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  November 5, 2007, V16.10
Go Blue! Homecoming features salute to armed forces
by Randy Weiler
Students, alumni and veterans' groups are working feverishly to prepare for "A Red, White and Blue Raider Salute"--the theme for MTSU's 2007 homecoming activities.
The theme is a tie-in for the combined homecoming and Salute to Armed Forces, which will be held Saturday, Nov. 10, at various venues on and off campus.
There will be events before and after the 2:30 p.m. Sun Belt Conference football game between the Blue Raiders and visiting Louisiana-Lafayette.
"Rather than having two separate celebrations, we decided to tie everything together and just make it one huge event," said Mark Murphy, the Student Government Association's homecoming director. "We will be honoring our nation's men and women who have or are currently serving in the United States military. Each student group has a patriotic or military theme to base their floats on for the parade, as well as other events."
Months of planning will culminate with the week's festivities, which will include a homecoming parade, Mixer on Middle Parade-Watching Party, veterans and armed forces picnic and memorial service, golf tournament, game-day tailgating, reunions, Chili Cook-Off, Tent City and more.
"We hope all faculty and staff will join us for the most family-friendly homecoming to date," said Michelle Stepp, Office of Alumni Relations associate director. "Everyone should experience campus on homecoming day! There's an excitement in the air of friends both old and new coming back to campus to share in the fun.
"Everything is bigger than ever this year. The parade is bigger, the tailgating is more fun and family-friendly than ever, and our event, the Mixer on Middle Parade-Watching Party, will grow to more than 500 people this year! We encourage everyone to come out and enjoy a great atmosphere and, more importantly, to honor our armed forces."
Dr. Bob Womack (B.S. '48), professor in MTSU's Department of Educational Leadership, will serve as parade grand marshal. Baby Raiders and their parents are encouraged to walk in the parade, which will begin on Maney Avenue, turn onto East Main Street, turn again onto Middle Tennessee Boulevard and end at Greenland Drive.
There likely will be strong competition again in both the Chili Cook-Off Nov. 9 and Tailgate Contest starting at noon Nov. 10.
The alumni relations staff is excited about its second Mixer on Middle Parade-Watching Party, with breakfast and drinks ($10) for all ages.
Chris Young, a former MTSU student who was the 2006 Nashville Star winner and an RCA recording artist, will sing the national anthem.
For more information, call 1-800-533-6878 or visit www.mtalumni.com.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
MTSU endowment growth 'remarkable'
by Tom Tozer
The MTSU endowment ranks right up there with the endowment at Harvard University, in one aspect anyway--overall performance.
While Harvard's endowment is in the billions ($34.9 billion) and MTSU's is in the millions ($34.9 million), both funds enjoyed a similar proportional increase during the past fiscal year.
MTSU's jump from $29.8 million to its current figure is the result of a lot of hard work, smart asset management and, as Joe Bales, vice president of development and university relations, confirms, signifies that the MTSU Foundation is in excellent shape.
"The Foundation really has had remarkable growth over the last two years," Bales noted. "For 2005-06, we had asset value appreciation of more than 13 percent. Add to that the gifts we received that year, and the total growth of our endowment put us in the top 25 percent of colleges and universities in the nation."
Bales added that this accomplishment occurred during a period when there was a significant decrease nationwide in the percentage of alumni who contributed to their alma mater, especially among public universities.
"We went the other way," Bales said. "We've had a slow but steady increase. Even though we leveled off some last year, over the past few years we have seen an increase in alumni participation and an increase in total donors. I believe that's a sign that people are confident in what's going on at this university--and it's worth a personal investment."
While MTSU alumni giving is up, Bales also attributes the Foundation's impressive report card to knowledgeable people who serve on the board.
"The Foundation board and its finance committee, as well as the professional fund manager whom we utilize, all work together well and try to maximize what this endowment can bring to this university," he explained. "The other factor is that a couple of years ago, the board changed strategically the way it managed the endowment. They looked at ways to stabilize the way we provided funds to the academic units and to balance the need for pay-out with the need to grow the endowment."
More than a $1 million a year is now pumped into academic units in earnings from the endowment, which appear in the form of scholarships, faculty awards and student-support programs. Bales said the way MTSU manages its endowment and directs its fundraising programs mirrors the practices of the best colleges and universities in the nation.
"To cultivate more donors, we have placed development officers in all of the colleges to create a better link between our alumni and friends and their particular areas of interest," Bales said. "When people donate, they can see exactly how that money will be used--they can see the results and understand the impact."
For years, the understanding was that a public university received most of its support from the state, some support from tuition and morsels from contracts and grants. That reality has changed over the last 30 years, Bales noted, with decreasing state support, higher tuition and a slight increase in contracts and grants.
"The fourth pillar that has really had to come into play is private philanthropy," he said. "A lot of people don't view the public university as a philanthropy. We've had to inform and educate our alumni on why we need to ask for money and how their giving can significantly impact an area that is important to them. If someone calls and says he or she would like to give to the university, my first question is, 'What are you interested in? When people can see their money doing something that is important to them, they feel better about it."
Bales emphasized that gifts both large and small fuel the vitality of private support.
"While we welcome and certainly appreciate large gifts, we know that small gifts can meld together and accomplish just as much as a major gift," he said. "We have a member of our staff who utilizes students to call annual donors, because we want those donors to have personal contact from the university. We want people to understand that their dollars make a difference. If we can make people feel proud of their gift, then we have done our job."
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Speech-Hearing-Language clinic turns 38
by Bonnie Bailey
Shelves crammed full of toys line the walls of a hallway behind one of the therapy rooms in the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at MTSU.
Another room holds a bookshelf full of children's books; yet another a small blackboard and a tiny table with little chairs. Closets and offices scattered along the second floor of the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building hold more supplies and learning tools that will be used in therapy sessions with clients.
"We use every inch of space we have!" said Clinic Coordinator Elizabeth Smith.
The 22 clients attending the clinic, mostly children, use these facilities during their therapy sessions with the 24 student clinicians who currently are participating in the clinic's practicum program.
In all, there are eight therapy rooms in the clinic, all of them equipped to allow parents and supervisors to observe.
"Guidelines set by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association state that our students' therapy sessions with the clients must be observed by a supervisor at least 25 percent of the time," Smith said. "Students also must have passed a prerequisite methods course and be at least a junior to participate in the program."
The Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic has been serving clients and allowing student clinicians to gain valuable experience through its clinical practicum program for 38 years, but many at the university are not even aware of its existence.
The clinic allows students majoring in communication disorders, a pre-professional program for speech-language pathology and audiology, to receive hands-on experience with clients.
"We are the only school in the state of Tennessee that has an undergraduate clinical program," Smith said. "We are preparing our majors for graduate school, and clinical experience makes them very competitive at the graduate level."
For the last several years, at least 70 percent of MTSU's communications disorders majors have been accepted into graduate school, said Dr. Kay Garrard, a professor in the discipline. In 2006, 100 percent were accepted.
"Our reputation is very strong in the community," Garrard said.
The clinical practicum is a three-hour class; each week, students spend one hour in clinic class, one hour with supervisors and two hours working with clients.
Clients can be referred to the clinic from a variety of sources, including parents, physicians, school personnel, and self-referrals, said Smith.
"The number of clients we can serve depends on the number of students enrolled in the clinical practicum," Smith said.
"Right now, the waiting list for clients is about two years," added Carolyne Shaw, an executive aide who has been with the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic for 29 years.
In addition to their work on campus, the clinical instructors provide speech-language-hearing screenings in the community as a public service, including hearing screenings for children in first through fourth grades in the Cannon County school system.
The communication disorders major, originally called the speech and hearing major, originated in 1966 as part of the Department of Speech and Theatre and had its first graduates in 1971.
The Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, located in BDA Room 232, is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 615-898-2661 or visit the communications disorders Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~comm_dis.
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Listening for success
HEAR THAT?--Bethany Collins, left, a senior communication disorders major, works with fellow comm major Chelsea Beaty, a sophomore, in the audiology suite at MTSU's Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic.
photo by Andy Heidt
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
In Brief
REST UP TO HELP OUT
MTSU's third blood drive for fall, sponsored by the School of Nursing, is set for Monday, Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building. For information, contact 615-898-2590.
APPLY FOR LECTURE FUNDS
Deadline to apply to the Distinguished Lecture Fund for speaker and event costs for Spring 2008 is Friday, Nov. 16. Visit www.mtsu.edu/~nsfp/fund.htm.
WORK ON YOUR SWING
Tuesday, April 22, is the date for the 2008 Martin Chair of Insurance Golf Tournament at Champions Run Golf Course in Rockvale. Morning and afternoon tournaments are being considered; for information, call 615-898-2673.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
For The Record:
Student Essay Winner--'What it's like to be a nontraditional student'
by Diana Casey
Just getting the courage to go to college later in life is a big step. After making the first step of visiting the school, applying and getting classes scheduled, the challenges do not stop. Even with the challenges, walking across the college campus is an awesome, gratifying experience.
We juggle a full-time job, family and other obligations to make time for school. There are times when we, or at least I, think maybe I bit off more than I can chew. The idea of giving up has crossed many nontraditional students' minds. Then we get an encouraging word from a professor, make a good grade on a test or write an A paper, and our spirits are lifted. We are accomplishing something.
I received my associate's degree at Columbia State Community College. I attended the Williamson County Center of CSCC in Franklin, Tenn. This is a small campus, and I worked there as well. I grew to know and love everyone there: students, faculty and staff. Mrs. Nancy Bass, recreation coordinator at CSCC, advised me to move on to MTSU. Mrs. Bass's title goes a lot further than that. She and her husband both were professors here at MTSU. I knew MTSU would be a big change and an even bigger challenge. With encouraging words from my mentors, family and peers, I put one foot in front of the other, and here I am. Mrs. Bass was right; I love it here at MTSU, too.
Nontraditional students tend to feel that we stick out like a sore thumb. Most students are just out of high school. They grew up with the computer and the TI85 calculator, which gave me nightmares. However, I have made some lasting friendships at CSCC and at MTSU. Most of these friends are younger than I am, but that has not mattered. I have helped them, and they have helped me. One of these young friends, who is the same age as my daughter, helped me get acquainted with the TI85 calculator. In turn, I helped him with English.
Different circumstances in life prevent people from doing some things they would like to do. This is true for the nontraditional student. I have two sons, Shane and Darryl, who have graduated from college. Shane graduated from MTSU. My daughter, Krissy, and I started college at the same time. Thinking back, I wish I could have gotten my degree years ago, but I didn't. I cannot change that now. Life throws you some curves. You just have to keep swinging and try to hit the home run. That's why I am here.
Diana Casey is a senior majoring in electronic media communication and the winner of the 2007 Nontraditional Student Essay Contest, one of the events celebrating Nontraditional Student Week Nov. 4-10. See page 4 for more Nontraditional Student Week events.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Dairy Products Evaluation Team is tops in nation--again!
Through hard work and dedication, MTSU's Dairy Products Evaluation Team is national champion for the second year in a row.
The team traveled to Las Vegas Oct. 13-16 to compete in the National Dairy Products Evaluation Contest against 20 teams from major universities across the United States and Canada and several other countries.
The team, consisting of agribusiness and agriscience students Greg Blankenship, Mack Haynes, Amber Thompson and Dana Dozier, won first-place awards in the milk and "all products" categories, second places in butter and yogurt, and third-place awards for ice cream and cottage cheese, as well as individual honors. The university also received $2,000 for scholarships for students in the School of Agribusiness and Agriscience.
"This is a major accomplishment for these students and the university, and it's possible through the partnership formed several years ago with Randolph Associates in Birmingham, Ala.," said Tim Redd, manager of MTSU's farm laboratory program and adviser for the Dairy Science Club.
"Their support has been invaluable for our students and this program. I think it would be good for us to express our appreciation to Dr. Henry Randolph, Dr. Charles White and Neil Bogart for their support and involvement with the School of ABAS and the university."
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Songspeak merges music, TV at MTSU
by Danielle Harrell
Any student interested in songwriting can get valuable information through a new TV program, "Songspeak," from MTSU's Department of Recording Industry.
This new program of special interest will air on the Education Resource Channel @ Middle Tennessee, Comcast's education access Channel 9.
Each episode of "Songspeak" will feature one or two professional songwriters from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, which is the recording industry department's partner in the program. Most of the ASCAP guests have had at least one Top 10 hit.
The hourlong program focuses on "conversations on the art and craft of songwriting," said Hal Newman, assistant professor of recording industry. Newman was preparing a textbook for the university's new commercial songwriting emphasis when the idea for "Songspeak" began.
ASCAP and RIM originally began collaborating to advise students on songwriting.
"Mentors from ASCAP would critique the students' songs and let them know whether or not they were ready for the market," Newman said. That collaboration, known as "Partners in Craft," led to a full-time concentration within the department for students who want to major in commercial songwriting.
Now Newman, along with John Briggs of ASCAP, selects guests for the TV program by conducting interviews with professional songwriters. Newman also records the interviews for ASCAP and his book. Briggs and Newman, along with Ralph Murphy of ASCAP and Dr. Tom Hutchison, recording industry professor, are responsible for the creation of "Songspeak." Pat Jackson and Jeff Nokes of Audio-Visual Services produce the program.
"We're focusing on the process of writing a song," Newman said. "Once you start with a hook, you know where you're going."
Recording industry professors will co-host the episodes, and RIM students are being encouraged to sign up as audience members for the episodes as they are being taped.
Newman said the program will continue to grow. Currently, 12 episodes are scheduled to air each semester. The program will be reassessed in 2008.
Gail Fedak, Channel 9 station manager, said the episodes will not be interactive since they will be shown tape-delayed, but students are encouraged to attend the tapings.
"You don't always get (programs like this) on commercial channels or even PBS," she said. "It's an educational tool."
The "Songspeak" series premieres Sunday, Nov. 4, at 8 p.m. on ERCMT and will be repeated immediately from 9 to 10 p.m. It will be repeated on Tuesdays from 8 to 10 p.m. The program will be replayed on Thursdays from 1 to 2 p.m. for Rutherford County schools.
New episodes are scheduled to air every Sunday night and follow the same repeat schedule for those who might miss the initial airing. For more information about "Songspeak," visit www.songspeak.net.
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CAMERA READY--Participants in some of the initial tapings of "Songspeak" pose for a photo in MTSU's Forgette Studio in the Learning Resources Center. From left are Rick Hall, owner of Fame Records and producer and engineer for the James LeBlanc project; host Hal Newman, assistant professor of recording industry; at MTSU; Angela Hacker, winner of Nashville STAR 2007; James LeBlanc, who's on Fame Records; alumna and former Miss Tennessee Ashley Eicher, co-host; and ASCAP-Nashville Vice President John Briggs.
photo by Seth Alder/News and Public Affairs
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Survivor/activist to address violence, abuse
by Gina K. Logue
Olga Trujillo, a much-honored activist for preventing abuse of women, children and immigrants, will speak at 4 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 13, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU's James Union Building. Her speech is free and open to the public.
Trujillo, who survived abuse as a child and rape as an adult, is director of programs at Casa de Esperanza in St. Paul, Minn., and founder of O.R.T. Solutions, Inc., a company that works on domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, immigration and human trafficking issues.
Her career began in the U.S. Department of Justice, where she assessed asylum regulations implemented by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. She also oversaw the department's implementation of the Mariel Cuban program.
As general counsel of the Office of Justice Programs, Trujillo led the agency's implementation of the Omnibus Crime Control Act of 1994, including the Violence against Women Act and several immigration provisions.
Later, Trujillo served as legal counsel in the Office for Victims of Crime, urging officials to pursue funding for victims of immigrant crime. Her most recent position at the Justice Department was director of the Special Projects Division of the Office for Victims of Crime, managing an $8 million discretionary grant program for nationwide training on victim issues.
Trujillo has worked as a consultant with several organizations, including Praxis International, the Family Violence Prevention Fund, the Battered Women's Justice Project, the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators, the National Association of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, as well as local and state groups.
She is the recipient of the 2006 Bud Cramer Leadership Award from the National Children's Alliance and is one of the recipients of the 2006 Peace Award from the Sunshine Lady Foundation.
Trujillo's appearance is sponsored by the June Anderson Women's Center at MTSU. For more information, contact the center at 615-898-2193 or jawc@mtsu.edu.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Dec. 1 is priority deadline for merit scholarships
Prospective and returning students seeking merit scholarships and awards for the 2008-09 academic year must submit all their information by the priority deadline of Saturday, Dec. 1, said Tracy Prater, associate director in the Office of Admissions.
Prospective students should submit an admission application, official ACT or SAT test scores and an official transcript to the admissions office. Prater added that information mailed with a Dec. 1 postmark will meet the deadline. After Feb. 15, 2008, additional scholarships and awards may be given pending available funds.
For more information, call admissions at 615-898-2111 or financial aid at 615-898-2830, or visit www.mtsu.edu/~admissn.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Vets' events include award, groundbreaking
by Randy Weiler and Gina K. Logue
Alumnus Ira Bradford "Brad" Miller Sr. of Murfreesboro will be recognized with the Joe Nunley Award during the 26th annual Salute to Armed Forces football game and activities Saturday, Nov. 10, event organizers said.
Miller (B.S. '50), who served the state of Tennessee as a lobbyist and retired as executive vice president of the Tennessee Road Builders Association, will be the 18th recipient of the Nunley Award, said Maj. Chuck Giles, professor of military science at MTSU.
Miller is a World War II veteran of the Pacific Theater, serving there from 1945 to '46, Giles said, adding that a committee that includes past Nunley Award winners selects each year's honoree. Miller and his wife, June (B.S. '51), have four children.
The Salute to Armed Forces, which has been called Salute to Veterans in past years, will be held in conjunction with 2007 Homecoming activities. This year's homecoming theme is "A Red, White and Blue Raider Salute," said Mark Murphy, the 2007 Student Government Association homecoming director.
Salute to Armed Forces activities will include:
• 8:30 a.m.--Veterans Memorial Service and groundbreaking for a permanent "living memorial" veterans' plaza, Tom H. Jackson Building;
• 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.--Salute to Armed Forces Picnic, Kennon Hall of Fame;
• 2:30 p.m.--MTSU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette.
The memorial will honor MTSU faculty, students, staffers and administrators who served their country in the U.S. armed forces from the university's inception in 1911 to the present and beyond. It will be a living memorial constructed in the form of a plaza that can be used equally well for classroom instruction, formal ceremonies or private contemplation.
"We're excited that finally we're going to have a groundbreaking so that veterans and their families can now come to campus and feel that they have a place, a place that recognizes them in some way," said Dr. Robb McDaniel, MTSU Veterans Committee Chairman and associate professor of political science.
The plan, designed by Garry Askew of Bauer/ Askew Architecture PLLC of Nashville, will be on display at the groundbreaking. It includes a bipartite gray granite wall with a polished base and the names of the deceased featured on the north side. The south side will display a constellation of stars and the words "To Support and Defend the Constitution."
Brick pavers, many featuring the names of family members and other loved ones who served their country, will be arrayed in rows between the wall and the Jackson Building, flanked on either side with benches and emblems of the branches of the armed services. A honed gray granite circle inscribed with the MTSU seal will be situated between the pavers and the Jackson Building.
The midday picnic is free for all active-duty military, reservists, veterans and families. The Nunley Award will be presented during the picnic.
Air Force C-130 airplanes will fly above Floyd Stadium just after the national anthem played before the kickoff, Giles said.
Videos of alumni stationed overseas, primarily Iraq and Afghanistan, will be shown on the new video board during breaks in the game, Giles said.
During halftime, as the MTSU Band of Blue performs the anthems of the various branches of the military, veterans and current military personnel will make their way across the field, Giles added.
"The Tennessee Army National Guard will have a number of military vehicles around the stadium and tailgating areas," said Giles, adding that a helicopter, which will land earlier in the day, is expected to be located in the grassy area next to the tennis courts near Middle Tennessee Boulevard and Greenland Drive.
The Tennessee Army National Guard Band will perform in the homecoming parade and picnic, Giles said. For more information, call 615-898-2470, 615-355-0746 or 615-646-0044.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Homecoming calendar filled with fun for alumni, students
Alumni gatherings begin Friday
Week of Nov. 5-10
T-shirt Swap, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Alumni House.
Friday, Nov. 9
• 11 a.m.--Homecoming Golf Tournament, Old Fort Golf Course;
• 4:30 p.m.--Golden Raider Reunion, Kennon Hall of Fame (salutes Class of '57);
• 5:30-7:30 p.m.--Chili Cook-Off, Soccer Complex parking lot;
• 6 p.m.--Phi Chi Alumnae Reunion, Marina's on the Square Italian Restaurant (e-mail bosi2@gmail.com or call 404-406-1566);
• 7:30 p.m.--Alumni Band Concert, T. Earl Hinton Music Hall;
• 7:30 p.m.--NPHC Step Show, Murphy Center (615-898-5812);
• 8-11 p.m.--African American Alumni Council Scholarship Benefit, hosted by Darrell and Gloria Freeman, $25 (reservation required by Nov. 7, 615-898-2922; for information, e-mail vavent@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-2718).
Saturday, Nov. 10
• 8:30 a.m.--Veterans Memorial Service, Tom H. Jackson Building (for information, e-mail rkilpatr@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5223);
• 9 a.m.--Mixer on Middle Parade-Watching Party, Alumni House;
• 10 a.m.--Annual Homecoming Parade (Baby Raiders encouraged to participate);
• 11 a.m.-1 p.m.--Salute to Armed Forces Picnic, Kennon Hall of Fame (features Joe Nunley Award presentation);
• 11:30 a.m.--Iota Tau Alumni Reception, Fairview Building (for information, e-mail dlp2r@mtsu.edu or call 615-556-1110);
• Noon--Tent City, Walnut Grove (participating colleges include graduate studies, liberal arts, business, honors, basic and applied sciences, education and behavioral science and mass communication);
• Noon--Tailgate contest, Walnut Grove, Greenland Drive and RV Row tailgating areas, with lunch provided by ARAMARK;
• 12:30 p.m.--Raider Walk, Blue Horseshoe in Walnut Grove;
• 2:30 p.m.--MTSU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Floyd Stadium;
• 9 p.m.--Al Wilkerson Scholarship Dance, Doubletree Hotel (for information, e-mail vavent@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-2718);
Other activities include Alumni Band Day, Varsity Club Reception (for information, e-mail jsimpson@mtsu.edu) and Alumni Homecoming Queen and Cheerleader reunions.
For more information, visit mtalumni.com or call 1-800-533-6878.
SGA plans busy week for students
Monday, Nov. 5--25-cent refill cups in the Keathley University Center.
Tuesday, Nov. 6--Swap Day at KUC.
Wednesday, Nov. 7--Horse Shoe Competition, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 9--Chili Cook-Off, 5:30 p.m., Soccer Complex parking lot.
NPHC Step Show, 7:30 p.m., Murphy Center (Greek Life, 615-898-5812).
Saturday, Nov. 10
10 a.m.--Homecoming Parade.
Noon--Tailgate competition.
12:30 p.m.--Raider Walk.
2:30 p.m.--MTSU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Floyd Stadium.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Newly tenured, promoted faculty 'exemplary': Gebert
from Staff Reports
Fifty-three newly tenured and promoted MTSU faculty members were recognized at an Oct. 23 reception in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building and commended by Dr. Kaylene Gebert for their "many years of hard work, sacrifice and application of intellect to teaching, research and creative activities and public service."
"We are so impressed with your accomplishments," Gebert, university executive vice president and provost, told the honorees. "The range and quality of your scholarship, your professional activities and your successes with enjoying and educating our students is exemplary. We are so proud of you!"
Newly tenured faculty are:
• Basic and Applied Sciences--Michael D. Allen, W. Warren Gill and Scott T. Handy;
• Business--Jeffrey L. Hamm;
• Education and Behavioral Science--Lisa Sheehan-Smith;
• Liberal Arts--Angela G. Mertig;
• Mass Communication--Joseph L. Akins and Paul Allen.
Newly tenured and promoted faculty are:
• Basic and Applied Sciences--Jessica G. Carter, Vincent A. Cobb, Charles A. Higgins Jr., Rong Luo, Kim C. Sadler and Medha S. Sarkar;
• Business--Charles H. Apigian;
• Education and Behavioral Science--Aimee R. Holt;
• Liberal Arts--Michael J. Arndt, Michael D. Baggarly, Craig S. Cornish, Ida Fadzillah, Jeffery S. Gibson, Deanna R. Little, Theresa M. McBreen; James R. Simmons;
• Mass Communication--Roger W. Heinrich, Jane B. Marcellus;
• James E. Walker Library--Rachel A. Kirk and Mayo B. Taylor.
New promotions include:
• Basic and Applied Sciences--M. Judy Campbell, John P. DiVincenzo, Mary C. Enderson, Judith M. Iriarte-Gross, Paul K. Cline, Jenny L. Sauls;
• Business--Gordon L. Freeman, Jacqueline A. Gilbert;
• Education and Behavioral Science--Deborah G. Belcher, Janet K. Belsky, Michelle E. Boyer-Pennington, Sharon S. Coleman, Dorothy V. Craig, William E. Langston, Dana L. Miller;
• Liberal Arts--W. Craig Carter, Nancy L. Kelker, Alfred Lutz, John W. Maynor, Albert E. Ogden, Robert C. Petersen, Jeremy M. Rich, Allison D. Smith;
• Mass Comm--Paul D. Fischer;
• Walker Library--William K. Black.
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Festive fun
HAPPY FALL, Y'ALL--Students at MTSU's Project Help celebrate the harvest with their families, teachers and staff at the organization's annual Family Fall Festival. At left, student assistant Jacob Smith, a senior, helps Alex Moore, 2, at the festival's "duck pond," while Cynthia Cheak, below left, and Jessica Cheak, 2, accept a goody bag from Project Help secretary-in-disguise Tricia Yeargan.
photos by J. Intintoli |
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Social science symposium slated
by Lisa L. Rollins
Migrations" is the theme of the 16th annual Tennessee Undergraduate Social Science Symposium at MTSU Nov. 15-16, which is expected to attract 800 to 1,000 undergraduates and educators locally and from across the state.
Free and open to the public, the event was designed to encourage student interest in the scientific study of human interaction and foster professional growth, while providing opportunities for the intellectual and social exchange of ideas, said Dr. Vicky MacLean, associate professor of sociology and the event's co-director.
Founded by Dr. Rodger Bates at Lambuth College in Jackson, Tenn., some 30 years ago, the symposium has called MTSU its home since 1993.
"This year's symposium promises to be as exciting as those that have preceded it," MacLean added. "It is clear to us that the developmental experiences of our students lay at the heart of its success."
The event will open Thursday, Nov. 15, with student research paper presentations that will continue throughout the symposium. Although "Migrations" is the central symposium theme, papers may be on any social topic, organizers said.
Dr. Shannon Hodge, assistant professor of anthropology, said, "We are excited about this year's paper competition, because it honors student achievement in independent research and puts us in league with many of the professional conferences in the social sciences, which often feature student paper prizes ... to encourage student research and participation in the professions."
This year, the paper competition will include a first-, second- and third-place award for outstanding papers. To enter the competition, students must submit papers to Hodge at shodge@mtsu.edu no later than Thursday, Nov. 8.
Senior Lynn Funkhouser, president of the university's Anthropology Society, said the undergraduate conference is a valuable opportunity.
"The symposium experience is important for undergraduate students, because it provides us with a forum to present our own research," she explained. "Because the symposium is for undergraduates, the experience is less intimidating than a professional conference, where many of the presenters are the same people writing one's textbooks."
At 1 p.m. Nov. 15 in the James Union Building's Tennessee Room, Dr. Will Leggett, assistant professor of anthropology and one of the event's organizers, will lead a panel discussion on "Immigration in the American South."
Following the panel discussion, the Anthropological Society and the Sociology Club will sponsor a to-be-announced documentary film screening in the Keathley University Center Theater from 4:15 to 6 p.m. No tickets are required.
Dr. Katharine Donato, professor of sociology at Vanderbilt University, will deliver the Nov. 15 keynote address, "Changing Faces, Changing Places: The Emergence of New Immigration Gateways in the United States," at 7 p.m. in the JUB's Tennessee Room. A research fellow at Vanderbilt's Center for Nashville Studies and the Center for the Americas, Donato's research interests focus on topics related to social stratification and demography.
The symposium will conclude Friday, Nov. 16, with additional paper presentations that culminate with a brown-bag luncheon discussion on "Careers in the Social Sciences" at 12:30 in the JUB's Hazelwood Dining Room. Organized by Dr. Craig Carter, assistant professor of sociology, the career panel will feature various alumni, faculty and practicing social scientists and will explore potential career paths for students.
For more information on the annual forum, please contact Connie Huddleston, coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts, at chudd@mtsu.edu or 615-494-7628.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Nov. 8 basketball exhibition game to honor Dr. Todd
from MT Media Relations
MTSU has special activities planned for the men's basketball exhibition game against Lincoln Memorial set for Thursday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. in Murphy Center.
The exhibition contest will include a postgame autograph session with the players and coaches, as well as various giveaways and student contests at halftime; however, the highlight of the evening will be a dedication honoring the late Dr. Aaron Todd, whose inventiveness of "Operation: Full House" spearheaded a single-game attendance record of 11,807 against Western Kentucky.
Ironically, the date of the exhibition game when his memory will be honored is Nov. 8, 2007 (11-8-07). Middle Tennessee will unveil a commemorative seat in Murphy Center where Todd's season tickets were located.
Fans may purchase Middle Tennessee men's basketball tickets by calling the Ticket Office at 1-888-YES-MTSU or 615-898-2103.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Grants integrate women's perspectives into classes
by Gina K. Logue
The President's Commission on the Status of Women at MTSU is accepting applications from faculty for its 2008 Curriculum Integration Grants. Deadline for 2008 grant applications is Feb. 1, 2008.
"The commission is thrilled with the growing interest in the grants in the past few years," Dr. Tina Johnson, PCSW chair and associate professor of English, says. The 2007 grants, which have been awarded to three professors in allocations of $1,800 each, are being used to infuse courses at MTSU with an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of women.
Dr. Jane Marcellus, an assistant professor of journalism, will teach "Women in Journalism History" in the spring semester. The course description in the syllabus reads, in part, "Grounded in the assumption that sex is biologically determined but gender is socially constructed, we will ask how ideas about gender have shaped the field and prescribed both men's and women's roles."
"I got the idea out of teaching journalism history and also just working with women students," Marcellus says. "I really saw a need for role models in a profession that is, by tradition, fairly male-dominated."
Marcellus points to Margaret Fuller, one of the first woman reporters to be hired full-time by a newspaper; Mary Margaret McBride, who fashioned her mother's way of talking to her friends into a radio interview technique; and Nellie Bly, who pretended to be insane to get an insider's view of conditions in an asylum, as examples.
Dr. Karen Petersen, an assistant professor of political science, used her grant to create a version of her "Foundations of Government" general education class that would be applicable in a study-abroad context in Cherbourg, France.
"I would like to, in this class, explore the issue of immigration in France, immigration politics and the way in which women are at the center of that debate," Petersen says.
She notes that Islamic women in France feel they need protection from Western values, and Western women in France feel they need protection from fundamentalist Islam, while other women are caught in the middle with no real power.
"It makes an interesting case study when so many of their neighbors, or at least a lot of their neighbors, have made progress toward enfranchising women structurally ... using quota systems and the like, and France has not been able to do that," Petersen says.
Jeremy Rich, an assistant professor of history, fashioned a 3000-level class on "Women in Africa" to dispel the notion that African women are little more than passive victims on the world stage. He posits that it would be a serious mistake to characterize all African women that way when they have been richly diverse in their achievements.
Rich's course examines the impact of colonization on family life, how African women have coped with economic deprivation and civil war, and the colonial and postcolonial political roles of African women.
Tenured or tenure-track faculty members who wish to pursue the revision of a course, the creation of a new course, the reconceptualization of a current minor or the creation of a new minor are eligible to apply for the next slate of grants.
Each proposal should include a completed grant application form; a brief description of the project; a statement of goals and objectives; a timeline for completion and implementation of the project; a tentative bibliography, including materials on the theories and methods of curriculum integration; and curriculum vitae.
Current recipients are in agreement about the importance of these grants to the expansion of the curriculum and the enlightenment of students.
"I think it's an incentive to do what we all should be doing anyway," Marcellus says, "but it's an incentive to make it happen, and I think it's a proactive step on the university's part to encourage everybody to do that."
"It's quite popular to talk the talk about women's issues and incorporating women's concerns into the curriculum or into higher education policy," Petersen adds. "But for a university to actually put some funds behind that, which is really what it's all about, it makes the difference between me being able to do this and not being able to do this under the workload we already have."
Johnson says the popularity of the grants "shows that there is much interest at MTSU about bringing women's experiences, issues and interests into the classroom."
For more information, contact Johnson at 615-898-2705 or ntjohnso@mtsu.edu.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
eProcurement software ready for January rollout
by Tom Tozer
One year ago, MTSU Procurement Services acquired new, one-stop shopping online software, which five departments are currently testing as a prelude to a campuswide rollout in January.
Sci-Quest e-Procurement Market Place allows vendors to access a Web site and register their contact information and services, which places them in an active database of suppliers. In turn, this provides MTSU with a broader range of choices and an easier way to make purchases.
Officials said MTSU established the partnership with SciQuest primarily because the latter maintains a strategic partnership with SunGard Higher Education, the company that provides the Banner ERP and administrative systems now in use throughout the university.
Departments can shop for goods and services using an electronic shopping cart technology provided by MT$ource, the new name for the SciQuest online shopping service. Those departments already conducting shopping tests of the new program are facilities services, biology, information technology, chemistry and the business office.
"MT$ource was developed as our comprehensive online purchasing solution to improve the campus buying experience," commented Joe Hugh, assistant vice president for procurement services. "MT$ource delivers innovative e-Procurement technologies and shopping features to align MTSU with its suppliers. We like to think of it as your doorway to the world's marketplace."
The new e-Procurement system will provide shoppers with online supplier catalogs, offer opportunities to compare prices, reduce paper-based transactions, allow buyers to track the status of their orders and leverage purchases against bids, grants and contracts, Hugh explained.
For example, registered vendors will be notified of available bid opportunities by e-mail, Hugh said. "The system will reduce the cost of supplies and distribution while increasing the speed of accuracy of the bid process." Bidders without electronic access will still be able to participate.
MT$ource will be unveiled and available to campus users the first of next year, and the MTSU P-Card will be compatible with the software, Hugh said. Hugh added that he and his staff will hold workshops on how to use the new shopping system.
Questions may be directed to Hugh at jhugh@mtsu.edu or Will Pritchett at wpritche@mtsu.edu.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
Gov. Bredesen to offer views at Martin Lectureship
from Staff Reports
The Paul W. Martin Sr. Lectureship will welcome Gov. Phil Bredesen to MTSU on Wednesday, Nov. 7.
The governor's address, "Exploring Issues in Education," will take place at 2 p.m. in the State Farm Lecture Hall of the Business and Aerospace Building. It's open to the campus community and the public.
Elected governor of Tennessee in 2002, Bredesen has continued to make education his top priority. Under his leadership, teachers' salaries have increased, and his focus on the state's pre-K initiative has now expanded that program to include 4-year-olds.
He created the Governor's Books from Birth Foundation, which provides free books every month to children up to 5 years of age and now encompasses all 95 counties in Tennessee. In Bredesen's fourth year in office, education funding rose to a record $366.5 million. He was overwhelmingly reelected in 2006.
The Paul W. Martin Sr. Lectureship was established in 2004 to enhance the stature of the University Honors College at MTSU--and to enrich the relationship between MTSU and the community. Dr. H. Lee Martin, son of Paul W. Martin Sr., funds the Martin Lectureship. The program is sponsored by the University Honors College in collaboration with the colleges of Liberal Arts, Business, Education and Behavioral Science, Basic and Applied Sciences and Mass Communication.
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November 5, 2007, V16.10
People Around Campus
Epilepsy education 101: 'Don't be afraid of it'
by John C. Lynch
There are more than 3 million people in the United States with epilepsy, and 200,000 new cases develop each year. The Epilepsy Foundation of America conducted the first nationwide epilepsy public education campaign in June and July of 1968.The next year, November was declared National Epilepsy Awareness Month.
For many people with epilepsy, the biggest problem is not the disorder itself but society's attitudes. Because epilepsy can be a stigmatized condition, some people shy away from using the word-saying instead that they have seizures or a seizure disorder.
National Epilepsy Awareness Month was established to dispel myths about the condition and educate the public about symptoms and safe ways of dealing with it.
Karen Dunkley, executive aide in the geosciences department, has experienced epilepsy firsthand and said it's not something to be afraid of.
"If you don't have epilepsy and know someone with it, don't be afraid of it," she advised. "People need to know that if it happens in their presence, don't freak out, because it's scary for the person it's happening to and they don't need the added anxiety."
Dunkley said she understands that many people are uncomfortable and unfamiliar with the condition. For a long time, she said, she was hesitant to let people know that she had epilepsy because she "didn't want people feeling sorry for me."
Now, she says, she doesn't have a problem with other people knowing that she has epilepsy.
"Some people may not want others to know about it. It's an individual thing. Most just don't want people feeling sorry for them. My thing is don't worry about people feeling sorry for you. Worry more about your safety and your health. If that means telling people, tell people that you have it."
Last summer, Robert Mott, a junior majoring in broadcast journalism, witnessed a friend having a seizure.
He said it was an unnerving experience.
"I've never seen a seizure except in movies," he recalled, "and it's not like in the movies. This actually scared me quite a bit, because I'd never seen my friend like this. I called the ambulance, then called his mother. She was a lot calmer about it than I was. She said she had had to get used to it, because this had been happening since he was five."
Dunkley's story, as well as Mott's comments, will be featured in the November edition of "Middle Tennessee Record," MTSU's monthly video magazine. To view the show in its entirety, watch Murfreesboro cable Channel 9 (the Educational Resource Channel @ Middle Tennessee) at 5 p.m. seven days a week, or watch Sundays at 1:30 p.m. on NewsChannel5+. The show also is available on YouTube or by visiting www.mtsunews.com.
First-aid tips for epilepsy
• Don't put anything into the mouth of a person having a seizure. You cannot swallow your tongue during a seizure.
• Don't restrain a person who is having a seizure--doing so will make the person more likely to hurt himself.
• Seizures usually stop on their own after a minute or two, but you should call an ambulance if the seizure lasts more than five minutes or occurs in a series. Call an ambulance if the person also has diabetes, is pregnant or is seriously injured.
For more information about epilepsy, visit www.epilepsyfoundation.org.
Photo page 8 |
HARD AT WORK--Karen Dunkley, executive aide in the Department of Geosciences, checks some work at her desk in her Kirksey Old Main office. Dunkley, who has epilepsy, wants to help educate others about the condition so they won't be afraid of it.
photo by News and Public Affairs |
Campus Calendar - November 5, 2007, V16.10
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Campus Calendar Nov. 5-18
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 with emphasis on gender issues
1-3 p.m., JUB 206 (JAWC)
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.
Monday, Nov. 5
Honors Lecture Series: Dr. Patrick Chinnery, "Presidential Campaigning in the Internet Age"
3 p.m., HONR 106
For information, contact: 615-898-2152.
Guest Flute Recital: Lisa Vanarsdel
6 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Women's Basketball vs. Henderson State
7 p.m., Murphy Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2103.
Faculty Bassoon Recital: Maya Stone
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Nov. 6-8
Campus Flu Shot Clinic
co-sponsors: School of Nursing and McFarland Health Services
8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, CKNB 109; appointments preferred, walk-ins OK Cost: $23 (check or cash only)
To make an appointment, e-mail lawrence@mtsu.edu.
Tuesday, Nov. 6
Nontraditional Student Week: Open House for Faculty and Staff
sponsored by Adult Student Services
8 a.m.-6 p.m., KUC 320
For information, contact: 615-898-5989.
JAWC Career/Professional Development Brown Bag:
Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, "You Are What You Eat, Are You?"
Noon, BAS SunTrust Room
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.
Nov. 7-10
MTSU Theatre and Dance: "Romeo & Juliet"
7:30 p.m., Tucker Theatre
For information, contact: 615-898-2640.
Wednesday, Nov. 7
Nontraditional Student Day
sponsored by Adult Student Services
10 a.m.-2 p.m., KUC second floor
For information, contact: 615-898-5989.
Women in Math and Science Poster Display
11 a.m.-2 p.m., KUC Lobby
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.
MTSU Percussion Ensemble
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Nov. 8-10
Holocaust Studies Conference
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~holostu or contact: 615-494-7628.
Thursday, Nov. 8
Retired Faculty/Staff Coffee
9:30-11:30 a.m., Foundation House
For information, contact: 615-898-5756.
Men's Basketball Exhibition Game vs. Lincoln Memorial
honoring the late Dr. Aaron Todd
7 p.m., Murphy Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2103.
Nontraditional Student Week Potluck Dinner
sponsored by Adult Student Services
5:30-7:30 p.m., Tom H. Jackson Building
For information, contact: 615-898-5989.
MTSU Jazz Ensembles
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Friday, Nov. 9
MT Volleyball vs. Western Kentucky
7 p.m., Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-904-8115.
Saturday, Nov. 10
HOMECOMING: Blue Raider Football vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
2:30 p.m., Floyd Stadium
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2103.
Sunday, Nov. 11
"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.
Monday, Nov. 12
American Red Cross Blood Drive
sponsored by the School of Nursing
10 a.m.-4 p.m., Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building
For information, contact: 615-898-2590.
Nurses/Health Care Professionals Career Day
10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Tennessee Room, James Union Building
For information, contact: 615-898-2500.
Honors Lecture Series: Dr. Steve Howard, "Life Science in the Digital Age"
3 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.
Dave Hickey: "Artfair Culture: Playing Fair without the Referee"
7 p.m., BAS State Farm Room
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-904-8386.
Faculty Recital: Christine Isley-Farmer, voice; Deanna Little, flute; and Leopoldo Erice, piano
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Wednesday, Nov. 14
Tornado Siren Test Date
11:15 a.m., campuswide
For information, contact: 615-898-2424.
Employee Charitable Giving Campaign pledge form deadline
4:30 p.m., Cope 207
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/givemtsu or contact: 615-898-2828.
MTSU Flute Choir/MTSU Clarinet Choir
7 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Women's Basketball vs. Tennessee Tech
7 p.m., Murphy Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2103.
Nov. 15-17
Men's Basketball: First Shot Exempt Tournament
Nov. 15 vs. Lincoln Memorial; Nov. 16 vs. Lipscomb; Nov. 17 vs. Appalachian State
7 p.m. daily, Murphy Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2103.
MTSU Theatre's Student-Directed Studio Series: An Evening of Student-Written Short Plays
"Intervention" by Jayme Smith and "Marcus Eardus in The West" by Will Fancher
7:30 p.m., BDA Studio Theatre
For information, contact: 615-898-2640.
Thursday, Nov. 15
Women's Studies Research Series: Cindy Rehm, "Spontaneous Bleeding: The Performative Video Works of Cindy Rehm"
3 p.m., JUB 100
For information, contact: 615-898-5282.
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.
Jazz Artist Series: Saxophonist Greg Osby
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
Admission: $15 general public, students and staff admitted free
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Friday, Nov. 16
Jazz Concert
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Saturday, Nov. 17
MTSU Bassoon Studio Recital
3 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.
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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