Monday, August 31, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“You better think, think about what you’re trying to do to me.”—Aretha Franklin and Ted White

If we as a society cherish education and encourage our children to do well in school, why do we make fun of intelligent students and call them names? This week, the first full week of classes at MTSU, “Today’s Response” presents a series on the ways that smart people are depicted in the movies. Dr. Scott Carnicom, associate dean of the University Honors College, sees smart people characterized in film in three rough categories: the traditional nerd, the highly intelligent as abnormal or sick and the intelligent hero. Why the stereotypes? Carnicom says, “It has been argued by many others that throughout the history of America we’ve had strong pockets of anti-intellectualism. We are a nation of people who fled oppression and sought the opportunity and egalitarianism of a new world. We’re all supposed to be equal. We don’t like it that some people are smarter than others or try to be more learned than others through education.”

Contact Carnicom at 615-494-7611.
carnicom@mtsu.edu

Getting to know us

Week of Welcome activities continue tomorrow, Sept. 1, and Wed., Sept. 2, with “Meet Murfreesboro” in the Keathley University Center courtyard and a performance by stand-up comic Ralphie May at 8 p.m. tomorrow night in Murphy Center. On Thursday, Sept. 3, it’s the MTSU Department Fair from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the courtyard, where free cookies and lemonade also will be available. The Blue Raider Bash will start at 5 o’clock Thursday night. On Tuesday, Sept. 8, the courtyard will be the venue for the Volunteer Fair from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The Student Organization Fair is slated for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9. From 8 p.m.-midnight on Friday, Sept. 11, it’s “Dance the Night Away” in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building.

Contact Randy Weiler in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.
jweiler@mtsu.edu

Brother, can you spare a job?

In the week ending Aug. 15, seasonally adjusted weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance in Tennessee was 11,596, down from 12,368 in the previous week. Before seasonal adjustment, initial claims declined to 7,495 for the week. The four-week moving average dropped to 12,079, the first decline in four weeks. Continued claims for unemployment insurance (insured unemployment after seasonal adjustment) are 101,131, down from 104,356 in the previous week. Before seasonal adjustment, continued claims dropped to 93,064 during the week. The four-week moving average declined to 104,040, the lowest level since February.

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

TR EXTRA

YOUKOSO! (WELCOME!) -- Dignitaries from Fukushima University, led by Vice President Shuji Shimizu, will visit MTSU through Thursday, Sept. 3, to explore expanding the universities’ existing relationship through student exchange. In addition, the educators will discuss ideas for the long-term planning of Fukushima’s Faculty of Economics and Business and Administration (FEBA). MTSU’s comprehensive partnership with the Japanese institution formally began with the signing of an agreement in 1996. “Fukushima University is one of the oldest international partners of MTSU with much collaborative faculty research in the past, but there has been little student exchange,” says Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, Advisor to the President and the Provost on Asian Affairs and professor emeritus of economics and finance. Contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

WHEN YOU YEARN TO LEARN--MTSU professors, past and present, will serve as some of the tour guides for the 19th annual “Adventures in Learning,” an interesting educational experience for persons age 50 and older, on four successive Mondays, Sept. 14, 21, and 28, and Oct. 5, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Topics to be explored include recreation, literature, country music, genealogy, technology, ethnicity and history. Classes will last from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:45 a.m. “Adventures in Learning” is made possible by a local interfaith coalition. The cost for all four weeks is $8 in advance or $10 after Sept. 2. Lunch reservations and payments must be made in advance of the classes. Lunch will be catered by Carolyn’s Creations, followed by forums on various items of civic interest. Contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to www.YEAHintheBoro.org, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

ART FROM THE HEART--The Todd Art Gallery at MTSU will present the art department’s 2009 biennial Faculty Art Exhibition today, Aug. 31, through Sept. 17. “This exhibit will feature works of art by faculty members as a way to introduce their work to art majors, the broader campus population and the community,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator, who adds that the artworks represented will vary in media and styles—from representational, abstract and non-objective to traditional media in a straightforward manner and mixed media with a “twist.” The gallery, which is located in the Todd Building on the MTSU campus, is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each Monday-Friday and is closed on state and university holidays. Admission is always free. Contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome!

Starting at 9 a.m. today, Aug. 28, the Student Leadership and Service-led We Haul will assist students moving into dormitories. Director Jackie Victory’s crew will perform the same service starting at 9 a.m. tomorrow, Aug. 29. School starts Aug. 29 (per Tennessee Board of Regents) for students taking Saturday classes, then Monday, Aug. 31, in earnest for undergraduate, graduate and online students taking courses to start the 2009-10 academic year at MTSU. The annual Week of Welcome, which starts on a weekend and includes two weeks of activities, features dinner and music at 6:30 tonight followed by the movie “The Dark Knight” in the Keathley University Center (KUC) courtyard; information booths from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. tomorrow with a dinner and street fair to follow at 6 p.m. in the KUC courtyard; and the University Convocation featuring speaker Michael Gates Gill in Murphy Center at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30.

Contact Randy Weiler in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.
jweiler@mtsu.edu

24K gold

MTSU’s combined fall enrollment to reach and surpass 24,000, which will be a record, by the time final totals are submitted to the Tennessee Board of Regents in mid-September. “We are hoping to manage an increase in enrollment of somewhere between two and three percent for this fall,” says Dr. Deb Sells, vice president for student affairs and vice provost for enrollment and academic services. “Across the U.S., numbers of high-school graduates are beginning to level off after a slight ‘boom’ in that group during the past several years, and we therefore expect a leveling off in the growth rate of our new freshman class.” MTSU’s fall 2008 headcount was 23,872—or 128 shy of 24,000 combined undergraduate and graduate students. This total was an increase of 626 students from fall 2007.

Contact Sells at 615-898-2440.
dsells@mtsu.edu

You bet your assertiveness!

So you think the First Amendment protects your right to curse if you’re so inclined, right? Well, that hasn’t stopped numerous localities across the country from passing laws against profanity or blasphemy in public. David Hudson, adjunct political science professor and First Amendment Center scholar, says in 1999, Timothy Boomer “hit a rock and took a spill while canoeing down the Rifle River. Upon resurfacing he let loose what a sheriff’s deputy characterized as three minutes of profanity within hearing distance of a father, mother and their two youngsters. Though a Michigan appeals court later tossed the conviction, Boomer remained known as ‘the cussing canoeist.’ He told the Associated Press in 2002, ‘I’m a little more careful about what I say in public these days.’”

Contact Hudson at 615-727-1342.
dhudson@fac.org

TR EXTRA

MASTER STROKE--MTSU is pleased to announce a new cohort program in Bedford County leading to a Master of Education degree in curriculum and instruction with an endorsement in reading. The program aims to help licensed classroom teachers in kindergarten through eighth grades in Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Lincoln, Marshall, Moore, Rutherford and White counties to gain additional specialized skills that are directly related to literacy. It will begin tomorrow, Aug. 29, and will be completed in spring 2010. A registration meeting is set for today, Aug. 28, at 4 p.m. at Central High School in Shelbyville. “This program provides qualified K-8 teachers with additional competencies directly related to the classroom and their students,” says Dr. Kathleen Burriss, elementary and special education professor, who will be the course instructor. Contact Burriss at 615-898-2323 or kburriss@mtsu.edu.

THE SOUND OF SUCCESS--Dr. Richard Barnet, professor of recording industry, will discuss the state of the music business and prospects for careers at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Aug. 30, on “MTSU On the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Barnet will explain many of the technological and economic changes in the profession, which has had to deal with the benefits and the challenges of digital downloading and the de-emphasis on using radio as a tool for promoting recordings. His areas of expertise include concert promotion and touring, recording industry ethics and special events production. With an enrollment that averages between 1,200 and 1,700 students per semester, MTSU’s Department of Recording Industry is one of the largest programs of its kind in the world. A new concentration in songwriting was added last year. Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

THE RAIDER WELCOME WAGON-- The MTSU student organization will distribute donated household items to international students at the Raiders for Christ building, 1105 E. Bell St. in Murfreesboro, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon tomorrow, Aug. 29. Sarah Johnson, director of Women’s Outreach for the organization, says donations are things that people would need to set up housekeeping. Some of them include furniture, pots and pans, dishes, mattresses, sheets, towels, crockpots, rice cookers, trash cans, shower curtains, umbrellas, and computers. Donations also may be made at the back and side entrances of the Raiders for Christ house after hours. For more information, contact Johnson at 615-896-1529 or sarahfjohnson@yahoo.com.

YOUKOSO! (WELCOME!) -- Dignitaries from Fukushima University, led by Vice President Shuji Shimizu, will visit MTSU tomorrow, Aug. 29, through Thursday, Sept. 3, to explore expanding the universities’ existing relationship through student exchange. In addition, the educators will discuss ideas for the long-term planning of Fukushima’s Faculty of Economics and Business and Administration (FEBA). MTSU’s comprehensive partnership with the Japanese institution formally began with the signing of an agreement in 1996. “Fukushima University is one of the oldest international partners of MTSU with much collaborative faculty research in the past, but there has been little student exchange,” says Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, Advisor to the President and the Provost on Asian Affairs and professor emeritus of economics and finance. Contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

WHEN YOU YEARN TO LEARN--MTSU professors, past and present, will serve as some of the tour guides for the 19th annual “Adventures in Learning,” an interesting educational experience for persons age 50 and older, on four successive Mondays, Sept. 14, 21, and 28, and Oct. 5, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Topics to be explored include recreation, literature, country music, genealogy, technology, ethnicity and history. Classes will last from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:45 a.m. “Adventures in Learning” is made possible by a local interfaith coalition. The cost for all four weeks is $8 in advance or $10 after Sept. 2. Lunch reservations and payments must be made in advance of the classes. Lunch will be catered by Carolyn’s Creations, followed by forums on various items of civic interest. Contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to www.YEAHintheBoro.org, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES--The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game will be held tomorrow, Aug. 29, to kickoff the football season. The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, 1140 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro. “Last year, almost 500 people attended Pigskin and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” says Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more. On-site parking will be available. Call 1-800-533-6878 for more information.

ART FROM THE HEART--The Todd Art Gallery at MTSU will present the art department’s 2009 biennial Faculty Art Exhibition Aug. 31 through Sept. 17. “This exhibit will feature works of art by faculty members as a way to introduce their work to art majors, the broader campus population and the community,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator, who adds that the artworks represented will vary in media and styles—from representational, abstract and non-objective to traditional media in a straightforward manner and mixed media with a “twist.” An opening reception for art faculty will be held from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, in the gallery. This event is free and open to the public. The gallery, which is located in the Todd Building on the MTSU campus, is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each Monday-Friday and is closed on state and university holidays. Admission is always free. Contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Addicted to stress

As much as we complain about stress, do we really seek it out for the “high” it provides? Dr. Phil Oliver, philosophy, says, “We Americans tend to think of the pursuit of happiness as our hallmark, but a case can be made for stress as our most distinctive national attainment. Natalie Angier writes of the ‘vicious stress loop’ endemic to our way of life. Stress is good to a point, when it moves us to respond to its objective sources and disable them. It is thus a key element in restoring the equilibrium necessary for that fabled pursuit of happiness. But we tend to get sidetracked before the ‘disabling’ can happen. But beware the zeal of pursuing relaxation too vigorously. That, too, can stress you out. … It really is pretty basic: exercise, eat right, and chill. Relax… but not so hard. If all the other rats will bear that in mind too, we’ll enjoy the race.”

Contact Oliver at 615-898-2050.
poliver@mtsu.edu

Master stroke

MTSU is pleased to announce a new cohort program in Bedford County leading to a Master of Education degree in curriculum and instruction with an endorsement in reading. The program aims to help licensed classroom teachers in kindergarten through eighth grades in Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Lincoln, Marshall, Moore, Rutherford and White counties to gain additional specialized skills that are directly related to literacy. It will begin Saturday, Aug. 29, and will be completed in spring 2010. A registration meeting is set for tomorrow, Aug. 28, at 4 p.m. at Central High School in Shelbyville. “This program provides qualified K-8 teachers with additional competencies directly related to the classroom and their students,” says Dr. Kathleen Burriss, elementary and special education professor, who will be the course instructor.

Contact Burriss at 615-898-2323.
kburriss@mtsu.edu

The sound of success

Dr. Richard Barnet, professor of recording industry, will discuss the state of the music business and prospects for careers at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Aug. 30, on “MTSU On the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Barnet will explain many of the technological and economic changes in the profession, which has had to deal with the benefits and the challenges of digital downloading and the de-emphasis on using radio as a tool for promoting recordings. His areas of expertise include concert promotion and touring, recording industry ethics and special events production. With an enrollment that averages between 1,200 and 1,700 students per semester, MTSU’s Department of Recording Industry is one of the largest programs of its kind in the world. A new concentration in songwriting was added last year.

Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

TR EXTRA

THE RAIDER WELCOME WAGON-- The MTSU student organization will distribute donated household items to international students at the Raiders for Christ building, 1105 E. Bell St. in Murfreesboro, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday, Aug. 29. Sarah Johnson, director of Women’s Outreach for the organization, says donations are things that people would need to set up housekeeping. Some of them include furniture, pots and pans, dishes, mattresses, sheets, towels, crockpots, rice cookers, trash cans, shower curtains, umbrellas, and computers. Donations also may be made at the back and side entrances of the Raiders for Christ house after hours. For more information, contact Johnson at 615-896-1529 or sarahfjohnson@yahoo.com.

YOUKOSO! (WELCOME!) -- Dignitaries from Fukushima University, led by Vice President Shuji Shimizu, will visit MTSU Aug. 29 through Sept. 3 to explore expanding the universities’ existing relationship through student exchange. In addition, the educators will discuss ideas for the long-term planning of Fukushima’s Faculty of Economics and Business and Administration (FEBA). MTSU’s comprehensive partnership with the Japanese institution formally began with the signing of an agreement in 1996. “Fukushima University is one of the oldest international partners of MTSU with much collaborative faculty research in the past, but there has been little student exchange,” says Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, Advisor to the President and the Provost on Asian Affairs and professor emeritus of economics and finance. Contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

WHEN YOU YEARN TO LEARN--MTSU professors, past and present, will serve as some of the tour guides for the 19th annual “Adventures in Learning,” an interesting educational experience for persons age 50 and older, on four successive Mondays, Sept. 14, 21, and 28, and Oct. 5, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Topics to be explored include recreation, literature, country music, genealogy, technology, ethnicity and history. Classes will last from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:45 a.m. “Adventures in Learning” is made possible by a local interfaith coalition. The cost for all four weeks is $8 in advance or $10 after Sept. 2. Lunch reservations and payments must be made in advance of the classes. Lunch will be catered by Carolyn’s Creations, followed by forums on various items of civic interest. Contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to www.YEAHintheBoro.org, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES--The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, to kickoff the football season. The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, 1140 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro. “Last year, almost 500 people attended Pigskin and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” says Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35. Attendees must pre-pay and reply by Wednesday, Aug. 26, to secure their tickets. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more. On-site parking will be available. Call 1-800-533-6878 for more information.

ART FROM THE HEART--The Todd Art Gallery at MTSU will present the art department’s 2009 biennial Faculty Art Exhibition Aug. 31 through Sept. 17. “This exhibit will feature works of art by faculty members as a way to introduce their work to art majors, the broader campus population and the community,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator, who adds that the artworks represented will vary in media and styles—from representational, abstract and non-objective to traditional media in a straightforward manner and mixed media with a “twist.” An opening reception for art faculty will be held from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, in the gallery. This event is free and open to the public. The gallery, which is located in the Todd Building on the MTSU campus, is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each Monday-Friday and is closed on state and university holidays. Admission is always free. Contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Sen. Edward Moore Kennedy (D-Mass.) (1932-2009)

Teddy Kennedy succumbed to brain cancer last night in Hyannisport, Mass., at the age of 77. Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and former chair of the Department of Political Science, says, “Love him or hate him, Ted Kennedy has been a lion of the Senate. One of the few Senate ‘show horses’ who was also a ‘work horse,’ Kennedy was often able to forge friendships with political enemies. Kennedy’s passing has special significance at a time when health care reform (one of Kennedy’s most persistent interests) remains at the top of the national agenda. President Lyndon B. Johnson used the passing of John F. Kennedy to get civil rights legislation adopted. It wouldn’t be surprising if President Barack Obama attempted to use Ted Kennedy’s passing to give a further push to health care legislation.”

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

Fifteen-yard penalty for blogging

The Southeastern Conference went on defense in response to the backlash from fans who were appalled by the SEC’s social media policy. Fans thought they would not be allowed to upload photos or comments about games, but league officials say the policy is aimed at content producers. The SEC is concerned because it has signed a 15-year, $2.25 billion deal with ESPN. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “Given the investment ESPN has made in SEC sports, it is imperative that the SEC implement policies that spell out what is and is not permissible in the social media realm. The stakes are too high to allow parties that do not have media rights to do an end-around and capture video or audio for distribution.” Roy says, while the league’s “initial announcement of the social media ban came across as very heavy-handed,” eventually “the conference got it right.”

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

Time to go?

Altering the established timetable for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq would be a mistake, says Dr. Sean Foley, history. In the spring 2009 edition of the Rutgers Law Record, Foley writes, “The continued presence of the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay alone is enough to give any Iraqi and American pause when considering the ramifications of the current agreement with Iraq. While there may be a host of valid reasons for modifying or delaying the plan for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq, it would nonetheless be wise to adhere as closely as possible to the timetables in the SOFA (status-of-forces agreement). Any deviation from it would lend credibility to those who opposed the agreement and arouse intense Iraqi suspicions about the influence of foreign armies in their country.”

Contact Foley at 615-904-8294.
sfoley@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

THE RAIDER WELCOME WAGON-- The MTSU student organization will distribute donated household items to international students at the Raiders for Christ building, 1105 E. Bell St. in Murfreesboro, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday, Aug. 29. Sarah Johnson, director of Women’s Outreach for the organization, says donations are things that people would need to set up housekeeping. Some of them include furniture, pots and pans, dishes, mattresses, sheets, towels, crockpots, rice cookers, trash cans, shower curtains, umbrellas, and computers. Donations also may be made at the back and side entrances of the Raiders for Christ house after hours. For more information, contact Johnson at 615-896-1529 or sarahfjohnson@yahoo.com.

YOUKOSO! (WELCOME!) -- Dignitaries from Fukushima University, led by Vice President Shuji Shimizu, will visit MTSU Aug. 29 through Sept. 3 to explore expanding the universities’ existing relationship through student exchange. In addition, the educators will discuss ideas for the long-term planning of Fukushima’s Faculty of Economics and Business and Administration (FEBA). MTSU’s comprehensive partnership with the Japanese institution formally began with the signing of an agreement in 1996. “Fukushima University is one of the oldest international partners of MTSU with much collaborative faculty research in the past, but there has been little student exchange,” says Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, Advisor to the President and the Provost on Asian Affairs and professor emeritus of economics and finance. Contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

WHEN YOU YEARN TO LEARN--MTSU professors, past and present, will serve as some of the tour guides for the 19th annual “Adventures in Learning,” an interesting educational experience for persons age 50 and older, on four successive Mondays, Sept. 14, 21, and 28, and Oct. 5, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Topics to be explored include recreation, literature, country music, genealogy, technology, ethnicity and history. Classes will last from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:45 a.m. “Adventures in Learning” is made possible by a local interfaith coalition. The cost for all four weeks is $8 in advance or $10 after Sept. 2. Lunch reservations and payments must be made in advance of the classes. Lunch will be catered by Carolyn’s Creations, followed by forums on various items of civic interest. Contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to www.YEAHintheBoro.org, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES--The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, to kickoff the football season. The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, 1140 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro. “Last year, almost 500 people attended Pigskin and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” says Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35. Attendees must pre-pay and reply by today, Aug. 26, to secure their tickets. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more. On-site parking will be available. Call 1-800-533-6878 for more information.

ART FROM THE HEART--The Todd Art Gallery at MTSU will present the art department’s 2009 biennial Faculty Art Exhibition Aug. 31 through Sept. 17. “This exhibit will feature works of art by faculty members as a way to introduce their work to art majors, the broader campus population and the community,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator, who adds that the artworks represented will vary in media and styles—from representational, abstract and non-objective to traditional media in a straightforward manner and mixed media with a “twist.” An opening reception for art faculty will be held from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, in the gallery. This event is free and open to the public. The gallery, which is located in the Todd Building on the MTSU campus, is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each Monday-Friday and is closed on state and university holidays. Admission is always free. Contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Tuesday, August 24, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“Once you’ve spent two years trying to wiggle one toe, everything is in proportion.”—Franklin D. Roosevelt

Polio is making a comeback. The United Nations reports that the polio virus is spreading to children in Pakistan through infected Afghan refugees, and they’re not the only ones who are suffering. Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “Unfortunately, beginning in northern Nigeria in 2003, a new strain of the virus has now spread to at least 16 countries. … Indonesia has long been a producer of polio vaccine for the region and thought it had treated its last case of childhood polio in 1985. But that was before some Muslim leaders, for reasons that I cannot fathom, began spreading the big lie that the vaccine was created to spread AIDS among Moslems and sterilize Muslim girls.”

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

Homes sweet homes

In Nashville and Knoxville, home sales rose in the second economic quarter in Tennessee. The MTSU Business and Economic Research Center says that’s the first quarterly increase since 2005. According to the BERC’s Tennessee Housing Market, “Memphis area sales continue to drop. Sales of new and existing homes rose 6.4 percent in Nashville and 3.6 percent in Knoxville but fell in Memphis. Increased home sales can be attributed to a combination of factors including very low mortgage rates, increases in the loan limits from FHA-backed loans, lower housing prices, and the $8,000 tax credit for new home buyers.”

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

Figures lie and liars figure.

Sometimes the kind of math you see in the newspaper just doesn’t make any sense. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says, “I was reading in the sports pages the other day that one football team was a five-and-a-half-point favorite. Now, just stop to think about that for a moment: five-and-one-half points. How in the world do you score half a point in football? Maybe the handicappers will allow you a half point if a field goal attempt bounces off the goal post. … In 1977, the year Elvis Presley died, there were 170 Elvis impersonators. There are now about 85,000. That means that by the year 2019 more than one-third of the world’s population will be Elvis impersonators. I can hardly wait.”

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

TR EXTRA

THE RAIDER WELCOME WAGON--If you never got around to having that yard sale this summer, or if you have those things left over from the yard sale you conducted, Raiders for Christ is ready to take those things off your hands. The MTSU student organization is collecting practical household items through today, Aug. 25, for international students. Members will distribute the items at the Raiders for Christ building, 1105 E. Bell St. in Murfreesboro, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday, Aug. 29. Sarah Johnson, director of Women’s Outreach for the organization, says donations should be things that people would need to set up housekeeping. Some of the items the group is seeking include furniture, pots and pans, dishes, mattresses, sheets, towels, crockpots, rice cookers, trash cans, shower curtains, umbrellas, and computers. Donations also may be made at the back and side entrances of the Raiders for Christ house after hours. For more information, contact Johnson at 615-896-1529 or sarahfjohnson@yahoo.com.

YOUKOSO! (WELCOME!) -- Dignitaries from Fukushima University, led by Vice President Shuji Shimizu, will visit MTSU Aug. 29 through Sept. 3 to explore expanding the universities’ existing relationship through student exchange. In addition, the educators will discuss ideas for the long-term planning of Fukushima’s Faculty of Economics and Business and Administration (FEBA). MTSU’s comprehensive partnership with the Japanese institution formally began with the signing of an agreement in 1996. “Fukushima University is one of the oldest international partners of MTSU with much collaborative faculty research in the past, but there has been little student exchange,” says Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, Advisor to the President and the Provost on Asian Affairs and professor emeritus of economics and finance. Contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

WHEN YOU YEARN TO LEARN--MTSU professors, past and present, will serve as some of the tour guides for the 19th annual “Adventures in Learning,” an interesting educational experience for persons age 50 and older, on four successive Mondays, Sept. 14, 21, and 28, and Oct. 5, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Topics to be explored include recreation, literature, country music, genealogy, technology, ethnicity and history. Classes will last from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:45 a.m. “Adventures in Learning” is made possible by a local interfaith coalition. The cost for all four weeks is $8 in advance or $10 after Sept. 2. Lunch reservations and payments must be made in advance of the classes. Lunch will be catered by Carolyn’s Creations, followed by forums on various items of civic interest. Contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to www.YEAHintheBoro.org, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES--The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, to kickoff the football season. The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, 1140 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro. “Last year, almost 500 people attended Pigskin and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” says Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35. Attendees must pre-pay and reply by Wednesday, Aug. 26, to secure their tickets. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more. On-site parking will be available. Call 1-800-533-6878 for more information.

ART FROM THE HEART--The Todd Art Gallery at MTSU will present the art department’s 2009 biennial Faculty Art Exhibition Aug. 31 through Sept. 17. “This exhibit will feature works of art by faculty members as a way to introduce their work to art majors, the broader campus population and the community,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator, who adds that the artworks represented will vary in media and styles—from representational, abstract and non-objective to traditional media in a straightforward manner and mixed media with a “twist.” An opening reception for art faculty will be held from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, in the gallery. This event is free and open to the public. The gallery, which is located in the Todd Building on the MTSU campus, is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each Monday-Friday and is closed on state and university holidays. Admission is always free. Contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

More matriculation for your moolah

Forbes magazine’s 2009 “America’s Best Colleges” survey recently ranked MTSU among the top 50 schools in the nation for being a “Best Buy” in higher education. That’s an institution that delivers the greatest return on investment by a student or his or her parents. Additionally, in the category of “Best Colleges and Universities in America,” among 600 schools included in the evaluation, MTSU ranked as the top public institution in Tennessee and was in the top 100 public universities in the nation. Universities recognized in this category were evaluated on a variety of factors, including entries in “Who’s Who in America,” faculty salary data, course evaluations, awards received by students and faculty and graduation rates.

Contact Tom Tozer at 615-898-2919 or Dr. Tonjanita Johnson at 615-494-7800.

Hoo-Ray!

The MTSU Department of Political Science is proud to announce that this year’s Charles R. Ray Scholarship is awarded to Danielle Mitchell of Spring Hill, Tenn. Eighteen-year-old Danielle, daughter of Eliot and Becky Mitchell, is a graduate of Page High School in Franklin. During her high school years, she was active in volleyball, drama and Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) and excelled in advance placement classes in calculus, history, English and statistics. “Both of my parents went to MTSU,” says Danielle. “I was worried at first about how big it was, but after I visited the campus, I saw that it had a really good program.” The Charles R. Ray Scholarship is presented annually to a student who intends to major in political science with a concentration in pre-law.

Contact the Department of Political Science at 615-898-2708.

The Raider Welcome Wagon

If you never got around to having that yard sale this summer, or if you have those things left over from the yard sale you conducted, Raiders for Christ is ready to take those things off your hands. The MTSU student organization is collecting practical household items through tomorrow, Aug. 25, for international students. Members will distribute the items at the Raiders for Christ building, 1105 E. Bell St. in Murfreesboro, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday, Aug. 29. Sarah Johnson, director of Women’s Outreach for the organization, says donations should be things that people would need to set up housekeeping. Some of the items the group is seeking include furniture, pots and pans, dishes, mattresses, sheets, towels, crockpots, rice cookers, trash cans, shower curtains, umbrellas, and computers. Donations also may be made at the back and side entrances of the Raiders for Christ house after hours.

For more information, contact Johnson at 615-896-1529.
sarahfjohnson@yahoo.com

TR EXTRA

YOUKOSO! (WELCOME!) -- Dignitaries from Fukushima University, led by Vice President Shuji Shimizu, will visit MTSU Aug. 29 through Sept. 3 to explore expanding the universities’ existing relationship through student exchange. In addition, the educators will discuss ideas for the long-term planning of Fukushima’s Faculty of Economics and Business and Administration (FEBA). MTSU’s comprehensive partnership with the Japanese institution formally began with the signing of an agreement in 1996. “Fukushima University is one of the oldest international partners of MTSU with much collaborative faculty research in the past, but there has been little student exchange,” says Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, Advisor to the President and the Provost on Asian Affairs and professor emeritus of economics and finance. Contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

WHEN YOU YEARN TO LEARN--MTSU professors, past and present, will serve as some of the tour guides for the 19th annual “Adventures in Learning,” an interesting educational experience for persons age 50 and older, on four successive Mondays, Sept. 14, 21, and 28, and Oct. 5, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Topics to be explored include recreation, literature, country music, genealogy, technology, ethnicity and history. Classes will last from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:45 a.m. “Adventures in Learning” is made possible by a local interfaith coalition. The cost for all four weeks is $8 in advance or $10 after Sept. 2. Lunch reservations and payments must be made in advance of the classes. Lunch will be catered by Carolyn’s Creations, followed by forums on various items of civic interest. Contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to www.YEAHintheBoro.org, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES--The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, to kickoff the football season. The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, 1140 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro. “Last year, almost 500 people attended Pigskin and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” says Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35. Attendees must pre-pay and reply by Wednesday, Aug. 26, to secure their tickets. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more. On-site parking will be available. Call 1-800-533-6878 for more information.

ART FROM THE HEART--The Todd Art Gallery at MTSU will present the art department’s 2009 biennial Faculty Art Exhibition Aug. 31 through Sept. 17. “This exhibit will feature works of art by faculty members as a way to introduce their work to art majors, the broader campus population and the community,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator, who adds that the artworks represented will vary in media and styles—from representational, abstract and non-objective to traditional media in a straightforward manner and mixed media with a “twist.” An opening reception for art faculty will be held from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, in the gallery. This event is free and open to the public. The gallery, which is located in the Todd Building on the MTSU campus, is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each Monday-Friday and is closed on state and university holidays. Admission is always free. Contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“What’s the bottom line?”—Drue Smith

It’s not always easy to determine from the various economic indicators whether the recession is on the rise, on the wane or stagnant. In the latest edition of Tennessee Housing Market, published by MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, economists conclude, “Tennessee’s economy continued to contract during the second quarter but not as severely as the first quarter. Although overall trends are negative, conditions are definitely improving in the housing market, as both construction and sales show signs that the worst may be over. As long as mortgage rates remain low and consumers slowly regain confidence, continued gradual improvement in the housing market can be expected. More robust growth for the housing market depends on sustained job growth, which for the present appears to be in the distant future.”

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

Go WISTEM, young woman

Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, chemistry professor, and Cacy DeSheles, assistant director of Girls Raised in Tennessee Science (GRITS), will discuss educational opportunities for women interested in math and science careers at 7 a.m. this Sunday, August 23, on “MTSU On the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Iriarte-Gross and DeSheles are key players in the consolidation of campus organizations that promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics for women under one center, WISTEM (Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

Youkoso (Welcome!)

Dignitaries from Fukushima University, led by Vice President Shuji Shimizu, will visit MTSU Aug. 29 through Sept. 3 to explore expanding the universities’ existing relationship through student exchange. In addition, the educators will discuss ideas for the long-term planning of Fukushima’s Faculty of Economics and Business and Administration (FEBA). MTSU’s comprehensive partnership with the Japanese institution formally began with the signing of an agreement in 1996. “Fukushima University is one of the oldest international partners of MTSU with much collaborative faculty research in the past, but there has been little student exchange,” says Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, Advisor to the President and the Provost on Asian Affairs and professor emeritus of economics and finance.

Contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081.
gklogue@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

WHEN YOU YEARN TO LEARN--MTSU professors, past and present, will serve as some of the tour guides for the 19th annual “Adventures in Learning,” an interesting educational experience for persons age 50 and older, on four successive Mondays, Sept. 14, 21, and 28, and Oct. 5, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Topics to be explored include recreation, literature, country music, genealogy, technology, ethnicity and history. Classes will last from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:45 a.m. “Adventures in Learning” is made possible by a local interfaith coalition. The cost for all four weeks is $8 in advance or $10 after Sept. 2. Lunch reservations and payments must be made in advance of the classes. Lunch will be catered by Carolyn’s Creations, followed by forums on various items of civic interest. Contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to http://www.yeahintheboro.org/, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES--The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, to kickoff the football season. The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, 1140 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro. “Last year, almost 500 people attended Pigskin and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” says Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35. Attendees must pre-pay and reply by Wednesday, Aug. 26, to secure their tickets. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more. On-site parking will be available. Call 1-800-533-6878 for more information.

ART FROM THE HEART--The Todd Art Gallery at MTSU will present the art department’s 2009 biennial Faculty Art Exhibition Aug. 31 through Sept. 17. “This exhibit will feature works of art by faculty members as a way to introduce their work to art majors, the broader campus population and the community,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator, who adds that the artworks represented will vary in media and styles—from representational, abstract and non-objective to traditional media in a straightforward manner and mixed media with a “twist.” An opening reception for art faculty will be held from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, in the gallery. This event is free and open to the public. The gallery, which is located in the Todd Building on the MTSU campus, is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each Monday-Friday and is closed on state and university holidays. Admission is always free. Contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Tax facts

Not surprisingly, taxes on new mortgages and real estate transactions were down in the first quarter in Tennessee. According to MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, “Mortgage tax collections fell 5.4 percent after seasonal adjustments but remain above the low reached during the fourth quarter of 2008. Collections for the real estate transfer tax fell for the eighth consecutive quarter, although the second quarter decline was the smallest since 2007. In general, the trend for both indicators shows improvement, although activity remains far from robust.”

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

Art from the heart

The Todd Art Gallery at MTSU will present the art department’s 2009 biennial Faculty Art Exhibition beginning Aug. 31 through Sept. 17. “This exhibit will feature works of art by faculty members as a way to introduce their work to art majors, the broader campus population and the community,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator, who adds that the artworks represented will vary in media and styles—from representational, abstract and non-objective to traditional media in a straightforward manner and mixed media with a “twist.” An opening reception for art faculty will be held from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, in the gallery. This event is free and open to the public. The gallery, which is located in the Todd Building on the MTSU campus, is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each Monday-Friday and is closed on state and university holidays. Admission is always free.

Contact Snyder at 615-898-5653.
esnyder@mtsu.edu

What women want

A study by the women’s social networking site She’s Connected finds that 71 percent of respondents said they use social networking to build a professional network was the most important reason. Sixty-two percent said they use it to keep in touch with friends. Fifty-six percent say they use it to promote a business. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “Marketers should take note of these findings as they develop social networking tools that target women. A one-size-fits-all approach to product development rarely works in any industry, and social networking is no exception. Understanding why women use social networking Web sites is a necessary first step in effectively reaching them via this channel.”

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

TR EXTRA

WHEN YOU YEARN TO LEARN--MTSU professors, past and present, will serve as some of the tour guides for the 19th annual “Adventures in Learning,” an interesting educational experience for persons age 50 and older, on four successive Mondays, Sept. 14, 21, and 28, and Oct. 5, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Topics to be explored include recreation, literature, country music, genealogy, technology, ethnicity and history. Classes will last from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:45 a.m. “Adventures in Learning” is made possible by a local interfaith coalition. The cost for all four weeks is $8 in advance or $10 after Sept. 2. Lunch reservations and payments must be made in advance of the classes. Lunch will be catered by Carolyn’s Creations, followed by forums on various items of civic interest. Contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to http://www.yeahintheboro.org/, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES--The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, to kickoff the football season. The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, 1140 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro. “Last year, almost 500 people attended Pigskin and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” says Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35. Attendees must pre-pay and reply by Wednesday, Aug. 26, to secure their tickets. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more. On-site parking will be available. Call 1-800-533-6878 for more information.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Underwater and upside down

Tennessee saw a large increase in mortgages past due and new foreclosures in the first quarter of 2009. However, researchers at MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) point out that the state continues to compare well with the nation as a whole. “Mortgages past due as a percentage of all mortgages rose more than one percentage point, from 9.08 to 10.15 in the first quarter, the largest increase since 1988,” according to Tennessee Housing Market, a BERC publication. “The current inventory of foreclosed homes rose to 1.95 percent of mortgages, the highest figure for at least the past 30 years. Still, Tennessee foreclosures remain well behind the United States, with new foreclosures started in the quarter at 1.33 percent and an inventory of 3.79 percent of all mortgages in foreclosure at the end of the quarter.”

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

When you yearn to learn

MTSU professors, past and present, will serve as some of the tour guides for the 19th annual “Adventures in Learning,” an interesting educational experience for persons age 50 and older, on four successive Mondays, Sept. 14, 21, and 28, and Oct. 5, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Topics to be explored include recreation, literature, country music, genealogy, technology, ethnicity and history. Classes will last from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:45 a.m. “Adventures in Learning” is made possible by a local interfaith coalition. The cost for all four weeks is $8 in advance or $10 after Sept. 2. Lunch reservations and payments must be made in advance of the classes. Lunch will be catered by Carolyn’s Creations, followed by forums on various items of civic interest.

Contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

Hello, sports fans!

MTSU athletic department officials signed a one-year formal agreement Aug. 12 with 100,000-watt WMOT-FM (89.5), making the campus radio station the originating outlet for Blue Raider football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball. Highlights of the agreement include broadcast of all 12 regular season football games and airing of “The Rick Stockstill Show;” broadcast of all men’s basketball games and airing of “The Kermit Davis Show;” broadcast of all women’s basketball games and airing of “The Rick Insell Show;” and broadcast of all 18 baseball games. Director of Athletics Chris Massaro says, “This strengthens the campus relationship. It’ll be great for our athletic program, having more games on the 100,000-watt station, where everybody in middle Tennessee can pick it up.”

Contact Randy Weiler in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5616.
jweiler@mtsu.edu

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SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to www.YEAHintheBoro.org, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES--The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, to kickoff the football season. The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, 1140 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro. “Last year, almost 500 people attended Pigskin and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” says Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35. Attendees must pre-pay and reply by Wednesday, Aug. 26, to secure their tickets. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more. On-site parking will be available. Call 1-800-533-6878 for more information.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Selling your dwelling

The housing market in Tennessee might be reaching a turning point. An analysis from the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center states, “Figures from the second quarter offer additional evidence that this is indeed the case. For example, single-family permits rose 7.3 percent from the first quarter, the second consecutive quarterly increase. … Multi-family permits continued to decline, however, but total permits (single-family plus multi-family) broke even with the first quarter. Tennessee’s single-family permit growth outdistanced that of the South (2.0 percent gain) and the United States (3.3 percent increase). Total permits for Tennessee are unchanged from the previous quarter, compared with a 1.7 percent decline for the South and a drop of 2.1 percent for the United States.”

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

Don’t take the brown acid.

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the final day of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, the freedom festival that came to characterize the counterculture of the 1960s. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says, “Today most members of Woodstock Nation are more than half a century old, and most of us look back with mixed feelings at the summer of peace and love. It was filled with controversy (the war in Vietnam), a sense of promise (that walk on the moon) and a thrill of hope (Woodstock itself). But now the bongs have disappeared as coffee table accessories, the embroidered gauze shirts and tie-dyed tees are in the back of the closet and the psychedelic posters are fetching high prices on eBay. But we can still sing along with Crosby, Stills and Nash, even if they are playing at a nearby casino instead of Yasgur’s farm, and we can still look back with fondness at the innocence and promise of that not-so-long ago era.”

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

How sweet it ain’t!

The sweetness index of aspartame is 160, which means that a mixture of aspartame and water will taste 160 times sweeter than an equally concentrated mixture of sugar and water. However, not everyone can consume aspartame, which is known by the brand name Nutrasweet. Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “Digestion of the tiny amounts of aspartame that are in diet soft drinks produces harmless amounts of methanol, but it also produces the phenylalanine it was made from. This can cause health problems for people who have the genetic disorder called phenylketonuria, or PKU. Inherited in a recessive fashion, affected people lack the enzyme needed to break this amino acid down to smaller molecules.”

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

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SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to http://www.yeahintheboro.org/, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES--The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, to kickoff the football season. The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, 1140 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro. “Last year, almost 500 people attended Pigskin and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” says Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35. Attendees must pre-pay and reply by Wednesday, Aug. 26, to secure their tickets. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more. On-site parking will be available. Call 1-800-533-6878 for more information.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

And at the end of the second quarter, the score is …

It will come as no surprise that the second quarter numbers for the Tennessee economy are discouraging. According to MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, “Over the year ending in June, six of 10 lost payroll jobs occurred in the goods-producing industries (construction and manufacturing). Only the health care industry generated new jobs during the second quarter. Increasing job losses moved the unemployment rate to 10.5 percent in the second quarter with the number unemployed averaging nearly 318,000. By contrast, the first quarter unemployment rate was 9.1 percent and unemployment was 276,000. Rural areas have been hit particularly hard by manufacturing job losses as factory jobs represent a larger portion of payrolls in the rural counties than in urban areas.”

Contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2616.

Defending the right to be stupid

What happens when people with historically inaccurate and morally offensive views spout those views on social networking Web sites? Holocaust deniers are among those who are using social networking platforms to spread their anti-Semitism. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says, “Personally, I think we need to give even more exposure to extremists on both the right and the left. We need to let them have their say. And if what they have to say makes you uncomfortable, more power to them. Maybe then more people will take the time to figure out why those folks are wrong. Freedom of speech is there to enhance debate in an effort to improve society. And debate means using reasoned arguments—facts and not opinions—and a willingness to listen to the other side.”

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

High Volt-age

General Motors unveiled its Chevrolet Volt hybrid vehicle last week with boasts of an amazing highway MPG rating of 230. This signals a new approach by GM’s CEO Fritz Henderson. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “The corporate GM brand will be downplayed as most resources will be directed toward the four remaining GM brands (Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GM) and the various models that are subbrands of the four brands. This move is appropriate. There is not a great deal to be gained by promoting the GM brand today. It carries a great deal of negative baggage. Greater consumer interest will likely exist for the different GM nameplates, not the parent brand.”

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

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SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to www.YEAHintheBoro.org, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES--The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, to kickoff the football season. The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, 1140 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro. “Last year, almost 500 people attended Pigskin and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” says Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35. Attendees must pre-pay and reply by Wednesday, Aug. 26, to secure their tickets. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more. On-site parking will be available. Call 1-800-533-6878 for more information.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

God is love.

Why does religion sometimes tear us apart when it is meant to bring us together? Dr. Phil Oliver, philosophy, writes, “It is time for the reasonable adherents of all faiths to find the courage and stamina to reverse the tradition that honors helpless love of God—in any tradition. Far from being honorable, it is not even excusable. It is shameful. Here is what we should say to people who follow such a tradition: there is only one way to respect the substance of any purported Gov-given moral edict. Consider is conscientiously in the full light of reason, using all the evidence at our command. No God pleased by displays of unreasoning love is worthy of worship."

Contact Oliver at 615-898-2050.
poliver@mtsu.edu

Virtual reality

MTSU will present a sneak peek at its new online virtual tour today, Aug. 14, at 9 a.m. in the fourth floor conference room of the James E. Walker Library. Dr. Tonjanita Johnson, associate vice president of marketing and communication, with technical assistance from Barbara Draude, assistant vice president for academic and instructional technology, will be the presenters. Both have been part of the committee involved with the planning and development of this yearlong project. They will explain the virtual tour’s features, show the online product and field questions from those assembled. The virtual tour will be launched officially on Monday, Aug. 17. Media welcomed.

Contact the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

Football festivities

The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, to kickoff the football season. The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, 1140 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro. “Last year, almost 500 people attended Pigskin and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” says Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35. Attendees must pre-pay and reply by Wednesday, Aug. 26, to secure their tickets. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more. On-site parking will be available.

Call 1-800-533-6878 for more information.

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NO GREATER LOVE--Greghri Love’s mother was a prostitute. His father was a convict. Both parents were addicted to drugs. With Greghri’s father in prison, the boy’s stand-in father was his mother’s pimp. After Greghri was shuttled off to foster care, his testimony sent his mother to prison. In spite of all this, Greghri earned college degrees. He became a teacher and an advocate for child abuse awareness. MTSU alumnus Greghri Love will tell his story to Gina Logue at 7 a.m. this Sunday, August 16, on “MTSU On the Record” on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Greghri Love is the author of There is an Urgency, the compelling, yet often horrifying chronicle of the physical and sexual abuse he endured throughout his childhood and his ordeal to overcome its impact on his psyche so that others could benefit from the lessons of his struggle. Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to http://www.yeahintheboro.org/, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

No greater Love

Greghri Love’s mother was a prostitute. His father was a convict. Both parents were addicted to drugs. With Greghri’s father in prison, the boy’s stand-in father was his mother’s pimp. After Greghri was shuttled off to foster care, his testimony sent his mother to prison. In spite of all this, Greghri earned college degrees in art education and special education. He became a teacher and an advocate for child abuse awareness. MTSU alumnus Greghri Love will tell his story to Gina Logue at 7 a.m. this Sunday, August 16, on “MTSU On the Record” on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Greghri Love is the author of There is an Urgency, the compelling, yet often horrifying chronicle of the physical and sexual abuse he endured throughout his childhood and his ordeal to overcome its impact on his psyche so that others could benefit from the lessons of his struggle.

Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

Central Kast-ing

Lt. Col. Tharrel “T.K.” Kast is the newest professor of military science at MTSU. The Pensacola, Fla., native is the former operations officer in the 1st Theater Sustainment Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. On Aug. 7, Kast presided at the department’s commissioning ceremony, one of his first official acts on the job. He told those attending that under his leadership, he hopes to keep MTSU’s ROTC program among the nation’s elite and continue the string of general officers from the MTSU cadet corps. “These are the future Army leaders,” Kast says. ”We have cadets here who will be in the National Guard, Reserve and active duty. With my past experience in all three components, I think I can talk to these guys and tell them where they’re at.”

Contact the Department of Military Science at 615-898-2470.

Let freedom tweet

Iran tried to shut off social networking sites during violent government crackdowns on demonstrators in June, but messages got through to the rest of the world and were uploaded onto the Internet through cell phones. Twitter became a news source. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says, “One of my favorite philosophers and media pundits, Princess Leia Organa, once said, ‘The more you tighten your grip, the more they will slip through your fingers.’ In the past, it was fairly easy to literally cut communications lines, take over radio stations, and stop newspaper presses. But the Internet and the myriad of social networking sites are now making such control impossible. And, what may perhaps be even more important, when governments try to implement such measures, it simply generates more and more news.”

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

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SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to www.YEAHintheBoro.org, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Sound and vision

Most CDs don’t provide much for the consumer to look at. Cover art is a dying craft, according to Dr. Mike Alleyne, recording industry. “The 21st century won’t be like the ‘70s, which introduced some of the most iconic cover designs in the history of popular music,” Alleyne writes. “There are now more electronic distractions than ever, and the idea of playing an entire album while scrutinizing cover art and reading liner notes is becoming more archaic by the day. That hurts bands in a very real way. While neither Aerosmith nor AC/DC are known for the subtlety of their music or album covers, their iconic logos probably help account for their popularity their brand recognition and ultimately their lucrative ‘Guitar Hero’ and ‘Rock Band’ games. And the creative identities of record labels like ECM, Fania and Factory were so well communicated visually that they remain part of our collective subconscious.”

Contact Alleyne at 615-904-8336.
dr.mike.alleyne@gmail.com

Caught with their hands in the cookie jar

Wal-Mart has begun selling cookies that have a certain similarity to some brands of Girl Scout cookies. While some have criticized the corporate giant for this, Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, sees it as reasonable. “Girl Scout cookies are sold for one to two months out of the year, leaving a void of 11 to 12 months,” Roy says. “If Wal-Mart’s products are intended to be like Girl Scout cookies, is Wal-Mart perhaps filling an unmet need? Quality is also an issue. If the knock-off versions of the cookies do not pass the taste test with consumers, the products will not be successful. Most importantly, a stark contrast exists between the mission of Wal-Mart and the Girl Scouts. People will continue to buy cookies to support the Girl Scout cause. Cookie sales are a Girl Scout tradition, and no imitation product can match the Girl Scout marketing combination of great taste, worthy cause and massive sales network.”

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

Arabian angst

Dr. Sean Foley, history professor and author of the forthcoming book The Arab Gulf States: When Oil is Not Enough, writes for the spring 2009 Rutgers Law Record that Saudi Arabia is antsy about the continuing presence of American soldiers in the region. “Throughout the 1990s, Osama bin Laden manipulated Saudi unease by insisting that the presence of U.S. soldiers in Saudi Arabia justified terrorist attacks within the Saudi kingdom,” writes Foley. “He argued that the troops who were originally opposed to leave Saudi Arabia shortly after the Gulf War in 1991, but actually stayed for many years, threatened the kingdom’s sovereignty. Bin Laden also argued that the U.S. soldiers’ proximity to the Saudi cities of Mecca and Medina, Islam’s two holiest cities, threatened the security of all Muslims.”

Contact Foley at 615-904-8294.
sfoley@mtsu.edu

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SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin September 5th. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to www.YEAHintheBoro.org, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.