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.