Students living in the campus dorms or even off-campus apartments will tackle roommate issues during the school year. Resolving conflicts with roommates helps students develop social skills that will help them secure jobs post-graduation, according to Becky Cornell, Hall Director for the Palmerton and Connolly dormitories.

“These are the skills employers look for-  that you can work with your co-workers and communicate,” said Cornell.

In the School of Mines dorms, resident assistants (RAs) distribute Roommate Agreement contracts during the beginning of the year that each room must fill out. The contracts make roommates discuss preferences and determine conflict resolution strategies. Yet even with the contracts, roommate conflicts still arise in the dorms.

“I think the biggest thing is taking the roommate agreements seriously when you first fill them out,” said Cornell.

Cornell said that a student’s year will be much more enjoyable if he or she can appreciate roommates.

“Even if they seem quirky or different to you, you should just be open to their differences,” said Cornell.

Since the majority of students’ time is not spent in the classroom but instead spent in their living quarters or with other people, it is important to get along with roommates in order to keep life from becoming miserable.

Having discussions right away about overnight guests, cleanliness and study preferences will reduce future conflicts.

“I think the biggest issue is that when stuff does come up they don’t approach their roommate about it and they let it fester- and often times the other roommate doesn’t know that they’ve done something wrong,” said Cornell. “And often times they will go to everyone else and tell them about it without talking to the roommate about it first.”

Communicating to roommates about irritants right away lessens problems. Cornell said that students often just stop talking to their roommates all together, yet they still expect the roommates to know what is going on.

“If they don’t know that having socks left on the floor really irritates you, they can’t change that behavior,” said Reeny Wilson, Resident Life Director.

Yet Cornell said that sometimes it is not easy to talk to the person about the problem.

“I think one thing to recognize is that you aren’t alone in feeling intimidated by talking to them about it,” said Cornell. “To approach a conflict takes both courage and humility. And the courage comes in by just stating to the person what’s happening, what you’re seeing and what the facts are. Like saying ‘You bring your boyfriend over every night.’ That’s a fact, and it takes courage to say that.”

“After you state the facts of the conflict, you should let your roommate know what that is like for you by saying something like, ‘So you bring your boyfriend over every night and that makes it hard for me to study and it makes that hard for me to sleep.’ And that’s the courage factor of it,” said Cornell.

After you tell your roommate the facts and how you feel about it, you then should tell them how it is impacting you, according to Cornell.

“Then you open up the dialogue with them. Ask them where they’re coming from and how they are feeling about it,” said Cornell.

She also said a great skill to use is called contrasting. First you tell your roommate what you don’t want them to hear you say, and then you tell them what you do want them to hear you say. Cornell’s example for contrasting is saying, “I don’t want you to think I don’t like you or that I think you are a bad roommate, but I do need some time without your boyfriend here.”

Cornell said that sometimes it helps to practice talking to a friend or an empty chair while pretending that person is there.

“Also prepare yourself for any reaction that they may have,” said Cornell. “They might get angry but the thing is that we can’t control other peoples’ emotions. Those emotions are their choice.”

“When you go into a confrontation you don’t have to think about it as if you are going to smother the person or put them down ,” said Cornell. “If a roommate can think going into it that ‘I’m going to build my relationship with my roommate’ instead of ‘I’m going to fight them,’ then they can be closer that way.”

For more information on roommate conflict resolution, visit the School of Mines Resident Life website at http://reslife.sdsmt.edu/roommies.html or check out the book Crucial Conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high by Kerry Patterson et al.

The School of Mines received word this summer from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) that it has been accepted as an NCAA Div. II institution. The Hardrockers applied to become NCAA affiliated June 1, along with Black Hills State University and 10 other NAIA institutions.

“This is fantastic news for the Hardrockers,” said School of Mines President Dr. Robert Wharton. “Our student-athletes are incredible in the classroom and on the field, and this move allows us to pursue greater opportunities for growth and development of talent. This is a great benefit for the community and our alumni as well. It raises the stature of our athletic programs, and we anticipate much greater community interest and involvement.”

The Hardrockers now begin the three-year process of transferring to NCAA Div. II affiliation from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). SD Mines will remain in the NAIA and the Dakota Athletic Conference for the 2010-11 season, followed by a year of candidacy and then a year of probation before gaining official NCAA Div. II status for the 2013-14 season.

The transition affects the athletes in different ways. Graduating seniors will not see any changes, juniors and sophomores will not get to experience being a part of NCAA Div. II, and freshman will be the first graduating class to experience being a part of the new NCAA Div. II legacy.

“This is very exciting for the future of Hardrocker athletics,” said SD School of Mines Athletics Director Dick Kaiser. “It is the beginning of a new era that will open up all sorts of positive possibilities for our student-athletes and alumni.”

With NCAA Div. II status granted, the next task will be identifying an athletic conference to join. Currently the Hardrockers have received interest from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Both leagues are looking to expand membership and talks have been ongoing with both School of Mines and Black Hills State.

“I have five degrees, so I have plenty of experience in getting degrees!” said Logar. “Not all faculty would agree with my answers so I’d like to be clear that these are my opinions based on my experience… Going to graduate school completely changed my life so I am pretty enthusiastic about encouraging others to go.”

Read the following interview with Dr. Logar to find out if graduate school should be pursued.

Why should seniors consider going to graduate school?

There are many reasons to go to graduate school, but I will give you three that were important to me when I decided to pursue an advanced degree:

1. You really get to know your subject area. As an undergraduate, you are pulled in many directions in order to get a broad education, but as a graduate student, you just take courses in your major (or closely related fields), so you can focus on one subject. Plus, if you pursue research at the graduate level, you will have the opportunity to be one of the world’s experts in something, which is a pretty nice feeling. Keep in mind that some people who had good but not spectacular undergraduate records will be super-stars in graduate school because of the increased focus. A lot of career paths open up when that happens.

2. You have broader job opportunities. Some jobs require an advanced degree, and even if you take a job that doesn’t, you are more likely to be identified for a leadership position if you have the advanced degree. When I was in industry, all the team leaders had at least an M.S. It wasn’t a requirement for the job, but they seemed to be the first people tapped to move up. I like to tell people that an advanced degree often makes the difference between taking the job you can get and getting the job you really want.

3. Money. I would never counsel someone to pursue a degree just for money, but it is a reason to consider graduate school if you are also excited by the idea of greater job satisfaction. The last time I ran the numbers, a person with an M.S. can expect to earn over $300,000 more over their career than a person without one. That’s an average, obviously, and it is in today’s dollars. However, just think about that – an M.S. typically takes 2 years, sometimes less. Career-wise, you are earning $150,000 per year for those two years in school, while the real benefits are the enhanced opportunities and job satisfaction when you graduate (the real reasons you went to graduate school in the first place). It’s a nice bonus.

To give you a sense of just what an accomplishment an advanced degree is in science and engineering, consider that 27% of the U.S. population holds a Bachelor’s degree. Only 9% hold an advanced degree. Only 10% of degrees are conferred in science and engineering. That makes you a member of a very select group – the less than 1% of the population with an advanced degree in a technical field.

How do you choose a university?

I think that depends on your goals. Let me give you two common scenarios:

- Student A wants both broader and deeper exposure to topics in his field. He is not interested in a Ph.D. and really isn’t interested in a significant research project. In that case, I would suggest a university that has a wide array of course offerings, with the caveat that the really big schools don’t “waste their time” on M.S. students. It’s all about the research Ph.D.s in those places. So, Student A chooses a university large enough to have a nice selection of courses but small enough to not get lost in the crowd.

- Student B wants a Master’s degree and is interested in research. She may want to go on for a Ph.D. but isn’t sure. She really wants to become a subject matter expert in a particular area of her major. My advice for this student is to go to a university that has both an M.S. and a Ph.D. program in case she decides to go for the Ph.D. Enrolling in a different Ph.D. program from your MS degree can have pitfalls relative to counting credits and getting into a research program. I would recommend going to the same school for both the M.S. and the Ph.D. A student who does research at any level has one critical task – to find a good advisor. What makes a “good advisor”? Someone who is doing interesting work, is willing to have you work on the project, will take the time to teach you what you need to know to succeed, and in general, looks after you. When I defended my Ph.D., I stayed at my advisor’s house. We were in it together, and he was there for me every step of the way.

Can you apply to a graduate program in a field other than your B.S.?

Yes, but you may need to take undergraduate courses to fix deficiencies in your background. A common place to switch areas is to go into Engineering Management. I would venture to guess that most people who get an M.S. in EM do not have an undergraduate degree in the subject. Having the subject matter expertise from an engineering or science B.S. and adding an EM master’s is a potent combination for climbing the corporate ladder on the management side. The subject matter M.S. is a great way to climb the ladder on the technical side (and most corporations have both advancement paths).

How much does grad school cost?

That’s a tough one because it depends on where you go. To go to graduate school here at SDSM&T, without any financial support, costs $6,000 (resident) to $10,000 (non-resident) per year, plus living expenses. SDSM&T is one of the best deals in the country for a graduate degree. My alma mater would cost over $60,000 per year. Are the more expensive schools worth the money? In my experience, it’s all about the advisor, and there are great advisors in many less expensive schools. Of course, there are a number of ways to ease the financial burden of graduate school.

How can you get money to pay for graduate school?

Most institutions offer two main kinds of assistance:

• Teaching Assistant – The student is paid to teach a class or a lab and, in exchange, receives a salary and usually some sort of tuition remission. At SDSM&T, for example, students only have to pay one-third of in-state tuition and receive a stipend as part of the TA package.

• Research Assistant – The student is paid to do research with a faculty member. The money for an RA is usually from a grant that the faculty member has submitted. The RA also has a salary and tuition remission.

In addition, there is often hourly work available (grading papers, monitoring labs etc.), but that money may not have tuition remission attached to it, so you must consider that question. Finally, there are Fellowships and Scholarships from the institution and from private foundations and government entities. The graduate office here can help you start looking for those. Some companies will pay for you to take graduate classes, but consider two things when looking at those programs. First, you will still have to meet your job obligations while taking classes, which can be very difficult to do. That’s particularly true if you also have a family. Also, you might want to make sure that you are still eligible for any pay increase that someone with an advanced degree who is newly hired would get. Some companies consider paying for your tuition a fair trade for a pay increase. I always advocate going straight into graduate school from your undergraduate program. It’s a lot easier than working while you go to school (which I did for my M.S.).

What matters the most when applying to grad school?

GPA does matter. It’s the first thing I look at when I am evaluating an application. Many schools will require at least a 3.0 to go to graduate school and the higher your GPA, the more likely you are to be accepted. So if you have a 3.5 or above, you are probably going to have a good chance of getting accepted somewhere. But let’s suppose that you have over a 3.0, but not much over, or you have a 3.5 and you have your heart set on a particular graduate school that is very hard to get into. Are you doomed? Not at all. Good GRE scores will help mitigate a low GPA, as will campus involvement. However, the strongest asset in your portfolio is undergraduate research. That experience is an incredibly strong indicator that you will be a successful graduate student. So if your grades aren’t at the top, try to become involved in undergraduate research, including writing a grant with a faculty member, writing a paper for a conference or journal, and making presentations at conferences. These things have a big impact on your evaluation no matter how high or low your GPA is. And, it doesn’t hurt to study for the GRE.

What is the main thing graduate schools look for in potential students?

I believe applicants are evaluated on one main criteria, namely, what is the probability that this student will be successful in the program? Being enthusiastic about the program, having the proper background or being willing to acquire it, and knowing what you want out of the graduate experience are key qualities in a successful candidate. When I take on a graduate student, I am devoting time, energy, and money to that student and am putting a part of my career on the line by accepting that person as a colleague. So I need to feel pretty strongly that this student will work hard, be ethical, be a good collaborator, and will finish the degree. This is particularly true at the Ph.D. level.

How can you prepare yourself as an undergraduate to be a great candidate for grad school?

As a sophomore, you should already be thinking about graduate school. Build a resume of professional activities, such as conferences attended and undergraduate research, and keep it in your mind that it’s not going to be “four years and out” for you. Of course, you need to pay attention to your grades. However, I think a real key is to make the decision that you are interested in graduate school as early as possible and find a faculty mentor. A faculty mentor can help you make course selections that will help in graduate school and get you involved in other activities that will make you a strong candidate. If you stay at SDSM&T, you will have an advantage in identifying research opportunities through your mentor, and if you go elsewhere, you may be surprised what a faculty advocate can do to help you get into other programs. We all know people at other universities and networking is as valuable in academia as it is in industry. What if you don’t see the light until you are a senior? Can you still go to graduate school? Yes, of course. Keep in mind that the earlier in your senior year that you apply, the better your chances for getting financial support. If you really want to go to graduate school, however late that realization dawns upon you, you can make it happen.

How credible are online graduate programs?

That’s a difficult question. Some online programs are highly credible and others are just a profit center. For example, SDSM&T offers some degrees via distance education and the standards are just as rigorous as for on-campus students. I’m sure that is true for most institutions that have on-campus and distance offerings of the same course. Of course, I think half the fun of going to college at any level is the chance to meet and socialize with the interesting people in my classes, so I always advocate being on campus whenever possible. However, for people already in industry who need to upgrade their skills, I think there are indeed credible online options.

Is it okay to go to graduate school at the same university you completed your undergraduate degree?

Yes. I have often heard people say it is a good idea to go to different schools to get a different perspective, and there may be some truth to that in some situations. However, I think the relationships you have already built with faculty as an undergraduate at your current institution can be very beneficial for finding just the right research program and the right advisor.

If you are interested in graduate school here at SDSM&T, a good place to start is to look at the material at http://graded.sdsmt.edu and to talk to the faculty in the department in which you are interested. The staff in the Graduate Education Office will help you any way we can.

The fall season is finally here. The Tech Soccer Club is again preparing for the Great Plains League which starts within the next two weeks.

“The soccer season is definitely one of the highlights of the year” says Matthew Johnson, senior civil engineering student, and one of the team leaders. “It requires some time commitment but it is a great way of getting into shape, taking a break from the books, and getting to know people.”

The Tech Soccer Club plays one home game and one away game against each Great Plains League team. They will battle South Dakota State University, Augustana College, North Dakota State University, University of North Dakota and Minnesota State University at Moorhead.

“Getting together a consistent group of players who can commit to playing both home and away games is key in order to succeed in the league” said Austin Nelson, a graduate student that has been involved with the club since his freshman year.

The team is currently welcoming new players. Soccer practices are at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (subject to change) on the practice field behind the King Center gymnasium. Games are played on the weekends.

The Tech Soccer Club encourages students who are not playing on the team to cheer at home games.

“Having someone watch and cheer us on is always a great motivation and we encourage people to come and watch our games,” said Ziad Zuhair, an industrial engineering sophomore from Saudi Arabia.

Sad that World Cup is over? Luckily there are live games to be watched here in town throughout September and October! All home games are played at Sioux Park on the west side of town.

Contact soccer.sdsmt@gmail.com if you are interested in joining the team and/or want to know more about the soccer activities the club is involved with throughout the year.

Date               Time               Opponent

Sept. 11         5:00 p.m.        SDSU
Sept. 12        10:00 a.m.      Augustana
Sept. 25        7:00 p.m.        UND
Oct. 9             7:00 p.m.        MSUM
Oct. 10          10:00 p.m.      NDSU

Locations: All at Sioux Park, Rapid City.

Gone are the lazy days of summer… wakeboarding, swimming, waterskiing, tubing, knee-boarding, and the ever challenging sport of tanning.  It’s nearly impossible to get the perfect tan (via old-fashioned UV rays from the sun, not a tanning booth).  Fair-skinned blondes like myself tend to turn the flattering color of tomato-red, followed by peeling, and then possibly turning a slightly darker shade of off-white.  Others seem to never overcome the challenge of the farmer’s tan- more often the farmer’s burn. Another attractive look is the sock tan line (plus it shows that you put safety first by wearing boots to mow and such).  We must not forget those who remember to protect their eyes with stylish sunglasses.  My newest sunglasses fetish may make me look totally rad, but when I walk in a building and remove my sunglasses, my tan lines are revealed, showing off my winter-time color.

Soon blizzards will be blowing in and tennis, golf, and all water sports will cease to be played outdoors.  But don’t fret!  Technology has provided us with game consoles such as the Wii and virtual golf to help us make it through the long, cold winter months.  Even for those who just play recreational mini-golf, disc golf, and yard games, Wii Sports Resort offers a virtual likeness to play inside while a rain, snow, or sub-zero temperatures prevent you from exploring beyond the confines of your home.  Additionally, Sports Resorts also has canoeing, wakeboarding, and jet-skiing – the canoeing is actually very tiring.   But hey, maybe you want to pick up a new winter activity!  You could cross country ski, ice skate, or even join a curling team!

A new intramural season is underway, and with the new season comes new intramural directors in charge and new students participating.  This season, Rachel Janzen, assistant women’s basketball coach, will take over the fall intramurals and Jennie Malone, assistant women’s volleyball coach, will run the spring intramural season.  They will take over for Jennifer Ranum, assistant athletic trainer, due to her new responsibility as the NCAA Compliance Director.

With a new season come a new coveted t-shirt for the championship team.  Last year, the black and white intramural championship t-shirts donned the phrase “We bust ours to kick yours” around campus?  Are you wondering how you could get your hands on one of the new championship shirts?  Well, you could start or join and intramural team.

The process to partake in intramurals is quite easy.  First, find some friends, residents in the dorm, or class mates and form a team. Then, one must only E-mail the roster to Janzen at rachel.janzen@sdsmt.edu.

Currently, intramural flag football and wiffle ball is underway with games beginning Tuesday September 7th.  Kickball, 3 on 3 basketball and volleyball are other intramurals students and staff can participate in throughout the fall season.  A variety of intramurals will be available to become a part of next semester as well.  These include water polo, 5 on 5 basketball, indoor soccer, and dodge ball.

Two of the most life changing events in a senior’s life at the School of Mines are M-Week and the fall Career Fair. M-Week is the time where seniors wear their senior hats with pride, hunt for garters at local bars and march up M Hill to set up their plaques all while welcoming the final chapter of their schooling. For some, the fall Career Fair is crucial in tying up a grown-up job before they walk across the stage to receive a diploma.

So what do these events have in common this September? They both happen to fall within the same week this year. At the end of this month, seniors as well as younger students will have to make some important decisions.

Why did the School of Mines schedule these events on the same week?

“The Career Fair and M-Week just happen to fall on the same week because of the football schedule,” said Mike Keegan, Student Activities Coordinator.  “It is not intentional. It just happens like that from time to time.”

Even though the Career Fair falls on Tuesday, Sept. 28, many businesses stay around a few days later to do follow-up interviews. While this would normally pose as a great opportunity for students, on an eventful week such as M-Week, other activities might take precedence.

“I am definitely going to put the M-week activities as first priority,” said chemistry junior Kelsey Koch. “I may be slightly biased seeing as how I’m planning on going to Medical School and there isn’t much use in me going to the Career Fair… but regardless, M-week wins.”

M-Week is full of fun activities throughout every day. The night before the Career Fair consists of an introduction to the homecoming candidates. Tuesday night is a favorite among all ages: free ice cream at Armadillos and a free movie at the Elks movie theater. Wednesday is full of activities in the Quad as well as a hypnotist in the Ballroom that evening.

“It is going to be tough to juggle M-Week activities, the Career Fair, as well as a full class load all in one week,” metallurgical engineering senior J.D. Russo said. “The Career Fair and classes have to take priority over M-Week activites, but I’ll still find time to enjoy the events put on by the school.”

Those three days are prime time for seniors and other students to prep for the Career Fair. Students should be busy editing and updating resumes, ironing suit jackets, fixing hair and hopefully getting enough sleep to look fresh for possible future employers. But with M-Week roaring with traditional activities, students will be forced to make decisions that would normally not be a big deal.

“Occasionally the two events happen on the same week, like this year,” Dean of Students Dr. Patricia Mahon said. “Although it makes for a busy week, students should still be able to participate in the Career Fair/next-day interviews and then also attend any M-Week activities scheduled in the evenings.”

To have a great time staying up late and celebrating or to act professional and be well rested and nail the interview? It is a tough decision but every student will have to decide.

Career fairs, which the School of Mines has been holding for more than 20 years, are win-win situations for both students and employers. These events provide students the opportunity for direct contact with employers. The connections students make with employers can lead to interviews and result in job offers. For employers, career fairs offer an excellent way to get to know students beyond their resumes and to identify those students who are a good fit for their organization.

Traditionally at career fairs, students hand copies of their resumes to recruiters for them to review and ask questions. That is still common practice at most career fairs. However, some employers now no longer accept resumes at career fairs and instead tell students to apply online through their company’s website.

Occasionally some students get upset at employers that won’t take their resume and think they are getting the “brush-off” by being told to apply online. However, that is not the case. In these cases, online applications usually are a required part of the company’s process. Unless candidates apply online, they will not even be considered.

Being told to apply online causes some students to question the value of attending career fairs. However, students should take advantage of the opportunity to visit with the recruiters and get some advice on the company’s application process. For example, students might ask recruiters questions such as:

• What can I do to increase my chances of my resume being noticed online?
• What is the most critically important information to include on my resume?

Even though some employers may not take your resume, their recruiters may write down the names of students who impressed them at the career fair. After the career fair, the recruiters may search for those students’ applications in their online system and bring them to the attention of the hiring managers.
Thus, students should never pass up the chance to make a good impression and to be professional in their interactions with employers.

Regardless of whether employers take your resume or tell you to apply online, career fairs remain a very important tool in the job search process. They provide priceless opportunities for students to have face-to-face conversations with employers and sell themselves that likely wouldn’t be available to them otherwise.

Band: The Gaslight Anthem Album: American Slang Rating: 5 stars Genre: Alternative Rock Released: June 15, 2010

Are you one of those people who, at the end of the year, glance through a list of albums of the year and you haven’t listened to any of them? Well, you don’t have to be that guy (or girl) this year… just pick up a copy of The Gaslight Anthem’s new album, American Slang and get start listening to what is sure to be topping the lists at the year’s end!

With the phenomenal success of 2008’s The ’59 Sound, The Gaslight Anthem garnered both positive critical reviews and a much larger fanbase. Fans wondered if they would be able to achieve success again with their third full length release, American Slang.  Originally formed back in 2005 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the four-piece have certainly managed to repeat their success with this new album.

The ten-track album (or eleven, depending on whether you get the bonus tracks version or the normal version) kicks off with the band’s first single, “American Slang”, which has more mainstream appeal than previous albums or any of other songs on the album. New listeners should also check out “The Spirit of Jazz” and “Old Haunts”, both of which show The Gaslight Anthem at its best.

Trying out a new sound for an entire album is a notoriously risky thing for a band to do. American Slang, however, manages to keep the band’s original punk Springsteen sound while still moving in a newer, more straightforward alternative rock direction. What the band has lost in raw intensity, it has definitely gained in thoughtfulness.

Themes from The ’59 Sound have carried through to this new album, from their lyrics full of ‘50s/‘60s nostalgia to their signature Jersey sound to the rollicking choruses that can be found on nearly every song. The lyrics are perhaps starting to focus a bit more on storytelling than the heartbreak and regret that featured in previous releases, but still retain their clarity and emotional quality.

So, if you want to listen to an album that rocks out but can still appeal to a choosy listener, then The Gaslight Anthem’s American Slang is for you!

Team player: Tom Lunzman is a civil engineering senior who is one of the football team captains.

Tom Lunzman, civil engineering senior, is September’s Senior Spotlight for many reasons. He is one of the Hardrocker Football Team Captains, a hardworking free safety, and a four-time All-Conference Player.  Lunzman hails from the great state of Nebraska, where his interest in football started early watching the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhuskers dominate the field.  In his four year career, Lunzman has also torn up the field gaining respect from his teammates, coaches, and opponents.

Making a run for it: Lunzman sprints across the field with the ball.

“Beating BH (Black Hills State University) my sophomore year is by far my favorite memory,” said Lunzman.  The legendary game Lunzman is referring to occurred the 2008 season, in which the Hardrockers defeated the Yellow Jackets 24-23.  This game led to the creation of the epic “Fear What Sting” t-shirts.

Lunzman hopes to make new lasting memories this year. “I’m looking forward to having an experienced team this year,” said Lunzman, “Knowing your teammates and having chemistry helps make a championship team.”

The Hardrockers started off their season with a big win over Montana Tech 13-6. “It was a good start to the season and it is always a good thing to win on the road,” said Lunzman.