Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Me, myself and I

How do you define your “self?” Some people define it as the body. Others define it as the soul. Others say it is one’s ego or individuality. Dr. Phil Oliver, philosophy, says, “Buddhists, for example, say the self is a construction built of relations. Take those away and literally nothing’s left. Others agree that the notion of a substantial self is illusory, thus disagreeing with (Rene) Descartes and his res cogitans. The ‘thinking thing’ may be nothing at all. But if self-hood is a process, does that make it unreal? Do you then vanish in a puff of high redefinition?” If one is partly defined by relations with others, what are you if you’re alone? “If we’re essentially constituted by our relations, we need relations in order to be ourselves,” says Oliver. “I, paradoxically, am not, then, just me.”

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

Six feet under

“Historic Cemeteries of Rutherford County” will be the focus of the installment of the 2009 Fall Community Heritage Lecture Series starting at 7 p.m. tomorrow night, Oct. 22, at the Heritage Center, 225 W. College St. in Murfreesboro. Dr. Stacey Graham, research professor at MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, will discuss selected early cemeteries found in the county. “Cemeteries tell the story of a region and its people if you know how to ‘read’ them,” says Graham. “These essential resources contribute to the history and culture of Rutherford County—from the early settlement period to the Civil War and Reconstruction and to the modern era.” This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the Heritage Center at 615-217-8013.
heritage_center@bellsouth.net

It just doesn’t add up.

The latest report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress finds that fourth-graders had not increased in learning since the last time the group's math test was given in 2007. Students had made gains on every such test given since1990 prior to this latest test. Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “Last fall, the Metropolitan Nashville school district decided to stop teaching algebra to seventh-grade students who were ready for advanced mathematical education. As a point of reference, on my bookshelf there is a middle-school textbook from Japan where the quantum theory of atomic structure is introduced—quantitatively. If you are like me, you might be wondering what the school board planned to replace the advanced mathematics instruction with.”

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

TR EXTRA

I WANT TO PLAY, TOO!--Dr. Dan Gould, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Michigan State University (MSU) and Director of the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at MSU, will speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Gould’s topic will be “The Professionalization of Youth Sports: Implications for Involvement and Youth Development.” Gould has served as a consultant to the U.S. Ski Team, NASCAR pit crews and drivers, professional tennis players, and numerous Olympic athletes. This event, which is free and open to the public, is presented by the MTSU-based Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth. Contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615-898-5549 or dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

HEAR IT NOW.--New MTSU Audio Clips and radio-ready news stories are on the Web at www.mtsunews.com. Click on “Audio Clips” on the right side of the page. In this edition, Linda Hooper, principal of Whitwell Middle School in Whitwell, Tenn., talks about the Paper Clip Project. Hooper will explain this unique educational endeavor at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the 2009 MTSU International Holocaust Studies Conference. On Audio Clips, Hooper also discusses Holocaust education and how to express the gravity and the depth of this calamitous episode of history to children. Additionally, Dr. Sean Foley, MTSU history professor and Middle East expert, talks about U.S. and international efforts to deal with Iran in light of its uranium enrichment efforts and the potential threat they pose to the world. Contact Audio Clips Producer Gina Logue at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW I’M FOUND.--In conjunction with the 2009 MTSU International Holocaust Studies Conference, MTSU Theatre and Dance presents “Dear Finder” tomorrow, Oct. 22, through Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. at Tucker Theatre in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building. This performance unearths many truths about the past and the present. Featuring a series of monologues from the letters and journals of actual Holocaust survivors, “Dear Finder” shows a new perspective of this tragic period while also illustrating a connection between their experiences and contemporary incidents of racial genocide. Lobby doors open and ticket sales begin one hour prior to the performance. Seating begins 30 minutes prior to the performance. Visa, MasterCard, and cash are accepted. Ticket prices are $10 for general admission, $5 for MTSU faculty and staff and K-12 students, and free for MTSU students with a valid ID. Limit one per student. Call 615-494-8810 for more information.

FASCINATING RHYTHM—Pinpoint synchronization, dynamic themes and entertaining costumes will be in evidence when the Office of Greek Affairs, the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs and the National Pan-Hellenic Council present their Step Show at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 23, in Murphy Center. Teams from MTSU fraternities and sororities will compete for prizes of $1,000 for first place and $500 for second place with an additional $500 awarded for the best overall performance. “I like it because it represents our African-American heritage,” says organizing co-chair Ashlee Gray. “I take pride in telling our story through step dancing.” Admission is $10 in advance at the Murphy Center ticket office or $15 on the day of the show. Only cash will be accepted. For more information, contact Angela King at 615-898-5812 or Valerie Avent at 615-898-2718.

VIEWS YOU CAN PERUSE--The Todd Gallery at MTSU is hosting a joint exhibit of artworks by Steve Prince and Boris Zakic through tomorrow, Oct. 22. Eric Snyder, gallery curator, says of Prince’s works, “Steve richly embeds layers of symbolism, cultural icons and biblical references in his work. He deals in themes of social and racial justice and visually explores a biblical response to the problems consuming today’s urban communities. Of Zakic, Snyder says, “A constant theme in his paintings is the integration of text, usually a single word often represented as a figure. He believes that words have no intrinsic meaning—they function as indicators with layers of possible meaning. He also signifies images, but not by the words generally associated with them.” The Todd Gallery is open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and closed on state and university holidays. Admission is always free. Contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

IT’S FALL, YOU ALL--The October edition of “Middle Tennessee Record” is on the air and on the Web. Featured this month: the MTSU virtual tour, which allows anyone with access to a computer to wander around the campus without actually being there; Camp ENRGY, an innovative way to help children with physical disabilities participate more confidently in home- school- and community-based physical activities; interviews with Dr. Gerhard L. Weinberg, professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and Whitwell Middle School Principal Linda Hooper, initiator of the Paper Clip Project, two attendees at MTSU’s Holocaust Studies Conference later this month; and a look at True Blue TV through the eyes of host and creator Steven Mizell. To find out where “Middle Tennessee Record” airs in your area, or to watch it online, go to www.mtsunews.com. Contact producer John Lynch at 615-898-2919 or jlynch@mtsu.edu.

GET THE PICTURE?--“Relics,” an exhibit by Brad Temkin, is on display at the Baldwin Photographic Gallery in MTSU’s Learning Resources Center (LRC) through tomorrow, Oct. 22. Temkin says of his work, “My approach builds on the sculptural foundation that integrates the object and the landscape. Remnants of humanity are abandoned amidst vast, empty and anonymous landscapes. These forms exude an energy that transcends originating intention, becoming beautiful and monumental ‘earth works’ in their own right.” Exhibitions are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Tom Jimison at 615-898-2085 or tjimison@mtsu.edu.