Thursday, September 4, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Doing well by doing good

Can a Web site that allows people to auction off their unwanted stuff find happiness with an organization that encourages companies to be socially responsible? That’s the question surrounding the marriage of eBay and World of Good. They have launched WorldofGood.com, which lets shoppers investigate the vendors’ backgrounds and to what extent they are involved in social causes like the environment or animal protection. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “The market potential for WorldofGood.com may be small today. However, the emergence of this site and its support from a major retailer like eBay give it an opportunity to succeed. If it does, it is possible that other ventures that promote sustainable and ethical consumption will enter the marketplace.”

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

Male chauvinist rats?

Swedish researchers contend that a gene variant called allele 334 explains why some men are more prone to relationship problems and have difficulty bonding to their partners. Dr. Amy Jetton, biology, explains that the research started with studies of rodents called voles. “Some species of male voles are monogamous; they pair-bond with their sexual partner, and they don’t help rear the young,” Jetton says. “Other species of male voles are polygamous; they don’t stay with one sexual partner, and they don’t help rear the young. Since these two animals are very similar otherwise, scientists have used this as a model system to investigate what’s different about the brains of monogamous and polygamous males.”

Contact Jetton at 615-898-5952.
ajetton@mtsu.edu

Losing … and loving it

Faculty and staff at MTSU will embark on a 12-week Wellness Program again this semester at the Campus Recreation Center. However, there’s a twist this time. Participants will have an opportunity to opt into a “Biggest Loser” competition, which will include weekly weight and body fat percentage calculations for each team. The team’s cumulative results will be posted in the Rec Center, but individual statistics will remain confidential. There will be weekly personal challenges for that week’s pounds lost to count in the final week. The team that loses the most body weight percentage by the end of the program will receive a prize to be announced during the semester. The winning individual also will receive a prize.

Contact Jerry Langham at 615-898-2104.
jlangham@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL RUN--MTSU track and field coach Dean Hayes will be inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA) Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at the USTFCCA convention in Phoenix, Ariz. Hayes, who has been at MTSU since 1965, has led the Blue Raiders to 29 Ohio Valley Conference titles, 14 Sun Belt championships, and 18 NCAA Top 25 finishes. He has been named OVC Coach of the Year 15 times and Sun Belt Coach of the Year 12 times, including a run of 10 straight titles from 1977 to 1986. His fellow coaches voted him NCAA Outdoor Coach of the Year in 1981. In addition to coaching at the World University Games and other international events, Hayes worked as an assistant at the Summer Olympics in Seoul in 1988 and a referee at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Contact MTSU Athletic Communications at 615-898-2968.

CLAP FOR THE WOLFEMAN--The late Dr. Charles K. Wolfe, professor emeritus of English at MTSU and cultural historian, will be inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame at an Oct. 2 ceremony at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Wolfe, who passed away in 2006, was a respected scholar of both country music and bluegrass and the author of more than a dozen books, including The Music of Bill Monroe, co-authored with Neil Rosenberg and published in 2007. Wolfe also was one of the faculty members who came up with the idea for a Center for Popular Music at MTSU. Paul Wells, director of the center, says of Wolfe’s induction, “It’s a well-deserved honor. Charles really made some great contributions to the history and literature of bluegrass music. … He wrote about what he loved, and he loved what he wrote about.” Contact Wells at 615-898-2449 or pwells@mtsu.edu.

“I’LL BE THE ROUNDABOUT/THE WORDS WILL MAKE YOU OUT AND OUT”—JON ANDERSON AND STEVE HOWE--A new traffic roundabout at the intersection of MTSU Boulevard and Blue Raider Drive allows motorists from each direction to loop around to continue on their desired route after yielding to any vehicles already in the loop. The change is part of the four-phase $80 million traffic master-plan construction project designed to improve traffic flow, safety and access around campus. MTSU’s roundabout is the first of its kind at a Tennessee public university, and it is accentuated by pieces of limestone columns that originated at the old Tennessee State Capitol. Contact Ron Malone, assistant vice president for events and transportation services, at 615-898-5002 or rrmalone@mtsu.edu.

LISTENING IN--MTSU Audio Clips is a service for radio stations to supplement their news and information programs with sound and radio-ready stories that broadcasters can access on the Internet and download at their convenience. The latest collection of audio stories includes perspectives on the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing from Dr. Andrew Owusu, associate professor of health and human performance and a three-time Olympian; two MTSU students who helped found a new chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, the political activist group best known for its opposition to the Vietnam War in the 1960s; and a commentary by Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism professor and First Amendment expert, on the expansion of governmental secrecy. You can access MTSU Audio Clips by going to www.mtsunews.com, your online location for MTSU information, and clicking on “MTSU Audio Clips” on the right side of the page. Contact Gina Logue at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu with questions or comments.

WELCOME TO THE HALL, Y’ALL!--Five former MTSU greats in their respective sports will be inducted into the Blue Raider Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 6. The ceremony will take place at 3:30 p.m. at the Kennon Sports Hall of Fame prior to MTSU’s football game against Maryland. Jerry Beck (basketball), Joe Campbell (football), John DoDoo (track and field), Paul Goebel (tennis) and Kelly Holcomb (football) will be enshrined. Previous Hall of fame classes have been limited to three inductees, but this year’s class was expanded to five due to the number of nominees and votes received by the Hall of Fame committee. Contact Athletic Communications at 615-898-2450.

MICKEY MOUSE MEANS BUSINESS--MTSU and the Jennings A. Jones College of Business are pleased to present Disney Institute’s professional development program, the “Disney Keys to Excellence,” to the greater Nashville community. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the Sheraton Downtown Nashville, 623 Union Street. “Participants will discover Disney success stories and learn about management philosophies and behind-the-scenes operations that have made the Disney Parks and resorts a benchmark for businesses around the world,” says George Aguel, senior vice president for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “MTSU is preparing young men and women to become ethical, entrepreneurial successes in the business world, and the Disney Keys program is clearly in sync with our educational philosophy,” says Dr. Jim Burton, dean of the Jones College of Business. Members of the media are welcomed to attend at no cost by presenting press credentials. Photography of any slides or presentation-specific material will be prohibited; otherwise, photography will be permitted. Organizers will help arrange on-site interviews with session presenters/facilitators, if requested. Contact Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919 (ttozer@mtsu.edu) in advance to register attendance.