Friday, April 10, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Misery by the metrics

Preliminary figures posted by MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center show that the manufacturing sector and construction and mining sector took double-digit hits in the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro Metropolitan Statistical Area in February 2009. Construction and mining employment dropped 11.47 percent, and manufacturing employment fell 10.92 percent. Total nonfarm employment dropped 3.41 percent. In February of last year, 748,865 people were employed. That number sank to 723,023 in February 2009. The overall unemployment rate in February 2008 was 4.7 percent. In February 2009, it was 8.4 percent.

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

Trade in transition

“The current world economic crisis is shrinking world trade at an astounding pace,” says Dr. Steven Livingston, editor of Global Commerce. “As we look ahead to Tennessee’s trade in 2009, the global decline in exports to many of its significant export markets is nothing less than startling. January 2009 imports into almost all emerging market nations are down from a year ago, often 40 percent or more. Though this collapse of trade is not as severe as in the developed world, these numbers suggest a very difficult year is in store for state exporters.” Livingston says Tennessee managed a $3 million gain in exports to the United Kingdom last quarter, but exports to the entire European Union fell by just over $100 million.

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

“Language is the means of getting an idea from my brain into yours without surgery.”--Mark Amidon

For the seventh consecutive year, Dr. Shelley Thomas of the MTSU Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures will coordinate the Summer Language Institute for adults. Thomas will talk about this innovative teaching and learning experience at 7 a.m. this Sunday, April 12, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). The institute, hosted by the University School of Nashville and the O’More School of Design in Franklin, uses the Total Physical Response (TPS) method. TPS involves a variety of activities, including storytelling. To learn more, including specific information about dates and fees, go to www.acceleratedacquisition.com.

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

TR EXTRA

GO WITH THE AFROFLOW.--MTSU will host the groundbreaking national tour known as Afroflow, a mesmerizing intercultural stage performance combined with a powerful message, at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, on the University Honors College lawn. Afroflow emphasizes the overall wellness of the mind and body that can be embodied by and achieved through self-expression. The Detroit-based tour partners with the American Cancer Society, clothier Pelle Pelle and Fuze beverages. Slated to perform are Ethiopian-American artist, spoken word poet and actor Michael “MIKE-E” Ellison, Djembe drummer Sowande Keita, R&B vocalist Kenny Watson, and internationally known mixer DJ Invisible. This event is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Dr. Ramona DeSalvo at 615-898-5304 or rdesalvo@mtsu.edu.

PEDAL PUSHERS--Tomorrow, April 11, is the deadline for registering online for the 3rd annual Tour de Boro, a Century Cycling Event sponsored by the MTSU Department of Recreation and Leisure Services. The event is slated for Saturday, April 25. There are three routes—16.5 miles, 31 miles, and 57.5 miles. All routes are along scenic, low traffic back roads winding through southern Rutherford County. Participants may register online at www.mtsu.edu/~tdb for $25 through April 11; onsite registration on the day of the event is $35 beginning at 6 a.m. For more information, contact Crystal Barnett at 615-491-4398.

GET A CLUE!--MTSU is expanding its popular CSI: MTSU four-day program for students entering the 10th, 11th and 12th grades in Rutherford and surrounding counties. This year’s event is slated for June 16-19. The goals of CSI: MTSU are: to allow students to explore many unique career possibilities in forensic science; to provide a “real life” reasons to tackle higher level math and science courses; and to develop skills in teamwork, seeing and understanding details, critical thinking and presentation skills. The student investigators will be presented with a re-creation of an actual crime scene. Each student is trained in the fundamental processes of collecting evidence, including DNA, fingerprints, hair and fibers, simulated blood spatter, and shoe prints. For more information or to register, call 615-898-2462 or send an e-mail to eshockle@mtsu.edu.

TO THE SUN--The work of Boston photographer Stella Johnson is on display through April 16 at the Baldwin Photographic Gallery in MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The exhibit, titled “Al Sol,” is comprised of 30 black-and-white prints, each 24” by 36”. Johnson teaches at the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University and at Boston University. She was a Fulbright Scholar to Mexico in 2003-2004 and a Fulbright Senior Specialist to Mexico in 2006 for photographing and teaching, respectively. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 6:00-9:45 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, contact Tom Jimison at 615-898-2085 at tjimison@mtsu.edu.

THE ART OF THE DANCE--For the first time ever, the Black College Dance Exchange will be held at a university that is not an historically black college when the annual festival gets underway through Sunday, April 12, at MTSU. This year’s “Crossroads: Dancing with Legends” event will feature master classes for students, as well as a number of dance performances that will be open to the community. In addition, the prestigious Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Alvin Ailey II, a dance company universally renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the country’s best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding emerging choreographers. For more information, contact Angela Armstrong at 615-898-5847 or aarmstro@mtsu.edu. Tickets are available for purchase now. Contact Tucker Theatre at 615-494-8810.