American Flag Flies Again at Lake Superior State University,ย Now That Adjustments to Second Pole Have Been Completed
Sault Ste. Marie, MI โย Lake Superior State University has resumed flying the American flag at its second site, now that adjustments to the pole have been made.
The flagpole in question, adjacent to the Central Heating Plant, is technically a cell tower that, at the top, can fly a flag. The structure, spanning 110 feet tall, is the larger of LSSUโs two locations that fly flags. The other, an actual flagpole in the middle of Pleger Commons, a grassy expanse at the center of campus, has been flying continuously. The flag that LSSU flies on the cell tower stanchion measures 38 feet x 20 feet. The flag on the smaller Pleger Commons flagpole is 8 feet x 5 feet; that pole reaches 56 feet high.
โAs a U.S. Army veteran, as a former Eagle Scout troop leader, and as the son of a military man, itโs with pride and relief that I can finally declare: Lake Superior State University is again flying the U.S. flag on both of its flagpoles,โ said LSSU President Rodney S. Hanley. โOur campus makes a point to do our civic duty and uphold American patriotism.โ
The cell tower dates to 2006 and is leased to a vendor. The current merchant wanted to expand services to customers and, therefore, had to modify its lease and upgrade its equipment. Negotiations began in March 2019 and concluded a month later. Finalizing the redesign and securing the technology took several months, as did solving engineering snafus and flag-flying problems along the way. Plus, the long and dangerous winter season in the Upper Peninsula prevented workers from scaling the post then. One of the fixes involved increasing the diameter of the top 324 inches of the pillar from 24 inches to 42 inches to allow the flag to fly.
โI salute the efforts of all involved,โ President Hanley concluded.
About Lake Superior State University:ย Lake Superior State University is one of Michigan’s most affordable public universities with One-Rate at Lake State tuition for all. Surrounded by three Great Lakes, LSSU is an unsurpassed location for research, innovation, and real-world experiences. Signature programs include fisheries and wildlife management, engineering, nursing, criminal justice, business, robotics engineering, and fire science. In 2019, Lake State launched the first cannabis chemistry program in the nation. LSSU also was the first campus nationwide to offer an accredited four-year fire science program; it is one of three in the U.S. LSSU was the first campus nationwide to offer an accredited four-year robotics engineering technology program and is the only university nationwide to offer undergraduate education in industrial robotics.ย LSSU also offers several certificate programs, including a one-year culinary arts chef certificate at its 5,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art Les Cheneaux Culinary School in Hessel. Regional centers are in Escanaba, Iron Mountain, and Petoskey. LSSU opened its newest location in St. Helen in 2020. Additional LSSU hallmarks include the annual Banished Words List that receives worldwide media coverage and a student-run Atlantic salmon hatchery at its renowned Center for Freshwater Research and Education. LSSUโs NCAA Division I hockey team has won five national championships; men compete in five other sports and women in six at the Division II level. Lake State was founded in 1946 in Sault Ste. Marie, the oldest city in Michigan (1668), on the site of the former U.S. Armyโs Fort Brady. Lake State has approximately 2,000 undergraduate students, with 88 percent coming from Michigan, and with every county represented. Ninety percent of full-time students receive financial aid.
Caption:
The larger U.S. flag flies again at Lake Superior State University, as depicted in these photos.
