Data Collection Proposal Sparks Controversy

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has proposed a substantial change in the way it collects higher education data. The controversial plan would require colleges and universities to provide detailed information about individual students. Proponents say the new "unit record" system is needed to more accurately track students' academic progress, measure retention and graduation rates, and tabulate a school's "net price" – the cost after financial aid is taken into account. They say it would promote greater accountability.

But because social security numbers would be used to match data files, some argue that it would erode privacy at a time when many institutions are moving away from personal identifying information, and that it would require some campuses to change their computer systems to churn out the required information.

Paul Duby (Institutional Research, pictured) said there would also be a major burden in verifying the accuracy of the data – a process akin to verification of financial aid packaging. But Duby said his biggest concern is that the plan has potential to stifle student access. Full Story

NMU Third in

Mini-Baja Event

Twelve students from the NMU chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers took third place out of seven teams in a mini-Baja vehicle competition at Michigan Tech.

Full Story

Spring Job Fair Season Kicks Off Wednesday

The NMU JOBSearch Center is hosting three job fairs this spring in the University Center.

The first is the Summer Employment Job Fair, scheduled from 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, in the Michigan/Ontario Rooms. Full Story

Larson Among 'Leading Creators' in CGI Field

Leafing through Peter Weishar’s book CGI: The Art of the 3-D Computer Generated Image, one will easily recognize stills from the movies Toy Story, Ice Age, and The Lord of the Rings. Placed among these well-known images is Stephan Larson’s (Art and Design) art, showcasing snake-like tubes and floating squares that resemble a DNA strand.

“The pictures (like the one at right titled Exploration, Structure) are inspired by biology, physics and chemistry,” Larson said. “It’s the notion that everything on one level is made of little bits and that you can take anything and break it into smaller pieces—cells, molecules, atoms.”

The publisher of the book noticed Larson's images when his work was exhibited at the SIGGRAPH conference in San Diego. One thing led to another and Larson’s art was eventually published among 250 images from the "leading creators in film, television, games and fine art in the Computer Generated Image (CGI) field." Full Story

Code Blue Phones Enhance Campus Safety

It is hard to overlook the 17 blue pillars scattered throughout Northern's campus. The university has installed these Code Blue phones to offer more security to students, employees and visitors.

In case of an emergency, a person can push the red 911 button, which immediately dials into Public Safety dispatch. Full Story

Thompson Elected New Chair of AMU

Rebecca Thompson, the president of ASNMU, was recently elected chair of the Association of Michigan Universities.

She was elected by the AMU General Assembly, which is comprised of representatives from each of Michigan’s 15 public universities. Full Story

Hockey Team Heads for 'the Joe'

The Wildcat hockey team has advanced to the CCHA Super 6 quarterfinals at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena. NMU enters the tournament as the No. 3 seed and will face No. 6 Alaska Fairbanks at 4:35 p.m. Thursday, March 17.

A victory would put the 'Cats in a semifinal against Ohio State at 8:05 p.m. Friday. The semifinals, as well as Saturday's championship, will be televised by Fox Sports Net (FSN) Detroit. NMU fans can also listen to the games online at NMU Sports Stream.

Lahr an All-American

Jennie Lahr placed third in the mile at the 2005 NCAA II Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field National Championships, making her the first NMU athlete to earn indoor track and field All-America honors. She ran a 4:52.94, a bit off her nation’s best time of 4:47.05 set a couple of weeks ago at the GLIAC Indoor Championships.

Native American Pow Wow

March 19-20 at NMU

The 13th annual “Learning to Walk Together” traditional Native American pow wow will be held Saturday and Sunday, March 19-20, at Vandament Arena.

Dancers from the Anishinaabe and Ho Chunk/Oneida tribes will perform at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and again at 1 p.m. Sunday.

A feast is scheduled at 5 p.m. Saturday. The cost is $3 a day or $5 for both days for the general public; NMU students may attend for free. 

Drum music will be provided by the Bahweting Singers of Sault Ste. Marie and other drummers from Michigan and Minnesota. There will also be singing and vendors.

The event will be emceed by John Bailey of the Grand River Band of Odawa tribe and Helen Roy of the Wikwemikong First Nations tribe.

For more information, contact the Center for Native American Studies at 227-1397.