Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Welcome back!

The Japan-U.S. Program of MTSU will host a reception to welcome new Japanese students, their friends and all students enrolled in Japan-related courses from 5-6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1 in the SunTrust Room of the Business Aerospace Building. A follow-up party, or niji-kai, will be hosted by Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, program director, at his home, 202 Eventide Drive in Murfreesboro, at 7 o’clock that evening. Kawahito says the second
Party has become very popular and has attracted 70 to 80 persons in recent years. All interested parties are invited. Dress is casual.

For further information, especially about directions and parking, call the Japan-U.S. Program at 615-898-2229 or send an e-mail to japan@mtsu.edu

A different take on Hugo Chavez

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been “unfairly demonized by the American press over the last four or five years and called a ‘dictator,’” Dr. Sekou Franklin, political science, says. But he adds this depiction of Chavez is “factually inaccurate and a distortion of major proportions.” Franklin recently returned from a trip to Venezuela, where he met with social activists and community leaders, as well as the major opposition group to Chavez. He concludes, “The real angst about Chavez is that he has taken the oil industry profits, which have historically served the interests of the top 5-10 percent in the country, and is now using it to serve the interests of the poor.”

Contact Franklin at 615-898-8232.
franklin@mtsu.edu

Blue Raider barbecue

Few people can turn down free barbecue, but the Blue Raider Blast from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. TOMORROW at Smyrna’s Lee Victory Park offers much more. MTSU Director of Athletics Chris Massaro and MT head coaches Rick Stockstill (football), Rick Insell (women’s basketball), Kermit Davis (men’s basketball) and Steve Peterson (baseball) will be joined by University President Sidney A. McPhee to meet fans and share exciting news about the upcoming athletic seasons. There will be inflatables, face painting and music for families to enjoy. Crosslin Supply will provide the food from Bob’s Barbecue. Free and open to the public. Media welcomed.

For more information, contact Patience Long at 1-800-533-MTSU (6878).



TR EXTRA

RUN FOR THE VETERANS--Pay tribute to the MTSU faculty, staff, alumni and students who lost their lives while serving in the armed forces by taking part in the MTSU Veterans Memorial Run/Walk at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. There will be individual and team awards for top finishers in all age and gender divisions. Each pre-registered entrant will receive a race T-shirt. Early registration is $15, and online registration will close at 8 p.m. Central time Friday, Sept. 15. All proceeds will go towards construction of an on-campus memorial to military personnel. Media welcomed. For more information, contact Maj. Chuck Giles at 1-888-682-7682 or cgiles@mtsu.edu

GET A HEAD START ON TAILGATING--Football weather has not arrived yet, but plans are in the works for the upcoming football season. This year, the MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pregame will be held from 7 p.m. unil 11 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26. Tickets will be $20 if purchased by Tuesday, Aug. 22, or $25 at the door. The ticket price includes an exclusive preview of Murfreesboro’s newest restaurant, Kirkenburt’s Smokehouse Grill, wine, beer truck, soft drinks, music, door prizes and more. Parking will be available at Central Middle School. All proceeds from Pigskin Pregame will benefit the Rutherford County Chapter Scholarship Fund. Media welcomed. Contact the MTSU Alumni Office at 1-800-533-MTSU (6878) or visit mtalumni.com.

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.

FAIR ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE--Memorabilia and free goodies will be available at MTSU’s booth at the Wilson County Fair Aug. 18-26 at the James E. Ward Agricultural Center in Lebanon. The fair is regarded as the top fair in the state and is listed in the Top 20 Events in August by the Southeast Tourism Association. Wilson County alumni and personnel from MT athletics, athletic marketing and the alumni office will be staffed starting at 5 p.m. on weekdays and virtually all day on two Saturdays, Aug. 19 and 26, and Sun. Aug. 20. The fairgrounds are located one mile off Interstate 40. Festival goers should take I-40 to exit 239B, then U.S. 70 West. Contact the MTSU Alumni Office at 1-800-533-MTSU (6878) or visit wilsoncountyfair.net.

BAKE IT AND TAKE IT--The Blue Raider Bake Off and Blue Raider Bash are slated for 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29 next to Cummings Hall. Members of the campus community will enter delicious desserts for a chance to win a tailgate party to feed 15 people. There are two categories—one for students and one for staff, faculty and administration. There will be a winner in each of the two categories. The applications are available at http://www.mtsu.edu/~nsfp.Click on Welcome Week, then Big Fat Blue Raider Bake Off, then application. Fill it out and turn it in to Keathley University Center, Room 326. MTSU student athletes will be on hand and there will be plenty of barbecue. All the eats are FREE, and the event is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Media welcomed. Contact Rob Patterson, coordinator, New Student and Family Programs at 615-898-2454 or rpatters@mtsu.edu

AGRARIAN ART—“The Upper Cumberland Collection: The Plateau Years” is on display at the Baldwin Photographic Gallery through Sept. 8. These photos are by Jack Stoddart, who began his career photographing a disappearing culture between 1971 and 1974. The gelatin silver images became a mainstay of future exhibits chronicling the last vestiges of an agrarian lifestyle that still existed in rural north central Tennessee. There will be a lecture by Stoddart at 7:30 p.m. on Wed., Sept. 6 in Room 104 of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building. A reception will follow in the gallery. Exhibitions are free and open to the public Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Sat. Noon-4 p.m. For more information contact Tom Jimison, curator, at 651-898-2085 or tjimison@mtsu.edu

FAT ISN’T PHAT--Greg Critser, author of Fat Land, will be MTSU’s University Convocation speaker at 2 p.m. Sunday, August 27 at Murphy Center. Fat Land, which investigates why 60 percent of Americans are now considered overweight, is this year’s summer University reading selection. The book examines the many factors involved in American life—from supersizing to Super Mario, from high fructose corn syrup to the high cost of physical education in schools. The annual convocation welcomes new students into the MTSU learning community with faculty marching in regalia, dramatic music played by the university band, and explanations of MTSU traditions and rituals. Free and open to the public. Media welcomed. (Listen to a radio interview with Greg Critzer on “MTSU On the Record” at 7 a.m. Sunday, August 20 on WMOT, 89.5 on your FM dial..) Contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919 or news@mtsu.edu