Sue McDaniel, Tech Topics editorial assistant, 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.

Subscribe to e-TechTopics: majordomo@mtu.edu
message: [UN]SUBSCRIBE TECH-TOPICS-L

SENATE AMENDS CALENDAR, PROPOSAL READY FOR BOARD APPROVAL IN JUNE

The University Senate acted May 21 to restore a week-long break at Thanksgiving, paving the way for Board of Control approval of the new, 14-week-semester academic calendar.

Responding to student concerns, on May 9 the Board endorsed a faculty-supported calendar featuring 14-week semesters, but asked that the three-day break over Thanksgiving be extended to a full week.

"There are problems," said senate president Robert Keen, as he presented the latest calendar iteration. "If you poke a calendar one place, another part will pop out."

In this case, Reading Day at the end of fall semester was eliminated, and, depending on the year, the first week of classes would be more likely to start earlier, one week before Labor Day.

At the request of President Curt Tompkins, the senate also agreed to have Midyear Commencement after the last day of classes, instead of after final exams. Otherwise, the calendar proposal was unchanged.

Senators did debate a couple of other calendar issues, primarily when K-Day and Winter Carnival should be scheduled. However, Senator Bruce Barna (Chemical Engineering) said that, while the proposed calendar largely reflected faculty wishes and had the support of the Board, additional changes might undercut that consensus. "We can revisit K-Day," he said. "It's much more difficult to revisit the 14-week calendar."

Senator Jim Pickens (SFRES) agreed. "Let's just pass this thing," he said.

The measure carried on a voice vote. The Board of Control is expected to act on the calendar June 25.

To see the latest calendar proposal, visit http://www.sas.it.mtu.edu/usenate/propose/03/21-03.htm

In other business, the senate

* tabled procedures for the University to use when the principal investigators on funded projects leave the University. To read the proposal, go to http://www.sas.it.mtu.edu/usenate/propose/03/19-03.htm

TICKETS ON SALE FOR STAFF RECOGNITION LUNCHEON

Staff Council is sponsoring a luncheon and awards presentation for staff who have reached a five-year anniversary of continuous service to the University. The luncheon will held on Wednesday, June 11, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom. MTU retirees will also be recognized.

A Mexican buffet will be served starting at noon. The awards presentation begins at 12:30 p.m., and everyone is invited. If you would like to join the award recipients for lunch, you can buy tickets from any of the Staff Council members listed below or from Barb Ruotsala in the Memorial Union Manager's Office. Tickets for the luncheon are $6 and must be purchased by June 6.

President Curt Tompkins will present awards to more than 100 MTU employees. "We encourage everyone to attend to show appreciation for the years of service these employees have given to Michigan Tech," organizers said.

Tickets are available from Arlene Collins, Charlie Dlubala, Peggy Gorton, Mary Jurgensen, Patti Myllyoja, Nancy Seely, Barb Radigan and Delmar Rautiola.

__________

SAE STUDENT SECTION WINS FIRST PLACE AT 2003 WORLD CONGRESS

by Jana Jones, student writer

The Michigan Tech student chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers received first place in the Student Exhibit Competition at the 2003 SAE World Congress, held March 3-6, in Cobo Hall in Detroit.

Nine teams competed in this year's Student Exhibit Competition. Michigan Tech took home a $1,250 prize for their winning booth. This is the second consecutive year that Michigan Tech has placed first in the student exhibit competition.

SAE advisor William Shapton said, "There are a number of outstanding universities in the competition. It is difficult to win two in a row."

Michigan Tech students have been entering the Student Exhibit Competition since the 1970s; they boast several other top three finishes, including 1981, 1982, 1984 and 1990.

Exhibits were judged on technical content, presentation, display, project management, teamwork and incorporation of the SAE World Congress theme.

__________

NO TECH TOPICS NEXT WEEK

Due to the Memorial Day Holiday, Tech Topics will not be published the week of May 26.

Publication will resume the following week.

FOURTH THURSDAY IN HISTORY: THE SEEBERVILLE MURDERS

submitted by Erik Nordberg

On August 14, 1913, sheriff's deputies shot a volley of bullets into a small boardinghouse in Painesdale killing two men and wounding two others. This tragic strike-related incident will be the topic of a public presentation at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 22, at Jeffers High School Auditorium, located at the end of Kearsarge Street off M-26 in Painesdale. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Associate Professor Kim Hoagland (Social Sciences) will detail how the Seeberville murders reveal information about daily life in a company town. The incident occurred three weeks into a long strike that had idled 15,000 copper miners. Two Croatian strikers had trespassed onto company property, prompting a watchman to call deputies, who tried to arrest the violators. The strikers fled into the boarding house where they lived, and the deputies opened fire. None of the strikers were armed. After the trial, four deputies were convicted of  manslaughter. One of the ironies of the situation lies in the fact that the boardinghouse was company property, blurring the lines between where people could live and even walk during the tumultuous strike.

The testimony and publicity surrounding the trial produced documentation revealing detailed information about the boardinghouse, its occupants and the neighborhood. Hoagland will discuss the sanctity of the home and how this was compromised by boarders, as well as the disadvantages of home ownership in a company-owned town As tragic and extraordinary as this incident was, its value today lies in its ability to tell us about the use of private space in an immigrant home during a violent struggle for worker recognition.

This presentation is part of the "Fourth Thursday in History" program jointly sponsored by Keweenaw National Historical Park and the MTU Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections. Additional support for this event is provided by the Copper Range Historical Society and Adams Township Schools.

For further information, including specific directions to this event, contact the Keweenaw National Historical Park at 337-1104, ext. 250 or the MTU Archives at 487-2505.

JUNE COMPUTER CLASSES

To register for classes, send an email to the Center for Professional Development and Quality Improvement at rwchrist@mtu.edu. Please note that Becky Christianson will be out of the office until June 4, so if you wish to register for a computer class during that time, contact Karen at dL Education directly. Their phone number is 482-9219. Also send an email to Christianson to let her know you have signed up for a class. Include the class(es) in which you want to enroll, your phone number and account number to which the class(es) should be charged. The charge for three-hour (half day) classes is now $70 and the charge for six-hour (full day) sessions is $140.

Charges will be billed to your account the month following attendance. dL Education is located in the E. L. Wright Plaza, Suite 201A at 801 N. Lincoln Drive in Hancock. The Plaza is located on Quincy Hill, just below Pat's IGA. As you enter the building, the training center is just up the stairs and to the left.

Access level 1, Thurs., June 12, 1-4 p.m.

Access level 2, Thurs., June 19, 1-4 p.m.

Access level 3, Thurs., June 26, 1-4 p.m.

Excel level 1, Tues., June 17, 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Excel level 2, Tues., June 17, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

PowerPoint, Wed., June 18, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Publisher, Wed., June 11, 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Windows level 1, Tues., June 3, 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Windows level 2, Tues., June 3, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

Word level 1, Tues., June 10, 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Word level 2, Tues., June 10, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

FACULTY AND STAFF RECEIVE FUNDING

Assistant Professor L. Brad King (MEEM) has received $185,000 from the United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research for his

project, "A Ground-Test Facility for High-Power Electric Thrusters Operating on Condensable Propellants."

__________

MTU NOTABLES

Michigan Tech's men's basketball yearbook has been judged number one in the nation among NCAA Division II schools by the College Sports Information Directors of America. A total of 277 schools participate in men's basketball in NCAA II.

In addition, the cover of the yearbook was judged number three in the nation.

The 52-page yearbook, produced by the Athletic Communications and Marketing division of University Relations, was written and edited by Wes Frahm, assistant director of athletic communications and marketing and Dave Fischer, assistant athletics director for communications and marketing.

Bill Tembreull, director of design and publication services, designed the cover of the yearbook while Joe Pyykkonen of the photography staff provided the pictures.

__________

IN PRINT

Professor Emeritus Harley L. Sachs' (Humanities) science fiction novel, "The Search for Jesse Bram," was published by Wings-press.com in May.

The book has been published as a paperback, audio book on cassette and CD and as an ebook.

Associate Professor Ulrich H. E. Hansmann (Physics) authored a review article, "New Algorithms and the Physics of Proteins," in Physica A, vol. 321 (2003).

__________

ON THE ROAD

Associate Professor Ulrich H. E. Hansmann (Physics) presented a talk, "Computer Simulations of Proteins," at the international workshop "Statistical Mechanics of Polymers," Banff, Canada, May 11-15.

__________

CALENDAR: MAY

22        Thursday

            Noon-1 p.m.--Weight Watchers meeting--Memorial Union Red Metal Room 105B

            7 p.m.--Fourth Thursday in History, "The Seeberville Murders"--Jeffers High School Auditorium

23        Friday

            6/7:15 p.m.--Club Indigo, Dinner/Movie, "Il Postino"--Calumet Theatre

__________

NO NEW POSITIONS THIS WEEK

No new positions are posted this week at Michigan Tech. 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 at http://www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/postings/index.shtml or by calling the Job Line at 487-2895. Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer.

News  |  Entertainment and Enrichment  |   Seminars and Workshops  |  Regular Features  |  Calendar  |  Top

Tech Topics Home

[Top]

[Top]

[Top]