Amid a new crop of recent graduates and the upcoming fall semester’s new wave of freshmen, something else is brand new at MTSU.

University officials launched an interactive, online virtual tour Aug. 17, and those involved with the process and others are brimming with excitement about the possibilities it brings.

“The (virtual) tour will enhance our image, reach prospective students, help recruitment and build pride. It’s an excellent addition to our Web presence,” said Lucinda Lea, who serves as MTSU’s vice president for information technology and chief information officer.

The online tour “will have an impact on everybody—all of campus, prospective students and faculty, new hires, anyone seeking employment—and the general public can go and see what’s happening at MTSU,” said Sherian Huddleston, associate vice provost for enrollment services and chairwoman of the committee that planned and developed the project.

To access the virtual tour, visit www.mtsu.edu and look for “VIRTUAL TOUR,” which has replaced a home-page link labeled “APPLY NOW.” Once on the tour, you will find a world of possibilities: links to “apply now,” “schedule a visit,” “request information,” “People/Commentary” and “Interactive Video Tours,” as well as “Campus Map,” one of the virtual tour’s major features.

A year in the making, the collaboration between MTSU and the Maine-based CampusTours Inc., an interactive media and software company, was first unveiled to President Sidney A. McPhee and his cabinet and to the Office of Community Engagement and Support’s Community Advisory Council members.

“This is quite a bold statement from an IT level,” said Phyllis Qualls-Brooks, assistant commissioner in community and industrial relations for the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. Qualls-Brooks and other advisory council members viewed the presentation Aug. 14.

“The virtual tour is not intended to replace the guided campus tour but to enhance the prospective student’s tour experience,” said Lynn Palmer, MTSU’s admissions director.

“You will see the tremendous assets that we have with our faculty, students and staff and the outstanding facilities, and clearly you will get a feel for what makes MTSU so special, and a warm and caring institution,” McPhee said of the virtual tour.

Even alumni of all ages will find the virtual tour fascinating.

“The new virtual tour will provide alumni availability to see campus without actually being there,” said Alumni Relations Director Ginger Freeman. “Many of our alumni are not able to come back to campus as often as they like, and this will give them the opportunity to see the new buildings and areas of campus that may not have been here when they were in school.”

Barbara Draude, assistant vice president for academic and instructional technologies, said the map’s details help to make the virtual tour one of the most impressive university online projects with which Campus-Tours Inc. has been involved.

“We tried to get as much detail in as we could,” Draude said.

Map layers will allow viewers to find food venues, handicap parking and Raider Xpress routes, she added. A content management system will allow university personnel to add new photographs, change the map and keep it as fresh as possible.

Bringing together a diverse group of business, community, health and government leaders to provide a liaison between MTSU and the surrounding communities is a herculean task, but members of the university’s Community Advisory Council are willing to make the effort.

The council, organized by MTSU’s Office of Community Engagement and Support, convened for the first time in February and returned Aug. 14 for virtual and real-life tours of campus.

“You can tell it’s a different world than when Rita (Shacklett), Rick (Gabel) and I were on campus (as students),” Dr. Gloria Bonner, special assistant to the president for OCES, told the group. “It’s clear, however, that we still have the pulse of the surrounding community in mind, both in creating and welcoming this council and creating this new virtual tour of the campus.”

The 27-member group, which includes representatives from across Rutherford County as well as neighboring Cannon, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson counties, was asked to “assume the role of ambassador for MTSU” when it first convened.

“This is another step in our being more intentional about engaging the community into the life of the university,” MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee told the council. “We want to pay close attention to the needs of the community. We are not all going to agree on every direction the university takes, but if we all have in mind meeting the needs of the community and the university, we can move the organization forward. This council will allow us to come together in spite of differences of opinions.

“We want to hear what is happening from your vantage point and see things through your lens, hear your thoughts about what we can do better. We want to hear the complaints and concerns, but with ideas of how we can address issues. We need thoughtful, constructive criticism, but we also need suggested alternatives. We ask you here to assume the role of ambassador for MTSU. Take a direct, aggressive stance with your constituent groups about the value of MTSU.”

During the Aug. 14 visit, the group had breakfast and was introduced to Dr. Diane Miller, the new interim executive vice president and provost. Dr. Tonjanita Johnson, associate vice president for development and university relations, and Barbara Draude, assistant vice president for academic and instructional technologies, guided the group through the new virtual tour of the campus.

After a quick look at the replica 18th-century printing press in the James E. Walker Library, the council enjoyed a campus tour directed by Dr. Michelle Arnold, associate director of admissions, and Ron Malone, assistant vice president for events and transportation. The group also received a special tour of the new Student Health Services offices and the Campus Pharmacy.

Community Advisory Council members are:
• Susan Brennan, vice president for manufacturing, Nissan North America;
• Chontel Bridgeman, assistant principal, Cedar Grove Elementary School;
• Steve Cates, organizer of Murfreesboro’s International Folk Fest;
• Tom Clark of State Farm Insurance in La Vergne;
• Dr. Kathy Clark, Murfreesboro community leader;
• Doug Combs of WBRY Radio in Woodbury;
• Evan Cope, Murfreesboro attorney;
• Richard Gabel, executive director, Main Street: Murfreesboro/ Rutherford County;
• Lanny Goodwin, director, Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation;
• Dr. Ray Johnson, chief of medical staff, Middle Tennessee Medical Center;
• Ed Mayberry of Gallatin, regional president, GreenBank;
• Mark O’Neal, city administrator, Town of Smyrna;
• Rev. Steve Odom of Central Christian Church in Murfreesboro;
• Phyllis Qualls-Brooks, assistant commissioner for community and industrial relations, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development;
• Bedford County Mayor Eugene Ray of Shelbyville;
• The Hon. Bobby Sands of Columbia, General Sessions Court judge;
• Rita Shacklett, director, Linebaugh Public Library System;
• Dr. Judy Smith of Murfreesboro, retired MTSU dean of students;
• Diane Stockard, director, Smyrna Boys and Girls Club;
• Marisela Tapia, Bradley Elementary School;
• Joyce Taylor, Murfreesboro community leader;
• Sue Vanatta, president and CEO, Wilson County Chamber of Commerce;
• Mary Wade, chair, Murfreesboro City School Board;
• Sally Wall of Murfreesboro, Snow & Wall Real Estate;
• Mike Williams of Franklin, former Associated Student Body president and former member of the Tennessee State Legislature; and
• Don Witherspoon, Murfreesboro community leader.

The Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey, conducted by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, has given MTSU a trifecta of top marks.

In the category of “Best Colleges and Universities in America,” MTSU ranked as the top public institution in Tennessee and was one of the top 100 public universities in the nation among 600 schools included in the evaluation.

Universities recognized in this category were evaluated on a variety of factors, including entries in “Who’s Who in America,” faculty salary data, course evaluations, awards received by students and faculty, and graduation rates. In a unique twist, the study placed significantly greater emphasis on student perception of faculty quality than on many other ratings.

Forbes also ranked MTSU in its listing of the 50 “Best Buy” schools in higher education—an institution that delivers the greatest return on investment by a student or his or her parents.

“Being ranked among the top 100 public institutions in the United States is an honor that has resulted from the hard work and commitment of our outstanding students, faculty, staff and alumni,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee.

“Additionally, our designation as a ‘Best Buy’ among the top 50 colleges and universities in the country speaks to our commitment to providing an academic experience that goes beyond the expectation and focuses directly on the needs and success of our students. In both cases, these notable rankings reaffirm our position as ‘Tennessee’s Best.’”

In the top-100 listing, MTSU ranked 57th and was the only public university in Tennessee to make the cut. In the “Best Buy” designation, MTSU ranked 47th and was in the company of other top-50 institutions such as the University of Florida, the University of California at Berkeley, The Citadel and the College of William and Mary.

This is the second year for Forbes’ “America’s Best Colleges” rankings. The Center for College Affordability and Productivity, which calculated the rankings for the magazine, is an independent not-for-profit center based in Washington, D.C., that encourages dialogue and research on issues facing higher education.

The MTSU Department of Art’s 2009 biennial Faculty Art Exhibition gets under way Monday, Aug. 31, with an opening reception at 11:30 a.m. in the Todd Gallery.

This exhibit features works of art by faculty members as a way to introduce their work to art majors, the broader campus population and the community. They work in a range of styles, including the representational, abstract and nonobjective, and through traditional media in a straightforward manner to mixed media with a “twist.”

The faculty members represent years of experience of productive work as evidenced by the extensive and ongoing record of exhibitions in juried and invitational shows. Each faculty member is an active working artist and visual art educator. Their personal work is invaluable to them and to their students, who learn from the efforts and successes of their mentors in the art studio.

Participating this year are professors Erin Anfinson, Michael Baggarly, John Donovan, Kim Dummons, Bob Durham, Janet Higgins, Jarrod Houghton, Sisavanh Houghton, Noël Lorson, Jean Nagy, Melissa Newman, Christie Nuell, Marisa Recchia, Thomas Sturgill, Patricia Tenpenny and Daniel Lai.

Following the Faculty Exhibition, an inaugural Department of Art/Student Art Alliance Show will be presented beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22, featuring the juried work of Department of Art majors and MTSU students. This is the first joint effort between the department and students from across campus with an interest in art.

The Faculty Art Exhibition runs through Thursday, Sept. 17. It’s free and open to the public, and gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, closing only on state and university holidays.

For more information or directions, call Eric Snyder, Todd Gallery curator, at 615-898-5653.

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ART EXHIBIT—A sample of the work on display at the biennial Faculty Art Exhibition in the Todd Gallery is shown at left. Beginning clockwise from top, the works include Melissa Newman’s “Dupe,” Christie Nuell’s “Voyager,” “Subterranean #1” by Jarrod Houghton, Patricia Tenpenny’s “Meditation on Metatron’s Cube 3” and Sisavanh Houghton’s “Mosquitoes 4x4.”

The Blue Raider Athletic Association’s annual Chuck Taylor Golf Tournament, presented by Franklin American Mortgage, will be played at Indian Hills on Friday, Oct. 23. The event will be a four-person scramble with prizes for team winners in several flights and an individual skill contest on the course, as well as door prizes. For information, contact the BRAA's Alan Farley at 615-898-2210.

This summer we held a special appreciation luncheon for our building runners, those volunteers on campus who have been willing to cope with obstinate students and frustrated faculty and coax them to go to the “safe places” in their buildings during a tornado drill or actual tornado warning. We simply wanted to say “thank you” to them because their rate of “runner” pay is zilch. They are not often met with pleasantries. And yet they are willing to do what they do because they want you and me to be safe.

The old claim that “it can’t happen here” literally has been dashed to smithereens. We all saw last April that tornadoes can indeed happen here, and they did so with a vengeance. Talk to the people at Union University in Jackson, and they will attest to the fact that a tornado can zero in on one building among a group of buildings and demolish it. On this campus, that building could be a maintenance shed or the Honors Building. A twister is no respecter of age, gender, structure or intellectual pursuit.

In this issue, student Erin Bridges writes about the building-runner luncheon. She did so at our request because it’s important to note that we at MTSU hold these runners, most of them clerical personnel, in the highest regard. These folks deserve our gratitude and respect. Theirs is not an easy or fun job. Not only do they come to work each day wondering if they will have to spring into action and hope they remember which floor or hallway or nook they cover, but they’re also wondering if they’ll get into a stare-down with a combative student or grouchy faculty member who can’t be bothered with responding to their safety efforts.

When we surveyed the nearly 230 building runners on campus to hear their biggest complaint, No. 1 was “People ignore me.” Imagine if you were doing your job to the best of your ability and those around you simply dismissed you with a sneer or brushed you off. One dedicated runner said that during the actual warning, after she corralled everyone into their “safe place,” one faculty member decided he had waited long enough and proceeded to order his students back to class. No one had issued an all-clear; this recalcitrant individual just decided to take charge and make the call. Imagine if a window had blown in on the students as they were making their way up the stairwell to return to the classroom and there were serious injuries. When the questions started flying—and they would—who would be on the hottest seat?

We understand that tornado drills are an inconvenience. We have discovered over time that there is not a good time to hold a drill. Yet everything we read and every seminar we attend drives home the same theme: When it comes to safety and emergency preparation, the key is practice, practice, practice. A little inconvenience just might save some lives.

We are grateful to President Sidney A. McPhee and the executive staff for recognizing the importance of these drills. We also appreciate the support of the Division of Academic Affairs in allowing building runners to assure concerned students that they will not be penalized if they are late to a class or test because they chose to “do the drill” and remain in a “safe place.” Yes, some individuals defy instructions, go outside, get in their cars and drive off during a tornado warning. We all make choices—some of them poor ones. I hope your choice—our choice—is to do the right thing and model sensible behavior for anyone who may follow our lead.

Again, to all building runners, thank you. To everyone on campus: Whether it’s a tornado drill, actual warning, fire alarm or another emergency that calls for action—please Do the Drill!

Tom Tozer is director of the Office of News and Public Affairs.

When the sun is shining and there’s not a cloud in the sky, it’s difficult to motivate students and faculty to follow tornado-siren warnings. This task is left to designated building runners at MTSU, whose requests for people to move to safety are sometimes ignored.

At this summer’s luncheon in honor of building runners, Dr. Diane Miller, interim executive vice president and provost, and John Cothern, senior vice president, confessed that they too sometimes are hesitant to respond quickly to building runners’ instructions.

“I wanted to say a few words of thanks for a thankless job, and if we get out of line, don’t hesitate to put us in our place,” Cothern told the group.

In April, MTSU saw firsthand that tornado warnings can become reality on the ground in minutes. Still, Miller said, when the sirens sound, “it’s like herding cats”—students wander off campus and professors continue to conduct classes, despite imminent danger. That siren sound is when the building runners’ jobs begin.

Those jobs can make the difference in the safety of students and faculty. Each building runner has been instructed to take occupants to the safest places in their designated areas, and each is familiar with safety precautions necessary during a tornado warning.

After the April tornadoes here, MTSU received some complaints about the siren system and MTSU’s alerts. The university’s Office of News and Public Affairs, Information Technology Division, Police Department and building runners are working together on the issue to improve the communication process.

“Because we have such a diverse campus and community, many of you (building runners) are in different types of places, and the big task is coming up with something that can get you information wherever you are,” MTSU Police Chief Buddy Peaster said.

MTSU uses the Rave Alert system to send text messages and e-mails to students and faculty who have registered for the free service. Currently, more than 13,000 people are registered for the program, which officials say is an excellent percentage of use for a university of MTSU’s size.

“We are receiving close to 100 percent completion rate for reaching everyone in Rave through at least one method,” said Steve Prichard, director of telecommunications in the Information Technology Division.

In an attempt to reach more people on campus, MTSU added a voice-alert option to its Rave system this summer. The voice alert will call each number registered in the system and leave a prerecorded message, providing a way for students and faculty to get emergency information via a landline, too. Each person who registers for the Rave Alert system now can list three additional cell numbers, three landlines and two e-mail addresses.

With input from building runners and others on campus, the frequency and duration of the tornado siren also has been adjusted, since some people on campus had trouble hearing the warnings in April. The tornado siren, which sounds only in the event of a tornado warning for the area, will now sound for three minutes, remain silent for three minutes, then sound once more for three minutes. The extra minutes are intended to reach more people and make them aware of the warning, officials said.

With warnings from building runners, three methods of receiving alerts and extended tornado sirens, more MTSU students and faculty can be notified in times of danger and get to safety.

To learn more about tornado safety and preparations on campus, go to www.mtsu.edu/alert4u/tornado.shtml. To register for the Rave Alert system, visit www.getrave.com/login/mtsu and log in with your MTSU e-mail account.

Erin Bridges is an August 2009 journalism graduate of MTSU.

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THANKS—MTSU Police Chief Buddy Peaster addresses attendees at the Building Runners’ Appreciation Luncheon in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. MTSU Photographic Services photo by Andy Heidt

Thanks to the dedication of two MTSU doctoral students, MTSU’s Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth recently sponsored its first Camp ENRGY, a five-day camp designed for youth with physical disabilities.

Held Aug. 3-7 on the university campus, Camp ENRGY—which stands for Excellence ‘N’ Recreation and Games for Youth—was organized by Sandy Stevens and Jenny Hutchens, who are enrolled in the doctoral-level exercise science program offered through the Department of Health and Human Performance.

“The impetus for Camp ENRGY came about as an outgrowth of a four-year research project conducted at MTSU and funded by the National Institutes of Health,” said Dr. Don Morgan, CPAHY director and HHP professor.

During this research, Morgan studied how to improve the leg strength and endurance of youngsters with cerebral palsy by helping them train on an underwater treadmill. That planted the seeds for what would become Camp ENRGY.

“During this project,” he said, “I began to envision the creation of a sports and fitness camp for youngsters with physical disabilities in the hope of improving their ability to participate more confidently in home-, school- and community-based physical activities.”

When the CPAHY received funding last year from the Centers for Disease Control and Health Promotion, Morgan set about the task of turning the adaptive-recreation camp that he had envisioned into a reality. In the process, he recruited Stevens and Hutchens, who organized the weeklong camp for children ages 10 to 17 and served as its co-directors.

“We have been working on the camp since January,” Stevens said, adding that although research supports a relationship between participation in physical activity and good health, many children aren’t physically active and don’t experience the benefits of such a lifestyle.

“Engagement in physical activity becomes more challenging for children with disabilities,” she said, “(and it was) our hope that by providing this camp, participants would experience an increase in their confidence and their physical capability, create a positive experience with physical activity that may encourage continued participation and also allow the participants to explore a variety of activities that have the potential for lifelong activity.”

The free 8 a.m.-3 p.m. daily camp provided participants with activities ranging from swimming, nature trails, yoga and dance to indoor soccer, martial arts, GPS-based activities and dancing.

By providing ENRGY’s 18 or so campers with a wide array of adaptive-rec opportunities, “We hoped that each child would leave with the desire to continue at least one of the activities explored,” said Stevens, who plans to assist with next year’s camp, too.

As for the campers’ families, organizers reported that the parents seemed both excited and grateful for their children’s ENRGY experience.

“Many of the families have so many expenses associated with accommodating a disability, (so) things like camps are difficult to fund,” Stevens observed. “Several parents stated that they would not be able to participate if not for the funding … so I was truly excited to be a part of this process.”

In preparing for next summer’s camp, after evaluating this year’s program and participant feedback, camp creators will “make adjustments,” as needed, to refine the camp so that it provides the most positive experience possible for its young people, Stevens said.

“We hope that this summer camp will become a template for other camps for physically challenged youth here in Tennessee and throughout the nation,” Morgan noted. “We also hope that we can raise awareness of the need for local recreation groups and organizations to provide meaningful activity and sports opportunities for these kids.”

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JUMP IN!—Camp ENRGY Site Co-Director Sandy Stevens, shown at top, catches camper Jahlin Huell, 7, as he jumps off the side during a session in the Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center pool. Above, Camp ENRGY Site Co-Director Jenny Hutchens plays catch with Huell in one of the racquetball courts. YOU GOT IT!—Camp ENRGY counselor Kelsey Dobbs, right, shows camper Meghan Maynard, 10, how to serve underhand during a game of “wallyball” at the MTSU Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center. MTSU Photographic Services photos by Andy Heidt

The MTSU College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning is bringing the popular Adult Degree Completion Program to the new Middle Tennessee Education Center in Shelbyville, making the attainment of a college degree even more convenient for area residents.

MTEC is a partnership between MTSU, Motlow State Community College and Bedford County. Through this program, more than 600 adult students have returned to finish a bachelor’s degree.

Students in the Adult Degree Completion Program may choose a Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies with concentrations in information technology or organizational leadership, or they may choose a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies. Students may take classes online or at MTEC.

Beginning with the fall 2009 semester, MTSU will offer a new hybrid course, Professional Studies 3010, for those interested in earning undergraduate college credit for prior learning.

“Hybrid courses offer the best of both worlds,” said Lance Ikard, an MTSU instructor for the course. “It combines the convenience of online education and the comfort of a few face-to-face class meetings.” Students will take most of the course online in addition to several in-person class sessions, he noted.

Prior Learning Assessment is a nationally recognized program that utilizes the value of prior learning for those seeking to finish their undergraduate degree. The PLA program was designed to evaluate the creditworthiness of prior learning for on-the-job training, certificate programs, seminars, corporate training, military education and other nontraditional courses.

“A degree from Middle Tennessee State University shows you’ve worked hard to succeed at a nationally recognized, fully accredited state university,” said Dr. Dianna Rust, the associate dean who supervises the program. “The PLA program simply makes it faster, easier and more cost-effective for those who qualify.”

For more information on this and other programs, please contact MTEC Site Coordinator Molly Culbreath at 931-685-4444 or at mculbrea@mtsu.edu. Deadline to apply for the fall 2009 semester is Friday, Aug. 28. Courses at MTEC will begin Saturday, Aug. 29. For more information on the new PLA hybrid course, please visit www.mtsuanytime.com.

MTSU’s Evening School Office, located in Room 126 of Kirksey Old Main, will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to serve students enrolled in evening classes who can’t get to campus during the day.

The office extends several of MTSU’s student services, including parking permits and IDs, during these special hours.

The office will be closed during fall break (Oct. 17-20) and the Thanksgiving holidays (Nov. 26-30) and will close for the semester on Tuesday, Dec. 15. It will reopen for spring 2010 on Saturday, Jan. 9.

For more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/learn/eveningschool/services.shtml or call 615-904-8391.

Before your calendar gets filled up with meetings, classes and more meetings, mark a few dates now to help others by donating blood at one (or more) of the four drives set for fall 2009 at MTSU.

The busy summer prevented donors from adding a stop at the local Red Cross to their to-do lists, boosting the need for blood to help save lives in travel-related accidents, organizers say. That combination depleted the local Red Cross’s already-low supplies of blood.

To replenish supplies and ensure plenty of help for emergencies around the community, MTSU students, faculty, staff and friends again are being asked to roll up their sleeves for the fall blood drives on campus.

The first of the fall 2009 blood drives is set for Monday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 322 of the Keathley University Center.

Other blood drives are set in KUC 322 on:
• Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.;
• Monday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; and
• Tuesday, Nov. 10, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

If you’re really dedicated to keeping your lifesaving appointments, put the spring 2010 blood drives in KUC 322 on your calendar, too:
• Jan. 26-27, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.;
• Tuesday, Feb. 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.;
• Monday, March 1, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; and
• March 30-31, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Blood donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be feeling healthy on donation day. They also can’t have donated blood in the previous 56 days. More information is available at the Red Cross Web site at www.givelife.org.

Dean Hayes, MTSU head cross country coach, has announced the Blue Raiders’ 2009 schedule, which includes five regular-season meets leading up to the Sun Belt Championships Oct. 31 in Monroe, La.

Both men’s and women’s teams will run a schedule almost identical to last season. The courses and their layouts will be familiar to returning runners because the Blue Raiders have participated in many of the same races over the past five seasons.

“We keep pretty much the same race schedule from year to year, because of proximity as well as the distance and course progression,” Hayes said. “These races are scheduled to help our athletes to be at their peak at the conference championships.”

The campaign opens Friday, Sept. 4, at 5 p.m. with the Belmont Invitational at Percy Warner Park in Nashville. Last season, the Middle Tennessee men finished second at the meet and the women placed sixth.

On Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Oct. 17, the teams will travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., and the Moccasin Bend Golf Course for the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Opener and then the UTC Invitational, respectively.

The teams will also travel north for two mid-season meets, the Western Kentucky University Old Timers Classic and the Greater Louisville Classic. The Old Timers Classic will be held Saturday, Sept. 19, at Kereiakes Park in Bowling Green, Ky. Last season, Kereiakes Park was the course for the Sun Belt Championships, where Middle Tennessee placed second in the women’s contest and third in the men’s race. The Greater Louisville Classic is set for Saturday, Oct. 3, at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky.

The regular season will conclude at the Sun Belt Championships, hosted by the University of Louisiana at Monroe at the Chenault Park Golf Course in Monroe, La. It will be the first time ULM has played host to the Sun Belt Championships since Middle Tennessee joined the league in 2001. The Warhawks joined the league full-time in 2006.

The campaign will conclude at the NCAA South Regional in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Nov. 14 and the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., Nov. 23.

Watch www.goblueraiders.com all season for updates and results.

The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pre-Game is set for Saturday, Aug. 29, to kick off the 2009 football season.

The event will be held at Marymont Mansion in Marymont Springs, located at 1124 Rucker Lane in Murfreesboro.

“Last year almost 500 people attended Pigskin, and we were able to raise almost $10,000 toward the scholarship fund,” said Paul Wydra, assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations at MTSU. “Great food, entertainment and people—we hope even more people can attend this year.”

Tickets for the event, which will run from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will be $35 each. Attendees must prepay and reply by Wednesday, Aug. 26, to secure their ticket. The ticket price includes food, entertainment by Danny Lowe, beverages, door prizes and more, Wydra said, adding that on-site parking will be available.

All proceeds from Pigskin Pre-Game will benefit the Rutherford County Alumni Scholarship Fund. The Rutherford County Alumni Fund awarded $20,000 in scholarships to incoming freshman for the 2008-09 school year. In the last three years, the fund has awarded $57,000 in scholarships to incoming MTSU students from Rutherford County. Participating sponsors include Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Stones River Total Beverages, DET Distributing and Pepsi/MTSU Vending.

For more information about this event, sponsorship opportunities or to reserve tickets, please call 1-800-533-6878 or visit www.mtalumni.com. Mail payments to the Office of Alumni Relations, MTSU Box 104, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132.

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It's time to get excited about the Blue Raiders' 2009 football schedule! See the clip 'n' save schedule box on page 7. For ticket information, visit www.goblueraiders.com.

Four recent MTSU graduates—three of whom are from Tennessee—were commissioned into the U.S. Army during swearing-in and pinning ceremonies Aug. 7 in the Keathley University Center Theater.

The students include newly commissioned 2nd Lts. Ashley Deeds of Clarksville, Jason Bass of East Ridge, Samuel Lopez of McMinnville and Marc Ballard of Stafford, Va. They graduated Aug. 8 in the summer commencement in Murphy Center.

Family, friends, classmates, faculty, administrators and others attended the ceremony, which was led for the first time by Lt. Col. Tharrel “TK” Kast, the new professor of military science at the university.

Deeds graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones College of Business. She will be assigned to the Basic Officer Leadership Course II at Fort Still, Okla., and BOLC III at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Her first duty assignment will be at Fort Hood in Texas. She was commissioned on her birthday.

Ballard graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the College of Liberal Arts. He will be assigned to the BOLC II and BOLC III at Fort Still, where his first duty assignment will be made known.

Bass graduated with a bachelor’s degree in area studies from the College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning. He has not yet received a branch assignment.

Lopez graduated with a bachelor’s degree in the College of Education and Behavioral Science’s criminal justice program. He also has not yet received a branch assignment.

The Office of Development’s fall annual giving Phonathon will begin Tuesday. Sept. 8, said Meredith Kerr, associate director of annual giving.

MTSU students will be calling alumni to inform them of the latest developments at MTSU and their respective colleges and ask them to make a gift to the university’s Annual Fund, Kerr said. It also gives alumni a chance to update their personal information for university records. Calls generally will be made from Sunday through Thursday evenings.

Kerr said the MTSU Phonathon’s mission is to build the university’s alumni participation through yearly gifts from alumni, parents and students by informing them about the current needs of the university.

“It is important now, more than ever, to have support from our alumni and friends to ensure that current and future students receive a quality education and experience at MTSU. The Phonathon is essential to increasing our private support for the institution, and every gift, no matter what size, enhances our academic departments and programs,” she said.

Contributions made to the MTSU Annual Fund through the Phonathon can go to any specific need or area of interest, Kerr said. These can include, but are not limited to, student scholarships, innovative academic endeavors, state-of-the-art computer/laboratory equipment, special library and departmental acquisitions, facilities improvement or special academic initiatives and projects.

The phonathon schedule includes previous donors of the James E. Walker Library and Honors College, Sept. 8-9; Jennings A. Jones College of Business, Sept. 10-22; College of Liberal Arts, Sept. 23-Oct. 4; College of Mass Communication, Oct. 5-21; College of Basic and Applied Science, Oct. 22-Nov. 4; Continuing Education and Distance Learning, Nov. 5-8; College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Nov. 9-18; James E. Walker Library, Nov. 19-23; and Dec. 1-3, Honors College.

For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~devofc or call 615-898-2728.

A free orientation course for people working in monitored early-childhood education programs is being offered again this fall at MTSU by the Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance.

TECTA orientation aids in eligibility for financial assistance for college course work leading to a degree in early-childhood education or related fields. The Tennessee Department of Human Services recognizes it as a way to satisfy annual training-hour requirements. Participants must complete the 30 hours to receive a TECTA Orientation Certificate.

The MTSU TECTA site is part of a statewide grant and serves Rutherford and 16 other counties in the south central area of Tennessee.

The TECTA Infant/Toddler Orientation course, which includes information on children six weeks to 3 years old, begins Monday, Sept. 21, and meets every Monday through Dec. 7 (except Oct. 5 and Nov. 16) from 6 to 9 p.m. in Room 113 of the Ellington Human Sciences Building. Pre-registration is required for the course.

To register, or for more information, call 615-904-8318 or visit the MTSU TECTA Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~tecta.

Dr. Don Nelson, professor of mathematical sciences, and Steve Saunders of the McNair Scholars have moved into respective interim chair and director roles in their programs, university officials announced.

Nelson has received Tennessee Board of Regents approval to lead the math department for the 2009-10 academic year, said Dr. Tom Cheatham, dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

Nelson replaces Dr. Terry Quinn, who stepped down to return to full-time teaching and pursue his research, Cheatham added.

Heading into his 24th year at MTSU, Nelson has been professor in the math department and conducted considerable research. From 1992 until ’98, he served as assistant chairman of the department before returning to full-time teaching.

A 1969 graduate of Mississippi College with master’s and doctoral degrees in mathematics from Vanderbilt University, Nelson was a math professor at Louisiana College in Pineville from 1974 to 1986. From 1983 to 1985, he was an operations research analyst at the U.S. Naval Weapons Center at China Lake, Calif. Early in his career, he was a mathematician at the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg, Miss.

Saunders, who has been at MTSU full-time since 2005, had served as McNair assistant director and program coordinator. He moved into the interim director’s role earlier this summer after Dr. Diane Miller became interim executive vice president and provost in the Division of Academic Affairs.

Saunders has served as editor of McNair Moments, a department publication about students in the program, and the McNair Research Review, bound paperback volumes of the students’ research findings.

Saunders, who has been an adjunct in political science, is working on his doctorate in international relations at Vanderbilt University. He received his master’s degree in international relations from Ohio State University in 1981 and bachelor’s from Ohio State in 1971.

Saunders is the widower of Dr. Anne Sloan, a 15-year MTSU political science faculty member, who passed away April 4.

Elections

Dr. Michael D. Allen (vice provost for research and dean of the College of Graduate Studies) has been elected president of the Tennessee Conference of Graduate Schools. The TCGS, founded in 1977, is affiliated with the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools and the Council of Graduate Schools.

Exhibitions

A set of computer-designed ceramic pieces by Professor Marc J. Barr (electronic media communication) has been chosen as one of only 100 for exhibit (out of 1,250 U.S. entries) in the 17th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National, set for September and October in the Market House Craft Center in Lancaster, Pa. Another of Barr’s pieces has been selected for the Jingdezhen International Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition at the Jingdezhen International Ceramic Fair in Jingdezhen, China, in October.

Media

Dr. Ron Aday (sociology and anthropology) commented on the impact of job layoffs on males in an Aug. 2 article in The Tennessean, “After unemployment, many men struggle with new family role.”

Dr. Deb Sells (vice president for student affairs and vice provost for enrollment and academic services) appeared on “Tennessee Mornings” on WZTV-FOX17 Aug. 11 to talk about student veterans on the MTSU campus. MTSU currently has more than 500 veterans enrolled.

Assistant Professor Carter F. Smith (criminal justice) was interviewed for the History Channel episode of “Gangland: Hunt and Kill,” which aired Aug. 6 and 7.

James Clayton Roper (Housing and Residential Life), 75, passed away Aug. 2. Mr. Roper was employed by MTSU from February 1987 until his retirement in March 1996 as a custodian for Housing and Residential Life.

Presentations

Todd Wincek (chemistry) attended the 36th Annual National Association of Scientific Materials Managers Conference and Trade Show, held July 26-31 in Boise, Idaho, where he gave a presentation, “Introduction and Use of the New NAOSMM Safety Forum.” He received an award from the Sigma-Aldrich Professional Training Development Fund to attend the conference. Wincek also serves as coordinator for the NAOSMM Safety Committee.

Publications

Dr. Mary Magada-Ward (philosophy) has published “On Wanting to Write This as Rose Selavy: Reflections on Sherrie Levine and Peircian Semiotic” in The Journal of Speculative Philosophy, Volume 23, Number 1, 2009.

Get noticed in The Record!

Submit your Faculty/Staff Update items (including promotions and new hires) and other news tips to gfann@mtsu.edu by 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, for the Sept. 7 edition of The Record or by 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, for the Sept. 21 Record. Don’t forget to include specifics—who, what, where, when and why, plus contact information—with your contributions! Check The Record's 2009 deadline schedule anytime at http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/rec_deadlines.htm.