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

You can reach us via e-mail at ttopics@mtu.edu The deadline for submitting information for Tech Topics is 5:00 p.m. the Friday before anticipated publication.

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HEALTH CARE COSTS DROP UNDER NEW BENEFIT PLAN

When Michigan Tech instituted its new health-care benefit plan in January 2002, it hoped to reduce its anticipated health-care bill by three-quarters of a million dollars.

Now, it looks like that estimate was right. The University is on track to save $750,000 this calendar year due to the new plan, Senator Tony Rogers (Chemical Engineering) told the University Senate Oct. 24.

Rogers delivered an update on behalf of the Benefits Liaison Group, which works to develop the best possible employee benefit plan within the University's available resources.

MTU's expenses have actually dropped about $416,000 from January through October 2002 compared to the same period last year, he said. "That's not peanuts. The employees made this happen, and they deserve a lot of credit. It's a success story."

The three new health-care plan options--premium, standard and deductible--have shifted some of the costs to employees through premiums and co-pays. In addition, the co-pay changes have motivated employees to change their health-care spending, resulting in savings for both for them and for MTU. "In almost all cases, office visits are cheaper now for employees," Rogers noted.

The Benefits Liaison Group has made several recommendations for 2003, which have been approved by the administration, Rogers said. For employees, the basic health care rate structure will remain the same.

Retirees will see some savings on their premiums, which have been based on Blue Cross Blue Shield recommendations. Those estimates have been higher than MTU's actual experience in recent years, Rogers said. Most retirees will see a decrease in their premiums ranging from 14 percent to 28 percent, depending on their plan and the number of persons in their family. The reduction in revenue from the retiree premiums, which will be borne by Michigan Tech, will only be about $35,000, Rogers said.

In other business, the senate

* heard a report from Librarian Pauline Moore on the activities of the Distance Learning Implementation Committee's Subcommittee on Intellectual Property in Distance Learning. The subcommittee has been investigating copyright issues, both by surveying other universities and by talking with MTU staff and faculty. A key area is the rights to instructional materials used in distance learning, which are generally developed by faculty with the support of the University. Moore recommended that the senate develop a policy on intellectual property within the context of distance learning.

* nominated a number of faculty to serve on the University's Athletic Council (Randy Freisinger, Larry Lankton and Mary Ann Beckwith) and the Sabbatical Leave Committee (Wayne Pennington, Kurt Paterson and Barbara Bertram). President Curt Tompkins will appoint one member to each committee from among the nominees.

* received Proposal 5-03, which amends the Threatening and Violent Behavior in the Workplace Policy. You can read the proposal at http://www.sas.it.mtu.edu/usenate/propose/03/5-03.htm

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THE MTU ENTERPRISE: BOLDLY GOING WHERE NO UNIVERSITY HAS GONE BEFORE

Associate Professor David Stone (Electrical and Computer Engineering) has 80 students--all undergraduates--teamed up on 12 different wireless communication projects. A patent or two is in the offing, and one group may spin off a company in the next year or two. It sounds chaotic, but he says it's not. "It's their business, and I give them a lot of independence."

Now in its third year, Michigan Tech's Enterprise Program is giving 400 students a serious introduction to the world of troubleshooting, R&D, manufacturing and market research. Students can sign up in their sophomore year for one of 17 Enterprises and typically stick with their team until they graduate.

When the Enterprise Program began with $750,000 in start-up funding from the National Science Foundation and another $766,000 from industry, it was a novel idea: assemble teams of undergraduates to solve industry problems. Three years later, it's still the only program of its kind.

"What makes Enterprise unique is that it's a multi-year program, with students of varying levels working together on real-world projects," said Mary Raber, the industrial projects coordinator. "And the level of interaction with industry also makes it special. Nobody does it the way we do."

Corporate clients provide problems or challenges, anything from improving a gasket to developing a new product, as well as funding for the teams working on the project. The teams, with the arms-length help of faculty advisors, develop solutions. Enterprise has quickly become a different way to learn.

"We're finding out that these students are taking ownership of their education," Raber said. "They're doing exactly what they need to do to be successful in the workplace, and no teacher is telling them what to do."

Stone agrees. "We've had students come back from co-ops and tell us that the co-ops were like the Enterprise, except sometimes that Enterprise was more efficient," he said.

Enterprises are becoming an ornament to students' resumes, especially in a tightening job market.

"We've had a number of classes graduate, and employers love them," Stone said. "The students have unique leadership and entrepreneurial experience."

As to why other top engineering universities haven't adopted similar programs, Stone believes it's a question of priorities. "You have to be fully vested in your undergraduate program," he said.

For more information on Enterprise at Michigan Tech, contact Raber at mraber@mtu.edu or 487-2005.

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MICHIGAN TECH BUSINESS STUDENTS WIN STOCK MARKET CHALLENGE

Triumphing over seasoned investment professionals, two seniors in the School of Business and Economics finished first and third in the 2002 Pine Mountain Music Festival Stock Market Challenge.

Peter Heydlauff, a finance student, took first place honors, while Chad Habermehl placed third.

Both are in Assistant Professor Dean Johnson's Applied Portfolio Management Program, a course in which students invest a portfolio of real money.

"In managing money for the Applied Portfolio Management Program, we have created a well-diversified portfolio, but to win a stock-picking contest, I sought out volatility," Heydlauff said. "I was looking for a small firm with a low stock price, no dividends and in a high-risk line of business."

He placed his entire investment in a single stock, Dendreon, a biotech firm involved in cancer vaccines. Despite the market slump, it returned 94 percent.

Keith Lantz, dean of the School, was pleased with the results. "This is another indication of the excellent quality of business education at the SBE," he said. "Although winning a stock-picking contest requires a little luck, for our Applied Portfolio Management students to have won the contest both years they entered indicates that their education is a key factor," he said.

Both Heydlauff and Habermehl credit their success to the Applied Portfolio Management class. "The unique experience of managing a real portfolio causes you to consider issues like asset allocation, diversification and investment style," Habermehl said. "In comparison, selecting a stock for a stock-picking contest is easy."

More than 100 people paid $50 each to join the challenge, in which participants invest a hypothetical $100,000 to develop their portfolio of choice. After three months, the heftiest portfolio wins. The challenge is a fundraiser for the Pine Mountain Music Festival. Members of the Applied Portfolio Management Program Advisory Board paid the entry fees for their students in 2000 and 2002.

As the winner, Heydlauff received $500 and two round-trip airline tickets. Habermehl walked away with $50. Not bad for two college students looking to pay their tuition bills, but Heydlauff would trade his winnings for the $94,000 profit in Dendreon. Finishing in second was John Sullivan of U.P. Engineers and Architects.

Two years ago, another of Johnson's finance students, Cayle Dantzman, won the 2000 Challenge.

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SEARCHING FOR NEW STUDENTS? ADMISSIONS HAS A NEW TOOL FOR YOU

Is your department looking for new students? New students with high ACT scores? New students with a 4.0 GPA and an ACT score of 34 who live in the U.P. and want to major in physics?

Admissions has a new, Web-based program that can help you find those (and many other) prospective undergraduates with the click of a mouse. Q-Menu sorts through data on all the students who've applied to Michigan Tech and can help you track down those who are likely to be interested in your program. Plus, Q-Menu provides you with contact information, so you can call or e-mail potential students and invite them to MTU.

Or, if you have a staff or faculty member visiting a high school, you can use Q-Menu to call up information on all the students from that high school who've applied to MTU. Q-Menu even links to Mapit, so you can plan your route.

Admissions has been using Q-Menu since last spring. "It's a great tool," said Robert Forget, director for recruitment. Admissions representatives can use it on the road and, for example, can let prospective students know that they've received a scholarship or ask them how they liked their recent trip to campus. "It makes us look more knowledgeable," Forget said.

And it also helps us be friendlier. Reaching prospective students on a personal level is critical, said Bill Roberts, the campus visit coordinator. "We try to treat all our applicants as individuals, and Q-Menu helps make that possible," he said.

For information on signing up to use Q-Menu, contact Bill Rosemurgy at 487-2335 or wjrosemu@mtu.edu.

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UNITED WAY CAMPUS CAMPAIGN UNDER WAY

The campus campaign for the Copper Country United Way is again under way. This year's theme is "Building a Better Community, The United Way," and the campaign chair for the entire Copper Country is Michigan Tech's own Cheryl DePuydt.

The campaign is a convenient way for MTU employees to make donations that will benefit a variety of local agencies. There are several options for donating. The easiest is through payroll deduction. Payroll does the work, and deductions don't start until January. A new option this year is the ability to contribute using a credit card.

"While many of us made large donations to charities such as the Red Cross in the wake of last year's terrorist attacks, some of our local donor agencies suffered from sharp reductions in funding last year," said Ted Soldan, MTU campus chairperson. "I think we all now understand that strong community based organizations are a point of pride for us anytime, but can make the difference between life and death during a crisis."

Last year the MTU community contributed $38,800. This year's goal is $40,000. "But we'll never reach it unless Tech employees show how much they care," says Soldan.

In his letter to the campus community, President Curt Tompkins asks that we all help make Michigan Tech a good role model for the community and help those who are less fortunate.

For more information, contact Soldan at 487-2435 or tjsold@mtu.edu.

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NOTIFY BENEFITS OFFICE OF FAMILY STATUS CHANGES

Michigan Tech employees who have healthcare coverage are required to contact the Benefits Office within 30 days with any family status changes. These changes include marriage/divorce, birth/adoption of a child, stepchild not living with you, marriage of dependent child, child moving out of your home, child graduates from or quits college or child or spouse becomes eligible for Medicare or Medicaid.

Effective Jan. 1, if the Benefits Office is not notified within 30 days of any additions to your plan, your dependent will become eligible on the day your "Health Care Enrollment Change Form" is received.

Also effective Jan. 1, if you fail to notify the Benefits Office within 30 days of when your dependent has become ineligible for your health insurance, you will be held responsible for any claims paid by Michigan Tech as a result of your delay.

If you have any questions, please call the Benefits Office at 487-2517 or e-mail mawilcox@mtu.edu or nabykkon@mtu.edu.

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PARKING TICKET SCOFFLAWS: BEWARE THE BOOT

Public Safety will soon begin "booting" vehicles registered to drivers who have numerous unpaid parking tickets.

If this describes you, you could find your parked vehicle immobilized by a yellow boot on the wheel. You won't be able to drive without damaging your vehicle and the boot.

What to do? Just pay your parking tickets, for heaven's sake. Then Public Safety will remove the boot.

Public Safety advises against driving off with the boot on. Any damage done to the boot will result in additional charges.

"Please, do not make us use this system on your vehicle," Public Safety Director Jon Ahola said.

If you have any questions or would like a list of your unpaid tickets, please contact Public Safety and ask for Sgt. Hoffman, 487-2216.

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HALLOWEEN SAFEHOUSE OCT. 26

All three residence halls on the MTU campus will be hosting the 14th Annual Halloween Safehouse on Saturday, Oct. 26, 5-7 p.m.

All children 15 and under are invited.

The safehouse offers a safe trick-or-treating environment in age-appropriate haunted houses. The Arnold Air Society will also sponsor a maze in the center lounge of DHH.

The event is being coordinated by the Inter-Residence Hall Council.

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SEVEN TO BE ADDED TO MTU SPORTS HALL OF FAME

submitted by Dave Fischer

Michigan Tech will induct seven new members into its Sports Hall of Fame at an induction dinner on Saturday, Oct. 26. The event will take place at the Ameurasia Restaurant on the seventh floor of the Best Western-Franklin Square Inn and will begin with a social hour at 4:30 p.m.

The group includes hockey great Stu Ostlund (1974-78), men's basketball standout Geof Kotila (1978-82), women's basketball pioneer Patty Sullivan (1975-77, 1978-80), football star Bruce Trusock (1970-73), multi-sport standout Walt Potoroka (1939-42); and long-time supporters Paul Swift and Jerry MacInnes.

Geof Kotila was a four-year starter for Michigan Tech in men's basketball where he helped the Huskies to a 63-37 mark and the school's first ever Northern Intercollegiate Conference title in 1979-80. Kotila was named the team's outstanding newcomer in 1978-79, earned the club's most improved player award in 1980-81, and in 1981-82 earned the team MVP award as well as the Raymond L. Smith Award as the school's outstanding senior male student-athlete. He played in 102 career games and is currently seventh all-time in points at MTU (1,392) and eighth in career field goal percentage (.486). Kotila also served as assistant men's basketball coach at MTU (1985-87), head men's basketball coach (1987-94), and head men's cross country coach (1985-86).

One of only five players to ever record 200 or more points in men's ice hockey at Michigan Tech, Stu Ostlund was a four-year regular at forward for the Huskies in 1974-78. He helped the team to the NCAA title as a freshman and NCAA runner-up finish his sophomore season. Ostlund is pasted all over the Tech record books. He holds the school mark for longest consecutive assist-scoring streak at 14 games and shares the school record for most 40-or-more-point seasons with four. In addition, he is third all-time at MTU in career points (213), fourth all-time in assists (133), fifth all-time in games played (160), and sixth all-time in goals (80). In addition, Ostlund received the John MacInnes Slide Rule Award for scholastic achievement in three of his four seasons as a Husky.

Bruce Trusock had an amazing four-year career (1970-73) in football at Michigan Tech. As an offensive center, he was a three-time All-Northern Intercollegiate Conference selection (1971-73) and helped the Huskies to two first (1970-72) and two second (1971, 1973) place finishes in the NIC. All total, Trusock led Tech to a 29-7-1 mark in his four seasons. He was also an outstanding student, three times earning the Omer LaJeunesse Award for scholastic achievement. As a senior, Trusock earned a spot on the prestigious College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America First Team.

A pioneer in women's basketball, Hancock native Patty Sullivan played on the first ever Michigan Tech team back in 1975-76. She helped the Huskies to an 8-6 record in their first season and went on to be a four-year letter winner. Initially a forward, Sullivan also played guard for the Huskies. She finished her career having played in 71 games, with 576 points and 208 rebounds.

A star from the early 1940s, Walt Potoroka participated in football (1939-42), basketball (1939-42), and track and field (1940- 42) for Michigan Tech. In football, where he played quarterback and linebacker, Potoroka earned four letters and served as team captain his senior campaign. He was also a four-year letter winner in basketball at guard and a three-year letter winner in track and field where he participated in the 100- and 200-yard dashes. Potoroka, a current member of the Football Advisory Council at MTU, was also involved in Student Council, Varsity Club, Tau Nu Tau, Alpha Sigma Mu, Kappa Delta Psi, ROTC and Tau Beta Pi while attending Michigan Tech.

Paul Swift a regular supporter of the Michigan Tech athletic program for multiple decades recently celebrated his 90th birthday. A member of the Huskies Club since its inception in 1958, Swift's support of the Tech athletic program dates back to the 1930s. During the 1932-33 campaign, Swift donned a Husky hockey jersey. He continues to support Tech athletics by regularly attending all home hockey and football games and is a member of both the Huskies Club and Blueline Club. He served as the president of the Alumni Association in 1958-60 and was a member of the Army ROTC, Blue Key National Honor Fraternity and Tau Nu Tau while attending Michigan Tech.

Jerry MacInnes has been a supporter of the Michigan Tech athletic program since her arrival in the Copper Country in 1956. While her husband John coached the hockey team for 26 seasons (1956-82), Jerry wove her own niche, assisting with many athletic functions, including fundraising, hosting families and setting up banquets. And despite her husband's passing in 1983, Jerry continues to be very active. Her recent endeavors include serving on both the Blueline Club Board of Directors as both the second and first vice president. She is currently an active member of the Hockey Advisory Council and was very active in the planning and organization of the 2000 Hockey Reunion and recent Hockey Educational Center fundraising drive. MacInnes continues to keep in close touch with many of the alumni of the hockey program, and she is a regular presence at Michigan Tech home hockey games as well as Tech's other programs.

The cost of tickets for the event is $15 each, and they are currently on sale at the SDC Ticket Office. Tickets will be sold in advance only.

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SNOWMEN WILL BE FEATURED ON THIS YEAR'S HOLIDAY STAMPS

CEREMONY MONDAY AT MICHIGAN TECH

The warmth, joy and magic of the holiday season are captured on this year's Holiday postage stamps featuring charming images of four snowmen. The new 37-cent stamps will be issued by the U.S. Postal Service at Michigan Tech.

The public is invited to the first day of issue ceremony, which will be held on Monday, Oct. 28, at 9:30 a.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom. The Holiday Snowmen stamps will be available at the Houghton Post Office starting Oct. 28, and at post offices nationwide beginning the following day.

U.S. Senator Carl Levin and U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak will be on hand for the ceremony, which will be emceed by Murry E. Weatherall, district manager for the U.S. Postal Service's Lakeland District. Michigan Tech's vice president for governmental relations, Dale Tahtinen, will welcome the guests, and the stamps will be dedicated by Danny Jackson, vice president for area operations in the USPS's Great Lakes Area.

MTU's Army and Air Force ROTC cadets will serve as honor guard, and vocalists from both Michigan Tech and Finlandia University will provide music.

Sally Andersen-Bruce, who photographed the snowmen for the stamps, will attend along with her mother, Ann Anderson, who designed the commerative postcard.

The stamps will be issued in a self-adhesive pane of 20, a double-sided booklet of 20 and a folded vending booklet of 20. A fourth format, called "Tape Stamps" or linerless coil stamps, will have limited distribution in coils of 100 at larger post offices and postal stores. A new, reusable dispenser for the Tape Stamps will also be available.

"Regardless of age, we all have warm memories of the holidays. As a way of communicating with the special people in our lives during the holiday season, we rely on the tradition of sending holiday cards. The cards may carry seasonal messages inside, but the season's greetings really begin on the outside of the envelope," said Catherine Caggiano, executive director of stamp services for the Postal Service.

"I hope these stamps will serve as reminders of the spirit of goodwill we all share during the most joyous of seasons," added Caggiano.

The Snowmen stamps, issued as part of the Holiday series, feature photographs of four whimsical snowmen figurines. The snowmen were created from a variety of materials ranging in size from four to nine inches high and from two to six inches wide.

The stamps were designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, DC, and photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce, New Milford, Conn. Tommy Simpson of Washington, Conn., made the Styrofoam snowman wearing a top hat and the combed-wool snowman with the cork pipe. Judy Gunn-Irish of Arlington, Wash., made the hand-painted, cut-pine snowman in the red plaid scarf. Delton Products Corp., in Norcross, Ga., made the rosy-cheeked snowman in the blue and white checked scarf.

To see the Holiday stamps, visit the Postal Service Web site at http://www.usps.com .

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MTU VS. NMU TAILGATE PARTY NOV. 2

  The MTU Keweenaw Alumni and Friends Chapter and the Library Bar and Restaurant are co-sponsoring a pre-game tailgate party before the Michigan Tech versus Northern Michigan football game on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 10 a.m. in the parking lot between the Gates Tennis Center and Sherman Field. Brats, hotdogs, hamburgers and beverages will be served. The admission to the event is a voucher obtained from the Library Bar and Restaurant when you purchase an entrée from one of their menus during the month of October.

If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact Alumni Relations at 487-2400. All are welcome to attend.

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FACULTY RECEIVE FUNDING

John Johnson (MEEM) has received $60,000 from John Deere for his project, "The Modeling of a Continuously Regenerated Particulate Trap in a Heavy-Duty Engine with Cooled Low Pressure EGR."

David Watkins (Civil & Environmental Engineering) has received $75,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the first year of a two-year project totaling $150,000, "Use of Climate Forecasts in Multipurpose Reservoir System Management."

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LUNCHEON SPECIALS DEBUT MONDAY AT THE CAMPUS CAFE

The Campus Café will introduce daily luncheon specials beginning Monday, Oct. 28. Located on the ground floor of Wadsworth Hall, the cafe is open to the public. So if you happen to be on the east end of campus during the noon hour (or if you have a yen for lasagna on Monday), the cafe staff welcome you to stop by and have lunch.

All specials are  offered from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and include a 20-ounce soda or 12-ounce coffee. The price for all the specials is $4.50.

Monday's special will be Baroni's lasagna with homemade garlic bread. On Tuesdays, the Campus Café will feature taco salad served in a deep-fried tomato basil shell. Wednesday's special will be charcoal-broiled Italian chicken breast with garlic and herb pasta, flame roasted vegetables and garlic bread.

On Thursday, you can get a peppered turkey sandwich served on homemade panini bread with tomatoes marinated in olive oil and basil with caponata sauce and provolone cheese. This special includes Brew City Fries and a pickle spear.

And on Fridays, the special will be fish and chips, including hand-breaded, deep-fried cod, french fries and coleslaw.

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COMMITTEE MEMBER NEEDED

The University Senate is seeking a tenured faculty member to serve on the Faculty Grievance Committee. For more information, call Jeanne Meyers at 487-3331, jemeyers@mtu.edu, or Robert Keen, 487-2346, rekeen@mtu.edu.

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TEACHING AT TECH: eTEACH

by William Kennedy, Director

Center for Teaching , Learning and Faculty Development

UW Madison Professor Gregory Moses and research scientist Mike Litzkow have produced software that enables an instructor using a consumer-grade digital video camera and a PC to inexpensively create web-based instructional segments that simultaneously present a video image of the lecturer along with coordinated PowerPoint images with animations, a dynamic index or table of contents, and a dynamic frame containing the URLs of websites related to the topic at hand. Didn't quite get the point that the lecturer was making? No problem. Just click on the dynamic table of contents entry on your screen and the presentation replays that exact material anytime, anywhere you have access to the Web. Interested in one of the URLs? Go ahead click it. A new browser window fires up, the presentation pauses, and when you're done with the material associated with that new browser window, close it, and the original eTeach presentation will resume right where you left off. What does eTeach actually look like? If you use a Windows PC with Internet Explorer as your browser, you can try it out at http://eteach.engr.wisc.edu. Simply click on the Computer Science 310 link and choose your favorite topic from a list of recorded eTeach lectures.

eTeach students can access all of the material associated with a given course from a dedicated web page and can view or download the material at several bitrates appropriate to the various types of connections they might have with the campus servers. Moses and Litzkow's work is fully described in the lead article of the July 2002 issue of the Journal of Engineering Education, "Reversing the Lecture/Homework Paradigm using eTeach Web-based Streaming Video Software."

Refreshingly, the instructional team that generated this software solution wasn't motivated by a desire to reduce costs but rather worked to enrich the learning experience of the 600 engineering students who enroll each year in an introductory computing course at UW Madison. Using the software and a lot of careful preparation, Moses and Litzkow produced the series of "learning objects" that carries the lecture material for the entire course. Once each 20-minute lecture is recorded, it takes a technician or an advanced student about two hours to link and coordinate the PowerPoint slides and animations, create the dynamic table of contents and add any URLs. Moses maintains that he can cover about as much material in a 20-minute eTeach presentation as he normally could in a 50-minute traditional lecture in a room full of students. The eTeach approach has the added advantage of allowing students to easily play back all or any parts of the lecture as often as necessary.

Students are required to view the recorded eTeach module in preparation for taking an online quiz on the material contained in that module. After taking the quiz, students then attend a traditional computer lab session (one student per computer) which allows them to apply what they have learned in the eTeach module. These labs continue to be led by GTAs.

The two course instructors, each now freed from preparing and delivering two lectures each week, instead supervise newly designed Team Lab sections where 30 students work in teams of three to solve more challenging problems. Each of the instructors meets four of these Team Lab sections late in the week. In these sessions, the professors actually get to know and interact with the students as well as being able to assess student learning. GTAs also facilitate a few of these Team Lab sections.

About two-thirds of the students in this redesigned eTeach course said it was easier for them to take notes and to understand the lecture material using the software. More than three-quarters of the surveyed students particularly liked being able to easily replay and review sections of the lecture. On the downside, a significant number of students said they missed the opportunity to ask questions while the lecture was going on.

Want to experiment with eTeach? You can download it from the website for free and Moses and Litzkow are even willing to provide some initial support to get you going. Check it out! http://eteach.engr.wisc.edu

HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO COMES TO THE ROZSA

submitted by University Cultural Enrichment

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago comes to the Rozsa Center on Sunday, Oct. 27, for one performance only at 7 p.m. "This is how we fly in Chicago" is the company slogan, and it's an apt one. As WLS-TV Chicago says, this remarkable group of dancers "defies gravity with grace and high voltage" in their exciting and upbeat performances. Tickets are on sale 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. Tickets will also be on sale at the box office starting at noon on the day of the performance.

The company is also offering two master classes for intermediate level dancers on the same day as the performance. Further information about the classes can be obtained from the Rozsa Box Office (487-3200).

Combining jazz, modern, ballet and theatrical dance, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is what the Chicago Tribune calls "a crown jewel in Chicago's community of arts." When the late Fred Astaire described a company performance as "some of the greatest dancing I've seen in years," he was just one of the many people throughout the world who, for two decades, have taken notice of this acclaimed company. Breaking away from currently accepted dance traditions, the company's work is innovative and adventurous. They not only dance up a storm, they also include works in which they sing and speak.

Founded by Lou Conte in 1977, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago captured public attention and critical acclaim for its unparalleled blend of artistic style and entertainment. With veteran dancer, teacher, ballet master and choreographer Jim Vincent now leading the 20-member company, they have never been stronger. They are all internationally acclaimed dancers from diverse cultural backgrounds. Unlike many dance companies who perform the work of one choreographer, Hubbard Street's repertoire includes the work of leading choreographers from many different countries, which makes for a varied and exciting program. Well-known American choreographers Daniel Ezralow, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, David Parsons and Twyla Tharp join others from Israel, the Netherlands and Brazil. Many of these dance pieces are tremendously difficult, demanding an exceptionally high skill level. Slow balances, high tension and acrobatic positions, and then whiplash speed as the dancers slash through the air all contribute to breathtaking moments in the performance.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago has performed in 17 countries as well as in celebrated venues in 42 states in the U.S. The company enjoys annual runs at the Joyce Theatre in Manhattan and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as well as appearances at DanceAspen, Jacob's Pillow, Ravinia and other festivals.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's residency at the Rozsa Center is supported by funding from the Katherine M. Bosch Endowment, the National Endowment for the Arts through the Heartland Arts Fund, a collaboration of Arts Midwest and the Mid-America Arts Alliance, and the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs. For further information contact the MTU Great Events Series Office at 487-2844.

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"TRICK OR TROUPE" ON HALLOWEEN

submitted by the Department of Fine Arts

For extra fun on Halloween, Michigan Tech's fine arts department invites the community to "Trick or Troupe," a free Halloween show presented by The Troupe, MTU's improv comedy group, in the Memorial Union Commons from 7 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31. "People can come after trick-or-treating and before other Halloween parties start," says associate professor Sue Stephens, director of the comedy group. "It'll be fun for everyone, from Tech students to community families, and we hope they'll join us." The event is free, with no tickets needed.

The Troupe, a 12-member student ensemble, writes its own comedy skits and presents them in an annual Campus Comedy Show. The acting group performs throughout the year for local schools and service organizations, presents acting workshops to K-12 students both here and on tour, and also performs in theater productions such as this year's Winter Carnival play, "The Tibetan Book of the Dead, Or How Not To Do It Again." "Trick or Troupe" is their third Halloween show.

More information on "Trick or Troupe" is available from the Fine Arts office, 487-2067.

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ETHNIC FOOD AND CULTURE FROM INDIA AT DIWALI NIGHT

A carnival of lights and colors will come to the Rozsa Center on Saturday, Nov. 2. The Indian Students Association will present their annual Diwali Night.

The evening begins at the Wadsworth Hall dining area at 6:45 p.m. with authentic Indian food. The festivities then move to the Rozsa Center for a variety of cultural performances by the Indian students.

Tickets for the public are just $15, including dinner, and are available from the Rozsa Center box office (487-3200).

For more information, see the Indian Students Association web site (http://www.sos.mtu.edu/isa) or contact Shiva Rallapalli (370-2294 or smrallap@mtu.edu) or Subodh Loknath (483-6184 or sloknath@mtu.edu).

The event is co-sponsored by Wadsworth Hall Dining Services.

NEW STAFF

Margaret Dunstan has joined AFROTC as an office assistant 2. She received her degree in electrical engineering technology from Michigan Tech in 1981, and her BA in Mathematics and a secondary education certificate from Michigan Tech in 2001.

Dunstan lives in Houghton with her husband, Jack, and children Rebecca, Annie, Jake, Pam, Amanda and Bethany.

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IN THE NEWS

A paper written by Michigan Tech students Luke Miller and Marc Westergren, "The Cultural Context of the Pasty," was mentioned in an article, "Pasty Lore & Love," by John Piper in the Sept. 30 edition of the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

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MTU NOTABLES

Professor Emeritus Harley Sachs (Humanities) received the Upper Peninsula of Michigan Writers Association Lifetime Achievement award at its annual conference on Oct. 12 in Marinette, Wis. Sachs gave a presentation on electronic publishing.

  His latest book, "A Troll for Christmas and other stories" is being released in time for the holidays by ZumayaPublications.com in both electronic and paperback formats. "The Mystery Club and the Dead Doctor" will be published by WINGS, 2003.

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October

National Disability Awareness Month

25        Friday

            7:05 p.m.--Hockey, Minnesota at MTU--SDC

26        Saturday

            4:30 p.m.--MTU Sports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner--Ameurasia Restaurant, Seventh Floor, Franklin Square Inn

            5-7 p.m.--Halloween Safe House--MTU Residence Halls

            7:35 p.m.--Hockey, Minnesota at MTU--SDC

27        Sunday

            7 p.m.--Hubbard Street Dance Chicago--Rozsa Center

28        Monday

            9:30 a.m.--Holiday Snowmen stamps first day of issue ceremony--Memorial Union Ballroom

            Noon-1 p.m.--Weight Watchers meeting--Memorial Union Ballroom B2

29        Tuesday

            4 p.m.--Annual Meeting, Friends of the J. R. Van Pelt Library--MTU Archives

31        Thursday

            7-8 p.m.--"Trick or Troupe"--Memorial Union Commons

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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.

For a complete list of open positions, see http://www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/postings/.

The following positions will be posted Friday, October 25, 2002, at 1 p.m. through noon, Friday, November 1, 2002, in the Human Resources Office.

Assistant Professor--Department of Social Sciences

Secretary 3--Alumni Relations (UAW internal and external posting)

University employees are reminded to apply in writing prior to noon, Friday, November 1, 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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