October 11, 2022

Reminder: The Retirement Supplemental Voluntary Program (RSVP) is a voluntary retirement program offered to eligible Michigan Tech employees. The enrollment period during which an employee may sign their RSVP election ends Oct. 31.

Employees electing the monetary retirement option must retire on or before June 30, 2023. The monetary retirement option provides a benefit equal to 30% of the eligible employee’s annual salary (nine-month salary for faculty), up to the cap amount of $65,000 at the time of their actual retirement date.

For further clarification, please see the RSVP policy and the RSVP matrix, which explains the gradual phase-out of all RSVP options.

Prior to electing RSVP, employees must meet with the Benefits Office for a confidential meeting to verify eligibility. RSVP program information may be found online.

RSVP questions may be directed to Benefit Services at 906-487-2517 or benefits@mtu.edu.

The University has contracted with a new purchasing card (PCard) service provider. In November, the University’s cardholders will be mailed a new credit card from Bank of America. Cardholders will receive further communication about the new card. There are no changes to the use of the PCard or to the Concur allocation process.

In preparation for the November launch, Purchasing is implementing a holding period for new PCards effective immediately. Any applications received will be held and new cards ordered after the launch.

If you have any questions during this transition, please email pcard@mtu.edu.

Sept. 24 marked the anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 11246, and the creation of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). Including amendments, Executive Order 11246 "prohibits federal contractors from discriminating based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, and requires federal contractors to take affirmative action to advance equal employment opportunity. Contractors are also prohibited from discriminating against applicants or employees because they inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or that of others, subject to certain limitations." Michigan Tech must comply with all of the regulations enforced by the OFCCP.

All departments and search committees must assist with the University's compliance efforts so that we can continue to participate in federal contracts. The offices of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity Compliance have provided hiring guidelines that must be followed. Utilizing these steps helps to ensure that all searches are fair and consistent.

Compliance with these regulations is important because the OFCCP does conduct compliance evaluations to determine whether contractors are complying with the requirements. For example, “From 2011 through 2021, OFCCP has obtained $206.5 million in total financial remedies for more than 270,000 federal contractor workers.”

If you have any questions about equal employment or affirmative action obligations required by regulations, please visit our website or contact Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX at eocompliance@mtu.edu.

The Safety Skills training platform will be unavailable from Friday (Oct. 14) until Monday (Oct. 17) for system upgrades.

The upgraded system will feature many new modules, including Job Hazard Analysis, Audits and Inspections, and Incident Investigation Tools. These offerings greatly expand the Safety Management capabilities available to all MTU faculty, staff and custom groups.

There will also be noticeable visible changes to your Safety Skills experience, including new login pages, modified user dashboards and expanded functionality option menus. The URL will also change to mtu.mysafetyskills.com — but don’t worry! Old links will be redirected automatically.

We apologize for any inconveniences during this time, but are excitedly looking forward to the launch of our expanded safety platform!

To learn more about the upgrades, please visit the Safety Skills EHS Management Tools page.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us at EHS-Help@mtu.edu.

The University Senate will convene Meeting 677 at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow (Oct. 12) in Dow 642.

Those within the University community unable to attend in person have the option to attend 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 agenda to Meeting 677.

Menu for Thursday (Oct. 13):

• Jerk Chicken (Gluten Friendly)
• Fried Plantains (Gluten-Friendly, Vegan)
• Caribbean-Style Coconut Rice (Gluten-Friendly, Vegan)
• Moroccan Vegetable Stew (Gluten-Friendly, Vegan)
• Papaya Slaw (Gluten Friendly, Vegan)

Dining Services presents this week's C3 Luncheon, being held 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.

The C3 lunch buffet menus are created and prepared by executive chef Michael Landini 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 (MUB 101). You can submit C3 feedback using our Google form. To join the C3 Google group and receive weekly menus, email business-support@mtu.edu.

The annual 41 North Film Festival will be held Nov. 3 through Nov. 6 at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. The festival once again offers an exceptional opportunity for people to gather together and watch thought-provoking, entertaining and award-winning films from around the world that explore a range of issues, ideas and personalities. Along with over 20 films (both features and shorts), there will be special guests, educational panels and other attractions.

The festival has something for everyone, with films that examine the progress and perils of scientific research, as well as those that shine a light on the achievements and challenges of small communities much like our own. This year’s cast of characters includes artists and art thieves, hockey players and range riders, big wave surfers and social justice warriors, as well as a beleaguered laundromat owner who finds herself plunged into the metaverse.

See the full lineup of films and events at the 41 North Film Festival website. The festival is free and open to the public. Students will need to bring their HuskyCard. No ticket is necessary for others attending the festival this year. For more information, email Festival Director Erin Smith at ersmith@mtu.edu.

Read more about the lineup on the Humanities News, Features, and Other Updates blog.

Major sponsorship for the 41 North Film Festival is provided by the Department of Humanities, the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, the College of Sciences and Arts and the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts.

Ana C. Alba-Rubio will be presenting the next seminar in the Chemistry Seminar Series.

Alba-Rubio's seminar is titled "Catalysts Can Be Good at Multitasking: Two Practical Examples." She will present virtually at 3 p.m. Friday (Oct. 14) via Zoom.

The Michigan Tech volleyball team chalked two marks in the win column this weekend, improving to 12-6 overall and 6-5 in the GLIAC.

On Friday (Oct. 7), the Huskies defeated Saginaw Valley State 3-1 at the SDC Gym, winning the first two 25-23 and 25-21 before the Cardinals took set three 25-19. Tech rebounded with a 25-21 win in the fourth to take the match.

"I'm glad we won," Tech coach Matt Jennings said. "We knew it was going to be a hard fight. Saginaw is a good team."

Saturday (Oct. 8), the Huskies swept Wayne State 3-0 on Homecoming at the SDC Gym. The Huskies downed the Warriors 25-12, 25-21 and 25-19 to earn the sweep.

"I'm thrilled with the way we played today," Jennings said. "It was probably the cleanest we've played all year, and it couldn't have come at a better time. I'm proud of the way we played from start to finish."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

It was a learning weekend for No. 20 Michigan Tech hockey.

On Friday (Oct. 7), the Huskies began the 2022-23 regular season with a 2-1 loss to Ferris State at Ewigleben Ice Arena Friday. Parker Saretsky scored the lone goal for MTU.

"Ferris earned it," Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. "They have quite a few veterans on their team. This will be a lesson for some guys tonight, and we'll grow as many guys as we can as the season goes."

"These are all really good early season matchups that will give us a lot of video to teach our guys. We can get better after a game like this," Shawhan added.

The Huskies lost again in their final exhibition match, falling 5-2 to the U.S. National Under-18 Team on Saturday (Oct. 8). Nick Nardella and Ryland Mosley scored for the Huskies.

"We found the guys that were willing to play at the pace and compete that is required against a team like this. This team is the best this country has to offer," Shawhan said. "I gave everybody a chance early, but I got exactly what I wanted out of it. We needed to figure out who can play at this level."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The Michigan Tech soccer team finished the weekend with a loss to a tough No. 6 Grand Valley State team and a win against Davenport.

The Huskies fell 2-0 to No. 6 Grand Valley State in front of a record-setting 758 fans at Kearly Stadium on Friday (Oct. 7). 

The matchup was the third consecutive top-25 opponent Tech has faced, after tying with Northern Michigan on Sept. 30 and losing 1-0 to Grand Valley State on Sept. 25.

"They are defending national champions and are on a hot streak right now," head coach Bulut Ozturk said. "Our women fought hard the entire match — there is always the belief and that collective defending."

"We felt like we had a 12th man with the pep band coming out and there was a lot of love and support from the community — and it's great for our women to feel that love and get that kind of support, and they were a little disappointed to not give them the result for the fans — but we left it all out and as a coach that's all you can ask for."

On Sunday (Oct. 9), the Huskies' offensive uproar overwhelmed visiting Davenport as the Huskies took down the Panthers 2-0 at Kearly Stadium.

Tech was aggressive offensively to start the game and never looked back, tallying 20 shots, landing 12 on target, highlighted by goals from Stephanie Yeager and Julia Pietila.

"When we start to press collectively and aggressively, we can keep the ball higher up the field and that gives us more goal-scoring opportunities," Ozturk said. "It's always great to get another shutout and we take a lot of pride in that. We're right back in the hunt and we're still fighting and there is a lot more work to do. We'll get back to work on Tuesday and get ready for two more home matches."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

The Michigan Tech cross country teams earned top-six team finishes at the Lewis Crossover on Saturday (Oct. 8) in Romeoville, Illinois.

The No. 15 men of Michigan Tech earned a fourth-place finish (102 points), while the No. 29 women placed sixth (193 points).

Drew Kolodge led the MTU men, running a scorching time of 23:58.7 to take fifth place. Clayton Sayen ran 24:05.4 for sixth place. The duo had the second-best 1-2 finish in the team standings after Colorado Christian went 2-3.

Following Kolodge and Sayen, Sam Lange placed 18th (24:32.8). The fourth and fifth runners for the Black and Gold were Nick McKenzie (24:49.7) and Tucker Ringhand (24:54.3), finishing 33rd and 43rd, respectively.

Michelle Bollini ran 22:08.3 to pace the women, crossing the finish line in 12th place. Sam Kurkowski placed 30th in 22:38.3. The other scorers on the day were Jesse Jacobusse in 43rd place (22:56.0), Elsa Huckles in 49th place (23:06.3) and Hannah Loughlin in 60th place (23:19.9).

"The extended season this year means this race sits differently in our schedule than normal. Usually, it's directly before our conference meet and we're closing in on peak shape," head coach Kristina Owen said. "This year we're still a month out, and still very much in build mode. Some of these teams just outran us with their turnover on the flats, but we're where we need to be at this point in the season. Our fourth place finish for the men and sixth place finish for the women is the best we've ever finished as a combined program."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Michigan Tech football collected a 35-34 Homecoming victory over Wayne State on Saturday (Oct. 8) at Kearly Stadium. The Huskies snapped a four-game losing skid in front of 2,291 alumni and fans as MTU celebrated 100 seasons of football since 1920.

Trailing by six points deep in the fourth quarter, Will Ark constructed a 10-play, 65-yard drive and pushed his way past the goal line.

"It was a good job by the whole team, staying together and not giving up until the final horn," Ark said after the game. "I knew the plays we called had the potential to go for 10-15 yards on the final drive and I felt the pass protection was good, which enabled us to execute down the field. I just focused on distributing the ball to where it needed to go."

"It was a hard-fought game," said head coach Steve Olson. "I was very happy with everything Will did and our receivers as well. Just proud of the game plan our offensive coaching staff drew up to help get it there. We moved the ball in different ways when we needed to. It's credit to our guys for digging deep to get that done."

Read more at the Michigan Tech Athletics website.

Tuesday (Oct. 11)
• Huskies Drive Time, 7:30-8 a.m. on Mix 93 WKMJ

Thursday (Oct. 13)
• Hockey at Alaska, 11:37 p.m. on Mix 93 WKMJ

Friday (Oct. 14)
• Volleyball at Midwest Region Crossover against TBD
• Soccer vs. Parkside, 7 p.m. at Kearly Stadium
• Hockey at Alaska, 11:07 p.m. on Mix 93 WKMJ

Saturday (Oct. 15)
• Volleyball at Midwest Region Crossover against TBD
• Football vs. Northern Michigan, 1 p.m. at Kearly Stadium on Mix 93 WKMJ and TV6
• Volleyball at Midwest Region Crossover against TBD

Sunday (Oct. 16)
• Soccer vs. Purdue Northwest, Noon at Kearly Stadium

Job Postings for Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022

Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 906-487-2280 or email mtujobs@mtu.edu.

For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.

Coordinator/Advisor of Registered Student Organizations, Student Leadership and Involvement. Apply online.

System Administrator, Information Technology. Apply online.

Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Accommodations are available. If you require any auxiliary aids, services, or other accommodations to apply for employment, or for an interview, at Michigan Technological University, please notify the Human Resources office at 906-487-2280 or mtujobs@mtu.edu.

Faculty from the Departments of Engineering Fundamentals (EF) and Cognitive and Learning Sciences (CLS) presented the following works this week at IEE's Frontiers in Education Conference in Uppsala, Sweden:

• "Implementation of Game-Based Programming into First-Year Engineering Coursework as a Means to Engage and Excite Students" presented by Ken Thiemann (speaker) and Brett Hamlin
  
  
• "Shifting the Power Dynamic - Does Grading by Near-Peer Mentors Impact Their Effectiveness?" presented by AJ Hamlin (speaker) and Amber Kemppainen
  
  
• "Comparing Team Evaluation Software (Team+ and CATME)" presented by Amber Kemppainen, AJ Hamlin (speaker), Matt Barron and Mary Raber
  
  
• "Work in Progress: Utilizing the MUSIC Instrument to Gauge Progress in First-Year Engineering Students" presented by Susan Amato-Henderson (speaker) and Jon Sticklen
  
  
• "First Year Engineering Students’ Perceptions of the Role of an Engineer" presented by Amanda Singer (Ohio State University), Margot Vigeant (Bucknell University) and Michelle Jarvie-Eggart (speaker)
  
  
• "Promoting Technology Adoption Among Engineering Faculty" workshop presented by Michelle Jarvie-Eggart (speaker)

The Daily Mining Gazette and the Keweenaw Report covered the Michigan Tech Board of Trustees’ approval of a new campus plan to guide the University’s development through 2035 and beyond.

University President Rick Koubek and Vice President for Research Dave Reed were quoted in the Gazette’s story, and a presentation given by Vice President for University Relations and Enrollment John Lehman to the Houghton Planning Commission was mentioned.

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Undergraduate research assistant Max Wegner (applied ecology and environmental sciences) was pictured in an image accompanying a Minnesota Public Radio News story on an underappreciated climate superhero: peat.

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CBS News mentioned Michigan Tech in a listicle ranking 2023’s 50 best-value colleges.

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Up North Voice published a piece written by Michigan Tech alumna Brenda Haskill ’93 (forest management) about the growing number of women in forestry.

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WhoWhatWhy picked up Eos's story on research by Timothy Scarlett and Roman Sidortsov (SS) at Michigan Tech’s Keweenaw Energy Transition Lab suggesting that decommissioned mines can become pumped underground storage hydropower (PUSH) facilities — powerhouses for green electricity generation.

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Michigan Tech hockey’s Kyle Kukkonen was ranked No. 43 in the Hockey News listicle “The Top 100 NCAA Players to Get Excited About for 2022-23.”

Spring 2023 PHF Graduate Assistantship Nominations Open

Applications for Spring 2023 Portage Health Foundation (PHF) Graduate Assistantships are being accepted and are due no later than 4 p.m. next Tuesday (Oct. 18) to the Graduate School. Instructions on the application and evaluation process are found online. Students are eligible if all of the following criteria are met:

1. Must be a Ph.D. student conducting a research or outreach project that will promote and/or improve the overall health of the Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga and Ontonagon communities.
2. Must be a Ph.D. candidate at the time of application.
3. Must be two years after starting the graduate program at the time of application.
4. Must not be a prior recipient of a PHF Graduate Assistantship.
5. Preference will be given to applicants with long-standing local connections to Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga or Ontonagon county.

Priority will be given to students originally from Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga or Ontonagon counties. Nonresident students and international students are encouraged to apply if their health research is applicable to health needs and job shortages of our local community (obesity research, rural health, medical informatics, drug delivery and lab testing, physical therapy, etc.).

These assistantships are available through the generosity of the Portage Health Foundation. They are intended to recognize outstanding Ph.D. talent in health-oriented research areas. Applicants should be a catalyst for promoting and improving the overall health of Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga and Ontonagon communities through one of the following:

• Health research and technology development
• Health education or preventive and wellness initiatives
• Rural health care access, informatics and assessment of care

Students who receive full support through a PHF Graduate Assistantship may not accept any other employment. For example, students cannot be fully supported by a PHF Graduate Assistantship and accept support as a GTA or GRA.

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Café Français

Please join us today (Oct. 11) for an hour of laid-back Francophone setting with French natives and other Francophiles. All levels welcome. Walker 120C, from 5-6 p.m.

Café Français meets every second Tuesday: Oct. 11, Oct. 25, Nov. 8 and Nov. 29.

Friends and family are welcome!

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La Peña Spanish Conversation Hour

Join us today (Oct. 11) for la Peña, the Spanish Conversation Hour. Come unwind and meet new people while you refresh your Spanish! Everybody is welcome. We will meet from 5-6 p.m. in the HDMZ (Humanities Digital Media Zone), Walker 120A.

Remaining la Peña dates this semester: Oct. 11, Oct. 25, Nov. 8, Nov. 29

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This Week at the Rozsa: KSO and Michigan Tech Theatre

"R.U.R." — 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15 and Oct. 20-22
Presented by Michigan Tech Sound, Michigan Tech Music and ROBOT101

Michigan Tech Theatre performs the 1920 dystopian play "R.U.R: Rossum's Universal Robots" in McArdle Theater. Witness a world of robots in revolt against the limited human population in this semi-staged radio drama. A post-performance discussion will take place following Saturday's performance.

How to Attend:

• Faculty, staff and general public: Reserve your tickets online or call 906-487-1906.
• Students: Bring your Student ID to get free Student Rush tickets for you and a friend, or email rozsa@mtu.edu to skip the line and reserve your tickets in advance.
• Can't make it in person? Stream it live.

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Unquiet Earth — Saturday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Presented by Michigan Tech Music
Performed by the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra

The Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra (KSO), under the baton of Joel Neves, presents a concert that blends fresh new work, a rediscovered gem and beloved favorites.

How to Attend:

• Faculty, staff and general public: Reserve your tickets online or call 906-487-1906.
• Students: Bring your Student ID to get free Student Rush tickets for you and a friend, or email rozsa@mtu.edu to skip the line and reserve your tickets in advance.
• Can't make it in person? Stream it live.

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

The Rozsa Galleries Present: Arabesque

Tuesday, October 11, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Rozsa Galleries A-Space

THE ROZSA GALLERIES PRESENT ARABESQUE AN ART EXHIBITION OF THE WORKS OF CLEMENT YEH AND TOMAS CO FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 THROUGH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022 GALLERY HOURS: M-F 8...

Flu Shot Clinics

Tuesday, October 11, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. | Rosza

Come get your flu shot! Grab a friend and head over to one of the multiple clinics hosted on campus during the fall semester. There is no need to make an appointment as all...

National Coming Out Day

Tuesday, October 11, 12 p.m.–2 p.m. | CDI Lawn

Come visit the rainbow door in front of the CDI in honor of National Coming Out Day!

Adult Huskies Swim Lessons Fall 2022 Session 2

Tuesday, October 11, 5:00 p.m.–5:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Adult Huskies Swim Lessons provides aquatic education for the beginner to the intermediate swimmer who is looking to become more comfortable in the water and learn the...

Adult Huskies Swim Training Fall 2022 Session 2

Tuesday, October 11, 5:00 p.m.–5:50 p.m. | Student Development Complex (SDC), Pool

Adult Huskies Swim Training provides additional attention and competitive guidance to swimmers ages 18 and older who are looking to improve their swimming skills and fitness...

Keweenaw Ultra Marathon Weekly Group Run

Tuesday, October 11, 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Michigan Tech Trailhead (OAP building)

The club will get together every Tuesday 6pm at the Tech Trailhead for a group run. We will generally run for about 1 hour at a 9-12 min pace depending on who is there. This...

Let's Taco-bout-it

Tuesday, October 11, 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Memorial Union Building Commons Area

Come join us for delicious (and free) tacos, good company, and great support! We would love for you to stop by and share a meal with other MTU students and our staff! You can...

NCSA General Meeting

Tuesday, October 11, 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Chemical Sciences Building 108

NCSA, the Networking and Computing Student Association serves to provide educational opportunities to students interested in all facets of computing. Come join our weekly...

General Meeting

Tuesday, October 11, 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | Fisher Hall

During general meetings, we'll learn about the Assertion Evidence method of slide design, classroom management, and presentation delivery. We'll also have opportunities to...