Bonus or bogus?

In South Dakota, despite opposition from the state teachers union, the House Education Committee favors a bill that would support bonuses for good teachers. Dr. Jan Hayes, professor, educational leadership, who once taught in a system that used "merit pay," says the system was highly discriminatory. "Teachers need not to be competing against each other but cooperating to help all students learn," she opines. "The base pay is also important. I personally believe that no merit pay should be considered until every teacher receives a cost of living increase plus an increase for additional years of service, degrees, etc." Perhaps the extra money ought to be used for more resources and professional development, she adds.

Contact Hayes at 615-898-2894.
jhayes@mtsu.edu

Preserving precious heritage

"MTSU's American Indian Festival is the largest indoor 'All Nations Festival' in Tennessee," says Georgia Dennis, student programming, and director of this year's event. "Experience the excitement and pageantry ... in a safe and comfortable atmosphere. This is a wonderful event ... exploring American Indian history, heritage and culture." The celebration will be this Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday, March 2, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., MTSU Livestock Center; $6 for adults; $3 for children. Sunday will be recognition day for all veterans and service people, Dennis adds. Media welcomed.

Contact Dennis at 615-898-2551.
gdennis@mtsu.edu
and visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~powwow.

'Whacko Jacko'

February is sweeps month, the time of year when networks pull out all the stops "to see who can scrape the bottom of the barrel in an attempt to win the largest audience," says Dr. Larry Burriss, professor of journalism and media and society expert. "All told, the major networks have devoted 10 hours of prime time programming to [Michael] Jackson, with the cable networks dishing up 10 more. ... Here we are, war looming with one country, a nuclear threat from another, the government telling us to buy duct tape, and the economy in perpetual slide, and all the networks seem to be able to provide is 'All Michael, all the time.'"

Contact Burriss at 615-898-2983.
lburriss@mtsu.edu

MTSU UPLINK TODAY AT 10 A.M.
SEGMENT 1: MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and Dr. Paul Craig, aerospace chair, comment on the new fleet of planes purchased by the department and look inside the cockpit of a DA40 Diamond Star aircraft.
SEGMENT 2: MTSU Chemistry Club students perform demonstrations for area high school students, and professors talk the value of this kind of learning experience for both the audience and presenters.
SEGMENT 3: Last weekend's MTSU Science Olympiad featured competitions among regional middle and high school students of Herculean proportions. Visuals include "Mission Impossible" and bridge-building.

TR EXTRA: TOMORROW, Feb. 27, 6:30 p.m., Black Alumni Achievement Awards Reception, Alumni Center, honoring Wendell Porter, Chantel Grimes Bridgeman, Rodney Bennett, Mary McClain and Erik Foster. For information, call Sherrie Murray at 615-898-2987. Media welcomed.
TOMORROW, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, Feb. 27, 28 and March 1, 7 p.m., "A Woman Called Truth," a drama about Sojourner Truth, MTSU Tucker Theatre, $10 adult, students free with MTSU ID. Call 615-898-2640.
FRIDAY, Feb. 28, 10 p.m.-midnight, Recreation Center, "Up 'Til Dawn," fund raiser for St. Jude Children's Research Center. Activities will include a spirit dance, St. Jude patient remarks, the band 24/7, blow-up games, Karaoke, and more; $10 donation at the door. For more info, call 615-904-8270. Media welcomed.