The
Technician bulldogs.kettering.edu/technician
September 12, 2011
By Allen Hillaker Assistant Editor
•
•
Volume 107
Issue 3
Vandals Strike Academic Building viduals that may be responsible. The total cost to the school of the damage was estimated at over $3500.
Early in the morning on July 31, several individuals, who are believe to be Kettering students, entered the Academic building and did a significant amount of damage to school property. They opened the standpipe valve in the ab’s rear stairwell. This valve is designed for use by fire fighting staff and quickly flooded the stairwell. They also, in what Jim Benford, the head of campus safety, believes was an attempt to get on the roof, destroyed a lock and door. Once they made it onto the roof, they ripped up closed-circuit video camera conduit and attempted (and failed) to destroy a cctv camera. In addition, Mr. Benford said that campus safety found a partially discharged fire extinguisher and a loudspeaker from the ab in the bushes outside. He said that their next step in their investigation is to interview a number of indi-
What’s Inside
Photo courtesy of Kettering Communications
Fire Alarms
Thompson Hall hit by wave of false alarms
Kettering Given Another Honor
By Pat Mroczek Chief Public Relations Officer, Kettering University
Auto Show
2
Preview of the Frankfurt Auto Show
Opinions
5
Students talk about what they think
Flint's Amazing Race
By Matthew White Assistant Editor
Kettering University has been named a College of Distinction (http://www.collegesofdistinction. com/home.html) and is now featured on a web site that helps high school students, their parents and their high school counselors learn more about universities that focus on student learning and success. Kettering joins a list that includes Bradley UniversiThe television show "The Amazing Race" pit ty, Loyola University of Chicago, Marquette University and the University of San Diego, among others. teams against each other in a global scavenger hunt of great proportions. Now, students from Flint's local colleges will have the opportunity to participate in a similar, but thankfully smaller, competition. The Flint Cultural Center is accepting registrations for "The Amazing Race: Flint Cultural Center" through September 26. Four days later, on September 30, up to 150 teams of two students will begin their search. The two participants who come in first will each be awarded an iPad 2, free tickets to Flint Cultural Center events, gift certificates to local restaurants, and other prizes. Second-place winners will also receive some prizes. For more information, and to register for the competition, go to flintculturalcenter.org/amazingrace.
Editor's note: For more information about the "College of Distinction" program , visit http:// www.collegesofdistinction.com/about-colleges-ofdistinction/what-is-a-college-of-distinction.html
Meme
8
Technologically Impaired Duck
11
Celebration of Excellence
By Matthew White Assistant Editor
On September 21, otherwise known as Reading Day, Kettering University will host its first-ever "Celebration of Excellence." The event will recognize the accomplishments of students, faculty, and staff. Employees who have joined Kettering within the last year, Service Award honorees, and the various faculty honors will be presented at the meeting, as well as top student achievements. The Celebration of Excellence will be held in the International Room, beginning at 11am. Lunch will be served, and it is asked that all those who plan to attend rsvp to the campus-wide invitation. For students who had responded before September 8, a technical error caused their submissions to be discarded. They are requested to re-register themselves. The address of the invitation is: https://okras.kettering.edu/kuapps/ f ?p=EXCELLENCE:HOME
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September 12, 2011
The Technician
News
Series of Dorm Fire Alarms
By Jessica Bruce Technician Staff
12. Residents received an e-mail from Ms. Bosio stating that they would be charged $50 every time that a fire alarm was pulled purposely, unless the person(s) responsible [sic] is caught. “I would like residents to treat Thompson like their own home. Would they set off alarms on purpose or pull smoke alarms from the wall in their own home?” Ms. Bosio stated, “And I hope the answer to that question would be no.” Residence Life and Campus Security are still investigating both incidents but if any of the residents have information regarding those responsible they should contact either Residence Life or Campus Security. “As there are no cameras or security equipment for the fire alarms it’s difficult to know who pulled the fire alarm and vandalized the heat sensors. “Hopefully the fine is enough motivation for those responsible to stop,” Ms. Bosio stated. Residents are not content with the fire alarms being pulled either, with many asking those responsible to bring the maturity level up a little. Libbi Staples, a Freshman I, stated her opinion on the first fire alarm: “That was not cool. I had only just gotten to sleep at 2am and then some idiot decided to pull the fire alarm.” Residents complained about the alarms and were astonished over the cost, mainly complaining about their housing deposit being completely gone after the cost of both alarms. The main way residents can help is to notify Residence Life or Campus Security if they know anything about who is responsible. Many of the residents are just hoping that the fire alarms do not get pulled anymore, not wanting to lose sleep or money.
No one in the dorms really appreciates being woken up at 5:30 in the morning. On Sunday, July 31 the residents experienced their first fire alarm; the banshee scream of a fire alarm was pulled just before 5:30 that morning. Residents had to evacuate Thompson Hall, with many stumbling out in pajamas, robes, and some even in towels. A few minutes later, the alarms were turned off and everyone was allowed back in, but the residents were far from content. The next week, August 10, around 4:30pm, there was another fire alarm that was pulled, once again causing an evacuation. This time the culprits also vandalized the fire safety system, pulling a few heat sensors from the ceiling. Two days later another alarm went off; this one was simply maintenance repairing the vandalized heat sensors. Each time the fire alarms go off, Resident Advisors and the Residence Life Director have to go through and check to make sure everyone has evacuated. Campus Safety then responds to the area where the alarm was pulled. “The Flint Fire Department was also called during the last alarm,” stated Jim Benford, Chief of Campus Security. Too many false fire alarms can cause residents and officials not to take the alarms seriously if a real fire occurs in Thompson Hall. “Those responsible also have to realize that their not just putting themselves in danger, they’re putting 280 other people in danger,” Ms. Katie Bosio, the Director of Residence Life, said. Both of the fire alarm pulls were located in Unit 24, with the heat sensor vandalism occurring in Unit Photo courtesy of Kettering Communications
Duck Race a Success
Janssen Smith Public Relations Chairman, Phi Delta Theta
Thank you to all readers who helped the Duck Race be a great success this year! The brothers of Phi Delta Theta worked diligently in the past few weeks selling tickets for the race and raised a grand total of $1000 to donate to the Michigan Special Olympics.
The event was held at the Harrison Street Bridge in downtown Flint around 1pm on Saturday afternoon. Brothers climbed down into the river and arranged the race gear in preparation for the grueling race that spanned the entire width of the bridge. The race very heated, to say the least. The front runners of the race were quite tired. Every rubber duck fought hard the entire race. Prize winners: 1st place Micaela Miles $250 nd 2 place Kevin Kral $100 rd 3 place Vino Mathew $50 If your duck ran a close race behind the podium, you will be contacted soon about claiming your prize.
The
Technician Robert Hayes
Editor-in-chief
Allen Hillaker
Assistant Editor
Tyler Van Eck
Copy Editor
Matthew White
Assistant Editor
Alan Xia
Distribution Editor
Staff writers Devin Aryan Jessica Bruce Cynthia DiSarno Korrine Ketchum Isaac Meadows Adlai Milbitz John Oliver Marian Swagler Cartoonist Marie Klosowski
Proofreader Kaitlin Solovey Photographers Matthew Holland Joseph Stevenson Columnist Dominic Jandrain
Photos courtesy of Phi Delta Theta
September 12, 2011
The Technician
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SWE Crowns Mr. Kettering By the Society of Women Engineers
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage
By the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
Hispanic Heritage 'month' starts on September 15 to recognize the impact and contributions of Hispanic Americans. The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (shpe) will be celebrating Hispanic heritage and culture on 10th Friday in the Great Court at lunch. Shpe invites the Kettering campus to mark down September 16 on their calendars to come and en-
joy the festivities. Shpe will be having piñatas, marachis, folklórico dancers, and Hispanic food. Shpe will also be having a Salsa/Guac-Off to see which members of the Kettering community make the best salsa and guacamole. Contact Racquel Lovelace (love7534@kettering.edu) or Cynthia DiSarno (disa3969@kettering.edu) for more information and to sign up to participate. Winners in each category will receive a prize.
Flint Institute of Arts Movies
This year's Mr. Kettering had plenty of talent, from bagpipes to storytelling. There were a total of ten participants that represented their fraternities, organizations on campus, and units from Thompson Hall. The Kettering men strutted their stuff in the categories of swimwear, talent, and "Prince Charming"-wear. Lastly, there was a question and answer category where some were asked, "How would you save the princess?" and "What does 'Happily Ever After' mean to you?". Swe would like to thank all of the contestants who participated and their supporters. The performances were fun and entertaining. Luke Douma, representing Theta Xi, who is nothing less than that of an Evil Kenevil won over the judges and the crowd with his American prince charm and was crowned Mr. Kettering. Pictured (top left) are Mr. Kettering Luke Douma (Theta Xi), Crowd favorite Aaron Hoffman(Phi Delta Theta), Runner-up Joseph Stevenson (Unit 22), Third place John Oliver (Delta Tau Delta). Photo courtesy of Cynthia DiSarno.
October 27 — Ringu (Japan, 1998) Directed by Hideo Nataka, 96 min., subtitled, not rated Japan’s all-time box office horror hit, this film All shows begin at 9pm and are free to students spawned the American remake The Ring, but it’s even better. A reporter hears stories about people September 22 — Super 8 who are killed after viewing a videotape containing (U.S., 2011) Directed by J.J. Abrams, disturbing images. She doubts the tale—until she 112 min., rated PG-13 The 2011-12 College Town series opens with the views the tape herself and strange things begin to blockbuster sci-fi thriller about a weird small-town happen. By the sisters of Alpha Sigma Alpha phenomenon that follows a catastrophic train crash. First off, we would like to thank everyone who Elle Fanning, Amanda Michalka and Kyle Chandler came out to enjoy pancakes at our Pancake Brunch. head the cast for writer-director J.J. Abrams and exTogether, we raised over $350 for the Special Olymecutive producer Steven Spielberg. pics. We could not have done it without the particiSeptember 29 — I'm Still Here Sept. 9–10 (7:30pm), Sept. 11 (2pm) pation from the Kettering community. (U.S., 2010) Directed by Casey Affleck, The Tree of Life We love those who love spaghetti! We recently 108 min., rated R Sept. 16–17 (7:30pm), Sept. 18 (2pm): hosted our 4th Annual Spaghetti Dinner FundOffbeat star Joaquin Phoenix is the subject of a Incendies raiser on 9th Wednesday. The event was held at our comic documentary about the actor’s odd attempt Sept. 23–24 (7:30pm), Sept. 25 (2pm) house (924 E. 6th St.) from 5–9pm. The funds raised at a rap career. Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito and Even the Rain contributed towards improvements to our house. Bruce Willis are among those glimpsed in cameos Sept. 23–24 (7:30pm), Sept. 25 (2pm) Thank you for joining us for good food, good fun, during Phoenix’s year-long endeavor. Even the Rain and a great time. October 6 — Phase 7 Oct. 7–8 (7:30pm), Oct. 9 (2pm) (Argentina, 2011) Directed by Nicolas Goldbart, Bellflower 95 min., subtitled, rated R Oct. 14–15 (7:30pm), Oct. 16 (2pm) This highly regarded horror film from Argentina Cave of Forgotten Dreams concerns a virus epidemic that renders its victims Oct. 21–22 (7:30pm), Oct. 23 (2pm) into a zombie-like state. Meek’s Cutoff October 20 — Midnight in Paris Oct. 28–29 (7:30pm), Oct. 30 (2pm) (U.S., 2005) Directed by Phil Morrison, The Double Hour 106 min., rated R Amy Adams made an early film appearance – and Editor's Note: For more information, visit earned her first Oscar nomination – in this indie flintarts.org. comedy-drama. A dealer in “outsider” art travels from Chicago to North Carolina to meet her new in-laws, challenging the equilibrium of the middleclass Southern home.
College Town Series
ASA Expresses Gratitude
FOMA Film Series
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By Devin Aryan Technician Staff
September 12, 2011
The Technician
Technology Hewlett-Packard Misfire
Hewlett-Packard, an electronics company more commonly known as hp, recently released their very own tablet, called, quite originally, the hp TouchPad. The tablet, allowing hp to join the market of the newest generations of tablets, a market that so many other electronics companies are already in, did not do as well as some would have hoped. Being very similar to every other tablet released thus far, the hp TouchPad honestly brings nothing new to the table. This may not sound too bad, for it simply means that diehard hp fans can buy the tablet, and folks who are going into the tablet market as a consumer have yet another option to choose from. One must keep in mind, however, how late in the game it is. The hp TouchPad was released July 1 in the United States, but that is a good four months after the iPad 2, which was released March 11. In ad-
dition to this time lapse, those four months allowed the iPad 2 to gain the title of supremacy in the tablet market, with its predecessor the iPad still not too far behind. Feature-wise, as stated above, the hp TouchPad adds nothing new. Having all the usual; Wi-Fi, video chat, and common apps, nothing in the hp tablet sets it apart from the competitors. The iPad 2, having everything the hp TouchPad does, even beats the tablet in battery life. Plus, with the initial price on the hp TouchPad being similar to the iPad 2’s prices, there was really no reason not to buy an iPad 2 instead of the TouchPad. Initial sales were horrible. According to BestBuy, only 25,000 units had been sold by August 16, and the retailer had purchased 270,000. BestBuy even refused to pay hp for the tablets not sold, and demanded hp to buy all the excess back, which is an issue yet to be resolved. As a result for the extremely poor
showing , hp announced that it w o u l d discontinue the TouchPad and would turn its focus from the tablet market, also giving permission to retailers to sell the excess inventory for extremely lowered prices, some as cheap as $99.00. As a result of the price drop, however, the TouchPad shot off the shelves, with stores such as Barnes and Noble being sold out within the first hour of the drop. This drastic change in sales, however, gave hp an inkling of hope, and a week after announcing the discontinuation of the tablet, hp announced that they would have another production run of the TouchPad. This having been announced August 30th, the results of this decision have yet to be seen. Two questions currently on consumer minds are "Will the price stay low?" and "How many more will be produced? " So when it comes down to it, the hp TouchPad has one victory over competitors; price. If hp does not raise the price of the tablet with the new production set, the tablet may continue selling strong. If the price does rise, however, the iPad 2 would be a much better choice. The ball is now in hp's court, what will happen to the future of their tablet market depends on their next move. Photos courtesy of Hewlett-Packard
Come on and
TECHNO! 11th Tuesday BJ's Lounge 9pm 'til Midnight
Techno with
The
Technician
September 12, 2011
By Robert Hayes Editor-in-chief
Automotive Frankfurt Auto Show Preview
300 and Chrysler Town and Country in the pseudoluxury Italian automaker’s fleet, with the original two Americans rebadged as the Lancia Thema and On September 15, the halls of the Frankfurt Trade Lancia Voyager, respectively. Other production deFair Grounds will open to visitors of the 64th biennibuts include bmw’s new 1-Series, as well as their new al International Automobile Exhibition, otherwise i3 and i8 plug-in hybrids, Mazda’s new cx-5 compact known as the Frankfurt Auto Show. 2011 marks the crossover, Mercedes’ new B-Class compact, and the show’s 110th year, and auto makers from around the 2012 Toyota Yaris subcompact. world will be in attendance, eager to show their latest models, with European manufacturers particularly keen to offer austerity-stricken Europe a taste of the latest and greatest technology their reborn industry has to offer.
Ford Evos
Volkswagon Up!
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The Technician
Photo courtesy of Volkswagon
Volkswagen will be showing the production version of their highly acclaimed Up! concept vehicles. The 2012 Volkswagen Up! marks a return to Volkswagen’s roots as a brand for the everyman. Like the original Beetle before it, the 2011 Up! promises worry-free motoring for the masses, though with technology a Beetle driver could only dream of. Using a new line of BlueMotion 1.0 liter three-cylinder engines, the Up! will produce either 59 or 74 horsepower, and return around 55 mpg combined on the European test cycle. Available in December, the Up! will once again provide European drivers with a taste
Photo courtesy of Ford
On the concept front, Ford looks set to steal the show with the Ford Evos Concept, a stunning coupe with lines that evoke memories of the gt cars of the 1960s. While the new Evos Concept’s svelte bodywork and exaggerated DeLorean-esque gullwing doors aren’t likely to see production unchanged, they provide a clear glimpse into Ford’s post-Kinetic design language. Under the hood of the Evos, Ford’s plug-in hybrid powertrain promises more than 500 miles of driving range using “cloud-optimized” software to optimize powertrain energy modes based on driving history, and optimizing gps guidance based on traffic patterns and accident data. Evos is more than just a design exercise, however. It is a clear forerunner to the 2013 Fusion/Mondeo, Ford’s second truly global car, tentatively scheduled for a debut at the North American International Auto Show in January.
Jaguar c-x16
Photo courtesy of Jaguar
future. With lines that recall the xk roadster, the c-x16 packs a punch that should easily make it a compelling alternative to the Porsche Cayman. Under the sleek hood of the c-x16 Concept is a 3.0 liter v6 engine generating 376 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. Coupled to a hybrid drivetrain that can move the big Jag on electric power alone below 50 mph, the new coupe is capable of 0–60 miles per hour in a brisk 4.3 seconds, on par with the Cayman.
Citroën Tubik
Photo courtesy of Citroën
On the other end of the scale is the Citroën Tubik Concept, an mpv concept that borders on the fantastic. Part Volkswagen Microbus and part Airstream trailer, the Tubik concept features a number of unique styling features, including a driver’s seat that cocoons the driver, and plum colored upholstery on an extremely flexible seating system. But for all its styling quirks, Citroën isn’t providing any more information about the concept until the show begins. While all the information on the cars being launched at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show has not been released yet, all the initial signs of a successful show are present. With over 25 production debuts expected, the Frankfurt show is certain to be a mustwatch for auto enthusiasts. Editor's Note: For more information about the 64th International Motor Show, commonly called the Frankfurt Auto Show, visit their web site at http://www.iaa.de/en
Interior of the Volkswagon Up!
of the sophisticated simplicity that Volkswagen was once known for. Other production reveals at the show appear to be limited. Fiat is launching a redesigned Panda at the Frankfurt show, as well as detailing plans to import the Chrysler 200 Convertible to Europe badged as the Lancia Flavia. The new Flavia joins the Chrysler
Photo courtesy of Volkswagon
Another stunning concept at the Frankfurt show is the Jaguar c-x16 Concept. The c-x16 Concept provides a stunning glimpse into the future of the much-maligned British luxury marque. After decades of financial drudgery, the c-x16 Concept shows that Jaguar’s new corporate overlords, India’s Tata Group, are willing to invest in the company’s
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The Technician
Photo Montage
September 12, 2011
Above, Debroah Stewart, members of ksg, and Dr. Robert McMahan pose in front of a freshly-painted painted General Determination. September 1 was Dr. McMahan's inaugural bulldog painting.
Photos courtesy of Kettering Communications
Below, students wished concrete was interactive after spotting this replica of PacMan and Ms. Pac-Man in the Pool.
September 12, 2011
The Technician
Page 7
The Woodward Dream Cruise
The 17th annual Woodward Dream Cruise was held on August 20. Drawing in over 1 million visitors, the car cruise is one of the biggest in the world. Photos courtesy of Joseph Stevenson
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By Dominic Jandrain
The Technician
Opinion Embers Review
As some of you may remember, 2010 saw a great increase in arson fires in the Flint area. Andrew Morton, the project director of Embers, returned to Flint in spring last year, and became aware of the burning city around him. As a self-proclaimed ‘artist with a social mission,’ Mr. Morton, with the help of a group of U of M Flint students, interviewed those affected by the fire and compiled the script for Embers. Composed of verbatim dialogue from the interviews and music written by local musician Hannah Fralick, the performance tells the stories of students, residents, and firefighters as the fires raged through Flint last year. The performance begins with an interpretive dance of sorts, the cast flicking lighters along to the music in lieu of snapping their fingers. Chairs and other furniture pieces serve as props during the opening, being held to create structures around cast members, and then violently shaken and pulled away. After the piece finishes, cast members act out parts of the interviews that were conducted, telling the stories of students and residents, and how they were affected by the hundreds of fires that occurred in Flint last year. Two more musical compositions and dances separate the performance further, between which the audience hears the tales of fire-
fighters risking their lives, innocent victims burning in the arson-induced flames, and homeowners living in neighborhoods that were going up in flames. The stories flow elegantly from harsh, sad tales to hopeful outlooks for the future. Throughout the performance, the cast contemplate with each other about who started the fires, what to do about the situation, why the government won’t provide an adequate budget for the fire departments, and many other issues. The performance concludes with messages of hope for a better future for Flint, and offers a few ideas and advice to those who wish to help. The performance was quite enjoyable, and the audience left with a much better understanding of what effects arsons are having on Flint. The performance did a fantastic job of covering all sides of the issues at hand, and for those who were at all interested in the Flint fires, this performance was definitely worth seeing.
September 12, 2011
Submissions Policy The Technician encourages any interested students to attend staff meetings, held each Tuesday and Friday over the lunch hour in The Technician office, located on the 3rd floor of the Campus Center by Campus Life. Student submissions are encouraged and will be published if their material is in the public interest. Submissions or letters to the editor from faculty or administrative entities will be published if space is available. The Technician reserves the right to edit any and all submissions for brevity. Anonymous submissions are rarely published and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Individuals wishing to publish anonymously should consult the editor-in-chief. While this is the final issue of The Technician for this term, The Technician Magazine will be distributed at Late Night Breakfast, held during 11th week. The deadline for magazine article submissions is 10th Thursday. Send submissions to atechnician@kettering.edu.
Schedule Change Not Completely Terrible
By Jon Oliver
I remember the first day I checked my email after the trimester proposal was released. There were at least ten angry e-mails about how the change in schedule would mean the end of Kettering. I would have to agree with them that yes it would be an end to Kettering as we know it, but not to Kettering as a whole. There have been many changes over the years including the name change from GMI to Kettering. With all the changes Kettering has always made it through. I believe the trimester change will be no different. While I am not for the change, I am glad to see the Provost is exploring his options. It is after all his job. I know many students say that the only reason that they came to school is because of the co-op. Kettering will still be one of the only schools that requires the co-op experience to graduate. Despite all the doom and gloom of co-op ending we may only loose one term of co-op. We will also not be required to go to co-op during the summer. In fact, with the
new system a student could very easily work during all three trimesters during his time at Kettering. I have also heard many people in the Greek system say that their house would not be able to hold all the members of both sections, but for some houses they would finally have enough members to keep a reasonably sized house. The houses that have too many members to house would have exceptionally low house bills and the members who live out would be able to find roommates very easily. For those who say that the two sections are very different in their houses, I agree there may be some tension at first, but the values that the principals a house is founded on should be universal through all chapters and provide some common ground. All this means is that trimesters would not murder Greek life as many have speculated. I have heard many students say if the school switches to trimesters they are going to leave. While some students may be leave, the majority are too far along in their degree and too involved in organizations to leave. If these students were really serious about stopping the trimester change they would do more than just complain. The Technician has only received one constructive article written in opposition to the change. I have not seen students picketing the CC. I have not even seen a petition being
circulated to be signed by students who want to stop trimesters. I encourage students who feel very passionately to do any of these things and stop annoying their peers with their rehashed complaints. Change is not the worst thing in the world, despite what students may say, or yell. While it may be hard to believe, change can bring about good things too. We no longer calculate on slide rules, we don’t write on chalk boards if dry-erase boards are available and we don’t use hand drafting when we have access to computer modeling. There may be some benefits to trimesters and they may make school easier. I don’t like change as much as everyone else, but at least I am open to it. Editor's Note: You have heard opinions from both sides on the issues regarding the schedule change proposals. Now The Technician would like to hear from you! Write up a quick piece on your thoughts on the schedule change. After you are done, send it to us at atechnician@kettering.edu. Within reason, we will print any student opinions. For more information, and deadlines, see the Submissions Policy above.
September 12, 2011
The Technician
Robot Society Inductees
Ben Karczewski
Ben Karczewski, a senior Mechanical Engineering major, Business minor from Grand Rapids, MI. Ben currently serves as the Executive Director of Up ‘til Dawn, a national collegiate program that raises funds and awareness for Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He has also served on KSG as the Activities Chair for Operations Council and was named the Outstanding Council member of the 2010-2011 school year. Ben is a fellow in the Kettering LEADERS leadership development program, and has also attended the Leadershape National Institute. He is also a regular member of Engineers Without Borders. During work term Ben works extensively with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network National Capital Area Affiliate. He has previously worked as a recreation assistant, and has also participated in recreational clubs such as Aquaneers, Mixed Martial Arts, Outdoors, Wrestling, and Intramural Indoor Volleyball. Ben is a recreational triathlete recently competing in an Ironman 70.3, and he completed the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon raising funds for Medical Ministries International. He will pursue a full time engineering position upon graduation.
Huong Chim
Greetings, I am Huong Chim and I am a senior from Grand Rapids, Michigan. I am an electrical engineer with a business management minor. I work for Dematic Corporation in Grand Rapids, MI. My first term I started my involvement with KSG Academic Council and the following term I ran for sophomore representative of Student Senate and I’ve been involved with KSG ever since. In the past I held many positions on Academic Council and was Vice President of Student Senate. Currently, I am President of the student body. I have been making strides to make KSG more represented on campus as well as voicing student concerns through the administration. I’m working diligently to get all councils of KSG to be more effective as well as working on several projects to advance student life on campus. When I’m not on campus, I am socializing with my sorority sisters. I’ve held several positions in my sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha, including the position of chapter president. I’ve been honored to have been elected and to have served in all of my organizations. I wish to continue being a part of a better tomorrow for the people around me.
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Nikki Findlay
Nikki Findlay, daughter of Mark and Dianne Findlay, is a Mechanical Engineering student with a concentration in Bioengineering and a minor in Biochemistry from San Angelo, Texas. Her co-op is at Biomet in Warsaw, Indiana. She enjoys being involved on campus through such positions as president of Engineers Without Borders, president of Pre-Med Club, and Resident Advisor in Thompson Hall. She is committed to volunteer service at home and abroad- as a freshman Nikki was part of a team to assess and repair biosand filters in Mexico, and she is currently involved in several projects in the Flint area. She is also a Kettering LEADERs fellow, a Michigan Service Scholar, a Student Ambassador, and a Kagle tutor. She has served as a New Women Student Mentor and as a Kettering representative to the Flint Institute of Arts. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers and Alpha Phi Fraternity, and in 2012 Nikki will serve as the president of Pan-Hellenic Council.
Student photos courtesy of the Robot Society Bulldog photo courtesy of Kettering Communications
Margaret Walch
Margaret Walch, the daughter of Terry and Elizabeth Walch of Chelsea, Mich. She is majoring in Mechanical Engineering and has worked as a co-op at both Pratt & Whiney in Lansing, Mich., and GE Aviation in Cincinnati, Ohio. Margaret has contributed to the development of the Aerospace Engineering Specialty on campus, and is a founding member of Kettering’s SAE Aero Design Team and Aerospace Club. In addition, she is treasurer of Tau Beta Pi, and has been a member of Kappa Mu Epsilon, Pi Tau Sigma, Society of Women Engineers, and Greener Engineering Organization. Off campus, Walch is an active member of the community. She regularly volunteers at the Tom Geiger Guest House a transitional home for women and children, St. Louis Center for the developmentally disabled, teaches youth religious education classes, and participates in a variety of additional community service events.
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The Technician
Entertainment
September 12, 2011
Exciting New Changes for Kettering
By John Oliver Entertainment Columnist
With the fourth floor of Thompson Residence Hall now closed due to leaking Kettering now finds its self at a cross roads. Kettering has two options on how to deal with the collapsing residence hall. They can either hire contractors to fix the hall, or they can let the engineers at Kettering work their magic using President McMahan’s newly proposed resident construction projects. Dr. McMahan has already started to shake things up with many exciting new proposals to improve the educational experience at Kettering. His first major victory was getting the board to approve his new meal plan, which involves releasing hundreds of chicken, deer, goat, and cows into the fenced in area that use to be GM manufacturing facilities. Next every new freshman will be given a club and be sent into the empty lot to hunt for his food. Dr. McMahan said, “It will provide the students with activities while promoting physical fitness. Imagine how fast all of our students will be if they have to out run a deer to eat.” Then next newly proposed change is the switch from a grass beach to a sand beach, and a stone pool
to a water one. Many members of the board were apprehensive about change and the inherent liability of having a pool and a beach without a life guard, but Dr. McMahan assured the board, “Dudes it will be so awesome. We could put a diving board on top of the bell tower and put up signs that say no shirt, no shoes, no problem.” The board was sold and Dr. McMahan immediately ran outside and turned on a hose to fill up the pool, before realizing that it would have to have some slight changes made to it before it would be ready to hold water. He said, “It was a disappointment realizing that we had to build up the sides and fill in all the cracks, I mean I had already cut of the sleeves and bottoms of my pants of my suit to make shorts, but whatever.” One of the most exiting changes is the proposal to instead of fixing the Residences hall making a required engineering construction project for all living in the residence hall. The project would consist of the residents taking the rubble of the crumbling residence hall and constructing for themselves makeshift hobbles in the grassy patch behind where the current residence hall lies. Dr. McMahan said, “It will involve a little initial cost to really collapse Thompson Hall, but honestly the residence hall is a couple solid kicks away from a pile of rubble. I’m
Thompson Hall’s Bathroom Solution Why It Works By Kaitlin Solovey Technician Staff Thompson Hall has always been known as a fantastic place to live, and this summer, it’s gotten even better. Since all of the girls couldn’t fit into the girls’ unit on the second floor, a coed unit was put on the third floor right next to its very own unisex bathroom. Originally, most of the girls’ rooms were next to the unisex bathroom and most of the guys’ rooms were closer to the men’s bathroom. That worked: the girls could share the unisex bathroom with the guys from the adjacent unit and the other guys could use the men’s bathroom at the other end of the hallway. Eventually, some girls from the coed unit became displeased enough with the unisex bathroom to warrant looking for a way around; apparently, girls just don’t particularly enjoy sharing a bathroom with guys. Their solution was to go down a flight of stairs to use the women’s bathroom by the all-girls’ unit, and lo and behold: the women’s bathroom was clean! There were no problems with the lighting, no dead bugs in pooled sink water, more stall doors closed without struggle, and everything looked a little dated but well-maintained. Only girls used that bathroom, so not having to blow-dry their hair beside a guy shaving his face was merely another perk. Unfortunately for those using the coed bathroom,
thinking about making it into a contest to see who can collapse the Thompson Hall most best.” Some students have already started designing their dream room for next year. Freshman Dillon Kipkey told me about his plan, “I want to dig about six feet into the ground so I can get a little of the basement effect for those hot summer days. I will probably not have to use as much brick, which I am expecting to become a hot commodity next term. I want to slant my roof so that it will deflect the rain. I have been eyeing a piece of vent that would be perfect for the roof.” The school has recognized the risk of leaving students out in open in Flint, and they are offering free sunglasses and wristband usbs to all students. On top of all these changes Dr. McMahan has proposed a change from our standard four term year to a dodecahmester. The dodecahmester will allow us to compete with other schools by making it easier to transfer out of Kettering, giving them reassurance when they come here that they can always leave. Dr. McMahan said, “Trimesters, I’m past that… four times past that. Dodecahmesters will put our school on the cutting edge of university systems by having us mach up perfectly with other colleges.”
xkcd
a lot of girls preferred this environment. In fact, so many girls from the coed unit liked the women’s bathroom so much, they wanted one of their very own. Complaints were made, and someone must have listened; about halfway through the semester, everyone in the coed unit received the following message from their ra, Briana Reprogle: “Hi everyone, in case you haven't noticed, the men's bathroom at the end of our hall has been changed to a women's and the bathroom at the end of [Unit] 34 has been changed from women's to men's. I expect everyone to respect the new designations.” The girls in the coed unit had their very own women’s bathroom complete with urinals, subpar maintenance, and male visitors that weren’t about to change their lifestyles after 6th week. Situation resolved. Girls got their women’s bathroom and guys are now expected to walk down the entire hall to use the unisex bathroom. However, the girls and guys of the coed unit got more out of this situation than a new women’s bathroom and a unisex bathroom that’s still used by both sexes: they will soon know the wonderfully awkward feeling of avoiding eye contact with toweled members of the opposite sex while heading to their respective bathrooms. Editor's Note: Although Miss Solovey points out a troubling issue, the tone of the article and its heavy use of sarcasm found only the Entertainment page acceptable.
The bug report was marked "could not reproduce."
September 12, 2011
By Dominic Jaindrain Entertainment Columnist
The Technician
Meme of the Month Technologically Impaired Duck
Technologically Impaired Duck is yet another Advice Dog spinoff that has been around for a little while now. This incompetent duck’s captions are inspired by people that don’t know much about computers, cell phones, etc. and their hilariously wrong beliefs and methods of dealing with technology they don’t know much about. Sure, it sounds a bit mean to laugh at the expense of our elders and the technology they seem to find so confusing, but this is the internet we’re talking about here; everyone gets made fun of at some point. Most of the captions are pretty hilarious too, with things like turning off the firewall so the computer cools down, downloading free smileys, and sending money to Nigerian princes. earlier advice animals that actually followed the An interesting thing to note about Technologi- ‘animal’ template. Most newer ones don’t bother to cally Impaired Duck is that it is among one of the find an animal to represent a stereotypical person, and instead use pictures of actual people that look like they fit the description. A few notable examples of these are Good Guy Greg, Scumbag Steve, Annoying Facebook Girl, and Uber Frosh. While these are still hilarious, it’s taking the lazy way out. Also, the pictures are of actual people, who eventually find out that a picture of them went viral online and sometimes aren’t too happy about it. Come on, internet, stop being insensitive and lazy and start using animals again. No more wolves though: there are like three already. Seriously. /rant
Comic By Marie Klosowski Technician Cartoonist
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