|
Forensic scientist to lecture on human rights
by Casey Brown
One of the world's preeminent forensic scientists will visit MTSU when renowned anthropologist Dr. Clyde Snow delivers a lecture on human rights on Wednesday, March 26.
The free public lecture, sponsored by the Forensic Institute for Research and Education, or FIRE, will be held in the State Farm Room of the Business and Aerospace Building at 6 p.m.
Snow will speak about his experiences working with the Kurdish people of northern Iraq and his testimony in the trial of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Snow's field work has taken him around the world to work on mass gravesite excavations in nations like Argentina, Ethiopia, Croatia, the Philippines, Guatemala and Yugoslavia.
"Dr. Snow is one the highest-profile forensic anthropologists in the world," said Dr. Hugh Berryman, anthropology professor and director of FIRE.
The lecture is the third in an ongoing series, "Legends of Forensic Science," facilitated by FIRE. The organization, which was founded in March 2007, previously brought two other luminaries to campus as part of the lectureship. Last March, Dr. William "Bill" Bass, founder of the famous "Body Farm" at the University of Tennessee, lectured on "Interesting Forensic Cases from the Past." And last October, Dr. Douglas Owsley, head of physical anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution, spoke on forensic cases involving the Chesapeake region of the 17th century.
The latest addition to the lectureship series, Snow has an impressive resume of his own. He was responsible for the skeletal confirmations of the remains of John F. Kennedy, Gen. George Custer and King Tutankhamen, among others.
Along with the lectureship, Berryman and FIRE play an instrumental role in furthering forensic science at MTSU. The organization provides practical education and training for students and faculty in several scientific specialties and fosters research collaboration among faculty. Not to be forgotten, of course, are the students.
"I try to incorporate students whenever I can," Berryman said.
Once such vehicle of student involvement is the relatively new Forensic Anthropology Search and Rescue Team, or FASR. As a volunteer group, FASR students assist law enforcement with recovery and documentation of remains from crime scenes. Only 10 students each year are selected to be a part of the group via an application process.
Berryman said he hopes that groups such as FIRE and FASR will continue to attract more attention. One way to gain notoriety on campus and in the community, he said, is to host speakers as notable and influential as Snow.
"Internationally, he is as well-known and well-respected as anyone," Berryman said. For more information, contact berryman@mtsu.edu.
Gore, Wikipedia founder joining Internet event
from Staff Reports
Nobel Peace Prize Winner Al Gore will be joined by speakers such as Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales, author Cass Sunstein, First Amendment advocate John Seigenthaler and The New York Times' Jonathan Landman at a Thursday, March 27, event at MTSU that explores the First Amendment and the Internet.
"Accuracy, Privacy and the World Wide Web: The First Amendment and the Internet" is free and open to the public. The event, sponsored by MTSU's John Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies, will be held in the Keathley University Center Theater.
"I am thrilled that Al Gore will be able to join us in this very important discussion about the Internet," said Beverly Keel, director of the Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence. "The Internet is the new century's wild, wild West, an ever-changing world not bound by laws that apply to conventional broadcast and print media. We will examine the current Internet landscape, its evolution and effect on public and private figures. We will discuss how traditional concepts of the First Amendment have transitioned into the cyber age of blogs, YouTube and chat rooms."
At 9:45 a.m., the daylong event will begin with Sunstein, author of "Republic.com 2.0," who will discuss the Internet's effect on democracy and self-government.
At 10:25 a.m., veteran journalist Seigenthaler will reveal his personal experiences with Wikipedia in "The Wonderful World of Wikipedia: Sinbad, Fuzzy Zoeller, Ann Coulter and Me."
At 11:25 a.m., Wikipedia founder Wales will discuss "The Future of Free Culture: Challenges, Changes, and Opportunities."
At 1 p.m., former Vice President Gore, a visiting distinguished professor at MTSU, will share his observations about the Internet. As both an early and longtime proponent of the Internet and frequent subject of Internet blogs and news reports, he has a unique perspective on this technology.
At 1:45 p.m., Wales and Seigenthaler will join Gore for an hourlong roundtable discussion.
At 4:20 p.m., a panel discussion will address bloggers, online defamation and the Internet's impact on mainstream journalism. The panelists are Sunstein; Robert Cox, president, Media Bloggers Association; Dr. Karen B. Dunlap, president of The Poynter Institute; Landman, deputy managing editor of the Times; and attorney Charles Sizemore, who represents a couple who filed a lawsuit against bloggers for libel and invasion of privacy.
At 6 p.m., the "Frontline" documentary "Growing Up Online" will be shown. It will be followed by a panel discussion, "The Internet and Your Child: What Parents Need to Know," featuring educators and students. (See story above right for more details.)
For more information, contact Keel at 615-898-5150 or bkeel@mtsu.edu.
Learn about kids' Internet usage
It's 8 p.m. Do you know what Web site your child is reading?
On Thursday, March 27, MTSU will present "The Internet and Your Child: What Parents Need to Know," an evening panel discussion designed to provide parents with the facts they need to raise children in the Internet age.
The free public event will be held in Room 121 of the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building. It's part of the symposium "Accuracy, Privacy and the World Wide Web: The First Amendment and the Internet," which is sponsored by MTSU's John Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies.
At 6 p.m., the "Frontline" documentary "Growing Up Online" will be shown. The film will be followed by the panel discussion on "The Internet and Your Child."
Dr. Becky Alexander, MTSU assistant professor of education, will moderate the panel, which will include Anna Benson of Metro Nashville Public Schools as well as a representative from Nashville's Harpeth Hall and several high-school students.
Alexander will be joined by her son, Eldridge, a senior at Riverdale High School, who can provide a first-person report about teens and the Internet. He owns his own business, EZap Technology (www.ezaptechnology.com), and is regularly called for consulting on equipment purchases and multimedia presentations.
For more information, contact Beverly Keel at 615-898-5150 or bkeel@mtsu.edu.
Scholars Week '08 showcases busy year
Scholars Week 2008 begins Monday, March 31, with an 11:30 a.m. kickoff in the James E. Walker Library Quad and ends Friday, April 4, with faculty and student poster presentations from 12:40 to 3:30 p.m. in Murphy Center.
Other performances and presentations throughout the week, sponsored by MTSU's colleges and academic centers, will showcase work being done in these units. Each event will recognize the range and variety of scholarly research and creative activity taking place on the MTSU campus.
"These activities are basic to the work of the university," says Dr. Bob Petersen, professor of English and member of the Scholars Week planning committee. "But a lot of what our colleagues and students do in these areas is invisible to the rest of us."
In addition to both faculty and graduate and undergraduate student presenters, other members of the campus community can participate by attending both the April 4 poster session and the various college-sponsored events.
A link to poster abstracts can be found at www.mtsu.edu/~research/approvedabstracts.pdf.
Additional information, especially about how faculty can incorporate Scholars Week events into course activities, can be found on the Web site for the Undergraduate Research Center.
The schedule of events for Scholars Week 2008 is available on the Web at www.mtsu.edu/~research/scholarsweek.html and is as follows:
Monday, March 31
Scholars Week Kickoff: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Library Quadrangle.
• 11:30 a.m.: Salsa music.
• Noon: Comments by Drs. Kaylene Gebert, executive vice president and provost, and Michael Allen, vice provost for research. Refreshments will be served. For information, contact Allison McGoffin at 615-898-2953.
Featured College: Business
• Poster Session: 2-3 p.m., south lobby of Business and Aerospace Building. For information, contact Dr. Jeff Hamm at 615-904-8305.
Featured College: Mass Communication
• "Thirty Ways of Looking at Hillary Clinton," Susan Morrison: 12:40-1:40 p.m., Keathley University Center Theater. For information, contact Beverly Keel at 615-898-5150.
Tuesday, April 1
Featured College: Basic and Applied Sciences
• Hands-On Learning Showcase: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., KUC Knoll (rain location: KUC first- and second-floor lobbies). For information, contact Dr. Saeed Foroudastan at 615-494-8786.
Wednesday, April 2
Featured College: Liberal Arts
• Talks, Panels and Performances. For information, contact Dr. Mark Byrnes at 615-898-2351.
Thursday, April 3
Featured College: Education and Behavioral Science
• Life's Major Questions Luncheon: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Hazlewood Dining Room; $5 advance tickets. For information, contact Dr. Will Langston at 615-898-5489.
Friday, April 4
• Universitywide Poster and Multimedia Exposition: 12:40-2:45 p.m., Murphy Center Track Area; 3-3:30 p.m., presentation awards ceremony with Gebert presiding. Refreshments will be served. For information, contact Dr. Wassimuddin Qureshi at 615-898-5005.
SCHOLARLY CHAT--MTSU junior Kristy Stanislav discusses her poster on "Overload of the Solid Support Regent" with sophomore Alexis Schaible at the 2007 Scholars Week poster exhibit in the James Union Building. Scholars Week 2008 events are scheduled March 31-April 3.
SPICY MUSIC--The MTSU Salsa Band plays on the Library Quad during the 2007 Scholars Week kickoff. Performing are, from left, Tony Hartman on piano, David Walker on timbales, Josh Yohe on saxophone, Lisa Atcher on trumpet, Leonard Walker on saxophone and Courtney Mosley on trombone. The band's latest lineup is set to showcase its talent at the 2008 Scholars Week kickoff Monday, March 31 at 11:30 a.m.
file photos by J. Intintoli
In Brief: PROTECT YOURSELF WITH RAD
A series of six Rape Aggression Defense, or RAD, classes will be offered free every Thursday beginning March 27 through May 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the MTSU Police training room, located at 1412 E. Main St. The RAD class is open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff and the general public, and a workbook will be provided. For more information or to enroll, call MTSU RAD Instructor David Smith at 615-898-2424.
CORRECTION: Dr. Phil Mathis's title was incorrect in "Science prodigy Barnes reaps USA Today honor" on page 8 of the March 10 issue of The Record. Mathis is dean of the University Honors College.
For the Record:
Acts of kindness from an MTSU stranger
by Kimberly Davis Harper
If you remember, March 7 was the night that Murfreesboro received the most snow it had seen in five years. The evening began with everyone rushing to get to the grocery store, video store or their homes before the sleet and snow started to fall.
It was around 5:15 in the evening, and I had just picked up my son from preschool. I started to turn onto Northfield Boulevard (right by the Hollywood Video store) when my SUV spun around and slammed into the median of the road. Thankfully, my son and I were okay. However, one of the tires on the truck hit the median so hard that it knocked the tire off the rim, and I was stranded. I was able to drive the vehicle a few feet into the parking lot of the video store so that I would be safely out of harm's way.
I still needed to pick up my other son from his elementary school, and it was obvious I wasn't going to make it. It was raining and freezing cold outside. It was the worst possible conditions to have to change a flat tire.
I immediately called my parents, who live in Murfreesboro, and my dad went to pick up my son and then came over to where I was stranded. My father is in his 60s and was not going to be able to change the tire for me. In the meantime, I called my husband, and he left work and was going to swing by the house to change clothes and then head over to help.
While my dad and I sat there with my two kids, waiting on my husband to show up, an MTSU student came over to ask if he could help us. We told him that my husband was on the way. He said, "Well, there is no use in you just sitting here," and he insisted on helping. I asked him, "Don't you have something to do tonight?" and he politely said, "Not really." This student stayed and helped get the tire changed, even after my husband showed up. I don't have to remind you how cold it feels when it's raining and the temperature is in the 30s and dropping. Quite honestly, I didn't want to be out in that weather, and it was my truck and my problem.
While we were standing out in the cold, I noticed that this kind stranger had someone waiting in the car for him. I mentioned this, but he still insisted that it was okay and that he was happy to help.
When the tire was changed and we were ready to be on our way, I offered the young man some money for his time and assistance. After all, why else would he have taken time out of his life to help? He was a college student, and he could use some extra cash, right? Well, I was wrong. This college student was simply doing a kind deed.
In a time where we are hearing about numerous murders in Rutherford County and when we are suspicious of everyone we encounter, isn't it refreshing to know that there are still kind people out there that truly want to help out a neighbor in need?
My family and I would like to thank the MTSU student who came to our aid. We appreciate you taking time out of your busy life to help us change our tire on a cold and rainy night. You set a great example for my children, and I hope they grow up to be as selfless as you have.
Good luck in your future endeavors, and may God bless you.
Sincerely,
An MTSU alumna and mother of two
Kimberly Davis Harper is a 1993 alumna of MTSU who resides in Murfreesboro with her husband, Rusty, and their two boys.
Blue Raiders announce 2008 football schedule
from MT Media Relations
The first prime-time national broadcast by ESPN from Floyd Stadium highlights the 2008 Middle Tennessee football schedule as announced March 10 by Director of Athletics Chris Massaro.
The Blue Raiders will host defending conference champion Florida Atlantic on ESPN2 on Tuesday, Sept. 30, in what will be promoted as "Black-Out" night. Fans will be encouraged to purchase official "Black-Out" T-shirts, which are scheduled to be available in late spring when the final design has been approved. It will mark the sixth national broadcast for the Blue Raiders under Rick Stockstill and the first by ESPN or ESPN2 from Floyd Stadium.
"We have had several games on national television, but there is something different about playing that type of game at home," Massaro said. "This provides an opportunity for Middle Tennessee to showcase our fans, facilities, football program and the Sun Belt Conference to the potential (student and student-athlete) prospects who may be watching."
An impressive home schedule will see the Blue Raiders take on conference foe Troy on Thursday night to begin the 2008 slate, followed by back-to-back contests against bowl teams Maryland and Florida Atlantic. The Blue Raiders will also entertain Louisiana-Monroe, who upset Alabama last year, and North Texas, which had the nation's 18th-ranked passing offense a year ago.
"When I was hired at Middle Tennessee, one of the important topics for me was to upgrade our home schedule," Massaro said. "I believe we have steadily worked toward this goal. This season's home schedule is one I believe our fans will enjoy."
Middle Tennessee's nonconference schedule has a Southeastern Conference flair but also will see the Blue Raiders taking on the Atlantic Coast and Big East conferences. Along with the ACC's Maryland, the Blue Raiders will travel to 2007 Music City Bowl champion Kentucky on Sept. 13 for the second meeting in school history.
The Blue Raiders will stay in Kentucky for their next out-of-conference contest when they head to Louisville Oct. 18 to face the Cardinals at Papa John's Stadium. It will mark the third straight year the two teams have faced each other and the first time on a Saturday. The very next week, Middle Tennessee will battle 2007 Liberty Bowl champion Mississippi State in Starkville--the third meeting overall between the Blue Raiders and Bulldogs and the first since 2000.
Middle Tennessee will conclude its nonconference schedule and tour through neighboring Kentucky when it takes on rival Western Kentucky Nov. 15. The game will mark the Blue Raiders' first trip to Bowling Green since the 1991 season.
Along with conference road dates against Arkansas State Sept. 20 and Florida International Oct. 11, the Blue Raiders will complete the regular season Dec. 3 at Louisiana-Lafayette. That Wednesday-night special will air on ESPN Regional.
"One of the things I like about our schedule is that we play our first two games at home, and that has not happened here since 1972," head Coach Rick Stockstill said. "I also think it is great for our fans that we play 10 of our 12 games within an easy driving distance, so we will be able to get a lot of support on the road.
"It is a challenging schedule that presents us with a lot of opportunities, and we look forward to getting things started in August."
Schedule notes include:
• Middle Tennessee will face four bowl teams from a year ago, including three bowl champs (Kentucky, Mississippi State, Florida Atlantic).
• The Blue Raiders will play games on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday in 2008.
• The Troy game will mark the fourth Thursday-night home game for the Blue Raiders since Massaro became athletic director.
• The Dec. 3 contest at Louisiana-Lafayette will match the latest date for a regular season game (Dec. 3 at Florida International in 2005);
• The Blue Raiders' a fan-friendly schedule includes just two games that are more than 241 miles from Murfreesboro (Florida International and Louisiana-Lafayette).
For updates, visit www.goblueraiders.com.
Spring '08 brings special speakers to campus:
Windham series guest will focus on Mercer music
by Danielle Harrell
Distinguished author Dr. Phillip Furia, chair of the Department of Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, will be the guest speaker on Thursday, April 10, at 5 p.m. in the T. Earl Hinton Hall in MTSU's Wright Music Building for the 2008 Windham Lecture Series.
"Skylark: The Life and Times of Johnny Mercer" is the title of Furia's book and the topic of the lecture. According to Furia, it will be "more of a mini-show than a lecture."
Becky Windham, daughter of Dr. William and the late Westy Windham, for whom the lecture series is named, will sing chosen songs of Mercer accompanied on the piano by Dr. Geoffrey Haydon of Georgia State University.
"One of the things I want to talk about is that Johnny Mercer was the only songwriter of that era to come from the South," said Furia, noting that two other popular songwriters of the mid-1930s to the mid-'50s, George Gershwin and Oscar Hammerstein, were both from New York and of Jewish backgrounds.
"As a Southerner, he (Mercer) brought a difference to the lyrics he wrote," Furia continued. "He was more influenced by nature and the landscape. Mercer loved to sit outside the black churches and listen to the choirs sing."
The renowned songwriter, who recorded self-penned hits as well as singing others' tunes, also listened to Louis Armstrong and Ma Rainey.
"Mercer was more influenced as a kid growing up in Savannah," Furia said, adding that Gershwin and Hammerstein were more affected by the city life that surrounded them.
Furia explained that Mercer was primarily a lyricist and couldn't even read music. The music was usually written first for Mercer, Furia said, adding that the process of writing lyrics for music is like working a crossword puzzle. "The music is there. You just have to fit a syllable to a note."
Mercer, who went on to co-found Capitol Records, was the co-writer of classics like "Come Rain or Come Shine," "Hooray for Hollywood," "Jeepers Creepers," "Blues in the Night," "Moon River," "Glowworm" and "Skylark."
Furia's writings on American popular song have been praised in The New York Times, The London Times and The New Yorker. He also has made appearances on "Larry King Live," A&E's "Biography" and the PBS series "Broadway: The American Musical."
Currently in its 17th year, the Windham Lecture Series in Liberal Arts was established in 1990 through the MTSU Foundation. Dr. William Windham was a member of the MTSU history department's faculty from 1955 to 1989 and served as chairman of the Department of History the last 11 years. Westy Windham (1927-1991) earned a master's degree in sociology at MTSU and was the founder of the Great American Singalong.
The Windham Lecture Series is sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts. For more information, contact 615-494-7628.
New Yorker editor to analyze reaction to Clinton candidacy
from Staff Reports
Does the thought of Sen. Hillary Clinton being elected president inspire or frighten you? There's a good chance that whatever you feel, you feel strongly about it.
Monday, March 31, at MTSU, nationally known editor Susan Morrison will explore these strong and varied reactions to Clinton, especially by women and the media, in "Who's Your Hillary? Why Candidate Clinton Pushes So Many Women's Buttons."
The 12:40 p.m. free public lecture will be held at the Keathley University Center Theater. The event is sponsored by the Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies in honor of National Women's History Month.
Morrison is the editor of the book "Thirty Ways of Looking at Hillary: Reflections by Women Writers." She has been the articles editor of The New Yorker for 11 years. She also was editor-in-chief of The New York Observer, a founding editor of Spy magazine and features director at Vogue.
"I'm interested in the way voters, women in particular, take Hillary Clinton so personally," Morrison said. "When her name comes up, the mood changes: people raise their voices, their faces get red. She inspires more passionate reactions (pro and con) than most other politicians do."
In the book she edited, Morrison asked 30 female literary writers to examine their emotional reactions to Clinton, setting aside policy issues.
"I think that, here in 2008, we all tend to consider ourselves so evolved and sophisticated that we assume we are gender-blind (and race-blind)," she said. "But many of the visceral reactions that people, and the media, have to Clinton suggest that her gender plays a big, perhaps unacknowledged, role.
"Do we expect different qualities from a woman leader than we do from a male leader? Do we expect her to be softer, tougher, not as tough? By extension, I think it's fascinating to watch how the media reacts to her, and to (Sen. Barack) Obama, the first black contender with a real chance.
"If you watch the coverage of the campaign closely, all kinds of gender glitches surface: for example, when Clinton's opponents were extremely combative with her in a debate, some commentators claimed that they 'ganged up on her' in an ungentlemanly way, and others have pointed to some of Obama's debate behavior as 'unchivalrous.' It's clear that there is much more than policy and experience at work in the way we react to the candidates."
Morrison will sign copies of her book at the conclusion of her talk. For more information, contact 615-898-5150 or bkeel@mtsu.edu.
Learning techniques of digital evidence
by Brittany Wit
In a world where a citizen's right to privacy and the government's demand for information often clash head-on, law-enforcement officials need to know just how far they can and should go without infringing on a person's freedoms.
The Forensic Institute for Research and Education, or FIRE, recently held an all-day course, co-sponsored by the College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning, teaching law- enforcement officials how to properly seize and secure digital evidence. The workshop took place in the Voorhies Industrial Studies Complex.
"This eight-hour course was designed to teach the participant[s] the proper methods for seizing and securing digital evidence, computer components, and related equipment in computer-related investigations," said Dr. Saleh M. Sbenaty, an engineering technology professor at MTSU and coordinator of the FIRE conference.
According to Sbenaty, after completing the course, participants should be able to demonstrate and describe a fundamental understanding of computer forensics, the types of cases in which digital evidence can be used, recognition of computer hardware digital media, knowledge of computer seizures and documentation, and how to properly package, label and protect computer-related evidence.
Stan Mitchell, who is the forensic lab manager at LogicForce Consulting LLC, a legal technology consulting firm in Nashville, conducted the session. Mitchell served more than 20 years in law enforcement, working as parole officer, detective and instructor. In addition, he started and operated the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department's Computer Forensic Lab. Mitchell is a certified expert in computer forensics and has conducted more than 200 forensic analyses ranging from intellectual property theft to homicide investigations.
The course was not mandatory for law- enforcement officials, but organizers said it was beneficial for the 24 who attended. Gwen Cribbs, a detective for the East Ridge, Tenn., Police Department, attended the conference to gain more knowledge about seizing and securing digital evidence.
"Computer files are more retrievable than most think, but criminals can cover, clear or clean the files," Cribbs said.
According to Cribbs, the acquisition of digital evidence can be helpful in investigating cases like child pornography.
BACK TO CLASS--MTSU police officers Walter Spain, foreground, and Jason Wofford, over Spain's right shoulder, listen intently during the recent digital evidence workshop co-sponsored by MTSU'S Forensic Institute for Research and Education and the College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning.
photo submitted
Adjust your schedule to attend new space policy workshops
from Staff Reports
A new policy for scheduling space on campus will be explained and demonstrated in a workshop that will be presented twice in the Keathley University Theater: Wednesday, April 16, at 1:30 p.m., and Tuesday, April 29, at 10 a.m.
"This workshop will be for anyone and everyone," said Quintina Burton, manager of event coordination, "but certainly for all those people who have scheduled events in the past."
Burton added that anyone who attends will benefit from learning about the policy changes.
For more information about the workshops, please contact Burton at 615-898-5143.
'Rich' heritage gives boost to Civil War series
by Lisa L. Rollins
Representatives from the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County and the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area will kick off a series of public programs at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, beginning with a free guided tour of the new exhibit, "The Time that Changed Everything: Murfreesboro's Civil War Era."
During the upcoming event opening, Dr. Antoinette van Zelm, Heritage Area historian, will share highlights from the exhibit with a special focus on the themes of emancipation and Reconstruction.
"This exhibit was a tremendous team effort, and we were all thrilled to discover how rich the local story of the Civil War era really is," said van Zelm, who was one of several historians from the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area who worked with MTSU graduate students to create the new exhibit.
"The Battle of Stones River, of course, was the key event for the area, but there was plenty of other drama as well," added van Zelm, who has authored a number of Civil War history-related articles and served as editor of Freedom and Work in the Reconstruction Era: The Freedmen's Bureau Labor Contracts of Williamson County, Tennessee (2006).
"One of the most compelling stories of the Civil War period is the story of the transition from slavery to freedom," van Zelm continued, "(and) our new exhibit looks at how this process took place locally."
"The Time that Changed Everything" gallery tour will be the first of four in a Community Heritage Lecture Series that will be held at the Heritage Center and sponsored by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, which is a partnership unit of the National Park Service and is administered by the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU.
Michael T. Gavin, the Heritage Area's preservation specialist, will present a lecture on the log buildings of Rutherford County at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 29, at the center. An encore presentation of this lecture will be given as a brown-bag lunch lecture the following Wednesday, June 4, beginning at noon. The final two lectures in the series will take place in the fall.
Located just off the historic Murfreesboro Square at 225 W. College St., the Heritage Center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Monday through Friday. Group tours and tours of the town square may be arranged by calling 615-217-8013. Admission is free.
For more information on the Community Heritage Lecture Series, please call 615-217-8013 or e-mail heritage_center@bellsouth.net.
Health and Safety Fair set April 2
by Casey Brown
For the second year in a row, MTSU will host the Women's Health and Safety Fair on the knoll in front of the Keathley University Center Wednesday, April 2, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Health and Safety Fair provides resources and information on health and safety for students, faculty and staff at MTSU. Several campus departments, such as Health Services and Counseling Services, as well as a number of community agencies, will be on hand at the event.
"This is an opportunity to receive information on emergency services and valuable resources and contact information in a comfortable setting from experts in the field," Terri Johnson, director of the June Anderson Women's Center, said of the event.
A number of activities will be open for participation, including registration of bicycles and information tables featuring:
• student patrol and escort services;
• an introduction to the campus emergency text-messaging system;
• instruction in the Rape Aggression Defense System, or RAD, a physical defense program for women; and
• material on sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, breast cancer, AIDS, the dangers of ultraviolet rays, eating disorders and safety in inclement weather.
"One of our main goals is to make it very student-friendly so that students can feel comfortable asking questions and receiving information about health and safety," Johnson said.
Door prizes and other giveaways will offer more incentives to attend the fair, but Johnson stressed that the main objective of the event is to raise awareness and promote education of the issues. The Health and Safety Fair is co-sponsored by the JAWC, MTSU's Department of Public Safety and the President's Commission on the Status of Women.
In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held Thursday, April 3. For more information, contact Johnson at 615-898-2193 or trjohnso@mtsu.edu.
Alumni Drive now open
HANDY ROUTE--A Raider Xpress shuttle and a car negotiate the newly opened stretch of Alumni Drive between Greek Row and Blue Raider Drive behind the Womack Lane Apartments. The four-lane avenue, which includes dedicated bus and bicycle lanes running east and west, will serve as a primary campus entrance from Rutherford Boulevard while construction work closes MTSU Boulevard. The route features a landscaped median and an elevated pedestrian crossing connecting a new student parking lot and bus shelter.
photo by News and Public Affairs
Caregivers can nurture spirits at 2-day event
by Tom Tozer
The theme of this year's 14th Annual "Dynamics of Elderly Caregiving Conference" is "Spirituality and Caregiving," and is scheduled for Thursday, April 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. and Friday, April 4, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the St. Clair Street Senior Center in Murfreesboro.
The conference will provide information on spiritual aspects in health and well-being for caregivers in the medical and ministerial fields, as well as for nonprofessional caregivers.
The featured speakers will be Dr. Harold Koenig and Dr. Verna Benner Carson, authors of "Spiritual Caregiving: Healthcare as a Ministry."
Koenig, who serves on the faculty at Duke University, is board-certified in general psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry and geriatric medicine. He co-directs the Center for Spirituality, Theology, and Health at Duke University Medical Center and has published extensively in the fields of mental health, geriatrics and religion.
Carson is national director of behavioral health at Staff Builders Home Health and Hospice. She was an associate professor of psychiatric nursing at the University of Maryland School of Nursing for 21 years. In addition to her book with Dr. Koenig, she is the author or co-author of three other books, including Spiritual Dimensions of Nursing Practice.
Koenig and Carson will focus on holistic methodologies that support spiritual, physical, cognitive and psychosocial needs of patients (particularly the elderly), their families and caregivers. Discussion will include the ways to nurture the spirit and reduce spiritual distress. A question-and-answer period with the keynote speakers will follow, and special breakout sessions will provide participants with the opportunity to focus on their specific interests.
Physicians, nurses, certified nurse technicians, nursing home administrators, social workers, psychologists, dieticians, long-term care professionals, educators, clergy, lay caregivers and advocates for caregiving services will benefit from this special event.
Continuing education credit has been applied for from the Tennessee Nurses Association.
The $50 registration fee includes the opening keynote address on April 3, the April 4 sessions and lunch. For information about registration, please call the MTSU School of Nursing at 615-898-5950. For general information about the conference, contact the Senior Center at 615-848-2550.
Nexus of science and spirituality is symposium topic
by Gina K. Logue
"What It Means to be Human: Science, Consciousness and Our Place in the Universe" is the topic of the MTSU Science and Spirituality Symposium at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 27, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU's Business and Aerospace Building.
The event is free and open to the public.
The lecturers will be Dr. Joel R. Primack, a professor of physics and one of the world's leading cosmologists, and Nancy Ellen Abrams, attorney and former Fulbright Scholar. Primack is a renowned lecturer, author and researcher. Abrams is an author and frequent speaker with a long-term interest in the history, philosophy and politics of science.
Primack and Abrams jointly teach the prize-winning course "Cosmology and Culture" at the University of California-Santa Cruz. They co-authored the groundbreaking book "The View from the Center of the Universe: Discovering Our Extraordinary Place in the Cosmos."
MTSU chemistry professor Dr. Gary Wulfsberg says he appreciates the open-minded approach Primack and Abrams take to their subject.
"They realize that we don't know what 95 percent of the universe consists of," Wulfsberg says. "It sort of takes one away from the earlier scientific view that we've got things under control, (that) we're the path to all truth in the universe, and the religions and humanities are just sweeping up the dust."
"At the heart of humanity's problems on this planet is a terrible alienation from nature, both planetary and cosmic," says Rami Shapiro, an adjunct religious studies professor at MTSU and an ordained rabbi. "We see ourselves as essentially unnatural; we imagine this world as an antechamber to the more important world to come. The true hope that dialogue between science and spirituality holds out is this: to reawaken our capacity for wonder, to help us realize that we are the way the universe looks at itself and says 'Wow!' This is what our guest speakers are going to help us do: look and wonder."
R. Neil Scott, associate professor of the James E. Walker Library, and administrative services librarian Bill Black joined Shapiro and Wulfsberg to establish the MTSU Forum on Science and Spirituality with an eye to fostering greater discussion of the issues. Shapiro says he is confident that this event will help the forum to raise grant funds for more programs in the future.
"Our plan for next year is to focus on neurotheology and what the study of consciousness can tell us about the nature of the human soul," Shapiro says. "This is exciting stuff, and MTSU has the chance to really make a name for itself in this area. I hope we take advantage of it."
The Walker Library serves as ground zero for the symposium, says Scott, adding that he hopes the library's efforts to support the symposium will grow in credibility, attracting grant money and possibly resulting in a permanent center on science and spirituality.
"One of the missions or goals of the library is to partner with other departments and schools on campus and do things in a collegial way," Scott says.
The library is sponsoring monthly brown-bag lunches to provide what Scott calls "a nonintimidating informal atmosphere for people interested in scientific and spiritual issues to talk." Last month, Dr. Eric Klumpe talked about "dark matter" and the origin of the universe. On March 18, Shapiro presented "Who Are We: A View from the Center of the Universe" in the library's fourth-floor conference room.
In addition to the public lecture on March 27, Primack and Abrams will speak to astronomy classes taught by Klumpe and Dr. Ronald Henderson and religion classes taught by Shapiro. The authors also are slated to attend the Friday, March 28, "Star Party" at 6:30 p.m. in Room 102 of the Wiser-Patten Science Building.
Primack and Abrams' visit to MTSU is co-sponsored by the James E. Walker Library, the Colleges of Basic and Applied Sciences, Liberal Arts, and University Honors, the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.
For more information, contact Scott or Black at the Walker Library at 615-898-2772.
LEARNING TO RELATE--Attorney Nancy Ellen Abrams, left, talks with her co-author, Dr. Joel R. Primack, as the pair prepare for MTSU's Science and Spirituality Symposium.
photo submitted/Steve DiBartolomeo
International Banquet offers bounty of cultures, cuisines
If you're in the mood for some international cuisine and culture, MTSU's annual International Banquet, scheduled for Saturday, April 5, can fill the bill.
The event, to be held in the James Union Building, will feature cultural exhibits for viewing in the JUB lobby. The doors will open at 4:30 p.m. for the exhibits; the buffet-style meal will begin at 5 p.m.
The menu includes:
• classic choucroute (smoked pork loin chops and German sausages with caraway-braised sauerkraut);
• spicy Thai curry chicken with wide noodles and basil (thinly sliced chicken with julienne vegetables and wide rice noodles with Thai basil and spicy curry sauce);
• chicken cacciatore (chicken braised in white wine and tomatoes with onions, peppers, mushrooms, olives and fresh basil);
• coq au vin (traditional French favorite with fresh chicken braised in red wine with mushrooms and garlic); and
• blanquette de veau (tender veal simmered with fresh herbs, pearl onions and mushrooms in a creamy veloutŽ sauce).
A variety of desserts also will be available.
The entertainment includes the Murfreesboro Steele Band, Chinese Arts Alliance of Nashville and international student alumna Amber Weening Turner.
Admission is $16 for each adult, $10 for MTSU students and $14 for children 12 years and younger.
Please call the International Programs and Services Office at 615-898-2238 for tickets, or come by Room 124 of the Keathley University Center.
IT Conference attendees will be 'immersed in learning'
by Randy Weiler
People attending the 13th annual Instructional Technology Conference at MTSU April 6-8 will be "Immersed in Learning"--the theme this year.
"Each conference theme is based on online technology that instructors and professors use in their teaching methods," said Robin Jones, director of communication support services in the Division of Information Technology.
This year's featured speakers will include:
• Chris Dede, professor of learning technologies at the graduate school of education at Harvard University, who will discuss "Emerging Educational Technologies and Neomillennial Learning Styles" at 8:15 a.m. Monday, April 7, in the Keathley University Center Theater;
• Carl Berger, professor and dean emeritus of the University of Michigan School of Education, who will present "The Millennial Instructor: The Net-Generation Student ... OK, But the Net-Gen Instructor?" at 7 p.m. April 7 at the Doubletree Hotel in Murfreesboro; and
• Julie Little, interim director with EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, who will speak on "Learning 2.0: The Changing Landscape of Teaching and Learning" at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 8, in the KUC Theater.
"The featured speakers we have had over the years in instructional technology are experts in their field," Jones said.
Colleagues from across the nation will share their experiences and expertise in instructional technology, said Jones, who added that Barbara Draude serves as director of the MTSU Faculty Instructional Technology Center.
The universities of Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Connecticut, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, DePaul and Loyola in Chicago and many others will be represented with presenters during various Track 1 and 2, preconference (Sunday, April 6) and regular conference sessions.
MTSU presenters include Dr. Pam Taylor (nursing), Sharon Coleman and Lauren Rudd (human sciences), Drs. Maria Clayton (English) and Larry Burriss (journalism), and Michael Fleming and John Hill (recording industry).
ITD offers free registration to the first 100 full-time MTSU faculty who apply, Jones said. For more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/itconf.
Events Around Campus:
They Have a Story' that demands telling;
psychology major's project turns into unique art exhibit
by Casey Brown
Riki-Lynne Spence is proud of her womanhood and wants to make sure other females feel the same.
What started out as a class project for the senior psychology major came to full fruition on March 18 when "They Have a Story: Feminist Views of the Self" opened in Dining Room C of the James Union Building on the MTSU campus.
"They Have a Story" is a unique exhibit designed to celebrate the female gender. The display consists of 88 football helmets, each designed and decorated by a different female ranging in age from eight to 82 years old. Spence is proud of the exhibit, but said she's still surprised that it evolved as it did.
"It started out as a creative project for my Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar with Dr. (Ron) Kates," Spence said. "I had done other things in the past, but he told me it was time to try something a bit bigger."
Spence described the display, a culmination of more than a year's work, as a collaborative effort between her and two classmates, Allison Cummings and Michelle Francescon.
Each football helmet in the exhibit features words or drawings that "display what's great about being female." The irony of highlighting femininity on a traditional symbol of masculinity is not lost on Spence; rather, it's part of the project's appeal.
"By juxtaposing feminine images on football helmets, I think it makes a statement," Spence said. "It's really about the power of being a woman and embracing being female."
Obtaining the helmets was initially difficult, with a mixture of donations from local high schools and purchases on eBay yielding about 40 pieces of headgear. The three young women eventually tracked down several more, however, and the wheels were soon set in motion.
Eschewing many of the typical connotations of feminism, Spence insists that the idea is one rooted in positivity.
"It is about (a woman) feeling blessed about her femininity and not feeling depressed, cheated, less of a person or bitter about it, and encouraging others to embrace themselves as well," Spence said.
The eye-catching exhibit will be on display in the JUB's third-floor Dining Room C through March 31 as part of MTSU's celebration of Women's History Month.
"It's a really cool display, and a true celebration of the female," Spence said.
STARTING LINEUP--Helmets decorated by volunteers await final placement in the "They Have a Story: Feminist Views of the Self" exhibit, organized by senior psychology major Riki-Lynne Spence, at the James Union Building. The exhibit continues through March to celebrate National Women's History Month.
photo by News and Public Affairs
  Campus Calendar - March 24, 2008, V16.18
>>Top of Page
Campus Calendar March 24-April6
TV Schedule
"Middle Tennessee Record"
Cable Channel 9: Monday-Sunday-7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
NewsChannel 5+: Sundays-1:30 p.m.
Visit www.mtsunews.com for other cable outlet airtimes.
Through April 11
Jaz's Jammies Pajama Drive
New PJs needed for children in hospitals and homeless shelters
For information, e-mail jazsjammies@yahoo.com or contact: 615-898-5812.
Monday, March 24
Honors Lecture Series:
Dr. Ed Beemon, "The Mind of the Renaissance Individual"
3-3:50 p.m., HONR 106
For information, contact: 615-898-2152.
Our Friends, Our Selves Bookclub
featured book: Black, White and Jewish by Rebecca Walker
3:30-4:30 p.m., JUB 206
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.
Black History Month: Capt. Vernice G. Armour
first African-American woman combat pilot in U.S. history
6 p.m., JUB Tennessee Room
For information, contact: 615-898-2987.
MTSU Flute Studio recital
6 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Guest Bassoon Recital: Christin Schillinger
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Tuesday, March 25
Tri-Beta Sponsored Seminar: Lee Dugatkin, "Mate choice: the interface between genetic and cultural evolution"
4:30 p.m., DSB 100
For information, contact: 615-898-2059.
MT Baseball vs. Tennessee Tech
6 p.m., Reese Smith Field
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com.
Wednesday, March 26
Red Cross Blood Drive
10 a.m.-4 p.m., KUC 322
For information, contact: 615-898-2590.
National Women's History Month: 16th Annual Women's International Poetry Readings
3:30 p.m., Tom Jackson Building
For information, contact: 615-898-5778.
MT Softball vs. Austin Peay
4 and 6 p.m., Blue Raider Field
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com.
Legends in Forensic Science Lectureships: Dr. Clyde Snow, "Human Rights"
6 p.m., BAS State Farm Room
For information, contact: 615-494-7896.
World Percussion Ensemble
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Thursday, March 27
MTSU Bassoon Studio recital
6 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Free Legal Clinic
7-9 p.m., JUB 206
appointments required
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.
March 28-29 and April 2-5
MTSU Theater and Dance: "Rhythm in You"
by MTSU junior Ian Hunt
7:30 p.m., Tucker Theatre
For information, contact: 615-898-2640.
March 28-30
MT Baseball vs. Arkansas-Little Rock
March 28: 6 p.m.; March 29: 4 p.m.; March 30: 1 p.m.
Reese Smith Field
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com.
Friday, March 28
Friday Star Party: Cosmologist Joel Primack, "View from the Center of the Universe"
6:30-8:30 p.m., WPS Room 102
For information, contact: 615-898-2483.
March 29-30
MT Softball vs. Louisiana-Monroe
March 29: 1 and 3 p.m.; March 30: noon, Blue Raider Field
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com.
Saturday, March 29
Spring Preview Day
For information, contact: 615-898-5670.
High School Clarinet Choir Clinic
8:30 a.m., Wright Music Building
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Women's Tennis vs. UT Martin
Noon, Bouldin Tennis Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com.
Sunday, March 30
"MTSU On the Record-Issues in K-12 Education"
Guest: Dr. Mark Byrnes
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast available at www.mtsunews.com.
Women's Tennis vs. Louisville
TBA, Bouldin Tennis Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com.
Monday, March 31
Honors Lecture Series: Dr. Ben Austin, "Social Conformity, Group Think and Violence: Social Activism in the 1960s"
3-3:50 p.m., HONR 106
For information, contact: 615-898-2152.
Stones River Chamber Players
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Tuesday, April 1
JAWC Career/Professional Development Brown Bag Series: Gilda Mayes, "Speaking with Confidence"
noon, Hazlewood Dining Room
For information, contact:
615-898-2193.
Studio Smith April Fools vocal concert
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Wednesday, April 2
National Women's History Month: Health and Safety Fair
11 a.m.-2 p.m., Keathley University Center Knoll (rain date: April 3)
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.
MT Baseball vs. Vanderbilt
6 p.m., Reese Smith Field
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com.
Thursday, April 3
Faculty Piano Recital: Leopoldo Erice
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
April 4-5
"Farther Along": A Conference on the Southern Gospel Convention Singing Tradition
Tom H. Jackson Building
For information, visit http://popmusic.mtsu.edu/gospel.html or contact:
615-898-5829.
April 4-6
MT Baseball vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
April 4: 6 p.m.; April 5: 4 p.m.; April 6: 1 p.m.; Smith Field
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com.
Friday, April 4
Student Chamber Music Recital
3 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
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.
>>Top of Page
|
