Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

God, guns and gays

The U.S. Supreme Court concluded its latest session yesterday with tough rulings that are sure to have wide-ranging ramifications. Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and Constitutional law expert, says, “Conservatives are likely to embrace the court’s 5-4 decision in McDonald v. City of Chicago, which decided that the Second Amendment right to bear arms applies to both state and federal governments. The 2008 case in District of Columbia v. Heller, striking down some gun restrictions in the District of Columbia, had applied only to the latter. Liberals are likely to embrace the court’s 5-4 decision in Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, in which the court ruled that a public university can condition recognition of a student organization, in this case a chapter of the Christian Legal Society, on adherence to a nondiscrimination policy that includes nondiscrimination against gays.”

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

After the deluge

Drs. Tanya Peres and Shannon Hodge of the MTSU Department of Sociology and Anthropology are using a grant from the National Science Foundation to find out how much of Tennessee’s archeological history was destroyed by the May 2010 flood. But it appears humans are picking up where the floodwaters left off. According to a statement co-written by Peres and Aaron Deter-Wolf of the Tennessee Department of Archeology, “The loss of Tennessee’s cultural heritage caused by flooding did not stop when the waters receded. There has been widespread looting at many sites along the Cumberland (River) since the flood as individuals dig into the riverbank in search of artifacts and in violation of both federal and state law protecting archaeological resources.”

Contact Peres at 615-904-8590.
tperes@mtsu.edu

“You could look it up.”—Casey Stengel

Students using MTSU’s James E. Walker Library will see a big change when they log on to the library’s website now. The institution’s new search engine is online, providing even more options and user-friendly access to Walker’s resources for both on-campus students and distance learners at http://library.mtsu.edu. With money from federal stimulus funds, the library has replaced its Voyager search system, which has been in place for about 10 years, with Millennium software that the library has christened InfoSearch. The new search engine enables users to conduct basic searchers by entering key words without having to limit themselves to title or subject. In addition, a smart-phone enabled interface will allow users to search the library catalog from a Web-enabled cell phone by pointing the phone’s browser to http://airpac.library2.mtsu.edu.

Contact the library at 615-898-2772.

TR EXTRA

BATTER UP!--Sign up now for MTSU Alumni & Friends Days with the Nashville Sounds on Saturday, July 17. Come watch the Sounds take on the Omaha Royals at Greer Stadium (534 Chestnut Street) and meet alumni in the Nashville area. Game time is 6:35 p.m. The gates will open at 5:00 p.m. There will be fireworks after the game. The price is $20 per person, which includes the game ticket and an all-you-can eat buffet dinner. The meal will begin when the gates open and will run through 7:00 p.m. This event is pre-pay only. Please register and pre-pay by Wednesday, July 14. Call the Alumni Relations office at 800-533-6878, go online at www.mtalumni.com or send an e-mail to alumni@mtsu.edu.

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.

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.