Monday, March 10, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

ATTENTION, EDITORS: The MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs has moved from Room 209 in the Cope Administration Building to the Tom H. Jackson Building just off Middle Tennessee Boulevard between Kirksey Old Main and the Voorhies Industrial Studies Building. Our phone numbers and e-mail addresses remain the same, but our post office box number for “snail mail” on campus is now Box 72. Please continue to visit www.mtsunews.com for MTSU information.

I now pronounce you …

Gay marriage is still unpopular among Tennesseans, according to the latest MTSU Poll. Sixty-six percent of those surveyed are against allowing homosexuals to get married. Only 24 percent approve. Dr. Ken Blake, MTSU Director of Communication Research, says those figures have held fairly steady for the last five years. “The strength of Tennesseans’ evangelical beliefs—measured by a 0-5 index composed of questions about being born again, evangelizing others, belief in the Rapture, and degree of Biblical literalism—is key to these findings,” Blake says. “Those scoring low on evangelicalism may, however, consider themselves Christian. … If denominationalism is ignored, education becomes the best predictor of evangelicalism …”

Contact Blake at 615-477-8389.
kblake@mtsu.edu

Feminist—now and always

Visual depictions of feminists, words of wisdom from women in science and visits from dynamic activists are part of the observance of National Women’s History Month, which kicks into high gear at MTSU in the month of March with the theme of “Feminist Now.” Watching the progression of the first response to being called a feminist to the reaction now makes me feel good about the future,” says Terri Johnson, co-chair of the MTSU National Women’s History Month Committee and director of the June Anderson Women’s Center. “When people are educated, they want to work and fight for change,” Johnson says of the opportunities for enlightenment offered during National Women’s History Month. “And even though I know there are challenges ahead, there’s a comfort in knowing we are all in this together.”

For the complete MTSU National Women’s History Month Calendar of events, contact the June Anderson Women’s Center at 615-898-2193.
jawc@mtsu.edu

“What hath God wrought?”—the first telegraphic message ever sent, May 24, 1844

Even with their faces and voices all over MySpace and YouTube, today’s presidential contenders are hardly the first to embrace new media. “Take President James Garfield,” says Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism. “What do you know about him, except he was assassinated? Well, back in March of 1881, he became the first president to use a telephone. But it wasn’t until March 1929, during the administration of Herbert Hoover, that the first White House telephone was installed.” Woodrow Wilson held the first open presidential news conference in March 1913. Calvin Coolidge’s inauguration was aired live on the radio in March 1925. And, of course, Franklin Roosevelt practically made radio his own medium with his “fireside chats.” Burriss says, It’s been said there is nothing new under the sun. So the next time we get all energized about the latest presidential media doo-dad, stop for a moment, and it’s a good bet it’s been done before.”

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

TR EXTRA

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 in February. 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 or
jvile@mtsu.edu.

DON’T LET IT BE FORGOT/THAT ONCE THERE WAS A SPOT/ FOR ONE BRIEF SHINING MOMENT THAT WAS KNOWN/ AS CAMELOT--Elaine Rice Bachmann, curator for the Maryland Commission on Artistic Property, will be the featured guest speaker tomorrow, March 11, for the 2008 Lecture Series presented by the MTSU student chapter of American Society of Interior Designers/International Interior Design Association. “Designing Camelot: The Kennedy White House Restoration” is the title of Bachman’s free and open 6:30-8 p.m. talk, which will take place in the State Farm Lecture Hall in MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. For more information, contact Carla Sanders, student event coordinator, at 931-308-2117, or Deborah Belcher, associate professor, at 615-898-5604 or dbelcher@mtsu.edu.