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Campus School timetable mulled
by Tom Tozer
MTSU planning and facilities officials met recently with Rutherford County Schools' engineering and construction staff to determine the next steps in moving forward with the renovating of Homer Pittard Campus School.
At the same time, faculty and administrators of both institutions will begin formulating a timetable to address the lab school's programmatic needs.
Harry Gill Jr., director of Rutherford County Schools, and Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU president, met in April and agreed to work together to extend the pact between the university and the county to continue the mission of Campus School, which is to model the best practices in teacher education and to educate children.
"We value this building and all that it represents," McPhee said of Campus School. "We place a high premium on the quality education that takes place through the administration of the county schools and the MTSU teacher training program.
"I am pleased with the cooperative spirit between the two entities, and I believe our goals are the same," McPhee continued. "It's time to move forward and focus on the needs of our children. We will work together to discover how best to meet those goals."
Added Gill: "Campus School has a long history with Rutherford County, and I'm eager to see this partnership move forward, as are many parents and community members. I appreciate Dr. McPhee's willingness to work with our school system to ensure that Campus School leads the way in Tennessee."
While matters regarding the physical renovation of Campus School have received much of the attention, there also are academic program issues that need to be addressed. One item that will be on the agenda for Campus School and MTSU educators will be to consider expanding the program to include pre-K children, which is part of Gov. Phil Bredesen's new education initiative.
Dr. Stan Baskin, principal of Campus School, agreed that while the structural needs of the facility have garnered most of the attention, program needs are just as important.
"The needs of the facility have been presented for years, and it is of immediate importance that we begin to get on a schedule to solve those needs," Baskin said. "I expect that to be a multi-year process.
"When we look at programmatic needs, that's something we were doing but certainly should have been doing more over the decade. We're all realizing that the building is going to have to be fixed. Let's also maintain an ongoing dialogue about what services the school can provide to elementary and university students on a long-term basis."
In a recent meeting, administrators concluded that Campus School should not provide seventh and eighth grades at this time, but pre-K education should be addressed.
"Our county isn't moving very fast in pre-K because of our explosive growth, and I understand the problem," Baskin said. "But at the same time, we're training educators to go out beyond Rutherford County to systems that are doing more in pre-K because of available space. ... Personally, I do think there's a need there."
Baskin noted that the pre-K program is the first major elementary education initiative in decades where Campus School has not been at the forefront.
"Seventh and eighth grades have been tabled because we have an outstanding relationship with Central Middle School that delivers that program," added Dr. Gloria Bonner, dean of MTSU's College of Education and Behavioral Science.
Bonner agreed that the needs for a pre-K program fall right in line with the university's commitment to early childhood development. "That's one of our strongest and fastest-growing programs and needs to be a priority," she said.
"We really are focusing on the program needs of Campus School," MTSU Senior Vice President John Cothern echoed, "because once we determine how to meet those program needs, the blueprint for renovating the facility will naturally follow.
"We'll be working together to identify programmatic, life-safety and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance needs," Cothern explained. "Our task is to put it all together and seek approval from the state. Once approval is obtained, the county will go through its bid process to get the work done."
Bonner said she would like to see a programmatic plan in place for Campus School by next fall, which will require beginning discussions of defining and clarifying program issues this summer.
"The process will be participatory, inclusive and strategic," the dean said. "While there will be a task force, we will value parental and community input. We're going to be really sensitive to those kinds of issues that ... will help promote inclusiveness." Bonner added that the open-dialogue process will be continuous.
"Campus School is a crown jewel," McPhee emphasized. "It's because all of us are passionate about remaining true to the school's original mission that we should move forward. If we keep the children at the center of our focus, then what we need to do to ensure a quality program and a safe learning environment will fall into place. I appreciate our partnership with the county and look forward to positive results."
MTSU officials are reviewing the current agreement between MTSU and Rutherford County Schools regarding Campus School.
"We're looking forward to crafting an agreement with the Rutherford County Board of Education and should have an agreement by the end of this summer," said James Floyd, MTSU university counsel. "Revisions to the agreement will accommodate the facilities and programmatic needs of the school."
Cothern noted that project designs and specifications prepared by the county school board designer will be submitted to the Tennessee Board of Regents, Tennessee Higher Education Commission and the State Building Commission for review and approval.
The initial focus will be on an elevator, life-safety and ADA needs, he said.
"It is hoped that at least those will be started this summer," Cothern said. "It will take a couple of years or more to do all of the needed projects. Some projects will have to work around school calendars."
The university and the county have met and are working to submit the general scope of the projects to the State Building Commission for approval as a state project in August, Cothern added.
All projects will be subject to review and approvals by the state fire marshal's office and the Tennessee Historical Commission.
Every effort will be made to plan and complete all projects over the next two years, Cothern said.
RAISE YOUR VOICES-Campus School music instructor Karen Blooding leads the students in song during the school's 75th anniversary celebration in August 2003.
file photo by Ken Robinson
HELP a good cause: Organizers seek support for July 13 Project HELP event
by Lisa L. Rollins
More than 300 people are expected to attend this year's "Growing Young Minds," a dinner/live music/silent auction fund-raiser to benefit Project HELP (Help Educate Little People), which will take place Thursday, July 13, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU's James Union Building.
Debbie Bauder, director of Project HELP, said activities will get under way beginning at 6:15 p.m. with event registration. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m., and live music by the Boomers, a blues/rock outfit, will follow at 7:30 p.m. Silent auction bidding will close at 8:15 p.m. and auction checkout will be at 8:30 p.m.
Last year's fund-raiser collected $18,000, said Bauder, who hopes community support for this year's "Growing Young Minds" benefit will be just as strong.
Founded in 1983, the nonprofit Project HELP provides early intervention and family support services to high-risk children, children with disabilities and children with developmental delays.
Bauder said that the center's staff, which includes more than 200 student volunteers per semester, strives to empower parents through a Family Support Program, which includes workshops, counseling and other supports.
Funding for Project HELP is partially provided through grants from the state Division of Mental Retardation Services and the United Way of Rutherford County, as well as a contract with Tennessee Early Intervention Systems. However, Bauder said, the Charity Circle of Rutherford County is a major contributor to Project HELP, providing the center with much-needed equipment, toys and consumable items.
Although the center's staff members are grateful for the ongoing support, they need additional money to help meet the organization's child-centered mission, Bauder explained. Activities such as the "Growing Young Minds" benefit also help.
"There are numerous parents and volunteers working vigorously to ensure that this year's fund-raiser is even more successful than the last," said Courtney Marler, a Project HELP parent.
"I hope that we have a wonderful turnout from the entire community in general, but particularly from the medical community," she continued. "Our pediatricians are in a position to monitor and identify developmental concerns early on in a child's life. They can make referrals for early intervention services, such as Project HELP, that can have such an incredible impact during those crucial formative years from birth to age 3."
Bauder said that the funds raised by the event will be used "toward establishing a satellite classroom of Project HELP in the Smyrna area, (because) those families from Smyrna and La Vergne must travel down to Murfreesboro four days a week to attend Project HELP."
As for the silent auction, "good deals abound," reported Bauder, who adds that among the items up for bidding are Harley-Davidson riding jackets, Sloan's Motorcycle/ATV-donated jackets, weekend getaways, commissioned oil paintings, massages, hand-crafted furniture and much more.
"This year, one of the most important silent auction items is the Project HELP Family Quilt," Bauder said. "Each family involved in Project HELP took a square and decorated it in a way that is special to their family. Kara Daniello and Kelly Durcholz, teachers at Project HELP, then put them together to make a large quilt.
"We hope that this will bring top dollar and be displayed in the waiting area of a pediatrician's office from whom we receive so many referrals."
Individual tickets are $50 each; table sponsorships (eight tickets) are $400. Tickets are available by calling the center at 615-898-2458. The evening's dress code is casual/dressy.
For more information about Project HELP, including its parenting tips, preservice training, early intervention or family support programs, please access its Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~projhelp/.
$158K for nursing aid
from Staff Reports
A $159,266 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will enable MTSU to offer scholarships to at least 80 more students in its School of Nursing, officials say.
"Our nation is facing a critical nursing shortage that jeopardizes the quality of care patients receive because there simply aren't enough nurses to meet demand," said U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Murfreesboro. "That shortage doesn't come because there aren't enough bright, willing young people who want to study nursing. It comes because there aren't enough resources to train new nurses.
"Through these scholarships and expansion of the nursing building, MTSU is helping to combat the problem."
According to HHS, medical advances, the nation's growing population and an increased elderly population are factors that contribute to the nationwide nursing shortage. By 2020, HHS predicts a nationwide shortage of more than 800,000 nurses.
The HHS grant will provide scholarships to at least 80 students, according to Dr. Lynn Parsons, director of MTSU's School of Nursing.
"This grant will help students in need," said Parsons. "I am amazed at the amount of time some students spend working while they are enrolled in classes. These scholarships will help those students with tuition, books and other expenses."
Currently, about 300 students are seeking bachelor's degrees in nursing at MTSU, while an additional 250 registered nurses are taking courses to complete their degrees. Parsons said the strategic plan calls for admitting 120 students each semester by 2014.
MTSU received $275,300 in HHS scholarship funds in June 2005 for the 2005-06 academic year, helping 115 students via the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program with awards ranging from $500 to $2,500.
Construction already is under way on a 24,000-square-foot expansion to the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building. Funding is being provided through a $2 million donation by the local Christy-Houston Foundation and federal grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration. MTSU received $1 million in 2004 and another $736,548 last October through the HRSA grant program.
The Christy-Houston Foundation built the existing structure that opened in 1994.
The extra space will feature a large computer learning laboratory, three master classrooms, two seminar rooms, a large clinical lab, more faculty and administrative offices, and student study and lounge areas.
"The expansion wouldn't be possible without the Christy-Houston Foundation and the HRSA grants," said Parsons. "The new building will have larger classrooms so we can admit more students. Opportunities like this help bring more nurses into the profession and out into our communities."
Gordon added, "Communities need the valuable services that nurses provide. I commend MTSU's School of Nursing for its role in making sure our communities have an adequate supply of nurses."
In Brief:
ANTHROPOLOGY MAJOR EARNS
AWARD, GRANT FOR RESEARCH
Lacey Fleming, a senior majoring in anthropology, has received the Central States Anthropology Society 2006 Leslie A. White Award for her project, "An Analysis of Canis familiaris Skeletal Remains from the Hermitage Springs (40DV551), Fewkes (40WM1) and Castalian Springs (40SU14) Sites in Middle Tennessee." Lacey also was awarded an MTSU Undergraduate Research Scholarship and Creative Projects grant for the project. The Leslie White award will help to offset costs of travel associated with her research.
BUSINESS DEAN JOINS BOARD
OF PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS
Dr. E. James Burton, dean of the Jennings A. Jones College of Business, has been elected to serve on the board of directors of Piedmont Natural Gas. Burton currently serves on the board of the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Area IX Workforce Investment Board, the Jennings and Rebecca Jones Foundation and the Southern Business Administration Association. Piedmont Natural Gas owns Nashville Gas and distributes natural gas to 990,000 residential, commercial and industrial utility customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
SUIT UP, GRAB THE SWIM FINS
AND DIVE INTO CAMPUS REC
Are your children interested in improving their swim skills or in competitive swimming? If so, ask about Campus Recreation's newly developed Swim Camp. Swim Camp will be held from noon until 3 p.m. beginning Monday, June 19. The weeklong sessions are set June 19-23, June 26-29, July 10-14 and July 17-21 for two age groups: ages eight to 12 and 13 to 17. The cost is $125 per week with a 10 percent discount for more than one child from a family. Discounts also are available for multiple sessions. For more information, contact Pam Footit at 615-898-2104.
High-schoolers take wing during In Flight! week
by John C. Lynch
Dreamers, innovators and risk-takers came together at MTSU the week of June 4-10 as they participated in the Summer Discovery Institute's In Flight! program.
MTSU officials selected African-American high-school students from across Tennessee for the program after recommendations from their math, science or ROTC teachers. This was the fourth year for the week of motivational experiences, which are intended to be more like fun than learning.
On June 4, the MTSU Aerospace Department sent waves of airplanes to the students' hometowns to pick them up and fly them to Murfreesboro.
"There are several goals of In Flight!, but chief among them is to expose the students to college life," Aerospace Chair Paul Craig noted.
"The students live in the dorm, eat in the cafeteria, attend classes and activities and learn to make good choices. We want to de-mystify the college experience for these students. We want them returning home believing that it is possible for them to go to college and that people on the college campus will welcome them and want to help them."
The week was a homecoming of sorts for two MTSU students. Both had been high-school participants in the In Flight! program, and this year they returned to serve as counselors.
Nursing major Jenna Marcus said she was glad that she could share her dual perspective with the group.
"It has only been two days now, and they are really enjoying themselves," she said of her young charges. "They are starting to learn a lot about what is going on, what aerospace is, and different opportunities that are out there."
Her colleague, Jessica Peterson, is majoring in marketing and business administration. "It is a really neat experience to see the growth and change over just one week," she said.
Through the week, students read literature about flight and various metaphors of flight such as freedom and self-expression. They even divided themselves into three groups: Dreamers, Innovators and Risk-Takers.
Activities were not all intellectual, however; there were many hands-on opportunities. They built an aviation timeline, assembled and launched their own rockets and, best of all, got the opportunity to sit in the pilot seat and actually fly an airplane. They visited the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center and wrapped up the week with an awards banquet.
June 10 was a bittersweet time for many participants. They were required to use what they had learned about navigation to create their own flight plans. Then they gathered their belongings and a week of memories and took to the skies for home.
Craig pointed out that during the past four years, the program has been a great success.
"The former In Flight! students go on to college at twice the statewide rate among all high school students," he noted.
Dr. Laurie Witherow, director of MTSU's Academic Support Center, says that 62.5 percent of the eligible students who participated in the programs at MTSU went on to enroll in a college or university.
Later this summer, another group of students will come to the MTSU Discovery Institute and work with local theater professionals. On Stage! participants will spend the week of July 16-22 learning all aspects of theater production-directing, playwriting, costuming and scenic design.
For more information about the institute, go to www.mtsu.edu/~gmtsdi/index.htm.
BACK FOR MORE FUN-Jenna Marcus, left, and Jessica Peterson watch In Flight! activities at the Murfreesboro airport. Both are former In Flight! participants and returned as counselors for the weeklong program offered at MTSU by the Summer Discovery Institute.
photo by Seth Alder
NYSP enthusiasts can help bring it back in '07
by Lisa L. Rollins
For the past three summers, MTSU's Department of Health and Human Performance has overseen the grant-funded, monthlong National Youth Sports Program, which combines sports instruction and recreation with educational programs for some 300 at-risk youth from qualifying low-income families.
However, because no federal funding was provided in the bill known as H.R. 3010, NYSP will not be conducted at MTSU this year, Dr. Gloria Bonner, dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Science, confirmed.
"We regret that we are not able to be a host site for this wonderful program this time, but we are optimistic that NYSP will return to the MTSU campus in 2007," remarked Bonner, who said community support for the program remains outstanding, including ongoing support from MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and Congressman Bart Gordon, among other community leaders.
"We have already gotten calls from families whose children were looking forward to attending NYSP this year," said Dr. Dianne Bartley, HHP chairwoman and NYSP coordinator.
"It's quite disheartening to have to turn them away, because for many of these children, we were their only summer activity-the bright spot in their summertime-and we feel they were counting on us."
For the past three years, MTSU's NYSP staff and volunteers have provided hundreds of Rutherford County youth ages 10-16 with a full month of educational, health-focused activities, lessons and life skills for six hours each weekday, as well as free transportation to and from NYSP, two USDA-approved meals each day and free medical and dental health screenings.
In years past, NYSP campers-aside from their participation in activities such as self-defense, soccer, swimming, basketball, tennis, volleyball, golf, racquetball, weight training and social and aerobic dance-also took part in educational classes presented by MTSU educators and community leaders on topics such as alcohol/ drug abuse and violence prevention, proper nutrition, personal health and disease prevention, career opportunities and job responsibilities, and higher education.
"The past three years that we have been in charge of coordinating the National Youth Sports Program, it's been wonderfully successful," said Dr. Cheryl Slaughter Ellis, HHP professor and NYSP liaison.
"It's quite unfortunate that we can't provide this camp in 2006 for those deserving youth, the ones who need this so much. But we're confident that we can give them the best-ever NYSP experience next time ... and we're grateful for all the community support we've received."
Part of the support that MTSU's NYSP organizers appreciate is the continued generosity of those in the community who have donated gifts and prizes to program participants.
"Every single child who has participated in our NYSP has gotten a prize of some kind every year, whether it was a bicycle, a pair of shoes, toys or a coupon for free food," remarked Bonner.
"No NYSP participant, not one, ever walked away empty-handed, thanks to the gracious support of people such as Dr. Alvin Singh and (Rutherford County Schools administrator) Joe Herbert," she added. "We have so many supporters in the community who have bought prizes for NYSP and donated goods or services for its young people, and we are so very grateful to them."
Established nationally in 1968, NYSP's creed is "Walk Tall, Stand Tall." More than 78,000 young people have participated in NYSP on some 200 college campuses nationwide, including MTSU. However, only two Tennessee NYSP sites for 2006 will be offered: the NYSP at Tennessee State University, which has a 20-plus-year history, and the NYSP at Bethel College.
"This would have been our fourth year for the National Youth Sports Program at MTSU ... and I know we will have that fourth year yet, because we're encouraged by the continued show of support we have from people such as Congressman Gordon, President McPhee and all levels of the community," said Bonner, who anticipates that congressional commitment for H.R. 3010 will be secured.
Organizers said those interested in helping ensure that the program returns to MTSU in 2007 should contact their local representatives and ask them to actively support NYSP via their votes.
Contacting Congress:
¥ U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Murfreesboro: Phone: 615-896-1986, Web site gordon.house.gov.
¥ U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander: Phone: 615-736-5129, Web site alexander.senate.gov.
¥ U.S. Sen. Bill Frist: Phone: 615-352-9411, Web site frist.senate.gov.
Pick a good viewing spot early! July 4 festivities heat up MT campus
from Staff Reports
Rutherford County's "Celebration Under the Stars" once again will be held on the campus of MTSU-and admission to the family-oriented event once again will be free.
Festivities will kick off at 5 p.m., Tuesday, July 4, on the university's intramural field, the traditional site for the countywide event.
From 5 to 8 p.m., there will be games and activities for the kids, including the ever-popular duck pond, Frisbee golf, ring of fire, bag toss, hot-ball relays, a lollipop tree and face painting. In addition, there will be patriotic puzzles to put together and various arts and crafts projects. There also will be prizes and promotional giveaways.
The Col. Hardy Murfree Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution again will provide free American flags for everyone. The chapter has provided flags for this celebration for the last eight years.
Wal-Mart is donating two "Celebration Under the Stars" birthday cakes.
Rep. John Hood, program emcee, will extend a formal welcome at 7:30 p.m., followed by remarks from local dignitaries, including Murfreesboro Mayor Tommy Bragg, County Mayor Nancy Allen, and representatives from MTSU, the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce and The Daily News Journal.
At 8 p.m., following the presentation of colors, a tribute to the armed forces and singing of the national anthem, the Tennessee Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, will present a program of traditional patriotic tunes, rousing Sousa marches and inspirational classics. Laurence Harvin will conduct. The fireworks will light up the sky at 9 p.m.
Guests should enter the campus from Faulkinberry Drive off Middle Tennessee Boulevard and from Greenland Drive. The entrances on the east side of campus along Rutherford Boulevard will be closed, and parking will not be permitted on either side of Rutherford Boulevard.
The best parking on campus will be north and west of the celebration site. Parking lots adjacent to the Recreation Center will be closed. MTSU police and university personnel will be on duty to guide visitors to parking areas, and directional signs will be posted.
Rutherford Boulevard will be closed temporarily during the fireworks display and re-opened as soon as the area has been cleared.
The Blue Raider Athletic Association will sell soft drinks, pizza, hot dogs and traditional holiday snacks and desserts. Chick Fil-A food items also will be available.
For safety purposes pets, alcoholic beverages and personal fireworks or sparklers will not be permitted on the celebration site. (Cooking grills may be used only in the appropriate paved parking lots and not in grassy areas.)
Outside banners will not be allowed on the grounds, and the BRAA will be the sole food vendor.
Families are encouraged, however, to bring picnic baskets, lawn chairs and blankets for picnicking on the grass.
Sponsors of the event include MTSU, the DNJ, the City of Murfreesboro, Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation, Rutherford County Government and the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to MTSU, the DNJ and the City of Murfreesboro, additional symphony supporters include SunTrust Bank and the Tennessee Arts Commission.
A special "Celebration Under the Stars" insert in the July 2 issue of the DNJ will provide more details. An event map also is planned for the July 3 issue of The Record.
For more information, call Marlene Sewell, steering committee chair, at 615-896-6710 or MTSU News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.
Kemp honored as top business prof; juniors, seniors appreciate 'good rapport' with students
from Staff Reports
Dr. Katie Kemp has been chosen as "Outstanding Professor in the College of Business" in an election sponsored by the insurance fraternity Gamma Iota Sigma.
Kemp received the award after a vote by the juniors and seniors in the College of Business during the spring 2006 semester.
More than 100 full- and part-time College of Business faculty received votes. Twenty-eight faculty members received five or more votes, and 10 faculty members received 10 or more votes. At least one faculty member in each department received five or more votes
"I would like to express my appreciation to the students who voted for me," Kemp said. "I enjoy working with students both in the classroom and in extracurricular settings. It energizes me to work with our young people in these venues."
Gamma Iota Sigma gives the award as part of its competition with 44 other chapters across the country. The award is given only at MTSU.
Dr. Ken Hollman, holder of the Martin Chair of Insurance in the College of Business and adviser to Gamma Iota Sigma, praised the 2006 award recipient.
"Dr. Kemp is devoted to the students and her profession," Hollman said. "She is well-prepared, relevant and current in her field.
"She has a good rapport with her students, and any organization which she serves as adviser is almost certain to be a contender for the major national awards."
This is the 19th straight year that GIS has conducted the election, Hollman said.
Gamma Iota Sigma president Marshall Fuson added that student fraternity members "feel that the Outstanding Teacher Award is a way to provide psychological encouragement to our faculty for doing a good job."
Kemp has been an instructor in the Department of Management and Marketing at MTSU since 1987. She previously received the most outstanding teacher award in 1988.
She has a bachelor's degree from Murray State University, a master's degree from Austin Peay State University and a doctorate from Mississippi State University.
McPhee named as president of Sun Belt panel for second term
from MT Media Relations
MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee was appointed to a second term as president of the Sun Belt Conference Executive Committee during the recent spring meetings in Destin, Fla. The Executive Committee is the league's decision-making body.
McPhee, who served in the same capacity from 2004 to 2006, now will preside over the committee until the spring of 2008. Being selected for a second term is the first for a league president in recent memory.
"It is testimony to Dr. McPhee's leadership that he has been appointed to a second consecutive term as president," Commissioner Wright Waters said. "With Louisiana-Monroe and Florida Atlantic becoming all sports members on July 1, his experience and knowledge provide the conference's Executive Committee with stability at a crucial time.
"He has served an influential role on the NCAA's Board of Directors, and his stewardship over the last two years with an understanding of complex issues has been an asset to all of us."
McPhee is one of 16 voting members on the NCAA Executive Committee, which is the highest governing body in the NCAA and is composed of institutional chief executive officers that oversee association-wide issues. The committee ensures that each division operates consistently with the basic purposes, fundamental policies and general principles of the NCAA.
"Dr. McPhee's most recent re-appointment speaks volumes to his leadership and how well-respected he is among Sun Belt Conference presidents and athletic directors," said Chris Massaro, MTSU director of athletics. "He has great vision and looks at how a situation affects everyone involved, and he is very in tune with the ever-changing world of collegiate athletics. "
MT Baseball Coach Steve Peterson believes McPhee's position on the league's Executive Committee can benefit not only Middle Tennessee but also members of the Sun Belt Conference as a whole.
"This is great for Dr. McPhee and Middle Tennessee," said Peterson, who is one of four Blue Raider head coaches in place during McPhee's entire tenure at MTSU.
"I know this position isn't solely about Middle Tennessee, but it certainly helps to have our president serving on the board that makes critical decisions for the entire league. Dr. McPhee has been a driving force in bringing our entire athletic department to the forefront during the past years, and I know he will help do the same for members of our league."
MTSU checking into 'The Hot L Baltimore'; alumni, undergrads helping bring off-Broadway classic to life
by Gina K. Logue
Several MTSU students, alumni and a faculty member traded their usual domestic bliss in the 'Boro for the seedy trappings of a condemned urban hotel when the Murfreesboro Little Theatre, 702 Ewing Blvd., presented "The Hot L Baltimore."
The Lanford Wilson play, with performance dates at 7 p.m. June 9, 10, 16 and 17 and at 2 p.m. June 11 and 18, gives the audience a glimpse into the lives of several down-and-out residents of a once-glamorous hotel (with the "e" in its marquee permanently unlit) on the eve of its demolition. It won the Obie Award for Best American Play and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best American Play of 1972-73.
Dr. Elyce Rae Helford, professor of English and director of Women's Studies at MTSU, portrayed April Green. Helford describes her character as "an outspoken (aka foul-mouthed) prostitute who doesn't take much in life seriously. She is not entirely without compassion, but she is a pragmatist who doesn't let anyone get too close."
Helford, who has been involved in community theatre since her early teens, says she was thrilled to be cast as April because "she is such an uproarious character. Like me, she is loud and outspoken, though my life is far more middle-class than hers. She is street-smart, and I'm book-smart. But we are both keen observers of life."
Tim Johnson, a junior working toward a bachelor's degree in business administration, played Bill Lewis, a night clerk who harbors romantic feelings for one of the ladies who entertain their clients at the hotel.
"He covers his true sentiments for the girl in a somewhat clumsy, but friendly manner," Johnson says. "The only way Bill and I would have any similarities as far as communication is concerned would have been when I was much younger-high school, early 20s."
Johnson professes an interest in film acting as a side project while picking up some stage experience along the way. He says he is getting "fantastic instruction" in acting from John Mauldin, assistant professor of speech and theatre.
Senior Kisa Watson is making time to pursue her passion while carrying a large workload as a senior majoring in business marketing. She portrayed Jackie, whom Watson describes as "a young transient who gets caught stealing from one of the characters."
Watson, who has her Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists cards, has performed in several MLT productions, most recently as Miss Casewell in "The Mousetrap."
In addition to theatre, Watson has worked in commercials and independent films. She has lived in Miami and San Francisco, obtaining a two-year certificate in Internet design and technology from San Francisco State University.
Audiences may remember Trevor Hann's performance as Rocky in MTSU's 2005 production of "The Rocky Horror Show." In "Hot L," Hann played Paul, who was kicked out of college and sent to a work farm for selling marijuana. Paul is also searching for his grandfather, the object of his admiration.
"Paul is belligerent. He's very used to having things done his way, and he's very impatient, to put it lightly," Hann says.
A native of Dickinson, N.D., Hann is a sophomore majoring in biology. He says he's leaning toward a career in medicine, either in emergency room or trauma care.
Director Bob Roberts, a 2002 graduate who majored in theatre with a performance emphasis, says the play "shows its characters at their most interesting task: being themselves-happy, brash, insensitive, loving and often willfully ignorant."
Roberts' resume includes work with the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, Mockingbird Theatre, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre and Circle Players. He also spent a year as a professional puppeteer with Madcap Theatre and understudied the lead in the "Johnny Appleseed Outdoor Drama," both in Ohio.
"MTSU gave me some of my first directing opportunities through the theatre program's directing classes and my senior project," Roberts says. "Certain members of the faculty continue to advise me as I make plans to attend grad school for directing in a few years."
Tickets have been priced at $10 for adults and $5 for students. Since seating is limited to 70 per show, reservations are strongly encouraged.
"The Hot L Baltimore" is suggested for mature adult audiences due to language and adult themes. For reservations, contact the MLT box office at 615-893-9825.
New math chair focusing on undergrad research grants
by John C. Lynch
Dr. Terrance J. Quinn, the new chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, comes to MTSU from Ohio University Southern in Ironton, where he was an associate professor of mathematics.
While there, he served as president of the Association of University Regional Campuses of Ohio. In 2005, he was named Outstanding Professor of the Year for all campuses of the Ohio University Regional Higher Education system.
Quinn's first official day as department chair at MTSU won't come until July 1, but he's been on the job since June 1, working with staff and faculty.
On his list of priorities for his new position is the promotion of undergraduate research. Quinn said that the department will be working on new grant applications that support undergraduate research.
"Encouraging our undergraduate students to do research will pay off in several ways," he noted. "For one thing, this is a tremendously enriching experience for the undergraduate student.
"When students do research, they tend to take ownership of the research problem in a way that provides a personal motivation and concrete setting for learning about the subject. As well, undergraduates who become involved in scholarship of that kind are often inspired to go on to graduate-level work."
No stranger to research, Quinn has been involved in efforts that may help predict the effectiveness of various treatments for HIV. He and his colleagues used various mathematical models to predict both the medical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of different strategies.
Addressing MTSU's role in preparing students to become mathematics teachers in the public schools, Quinn said he believes that in the main textbook approach there is an "overemphasis on mere technique" in the high-school math curriculum.
"Certainly, there have been tremendous advances in mathematics education in recent years. But, to a large degree, these advances have not yet effectively reached the textbooks.
"Students enjoy mathematics more, and become competent, when discovery of the source insight is fostered," he continued. "This is a long-standing and deeply rooted problem within the national and world curriculums, and I don't see it turning around in the next five years. But if we keep on pushing, we can hope to initiate key improvements in this area."
At MTSU for less than a week at the time of his interview, Quinn added that he was eager to get to know the faculty and the university.
"I had heard many good things about MTSU before applying for this position," Quinn said, "and I very much look forward to contributing to the growth of this department and the university."
ON THE JOB-Terrance J. Quinn, the new chair of mathematical sciences at MTSU, reviews a textbook in his former office in Ohio.
photo courtesy Pamela Wise/Ohio University Southern
Fans help choose new end-zone design for field
from MT Media Relations
More than 2,000 Blue Raider fans recently participated in online voting to help determine the end-zone design for the synthetic surface being installed at Floyd Stadium for the 2006 season.
Fans initially had five designs from which to choose, and the top two vote-getters were then put in a run-off. The winning design received 52 percent of the votes cast.
The winning selection is somewhat similar to the most recent design on the playing surface, with Blue Raiders spelled out in each end zone with matching fonts and a 3-D layered concept. The color scheme has been changed and the lettering in each end zone is more proportional.
The end zone will be blue and the word "Blue" will be in royal blue above the word "Raiders," which will be in white lettering that stretches across each end zone. There also is a blue border outside the coaches' box to the end zone on each sideline.
This choice edged the design that had "Middle Tennessee" spelled out in one end zone and "Blue Raiders" in the other, with blue lettering on a white background and a lightning bolt included in each end zone.
"The voting between the final two choices was a dead heat and were very well-liked by the fans," said Chris Massaro, director of athletics. "We contacted a couple of consultants, who stated that the white background on the one choice may appear 'dirty-looking' over the course of a few years and advised we stay away from that.
"I want to thank all of our fans who took part in the online voting on GoBlueRaiders.com. We have some very loyal fans, and they deserve a voice in these types of decisions. It was fun, and it was great getting all the different input. Each of the five designs received votes, so it's clear different fans had their favorite selection, but we do believe everyone will enjoy the winning design and what it will add to our stadium."
The artificial surface at Floyd Stadium is being removed and the new Sportexe synthetic turf is being installed this summer. The target completion date is the first week of August.
Fans who want to view the progress as the new turf is installed may do so simply by going to www.goblueraiders.com and clicking the "Lightning's Construction Cam" icon on the home page. A pop-up window will appear, and the view will be updated constantly.
PICKING UP THE PIECES-A crew from Texas-based Sportexe takes up the old turf on Horace Jones Field at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in preparation for replacing it with the company's PowerBlade synthetic turf system. MTSU is the first university in the country to install the PowerBlade turf, which Sportexe touts as the "softest" and "most durable" monofilament system available. For a color version of the end-zone design chosen for the new turf by an online fan poll, see page 4.
photo courtesy MT Media Relations
Physical science teachers' quality is workshop's goal
by Randy Weiler
For Frank Whittenberg of Lewis County Middle School in Hohenwald, the weeklong Improving Teacher Quality grant workshop he attended in Murfreesboro was all about his students.
"I just want to integrate tips I pick up here in my lesson plans, especially the hands-on activities," Whittenberg, an eighth-grade science teacher, said.
"There are a lot of reading materials and ideas that will be utilized in my lesson plans."
Whittenberg was one of 37 teachers from seven counties attending the June 5-9 workshop, "Connecting Physical Science Concepts: A Total Approach to Increasing Student Achievement."
Drs. Pat Patterson and Amy Phelps of MTSU's Department of Chemistry and Dr. Linda Gilbert, associate director for instruction with Murfreesboro City Schools, administered the workshop.
Public school teachers Gary Mullican ("Interactions of Matter"), Karen Butler ("Energy"), Laura Martin ("Forces and Motion") and Felicia Jackson ("Structure and Properties of Matter") led the daily rotations.
Penny Finley, a sixth-grade teacher at Cornersville School in Marshall County, said the energy aspect was most appealing to her "because it's been geared toward my curriculum."
Sharon McGee, an eighth-grade teacher at Harris Middle School in Shelbyville, said the best part for her was "being able to talk to other teachers from other areas and picking up ideas-anything to help me be a better teacher."
For Angela Hughes, a fifth-grade teacher at John Coleman School in Smyrna, the workshop was all about "how to make science more fun and relevant. The hands-on activities and experiments are important."
Butler, a sixth-grade teacher at workshop site Blackman Middle School, said she "lets the teachers do the activities. I let them tell me how they feel."
Patterson said this year's workshop focused on fifth- through middle-school grades.
"The goal is [that] we want more activities in the classroom," she said. "The kids remember experiences more than the words you tell them."
People Around Campus: Professor declares independence from old habits
by Gina E. Fann
If Dr. Vince Smith looks a bit different lately, it may have something to do with his newfound independence.
Smith, an associate professor of business education, marketing education and management at MTSU, made a decision in late 2004 when his physician told him that his cholesterol count was "a little high."
Overweight since childhood and with parents with heart conditions, Smith refused to depend on medication to regulate his body chemistry.
His decision: to make some changes in his life.
"It's not that you do anything in one day that's life-changing," Smith says. "It's a process, like anything. It takes time. Once you accept that you are going to change, that it's what you have to do, you do it."
Recalling an aunt's success with the Weight Watchers program and intrigued by its behavior-modification premise, Smith got on the phone to find out locations and meeting times.
The same afternoon, he walked into the program's local office, paid the fee and sat down among an enthusiastic group of fellow rebels. (He was the only male in that particular group, but he says that was part of the fun.)
That was in January 2005. By December, Smith had lost 120 pounds.
"I don't think that's typical," he jokes now.
(Indeed, Weight Watchers recommends a safe-and ultimately more permanent-weight loss of no more than one to two pounds weekly. A doctor's oversight is usually needed for anything more swift.)
"We see changes every day, but not to that extreme," says Smith's Weight Watchers leader, Dot Warren of Shelbyville. "A lot of people will give up before they ever accomplish something so wonderful, and that's understandable, because it's hard.
"But he learned how to live the program. It's not a diet; it's just eating healthy. It's changing your way of seeing things. You have to literally-mentally-turn around and say, 'I refuse to go any further down this road. I'm changing direction.' That's how you make any change in your life."
Adding gentle exercise to his routine, plus calculating the program's allowed daily food "points," or portion guides, and keeping his spirits up with regular meeting attendance have been the keys to Smith's new independence, he says.
"It may be my business background, but I looked at those 'points' like money, and when they were gone, that was it for eating for the day," he says, noting that the new habit now helps him maintain his weight loss.
"I'm still a big eater; I just eat better. And just like money, just knowing I have a point or two left over at the end of the day is great."
He also has energy left for his family, friends and beloved pet dog, as well as a newfound quest to learn to play the piano.
Smith says he feels a "sense of being more positive, maybe a bit happier, too," that he believes has translated into better classroom performance for him, even after 21 years of teaching at MTSU.
"Changing things doesn't take great intellect or skill," he says. "It's just something everyone has to learn.
"The key is staying in the mindset."
TIME FOR A WALK-BMOM's Vince Smith laces up his walking shoes before taking off down the Stones River Greenway for an after-work walk. Smith says making small changes can create a big difference in anyone's life.
photo by J. Intintoli
The Record, June 19, 2006, V14.24
Campus Calendar
>>Top of Page
Campus Calendar
June 19-July 2
TV Schedule
"Middle Tennessee Record"
Cable Channel 9: Monday-Sunday-5 p.m.
NewsChannel 5+: Saturdays-1:30 p.m.,
Through June 21
MT Women's Basketball "Team Camp II"
Middle/JV, high-school teams
Cost: $100 per team; $75 per commuter camper (no meals), $125 per commuter camper (three daily meals), and $175 per dorm camper
For information, visit: www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-5356.
Through July 15
Governor's School for the Arts
Campuswide
For information, contact: 615-898-2223.
June 19-23
MT Boys' Soccer Camp
Ages 10 to 18 years
9 a.m.-noon
Cost: $130 per camper
For information, visit: www.mtsusoccercamps.com and click on "camp sessions"
or contact: 615-898-5316.
Monday, June 19
BRAA Appreciation Dinner
6 p.m., James Union Building
For information, contact: 615-898-2210.
June 20-21
CUSTOMS Orientation
Colleges of Liberal Arts, Education & Behavioral Science, Business and undeclared majors
7:30 a.m., campuswide
Fee: $65 per freshman
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~customs
or contact: 615-898-5533.
June 22-24
MT Summer Softball Camp
9 a.m.: ages 8-12
1:30 p.m.: ages 13-18
New Blue Raider Field
Cost: $100 per camper
For information, contact: 615-904-8010.
Thursday, June 22
"Rethinking the Civil War at 150 Years"
Dr. Dwight Pitcaithley, Visiting Distinguished Public Historian
7-8:45 p.m., BAS State Farm Lecture Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2423.
June 23-24
CUSTOMS Orientation
Colleges of Basic & Applied Science, Mass Comm and undeclared majors
7:30 a.m., campuswide
Fee: $65 per freshman
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~customs
or contact: 615-898-5533.
June 23-35
Tennessean Dressage Show
8 a.m. daily, Miller Coliseum
No admission charge
For information, visit: www.tndressage.com.
Sunday, June 25
"MTSU On the Record-Chief Buddy Peaster"
Guest: Buddy Peaster, MTSU Department of Public Safety
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast at www.mtsunews.com
Tuesday, June 27
"Bookends" Summer Lecture Series
Dr. Jenny Marchant, Waiting for Snow in Havana
7:30 p.m., Linebaugh Public Library, 105 W. Vine St.
No admission charge
For information, visit www.linebaugh.org.
June 29-July 2
MT Women's Basketball "Elite Camp"
Seventh- through 12th-graders
Cost: $225 per camper (due by June 28)
For information, visit: www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-5356.
Friday, June 30
Open registration deadline, Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp
Ages 10-18; cost: $250
For information, visit: www.sgrrc.org.
Sunday, July 2
"MTSU On the Record-Celebration Under the Stars"
Guest: TBA
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast at www.mtsunews.com
Calendar Items Welcomed
Submit your campus event calendar items (at least three weeks in advance of the event, please) to gfann@mtsu.edu or via fax to 615-898-5714.
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