Doug Jones, Public Safety; and David Bezotte, Van Pelt Library. Nominees from the Office Professional group were Lori Hayes, Karen Kangas, Victoria McCarthy, Kathy McLean, Maggie Mleko, Diane Nakkula and Mary Ann Struthers. Nominees from the Technical/Paraprofessional group were Lori Carne, Emil Groth, Lani Junttonen, Paulette Mahr and Edward Sauvola. Nominees from the Administrative/Professional group were Julie Bingham, Andre Bonen, Dennis Hagenbuch, Bob Hansen, Carol Johnson, Lisa Jukkala, Sylvia Matthews, Margo O'Brien, Julie Seppala and Bill Tembreull.

 All MTU employees are encouraged to attend to show your support for the excellence of these nominees. Tickets for the event are $6 and are available from any Staff Council member or by calling Becky Christianson at 487-2416. The MUB pasta buffet will be served. Tickets must be purchased no later than Friday, Sept. 20.

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PARLEZ VOUS FRANÇAIS?

The Cafe Français, an informal French conversation group, meets on Tuesdays between 2 and 3 p.m. in the Campus Cafe (back room, near the aquarium). This lively group welcomes all skill levels, from beginners to native speakers, and includes students, faculty and staff, as well as other members of the local community.

  If you have questions, or would like to be included on the weekly e-mail reminder list, please contact Assistant Professor Heidi Bostic at hlbostic@mtu.edu or 487-2376.

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PARADE OF NATIONS PRESENTS THIRD ANNUAL WALK AND GAWK

 Dollar Bay is the focus of the Parade of Nations annual kick-off walk which will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14.

Registration will be behind Quincy's Restaurant, and free Walk and Gawk t-shirts will be given to the first 50 walkers.

Walkers will be given a guidebook of Dollar Bay that contains information about the historic sites and local residents will be holding garage sales.

 In addition, the United States Coast Guard station will welcome walkers to an open house. They will have valuable information on hand for everyone and a surprise.

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TEACHING AT TECH: THE PURPOSE AND PROCESS OF EVALUATION

by William Kennedy, Director, Center for Teaching, Learning and Faculty Development

Educational psychologists have extensively documented that what students are likely to learn in a given course is strongly related to what they believe they will be tested or evaluated on. Experienced instructors also know that testing for factual recall, basic comprehension or the capacity to select and employ learned problem-solving protocols is much easier than devising and administering tests that measure students’ ability to robustly use what they have learned in the more ambiguous types of situations they will actually encounter throughout their lives.

Critics of present evaluation methods argue that for the amount of time and effort we put into testing and evaluation processes, they should also be serving important formative (furthering learning) as well as summative (generating grades) functions. For example, they argue that improved assessment procedures might help teach and encourage students to assess the quality their own work and the work of fellow students.

Advocates of this approach do not deny the importance of grades in the internal processes of the university and in students’ initial employment and graduate school transactions. But they do caution that many academicians put too much stock in the validity and reliability of most commonly employed grading procedures. First, as previously mentioned, any review of college testing will demonstrate that we more commonly over-measure lower order learning over the assessment of higher order abilities. Second, we can demonstrate that different faculty members teaching the very same course often vary widely in their grading philosophy and practices. Finally, although testing seemingly produces another opportunity for students to encounter course content, some recent research suggests that students facing particularly challenging exams are much more likely to narrowly focus their energies on performing well on the test rather than on more broadly conceiving, integrating and truly mastering course content.**

Other negative effects associated with traditional grading practices are also evident. A large percentage of contemporary students admit that they cheat to earn better grades. More than 50 percent of the students in a 1996 replication of an earlier study reported that they had directly copied from someone else's examination, double the number that admitted to the same behaviors in the original 1993 study.

There is also clear evidence that grades profoundly affect a student's sense of self-worth. Many students repeatedly fail to recognize that it was their lack of effort and not a lack of ability that resulted in a bad grade in a course. Finally, many instructors employ detailed point systems which are likely to send the unintentional message that only those behaviors which earn points, and seldom higher order tasks, are worth pursuing. 

Change agents argue that rather than always being on the receiving end of the evaluation process, perhaps students should be encouraged to develop their own capacity to evaluate the quality of their work and the work of their colleagues as part of their professional development. Is there any doubt that a lack of good self- and peer-assessment skills will be a continuing professional liability?

How? Professor Maryellen Weimer, a longtime student of college teaching improvement, suggests that a skillful instructor may be able to leverage students’ innate interest in getting good grades by providing them with opportunities that make them "mindful of what they are doing, question why they are doing it and expose them to alternatives."*** Initially students may investigate these alternatives if, and only if, they perceive that doing so will positively impact their grades. Over time, however, these strategies may help them to recognize that university-level learning is more than acquiring facts and figures and a stellar GPA. Next week we'll explore some practical applications of these ideas.

*Weimer, M.  Learner Centered Teaching, Jossey-Bass, 2002, p. 16.  ** Ibid, p. 121.  

*** Ibid, p. 126.

THE SHAMELESS SHRINKERS ARE BACK

  "Pure fun . . . a laugh a minute at least."--Washington Times

  "The audience dissolved hysterically into the aisles."--Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

This is what the critics have to say about the Reduced Shakespeare Company or RSC (not to be confused with the Royal Shakespeare Company). They're back again by popular demand with a brand new show, continuing their tradition of fast, funny and physical condensations of what most people consider serious. At 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, they're bringing "The Reducers (not to be confused with The Producers): All the Great Books Reduced," to the Rozsa stage. Tickets are on sale now at the Rozsa Center Box Office (487-3200) Monday–Friday, 11:30 a.m-5 p.m. or online at http://www.tickets.mtu.edu.

  "Less is more," members of the RSC declare, as they happily abridge the World's Great Books, presenting "A Little Dickens," "A Short Longfellow," "A Reduced Proust," and others with the utmost irreverence. Confused by Confucious? Thoroughly thrown by Thoreau? Wish Swift was swifter? They'll have answers to the most profound and puzzling literary questions as they run riot through the world of books.

 "The script is the result of years of scholarship and innuendo, and any resemblance to historical fact is strictly coincidental," declares Reed Martin, Head Honcho Reducer, who also stresses that the show is funny even if you've never read a book in your life.

Those of you who have seen RSC productions in the past will remember what an extraordinary experience an evening with them is. Michigan Tech hasn't missed a show yet—The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged); The Complete History of America (abridged); The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged); The Millennium Musical: Abridged to the 21st Century"—all thoroughly reduced by these shameless shrinkers.

The RSC is now officially London's longest-running comedy troupe. In fact, the Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) has had a longer run in London than anything the Royal Shakespeare Company has ever done. They have toured extensively in the States, including the White House and Lincoln Center, and have broken box-office records at the Kennedy Center, Seattle Repertory Theatre and the Pittsburgh Public Theatre. They have also toured in a number of other countries, including Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Israel and Great Britain.

Further information about the RSC and the Great Events season can be found on the Internet at http://www.greatevents.mtu.edu.

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K-DAY: IT'S NOT JUST FOR STUDENTS ANYMORE

  Faculty, staff and their families are invited to join students at the annual K-Day celebration to be held at McLain State Park on Friday, Sept. 6 from noon to 8 p.m.

This year's program includes live performances and demonstrations on two stages, including demonstrations by the Medievalist Club, Pep Band and Fencing Club, and musical groups.

Other activities include laser tag, volleyball tournaments and three-on-three basketball tournament. Nearly 100 student organizations will be on hand with information and running fun activities with prizes.

Food will be served throughout the day. There will be free hamburgers, hotdogs and other refreshments.

This University event is totally sponsored and run by students and is totally alcohol-free. Come for the picnic, enjoy the entertainment and interact with the students.

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UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S CLUB TO HOLD FALL WELCOME TEA

  It's that time of year again: time to watch the leaves change, unpack sweaters and join other area women at the annual UWC Fall Welcome Tea.

The club will meet in the Noblet Building on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. The guest speaker will be Professor Rolf Peterson (SFWP), who will  present "The Wolves of Isle Royale."

"It will be interesting and informative—a great opportunity to invite a friend," organizers said.

The first meeting will provide a chance to learn about UWC Interest Groups. "Stitching, tennis and reading are just a few of the tempting ways to help the winter move along," organizers said. "Please come to learn and sign-up for these fun groups." President Maggie Vanek will also share her vision for the upcoming year.

 If you have any questions, call Carri Casserino at 487-7020, or email conrad777@chartermi.net

WEIGHT WATCHERS STARTS NEXT MONTH: ANOTHER CHANCE TO SHED POUNDS

Since Weight Watchers started holding meetings on campus in October 2001, participants have lost a total of 748.8 pounds, with 166 of those pounds lost over the summer session.

Want to add a few of your own pounds to that total? Weight Watchers is starting its fourth At Work program at MTU on Monday, Sept. 9. The first meeting will be held in Memorial Union Ballroom B2 at noon.

For Blue Cross Blue Shield card holders the cost of the program is $113, payable in full at the first meeting.

For more information, contact either Joann at jmsx2@up.net or Nancy at nabykkon@mtu.edu.

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CPDQI ANNOUNCES FALL SESSIONS

The CPDQI will offer professional development sessions again this fall, but there's a twist. Because departments are short both on time and money, the sessions will be shorter (they are two hours instead of three) and will be offered at no charge.

According to Becky Christianson (Human Resources), assistant director of CPDQI, these sessions provide resource information, networking for employees and skills that employees need to improve or don’t have. She adds that successful firms spend two to three times as much on development as average firms.

"People are an important investment, and we want to let our employees know that MTU is concerned," Christianson said.

The following sessions have been scheduled for fall, and all MTU employees are eligible to attend. Registrations are limited to 16 participants for each session. A minimum of six participants are required for a session to be held. Registration deadline is seven days prior to the workshop. You will be notified at least five days prior to the session of any cancellations.

To register for any sessions, contact Becky Christianson at rwchrist@mtu.edu. Include your email address, phone number and account to be charged. You will receive confirmation of your registration via e-mail.

 The first session, Meetings, Schmeetings, will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. Some of the topics to be covered include types of meetings, planning and conducting meetings and handling disagreements in meetings.

Time Management is the subject of the session to be held on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to noon. The session will cover such topics as determining your priorities, setting goals and making your calendar work for you.

The Office Professional is the subject of the session to be held on Thursday, Oct. 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. Topics will include creating a positive first impression, getting a grip on necessary office skills and basic supervision skills.

Managing Conflict is the subject of the session to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 10 a.m. to noon. Topics to be covered include "Why does conflict occur?" getting your point across and creative resolution solutions.

Customer Service Lunch 'n Learn will be held Wednesday, Nov. 13, from noon to 1 p.m. Some topics of the session include "Do I really have customers?" problem solving for your customers and taking responsibility for customer satisfaction.

Stress Busters is the subject of the session to be held on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 1 to 3 p.m. The session includes topics such as "What causes your stress?" stress and the workplace and managing your stress.

Managing Multiple Roles is the subject of the session to be held on Thursday, Nov. 21, from 1 to 3 p.m. Topics include defining your roles, determining priorities and setting milestones and deadlines.

The final session, Holiday Humor, will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 4, from noon to 1 p.m. Join your colleagues for an hour of laughter and mirth. Bring your lunch and a beverage—cookies and water will be provided.

NEW STAFF

Stephen Wilmers has joined Educational Technology Services as a technology specialist. He received certification as a certified television operator from the Society of Broadcast Engineers. He was previously employed with Scanlan Television, Inc. as a senior operator and served with the U.S. Navy for four years.

Wilmers and his wife, Kelly, live in Chassell.

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MTU NOTABLES

 Associate Professor Steven Seidel, Assistant Professor Phillip Merkey and Assistant Professor Charles Wallace (Computer Science) have received $133,000 from Hewlett-Packard to pursue four computational science and engineering projects centered on the development of the Unified Parallel C programming language.

  UPC is a new language for high performance computing on distributed shared memory architectures. One of this year's projects continues the work begun last year on the MuPC run time system for UPC. New this year are projects to formally specify the UPC memory consistency model, examine programmability and usability aspects of UPC and produce a specification for UPC collective communication operations.

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MICHIGAN TECH POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Job descriptions will be available at 1 p.m. on Friday, or by e-mail at <JOBS@MTU.EDU>.

The following positions will be posted Friday, September 6, 2002, at 1 p.m. through noon, Friday, September 13, 2002, in the Human Resources Office.

  Custodian—Residential Services Facilities (AFSCME internal posting only)

  Office Assitant 5—Extended University Programs (UAW internal and external posting)

  Office Assistant 2—Air Force ROTC (Regular, 10-month, part-time position; 30 hours/week; UAW internal and external posting)

  Assistant Professor—Chemistry Department

  Education Specialist—Center for Science and Environmental Outreach (Re-posted)

  University employees are reminded to apply in writing prior to noon, Friday, September 13, 2002, to be considered as internal candidates for bargaining unit positions only. Applicants from the recall pool will be given first consideration for non-bargaining-unit positions only. Vacancy announcements are normally posted every Friday at 1 p.m. in the Human Resources Office. Complete job descriptions are available in the Human Resources Office or by calling 487-2280. More information regarding employment opportunities is available by calling the Job Line at 487-2895. Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer.

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