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.