November 9, 2021

Editor's note: This series of Unscripted guest blogs highlights the pandemic's impact on campus community members.

The pandemic’s impacts on our campus research ecosystem are many and varied. In their guest blog, Steve Elmer and Isaac Wedig explain why exercise is medicine everyone should take — especially in the era of COVID-19.

“Importantly, the COVID-19 vaccine is the most effective tool we have to protect against the virus. Breakthrough infections, while rare, can occur — and thus, the vaccine is not perfect,” write Elmer and Wedig. “Aside from getting vaccinated, continuing to wash your hands, wearing a mask and social distancing when appropriate, exercising regularly may be the single most important thing you can do to reduce your risk of becoming very sick if infected with the virus.”

Read more about how exercise helps your immune system and find links to more than 200 free workout sessions at mtu.edu/unscripted.

The Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement announces the appointment of Jennifer (Jung) Lucas ’09 as assistant vice president of alumni engagement, effective Nov. 15. Lucas joins Michigan Tech after an extensive national search.

“I appreciate and thank the campus community, members of the Alumni Board, and the Advancement and Alumni Engagement team for their efforts in selecting Jen to lead our alumni engagement activities,” said Bill Roberts, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement. “Jen has a depth of experience in fundraising and alumni relations and an exciting vision for engaging Michigan Tech alumni. I am so pleased to welcome her to the team.”

Lucas brings nearly 10 years of leadership and management experience in alumni engagement and annual giving to Michigan Tech. She got her start in advancement working as a student caller for the Michigan Tech Telefund, eventually moving into the call center manager role following her graduation. She went on to work in alumni engagement and annual giving roles at several educational institutions before spending the last two years in industry relations at 3M.

“I am both honored and excited to come back and work for an institution whose mission I truly believe in,” said Lucas. “The Tech alumni community is a special one, and I hope to build on the foundation and traditions already in place while engaging in new ways with my fellow Huskies.”

Lucas will lead the University’s alumni engagement efforts including strategic planning, alumni reunion, academic affairs partnerships and administrative oversight of the Alumni Board of Directors and regional alumni chapters.

Examples of Lucas’s career accomplishments include maintaining an annual giving pace of over $1 million, volunteer and cross-functional team management and extensive large-scale coordination and execution of both in-person and virtual events.

A Minnesota native, Lucas earned her B.S. in Scientific and Technical Communication, graduating magna cum laude. She was also a standout on the volleyball team, earning many honors including an All-America honorable mention and all-region. She received Michigan Tech’s Raymond L. Smith Award as the outstanding female senior student-athlete in 2009.

“Michigan Tech quite literally changed my life. My experiences as a student-athlete, Blue Key Honor Society member and employee all are treasured memories,” said Lucas.

Lucas begins her duties Nov. 15. Roberts thanked Brenda Rudiger, assistant vice president for advancement services, for graciously agreeing to assist in the transition following Paula Nutini’s recent retirement.

Michigan Tech has been invited to participate in FacultyWatch, an important course material industry survey conducted by OnCampus Research (IndiCo) and published by the National Association of College Stores.

Michigan Tech is participating along with other higher-ed institutions across the nation. The survey runs through Nov. 21.

An email with the survey link has been sent to all faculty. To better serve our campus community, we ask for your participation in a short survey about course materials. This is an opportunity to make our voices heard, maximize learning outcomes and be the driving force for making changes to course materials.

This industry-wide survey investigates faculty members' attitudes toward course materials, their value, preferred formats, the adoption process, open educational resources (OER) and the role of the campus store. Participation in the survey is voluntary and confidential.

Results will only be reported in the aggregate; results from individual stores will not be published. No survey participant will be contacted for promotional or sales purposes. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Judy Zei or Shane "Sully" Sullivan at the Campus Bookstore at 906-487-2410.

The Commencement Team is seeking volunteers for the Midyear Commencement ceremony. We need volunteers to serve as greeters, coordinate graduate check-in, collect tickets at the door and assist guests with special seating accommodations.

The ceremony is Dec. 18. Volunteers are asked to arrive by 8 a.m. and stay until the end of the ceremony, which ends at approximately 12:30 p.m. More information regarding the ceremony may be found on the commencement website. An optional volunteer training will be scheduled during the week of commencement.

Please sign up by Dec. 10 if you would like to volunteer. Contact Chad Arney at caarney@mtu.edu if you have any questions.

This special weekend cannot happen without the help of our amazing Michigan Tech community!

Students in Richelle Winkler's Introduction to Sociology class are hosting a virtual Health & Society Film Festival, and invite the public to participate.

The students have selected 11 films ranging from documentaries to comedy and drama. Films address mental health, pandemics, social movements in response to AIDS, birth control, substance abuse, pharmaceuticals, stress, racism, eugenics, maternal mortality and death/dying. The films are all widely available and we ask folks to watch them on their own first, then to participate in Zoom discussions about them and what we can learn from them about health and society.

Discussions will be held between Nov. 16 and Dec. 6, depending on the film. See our website for film descriptions, where to watch, discussion dates/times and links to join the discussion. 

Menu for Thursday (Nov. 11):

Chicken Chilindron (Gluten Free)
Tortilla Espanola aka Spanish Omelet (Gluten Free, Vegetarian)
Spanish Rice (Gluten Free, Vegan)
Classic Spanish Chickpea Salad (Gluten Free, Vegan)
Catalan Tomato Bread (Vegetarian)

Dining Services presents this week's C-Cubed Luncheon, being held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday (Nov. 11) in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge, Room 107. All faculty and staff, along with their guests, are invited.

The C-Cubed lunch buffet menus are created by executive chef Eric Karvonen and prepared by Karvonen and his 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, cookies and fruit are available free to all attendees.

The buffet lunch is $12 per person. Cash, credit cards and gift cards are accepted. Gift cards can be purchased in the Memorial Union office, Room 101. You can submit C-Cubed feedback using this Google form. To join the C-Cubed Google group and receive weekly menus, email business-support@mtu.edu.

Two workshops offered this week at Michigan Tech will explore the impact of gender and race on female faculty members' experiences and encourage and equip male faculty members to serve as effective allies for gender and racial equity in university settings.

Both workshops have two sessions available to accommodate your busy schedules: Thursday (Nov. 11) from 10 a.m. to noon; and Friday (Nov. 12) from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

• Gender and Higher Education: Exploring Women’s Experiences — Led by Christi McGeorge (Human Development and Education, North Dakota State University).
  This workshop explores the impact of gender and race on women faculty members’ experiences of university campus climate. Through small group activities, a review of the existing research and large group discussions, this session will seek to shift the dialogue from individual problems and solutions experienced by women faculty to seeking to acknowledge and identify institutional challenges and solutions related to gender and racial inequity in higher education.
  Please note: This workshop is for those who identify as women, nonbinary, and other gender. RSVP to attend. 
  
  
• Men Allies for Gender and Racial Equity — Led by Roger Green (Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Dakota State University) and Robert Gordon (Psychology, Auburn University), who have conducted ally workshops at universities throughout the country since 2009.
  This workshop is a two-hour interactive workshop that encourages and equips men to serve as effective allies for gender and racial equity in university settings. The workshop is structured as an interactive conversation with opportunities to learn, ask questions and practice skills through scenario-based exercises.
  Please note: This workshop is for individuals who identify as cisgender men. RSVP to attend.

Monday, the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference named Michigan Tech sophomore Michael Bates Jr. its GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week.

After an outstanding performance in Tech's 34-0 win at Northwood on Saturday (Nov. 6), Bates Jr. became the second player to receive player of the week distinction for the Huskies this fall.

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Tuesday (Nov. 9)
• Huskies Drive Time, 7:30-8 a.m. on Mix 93 WKMJ
• Soccer vs. Northern Michigan, 1 p.m. at Kearly Stadium

Friday (Nov. 12)
• Soccer at GLIAC Semifinal
• Men's Basketball vs. McKendree at Lewis, 7 p.m. on 920 AM and 107.3 FM WMPL
• Volleyball at Saginaw Valley State, 7 p.m.
• Hockey vs. Northern Michigan, 7:07 p.m. at MacInnes Student Ice Arena on Mix 93 WKMJ and TV6

Saturday (Nov. 13)
• Women's Basketball vs. Lewis at NMU, 11 a.m. on 920 AM and 107.3 FM WMPL
• Football vs. Saginaw Valley State, 1 p.m. at Kearly Stadium on Mix 93 WKMJ
• Volleyball at Wayne State, 2 p.m.
• Men's Basketball vs. Lewis, 6 p.m. on 920 AM and 107.3 FM WMPL
• Hockey at Northern Michigan, 6:37 p.m. on Mix 93 WKMJ and TV6

Sunday (Nov. 14)
• Soccer at GLIAC Championship
• Women's Basketball vs. William Jewell at NMU, Noon on Mix 93 WKMJ

Michigan Tech's soccer team won a game and lost a game this weekend, securing a place in the GLIAC Tournament.

The Huskies picked up their third straight win — the sixth in their last seven outings — on Friday (Nov. 5) with a 3-1 victory at Purdue Northwest. The win secured the Huskies a top-four spot in the GLIAC Tournament. 

"It was another great win that put us in third place in the conference heading into the last game of the regular season," coach Turk Ozturk said. "We have a wonderful opportunity now to close out the regular season and reach our goal of the NCAA tournament."

On Sunday (Nov. 7), the Huskies dropped a 2-0 contest at Northern Michigan in their regular-season finale, finishing the regular season with a 12-6 overall record and 9-5 mark in the GLIAC.

The Wildcats outshot the Huskies 14-7 in the game and also held a 7-4 edge in shots on goal. Seven different Huskies managed a shot on goal in the game. 

"Our team played their hearts out today and fell just a little short," Ozturk said. "We have to be able to recover quickly and shift our focus to Tuesday (today, Nov. 9). We still have so much to play for — we will be prepared to host the quarterfinals on Tuesday."

Michigan Tech will host a quarterfinal match today (Nov. 9) at 1 p.m. at Kearly Stadium. The game will be a rematch against the No. 5 seed Wildcats.

Read more and find out how to get tickets at the Michigan Tech Athletics website. 

The No. 18 Michigan Tech hockey team split its home series against LSSU over the weekend, losing narrowly in overtime Friday (Nov. 5) and then coming back with a shutout on Saturday (Nov. 6).

Lake Superior State scored 32 seconds into overtime to defeat No. 18 Michigan Tech 3-2 Friday. The Huskies twice held a lead and outshot the Lakers 44-21, but Brandon Puricelli scored in the 3-on-3.

"It's the same old story. The same results keep happening," Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. "That's a reflection of me having to be better and our staff having to be better. We certainly had our chances. I think we generated enough offense, but we just haven't been able to finish."

Saturday, Michigan Tech shut out Lake Superior State 2-0 to earn the CCHA series split. Blake Pietila stopped all 20 shots for his second shutout of the season.

"I thought we got six periods of effort out of our team this weekend. Tonight, we were more motivated and we got a better result," Shawhan said.

Read more and see game highlights at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

No. 22 Michigan Tech volleyball swept Northwood 3-0 Friday (Nov. 5) at the SDC Gym, then wrapped up its regular season home schedule with a sweep of Lake Superior State Saturday (Nov. 6) on Senior Day.

The Huskies' win against Northwood was their ninth-straight GLIAC victory and their 16th sweep of the season, with scores of 25-19, 25-23, and 25-13.

"We're certainly very pleased to have picked up this key home win," Tech coach Matt Jennings said. "We took a little time to get going there and spent what felt like two sets working to get cleaner and crisper with our first touches. That said, we hung in and fought off that run late in the second set and had been doing a good job executing and improving as the match went along."

Tech's sweep of Lake Superior State was their 22nd straight victory over the Lakers. The Huskies won 25-10, 25-10, and 25-13 to improve to 20-5 overall and 12-1 in the GLIAC.

"I thought we played well right out of the gate," Jennings said. "We played with a little extra energy and determination for a special group. It was fun for everyone."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Taking advantage of four turnovers and shutting down the Timberwolves' offense, Michigan Tech's football team posted a comprehensive 34-0 victory over Northwood Saturday (Nov. 6) at Hantz Stadium.

It was the Huskies' first shutout since Nov. 13, 2010 (21-0 over Northern Michigan). 

"I felt like our kids really came out and played well," commented head coach Steve Olson. "We were able to run the ball effectively and find receivers for some nice catches, even being down on personnel. I thought our offensive coaching staff did a nice job figuring out how we wanted to attack. Getting a shutout in this league is not easy so I was really happy with how our defense went out there and performed today."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Michigan Tech men's cross country placed fourth and women's cross country came in 13th at the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Championships Saturday (Nov. 6) at Angel Mounds Historic Park, hosted by Southern Indiana University. 

"Our men were just four points out of third place," said head coach Kristina Owen. "It was incredibly close, and it could have tipped in either direction. The top three teams are automatic qualifiers for the NCAA championships, so with our fourth-place finish, we'll have to wait for Monday to see if we pick up one of the at-large spots. We feel we are in a good position and I think most likely we will get a spot, but it is not guaranteed and so we'll just have to wait and see."
 
Once again, Clayton Sayen was the top finisher for the Michigan Tech men. He crossed the line 11th with a time of 33:44.6. Freshman Drew Kolodge placed 27th (31:32.0), followed by freshman Nick Niemi (31st - 31:37.2), senior Luke Moore (33rd - 31:39.8) and freshman Sam Lange (37th - 31:44.1).
 
Michelle Bollini finished first for the women with a 41st-place 6K in 21:56.9. Sam Kurkowki came in 74th (22:36.8), followed closely by Anabel Needham (76th - 22:40.0), Chloe Strach (78th - 22:41.6) and Ingrid Halverson (92nd - 23:00.9). 
 
"The women ran brave and gutsy," Owen said. "We can't control how everyone else runs, but they gave it everything they had and that makes the day a success. I'm incredibly proud of how both our teams ran today. They went hard and left it all out there on the course."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Face Coverings Required Indoors on Campus

While Michigan Tech is at Health and Safety Level Two, face coverings must be worn indoors. This applies to all students, employees and visitors, regardless of vaccination status.

Michigan Tech strongly recommends that all employees and students continue with handwashing and hand-sanitizing practices, especially in light of the virulence of the COVID-19 delta variant. Please be aware that if you are exposed to COVID-19, quarantine guidelines vary depending on vaccination status. 

In Level Two, students and employees are not required to monitor their symptoms daily prior to coming to campus. But, individuals should be mindful of their own symptoms. A useful monitoring tool is available from the CDC. 

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On-Demand COVID-19 Testing Available on Campus

Walk-in, on-demand COVID-19 testing is available to Michigan Tech students and employees during the fall 2021 semester.

Testing is located in the Datolite Room at the MUB on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. There is no cost to be tested, and no appointment is needed. 

Read more COVID-19 Testing Information on the MTU Flex website.

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Submit Your Proof of Vaccination or Receive an Exception by Jan. 4

Full-time, part-time, temporary and student employees of Michigan Tech are affected by the federal contractor vaccination/exception mandate, which goes into effect at Michigan Tech on Jan. 4.

Information on where to get vaccinated in the local area is available on the COVID-19 Vaccine page on the MTU Flex website.

For employees who are fully vaccinated, submitting proof of vaccination is a secure and confidential process and can be done in person or online.

Information on how to apply for a medical or religious exception to the federal mandate is posted on the Vaccination for Federal Contractors page on the MTU Flex website.

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VPR Research Series: Planning and Managing Research Data

Join us as we present the next session of the VPR Research Series with a virtual presentation led by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Van Pelt and Opie Library and the Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC). The session will be held today (Nov. 9) from noon to 1 p.m.

This session will provide an introduction to recent developments in research data management, which are being driven in part by the evolving requirements of many research sponsors, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and others. The session will include an overview of Michigan Tech’s recently instituted policy on research data and practical resources available at Michigan Tech to assist with data management needs (e.g., online resources at the Van Pelt and Opie Library, the Data Management Plan tool and Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech). In addition, the panel will share practical tips and examples from data management planning on recent projects.

A Q&A session will follow the presentation for attendees to ask questions and engage with the presenters to dig deeper into specific topics of interest.

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Café Français

Please join us today (Nov. 9) from 5-6 p.m. in the Walker Arts and Humanities Center (Walker), Room 120C, for an hour of laid-back Francophone setting with French natives and other Francophiles. All levels welcome.

Last Café Français date: Dec. 7.

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MS Defense: Vasu Goyal, ME-EM

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering candidate Vasu Goyal (ME-EM) will present his master's defense today (Nov. 9) at 10 a.m. This virtual defense will be presented online only. Attendance is invited via Zoom.

Goyal's defense is titled "Development and Validation of Dynamic Programming Algorithm for Eco Approach and Departure."

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Virtual Workshop: Feedback for New Gen Ed Program

Tomorrow (Nov. 10) at noon, IDEAhub will host a virtual workshop to gather feedback on the draft learning goal framework and assessment plans for a revised General Education (Essential Education) curriculum.

Instructors teaching courses within the current General Education program are especially encouraged to attend.

To best allow for participant engagement and discussion, this workshop is capped at 20 participants. Please register in advance to be added to the Google Calendar event, which will include the Zoom link. If there are more registrants than we can accommodate, we will schedule additional workshop sessions.

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

The Misinformation Edition Exhibition

Tuesday, November 9, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library

Glass Room: Misinformation Edition explores how social media and the web have changed the way we read information and react to it. It exposes new types of influencers, the new...

Celebrating the Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

Tuesday, November 9, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | Walker Lawn

Celebrate freedom and the fall of the Berlin Wall with spray painting throughout the day and help destroy the wall at the end of the day.

Master's Defense: Vasu Goyal

Tuesday, November 9, 10–11 a.m.

Mechanical Engineering Co-advisors: Jeffrey Naber and Darrell Robinette Development and Validation of Dynamic Programming Algorithm for Eco Approach and Departure Attend...

VPR Research Series: Planning and Managing Research Data

Tuesday, November 9, 12 p.m.–1 p.m.

Join us as we present the next session of the VPR Research Series with a virtual presentation led by the offices of the Vice President for Research, the Van Pelt and Opie...

CTL Instructional Award - Curriculum Development or Assessment: Todd Arney AND Paul Sanders

Tuesday, November 9, 3:45 p.m.–4:45 p.m.

Tuesday November 9, 2021 at 3:45PM https://mtu.libcal.com/event/8256682

Open Rock Climbing

Tuesday, November 9, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Multipurpose Room Climbing Wall

All ages (we can allow all ages to climb as long as we have the proper fitting equipment). No need to sign up, just stop by the Climbing Wall between 6 and 8 pm Monday through...

Sips and Succulents

Tuesday, November 9, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. | MUB Commons

Students will be able to paint a small terra cotta pot, plant a succulent, and take it home with them. All while enjoying a hot cup of relaxing tea or hot chocolate. Many...

Campus Master Plan Alumni Session

Tuesday, November 9, 7 p.m.–8 p.m.

Michigan Tech invites its alumni to a town hall session for the campus master plan. SmithGroup, a nationally recognized campus master planning and design firm, will host an...