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April 2006 News

Forum on anti-gay chalkings challenges MTU officials' leadership 

By Paula McCambridge  Posted 04/20/2006  Updated 04/25/06

HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech community members -- faculty, staff and students -- pushed facilitator rules beyond their limits Wednesday night, Apr. 19, as they expressed their opinions at a public forum created to discuss the hate messages targeting MTU's GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) community chalked all over campus on April 7. Some accused MTU administrators of lack of communication and lack of leadership concerning minority issues in general. Others expressed sympathy toward university administrators who, they said, “may have been blindsided” by the event. After accepting a letter from Keweenaw Pride, MTU President Glenn Mroz said the crime was possibly a “push-back crime” because of his work making diversity a top issue on campus. more 
Photo: Early this week Michigan Tech students attempted to counter the anti-gay chalkings by writing positive messages in chalk on campus sidewalks. This cheerful drawing bears the message of a popular Reggae tune: "Don't Worry, Be Happy."  (Photo © 2006 and courtesy Shannon Healy. Reprinted with permission.)

Rolf Peterson "retires" to continue wolf research on Isle Royale

Posted 04/17/2006  

HOUGHTON -- Rolf Peterson, who put the wolves of Isle Royale on the map -- and did quite a bit to put Michigan Tech on the map in the process, is retiring from the teaching aspect of his professorship. His retirement means that now, after 32 years of helming what has become one of the world’s best known and most highly regarded ongoing research projects, Peterson, a professor in Michigan Tech's School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, will be concentrating solely on his research, a study of the relationship between the wolves and the moose of Isle Royale. Matthew Norman, MTU Lode news editor, interviewed Peterson about his research and his plans to continue spending summers on Isle Royale. Read the MTU Lode article.
Photo: MTU Professor Rolf Peterson photographed these wolves crossing the ice along the shore of Isle Royale. (File photo © and courtesy Rolf Peterson. Reprinted with permission.)

Finlandia Art and Design students exhibit work

By Wade Wainio  Posted 04/07/2006  

HANCOCK -- Finlandia University's International School of Art and Design held a reception for the Juried Student Art Exhibit on Apr. 4 in the Finnish-American Heritage Center in Hancock. The exhibit, which continues through Apr. 20, showcases the work of Finlandia students in the disciplines of drawing, painting and illustration, ceramic and glass, fiber and fashion design, product and interior design, and graphic design and digital media. A highlight of the reception was the fashion show, where models revealed their talents in design. Keweenaw Now reports the names of the winners and their creations. more 
Photo: "Lift Bridge," a drawing by Avery Neal, is one of the works included in the Juried Student Art Exhibit for Finlandia University's International School of Art and Design. (Photo © 2006 Wade Wainio)

MTU officials condemn anti-gay chalkings on campus

Posted 04/07/2006  

HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech University officials made statements today condemning derogatory anti-gay messages written in chalk on the campus. Tech Today sent out an email Friday quoting President Glenn Mroz as stating, "'Incidents such as this cause both fear and discomfort on campus and are completely unacceptable. A campus community is one where the freedom of speech and thought should be embraced and encouraged; however, there are limits to what is appropriate and these individuals definitely crossed the line.'" Dr. Les Cook, Vice President for Student Affairs, was quoted as saying, "'We will not stand for this type of behavior. Hopefully we can use this incident as a teaching moment as to what is and is not appropriate.'" University groups have been celebrating (Gay) Pride Week with various activities all this week. Students and the public have been asked to contact MTU Public Safety at 487-2216 with any information on who might have done these chalkings. Public Safety is conducting a full investigation of the incident. 

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