Issue 2, Summer 2013

Technician• •

Thebulldogs.kettering.edu/technician

What’sInside

August 21, 2013 Volume 111 Issue 2

11 127

Kettering Adds Atwood Stadium

Zipcars Coming to Kettering

By Matthew WhiteEditor-in-chief

Getting around the City of Flint is about to be-come easier. Students without cars will no longer need to rely on friends or public transportation to complete grocery runs after Kettering receives deliv-ery of two Zipcars. The vehicles, typically used for short-term rental, will be kept behind the dorms and will be available for personal use.

Becoming a Zipcar member is the first step in get-ting a vehicle. After signing up on the Zipcar website (www.zipcar.com), students will, for a $25 annual membership, be able to rent vehicles. Unlike most car rental agencies, Zipcar will rent to anyone over the age of 18. Reservations for vehicles are accepted both on the spur of the moment and well in ad-vance, allowing great flexibility for students. Arriv-ing at the vehicle at the predetermined time permits access through a Zipcard, which comes as part of the registration process.

Vehicles in the Zipcar fleet are identified by ve-hicle model and a nickname (e.g. Focus Flapjack).

Continued on the next page

ME Welcomes Dr. Diane Peters

By Robert HayesStaff Writer

This term, the Department of Mechanical Engi-neering welcomed their newest professor, Dr. Diane Peters. A native of Midland, Michigan, Dr. Peters was familiar with Kettering's reputation for co-op and engineering education long before accepting a teaching position here this year. Following her un-dergraduate education at Notre Dame, Dr. Peters worked in industry near Chicago, where she took an adjunct teaching position at a local community college. Inspired by this position, Dr. Peters moved to Ann Arbor, entering the University of Michigan in pursuit of her Ph.D.

Though she is currently teaching statics, Dr. Peters has spent considerable time in industry working in the field of dynamic systems and controls, which was the study of her graduate and postgraduate re-search. The link between the physical machine and its control systems have long been of interest to Dr. Peters, and she looks forward to continuing her re-search at Kettering.

When not in the classroom, Dr. Peters likes to spend time with her two dogs, as well as volunteer-ing at the Huron Valley Humane Society near her home in Ann Arbor, where she helps needy dogs find new loving homes. She loves learning new skills, including sewing, quilting, woodworking, and most recently, glassblowing. Prof. Peters feels it is impor-tant to continue to take classes in new things, so that she will always remember what it is like to be a stu-dent, and know what her students experience learn-ing something totally new for the very first time.

President Hosts Town Hall

Releases Budget

InformationBy Matthew WhiteEditor-in-chief

On the morning of August sixth, Dr. Robert Mc-Mahan, President of Kettering University, hosted a town hall for faculty and staff in bj’s Lounge. In a scene reminiscent of the classrooms where they teach, the back rows were filled as the President made his remarks about the casual nature of the meeting, which he hoped would provide a useful way to discuss recent changes in the University.

Much like everything on campus, the meeting began with and was punctuated by the mission, vi-sion, values, and pillars. Dr. McMahan talked briefly about the strategic planning process and its ongo-ing nature. Rather than being shelved until the next strategic plan is undertaken, he said, these state-ments should serve as a basis for everything we do.

Showing that he is not content with the status quo, Dr. McMahan broke long-held secrecy sur-rounding the University budget and discussed—al-beit in broad terms—the University’s current posi-tion. This year, Kettering operated within budget and exceeded net operating revenue, coming to a surplus of $130,000. Dr. McMahan also discussed the new bottom-up process for budgeting and al-locating money. Administrative policies on routine areas like travel and expenses are also being simpli-fied in an effort to ease common burdens.

Continued on page 10

Student VoicesTalking to freshmen

about Kettering

KU BudgetSee the breakdown of the University budget

Flint PlansLook at the city's newmaster plan proposal

By Matthew WhiteEditor-in-chief

In an e-mail to the Kettering community on August 13, Dr. Robert McMa-han addressed a news story from The Flint Journal that reported Kettering had taken ownership of Atwood Stadium. While the University had been in talks with the City of Flint to receive the 11,000 seat facility, no formal agreement had been reached at that time. Flint Emergency Manager Mike Brown, how-ever, had ordered the property transferred our of the city's ownership.

In return for the property, Kettering has agreed to reimburse Flint for the electrical work done to the stadium for this upcoming year (approximately $33,000). Dr. McMahan stated in his letter to the community that the prop-erty would have been abandoned otherwise, creating a blight and security con-cern on the University Avenue corridor. Kettering will work to make the stadi-um part of campus and host events in coordination with the Flint community.

Ending on a hopeful note, Dr. McMahan said the most important thing to take away from the announcement was that "it symbolizes our belief in the future of this city."

6

OpinionKSG goes too far;

remembering the past

Photo courtesy of See & be seen.

The TechnicianPage 2

NewsAugust 21, 2013

TechnicianThe

Matthew WhiteE d i to r-i n- c h i ef

Chloe HauxwellL ayout Editor

Tyler Van EckCopy Editor

Erin BoyseOnline Editor

Staff writersDevin AryanAri Budiono

Colleen ChavisRobert Hayes

Rebeccah MacKinnonCharles Mancino

Kevin Strauch

PhotographersJoseph Stevenson

Faculty AdvisorChristine Levecq

Special Thanks ToBetsy HomsherDenise Stodola

Kaitlin SoloveyAssistant Editor

Zipcars Come to Kettering

Continued from the front page

After arriving at the correct vehicle, a driver’s Zip-card can unlock the vehicle during the reservation period by holding it over the reader on the wind-shield until an audible beep is heard. The keys for the ignition are mounted beneath the dashboard on the right side, never leaving the vehicle.

The rental fee for Zipcars includes insurance and fuel costs. If the vehicle is low on gas, an included Gas Card allows drivers to fill the tank at no cost to them, albeit through a slightly more difficult process than swiping a personal credit card. Mileage, up to 180 miles per day, is also included in the reservation. Any mileage over that amount is charged at a rate of 45¢ per mile (55¢ in premium vehicles). If users would like to extend the lease of the vehicle, they may do so through the Zipcar mobile application, phone call, or text message—so long as no one else has the vehicle reserved during the times requested.

The new transportation option will open up op-portunities for many students without vehicles. If the program is a great success, Kettering will have the option of adding more vehicles to its Zipcar fleet to meet the demand.

Photos: front cover: a Zipcar in Boston; second page: the Zipcar mobile application. Both courtesy of Zipcar.

By Erin BoyseOnline Editor

In his presentation during lunch on Thursday, Au-gust 15, Dr. Massoud Tavakoli outlined Kettering’s plan to increase entrepreneurship and "intrapre-neurship" within the university’s curriculum. The idea is to begin with innovation, something that many engineering students are familiar with, and to “graduate engineers [and all students] equipped with an entrepreneurial mindset who will contrib-ute to business success and transform the us work-force.”

The plan to a c c o m p l i s h this has been under devel-opment for a few years through Ket-tering’s part-nership with keen, the Kern Entre-preneurship E d u c a t i o n N e t w o r k , which includes nineteen universities throughout the us. The biggest change is the upcoming addition of new classes encompassed within the Innovation-to-Entrepreneurship Course of Study. These will be two-credit classes offered beginning freshman year and will be similar to a minor. Students who com-plete this course of study will earn an “Innovation to Entrepreneurship Student Fellow” title on their transcript when they graduate. This is similar to the way the Pre-Med Course of Study works. For those students who create a patented innovation or start their own business through this study will receive recognition at commencement as an “Innovation to Entrepreneurship Scholar.”

Some of the classes that are part of this program currently exist and may be modified to ensure that they have the hands-on experience offered by this course of study, such as busn–372 (Innovation and New Ventures) and busn–373 (Intrapreneurship

and Innovation Development). Other classes are not currently offered and are in development, such as inen–401 (Business Model Development) and inen–402 (Prototyping and Commercialization), both which will be taken during a student’s senior year.

The i2e vision is to develop students who will see themselves as “capable change agents in the world, who are equipped with a compelling combination of: strong technical skills, admirable work ethics, and an adaptable entrepreneurial mindset.” Tavakoli emphasized that entrepreneurial mindset also con-sists of an "intrapreneurial" mindset as well, defined as thinking with an entrepreneurial mindset within another business or company.

Their mission, or how they will achieve their vi-sion, is to “provide Kettering students with a combi-nation of curricular [classes], co-curricular [co-op], and extra-curricular pathways for developing and practicing an innovation and entrepreneurial mind-set that is valuable for diverse careers in large cor-porations, high-risk start-ups and social enterprises.”

This leads to the goals that keen has for students using i2e. They are an entrepreneurial mindset, cou-pled with engineering thought and action, expressed through professional skills, and founded on charac-ter. The current approach during the early phases of this project regarding the faculty and staff have been broad engagement through workshops, course mod-ules, and keen topical grants of which two have al-ready been granted. The focus on students thus far has been through the extracurricular engagement of students through Kettering Entrepreneur Society (kes), Innovation Quest challenges during lunch in the Great Court, and Kettering Impact, which allows Kettering students to pitch their ideas to im-prove Kettering for a thousand dollar prize.

Tavakoli summed up these new ideas for the uni-versity with the answer to why this is important for Kettering students: Because technical expertise can become a powerful change agent in the world when it belongs to an entrepreneurially minded engineer, scientist, or business person.

Photo courtesy of Kettering Communications

I2E: Innovation to Entrepreneurship Across the University

The Technician Page 3August 21, 2013

Organization UpdateMake-A-Wish

By Cody GrantrealSERVICE Public Relations Chairman

"At Relay For Life events, communities across the globe come together to honor cancer survivors, re-member loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that has already taken too much." Teams will camp around the track and attempt to raise money to help the American Cancer Society fight... well, cancer. Haha. It isn't a laughing matter, however, that doesn't mean the entire Relay For Life is seri-ous. People may think the whole event just seems like work, and I can honestly say: that is definitely not the case. I partook in Relay last year and I had a blast. I also walked a total of four miles; nowhere near what some dedicated walkers or runners had done. Now some of you may wonder what the American Cancer Society is. Cancer.org states that "The American Cancer Society funds groundbreak-ing research that helps us understand cancer’s causes, determine how best to prevent it, and discover new ways to cure it." We have quite a few teams so far for Kettering's Relay (which is 9th Friday to Saturday and its an all night event). We can always use more teams too, if you and a group of friends want to do more to fight cancer then you can create a team; or if you can't make a team then you can join an already created team. Our goal is to raise 15 thousand dol-lars. We're partially there but we have a ways to go. In short, come out for relay and come help us fight cancer!

Formula FocusBy Chaz MancinoFomula SAE Team

Driver packaging and ergonomics. Suspension connecting the uprights to the chassis. Engine pack-aging. Every vehicle needs designing to decide where everything should go. A Formula sae car is just the same. Already a few months into the new season, the design of the 2014 car has begun.

Just like a real car, the formula car must have effi-cient packaging and design to minimize the amount of material being used and cost, among other things. Like a typical production car, the formula car must protect the driver in case of an accident. Both a typical production and formula car need seatbelts to hold in the driver, but, unlike a typical production car, the formula car has no airbags. Instead, an im-pact attenuator installed on the bulkhead takes the blow for the driver during a frontal collision while side impacts protect the driver from a side collision.

Another similarity is the suspension. Just like a real car, the formula car’s suspension’s main goal is to keep the wheel connected to the chassis. It also uses parts such as control arms and toe links, although it utilizes a double wishbone setup as opposed to the new standard on production cars, the McPherson strut. This gives the formula car more accurate tire control and more tunability.

Unlike a typical car, however, the formula car is not designed for carrying at least two passengers and some luggage. Instead, the formula car is designed

for only one occupant, the driver. This allows the formula car to have less weight, and thus a better power-to-weight ratio than most production cars despite having less than 100 horsepower. A testa-ment to that is how the Kettering University For-mula sae’s 2013 car could outsprint a C7 Corvette Stringray Z51 to 60 miles per hour, despite having around a 400 horsepower deficit compared to the seventh-gen American muscle machine.

In addition to designing the formula car in cad, the formula team is also testing the 2012 and 2013 cars as to test improvements and train more drivers. The improvements on the 2012 and 2013 cars may be mimicked on the 2014 car. At the same time, train-ing more drivers will help pave the way into the fu-ture with training more drivers on how to handle the car safely at a competition while behind the wheel.

Whether designing or training for the future, the 2014 season is unfolding as the days go by. After the design is done for the 2014 car, building will com-mence, and then, after the car is built, testing will be-gin on the 2014 car. The road ahead is a long, wind-ing one, but with a committed team and experience to match, the headlights are on as the horizon comes closer into view.

Kettering's Mobile AppBy Kevin StrauchTechnician Staff

Student Garrick Brazil is a student currently work-ing on a new and improved version of the Ketter-ing App. He is currently working on the app for his thesis topic because, “I've always wanted to remake the current Kettering app on the market because of the many problems it has... but I won't get into that. There were a lot of features I thought would make my life easier as a student here. Namely, being able to easily access my current grades and schedule have proved extremely useful.” Some of the features include browsing through upcoming events of Ket-tering and the latest news, a map feature powered by Google Maps api that shows the campus and the area that surrounds the campus. A search feature provides faculty phone number, office, and email address, and also provides student search. There is online and offline search and browse features for Kettering’s library, and the search function works for title, phrase, author, subject, series, or periodi-cal. Results contain title, author, date published, and even how many copies are available. Another feature is the transfer course search, where “you can search by college or course id to see what classes can be transferred into Kettering and what their equiva-lent is.” The app even has support for Blackboard grades and color coded week-by-week view of your current class schedule. Some planned future features

include: Option to automatically silence phone dur-ing class periods, Course scheduler (re-implement-ed), Final / Midterm / Transcript Grades, Financial Account information, and a Map overlay of nearby businesses. Garrick hopes that the application will be a useful tool for students. He states, “No matter what I will use it (I already do on a daily basis), but it would make the effort I have put into the applica-tion much more worth it if has a positive impact on other students as well. I'm also hoping that it sparks collaboration from interested students who want to improve the application or simply have ideas they would like to see added.” Currently he hopes to

have the android application done by the end of the winter of 2014, as nearly all the code is written, but not integrated. The application is and will remain open source. It seems that when the app is complete, students will have a great tool to assist them for all things concerning life at Kettering.

Screenshot of the mobile application is courtesy of Mr. Brazil.


GamingXbox One is Self-Aware

By Devin AryanTechnician Staff

“The Red Ring of Death” plagued many Xbox 360 owners when the 7th generation console first became available. Named so due to the red ring of light showing around the power button, the ring was indicative of the console having failed, and not being useable again. Microsoft never truly revealed what caused this plague, though one popular theory was that the issue was caused due to the system over-heating.

With the Xbox One release looming overhead, Microsoft has revealed that the Xbox One will be “self-aware”. This means that the console will be monitoring its own temperature, and will be re-acting as the temperature increases or decreases by turning fans on and off. Microsoft went one step further, though, just in case the fans are not enough, and gave the console the ability to reduce its own performance to aid in the cooling function.

“We had a little less flexibility with the 360,” says the General Manager of Console Development Leo

del Castillo. “If we couldn't dissipate the heat, there wasn't a whole lot of leverage we could pull to keep the heat from being generated, so we had a limited amount of time before it just shut down. Xbox One can actually dial it back to a lower power state – so low, in fact, that it can operate in a mode that uses virtually no air flow."

It is unclear if this new ability is a response to The Red Ring of Death, but it is a nice feature, and will definitely aid Microsoft in the fight to stay alive for the 8th generation.

August 21, 2013

TechnologyLeap Motion

By Ari BudionoTechnician Staff

In a world where technology has surrounded us day in and day out, many wonder when we will be able to use technology like John Anderson from Mi-nority Report or like the famous Tony Stark from Iron Man. These characters are able to bring the computer to life and actually be able to control them without using a mouse or even typing a word; it just takes a pinch, grab, pan, or throw to control the interface of the computers. Using computers away from the screen has always been something of science fiction, but like everything with tech-nology, there have been advances to bring us closer to make Iron Man a reality.

Ever since computers had a graphical user interface (gui), the use of keyboards and an analog pointing device (i.e. mice, trackball, track pads) have always seemed to limit the things that we want to be able to do with the computer. In recent years, there have been some devices, such as touchscreens and touch-pads that allow the use of intuitive gestures.

With the release of the Wii controller, PlayStation Move, and Microsoft’s Kinect in 2009, a small step into gesture control was made in the gaming world. Especially with the Kinect, it was the first time that human interaction without a physi-cal controller was possible. The Kinect was designed to be a motion sensing device as an extension for playing Xbox 360 video games. Using a webcam with a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels and an in-frared depth sensor, the Kinect was able to use the position and the movement of a person to control various aspects of the game. However, there were some problem with Kinect that limited the effec-tiveness and accuracy of determining the positions of the player. For example, when using the Kinect, there are times where the system would not be able to register people that were overlapping or on the edge of the payable area, and this was compounded when there was too much ambient light from a liv-ing room windows, for example.

Even through all of these problems, Kinect sales

greatly surpasses the estimations that Microsoft cre-ated before they released the device, as there were 8 million units sold during its first 60 days on the market. The public reception of the device was fairly positive, but there were still many flaws that had to be worked upon to reach true gesture control.

To solve this problem, a small group of engineers in California created their own product that could change how people will use their computers every day.

This small business, called OcuSpec, sought to cre-ate an affordable and accurate Kinect for computer

users. In 2011, they started a Kickstarter fundraiser for the cause and eventually raised over 40 million for the development and production of the device.

In May 21, 2012, the crowd sourced product called “Leap Motion” was announced to the public. The Leap motion was first advertised to be an affordable Kinect for computer, but it soon developed its own niche. Many developers envisioned this device being used with their games or drafting programs in con-junction with the typical keyboard and mouse. The Leap Motion even caught the eye of Autodesk, who created a Leap Motion plug-in for their modeling and animation program Maya.

The great interest in the Leap Motion was part of the fact that it would be released to the public with a price tag of $80, something that the Kinect for Windows was not able accomplish ($250). The other reason that developers were interested with this device is that the great accuracy of the device; it was advertised to be accurate to 0.01 mm and able to recognize over 10 fingers at that level of accuracy,

which was unheard of for a device that was as small as a pack of gum.

For those that preordered the Leap Motion, the device arrived on doorsteps on July 22, 2013, the same day that the Airspace Store (the exclusive app store for the Leap Motion) was launched. For any-one that did not preorder the device, the Leap was also sold at Best Buy locations all over the US start-ing July 28th. For some, the Leap Motion is another step to make Minority Report and Iron Man a real-ity, while for others, it is just another peripheral to extend their use in various programs.

However, there is still one glaring hole that limits the Leap Motion’s abilities at the mo-ment, and that is the fact that there are still only a few applications that are able to utilize the Leap’s functions. There are some applica-tions, such as Touchless for Windows/Mac or Gamewave, that allow the Leap Motion to be used in almost all applications. For example, Touchless for Windows use the Leap Motion to simulate a touch screen with pressure sensi-tivity. This means that users with Windows 8, for example, will be able to use the “Modern

ui” applications as if their computer had a touch-screen. While there is a learning curve on using a virtual touchscreen in the air, the practicality and performance of the device are undeniable. At the moment, the limitation of the Leap Motion is just the interest of developers to integrate it with their programs. Adoption of the Leap has been shown to have some promise with larger companies, as shown by Corel and Autodesk integrating the Leap Mo-tion with their own products. There have also been partnerships between the creators of the Leap Mo-tion and PC brands such as Asus and hp. There truly has been a strong interest and user base for the Leap Motion, for as of August 12, 2013, Leap Motion is celebrating their first 1 million application down-loads from the Airspace Store since its retail exactly 3 weeks before.

The journey to better gesture computing has been difficult, but the Leap Motion may be a step in the right direction.

Picture of the controller courtesy of Leap Motion

The Technician Page 5

AutomotiveHenry Ford

By Robert HayesAutomotive Editor

One hundred and fifty years ago last month, one of the automotive industry’s most famous sons was born. The son of an Irish immigrant farmer in Dear-born Michigan, Henry Ford would go on to redefine America’s industrial landscape, and found a com-pany that still exists today, operating in nearly every country around the globe. To celebrate his birth, the Ford Motor Company and The Henry Ford Estate hosted a ceremony on Saturday July 27 at Henry and Clara Ford’s Fair Lane estate in Dearborn. The event was attended by two of Henry’s great-grandsons, Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman, Wil-liam Clay “Bill” Ford, Jr., as well as Edsel Ford II, a member of the Board of Directors, as well as state and local dignitaries.

The event was intended to be a celebration of the life of the automotive mogul, as well as a milestone in the preservation of Henry and Clara Ford’s historic Fair Lane estate, which has been closed to the pub-lic for two years and is about to undergo extensive renovations. At the dedication, the estate’s current trustees, the University of Michigan - Dearborn, which is co-located with the estate, transferred own-ership of the house and grounds to the same gov-erning body as the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores.

During the event, which drew a crowd of nearly three thousand visitors, tours were offered of the 1,300 acre estate and 31,000 square foot house origi-nally designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the Ameri-can Prairie style before a trip to Europe inspired Henry and Clara to hire additional architects to add strong English manor house cues to the design be-fore construction began. A gathering of classic Ford Motor Company vehicles produced during Henry’s life was on display in the house’s garage, including the oldest surviving Ford vehicle, a 1903 Model A, a 1906 Ford Model N, a pre-1920 Fordson tractor,

a 1934 Ford Phaeton V-8, and a World War II Ford GPW, Ford’s rival to Willys-Overland’s Jeep, and more. Members of the Ford family were present to share stories passed down through the generations about the family patriarch, and other festivities were held to commemorate his impact on the Dearborn and the world.

Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863 in what would become today’s Dearborn, on a farm owned by his father William, an immigrant from County Cork, Ireland. Despite his father’s wishes, Henry never took over the family farm, opting to move to Detroit at the age of sixteen to pursue an apprentice-ship as a machinist, eventually joining the Edison Illuminating Company in 1891, where he quickly rose through the ranks to become Chief Engineer. In 1896, he took his love of internal combustion engines to the next level when he constructed what he called the “quadricycle,” a four-wheeled vehicle powered by a gasoline engine. It was at this time that the thirty-three year old Ford met Thomas Edison in a meeting of company managers, and became in-spired by Edison’s praise of his quadricycle to pursue a career in the then fledgling automobile industry. He soon resigned to start his own company, though later in life would develop a strong friendship with Edison.

On August 5, 1899, Ford founded the Detroit Au-tomobile Company with the then mayor of Detroit, William Maybury. The company was not a success, and after struggling to produce just twenty vehicles, the company folded in January 1901. This failure did not stop Ford’s ambition, and less than a year later on November 3, 1901, the Henry Ford Company was born, but its success was short lived. By March, Hen-ry found himself at odds with the financial backers of the joint venture, and negotiated his departure, taking his name with him. The backers of the com-pany quickly hired engineer Henry M. Leland to liquidate the company, but Leland, seeing the val-ue of the equipment and assets already assembled, convinced the owners to rename the company and continue production. The reorganized company was named the Cadillac Motor Company, and was acquired by Billy Durant’s General Motors in 1909.

Despite the formidable setback of two failed ven-tures, Ford’s entrepreneurial spirit was still strong, and on July 16, 1903, today’s Ford Motor Company was born in a small garage on Bagley Street in South-west Detroit. However, the company was soon strug-gling, and by the end of July the company had just $250 in the bank and was on the edge of insolvency. Salvation for the company came on July 13, 1903 when $1,350 in deposits for three Ford Model A (not to be confused with the legendary 1927 Model A) ve-hicles arrived. Of these three orders, one was placed by a Iowa dairyman named Herbert McNary, who paid $850 for chassis No. 30. This, the oldest surviv-ing Ford Motor Company vehicle, was the Model A displayed at the celebration. The car returned to the Ford family last year, when Bill Ford purchased the vehicle at auction for $264,000. It has since made appearances at this year’s North American Interna-

tional Auto Show, and other events celebrating the sesquicentennial of the elder Ford’s birth.

Henry Ford led the company until 1919, when he turned over control to his only son, Edsel. Under Edsel’s leadership, the company modernized, and became a formidable force in World War II arms production, helping in no small part Detroit’s repu-tation as the “Arsenal of Democracy.” Edsel’s health was not strong, however, and by 1943 he had passed away to stomach cancer. The seventy-eight year old Ford took the reins of the company again until 1945, when he turned the company over to his grandson, Henry Ford II. Henry died at the age of 83 of a ce-rebral hemorrhage at Fair Lane on April 7, 1947. His impact on the community was demonstrated during his funeral service, when an estimated 5,000 visitors per hour filed past his coffin at the public visitation held at Greenfield Village, the 240 acre outdoor historical museum Henry founded in Dearborn in 1929. During his funeral at the Episcopal Cathe-dral Church of St. Paul in Detroit, the crowd over-whelmed the church’s seating capacity, with twenty thousand people standing outside in the cold spring rain to pay their respects.

To celebrate the life and impact of such a man, the State of Michigan presented Bill and Edsel Ford with a copy of Governor Rick Snyder’s order declar-ing July 30, 2013 as “Henry Ford Day” in the state, as well as copies of state House and Senate resolu-tions honoring the legacy of Henry Ford, presented by members of Dearborn’s state congressional del-egation. Further commemorative events are planned across the country throughout the remainder of this year.

Photos, from left to right: the 1903 Ford Model A; the 1934 Ford V-8 Phaeton; Edsel Ford II and Wil-liam Clay Ford, Jr. receiving Henry Ford Day reso-lution from the Michigan House of Representatives. Photos of cars are courtesy of Mr. Hayes, the remaining photo is courtesy of Ford Motor Company.

August 21, 2013


OpinionIt's All About the Money

By David RichelsonKettering University of-

fers unique experiences to students. For instance, the promotional posters around Kettering show us our over-whelming female popula-tion and the Thesis Office teaches us that the business

world is filled with restrictions, bureaucracy, and missing deadlines.

Now we have one more experience that will put you “massively ahead of the game”. Ksg Student Senate funded event “Christmas in August”. Why? Because we can. Do we honestly miss Christmas that much, that we need a second one? The event will feature a snow machine, because of reasons. Do that many people miss the snow that they can’t wait until winter?

The Student Senate has a constitution that em-powers them to act as a liaison between various par-ties and the student body, approve resolutions, and approve clubs. Why do they need to make snow in the summer as an event?

Every club on campus gets $20 per member per term if they turn in their attendance sheets. Do you

know how much ksg bodies gets? Operations, Fi-nance, and Senate all get $25 per term. I’m sure it’s for the good of the student body. They need the ex-tra food to make all of those hard decisions.

It seems like such a small point. Who cares right? I care, because that’s my tuition money going to feed them. If you want your tuition money to be spent on the general student body, instead of the 33 on ksg, then I urge you to make a platform, run for office on senate, finance, or operations council, and make a difference. Historically not many people vote, let’s give them someone worth voting for.

On Preservation and ParkingBy Robert Hayes

This month, Andreas Apostolopoulos, the Toron-to-based owner of the 113 year old State Savings Bank building in Downtown De-troit petitioned the Detroit Historic District Planning

Commission for the unthinkable: permission to tear down the building and replace it with a parking garage. The structure, designed by McKim, Mead & White, is one of Detroit’s finest examples of Beaux-Arts architecture and our only work by the firm, one of the period’s most famous. It sits on a preeminent place in Detroit’s Financial District, and is listed in on the National Register for Historic Places, as well as being a Michigan State Historic Site and a Detroit Local Historic District. None of these facts stopped the building’s owner from requesting per-mission to destroy this irreplaceable piece of history in the name of parking.

This struggle is not new to the city. In 1977, the Michigan Theatre, a 1925 vintage Renaissance Re-vival style theater was gutted and a three-story park-ing garage built inside it. Today, people can park underneath the gutted beauty of the theater’s audi-torium and grand lobby. In 1999, the twenty nine story former flagship store of the J.L. Hudson Com-pany, once the second-largest store in the world, was imploded and replaced with a nondescript under-ground parking garage.

To hear the developer speak, attached parking is essential to any building, and the only solution to the parking dilemma is to raze such architectural gems as the State Savings Bank to accommodate workers in neighboring buildings. Reality, on the other hand, tells a different story. Within a two-block radius of the building in question, currently sit more than six thousand parking spaces. In fact, the future of the city that put the world into auto-mobiles is being stymied by those very automobiles.

Currently, Downtown Detroit is home to 55 park-ing garages and 163 surface parking lots, accounting for a staggering 39.2% of the city’s 7.2 square mile downtown core. Some blocks consist entirely of desolate expanses of concrete surface parking. Not only do these lots not generate sustainable tax rev-enues for the city, they prevent redevelopment, and are symptoms themselves of a larger problem - cities designed solely for automobiles cannot survive.

Of Downtown Detroit’s approximately 71,000 parking spaces await the downtown’s 80,000 day-time workers for one simple reason: a staggering 95% of downtown workers commute to work by car. For a city that came to fame as the home of the au-tomobile industry, this may not seem surprising, but it was not always the case. Detroit once was home to an elaborate public transportation system that at its peak included 910 streetcars running on twenty lines throughout the city.

Change came with the construction of express-ways, which in addition to connecting the city to its suburbs, completely isolated Downtown Detroit

from the city itself. Surrounded by an elaborate ring of five expressways, Detroit’s core is built for the au-tomobile. The streetcar networks of old are gone, replaced only with a network of busses independent from the suburbs, which are served by a bus network of their own.

As the city’s core begins to grow again, driven by the relocation of major employers from the suburbs, such as Quicken Loans and Blue Cross Blue Shield, the growth of existing institutions like Wayne State University and the Detroit Medical Center, and the redevelopment of historic landmarks into new re-tail, residential, and commercial space, it is critical that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Such landmarks as the State Savings Bank can now find new uses that preserve their irreplaceable historic charms thanks to historic preservation tax credits.

Luckily, the Historic District Commission saw the light. The plan to demolish the State Savings Bank was unanimously denied, with the Commission noting that the developer met none of the criteria to demolish the building. Over 750 letters were sent to the Commission in defense of the building by mem-bers of the community, and at the hearing, the State Savings Bank was saved from demolition. But the fight between preservation and parking is not over. Until communities are designed with residents, not automobiles, in mind, no piece of our architectural heritage can be truly considered safe.

August 21, 2013

Submissions PolicyThe Technician encourages any interested stu-

dents to attend staff meetings, held each Tuesday and Friday over the lunch hour in The Technician office, located on the 3rd floor of the Campus Cen-ter above the Sunrise Café. Student submissions are encouraged and will be published if their ma-terial is in the public interest.

Submissions or letters to the editor from fac-ulty 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. In-dividuals wishing to publish anonymously should consult the Editor-in-chief.

The deadline for the upcoming issue of The Technician is 8th Wednesday at 6pm. Expected dis-tribution is 9th Tuesday. Send submissions to [email protected].

An edition of The μTechnician is published every week on Tuesday. Submissions for content are due by each Monday at midnight, and event notices are due by Tuesday afternoon. Again, submissions may be sent to [email protected].


Heard On The StreetsAfter giving the freshmen a few weeks to adjust to

college life, The Technician editor Chloe Hauxwell went to Thompson Hall to ask some questions. Sev-en freshmen gave insight on their reasons for com-ing here and what they like about Kettering.

August 21, 2013

Colette UmbachFreshman, Computer EngineeringHow did you hear about Kettering?

My father works with Kettering co-opsWhat aspect(s) of Kettering made you want to come here?

LiteWhat is your favorite thing about the school?

The residence hall and all the awesome people

Eric KasperFreshman, Chemical EngineeringHow did you hear about Kettering?

A high school friendWhat aspect(s) of Kettering made you want to come here?

The co-op programWhat is your favorite thing about the school?

The small classes and small campus

Andrew MoehringFreshman, Mechanical EngineeringHow did you hear about Kettering?

Alumni father figuresWhat aspect(s) of Kettering made you want to come here?

The co-op program and technical focusWhat is your favorite thing about the school?

The awesome people

Janel JacksonFreshman, Industrial EngineeringHow did you hear about Kettering?

First teamWhat aspect(s) of Kettering made you want to come here?


The awesome people

Eli WardFreshman, Bio-ChemistryHow did you hear about Kettering?

School functionWhat aspect(s) of Kettering made you want to come here?

Early lab access and the co-op programWhat is your favorite thing about the school?

The professors

James RichardsonFreshman, Mechanical EngineeringHow did you hear about Kettering?

E-mail from KetteringWhat aspect(s) of Kettering made you want to come here?


Freedom in scheduling

Rose JoyntFreshman, Mechanical Engineering/Engineering Physics

How did you hear about Kettering?First

What aspect(s) of Kettering made you want to come here?

The small campus and co-op programWhat is your favorite thing about the school?

The interesting classes and social life


In PicturesAugust 21, 2013

Now that term is back in full swing, lots of events are happening on campus From top:

• Dog Days invites prospective freshman to come see Kettering and everything it has to offer.• To show that Greeks are involved in their com-

munity, ifc held a picnic bench building event. The resulting tables were donated to Habitat for Hu-manity.• After a massive upgrade of Campus Safety's ca-

pabilities, Mayor Dayne Walling joins the Kettering community is the grand opening of the new infor-mation center.

Photos are courtesy of Kettering Communication


Top, clockwise:

• Getting a co-op job is an essential part of the Kettering program.• Luckily for students, lots of employers showed

up for the summer career fair.• Demonstrating their connections to the indus-

try and the future, Kettering hosted an alternative energy car fair in the Pool.• As part of the Innovation Challenge, students

work to build the tallest structure using three decks of cards. The prize for winning is $100.

Photos are courtesy of Kettering Communication


NewsAugust 21, 2013

Ford Focus Comes to Kettering

By Robert HayesTechnician Staff

This month, Kettering’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering received a new set of wheels: a 2012 Ford Focus Electric courtesy of the Ford Motor Company. The new ride will be available for graduate and undergraduate research within the department through the Applied Power Electronics Lab, led by Assistant Professor Dr. Kevin Bai.

The Focus Electric is a battery electric version of Ford’s popular compact hatchback, and comes equipped with a 107 kw permanent magnet electric motor and draws its power from a 23 kwh lithium ion battery pack that when fully charged delivers a 76 mile range. Full charge comes in three and a half hours when connected to a 240v outlet thanks to a 6.6 kw on-board charger.

Photos courtesy of Kettering Communications

Continued from the front page

Dr. McMahan then broke down income, showing that 73% of it comes from undergraduate tuition. This is in contrast to other comparable schools, which typically have large endowments to draw out of. Rose-Hulman, for instance, receives only 40% of its income through undergraduate tuition. Sue Davies, Vice President of University Advancement, assured faculty and staff that Kettering is sharing information with schools like Rose-Hulman to ad-vance both schools. The total breakdown of income by percent can be seen in the accompanying graph.

Moving from income to expenditures, Dr. McMa-han showed the breakdown of a roughly 60 million dollar budget. There, compensation and benefits for employees accounted for slightly over two-thirds of all expenses. Debt services, the repayments the University makes on its outstanding obligations, accounts for slightly under four percent of the total budget. As with income, the accompanying graph shows breakdown by percent.

Since the University’s income was greater than its expenses, a portion of the surplus will be allocated to the cash reserves held by Kettering. Dr. McMa-han said that keep these reserves healthy, as they are now, is critical to prevent triggering repayment on our debt. The other portion of the revenue will be reinvested in the University. Some of it was al-located by the Board of Trustees to the endowment, currently around 70 million dollars. The rest will be distributed to the departments for one-time needs like new equipment. Dr. McMahan said half of all departments had responded to his request for feed-back on new purchases.

As for budgeting in the future, Dr. McMahan in-formed faculty and staff that the FY 13/14 budget had been approved by the Board of Trustees in June. The University is also moving toward a multi-year

President Hosts Town Hallmodel of budgeting, rather than the current year-by-year one. As part of these changes, performance reviews for faculty and staff are being reinstated.

A hot topic at the meeting was Kettering Din-ing Services, which drew some criticism for cost but wide praise for the services offered. Making comments about the student outcry to change, Dr. McMahan urged faculty to be receptive of the changes and support the administration in their ef-fort to have first-class capabilities on campus. Staff members questioned the prices of options, but were informed by the director of Kettering Dining Ser-vices that lead time contributed greatly to increased cost. Given advance warning, kds can offer better meals and cheaper prices compared to last-minute demands. Dr. McMahan also urged those in atten-dance to avoid the name "Sodexo" in talking about kds. When asked about the presence of Sodexo branding across campus, Nicholas Moorehead, General Manager for Kettering Dining Services, said that while branding was kept to a minimum, Kettering Dining Services is ultimately Sodexo. He also admitted to weaknesses in communication about the food services change, which are being cor-rected going forward.

Alumni relationships have historically been diffi-cult for Kettering, in large part because of the Gen-eral Motors Institute history. More than 400 alum-ni came back to campus to celebrate Professor Bell's 200th consecutive teaching term. Alumni also con-tributed more than $1.5 million towards The Profes-sor Reg Bell Endowment, supporting scholarships in Chemistry, Biology, and Bio-Chemistry. The University's fall campaign raised over $110,000, and gift commitments for this year sit at $7,007,114.69 versus $2,226,820.34 last year. The University has also contracted with Marts & Lundy for the capital campaign.

Enrollment is forever a topic of great concern, and yet again the numbers look better than the year be-fore. In 2012-2013, the freshman class number 458 students, which was 8% higher than the goal estab-lished by Kip Darcy, Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Enrollment. For the 2013-2014 school year, the class is expected to be signifi-cantly in excess of the 450 student target. Since Ket-tering accepts applicants up until the last B-section term in April, numbers are not set until then. How-ever, as of the meeting, 423 people had active depos-its to enter the freshman class compared to just 349 the year before (a 21% increase). 218 of those were current A-section students. A part of that increase is due to out-of-state admissions, which were also 21% higher, and international students, who now num-ber at 33.

The Oxford Virtual Academy, the online arm of Oxford Community Schools, has established a partnership with Kettering University. Kettering provides a Genesee County-based site for the non-virtual portion of the education. Several staff and faculty members mentioned that their children were enrolled in the school and taking advantage of Ket-tering's resources all ready.

Other topics mentioned briefly included the Staff fundrive, which saw giving up 12% (36% to 48%). Dr. McMahan said the number was a key indicator for external foundations looking at the health of Kettering.


Compensation & Benefits, 67.6%

Supplies, 2.4%

Utilities, 5.3%

Maintenance, 2.8%

Travel, 1.2%

Contracted Services, 6.0%

Other, 10.3%

Debt Services, 3.9%

University Expenses

Tuition & Fees, 82.4%

Auxillary, 7.6%

Endowment, 4.7%Gifts, 1.6% Other, 3.7%

University Income

All information came from slides presented by Dr. McMahan.In expenses, Other is a catch-all category for expenses that, by themselves, do not make up a significant portion of the budget.In income, Auxillary refers to income from business outside of Kettering's core focus (education), like food service.

The TechnicianPage 12 August 21, 2013

City of Flint Master PlanBy Matthew WhiteEditor-in-chief

In 1920, the City of Flint conducted its first mas-ter planning exercise. Forty years later, the city ad-opted the current master plan, which had big plans for a city that was growing around a bustling Gen-eral Motors-based economy. Fifty-three years later, the city, never the metropolis it had planned to be, has presented a new master plan proposal. Brought before the city council last week and open for public comment now, "Image Flint," a 174-page compre-hensive plan for the next twenty years and beyond, sets the stage for large changes in the way the City of Flint will function and better serve residents into the future. Over the next two pages, The Technician will break down the plan and comment on big changes.

Guiding Principles

Imagine Flint has six main themes:• Social Equity & Stainability• Reshaping the Economy• Quality of Life• Adapting to Change• Youth• Civic Life

Division of LandRather than treat the entire city as a homogenous

entity, Image Flint breaks the city down into eleven different place types (the descriptions are taken ver-batim from the plan):Traditional Neighborhood

The Traditional Neighborhood area where de-tached single family homes are the primary land use.Mixed Residential

Mixed Residential areas consists of a mix of unit types, including single-family detached, single-family-attached residences (townhomes, rowhomes, etc.) and multi-family buildings.Neighborhood Center

A Neighborhood Center on the other hand, is an area that serves as an anchor of commercial and so-cial activity for the neighborhoods that adjoin it.City Corridor

A City Corridor is an area of the City that ac-commodates a wide range of commercial and insti-tutional uses strung along a major roadway. Retail, service, and employment related uses typically pre-dominate along city corridors, with structures ori-ented toward the roadway.Downtown

There is only one Downtown. It is a unique place representing the most densely developed area with-in Flint. The downtown’s foundation is a core of mixed-use buildings, some exceeding 15-stories in height, with multi-family residential, institutional, and office uses located above ground floor retail and services commercial uses.University Avenue Core

The Institutional [sic] Core is also a high intensity district adjacent to Downtown Flint, where major institutions, such as a Hurley Medical Center and Kettering University form the central component.Commerce & Employment Center

A Commerce and Employment Center on the other hand, is around one large, or a cluster of small-er employment-related uses, including light indus-trial, research, and office.Production Center

Production Centers represent some of the com-munity’s largest employers and mainly consist of intense industrial uses that generate excessive noise, traffic or other nuisances, and need to be separated from less intense residential and commercial areasGreen Innovation

Green Innovation exist where a variety of innova-tive solutions have been used to repurpose largely vacant areas of the City, primarily for uses related to local food production, environmental sustainability, alternative energy, and other locally based “green” initiativesGreen Neighborhood

A Green Neighborhood is an area where previ-ously vacant or underutilized properties have been repurposed to create a low-density, residential neighborhood with a significant amount of land dedicated to green uses such as community gardens, small-scale urban agriculture, and small open space areas. If future investment and development should occur, it is possible for a Green Neighborhood to transition to a Traditional Neighborhood.Community Open Space

Imagine Flint Comprehensive Plan • August 12, 2013 • Draft For Review 75

Imagine Flint Comprehensive Plan • Transportation & Mobility Plan

STREET NETwORkfunctional ClassificationThe Transportation and Mobility Plan identifies the future classifica-tion of all roads in Flint according to a hierarchical system that is based on current and anticipated roadway operations throughout the network. The functional classi-fications used for the City’s streets are as follows:

InterstatesInterstates accommodate large volumes of traffic at high speeds with access points limited to interchanges at major intersect-ing roadways. The Flint area has access to I-69, I-75, and I-475 with major interchanges near Down-town and Bishop International Airport. The City should continue to capitalize on its high level of interstate access, though there are no major improvements planned to this portion of the system.

arterialsArterials are higher capacity roadways that move traffic from collector roads to interstates. Access along arterials is usually limited in order to increase traffic flow and level of service. Arterial roadways have been broken into two subcategories, principal arteri-als and minor arterials. Subsequent sections of this chapter describe how the safety and performance of arterials can be enhanced through reductions in conflict points and enhancements to the traffic signal network.

Principal Arterials typically carry higher traffic volumes and are spaced further apart than second-ary arterials within the City. Minor Arterials should provide more access points along a given route than primary arterials, and will generally accommodate lower traffic volumes.

CollectorsCollector roads are typically 2-lane roadways that provide access to adjacent arterials while linking land uses such as residential neighbor-hoods, parks, and schools to one another. Speed limits on collector roads are lower, usually between 25 and 35 mph. Collectors should continue to provide access to neighborhoods and help establish local character.

Local RoadsLocal roads provide direct access to adjacent land uses and are mostly located in residential areas. Local roads often allow on-street parking and permit relatively unre-stricted access. The posted speed limit on local roads is typically 25 mph.

Roadway JurisdictionThe City owns and maintains most of the surface roads within the municipal boundaries. Three of the major edge roads – Carpenter, Clio, and Center – are a shared responsibility between Flint and Genesee County. Hemphill Road is shared with the City of Burton. MDOT operates the three interstates and also provides the City with funding for the two state highways in Flint – Dort Highway and Corunna Road.

Mobility and access One-way to Two-way RestorationSeveral streets in Downtown Flint are one-way streets. However, this is generally unwarranted given the low traffic volumes on those streets. The City should con-sider the conversion of one-way streets to two-way, similar to the improvements completed in 2010 on Grand Traverse Street, Kearsley Street, and 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Streets.

The conversion of remaining streets to two-way traffic could have significant positive impacts for the Downtown, including greater navigability to local des-tinations and businesses, slower travel speeds that support pedes-trian safety, and increased use of on-street parking. However, each instance should be analyzed based on the following considerations:

•Impact on the overall circulation pattern of traffic in the Down-town area.

•Relationship to adjacent one-way pairs that may also need to be converted.

•Access to local businesses, desti-nations, or activity centers.

•Transit access and circulation for routes in and around the Downtown, including access to the MTA Transit Center on East 2nd Street.

Flint Rive

r

Grand Traverse St

Saginaw St

Kearsley St

2nd St

Court St

Church StBeach St

Harrison StWallenberg St

1st St

Oak StStockton St

Carrill Ct

6th St

7th St

3rd St

4th St

5th St

475

69

21

21

2010 Street ImprovementRemaining One-way Street

2010 conversions restored two-way traffic flow on some Downtown

Streets (orange). Remaining one-way streets (blue) should be considered for

two-way traffic restoration.



Right-of-way PreservationGenerally, roads in Flint are capable of carrying existing and anticipated traffic volumes. The proposed City-wide approach is to focus on the maintenance of the existing network and reduce the number of lanes on streets that operate under capacity and can accommodate other modes of transportation. However, there are specific portions of the City that the Future Land Use Plan identi-fies as economic or employment centers. The existing roadway capacity in these areas should be preserved to accommodate new investment and resulting traffic. Dort Highway is one example of this. Due to its interstate access and nearby rail infrastructure, Dort Highway will be the focus of economic development efforts to attract businesses reliant on multi-modal distribution. Dort Highway will be an important link for employees and freight traffic, and the current five-lane cross-section should be preserved.

Traffic CirclesTraffic circles are an effective way of managing traffic flow and improving safety at street intersec-tions. Traffic circles can improve intersection traffic capacity by up to 30%, and reduce injuries and crashes by up to 90%. They also reduce noise, emissions and maintenance, and allow for the removal of signals and related technologies.

Traffic circles reduce the number of vehicle-to-vehicle conflict points by three-quarters, and the number of vehicle-to-pedestrian conflict points by two-thirds. Traffic circles should be considered at major intersections throughout the City, though detailed analysis is needed to determine the viability at each location.

Important considerations regard-ing the installation of traffic circles include:

•Traffic volumes of intersection streets and the number of lanes necessary to accommodate that flow

•Availability of land to accommo-date the roundabout

•Education as traffic circles are introduced to a region for the first time

•Adjacent land uses and the types of traffic they generate (i.e. large trucks serving an industrial area)

•Coordination of signals in other areas of the network to manage flow into the traffic circle

Intersection alignment/ReconfigurationDue to Flint’s varying grid pattern and diagonal streets, there are several intersection where streets do not directly align. This results in potentially hazardous move-ments for vehicles, pedestrian and cyclists.

Opportunities for alignment or reconfiguration should be identi-fied in order to accomplish one or more of the following goals:

•Directly align side streets that intersect a collector or arterial.

•Create perpendicular intersec-tions that enhance visibility and safety.

•Consolidate the number of road-way segments intersecting at our near one location.

•Increase the spacing between intersections that cannot be consolidated.

1) Directly aligning side streets

3) Consolidating excess roadway segments

2) Creating perpendicular intersections

4) Increasing the spacing between intersections

Traditional intersection conflict points:32 vehicle-to-vehicle, 24 vehicle-to-pedestrian

Traffic circle conflict points:8 vehicle-to-vehicle, 8 vehicle-to-pedestrian

This traffic circle in Buffalo, NY demonstrates how complex intersections can manage traffic flow and community character.



Road DietsMany of Flint’s arterials and col-lectors are designed to accom-modate vehicular traffic flow far in excess of what the City can rea-sonably generate. Frequently, four travel lanes are provided, resulting in minimal or no accommodations for bicyclists or pedestrians. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) states that four-lane roadways with Average Daily Traffic (ADT) of 20,000 or less should be considered candidates for road diets, and that roadways with ADT of 15,000 or less have shown high levels of success related to safety, operations and livability.

Throughout Flint, four-lane roadways with ADT under 20,000 should be analyzed for the feasibil-ity of road diets, taking into con-sideration driveway density, transit routes, the number and design of intersections along the corridor, and other operational charac-teristics. The Genesee County Long Range Transportation Plan conducted an initial assessment of road diet viability for four-lane roads. This effort should serve as a basis for future anaylsis.Road diets can be tailored to specific areas of the City based upon localized goals and the role of a given street within the broader transporta-tion network. However, there are three general approaches for road diets as described below.

The implementation of these alternatives will depend on local operational characteristics, the desire to accommodate other modes of transportation, the desired character of individual neighborhoods, and the available right-of-way.

•Bicycle and Pedestrian Road Diet. In this alternative, space created through the reduction of travel lanes is used for dedicated bike lanes and expanded side-walks. This is effective in areas where non-motorized mobility is a priority.

•Transit Road Diet. In this alternative, transit vehicles are accommodated through shared lanes or dedicated turnouts that enhance safety and provide additional space for shelters and waiting areas. This alternative is best suited for corridors served by bus transit.

•Boulevard Road Diet. In this alternative, reduced travel lanes provide the opportunity for land-scaping and green space. Me-dians, expanded parkways, and other urban design elements can be installed to enhance neigh-borhood character on promi-nent streets. This alternative is effective on prominent streets where access to individual uses is not a priority.

Right-of-way width varies through-out the City. Principle arterial rights-of-way range from 65’ to 90’, minor arterials from 65’-80’, and collector streets from 60’-90’. (Many of the wider collectors, such as Chevrolet Avenue, are already configured as boulevards.) Depending on the preferred function of the roadway and the available space in the right-of-way, elements should be prioritized based on the following table. High priority elements should be provided in all cross-sections. Medium priority elements can be incorporated as space allows depending on right-of-way width. Low priority elements can be integrated only when high and medium priority elements are ac-commodated.

Travel Lanes Travel LanesLandscapedMedian

LandscapedCurbsideParkway

BasicSidewalk


BasicSidewalk

DedicatedTransit

Turnout Lane

DedicatedTransit

Turnout Lane

ExpandedTravel Lanes

ExpandedTravel Lanes


BasicSidewalk


BasicSidewalk

Center Turn Lane

DedicatedOn-StreetBike Path

DedicatedOn-StreetBike Path

Center Turn LaneTravel Lane


On-StreetParking

BasicSidewalk Travel Lane On-Street

Parking


BasicSidewalk

Road Diet MatrixIMPROVEMENT PRIORITy LEVEL by TyPE Of ROaD DIET

Minimum Space

Bicycle/ Pedestrian Transit Boulevard

Basic Sidewalk 5’ High High High

Landscaped Curbside Parkway 6’ Medium Low High

On-Street Parking8’ for paral-lel, 19’ for diagonal

Medium Low Low

Expanded Travel Lanes

10’, 11’ preferred

Low Medium Low

Dedicated Transit Turnout Lane 10’ Low High Low

Dedicated On-street Bike Path 5’ High Low Low

Landscaped Median 6’ Low Low High

Bicycle and Pedestrian Road Diet

Transit Road Diet

Boulevard Road Diet



Right-of-way PreservationGenerally, roads in Flint are capable of carrying existing and anticipated traffic volumes. The proposed City-wide approach is to focus on the maintenance of the existing network and reduce the number of lanes on streets that operate under capacity and can accommodate other modes of transportation. However, there are specific portions of the City that the Future Land Use Plan identi-fies as economic or employment centers. The existing roadway capacity in these areas should be preserved to accommodate new investment and resulting traffic. Dort Highway is one example of this. Due to its interstate access and nearby rail infrastructure, Dort Highway will be the focus of economic development efforts to attract businesses reliant on multi-modal distribution. Dort Highway will be an important link for employees and freight traffic, and the current five-lane cross-section should be preserved.

Traffic CirclesTraffic circles are an effective way of managing traffic flow and improving safety at street intersec-tions. Traffic circles can improve intersection traffic capacity by up to 30%, and reduce injuries and crashes by up to 90%. They also reduce noise, emissions and maintenance, and allow for the removal of signals and related technologies.

Traffic circles reduce the number of vehicle-to-vehicle conflict points by three-quarters, and the number of vehicle-to-pedestrian conflict points by two-thirds. Traffic circles should be considered at major intersections throughout the City, though detailed analysis is needed to determine the viability at each location.

Important considerations regard-ing the installation of traffic circles include:

•Traffic volumes of intersection streets and the number of lanes necessary to accommodate that flow

•Availability of land to accommo-date the roundabout

•Education as traffic circles are introduced to a region for the first time

•Adjacent land uses and the types of traffic they generate (i.e. large trucks serving an industrial area)

•Coordination of signals in other areas of the network to manage flow into the traffic circle

Intersection alignment/ReconfigurationDue to Flint’s varying grid pattern and diagonal streets, there are several intersection where streets do not directly align. This results in potentially hazardous move-ments for vehicles, pedestrian and cyclists.

Opportunities for alignment or reconfiguration should be identi-fied in order to accomplish one or more of the following goals:

•Directly align side streets that intersect a collector or arterial.

•Create perpendicular intersec-tions that enhance visibility and safety.

•Consolidate the number of road-way segments intersecting at our near one location.

•Increase the spacing between intersections that cannot be consolidated.

1) Directly aligning side streets

3) Consolidating excess roadway segments

2) Creating perpendicular intersections

4) Increasing the spacing between intersections

Traditional intersection conflict points:32 vehicle-to-vehicle, 24 vehicle-to-pedestrian

Traffic circle conflict points:8 vehicle-to-vehicle, 8 vehicle-to-pedestrian

This traffic circle in Buffalo, NY demonstrates how complex intersections can manage traffic flow and community character.

RoadwaysBeing a motor vehicle city, Flint has an astonish-

ing road system—more than 550 miles worth. The logistical challenges of repairing all of these roads puts the city on a 122-year maintenance program (given their current rate), which is wholly imprac-tical. Removing certain side streets and consolidat-ing miniature blocks into normal city blocks would save the city some effort.

Following on the 2010 improvements that re-moved one-way restrictions on some downtown streets (see map above), the new master plan propos-es converting the remaining streets. As the city no longer has the traffic it used to, the one-way streets cause unnecessary trouble without any benefit.

A reduction in traffic also reduces the need for the four-lane roadways throughout the city. The master plan would convert these through a process called "road dieting" into a more accommodating con-figuration for bikers, pedestrians, and mass transit options. Traffic circles (otherwise known as round-abouts) have also been proposed as a way to make intersections safer for pedestrians and bikers.



Imagine Flint Comprehensive Plan • Housing & Neighborhoods Plan

Community Resource: Flint Neighborhoods UnitedFlint Neighborhoods United is a coalition of block club, neighbor-hood association and crime watch captains and presidents who come together on the first Saturday of each month to share information and leverage their resources to create positive change through-out the Flint community. Groups like Flint Neighborhoods United should continue to be leveraged by City staff and officials as valu-able resources in identifying issues and vetting potential projects tak-ing place within Flint’s neighbor-hoods.

NEIGHbORHOOD aSSESSmENtMaintaining an updated inventory of Flint’s neighborhoods and local knowledge of existing conditions will be essential to the effective implementation of blight elimina-tion strategies and the investment of City’s resources.

Housing ConditionsAs part of the Master Plan process, City staff partnered with the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, and 27 community groups to perform a housing con-ditions assessment. This ground-level assessment provides an analysis of the general condition of housing throughout the city, and within individual neighborhoods. The conditions assessment was a foundational step for data gather-ing related to the Master Plan and should be updated every two years to help guide decision mak-ing processes regarding long term housing projects such as demoli-tion, new builds, and rehabilita-tion. The inventory will also allow the City and its partners to track stabilization progress within each neighborhood planning area.

assessment ProcedureCity staff partnered with the Community Foundation of Great-er Flint, and twenty-seven commu-nity groups to work together on this project. City staff held three trainings with the groups using a modified ranking system (1-5 scale) derived from Data Driven Detroit, and the Genesee County Land Bank. Participants were required to rank every residential parcel within their boundaries, either good (1), fair (2), poor (3), or sub-standard (4), including all vacant lots (VL) as well.

City-wide StatisticsIn all 52,095 residential parcels were assessed. Of those, 11,333 (22%) were vacant lots, and 40,762 (78%) contained a residen-tial structure. 25,957 (50%) were rated “good”, while 9,192 (18%) were rated “fair”. 2,840 (6%) were rated “poor”, while the remain-ing 2,774 (5%) are considered “substandard”.

Kearsley Reservoir

ThreadLakeThread

Cree

k

Kearsley Creek

Gilke

y Cree

k

Flint River

Flint River

Swartz Creek

Sagin

aw St

Dort

Hwy

Dort

Hwy

Fent

on Rd

Clio R

d

Balle

nger

Hwy

Saginaw St

Pierson Rd

5th Ave

Court St

Miller St

Court St

Robert T. Longway Blvd

Davison Rd

Corunna Rd

475

475

75

69

69

54

21

Good

Good/Fair

Fair/Poor

Poor/Structurally Deficient

Housing Condition assessment

HousingAccording to Imagine Flint, there are 52,095 resi-

dential parcels in the City of Flint. 78% contained houses, apartment buildings, or some other residen-tial structure. Only half of those were considered to be in good quality, with 11% ranked at poor or substandard. 22% of all residential lots (11,333) were vacant. A map of current housing conditions is seen above, with the lightest shade for "good," stepping down to "good/fair," "fair/poor," and finally "poor/structurally deficient."

The State Equalized Value average for housing val-ues is about $10,000. A significant portion of homes fall under that level, as shown in the lightest color at right. Slightly darker homes fall in the $10,000 to $20,000 average. The darkest areas have housing sev averages above $20,000.

Based on information about homeowners and those renting, Flint does not currently provide enough rental options. 43% of Flint residents rent, but only 23% of all residences are apartment build-ings. Part of the master plan is to create more spaces for non-property owning residents.

62 Imagine Flint Comprehensive Plan • August 12, 2013 • Draft For Review

Imagine Flint Comprehensive Plan • Housing & Neighborhoods Plan

market ConditionsWhen combined with an under-standing of housing conditions and vacancy, housing value and other market data provide an accurate picture of neighborhood quality. Market data also provide a means of quantitative bench-marking and assessing progress in areas targeted for investment and stabilization.

The following figure indicates housing values based on average State Equalized Value (SEV) for single family residential housing units. SEV is generally the equiva-lent of about half of market value. Areas with an average SEV below $10,000 are generally below the average for the City of Flint as a whole, while areas with an aver-age SEV greater than $10,000 are greater than average for the City of Flint as a whole. State Equalized Value and other similar market-driven data should be inventoried and assessed on a biennial basis in conjunction with a city-wide hous-ing conditions assessment.

LaND USE PLaN aS INVEStmENt fRamEWORkBuilding from community input regarding desired land use and development, the Land Use Plan was further refined utilizing the data discussed in the previous Neighbor-hood Assessment section. As such, the residential areas identified in the Land Use Plan represent a prelimi-nary framework around which City policies should be built. This frame-work should be used to focus City initiatives and prioritize investment of resources such as funding for demoli-tions and target areas for incentives funded through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

The following sections of the Housing and Neighborhoods Plan outlines a three-tiered approach to revitalizing Flint’s neighborhoods: 1) Neighborhood Stabilization, 2)Greening and Repurposing, and 3) Neighborhood Reinvestment. Strate-gies related to each tier are discussed with respect to the Land Use Plan.

michigan blight Elimination GrantThe Land Use Plan should also be used to coordinate the efforts of partner organizations such as the Genesee County Land Bank. For example, following completion of the housing conditions assessment the Land Bank and City partnered to apply for, and receive a $3.7 mil-lion grant to demolish 325 poor or substandard properties throughout neighborhoods in transition, or those showing early signs of vacan-cies and property maintenance issues. Furthermore, using this data the Land Bank and City partnered again in applying for $25 million in Federal demolition funding, po-tentially eradicating close to 2,000 structures throughout the city. In many cases, the areas targeted by these grants represent Traditional Neighborhood areas located adja-cent to large Green Neighborhood areas, and City Corridors.

Kearsley Reservoir

ThreadLakeThread

Cree

k

Kearsley Creek

Gilke

y Cree

k

Flint River

Flint River

Swartz Creek

Sagin

aw St

Dort

Hwy

Dort

Hwy

Fent

on Rd

Clio R

d

Balle

nger

Hwy

Saginaw St

Pierson Rd

5th Ave

Court St

Miller St

Court St


Davison Rd

Corunna Rd

475

475

75

69

69

54

21

Housing Market Value

Analysis performed in conjunction with Genesee County Land Bank

Under $10,000

$10,000 to $20,000

Over $20,000

a

Sagin

aw St

Dort

Hwy

Dort

Hwy

Fent

on Rd

Clio R

dBa

lleng

er Hw

y

Saginaw St

Pierson Rd

5th Ave

Court St

Miller St

Court St


Davison Rd

Corunna Rd

54

21

475

475

75

69

69

Green NeighborhoodTraditional NeighborhoodMixed Residential

Kettering's RoleBeing a keystone in the University Avenue Core

and a driving force behind the University Avenue Corridor Coalition, Kettering has a veritable role to play in its own neighborhood. While the city waits for Kettering to finish its own master plan-ning process, it does recognize the efforts the school has made to expand and reinvest in the surrounding neighborhood by buying 25 tax-foreclosed proper-ties and expressing interest in a further 70.

Other ChangesThere are various other changes discussed in the

plan that deserve some attention:• Restoring brownfield lots to greenfields• Repairing sidewalks• Switching street lights to led lamps• Brining grocery and food options into the city• Increasing police and fire staffing• Removing inefficient and dangerous dams• Investing in Bishop International Airport

The proposal remains open to public comment until October 15.


Arts & LifestyleThe Anime Corner

Ranma ½

By Mark GellisGuest Contributor

Once upon a time, there was a perfectly normal young man named Ranma Saotome who studied martial arts with his father. He had dedicated him-self to becoming a great martial artist. When his fa-ther learned of a mystical training ground in China, dotted with lovely springs, they both knew it was a perfect location where they could continue their studies.

Unfortunately, Ranma’s father had neglected to learn very much about the mystical training ground. Among other things, he had not learned that the various springs were cursed. Most of them were the site of some tragic drowning and anyone who fell into one of these springs was cursed as a result. When splashed with cold water, they take on the form of the person or creature whose tragic death had created the curse in the first place. Only by be-ing splashed with warm water could they restore, and only temporarily, their original form.

All this has taken place before the story actually starts. The first time we meet Ranma, he has al-ready fallen into one of the cursed springs. We do not even know Ranma is cursed because Ranma looks like a perfectly normal teenage girl, but she is arguing with a panda as she walks towards some unknown destination in the rain, which makes us suspect that something might be amiss. Suffice that

Ranma transforms into a beautiful girl when he gets splashed with cold water. His father, more or less fortunate depending on how one looks at it, gets turned into a panda.

Things do not improve for Ranma when he and his father finally reach their destination, the home and dojo of Genma Saotome's old friend, fellow martial artist Soun Tendo. It is now that Ranma learns his father and Tendo long ago agreed that Ranma would someday marry one of Tendo's three daughters. Tendo has no sons and was afraid there would be no one to inherit his dojo, the Anything Goes Martial Arts School. The two older sisters, Kasumi and Nabiki, quickly foist Ranma off on the youngest daughter, Akane. Akane is actually not a bad match for Ranma because she too is a dedicated martial artist, but neither is very happy about the idea of an arranged marriage.

It does not help that Ranma is currently a girl. It really does not help that Ranma is a girl and has larg-er breasts than Akane does. Nor does it help when Ranma takes a hot bath, is turned back into a boy, but is unable to explain things before he is discov-ered in the bath by Akane, who does not realize he is Ranma and assumes he is an intruder and a pervert. Much screaming and throwing of heavy objects en-sues. And this, as the saying goes, is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

The curse is finally explained to the Tendo family, but this is not the end of Ranma’s tribulations. He

and his father decide to stay for an extended period with the Tendos, and Ranma starts attending school with Akane. As her betrothed, he now has to deal with the rich and pompous Tatewaki Kuno (who has a crush on Akane and so hates Ranma but falls in love with his female form because he does not know they are the same person) and his equally loopy sister Kodachi (who promptly falls in love with Ranma).

To make matters worse, as if such a thing were pos-sible, it not long before various people from Ranma’s past start showing up. This includes the Chinese Amazon Shampoo, who, for reasons too complicat-ed to explain here, is trying to kill the female version of Ranma but also wants to marry the male version.

Since Ranma has very little control over when he changes form—it can be anything from rain to get-ting knocked into a pool by accident—he often finds himself rapidly shifting between being an object of desire and a target of death threats.

Bob Hope is reputed to have said that the essence of comedy is a man in trouble. That is not a bad way to describe Ranma ½. Ranma is constantly in trouble (and it is often his own fault) and most of the show is very funny.

Ranma ½ is one of the classic anime series; it is one of the shows that introduced Americans to an-ime. Kettering University library has a copy of the first (and probably the best) season of Ranma ½. Do yourself a favor someday and give it a try.

Review of La AztecaBy Erin BoyseOnline Editor

La Azteca Taco House is located less than a mile from campus at 1902 W Court St. It may not look like much from the outside, but the food is ex-cellent. They have all the options you would expect from a typical Mexican restaurant and the food is reasonably priced.

They have both a lunch and dinner menu, with lunch about $5 and dinner options for around $10. Some of the lunch items include enchiladas, tosta-das, burritos, tamales, quesadillas, an ob-viously tacos. They also have some other options; for anyone not in the mood for Mexican, they also serve hamburgers, wings, and French fries. There is even a kids menu if you happen to be with someone under the age of 10.

You can eat in or order take-out and the staff are very friendly. The wait time to receive your food while eating at the restaurant is not long, although this may depend on the time and day you visit. The atmosphere left something to be desired,

as the seating area is rather small and plain. How-ever, this is more than made up for by the quality and quantity of the food.

The best part of the experience of eating there is that the portion sizes are huge. You will most likely need to take the leftovers home with you, meaning that you are actually getting two meals for the price of one. This may actually be something you want

to keep in mind while ordering, as you may decide to choose something that will still taste good when reheated the following day.

The food pictured is the taco salad which was ordered. This seemed like an almost unreasonable amount of food which could have been shared amongst more than one person. The plate was piled high, causing the delicious mixture to be difficult to eat as it kept falling off of the plate. Still, the slight inconvenience while eating was insignificant due to the fresh-ness of the lettuce and tomatoes and the delicious taste of the ground beef.

Also ordered were beef enchiladas, which arrived with mouthwatering rice, refried beans, salad, and a small taco. Al-though it was way too much food for one person to eat alone, the whole meal was absolutely delectable.

If you are looking for some excellent Mexican food, La Azteca is definitely somewhere you will want to check out.

Photo courtesy of Miss Boyse


BunchyJust Desserts

By Rebeccah MacKinnonTechnician Staff

Bunchy, the rabid squirrel, got a phone call just as he was sitting down for his afternoon tea and nut cupcakes. It was Allaya, summoning him to yet an-other crime scene. Looking mournfully at his snack, Bunchy scampered on down to the crime scene, which he was shocked to find was the very same San-ta Monica, California bakery from which he bought his cupcake.

Sandhya, the baking assistant, was face down in a vat of Chloe’s famous vanilla bean butter cream frosting. According to the coroner, cause of death was asphyxiation, likely brought on by anaphylactic shock. Ms. Emma was lactose intolerant, meaning she was allergic to dairy.

Chloe Coscarelli, the bakery’s owner, was ex-tremely distraught. Bunchy got the following state-ment from her:

Sandhya was alone in the bakery last night, prep-ping for the next morning. She must have tripped and landed in the butter cream. I don’t know what I’ll do without her! She was right there beside me and kept me grounded after my initial burst of pop-ularity in the cupcake world.

After interviewing the owner, Bunchy took his as-sistant aside. “This was no accident,” he said. “This was murder.”

What made Bunchy suspect foul play?

Editor's Note: The entire situation presented is fic-tional and in no way represents the character of any individuals mentioned.

If you think that you know the answer to this edi-tion's Bunchy puzzle, then e-mail us at [email protected]. The answer to this puzzle will be pub-lished in the third edition along with another mystery.

Answer to "Orchestrating a Murder":Elias, an American, would not have known that

the song being played was "God Save the Queen" unless he was in attendance. An American would as-sociate that melody with "My Country 'Tis of Thee." Congratulations to Perry Adkins for being the first to submit the correct answer!

August 21, 2013

Puzzles & ComicsThe Cubicle Life of the

Common Co-opTime Management

By Libbi StaplesCartoonist

xkcdAnti-Glass

"Why don't you just point it at their eye directly?" "What is this, 2007?"


Offering Complete Auto RepairASE Certified TechniciansShow your Kettering ID for a discount!

Chet’s Auto ServiceOpen Monday–Friday 8–5:302820 Corruna Road(810) 767-9201

Crossword By Colleen ChavisOn the Topic of Movies

Across 1. Jimmy Stewart, in a wheelchair, with binoculars (2 words) 4. Animated interpretation of classical music 5. 1st word: "a soft, moist, shapeless mass of matter"; 2nd word: a fabrication or invention 7. Features the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man 13. Heart of Darkness set in the Vietnam War (2 words) 14. "We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are. I'm no different." 16. "I was hiding under your porch because I love you." 17. Journey to P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney (2 words) 18. Set in a world with rodents of unusual size (3 words)

Down 2. Includes a cathartic attack on office equipment (2 words) 3. Adventures of a trash compactor 6. Keaton, McManus, Fenster, Hockney, Verbal (3 words) 8. Based on The Scarlet Letter (2 words) 9. Lots of spotted puppies 10. ____ deadly sins 11. A ____ retires replicants (2 words) 12. "You're gonna need a bigger boat." 15. Continuation of Firefly

Documents

Issue 2, Summer 2013