Night Parking Ban Goes Into Effect Friday Night

Michigan Tech's annual Night Parking Ban goes into effect one minute after midnight on Saturday, Nov. 1, and will remain in place through April 30, 2026. The overnight parking ban is enforced regardless of snow conditions.

During this time, parking is prohibited on campus between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m., except as noted below:

  • Michigan Tech employees with shifts beginning before 7 a.m. who have been assigned a designated parking location.*
  • Occupants of University housing with a valid residential parking permit for their designated lot or space.
  • Visitors with purchased permits who have been assigned a designated parking location.*
    * Employees and visitors who have not yet been assigned a parking location should email parking@mtu.edu to request a location from Transportation Services.

Individuals who need to request permission to park on campus beyond 2 a.m. must call Michigan Tech Public Safety and Police Services at 906-487-2216 after 1 a.m. to be assigned a designated parking space.

Overnight Parking Requests
When making a request to remain parked overnight, please provide:

  • Name
  • Reason for request
  • Campus location
  • Phone number
  • Vehicle information (license plate number, make, model, color and permit number)

Those granted permission to park overnight will be directed to a designated lot or one of two designated metered areas. Note: Meters must be paid, and vehicles must be moved prior to 7 a.m. unless alternate arrangements have been approved.

Visitor Parking Permits
Visitor permits can be purchased in person at Transportation Services, located on the first floor of the Administration Building in Room 100, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitor permits can also be purchased online via the Michigan Tech Parking Portal.

If arriving after 4 p.m., please purchase an overnight permit dated for the next day to allow for parking past midnight. Visitors will be assigned a designated parking location, typically Lot 24, depending on the dates of the visit and on-campus events.

Exceptions:

  • Daniell Heights visitor permits are required 24/7.
  • Hillside Place and Lot 19 meters require payment 24/7 via the ParkMobile App.

For further questions, email parking@mtu.edu.

Thank you, and have a safe winter season!

Tech Forward 2.0 Campus Conversation: Health and Well-Being

To share ideas, seek feedback and gauge interest, a campus conversation on the Tech Forward 2.0 theme/initiative “Health and Well-Being” will be held from 4-5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 3, in MUB Ballroom A1. If this is an area that interests you and you would like a calendar invite sent, please complete our RSVP form.

  • Tech Forward 2.0 Discussion — Health and Well-Being
    Monday, Nov. 3, from 4-5 p.m. in MUB Ballroom A1

Please join the conveners for Tech Forward 2.0 theme/initiative Health and Well-Being in a discussion that will assist in shaping Michigan Tech’s future in health partnerships, research, education and workforce development. The group seeks feedback on proposed concepts and welcomes ideas to strengthen connections between health, technology and community well-being.

Michigan Tech’s strengths in research, industry engagement, and our talented faculty and student body provide a strong foundation for advancing health-related initiatives. This conversation will explore how the University can leverage those strengths to improve access to health care partnerships, expand interdisciplinary training, and enhance infrastructure for innovation in health and well-being.

Concepts to be discussed include:

  • Health Partnerships: Building long-term collaborations with other academic and research institutions, hospitals, nonprofits and industry partners focused on rural and digital health, research and workforce upskilling.

  • Health Research Resources: Expanding access to computing and technical resources that enable biomedical and health research, wellness tracking, and training across disciplines such as nursing, biomedical engineering, kinesiology and integrated physiology, and other related areas.

  • Health Care Workforce Development: Increasing on-campus resources to foster hands-on learning, student-industry collaboration, and micro-credentialing opportunities.

Your participation and insights on the services, tools, competencies and collaborations we can build to enhance competitiveness will help shape the strategic direction of this effort.

We look forward to your participation.

Michigan Tech's Essential Education Experiences: Applying the Essential Abilities

Essential Education Experiences (E3) are 3-credit upper-division courses intended for students in their junior year (at the discretion of the course instructor). In E3 courses, students will actively apply their Essential Abilities through hands-on learning designed to increase their social awareness, global understanding, civic engagement or cultural competencies. E3 projects or activities engage with communities beyond the traditional classroom in the advancement of public good.

E3 courses should include a significant curricular component rooted in the SHAPE disciplines (Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts for People and the Environment/Economy) that connects to the immersive or community engaged activity. Instructors can design their own projects for the course or connect courses to existing student activities (e.g., volunteering, student leadership roles, etc.). Engagement can happen at different locations, including on campus, in our local community, abroad or virtually.

Required Course Elements
All Experience courses must have the following course elements:

  1. Experiential Learning: The instructor should provide an academic framework, best practices and space for reflection and discussion to strengthen student hands-on learning. At least half of academic work should be dedicated to a real-world project or activity (e.g., direct service, reflection, research, project work, immersion, etc).

  2. Best Practices and Ethical Standards: Faculty should ensure that best practices and ethical standards for community engagement are upheld throughout the project or activity and teach those standards to students in the course, drawing on disciplinary expertise.

  3. Critical Reflection: Assignments connected to the experience should be included regularly throughout the semester. Critical reflection assignments should promote, for example, self-awareness, continuous learning and the integration of theory and practice.

  4. Applied SHAPE Approaches: Academic content should be based in SHAPE disciplines, emphasizing interdisciplinary and integrative approaches to knowledge and problem-solving.

  5. Husky Folio: Student work should be showcased in an individual-effort Husky Folio submission (a PebblePad workbook or portfolio). This should include reflection related to how the student applied at least one Essential Ability from the Contribute/Transform learning goal (described below) in their Experience. It might also include examples of student project work (done individually or as a member of a team), connections to previous learning, reflections on community impact, or how they will apply their Essential Abilities going forward.

  6. Substantial Support for One Essential Ability from the Contribute/Transform Learning Goal*: The course should include the following: (1) Instruction and assignment(s) to help students develop the EA included in the course; and (2) One assessment task that encourages students to demonstrate EA mastery at a level 3.
    * The three Essential Abilities associated with this learning goal are: Engage in Civic Life, Innovate Solutions, and Create.

Learn more about Essential Education Experiences on Michigan Tech’s Essential Education Newsblog.

Huskies Make a Difference!

This past Saturday, Oct. 25, 659 Michigan Tech Huskies dispersed across the Keweenaw to make a difference in our community. While the total volunteer hours are still being collected from participants, our early numbers indicate over 2,000 hours of community service were invested in the local area.

This year, students engaged in a wide variety of projects at 72 different service sites, including: 

  • Splitting wood with Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly
  • Clearing up several local cemeteries
  • Visiting with animals and cleaning pens at the Copper Country Humane Society
  • Removing invasive plants with the Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area (KISMA)
  • Dating and weighing food at the HuskyFAN food pantry
  • Raking leaves for local community members
  • Helping the City of Hancock with their upcoming Hancock Lights the Night event
  • Removing nails and other debris from Stanton Township Park (Breakers Beach)
  • Trail maintenance projects with the Swedetown Trails Club and Keweenaw Land Trust
  • Building Michigan Tech's broomball rinks for the upcoming season
  • Decorating for Trunk or Treat at Saints Peter & Paul Lutheran Church

Thank you to the incredible service sites who welcomed and supported our students this weekend! 

Save the Date: Make a Difference Day 2026 will be held on Oct. 17. Mark your calendar for a project you need assistance with next year!

Technical Standards Available Through the Library

The J. R. Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library is piloting expanded access to technical standards subscriptions. All students, faculty and staff now have online access to:

  • ASTM Annual Book of Standards — Available via ASTM Compass
  • EN standards adopted by the European Commission for Standardization (CEN), including a very large collection of EN ISO and EN IEC standards — Available via ASTM Compass
  • ASME standards (except The Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code) — Available via the ASME Standards Collection  
  • SAE Ground Vehicle and Aerospace Standards — Available via SAE Mobilus
  • IEEE Standards — Available via IEEE Xplore

If you need a standard not included in these packages, please use the Library's Request a Technical Standard Form.

To support the use of these standards, including in-depth information on accessing them, we also have an updated Technical Standards Guide. Librarians are also happy to collaborate with instructors on assignments and lessons that utilize standards.

Reach out to library@mtu.edu with questions or feedback!

University Senate Updated Zoom Link

The University Senate has updated the Zoom link available to those within the University community who are unable to attend our meetings in person. Virtual attendees should use the updated link to join this week's University Senate meeting, which will be held today, Oct. 30, at 12:30 p.m. in Chem Sci 102.

Updated Link:

Join the University Senate Meeting on Zoom.

Please note that you will need to log in to your MTU Zoom account to join the virtual meeting.

Meet the Cast of 'Men On Boats'

Michigan Tech Theatre is thrilled to announce the cast for “Men On Boats,” a play by Jacklyn Backhaus, directed by Nich Radcliffe.

“Men On Boats” tells the (mostly) true story of 10 explorers who set off in 1869 to chart the Green River and Colorado River under the guidance of John Wesley Powell, a one-armed Civil War veteran.

This satirical retelling of historical events is made even more interesting by the author's insistence that all characters are to be played by anyone except white males, who made up the entirety of the actual expedition. This casting twist puts the words and actions of the characters into a different context, providing plenty of laughs as well as extremely touching moments.

“I hope the audience leaves the theatre laughing,” said Radcliffe, “and I hope that laughter makes it easier to be honest with themselves, about the world, and about the place and the voice everyone deserves in it.”

The production features a talented cast of Michigan Tech students:

  • Paige Harsevoort as John Wesley Powell
  • Celia Peters as William Dunn
  • Zoe Oetjens as John Colton Sumner
  • Leona Lins as Old Shady
  • Ysa Cerbo as Bradley
  • Sebastian Dash as O. G. Howland
  • Drew Karimi as Seneca Howland
  • Lexi Meyer as Frank Goodman
  • Abby Pilon as Hall
  • Alyssa Johnson as Hawkins

Men On Boats — Michigan Tech Theatre
Tuesday through Friday, Nov. 18-21 | 7:30 p.m. nightly
McArdle Theatre
Michigan Tech Theatre Series

Get Tickets
Pay As You’re Able Tickets for this event are available online or in person at the Rozsa Box Office. This event is eligible for free Michigan Tech Student Rush Tickets.

MEN ON BOATS by Jacklyn Backhaus
Playwrights Horizons Inc. and Clubbed Thumb produced MEN ON BOATS in New York City, 2016
Initially developed and produced by Clubbed Thumb in 2015

In the News

Forbes mentioned Michigan Tech’s partnership with Cummins in a story about the publication’s “America’s Best Employer for Engineers 2026” rankings. The University’s fellowship agreement with Cummins was noted as an example of programs offered by the engine manufacturer to support engineer growth. The partnership was announced by Michigan Tech Global Campus in May.

MSU Today quoted Andrew Barnard (VPR) in a story about Michigan State University’s three-day Spartan Bus Tour through northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. Barnard spoke about ongoing and future collaborations between the two universities as part of the Research Universities for Michigan (RU4M) alliance, emphasizing shared research strengths in water resources.

My UP Now quoted Michigan Tech student Matt Zimmerman (civil engineering), philanthropy chair of MTU’s Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, in a story highlighting the fraternity’s annual partnership with Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly on its food drive, which helps distribute around a thousand pounds of food each month to local seniors.

The Keweenaw Report mentioned Michigan Tech’s Young Americans for Freedom student organization in a story about the group's third annual military care package drive, which runs through Nov. 14.

UpNorthLive mentioned the Michigan Tech Research Institute in a story about plans to establish the Chippewa County International Airport as a drone operations hub by 2026. The project aims to support near-border commercial and security drone missions.

Awesome Mitten mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about November events and festivals across Michigan. The article highlighted the 41 North Film Festival, hosted on campus, which showcases independent films and invites the community to engage in storytelling and conversation.

My UP Now and WZMQ 19 News mentioned Michigan Tech women’s basketball player Kendall Standfest, who was named to the Preseason All-GLIAC Second Team. The Huskies were picked to finish sixth in the conference in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

WZMQ 19 News covered Michigan Tech hockey players Stiven Sardarian and Owen Bartoszkiewicz being named CCHA Players of the Week. Sardarian earned Forward of the Week honors, while Bartoszkiewicz was recognized as Goaltender of the Week.

Reminders

Help MTU Build a Culture of Care: Nominate a Student for P.A.W.S.

P.A.W.S. (Peer Awareness for Well-being and Support) is a program at Michigan Tech that equips students with the knowledge and tools to effectively recognize the signs of a mental health crisis, give appropriate and supportive aid, and refer a peer who is struggling to professional mental health resources. The program seeks to involve students from multiple backgrounds and experiences who are natural, key peer supporters on campus and want to help bring a higher level of mental health awareness and advocacy to the Michigan Tech community.

Promoting student mental health and well-being is a whole-campus effort, and Michigan Tech students are crucial in helping to support student mental health on campus. Research shows that students who struggle with mental health often reach out to their peers first, while a smaller percentage reach out to their on-campus counseling center.

Over six weeks of training, P.A.W.S. gives students the skills to help their peers experiencing crisis or distress. Participants meet each week for one hour. The core purpose of P.A.W.S. is to increase the number of peer support leaders on campus who are trained to identify warning signs and confidently refer their peers to the appropriate professional mental health resources, and who embrace a holistic approach to well-being by expanding and enriching the network of support on campus.

Once students have completed the six-week training program, they are considered members of the P.A.W.S. network for the remainder of their time at Michigan Tech. Completing this program will open up future opportunities for participating in mental health and well-being advocacy on campus, getting involved in future continuing education or peer programs, and being a leader in promoting mental health resources on campus. With only six weeks of training, students will learn valuable skills that are useful even after their years at Michigan Tech.

Each week brings up a new topic for students to discuss with peers in their group:

  • Session 1: What is Mental Health?: Acceptance and Avoidance
  • Session 2: Core Supportive Skills
  • Session 3: Depression and Anxiety
  • Session 4: High-Risk Coping Strategies & Behaviors
  • Session 5: Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors
  • Session 6: Helping Others Get Help

Faculty, staff and students who are passionate about mental health awareness on campus are invited to nominate a student to participate in the spring 2026 cohort. There are a limited number of spots available, and those who are not accepted into the spring 2026 cohort will be put on a waiting list for the next semester. Nominated students must have at least one year left in their degree program and will receive an email requesting a completed application form and their schedule availability for the training. Nominations are accepted year-round, but please submit nominations by Nov. 21 for consideration for the spring 2026 cohort.

Learn more by visiting our information table in the Van Pelt and Opie Library from Nov. 10-24. You can also check out our website or email us at PAWS@mtu.edu.

*****

Today's C-Cubed Luncheon Menu

Carved and Crafted Catering at Michigan Technological University is hosting the C-Cubed Luncheon for the 2025-26 academic year. C-Cubed will be held on Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge (MUB 107). All faculty and staff, along with their guests, are invited.

Menu for Thursday, Oct. 30:

  • Cauliflower General Tso's (V) — Contains Soy, Sesame, Gluten, Dairy, Egg
  • Orange Chicken — Contains Sesame, Dairy, Gluten, Egg, Soy
  • Basmati Rice (VG, AD, AG)
  • Garden Salad (VG, AD, AG)
  • Vegetable Stir Fry (VG, AD, AG)
  • Vegetable Spring Rolls (V) — Contains Dairy, Sesame, Gluten, Egg

The C-Cubed lunch buffet menus are created and prepared by the catering culinary team. As the name suggests, the meals are meant to foster conversation, community and collegiality. Attendees may bring their lunch instead of purchasing the buffet. Fruit-infused water, coffee, tea and desserts are available free to all attendees.

The buffet lunch is $16 per person. Cash, credit cards and gift cards are accepted. Gift cards can be purchased in the Memorial Union office (MUB 101). Meals are dine-in only and personal containers/tupperware or to-go meals are not permitted.

Submit C-Cubed Feedback • Sign Up to Receive Weekly Menus

*****

Physics Colloquium with John Wallin

John Wallin from Middle Tennessee State University will present at this week's Physics Colloquium. Wallin's presentation is titled "Physics in the Age of Intelligent Machines."

The seminar will be presented  at 4 p.m. today, Oct. 30, in Fisher 139. The coffee hour will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Fisher Lobby.

Read Wallin's abstract and bio on the University Events Calendar.

*****

University Senate Meeting 723

The University Senate will convene Meeting 723 at 12:30 p.m. today, Oct. 30, in Chem Sci 102.

Those within the University community unable to attend in person have the option to attend the University Senate meeting via Zoom. Please note: You will need to log in to your MTU Zoom account to join the virtual meeting.

Senators are responsible for making their constituents aware of the agenda for this meeting. Senators who are unable to attend should arrange for their alternates to attend in their place.

View the Meeting 723 Agenda.

*****

Campus Dining Survey Closes Friday!

It's not too late to tell us what you think! The Campus Dining Survey closes Friday, Oct. 31.

MTU Dining Services would like to invite you to participate in our annual campus dining survey. Your feedback is extremely important and will be used to help us reinvent your dining experience here on campus. This survey helps us to better understand our students and customers, how they perceive dining, and what is important to them.

Before you start the survey, there are a few important things to note:

  • It’s confidential. We do not release individual data to anyone; survey answers are entirely anonymous.
  • It’s quick. The survey should take 8-10 minutes to complete.
  • Take it before it closes! The deadline to complete the survey is this Friday.
  • Want a chance to win an MTU Gift Bundle? Screenshot your completed survey screen and email the image to huskyeats@mtu.edu with the subject line: V2V

Questions? If you have any questions about the survey process, email huskyeats@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1861.

On behalf of Husky Eats, we thank you for taking the time to participate in this very important initiative and sharing your valuable insights!

Take the Campus Dining Survey.

*****

BioSci Seminar Series Speakers: Jenna R. Disser and Robert A. Larson

Doctoral candidate Jenna R. Disser, M.S., and Robert A. Larson, M.S., Ph.D., assistant professor of human biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University, will each present as part of the Biological Sciences Seminar Series at 2 p.m. today, Oct. 30, in GLRC 202.

Disser will present "Cardiac norepinephrine content and endogenous release in a mouse model of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy."

From the abstract:
Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common genetic heart disease with an estimated prevalence of 1:500 individuals in the general population. Sarcomere gene mutations result in the characteristic features of HCM include left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, myocyte disarray, interstitial fibrosis, diastolic dysfunction, and high risk of cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. Human studies in patients with HCM have demonstrated increased cardiac norepinephrine (NE) spillover partly due to reduced neuronal NE reuptake through the neuronal norepinephrine transporter. Our lab has previously reported that conscious alpha-tropomyosin mutant HCM mice have increased cardiac sympathetic tone compared to littermate wild-type (WT) controls. In this study we examined NE levels with an ELISA in the right atrium, left ventricle and the stellate ganglia (cell bodies for the cardiac nerves) in WT and HCM mice. In addition, we will discuss the influence of endogenous neuronal vesicular NE release with tyramine on cardiac function in WT and HCM mice.

Larson will present "PVN SK channel blockade alters the sympathetic nervebursting pattern in angiotensin II-infused rats."

From the abstract:
Sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) is known to demonstrate rhythmic activity that is synchronized with the respiratory and the cardiac cycles. These oscillations arise through integration of signals from lung inflation afferents, baroreceptor afferents, and respiratory neurons in the brainstem that influence presympathetic neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is a prominent regulatory center for SNA and PVN neurons have axon projections to the RVLM. Blockade of small conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels in the PVN significantly increases splanchnic and renal SNA and dysfunction of SK channels contributes to the pathogenesis of hypertension. In this study, we analyzed SNA in the frequency domain by calculating power spectral density on 5-minute segments of data. We will discuss similarities and differences in power spectral density in the low (0-2Hz) and high (5-7Hz cardiac) frequency bands at baseline, and after PVN microinjection of the SK channel blocker apamin in control and angiotensin II-infused rats.

*****

MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker: Gökçin Çınar

The next Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Graduate Seminar speaker will present at 2 p.m. today, Oct. 30, in Fisher 329.

Gökçin Çınar will present "Systems Design and Optimization in Electrified Aviation Models, Methods, and Emerging Insights."

This seminar will show how we leverage these frameworks to rapidly explore the complex trade-offs inherent in novelaircraft concepts. Çınar will share recent technical results and research insights, emphasizing viable design strategies and architectures that demonstrate significant efficiency gains in electrified aircraft.

Key topics will include trade-off analysis across vehicle configuration, propulsion-power integration, and operational profiles, illustrated with examples drawn from Çınar's open-source design tools and current projects.

Today's Campus Events

To have your event automatically appear, please submit them to the University Events Calendar.

Nanowonder: Images of the Microscopic World Gallery Exhibit - Rozsa Art Galleries

MICHIGAN TECH ART SERIES EVENT For centuries, humanity has been fascinated with the microscopic world. Through advancements in technology, visually investigating this hidden...

*****

Michigan Tech Housing Fair

Explore your off-campus and on-campus housing options—all in one place. Meet landlordsTalk with campus housingDiscover propertiesEnter giveaways Off-Campus Housing View...

*****

Biological Sciences Seminar Series - Cardiac norepinephrine content and endogenous release in a mouse model of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - PVN SK channel blockade alters the sympathetic nerve bursting pattern in angiotensin II-infused rats

Jenna R. Disser MS, Doctoral Candidate & Robert A. Larson MS, PhD Assistant Professor—Human Biology Department of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological...

*****

Systems Design and Optimization in Electrified Aviation Models, Methods, and Emerging Insights

MAE Graduate Seminar Speaker Series proudly presents Gökçin Çınar, PhD Assistant Professor Aerospace Engineering Department University of Michigan Abstract The...

*****

HuskyGOLD Information Session

Learn about Michigan Tech’s new HuskyGOLD program, designed to prepare students for lifelong engagement in their communities. With a variety of options, you can shape your own...

*****

Physics Colloquium with John Wallin

John Wallin from Middle Tennessee State University will present at this week's Physics Colloquium. Dr. Wallin's presentation is titled "Physics in the Age of Intelligent...

*****

Beers Aren't Bad

*COUNTS AS A NEW MEMBER CREDIT* Beers Aren't Bad exists to challenge stigma and celebrate the simple truth that moderate beer consumption can be part of a balanced, joyful...

*****

SoundGirls: Scary-Oke Karaoke!

Join SoundGirls for a night of spooky jams and laughter! Costumes are not required, but highly recommended!