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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Scholars, veterans, survivors to explore Holocaust Nov. 8-10
by Lisa L. Rollins
Distinguished scholars will join Nazi concentration-camp survivors and some of the American military veterans who liberated them as they explore the effects of the Holocaust Nov. 8-10 during the eighth biennial Holocaust Studies Conference at MTSU in the James Union Building.
"Questions of Memory and Conscience" is the theme of the three-day event, which will include "Countering Holocaust Denial in the Middle East: A New Approach," a Nov. 8 presentation by Dr. Robert Satloff, among its highlights.
Dr. Nancy E. Rupprecht, chairwoman of the MTSU Holocaust Studies Committee, said Dr. Gerhard L. Weinberg, an internationally recognized German scholar and expert on World War II, will be among the academics participating in the conference. He'll present the keynote address, "The Nuremberg Trials and the Holocaust," at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, in addition to participating in two other featured conference presentations.
A professor emeritus of history at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Weinberg is the scholar who discovered the secret, unpublished sequel to Hitler's Mein Kampf among the reams of German documents captured by the Allies during World War II.
Weinberg is the subject of the History Channel's acclaimed 2004 documentary, "Hitler's Lost Plan." This documentary will be shown at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, as part of a preconference Holocaust exhibit at Linebaugh Library in Murfreesboro. The showing is free and open to the general public.
Rupprecht, an MTSU history professor, said the Saturday, Nov. 10, conference panel discussion, "Survivors and Liberators," will get under way at 4:15 p.m. with a military color guard, then honor Holocaust survivors and the Allied troops who freed them.
"For this event, U. S. Army veterans and Holocaust survivors will tell the audience about a variety of extraordinary experiences," she explained, "including what it was like to liberate a death camp, what it was like to attempt to survive in concentration, work and extermination camps, what it was like to be a hidden child or an ŽmigrŽ during the Holocaust and how terrifying it was to attempt to live 'underground' by passing as Aryan."
New to this year's conference will be an entire day, Nov. 12, aimed at K-12 teachers, Rupprecht said. In addition to the Survivors/ Liberators session, the day's activities will include a 2:30 p.m. performance by nationally known pianist Claudia Stevens, who will read the words of Fanya Fenelon, director of the Auschwitz Women's Orchestra, and play the music of the orchestra Fenelon directed. Both the performance by Stevens and the Survivors/ Liberators session will be free and open to the public.
In addition to the public session described above, the academic sessions include scholarship in a rich variety of forms-papers, discussions and exhibits, as well as film, music and a live dance performance.
For more information on the 2007 Holocaust conference, including a detailed schedule that lists events open to the public, please visit its Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~holostu. Those interested in attending the academic sessions also can find registration forms and information on the site.
For additional information, please contact Connie Huddleston, associate conference chairwoman, at 615-494-7628 or chudd@mtsu.edu.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Cultural diversity again 'bridging gaps'
by Danielle Harrell
The Third Biennial International Conference on Cultural Diversity, with a focus on "Bridging the Gaps," will be held on the MTSU campus on Wednesday, Oct. 31, and the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville Thursday and Friday, Nov. 1-2.
"These sessions are a great way for students to increase their knowledge of diversity, and it will assist them in the workplace," said Dr. Sharon Shaw-McEwen, chairwoman for the International Conference on Cultural Diversity.
Shaw-McEwen said she believes it's especially important for students who are majoring in fields that require them to work with others to attend the conference to develop their cultural competency skills. Many of the sessions will be interactive and will include debates.
All students are encouraged to attend at least one session. A discounted full-conference fee is available for students, but they can attend the Oct. 31 MTSU sessions free if professors register their classes for the event. MTSU-recognized campus organizations also can apply to the Office of Student Programming to help with the student fees.
This year's conference is the first that will focus on economic factors like financial management and home ownership.
Wednesday morning at MTSU, Dr. Shakti Butler will present her movie, "Bridging the Gaps [through] Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible," followed by an open discussion. "I think every student on campus should try to see it," Shaw-McEwen stated.
Professor Charles Ogletree, who teaches at Harvard Law School, will speak at the 1 p.m. Wednesday session. Shaw-McEwen said his address would give students a chance to attend a Harvard classroom at this conference while remaining on MTSU's campus.
In addition to Butler and Ogletree, the conference will include a 7 p.m. address by Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, who was named by Ebony as one of the 100 most influential black Americans. Dyson is also a professor at Georgetown University and is known as "The Hip-Hop Intellectual."
Wednesday night also will include a jazz concert, which Shaw-McEwen said would be a wonderful opportunity for recording industry majors and "a real treat."
Other speakers scheduled to participate in this year's conference include Drs. Kenneth Hardy, College of Human Services and Health Professions at Syracuse University; Margarita Benitez, former president at the University of Puerto Rico; and Valarie Montgomery-Rice, senior vice president for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine at Meharry Medical College.
Shaw-McEwen said that the conference was started as "a way to help faculty and students become more culturally competent in a way that was easier for them. I hope that we will all be better than we were before the conference."
A complete list of sessions, including times and locations, can be viewed at www.mtsu.edu/~cdinit. For more information, call 615-898-5975.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Photo page 1 |
Blue notes
SCALING THE SCHERMERHORN-Members of MTSU's Band of Blue march to the front steps of Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center Oct. 6 to celebrate the second "Day of Music" with the Nashville Symphony. Six MTSU faculty and student ensembles and two ensembles led by MTSU faculty members represented the university before thousands of music lovers.
photo submitted |
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Show you're Blue! Give back to the community
Brisk autumn weather has the MTSU family showing its colors and feeling Blue, too, as the university's 2007 Employee Charitable Giving Campaign kicks off Monday, Oct. 29.
"We often say 'Be Loud, Be Proud, Be Blue' as a way of showing pride at being part of this community. We tell high school students that graduating from high school can make you Blue, and when they arrive on our campus we tell them we want them to 'Bleed Blue,'" said 2007 campaign chair Dr. Bob Glenn, vice president for student affairs. "All of these sayings touch on our belief that we are a special community and that you become special yourself as a part of this community.
"Being a part of this institution means being a part of a larger community," he continued, "and this campaign gives us an opportunity to support the community that supports us. So I would ask each member of this special community to consider what you can do and then 'Give 'Til You Feel Blue!'"
Pledge forms and the campaign brochure once again will be 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 Wednesday, Nov. 14. Employees who return their forms by the deadline will be eligible for a campuswide drawing on Friday, Nov. 16, for dozens of prizes. (A full listing of prizes will be available at www.mtsu.edu/givemtsu.) Donations are not required to enter or win any of the prize drawings.
The 2006 campaign saw MTSU continue its record-breaking tradition of helping the community with more than $78,550 in contributions. That surpassed the 2005 tally of $76,300-plus in contributions.
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, Glenn said, including Community Health Charities, Community Shares and local United Ways. The deductions will begin with the first paycheck of 2008.
MTSU's own 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, receives a portion of its funding from United Way grants via charitable giving efforts like this one.
"If you really do 'Feel Blue,' you will understand the need and respond to it," said Glenn. "Each and every one of us can give something, and when we band together to do so, our collective gift has a tremendous impact."
The annual effort at MTSU is conducted in unison with all Tennessee Board of Regents institutions.
For more information about the campaign, contact Michelle Lloyd at 615-898-2828.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
In Brief
FEND OFF FLU NOV. 6-8
The School of Nursing will again be working with Health Services to offer flu shots to students, faculty and staff Tuesday through Thursday, Nov. 6-8, beginning at 8 a.m. and continuing until 4 p.m. in Room 109 of the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building. Cost will be $23 (check or cash only). Make appointments by e-mailing lawrence@mtsu.edu (no phone calls, please). Walk-ins will be worked in around scheduled appointments.
MAKE OFFICES BLUE-TIFUL
The Homecoming 2007 Office Decoration Competition is under way! Entry forms are due by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, for the competition leading up to the festivities on Saturday, Nov. 3. E-mail sgahome@mtsu.edu for more information.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Campus Rec Center to become emergency shelter
from Staff Reports
MTSU's Campus Recreation Center will officially become a new Red Cross emergency shelter as several months of planning culminate in a formal agreement between the two entities to be signed at a public ceremony Monday, Oct. 22, at 2:30 p.m.
The event will be held in the upstairs dance studio in the Recreation Center, and everyone is invited. Because of the adjacent construction of the new Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center, attendees should arrive early.
The driving force behind this effort at MTSU is Ray Wiley, associate director for student recreation, who said he became particularly interested in Red Cross Disaster Services following Hurricane Katrina and signed up as a disaster volunteer.
"I personally felt very helpless during this disaster," Wiley said. "I wanted to help, and although I'm a 20-year volunteer with the American Red Cross, I did not have the required training I needed in disaster services to be eligible to help with the shelters."
Wiley said that following Katrina, the MTSU recreation facility was considered as a potential shelter site for those who were left homeless, but at the time, "we were under-prepared to take on the enormous responsibility.
"I felt I could do more," Wiley continued. "That was the reason I became a disaster volunteer and a disaster instructor for the Red Cross Heart of Tennessee Chapter. Although I am very excited that we now have this agreement in place, we need many more volunteers who are willing to be trained."
"This is a wonderful partnership, the very best example of a university and community coming together and combining its resources to help those who are displaced during a catastrophe," added MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. "I encourage students, faculty and staff, as well as local citizens, to give their time and energy to this humanitarian effort."
Greg King, CEO of the Heart of Tennessee Chapter and a 1986 MTSU alumnus, echoed the need for volunteers.
"Past disasters such as Katrina taught us as a nation that a mass relocation of victims is a reality, and areas away from the devastation must be prepared to assist with the evacuees. We applaud MTSU for its willingness to help our community prepare for significant local and regional disasters."
MTSU and Red Cross officials spent nearly a year exchanging information and filling out the required documents to assure that the MTSU facility could meet the requirements. Designated basketball courts in the Recreation Center will be converted to shelters and will accommodate approximately 160 cots. Space will be allocated for storage, first-aid stations, restroom and shower facilities, eating and leisure areas and offices.
Since MTSU's Department of Safety and Security will be responsible for handling security during a shelter operation, Chief Buddy Peaster requested that all of his officers go through the Red Cross training.
The site of the Oct. 22 signing will be set up with cots and other equipment to simulate an actual shelter layout.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Photo page 2 |
Recognizing excellence
GREAT WORK!-Pat Fones, center, secretary for MT Athletics, accepts the latest quarterly Secretarial/Clerical Award from Ben Jones, right, Business Office manager and chairman of MTSU's Employee Recognition Committee, as Associate Athletic Director Diane Turnham looks on. MTSU's Employee Recognition Committee salutes staffers who make outstanding contributions and demonstrate excellence in their roles. To nominate an administrative, secretarial/clerical, classified or technical/service co-worker for the quarterly award program, download an employee recognition nomination form at hrs.web.mtsu.edu/forms/forms.html and submit it to Human Resource Services via campus mail, Box 35.
photo by Andy Heidt |
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Forum airs concerns, offers answers about safety
by Jake Jackson
MTSU's Student Government Association hosted a campus safety forum Oct. 10, where a panel of officials and a student audience discussed recent criminal activity around campus and how technology is being used to alert the campus community.
SGA president Chassen Haynes moderated the afternoon forum, which drew questions from several students concerned about recent incidents and the new emergency text-message alert system.
"Our job is to plan and prepare to respond to incidents," said Buddy Peaster, MTSU director of public safety. "We try to identify threats and neutralize them, but we can't do this properly if students aren't involved."
The forum's panel consisted of Peaster and Sarah E. Sudak, executive director of housing and residential life; Lucinda Lea, vice president for information technology and chief information officer; Dr. Robert Glenn, vice president for student affairs; Dr. Kaylene Gebert, executive vice president and provost; and Tom Tozer, director of news and public affairs.
Panelists Lea and Tozer noted that MTSU had been looking into the text-message system initially as an alert system for campus clubs and student groups, and the idea evolved into an emergency alert system. MTSU recently signed a contract with Rave Wireless, and the system went live for the campus on Sept. 12.
"Unless there is an imminent threat of danger, other messaging will be used," said Peaster. A text-message alert was not issued after a recent attempted abduction at an off-main campus parking lot, the chief explained, because police determined that the suspect had left the area and the threat to the campus community had decreased.
"Text messaging is only one way we can communicate with students," said Lea, adding that e-mail will continue to be the primary source of getting emergency and alert information to students.
Tozer explained further by telling the audience that text messaging alone will not protect them from harm; in addition, he said, students must be vigilant and watchful in the MTSU community. Tozer is one of the officials who can send a text-message alert after consulting with others, including MTSU police and the executive staff.
"This is still open for discussion," said Tozer. "Text messaging is still new. The type of message and how it will be sent will be determined on a case-by-case basis." He asked that students contact his office, student affairs or MTSU police with their suggestions on how and when to send text-message alerts.
The panel's chief concerns included the idea that students may think that someone else is responsible for their safety. Safety suggestions included trusting one's instincts, walking in pairs and using the Raider Escort program at any time of day and night. They also advised never to leave wallets, purses, laptops, books or other personal items unattended.
Panel members said they would hold another forum for more student input. They advised students to sign up online for text-message alerts, come forward whenever there is an incident and to keep in mind that together we can all be responsible for safety.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
'Of the Body': Ceramics exhibit delves into mysteries of human design
by Lisa L. Rollins
The Todd Gallery at MTSU will present "Of the Body," an exhibition of contemporary figurative ceramic works from five artists of national recognition, through Friday, Nov. 2.
"The works to be seen in 'Of the Body' represent five unique perspectives that derive from the artists' personal experiences and interpretations of the human presence in the contemporary world," Lon Nuell, MTSU art professor and gallery curator, said. "Within these interpretations five manifestations occur."
The artists whose work will be showcased are Tom Bartel, an associate professor of ceramics at Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green; Jason Briggs, an adjunct instructor at Belmont University, Nashville; John Donovan, foundations instructor at MTSU; Debbie Kupinsky, a part-time ceramics instructor at Santa Ana College, Santa Ana, Calif.; and Malcolm Mobutu-Smith, an associate professor of ceramic art at Indiana University, Bloomington.
Nuell said Bartel produces stylized figures that "question various stages of life, which are determined primarily by the biological development of the body from birth to death." Artist Briggs "pushes palpable sensibilities toward a critical awareness of unease by creating biomorphic forms that are at once sensually tactile and disquietingly beautiful."
According to materials describing the artists' creations, Donovan's artworks "infuse his figurative-based work with a push/pull sense of play between the innocence of childhood and the 'relentless fear' of growing up," while Kupinsky's pieces focus on allegorical references of the body filtered through mythologies and fairytales manifesting work that juxtaposes "the beauty and innocence in the world with the inevitable loss of innocence."
"Her works recall benign porcelain figurines pushed to grotesque ends," Nuell remarked.
The Mobutu-Smith works, in turn, are described as "powerful vessel forms that fuse the residues of being human" such as graffiti, comic-book art and music.
"Mobutu-Smith synthesizes these and other sources to produce works that speak toward his own creative experiences and heritage," Nuell noted.
Admission is free and open to the public. Gallery hours for the exhibit, located on the first floor of the Todd Building, are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. For more information on the current exhibit, please contact Eric Snyder, gallery assistant, at 615-898-5653.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Take off for Study Abroad Fair
from Staff Reports
Visit faraway lands, experience their cultures and learn more about studying abroad-all without leaving campus!
Join the MT Abroad office for the 2007 Study Abroad Fair, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 1, on the second floor of Keathley University Center outside The Grill.
There will be foreign foods to sample, international music to savor and numerous representatives of the various venues of the study-abroad experience.
A few of those representatives include the MTSU Study Abroad program, General Education program in France, MTSU Exchanges, the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad, the Kentucky Institute for International Studies, the American Institute for Foreign Study, and STA Travel, which handles student travel plans such as flights, hotels, and transportation.
For more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~mtabroad/ or call 615-898-5179. The MT Abroad office is temporarily located in Room 129 of the Todd Building.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Program alumni, volunteers help: Keeping EYH tradition alive
by Randy Weiler
MTSU seniors Sharese Richardson and Mallory Faulkner and freshmen Ashley Martin and Jennifer Ilsley volunteer their time for Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science because they know middle- and high-school girls can make their mark and have careers in these fields.
"It lets girls know they are capable of doing things in math and science," said Richardson, an interdisciplinary studies major who plans to teach after graduating in May 2008.
Faulkner, a chemistry major from Jackson, Tenn., said helping with EYH "gives me the opportunity to share my science background with younger students."
The 11th annual EYH will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, across the MTSU campus. About 300 middle-school and 50 high-school girls will participate, said event director, Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, chemistry professor.
Martin and Ilsley were EYH participants as middle-school students. They enjoy keeping the math and science doors open for the next generation of young women.
"There's so much I learned and gained from my (EYH) experiences," Martin, who is a graduate of Blackman High School, said. "I gained so much education-wise, but also (gained) the confidence to do whatever I put my mind to. I attended workshops that ranged from aerospace to Web design to chemistry and nutrition.
"I want to be an example to these young girls, like the presenters and group leaders were to me. I want to pass on the wisdom that these girls can do anything. When I heard this comment from my group leader in my seventh-grade experience, I took it to heart and excelled in math, history and science in high school."
Ilsley, a 2007 Oakland High graduate, became a volunteer for the organization while in middle school. Her father is Dr. William "Bill" Ilsley, a chemistry professor at MTSU.
Iriarte-Gross, who is being assisted by Dr. Rebecca Zijlstra, a math professor, said another outstanding group of MTSU faculty and off-campus professionals will be leading the workshops.
Co-sponsors of the event include MTSU, the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, Murfreesboro branch of the American Association of University Women and Girl Scout Council of Cumberland Valley.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Oct. 23 events promote awareness, prevention of violence, sex assaults
by Gina K. Logue
The June Anderson Women's Center will sponsor the "Clothesline Project" from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and "Reclaim the Night" from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, on the Keathley University Center knoll.
The events are efforts by the JAWC to promote greater understanding of an ever-present social issue during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
During the "Clothesline Project," T-shirts decorated with messages symbolizing fear, anger or other emotions associated with domestic violence or sexual assault will hang from a clothesline on the knoll.
"Reclaim the Night" is a fall semester version of the Center's annual "Take Back the Night" spring event. Members of the campus and community will hold a rally with an open-microphone segment during which anyone who wishes to express thoughts on the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault is welcome to speak. The rally will be followed by a brief march on campus and a candlelight vigil.
Both events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Women's Center at 615-898-2193 or jawc@mtsu.edu.
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LET THE SUN SHINE IN-T-shirts from a previous year's "Clothesline Project" display on the KUC knoll feature designs and slogans to help "air the dirty laundry" of domestic violence and sexual assault. This year's event is set for Oct. 23.
file photo by J. Intintoli
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Campus changing shape as construction continues
by Tom Tozer
It may seem as though construction projects never end on campus, what with the security fencing, blocked roadways and orange barrels, but over time, the light at the end of the tunnel on projects large and small gradually grows larger until a new day emerges on the MTSU campus.
Projects that have been completed on campus include the new sprinkler systems and HVAC units in the Wiser-Patten Science Building and the James Union Building. Peck Hall has a new HVAC system, and the new mix room is up and running in the Bragg Mass Communication Building.
Judd, Gracy and Smith Halls have new roofs. The liberal arts dean's office in Peck Hall will be moving into Todd Hall, and the chilled water line has been replaced near the Paul W. Martin Honors Building and Saunders Fine Arts.
Womack Lane Apartments ABC and JKL are complete, and students moved in before the fall semester started. Work has begun on apartments DEF and GHI, with renovation to be done by the first of 2008. Additionally, new kitchen cabinets in those units will be finished by March.
The demolition of the old baseball field is 95 percent complete. Olympian Construction is the contractor, and workers are laying out footings.
The fire alarm upgrade in Peck Hall, as well as in the Keathley University Center, is almost complete. The new elevator in Peck Hall should be finished by the first of next year, and its new unisex restroom also should be completed this month.
Messer Construction has completed the demolition work in the Lyon Hall renovation project, and interior work is under way.
Alumni Drive should be completed sometime this month. In Phase A of the Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center, 75 percent of the structural steel is complete, and masonry is 50 percent complete on the exterior, with work to begin soon on the interior blocking. Workers are framing walls, and electrical and plumbing work is in progress.
The roof soon should be completed on the observatory, and work is moving along on the bathrooms and mechanical room on the building. The dome will be installed in early 2008, and the project should be ready to use in March.
The new science and education buildings and the new Student Union are in the design phase.
To learn more about campus changes and growth, visit the Office of Campus Planning's Web site at www.mtsu.edu/campusplanning.
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BUILDING STRONG BONES-Steel framing for the skylit new lobby of MTSU's Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center rises into the sky amid construction debris. The $17 million expansion and renovation project is moving forward swiftly.
photo by News and Public Affairs
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Lecture series examines women's roles in wartime
by Gina K. Logue
Dr. Divya Saksena, associate professor of English at MTSU, will present "Women and War-Active and Passive Engagements," the latest lecture in the Fall 2007 Women's Studies Research Series, at 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, in Room 100 of MTSU's James Union Building. The lecture is free and open to the public.
"This presentation aims to introduce its audience to the historical, literary and cultural parameters within which women's participation in armed conflicts has been marginalized and women themselves reduced to gendered ciphers and statistics," Saksena says.
Saksena will examine why and how women were excluded from combat, how World War I provided new opportunities for women and why the role of women was so critical by World War II.
"Although women now operate in an increasingly wide range of military ranks, including jet fighter pilots in the (British) Royal Navy, RAF (Royal Air Force) and U.S. Air Force and transport pilots in the Indian Air Force, they still struggle to overcome gender biases, prejudices and stereotypes," Saksena says.
However, the professor notes, the majority of victims in modern warfare are women, according to reports by the United Nations and the International Red Cross/Red Crescent.
"Therefore, the presentation will conclude by considering women not only as combatants, but also refugees, civil detainees and military POWs," Saksena says. "It will create an understanding of the specific needs of women in armed conflicts. It will also make its audience aware of the need for policymakers and activists to translate into practical terms guidance documents for ensuring that humanitarian programs and services adequately address the circumstances and contributions of women in war and its aftermath."
For more information on the Women's Studies Research Series, contact Dr. Jane Marcellus at 615-898-5282 or jmarcell@mtsu.edu, or contact the Women's Studies office at 615-898-5910 or womenstu@mtsu.edu.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
2007 ShareFair to showcase innovative technology uses
from Staff Reports
What are other faculty doing in their classrooms to incorporate innovative teaching practices and integrate technology?
On Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the 2007 ShareFair will answer your questions, with the help of MTSU's 2007 Outstanding Teachers, Information Technology Division grant and fellowship recipients, and winners of the Outstanding Use of Instructional Technology Awards.
The 2007 ShareFair, which will be conducted in the Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center in Peck Hall 106, is an opportunity for faculty to learn about innovative teaching practices and technology integration.
In addition to the education leaders already mentioned, this year's ShareFair also will feature finalists for the Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Technology. The Innovative Excellence award winner will be announced at 2 p.m.
The Information Technology Division and the Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center are the sponsors of the ShareFair. No reservation is required.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Golfers help raise $50,535 for Neill-Sandler Scholars
Through the efforts of 96 golfers and other means, $50,535 has been raised in 2007 for the Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU Program, said Amanda Bell, an official with the Neill-Sander Automotive Group and Neill-Sandler Foundation.
Twenty-four teams competed in the 14th annual Danner Golf Invitational Golf Tournament Oct. 3.
Funds raised through registration fees and hole sponsorships provide scholarships for up to 10 high-school seniors in nine southern Middle Tennessee counties each spring.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
American Mathematical Society meets here Nov. 3-4
from Staff Reports
For the first time, the Department of Mathematical Sciences at MTSU will host a meeting of the American Mathematical Society.
Scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 3-4, the Fall Southeastern Meeting of the AMS will feature keynote addresses from leading mathematicians, along with 16 special sessions that will allow participants to present and learn about a host of research topics.
All sessions and keynote addresses will take place in the Business and Aerospace and John Bragg Mass Communication buildings.
To date, more than 300 mathematicians from more than 30 states will be on campus that weekend, sharing results and ideas on topics ranging from financial mathematics to algorithmic methods in algebra.
Research from 12 MTSU math faculty members will be presented at the meeting, and nine of the special topic sessions have been organized or co-organized by MTSU math faculty. In all, 17 members of the math department will be presenting, hosting special sessions or serving on the organizing committee.
They include Drs. Michaele Chappell, Curtis Church, Wandi Ding, James Hart, Don Hong, Jason Johnson, Abdul Khaliq, Jacob Klerlein, Rong Luo, Yuri Melnikov, Diane Miller, Don Nelson, Terrence Quinn, Zachariah Sinkala, Chris Stephens, Xiaoya Zha and Ping Zhang.
The AMS is the largest professional organization for research mathematicians in the country.
To host a regional meeting, universities must have organizing committees apply to the AMS several years in advance. The organizing committee must propose or solicit engaging topics for special sessions, provide evidence that the sessions will attract speakers and show that the university has sufficient resources and facilities to provide a pleasant environment for the participants.
MTSU was one of several southeastern universities applying for the November meeting. While location played a role, MTSU was selected primarily because of the number and diversity of the special topic sessions proposed.
For specific information about the meeting, please visit the AMS Web site at www.ams.org.
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Photo Page 7 |
A bit of Fellowship
INAUGURATING THE NEW CLASS-Nobel economics laureate and MTSU alumnus Dr. James M. Buchanan, third from right, joins the celebration of the inaugural class of the Buchanan Fellows, the new University Honors College program for 20 incoming freshmen that includes four years' paid tuition, special seminars and academic opportunities. The Buchanan Fellowship is the highest award given to entering freshmen at MTSU. Joining Dr. Buchanan in cutting the cakes are MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, center, and, from left, Buchanan Fellows Danielle Rutherford, Nellery Marty, Jordan Cox and Colby DeHart, Honors College Board of Visitors Chairman (and Dr. Buchanan's nephew) Jeff Whorley, Buchanan Fellow Elizabeth Henegar, Liz Bradley (Dr. Buchanan's sister), and Buchanan Fellows Aaron Scherer, Michelle Ebel, Chelsea Curtis, Jessica Taylor, Robert Smith, Jonathan Siler and Taffeta O'Neal. Not pictured are inaugural Buchanan Fellows Alex Blackwelder, Robert Bridges, Meghan Davis, Aaron Larson, Rick Skelley, Jordan Timmons and Andrew Trivette. For more on the Buchanan Fellowships, visit honors.web.mtsu.edu/buchanan_fellows.htm.
photo by Jack Ross |
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
People Around Campus: Voter volunteer works to ensure voice for all
by Gina E. Fann
Among the T-shirt vendors, CD kiosks and water stations, Jennifer Kirk is armed with the one thing all concertgoers really need-voter registration information.
Kirk, who is assistant director of MTSU's Student Unions and Programming Office, just returned from The Echo Project, a three-day Atlanta music and environmental festival, where she again joined other volunteers with HeadCount, a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization devoted to voter registration and participation in democracy.
As a voter volunteer since 2004, Kirk has braved the traffic, crush and heat of several music festivals and concerts, including Bonnaroo, and helped set a record during the Dave Matthews Band's 2004 tour, when HeadCount registered a record 12,000 new voters.
"That was pretty memorable," Kirk says now with a grin. "We registered about 250 people at one concert, and a big chunk of that tally was people who registered to vote in Middle Tennessee."
Voting has always been a priority for the 2003 mass communication grad. Her parents encouraged her to take part in the democratic process, so when she moved from Oklahoma to attend MTSU, one of the first things she finalized was her absentee-voting paperwork. When she decided to stay in Middle Tennessee, Kirk says, it was a simple process to finalize the paperwork that allowed her to vote in local elections in her new home.
"It baffles me that so many people think, and say, that their votes don't make a difference," she says. "They certainly do. Even if it doesn't change the outcome, your vote is always necessary."
That philosophy is what led Kirk to begin her volunteer efforts with HeadCount, spending weekends and even taking vacation days from work to ensure that others have the opportunity to cast their ballots and make their views known. She became HeadCount's Middle Tennessee team leader, organizing 20 volunteers to cover concerts, events and gatherings across the region. The organization's goal for 2008 is to register 200,000 new voters across the United States.
"I got involved because I was sick of hearing myself gripe about things and how I thought they ought to change," Kirk says. "HeadCount is nonpartisan in its work. I don't care what your party preference is; I just want people to take an active part in being a citizen of this country.
"It's interesting to be in the middle of things during these shows," she continues. "You get set up and start talking with people, and then other people stop by and tell you that you helped them register previously and they've actually received their (voter registration) cards. That's pretty rewarding."
She also ensures that voter registration information is always available at the Keathley University Center's information desk, which is located just outside her office. Students and visitors with questions quickly learn that registering to vote in Tennessee is quite simple.
"You just have to register at least 30 days before an election," Kirk explains. "If you live on campus and are from out of state, or even if you're from another county in Tennessee, you can request an absentee ballot. A lot of people need to update their address information and make sure it's current, especially if you intend to vote in Rutherford County. It only takes a second."
For more information about voting in Tennessee, visit tennessee.gov/sos/election/outlines.htm. To ensure that you can vote in the upcoming presidential preference primary on Feb. 8, you'll need to be registered before Monday, Jan. 7. Information specific to Rutherford County voting can be found at www.rutherfordcountytn.gov/election. And for more information about HeadCount's work, visit www.headcount.org.
Photo page 8 |
ADDRESS PLEASE?-Jennifer Kirk helps to register another voter at the HeadCount table during the recent Echo Project music festival in Atlanta.
photo courtesy Sam Katz |
Photo page 8 |
TAKING THE REINS-MTSU history graduate student Sarah Elizabeth Hickman, above left, is joined by Ray Schnittker of Blue Chip Farms in Wallkill, N.Y., as they take Jagger Blue Chip for a turn around the track at the Harness Racing Hall of Fame and Museum in Goshen, N.Y. At left is the focus of her thesis, Edwin Franklin "Pop" Geers of Columbia, Tenn., whose gift with harness racing has gone largely unrecognized.
photos submitted
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The Record, October 22, 2007, V16.09
Campus Calendar
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Campus Calendar October 22 - November 4
TV Schedule
"Middle Tennessee Record"
Cable Channel 9: Monday-Sunday, 5 p.m.
NewsChannel 5+: Sundays, 1:30 p.m.
Visit www.mtsunews.com for other cable outlet airtimes.
Every Wednesday
Gender Circles
Weekly conversations on diversity, emphasizing gender issues
1-3 p.m., JUB 206
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.
Monday, Oct. 22
MTSU Jazz Combos
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Wednesday, Oct. 24
World Percussion Ensemble
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Thursday, Oct. 25
Free Legal Clinic
sponsored by the June Anderson Women's Center with support from the Rutherford-Cannon County Bar Association
7-9 p.m., JUB 206
Open to all MTSU personnel; appointments required
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.
Friday, Oct. 26
Project Help's Annual Family Fall Festival
10 a.m., 206 N. Baird Lane
For information, contact: 615-898-2458.
MT Soccer Senior/Parents Weekend: Women's Soccer vs. Denver
7 p.m., Blue Raider Field
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2450.
MT Volleyball vs. Florida Atlantic
7 p.m., Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-904-8115.
Saturday, Oct. 27
Contest of Champions
10 a.m., Jones Field;
finalists compete at 7:15 p.m.
For ticket information, contact: 615-898-2103.
Blue Raider Football @ North Texas
6 p.m., Denton, Texas
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2103.
MT Volleyball vs. Florida International
7 p.m., Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-904-8115.
Sunday, Oct. 28
"MTSU On the Record-Judge Fogg"
Guest: Randy O'Brien
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast available at www.mtsunews.com or via iTunes subscription.
MT Soccer Senior/Parents Weekend: Women's Soccer vs. North Texas
1 p.m., Blue Raider Field
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2450.
MTSU Concert Chorale/ Middle Tennessee Choral Society
3 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
Admission: $10 general, $9 seniors and non-MTSU students; MTSU students and staff admitted free
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Monday, Oct. 29
Our Friends: Our Selves Bookclub
featured book: Golden Mountain by Irene Kai
3:30-4:30 p.m., JUB 206
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.
Faculty Clarinet Recital: Todd Waldecker
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Tuesday, Oct. 30
Faculty Jazz Trumpet Recital: Jamey Simmons
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Oct. 31-Nov. 2
Third International Conference on Cultural Diversity: "Bridging the Gaps"
Oct. 31: MTSU campus; Nov. 1-2, Millennium Maxwell House Hotel, Nashville
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~cdinit or contact: 615-898-5975.
Wednesday, Oct. 31
Student Composition Recital: Studio of Paul Osterfield
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Thursday, Nov. 1
Faculty Recital: Deanna Little, flute, and Jerry Reed, piano
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Nov. 2-3
MTSU Theatre and Dance: "Romeo & Juliet" by William Shakespeare
7:30 p.m., Tucker Theatre
For information, contact: 615-898-2640.
Friday, Nov. 2
First Friday Star Party
Dr. Eric Klumpe, "Gallactic Collisions"
6:30-8:30 p.m., WPS Room 102
For information, contact: 615-898-2483.
MT Volleyball vs. South Alabama
7 p.m., Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-904-8115.
Saturday, Nov. 3
MTSU Brass Performance Clinic
8 a.m., Wright Music Building; 7:30 p.m., Brass Band of Huntsville, Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Blue Raider Football @ Louisiana-Monroe
6 p.m., Monroe, La.
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2103.
MT Volleyball vs. Troy
7 p.m., Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-904-8115.
Sunday, Nov. 4
"MTSU On the Record-Women Mystics"
Guest: Rabbi Rami Shapiro
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast available at www.mtsunews.com or via iTunes subscription.
Delta Omicron Formal Musicale
7 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Calendar Items Welcomed
Submit your campus event calendar items (at least three weeks in advance of the event, please) to gfann@mtsu.edu. Thanks!
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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