Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Mr. Smith goes to Hollywood and winds up waiting tables in Encino.

USAToday analyzed 26 movies with “significant political themes” released over the past 20 years and found that nearly two-thirds made back less than $50 million. Only four did more than $100 million, even after being adjusted for inflation. Dr. Mark Byrnes, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and political science professor, teaches a course on politics and film. He says, “Hollywood mogul Samuel Goldwyn famously said, ‘Messages are for Western Union.’ In other words, movies should steer clear of political messages. Yet, throughout Hollywood history, movies have addressed political ideas, both explicitly and implicitly.” (USAToday’s top five grossing political films were “Enemy of the State,” “The Sum of All Fears,” “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “JFK,” and “The Interpreter.”)

Contact Byrnes at 615-898-2351.
mbyrnes@mtsu.edu

It’s not just about Clemens and Pettitte.

The baseball steroids scandal illuminated by the revelations in the Mitchell Report is not just about tainted All-Stars and MVPs. It’s about the example professional athletes set for young people, according to Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance professor. Anshel says, “These are the models, and these men—and, for that matter, women—can act as mentors to the less elite athletes in warning them not only is it unethical, not only is it cheating, not only can we not do it at the pro level, but it can kill you.” Anshel, who is writing about sports and drugs for a forthcoming book, says he thinks steroid use is underreported at the collegiate level because much of the research is dependent upon what the athletes are willing to reveal.

Audio clips and radio-ready stories with Anshel’s comments are available at www.mtsunews.com.
manshel@mtsu.edu

Getting AHeAD

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Aging Health and Development (AHeAD) Course at MTSU. It was created and nurtured by Dr. Cate Stogner, associate professor of human sciences, who also believes that it is the longest-running service-learning course on campus. “It’s the only full integrated service-learning course,” Stogner explains, “which means it’s not just a project here and there. After the first three weeks of orientation, it becomes the course, and students are with the senior citizens two hours every week.” Word of mouth creates a waiting line for AHeAD, she says. There are 20 students in the program every semester and approximately 30 senior citizens.

Contact Stogner at 615-898-5522.
cstogner@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.