The
Technician bulldogs.kettering.edu/technician
March 14, 2013
•
•
Volume 110
Issue 3
Hurley Takes Notes from Kettering
By Matthew White Assistant Editor
Gone are the days of paper charts meticulously documenting a patient’s condition. As hospitals work to provide better care, medical records are increasingly becoming electronic. This transition can be difficult for physicians, especially those who are not technologically savvy. Melany Gavulic, ceo of Hurley Medical Center, recognized the problems that her doctors were facing. A graduate of Kettering, she recognized the unique benefit students could bring. Cooperating with Drs. Patrick Atkinson, a professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Stacy Seeley, Premed Director, Ms. Gavulic developed a first-of-the-kind program for premed students to immerse themselves in a hospital environment in early 2012. Continued on the next page
What’s Inside
Photo courtesy of Kettering Communications
Transparency
Transparency of Kettering's administration
Interview with Vice President Kip Darcy By Matthew White Assistant Editor Mr. Kip Darcy, the third of the new vice presidential hires announced by Dr. McMahan, has been at the school for almost a full year in the position of Vice President for Marketing, Communication, and Enrollment. The position of Chief Marketing Officer is one that he dreamt of filling; his search coincided perfectly with Kettering’s need. Looking to find more fulfilling opportunities, Mr. Darcy left his job at a high-tech firm in California to move back into higher education, a field in which he had previous experience. At Kettering, Mr. Darcy is in charge of the school’s marketing, public relations, and admissions departments, among other things. His mission is to make the University more visible in a more cohesive fashion. He also looks to the community, which he hopes will be positively impacted by Kettering’s growth. Community is important to Mr. Darcy; he has even taken up residence in Flint, which he admits is quite different from his native San Francisco. Enrollment is something Kettering struggled with in the past; therefore, it is a major focus of the Vice President’s plans. Last year, he and his team established key groups that are attracted Kettering and identified target geographic regions to recruit from. Using this information, the team worked towards the goal of attracting an undergraduate class of 425 students with 10% compounded growth per year. Their efforts paid off, surpassing that figure last year and are nearing the target for this year. Continued on the next page
Automotive
Geneva Motor Show
5
8
Resident Tutoring Program Changes
Kettering Celebrates Women
By Kaitlin Solovey Layout Editor
March is Women’s History month, and in celebration of this fact, on March 6, 2013, Kettering’s mi-ace Associates held The Celebration of Kettering Women, Empowerment and Collaboration. This celebration was aimed at faculty and staff and took place from 5–7pm, so it worked out to be an extended work day for those attending. The event is intended to be a celebration, with games, prizes, and an inspiring keynote speaker. The celebration was hosted by mi-ace Kettering University Associates. According to their website, mi-ace Women’s Network is an organization “committed to identifying, developing the leadership of, advancing, and supporting the retention of women in higher education throughout the state.” Dr. Jackie El-Sayed was one of the main forces behind starting Kettering’s mi-ace chapter and sending women to a conference in Lansing, and it was this organization that hosted the celebration. The celebration began with a very quick icebreaker: putting together puzzles of important women, including Sally Ride, Sonia Sotomayor, and Mother Theresa. After the icebreaker, Theresa StephensLock, the Chief/Executive Director of Public Safety at Mott Community College, spoke about her experiences as a woman in the male-dominated field of law enforcement. Stephens-Lock worked in law enforcement for 30 years, and in that time she faced many challenges, the biggest being how men perceived her. Continued on page 3
Entertainment
Opinion
Murder mystery
11
12
New Tutoring Changes By Robert Hayes Editor-in-chief Students who participate in Kettering's tutoring services will no doubt be aware that changes to the program have been in the works for some time. The first of these changes came on February 21, when Stefanie Marshall joined Kettering University as the new Supplemental Learning Coordinator, in charge of the daily activities of the tutoring and supplemental instruction programs. Ms. Marshall replaces Ella Derricks, who was transferred to another position within the Academic Success Center (asc) as part of the center's reorganization. Further changes are in the works, with the February 7 announcement that the Residential Tutoring Program will be discontinued effective with the start of the 2013–2014 academic year. While this means that Kettering will no longer provide (support?) tutors who reside in Thompson Hall, there are plans in the works to continue to provide tutoring services specifically targeted to Thompson Hall residents, though no plans were immediately announced. As part of the reorganization of the tutoring program, the asc will continue to provide tutoring services in the Academic Building, as well as in a location in the Campus Center that has not yet been announced. This decision to relocate tutoring services was designed in accordance with research on tutoring programs which indicate that services are best provided "in spaces that are well-equipped, adequate in size, and quiet enough to support learning yet public enough to protect individual privacy" according to the asc. The current space allotted for residential peer tutoring in Unit 12 of Thompson Hall was deemed inadequate to provide the level of tutoring services the asc aims to deliver.
Page 2
The Technician
News Graduate School Presentation
By Rebeccah MacKinnon Online Editor During lunch hour on ninth Monday, one of the many presentations taking place was a presentation about graduate school. Put on by the Kettering Graduate Office and led by Todd Steele, Director of Graduate Programs, the presentation covered graduate education in general, as well as the graduate program at Kettering. There are many reasons one would consider attending graduate school, including financial benefits, the pursuit of knowledge, or a requirement for a job promotion. Regardless of the reason, Steele emphasized self-reflection as a crucial step in deciding upon the program to which students might apply. Because Kettering students work in compressed, intense terms, the workload of most graduate schools should not overwhelm students who choose that
path, even with classes focusing less on theory and more on case studies. Following this general advice was a pitch regarding Kettering’s own graduate program. The benefits extolled of the program include the “Double Dip” program, where a student can take two classes that go both towards a bachelor’s and master’s degree, distance learning, and a project-oriented, part-time program. Despite marketing the important topic, free food, and a raffle, the presentation only attracted approximately twenty students who were rewarded with gift cards to local businesses, as there were the same number of raffle prizes as attendees. Students who wanted to attend the presentation were not able to are encouraged to contact Todd Steele at tsteele@ kettering.edu with any questions.
Hurley Takes Notes Continued from the front page The Physician Scribe program is primarily focused on removing the technological burden from physicians. Instead of looking at a screen while talking to a patient, the doctor is free to examine the person. It is the responsibility of the scribe to input the correct information into the computer. The physician then signs off on the record at the end of the examination. This separation of examination and recording responsibility allows the doctor to do a more thorough job. Scribes are also responsible for providing assistance with Epic, a health management system used by Hurley. Beyond the benefit to the doctors, students receive nearly 4,000 hours of clinical experience, a forty-fold increase over the 100 normally needed to enter medical school. They have the opportunity to see surgeries and bedside procedures. Alexandria Petit, a 2012 graduate of Kettering’s premed program and the Lead Scribe, described her experience at Hurly as the best she has had so far. She appreciates the experience, but also the ability to have doctors as mentors. As Lead Scribe, Miss Petit interfaces with the Chief Medical Information Officer for Hurley Medical Center, residents, and other organizations. She is responsible for delegating tasks to
other scribes, a demanding leadership role that she is happy Kettering prepared her for. Dr. Seeley, who also heads the Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Chemical Engineering, sees the program as invaluable for premed students. “They are experiencing things first hand that we only read about.” The deeper understanding of topics is apparent in the classroom. Of 15 students who graduated from the program last year, 10 were accepted into medical school, two wait-listed and three were still waiting on responses. Kettering has agreements with Michigan State and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine to provide a total of seven seats that Kettering graduates have guaranteed acceptance to, contingent on their gpa. The high acceptance rate is unusual among premed programs, but is attributed to the rigor of the work Kettering students do in the classroom and Photo courtesy of Ketteron the job. ing Communications
The
Technician Robert Hayes
Editor-in-chief
Matthew White
Assistant Editor
Kaitlin Solovey
L ayout Editor
Rebeccah MacKinnon Online Editor
Tyler Van Eck
Copy Editor
Alan Xia
Distribution Editor
Staff writers Devin Aryan Erin Boyse Chloe Hauxwell Charles Mancino Marian Swagler Photographers Joseph Stevenson
Advisors Betsy Homsher Christine Levecq
March 14, 2013
Interview with Vice President Kip Darcy Continued from the front page Kettering’s brand is the most visible part of the University, and Mr. Darcy admits that it is disjointed. Partnering with a Boulder, Colorado-based advertising and branding company, Moxie Sozo, he hopes to develop a new brand that will more accurately reflect the University and its constituents. While Moxie Sozo is not typically associated with higher education, Mr. Darcy believes this different approach may help to represent a very different institution like Kettering. As part of rebranding, the website will be refreshed. At the very least, a visual overhaul of the site will be performed, although Mr. Darcy remarks that the target demographic, students in high school, are likely to want a more engaging website than the University currently offers. One of the major problems with Kettering’s website is that it focus on all audiences, doing an inadequate job for any single one. With this in mind, a new website that emphasizes external communication is critical for the most far-reaching medium the University has. Making Kettering a visible on a national scale will take more than just a new website. First, Mr. Darcy is looking to engage people in the industry who might have an interest in Kettering—reporters who focus on American innovation, for instance. Having relationships with these people gives Kettering an initial presence. The second phase is identifying subject-matter experts within the University that can speak on various issues. One of Mr. Darcy’s previous jobs was at a law school that had professors who often provided commentary on court cases. Having a similar practice at Kettering would benefit both the faculty and further spread the school’s name and focus. Mr. Darcy continues to look forward to the challenges ahead. He finds the work on branding process immensely gratifying. He sees a real value in the cooperative education experience and hopes that through his efforts, high school students can see it as well.
March 14, 2013
Mahle
More than meets the engine By Chaz Mancino Technician Staff On February 14, 2013, Kristie Boskey '07 and Ryan Matulich '08 from mahle Powertrain held a presentation for several Kettering University students regarding what mahle Powertrain makes. The presentation was held in the Cribathon, AB 2225, and was sponsored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (asme) and Pi Tau Sigma. According to Boskey and Matulich, mahle Powertrain provides powertrain engineering, innovation, and manufacturing services for their customers. mahle Powertrain supplies its customers with pistons, oil filters, bearings, and air filters, among other parts, including new innovations such as range extenders and engine downsizing options. Such an example of their technology can be seen on a Volkswagen Jetta that the company has. Replacing its V6 is a 1.2 L three-cylinder engine, which has a clean-sheet design, half the previous size, and up to thirty percent more efficient than the V6 it replaces. Unfortunately, just like all new technologies, there are challenges that need to be hurdled. Such challenges of this technology are pre-ignition and knock. Other technologies with their own hurdles to clear include superchargers and turbochargers, which have the challenge of effective packaging. Mahle Powertrains also makes technologies such as range extenders and spark plugs with their own combustion chambers. With the range extender, mahle Powertrain could extend the fuel economy of an Audi AI to over fifty miles per gallon. The car was propelled with a 0.9 L (900 cubic centimeters) two cylinder engine coupled to a two-speed transmission and a fifty kilowatt (one hundred kilowatt peak) traction motor. The spark plug with its own combustion chamber is an all-new technology that allows for ultra-lean combustion. This type of spark plug pushes a mini-flamethrower into the combustion chamber to allow for more equal combustion.
Page 3
The Technician
This allows for a decrease in NOx from the engine along with less fuel that gets into the engine. Mahle Powertrain also offers engineering services. Such services include research in increasing current production engine performance, emissions, and efficiency, determining internal losses of engines, analyzing combustion performance of engines, and modifying current production engines. In order to modify current production engines, mahle Powertrain updates the calibration strategy, addresses any hardware problems, and allows it to run using alternative fuels. Mahle Powertrain also does friction testing by using a dynamometer to spin the engine without using the gas pedal to see how each of the components spin using friction. Mahle Powertrain's services also extend to aircraft. One of their customers once needed to solve the problem of having no oil pressure at an altitude of 50,000 feet. Mahle Powertrain solved that problem by installing an oil pump in the aircraft. Mahle Powertrain also has the ability to look into the main combustion chamber of an engine. The setup is called Optical Engine Testing, and mahle Powertrain manages to put a sapphire window on the outside of the combustion chamber. A mirror on the bottom of the piston allows mahle Powertrain to record the combustion chamber using video. The whole video is less than six milliseconds from start to finish as the fuel is combusted, but mahle Powertrain can go back and slow the video down to see exactly what is going on inside of it. Mahle Powertrain has plenty of co-op opportunities that include injector packaging. A project that the co-ops may have is to create an injector test rig for accurate measurements or spray angles and must package the injector into the engine. Mahle Powertrain was originally Cosworth of North Hampton, United Kingdom. It became a part of the mahle group in 2005 when it was bought from Audi ag.
Submissions Policy The Technician encourages any interested students to attend staff meetings, held each Monday and Thursday 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 and 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.
Kettering Celebrates Women Continued from front page She spoke about a number of male co-workers who did not believe she was good enough or even worthy to be considered a member of the police force. One of Stephens-Locks’ main points was that women need to encourage women. She talked about how much more it hurt when women would be negative to her about her position in law enforcement as compared to when men would do it. It wasn’t nearly as bad when men would do it, because it was an opportunity to prove them wrong. But it really hurt when women would say things indicating that she should not be in her high position in law enforcement. At the end of her presentation, Theresa StephensLock talked about a “shero.” Her “shero” is Harriet Tubman, but she thinks that women should be each other’s “sheroes.” Women should support women and encourage each other, especially in male-dominated fields such as engineering. The overall message of this celebration was women supporting women. One of the final speakers called this a “history-making event,” and the survey after the event indicated that the organizers hope to host more such events in the future.
Whether you have an idea that you want to jump-start or you have that desire to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, the Kettering Entrepreneur Society offers assistance in helping you reach success. Kes provides numerous mentoring, networking, and funding opportunities for our members. Come and you'll see the Theresa Stephens-Lock and Dr. Jackie El-Sayed. many resources and assets to help move you and your team to the next step. Our emphasis lies in learning Photo courtesy of Kettering Communications from one another through the experiences each person has been through. Our history speaks for itself in that we have helped develop over 45 student companies since our inception in 2006. See what it is like to work with other entrepreneurs and become one yourself. Meetings are every Thursday at 8pm on the 5th floor of the Campus Center.
Page 4
The Technician
March 14, 2013
Students React to Commencement Change
Elizabeth McLean, A section Senior, ME “I think that the idea and the purpose behind it is good, that the president is trying to bring together both A and B section in one big celebration, make it more elaborate, make it a bigger celebration of everything we put up with for the four and a half years. I do think it presents a problem for the students who follow the four and a half year program tend to get done in December, and so for those students I can see it be an issue of waiting almost nine months to come back but I think from an A section perspective, either way you have to come back like a lot of students finish in September and start working in October and have to come back from wherever they are working to Kettering and I guess that I don’t see the difference that it makes in that case.”
Brandy Garrett, A-Section Junior 2, Chemical Engineering “One of the rumored reasons that they changed it to one commencement is the fact that people weren’t coming as it was to either commencement and so, by making it once a year, they are going to have even less attendance, most likely, in my opinion… Going to your college commencement is a big deal. I mean, graduating high school is an accomplishment in your life, but graduating college you either take it one of two ways. Either this is either the biggest step you are going to take in your life or you’ve basically already matured beyond it and so you don’t recognize it as that big of a deal and being the fact that we go to Kettering, we naturally attract the kind of student that matures early, because we have to to be adults survive our co-op program, so those naturally mature students aren’t going to want Michelle Figueroa, A section Senior, ME to fly back because it isn’t a big sentimental idea for “I really don’t like the fact that commencement is them.” being moved because it just seems like it’s difficult enough to come back six months later, I can’t imagTyler Garavaglia, ine coming back nine months later. Talking to the A-Section Senior 2, President previously, he seemed like his opinion was Computer Science that there was a lot of involvement six months later “The thing I heard and that he is sure there will be a lot of involvement from Dr. McMahan was afterwards. I don’t know if that will stand true. Also, that if people are going I think that the whole enjoyment, the whole idea of to come to commencelike ‘Yes! I graduated!’ fades after nine months bement, they are going cause you’re working, you’re living by yourself, all to come to commencethese things, so I don’t think it will mean as much ment regardless.” either. Another thing is that they want you to graduate with your degree, if you will, they want to pass you your diploma when you walk, and I don’t know Michael Kolinsky, A-Section Sophomore 2, if that will stand true for those B-section kids who Chemical Engineering are finishing that last term. So, it just seems like a lot “I have a while until I graduate, so I can’t really give of people disagree with it, a lot of people don’t like it, an opinion on that. I mean, I don’t think it would be but also, with the schedule change, they would have a problem, but you never know.” to do commencement the weekend before Christmas or in January, so it seems like it is difficult doing Michael Schreiber, A2 commencements with the new schedule change.” Section Senior 3, ME/EP “Well, there are advanCody Grant, A-Section Sophomore, AP tages to it in the sense that “I feel that it might be a little bit of a hassle bewe, as an entire campus, cause the people who graduated in the summer see each other all graduand the fall terms have to wait at least half a year to ate. But, I know personally graduate and you don’t know where they are by that that, if I were to graduate point and it is a long time to wait to walk after you and my commencement have actually completed classes.” was nine months later, there is no chance that I Tanner Jacobi, A-Section Junior 2, Chemistry would be coming back, so it is stupid in that sense. “The most glaringly obvious flaw is that most of I don’t think they really consulted students before us, or at least some of us, have co-ops that are rather they, I don’t know what kind of surveys they did or far away from Kettering University, so you are ex- anything, but I don’t think they asked the student pecting us, nine months after we finish graduation opinion, so that is very frustrating. That is someto come back and do the commencement and then thing that I’ve noticed a lot lately is that they are not fly all the way back. It’s just a ridiculously needless asking students what they think, but there is an issue expense.” if they don’t know how to do that.”
Daniel Mueller, C-Section Junior 1, Computer Engineering “So, I suppose it’s a little inconvenient for some students, but other than that, at worst you will be taking a day off work to attend the commencement if you have already graduated and are just waiting for the ceremony, and there would be a nine month wait, but that’s just an inconvenience and not really a big issue, in my opinion.” Jade Carson, Asection Senior 2, Mechanical Engineering “I would say that overall, I’m in favor of the experiment. I don’t know how well it will turn out. But I do like the idea of bringing kettering together as a whole, since we are split in two sections, there’s very little interaction between the two sections, I think that’s a downside of Kettering that if cross-section interactions should be something that Kettering should try to strive for, because there is a lot of rivalry between a and b, which is good, but it is also at the same time very bad. And I’d like to see us all get together for a graduation so that we can see each other and understand, we are kettering, we are the future of society, we’re the best engineers there are everywhere. So, I’m tentative. I’m tentatively in favor of it because its never been done before, so I want to see how it happens, but I think it will be positive. .. So concerning the people who say things like oh I have to wait nine months to walk, you’re a-section, you had to wait 3 months anyway, how did you not think that you would have to wait? Due to the situation of how Kettering works you wouldn’t have walked until December anyway if you graduated in the summer or if you finished in the winter you wouldn’t walk until June. So either way you’re waiting 2 or 3 months and you already know you’re walking, so what’s the difference between 3 months to 9 months? Oh my goodness, I have to wait another 6 months. So? It gives you a bit better time. You can plan it out with your family a little bit more. Stop being so obsessed with Oh my goodness. It’s a change. Oh what are we going to do, what are we going to do? Go with it. Let the experiment happen. See how it handles. If it’s a terrible thing, Kettering will do the smart thing and they will go back to the 2 commencement schedule. If not, then hey, we have one commencement a year, we get to meet our b-section counterparts, everybody has a big giant party and we get to have 2000 people on campus. Woopdy, woo hoo! But please do not, the argument that I have to wait to get my diploma is terrible because you’re waiting right now.” Hunter Casbeer, A-Section Freshman II, EE “So my issue with the whole commencement transition thing in B-section is that you’re taking away a day that they nor-
March 14, 2013 mally have off and I feel like, even though that’s not affecting me myself in A-section, I feel like eventually it will. And, I just think that maybe as a university as a whole, you have to sort of consider like, not just one section, but the student population and I feel like its sort of one sided too in that sense but I think they should still find a day for students to have off instead of just taking that holiday out. I mean I think its ridiculous that you would lose a holiday. I can’t even imagine losing a holiday in A-section. So, I think that maybe they should work with just getting rid of a day in a term and just not do it like that or not worry about taking out a holiday.” David Richelson, A-Section Senior I, Mechanical Engineering “I, David Richelson, have heard that the commencement is going to be one instead of two, and I personally do not agree with it mainly because I don’t know why they’re doing it. And I’ve seen reasons why it shouldn’t be done but I haven’t seen any reasons why it should be, so I’m against it.”
The Technician like a lot more negative parts for someone to want to come back to the university after nine months of being at work who could be across the country just to walk across commencement is really bad. And plus if you’re taking away a vacation day for students where that’s the only time they really get to hang out and go travel somewhere as a group of students at Kettering, that is detrimental to the Kettering social life.” Alison Chan, A-Section Senior I, CS/CE “It’s not going to significantly affect me because my last term is going to be winter term and I’m going to be in the US, likely in Michigan, until commencement anyway. But I think for people that are, you know, they’re last term in summer, making them wait 9 months is a big inconvenience.”
Ray Hyder, A-Section Senior I, EE/CE “So for the commenceElizabeth Busch, C-section ment, it seems like a very Senior I, Chemical Engineergood idea to have it and ing have that A and B sec”I dislike it because it creates a tion cohesion between nine month gap between graduwhen everyone graduation and walking for graduaates, have everyone totion.” gether. But there’s issues when you have people graduating every single Eric Bradley, A-Section Sophomore, Mechaniterm to have someone cal Engineering wait 9 months versus I guess as long as it doesn’t change your employsomeone who might be ment outlook in the future it’s just a piece of paper graduating right at the end of that term and not have now, it doesn’t really matter.” to wait almost anytime or even graduate early. So it seems like there’s good and bad parts, but it seems
Page 5 Noah Gagnon, A-Section Senior I, Computer Engineering “So I think it would be better to have two separate commencement ceremonies that way when one section is done with their final term, they’re able to graduate and leave instead of having to wait around or come back for a separate commencement ceremony.” Nick Sandelich, B Section Junior 2, ME “Commencement is a time of joy, pride, heartfelt feelings, and memories. In the spirit of these endings, I believe we should have 2 commencements a year. If we only have the one in June then those of us who work out of state cannot get this chance to watch our friends and colleges walk proudly across the stage. If there is only one ceremony then we will miss this chance.” Peter R. Thorwall, A-Section Senior III, ME "I believe that the commencement change was inappropriately, and deliberately accomplished by the administration without any concern of the student body and therefore should be rejected. Since when does the administration believe that they have the power to make a decision about our commencement without even consulting us? Where is the openness that was promised to us by our new president? Signed: Peter R. Thorwall..."
Editorial
Transparency in the Kettering Administration When Dr. McMahan assumed the presidency, he pledged transparency in his administration, something all too lacking in previous years. He made good on his promise, giving students a new insight into the workings of the University. Recently, however, this transparency has darkened to the point that it is almost opaque. As one student at The Technician’s student forum described it, the administration is “clear as mud.” The changes to commencement and the academic calendar have most offended students. While the administration and faculty may argue that the academic calendar is not a student issue, it is foolish to presume that much. In fact, the academic calendar is only ever problematic for students—faculty at least have stability in their schedules and living arrangements. For the majority of the students to find out about the change from the well-hidden 2013-2014 academic calendar or B-section’s Technician (which only discovered the change by viewing the new calendar) is ridiculous. Transparency is not about making decisions and then presenting them as obtusely as possible (a warning this paper would like Finance Council to heed, as well). In order to be transparent, the admin-
istration has to make public and easily available the decisions it makes that impact students. This is not to say that the administration should blindly take what students say and implement it as policy; rather, students should have a chance to express their opinions about a topic that affects them. In short, we want communication between the decision makers and those affected by the decisions made. Finding out about the commencement change through looking at the academic calendar or reading an old newspaper did not endear the administration to students. It is concerning that several students, including those who will be finishing their degrees in the next academic year, have not heard of the scheduling change. Some have made the argument that we should trust those in the administration to make decisions for the good of Kettering. After all, they want Kettering to succeed as much as, if not more than, students do; their job relies on this success. This paper does not doubt the administration has the best interest of the campus in mind, but this lack of transparency leaves a shadow of doubt that cannot be ignored.
If Dr. McMahan and his cadre of staff wish to be respected and trusted, they have followed the wrong path. Sitting behind a desk is not, as many in positions of power would have us believe, a way to gain respect. Frankly, it breeds contempt. Trust and respect must be earned; students are hesitant to give their loyalties to those whom—seemingly without care—make secretive decisions that change their lives. The only way to build trust is through open communication and active listening. The administration needs to start listening to what the students have to say with regard to changes that affect them. When a decision is made, the students must take a moment to listen or read the messages sent by Dr. McMahan rather than relegating them to the trash bin. Together, we can make this institution a better place. As much as this paper tasks the administration to do the right thing, we task the students to do their part as well. If you have an opinion, find a way to make your voice heard instead of whining about it. Meet with those responsible or write an opinion piece for The Technician. This is your school, your education, and you have the right to be heard.
Page 6
The Technician
In Pictures
March 14, 2013
Kettering students help out with Prep for Success Photo courtesy of Kettering Communications.
Students participate in Innovation Quest. Photo courtesy of Kettering Communications.
Among those Celebrating Women's History Month at the MI-ACE University Associates event were Cynthia Gamble, Keynote speaker Theresa Stephens-Lock, chief and executive director of Public Safety at Mott Community College, Dr. Jackie El-Sayed, Nancy Stock and Ella Derricks Photo courtesy of Kettering Communications.
March 14, 2013
Page 7
The Technician
A student concentrates on building his spaghetti tower. Photo courtesy of Kettering Communications.
A student helps out with prep for success. Photo courtesy of Kettering Communications.
Students play intramural basketball. Photo courtesy of Kettering Communications.
Page 8
March 14, 2013
The Technician
Automotive
Glamor Amid Chaos Hundreds of vehicles debut at Geneva Motor Show despite crisis By Robert Hayes Editor-in-chief Under the shining lights of the Geneva Palexpo convention center, Europe's economic crisis seemed worlds away as the world's automakers and automotive press descended on Switzerland's second city to view more than 100 automotive premieres, from facelifts of existing models to wild concepts of the future of mobility. Ignoring the somber fact of European auto sales falling to seventeen year lows in 2012 and 2013 forecast to be the fifth consecutive year of decreases in new car sales, European and global automakers pulled out all the stops to impress Swiss show goers and hopefully entice Europeans back into showrooms.
six-speed transmissions – a manual box is standard, with a dual-clutch semiautomatic transmission as an option. At the opposite end of the spectrum sits the 2013 Golf Variant, a station wagon version of the new Golf, which will be available in either front- or 4Motion all-wheel-drive powered by a range of diesel power plants. No plans were announced to bring the Golf Variant to the United States, but it is likely to migrate to these shores as a replacement for the current Jetta SportWagen. More updates were announced for Volkswagen’s new Up! microcar. The new Cross Up! variant revealed at Geneva provides microcar efficiency for those with more rugged outdoor aspirations. Powered by the same 75 horsepower inline three-cylinder engine as the base Up! the Cross Up! adds larger wheels, a raised ride height, and plastic cladding on the car’s doors and rocker panels.
Lamborghini Veneno was designed to be a fiftieth anniversary celebration for the automaker, and will be one of the most exclusive Lamborghinis ever built. Just three Venenos will be produced, with an asking price of three million Euros before tax ($3.4 million) – and all three Venenos have already been spoken for. The Veneno – named for an especially aggressive fighting bull – will be capable of launching from zero to sixty-two miles per hour in just 2.8 seconds, and is wrapped in an ultra-light carbon fiber body.
The Lamborghini Veneno Photo courtesy of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
The 2014 Volkswagen Golf Variant Photo courtesy of Volkswagen AG
The Seat Leon Sport Coupe Photo courtesy of Volkswagen AG
Germany's Volkswagen, long the strongest European automaker, arrived at Geneva with debuts for all three of its major European mainstream brands – Volkswagen, Seat, and Skoda – along with debuts for their upscale Audi and Lamborghini brands. Most critical among Volkswagen's vehicles on display was the seventh generation of its best-selling Golf compact. Previously announced at the 2012 Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris, the new Golf arrived in Geneva where it was awarded the prestigious 2013 European Car of the Year award.
Volkswagen’s value brands were also present, with reveals from both Spanish subsidiary Seat and Skoda, VW’s Czech automaker. The new Seat Leon compact, based upon the same modular frontwheel-drive architecture as the new Volkswagen Golf, added a new 3-door sport hatchback version at Geneva. The new hatchback is awkwardly named the Leon Sport Coupe, and will be available with a wide range of Volkswagen group diesel and gasoline engines this year. Debuting in Geneva from the Czech Republic, the new Skoda Octavia compact grows in size compared with its predecessor. The Octavia is already on sale in Europe, having been first revealed at the Skoda Museum in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic last December, before meeting the world press for the first time in Geneva.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI Photo courtesy of Volkswagen AG
The high-performance and high-practicality versions of the new car debuted in Geneva. The Golf GTI, long the reigning king of hot hatchbacks, will return for 2013 with power boosted to 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, with a first-forThe Skoda Octavia GTI available performance pack to boost output to Photo courtesy of Volkswagen AG 230 horsepower. Joining the GTI in the hot hatch At the other end of the practicality spectrum, was market is the Europe-only diesel burning Golf GTD. Lamborghini. The fabled Italian supercar maker Powered by a 2.0-liter turbodiesel inline four; the has never been known for subtlety, but their debut GTD produces 184 horsepower and 280 pound-feet at Geneva was nothing if not outrageous. Powered of torque. Power for both hot Golfs will be through by a 750 horsepower 6.5-liter V12 engine, the 2013
While Lamborghini's Geneva debut is certainly the most exclusive, longtime rival Ferrari was also present at the show with their newest model. In what is perhaps the most redundant model name in automotive history, the new Ferrari LaFerrari promises to deliver supercar performance with a lower carbon footprint thanks to a hybrid powertrain. Under the hood of the new LaFerrari is a 6.3-liter V12 engine capable of delivering 789 horsepower, coupled to a 160 horsepower electric motor, for a total system output of 949 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque. Zero to sixty times for the new supercar were not released, but Ferrari is promising the LaFerrari will hit 62 miles per hour in less than three seconds, with a top speed of 205 miles per hour. The new LaFerrari will be a limited-edition model, with only 499 vehicles scheduled to be built.
The Ferrari LaFerrari Photo courtesy of Ferrari S.p.A.
Another of Italy's storied brands joined Ferrari in the spotlight at Geneva, when fellow Fiat subsidiary Alfa Romeo launched their new 4C sports car. Ignoring the awkward headlights, the new mid-engine supercar will herald the return of the brand to the United States, where it has been absent since 1995. Built by Maserati in Modena, Italy, the new 4C will be powered by a 1.8-liter turbocharged inline four coupled to a dual-clutch transmission. While that may not sound like supercar power, the new Alfa promises a power-to-weight ratio of less than 8.8 pounds per horsepower, leading to a projected curb
March 14, 2013 The Technician weight of around 2,000 pounds thanks to an entire- roader into difficult terrain. The new 2008 will fealy carbon fiber chassis and body. The new 4C will hit ture PSA's new 3-cylinder engine lineup, along with Fiat showrooms in the United States late this year. available supercharged versions of the tiny engines which will become available after launch. Entering production this spring, the new 2008 carries on its shoulders the hopes of the struggling PSA group and the workers at the assembly plant in Mulhouse, France, where the 2008 will be built.
Page 9 cept is powered by a 185 horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and though no mass production plans for the car have been announced, the forty versions of the concept already produced have been sold to racers in France and Germany.
The Alfa Romeo 4C Photo courtesy of Fiat S.p.A.
Further introductions at the Geneva Motor Show came from some of Europe's hardest hit automakers – France's PSA Peugeot Citroen and Germany's Adam Opel, a subsidiary of General Motors. On the The Opel Cascadia show floor from PSA were the new Peugeot 2008 Photo courtesy of Adam Opel crossover and the redesigned Citroen C3 subcomGeneral Motors’ beleaguered Adam Opel subsidpact. Both new models are critical to the struggling iary announced a new convertible based on the sucautomaker, as government pressures at home precessful Opel Astra compact. The new Opel Cascada vent PSA from shutting unneeded factories to cut will be built in Gilwice, Poland and will represent costs in the face of historically low sales at home. Opel’s re-entry in the compact convertible market since the demise of the Opel Astra TwinTop convertible in 2009. The new Cascada promises open top fun, with available 1.4 or 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engines or an available 2.0L turbodiesel. While no plans to bring the new car to the United States have been announced, the possibility exists that this new Opel could arrive here wearing a Buick badge, as the current Buick Regal and Buick Verano are derivatives of similar Opel products.
The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible Photo courtesy of General Motors
Alongside the new entrants from Opel, General Motors also chose the Geneva show for the world debut of the convertible version of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Choosing the heart of Europe for the debut of one of America’s motoring icons was no accident - General Motors is looking to broaden the reach of the Chevrolet brand globally, and exporting the new Stingray to Europe is a major part of that strategy. The rest of the Corvette mechanicals remain the same, with buyers throughout Europe able to enjoy the experience of piloting the 6.2-liter V8 engine Stingray through some of the best driving roads in the world.
The Citroen C3 Photo courtesy of PSA Peugeot Citroen
The new Citroen C3 launches this summer to do battle with such segment stalwarts as the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo. To attract buyers to the brand, Citroen has fitted the new C3 with new technologies, including new PureTech 3-cylinder gasoline engines that promise more power and 25% lower fuel consumption than the previous C3's four cylinder power plants. Citroen has also redesigned the windshield of the new C3, emphasizing driver visibility with an upswept glass surface that allows drivers to increase their upward field of vision by 80 degrees. The pillars of the new C3 have also been narrowed to provide drivers a panoramic view ahead.
The Ford Tourneo Courier Photo courtesy of the Ford Motor Co. The Opel Adam Rocks Concept Photo courtesy of Adam Opel
One Opel we are not likely to see in the United States, however, is the Opel Adam city car. Created to compete with the Fiat 500 and Mini Cooper, the Adam draws its name from the automaker’s founder. At Geneva, Opel announced two concept derivatives of the funky city car, the Opel Adam Rocks and the Adam R2 Rallye Car. The new Adam Rocks is a more aggressive version of the little car, with plastic clad fender flares designed to give the car a wider appearance. The Adam Rocks also shows a fabric folding top concept, similar to the top employed on the Fiat 500 cabrio.
The Peugeot 2008 Photo courtesy of PSA Peugeot Citroen
Similarly, the new Peugeot 2008 compact CUV will launch globally (excluding the United States and Canada) this spring. The 2008 is designed to The Opel Adam R2 Rallye Concept Photo courtesy of Adam Opel provide global city-dwellers an escape route into the country with raised ground clearance, underbody The Adam R2 Rallye Concept presents a highprotection, and Peugeot's Grip Control system performance version of the Adam, designed to meet which provides electronic traction assists to those FIA R2 regulations to provide Opel with a way to brave enough to take the front-wheel-drive soft- re-enter European motorsport. The R2 Rallye Con-
Fellow American automaker Ford had a less eventful show at Geneva, with just one major introduction - their new Tourneo Courier compact passenger van. Based on the same architecture as the Ford Fiesta, the tiny van seats five passengers, and will be available with Ford’s award-winning 1.0L EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder engine. Further additions to Ford’s passenger van lineups were shown in Geneva, with the larger five-passenger Tourneo Connect, seven-passenger Tourneo Grand Connect, and the nine-passenger Tourneo Custom. With over one hundred vehicle reveals, Geneva is a showcase for automakers and vehicle customizers from all corners of the globe. This year's show even served as the global debut for an entirely new automaker - Qoros. The company, a 50/50 joint venture between Chinese automaker Chery and Israeli investors, aim to launch Chinese-built vehicles in Europe by the end of this year. Though all of the excitement and new vehicle launches at Geneva cast an upbeat view on the future of the European auto industry, the future for Europe's automakers is anything but certain. Whether Europe's automakers can more years of continual sales declines remains to be seen, but the mood in Geneva shows that despite the somber reality, there is reason for hope.
Page 10
March 14, 2013
The Technician
Features
MoMath for More Math North America’s First Math Museum
By Devin Aryan Technician Staff
when the country enhanced its math curriculum in an attempt to make better scientists. "We had to, you know, beat the Soviets to the moon. So we needed, you know, the young, bright science or math kid to be our hero to take us to the moon. And we haven't had a mission like that since then to capture the public imagination as to the importance of math." The museum tries to convey this importance by showing how math is used every day, by everyone, whether knowingly or not, something that most Kettering students definitely appreciate. It will definitely be a long battle to get the general populace of this country to recognize the importance of math, but Whitney is not ready to give up. With $23 million having funded the creation of the museum, hopefully MoMath will be followed by a steady stream of math museums as people come to appreciate math for the beauty that it has.
Tired of the liberal studies students from other universities thinking that Calculus 3 is the highest level of math there is? Send them to New York, where, back on December 12, the Museum of Mathematics (nicknamed MoMath) was officially opened. Glen Whitney, the man in charge of the museum, has a Ph.D. in mathematics and wanted to create the museum to help the country see the importance of math. "We don't currently, in this country, have a cultural expectation that yeah, you're going to learn math just like you're going to learn reading," said Glen Whitney. With the handle to the entrance door being in the shape of pi, everything in the museum is related to math. Even the bathrooms incorporate flagrant use of geometry: the sinks have a pentagonal design that fall to a triangular base. The countless attractions at the museum are all amusing too. From a tricycle with square wheels on a rugged surface so that it moves beautifully to a musical sphere that relates math to music, there is something in the museum for everyone. There is even an entire room devoted to fractals, as does tying bow ties. With this museum, math has never been so much fun. Whitney hopes that MoMath will help the country recognize the importance of math like it once did during the space race, Photo courtesy of prizepony from flickr.com.
Art of Hip-Hop By Jonathan Blanchard Guest Contributor On February 23, I attended the Art of Hip-Hop at the Greater Flint Art Council in downtown Flint. The event showcases some local artist from the city and nearby areas. It is organized by Flint natives and clothing designers Randall Pointier and Marcus Owens and began with a single artist. It has now become a much larger event and has expanded to a broader base of Flint music. I am good friends with Randall and Marcus and so I asked them questions about the event to get a better knowledge of the background behind the Art of Hip Hop. When I met up with Randall and Marcus I asked them, “What’s your motivation behind organizing this event?” They replied, “It’s to give local artists a place to build themselves, their skills, their talents, and fan base all at once, they have a place where they can perfect their craft. We provide them with videos, pictures, and practice to build their resumes for a more popular or famous event, show, or even label.” From this re-
sponse I went on to ask, “What do you get out of it?” They then replied, “We do it because it’s not too much going on in Flint for artist. Flint is like a blank canvas waiting for the right art to come fill it and Flint has the talent to fill it.” I was also curious about how they chose the artist they get to perform at the event. They advised me that they research artists and also get submissions from artists to perform. They pick the final line up by choosing the artist they feel would fit the style of music they’re trying to portray. From my experience actually being at one of the shows, I feel the event is very unique and would provide any fan of hip-hop a peek into Flint’s superb underground music scene. Actually being from Flint and seeing the same guys you grew up with on stage performing for the same city you come from is uplifting to say the least. I have to admit I had doubts about the style of hip-hop Flint had to offer providing its reputation for being such a rough city, but I was very pleased with what I heard. Not only do they have all this talent, but they also express their passion through their performance which, com-
Kettering Model un Team
By Amy Allison Guest Contributor
The Kettering University Model United Nations Team will once again be attending the prestigious 59th session of Harvard National Model United Nations Conference held at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel in Boston Massachusetts. The delegation is composed of 7 students: Amy Allison, Nurudeen Huthman, Emma Xie, Sisi Li, Alihasan Zamanov, Saagar Patil and Ana Tomboulian. The delegation will be accompanied by their Faculty Advisor Professor Michael Callahan. Each delegate will be representing the Republic of Liberia. The Republic of Liberia is the world’s 3rd poorest country. Since 1989 the Republic of Liberia has seen 2 major civil wars which left hundreds of thousands of civilians dead. But through this pain there is beauty and in 2005 Liberia was he first African country to elect a female president. The Kettering University Delegation intends to use the history of Liberia to participate in lively debates over the most pressing global issues that the world experiences today. Along with the 3,000 other student spanning from 40 different countries, the Kettering University Delegation seeks to inspire the global community to come together on the pressing issues that world must face everyday. Each delegate is assigned to a different committee where they will act as a Liberian delegate and draft comprehensive resolutions along with the other countries’ delegations. Just a few topics they will discuss are: the commission and status of women in developing countries, intervention in Syria, the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict, and sexual violence in areas of armed conflict. This is the 2nd time this group has attended this distinguished event. Last year, the delegation attended the 58th session of Harvard National Model United Nations Conference as the Kingdom of Cambodia. The team is more than excited to be a part of this conference once again.
bined with that talent, gives life to the performance. Even though these artists came from the harsh Flint neighborhoods their music expressed their pain in a different light. They express the feeling of triumph because they made it, even when some of their close ones didn’t, in one of the most crime-infested cities in America. They express the joy of overcoming the fact that they didn’t have a mother and/or father to instill the proper guidance. They express the satisfaction of proving everyone who said they “can’t” wrong, and that they can. This is what I feel true hip-hop is. It’s not about music that’s relative to coming from a rough surrounding and adapting to it. It’s about music that portrays the coming out of that rough surrounding, excelling above the negativity, and becoming better because of it.
March 14, 2013
Page 11
The Technician
Opinion
Keep the Resident Tutor Program By Robert Hayes One of the major selling points of living on campus in Kettering's Thompson Hall dormitory has long been the resident tutoring program. Comprised of six dedicated students who tutor Thompson Hall residents five nights a week in Unit 12, the resident tutor program provides Kettering's freshmen a valuable source for academic assistance and much more. This week, Betsy Homsher, Dean of Students, announced in an email to all tutors that effective with the start of the 2013-2014 academic year, this program will be terminated. The replacement, according to the email, will be a yet-to-be-announced tutoring program currently being planned for an undeclared space in the Campus Center. Limited tutoring programs are being planned for Thompson Hall, although the tutors will no longer be residents. Hours and availability for the new services have not been finalized, according to Dr. Natalie Candela, Director of the Academic Success Center. The arguments put forth for the elimination of the residential tutoring program describe a need for tutoring in places that “are well-equipped, ad-
equate in size, and quiet,” according to Homsher's email. While the antiquated facilities provided in Thompson Hall do not meet the full description of a space the Academic Success Center is looking for, the resident peer tutoring program cannot provide for the required renovations by itself. Furthermore, having tutors available in the residence hall whenever fellow residents need them is a major advertising point for tour guides showing off the facilities offered by Thompson Hall to prospective students, all of whom will no longer be shown the same level of residence life attraction as previous students. While the university is correct that tutoring services will not be eliminated, and will remain available six days per week for Kettering students, an important part of the residential tutoring program is overlooked: the mentoring relationship tutors develop with Thompson Hall residents. By making themselves available whenever students need their services, resident tutors go above and beyond regularly for their fellow residents, providing help with not just homework, but life at Kettering, co-op, and the world beyond.
This mentoring relationship is unique to resident tutors, and can be extremely valuable to incoming freshmen. Many students may not feel comfortable approaching a tutor for help due to the stigma attached with admitting the need for academic help. Resident tutors help alleviate this problem by creating bonds of friendship with students in a non-intimidating setting: during everyday life in Thompson Hall. While new tutoring programs across the Kettering campus will no doubt enrich the tutoring experience, they cannot replace the unique bond that resident tutors form with their fellow residents; therefore, the loss of the resident tutoring program would represent the severance of an irreplaceable selling point of residence hall life and one of the Academic Success Center's major keystones of enriching Kettering's academic experience. Note: The Academic Success Center has expressed interest in communicating details of the changes to tutoring programs once they have been finalized. The Technician will report on these changes when they are announced.
Why Concealed Carry Belongs On Campus By Kaity Just The topic of firearms control has recently consumed the nation. Horrific events such as in Aurora and Newtown have driven a highly emotional response. In dialogue about campus safety, it is time to set aside fears and biases and look at where the facts lead us. In order to become a cpl (Concealed Pistol License) holder in the state of Michigan, the applicant must be at least 21 years of age and successfully complete an approved Handgun Defense course. After the applicant pays the $105 application fee at the county clerk’s office, a complete background check is then run on the applicant; felonies, misdemeanor domestic violence convictions, and restraining orders are just a few of the many things that can disqualify a cpl applicant. In the state of Michigan, cpl holders may carry a concealed firearm with the exception of designated “pistol-free zones”. Additionally, private property owners may prohibit these cpl holders to carry a weapon on their property by clearly displaying a sign at the entrance. Michigan pistol-free zones include schools, day cares, sports arenas, bars, hospitals, casinos, and dorms and classrooms of a community college, college, or university. While classrooms and dorms are currently banned, Michigan State Law does allow for concealed carry anywhere else on a private college campus by a cpl-holder (Chapter 28, Act 372 of 1927, Section 28.425o. Amended). Additionally, open carry by a CPL holder is not prohibited by state law on any part of college campuses. While concealed carry on a private university campus is legal, individual universities, including Kettering University, establish student policies pro-
hibiting firearms throughout their entire campus. According to the Kettering Student Handbook, students are not permitted to possess firearms anywhere on Kettering’s campus. The Kettering Code of Student Conduct pertaining to the possession of firearms is as follows: “Conduct for which students may be subject to judicial action falls into, but is not limited to, the following categories: 11. Possession or use on campus or at a place of co-op employment of firearms, explosives, explosive fuels, dangerous chemicals or other dangerous weapons, except as specifically authorized by Kettering University or a co-op employer.” There is no reasonable justification to maintain a campus-wide firearms ban. As the ban is a student policy only, the restriction removes our right of selfdefense, while the general public visiting our campus (e.g., parents of perspective students) is fully within their right to carry a concealed weapon among us. Additionally, a criminal looking to cause harm will disregard the ‘pistol-free zone’ entirely. The campus-wide firearms ban also prohibits students from securing their firearms in their vehicles when going to class, thus removing their right of self-defense in travels to and from campus and on any stops they make along the way. And not only does Kettering’s campus-wide firearms ban prohibit students from a reasonable means of self-defense on campus: The policy also goes as far as to prohibit students from carrying a concealed weapon at their place of co-op employment. In January of this year, a Central Michigan University student was abducted at gunpoint on cmu’s campus. She was forced inside of her own vehicle, driven to an Isabella County residence, and raped. She later jumped out of a moving vehicle to save her own life.
Just like at Kettering, cmu bans firearms throughout the entire campus. This horrific crime is a clear demonstration that gun-free zones serve to disarm only those law-abiding citizens who might otherwise be able to protect themselves. It is no secret that Flint is not the safest of communities. The once flourishing automotive city now suffers from high unemployment and shockingly high crime rates. In 2011, Flint once again led the nation in violent crime, topping the annual fbi ‘Uniform Crime Report’ released mid 2012 for cities of over 100,000 people. Steps are being taken to improve the surrounding area. The ‘Flint Police Blue Badge Service Center’ is one recent initiative aimed to improve campus safety. While students need Kettering to take these proactive steps to improve campus safety, what we need more is for university polices to not limit students’ ability to protect themselves. While crime on campus may be rarer than in the rest of America, it still happens. Neither Campus Safety nor security cameras nor emergency call stations in the parking lot can protect you from an armed thug bent on taking you, your possessions, or your dignity by force. Until Kettering administrators can guarantee students will never encounter a threatening situation, they should not prohibit us from our own means of protection. Because ultimately, the only person available to protect you 24/7 is you.
Page 12
The Technician
Women at Kettering
By Rebeccah MacKinnon Any student who pays attention to the events on this campus should have noticed the increase in the amount of programs geared specifically towards women this term. From a meeting concerning the alcohol usage of women sponsored in part by the Wellness Center to a “celebration of women empowerment” for faculty and staff, women have never had more opportunities to find a support system and help within the Kettering community. This in and of itself is not an issue. As a whole, women as minorities should have resources at their disposal should they need them. It can be intimidating for some women to come to a school where over three quarters of the students are male, especially if they come from a more conservative background. The Women’s Resource Center is a wonderful thing that should definitely exist to help women students as needed. And yet, there is a point where this attention and support can be more counterproductive than useful to women. With the women’s mentoring program; the woman of the year award and dinner; lite; the new women in science program, Scientista; and presentations on alcohol awareness and how it influences the female image on campus, women’s safety on campus, and women’s empowerment, one begins to wonder at what point do these programs stop helping women integrate into a male dominated school and field and instead set them on a higher pedestal than other students? It seems as if Kettering has fallen into the trap as many by equating fair treatment of all with promo-
tion of a minority. While it is important for women students to be supported, what about the other three quarters of the school’s population? Why is there not a mentoring program that all students enter during compass, not just women? Should there be an alcohol awareness presentation which incorporates alcohol’s impact on the male image? Why is there not a Student of the Year award with as much prestige as the Woman of the Year? By giving us the opportunity to win awards, have mentors, and attend meetings geared specifically towards us when similar programs are not as readily available, if they exist, for the majority of campus, it is almost as if Kettering is encouraging an environment that breeds Instant Princess Syndrome (ips) rather than one that strives for equality. Granted, this is not likely the goal of the people implementing these programs; however, it is nevertheless a possible effect that more than one person has noted. IPS is a phrase in the Kettering vernacular that refers to the entitled attitude that many female freshmen embody in the first few weeks of their first term at Kettering. This stems partially because of the pedestal that females in general are placed on by Kettering society. Their male classmates often show more respect to them than they are accustomed to, i.e. opening doors for them, fetching things off high shelves, helping to move furniture, etc. Furthermore, because there are more males than females on our accepting but generally heterosexual campus, many men are trying to curry female favor for romantic pursuits. This combination causes some females, unaccustomed to the attention they are being
March 14, 2013
shown, to embody an entitled mentality that makes them essentially spoiled brats that are unpleasant to be around. The special programs that Kettering provides for women could contribute to this mentality. From the final day of COMPASS, when each woman a specially assigned mentor at a special catered dinner where men are not allowed, women are taught that, while they are Kettering students, they are women and that makes them special here. The various programs that are then offered through the rest of their Kettering career cement this message. Adding this mentality to the existing culture of adoration compounds the effects of IPS, breeding a sense of entitlement in females that is not only annoying, but also can be detrimental towards women as a whole in the workplace. I believe that Kettering would be better off if it focused its efforts not on telling women how to function in a society where they are judged differently than their male cohorts, but rather on how to change that mindset. Kettering already teaches us how to produce exceptional work on an academic level. It should now teach us how to use that knowledge to best justify our presence in stem fields to those few hold outs who do not acknowledge our contribution to the field, if anything. I hope one day to become a mathematician. Not a woman in the mathematics field, not “the first woman to do X in mathematics.” I just want to be a mathematician judged for doing the work I love, just like everyone else in my field, regardless of gender.
Entertainment
The Revenge of the Pillow Murderers
By Rebeccah MacKinnon Online Editor
Bunchy, the Rabid Squirrel, was yet again roused from sleep by the screeching of his acornphone. “Bunchy Investigative Services. This is The Squirrel himself speaking. How may Bunchy help you?” he said. It was Allaya, his partner, on the other end. “Bunchy,” she said. “I got some bad news as I was about to get off the overnight shift. The Pillow Murderers escaped.” Bunchy was sent into a tailwind of memory. The Pillow Murderers were the first felons Bunchy had ever arrested while Allaya and Bunchy were on vacation in France. The weather was so nice that they decided to take a walk in the park. Despite the fact that the weathermen predicted sun all day, black clouds rolled in. Rain began to fall. Suddenly, Bunchy felt the fur stand up on the back of his neck. "Allaya, something's not ri-." His warning was too late. Three tall men, dressed all in black and giving off the pungent odor of wet feathers, stood in the road. They stared at them with black, cold eyes. They held bloody pillows in their hands. The Squirrel's breath caught in his throat. They were the Pillow Murderers. They had been on the news that morning for multiple murders by pillow throwing. Time was short. Thinking quickly, Bunchy squeaked his plan into Allaya's left ear before launching himself at the felons, squeaking his fury. Of course, the minute they saw that the duo was not the helpless victims they usually faced, the Pil-
low Murderers surrendered. Allaya and Bunchy took them to the nearby castle to turn them in, later learning that they had been found guilty and sentenced to life in prison, even if the whole incident was hushed up due to the authorities not being comfortable being bested by a squirrel yet. "But I thought that they were in maximum security!" Bunchy gasped at Allaya, his mind still reeling. "Apparently, maximum security isn't enough for them," said Allaya. "Word is that they got help from an outside source. Anyway, Interpol assigned this one to me. I thought that you might want to help." "I still don't see how you can work for those Interpol layabouts. You should have come into business with me. But anyway, I'm in." "Great! I'll meet you there in five min-." A crash and a bloodcurdling scream were all that Bunchy could hear. The dial tone echoed through the phone. "Allaya? Allaya? Allaya!" Bunchy screamed. She never answered. Bunchy hung up the phone, numb in shock. Bunchy knew what had happened as clearly as if someone had shouted it in his ear. Allaya had been kidnapped by the Pillow Murderers. Now there was only one thing that Bunchy could do: he had to get her back. Sadly, The Squirrel didn’t have any leads, so he decided to talk to the only other person who cared about Allaya as much as he did: her sister, Ana. Scampering through the rain, he found her at home overlooking the English Channel. “Ana!” The Squirrel cried upon seeing his friend
and fellow gardening enthusiast. “They took her!” The bewildered look on Ana’s face made it clear that the girl had no idea what Bunchy was talking about. “The Pillow Murderers took Allaya. We were the ones who captured them when we were on holiday in France, not the police. They’ve taken her for revenge!” Ana looked mildly alarmed, but still puzzled. “What are you talking about, Bunchy? Allaya’s right there,” she said, pointing out the window. Sure enough, when he looked, Allaya was indeed in the garden. He could see her back as she leaned over to pick out a foot high bean stalk from the ground. “Then why did I hear her scream on the phone not ten minutes ago?” he asked. “Oh,” said Ana with a laugh. “I saw a spider. Silly thing, he was sitting on top of one of the plants outside. When I stood up, I saw him looking down at me and freaked. I haven’t liked spiders ever since Allaya locked me in the basement when we were kids. Anyway, she’s out there finishing thinning out the garden, since I’m afraid to see any more bugs.” “Huh,” said The Squirrel. “Maybe I was overreacting. The news just freaked me out. Well, when she’s done, tell her to call me.” With that, Bunchy left the building, pulling up his speed dial on his phone. “Chief Haggar? It’s Bunchy. I need backup. Allaya’s been kidnapped, and her sister has something to do with it!” What tipped Bunchy off ? Answers will be at bulldogs.kettering.edu/technician/