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Open Community Meeting: There will be an Open Community Meeting during the upcoming NEASC visit. The NEASC visiting team wants to hear from you. All are invited to this meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, April 11 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Olin Auditorium.
International observer to visit Olin with NEASC team: Dr. Mohsen Elmahdy Said from Egypt will be visiting Olin as an observer with the NEASC visiting team. Dr. Said is a Profession of Mechanical Design and Production Cairo University. He is also executive director and chairman of the board for the Projects Management Unit of the Ministry of Higher Education, working on accreditation-related issues.
The Study Away Office is pleased to announce Olin's newest direct-exchange agreement with one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Chile: the Universidad Catolica de Chile. They have a large engineering department with ABET-equivalent accreditation with main areas of research in the following areas: Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses; Structural and Geotechnical Engineering; Industrial and Systems Engineering; Mechanical and Metallurgical Engineering; Construction Engineering and Project Management; Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering; Transportation Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Computer Science; and Mining Engineering.
Because this agreement has just been finalized, students interested in doing a Study Away there next semester will have until March 29 to fill out the application. Contact David Soo if you are interested. As with all direct exchanges, students do not pay tuition costs, but do pay room and board fees (estimated to be $400 per month, including meals). For more info, visit
http://www.puc.cl/ (then click on “English”).
Here is an update from Financial Services on the budget development process:
What have we done?
- The initial FY07 budget targets were completed in late January, based on proposals submitted by each budget manager.
- The result of this process was presented to the Board of Trustees at the February Board Meeting. Board members provided guidance and recommendations for the detailed budget development.
- FY07 detailed budget worksheets were sent out to budget managers.
- Jenzabar budget module training was held and the tentative budget calendar was distributed to budget managers.
What is currently being worked on?
- Cabinet is developing the budget targets by divisions.
What is coming up?
- Budget meetings will be held with budget managers during the months of March and April to allocate resources and reach budget target.
- With Jenzabar budget module implementation, budget managers will input the detailed budget information into Budget Module after their budget has been approved by their supervisor. The target date of completing the preliminary budget is April 6, 2006.
- The result of this process will be presented to the Board of Trustees for their approval in May Board meeting.
- After the final budget is approved, the budgets will be loaded to Jenzabar Budget Review.
What should you do NOW?
- Thoroughly analyze FY06 balances using the Budget Review. This will not only help you with third quarter projections, but may also give you ideas for budget reductions that you should share with your supervisor. Even if your current FY06 amounts appear on target, they should be reviewed for posting errors.
- Develop better information for the FY07 budget: get accurate quotes for equipment you plan to buy, analyze costs by program to see if programs can be done more cost effectively, look for alternative vendors, etc.
Please direct inquiries, comments and concerns to zhaopeng.ji@olin.edu.
Please be advised that we are in the process of changing the paper towel dispensers in each bathroom around campus. We are installing automated, touch-less, dispensers. The purpose for this change is as follows:
- Improve hygiene practices by reducing the risk of cross contamination.
- Reduce waste
- Save labor costs associated with refilling the dispensers
- Save material costs by purchasing a more cost effective product
- Enhance the visual appearance of the restrooms
The College is currently seeking qualified candidates for several positions. Employees are reminded that HR is always happy to accept referrals.
Community Bulletin Board
The following candidates for Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty will be visiting Olin. All are encouraged to attend and provide feedback.
- 3/27/06: Tutorial 9:15-9:45 a.m. / Seminar 10:00-11:00 a.m. in AC126 – Gail Rosen, Graduate Research Assistant, Center for Signal and Image Processing, Georgia Institute of Technology
- 3/31/06: Tutorial 3:15-3:45 p.m. / Seminar 4:00-5:00 p.m. in AC109 – Wesley Huang, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- 4/3/06: Tutorial 3:15-3:45 p.m. / Seminar 4:00-5:00 p.m. in AC109 – Can Emre Koksal, Ph.D., Senior Researcher, School of Computer and Communication Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne presenting on “Perspectives on Time Varying Wireless Communication Networks”
- 4/12/06: Tutorial 3:15-3:45 p.m. / Seminar 4:00-5:00 p.m. in AC109 -- Keigo Hirakawa, Research Assistant, Department of Statistics, Harvard University
Additional information on the candidates will be distributed as the date approaches.
Olin College will be featured on Channel 5's Chronicle news magazine on Thursday, March 23, at 7:30 pm. The program will examine the current "do-it-yourself" culture, and will highlight Olin and its entrepreneurial students.
NCCI (National Consortium for Continuous Improvement in Higher Education) will host a conference on Transformations that are Working in Higher Education on Monday, March 27 at MIT in the Stata Center on Vassar Street. If you would like to attend, register online by March 21. Conference speakers will include:
- Dr. Larry Benedict, Dean of Student Life, MIT
- Ms. Robin Deadrick, Personnel Administrator, Libraries, MIT
- Ms. Jennifer Dowling Dougherty, Managing Director, F&A, Exec.Ed., Harvard Business School
- Mr. Mark Goble, Assoc. Dir. Finance, Executive Education, Harvard Business School
- Mr. Sherwin Greenblatt, Executive Vice President, MIT
- Dr. Sherra Kerns, VP for Innovation & Research, Olin College
- Ms. Beth Kopp, Environmental Studies Coordinator, Colby College
- Dr. Philly Mantella, SVP, Enrollment Management/Student Affairs, Northeastern University
- Ms. Leigh Ann Melanson, Associate Provost for Academic Administration, UNH
- Ms. Ann Schaffner, Coordinator Institutional Research and Improvement, Olin College
- Mr. Bill Van Schalkwyk, Director, Environmental Health and Safety Programs, MIT
- Ms. Jane White, Manager of Training, Consulting and Publishing, Information Services and Technology, MIT
At this conference participants will learn how diverse institutions are continuously improving the efficiency and effectiveness of programs across their campuses.
Babson College has generously extended a $3,000 scholarship opportunity for the son or daughter of an Olin College faculty or staff member to attend Babson Business Edge, May 30 - June 16.
This means that college-aged children of Olin faculty and staff members can apply for a scholarship to attend this exciting business program by visiting www.babson.edu/businessedge or contacting Jackie Harris, Babson Business Edge program coordinator. Selection for the scholarship will be on a merit basis, with priority given to students who apply by April 1.
On Monday, March 27 the Babson Center for Women's Leadership will present Robin Wolaner, founder if Parenting Magazine who has also worked at Penthouse, Runner's World and Mother Jones. Wolaner will discuss her book, Naked in the Boardroom at 6:00 p.m. in the Olin Auditorium, Olin Hall, Babson College (registration begins at 5:30 p.m.). A networking and book signing reception will follow. The cost is complimentary. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance.
Wellesley Centers for Women presents the following Spring Lunchtime Seminars:
- March 23: “Class Acts: Presentation of Self and Other in Social Class Research,” presented by Diane Purvin, Ph.D. and Anne Noonan, Ph.D.
- March 30: “The Neurobiology of Relationship,” presented by Amy Banks, M.D.
- April 6: “Getting to the Heart of the Mentoring Process Between Adolescents and Adults,” presented by Renée Spencer, Ed.D., LICSW
- April 13: “Relational Health for Youth,” presented by Belle Liang, Ph.D.
- April 27: “Peering into the Cracks: Identifying Individuals for Whom Our Statistical Models Do Not Apply,” presented by Allison Tracy, Ph.D.
- May 4: “Update on Same-sex Marriage Project,” presented by the Same-sex Marriage Study Group
All seminars are held 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the Wellesley Centers for Women (828 Washington Street, Wellesley) and are free and open to the public. For more info, visit www.wcwonline.org. Bring your lunch, coffee and tea provided.
Homegrown Coffeehouse presents Jess Klein, an electrifying, passionate musician who expresses her music through Motown, rock and sultry reggae. USA Today wrote, “Klein exhibits the relaxed confidence and rootsy soulfulness of such seasoned mentors as Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams.” Klein will play at the Needham Homegrown Coffeehouse, Saturday, March 25 at 8:00 p.m. For more information and advance tickets, visit www.uuneedham.org/Coffeehouse.
The Olin HR/Training Update is now available. This update contains information on BJ and Costco memberships, Yoga classes, faculty research chats, Webster Center news and much more.
Angel Flight New England is hosting their 9th Annual Penguin Classic 5K Road Race/Walk, which will be held on Sunday, April 2 at Comverse in Wakefield, MA. If you are interested in pledging, participating or volunteering visit the Angel Flight website or contact Jeanmarie Skahan (jms@aboveparevents.com). Many thanks to Simon Helmore and Allison Lee, who have already volunteered to help with the event. More volunteers are needed to assist with event registration.
Prior to his appointment at Olin College, Dean of Faculty Michael Moody was mathematics department chair and Diana and Kenneth Jonsson Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. During his six years as chair Moody was instrumental in developing a mathematics curriculum that has become recognized as one of the best in the nation. The curriculum was recently honored by the American Mathematics Society (AMS) with the Award for an Exemplary Program or Achievement in a Mathematics Department.
A recent article in Notices of the American Mathematics Society, the AMS principal publication, notes “In the mid-1990s the department, facing a big wave of retirements, seized the opportunity to reinvent itself. A key step was hiring Michael Moody….a wonderful leader, very charismatic, with lots of ideas…. [he] set for the department what he called an “animating goal”: To be recognized as one the very best undergraduate programs in the country.” For more info, read the entire article.
The Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship announced the finalists for the 2006 Babson Business Plan undergraduate competition, which included the following Olin College students:
Salubrion, LLC
Seth Heltsley - Olin College of Engineering ‘06
Grant Hutchins - Olin College of Engineering ‘06
Leighton M. Ige - Olin College of Engineering ‘06
Alice Kuo - Wellesley College ‘06
Daniel Lindquist - Olin College of Engineering ‘06
Nils Seebach ‘06
The team will present their plan on April 4, 10:00 a.m.-noon in Babson's Olin Auditorium. All are welcome to attend and cheer on the Salubrion team.
“Yes, Sushi's on the Meal Plan,” By Candy Sagon, Washington Post, March 8, 2006
EXCERPT: Kids today have a much more sophisticated palate than 20 years ago. They're used to eating out, and they like seeing the food being made expressly for them. They want upscale items -- that's key," said George Butler, dining director at Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, where students dine on Brazilian chicken with chimichurri sauce and Moroccan lamb tagine. The small, four-year-old college, located southwest of Boston, is ranked No. 2 for food in the Princeton Review guide.
In the last issue we asked which state most of this year's Olin candidates called home. Alex Epstein was the first to respond correctly with
California. Alex will receive Olin gear for this correct response.
Trivia buffs, do you know... Q: Traditional St. Patrick's Day parades have been taking place for hundreds of years, but they didn't originate in Ireland. In fact, the parade in Dublin has a short 50-year history. What cites (there are at least two) have been hosting St. Patrick's Day parades for 200 years or more?
A: First person to correctly respond to Jennifer Thomas receives a prize.
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