Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Fancy footwork

The fastest feet in Fayetteville belong to Kory Posey, a 21-year-old MTSU senior recording industry major with a house full of trophies attesting to his expertise in the fine art of clogging. Kory will put his fancy footwork to the test in competition Friday, July 7, and Saturday, July 8, at Uncle Dave Macon Days in Murfreesboro. “I started when I was five years old with my dad and my aunt,” Posey says. “They started taking lessons because they thought it would be fun just to have something to do.” Posey says precision clogging is more syncopation-based, whereas old-time clogging and buck dancing require the dancer to stay in lockstep with the beat.

Contact Posey at 931-205-1190.
kkp2c@mtsu.edu
pposey@copperweld.com

Stars and stripes a-sizzlin’

By a single vote, the U.S. Senate yesterday rejected a proposed Constitutional amendment to ban flag-burning. The 66-to-34 tally fell short of the two-thirds majority required for approval. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism professor and First Amendment expert, says the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that flag-burning was a form of “expressive activity” protected by the First Amendment. He notes that many people who consider themselves patriotic wear the flag as an emblem to express their sentiments. “Well, people who burn the flag are trying to express a sentiment, too—an unpopular sentiment, to be sure, but an idea, nevertheless,” Burriss says. “And the danger we get into is when we try to decide which sentiments or ideas are appropriate and which are not.”

Contact Burriss at 615-898-2983.
lburriss@mtsu.edu

I demand a recount!

Should the popular vote determine the winner of presidential elections instead of the Electoral College? A movement called the National Popular Vote is pushing state-by-state to make that a reality. Dr. John Vile, political science chair and Constitutional scholar, says, “For a long time, I thought that an election like that of 2000, which gave the vote to the individual who did not win the popular vote, would doom the Electoral College. But I found the reaction to the election (albeit, not to the Supreme Court decision in Bush v. Gore) to be relatively mild. I think the idea of pledging to support the popular vote winner is ingenious, but I wonder how many states will really want to commit themselves to suport a candidate that they themselves did not favor?”

Contact Vile at 615-898-2596.
jvile@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

FROM CAMP TO COLLEGE--Kayley Kravitz is a veteran of all three years of Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp. She studied guitar, bass and piano. In the fall, the 18-year-old graduate of The Webb School in Bell Buckle will attend Boston’s Emerson College, where she will major in journalism with an eye to becoming a music journalist. Simultaneously, Kayley will minor in music at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. She encourages parents to enroll their daughters (ages 10-18) in this year’s camp, which is slated for July 31-Aug. 5. “Not only will they get to learn the ins and outs of the music business—they will gain a self-confidence that will benefit them for the rest of their lives,” Kayley says. Deadline for open registration is FRIDAY. Contact Kelley Anderson, Anna Fitzgerald or Courtney Sharpe at sgrrc05@gmail.com or call 615-294-3216.

A SLICE OF LIFE—FRIDAY, noon--The Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Summer Bridge Program at MTSU is coming to a close for 27 college freshmen. At noon FRIDAY, there will be an awards program in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. The guest speaker will be Rev. Vincent Windrow, vice president, Zycron Computer Services, Inc. For the two-and-a-half weeks, the students have spent 12 hours a day in math, chemistry, physics, computer science, aerospace and writing classes under the direction of Dr. Barbara Knox in order to sample a taste of college life. Media welcomed at the awards ceremony. Call Knox at 615-898-5311 or bknox@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 through June 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.

GET ACCUSTOMED TO IT--Nine sessions of orientation for new students, called CUSTOMS, will be offered in 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 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. Tune in to WGNS-AM 1450 on July 4 starting at 3 p.m. for any changes in the day’s schedule of activities.