Friday, February 29, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Today’s Response will go on hiatus on March 3, 4 and 5 as the Office of News and Public Affairs completes the process of moving into new quarters. Barring any unforeseen developments, TR will resume March 6.

Survey says …

In a hypothetical matchup between Barack Obama and John McCain in the November general election for president, McCain comes out on top in Tennessee. That’s the finding of the latest MTSU Poll. Half of those surveyed say they would choose the Arizona Senator and presumptive Republican nominee. A little more than a third would pick the Illinois Senator, who is leading in Democratic convention delegates over Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York. Nine percent say they would vote for neither; the rest remain uncertain. Dr. Ken Blake, director of the MTSU Poll, says, “McCain’s lead over Obama in Tennessee appears to stem partly from McCain’s ability to draw a plurality (46%) of independents and even about a fifth (21%) of Democrats in a one-on-one contest with Obama. And given McCain’s backing by a strong majority (85%) of the state’s Republicans, there is little evidence in Tennessee of the conservative mutiny against McCain that some are predicting at the national level.”

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

On trial and on top

An MTSU mock trial team consisting of attorneys Daniel Vaughan, Natalie Schneider and Nick Lee, witnesses Lani Lester, Rachel Harmon and Austin Purvis, and timekeeper Ben Winter placed third at a regional competition in Birmingham, AL last weekend. In addition, Lani Lester and Emily Petro each won Top 10 witness awards. The third-place showing qualifies the group for a national tournament to be held in Memphis on March 14, 15 and 16. Dr. John Vile, chair of the Department of Political Science and mock trial coach, says if MTSU’s teams can make the top three in Memphis, they will then qualify for the National Championship Tournament in St. Paul, MN. In 19 years of participation, MTSU has qualified for a national mock trial tournament every year except one.

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

Food, glorious food!

The food industry has opposed government intervention in school food menus for years, despite national concerns about childhood obesity. Dr. Janet Colson, human sciences, says, “Companies like Coca-Cola, Frito-Lay and Hershey’s have enjoyed the revenue gained from sales to school children. Some companies even have paid to have exclusive rights for sale of their products. Many of these companies are waking up and modifying products to make them lower in fat and sugar (and with) smaller portions. Frito-Lay has been a leader with the first “baked” lines of their chips. Food manufacturers only make foods if there is a market for them. So, if schools begin demanding healthier fare, these companies develop and produce healthier lines.”

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

TR EXTRA

CHOOSE TO THRIVE—“Choosing to Thrive, No Matter What” is the theme of the 2008 Association of Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education (ANTSHE) Conference, which MTSU will host this weekend, Feb. 29 and Mar. 1-2. A gathering of adult students who are striving to balance the responsibilities of work and family life while enriching their education and the career academics who serve them, the conference will give the students and the professionals a chance to come together and share strategies. Dr. Cara DiMarco, a licensed psychologist and counselor at the Lane Community College’s Transition for Success Program in Eugene, Ore., will deliver the keynote address. For more information, contact Dr. Carol Ann Baily at 615-898-5989. Specific conference information and a detailed itinerary are available at http://www.antshe/org/2008/Conference/index.htm.

PULL YOURSELF UP BY YOUR OWN BOOTSTRAPS--As part of Entrepreneurship Week at MTSU, Bijoy Goswami, CEO and founder of Aviri, Bootstrap Austin and Bootstrap Network (Austin, Texas) will speak today, Feb. 29, at 10:30 a.m. in BAS S102, which will be open to all faculty, administrators, campus leaders and the general public. He will speak on “Fostering Innovation and Collaboration Across the Campus.” Goswami says it is important that universities leverage their full intellectual property potential, as well as entrepreneurial and other creative capacities. Major funding for Goswami’s visit to MTSU has been provided by the Office of New Student and Family Programs through a grant from the Distinguished Lecture Committee. For information, contact Dr. Robert Lahm Jr. at 898-2785.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The war of words

Did Tuesday night’s debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama give either candidate a boost going into the March 4 contests in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont? Dr. John Vile, chair of the Department of Political Science, says the latest war of words in Cleveland was “a bit like the basketball game between Vanderbilt and the University of Tennessee, albeit without an upset. The contest was well fought and both candidates made their share of scores, but by the end of the contest, the momentum does not appear to have shifted. There is of course, one big difference. We don't have an actual score. The audience has to keep track of the ‘baskets’ on its own, and partisans of both candidates are likely to think that their candidate won!” Vile adds, “The audience will have to judge whether one of the player's (Clinton's) charges of ‘foul play’ had any validity.”

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

Melody money

Should performing artists and/or their record labels be paid royalties for over-the-air broadcasts of music? At present, only composers get such royalties. Legislation pending in Congress would change all that. Ken Sanney, adjunct professor of recording industry and practicing attorney, says, “The proposed legislation seems to have two policy purposes at its core. First, it seems aimed at providing another source of revenue to the music industry at a time when the industry is struggling with illegal downloads and the new digital marketplace. Second, the legislation seems aimed at equalizing the disparate treatment over-the-air radio receives as compared to digital radio.”

Contact Sanney at 615-456-6502.
ksanney@mtsu.edu

No one can stop the air force.

Here’s a simple experiment you can perform at home to give you an idea of what atmospheric air force is like. (Please, wear eye protection, and make sure children are supervised by adults.) Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “Place a pan of cold water next to a stovetop heating element on high. Put a teaspoon of water in an empty Coke can, and place it on the pre-heated element. Let the water come to a boil, and wait until the steam is escaping rapidly. Then, using salad or BBQ tongs, quickly turn the can over, putting the top of the can just under the surface of the cold water. What you will witness is literally a crushing air hug at Mach speed. As surprising as it is, this 300-pound display is a tiny fraction of the awesome and ever-present air force.”

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

TR EXTRA

CHOOSE TO THRIVE—“Choosing to Thrive, No Matter What” is the theme of the 2008 Association of Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education (ANTSHE) Conference, which MTSU will host on the weekend of Feb. 29 and Mar. 1-2. A gathering of adult students who are striving to balance the responsibilities of work and family life while enriching their education and the career academics who serve them, the conference will give the students and the professionals a chance to come together and share strategies. Dr. Cara DiMarco, a licensed psychologist and counselor at the Lane Community College’s Transition for Success Program in Eugene, Ore., will deliver the keynote address. For more information, contact Dr. Carol Ann Baily at 615-898-5989. Specific conference information and a detailed itinerary are available at http://www.antshe/org/2008/Conference/index.htm.

THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF INVENTION—The Invention Convention, sponsored by elementary and special education and State Farm Insurance, is a special event held every year to provide young entrepreneurs with the opportunity to showcase their creativity and ingenuity. This year’s event will be today, Feb. 28, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. The event will involve approximately 175 games and inventions. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Healthy exports

Tennessee’s total medical exports have doubled in three years, “making this undoubtedly one of the state’s most dynamic export sectors,” writes Dr. Steven Livingston, political science, in Global Commerce, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center. “At $5.472 billion, Tennessee now ranks 16th among the states in exports, down two notches from last year. … The state’s overall numbers disguised the very good export growth many of Tennessee’s smaller industries are seeing.” In medical exports last year, Tennessee ranked sixth in the nation in electrodiagnostic equipment, second in sterile surgical catgut and artificial joints and parts, and first in orthopedic parts and accessories.

Contact Livingston at 615-898-2720.
slivings@mtsu.edu

Banned blades

Oscar Pistorius says he still intends to compete in the Olympic Games, but he’s looking to London in 2012 after the International IAAF ruled that the “Cheetah” blades the amputee runner uses as prosthetic legs would give him an unfair advantage against able-bodied runners. Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance, says the blades “provide additional momentum that results from the mechanical response of the runner’s rapid forward motion. While runners using the ‘Cheetah’ blades are using the same optimal effort, the result of their effort is superior speed—a greater ‘spring’ to their step. It’s similar to adjusting any equipment in any sport that results in a superior outcome—a pole that increases the height of a vault, for example.”

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

Romper Room rowdiness

If your kindergarten-aged child is disruptive or antisocial, take heart. It doesn’t necessarily mean he or she is destined to struggle with their studies in elementary school. A Georgetown University study of more than 16,000 children finds that there is not necessarily a correlation. Dr. Ann Campbell, elementary and special education, says, “This is one of those vague things that could be interpreted in a number of different ways. My take on it would be that we need to look at academics and behavior as two different components. … Schools sometimes focus more on the academic problems and needs and less on the social and behavioral needs of young children. If we do not address needs in behavior, then it can impact academic performance down the road.”

Contact Campbell at 615-898-2321.
acampbel@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

CHOOSE TO THRIVE—“Choosing to Thrive, No Matter What” is the theme of the 2008 Association of Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education (ANTSHE) Conference, which MTSU will host on the weekend of Feb. 29 and Mar. 1-2. A gathering of adult students who are striving to balance the responsibilities of work and family life while enriching their education and the career academics who serve them, the conference will give the students and the professionals a chance to come together and share strategies. Dr. Cara DiMarco, a licensed psychologist and counselor at the Lane Community College’s Transition for Success Program in Eugene, Ore., will deliver the keynote address. For more information, contact Dr. Carol Ann Baily at 615-898-5989. Specific conference information and a detailed itinerary are available at http://www.antshe/org/2008/Conference/index.htm.

THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF INVENTION—The Invention Convention, sponsored by elementary and special education and State Farm Insurance, is a special event held every year to provide young entrepreneurs with the opportunity to showcase their creativity and ingenuity. This year’s event will be Thursday, Feb. 28, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. The event will involve approximately 175 games and inventions. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The price you pay

Consumer confidence is at a 15-year low, according to Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of MTSU’s Office of Consumer Research, says decreased spending can have negative effects on the economy. “Two-thirds of the economy is consumer spending,” Graeff says. “So, if consumers truly are worried about the economy, reduced spending becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy in that it slows down the economy. On the other hand, if consumers increase their spending, this tends to grow the economy. This is why we hear so much about consumer confidence as it relates to the future of the economy.”

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

The working world

One of Bill Fletcher’s goals as director of MTSU’s Career and Employment Center is to grow the center’s employer base by making employers aware of curriculum additions or changes, new majors or configurations of departments. “Employers expect that of us,” Fletcher says. “They expect to be able to go to a career center and effectively network throughout campus and reach the various constituents whom they need to reach. I want to improve the student experience and the employer experience when they come into the center.” Before coming to MTSU, Fletcher spent four years as associate director for employee relations in Vanderbilt’s University Career Center. He received his B.B.A. degree in marketing at the University of Mississippi and his M.Ed. in college student personnel at Ohio University.

Contact Fletcher at 615-898-2500.
bfletch@mtsu.edu

When the student does the grading

MTSU’s Pedagogy Task Force has been disbanded, having completed its charge of finding ways to improve teaching across campus. The newly established Ad Hoc Pedagogy/Student Evaluation of Faculty Instrument Committee will focus on the successful implementation of the new instrument for student evaluation of professors, which will be implemented in the fall semester of 2008. The new instrument will ask students to agree or disagree on a scale of one (disagree) to five (agree) with statements such as “has a genuine interest in students,” “lectures easy to outline or case discussion well organized,” “gives assignments and exams that are reasonable in length and difficulty,” “discusses recent developments in the field,” “invites criticism of own ideas,” and “motivates me to do my best work.”

Contact Dr. Vic Montemayor at 615-898-2108.
vjm@mtsu.edu


TR EXTRA

JAZZ IT UP!--Award-winning jazz pianist Geri Allen will perform a free and open concert at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Feb. 26, in the T. Earl Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus. “Allen is currently one of the top jazz pianists in the world,” says Don Aliquo, coordinator of jazz studies and professor of saxophone at MTSU. “She has been at the forefront of some of the most creative jazz to be performed in recent years.” Allen has been hailed as “a jazz pianist who dares to follow an unmarked road” by The New York Times and was honored for ‘her extensive music education and a devotion to the swinging roots of jazz” by the Los Angeles Times. For more information, call 615-898-2493 or visit http://www.mtsumusic.com.

CHOOSE TO THRIVE—“Choosing to Thrive, No Matter What” is the theme of the 2008 Association of Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education (ANTSHE) Conference, which MTSU will host on the weekend of Feb. 29 and Mar. 1-2. A gathering of adult students who are striving to balance the responsibilities of work and family life while enriching their education and the career academics who serve them, the conference will give the students and the professionals a chance to come together and share strategies. Dr. Cara DiMarco, a licensed psychologist and counselor at the Lane Community College’s Transition for Success Program in Eugene, Ore., will deliver the keynote address. For more information, contact Dr. Carol Ann Baily at 615-898-5989. Specific conference information and a detailed itinerary are available at http://www.antshe/org/2008/Conference/index.htm.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Exercising for two

In 2001, an all-American swimmer at Penn State swam the English Channel in nine hours and 30 minutes. She was 11 weeks pregnant at the time. For most pregnant women, it might be difficult to determine how much exercise is too much and how little is too little. Dr. Janet Colson, human sciences, says, “For the previously inactive female, beginning a walking program would be the best bet. It is free, relaxing and can be done just about anywhere. Also, adding this type of aerobic activity can help control excessive weight gain that many women are plagued with. Some women find the yoga classes designed for pregnant women are a great way to stretch and get relaxation and network with other women who are pregnant.”

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

Get the picture?

The Polaroid Company might stop manufacturing instant film in the future. Why does this matter in the age of digital cameras? Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says the product still has applications that today’s techno-savvy youth might not consider. “Well, at least one scientist uses the cameras to take pictures of mummies in the jungles of Peru. Which means he needs all sorts of battery power to run the digital camera and the laptop. A Polaroid Instamatic is much easier and cheaper. Plus, imagine what happens to a digital camera and laptop if they get wet. You’re talking a couple of thousand dollars worth of ruined equipment. A Polaroid instant camera costs under 200 (dollars). Folks in medicine and engineering are also despondent about the loss. Many doctors think it is much easier and faster to snap a Polaroid and have the image in less than a minute than it is to download images. Engineers in the field also like the ease of use.”

Contact Burriss at 615-898-2983.
lburriss@mtsu.edu

Head of the class

Applications are being accepted for the 2008 Student Recognition Awards. This university-wide awards program will pay tribute to four undergraduate students honored for exemplary character and achievements in scholarship, leadership and service. All members of the MTSU community are encouraged to nominate students who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence and meet the awards criteria. The four awards include the President’s Award, the Provost’s Award, the Robert C. LaLance Jr. Achievement Award and the Community Service Award. The application deadline is Friday, March 14. The recipients will be honored at the President’s Celebration of Excellence Saturday, April 12.

Contact Dr. Colette M. Taylor, associate dean of students in the Office of Student Life, at 615-898-5812 or go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~mtleader/awards.htm.

TR EXTRA

JAZZ IT UP!--Award-winning jazz pianist Geri Allen will perform a free and open concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, in the T. Earl Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus. “Allen is currently one of the top jazz pianists in the world,” says Don Aliquo, coordinator of jazz studies and professor of saxophone at MTSU. “She has been at the forefront of some of the most creative jazz to be performed in recent years.” Allen has been hailed as “a jazz pianist who dares to follow an unmarked road” by The New York Times and was honored for ‘her extensive music education and a devotion to the swinging roots of jazz” by the Los Angeles Times. For more information, call 615-898-2493 or visit http://www.mtsumusic.com.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Yet to overcome

A Pew Research Center survey of African-American adults shows that less than half believe that life will be better for them in the future compared with 57 percent in 1986. More than half say they still face discrimination when eating in restaurants, shopping, renting an apartment, buying a house or applying for a job. Dr. Jacqui Wade, social work, says, “African-Americans know all too well that the White-American penchant for cultural dominance and socio-political and economic control of this society is manifested not only in the actions and behaviors of organized ‘hate groups’ such as the Ku Klux Klan, but in the formal and informal policies, procedures and practices of most American institutions which effectively and unfairly give collective advantage to White-Americans, even if White-Americans individually do not equally benefit from this pervasively unfair social set-up.”

Contact Wade at 615-898-2477.
jewade@mtsu.edu

Oops, they did it again.

In an internal memo obtained by The New York Times, the Los Angeles assistant bureau chief of a major American newsgathering organization wrote, “Now and for the foreseeable future, virtually everything involving Britney (Spears) is a big deal.” Dr. John Omachonu, interim dean of the College of Mass Communication, says, “Britney Spears is a public figure—according to the law, this is someone who is a household name, influential and has instant access to the media. The (U.S. Supreme Court) has maintained that because these people have the means to defend themselves in the event of libel by the media, they generally do not need protection by the law. So, from that standpoint, I can understand why the L.A. Assistant Bureau Chief would consider Britney a ‘big deal.’”

Contact Omachonu at 615-898-2695.
omachonu@mtsu.edu

Raising taxes and poundage

Is there a relationship between cigarette taxes and weight gain? Dr. Charles Baum, economics and finance, has written a paper on the subject for Health Economics. Baum says increases in cigarette taxes might have an inadvertent indirect effect on body mass index (BMI) and obesity. “Preferred estimates indicate that increasing the cost of cigarettes by $0.77 would increase BMI by roughly 0.60 index points and the prevalence of obesity (overweight) by roughly three (to five) percentage points,” Baum notes. “Further, these effects are significantly larger for those with less income and those who are younger, potentially because they are more sensitive to cigarette costs. In addition, these estimates are significantly larger when accounting for lagged effects.”

Contact Baum at 615-898-2527.
cbaum@mtsu.edu


TR EXTRA

AN ARTIST’S DOZEN--The Department of Art’s second 12”x12” biannual national juried exhibition is on display through today, Feb. 22, in The Gallery at MTSU’s Todd Hall. Dave Hickey, nationally acclaimed culture and art critic, served as the juror for the exhibition. More than 200 artists from across the United States submitted more than 600 pieces of work for consideration. There were no media restrictions, and all works were to measure no more than 12” in any direction. Three-dimensional pieces were not to exceed 12” in any direction including the base. Included in the show are the works of Tennessee artists Rocky Horton, Nashville; Arlyn Ende, Sewanee; Dwayne Butcher and Trever Nicholas, Memphis; Melissa Krosnick, Cowan; and Sarah Shebaro, Knoxville. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Lon Nuell at 615-898-2505 or lrnuell@mtsu.edu.

RAY OF SUNSHINE--WKRN-TV morning meteorologist Jeff Ray will bring his expertise to the classroom when he visits the Regional Science Olympiad at MTSU tomorrow, Feb. 23. The event will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at various venues across campus. Dr. Pat Patterson, an associate professor of chemistry, says Ray, who will oversee “Severe Weather” in the middle-school students’ meteorology event, is a popular coordinator because of his weather knowledge and status as a broadcast personality. For more information, contact Patterson at 615-898-5085 or Dr. Amy Phelps at 615-898-2077.

MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE—As part of MTSU’s celebration of Black History Month, the eighth annual Gospel Music Extravaganza will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, at Tucker Theatre. The benefit will feature performances by choirs, vocal groups, solo singers and spiritual dancers. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for students; children six and under will be admitted free. This year, the Community Benefit Recipient is Karen Jordan, who has been a diabetic for more than 30 years and a dialysis patient for six years. Despite the loss of both legs to diabetes, Jordan donates great amounts of her time and energy to community service. For more information, contact Mary E. Glass at 615-898-5145 or mglass@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Tiny tykes

Tucked away in a nondescript corner of the MTSU campus is a sunny collection of vivid colors and smiling faces with the uncharacteristically sterile name of the MTSU Child Care Lab. For students, faculty and staff who have children, it is a haven that enables those parents to pursue school or work without worrying about their youngsters’ welfare. “The purpose of this curriculum is not just academic—colors, numbers, letters, preparation for kindergarten—but, at this age, it’s just as important to get them ready for the social skills, learning to be in a group setting, learning how to share, learning how to follow directions, maybe more than one direction at a time,” says Nancy James, director of the lab, who has been there for more than 19 years.

Contact James at 615-898-2970.
njames@mtsu.edu

Very bright Fulbright

MTSU recently was selected to serve as the host institution for Dr. Vladimir Ilin, a Fulbright Visiting Scholar for the 2007-2008 academic year. Ilin, who is a professor of sociology at St. Petersburg State University in Russia, is one of about 800 outstanding foreign faculty and professionals who will teach and do research this year in the U.S. throughout the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Ilin, who arrived at MTSU in January, “will be providing occasional lectures on global inequality and conducting research on consumption patterns in the U.S.” during his visit, which will end in October, says Dr. Ron Aday, interim chairman of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

Contact Aday at 615-898-2509.
raday@mtsu.edu

When sport comes up short

Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee have told Congress conflicting stories about whether Clemens used performance-enhancing drugs. U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) is calling NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to account for why he destroyed the tapes that proved the New England Patriots guilty of cheating. Indiana University men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson is under a microscope for alleged recruiting violations. Will the scandals that have plagued professional sports lately have consequences for the bottom line? Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “Companies in virtually all industries profess to place a premium on ethical conduct in their dealings with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. If businesses breach the trust of a stakeholder group, they suffer financial consequences (e.g., lost sales, employee turnover) or even legal consequences such as fines or other sanctions. The sports industry must realize that it can suffer the same consequences if unethical behavior is not brought under control.”

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

TR EXTRA

AN ARTIST’S DOZEN--The Department of Art’s second 12”x12” biannual national juried exhibition is on display through Friday, Feb. 22, in The Gallery at MTSU’s Todd Hall. Dave Hickey, nationally acclaimed culture and art critic, served as the juror for the exhibition. More than 200 artists from across the United States submitted more than 600 pieces of work for consideration. There were no media restrictions, and all works were to measure no more than 12” in any direction. Three-dimensional pieces were not to exceed 12” in any direction including the base. Included in the show are the works of Tennessee artists Rocky Horton, Nashville; Arlyn Ende, Sewanee; Dwayne Butcher and Trever Nicholas, Memphis; Melissa Krosnick, Cowan; and Sarah Shebaro, Knoxville. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Lon Nuell at 615-898-2505 or lrnuell@mtsu.edu.

POETRY IN MOTION--Distinguished poet and scholar Nikki Giovanni will speak on “Race in the 21st Century” at 7 p.m., tonight, Feb. 21, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. Her address, an event in MTSU’s continuing observance of Black History Month, is free and open to the public. A Knoxville native, Giovanni is a 1968 alumna of Fisk University in Nashville with a degree in history. A Distinguished Professor of English at Virginia Tech, she holds more than 20 honorary degrees, a life membership and scroll from the National Council of Negro Women and NAACP Image awards for her books Love Poems, Blues: For All the Changes, and Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea. In 2007, Giovanni became the first poet to receive the Carl Sandburg Literary Award for lifetime achievement. Contact Dr. Sekou Franklin at 615-904-8232 or franklin@mtsu.edu, or Luther Buie at 615-898-2987 or lbuie@mtsu.edu.

NOT FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY FREE?—“Poetry and Footbinding: Women in Late Imperial China (1600-1800)” will be the next presentation in MTSU’s Women’s Studies Research Series at 3 p.m. today, Feb. 21, in Room 100 of MTSU’s James Union Building. This lecture is free and open to the public. Dr. Yuan-Ling Chao, associate professor of history, will deliver the address and answer questions. “The popular image of the traditional Chinese woman is one of submission within family and society, symbolized by her tiny bound feet,” Chao says. “But what was life like for a woman in late imperial times?” For more information, contact Dr. Jane Marcellus at 615-898-5282 or jmarcell@mtsu.edu, or contact the Women’s Studies office at 615-898-5910 or womenstu@mtsu.edu.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The Jena 6

Students will voice their views on the racially charged situation in Jena, La., in “Reflections on the ‘Jena 6’ Protest: Film and Discussion,” a panel discussion complemented with a film from 4:00-5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18, in Room N116 of the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building. This event is free and open to the public. The topic is the August 2006 incident in which nooses were hung from an oak tree on the grounds of Jena High School. Three months later, six African-American youths were accused of beating a white classmate. The film and panel discussion are sponsored by MTSU’s Black History Month Committee, the American Democracy Project and the MTSU chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Contact Dr. Tommy Bynum, assistant professor of history, at 615-898-2760.
tbynum@mtsu.edu

Make it count!

H. Hooper Penuel, Jr., administrator of the Rutherford County Election Commission, and Donna Yates, president of the Tennessee Association of County Election Officials, will answer questions from the audience following the MTSU screening of a documentary about election discrepancies. The MTSU Film Guild will show Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections, a documentary which purports to reveal fraud, cheating and manipulation in the 2004 and 2006 balloting, at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The viewing is free and open to the public. The doors will open at 7:45 p.m. Producer/director/writer David Earnhardt will join Penuel and Yates for the Q-and-A.

Contact Justin Stokes, president of the MTSU Film Guild, at 615-663-2811.
jds6h@mtsu.edu

Poetry in motion

Distinguished poet and scholar Nikki Giovanni will speak on “Race in the 21st Century” at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 21, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. Her address, an event in MTSU’s continuing observance of Black History Month, is free and open to the public. A Knoxville native, Giovanni is a 1968 alumna of Fisk University in Nashville with a degree in history. A Distinguished Professor of English at Virginia Tech, she holds more than 20 honorary degrees, a life membership and scroll from the National Council of Negro Women and NAACP Image awards for her books Love Poems, Blues: For All the Changes, and Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea. In 2007, Giovanni became the first poet to receive the Carl Sandburg Literary Award for lifetime achievement.

Contact Dr. Sekou Franklin at 615-904-8232
franklin@mtsu.edu
or Luther Buie at 615-898-2987.
lbuie@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?--Dr. Janet Belsky, professor of psychology, will be a guest on “In Your Prime,” a discussion program on NewsChannel5+ (Comcast Channel 50), with host Meryll Rose. Belsky, an expert on issues regarding aging, will discuss setting goals toward the end of one’s life as did the main characters in the recent movie “The Bucket List.” This program will air again at 1 p.m. today, Feb. 15; at noon, tomorrow, Feb. 16; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17; and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

AN ARTIST’S DOZEN--The Department of Art’s second 12”x12” biannual national juried exhibition is on display through Friday, Feb. 22, in The Gallery at MTSU’s Todd Hall. Dave Hickey, nationally acclaimed culture and art critic, served as the juror for the exhibition. More than 200 artists from across the United States submitted more than 600 pieces of work for consideration. There were no media restrictions, and all works were to measure no more than 12” in any direction. Three-dimensional pieces were not to exceed 12” in any direction including the base. Included in the show are the works of Tennessee artists Rocky Horton, Nashville; Arlyn Ende, Sewanee; Dwayne Butcher and Trever Nicholas, Memphis; Melissa Krosnick, Cowan; and Sarah Shebaro, Knoxville. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Lon Nuell at 615-898-2505 or lrnuell@mtsu.edu.

BABY, BABY, BABY--MTSU’s Department of Speech and Theatre will tackle the exciting, frightening and utterly transformational role of parenthood when it presents “Baby,” a musical, at 7:30 nightly Feb. 15-16 and 20-23 at MTSU’s Tucker Theatre. Set in Chicago, the production focuses on three couples who are embarking on one of life’s most amazing journeys—childbirth. Liz and Danny are university juniors who have just moved in together. Pam and Nick, a sports instructor, are having some trouble conceiving. Arlene, already the mother of three grown daughters, is unsure of what to do and contemplating abortion, even though her husband, Alan, is thrilled with the thought of a new baby. Tickets may be purchased at the door on the evening of the performance. Prices range from $5 to $10. MTSU students will be admitted free of charge with a valid ID. Call 615-494-8810 or go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~theatre.

STATE OF THE UNION--MTSU student groups are working to help students at Union University in Jackson recover from the tornadoes of Feb. 5. Several buildings were damaged or destroyed, and 51 students were injured. The MTSU Student Government Association (SGA) will work with Phillips Bookstore, Blue Raider Bookstore and Office Depot to gather school supplies, including pens, pencils, calculators, notebooks, notebook paper, scissors, highlighters, tape, staplers, staples, book bags and white-out. Drop-off areas are designated in the two bookstores. Over the next two weekends, students will travel to Union to deliver these goods. To keep track of Union University’s continuing comeback efforts, go to http://www.uurecovery.com. For more information on MTSU students’ efforts on behalf of Union University, contact SGA President Chassen M. Haynes at 615-898-2464 or sgapres@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, February 13, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Bright and bratty?

A study by Georgetown University analyzed more than 16,000 children and found that disruptive or antisocial behaviors in kindergarten did not correlate with their academic results at the end of elementary school. How should this be taken into consideration when dealing with children and administering discipline? Dr. Ann Campbell, elementary and special education, says, “A child may be very bright and do well academically but have real needs for intervention in the area of his behavior. Some children may struggle academically but have mature social skills. When working with students, we need to consider their needs in each area and plan to work with them on every area of need.”

Contact Campbell at 615-898-2321.
acampbel@mtsu.edu

State of the Union

MTSU student groups are working to help students at Union University in Jackson recover from the tornadoes of Feb. 5. Several buildings were damaged or destroyed, and 51 students were injured. The MTSU Student Government Association (SGA) will work with Phillips Bookstore, Blue Raider Bookstore and Office Depot to gather school supplies, including pens, pencils, calculators, notebooks, notebook paper, scissors, highlighters, tape, staplers, staples, book bags and white-out. Drop-off areas are designated in the two bookstores. Over the next two weekends, students will travel to Union to deliver these goods. To keep track of Union University’s continuing comeback efforts, go to http://www.uurecovery.com.

For more information on MTSU students’ efforts on behalf of Union University, contact SGA President Chassen M. Haynes at 615-898-2464.
sgapres@mtsu.edu

Rosebud!

Students in Dr. Bruce Cahoon’s plant biotechnology class last fall grew roses that were only two inches high. A dozen of them would fit in the palm of your hand. Cahoon says the point was to show his students how plants have been manipulated since the dawn of agriculture. “We’re taking very small pieces of tissue, and we are then feeding the tissue everything it might need, and that includes an energy source like sucrose, well-defined fertilizer and specific vitamins—B-vitamins, strangely enough, are what they need—and hormones,” Cahoon says. In order to keep the plant tissue from becoming contaminated, students used alcohol and chlorine bleach to kill any stray bacteria. The smaller plant’s appearance is different, but it the genetic makeup of the plant was not transformed, Cahoon says.

To learn more about the miniature roses, watch “Middle Tennessee Record” on local (Murfreesboro area) Cable Channel 9 daily at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Sundays at 1:30 p.m. on NewsChannel5+ or anytime via http://www.mtsunews.com or on YouTube.

TR EXTRA

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?--Dr. Janet Belsky, professor of psychology, will be a guest on “In Your Prime,” a discussion program on NewsChannel5+ (Comcast Channel 50), with host Meryll Rose. Belsky, an expert on issues regarding aging, will discuss setting goals toward the end of one’s life as did the main characters in the recent movie “The Bucket List.” This program will air again at 1 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 15; at noon, Saturday, Feb. 16; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17; and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

“YOU AND ME AND ALL THAT STUFF WE’RE SO SCARED OF”—BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, “TUNNEL OF LOVE”--Most of the time, a tunnel of love is a leisurely romantic ride, not a house of horrors. But the sixth annual Tunnel of Love at MTSU will take participants on a self-guided tour of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their terrifying impacts. Two-thirds of all STIs occur in 16-24 year-olds, which makes this event a great opportunity to educate students about how to guard against becoming infected. The Tunnel of Love will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on St. Valentine’s Day, today, Feb. 14, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. It is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Performance and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Casie Higginbotham at 615-904-8274 or
chigginb@mtsu.edu.

AN ARTIST’S DOZEN--The Department of Art’s second 12”x12” biannual national juried exhibition is on display through Friday, Feb. 22, in The Gallery at MTSU’s Todd Hall. Dave Hickey, nationally acclaimed culture and art critic, served as the juror for the exhibition. More than 200 artists from across the United States submitted more than 600 pieces of work for consideration. There were no media restrictions, and all works were to measure no more than 12” in any direction. Three-dimensional pieces were not to exceed 12” in any direction including the base. Included in the show are the works of Tennessee artists Rocky Horton, Nashville; Arlyn Ende, Sewanee; Dwayne Butcher and Trever Nicholas, Memphis; Melissa Krosnick, Cowan; and Sarah Shebaro, Knoxville. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Lon Nuell at 615-898-2505 or lrnuell@mtsu.edu.

STAR POWER--The MTSU Department of Physics and Astronomy will present “Street Lights and Smoke Detectors: Stellar Early Warning Systems,” a speech by Dr. Debra J. Wallace, at 4 p.m. today, Feb. 14, in Room 220 of Wiser-Patten Science Building. Wallace, a visiting assistant professor, from the College of Charleston, will talk about how hot massive stars guide our journey to explore the universe, like streetlights illuminate a path to direct our way on Earth. Observable at great distances due to their intrinsic brightness, massive stars’ usefulness as calibrators enables us to learn more about our own and nearby galaxies. Contact Donna Wolke at 615-898-2130 or
dwolke@mtsu.edu.

WHITHER WYNNEWOOD?--Dr. Kevin Smith, professor and director of anthropology at MTSU, has helped organize a benefit yard sale today, Feb. 14 to help raise money for the Wynnewood State Historic Area, which sustained more than $10,000 damage when a Feb. 5 tornado hit Castalian Springs. The Middle Tennessee Anthropology Society will serve as the official sponsor for the Valentine’s Day fundraiser, which will be held—weather permitting—throughout the day on the Keathley University Center Knoll at MTSU. The historic Wynnewood home is where MTSU’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology has sponsored its summer field schools for anthropology students for 15 years. Smith says the entire second floor of the Wynnewood home is gone, and its original contents were scattered across the property. Direct interview requests for Smith or other MTSU students and faculty to Lisa L. Rollins at lrollins@mtsu.edu. For jpeg photos of Wynnewood before and after the tornado, contact John Lynch at jlynch@mtsu.edu.

DOWN FOR THE COUNT--The MTSU Film Guild will show Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections, a documentary which purports to reveal fraud, cheating and manipulation in the 2004 and 2006 balloting, at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The viewing is free and open to the public. “The effect it has on everyone just seems to be huge, and I, to be honest, couldn’t think of a better documentary given the time frame,” says Justin Stokes, president of the Film Guild, referring to the primaries and caucuses leading up to the 2008 presidential election in November. Producer/director/writer David Earnhardt will be available for a question and answer session immediately following the 80-minute-long movie. Doors will open at 7:45 p.m. For more information, contact Stokes at 615-663-2811 or jds6h@mtsu.edu.

BABY, BABY, BABY--MTSU’s Department of Speech and Theatre will tackle the exciting, frightening and utterly transformational role of parenthood when it presents “Baby,” a musical, at 7:30 nightly Feb. 15-16 and 20-23 at MTSU’s Tucker Theatre. Set in Chicago, the production focuses on three couples who are embarking on one of life’s most amazing journeys—childbirth. Liz and Danny are university juniors who have just moved in together. Pam and Nick, a sports instructor, are having some trouble conceiving. Arlene, already the mother of three grown daughters, is unsure of what to do and contemplating abortion, even though her husband, Alan, is thrilled with the thought of a new baby. Tickets may be purchased at the door on the evening of the performance. Prices range from $5 to $10. MTSU students will be admitted free of charge with a valid ID. Call 615-494-8810 or go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~theatre.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Baby, baby, baby

MTSU’s Department of Speech and Theatre will tackle the exciting, frightening and utterly transformational role of parenthood when it presents “Baby,” a musical, at 7:30 nightly Feb. 15-16 and 20-23 at MTSU’s Tucker Theatre. Set in Chicago, the production focuses on three couples who are embarking on one of life’s most amazing journeys—childbirth. Liz and Danny are university juniors who have just moved in together. Pam and Nick, a sports instructor, are having some trouble conceiving. Arlene, already the mother of three grown daughters, is unsure of what to do and contemplating abortion, even though her husband, Alan, is thrilled with the thought of a new baby. Tickets may be purchased at the door on the evening of the performance. Prices range from $5 to $10. MTSU students will be admitted free of charge with a valid ID.

Call 615-494-8810 or go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~theatre.

Down for the count

The MTSU Film Guild will show Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections, a documentary which purports to reveal fraud, cheating and manipulation in the 2004 and 2006 balloting, at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The viewing is free and open to the public. “The effect it has on everyone just seems to be huge, and I, to be honest, couldn’t think of a better documentary given the time frame,” says Justin Stokes, president of the Film Guild, referring to the primaries and caucuses leading up to the 2008 presidential election in November. Producer/director/writer David Earnhardt and co-producer Glenna Johnson will be available for a question and answer session immediately following the 80-minute-long movie. Doors will open at 7:45 p.m.

For more information, contact Stokes at 615-663-2811.
jds6h@mtsu.edu

Whither Wynnewood?

Dr. Kevin Smith, professor and director of anthropology at MTSU, has helped organize a Thursday, Feb. 14, benefit yard sale to help raise money for the Wynnewood State Historic Area, which sustained more than $10,000 damage when a Feb. 5 tornado hit Castalian Springs. The Middle Tennessee Anthropology Society will serve as the official sponsor for the Valentine’s Day fundraiser, which will be held—weather permitting—throughout the day on the Keathley University Center Knoll at MTSU. The historic Wynnewood home is where MTSU’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology has sponsored its summer field schools for anthropology students for 15 years. Smith says the entire second floor of the Wynnewood home is gone, and its original contents were scattered across the property.

Direct interview requests for Smith or other MTSU students and faculty to Lisa L. Rollins.
lrollins@mtsu.edu
For jpeg photos of Wynnewood before and after the tornado, contact John Lynch.
jlynch@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?--Dr. Janet Belsky, professor of psychology, will be a guest on “In Your Prime,” a discussion program on NewsChannel5+ (Comcast Channel 50), with host Meryll Rose. Belsky, an expert on issues regarding aging, will discuss setting goals toward the end of one’s life as did the main characters in the recent movie “The Bucket List.” This program will air again at at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15; at noon, Saturday, Feb. 16; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17; and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF ISSUES--Dr. Eric Klumpe, associate professor of physics and astronomy, will conduct a Faculty Brown Bag Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. today, Feb. 13, in Room 475 (Conference Room) of MTSU’s James E. Walker Library. Klumpe will talk about the work titled Discovering Our Extraordinary Place in the Cosmos: The View from the Center of the Universe by Joel Primack and Nancy Ellen Abrams. Also up for discussion are other issues raised by discoveries in the field of cosmology in the last 20 years. This talk is free, but seating is limited. Please register your attendance in advance. Contact Bill Black at wblack@mtsu.edu or Dr. Gary Wulfsberg at gwulfsbe@mtsu.edu.

“YOU AND ME AND ALL THAT STUFF WE’RE SO SCARED OF”—BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, “TUNNEL OF LOVE”--Most of the time, a tunnel of love is a leisurely romantic ride, not a house of horrors. But the sixth annual Tunnel of Love at MTSU will take participants on a self-guided tour of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their terrifying impacts. Two-thirds of all STIs occur in 16-24 year-olds, which makes this event a great opportunity to educate students about how to guard against becoming infected. The Tunnel of Love will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on St. Valentine’s Day, tomorrow, Feb. 14, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. It is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Performance and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Casie Higginbotham at 615-904-8274 or
chigginb@mtsu.edu.

AN ARTIST’S DOZEN--The Department of Art’s second 12”x12” biannual national juried exhibition is on display through Friday, Feb. 22, in The Gallery at MTSU’s Todd Hall. Dave Hickey, nationally acclaimed culture and art critic, served as the juror for the exhibition. More than 200 artists from across the United States submitted more than 600 pieces of work for consideration. There were no media restrictions, and all works were to measure no more than 12” in any direction. Three-dimensional pieces were not to exceed 12” in any direction including the base. Included in the show are the works of Tennessee artists Rocky Horton, Nashville; Arlyn Ende, Sewanee; Dwayne Butcher and Trever Nicholas, Memphis; Melissa Krosnick, Cowan; and Sarah Shebaro, Knoxville. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Lon Nuell at 615-898-2505 or lrnuell@mtsu.edu.

STAR POWER--The MTSU Department of Physics and Astronomy will present “Street Lights and Smoke Detectors: Stellar Early Warning Systems,” a speech by Dr. Debra J. Wallace, at 4 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 14, in Room 220 of Wiser-Patten Science Building. Wallace, a visiting assistant professor, from the College of Charleston, will talk about how hot massive stars guide our journey to explore the universe, like streetlights illuminate a path to direct our way on Earth. Observable at great distances due to their intrinsic brightness, massive stars’ usefulness as calibrators enables us to learn more about our own and nearby galaxies. Contact Donna Wolke at 615-898-2130 or
dwolke@mtsu.edu.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

You wear it well

MTSU’s June Anderson Women’s Center and the student organization Women in Action are co-sponsoring “The A(wear)ness Runway Project,” a free and open event that combines education, awareness and fashion, at 6 p.m., tonight, Feb. 12, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. The event, which also is part of the university’s Black History Month celebration, is designed to create awareness of the different colors represented by ribbons for breast cancer, heart disease, domestic violence, sexual assault and AIDS. Statistics and prevention methods for these issues will be available at the event. Many people lose their lives because they do not recognize the warning signs of these maladies.

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

“I’ll see you then!”—Chris Clark’s classic sign-off phrase

Award-winning broadcast journalist Chris Clark has been named chairholder of MTSU’s John Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies. Clark, who was the longest-tenured television anchor in the Nashville market, retired from WTVF in 2007 after 41 years. During his four decades at the CBS affiliate, he was a champion of First Amendment rights and open government. Clark will teach courses in electronic media communication, deliver public lectures and conduct research. “Chris Clark is a distinguished Nashville journalist with a national reputation who has had a career-long commitment to First Amendment rights and values,” says Seigenthaler, publisher emeritus of The Tennessean.

For more information, contact Beverly Keel at 615-898-5150.
bkeel@mtsu.edu

Star power

The MTSU Department of Physics and Astronomy will present “Street Lights and Smoke Detectors: Stellar Early Warning Systems,” a speech by Dr. Debra J. Wallace, at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, in Room 220 of Wiser-Patten Science Building. Wallace, a visiting assistant professor, from the College of Charleston, will talk about how hot massive stars guide our journey to explore the universe, like streetlights illuminate a path to direct our way on Earth. Observable at great distances due to their intrinsic brightness, massive stars’ usefulness as calibrators enables us to learn more about our own and nearby galaxies.

Contact Donna Wolke at 615-898-2130.
dwolke@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?--Dr. Janet Belsky, professor of psychology, will be a guest on “In Your Prime,” a discussion program on NewsChannel5+ (Comcast Channel 50), with host Meryll Rose. Belsky, an expert on issues regarding aging, will discuss setting goals toward the end of one’s life as did the main characters in the recent movie “The Bucket List.” This program will air again at at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15; at noon, Saturday, Feb. 16; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17; and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF ISSUES--Dr. Eric Klumpe, associate professor of physics and astronomy, will conduct a Faculty Brown Bag Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 13, in Room 475 (Conference Room) of MTSU’s James E. Walker Library. Klumpe will talk about the work titled Discovering Our Extraordinary Place in the Cosmos: The View from the Center of the Universe by Joel Primack and Nancy Ellen Abrams. Also up for discussion are other issues raised by discoveries in the field of cosmology in the last 20 years. This talk is free, but seating is limited. Please register your attendance in advance. Contact Bill Black at wblack@mtsu.edu or Dr. Gary Wulfsberg at gwulfsbe@mtsu.edu.

“YOU AND ME AND ALL THAT STUFF WE’RE SO SCARED OF”—BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, “TUNNEL OF LOVE”--Most of the time, a tunnel of love is a leisurely romantic ride, not a house of horrors. But the sixth annual Tunnel of Love at MTSU will take participants on a self-guided tour of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their terrifying impacts. Two-thirds of all STIs occur in 16-24 year-olds, which makes this event a great opportunity to educate students about how to guard against becoming infected. The Tunnel of Love will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on St. Valentine’s Day, Thursday, Feb. 14, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. It is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Performance and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Casie Higginbotham at 615-904-8274 or
chigginb@mtsu.edu.

AN ARTIST’S DOZEN--The Department of Art’s second 12”x12” biannual national juried exhibition is on display through Friday, Feb. 22, in The Gallery at MTSU’s Todd Hall. Dave Hickey, nationally acclaimed culture and art critic, served as the juror for the exhibition. More than 200 artists from across the United States submitted more than 600 pieces of work for consideration. There were no media restrictions, and all works were to measure no more than 12” in any direction. Three-dimensional pieces were not to exceed 12” in any direction including the base. Included in the show are the works of Tennessee artists Rocky Horton, Nashville; Arlyn Ende, Sewanee; Dwayne Butcher and Trever Nicholas, Memphis; Melissa Krosnick, Cowan; and Sarah Shebaro, Knoxville. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Lon Nuell at 615-898-2505 or lrnuell@mtsu.edu.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Stimulating!

Congress has endorsed a compromise economic stimulus package, and a survey conducted by MTSU prior to final passage found that consumers believe that tax rebates would have a positive effect on the economy, at least in the short run. The latest Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Report from the Office of Consumer Research (OCR) at MTSU was conducted with 495 randomly selected adult residents of Davidson, Williamson and Rutherford counties on Feb. 4 and 5. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of the OCR, says, “When asked what they would most likely do with any tax rebate money, if they were to receive it, only 15 percent of consumers said that they would spend the money. Saving the money was the most often cited use for any tax rebates. One-fourth of consumers plan to use most of the money to pay off debt, whereas another one-fourth of consumers plan to use the money for a combination of spending, saving and paying off debt.”

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

An artist’s dozen

The Department of Art’s second 12”x12” biannual national juried exhibition is on display through Friday, Feb. 22, in The Gallery at MTSU’s Todd Hall. Dave Hickey, nationally acclaimed culture and art critic, served as the juror for the exhibition. More than 200 artists from across the United States submitted more than 600 pieces of work for consideration. There were no media restrictions, and all works were to measure no more than 12” in any direction. Three-dimensional pieces were not to exceed 12” in any direction including the base. Included in the show are the works of Tennessee artists Rocky Horton, Nashville; Arlyn Ende, Sewanee; Dwayne Butcher and Trever Nicholas, Memphis; Melissa Krosnick, Cowan; and Sarah Shebaro, Knoxville. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Dr. Lon Nuell at 615-898-2505.
lrnuell@mtsu.edu

“You and me and all that stuff we’re so scared of”—Bruce Springsteen, “Tunnel of Love”

Most of the time, a tunnel of love is a leisurely romantic ride, not a house of horrors. But the sixth annual Tunnel of Love at MTSU will take participants on a self-guided tour of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their terrifying impacts. Two-thirds of all STIs occur in 16-24 year-olds, which makes this event a great opportunity to educate students about how to guard against becoming infected. The Tunnel of Love will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on St. Valentine’s Day, Thursday, Feb. 14, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. It is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Performance and is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Casie Higginbotham at 615-904-8274.
chigginb@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?--Dr. Janet Belsky, professor of psychology, will be a guest on “In Your Prime,” a discussion program on NewsChannel5+ (Comcast Channel 50), with host Meryll Rose. Belsky, an expert on issues regarding aging, will discuss setting goals toward the end of one’s life as did the main characters in the recent movie “The Bucket List.” This program will air again at at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15; at noon, Saturday, Feb. 16; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17; and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

IRAQ AROUND THE CLOCK--Dr. Juan R.I. Cole, the Richard P. Mitchell Distinguished University Professor of History at the University of Michigan, will speak on “The Millennium in Pursuit: Shi’ite Opposition to the U.S. in Iraq” at 7 p.m. tonight, Feb. 11, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Cole, a recent past president of the Middle East Studies Association, is a leading expert on Egypt, Iran, Iraq and South Asia, particularly 19th century history and studies of Shi’ite Islam and the Baha’i faith. Frequently, Cole appears as a guest on “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer” on PBS and contributes op-ed columns for The Nation, Salon.com, Tikkun, The Guardian, The Daily Star (Beirut) and other media outlets. This lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Allen Hibbard, director of MTSU’s Middle East Center at 615-494-7906 or 615-494-8809, or send an e-mail to ahibbard@mtsu.edu.

SAX APPEAL--Two-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and composer Jeff Coffin will speak at 12:40 p.m. today, Feb. 11, in Room 106 of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. This speech is free and open to the public.

BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF ISSUES--Dr. Eric Klumpe, associate professor of physics and astronomy, will conduct a Faculty Brown Bag Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, in Room 475 (Conference Room) of MTSU’s James E. Walker Library. Klumpe will talk about the work titled Discovering Our Extraordinary Place in the Cosmos: The View from the Center of the Universe by Joel Primack and Nancy Ellen Abrams. Also up for discussion are other issues raised by discoveries in the field of cosmology in the last 20 years. This talk is free, but seating is limited. Please register your attendance in advance. Contact Bill Black at wblack@mtsu.edu or Dr. Gary Wulfsberg at gwulfsbe@mtsu.edu.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Today's Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Hunker down, money mavens!

Consumer confidence among Middle Tennessee residents is down. The latest Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Report from the Office of Consumer Research (OCR) at MTSU fell 30 percent from 225 in December to 158 in January. This is the lowest recorded level for the index since the poll began in 2000. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of the OCR, says, “As uncertainty about the future of the overall American economy lingers, consumers have become increasingly pessimistic about the future of the local economy. There is growing concern about the stability of the local job market and the future job market.” In addition, Graeff notes, “Compared to last December, fewer consumers feel that they are better off financially than they were one year ago. And hopes that personal finances will improve are beginning to fade.”

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

College Goal Sunday

Representatives from the MTSU Office of Financial Aid will be available to assist high-school seniors during the annual College Goal Sunday at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10 in the north lobby of the Business and Aerospace Building. “It’s designed for high-school seniors, but we’ll be happy for anyone to join us,” says Bonnie McCarty, assistant director of scholarships. College Goal Sunday helps prospective college students get free onsite assistance filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form and enables them to talk to financial aid professionals. Students and their parents or guardians should bring a 2007 federal tax return or other income documentation, Social Security number, driver’s license, 2007 W-2 forms or year-end pay stubs and bank statements and other “what to bring” information found at http://www.collegegoalsundaytn.org/.

For more information, call McCarty at 615-904-8414.

Billions and billions of issues

Dr. Eric Klumpe, associate professor of physics and astronomy, will conduct a Faculty Brown Bag Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, in Room 475 (Conference Room) of MTSU’s James E. Walker Library. Klumpe will talk about the work titled Discovering Our Extraordinary Place in the Cosmos: The View from the Center of the Universe by Joel Primack and Nancy Ellen Abrams. Also up for discussion are other issues raised by discoveries in the field of cosmology in the last 20 years. This talk is free, but seating is limited. Please register your attendance in advance.

Contact Bill Black at wblack@mtsu.edu or Dr. Gary Wulfsberg at gwulfsbe@mtsu.edu.

TR EXTRA

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?--Dr. Janet Belsky, professor of psychology, will be a guest on “In Your Prime,” a discussion program on NewsChannel5+ (Comcast Channel 50), with host Meryll Rose. Belsky, an expert on issues regarding aging, will discuss setting goals toward the end of one’s life as did the main characters in the recent movie “The Bucket List.” This program will air again at at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15; at noon, Saturday, Feb. 16; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17; and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

SPANNING THE GLOBE--MTSU students who want to broaden their educational lives by experiencing other cultures in other countries have a new source of funding to help them pay for their study-abroad trips. However, time is of the essence because students wishing to take advantage of these opportunities have tight deadlines to meet. The MT Abroad Office is offering a Study Abroad Scholarship to undergraduate and graduate students who established MTSU student enrollment during the previous semester and maintain at least a 2.75 grade point average. The deadline is today, Feb. 8, for all Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS) applications. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 15, for all other applications. Download the forms and find more information at http://www.mtabroad.com/. Call the MT Abroad Office at 615-898-5179.

IRAQ AROUND THE CLOCK--Dr. Juan R.I. Cole, the Richard P. Mitchell Distinguished University Professor of History at the University of Michigan, will speak on “The Millennium in Pursuit: Shi’ite Opposition to the U.S. in Iraq” at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Cole, a recent past president of the Middle East Studies Association, is a leading expert on Egypt, Iran, Iraq and South Asia, particularly 19th century history and studies of Shi’ite Islam and the Baha’i faith. Frequently, Cole appears as a guest on “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer” on PBS and contributes op-ed columns for The Nation, Salon.com, Tikkun, The Guardian, The Daily Star (Beirut) and other media outlets. This lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Allen Hibbard, director of MTSU’s Middle East Center at 615-494-7906 or 615-494-8809, or send an e-mail to ahibbard@mtsu.edu.

SAX APPEAL--Two-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and composer Jeff Coffin will speak at 12:40 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, in Room 106 of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. This speech is free and open to the public.

PAPER PLANTS--View the works of students in the Spring 2008 Visiting Artist’s Seminar at 4:30 p.m. today, Feb. 8, in Room 354 of the Todd Building at MTSU. This year’s seminar, which was taught by Washington Post illustrator Patterson Clark, was titled “Sustainable Papermaking with Alien Weeds.” The MTSU students learned how to harvest invasive plants, make paper and other art materials from the plants and create works of art from the paper. The work on display was made from invasive paper mulberry harvested at the Stones River National Battlefield. There also will be a reception honoring Clark and the students. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Claudia Barnett at 615-898-2887 or cbarnett@mtsu.edu.

LAW AND ORDER: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT--The Forensic Institute for Research and Education at MTSU will present an eight-hour course titled “Seizing and Securing Digital Evidence” from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Feb. 8, in Room 178 of the Voorhies Industrial Studies Building. This course is designed to teach proper methods and protocols for seizing and securing digital evidence, computer components, and related equipment in computer-related investigations. The course will be instructed by Stan Mitchell, Forensic Lab Manager at LogicForce Consulting, LLC, a Nashville-based legal technology consulting firm where he conducts computer forensic examination in civil litigation. He has conducted more than 200 forensic analyses ranging from intellectual property theft to homicide investigations. For more information, contact John Burchfield at 615-898-5804 or burchfie@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

From the classroom to the street

“Africa and the Diaspora: African, African-American, and Caribbean Student Dialogue” is slated for 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. today, Feb. 7, in the Faculty Senate Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. Caroline Blackwell, Director of Multicultural Affairs at University School of Nashville and a trained facilitator with the Scarritt-Bennett Center’s Diversity in Dialogue program, will moderate the discussion. Tonight at 5:00 p.m., “Street Fight,” a film about racial politics in Newark, N.J., will be shown in Room 106 of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. Both events are free and open to the public and are in observance of Black History Month.

To find out more about Black History Month events at MTSU, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~aahm.

Law and Order: Artificial Intelligence Unit

The Forensic Institute for Research and Education at MTSU will present an eight-hour course titled “Seizing and Securing Digital Evidence” from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 8, in Room 178 of the Voorhies Industrial Studies Building. This course is designed to teach proper methods and protocols for seizing and securing digital evidence, computer components, and related equipment in computer-related investigations. The course will be instructed by Stan Mitchell, Forensic Lab Manager at LogicForce Consulting, LLC, a Nashville-based legal technology consulting firm where he conducts computer forensic examination in civil litigation. He has conducted more than 200 forensic analyses ranging from intellectual property theft to homicide investigations.

For more information, contact John Burchfield at 615-898-5804.
burchfie@mtsu.edu

Paper plants

View the works of students in the Spring 2008 Visiting Artist’s Seminar at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 8, in Room 354 of the Todd Building at MTSU. This year’s seminar, which was taught by Washington Post illustrator Patterson Clark, was titled “Sustainable Papermaking with Alien Weeds.” The MTSU students learned how to harvest invasive plants, make paper and other art materials from the plants and create works of art from the paper. The work on display was made from invasive paper mulberry harvested at the Stones River National Battlefield. There also will be a reception honoring Clark and the students. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Dr. Claudia Barnett at 615-898-2887.
cbarnett@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?--Dr. Janet Belsky, professor of psychology, will be a guest on “In Your Prime,” a discussion program on NewsChannel5+ (Comcast Channel 50), with host Meryll Rose. Belsky, an expert on issues regarding aging, will discuss setting goals toward the end of one’s life as did the main characters in the recent movie “The Bucket List.” This program will air again at at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15; at noon, Saturday, Feb. 16; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17; and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

SPANNING THE GLOBE--MTSU students who want to broaden their educational lives by experiencing other cultures in other countries have a new source of funding to help them pay for their study-abroad trips. However, time is of the essence because students wishing to take advantage of these opportunities have tight deadlines to meet. The MT Abroad Office is offering a Study Abroad Scholarship to undergraduate and graduate students who established MTSU student enrollment during the previous semester and maintain at least a 2.75 grade point average. The deadline is tomorrow, Feb. 8, for all Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS) applications. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 15, for all other applications. Download the forms and find more information at http://www.mtabroad.com. Call the MT Abroad Office at 615-898-5179.

IRAQ AROUND THE CLOCK--Dr. Juan R.I. Cole, the Richard P. Mitchell Distinguished University Professor of History at the University of Michigan, will speak on “The Millennium in Pursuit: Shi’ite Opposition to the U.S. in Iraq” at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Cole, a recent past president of the Middle East Studies Association, is a leading expert on Egypt, Iran, Iraq and South Asia, particularly 19th century history and studies of Shi’ite Islam and the Baha’i faith. Frequently, Cole appears as a guest on “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer” on PBS and contributes op-ed columns for The Nation, Salon.com, Tikkun, The Guardian, The Daily Star (Beirut) and other media outlets. This lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Allen Hibbard, director of MTSU’s Middle East Center at 615-494-7906 or 615-494-8809, or send an e-mail to ahibbard@mtsu.edu.

SAX APPEAL--Two-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and composer Jeff Coffin will perform in the MTSU Jazz Artist Series at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 7, in the T. Earl Hinton Music Hall in MTSU’s Wright Music Building. Coffin has traveled the world with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones since 1997. He has shared the stage with such diverse artists as The Dave Matthews Band, Van Morrison, Phish, The Dixie Chicks, Brooks and Dunn and McCoy Tyner. “Coffin is an outstanding saxophonist and a charismatic performer,” says Don Aliquo, associate professor of saxophone and jazz studies at MTSU. “His music covers a wide range of the jazz spectrum, and he plays with amazing energy.” Individual tickets are $15 at the door. MTSU students, faculty and staff will be admitted free with a valid university ID. For more information, call Tim Musselman at 615-898-2493 or go to http:///www.mtsumusic.com.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

In unity there is strength

Smyrna Municipal/General Sessions Court Judge Keta Barnes, the first African-American official elected in Smyrna and the first African-American female judge elected in Rutherford County, will be the special speaker at the Unity Luncheon from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today, Wednesday, Feb. 6, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. The annual event, a staple of Black History Month at MTSU, honors important African-American community leaders. This year’s honorees are Mary Glass, Verna Bonner, Cornell Bingham and Charlie King Jr. This year’s Black History Month theme is “Carter G. Woodson and the Origins of Multiculturalism.” Numerous events—including music, lectures and social gatherings—are slated to take place throughout February and March.

For more information, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/aahm.

Sax appeal

Two-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and composer Jeff Coffin will perform in the MTSU Jazz Artist Series at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, in the T. Earl Hinton Music Hall in MTSU’s Wright Music Building. Coffin has traveled the world with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones since 1997. He has shared the stage with such diverse artists as The Dave Matthews Band, Van Morrison, Phish, The Dixie Chicks, Brooks and Dunn and McCoy Tyner. “Coffin is an outstanding saxophonist and a charismatic performer,” says Don Aliquo, associate professor of saxophone and jazz studies at MTSU. “His music covers a wide range of the jazz spectrum, and he plays with amazing energy.” Individual tickets are $15 at the door. MTSU students, faculty and staff will be admitted free with a valid university ID.

For more information, call Tim Musselman at 615-898-2493 or go to http:///www.mtsumusic.com.

Iraq around the clock

Dr. Juan R.I. Cole, the Richard P. Mitchell Distinguished University Professor of History at the University of Michigan, will speak on “The Millennium in Pursuit: Shi’ite Opposition to the U.S. in Iraq” at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Cole, a recent past president of the Middle East Studies Association, is a leading expert on Egypt, Iran, Iraq and South Asia, particularly 19th century history and studies of Shi’ite Islam and the Baha’i faith. Frequently, Cole appears as a guest on “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer” on PBS and contributes op-ed columns for The Nation, Salon.com, Tikkun, The Guardian, The Daily Star (Beirut) and other media outlets. This lecture is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Dr. Allen Hibbard, director of MTSU’s Middle East Center at 615-494-7906 or 615-494-8809, or send an e-mail to ahibbard@mtsu.edu.

TR EXTRA

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?--Dr. Janet Belsky, professor of psychology, will be a guest on “In Your Prime,” a discussion program on NewsChannel5+ (Comcast Channel 50), with host Meryll Rose. Belsky, an expert on issues regarding aging, will discuss setting goals toward the end of one’s life as did the main characters in the recent movie “The Bucket List.” This program will air again at 1:30 p.m. today, Feb. 6; at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15; at noon, Saturday, Feb. 16; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17; and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

SPANNING THE GLOBE--MTSU students who want to broaden their educational lives by experiencing other cultures in other countries have a new source of funding to help them pay for their study-abroad trips. However, time is of the essence because students wishing to take advantage of these opportunities have tight deadlines to meet. The MT Abroad Office is offering a Study Abroad Scholarship to undergraduate and graduate students who established MTSU student enrollment during the previous semester and maintain at least a 2.75 grade point average. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 8, for all Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS) applications. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 15, for all other applications. Download the forms and find more information at http://www.mtabroad.com. Call the MT Abroad Office at 615-898-5179.

POSTER POWER--Another talented group of MTSU students will make presentations of their research and mingle with state legislators today, Feb. 6, during the third annual Posters at the State Capitol in Nashville. MTSU serves as host of the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. event, which includes up to six presenters from other Tennessee Board of Regents schools, as well. The posters represent a wide range of disciplines, including music, psychology, geosciences, physics, and engineering technology and industrial studies. Their subjects range from “Learning Strategies of College Students With and Without Learning Disabilities” to “Investigation of Petro-Tectonic Settings of Felsic Igneous Rocks.” The students hail from Murfreesboro, Trenton, and Memphis, and were selected through a competitive process on campus. Contact Dr. Tom Cheatham at 615-898-2613 or cheatham@mtsu.edu or Dr. Diane Miller at 615-898-5472 or dmiller@mtsu.edu.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

In New Orleans, it’s “Fat Tuesday,” too.

Whether you call it “Super Tuesday, “Super Duper Tuesday,” or “Tsunami Tuesday,” today is the day voters in 24 states go to the polls to register their choices for the Democratic and Republican presidential contenders. It’s the closest thing to a national primary the United States has ever had. Some politicians, including U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) have floated the idea of a true national primary. Dr. Michael Nelson, political scientist from Rhodes College and recent lecturer at MTSU, weighs in on these and other aspects of the 2008 presidential political scene in radio-ready stories and mp3-formatted sound snippets you can access at http://www.mtsunews.com. Click on “MTSU Audio Clips” on the right side of the page.

For information on “MTSU Audio Clips,” contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081.
gklogue@mtsu.edu

Poster power

Another talented group of MTSU students will make presentations of their research and mingle with state legislators Wednesday, Feb. 6, during the third annual Posters at the State Capitol in Nashville. MTSU serves as host of the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. event, which includes up to six presenters from other Tennessee Board of Regents schools, as well. The posters represent a wide range of disciplines, including music, psychology, geosciences, physics, and engineering technology and industrial studies. Their subjects range from “Learning Strategies of College Students With and Without Learning Disabilities” to “Investigation of Petro-Tectonic Settings of Felsic Igneous Rocks.” The students hail from Murfreesboro, Trenton, and Memphis, and were selected through a competitive process on campus.

Contact Dr. Tom Cheatham at 615-898-2613 or Dr. Diane Miller at 615-898-5472.
cheatham@mtsu.edu
dmiller@mtsu.edu

A new kind of magical mystery tour

This year marks NASA’s 50th anniversary; the 50th anniversary of Explorer One, America’s first successful satellite; the 45th anniversary of NASA’a Deep Space Network; and the 40th anniversary of the song “Across the Universe” by The Beatles. In celebration of all these anniversaries, NASA will transmit the song towards Polaris, the North Star, in mp3 format. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says this is “… the first time the space agency has aimed a message at a particular, and particularly distant, location in space.” Burriss notes that, since Polaris is 2.5 quadrillion miles away, the Beatles’ number will take 431 years to reach its destination. “If the Polarians download the song, will it be illegal?” Burriss muses. “Well, maybe not, because in 431 years the song will probably be in the public domain.”

Contact Burriss at 615-898-2983.
lburriss@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?--Dr. Janet Belsky, professor of psychology, will be a guest on “In Your Prime,” a discussion program on NewsChannel5+ (Comcast Channel 50), with host Meryll Rose. Belsky, an expert on issues regarding aging, will discuss setting goals toward the end of one’s life as did the main characters in the recent movie “The Bucket List.” This program will air again at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6; at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15; at noon, Saturday, Feb. 16; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17; and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

SPANNING THE GLOBE--MTSU students who want to broaden their educational lives by experiencing other cultures in other countries have a new source of funding to help them pay for their study-abroad trips. However, time is of the essence because students wishing to take advantage of these opportunities have tight deadlines to meet. The MT Abroad Office is offering a Study Abroad Scholarship to undergraduate and graduate students who established MTSU student enrollment during the previous semester and maintain at least a 2.75 grade point average. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 8, for all Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS) applications. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 15, for all other applications. Download the forms and find more information at http://www.mtabroad.com. Call the MT Abroad Office at 615-898-5179.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Shalom!

An Israeli historian, licensed tour guide and reserve officer in the Israeli Defense Forces will speak to two MTSU classes today, Feb. 4. A veteran of 20 years’ experience guiding people all over Israel, Lt. Col. Ronny Simon is an expert on the history and geography of the country. The Jerusalem resident speaks in churches, at church conferences and at universities in the United States about the history of and current events in Israel. His military experience adds a significant dimension to his ability to convey the complicated situation in the Middle East with great clarity. He will address Dr. Karen Petersen’s class on “International and Comparative Politics in Theory and Practice” from 12:40 p.m. to 2:05 p.m. in Room 204 of the Todd Building and Dr. Mark Byrnes’ “Politics and Film” class from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Room 215 of Peck Hall.

For more information, contact Byrnes at 615-898-2351.
mbyrnes@mtsu.edu

Spanning the globe

MTSU students who want to broaden their educational lives by experiencing other cultures in other countries have a new source of funding to help them pay for their study-abroad trips. However, time is of the essence because students wishing to take advantage of these opportunities have tight deadlines to meet. The MT Abroad Office is offering a Study Abroad Scholarship to undergraduate and graduate students who established MTSU student enrollment during the previous semester and maintain at least a 2.75 grade point average. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 8, for all Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS) applications. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 15, for all other applications.

Download the forms and find more information at http://www.mtabroad.com/.
Call the MT Abroad Office at 615-898-5179.

Let the rivers run

The Stones River Chamber Players, ensemble in residence at MTSU, will present its third concert of the 2007-2008 season titled “From the Rhine to the Blue Danube” at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Feb. 4, in the T. Earl Hinton Music Hall of MTSU’s Wright Music Building. The concert will consist of four of Louis Spohr’s Six German Songs, Op. 103, which will be performed by Dina Cancryn (soprano), Todd Waldecker (clarinet) and Lynn Rice-See (piano), as well as Robert Schmann’s Piano Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 47, performed by Rice-See, Andrea Dawson (violin), Sarah Cote (viola) and Xiao-Fan Zhang (violincello). This event is free and open to the public.

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

TR EXTRA

WHAT ITEMS ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?--Dr. Janet Belsky, professor of psychology, will be a guest on “In Your Prime,” a discussion program on NewsChannel5+ (Comcast Channel 50), with host Meryll Rose. Belsky, an expert on issues regarding aging, will discuss setting goals toward the end of one’s life as did the main characters in the recent movie “The Bucket List.” This program will air again at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6; at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15; at noon, Saturday, Feb. 16; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17; and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The past is prologue?

As Black History Month begins today, it is interesting to note that a Pew Research Center study shows African-Americans are more dissatisfied with their progress than at any other time in the past 20 years. This comes as a surprise “only to those who tend to measure social change in America on an incremental basis rather than looking at it holistically,” says Dr. Jacqui Wade, social work. “African-Americans know all too well that only a cursory look at the past eight to 10 years of governmental changes of social policies and related political agendas—especially on state and local levels—and legal action-taking by the federal courts—especially district courts—will reveal many of the socio-cultural, political and economic gains they made resultant from the modern-day civil rights movement essentially have been eroded.”

Contact Wade at 615-898-2477.
jewade@mtsu.edu

What items are on your bucket list?

Dr. Janet Belsky, professor of psychology, will be a guest on “In Your Prime,” a discussion program on NewsChannel5+ (Comcast Channel 50), today at 1 p.m. CST with host Meryll Rose. Belsky, an expert on issues regarding aging, will discuss setting goals toward the end of one’s life as did the main characters in the recent movie “The Bucket List.” This program will be repeated at noon tomorrow, Feb. 2; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3; at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6; at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15; at noon, Saturday, Feb. 16; at 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17; and at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20.

For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

Rah! Rah! Buy a bra!

Victoria’s Secret has purchased a 30-second television commercial scheduled to run during the second half of the Super Bowl this Sunday. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says he likes this move for two reasons. “First, the Super Bowl will be played a mere 11 days before Valentine’s Day, a key selling period for Victoria’s Secret,” he says. “Potential exists for the commercial to be a driver of traffic to stores and the VS Web site. From a timing standpoint, the VS spot makes much more sense than Hollywood studios running commercials for movies that will not open until summer! Second, airing the commercial during the second half means that the number of younger viewers who would be exposed (no pun intended) to the message could be lower compared to airing in the first half.”

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

TR EXTRA

LINGERIE LIVES!--MTSU Theatre & Dance will present Underwear: The Musical, book, music and lyrics by Heidi Ervin and Brandon Gwinn, at 7:30 p.m. through tomorrow, Feb. 2 in the Studio Theatre of the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building. This tender, hilariously irreverent and original musical reveals a unique plan to control men and rule the world through the ingenious design of their underwear. Though lighthearted and endearing, Underwear: The Musical features scantily clad performers (no nudity) and mature themes. Therefore, it might not be appropriate for teenagers and younger children. General admission tickets are $3 each. The show will be performed in two acts with a 15-minute intermission. More information is available at http://www.underwearthemusical.com.

BRINGING THE MIDDLE EAST TO MIDDLE TENNESSEE--MTSU Honors students are going beyond the headlines to understand more about the customs and values of people in the Middle East. In “Contemporary Middle East Culture: Film, Music and Literature,” students are listening to music from various traditions, viewing films produced by contemporary Arab and Israeli directors, and read literary work by writers from the region. In their explorations, they discuss issues of language, identity, borders, homeland and memory. The instructors, Dr. Sonja Hedgepeth, professor of foreign languages and literatures, and Dr. Allen Hibbard, English professor and director of the MTSU Middle East Center, can assure students of a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of the Middle East than that which is afforded by news stories reported in the general media. Contact the University Honors College at 615-898-2152.

THE GREEN FIELDS OF THE MIND--The 35th annual Groundhog Day Luncheon to benefit Blue Raider baseball is slated for 11:30 a.m. today, Feb. 1, at Murphy Center. The traditional menu of hamhocks, white beans, tomato salad, green onions, cornbread, chocolate cake and ice cream will be available. Former Blue Raider standouts Brett Carroll, Matt Ray and Todd Martin are among those who will be in attendance. Tomorrow, Feb. 2, the Middle Tennessee baseball program will conduct its “Show Me” Camp from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Murphy Center. The camp is for children ages six to 12. Hitting, pitching, infield play, outfield play, and base running will be the topics for the five sessions by coaches, players and former players. All campers should bring their gloves. For information on the luncheon, call 615-898-2103 or 615-898-2210. For information on the camp, call 615-898-2450 or 615-898-2961.

ALL NIGHT LONG--Up ‘til Dawn, a benefit for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, will be held from 7 p.m. tonight, Feb. 1, to 7 a.m. tomorrow, Feb. 2, in MTSU’s Campus Recreation Center. It will be open to the public from 7 p.m. to midnight Feb. 1. A $5 donation is requested. Attendees will be entertained by sporting events, live entertainment and free food. A hypnotist is expected to be part of the late-night activities. A guest patient from St. Jude will speak. Last year, Up ‘til Dawn raised more than $96,000. This year’s goal is $105,000. For more information, call 615-904-8270, or visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~uptldawn.