Friday, May 21, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Tax trouble

When home sales drop, so do tax collections. According to the latest edition of Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, “Mortgage tax collections resumed a declining trend (in the first quarter) after rising in the previous quarter. Falling real estate values combined with fewer transactions and lower mortgage rates are reasons for falling mortgage tax revenues. Real estate transfer tax collections fell 7.6 percent in the first quarter following gains in the previous two quarters. Poor weather may have been a contributing factor, along with falling real estate prices.”

Contact the BERC at 615-898-2610.

Sing a summertime song

The theme of the third annual Alumni Summer College is “A Song’s Life.” From June 23-25, MTSU alumni are invited to learn how a song is written, recorded, produced, performed and managed during three fun-filled days of music and camaraderie. Alumni Summer College is an opportunity to expand one’s knowledge of interesting subjects and with a curriculum that combines innovative classes and entertaining tours specifically created with MTSU alumni in mind. Highlights of this year’s event include songwriters in the round at the “Jack and Diane” show, a studio recording session, a songwriter “show-and-tell” session, Vince Gill at the Ryman Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame, RCA Studio B, the Wildhorse Saloon and Jack’s Barbeque. Tuition is $205 per person. The registration deadline is Tuesday, June 1.

For more information and to register, go to www.mtalumni.com.

All around the world

Rong Wang, coordinator for international education at MTSU, will be the guest on the next edition of “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue at 8 a.m. this Sunday, May 23, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Wang will discuss the many aspects of internationalizing MTSU, including the Confucius Institute, networking with international universities, marketing for international student recruitment and facilitating conversations with international faculty members for the promotion of collaborative projects. To listen to last week’s program about Dr. Angela Mertig’s class on the role of animals in society, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/news/podcast/podcast2010.shtml and click on “May 16, 2010.”

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

TR EXTRA

GOING THROUGH CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS orientation at MTSU will get underway Wednesday, May 26, and run through late July. Two-day sessions will acquaint students with what will be their academic and social home for the next four years. Admissions, Financial Aid, Housing and Residential Life, advising and other departments will be involved with the orientation process that will integrate new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of the university. Gina Poff, director of New Student and Family Programs, says organizers “are adding orientation leaders to work specifically with parents” this year. The general assembly portion of CUSTOMS will move to Murphy Center since Tucker Theatre is under renovation. CUSTOMS participants will be taken onto the field at Floyd Stadium at the beginning of the morning for a video message from head football coach Rick Stockstill. For more information, call 615-898-2454 or visit www.mtsu.edu/customs.

ADOPT A VET--The Albert Gore Research Center is an official partner in the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. The center participates as part of its public service mission. Currently, the Gore Center has about 50 veterans of World War II and Korea on its list of those willing to be interviewed for the Veterans History Project at MTSU, but these vets are in their 80s and 90s. It is urgent that the Gore Center have funds in hand to record their stories in 2010. With each tax-deductible contribution of only $50, the Gore Center can fund one interview with a WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War or Iraq/Afghanistan veteran, or a civilian who supported the war effort by working in war industries or volunteering for the USO, Red Cross or other support organizations. Your donation will pay for tapes and other supplies, transcription, permanent archiving and posting of the materials on a website. For more information, go to http://gorecenter.mtsu.edu/adoptvet.hem.

APRENDA CON ME--The University School of Nashville is hosting MTSU’s 2010 Summer Language Institute, where you can learn Spanish in a fun, low-stress environment. The methods employed are Total Physical Response (TPR) and Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS). These methods mimic the way you learned your first language. Movement, games, songs and storytelling are all part of the instruction. Brian Roberts will teach Spanish I for ages 16 and up from July 19-23 at the University School and from Aug. 2-6 at the O’More School of Design in Franklin. Jason Fritze will teach Spanish II for ages 16 and up from July 19-23 at the University School. The cost for all language classes is $350 with a $20 materials fee due on the first day of class. Contact Dr. Shelley Thomas at 615-898-5757 or shthomas@mtsu.edu.