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AN OPEN LETTER FROM DALE TAHTINEN, VICE PRESIDENT FOR GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRSAfter attending meetings in Lansing, it has become apparent that it is very, very important to send letters to your local legislators and the Governor regarding cuts in higher education. It will have more of an impact if they are handwritten letters, not form letters, indicating it is critically important that higher education not be cut, or, if it absolutely has to happen, that the cuts be held to a minimum because of their direct relationship to increasing tuition and declining quality of education. The letters need to arrive in the legislators' and Governor's offices by Thanksgiving. The Governor is expected to make her final decisions by then. Please get the word to students, parents and our alumni. Dale NOTE: For letter-writing ideas, visit "Protect Our Universities," http://www.mtu.edu/protect/ . Key addresses are Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, P.O. Box 30013, Lansing, MI 48909; The Hon. Rich Brown, P.O. Box 30014, Lansing, MI 48909-7514; and The Hon. Michael Prusi, Post Office Box 30036, Lansing, MI 48909-7536. Addresses for other Michigan legislators are available at * http://www.senate.michigan.gov/SenatorInfo/find-your-senator.htm * http://house.michigan.gov/representatives.asp _____________ REID: UNIVERSITIES CRUCIAL TO MICHIGAN'S FUTUREMichigan boasts one of the greatest university systems in the nation, founded on a heritage of respect for higher education that goes back to the early days of America, Wayne State University president Irvin Reid said in the inaugural State of the Universities Address Nov. 12. That heritage is worth protecting, Reid told educators from across the state as Lansing lawmakers debated budget cuts needed to eliminate a looming $920 million deficit. His speech was broadcast live at Michigan Tech, where viewers have reason to be concerned. Like most Michigan universities, MTU's appropriation was cut 10 percent last year, and while midyear cuts have not been announced, officials are bracing for the near-inevitable. The administration has again instituted position control to reduce expenses; no new positions have been posted for the last two weeks. Over the last several months, the university has eliminated more than 60 positions, largely through attrition, to cope with the revenue squeeze. Academic departments have cut expenses 5 percent, with administrative departments reducing their budgets by 10 percent. Statewide, Michigan's public universities have cut 1,500 positions and implemented $159 million in savings, "tantamount to closing a large factory," Reid said. Reid stressed the economic value universities bring to the state. "Every dollar of investment in our universities by the state generates $26 of economic impact," he said. "No other public investment realizes such a high rate of return." Plus, college graduates earn on average $20,000 per year more than high school graduates, and their jobs are more stable. "To the state of Michigan, it means more than $35 billion annually in additional personal earned income," Reid said. With the decline in manufacturing jobs, universities play a crucial role in retooling the state's economy. "Michigan's economic future is less about manpower and more about ingenuity, creativity and the pursuit and discovery of new knowledge," Reid said. "It is the application of this knowledge that will transform the quality of people's lives here and around the world. It is in our public universities that such transformations begin, are encouraged and come to fruition." Reid cautioned that, just as the need for college graduates increases, cuts in state support could throttle access for many prospective students. Michigan's support for higher education has grown at the second-lowest rate of all state programs over the past 20 years. "During the past two decades, state spending on corrections increased at a rate five times that of higher education," he noted. The result has been higher tuition, a burden shouldered by students and their families. "Twenty-five years ago, three-fourths of our universities' general operating revenues were funded through appropriations and the remaining one quarter through tuition. Today, state support accounts for less than one half of general university operations, and Michigan spends $1,000 less per student on average than other Great Lakes states. "I appeal to our legislators to reduce this trend," Reid said. "By not bringing the level of state appropriations into equilibrium with tuition dollars, we eventually will turn a Michigan public university education from a public good to a private benefit." "Our universities are committed to joining our state leadership in returning Michigan to national economic prominence," Reid concluded. "We are at a crossroad. Let us take the right path--a path that ensures continued quality and affordability for our state universities--a path that will make certain Michigan's economic future." The text of the State of the Universities speech is available at http://www.pcsum.org . _____________ GOT A COMPUTER CONUNDRUM? CALL I.T. OXYGENIT Oxygen is offering to help MTU organizations and departments with their technology-related problems. IT Oxygen, an Enterprise program, has 22 student members majoring in computer engineering, computer science, STC, electrical engineering and business administration, including management information systems. "We understand that when integrating technological and human systems, problems sometimes arise; we can solve those problems," said Erol Suleymanoglu, IT Oxygen president. Campus departments and organizations are invited to contact IT Oxygen to discuss their technology needs. The Enterprise takes on one-day, semester-length and long-term projects. The cost of the service is negotiable. "We'd be willing to take on some small projects for free, just to build our portfolios," said Lecturer Michael Moore (Engineering), the group's advisor. Some previous projects the group has tackled include a database for ABET assessment materials, on behalf of the College of Engineering; documentation for educational software; and a proprietary online database for stock market portfolio analysis. Like most new Enterprises, IT Oxygen is also searching for an industry sponsor to support the team in exchange for services performed. "We're researching what kinds of companies we'd like to work with," Moore said. The team hopes to bring more than code-writing skills to the marketplace. "Our team will try to solve people's problems," he said. "Even though we are an IT team, we're dealing with things like ethics and ergonomics, even compassion. The team values those concepts in the context of their work." IT Oxygen, geek-laden as it is, boasts many members who like computer problems and love fixing them. "Plus, we've been lucky enough to recruit some STC majors," Moore said. "They bring a whole new range of experience and knowledge that's important in information technology contexts, including a heightened awareness of audience, aesthetics and communication. Those are really invaluable skills, and they bring a lot of strength to our team." IT Oxygen finds strength in other areas. "I think we are the most diverse organization on campus," Moore said, with students hailing from Poland, the United States, Ghana, Cyprus, Thailand, Japan and Malaysia. "They bring such different assumptions and viewpoints, and we use that when we approach a problem and think about it," he said. "It's better than a textbook to have this group of people working together." Plus, their work ethic is exceptional. "I wish I could tell you the level of commitment the students have," Moore said. "They come in on weekends, at all hours. I wish there was some way to capture that level of commitment and inject it into all classes." If your office has an IT problem that you think IT Oxygen can help solve, contact Erol Suleymanoglu at esuleyma@mtu.edu or Nicholas Jacoby, IT Oxygen vice president of business and finance, at njjacoby@mtu.edu . ____________ TIAA-CREF REPS HERE NEXT WEEK:WORKSHOP ON 457(B) RETIREMENT PLAN WEDNESDAYRepresentatives from TIAA-CREF will visit Michigan Tech next week to meet individually with TIAA-CREF participants and introduce the community to a new retirement savings option. Michigan Tech will make 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plans available to employees starting Jan. 1. The plan, similar to a 401(k), allows employees to deposit $12,000 or more annually before taxes into a retirement account. For more information, visit http://www.457bwise.com/features/457breads.html Informational meetings on 457(b) plans will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Memorial Union Ballroom B3. All interested persons are invited. To schedule an individual appointment with a TIAA-CREF representative to discuss your own retirement preparations, call 800-842-2044 or visit http://tiaa-cref.org/moc . Representatives are expected to be on campus Nov. 18-21. ____________ RESIDENTIAL SERVICES HOLDS PUMPKIN PIE SALEResidential Dining Services will be taking orders for its annual pumpkin pie sale until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 24. The nine-inch homemade pumpkin pies sell for only $2.95 each and can be ordered by calling 487-2688 and asking for Nathan or by e-mailing nrkental@mtu.edu. Pick up will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26th, in the Wadsworth Hall Kitchen. ____________ BROWN BAG LUNCHEON ON HEATING BILL REDUCTION NOV. 19The Environmental Sustainability Committee is hosting a brown bag luncheon for faculty, students and staff on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from noon to 1 p.m. in the MUB Red Metal Room. This informal session will explore ways to save money by reducing heating bills and will include several speakers. Bring your own lunch. Punch and cookies will also be provided. Please join us with your ideas, suggestions, questions and tips, or just come to listen. For more information, contact Shalini Suryanarayana (487-2262 or shalini@mtu.edu). ____________ OPEN MEETING ON VICE PROVOST SEARCH NOV. 13The vice provost search committee will hold an open meeting to accept comments from faculty, staff and students on the position description and the search criteria for senior vice provost on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 4 p.m. in Dow 641. The draft versions of the position description and the search criteria are posted for your review at http://www.mtu.edu/mtuonly/temp/srvp/ . ____________ UAW LOCAL 5000 CAN-A-THON BEGINS NOV. 17The MTU campus community is asked to donate non perishable items which will be distributed to those in need by the Salvation Army and St. Vincent DePaul. On-campus collection areas will be set up on the first floors of the Administration Building, Dillman Hall and the Van Pelt Library, the third floor of the Walker Arts and Humanities Center, at the Memorial Union Building Manager's Office, the Keweenaw Research Center, the Student Development Complex and the Noblet building. Items will be collected from Nov. 17 to Dec. 10. The can-a-thon is sponsored by UAW Local 5000. ____________ MEMORIAL UNION HOLIDAY BUFFET SET FOR DEC. 9The Memorial Union will host its sixth annual holiday buffet on Tuesday, Dec. 9. The luncheon buffet will open at 11:30 a.m. Tickets for the event are $6.50 per person and will available from Monday, Nov. 17, to Thursday, Dec. 4, at the MUB Manager's Office on the first floor of the Memorial Union. Since seating is customized based on advance reservations, there will be no tickets available at the door. Get your tickets and reservations early! As usual, we will have President Curt Tompkins and Provost Kent Wray as guest carvers of the turkey. This year's menu will include holiday punch and snacks in the lobby, carved roast breast of turkey, holiday bread and apple stuffing, creamy seasoned Yukon gold mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, Harvard beets, cheesy vegetable medley, cranberry fruit salad, marinated mushroom salad, broccoli peanut salad, dinner rolls with butter, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, gingersnaps, coffee and water. A vegetarian entree of a stuffed cabbage roll will be available by advance reservation. Please indicate vegetarian preference when purchasing your ticket. The local singing group The Noteworthies will provide a short holiday performance at approximately 12:45 p.m. ____________ ISI WEB OF SCIENCE SEARCH AVAILABLE ONLINEThe ISI Web of Science is now available through the J. R. Van Pelt Library's Web page. Web of Science provides seamless access to Science Citation Index Expanded, Art and Humanities Citation Index and Social Science Citation Index. It enables users to search current and retrospective multidisciplinary information from approximately 8,500 of the most prestigious, high-impact research journals in the world. Web of Science also provides a unique search method, cited reference searching. With it, users can navigate forward, backward and through the literature, searching different disciplines and time spans. You can also export records directly to bibliographic management programs such as Endnote, Reference Manager and Procite. To access ISI Web of Science, go to the library's e-resource page at http://www.lib.mtu.edu/eresources/eressearch/eressearch.aspx. If you are unfamiliar with ISI Web of Science, and you want to learn more, check out the online tutorial at http://www.isinet.com/tutorials/wos6/. If you would like a presentation or instruction, please contact Nora Allred, library instruction coordinator, at 487-3041 or e-mail nsallred@mtu.edu. ____________ PROJECTS, REVIEWERS SOUGHT FOR TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION CAPSTONE COURSELong-term projects, a series of associated projects, or communication-related jobs are needed for the spring section of HU 4634, the capstone project course for undergraduate STC majors. The primary goal of this course is to offer students the opportunity to work with real clients on real projects and to simulate, where possible, the internship experience that they would get off campus. Reviewers are also needed for the finished projects so that students can receive feedback from working professionals. If you are interested in sponsoring a project or would like to become a project reviewer for a student in the course, please call Ann Brady at 487-2066 or e-mail mabrady@mtu.edu. ____________ TEACHING AT TECH: FITTING INby William Kennedy, director, Center for Teaching, Learning and Faculty Development Most instructors would readily admit that incoming students vary widely in their capacity and in their willingness to "do things our way." By far the most frequent expressions of concern I hear from instructors on this campus and across the academy include variations on the theme of, "What is with some of these students? Many don't come to class. They complain about every assignment I give. Many don't want to read. Why are they here? I just don't get it!" In the last 60 years or so, American colleges and universities have shifted from educating a relatively small and homogenous subset of students, a group that had already proven that they were able and more than willing "to do it our way," to offering the same suite of services to a much broader sampling of young folks, many of whom just as readily demonstrate that they are marginally unwilling and/or unable to meet our traditional expectations or to conform to our "tried and true" methods. "Well, rough rocks for them," some observe, "then they just don't belong in college!" My Darwinian side observes that academic communities that embrace this sort of response are likely to find themselves out of business. On the other hand, institutions that attempt to address the issue through the gradual appeasement of lowering the bar or flailing about frenetically trying to accommodate the dizzying array of cognitive, emotional and preparatory challenges that these young folks bring along with them may be doomed to similar futures. That being said, some sort of coordinated response is clearly needed. I am intimately familiar with the problem of not fitting into a system that works well for others. Over the years, I have developed an enormous following; one that effectively prevents me from comfortably fitting into all but the most expensive of airplane seats. I assure you that the challenge of squeezing my business end into a 17-inch economy-class airplane seat has nothing to do with my attitude about air travel or my desire to fly. It is purely a problem of physics. Southwest Airline's view is that the problem is mine and mine alone. "Tough! Buy two seats and skip the peanuts, you cow!" Others say, "Fly first-class," not recognizing that my wallet has not swelled in proportion to my girth. So instead of addressing my root problem, the airlines provide me with a seatbelt extension. This is an implement of torture that the anorexic flight attendant publicly deposits in my lap once he or she disapprovingly sees me forcefully wedging my overly ample posterior into its grossly undersized landing zone. Federal regulations, which obviously have nothing to say about seat size, require that my substantial following be firmly strapped in despite the physical impossibility of it being unintentionally dislodged regardless of any imaginable mid-flight anomaly. Seatbelt extensions are the technological equivalent of dunce caps to improve motivation or remedial courses to bring lukewarm or previously unchallenged or ill-prepared students up to speed. Logical solution, wrong problem! The problem is that the vast majority of university instruction has remained largely unchanged since its inception. Talk and test. Cram and purge. When all the talk about active learning and engaged learning is done, it's still largely "my way or the highway!" Aristotle observed that profoundly influencing human development requires not only the capacity and the willingness to challenge the intellect, but also the ability to gain the trust and to inflame the passions of each and every one of our students. Sleepy, missing, half-hearted and disinterested students may be the unfortunate byproducts of rampant vocationalism and credentialism. But failure to ignite the curiosity and the passion of those we are privileged to serve resides, at least in part, in our own domain. Whitehead observed that "the proper function of a university is the imaginative acquisition of knowledge. Apart from this importance of the imagination, there is no reason why business men [and women], and other professional men [and women], should not pick up their facts bit by bit as they want them for particular occasions. A university is imaginative or it is nothing--at least nothing useful." LEGENDARY BLUES AND GOSPEL GROUP AT THE ROZSA CENTERsubmitted by University Cultural Enrichment The Rozsa Center is honored to present one of America's national treasures--The Blind Boys of Alabama. This legendary blues and gospel group will be in Houghton on Saturday, Nov. 15, for one performance only starting at 7:30 p.m. 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. For over 60 years the Blind Boys of Alabama have kept alive the pure essence of soul gospel music, the trials and tribulations of life, the gorgeous falsettos, resonant harmonies and infectious rhythms, in the style of gospel singing known as jubilee. Their programs are varied, with vigorous, heart-pounding, foot-stomping numbers alternating with gentle, sweetly sung spirituals. While much of the Blind Boys' song list is traditional, they also produce a totally distinctive sound, from the original sound that is the essence of their style, to covers by artists such as Prince, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, Funkadelic and Jimmy Cliff. The Blind Boys began in 1939 as fellow students at the Talladega Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Alabama. Calling themselves the Happy Land Jubilee Singers, it didn't take them long to take their show on the road. They changed their name in the late 1940s, as a result of a fierce rivalry with Mississippi's Blind Boys. They progressed from playing small tent shows to the big time and started recording in 1948. In 1988 they starred in the Obie Award-winning Broadway musical "Gospel at Colonnus," an unlikely but very successful blend of gospel, blues and Greek tragedy. The show was broadcast on PBS and staged on Broadway for a 15-week run. Later the company toured the country with "Gospel at Colonnus," bringing the Blind Boys a much wider audience. In 1994 the group was awarded the NEA National Heritage Fellowship, presented by then First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. The dedication and faith of founder Clarence Fountain withstood the inequities of the Jim Crow laws, unscrupulous record company sharks, temptations to cross over to secular rhythm 'n' blues and the Depression. He brought them to where they are today, one of the most beloved and respected groups in America and known around the world. With three Grammy Award nominations and two Grammy Awards for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album for this year's Higher Ground CD and for Spirit of the Century last year, their music and their stamina seem stronger than ever, and they continue to deliver amazing performances both live and in the recording studio. The visit of the Blind Boys of Alabama is made possible by funding from the Committee for Campus Enrichment and is coordinated by the MTU Great Events Series (487-2844). ____________ TROUPE'S FAMILY SHOW FRIDAY, NOV. 14Michigan Tech's improv acting group, The Troupe, presents "The Troupe's Family Show," an evening of comedy for MTU students and community families, on Friday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m. in McArdle Theatre. The 12-member Troupe will create skits using ideas from the audience, including skits on superheroes and 30-second fairy tales. Associate Professor Sue Stephens (Fine Arts) directs The Troupe. Tickets for the Nov. 14 show are available from the Rozsa Center Box Office and at the door for $3 for MTU and K-12 students, $5 for general public and free for children aged 8 and under. ____________ "BERLIOZ BIRTHDAY BASH" CONCERT SUNDAYThe Michigan Tech Wind Symphony will celebrate the 200th birthday of French composer Hector Berlioz on Sunday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the Rozsa Center, in a concert titled "Symphonie! The Berlioz Bicentennial Birthday Bash." The 85-voice Michigan Tech Concert Choir will join the orchestra to present the regional premiere of Berlioz's "Symphonie triomphale et funebre." Todd Bonham, trombonist and a sophomore at MTU, will be the soloist. In addition, the Wind Symphony will present "Marche hongroise," from "The Damnation of Faust," and "Roman Carnival Overture." The concert includes readings selected by the conductor, Alton Thompson, who will also host a pre-concert talk, "Meet the Music," at 6 p.m. in the Rozsa Center to introduce Berlioz and his music to the audience. The Wind Symphony is comprised of select musicians, most of them students at Michigan Tech, who perform repertory representing a variety of historical and national styles. Wind Symphony concerts feature innovative formats that include visual art, the spoken word and dance. This season marks the second year of the ensemble's partnership with Thompson, who also serves as music director of the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra. In December the Wind Symphony will share a holiday concert, Seasonal Spirits of Mystery and Magic, with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra. Tickets for the Berlioz Birthday Concert are available from the Rozsa Center Box Office, 487-3200, and at the door for $4 students, $8 general public. ____________ CLUB INDIGO PRESENTS "MURIEL'S WEDDING" FRIDAYby Joe Kirkish The next Club Indigo from the MBY music fraternity returns to Australia for another heart-warming, feel-good kind of movie, but with a twist on Friday, Nov. 14. "Muriel's Wedding" has been listed as a comedy, satire, romance and drama--and it is all of those in one delightful movie. Muriel is not very attractive, slightly overweight, with little self esteem but a driving passion to get married--to anyone, just to be a bride in white and prove to all her friends that she could do it. She escapes from Porpoise Spit (her home town) to a Club Med-type vacation on Hibiscus Island with her best friend. That starts her on a wild and chaotic journey of self-discovery, filled with wacky and eccentric plot turns, with the hopes that her life is leading in the right direction to the altar. What it does, ultimately, far surpasses her dreams. While the movie is consistently funny, it is also savvy enough not to play things just for laughs. "Muriel's Wedding" is a 1995 gem from Down Under, not to be missed. The movie will be shown at 7:15 p.m., preceded by an Australian buffet created as only the expertise and imagination that Chef Erik Karvonen, of Eagle River's Fitzgerald restaurant, can provide. The buffet is at 6 p.m., and reservations are required due to limited seating. Cost for both movie and buffet is still $13, movie alone (no reservation needed), $3.50. The sponsor for this movie is Jeryl Manchester, attorney, Houghton. The final Club Indigo for the year will feature the Audrey Hepburn classic "Breakfast at Tiffany's," on Friday, Dec. 19.
MEEM GRADUATE SEMINAR THURSDAY, NOV. 13Timothy Roggenkamp, of General Motors--Noise and Vibration Center, will present "Observations on Noise & Vibration Challenges in the Automotive Industry" Thursday, Nov. 13, 3-4 p.m. in MEEM 112. ____________ NANOSCIENCE LECTURE THURSDAY, NOV. 13Bruce Seely, chair of the Department of Social Sciences, will give a lecture, "Societal Implications of Nanoscale Science and Engineering," Thursday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m. in Dow 642. Refreshments will be served. This lecture is sponsored by the new Nanotechnology Student Association, and students who are interested in the new Fundamentals of Nanoscale Science and Engineering course are encouraged to come. ____________ CHEMISTRY SEMINAR FRIDAY, NOV. 14Associate Professor Jaroslaw W. Drelich (SME) will present a chemistry seminar, "Determination of Solid Surface Tension at the Nano-scale Using Atomic Force Microscopy," Friday, Nov. 14, at 3 p.m. in Chemical Sciences and Engineering 101.
ON THE ROADAssociate Professor John Jaszczak (Physics) gave an invited lecture, "Surprises in Natural Graphite: Beauty From Defects," to the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Drexel University on Nov. 3. He also gave a keynote lecture, "100 Years of the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum: What's the Secret?" for the Friends of Mineralogy Pennsylvania Chapter symposium "Minerals, Museums and More" on Nov. 1 in Media, Pa. James P. Cross, executive director of the Center for International Education, was the keynote presenter at a UNESCO-sponsored seminar, "Modern University Management: Innovations, Sources of Finance and Information Technologies," held in Paris Oct. 23-24. During the week of Nov. 3 he presented a series of guest lectures on international management and marketing in higher education at the new International College at Wuhan University of Technology in Wuhan, China. ____________ Calendar: November12--Wednesday 5 p.m.--State of the Universities Address Live Telecast--MEEM 111 14--Friday 7:30 p.m.--The Troupe's Family Show--McArdle Theatre 15--Saturday 7:30 p.m.--Blind Boys of Alabama--Rozsa Center 17--Monday 5:30 p.m.--Women's Basketball, Finlandia at MTU--SDC Gym 7:30 p.m.--Men's Basketball, Finlandia at MTU--SDC Gym ____________ No New Positions This WeekNo 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 by calling the Job Line at 487-2895 or visiting http://www.admin.mtu.edu/hro/postings/ . Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer.
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