Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Perishing by the pound

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University examined 20 studies and national surveys of weight and behavior (as published in Epidemiologic Reviews). They have come to the conclusion that 75 percent of U.S. adults will be overweight and 41 percent will be obese by the year 2015 if they continue gaining weight at the current rate. Dr. Lisa Sheehan-Smith, human sciences, says, “I think the spotlight on overweight and obesity as a public health concern needs to be made even brighter by all levels of government and all areas of the health care profession. When this approach was taken with smoking, the trend in the number of Americans who practiced this unhealthy habit began to decline. Continued emphasis, education on the negative health outcomes … and practical programs to help Americans should contribute to reversing the decline.”

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

Restocking the shelves

The MTSU Office of Institutional Diversity (OID) will sponsor the annual trip of the MTSU Scholars Academy. This year, the destination is New Orleans. OID hopes to deliver 1,000 books to Dillard University and Southern University of New Orleans, both ravaged by Hurricane Katrina and still recovering, to assist with the reopening of their university libraries. If you have new or used books you would like to donate, call 615-898-5975 by noon, Thursday, Aug. 2, or take the books to Room 116 of the University Honors Building between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Contact Dr. Sharon Shaw-McEwen, Assistant Vice Provost for Institutional Diversity, at 615-898-5975.
sshaw@mtsu.edu

“Surrender, surrender, but don’t give yourself away”—Cheap Trick

“Fugitive Safe Surrender” will go into effect Aug. 1-4 in Nashville. Persons with outstanding warrants for non-violent criminal offenses will have an opportunity for a second chance, depending on the circumstances, by showing up at the Galilee Baptist Church. In the four cities where police and clergy have worked together on the program, some 3,800 people have surrendered. Dr. Bill Shulman, criminal justice administration associate professor and attorney, says, “If the program means (which I think it must) that the defendants will not be jailed for missing court, or what we call ‘failure to appear,’ then it is a good idea. The idea was actually one of many cited a few years ago in a task force in Davidson County studying how the system could better treat women. It is a waste of precious jail space to incarcerate someone whose ‘crime’ is missing court.”

Contact Shulman at 615-898-2630.
wshulman@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

FOR INSURANCE’S SAKE--Three insurance professionals comprise the 2007 slate of honorees to be inducted into the Robert E. Musto Insurance Hall of Fame, Tuesday, July 31. The banquet and ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Franklin Marriott at Cool Springs. Inductee Dr. Kenneth W. Hollman, the first and sole holder of MTSU’s Tommy T. Martin Chair of Insurance, serves as a mentor to aspiring insurance professionals and is a resource person for the industry. Edwin Craig joined the National Life & Accident Insurance Company in Nashville, played a role in the company’s decision to enter broadcasting, and was instrumental in launching the Grand Ole Opry. The late John Spann was twice honored as Professional Insurance Agents of Tennessee’s Agent of the Year, serving as the organization’s vice president and president. Contact Hollman at 615-898-2673 or khollman@mtsu.edu.

STAND AND DELIVER--The MTSU McNair Program invites you to attend the 8th annual MTSU McNair Symposium Tuesday, July 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Tom H. Jackson Building. The McNair Program is designed to give low-income/first generation and underrepresented undergraduate students the support they need to prepare for and successfully complete a doctoral degree in their chosen fields. McNair scholars will make oral presentations of their 2007 summer research. Their research posters also will be on display. For more information, contact the McNair office at 615-904-8462 or mcnair@mtsu.edu.

RECORDING REDUX--It’s not too late to enroll your child in the Youth Culture and Arts Center’s (YCAC) recording workshops at MTSU. The current enrollment period is in effect through Aug. 10 for the upcoming Aug.16-Sept. 9 workshop in MTSU’s John Bragg Mass Communication Building. The workshop is for youngsters ages 12-17, and the fee is $125 per student. Classes are taught by Ryan York, a 21-year-old MTSU student and teacher of guitar, bass, and drums lessons at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro. Ryan will provide instruction in cassette four-track instruction, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. All proceeds will benefit YCAC, a program of Youth Empowerment Through Arts and Humanities (YEAH), a nonprofit organization. Call 615-849-7140 or contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.