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

TR EXTRA

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.