Monday, March 8, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Snow nurse left behind

How do hospitals fashion their policies and protocols with regard to employees such as nurses and orderlies getting to work in extreme inclement weather such as the massive snowstorms that recently paralyzed the Northeast? Dr. Lynn Parsons, Director of Nursing at MTSU, says, “I worked in an acute care hospital in upper Michigan for over 14 years. Many people had four-wheel drives; however, when we had significant snowstorms and low visibility people who lived a distance away would stay home. Nurses and other health care professionals on duty stayed overtime. Nurses who lived within a mile or two of the hospital were called in. Hospital vehicles would also go to the homes of nurses who lived close and transport them to work when they said they were available and would prefer a ride versus driving. The bottom line is this—nurses pull together in times of crisis to make sure that patients receive care.”

Contact Parsons at 615-898-2437.
lparsons@mtsu.edu

All rise!

An MTSU mock trial team won seven of eight ballots to place second among eight teams in a field of 30 from five Southeastern states at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., on Feb. 27-28. “MTSU ended up placing just behind Duke University with its record of seven wins, a tie and a loss, and ahead of the University of Alabama and the University of Georgia, with 7-1 records,” observed Dr. John Vile, dean of MTSU’s University Honors College and co-coach of mock trial with attorney and alumna Brandi Snow. Additionally, MTSU teams were awarded the tournament’s prestigious Spirit of AMTA title, which is the American Mock Trial Association’s award for good sportsmanship. Germantown senior Austin Purvis was named one of the competition’s best attorneys. The MTSU team’s winning record has qualified its members for a place at the Opening Round Championship tournament, which will be held in Greenville, S.C., in late March.

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

The Kurdish condition

Norman “Rick” Denny, Cmdr., U.S.N. (Ret.), will speak on the topic “Iraqi Kurds: Awaiting the Third American Stab in the Back” at 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, in Room 123 of the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building at MTSU. This forum, sponsored by the MTSU Department of Political Science, is free and open to the public. Denny is a retired naval intelligence officer with more than 30 years of experience in the Middle East. He retired from his position as a civilian analyst with the Defense Intelligence Agency effective Jan. 2, 2010. For much of the last few years, Denny has worked as a Northern Iraq analyst serving in Baghdad and Kirkuk. Denny holds master’s degrees in public administration from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and in military arts and science from the Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Contact the Department of Political Science at 615-898-2708. For a color jpeg of Denny, contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081.
gklogue@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

BOUND BY BOOKS--What better place to display new and innovative books than the James E. Walker Library? The MTSU facility is providing a showcase for student-created books sure to spark conversation and ignite the imagination now through Thursday, April 1, in the Special Collections area on the fourth floor. This is the second annual juried show featuring the work of MTSU’s Book Arts students. The Department of Art’s Book Arts Program offers classes in which students learn bookbinding techniques using both traditional and nontraditional forms and materials. Student works on display in Special Collections reflect individual creativity in expressing tributes to family or personal or humorous stories. Materials used include graphite, ribbon, rice paper, string, linen, cardstock, acetate, canvas, India ink, lithographs and leaves. The Special Collections area is open 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. For more information, call 615-904-8501. For photos of the student art, contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

THE GANG’S ALL HERE.--The Forensic Institute for Research and Education (FIRE) and the Tennessee Gang Investigators Association will present the 2010 Youth Gang Organized Crime Symposium March 11-13 in MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. This symposium will examine contemporary gang issues involving (and distinguishing) youth and adult gang members. The subject matter will be of interest to law enforcement, business and education professionals and community leaders. The training is being provided free to attendees with scholarship support from the U.S. Department of Justice. Scheduled topics include “The Impact of Youth Gangs on Our Communities,” Ethnic Youth Gangs in the Community: How Are They Different?,” “Not Just Sex, Drugs and Firepower—The Anatomy of a Gang;” and “Hispanic Gang Identification and Officer Safety Issues.” Go to http://mtsufire.ning.com for more information. To register, go to http://cte.mtsu.edu/gangs/new.htm.

LEARNING FROM THE LANDSCAPE--MTSU history students produced the exhibit “Listening to the Landscape: The Stories of Stones River National Battlefield,” which is on display at Linebaugh Public Library, 105 W. Vine St. in Murfreesboro, through tomorrow, March 9th. The exhibit highlights the changes that occurred on the battlefield landscape prior to the Civil War through the present. One of the four exhibit panels highlights the African-American community known as “Cemetery.” It formed around Stones River National Cemetery after the Civil War. Linebaugh also will feature books that are related to the exhibit. “Listening to the Landscape” is sponsored by Eastern National, the Public History Program at MTSU, the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area and Stones River National Battlefield. Contact the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area office at 615-898-2947 or the MTSU Department of History at 615-898-2536.

HOME IS WHERE THE VOLUNTEERS ARE.--MTSU students are building a second Habitat for Humanity home for a Rutherford County resident. Building dates will include Wednesdays, Fridays and some Saturdays. There will be two shifts per day—in the morning from 8:30 a.m. to noon and in the afternoon from noon until 4 p.m. The home dedication is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 25. The Office of Leadership and Service is rounding up volunteers from student organizations for this humanitarian effort. The future resident’s family also will be helping to build their home, and Central Middle School and Jason’s Deli are pitching in. Media welcomed. Good photo opportunities throughout the construction process. For more information, contact Jackie Victory at 615-898-5812 or mtleader@mtsu.edu.