Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Be it ever so humble

Home prices in Tennessee are still soft and getting softer, according to the latest edition of Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center. It cites the Housing Price Index (HPI) published by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. “The HPI is a repeat sales index, tracking price changes for repeat sales or refinancing for the same properties over time,” states THM. “The most recent figures for the fourth quarter 2009 show housing prices in Tennessee down 3.2 percent over the year compared with a 4.6 percent decline for the United States. Among the metropolitan areas tracked by this report, prices in Nashville are down 4.3 percent, while Memphis shows a decline of 3.4 percent and Knoxville a drop of 2.0 percent. Prices will continue to be soft as long as inventories of unsold homes remain high.”

Contact the BERC at 615-898-2610.

An angry word turns away sexists.

A study by a Yale University scholar involved three tests in which men and women randomly watched videos of a job interview and were asked to rate the applicant’s status. Participants conferred the most status on the man who said he was angry and the least status on the woman who said she was angry. The study concludes that men who get angry in the workplace might be admired for it, but women who get angry in the workplace will be seen as “out of control” and “incompetent.” Dr. Barbara Haskew, distinguished professor of economics, says, “I agree that the loss would likely be greater for women than for men because, at least for some older men, women are anticipated to be more emotional and, therefore, less able to control outbreaks of anger and distress. These men seeing women become angry or seeing them cry have their opinions, however biased, confirmed.”

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

“I believe in the Church of Baseball.”—Susan Sarandon in “Bull Durham”

The history of baseball in America is a history of cultural self-creation, says Dr. Ron Bombardi, chair of the Department of Philosophy. Bombardi says baseball reflects and is reflected in the fabric of American culture “because, like life, baseball not only comprises both logical and mystical elements, but dynamically subjects both to mutual adjustment. It is this specific feature—of baseball’s having evolved historically according to a dynamic of mutual adjustment between logical knowledge and mystical experience that, I conclude, ultimately resolves all philosophical tension between the two.”

Contact Bombardi at 615-898-2049.
rbombard@mtsu.edu

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.