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MCCC nuclear

tech plans notaltered by Japan

Tyler EagleAgora Reporter

The recent tsunami and earthquakein Japan has the world questioningthe safety of nuclear power, but theseevents wont affect MCCCs new nu-clear tech program.

MCCC President Dr. David Nixonand Jack Davis, the senior vice presi-dent and chief nuclear ofcer of DTEEnergy, signed an Agreement of Under-standing on Monday, Feb. 28, to cre-ate a nuclear engineering technology

(NUET) program.While the announcement of theNUET i f

Photo courtesy of DVIDSH

Wreckage as a result of the earquake and tsunami that hit JapMarch 11.

MCCC plans tomove forwardwith programdespite quake

and tsunami

Itsdenitely

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agleeporter

artnership with DTE En-MCCC will begin offeringear engineering technologym for the 2011 fall semester.

s program is good for the, good for DTE Energy andor jobs, Jack Davis, the se-ce president and chief nucle-er of DTE Energy, said.

development of the nuclearering technology programnown as NUET) began in

when the college was ap-ed by DTE Energy. Theny was concerned about aning shortage of qualiedrs.

h of the nuclear energyorce will be retiring withinxt ve years, and severalportunities will be openingto a projected shortage of

r professionals, accordingGrace Yackee, MCCC viceent of Instruction.

CC President David Nixone thinks the NUET pro- most benecial aspect willemployment possibilities itfer students.

most excited about the

m for the job opportunitiesents, Nixon said.

is also said he thinks theportunities open to NUETtes will be plentiful.

e nuclear industry needsained employees, not onlyace those currently in theut also in the future. Thats

his is such a forward-look-ogram. Davis said.

CC students have beeno study nuclear engineer-chnology since 2008, buthrough a partnership withnd Community College ofnd, Ohio, and DTE Energy.usly, LCC granted the de-o students who completedgram, but now MCCC will

degrees to its students.

MCCC faculty, members ofthe MCCC curriculum commit-tee and Industrial Tech DivisionDean Peter Coomar wrapped upwriting the curriculum in De-cember 2010. Six courses wereapproved by the curriculum com-mittee, according to Nixon.

With approval of the curricu-lum for the new nuclear courses,it becomes an MCCC program,accredited by the National Nucle-ar Accrediting Board.

The program will be able totake 20 students a year, accordingto Nixon. The new Career Tech-nology Center, projected to be

completed and open for the 2012-2013 school year, will house theNUET program.

An associate of applied sci-ence degree in nuclear engineer-ing technology will be the degreeoffered at MCCC. The collegewill create and maintain its ownprogram, with the help of DTEEnergy, which puts emphasis onwritten and oral communication,mathematics, science and techni-cal skills.

We will be among the 40 oddprograms in the country at theAAS level, recognized as beingprepared to offer a program by

the Nuclear Energy industry,Coomar said.

We have the support of DTEEnergy and internally have quali-ed faculty to teach supportcourses in the program. This willbe a feather in our cap as far asnew programs go in our division.

In addition to receiving a di-ploma, students who achieve aB average (80 percent) or higherin courses that contain core fun-damentals and discipline-speciclearning objectives will be award-ed a certicate from the NationalAcademy for Nuclear TrainingBranch.

MCCC will be responsible forthe stafng and equipment re-quired for the Nuclear Engineer-ing Tech program. Classes willtake place on MCCCs campus,as well as DTE Energy.

DTE Energy will act as a contactfor review of the curriculum, likeit did with the program at LCC,and may also provide equipmentessential to the program.

Enrollment through the part-nership with LCC has totaled 80students since January 2008, ac-cording to Mark Hall, director ofAdmissions.

We have had two graduating

classes with 16 total I expect another eiggraduate this spring,

Current students stithe ability to nish ththrough LCC, accordi

The partnership has expired, howevecommitted to nish tstudents by the languexpired agreement, H

With MCCC startiprogram, it will act asgranting institution fostudents, as well as

dents in the LCC prwish to transfer to MC

uclear tech program to be offered Fall 201

Continued from Page 1

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more because a thorough investigation of theJapan nuclear reactors may result in a wholenew list of safety training and strategic plan-ning of additional nuclear power plants.

Nixon also feels that if nothing else, theNUET program will be benecial in the pro-cess of lling slots that will become openwhen technicians retire with qualied re-

placements.Even though the tsunami and earthquakes

in Japan may slow down growth of new nu-clear power plants in America, there are stilllarge numbers of nuclear technicians neededto replace those who are retiring, Nixonsaid.

There are several ways to donate to relieffunds for Japan, many of which are used insocial media outlets and popular online mu-sic stores.

Most notably, Apples iTunes Store hasnow added a feature that allows users to di-rectly donate money. Users can click on theicon on the homepage and be directed todonation options, which are processed thesame way as a purchase would.

Also, donations can be made through theRed Crosss Facebook page. Donations can

be made through the cause feature, or doneby using a text message option.

Nuclear tech studentsneeded to replace retirees

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_____________________________________________________________________

2012 Michigan Community College Press Association Judging Form

Place of award:First Place Second Place Third Place Honorable Mention

Category: In depth reporting

Headline/title of entry: MCCC nuclear tech plans not altered by Japan, etc.

Contestants name: Tyler Eagle

College name: Monroe County Community College

Judges comments:

This is a smart follow on a world event that could have resonance locally, and the mainstory asks good questions and does a good job of presenting the answers. It wouldhave been stronger had you brought in outside voices, people who dont have a stake in the programs success, to talk about the prospects for the nuclear industry and for thelocal plants that the college is working with.

The second piece does what it needs to do, but Im not sure readers required that levelof mundane detail. It probably could have been reduced to a much shorter sidebar.