Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Taking the lead

The MTSU Center for Organizational and Human Resource Effectiveness (COHRE) is taking the Foundational Leadership Academy it created three years ago to help Rutherford County employees and offering it to private businesses and organizations. The Foundational Leadership Academy conducts five half-day sessions once a month with county workers who have leadership potential. Up to 12 trainees and two primary trainers provide both individual attention and cover the issues business leaders constantly encounter. Dr. Patrick McCarthy, director of COHRE, says the academy was designed to be practical, rigorous, hands-on and affordable, is quite adaptable to private sector circumstances and is applicable in both large and small businesses.

Contact COHRE at 615-217-2084.

The needle and the damage done

The Tennessee Supreme Court last week stayed the scheduled execution of Stephen Michael West so that a trial court could test the constitutionality of the state’s lethal injection method. In so doing, three other planned executions were stayed. The trial court must rule within 90 days of the high court’s decision. Dr. Amy Sayward, chair of the MTSU Department of History, is co-editor of Tennessee’s New Abolitionists, a collection of essays about the history of the anti-capital punishment movement in Tennessee. She writes, “Historically, Tennesseans have been very ambivalent about executions and, throughout history, they have moved to ensure that executions have been carried out as humanely as possible. This was evident in the state’s move to have hangings occur behind the walls of the state prison (1883) rather than on public gallows in the county seats, which was the practice before the 20th century.”

Contact Sayward at 615-898-2569.
asayward@mtsu.edu

Out of sync, out of sorts, out of money, out of patience

Are Tennessee consumers more or less optimistic than consumers nationwide? According to the latest Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Index, seven percent of respondents believe “Business conditions in the U.S. are good” compared with eight percent across the country. Thirty-five percent of Middle Tennesseans think “Six months from now, business conditions in the U.S. will be better.” That’s true of only 17 percent of Americans as a whole. Forty percent responding to the MTSU survey said “In 12 months, my personal financial situation (income) will be better,” but only 11 percent nationwide feel that way. And 29 percent of Middle Tennesseans think “Six months from now, there will be more job openings,” compared with 16 percent across America.

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

TR EXTRA

HAPPY HOLIDAYS--It’s time again for “Operation Christmas Care,” the project that sends holiday cheer to wounded warriors. The service, which was started in 2006 by Lee Ann Newton, executive aide for the Tennessee Mathematics, Science and Technology Education Center, has sent more than 20,000 Christmas cards to hospitalized military personnel. “Unfortunately, our soldiers’ individual support systems often dwindle after the life-threatening danger has passed,” says Norton, “and yet their painful daily regiment toward recovery continues. E-mails are nice, and they’re appreciated, but a colorful card or letter with a heartfelt message of support and encouragement can beam from the walls of their hospital rooms until they leave.” Contact Newton at 615-904-8573 or lnewton@mtsu.edu.