Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Online crime anytime

Starting this week, MTSU’s police crime log will be posted and available online for anyone to access. Rather than having to go in person to police headquarters on campus, anyone who has Internet access will be able to print out a copy of the crime log. A crime log includes a general description of the incident, the date and time it occurred, where it happened and the disposition of the incident—whether it’s closed or still open. “We want to go above and beyond what’s required and also include traffic stops and other infractions that are not considered criminal offenses,” says MTSU Police Chief Buddy Peaster. “If you don’t have a computer, you can come to the police headquarters and we’ll provide computer access free of charge.”

Contact Peaster at 615-898-2424. To access the MTSU Police Web site, go to http://police.mtsu.edu/.

Cyberlibel

If you can afford to pay more than a thousand dollars a month, you can get companies to repair your image after it has been battered in the blogosphere. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism professor and First Amendment expert, says you can even do it yourself. For example, Google and Yahoo “have secret formulas they use to rank sites. Sites that meet certain criteria will go to the top of the search list, and it is the top five that are generally considered the most dangerous. So if you know what you’re doing, you can create Web sites that will push these original sites down the list, where they are less likely to be seen. You can also create blogs and then start a dialogue where it appears dozens or even hundreds of people are talking about how great you are and how unfair those other people are.”

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

“You gonna burn, burn, burn, burn it to the wick.”—From “Barracuda” (A. Wilson/N. Wilson/Fisher/Derosier)

Ann and Nancy Wilson of the rock group Heart complained to John McCain’s campaign about its use of the song “Barracuda” during the Republican National Convention’s introduction of Sarah Palin onto the national stage. They aren’t the first artists/composers to object to the co-option of their creative work by politicians. But Ken Sanney, adjunct recording industry professor and licensed attorney, says, “By all accounts, the RNC/McCain campaign has paid all licensing fees to use the song. There is, therefore, no legal action that the Wilson sisters can take to stop them. In fact, neither the Wilson sisters nor the band Heart own the copyright to the song or sound recording of ‘Barracuda.’ The copyright of the song is owned by Warner Brothers Publications, and the copyright of the sound recording is owned by Sony/BMG Music Entertainment.”

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

TR EXTRA

SCENIC CITY HIGH--Junior and senior high-school students from Chattanooga and surrounding counties are invited to attend MTSU’s student reception. It will be held from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. EDT today, Sept. 23, at the Chattanooga African-American Museum, 200 E. Martin Luther King Blvd. MTSU officials will answer questions about admissions, financial aid, housing and academic programs. One student will receive an iPod Touch, and other prizes will be awarded to those who attend. For more information, contact Susanna Wassom at 615-898-2457 or go to mtsu.edu/admissn.

HABLAMOS ESPANOL--MTSU’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month is in full swing through Oct. 15 with numerous cultural and informational events on tap. On Wednesday, Oct. 1, Dr. Sidney McPhee, MTSU President, will attend a reception for Hispanic students from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room 316 of the Keathley University Center (KUC). On Monday, Oct. 6, Sidelines, the student newspaper, will feature a crossword puzzle with a Hispanic history theme. Prizes will be awarded in KUC Room 326 for the first five correct submittals. Also, ongoing Hispanic Poetry Periods and Latin music experiences will be conducted near the KUC Knoll, and special programming will be shown in dormitory lobbies. WMOT-FM (89.5) will air Latin jazz every Sunday. All events are free and open to the public. For additional information, contact the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs at 615-898-5812.

IN THE EYE OF THE ALUMNI--The MTSU Department of Art is hosting its second biennial exhibition of works by alumni, aptly titled “Alumni 2008,” through Friday, Sept. 26, in Todd Gallery. About 50 pieces representing a variety of media make up the exhibit, which will feature the art of Diane Fox (’86), Glenda Guinn (’85), George Juliano (’69), Rebecca Parker (’04), Jim Poag (’77), Tom Sain (’84), Patricia Tenpenny (’92) and Vicki Terry (’92). “They are active educators in higher education, performance artists or independent artists,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator. “Their works are seen across the country, internationally in galleries and museums, found in private collections, and seen in regional and national publications.” Located on the first floor of the Todd Building, the Todd Gallery is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays and closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free, and exhibits are open to the public. Contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO AROUND.--The federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Bank of America’s agreement to acquire Merrill Lynch, the Chapter 11 filing by Lehman Brothers and other dramatic developments make this year’s MTSU Economic Outlook Conference a must. The conference will take place on Friday, Sept. 26, at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center, 1200 Conference Center Blvd. in Murfreesboro. Dr. James Bullard, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, will speak at 9 a.m. Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, will provide the Midstate/Regional Economic Update at 10:30 a.m. Dr. Donald Ratajczak, Regents Professor of Economics Emeritus at Georgia State University in Atlanta, will deliver the luncheon address during the noon hour. For more information, contact Dr. Jim Burton, Dean of the Jennings A. Jones College of Business, at 615-898-2764 or eburton@mtsu.edu.

NO NEED FOR THE TIM RUSSERT MEMORIAL DRY ERASE BOARD (FLORIDA! FLORIDA! FLORIDA!)—MTSU students will prepare and broadcast their own election night roundup live on MTTV, Channel 10, from 8 p.m. to 11 or possibly later, on Election Night, Tuesday, Nov. 4, depending on how close the tallies are. “It becomes more than just an organizational exercise, which is important,” says Dr. Bob Pondillo, who teaches “Electronic Media Production: Election Night News Coverage.” “However, it’s one thing to know how to make great television, but it’s quite another to know how to engage the community.” Although arrangements are subject to revision at a moment’s notice depending on the circumstances, the class is planning on three bases for live shots. The percentages in each race will be displayed at the bottom of the television screen through a black box Associated Press interface device. Contact Pondillo at 615-904-8465 or pondillo@mtsu.edu.

THE MAIN COURSE IS GRITS.--Girls Raised in Tennessee Science, or GRITS, will hold its Collaborative Kickoff Conference on Friday, Sept. 26, at MTSU. The event is open to anyone interested in helping girls become involved in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) educational aspects, says Lacey Fleming, assistant director of GRITS. Attendees may be from education (K-12 and postsecondary), business, government and community-based and professional organizations across Tennessee and surrounding states. Dr. Leslie Wisner-Lynch, a co-founder of BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc., will be the keynote speaker. The kickoff will run from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. and will be held in the Keathley University Center lobby, theater, and KUC Room 322. Fleming says “people who are involved with companies or heading up programs with girls” are especially encouraged to attend the kickoff. Media welcomed. Go to mtsu.edu/~grits or contact Fleming at 615-494-7763 or lfleming@mtsu.edu.

DON’T BE A FOSSIL FOOL.--Fueling the Future Update: Building Engines that Run on Sun and Water” will be the MTSU Satellite and Webcasting Center’s next Enrichment Program for Students at 9 a.m. CST (10 a.m. EST) today, Sept. 23. Dr. Cliff Ricketts, professor of agribusiness and agriscience, will feature four ongoing projects: a pure hydrogen-powered vehicle, MTSU’s plug-in solar/electric hydrogen hybrid vehicle, a plug-in electric fuel-cell hydrogen hybrid Toyota Prius, and a hydrogen enrichment device added to a vehicle to get a 20-30 percent increase in fuel mileage. This event targets students in grades 7-12, particularly agricultural education and science students. For more information, call 615-898-2737 or send an e-mail to vmoxley@mtsu.edu.