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WOW! MTSU preparing for 1st-ever 23K+ fall enrollment
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by Randy Weiler

Welcome to MTSU, new students and faculty. Welcome back, returning students and faculty who have been away since early May.

Classes begin Monday, Aug. 28, for the approximately 23,200 students and more than 900 faculty ready to hit the fall semester and 2006-07 academic year running.

"We should be very close to 23,200," said Dr. Bob Glenn, vice president of student affairs and vice provost for enrollment management, referring to what would be about a 3 percent increase in enrollment.

From President Sidney A. McPhee to Vice President and Provost Kaylene Gebert to Glenn, everyone across campus anticipates an exciting year of growth and opportunity.

A full complement of Week of Welcome activities began with the Aug. 25-26 We-Haul (helping students move into dormitories) and will end Wednesday, Sept. 6, with the Student Organization Fair, set from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Keathley University Center Courtyard.

In between, there will be plenty of fun to give students a break as studies get serious.

Week 1 WOW highlights will include:

- The Aug. 28 "Nashville Star" Tour and appearance by Chris Young, a Murfreesboro native and former MTSU student who won this year's USA Network performance competition, at 8 p.m. in Murphy Center;

- The Blue Raider Bash/Big Fat Blue Raider Bake-Off, which will start at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29, beside Cummings Residence Hall;

- A Murphy Center appearance by comedian Seth Myers, "Saturday Night Live" cast member, at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30; and

- MTSU vs. Florida International in a 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, Sun Belt Conference season opener for both teams (and the debut of new Blue Raiders Coach Rick Stockstill).

"The Blue Raider Bash/Big Fat Blue Raider Bake-Off will be geared to spotlight athletics," said Rob Patterson, coordinator for new student and family programs. "All the teams will be in town. There will be tailgating with ribs and barbecue chicken and baked beans, and a DJ (via Student Programming).

"This will be a chance for everybody to meet the teams and make a connection to encourage students to attend the ball games."

Patterson said there will be various games and giveaways, where autographed footballs and basketballs will be awarded to students.

He added that there will be a "big push" made for the MTSU-Florida International game, which will air on ESPN Regional.

"I definitely plan to go to some of it," said junior Brittney Robertson, a 2004 Blackman High graduate and transfer from Columbia State Community College, where she played softball. "These activities will help you become more familiar with the school."

While attending CUSTOMS earlier this summer, freshman Vashay Conley of Johnson City said he would join the Band of Blue for band camp. He added that he was looking forward to seeing Myers, who is "one of my favorite 'Saturday Night Live' characters."

Aleah Alexander, a freshman from Lebanon High School who plans to be a theater major, said the 6 p.m. Aug. 26 Dinner and Street Fair "sounds good" to her.

Freshman political science major Laqueshia Jones of Memphis, a Millington Central High graduate, said she will attend the Blue Raider Bash to "get to see who's on the teams."

Ann-Kirby Burchett of Knoxville, a 2006 Karns High graduate who said she plans to major in psychology or business, said the combination of attending the Dinner and Music on the Quad (with the Floyd the Barber Band), the football game, the Myers comedy show and Student Organization Fair were "interesting" to her.

Ready to return

LAST-MINUTE LINE-Students and parents wait outside MTSU's Financial Aid Office to meet the Aug. 17 fee payment deadline for the fall 2006 semester. Financial Aid processed more than 500 students per day-an average greater than one per minute-during the week of Aug. 17. In the inset photo, junior business administration major Chase McGee awaits his fee tally from Sondra Rooker, a Business Office retiree who returned to help accept student payments. To ease the wait in the final hours, the Business Office iced down a cart full of soft drinks and bottled water for students standing in line.

photos by News & Public Affairs

Interested in teaching EXL? Seminars set
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from Staff Reports

Faculty who are teaching an experiential learning course in fall 2006 should attend a faculty development session Tuesday, Aug. 29, from 3 until 4 p.m. in Peck Hall 106, according to Dr. Jill Austin, EXL steering committee chair.

"This is a general discussion of expectations for EXL classes, use of rubrics for assessment and reflection requirements for EXL classes," Austin explained.

She said the EXL Program and the Learning, Teaching and Information Technology Center also will sponsor several activities in the fall semester to assist faculty in learning more about EXL.

The "Faculty Showcase Series" features three seminars for faculty interested in teaching in the EXL program or discovering more about experiential learning as an approach to student learning. All sessions will be held in the LT&ITC office, Peck Hall 106. Dates and topics for the Showcase Series are:

- Thursday, Sept. 14 (11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.), "General Experiential Learning Concepts"-This session will include a panel of five faculty members and a moderator. Faculty members will provide information about their EXL experiences and offer suggestions for implementing EXL projects into classes.

- Thursday, Oct. 12 (3-4:30 p.m.), "Experiential Learning: Best Practices in Teaching with the Use of Integrative Technology"-Three faculty members will provide short demonstrations of their use of technology in experiential learning class projects, along with information to assist participants in effectively introducing technology in their classes through experiential learning.

- Thursday, Nov. 9 (11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.), "Assessing Experiential Learning Class Activities"-Two faculty members will provide information about assessment of experiential learning class activities. General discussion will include options for assessment (test questions, rubrics, surveys, focus groups, etc.) and the advantages to student learning through use of EXL activities.

Austin said that interested faculty also can work toward the designation of "EXL Mentor" by completing several activities. To earn the designation, the faculty member must:

- attend two of the three Showcase Series seminars in fall 2006;

- attend the one-day MTSU seminar to be held in spring 2007;

- develop plans for an EXL project for one of his or her courses;

- present the EXL project at the LT & ITC Share Fair in fall 2007; and

- help lead the fall 2007 panel discussions for the Showcase Series.

"The mentor program is an opportunity for faculty to implement experiential learning in their classes and to provide their expertise to other interested faculty," Austin said. The EXL Program and LT&ITC will provide $500 to each faculty member for course development costs.

The EXL Mentor program will be limited to 12 participants in fall 2006. Faculty interested in becoming an EXL Mentor or with other questions about the program should contact Austin at jaustin@mtsu.edu.

New songwriting program: MT, ASCAP join forces
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MTSU's Department of Recording Industry has joined forces with the Nashville office of ASCAP-the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers-to create a new commercial songwriting program called "Partners in Craft."

The program begins this fall at MTSU and will match veteran industry songwriting and publishing mentors with exceptional student songwriters.

Representatives from ASCAP and MTSU's recording industry program celebrated the new songwriting program with an event at the ASCAP building in Nashville on Thursday, Aug. 24, featuring a performance by MTSU songwriters The Karg Boys.

Partners in Craft grew out of a long-standing relationship between ASCAP and the Department of Recording Industry, organizers said.

"ASCAP has sent mentors to our [recording industry] program since the early days to talk about performance rights and help with songwriting and publishing classes," said Assistant Professor Hal Newman, who teaches in the new Partners in Craft program.

"From providing seminars to serving in an advisory capacity, ASCAP is a strong and capable partner."

"Many of our recent graduates have secured publishing deals and several have had hit songs on the country charts," added Dr. Tom Hutchison, coordinator of the department's music business program.

Alumni who have found success in songwriting include Erin Enderlin ("Monday Morning Church," recorded by Alan Jackson), and Adam Dorsey ("Old Green Tackle Box," recorded by Craig Morgan).

"With all the success we've had with our alumni songwriters, it was time to formalize our efforts so we can provide this specialized program to more up-and-coming writers," Hutchison said.

ASCAP Vice Presidents Ralph Murphy and John Briggs worked with Newman and Hutchison to develop the new program.

"Education is No. 1 at ASCAP," said Murphy. "Mentors who work with MTSU students have reported that the students are consistently super-talented."

ASCAP will continue to provide mentors to guide Partners in Craft students through the songwriting process. Past mentors have included songwriters Fred Knobloch ("If My Heart Had Wings," recorded by Faith Hill), Bonnie Baker ("Ordinary Life" by Chad Brock), Mark Irwin (Jackson's "Here in the Real World"), Lowell Alexander ("The Song is Alive," Point of Grace), Mark Beeson ("When She Cries," Restless Heart), Casey Kelly ("The Cowboy Rides Away" by George Strait) and Walt Aldridge ("Some Things Never Change," Tim McGraw).

ASCAP also hosts a yearly showcase called "Hot on the Row" at Dan McGuinness Pub, and each December, they feature MTSU student songwriters. Music industry publishers attend the event to hear-and potentially sign-the best student songwriters. This successful annual event will expand under the Partners in Craft program.

"In Nashville, it's all about the song," said Hutchison. "We hope that many of those songs will now begin with the Partners in Craft program."

In Brief
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Raider fans can tune in to new flagship station: 106.7 FM

WNFN 106.7 FM-The Fan will be Nashville's flagship radio affiliate for the Blue Raider Network beginning with the 2006-07 season. The agreement is a one-year deal with the option to renew for a second season. The Nashville-based ESPN all-sports station will carry all Blue Raider football and men's basketball games live, along with a select number of women's basketball contests. The agreement also calls for 106.7 The Fan to air the Rick Stockstill and Kermit Davis radio shows. For more information, visit www.goblueraiders.com.

TECTA sets training classes for child-care providers

The Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance, a statewide training program for child-care providers in licensed or registered settings, has scheduled its latest 30-hour infant and toddler care training classes. TECTA's Infant-Toddler Orientation Class No. 1 begins Saturday, Sept. 16, and continues on Sept. 30, Oct. 14 and 28 and Nov. 4. The course runs from 7:15 a.m. until 3 p.m. each Saturday in Ellington Human Sciences Room 109 and is limited to an enrollment of 30 students. The course is free and open to all who pre-register before the first class meeting. The Infant-Toddler Orientation Class No. 2, which will meet in EHS 110, has the same schedule and requirements. For more information and to preregister, call 615-904-8318.

IACUC, IRB schedule meetings in September at Gore Center

The university's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee will meet Tuesday, Sept. 5, at 9 a.m. in the Gore Center Conference Room. MTSU'S Institutional Review Board meets Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 8 a.m. in the same location. For more information about these meetings, contact university Compliance Officer Tara Prairie at 615-494-8918 or compliance@mtsu.edu.

Story ideas? News tips? Send 'em to The Record

Have you or your students made a discovery, solved a quandary or reached a milestone? Share it with our readers! E-mail your news to gfann@mtsu.edu.

For the Record: Faculty Senate needs your input to help university
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by Dr. Tony Johnston

As the 2006-2007 academic year gets under way, the MTSU Faculty Senate is working hard to represent and support the faculty. To start the year off, the Senate presented revised bylaws for a vote at the Annual Fall Faculty Meeting.

The revised bylaws clarify many issues such as officer succession, representation on the senate and the role of the Senate Liaison and Steering Committees. I am sure all will agree the revised bylaws are a significant improvement over the older edition.

One way the Senate represents and supports the faculty is by meeting regularly with the MTSU president and his staff. At these meetings, issues and information of importance to both the faculty and administration of the university are discussed.

In no way are these meetings unidirectional; topics originate from both the faculty and the administration. The key objective, to maintain a dialogue between the faculty and administration, is critical to the smooth operation of the university.

Many faculty members are probably not aware that the MTSU faculty has a pipeline to the Tennessee Board of Regents through the TBR Faculty Subcouncil. Over the last year, we have been represented by Dan Pfeifer (mass communication), who has done an outstanding job of responding to proposals and raising issues to the subcouncil that affect our daily academic lives. Many of the faculty "hot button" issues that face us (e.g., the common academic calendar) are addressed in this committee. As an ex-officio member of the Faculty Senate, the MTSU TBR Subcouncil representative reports on issues raised at these meetings and seeks MTSU faculty issues to be raised on our behalf.

Communication between a representative body and those it represents is a constant concern, and that between the Faculty Senate and the MTSU faculty is no exception. This year, articles will appear periodically in The Record highlighting important issues discussed by the Faculty Senate. I encourage each of you to quiz your elected senator as to what is discussed in the Senate meetings, in addition to what you read in The Record. The MTSU Faculty Senate is only as relevant as you make it.

The Senate will focus on seven issues this year: faculty research/ workload, faculty/staff health and fitness, government liaison, MTSU culture, retention/promotion of faculty, shared governance, and Study Abroad. To assist in the development of plans to address these issues, the Senate has established committees on each of these issues and included both elected senators as well as volunteer faculty members. These committees will meet throughout the year, explore the issues and all their implications, and present recommendations for full Senate discussion toward the end of the spring semester.

Finally, a comment on the concept of "shared governance": As previously indicated, one of this year's Faculty Senate committees is charged with defining this concept as it applies to MTSU. Although I don't want to define the concept, "sharing" implies a community and communication. As a community of scholars, we must share our thoughts, concerns and ideas to help guide the university. Do not assume someone else will express your thought, concern or idea-use the Faculty Senate to amplify your voice and affect the life of MTSU!

Dr. Tony Johnston, an associate professor of food science and agribusiness, is the 2006-07 president of the MTSU Faculty Senate. For more information on the organization, visit its Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~facsen.

Football schedule features 8 TV games
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from MT Media Relations

MTSU's Sept. 14 home game against Tennessee Tech will be broadcast on ESPNU, Director of Athletics Chris Massaro has announced, offering national TV viewers a chance to see the Blue Raiders' 75th meeting with the Golden Eagles.

The development also marks the eighth televised game this season for the Blue Raiders-a record for the program.

"This is one of the oldest rivalries in the state of Tennessee and we are certainly excited to renew this game," Massaro said of the MTSU-Tech competition, which is the second home game on the Blue Raiders' 2006 schedule.

"It is going to be exciting to bring a part of our storied history together on national television. It is setting up to be a great night for college football."

The Blue Raiders and Golden Eagles will join the Maryland-West Virginia game as the only nationally televised contests that evening.

MTSU and Tech will be meeting for the first time since 1998 in a series that began in 1917 with a 26-0 MTSU win. The Blue Raiders lead the overall series 35-32-7 and have won 13 of the last 15 meetings.

The storied rivalry between the colleges reportedly began when state legislators picked Murfreesboro over Cookeville as the home of one of the state's three new normal schools, according to the Albert Gore Research Center.

The Blue Raiders will open their 2006 season Thursday, Aug. 31, at home against Florida International. The game will kick off at 6 p.m. and will be shown on ESPN Regional. The rest of the schedule follows (with home games in bold type and networks noted where appropriate):

- Sept. 9: Maryland @ College Park, 5 p.m.

- Sept. 14: Tennessee Tech/Faith and Family Day, 6 p.m. (ESPNU)

- Sept. 23: Oklahoma @ Norman, time TBA (Fox Sports)

- Sept. 30: North Texas @ Denton, 6:05 p.m. (College Sports South)

- Oct. 6: Louisville @ LP Field, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)

- Oct. 21: Louisiana-Monroe @ Monroe, 6 p.m.

- Oct. 28: Louisiana-Lafayette @ Lafayette, 4 p.m.

- Nov. 4: Florida Atlantic/Homecoming and Hall of Fame Day, 2:30 p.m. (CSS)

- Nov. 11: Arkansas State @ Jonesboro, 2:05 p.m.

- Nov. 18: South Carolina @ Columbia, TBA (CSS)

- Nov. 25: Troy/Salute to Veterans and Senior Day, 2:30 p.m. (CSS)

- Dec. 22: CUSA New Orleans Bowl, 7 p.m.

For tickets, contact the MT Ticket Office at 1-888-YES-MTSU.

Beat Tech in blood drive, too
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MTSU vs. Tennessee Tech: It's the Thursday, Sept. 14 football game and Sept. 12-13 blood drive!

MTSU will compete against its longtime Ohio Valley Conference rival to see which school can "pump up" the most blood, organizers said.

MT Athletics and the Student Government Association are fully behind the Red Cross blood drive, which is scheduled from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. both days in KUC Room 322.

Anyone 17 and over in good health with a valid ID can donate.

For more information, call Jennifer Kirk, KUC event coordinator, at 615-898-2590.

A great place to work

Hall of Fame inductee Yearwood dies
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from Staff Reports

Educator, coach, referee and MTSU alumnus W.R. "Jack" Yearwood (B.S. '48), who will be honored Nov. 4 in the 31st class inducted into the Blue Raider Hall of Fame, died July 11 at his home in Bartow, Fla. He was 81 years old.

A graduate of Isaac Litton High School in Nashville, Mr. Yearwood was recruited by Middle Tennessee Coach "Wink" Midgett for the fall of 1942 and played in every quarter of every football game that season, playing both offense and defense.

He left school when World War II began, proudly serving his country as a member of the Army's 20th Armored Division. While fighting in southern France in December 1944, he was captured and held in a German POW camp for five months before escaping. He received numerous medals, including the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

Mr. Yearwood returned to MTSU to finish his education and play football and baseball. He was an all-conference performer for both of his last two years in football and was named to "Who's Who in America's Colleges" in 1948.

He earned his bachelor's degree in 1948 and earned a master's degree from Peabody College. Mr. Yearwood then taught and coached in Tennessee and Florida, retiring from coaching in 1974 and teaching until 1983. He continued to officiate both basketball and baseball games on a regular basis after his retirement.

Mr. Yearwood was a member of the F&A Masonic Lodge in Hawthorne, Fla. He was a 32nd degree member of the Scottish Rite Shriners of Tampa, the Sons of the Confederate Veterans, Disabled American Veterans and the American Legion Post No. 3. He also was a member of the 45th Infantry Division Association.

Mr. Yearwood, who was a Baptist, was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Perry Yearwood. He is survived by a daughter, two sons, a brother and four grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 809 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, Fla., 33801.

Cultural training helps officers serve community
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by Jamil Price

Due to an expanding Hispanic presence in the middle Tennessee area, MTSU's Sgt. Steve Scott recently called on an old friend, Rebecca Parker, to help educate Department of Public Safety officers and others on Hispanic culture.

"One of the reasons I wanted her to teach this class is that too often, people in law enforcement who have taken two years of Spanish think they can be called 'instructors,'" Scott said.

"Not only do they not have the accent correct, but they also have the wrong interpretation."

Parker grew up in South America and moved to Middle Tennessee at the age of 18, so there should be little question about her interpretation of both the Hispanic and Anglo cultures.

"There were no Hispanics in Tennessee when I first arrived here," she said. "Then the migrant farm workers came in, and boom: hospitals, doctors and law-enforcement agencies could not communicate."

During this time, Parker was a supervisor in the maintenance department at MTSU.

"Because people like Sgt. Scott started asking me, 'How do you say this?' or 'How do you say that?', I started teaching others about the Hispanic culture," she recalled.

Parker then began to write explanatory notes, instructions and reminders on napkins. Those napkins turned into papers, and those papers turned into a manual, which she now uses to teach her class, "Straightforward Spanish for Law Enforcement."

"It's a basic manual to teach law enforcement agencies on how to cope with the influx of the Hispanic influence that has come within the past five years," said Parker. "You cannot become fluent in one week. This gives you the basics and deals deeply in the culture."

During the training sessions, officers learn the basic mechanics of Spanish. Parker also teaches the officers how to handle certain situations and misconceptions.

"Hispanics have a very small 'bubble' (of physical space)," said Parker, "meaning they like to be close to each other. Sometimes that makes many Americans nervous."

Citing another example, Parker noted that "in the American culture, 'shifty eyes' are a sign that someone is not paying attention or couldn't care less what we are saying. Yet in the Hispanic culture, 'shifty eyes' are a sign of respect."

In the training sessions, Parker covers just about everything, from conjugating verbs to even taking the officers out to lunch and making them order in Spanish.

"The training session was not just for MTSU police. Our target audience was not and is not just MTSU," Scott explained. "We host special schools here on campus for law enforcement for other departments as well. We don't just exist for our own well-being.

"We try to do this extra training to benefit law enforcement in Murfreesboro, Rutherford County and surrounding counties."

MORE THAN 'SE HABLA ESPANOL'-Instructor Rebecca Parker, center, shares ideas during her "Straightforward Spanish for Law Enforcement" seminar as MTSU Officer Adam Wortman, right foreground, and Sharon Lamberi of the Williamson County Sheriff's Department listen.

photo by Jamil Price

Venezuelan trip yields abundance of data
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by Lisa L. Rollins

Dr. Sekou M. Franklin, assistant professor of political science, recently traveled to Venezuela as part of his information-gathering efforts for a book chapter that he is authoring.

Franklin said his 10-day sojourn yielded an abundance of data for the edited book project, which will focus on African-Americans, race and the Venezuelan experience.

"My trip focused specifically on Afro-Venezuelan issues," explained Franklin, who visited with leaders and activists of the Afro-Venezuelan Network, a coalition of 30 community-based groups working to introduce civil rights, anti-racism policies and legislation.

In addition to attending the historic San Juan Festival, a three-day cultural/religious ceremony that was a product of the slavery period, Franklin said he also met with leaders in the Barlovento region of Venezuela, including two towns founded by runaway slaves where most Venezuelans of African descent live.

"The second component of the trip focused on the social and anti-poverty reforms that are going on in Venezuela and are being implemented by the Hugo Chavez administration," Franklin, a member of MTSU's faculty since 2003, said.

"Some of these reforms include the cooperative movement, moving toward a system of universal health care and . . . government-subsidized supermarkets and higher education. These anti-poverty reforms," he added, "are being subsidized by profits from the oil industry."

Aside from his visits with a number of social activists and community leaders, Franklin said he also met with an opposition group called SUMATE, the primary group opposed to President Chavez.

Franklin said it's important to note that Chavez has been "unfairly demonized by the American press over the last four or five years and called a 'dictator.'"

He added that such portrayals are "factually inaccurate and a distortion of major proportions. . . . The real angst about Chavez is that he has taken the oil industry profits, which have historically served the interests of the top five to 10 percent in the country, and is now using [them] to serve the interests of the poor," a populace comprising between 60 and 80 percent of Venezuela's citizenry.

Because Venezuela is the fifth largest oil producer in the world and supplies the United States with about 12 to 15 percent of its oil, "there is a major campaign to discredit Chavez," Franklin said, "as well as fears among the American foreign policy establishment that his political methodology-what Venezuelans call the 'Bolivarian Revolution'-will spread to other Latin American countries."

To date, three major attempts to remove Chavez from office have taken place, said Franklin, who adds that "99 percent of the Venezuelans and many nonpartisan foreign-policy specialists believe (these attempts) were backed by the United States."

Franklin said his trip to Venezuela was organized by Global Exchange (www.globalexchange.org), an 18-year-old international human rights organization dedicated to promoting political, economic, environmental and social justice.

"In recent years, several prominent African Americans have visited the country to observe its social programs, which they believe, if implemented in the United States, could help the poor," he remarked.

MT All-American Niemeyer to join Tidwell Pro-Am
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from Staff Reports

Former MTSU All-American Fred Niemeyer is scheduled to attend the 20th annual Wally Tidwell Pro-Am Classic at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8-9.

There will be men's and women's divisions with a doubles round robin format for the pro-am. All amateurs will be teamed with a current or former MT tennis team member or an area teaching pro.

There will be a dinner party, tennis clinic and exhibition featuring current and former tennis greats on Friday, Sept. 8. The doubles round robins will take place on Saturday, Sept. 9, followed by a lunch and awards ceremony.

This event is the only fund- raiser for the MTSU tennis program. Anyone interested in participating as a player or sponsor may contact Director of Tennis Dale Short at 615-898-2957.

Those who cannot participate may still donate. A minimum donation of $100 to the tennis program receives an official MT Tennis hat and t-shirt along with Blue Raider Athletic Association membership credit.

MTSU earns new Division I athletic certification from NCAA
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MTSU is among 17 NCAA Division I member institutions to again receive certification for its athletics program.

Meeting in Indianapolis, the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification announced decisions Aug. 1 on universities that have undergone the association's second cycle of athletics certification.

"You always expect for your athletic department to gain certification but it is not a given," said MTSU Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. "We are extremely pleased with this news because it shows the manner in which we run our athletic department is in NCAA accordance and also demonstrates that we have everything in place to give our student-athletes the best experience possible in all facets of their college education."

The purpose of athletics certification is to ensure integrity in the institution's athletics program and to assist institutions in improving their athletics departments. NCAA legislation mandating athletics certification was adopted in 1993.

The certification process, which involves a self-study led by an institution's president or chancellor, includes a review of the following primary components: governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity, equity and student-athlete well-being.

A designation of certified means that an institution operates its athletics program in substantial conformity with operating principles adopted by the Division I membership.

"We take the certification process very seriously at Middle Tennessee," said President Sidney A. McPhee. "This process is so important because certification by the committee demonstrates that we are operating within all of the guidelines set forth by the governing body of intercollegiate athletics.

"We have always taken great pride in the certification, as well as the process, and while this news is not at all surprising, it is affirmation that we are doing things right and providing our student-athletes with the total collegiate experience."

Public health, media, military roles are topics; 'Natural Disasters' are Honors Lecture Series focus
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by Randy Weiler

Natural disasters: We've witnessed them with Hurricane Katrina, tsunamis and earthquakes that have killed thousands of people in recent years.

Now, students taking the Fall 2006 Honors Lecture Series "Natural Disasters" can glean firsthand a wide range of ideas about the subject.

The "Natural Disasters" lectures, which will start Monday, Sept. 11, with geosciences associate professor Dr. Clay Harris discussing "Angry Earth: Waiting for the Big One, will be held from 3 until 3:50 p.m. on Mondays in the amphitheater (Room 106) of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building.

All lectures are free and open to the public.

"It's a topic that's on the minds of people," Dr. Phil Mathis, dean of the University Honors College, said in reference to natural disasters. "It's on TV screens regularly."

Mathis said Harris proposed the idea for natural disasters at an Honors Council meeting.

"The Honors Council discussed it. They had a positive reaction," Mathis said, adding that Dr. Jill Hague, English professor and former interim associate dean for the Honors College, identified and arranged for all the speakers after they adopted the theme.

Dr. Scott Carnicom, newly named associate dean for the Honors College and associate professor of psychology, will oversee the series. He began working at MTSU Aug. 14, coming here from Marymount University in Arlington, Va.

Drs. Jim Henry and Mark Abolins (geosciences), Anantha Babbili (College of Mass Communication dean), Cheryl Ellis (health and human performance), Gloria Hamilton and Terry Whiteside (psychology), Kevin Smith (sociology and anthropology), Will Brantley (English) and Lt. Col. Mike Walsh (military science) will lead other lectures.

The class begins Aug. 28 with study-abroad presentations. Classes will not be held Sept. 4 because of Labor Day or on Oct. 16 because of fall break.

For more information, contact Carnicom by calling 615-898-7611 or via e-mail at carnicom@mtsu.edu.

Fall 2006 Honors Lecture Series schedule

Professors from across the education spectrum will address the impact of natural disasters in the Fall 2006 Honors Lecture Series sponsored by the University Honors College. Their topics and presentation dates are:

Aug. 28-Introduction to class, study-abroad presentations

Sept. 4-No class (Labor Day)

Sept. 11-Dr. Clay Harris (geosciences), "Angry Earth: Waiting for the Big One"

Sept. 18-Dr. Jim Henry (geosciences), "Global Warming: The Facts and the Fiction"

Sept. 25-Dr. Anantha Babbili (dean, mass communication), "New Media and Natural Disasters: Freedom and Responsibility"

Oct. 2-Dr. Cheryl Ellis (health and human performance), "Natural Disasters: A Public Health Perspective"

Oct. 9-Dr. Gloria Hamilton (psychology), "Immediate and Delayed Psychological Responses to Natural Disasters"

Oct. 16-No class (fall break)

Oct. 23-Dr. Terry Whiteside (psychology), "How Do We Decide Who Is to 'Blame' for Tragedies and Disasters?"

Oct. 30-Dr. Kevin Smith (sociology and anthropology), "Catastrophes and Calamities ARE Ancient History: Cultural Change, Collapse and Transformation in the Face of Natural Disasters"

Nov. 6-Dr. Mark Abolins (geosciences), "The Threat of Urban Earth-quakes in the Southeastern United States"

Nov. 13-Lt. Col. Mike Walsh (military science), "The Role of the Military in Natural Disasters"

Nov. 20-Dr. Will Brantley (English), "Celluloid Disaster in the 1970s"

Nov. 27-Thesis presentations

Dec. 4-Thesis presentations

ETIS 'Magnificent 7' bring home Mini Baja honors
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from Staff Reports

The "Magnificent Seven" and their teammates in the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Studies earned their nickname battling rough water, rocky terrain and rugged mudbogs in a series of amazing races known as the North American SAE Mini Baja competitions.

This year, MTSU participated in all three U.S. Mini Baja races. Each features a slightly different challenge: the West incorporates a rock-crawl event and the East requires vehicles to be amphibious, while the Midwest, the largest of the three competitions, features a mud bog.

2006 was an excellent year for the MTSU Mini Baja team, as well as a rookie year for the East and West competitions. The team built two vehicles and raced both in the East and West; the best vehicle was then selected to take to the Midwest competition.

"We finished within the top 15 percentile of 142 teams in the Midwest competition," said Dr. Saeed Foroudastan, ETIS professor and team adviser.

"The MTSU student competitors not only established a victory, but they also cooperated well as a team, working diligently day and night to fix problems and produce innovative new ideas. The students were able to discover the true meaning of teamwork as they stayed together day and night to perfect the Mini Baja."

Many students participated in the project, Foroudastan said, "but the 'Magnificent Seven' emerged as leaders and completed the project and went to the competitions-team leader John Winker, co-captain Nathan Wells, manager Mickey Anderton and team members David Frost, Jason Schneider, Patty Liebig and Kenneth Gahan."

Sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers and supported by Briggs & Stratton, the competitions simulate real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges.

The object of the Mini Baja is to provide aspiring engineers with a project that incorporates the skills needed in the workforce: project management, decision-making, leadership, critical analysis and problem-solving. Teams compete to have their design accepted for manufacture by a fictitious firm. SAE student members must function as a team to design, build, test, promote and race a vehicle within the limits of the rules, as well as generate financial support for their project and manage their educational priorities.

The amphibious competition in the Mini Baja East Competition required the vehicles to not only perform on land, but also contain a flotation device for water that was six feet deep.

"The moment of satisfaction really comes from watching the pride and confidence the students gain as the final project crosses the finish line," Foroudastan said.

'Truly a Great Horse'
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A FITTING MEMORIAL-Wilson's Allen, the Tennessee Walking Horse considered by experts like MTSU's Dr. Bob Womack as the true father of the breed, is finally at rest after his reburial at the Horse Science Center on Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. During the Aug. 3 ceremony, Womack, above right, author of the definitive Walking Horse history, The Echo of Hoofbeats, noted that the new site, shown top left, is "very appropriate." The horse, shown above with his owner, Mr. Frank Wilson, was the sire of five World Grand Champions and was first buried in 1938 at trainer Steve Hill's stables in Beech Grove, Tenn. His remains were moved to MTSU in 1975 for a reburial, shown at right, near the Stark Agribusiness and Agriscience Center. Expansion work at the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building required the second move to the site near the Tennessee Miller Coliseum.

Events Around Campus: Remembering veterans, a step at a time
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by Gina K. Logue

Some of the biggest "steps" toward construction of a veterans' memorial on campus will be taken at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, when the MTSU Veterans Memorial 5K Run/Walk gets under way.

The purpose of the event is to raise enough money to build a permanent structure in honor of faculty, administrators, staff and students who perished or went missing while in military service from 1911 to the present.

"The concept is to have a living memorial, a space for reflection and a place for classroom instruction," says Derek Frisby, a history professor and U.S. Marine sergeant who served in Operation Desert Storm.

"We've proposed an amphitheater-type model that creates usable outdoor event space."

Dr. Andrei Korobkov, political science, was inspired to formulate a database of names by the death of 1st Lt. Ken Ballard, who was killed in Iraq in 2004. Ballard was a student in three of Korobkov's classes.

To date, the Veterans Memorial Committee has collected more than 50 names to be engraved on a wall that will be part of the area. Also, the public will be given an opportunity to purchase walkway bricks engraved with the names of their fallen loved ones.

"We've made significant progress in the design process," Frisby says. "This is the beginning of our push to turn those plans into a reality."

To contribute to the MTSU Veterans Memorial, go to www.mtsu.edu/~veterans and click on "Contribute to the MTSU Veterans Memorial."

In addition, the 278th Tennessee Army National Guard, which is deployed to Afghanistan, will collect old, used and new shoes and sneakers for Afghan children and teenagers on Sept. 17. Donors can bring shoes to the National Guard booth under Peck Hall next to the 5K registration area.

The 5K run/walk course, which will extend in and around campus, will be marked with water stations and security throughout the route.

Entrants may run competitively, run at their own pace or walk.

Awards and prizes will be issued for team entries of registered groups of five or more and individuals in each age division.

Drawings will be conducted for door prizes totaling more than $1,000 in value.

T-shirts are guaranteed to all preregistrants on a first-come, first-served basis on race day.

Sponsors of the MTSU Veterans Memorial 5K Run/Walk include AEDC Federal Credit Union, Applebee's, Bridgestone/ Firestone, MTSU Alumni Association, Nashville Predators, Norris Hall Studios, Signature Homes, Tennessee National Guard, Tennessee Titans and The Very Idea.

Registration fees are $15 per person if postmarked by Sept. 10 or $20 per person after Sept. 10, including the day of registration.

Make checks payable to MTSU Veterans Memorial 5K, c/o Derek Frisby, MTSU Box 23, Murfreesboro, Tenn. 37132, or register online at www.active.com.

For more information, contact Maj. Chuck Giles at 1-888-682-7682 or cgiles@mtsu.edu.

The Record, August 28, 2006, V15.04
Campus Calendar

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TV Schedule
"Middle Tennessee Record"
Cable Channel 9, Monday-Sunday-5 p.m.
NewsChannel 5+, Saturdays-1:30 p.m.

Every Monday night
MTSU Guys & Dolls Swing Dance Club
Free dance lessons 6-7 p.m., open dancing 7-9 p.m.
Murphy Center Dance Studio A
For information, e-mail: lindyfiend@gmail.com.

Through Sept. 8
"The Upper Cumberland Collection: The Plateau Years"
Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Saturday noon-4 p.m.
Baldwin Photographic Gallery
For information, contact: 615-898-2085.

Annual Faculty Art Exhibition
Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Todd Gallery
For information, contact: 615-898-5653.

Monday, Aug. 28
Fall 2006 Classes Begin

Women's Soccer vs. Alabama A&M
4 p.m., Blue Raider Field
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Thursday, Aug. 31
2006 Raider Rendezvous
11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Forrest Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2470.

Blue Raider Football vs. Florida International
6 p.m., Floyd Stadium
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2103.

Friday, Sept. 1
Women's Volleyball vs. Long Beach
5 p.m., Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Friday, Sept. 1
Japan-U.S. Program Reception
5-6:30 p.m., BAS SunTrust Room
Free admission, casual dress
For information, contact: 615-898-2229.

Women's Soccer vs. Evansville
7 p.m., Blue Raider Field
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Saturday, Sept. 2
Volunteer State Pinto Association
Tennessee Livestock Center
For information, contact: 615-644-2131.

Sept. 2-3
Tennessee State Cowboy Mounted Shooting Championship Show
Noon daily, Miller Coliseum
No admission charge
For information, visit: www.tncmsa.com.

Sunday, Sept. 3
Women's Volleyball vs. St. Mary's
Noon, Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Women's Soccer vs. Jacksonville State
4 p.m., Blue Raider Field
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Sept. 4
Labor Day Holiday
No classes; all offices closed

Sept. 6-10
Cowboy Mounted Shooting Eastern U.S. Championship
10 a.m. daily, Miller Coliseum
For information, visit: www.tncmsa.com.

Thursday, Sept. 7
"College of Basic and Applied Sciences: State of the College Message"
3 p.m., KUC Theater
For information, contact: 615-898-2613.

Sept. 8-9
20th Annual Wally Tidwell Pro-Am Tennis Classic
Buck Bouldin Tennis Center
For information, contact: 615-898-2957.

Friday, Sept. 8
Women's Soccer vs. Mercer
4:30 p.m., Blue Raider Field
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Women's Volleyball
vs. Miami of Ohio
7:30 p.m., Alumni Gym
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Sept. 9-10
Tennessee Pony of the Americas Show
Tennessee Livestock Center
For information, contact: 615-896-8728.

Saturday, Sept. 9
Women's Volleyball vs. Illinois-Chicago
Noon, Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Blue Raider Football at University of Maryland
5 p.m., College Park, Md.
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2103.

Sunday, Sept. 10
Women's Volleyball vs. Creighton
1 p.m., Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Calendar Items Welcomed
Submit your campus events (at least three weeks in advance of the event, please) to gfann@mtsu.edu or via fax to 615-898-5714.

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