Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

I believe I can fly.

On Sept. 7, five years after her death, Marjorie Logan Rolle’s service to her country was, at long last, honored. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) presented Rolle’s widower, Ken Rolle, with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor presented by Congress. Rolle was a member of the Women’s Air Service Pilots (WASPS) during World War II. Dr. Jan Leone, history, says, “(WASPS) flew aircraft from factories to ports of embarkation and military training bases, towed targets for artillery practice, and transported cargo. Thirty-eight WASPS lost their lives while serving their country during the war. Because they were civilians, they were buried at family expense without military honors. U.S. flags were not allowed on fallen WASP coffins.”

Contact Leone at 615-898-5580.
jmleone@mtsu.edu

Save at home

It has become something of a canard that Americans don’t save enough money. According to the latest Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Index, many consumers who say they are saving more of their income than prior to the recession expect to increase their level of saving after the recovery—46 percent, in fact. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of MTSU’s Office of Consumer Research, says, “Alternatively, of those consumers who are currently saving less of their income than prior to the recession, almost two-thirds (62 percent) expect to increase their level of saving after the economy strengthens. Apparently, those who are unable to save now recognize the value of saving and expect to increase their level of saving when they can—i.e., when the economy strengthens.”

Contact Graeff at 615-898-5124.
tgraeff@mtsu.edu

You mean Trinidad and Tobago didn’t ante up?

Who bought Tennessee’s goods last quarter? Dr. Steven Livingston edits Global Commerce, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center. He writes, “Canada, to which the state’s exports increased by 37 percent, accounted for $475 million of Tennessee’s quarterly gain, just under one-third of the state’s export growth. Mexico’s 47 percent growth added another $250 million. The EU threw in $180 million more. China and Latin America each grew by $150 million. Japan’s 43 percent growth added $100 million, the ASEAN nations another $80 million and South Korea $60 million.”

Contact Livingston at 615-898-2720.
slivings@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

BAKE IT OR BUTTON IT FOR BOTSWANA--MTSU’s Student Nurses Association plans a “Bake for Botswana” event on Tuesday, Oct. 5 to raise funds to support “I Am Proud to be a Nurse,” a national campaign aimed at improving the image and increasing the number of Botswanan nurses and midwives and ultimately improving health care for the South African nation. The bake sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second floor of the Keathley University Center and on the KUC knoll. In addition, buttons proclaiming “I Am Proud to be a Nurse” may be purchased for $5 each. For more information, contact Dr. Debra Rose Wilson at 615-898-5841 or drwilson@mtsu.edu.

PEOPLE, PROFITS AND THE PROFESSOR--A member of the MTSU faculty will be one of the judges for a three-round debate titled “Which Comes First: People or Profits?” at 7 p.m. (EST) tomorrow, Sept. 30, at the Inc. 500/5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony in National Harbor, Md., just south of Washington, D.C. Doug Tatum, an associate professor in the Department of Business Communication and Entrepreneurship and holder of the Wright Travel Chair in Entrepreneurship, will join Inc. magazine columnists Norm Brodsky and Bo Burlingham in deciding the “winner.” In addition, Tatum is slated to participate in “What You Don’t Know About Exiting Your Business,” a panel discussion scheduled for 5 p.m. (EST) Friday, Oct. 1, and he will lecture on the topic “Navigate the Uncertain Future” at 11 a.m. (EST) Saturday, Oct. 2. Tatum is a recognized expert on the capital markets and entrepreneurial growth businesses.

IF YOU YEARN TO LEARN—“Adventures in Learning,” the annual mini-school for adults age 50 and above, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. The purpose of the event, which is planned by an interfaith coalition, is to provide a program by and for older adults in which they can share knowledge, talents and skills for lifelong learning and personal growth. As usual, retired and active MTSU faculty will play prominent roles in the event. A highlight will be “Mount and Mountain,” a dialogue between Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, and Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. This class is based on online conversations Shapiro and Smith conducted about the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. To register, or for more information, contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK/A WONDERFUL TOWN—MTSU’s Baldwin Photographic Gallery is proud to play host to “New York, September 11” by world-renowned photographic cooperative Magnum Photos through Oct. 18. This stunning exhibition of 39 rare photographs began touring the nation five years after the terrorist attacks on the United States. These pictures capture images as they happened—many from an intimate, street-level perspective. Also included are beautiful photos of the World Trade Center twin towers before their fall. The Baldwin Gallery is in the McWherter Learning Resources Center. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 12-4 p.m.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

West Bank Story

The State Department today dispatched special envoy George Mitchell to the Middle East peace talks to try to keep them from collapsing. Palestinians threatened to walk out of the talks after Israel decided to resume construction of settlements on the West Bank following a 10-month moratorium. Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religion and an ordained rabbi, says, “Israel has given the Palestinians clear moral authority in this instance (something they often lack), and they should have taken full advantage of it. I would have walked out, gone home and announced the unilateral creation of a Palestinian state on January 1, 2011. Against all advice to the contrary, this is what Israel did in May of 1948. They declared themselves a nation and then took up arms to defend it. This is what I would do today if I were president of Palestine.”

Read Shapiro’s blog at http://rabbirami.blogspot.com/.

Too poor to window shop

According to the latest Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Index, only 24 percent of consumers surveyed expect spend more this year than last year. However, that’s an increase from June, when only 19 percent believed they would increase their spending. And the number of consumers who believe they will spend more went up slightly from 33 to 35 percent. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of MTSU’s Office of Consumer Research, says, “Even through this does not offer much hope for local retailers (more consumers expect to decrease their spending than increase their spending), it does suggest that some local consumers have not completely given up on consumer spending. Whether or not these consumers actually increase their spending from last year remains to be seen.”

Contact Graeff at 615-898-5124.
tgraeff@mtsu.edu

Chemistry and cars

The state’s two biggest export industries led the increase in Tennessee exports last quarter. Dr. Steven Livingston, editor of the Business and Economic Research Center publication Global Commerce, writes, “Tennessee’s chemical exports increased by a full third and crossed the billion-dollar mark to quarterly sales. Most of this huge gain was in the plastics sector (especially in cellulose derivatives and polyesters). But both organic (up 39 percent) and inorganic (25 percent) chemicals also did very well. The gains were truly global, with East Asia, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Australia and Singapore being among the strongest markets. The auto industry did equally well. Car and SUV exports more than doubled (to $245 million) thanks to substantial new exports to the Middle East (especially Saudi Arabia) and Canada.”

Contact Livingston at 615-898-2720.
slivings@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

TO HAVE AND HAVANA--Visiting Cuban scholar Rodrigo Gonzalez and Dr. Ric Morris, professor of Spanish and linguistics and adviser for linguistic studies in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, will speak to faculty and students about study abroad opportunities in Cuba today, Sept. 28, in Room S-128 of the Business and Aerospace Building. The first session, set for 4:15-5 p.m. is for students. The 5-5:30 p.m. meeting is intended for faculty. For more information, contact Morris at 615-898-2284 or rmorris@mtsu.edu.

IF YOU YEARN TO LEARN—“Adventures in Learning,” the annual mini-school for adults age 50 and above, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. The purpose of the event, which is planned by an interfaith coalition, is to provide a program by and for older adults in which they can share knowledge, talents and skills for lifelong learning and personal growth. As usual, retired and active MTSU faculty will play prominent roles in the event. A highlight will be “Mount and Mountain,” a dialogue between Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, and Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. This class is based on online conversations Shapiro and Smith conducted about the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. To register, or for more information, contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK/A WONDERFUL TOWN—MTSU’s Baldwin Photographic Gallery is proud to play host to “New York, September 11” by world-renowned photographic cooperative Magnum Photos through Oct. 18. This stunning exhibition of 39 rare photographs began touring the nation five years after the terrorist attacks on the United States. These pictures capture images as they happened—many from an intimate, street-level perspective. Also included are beautiful photos of the World Trade Center twin towers before their fall. The Baldwin Gallery is in the McWherter Learning Resources Center. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 12-4 p.m.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Don’t give up the shipping!

The second quarter was a good one for state exports. Tennessee sent $6.4 billion worth of products to other countries. That’s nearly $1 billion more than a year ago. Dr. Steve Livingston, editor of Global Commerce, writes, “It was the best second quarter in the state’s history as exports returned to the levels of before the great global crash of 2008.” It was a good three-month period for imports, too. Livingston notes, “Tennessee firms purchased $11.5 billion overseas, a $2 billion increase. In contrast to the doldrums of the domestic economy, Tennessee’s international trade was going gangbusters.”

Contact Livingston at 615-898-2720.
slivings@mtsu.edu

How to know what’s out of bounds

The Center for Sport Policy and Research at MTSU developed the Real Sportsmanship Platform, a tool to help instill important values in student-athletes and coaches. The brainchild of Dr. Colby Jubenville, professor of sport management, the Real Sportsmanship Platform is in use by all intercollegiate teams in the Sun Belt Conference, which is committed to the program over a five-year period. Athletes and coaches graded the frequency with which they agreed with certain statements on a scale of one to five with one being “never” and five being “always.” For example, coaches were asked to respond to statements such as “If a fan yells at me, I have the right to yell back” and “My players know that I am the only one that discusses calls with the official.”

Contact Jubenville at 615-898-2909.
jubenvil@mtsu.edu

Falling into fall

Consumer confidence is tanking again. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of the MTSU Office of Consumer Research, says the overall Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 76 from 102 in June. Graeff writes, “This negative shift in feelings about the economy was due to eroding perceptions of the current economy, continued concerns about the job market and a decline in the purchasing index. … The percentage of consumers who hold negative views of the current economy is still larger than the percentage of consumers who hold positive views of the current economy. … Consumers have experienced more than two years of morose feelings toward the U.S. economy.”

Contact Graeff at 615-898-5124.
tgraeff@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

TO HAVE AND HAVANA--Visiting Cuban scholar Rodrigo Gonzalez will speak on “Cuba at a Crossroads” from 3-5 p.m. today, Sept. 27, in Cantrell Hall in MTSU’s Tom H. Jackson Building on campus. The lecture and discussion are free and open to the public and will be followed by a catered reception. “In his lecture, Gonzalez will explore the turbulent waters of U.S.-Cuban relations and discuss where Cuba is today, politically, socially and economically,” says Dr. Ric Morris, professor of Spanish and linguistics and adviser for linguistic studies in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. Morris and Gonzalez will speak to faculty and students about study abroad opportunities in Cuba tomorrow, Sept. 28, in Room S-128 of the Business and Aerospace Building. The first session, set for 4:15-5 p.m. is for students. The 5-5:30 p.m. meeting is intended for faculty. For more information, contact Morris at 615-898-2284 or rmorris@mtsu.edu.

IF YOU YEARN TO LEARN—“Adventures in Learning,” the annual mini-school for adults age 50 and above, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. today, Sept. 27, and Monday, Oct. 4, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. The purpose of the event, which is planned by an interfaith coalition, is to provide a program by and for older adults in which they can share knowledge, talents and skills for lifelong learning and personal growth. As usual, retired and active MTSU faculty will play prominent roles in the event. A highlight will be “Mount and Mountain,” a dialogue between Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, and Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. This class is based on online conversations Shapiro and Smith conducted about the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. To register, or for more information, contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK/A WONDERFUL TOWN—MTSU’s Baldwin Photographic Gallery is proud to play host to “New York, September 11” by world-renowned photographic cooperative Magnum Photos through Oct. 18. This stunning exhibition of 39 rare photographs began touring the nation five years after the terrorist attacks on the United States. These pictures capture images as they happened—many from an intimate, street-level perspective. Also included are beautiful photos of the World Trade Center twin towers before their fall. The Baldwin Gallery is in the McWherter Learning Resources Center. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 12-4 p.m.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“This is my opening farewell.”—Jackson Browne

Emmett Kennon’s $3.6 million bequest to MTSU will be put to good use. “Of the total $3.6 million, about $3 million was earmarked for scholarships, and $600,000 was given to the athletic department to use at their discretion to meet program needs,” says Joe Bales, vice president for Development and University Relations. Of the $3 million for student scholarships, $1 million will be put in the new Centennial Scholars program, which will ultimately support 10 students throughout their college career. The remaining $2 million will go into a general scholarship endowment that will be unrestricted and allow the financial aid office tyo support the needs of many students each year. Kennon (’38) passed away in October 2009 at the age of 94.

Contact Joe Bales at 615-898-5818 or Athletic Director Chris Massaro at 615-898-2450.

Pentagon Papers: The 21st Century Edition

A new edition of Operation Dark Heart, the story of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan, is slated to go on sale this week containing some 200 deletions courtesy of the Department of Defense. DOD initially had cleared an unedited edition. Then, in an about face, it offered to buy all 10,000 copies of the book already printed. The publisher and DOD settled on the edited compromise. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says, “Now it is absolutely true we need to pay attention when government officials play the national security card. But, in too many instances in the not-so-distant past, such claims have been used to cover up embarrassing information or to promote pet projects or send us to war, rather than protect real secrets. One has to wonder if that is happening again.”

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

A leap of faith

People of faith have wondered for ages how so much there can be so much pain and suffering if God is as good and all-powerful as we have been told. Dr. Phil Oliver, philosophy, says, “It seems quite clear: a transcendent and benevolent Deity will need all the help we mortals can give in pursuit of a better—not the best, by a long shot—world. That’s what William James meant in inviting us to consider ourselves co-creators with a less-than-omnipotent God. Suppose that the world’s author put the case to you before creation, saying: ‘I am going to make a world not certain to be saved, a world the perfection of which shall be conditional merely, the condition being that each of several agents does its own level best. I offer you the chance of taking part in such a world. Its safety, you see, is unwarranted. It is a real adventure, with real danger, yet it may win through. It is a social scheme of co-operative work genuinely to be done. Will you join the procession? Will you trust yourself and trust the other agents enough to face the risk?’”

Contact Oliver at 615-898-2050.
poliver@mtsu.edu

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IF YOU YEARN TO LEARN—“Adventures in Learning,” the annual mini-school for adults age 50 and above, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. The purpose of the event, which is planned by an interfaith coalition, is to provide a program by and for older adults in which they can share knowledge, talents and skills for lifelong learning and personal growth. As usual, retired and active MTSU faculty will play prominent roles in the event. A highlight will be “Mount and Mountain,” a dialogue between Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, and Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. This class is based on online conversations Shapiro and Smith conducted about the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. To register, or for more information, contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK/A WONDERFUL TOWN—MTSU’s Baldwin Photographic Gallery is proud to play host to “New York, September 11” by world-renowned photographic cooperative Magnum Photos through Oct. 18. This stunning exhibition of 39 rare photographs began touring the nation five years after the terrorist attacks on the United States. These pictures capture images as they happened—many from an intimate, street-level perspective. Also included are beautiful photos of the World Trade Center twin towers before their fall. The Baldwin Gallery is in the McWherter Learning Resources Center. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 12-4 p.m.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

A broken Trojan

Reggie Bush may be giving his 2005 Heisman Trophy back to the New York Athletic Club, but he’s not admitting any guilt for the recruiting violations that tainted his alma mater, the University of Southern California. Should the trophy go to the runner-up, Vince Young? Dr. Colby Jubenville, coordinator of the master’s degree program in sport management at MTSU, says, “I will leave that decision and the legacy the committee wants to leave to them. However, to me, the real issue is that this question defines the reality of college sports today. This crossroads for Reggie and the Heisman Trophy personifies just how blurry college athletics has become and the consequences of the current model we have in place.” The Sun Belt Conference’s Real Sportsmanship program was developed by Jubenville and MTSU’s Center for Sport Policy and Research.

Contact Jubenville at 615-898-2909.
jubenvil@mtsu.edu

The seal of approval

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi recently recognized the campus chapter at MTSU as a Chapter of Excellence. MTSU received the award at the organization’s national biennial convention last month in Kansas City, Mo., for its efforts in recognizing and promoting academic excellence in all fields of higher education and engaging the community of scholars in service to others. By receiving this distinction, MTSU’s chapter is recognized as a thriving organization that meets frequently, holds annual initiations and applied frequently for Phi Kappa Phi’s select scholarships, grants and fellowships. Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest, largest and most selective all-discipline honor society.

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

From our overseas correspondent

As technological developments revolutionize communication with unprecedented speed, MTSU is offering a new International Media Studies minor beginning in the current fall semester. This study track is designed to provide students with an understanding of how various types of media are used around the world. It will offer textual analyses of media messages and audience interpretations, including insight through audience ethnographics. Dr. Richard Pace, professor of anthropology, helped develop the minor with Dr. Robert Spires, professor of electronic media communication. Some of the courses that can be taken for successful completion of the minor include Global News and World Media Cultures, Media and Emotions in Global Perspective and Anthropology of Music.

Contact Pace at 615-904-8058.
rpace@mtsu.edu

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IF YOU YEARN TO LEARN—“Adventures in Learning,” the annual mini-school for adults age 50 and above, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. today, Sept. 20, Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. The purpose of the event, which is planned by an interfaith coalition, is to provide a program by and for older adults in which they can share knowledge, talents and skills for lifelong learning and personal growth. As usual, retired and active MTSU faculty will play prominent roles in the event. A highlight will be “Mount and Mountain,” a dialogue between Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, and Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. This class will be based on online conversations Shapiro and Smith conducted about the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. To register, or for more information, contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK/A WONDERFUL TOWN—MTSU’s Baldwin Photographic Gallery is proud to play host to “New York, September 11” by world-renowned photographic cooperative Magnum Photos through Oct. 18. This stunning exhibition of 39 rare photographs began touring the nation five years after the terrorist attacks on the United States. These pictures capture images as they happened—many from an intimate, street-level perspective. Also included are beautiful photos of the World Trade Center twin towers before their fall. The Baldwin Gallery is in the McWherter Learning Resources Center. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 12-4 p.m.

THE LATEST FROM THE DISMAL SCIENCE--Dr. David Penn, professor of economics and director of the Business and Economic Research Center at MTSU, will deliver a midstate/regional economic update to the Rotary Club of Nashville at about 12:30 p.m. today, Sept. 20, at the Wildhorse Saloon, 120 Second Avenue North in Nashville. For more information, call the BERC at 615-898-2610 or the Rotary Club at 615-781-2900.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Does Pete Carroll have to give back his salary?

Running back Reggie Bush, now with the NFL Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, has returned his 2005 Heisman Trophy following a recruiting scandal that resulted in NCAA sanctions against his alma mater, the University of Southern California. Dr. Colby Jubenville, coordinator of the master’s degree program in sport management at MTSU, says, “What I think it speaks to is that we, as a group of professionals, still have not fundamentally addressed amateurism, which is the critical issue facing college sports. College presidents must become intentional about redefining this concept, create a compelling vision around it, emotionally tie those involved to it, and finally hold people accountable. Can that process work? Yes! Look no further than the Sun Belt Conference and the Real Sportsmanship Platform that was implemented last year. It can be done. It just takes guts.”

Contact Jubenville at 615-898-2909.
jubenvil@mtsu.edu

Defending democracy is the mother of invention.

While we consumers complain about the high cost of everything, we as a nation haven’t had to endure rationing of consumer goods in a long time. Dr. Jan Leone, history, says during World War II, “The OPA (Office of Price Administration) rationed 20 essential items, including rubber, shoes and butter. Sugar, gasoline and coffee were added as the war continued. Americans also were asked to save and salvage scrap metal, rubber, newspapers, waste fat, aluminum and tin cans, nylon and silk stockings. One pound of bacon grease contained enough glycerin to manufacture a pound of black powder that could be used in bullets. Nylon and silk stockings were made into parachutes and towropes for glider planes. One old shovel contained enough iron to make four hand grenades.”

Contact Leone at 615-898-5580.
jleone@mtsu.edu

Making it happen

A common complaint about the economy is that “America doesn’t make things anymore.” Well, the manufacturing sector gained jobs in Tennessee in the second quarter, according to Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center. It states, “The gain in manufacturing jobs has to do with the growth of the manufacturing sector nationally. A widely followed measure of national manufacturing growth, the PMI index, has increased for 12 straight months. The growth has been widespread with 10 of 18 subsectors reporting improved conditions. The rate of expansion has slipped during the past two months, however, as sales begin to slow and the backing of orders is reduced.”

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

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IF YOU YEARN TO LEARN—“Adventures in Learning,” the annual mini-school for adults age 50 and above, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 20, Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. The purpose of the event, which is planned by an interfaith coalition, is to provide a program by and for older adults in which they can share knowledge, talents and skills for lifelong learning and personal growth. As usual, retired and active MTSU faculty will play prominent roles in the event. A highlight will be “Mount and Mountain,” a dialogue between Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, and Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. This class will be based on online conversations Shapiro and Smith conducted about the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. To register, or for more information, contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS--The University College Advising Center will offer a series of workshops on how to be a successful MTSU student starting at 2:00 p.m. today, Sept. 15, in the Corlew Hall classroom. These one-hour workshops are designed for any student who needs help or wants to learn more about the topic area. Subjects include “How to Get Started at MTSU;” “How to Use Your Time Wisely;” “How to Master Course Material;” “How to Find the Right Career for You;” “How to Use Your Academic Adviser;” “How to Give a Winning Presentation;” and “How to Prepare for Final Exams.” Students who need proof of attendance for class will receive it. For more information, contact the University College Advising Center at 615-898-2339.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK/A WONDERFUL TOWN—MTSU’s Baldwin Photographic Gallery is proud to play host to “New York, September 11” by world-renowned photographic cooperative Magnum Photos through Oct. 18. This stunning exhibition of 39 rare photographs began touring the nation five years after the terrorist attacks on the United States. These pictures capture images as they happened—many from an intimate, street-level perspective. Also included are beautiful photos of the World Trade Center twin towers before their fall. The Baldwin Gallery is in the McWherter Learning Resources Center. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 12-4 p.m.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

They COULD—GO—ALL—THE—WAY?

Is the money-making juggernaut called the National Football League losing its magic touch? Attendance league-wide is expected to tank for the third year in a row. Twenty-two games were blacked out last season. Some teams are having trouble selling tickets. Will the comfort of watching football on TV lead to empty seats? Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says “It will happen if the NFL treats live games as a product. The reason is that products can be duplicated. At least the benefits products provide are relatively easy to copy. In this case, technology enhancements have made watching NFL games on TV an acceptable substitute for watching a game in person. Compelling arguments can be made that the TV product has some advantages such as different camera angles and replay capability, not to mention the convenience and cost savings.”

Contact Roy at 615-904-8564.
droy@mtsu.edu

“Creativity is the ability to see relationships where none exist.”—Thomas Disch

The College of Education at MTSU will partner with the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Tennessee Department of Education to develop the first annual Creativity in Education Academy. Create2011, which will take place at MTSU in July 2011, is designed to foster creativity and innovation in Tennessee schools. The academy is designed as a professional-development opportunity for educators to strengthen the practice of teaching, improve student achievement and impact school performance. The academy will offer sessions for K-12 teachers, arts specialists, special education and resource teachers, as well as principals and superintendents. MTSU’s new 87,000-square-foot education building will be completed in the spring of 2011 and will be ready in time for the July 10-14 academy.

Contact Kim Leavitt at 615-532-5934 or Dr. Lana Seivers at 615-898-2874.

Take flight

A partnership between MTSU and ISR Group will provide a hands-on training ground for MTSU students, attract industry and knowledge-based workers to Tennessee and generate permanent jobs that cannot be exported to other countries. MTSU officials have signed a memorandum of understanding on Aug. 20 with ISR Group, a Savannah, Tenn.-based provider of Unmanned Aircraft System, or USA, services. ISR assists clients in developing unmanned-vehicle technologies for air-, ground- and water-based systems. Through this collaboration, MTSU’s Department of Aerospace will be able to expand its teaching and research. The company owns a 10-square-mile flight-training range in Hardin County, Tenn. To increase ISR Group’s capability to operate and test unmanned aerial vehicles, MTSU has agreed to sponsor certificates of authorization via the Federal Aviation Administration.

Contact the Department of Aerospace at 615-898-2788.

TR EXTRA

“SO YOU’RE THE LITTLE GIRL WHO STARTED THIS BIG WAR.”--Join actress Elizabeth Davidson as she brings Uncle Tom’s Cabin author and activist Harriet Beecher Stowe to life today, Sept. 14, at MTSU’s Tucker Theatre. Free public performances of the one-woman play, “Harriet Beecher Stowe: A Literary Soldier,” are set for 9:40 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Stowe’s novel, written in 1853, helped galvanize a nation against the evils of slavery. Davidson, a Nashville-based performer, researched Stowe’s life and legacy to write the one-hour play, which features a fictionalized account of a meeting between the author and one of her detractors. “A Literary Soldier” is recommended for teens and adults only. For more information, call the College of Liberal Arts at 615-494-7628.

IF YOU YEARN TO LEARN—“Adventures in Learning,” the annual mini-school for adults age 50 and above, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 20, Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. The purpose of the event, which is planned by an interfaith coalition, is to provide a program by and for older adults in which they can share knowledge, talents and skills for lifelong learning and personal growth. As usual, retired and active MTSU faculty will play prominent roles in the event. A highlight will be “Mount and Mountain,” a dialogue between Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, and Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. This class will be based on online conversations Shapiro and Smith conducted about the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. To register, or for more information, contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.
NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS--The University College Advising Center will offer a series of workshops on how to be a successful MTSU student starting at 4:30 p.m. today, Sept. 14, and 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15, in the Corlew Hall classroom. These one-hour workshops are designed for any student who needs help or wants to learn more about the topic area. Subjects include “How to Get Started at MTSU;” “How to Use Your Time Wisely;” “How to Master Course Material;” “How to Find the Right Career for You;” “How to Use Your Academic Adviser;” “How to Give a Winning Presentation;” and “How to Prepare for Final Exams.” Students who need proof of attendance for class will receive it. For more information, contact the University College Advising Center at 615-898-2339.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK/A WONDERFUL TOWN—MTSU’s Baldwin Photographic Gallery is proud to play host to “New York, September 11” by world-renowned photographic cooperative Magnum Photos through Oct. 18. This stunning exhibition of 39 rare photographs began touring the nation five years after the terrorist attacks on the United States. These pictures capture images as they happened—many from an intimate, street-level perspective. Also included are beautiful photos of the World Trade Center twin towers before their fall. The Baldwin Gallery is in the McWherter Learning Resources Center. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 12-4 p.m.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Just a-jammin’ with you

Does a reggae tune have to lose some of its authenticity to become popular? Dr. Mike Alleyne, recording industry, writes, “The wide cultural exposure which has enhanced the recognizability of reggae has been achieved primarily through a corporate commercialization effected at the expense of both the lyrical and instrumental essence of the music. This process has involved coerced or voluntary assimilation of more commercially compatible characteristics, appropriation by white mainstream artists and an overall dispersal of ideological and musical meaning and creative value. The mainstream Euro-American audience has continually demonstrated a propensity for adopting reggae-oriented material on the basis of its aesthetically pleasing surface qualities rather than for explicitly political or deeper musical content.”

Contact Alleyne at 615-904-8336.
malleyne@mtsu.edu

Hey, Coral Gables! Truck this!

If you live in Coral Gables, Fla., forget about parking your pickup truck on a residential street between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. Lowell Kuvin was fined twice for parking his truck in front of a house he rented. The house did not have a garage. Kuvin, an attorney, filed suit claiming that the ordinances that prevented him from parking his truck in front of a house during the hours in question violated his right to free association under the First Amendment. David Hudson, adjunct professor of political science and First Amendment Center scholar, says, “The city argued that it had a rational interest in preserving aesthetics in prohibiting trucks on public streets. The majority (of a three-judge panel) agreed, writing that ‘the City seeks to preserve … the residential character of the city.’ Judge Angel A Cortinas wrote a scathing dissent in which he accused the majority and the city of ‘elitism.’ He wrote in strong language that the Ford F-150 truck ‘is not an aberrant vehicle cherished by rednecks and lowlifes, as the tone of the majority opinion suggests.’”

Contact Hudson at 615-727-1342.
dhudson@fac.org

Staking their claims

Initial claims for unemployment insurance in the second quarter fell a little bit. “Average weekly initial claims for Tennessee dipped to 7,764 during the second quarter, down from 8,406 in the previous quarter,” reports Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center. “Weekly claims at this current level typically are associated with job growth. Preliminary information for July suggests that labor market conditions may be weakening, as claims are on the rise. Rising employment and falling initial claims for unemployment insurance helped to bring down the unemployment rate to 10.3 percent from 10.7 percent in the previous quarter. The labor force rose 1.0 percent during the quarter, the second quarterly increase.”

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

TR EXTRA

IF YOU YEARN TO LEARN—“Adventures in Learning,” the annual mini-school for adults age 50 and above, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. today, Sept. 13, and Sept. 20, Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. The purpose of the event, which is planned by an interfaith coalition, is to provide a program by and for older adults in which they can shore knowledge, talents and skills for lifelong learning and personal growth. As usual, retired and active MTSU faculty will play prominent roles in the event. A highlight will be “Mount and Mountain,” a dialogue between Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, and Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. This class will be based on online conversations Shapiro and Smith conducted about the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. To register, or for more information, contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS--The University College Advising Center will offer a series of workshops on how to be a successful MTSU student starting at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow, Sept. 14, and 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15, in the Corlew Hall classroom. These one-hour workshops are designed for any student who needs help or wants to learn more about the topic area. Subjects include “How to Get Started at MTSU;” “How to Use Your Time Wisely;” “How to Master Course Material;” “How to Find the Right Career for You;” “How to Use Your Academic Adviser;” “How to Give a Winning Presentation;” and “How to Prepare for Final Exams.” Students who need proof of attendance for class will receive it. For more information, contact the University College Advising Center at 615-898-2339.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK/A WONDERFUL TOWN—MTSU’s Baldwin Photographic Gallery is proud to play host to “New York, September 11” by world-renowned photographic cooperative Magnum Photos through Oct. 18. This stunning exhibition of 39 rare photographs began touring the nation five years after the terrorist attacks on the United States. These pictures capture images as they happened—many from an intimate, street-level perspective. Also included are beautiful photos of the World Trade Center twin towers before their fall. The Baldwin Gallery is in the McWherter Learning Resources Center. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 12-4 p.m.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Blazing battles

Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, has called on Pastor Terry Jones to cancel his plans to burn several copies of the Qur’an in Florida this Saturday, the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America by al-Qaeda. Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, says of Jones, “His actions demean Christianity and aid and abet the cause of Islamic extremism. … As part of your memorial observances of 9/11, whether alone, with friends and family, or more formally with a larger community, I ask that you read, not burn, passages from the world’s sacred scriptures. … The Jewish poet Heinrich Heine, in his play ‘Almansor,’ wrote about burning texts of the Qur’an by the Catholic Inquisition in Spain, saying, ‘Those who begin by burning books will end by burning people.’ This proved true of the Church. It proved true of the Nazis. Don’t let it prove true of us as well.”

Read Shapiro’s blog at http://rabbirami.blogspot.com/.

“Citizenship consists in the service of the country.”—Jawaharlal Nehru

In this highly politically charged era, the MTSU Department of Political Science steps forward with its new Political and Civic Engagement minor to guide students in ways they can become more fully involved in their society. An experiential learning track that combines real-world activities with concepts and theories learned in the classroom, the minor is designed for students of all majors. “Part of the idea here is citizen training, but in a newer sense of the term, in the sense that it’s important for people to be engaged in society in order for democracy to work,” says Dr. Stephen Morris, department chair. Activities that students may use for completing the minor include Legal Courtroom Procedure, commonly referred to as mock trial; Moot Court; Mediation Procedure; Model United Nations; and the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature.

Contact the Department of Political Science at 615-898-2708.

Tax collectors’ items

One reason economists pay close attention to real estate transaction figures is because taxes collected on real estate transfers and mortgages are significant. MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center found transfer collections rose during the second quarter in Tennessee, while mortgage tax collections fell. According to Tennessee Housing Market, a BERC publication, “Transfer taxes rose 5.8 percent from the first quarter and are 14.2 percent higher over the year. The increase in the tax collections coupled with stable-to-falling real estate prices indicates that more deals were settled compared with the first quarter. Part of the explanation for the increase might be a rebound from the first quarter’s cold, wet weather that brought more buyers out to look for homes.”

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

TR EXTRA

GET TO KNOW JAC!--Stop by the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students during its open house from 1-3 p.m. today, Sept. 8, in its new location, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. Meet Director Terri Johnson and Assistant Director Valerie Avent, who will acquaint you with the center’s mission and programs. These include monthly legal clinics, a professional development and enrichment series and programs focusing on awareness of sexual assault and domestic violence prevention. The JAC’s new expanded hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Today’s open house is free to the public. For more information, call the center at 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

IF YOU YEARN TO LEARN—“Adventures in Learning,” the annual mini-school for adults age 50 and above, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 13, Sept. 20, Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. The purpose of the event, which is planned by an interfaith coalition, is to provide a program by and for older adults in which they can shore knowledge, talents and skills for lifelong learning and personal growth. As usual, retired and active MTSU faculty will play prominent roles in the event. A highlight will be “Mount and Mountain,” a dialogue between Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, and Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. This class will be based on online conversations Shapiro and Smith conducted about the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. To register, or for more information, contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS--The University College Advising Center will offer a series of workshops on how to be a successful MTSU student starting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, and 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15, in the Corlew Hall classroom. These one-hour workshops are designed for any student who needs help or wants to learn more about the topic area. Subjects include “How to Get Started at MTSU;” “How to Use Your Time Wisely;” “How to Master Course Material;” “How to Find the Right Career for You;” “How to Use Your Academic Adviser;” “How to Give a Winning Presentation;” and “How to Prepare for Final Exams.” Students who need proof of attendance for class will receive it. For more information, contact the University College Advising Center at 615-898-2339.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

You’ve gotta be a football hero.

The 2010 college football season is underway and Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says there are lessons that businesses can learn from the sport. For example, one of college football’s most durable selling points is tradition. Roy says, “The most successful college football programs in terms of attendance, licensed merchandise sales and overall fan interest have a history of greatness when it comes to appealing to fans. Alabama, Texas, Ohio State and Notre Dame are examples of programs with winning traditions and legendary players and coaches that span generations. The lore of these programs adds to their appeal today. How can tradition be cultivated in your organization, externally with customers and internally with employees? Do you have a legendary product? Ad campaign? Logo? Other marketing asset that can be leveraged to build a bridge to the past?”

Contact Roy at 615-904-8564.
droy@mtsu.edu

Leaning on learning

Dr. Michelle Arnold, associate director of admissions, conducted a comparative study of college honors students versus traditional students as it relates to social and academic integration. “The purpose was to provide further evidence on potential determinants of college student involvement and academic success, particularly on honors students,” writes Arnold. Aspects of the student experience examined in the study included academic exchange, interactions with faculty, active and collaborative learning, supportive campus environment and enriching educational experiences. “Some significant differences were found, but overall the two groups were similar in many ways,” writes Arnold. “Their academic credentials may be on different levels, but results from this study showed both groups averaged very close to the same opinion about their experiences at the institution.”

Contact Arnold at 615-898-5280.
marnold@mtsu.edu

The Blue Pencil Doctrine

Depending on the state in which a noncompete agreement is created, there might be a judicial standard for determining whether to invalidate the whole deal or only a few offending words. This is called the blue pencil doctrine. Drs. Patrick Geho and Stephen Lewis write, “Courts in states that recognize the blue pencil doctrine may attempt to reform the noncompete agreement to create an enforceable agreement from what otherwise would violate the law in that state. … States are less inclined to apply the blue pencil doctrine approach in modifying a noncompete agreement when it appears that employers are over-reaching in the ‘terms and conditions language’ of the noncompete agreement and when employers use the agreement’s broad language as a firewall and a deterrent to employees competing.”

Contact Geho at 615-898-2745 or pgeho@mtsu.edu.
Contact Lewis at 615-898-2902 or slewis@mtsu.edu.

TR EXTRA

IF YOU YEARN TO LEARN—“Adventures in Learning,” the annual mini-school for adults age 50 and above, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 13, Sept. 20, Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. The purpose of the event, which is planned by an interfaith coalition, is to provide a program by and for older adults in which they can shore knowledge, talents and skills for lifelong learning and personal growth. As usual, retired and active MTSU faculty will play prominent roles in the event. A highlight will be “Mount and Mountain,” a dialogue between Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, and Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. This class will be based on online conversations Shapiro and Smith conducted about the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. To register, or for more information, contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Good morning, Sunshine!

The flap between Rutherford County Election Administrator Hooper Penuel and members of the county Election Commission raises some Constitutional issues. The commissioners allegedly held phone conversations about firing Penuel before they met in public to fire Penuel, which would be a violation of the state Sunshine Law. They met again this week and decided to put Penuel on paid leave pending another meeting. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says, “Believe it or not, all of these political machinations are a victory for the citizens of Tennessee. Once again, politicians have learned they can’t conduct the public’s business in secret. Beyond that, the public has seen them waste the public’s money by having to schedule another meeting. By the end of the day, the results may be the same. But at least this time the public will know what in the world is going on.”

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

Somewhere under the work force

If employers are looking for talent, they can find workers in jobs that don’t allow them to express their full range of skills in Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Lincoln, Moore and Warren counties. A study conducted last summer by MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center found that about 18,055 are underemployed and willing to change jobs for a better one, 18,523 were underemployed and looking for a job, and 10,675 are discouraged or other marginally attached workers and willing to work. In addition, the study states, “Although they are not included in this study’s available labor force estimates, some workers are willing to change jobs for a new one even if the new job pays equal to or less than their current wage rate. These workers may be counted as available labor force. However, since these workers are not currently looking for a job, we did not count them as available labor force.”

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

Life is just a bowl of questions.

With the start of the fall semester, Dr. Phil Oliver, philosophy, has begun his new class, “The Future of Life.” Oliver says, “’Future’ and ‘life’ both sprawl in an almost untameable way, of course, so we’ll have plenty of parsing to do as we go along. That means even more basic, orienting questions: Is the future all about me, or about us, at all? Or is it about successors to whom our relation is murky? Should we consider our main obligation to be ourselves as individuals, to our (contingent) historical epoch, to our wider communities, our DNA, the species, the planet, the carboniferous form of life, or, as the late Carl Sagan said, to the very cosmos, ‘ancient and vast’ and ongoing, itself?”

Contact Oliver at 615-898-2050.
poliver@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

THE WRITE STUFF--The Margaret H. Ordoubadian University Writing Center will hold an Open House from 2-5 p.m. today, Sept. 1, at its new location in Room 362 of MTSU’s James E. Walker Library. A cross-curriculum tutoring service, the UWC offers writing help to any student on any writing project. Our staff of graduate and undergraduate peer tutors works with students individually and in groups to recognize patterns of weaknesses and determine long-term strategies for writing improvement. For more information, call the UWC at 615-904-8237 or visit the website at www.mtsu.edu/uwc.

IF YOU YEARN TO LEARN—“Adventures in Learning,” the annual mini-school for adults age 50 and above, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 13, Sept. 20, Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. The purpose of the event, which is planned by an interfaith coalition, is to provide a program by and for older adults in which they can shore knowledge, talents and skills for lifelong learning and personal growth. As usual, retired and active MTSU faculty will play prominent roles in the event. A highlight will be “Mount and Mountain,” a dialogue between Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, and Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. This class will be based on online conversations Shapiro and Smith conducted about the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. To register, or for more information, contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

THE LUNATIC IS ON THE GRASS.--“Us and Them,” a Pink Floyd tribute band, will perform Pink Floyd’s most commercially successful and best-selling album, “Dark Side of the Moon,” at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4, at The Blue Rooster on the public square in Murfreesboro. The performance is part of a benefit for Autism Speaks, a nonprofit organization. MTSU Department of Recording Industry professors Dale Brown, Bill Crabtree and Cosette Collier and Computer Information Systems professor Amy Hennington are members of the band. Recording Industry professor John Merchant will be the sound engineer. There will be no cover charge for the benefit event, but donations for Autism Speaks will be appreciated. Contact Brown at 615-898-2454 or djbrown@mtsu.edu or Steve Holeman at 615-995-6013 or steve@steveholeman.com.

A BREAK IN THE ACTION--MTSU will be closed Monday, Sept. 6, for the Labor Day holiday. No classes will be held and all offices will be closed. Classes will resume at their regularly scheduled times Tuesday, Sept. 8. All offices will be open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.