Make A Difference Day, an event where Michigan Tech students and faculty volunteer to help members of the community, will be held on Oct. 26. The deadline for registration is Oct. 20, however volunteers may still participate if they miss the deadline. If a person does not register by the deadline, they may not receive the free participation t-shirt. 

Make A Difference Day is a chance for participants to get involved with the surrounding community. While there are many local not-profits, this event facilitates volunteer efforts beyond the organizations.  “A lot of it is just students going to a resident’s home and assisting them with raking leaves and doing that fall cleanup that a lot of our elderly community isn’t able to do for themselves anymore,” says Danielle Meirow, organizer of the event and Director of Student Leadership and Involvement. 

Make A Difference Day gives all participants a chance to help the community with projects that, due to time and labor constraints, many locals are unable to perform. Besides assisting local residents, volunteers may also help nonprofit organizations and libraries, help out at the humane society, clear debris, and assist children’s care facilities. As such, there is a large variety of work available to volunteers. 

The impact of this event on the community is not merely a result of the work performed by the volunteers, however. “More than, like, the actual work, right, I feel like that feeling of connection with the larger community and seeing what some of those needs are, those connections with your peers that you get through engaging in that activity is the lasting impact,” said Meirow. The opportunity to form connections with both local members of the community and other Michigan Tech volunteers makes this event a valuable experience for every participant. 

If you are interested in participating in the event, it is best to register before the deadline of Oct. 20. The link to the registration page, as well as more information about Make A Difference Day and how to get involved, can be found at 

www.mtu.edu/student-leadership/service/difference/.

The post Upcoming Make A Difference Day first appeared on The Lode.

Michigan Tech is expanding its residential campus with a new residence hall as enrollment grows to record levels. In the Fall of 2024, Tech saw an enrollment increase of 1.5 percent, pushing the student population to its largest since 1982. This growth has made additional residential housing a high-priority need, and East Hall will be the first building to help with this need.

 Built on the east side of campus, next to the Rozsa Center, East Hall provides housing for 512 students across 152 rooms. It is expected to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for its sustainable design and construction, with the possibility of LEED Gold. Amenities include building-wide air conditioning, covered bike storage, and in-unit bathrooms. Construction began in Oct. 2023, with the hall expected to be ready for students to move in by the Fall 2025 semester.

Recently, the project hit the 50 percent completion milestone. The contractor, Walbridge Construction, celebrated this accomplishment with a provided lunch for all workers on-site. When asked about the progress, the Project Manager from Walbridge said the project is going well and that Michigan Tech and the other stakeholders are working on finalizing some of the inside finishes. They added that crews are currently working on installing the plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems on the second floor as well as finishing the exterior of the building. 

A unique part of the project is the involvement of a Michigan Tech Student. Will Linton, a mechanical engineering student and intern with Walbridge Construction, shared his thoughts, “Working on an MTU project is very cool, especially being an MTU student.”

East Hall will provide much-needed on-campus housing and access to Michigan Tech’s vibrant student life. More information about the progress of East Hall’s construction can be found on the Residental Living page mtu.edu/residential-living/options/undergraduate/east/.

The post East Hall reaches project milestone first appeared on The Lode.

On Tuesday, Oct. 8, students gathered outside of the Harmar House to stand against domestic violence. Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is the international men’s march to stop rape, sexual assault, and gender violence, first created in 2001. The event is a dramatic approach to raise awareness for domestic violence, where students are encouraged to walk a full mile in a pair of high heels. Though walking the mile in their own shoes is adequate, walking in a pair of high heels gives an opportunity to actively confront gender stereotypes and expectations. This year, the event was organized by Title IX and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI). 

Title IX Prevention and Event Coordinator, Dawn Corwin, estimated participants at around 30 to 40 students throughout the day. Corwin explained that by 1:30 p.m., there were already 3 men who had accepted the challenge. “Basically, we’re encouraging anybody to come out and do a walk in high heels from our location outside of the Harmar House to the Admin and back; it’s about a mile.” 

Donations for the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter were also accepted throughout the day. The Barbara Gundlach Shelter is a non-profit organization that offers a safe space for victims of domestic violence. Donations included hygiene products, adult and youth socks, cleaning supplies, and journals. Tech’s support for the Barbara Gundlach Shelter is long-standing; Mary Niemela, the Executive Director at the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter, estimated that annual collections have occurred for about 12 to 15 years. 

For more information on the event or the event’s supporters, please visit the websites listed below. 

The post MTU Walks a Mile in Her Shoes first appeared on The Lode.

At last week’s meeting, Dean of Students Kellie Raffaelli brought a proposal before the University Senate, which would change how excused absences work. This will likely be the first of many changes to the Dean’s office’s policies. 

This proposal removes COVID-specific language, making COVID like any other illness in terms of excused absences. It also adds deadlines to request an excused absence, and limits the situations for which an excused absence can be requested from the Dean’s office. 

Raffaelli said that they were having trouble dealing with the amount of requests, noting that,  “Last year, we processed 1,270 excused absences; and really, a lot of that is because the policy is unclear.” The office can get up to 20 requests a day.

With this proposal, excused absences for an extenuating circumstance will require documentation and must cause the student to miss class for three or more days or miss a major assignment and/or examination. The definition of “major assignment” will be left up to faculty. 

Raffaelli explained, “The way the policy is currently written, it says ‘or any other graded assignment’, which is open to interpretation and the students are telling me that they’re confused. The faculty are telling me that they’re confused, and we would like the faculty to have more ownership of those decisions instead of the Dean of Students.” 

The hope is that this proposal, if enacted, will reduce the amount of absences the Dean’s office has to process and that most smaller cases, which don’t involve student’s personal information, will be handled between faculty and students. Raffaelli also stated that the website will soon be updated to make it clearer how to request excused absences for different situations.

The post Proposed excused absence changes first appeared on The Lode.

Tuesday, October 15

that thing between my teeth is my foot Exhibit – Michigan Tech Art 

8 a.m. – 8 p.m. – Rozsa, Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space

Keweenaw Accessibility and Advocacy General Meeting

6 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Wadsworth, Room G17/G19

Wednesday, October 16

that thing between my teeth is my foot Exhibit – Michigan Tech Art 

8 a.m. – 8 p.m. – Rozsa, Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space

Python Workshop

5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Rekhi, Room 113

Paper Making Workshop

5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. – Wadsworth, Room G04

Modern – Superior Wind Symphony

7:30 p.m. – Rozsa 

Thursday, October 17

that thing between my teeth is my foot Exhibit – Michigan Tech Art 

8 a.m. – 8 p.m. – Rozsa, Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space

Worship Ambiance

7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m – Wadsworth

Friday, October 18

that thing between my teeth is my foot Exhibit – Michigan Tech Art 

8 a.m. – 8 p.m. – Rozsa, Rozsa Art Galleries A-Space

Manual Cinema’s Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster – Class Acts

9:30 a.m. – Rozsa, Black Performance Hall

Cross Country vs Bay College Invite

12 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Gladstone, Mich

Graduating and Still Looking?

10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Administration Building, Room 220 Career Services

Women’s Soccer at Davenport

2 p.m. – 5 p.m. – Grand Rapids, Mich

Catan Game Night

9 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. – Wadsworth, Room G11

Women’s Volleyball at TBA

TBA – TBA

The post Upcoming Events first appeared on The Lode.

The Husky Game Development Enterprise is celebrating its 20th anniversary by hosting a game jam open to everyone from Oct. 12 to Oct. 20, inviting participants to create games around a theme that will be announced at the start of the event.

Participants will have nine days to develop and submit their games, with submissions opening at 12 a.m. on Oct. 12 and closing at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 20. The game jam is designed to foster creativity under a time constraint, allowing developers of all levels to showcase their skills.

“We’re used to games that take two semesters long,” said Josiah Parrot, Husky Game Development’s Vice President of Communication. “With the game jam, you get to see the creativity that comes with the time crunch.”

Games will be judged by a panel on five criteria: fun, creativity, jam theme, visual style, and polish. The theme will be announced at the beginning of the jam and participants are encouraged to interpret it in any way they wish.

“The game jam is open to everyone, even those outside of Michigan Tech,” said Dr. Scott Kuhl, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Husky Game Development faculty advisor. “We hope it does well enough to make this a permanent event as well as draw more eyes to the Husky Game Development Enterprise.”

There are no restrictions on the game engine used and participants can use any game assets they have permission to use, provided they attribute the sources. Submissions must be school-appropriate, created during the jam period, and must include at least a Windows or web build.

Prizes for the event are to be determined, pending confirmation of what is allowed.

For more information and to join the jam, interested participants can visit the Jam’s page at itch.io/jam/husky-game-dev-20th-anniversary.

The post Husky Game Development’s 20th Anniversary Game Jam first appeared on The Lode.

The Mr. Wired statue is currently on loan to MTU on the first floor of the library. This eye-catching, 14 year-old copper figure spikes wonder in students as they pass by it when heading towards the library’s cafe. 

The statue, named ‘Wired,’ is an artistic piece by Dave Masten, which won first place for 3D art in 2013 at the Great Lakes Showcase Awards. A retirement project that started as just a hand, turned into a work of inspiration. Masten’s core idea is, “You can’t unplug very easily these days.” He wanted to make something physical and real to represent his ideas. With the hectic nature of college students pursuing their careers, they can quickly get overwhelmed at some point. Near the statue’s feet there is an electrical circuit box that’s plugged into the statue; making sure the figure is always online in a shackle-like manner. Masten mentions, “We have the Internet, smartphones, iPads, iPods. They’re all coming at you.” The world is only getting more and more connected and not vice versa. 

Austin, a student working at the cafe, compared the statue to Zeus because of the extreme connectedness. In his mind, the wires are the path the electricity takes and it’s overwhelming. No one can take that extreme amount of connectedness unless they are Zeus. Also, he thought the copper coffee cup that the figure is holding is like the fuel it needs to keep going. To help students stay on track, they can focus on better schedule planning, learning to take breaks, and realizing that they are human. Masten realized that thoughts, feelings, and emotions get stuck in the backs of our brains. His mission was to express that in a physical and artistic way. The copper wires in the statue are mixes of coils, springs, and wires that are all wound together.

The post The new Mr. Wired statue first appeared on The Lode.

As part of homecoming week, students gathered at Chassell Centennial park with their cardboard boats ready to race. The teams were made up of a mix of halls, clubs, fraternities and sororities. The boats could only be created with duct tape and cardboard. The theme of the race this year was Amazing Race and Husky Survivor.

The event organizer, Amy Hjerstedt, with Student Leadership and Involvement stated, “My favorite part is all of the crazy designs that they come up with.” The boats varied in shape from stitched-together cubes, to kayaks and paddle boards, to Viking longboats. Most boats had some sort of duct tape art or writing to show what group they were part of. Many teams were made up entirely of freshman students hoping to finish the race. Each race began with getting everyone in the boat without flipping or destroying it. Then, racers rushed out to the buoy and back. Fortunately for the teams who sank trying to steer around the buoys, the weather was not too cold.

This year the race was held at Chassell Lake due to a beach washout at the usual location, Kestner Waterfront Park. Hjerstedt explained, “I think it is going to work out better for us, the water is shallower, we have a lot more space for a crowd. It is harder for students to get the boats [here], but we partnered with facilities. So, anyone who needed a ride, facilities were able to take their boat; which is something that students normally don’t get.” 

The overall winners of the race this year were Delta Zeta and Kappa Delta Psi, and the fastest boat belonged to Sigma Tau Gamma. 

The post Cardboard Boat Races first appeared on The Lode.

Last week in the Library East Reading Room, the Provost’s office hosted “Academic Freedom Decoded.” Faculty reviewed MTU’s policies on academic freedom and discussed the application of policies through the use of hypothetical situations. In small groups, they discussed situations that brought up issues such as determining which actions are protected under the university’s academic freedom policies, how teaching materials and methods are protected, and the relationship between research and academic freedom. 

At the event, they discussed how academic freedom policies impact and protect students. Michigan Tech Professor Todd Arney commented: 

“Academic freedom is closely related to freedom of speech, and Michigan Tech adheres to the ‘Chicago Principles’ which basically states that while we enjoy the freedom in the classroom to teach and learn, faculty (who are considered subject matter experts and representatives of the university), need to keep classroom discussions unbiased and related to the course material. It is important to me that I keep my personal opinions on unrelated or uncomfortable subjects (like politics) out of the classroom. This protects students by attempting to distinguish a classroom content expert and an authority figure who pushes their own personal ideologies and agendas.” 

He explained how Michigan Tech’s academic freedom policies protect students by keeping classroom discussions related to course content, while giving professors the freedom to explore topics within those bounds, even if they may be uncomfortable. This way, students are exposed to new ideas that relate to their education. Professor Arney stated, “As long as the topics are related to the course, discussing difficult topics in the classroom is how we learn.”

The post MTU Faculty engage in dialogue on Academic Freedom first appeared on The Lode.

The Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP) is leading the way into fall with two upcoming fall-themed events. The Keweenaw Color Tour Hike, a six-mile hike of Mt. Baldy, will take place on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Additionally, the Fall Break Canoe Trip in Copper Harbor will occur the following week, on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Participants for the Keweenaw Color Tour Hike will meet at the OAP Rental Center on Sharon Avenue. Any students registered for the event are expected to be there by 10 a.m. They will hike to the top of Mt. Baldy and stop at Eagle River Falls, Jacobs Falls, and the Jampot on the way back to town. Students are required to bring closed-toed shoes, a water bottle, and their own lunch. Registration for this event is closed.

Registration for the Fall Break Canoe Trip closes Oct. 11 at 11:59 p.m. and is open to MTU students and the public, with a cost of $25. Participants are asked to meet at the OAP Rental Center at 2 p.m. and will canoe in the harbor for about 90 minutes before heading back into town. 

An OAP representative spoke with us about the possible experiences students can have on these outdoor adventures: “You’ll have the chance to soak in the sights at your own pace, guided by experienced leaders. With groups of up to 12-20 participants, you’ll have the opportunity to meet new friends in the area!” They stressed that transportation, as well as canoeing and hiking gear, will be provided for all participants. “Rest assured, we will provide transportation to and from both locations, along with all the necessary gear for your adventure.”

The post Diving into Fall: Upcoming OAP events first appeared on The Lode.