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The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
British scholar to lecture on Gore, interstates
by Cristol Camacho
Dr. Anthony Badger, Paul Mellon Professor of American History at Cambridge University and Master of Clare College, will visit MTSU's State Farm Room on Thursday, Nov. 9, to present his lecture "Albert Gore Sr., the Interstate Highway Act and the Modern South."
"The event is free and open to the public," said Dr. Lisa Pruitt, director of the Albert Gore Research Center at MTSU. "A catered reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by Dr. Badger's lecture at 7 p.m."
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the U.S. interstate system, Badger, a specialist in post-World War II Southern political history, will discuss what roads meant to the late U.S. senator and why it was important to improve roads, especially in the South.
"I also want to talk about the Interstate Highway System, why they needed it and what it looked like nationally," said Badger. "I want to get over [convey] some sense of what the road system was like before, just why it was such a problem and what a difference it made."
Badger has written many articles and given numerous lectures in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States on Southern political history, including the life and work of Albert Gore Sr., father of former U.S. vice president and frequent MTSU lecturer Al Gore.
"Tony has a charm and wit about him," said Dr. Jerry Brookshire, MTSU history professor. "Exploring American history with a Cambridge University professor, English accent and all, should be a rewarding experience for our university community."
Since being commissioned in 2001 by the Gore Center to write the biography of the elder Gore, Badger has become well acquainted with MTSU. He was selected from many elite scholars because of his significant research into Gore's stand on civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s before beginning work on the Gore Biography Project. He also served as a panelist for the 1997 "Albert Gore Sr. and the New South" conference here.
"It is a privilege to have Dr. Badger at MTSU," said Pruitt. "He has not spoken here since 1997, and since his research here is winding down, we don't know when he will be able to visit again."
Currently, Badger is finishing up his anticipated biography, which is scheduled for release November 2007, the 100th anniversary of the late senator's birthday.
Badger also is the author of Prosperity Road: The New Deal, Tobacco, and North Carolina; North Carolina and the New Deal; and The New Deal: The Depression Years, 1933-1940. His articles have appeared in Journal of American Studies, Storia Nord Americana, Journal of American History, Arkansas Historical Quarterly and Historical Journal.
The Gore Center, which opened in 1993, is a manuscripts repository dedicated to preserving and making available for research primary source materials related to Tennessee history. The Center's collections focus on the history of politics and public policy and on MTSU and the region it serves. The papers of Gore, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1938 to 1952 and in the Senate from 1953 to 1970, form the cornerstone of the Center's collections.
The staff also prepares exhibits, records oral histories, conducts research and supervises interns and graduate assistants from MTSU's public history program.
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
Make appointments now: Fend off flu with shot
by Gina K. Logue
With the flu season on the way, the MTSU School of Nursing will work with Student Health Services to offer flu shots to faculty, staff and students from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, Nov. 7-9, Rick Chapman, director of Health Services, says.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 5 to 20 percent of U.S. residents contract influenza each year on average. Annually, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized with flu-related complications, and about 36,000 Americans die from complications of the flu each year.
Symptoms of influenza include high fever, sore throat, dry cough, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, extreme tiredness, and nausea and vomiting, although stomach symptoms are more likely in children than adults.
Dr. Pat Spangler, medical director of Health Services, acknowledges that the flu is highly contagious among people living in close quarters, such as students living in dormitories or sharing apartment units.
"We strongly encourage everyone, but especially freshmen, to get both the meningitis shot and the flu shot," Spangler says. "They're away from home, often for the first time, and Mom isn't here to take care of them. They have high stress levels, and they're very vulnerable to infection."
The CDC recommends vaccination against influenza in October or November, since flu season can begin as early as October and last as late as May.
Physicians advise that the flu shot will not give patients the flu. However, minor temporary side effects of the shot could include achiness, a low-grade fever and some redness or swelling where the vaccination was injected.
Injections of flu vaccine will be administered by appointment in Room 109 of the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building for a fee of $23 each, payable by cash or check.
Appointments may be made by e-mailing Linda Lawrence at lawrence@mtsu.edu. (No phone calls, please.) Walk-ins will be worked in around scheduled appointments, officials say.
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
Bringin' in the rain
by John C. Lynch
When it rains, it pours. And as more land is paved and developed, much of that water is diverted into concrete culverts and channels. This traditional approach to storm water flooding means that less water is stored in the ground and the runoff is often polluted with oil from cars, excess fertilizer from lawns and harmful bacteria in pet waste.
MTSU Greenhouse Manager Larry Size-more and agribusiness and agriscience professor Dr. Warren Ander-son have teamed up to create a natural way of handling water runoff
from university parking lots. Working with students in Anderson's plant and soil science class, they have fashioned one rain garden on the east side of the campus near the greenhouse and are in the process of building another.
Anderson said he got involved in constructing the rain gardens because he wanted his students to get involved.
"I look for unique opportunities so students can feel they have accomplished something more than in a standard three-hour class-where they can get out and get a little dirt on them and see how things really work in nature," he noted.
Referring to the project, Anderson added, "You can adapt this to almost any area. You can put a rain garden in every corner where you have a downspout. It's a pretty thing. It's an ecological thing. You can make a real difference on a home-scale level."
Sizemore said he began looking into rain gardens in 2005 when he was asked to see what could be done with some of the ditches around campus that were hard to mow after a heavy rain.
"I thought the area near the greenhouse would be a good place for a trial. The ditch near the parking lot was an eyesore. The soil didn't percolate water very well, so we had to dig down and add about 10 inches of prepared mix. In April and May (2005), we planted plants that can take wet or dry conditions. It's working well. The day after it fills up, the water is gone.
"The soil for the new garden percolated well so we didn't have to dig out as much. We're looking at other areas around campus where we can put rain gardens."
Some of the plants used in the first MTSU rain garden include pond cypress trees, palm sedge and hibiscus plants. Including native flowering plants makes rain gardens an attractive option for individuals and cities.
"This is a good way for homeowners to beautify a place that stays wet without having to bring in lot of dirt," Sizemore said. "It may attract beneficial insects like butterflies, but the water doesn't stay long enough for mosquitoes to hatch and mature."
Dodd Galbreath from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture's Water Resources Section has visited campus to discuss rain gardens with MTSU staff and faculty and community conservation groups.
In one of his presentations, Galbreath noted that undeveloped land retains about 50 percent of rainfall, slowly releasing it to replenish springs, streams or aquifers. Development in a typical subdivision may reduce that figure to 35 percent.
"The natural landscape used to be a filter and a savings account for water," he said. "As we get more pavement and more buildings, we're having to figure out ways to accommodate excess water from these sites. Water is dirtier and in higher quantity. Droughts are getting a little drier, and floods are getting a little bigger."
Referring to the rain garden concept, Galbreath said, "What we're trying to do is copy the intelligent design we find in nature to create engineered naturalized systems that allow water to be stored, to be slowly percolated in the soil and filtered eventually to reach the depths of the earth, so that it can percolate its way down the hill and keep a stream full during dryer seasons."
The construction of the rain gardens on campus has given the university a unique status.
"I'm excited that MTSU is a leader in developing and promoting this technology in the community," said Galbreath. "It's the first university in the state to do so."
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has prepared a comprehensive 93-page report, "Natural Solutions for Water Quality and Storm Water Management," which provides detailed information on construction of rain gardens and other Low Impact Development techniques. It may be downloaded at www.state.tn.us/environment/pc/stormh2o/pdf/TDA_Presentation053006.pdf. The report shows the economic, aesthetic, and resource value of LID over the old "concrete and pipe" management techniques. A more concise 12-page description may be downloaded from The Alabama Cooperative Extension Service at www.aces.edu/waterquality/mg.htm.
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
In Brief
WHEN WEATHER OUTSIDE TURNS FRIGHTFUL, TURN TO THE WEB
When inclement weather arises, MTSU closing information will be available on area radio and TV stations. Class cancellations will apply to all classes, credit and noncredit. MTSU offices will be open unless the message specifically says all offices will be closed. Overnight closing decisions will be announced by 6 a.m. the next day. You can learn more at www.mtsunews.com by clicking the "Emergency Weather Information for Students, Faculty and Staff" link.
CAREER CENTER SPONSORS NOV. 6 NURSES/HEALTH CAREER DAY
Students interested in nursing and other health care careers should make plans to attend the Nurses/Health Career Day Monday, Nov. 6, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Tennessee Room in the James Union Building. More than 30 midstate and national institutions, including various graduate schools, will be represented at the fair. For more information about the fair or the Career and Employment Center, visit http://career.web.mtsu.edu/ or contact the Center at 615-898-2500.
ROCK OUT FOR WRITING AT CENTER BENEFIT NOV. 11
Local music artists Seth Moore, Bo Daddy Bo, Bent Fur and Cuttlefish will join forces Saturday, Nov. 11, from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. at The Boro Bar and Grill, 1211 Greenland Drive, for The Writing Center Rock Show to help raise money for the University Writing Center at MTSU. Admission to the benefit is $5 per person at the door. For more information about the show, e-mail skh2t@mtsu.edu or call 615-268-7011; for more about the Writing Center, visit http://mtsu32.mtsu.edu:11332/.
STUDENTS: APPLY BY DEC. 1 FOR 2007-08 MTSU SCHOLARSHIPS
Friday, Dec. 1, is the deadline for prospective freshmen and current MTSU students to apply for scholarships for the 2007-08 academic year. Merit scholarships and awards include National Merit Finalists, Valedictorians and Salutatorians, and Chancellor, Presidential, Buchanan Fellowship, Provost and Raider scholarships. Call 615-898-2111 or 615-898-2830 or visit www.mtsu.edu/~admissn.
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
For the Record:
University partnerships with community key to success
by Dr. Rosemary W. Owens
President McPhee announced the launching of the MTSU Community and University Partnerships Office during his August 2006 address to the faculty. Creating partnerships between MTSU and the community that surrounds it is one of the three major goals in the MTSU Academic Master Plan. The president presented these three goals even before he arrived on the campus in 2001, and the university has spent a great deal of time over the past five years working on the first two goals of the Academic Master Plan-student-centered learning and quality.
Now, the mission of the new CUP Office is to "encourage the development of important bonds and connections that lead to a sharing of human and knowledge resources" to facilitate better coordination of efforts university-wide. Chief among office responsibilities will be reporting information on formal partnerships throughout the campus. This will be facilitated through a Web site and database that will include both current and prospective MTSU partnerships.
Partnerships offer MTSU and the community a variety of opportunities. These opportunities have never been sufficiently documented from a campuswide perspective, but they are numerous and include bringing innovation to the marketplace; promoting local, regional and state economic development; promoting closer ties to business and industry; providing multidisciplinary solutions with integration of resources; and showcasing university programs.
The Tennessee Board of Regents supports MTSU's emphasis on partnerships. TBR's 2005-10 Strategic Plan, "Setting New Directions," details expectations for partnerships in its goal on resourcefulness. The goal includes several objectives, strategies and benchmarks. Among them:
¥ to facilitate corporate alliances and entrepreneurial initiatives and partnerships with business and remove impediments to effective use of resources;
¥ review all board policies and guidelines and offer revisions;
¥ by the end of 2006, review and update purchasing and approval of agreements and policies for maximum delegation to campuses for purchasing and contracting decisions; and
¥ by the end of 2007, complete a review of all board policies and guidelines and recommend revisions that facilitate entrepreneurial initiatives.
Our students will benefit from these partnerships by learning how to link theory and practice, integrate their skills into the workplace and be prepared for participatory citizenship. University-community partnerships also keep our curriculum current and responsive to our students and regularly include ethical issues as part of the discussion.
The community, in return, receives more access to MTSU in its effort to find local solutions to local challenges. Partnerships may help guide regional growth and development and help business and government reduce costs by locating/working with the university. These associations also carry the potential of allowing the university to serve as "neutral ground" for discussion and resolution of controversial issues and provide an opportunity to involve county and city mayors and the entire community in addressing and solving issues.
Of course, there are challenges, but as with most endeavors, relationship building and consistent and creative communications are keys. The academy has to prove itself to business and industry-which understand "doing," not just discussing and planning. Projects and programs must be business- centered in addition to, and sometimes even instead of, university-centered. Academia must demonstrate that it really does not have all the answers.
How can the CUP Office help faculty and staff? By:
¥ formally recognizing the work you do with off-campus partners;
¥ publishing the formal partnership relationships that you have;
¥ assisting you by documenting your partnership activities; and
¥ helping to identify others on campus who may be working with the same partner or who may be working with a partner who may be a prospect.
There are certain must-haves in true partnerships. Formalized agreements are necessary in most cases to define exactly what the partnership is and what it is not. Each participant should be a full partner with defined responsibilities.
Individual faculty, departments and colleges have worked extremely hard on developing external partnerships. Much has happened in that area because of excellent deans and the example that Dr. McPhee has set, but it is only now that we have set out to formally document the many partnerships.
We have not had the opportunity to celebrate those accomplishments collectively; rather, we have celebrated them one at a time. That makes it is hard to see the total impact of the university's successful partnerships. All units and divisions were asked to nominate certain of their partnerships to be highlighted initially. We will begin sharing those with you in a subsequent issue of The Record.
Dr. Rosemary W. Owens, former dean of the College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning, is special assistant to the vice president and provost for university and community partnerships. For more information about this kind of teamwork, contact her at 615-898-2180 or e-mail partner@mtsu.edu.
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
Nontraditional Students Week: Celebrate adult learning
by Gina K. Logue
The Adult Services Center, the Older Wiser Learners (OWLs) student organization and the Pinnacle Honor Society will pay tribute to adult learners with several events during National Nontraditional Student Week Nov. 6-10.
The Association of Nontraditional Students in Higher Education joined with five other organizations serving adult learners about 10 years ago in creating the observance. The purpose is to "draw attention to the number of nontraditional students and to their needs to be successful in their college pursuits," Dr. Carol Ann Baily, director of the Adult Services Center, says.
Baily quotes national statistics showing that 38 percent of all college students are individuals who have adult responsibilities in addition to their college careers.
"At MTSU, we figure approximately 10,000 of the 22,800 students are nontraditional students-married, with families, working full-time and attending classes as well," Baily says.
Events on tap include a Night Owls Open House Nov. 6-8 from 4 to 6 each evening at the Adult Services Center in Room 320 of the Keathley University Center. All evening students are welcome to stop by for hot cider, treats and a gift.
From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8, Nontraditional Student Day, informational tables will be set up in front of the grill in the KUC to enable students to learn more about the Adult Services Center, the OWLs and Pinnacle Honor Society. Each student will receive a gift.
All nontraditional students are invited to attend and bring their families to the Nontraditional Student Week Potluck Holiday Dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, in KUC Room 320. The fall 2006 Pinnacle Award of Achievement will be presented, and the winner of the Nontraditional Student Week Essay Contest will be announced.
Each attendee is requested to bring a dish to serve eight to 10 people and their group's nonalcoholic beverage of choice. OWLs will provide turkey and ham. Attendees also are asked to phone the Adult Services Center in advance at 615-898-5989 with the number in their groups.
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
'Tis the season for Employee Giving-'til Nov. 10
from Staff Reports
As the season for giving-and thanksgiving-approaches, MTSU's 2006 Employee Charitable Giving Campaign is loud, proud and going strong with that terrific MTSU BLUE spirit.
"The excitement level is high. Faculty and staff across campus are thoughtfully choosing the charity or charities to which they wish to contribute and returning their pledge forms in anticipation of the drawing for many wonderful prizes," said 2006 campaign chair Lucinda Lea, vice president for information technology and chief information officer.
"And we want to extend a special thanks to all those who have so generously given prizes, a record number, for this campaign."
Pledge forms and the campaign brochure are available online at the campaign Web site, www.mtsu.edu/givemtsu. Paper copies of each also are available from departmental coordinators if needed.
All pledge forms must be returned to campaign headquarters via departmental coordinators or direct campus mail by Friday, Nov. 10. Employees who return their forms by the deadline will be eligible for a campuswide drawing on Friday, Nov. 17, for dozens of prizes, including gift certificates, gift cards, MP3 and DVD players, sportswear and game tickets. (A full listing is available by clicking the "prizes" link at www.mtsu.edu/givemtsu.)
Donations are not required to enter any of the prize drawings.
The 2005 campaign saw MTSU pledge a record-breaking $76,300-plus in contributions; the 2006 goal is $70,000-plus.
Faculty and staff can give by payroll deduction to any charitable organization included on a list of nine independent charities and three federated charitable organizations, Lea said, including Community Health Charities, Community Shares and local United Ways.
MTSU's own Project HELP (Help Educate Little People), a nonprofit program that provides early intervention and family support services to high-risk children, children with disabilities and children with developmental delays, receives a portion of its funding from United Way grants via charitable giving efforts like this one.
"As we all look forward to our Thanksgiving feasts and sharing this special time of the year with family and friends, our hope is that the entire MTSU 'family' will reach out to lend a helping hand and share with those less fortunate in our community. How special it will be to have that joy of giving ringing in our hearts and minds," said Lea.
The annual effort at MTSU is conducted in unison with all Tennessee Board of Regents institutions.
For more information, contact Lea at 615-898-2512.
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
Oral history of interstates makes way to MTSU
by Tom Tozer
The program on Thursday, Nov. 9, during which Dr. Tony Badger will share insights into the life of the late U.S. Sen. Albert Gore Sr. and his work as co-author of the Federal Highway Act of 1956, follows a presentation of an "Oral History of the Interstate" from the Tennessee Department of Transportation to MTSU's Albert Gore Research Center.
Established in 1993, the center houses collections of documents and photographs on the history of politics and public policy in the region, the largest collection of which contains the papers from the senator's distinguished Congressional career from 1939 to 1970.
"We are happy to provide a permanent home for TDOT's oral history of the interstate highway system in Tennessee," said Dr. Lisa Pruitt, director of the Gore Center. "The late Senator Gore's papers are a rich source of historical documentation on the highways. TDOT's oral histories complement and enhance that resource and will be used by students and historians for years to come."
The oral history, compiled over many months, will become part of a larger history of the Tennessee interstate system titled "The Decades of the Interstate," a product of a collaboration between the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Tennessee Road Builders Association, said Luanne Grandinetti, TDOT's communications manager and oral history project manager.
"Last year, in looking at what we wanted to do in Tennessee to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the interstate system, we organized a committee that included Dr. Pruitt," Grandinetti said. "Lisa spoke of the value of an oral history to MTSU and the center. We also recognized that we could use these interviews as part of a written history."
MTSU became an integral part of the partnership when Tosheena Robinson-Blair, a recent master's degree graduate from the College of Mass Communication and then a temporary employee of TDOT, was hired to conduct the interviews that would comprise the oral history. Her 23 interviews came from a much longer list of names (and countless phone calls) and introduced her to former TDOT employees, former Federal Highway Administration employees, contractors, community activists, news media and private citizens.
Robinson-Blair said she learned that what first appeared to be a dry topic of discussion was actually a story that came alive as her interviewees shared their recollections of this immense undertaking.
"It was like a whole history-it had a birth, infancy, teen years, growing pains ... it had struggles and successes," Robinson-Blair said.
"Now when I am driving on the interstate, I have a different appreciation for it because there were a lot of issues that came into play that affected people's lives. Some farmland was claimed, some people lost their homes, and some felt they were mistreated or forced off their land. But most everyone realized that the project was something for the greater good."
Rather than there ever being outbreaks of violence, there was "just a lot of tension and friction," Robinson-Blair said she learned from her interviews.
One contentious issue, she explained, was Overton Park in Memphis, which became a landmark case. Overton Park was considered a historic site and environmental asset. The state had already claimed some of the homes in that area in order to make way for Interstate 40. Several residents opposed to the plan formed "Citizens to Protect Overton Park" and took their opposition to federal court, then much later to the Supreme Court. State officials insisted they wanted to go through the park. The high court disagreed, and the citizens won.
The recollections of those who lived through those changing and often trying times were perhaps the equivalent of a graduate degree in the human experience for Robinson-Blair.
Ira Degges, former engineering coordinator and FHA administrator, commented that everyone pegged the new interstate system the "Great Wall of China ... because you couldn't walk across it (or you weren't supposed to), and they put a lot of underpasses even for cattle to go from one side of a farm to another." Degges added that he felt it was "one of the most fantastic things that could have happened to the country."
"We had some difficult problems on I-40 in Roane County and Rockwood," noted Ron Carr, former FHA engineer, regarding how they dealt with mountain slides. "[We had] some success drilling horizontal drains through the fill, which drained water out of the fill and relieved the pressure and avoided compaction of the settling of the roadway."
Robinson-Blair heard comments from the "Nashvillians Against I-440" and "Supporters of I-440."
"I think you could say we had a different vision for the city ... we felt that this route for I-440 was very much too close to the city to serve as an outer loop, which was its function," said Betty Nixon, city council member during the I-440 controversy. " ... And so we thought it was in the wrong place."
Dr. Dennis Loyd, spokesman for the opposition, viewed the outer loop in a different way. "There certainly had to be a way, in the event of a natural disaster, to be able to move heavy equipment through the city, and 440 seemed a logical way."
While a lawsuit failed to stop the construction of I-440, it changed the way the roadway looked. Compromises allowed for people on both sides, who were concerned with issues such as children's safety, the preservation of neighborhoods and sound protection from traffic, to be satisfied.
"What comes out of the interviews is that not everyone was pleased about the interstate project," Robinson-Blair said, "but in order for us to have progress, it was necessary."
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
Higher ed must serve all citizens: TBR chancellor
by Dr. Charles W. Manning
(commentary)
Over the past few weeks, we at the Tennessee Board of Regents have been privileged to be both participants in and eyewitnesses to one of the most significant moments in Tennessee's history. On Sept. 21, U.S. District Court Judge Tom Wiseman dismissed the state's 38-year-old Geier desegregation case and officially declared Tennessee's system of public higher education unitary, meaning it is no longer racially segregated.
As laudable an accomplishment as this is, it doesn't mean our work to ensure Tennessee's colleges and universities serve all the state's citizens is done-it only means that work is entering a new phase. The TBR system is going forward with a strong commitment to increasing educational opportunities for all Tennesseans, regardless of their color or class, age or income.
The end of the Geier litigation brought to a close one of the most divisive episodes Tennessee has ever experienced. The crux of the issue at the outset was how the state treated its black citizens, specifically in terms of access to higher education. We know how vital access to education is-what access to a quality education can do for an individual and what happens to those who do not have or do not take advantage of that access.
Under Geier, TBR went from 2,752 (6%) black undergraduates in our historically white colleges and universities in 1969 to 10,619 (17%) in 2005. While the specific legal issues raised by Geier have now been decided, that in no way means we will reduce our efforts to ensure we offer equal access to black students or that we will tolerate any retrenchment from the expectation that all our actions reflect the spirit of Geier.
It is time now to take what we learned during the long, sometimes arduous, journey to the dismissal of Geier and apply those lessons in a way that will provide access to all of the state's citizens who have been underserved by our institutions. Coming out of this litigation, there are five things we hold as core beliefs.
First, diversity of students, faculty, and staff on our campuses is vital to providing a quality educational experience and preparation for life.
Second, ever-increasing globalization means that Tennessee's success in attracting and keeping business and industry requires a workforce comfortable with and accustomed to diversity.
Third, every Tennessean must have equal access to higher education, not only for the good of the individual, but for the economic well-being of the state and its citizens.
Fourth, Tennessee must have an educated workforce if it is to remain economically competitive in the global economy.
Fifth, it is not good enough for us to get students into our colleges and universities-we must do better in getting them out with the degrees or certificates they seek.
As the public higher education system in Tennessee with the ability to touch the most students and the most lives, the TBR system has an obligation to reach out to all citizens regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, financial need or family background. We will need special programs and incentives for some, and we are working to define those programs and incentives so we can continue increasing access to higher education for Tennesseans and continue enhancing diversity on all our campuses.
Dr. Charles W. Manning is the chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents system, which comprises six state universities (including MTSU), 13 community colleges and 26 technology centers serving more than 180,000 students in 90 of Tennessee's 95 counties.
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
CenterStage series features classic 'Oklahoma!'
by Lisa L. Rollins and Ryan Chittaphong
More than 60 years after its first presentation, "Oklahoma!" remains a favorite musical among young and old alike, making it a natural choice for inclusion in this year's MTSU CenterStage Series, according to series organizers.
"This musical is such an important icon in the history of musical theater, (and) that's why I wanted to direct it at MTSU," said Dale E. McGilliard, professor of speech and theatre, who will oversee the timeless production when it comes to the stage of MTSU's Tucker Theatre at 7:30 nightly Nov. 10-11 and Nov. 15-18.
"It's energetic entertainment perfect for the family, but most of all, it is important that our students are introduced to a show that has greatly impacted the theater industry," McGilliard added.
In their first full collaboration, Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammer-stein II set the standards and changed the face of stage musicals when "Oklahoma!" first opened on Broadway in 1943. In 1944, the musical was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize in drama for its impact on the modern American musical.
Based on the original play "Green Grow the Lilacs" by Lynn Riggs, the work's storyline is set at the turn of the century when the rivalry between cowboys and farmers was rampant throughout the American West. Curly, the handsome cowboy, and Jud, the hired farmhand, compete for the affection of the beautiful but hard-to-get Laurey. As the tale progresses, the love story between Curly and Laurey continues to unfold, leaving Jud in the dust. However, the temperamental farmhand isn't ready to give up so easily, making the road to true love as bumpy as a surrey ride down a country road.
The challenges involved in recreating a classic such as "Oklahoma!" are myriad, McGilliard said, adding, ""I am extremely blessed to have an outstanding cast of 43 talented students, so much of the challenge lies in coordinating all the elements into a unified vision and keeping it all in the same world."
The upcoming MTSU production, like the original, will showcase familiar songs such as "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin," "People Will Say We're in Love" and the rousing self-titled finale. Additionally, Kim Neal Nofsinger, director of dance, said he will work diligently to recreate the breakthrough choreography created by Agnes de Mille from the original Broadway production
In addition to the Nov. 10-11 and Nov. 15-18 public performances, a fund-raising presentation of "Oklahoma!" is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 9. This preview show will feature Elizabeth "Liz" McPhee, MTSU's first lady, and David Winton of Bellwood Discovery School. All proceeds from the performance go toward the MTSU Dance & Theatre Enrichment Fund.
"Liz and David will make a cameo appearance in the (Nov. 9) show and will be featured in the song, 'The Farmer and the Cowman,'" confirmed Jeff Gibson, associate professor, speech and theatre. "And Murray Martin, MTSU speech and theatre alumnus, will serve as chair and host of this special event."
Tickets for "Oklahoma!" range from $4 to $8 and may be purchased at the door on the evening of the desired performance. MTSU students will be admitted free with a valid university ID.
For more information, please call 615-494-8810 or visit the Department of Speech and Theatre's Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~theatre.
Ryan Chittaphong is a senior majoring in speech and theatre at MTSU.
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
Social Science Symposium slated
by Brittany Witt
Resiliency and Change in the Wake of Disaster" is the theme for the 15th annual Tennessee Under-graduate Social Science Symposium, which will be held Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 15-16, in the James Union Building's Tennessee Room at MTSU.
Sponsored by MTSU since 1993, this year's event is expected to draw 500 to 800 students and educators, said Dr. Vicky MacLean, associate professor in the sociology and anthropology department.
The symposium will open Wednesday, Nov. 15, with student research presentations, organizers said.
"Paper topics will include social problems, crime and deviance, sociological theory, Appalachian studies, industrial organization, environmental issues and response to disasters," MacLean said, adding that the event also will include a "highly engaging" panel discussion with first responders, Emergency Management Service workers who help in disaster relief and crisis situations.
"One of the questions we will be asking," MacLean said, "is could Katrina happen here? What types of community emergency response plans do we have in place in the middle Tennessee region?"
After the panel discussion and presentation of student research papers, there will be a screening of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," a film on global warming.
MacLean said highlights of the symposium include the keynote address, "Loss and Resiliency: Lessons from Katrina," delivered by Dr. Pamela Jenkins, professor of sociology and director of the women's studies program at the University of New Orleans.
"Post-Katrina, she has been documenting local communities' response to Katrina, including a study of first responders, interviews with survivors throughout the community, and assessment of several nonprofit organizations," said Dr. Tanya Peres, associate professor of sociology and anthropology.
The symposium is open to the public and free of charge. For more information, please visit www.mtsu.edu/ ~soc/socscisymp/symposium.html or call 615-898-2508.
Brittany Witt is a sophomore majoring in mass communication.
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
Alumna balances books, cultures in tour of duty in Iraq
by Gina K. Logue
GLENCOE, Ala.-Home and duty, Christian and Muslim, American and Iraqi: Lt. Col. Stacey Garmon, MTSU math major and 1987 graduate, is not only experienced at balancing the books. She can balance disparate cultures and values with comparable talent and a seemingly easy grace.
Garmon returned stateside this past summer when she arrived at Camp Atterbury, Ind., after a one-year deployment to Iraq with the U.S. Army Reserve's 80th Division, headquartered in Richmond, Va. She is at home now with her husband, Jeff, 44, and daughters Brynna, 11, and Alyssa, 9.
Although she has been in uniform for 21 years, her most recent job was to navigate the tricky territory between the contracting office and the companies whose job was to rebuild Iraq's war-torn infrastructure, often soon after it had been bombed to the ground.
"I was the liaison between the contracting office and the contractor to ensure that the government got what it was paying for, that the services provided were the services that were needed, and that we didn't take advantage of the contractor, but we held them up to their obligations," the 42-year-old Garmon says.
That was a taller order than it might appear. Garmon's responsibility was to tiptoe across the culture clash to keep business practices predictable and transparent without insulting locals who saw nothing wrong with nepotism and kickbacks.
While that hardly sounds like life-threatening duty, Garmon's mission actually had a lot to do with sustaining life. The contractors with whom she dealt were charged with providing the water, fuel, power, sewage services and food necessary to create some semblance of normality. It was a daily battle against the odds, never mind the occasional mortar barrage.
Given those conditions, it's fortunate that Garmon lost her professional innocence early. She served 13 years in the Tennessee National Guard before transferring to the Army Reserve, and she admits she didn't expect to make it to captain.
"Reality and idealism are two different things, and I was very idealistic about the military," Garmon says. "It took me awhile to understand what reality was. I was a very hard-charging lieutenant, and, after I went to Desert Storm, I learned how to chill out a little bit."
It was her six months of planning for contingencies in a command and control center during Desert Storm that taught her that there are no small parts, only small actors-but there had better not be any small soldiers when the going gets tough.
"From that experience, I learned that I'm just one little bitty cog in the wheel, and that, though I felt strongly about things, needed to understand where I could make a difference," Garmon says.
This is hardly what Garmon had in mind when she received a card in the mail during her second year in college asking if she wanted to know more about Reserve Officer Training Corps. She checked the box.
Garmon did not want active duty, but she did feel a compelling need to give something back to her country. To this day, Garmon, who was not reared by a military family, is unable to put her finger on the exact origin of that compulsion.
In high school, she thought she wanted to enter politics. Although she is grateful she did not pursue that path, Garmon still maintains that all Americans should devote themselves to some sort of volunteer civic duty, political activity or military service.
"We really owe a debt to those people who paved the way for us," Garmon says. "I honestly feel like, as Americans, we owe a lot to this country because we have so much."
Of course, having an understanding spouse can be very helpful. Jeff was working for BellSouth and Stacey was working for Third National Bank when they met. He was out of the military when she returned from Desert Storm and returned to duty shortly before they tied the knot in 1992. He spent three months in Kuwait in 2003 with the Alabama Air National Guard's 225th Combat Communications Squad.
Between weekend duty and overseas deployments, Garmon enjoys the role of stay-at-home mom, occasionally teaching aerobics part-time but preferring to transport her girls to extracurricular activities and to help with their Girl Scout troop. However, when she thinks about the people she came to know in Iraq, her voice takes on a wistful tone.
"I hurt for the Muslims in Iraq because they have so much unused potential there," Garmon says. "That country has a lot of potential. I wish them hope because I think that's what they're missing right now ... I think it's going to take a couple of generations to get there."
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
Check out new Virtual Flipchart System Nov. 13
by Randy Weiler
Academic and Instructional Technology Services officials unveil the latest in technology to arrive on campus.
MTSU has become one of the first U.S. higher-education facilities to use the Thunder Virtual Flipchart System, now installed in the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors College Room 218. It will be called the Cingular Wireless Advanced Technology Laboratories, MTSU ITS and PolyVision Corp. officials said.
Following a luncheon for invited guests and photo opportunity, the Thunder system will be publicly launched Monday, Nov. 13, during a 1:30 p.m. demonstration of the room's capabilities by ITS's Barbara Draude and Watson Harris and Dr. Scott Carnicom, associate dean of the University Honors College.
On hand for the unveiling will be Cingular Wireless CEO Jim Thorpe; MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee; Suwanee, Ga.-based PolyVision's executive vice president for global sales, Ian Hutchinson, and brothers Lee and Paul W. Martin Jr., who gave the original $2 million to help construct the honors building named for their father. That gift was matched by MTSU.
At 3 p.m., Dr. H, Lee Martin, managing member of Knoxville-based Clarity Resources LLC, a group specializing in mentor capital, will present the Honors Lecture Series lecture "Technomics: Understanding Sources of Global Change" in Honors Room 106.
Data and information in any format can be communicated, stored, displayed and organized-all captured on an unlimited, shared group canvas in real time, according to a news release about the MTSU/ Polyvision partnership. The group easel is as easy to use as a paper flipchart where participants jot notes and drawings onto a "page" with a stylus or finger. Up to six pages are "posted" or projected onto the wall in high resolution, allowing all the information to remain visible to all participants.
Any student or team member on a laptop with an Internet connection can immediately join in the session from within the room or remotely. Participants can share their laptop screens, add content and annotate, turning their PCs into a group device. The content can then be archived and e-mailed.
"The room has been in the works for over two years," said Draude, director of the Academic and ITS Faculty Instructional Technology Center. "It's learning laboratory for testing new instructional technologies and pedagogical methods. The furniture arrangement is a new way and the technology is a new way."
Draude added that the room is "a prototype for new classroom equipment for future development and renovation. It facilitates lots of different learning and teaching styles, especially collaborative and active learning techniques."
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
HELPing kids is director's full-time project
by Danielle Harrell
Project HELP (Help Educate Little People) has a new director, and she's learning exactly how HELPful her colleagues can be.
Susan Waldrop, who started her position in September, replaced former director Debbie Bauder, who stepped down to return to the classroom.
"I don't have her energy level," said Waldrop with a smile. "Debbie's been very gracious in training me."
Bauder had served since November 2000 as director for Project HELP, a nonprofit program that provides early intervention and family support services to high-risk children, children with disabilities and children with developmental delays. Dr. Ann Campbell, the program's first director, was the one who had approached Bauder about taking the position.
"I felt like I had taken Project HELP as far as I could take it," said Bauder.
Once she decided to return to teaching, Bauder approached Dr. Gloria Bonner, dean of Education and Behavioral Science, to request that Waldrop be considered as the new director of Project HELP.
"It just takes a really unique person," said Bauder of her colleague, adding that the director has to recognize the needs of parents, children and educators to make the program successful.
Waldrop said she first fell in love with helping children while working with intervention direct services.
"One home visit and I was hooked," Waldrop stated.
Waldrop said one of her major goals is to expand the program. There are more than 50 children with special needs on a waiting list to receive the services of Project HELP, but there isn't enough room for them at the current site.
"We're out of space," Waldrop emphasized, recalling how Bauder had to change the facility's recreation area into a classroom.
Bauder added, however, that Project HELP was "able to open more classrooms and serve more children" during her term as director.
The building for Project HELP, which is located at the corner of Blue Raider Drive and North Baird Lane on the south side of campus, has been used since 1997. The program began in 1983 and has grown from a couple of boxes in a car to increasingly larger locations on campus until moving into its current home.
Children attend classes for two and a half hours a day, four days a week. Project HELP provides a classroom setting for 25 children.
"I feel like we've been able to multitask and just give the kids a really intense education while they're here two-and-a-half hours. We send them home exhausted," Bauder said.
Waldrop holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee. She is a former instructor of elementary and special education at MTSU.
The Record, November 6 , 2006, V15.09
Campus Calendar
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Calendar Items Welcomed
Submit your campus event calendar items (at least three weeks in advance of the event, please) to gfann@mtsu.edu or via fax to 615-898-5714.
TV Schedule: "Middle Tennessee Record"
Cable Channel 9, Monday-Sunday-5 p.m.
NewsChannel 5+, Saturdays-1 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.
Monday, Nov. 6
Nurses/Health Career Day
11 a.m.-2 p.m., JUB Tenn. Room
For information, visit: http://career.web.mtsu.edu/
or contact: 615-898-2500.
Honors Lecture Series
Dr. Mark Abolins (geosciences), "The Threat of Urban Earthquakes in the Southeastern United States"
3-3:50 p.m., HONR 106
For information, contact: 615-898-7611.
Application Deadline: 2007 CUSTOMS Student Orientation Assistants
4:30 p.m., KUC 326
Visit www.mtsu.edu/~customs for information.
Guest Artists Recital: Peter Sommer, saxophone, and Art Landy, piano
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Tuesday, Nov. 7
State and Federal General Election Day
Polls open 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
For information, visit www.rutherfordcounty.org/election/.
JAWC Career/Professional Development Brown Bag
"Let's Have Some Fun!"
Noon-1 p.m, BAS SunTrust Room
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.
Guest Piano Recital: Steele Moegle
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Nov. 9-11
Longhorn Championship Rodeo
7:30 p.m., Miller Coliseum
For tickets and information, contact: 1-800-357-6336
or visit www.longhornrodeo.com.
Thursday, Nov. 9
Retired Faculty & Staff Coffee
9:30 a.m., Foundation House
For information, contact: 615-898-5756.
EXL Faculty Showcase Series: "Assessing Experiential Learning Class Activities"
11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., PH 106
For information, contact: 615-494-7671
or e-mail ltanditc@mtsu.edu.
MTSU Jazz Ensemble
4:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Nov. 10-11
MTSU Musical: "Oklahoma!"
7:30 p.m., Tucker Theatre
Admission: $4-$8 per person
For information, contact: 615-494-8810.
Friday, Nov. 10
Deadline for Employee Charitable Giving Campaign pledge forms
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/givemtsu
or see your departmental coordinator.
Women's Basketball vs. Maryland
7 p.m., Murphy Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.
Guest Viola Recital: Joel Pagan
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact:
615-898-2493.
Saturday, Nov. 11
Veterans' Day
Fall Visit Day
10 a.m., Cope first-floor lobby
Open to prospective students and families
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~admissn
or contact: 615-898-5670.
Blue Raider Football at Arkansas State
2:05 p.m., Jonesboro, Ark.
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.
"An Evening of Swing"
presented by Friends of Music
6:30 p.m., JUB Tennessee Room
Admission: $75 per person, $750 for 10-person table
For information, contact: 615-898-5924.
Sunday, Nov. 12
"MTSU On the Record-Trip to Belgium"
Guest: Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross
(postponed from earlier date)
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast at www.mtsunews.com.
Monday, Nov. 13
Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Lecture:
Dr. H. Lee Martin, "Techonomics: Understanding the Sources of Global Change"
3-4 p.m., HONR 106
For information, contact: 615-898-2152.
Faculty Senate meeting
4:30 p.m., JUB 100
For information, contact: 615-898-2582.
Basketball Doubleheader:
Women vs. South Dakota State, Men vs. Cumberland
5 and 7 p.m., Murphy Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.
Nov. 15-18
MTSU Musical: "Oklahoma!"
7:30 p.m., Tucker Theatre
Admission: $4-$8 per person
For information, contact: 615-494-8810.
Thursday, Nov. 16
Free Legal Clinic
7-9 p.m., June Anderson Women's Center (JUB 206)
Appointments required
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.
Nov. 17-18
MTSU Opera: Britten's "Midsummer Night's Dream"
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Nov. 18-19
Stones River Pony Club Show
Tennessee Livestock Center
For information, contact: 615-904-0049.
Saturday, Nov. 18
Blue Raider Football at South Carolina
Time TBA, Columbia, S.C.
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.
Sunday, Nov. 19
MTSU Chamber Winds
3 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
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