Friday, November 30, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Pomp and circumstance

More than 1,400 degree candidates are expected to graduate during MTSU’s 96th fall commencement ceremonies, according to Dr. Sherian Huddleston, associate vice provost for enrollment services. On Saturday, Dec. 15, MTSU again will feature dual ceremonies and dual speakers starting at 9 a.m and 1 p.m. in Murphy Center. Gregg F. Morton, president of AT&T Tennessee, will be the guest speaker for the 9 a.m. ceremony. Dr. Viola Miller, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, will be the featured speaker for the 1 p.m. ceremony. On Dec. 15, the doors to Murphy Center will open at 8 a.m. for the morning ceremony. For the afternoon ceremony, the doors will open at noon.

Contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

Inca dinka doo

Join Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, and Dr. Kathy Burriss, elementary and special education, for an enrichment program for students to be presented through the MTSU Satellite and Webcasting Center from 9-10 a.m. CST (10-11 a.m. EST) Tuesday, Dec. 4. “Machu Picchu: Lost City of the Incas” will take students in grades 4-8 back in time to sail on the world’s highest lake and enable them to spend time on floating islands made of woven reeds. The Burrisses will explore the mysteries of pre-Colombian Bolivia and Peru and visit the ancient capital of the Inca Empire. They’ll discover the mysteries of 500-year-old temple sound systems and see interlocking stonework so precise a piece of paper will not fit between the joints.

For more information, call 615-898-2737 or send an e-mail to vmoxley@mtsu.edu.

“I have confidence in confidence alone.”—Julie Andrews in “The Sound of Music”

The June Anderson Women’s Center (JAWC) will present “How to Gain Confidence, Handle Conflict and Be Successful in the Workplace” at 12 noon Tuesday, Dec. 4, in the SunTrust Room of the Business and Aerospace Building. This workshop, the latest in the Career Professional Development Brown Bag Series, will be presented by Terri Johnson, director of the JAWC. The focus will be on tips and strategies for building confidence and self-esteem. Participants will be able to role-play different scenarios, learn techniques for handling conflicts and understand strategies for achieving professional goals in the workplace.

Contact the Women’s Center at 615-898-2193.
jawc@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

TUNE IN NEXT TIME--The December edition of the television program “Middle Tennessee Record” will present MTSU homecoming highlights; the groundbreaking at the site where a veterans memorial will be erected on campus; the dedication of a new home built by MTSU students volunteering for Habitat for Humanity; the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference to encourage girls who are interested in math and science; a new television program from the Department of Recording Industry that offers professional advise on songwriting; and other features that highlight MTSU faculty, students and events. To find out when “Middle Tennessee Record” airs in your area, go to http://www.mtsunews.com and click on “Middle Tennessee Record” on the right side of the page. For more information, contact John Lynch, Director of Marketing Technologies, at 615-898-5591 or jlynch@mtsu.edu.

A FIRST AT THE FRIST--The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, 919 Broadway in Nashville, will feature “Mid-State Art Majors,” an aptly titled exhibit that will include works by eight MTSU art students through Monday, Dec. 31. “I’ve been here four years and there’s never been a show put together like this,” says Erin Anfinson, assistant professor of art and liaison for the exhibit. “They came to us with the opportunity, and we were thrilled.” Art professors nominated MTSU students to be featured in the exhibit. Then a panel of faculty chose students to represent each of the concentrations of the art department—printmaking, ceramics, paintings, sculpture and graphic design. For more information about the exhibit, including driving directions, please visit the center’s online site at http://www.fristcenter.org.

I’LL GRANT YOU THAT--The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) at MTSU is accepting applications from faculty for its 2008 Curriculum Integration Grants. The 2007 grants, which have been awarded to three professors in allocations of $1,800 each, are being used to infuse courses at MTSU with an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of women. Dr. Jane Marcellus, journalism, will teach a course in the spring semester titled “Women in Journalism History.” Dr. Karen Petersen, political science, used her grant to create a version of her “Foundations of Government” general education class that would be applicable in a study-abroad context in Cherbourg, France. And Jeremy Rich, history, fashioned a course on “Women in Africa.” For more information on how to apply for this year’s grants, contact Dr. Tina Johnson, PCSW chair and associate professor of English at 615-898-2705 or ntjohnso@mtsu.edu.

GET THE PICTURE?--“One Perspective/Two Countries: Mexico/Italy” is the photography exhibit on display through Thursday, Dec. 6 at the Baldwin Photographic Gallery at MTSU. Harvey Stein teaches at the International Center of Photography and has been on the faculty of the New School University, the Rochester Institute of Technology, Drew University, Bridgeport University and Jersey City State College. His photographs have been published in numerous magazines, including Time, Life, Esquire, The New Yorker, Forbes, People, and Smithsonian. For gallery hours, contact Tom Jimison at 615-898-2085 or tjimison@mtsu.edu.

THE CIVIL WAR AND MORE--The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County will honor its successful community partnership and commemorate its official grand opening with a “Warm, White Winter Welcome” public reception from 3-5 p.m. today, Nov. 30. Located at 225 West College St., the center’s staff will kick off the free and open event with a 3 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony that also celebrates the completion of The Heritage Center’s main exhibit gallery, The Time that Changed Everything. Missouri native Julie Lenger, who is a graduate student enrolled in MTSU’s history program, was one of two student designers of the permanent display. “The Civil War exhibit is more elaborate than previous Heritage Center exhibits, both in scope and style,” she says. “This exhibit includes 13 interpretive panels that explain the events of the war in Rutherford County and includes period maps, photographs and drawings.” For more information, contact Melissa Zimmerman at 615-217-8013 or mzimmerm@mtsu.edu.

STEP LIVELY!--MTSU Dance Theatre’s 40-member cast will bring new life to the stage through innovative and classical choreography in its Fall Dance Concert, which will be presented at 7:30 p.m. through Saturday, Dec. 1 in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building’s Tucker Theatre. This year’s concert will feature “Crossing Ground,” choreographed by Michelle Ikle, a specialist in jazz, and “Freedom Riders,” choreographed by Travis D. Gatling, a celebration of individuals who had the courage to take a stand on racial issues in the 1960s. “MTSU’s guest artists match those of larger universities or more established programs,” remarks Kim Nofsinger, director of dance for MTSU. “Exposure to the artists provides students with a variety of insights and experiences within dance.” For more information, please call 615-494-8810 or visit the department’s Web site at http://www.mtsu.edu/~theatre.

STEELY PAN--Liam Teague, a speel-pan (drum) virtuoso, will perform in a public concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, in the T. Earl Hinton Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus. Hailed as the “Paganini of the Steel Pan,” Teague is recognized as a prodigy in his native Trinidad. A three-time winner of the National Solo Pan Competition, Teague currently serves as assistant professor of music and co-director of the Northern Illinois University Steel Band, the same institution where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music. Lalo Davila, associate professor of percussion at MTSU, says Teague’s playing as soloist with a symphony orchestra has led to performances in Europe, Asia, North America and the Caribbean. General admission for this concert is $5. For more information, call 615-898-2493 or visit http://www.mtsumusic.com.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“And I’ll probably feel a whole lot better when you’re gone.”—The Byrds

Dr. John Vile, chair of the Department of Political Science, says he thinks last night’s CNN/YouTube Republican Debate was “the liveliest to date. I think the most significant answer might have been Ron Paul’s statement that he would not run as an independent if he did not get the Republican nomination. This is important because the Republicans are going to need all the support they can get. [Fred] Thompson got off some good one-liners (his comments on judicial appointments especially seemed to resonate with his audience), but did not appear to be among the top three or four of the night’s debaters. I thought it significant that the Thompson ad that aired attacked [Mitt] Romney and [Mike] Huckabee rather than [Rudy] Giuliani. Huckabee got off a good line about what Jesus would do about capital punishment.”

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

“Long may you run/Long may you run/Although these changes have come/With your chrome heart shining in the sun/Long may you run”—Neil Young, about his first car, a 1948 Buick Roadmaster hearse

Rock icon Neil Young is having his 1959 Lincoln Continental revamped into a hybrid (electric/biodiesel). The original was 19-and-a-half feet long and two-and-a-half tons. Can a big car built in the days of real steel get the kind of gas mileage today's hybrids right off the assembly line can get? What's next, a Studebaker? A Hudson? Dr. Cliff Ricketts, agriscience and agribusiness professor and alternative fuels expert, says, “The old cars such as the one described can not come close to today’s more efficient vehicles. The Toyota Prius approaches 60 miles per gallon. The classic car described probably gets 15 miles per gallon at best.”

Contact Ricketts at 615-898-2430.
srickett@mtsu.edu

“Thanks for the memory”—Bob Hope and Shirley Ross in “The Big Broadcast of 1938”

Officials at the James E. Walker Library at MTSU are embarking on a program to convert the heirlooms of the university’s storied past into accessible digital images in preparation for the school’s centennial in 2011 and beyond. The librarians and students who will work on the MTSU Memory Project seek to collect photographs, correspondence, memorabilia and other items from the campus community and the community at large. The archivists are not content to look in every nook and cranny of the campus itself. If it’s in an attic, a piano bench, or a living room bookshelf, the librarians want to make a digital image of it and preserve it for all time to come.

Contact Ken Middleton at 615-898-8524
kmiddlet@mtsu.edu
or Mayo Taylor at 615-898-5605.
mtaylor@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

TUNE IN NEXT TIME--The December edition of the television program “Middle Tennessee Record” will present MTSU homecoming highlights; the groundbreaking at the site where a veterans memorial will be erected on campus; the dedication of a new home built by MTSU students volunteering for Habitat for Humanity; the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference to encourage girls who are interested in math and science; a new television program from the Department of Recording Industry that offers professional advise on songwriting; and other features that highlight MTSU faculty, students and events. To find out when “Middle Tennessee Record” airs in your area, go to http://www.mtsunews.com and click on “Middle Tennessee Record” on the right side of the page. For more information, contact John Lynch, Director of Marketing Technologies, at 615-898-5591 or jlynch@mtsu.edu.

A FIRST AT THE FRIST--The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, 919 Broadway in Nashville, will feature “Mid-State Art Majors,” an aptly titled exhibit that will include works by eight MTSU art students through Monday, Dec. 31. “I’ve been here four years and there’s never been a show put together like this,” says Erin Anfinson, assistant professor of art and liaison for the exhibit. “They came to us with the opportunity, and we were thrilled.” Art professors nominated MTSU students to be featured in the exhibit. Then a panel of faculty chose students to represent each of the concentrations of the art department—printmaking, ceramics, paintings, sculpture and graphic design. For more information about the exhibit, including driving directions, please visit the center’s online site at http://www.fristcenter.org.

I’LL GRANT YOU THAT--The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) at MTSU is accepting applications from faculty for its 2008 Curriculum Integration Grants. The 2007 grants, which have been awarded to three professors in allocations of $1,800 each, are being used to infuse courses at MTSU with an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of women. Dr. Jane Marcellus, journalism, will teach a course in the spring semester titled “Women in Journalism History.” Dr. Karen Petersen, political science, used her grant to create a version of her “Foundations of Government” general education class that would be applicable in a study-abroad context in Cherbourg, France. And Jeremy Rich, history, fashioned a course on “Women in Africa.” For more information on how to apply for this year’s grants, contact Dr. Tina Johnson, PCSW chair and associate professor of English at 615-898-2705 or ntjohnso@mtsu.edu.

GET THE PICTURE?--“One Perspective/Two Countries: Mexico/Italy” is the photography exhibit on display through Thursday, Dec. 6 at the Baldwin Photographic Gallery at MTSU. Harvey Stein teaches at the International Center of Photography and has been on the faculty of the New School University, the Rochester Institute of Technology, Drew University, Bridgeport University and Jersey City State College. His photographs have been published in numerous magazines, including Time, Life, Esquire, The New Yorker, Forbes, People, and Smithsonian. For gallery hours, contact Tom Jimison at 615-898-2085 or tjimison@mtsu.edu.

THE CIVIL WAR AND MORE--The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County will honor its successful community partnership and commemorate its official grand opening with a “Warm, White Winter Welcome” public reception from 3-5 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 30. Located at 225 West College St., the center’s staff will kick off the free and open event with a 3 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony that also celebrates the completion of The Heritage Center’s main exhibit gallery, The Time that Changed Everything. Missouri native Julie Lenger, who is a graduate student enrolled in MTSU’s history program, was one of two student designers of the permanent display. “The Civil War exhibit is more elaborate than previous Heritage Center exhibits, both in scope and style,” she says. “This exhibit includes 13 interpretive panels that explain the events of the war in Rutherford County and includes period maps, photographs and drawings.” For more information, contact Melissa Zimmerman at 615-217-8013 or mzimmerm@mtsu.edu.

STEP LIVELY!--MTSU Dance Theatre’s 40-member cast will bring new life to the stage through innovative and classical choreography in its Fall Dance Concert, which will be presented at 7:30 p.m. daily through Saturday, Dec. 1 in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building’s Tucker Theatre. This year’s concert will feature “Crossing Ground,” choreographed by Michelle Ikle, a specialist in jazz, and “Freedom Riders,” choreographed by Travis D. Gatling, a celebration of individuals who had the courage to take a stand on racial issues in the 1960s. “MTSU’s guest artists match those of larger universities or more established programs,” remarks Kim Nofsinger, director of dance for MTSU. “Exposure to the artists provides students with a variety of insights and experiences within dance.” For more information, please call 615-494-8810 or visit the department’s Web site at http://www.mtsu.edu/~theatre.

STEELY PAN--Liam Teague, a speel-pan (drum) virtuoso, will perform in a public concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, in the T. Earl Hinton Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus. Hailed as the “Paganini of the Steel Pan,” Teague is recognized as a prodigy in his native Trinidad. A three-time winner of the National Solo Pan Competition, Teague currently serves as assistant professor of music and co-director of the Northern Illinois University Steel Band, the same institution where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music. Lalo Davila, associate professor of percussion at MTSU, says Teague’s playing as soloist with a symphony orchestra has led to performances in Europe, Asia, North America and the Caribbean. General admission for this concert is $5. For more information, call 615-898-2493 or visit http://www.mtsumusic.com.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Steely Pan

Liam Teague, a speel-pan (drum) virtuoso, will perform in a public concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, in the T. Earl Hinton Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus. Hailed as the “Paganini of the Steel Pan,” Teague is recognized as a prodigy in his native Trinidad. A three-time winner of the National Solo Pan Competition, Teague currently serves as assistant professor of music and co-director of the Northern Illinois University Steel Band, the same institution where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music. Lalo Davila, associate professor of percussion at MTSU, says Teague’s playing as soloist with a symphony orchestra has led to performances in Europe, Asia, North America and the Caribbean. General admission for this concert is $5.

For more information, call 615-898-2493 or visit http://www.mtsumusic.com.

Log in for libertarianism.

Ron Paul is taking up where Howard Dean left off in the utilization of the Internet in presidential campaigns. “Paul right now has more unique visitors to his Web site than any other candidate out there,” says Patrick Chinnery, political science instructor and mock trial coach. “According to the Google tracking software, Ron Paul has had some 460,000 unique visitors to his Web site. The next closest is Fred Thompson, coming in at about 400,000.” Paul, a Republican Congressman whose positions are more libertarian than those of his competitors, is also a surprise hit on YouTube. “YouTube’s out there,” says Chinnery. “Everyone can go and search for it, and once one person starts viewing the video, it’s going to spread like wildfire.”

Contact Chinnery at 615-898-2708.
chinnery@mtsu.edu

Don’t cell them short.

Teams of scientists in Wisconsin and Japan last week announced they have reprogrammed regular human skin cells to mimic stem cells, a breakthrough which might ultimately render the debate over the morality of using embryonic stem cells moot. Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “Like all cell biologists, they knew that a human cell expresses its identity, not just by the face it shows under the microscope lights, and not just by the role it plays in our body’s stage, but also by the proteins that it expresses within itself. … The two teams found four genes, two of which were in common, that were required to reprogram a mature skin cell so that it would express itself much like an embryonic stem cell. These genes were inserted with viruses, but other gene-insertion techniques, perhaps of a pharmaceutical nature, will likely be developed in the future.”

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

TR EXTRA

TUNE IN NEXT TIME--The December edition of the television program “Middle Tennessee Record” will present MTSU homecoming highlights; the groundbreaking at the site where a veterans memorial will be erected on campus; the dedication of a new home built by MTSU students volunteering for Habitat for Humanity; the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference to encourage girls who are interested in math and science; a new television program from the Department of Recording Industry that offers professional advise on songwriting; and other features that highlight MTSU faculty, students and events. To find out when “Middle Tennessee Record” airs in your area, go to http://www.mtsunews.com and click on “Middle Tennessee Record” on the right side of the page. For more information, contact John Lynch, Director of Marketing Technologies, at 615-898-5591 or jlynch@mtsu.edu.

A FIRST AT THE FRIST--The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, 919 Broadway in Nashville, will feature “Mid-State Art Majors,” an aptly titled exhibit that will include works by eight MTSU art students through Dec. 31. “I’ve been here four years and there’s never been a show put together like this,” says Erin Anfinson, assistant professor of art and liaison for the exhibit. “They came to us with the opportunity, and we were thrilled.” Art professors nominated MTSU students to be featured in the exhibit. Then a panel of faculty chose students to represent each of the concentrations of the art department—printmaking, ceramics, paintings, sculpture and graphic design. For more information about the exhibit, including driving directions, please visit the center’s online site at http://www.fristcenter.org.

I’LL GRANT YOU THAT--The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) at MTSU is accepting applications from faculty for its 2008 Curriculum Integration Grants. The 2007 grants, which have been awarded to three professors in allocations of $1,800 each, are being used to infuse courses at MTSU with an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of women. Dr. Jane Marcellus, journalism, will teach a course in the spring semester titled “Women in Journalism History.” Dr. Karen Petersen, political science, used her grant to create a version of her “Foundations of Government” general education class that would be applicable in a study-abroad context in Cherbourg, France. And Jeremy Rich, history, fashioned a course on “Women in Africa.” For more information on how to apply for this year’s grants, contact Dr. Tina Johnson, PCSW chair and associate professor of English at 615-898-2705 or ntjohnso@mtsu.edu.

GET THE PICTURE?--“One Perspective/Two Countries: Mexico/Italy” is the photography exhibit on display through Dec. 6 at the Baldwin Photographic Gallery at MTSU. Harvey Stein teaches at the International Center of Photography and has been on the faculty of the New School University, the Rochester Institute of Technology, Drew University, Bridgeport University and Jersey City State College. His photographs have been published in numerous magazines, including Time, Life, Esquire, The New Yorker, Forbes, People, and Smithsonian. For gallery hours, contact Tom Jimison at 615-898-2085 or tjimison@mtsu.edu.

THE CIVIL WAR AND MORE--The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County will honor its successful community partnership and commemorate its official grand opening with a “Warm, White Winter Welcome” public reception from 3-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30. Located at 225 West College St., the center’s staff will kick off the free and open event with a 3 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony that also celebrates the completion of The Heritage Center’s main exhibit gallery, The Time that Changed Everything. Missouri native Julie Lenger, who is a graduate student enrolled in MTSU’s history program, was one of two student designers of the permanent display. “The Civil War exhibit is more elaborate than previous Heritage Center exhibits, both in scope and style,” she says. “This exhibit includes 13 interpretive panels that explain the events of the war in Rutherford County and includes period maps, photographs and drawings.” For more information, contact Melissa Zimmerman at 615-217-8013 or mzimmerm@mtsu.edu.

STEP LIVELY!--MTSU Dance Theatre’s 40-member cast will bring new life to the stage through innovative and classical choreography in its Fall Dance Concert, which will be presented at 7:30 p.m. daily tomorrow through Dec. 1 in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building’s Tucker Theatre. This year’s concert will feature “Crossing Ground,” choreographed by Michelle Ikle, a specialist in jazz, and “Freedom Riders,” choreographed by Travis D. Gatling, a celebration of individuals who had the courage to take a stand on racial issues in the 1960s. “MTSU’s guest artists match those of larger universities or more established programs,” remarks Kim Nofsinger, director of dance for MTSU. “Exposure to the artists provides students with a variety of insights and experiences within dance.” For more information, please call 615-494-8810 or visit the department’s Web site at http://www.mtsu.edu/~theatre.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Quick, Bubba, turn on the Garmin and follow that cow!

Traceability of livestock is a big issue in the animal industry. That’s why the U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched the National Animal Identification System. So far, more than 400,000 premises are registered and their critters have animal ID tags in their ears that will enable humans to trace them with a reader or a scanning device. Why trace farm animals? Dr. Jessica Gentry Carter, agribusiness and agriscience, says, “In the U.S. right now, when you buy a package of beef or even chicken, it might say the company name, but we really don’t have any idea where that animal was produced. And there are some consumers out there who would like that information—things maybe even like what feedstuffs it was provided, or what the animal ate, the chemicals that were administered to the crops.”

Contact Carter at 615-898-2419.
jgcarter@mtsu.edu

Step lively!

MTSU Dance Theatre’s 40-member cast will bring new life to the stage through innovative and classical choreography in its Fall Dance Concert, which will be presented at 7:30 p.m. daily Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building’s Tucker Theatre. This year’s concert will feature “Crossing Ground,” choreographed by Michelle Ikle, a specialist in jazz, and “Freedom Riders,” choreographed by Travis D. Gatling, a celebration of individuals who had the courage to take a stand on racial issues in the 1960s. “MTSU’s guest artists match those of larger universities or more established programs,” remarks Kim Nofsinger, director of dance for MTSU. “Exposure to the artists provides students with a variety of insights and experiences within dance.”

For more information, please call 615-494-8810 or visit the department’s Web site at http://www.mtsu.edu/~theatre.

“You make me feel so young”.—Old Blue Veins

Franklin, Tennessee’s Mike Flynt and his football teammates at Division III Sul Ross State posted a 5-5 mark this season, 3-5 in the conference. What makes this unremarkable fact remarkable for Flynt is that he returned to his alma mater to use up his remaining college eligibility at the age of 59. How did Flynt do it? Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance, says “We lose one percent of our strength annually after age 25. Cardiovascular capacity also slows at an even more rapid rate. However, intense physical training can slow deterioration in our ability to meet oxygen demands in the muscle (cardiovascular fitness) and overcome resistance (strength fitness). Proper nutrition, including ingesting legal supplements in proper doses, especially if medically supervised, can significantly enhance training benefits.”

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

TR EXTRA

TUNE IN NEXT TIME--The December edition of the television program “Middle Tennessee Record” will present MTSU homecoming highlights; the groundbreaking at the site where a veterans memorial will be erected on campus; the dedication of a new home built by MTSU students volunteering for Habitat for Humanity; the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference to encourage girls who are interested in math and science; a new television program from the Department of Recording Industry that offers professional advise on songwriting; and other features that highlight MTSU faculty, students and events. To find out when “Middle Tennessee Record” airs in your area, go to http://www.mtsunews.com and click on “Middle Tennessee Record” on the right side of the page. For more information, contact John Lynch, Director of Marketing Technologies, at 615-898-5591 or jlynch@mtsu.edu.

A FIRST AT THE FRIST--The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, 919 Broadway in Nashville, will feature “Mid-State Art Majors,” an aptly titled exhibit that will include works by eight MTSU art students through Dec. 31. “I’ve been here four years and there’s never been a show put together like this,” says Erin Anfinson, assistant professor of art and liaison for the exhibit. “They came to us with the opportunity, and we were thrilled.” Art professors nominated MTSU students to be featured in the exhibit. Then a panel of faculty chose students to represent each of the concentrations of the art department—printmaking, ceramics, paintings, sculpture and graphic design. For more information about the exhibit, including driving directions, please visit the center’s online site at http://www.fristcenter.org.

I’LL GRANT YOU THAT--The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) at MTSU is accepting applications from faculty for its 2008 Curriculum Integration Grants. The 2007 grants, which have been awarded to three professors in allocations of $1,800 each, are being used to infuse courses at MTSU with an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of women. Dr. Jane Marcellus, journalism, will teach a course in the spring semester titled “Women in Journalism History.” Dr. Karen Petersen, political science, used her grant to create a version of her “Foundations of Government” general education class that would be applicable in a study-abroad context in Cherbourg, France. And Jeremy Rich, history, fashioned a course on “Women in Africa.” For more information on how to apply for this year’s grants, contact Dr. Tina Johnson, PCSW chair and associate professor of English at 615-898-2705 or ntjohnso@mtsu.edu.

GET THE PICTURE?--“One Perspective/Two Countries: Mexico/Italy” is the photography exhibit on display through Dec. 6 at the Baldwin Photographic Gallery at MTSU. Harvey Stein teaches at the International Center of Photography and has been on the faculty of the New School University, the Rochester Institute of Technology, Drew University, Bridgeport University and Jersey City State College. His photographs have been published in numerous magazines, including Time, Life, Esquire, The New Yorker, Forbes, People, and Smithsonian. For gallery hours, contact Tom Jimison at 615-898-2085 or tjimison@mtsu.edu.

THE CIVIL WAR AND MORE--The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County will honor its successful community partnership and commemorate its official grand opening with a “Warm, White Winter Welcome” public reception from 3-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30. Located at 225 West College St., the center’s staff will kick off the free and open event with a 3 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony that also celebrates the completion of The Heritage Center’s main exhibit gallery, The Time that Changed Everything. Missouri native Julie Lenger, who is a graduate student enrolled in MTSU’s history program, was one of two student designers of the permanent display. “The Civil War exhibit is more elaborate than previous Heritage Center exhibits, both in scope and style,” she says. “This exhibit includes 13 interpretive panels that explain the events of the war in Rutherford County and includes period maps, photographs and drawings.” For more information, contact Melissa Zimmerman at 615-217-8013 or mzimmerm@mtsu.edu.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Today's Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The Civil War and more

The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County will honor its successful community partnership and commemorate its official grand opening with a “Warm, White Winter Welcome” public reception from 3-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30. Located at 225 West College St., the center’s staff will kick off the free and open event with a 3 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony that also celebrates the completion of The Heritage Center’s main exhibit gallery, The Time that Changed Everything. Missouri native Julie Lenger, who is a graduate student enrolled in MTSU’s history program, was one of two student designers of the permanent display. “The Civil War exhibit is more elaborate than previous Heritage Center exhibits, both in scope and style,” she says. “This exhibit includes 13 interpretive panels that explain the events of the war in Rutherford County and includes period maps, photographs and drawings.”

For more information, contact Melissa Zimmerman at 615-217-8013.
mzimmerm@mtsu.edu

The study of sport

Athletics and academics sometimes find themselves at odds in a university setting, but some college officials say it shouldn’t be that way. Princeton University Athletic Director Gary Walters is of the opinion that sport should be given an exalted place in the curriculum alongside dance, art and music. Dr. Colby Jubenville, health and human performance, says, “I think the challenge for college athletic programs like Princeton is the same challenge that I face as a parent in the sport-obsessed, time-depleted, value-blurred world we live in. It is evident, almost obvious, that understanding the value of ‘mind-knowing’ is critical to long-term quality of life. … Defining and communicating values and how they are connected to the philosophy of the athletic program will help those leaders articulate their purpose of athletics and the role of the student-athlete both on and off the court in the university setting.”

Contact Jubenville at 615-898-2909.
jubenvil@mtsu.edu

Get the picture?

“One Perspective/Two Countries: Mexico/Italy” is the photography exhibit on display through Dec. 6 at the Baldwin Photographic Gallery at MTSU. Harvey Stein teaches at the International Center of Photography and has been on the faculty of the New School University, the Rochester Institute of Technology, Drew University, Bridgeport University and Jersey City State College. His photographs have been published in numerous magazines, including Time, Life, Esquire, The New Yorker, Forbes, People, and Smithsonian.

For gallery hours, contact Tom Jimison at 615-898-2085.
tjimison@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

TUNE IN NEXT TIME--The December edition of the television program “Middle Tennessee Record” will present MTSU homecoming highlights; the groundbreaking at the site where a veterans memorial will be erected on campus; the dedication of a new home built by MTSU students volunteering for Habitat for Humanity; the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference to encourage girls who are interested in math and science; a new television program from the Department of Recording Industry that offers professional advise on songwriting; and other features that highlight MTSU faculty, students and events. To find out when “Middle Tennessee Record” airs in your area, go to http://www.mtsunews.com and click on “Middle Tennessee Record” on the right side of the page. For more information, contact John Lynch, Director of Marketing Technologies, at 615-898-5591 or jlynch@mtsu.edu.

A FIRST AT THE FRIST--The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, 919 Broadway in Nashville, will feature “Mid-State Art Majors,” an aptly titled exhibit that will include works by eight MTSU art students through Dec. 31. “I’ve been here four years and there’s never been a show put together like this,” says Erin Anfinson, assistant professor of art and liaison for the exhibit. “They came to us with the opportunity, and we were thrilled.” Art professors nominated MTSU students to be featured in the exhibit. Then a panel of faculty chose students to represent each of the concentrations of the art department—printmaking, ceramics, paintings, sculpture and graphic design. For more information about the exhibit, including driving directions, please visit the center’s online site at http://www.fristcenter.org.

I’LL GRANT YOU THAT--The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) at MTSU is accepting applications from faculty for its 2008 Curriculum Integration Grants. The 2007 grants, which have been awarded to three professors in allocations of $1,800 each, are being used to infuse courses at MTSU with an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of women. Dr. Jane Marcellus, journalism, will teach a course in the spring semester titled “Women in Journalism History.” Dr. Karen Petersen, political science, used her grant to create a version of her “Foundations of Government” general education class that would be applicable in a study-abroad context in Cherbourg, France. And Jeremy Rich, history, fashioned a course on “Women in Africa.” For more information on how to apply for this year’s grants, contact Dr. Tina Johnson, PCSW chair and associate professor of English at 615-898-2705 or ntjohnso@mtsu.edu.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

NOTE: SINCE MANY FACULTY EXPERTS ARE PREPARING FOR THANKSGIVING, TODAY’S RESPONSE WILL GO ON HIATUS UNTIL MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26. WE WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY HOLIDAY.

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Cultural communication

Here’s a quick quiz: Why is Iraq an Arab culture but Iran isn’t? Why do Muslim women cover their hair—and some cover their faces? What are “honor killings and why do they occur? Why would the opening lines in the movie “The Departed” be particularly offensive to Arabs? These are just some of the questions Dr. Linda Seward, speech and theatre, will field in a new Spring 2008 course at MTSU—“Communication in the Middle East.” The course will explore the values, perceptions and communication patterns of cultures in the Middle East.

Contact Seward at 615-904-8572.
lseward@mtsu.edu

He’s not talking about LeRoy Neiman.

Ponder the assertion of Princeton University Athletic Director Gary Walters while you’re watching your Thanksgiving weekend football games. Walters says it is time for sport to be accorded the same kind of academic prestige as drama, art and music. Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance, says he wonders whether Walters is trying to upgrade the arts or downgrade sport. “I agree that sport is, to some, artistic in terms of the capability of many athletes to perform very complex motor skills at a highly consistent and high quality level,” Anshel says. “But where is the ‘intellectual’ component in sport that Mr. Walters contends is missing? Yes, strategy and decision-making are complex processes and intrinsic to sports competition, but most skills and strategies are executed automatically …”

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

Can u hold ur anchovies?

You can now order a pizza by text messaging. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says it’s called mobile marketing. “Papa John’s has launched a mobile marketing program that enables registered users to create order preferences and set payment options,” Roy says. “Orders can be placed by texting Papa John’s. Will text message ordering become the new standard for customers doing business with Papa John’s or any other retailer that adopts the platform? Probably not anytime soon. But, mobile marketing opens up possibilities beyond accepting customer orders such as being able to send coupons and other offers to customers without buying media time or space. Coming up with new ways for customers to make purchases represents potential incremental revenues that can not be ignored.”

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

TR EXTRA

TUNE IN NEXT TIME--The December edition of the television program “Middle Tennessee Record” will present MTSU homecoming highlights; the groundbreaking at the site where a veterans memorial will be erected on campus; the dedication of a new home built by MTSU students volunteering for Habitat for Humanity; the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference to encourage girls who are interested in math and science; a new television program from the Department of Recording Industry that offers professional advise on songwriting; and other features that highlight MTSU faculty, students and events. To find out when “Middle Tennessee Record” airs in your area, go to http://www.mtsunews.com and click on “Middle Tennessee Record” on the right side of the page. For more information, contact John Lynch, Director of Marketing Technologies, at 615-898-5591 or jlynch@mtsu.edu.

A FIRST AT THE FRIST--The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, 919 Broadway in Nashville, will feature “Mid-State Art Majors,” an aptly titled exhibit that will include works by eight MTSU art students through Dec. 31. “I’ve been here four years and there’s never been a show put together like this,” says Erin Anfinson, assistant professor of art and liaison for the exhibit. “They came to us with the opportunity, and we were thrilled.” Art professors nominated MTSU students to be featured in the exhibit. Then a panel of faculty chose students to represent each of the concentrations of the art department—printmaking, ceramics, paintings, sculpture and graphic design. For more information about the exhibit, including driving directions, please visit the center’s online site at http://www.fristcenter.org.

I’LL GRANT YOU THAT--The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) at MTSU is accepting applications from faculty for its 2008 Curriculum Integration Grants. The 2007 grants, which have been awarded to three professors in allocations of $1,800 each, are being used to infuse courses at MTSU with an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of women. Dr. Jane Marcellus, journalism, will teach a course in the spring semester titled “Women in Journalism History.” Dr. Karen Petersen, political science, used her grant to create a version of her “Foundations of Government” general education class that would be applicable in a study-abroad context in Cherbourg, France. And Jeremy Rich, history, fashioned a course on “Women in Africa.” For more information on how to apply for this year’s grants, contact Dr. Tina Johnson, PCSW chair and associate professor of English at 615-898-2705 or ntjohnso@mtsu.edu.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Uninformed consumers

Have you ever given untrue answers to a person conducting a marketing survey? Well, you’re not alone, and it happens more often than you might think. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of the Office of Consumer Research at MTSU, and his colleagues recently published a study about this issue in the journal Psychology & Marketing. The researchers added a fictitious brand to their questions about the relative popularity of different running shoes—and some people actually said they liked the fictitious brand! Graeff says, “Although research has documented this phenomenon and examined the conditions under which it occurs, the current research project is the first to examine how survey researchers might reduce uninformed response bias through the use of additional questions added to surveys that measure knowledge of brands for which consumers might be uninformed.”

Contact Graeff at 615-898-5124.
tgraeff@mtsu.edu

Home sweet home

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation aimed at preventing more mortgage foreclosures. The measure would force mortgage lenders to get licenses and make a determination of whether a potential borrower can make the payments. Mortgage lenders who guide their customers toward risky loans would be fined. Dr. Doug Timmons, economics and finance, says, “Typically, the subprime loan had … low borrower equity, and as home values dropped, the loan collateral no longer protected the lender. Subprime lenders started experiencing severe losses. As investors in these subprime funds realized what was happening, they started to withdraw their investments, and this has created a liquidity squeeze. The funds have been forced to liquidate their subprime mortgages as the investors wanted their money back and so are forced to incur losses on the mortgages.”

Contact Timmons at 615-898-5750.
jtimmons@mtsu.edu

College info in cyberspace

A free Web site, CollegeforTN.org, is available as a comprehensive source for Tennessee higher education information. “CollegeforTN.org is the online, one-stop college shop where students and parents can plan, prepare, pay and apply for college,” says Richard Rhoda, executive director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). “It provides students the ability to create academic plans, select Tennessee colleges, prepare for standardized tests, research financial aid opportunities, explore career fields, apply online and more.” More than 60,000 student accounts have been created and more than 29,000 college applications have been created on CollegeforTN.org.

For more information, contact Wendy Tabor at 615-532-0419.
wendy.tabor@state.tn.us

TR EXTRA

TUNE IN NEXT TIME--The December edition of the television program “Middle Tennessee Record” will present MTSU homecoming highlights; the groundbreaking at the site where a veterans memorial will be erected on campus; the dedication of a new home built by MTSU students volunteering for Habitat for Humanity; the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference to encourage girls who are interested in math and science; a new television program from the Department of Recording Industry that offers professional advise on songwriting; and other features that highlight MTSU faculty, students and events. To find out when “Middle Tennessee Record” airs in your area, go to http://www.mtsunews.com and click on “Middle Tennessee Record” on the right side of the page. For more information, contact John Lynch, Director of Marketing Technologies, at 615-898-5591 or jlynch@mtsu.edu.

A FIRST AT THE FRIST--The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, 919 Broadway in Nashville, will feature “Mid-State Art Majors,” an aptly titled exhibit that will include works by eight MTSU art students through Dec. 31. “I’ve been here four years and there’s never been a show put together like this,” says Erin Anfinson, assistant professor of art and liaison for the exhibit. “They came to us with the opportunity, and we were thrilled.” Art professors nominated MTSU students to be featured in the exhibit. Then a panel of faculty chose students to represent each of the concentrations of the art department—printmaking, ceramics, paintings, sculpture and graphic design. For more information about the exhibit, including driving directions, please visit the center’s online site at http://www.fristcenter.org.

I’LL GRANT YOU THAT--The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) at MTSU is accepting applications from faculty for its 2008 Curriculum Integration Grants. The 2007 grants, which have been awarded to three professors in allocations of $1,800 each, are being used to infuse courses at MTSU with an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of women. Dr. Jane Marcellus, journalism, will teach a course in the spring semester titled “Women in Journalism History.” Dr. Karen Petersen, political science, used her grant to create a version of her “Foundations of Government” general education class that would be applicable in a study-abroad context in Cherbourg, France. And Jeremy Rich, history, fashioned a course on “Women in Africa.” For more information on how to apply for this year’s grants, contact Dr. Tina Johnson, PCSW chair and associate professor of English at 615-898-2705 or ntjohnso@mtsu.edu.

WINTER WONDERLAND--The Stones River Chamber Players (SRCP), artists in residence at MTSU, will present a program of music titled “Winter Delights” at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Nov. 19, in the T. Earl Hinton Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus. This concert is free and open to the public. ‘The program consists of a blend of chamber works from Renaissance to modern times,” says Todd Waldecker, co-director of the SRCP. “The music is full of beautiful melodies that are very pleasing to the ear.” The works that will be performed include Frank Martin’s Trois chants de noel, Anthony Holborne’s A Suite of Renaissance Dances, selections from J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Gunter Moll’s Transition Man and Georg Philipp Telemann’s Quartet in d minor from Tafelmusik II. For more information on this and other events in the music school at MTSU, call 615-898-2493 or visit http://www.mtsumusic.com.

THE BUSINESS OF RUSSIA IS BUSINESS--MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise and the Jennings and Rebecca Jones Chair of Excellence in Urban and Regional Planning will sponsor the Bilateral Conference on Urban Land Use Resources all day today, Nov. 19, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. This gathering will allow community and business leaders, faculty members, students and interested public participants to hear outstanding speakers from both the public and private sectors. Dr. Andrei Korobkov, political science, says he believes the conference will provide insights not only for research but also for practical application in developing cities. Many of the goals of the New Eurasia Foundation, a group dedicated to using outside expertise to increase growth and development in Russia, will be topics for discussion. For more information, call 615-898-2764 or visit http://business.web.mtsu.edu and click on the link at the bottom of the page.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The business of Russia is business.

MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise and the Jennings and Rebecca Jones Chair of Excellence in Urban and Regional Planning will sponsor the Bilateral Conference on Urban Land Use Resources all day Monday, Nov. 19, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. This gathering will allow community and business leaders, faculty members, students and interested public participants to hear outstanding speakers from both the public and private sectors. Dr. Andrei Korobkov, political science, says he believes the conference will provide insights not only for research but also for practical application in developing cities. Many of the goals of the New Eurasia Foundation, a group dedicated to using outside expertise to increase growth and development in Russia, will be topics for discussion.

For more information, call 615-898-2764 or visit http://business.web.mtsu.edu and click on the link at the bottom of the page.

Winter wonderland

The Stones River Chamber Players (SRCP), artists in residence at MTSU, will present a program of music titled “Winter Delights” at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 19, in the T. Earl Hinton Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus. This concert is free and open to the public. ‘The program consists of a blend of chamber works from Renaissance to modern times,” says Todd Waldecker, co-director of the SRCP. “The music is full of beautiful melodies that are very pleasing to the ear.” The works that will be performed include Frank Martin’s Trois chants de noel, Anthony Holborne’s A Suite of Renaissance Dances, selections from J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Gunter Moll’s Transition Man and Georg Philipp Telemann’s Quartet in d minor from Tafelmusik II.

For more information on this and other events in the music school at MTSU, call 615-898-2493 or visit http://www.mtsumusic.com.

On the road again

Rich Barnet, a professor of recording industry, is the co-author of This Business of Concert Promotion and Touring: A Practical Guide to Creating, Selling, Organizing and Staging Concerts (Billboard Books). With co-authors Ray Waddell and Jake Berry, Barnet covers numerous topics, including booking agencies, concert promotion, ticketing, marketing, rehearsals, contracts, tour management and merchandising. Barnet teaches concert promotion and advanced concert promotion at MTSU. Waddell is executive director of content and programming for touring and live entertainment at Billboard Information Group. Berry is co-owner of Production Alliance and has worked as production manager for acts including The Rolling Stones, U2, AC/DC and Metallica.

Contact Barnet at 615-898-5869.
rbarnet@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

DEPENDING ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS--The Center Players will perform their inaugural presentation, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, through Saturday Nov. 17 at the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts, 110 West College Street in Murfreesboro. Blanche DuBois will be portrayed by Dr. Elyce Helford, director of Women’s Studies and professor of English at MTSU. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m.. Contact the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts at 615-904-ARTS (2787) or http://www.boroarts.org.

MIGRATIONS--“Migrations” is the theme of the 16th annual Tennessee Undergraduate Social Science Symposium at MTSU concluding today Nov. 16. The gathering is expected to attract 800-1,000 undergraduates and educators from the local campus as well as from across the state. “Papers presented by students will include a variety of topics (such as) immigration, social problems, social and cultural theory, hate crimes, race and ethnicity, Appalachian studies, health, family and work, sociology of emotions, and experiential learning in archeological studies and study abroad,” says Dr. Vicky MacLean, associate professor of sociology at MTSU and the event’s co-director. Contact Connie Huddleston at 615-494-7628 or chudd@mtsu.edu.

TUNE IN NEXT TIME--The December edition of the television program “Middle Tennessee Record” will present MTSU homecoming highlights; the groundbreaking at the site where a veterans memorial will be erected on campus; the dedication of a new home built by MTSU students volunteering for Habitat for Humanity; the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference to encourage girls who are interested in math and science; a new television program from the Department of Recording Industry that offers professional advise on songwriting; and other features that highlight MTSU faculty, students and events. To find out when “Middle Tennessee Record” airs in your area, go to http://www.mtsunews.com and click on “Middle Tennessee Record” on the right side of the page. For more information, contact John Lynch, Director of Marketing Technologies, at 615-898-5591 or jlynch@mtsu.edu.

A FIRST AT THE FRIST--The Frist Center for the Visual Arts will feature “Mid-State Art Majors,” an aptly titled exhibit that will include works by eight MTSU art students through Dec. 31. “I’ve been here four years and there’s never been a show put together like this,” says Erin Anfinson, assistant professor of art and liaison for the exhibit. “They came to us with the opportunity, and we were thrilled.” The show’s opening, which is a free event, will be from 7-9 p.m. tonight at the Frist, 919 Broadway in Nashville. Art professors nominated MTSU students to be featured in the exhibit. Then a panel of faculty chose students to represent each of the concentrations of the art department—printmaking, ceramics, paintings, sculpture and graphic design. For more information about the exhibit, including driving directions, please visit the center’s online site at http://www.fristcenter.org.

I’LL GRANT YOU THAT--The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) at MTSU is accepting applications from faculty for its 2008 Curriculum Integration Grants. The 2007 grants, which have been awarded to three professors in allocations of $1,800 each, are being used to infuse courses at MTSU with an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of women. Dr. Jane Marcellus, journalism, will teach a course in the spring semester titled “Women in Journalism History.” Dr. Karen Petersen, political science, used her grant to create a version of her “Foundations of Government” general education class that would be applicable in a study-abroad context in Cherbourg, France. And Jeremy Rich, history, fashioned a course on “Women in Africa.” For more information on how to apply for this year’s grants, contact Dr. Tina Johnson, PCSW chair and associate professor of English at 615-898-2705 or ntjohnson@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

I’ll grant you that!

The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) at MTSU is accepting applications from faculty for its 2008 Curriculum Integration Grants. The 2007 grants, which have been awarded to three professors in allocations of $1,800 each, are being used to infuse courses at MTSU with an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of women. Dr. Jane Marcellus, journalism, will teach a course in the spring semester titled “Women in Journalism History.” Dr. Karen Petersen, political science, used her grant to create a version of her “Foundations of Government” general education class that would be applicable in a study-abroad context in Cherbourg, France. And Jeremy Rich, history, fashioned a course on “Women in Africa.”

For more information on how to apply for this year’s grants, contact Dr. Tina Johnson, PCSW chair and associate professor of English at 615-898-2705.
ntjohnson@mtsu.edu

A first at the Frist

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts will feature “Mid-State Art Majors,” an aptly titled exhibit that will include works by eight MTSU art students beginning tomorrow through Dec. 31. “I’ve been here four years and there’s never been a show put together like this,” says Erin Anfinson, assistant professor of art and liaison for the exhibit. “They came to us with the opportunity, and we were thrilled.” The show’s opening, which is a free event, will be from 7-9 p.m. tomorrow night at the Frist, 919 Broadway in Nashville. Art professors nominated MTSU students to be featured in the exhibit. Then a panel of faculty chose students to represent each of the concentrations of the art department—printmaking, ceramics, paintings, sculpture and graphic design.

For more information about the exhibit, including driving directions, please visit the center’s online site at http://www.fristcenter.org.

Tune in next time.

The December edition of the television program “Middle Tennessee Record” will present MTSU homecoming highlights; the groundbreaking at the site where a veterans memorial will be erected on campus; the dedication of a new home built by MTSU students volunteering for Habitat for Humanity; the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference to encourage girls who are interested in math and science; a new television program from the Department of Recording Industry that offers professional advise on songwriting; and other features that highlight MTSU faculty, students and events. To find out when “Middle Tennessee Record” airs in your area, go to http://www.mtsunews.com and click on “Middle Tennessee Record” on the right side of the page.

For more information, contact John Lynch, Director of Marketing Technologies, at 615-898-5591.
jlynch@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

DEPENDING ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS--The Center Players will perform their inaugural presentation, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, today through Saturday Nov. 15-17 at the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts, 110 West College Street in Murfreesboro. Blanche DuBois will be portrayed by Dr. Elyce Helford, director of Women’s Studies and professor of English at MTSU. Dr. Robert Bray, an MTSU English professor and Tennessee Williams scholar, will deliver a talk titled “Laying the Tracks for His Streetcar: The Evolution of a Great American Play” at 7 p.m. on the night of the Nov. 8 performance. A video of Bray’s talk will be played at future performances. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee. Contact the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts at 615-904-ARTS (2787) or http://www.boroarts.org.

IT’S ALL RIGHT, MA, I’M ONLY BLEEDING--Cindy Rehm, assistant professor of art at MTSU, will present “Spontaneous Bleeding: The Performative Video Works of Cindy Rehm,” the latest lecture in the Fall 2007 Women’s Studies Research Series, at 3 p.m. today, Nov. 15, in Room 100 of MTSU’s James Union Building. The lecture is free and open to the public. Rehm will present and discuss a selection of her video works, which explore female identity, eroticism and hysteria. “The works express visceral manifestations of female desire through private acts of ritual,” Rehm says. “The images oscillate between the beautiful and the grotesque and aim to diversify the erotic possibilities of the female body.” For more information, contact Dr. Jane Marcellus at 615-898-5282 or jmarcell@mtsu.edu or the Women’s Studies office at 615-898-5910 or
womenstu@mtsu.edu.

MIGRATIONS--“Migrations” is the theme of the 16th annual Tennessee Undergraduate Social Science Symposium at MTSU today and Friday Nov. 15-16. The gathering is expected to attract 800-1,000 undergraduates and educators from the local campus as well as from across the state. “Papers presented by students will include a variety of topics (such as) immigration, social problems, social and cultural theory, hate crimes, race and ethnicity, Appalachian studies, health, family and work, sociology of emotions, and experiential learning in archeological studies and study abroad,” says Dr. Vicky MacLean, associate professor of sociology at MTSU and the event’s co-director. Contact Connie Huddleston at 615-494-7628 or chudd@mtsu.edu.

SAX APPEAL--The 2007-2008 MTSU Jazz Artist Series will get the first of two 2007 concerts underway at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Nov. 15, with world-class saxophonist Greg Osby, who will perform in the T. Earl Hinton hall of the Wright Music Building. Don Aliquo, coordinator of jazz studies at MTSU, says Osby is working with student ensembles in workshops. “(Osby) is truly one of the most original and cutting-edge voices in jazz today,” Aliquo says. During the Nov. 15 concert, Osby will perform his original compositions alongside members of the MTSU jazz faculty. In addition, Osby will perform in a free and open second concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, with various student ensembles, including the MTSU Graduate Studies Combo. For more information, contact Tim Musselman at 615-898-2493 or tmusselm@mtsu.edu.

CHAOS IN THE CLASSROOM--Teachers often have to take time away from instruction to deal with students’ noncompliant behaviors. Unfortunately, these compliance issues can impact achievement. What starts out as a “won’t do” problem (performance deficit) soon becomes a “can’t do” problem (skill deficit). Dr. Zaf Khan, elementary and special education, will discuss several behavior management strategies in a workshop titled “Positive Behavior Supports: Behavior Management Strategies That Work” from 3:30-4:30 p.m. CST (4:30-5:30 est) today, Nov. 15. This professional development program for teachers and administrators, grades K-8, will be presented through MTSU’s Satellite and Webcasting Center. For more information, call 615-898-2737 or send an e-mail to vmoxley@mtsu.edu.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Sax appeal

The 2007-2008 MTSU Jazz Artist Series will get the first of two 2007 concerts underway at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 15, with world-class saxophonist Greg Osby, who will perform in the T. Earl Hinton hall of the Wright Music Building. Don Aliquo, coordinator of jazz studies at MTSU, says Osby is working with student ensembles in workshops. “(Osby) is truly one of the most original and cutting-edge voices in jazz today,” Aliquo says. During the Nov. 15 concert, Osby will perform his original compositions alongside members of the MTSU jazz faculty. In addition, Osby will perform in a free and open second concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, with various student ensembles, including the MTSU Graduate Studies Combo.

For more information, contact Tim Musselman at 615-898-2493.
tmusselm@mtsu.edu

Chaos in the classroom

Teachers often have to take time away from instruction to deal with students’ noncompliant behaviors. Unfortunately, these compliance issues can impact achievement. What starts out as a “won’t do” problem (performance deficit) soon becomes a “can’t do” problem (skill deficit). Dr. Zaf Khan, elementary and special education, will discuss several behavior management strategies in a workshop titled “Positive Behavior Supports: Behavior Management Strategies That Work” from 3:30-4:30 p.m. CST (4:30-5:30 est) tomorrow, Nov. 15. This professional development program for teachers and administrators, grades K-8, will be presented through MTSU’s Satellite and Webcasting Center.

For more information, call 615-898-2737 or send an e-mail to:
vmoxley@mtsu.edu

You can’t do better than Sears.

Dr. Mary Hoffschwelle, history, has won the 2007 Best Book Award from the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians (SESAH). Hoffschwelle’s book, The Rosenwald Schools of the American South (University Press of Florida, 2006), highlights the remarkable partnership that built model schools for black children during the Jim Crow era in the South. The Rosenwald program, which erected more than 5,300 schools between 1912 and 1932, began when Booker T. Washington, principal of Tuskegee Institute, turned to Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck & Company, to help build schools to educate the South’s black children.

Contact Hoffschwelle at 615-898-5806.
mhoffsch@mtsu.edu
To hear an October 15, 2006 radio interview with Hoffschwelle about The Rosenwald Schools of the American South, go to http://www.mtsunews.com, click on “Podcasts,” then click on “2006 Podcasts.”

TR EXTRA

DEPENDING ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS--The Center Players will perform their inaugural presentation, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, tomorrow through Saturday Nov. 15-17 at the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts, 110 West College Street in Murfreesboro. Blanche DuBois will be portrayed by Dr. Elyce Helford, director of Women’s Studies and professor of English at MTSU. Dr. Robert Bray, an MTSU English professor and Tennessee Williams scholar, will deliver a talk titled “Laying the Tracks for His Streetcar: The Evolution of a Great American Play” at 7 p.m. on the night of the Nov. 8 performance. A video of Bray’s talk will be played at future performances. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee. Contact the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts at 615-904-ARTS (2787) or http://www.boroarts.org.

IT’S ALL RIGHT, MA, I’M ONLY BLEEDING--Cindy Rehm, assistant professor of art at MTSU, will present “Spontaneous Bleeding: The Performative Video Works of Cindy Rehm,” the latest lecture in the Fall 2007 Women’s Studies Research Series, at 3 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 15, in Room 100 of MTSU’s James Union Building. The lecture is free and open to the public. Rehm will present and discuss a selection of her video works, which explore female identity, eroticism and hysteria. “The works express visceral manifestations of female desire through private acts of ritual,” Rehm says. “The images oscillate between the beautiful and the grotesque and aim to diversify the erotic possibilities of the female body.” For more information, contact Dr. Jane Marcellus at 615-898-5282 or jmarcell@mtsu.edu or the Women’s Studies office at 615-898-5910 or
womenstu@mtsu.edu.

MIGRATIONS--“Migrations” is the theme of the 16th annual Tennessee Undergraduate Social Science Symposium at MTSU tomorrow and Friday Nov. 15-16. The gathering is expected to attract 800-1,000 undergraduates and educators from the local campus as well as from across the state. “Papers presented by students will include a variety of topics (such as) immigration, social problems, social and cultural theory, hate crimes, race and ethnicity, Appalachian studies, health, family and work, sociology of emotions, and experiential learning in archeological studies and study abroad,” says Dr. Vicky MacLean, associate professor of sociology at MTSU and the event’s co-director. Contact Connie Huddleston at 615-494-7628 or chudd@mtsu.edu.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Migrations

“Migrations” is the theme of the 16th annual Tennessee Undergraduate Social Science Symposium at MTSU on Thursday and Friday Nov. 15-16. The gathering is expected to attract 800-1,000 undergraduates and educators from the local campus as well as from across the state. “Papers presented by students will include a variety of topics (such as) immigration, social problems, social and cultural theory, hate crimes, race and ethnicity, Appalachian studies, health, family and work, sociology of emotions, and experiential learning in archeological studies and study abroad,” says Dr. Vicky MacLean, associate professor of sociology at MTSU and the event’s co-director.

Contact Connie Huddleston at 615-494-7628.
chudd@mtsu.edu

To your health

With all the information and advertising about vitamins on the market, how is a confused consumer supposed to know which vitamins to take and how many of them? Dr. Janet Colson, human sciences, says, “It is very true that too much of a vitamin (and/or mineral) can be just as harmful as too little. For those who do take a supplement, the amount of any vitamin (and/or mineral) in the supplement should not exceed 100 percent of the DRI (dietary reference intakes). The problem arises when people take single nutrient supplements that can provide about 2-10 times the amount needed. In this case, the vitamin can have a pharmacological effect—in other words, it acts like a drug.”

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

Mind and body

Princeton Athletic Director Gary Walters says sport should have the same prestige in academia as drama and music. Walters says sport is great art and should be accepted as such, but an intellectual appreciation of sport get short shrift in colleges and universities. Dr. Colby Jubenville, health and human performance, says, “The challenge sport administrators like Walters … face is communicating the value of ‘body-knowing’ in developing the body, mind and emotion of a total person. For example, from a ‘mind-knowing’ perspective, we all assert that 1 + 1 = 2 and would equate that in “body-knowing” to a one-inch putt on the golf course. But ask the masses to solve for ‘y’ in the equation of y = mx + b, and many will be at a loss. In ‘body-knowing’ terms, one might equate the equation of a straight line (y = mx + b) to Michael Jordan jumping from the free throw line to dunk the basketball.”

Contact Jubenville at 615-898-2909.
jubenvil@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

DEPENDING ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS--The Center Players will perform their inaugural presentation, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Thursday through Saturday Nov. 15-17 at the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts, 110 West College Street in Murfreesboro. Blanche DuBois will be portrayed by Dr. Elyce Helford, director of Women’s Studies and professor of English at MTSU. Dr. Robert Bray, an MTSU English professor and Tennessee Williams scholar, will deliver a talk titled “Laying the Tracks for His Streetcar: The Evolution of a Great American Play” at 7 p.m. on the night of the Nov. 8 performance. A video of Bray’s talk will be played at future performances. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee. Contact the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts at 615-904-ARTS (2787) or http://www.boroarts.org.

IT’S ALL RIGHT, MA, I’M ONLY BLEEDING--Cindy Rehm, assistant professor of art at MTSU, will present “Spontaneous Bleeding: The Performative Video Works of Cindy Rehm,” the latest lecture in the Fall 2007 Women’s Studies Research Series, at 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, in Room 100 of MTSU’s James Union Building. The lecture is free and open to the public. Rehm will present and discuss a selection of her video works, which explore female identity, eroticism and hysteria. “The works express visceral manifestations of female desire through private acts of ritual,” Rehm says. “The images oscillate between the beautiful and the grotesque and aim to diversify the erotic possibilities of the female body.” For more information, contact Dr. Jane Marcellus at 615-898-5282 or jmarcell@mtsu.edu or the Women’s Studies office at 615-898-5910 or
womenstu@mtsu.edu.

IS IT JUSTICE OR JUST US?--Olga Trujillo, a much-honored activist against the abuse of women, children and immigrants, will speak at 4 p.m., today, Nov. 13, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. Her speech, which is presented by the June Anderson Women’s Center, is free and open to the public. Trujillo, who survived abuse as a child and rape as an adult, is Director of Programs at Casa de Esperanza in St. Paul, Minn., and founder of O.R.T. Solutions, Inc., a company that works on domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, immigration and human trafficking issues. Her career began in the U.S. Department of Justice, where she assessed asylum regulations implemented by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. She also oversaw the department’s implementation of the Mariel Cuban program. Contact the June Anderson Women’s Center at 615-898-2913 or jawc@mtsu.edu.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Is it justice or just us?

Olga Trujillo, a much-honored activist against the abuse of women, children and immigrants, will speak at 4 p.m., tomorrow, Nov. 13, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. Her speech, which is presented by the June Anderson Women’s Center, is free and open to the public. Trujillo, who survived abuse as a child and rape as an adult, is Director of Programs at Casa de Esperanza in St. Paul, Minn., and founder of O.R.T. Solutions, Inc., a company that works on domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, immigration and human trafficking issues. Her career began in the U.S. Department of Justice, where she assessed asylum regulations implemented by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. She also oversaw the department’s implementation of the Mariel Cuban program.

Contact the June Anderson Women’s Center at 615-898-2913.
jawc@mtsu.edu

It’s all right, Ma, I’m only bleeding.

Cindy Rehm, assistant professor of art at MTSU, will present “Spontaneous Bleeding: The Performative Video Works of Cindy Rehm,” the latest lecture in the Fall 2007 Women’s Studies Research Series, at 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, in Room 100 of MTSU’s James Union Building. The lecture is free and open to the public. Rehm will present and discuss a selection of her video works, which explore female identity, eroticism and hysteria. “The works express visceral manifestations of female desire through private acts of ritual,” Rehm says. “The images oscillate between the beautiful and the grotesque and aim to diversify the erotic possibilities of the female body.”

For more information, contact Dr. Jane Marcellus at 615-898-5282
jmarcell@mtsu.edu
or the Women’s Studies office at 615-898-5910.
womenstu@mtsu.edu

Old McDonald had a Garmin, E-I-E-I-O.

Today’s high-tech farmers are using global positioning systems. “Technology basically allows us to practice agriculture smarter,” says Dr. Tony Johnston, agribusiness and agriscience. “We’re actually using GPS (global positioning systems) to determine how much fertilizer a specific place in a field needs as I’m applying that fertilizer.” Since individual locations on a field don’t need much fertilizer and some need more, knowing which areas need less will help the farmer save money and increase yields. “We are actually using less pesticide today than we’ve ever used before in our country,” Johnston says.

Contact Johnston at 615-898-2421.
johnston@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

DEPENDING ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS--The Center Players will perform their inaugural presentation, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Thursday through Saturday Nov. 15-17 at the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts, 110 West College Street in Murfreesboro. Blanche DuBois will be portrayed by Dr. Elyce Helford, director of Women’s Studies and professor of English at MTSU. Dr. Robert Bray, an MTSU English professor and Tennessee Williams scholar, will deliver a talk titled “Laying the Tracks for His Streetcar: The Evolution of a Great American Play” at 7 p.m. on the night of the Nov. 8 performance. A video of Bray’s talk will be played at future performances. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee. Contact the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts at 615-904-ARTS (2787) or http://www.boroarts.org.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Would Sam Waterston be Fred’s running mate?

Native son Fred Thompson, former U.S. Senator and star of TV’s “Law and Order,” outdistances other presidential contenders in MTSU’s latest MT Poll. According to the telephone survey conducted by students in the College of Mass Communication on Oct. 17-27, 32 percent of Tennesseans say they favor Thompson in the 2008 election and 25 percent prefer U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). Nine percent back U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.); another nine percent support former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, a Republican. Four percent choose U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). When Thompson and Clinton are pitted head-to-head in the poll, Thompson registers 50 percent support compared to Clinton’s 42 percent.

Contact Dr. Ken Blake at 615-210-6187.
kblake@mtsu.edu

Cognitive dissonance is unhealthy.

Tennesseans seem conflicted about health care, according to the latest MT Poll conducted by MTSU. Fifty-one percent of respondents say the federal government has a responsibility to guarantee health care for all. However, fifty-three percent say they prefer the current system of private health insurance over a government health care plan. Thirty-five percent of Tennesseans say they rate their current health care “excellent,” while 35 percent say it’s “good.” Fifteen percent say it’s “fair;” 12 percent say it’s “poor.” Assessments of health care quality are linked to income level. Fifty-two percent of those with family incomes of $15,000 or less rate their health care “fair” or “poor,” while only 20 percent say it’s “excellent.”

Contact Dr. Bob Wyatt at 615-477-8389.
rwyatt@mtsu.edu

“How’m I doin’?”—Former New York Mayor Ed Koch, on numerous occasions

Thirty-five percent of Tennesseans say they approve of how George W. Bush is handling his job as president in the latest MT Poll conducted by MTSU. The figure remains essentially unchanged from the 34 percent approval rating he had in last spring’s survey and substantially lower than his 42 percent approval rating a year before that. Bush still enjoys a 66 percent approval rating among the state’s Republicans, but he figure stands at 25 percent among independents and 10 percent among Democrats. Behind party identification, his highest approval figures lie among college-educated evangelical Christians (66 percent approval). By telephone, students from MTSU’s College of Mass Communication interviewed 593 people age 18 or older chosen at random from the state population on Oct. 17-27.

Contact Dr. Ken Blake at 615-210-6187.
kblake@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

IN REMEMBRANCE--MTSU officials will break ground on the future site of a permanent memorial to military veterans at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Tom H. Jackson Building (formerly the Alumni Building) during a day of festivities to acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices of military personnel. The memorial will honor MTSU faculty, students, staffers and administrators who served their country in the United States armed forces from the university’s inception in 1911 to the present and beyond. It will be a living memorial constructed in the form of a plaza that can be used equally well for classroom instruction, formal ceremonies or private contemplation. U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, MTSU President Sidney McPhee, numerous veterans and other dignitaries are slated to attend. Contact Dr. Derek Frisby at 615-494-8856 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu; Robyn Kilpatrick at 615-898-5223 or rkilpatr@mtsu.edu;
or Dr. Robb McDaniel at 615-904-8245 or rmcdanie@mtsu.edu.

BONJOUR!--Any student whose summer was no more exciting than spending endless hours lying by the pool frying to a crisp can prepare now for an unforgettable summer 2008. There’s no time like the present to register for the annual general education study abroad program in Cherbourg, France, which will run from June 2 to June 27. At this beautiful port town in the Normandy region of northwest France, students will experience the history, art and culture of the area. “With the general education program, a student can spend four weeks in Cherbourg and in Normandy, and they can begin studying French while they’re there if they choose to, but they don’t have to already know any French,” Dr. Anne Sloan, Assistant to the Provost for International Education, says. Contact Sloan at 615-898-5091 or asloan@mtsu.edu or Jennifer Campbell, Director of International Education and Exchange, at 615-898-5179 or jjcampbe@mtsu.edu.

DEPENDING ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS--The Center Players will perform their inaugural presentation, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Thursday through Sunday Nov. 8-11 and Thursday through Saturday Nov. 15-17 at the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts, 110 West College Street in Murfreesboro. Blanche DuBois will be portrayed by Dr. Elyce Helford, director of Women’s Studies and professor of English at MTSU. Dr. Robert Bray, an MTSU English professor and Tennessee Williams scholar, will deliver a talk titled “Laying the Tracks for His Streetcar: The Evolution of a Great American Play” at 7 p.m. on the night of the Nov. 8 performance. A video of Bray’s talk will be played at future performances. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee. Contact the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts at 615-904-ARTS (2787) or http://www.boroarts.org.

NEVER FORGET--Distinguished scholars will join Nazi concentration camp survivors and some of the military veterans who liberated them as they explore the effects of the Holocaust on Nov. 8-10 during the eighth biennial Holocaust Studies Conference in MTSU’s James Union Building. “Questions of Memory and Conscience” is the theme of the three-day event. “This year’s conference will be a truly notable event, (and) a powerful and poignant experience is in store for both the participants and the audiences,” Dr. Nancy E. Rupprecht, chairwoman of the MTSU Holocaust Studies Committee, remarked. “In addition to the public session …, the academic sessions include scholarship in a rich variety of forms—papers, discussions and exhibits, as well as film, music and a live dance performance.” For more information on the 2007 Holocaust conference, including a detailed schedule that lists conference events that are open to the public, please access its Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~holostu.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Respecting Aaron Todd

The Blue Raider basketball players will remember the late Dr. Aaron Todd at 7 o’clock tonight as MTSU unveils a commemorative seat in Murphy Center. Todd’s tickets were located there on Feb. 26, 2007, the night of “Operation Full House.” Todd, a longtime MTSU professor and season ticket-holder, died in April after a long battle with brain cancer. Shortly after being diagnosed, Todd said he wanted to see Murphy Center filled once again. Consequently, he promoted “Operation Full House,” and the Blue Raiders set a single-game attendance record with a crowd of 11,807 against Western Kentucky on Feb. 26, 2004. Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, was one of Todd’s pallbearers. “I can honestly state that I have never known a scientist who embodied the scientific attitude more than Aaron Todd,” MacDougall says.

For more information about the game, contact Athletic Media Relations at 615-898-2968.
Contact MacDougall at 615-898-5265.
pmacdoug@mtsu.edu

In remembrance

MTSU officials will break ground on the future site of a permanent memorial to military veterans at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Tom H. Jackson Building (formerly the Alumni Building) during a day of festivities to acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices of military personnel. The memorial will honor MTSU faculty, students, staffers and administrators who served their country in the United States armed forces from the university’s inception in 1911 to the present and beyond. It will be a living memorial constructed in the form of a plaza that can be used equally well for classroom instruction, formal ceremonies or private contemplation. U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, MTSU President Sidney McPhee, numerous veterans and other dignitaries are slated to attend.
Contact Dr. Derek Frisby at 615-494-8856
dfrisby@mtsu.edu
Robyn Kilpatrick at 615-898-5223
rkilpatr@mtsu.edu
or Dr. Robb McDaniel at 615-904-8245.
rmcdanie@mtsu.edu

The apple doesn’t fall far from the restaurant.

The Applebee’s restaurant chain is going to create a new icon to deliver its message of “eating good in the neighborhood.” It’s a spokesapple. That’s right—a spokesapple. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “It’s cheaper than hiring a celebrity endorser, and at least Applebee’s does not have to worry about an apple embarrassing the company by getting arrested. That’s where the benefits seem to end. This brand is in trouble, and to expect a reversal of fortunes from an ad campaign led by a spokesapple is a stretch! The spokesapple will serve as the message source to spread the word about Applebee’s menu items, but how much credence can you give to what an apple tells you?” Roy says he does not think the Applebee’s spokesapple will go down in advertising history alongside the ALFAC duck or the Jolly Green Giant.

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

TR EXTRA

BONJOUR!--Any student whose summer was no more exciting than spending endless hours lying by the pool frying to a crisp can prepare now for an unforgettable summer 2008. There’s no time like the present to register for the annual general education study abroad program in Cherbourg, France, which will run from June 2 to June 27. At this beautiful port town in the Normandy region of northwest France, students will experience the history, art and culture of the area. “With the general education program, a student can spend four weeks in Cherbourg and in Normandy, and they can begin studying French while they’re there if they choose to, but they don’t have to already know any French,” Dr. Anne Sloan, Assistant to the Provost for International Education, says. Contact Sloan at 615-898-5091 or asloan@mtsu.edu or Jennifer Campbell, Director of International Education and Exchange, at 615-898-5179 or jjcampbe@mtsu.edu.

WHEREFORE ART THOU?--MTSU Theatre and Dance will present one of the most famous and beloved of Shakespeare plays, Romeo and Juliet, at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 7-10 (through Saturday)on the stage of Tucker Theatre in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building. “This is a true classic that students read in high school and people come to the play knowing,” says Dale McGilliard, the show’s director. “They all come with a different expectation, which adds to the wonderful challenge to producing it.” MTSU alumnus Lane Davies—who has appeared in a wide variety of television series including Married with Children, Scrubs and Seinfeld—will guest star in the role of Capulet. Tickets must be purchased at the door on the evening of the performance. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for MTSU staff and K-12 students. For more information, please visit the speech and theatre department Web site at http://www.mtsu.edu/~theatre.

HOME WILL HAVE TO WAIT--MTSU students are sponsoring a Habitat for Humanity home. “The Habitat Blitz Build is moving along very nicely and the home is nearly halfway complete,” says Jacqueline Victory, Director of MTSU’s Office of Leadership and Service. “However, some much needed rain stalled some of our efforts and has pushed our dedication back to (today) Nov. 8.” The dedication originally was slated for Nov. 1, at 6 p.m. Volunteers are still needed. The construction site is located at 446 State St. in Murfreesboro, where teams working in two shifts will labor to build a Habitat home for the Bautista family. The five-member Bautista clan has lived with family, in a basement and in public housing over the years, but never truly had a place to call home. Victory says the MTSU Student Government Association has spent two years working to raise the $50,000 needed to build the Habitat home for the Bautistas. Contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919 or lrollins@mtsu.edu.

DEPENDING ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS--The Center Players will perform their inaugural presentation, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Thursday through Sunday Nov. 8-11 and Thursday through Saturday Nov. 15-17 at the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts, 110 West College Street in Murfreesboro. Blanche DuBois will be portrayed by Dr. Elyce Helford, director of Women’s Studies and professor of English at MTSU. Dr. Robert Bray, an MTSU English professor and Tennessee Williams scholar, will deliver a talk titled “Laying the Tracks for His Streetcar: The Evolution of a Great American Play” at 7 p.m. on the night of the Nov. 8 performance. A video of Bray’s talk will be played at future performances. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee. Contact the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts at 615-904-ARTS (2787) or http://www.boroarts.org/.

NEVER FORGET--Distinguished scholars will join Nazi concentration camp survivors and some of the military veterans who liberated them as they explore the effects of the Holocaust on Nov. 8-10 during the eighth biennial Holocaust Studies Conference in MTSU’s James Union Building. “Questions of Memory and Conscience” is the theme of the three-day event. “This year’s conference will be a truly notable event, (and) a powerful and poignant experience is in store for both the participants and the audiences,” Dr. Nancy E. Rupprecht, chairwoman of the MTSU Holocaust Studies Committee, remarked. “In addition to the public session …, the academic sessions include scholarship in a rich variety of forms—papers, discussions and exhibits, as well as film, music and a live dance performance.” For more information on the 2007 Holocaust conference, including a detailed schedule that lists conference events that are open to the public, please access its Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~holostu.