Monday, May 24, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Building blocks

During the first quarter of 2010, housing construction in Tennessee rose mostly due to gains in multifamily building. According to the latest edition of Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, “Single-family construction, the core of the housing market, increased for the fifth consecutive quarter, but the gain was modest, up just 2.5 percent from the fourth quarter, climbing to 13,700 units. Multifamily permits, on the other hand, experienced a large increase to 6,000 units, returning to pre-recession (2007) levels of activity. Tennessee experienced much more construction activity compared with the South and U.S. markets during the first quarter, again solely due to multifamily activity. Single-family permits lagged behind the South and the U.S. during the first quarter.”

Contact the BERC at 615-898-2610.

“I’m angry. I don’t want to lose it.”—Marsha Mason in “The Goodbye Girl”

Sometimes indignation or even anger can be useful. Dr. Barbara Haskew, distinguished professor of economics, says it can work when questioning bias. “I remember a consultant from New York who was hired by a group of large customers of TVA to question the utility’s rate structures,” says Haskew, who has been nominated to the TVA Board of Directors pending U.S. Senate approval. “While presenting his findings he said, ‘Even people in the South are smart enough to understand this!’ I jumped out of my chair and demanded with indignation and some anger, ‘What do you mean even people in the South?’ All the folks representing large customers, as well as the TVA personnel in the room, were from the South. All were offended by his obviously biased comment about Southerners’ intelligence, and everyone exited the room.”

Contact Haskew at 615-898-5578.
bhaskew@mtsu.edu

I’m playing with my books, Mommy.

“Books and Children in the 19th Century: A Small Portrait” is the theme of an exhibit on display now and throughout this summer in the fourth floor Special Collections area of MTSU’s James E. Walker Library. The purpose is to show the variety of ways children and the adults around them engaged with books in the 1800s and early 1900s. The works available for viewing are indicative of the children’s book as an object of moral and educational value. The idea behind the books is to teach values and build character. Entertainment techniques are employed strictly to attract the children and hold their interest. Highlights include several movable books, which are books that contain text or illustrations that the child can manipulate. Pop-up books are one such type of movable book. Many items in the display have never been exhibited previously.

Call the James E. Walker Library at 615-898-2772.

TR EXTRA

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.

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.