Today's Response from MTSU

January 26, 2011

2011-01-26T08:34:00.002-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The State of Obama’s Union—Year Two

The post-Tucson shooting atmosphere of last night’s State of the Union Address resulted in fewer catcalls and less open partisanship. Will it last? Dr. John Vile, dean of the MTSU University Honors College and former chair of the Department of Political Science, says the speech “reminded me (not that I remember personally) of Thomas Jefferson’s inaugural address, in which he intoned that ‘We are all Republicans; we are all Federalists.’ The bipartisan atmosphere was, of course, heightened by the ‘date-night’ seating arrangement. Moreover, the President offered a number of proposals (reduction of the corporate tax, spending freezes, welcoming ROTC to campuses, and the like) that would appeal across the now-dissolved aisle.”

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

Are you Felix or Oscar?

Does your workspace provide clues to your living space and vice versa? Dr. Jackie Gilbert, management and marketing, writes, “Some individuals experience a disconnect between how they maintain their home and their office, despite the fact that perceptions are quickly created. It is at home when people ‘let their hair down’ and when you may see snippets of their true selves on display. A slovenly approach to personal décor works at cross-purposes in crating the image you wish to project. I once heard of an executive who asked prospective recruits to drive him to lunch under the ruse that his car was in the shop. He uses this excursion to inspect the potential recruit’s car’s general condition, its cleanliness and its appearance. A dirty, unkempt vehicle may speak volumes about a host of seemingly unrelated things.”

Read Gilbert’s blog at http://organizedforefficiency.com.

What are they checking out—“Lolita”?

David Yarde, a state representative in Indiana, has introduced legislation to ban sex offenders from public libraries in that state. Yarde’s measure would create the crime of “sex offender felony trespass.” Is it constitutional to bar someone from merely walking through the door of a public library? David Hudson, adjunct professor of political science and First Amendment Center scholar, says, “In Doe v. Albuquerque, a federal district judge in New Mexico ruled in May 2010 that (New Mexico’s similar) ban infringed on … First Amendment right(s) to receive information and ideas from public libraries … However, in a case involving public parks, the Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the city of Lafayette, Ind., did not violate the First Amendment when it excluded a known sex offender from city parks.

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

TR EXTRA

LEARNING ABOUT COLLEGE -- “How to Win at the Game of College,” a three-part seminar series to equip students with the tools and strategies to ensure college success, will begin at 6 p.m. tonight, Jan. 26, in the State Farm Lecture Hall (Room S102) of the Business and Aerospace Building at MTSU. A dynamic, interactive and audio-visual presentation by Dr. Ryan Otter, assistant professor of biology, and based on his book How to Win at the Game of College: Practical Advice from a College Professor, the opening installment of the series is titled “The Benefits of the ‘Be Weird’ Strategy.” It will focus on how college is different from high school and how being “weird” will lead to success. For more information, contact Otter at 615-898-2063 or rrotter@mtsu.edu or Gina Logue of the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

YES, THEY CAN! -- The Center for Health and Human Services at MTSU will administer the “Yes I Can! Diabetes Self-Management Program” from February through June in Rutherford County. It will consist of six weeks’ worth of two-and-a-half-hour sessions that will be completely free to participants. The community-based protocol is derived from a model created by Stanford University and used nationwide for the past 20 years. Diabetics, their supporters and people who might have indications of a pre-diabetic condition are encouraged to participate. There will be a cap of 20 people per class, so sign up now. Doctor’s referrals are not required. Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Children will not be allowed to attend. For specific times and locations or to register online, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/achcs/YesICan.shtml.

“NOTHING HAPPENS UNLESS FIRST A DREAM.”—CARL SANDBURG--Dr. Jhon (spelling is correct) C. Akers will interpret the works of poet Carl Sandburg on classical guitar in “Carl Sandburg and the Spanish Guitar,” a lecture slated for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of the Business and Aerospace Building. Akers was twice the featured lecturer for the Sandburg Days Festival in Galesburg, Ill. He is an associate professor of modern languages at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. Sandburg, a poet, historian and winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, also collected folk songs and wrote children’s literature and had a lifelong love for the Spanish guitar. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. William Yelverton at 615-898-2004 or 615-898-5623.

MAKE IT A HAPPY HUNDREDTH!--Join MTSU in celebrating its 100th birthday! Go to http://www.mtsu.edu/centennial/ and check out a full array of photos of Blue Raider athletics, scenes around campus, military pictures, aerial photos of the campus over the years and snapshots from the 1920 handbook. Learn more about the MTSU Centennial Scholars Program, which was created to help attract even more elite high-school students to the university. Reserve a table for the Blue Tie Centennial Gala, slated for Sept. 9, 2011 at the Embassy Suites Murfreesboro Hotel and Conference Center. Select from a wide variety of Centennial merchandise, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, polo shirts, caps, lapel pins, shot glasses and much more. For more information, contact the Centennial Committee at centennial@mtsu.edu.

THE NOT-SO-DISMAL SCIENCE--John Siegfried, professor of economics at Vanderbilt University and Secretary-Treasurer of the American Economic Association, will present “Better Living through Economics” in a seminar from 12:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, in Room S128 of the MTSU Business and Aerospace Building. The lecture will be based on the book of the same name, a collection of 12 case studies demonstrating how economic research has improved social and economic conditions over the past half-century by influencing public policy decisions. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the MTSU Department of Economics and Finance at 615-898-2520.

January 25, 2011

2011-01-25T08:44:00.002-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

After freedom, then what?

Following the 150th anniversary of the end of the conflict that nearly tore the United States apart, the MTSU Black History Month Committee will present “African Americans and the Civil War: The Struggle Continues,” a slate of artistic and educational events in February. Black History Month originated in 1926 with the first celebration of Negro History Week, which was created by historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Only the second African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard University, Woodson’s brainstorm raised awareness of blacks’ contributions to the American experience. MTSU’s chapter of Omega Psi Phi will sponsor a display in Woodson’s honor.

For specific information on events and dates, contact Vincent Windrow, director of the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs and chairman of the MTSU Black History Month Committee at 615-898-2238 or go to http://www.mtsu.edu/idac/.

Feels like the first time

Intrigued by a documentary in which a young woman was ostracized by her parents for two years because she realized her dream of attending college, Tara Perrin set out to find out how other first-generation college students handle the challenges of their unique educational lives. Perrin, a 36-year-old MTSU sociology major originally from Tallahassee, Fla., is writing her master’s thesis on first-generation students’ perceptions of changing family relationships due to the acquisition of higher education and how they feel these changes impact their college careers. “For some people, it’s a really smooth transition, and, for others, it’s a very, very difficult transition to go to school and stay in school because your family can be quite antagonistic toward you,” says Perrin, a first-generation student who says she had her parents’ total support.

To talk to Perrin about her research, contact Gina Logue in the MTSU Office of News and Media Relations at 615-898-5081.
gklogue@mtsu.edu

The MTSU difference

The benefits of MTSU’s impact in Rutherford County are both quantifiable and impressive. In a Jan. 13 address to United Campus Workers, Dr. Murat Arik, associate director of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, stated that each additional year of schooling in Rutherford County accounts for a nearly 30 percent increase in wage and salary income. College education means 64 percent more earnings than high school education in the county. More than 40 percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or above in Rutherford County are MTSU alumni. In the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area, it’s 14 percent. When it come to employment, 20,000 college students are part-time workers in the county, and 63 percent of the county’s self-employed have some college exposure.

Contact Arik at 615-898-5424.
marik@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

LEARNING ABOUT COLLEGE -- “How to Win at the Game of College,” a three-part seminar series to equip students with the tools and strategies to ensure college success, will begin at 6 p.m. tomorrrow night, Jan. 26, in the State Farm Lecture Hall (Room S102) of the Business and Aerospace Building at MTSU. A dynamic, interactive and audio-visual presentation by Dr. Ryan Otter, assistant professor of biology, and based on his book How to Win at the Game of College: Practical Advice from a College Professor, the opening installment of the series is titled “The Benefits of the ‘Be Weird’ Strategy.” It will focus on how college is different from high school and how being “weird” will lead to success. For more information, contact Otter at 615-898-2063 or rrotter@mtsu.edu or Gina Logue of the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

YES, THEY CAN! -- The Center for Health and Human Services at MTSU will administer the “Yes I Can! Diabetes Self-Management Program” from February through June in Rutherford County. It will consist of six weeks’ worth of two-and-a-half-hour sessions that will be completely free to participants. The community-based protocol is derived from a model created by Stanford University and used nationwide for the past 20 years. Diabetics, their supporters and people who might have indications of a pre-diabetic condition are encouraged to participate. There will be a cap of 20 people per class, so sign up now. Doctor’s referrals are not required. Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Children will not be allowed to attend. For specific times and locations or to register online, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/achcs/YesICan.shtml.

“NOTHING HAPPENS UNLESS FIRST A DREAM.”—CARL SANDBURG--Dr. Jhon (spelling is correct) C. Akers will interpret the works of poet Carl Sandburg on classical guitar in “Carl Sandburg and the Spanish Guitar,” a lecture slated for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of the Business and Aerospace Building. Akers was twice the featured lecturer for the Sandburg Days Festival in Galesburg, Ill. He is an associate professor of modern languages at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. Sandburg, a poet, historian and winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, also collected folk songs and wrote children’s literature and had a lifelong love for the Spanish guitar. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. William Yelverton at 615-898-2004 or 615-898-5623.

NANU, NANU!—NO, NO! NANO, NANO!--The MTSU Chemistry Society, the Department of Chemistry and the Nashville section of the American Chemical Society invite you to attend the 15th annual Golden Goggles Invitational Lecture at 7 p.m. tomorrow night, Jan. 26, in Room 102 of the Wiser-Patten Science Building. The speaker will be Professor James M. Tour of the Smalley Institute for Science and Technology at Rice University in Houston. Tour will speak on “Nanomaterials, Nanoelectronics, Nanomedicine and Nanocars.” In addition, a buffet including barbeque, beverages and cake is slated for 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Room 106 of the Davis Science Building. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Andrienne Friedli at 615-898-2071 or afriedli@mtsu.edu.

MAKE IT A HAPPY HUNDREDTH!--Join MTSU in celebrating its 100th birthday! Go to http://www.mtsu.edu/centennial/ and check out a full array of photos of Blue Raider athletics, scenes around campus, military pictures, aerial photos of the campus over the years and snapshots from the 1920 handbook. Learn more about the MTSU Centennial Scholars Program, which was created to help attract even more elite high-school students to the university. Reserve a table for the Blue Tie Centennial Gala, slated for Sept. 9, 2011 at the Embassy Suites Murfreesboro Hotel and Conference Center. Select from a wide variety of Centennial merchandise, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, polo shirts, caps, lapel pins, shot glasses and much more. For more information, contact the Centennial Committee at centennial@mtsu.edu.

Monday, January 24, 2011

2011-01-25T08:41:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“This is ourselves/Under pressure”—David Bowie and Queen

A new documentary titled “Race to Nowhere” posits that parents who prep their children for college from the moment they enter kindergarten by pushing them to do more and more extracurricular activities on top of the usual schoolwork are doing their kids a disservice. Are kids under too much stress to succeed in school so they will have the kind of credentials they need to get into college? Dr. Kathy Burriss, elementary and special education, says, “Children today, even young children, feel stressed. But today’s schools emphasize high achievement as measured by test scores, which translate into long hours of tedious drill, leading to still more stress. And, in order to guarantee more seat time, administrators reduce or eliminate recess and other play activities children need.”

Contact Burriss at 615-898-2323.
kburriss@mtsu.edu

A round-trip ticket to educational success

Dr. Sean Foley is putting his third Fulbright Fellowship to use in a relatively little-explored but highly relevant area of scholarship as he continues to investigate religious connections between the Arab Gulf States and Southeast Asia under the auspices of International Islamic University Malaysia. Foley, an assistant professor of history at MTSU, is working and studying mostly in Malaysia with a stipend from the Fulbright Program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. However, his experiences in other countries in the region are yielding future benefits not only for academia in general, but for MTSU specifically. “Sean’s travel and research presentations … will highlight the name ‘Middle Tennessee State University’ throughout the region,” says Dr. Amy Sayward, chair of the MTSU Department of History. “We hope that Sean’s contacts today will lead to a more international graduate-student body in our department and on our campus in the years to come.

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

Make it a Happy Hundredth!

Join MTSU in celebrating its 100th birthday! Go to http://www.mtsu.edu/centennial/ and check out a full array of photos of Blue Raider athletics, scenes around campus, military pictures, aerial photos of the campus over the years and snapshots from the 1920 handbook. Learn more about the MTSU Centennial Scholars Program, which was created to help attract even more elite high-school students to the university. Reserve a table for the Blue Tie Centennial Gala, slated for Sept. 9, 2011 at the Embassy Suites Murfreesboro Hotel and Conference Center. Select from a wide variety of Centennial merchandise, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, polo shirts, caps, lapel pins, shot glasses and much more.

For more information, contact the Centennial Committee at centennial@mtsu.edu.

TR EXTRA

LEARNING ABOUT COLLEGE -- “How to Win at the Game of College,” a three-part seminar series to equip students with the tools and strategies to ensure college success, will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, in the State Farm Lecture Hall (Room S102) of the Business and Aerospace Building at MTSU. A dynamic, interactive and audio-visual presentation by Dr. Ryan Otter, assistant professor of biology, and based on his book How to Win at the Game of College: Practical Advice from a College Professor, the opening installment of the series is titled “The Benefits of the ‘Be Weird’ Strategy.” It will focus on how college is different from high school and how being “weird” will lead to success. For more information, contact Otter at 615-898-2063 or rrotter@mtsu.edu or Gina Logue of the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

YES, THEY CAN! -- The Center for Health and Human Services at MTSU will administer the “Yes I Can! Diabetes Self-Management Program” from February through June in Rutherford County. It will consist of six weeks’ worth of two-and-a-half-hour sessions that will be completely free to participants. The community-based protocol is derived from a model created by Stanford University and used nationwide for the past 20 years. Diabetics, their supporters and people who might have indications of a pre-diabetic condition are encouraged to participate. There will be a cap of 20 people per class, so sign up now. Doctor’s referrals are not required. Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Children will not be allowed to attend. For specific times and locations or to register online, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/achcs/YesICan.shtml.

“NOTHING HAPPENS UNLESS FIRST A DREAM.”—CARL SANDBURG--Dr. Jhon (spelling is correct) C. Akers will interpret the works of poet Carl Sandburg on classical guitar in “Carl Sandburg and the Spanish Guitar,” a lecture slated for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of the Business and Aerospace Building. Akers was twice the featured lecturer for the Sandburg Days Festival in Galesburg, Ill. He is an associate professor of modern languages at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. Sandburg, a poet, historian and winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, also collected folk songs and wrote children’s literature and had a lifelong love for the Spanish guitar. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. William Yelverton at 615-898-2004 or 615-898-5623.

NANU, NANU!—NO, NO! NANO, NANO!--The MTSU Chemistry Society, the Department of Chemistry and the Nashville section of the American Chemical Society invite you to attend the 15th annual Golden Goggles Invitational Lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, in Room 102 of the Wiser-Patten Science Building. The speaker will be Professor James M. Tour of the Smalley Institute for Science and Technology at Rice University in Houston. Tour will speak on “Nanomaterials, Nanoelectronics, Nanomedicine and Nanocars.” In addition, a buffet including barbeque, beverages and cake is slated for 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Room 106 of the Davis Science Building. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Andrienne Friedli at 615-898-2071 or afriedli@mtsu.edu.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

2011-01-19T08:30:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

When repealing becomes unappealing

U.S. Rep. Bob Bishop (R-Utah) has introduced a bill for a new Constitutional amendment that would enable legislatures in two-thirds of the states to repeal any law Congress passes. Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and Constitutional law expert, wrote in the National Law Journal that the reasons for rejecting such legislation are “compelling.” Vile asserts, “The size of the U.S. deficit suggests that legislators already find it more advantageous to mandate benefits and lower taxes than to cut programs and raise taxes. Article I, Section VIII vests Congress with certain powers and responsibilities. What if state vetoes made it impossible for Congress to carry out such powers or fulfill such duties? What would happen if state legislators began vetoing tax bills without vetoing corresponding appropriations? Who should voters hold responsible?”

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

Still overcoming

“The State of Blacks in Middle Tennessee,” a recent comprehensive report by scholars and other experts, finds that life for African-Americans in the region is still separate and unequal. The report was published by the Urban League of Middle Tennessee in partnership with the Urban EpiCenter and the Center for Community Change. Dr. Sekou Franklin, associate professor of political science at MTSU, edited the report and contributed articles about African taxi drivers and voting in Nashville’s 2007 mayoral election. “The taxonomy of contemporary racism (overt racism, institutional racism, racial disparity, racial polarization, racial steering, the black-white achievement gap) is as pervasive in the 21st century as it was in the 1960s,” writes Franklin in the preface. Franklin’s colleague, Dr. Moses Tesi, political science, also contributed an article on Africans in Middle Tennessee.

Contact Franklin at 615-904-8232.
franklin@mtsu.edu

Is the green movement losing its chlorophyll?

By comparison with a 2009 Harris Poll fewer respondents in a recent survey said they switched to bottled from tap water, donated or recycled electronics or bought locally grown produce. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says it’s not yet time to mark the end of the green consumer. “It is possible that some consumers are reverting back to previous attitudes and behaviors as their personal situations improve,” says Roy. “We can look at reactions to gasoline prices and observe similar patterns. When gas prices rose to their highest levels, more consumers cut back on driving, more interest existed for fuel-efficient vehicles and electric and hybrid vehicles were in vogue.”

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

TR EXTRA

LEARNING ABOUT COLLEGE -- “How to Win at the Game of College,” a three-part seminar series to equip students with the tools and strategies to ensure college success, will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, in the State Farm Lecture Hall (Room S102) of the Business and Aerospace Building at MTSU. A dynamic, interactive and audio-visual presentation by Dr. Ryan Otter, assistant professor of biology, and based on his book How to Win at the Game of College: Practical Advice from a College Professor, the opening installment of the series is titled “The Benefits of the ‘Be Weird’ Strategy.” It will focus on how college is different from high school and how being “weird” will lead to success. For more information, contact Otter at 615-898-2063 or rrotter@mtsu.edu or Gina Logue of the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

SCIENCE SAYS … -- Middle Tennessee Education Center in Shelbyville is offering an Experimental Physical Science course beginning today, Jan. 19. Dr. Pat Patterson, associate professor of chemistry at MTSU, will teach this four-hour graduate course. It involves basic concepts, laws and principles of astronomy, chemistry, geology and physics with an emphasis on the utilization of equipment available in actual school situations. The class will meet each Wednesday from 4-10 p.m. at MTEC and is recommended for teachers who wish to begin or continue their “Plus 30” hours of graduate work. MTEC is located at 200 Dover St. in Shelbyville. To find out more, contact Molly Culbreath at 931-685-4444 or mculbrea@mtsu.edu.
YES, THEY CAN! -- The Center for Health and Human Services at MTSU will administer the “Yes I Can! Diabetes Self-Management Program” from February through June in Rutherford County. It will consist of six weeks’ worth of two-and-a-half-hour sessions that will be completely free to participants. The community-based protocol is derived from a model created by Stanford University and used nationwide for the past 20 years. Diabetics, their supporters and people who might have indications of a pre-diabetic condition are encouraged to participate. There will be a cap of 20 people per class, so sign up now. Doctor’s referrals are not required. Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Children will not be allowed to attend. For specific times and locations or to register online, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/achcs/YesICan.shtml.

“NOTHING HAPPENS UNLESS FIRST A DREAM.”—CARL SANDBURG--Dr. Jhon (spelling is correct) C. Akers will interpret the works of poet Carl Sandburg on classical guitar in “Carl Sandburg and the Spanish Guitar,” a lecture slated for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of the Business and Aerospace Building. Akers was twice the featured lecturer for the Sandburg Days Festival in Galesburg, Ill. He is an associate professor of modern languages at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. Sandburg, a poet, historian and winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, also collected folk songs and wrote children’s literature and had a lifelong love for the Spanish guitar. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. William Yelverton at 615-898-2004 or 615-898-5623.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

2011-01-18T11:32:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

It’s enough to make your blood boil.

Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and ordained rabbi, has a definite take on Sarah Palin’s use of the term “blood libel” in her defense of her usage of gun language and gun imagery in her political communications. The term “blood libel” comes from a medieval fiction that Jews used the blood of Christian babies in preparing matzoh for religious rituals. Shapiro writes, “This is serious stuff. The blood libel is not to be taken lightly. The fact that Jews are forbidden from eating blood in any form (Leviticus 7:26-27) is irrelevant to hate-filled perpetrators of this slander. And though it is true that Sarah Palin is not a Jew, and therefore is permitted to consume blood, it is no less slanderous to claim that the blood she consumes is that of little children.”

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

Thinking about what you think

Mark Twain wrote, “It is not best that we should all think alike; it is a difference of opinion that makes horse races.” Have you ever wondered how you can voice your opinions with authority and promote them in an effective way? Dr. Jane Marcellus, journalism, is teaching “Opinion Writing and New Media” this semester. In this specialized reporting (Journalism 3520) class, students will learn about the origins of journalistic opinion writing and columns, discuss how opinion writing is changing, write both traditional columns and blog posts and learn in a supportive environment. The class meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:40-2:05 p.m.

Contact Marcellus at 615-898-5282.
jmarcell@mtsu.edu

Female fugues and funk

After a very successful fall 2010 semester debut, “Women in Music” returns for the spring semester to continue its exploration of the vast variety of women’s musical activities. The professor, Dr. Felicia Miyakawa, says, “The course will cover not only women composers in the Western tradition, but also women performers, women patrons and women as objects and symbols in the marketing of music.” Students will discuss cultural constructions of gender as they pertain to music, identify important women in musical history and outline their significance, talk about connections, between diverse forms of feminism and their manifestations in music and much more. Women to be studied will range from Clara Schumann to Janis Joplin and from Jenny Lind to Tori Amos.

Contact Miyakawa at 615-904-8043.
miyakawa@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

LEARNING ABOUT COLLEGE -- “How to Win at the Game of College,” a three-part seminar series to equip students with the tools and strategies to ensure college success, will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, in the State Farm Lecture Hall (Room S102) of the Business and Aerospace Building at MTSU. A dynamic, interactive and audio-visual presentation by Dr. Ryan Otter, assistant professor of biology, and based on his book How to Win at the Game of College: Practical Advice from a College Professor, the opening installment of the series is titled “The Benefits of the ‘Be Weird’ Strategy.” It will focus on how college is different from high school and how being “weird” will lead to success. For more information, contact Otter at 615-898-2063 or rrotter@mtsu.edu or Gina Logue of the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

SCIENCE SAYS … -- Middle Tennessee Education Center in Shelbyville is offering an Experimental Physical Science course beginning tomorrow, Jan. 19. Dr. Pat Patterson, associate professor of chemistry at MTSU, will teach this four-hour graduate course. It involves basic concepts, laws and principles of astronomy, chemistry, geology and physics with an emphasis on the utilization of equipment available in actual school situations. The class will meet each Wednesday from 4-10 p.m. at MTEC and is recommended for teachers who wish to begin or continue their “Plus 30” hours of graduate work. MTEC is located at 200 Dover St. in Shelbyville. To find out more, contact Molly Culbreath at 931-685-4444 or mculbrea@mtsu.edu.
YES, THEY CAN! -- The Center for Health and Human Services at MTSU will administer the “Yes I Can! Diabetes Self-Management Program” from February through June in Rutherford County. It will consist of six weeks’ worth of two-and-a-half-hour sessions that will be completely free to participants. The community-based protocol is derived from a model created by Stanford University and used nationwide for the past 20 years. Diabetics, their supporters and people who might have indications of a pre-diabetic condition are encouraged to participate. There will be a cap of 20 people per class, so sign up now. Doctor’s referrals are not required. Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Children will not be allowed to attend. For specific times and locations or to register online, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/achcs/YesICan.shtml.

“NOTHING HAPPENS UNLESS FIRST A DREAM.”—CARL SANDBURG--Dr. Jhon (spelling is correct) C. Akers will interpret the works of poet Carl Sandburg on classical guitar in “Carl Sandburg and the Spanish Guitar,” a lecture slated for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of the Business and Aerospace Building. Akers was twice the featured lecturer for the Sandburg Days Festival in Galesburg, Ill. He is an associate professor of modern languages at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. Sandburg, a poet, historian and winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, also collected folk songs and wrote children’s literature and had a lifelong love for the Spanish guitar. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. William Yelverton at 615-898-2004 or 615-898-5623.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

2010-12-08T08:53:00.000-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

As faculty members prepare for the holiday season, “Today’s Response” will go on hiatus following this edition. “Today’s Response” will return on Monday, January 17, 2011.

Too much of a good thing

A panel of experts at the Institute of Medicine now says that people are taking more Vitamin D and calcium supplements than they need. In light of this new research, how should people alter their diets? Dr. Janet Colson, human sciences, says, “Moderation is the key to nutrition. For the last 15 years or so, some studies (many sponsored by calcium manufacturers) have suggested that older women need 1,500 milligrams of calcium a day, higher than the 1,200 milligrams recommended by the established Dietary Reference Intakes. It has been well-established for many years that excessive calcium may result in kidney stones, which are typically made of calcium oxalate.”

Contact Colson at 615-898-2091.
jcolson@mtsu.edu

Don’t know much about history

Children in Israel and Palestine will not get to read a book titled Learning Each Other’s Historical Narrative. Israeli and Palestinian educators designed the book together. Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, laments this development. Shapiro writes, “Of course, the leaders on both sides fear both empathy and dialogue, and so both have banned the book from public high school curriculums. How sad. On the other hand, it does show that the leader(s) of both sides are not really on opposite sides at all. They are on the same side: the side of fear and hatred that keeps them in power. Just as the Israelites could not enter the Promised Land until almost all of the older generation passed away, peace may not come to the region until all those currently in power pass away.”

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

Stocking up

Do you expect the stock market to be higher 12 months from now, lower, or remain about the same? When this question was put to respondents to MTSU’s Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Index, only 10 percent expected the stock market to decline in value in the next 12 months. Almost half (46 percent) expect the stock market to stay relatively level for the next 12 months. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of MTSU’s Office of Consumer Research, says, “The fact that relatively few consumers expect a decline in the stock market over the next 12 months is a positive indicator that consumers also do not foresee a sharp decline in the value of their savings and investments. This can provide a level of comfort that can lead to increased spending.”

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.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

2010-12-07T08:40:00.001-06:00

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.

Monday, December 6, 2010

2010-12-06T08:25:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

CamScam

The NCAA ruled last week that Auburn quarterback Cam Newton would be eligible to play in the SEC Championship Game (Auburn routed South Carolina 56-17 on Saturday on the strength of a tour de force performance by Newton.) since the association has no evidence that he or Auburn knew about his father’s efforts to shop his son around to schools in apparent violation of NCAA standards. However, the younger Newton, the lead contender for the Heisman Trophy, is not totally in the clear. The Mississippi Secretary of State’s office will question former Mississippi State player Kenny Rogers on Thursday, Dec. 9, about Rogers’ role as the alleged middleman in the scheme. Dr. Colby Jubenville, health and human performance, says, “Though he is young and mistake-prone, ignorance will not be considered a defense. If Cam wants to clear his name, it’s not up to Auburn, the head coach, the SEC, the NCAA or his dad. It’s up to Cam Newton to clear Cam Newton.”

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

The booby trap

School officials in several states are prohibiting students from wearing “I (Heart) Boobies!” bracelets to raise awareness of breast cancer. But David Hudson, adjunct political science professor and First Amendment Center scholar, says those school officials’ actions are unconstitutional. “The bracelets are entitled to the same free-speech protection as the black peace armbands that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled middle-school and high-school students in Des Moines had a First Amendment right to wear to school in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969),” says Hudson. “The lesson of Tinker is that school officials can’t ban ‘booby’ bracelets simply because they don’t like them or fear that a few people might be made uncomfortable by them.”

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

A penny saved is a penny burned.

How much of a hit have savings accounts in Tennessee taken due to the recession? You might be surprised to learn that 26 percent of respondents in the latest Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Index say they are saving more now than prior to the recession. However, 38 percent say they are saving less. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of MTSU’s Office of Consumer Research, says, “Consumers were also asked to look ahead and predict their level of saving after the current recession ends and the economy strengthens. More than half (54 percent) expect to save more of their income than they are currently saving. Very few (5 percent) expect to decrease their level of saving. This suggests that some consumers who would like to be able to save a greater amount of their income are currently unable to do so.”

Contact 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.

Wednesday, December 1

2010-12-01T09:20:00.002-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

It’s all New Madrid’s fault!

Emergency management officials met in Nashville yesterday to determine how to allocate resources in the event of an earthquake. The New Madrid Seismic Zone, named for the New Madrid Fault, crosses five state lines. The New Madrid Fault poses the highest earthquake risk in the United States outside the West Coast, according to the U.S. Geological Society. Dr. Mark Abolins, geosciences, says, “The threat of earthquakes in the Mississippi River Valley and adjoining areas is very real. Something like the 1989 Loma Prieta, Cal. quake or the 1994 Northridge, Cal. quake (or even a far worse earthquake) could happen to Memphis and surrounding areas at any time. That part of the state has just been lucky—so far.” However, Abolins adds, “The threat of widespread devastation and mass casualties in Nashville and Murfreesboro is almost non-existent.”

Contact Abolins at 615-594-4210.
mabolins@mtsu.edu

An incumbent office-holder reduction plan

The deficit reduction commission led by former U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson and former Clinton Administration Chief-of-Staff Erskine Bowles released its final report today, Dec. 1. The full panel is slated to vote Friday, Dec. 3, on whether to approve it. The recommendations include raising the retirement age, cutting farm subsidies, capping discretionary spending and reducing tax rates. Dr. Martin Kennedy, economics and finance, says, “You can see why a commission was appointed. This is the stuff that costs elected officials votes. Better from their perspective to have to make an up-or-down vote and later argue to angry constituencies that they, too opposed cutting this or that, but had not opportunity to amend what the commission put forth.”

Contact Kennedy at 615-494-8679.
mdkenned@mtsu.edu

The one test you can’t afford to fail

Today, Dec. 1, is World AIDS Day as designated by the World Health Organization in 1988. A report released last week by UNAIDS indicates that HIV infections are going down in many of the most affected countries. Dr. Jo Edwards, holder of the Adams Chair of Excellence in Health Care Services at MTSU, says, “In the U.S., an estimated 1.1 million people are living with HIV and as many as one in five don’t know they are infected. About 55 percent of adults aged 18-64 have never been tested for HIV. Even among people at higher risk for HIV infection, 28 percent have never been tested. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Protection) recommends routine HIV testing in health care settings.”

Contact Edwards at 615-898-2905.
mjedward@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE FACULTY--The Pink Floyd tribute band “Us & Them” returns to The Blue Rooster on Murfreesboro’s Public Square Friday, Dec. 3, to perform the best-selling album “Dark Side of the Moon” and other Pink Floyd classics. “Us & Them” includes MTSU recording-industry professors Bill Crabtree, Cosette Collier and Dale Brown and computer information systems professor Amy Hennington as part of a 10-piece band. The event, which costs $9 per person, begins at 9:15 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will benefit scholarships for MTSU’s recording industry program. For more information, contact Steve Holeman at 615-995-6013 or steve@steveholeman.com.

SOMETHING IN THE AIR--MTSU’s Department of Aerospace will serve as host for the first National Conference on General Aviation Trends in China, set for today, Dec. 1, and tomorrow, Dec. 2, in the Donald McDonald Hangar inside the university’s Flight Operations Center at Murfreesboro Airport. “We’re extremely excited about this conference, as it is one of the first in the United States that will have members of one of the largest universities in China here to learn about U.S. general aviation,” says Dr. Wayne Dornan, chair of the department. “We have a distinguished list of U.S. speakers that will lend their expertise to the Chinese officials. … I am unaware of any such gathering that has taken place in the United States were high-ranking officials from both countries interact on aviation.” The conference is closed to the general public, but media are welcomed. Contact Randy Weiler in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu.

CANDY CANES AND LICORICE STICKS--The MTSU Clarinet Choir is slated to conduct a free, fun-filled Christmas concert at 6 p.m. tonight, Dec. 1, in Hinton Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus. The tunes will include “Dance of the Shepherds,” “Eine Kleine Nachmusik,” “Deck the Halls,” “Up on the Rooftop,” “Carol of the Bells,” “Still, Still, Still,” “Trepak” from “The Nutcracker,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and “A Christmas Festival.” For more information, call 615-898-2493 or visit the “Concert Calendar” link at www.mtsumusic.com.

DON’T LET YOUR FELLOWSHIP SAIL WITHOUT YOU.--Qualified high-school seniors interested in applying for the Buchanan Fellowships at MTSU must meet a deadline of today, Dec. 1, in order to be considered. The fellowship pays full tuition (up to 16 hours a semester) and most fees for four years of eligibility as well as an annual book allowance of $1,000 and other perks such as early registration and study-abroad opportunities. Students interested in securing applications for Buchanan Fellowships should go online to mtsu.edu/honors/scholarships.html. The fellowships are limited to 20 students per year. The fellowship is named in honor of Dr. James M. Buchanan (Class of 1940), a Nobel Prize-winning alumnus. Contact Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, at 615-898-2596 or jvile@mtsu.edu.

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.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

2010-11-30T08:24:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Taking a turn for the nurse

A survey by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses shows that 65 percent of graduates of baccalaureate nursing programs got job offers at the time of graduation last year or shortly thereafter. The national average is only 24.4 percent. Four to six months after graduation, the percentage of grads getting job offers goes up to 89 percent. Dr. Lynn Parsons, professor and director of the MTSU School of Nursing, says, “Our MTSU placements are much higher. Geographic location may play into this. In a down economy, RNs (registered nurses) that are not working in the field come back into practice because they need to be the breadwinners for spouses that have been downsized out of a job. Hospitals will hire an experienced RN over a new graduate.”

Contact Parsons at 615-898-2437.
lparsons@mtsu.edu

My dinner with Andrei (and Dimitry)

To get even 10 minutes worth of access to a major head of state is a gift which would make thousands of lobbyists giddy with anticipation. Dr. Andrei Korobkov, professor of political science at MTSU, spoke with Russian President Dimitry Medvedev for two hours at a state reception and dinner at the Kremlin on Nov. 4. Korobkov encountered Medvedev at the fourth annual Assembly of the Russian World foundation, which took place Nov. 2-4 in Moscow. “The organization is actively supported by President Medvedev, who is very interested in pushing it and considers it a way to reestablish links with the Russian diaspora abroad,” says Korobkov. “Increasingly, he is getting interested in bringing back Russian intellectuals who left.”

Contact Korobkov at 615-898-2945.
korobkov@mtsu.edu

“Go where you wanna go/Do what you wanna do.”—The Mamas and the Papas

Why work at a job you hate just to get more money and have more expensive status symbols to show off to the neighbors? Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, says, “I gave up the American Dream the day I decided not to enter my family’s business and to pursue, instead, a life as a rabbi, educator and writer. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to have a summer home up north and a winter home down south and buy a new car every two or three years. My hope now is to inherit one of those home, sell it, and use the money to buy a more recent used car than the 2005 Mazda Protégé I currently drive. But am I bitter? No.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

SOMETHING IN THE AIR--MTSU’s Department of Aerospace will serve as host for the first National Conference on General Aviation Trends in China, set for Dec. 1-2, in the Donald McDonald Hangar inside the university’s Flight Operations Center at Murfreesboro Airport. “We’re extremely excited about this conference, as it is one of the first in the United States that will have members of one of the largest universities in China here to learn about U.S. general aviation,” says Dr. Wayne Dornan, chair of the department. “We have a distinguished list of U.S. speakers that will lend their expertise to the Chinese officials. … I am unaware of any such gathering that has taken place in the United States were high-ranking officials from both countries interact on aviation.” The conference is closed to the general public, but media are welcomed. Contact Randy Weiler in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu.

THE BETTER CHEDDAR--The MTSU Dairy Science Club is now accepting orders for cheese gift boxes. This quality Wisconsin cheese is delivered within two days of placing an order. Although MTSU has a dairy herd that produces the milk served in campus cafeterias, the university does not make its own cheese. The funds raised from cheese sales support Dairy Science Club activities such as the Beginning and Master Beekeeping classes at MTSU, clinics and team travel. The deadline for placing orders is today, Nov. 30. Orders will be available to pick up from the MTSU Milk Processing Plant in the Stark Agriculture Building the first week of December. Cheese offerings are online at http://www.mtsu.edu/abas/cheesesale.pdf. Contact Kym Stricklin at 615-898-2523 or kstrick@mtsu.edu.

DON’T LET YOUR FELLOWSHIP SAIL WITHOUT YOU.--Qualified high-school seniors interested in applying for the Buchanan Fellowships at MTSU must meet a deadline of tomorrow, Dec. 1, in order to be considered. The fellowship pays full tuition (up to 16 hours a semester) and most fees for four years of eligibility as well as an annual book allowance of $1,000 and other perks such as early registration and study-abroad opportunities. Students interested in securing applications for Buchanan Fellowships should go online to mtsu.edu/honors/scholarships.html. The fellowships are limited to 20 students per year. The fellowship is named in honor of Dr. James M. Buchanan (Class of 1940), a Nobel Prize-winning alumnus. Contact Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, at 615-898-2596 or jvile@mtsu.edu.

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.

Monday, November 29, 2010

2010-11-29T08:28:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“Each of us carries within himself a collection of instant insults.”—Haim Ginott

If you’re concerned about the increasing lack of civility in public discourse, you’re not alone, but you’re not likely to see any improvement. So says Dr. Robb McDaniel, political science. “At least in the near term, civility in politics is likely to decay and continue to decay for a long time, and there is very little that any of us can do about it,” says McDaniel. “The reason is simple: the recent decay of civility is not educational or accidental. It is structural and intentional, and the forces that drive it are intensifying rather than weakening. Since politics is driven by interests rather than by abstract philosophical commitments, the incentives toward polarization and demonization will, for the foreseeable future, remain much stronger than are those toward moderation and accommodation. Indeed even the best-intentioned attempt to restore civility may be counterproductive because, paradoxically, such an effort would play into the hands of the forces of incivility.”

Contact McDaniel at 615-904-8245.
rmcdanie@mtsu.edu

“Religion, to me, is a bureaucracy between man and God that I don’t need.”—Bill Maher

Comedian Bill Maher not only peppers his monologues and his HBO series with jokes about religion. He made a movie titled “Religilous” (a combination of “religious” and “ridiculous”). Dr. Phil Oliver, philosophy, writes, “I’m not a fan. He’s bellicose, self-righteous, uncharitable and mean-spirited. The fact that I agree with him on many points only accentuates those character deficiencies.” As for people like Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist who is adamant in his belief that religion is delusional and dangerous, Oliver says, “I think he’s wrong to insist on an either/or between science and religion, but I also think a lot of his vaunted, reviled ‘arrogance’ boils down to a compelling passion for ‘popular understanding’ … and an impatience with those who won’t acknowledge the birth of evolutionary ‘cool.’”

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

“Sex on television can’t hurt unless you fall off.”—Author Unknown

In the 1950s and early 1960s, when television was still relatively new on the scene, its promoters told the public that this invention would help rub out illiteracy and spread democracy through the promotion of so-called “pro-social messages.” So what happened? Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says, “We found out that in our pluralistic society having television promote this or that point of view just wasn’t as simple as we thought it was going to be. Entertainment television, we discovered, is a complex social instrument, and its effects are quite unpredictable. … Television consumers should become more actively involved in determining the kind of content they desire. And, although we may disagree with particulars, the ethical use of television must be based on the notions of protecting our freedom, equality, dignity and physical and psychological well-being.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

THE BETTER CHEDDAR--The MTSU Dairy Science Club is now accepting orders for cheese gift boxes. This quality Wisconsin cheese is delivered within two days of placing an order. Although MTSU has a dairy herd that produces the milk served in campus cafeterias, the university does not make its own cheese. The funds raised from cheese sales support Dairy Science Club activities such as the Beginning and Master Beekeeping classes at MTSU, clinics and team travel. The deadline for placing orders is Tuesday, Nov. 30. Orders will be available to pick up from the MTSU Milk Processing Plant in the Stark Agriculture Building the first week of December. Cheese offerings are online at http://www.mtsu.edu/abas/cheesesale.pdf. Contact Kym Stricklin at 615-898-2523 or kstrick@mtsu.edu.

DON’T LET YOUR FELLOWSHIP SAIL WITHOUT YOU.--Qualified high-school seniors interested in applying for the Buchanan Fellowships at MTSU must meet a Wednesday, Dec. 1, deadline in order to be considered. The fellowship pays full tuition (up to 16 hours a semester) and most fees for four years of eligibility as well as an annual book allowance of $1,000 and other perks such as early registration and study-abroad opportunities. Students interested in securing applications for Buchanan Fellowships should go online to mtsu.edu/honors/scholarships.html. The fellowships are limited to 20 students per year. The fellowship is named in honor of Dr. James M. Buchanan (Class of 1940), a Nobel Prize-winning alumnus. Contact Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, at 615-898-2596 or jvile@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

2010-11-24T08:32:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

This town ain’t big enough for the both of us.

Tomorrow, the 3-7 Dallas Cowboys, who traditionally play every Thanksgiving Day, will host the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. The dismissal of head coach Wade Phillips by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and the elevation of Jason Garrett from the offensive coordinator position seem to have rejuvenated the team. But why do professionals who make millions of dollars need the right head coach to motivate them? Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance, says, “A team’s head coach sets the team atmosphere and provides the team with direction and organization. The coach sets the tone or team climate. The coach also organizes practices and makes the final decision about who plays and who sits.”

Contact Anshel at 615-898-2812.
manshel@mtsu.edu

Our Confederate cousins

Dr. Shirley Farris Jones, author of The Un-Civil War in Middle Tennessee, will talk about her book on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue at 8 a.m. this Sunday, Nov. 28, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Jones, a retired professor of history at MTSU, compiled newspaper columns she wrote about the war and her ancestors’ roles in it in book form to help raise money for the Rutherford County Historical Society. In addition to interesting anecdotes about the branches of Jones’ family tree, the book examines the unorthodox roles of African-Americans, women and even dogs in assisting both the Northern and Southern causes.

For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

A new public option proposal for health care

You can count Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies, as among those upset at the unpleasant choice presented to the flying public by the Transportation Security Administration, Travelers can submit to a full-body scan or be patted down by a TSA agent at the airport. Shapiro has two suggestions for making the procedure less odious. He writes, “First, increase the power of the scanners so that they are capable of identifying tumors and diseases, and have medical techs rather than TSA agents review them and inform me of my current health status. I’d be grateful for that procedure. Or, if some guy is going to fondle me, why not hire trained chiropractors? They could feel for bombs and realign my spine at the same time. Given the horror of airplane seating, I’d be willing to undergo this kind of screening getting on and off the plane.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

THE BETTER CHEDDAR--The MTSU Dairy Science Club is now accepting orders for cheese gift boxes. This quality Wisconsin cheese is delivered within two days of placing an order. Although MTSU has a dairy herd that produces the milk served in campus cafeterias, the university does not make its own cheese. The funds raised from cheese sales support Dairy Science Club activities such as the Beginning and Master Beekeeping classes at MTSU, clinics and team travel. The deadline for placing orders is Tuesday, Nov. 30. Orders will be available to pick up from the MTSU Milk Processing Plant in the Stark Agriculture Building the first week of December. Cheese offerings are online at http://www.mtsu.edu/abas/cheesesale.pdf. Contact Kym Stricklin at 615-898-2523 or kstrick@mtsu.edu.

DON’T LET YOUR FELLOWSHIP SAIL WITHOUT YOU.--Qualified high-school seniors interested in applying for the Buchanan Fellowships at MTSU must meet a Wednesday, Dec. 1, deadline in order to be considered. The fellowship pays full tuition (up to 16 hours a semester) and most fees for four years of eligibility as well as an annual book allowance of $1,000 and other perks such as early registration and study-abroad opportunities. Students interested in securing applications for Buchanan Fellowships should go online to mtsu.edu/honors/scholarships.html. The fellowships are limited to 20 students per year. The fellowship is named in honor of Dr. James M. Buchanan (Class of 1940), a Nobel Prize-winning alumnus. Contact Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, at 615-898-2596 or jvile@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

2010-11-23T09:15:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Whore Eagle?

This Saturday’s Iron Bowl will be even more eagerly anticipated than in years past-- not only because of Auburn’s number two ranking in the Bowl Championship Series, but because of the scandal surrounding Tigers quarterback Cam Newton. The FBI and NCAA are investigating allegations that Newton’s father was the point person in a scheme to sell the younger Newton’s athletic services to the highest bidding school. Dr. Colby Jubenville, health and human performance, says, “With this much smoke, the automatic suspicion of fire is usually warranted. And, if anyone was looking at this with an objective lens, it’s going to be difficult for Cam Newton to clear his name. To do this, he must step up and take responsibility for his own actions whether he was involved in this directly or not.”

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

“One is not born a woman—one becomes one.”—Simone de Beauvoir

Professionals seeking to gain an advantage in a tight labor market can add another credential after their names with a new interdisciplinary graduate certificate offered by the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at MTSU. “The 18 credit-hour program is an opportunity for professionals in areas such as healthcare, education, legal and social services and in the nonprofit sector to acquire expertise on women’s and gender issues that can help them advance in their careers,” says Dr. Newtona (Tina) Johnson, Women’s and Gender Studies Director. Starting in the spring 2011 semester, students will have an opportunity to gain advanced training in the areas of feminist theory and methodologies, as well as in-depth knowledge of gender inequality and the intersection of gender and other forms of social identity and positioning.

For more information, contact Johnson at 615-898-5910.
ntjohnso@mtsu.edu

The Internal Respite from Taxation Service

Tax collections from real estate transactions fell 10.8 percent in the third quarter, according to Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center. THS says, “The trend of transaction tax collections clearly shows the effects of the homebuyers’ tax credit as homebuyers rushed to buy, followed by a period of reduced activity. The current level of activity is similar to that of the recession low in the first and second quarters of 2009. By contrast, mortgage tax collections jumped 11 percent during the third quarter, boosted by increased refinancing activity due to lower mortgage rates. Compared with last year, however, mortgage tax collections are still down, declining from the peak in 2006.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

THE BETTER CHEDDAR--The MTSU Dairy Science Club is now accepting orders for cheese gift boxes. This quality Wisconsin cheese is delivered within two days of placing an order. Although MTSU has a dairy herd that produces the milk served in campus cafeterias, the university does not make its own cheese. The funds raised from cheese sales support Dairy Science Club activities such as the Beginning and Master Beekeeping classes at MTSU, clinics and team travel. The deadline for placing orders is Tuesday, Nov. 30. Orders will be available to pick up from the MTSU Milk Processing Plant in the Stark Agriculture Building the first week of December. Cheese offerings are online at http://www.mtsu.edu/abas/cheesesale.pdf. Contact Kym Stricklin at 615-898-2523 or kstrick@mtsu.edu.

DON’T LET YOUR FELLOWSHIP SAIL WITHOUT YOU.--Qualified high-school seniors interested in applying for the Buchanan Fellowships at MTSU must meet a Wednesday, Dec. 1, deadline in order to be considered. The fellowship pays full tuition (up to 16 hours a semester) and most fees for four years of eligibility as well as an annual book allowance of $1,000 and other perks such as early registration and study-abroad opportunities. Students interested in securing applications for Buchanan Fellowships should go online to mtsu.edu/honors/scholarships.html. The fellowships are limited to 20 students per year. The fellowship is named in honor of Dr. James M. Buchanan (Class of 1940), a Nobel Prize-winning alumnus. Contact Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, at 615-898-2596 or jvile@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Monday, November 22, 2010

2010-11-22T08:21:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Preparing students to serve society

The educational disciplines that focus on service to society are now under one umbrella at MTSU. The College of Behavioral and Health Sciences is taking its first steps toward the future. “We really see ourselves as a research-powerful operation for getting grants and other opportunities because of cross-collaboration between disciplines,” says Dr. Harold Whiteside, dean of the college. It includes the departments of Criminal Justice; Health and Human Performance; Human Sciences; Psychology; and Social Work, as well as the School of Nursing. Joining the academic departments are the Centers for Health and Human Services; Organizational and Human Resource Effectiveness; and Physical Activity for Health and Youth, as well as the Tennessee Center for Child Welfare; the Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic; and the Adams Chair of Excellence in Health Care Services.

Contact Whiteside or Dr. Rick Short, associate dean, at 615-898-2900.

The better cheddar

The MTSU Dairy Science Club is now accepting orders for cheese gift boxes. This quality Wisconsin cheese is delivered within two days of placing an order. Although MTSU has a dairy herd that produces the milk served in campus cafeterias, the university does not make its own cheese. The funds raised from cheese sales support Dairy Science Club activities such as the Beginning and Master Beekeeping classes at MTSU, clinics and team travel. The deadline for placing orders is Tuesday, Nov. 30. Orders will be available to pick up from the MTSU Milk Processing Plant in the Stark Agriculture Building the first week of December. Cheese offerings are online at http://www.mtsu.edu/abas/cheesesale.pdf.

Contact Kym Stricklin at 615-898-2523.
kstrick@mtsu.edu

Underwater and over a barrel

The picture is mixed when it comes to mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures in the third quarter. According to Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, “Mortgages past due have increased, but foreclosures started during the quarter are lower for Tennessee. Past due mortgages rose somewhat to 10.88 percent of all mortgages compared with 10.82 percent for the previous quarter. The continuing high level of past due mortgages is an outcome of high unemployment and slow labor market gains as more households experience financial stress. New foreclosures dipped to 0.86 percent of all mortgages in Tennessee from 0.98 percent for the previous quarter, returning to about the same level as in the fourth quarter of 2009.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

DON’T LET YOUR FELLOWSHIP SAIL WITHOUT YOU.--Qualified high-school seniors interested in applying for the Buchanan Fellowships at MTSU must meet a Wednesday, Dec. 1, deadline in order to be considered. The fellowship pays full tuition (up to 16 hours a semester) and most fees for four years of eligibility as well as an annual book allowance of $1,000 and other perks such as early registration and study-abroad opportunities. Students interested in securing applications for Buchanan Fellowships should go online to mtsu.edu/honors/scholarships.html. The fellowships are limited to 20 students per year. The fellowship is named in honor of Dr. James M. Buchanan (Class of 1940), a Nobel Prize-winning alumnus. Contact Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, at 615-898-2596 or
jvile@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

2010-11-17T08:32:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

If you’re an actor, don’t talk about “shooting a pilot” at LAX.

Some pilots and crew members say they are as fed up as the flying public with the full-body scanning and security patdowns at airports. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, famous for landing a disabled U.S. Airways jet in the Hudson River last year, saving the passengers and crew, told National Public Radio that the scanning needlessly exposes pilots to more radiation than they already get since they fly at high altitudes. Will the pilots ultimately accept these new increased security measures, so will they prompt the Transportation Security Administration to make changes? Dr. Wayne Dornan, chair of the MTSU Department of Aerospace, says, “There needs to be some kind of compromise between TSA and the pilots. I remember flying after 9/11 and being subjected to numerous ‘patdowns.’ It didn’t bother me. I don’t see the need to have scan after scan, but I am under the impression that some of the newer devices don’t give off any radiation at all.”

Contact Dornan at 615-898-2788.
wdornan@mtsu.edu

It’s in the game.

Which is more important—your right to control you image or the rights of others to exercise freedom of speech by using it? David Hudson, adjunct professor of political science and First Amendment Center scholar, was quoted on the issue on the front page of yesterday’s New York Times. “It’s one of the most important clashes in all of First Amendment law and one of the more unsettled areas,” Hudson said. “I think it’s an area that is crying out for Supreme Court review in the right case.” The “right case” might be the class-action suit filed by former Arizona State quarterback Sam Keller against video game maker Electronic Arts, the NCAA and the Collegiate Licensing Company. Keller claims the defendants profited illegally from marketing the images of college players in the games NCAA Football and NCAA Basketball because the players were not compensated.

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

The dog just peed on my “for sale” sign.

If you’re trying to sell your house, the latest information from Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, just confirms what you already know. THM states, “The price of existing homes continued to decline during the third quarter, but at a slower pace … Though the state and most metropolitan areas moved a little closer to price stability, this goal still remains elusive. Of the 10 metropolitan areas in Tennessee, eight experienced a slower rate of price decline over the year. For example, home prices dropped 3.9 percent for the state during the third quarter, compared with a 4.6 percent first-quarter decline.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

TOO LEGIT NOT TO QUIT--The 35th annual Great American Smokeout, a day which encourages people who smoke to make a plan for quitting and/or to quit smoking that day, is slated for tomorrow, Nov. 18. Members of the MTSU Raider Health Corps will have free Tobacco Quit Kits available at tables outside the Keathley University Center and the John Bragg Mass Communication Building, weather permitting, until 4 p.m. or as supplies last. For more information, contact Lisa Thomason Schrader at 615-494-8704 or thomason@mtsu.edu.

DON’T LET YOUR FELLOWSHIP SAIL WITHOUT YOU.--Qualified high-school seniors interested in applying for the Buchanan Fellowships at MTSU must meet a Wednesday, Dec. 1, deadline in order to be considered. The fellowship pays full tuition (up to 16 hours a semester) and most fees for four years of eligibility as well as an annual book allowance of $1,000 and other perks such as early registration and study-abroad opportunities. Students interested in securing applications for Buchanan Fellowships should go online to mtsu.edu/honors/scholarships.html. The fellowships are limited to 20 students per year. The fellowship is named in honor of Dr. James M. Buchanan (Class of 1940), a Nobel Prize-winning alumnus. Contact Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, at 615-898-2596 or jvile@mtsu.edu.

COUCH POTATO COMMUNITIES--Dr. Steven Hooker will discuss “Partnering with Communities to Promote Active Living: Accomplishments, Challenges and Lessons Learned” at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 18, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. This event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the MTSU Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth as part of its Distinguished Lecture Series. Hooker is director of the Prevention Research Center, Graduate Director of the Master of Public Health Program in Physical Activity and Public Health and Research Professor in the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina. For more information, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615-898-5549 or dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

2010-11-16T09:22:00.002-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“I like to move it, move it.”—from “Madagascar”

Would overweight and obese 8- to 14-year-old children respond better to a community-based intervention than a clinical intervention? Dr. Jennifer Caputo, health and human performance, and Dr. Janet Colson, human sciences, are among the co-authors of a study of a five-week pilot program that involved eight such children. The kids performed curl-ups and modified pull-ups, a cardiovascular endurance run and a back-saver sit-and-reach. Measurements included muscular fitness, aerobic capacity, body composition, body mass index and flexibility. There was a significant post-test reduction in BMI and a significant post-test decrease in body fat for boys. The study was supported by a grant from the Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth at MTSU.

For more information about the center, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615-898-5549.
dmorgan@mtsu.edu

The competitive edge

Has your employer ever required you to sign a noncompete agreement? If you decide you want to break that deal later on, you might just have the upper hand. Then again, you might not. Drs. Patrick Geho and Stephen Lewis write, “Although there are a few states that hold noncompete agreements as prima facie void, most state courts will rule for partial enforcement. Thus, a promise in a noncompete agreement should be enforceable by and large when public policy issues are not in conflict and where the agreement is in severable terms. There is much case law on the subject of noncompete agreements, and while it is not easy to reconcile because the law is far from being settled, entrepreneurship students should be exposed to the subject matter since there is a high probability that they will be faced with the issue sometime during their business careers.”

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

Ups and downs

The Tennessee economy showed some improvement during the third quarter, according to Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center. THM states, “Employment gains pushed the unemployment rate down to 9.6 percent from 10.3 percent in the previous quarter. The unemployment rate remains very high, however—16th highest among the 50 states. Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell during the third quarter following a rise in the previous quarter. An important indicator of the future unemployment rate, initial claims averaged 6,800 a week, moving closer to the pre-recession level of 6,000 per week.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

HOW COULD YOU VOTE FOR THAT $@#&!?# IDIOT!--Dr. Robb McDaniel, associate professor of political science at MTSU, will lecture on “Civility in Public Discourse at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Nov. 16, at in the amphitheater of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. This lecture is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County. For more information, contact LMV co-president Leslie Collum at lesliecollum@bellsouth.net or McDaniel at rmcdanie@mtsu.edu.

TOO LEGIT NOT TO QUIT--The 35th annual Great American Smokeout, a day which encourages people who smoke to make a plan for quitting and/or to quit smoking that day, is slated for Thursday, Nov. 18. Members of the MTSU Raider Health Corps will have free Tobacco Quit Kits available at tables outside the Keathley University Center and the John Bragg Mass Communication Building, weather permitting, until 4 p.m. or as supplies last. For more information, contact Lisa Thomason Schrader at 615-494-8704 or thomason@mtsu.edu.

DON’T LET YOUR FELLOWSHIP SAIL WITHOUT YOU.--Qualified high-school seniors interested in applying for the Buchanan Fellowships at MTSU must meet a Wednesday, Dec. 1, deadline in order to be considered. The fellowship pays full tuition (up to 16 hours a semester) and most fees for four years of eligibility as well as an annual book allowance of $1,000 and other perks such as early registration and study-abroad opportunities. Students interested in securing applications for Buchanan Fellowships should go online to mtsu.edu/honors/scholarships.html. The fellowships are limited to 20 students per year. The fellowship is named in honor of Dr. James M. Buchanan (Class of 1940), a Nobel Prize-winning alumnus. Contact Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, at 615-898-2596 or jvile@mtsu.edu.

COUCH POTATO COMMUNITIES--Dr. Steven Hooker will discuss “Partnering with Communities to Promote Active Living: Accomplishments, Challenges and Lessons Learned” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. This event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the MTSU Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth as part of its Distinguished Lecture Series. Hooker is director of the Prevention Research Center, Graduate Director of the Master of Public Health Program in Physical Activity and Public Health and Research Professor in the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina. For more information, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615-898-5549 or dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Monday, November 15, 2010

2010-11-15T08:24:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

From Manila to Mindanao

Learning about the humiliation of the Filipinos who were displayed in “human zoos” at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis has inspired an MTSU student of Filipino parents to learn more about his ethnic heritage. And Laurence Tumpag is sharing his knowledge with others by placing his dolls, each depicting a different Filipino tribe, on display in rotation outside the Global Studies office on the second floor of MTSU’s Peck Hall during this academic year. “Ever since I was younger, I wanted to reconnect with my culture,” says the 25-year-old Tumpag. “I began collecting when I was 13 or so. I do my best to understand my heritage and appreciate it.” Tumpag says his own family is descended from the Tagalog, one of the largest predominantly Christian ethnic groups and the one from which the main language of the Philippines is derived.

For an interview with Laurence Tumpag and/or photos of his display, contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081.
gklogue@mtsu.edu

Don’t let your fellowship sail without you.

Qualified high-school seniors interested in applying for the Buchanan Fellowships at MTSU must meet a Wednesday, Dec. 1, deadline in order to be considered. The fellowship pays full tuition (up to 16 hours a semester) and most fees for four years of eligibility as well as an annual book allowance of $1,000 and other perks such as early registration and study-abroad opportunities. Students interested in securing applications for Buchanan Fellowships should go online to mtsu.edu/honors/scholarships.html. The fellowships are limited to 20 students per year. The fellowship is named in honor of Dr. James M. Buchanan (Class of 1940), a Nobel Prize-winning alumnus.

Contact Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, at 615-898-2596.
jvile@mtsu.edu

Starve a home, feed a recession

If the recovery has started, it’s news to the economists who monitor the housing market. According to Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, housing took a dip in the third quarter. THM states, “Single-family home construction activity dropped sharply during the third quarter, falling 19 percent from the previous quarter. The third-quarter level of 10,100 units is one of the lowest since the beginning of the recession. Activity during the previous four quarters had ranged between 12,500 and 13,500 units; the demise of the homebuyers’ tax credit, growing uncertainty regarding the economic recovery and very slow job growth are the likely causes of the decline.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

HEY, I’VE GOT AN IDEA!--Continuing its focus on lifelong learning, MTSU will celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week Nov. 15-19 to connect young people through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. All of the events are free and open to the public and will be held in the Business and Aerospace Building and Keathley University Center. Off-campus visitors should obtain a campus map and temporary parking pass at the second-floor reference department of the Linebaugh Public Library at 105 W. Vine St., just south of Murfreesboro’s Public Square. For more information, go to www.mtsu.edu/~entre or call 615-898-2902.

COUCH POTATO COMMUNITIES--Dr. Steven Hooker will discuss “Partnering with Communities to Promote Active Living: Accomplishments, Challenges and Lessons Learned” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. This event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the MTSU Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth as part of its Distinguished Lecture Series. Hooker is director of the Prevention Research Center, Graduate Director of the Master of Public Health Program in Physical Activity and Public Health and Research Professor in the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina. For more information, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615-898-5549 or dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

2010-11-10T08:28:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Blood on the Playstation

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia proved himself to be an unyielding defender of the First Amendment during oral arguments last week in a case about violent video games. In Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Association, the high court will determine whether a California law that bans the sale or rental of violent video games to minors is constitutional. David Hudson, adjunct professor of political science and First Amendment Center scholar, says, “Scalia repeatedly pressed California Deputy Attorney General Zackery Morazzini on how to define a ‘violence’ category to avoid banning other, less harmful kinds of violent depictions. Noting that violence is prevalent in fairy tales, Scalia said, ‘Some of the Grimm’s fairy tales are quite grim, to tell you the truth.’”

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

By the light of the silvery kaboom

Are you among the millions of Americans who are fascinated with “the rockets’ red glare?” Children and grownups alike love fireworks displays and not just on the Fourth of July. Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “In any celebration worth its salt, there will be bombs bursting with every color of the rainbow and more, such as gold, which, the Irish say, is at the end of it. In most cases, the color in a pyrotechnic device does, in fact, come from a salt. For instance, barium-containing salts, similar to those you may have swallowed or taken in at the other end prior to a gastrointestinal X-ray are embedded along with an explosive mixture to give a bright green starburst.”

Contact MacDougall at 615-898-5265.
pmacdoug@mtsu.edu

Continental divide

It turns out the United States isn’t the only nation that balances national security and civil liberties on the basis of the extent to which separation of powers is respected. Dr. Amanda Di Paolo, political science, writes that, while the Canadian Supreme Court purportedly looks to that nation’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms to decide such cases, it only appears to be more rights-based. Di Paolo writes, “The Canadian Supreme Court, like its American counterpart, looks at the procedure of how the law goes about limiting rights over the substance of the legitimacy of the limit in the first place. I conclude that the two courts end up using similar legal reasoning, despite differing approaches, resulting in each state providing a delicate balance between security and liberty.”

Contact Di Paolo at 615-898-2708.
dipaolo@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

SALUTE--The MTSU Veterans Memorial Committee will plant a tree to honor all Vietnam-era veterans in a ceremony beginning at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, near the memorial in front of the Tom H. Jackson Building on campus. In addition, a flag paying tribute to prisoners of war and personnel listed as missing in action will be added to the new flagpole. Rolling Thunder will conduct the POW/MIA flag installation ceremony. The memorial is bipartite black granite wall engraved with the names of members of the MTSU community who have perished in the service of the nation. For more information, contact Robyn Kilpatrick at 615-309-5675.

SIZE MATTERS--Doug Tatum, associate professor in the MTSU Department of Business Communication and Entrepreneurship, will shed light on the topic “Too Big to be Small, Too Small to be Big: Navigating No Man’s Land” in a panel discussion before the Young Presidents’ Organization at 3 p.m. tonight, Nov. 10, in Austin, Tex. Along with experienced CEOs, Tatum will provide insight on how to avoid hurdles during the time in a company’s development when its payroll grows from fewer than 20 employees to more than 100 workers. To talk to Tatum about entrepreneurship in today’s economy, contact him at 615-898-2785 or dtatum@mtsu.edu.

KEEPING IT COOL--Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana will lead a town hall meeting on the intersection of Islam, hip-hop and identity among a new generation of American youth with a panel discussion and viewing of the documentary film “The New Muslim Cool” at 7 p.m. tonight, Nov. 10, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The 2009 film follows Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez as he steers away from his former life as a drug dealer and embraces Islam. Following the screening, Kitwana will moderate an interactive panel discussion about the film with Perez and Nura Maznavi, staff attorney with Muslim Advocates, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization. Kitwana is Senior Media Fellow at The Jamestown Project, a think tank based at Harvard University Law School. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Felicia Miyakawa at 615-904-8043 or miyakawa@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

2010-11-09T09:14:00.001-06:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Let’s build a stairway to the stars.

Carl Sagan would have been 76 years old on Saturday, Nov. 6. The astronomer and host of PBS’ popular “Cosmos” series inspired many to reach for the stars by making the complexities of the universe accessible to a mass audience. But Dr. Phil Oliver, philosophy, says Sagan, who died in 1996, still speaks to us today as we grapple with our place in the universe. “Carl spoke for Earth and for the insight that beyond all our personal and cultural particularity we are still one species,” says Oliver. “He was a cosmopolitan. We’re at a crucial decision point: will we choose the path of cooperation, mutuality and hope? Or will we break the social contract, revert to a primitive and combative state of nature, and destroy ourselves over our selfish differences? Carl hoped we’d lift the veil of destructive egoism and look to the future, to the stars, to our longest and deepest identity as children of light. We are billions, and we are one.”

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

The numbers game

When the U.S. Department of Labor announced last week that the national unemployment rate stayed unchanged at 9.6 percent, it also announced that the private sector added about 159,000 net new jobs. Why didn’t the jobless rate fall? Dr. Martin Kennedy, economics and finance, says, “Well, we need a monthly net gain of roughly 100,000 jobs just to maintain the unemployment rate due to increases in population. The labor force includes all those working or looking for work. Then there is the labor force participation rate. Changes in the labor force participation rate have an impact on the rate of unemployment. If someone enters the labor force by starting to look for a job after, say, being engaged in home production (perhaps as a full-time caregiver), then the unemployment rate goes up.”

Contact Kennedy at 615-494-8679.
mdkenned@mtsu.edu

Confucius says …

Are religion and science destined to be in conflict? Not necessarily. Consider Confucianism. Dr. Yuan-ling Chao, history, says, “Confucianism had absorbed many of the thoughts of other schools, creating an eclectic system that not only focused on proper government and family relations, but was closely intertwined with a view of the human world/human body as a microcosmic representation of the macrocosm. Thus, harmony was paramount in maintaining political and social order, as well as physical health. … As in classical Greece, science was closely tied to philosophy. The Confucian scholar was a generalist who learned subjects such as philosophy, poetry, calligraphy, mathematics, astronomy and medicine.”

Contact Chao at 615-898-2629.
ychao@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

SALUTE--The MTSU Veterans Memorial Committee will plant a tree to honor all Vietnam-era veterans in a ceremony beginning at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, near the memorial in front of the Tom H. Jackson Building on campus. In addition, a flag paying tribute to prisoners of war and personnel listed as missing in action will be added to the new flagpole. Rolling Thunder will conduct the POW/MIA flag installation ceremony. The memorial is bipartite black granite wall engraved with the names of members of the MTSU community who have perished in the service of the nation. For more information, contact Robyn Kilpatrick at 615-309-5675.

FOR SANITY’S SAKE--Colleen Coffey will deliver four presentations of “The Heard: Talking about Mental Health” today, Nov. 9, at MTSU. Coffey uses her own experiences with a mental health disorder to address coping skills, leading a balanced life, eating disorders, anxiety, depression and survival. Programs are slated for 11:20 a.m. and 2:40 p.m. in the Keathley University Center Theatre and at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. Each presentation will last approximately one hour. These programs are free and open to the public. They are sponsored by the Student Programming Board, the Distinguished Lecture Series, Greek Affairs, Counseling Services and Health Services. For more information, contact Lisa Thomason Schrader at 615-494-8704 or lthomason@mtsu.edu.

SIZE MATTERS--Doug Tatum, associate professor in the MTSU Department of Business Communication and Entrepreneurship, will shed light on the topic “Too Big to be Small, Too Small to be Big: Navigating No Man’s Land” in a panel discussion before the Young Presidents’ Organization at 3 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 10, in Austin, Tex. Along with experienced CEOs, Tatum will provide insight on how to avoid hurdles during the time in a company’s development when its payroll grows from fewer than 20 employees to more than 100 workers. To talk to Tatum about entrepreneurship in today’s economy, contact him at 615-898-2785 or dtatum@mtsu.edu.

KEEPING IT COOL--Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana will lead a town hall meeting on the intersection of Islam, hip-hop and identity among a new generation of American youth with a panel discussion and viewing of the documentary film “The New Muslim Cool” at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 10, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The 2009 film follows Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez as he steers away from his former life as a drug dealer and embraces Islam. Following the screening, Kitwana will moderate an interactive panel discussion about the film with Perez and Nura Maznavi, staff attorney with Muslim Advocates, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization. Kitwana is Senior Media Fellow at The Jamestown Project, a think tank based at Harvard University Law School. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Felicia Miyakawa at 615-904-8043 or miyakawa@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

2010-11-03T08:51:00.002-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

There’s no place like home.

What is the cure for the American housing crisis? Dr. Martin Kennedy, assistant professor of economics and finance, writes, “A look north might provide some insight. Housing prices in Canada are above pre-crash levels. In the past decade, subprime mortgages accounted for just five percent of home loans originated in Canada, while, in the U.S., they represented 20 percent. There is no tax deduction for mortgage interest payments, and buyers typically put 20 percent down. Canadian policy doesn’t encourage speculation. Home ownership might be a noble social policy goal, but, in the end, housing prices will be driven by the fundamentals of supply and demand. Failure to recognize and respect that won’t get us any closer to nobility.”

Read Kennedy’s new blog at:
http://mtsucollegeofbusiness.blogspot.com/2010/10/introducing-new-column-first.html.

From autodidacticism to matriculation

Greggory Hackney is a 46-year-old MTSU freshman from Murfreesboro. After working 32 years mostly in the service industry, he found himself unemployed. But he always wanted more education. So he read about a wide variety of topics, including Eastern and Western philosophy, psychology, anthropology, even quantum physics—all on his own. For an essay Hackney wrote in observance of Nontraditional Students Week (Nov. 1-5), he stated, “I love waking in the morning, knowing that another day’s worth of learning, dialoguing and interacting with people is going to be a big part of my day. … I feel fortunate and happy to be a non-traditional student, to learn better ways of tackling some of life’s thornier problems, to help those that I can, either through direction or by example. I speak often with pride that I am working toward my goals in this way.”

Contact the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students at 615-898-5989.
jacwns@mtsu.edu

Our man in Malaga

In an interview recorded before he left the United States, MTSU student Justin Witt talked about getting a grant for his new study-abroad experience in Malaga, Spain, and his prior trips to Western Europe and Columbia. The 23-year-old recording industry and international relations major had traveled to Spain previously, but this is his first trip to Malaga, where he’s working with the Spanish Ministry of Education. The interview is slated to air at 8 a.m. this Sunday, Nov. 7, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).

Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

A WEIGHTY MATTER--Dr. David Bassett, professor in the Department of Exercise, Sport and Leisure Studies and Director of the Center for Physical Activity at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, will speak at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 4, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Bassett will speak about “Packing on the Pounds: Time Trends in Physical Activity and Diet in American Children.” This address is free and open to the public and is presented by the MTSU Center for Physical Activity and Health. For more information, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615-898-5549 or dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

SIZE MATTERS--Doug Tatum, associate professor in the MTSU Department of Business Communication and Entrepreneurship, will shed light on the topic “Too Big to be Small, Too Small to be Big: Navigating No Man’s Land” in a panel discussion before the Young Presidents’ Organization at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Austin, Tex. Along with experienced CEOs, Tatum will provide insight on how to avoid hurdles during the time in a company’s development when its payroll grows from fewer than 20 employees to more than 100 workers. To talk to Tatum about entrepreneurship in today’s economy, contact him at 615-898-2785 or dtatum@mtsu.edu.

KEEPING IT COOL--Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana will lead a town hall meeting on the intersection of Islam, hip-hop and identity among a new generation of American youth with a panel discussion and viewing of the documentary film “The New Muslim Cool” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The 2009 film follows Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez as he steers away from his former life as a drug dealer and embraces Islam. Following the screening, Kitwana will moderate an interactive panel discussion about the film with Perez and Nura Maznavi, staff attorney with Muslim Advocates, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization. Kitwana is Senior Media Fellow at The Jamestown Project, a think tank based at Harvard University Law School. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Felicia Miyakawa at 615-904-8043 or miyakawa@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

2010-11-02T08:54:00.002-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Por favor, el doctor!

The towns of El Paso, Tex., and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, are twin cities separated only by the U..S-Mexico border. The need for health care transcends that border, according to the findings of Dr. Patricia Boda, geosciences. For a study she conducted, Boda used GIS (geographic information system) to locate health care facilities and pharmacies on both sides and to create maps of those providers. She concluded, in part, that international health care is not only occurring, but is encouraged. “The dentists and farmacias exist in the patterns that they do because of the U.S. market,” Boda writes. “By offering these heavily used providers at a minimal distance, they are, in fact, marketing to the U.S. resident. In addition, many of the dentists and farmacias visited in Juarez have an El Paso telephone number, Internet access and advertising, or both.”

Contact Boda at 615-904-8098.
pboda@mtsu.edu

Fitting right in

Betty Spann was working full-time for the State of Tennessee and taking night classes at MTSU when she finished her two-year business degree in 2000. In 2008, the state offered her an employee buyout with the additional benefit of a two-year scholarship. She jumped at the opportunity. In the essay she wrote for Nontraditional Students Week (Nov. 1-5), Spann states, “Being on campus with traditional students is a unique experience. Their youth and their vitality are contagious and it’s a joy to be around them. The doors they open for me are symbolic of the opportunities we all have for learning and advancing together. Yes, I have found them to be respectful and courteous, something we don’t always attribute to youth. … The satisfaction I gain from staying in school is worth the extra effort of driving from Nashville to Murfreesboro three times a week. It is a rewarding experience that I can recommend to anyone.”

Contact the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students at 615-898-5989.
jawc@mtsu.edu

I’m your biggest fan!

Lost in all the ballyhoo surrounding the Miami Heat’s NBA opener against the Boston Celtics was Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s comment to USAToday about the extra security in place at the team’s hotel. Spoelstra said, “I liked it. There was more security and more barricades so fans couldn’t get close to us, rather than in years past where they could walk right up to you.” Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, while acknowledging the need to protect the players’ safety, warns against distancing the players from the fans too much. “Most fans simply want a glimpse of their favorite team or players, maybe a quick photo, and a chance to express their admiration,” Roy says. “The risk is becoming too isolated from customers who care about you most.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

TALKING TRASH--Dr. William L. Rathje, an expert on the archaeology of modern garbage, will speak at MTSU’s Undergraduate Social Science Symposium at 6 p.m. tonight, Nov. 2, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. His topic will be “Our Garbage Dilemma from the Perspective of an Anthropologist.” This event is free and open to the public. A professor at the University of Arizona, Rathje is also founder and director of The Garbage Project, which conducts archaeological studies of modern refuse. For more information, contact Dr. Brian Hinote at 615-494-7914 or bhinote@mtsu.edu.

A WEIGHTY MATTER--Dr. David Bassett, professor in the Department of Exercise, Sport and Leisure Studies and Director of the Center for Physical Activity at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Bassett will speak about “Packing on the Pounds: Time Trends in Physical Activity and Diet in American Children.” This address is free and open to the public and is presented by the MTSU Center for Physical Activity and Health. For more information, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615-898-5549 or dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

SIZE MATTERS--Doug Tatum, associate professor in the MTSU Department of Business Communication and Entrepreneurship, will shed light on the topic “Too Big to be Small, Too Small to be Big: Navigating No Man’s Land” in a panel discussion before the Young Presidents’ Organization at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Austin, Tex. Along with experienced CEOs, Tatum will provide insight on how to avoid hurdles during the time in a company’s development when its payroll grows from fewer than 20 employees to more than 100 workers. To talk to Tatum about entrepreneurship in today’s economy, contact him at 615-898-2785 or dtatum@mtsu.edu.

KEEPING IT COOL--Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana will lead a town hall meeting on the intersection of Islam, hip-hop and identity among a new generation of American youth with a panel discussion and viewing of the documentary film “The New Muslim Cool” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The 2009 film follows Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez as he steers away from his former life as a drug dealer and embraces Islam. Following the screening, Kitwana will moderate an interactive panel discussion about the film with Perez and Nura Maznavi, staff attorney with Muslim Advocates, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization. Kitwana is Senior Media Fellow at The Jamestown Project, a think tank based at Harvard University Law School. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Felicia Miyakawa at 615-904-8043 or miyakawa@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Monday, November 1, 2010

2010-11-01T09:01:00.002-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The silly season

Are you ready for Election Day? Are you ready for all those negative ads to disappear, at least until the next election cycle? Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says, “I knew we were in trouble when every candidate and commentator in the country became obsessed with whether or not a 19-year-old did or did not date a woman who claimed to be a witch 10 years ago. Then managers for the Republicans, Democrats, Tea Partiers and every fringe party said they weren’t really trying to stage-manage media coverage. They were enhancing the coverage by making sure there was precious little opportunity to cover dissident factions. And how much did we learn from the campaign ads? Well, the high point was the office pool based on how fast the candidates would respond to each other’s attack ads.”

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

Breaking with tradition

Would you return to college after age 40? Mary Richard, an office management major admits she found it “very intimidating” at first. In her essay for Nontraditional Students Week (Nov. 1-5), Richard wrote, “I developed a plan to work ahead so that I could have time with my son. I brought my homework with me so that in between working I could sneak some study time. I left the job that I had and became a student worker, which proved to be easier for me. I took advantage of fall and spring breaks.” Richard’s story is not uncommon. Nontraditional students who have children and other adult responsibilities make all kinds of sacrifices to juggle their educational lives and the rest of their lives.

Contact the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students at 615-898-5989.
jawc@mtsu.edu

Stephen Hawking vs. Billy Graham

In a recent issue of USATODAY, Dr. Jerry Coyne, a professor at the University of Chicago, argued that science and religion are fundamentally incompatible. Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, takes issue with Coyne’s position. Shapiro says, “Dr. Coyne reduces religion to superstition. To the extent that religions are tied to superstitions and demonstrable falsehoods, they should free [themselves] from these. That is how science can benefit religion. But the opposite is also true: the extent to which science is blind to realities uncovered by contemplative practice, or closed to the notion that meaning and value can be found in the human condition, or that the human condition is as much rooted in narrative as in physics, science needs to open its eyes.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

A TOUCH OF GRAY--Nontraditional Student Week at MTSU, Nov. 1-5, will be a celebration of the adult learner who realizes it’s never too late to expand one’s intellectual and professional possibilities. Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, professor of chemistry, will conduct a presentation on nontraditional careers from 12-1 p.m. today, Nov. 1, in Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, contact the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students at 615-898-5989 or jawc@mtsu.edu.

TALKING TRASH--Dr. William L. Rathje, an expert on the archaeology of modern garbage, will speak at MTSU’s Undergraduate Social Science Symposium at 6 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 2, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. His topic will be “Our Garbage Dilemma from the Perspective of an Anthropologist.” This event is free and open to the public. A professor at the University of Arizona, Rathje is also founder and director of The Garbage Project, which conducts archaeological studies of modern refuse. For more information, contact Dr. Brian Hinote at 615-494-7914 or bhinote@mtsu.edu.

A WEIGHTY MATTER--Dr. David Bassett, professor in the Department of Exercise, Sport and Leisure Studies and Director of the Center for Physical Activity at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Bassett will speak about “Packing on the Pounds: Time Trends in Physical Activity and Diet in American Children.” This address is free and open to the public and is presented by the MTSU Center for Physical Activity and Health. For more information, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615-898-5549 or dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

SIZE MATTERS--Doug Tatum, associate professor in the MTSU Department of Business Communication and Entrepreneurship, will shed light on the topic “Too Big to be Small, Too Small to be Big: Navigating No Man’s Land” in a panel discussion before the Young Presidents’ Organization at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Austin, Tex. Along with experienced CEOs, Tatum will provide insight on how to avoid hurdles during the time in a company’s development when its payroll grows from fewer than 20 employees to more than 100 workers. To talk to Tatum about entrepreneurship in today’s economy, contact him at 615-898-2785 or dtatum@mtsu.edu.

KEEPING IT COOL--Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana will lead a town hall meeting on the intersection of Islam, hip-hop and identity among a new generation of American youth with a panel discussion and viewing of the documentary film “The New Muslim Cool” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The 2009 film follows Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez as he steers away from his former life as a drug dealer and embraces Islam. Following the screening, Kitwana will moderate an interactive panel discussion about the film with Perez and Nura Maznavi, staff attorney with Muslim Advocates, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization. Kitwana is Senior Media Fellow at The Jamestown Project, a think tank based at Harvard University Law School. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Felicia Miyakawa at 615-904-8043 or miyakawa@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

2010-10-27T09:00:00.002-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“Mom always liked you best.”—Tom Smothers to Dick Smothers

Did you ever think you were treated differently from your siblings because you were older or younger? Certain clichés about how birth order affects parent-child relationships have arisen over the years, but it’s not as easy to sort out as you might think. Dr. Dennis Papini, chair of the Department of Psychology, co-wrote a paper with two colleagues that states, in part, “Issues concerning the role of stepsiblings, half-siblings, adopted siblings, divorced parents and spacing between siblings’ births all complicate measurement. Because of these issues, the measurement of birth order varies across studies.” The paper also notes that parental age and level of education are factors. Papini and his co-authors ultimately recommended that future research should take into account development as well as individual differences.

Contact Papini at 615-898-2706.
dpapini@mtsu.edu

The taxman cometh

What sorts of purchases have resulted in the greatest amounts of growth in sales tax collections in Tennessee over the past fiscal year? Collections from auto dealers and service stations went up more than 10 percent. Furniture and home furnishings purchases resulted in an increase of more than eight percent in collections. There was a four percent growth in collections on building materials sales. All other categories are in a slump. There was a little more than two percent increase in collections on general merchandise sales. Tax collections from eating and drinking places rose at about two percent. Collections from food stores actually decreased. Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, presented these findings to Independent Trust in Franklin on Oct. 18.

Contact Penn at 615-898-2610.
dpenn@mtsu.edu

Prosperity Port on Recovery River?

The work of Dr. Murat Arik, assistant director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, will provide a much-needed boost to the economy of Lake, Dyer and Obion counties. Based on Arik’s study, the federal government has awarded a $13 million grant to the Northwest Tennessee Port Authority and industrial park in Lake County for the completion of the Port of Cates Landing on the Mississippi River. Arik wrote, “Constructing an intermodal port in Cates Landing will change the business dynamics in the study region. It will not only retain existing manufacturing companies in the region but also attract new companies to the region. Marine-related businesses themselves will employ a sizable number of people.”

Contact Arik at 615-898-5424.
marik@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

IT WAS THE BUST OF TIMES—The Textiles, Merchandising and Design Program at MTSU will hold a celebration party for the “Bras for a Cause” campaign from 6-8 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 28, in the Georgetown Park Shopping Center, across the parking lot from Penny’s Closet, 1602 West Northfield Blvd. in Murfreesboro. Students in Dr. Teresa Robinson’s introductory fashion courses have lent their creative efforts to this activity during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The bras are on display at Penny’s Closet, where customers are invited to vote for their favorites with donations of $1 each. The top 13 bras will be published in a 2011 calendar, which will be available for purchase next month. At the celebration party, voting will continue and winners will be announced. In addition, there will be a silent auction consisting of items and services donated by local businesses. All proceeds will benefit cancer research. For more information, contact Robinson at 615-898- 2156 or trobinson@mtsu.edu or Penny Bolton at 615-890-0415 or pennybolton@comcast.net.

WHERE TO BECOME AWARE--“Project AWAREness,” a Domestic Violence Awareness Month event, will start at 7 p.m. tonight, Oct. 27, in Cantrell Hall in MTSU’s Tom H. Jackson Building. Information about various causes, including sexual assault and HIV/AIDS prevention, will be available amid displays and distribution of educational resources. Statistics quoted by the Domestic Violence Resource Center (www.drvc-or.org) indicate one in four women has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime and nearly three out of four Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. Purple ribbons, signifying the cause of domestic violence awareness, are available at the June Anderson Center, the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership and the information desk on the second floor of Keathley University Center. “Project AWAREness” is free and open to the public. For more information, call 615-898-5989.

I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW AM FOUND--Dr. David Lavery, professor of English at MTSU, will discuss “What Was ‘Lost?’ Where Television’s Most Extraordinary Series Came From and Where It Took Us” at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 28, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Lavery is the author, co-author, editor or co-editor of more than 20 books about television, two of which are about “Lost.” A 2006 winner of MTSU’s Distinguished Research Award, he has organized conferences on “The Sopranos” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and is a founding co-editor of the journals Slayage: The Online International Journal of Buffy Studies and Critical Studies in Television. This event is presented by the James E. Walker Library and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

A WEIGHTY MATTER--Dr. David Bassett, professor in the Department of Exercise, Sport and Leisure Studies and Director of the Center for Physical Activity at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Bassett will speak about “Packing on the Pounds: Time Trends in Physical Activity and Diet in American Children.” This address is free and open to the public and is presented by the MTSU Center for Physical Activity and Health. For more information, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615-898-5549 or dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

KEEPING IT COOL--Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana will lead a town hall meeting on the intersection of Islam, hip-hop and identity among a new generation of American youth with a panel discussion and viewing of the documentary film “The New Muslim Cool” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The 2009 film follows Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez as he steers away from his former life as a drug dealer and embraces Islam. Following the screening, Kitwana will moderate an interactive panel discussion about the film with Perez and Nura Maznavi, staff attorney with Muslim Advocates, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization. Kitwana is Senior Media Fellow at The Jamestown Project, a think tank based at Harvard University Law School. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Felicia Miyakawa at 615-904-8043 or miyakawa@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

2010-10-26T08:34:00.002-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Expressing how they felt

Brilliantly colored, soft, fuzzy mobiles recently arrived from the United Kingdom at MTSU’s Ellington Human Sciences Building. These connected fabric swatches also connect artisans who are a desire for less violence and warfare in the world, giving a new meaning to the phrase “soft power.” Thirteen students in the Textiles, Merchandising and Design Program in the Department of Human Sciences received the felt crafts from their giving partner, The Herd Arts Drive, as part of Peace Felt 2010. The organization was created to promote love and peace through textile art. It was MTSU’s first year of participation in the project, and Assistant Professor Nancy Oxford intends to make sure it will be an ongoing endeavor. Oxford’s students made their own felt peace crafts for their receiving partner, Atelier Filt, in the Netherlands. The concept is designed to indicate a continuous circle of peace and brotherhood that has no beginning and no end.

Felt artworks are on display in the Ellington Building. Contact Oxford at 615-898-5689.
noxford@mtsu.edu

Penn’s prognostications

Gazing into his crystal ball, Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, expects there to be 1.5 percent job growth over the next 12 months in the Nashville area. With an unemployment rate of 8.7 percent now, Penn believes the jobless rate will drop to 7.9 percent over the year. However, he says growth in housing construction is questionable and home prices will be flat. All of these predictions are based on the presumption that job growth in the country as a whole will be moderate. Penn presented the economic estimates to Independence Trust in Franklin on Oct. 18.

Contact Penn at 615-898-2610.
dpenn@mtsu.edu

The gridiron and the Great White Way

Dan Lauria, best known as the father in the TV series “The Wonder Years,” is starring on Broadway in “Lombardi,” a play based on the life of the legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. This puts the NFL in the unique position of being a Broadway “angel”—a financial backer of a stage production. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “If you own a business or are responsible for marketing a brand (which includes all of us since we are managers of our personal brand), is telling your brand’s story part of your branding platform? … Perhaps there is heritage to share, stories from the past like the Vince Lombardi story. The stories are there. Why not share them? People are more likely to connect with your brand through the emotions wrapped in a story than they are the features built into a product. Leave no brand story untold.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

IT WAS THE BUST OF TIMES—The Textiles, Merchandising and Design Program at MTSU will hold a celebration party for the “Bras for a Cause” campaign from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, in the Georgetown Park Shopping Center, across the parking lot from Penny’s Closet, 1602 West Northfield Blvd. in Murfreesboro. Students in Dr. Teresa Robinson’s introductory fashion courses have lent their creative efforts to this activity during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The bras are on display at Penny’s Closet, where customers are invited to vote for their favorites with donations of $1 each. The top 13 bras will be published in a 2011 calendar, which will be available for purchase next month. At the celebration party, voting will continue and winners will be announced. In addition, there will be a silent auction consisting of items and services donated by local businesses. All proceeds will benefit cancer research. For more information, contact Robinson at 615-898- 2156 or trobinson@mtsu.edu or Penny Bolton at 615-890-0415 or pennybolton@comcast.net.

WHERE TO BECOME AWARE--“Project AWAREness,” a Domestic Violence Awareness Month event, will start at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 27, in Cantrell Hall in MTSU’s Tom H. Jackson Building. Information about various causes, including sexual assault and HIV/AIDS prevention, will be available amid displays and distribution of educational resources. Statistics quoted by the Domestic Violence Resource Center (www.drvc-or.org) indicate one in four women has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime and nearly three out of four Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. Purple ribbons, signifying the cause of domestic violence awareness, are available at the June Anderson Center, the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership and the information desk on the second floor of Keathley University Center. “Project AWAREness” is free and open to the public. For more information, call 615-898-5989.

TUNNEL VISION--The Department of Health and Human Performance and Student Health Services will host the 10th annual Tunnel of Terror from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. today, Oct. 26, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. The tunnel is a sexually transmitted infection education event for all students, faculty and staff. Two-thirds of all STIs occur in 16-24-year-olds. This is a self-guided event, which is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Casie Higginbotham at 615-904-8274 or chigginb@mtsu.edu.

I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW AM FOUND--Dr. David Lavery, professor of English at MTSU, will discuss “What Was ‘Lost?’ Where Television’s Most Extraordinary Series Came From and Where It Took Us” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Lavery is the author, co-author, editor or co-editor of more than 20 books about television, two of which are about “Lost.” A 2006 winner of MTSU’s Distinguished Research Award, he has organized conferences on “The Sopranos” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and is a founding co-editor of the journals Slayage: The Online International Journal of Buffy Studies and Critical Studies in Television. This event is presented by the James E. Walker Library and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

KEEPING IT COOL--Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana will lead a town hall meeting on the intersection of Islam, hip-hop and identity among a new generation of American youth with a panel discussion and viewing of the documentary film “The New Muslim Cool” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The 2009 film follows Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez as he steers away from his former life as a drug dealer and embraces Islam. Following the screening, Kitwana will moderate an interactive panel discussion about the film with Perez and Nura Maznavi, staff attorney with Muslim Advocates, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization. Kitwana is Senior Media Fellow at The Jamestown Project, a think tank based at Harvard University Law School. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Felicia Miyakawa at 615-904-8043 or miyakawa@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Monday, October 25, 2010

2010-10-25T08:19:00.002-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The bullying pulpit

It should come as no surprise to anyone concerned about bullying that it sometimes intimidates children so much that they skip school. Dr. Andrew Owusu, health and human performance, is a co-author of “Bullying and School Attendance: A Case Study of Senior High School Students in Ghana,” published in July 2010. The results show distinct gender differences. According to the paper, “For boys, increases in emotional problems are not associated with increased absenteeism for those who are bullied. On the other hand, for girls emotional problems were strongly associated with absenteeism and more so for girls who had not reported being bullied. The third strand of our analysis also showed gender differences in which absenteeism associated with bullying was mitigated by the support of friends for boys but not to the same degree for girls, especially those girls who had reported being psychologically bullied.” To hear Owusu being interviewed on this subject for the program “Up Front” on the Voice of America, go to:
http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/voa-up-front/id299351984

Contact Owusu at 615-898-5689.
aowusu@mtsu.edu

The latest from the ER (economic report)

The patient has stabilized but remains in guarded condition. That’s Dr. David Penn’s diagnosis of the Nashville economy. The director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center presented his expectations for the Nashville area to Independence Trust in Franklin on Oct. 18. Continuing with his medical metaphor, Penn says a long recovery period will be needed and support systems should not be removed too soon. He says a full recovery of the jobs lost in the Great Recession will require four to five years of moderate growth. But he warns that not only must the market recover the old jobs but more employment must be created for a growing labor force.

Contact Penn at 615-898-2610.
dpenn@mtsu.edu

My world and welcome to it

Do you know why you make the choices you make regarding your relationship to the environment? In the spring 2011 semester, MTSU will offer “Environmental Ethics and Native Wisdom,” a course to be taught on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:40-2:05 p.m. in Room 202 of the James Union Building. The professor, Dr. Phil Oliver, philosophy, says, “The environmental ethics course, covering familiar issues involving climate change, global warming, the ethics of industrial agriculture and food distribution, the vehicles we drive, the homes we build, the waste we generate, the time we waste, the technology some think will save us from ourselves, how we conceive our relation to the rest of nature, and generally just the whole impact we humans have on our planet and biosphere, will add a new dimension … the wisdom of indigenous and native peoples.”

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

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

IT WAS THE BUST OF TIMES—The Textiles, Merchandising and Design Program at MTSU will hold a celebration party for the “Bras for a Cause” campaign from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, in the Georgetown Park Shopping Center, across the parking lot from Penny’s Closet, 1602 West Northfield Blvd. in Murfreesboro. Students in Dr. Teresa Robinson’s introductory fashion courses have lent their creative efforts to this activity during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The bras are on display at Penny’s Closet, where customers are invited to vote for their favorites with donations of $1 each. The top 13 bras will be published in a 2011 calendar, which will be available for purchase next month. At the celebration party, voting will continue and winners will be announced. In addition, there will be a silent auction consisting of items and services donated by local businesses. All proceeds will benefit cancer research. For more information, contact Robinson at 615-898- 2156 or trobinson@mtsu.edu or Penny Bolton at 615-890-0415 or pennybolton@comcast.net.

WHERE TO BECOME AWARE--“Project AWAREness,” a Domestic Violence Awareness Month event, will start at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, in Cantrell Hall in MTSU’s Tom H. Jackson Building. Information about various causes, including sexual assault and HIV/AIDS prevention, will be available amid displays and distribution of educational resources. Statistics quoted by the Domestic Violence Resource Center (www.drvc-or.org) indicate one in four women has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime and nearly three out of four Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. Purple ribbons, signifying the cause of domestic violence awareness, are available at the June Anderson Center, the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership and the information desk on the second floor of Keathley University Center. “Project AWAREness” is free and open to the public. For more information, call 615-898-5989.

TUNNEL VISION--The Department of Health and Human Performance and Student Health Services will host the 10th annual Tunnel of Terror from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 26, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. The tunnel is a sexually transmitted infection education event for all students, faculty and staff. Two-thirds of all STIs occur in 16-24-year-olds. This is a self-guided event, which is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Casie Higginbotham at 615-904-8274 or chigginb@mtsu.edu.

I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW AM FOUND--Dr. David Lavery, professor of English at MTSU, will discuss “What Was ‘Lost?’ Where Television’s Most Extraordinary Series Came From and Where It Took Us” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. Lavery is the author, co-author, editor or co-editor of more than 20 books about television, two of which are about “Lost.” A 2006 winner of MTSU’s Distinguished Research Award, he has organized conferences on “The Sopranos” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and is a founding co-editor of the journals Slayage: The Online International Journal of Buffy Studies and Critical Studies in Television. This event is presented by the James E. Walker Library and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

KEEPING IT COOL--Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana will lead a town hall meeting on the intersection of Islam, hip-hop and identity among a new generation of American youth with a panel discussion and viewing of the documentary film “The New Muslim Cool” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Room 221 of MTSU’s Learning Resources Center. The 2009 film follows Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez as he steers away from his former life as a drug dealer and embraces Islam. Following the screening, Kitwana will moderate an interactive panel discussion about the film with Perez and Nura Maznavi, staff attorney with Muslim Advocates, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization. Kitwana is Senior Media Fellow at The Jamestown Project, a think tank based at Harvard University Law School. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Felicia Miyakawa at 615-904-8043 or miyakawa@mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

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.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

2010-10-20T08:46:00.002-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Scary stuff

As Halloween approaches, it behooves us to remember that not all horrors are cute, clever or temporary. The horrors of the Holocaust were all too real and beyond anything either Edgar Allan Poe or Stephen King could have imagined. The impact of the Nazis’ institutionalized terrorism remains with us to this day. Dr. Nancy Rupprecht, history, and the Holocaust Studies committee have received a contract to create a second book based on papers from the MTSU International Holocaust Studies Conference. The title will be The Holocaust and World War II in History and in Memory. The MTSU Holocaust Conference became the International Holocaust Conference in 2009 after attracting other paper proposals from first-class scholars from Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ukraine, Poland, Israel, Italy and Slovenia to participate in the ninth biennial conference.

Contact Rupprecht at 615-898-2645.
nrupprec@mtsu.edu

Going global

Dr. Steven Livingston, political science, is conducting a study titled Tennessee’s Global Competitiveness: A History of Globalization in the Volunteer State. This study is motivated by the realization that globalization will affect significantly the economy and society of Tennessee but that the extent of the globalization is poorly understood and has yet to be measured. It addresses the pattern and historical development of globalization in Tennessee, creating a methodology to assess the global competitiveness of each of the state’s counties and a set of variables to measure that competitiveness. It will produce a figurative map of globalization in Tennessee. The competitiveness of each county will be determined, as well as how that competitiveness is changing over time.

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

Warrior words

Dr. Conrad Crane, director of the United States Army Military History Institute, will discuss the development and application of a new counterinsurgency doctrine to guide military leaders at 8 a.m. this Sunday, Oct. 24, on “MTSU on the Record” With host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Crane, who is slated to speak at MTSU on Tuesday, Nov. 2, was the lead author of the new Army-U.S. Marine Corps counterinsurgency manual, which was released in December 2006. In November 2007, he visited Iraq at the request of Gen. David Petraeus to evaluate the new doctrine in action. A veteran of 26 years of military service, Crane holds a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Military Academy and master’s and doctorate degrees from Stanford University.

Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

STEP IT UP—Members of seven Greek organizations will step lively for prizes and pride at the annual homecoming week Step Show presented by the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, at MTSU’s Murphy Center. The teams will perform intricately designed and rehearsed routines that will be judged in the categories of complexity, creativity, synchronization, crowd interaction and other criteria. Admission for this year’s show is $12 in advance at the Murphy Center Gat A ticket office through tomorrow, Oct. 21, or $15 on the day of the show. Only cash will be accepted. For information, contact Angela King at 615-898-5812 or anking@mtsu.edu.

BODY AND SOUL--Women in Action, an MTSU student organization, will present “Love Your Body Day” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 21, on the Keathley University Center knoll on the MTSU campus. The purpose of the event is to encourage women to love themselves inside and out. Students and faculty will be asked to participate in physical activities, including jumping rope, hula hoops and jogging in place, for prizes. Vendors, including Curves, Renfrew Center for Eating Disorders, MTSU Health Services, VOX-Voices of Planned Parenthood and the Women’s Studies Student Organization, will distribute information. For more information, contact Courtney Clardy at 615-995-0680 or cac5y@mtmail.mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday from Oct. 21 through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

COMING HOME--MTSU Student Government Association Homecoming events include T-shirt Swap Days Oct. 20-22; Horseshoe Competition, Oct. 21, 5 p.m., Recreation Center; Chili Cook-off and Corn Hole Competition, Oct. 22, 5 p.m., Murphy Center; NPHC Step Show, Oct. 22, Murphy Center; and Fight Song, Oct. 20, Murphy Center “Forest.” The homecoming parade will begin at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 23, at the intersection of Maney Avenue and Main Street and will end at the Tennessee Livestock Center on Greenland Avenue. It all leads up to the homecoming football game against Louisiana-Monroe at Floyd Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23. For more information, contact Donald Abels at 615-898-2537 or sgahome@mtsu.edu.

SING “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”--MTSU’s Center for Popular Music will celebrate its 25th birthday this month. Items from its collections are on display in the atrium of the James E. Walker Library. A 25th birthday gala, complete with cake and all the trimmings, is slated for 12:30-2:00 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at the center, which is located on the first floor of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building. This event is free and open to the public.

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.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

2010-10-19T08:15:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear.

The recent death of actress Barbara Billingsley, who portrayed June Cleaver on “Leave It to Beaver,” put Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, in mind of other early television programs. While vintage TV is thought of by younger generations as unsophisticated, Burriss points out that many of the themes embraced by early shows were actually quite progressive. “There was, for example, ‘Have Gun, Will Travel,’ reminisces Burriss, “a bang-bang, shoot-em-up Western. One of the recurring characters in the drama was a stereotypical Chinese man, Hey Boy, who would certainly be politically incorrect today. But, in one adventure, the star of the show, Paladin, deals with exploitation of Chinese workers, who, for all intents and purposes, were being sold into slavery to work on the railroad. He spends the half-hour program commenting on equality and the need for better working conditions for all people. And this was in 1958, years before equal rights and equal opportunity were fashionable.”

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

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

How do Tennesseans feel about Wall Street after the scandals of earlier this year? According to the latest Middle Tennessee Consumer Confidence Index, they’re rather optimistic. Dr. Tim Graeff, director of MTSU’s Office of Consumer Research, writes, “Consumers were asked whether they expected the stock market to be higher 12 months from now, lower or remain about the same. Of those who responded, only 13 percent expect the stock market to decrease in value in the next 12 months. Almost half (49 percent) of consumers expect the stock market to increase in value in the next 12 months. This is a sharp increase compared to June, when only 36 percent expected the stock market to increase. And this could partly explain the increase in the percent of consumers who expect their personal financial situation to improve in the next 12 months.”

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

A minor consideration

A recent decision by a California appeals court sends a message that juvenile trial courts should keep their probation restrictions very specific in the interest of fairness to juvenile defendants. A court had prohibited a juvenile from coming “within 25 feet of a courthouse” when he knows there are criminal proceedings that involve gang members, victims of gangs or witnesses in gang-related trials. David Hudson, adjunct professor of political science and First Amendment Center scholar, writes, “The appeals court noted that the trial court’s broad language could apply even when the minor went to other parts of a courthouse to attend different court proceedings. It could even apply … when he was in ‘adjacent buildings,’ and that (the minor) could violate the condition if a car or bus in which he is a passenger passes by such a building.’”

Contact Hudson at 615-727-1342.
dhudson@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

BODY AND SOUL--Women in Action, an MTSU student organization, will present “Love Your Body Day” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 21, on the Keathley University Center knoll on the MTSU campus. The purpose of the event is to encourage women to love themselves inside and out. Students and faculty will be asked to participate in physical activities, including jumping rope, hula hoops and jogging in place, for prizes. Vendors, including Curves, Renfrew Center for Eating Disorders, MTSU Health Services, VOX-Voices of Planned Parenthood and the Women’s Studies Student Organization, will distribute information. For more information, contact Courtney Clardy at 615-995-0680 or cac5y@mtmail.mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday from Oct. 21 through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

COMING HOME--MTSU Student Government Association Homecoming events include T-shirt Swap Days Oct. 20-22; Horseshoe Competition, Oct. 21, 5 p.m., Recreation Center; Chili Cook-off and Corn Hole Competition, Oct. 22, 5 p.m., Murphy Center; NPHC Step Show, Oct. 22, Murphy Center; and Fight Song, Oct. 20, Murphy Center “Forest.” The homecoming parade will begin at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 23, at the intersection of Maney Avenue and Main Street and will end at the Tennessee Livestock Center on Greenland Avenue. It all leads up to the homecoming football game against Louisiana-Monroe at Floyd Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23. For more information, contact Donald Abels at 615-898-2537 or sgahome@mtsu.edu.

SING “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”--MTSU’s Center for Popular Music will celebrate its 25th birthday this month. Items from its collections are on display in the atrium of the James E. Walker Library. A 25th birthday gala, complete with cake and all the trimmings, is slated for 12:30-2:00 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at the center, which is located on the first floor of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building. This event is free and open to the public.

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.

Monday, October 18, 2010

2010-10-18T08:17:00.002-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

War weariness

Tennesseans have mixed feelings about the war in Afghanistan. The latest MTSU Poll indicates that 50 percent believe in the U.S. involvement in the conflict while 39 percent say the war is a mistake. Dr. Jason Reineke, assistant director of the poll, says, “Attitudes about the war in Afghanistan are predictably determined by perception of how that war is going. Only two percent of poll respondents think that the war is going ‘very well,’ but among these individuals 80 percent say that the war was the right decision, and among the 30 percent of poll respondents overall who say the war is going ‘moderately well,’ 75 percent way the war was the right decision. A plurality, but not a majority, of the 34 percent of all respondents who say that the war is going ‘moderately badly’ still think the war was the right decision. But among the 25 percent who say the war is going ‘very badly,’ 70 percent say it was a mistake.”

Contact Reineke at 615-494-7746.
jreineke@mtsu.edu

Financial fretting

Economic worries still dominate Tennesseans’ minds. The latest MTSU Poll shows that 80 percent of respondents are either very worried (38 percent) or somewhat worried (42 percent) about the direction of the national economy. Dr. Ken Blake, director of the poll, says, “About as many (84 percent) rate the state’s economy as either only fair (54 percent) or poor (30 percent). Fewer, but still a 62 percent majority, say they are either very worried (20 percent) or somewhat worried (42 percent) about their own family’s financial situation. Seventy-three percent say the recession has hurt them. And of those, about half say the recession has hurt them ‘a great deal.’ … Worry about the national economy tends to break along political lines with Republicans and independents expressing more worry than Democrats. Worry about one’s family finances, though, appears more directly a function of income with poorer Tennesseans expressing more worry than wealthier ones.”

Contact Blake at 615-210-6187.
kblake@mtsu.edu

The body beautiful

Check your local newsstands next month for the November issue of Self magazine. It features an interview with Dr. Mark Anshel, professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at MTSU. An interview with Anshel will be in the magazine’s monthly Fitness Feature. He answers the question “Do men worry less than women do about what others think of their bodies?” and discusses two conditions, “body self-image” and “social physique anxiety.” Anshel is a board member of the Journal of Sport Behavior and is the author of Applied Exercise Psychology: A guide for consulting exercise participants (Springer, 2006). He holds a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University, a master’s degree from McGill University and a doctorate from Florida State University.

Contact Anshel at 615-898-2812.
manshel@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

EXPLORE THE WAR--After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo. For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

BODY AND SOUL--Women in Action, an MTSU student organization, will present “Love Your Body Day” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 21, on the Keathley University Center knoll on the MTSU campus. The purpose of the event is to encourage women to love themselves inside and out. Students and faculty will be asked to participate in physical activities, including jumping rope, hula hoops and jogging in place, for prizes. Vendors, including Curves, Renfrew Center for Eating Disorders, MTSU Health Services, VOX-Voices of Planned Parenthood and the Women’s Studies Student Organization, will distribute information. For more information, contact Courtney Clardy at 615-995-0680 or cac5y@mtmail.mtsu.edu.

A RADICAL IDEA--A series of six Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes will be offered at no charge from 6-8 p.m. each Thursday from Oct. 21 through Dec. 2 at MTSU police headquarters, 1412 East Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class will be open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff, as well as to the general public. A workbook/training manual will be provided to each student. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to enroll, contact MTSU RAD instructor Sgt. David Smith at 615-692-2424 or 615-494-7858.

COMING HOME--MTSU Student Government Association Homecoming events include T-shirt Swap Days Oct. 20-22; Horseshoe Competition, Oct. 21, 5 p.m., Recreation Center; Chili Cook-off and Corn Hole Competition, Oct. 22, 5 p.m., Murphy Center; NPHC Step Show, Oct. 22, Murphy Center; and Fight Song, Oct. 20, Murphy Center “Forest.” The homecoming parade will begin at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 23, at the intersection of Maney Avenue and Main Street and will end at the Tennessee Livestock Center on Greenland Avenue. It all leads up to the homecoming football game against Louisiana-Monroe at Floyd Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23. For more information, contact Donald Abels at 615-898-2537 or sgahome@mtsu.edu.

SING “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”--MTSU’s Center for Popular Music will celebrate its 25th birthday this month. Items from its collections are on display in the atrium of the James E. Walker Library. A 25th birthday gala, complete with cake and all the trimmings, is slated for 12:30-2:00 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at the center, which is located on the first floor of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building. This event is free and open to the public.

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.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

2010-10-13T08:16:00.003-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Explore the war

After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian prepares to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his “Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe” class (HIST 3070). Dr. Derek Frisby, associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war’s “Great Crusade.” The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy; Bastogne; Dachau; Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands; and the “Eagle’s Nest,” Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden. Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers.” Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the “Battle of the Bulge” site are on the itinerary, as well as the Bayeaux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo.

For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097.
dfrisby@mtsu.edu
Financial aid is available. Apply as soon as possible. Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179.
mtabroad@mtsu.edu

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.
lnewton@mtsu.edu

Green is the color of money.

Will green jobs be the salvation of the American economy? In the latest edition of Tennessee’s Business, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, Dr. Jim Burton, dean of the Jennings A. Jones College of Business, writes, “I don’t know if green is a trillion-dollar industry or even an industry or if there is a revolution. This may be hyperbole. But I think the Urban Green Partnership may be at least partially right. That ‘the design, commercialization and use of processes and products’ must be ‘feasible and economical’ has always been a key to success. If you add reducing pollution and minimizing risk, you have a winner and might just get a significant piece of this supposed trillion-dollar pie.”

Contact Burton at 615-898-2764.
eburton@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

SURVEY SAYS?--Dr. Ken Blake, director of the MTSU Poll, and Dr. Jason Reineke, associate director of the poll, will be guests on “OpenLine” on NewsChannel5+ from 7-8 p.m. Central time tomorrow, Oct. 14. Blake and Reineke also are slated to be on “This Week with Bob Mueller” on WKRN-TV (Channel 2) at 9 a.m. Central time on Sunday, Oct. 17. The fall MTSU Poll, which is slated for release this week, will focus on measuring Tennesseans’ attitudes toward Muslims, the Tennessee governor’s race, the Tea Party movement, and gun laws and ownership, among other issues. For more information, contact Blake at 615-210-6187 or Reineke at 615-494-7746.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?--As a free community service during National Audiology Awareness Month, MTSU undergraduate communication disorders majors will test the hearing of students at John Pittard Elementary School, 745 DeJarnette Lane in Murfreesboro, from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15. Using seven portable audiometers, the MTSU students will document the responses of children in second, fourth and sixth grades, as well as kindergarten. The youngsters will don headphones and raise their hands if they hear the tones emitted through the audiometers. In addition, the student clinicians will use two tympanometers to test for middle ear disease. Media welcomed. For more information, contact Elizabeth Smith at 615-898-2662 or elsmith@mtsu.edu.

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH--As part of Earth Science Week. today, Oct. 13, from 3:30-4:15 p.m., Dr. Mark Abolins, associate professor of geosciences, will talk about “Urban Growth near Mobile Bay, Alabama: The ‘Other’ Threat to Gulf Coast Wetlands” in Room 452 of Kirksey Old Main. Tomorrow, Oct. 14, Bob Sneed, Chief of the Water Management Section, Nashville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will talk about the May 1-2 Middle Tennessee flood from 6-7 p.m., again in KOM 452. All Earth Science Week 2010 events, including a catered barbeque dinner at the MTSU Mineral, Gem and Fossil Museum, 122 Ezell Hall, following Sneed’s lecture, are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Abolins at 615-594-4210 or mabolins@mtsu.edu.

WHY CAN’T JOHNNY READ?--A dyslexia information forum is scheduled for parents, teachers and other interested individual from 6:25-8:00 p.m. for tomorrow, Oct. 14, on the second floor of the Linebaugh Public Library, 105 W. Vine St. in Murfreesboro. A panel of local teachers and personnel from Murfreesboro City Schools, along with school psychologists, professors and staff from the MTSU Department of Psychology and the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia will provide information about the learning disorder and will respond to questions from participants. The forum is being held in recognition of Dyslexia Awareness Month as designated by the International Dyslexia Association. For more information, contact Janet Camp at 615-896-5987 or jccamp41@comcast.net.

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.

FUN AND GAMES—MTSU Student Programming will present Videogame Night from 4-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, on the second floor of the Keathley University Center and Karaoke Night at 10 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17, at the Cyber Café. For more information, contact Jenni McCray, Chair of Distribution, at mtdistribute@gmail.com or jlm7k@mtmail.mtsu.edu.

NUTS TO YOU--This is the final week to order Georgia pecans from ASCE. Three sizes are available this year: small pieces, medium pieces, and halves. Each size is $7 per pound. All orders and money must be submitted by noon on Friday, Oct. 15. For more information, contact Pansey Carter at 615-898-2508 or pcarter@mtsu.edu.

THE HUMAN TOUCH--The MTSU Department of Human Sciences will celebrate “100 Years of Human Sciences” at an open house from 3-6 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 14, at the Ellington Human Sciences Building and Annex, 2623 Middle Tennessee Blvd. This event will feature interactive cooking demonstrations, student displays and a pumpkin-carving contest, among other activities. Human Sciences includes Textiles, Merchandising and Design; Family and Consumer Studies; Nutrition and Food Sciences; and Interior Design. For more information, contact the department at 615-898-2884.

GETTING YOUR CAREER ON TRACK---The MTSU Career Development Center will host its fall 2010 Career Fair from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. today, Oct. 13, on the track in Murphy Center. More than 90 organizations are registered to attend. More than 40 are open to all majors. More than 15 graduate/professional schools will be in attendance. Employers are recruiting primarily for full-time employment. However, some have indicated they have internships, co-ops and even part-time positions available. For more information, contact the Career Development Center at 615-898-2500.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

2010-10-12T08:55:00.002-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Funny, you don’t look Stewish!

Rick Sanchez is trying to reclaim his career after CNN fired him for remarks he made on a Sirius/XM radio program. The former news anchor called Jon Stewart, host of “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central, a “bigot” and said that the media is run by Jews like Stewart. Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, calls himself “Stewish” and writes, “Do Stews control the media? No, but we used to. Now it’s controlled by some Australian guy. In Bible times, we dominated the media, which was the Bible, and only Jews could write for it. When we moved from print to movies, we dominated that as well, but we were careful to hire goyim like Charlton Heston to play all the best Stewish roles.”

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

See it now

The October 2010 “MT Record” includes stories on how MTSU makes new students feel welcomed. They include highlights on the We-Haul program, “Meet Murfreesboro,” and “University 1010.” “MT Record” can be viewed on local channel 9, Monday through Sunday at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and on NewsChannel5+ at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. It is also seen over several local cable outlets. The filming and editing of the program was done by Susan Nogues and Kelly Ford, graduate assistants in the College of Mass Communication with the assistance of MTSU Audio-Visual Services. To view any of the video segments, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/news/MTR/index.shtml and click on “Browse.”

For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

Confusion over Confucius

Many people have heard some of the sayings of the great Chinese thinker Confucius. Some blame Confucianism for keeping China tied to the past for generations, but this is a limited and limiting way of looking at the philosophy. What is Confucianism? Dr. Yuan-ling Chao, history, writes, “Confucianism has been portrayed as the antithesis of the scientific tradition, backward-looking instead of forward-looking, with a focus on tradition rather than innovation, validation of truth based on ancient classics rather than objective proofs through experimentation. But, in traditional China, Confucian and Daoist scholars were deeply involved in the production of science, leading to a rich scientific tradition that at the elite level was mostly text-based, creating an orthodoxy tied to the philosophical tradition.”

Contact Chao at 615-898-2629.
ychao@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

SURVEY SAYS?--Dr. Ken Blake, director of the MTSU Poll, and Dr. Jason Reineke, associate director of the poll, will be guests on “OpenLine” on NewsChannel5+ from 7-8 p.m. Central time on Thursday, Oct. 14. Blake and Reineke also are slated to be on “This Week with Bob Mueller” on WKRN-TV (Channel 2) at 9 a.m. Central time on Sunday, Oct. 17. The fall MTSU Poll, which is slated for release this week, will focus on measuring Tennesseans’ attitudes toward Muslims, the Tennessee governor’s race, the Tea Party movement, and gun laws and ownership, among other issues. For more information, contact Blake at 615-210-6187 or Reineke at 615-494-7746.

COEXIST IS MORE THAN A BUMPER STICKER--“Pathways to Religious Freedom: Respecting and Promoting Religious Tolerance” is slated for 7 p.m. tonight, Oct. 12, in MTSU’s Wright Music Hall. This panel forum is co-sponsored by the Wesley Foundation, the Jewish Student Union and the Muslim Student Association. This event is free and open to the public.

SILENCE HURTS AS MUCH AS VIOLENCE--“An Evening of Expression and Empowerment,” a Domestic Violence Awareness Month event, is slated for 5 p.m. today, Oct. 12, in Cantrell Hall in the Tom H. Jackson Building on the MTSU campus. This event will give creative individuals an opportunity to give voice to the targets of domestic violence through poetry readings and the performing arts. The Silent Witness Project will be on display from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, also in Cantrell Hall. The true stories of women, men and children who have been targets of domestic violence will be printed across the busts of blood-red T-shirts. A large poster detailing the “15 Signs Someone Might Be Dangerous” will list the warning signals. Experts on domestic violence and sexual assault will talk about pertinent issues in a community dialogue from 1-3 p.m. For more information, contact the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students at 615-898-5989 or jawc@mtsu.edu.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?--As a free community service during National Audiology Awareness Month, MTSU undergraduate communication disorders majors will test the hearing of students at John Pittard Elementary School, 745 DeJarnette Lane in Murfreesboro, from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15. Using seven portable audiometers, the MTSU students will document the responses of children in second, fourth and sixth grades, as well as kindergarten. The youngsters will don headphones and raise their hands if they hear the tones emitted through the audiometers. In addition, the student clinicians will use two tympanometers to test for middle ear disease. Media welcomed. For more information, contact Elizabeth Smith at 615-898-2662 or elsmith@mtsu.edu.

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH--Dr. Clay Harris, associate professor of geosciences at MTSU, will discuss “BP’s Crude Oil Disaster: Ancient Origins, Uncertain Future” from 4:20-5:15 p.m. today, Oct. 12, in Room 452 of Kirksey Old Main as part of Earth Science Week. Tomorrow, Oct. 13, from 3:30-4:15 p.m., Dr. Mark Abolins, associate professor of geosciences, will talk about “Urban Growth near Mobile Bay, Alabama: The ‘Other’ Threat to Gulf Coast Wetlands,” also in KOM 452. On Thursday, Oct. 14, Bob Sneed, Chief of the Water Management Section, Nashville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will talk about the May 1-2 Middle Tennessee flood from 6-7 p.m., again in KOM 452. All Earth Science Week 2010 events, including a catered barbeque dinner at the MTSU Mineral, Gem and Fossil Museum, 122 Ezell Hall, following Sneed’s lecture, are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Abolins at 615-594-4210 or mabolins@mtsu.edu.

WHY CAN’T JOHNNY READ?--A dyslexia information forum is scheduled for parents, teachers and other interested individual from 6:25-8:00 p.m. for Thursday, Oct. 14, on the second floor of the Linebaugh Public Library, 105 W. Vine St. in Murfreesboro. A panel of local teachers and personnel from Murfreesboro City Schools, along with school psychologists, professors and staff from the MTSU Department of Psychology and the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia will provide information about the learning disorder and will respond to questions from participants. The forum is being held in recognition of Dyslexia Awareness Month as designated by the International Dyslexia Association. For more information, contact Janet Camp at 615-896-5987 or jccamp41@comcast.net.

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.

FUN AND GAMES—MTSU Student Programming will present Videogame Night from 4-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, on the second floor of the Keathley University Center and Karaoke Night at 10 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17, at the Cyber Café. For more information, contact Jenni McCray, Chair of Distribution, at mtdistribute@gmail.com or jlm7k@mtmail.mtsu.edu.

NUTS TO YOU--This is the final week to order Georgia pecans from ASCE. Three sizes are available this year: small pieces, medium pieces, and halves. Each size is $7 per pound. All orders and money must be submitted by noon on Friday, Oct. 15. For more information, contact Pansey Carter at 615-898-2508 or pcarter@mtsu.edu.

THE HUMAN TOUCH--The MTSU Department of Human Sciences will celebrate “100 Years of Human Sciences” at an open house from 3-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14, at the Ellington Human Sciences Building and Annex, 2623 Middle Tennessee Blvd. This event will feature interactive cooking demonstrations, student displays and a pumpkin-carving contest, among other activities. Human Sciences includes Textiles, Merchandising and Design; Family and Consumer Studies; Nutrition and Food Sciences; and Interior Design. For more information, contact the department at 615-898-2884.

GETTING YOUR CAREER ON TRACK---The MTSU Career Development Center will host its fall 2010 Career Fair from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 13, on the track in Murphy Center. More than 90 organizations are registered to attend. More than 40 are open to all majors. More than 15 graduate/professional schools will be in attendance. Employers are recruiting primarily for full-time employment. However, some have indicated they have internships, co-ops and even part-time positions available. For more information, contact the Career Development Center at 615-898-2500.

Monday, October 11, 2010

2010-10-11T08:45:00.003-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Toyotas for Tots

If you watched “Sunday Night Football” on NBC last night, you probably saw a halftime feature called the “Tiny Football League” sponsored by Toyota. It’s a short package spotlighting various youth football teams across the country. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “At a time when it has become very expensive to be associated with top tier sports properties, Toyota’s foray into football via the TFL is brilliant. Toyota enjoys the best of both worlds. On one hand, it’s tie-in with the NFL via NBC’s Sunday night broadcasts gives it the exposure a national brand like Toyota seeks. For Toyota, linking its presence in football to grass-roots programs allows the company to show concern for local communities.”

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

The cost of living

The new edition of Tennessee’s Business, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, focuses on the economics of environmental and energy issues. In the editor’s note, Dr. Horace Johns, business law, writes, “Is the earth’s temperature actually rising? If so, what is causing it—man-made greenhouse emissions (largely generated by the burning of fossil fuels), cyclical climate change unconnected with people’s behavior, or both? Remember that there are differing scientific opinions on these questions. Thus, it is difficult to empirically establish absolute proof for one position over the other. Nevertheless, it would be wise for us to err on the side of caution and do everything humanly and reasonably possible to protect our environment while, at the same time, insuring that we have ample energy supplies to sustain a healthy standard of living.”

Contact Johns at 615-898-2562.
hjohns@mtsu.edu

A master stroke

The Tennessee Board of Regents has presented MTSU with its Academic Excellence Award for the university’s highly touted and successful Master’s of Science in Professional Science degree program. Jim Monsor, MSPS advisory board member and senior vice president of operations at BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc., in Franklin, Tenn., was also recognized for the company’s partnership role in the program. Established in 2005 with support from the Sloan Foundation and approved by the TBR, the MSPS degree is currently the only interdisciplinary program of its kind in Tennessee and has been acclaimed as a model program by the Council of Graduate schools in Washington, D.C. The MSPS program received the highest scores in all categories during a recent five-year program review by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

For more information on the MSPS degree, visit www.mtsu.edu/~msps.

TR EXTRA

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.

FUN AND GAMES--Student Programming will present Videogame Night from 4-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, on the second floor of the Keathley University Center and Karaoke Night at 10 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17, at the Cyber Café. For more information, contact Jenni McCray, Chair of Distribution, at mtdistribute@gmail.com or jlm7k@mtmail.mtsu.edu.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

2010-09-29T08:46:00.001-05:00

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

2010-09-28T08:37:00.001-05:00

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

2010-09-27T08:15:00.001-05:00

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

2010-09-21T09:00:00.001-05:00

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

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. 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

2010-09-20T08:29:00.002-05:00

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

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. 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

2010-09-15T08:56:00.001-05:00

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.

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. 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

2010-09-14T08:58:00.001-05:00

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

2010-09-13T08:15:00.001-05:00

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

2010-09-08T08:19:00.000-05:00

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

2010-09-07T08:55:00.001-05:00

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

2010-09-01T09:01:00.001-05:00

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.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

2010-08-31T07:52:00.000-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Better fantasy, better ads, Papa John’s!

Fantasy football leagues aren’t just marketing tools for the usual suspects such as the NFL and ESPN. To mark the start of the new season, Papa John’s Pizza is inviting fans to register to win a fantasy football draft party with food delivered by former NFL star Cris Carter. Another Papa John’s contest in which fantasy league commissioners will register their leagues to be judged and rated offers a grand prize of a trip to the real 2011 NFL Draft. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “Marketing opportunities can be relatively easy to spot in a sense; after all, it is not a stretch to see the connection between eating pizza and watching football. The challenge is developing creative tactics that allow a brand to take advantage of the connection. In this case, if Papa John’s only bought advertising on a fantasy football game site, it would be missing an opportunity to make more meaningful connections with fantasy football players.”

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

We can be heroes just for one day.

How much mileage can Presidents of the United States get out of recognizing ordinary citizens as heroes in speeches? Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and Constitutional law scholar, says it depends on the skillfulness of the particular chief executive. “It is not surprising that a president like (Ronald) Reagan, who was generally good at communicating, used the mechanism much more effectively than a president, like George H.W. Bush, who generally was not,” says Vile. “The effectiveness of the practice is influenced by many factors, including, but not limited to the appropriateness of the honoree or honorees in the context of the time, the perceived sincerity and skill of the president utilizing the practice, and the reaction of the individuals being recognized.”

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

Giving them the business

Dr. Jim Burton, dean of MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones College of Business, has attained the status of “Certified Director” from the John E. Anderson School of Management at the University of California at Los Angeles. The designation represents a higher level of endorsement that entitles him to sit on corporate boards of directors and participate in the corporate governance of major companies throughout the nation. “There are a number of schools of business in the country that offer training programs for directors,” Burton says, “but this is the only one that I’m aware of that has any sort of certification process at the end of it.”

Contact Tom Tozer in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

TR EXTRA

THE WRITE STUFF--The Margaret H. Ordoubadian University Writing Center will hold an Open House from 2-5 p.m. tomorrow, 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.

Monday, August 30, 2010

2010-08-30T08:17:00.000-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Selling the dwelling?

Home prices in Tennessee remained in a downward slump in the first quarter, according to Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center. “Average home prices, including sales and refinanced mortgages, fell 4.8 percent over the year for Tennessee, less than the U.S. average decline of 6.8 percent,” TCM states. “Clarksville, Chattanooga and Knoxville experienced declines substantially lower than the state average, while Nashville’s decline was about the same as the state. Larger declines occurred in Memphis and the nonmetro portions of the state. Price declines lower than the state average occurred in Johnson City (-1.1 percent) and Kingsport-Bristol (-2.7 percent).”

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

Oh, Canada!

Our neighbor to the north is the focus of an Advance Studies in Comparative Politics Course being taught this semester by Dr. Amanda DiPaolo, assistant professor of political science at MTSU. “The Politics of Canada” provides an overview of the major political institutions of the Canadian regime. Students will examine the Canadian Constitution, the concept of Canadian federalism, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, political parties and the electoral system, and Canadian foreign policy, as well as concepts such as regionalism and the place of Quebec within Canada. No prior knowledge of Canada is required, but this course will be a challenging intellectual experience. Attendance will be mandatory, as will active participation in class discussions.

Contact DiPaolo at 615-898-2708.
dipaolo@mtsu.edu

Malaysia, Truly Asia

Dr. Sean Foley, assistant professor of history at MTSU, will embark in mid-September on a 10-month research excursion in Southeast Asia after winning the third Fulbright Fellowship of his career. Foley will work and study primarily in Malaysia, where he will examine religious links between Southeast Asia and the Arab-dominated Middle East region under the auspices of International Islamic University Malaysia in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. In addition, Foley’s study and lecture itinerary will take him to India, Thailand and Brunei, an experience he will chronicle with periodic columns in The Tennessean.

Go to www.seanfoley.org for more information about Foley’s work.
Contact Foley at sfoley@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, August 25, 2010

2010-08-25T08:55:00.002-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Buy now or bye-bye.

The home buyers’ federal tax credit sent Tennesseans rushing to take advantage in the second quarter. Home sales rose in Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville, according to Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center. It states, “The pattern of sales during the past three quarters resembles a sawtooth as buyers react to the tax credit. On balance, second quarter sales in Memphis reverted to about the same level as in the fourth quarter of 2009. The second quarter bounce for Knoxville was somewhat lower. Inventories fell somewhat in Nashville and Memphis but rose in Knoxville.”

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

Getting back into the swing of things

Now that Tiger Woods’ divorce is final, and his ex-wife is telling her side of the story in People magazine, how should he move forward? His golf game clearly has suffered since last year’s Thanksgiving Day incident, and he needs a good performance to merit being chosen for this year’s USA Ryder Cup team. Realizing that hindsight is 20/20, Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performances, says, “Instead of hiding out, I would have confessed very quickly to infidelity, received personal and family therapy and moved back to golf rather quickly.” That said, Anshel adds, “He may also want to find some spiritual way of coping with recent life events, as was the case with so many other well-known individuals whose integrity was publically compromised, and, finally, to surround himself with people he trusts and will not allow him to repeat mistakes.”

Contact Anshel at 615-898-2812.
manshel@mtsu.edu

You can’t make me! Nyah!

Employees grouse about noncompete contracts, and they have varying lay opinions about the pacts’ enforceability. Drs. Patrick Geho and Stephen Lewis write in Proceedings of the Academy of Entrepreneurship, “With the lack of a uniform federal statute concerning noncompete agreements in general, states have crafted legislation of their own. Some states look at noncompete agreements as creating an undue restraint of trade and, therefore, against public policy. Other states consider noncompete agreements enforceable in relation to a condition of employment and where limited in scope, typically referring to time and geography language in the agreement.”

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.

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

2010-08-24T09:09:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Metro matters

The five percent increase in sales tax collections in the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area over last June are consistent with job gains in retail and wholesale trade, says Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Area. Penn presented the latest economic indicators for the Nashville MSA to the Nashville Apartment Association on Aug. 17. He says May was cool as housing construction declined. Single-family housing permits are down from a year ago, reflecting the whipsaw of the home buyers’ tax credit. How the activity will go in the absence of the tax credit is uncertain. In addition, the unemployment rate is down more than a point since January. However, the labor force is 12,000 lower than when it was at its peak in Oct. 2008.

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

Great review!

The Princeton Review recently placed MTSU in the “Best of the Southeast” section of its website feature “2011 Best Colleges Region by Region.” The education-services company asked students to rate their schools based on the accessibility of professors, the quality of food and campus life in general. The company’s staff also based the evaluation on the quality of academic programs and observations during visits to campus over the years. Collectively, the 623 colleges named “regional best” constitute about 25 percent of the nation’s 2,500 four-year colleges. MTSU also won the honor in 2008. Forbes magazine ranked MTSU as the number one public institution in Tennessee, as well as one of the Top 50 higher-education “Best Buys” in the nation and one of the top 100 U.S. public universities, in its 2009 “America’s Best Colleges” listing.

Contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

You gotta believe.

Irony of ironies, an e-mailer with an attitude recently accused Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, of being a “nonbeliever.” Shapiro replies, in part, “A nonbeliever is simply a person who doesn’t believe as you believe. There is no absolute standard for belief or nonbelief, and labels such as ‘believer’ and ‘nonbeliever’ are relative to the particular standard held by the person doing the labeling. The only value such labeling has is to make the person doing the labeling feel a bit more secure in her position. It is totally self-serving and without any objective truth value whatsoever. The whole thing saddens me. I would like to retire the words ‘believer’ and ‘nonbeliever’ in favor of ‘different believer.’”

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

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.

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Monday, August 23, 2010

2010-08-23T08:25:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The numbers game

Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Area, presented the latest economic indicators for the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area to the Nashville Apartment Association on Aug. 17. Penn stated that nonfarm employment is nearly level over the year, down 0.4 percent in June from last June. Retail trade, wholesale trade, temporary employment and health care sectors are up. Manufacturing, construction, information and financial activities are down. Total employment is higher over the year, up 1.3 percent from last June and up 12,000 since January after seasonal adjustments. Sales tax collections are up five percent from last June. Penn says households are beginning to buy again.

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

Their native tongue

In the shadow of the largest Kurdish community in the nation, MTSU will become one of a mere handful of American universities offering Kurdish language courses in the fall 2010 semester. “The reason we think we can do it here when other places can’t is because we have the support of the Kurdish community,” says Dr. Kari Neely, assistant professor of foreign languages and a member of the working group that helped devise the classes. Estimates of the number of Kurds living in Nashville range from 11,000 to 14,000 people. Kovan Murat, senior political science major and co-founder of the Kurdish Students Association (KSA), says they arrived in three waves—in the 1960s, in 1992 after the infamous poison gas attacks staged by Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq, and from 1995-1998 with the help of nongovernmental organizations.

Contact Neely at 615-898-2981.
ksneely@mtsu.edu

Memories are made of this.

Studies show that our memories often don’t get the details right. But Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says perfect recall isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, either. He notes, “Everyone has a camera phone that can take both still and motion pictures. Those images are then stored away pretty much forever and are, in a manner of speaking, set in cement. Those images will become our memories. They will document almost every aspect of our lives, but do we really want that much certainty? Personally, I like my memories the way they are. At some level, I know things weren’t quite like I remember them today. … But, in a few years, all of these new photographs, the documentation, may rob us of some of our humanity by creating an indelible, unchangeable image of the way things were.”

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

TR EXTRA

OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES--Students from the MTSU College of Agribusiness and Agriscience, including students from the Plant and Soil Science Club, will press 200 pounds of grapes at 2 p.m. today, Aug. 23, at the at the Tennessee State Veterans Home, 345 Compton Road in Murfreesboro. The red, seeded grapes were grown in the university’s experimental vineyard on the north end of the Rutherford County Extension Office property at the corner of Gresham Lane and John Rice Boulevard. The vineyard was made possible by a 2005 agreement establishing it as the only joint Tennessee Board of Regents/University of Tennessee system experimental agricultural venture. Dr. Tony Johnston, associate professor of food science and agribusiness and enology consultant, says the students will use a small table-top press that can accommodate two gallons of fruit. The residents of the veterans’ home will use the juice to make jelly. Media welcomed. For more information, contact Johnston at 615-556-1495 or johnston@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. 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.

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

2010-08-18T08:59:00.000-05:00

EDITORS: Be advised that beginning this week, Today’s Response will be issued on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday only. As usual, Today’s Response will not be issued on official university holidays.

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The wolf is knocking at the door.

Past due mortgages continued to rise in Tennessee in the first quarter. According to Tennessee Housing Market, “Past due mortgages rose to 10.8 percent in Tennessee from 10.5 percent in the previous quarter. Tennessee typically experiences a higher past due rate than the U.S. average; this continues to be the case, but the United States is gradually catching up with Tennessee, as past due mortgages reached 10 percent during the first quarter. The number of new foreclosures started during the quarter is nearly one percent of all mortgages, not much different from the average of the past four quarters and somewhat lower than the U.S. average. The big difference is that Tennessee continues to experience a much lower inventory of foreclosures, 2.41 percent in foreclosure in Tennessee during the first quarter compared with 4.63 percent for the United States.”

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

Car tunes

The extent to which Tennessee’s economy depends on motor vehicle manufacturing cannot be understated. According to an analysis presented to the Tennessee Gas Association in June by Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, Tennessee had 40,000 jobs in transportation equipment manufacturing as of 2008, including vehicles and aircraft. Thirty-two thousand of these jobs were in auto parts manufacturing. Some supply Nissan, but many supply manufacturing plants in other states. Penn’s analysis stated that auto manufacturing was doing better and that manufacturing employment in Tennessee has stabilized, but is not much different from last fall.

Contact Penn at 615-904-8571.
dpenn@mtsu.edu

Media mutilation

Some newspaper readers have complained lately that photographs from Afghanistan showing mutilated women are too graphic to be printed. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, agrees that many of the pictures are disturbing. However, he says the fact that the mutilations took place is even more disturbing. “What these letter writers need to understand is that the media do not create tragic events throughout the world,” says Burriss. “In fact, if anything, the media routinely under-report tragic events. Ask yourself, for example, whatever happened to the millions of starving Rwandans we heard so much about a few years ago? Or whatever happened with the genocide in Darfur? Are all of those problems solved? I don’t think so.”

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

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

2010-08-17T08:11:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Second quarter qualms

Looking at the second quarter of 2010, the recovery continues to be sluggish. In the latest edition of Tennessee Housing Market, Dr. David Penn writes, “The recovery inched along during the second quarter, producing job growth but not at a pace that will reduce the unemployment rate to a reasonable level anytime soon. While employment improved, the housing market did not, as the expiration of the home buyers’ tax credit caused home sales and construction to wither. It remains to be seen whether the housing market can achieve stable growth without help from policymakers. Tennessee job growth accelerated somewhat during the second quarter with nonfarm employment rising by 17,000 from the first quarter after seasonable adjustments.”

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

The high price of free speech

Deborah Andrews, an employee at a state psychiatric hospital in Connecticut, claimed she was punished for reporting unsafe working conditions. Christopher Aubrecht, a Pennsylvania state trooper, claimed he was retaliated against when he reported that his supervisor told him he must issue a certain number of tickets each month, a violation of state law. Both employees lost their court cases. David Hudson, adjunct political science professor and First Amendment Center scholar, says, “It has become much more difficult for plaintiffs’ attorneys to mount effective First Amendment lawsuits based on any speech that relates to the workplace. … It is indeed depressing that many public employees have no First Amendment right to complain or speak out against corruption, illegality or unsafe working conditions.”

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

The way it was ain’t the way it is.

The next time you watch a television news anchor, consider how much that person’s role has changed in the first few years of the 21st century alone. Dr. Bob Pondillo, electronic media communication, writes in the Encyclopedia of American Journalism, “News anchors are no longer idealized journalists, reporters steeped in the hardscrabble newspaper tradition that spoke truth to power and gave voice to the disenfranchised. They are instead TV celebrities, archetypes of the status quo, corporate faces used to attract advertisers and promote network news ‘products,’ such as high revenue-producing morning television and prime time ‘news magazine’ programs.”

Contact Pondillo at 615-904-8465.
pondillo@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. 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.

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Monday, August 16, 2010

2010-08-16T08:16:00.000-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Grousing over housing

After five quarters of growth, home construction declined during the second quarter in Tennessee. According to the latest edition of Tennessee Housing Market, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, “The decline was undoubtedly due to the expiration of the new home buyer’s tax credit. Single-family permits dropped from 13,600 to 12,700 for the second quarter, a 6.4 percent decrease. However, permits still are considerably higher over the year, up 14 percent from the second quarter of 2009. By comparison, construction activity dropped much more in the South (-13.2 percent) and the United States (-14.7 percent) from the first quarter. The South and the United States also produced a much smaller over-the-year increase in single-family permits as compared with Tennessee.”

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

“If everybody was satisfied with himself, there would be no heroes.”—Mark Twain

It’s not unusual for presidents to refer to specific Americans as heroes in their speeches. Sometimes it’s helpful for the presidents to try to bask in the citizen heroes’ glory. However, the practice is not without pitfalls. Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and former chair of the Department of Political Science, writes, “When presidents honor living individuals, they cannot always be sure how they will react or subsequently behave. Although at its best the public might perceive such a gesture as magnanimous, George H.W. Bush discovered that it can be particularly dicey to recognize, and thus give a potential platform to, individuals who represent rival political views. Individuals, especially young people, who presidents honor may embarrass the president or nation by later being discovered in dishonorable behavior.”

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

Cussing the caucus?

Do African-Americans feel a connection with the Congressional Black Caucus? Dr. Sekou Franklin, political science, and co-authors Richard Seltzer and John Davis, write, “While a cohort in the black community feels close to the CBC and view it as useful for articulating policy preferences, especially when compared to white congressional leaders, some blacks feel detached from the Black Caucus. … Surprisingly, we found very little differences across socioeconomic lines and among those involved in and alienated from the political process. The most significant variables that were able to connect the black electorate to the CBC were political ideology and party allegiance.”

Contact Franklin at 615-904-8232.
franklin@mtsu.edu

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“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Friday, August 13, 2010

2010-08-13T08:05:00.000-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

A good education—priceless

It’s often said that money can’t buy happiness. G. Jeffrey McDonald, a Protestant minister, writes, “The pastoral vocation is to help people grow spiritually, resist their lowest impulses and adopt higher, more compassionate ways. But churchgoers increasingly want pastors to soothe and entertain them.” Dr. Phil Oliver, philosophy, says, “I’m not a churchgoer, but substitute academic for pastoral, students for churchgoers and professors for pastors, and you’ve got a telling vocational parallel. Not all of my teaching colleagues would agree that it’s our job to improve our students and wean them from the depredations of life in consumerist America, and even fewer of my administrative colleagues would. But that’s how I still see it. … It’s not merely about emerging after four years to join the workforce and start accumulating lots of stuff. There are important dots to connect here, between happiness, simplicity, and an education worth stretching for. If we don’t at least try, we fail.”

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

Express yourself!

Tom Joyner, the host of the popular nationally syndicated “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” uses his program as a platform to promote voter registration, healthy living and historically black colleges and universities. In 2002, Dr. Dwight Brooks, chair of the MTSU School of Journalism, and co-author George L. Daniels used the radio program for a case study. They found the success of Joyner’s show to be indicative of how “media businesses can be profitable in providing nonentertainment services to competitive commercial marketplaces. This is significant in addressing the historical tension between the media’s public interest mandate and financial performance. It is our hope that the case of the TJMS serves as a reminder to media industry executives and policy makers of the importance of media companies’ responsibility to serve the public interest and contribute to a more democratic and active public sphere.”

Contact Brooks at 615-494-8925.
dbrooks@mtsu.edu

Spanning the globe

Dr. Steven Livingston, political science professor and editor of Global Commerce, will be Gina Logue’s guest on this week’s edition of “MTSU on the Record” at 8 a.m. this Sunday, Aug. 15, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Livingston, who recently visited Israel, will discuss international markets for goods produced in Tennessee and how they are faring during the current economic slump. In addition, Livingston will talk about his work on a web-based interactive learning video of Congressional rules and legislative procedures. To further this work, Livingston received the 2009-2010 MTSU Instructional Technology Grant, which is presented each year to a faculty member to assist in the areas of computer technology, telecommunications and instructional and research support.

Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

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“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

2010-08-12T11:27:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

War and the courts

Zones of Twilight: Wartime Presidential Powers and Federal Court Decision Making, a new book from Dr. Amanda DiPaolo, political science, examines military detentions, warrantless wiretaps (dating all the way back to Lincoln tapping telegraph communications), the confiscation of property and free speech cases. DiPaolo explains the courts’ handling of cases involving presidential power during times of national security emergencies. Zones of Twilight also puts into historical context more recent cases stemming from the war on terror, showing not only how the debates and concerns have a long history, but that recent decisions rarely depart from historical precedent.

Contact DiPaolo at 615-898-2708.
dipaolo@mtsu.edu

Can you compete?

Is a noncompete agreement really enforceable? Drs. Patrick Geho and Stephen Lewis, in Proceedings of the Academy of Entrepreneurship, say many states apply a test of reasonableness in determining whether to enforce the document. They say reasonableness is defined by three criteria: “1) Is the restraint reasonable in the sense that it is no greater than necessary to protect the employer in some legitimate interest? 2) Is the restraint reasonable in the sense that it is not unduly harsh and oppressive on the employee? 3) Is the restraint reasonable in the sense that it is not injurious to the public? … Although there are a few states that hold noncompete agreements as prima facie void, most state courts will rule for partial enforcement.”

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

When bad news is a good thing

ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” recently aired an expose on the lack of food safety at many major sports venues in the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says these venues can turn lemon into lemonade if they use the information uncovered by ESPN as a catalyst for change. Roy says, “In the case of sports food service, the ESPN expose should serve as a call for companies to review all aspects of their operations, including hiring, training, food preparation processes, and the quality of products offered by their suppliers. … Sports venues have expanded their food service options to more upscale (and higher profit margin) fare, but their efforts may be more fruitful with a focus on a quality, consistent and healthy experience for their patrons.”

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

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THE FISCAL FUTURE--Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, will be one of the participants in a panel discussion on “Nashville’s Economic Forecast” at 3:30 p.m. today, Aug. 12, at the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville. Other scheduled participants include Doug Brandon, managing principal, Cassidy Turley, and president of the Leadership Middle Tennessee class of 2010; Rob McNeilly, president and CEO, SunTrust Bank; and Christopher Parks, co-founder and CEO, change: healthcare. This discussion, which is co-sponsored by the Nashville Business Journal and Colliers International, is part of NBJ’s “Shaping a Greater Nashville” series. To register, go to http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/event/27811.

GRITS ARE GOOD FOR YOU.--The GRITS Collaborative Project and MTSU invite you to participate in their 2010 forum from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. today, Aug. 12, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. The keynote speaker will be Lee Rennick, executive director of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Education Partnership. Her address is titled “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.” Guest speaker Donna M. Inch, newly appointed Chairman and CEO of Ford Land, will discuss the importance of attracting and retaining women in the engineering and science pipeline. GRITS stands for Girls Raised in Tennessee Science. Its collaborative project brings together organizations and individuals committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The registration fee is $10. Students may attend for free. Contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross at 615-904-8253 or jiriarte@mtsu.edu.

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

2010-08-11T08:17:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The sounds of success

Three MTSU recording-industry students are getting some financial support for their creative visions as the latest recipients of the prestigious API Visionary Scholarship. Taylor Bray, a junior from Columbia, S.C., and senior Jay Yaskin of Las Vegas received $2,000 each, while Nashvillian Ben Poff, who is working toward his Master of Fine Arts degree in recording arts and technology, received $1,000 from Jessup, Md.-based Automatic Processes Inc. “The people at API said they could tell that our faculty were proactive in encouraging our students to apply,” says Professor Daniel Pfeifer, who teaches audio course and coordinates the undergraduate and graduate audio internships for the RIM department. “This was the first time we were eligible to apply. It’s very unusual for a manufacturer to do something like this. The altruism on their part is awesome.”

Contact Gina Fann in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5385.
gfann@mtsu.edu

To your health

The Center for Health and Human Services at MTSU has produced the fourth edition of Allied Health in Tennessee: A Supply and Demand Study 2010. Academic institutions, as well as employers and students, have come to rely on this publication as the source for allied health supply and demand information in Tennessee. This publication, by offering a compilation of academic programs and their locations in Tennessee, as well as pertinent information about each field, should be of great value to potential students, educational planners and state officials. It is funded by a grant from the Nashville Career Advancement Center and the Tennessee Hospital Association’s Center for Health Workforce Development in Tennessee.

For more information, contact the Adams Chair of Excellence in Health Care Services at 615-898-2904 or 615-494-8919.

Protons, neutrons, adjectives and adverbs

In his book The Language Instinct, author Steven Pinker defines a root word as a “syntactic atom” because neither the word in question nor the atom can be split without losing its meaning. Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says it’s an apt metaphor. He says, “While the sizes, shapes and functionalities of molecules are infinitely variable, just as a mouthful of words can be strung together for form a two-word matrimonial confirmation or a dizzying long soliloquy, there are rules of bonding that constitute a molecular grammar. For instance, ‘I do!’ and ‘Do I?’ will elicit vastly different emotional responses, but ‘He do’ is not allowed.”

Contact MacDougall at 615-898-5265.
pmacdoug@mtsu.edu

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THE FISCAL FUTURE--Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, will be one of the participants in a panel discussion on “Nashville’s Economic Forecast” at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow, Aug. 12, at the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville. Other scheduled participants include Doug Brandon, managing principal, Cassidy Turley, and president of the Leadership Middle Tennessee class of 2010; Rob McNeilly, president and CEO, SunTrust Bank; and Christopher Parks, co-founder and CEO, change: healthcare. This discussion, which is co-sponsored by the Nashville Business Journal and Colliers International, is part of NBJ’s “Shaping a Greater Nashville” series. To register, go to http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/event/27811.

GRITS ARE GOOD FOR YOU.--The GRITS Collaborative Project and MTSU invite you to participate in their 2010 forum from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow, Aug. 12, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. The keynote speaker will be Lee Rennick, executive director of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Education Partnership. Her address is titled “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.” Guest speaker Donna M. Inch, newly appointed Chairman and CEO of Ford Land, will discuss the importance of attracting and retaining women in the engineering and science pipeline. GRITS stands for Girls Raised in Tennessee Science. Its collaborative project brings together organizations and individuals committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The registration fee is $10. Students may attend for free. Contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross at 615-904-8253 or jiriarte@mtsu.edu.

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

2010-08-10T08:40:00.002-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The fiscal future

Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, will be one of the participants in a panel discussion on “Nashville’s Economic Forecast” at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 12, at the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville. Other scheduled participants include Doug Brandon, managing principal, Cassidy Turley, and president of the Leadership Middle Tennessee class of 2010; Rob McNeilly, president and CEO, SunTrust Bank; and Christopher Parks, co-founder and CEO, change: healthcare. This discussion, which is co-sponsored by the Nashville Business Journal and Colliers International, is part of NBJ’s “Shaping a Greater Nashville” series.

To register, go to http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/event/27811.

The paper chase

It has been a truism of American journalism for the past several years now that the newspaper, at least in its current format, is dying. But Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says newspapers are still very popular in Japan, home of so much of the technology that spurred the digital revolution. Why? Burriss says, “Japan’s dailies do better than ours because they put more news in their newspapers. They are more reader-friendly and fair. They are more polite in their editorial comments or criticisms. … Over the years, more and more American businesses have come to adopt Japanese theories of management and productivity. Maybe we need to take a look at Japanese newspapers, as well.”

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

Drink responsibly as you ogle.

Strip clubs that don’t serve hard liquor? A federal appeals court ruled recently that a Virginia law banning strip clubs from serving mixed drinks is not at odds with the First Amendment. The idea behind the state law is that serving mixed drinks could lead to more heavily intoxicated clients and, therefore, more crime. David Hudson, adjunct professor of political science and First Amendment Center scholar, says, “The clubs contended that the state had failed to show empirical proof that the drinking of distilled spirits at the clubs led to greater crime. But the Fourth Circuit said that didn’t matter, writing that ‘we disagree that empirical support is needed for the perfectly sensible legislative proposition that someone drinking liquor at a strip club will get more intoxicated’ than someone drinking beer and wine.”

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

TR EXTRA

GRITS ARE GOOD FOR YOU.--The GRITS Collaborative Project and MTSU invite you to participate in their 2010 forum from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. The keynote speaker will be Lee Rennick, executive director of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Education Partnership. Her address is titled “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.” Guest speaker Donna M. Inch, newly appointed Chairman and CEO of Ford Land, will discuss the importance of attracting and retaining women in the engineering and science pipeline. GRITS stands for Girls Raised in Tennessee Science. Its collaborative project brings together organizations and individuals committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The registration fee is $10. Students may attend for free. Contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross at 615-904-8253 or jiriarte@mtsu.edu.

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Friday, August 6, 2010

2010-08-06T08:31:00.000-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Fourteenth Points

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has called for hearings on whether to rescind all or part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution to prevent the children of undocumented workers from becoming automatic citizens. Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and a Constitutional law expert, says, “The Fourteenth Amendment overturned the notorious Dred Scott decision of 1857 and has long been regarded as the Constitutional provision that incorporated the affirmation of equality in the Declaration of Independence. An amendment would represent the first major change in either the Bill of Rights or the Fourteenth Amendment. Such an amendment would require a two-thirds vote by both houses of Congress and approval by three-fourths of the states.”

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

A place to pray

The Anti-Defamation League is one of the groups opposed to the construction of a mosque and Islamic center (Cordoba House) on a privately owned site two blocks from Ground Zero in New York City. Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, says, “I know Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf, the leader of Cordoba House. I have taught with him, dined with him (and his wife), and argued with him about the Middle East. And I am proud to call him a friend. I believe we need more ventures like Cordoba House, not less. I believe it is long past time for progressive clergy to come together and support one another and condemn and actively oppose the work of those hate-mongers in all faiths. And I am saddened that the ADL lacked the guts to do so in this case.”

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

Not-so-eminent domain

Drs. Amanda DiPaolo and Karen Petersen, political science, will spend the next year conducting statistical analysis of a concurring opinion in a U.S. Supreme Court case. They intend to explore Associate Justice Robert Jackson’s concurring opinion in Youngstown Sheet & Tube v. Sawyer. According to their abstract, “This paper seeks to test Jackson’s theory in Youngstown that suggests the federal courts look for approval of Executive decisions by the Congress when making … rights-based national security decisions. We will examine the Supreme Court cases where issues concerning military detentions are brought before the federal courts. We will also look at the issue of wireless wiretapping.” The majority opinion held that President Truman did not have the authority to seize private property absent Constitutional or statutory permission.

Contact DiPaolo at 615-898-2708.
dipaolo@mtsu.edu
Contact Petersen at 615-494-8662.
kpeterse@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

HEALTH CARE—GOOD FOR WHAT AILS THE ECONOMY--Dr. Murat Arik, assistant director of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, will explain his recent study assessing the impact of the health care industry in Nashville at 8 a.m. this Sunday, Aug. 8, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). The study, which was unveiled at a July 7 news conference, shows one in eight Nashville workers to be employed by health care providers. Furthermore, more than 250 health care companies have operations in Nashville, which ranks it above 13 other similar cities, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis and Louisville. “The findings of this study underscore what we’ve always known to be true—that Nashville’s health care industry is unique to other markets, especially in the creation of jobs, both locally and globally,” says Arik. Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

GRITS ARE GOOD FOR YOU.--The GRITS Collaborative Project and MTSU invite you to participate in their 2010 forum from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. The keynote speaker will be Lee Rennick, executive director of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Education Partnership. Her address is titled “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.” Guest speaker Donna M. Inch, newly appointed Chairman and CEO of Ford Land, will discuss the importance of attracting and retaining women in the engineering and science pipeline. GRITS stands for Girls Raised in Tennessee Science. Its collaborative project brings together organizations and individuals committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The registration fee is $10. Students may attend for free. Contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross at 615-904-8253 or jiriarte@mtsu.edu.

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

2010-08-05T08:36:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Cut grass, not yard signs!

Governments should stop trying to put restrictions on election yard signs. That’s the view of David Hudson, adjunct political science professor and First Amendment Center scholar. Some laws prohibit homeowners from displaying more than two or three signs on their property. Others limit the duration of display to from 60 days before to 60 days after an election. Hudson says, “First, the law selectively regulates a specific type of speech on the basis of (its) content—political campaign speech. In free-speech law, content-based laws are viewed with much greater skepticism than laws that treat speech equally—so-called content-neutral laws. Second, political speech represents the core type of speech the First Amendment was designed to protect. For-sale signs, lawn-cutting ad signs and other commercial signs shouldn’t receive more protection than signs suggesting who should be our next leaders.”

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

A kiss to build a dream on?

Building permits issued for single-family units in the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area rose to 401 in June 2010 from 275 the month before. However, according to the figures from the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, only two permits were issued for multi-family units. That’s a decrease from 18 in May. The collective value of those June single-family units is $69,850,582, and the collective value of the June multi-family units is $50,000 for a total value of $69,900, 582. So far in 2010, February has been the best month for housing permit issuance in the Nashville area with a total of 654 permits. May was the worst month with only 293 permits issued.

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

Toothless Tiger?

Here we go again. Tiger Woods has gone seven tournaments without a victory, the longest start to a season without a win in his professional golfing life. At a news conference yesterday on the eve of the Bridgestone Invitational at Akron, Ohio, Woods said he hadn’t been able to practice as much as he has wanted to because “people have been wanting more of my time.” One of his best friends, Notah Begay, let the cat out of the bag last month—Woods is going through a divorce following several acts of widely reported infidelity. Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance, says, “Playing golf at the highest level is what he must do and stop reflecting on what other people think. With time, this sad episode will be minimized (not forgotten) in importance. If his wife files for divorce, that’s their business. He’ll have to deal with that separately, but hopefully, with family therapy, things can improve.”

Contact Anshel at 615-898-2812.
manshel@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

HEALTH CARE—GOOD FOR WHAT AILS THE ECONOMY--Dr. Murat Arik, assistant director of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, will explain his recent study assessing the impact of the health care industry in Nashville at 8 a.m. this Sunday, Aug. 8, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). The study, which was unveiled at a July 7 news conference, shows one in eight Nashville workers to be employed by health care providers. Furthermore, more than 250 health care companies have operations in Nashville, which ranks it above 13 other similar cities, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis and Louisville. “The findings of this study underscore what we’ve always known to be true—that Nashville’s health care industry is unique to other markets, especially in the creation of jobs, both locally and globally,” says Arik. Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

GRITS ARE GOOD FOR YOU.--The GRITS Collaborative Project and MTSU invite you to participate in their 2010 forum from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. The keynote speaker will be Lee Rennick, executive director of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Education Partnership. Her address is titled “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.” Guest speaker Donna M. Inch, newly appointed Chairman and CEO of Ford Land, will discuss the importance of attracting and retaining women in the engineering and science pipeline. GRITS stands for Girls Raised in Tennessee Science. Its collaborative project brings together organizations and individuals committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The registration fee is $10. Students may attend for free. Contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross at 615-904-8253 or jiriarte@mtsu.edu.

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

August 4, 2010

2010-08-04T08:40:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Health care—good for what ails the economy

Dr. Murat Arik, assistant director of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, will explain his recent study assessing the impact of the health care industry in Nashville at 8 a.m. this Sunday, Aug. 8, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). The study, which was unveiled at a July 7 news conference, shows one in eight Nashville workers to be employed by health care providers. Furthermore, more than 250 health care companies have operations in Nashville, which ranks it above 13 other similar cities, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis and Louisville. “The findings of this study underscore what we’ve always known to be true—that Nashville’s health care industry is unique to other markets, especially in the creation of jobs, both locally and globally,” says Arik.

Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

“I can believe anything provided it is incredible.”—Oscar Wilde

Philosophy and faith are both at their best when lit by experience, according to Dr. Phil Oliver, philosophy. “Too often, though, they’re reduced and diminished by an attempt to declare a winner,” Oliver laments. “The issue is much more important than that. … We don’t summon strong memories, yearn for our children’s positive futures, or credit the consciousness of our peers on a shaky wing and a flimsy prayer. ‘Our experience in the world’ counts for a lot more than that, and the tendency of philosophers to differ sharply and passionately amongst themselves is a measured reflection of just how much more. The mealy agnostic conclusion is not the ‘winner’ here.”

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

Planting the SEEDs of success

Ashley Rambo of McMinnville has completed a summer full of scientific research through Project SEED (Summer Educational Experience for the Economically Disadvantaged). Sponsored by the American Chemical Society, SEED gives high school juniors and seniors a chance to work with mentors in research projects in industrial, academic and federal laboratories. MTSU chemistry professor Dr. B.G. Ooi was Rambo’s mentor. She says of her experience, “I came here not knowing anything. I learned a whole lot more than I ever dreamed. It’s different here doing labs than in a high school lab.” Ooi says, “Ashley has carried out research in developing chemistry-based experiments for demonstrating to young students and investigating the pretreatment of cellulose to make it more readily digestible by the cellulase enzyme to produce sugar.”

Contact Randy Weiler in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5616.
jweiler@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

GRITS ARE GOOD FOR YOU.--The GRITS Collaborative Project and MTSU invite you to participate in their 2010 forum from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. The keynote speaker will be Lee Rennick, executive director of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Education Partnership. Her address is titled “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.” Guest speaker Donna M. Inch, newly appointed Chairman and CEO of Ford Land, will discuss the importance of attracting and retaining women in the engineering and science pipeline. GRITS stands for Girls Raised in Tennessee Science. Its collaborative project brings together organizations and individuals committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The registration fee is $10. Students may attend for free. Contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross at 615-904-8253 or jiriarte@mtsu.edu.

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

2010-08-03T10:06:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

GRITS are good for you.

The GRITS Collaborative Project and MTSU invite you to participate in their 2010 forum from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. The keynote speaker will be Lee Rennick, executive director of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Education Partnership. Her address is titled “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.” Guest speaker Donna M. Inch, newly appointed Chairman and CEO of Ford Land, will discuss the importance of attracting and retaining women in the engineering and science pipeline. GRITS stands for Girls Raised in Tennessee Science. Its collaborative project brings together organizations and individuals committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The registration fee is $10. Students may attend for free.

Contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross at 615-904-8253.
jiriarte@mtsu.edu

“R” is for recovery.

Economists are prone to ask themselves whether the economic recovery will be a “V” shape (sharp rise upward) or an “L” shape (weaker, more of a plateau without further downturn). In an economic outlook presented to the Tennessee Gas Association in June, Dr. David Penn, director of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, said the most likely scenario would be a “check mark” shape with rapid decline followed by slow growth. Penn said a “W” shaped economy, indicative of a double-dip recession, is less probable, but the likelihood is rising. But here’s good news for people irked about American jobs going overseas. Penn writes, “Some manufacturers are discovering foreign plants are not the cost savers they once were.” He says this is attributable to quality control problems, intellectual property rights issues, transportation costs and a labor strike in China.

Contact Penn at 615-898-2610.
dpenn@mtsu.edu

A lifetime extension on your 15 minutes

Actress Lindsay Lohan was released from jail in Los Angeles early yesterday morning after serving 14 days of a 90-day sentence for probation violation. She is required now to spend at least three months in rehab. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, writes, “What’s interesting here is that no matter what they do, people who are famous today will continue to be famous, even if they try to escape their fame. Suppose, for example, that Lohan decides to figuratively drop off the face of the earth. Suppose she gets a real job and just goes to work each day like the rest of us. You can be assured that will generate a lot of news stories. After all, wouldn’t you think it interesting someone as rich as she is would work at a regular job?”

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

TR EXTRA

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Monday, August 2, 2010

2010-08-02T08:13:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Your tired, your poor, your huddled lawyers, yearning to earn fees

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer is appealing U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton’s decision to block parts of the controversial immigration law Brewer signed into law. Brewer contends the state had to take action because the federal government has not done its job in stemming the flow of undocumented aliens over the border. Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and Constitutional law expert, says, “There is a chance that the (Bolton) decision will backfire, actually increasing concerns for undocumented immigrants among those who are voting for individuals running for state and federal offices and thus leading to even more repressive legislation. Federal courts will ultimately have to decide whether Congress (in pursuit of its power over interstate and foreign commerce and naturalization) has completely occupied the field in regard to immigration issues or whether it intends for states to play a subsidiary role.”

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

“I never ride just to ride. I ride to catch a fox.”—Sargent Shriver

After the slandering of U.S.D.A. employee Shirley Sherrod, liberals squandered an opportunity to discredit one of their most nettlesome enemies—Fox News. That’s the view of Dr. Robb McDaniel, political science. McDaniel says, “The conservative movement long ago took a structural approach to battling liberalism: attack the institutions of liberalism and of rational discourse and you weaken your opposition. Hence the endless attacks on unions, universities, Social Security, the establishment media, etc. It doesn’t matter if the complaints are true; just repeat the grievance and eventually the narrative will sink in. Liberals, maybe because of their greater ideological sympathy for pluralism, free speech and fair play, haven’t had much stomach for reciprocity in that kind of battle.”

Contact McDaniel at 615-904-8245.
rmcdanie@mtsu.edu

Turning the turntables

Some turntablists, the hip-hop DJs whose varieties of scratches on turntables are part of the music, seek to be taken seriously as artists, just as vocalists or musicians are considered serious artists. One way turntablists seek legitimacy is to through the notation of their scratch styles. Dr. Felicia Miyakawa, music, writes, “Tablists and their music are relatively obscure even within hip-hop culture, and few musicians outside of hip-hop culture equate turntablism with musicianship. The novelty here is the search for an audience who will better appreciate turntablism because it is written down. Indeed, despite their different approaches to notation, these DJs share central assumptions about the power of notation to legitimize the instrument and reach out to new audiences.”

Contact Miyakawa at 615-904-8043.
miyakawa@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

Thursday, July 28, 2010

2010-07-29T09:01:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“I’m going back to the border where my affairs … ain’t abused.”—Elton John and Bernie Taupin

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton yesterday blocked enforcement of most parts of Arizona’s new immigration law. In her ruling, Bolton said it was “not in the public interest” for a state to pre-empt federal enforcement of immigration laws. The statute Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and Constitutional law scholar, says Bolton’s ruling “is largely based on concerns that the law (requiring police to arrest individuals when they have ‘reasonable suspicion’ that such individuals are subject to deportation) might lead to racial profiling. Citing the principle of ‘comity,’ or mutual respect, federal courts often allow states to enforce controversial laws and wait for state courts to make rulings rather than intervening, as Judge Bolton has done, at such an early stage.”

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

“People get ready/There’s a train a’comin.’”—Curtis Mayfield

The National Transportation Safety Board investigation into the June 22, 2009, accident on the Washington, D.C., subway concludes that a faulty track circuit caused the wreck that killed nine people and injured dozens. Dr. Phil Oliver, philosophy, recently read an account of the deadliest rail accident in American history, which occurred on July 9, 1918, in Nashville. Oliver says, “More than the gawkers’ insensitivity … I’m struck by the purple piety of the journalist who wrote of one poor victim, (heard repeatedly wailing ‘Oh, God! Oh, God!’) ‘cramped in that telescoped coach and wounded unto death could he cry out unto Him who had breathed the breath of life into his soul and was now taking that life away.’ More prosaically, the reporter also notes that ‘somebody blundered.’”

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

“And the sons of Pullman porters/The sons of engineers/Ride their fathers’ magic carpets made of steel.”—Arlo Guthrie

MTSU alumnus Terry Coats will discuss his new book, Next Stop on Grandpa’s Road—History and Architecture of NC&St. L. Railway Depots and Terminals, at 8 a.m. this Sunday, Aug. 1, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). The book chronicles the history of the Nashville Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway. With more than 500 photographs, Coats shows how the architecture of the buildings varied and how they were turned into restaurants, offices, homes, museums, restaurants and storage throughout the four-state area served by the railroad following its demise.

Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

TR EXTRA

THE GOOD NEIGHBOR--Dan Brooks, a longtime member of the insurance profession, will be inducted into the Robert E. Musto Tennessee Insurance Hall of Fame tomorrow, July 30. The festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center, 1200 Conference Center Dr., adjacent to Interstate 24 and Medical Center Parkway, in Murfreesboro. “There is no way for us to know all the times that Dan has gone out of his way to help and counsel agents in the beginning of their career,” says Dr. Ken Hollman, chairholder of the Martin Chair of Insurance at MTSU. Brooks spent his entire career—35 years of dedicated and loyal service—with State Farm. Twenty-seven of those years were spent in Tennessee and covered all regions of the states. He retired in 2009. Contact Randy Weiler in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5610 or jweiler@mtsu.edu.

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

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 Aug. 2-6 at the O’More School of Design in Franklin. The cost 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.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

2010-07-28T08:07:00.001-05:00

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Worship and women

While many critics of Islam denounce it as a religion that oppresses women, Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies and an ordained rabbi, reminds us that sexism can be found among people of various faiths. “For example,” he writes, “the Catholic Church has just issued new rules that declare the ordination of women priests as a ‘grave crime,’ and the Episcopal Church is caught up in an internal battle over whether or not to have women bishops. … In Israel, the government has instituted a religious bus service that forces women to ride in the back of the bus so as to not entice Orthodox men to sexual thoughts (or worse) between stops. … Yes, you can argue that these are cultural problems not intrinsic to the religions themselves, but this is no less true of Islam.”

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

Fleeing fan syndrome

Minor league baseball, NCAA men’s basketball and NASCAR all realized increases in their scores in the 2010 Middle Tennessee Sports Affinity Survey conducted by the MTSU Office of Consumer Research. The PGA didn’t fare so well. Dr. Don Roy, Sports Business Studies Coordinator, writes, “The decline in the PGA’s Affinity Score (down six points) may be linked to a specific occurrence: the Tiger Woods scandal. The personal problems that dogged Woods over the winter and into early spring and his brief absence from the PGA Tour could have pushed away some people from the PGA.” Roy notes that other sports suffering a drop in fan appreciation include the LPGA (down one point), the NBA (down two points), and NCAA women’s basketball (down one point).

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

The good neighbor

Dan Brooks, a longtime member of the insurance profession, will be inducted into the Robert E. Musto Tennessee Insurance Hall of Fame on Friday, July 30. The festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center, 1200 Conference Center Dr., adjacent to Interstate 24 and Medical Center Parkway, in Murfreesboro. “There is no way for us to know all the times that Dan has gone out of his way to help and counsel agents in the beginning of their career,” says Dr. Ken Hollman, chairholder of the Martin Chair of Insurance at MTSU. Brooks spent his entire career—35 years of dedicated and loyal service—with State Farm. Twenty-seven of those years were spent in Tennessee and covered all regions of the states. He retired in 2009.

Contact Randy Weiler in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5610.
jweiler@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

“A HEALTHY STATE ENCOURAGES MANY VOICES—AND LOTS OF LISTENING.”—HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS--Expressions of confidence, faith, defiance, togetherness, satire and sobriety characterize the second edition of Voices We Haven’t Heard, a publication of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. The latest Voices is larger than last year’s edition, and it includes feminist poetry and prose nestled between glossy, colorful covers. Center Director Terri Johnson says the magazine empowers students by providing them with a creative outlet for their observations on racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and other forms of oppression. Voices We Haven’t Heard is free and available from the June Anderson Center in its new home, Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. For more information, call 615-898-5989 or go to www.mtsu.edu/jac.

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.

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 Aug. 2-6 at the O’More School of Design in Franklin. The cost 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.