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The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

MTSU to aid New Orleans university

by Gina K. Logue

MTSU has entered into an agreement to assist Southern University of New Orleans as the Louisiana school struggles to recover from Hurricane Katrina 18 months after the storm pounded the Gulf Coast.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and SUNO Chancellor Dr. Victor Ukpolo signed the memorandum of understanding Feb. 6. It will allow the institutions to collaborate in online instruction, faculty development programs, joint research, cultural and artistic programs and cross-registration in selected academic disciplines.

Ukpolo said SUNO's enrollment has dwindled from a pre-Katrina figure of 3,647 to its current 2,345, and its faculty has shrunk from 160 to 91.

"This program here will allow them to get some semblance of normalcy," Ukpolo said.

Faculty and students are functioning in trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"On my campus, we have people living and working in trailers 24/7," Ukpolo said. "Just imagine the psychological impact that would have on any human being."

According to SUNO literature, the university cafeteria is a total loss. The library's electronic and physical card catalogs, along with many books and periodicals, were ruined. The maintenance building sustained $1.3 million in damage, and floodwaters reached 11 feet high in the College of Education building.

McPhee, who has toured the SUNO campus, said, "This is not a one-time deal. We're not throwing a few dollars at the university, at SUNO, and moving on with our business."

Ukpolo estimated that it will take $60 million to restore SUNO to its former status. However, since academic exchanges will not rebuild buildings, McPhee said MTSU is engaged in talks with Vanderbilt University officials about a joint fund-raising concert to be staged in late August or early September.

SUNO was established in 1956 primarily, but not exclusively, for the education of African-American citizens of the greater New Orleans area and the state of Louisiana in general. While it admits and actively recruits qualified students without regard to race, color, origin, religion, age, sex or physical handicap, SUNO maintains its strong commitment to serve the higher education needs of the student population within the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area.

The four-year public university's main campus, which was most severely damaged, is located on the perimeter of Pontchartrain Park. Its 38-acre north campus is located about five blocks away in the Lake Terrace/Lake Oaks neighborhood.

One of three historically black colleges in New Orleans along with Dillard and Xavier Universities, SUNO resumed classes in January 2006, but it's the only one that has not yet been able to return to its main campus. Instead, it's operating in trailers on the north SUNO campus, where students and faculty are living and working.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Bring the family for fun-filled, 'busy' weekend

by Randy Weiler

Organizers planning for the first spring Family Weekend Feb. 23-25 have an event-filled lineup.

Sponsored by New Student and Family Programs, students and their families can attend sporting events the entire weekend, attend a play, "Ramona Quimby," Feb. 23 or Feb. 24, hear the MTSU Symphonic Band and Chamber Winds Feb. 23 or attend a performance by illusionist Wayne Hoffman Feb. 23.

"This should be a fun weekend, and certainly will be busy," Rob Patterson, New Student and Family Programs coordinator, said.

"This is the first time we've done it with basketball, and also with baseball and softball," NSFP Director Gina Poff added. "Hopefully, the weather will be good. We think it will be a big success."

MTSU usually holds Family Weekends during the fall, but the 2006 home football schedule, which included two Thursday night games and a Friday night game in Nashville, was not conducive to Family Weekend events, they said.

Patterson said a primary focus will be promoting attendance for the Feb. 24 Senior Day basketball games. The nationally ranked Lady Raiders will welcome Sun Belt Conference opponent Florida Atlantic at 2 p.m. in Murphy Center, while the Blue Raiders will meet the Owls' men's team at 7 p.m. in Murphy Center.

A silent auction sponsored by the MTSU Parents Association, with all proceeds going to a book scholarship that will be awarded to a student next fall, will begin with registration at 9 a.m. Feb. 24 and continue into the 10 a.m. brunch and 5 p.m. dinner with Lightning.

Patterson said another weekend feature would be a CANstruction food drive. Students and their families will be encouraged to bring cans of food when they register. Event organizers will construct a pyramid of cans as high as a basketball goal, which will be donated to a local food bank.

MTSU students can attend Family Weekend events free with ID: cost for family members is $30 per package. The Feb. 23-24 baseball games and the "Ramona Quimby" performances will require additional admission fees. Family Weekend T-shirts will be available for $10 each.

For more information, including a list of sponsor hotels and weekend schedule, call 615-898-2454 or visit www.mtsu.edu/~nsfp.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Upgrading how teachers are graded:
Student questionnaire rating MT professors is being revised

by Gina K. Logue

The way students assess their professors at the end of each semester is undergoing a major overhaul, but not without the use of feedback from a wide cross-section of the campus community.

The Pedagogy Task Force has been at work since the fall of 2003 on ways to reformulate the instrument so students can provide a more precise critique-one that is more helpful in determining which educators most need improvement and in which areas.

Under the leadership of Dr. Vic Montemayor, professor of physics and astronomy, the panel presented an instrument developed by assessment experts at the University of California at Berkeley to 1,629 students, 36 faculty members and eight deans and chairs. The response was overwhelmingly positive.

One hundred percent of faculty volunteers, 100 percent of deans and chairs and 76 percent of students felt that the Berkeley-designed questionnaire was superior to the one currently in place at MTSU.

"We're actually quite excited about the positive aspects of the new proposed teaching evaluation instrument, because it not only offers meaningful constructive criticism but also an avenue toward improvement," says Michael Fleming, assistant professor of recording industry and task force co-chair.

The panel recommends that the Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center develop workshops to show faculty how to improve performance in their weaker categories. These workshops would be ready by the time the first results from the new evaluation instrument are available.

"Many people view the evaluation as a means of policing the teaching that's taking place in our classrooms, but that was not the view taken by the task force members," Montemayor says.

As it turns out, the Berkeley instrument already was being used by the MTSU mentoring program. Even so, Montemayor says that had no impact on the panel's proposals.

The current student evaluation calls for ratings of "almost always," "usually," "rarely," "never" or "not applicable" to statements such as "course requirements are clear," "the class begins at scheduled times" and "instructor presents material clearly."

Under the Berkeley version, more than 30 statements are divided into the categories of "Presentation Ability," "Organization and Clarity," "Assignments and Grading," "Intellectual and Scholarly Approach," "Incorporation of Student Interaction," "Motivating the Students" and "Effectiveness and Worth."

Students are asked to disagree or agree on a scale of one to five with statements such as "has a genuine interest in students," "lectures easy to outline or case discussion well- organized," "gives assignments and exams that are reasonable in length and difficulty," "discusses recent developments in the field," "invites criticism of own ideas" and "motivates me to do my best work."

"It is more specific," says Wendy Koenig, assistant professor of art and task force co-chair. "It is unlikely you're going to get perfect scores on every question."

Koenig notes, however, that the professors' scores would be expressed as true percentiles to be compared only with other scores in their own department, college or university. The numbers also would be tracked longitudinally so that trends over time could be analyzed.

"We do not wish performance to be summarized as a single number," Fleming says. "That's not appropriate for any person, nor is it appropriate for any specific discipline or class or department or college."

Koenig says Dr. Kaylene Gebert, executive vice president and provost, is supportive of the task force's mission. The panel has presented its findings to the dean's cabinet and plans to discuss its recommendations with the chairs' council, the Faculty Senate and representatives of individual colleges.

"I think that a good bit of discussion still needs to take place across campus in order for faculty to buy into the idea of this new instrument and the feedback it provides," Montemayor says.

For complete information, including graphs and charts, go to physics.mtsu.edu /~vjm/task_force.html.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

For the Record:
Walker Library revamps Web site with users' input

by J. Donald Craig

In a continuing effort to support information and research needs of MTSU students and faculty, the Walker Library has replaced its Web site with a new one (library.mtsu.edu).

Based on the principles of consistent design, clear access, easy maintenance and compatibility with university standards, the redesign was carried out by the library Web project team over the last year and released in January. The project involved reviewing and evaluating design elements and content of the old site, conducting user surveys and focus groups with campus constituencies, assessing peer-institution Web sites for effective models of Web design and drafting a new graphic format and information architecture that would support the principles established at the outset of the project.

Four main headings on the site provide access to Walker Library resources, services and reference information:

- "Research Gateway" leads to tools such as catalogs, article search tools and library databases;

- "Library Services" provides access to resources such as circulation, reference, faculty representatives and liaisons, special collections and inter-library loan;

- "Library Information" covers information about the library, its hours, contacts and ways to support library programs, resources and ser-vices; and

- "Library Help" offers a list of common questions, some search tools and ways to get in touch with experts who can help you in your search for information. There is even a tutorial on the Dewey classification system and definitions for library terms.

Although the Voyager catalog was not affected by the redesign, there is now a new search box on the front page that allows immediate searching of Voyager.

The search box's Journal Locator offers an easy search for journals in both print and electronic formats, and the Site Search can be helpful in finding any familiar library functions that the user has difficulty locating on the new site.

New resources, services, activities, exhibits, events and other important announcements will be highlighted in the Library News section in the middle of the front page. A drop-down menu, "Select a Course Subject," at the top of the front page allows direct access to research guides containing descriptions of and links to databases, reference materials, Web sites and other resources for each subject area. The "I am a" drop-down menu provides links to resources and services relevant to the type of user. Quick access is also available to course reserves, user accounts, library hours and forms for requesting library resources and services, such as requesting an interlibrary loan, placing items on reserve, applying for a faculty study, recommending new books or asking to see a book that is in process.

This project involved the work of many library faculty and staff members. It takes advantage of the advice of campus staff and students and utilizes a variety of Web technologies to aid navigation.

So give the new Web site a try and let us know what you think. The success of this virtual library is best measured by how effectively you can find information, locate resources and research subjects. Your opinion counts!

And for those of you who might panic initially, a link to our previous site is still available in the lower right-hand corner of the new site to aid your transition.

We look forward to hearing your suggestions and comments. Please use the Contact Us link at the bottom of any page to provide suggestions or comments.

J. Donald Craig is dean of the Walker Library.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Well-kept secret:
Student Support Services; Open House Celebration Feb. 22 to help spread the word

by Randy Weiler

Crickett Pimentel wants to spread the word about one of the campus's best-kept secrets: Student Support Services.

"We are a great resource," says Pimentel, director of the office that serves as a "home away from home" for 175 first-generation, low-income or disabled college students.

"We have one-on-one relationships with our students. We know them over four or five years. We see success happen every day."

Student Support Services will be joined by the McNair Scholars Post-Baccalaureate Program and Educational Talent Search in a TRiO Open House Celebration as part of National TRiO Day. It will be held Thursday, Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in Midgett Building Rooms 101 and 103. University faculty, administrators and staff are welcome.

Since 1965, federally funded TRiO programs have helped first-generation college students, students from low-income families and disabled students finish high school, enter college and graduate. The name comes from the trio of original programs created in '65: Talent Search, Upward Bound and Student Support Services.

The TRiO umbrella has expanded to encompass seven programs, which also include Upward Bound Math Science, Veterans Upward Bound, Educational Opportunity Centers and McNair.

Life is rarely dull in Midgett 101 for the SSS staff, which includes Pimentel, counselors Laura Clippard and Susan Johnson and secretary Sherry House. SSS provides tutoring, academic workshops and cultural events to increase students' college successes and experiences, Pimentel says.

"We have a computer lab and a welcoming and supportive environment that our students like," she says. "In addition to the students, we want to be a resource for faculty teaching our students. The reason we're here is for retention and graduation. Our faculty has been very supportive. MTSU gives us a lot of support."

Pimentel said the TRiO program is "100 percent federally funded." SSS receives $235,689 every year, making it have an almost $1 million grant every four years.

Two students in the program were 2006 USA Funds Scholarship recipients, giving MTSU a rare distinction because many others were from schools like Stanford, she added.

Pimentel added that Pell-eligible freshmen and sophomores have scholarship grant opportunities. For 2006-07, SSS awarded more than $20,000 in grant scholarships

To learn more, visit during the open house, check out the Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~ssupport/ or call 615-898-5443.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Savor 'Music from Japan' Feb. 26

by Gina K. Logue

The Japan-U.S. Program of MTSU will present the Junko Tahara Biwa Ensemble at this year's Music from Japan concert at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, in Hinton Hall in the Wright Music Building.

To enhance understanding and appreciation of Japanese music and culture, the musicians will discuss their art and demonstrate their instruments for a group of Honors College students at 11 a.m. on the day of the concert in Room 106 of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building.

Because lunch will be served afterward, availability is limited. To register in advance, students should contact Georgia Dennis at 615-898-5645 or gdennis@mtsu.edu.

Dr. Scott Carnicom, associate dean of the Honors College, says administrators were "delighted" to seize the chance to participate in this kind of cultural enlightenment.

"The Honors College does try to cultivate a small but diverse population of students seeking scholarly opportunities," Carnicom says.

Tahara has performed extensively in Japan and at major venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Her instrument, the biwa, is a fretted lute frequently used in the performance of traditional Japanese music. She will be accompanied by Kohei Nishikawa on nohkan and shinobue (types of flutes) and Akikuni Takahashi and Tsuyoshi Abe on narimono (percussion).

A highlight of the concert will be passages from The Tale of Heike, a medieval literary work. It combines biwa music with narration to tell the story of a struggle between rival Japanese clans in the 12th century.

In addition, a newly commissioned work by internationally acclaimed composer Masataka Matsuo will be performed. Matsuo, who teaches at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music and the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, has been commissioned by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Theater of Japan and Pro Musica Nipponica, among other patrons of the arts.

Music from Japan bills itself as "the leading presenter of Japanese contemporary and traditional music in the United States and the world." The group has presented nearly 400 works, including 51 world premieres and 39 commissions, over the last 30 years.

"MFJ is a very prestigious non-profit organization chaired by the former Japanese ambassador to the United Nations, who is currently a judge at the International Court of Justice," said Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, director of the Japan-U.S. Program. "It has received numerous awards, including a top Imperial Award and brought a variety of the best music to North America ... for 30 years. Usually, it visits only four or five cities, including New York and Washington, D.C."

The 7 p.m. event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. To obtain tickets, stop by the Japan-U.S. Program Office in Room N340 of the Business and Aerospace Building or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Japan-U.S. Program, Box 167, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Hockey discount + scholarships = GOAL!

MTSU Night with the Nashville Predators is back! Special ticket prices are being offered to the MTSU community for three upcoming Predators games: Saturday, March 10, vs. Columbus; Tuesday, March 27, vs. Edmonton; and Saturday, March 31, vs. Dallas.

All games begin at 7 p.m. at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.

For each game, tickets are discounted $4 to $7, depending on location, and range from $19 to $44 each.

The Predators also will donate $4 from each ticket sold to the Sports Marketing Scholarship in the Department of Management and Marketing. To order tickets or get more information, call Dan Schaefer, Nashville Predators group sales account executive, at 615-770-2115 and mention the MTSU Night promotion to receive discount pricing.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Researcher to discuss Russian migration

by Gina K. Logue

Dr. Vladimir Mukomel, lead researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, will speak at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of the Business and Aerospace Building.

Mukomel will discuss the ethnic aspects of migration in Russia and President Vladimir Putin's policies in the area of civil liberties. The presentation is free and open to the public.

A scholar who has conducted extensive research on migration and refugees, including the "brain drain" of intellectuals in the post-Soviet era, Mukomel is the director of the Center for Ethnopolitical and Regional Studies. From 1998 to 1999, he was an adviser to the Security Council of the Russian Federation. Two years earlier, he served as an adviser to Russia's Department of Regional Affairs. From 1994 to 1996, Mukomel was a consultant to the Russian president's Analytical Department.

The lecture marks the first on-campus event for the American Democracy Project since it acquired an international dimension this semester. The coordinators are history professor Dr. Jim Williams, who will handle domestic activities, and political science professor Dr. Andrei Korobkov, who will deal with international activities.

"The major idea is to encourage students' civic engagement because we don't want them to study life only in textbooks, but to prepare through experiential learning, through contact with real people," Korobkov says. "We'll be dealing with issues of human rights violations ... and not only ... somewhere else, but also in the United States and specifically here in ... Tennessee."

The ADP Web site describes the program as "an initiative of 219 AASCU (American Association of State Colleges and Universities) campuses that seeks to create an intellectual and experiential understanding of civic engagement for undergraduates enrolled at institutions that are members of AASCU."

Co-sponsoring Mukomel's appearance are two student organizations, GLOBAL (Get Lost Outside Boundaries and Limitations) and AID (Americans for an Informed Democracy).

Americans for Informed Democracy, according to its Web site, is "a non-partisan organization that brings the world home to the next generation of leaders through educational seminars, leadership summits, town hall meetings, opinion pieces, and global videoconferences."

GLOBAL is "an international organization," says Candi Nunley, GLOBAL president. "We try to bring students together to raise awareness about global issues and general knowledge of different countries and cultures."

For more information, contact Korobkov at 615-898-2945 or korobkov@mtsu.edu; Nunley at global@mtsu.edu; or AID President Angie Feeney at amf3g@mtsu.edu.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Director: So much excitement' generated by every facet of MT sports
BRAA hopes to grow from athletic success

by Randy Weiler

Building on the success of the Blue Raiders' Motor City Bowl appearance, the nationally ranked Lady Raiders basketball team and other strong individuals and teams, the Blue Raider Athletic Association has kicked off its renewal phase for current members, BRAA Director Alan Farley said.

"Right now, there's so much excitement," Farley said. "We went to the bowl game, the women are ranked 19th, the volleyball team won the Sun Belt Conference tournament and the track teams always are successful.

"It's a gift, but it's an investment. We're seeing student-athletes graduate, but they're also winning championships in their respective sports."

Farley said he is encouraging existing members to "renew and participate in the 110 percent club, giving 10 percent more than they did last year."

Alumnus Wayne Groce (B.S. '69, M.B.A. '75), a Murfreesboro resident and underwriting team manager at State Farm Insurance Companies, is serving as membership chairman, Farley said.

"Wayne has come up with some good concepts to reach out to alumni and friends," Farley said.

It's Farley's job to "share the BRAA gospel" about the organization's fund-raising efforts for scholarships, facility improvements and overall improvement of the athletic department.

"There's a level and a place for everyone to participate, from $100 to $10,000," he said.

BRAA will kick off its new-member drive April 9, he said. The BRAA's Shooting for Scholarship is set April 28 at Big Springs Clay Targets in Murfreesboro.

For more information, call BRAA at 615-898-2210 or visit its Web site at goblueraiders.com.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Science Olympiad once again draws support from faculty, students

by Randy Weiler

A combined 80 MTSU faculty and students will assist with the annual Regional Science Olympiad Saturday, Feb. 24, at a variety of campus sites, event director Dr. Pat Patterson said.

Approximately 40 faculty and 30 to 40 students will either coordinate the combined 46 events or help in other ways, said Patterson, who added that most will come from the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

"The Regional Science Olympiad will be bigger than ever," Patterson said. "The MTSU support is greater. We're tapping into some new folks, plus we have some of our regular coordinators. Faculty from nine of the 10 departments in College of Basic and Applied Sciences are helping, and that's wonderful. It's one of the biggest colleges on campus."

WKRN Channel 2 meteorologists Jeff Ray and Justin Bruce, UT-Martin faculty members Cahit Erkal and Lily Linghong, Tennessee Valley Authority employees Bo Baxter and Pat Cox and Bruce Ross of Murfreesboro Water and Sewer Department will be non-MTSU coordinators of events.

"We have friends that support Science Olympiad," Patterson said. "Some are teachers at middle or high schools that are not competing, but they are volunteering and hopefully will compete next year."

Patterson said about 400 middle- and high-school students will be competing, adding that 14 middle schools (Division B) and 13 high schools (Division C) will have teams entered.

"We want all kids exposed to Science Olympiad," she said. "We need to show it's for all kids."

Patterson said she was excited to learn that Nashville's Hume-Fogg and Martin Luther King would be sending high-school teams.

"They are two Tennessee high schools in the top 50 in the country," she said. "I'm excited that we will have that type of competition. Hume-Fogg not only signed up, but they signed up to win."

Patterson said four high-school teams and two middle schools will advance to the state competition Saturday, March 31, at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The national Science Olympiad will be held May 18-19 in Wichita, Kan.

Sponsors in 2007 include State Farm Insurance Companies ($3,600 donation), ARAMARK, Krispy Kreme doughnuts and the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Emergency info sessions set this month

If you're a building emergency representative involved in MTSU's new tornado-alert planning, you'll need to attend one of five special informational sessions scheduled this month in the Keathley University Center Theater.

Each session will last about one hour and will contain the same information, so you'll only need to attend more than one. Choose the time most convenient for you and bring a notepad to one of the following:

- Monday, Feb. 12, 2-3:30 p.m.;

- Tuesday, Feb 13, 9-10:30 a.m.;

- Thursday, Feb. 15, 1:30-3 p.m.; or

- Monday, Feb. 19, 9-10:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m.

Call 615-898-2919 for more information.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

For outstanding contributions: Public Service Award nominations needed

Have you or a colleague made outstanding contributions to the MTSU community? Be recognized!

The Public Service Committee is soliciting the names of faculty and staff who have performed outstanding public service for the university. The MTSU Foundation funds four Outstanding Public Service Awards to recognize and reward public ser-vice efforts.

Three awards of $3,000 each are presented to faculty each year, and one staff member is honored with the same amount. The MTSU Foundation and the President's Office fund all the awards.

To nominate a recipient, submit his or her name to the College of Continuing Education & Distance Learning, CAB119, Public Service Committee, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn. 37132.

The nominee will then be sent and must complete the Public Service Record form and may submit documentation of service activities. Nominees must include a brief biography and have a current photo available in Photographic Services.

The deadline to submit that information is March 16, and the committee will review the information March 26 through April 20 and make its decisions. The winners will be announced at the annual Fall Faculty Meeting in August.

For more information about deadlines, qualifications, etc., and to download a nomination form, visit www.mtsu.edu/~learn/public/ award.htm.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Media Ethics Summit seeks change

from Staff Reports

Twenty years ago, ethics leaders in media and higher education at a national conference asked: How can we understand and promote better media practices in the United States? Is TV too violent? Is election coverage too biased? Are newspapers and TV too explicit? And is what media tell us true?

Those leaders will gather Feb. 27-March 2 to once again discuss Americans' greatest concerns about media ethics and recommend change to government, industry and education.

This second conference, set for the MTSU campus, will draw experts nationwide to review results from a recent national poll on media ethics and overviews of similar polls and studies over the last two decades.

"We'll be looking at the last 20 years and what we've all learned from it, and then looking ahead to the next 20 and what we can do about it," said Dr. Thomas W. Cooper, ethicist-in-residence at MTSU and one of the co-conveners, with Dr. Clifford Christians of the University of Illinois, of the original 1987 ethics summit.

"We want to find out both the public's and professionals' ethics concerns and then ask leaders in the field how to publicize, understand and, whenever possible, counterbalance and minimize those problems."

Former Vice President Al Gore will exchange ideas with attendees on Tuesday, Feb. 27, and respond to findings from two new Middle Tennessee polls, one national and one statewide. During the week, conferees will analyze the data and propose solutions.

The second phase will involve delegates from leading media organizations and a "circle of elders" who will critique and endorse suggestions offered by the conferees. They also will help determine which actions are most pressing, practical and achievable to set the agenda for the next 20 years.

On Friday, March 2, the public and media will be invited to an open session, where leaders will announce the group's consensus on the issues and make recommendations for 2007 and beyond. Guests may ask questions at the event, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in the State Farm Room of the university's Business and Aerospace Building.

"We'll then be taking our findings to the White House, Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, colleges and universities and professional and academic associations," Cooper said. "We want to move the agenda to the public sector so we can see it implemented."

In addition to the March 2 open session, other free public events include:

- Wednesday, Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m.-A screening of filmmaker and Harvard University professor Robb Moss's latest work, "Secrecy," a collaboration with Peter Galison exploring the world of government secrecy, in Room 221 of the Learning Resource Center. The screening will be followed by a public question-and-answer period from 9 until 9:30 p.m.

- Thursday, March 1, 7:30 p.m.-A lecture by Adam Clayton Powell III, former vice president of technology and programs at The Freedom Forum, a veteran newsman and a visiting professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California. Powell also is the author of Reinventing Local News: Connecting Communities Through New Technologies and Adam By Adam: The Autobiography of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., a memoir of his late father, the powerful New York congressman.

The event is sponsored by the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation and MTSU and hosted by Dr. Anantha S. Babbili, dean of MTSU's College of Mass Communication; more details may be found at www.mtsu.edu/~masscomm/ethics/ethics_index.html.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Spring bringing big changes; Construction projects blooming around campus

by Tom Tozer

Over the next couple of years, drivers and bikers will gradually co-exist a little more comfortably, thanks to the ongoing construction work on MTSU's parking/transportation project.

Now that the new entrances off North Rutherford Boulevard are complete and new parking lots are in place on the east side of what used to be a remote country highway, Phase II will commence this summer.

The first part will consist of a two-lane entrance, plus a dedicated bus/bike lane from Rutherford to the three-way stop at Blue Raider Drive near Womack Lane Apartments. This will be followed by a second two-lane roadway and separate bus/bike lane from Rutherford into MTSU Boulevard to the four-way stop.

In late spring of 2008, the third part of Phase II will be the construction of a roundabout at that four-way stop, and the fourth installment of Phase II will be a two-lane, plus bus/bike lane from Womack Apartments to the Cope Administration Building along Blue Raider Drive on the south side of campus.

Also under way this spring:

- This month is the scheduled completion timetable for the Sports Club & Fields project on East Main Street. Workers are installing lights, painting and finishing the metal trim on the storage building. They also will be setting parking light poles and grading the field.

- The renovation of Monohan Hall is about 65 percent finished and will be completed this July. Lyon Hall was bid last month.

- The Middle Tennessee Building/Annex (formerly the Baptist church across Middle Tennessee Boulevard) is slated for a March completion, and move-in should begin in April.

- Phase II of the Track Improvements project, made possible by a partnership with the City of Murfreesboro, consists of a complex that will house a restroom building, concessions, a fieldhouse/locker room, elevated pressbox and a camera deck.

- The re-roofing of Boutwell Dramatic arts is finished, and the new roof on the Todd Building should be in place by mid-March.

- Work is in progress on six units at Womack Lane Apartments that entails electrical improvements and sprinkler installations. The upgrading of all the units should be done by November of this year.

Elsewhere around campus, the Student Health, Wellness & Recreation Facility project is progressing, with the eventual goal of moving Health Services to the new facility. The work, which will require temporarily closing the front parking lot of the facility and using a different entrance, also includes expanding the weight room and building a second-floor extension to accommodate workout rooms.

The chilling plant addition will, in part, handle the extra demands of the new Health & Wellness facility. The foundation has been laid, the chiller pad has been poured and the chill line valve installed. In about a month, work will begin on replacing old chill water lines throughout the campus.

Projects in various initial stages are the widening of Middle Tennessee Boulevard, an underground electrical upgrading, pre-planning and programming for the new science building and ADA adaptations to Business and Aerospace (hardware), Alumni Memorial Gym (lift) and accessible restrooms in Peck Hall, Davis Science and Kirksey Old Main. Peck Hall is getting a new elevator, and those in Saunders Fine Arts, Boutwell Dramatic Arts and Wiser-Patten will be upgraded. HVAC work in Peck Hall will begin this summer, and life/safety work will begin this summer in Wiser-Patten and James Union.

Currently, officials are going through a needs assessment (programming stage) for the proposed Student Union, which will then enter the design phase. The ITD Building also is in the programming stage. Bids for the Lytle House renovation were to have been received earlier this month. Now in Phase II, the new observatory, which is to be located adjacent to Wiser-Patten, recently was bid.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

Speakers tout 'pioneer women of atomic science'
Feb. 20 keynote lecture helps debunk perception of field as solely a 'man's world'

by Randy Weiler

For the first time, a man will be the keynote speaker for the MTSU Women in Science lecture that is a part of National Women's History Month activities.

Dr. Geoff Rayner-Canham, a professor of chemistry at Sir Wilfred Greenfell College in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Canada, will discuss "History Re-Written: The Pioneer Women of Atomic Science" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, in Wiser-Patten Science Hall Room 102.

The event is open to the MTSU community and the general public, said Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, chemistry professor and the event organizer. A reception will follow the lecture.

The guest speaker will be joined by his wife, Marelene Rayner-Canham, now retired, who was a physics laboratory instructor at Greenfell.

"Traditional accounts of the history of atomic science make it appear that it was solely a 'man's world,'" Geoff Rayner-Canham wrote in the abstract about his talk.

"Certainly, except for Marie Curie, the top positions were held by male scientists. Nevertheless, there were at least 23 pioneering women scientists involved and it was their dedication at the lab bench that produced several of the key discoveries."

The Rayner-Canhams have spent the last 20 years researching the lives and work of these women. In this presentation, they will highlight some of the individuals and their contributions. They will describe the role of the mentors, the challenges that many of the women had to overcome, and the devotion of all of them to the cause of science.

The event is co-sponsored by the MTSU Distinguished Lecture Committee, Iriarte-Gross said. For more information, call 615-904-8253.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

This month on 'Middle Tennessee Record'

The February edition of MTSU's TV program features two outstanding examples of the university at work across the globe: the first is a story of students and faculty working with children in La Cane, Honduras, and the second focuses on street children in The Philippines as documented by Dr. Chuck Frost, social work professor.

Other segments include the ongoing wellness program at MTSU, coordinated by Dr. Mark Anshel and his staff; the Winter Gathering of greyhounds; the upcoming Invention Convention at MTSU, which will mark its 15th anniversary; the new building addition for the School of Nursing, shown at right; and a recording industry student who shares his talent with younger students.

"MT Record" will soon be seen in 13 different communities in addition to the greater Nashville area. Find it all online at www.mtsunews.com or on TV at the schedule on page 4 of The Record.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14

People Around Campus:
1st female cadet commander now Lt. Col.


by Randy Weiler

Karen Johnston Neely, an MTSU alumna who was the first woman ROTC cadet commander and current military science instructor, waited about 20 years for this special day.

In January, she was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. The MTSU Department of Military Science, where she teaches core classes including time management, operations, land navigation and physical training, saluted her Jan. 25 during a pinning ceremony in the James Union Building's Hazlewood Room.

"Getting promoted to lieutenant colonel is a big deal. It doesn't happen every day. It takes four promotions over 15 to 20 years," fellow Lt. Col. Mike Walsh, first-year professor of military science, said in his remarks to the overflow crowd that included family, military science students, faculty and staff, representatives of Middle Tennessee Christian School, where she serves as an algebra teacher and cross-country coach, and others.

"It's a hard rank to get," Walsh added. "It's a tiny recognition of what you've done in the past, but more of what the (U.S.) Army sees that you can do in the future. ... The Army sees a lot more potential."

"This means a lot to me and my family," Neely said. "I asked my children about staying in. They said, 'Mom, go for it.'"

Her children, Julie Anne, 15, Daniel, 14, and Jonathan, 10, assisted in the pinning of the promotion pins.

Neely said that once she is deployed, she will go to Iraq, "where I will be supporting a logistics command north of Baghdad. My job will be a force modernization officer, and I will be in charge of working to get specialized equipment our troops need to the field. Our unit will monitor all supply (food, clothing, ammunition, etc.) that comes into Iraq. We will be responsible for making sure it gets to the units that need it."

Her tour is expected to last 14 to 18 months, she said.

Family in attendance included her father, Jerry Johnston; her mother and stepfather, Joan and Ronny Harris; her brother, Steve Johnston, and sister-in-law, Melissa, and their four children: Hillary, Abbey, Bailey and Emily.

MTCS Principal Todd Miller and President Lynn Watson also attended.

Neely earned her bachelor's degree in math and biology at MTSU in 1988 and received her master's in education in 1997.

The Record, February 12, 2007, V15.14
Campus Calendar

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

Through Feb. 28
"Landscapes of Mexico"
photo exhibit by Héctor Pedro Montes de Oca
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday
Baldwin Photo Gallery, LRC
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2085.

Every Wednesday
Gender Circles
Weekly conversations on diversity with emphasis on gender issues
1-3 p.m., JUB 206 (JAWC)
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.

Feb. 12-15
Film: "Borat"
7 and 9:30 p.m., KUC Theater
Admission: $2 per person
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~events/films.html.

Monday, Feb. 12
Honors Lecture Series
Dr. Tammy Melton, "DNA and Crime Scene Evidence"
3-3:55 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.

Tuesday, Feb. 13
College to Career Fair
10 a.m.-3 p.m., Tennessee State Fairgrounds (Nashville)
For information, visit career.web.mtsu.edu
or contact: 615-898-2500.

Wednesday, Feb. 14
Valentine's Day

MTSU Fine Arts:
Tango Nashville (dance lessons)
8 p.m., James Union Building
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~events/finearts.html.

Feb. 14-17
African American History Month "In the Spirit of Pearl: Using Identity and Womanist Thought to Liberate Performance"
Fairview 140
For information, contact: nofsinge@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, Feb. 15
"Mardi Gras Night Part Deux"
Basketball Doubleheader vs. Florida International
Women 5:30 p.m., men 7:30 p.m.
Murphy Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.

Feb. 16-17
African American History Month 2007 African American Student Leadership Conference
For information, contact: 615-898-2987 or rmetcalf@mtsu.edu.

MTSU Opera: Mozart on Stage!
7:30 nightly, Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Feb. 16-18
MT Baseball vs. Jacksonville State
Feb. 16: 3 p.m.; Feb. 17: 2 p.m.; Feb. 18: 1 p.m.
Reese Smith Field
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.

Friday, Feb. 16
Ideas & Issues: "Thinkfast Final"
7 p.m., KUC Theater
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~events/lectures.html.

Sunday, Feb. 18
"MTSU On The Record-What's Happening at the Women's Center?"
Guest: Terri Johnson
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast available at www.mtsunews.com or free subscription at iTunes.

Men's Tennis vs. Mississippi State
1 p.m., Racquet Club of Murfreesboro
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.

Tennessee College Goal Sunday 2-4 p.m., BAS State Farm Room
For information, visit www.CollegeGoalSundayTN.org or call 615-904-8414.

Sunday, Feb. 18
MTSU Brass Ensemble
3 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Feb. 19-22
Film: "Happy Feet"
7 and 9:30 p.m., KUC Theater
Admission: $2 per person
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~events/films.html.

Feb. 19-23
Student Organizations CANstruction Drive
Canned food collection project
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~camporgs/ events.htm.

Monday, Feb. 19
Presidents' Day

Honors Lecture Series
Dr. Bill Shulman, "The Death Penalty: If At First We Don't Succeed ..."
3-3:55 p.m., HONR 106
For information, contact: 615-898-2152.

MTSU Jazz Ensembles
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Tuesday, Feb. 20
Mardi Gras

Wednesday, Feb. 21
Ash Wednesday

African American History Month: "A Night of Smooth Jazz"
6 p.m., JUB Tennessee Room
Admission: $5 per person
For information, contact: mgibson@mtsu.edu.

MTSU Flute Studio Recital
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Feb. 22-24
Interdisciplinary Conference in Women's Studies
James Union Building
For information, visit womenstu.web.mtsu.edu/NWHM.htm
or contact: 615-898-5910.

Thursday, Feb. 22
LT&IC Showcase Series
Dr. Anantha Babbili, "Globalization and Diversity" 11:40 a.m.-1 p.m., Peck Hall 106
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~ltanditc
or contact: 615-494-7671.

African American History Month: "Documentary Night
featuring 'Far from Home' and 'God Sleeps in Rwanda'"
5 p.m., HONR 106
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-5645.

"Blue Elite" Sign-Up Meeting
5 p.m., BAS State Farm Room
For information, contact: 615-494-7942.

Free Legal Clinic
7-9 p.m., JUB 206 (JAWC)
Appointments required
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.

Feb. 23-25
MT Softball
Breast Cancer Strikeout Classic
Feb. 23: Morehead State, 12:30 p.m.; TSU, 3 p.m.;
Feb. 24: Belmont, 12:30 p.m.; Ball State, 3 p.m.;
Feb. 25: TBA
Blue Raider Softball Field
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.

MT Baseball vs. Bowling Green
Feb. 23, 3 p.m.; Feb. 24, 2 p.m.;
Feb. 25: 1 p.m.
Reese Smith Field
For information, visit
www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.

Friday, Feb. 23
MTSU Symphonic Band/Chamber Winds
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Saturday, Feb. 24
"Senior Night" Basketball Doubleheader vs. Florida Atlantic
Women 3 p.m., men 7 p.m.
Murphy Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.

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.

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