Monday, December 15, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Like a good neighbor

State Farm Insurance Company recently presented MTSU with a check for $35,535 to support a professorship in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business as well as the MTSU Science Olympiad, the annual Invention Convention, and various activities that support the Salute to Armed Services/Veterans. G. Ron Nichols, vice president of operations for State Farm Insurance Companies, presented the check to several MTSU officials. The largest portion of State Farm’s donation, $25,000 was earmarked for supporting a professorship in the Jones College of Business. Dr. E. James Burton, business dean, says that State Farm has been a generous supporter of the college for many years.

Contact Tom Tozer in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.
ttozer@mtsu.edu

The wisdom of women

The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) is accepting applications from MTSU faculty for three grants of $1,800 each to be awarded in summer 2009 for integrating women’s issues into the curriculum. The grants are for use by tenured or tenure-track professors for the revision of a course, revision of a general education course for the Study Abroad program, the creation of a new course, the re-conceptualization of a current minor, or the creation of a new minor. Proposals will be reviewed by the Academic Affairs Subcommittee of the PCSW. The deadline for faculty to submit grant applications is Jan. 30, 2009. Details are available at http://www.mtsu.edu/~pcsw/grants.htm.

Contact Dr. Samantha Cantrell in the Office of Research Services at 615-494-8751.
scantrel@mtsu.edu

Confederates uncovered

Learn about a significant but little-known Tennessean at the next “Between the Lines: Reading About the Civil War” book discussion group, a free and open activity that will meet on four Thursdays in January 2009. During the upcoming discussions, the group will consider Sam Davis Elliott’s Soldier of Tennessee: General Alexander P. Stewart and the Civil War in the West (1999), a book that has been praised as providing “a fresh look at an often ignored but important figure.” The group will meet at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Center, 225 West College St. in Murfreesboro. The book discussion group is sponsored by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Linebaugh Public Library, and the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.

Contact Dr. Antoinette van Zelm at 615-217-8013.
avanzelm@mtsu.edu

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MIDDLE EAST MACKIE--An MTSU senior is one of only 10 college students in the nation selected to study as a William Jefferson Clinton Scholar in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, next semester. Nick Mackie, who is a double major in archaeology and international relations with a minor in Middle East studies, will depart for UAE on Tuesday, Jan. 6, and study at American University in Dubai (AUD) through the spring 2009 semester, returning on April 30. Although a semester at AUD costs $15,000, the Clinton scholarship will absorb nearly $10,700 of that amount. His courses include Comparative Politics of the Middle East, Islamic Art and Architecture, Media Culture and Society, History of the Middle East, and second-year Arabic language studies. For more information, contact Dr. Karen Petersen, assistant professor of political science, at 615-494-8662 or kpeterse@mtsu.edu.

LEGACY OF A DREAM--Kenneth B. Morris, president of the Frederick Douglass Foundation, will be the honored speaker at the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Brunch at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17, in the Tennessee room of MTSU’s James Union Building. Morris is the great-great-great-grandson of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, one of America’s most brilliant orators and the first African-American nominated as a candidate for Vice-President, and the great-great-grandson of pioneering educator and Tuskegee Institute founder Booker T. Washington. Local heroes, heroines and humanitarians also will be recognized at the brunch, which is co-hosted by the Murfreesboro branch of the NAACP and the organization’s MTSU collegiate chapter. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students under 25 years of age. Contact Dr. Barbara Knox at 615-275-9974 or bknox@mtsu.edu.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Caps and gowns

The names and hometowns of MTSU students who will graduate during the fall 2008 commencement ceremony tomorrow, Dec. 13, in Murphy Center are available. To obtain a list of students from your county, go to www.mtsunews.com and click on the “MTSU Graduation Lists” link on the upper, left-hand side of the page. Then, click on the “Fall 2008” link, which will include an alphabetical, county-by-county listing. Of the 1,613 set to graduate, 1,400 are undergraduates and 213 are graduate students. The dual-commencement event will feature Darrell Freeman, president and CEO of information-technology provider Zycron Inc. and chairman of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, as the guest speaker for the 9 a.m. ceremony. Dr. Charles Manning, Chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents, will speak at the 1 p.m. ceremony.

Contact the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.
news@mtsu.edu

God bless this grass.

In 2006, officers found more than nine pounds of pot and assorted paraphernalia in the California home of Craig X. Rubin. He claimed he was a Universal Life minister who ran an online ministry. However, the trial judge would not let Rubin use the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, which prohibits government from placing a burden on a person’s religious beliefs without a compelling state interest, as a defense. The appeals court recently agreed. David Hudson, adjunct political science professor and First Amendment Center scholar, adds, “The state appeals court also relied on the (U.S.) Supreme Court’s 1990 decision in Employment Division v. Smith, in which the high court ruled that the First Amendment did not prohibit a state from enforcing generally applicable criminal drug laws even as to claimed religious usage of drugs.”

Contact Hudson at 615-727-1600.
dhudson@fac.org

Legacy of a dream

Kenneth B. Morris, president of the Frederick Douglass Foundation, will be the honored speaker at the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Brunch at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17, in the Tennessee room of MTSU’s James Union Building. Morris is the great-great-great-grandson of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, one of America’s most brilliant orators and the first African-American nominated as a candidate for Vice-President, and the great-great-grandson of pioneering educator and Tuskegee Institute founder Booker T. Washington. Local heroes, heroines and humanitarians also will be recognized at the brunch, which is co-hosted by the Murfreesboro branch of the NAACP and the organization’s MTSU collegiate chapter. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students under 25 years of age.

Contact Dr. Barbara Knox at 615-275-9974.
bknox@mtsu.edu

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LEAVE ROOM FOR THE BLOOMS--MTSU’s Plant and Soil Science Club concludes its annual poinsettia sale today, Dec. 12, from 12-5 p.m. at the Horticulture Facility just off Blue Raider Drive. Four-inch pots cost $3 each, and 6-inch pots cost $5 each. Chrysanthemums also will be on sale in four-inch pots for $3 each. For more information, contact Nathan Phillips at 615-494-8985.

A WORK OF ART--The works of MTSU art professors John Donovan and Erin Anfinson are on display at the Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery in Nashville through today, Dec. 12. Anfinson’s encaustic paintings and Donovan’s ceramic sculpture have been on display since Nov. 6. Both artists view this exhibition as an opportunity to connect what they teach in the classroom with their own creative studio practices. Their students will have the opportunity to view and enjoy the work and to better understand the effort that goes into an active and successful creative career. The gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Julie Roberts at 615-532-9798 or julie.roberts@state.tn.us.

MIDDLE EAST MACKIE--An MTSU senior is one of only 10 college students in the nation selected to study as a William Jefferson Clinton Scholar in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, next semester. Nick Mackie, who is a double major in archaeology and international relations with a minor in Middle East studies, will depart for UAE on Tuesday, Jan. 6, and study at American University in Dubai (AUD) through the spring 2009 semester, returning on April 30. Although a semester at AUD costs $15,000, the Clinton scholarship will absorb nearly $10,700 of that amount. His courses include Comparative Politics of the Middle East, Islamic Art and Architecture, Media Culture and Society, History of the Middle East, and second-year Arabic language studies. For more information, contact Dr. Karen Petersen, assistant professor of political science, at 615-494-8662 or kpeterse@mtsu.edu.

HER EYE IS ON THE SPARROW--Dr. Jan Hayes, MTSU professor emeritus of educational leadership, will talk about her book The Split Tongue Sparrow on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Dec. 14, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Hayes committed the Japanese folk tale to print following a 1988 trip to Asia. It tells the story of a happy little bird whose singing has very different effects on two women. The story begins and ends with a haiku poem. After a former student from Japan told her the folk tale, Hayes observed, “I thought it was such a beautiful story because it was about kindness, and it seemed so typical of her country.” Franklin-based graphic designer Bobby Dawson provided the illustrations. For more information contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

How now, Dow Jones?

The stock market’s ups and downs are having an impact on consumer confidence. This issue was put to 501 randomly selected adult residents of Davidson, Williamson and Rutherford counties by MTSU’s Office of Consumer Research. Dr. Tim Graeff, office director, says, “Even though the long-term nature of the stock market means that fluctuations in the market value of investments should not have a dramatic effect on the daily purchase and spending patterns of consumers, a significant number of Middle Tennessee residents reported that they have (or will) reduce their spending because of the recent downturn in the stock market. Almost half reported reduced spending on travel (49 percent) and entertainment (48 percent). Many consumers also reported reduced spending on home improvement (45 percent) and eating out (44 percent).”

Contact Graeff at 615-898-5124.
mailto:615-898-5124.tgraeff@mtsu.edu

Her eye is on the sparrow

Dr. Jan Hayes, MTSU professor emeritus of educational leadership, will talk about her book The Split Tongue Sparrow on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Dec. 14, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Hayes committed the Japanese folk tale to print following a 1988 trip to Asia. It tells the story of a happy little bird whose singing has very different effects on two women. The story begins and ends with a haiku poem. After a former student from Japan told her the folk tale, Hayes observed, “I thought it was such a beautiful story because it was about kindness, and it seemed so typical of her country.” Franklin-based graphic designer Bobby Dawson provided the illustrations.

For more information contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

Mastering Madison

As Washington, D.C., prepares to welcome the 44th President of the United States to the White House, a new book co-edited by an MTSU professor puts the Founding Father who went on to become the fourth President of the United States into perspective. Dr. John R. Vile, Dean of the MTSU University Honors College, co-edited James Madison: Philosopher, Founder, and Statesman (Ohio University Press) with William D. Pederson and Frank J. Williams. “Madison was one of the most influential thinkers in American history,” Vile says. “Madison’s contributions to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were especially important.” In addition to co-authoring the introduction, Vile contributed two essays and compiled the index. Dressing in period clothing, complete with white wig and stockings, Vile often portrays Madison for celebrations of the Constitution.

Contact Vile at 615-898-2596.
mailto:615-898-2596.jvile@mtsu.edu

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LEAVE ROOM FOR THE BLOOMS--MTSU’s Plant and Soil Science Club continues its annual poinsettia sale today, Dec. 11, and tomorrow, Dec. 12, from 12-5 p.m. at the Horticulture Facility just off Blue Raider Drive. Four-inch pots cost $3 each, and 6-inch pots cost $5 each. Chrysanthemums also will be on sale in four-inch pots for $3 each. For more information, contact Nathan Phillips at 615-494-8985.

A WORK OF ART--The works of MTSU art professors John Donovan and Erin Anfinson are on display at the Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery in Nashville through tomorrow, Dec. 12. Anfinson’s encaustic paintings and Donovan’s ceramic sculpture have been on display since Nov. 6. Both artists view this exhibition as an opportunity to connect what they teach in the classroom with their own creative studio practices. Their students will have the opportunity to view and enjoy the work and to better understand the effort that goes into an active and successful creative career. The gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Julie Roberts at 615-532-9798 or julie.roberts@state.tn.us.

MIDDLE EAST MACKIE--An MTSU senior is one of only 10 college students in the nation selected to study as a William Jefferson Clinton Scholar in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, next semester. Nick Mackie, who is a double major in archaeology and international relations with a minor in Middle East studies, will depart for UAE on Tuesday, Jan. 6, and study at American University in Dubai (AUD) through the spring 2009 semester, returning on April 30. Although a semester at AUD costs $15,000, the Clinton scholarship will absorb nearly $10,700 of that amount. His courses include Comparative Politics of the Middle East, Islamic Art and Architecture, Media Culture and Society, History of the Middle East, and second-year Arabic language studies. For more information, contact Dr. Karen Petersen, assistant professor of political science, at 615-494-8662 or kpeterse@mtsu.edu.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Want to find something in your stocking? Put your leg in it.

How much money do you intend to spend on Christmas gifts this year? According to the MTSU Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Index, 45 percent of local consumers plan to spend less than they spent last year. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of the Office of Consumer Research, says, “Less than half (46 percent) of consumers expect to spend more than $500. However, this compares favorably to the 27 percent of consumers across the country as a whole who plan to spend more than $500 (Conference Board Survey, Nov. 21, 2008). The recent downturn in the economy has not dampened the spending spirits of all consumers. One in six (17 percent) expect to spend more than $1,000 on Christmas and holiday gifts this year.”

Contact Graeff at 615-898-5124.
tgraeff@mtsu.edu

Sales and the city

Chattanooga and Clarksville aren’t faring any better economically than the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) or Tennessee as a whole. The latest edition of Midstate Economic Indicators from MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) states, “Both areas are experiencing sharp increases in unemployment, sharp declines in taxable sales and declining nonfarm employment. Similar to the Nashville MSA and Tennessee, both experienced a very large drop in taxable sales in the third quarter, down 1.7 percent for the Chattanooga MSA and 5.5 percent in the Clarksville MSA over the year. Remarkably, most of the drop in sales occurred in the quarter just ended with Chattanooga down 2.6 percent from the second quarter and Clarksville down 3.1 percent.”

Contact Dr. David Penn, BERC Director, at 615-898-2610.
dpenn@mtsu.edu

“I’m going to live forever/Baby, remember my name”—from “Fame” by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford

What would you be willing to give up to become famous? Well, some people think media attention to “Joe the Plumber” has gotten out of hand, but Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism professor and First Amendment expert, says Joe brought a lot of this on himself by embarking on a recording career and writing a book. Burriss says, “There is a phrase that often comes up in debate about privacy and fame, and that is ‘voluntarily thrust himself into the vortex of public debate.’ The phrase means Joe Wurzelbacher volunteered to become ‘Joe the Plumber.’ He volunteered to become famous. And with that fame, rightly or wrongly, comes public and media scrutiny.”

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

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LEAVE ROOM FOR THE BLOOMS--MTSU’s Plant and Soil Science Club continues its annual poinsettia sale on Thursday, Dec. 11, and Friday, Dec. 12, from 12-5 p.m. at the Horticulture Facility just off Blue Raider Drive. Four-inch pots cost $3 each, and 6-inch pots cost $5 each. Chrysanthemums also will be on sale in four-inch pots for $3 each. For more information, contact Nathan Phillips at 615-494-8985.

A WORK OF ART--The works of MTSU art professors John Donovan and Erin Anfinson are on display at the Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery in Nashville through Friday, Dec. 12. Anfinson’s encaustic paintings and Donovan’s ceramic sculpture have been on display since Nov. 6. Both artists view this exhibition as an opportunity to connect what they teach in the classroom with their own creative studio practices. Their students will have the opportunity to view and enjoy the work and to better understand the effort that goes into an active and successful creative career. The gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Julie Roberts at 615-532-9798 or julie.roberts@state.tn.us.

MIDDLE EAST MACKIE--An MTSU senior is one of only 10 college students in the nation selected to study as a William Jefferson Clinton Scholar in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, next semester. Nick Mackie, who is a double major in archaeology and international relations with a minor in Middle East studies, will depart for UAE on Tuesday, Jan. 6, and study at American University in Dubai (AUD) through the spring 2009 semester, returning on April 30. Although a semester at AUD costs $15,000, the Clinton scholarship will absorb nearly $10,700 of that amount. His courses include Comparative Politics of the Middle East, Islamic Art and Architecture, Media Culture and Society, History of the Middle East, and second-year Arabic language studies. For more information, contact Dr. Karen Petersen, assistant professor of political science, at 615-494-8662 or kpeterse@mtsu.edu.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

To buy or not to buy

Believe it or not, consumer confidence in Middle Tennessee actually went up a little bit in October from -1 to +4 on MTSU’s Consumer Confidence Index. The poll of 501 randomly selected adult residents of Davidson, Rutherford and Williamson counties was conducted on the evenings of Monday, Dec. 1, and Tuesday, Dec. 2. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of the Office of Consumer Research, says, “As consumers’ perceptions of the current economy worsen, they also believe that now is a good time to make large purchases because of the good deals being offered by retailers.” Graeff says local consumers’ perceptions of the overall American economy and the American job market are slightly more negative than perceptions on a nationwide scale. However, local consumers are more optimistic about the future.

Contact Graeff at 615-898-5124.
tgraeff@mtsu.edu

If you build it, will they come?

Believe it or not, housing construction activity has not yet hit bottom in the Nashville area. The latest edition of Midstate Economic Indicators from MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center takes stock of permits issued for new construction. It states that “the rate of decline accelerated in the third quarter for single-family homes, down 12.2 percent compared with an over-the-year decline of 41.3 percent. Most of the decline for the third quarter occurred in July and August, with September showing much less of a drop over the year. As we move later into the year, we may find that the over-the-year comparisons show much less of a decline in construction because the brunt of the downturn began about a year ago. So, as long as permits do not experience another precipitous decline, we may witness a leveling off of activity or bottoming out within the next couple of months in comparison with last year.”

Contact Dr. David Penn, BERC Director, at 615-898-2610.
dpenn@mtsu.edu

Middle East Mackie

An MTSU senior is one of only 10 college students in the nation selected to study as a William Jefferson Clinton Scholar in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, next semester. Nick Mackie, who is a double major in archaeology and international relations with a minor in Middle East studies, will depart for UAE on Tuesday, Jan. 6, and study at American University in Dubai (AUD) through the spring 2009 semester, returning on April 30. Although a semester at AUD costs $15,000, the Clinton scholarship will absorb nearly $10,700 of that amount. His courses include Comparative Politics of the Middle East, Islamic Art and Architecture, Media Culture and Society, History of the Middle East, and second-year Arabic language studies.

For more information, contact Dr. Karen Petersen, assistant professor of political science, at 615-494-8662.
kpeterse@mtsu.edu

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LEAVE ROOM FOR THE BLOOMS--MTSU’s Plant and Soil Science Club continues its annual poinsettia sale on Thursday, Dec. 11, and Friday, Dec. 12, from 12-5 p.m. at the Horticulture Facility just off Blue Raider Drive. Four-inch pots cost $3 each, and 6-inch pots cost $5 each. Chrysanthemums also will be on sale in four-inch pots for $3 each. For more information, contact Nathan Phillips at 615-494-8985.

A WORK OF ART--The works of MTSU art professors John Donovan and Erin Anfinson are on display at the Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery in Nashville through Friday, Dec. 12. Anfinson’s encaustic paintings and Donovan’s ceramic sculpture have been on display since Nov. 6. Both artists view this exhibition as an opportunity to connect what they teach in the classroom with their own creative studio practices. Their students will have the opportunity to view and enjoy the work and to better understand the effort that goes into an active and successful creative career. The gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Julie Roberts at 615-532-9798 or julie.roberts@state.tn.us.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The economy—jobs

The third quarter figures for the Nashville economy are dismal. The unemployment rate for the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was 5.8 percent. For the midstate as a whole, it was 6.2 percent. The latest edition of Midstate Economic Indicators from MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) states, “Job losses are spreading from manufacturing to the services-providing sectors with the unemployment rate reaching an 18-year high and taxable sales tumbling off the table.” If there is a bright spot to be found, it is in a slower rate of increase. “For September, Nashville’s over-the-year unemployment rate increase of 1.7 percent ranks 19th highest among the 52 largest MSAs. Charlotte, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Memphis experienced much larger increases in unemployment rates, but Columbus, Birmingham, and Indianapolis witnessed smaller increases,” notes the BERC study.

Contact Dr. David Penn, BERC Director, at 615-898-2610.
dpenn@mtsu.edu

The economy—cars

As the CEOs of the Big Three automakers plead their case before Congress, the auto industry slump has ripple effects in Tennessee. According to the latest edition of Midstate Economic Indicators from MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center (BERC), “The auto sector is a very important source of jobs and income for the state. Auto assembly and parts manufacturing, for example, generated 2 percent of Tennessee’s gross state product in 2006, compared with the 50-state average of 0.7 percent. In terms of share of GSP (gross state product), Tennessee ranked fifth highest behind Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, followed by Alabama. And, due to the economic multiplier effect, at least one other job in Tennessee depends on retaining each job in auto assembly and auto-parts manufacturing.”

Contact Dr. David Penn, BERC Director, at 615-898-2610.
dpenn@mtsu.edu

The economy—sales taxes

Consumers are cutting back on their spending, and that means sales taxes are dropping. According to the latest edition of Midstate Economic Indicators from MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, “Sales for the Nashville MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) dipped 2.5 percent from the second quarter, while the midstate counties experienced a 2.4 percent decline. We have not experienced a decline of this magnitude since the 2001 recession. Once the bottom is reached for taxable sales, we will most likely experience a very choppy path to recovery, with one or two quarters of gains followed by at least one negative quarter. Judging from the experience of the 2001 recession, the recovery will require from four to six quarters, perhaps more, starting from the bottom.”

Contact Dr. David Penn, BERC Director, at 615-898-2610.
dpenn@mtsu.edu

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A WORK OF ART--The works of MTSU art professors John Donovan and Erin Anfinson are on display at the Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery in Nashville through Friday, Dec. 12. Anfinson’s encaustic paintings and Donovan’s ceramic sculpture have been on display since Nov. 6. Both artists view this exhibition as an opportunity to connect what they teach in the classroom with their own creative studio practices. Their students will have the opportunity to view and enjoy the work and to better understand the effort that goes into an active and successful creative career. The gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Julie Roberts at 615-532-9798 or julie.roberts@state.tn.us.

ART FOR STUDENTS’ SAKE--“Verve,” the concluding Studio BFA Candidates’ Exhibition for the fall 2008 semester, remains on display through today, Dec. 5, in the Art Gallery at Todd Hall on the MTSU campus. The exhibit features the work of art students Hannah Green, Antonio Marble and Tara Wilson. Green’s work includes sculpture, painting and fibers as she creates organic other-worldly forms. Wilson, with more three-dimensional work, creates with ceramics and sculpture. Her work in figurative casting deals with the surface of the body. Marble works in both painting and graphic design. His mixed media creations center on social and socioeconomic issues. The exhibition is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Eric Snyder, gallery curator, at 615-898-5653.

WE ARE AMUSED—AND ENCHANTED.--The MTSU Women’s Chorale will present its first Victorian Holiday Feast tonight, Dec. 5, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. Attendees will be able to travel back in time and usher in the holidays with the beautiful singing and caroling of the MTSU Women’s Chorale and MTSU Bel Canto, as well as piano, string and brass music throughout the evening. The feast will feature chicken cordon bleu with spiced hollandaise sauce accompanied by Caesar salad, green beans almandine, au gratin potatoes, dinner rolls with butter, and a choice of water, tea or coffee, topped off with chocolate cake for dessert. The event begins at 6 p.m. with entrance into the dining area at 6:30 p.m. sharp. Admission is $30 per person for the meal and entertainment; MTSU student admission is $17. For more information, call 615-898-5922.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU--As comforting as a cup of hot cider while sitting by the fireplace, Lucinda Cockrell’s new book, A Victorian Christmas, recaptures the charm of the era from the mid-1830s to the turn of the century. A colorful visual feast, this assemblage of vintage greeting postcards from Cockrell’s personal collection embodies the spirit of the season with warmth and humor. A CD of traditional Christmas carols performed by mandolinist Butch Baldassari accompanies the book to further accentuate the mood. Cockrell, the coordinator of research collections at MTSU’s Center for Popular Music, will sign copies of A Victorian Christmas at Barnes & Noble in Murfreesboro from 1-3 p.m. and at Oaklands Historic House Museum in Murfreesboro from 5-7 p.m. tomorrow, Dec. 6, and at Four Gables Tea Room in Lebanon from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7. To contact Cockrell, call Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or send an e-mail to lcockrel@mtsu.edu.

AUTISM SPEAKS--Ed Evans, founder of the MTSU student organization Students for Autism Awareness, will talk about the need for more research into the neurological disorder and relief for parents of autistic children on “MTSU on the Record” at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Dec. 7, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Evans is a military veteran, a nontraditional MTSU student and the father of two autistic children. He says, “With one in every 150 children being diagnosed with autism now, you cannot walk this campus without knowing someone that knows someone with autism.” To listen to last week’s program, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2008.html and click on “November 30, 2008” at the top of the page. For more information about “MTSU on the Record,” contact Gina Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“When Black Friday comes, I’ll be on that hill/You know I will”—from “Black Friday” by Steely Dan

The fallout from Black Friday’s meager increase in sales over last year’s figures is the lower prices that retailers had to offer in order to realize that increase. That means lower profits for the stores. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “The challenge faced by many retailers is the lead time required to place orders. Orders placed for this Christmas season were placed several months ago, in many cases before retailers were fully aware of the economic train wreck that was about to happen. Now, with inventory on hand, the choice is to forego profit margins and move product or not budge much on price and take a bath in an even deeper sea of red ink. The big winners? You and I. We need a break from rising prices, and the battle for our holiday shopping dollars means we should continue to see attractive prices through the end of the year.”

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

Autism speaks

Ed Evans, founder of the MTSU student organization Students for Autism Awareness, will talk about the need for more research into the neurological disorder and relief for parents of autistic children on “MTSU on the Record” at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Dec. 7, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Evans is a military veteran, a nontraditional MTSU student and the father of two autistic children. He says, “With one in every 150 children being diagnosed with autism now, you cannot walk this campus without knowing someone that knows someone with autism.” To listen to last week’s program, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2008.html and click on “November 30, 2008” at the top of the page.

For more information about “MTSU on the Record,” contact Gina Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

Merry Christmas to you

As comforting as a cup of hot cider while sitting by the fireplace, Lucinda Cockrell’s new book, A Victorian Christmas, recaptures the charm of the era from the mid-1830s to the turn of the century. A colorful visual feast, this assemblage of vintage greeting postcards from Cockrell’s personal collection embodies the spirit of the season with warmth and humor. A CD of traditional Christmas carols performed by mandolinist Butch Baldassari accompanies the book to further accentuate the mood. Cockrell, the coordinator of research collections at MTSU’s Center for Popular Music, will sign copies of A Victorian Christmas at Barnes & Noble in Murfreesboro from 1-3 p.m. and at Oaklands Historic House Museum in Murfreesboro from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, and at Four Gables Tea Room in Lebanon from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7.

To contact Cockrell, call Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or send an e-mail to lcockrel@mtsu.edu.

TR EXTRA

A WORK OF ART--The works of MTSU art professors John Donovan and Erin Anfinson are on display at the Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery in Nashville through Friday, Dec. 12. Anfinson’s encaustic paintings and Donovan’s ceramic sculpture have been on display since Nov. 6. Both artists view this exhibition as an opportunity to connect what they teach in the classroom with their own creative studio practices. Their students will have the opportunity to view and enjoy the work and to better understand the effort that goes into an active and successful creative career. The gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Julie Roberts at 615-532-9798 or julie.roberts@state.tn.us.

GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66.--Noted photographer Tom Mallonee’s exhibit, “Evidence of Passing: Vanishing Points along an American Road,” will be displayed through today, Dec. 4 in the Baldwin Photographic Gallery in MTSU’s McWherter Learning Resources Center. Tom Jimison, electronic media communication professor and gallery director, says Mallonee “has pursued large-format black-and-white work since 1979 and often has chosen subjects which stray from conventional notions of western landscape, yet still embrace decisive composition and meticulous printing techniques such as this 14-year project of bypassed sections of Route 66.” Exhibitions are free and open to the public. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. on Sundays. For information, call 615-898-2085.

PASS THE PEPPER, PLEASE--The MTSU Police Department will offer a free pepper spray class for women. The class is part of the Rape Aggression Defense system and will teach basic self-defense techniques to supplement women’s ability to survive dangerous confrontations. The class will be available to MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as the general public and will take place today, Dec. 4 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU Police Department training room, 1412 East Main Street in Murfreesboro. Topics to be covered include product selection, psychological and physical effects of the “fight or flight” syndrome, legal issues and retention and deployment techniques. For more information or to enroll, contact Officer David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-8855.

STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE--Dr. Stacey Graham, research professor with MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, will present “Engaged, Empowered and Excited: Teaching with Primary Sources,” a professional development program for teachers, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. CST (4:30-5:30 p.m. EST), today, Dec. 4, through the Satellite and Webcasting Center. This session will introduce the Library of Congress “Teaching with Primary Sources” program. The millions of digitized source items available from the library’s Web site can enrich students’ learning experiences across the curriculum. Special focus will be made on the Age of Jackson (1820s-1830s) with lesson planning ideas and primary source suggestions. This presentation targets K-12 librarians and teachers, especially teachers of American and Tennessee history. For more information, call 615-898-2737 or send an e-mail to vmoxley@mtsu.edu.

ART FOR STUDENTS’ SAKE--“Verve,” the concluding Studio BFA Candidates’ Exhibition for the fall 2008 semester, remains on display through tomorrow, Dec. 5, in the Art Gallery at Todd Hall on the MTSU campus. The exhibit features the work of art students Hannah Green, Antonio Marble and Tara Wilson. Green’s work includes sculpture, painting and fibers as she creates organic other-worldly forms. Wilson, with more three-dimensional work, creates with ceramics and sculpture. Her work in figurative casting deals with the surface of the body. Marble works in both painting and graphic design. His mixed media creations center on social and socioeconomic issues. The exhibition is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Eric Snyder, gallery curator, at 615-898-5653.

WE ARE AMUSED—AND ENCHANTED.--The MTSU Women’s Chorale will present its first Victorian Holiday Feast tomorrow, Dec. 5, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. Attendees will be able to travel back in time and usher in the holidays with the beautiful singing and caroling of the MTSU Women’s Chorale and MTSU Bel Canto, as well as piano, string and brass music throughout the evening. The feast will feature chicken cordon bleu with spiced hollandaise sauce accompanied by Caesar salad, green beans almandine, au gratin potatoes, dinner rolls with butter, and a choice of water, tea or coffee, topped off with chocolate cake for dessert. The event begins at 6 p.m. with entrance into the dining area at 6:30 p.m. sharp. Admission is $30 per person for the meal and entertainment; MTSU student admission is $17. For more information, call 615-898-5922.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

We are amused—and enchanted.

The MTSU Women’s Chorale will present its first Victorian Holiday Feast on Friday, Dec. 5, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. Attendees will be able to travel back in time and usher in the holidays with the beautiful singing and caroling of the MTSU Women’s Chorale and MTSU Bel Canto, as well as piano, string and brass music throughout the evening. The feast will feature chicken cordon bleu with spiced hollandaise sauce accompanied by Caesar salad, green beans almandine, au gratin potatoes, dinner rolls with butter, and a choice of water, tea or coffee, topped off with chocolate cake for dessert. The event begins at 6 p.m. with entrance into the dining area at 6:30 p.m. sharp. Admission is $30 per person for the meal and entertainment; MTSU student admission is $17.

For more information, call 615-898-5922.

Copyright and wrong

A lawsuit against music publishing giant Warner/Chappell could become the biggest hit of Daryl Hall and John Oates’ career. They claim the company allowed other artists whose copyright interests are handled by Warner/Chappell to rip off their song “Maneater.” Ken Sanney, adjunct recording industry professor and licensed attorney, says, “If Warner/Chappell also has a fiduciary duty toward other songwriters that are possibly infringing on Hall and Oates’ copyrights, they could indeed have a serious conflict of interest, which would support the allegations Hall and Oates are bringing.” The lawsuit does not identify the artists who allegedly ripped off “Maneater.” Hall and Oates’ recording of the song reached Number One on the Billboard chart in December 1982.

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

Art for students’ sake

“Verve,” the concluding Studio BFA Candidates’ Exhibition for the fall 2008 semester, remains on display through Friday, Dec. 5, in the Art Gallery at Todd Hall on the MTSU campus. The exhibit features the work of art students Hannah Green, Antonio Marble and Tara Wilson. Green’s work includes sculpture, painting and fibers as she creates organic other-worldly forms. Wilson, with more three-dimensional work, creates with ceramics and sculpture. Her work in figurative casting deals with the surface of the body. Marble works in both painting and graphic design. His mixed media creations center on social and socioeconomic issues. The exhibition is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information, call Eric Snyder, gallery curator, at 615-898-5653.

TR EXTRA

A WORK OF ART--The works of MTSU art professors John Donovan and Erin Anfinson are on display at the Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery in Nashville through Friday, Dec. 12. Anfinson’s encaustic paintings and Donovan’s ceramic sculpture have been on display since Nov. 6. Both artists view this exhibition as an opportunity to connect what they teach in the classroom with their own creative studio practices. Their students will have the opportunity to view and enjoy the work and to better understand the effort that goes into an active and successful creative career. The gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Julie Roberts at 615-532-9798 or julie.roberts@state.tn.us.

GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66.--Noted photographer Tom Mallonee’s exhibit, “Evidence of Passing: Vanishing Points along an American Road,” will be displayed until tomorrow, Dec. 4 in the Baldwin Photographic Gallery in MTSU’s McWherter Learning Resources Center. Tom Jimison, electronic media communication professor and gallery director, says Mallonee “has pursued large-format black-and-white work since 1979 and often has chosen subjects which stray from conventional notions of western landscape, yet still embrace decisive composition and meticulous printing techniques such as this 14-year project of bypassed sections of Route 66.” Exhibitions are free and open to the public. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. on Sundays. For information, call 615-898-2085.

PASS THE PEPPER, PLEASE--The MTSU Police Department will offer a free pepper spray class for women. The class is part of the Rape Aggression Defense system and will teach basic self-defense techniques to supplement women’s ability to survive dangerous confrontations. The class will be available to MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as the general public and will take place tomorrow, Dec. 4 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU Police Department training room, 1412 East Main Street in Murfreesboro. Topics to be covered include product selection, psychological and physical effects of the “fight or flight” syndrome, legal issues and retention and deployment techniques. For more information or to enroll, contact Officer David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-8855.

STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE--Dr. Stacey Graham, research professor with MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, will present “Engaged, Empowered and Excited: Teaching with Primary Sources,” a professional development program for teachers, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. CST (4:30-5:30 p.m. EST), tomorrow, Dec. 4, through the Satellite and Webcasting Center. This session will introduce the Library of Congress “Teaching with Primary Sources” program. The millions of digitized source items available from the library’s Web site can enrich students’ learning experiences across the curriculum. Special focus will be made on the Age of Jackson (1820s-1830s) with lesson planning ideas and primary source suggestions. This presentation targets K-12 librarians and teachers, especially teachers of American and Tennessee history. For more information, call 615-898-2737 or send an e-mail to vmoxley@mtsu.edu.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Her cup runneth over

Tonya Freeman, a nurse at a Mississippi hospital, invited her supervisor to the premiere of an independent film, “Tragic Flaw,” in which Freeman starred. The movie was about two lesbians who tried to hire a hit man to kill the sadomasochistic husband of one of the women. Freeman’s coffee cup, which had the name of her hospital on it, was displayed in a scene. The supervisor reported this to her supervisor, who fired Freeman. In a federal lawsuit, Freeman claimed her First Amendment rights had been violated because she was trying to bring the issue of domestic violence to light through the film. David Hudson, adjunct political science professor and First Amendment Center scholar, says the judge denied her claim because the coffee cup was not necessary to further that message. “Moreover, even if Freeman somehow could show that including the mug amounted to treating a matter of public concern, (the judge) said her First amendment claim would fail for another reason—that the hospital had a valid reason for disassociating itself from the film,” Hudson says.

Contact Hudson at 615-727-1600.
dhudson@fac.org

The learning power of PISA

The future is in the hands of Finnish children. Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rates 15-year-old Finnish students ahead of all others in the world in proficiency at solving scientific problems. They are tied with Chinese and Korean students for the lead in mathematics. In 2004 and 2005, Finland led the world in economic competitiveness. MacDougall says, “If we assume that Finland’s surge in economic competitiveness (which is largely based on their high-tech sector) is correlated with the learning power of PISA success in math and scientific problem-solving, then we can at least identify where our next ‘surge’ needs to be. It needs to be in math classrooms and science laboratories all across the country.”

Contact MacDougall at 615-898-5265.
pmacdoug@mtsu.edu

American writes

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Philip Roth has his own unique vision of the conundrum that is America, a vision that he has brought to life in his novels, including The Human Stain, American Pastoral, and The Plot Against America. Dr. Robb McDaniel, political science, has written about Roth and how his characters struggle with concepts of freedom and virtue. “Like the self, a nation’s identity is always a narrative to be constructed from the interplay of memory, choice, and expectation,” McDaniel writes. “But the plot unravels when, haunted by ghosts we thought buried, the myths of our own goodness turn into monsters of our own making.” Indignation, Roth’s latest novel, is about a Jewish boy from Newark who moves to the Midwest to escape his father’s fears that he’ll be drafted into the Korean War. But Marcus discovers there are some things he just can’t escape.

Contact McDaniel at 615-904-8245.
rmcdanie@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

A WORK OF ART--The works of MTSU art professors John Donovan and Erin Anfinson are on display at the Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery in Nashville through Friday, Dec. 12. Anfinson’s encaustic paintings and Donovan’s ceramic sculpture have been on display since Nov. 6. Both artists view this exhibition as an opportunity to connect what they teach in the classroom with their own creative studio practices. Their students will have the opportunity to view and enjoy the work and to better understand the effort that goes into an active and successful creative career. The gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Julie Roberts at 615-532-9798 or julie.roberts@state.tn.us.

THE BEST WET YET--Water is often called the most essential nutrient. Why is it so important? How much do we really need? Is bottled water really safer than tap? Why are chemicals like fluoride and ginseng added to some waters? Exactly how much water do athletes need? Find out answers to these questions and more in “Water, Water Everywhere … But Which Type is Best to Drink?”, an interactive program for students in grades 7-12 offered through MTSU’s Satellite and Webcasting Center today, Dec. 2, from 9-10 a.m. CST (10-11 a.m. EST). The discussion leaders will be Dr. Janet Colson, human sciences, Daniel Vaden and Mark Crowell. For more information, call 615-898-2737 or send an e-mail to vmoxley@mtsu.edu.

GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66.--Noted photographer Tom Mallonee’s exhibit, “Evidence of Passing: Vanishing Points along an American Road,” will be displayed until Thursday, Dec. 4 in the Baldwin Photographic Gallery in MTSU’s McWherter Learning Resources Center. Tom Jimison, electronic media communication professor and gallery director, says Mallonee “has pursued large-format black-and-white work since 1979 and often has chosen subjects which stray from conventional notions of western landscape, yet still embrace decisive composition and meticulous printing techniques such as this 14-year project of bypassed sections of Route 66.” Exhibitions are free and open to the public. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. on Sundays. For information, call 615-898-2085.

PASS THE PEPPER, PLEASE--The MTSU Police Department will offer a free pepper spray class for women. The class is part of the Rape Aggression Defense system and will teach basic self-defense techniques to supplement women’s ability to survive dangerous confrontations. The class will be available to MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as the general public and will take place Thursday, Dec. 4 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU Police Department training room, 1412 East Main Street in Murfreesboro. Topics to be covered include product selection, psychological and physical effects of the “fight or flight” syndrome, legal issues and retention and deployment techniques. For more information or to enroll, contact Officer David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-8855.

STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE--Dr. Stacey Graham, research professor with MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, will present “Engaged, Empowered and Excited: Teaching with Primary Sources,” a professional development program for teachers, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. CST (4:30-5:30 p.m. EST), on Thursday, Dec. 4, through the Satellite and Webcasting Center. This session will introduce the Library of Congress “Teaching with Primary Sources” program. The millions of digitized source items available from the library’s Web site can enrich students’ learning experiences across the curriculum. Special focus will be made on the Age of Jackson (1820s-1830s) with lesson planning ideas and primary source suggestions. This presentation targets K-12 librarians and teachers, especially teachers of American and Tennessee history. For more information, call 615-898-2737 or send an e-mail to vmoxley@mtsu.edu.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The disabled president

Any high school student of American history can tell you that FDR governed from a wheelchair, but his paralysis was concealed from the public. Now that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have dispelled myths about race and gender in politics, is the U.S. ready to elect a visibly disabled chief executive? John Harris, director of Disabled Student Services at MTSU, says, “I believe there will come a time when the country will indeed elect a person with a visible disability as President of the United States. The country looks for vision, problem-solving capabilities and good managerial skills. Individuals with visible disabilities have had to overcome many obstacles in their lives and in many instances to make it where they are.”

Contact Harris at 615-898-2783.
jlharris@mtsu.edu

I’ve got a secret

Information about nuclear weapons sites is available in books and on the Internet. However, Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism professor and First Amendment expert, says this is not necessarily a reason to panic. “Almost anyone in Oak Ridge, for example, can tell you where the secret nuclear weapons plant is,” Burris says. “But I can pretty much guarantee that if you try to jump the fence you’ll be met by some folks with very big guns, and they won’t be amused. … All of the really important secret material is safely behind barbed wire, concrete bunkers and multiple layers of human, mechanical and electronic security. And no unauthorized person is going to get anywhere near close enough to tell us any of the details.”

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

Straight from the source

Dr. Stacey Graham, research professor with MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, will present “Engaged, Empowered and Excited: Teaching with Primary Sources,” a professional development program for teachers, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. CST (4:30-5:30 p.m. EST), on Thursday, Dec. 4, through the Satellite and Webcasting Center. This session will introduce the Library of Congress “Teaching with Primary Sources” program. The millions of digitized source items available from the library’s Web site can enrich students’ learning experiences across the curriculum. Special focus will be made on the Age of Jackson (1820s-1830s) with lesson planning ideas and primary source suggestions. This presentation targets K-12 librarians and teachers, especially teachers of American and Tennessee history.

For more information, call 615-898-2737 or send an e-mail to vmoxley@mtsu.edu.

TR EXTRA

A WORK OF ART--The works of MTSU art professors John Donovan and Erin Anfinson are on display at the Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery in Nashville through Friday, Dec. 12. Anfinson’s encaustic paintings and Donovan’s ceramic sculpture have been on display since Nov. 6. Both artists view this exhibition as an opportunity to connect what they teach in the classroom with their own creative studio practices. Their students will have the opportunity to view and enjoy the work and to better understand the effort that goes into an active and successful creative career. The gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call Julie Roberts at 615-532-9798 or julie.roberts@state.tn.us.

THE BEST WET YET--Water is often called the most essential nutrient. Why is it so important? How much do we really need? Is bottled water really safer than tap? Why are chemicals like fluoride and ginseng added to some waters? Exactly how much water do athletes need? Find out answers to these questions and more in “Water, Water Everywhere … But Which Type is Best to Drink?”, an interactive program for students in grades 7-12 offered through MTSU’s Satellite and Webcasting Center tomorrow, Dec. 2, from 9-10 a.m. CST (10-11 a.m. EST). The discussion leaders will be Dr. Janet Colson, human sciences, Daniel Vaden and Mark Crowell. For more information, call 615-898-2737 or send an e-mail to vmoxley@mtsu.edu.

GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66.--Noted photographer Tom Mallonee’s exhibit, “Evidence of Passing: Vanishing Points along an American Road,” will be displayed until Thursday, Dec. 4 in the Baldwin Photographic Gallery in MTSU’s McWherter Learning Resources Center. Tom Jimison, electronic media communication professor and gallery director, says Mallonee “has pursued large-format black-and-white work since 1979 and often has chosen subjects which stray from conventional notions of western landscape, yet still embrace decisive composition and meticulous printing techniques such as this 14-year project of bypassed sections of Route 66.” Exhibitions are free and open to the public. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. on Sundays. For information, call 615-898-2085.

PASS THE PEPPER, PLEASE--The MTSU Police Department will offer a free pepper spray class for women. The class is part of the Rape Aggression Defense system and will teach basic self-defense techniques to supplement women’s ability to survive dangerous confrontations. The class will be available to MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as the general public and will take place Thursday, Dec. 4 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU Police Department training room, 1412 East Main Street in Murfreesboro. Topics to be covered include product selection, psychological and physical effects of the “fight or flight” syndrome, legal issues and retention and deployment techniques. For more information or to enroll, contact Officer David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-8855.

DON’T LET YOUR SCHOLARSHIP SAIL AWAY--Prospective and returning students seeking merit scholarships and awards for the 2009-10 academic year must submit all their information by the priority deadline of today, Dec. 1. Each student should submit an admission application, official ACT or SAT test scores and an official transcript to the admissions office. Information mailed with a Dec. 1 postmark will meet the deadline. Students who apply between Dec. 2, 2008, and Feb. 15, 2009, may be considered if funding is available. Merit scholarships and awards include National Merit and National Achievement Finalist, Valedictorians and Salutatorians, and Chancellor, Presidential, Buchanan Fellowship, Academic Service, Provost and Raider scholarships. Transfer applicants must submit official college transcripts. The scholarship deadline for transfer applicants is Feb. 1. For more information, contact David Hutton at 615-898-2422 or dhutton@mtsu.edu.