Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Tims Ford Times

Researchers collecting oral histories from people who lived on land that was taken for the creation of Tims Ford Lake have turned up some fascinating historical information about the area and are anxious for more. People who lived in Elk River Valley communities during the 1950s and 1960s are encouraged to contact researchers to contribute to an oral history. “The project has turned up some amazing pictures and first-person accounts of life in the area,” says MTSU graduate student Dollie Boyd. Area residents will get a chance to see photographs, documents, rare maps and oral histories at a Heritage Day celebration scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 13. Boyd and fellow student Albert Whittenberg are working with Dr. Rebecca Conard, history professor, on the project.

Contact Boyd at 615-594-1238.

Dead last

A study by researchers with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine finds that the United States ranks last among 19 developed nations in the number of preventable deaths between 2002 and 2003. Carolyn Hix, D.N.P., R.N., and assistant professor of nursing, says, “America’s health care system is buried in bureaucracies. The administrative cost for providing health care in America comprises billions of dollars per year. Some people estimate as much as 30 percent of health care cost goes to administrative fees.” Hix also cites lack of access to health insurance and health care, as well as aging, disability and long-term care and lack of coordination of care among health professionals and systems.

Contact Hix at 615-494-7867.
cdhix@mtsu.edu

The MTSU view

This month’s edition of “MT Record” features a trio of stories related to the preservation of war history. They include packages on the use of GPS technology to investigate a location near Stones River National Battlefield, the MTSU students who work with park officials to the benefit of its history and its natural beauty, and the contribution of one MTSU professor to a guidebook to help battlefield visitors in France appreciate the World War I exploits of Alvin York. Also, “Centennial Countdown” returns to 1935 to look at how three Coffee County freshmen reduced their college costs; “The A List” profiles history major Keith Schuman; and Gina Logue interviews Olympic veteran Dr. Andrew Owusu on the impact of the 2008 Summer Olympics. “MT Record” airs on NewsChannel5+ at 1:30 p.m. each Sunday. Go to mtsunews.com to find which local cable outlet airs it in your area.

Contact John Lynch at 615-898-2919.
jlynch@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

FROM TENNESSEE TO TOKYO--Dr. Larry Burriss (journalism) and Dr. Kathleen Burriss (elementary and special education) will transport youngsters to Japan during an enrichment program for students to be transmitted by MTSU’s Satellite and Webcasting Center at 9 a.m. CST (10 a.m. EST) today, Sept. 9. The Burrisses will recap their visit to Japan, complete with a trip to Japanese elementary school and an appreciation of age-old cultural activities. For details on how your school can benefit from enrichment programs for students and teachers via satellite and webcast, call 615-878-2737 or send an e-mail to vmoxley@mtsu.edu.

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. today, 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.

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. The registration deadline has been extended to Friday, Sept. 12. Contact Jerry Langham at 615-898-2104 or jlangham@mtsu.edu.

WALL-TO-WALL JAZZ--The public grand opening event for “Entering the Modern Era: Murfreesboro’s Jazz Age,” an expanded exhibit, will be from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11 at the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County. “New transportation routes, along with the emergence of educational and medical facilities and industries,” says Melissa Zimmerman, heritage programming specialist for the center, “helped shape the quality of life during this modern era of social change and urbanization.” Supported by the MTSU Center for Historic Preservation, the newly expanded exhibit will be anchored by a six-foot-tall, 20-foot-long mural that recently was completed by nationally recognized artist Erin Anfinson, an assistant professor of art at MTSU, and two students, Emily May-Ragland and Sarah Sullivan. Call 615-217-8013 or send an e-mail to Jennifer Butt at jbutt@mtsu.edu.