The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

Public sees new aircraft

by Randy Weiler

NEW AIRCRAFT—From left, John Gauch, vice president of sales and marketing for Diamond Aircraft; aerospace Chairman Dr. Paul Craig and MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee view the DA40 Diamond Star airplane that is identical to 11 of 20 planes MTSU purchased from Diamond in December. A media preview of the plane on Feb. 21 at the Miller Lanier Airway Science Laboratory at Murfreesboro Airport attracted about 100 students, staff and others.STUDENTS PEEK AT THEIR FUTURE—MTSU aerospace freshmen Zack Butterfield and Brian Mullins look at the propeller of the DA40 Diamond Star plane that is like the one that they will learn with this fall.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and John Gauch of Diamond Aircraft recently unveiled a Diamond Star plane identical to 11 of 20 that will land at the university for the fall 2003 semester.

McPhee and Gauch, vice president of sales and marketing for London, Ontario, Canada-based Diamond Aircraft, showed off the new plane to MTSU aerospace students, faculty (including flight instructors) and administrators, the news media and others attending a mid-afternoon preview at MTSU’s airport campus — the Miller Lanier Airway Science Laboratory — at Murfreesboro Municipal Airport Feb. 21.

"We want to make sure we maintain a world-class aerospace program," McPhee said. "We had a goal to update the fleet because we knew it has to be maintained. Our world-class students, instructors and faculty put us second to none. We want to continue to move the program forward as one of the signature programs atthe university."

"Diamond Aircraft is excited, and we will be even more excited to be back with a full fleet in the fall," Gauch said, addressing a crowd of nearly 100 people. "We (McPhee, Gauch and Dr. Paul Craig, chairman, aerospace) are standing here at the plane, but the strength of MTSU’s aerospace program—the students and faculty—are standing out there."

"We are extremely impressed with MTSU," Gauch added. "You all are fortunate to have such an outstanding aerospace program. We’re looking forward to a long-term relationship with the university on the next generation of avionics."

Added Craig, "This truly is a historic day. It’s been years to get to this point. The planes we have been using these many years don’t represent today’s technology. An interesting partnership has been forged between MTSU and Diamond."

Junior David Robinson of Murfreesboro was one of many students admiring the single-engine, four-seat DA40 Diamond Star aircraft, which was parked next to the 29-year-old Cessna 172 that it will be replacing. "Just pure excitement," said Robinson, who received the Lawrence Ginocchio National Business Aircraft Association’s $5,000 scholarship last fall, expressing the feelings of his fellow students. "You can’t even compare the two planes. I can’t wait to get to instruct in them. They are fun, little airplanes to fly." He’s also an instructor.

Last fall, MTSU purchased 25 planes from Diamond Aircraft and The New Piper Aircraft Inc. for $4.8 million. MTSU has one of the few full-service programs in the country—offering concentrations in administration, maintenance management, professional pilot, technology and flight dispatch scheduling. There are currently 638 students majoring in aerospace at MTSU.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

UNIVERSITY SCHEDULES TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Mid-South Instructional Technology Conference will be held from March 30 until April 1 at MTSU. This year’s theme will be "The Challenge Continues."

Featured speakers will be Don Buckley, associate professor, biology, and director, information technology, Quinnipiac University; Sally Johnstone, founding director, Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunication; and Mark

Valenti, president, The Sextant Group, Inc. The early registration fee is $95 with a March 14 deadline. Registration is free for the first 100 full-time MTSU faculty who register. For more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/mtsufac.

FORMER POLICE OFFICER DONATES SOFTWARE

Jack Drugmand, director of public safety, said that Allen Jones, former MTSU police officer and microcomputer specialist who now works in security for Microsoft, recently demonstrated his positive feelings about MTSU and his former colleagues by donating nearly $5,000 worth of Microsoft software to police.

MTSU SPONSORS WALK MARCH 30 IN NASHVILLE

The National Conference for Community and Justice conducts "Walk As One" walk-a-thons nationwide to raise awareness about issues such as bias, bigotry and racism.

The Nashville region walk—of which MTSU is a sponsor—will be March 30 at the Bicentennial Mall. If you or your department, organization, family or friends would like to participate, call 615-904-8260.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

Seeking ‘Simply the Best’ here

Gina Logue, secretary in the Office of News and Public Affairs

While ruminating at some length about the nature of intelligence and the reasons some excel and others don't, ultimately I decided to look no further than my own family.

My mother revels in telling an anecdote about how Gina the toddler read beer signs along Memorial Drive in Atlanta. When I came to a sign that said "cold beer," I reportedly said I had never heard of that brand. She decided to buy as many books as she could afford to keep me from using beer signs to satisfy my need to read.

My nephews, ages 8 and 9, pepper me with their precociousness on a regular basis. Their questions include the usual, such as "How are babies born?," and the not-so-frequent, such as "Why don't you cross yourself when you attend church with us?" (They're Catholic. I'm Methodist––same God, different method).

With nurturing and hard work, similar early twinges of desire to learn grow into the kind of students we in the Office of News and Public Affairs call "Simply the Best." These MTSU students show—through their academic excellence, participation in extracurricular activities, charitable endeavors, and, in some cases, struggles to overcome hardships—that they always have wanted to know more, to do more, to be more.

To cite only two examples, Carly Bruce is married with a 1-year-old son, but she managed to earn a bachelor's degree in mass communication while battling Hodgkin's lymphoma. David Figueredo was diagnosed in grade school with dyslexia. He went on to serve as vice chairman of the College Republicans and news editor of Sidelines on his way to a biology degree and medical school.

"Simply the Best" students are nominated by faculty and staff. (If you have a worthy student in mind, e-mail Tom Tozer at ttozer@mtsu.edu or this columnist at gklogue@mtsu.edu). Once identified, they are provided with a fill-in-the-blank format aimed at furnishing us with the pertinent information (course of study, organizational memberships, honors and awards, etc.), as well as the basics (hometown, parents, phone number, address, etc.).

We promote these students through 60-second spots on WMOT-FM and in press releases to area newspapers and radio and TV stations. We do it because they deserve to be singled out for their hard work and sheer force of will and because they enable the public to view the MTSU student body as a collection of talented individuals.

Most importantly, we laud them for a character trait that is all too lacking in much of 21st century culture––intellectual curiosity. For those of us who are in danger of drowning in the "dumbing down of America," we humbly offer one small but sturdy lifeline titled "Simply the Best." Reach for it the next time you encounter someone who thinks of Tito only as one of Michael Jackson's brothers––or a toddler who desperately needs to read a beer sign.

Gina Logue is a secretary in the Office of News and Public Affairs.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

™& ©1997 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. The Cat in the Hat image ™& © 1957 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. All Rights Reserved.

Educators read to kids

by Lisa L. Rollins

The MTSU Education Association will sponsor a Read Across America community activity on March 3 when the organization’s members and MTSU faculty team to read to local school children as part of the National Education Association’s (NEA) Read Across America celebration.

Partnering with the MTSU Education Association’s members in the volunteer event will be the principals, teachers and librarians of the MTSU Day Lab and Hobgood Elementary, Homer Pittard Campusand Reeves-Rogers Elementary schools, all in Murfreesboro.

Now in its sixth year, NEA's Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on or around Dr. Seuss' birthday. In 2003, that date falls on a Sunday, so the NEA has designated Monday, March 3, as this year’s official day in an effort to make it easy for everyone to celebrate the day.

Dr. Jan Hayes, professor, educational leadership, and president of the university’s Education Association, said the members of MTSU’s EA will visit local schools beginning at 8 a.m. on March 3, with the goal of demonstrating the importance of literacy and the joy of reading.

"We hope that the (elementary) students will see how adults value the importance of reading," she said. "(And) we have lots of wonderful faculty and student volunteers who will be reading at the schools throughout the entire day."

Moreover, Hayes adds, "The U.S. Department of Education found that generally, the more students read for fun on their own time, the higher their reading scores. Where involvement of adults is high in schools—and especially reading—classroom mean scores in reading improve."

Among those from MTSU’s faculty who will participate in the reading activities are Dr. Gloria Bonner, dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Science, as well as MTSU professors Dr. Bob Womack, Dr. Bella Higdon, Dr. Kim Shibinski, Nolan Barham, Dr. Vance Austin, Dr. James Calder, Dr. Brenda Rambo-Igney, Dr. Terry Whiteside, Dr. Sheri Trent, Dr. Donald Snead, Dr. Carroll Van West and Dr. Elaine Royal. For information about Read Across America, visit www.nea.org/readacross.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

PRESIDENT MCPHEE SHOWS APPRECIATION FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

Tommy Schumpert, director for the edscholar Program, right, traveled from Knoxville to visit MTSU recently, and he was welcomed to campus by MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. The edscholar Program has provided MTSU with $204,000 to fund 12 four-year scholarships for freshmen beginning in the 2003-2004 academic year. With the new scholarships, MTSU can expand educational opportunities for deserving higher-achieving students in Tennessee.

photo by Jack Ross

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

New dance floor protects students

by Lisa L. Rollins

More than 150 students and faculty members in the Department of Speech and Theatre recently volunteered to install a new subfloor for the department’s dance program.

Dr. Ann Shea, director of the dance program, said some students worked for an hour installing the 40-foot-by-30-foot floor while others put in up to six hours or more, including theater major Chris Johnson, who led crews in the floor’s installation.

"Chris put in three full days of work on the project, just breaking to go to his classes," Shea said. "(And) he also did much of the preparatory work."

Johnson said, "This floor gives us the opportunity to grow and learn without doing the damage to our joints and spine that we would endure from dancing on concrete." The new subfloor was designed with shock absorption in mind to protect dancers from impacts of jumping, falling and even walking.

The new floor will considerably lessen injuries, especially to the ankles, knees, hips and backs of dancers who perform on it. In turn, the dancers can expect "a longer and pain-reduced career," Shea said.

The flooring was delivered to MTSU’s dance program in 3.5-foot square panels made from foam and two layers of medium-density fiberboard (instead of plywood). The subfloor was covered with a surface flooring that provides "constant texture" to ensure that the floor is "not too sticky or too slippery."

The new dance subfloor may now be seen in what was once the sanctuary of the old Belle Aire Baptist Church building, which is home to the S&T dance program.

In addition to the 150-plus volunteers who helped install the subfloor, others also contributed, reported Shea—namely, Dr. John McDaniel, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, and his assistant, Hilary Stallings, as well as Terri Carlton, project coordinator for MTSU’s construction and renovation services.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

Variety of activities planned at university

by Gina Logue

This year's National Women's History Month events at MTSU explore topics ranging from photojournalism in Africa to vertebrate zoology under the theme of "Interfaces."

The featured speakers for 2003 are the Guerilla Girls, a group of feminist artists and writers who puncture racism and sexism with humorous posters, literature and performance art. The list of MTSU events follows.

MARCH 1-31

Highlights from Gore Research Center, center foyer, LRC 111, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Historical documents and photographs of women in World War II. For information, contact: 615-898-2632.

"Strong Women" film series, residence halls, March. For information, contact: Shiela Tarr, 615-898-2682.

MARCH 3—APRIL 10

Photographic Exhibit of Betty Press’ "Reflections of Africa: Cuba and Beyond," Baldwin Photographic Center, LRC. For information, contact 615-898-2085.

MARCH 5

"Breakfast With Champions: High School Women in Science and Math," Hazlewood Dining Room, 7:30 a.m.-9 a.m. Reservation required. Cost, $10. For reservations, contact: 615-904-8253. Mail checks to MTSU P.O. Box X161.

Workshop, Guerilla Girls, TBA, reservations.

MARCH 6

Master Class, Guerilla Girls, TBA, reservations.

"Programs that work for Women in Science and Engineering," DSB 100, 11 a.m.-noon. Dr. Cornelia Gillyard will present a seminar. Lunch follows. (Reservations for lunch required.) For information, contact: 615-904-8253.

Guerilla Girls Gig, entertainment, LRC Multimedia Room, 7 p.m. For information, contact: 615-898-5961.

MARCH 7

International Women’s Day Breakfast, Hazlewood Dining Room, 7-8:30 a.m. Reservations required. Sponsored by the Association of Faculty and Administrative Women with presentation by Dr. Nancy Rupprecht on Queen Elizabeth I. Cost is $8.

MARCH 14

"Women in Tennessee History," Stones River Country Club, noon. For reservations, contact, 615-898-5961.

MARCH 19

"Perspectives of MTSU Women in Science," CKNB 121, 1-3 p.m. Panel discussion. For information, contact: 615-898-5372.

MARCH 24

"Free Women of Color in Memphis During the Civil War and Reconstruction," Hazlewood Dining Room, 3 p.m. Presentation by Dr. Beverly Bond, associate professor, history, University of Memphis. For information, contact: 615-898-2637.

MARCH 25

"Barbara Hamby—Poetry Reading," Alumni Center, 4:30 p.m., free and open to the public. For information, contact: 615-898-2887.

MARCH 26

"The International Poetry Reading," Alumni Center, 4 p.m. For information, contact: 615-898-5024.

MARCH 27

"Lizardfish, Light Organs, and Larvae," DSB 130, 11 a.m. "Fishes! Bizarre Beginnings Beneath the Sea: A Little Fish Story," LRC 221, 7 p.m. Dr. Carole Baldwin presenter for both events. For information, contact: 615-904-8283. ("Fishes!" also March 28 in BAS Room 101/102, SF Room, 10 a.m.)

"Graduate/Professional School in Science for Minorities/ Women: Questions and Answers," Hazlewood Dining Room, noon. Dr. Carole Baldwin presenter. For information, contact: 615-904-8283.

MARCH 31

Presentation: "Reflections of Africa: Cuba and Beyond," LRC 221, 7:30 p.m., reception to follow in the gallery with Betty Press. For information, contact: 615-898-2085.

MARCH 31—APRIL 4

"Take Back the Night" and Clothesline, KUC Knoll, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Details will be announced on campus. For information, contact: 615-898-2193.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

Students elect top professors
Insurance fraternity holds election

by Tom Tozer

Dr. Ron Moser and Sharon Jones, management and marketing, received the largest number of votes in a recent election for "Outstanding Professor in the MTSU College of Business" for 2002-2003. Omega Chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma insurance fraternity sponsored the election.

Students who have majors or minors in the business college were eligible to vote. A total of 349 votes were cast. Voters cast their ballot for any full-time teacher in the college. Adjunct instructors were ineligible to receive the award. A list of all eligible teachers was made available at the polling station.

In a letter of congratulations, Rachel Holmes, chapter president, told Moser and Jones that their selections for this honor were "reflective of your sincere interest in students and of your efforts to provide them with a relevant and contemporary educational experience leading to a career in business."

The votes for outstanding professor were dispersed widely among both the departments and faculty members in the College of Business. Eighty-seven business faculty received one or more votes, and 28 received five or more votes. Each department in the college had five or more teachers who received votes.

The winners will receive a plaque at the Gamma Iota Initiation Banquet in April.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

Higgs receives doctoral fellowship from society

by Lisa L. Rollins

Meredith Anne Higgs, assistant professor of developmental studies, recently received a doctoral fellowship from the Order of Omega, a national honor society for upper-class students, alumni and faculty/administration members of Greek-letter organizations.

Higgs is a member of the MTSU chapter of the Order of Omega and an alumna member of Alpha Omicron Pi fraternity. She was selected for the fellowship based on her scholarship, activities with Greek-letter organizations and Order of Omega, and her leadership within the campus and broader community.

Since 1989, MTSU has had an Order of Omega chapter. However, according to the order’s representatives, membership and campus activities declined dramatically in previous years. As part of her fellowship, Higgs will become the group’s faculty adviser.

"I am glad to see our membership growing and the MTSU chapter of the Order of Omega becoming more dedicated to campus activities and service," Higgs said.

For information on the Order of Omega at MTSU, contact Higgs at mhiggs@mtsu.edu.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

Construction work involving MTSU now in various phases

by Tom Tozer

The Tennessee Miller Coliseum is substantially complete. The stalls and barns still require some site work around the perimeter. The parking lots are surfaced and striped. The general contractor is completing the punch list (touch-ups) for the coliseum, and personnel will begin moving in within the next one to two weeks. A formal grand opening is set for March 18. (See related story at right).

The Horse Science Center is set for a final inspection, following repair of damage caused by a burst water pipe. The building should be ready to be occupied soon. Tri-Star Construction is working on a building addition.

The contract for Phase IV of the steam and condensate project has been issued. This portion of the project involves work in various manholes across campus as well as lines into Alumni Memorial Gym and the Learning Resources Center.

Workers are repairing the broken granite, faulty light breakers and clearing out the dead trees in and around the Quadrangle.

Development Building construction is in the final stages of interior finishes. Site work is on hold due to inclement weather. Occupancy should be this summer.

Regarding the KUC renovations, the contractor has completed the punch list, the water damage from a roof leak has been repaired, and workers are testing all mechanical systems.

The contractor for the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors College Building is 101 Construction of Nashville. The replacement of the trusses is complete. Due to inclement weather, the project is 12-15 weeks behind schedule. The building is scheduled to be completed this summer.

The roof repairs on the JUB, Peck Hall, KUC, Campus School and alumni gym are complete. The repairs in Jones Hall are also finished.

Phase II work on the bathroom/window replacement project in Monohan and Reynolds halls will be done after May 14. Workers have completed work on the balcony rails in Judd and Gracy halls.

Phase II of the Belle Aire Building involved the Early Childhood Development area. The fire alarm system is nearly installed, and new fire walls and fire dampers are being installed.

Construction has begun on the St. Mark's building. The contractor for the project is CSMS, Inc.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

THE MILLERS—The late John C. "Tennessee" Miller, who is shown above with his wife, the late Mary Elizabeth Miller, was instrumental in the founding of the Murfreesboro-based Walking Horse Owners Association. The 1994 Miller trust stipulated that the MTSU Foundation use the Miller gift for a coliseum for horse shows and related activities.

Larry L. Lowman photo

Coliseum to open

by Randy Weiler

Preparations continue toward the March 18 grand opening of the Tennessee Miller Coliseum.

Evening activities are planned for the 2,000 to 4,000 people who are expected to attend.

"It will be a great time for people to look at the Miller coliseum," said Charlie Myatt, regional president, First Tennessee Bank, and chairman of the coliseum committee. "I’m pleased that it’s done, and it’s a great opportunity to invite folks who have played a role in the realization of the project. We had a lot of input by a number of people in this process."

The coliseum will open at 5:30 p.m. for public tours.

At 7 p.m., Myatt and Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU’s president, and either U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon or a representative from his office will share remarks about the Miller coliseum, which has been nine years in the making, and recognize honored guests.

The speakers will make references to the late John C. "Tennessee" Miller and his wife, the late Mary Elizabeth Miller. It was the Millers who requested their gift specifically be used for the construction of a new horse show facility. Myatt said the gift has grown to more than $25 million.

"We will recognize the people who have been involved in the building and designing of the coliseum, and I’m sure Charlie will talk about its future and the importance to our community," said Dr. David Whitaker, director, MTSU horse science, and Miller coliseum committee member

Concluding the evening’s events at 7:30 will be a special performance by conductor Laurence Harvin with the Murfreesboro Philharmonic Orchestra. They will present a "Symphony of Horses" program that will showcase eight to 10 national and internationally acclaimed breeds of horses.

The presentation of horses will be narrated by Chip Walters, marketing and promotion director, MTSU athletics, and Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration announcer, and Mark Farrar Jr., who is the announcer for the International Grand Championship Walking Horse Show.

Key political figures (or their representatives) will be among the invited guests. These include Gordon or his representative, Mayor Tommy Bragg and the Murfreesboro City Council, state Reps. John Hood and Donna Rowland, state Sen. Larry Trail, former state Sen. Andy Womack and his entire family (including Dr. Bob Womack, professor, Educational Leadership); and others.

The coliseum will hold 4,600 people in chair-back seating, and bleacher seats can bring the capacity to 6,500. The whole project is about $21 million.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

Aerospace gets $720K from NASA

by Randy Weiler

MTSU’s aerospace department will receive $720,000 in federal funding from NASA to test and demonstrate SAFER, cutting-edge aeronautical technology in the future.

U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon made the announcement Feb. 17 about the integration of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Small Aircraft Transportation System into MTSU’s SATS Aerospace Flight Education Research initiative.

Gordon said NASA’s goal is to help the airline industry move air traffic control from the ground to the cockpit and to shift more air traffic to smaller, less frequently used airports.

"More than 5,000 airports are located in the U.S.," Gordon said in a news release provided by his office in Washington, D.C. "But only 80 percent of all air travelers depart from the top 64 airports. As the nation’s major airline hubs exceed their capacities, it’s vital we shift that over-capacity to the smaller airports, where there may not even be a ground-control crew. Moving that type of information to the cockpit will only make planes safer and more efficient.

"But, we have to provide training programs that can teach these emerging technologies to our pilots," Gordon said. "MTSU is in a great position to take the lead on this kind of new training."

Gordon, an MTSU alumnus (B.S., ’71), is the second-ranking Democrat on science and is the ranking member on the space and aeronautics subcommittee.

Drs. Paul Craig, chair, aerospace, and Tom Cheatham, dean, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, co-authored the grant proposal, and both said they firmly believe the department and the students who will be involved in the initiative will be up to the challenge.

"MTSU is going to have, for the first time in the department’s history, flight instructors teaching our students with the newest technology," Craig said. "Ordinarily, the equipment of this kind is only found at the major airlines or at military bases. This new technology will be in the hands of the new students for the first time."

"We’re really on the cusp of a tremendous revolution in air travel during the next 10 years," Cheatham said. "Some wonderful things are going to happen in air travel. It’s kind of exciting."

"We’re excited about the grant for our aerospace department," he added. "We’re one of the top five academic pilot training programs in the country, and we’re the ones who ought to be experimenting with this new technology."

This marks the third of three grant proposals the college submitted and received in the past two years, Cheatham said.

Craig said the MTSU initiative will facilitate the safe crossing from "steam engine" methods to the high technology of the 21st century.

"Flight safety will be a primary focus of the initiative," he added. "Aerospace educators will need new and innovative teaching methods to help transition existing pilots and to train pilots-in-training to fly safely in a system that is increasingly more complex and technology-based. The SAFER Initiative will develop and test these methods."

Through this funding, MTSU will be able to equip an airplane with a Global Positioning Satellite system, a Traffic Collision Avoidance system, the NEXRAD Weather Radar system and a computer data base of the Earth’s surface.

"Pilots today fly using technology from the last century," Craig said. "So how will we make the leap from where we are to where we are going? The SAFER project will help fill this gap.

"Soon technology will allow pilots to fly in the clouds and rain but see ahead as if it is a clear, sunny day," he said.

"In support of NASA’s SATS initiative, the SAFER program will expose today’s pilots to tomorrow’s technology so that new training techniques can be explored," Craig said.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

‘GENIE IN A BOTTLE’—MTSU Chemistry Club members Megan Klein, left, and Will Tilford perform a "Genie in a Bottle" experiment that was part of their group’s "Snap, Crackle, Pop" segment Feb. 20 during the annual Demomania! at the KUC Theater. Thirteen chemistry students performed demos for 200 high school students from Blackman, Riverdale and Mt. Juliet.

photo by Dr. Martin Stewart

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

NPA partners with WMOT on PSAs

by Tom Tozer

The News and Public Affairs office has partnered with WMOT-FM Radio to provide 30-second public service announcements (PSAs) that inform listeners about specific community outreach/service programs at MTSU.

The NPA office will furnish three new spots a month that demonstrate the depth of MTSU public service on and off campus. Each set of announcements will air for about a month during regular programming and some sporting events.

"It started as a collaboration between Tara MacDougall [formerly of Continuing Studies and Public Service] and myself with the 311 radio class," said John Egly, director, WMOT. "She became their client, and they produced spots that eventually ended up running on our broadcast of the ball games."

The interest in the PSAs picked up, and soon, the station expanded the spots during the regular broadcast day, Egly said.

"To date, about 90 students have worked on the project through the 311 class over the past three years," he added. "It's strictly on a competitive basis—the best spots get aired."

NPA staff will select specific programs to feature each month, contact the organizer for a brief interview, and ask a key question: "If you had only 30 seconds to talk about your program, what would you want people to know?"

Senior Christa Clancy, NPA student worker, is assisting with the project. The first three entries from the NPA office involved Project HELP, the Executives-in-Residence program and the Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance.

If you are involved in a public service program and would like to be considered for a PSA on WMOT, contact Tom Tozer at ttozer@mtsu.edu.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

Debate Team scores championships

by Lisa L. Rollins

Members of the MTSU Debate Team scored two state championships recently when they captured both the varsity and novice state titles at the recent Tennessee Intercollegiate Debate Association championship contest at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville.

In the varsity division, MTSU sophomores Courtney Carver of Murfreesboro and Allan Lutes of Chattanooga bested four consecutive Vanderbilt University teams to go undefeated in the preliminary rounds. Then, in the championship debate, Carver and Lutes triumphed over debaters from Tennessee Tech.

Juniors Heather Cannon of Kingston and Erika Chambers of Gallatin claimed the novice division title, posting a 2-2 record during the preliminary debates.

"The novice—or beginner—teams are mixed in with the varsity teams for the preliminary rounds," said Greg Simerly, director and head coach of MTSU’s debate program. "This provides them with a more challenging competitive experience."

Simerly said the 2-2 showing by MTSU debaters Cannon and Chambers was the best of the novice teams. Nashville’s Vantha Chhoun, a first-year computer science major, and Tullahoma’s Anne-Marie Honeycutt, a senior speech and theatre major, placed third in the contest.

Aside from earning wins and losses as two-person teams, debaters are ranked on their individual performances. In the varsity division, Carver ranked fifth, and Lutes ranked sixth. In the novice rankings, Honeycutt ranked third and Cannon placed fourth, while Chhoun took fifth and Chambers garnered sixth.

For more information about the debate program, call 615-898-5607.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

Diversity institute receives $25K
First Tennessee Bank contributes the seed money

by Tom Tozer

First Tennessee Bank recently contributed seed money in the amount of $25,000 to lend wings to the fledgling Institute for Diversity Training and Executive Education in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business at MTSU.

It all began when Dr. Troy Festervand, associate dean for graduate and executive education, realized that with corporate boardrooms and offices becoming increasingly heterogeneous, diversity training needed to be a component of executive education. He subsequently received a $9,000 Special Projects Grant from the MTSU Foundation to launch such an endeavor.

"I think we can develop a core set of products and offer diversity training at a lot of levels—human resources, senior executive level, middle management and supervisory," Festervand said at the time.

Charlie Myatt, president of First Tennessee Bank, liked the idea because it coincided with his internal diversity initiative at the bank. He liked it so much that he contacted Festervand and Dr. Jim Burton, business dean, and offered to cut a check to help take it from idea to implementation.

"It fits in with what we're trying to do, and it gives us the opportunity to work with a public institution," said Myatt, who graduated from MTSU in 1969. "We're excited about the program. Obviously, this is seed money to get it going, but I think it has a great deal of potential. We look forward to working with the university as the program expands."

Burton said, "It's obvious that First Tennessee is a very inclusive organization. This is a high priority for them. We appreciate the partnership that will develop and continue, and we appreciate Charlie and First Tennessee for all they do."

Festervand called First Tennessee a leader in promoting this kind of initiative, and he has received positive responses from other companies.

"We have proposals out to several other leading organizations," Festervand said. "Like First Tennessee, they have their own corporate initiatives and are looking forward to working with us on a number of different fronts."

In providing an overview of what he envisions, Festervand said that the institute could initially offer three main products—assessment, training and plan development.

Festervand said he foresees drawing upon the talents and expertise of business and industry professionals as well, including those at First Tennessee Bank.

In addition to the institute's offering hands-on assessment and training, Festervand said he would like to acquire the funds to launch such things as a speakers bureau and a periodical on diversity issues in all types of workplaces.

For more information, contact Festervand at 615-898-2368.

The Record, March 3, 2003, V11.16>>Top of Page

Professor Nichols learns lessons in broadcasting while on island

by Angela Cannon Hayes

A mass communication educator’s involvement in a live broadcast production provides experience that she takes back to her students.

Dr. Mary Nichols, associate professor, electronic media communication, has recently returned from participating in a JASON Project (JASON14). The JASON Foundation funds the project. Bob Ballard, who discovered the remains of the Titanic, started the foundation. He started the project to generate an interest in science among middle and junior high school students.

The students study a curriculum that culminates with a trip to a PIN site that downlinks a full three-screen live interactive program, generated from a research location. This year's research site was Anacapa Island off the coast of California. A version of the program was also broadcast on the National Geographic channel each day during the project.

Nichols served as a production assistant for the production company, Seattle-based Media Arts, that produces the shows, and she was involved in this year’s production, which involved 55 programs in 11 days.

Students participated in the shows from the interactive network sites. Through those sites, students interacted with researchers in other areas.

Research involved a study of the land animals on Anacapa Island and the study of sea surface temperatures and its effects on the animals and kelp, Nichols said. She was on the Anacapa Island for 3 1/2 weeks. Nichols received production assistant experience working with live satellite broadcasts and also got to shoot a segment for every show.

"It’s all the same stuff I’m teaching my students," she said. "A lot of this is done live, so it’s live broadcast production. It’s all satellite technology and microwave technology."