Thursday, June 22, 2006

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Dissenting for democracy

Some bold college students in Syria are stepping forward to advocate democracy in a land where martial law has been in force since 1963. Muhammad Arab was suspended by the University of Aleppo when he beat a Baath Party candidate in a 2004 student election. When he protested in Damascus, he was put in jail, beaten and threatened. Dr. Allen Hibbard, English, who taught at Damascus University from 1992 to 1994, says, when he was in Syria, “the government exercised tight control over university affairs. (The Baath Party had offices on the first floor of the College of Letters, where I taught.)”

Contact Hibbard at 615-494-8809.
ahibbard@mtsu.edu

Person-to-person or computer-to-computer?

Dr. Tom Brinthaupt, psychology, has summarized the final results of the 2005 EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research study. The report compares MTSU students to other students in their use of educational technology. What does the future hold? Brinthaupt says, “Many educators believe that hybrid courses (i.e., courses that include the best of both face-to-face and online components) will be the dominant course delivery approach in the future. A typical hybrid course might meet face-to-face only once or twice a week rather than three times a week. When students can access lectures, readings, and other course material online, more time can be devoted to in-class exercises, discussions, and applications pertaining to the course content.”

Contact Brinthaupt at 615-898-2317.
tbrintha@mtsu.edu

Humor with a drawl

Today’s Southern stand-up comics are only the latest in a long line of rustic funny men, says Dr. Sara Dunne, English. “Much of the humor of recent Southern stand-up comedians comes from a long tradition that began as the ‘humor of the Old Southwest,’” she notes. “Tennessee’s own George Washington Harris created a 19th century character, Sut Lovingood, who is hardly distinguishable from Larry the Cable Guy in terms of crudeness, bodily humor (somewhat more politely expressed) and general cussedness. Sut, in fact, describes himself as a ‘natural-born durn fool.’”

Contact Dunne at 615-898-2688.
sdunne@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

SAVE THOSE TICKETS!—Due to illness, “Fresh Air” radio show host Terry Gross was notable to fulfill her previously scheduled commitments at MTSU. Her appearance has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 19. Marc J. Barr, electronic media communication, says new tickets will not be printed. Therefore, people with the original April 17 tickets are encouraged to keep them for the September event. For more information, contact Barr at 615-898-5118 or at mjbarr@mtsu.edu.

SCIENCE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE--Select students from Chattanooga’s Dalewood Middle School will visit MTSU TODAY for their annual “Building a Bridge to College” summer workshop. They will be under the guidance of alumnus and Dalewood math and science teacher Buddy Sullivan (B.S. ’70). MTSU faculty, staff and students from the campus organization Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) will provide the youngsters with a taste of college life. Workshop topics include “Connecting toYour Heritage,” “You and the Force,” “WISE Chemistry,” and “Microscopic Investigations! CSI at MTSU.” Media welcomed. Contact Randy Weiler, news and public affairs, at 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu.

THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES—TODAY, 7 p.m.--“Rethinking the Civil War at 150 Years,” a panel discussion featuring Civil War experts, will take place TODAY in the State Farm Lecture Hall in the Business Aerospace Building. Two of the topics will be the opening of the new visitors center at Stones River National Battlefield last spring and the ongoing effort to create a park to commemorate the battle of Franklin. Dr. Dwight Pitcaithley, MTSU’s 2006 Visiting Distinguished Public Historian, will lead the public forum. Pitcathley was chief historian for the National Park Service from 1995-2005. During Pitcaithley’s residency, he is teaching Current Issues in Public History Practice, a course for M.A. and Ph.D. students in the public history program. Media welcomed. Contact Dr. Rebecca Conard, history, at 615-975-0593 or
rconard@mtsu.edu.

TEACHING ANDREW JACKSON--MTSU and The Hermitage are collaborating in a “Landmarks of American History Teacher Workshop” funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. “The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson, and “America 1801-1861” will be offered June 25-30 and July 10-14 at The Hermitage. These workshops will enable K-12 educators to intensify their study and increase their knowledge of important historical topics through direct on-site experiences. Topics to be explored include “Growing Democracy,” “Cotton Economy and Slavery,” “Indians and Westward Expansion,” “Reform and Religion,” “Women’s Lives in a Changing America,” and “Developing a Distinct American Material Culture.” Contact Dr. Janice Leone, history, at 615-898-5580 or jmleone@mtsu.edu.

A PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS--Twenty-seven college freshmen are in the midst of the second of three weeks of the Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Summer Bridge Program at MTSU. Under the guidance of Dr. Barbara Knox, director, and various MTSU faculty, the students are spending 12 hours each day in various classes, including math, chemistry, physics, computer science, aerospace and writing in order to get a taste of college life. They also will visit other colleges and universities in the alliance. On FRIDAY, they will visit the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, then spend the next 24 hours visiting Dollywood and Pigeon Forge Mall. Contact Knox at 615-898-5311 or bknox@mtsu.edu.

GET ACCUSTOMED TO IT--Nine sessions of orientation for new students, called CUSTOMS, will be offered in June and July for freshmen and transfers on a first-come, first-served basis. Students pursuing majors in the colleges of Basic and Applied Science and Mass Communications and undeclared majors will have CUSTOMS June 23-24, July 11-12 and July 24-25. Students pursuing majors in the colleges of Education and Behavioral Science, Liberal Arts and Business and undeclared majors will be held July 6-7 and July 20-21. Transfers may complete CUSTOMS online and be cleared by their advisers to register for fall classes. For more information, call the Office of New Student and Family Programs at 615-898-5533 or visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs.

HEAD FOR THE MOUNTAINS!--Some 16 MTSU alumni and several faculty members have contributed to the newly published “Encyclopedia of Appalachia.” The title has more than 2,000 entries which provides ready reference to information about the people, culture and history of Appalachia. MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation was contacted by scholars at East Tennessee State University’s Center for Appalachian Studies and Services about collaborating on the project. CHP Director Dr. Carroll Van West says he agreed to participate because of his interest in southern architecture and because the Applachian region suffers from stereotyping. Contact the Center for Historic Preservation at 615-898-2947.

STAR-SPANGLED PARTY—INDEPENDENCE DAY--Once again, MTSU will host “Celebration Under the Stars.” The party will start at 5 p.m., Tuesday, July 4, on the intramural field. There will be games and activities for the youngsters from 5-8 p.m. There will be prizes and promotional giveaways. Wal-Mart will donate the “Celebration Under the Stars” birthday cakes. At 8 p.m., the Murfreesboro Fire Department’s color guard will present the colors. The Tennessee Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra will perform patriotic tunes, Sousa marches and inspirational classics. Capping off the evening’s entertainment will be the traditional fireworks display at 9 p.m. Contact Marlane Sewell, steering committee chair, at 615-896-6710.