The
Technician bulldogs.kettering.edu/technician
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January 27, 2019
Issue 1
GoPrint: A Follow Up
Katie Gillies Staff Writer THIS JUST IN: Kettering students are welcomed back to campus for the winter 2019 term with an unexpected surprise. GoPrint is here to stay, but now at an extra cost. Due to an excess of unnecessary printing, the university has implemented a new printing policy: Students have a total of 250 free prints credited to their account and the ability to buy more if they run out. The new cost for black and white printing is 10 cents per page while color printing stayed the same at 20 cents per page. So, what is GoPrint and how is it used? GoPrint is a printing system produced by the company ITC Systems that allows the university to monitor what and how much the students print. Since this printing system has been implemented on a campus-wide
What’s Inside
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Volume 133
level, the IT department can do audits of the system to gather information about how the university prints and the printing needs of the students. Some of the information that IT gathers during these audits are reports by a specific user and the number of pages printed by students as a whole, as individuals, and on a job by job basis. These reports are then consolidated into data sheets by user and the student body as a whole. After reviewing the audits, IT was able to conclude that the students of the university printed more than they needed to during the past two consecutive school terms (Summer 2018 and Fall 2018). The average number of pages printed per student was roughly 500 pages, although it was found that 92% of students printed within or under 300 pages which lead Continued on Page 3
Photo Courtesy of Katie Gillies
Meet the Staff Thompson Hall Events
The Faces of The
Technician
The New Chief on the Block
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Art, Pajamas, Houses, and more!
Puzzles and Comics
Welcome Back! What's Changed?
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6
Frosting Over the Student Body
Fun Stuff!
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Open Letter to The Student Body
Preston Buszka Editor-in-Chief
Adam Lecznar Copy Editor
Anonymous
As time progresses: people change, policies are modified, and leadership teams reorganize, to name a few. I was elected to be the Editor-in-Chief of our school newspaper, The Technician, late Summer term 2018. I was elated (and I still am); however, I didn't truly appreciate the commitment I was making until now. As the Editor-in-Chief (also known as the General Editor) of The Technician, I am actually many things. Using a regular club model, I am the President, Secretary, and Treasurer of The Technician. With these, I run the meetings, take notes, mark attendance, manage the budget, buy the food, get the materials, to name a few of my responsibilities. However, it is all worth it. I work with a great group of committed individuals who genuinely enjoy what they do in creating excellent content for our newspaper, and to me, no matter what struggles which may come in the future, it is worth it. I want to thank the staff for electing me in the last term, and the team now for going above and beyond this term..
The month of January brought frigid temperatures to the state of Michigan, which to that point had been experiencing what many considered a mild winter season. As frost crept across trees and vehicles and snow floated through icy winds, the entire state fell into the rhythm of winter. All except students living in Kettering University housing. Starting on the eve of Friday, January 18 and lasting through Monday, January 21 Kettering University experienced a severe lack of heat. Due to a boiler malfunction, portions of the university were left without warm temperatures, including Thompson Residence Hall. Throughout the building, students reported temperatures colder than usual. A deep chill was setting into Thompson’s sturdy foundation, and all present felt it. The incident which kept the residence hall and other parts of the university uncomfortably cold coincided with an abrupt drop in the already low temperatures. The low temperature on Friday, January 18, the evening of which parts of the university began to be affected by low temperatures, it was recorded at a low of 24 degrees Fahrenheit; on the evening of Saturday, January 19, the temperature was recorded at a low of 10 degrees Fahrenheit, as seen on https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/ USMI0295:1:US. The daily low temperature again dropped on Sunday to -3 degrees Fahrenheit and then back on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the temperature dropped to -11 degrees Fahrenheit, by which time heat reportedly began to flow
Respect, Tact, a keen sense to avoid offense. As professionals, we are the examples and guides of the future young minds that will travel in our footsteps through the Kettering corridors. Are we ready for the challenge? Can we lead our school as we are meant to lead future companies? Some of us are off to a rough start; so let’s take a few minutes to think about how our actions affect others. Practical jokes. We all love to laugh but is everyone laughing or are we laughing at someone. It amazes me how much we hear about injuries in the workplace that are caused by practical jokes. Allowing someone to slip or fall can cause injuries with unintentional debilitating effects. If we respect one another physically and act professionally, we can create a safer environment that will enhance learning. We have all worked hard to be where we are today; let's put the same effort into keeping Kettering standards the best. In my opinion, roller coasters are engineering at its best. The mechanics and electronics are working together in harmony just like the art of the ebony and ivory keys of a piano. Theme parks enhance the lives of millions of people each year. However, just like roller coasters have their ups and downs, we as students will have them as well. The stress of grades, homework, co-ops, and finances tear at us every day while we try to be at many places at the same time. In order to function at such a high level, we must all work to treat each other with respect. That means abiding by the rules of quiet hours in the dorms that
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See Inside! An Article On: Kettering University and Sexual Misconduct
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The Technician
Campus news Open Letter Continued from front page
start at 10 PM weekdays and midnight on the weekends. Let’s not judge one another by stereotypes, but by who we are and what we have accomplished. There is no need for this raging jealousy and tense competition between classmates when we can all work and learn together to gain a greater knowledge then one can perhaps gain alone. Think about how your actions will be perceived by others such as your fellow students, faculty, staff and prospective student families. Working together we can create a habitat for our school that is engineered for success. There are some places that it is more important to work together than others. I’m talking about the bathrooms, classrooms and study spaces now. We need to work together to keep our school healthy. That means picking up after ourselves and saving someone else valuable time that they need to study. Small things can be done such as removing your hair from a shower drain after a shower, rinsing out the sink after brushing your teeth, throwing away your trash and wiping up the spills that make the study tables sticky. These things can really boost the morale of the person coming behind you to shower or to study just knowing that they have one less thing that they have to worry about. I’m asking all of us to be leaders. It’s said that not everyone in life is born a leader. However, I believe that everyone can learn to lead. It’s a way of life for us at Kettering; leadership comes from the heart, and a leader always looks out for others. Leaders help the weak and don’t leave others behind. If you're reading this and this is not the way you're living, then perhaps you’re a little off track. Don’t worry; it’s not too late. Like I said, “everyone can learn to lead. You just need to be willing to set the example, seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.” Leaders know the proper way to act. Being part of Kettering gives us all a massive advantage at leading the world. Let us all take time to live like the future leaders we are destined to be. Find us on Facebook!
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The
Technician Preston Buszka
Editor-in-chief
Jerico M arkel
Assistant Editor
Nathan Schleh
L ayout Editor
Adam Lecznar
Kettering University and Sexual Misconduct Sydney Shirah Campus Life Section Editor For most at Kettering University their experience starts with orientation. It’s fun, energetic, and you meet lots of great friends. Most importantly as a new incoming student you sit in the McKinnon Theater and you listen to the speakers KSG has set up for the occasion. The most important speaker that comes through is the “Dating Doctor.” What makes him so great is the “tea” video he shares with everyone. It's a video that compares giving another individual tea to confirming consent in sexual relations. For example, it says that if an individual was awake when they said they wanted tea but they are now asleep it is not acceptable to pour it down their throat; they are asleep and they no longer want the tea. What this is saying is that if someone consents to having sex while they are awake, it does not mean that they consent to sex while they are sleeping. Unconscious people can not consent whether it be to drinking tea or sexual contact. Kettering University also gives a mandatory online course to both students and staff. This course teaches both young women and young men how to drink responsibly and tell if your drink has been tampered with. You must pass the tests and at least let the videos run their full duration to get the credit. Telling the students what a standard drink is and that a standard drink should be drank during the period of one hour is an amazing thing. It shows an initiative from the school to at least offer some support to students who otherwise wouldn’t know any better. However, there is trouble in paradise. Despite all of the college’s efforts, sexual misconduct is still a serious problem on campus for both men and women. Whether it be in the residence hall or in more other areas. The school has managed to protect the students from themselves to an extent with the drinking education course and maybe even have deterred possible assailants through their efforts to explain the meaning of consent and the repercussions of violating consent. However, they can’t stop the occasional “bad apple” that will do it anyway. Sexual misconduct isn’t just assaulting someone. It is an attempt at pressuring them into sexual contact after they have already said “no.” It is invading their personal spaces to proposition them when they have never shown any interest in you outside of said spaces, it is harassing them orally or in written form, and most importantly it is when you force yourself Faculty Advisor Rebecah Pulsifer
Copy Editor
Robert Lyman
Distribution Editor
Sydney Shirah
Campus Life Section Editor
Staff writers Katie Gillies Elise Atkinson Jered Baker
Special Thanks To Betsy Homsher & Myra Lumpkin & Cheyenne Chapman
January 27, 2019
on them when they have not given proper consent. While victim blaming does not constitute as sexual misconduct, it contributes to it. When victim blaming occurs it leads the assailants, victims, and the community to believe that it’s wrong but isn’t as big of a deal because they didn’t take every precaution to ensure that they were not preyed upon. It is never the fault of the victim, no matter the crime. You don’t scoff at someone who was hit by a drunk driver because they really shouldn’t have been driving there at that time or maybe they should always pull over and let every single car pass by them because anybody could be a drunk driver. The blame always lies on the individual who decided - completely on their own - to harm another person. If you blame the victim you are part of the problem. It is necessary to reiterate that men and women can both be victims. This is a problem facing the entire campus and it must be dealt with as a group effort. Because sadly there is only so much the school can and are willing to do. Sometimes, it is a case of “he said, she said,” “she said, she said,” or “he said, he said.” It is so hard to prove and so easy to explain away. The more that people realize that this is wrong and stand up to protect each other, the safer campus will be for everyone. There are always going to be those people who leave their door unlocked when they are sleeping or away. They do this because they feel safe. Maybe someday the campus can evolve to a point where when accidently leave your door unlocked doesn’t send you into a mini panic attack. Or when it’s late and you’ve laid down in bed and remember that the door isn’t locked, you don’t have to jump up and lock it - you can just leave it that one time - it’s no big deal, nothing is going to happen. For more information on Title IX, your rights, and what you should know, please visit https://my.kettering.edu/ page/what-title-ix. To report an incident of Sexual and Gender-Based Discrimination, Harassment, and Assault, please use the following confidential form: https://kuapps. kettering.edu/kuapps/f ?p=158:1.
Submissions Policy The Technician encourages any interested students to attend staff meetings. Meetings for Winter 2019 will be each Monday and Thursday over the lunch hour in The Technician office, located on the 3rd floor of the Campus Center above the Sunrise Café. Student submissions are encouraged and will be published if their material is in the public interest. Submissions or letters to the editor from faculty and administrative entities will be published if space is available. The Technician reserves the right to edit any and all submissions for brevity and clarity. Anonymous submissions are rarely published and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Individuals wishing to publish anonymously should consult the Editor-in-chief. The deadline for the upcoming issue of The Technician is 6th Wednesday at 12:20 pm, during the Winter 2019 term. Expected distribution is 7th Tuesday. Send submissions to aTechnician@ kettering.edu
January 27, 2019
The Technician Mondays & Thursdays @ 12:20 P.M. Campus Center 3rd Floor, next to Student Life
Zumba Classes Wednesday Nights @ 7:30 P.M. Recreation Center 3rd Floor
Yoga Classes Tuesday Nights* @ 5:30 P.M. Thursday Nights @ 5:30 P.M. Friday Afternoon @ 12:00 P.M. Recreation Center 3rd Floor *Power Yoga; Inquire to the Recreation Center for Details
Mobility Strength Training Tuesday & Thursdays @ 7:00 P.M. Recreation Center 3rd Floor
Fit Board Aquatics Monday @ 6:30 P.M. & 7:30 P.M. Recreation Center Pool
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The Technician
Campus News GoPrint Continued from front page IT to assume that 250 prints should be enough for the average student (see the revised printing policy email). It was also found that 8% of students printed more than the 250 pages for the term and typically printed thousands of pages over the average number printed (Campus Life, Revised Printing Policy Email). However, there are some cases where students will have to print off a large number of pages for a particular class. The IT department has made it clear that they can allocate a student more pages of free printing if they get something from the department that the class falls under, stating that they will need extra prints and why. There has also been arequest form recently added to the my.kettering. edu page, or you can use the following link: https:// my.kettering.edu/printingrequest. The IT department wants the best for the students so that they can be successful in their academics and are willing to work with the students to help ensure that restricted printing does not affect them negatively. However, many of the students are very unhappy with the recent changes and feel that there were many other ways to combat the issue besides making the students pay for their prints. I created a survey to poll the student body about how they feel about GoPrint, and the new printing policy and to see if they had any suggestions for improvement. After having the survey open for several days, I received 112 responses that represent approximately 10% of the on-campus undergraduate student body and one faculty member. Of the responses, 36.9% of the responses came from the seniors, 30.1% were from the freshman, 17.5% were sophomores, and 15.5% were juniors including one faculty member (meaning they had 4-6 years of on-campus work). Many students feel that abruptly changing the previous printing policy was unfair to the students and approximately 91.1% of the students believe that black and white printing should still be free. Most of the constructive responses to this question from my survey were along the lines of the students feel that they are broke. Tuition is very expensive, and the majority of students still have to pay out of pocket after scholarships and government assistance. One student from the survey said, “Tuition is so high that we shouldn’t have to pay from printing that is required for our classes unless the printing is for personal use.” Another student said, “I’m paying for a higher quality education in higher quality facilities, and I feel that free printing should be part of that package.” While the students are upset and feel negatively about the new printing policy, they do understand that printing is costly on a universitywide level. Out of the 8.9% of students that said that "students should pay for printing, one student said, Some printing should be free, but not all. We use a LOT of toner, paper, and wear out the printers on a regular basis,” while another student said, “Ink is ink. Paper + ink=$$$.” According to the email that was sent out by Student Life on January 7th, 2019, “To put the cumulative impact of this use in perspective, last year student printing alone consumed almost 150 cartons of paper (1,500 reams or 750,000 sheets)
and hundreds of pounds of toner. In comparison, a stack of 1,500 reams would stand 250 feet tall, or 3.5 times the height of the Bell Tower.” However, many students feel that if they were to have known before arriving on campus that they would have been better prepared to start this academic term. Knowing in advance would’ve allowed students time to look into the printing system and possibly calculate the costs of paying for extra prints using the GoPrint system versus supplying everything themselves. They would have also been able to estimate the time they would spend in the library printing and decide what their time was worth to them. Having a forewarning would have helped the student body make a better transition to the new system and would have resulted in less resistance. One of the biggest complaints about the printing system is its complexity. 80.4% of the student body surveyed feel that the GoPrint system is difficult to use. The multi-step process you are forced to go through to print a single document is not only time consuming, but confusing as well. In order to print you have to login multiple times, agree to print, release the print and then retrieve that print that is often mixed into a jumbled pile of other prints that happened to be released at the same time as your own. Brian Chlzanowski, a Senior 3, said, “Stop, Reset, Think, Watch, Listen, Print” when describing how much effort is required to print, opposed to “GoPrint.” His quote really represents the inconvenience that the students face and does a good job at amplifying the frustration that the students feel every time they have to print off a document. Another student said, “Students are buying their own printers and supplies over using the current printing system.” It’s disappointing that the students feel the need to supply for themselves over using their free 250 prints just because the system is not userfriendly and rather inconvenient. The faculty has also been affected by this recent change as it seems that they have also been allocated a set amount of free printing. However, many of the faculty have not experienced using the system due to their academic departments funding their own printers and supplies that are separate from the IT Department. For many, not having the ability to print from their own devices directly to the printer is a big deal. 96.4% of students feel that being able to print directly from their device would make the GoPrint system much easier to use and more convenient. Some reasons the students felt this way is that the time it takes for the Citrix Receiver and KU Cloud to load is long and draws out the printing process, printing should be able to be done wirelessly and that the printing process would be less stressful without having to switch devices just to print. One can print wirelessly when they take the time to load KU Cloud and connect to the printer that way. However, many students have reported that they are unable to find GoPrint on their personal devices or that it's simply just faster for them to switch. One student from my survey did a great job explaining why students feel this way when she said, “Students are required to have their own laptops when they arrive here at Kettering. To be unable to use them for what was thought to be Continued on Page 8
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The Technician
Meet The Staff
Terms of Service: 3 Bio: My name is Jerico Markel, Assistant Editor for The Technician. I first joined The Technician in Summer 2017 as a Staff Writer and was nominated to become Editor-in-Chief at the end of that Summer term. I ran unopposed and decided that my main focus would be to start revitalizing The Technician. Much of the next year was spent clearing out old equipment, identifying problem areas, creating a new campus wide, and familiarizing myself with the woes of running a tabloid. Come Summer 2019 I met Preston Buszka and, after working with him for several months, nominated him as Editor-inChief. Now I work as the Assistant Editor making sure odd tasks are accomplished, giving advice, and attempting to do damage control when something goes wrong (such as our banner disappearing). Why you should join too: There are several reasons one should join The Technician with the foremost (in my opinion) being that writing an article can give you an excuse to explore Kettering University. In my time with The Technician I have interName: Preston Buszka viewed multiple faculty, investigated programs such Title: Editor-in-Chief as SAE AutoDrive, and formed a working relationTerms of Service: 1 Bio: I am Preston Buszka, Editor-in-Chief of The ship with some of the people that make this school Technician. I in the previous academic term start- the special place we know and (mostly) love. I say ed out as a Staff Writer and slowly but surely rose “mostly” as Kettering does occasionally irritate one. through the ranks to eventually be elected to Edi- But don’t let that sit! If there is something you don’t tor-in-Chief. I love working on The Technician, as like, such as Discover Kettering booking most of the its a place where I can take my talents and interests CC, seek the “why” behind that. Talk to people, inand create articles to share with my fellow students vestigate, understand, and then share that informaand also the faculty of Kettering University, to keep tion. them informed and even at times entertained with the exciting happenings here, at Kettering University. Why you should join too: To have a newspaper, one cannot merely rely on articles to fill the pages. Pictures can be taken, memes need to be submitted, etcetera. Our Picross, Crosswords, Comics, Sudoku, Pictures, and Articles are generally original content that has to be created by someone. Our articles average 500 words each, with some more than 1000, and as small as just a caption for a picture. One does not need any experience or fear that they will not do well, as we have an excellent editorial staff and spell check, so one needs not to fret. If you are interested, feel free to stop by one of our twice-weekly meetings, or shoot me an email of your questions or concerns. We’d love to have you.
The Technician Staff: Who are they?
Name: Jerico Markel Title: Assistant Editor
Name: Nathan Schleh Title: Layout Editor Terms of Service: 5 Bio: Okay so like most things I am doing all of this last-minute so strap yourselves in because this might be rough. Hello! My name is Nathan Schleh, and I mostly do the layout of The Technician (like all the things you see, doesn't it all look nice?), along with general article writing, and my love and the reason that I joined? Video game writing. I have been a part of The Technician since around my sophomore year after I wrote in a submission article on the game Abzu for my writing class, and liked it so much I decided to stay. So if it isn't obvious by now I like video games and other nerd and geek culture things, along
January 27, 2019
with writing about them. Glad to be here while pursuing a computer science degree with a concentration on game design (kinda)! Why you should join too: For those of you who enjoy any type of writing, this is a great place to put it to use. There are so many things worth writing about and sharing, and being able to share that with an entire college community. Also we need more people to make memes!
Name: Adam Lecznar Title: Copy Editor Class Standing: Senior IV My interests: I am a fan of professional and college sports, particularly Basketball and American Rules Football. I also enjoy video games and movies of high quality that make me think about the various aspects of life and humanity. Though I don’t dislike contemporary literature, I prefer English and American classics. About Me: While this is my last term at Kettering, I am not sitting idly waiting to finish my undergraduate degree. My whole time at Kettering I have been highly involved. For four years I have served as a Resident Assistant in Thompson Hall and a member of Beta Theta Pi. In addition, I have been a member of The Technician, where I have served as Copy Editor, Layout Editor, and Editor-In-Chief. Through all of these activities, I have been allowed to engage with so many incredible individuals, who put forth no less effort toward their own endeavors than I have toward my own. I have learned much from all of them. Through The Technician and my other interests, I always knew something about the goings on of the university. Having had the opportunity to impact multiple groups at Kettering has been a high point of my time here. Post graduation: Upon graduating from Kettering, I plan to continue my education into graduate studies. I may allow myself a year of full-time work in order to ensure I have all of the boxes checked, but I plan to go back to school no longer than a year after I complete my degree at Kettering.
January 27, 2019
The Technician
Meet The Staff
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Bio: I’m Sydney Shirah. I’ve been recently promoted to Campus Life Section Editor and this is my first term on The Technician. I am a Freshman II dual Mechanical and Electrical Engineering major. I’m a new member at Alpha Sigma Alpha, I work at the front desk of the residence hall, I’m a student representative at Thompson Hall, and I’m also co-leader of the Durant Tuuri Mott Mentorship program. The thing I enjoy the most about The Technician is the free atmosphere: you can say what’s on your mind and it doesn’t matter if everyone agrees with you. Name: Katie Gillies Title: Staff Writer Terms of Service: 0 Name: Robert J. Lyman Title: Distribution Editor Terms of Service: I have read and agree to them. How Long I’ve Been Here: A while, in both A and B-Section. Bio: I’m sure that most people on campus have at least heard of me by now, given that I’m a sarcastic, outspoken, card-carrying Catholic (no, really: Number 4866368) who rarely hesitates to speak his mind. I joined The Technician because it allows me to continue to write until I graduate, at which point I’ll resume my work to become a novelist - from the position of financial security afforded me by my well-paying engineering job, of course. Why should you join The Student Voice of Kettering University? If that question doesn’t answer itself, remember that as members of the Press (we have official membership to Associated Collegiate Press, after all) we can do some pretty cool things - and we’re also the first ones to hear about literally everything that happens on campus. If you like staying up-to-date on all the gossip, this is the place for you. Failing that, at least come for the free food twice a week. Take it from someone who hasn’t paid for a meal on campus with actual cash in nearly four years: snagging all the free food around here really opens up your options for spending money on weekends (or at 1am on a weekday). Name: Sydney Shirah Title: Campus Life Section Editor Terms of Service: 0
help wanted Bio: Hello, I am Staff Writer Katie Gillies. Outside of school, I like to make chocolate chip muffins, paint, and occasionally play guitar. On campus, I am involved in a variety of things such as: being a Desk Assistant in Thompson Hall; training to be an RA; SWE; and, of course, The Technician. The best thing about being on the staff of The Technician is the creative freedom you are given when choosing what you want to write about and how you write about that topic. This is one of the reasons why I feel like anyone can find their place on the staff. Being on the staff allows us to be heard, and who wouldn’t want that?
Online Editor, Section Editors, Staff Writers, Staff Photographers, and more Positions Open! No experience necessary! Hands-on training available! Do you like writing, taking pictures, making comics, or creating puzzles? Do you have a knack for asking questions and have a healthy interest in the things that go on at Kettering? Do you want to make a difference in today's media atmosphere? Do you want to practice your journalistic ability? Do you want to hold people and organizations accountable for their statements and actions? If you answered yes to any of the previous questions, then The Technician Name: Elise Atkinson is right for you! (Even if you didn’t, you should still Bio: Hi! I’m Elise Atkinson, a new addition to The consider it, read on for more) Technician’s staff ! Here are a few things you may not At The Technician, it is our responsibility to the stuknow about me! dents, faculty, staff, and campus at large to report on Age: 1004 Years the news, events, clubs, changes, and more, affectBlood Type: Coffee ing the students, faculty, staff, and campus at large Social Security Number: no of Kettering University. This may not be for everyIdeal Day: March 21st one, but all are encouraged to join us at our twice Favorite Cat: Garfield (The Cat) weekly meetings or submit content to us, no matter Height: Approximately one (1) tree the experience. Having your works be published in I hope you’ve learned more about me, Elise Atkin- the newspaper is a great achievement and working son! Join us in The Technician and let your voice be on the newspaper is just part of the wonderful expeheard! rience one earns at Kettering. Our top-notch editorial staff can show you the ropes and assist you in expanding your skills as an interviewer and writer.
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The Technician
Through the Lens
January 27, 2019
Top Left/Bottom Right: Chandler Cogan, a Resident Assistant at Thompson Hall, participated as one of the curators and caretakers of the exhibits at the First Annual Thompson Hall Art Gallery, pictured here. Middle Left: Highlights from Thompson Hall’s 1st Annual Art Gallery. Some very nice pieces created by Kettering University’s own Thompson Hall’s residents. Middle Right/Bottom Left: Two artists pose with their works in the Thompson Hall 1st Annual Art Gallery All Photos Courtesy of Preston Buszka
January 27, 2019
The Technician
Through the Lens
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Top Three: Students pose with their Gingerbread houses at the Thompson Hall Gingerbread House Construction Competition. Prizes for the best houses judged by a panel of the Thompson Hall Assembly Executive Board were a bag of Chocolates, a Peanut Butter Candy Bar, and a Voucher for a Firm Handshake. Middle Right: Students play Chess at the “Onesie Funsie” Event in Thompson Hall Middle Left: Preston Buszka, Editor-in-Chief of The Technician, poses for a picture during the “Onesie Funsie” Event at Thompson Hall Bottom Left: The excellent Resident Assistants at Thompson Hall pose for a group photo at the end of the “Onesie Funsie” Event at Thompson Hall All Photos Courtesy of Preston Buszka
Bottom Right: Noah Baldwin and Jules Daniels pose for a late-night picture in Thompson Hall. Photo Courtesy of Preston Buszka
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The Technician
Campus News Frosting Over Continued from front page
through parts of the campus. During the extent of this incident, students residing on campus received very little information, often just notifications from their Resident Assistant, and simply had to sleep in the residence hall despite the cold temperatures. Few complaints were heard, in spite of the legendary tendency of Kettering students to make their opinions known regarding any inconvenience, until Monday, January 21, after having endured two nights of cold. The fact that students were subjected to these severe temperatures is atrocious, and they have a right to be upset. With a lack of heat for roughly three days and two nights alongside subzero temperatures, the physical health and well-being of students were on the line. All the students could do was bundle up and huddle together. This incident only marks the most recent in a chain of events regarding on-campus facilities not performing up to par. Past instances specific to the residence hall include issues with air conditioning. Since Summer 16 there have been at least two summer terms in which the air conditioning in Thompson Hall did not function fully or at all. Often this lack of cool air lasted multiple weeks. Add to this list an incident in Summer 2017 that deprived the campus of water pressure due to a water main break, plus a pervading smell like rotten eggs in Thompson Hall in Winter 2018, and you may begin to understand students’ feelings. Live through these events, and you may be forgiven for lamenting the absurdity of the situation. This is before students learn they must now pay in order to print at any on-campus printer. Through all of these things, one stance has held firm from students: that Kettering University prioritizes admissions as opposed to current students. Students at Kettering see the university promote itself through programs such as FIRST Robotics. The facilities it offers, such as the GM Mobility Research Center and FIRST Robotics Community Center, are touted as evidence that Kettering is at the forefront of innovation and yet few if any students have ever made use of them. Students feel as though they are put in the back row, especially when incidents such as the boiler failure occur semi-regularly. What makes this incident with the boiler different was that, similar to Winter 2018 when racist graffiti was found in a Thompson Hall bathroom, it impacted not just Kettering students. In both cases, non-Kettering students were on campus at the time. Starting Saturday, January 19, the first of several short-term exchange students from Korea arrived on campus. Spending roughly two weeks in Michigan, the students already feel shock due to Michigan’s cold and dry winters. Arriving at a cold residence hall does not leave them a good first impression of the university. In addition to the exchange students, many high school students stayed overnight in Thompson Hall on Sunday, January 20. They were enjoying the opportunity to experience a college campus before taking part in Kettering’s Prep for Success event the next day. They, too, found that the shelter provided
by Thompson Hall consisted of four icy cold brick walls. The Winter 2018 term also began with little heat. Resident Assistants returned to Thompson Hall that term to find no heat in the building. They actually spent at least one night in BJ's Lounge because the hall was too cold. The heat did return shortly in that case, but not without the residence life staff having to warn returning residents for a possible lack of heat. This recent boiler failure negatively impacted prospective students and representatives from another country, as well as current students. Kettering should take note of this. If what students claim is true, and prospective students take priority, then now they’ve seen another side of Kettering. Their view of Kettering has been changed because they lived through this incident, which actual students have contended with multiple times. Because problems with the facilities occur regularly, perhaps it was only a matter of time before more than just students and faculty were around to see it. Kettering University for its part did not merely ignore the boiler malfunction. Once it was determined what the issue was and that it could be fixed, university personnel got to work fixing it. Officers from Campus Safety and faculty from Residence Life coordinated with staff from the Facilities and Physical Plant. Eventually, the heat did return to the campus, and even then work was not finished. Facilities management personnel continued walking Thompson Hall searching out rooms that remained cold early into the morning of Tuesday, January 22. The individuals who put forth the effort to help students deserve recognition for their part. Even so, the events that took place the weekend leading into Martin Luther King Jr. Day placed students and guests in a situation where their health could be jeopardized. The cold may lead to sickness or hypothermia. Where are students from Korea, not fluent in English, supposed to seek warmth on a campus settling under a chill? High School students and out-of-state Kettering students alike may have been stuck on campus, unable to find lodging elsewhere. Only a multitude of blankets and clothing layers or shared warmth from groups huddled together offered relief. Kettering University has maintained its facilities relatively well for their age. Thompson Hall and the Academic Building both continue to provide value to the Kettering community. Kettering doesn’t have complete control over when mechanical issues occur and affect members of its community. They are difficult to predict, and yet they have happened frequently in the past five years. There may be no preventing them, and the days of some facilities such as Thompson Hall are numbered low. That is no excuse to not provide members of the Kettering community with basic necessities such as heat in Winter. The age of Kettering facilities and machinery makes it difficult to be able to fix such problem immediately. Perhaps similar incidents will happen again in the future, and perhaps there will be more outcry from students. It is up to Kettering University, including those students themselves, to ensure it doesn’t.
January 27, 2019
GoPrint Continued from page 3
the basic right such as printing is frustrating and makes life for most more difficult. I personally carry my laptop around everywhere; it’s already logged in, and I have all of my scholastic documents saved, opened and ready for printing.” As a result of the changing of the printing policy, there have been a few protests on campus. The most official protest was made by Jake Harris and Brian Chrzanowski, two Senior 3’s. They had purchased their own private printer and attempted to place in in the library for everyone to use. However, they were stopped before they were able to hook it up and were told that they needed to gain permission in order to keep their private printer in the library. When hearing this news, I contacted them and requested an interview. It turns out that all of the librarians were okay with the printer being placed in the library. They were just concerned about getting in trouble with their superiors. Jake and Brian wanted the printer in there because they felt it would be the prime location since the library is where they and most other students do their studying. Since then, the printer was initially placed in the CS lounge but has since been relocated to D-Space-0. This new location for their printer is a better fit for the students at Kettering because everyone has access to it. At this current time, all supplies are funded by themselves. There has been thought of possibly collecting dona-
Link to resist.chrzanowski.me tions to help them supply the supplies, but there is nothing official as of yet. Both Jake and Brian feel that Kettering has not done enough to fix the bugs within the GoPrint system and feel that more notice and student consideration could’ve made the transition much smoother overall. During an interview, Brian referenced the book “The Cathedral and the Bazaar.” In this book, it talks about different groups and how they work together. The Cathedral group is a small group that works in private where everything is kept secret until the release. Whereas the Bazaar group tend to battle it out in the marketplace to create the best solution to whatever the problem may be. The point Brian had when making this comparison is that right now the University tends to act as a Cathedral. However, the students would prefer if it acted more like a Ba-
January 27, 2019
zaar or a combination of the two. This means sending out surveys and taking in student viewpoints before ultimately coming to an official solution or conclusion. This can also be considered a warning to the inevitable change, but perhaps the students would be more understanding as a whole if they felt as if the university and its staff cared about their opinions. Throughout the interview, they made many suggestions, most of which have been mentioned previously in this article, but they did have a few new ones such as: free printing for all and then just dealing with the 8% of bad actors on a case by case basis, or perhaps trying to go through a different printing company that offers a different set up. They did mention how they do understand why Kettering has switched to this policy as the Library leases their printers and have to pay per page printed on the said printer. Despite this understanding, they believe that their tuition should be enough to cover their printing costs for the fiscal year. For more information on their protest, you can search the following link: resist.chrzanowski.me or reference the QR code that has been printed with this article. There was also a small protest that has taken place within Thompson Hall. Many students from Unit 42 have posted “signs” that they printed using their free-prints that they have been allotted. These signs are a full page that is printed in black ink with words in white that say, “BRING BACK FREE PRINTING.” These students have said that they feel as if they are being punished for what someone else has done. While this was a minor protest, it was the first protest of this term against having to pay for printing, and it definitely helped shine the light on the subject at least in the dorms. This is important to many of the students that are living in the dorms since the printers in Thompson Hall have also been converted to GoPrint taking away the ease that the students once had of printing from their rooms. The whole goal of IT when deciding to switch to this new printing system was to kick off what they like to call a “Digital Transformation.” So, what exactly is a digital transformation? According to the Viola Sprague, the VP of IT, a Digital Transformation is essentially transforming manual processes into digital ones. For example, IT has currently been working on a document management system where they will create a “digital twin” of all manual processes so that it can be done electronically and stored electronically. This will not only eliminate the space that the physical documents take up but also allow all work to be traceable. One of the first places that are transforming to be digital is the Academic Success Center. For this center, you schedule all appointments online, and there is a digital sign in method when you arrive. Another part of this digital transformation is that the Provost will hopefully start teaching the professors how to teach paperless classes through training seminars. However, this process will most likely take a long time because it is considered to be a culture shift as the culture is changing, but not all professors are changing with it. The good news is that most of the faculty seems to be willing to make the changes that are necessary. In my survey, a faculty member suggested that there are incentives for them to restructure their classes as
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Campus News it would motivate more professors to take the first step towards change. Some “News To Know”: The new Kettering U app has been released and is available on both the Google Play store and the App Store. This app allows students to access all of the apps that are available on the my.kettering.edu page. Here are a few “technology updates” coming in the near future that everyone should be aware of: eTranscripts are coming soon, and updates will be made to BJ’s collaboration spaces June 2019. Kettering has a new partnership with the National Student Clearinghouse that will allow Kettering students to request their transcripts online. Transcripts ordered through this service cost $3.25 each. IT did not release a date for when the eTranscript will be in effect to The Technician but know that it is coming your way very soon.
Preston’s Perspective Preston Buskza Editor-in-Chief
Here we go again…
As the term kicks into overdrive, the homework and responsibilities have begun to exceed the capacity of some students, while stressing out most (me included). Just remember to relax and take it easy. You are not the only person with a metric ton of homework. Do your best and strive for excellence. Now, do not forget to take time for yourself. Schedules can fill up quite quickly and then look like a rainbow of unavailability; nevertheless, remember to put in some time for yourself to relax. Feel free to join a club or take part in a sport that interests you. The Technician is a great example of an awesome club to join. Don’t forget to sleep and eat food, too, as that helps. Overall, don’t overextend yourself, or The Technician is happy to announce the start of if you do, try and manage the best you can. There are our second Scavenger Hunt! From now until Febru- people here to help you. ary 8th, 2019, students are encouraged to seek out The Technician stands around campus and take a Thank you, and goodnight. selfie with the stand in the background. The student who finds the most stands will win a $50 Amazon gift card and have their picture published in the 2nd Edition! In the event of a tie, The Technician Staff will decide a winner based on style. So make some Artwork by poses! Aisha Changezi Please send all selfies to, Reception: thuRsday, JanuaRy 31, 2019 atechnician@kettering.edu 12:00 - 2:00 pm aB - 4th FlooR Disclaimer: The winner will be based on the total number of pictures taken with The Technician’s newspaper stands, located around the entire campus of Kettering University; thereafter judged by quality and style by The Technician staff in the event of a tie. The scavenger hunt is open to Students of Kettering University only. Members of The Technician staff and their immediate family are ineligible to participate. Submissions will not be accepted past 2/8/2019 at 11:59 PM. Artwork by Aisha Changezi Artist Aisha Changezi takes us on a journey through the beauty and wonders of the universe in all of its power, by illustrating large celestial bodies as miniature-scale paintings that symbolize our myopic point of view and our limited understanding of our role in this universe. Dr. Robert K. McMahan The Technician will be hosting an Open Forum on will give a brief lecture, as his academic background 7th Thursday (2/21/2019) from 7:00 PM-8:00 PM matches the themes of this exhibition perfectly. He in the Cribathon (AB 2225). Students and Faculty has Bachelor’s Degrees in both Physics and Art Hisare encouraged to participate. Hong Da and Drinks tory from Duke University, and a Ph.D. in Physics will be provided. RSVP on our Facebook Event and from Dartmouth; he also completed postdoctoral be entered into a raffle for a $75 Amazon Gift Card! studies at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Center for Astrophysics at Harvard University. Disclaimer: The winner will be chosen at the end of the event. Lunch will be served to our guests. Any member of the Kettering Community (Student, Faculty, or Staff ) is eligible to win. The winner must RSVP before the Reception: Thursday, January 31, 2019 listed time below, and be present at the time of the drawing in 12:00 - 2:00 pm AB - 4th Floor order to win. Members of The Technician staff, advisors, Attend the reception and receive $1.00 off your next show at and their immediate family are ineligible to participate. Longway Planetarium! RSVPs will be accepted no later than 2/21/2019 at 6:30 PM.
Scavenger Hunt
Attend the reception and receive $1.00 off your next show at Longway Planetarium
The Universe Series
Technician Open Forum
Gallery hours for students, faculty and staff are Wednesday – Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The public is welcome to visit the exhibit. Viewing can be coordinated by contacting Regina Schreck, rschreck@kettering.edu
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The Technician
Welcome Back
Welcome Back, Kettering Here Welcome Back all for another academic term. A lot has changed since Summer 2018. We plan on touching on some of the more prominent changes that we here at The Technician have noticed. For any questions or comments, please email us at aTechnician@kettering.edu. Photos Courtesy of Preston Buszka Games in the Sunset Cafe Preston Buskza Editor-in-Chief
book (which are also available to borrow from The Abbey, too) or last-minute assignment to finish in comfort and style. Recreation Center Phone Chargers Preston Buskza Editor-in-Chief
Do you like exercising? Do you like having your phone not be dead after you are done exercising? Do you like keeping your phone safe while you exercise? If yes, the Rec has the solution for you! New this semester is the phone charging stations located both next to the courts and also next to the fitness room, one can charge their phone with the following compatible chargers: Apple Lightning, USB Type-C, and Micro USB. These chargers are entirely free and one can create a unique personal passcode for their use each time.
Now featured in the Sunset Cafe: Various Board Games, including, but not limited to: Sorry, Mo-
January 27, 2019
below the panels, such as rays reflected from off of snow. The power generated is fed directly into Consumers Energy grid though students can plug devices into the tree located on The Beach. These trees, though inadequate to power Kettering, are intended to introduce more alternative energy options to the campus. Dr. McMahan isn’t stopping at just three trees either. There are currently considerations for adding a row of solar panels along the Flint river opposite of the Thompson Hall and a solar awning to the mobility center to charge electric cars, President McMahan said in an interview. For the moment though other projects will be taking priority, such as the Learning Commons. New Music Room Opens Robert Lyman Distribution Editor
Anyone who went to the fifth floor to talk to Campus Security about a parking pass last term should probably have noticed that there was a large hole in the wall on the way there. That’s because the old Reflection Room has been converted into a Music Room and a suite of small practice rooms. This change was made due to an increasing number of students lamenting that there was not a space dediMenu Boards Fixed cated to music on campus already - the only "good" Preston Buskza piano resided in the International Room. Editor-in-Chief The new Music Room features slightly soundIn the Sunrise Cafe along with BJ’s Lounge, the proofed walls, a few sound-dampening panels to nopoly, Chutes and Ladders, Jenga, and much much menu boards are now operational and reflect the make it sound like a high-school band room, two more! Just stop on in and borrow one and put it daily offerings. back when you are done! It’s that easy! The Abbey Preston Buskza Editor-in-Chief Looking for a quiet place to study? If so, The Abbey is the place for you! With its lush furniture, power outlets, and fireplace, cozy up with a good
Kettering Plants Some Trees Jerico Markel Assistant Editor
grand pianos, a synthesizer, an electric drum kit, an acoustic guitar, and a sound board mixer. For those who just want a quiet place to practice by themselves, the practice rooms all have music stands, chairs, and As all of you have likely noticed Kettering Universoundproof walls. sity “planted” some new trees on campus over the Students have already begun to use the room in Fall 2018 term. These trees differ from most others their off-hours for practice, jam sessions, and even in that they are blue, have fixed leaves made of large some piano lessons. It’s rare to find it empty during rectangles, and pack a lot of power. In fact, each leaf the day, so stop by and check it out if you’d like to can generate up to 2.5 kilowatts/hrs of electricity meet some of your fellow musicians! and utilize backside lighting to capture solar energy
January 27, 2019
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The Technician
Culture & Comics
Durant Tuuri Mott Mentorship Program Sydney Shirah Campus Life Section Editor
Coming new this term is a brand new mentorship program at a community elementary school, Durant Tuuri Mott. Students from Kettering University are giving back to the community by helping other students get exposed to computer science. This group of Kettering University students are being led by Asmita Sawhney, the Chair of the Association for Computing Machinery-Woman (ACM-W) and a Senior II at Kettering. This program is through the ACM-W. The mentors are focusing on third to fifth grade students in order to expose them to computer programming and allow them to gauge whether or not it’s something they would be interested in pursuing further. Asmita hopes “this will allow kids to write and host their own websites, which would be an amazing way to spark interest in computing because they would have something to show for their work.” The program will widen their understanding as to what is considered a computer and they are also experiencing some coding. They are of course a bit young to be coding on their own. But the point of the program isn’t to be building robots. It’s more of an exposure experience. If they never see it, they can never choose it as a possible career or hobby. Also the programming is relatively simple, it comes with an objective and all they have to do is fill in the blanks. Sawhney and the other Kettering Students are holding this Program at the elementary school - Durant Tuuri Mott - once a week for a hour. It will run
The ‘Ellie’ Debacle Robert Lyman Distribution Editor Those of you who follow Overwatch already know this, but the community that surrounds the game can be… vitriolic at times (and that’s putting it nicely). Let’s talk about Ellie. This whole mess started back in December when an Overwatch player known as ‘Ellie’ popped up on the #4 spot on the North American rankings ladder. She then signed with an OWL (Overwatch League)
team called Second Wind, ostensibly becoming the first-ever female player to compete in NA Contenders. This drew immediate attention from the community, as Ellie was a total unknown element - a level 147 account (for reference, a player named Treeboydave hit level 4000 last year). The account and team came under fire as many did not believe that Ellie was who she said she was. Given that all the professional Overwatch players play against each other all the time as they jockey for rankings, a newcomer showing up out of nowhere and shooting up the ranks makes everyone take notice. People immediately began to suspect that Ellie was actually an alt account of a player named Punisher who had tried and failed to break into the pro scene many times before. Ellie then did a few streams where people noticed some strange behavior, some going so far as to claim that the voice of Ellie was not the person playing the game. Articles were immediately released about how the community was being vitriolic and harassing this poor female gamer. Amid community outrage and arguments on all sides, Ellie resigned from Second Wind, citing ‘personal reasons’ as well as the community response. If the story had ended there, this would have been just another instance of a gamer getting harassed just because of her gender. However, the story does not end here. After Ellie’s resignation, it was revealed by another female streamer named Aspen that Ellie was, in fact, Punisher. She went on to say that he claimed the entire thing was a social experiment, which draws even more fire from the community. The situation, naturally, caused a large amount of kerfuffle on the internet, leading to a cancerous mess of toxicity and flame on the Overwatch subreddit, 4chan, and other places. While none of this is exactly out of the ordinary for places like this, the situation itself was further inflamed by the Kotaku article defending Ellie, which stated “Esports is not a meritocracy; it’s a male-dominated scene in which gender essentialism runs rampant, and in which women are often made to feel unwelcome.” When it was revealed that Ellie was, in fact, just another guy trolling for attention the internet, many people ridiculed the article’s author for not only running a story that was patently false but also for using the story to try to demonize an entire community.
Of course, it should never occur that anyone gets harassed on the internet for their perceived offline persona, whatever that may be. This story only has losers - Punisher, for all the bad publicity this is bringing for the entire debacle, which will likely completely destroy his chances of ever going pro; Second Wind, for failing to vet someone before signing them to their team, which doesn’t bode well for them as they were being held up as the example for all other Tier Two teams to follow; female Overwatch players in general, as they will more than likely be undergoing extra scrutiny now to ‘prove that they are legit’ or other such nonsense; the credibility of the entire Overwatch League, given that someone was signed within days after pretending to be someone they were not when they were unable to get signed previously as themselves; and gamers in general, as the game news industry continues to paint us all as sexist, vitriolic teenagers with little to no self-control. Here’s to hoping that nothing like this happens again, but tune in next week for the next thing that the news industry tries to make into the next GamerGate.
Comic made by Elise Akinson
Picture from xkcd.com Picture from Dexerto.com
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The Technician
Puzzles Sudoku
Picross
Crossword Puzzle II: The Words Strike Back
Down 1 The Student Voice of Kettering University 6 Flint's Ultimate Jukebox 7 _____ _____'s Lounge 8 Einstein ____ ______ 11 First blank in _____ & ___ ____ Recreation Center Across 1 A quiet place for study 2 _____ _____ Mott Engineering and Science Center 3 _____ _____ Thompson Hall 4 Second and Third blank in _____ & ___ ____ Recreation Center 5 A sport where two teams of three attempt to score goals with a sports sphere 9 Room 2-225 AB 10 Room 1-214 AB (C) 2019 The Technician of Kettering University, Flint, MI Created by Preston Buszka
Picrosses Courtesy of Nintendo