Friday, February 27, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Money for school

Applications materials are being accepted through March 15 for the Ruth Houston Memorial Scholarship. The Murfreesboro Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will award a $1,000 scholarship each semester—Fall 2009 and Spring 2010—to the MTSU undergraduate student who best demonstrates academic promise and financial need. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must have successfully completed their freshman year at MTSU. Returning adult students, in particular, are encouraged to apply. The scholarship is renewable each semester as long as full-time status and a 2.5 GPA are maintained. AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research.

For complete scholarship criteria, contact Dr. Tanya M. Peres, chair of the Ruth Houston Scholarship Committee, at 615-904-8590.
mailto:615-904-8590.tperes@mtsu.edu

Money for sustenance

The Society for International Affairs (SIA), an MTSU student organization, helps raise money for some of the most vulnerable students at MTSU—those who are from other nations. Dr. Karen Petersen, assistant professor of political science and faculty adviser to SIA, says, “What we would like to do ideally is to be able to provide financial assistance in emergency situations for international students, particularly students who have no family support, who are here in Murfreesboro, alone oftentimes, without the infrastructure that typical students take for granted.” She says small grants of $50 to $100 for these emergency expenses can help international students over the rough spots so they can stay in college and concentrate on their studies.

For more information about SIA, go to www.mtsu.edu/~sia or contact Petersen at 615-494-8662.
kpeterse@mtsu.edu

Money for science

The founders of CLEAR (Collaborative Education and Research) at MTSU believe that environmental research should bring together academics not only from the science fields, but also from the worlds of history, economics, education and other disciplines. Dr. John DiVincenzo, professor of chemistry, says the rewards can be large-scale grants from government agencies or private foundations. “You’re starting to see more requests for proposals from organizations like EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and NSF (National Science Foundation) that want the holistic picture,” Divincenzo says. “They don’t want to look at just the impact of a chemical in the soil and water. They also want to know, ‘If we remove that chemical, what’s the economic impact?’”

For more information about CLEAR, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~clearmt/. To contact DiVincenzo, call 615-904-8251.
jdivince@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

MIGHT MAKES RIGHT—The MTSU Campus Recreation Fitness Department will present the Strongman Competition at 11 a.m. tomorrow, Feb. 28, in the indoor arena of the Campus Recreation Center. There will be three weight classes: lightweight (under 190 pounds), middleweight (191-220 lbs.), and heavyweight (over 221 lbs.) Events include tire flip, shuttle carry, standing medicine ball toss, loading event and a truck push/pull. The competition is open to faculty, staff and students. For more information, call 615-898-2104.

RAD STREET CRED--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge every Thursday through Mar. 26 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU police training room located at 1412 East Main Street. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as to the general public. For more information or to enroll, call RAD instructor David Smith at 615-692-2424.

NOW YOU’RE TALKING MY LANGUAGE!--Donna Myers, director of MTSU’s new English Language Schools (ELS) Center, and Jeff Hutcheson, ELS District Director, will be Gina Logue’s guests on “MTSU on the Record” at 7 a.m. this Sunday, March 1, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). MTSU’s ELS Center in the Fairview Building is helping students from countries around the world improve their English language proficiency. The work of ELS is not only essential to helping international students improve in their college studies. ELS also arranges social activities, housing, home-stay experiences and cultural/immigration counseling to help ease the challenge of becoming acclimated to a completely new environment. For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“What is ground clutter and, if I step in it, can I get it off my shoes?”—Lewis Grizzard

For all the fuss about the conversion from analog to digital televisions, there should be some emphasis on the need for a radio. That’s the view of Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, who says a TV set, regardless of whether it’s analog or digital, is not your best bet for information in the event of severe weather. “You know, in a real emergency, you are likely to lose electrical power,” Burriss says. “And I have yet to see a 40-inch plasma television set that runs on batteries. Nope, that super-deluxe, laser-enhanced, wall-size television is going to be one giant piece of useless plastic and glass in an emergency. And even if your power does stay on, there is no guarantee the cable company or the satellite signal will still be operating. But the lowly radio----now that’s what will save your life.”

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

Coffee, tea, or me

In keeping with the recent trend of charging fees for services that used to be free, US Airways adopted a $2 charge for sodas and juices and a $1 for coffee. Executives had estimated that they could rake in $500 million from these fees. But Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says now US Airways has backed away from that policy. “First and foremost, it did not seem to think through what customer reaction [would be] to the perception of being nickeled and dimed (or, in this case, dollared) for drinks that were previously complementary,” Roy says. “Management saw revenues; what it should have seen was customer resentment. Second, US Airways should have realized it would stand out for all the wrong reasons if competitors did not follow suit. Years of fare wars should have been enough for US Airways to know that competitors that do not match price increases leave the one airline that did in an unfavorable position.”

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

Now you’re talking my language!

Donna Myers, director of MTSU’s new English Language Schools (ELS) Center, and Jeff Hutcheson, ELS District Director, will be Gina Logue’s guests on “MTSU on the Record” at 7 a.m. this Sunday, March 1, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). MTSU’s ELS Center in the Fairview Building is helping students from countries around the world improve their English language proficiency. The work of ELS is not only essential to helping international students improve in their college studies. ELS also arranges social activities, housing, home-stay experiences and cultural/immigration counseling to help ease the challenge of becoming acclimated to a completely new environment.

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

TR EXTRA

CHEMISTRY CHATTER--Dr. Amber Hinkle, quality lead in plastics manufacturing for Bayer’s Material Science facility in Baytown, Texas, will be the MTSU National Women’s History Month “Women in Science” invited lecturer. Hinkle will speak from 7-8:30 p.m. tonight, Feb. 26, in Room 102 of Wiser-Patten Science Hall and again during a 2-6 p.m. workshop tomorrow, Feb. 27, in Room 219 of Monohan Hall. Her Feb. 26 talk will be on “Women in Chemistry: Successful Leaders.” Her workshop presentation will be on “Leading without Authority.” The Feb. 26 lecture is open to the MTSU community and general public. The Feb. 27 workshop requires registration at http://acs.learn.com/custom/customloginpage.asp.

THERE’S NO “I” IN “TEAM”--The MTSU Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth will present “Social and Moral Education of Youth: Can Sport Really Build Character?,” a lecture by Dr. Don R. Hellison, at 7 p.m. tonight, Feb. 26, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Hellison is a professor in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Much of Hellison’s work over the past three decades has focused on the development, implementation, and evaluation of alternative physical activity program models and structures that teach life skills and values, especially for underserved youth. Hellison has conducted his work where it counts—in the gymnasium, on the playground, and in tough, inner city neighborhoods. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615-898-5549 or dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

MIGHT MAKES RIGHT—The MTSU Campus Recreation Fitness Department will present the Strongman Competition at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, in the indoor arena of the Campus Recreation Center. There will be three weight classes: lightweight (under 190 pounds), middleweight (191-220 lbs.), and heavyweight (over 221 lbs.) Events include tire flip, shuttle carry, standing medicine ball toss, loading event and a truck push/pull. The competition is open to faculty, staff and students. For more information, call 615-898-2104.

RAD STREET CRED--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge every Thursday through Mar. 26 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU police training room located at 1412 East Main Street. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as to the general public. For more information or to enroll, call RAD instructor David Smith at 615-692-2424.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

A shaky foundation

The outlook for housing seems cloudy at best. In the latest edition of Tennessee Housing Market from MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, Dr. David Penn, the center’s director, writes, “Although mortgage rates are extremely low, a decline in household confidence along with falling housing prices will likely keep many home buyers on the sidelines. The inventory of foreclosures will continue to rise, as indicated by the rising number of new foreclosures. Home sales continue to fall, putting downward pressure on prices. Since supply is falling faster than demand, the inventory of homes on the market is declining. The scarce good news is the increase in multi-family permits.”

Contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610.

A presidential address

President Obama is getting good marks from the mainstream media for his first joint address to Congress last night. Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and former chair of the Department of Political Science, says Obama’s speech showed some of the same spark he had on the campaign trail. “It blended a description of his economic program with concerns over energy, health care and education,” Vile says. “In contrast to his first press conference, which was fairly stiff, Obama demonstrated good humor at a number of points in his speech, which can be an effective way of muting partisanship. Obama’s general ‘can do’ attitude should be a balm to the nation at a time of continuing economic turmoil and unrest in the stock market. Another speech later in the week might further flesh out Obama’s plans for foreign policy.”

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

A media merger?

Samsung is releasing a television with the Internet built in later this year. This coincides with the growing numbers of people who are willing to get their news online. “It won’t be long before television and the Internet are interchangeable,” says Dr. Robert Spires, electronic media communication. “There won’t be much way for you to distinguish between them, but we’re still a few election cycles away from that.” He points to the reaction to the “Yes We Can” video put together by will.i.am of the Black-Eyed Peas in support of Barack Obama last year. The artist made the video in only three days. Within two days of its release on the Internet, eight million people had viewed it.

Contact Spires at 615-898-2217.
rwspires@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

LISTEN TO THE MUSIC--Augustana, whose singles “Boston” and “Sweet and Low” propelled them onto the national stage, will perform in concert at 7 p.m. tonight, Feb. 25, at MTSU’s Tucker Theater in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts building. The five-man band that originated in Greenville, Ill., and is now based in San Diego has made appearances on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” and “The Today Show,” among other television appearances. Lastfm.com describes Augustana’s sound as “at once contemplative and slow, but also captivating.” The concert is presented by the MTSU Concerts Committee. Tickets are $5 each for students and $10 each for the public. To reserve tickets online, go to www.mtsu.edu/~events/augustana.html. For more information, contact MTSU Student Programming at 615-898-5608.

PRESCRIPTION FOR SUCCESS--MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee will be on hand to celebrate the grand opening of the university’s on-campus pharmacy with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. and a Health Fair from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. today, Feb. 25, at the Campus Health, Wellness and Recreation Center. At the Health Fair, information will be provided on various programs and services, including intramural athletics, hearing screenings and nutrition counseling. Free refreshments will be available. The pharmacy began serving the campus community on Jan. 15 with full prescription services as well as a complete line of over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, including cough and cold remedies, foot care products, vitamins, antacids, first aid items and more. For more information, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/pharmacy/index.shtml or phone 615-494-8888.

CHEMISTRY CHATTER--Dr. Amber Hinkle, quality lead in plastics manufacturing for Bayer’s Material Science facility in Baytown, Texas, will be the MTSU National Women’s History Month “Women in Science” invited lecturer. Hinkle will speak from 7-8:30 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 26, in Room 102 of Wiser-Patten Science Hall and again during a 2-6 p.m. workshop Friday, Feb. 27, in Room 219 of Monohan Hall. Her Feb. 26 talk will be on “Women in Chemistry: Successful Leaders.” Her workshop presentation will be on “Leading without Authority.” The Feb. 26 lecture is open to the MTSU community and general public. The Feb. 27 workshop requires registration at http://acs.learn.com/custom/customloginpage.asp.

THERE’S NO “I” IN “TEAM”--The MTSU Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth will present “Social and Moral Education of Youth: Can Sport Really Build Character?,” a lecture by Dr. Don R. Hellison, at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 26, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Hellison is a professor in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Much of Hellison’s work over the past three decades has focused on the development, implementation, and evaluation of alternative physical activity program models and structures that teach life skills and values, especially for underserved youth. Hellison has conducted his work where it counts—in the gymnasium, on the playground, and in tough, inner city neighborhoods. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615898-5549 or dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

MIGHT MAKES RIGHT—The MTSU Campus Recreation Fitness Department will present the Strongman Competition at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, in the indoor arena of the Campus Recreation Center. There will be three weight classes: lightweight (under 190 pounds), middleweight (191-220 lbs.), and heavyweight (over 221 lbs.) Events include tire flip, shuttle carry, standing medicine ball toss, loading event and a truck push/pull. The competition is open to faculty, staff and students. The entry fee is $10 and the registration deadline is 4:30 p.m. today, Feb. 25. For more information, call 615-898-2104.

RAD STREET CRED--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge every Thursday through Mar. 26 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU police training room located at 1412 East Main Street. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as to the general public. For more information or to enroll, call RAD instructor David Smith at 615-692-2424.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Depression or recession?

Does it make sense to compare the current economic crisis to the Great Depression? Dr. David Penn, director of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, says it does not. He points out that the lowest unemployment rate in 1931-1939 was 14.3 percent in 1937, and the highest jobless rate was 24.9 percent in 1933. A more apt comparison is with the 1982 recession, says Penn. He says the unemployment rate peaked at 10.8 percent in 1982 following 18 months of increases, and it took another 18 months to drop the jobless rate back down to 7.5 percent. However, Penn observes, the current rise in unemployment is steeper than in 1982, and we already have experienced 13 months of increased unemployment, although large jumps didn’t happen until October. He says another 12-14 months of rising unemployment seems possible.

Contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610.

Get the picture?

Facebook received a torrent of angry comments after Consumerist.com posted its revised terms of use in a blog titled “Facebook’s New Terms of Service: We Can Do Anything We Want with Your Content. Forever.” Ken Sanney, adjunct recording industry professor and an attorney who deals with intellectual property issues, says Facebook was trying to manage the risk of photo sharing. Sanney says, “For instance, let’s say User A posts photos and shares such photos with their friend User B. User A has given Facebook a license for such things. The problem for Facebook, however, is what happens when User A cancels their membership? This is a problematic question because under the old terms of use, the license for the display of the photos was also revoked upon cancellation of the membership, but the photos (are still) on User B’s member page.”

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

What’s the real agenda?

Do the news media tell us not just what to think but what to think about? Those who believe in this “agenda-setting” theory believe that what is emphasized in the news media influences the issues that voters think are important. Dr. John Omachonu, associate dean of the College of Mass Communication, says two researchers “interviewed 100 undecided voters in Chapel Hill, N.C., and asked them what issues were most important to them in the coming 1968 presidential elections. They found a perfect correlation between the five issues the voters felt were most important and the types of stories covered by both print and broadcast media in Chapel Hill.”

Contact Omachonu at 615-898-2695.
omachonu@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

LISTEN TO THE MUSIC--Augustana, whose singles “Boston” and “Sweet and Low” propelled them onto the national stage, will perform in concert at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 25, at MTSU’s Tucker Theater in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts building. The five-man band that originated in Greenville, Ill., and is now based in San Diego has made appearances on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” and “The Today Show,” among other television appearances. Lastfm.com describes Augustana’s sound as “at once contemplative and slow, but also captivating.” The concert is presented by the MTSU Concerts Committee. Tickets are $5 each for students and $10 each for the public. To reserve tickets online, go to www.mtsu.edu/~events/augustana.html. For more information, contact MTSU Student Programming at 615-898-5608.

PRESCRIPTION FOR SUCCESS--MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee will be on hand to celebrate the grand opening of the university’s on-campus pharmacy with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. and a Health Fair from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 25, at the Campus Health, Wellness and Recreation Center. At the Health Fair, information will be provided on various programs and services, including intramural athletics, hearing screenings and nutrition counseling. Free refreshments will be available. The pharmacy began serving the campus community on Jan. 15 with full prescription services as well as a complete line of over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, including cough and cold remedies, foot care products, vitamins, antacids, first aid items and more. For more information, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/pharmacy/index.shtml or phone 615-494-8888.

THERE’S NO “I” IN “TEAM”--The MTSU Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth will present “Social and Moral Education of Youth: Can Sport Really Build Character?,” a lecture by Dr. Don R. Hellison, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Hellison is a professor in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Much of Hellison’s work over the past three decades has focused on the development, implementation, and evaluation of alternative physical activity program models and structures that teach life skills and values, especially for underserved youth. Hellison has conducted his work where it counts—in the gymnasium, on the playground, and in tough, inner city neighborhoods. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615898-5549 or dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

RAD STREET CRED--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge every Thursday through Mar. 26 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU police training room located at 1412 East Main Street. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as to the general public. For more information or to enroll, call RAD instructor David Smith at 615-692-2424.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Nashville in a nutshell

Here’s the “good news, bad news” scenario for the Nashville economy, according to Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center. First, the bad news: nonfarm employment peaked in March at 768,600, but was down 1.7 percent from March to December. Half the decline occurred in the previous three months. The unemployment rate rose from 4.2 percent in December 2007 to 6.5 percent in December 2008. The good news: housing prices probably are falling, but not as much as in other areas. Be happy you are not in Florida, California, Arizona, Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina or Nevada, Penn says.

Contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610.

Save money. Live better.

Many companies are cutting their marketing budgets due to the economic downturn. Wal-Mart, however, is bucking that trend. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “It has been reported that Wal-Mart increased measured media spending by 56 percent in 2008. At a time when retailers reacted to weaker demand by being conservative with their marketing spending, Wal-Mart sensed opportunity to appeal to value-conscious consumers with its low price brand position. Wal-Mart’s media strategy serves as a reminder to marketers to resist the temptation to save money at the expense of brand building. Yes, reducing marketing expenses may be inevitable during these economic times, but it should be a strategy of last resort.”

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

It would be an honor.

Research suggests that academically talented students may face difficulties due to stereotyping of giftedness. Educator and peer myths, as well as unchallenging curricula, could lead to behavioral problems, says Dr. Michelle Arnold, Office of Admissions. “Many honors students participate in the programs because they want a challenge, and they want the competitiveness in their college courses,” says Arnold. “They put a big amount of pressure upon themselves that they feel they need the challenge to be successful. On the other hand, many high ability students choose not to participate in the honors programs because of fear. They are afraid of failure, so they choose not to endure the challenge of taking honors courses.” As a former honors student at MTSU, Arnold wholeheartedly recommends the experience.

Contact Arnold at 615-898-5280.
marnold@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

LISTEN TO THE MUSIC--Augustana, whose singles “Boston” and “Sweet and Low” propelled them onto the national stage, will perform in concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, at MTSU’s Tucker Theater in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts building. The five-man band that originated in Greenville, Ill., and is now based in San Diego has made appearances on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” and “The Today Show,” among other television appearances. Lastfm.com describes Augustana’s sound as “at once contemplative and slow, but also captivating.” The concert is presented by the MTSU Concerts Committee. Tickets are $5 each for students and $10 each for the public. To reserve tickets online, go to www.mtsu.edu/~events/augustana.html. For more information, contact MTSU Student Programming at 615-898-5608.

PRESCRIPTION FOR SUCCESS--MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee will be on hand to celebrate the grand opening of the university’s on-campus pharmacy with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. and a Health Fair from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at the Campus Health, Wellness and Recreation Center. At the Health Fair, information will be provided on various programs and services, including intramural athletics, hearing screenings and nutrition counseling. Free refreshments will be available. The pharmacy began serving the campus community on Jan. 15 with full prescription services as well as a complete line of over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, including cough and cold remedies, foot care products, vitamins, antacids, first aid items and more. For more information, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/pharmacy/index.shtml or phone 615-494-8888.

RAD STREET CRED--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge every Thursday through Mar. 26 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU police training room located at 1412 East Main Street. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as to the general public. For more information or to enroll, call RAD instructor David Smith at 615-692-2424.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

May I buy a vowel?

Will the economic recovery, whenever it comes, be V-shaped, U-shaped, or L-shaped? Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, explains. A V-shaped recovery is a very sharp decline followed by a very sharp recovery in which consumer confidence falls rapidly, hits bottom, then quickly bounces up. Penn says this can occur if financial institutions have not suffered structural damage. A U-shaped recovery is a more gradual decline followed by a gradual increase in output. During this time, job growth is so modest that it can feel like a “jobless recovery.” An L-shaped recovery is a long period of stagnant growth followed by a recovery similar to the situation that oppressed Japan for about a decade. Even zero interest rates in Japan were not enough to turn the tide. Penn says this type of recovery should be avoided at all costs.

Contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610.

On the air

MTTV, the student-run television station at MTSU, was selected the best college station in Tennessee and third overall in the Southeast last week at the Southeastern Journalism Conference’s annual gathering in Nashville. Southeastern Louisiana won the overall award for best college television station. The University of Troy came in second. The judging was based on two newscasts that aired between Nov. 15, 2007, and Nov. 14, 2008. During this period, Tiffany Sawyer, a recent graduate, and Kipp Lawton, a sophomore, served as station news directors. MTTV News airs Monday through Thursday at 6:30 p.m. MTTV also airs student-produced entertainment programs, MTSU athletics, and is the home of “The Rick Insell Show.”

For more information, contact MTTV General manager Richard Lowe Jr. at 678-362-1595.

Order outside the court

The Mississippi Supreme Court has ruled that the comment that got Solomon C. Osborne removed from his position as a county judge was not protected speech under the First Amendment. In 2006, Osborne, an African-American, told a predominantly African-American political group, “White folks don’t praise you unless you’re a damn fool, unless they think they can use you. If you have your own mind and know what you’re doing, they don’t want you around.” David Hudson, political science, says the state high court applied a test established in a 1968 case to determine that Osborne’s remark was not protected speech. “The two-prong … test requires that a public employee first show that his speech touches on a matter of public concern rather than merely expresses a personal grievance,” Hudson says. “If it does, then the second step for a reviewing court would be to balance the employee’s free-speech rights against the employer’s efficiency interests in a disruptive-free workplace.”

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

TR EXTRA

PULLING AN ALL-NIGHTER—For the 10th year, Up ‘Til Dawn invites students to stay up from 7 p.m. until 3 a.m. tonight, Feb. 20, at the Murphy Center to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. Participants will enjoy the spirit dance, a St. Jude patient speech, the band Gino, blow-up games, karaoke, a special guest star and much more. The cost is $5 for MTSU Blue ID carriers and $10 for community guests. Children under age 3 are free. For more information, call 615-904-8270.

FORM-FITTING--College Goal Sunday is a free event held nationwide to assist families of new college students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. At MTSU, the event will take place from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, in the Business and Aerospace Building. “We encourage any incoming student to come, and we will assist them in filling out and filing their FAFSA form,” says Bonnie McCarty, assistant director of scholarships in the MTSU Office of Financial Aid. For more information, contact McCarty at 615-904-8414 or bmccarty@mtsu.edu.

SING PRAISES TO HIS NAME--Albert Richardson, a gospel singer who has lived for 14 years with Lou Gehrig’s disease, will be the honoree at the ninth annual Gospel Music Extravaganza at 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, in MTSU’s Murphy Center. The 52-year-old Richardson walks with the support of fitted bracelets on both legs, a remarkable achievement. All proceeds from the concert will benefit Richardson. The lineup of entertainers slated to pay tribute to him includes choirs, soloists, dancers and models. For more information, contact Mary Glass at 615-898-5145.

ASHES TO ASHES--MTSU geology students will spend this spring and summer investigating the potential environmental and health dangers posed by the giant coal ash spill from TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant in December 2008. They’ll also check out the levels of coal ash in soil and water near five other TVA coal plants. This important study, which is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, will be led by Dr. Warner Cribb, MTSU geology professor. Cribb and one of his students, Jennifer Pickering, will discuss the research and the future of so-called “clean coal technology” at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Feb. 22, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). To hear last week’s program, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html anytime and click on “February 15, 2009” at the top of the page. For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.


THE LAB AIN’T DRAB--Dr. Judy Willis, a California-based neurologist and authority in the field of learning-centered brain research and classroom strategies derived from the research, will speak at the MTSU Math and Science Education Research Conference today, Feb. 20, at the DoubleTree Hotel, 1850 Old Fort Parkway in Murfreesboro. Willis is slated to speak at 12:25 p.m. Researchers from UT-Martin, UT-Knoxville, Western Kentucky University, Austin Peay State University, Tennessee Tech and MTSU will present research. For more information, contact Dr. Dovie Kimmins at 615-848-8929.

JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT--A panel of community experts in various fields will take questions from the public in a forum to be held at noon, today, Feb. 20, at the St. Clair Senior Center in Murfreesboro. “Let’s Talk … Senior Issues,” an open forum, will be presented by the Rutherford County Council on Aging. John Hood, former state representative and MTSU community liaison, will serve as the moderator. “Addressing the needs of senior adults in our community is essential during this economic struggle,” says Dr. Judy Campbell, council president and MTSU nursing professor. Contact Campbell at 615-848-5729 or Tim Spears at tspears@rutherfordcounty.org.

RAD STREET CRED--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge every Thursday through Mar. 26 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU police training room located at 1412 East Main Street. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as to the general public. For more information or to enroll, call RAD instructor David Smith at 615-692-2424.

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YOU HEAR?--The MTSU Department of Art’s Gallery at Todd Hall presents “Revisited,” an exhibit featuring the collective works of four of its retired faculty members, through today, Feb. 20. The artists whose work is being showcased are Ollie Fancher, who taught graphic design and drawing; Jim Gibson, sculpture; Klaus Kallenberger, jewelry; and David LeDoux, painting. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says these individuals “contributed a great deal to the Department of Art’s program and curriculum and have been asked to return to MTSU in honor of their hard work.” The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free and exhibits are open to the public. For more information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Stimulate this!

What will the stimulus package signed into law by President Obama do for the American economy? In a presentation to the 16th annual Economic Forum at The Factory in Franklin yesterday, Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, said that without the stimulus the nation would be on track to lose 3-4 million additional jobs from 2009-2011. With the stimulus, additional losses may be limited to 1-2 million over a shorter time period (2009-2010). Penn’s outlook says that boosting consumer and business confidence is the key. He also says that housing will lead us out of the downturn, but the bottom is not yet in sight. Penn says the labor market will continue to weaken even as housing begins to recover.

Contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610.

Ashes to ashes

MTSU geology students will spend this spring and summer investigating the potential environmental and health dangers posed by the giant coal ash spill from TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant in December 2008. They’ll also check out the levels of coal ash in soil and water near five other TVA coal plants. This important study, which is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, will be led by Dr. Warner Cribb, MTSU geology professor. Cribb and one of his students, Jennifer Pickering, will discuss the research and the future of so-called “clean coal technology” at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Feb. 22, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). To hear last week’s program, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html anytime and click on “February 15, 2009” at the top of the page.

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

Autism agony

The emotional and financial burden on families who have an autistic child is enormous. Ed Evans, president of the MTSU student organization Students for Autism Awareness, is the father of two autistic boys. Evans says, “The Catch-22 with the insurance companies is that A) It’s considered an existing condition at the time of diagnosis; B) It’s an educational deficit that the school system is responsible for; and C) It’s not state law that the insurance companies are mandated to provide coverage. Therefore, the burden falls back on the family to seek a diagnosis, treatment and cover the finances. Twenty-three states have passed legislation making it law that insurance companies are responsible for coverage. Tennessee is not one of them yet.”

Contact Evans at 615-493-7379.
edevans43@comcast.net

TR EXTRA

THE LAB AIN’T DRAB--Dr. Judy Willis, a California-based neurologist and authority in the field of learning-centered brain research and classroom strategies derived from the research, will speak at the MTSU Math and Science Education Research Conference today, Feb. 19, and tomorrow, Feb. 20, at the DoubleTree Hotel, 1850 Old Fort Parkway in Murfreesboro. Willis is slated to speak at 1:45 and 4:50 p.m. today and 12:25 p.m. tomorrow. Scott Eddins, president of the National Association of State Coordinators of Mathematics and State of Tennessee Math Curriculum Consultant, will speak at 7:00 tonight after dinner. Researchers from UT-Martin, UT-Knoxville, Western Kentucky University, Austin Peay State University, Tennessee Tech and MTSU will present research. For more information, contact Dr. Dovie Kimmins at 615-848-8929.

JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT--A panel of community experts in various fields will take questions from the public in a forum to be held at noon, tomorrow, Feb. 20, at the St. Clair Senior Center in Murfreesboro. “Let’s Talk … Senior Issues,” an open forum, will be presented by the Rutherford County Council on Aging. John Hood, former state representative and MTSU community liaison, will serve as the moderator. “Addressing the needs of senior adults in our community is essential during this economic struggle,” says Dr. Judy Campbell, council president and MTSU nursing professor. Contact Campbell at 615-848-5729 or Tim Spears at tspears@rutherfordcounty.org.

RAD STREET CRED--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge every Thursday beginning today, Feb. 19, through Mar. 26 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU police training room located at 1412 East Main Street. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as to the general public. For more information or to enroll, call RAD instructor David Smith at 615-692-2424.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.--To help students dealing with high prices and tight budgets, the MTSU Off-Campus Housing Web site will waive its $25 fee for posting notices of apartments to be sublet effective immediately. The Web site (www.mtsuoffcampus.com) was created in November 2007 by the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in cooperation with Off-Campus Partners, a Virginia-based company providing services to nearly 30 universities. Property managers pay fees to post information such as location, price and type about apartments, condominiums and houses for rent and for sale. To make it easier for students to cut transportation costs, the Web site also features Carpool Central, a message board for people seeking rides to and from school; Ride Board, for rides wherever they want to go out of town; and a Roommate Matching message board. For more information, contact the Office of Off-Campus Student Services at 615-898-5989 or ocss@mtsu.edu.

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YOU HEAR?--The MTSU Department of Art’s Gallery at Todd Hall presents “Revisited,” an exhibit featuring the collective works of four of its retired faculty members, through tomorrow, Feb. 20. The artists whose work is being showcased are Ollie Fancher, who taught graphic design and drawing; Jim Gibson, sculpture; Klaus Kallenberger, jewelry; and David LeDoux, painting. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says these individuals “contributed a great deal to the Department of Art’s program and curriculum and have been asked to return to MTSU in honor of their hard work.” The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free and exhibits are open to the public. For more information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Mortgage misery

The number of past due mortgages in Tennessee in the third economic quarter is disturbing but not surprising. According to Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, 8.3 percent of mortgages in the state were past due compared with 7.9 percent in the previous quarter. The publication states, “Compared with other states, Tennessee has a below-average inventory of foreclosures (32nd highest) but an above-average rate of foreclosures initiated (20th highest). This means Tennessee’s foreclosure inventory will expand faster than some other states, causing the state’s foreclosure inventory ranking to rise in the coming quarters. While rising, the foreclosure inventory for Tennessee is only about half as large as for the U.S., 1.59 percent for Tennessee compared with 3.02 percent for the nation.”

Contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610.

Desperate housewives

American women might think that a marriage in which one woman shares several husbands might be great feminist revenge on all those men who refused to commit to them monogamously. However, Dr. Marilyn Wells, medical anthropologist and professor emeritus of sociology and anthropology, says polyandry, or a marriage of one woman and multiple husbands, is the preferred marriage for only a little more than one percent of the world’s societies. “When a young woman marries the oldest brother of a family, she is married to all the brothers of that family, right then and there,” says Wells. “Some of the brothers may be four or five years old. So she is the one wife who takes care of her decrepit mother-in-law, her cantankerous father-in-law, and three or four or five husbands.” It doesn’t sound like a lot of fun.

Contact Wells at 615-895-4385.

“You could look it up.”—Casey Stengel

The Encyclopedia of the First Amendment (CQ Press, 2008), a reference book featuring the works of 19 members of the MTSU community, has received another kudo from the oldest publication covering the library field. Library Journal, which has covered the library field for 132 years, states in its Jan. 15 edition, “Written in a scholarly yet lucid and accessible style, this resource is highly recommended for university libraries (especially those serving law and journalism programs), libraries within law firms and news organizations, and larger public libraries. Remarkable for its breadth and scope, it is one of the few, if not the only, resources dedicated to the First Amendment.” The encyclopedia was co-edited by Dr. John R. Vile, dean of the University Honors College, and David Hudson, adjunct political science professor and scholar at the First Amendment Center in Nashville.

Contact Vile at 615-898-2598 or jvile@mtsu.edu.
Contact Hudson at 615-727-1600 or dhudson@fac.org.

TR EXTRA

JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT--A panel of community experts in various fields will take questions from the public in a forum to be held at noon, Friday, Feb. 20, at the St. Clair Senior Center in Murfreesboro. “Let’s Talk … Senior Issues,” an open forum, will be presented by the Rutherford County Council on Aging. John Hood, former state representative and MTSU community liaison, will serve as the moderator. “Addressing the needs of senior adults in our community is essential during this economic struggle,” says Dr. Judy Campbell, council president and MTSU nursing professor. Contact Campbell at 615-848-5729 or Tim Spears at tspears@rutherfordcounty.org.

RAD STREET CRED--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge every Thursday beginning tomorrow, Feb. 19, through Mar. 26 from 6-8 p.m. in the MTSU police training room located at 1412 East Main Street. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff as well as to the general public. For more information or to enroll, call RAD instructor David Smith at 615-692-2424.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.--To help students dealing with high prices and tight budgets, the MTSU Off-Campus Housing Web site will waive its $25 fee for posting notices of apartments to be sublet effective immediately. The Web site (www.mtsuoffcampus.com) was created in November 2007 by the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in cooperation with Off-Campus Partners, a Virginia-based company providing services to nearly 30 universities. Property managers pay fees to post information such as location, price and type about apartments, condominiums and houses for rent and for sale. To make it easier for students to cut transportation costs, the Web site also features Carpool Central, a message board for people seeking rides to and from school; Ride Board, for rides wherever they want to go out of town; and a Roommate Matching message board. For more information, contact the Office of Off-Campus Student Services at 615-898-5989 or ocss@mtsu.edu.

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YOU HEAR?--The MTSU Department of Art’s Gallery at Todd Hall presents “Revisited,” an exhibit featuring the collective works of four of its retired faculty members, through Friday, Feb. 20. The artists whose work is being showcased are Ollie Fancher, who taught graphic design and drawing; Jim Gibson, sculpture; Klaus Kallenberger, jewelry; and David LeDoux, painting. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says these individuals “contributed a great deal to the Department of Art’s program and curriculum and have been asked to return to MTSU in honor of their hard work.” The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free and exhibits are open to the public. For more information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

How loudly can the dollar holler?

A rising dollar is not good for exports. In the latest edition of Global Commerce, Dr. Steven Livingston writes that most experts believe the rise in the dollar won’t last long. “An important survey by the U.N.’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs actually predicts a rather steep fall for the dollar in the year ahead,” Livingston says. “The reason is that he forces that led a stampede back to the dollar should run out of steam, while the longer-term weakness of the currency should again come to the fore. Whatever one’s larger views are about a weakening dollar, it has been historically good for American exports. To the extent that exports fuel economic growth, this is a positive.”

Contact Livingston at 615-898-2720.
mailto:615-898-2720.slivings@mtsu.edu

Aerospace and cyberspace

Southwest Airlines is experimenting with offers of free Wi-Fi internet access on its flights. (You might even call it a “pilot program.”) Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “This offering seems to be one that is long overdue. Internet access in-flight could enhance the productivity of business travelers flying with Southwest or be an inexpensive alternative to offering in-flight movies. The most refreshing aspect of Southwest’s Wi-Fi service is that it is free, a word not often uttered in the airline industry. Rather than coming up with creative ways to extract money from customers in the form of new fees, Southwest is seeking to add benefits to one’s flight experience. Little wonder Southwest has fared better than most other airlines in the past decade.”

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

Why can’t Johnny run a fade route?

If a company made a test that would allow you to find out about your child’s athletic aptitude simply by swabbing the inside of his mouth, would you use it? Atlas Sports of Boulder, Col., claims to have developed such a test. But Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance, says there are problems with such genetic testing. “Supposedly, the results of these tests will inform parents and coaches which individuals are more likely to succeed and which are not,” Anshel says. “Parents and coaches will react to these results according to their expectations of the athlete’s future success. For example, if a parent is informed that his/her child is not likely to be a highly skilled athlete, it is less likely the parent will provide sport opportunities, including coaching and skill development, for that child.”

Contact Anshel at 615-898-2812.
manshel@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

A DATE WITH DIVERSITY—International Date Night, which had been scheduled for 7-10 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 18, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building is being rescheduled due to logistical issues. For more information, contact Shayna Taylor at sbt2g@mtsu.edu or Dr. Karen Petersen at 615-494-8662 or kpeterse@mtsu.edu.

HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON.--Dr. Robert Hunt, professor of history at MTSU, will speak at the next meeting of the Middle Tennessee Civil War Roundtable at 7 p.m. today, Feb. 17, at the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County, 225 West College St. in Murfreesboro. Hunt will present “Citizen Soldiers and the Politics of an Anti-Slavery War,” a program based on his research for a new book that will be published soon by University of Alabama Press. Hunt will examine how Union soldiers, particularly those in the Army of the Cumberland, came to adopt emancipation as part of “their war” and not simply Lincoln’s war or the Republicans’ war. He also will talk about how veterans of the war later incorporated this emancipation event into their understanding of the national victory they had won, shaping the way future generations thought about the conflict. For more information, call Jim Lewis at 615-243-6830 (before 8 p.m.) or mtcwrt@comcast.net.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.--To help students dealing with high prices and tight budgets, the MTSU Off-Campus Housing Web site will waive its $25 fee for posting notices of apartments to be sublet effective immediately. The Web site (http://www.mtsuoffcampus.com/) was created in November 2007 by the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in cooperation with Off-Campus Partners, a Virginia-based company providing services to nearly 30 universities. Property managers pay fees to post information such as location, price and type about apartments, condominiums and houses for rent and for sale. To make it easier for students to cut transportation costs, the Web site also features Carpool Central, a message board for people seeking rides to and from school; Ride Board, for rides wherever they want to go out of town; and a Roommate Matching message board. For more information, contact the Office of Off-Campus Student Services at 615-898-5989 or ocss@mtsu.edu.

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YOU HEAR?--The MTSU Department of Art’s Gallery at Todd Hall presents “Revisited,” an exhibit featuring the collective works of four of its retired faculty members, through Friday, Feb. 20. The artists whose work is being showcased are Ollie Fancher, who taught graphic design and drawing; Jim Gibson, sculpture; Klaus Kallenberger, jewelry; and David LeDoux, painting. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says these individuals “contributed a great deal to the Department of Art’s program and curriculum and have been asked to return to MTSU in honor of their hard work.” The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free and exhibits are open to the public. For more information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Maybe we could major in alchemy.

Anyone who thinks that MTSU’s proposed new science building is “pork” had better not tangle with Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry professor. MacDougall points out that the State of Tennessee managed to find $225,000 for the construction of Wiser-Patten Science Hall in 1931 during the Great Depression. “The first impression of a chemistry and biology double-major who has gone on to become a locally-based and internationally successful biotechnology entrepreneur, but was a freshman in 1966, was ‘Gee, what an old building!’”, he comments. “If it was ‘long in tooth’ in 1966, how do you imagine young and bright Tennesseans react to their first chemistry lab in 2009? The building may be Roman neoclassical on the outside, but it is definitely Greek tragedy on the inside.”

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

Go ahead! Make my (expletive deleted)!

The movie “Gran Torino” is the highest-grossing film of Clint Eastwood’s career in North America, and it has garnered several critics’ awards. Eastwood plays an embittered widower engaged in a conflict with Asian gang members. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism professor and First Amendment expert, says it contains language that will make people who are offended by ethnic slurs very uncomfortable. However, Burriss points out, “You know, words by themselves don’t mean anything. They are just strings of letters to which we assign meaning. For example, take the word ‘den,” d-e-n. In English, it means a cozy room. In German, it means ‘him’ or ‘which.’ In Czech, it means ‘day.’ The meaning of the word depends on how it’s being used, and that meaning can change from person to person, from culture to culture, and even from time to time.”

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

A date with diversity

The Society for International Affairs (SIA), an MTSU student organization, will present International Date Night from 7-10 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. “We’re celebrating international students for their bravery in coming to the United States for their education and giving other MTSU students a chance to meet them,” says Shayna Taylor, president of SIA. After dinner, the MTSU Salsa Dance Club will provide free salsa dancing lessons. Admission is $10 per couple or $5 per person. All proceeds will benefit KIVA, a fund to help international entrepreneurs through the principle of microlending, and the International Student Emergency Fund, which was created to help international students with small, unexpected expenses.

Contact Taylor at sbt2g@mtsu.edu or Dr. Karen Petersen at 615-494-8662 or kpeterse@mtsu.edu.

TR EXTRA

HERSPANIOLA--The MTSU Black History Month Committee will present “Poto Mitan: Haitian Women, Pillars of the Global Economy,” a documentary film, from 3:30-5:00 p.m. today, Feb. 16, at the Keathley University Center Theater. Co-producers Renee Bergan and Mark Schuller will be in attendance for a question-and-answer session. Told through the compelling lives of five courageous Haitian women, “Poto Mitan” gives the global economy a human face. While the film offers an in-depth understanding of Haiti, its focus on women’s subjugation, worker exploitation, poverty and resistance demonstrates that these are global struggles. Finally, through their collective activism, these women demonstrate that, despite monumental obstacles, collective action makes change possible. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Sekou Franklin at 615-904-8232 or Tara Prairie at 615-494-8918.

HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON.--Dr. Robert Hunt, professor of history at MTSU, will speak at the next meeting of the Middle Tennessee Civil War Roundtable at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 17, at the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County, 225 West College St. in Murfreesboro. Hunt will present “Citizen Soldiers and the Politics of an Anti-Slavery War,” a program based on his research for a new book that will be published soon by University of Alabama Press. Hunt will examine how Union soldiers, particularly those in the Army of the Cumberland, came to adopt emancipation as part of “their war” and not simply Lincoln’s war or the Republicans’ war. He also will talk about how veterans of the war later incorporated this emancipation event into their understanding of the national victory they had won, shaping the way future generations thought about the conflict. For more information, call Jim Lewis at 615-243-6830 (before 8 p.m.) or mtcwrt@comcast.net.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.--To help students dealing with high prices and tight budgets, the MTSU Off-Campus Housing Web site will waive its $25 fee for posting notices of apartments to be sublet effective immediately. The Web site (www.mtsuoffcampus.com) was created in November 2007 by the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in cooperation with Off-Campus Partners, a Virginia-based company providing services to nearly 30 universities. Property managers pay fees to post information such as location, price and type about apartments, condominiums and houses for rent and for sale. To make it easier for students to cut transportation costs, the Web site also features Carpool Central, a message board for people seeking rides to and from school; Ride Board, for rides wherever they want to go out of town; and a Roommate Matching message board. For more information, contact the Office of Off-Campus Student Services at 615-898-5989 or ocss@mtsu.edu.

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YOU HEAR?--The MTSU Department of Art’s Gallery at Todd Hall presents “Revisited,” an exhibit featuring the collective works of four of its retired faculty members, through Friday, Feb. 20. The artists whose work is being showcased are Ollie Fancher, who taught graphic design and drawing; Jim Gibson, sculpture; Klaus Kallenberger, jewelry; and David LeDoux, painting. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says these individuals “contributed a great deal to the Department of Art’s program and curriculum and have been asked to return to MTSU in honor of their hard work.” The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free and exhibits are open to the public. For more information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

News that looks like America

Will the election of the nation’s first African-American president and the emergence of women policymakers alter the way the news media cover race and gender issues? Drs. Jennifer Woodard and Clare Bratten of the MTSU Department of Electronic Media Communication will discuss this topic at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Feb. 15, on “MTSU on the Record” on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). To hear last week’s program with Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, discussing books of his father’s proverbs and essays about James Madison, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html anytime and click on “February 8, 2009” at the top of the page.

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

Herspaniola

The MTSU Black History Month Committee will present “Poto Mitan: Haitian Women, Pillars of the Global Economy,” a documentary film, from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, at the Keathley University Center Theater. Co-producers Renee Bergan and Mark Schuller will be in attendance for a question-and-answer session. Told through the compelling lives of five courageous Haitian women, “Poto Mitan” gives the global economy a human face. While the film offers an in-depth understanding of Haiti, its focus on women’s subjugation, worker exploitation, poverty and resistance demonstrates that these are global struggles. Finally, through their collective activism, these women demonstrate that, despite monumental obstacles, collective action makes change possible. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Dr. Sekou Franklin at 615-904-8232 or Tara Prairie at 615-494-8918.

His truth is marching on.

Dr. Robert Hunt, professor of history at MTSU, will speak at the next meeting of the Middle Tennessee Civil War Roundtable at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County, 225 West College St. in Murfreesboro. Hunt will present “Citizen Soldiers and the Politics of an Anti-Slavery War,” a program based on his research for a new book that will be published soon by University of Alabama Press. Hunt will examine how Union soldiers, particularly those in the Army of the Cumberland, came to adopt emancipation as part of “their war” and not simply Lincoln’s war or the Republicans’ war. He also will talk about how veterans of the war later incorporated this emancipation event into their understanding of the national victory they had won, shaping the way future generations thought about the conflict.

For more information, call Jim Lewis at 615-243-6830 (before 8 p.m.).
mtcwrt@comcast.net

TR EXTRA

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.--To help students dealing with high prices and tight budgets, the MTSU Off-Campus Housing Web site will waive its $25 fee for posting notices of apartments to be sublet effective immediately. The Web site (www.mtsuoffcampus.com) was created in November 2007 by the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in cooperation with Off-Campus Partners, a Virginia-based company providing services to nearly 30 universities. Property managers pay fees to post information such as location, price and type about apartments, condominiums and houses for rent and for sale. To make it easier for students to cut transportation costs, the Web site also features Carpool Central, a message board for people seeking rides to and from school; Ride Board, for rides wherever they want to go out of town; and a Roommate Matching message board. For more information, contact the Office of Off-Campus Student Services at 615-898-5989 or ocss@mtsu.edu.

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YOU HEAR?--The MTSU Department of Art’s Gallery at Todd Hall presents “Revisited,” an exhibit featuring the collective works of four of its retired faculty members, through Friday, Feb. 20. The artists whose work is being showcased are Ollie Fancher, who taught graphic design and drawing; Jim Gibson, sculpture; Klaus Kallenberger, jewelry; and David LeDoux, painting. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says these individuals “contributed a great deal to the Department of Art’s program and curriculum and have been asked to return to MTSU in honor of their hard work.” The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free and exhibits are open to the public. For more information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Dixieland blues

A federal appeals court has ruled that school officials in Farmington, Mo., were justified in suspending students for wearing Confederate flag clothing. The Farmington High School dress code stated that “dress that materially disrupts the educational environment will be prohibited.” Confederate flags and symbols were barred after several racial incidents in 2005. David Hudson, adjunct political science professor and First Amendment Center scholar, says the appellate panel took issue with three suspended students who claimed their free speech rights were violated. Hudson says, “The 8th Circuit noted that school officials must only reasonably forecast a substantial disruption, that they don’t have to wait for an actual disruption to occur. (Judge Lavenski R.) Smith wrote that ‘no other circuit [court of appeals] has required the administration to wait for an actual disruption before acting.’”

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

Labor pains

Consumers’ views of the job market in Middle Tennessee aren’t any rosier than their views of any other aspect of the economy. According to the latest Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Index, only two percent of respondents say that jobs in the area are “easy to find.” Fifty-eight percent say they are “hard to find.” Dr. Tim Graeff, director of MTSU’s Office of Consumer Research, says, “Consumers continue to lose hope of any positive changes in the job market in the near future. Only 19 percent said that in the next six months there will be ‘more job openings.’ However, 31 percent said that in the next six months there will be ‘fewer job openings.’” The survey of 500 randomly selected adult residents from Davidson, Rutherford and Williamson counties was conducted on Feb. 2 and 3.

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

Kudos from Carnegie

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905, recently selected MTSU for the 2008 Community Engagement Classification, which recognizes universities that demonstrate commitment to curricular engagement, outreach and partnerships. MTSU joins such schools as Duke, Clemson and Purdue universities and more than 100 other institutions of higher learning across the nation “where teaching, learning and scholarship engage faculty, students and community in mutually beneficial and respectful collaboration.” Faye Johnson, assistant to the executive vice president and provost for special initiatives at MTSU, says, “This is a very prestigious designation [that recognizes good work] to implement and sustain an integrated campuswide commitment to continuous community engagement.”

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

TR EXTRA

“WHERE YOU LEAD, I WILL FOLLOW.”—CAROLE KING AND TONI STERN--MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee will conduct a town hall meeting at noon, today, Feb. 12, in the Keathley University Center Theater. This event is part of Leadership Week 2009 presented by the Office of Leadership and Service and is free and open to the public. For more information, go to www.mtsu.edu/leadandserve.

OH, BEHAVE!--Research indicates that classroom management is one of the most frequently mentioned problems by both beginning and experienced teachers. Dr. Phillip Waldrop, associate dean for teacher education at MTSU, will present “Do It Your Way: Manage to Excel,” a professional development program for teachers,” from 3:30-4:30 p.m. CST today, Feb. 12, through the MTSU Satellite and Webcasting Center. This session is directed toward beginning K-12 teachers. Participants will gain specific strategies for improving the flow of classrooms so that students can be successful in learning and behavior problems can be minimized. For more information, call 615-898-2737.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.--To help students dealing with high prices and tight budgets, the MTSU Off-Campus Housing Web site will waive its $25 fee for posting notices of apartments to be sublet effective immediately. The Web site (www.mtsuoffcampus.com) was created in November 2007 by the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in cooperation with Off-Campus Partners, a Virginia-based company providing services to nearly 30 universities. Property managers pay fees to post information such as location, price and type about apartments, condominiums and houses for rent and for sale. To make it easier for students to cut transportation costs, the Web site also features Carpool Central, a message board for people seeking rides to and from school; Ride Board, for rides wherever they want to go out of town; and a Roommate Matching message board. For more information, contact the Office of Off-Campus Student Services at 615-898-5989 or ocss@mtsu.edu.

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YOU HEAR?--The MTSU Department of Art’s Gallery at Todd Hall presents “Revisited,” an exhibit featuring the collective works of four of its retired faculty members, through Friday, Feb. 20. The artists whose work is being showcased are Ollie Fancher, who taught graphic design and drawing; Jim Gibson, sculpture; Klaus Kallenberger, jewelry; and David LeDoux, painting. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says these individuals “contributed a great deal to the Department of Art’s program and curriculum and have been asked to return to MTSU in honor of their hard work.” The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free and exhibits are open to the public. For more information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

If you build it, you will win.

MTSU’s Construction Management Technology Team continues to build a name for itself nationally among four-year colleges and universities. In a field of 36 teams, MTSU earned second place in the National Association of Homebuilders student competition Jan. 19-21 in Las Vegas. The team has been first (2007), second (2009) or third (2008) in each of the past three years. In the past 11 years, MTSU has placed in the top 10 eight times and cracked the top five for the past five years. “We’ve been blessed,” says Dr. David Hatfield, construction management programs director and professor in the Department of Engineering Technology. “We work at it and it seems to pay off.”

Contact Hatfield at 615-898-2781.
dhatfiel@mtsu.edu

The Dow’s in the dumper, and I’m not feeling too good, either.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted 382 points yesterday. That’s not going to do much to help consumer confidence, which was in sad shape when MTSU’s Office of Consumer Research (OCR) surveyed 500 randomly selected adult residents of Davidson, Rutherford and Williamson counties on Feb. 2 and 3. “Personal finances are … a concern for consumers as more and more people lose their jobs and continued decreases in the stock market erode consumers’ savings and retirement accounts,” writes Dr. Tim Graeff, director of the OCR. “Only 10 percent said that compared to a year ago they are ‘better off financially.’ Forty-one percent said that compared to a year ago they are ‘worse off financially.’ Such concerns about personal finances, savings and investments can put a significant damper on consumers’ spending behaviors.”

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

Oh, behave!

Research indicates that classroom management is one of the most frequently mentioned problems by both beginning and experienced teachers. Dr. Phillip Waldrop, associate dean for teacher education at MTSU, will present “Do It Your Way: Manage to Excel,” a professional development program for teachers,” from 3:30-4:30 p.m. CST tomorrow, Feb. 12, through the MTSU Satellite and Webcasting Center. This session is directed toward beginning K-12 teachers. Participants will gain specific strategies for improving the flow of classrooms so that students can be successful in learning and behavior problems can be minimized.

For more information, call 615-898-2737.

TR EXTRA

“WHERE YOU LEAD, I WILL FOLLOW.”—CAROLE KING AND TONI STERN--MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee will conduct town hall meetings at 4 p.m. today, Feb. 11, and at noon, tomorrow, Feb. 12, in the Keathley University Center Theater. These events are part of Leadership Week 2009 presented by the Office of Leadership and Service. In addition, team students will take part in ”Family Feud” from 6:30-10 p.m. tonight, Feb. 11, in Room S102 of the Business and Aerospace Building. Based on the television game show, it’s billed as “an evening of fun with friends with an educational twist.” And Vincent Windrow, director of the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs, will address the topic of “Breakthrough Thinking” at 3:30 p.m. today, Feb. 11, in Room 322 of the Keathley University Center. All these events are free and open to the public. For more information, go to www.mtsu.edu/leadandserve.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.--To help students dealing with high prices and tight budgets, the MTSU Off-Campus Housing Web site will waive its $25 fee for posting notices of apartments to be sublet effective immediately. The Web site (www.mtsuoffcampus.com) was created in November 2007 by the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in cooperation with Off-Campus Partners, a Virginia-based company providing services to nearly 30 universities. Property managers pay fees to post information such as location, price and type about apartments, condominiums and houses for rent and for sale. To make it easier for students to cut transportation costs, the Web site also features Carpool Central, a message board for people seeking rides to and from school; Ride Board, for rides wherever they want to go out of town; and a Roommate Matching message board. For more information, contact the Office of Off-Campus Student Services at 615-898-5989 or ocss@mtsu.edu.

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YOU HEAR?--The MTSU Department of Art’s Gallery at Todd Hall presents “Revisited,” an exhibit featuring the collective works of four of its retired faculty members, through Friday, Feb. 20. The artists whose work is being showcased are Ollie Fancher, who taught graphic design and drawing; Jim Gibson, sculpture; Klaus Kallenberger, jewelry; and David LeDoux, painting. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says these individuals “contributed a great deal to the Department of Art’s program and curriculum and have been asked to return to MTSU in honor of their hard work.” The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free and exhibits are open to the public. For more information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“Where you lead, I will follow.”—Carole King and Toni Stern

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee will conduct town hall meetings at 4 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 11, and at noon, Thursday, Feb. 12, in the Keathley University Center Theater. These events are part of Leadership Week 2009 presented by the Office of Leadership and Service. In addition, team students will take part in ”Family Feud” from 6:30-10 p.m. tomorrow night, Feb. 11, in Room S102 of the Business and Aerospace Building. Based on the television game show, it’s billed as “an evening of fun with friends with an educational twist.” And Vincent Windrow, director of the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs, will address the topic of “Breakthrough Thinking” at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 11, in Room 322 of the Keathley University Center. All these events are free and open to the public.

For more information, go to www.mtsu.edu/leadandserve.

Up and down arrows

Local consumers now have a more negative perception of the national economy and the job market than consumers in the nation as a whole. According to the latest Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Index, only 2 percent of respondents believe “business conditions in the U.S. are good” compared with 6 percent nationwide. Only 2 percent believe “jobs are easy to find” compared with 7 percent in the country as a whole. However, local consumers are more optimistic than the rest of the country in other areas. Thirty percent believe “six months from now, business conditions in the U.S. will be better” compared with 13 percent nationwide. And 19 percent believe “six months from now, there will be more job openings” compared with 9 percent in the country as a whole.

Contact Dr. Tim Graeff, director of the Office of Consumer Research, at 615-898-5124.
tgraeff@mtsu.edu

Flaky behavior?

In case it isn’t obvious to you why a man with his lips wrapped around a bong is being prohibited from selling cornflakes, Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, has this take on Kellogg’s dissolution of its endorsement deal with Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps. “Kellogg had little choice but to sever ties with Phelps,” says Roy. “Its products are based on promoting good health, and its target market is moms and children. Associating with someone who is perceived as a party guy (other photos and video help create that image), Kellogg cannot afford to risk its brand reputation further. A common theoretical explanation for how celebrity endorsements impact consumer behavior is that the image of the endorser transfers to the image of the brand being endorsed.”

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

TR EXTRA

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER--The Leadership Recruitment Fair is slated for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, Feb. 10, in the Keathley University Center. Information will be available on BOLT (Bettering Our Leaders for Tomorrow), Lightning Leadership Coordinators, Resident Assistants, Leadership Studies Minor, SOAs (Student Orientation Assistants), Up ‘Til Dawn, SGA (Student Government Association), Blue Elite, Student Ambassadors, Judicial Board and Student Programming Board. For more information, go to www.mtsu.edu/leadandserve.

STIMULUS PACKAGE—Today, Feb. 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, MTSU will partner with 15 area universities to host the College to Career Fair and Teacher Recruitment Fair. More than 120 employers will be recruiting for various full-time, degreed positions. A free ticket is required and a limited number are available at the Career Development Center in Room 328 of the Keathley University Center. Contact the Career Development Center at 615-898-2500 or career@mtsu.edu.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.--To help students dealing with high prices and tight budgets, the MTSU Off-Campus Housing Web site will waive its $25 fee for posting notices of apartments to be sublet effective immediately. The Web site (www.mtsuoffcampus.com) was created in November 2007 by the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in cooperation with Off-Campus Partners, a Virginia-based company providing services to nearly 30 universities. Property managers pay fees to post information such as location, price and type about apartments, condominiums and houses for rent and for sale. To make it easier for students to cut transportation costs, the Web site also features Carpool Central, a message board for people seeking rides to and from school; Ride Board, for rides wherever they want to go out of town; and a Roommate Matching message board. For more information, contact the Office of Off-Campus Student Services at 615-898-5989 or ocss@mtsu.edu.

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YOU HEAR?--The MTSU Department of Art’s Gallery at Todd Hall presents “Revisited,” an exhibit featuring the collective works of four of its retired faculty members, through Friday, Feb. 20. The artists whose work is being showcased are Ollie Fancher, who taught graphic design and drawing; Jim Gibson, sculpture; Klaus Kallenberger, jewelry; and David LeDoux, painting. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says these individuals “contributed a great deal to the Department of Art’s program and curriculum and have been asked to return to MTSU in honor of their hard work.” The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free and exhibits are open to the public. For more information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Take me to your leader

Feb. 9-13 is Leadership Week at MTSU. The Office of Leadership and Service is sponsoring programs and events each day including “Generation X and Y: How to be an Effective Leader No Matter What the Generation,” an address by Amanda Samsel, Coordinator of Judicial Affairs, at 4 p.m. today, Feb. 9, in Room S130A of the Business and Aerospace Building. This event is free and open to the public. The Leadership Recruitment Fair is slated for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 10, in the Keathley University Center. Information will be available on BOLT (Bettering Our Leaders for Tomorrow), Lightning Leadership Coordinators, Resident Assistants, Leadership Studies Minor, SOAs (Student Orientation Assistants), Up ‘Til Dawn, SGA (Student Government Association), Blue Elite, Student Ambassadors, Judicial Board and Student Programming Board.

For more information, go to www.mtsu.edu/leadandserve.

A vote of no confidence

Consumer confidence in Middle Tennessee is in the toilet. The overall Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Index compiled by the MTSU Office of Consumer Research fell from 4 in December 2008 to -66 (minus 66) in February 2009. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of the office, says, “The psychology of consumers can have dramatic effects on the future of the economy. Consumer spending makes up two-thirds of the American economy. Decreases in consumer confidence that translate into reduced purchasing patterns can have significant negative effects on the economy. Conversely, increases in consumer confidence that translate into accelerated consumer spending can have significant positive effects on the economy.”

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

From Columbia to Changsha

Columbia, Tenn., native Cory Brunson recently was selected to study abroad at Hunan Normal University in Changsha from mid-February through August. A junior majoring in political science with an emphasis in international relations at MTSU, Brunson will study Mandarin during the trip abroad. To date, Brunson has received three scholarships: $4,000 from The Benjamin Gilman International Scholarship, which is funded by the U.S. Department of State; $2,500 from The Freeman Asian Award, which is funded by the United Nations; and $2,000 from the MTSU Study Abroad program. Beginning in January 2010, Brunson also is slated to serve as an intern at the Tennessee State Capitol for the 2010 legislative session through a program with MTSU.

To interview Brunson, contact Lisa L. Rollins or Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

TR EXTRA

PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION--Baldwin Photographic Gallery is displaying an exhibit fearing photographs by Jim Stone, whose work has been exhibited and published internationally and is represented in the permanent collections of major museums. Stone has written or co-authored several books that are used as textbooks, and he currently teaches in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of New Mexico. Stone will deliver a lecture at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Feb. 9, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center with a reception to follow in the gallery. Hours for gallery viewing are Mon.-Fri. 8-4:30 p.m., Saturday from 12-4 p.m., and Sunday from 6-9:45 p.m. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. For more information, call 615-898-2085.

STIMULUS PACKAGE—Tomorrow, Feb. 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, MTSU will partner with 15 area universities to host the College to Career Fair and Teacher Recruitment Fair. More than 120 employers will be recruiting for various full-time, degreed positions. A free ticket is required and a limited number are available at the Career Development Center in Room 328 of the Keathley University Center. Contact the Career Development Center at 615-898-2500 or career@mtsu.edu.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.--To help students dealing with high prices and tight budgets, the MTSU Off-Campus Housing Web site will waive its $25 fee for posting notices of apartments to be sublet effective immediately. The Web site (www.mtsuoffcampus.com) was created in November 2007 by the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in cooperation with Off-Campus Partners, a Virginia-based company providing services to nearly 30 universities. Property managers pay fees to post information such as location, price and type about apartments, condominiums and houses for rent and for sale. To make it easier for students to cut transportation costs, the Web site also features Carpool Central, a message board for people seeking rides to and from school; Ride Board, for rides wherever they want to go out of town; and a Roommate Matching message board. For more information, contact the Office of Off-Campus Student Services at 615-898-5989 or ocss@mtsu.edu.

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YOU HEAR?--The MTSU Department of Art’s Gallery at Todd Hall presents “Revisited,” an exhibit featuring the collective works of four of its retired faculty members, through Friday, Feb. 20. The artists whose work is being showcased are Ollie Fancher, who taught graphic design and drawing; Jim Gibson, sculpture; Klaus Kallenberger, jewelry; and David LeDoux, painting. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says these individuals “contributed a great deal to the Department of Art’s program and curriculum and have been asked to return to MTSU in honor of their hard work.” The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free and exhibits are open to the public. For more information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, February 6, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Y’all come back now, you hear?

The MTSU Department of Art’s Gallery at Todd Hall presents “Revisited,” an exhibit featuring the collective works of four of its retired faculty members, through Friday, Feb. 20. The artists whose work is being showcased are Ollie Fancher, who taught graphic design and drawing; Jim Gibson, sculpture; Klaus Kallenberger, jewelry; and David LeDoux, painting. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says these individuals “contributed a great deal to the Department of Art’s program and curriculum and have been asked to return to MTSU in honor of their hard work.” The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free and exhibits are open to the public.

For more information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653.
esnyder@mtsu.edu

Read all about it

The Fox Reading Conference for Professional Development is slated for 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST tomorrow, Feb. 7, in Room S102 of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. The featured speaker will be Susan L. Hall, Ed.D., educational consultant and trainer and president of 95 Percent Group, Inc. Hall is the author of I’ve DIBEL’d, Now What? and Implementing Response to Intervention: A Principal’s Guide. Teachers and students in Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Lincoln, Marshall, Moore and Warren counties in Tennessee may view programs via satellite in their counties. The Webcast will be available at http://www.mtsu.edu/~itsc. This conference is sponsored by the Tom and Elizabeth Fox Endowment for Reading.

For more information, go to http://dyslexia.mtsu.edu.

Bucks abroad

What impact is the anemic economy having on Tennessee exports? In the Winter 2009 edition of Global Commerce, Dr. Steven Livingston writes that the state’s foreign sales in the third quarter were up nearly $700 million from a year ago. However, Tennessee still trails the rest of the nation. Livingston says, “Exports were strongest outside of North America and among those industries best able to benefit from the weaker dollar that characterized the first half of the year. Exports to Canada and Mexico were not as strong, in large part because they are concentrated in the automotive and computer sectors where the state has been having its problems over the past two years. Sales in Canada were up but by only $55 million, less than a 4 percent gain.”

Contact Livingston at 615-898-2720.
slivings@mtsu.edu

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MISSISSIPPI MUSINGS--Author and poet Beth Ann Fennelly and MTSU students will be featured in a poetry reading that will be open to the public at 4 p.m. today, Feb. 6, in Room 106 of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. A book signing with Fennelly and a reception, which are open to the public, will follow the poetry reading. Fennelly has published three books of poetry—Unmentionables (Norton, 2008), Tender Hooks (Norton, 2004) and Open House (Zoo Press, 2002)—and a book of letters, Great with Child (Norton, 2007). Her poems have appeared in Best American Poetry 2005 and Best American Poetry 2006. Fennelly lives in Oxford, Miss., and is an assistant professor of English at the University of Mississippi. For more information, contact Dr. Claudia Barnett at 615-898-2887 or cbarnett@mtsu.edu.

PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION--Baldwin Photographic Gallery is displaying an exhibit fearing photographs by Jim Stone, whose work has been exhibited and published internationally and is represented in the permanent collections of major museums. Stone has written or co-authored several books that are used as textbooks, and he currently teaches in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of New Mexico. Stone will deliver a lecture at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center with a reception to follow in the gallery. Hours for gallery viewing are Mon.-Fri. 8-4:30 p.m., Saturday from 12-4 p.m., and Sunday from 6-9:45 p.m. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. For more information, call 615-898-2085.

SEEING RED--Support the fight against heart disease in women by wearing red on National Wear Red Day, today, Feb. 6. The June Anderson Women’s Center will distribute red ribbons and educational information in the lobby of the Keathley University Center from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information, call the Women’s Center at 615-898-2913.

STIMULUS PACKAGE—On Tuesday, Feb. 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, MTSU will partner with 15 area universities to host the College to Career Fair and Teacher Recruitment Fair. More than 120 employers will be recruiting for various full-time, degreed positions. A free ticket is required and a limited number are available at the Career Development Center in Room 328 of the Keathley University Center. Contact the Career Development Center at 615-898-2500 or career@mtsu.edu.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.--To help students dealing with high prices and tight budgets, the MTSU Off-Campus Housing Web site will waive its $25 fee for posting notices of apartments to be sublet effective immediately. The Web site (www.mtsuoffcampus.com) was created in November 2007 by the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in cooperation with Off-Campus Partners, a Virginia-based company providing services to nearly 30 universities. Property managers pay fees to post information such as location, price and type about apartments, condominiums and houses for rent and for sale. To make it easier for students to cut transportation costs, the Web site also features Carpool Central, a message board for people seeking rides to and from school; Ride Board, for rides wherever they want to go out of town; and a Roommate Matching message board. For more information, contact the Office of Off-Campus Student Services at 615-898-5989 or ocss@mtsu.edu.