Sue McDaniel, Tech Topics, editorial assistant, 906-487-2343

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SENATE POSTPONES ACTION ON CUTTING TIES WITH UNITED WAY

After considerable debate, the University Senate adjourned in mid-vote Feb. 12 on a motion to sever the University's ties with the Copper Country United Way.

The senate was asked by Ted Soldan (Fine Arts), who spearheads the United Way campaign at Michigan Tech, to end its United Way employee fund drive because the organization supports the Boy Scouts. Soldan has argued that the Scouts' refusal to allow homosexuals in its organization runs counter to Michigan Tech's policy not to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

Soldan, who was a Boy Scout leader for years and sits on the Copper Country United Way Board of Directors, told the senate that overall, the activities of both groups are positive. "I would put both of them in the awesome category," he said. But, he said, neither organization conforms to the University's policy not to discriminate against gays.

He noted that Scouting requires that its members be "morally straight" and "clean." "Why is that inconsistent with homosexuality?" he asked.

"A lot of good is done by that group," he said. "On the other hand, they discriminate against gay people. . . . How much good does an organization have to do to balance out the bad?"

Senator Erik Nordberg (Library) asked why the University allowed United Way to solicit on campus, when no other organization has that privilege. Soldan said that many area employers collected from their employees for United Way, from ShopKo to the public schools. United Way distributes to so many local charities, saving them from each undertaking fundraising efforts.

Senator Bill Gregg (GMES) questioned whether a government entity such as MTU should collect for any organization, "even if United Way decides never to give another nickel to the Boy Scouts." Senator Mike Roggemann (Electrical and Computer Engineering) said federal government agencies have an internal fund drive that benefits a variety of charities.

Virginia Schaller (Michigan Tech Fund), who chairs the Copper Country United Way board, said the agency must consider a wide variety of views in the community as it allocates donations and isn't a "moral compass." If MTU halted its participation, the board couldn't ignore it, since Tech employees contribute about 25 percent of the local United Way's revenue. "I don't know if the board would be swayed, but it will hurt the people in the participating agencies served."

Soldan said United Way should be a "moral compass." "If a neo-Nazi group came in and wanted to start a youth group," it would not be funded by United Way, he said.

"How can we support this organization with public money?" particularly when it doesn't follow MTU policy, Selfe said.

"As much as I respect Ted's point of view, if we sever our relationship with United Way, lots of organizations will be hurt," said Senator Debra Bruch (Fine Arts). "That's not fair."

Senator Dana Johnson (SBE) agreed, saying that it would especially hurt the poor people in the community.

As the senate was conducting a secret ballot on the proposal, senators continued their discussion. Senate Secretary Becky Christianson (Human Resources) said that many senate constituents hadn't had an opportunity to express their opinions on the motion. Then a motion to adjourn was made, and the senate voted to adjourn in mid-vote, voiding the ballots.

Senate President Robert Keen said the matter would be taken up at the next senate meeting in two weeks.

In other business, the senate

* tabled action on a proposal to create a minor in geophysics until it is reviewed by the Finance Committee. The senate is expected to act on the proposal at its next meeting.

* heard a report from Brenda Helminen, director of IT-Telcom, on the expansion of wireless zones on campus, In the zones, subscribing students, faculty and staff have broadband access from their wireless devices, such as laptop computers. She noted that IT is in the process of addressing security issues that have arisen with the technology.

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14 WEEKS: 268 THUMBS UP

Over two-thirds of Michigan Tech's faculty have voted in favor of a proposed academic calendar that includes 14-week semesters.

University Senate President Bob Keen said that faculty had returned 331 of the 396 ballots distributed, for a participation rate of 84 percent. Of those voting, 268, or 81 percent, were in favor of the new calendar. The "yes" votes represent 68 percent of the faculty.

The calendar will now be presented to the administration and the Board of Control for their approval.

To see the proposal in its entirety, http://www.sas.it.mtu.edu/usenate/propose/03/8-03.htm

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MICHIGAN TECH STUDENTS TO APPEAR ON "POWER LUNCH"

Members of Michigan Tech's championship investment team have been invited to appear on CNBC's finance program "Power Lunch."

Students in Dean Johnson's Applied Portfolio Management Program will be featured on Wednesday, Feb. 19. The two-hour program begins at noon, and the MTU segment is tentatively scheduled to be broadcast live from Michigan Tech at 1:30 p.m. CNBC can be seen locally on Charter Communications channel 46.

"This is another in a long string of successes for these students," said Johnson, an assistant professor in the School of Business and Economics. "They deserve a lot of credit."

Last year, students in the Applied Portfolio Management Program beat out dozens of student investors from business schools across the U.S. and Canada to win the second annual RISE Symposium in the Blended category. As one of the three winning teams, they opened the Nasdaq stock exchange in Times Square and appeared on the CNBC finance program "Squawk Box."

Since then, they have been featured in Business Week, and two student team members placed first and third in the Pine Mountain Music Festival Stock Picking Contest.

The Applied Portfolio Management Program lets students manage an investment portfolio of real money that has grown to over $300,000, largely from alumni donations but also from the careful management of the student investors.

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MICHIGAN TECH TO DEDICATE TRAIL SYSTEM SATURDAY

Michigan Tech will dedicate its acclaimed cross-country ski trail system this Saturday, Feb. 15, at 4 p.m. The dedication will take place in the groomer building at the trails. President Curt Tompkins will make a few comments, thanking those who made the trails possible.

The trails are receiving rave reviews. In the February 2003 issue of Silent Sports magazine, former Olympic coach Lee Borowski praises the trails saying, "If you like long winding downhills, this is the place. The only trail that surpasses them was the Royal Gorge in California, and that's in the Sierra Mountains. There is something here for all ages and abilities. I'm looking forward to skiing there [Tech Trails] with my grandkids."

Former US national team member and current Northern Michigan University coach, Sten Fjeldheim, says, "You've got a World Cup class trail here."

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ROVERNET EXPANDS COVERAGE

submitted by Auxiliary Technologies

RoverNet, the wireless connectivity option on campus, has now expanded coverage. IT-Telcom recently completed installation of wireless antennas on all four floors of the Van Pelt Library and has tuned the installation for excellent reception throughout the building.

RoverNet, started this fall, provides subscribers with Internet access through WiFi standard 802.11b wireless network cards. The system allows students, staff and faculty the option to be online with their laptop or compliant palm device in many common areas on campus, including most study lounges in the residence halls, the Memorial Union and now the Van Pelt Library.

For more information about RoverNet, check out the website at http://www.rovernet.mtu.edu or call the Auxiliary Technologies Office at 487-3523.

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MICHIGAN TECH STUDENT AWARDED INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP

Danielle Bever has been awarded a $1,300 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad in Thailand. Bever is a senior majoring in biological sciences.

Of the 667 students who submitted applications, 172 were awarded scholarships.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education.

For more information, visit the Gilman Program website at http://www.iie.org/gilman

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR UN1001

submitted by Martha Sloan, course coordinator

Interested faculty are invited to submit proposals to teach sections of UN1001 (Perspectives on Inquiry) for fall 2003 and spring 2004. The deadline for proposals is Friday, March 14, but extensions may be available if requested. Please submit your proposals via email.

Perspectives on Inquiry is the seminar for first-year students that begins the sequence of general education courses. Descriptions of the course are available on the Perspectives website at http://www.biol.mtu.edu/courses/bl447/poi_home.htm

Funding is available to support instruction. For academic year 2003-04, it is expected that the current funding arrangements will be continued. For regular faculty, this means that $4,500 will be transferred to the SS&E accounts of their home departments. Instructors are free to arrange with their department chairs for the disposition of these funds, e.g., for travel or other professional development. (Exceptions apply to those departments with assigned commitments to UN1001).

 About 75 different instructors from nearly 20 departments have now taught UN1001. The participation of excellent teachers from across the University has been key to the success of this course. These faculty find that Perspectives is exciting to teach. Individual sections address topics chosen by and of central interest to the instructor; the course focuses on inquiry that is intellectually stimulating to both instructors and students. Sections are small, capped this year at 22.

Instructors who have taught UN1001 previously and who wish to teach their same topic for next year should indicate this in an email to the course coordinator, Martha Sloan (masloan@mtu.edu). A change of topic requires a new proposal. Tenured and tenure-track faculty who have not previously taught Perspectives should submit a proposal of 500 words maximum that includes the general topic for your section; a description of your interest in, and approach to, this topic; what one or two central questions guide the inquiry of the course; what different perspectives on the central question will be addressed in the course; your specific ideas for sources of material for your section (books, articles, films, videos, etc.). Some samples of previous proposals are also available on the Perspectives web site.

If insufficient tenured and tenure-track faculty respond to this request, temporary instructors may teach Perspectives. Current temporary instructors who wish to teach next year should notify the course coordinator. Interested individuals who wish more information about proposals, or who simply want to discuss their ideas for topics, are asked to contact Sloan at 487-2845 or masloan@mtu.edu.

The Perspectives committee of six faculty and professional staff will read and respond to the proposals. The committee may also consult the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development to ensure the selection of effective teachers.

Workshops for new and current instructors are planned for spring and fall semesters.

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STAFF COUNCIL ANNOUNCES BOB! AWARD WINNERS

The first BOB Awards luncheon was held on Thursday, Feb. 6, to honor the best of the best of Michigan Tech staff. The committee received 81 nominations and presented 16 awards.

"The awards committee was ecstatic about the support from the campus community in attendance at the luncheon," said Becky Christianson (CPDQI). "The atmosphere during the luncheon was very positive, and it was splendid to watch the faces of the recipients as their nominations were read and their names were announced."

The following people were awarded certificates:

*Dotti Baril (Purchasing) "Press On Regardless"

*Emil Groth (ME-EM) "Tigger" Award

*Paula Zenner (ME-EM) Best Co-worker

*Pat Hopp (IT-SAS) Best Customer Service

*Ashley Hokenson (Rozsa Center) Good Deed Award

*Gail Sweeting and Dennis Walikainen (University Relations) Best Promotion of the Tech Family

*Julie Bingham (College of Engineering) Best Supervisor

*Student Records and Registration Staff Best Team

*Darlene Corrigan (Academic Office Building) Cleanest Building

*Gerald Dion (ME-EM) Most Dedicated

*Connie Dillman (ME-EM) Most Dependable

*Joan Pastore (Student Affairs) Most Fun

*Robyn Johnson (ME-EM) Most Organized

*Phil Huber (IT-SAS) Most Valuable Co-worker

*Rita Smith (Chemistry) Outstanding Service to the Campus Community

*Joan Hembroff (DHH) Spark Plug

"All in all, it was a great success, and Staff Council will continue the tradition of the BOB Awards in the future," said Christianson.

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FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY TO HOLD WINTER CARNIVAL SALE

The Friends of the Van Pelt Library will hold a Winter Carnival Sale on Saturday, Feb. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Van Pelt Library

lobby.

The Friends will be providing hot chocolate and cookies. MTU heritage souvenir blankets, Copper Country historic photo note cards and selected used books will be on sale. All proceeds go to support the Van Pelt Library.

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FACULTY RECEIVE FUNDING

Dean of the Graduate School Bruce Rafert has received $33,485 from Physical Sciences, Inc. for his project, "Detection of Liquids Using Long Wave Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging Spectroradiometer."

Associate Professor John Gierke (GMES) has received $70,000 from the KBIC for his project, "ENTERPRISE: Watershed Characterization and Hydrological Modeling for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community on the L'Anse Indian Reservation."

Assistant Professor Lyon B. King (ME-EM) has received $5,750 from NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center for his project, "Development of a Miniature L-Band Radiometer for Education Outreach in Remote Sensing."

Assistant Professor John van deLindt (Civil and Environmental Engineering) has received $40,000 from MDOT for his project, "Design Checks/Modifications for Steel Overhead Sign Support Structures."

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TEACHING AT TECH: THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PROFESSORS

by William Kennedy, Director

Center for Teaching, Learning and Faculty Development

Many people have used principles from Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" to reform, refocus and reinvigorate their professional and personal pursuits. A chapter in a new book, "Teaching College in an Age of Accountability," applies Covey's framework to overcoming some of the challenges of contemporary college instruction.*

Habit One: Be Proactive--The authors argue that professors should be aggressive in breaking the ice with students as early as possible in the semester. The idea is that creating a dialogue with students enables the professor to 1) assist students who are struggling with the course; 2) adjust course material to meet student needs; and 3) provide quality mentoring.

Habit Two: Begin with the End in Mind--Many students come to college with a very narrow agenda and limited tolerance for exposure to ideas outside of their imagined career focus. Instructors must develop creative and challenging assignments that demonstrate the broader relevance of course ideas and objectives if these students are to be engaged. Failure to make a case for relevance yields significant numbers of disengaged students, and that mass often spoils the learning atmosphere for those students who are interested.

Habit Three: Put First Things First--Effective professors must work hard to develop rich and engaging educational experiences. Each class session should be carefully planned and orchestrated to provide important course information in a variety of formats and settings. Assignments and exams should reinforce the learning of key concepts. Significant time should be devoted to providing conceptual understanding and periodic reviews of key concepts and their relationship to one another.

Habit Four: Think Win-Win--Provide positive feedback to students who participate and exhibit desirable learning behaviors. Provide students with multiple-overlapping opportunities to demonstrate mastery of course material. Carefully prepare students for the first exam, explicitly laying out your expectations. You might provide students with practice exams of the same form as the actual exam. Provide prompt feedback to students, make contact with students who are struggling and develop plans for helping them achieve their goals.

Habit Five: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood--Students are becoming less and less responsive to straight, impersonal lecturing. Effective teachers use the classroom to engage students in dialogue and mutual discovery. Teaching is a form of human communication and the affective climate of the classroom is a vital determinant of student engagement and learning. Using words and examples that relate to your students' life experiences and truly listening to your students demonstrates empathy and encouraging engagement.

Habit Six: Synergize--Professors should realize that each section they teach has the potential to take on a life of its own and become much more than a series of lectures, exercises and assignments. To encourage such synergy, professors should 1) work to relate student experience to course topics; 2) employ small groups and active learning techniques; 3) encourage out-of-class study groups; and 4) demonstrate their own continuing enthusiasm for learning.

Habit Seven: Take Time to Sharpen the Saw--The authors argue that many professors need to take the time to "retool" their courses to meet the changing needs of our students. They argue that professors should 1) regularly reflect on their teaching practice with successful colleagues; 2) keep current with the rapidly emerging human-learning literature; and 3) participate in teaching/learning workshops and activities.

* Lyons, R. E., McIntosh, M., Kysilka, M., Allyn and Bacon, Boston, 2003.

UNIVERSITY THEATRE PRESENTS TIBETAN-THEMED PLAY

submitted by Fine Arts

Mysterious Tibet comes to the Rozsa Center in this year's Winter Carnival theater production, "The Tibetan Book of the Dead, or How Not To Do It Again," presented by the Department of Fine Arts. This hit off-Broadway show combines music, movement, images, costumes, lights, words, characters and set to draw the audience into an authentic experience of Tibet's culture and traditional beliefs. Sue Stephens, associate professor of theater, directs the play, with music directed by Mike Irish, director of jazz studies.

"Tibetan Book" will be performed on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14-15, at 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 16, at 3 p.m., and Monday, Feb. 17, at 8 p.m. in the Rozsa Center. Tickets are available from Rozsa Center Ticketing Services, 487-3200, on the web at http://www.tickets.mtu.edu, and at the door for $10 general, $5 students.

Written by Jean-Claude von Itallie, the play is based on a collection of traditional stories and sayings called "The Tibetan Book of the Dead," which were designed to be read aloud as a spiritual guide. The book (and play) assume that each human being has a spirit which can be reborn again and again, and imagine what it might be like to experience the time between death and rebirth. Since we get second chances, it suggests, we can think about how to live better next time around. The play brings the imaginary soul's journey, full of colorful adventures, to life in order to dramatize both better choices and "how not to do it again."

The designers and crew for Michigan Tech's production are students in the fine arts department's technical theater program, directed by faculty members Mary Carol Friedrich and Christopher Plummer. The cast includes members of MTU's acting ensemble, The Troupe, who have rehearsed with director Stephens for nearly a year on the play.

Musicians Kyle Erickson and David Forstot worked closely with the actors to integrate the music, composed by Steven Gorn and elaborated by the musicians themselves, into the play. Tibetan instruments, including imported horns, gongs, conch, drums and other percussion instruments, create a unique background for the action.

The play's unusual raked stage and multi-leveled backdrops were engineered to meet the requirements of the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival, an annual competition in which this production is entered. The set can be quickly set up and taken down, as the festival's rules require, but is also strong, allowing actors to perform on several levels. Colorful costumes based on Tibetan models were designed and constructed in the University's costume shop.

More information is available from the fine arts department, 487-2067.

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"THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST" AT THE ROZSA

submitted by University Cultural Enrichment

The Aquila Theatre Company brings Oscar Wilde's splendid comedy "The Importance of Being Earnest" to the Rozsa stage on Friday, Feb. 21, at 8 p.m. Since its first performance on Valentine's Day in 1895, "The Importance of Being Earnest" has delighted audiences with

its larger-than-life characters and remains the most lasting of all Wilde's works. With its clever plot and memorable one-liners, it satirizes late Victorian manners and traditions with great skill and wit. Wilde pokes fun at the English aristocracy, the clergy and the snobbery and small talk of the idle rich. 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://tickets.mtu.edu.

The plot hinges on mistaken identities and secrets, as two young men-about-town, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, set out to court two young women. Both men concoct outrageous stories in order to add excitement to their lives. Jack has invented Ernest, a ne'er-do-well brother, whom he uses as an excuse to escape from his peaceful but boring country home to enjoy the pleasures of London and the sophisticated Gwendolen. Algernon invents an imaginary friend Bunbury, who provides a convenient ruse for trips to the country to visit the demure Cecily, who prettily presides over country tea on the lawn. Each manages to deceive the other until their paths cross. A series of hilarious crises ensues, involving the formidable Lady Bracknell, the foolish governess Miss Prism, a large handbag that once contained a baby, and a bumbling country clergyman. The ending is as amusing as it is cleverly contrived, and a good time is had by all.

Next to his impressive body of work--novels, plays, short stories, articles and poetry--Wilde is remembered for his flamboyant and eccentric lifestyle. He could be counted on at society parties, where he was much in demand, to come up with outrageous witticisms and biting satire.

This is Aquila's first production by the Irish-born dramatist, and promises to breathe new life into this much-performed smart comedy. Their creative staging and flair for language make this a "don't miss" event.

The visit of the Aquila Theatre Company to the Rozsa is sponsored by the Katherine M. Bosch Endowment with additional funding from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

NEW STAFF

Christian Fitzgerald has joined the staff of the Keweenaw Research Center as a research engineer I. He was previously employed at Cummins, Inc. as a senior engineer in product design.

Fitzgerald received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech. He lives in Atlantic Mine.

Pamela Givens has joined the staff of Student Activities as a secretary. She was previously employed at Republic Bank as a foreclosure clerk.

Givens received her bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting from Michigan Tech. She lives in Hancock.

Jennifer L. Miller has joined the staff of Technical Services in the J. R. Van Pelt Library as a catalog librarian. She was previously employed as a technical services librarian for the law firm of Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone.

Miller received a BA in Sociology with a minor in Women's Studies from Alma College and a Master of Library Science degree from Wayne State University. She lives in Chassell with her husband, Dave.

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IN THE NEWS

Michigan Tech's six webcams and Winter Carnival were mentioned in an article, "Michigan Tech Winter Carnival Webcast," in the Jan. 31 edition of "The Great lakes IT Report."

"Last year we had streaming video, but we had to have a camcorder, tripod, computer, keyboard and monitor for each location. Now we have just a camera that's a little larger than your basic paperback novel. Last year we needed an IT guy to intervene whenever there was a problem. Now someone just reboots the camera, and we're back in business," said News and Information Director Dean Woodbeck in the article.

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IN PRINT

Associate Professor Ulrich H. E. Hansmann (Physics) has published an article, "Solution Effects and the Order of the Helix-Coil Transition in Polyalanine," in the Journal of Chemical Physics, vol. 118 (2003), with Graduate Student Yong Peng, and Nelson Alves (University of Sao Paulo, Brazil).

Postdoctoral Research Professor Qiong Zhang, Presidential Professor John C. Crittenden, Professor James R. Mihelcic (Civil and Environmental Engineering) and Associate Professor David Shonnard (Chemical Engineering) published an article, "Development and Evaluation of an Environmental Multimedia Fate Model CHEMGL for the Great Lakes Region," in Chemosphere, Vol. 50, No. 10 (2003).

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CALENDAR: FEBRUARY

14        Friday

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

            8 p.m.--University Theatre, "The Tibetan Book of the Dead"--Rozsa Center

15        Saturday

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

            8 p.m.--University Theatre, "The Tibetan Book of the Dead"--Rozsa Center

16        Sunday

            3 p.m.--University Theatre, "The Tibetan Book of the Dead"--Rozsa Center

17        Monday

            8 p.m.--University Theatre, "The Tibetan Book of the Dead"--Rozsa Center

20        Thursday

            Noon--faculty workshop, "Teaching at Tech: Problem Based Learning"

            5:30 p.m.--Women's Basketball, Grand Valley State at MTU--SDC Gym

            7:30 p.m.--Men's Basketball, Grand Valley State at MTU--SDC Gym

21        Friday

            8 p.m.--Jazz Club Cabaret--McArdle Theatre

            8 p.m.--Aquila Theatre, "The Importance of Being Ernest"--Rozsa Center

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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, February 14, 2003, at 1 p.m. through noon, Friday, February 21, 2003, in the Human Resources Office or at http://www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/postings/

Data Analyst--Admissions

Data and Technology Coordinator--Center for International Education

Office Assistant 5--Civil and Environmental Engineering-LTAP/TDG (UAW internal and external posting)

Food Service Helper--Residential Services-Dining (Regular, part-time position; first or second shift; AFSCME internal and external posting)

Executive Chef--Memorial Union

University employees are reminded to apply in writing prior to noon, Friday, February 21, 2003, 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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