January 7, 2000, Vol. 32, No. 15
Y2-OK: MTU Survives the Century Shift
Governor Vetos Funding for New Building
Can Exercise Prevent Fainting?
Computer Equipment Shopping? Get Discounts on Compaq Products
Subhash Receives Teetor Award
MTU Student Selected as Millionth GLI Fan
SFWP Accreditation Continued
Forestry Open House Jan. 19 for Nonforestry Students
GSC Awards More Travel Grants
Alumni Award Nominations Due Monday
News You Can Use: Diabetes, High Blood Pressure Linked to Cognitive Decline
Teaching at Tech: Punished by Rewards, Part 2
Sons of Erin in the Copper Country at Tech Tea Time
Self-Defense Classes Start January 12
New Staff
In Print
On the Road
Calendar
Job Postings
Bill Curnow, director, University Relations
Marcia Goodrich, Tech Topics editor
Gail Sweeting, electronic marketing assistant
Information to be included in Tech Topics should be submitted to the Tech Topics editor in one of the following ways:
By electronic mail--send information to ttopics@mtu.edu
By interdepartmental mail--send double-spaced, typed copies to the attention of Tech Topics editor, University Relations.
Each week, the deadline for submitting information is Friday at 5:00 p.m. for the following Friday distribution.
News (Back to Contents)
Y2-OK: MTU Survives the Century Shift
Michigan Tech's Y2K point man, George Fox, came to work first thing on New Year's Day to make sure everything was working right, and it was.
"I came in at 1:00 a.m. on Saturday to make sure our uninterruptible power supply [backup power source] was OK, and it was," said Fox, director of administrative computing. "It was really uneventful, and that's what we wanted. . . . I've checked with all my staff and with IT, and nothing has been reported of any significance."
The Y2K nonevent was no accident. "Some people say this was an overreaction, but there was a tremendous amount of work done to make sure our systems were compliant," he said. "Everybody who has worked on Y2K remediation has done an excellent job. We and the rest of the world have spent the last two to five years correcting this stuff."
IT staff stopped by the University over the weekend to run tests and assure that systems would be up and running when the rest of us came to work, and they were. "We are in really good shape," Fox said.
All these Y2K preparations have had a beneficial side effect. Many antiquated systems have been updated or replaced, and organizations have learned from their collective efforts. "The University is now probably better prepared for an emergency, and so are the county and the infrastructure providers," Fox said.
Now that the January 1, 2000, hurdle has been cleared, there's another small obstacle coming up next month. "Not all systems take into account that this is a leap year," Fox said. "Leap year is every four years, unless its a century. Except for every four centuries, when it is a leap year. The year 1600 was the last century leap year." If computers don't recognize that we have a February 29 this year, some automatic systems could go haywire, Fox said. However, MTU's administrative and maintenance systems have been checked and should weather the leap year glitch without a hitch.
Governor Vetos Funding for New Building
Governor John Engler has vetoed funding for most capital outlay projects at Michigan's public universities, including MTU's proposed Center for Integrated Learning and Information Technology.
Michigan Tech had asked for and the state legislature had authorized funding to begin planning for the $80 million Center for Integrated Learning and Information Technology. The center was among thirty other university and community college requests statewide rejected last week by Engler.
The 200,000-square-foot technology center would have linked the J. R. Van Pelt Library and Fisher Hall while doubling the space available for the physics, mathematical sciences, and computer science departments. Construction could have begun as early as 2002 with completion in 2005.
In vetoing most of the university requests, Engler said that funding all the capital outlay requests would have far exceeded the $2.75 billion bonding cap in place for such projects.
Provost Fred Dobney said the veto wasn't totally unexpected. "I don't think anyone was surprised by that," he said. "We just wanted to get it in there and get it noticed. It's no big surprise after a big outlay [for other recent building projects] to have it cut out, but we're confident it will eventually be approved."
Computer Equipment Shopping? Get Discounts on Compaq Products
MTU, through its membership in the Educational and Institutional Cooperative Service (E & I Co-op), now has the opportunity to save an additional 12 percent to 15 percent off Compaq's National Education Pricing.
The only requirement to receive the additional discount is to identify yourself with MTU and indicate that we are a member of E & I. If you don't, your discount will be only 5 percent off the educational price.
Your Purchasing Card may be used for items less than $500; a requisition must be used for items over $500. Details on the program are available at http://www.eandi.org/compaqdiscounts.htm
Can Exercise Prevent Fainting?
Submitted by the News Bureau
A researcher in the Center for Biomedical Engineering hopes to find an exercise regimen that will prevent fainting in persons who are otherwise healthy.
Assistant Professor William H. Cooke says a significant number of highly trained athletes and astronauts returning from space experience lightheadedness, tunnel vision, nausea, and fainting when standing upright.
"Approximately 30 to 40 percent of astronauts just back from space missions can't stand for more than ten minutes without showing signs of fainting," he says. "Many marathon runners and triathlon participants experience the same difficulty. In fact there's a saying, 'highly trained athletes can run, but they can't stand.' Of course, many non-athletes also have fainting spells."
Many fainting episodes are caused by a malfunction in the arterial pressure sensors responsible for maintaining adequate blood flow to the brain.
Cooke wonders if astronauts and athletes faint due to fundamental adjustments in neural regulatory mechanisms, and if so, what do cardiovascular deconditioning in space flights and conditioning in traditional terrestrial exercise regimens have in common? And how are these mechanisms altered by different types of exercise? For example, does resistance training increase or decrease nerve activity and arterial pressure sensing mechanisms?
Scientists believe that arterial pressure sensors known as "baroreceptors" reset in space in response to decreases in blood volume. Because baroreceptors normally sense even subtle decreases in blood pressure during standing on earth, any malfunction of these pressure sensors after space flight results in an insufficient increase in heart rate.
"When a person stands upright on earth, the sympathetic branch of the autonomic (involuntary) nervous system sends bursts of nerve messages to the veins delivering blood from the leg muscles," says Cooke. "This results in a constriction of the leg veins, which facilitates the pumping of blood toward the head. " Astronauts who faint after space flights may be experiencing a decreased sympathetic response to standing.
Aerobic exercise on earth leads to a chronic elevation in blood volume. So theory has it that if astronauts exercise in space, they will maximize blood volume and reduce the potential for fainting when they return to earth.
"The primary exercise program of choice for astronauts is long-duration, moderate intensity aerobic exercise," says Cooke. "However, some astronauts who follow this program in space still faint when they return to earth. Another countermeasure, drinking large amounts of fluid prior to reentry into the earth's atmosphere, tends to restore blood volume, but still doesn't prevent fainting.
"Aerobic training actually decreases arterial pressure sensitivity and nerve traffic on earth--a healthy adaptation for athletes, but bad for astronauts. The trick is to find out if people's cardiovascular systems react differently to other forms of training, and if a particular training program will help prevent fainting."
Cooke says it may be better for astronauts to limit aerobic training, but increase strength training before going into space, and then maintain strength training exercises in space. He hopes that the data he will collect during the next four years will suggest an appropriate exercise training program and countermeasure for astronauts, and also for normal healthy persons who routinely suffer fainting spells on earth. In the latter instance, an appropriate exercise program could help prevent falls that cause bone fractures in elderly persons.
Cooke's research is being supported by a $255,000 Scientist Development Grant from the American Heart Association.
Associate Professor Ghatu Subhash (ME-EM) has been selected by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) International to receive the prestigious 2000 Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award.
The Teetor Award is given annually to outstanding young engineering faculty throughout the US. Last year, Professor John Sutherland (ME-EM) was among the recipients, with Assistant Professor Donna Michalek receiving the award in 1998. Several other department members have received Teetor Awards in previous years.
"The credentials and standards of excellence in education of this year's candidates were extremely high and brought about very keen competition," the SAE said in announcing the award. "Dr. Subhash's outstanding contributions have distinguished him as one of the nation's top engineering educators."
Department Chair William Predebon was pleased but not overly surprised at the award announcement. "Subhash is a driven person, and he continues to excel in whatever he does, in teaching, research, and service, plus he's really a very nice person," Predebon said. "Besides being one of the most productive people in my department, he's also the advisor to the student chapter of ASME and has earned Michigan Tech's Distinguished Teaching Award and the Outstanding New Mechanics Educator Award, given by the American Society of Engineering Educators."
Award recipients receive trips to the SAE International Congress and Exposition, held in March in Detroit, and the World Aviation Congress & Exposition, held during October in California.
MTU Student Selected as Millionth GLI Fan
Undergraduate Kyle Reininger (Electrical Engineering) was selected December 30 as the Great Lakes Invitational's one-millionth fan, Dave Fischer (Athletics/University Relations) reports.
Reininger walked through the turnstiles about 4:10 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena to attend the third-place hockey game between Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State. A native of Mt. Clemens, he's been attending GLI games for six years.
Reininger's prize package included an MTU GLI jersey, an MTU GLI hat, lifetime tickets for two to the GLI, 1,000 minutes of long distance from Sprint, a $100 gift certificate to the Hockeytown Cafe, a $100 gift certificate to the Red Wings Pro Shop, and a one-year supply of Surge.
Meanwhile, in another noteworthy event divisible by 100, Michigan Tech picked up its 1,000th career victory with its 5-4 win over Lake Superior State in the third-place game.
The School of Forestry and Wood Products has learned that its accreditation will continue through 2004.
The School received ten-year accreditation in 1994 following an on-site review by the Society of American Foresters, a specialty accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education. Ten-year accreditations are the longest awarded by the society, and require the School to submit an interim report after five years. The SFWP's report was recently accepted by the Society of American Foresters.
"This was a checkpoint for us to present the progress of our programs and demonstrate that their quality has been upheld," Associate Dean Glenn Mroz said. "It's really great when a group of your peers lets you know you are doing a good job. Thanks to all the faculty, staff and students for their continued high level of effort."
Forestry Open House Jan. 19 for Nonforestry Students
The School of Forestry and Wood Products is hosting an open house on Wednesday, January 19, for students in other programs.
If you know a student who is undeclared or is considering transferring or changing majors, please encourage them to attend and learn about the School's degree programs: Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Wood Science, and Forestry. The open house is from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., in Noblet 123, and pizza and pop will be served at 5:30 p.m.
Because of construction, anyone attending is advised to enter the building from Seventh Street, by the trailers and stone walkway. Please RSVP Rita Noble at rlnoble@mtu.edu or 487-3609.
Because additional funding was budgeted for the program, the Graduate Student Council is providing seven more graduate students $300 grants to fund travel to conferences.
Eight students received travel awards during fall quarter. The additional recipients were chosen at random from among the eleven remaining applicants.
The conferences, grant recipients, and their paper titles are Webnet: Magdalen Mayer (Humanities), "Collaborating Across Disciplines and Departments"; Second Biennial Feminism(s) and Rhetoric(s) Conference: Dawn Hayden (Humanities), "A Hollywood Rhetoric of Domestic Violence," and Cheryl Malgay Heath (Humanities), "Three Acts Transgressing the Discourse of Sexual Harassment"; Conference on College Composition and Communication: Tracy Bridgeford (Humanities), "Small Potent Gestures: Re-Imagining Technical Communication Instruction," and Jodi Lehman (Humanities), "Viewing Meaning through Prisms of Multiliteracies"; MRS: Vladimir Kovalenko (Physics), "Use of the Arc Discharge for the Surface Modification"; and Society for the Social Studies of Sciences: Margaret FalerSweany (Humanities), "Constraints and Authority in Public Hearings."
Alumni Award Nominations Due Monday
Nominations for the Outstanding Young Alumni Award and the Outstanding Service Award are due on Monday, January 10. The Outstanding Young Alumni Award is presented to alumni 35 years of age or younger who have distinguished themselves in their career. The Outstanding Service Award is presented to alumni and friends making significant contributions to the success of the Alumni Association and/or the University.
Please submit your nominations to the Alumni Association. For more information, call 487-2400. The selection will be made during Winter Carnival 2000.
News You Can Use: Diabetes, High Blood Pressure Linked to Cognitive Decline
(Editor's note: The following information is extracted from a December 24 University of Maine press release at http://www.newswise.com/articles/1999/12/HYPERTEN.UME.html)
High blood pressure and diabetes can lead not only to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and death. New studies suggest that they can also impair mental functioning, particularly as we get older.
A team of University of Maine psychologists working with physicians and epidemiologists at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse and the Framingham Heart Study have concluded that 1) hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes are independently associated with an accelerated decline in cognitive functioning with advancing age; 2) untreated blood pressure levels in mid-life are associated with decline in cognitive ability many years later; and 3) the risk of lowered cognitive functioning doubles in the presence of both hypertension and diabetes and increases even further in the presence of smoking and obesity.
"Our data and data from other investigators should provide an additional incentive for people to control hypertension, diabetes, cigarette smoking, and obesity through good health practices or medical treatment," said Merrill F. Elias, professor of psychology at the University of Maine and adjunct research professor of medicine and public health at Boston University. "It appears that as the number of risk factors goes up, cognitive functioning goes down," he adds. "We must keep in mind, however, that effective treatment or prevention practices can delay or prevent accelerated cognitive decline associated with cardiovascular risk factors."
The researchers have conducted a twenty-five-year study of 2,000 individuals and analyzed data from another thirty-two-year, 1,800-person study, and the results from both groups are similar. Their next step is to determine if there is a relationship between declines in cognitive functioning and the eventual onset of dementia and Alzheimer's Disease as their sample population grows older.
Teaching at Tech: Punished by Rewards, Part 2
By William Kennedy, director, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development
Last time, we took a preliminary look at Alfie Kohn's book, Punished by Rewards. Kohn argues that student learning driven primarily by external inducements, such as grades, creates a style of teaching and learning that is antithetical to the deep and durable mastery that would best serve our students throughout their lives. Grade-induced learning, Kohn maintains, stifles students' innate curiosity and fascination with the discovery of new things. This corrosive process of overpowering innate curiosity with a flood of external inducements begins in elementary school with gold stars, free homework days, honor rolls, and trips to the treat box.
By the time students reach the university, they are programmed to focus their energies on passing tests and memorizing information to get good grades. Meanwhile, the joy and thrill of learning have mysteriously disappeared for a large percentage of them. Many of our students have become addicted to praise and concrete grade awards and largely indifferent to the actual joys of learning. Schoolwork becomes drudgery and students devote their real passionate energies to social activities, drinking, or video games.
So what's to be done? Kohn says that, ultimately, we must create conditions for our students that, once again, make deeper and more durable learning flourish. First, he says, we should rethink grading and how our grading is typically interpreted by our students. Proponents of current grading practices argue that grades induce students to expend more time and effort studying, sort students for college admission and job placement, and give students feedback on their areas of strength and weakness. Kohn disputes each of these claims. He argues that the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that grades actually decrease the quality and quantity of effort students expend in their studies, do a terrible job of predicting future educational or occupational success, and provide only the crudest, cruelest, and most cryptic form of educational feedback.
Kohn says that until we learn how to create the conditions that encourage the re-emergence of innate curiosity, we should minimize the harm of the present system of external inducements by reducing teacher and student preoccupation with grading. To minimize the harm of present practices, Kohn offers several suggestions: 1) move away from simply letter grading assignments toward offering substantive comments to students on their areas of strength and weakness evidenced in that stage of their learning; 2) simplify the grading system for assignments to "A" and incomplete (any work less than an "A" isn't finished yet!); 3) never grade students while they are in the middle of learning something; 4) don't grade for effort, grade for mastery; 5) never grade on a curve; and 6) work collaboratively with students to develop reasonable criteria for assessment so they have something invested in the assessment process. These changes send the message to students that learning is the primary goal and is much more important than the generation of grades. He argues that our assessment practices should involve a productive dialogue between the student and teacher and should never be presented as a series of potentially unpleasant shocks distributed throughout the course.
Is it possible that one of the reasons colleges and universities have experienced varying degrees of grade inflation over the last thirty years is that faculty members are struggling to minimize and shift attention away from the stultifying effects of this carrot-and-stick approach to inducing learning? Avoiding the perils of the stick by overusing the carrot is clearly not the right answer. Next week, we'll review some of Kohn's suggestions for creating an educational experience that encourages the re-ignition of motivation in our students.
Entertainment and Enrichment (Back to Contents)
Sons of Erin in the Copper Country at Tech Tea Time
Submitted by University Cultural Enrichment
As we move into the new century, it seems appropriate to take a look back into the past when the Copper Country was truly a melting pot of nationalities. We hear much of the Finnish immigrant community, but less of the Irish, whose numbers at the height of the copper mining boom rivaled those of the Finns. Professor William H. Mulligan Jr., of Murray State University, the guest at Tech Tea Time on Wednesday, January 12, has been researching the Irish immigrant communities of the Copper Country since 1993. At Tech Tea Time he will show slides and share the results of his ongoing research into the direct connections between copper mines in Allihies, a community in southwestern County Cork, Ireland, and the Copper Country in the mid-nineteenth century. Tech Tea Time is at 4:00 p.m. in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge. Light refreshments will be served, and the event is free and open to all.
"Few people today recall the time when the Irish were one of the largest ethnic groups in the UP," says Mulligan. "Those were the days when Ed Ryan was widely known as the 'Merchant Prince of the Copper Country' because of his large dry goods stores in Hancock and Calumet. St. Patrick's Day was celebrated with parades, fancy balls, and speeches on the life of the saint. Hancock, Calumet, and Hubbell each had large and active chapters in the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and sons of Erin served as sheriff and state representative and on local city councils in the Copper Country."
Today, apart from a few Irish families listed in the local phone book, little evidence remains of this large Irish presence, except for the Ryan School in Hancock and a few toppled tombstones in long-abandoned cemeteries. Mulligan brings this interesting period of local history back to life in a lively slide presentation.
Tech Tea Time is coordinated by the University Cultural Enrichment Department. For further information call 487-2844.
Seminars and Workshops (Back to Contents)
Self-Defense Classes Start January 12
The Husky Tae Kwon Do Club is offering a series of five lessons in Common-Sense Street Defense, starting January 12.
The lessons will be held on Wednesdays, January 12, 19, and 26 and February 9 and 16, in ROTC 101. The charge for the entire series is $20.
The class is open to women and men of all ages. Participants will learn practical street defense techniques and build confidence.
For more information or to register, contact Hollie Pietsch at hapietsc@mtu.edu or 483-5173.
Regular Features (Back to Contents)
Craig Ray Pellizzaro has joined the Physical Education Department staff as the assistant intramural director. He was previously the athletic coordinator for the Westmont Park District in Westmont, Illinois. Other work experience includes a graduate assistantship at Eastern Kentucky University, where he earned an MS in Recreation Administration. Pellizzaro also has a BS in Recreation Management from Ferris State University. He enjoys football, basketball, fishing, and biking.
Sue T. Lockhart has joined the McNair staff as a food service helper. She was previously a food server at Quincy's Restaurant. Lockhart is a graduate of the Michigan School of Cosmetology and has a son, Brandon J. Witting. She lives in Dollar Bay and enjoys decorating, bowling, and reading.
Associate Professor Josiah Heyman (Social Sciences) published the article "United States Surveillance over Mexican Lives at the Border: Snapshots of an Emerging Regime," in Human Organization, Vol. 58, No. 4, Winter 1999.
Assistant Professor Soner Onder (Computer Science) coauthored a paper with R. Gupta (University of Arizona), "Dynamic Memory Disambiguation in the Presence of Out-of-Order Store Issuing," presented at the Proceedings of the 32nd Annual ACM/IEEE International Symposium on Microarchitecture, held November 16-18 in Haifa, Israel.
January
| 7 | Friday |
| 6:00/8:30/11:00 p.m.--Film Board Movie: Jakob the Liar--Fisher 135 | |
| 8 | Saturday |
| 6:00/8:30/11:00 p.m.--Film Board Movie: Jakob the Liar--Fisher 135 | |
| 12 | Wednesday |
| 4:00 p.m.--Tech Tea Time: Sons of Erin--Memorial Union Alumni Lounge | |
| 13 | Thursday |
| 5:30 p.m.--Women's basketball, Hillsdale at MTU--SDC | |
| 7:30 p.m.--Men's basketball, Hillsdale at MTU--SDC | |
| 14 | Friday |
| 6:00/8:30/11:00 p.m.--Film Board Movie: Double Jeopardy--Fisher 135 | |
| 15 | Saturday |
| 1:00 p.m.--Women's basketball, Findlay at MTU--SDC | |
| 3:00 p.m.--Men's basketball, Findlay at MTU--SDC | |
| 6:00/8:30/11:00 p.m.--Film Board Movie: Double Jeopardy--Fisher 135 | |
| 17 | Monday |
| 8:30 a.m.--Troy Duster, "The American Requirement: Curricular Transformation in the Shift from Access to Engagement"--Memorial Union 105 | |
| 11:30 a.m.--Open Forum with Troy Duster, "Social Issues in the New Genetics"--Memorial Union 105 | |
| 19 | Wednesday |
| 5:30 p.m.--Forestry Open House for Prospective Students--Noblet 123 | |
| 21 | Friday |
| 6:00/8:30/11:00 p.m.--Film Board Movie: American Beauty--Fisher 135 | |
| 7:35 p.m.--Hockey, Minnesota-Duluth at MTU--Student Ice Arena | |
| 22 | Saturday |
| 6:00/8:30/11:00 p.m.--Film Board Movie: American Beauty--Fisher 135 | |
| 7:05 p.m.--Hockey, Minnesota-Duluth at MTU--Student Ice Arena | |
| 27 | Thursday |
| 5:30 p.m.--Women's basketball, Grand Valley State at MTU--SDC | |
| 7:30 p.m.--Men's basketball, Grand Valley State at MTU--SDC | |
| 28 | Friday |
| 6:00/8:30/11:00 p.m.--Film Board Movie: Bringing Out the Dead--Fisher 135 | |
| 7:35 p.m.--Hockey, North Dakota at MTU--Student Ice Arena | |
| 29 | Saturday |
| 6:00/8:30/11:00 p.m.--Film Board Movie: Bringing Out the Dead--Fisher 135 | |
| 7:05 p.m.--Hockey, North Dakota at MTU--Student Ice Arena |
Job descriptions will be available at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, or by e-mail at <JOBS@MTU.EDU>.
The following positions will be posted Friday, January 7, 2000, at 1:00 p.m. through noon, Friday, January 14, 2000, in the Human Resources Office.
Senior Specialized Clerk (N4)--Recreation Department (UAW external posting)
Graphic/Multimedia Designer--University Relations/Design and Publications Services
University employees are reminded to apply in writing prior to noon, Friday, January 14, 2000, 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 1:00 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.