Monday, October 27, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Nothing to fear but fear itself

How does a voter take the measure of a presidential candidate? Dr. Horace Johns, who teaches business law at MTSU, takes his cue from historian Paul Johnson in defining the qualities that will make a good president. Johns says Johnson’s five keys of statesmanship are ideas and beliefs, willpower, persistence, ability to communicate and magnanimity or greatness of soul. Johns writes in the latest edition of Tennessee’s Business, “This is a time crying for dynamic, but stable and consistent, leadership. It is a time that we can ill afford to have leadership that is timid, hesitant, and lacking in confidence. We need a leader who can get things done. Americans are disgusted over how little is getting done in light of so many challenges.”

Contact Johns at 615-898-2562.
hjohns@mtsu.edu

Donald Segretti with a cannon—scary!

So you think all the chicanery and sneaky dirty dealings that characterize American politics are relatively modern phenomena? Think again, says Dr. Larry Burriss, MTSU journalism professor and First Amendment expert. Burriss will speak on “America’s First Newspaper Leak—Tom Paine and the Disclosure of Secret French Aid to the United States” at a brown bag lecture from noon to 1 p.m. today, Oct. 27, in Room 129 (Gore Center conference room) of the Todd Building. Burriss will outline leaks of sensitive diplomatic information to the press, stolen documents, perjured Congressional testimony, secret weapons deals, clandestine arms shipments, laundered money, bribery, and a presidential resignation—all in Philadelphia 1779, not Washington 2008. This event, which is free and open to the public, is organized and hosted by the MTSU School of Journalism with the support of the American Democracy Project.

Contact Dr. Jim Williams at 615-898-2633.
jhwillia@mtsu.edu

The more you know

With time running out before the Nov. 4 election, Beverly Keel, director of the John Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies at MTSU, has some advice for media consumers trying to weed their way through all the information being thrust their way. At a recent Honors lecture, Keel said, “Despite the changes in technology in the media, the responsibility of journalists remains the same—to report the news fairly and accurately, to provide the public with the information it needs. … The public has a responsibility, too. You need to take the time to seek out the information if it’s not readily available. If you’re not finding it on the front of the paper, … you may need to look on a media Web site, or, Heaven forbid, buy a book. You need to be aware of the source of the news, especially when it’s on the Internet.”

Contact Keel at 615-898-5150.
bkeel@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

A FORUM THAT LOOKS LIKE AMERICA--A roundtable of MTSU faculty experts will discuss “Gender, Race and Politics” from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. today, Oct. 27, in the Keathley University Center Theatre. This event, which is sponsored by the Women’s Studies Program, is free and open to the public, and student participation is encouraged. “It is essential to give students an opportunity to understand contemporary issues from a scholarly perspective and to participate in an intellectually invigorating exploration of these issues,” says Dr. Newtona “Tina” Johnson, director of the Women’s Studies Program. The scheduled participants include faculty from political science, business communication and entrepreneurship and electronic media communication. Media welcomed. Contact the Women’s Studies office at 615-898-5910 or Johnson at 615-898-2705.

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.

ABSOLUTELY THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE--Americans for Informed Democracy will host “Student Debate 2008” from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, in front of MTSU’s Keathley University Center. It’s a structured debate between supporters of Barack Obama and John McCain about relevant issues and opinions. For more information, contact Catherine Broemel at crb3f@mtsu.edu.

A WORD IS WORTH A THOUSAND PICTURES--“4 Women 4 Views with Text,” a new art exhibition in MTSU’s James E. Walker Library, features the creativity of three MTSU professors and an MTSU graduate in combining visual and verbal elements, treating visitors to an experience that is at once visceral and intellectual. The works of Assistant Professors Noel Lorson and Kim Dummons, Professor Janet Higgins and alumna Nance Cooley will remain on display through Thursday, Nov. 13, in the Special Collections area on the fourth floor of the library. Viewing is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Susan Hanson, a specialist with the library, says the works on display are individual entities that emerged from the creative spark of the collaborative experience. “It starts with a word, and it begins to take on a life of its own,” Hanson says. Contact Hanson at 615-904-8503 or shanson@mtsu.edu.

PROMOTE THE VOTE--MTSU students who want to participate in early voting in the 2008 election will be provided with free transportation to the Rutherford County Election Commission Office at One Public Square South in Murfreesboro via Raider Express on six different dates this month. “The American Democracy Project (ADP) registered nearly 1,000 MTSU students to vote in Rutherford County this fall, so now we are shifting our attention to education all our students about the candidates in this election and making sure that everyone who needs a ride to vote has one,” says Dr. Jim Williams, coordinator of the ADP. The schedule for the free rides, all of which embark from in front of the James Union Building, is online at www.mtsu.edu./~amerdem.For more information, contact Williams at 615-898-2633 or jhwillia@mtsu.edu.