Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

You bet!

The Michael Vick dogfighting case and the Tim Donaghy scandal in the NBA have resulted in a new focus on sports gambling and its impact on the games. Justin Wolfers, a professor at Wharton School of Business, suggests that sports gambling should be prohibited on point spreads and over/under bets but should be legalized when it comes to betting on who wins and who loses. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “Legalized sports betting may deter point shaving scandals that have occurred over the years, but it would do nothing to protect the integrity of sports. The NBA is reeling from its recent betting scandal involving one of its referees. Public trust in those associated with professional and collegiate sports is fragile as a result, so any type of sports betting could create distrust and damage the brand reputation of sports leagues.”

Contact Roy at 615-904-8564.
droy@mtsu.edu

A bridge to nowhere?

The infrastructure issue that cost 13 people their lives in a bridge collapse in Minneapolis has come home to roost in Tennessee. Access to the I-40 bridge over the Mississippi River between West Memphis, Ark., and Memphis, Tenn., was shut down yesterday for nine hours because an inspector detected a slight shift in a pier in an approach to the main span. Dr. Heather Brown, director of MTSU’s Concrete Industry Management program, says, “The technology does exist to bring these bridges back to their intended design or, in many cases, an increase in design due to a higher volume of traffic. The federal government will have to make it a priority since most of the bridges are maintained by state and ultimately federal DOT (Department of Transportation).”

Contact Brown at 615-904-8060.
hjbrown@mtsu.edu

Wielkommen, bienvenue, welcome!

The MTSU Week of Welcome continues with Meet Murfreesboro from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Keathley University Center courtyard today and tomorrow. At 8 o’clock tomorrow night in Murphy Center, comedian Finesse Mitchell will entertain. On Thursday, Aug. 30, the Blue Raider Bash and the Big Fat Raider Bake-Off will take place at 5:30 p.m. beside Cummings Hall. On Saturday, Sept. 1, at 3 p.m. CDT, the MTSU Blue Raiders will take on the Florida Atlantic Owls in Boca Raton, Fla. Media welcomed.

Contact Rob Patterson, Coordinator of New Student and Family Programs, at 615-898-2454.
rpatters@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

AUDIO AUGMENTATION--Give your kids a wholesome, fun extracurricular activity this school year. Enroll your child in the Youth Culture and Arts Center’s (YCAC) next recording workshop at MTSU. The current enrollment period is in effect through Sept. 7 for the upcoming Sept. 13-Oct. 12 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 615-631-9479 or contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.