The Technician February 7, 2011
Volume 106
2
Issue 2
2
Winter Storm Shutters Campus Feb. 2, 2011 “Snowpocalypse” Buries Midwest, Brings Rare Snow Day to Kettering To celebrate the “Snowpocalypse”, one group of students met on the Beach to enjoy the newly fallen snow. The students engaged in a snowball fight, played Ultimate Frisbee in the snow, and buried the bulldog up to its neck in crisp, fluffy flakes. Classes resumed as normal on Thursday, February 3, with most streets and all parking lots cleared of the mass of snow.
By Allen Hillaker Assistant Editor A major winter storm enveloped Michigan and the Midwest from the late hours of Tuesday, February 1 through Wednesday evening, dumping nearly ten inches of snow and shutting down Student Tony Taylor prepares to throw a snowball during Wednesday’s snow day.
While at least one student, Junior Anthony Renwand, lamented the cancellation with a Facebook comment, “No! The one day class can’t get cancelled it does,” a majority of students were thrilled with their opportunity to sleep in and enjoy the Kettering students use their day off to cover General Determination in snow. snow. An informal survey of student comments on Kettering’s campus for the day. The winter storm Facebook by The Technician found attitudes rang- Students pose in front of a snow-covered General Determination. caused a mixed reaction among the student body. ing from “I’m not complaining” to “so excited”.
What’s Inside
Campus Saddened by Student Deaths.......2 Alpha Phi Cardiac Care Week Success.......2 Fine Arts at Kettering................................2 Search Committee Starts Website..............2 Rocky Horror Picture Show......................3 Up ‘Til Dawn Could Use Your Help.........3 St. Paul Lutheran School Benefit Dinner...3 Flint Mayor To Speak On Campus............3 In Response to “The Barrier Called Communication”......................................4 Kettering’s Snow Removal Policy...............4 2011 NAIAS.............................................5 Content is King (but Style is Queen).........5 The 2011 A-Section KSG Student Senate.. 6 Kettering University Greek Life.................7 Service Commemorates Late President......9 First Annual Cardiac Care Day..................11 The Global Issues Film Festival..................12 Good Fortune Review.................................12 Yes Men Fix the World Review....................13 Meme of the Month..................................14 Like a Little Too Much..............................14
Professor Bell reads The Technician online... do you? Check it out at the-technician.org. © 2011 The Technician, Kettering University All inquiries and questions may be directed to: atechnician@kettering.edu
Interview With Karen Full
By Allen Hillaker Assistant Editor Editor’s Note: The Technician interviewed Karen Full, Kettering’s new Director of International and Undergraduate Admissions to discuss enrollment. Below is reprinted the text of the conversation. Technician: What are your past experiences? Karen Full: Well, I have been in college admissions for over 20 years at a variety of colleges and universities in the Midwest and in Florida. Indiana and Florida are the two states where I’ve worked in schools before. I worked at a couple of small private colleges in Indiana, and then I went and worked for the college board. The college board is the organization that basically runs the SAT tests and AP program. I was in a position called an Educational Manager for the college board, and I worked with college and universities on the college board products and services. Then my husband’s job moved us to Florida, so then I worked as a recruiter and then eventually as a director at a variety of institutions there in admissions at the undergraduate and graduate levels of college admissions. And then actually my husband moved us again; he brought us up to Michigan for a position that he really wanted and was able to land in Owosso, Michigan, which is where we live right now. He’s in hospital administration. So I was moving up here and hoping to find something in admissions and something where I could make a difference. And the position at Kettering came open for a director of admissions and I went for it. And I was fortunate enough to have been hired for it, so I’ve been very happy about that. Continued on page 10
Alumnus Encourages Involvement
By Isaac Meadows Editor-in-chief
Jon Kowalski’s January 25 talk called upon soonto-be graduates to stay in touch with Kettering, network continuously with other alums, and give back. “The success of this institution,” said Mr. Kowalski, “depends on its alumni.” Speaking in the Cribathon at a lunch sponsored by the Student Alumni Council, Mr. Kowalski recalled some of his experiences at Kettering, which included involvement in Student Government, Compass Crew, Engineers Without Borders, The Technician, and other clubs. Kettering’s assets, he reminded students, include enthusiastic professors who teach classes and work with students personally, a sense of community across the small campus, and a network of more than 35,000 alumni. Addressing the problem of what he called “senior angst,” Mr. Kowalski acknowledged the stresses of thesis on students immediately before their graduation. Calling on soon-to-be alums to look at the sum of all their experiences and opportunities at Kettering, he urged “Don’t let these last few terms color your whole experience.” Jon Kowalski emphasized that ways that alumni can support the university range far beyond donating money to the school’s general fund. Including the school prominently in one’s résumé or CV, putting a sticker on one’s car, and speaking proudly of Kettering help build a strong school brand.
Continued on page 11
The Technician
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February 7, 2011
News
Campus Saddened by Student Deaths
By Isaac Meadows Editor-in-chief
The Kettering community mourns the deaths of two A-section students that occurred over the Fall and early Winter terms. Sean Hengel, 25, a junior from Houston, TX, died Sunday, October 10, 2010 when his vehicle was struck by a train near his work term residence in Lexington, KY. A transfer student enrolled in the Chemical Engineering program, Sean was a guitarist, a sports fan and a brother of the Theta Xi fraternity. Aaron Hendrick, 18, a freshman from Cedar Springs, MI, died Saturday, January 15, 2011 when he was struck by a vehicle following an accident on Highway 23 in Hartland Township south of Flint. An honors student from Sparta High School who enjoyed hunting, Aaron was majoring in Electrical Engineering and preparing to pledge Theta Xi at Kettering. Friends and family of both individuals have expressed grief and requested privacy following the untimely deaths. A memorial service to remember both students is being planned for late February. Please turn to page 8 for a memorial article on both gentlemen.
Fine Arts at Kettering tion. Glen Holcomb leads the choir, which has slightly more members than the band. The choir practices Kettering University is proud to finally have the weekly, and has a repertoire of classical, spiritual, fine arts represented on campus. Multiple offerings and popular music. Most of the students come have sprung up recently, and while none of them from a high school choir background, and, as was are offering class credits, they do offer students the stated for the chance to conband, any intertinue their high ested students school careers in are encouraged the arts. Offered to join. The classes include band and the band, choir, choir will likely piano lessons, have a concert guitar lessons, together near and several offthe end of the campus workterm. shops and dance Personal piclasses. ano and guitar Led by Rob lessons are also Kratz, the band offered to Ketat Kettering is Students in the Kettering Choir practice in the International Room tering students small — on avat no charge, alerage, the band gets seven or eight members per though guitar lessons do require that students have term — but the number of interested students is their own guitar. Lessons are offered for beginners growing. Most of the members played in high as well as those who are a bit more advanced. Offschool, and playing in the band at Kettering allows campus at the Flint Institute of Music, dance classthem a chance to continue playing music. It is a es are offered to Kettering students once a week moderately laid-back scene, consisting of mostly over a nine-week period. Also offered by the Flint sight-reading. Most of the music played consists of Institute of the Arts is a three-day pottery worksimple seasonal pieces, jazz, brass ensembles, and shop. Those who are interested in any of the above other standard band repertoire. All interested stuofferings can contact Debbie Stewart for more indents are encouraged to join; most of the music is formation. relatively simple, and there is no set instrumentaBy Dominic Jandrain Technician Columnist
ΑΦ Cardiac Care Week Success By John Oliver Technician Staff
support Cardiac Care and the Alpha Phi Foundation.” The many fun events offered a wide variety of ways that students could contribute. Events ranged from outdoor and physical (like the sled race) to calm card games at the euchre tournament. After the snowman building contest, winner Jacob Jensen said, “Building snowmen is good fun. I’m glad I got to do it for a good cause. [Winning] the gift certificates didn’t hurt either.” Many students could get involved and, consequently, many did. Alpha Phi’s creative approach to fund-raising led to a lot of success and, consequently, a lot of money going to Cardiac Care and The Alpha Phi Foundation. Jennifer Rondeau said, “We would like to thank everyone for coming out to support the cause this last week!”
As students skillfully sculpted their snow creations, members of Alpha Phi watched and judged which artist would win out. A snowman-building contest was one of several events held at Kettering by Alpha Phi this past week to raise money for Cardiac Care and the Alpha Phi Foundation. By the end of the week, Alpha Phi, with the help of the Kettering community, had raised almost two thousand dollars. Cardiac Care Week featured several entertaining ways to help and donate to charity. Events featured a chili cook-off, where participants could submit either a chili or sign up to be a taste tester. The most successful event was the euchre tournament, which had 32 teams of two sign up to compete. Jennifer Rondeau , philanthropic chair for Alpha All photos are courtesy of KettNet on Facebook. Phi, said, “There was a room full of people there to
Search Committee Starts Website
By Matthew White Layout Editor
A new website was announced by the Presidential Search Advisory Committee to keep the campus informed of the search process late last month. The website, www.kettering.edu/presidentsearch, contains a list of the members of the Committee and a short story updating the campus. While the Committee continues to receive nominations and applications, they intend to begin interviewing candidates in March or April of this year. All interviews and names will be confidential until a set of finalists is selected.
Correction
The front page story “A Workless Work Term” in the January 17 issue of The Technician cited the Counseling Office as the source of a university claim that more co-op openings are available than there are students to fill them. This statement was not intended to refer to Counseling Services at the Wellness Center, but the Cooperative Education Department as cited by Kettering Public Relations. The Technician realizes that the choice of phrasing was misleading and regrets any confusion.
February 7, 2011
The Technician
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Announcements
Rocky Horror Picture Show By Christina Cutler Assistant Editor
showings with a shadow cast that will include several Kettering students. The show is being put on by the Buckham Alley Theatre, a local theater troupe. For those who have never seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show, there is no need to be afraid; they are merely referred to as “virgins.” Often, before a major showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, various “virgin games” will be played to help everyone relax and to start getting warmed up to participate. For the Rocky Horror Picture Show virgins who don’t know any of the call-backs, when to throw rice at the screen, or shoot the cast with squirt guns, www.rockyhorror.htmlplanet.com features a full script and all of the appropriate callouts and actions for the showing. All showings will be in McKinnon Theater. Showings will be Friday and Saturday at midnight and Sunday at 4pm. Tickets are $5 for general admission and $10 for special admission, which includes a props bag with everything you need to throw at the cast.
The Rocky Horror culture is one that is known to some of the student body and to most of their parents. The Rocky Horror Picture Show was filmed in 1975 to parody B-movie horror films and science fiction scenes. The movie features Tim Curry in drag as a mad scientist/creature of another planet with a small following of others from his planet (Transsexual, located in the galaxy of Transylvania). It focuses on a newly engaged couple, Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, who get a flat tire and have to go to the castle of Dr. Frank N. Furter for assistance. The good doctor is celebrating his success in making the creature he has named Rocky. The movie, as a cult film, is still most frequently shown as a midnight movie and usually has audience participation, including acting out the movie in front of the screen (a shadow cast), calling lines out to the characters, and throwing things at the screen. Rocky Horror has been gaining popularity over the years, usually debuting with shadow casts on Devil’s Night or Halloween, featuring scantily- Editor’s Note: Miss Cutler is a shadow actress in the clad, cross-dressing, and eccentric cast members. production. This Valentine’s Day weekend, there will be three
Up ‘Til Dawn Could Use Your Help
By Ben Karczewski Up ‘Til Dawn Executive Director My name is Ben Karczewski and I am the Executive Director for the Up ‘Til Dawn program at Kettering University. If you aren’t familiar with Up ‘Til Dawn it is a student run program all around the U.S. that raises money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. We primarily raise money through a letter writing party. Here are a few sentences from our St. Jude representative: “Please come help us raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by sending letters pre-printed by St. Jude to 50 of your family and friends. Did you know that 50 letters sent out to people you know could help raise $1,676 for the children of St. Jude? This is enough for 2 days of chemotherapy for a child with cancer! We all know that chemotherapy is the key to treatment of most cancers, so doesn’t fifty letters sound like an easy exchange? You can use your graduation party list, your mom’s holiday card list or fill out the attached “Finding Names Fast” form, so it’s not as hard as it may seem. It just takes a few minutes to prepare, and isn’t a child’s life worth a few minutes of preparation? Kettering University has already shown St. Jude how much we care by sending the hospital a total of $95,292 through the Up ‘Til Dawn program over the past 8 years. That is enough to cover the
average course of radiotherapy for a brain tumor patient and provide an above-knee prosthesis! Join the Up ‘Til Dawn movement today and make a difference in the life of a child!” We will hold our awareness week 4th week in the CC during lunch. There will be a “boots” sale, along with a blazing wings eating contest, and many more fun filled event to raise money for SJCRH. We are looking to have our finale 7th week, but this is subject to change (updates will be coming soon). Our goal is $10,000.00 and Greeks please note Robert Marias has said the donations from your teams may contribute to your President’s cup points for philanthropy. Please share this information with your fraternities, sororities, and clubs. Through our Facebook page you can see communication, register your teams and even donate (feel free to start the donating now, and remember some of the funds raised come from the letter writing at the finale). We are still looking for corporate sponsors so please inform your co-ops and family businesses, and you can direct them to me for more information. There will be more updates to come, and please e-mail me at brkarczewski@gmail.com with any questions you have.
St. Paul Lutheran School Benefit Dinner
By Carrie McEnrue Community Member
I am so pleased to announce we are again having our annual school benefit dinner at St. Paul Lutheran School, located at 402 S. Ballenger Highway, across from McLaren. We want to extend an invitation to Kettering University’s staff and students. This dinner is delicious and affordable! All proceeds benefit the school, and last year’s dinner made enough of a difference to be able to redo the girl’s bathroom at the school. Date and time: February 13 from 12:00-2:30pm. Menu: roast beef, roast pork, sauerkraut, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and homemade pies. Cost is $7.50 for adults; $5.00 for children 6-12; $3.00 for children 2-5 and children under 2 are free. Feel free to dine-in or take-out. The take-out portions are very generous! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact St. Paul at (810) 239-6733. We hope you come out and enjoy this “home-cooked” meal!
Flint Mayor To Speak On Campus
By Isaac Meadows Editor-in-chief
Kettering University will host a talk by Flint Mayor Dayne Walling on “Leadership and Ethics” February 15, 2011. The mayor is a former Rhodes Scholar, Truman scholar, local business owner, and is currently completing his Ph.D. Mr. Walling has been on campus before for many special events and even taught a section of Kettering’s Senior Seminar class. The talk is scheduled for February 15, 6th Tuesday, at 12:20 in the Cribathon, room 2-225 AB.
Photo of Mayor Walling courtesy of the Associated Press.
The Technician
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Opinion
In Response to “The Barrier Called Communication” By Matthew White In the last edition, Mr. Scott Builta wrote an opinion piece that struck a particular note with students. The idea of communication is rarely controversial, but the method in which it takes place and the regulations placed upon it are always the focus of intense scrutiny. The first fault is the definition of communication used in the essay to justify further change. The definition of communication is argued to be “a continuous exchange of information between at least two parties.” This is a good definition for personal communication, but for the purpose Mr. Builta intends, it misidentifies the intent of information dissemination. Instead, I propose a definition out of the Oxford English Dictionary: “The imparting, conveying, or exchange of ideas, knowledge, information, etc. (whether by speech, writing, or signs).” In the particular form of communication in which organizations engage, there need not be a constant dialogue. Some things, like meetings, are routine enough that giving a time on a poster would satisfy the general public’s need for communication. No dialogue is necessary, as Mr. Builta suggests it would be.
February 7, 2011
Got an Opinion?
Share it with The Technician! We will publish all Regardless of the definition used to close in on the essence of “communication”, the rest of the opinions, within reason, in our next issue. For for opinion reads like a George Orwell novel. Eschew- details, read our submissions guidelines below: ing the benefits of free speech, the suggestion is made to create a medium regulated by either KSG or the University. I cannot begin to entertain such a notion. Between works of fiction like 1984, The Technician encourages any interested stuwhich demonstrate the issue behind governmentdents to attend staff meetings, held each Moncontrolled publications, and the real-life events day and Thursday over the lunch hour in The that have occurred in Egypt so recently, no person Technician office, located on the 3rd floor of the should ever wish that a governmental body like Campus Center by Campus Life. Student subKSG or University administration control the primissions are encouraged and will be published if mary means of communication. It is a threat to their material is in the public interest. every liberty we hold dear. Submissions or letters to the editor from facYou are reading The Technician. It is a schoolulty of administrative entities will be published sponsored paper, but it retains editorial freedom. if space is available. The Technician reserves the If you feel it is not suitably free, then I implore right to edit any and all submissions for brevity. you to start your own paper. While some may feel Anonymous submissions are rarely published that having only one source of information is ideal, and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. a society of enlightened individuals demands that Individuals wishing to publish anonymously communication be free and flowing, for it is in this should consult the Editor-in-chief. way that the truth is unleashed. The deadline for the upcoming issue of The Technician is 7th Tuesday at noon. Expected Editor’s Note: The views herein contained are those distribution is 8th Tuesday. The µTechnician of the author and do not reflect the view of The is published Tuesday of every week. Its deadTechnician. line is the Monday prior. Send submissions to atechnician@kettering.edu.
Submissions Policy
Kettering’s Snow Removal Policy Special Service for Student and Staff Safety, or Pernicious Ploy in a Political Parking Plot? By Isaac Meadows Last week’s µTechnician ran the university’s Snow Removal Policy announcement. To say that the publication set off a blizzard of debate might be a slight exaggeration, but flurries of discussion left a dusting of skepticism across campus. Is the policy really necessary? Isn’t it a bit of a hassle to require Thompson Hall residents to park farther away from the Mott Building end of Thompson Hall? Couldn’t this all just be a plan to open up parking for faculty, staff, and commuter students in the area closer to the Mott Center? As a neutral party (I walk to campus daily and park at my rental house), I decided to investigate. Pat Engle, Kettering’s Director of Physical Plant, was happy to discuss these concerns. The primary reason for the new policy, she said, was the safety of individuals who walk through the parking lot
daily. Citing the difficulty of clearing snow around parked cars, she noted that most individuals walking through the Mott Center cut through spaces in the parking lot, walking around other cars and
Homsher, Kettering’s Dean of Students, fought to ensure that sufficient parking would be left in Lot B for Thompson Hall residents. This policy, then, is admittedly a compromise between the convenience of residence students and the safety and access of commuters. So what’s the upshot? Kettering community members commute to campus in large numbers on a daily basis. Those who must park in Lot B deserve a safe walk across the parking lot, and this policy accomplishes that goal. Still, it is probable that many Thompson Hall residents will be inconvenienced, parMap of snow removal parking restrictions, ticularly those living at the end close to courtesy of Kettering Communications. the Mott Center. If you have comments through potentially unplowed areas. This poses a or suggestions on the snow removal policy, please high risk for injuries, and indeed, Pat commented write a letter to the editor at atechnician@ketterthat at least one faculty member had fallen and ing.edu. been injured in recent years. To the administraEditor’s Note: The views herein contained are those tion, then, this snow removal policy is a way of of the author and do not reflect the view of The protecting students and faculty who commute to Technician. campus and must park in Lot B. On the other hand, Pat mentioned that Betsy
The Technician
February 7, 2011
2011 North American International Auto Show
Page 5
A Return to the Glory of Auto Shows Past By Robert Hayes Online Editor Every January, the automotive world turns its focus on Detroit and the North American Auto Show. This year’s show signaled a return to the glamour of pre-recession shows, bringing back fond memories and extravagant displays. Among the traditions of the North American International Auto Show are the presentation of the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. The Chevrolet Volt was awarded Car of the Year, becoming the third hybrid vehicle in the award’s history, while Ford’s new Explorer took home Truck of the Year. While many new or significantly redesigned vehicles were unveiled at Cobo, five stood apart from the crowd. Of these five, three showed remarkable progress for both the product and their manufacturer, while two sadly failed to deliver. Hits: Ford Vertrek Concept Among the stars of this year’s show included Ford’s new Vertrek Concept, a thinly disguised version of the upcoming 2013 Ford Escape, and a critical step under Ford’s new One Ford initiative. Ford has committed to selling the same vehicles all around the world, ending the expensive practice of tailoring each model to each market. The Vertrek Concept foreshadows the next evolution this plan, successfully blending cues from both the current North American truck-based Escape and the current European Ford Kuga, a Focus-based compact crossover. The Vertrek Concept tries to appease both continents by fitting the interior space of the larger Escape onto the petite footprint of the Kuga. 2011 Volkswagen Passat With the introduction of the 2011 Volkswagen Passat, the “people’s car” marque is returning to its roots after years of trying to steer further and further upmarket. The new Passat is a perfect example of Volkswagen’s ambitions to become the
world’s largest auto maker, forgoing any pretense of European sophistication in an attempt to make a no-nonsense sedan that rivals the traditional simplicity of the Toyota Camry. To be built in a new plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the 2011 Passat follows in the footsteps of the recently launched 2011 Jetta, slashing MSRP from the 2010 Passat’s $27,900 to an estimated $20,000. Fiat 500 Any doubt that the Italians are in charge in Auburn Hills disappeared once Fiat stole the show at the Chrysler display, bringing an army of European cars—including an original 1970 Fiat 500—as well as the new Ferrari 458 Italia. The first example of Italian-American collaboration on display was the 2011 Fiat 500, the federalized version of Fiat’s hit retro city car. Arriving in dealerships shor tly, the 500 is produced at Chrysler’s Toluca, Mexico assembly plant alongside the Dodge Journey, with the 1.4L tiAir four-cylinder engine produced at Chrysler’s GEMA engine plant in Dundee. Misses: Buick Verano While GM’s Volt swept the North American Car of the Year award, the General’s newest Buick failed to impress. Based on the recently launched Chevrolet Cruze, the Verano attempts to shape Buick levels of luxury and refinement into a small, fuel efficient package. Unfortunately, the Verano lacks both the premium appeal of BMW’s MINI, the Audi A3, or Volvo C30, yet manages fuel economy ratings of 22 MPG city and 31 highway, lower than most current midsize sedans. While the Verano is clearly a competent entry-luxury sedan, it is a disappointing step backward from the dynamic
and sporty German-developed 2011 Buick Regal. Honda Civic Concept The current Honda Civic is one of the bestselling cars in America. When a company has a product so successful, it is reluctant to make drastic changes, and Honda demonstrated t h i s w i t h perfect clarity at this year’s Detroit show. Showcasing both sedan and Si coupe versions of the concept, Honda proclaims an “intriguing preview” of the next generation Civic, but what quickly became most intriguing were the similarities between the concept and the current-generation car. When polled, many show-goers were unable to successfully determine which Civic was the Concept or admitted that without the signs, the Concept would be nearindistinguishable from the current Civic, which is already five years old – an eternity in the automotive world. While the new Concept strictly follows Honda’s small car formula, their unwillingness to advance the Civic is a huge disappointment. While this year’s show had more hits than misses, we look forward to seeing how Buick and Honda step up their game for next year’s show. For more photographs of the cars mentioned here and other vehicles displayed at the 2011 North American International Auto Show, please turn to page 9.
Content is King (but Style is Queen) By Matthew White Layout Editor It seems like just yesterday that the last edition of The Technician was published, and already a new paper is turned out. There were a few errors that slipped past the editing staff in the last edition, and a few that we caught before we went to press in this edition. Guys and Dolls I am sorry to say that this first slip occurred under my watch. In the last column, I had written about the Latin word for “graduate” and the forms it takes depending on gender and number. While I said the form varied for males and girls, I really should have said males and females. Not only is it grammatically parallel, but it is more accurate. The two groups are both of the same age and status, so they should receive parallel groupings — ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, men and women, so on
and so forth. With that being said, an article about “always,” and the like are one word. “All right” fathers taking their daughters to work could use however, is two words. both men and girls appropriately. Ordinals v. Cardinals Alright, Alright Already! Although you may say that Valentine’s Day is on The English language is easy enough, right? We “February fourteenth,” when you write the date have rules, and similar words would logically be out, use the cardinal version — February 14. Putspelled similarly, right? If you got into college, you ting the “14th” is wrong, but if you use “of ”, like should know by now that is not the case. “Already,” in writing the “4th of July,” you would be correct.
The Technician Isaac Meadows, Editor-in-chief Allen Hillaker, Assistant Editor Christina Cutler, Assistant Editor Matthew White, Layout Editor Tyler Van Eck, Copy Editor Robert Hayes, Online Editor Marian Swagler, Campus Life Editor Ryan Brown, Distribution Editor
The Technician Staff Devin Aryan, Staff Korrine Ketchum, Staff Dominic Jandrain, Staff Racquel Lovelace, Staff John Oliver, Staff Eric Poole, Cartoonist Evan Brest, Columnist Matt Holland, Photographer
The Technician
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February 7, 2011
Campus Life The 2011 A-Section KSG Student Senate
Name: Huong Chim Position: President Class Standing: Senior II Major: Electrical Engineering Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI E-mail: chim7773@kettering.edu My goal for Student Senate is to address the concerns of students and in order to accomplish that we need your input! I will also be on the Planning Assessment Committee on behalf of the students. This task force was created to address concerns on all levels of Kettering University (students, faculty, staff, and administration.) I look forward to working with the senators to improve the life at Kettering. Name: Mike Steinert Position: Vice President Class Standing: Junior II Major: Mechanical Engineering Hometown: Berkley, MI E-mail: stei9860@kettering.edu
Name: Tyler Finnegan Position: Senior Representative Class Standing: Senior III Major: Mechanical Engineering Hometown: Elyria, OH E-mail: finn4723@kettering.edu
In the past, Student Senate has not been a very visible organization on campus. I would like to see an increase in communication at Kettering, especially an improved relationship between Senate and the student body. Being on the communications committee, I will be working on many projI would like to see Senate further its mission as a ects that will hopefully improve Student Senate’s principal advocate for the interests of the student visibility on campus. body as a whole to the Kettering administration and faculty, and to increase student participation Name: Emily Thompson in the campus life and student activity systems. Position: Sophomore Representative Senate should be a central forum for common dia- Class Standing: Sophomore II logue within the student community and foster Major: Applied Mathematics the development of legislation to bring common Hometown: Rochester Hills, MI goals and ventures into fruition. E-mail: thom8560@kettering.edu Name: Don Ebben As a member of the Campus Improvement Position: Junior Representative committee, I would like to make improvements Class Standing: Junior I in student parking. Also, the advertisements for Major: Computer Science and Computer Engi- Kettering could be improved as many high school neering students do not know about the program offered Hometown: Novi, MI here. This would increase enrollment and could E-mail: ebbe8674@kettering.edu potentially reduce tuition cost for the students.
My goal as Vice President of Senate is to provide guidance for the senators in their efforts to serve the interests of the student body and further relations with the faculty and the administration. I would also like to see Senate and KSG work with the faculty and the administration on common goals to advance Kettering University as a whole.
For too long I have heard too much complaining and seen too little action. As a member of Senate, I hope to effectively turn the concerns and attitudes of my constituents into changes on campus. I also hope to make senate much more transparent and approachable to the student body.
Name: Meredith Brassell Position: Administrator Class Standing: Sophomore II Major: Electrical Engineering Hometown: Whitehouse, OH E-mail: bras5075@kettering.edu
Name: Justin Cetnar Position: Junior Representative Class Standing: Junior I Major: Electrical Engineering Hometown: St. Clair Shores, MI E-mail: cetn2953@kettering.edu
As Administrator of Student Senate, I feel increasing communication is very important and will help improve the relationship between the student body and Senate. I would like to see Senate fulfill its role as a voice for the students and use that role to be more effective and productive in our endeavors.
I want to see more problems solved on campus. More so I want students to see the results of KSG’s work. Being on the safety committee, the well-being of students is very important to me. It is a large concern on campus and affects everything from college recruitment and retention to affecting a student’s choice of housing. College life is supposed to be about freedom, and when students Name: Blake Wischer need to worry about unsafe living conditions or Position: Senior Representative unsafe environments, that freedom is trampled Class Standing: Senior II upon. I hope to provide comprehensive programs Major: Computer Engineering that outline how to be safe, all while maintaining Hometown: Cedarburg, WI personal freedom. My goal is to see crime rates E-mail: wisc8295@kettering.edu around campus driven down, make Kettering students and faculty more conscious of their safety, As the senior class representative, I hope to in- and overall create a better college environment! crease the awareness of the actions the Student Senate takes to address the needs of the student Name: Bryannan Santo body. There are many great ideas from the great Position: Sophomore Representative minds that attend Kettering and those ideas need Class Standing: Sophomore II to find their way to the proper people who can as- Major: Industrial Engineering & Mechanical Ensist in their implementation. I hope that as a mem- gineering ber of this Senate, I can provide that assistance and Hometown: Smithton, PA allow for student ideas to be heard. E-mail: sant6850@kettering.edu
Name: Raymond Hyder Position: Freshmen Representative Class: Freshman II Major: Electrical Engineering & Computer Engineering Hometown: Southgate, MI E-mail: hyde3304@kettering.edu As a Freshman representative, I would like to communicate to my class and all classes about what the Kettering Student Government does and how they can be a voice through the Senate for the betterment of Kettering University as a whole. Name: Trimechia Moore Position: Multicultural Representative Class: Senior II Major: Electrical Engineering Hometown: Milwaukee, WI E-mail: moor4970@kettering.edu As a member of Senate and the Joint Faculty and Student committee, I would like to see the students form a better relationship with the faculty, which could lead to an increase in grades. This would include ways that would display the willingness of faculty to help students as well as make them more approachable to students seeking help. If you have any ideas or suggestions that you would like to see implemented, or have any problems that you would like Kettering Student Senate address, do not hesitate to contact one of the senators listed above. Each opinion matters to us! Editor’s Note: This information was received by The Technician by KSG Student Senate and is republished here in its entirety.
February 7, 2011
The Technician
Kettering University Greek Life
By Nicholas Samassa Guest Contributor Winter term is known as a time of reflection and learning in the Greek community as many fraternities and sororities begin their pledge/associate education programs. For the current members, it is a reminder of the values that have made Greek life popular over the ages. These ideals include the foundations of brotherhood, scholarship, service, and leadership. For the incoming new members, it is the induction into an organization that will
shape the rest of their lives. Over the next several weeks, new members will be initiated into fraternities across campus and continue to be one of Kettering’s most prominent societies on campus involving more than forty percent of students and growing every year. Reflecting on these ideas, the Inter-fraternity Council Executive Board takes a weekend every winter term to attend the National Inter-fraternity Council’s (NIC) national academy in Indianapolis, Indiana. Over the weekend, the board had the chance to re-examine the direction the Council is
heading and develop short- and long-term goals with the help of Greek Advisor Robert Marias. Since they are the leaders of the Greek community, the IFC is working on becoming a more prominent representation of the Greek community in addition to acting as a direct liaison between Kettering and the fraternities on campus.
Student Alumni Council hosts…
Grad Fair `
Schools in attendance:
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Winter 2011
Want your M.S.
Ph.D. or MBA? Graduate Schools will be on campus to talk about their available programs
When:
5th Thursday February 10th, 2011 11:00a – 3:00p
Where:
Great Court
Food is provided
The Technician
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Aaron John Hendrick September 21, 1992 – January 15, 2011
By Korrine Ketchum, Technician Staff Aaron was a smart, outgoing, funny guy. He loved to make people laugh with his witty remarks, some of which only he understood. He had the whole world open to him — he had college paid for, his dream car, a loving family, and awesome friends. All of this made for the best life one could ever imagine. On top of Aaron’s to-do list was to, “Earn my pilot’s license!” Any normal 18 year old would be out partying instead of making a life to-do list. For that matter, he did not even like to drink because alcohol can cloud the senses. He was so mature, and such a good example of the kind of person we should all strive to be. He will be sorely missed by those who knew him and those who never got the chance to. Aaron Hendrick was a good man and good friend. He was funny kind hearted and cared about those around him and his surroundings. He possessed a moral compass not seen in many people his age, and held strong to his principles. I had the pleasure of meeting Aaron this past summer term and spent time with him shooting bows, talking, and living at Theta Xi. He was one of the most respectful but assertive, quiet but loud, and unpredictable people I have ever met. I will always remember him. He was a good man and will be missed by all who knew him. —Matt Yakel You so quickly became a very close friend of mine. That’s really a difficult thing to do since A) you were a freshman, and B) you’re a ginger. You were so special. I’m so grateful for all the amazing times I had with you. We shared a lot of late nights and long talks together. You made me laugh more easily and more often than anyone else. So many people came today and yesterday for you… I miss you so much and I’ll never forget all the times I had with you. Your smile and laughter are imprinted in my mind. RIP, ginger kid. —Marian
In Memoriam Sean Hengel transferred in to Kettering University during the summer of 2010. After spending time at other schools, he was happy to find Kettering the “Perfect Fit” to study Chemical Engineering. Game day would always leave him cheering “Geaux Tigers!”, a tribute to his favorite team, the Louisiana State University Tigers. Sean was well liked by everyone he met. A genuine person, he valued his friends greatly and was always ready to have their backs. He was known for his phrase “Let’s bring it in for the real thing”, and lending a good hug. He frequented the Rec Center, often going with friends to help each other out. He had been a gymnast when he was younger, and had taken courses on weight training. He had offhandedly said once that he wanted to become a certified personal trainer. He was also an avid music listener. He enjoyed listening to music off the beaten path, and had mentioned before that he was unhappy with how music was turning more techno. His parents, Robert and Laura, are grateful for the joy he had found at Kettering. He performed well in class, made many new friendships, received a job at Toyota, and had accepted a bid to Theta Xi. He will be greatly missed by everyone that he interacted with. Aaron Hendrick was starting his second term at Kettering. He had graduated as an honors student from Sparta High School. He grew up just outside of Grand Rapids and was very close with his rather large family. He had made Dean’s List during his summer term at Kettering, and was pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering. Aaron believed greatly in being himself, and never swayed from his personal beliefs. He made many friends while at Kettering, and was intending to pledge Theta Xi. He was also proud of his co-op at GM, where he had completed his first work term. He was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed hunting (both bow and firearm), motorbiking, and skiing. He had shot a deer during the past season, and had donated it to Theta Xi for a “deer camp” dinner. Aaron, his cheer, his smile, and his jokes will be missed. —The Brothers of Theta Xi
February 7, 2011
Sean Linneman Hengel July 14, 1985 – October 10, 2010
The first time I met Sean was during New Student Orientation. I was helping set up, and he had arrived early to an event in the McKinnon Theatre. He walked straight up to me and said, “Hi, I’m Sean.” During his service, he was described as having a “fierceness” about him, while still being laid back and extremely approachable. The first conversation we had was about his disgust towards BP for the oil spill down in one of his favorite places. I’m definitely not going to forget anytime soon him asking me to, “Bring it in for the real thing,” or just that warm “Hey” he had for anybody he met. I don’t think there was a single person who didn’t get along with Sean. Sean will never be forgotten by those he influenced. —Matthew Hulka Sean, I heart you, too. —Kayla Petrarch Sean, From the first time we met, I knew we were going to be great friends. Every minute we were around each other, we were always laughing and having a blast. We were always having a good time from the trips around Flint to the trip to W. Virginia. I was flattered when you picked me to be your Big B. I wish you were still here to chill. I’ll never forget the memories we made. I miss you like you wouldn’t believe man. —Luke Douma
February 7, 2011
The Technician
Service Commemorates Late President
By Matthew White and Isaac Meadows Technician Editors Medina, Ohio —Family, friends, and colleagues gathered on January 22, 2011 to celebrate the life of the late Dr. Jim John, Kettering’s fifth president (1991-2005). Dr. John’s many accomplishments include authoring several engineering textbooks, serving as chairman of the National Commission for Cooperative Education, serving on the Society of Automotive Engineers board and the SAE Foundation. Projects undertaken during his Kettering presidency included the construction of the Campus Village Apartments and the C.S. Mott Science and Engineering Center as well as the installation of air-conditioning in the Thompson Hall dorms. Under his leadership, Kettering was listed in the Princeton Review as one of the Best Midwestern Colleges.
One of his greatest contributions to Kettering and the achievement of which he was most proud was the construction of the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center, which was named in his wife’s and his honor at the insistence of Professor Reginald Bell. Speaking at the service on behalf of the Kettering community were Dr. Stan Liberty and Professor Bell. Dr. Liberty remarked that Dr. John was “the institution’s ‘building’ president,” having undertaken construction projects “that changed our University forever.” Dr. Liberty also commented on the continuing support the late Dr. and Mrs. John provide to students of Kettering through the Connie John Memorial Scholarship and the Dr. James E. A. John Endowed Scholarship, to which the John family graciously directed memorial contributions. Professor Bell retold a story of one of his first meetings with Dr. John, in which Dr. John gave his vision for the University to a group of distinguished students. Mrs. John, sensing Professor Bell’s skepticism, said, “‘Reg, you wait and see. All those things will be there. Jim really likes to build things.’” Aside from the achievements listed above, the change from GMI-EMI to Kettering University will forever be a moment associated with the late
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president. Although many people at the time were most concerned over the change from “GMI” to “Kettering”, then-Provost John Lorenz remarked, “I believe that history will prove that the change from ‘Engineering & Management Institute’ to ‘University’ will be far more significant.”
Dr. John, pictured above, enjoyed dressing up as Santa Claus for the children of Kettering faculty and staff.
Photos courtesy of Kettering Communications.
2011 NAIAS Photos
2012 Volkswagon Passat 2012 Buick Verano
2012 Hyundai Veloster
The Chevy Volt is selected as the North American Car of the Year
The Technician
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February 7, 2011
News Interview With Karen Full Continued from the front page
And for a school with such a fantastic reputation as Kettering, I mean everybody that I talked with when I first moved here…over in Owosso for example, when people would ask me where I was going to work and I would say Kettering, everybody would say “Wow, what a great school.” So it seems like it was a really good decision. And that’s what brought me here. It’s been very fun. Technician: Do you have new ideas for the admission process? KF: Well, my philosophy, especially with working with smaller schools, is to do what I like to call a holistic admissions process. A very personalized process, working with students, in a very one-onone basis. Working with the entire application pool in as much of an individualized basis as we can possibly do. So, getting to know every single student who applies here. Getting to know them, finding out what they’re really interested in, finding out why they’re interested in Kettering, where else they’re looking, and what’s really going to influence them about choosing the university they’re going to spend their next four to five years at. And by doing that, we’re able to really kind of massage our application pool and get as many students as possible to select us. That’s what we’re looking at doing. Lots of personalized attention from the admissions staff, from students. The students have been fantastic about helping us with that, by the way. The faculty have been wonderful about volunteering their time, for admissions events and projects that we’re asking them to do. So, it’s a campus-wide recruitment process! Technician: Do you have examples of how you’ve individualized some of the recruitment? KF: Well, for example, we’ve hired a team of Kettering students that we’re calling “student callers” that work for us in the evenings during the week. We sort of have a day shift and a night shift now. So we have an evening pack of student callers here. Some of them call kids who have inquired about us to ask them if they still want to apply, because there still is time for that. And then, they call our accepted students to just kind of talk to them and talk to them about why they’re at Kettering and why they think it would be such a good choice for the student to pick. So that’s one example of what we’re doing. The admissions staff, the assistant directors of admissions or the counselors have been charged with getting to know each family that they’ve worked with as much as possible. Each student and their family. And they’re staying in touch as much as possible. We’re putting in regular contact routines. Contact management is sort of a buzzword, but we’re doing that. We’re actually exercising that here, among our staff. Families are contacted on a regular basis. See if they have questions, make sure they’re taking all the right steps, that they’re being invited to every event that we’re having. Some of the academic departments, some
of the professors have put together special events just for their department that they’re holding as well, which is big. We’ve had some families attend these and it’s been successful, so those are some examples. Technician: How do we get names for admissions? KF: Lots of ways, that’s a great question. Probably the most common way, the way a lot of schools do is when you’re in high school and you take the PSAT exam, or you take the PLAN exam, when you’re a sophomore or junior in high school, your name becomes available, students give permission for their names to be, actually purchased by colleges and universities, and then we get the student’s contact information and put that into our database and the vast volume of names that we initially communicate to we send out e-mail messages and physical mailing pieces, and those students that respond to us in some way actually become part of our database. We continue to work that group. So that’s one way-- there are lots of other organizations out there that exist where students can actually go online and can do college searches and then these companies will then collect the names of these students, with their permission of course, and then send us that information as well about the students, and there are a couple of really good companies we’re using, one is called Zinch, you might have heard of. It’s probably new since you started school, the last 2, 3, 4 years maybe. But Zinch is very popular among high school kids now—they can go on there and build their own profile about themselves, what they’re interested in and their hobbies, and what they like about schools, and then Zinch will match them up with schools that they think might be good for that student. And then the schools get that information. So that’s been a really good resource for us and another company called Cappex. We get lots of names of students from alumni, from word of mouth, kids just finding us on the web. We do a lot of web advertising and Facebook advertising. We do as much as we can to drive kids to the website. That’s the huge focus right now, getting as many people on the web as possible. Technician: How early do we contact high school students? KF: We contact them before they apply, often as early as junior or sophomore year we start them with our e-mail and our mailings and even really with phone calling to try to get kids to come to our events like, for example, our discover days. There’s one coming up in April, and we hope to get a lot of juniors to that, high school juniors, because that’s a good time for them, they’re visiting the campuses, starting to look. So, juniors and earlier than that even. And we’re doing a lot more to attract international students now too. We’re working more with international websites, posting Kettering information in as many places as we can, on educational sites throughout the world.
Technician: What were the strengths and weaknesses of the admissions program you saw coming in? KF: Well, I think if I have to name a weakness, and I don’t know if you even call it a weakness, the way we had to restructure to really, really go to what I’d been talking about, a very contact-driven approach to admissions, that the entire application pool, every single student was treated as individually as we could possibly treat them, you know, very one-onone, that we contact each student, that we get to know as many of these students as we can. And so I think, again I just started here in September, as I observed things that were not happening before, this is what I think really, really had to happen to make the approach very one-on-one. One-on-one recruitment. So I think that’s what we’re doing a better job at perhaps this year. What better strength can you have then selling this great institution, selling this great university? Kettering has so many strengths, so many reasons for students to come here. The programs and the job possibilities. And the jobs are back now--the co-op jobs are just coming back like crazy. So that’s been a really good thing. That’s turned around, it seems like. That and the great faculty we have here just really influence new students. Their mentorship is a huge thing. It just seems like Kettering is such an awesome institution I think we should be turning students away, I think more students should be coming here. More and more. Technician: Do you have concrete goals or predictions for the next 2–3 years? KF: Well, our goals are to increase of course, increase enrollment. It’s very difficult to predict right now, we’re doing everything we can of course to make the numbers happen for this year. It’s a little soon yet. We’re a private school that has a higher cost than many of our competitors, which are the state universities for the most part, of course we’re going to look like we cost more. We really, really have to work hard to have families file for financial aid. We’ve changed up the scholarships this year. We’ve done some increases with the scholarship amounts. We’re tweaking the way financial aid is being done, the way aid is being awarded to help make the cost more in line with what people can afford. And make people understand that-- trying to really educate the students and the families. Right now is financial aid applying time, so the award letters will start going out later on, next month and in March. I think once that happens we’ll have a better handle on what we can predict for next year. We’re making really, really good progress right now. We’re came off, I’ve been told, some cuts in staff here before I started, so we have a smaller group of people than we used to, as far as recruiters and things. So that’s been a big change too, sort of regrouping and realigning people for what they’re responsible for, but it’s been good. It’s been good. Enjoying it.
February 7, 2011
The Technician
First Annual Cardiac Care Day
Alumnus Encourages Involvement
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Continued from the front page Activities like being an alumni ambassador, attending college fairs for Kettering, visiting schools to talk about science and engineering programs, and awarding the Kettering University Tech award to leading high school students can all help make Kettering a prominent and attractive school. In addition, starting a co-op program at one’s company or hiring Kettering faculty for research programs are important ways to support the university community directly. When he actually addressed monetary giving, Kowalski presented a simple challenge. For every graduate this year who donates at least $1 to the school in the six months following their graduation, Jon promised to donate $1. In addition, he announced that Donna Wicks had pledged to donate $2 for every such graduate as well. The mission of this pledge, Kowalski noted, was as much “to promote a culture of giving at Kettering” as the direct financial impact of the gifts. Starting to give back immediately is important, he said, reminding his audience of the extensive cultures of giving at many elite universities. “Don’t make Kettering ask you for help,” he concluded with a nod to JFK’s inaugural address, “ask what you can do for your school.”
Photos from top left to bottom right: 1. Layout Editor Matthew White (l) and Editor-inchief Isaac Meadows (r) stop for a photo with their favorite PR Officer, Pat Mroczek (seated). 2. Dawn Hibbard, Director of Media Relations, hangs out in the heart. 3. Professor Roughani, head of the physics department, takes a break to lean on the heart. 4. The staff of the recruitment, admissions, and cooperative education offices pose around the heart.
All photos courtesy of KettNet
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The Technician
February 7, 2011
Entertainment The Global Issues Film Festival
By Devin Aryan Technician Writer This past week, from January 26 through January 29, the Global Issues Film Festival has been taking place in McKinnon Theater. During the festival, one movie was shown every night at 7pm, and two were shown on Saturday, one at 1pm and the other at 3pm. This year was the ninth annual festival, with the first half being shown during this past fall term. The festival is sponsored by three of the local colleges; Mott Community College, University of Michigan Flint, and Kettering University. The films shown were chosen by a group of professors from the three colleges. The films shown during the week were The Last Train Home, Good Fortune, Yes Men Fix the World, The Reckoning, and Orgasm, Inc. All five movies had discussion sessions afterwards, and each was about a topic unrelated from the rest. The Last Train Home focused on the new conflict China is facing with its young adults and the clashing culture. The traditional way is to live in the same house for most of your life, looking after your family, parents and children. The new generations, however, wish to have a more westernized adulthood, chasing your dreams, and making yourself as happy as possible. The discussion afterwards, led by Dr. Wei Cao, assistant professor of education at University of Michigan Flint, had the audience asking Dr. Cao questions to get a better understanding of China and the issues currently facing the country.
Good Fortune is a film about the people living in poverty in Kenya. The film’s focus was on two different efforts to get the locals out of poverty, one effort by the United Nations and the Kenyan government, and the other by the private organization Dominion. During the course of the film, both efforts wound up hurting the locals more than helping them, and both ended in failure. The discussion after was led by Dr. Ezekiel Gebissa, professor of history at Kettering University. He attempted to keep the discussion from being a lecture, but it became one anyway due to a lack of questions; nevertheless, Dr. Gebissa explained Kenya’s history and detailed the major issues with Kenya’s government and poverty. Yes Men Fix the World was by far the most popular film of the week. Taking a different tactic to making a documentary, comedy was used to keep the audience focused. The film followed two men, the self-proclaimed “yes men”, as they made a mockery of certain private companies and the United States government for a good cause. They tried to show what was wrong with the companies and the government. Due to the popularity of the film, the discussion thereafter was heavily audience-focused, and the amount of people who stayed was far larger than for any other film shown during the week. The discussion was led by Dr. Greg Schneider, assistant professor of communication at Kettering University. Dr. Schneider did not actually say too many things during the discussion; he only fueled the fire when the audience began to run out of things to discuss.
The Reckoning is a film about the International Criminal Court, a court that deals with crimes against humanity committed by anyone in any of the joined countries. The court, however, cannot get involved unless the country in which the crimes were committed is unable or refuses to take care of the crimes themselves. The court is located in the Netherlands and has adopted the European judicial system. Because of this, the US, China, and Russia have not joined the court, though another 120 countries have. The discussion was led by Dr. Michael Callahan, professor of history at Kettering University. The discussion was begun by Dr. Callahan, but ended in a discussion by the audience of whether the U.S. should join the court or not. The final film, Orgasm Inc., is about the making of the first “Viagra” drug for women and the race for FDA approval. About halfway through, however, the film turns to focusing on how Female Sexual Dysfunction is probably an “illness” created by pharmaceutical companies to make billions of dollars. The discussion was led by Dr. Pavitra Sundar, assistant professor of humanities at Kettering University. This discussion was primarily a group of people all agreeing with each other that Female Sexual Dysfunction is a lie to make money. All five films were thought-provoking and educational, and the festival was a success. The Technician hopes to see the festival again next year for its tenth anniversary.
try. The United Nations is attempting to start a program in accordance with the Kenyan government to knock down the slums and build more modern living establishments for the people living there. The desired outcome would be great, but such a drastic change is definitely going to cause significant chaos. It also inevitably pushes out people who cannot afford the new apartments. The film shows that, even though the people cannot resist this change, they want to have a voice in the decisions made about their lives. The second village is found in a much more rural area of Kenya, which is settled by groups of farmers and herders who have called the place home for many years. The film follows a conflict between these people and a private American farming organization called Dominion Farms. Dominion has come to Kenya to start vast rice fields that will hopefully transform this small African village into a modern agricultural powerhouse. However, the native villagers discover that this goal will not be fulfilled without a radical transformation of their culture as well. The film does a great job capturing the stark contradictions between what developed countries believe and what the affected people believe. When different cultures come together there are bound to be conflicts, and what Good Fortune elucidates is that often, there is no right answer and no wrong
answer. Every society has its benefits and its detriments, and every society believes that it has found the correct formula for a perfect culture. If an outsider comes in and tells any country that their culture is wrong, there can be extreme backlash unless change is fully understood and accepted by the people affected. That’s just the way society operates, and the film proves this in numerous different venues. As an audience, we can praise the United Nations and Dominion Farms for helping Kenyans gain status as a developed nation, or we can criticize them for causing the natives suffering and distress while they change their world. Good Fortune probably wants us to do both; it was made to demonstrate that there is no easy answer. The film shows that change cannot be stopped—indeed, it is inevitable. Cultures tend to expand upon others and resistance is witnessed every step of the way. We can defy it, we can embrace it, and we can hide from it, but they will all be futile. Change happens all around us, that’s what makes us a civilization. At the same time, though, the film asks us to stop and think about the effects of this change, and to listen to the voices of people who are undergoing it.
Good Fortune Review
By David Fowler Guest Contributor As the World Wide Web continues to grow and establish influence on even the least developed corners of the world, a large number of individuals and organizations are starting to extend their authority into those areas in order to put their own stamp on them and on the people who inhabit them. On the surface, it appears as if these efforts are made to assist the people living there and to transform these cultures into modern ones, but it is never that simple. Even if people truly wish to help what they perceive as less fortunate civilizations, there is often a personal motive behind it as well, and the persons affected do not necessarily see things their way. The Global Issues Film Festival played a documentary called Good Fortune, directed by Landon Van Soest, which explores this phenomenon and illustrates the idea that, whether or not world change is beneficial, it is inevitable. Still, people who want to help need to take into account the needs and desires of the communities they are affecting. The film takes a look at two different villages in Kenya, and shows the change that is rapidly affecting the inhabitants who have been living there for centuries. The first site is an urban center that is filled with rundown slums and living conditions that would not be acceptable in a developed coun-
Editor’s Note: The views, opinions, and style expressed here are those of the author and do not represent those of The Technician.
The Technician
February 7, 2011
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Yes Men Fix the World Review By Phillip Mitchell Guest Contributor Change and hilarity were an exciting combination at the Global Issues Film Festival. This great mixture was evident in the movie Yes Men Fix the World, directed by Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno, and Kurt Engfehr. The film is about the epic journey of Andy and Mike hoaxing many big corporations to prove different points about the corrupt economics the world revolves around. Andy and Mike pose as many different CEO’s and big organizations’ leaders to get messages across to the business world. Major disasters such as Bhopal and Hurricane Katrina have left many unanswered questions, and it is up to Andy and Mike to give the world the answers it is looking for. The exciting and revolting antics of Andy and Mike toss the audience into a world of corrupt and greedy corporations. Cleverness and the ability to make a worthy website allowed Andy and Mike to penetrate the BBC and broadcast a fake announcement. It was the 20th anniversary of the Bhopal disaster, and Dow chemical had not taken care of what was left of their mess in Bhopal. As a result, Andy and Mike announced that Dow chemical was going to pay 12 billion dollars to the disaster victims of Bhopal and help fix the problem there. This was a cruel
gag on the Indian victims, but it also made Dow chemical lose billions of dollars from their stock crashing. The satisfaction that I felt could have been the same feelings felt by the Bhopal victims after Dow lost a huge amount of money. When Andy and Mike revealed the human flesh energy concept, acting as if they were Exxon executives, many people at the conference were grossed out, but a few were still interested. Andy and Mike wanted the concept to be appalling, but the greed in the investors came from the profits the human flesh could bring. As I was grossed out at the fact of holding a human flesh candle, the use of human flesh for candles was obviously not enough to make everyone squeamish. Andy and Mike were great at using grotesque concepts like this one, which people know are ludicrous, to prove that everyone is greedy in our society, and that even obvious moral standards do not stand in the way of trying to make money. The final hoax was on the contractors who have used Hurricane Katrina to better off New Orleans the way they want. Andy and Mike take a look at public housing that is being torn down and taken away from people who were returning to their home after the hurricane. The film shows the feelings and emotions of the people being affected by this hunt for profits. So Andy and Mike took the
situation into their own hands and acted as members of the Department of Housing and Urban Development at the city conference. There they said that the housing was not being torn down and that the government was intervening in the issue. The suspense and excitement from the cast acting like government officials is unbelievable. The impact of their involvement goes beyond the ordinary imagination. The humor and craftiness of Yes Men Fix the World brings the viewer into a new perspective, one that shows the corrupt and greedy society that we all live in, quite often without realizing it. Andy and Mike reveal how big corporations are out for themselves, and sacrifice a few people here and there, usually in the hundreds of thousands, to get what they want. Quite often they are not even held responsible, so that they enjoy the freedom of individuals but not their accountability. The greed from major corporations can also overcome the humanity that we belong to. Andy and Mike do a fabulous job guiding you along the corrupt policies and greedy organizations, and hope to leave you with the sensation that you can be civil and humane. Editor’s Note: The views, opinions, and style expressed here are those of the author and do not represent those of The Technician.
Flint Institute of Arts Film Screenings Screenings are in the FIA Theater at the Flint Institute of Arts, 1120 E. Kearsley St. Unless noted, admission at the door is $6 for non-members, $5 for FIA members and $4 for FOMA members. Details: (810) 234-1695, flintarts.org Friends of Modern Art Film Series
A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop Feb. 4 – 5 (7:30pm), Feb. 6 (2pm) (China, 2009) Directed by Zhang Yimou, 95 min., subtitled, rated R In a remake of the Coen brothers’ classic thriller “Blood Simple,” a Chinese noodle shop owner schemes to murder his adulterous wife and her lover. Night Catches Us Feb. 11 – 12 (7:30pm), Feb. 13 (2pm) (U.S., 2010) Directed by Tanya Hamilton, 90 min., rated R In 1976, a young man (Anthony Mackie) returns to the race-torn Philadelphia neighborhood where he came of age during the Black Power movement. Kerry Washington co-stars in this independent drama, which won the Grand Jury Prize for drama at the Sundance Film Festival.
Waiting for ‘Superman’ Feb. 18 – 19 (7:30pm), Feb. 20 (2pm) (U.S., 2010) Directed by Davis Guggenheim, 111 min., rated PG From the director of the Oscarwinning “An Inconvenient Truth” comes a controversial documentary about American public education, its systemic limitations… and the faces behind its failings. Inspector Bellamy Feb. 25 – 26 (7:30pm), Feb. 27 (2pm) (France, 2009) Directed by Claude Chabrol, 110 min., subtitled, not rated The directorial swan song for the late, great Claude Chabrol (“the French Hitchcock”) concerns a Parisian inspector (Gérard Depardieu) entangled in a murder investigation while on vacation. College town movie series (Free admission for patrons with college ID or FIA College Town membership card)
Art School Confidential Feb. 10 (9pm) (U.S., 2006) Directed by Terry Zwigoff, 102 min., rated R In a comedy-drama from the maker of “Bad Santa” and “Crumb,” a young man (Max Minghella) moves to New York to attend a prestigious art school, where he encounters love, jealousy … and more. With Jim Broadbent and John Malkovich. Rachel Getting Married Feb. 17 (9pm) (U.S., 2008) Directed by Jonathan Demme, 113 min., rated R Anne Hathaway earned an Oscar nomination as the troubled, rebellious young woman who returns to her estranged family on the day of her sister’s wedding.
Edward Scissorhands Feb. 24 (9pm) Heartless (U.S., 1990) Directed by Tim Feb. 3 (9pm) Burton, 105 min., rated PG-13 (United Kingdom, 2010) Directed by Philip Rid- Before he began starring in sumley, 114 min., not rated mer blockbusters and garnering In an award-winning British varia- Oscar nominations, Johnny Depp tion on “Faust,” a young man with a earned raves as a gentle misfit who large, heart-shaped birthmark on his falls in love with a teenage girl face discovers the presence of demons (Winona Ryder). on the streets of London.
The Technician
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Meme of the Month
February 7, 2011
Thundersnow Ice Cream Cone Guy By Dominic Jandrain Technician Columnist On January 27, a massive amount of crystalline dihydrogen monoxide cascaded down on the masses in Washington, D.C. Amongst the chaos, one man was on a mission. One man, armed only with a damp button-down shirt and great perseverance. One man who, beyond all other things, really, really needed to have ice cream. Like right away. During a thundersnow storm. This man was Zack Burroughs, a.k.a. Thundersnow Ice Cream Cone Guy.
The Washington Post. After seeing Mr. Burroughs looking as if he is running from something ridicuin the papers, the Internet realized his awesome- lously dangerous. The only difference is that Bubble Girl wasn’t actually running from anything, whereas Thundersnow Ice Cream Cone Guy is running from a blizzard with lightning in it. But in terms of Photoshopability, they are equals. As was the case with Bubble Girl, Burroughs can be seen Photoshopped in Photo of Thundersnow Ice Cram Cone Guy running from Snowmageddoon, February 2, 2011 multiple movie scenes, ness and Photoshopped him onto everything. combined with other memes, in significant images Thundersnow Ice Cream Cone Guy is basically throughout history, and running from random exthe new Bubble Girl. He is clutching an object and ploding stuff. Nothing new really, but still pretty darn awesome.
Photo from the front page of The Washington Times, January 27, 2011
Photo of Thundersnow Ice Cram Cone Guy by Reddit user Achille2001
If you were not aware of what thundersnow is, it is exactly what it sounds like: a thunderstorm with snow instead of rain. At the sight of lightning bolts striking through a limited-vision obstacle course of ice and snow, Mr. Burroughs thought to himself, “I want ice cream,” because he is just that awesome. He dashed his way through the havoc, determined to get his fix. Mr. Burroughs successfully obtained his ice cream within minutes after deciding he wanted it. On the return trip, which was just as exceptional as his initial quest, a photographer noticed how awesome he was and took a picture. That picture ended up on the front page of
Like a Little Too Much
@Thatcreepyguy “Hello over there!” #Iseeyou message, the likes of which is usually graphic in nature (and not the pictorial kind, either). Personally, I don’t find this site to be much of a I was going to write an article referring to the threat, although it could be used in a potentially presidential search this week, referencing an upharmful (i.e. abusive) way. I see it as a springboard and-coming candidate, Dr. Dhume. for ideas, not harm. As long as those using Instead of a fascinatingly fictitious biit stick to some sort of basic moral code, ography, however, I was sucked into the this could be a lot of fun. While the premever-present time sink called the Internet. ise is still slightly creepy, if used right, this Now I have Stumbled, Youtubed, and could stand to be a great place for “I Spy” TV Trope’d my way across a vast variety games. Someone sits in a populated area of sites covering a far-reaching variety of and spots a person while others look for the subjects with many more unspeakable spotted, and points (which don’t matter) subjects discovered on a certain image are awarded for finding the spotted. Boboard that shall remain Anonymous. nus points if the spotted finds themselves. The other week, I was directed to a new It’s like “Where’s Waldo” meets the lottery place, a place the likes of which I have never before names and statuses, but instead have places and meets the CIA! Since Twitter’s the biggish thing imagined (thankfully) but on which I now feel a who they’re looking at with a brief description. lately, finish with a faux hashtag to the effect of need to keep an eye. With features somewhere beBe warned when reading. This place is not for “Where’s Waldo.” tween Twitter and a large windowless white van, the weak of heart (or stomach or bowels). Don’t likealittle.com is the Twitter for the needlessly be surprised to find a description either vaguely or Editor’s Note: The Technician does not recommend sensible readers view this site. creepy and introverted. specifically matching your own followed by a short By Evan Brest Technician Columnist
When you go there (and I know you will), you are greeted with a disarming blue background and several small white boxes containing text posted by folks Twitter-style. It gets unnerving, though, when you realize all the posters don’t actually have
The Technician
February 7, 2011
Page 15
Cowbirds in Love
Cowbirds in Love Sanjay Kulkarni http://cowbirdsinlove.com
Abstruse Goose: Transformers (http://abstrusegoose.com/309)
9 3 1 8 5 5 6
5 6 4 7 3 8 4 1 1 7 6 9 7 2 3 4 2 1
xkcd
2 4
Puzzle by websudoku.com
During the week, I research my character by living in his house and raising his children.
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