Thursday, May 31, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song and I’ll try not to sing out of key.

Forty years ago tomorrow, one of the classic albums of all time, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” by The Beatles, was released. “We are still feeling the ripples of its splash into the popular music pond,” Dr. Paul Fischer, recording industry, says. “In the late 1960s, rock ‘n’ roll was morphing into Rock, a rapidly maturing genre of popular music that had pretensions to Art. [Sgt. Pepper’s], the first to include a full-length lyric sheet, exhibiting recorded complexities inspired in part by The Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds’ LP, advanced that cause substantially. Using only two four-track recording machines (primitive by today’s standards), The Beatles looped sound, overdubbed, and phase-shifted their way well beyond pop moptop-hood.”

Contact Fischer at 615-898-5470.
pfischer@mtsu.edu

From horsey to healthy

What does equine cloning have to do with human prostate cancer? Well, Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, tells us that some of the technical difficulties scientists encounter in equine cloning “are related to lower concentrations of calcium ions in cells and an associated slower rate of cell activity than is observed in many other mammals, including humans.” Dr. Gordon Woods and his team at the University of Idaho observed “in addition to low calcium ion concentrations, horses have a zero handicap when it comes to fatal cases of prostate cancer. In men, however, of all metastatic cancers, 13 to 14 percent are of the prostate. Woods wondered if understanding the chemical roles of calcium ions in cell activity, and reproduction in particular, might not lead to breakthroughs in treatment of prostate cancer.”

Contact MacDougall at 615-898-5265.
pmacdoug@mtsu.edu

Journalism by remote control

A newspaper editor in Pasadena, Calif., recently posted an ad in search of someone to cover Pasadena city government and politics—from India. The editor justified his action on the grounds that the Internet would enable the reporter to cover the meetings via streaming video and conduct interviews via e-mail. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says, “Unfortunately, this is just one more example of the shambles the Internet has made of culture and communications. Most newspapers and many broadcast outlets still use what’s called a ‘beat’ system. A reporter is assigned to a beat—say, city government, the police, the school system—and is supposed to become really familiar with the issues and personalities in that particular area. You would have lunch or dinner with, maybe, the head of the school board. You would spend time at the police station or riding in a patrol car. The idea is you can’t really cover a story unless you know the people involved and are familiar with the background.”

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

TR EXTRA

LET THE ROCK ROLL--Time is running out to register your daughter for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. The final day of registration is TODAY. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org/, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

THAT’S A TAKE!--Don’t wait to give your child an exciting, fulfilling way to spend part of his or her summer! Registration runs through June 15 for another recording workshop for children ages 12-17 at MTSU. The workshop will be conducted from June 21-July 15 in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building under the tutelage of Ryan York, who also teaches guitar, bass and drums at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro. For a fee of $125 per student, York will introduce the youngsters to cassette four-track recording, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. The workshop is sponsored by the Youth Culture and Arts Center, a project of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, a nonprofit organization. For more information, or to enroll, contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, ALFIE?--Grades, standardized tests and a reward/punishment system of behavior modification can be hazardous to your child’s educational development. That’s the belief of education reform activist Alfie Kohn, who will speak at MTSU’s inaugural Positive Behavior Support Conference for teachers only June 2. “Kohn is a sometimes controversial and often irreverent speaker, but he always challenges us to look beyond the façade to the important issues affecting children and the quality of their education today,” Dr. Connie A. Jones, chairwoman of the Department of Elementary and Special Education, says. Kohn’s four-hour workshop, titled “Beyond Bribes and Threats: Realistic Alternatives to Controlling Students’ Behavior,” will begin at 8 a.m. in Room 221 of the Learning Resources Center. Other education sessions will be held up to the event’s scheduled 3:30 p.m. conclusion. Teachers may learn more and register by contacting Linda Copciac at 615-898-2680 or at lcopciac@mtsu.edu.

GET IT WRITE!--Thanks to generous matching grants totaling $90,000, MTSU soon will embark upon its third annual Middle Tennessee Writing Project (MTWP), an on-campus writing institute for select teachers of kindergarten through college students, on June 4-29, and three Youth Writer’s Camp sessions, which are two-week intensive writing camps held Mondays through Thursdays for students from Rutherford and other local counties. Michael Shoulders, author of V is for Volunteer, a book about Tennessee, will be the guest author at all three youth camps. The MTWP is one of 185 sites of The National Writing Project, a federally funded program launched in 1974 by professors at the University of California at Berkeley. For more information about the MTWP, including the Youth Writer’s Camp, access its Web site online at http://www.mtsu.edu/~mtwp. For youth camp registration information, contact coordinator Marcy Pfleuger of Eagleville School by calling (615) 274-6320.

FIT FOR LIFE--MTSU faculty and staff will be heading back to work this summer—work on their bodies and their lives in the third incarnation of the MTSU Faculty-Staff Wellness Program slated for June 4 through August 17. Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance, says overweight or obese employees should participate and, if they already exercise, their strength and cardiovascular fitness and cholesterol numbers should still see some improvement. The 100 participants will undergo fitness and flood testing during the week of June 4. In addition, they will have individual 30-minute consultations with a registered dietitian and a life skills coach on examining the barriers to improving a healthy lifestyle and ways to address those barriers. Post-program testing is scheduled for the week of August 13. Contact Anshel at 615-898-2812 or manshel@mtsu.edu.

HOME ON THE ROAD--The Middle Tennessee Association of Realtors has donated $1,000 to the Habitat for Humanity Bike Challenge in sponsorship of MTSU student Chris Sterling. Chris will ride the northern route form New Haven, Conn., to Seattle, Wash., this summer. Claire Covic and Morgan Goepel, also from MTSU, will ride the southern route from New Haven to San Francisco, Calif. Each route is 4,000 miles long. Riders are slated to begin on both routes and a central route June 2. Each student is being asked to raise $4,000. “Every night, the riders will give presentations and answer questions in churches and community centers, trying to increase Habitat's visibility, stimulate the formation of new chapters, and encourage donations,” according to http://www.habitatbike.org/. Profiles of Chris, Claire, and Morgan are accessible at that Web site. For assistance in locating the students, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Design for living

For the first time ever, MTSU’s Department of Human Sciences has honored members of the faculty with interior design awards. Members of the student chapter of the American Society of Interior Deisgners (ASID) recognized Sharon Coleman, Dana L. Miller and Dr. Janis Brickey, all assistant professors of interior design, April 26 for their exceptional contributions to the students’ learning within the field of design, says Dr. Deborah Belcher, faculty adviser. Coleman developed and led study tours to New York and abroad and developed computer-assisted design courses and 3-D software programs. Miller has helped to write the Tennessee Interior Design Consumer Protection Act under consideration by the Tennessee General Assembly. Brickey has been instrumental in bringing a variety of industry speakers into MTSU’s classrooms and ASID chapter meetings.

Contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.
lrollins@mtsu.edu

Home on the road

The Middle Tennessee Association of Realtors has donated $1,000 to the Habitat for Humanity Bike Challenge in sponsorship of MTSU student Chris Sterling. Chris will ride the northern route form New Haven, Conn., to Seattle, Wash., this summer. Claire Covic and Morgan Goepel, also from MTSU, will ride the southern route from New Haven to San Francisco, Calif. Each route is 4,000 miles long. Riders are slated to begin on both routes and a central route June 2. Each student is being asked to raise $4,000. “Every night, the riders will give presentations and answer questions in churches and community centers, trying to increase Habitat's visibility, stimulate the formation of new chapters, and encourage donations,” according to http://www.habitatbike.org. Profiles of Chris, Claire, and Morgan are accessible at that Web site.

For assistance in locating the students, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

Be true to your school

About three out of 10 American ninth-graders don’t graduate with their class. Dr. Ellen Slicker, psychology, says students drop out for various reasons, the greatest of which seems to be not feeling connected to the school. “To help feel students feel more connected to their high schools, and not just anonymous numbers,” Slicker says, “mentors have been found to be effective in keeping students in school. School employees, through an organized program, can be assigned to mentor a student who has been identified as ‘at risk’ for dropping out. Showing interest and encouragement of this student on a predictable and regular basis can make a huge difference in the ‘connectedness’ this student feels toward the school and can keep this student in school until graduation.”

Contact Slicker at 615-898-5966.
eslicker@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

LET THE ROCK ROLL--Time is running out to register your daughter for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. The final day of registration is May 31. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

THAT’S A TAKE!--Don’t wait to give your child an exciting, fulfilling way to spend part of his or her summer! Registration runs through June 15 for another recording workshop for children ages 12-17 at MTSU. The workshop will be conducted from June 21-July 15 in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building under the tutelage of Ryan York, who also teaches guitar, bass and drums at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro. For a fee of $125 per student, York will introduce the youngsters to cassette four-track recording, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. The workshop is sponsored by the Youth Culture and Arts Center, a project of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, a nonprofit organization. For more information, or to enroll, contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, ALFIE?--Grades, standardized tests and a reward/punishment system of behavior modification can be hazardous to your child’s educational development. That’s the belief of education reform activist Alfie Kohn, who will speak at MTSU’s inaugural Positive Behavior Support Conference for teachers only June 2. “Kohn is a sometimes controversial and often irreverent speaker, but he always challenges us to look beyond the façade to the important issues affecting children and the quality of their education today,” Dr. Connie A. Jones, chairwoman of the Department of Elementary and Special Education, says. Kohn’s four-hour workshop, titled “Beyond Bribes and Threats: Realistic Alternatives to Controlling Students’ Behavior,” will begin at 8 a.m. in Room 221 of the Learning Resources Center. Other education sessions will be held up to the event’s scheduled 3:30 p.m. conclusion. Teachers may learn more and register by contacting Linda Copciac at 615-898-2680 or at lcopciac@mtsu.edu.

GET IT WRITE!--Thanks to generous matching grants totaling $90,000, MTSU soon will embark upon its third annual Middle Tennessee Writing Project (MTWP), an on-campus writing institute for select teachers of kindergarten through college students, on June 4-29, and three Youth Writer’s Camp sessions, which are two-week intensive writing camps held Mondays through Thursdays for students from Rutherford and other local counties. Michael Shoulders, author of V is for Volunteer, a book about Tennessee, will be the guest author at all three youth camps. The MTWP is one of 185 sites of The National Writing Project, a federally funded program launched in 1974 by professors at the University of California at Berkeley. For more information about the MTWP, including the Youth Writer’s Camp, access its Web site online at http://www.mtsu.edu/~mtwp. For youth camp registration information, contact coordinator Marcy Pfleuger of Eagleville School by calling (615) 274-6320.

FIT FOR LIFE--MTSU faculty and staff will be heading back to work this summer—work on their bodies and their lives in the third incarnation of the MTSU Faculty-Staff Wellness Program slated for June 4 through August 17. Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance, says overweight or obese employees should participate and, if they already exercise, their strength and cardiovascular fitness and cholesterol numbers should still see some improvement. The 100 participants will undergo fitness and flood testing during the week of June 4. In addition, they will have individual 30-minute consultations with a registered dietitian and a life skills coach on examining the barriers to improving a healthy lifestyle and ways to address those barriers. Post-program testing is scheduled for the week of August 13. Contact Anshel at 615-898-2812 or manshel@mtsu.edu.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Give me an L, give me an A, give me a B!

Research Triangle Park, N.C., is the largest research park in the United States. The geographical triangle of Duke, North Carolina State, and the University of North Carolina provides intellectual stimuli and talented personnel for scientific research. Why is it difficult to replicate this dynamic model? Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “One of the challenges is that the most creative scientists tend to be very independent-minded people. Many don’t like to put down roots. And, when they do, they expect the schools to be top-notch, where scholarship comes before standardized tests and state championships.”

Contact MacDougall at 615-898-5265.
pmacdoug@mtsu.edu

The Great Wall of Censorship

Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says the global village might not be as global as we think. At least 25 countries around the world have enacted Internet censorship barriers, including Yemen, Myanmar, Tunisia, Syria, Sudan and Iran. Rupert Murdoch is trying to launch a Chinese version of MySpace, but Burriss says there are hurdles. “Discussion forums on religion and politics, some of the most popular topics in the West, are nonexistent on MySpace China,” Burriss says. “Another hindrance is that all users are told to click a button if they spot any ‘misconduct’ on the system. ‘Misconduct’ includes not only ‘endangering national security’ and ‘undermining national unity,’ but also things like ‘spreading rumors’ and ‘disturbing the national order.’”

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

Fit for life

MTSU faculty and staff will be heading back to work this summer—work on their bodies and their lives in the third incarnation of the MTSU Faculty-Staff Wellness Program slated for June 4 through August 17. Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance, says overweight or obese employees should participate and, if they already exercise, their strength and cardiovascular fitness and cholesterol numbers should still see some improvement. The 100 participants will undergo fitness and flood testing during the week of June 4. In addition, they will have individual 30-minute consultations with a registered dietitian and a life skills coach on examining the barriers to improving a healthy lifestyle and ways to address those barriers. Post-program testing is scheduled for the week of August 13.

Contact Anshel at 615-898-2812.
manshel@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

LET THE ROCK ROLL--Time is running out to register your daughter for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. The final day of registration is May 31. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

THAT’S A TAKE!--Don’t wait to give your child an exciting, fulfilling way to spend part of his or her summer! Registration runs through June 15 for another recording workshop for children ages 12-17 at MTSU. The workshop will be conducted from June 21-July 15 in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building under the tutelage of Ryan York, who also teaches guitar, bass and drums at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro. For a fee of $125 per student, York will introduce the youngsters to cassette four-track recording, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. The workshop is sponsored by the Youth Culture and Arts Center, a project of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, a nonprofit organization. For more information, or to enroll, contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, ALFIE?--Grades, standardized tests and a reward/punishment system of behavior modification can be hazardous to your child’s educational development. That’s the belief of education reform activist Alfie Kohn, who will speak at MTSU’s inaugural Positive Behavior Support Conference for teachers only June 2. “Kohn is a sometimes controversial and often irreverent speaker, but he always challenges us to look beyond the façade to the important issues affecting children and the quality of their education today,” Dr. Connie A. Jones, chairwoman of the Department of Elementary and Special Education, says. Kohn’s four-hour workshop, titled “Beyond Bribes and Threats: Realistic Alternatives to Controlling Students’ Behavior,” will begin at 8 a.m. in Room 221 of the Learning Resources Center. Other education sessions will be held up to the event’s scheduled 3:30 p.m. conclusion. Teachers may learn more and register by contacting Linda Copciac at 615-898-2680 or at lcopciac@mtsu.edu.

GET IT WRITE!--Thanks to generous matching grants totaling $90,000, MTSU soon will embark upon its third annual Middle Tennessee Writing Project (MTWP), an on-campus writing institute for select teachers of kindergarten through college students, on June 4-29, and three Youth Writer’s Camp sessions, which are two-week intensive writing camps held Mondays through Thursdays for students from Rutherford and other local counties. Michael Shoulders, author of V is for Volunteer, a book about Tennessee, will be the guest author at all three youth camps. The MTWP is one of 185 sites of The National Writing Project, a federally funded program launched in 1974 by professors at the University of California at Berkeley. For more information about the MTWP, including the Youth Writer’s Camp, access its Web site online at http://www.mtsu.edu/~mtwp. For youth camp registration information, contact coordinator Marcy Pfleuger of Eagleville School by calling (615) 274-6320.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Imus in the courthouse

Dismissed DJ Don Imus is suing CBS Radio for $120 million, claiming that his former employer encouraged him in writing to make the kind of remarks that got him fired. Dr. Bob Pondillo, electronic media communication, says, “I don’t think this is going to be a slam dunk for either side, but I remain convinced Imus is not the only party to blame. Because the owner/operators of broadcast stations are stewards of the airwaves, management must bear a bulk of the responsibility in this matter.” Part of Imus’s contract with CBS reads that the employer acknowledges that his services are “of a unique, extraordinary, irreverent, intellectual, topical, controversial and personal character and that programs of the same general type and nature containing these components are desired by Company and are consistent with Company rules and policies.”

Contact Pondillo at 615-904-8465.
pondillo@mtsu.edu

Get it write!

Thanks to generous matching grants totaling $90,000, MTSU soon will embark upon its third annual Middle Tennessee Writing Project (MTWP), an on-campus writing institute for select teachers of kindergarten through college students, on June 4-29, and three Youth Writer’s Camp sessions, which are two-week intensive writing camps held Mondays through Thursdays for students from Rutherford and other local counties. Michael Shoulders, author of V is for Volunteer, a book about Tennessee, will be the guest author at all three youth camps. The MTWP is one of 185 sites of The National Writing Project, a federally funded program launched in 1974 by professors at the University of California at Berkeley.

For more information about the MTWP, including the Youth Writer’s Camp, access its Web site online at http://www.mtsu.edu/~mtwp. For youth camp registration information, contact coordinator Marcy Pfleuger of Eagleville School via e-mail at pfluegerm@rcs.k12.tn.us or by calling (615) 274-6320.

Keep it clean

Students in two sixth-grade classes at the Homer Pittard Campus School in Murfreesboro recently decided to give back to MTSU by helping perform needed groundskeeping on the university’s campus. The first class reported for duty May 21 and spent most of their school day performing tasks. The second group worked on May 22. The first group gathered leaves and helped clean up the nursery. The second group helped plant different types of grasses around the rain garden. Campus School teacher LeAnn Hays says the students came up with the idea as a way to say “thank you” for all the help MTSU had given them over the past several years.

For more information about Homer Pittard Campus School, go to http://www.hpc.rcs.k12.tn.us/index.htm. To interview participating students, teachers, or MTSU personnel, contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919 or lrollins@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

LET THE ROCK ROLL--Time is running out to register your daughter for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. The final day of registration is May 31. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org/, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

THAT’S A TAKE!--Don’t wait to give your child an exciting, fulfilling way to spend part of his or her summer! Registration runs through June 15 for another recording workshop for children ages 12-17 at MTSU. The workshop will be conducted from June 21-July 15 in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building under the tutelage of Ryan York, who also teaches guitar, bass and drums at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro. For a fee of $125 per student, York will introduce the youngsters to cassette four-track recording, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. The workshop is sponsored by the Youth Culture and Arts Center, a project of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, a nonprofit organization. For more information, or to enroll, contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

SPRING FLING--Spring Fling, the postseason competitions of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s member schools, will take place through May 26 at various Rutherford County venues. Track and field events, some tennis matches, and Class AAA and all championship baseball games are slated to be held at MTSU, according to the organization’s Web site (http://www.tssaa.org). A study on the local impact of Spring Fling 2006, completed by Dr. David Penn of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, found that Spring Fling created a total effect of approximately $3.4 million on the local economy. For more information, contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610 or Mona Herring, vice president, Rutherford County Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 615-278-2014.

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, ALFIE?--Grades, standardized tests and a reward/punishment system of behavior modification can be hazardous to your child’s educational development. That’s the belief of education reform activist Alfie Kohn, who will speak at MTSU’s inaugural Positive Behavior Support Conference for teachers only June 2. “Kohn is a sometimes controversial and often irreverent speaker, but he always challenges us to look beyond the façade to the important issues affecting children and the quality of their education today,” Dr. Connie A. Jones, chairwoman of the Department of Elementary and Special Education, says. Kohn’s four-hour workshop, titled “Beyond Bribes and Threats: Realistic Alternatives to Controlling Students’ Behavior,” will begin at 8 a.m. in Room 221 of the Learning Resources Center. Other education sessions will be held up to the event’s scheduled 3:30 p.m. conclusion. Teachers may learn more and register by contacting Linda Copciac at 615-898-2680 or at lcopciac@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Let the sunshine in

Legislation pending in the Tennessee General Assembly would create an ombudsman position in state government to help people who have problems obtaining access to public records. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism professor and First Amendment expert, says, “If you think Tennesseans don’t need help in finding out what the government is doing, consider this: there are about a half-dozen proposals currently before the legislature involving government in the sunshine, the idea that the public should know what their government is doing. None of these bills do anything to open records to public scrutiny.” Burriss adds that Tennessee is not one of the 38 states in the nation with penalties for violating open records or open meeting laws.

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

Let the rock roll

Time is running out to register your daughter for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. The final day of registration is May 31. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre.

For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

Let me see you work those typing fingers!

A recent study by Brown University finds that Internet-based exercise programs work as well as printed advice in getting sedentary adults to take up regular physical activity. Is the availability of the Internet going to bring about an exercise revolution? Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance, says, “True, the Internet is a valid means of getting information to persons interested in exercise and is comparable to a group that receives educational materials. However, neither approach works as well as personal coaching when it comes to fitness outcomes and exercise adherence. So, for communicating information, the Internet is fine. But exercisers still need instruction, feedback, and fitness test data to see improvement and feel motivated to persist at their exercise program.”

Contact Anshel at 615-898-2812.
manshel@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

THAT’S A TAKE!--Don’t wait to give your child an exciting, fulfilling way to spend part of his or her summer! Registration runs through June 15 for another recording workshop for children ages 12-17 at MTSU. The workshop will be conducted from June 21-July 15 in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building under the tutelage of Ryan York, who also teaches guitar, bass and drums at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro. For a fee of $125 per student, York will introduce the youngsters to cassette four-track recording, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. The workshop is sponsored by the Youth Culture and Arts Center, a project of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, a nonprofit organization. For more information, or to enroll, contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

SPRING FLING--Spring Fling, the postseason competitions of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s member schools, will take place through May 26 at various Rutherford County venues. Track and field events, some tennis matches, and Class AAA and all championship baseball games are slated to be held at MTSU, according to the organization’s Web site (http://www.tssaa.org). A study on the local impact of Spring Fling 2006, completed by Dr. David Penn of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, found that Spring Fling created a total effect of approximately $3.4 million on the local economy. For more information, contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610 or Mona Herring, vice president, Rutherford County Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 615-278-2014.

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, ALFIE?--Grades, standardized tests and a reward/punishment system of behavior modification can be hazardous to your child’s educational development. That’s the belief of education reform activist Alfie Kohn, who will speak at MTSU’s inaugural Positive Behavior Support Conference for teachers only June 2. “Kohn is a sometimes controversial and often irreverent speaker, but he always challenges us to look beyond the façade to the important issues affecting children and the quality of their education today,” Dr. Connie A. Jones, chairwoman of the Department of Elementary and Special Education, says. Kohn’s four-hour workshop, titled “Beyond Bribes and Threats: Realistic Alternatives to Controlling Students’ Behavior,” will begin at 8 a.m. in Room 221 of the Learning Resources Center. Other education sessions will be held up to the event’s scheduled 3:30 p.m. conclusion. Teachers may learn more and register by contacting Linda Copciac at 615-898-2680 or at lcopciac@mtsu.edu.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

One from Column A, two from Column B

A report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest complains that some Chinese restaurant food can be bad for you. The researchers say a plate of General Tso’s chicken, for example, has about 40 percent more sodium and more than half the calories an average adult needs in a day. Dr. Lisa Sheehan-Smith, human sciences, offers these tips for making Chinese food healthier: 1) Choose stir-fried instead of deep-fried menu items; 2) Choose menu items that offer more vegetables and fewer high-fat cuts of meat; 3) Ask for those rich sauces on the side; you control how much is used; 4) Avoid or use sparingly the high sodium sauces, which include hot mustard, hoisin and soy sauces; 5) Ask for brown rice instead of white rice to increase the fiber content; and 6) Eat half of the portions served to you, and eat the rest for lunch the next day—or share your meal with a friend.

Contact Sheehan-Smith at 615-898-2090.
lsheehan@mtsu.edu

Khat got your tongue?

Last summer, federal drug enforcement agents busted suspects in a khat ring. The suspects allegedly imported and distributed the plant, which is grown in the Horn of Africa and is chewed to get a buzz. What is khat, and what effect does it have on the body? Dr. Doug Winborn, health and human performance, says, “You might consider khat being to Africans what coca is to South Americans and what coffee and tea are to those of European descent. The active stimulant ingredients in these substances are relatively harmless and can serve either medicinal or limited recreational purposes. They are generally used to assist in tolerating climate or working conditions or a combination of these, as well as recreational and medicinal factors.”

Contact Winborn at 615-898-5110.
jwinborn@mtsu.edu

What’s it all about, Alfie?

Grades, standardized tests and a reward/punishment system of behavior modification can be hazardous to your child’s educational development. That’s the belief of education reform activist Alfie Kohn, who will speak at MTSU’s inaugural Positive Behavior Support Conference for teachers only June 2. “Kohn is a sometimes controversial and often irreverent speaker, but he always challenges us to look beyond the façade to the important issues affecting children and the quality of their education today,” Dr. Connie A. Jones, chairwoman of the Department of Elementary and Special Education, says. Kohn’s four-hour workshop, titled “Beyond Bribes and Threats: Realistic Alternatives to Controlling Students’ Behavior,” will begin at 8 a.m. in Room 221 of the Learning Resources Center. Other education sessions will be held up to the event’s scheduled 3:30 p.m. conclusion.

Teachers may learn more and register by contacting Linda Copciac at 615-898-2680 or at lcopciac@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

ROCK ON!--Registration will run through May 31 for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

THAT’S A TAKE!--Don’t wait to give your child an exciting, fulfilling way to spend part of his or her summer! Registration runs through June 15 for another recording workshop for children ages 12-17 at MTSU. The workshop will be conducted from June 21-July 15 in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building under the tutelage of Ryan York, who also teaches guitar, bass and drums at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro. For a fee of $125 per student, York will introduce the youngsters to cassette four-track recording, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. The workshop is sponsored by the Youth Culture and Arts Center, a project of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, a nonprofit organization. For more information, or to enroll, contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.


SPRING FLING--Spring Fling, the postseason competitions of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s member schools, will take place through May 26 at various Rutherford County venues. Track and field events, some tennis matches, and Class AAA and all championship baseball games are slated to be held at MTSU, according to the organization’s Web site (http://www.tssaa.org). A study on the local impact of Spring Fling 2006, completed by Dr. David Penn of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, found that Spring Fling created a total effect of approximately $3.4 million on the local economy. For more information, contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610 or Mona Herring, vice president, Rutherford County Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 615-278-2014.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Waddle while you work

Obesity experts at the Mayo Clinic have designed a vertical workstation made up of a computer, keyboard and treadmill. It’s designed to be used for two to three hours a day either standing, walking, or sitting (if the treadmill is replaced by a chair). Fifteen obese volunteers burned an average of 191 calories an hour using it, walking at the equivalent of one mile an hour. Is this a practical way to get sedentary people to exercise? Dr. Don Morgan, health and human performance, says, “Performing small amounts of physical activity (or ‘fidgeting’) while at work is a convenient way to expend calories. Even though the intensity of activity may not be high when walking at a very slow speed or standing, the accumulation of enough bouts of low-intensity activity can eventually lead to noticeable levels of caloric expenditure when performed over the long term.”

Contact Morgan at 615-898-5549.
dmorgan@mtsu.edu

An ounce of prevention

Dr. Valentin Fuster, former president of the American Heart Association, says there's "no incentive at all" for doctors to emphasize preventive medicine. Prevention is emphasized through the media in any number of ways, but prevention doesn't help the doctor pay his bills. Why does the current health care system promote expensive tests and procedures when cheaper preventive measures might produce better results for the patients? Dr. Janet Colson, human sciences, says, “If we were all sane, healthy, careful and naturally beautiful, many doctors and hospitals would be out of business. Eating right, exercising and avoiding ‘risky lifestyles’ would put many doctors out of business … or at least lower their income.”

Contact Colson at 615-898-2091.
jcolson@mtsu.edu

Go global

MTSU President Dr. Sidney A. McPhee praises the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2007, which is pending in the U.S. House. “With our world becoming a global community, it is vital that our graduates today be able to contribute to an international economy, enhance diplomacy among nations and compete for jobs here and abroad,” McPhee says. Jennifer Campbell, director of International Education and Exchange at MTSU, says MTSU leads the Tennessee Board of Regents system with more than 250 students in more than 40 countries. The bill would create a national fellowship program, increasing the numbers of students studying abroad to 1 million per year. On May 9, the measure was reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The House bill, introduced by Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Cal.), is H.R. 1469; the companion bill in the Senate, introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), is S.991.

For more information, contact Tom Tozer in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5131.

TR EXTRA

ROCK ON!--Registration will run through May 31 for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

THAT’S A TAKE!--Don’t wait to give your child an exciting, fulfilling way to spend part of his or her summer! Registration runs through June 15 for another recording workshop for children ages 12-17 at MTSU. The workshop will be conducted from June 21-July 15 in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building under the tutelage of Ryan York, who also teaches guitar, bass and drums at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro. For a fee of $125 per student, York will introduce the youngsters to cassette four-track recording, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. The workshop is sponsored by the Youth Culture and Arts Center, a project of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, a nonprofit organization. For more information, or to enroll, contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

SPRING FLING--Spring Fling, the postseason competitions of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s member schools, will take place through May 26 at various Rutherford County venues. Track and field events, some tennis matches, and Class AAA and all championship baseball games are slated to be held at MTSU, according to the organization’s Web site (http://www.tssaa.org). A study on the local impact of Spring Fling 2006, completed by Dr. David Penn of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, found that Spring Fling created a total effect of approximately $3.4 million on the local economy. For more information, contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610 or Mona Herring, vice president, Rutherford County Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 615-278-2014.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Your magnetic personality

Have you ever wondered why you are asked to make sure you have no magnetic objects on your person prior to undergoing an MRI? Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “People have been killed by flying metal objects that were pulled into the static vortex of the machine’s powerful magnetic field.” After all, MRI stands for “magnetic resonance imaging.” “These instruments use radio waves to map the chemical environments of the trillions upon trillions of hydrogen atoms among our chemical makeup,” MacDougall says. “As proof that spin doctors of the unscientific kind also infect the world of science, even though an MRI uses nuclear magnetic resonance to measure its perception of you, the ‘N’ word was dropped from the instrument name because of how the public perceives anything nuclear.”

Contact MacDougall at 615-898-5265.
pmacdoug@mtsu.edu

That’s a take!

Don’t wait to give your child an exciting, fulfilling way to spend part of his or her summer! Registration begins today for another recording workshop for children ages 12-17 at MTSU. The workshop will be conducted from June 21-July 15 in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building under the tutelage of Ryan York, who also teaches guitar, bass and drums at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro. For a fee of $125 per student, York will introduce the youngsters to cassette four-track recording, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. The workshop is sponsored by the Youth Culture and Arts Center, a project of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, a nonprofit organization.

For more information, or to enroll, contact York at bororecording@gmail.com

Mama’s got the blues.

Actress Brooke Shields is supporting legislation that would call for more federal funding for education, detection and treatment of postpartum depression. Why do some new mothers experience this problem? Dr. Kimberly Ujcich-Ward, psychology, says we don’t know for sure. “What research suggests is that, in fact, many more new moms than we think probably experience symptoms of depression but don’t recognize it as such,” Ujcich-Ward says. “Many of the symptoms of postpartum depression are the same as common activities or events that follow a birth (e.g., changes in sleeping and eating patterns, tiredness, fluctuations in mood). Stress is often a trigger for depression, as well, and new mothers experience a variety of stressors, not the least of which is ‘losing’ their identity—that is, who they were before they were ‘mommy.’”

Contact Ujcich-Ward at 615-898-2188.
ujcich@mtsu.edu


TR EXTRA

ROCK ON!--Registration will run through May 31 for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

SPRING FLING--Spring Fling, the postseason competitions of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s member schools, will take place May 21-26 at various Rutherford County venues. Track and field events, some tennis matches, and Class AAA and all championship baseball games are slated to be held at MTSU, according to the organization’s Web site (http://www.tssaa.org). A study on the local impact of Spring Fling 2006, completed by Dr. David Penn of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, found that Spring Fling created a total effect of approximately $3.4 million on the local economy. For more information, contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610 or Mona Herring, vice president, Rutherford County Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 615-278-2014.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Veni, vedi, vici?

A new book by Cullen Murphy titled Are We Rome? The Fall of an Empire and the Fate of America attempts to draw parallels between American society today and ancient Rome right before it crumbled. Is Murphy on to something, or is he just beating an old metaphor to death? Dr. Louis Haas, history, says he has not read the book, but the comparison is “quite the old chestnut.” Haas says, “Historically, Rome was not as stagnant as this model presumes; thus, I think the author here is very much stretching his model. For whatever it is worth, in the late 1970s, a number of authors argued the fate of Rome and the linkage to potential American decline in discussing the Laffer Curve—Rome was an overtaxed society; thus, it collapsed. Therefore, America should have cut taxes like nobody’s business to avoid the fate of decline.”

Contact Haas at 615-898-5828.
lhaas@mtsu.edu

We bring good things to life.

Does the general public really have a good understanding of the latest advancements in science and technology? Dr. Saeed Foroudastan, associate dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, says, “I believe the average lay person can piece together some aspects of a scientific idea, but as far as understanding the process through which the idea evolves, the average person falls short. If someone does not understand the general basic of a concept, then they have no way to put together all of the random facts they interpret from the media.” He says the public has benefited from the ability to “Google” a scientific term or process and access lots of information.

Contact Foroudastan at 615-494-8786.
sforouda@mtsu.edu

So the symphony conductor said, “Do you think there’s too much sax and violins on TV?”

Dick Cavett’s response to the age-old complaint that TV violence inspires people to imitate what they see is, “There's so much comedy on television. Does that cause comedy in the streets?” Dr. Bob Pondillo, electronic media communication, says, “There is … statistical evidence that is often overlooked when people want to draw a direct line of influence from media violence to short- or long-term violent behavior. The evidence suggests that the people most likely to be involved in violent behavior—either as perp or victim—are young males 16-24. It’s young males, however, who are the lightest TV viewers, according to surveys.”

Contact Pondillo at 615-904-8465.
pondillo@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

ROCK ON!--Registration will run through May 31 for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

FROM POLE TO POLE--The National Pole Bending Association will hold its second annual national pole bending championship May 19 and 20 at MTSU’s Tennessee Miller Coliseum. Pole bending is a timed event in which a horse and mounted rider weave their way around poles arranged in a line. More than 250 members from across the country have qualified so far. NPBA founding member Ross Carnahan says, “The first NPBA National Championship was a great success. It was the largest pole bending ever held and we paid out over $35,000. The exhibitors really enjoyed the Tennessee Miller Coliseum and we are really happy we have the opportunity to return there in 2007. The NPBA Web site hails the Miller Coliseum as “a first class facility. It hosts many barrel races and pole bendings and thanks to a tireless crew has a reputation for outstanding ground.” Contact the Tennessee Miler Coliseum at 615-494-8961 or tmc@mtsu.edu.

HOLLYWOOD PLAYS DEAD--Kids will be able to see for themselves how Hollywood creates the blood and gore of severed limbs and other gross stuff in a Special Effects Makeup Workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19, in Room 120 of the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building at MTSU. Lori Gann-Smith, an assistant professor of speech and theatre at MTSU, will teach youngsters ages 10-18 how to cast and mold body parts and how to decorate them to indicate bruises, abrasions and other injuries for the most realistic possible look. The cost of the workshop is $50 per person with all proceeds benefiting the Youth Culture and Arts Center, which is dedicated to providing “a safe and positive atmosphere for young people to create and experience the arts.” To register, send an e-mail to youthculturecenter@gmail.com or call 615-849-8140.

SPRING FLING--Spring Fling, the postseason competitions of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s member schools, will take place May 21-26 at various Rutherford County venues. Track and field events, some tennis matches, and Class AAA and all championship baseball games are slated to be held at MTSU, according to the organization’s Web site (http://www.tssaa.org). A study on the local impact of Spring Fling 2006, completed by Dr. David Penn of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, found that Spring Fling created a total effect of approximately $3.4 million on the local economy. For more information, contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610 or Mona Herring, vice president, Rutherford County Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 615-278-2014.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The fundamentalist future after Falwell

Dr. John Vile, chairperson of the Department of Political Science, says the death of Rev. Jerry Falwell, founder of the Moral Majority, “marks the passing of an American icon.” The role of Christian evangelicals in empowering the Republican Party and the conservative movement is partially attributable to Falwell and his use of the media. So what now, or who? Vile says, “Falwell is hardly the only spokesperson for the evangelical right (Pat Robertson, James Dobson, and others come to mind), but it will be interesting to see how his church (Thomas Roads Baptist), Liberty University, and other entities will fare in his absence and whether one specific person, or several, will emerge to cover his tasks.”

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

Team spirit

Which sports teams inspire the highest level of fan devotion in Middle Tennessee? According to the Spring 2007 Middle Tennessee Sports Affinity Survey, the Tennessee Titans top the team ratings, apparently unaffected by some of their players’ off-the-field antics. The Nashville Predators realized a 13-point rise in their score, most likely due to their successful regular season and optimism about advancing in the NHL playoffs. Among collegiate teams, the University of Tennessee women’s basketball team leads the list, followed by Vanderbilt’s men’s basketball team and UT’s men’s basketball team. The results are based on phone interviews with 340 randomly selected adults from Davidson, Rutherford and Williamson counties.

For further information, contact Dr. Don Roy, Sports Business Studies Coordinator, Office of Consumer Research, at 615-904-8564.
droy@mtsu.edu

What’s so funny about peace, love, and understanding?

Earlier this month, the Carter Center announced that it would establish a field office in Ramallah “to support Palestinian democracy and human rights.” This might not come as a surprise given the title and thrust of former President Jimmy Carter’s most recent book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. Dr. Karen Petersen, political science, says, “The physical separation of Israeli territory was not a decision taken lightly or without regard for the Palestinian population; the physical separation of Israel was done to provide security that could not be achieved through other means (recall that the Palestinian leadership failed to adhere to the terms of the peace accords); and the physical separation is not based on race (as racial distinctions are much more difficult to make in this case than in South Africa). Therefore, the use of apartheid is inaccurate.”

Contact Petersen at 615-494-8662.
kpeterse@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

ROCK ON!--Registration will run through May 31 for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

FROM POLE TO POLE--The National Pole Bending Association will hold its second annual national pole bending championship May 19 and 20 at MTSU’s Tennessee Miller Coliseum. Pole bending is a timed event in which a horse and mounted rider weave their way around poles arranged in a line. More than 250 members from across the country have qualified so far. NPBA founding member Ross Carnahan says, “The first NPBA National Championship was a great success. It was the largest pole bending ever held and we paid out over $35,000. The exhibitors really enjoyed the Tennessee Miller Coliseum and we are really happy we have the opportunity to return there in 2007. The NPBA Web site hails the Miller Coliseum as “a first class facility. It hosts many barrel races and pole bendings and thanks to a tireless crew has a reputation for outstanding ground.” Contact the Tennessee Miler Coliseum at 615-494-8961 or tmc@mtsu.edu.

HOLLYWOOD PLAYS DEAD--Kids will be able to see for themselves how Hollywood creates the blood and gore of severed limbs and other gross stuff in a Special Effects Makeup Workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19, in Room 120 of the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building at MTSU. Lori Gann-Smith, an assistant professor of speech and theatre at MTSU, will teach youngsters ages 10-18 how to cast and mold body parts and how to decorate them to indicate bruises, abrasions and other injuries for the most realistic possible look. The cost of the workshop is $50 per person with all proceeds benefiting the Youth Culture and Arts Center, which is dedicated to providing “a safe and positive atmosphere for young people to create and experience the arts.” To register, send an e-mail to youthculturecenter@gmail.com or call 615-849-8140.

SPRING FLING--Spring Fling, the postseason competitions of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s member schools, will take place May 21-26 at various Rutherford County venues. Track and field events, some tennis matches, and Class AAA and all championship baseball games are slated to be held at MTSU, according to the organization’s Web site (http://www.tssaa.org). A study on the local impact of Spring Fling 2006, completed by Dr. David Penn of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, found that Spring Fling created a total effect of approximately $3.4 million on the local economy. For more information, contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610 or Mona Herring, vice president, Rutherford County Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 615-278-2014.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Rev. Jerry Falwell (1933-2007)

The founder of the Moral Majority, Rev. Jerry Falwell, died yesterday after being found unconscious at his desk at Liberty University. Of the Falwell legacy, Dr. John Vile, chair of the Department of Political Science, says, “Falwell helped evangelical Christians, many of whom had largely abandoned the political scene after the Scopes ‘Monkey Trial’ of 1925, re-engage and become politically involved. Although critics continue to question his own applications of Christian principles of politics, there is little doubt that he has increased political participation and that his efforts have had an effect. The university that he founded has recently established a law school, which could further increase participation in the profession by evangelical Christians.”

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

Back in the day

Are you old enough to remember a time when computers were not yet a way of life? Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, tells a story of a woman who had been removed from her office when managers voted to bring in new IBM machines. “I don’t doubt that when she and her co-workers were forced into retirement they were told of the promise that computers held for revolutionizing scientific research,” MacDougall says. “Young iPod-toting kids today wouldn’t be too impressed by a refrigerator-sized computer that only has 16 megabytes of memory (enough for only 4 songs!) and a disk drive the size of a dishwasher that held another 80 megabytes, but only if the air conditioner was working.”

Contact MacDougall at 615-898-5265.
pmacdoug@mtsu.edu

Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be

In a recent discussion, a friend of Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, said that the media were better just a few years ago than they are now. Burriss responds with a look at history. “As far back as the 1700s, people were complaining about the harmful effects of music,” he says. “And the complaints haven’t stopped yet, as every generation has found something new to worry about. In the late ‘50s, audiences got all upset about ‘Elvis the Pelvis,’ and some of his television appearances were filmed by the police for possible court action. After The Beatles came along, some radio stations sponsored what they called ‘Record Breaking Days,’ in which listeners were urged to bring their records and other Beatle paraphernalia to collection points where they would be broken and burned. And I bet no one was concerned about all of the carcinogens being released from the burning vinyl records.”

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

TR EXTRA

ROCK ON!--Registration will run through May 31 for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

FROM POLE TO POLE--The National Pole Bending Association will hold its second annual national pole bending championship May 19 and 20 at MTSU’s Tennessee Miller Coliseum. Pole bending is a timed event in which a horse and mounted rider weave their way around poles arranged in a line. More than 250 members from across the country have qualified so far. NPBA founding member Ross Carnahan says, “The first NPBA National Championship was a great success. It was the largest pole bending ever held and we paid out over $35,000. The exhibitors really enjoyed the Tennessee Miller Coliseum and we are really happy we have the opportunity to return there in 2007. The NPBA Web site hails the Miller Coliseum as “a first class facility. It hosts many barrel races and pole bendings and thanks to a tireless crew has a reputation for outstanding ground.” Contact the Tennessee Miler Coliseum at 615-494-8961 or tmc@mtsu.edu.

HOLLYWOOD PLAYS DEAD--Kids will be able to see for themselves how Hollywood creates the blood and gore of severed limbs and other gross stuff in a Special Effects Makeup Workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19, in Room 120 of the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building at MTSU. Lori Gann-Smith, an assistant professor of speech and theatre at MTSU, will teach youngsters ages 10-18 how to cast and mold body parts and how to decorate them to indicate bruises, abrasions and other injuries for the most realistic possible look. The cost of the workshop is $50 per person with all proceeds benefiting the Youth Culture and Arts Center, which is dedicated to providing “a safe and positive atmosphere for young people to create and experience the arts.” To register, send an e-mail to youthculturecenter@gmail.com or call 615-849-8140.

SPRING FLING--Spring Fling, the postseason competitions of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s member schools, will take place May 21-26 at various Rutherford County venues. Track and field events, some tennis matches, and Class AAA and all championship baseball games are slated to be held at MTSU, according to the organization’s Web site (http://www.tssaa.org). A study on the local impact of Spring Fling 2006, completed by Dr. David Penn of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, found that Spring Fling created a total effect of approximately $3.4 million on the local economy. For more information, contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610 or Mona Herring, vice president, Rutherford County Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 615-278-2014.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Rock on!

Registration will run through May 31 for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre.

For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

Spring Fling

Spring Fling, the postseason competitions of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s member schools, will take place May 21-26 at various Rutherford County venues. Track and field events, some tennis matches, and Class AAA and all championship baseball games are slated to be held at MTSU, according to the organization’s Web site (http://www.tssaa.org). A study on the local impact of Spring Fling 2006, completed by Dr. David Penn of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, found that Spring Fling created a total effect of approximately $3.4 million on the local economy.

For more information, contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610 or Mona Herring, vice president, Rutherford County Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 615-278-2014.

More guitar greatness

Among the MTSU guitar students who have distinguished themselves: Graduate Matt Palmer won the University of Arizona Guitar Competition. For first prize, Matt was awarded a concert guitar valued at $8,500. Matt also won the Appalachian State Concerto competition and performed the Concierto de Aranjuez with the Appalachian Symphony last February. Matt made his YouTube debut with footage of the UA Guitar Competition, in which he performs Etude #2 by Villa-Lobos. Alumna Salome Sandoval performed at the Festival Internacional “Guitarra sin Fronteras” at the Conservatorio de Musica de Chihuahua in Mexico. And junior Silviu Ciulei won the $2,000 second prize at the Texas Guitar Competition in March and the $500 second prize at the Appalachian Guitar Festival in April.

For more information, contact Dr. William Yelverton, professor of music and Director of Guitar Studies, at 615-898-5623.
yelverto@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

FROM POLE TO POLE--The National Pole Bending Association will hold its second annual national pole bending championship May 19 and 20 at MTSU’s Tennessee Miller Coliseum. Pole bending is a timed event in which a horse and mounted rider weave their way around poles arranged in a line. More than 250 members from across the country have qualified so far. NPBA founding member Ross Carnahan says, “The first NPBA National Championship was a great success. It was the largest pole bending ever held and we paid out over $35,000. The exhibitors really enjoyed the Tennessee Miller Coliseum and we are really happy we have the opportunity to return there in 2007. The NPBA Web site hails the Miller Coliseum as “a first class facility. It hosts many barrel races and pole bendings and thanks to a tireless crew has a reputation for outstanding ground.” Contact the Tennessee Miler Coliseum at 615-494-8961 or tmc@mtsu.edu.

HOLLYWOOD PLAYS DEAD--Kids will be able to see for themselves how Hollywood creates the blood and gore of severed limbs and other gross stuff in a Special Effects Makeup Workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19, in Room 120 of the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building at MTSU. Lori Gann-Smith, an assistant professor of speech and theatre at MTSU, will teach youngsters ages 10-18 how to cast and mold body parts and how to decorate them to indicate bruises, abrasions and other injuries for the most realistic possible look. The cost of the workshop is $50 per person with all proceeds benefiting the Youth Culture and Arts Center, which is dedicated to providing “a safe and positive atmosphere for young people to create and experience the arts.” To register, send an e-mail to youthculturecenter@gmail.com or call 615-849-8140.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Hollywood plays dead

Kids will be able to see for themselves how Hollywood creates the blood and gore of severed limbs and other gross stuff in a Special Effects Makeup Workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19, in Room 120 of the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building at MTSU. Lori Gann-Smith, an assistant professor of speech and theatre at MTSU, will teach youngsters ages 10-18 how to cast and mold body parts and how to decorate them to indicate bruises, abrasions and other injuries for the most realistic possible look. The cost of the workshop is $50 per person with all proceeds benefiting the Youth Culture and Arts Center, which is dedicated to providing “a safe and positive atmosphere for young people to create and experience the arts.”

To register, send an e-mail to youthculturecenter@gmail.com
or call 615-849-8140.

From pole to pole

The National Pole Bending Association will hold its second annual national pole bending championship May 19 and 20 at MTSU’s Tennessee Miller Coliseum. Pole bending is a timed event in which a horse and mounted rider weave their way around poles arranged in a line. More than 250 members from across the country have qualified so far. NPBA founding member Ross Carnahan says, “The first NPBA National Championship was a great success. It was the largest pole bending ever held and we paid out over $35,000. The exhibitors really enjoyed the Tennessee Miller Coliseum and we are really happy we have the opportunity to return there in 2007. The NPBA Web site hails the Miller Coliseum as “a first class facility. It hosts many barrel races and pole bendings and thanks to a tireless crew has a reputation for outstanding ground.”

Contact the Tennessee Miler Coliseum at 615-494-8961.
tmc@mtsu.edu

Guitar greatness

The MTSU Department of Music continues to nurture and hone outstanding guitar talents. Erol Ozsever, who graduated earlier this month, won Second Prize at the Beethoven Guitar Competition in Memphis in March. He has received a scholarship to attend Indiana University. Erol also received an assistantship offer from Steve Aron at the University of Akron. Alumnus Luke Finney was awarded a doctoral teaching assistantship at Indiana University. Jimmy Moore, another graduate, was awarded a doctoral teaching assistantship at Florida State University. And Chris Lee, yet another alum, is finishing his master’s degree at Austin Peay State University, where he was awarded a graduate assistantship.

For more information, contact Dr. William Yelverton, professor of music and Director of Guitar Studies, at 615-898-5623.
yelverto@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.