THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS Volume: 60 Issue: 6
SEPTEMBER 28, 2016
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MARS CURIOSITY ROVER SPOTLIGHTS STEM FIELDS AT UNO
UNO Teaching Fellow Professor C. Gregory Seab explains features of the Mars Curiosity Rover.
BY CLAY MISTICH Driftwood Contributor When University of New Orleans WISE-STEM Recruiter Stephanie Moore-Kreamer found out that a half-scale replica of the Curiosity Rover currently stationed on Mars would be visiting campus, she went to work immediately, planning a three-day event, featur-
ing exhibits related to the STEM (sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. “When we received word that we were going to have the replica of the Mars Rover, we decided that it would also be great to have other exhibitors so that the UNO community and students visiting campus would have a variety of things to do during the event,” said Moore-Kreamer.
Photo by Nathan Nguyen
The event, open to both the public and UNO students, saw its biggest crowds from middle and high school tour groups. Over 1,000 students from 25 different schools visited the exhibit. UNO Teaching Fellow Professor C. Gregory Seab explained the importance in getting students interested in STEM fields at a young age. “If you ask any scientists why they are in their field, it usually
stems from some wonder, an inherent, basic curiosity of our universe, excitement and enthusiasm. In every single science field, it’s not so much the topic itself, as it is the idea behind it. This [rover] is a mockup, but a mockup of a rover currently running around Mars looking for signs of life. It’s a fantastic thing. Events like this, they fire the imagination. More than anything, that’s what we need.” The $75,000 model was built by Siemens, a German engineering company that had a hand in designing parts of the actual rover. Curiosity, the seventh rover sent to Mars, and the fourth sent by the United States, arrived on the surface of the rocky planet with the goal of investigating the surface, as well as looking for signs that might indicate the possibility to sustain life on the planet. Seab said that scientists and engineers work on a project like the rover from several different angles: “You can go from an engineering point of view, or from a science point of view. Most of what NASA does is the engineering sort of thing, and that’s the robotics that are also at this event. This [rover] is a robot. Parts of it were designed by students and then incorporated in the working design of the robot. The purpose, of course, of the robot is doing the science part. That’s
the geology, the chemistry, the astronomy and the physics of it.” Other exhibitors from several different STEM fields, included big-name companies, such as the drug research company Albany Molecular Research Inc., as well as representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and its neighboring Michoud Assembly Facility. High school robotics teams represented by the nonprofit organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), demonstrated their creations. Several university departments and clubs put on showcases as well. The astronomy department held an open telescope viewing Friday night in front of the University Center. Moore-Kreamer said she was thrilled with the outcome of the program. “This was a collaboration across campus to not only bring the exhibitors but to also invite local schools to see what UNO has to offer. Through this, students in middle school and high school get an opportunity to see what you can do with science and engineering as well as get a taste of the university itself.” Though the model was not built to be part of a traveling exhibit, it will be displayed at an engineering conference in Louisiana next week.
University administration explains current fee increases BY MINDY JARRETT Copy Editor Despite recent budget cuts to higher education, University of New Orleans students have not seen an increase in tuition prices. An undergraduate taking the minimum 12 credits required for full-time status has paid exactly $3,045.19 in tuition since the beginning of the fall 2015 semester. “There will be no tuition increase,” said Adam Norris, the university’s chief communication officer. Rather than increase tuition, the university tacked on two other mandatory university fees: the Privateers Spirit fee and the Student Retention Initiative fee. “The dedicated fees were taken to the Student Government and a separate open forum was held in May to discuss the proposed fees. The
rationale for these fees was shared at that forum, as we wanted student input and feedback,” said Norris. “In fact, one of the key reasons we decided against a tuition increase is because of the feedback we received from students.” The new fees were passed by the University of Louisiana System in July. The university joined the UL System at the end of 2011; it is the largest higher education system in the state, enrolling 90,000 students in nine different universities across the state. It was also the system most affected by the recent state budget cuts. Of the $8.1 million cut, $5.5 million – 68 percent - came from the UL System alone.
“While other Louisiana universities, including some in the UL System, increased fees by a greater amount and some increased tuition, we chose to pursue a modest increase in dedicated fees,” said
student success,” said Norris. The Privateers Spirit fee, Norris explained, “will be dedicated to enhancement of the student experience at events and further engage students in campus and student life activities.” The Student Retention Initiative fee “will be dedicated to professional student advising, to include the development of a professional advisement model in each college, based upon best practices for student completion, which will streamline time to graduation.” Since joining the UL System, a full-time UNO undergraduate has seen tuition increases of over $700 and an additional $1,000 increase
“One of the key reasons we decided against a tuition increase is because of the feedback we received from students.” -Adam Norris, CCO Norris. That same full-time undergraduate will now pay an extra $240 per semester in fees rather than tuition. “All of the new fees are focused on
in student fees. In just four years, the overall cost of attending the university has increased by 40 percent. According to information posted by the Louisiana Board of Regents, which oversees the UL System, UNO is the third most expensive of the nine schools in its system, costing a 12-credit, in-state undergraduate student $8,644.37 for the 2016-17 school year. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is the most expensive at $9,450. McNeese State University is the cheapest in the system, costing that same student $7,225. The two fees introduced this school year show the second-largest increase to the student fees, up almost $250. Norris added, “It should be noted that these are mandatory fees, and financial aid and scholarships can be used to cover their cost.”