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.