Thursday, June 17, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

EU says “P-U” to Iran

The European Union today announced new restrictive measures on Iran because of that country’s nuclear program. The restrictions focus on areas of trade, especially dual use goods and further limits on trade insurance and the financial sector, including a freeze on more Iranian banks and limits on banking and insurance. Also included in the sanctions are key sectors of the oil and gas industry, including bans on new investment, technical assistance and transfers of technology and equipment. Dr. Sean Foley, history, says, “I would argue, and have argued in print, that sanctions are, in theory, seemingly a good alternative to either talking or bombing the Iranians. The problem with sanctions is that it’s difficult to see how they would work. … Iran’s major trading partners, China and Russia, do not seem as interested in those sanctions.”

Contact Foley at 615-904-8294.
sfoley@mtsu.edu

The paper chase

The Pentagon Papers scandal erupted 39 years ago this week, resulting in a battle between the government and the news media and culminating with a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision. A government researcher, Daniel Ellsburg, stole documents explaining how we became bogged down in Vietnam and gave them to The New York Times. The Supreme Court ruled that the press could publish the documents, but, Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says the victory was narrower than it seems. “Although the actual vote was 6-3 in favor of publication, the justices actually came out, philosophically, 7-2 against the papers. Of the six justices who voted in favor of the media, four said they felt the government attorneys had not presented their case well, or they said they would not do what Congress had failed to do, namely prohibit the publication of secret information.”

Contact Burriss at 615-898-2983.
lburriss@mtsu.edu

Home is where the units are.

MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center has posted the 2009 state and county housing unit estimates for Tennessee. According to the estimates, the number of units in Rutherford County rose 46.97 percent over the previous year, more than in any other county. Williamson County posted a 34.71 percent increase. In Fayette County, it was 33.24 percent, and in Montgomery County, it was 32.90 percent. By contrast, the number of estimated housing units in Lake County rose only 2.39 percent. Other counties with low increases include Lawrence with 4.65 percent, Lincoln with 4.65 percent, Hancock with 4.70 percent and Crockett with 4.72 percent.

Contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610.

TR EXTRA

IT’LL BE A HOOT!--Older Wiser Learners (OWLs), an organization for nontraditional students at MTSU, will hold a summer potluck pool party and picnic from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, June 24, at the Campus Recreation Center. Members of OWLs, OWLs alumni and their families are welcome. Participants may use the outdoor pool and sundeck from 4:00-5:30 p.m., or, in the event of rain, the indoor pool and adjacent hallway. For the potluck dinner from 5:30-6:30 p.m., each participant should bring a side dish of vegetables, salad or dessert to serve 8-10 people and a large bottle of soft drink, tea or water. In addition, a silent auction of OWL-related items will be conducted with proceeds to benefit the student organization. Contact the Off-Campus Student Center at 615-898-5989.

KEYBOARD CAMPERS--“Partners for Innovation in Information Technology” at MTSU will be conducting summer computer camps for local area high school students July 12-16. Starting with rising ninth-graders, students will be invited to attend one of the three week-long (full-time, 40-hour) summer camps: the Alice camp, the Robotics camp and the Multimedia camp. Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of computer science through experiences that have proven successful in advancing learning of high school students. The week-long camps will be free to attend, but seating will be limited. For more information and camp applications, contact the PIIT website at http://www.mtsu.edu/~piit.

SUMMER SCRIPTS--MTSU’s Youth Writers’ Camp is in progress and runs through today, June 17 for students who have completed sixth through twelfth grades. This annual project of the Middle Tennessee Writing Project aims to make each camper part of a community of authors working to explore different writing styles and genres. Within this community, each camper spends extended periods of time writing, conferences with peers and teachers and ultimately discovers his or her own writing style. Each student receives a writer’s notebook, a camp T-shirt, a daily snack, a writing anthology and a visit with a published author. Camp instructors are experienced classroom teachers. Contact MTWP Youth Camp Coordinator Angela Pope at pope_a@worldnet.att.net.

THE CLUE CREW--The MTSU Forensic Institute for Research and Education will sponsor “CSI-MTSU,” a four-day program designed for students entering the 10th, 11th and 12th grades in Rutherford and surrounding counties June 22-25. The student investigators will be presented with a re-creation of an actual crime scene. They will be divided into several teams. A professional will direct and coach each team as the students use math and science to solve the crime. Each student will be trained in the fundamental processes of collecting evidence, including DNA, fingerprints, hair and fibers, simulated blood spatter and shoe prints. Additionally, students will learn how to process the evidence, conduct interviews and formulate theories while working in a team environment. Snacks, lunches, T-shirts and baseball-style caps are included in the fee of $250. For more information, contact Eve Shockley at 615-898-5530, or go to http://www.mtsu.edu/fire/workshops.shtml.

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.

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.