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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Curriculum redesign draws national interest

by Bonnie Bailey

The Starlink Training Network, a Dallas, Texas-based professional development network for higher education, recently visited MTSU to do interviews with faculty and students for its upcoming program on curriculum redesign.

The program, which will be broadcast on Starlink's Web site through Feb. 18, will include MTSU's redesign of its Department of Developmental Studies, which was put into place in fall 2006 after about a year of intense planning.

"This was a major restructuring," said Dr. Marva Lucas, interim director of academic enrichment and associate professor of mathematical sciences. "The department's courses have been transferred, new courses have been developed and all the others have been eliminated."

An important aspect, Lucas said, is the fact that students taking the prescribed developmental education courses, renamed "K courses," now earn elective credit or satisfy general education requirements instead of just receiving institutional credit.

"We've eliminated one semester under the new structure and students are then being able to complete their general education mathematics requirement earlier," Lucas said.

The English Department has dealt with the changes by implementing the Stretch Program -- a program building on Arizona State University's Stretch model.

"Students ... with low placement test scores in English are capable of writing college level papers, but need more time for revision, peer review, and conferences with their instructors," Dr. Sheila Otto, coordinator of the Stretch English Program, said. "The Stretch Program is designed to provide the additional support of extra time, more instruction and a writing community to those students."

The English Department has been pleased with success rates, Otto said. In spring 2007, students enrolled in English 1010K had a pass rate of 84 percent.

"This is an exciting change," said Dr. Bill Badley, assistant vice provost for academic affairs and director of general education. "We're saving students' time; we're saving them money, and we're getting the same outcomes as the regular college courses."

After the one-year pilot, the results have been compared and there have been no significant differences found in pass rates between students that took the K courses, students that took the former developmental courses, and students that took the regular general education college-credit courses, Lucas said.

"We're just very proud," Badley said. "We literally said we expected students to do more, and they did. They succeeded."

To view the program, visit www.starlinktraining.org and click on the "Webcast" box on the right.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Students waiting Up 'til Dawn Feb. 1-2

by Randy Weiler

From her role as a graduate assistant and three previous years' experience with Up 'til Dawn, Megan Flippin has a veteran's perspective for the 2008 event.

Flippin can offer lots of advice to this year's committee hierarchy -- Executive Director Crystal Griffey and Associate Directors Josh McKenzie and Jameel Braddock.

"They've been working really, really hard," Flippin said of the committee. It's spent hours preparing for the event, which will be held from 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, to 7 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, in the Campus Recreation Center to raise money for St. Jude Children's Hospital.

"They started with a committee retreat last June," she added. "They began brainstorming and preparing. They promoted Up 'til Dawn at CUSTOMS (summer orientation for freshmen and transfer students)."

A key event in October was Up 'til Dawn On the Lawn Awareness Week.

"It was an opportunity for teams to begin signing up," Flippin said.

This year's theme will have a carnival- and circus-like atmosphere, she said.

"It has been really easy," she said. "Generally, carnivals and circuses are a fun concept. It's easy when you're getting entertainment for the finale event, decorations, that kind of thing."

Flippin said the committee pushed the monetary goal to $105,000 after more than $96,000 was raised in 2007.

"They raised $19,000 in 1999 and more than $96,000 last year," she said. "It's jumped every year. Hopefully, it'll be accomplished again."

Event organizers also set a goal of 80 teams trying to raise money. By mid-January, more than 50 had committed to participate.

Up 'til Dawn will be open to the public from 7 p.m. to midnight Feb. 1. A $5 donation is requested. Attendees will be entertained by sporting events, live entertainment and free food. A hypnotist is expected to be part of the late-night activities.

Among those attending will be a guest patient speaker from St. Jude. The patient will attend with his family.

For more information, call 615-904-8270 or visit www.mtsu.edu/~uptldawn.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Student survey leads to MTSU's 'best' pick by Princeton Review

from Staff Reports

The Princeton Review has designated MTSU as one among 146 "Best Southeastern Colleges" as the result of a survey of MTSU students by the publication.

According to survey findings, students said that MTSU offers "the best bang for your buck in academia, sports, parties and overall experience."

The Princeton Review conducts surveys with millions of college undergraduates in hopes of identifying the top schools in each region of the country.

"We include schools that we have a high opinion of their academics and overall college experience," said Jen Adams, Princeton Review student survey manager. "We survey many, many students and guidance counselors before we make our selections. MTSU should be pleased with being part of this group."

In 2007, the Review surveyed a random population of MTSU undergraduate students and praised their professors as "extremely knowledgeable and very willing to meet with students outside of class." One MTSU junior offered that "if I've ever had a problem, the administration and professor were there to help me."

The comments mirror MTSU's efforts to be the best comprehensive university in the state and come as no great surprise, said President Sidney A. McPhee.

"We are very pleased to get this feedback from The Princeton Review that MTSU is one of their best-rated universities in the South," McPhee said. "More importantly, we are pleased that our students feel MTSU is working hard to make sure they get the support they need from both the faculty and administration."

To read MTSU's entry in the rankings, visit www.princetonreview.com, register free and search for "Middle Tennessee State."

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

For the Record:
MTSU collaborating with World Health, CDC in West Africa

by Dr. Andrew Owusu

Over the past five years, MTSU has significantly increased the size and scope of its international activities involving students and faculty. This expansion has been consistent with the university's academic master plan, which encourages external collaboration and experiential learning for faculty and students respectively.

In response, in 2006 the university's Department of Health and Human Performance entered into partnership with the World Health Organization, or WHO, as well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, also known as MOESS, in Ghana, West Africa.

The overall goal of the partnership is to improve the health and well-being of school-age adolescents in Ghana. The specific aims of the partnership are first to monitor trends in the prevalence of health-risk behaviors and factors that influence those behaviors among adolescents ages 13 to 15 years. The second aim is to help Ghana develop priorities, establish programs and advocate for resources for school and youth health programs and policies. The third aim is to allow Ghana and international agencies to compare health risks across countries. The fourth and final aim is to provide MTSU students and faculty collaborators with additional opportunities to engage in academic activities and research in global health issues.

In September and October 2007, the partnership completed the first phase of activities. The activities were partly funded through a Faculty Research and Creativity Activity Committee grant, "A Surveillance Study of Health Risk Behaviors Among School Youth in Ghana." It involved the initiation of capacity-building activities and data collection on health-risk behaviors among approximately 6,000 students. With this achievement, MTSU is the first U.S. institution to successfully lead the implementation of a comprehensive nationwide surveillance system dedicated to the health of school children in an African country. Analysis of the data, generation of fact sheets, country reports and preparation of research manuscripts will take place this spring semester.

In November 2007, WHO and CDC agreed to expand their collaboration with MTSU to include older adolescents. Thus, as a result of MTSU's leadership, Ghana will be the first country in Africa to have a comprehensive surveillance system dedicated to monitoring health-risk behaviors among school children ages 13 to 19.

From the initial involvement of one MTSU area, the Department of Health and Human Performance, interest on campus has grown to include three additional units, including the School of Nursing and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. These units are represented by seven faculty members, three doctoral graduate students and three undergraduate students.

For more information on MTSU's involvement in school health activities in Ghana, West Africa, please send an e-mail to aowusu@mtsu.edu.

Dr. Andrew Owusu, assistant professor of health and human performance at MTSU, is the primary investigator/country coordinator for the Ghana School-Based Student Health Survey partnership project.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

New Web site helps with off-campus housing

The Off-Campus Student Services office has launched its off-campus housing Web site, www.mtsuoffcampus.com, co-sponsored with Off-Campus Partners.

Prospective students, current students, faculty and staff may log in to this Web site to search a database of apartments for rent and houses for sale in the Murfreesboro area. Searches may be conducted by various locations within the city. Users may specify a preferred move-in date, building type, maximum monthly rent, etc., and the search will bring up a list of apartments meeting the user's specifications, often including pictures and floor plans.

This off-campus housing information should allow viewers to see what is available without having to go around to each apartment complex, officials said.

New faculty and staff coming to Murfreesboro looking to purchase a house will also be able to search properties for sale from local real-estate agents using the MTSU Off-Campus Housing Web site.

Students also may log in to participate in various message boards managed on this site specifically for students living off-campus: roommate matching, furniture buy/sell, textbooks buy/sell, connections for international and transfer students, ride board for rides to other locations and carpooling board for rides to and from campus, etc.

Those interested in locating off-campus housing or participating in one of the message boards should go to www.mtsu.edu/~ocss and click on "Off-Campus Housing" on the left. Users may log in with their regular MTSU usernames and passwords or create another to access the MTSU Off-Campus Housing site, managed by Off-Campus Partners.

For more information, contact Dr. Carol Ann Baily, director of Off-Campus Student Services, at 615-898-5989 or in Room 320 of the Keathley University Center.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Public Safety receives Homeland Security grant

MTSU's Department of Public Safety is one of four emergency-services providers in Rutherford County to receive a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to buy much-needed equipment, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced.

The Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program provided MTSU with $32,275 to purchase Homeland Security Comprehensive Assessment Model training and certification and a Vulnerability Assessment Kit. The department will receive a laptop computer, digital camera and other technology to assess the university's strengths and vulnerabilities, should some emergency occur, Lt. Jason Morton said.

"This will help us to identify areas to improve," Morton said. "We can incorporate this with an earlier award [a thermal imager]. We see this as a strength, an added resource for surveillance or, God forbid, recovery. This is another tool in the tool belt."

Gordon noted that CEDAP provides smaller communities and rural areas with technology, equipment and technical assistance to enhance their first-responder capabilities and "is particularly helpful for local police and fire departments that have limited resources."

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Renowned clarinetist, MTSU pianist perform Jan. 30

from Staff Reports

James Campbell, acclaimed as "Canada's preeminent clarinetist and wind soloist" by the Toronto Star, will collaborate with MTSU music professor and pianist Leopoldo Erice in a free recital on Wednesday, Jan. 30, at 8 p.m. in the T. Earl Hinton Music Hall.

The concert will feature Luigi Bassi's "Concert Fantasy on Motives from Verdi's Rigoletto," Johannes Brahms's "Sonata in F Minor, op. 120, no. 1," Carl Maria von Weber's "Grand Duo Concertant op. 48," Maurice Ravel's "Pice en forme de Habanera" and Leonard Bernstein's "Sonata."

In addition to the performance, on the same day Campbell will present a two-hour master class at 11:30 a.m. in the music hall.

Campbell, who has followed his muse to five television specials, multiple awards, more than 40 recordings and more than 30 works commissioned, most recently received The Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. He has performed in most of the world's major concert halls and with more than 50 orchestras, including the London Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de MontrŽal and the Russian Philharmonic. He has collaborated and performed with many of the world's great musicians, including Janos Starker, Menahem Pressler, the Borodin Trio and the late Glenn Gould and Aaron Copland as well as with the Penderecki, Amadeus and Colorado String Quartets. Since 1989, Campbell also has served as professor of music at the prestigious Music School of Indiana University.

In addition to his teaching duties at MTSU, Spanish pianist Erice is an accomplished recitalist, soloist and chamber musician who has performed extensively in Europe, America and Asia. He is the winner of prestigious national prizes and in 2000 was awarded the prize for the best collaborative pianist by unanimous jury in the Jacinto Guerrero International Singing Competition. He has recorded several CDs and is the founder and director of the Festival Internacional de Mœsica Cl‡sica de Ribadeo in Spain.

For more information, call 615-898-2493.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Library posters inspiring youths to read

by Gina K. Logue

Four recent MTSU graduates now grace the halls of the James E. Walker Library and the walls of Tennessee high schools on posters encouraging students to read.

The latest READ posters are available for viewing in the periodicals section of the library on the main floor. They feature young people from dramatically different walks of life who found reading to be essential to their academic, spiritual and professional lives.

"All of them have in common that reading is an important part of their success," says Bill Black, library professor in charge of administrative services.

Black says the project started a couple of years ago when the American Library Association made the software for its own READ poster program available to libraries across the country. While the national project displays celebrities, the MTSU counterpart touts the university's superstar students.

"It really took the shape of identifying students on campus who could serve as examples to younger students, and younger students would be able to look at these individuals and get some inspiration for what they might be able to do," Black says.

With a grant from the university and production assistance from the Offices of Marketing and Communications, News and Public Affairs, Publications and Graphics, and Photo Services, library officials are working gradually to distribute the posters to schools throughout Tennessee.

"It'll take a fair amount of money to distribute it across the schools with this iteration," Black says. "But if we do a subset of that and then next year we do another four, eventually there'll be a set of four in each high school across the state."

In each poster, a student holds a book that exemplifies that individual's interests or attitudes. The featured students on this year's posters are:

• John Awan, a native of southern Sudan and a refugee camp survivor who now is enrolled in seminary at The University of the South in Sewanee. An MTSU graduate with a major in public administration, Awan has volunteered in the United Nation's Child-to-Child program and worked to collect two tons of books for shipment to Sudan. He is focused on putting his knowledge and his faith to use for the betterment of his war-torn nation. "I know very well that my years at Middle Tennessee State University have prepared me for these future challenges," Awan says. "This is an honor I see as an encouragement to do some more work, and I will carry it with me for the rest of the time ahead of me." He holds the Walker Library's re-edition of the Gutenberg Bible.

• Matthew Bullington of Murfreesboro, the recipient of a Presidential Scholarship, which paid for all four years of his MTSU education. Now holding an economics degree, Bullington was active on campus in the Student Government Association, University Honors Council, Raider Representatives and the university orchestra. He belonged to two honor societies, Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key International. Bullington's volunteer work included musical performances at residential-care centers and debate coaching for a home-school debate team. He holds the book 1776 by David McCullough.

• Kimberly "Kimmie" Jones of Brentwood, who graduated with honors, majoring in advertising with minors in art and English. A volunteer for the Muscular Dystrophy Association who uses a scooter to overcome her physical limitations, Jones was visual arts editor of the MTSU arts journal Collage and has interned at McNeely, Pigott and Fox, a Nashville public relations firm. "I am so proud to be a part of something as recognizable as the READ posters," Jones says. "I love to read, so when I was asked, I thought it was one of the coolest opportunities I have had." She holds the book Make a Difference: America's Guide to Volunteering and Community Service by Arthur I. Blaustein.

• Petar Skobic of Pleasant View, a native of Zagreb, Croatia, whose struggle to continue to pay for his education was the focus of a special fundraising effort by volunteers on campus. An exchange student who learned English by reading Stephen King and J.R.R. Tolkien novels, Skobic was president of MTSU's Financial Management Association and graduated with an MBA with an emphasis on finance. Skobic now is a district manager for the Aldi supermarket chain. He holds the book Absolute Honesty: Building a Corporate Culture That Values Straight Talk by Larry Johnson and Bob Phillips.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Career and Employment Center introduces Lightning JobSource

from Staff Reports

The MTSU Career and Employment Center recently introduced Lightning JobSource as the new name for its online job referral site, center Director Bill Fletcher said.

The name is loosely based on Lightning, the MTSU athletic mascot, and was chosen to better identify with the university instead of relying on the name given by the software program vendor, Fletcher said. The site formerly was known as eRecruiting.

Lightning JobSource features a streamlined initialization process that allows new registrants to sign up for an account online and receive login information the next business day. When accessing the Lightning JobSource link from the Career and Employment Center Web site (www.mtsu.edu/~career), registrants may read a use statement and submit the account initialization form through the site, without having to visit the career center or satellite offices.

The site also offers the career fair module, a new feature allowing users to review a list of employers registered for upcoming career fairs.

Students and alumni already registered with the system will continue using Lightning JobSource to search for jobs and upload their resumes. They also are encouraged to publish a resume to one or more of the resume books provided on the site. A resume book is a tailored collection of resumes, specific to a particular desired industry and/or job function. Only resumes published in resume books are referred to potential employers.

"As we look to cement relationships with the Middle Tennessee business community, we will rely on Lightning JobSource to act as a resource for employers, just as much as our students and alumni," Fletcher said. "Employers will see evidence of the viable employee candidates that MTSU has to offer."

For more information, call 615-898-2500, e-mail career@mtsu.edu, or visit the center's Web site.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Need FAFSA help at MT? Join College Goal Sunday

from Staff Reports

MTSU Office of Financial Aid representatives will be available to assist high-school seniors during the annual College Goal Sunday, which will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, in the north lobby of the Business and Aerospace Building.

"It's designed for high-school seniors, but we'll be happy for anyone to join us," said Bonnie McCarty, assistant director of scholarships.

College Goal Sunday helps prospective college students get free on-site assistance filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form and enables them to talk to financial aid professionals about resources and how to apply for scholarships and student loans.

Students and their parents or guardians should bring a 2007 federal tax return or other income documentation, Social Security number, driver's license, 2007 W-2 forms or year-end pay stubs and bank statements and other "what to bring" information found at www.collegegoalsundaytn.org.

Attendees are asked to apply for their FAFSA personal identification number in advance by visiting www.pin.ed.gov.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Unity Luncheon to recognize 4 'unsung heroes'

from Staff Reports

The annual MTSU Unity Luncheon, which is part of the university's Black History Month celebration, will be held Wednesday, Feb. 6, beginning at 11 a.m. in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building.

The Unity Luncheon honors "unsung heroes" who have spent a large portion of their lives serving others through their time and energy. This year's honorees are:

• Mrs. Cornell Bingham of Murfreesboro, Head Start preschool teacher and member of Walnut Grove Missionary Baptist Church";

• Mrs. Verna Bonner of Cowan, Tenn., who is active in New Hope Church of God in Christ and works with the local adult literacy and family abuse survivors programs;

• Mrs. Mary Glass of Murfreesboro, a longtime MTSU Business Office clerk, radio host and director of the Women's Ministry program at Cherry Grove Missionary Baptist Church; and

• Mr. Charlie King Jr. of Murfreesboro, treasurer of Cedar Grove Primitive Baptist Church and a 35-year employee of the Veterans Administration who transports disabled residents.

The special luncheon speaker will be Smyrna Judge Keta Barnes, who was the first African-American official elected in Smyrna and the first African-American female judge elected in Rutherford County.

Tickets will be $18 per person and $8 for students. Reservations can be made by sending a check payable to MTSU, Box 88, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132. To purchase tickets, contact Brenda Wunder at 615-898-2797 or bwunder@mtsu.edu. The deadline to purchase tickets is Thursday, Jan. 31.

The theme for the 2008 Black History Month is "Carter G. Woodson and The Origins of Multiculturalism." More MTSU Black History Month events are in the Campus Calendar on page 4; an article with events will follow in the Feb. 11 Record.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Jan. 29, March 25 webcasts to feature astronaut training

from Staff Reports

History, social studies, fine arts, English, geography, science and health will be among the range of topics covered during the spring K-12 education program schedule that will be webcast by the MTSU Satellite and Webcasting Center.

The Tennessee Mathematics, Science and Technology Education Center will sponsor two programs connecting astronaut training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to the K-6 classroom on Jan. 29 and March 25.

"These programs feature a tour of the center hosted by Billy Hix, a Motlow State Community College computer science professor, and Terry Sue Fanning, the curriculum and technology coordinator for Moore County Schools," said Dr. Connie Schmidt, director of the Instructional Technology Support Center.

Enrichment programs designed for students will air at 9 a.m. CST every Tuesday, except March 4, March 18 and April 15. Except for Feb. 19, all of the programs will be live.

Professional development programs designed for teachers are offered from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. CST on Thursdays beginning Jan. 31.

Karen Hargrove and Dr. Cindi Smith-Walters from MTSU's Center for Environmental Education will show elementary students how a heart works and how to find their own heart rates just in time for Valentines Day in "Hearts and Flowers" Feb. 12, Schmidt said.

Dr. Larry Burriss (journalism) and Dr. Kathy Burriss (elementary and special education) will visit the Land Down Under with students in grades four through eight in "An Australian Adventure" on March 1.

Dr. Janet Colson and two of her Department of Human Sciences students will alert middle- and high-school students to the dangers of fast food in "Fast Food Feeding Frenzy" on April 1, Schmidt said.

Dr. Bobbie Solley in the Department of Elementary and Special Education and Beverly Barnes, a faculty member at Eagleville School, will help middle-school students create poems to communicate what they have learned about the Holocaust in "The Holocaust: Thinking and Writing to Learn" on April 8.

Dr. Zaf Khan in the Department of Elementary and Special Education will offer three professional development workshops during the semester, Schmidt said. The first workshop (Jan. 31) focuses on Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act. A Thursday, March 13, program will show teachers and schools how to "bully-proof" their classrooms. Khan will conclude his series with an April 10 program promoting differentiated instruction to maximize student growth by meeting each student "where he or she is" and assisting in the learning process.

Teachers and students in Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Knox, Lincoln, Marshall, Moore and Warren counties may view the programs via satellite. Schools and homes in Nashville may view the programs on MEAC Channel 10; viewers in Huntsville, Ala., may tune in on ETV Channel 9; and Wilson County viewers may watch on BNN Channel 9.

Viewers with questions may call in on the toll-free phone line at 866-904-8352 or at 615-904-8352.

More information about the spring program series may be found on the ITSC Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~itsc.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Official 'Day One' headcount nearly 22,000 for spring

The first day of spring 2008 classes at MTSU included a headcount of 21,096 students enrolled in classes, Dr. Sherian Huddleston, associate vice provost for enrollment services, said Jan 14.

The Day One headcount was 299 more than the 20,797 students who attended the first day of classes Jan. 16, 2007, Huddleston said, adding that it was a 1.4 percent increase.

Final spring enrollment totals were submitted Sunday, Jan. 27, the 14-day census report date, or shortly thereafter to the Tennessee Board or Regents.

Saturday, Feb. 9, is the last day for students to drop to part time or withdraw (dropping all classes) from the university and receive a 25 percent fee adjustment. Sunday, March 2, is the last day to drop or withdraw with a grade of "W."

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

6 students bring 'broad range' of ideas to Posters at Capitol

by Randy Weiler

Another talented group of MTSU students will be making presentations of their research and mingling with state legislators Wednesday, Feb. 6, during the third annual Posters at the State Capitol in Nashville.

MTSU serves as host of the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. event, which also includes up to six presenters from fellow Tennessee Board of Regents members East Tennessee State University, Tennessee Tech, Austin Peay, Tennessee State and the University of Memphis. The MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences helps sponsor the event.

MTSU's six representatives, all seniors, will include:

• Stephanie Mills, a music major from Murfreesboro, whose mentor is Dr. Michael Linton, professor of music. Mills' presentation is "A Creative Project Based on the Life and Work of Manuel de Falla";

• Jeremy Minton, psychology major from Trenton, whose mentor is Dr. Gloria Hamilton, professor of psychology. Minton's presentation is "Family Expressiveness and Alexithymia in College Students";

• Richard Anderson, a geosciences major from Murfreesboro, whose mentor is Dr. Warner Cribb, professor of geosciences. Anderson's presentation is "Investigation of Petro-Tectonic Settings of Felsic Igneous Rocks";

• Taylor Barnes, a physics major from Murfreesboro, whose mentor is Dr. Daniel Erenso, assistant professor in physics and astronomy. Barnes' presentation is "Measuring Mechanical Deformations in Human Erythrocytes Without Using Force Probes in Both PBS and Calf Serum Samples";

• Eugene Siebert, an engineering technology and industrial studies major from Memphis, whose mentor is Dr. Walter Boles, ETIS chairman. Siebert's presentation is "Investigation of Granular Segregation in a Horizontal Rotating Tube from an Energy Perspective"; and

• Andrea VanHoozer, a psychology major from Memphis, whose mentor is Aimee Holt, a psychology instructor. VanHoozer's presentation is "Learning Strategies of College Students With and Without Learning Disabilities."

Erenso also serves as mentor to alternates Daniel Solus of Brentwood and Jeremy Curtis of Ooltewah. Solus's presentation is "Investigation of Alternative Green Energy Sources from Landing Aircraft." Curtis's presentation is "Formation of Synthetic Structures with Micron-Size Silica Beads Using Optical Tweezers."

Dr. Diane Miller, interim vice provost for academic affairs, serves as director of the McNair Scholars Program and undergraduate research, and is involved with the selection of the presenters.

"The six students were selected through a competitive process on campus," Miller said. "Congratulations to all six presenters and the alternates. They represent a broad range of disciplines on campus and will have a very exciting day visiting with the state legislators."

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Theatre works net nominations

Senior theatre major Jayme M. Smith's award-winning play, "An Intervention from God," is one of five productions to be showcased at the Region Four presentation of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Feb. 5-10 at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C.

The showcased productions will be considered for an all-expense paid trip to the national festival April 14-20 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., to perform their work. A national selection team will select a total of four to six productions, taken from eight regions across the country, to be showcased at the Kennedy Center.

Two short plays by MTSU seniors, Brandon Gwinn's "Fathers" and Matt Cantrell's "Interrogation," were selected as regional Short Play and John Cauble finalists and also will be seen in staged readings at the festival.

In addition to the chance to perform with peers in Washington, the students also will be candidates for a host of scholarships and awards. While the KCACTF honors excellence in overall production, individual students are also recognized for excellence in specific categories. Awards will be announced at the Kennedy Center during the national festival.

MTSU students nominated for individual awards at the regional festival include the following Irene Ryan Award acting nominees: Matthew Frazier-Smith and Georgia Hemrick for "Kid Icarus," Justin Bourdet and Paige Hall for "Ramona Quimby," Estelle Hatcher and Valerie Meek for "The Country Wife," Leah Fincher and Vance McCarty for "Mother Courage and Her Children," Dustin Napier and Alli Scott for "Romeo and Juliet" and David Bennett for "An Intervention from God."

Paige Hall also was nominated for a stage management award for her work with "Romeo and Juliet," Katrina Stanifer was nominated for a Barbizon Costume Design Award and an Alcone Makeup Award for her work with "Kid Icarus," and Hunter Raymond was nominated for a Barbizon Lighting Design Award for his work with "The Country Wife."

Speech and Theatre Professor Dale E. McGilliard also was nominated for a faculty directing award for his work on "Romeo and Juliet."

Faculty working with the Region IV festival include speech and theatre professors Deborah Anderson (playwriting chair), M. Crosby Hunt (regional director of the National Critics Institute) and Jeff Gibson (Region IV chair).

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

MTSU video on YouTube generates surprise reunion

from Staff Reports

In July 2007, the Office of News and Public Affairs began posting video stories on YouTube, and since that date, the videos have been viewed more than 22,000 times. The most popular of the videos has been a seven-minute clip from Dr. Chuck Frost's documentary on street children in the Philippines, which originally aired in February 2007.

The social work professor's documentary has not only been popular; it resulted in a surprise reunion for his wife, Melly, and an old friend. According to Frost, his wife discovered an old college friend's e-mail address on the Internet.

He recounted, "She e-mailed her and updated her, letting her know that she was now married to Dr. Charles Frost, and mentioned that you could find a video about street children that I had produced on YouTube.

"The Philippine friend, who now lives in Germany, e-mailed back that she had already viewed the YouTube documentary BEFORE my wife had contacted her and was planning on contacting me to ask permission to use the video in her efforts to raise funds to help the street children."

Among the other popular MTSU videos on YouTube are stories about "Wilson's Allen," the famous horse now buried near the Miller Coliseum; Dr. Bill Robertson's students exceeding the speed of light; evaluation of MTSU's tornado drill; Dr. Anthony Newsome's research on staph infections; and Dr. Hugh Berryman's forensic anthropology students.

The videos are taken from MTSU's video news magazine, "Middle Tennessee Record," which has been on the air since February 2004. To view any of the 60-plus videos, go to YouTube and search for "mtsunews."

BRINGING WORLDS TOGETHER -- A boy and girl crouch alongside a city street in the Philippines in a still from Dr. Chuck Frost's February 2007 "Middle Tennessee Record" story on street children in the island nation. The video's inclusion on YouTube has led to publicity and help for the children, as well as a reunion between Frost's wife and an old college pal.

photo from "Middle Tennessee Record"/Dr. Chuck Frost

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

IRB sets spring '08 schedule

from Staff Reports

MTSU's Institutional Review Board has set its spring 2008 meeting schedule, officials announced.

All meetings will take place the last Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. Meetings are set for Jan. 29, Feb. 26, March 25 and April 29; the May meeting date will be announced later.

Protocol applications must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. two weeks before the review meeting date.

All meetings, with the exception of the Feb. 26 session, will take place in the Library Conference Room, Room 475. The Feb. 26 meeting will be conducted in the Ingram Building's first-floor conference room.

The MTSU Institutional Review Board reviews all research involving human subjects at MTSU.

The Office of Compliance is located in the Sam Ingram Building in Office 011B. Please visit the IRB Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~irb or contact the Office of Compliance (615-494-8918 or irb@mtsu.edu) with questions.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

Input sought for accreditation of nursing school

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education will be conducting an accreditation site visit for the baccalaureate degree in nursing program on the MTSU campus from April 14 to 16.

Written and signed third-party comments will be accepted by CCNE until 30 days before the site visit, or March 15.

Please direct comments to Ms. LiAnn Shepard, Accreditation Assistant, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, Suite 530, Washington, D.C., 20036-1120.

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January 28, 2008, V16.14

People Around Campus:
Freshman survives shark-bite shock to walk into nursing

by Gina K. Logue

When MTSU student Craig Hutto lost a leg, he gained a new appreciation of the medical profession -- one so intense that it prompted him to change his major.

A week before his 17th birthday in June 2005, the Lebanon youth was on vacation with his family at Cape San Blas, about 50 miles southeast of Panama City. As Craig was fishing with his brother Brian, a bull shark, estimated to be 6 to 8 feet long, attacked Craig's right leg. Brian grabbed his brother and tried desperately to pull him to shore as Craig tried to pry the creature's jaws open, only to witness his hands being ripped to shreds.

"Right when it bit me, I went straight into shock," Craig says. "So I don't know the exact spot where it bit me, but I know it bit me from mid-thigh all the way down in different spots."

Unbeknownst to Craig at the time, the shark's teeth had pierced his right femoral artery, which carries blood from the heart to the lower extremities. It was bleeding from this artery that cost Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor his life when he was shot in November 2007. Medical professionals say controlling hemorrhaging in the immediate aftermath of an injury to this artery is critical.

"To my advantage, there were three nurses, an EMT (emergency medical technician) and a doctor on the shore, just on vacation," Craig says, "and right when I got on the shore, they immediately did what they were trained to do, which was elevate my right leg and then hold pressure on ... my right femoral artery. I mean, they did everything they were supposed to do, and I believe that's why I'm still alive today."

While the ambulance arrived on the scene within 10 minutes, Craig had to wait inside the ambulance for 45 minutes for the LifeFlight helicopter to transport him to a Panama City hospital. He stayed there two-and-a-half weeks, enduring six operations. He walks today with a titanium prosthesis. However, when he concentrates on his walking, there is no evidence of a device because the shark did not rip his quadriceps muscle.

"Every time I walk, I'm supposed to fire the quad where I can just be sturdy and I won't limp, but I always get lazy and just forget to do it," Craig says. "I still walk around with a little limp all the time."

Returning to athletics with an artificial leg was an issue for Craig, who excelled at baseball and basketball prior to the attack. He did not want to be the focus of undue attention or the recipient of pity from his competitors. Even so, in 2006, he flew to California and competed in a triathlon, forming a three-man team with both of his brothers. Brian ran; Zach biked; Craig swam. It was the first time he had entered ocean water since the accident.

"I wasn't too worried about it, honestly, until I got in the water," Craig says, "and once I was in the water, I wasn't freaking out, but I was questioning myself -- like, why was I doing this?"

With the training of a coach who taught Craig how to adjust his swimming technique to accommodate the loss of his leg, the former lifeguard completed the 1.2-mile swim in 35 minutes.

"It's just finding the balance on top of the water and then rotating your hips, not just your legs," Craig says.

He altered more than just his swimming style. He changed his mind about the direction of his life. Craig says he was thinking about a career in computer science prior to the accident, but he says his tragic experience made him realize how important doctors and nurses really are. Now Craig is planning to become a nurse anesthetist.

Craig lost 3,500 cubic centimeters of blood in the accident. He was given two body transfusions and 16 extra pints of blood in the hospital. He now makes it his mission to speak to anyone who will listen about the importance of donating blood.

"The greatest thing about giving blood is that someone will give a pint of blood and (might) never know who they'll help at all," he says.

The one thing Craig says he does know is that his Sigma Chi fraternity brothers will not allow him to think of himself either as a hero or a victim.

"All my friends ... get on me, and I'm glad they do because that's kind of what keeps me sane," Craig says. "I'm glad they treat me like everybody else."

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Campus Calendar - January 28, 2008, V16.14

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Campus Calendar, Jan. 28-Feb. 10, 2008

TV Schedule
"Middle Tennessee Record"
Cable Channel 9: Monday-Sunday-5 p.m.; NewsChannel 5+: Sundays-1:30 p.m.
Visit www.mtsunews.com for other cable outlet airtimes.

Every Wednesday
Gender Circles
Weekly conversations on diversity with emphasis on gender issues
1-3 p.m., JUB 206
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.

Through Jan. 31
EARLY VOTING for the Feb. 5 presidential primary
Visit www.rutherfordcountytn.gov/election/ for locations and times; visit www.state.tn.us/sos/election/absentee.htm for absentee voting information.

Through Feb. 28
"Maine Women: Living on the Land"
Photo exhibit by Lauren Shaw
Baldwin Photo Gallery, LRC
For information and exhibit hours, contact: 615-898-2085.

Monday, Jan. 28
Black History Month: Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars Concert
7 p.m., Tennessee Room, JUB
sponsored by the Department of Student Programming
No admission charge
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~aahm or contact: 615-898-2987.

Photographer Lauren Shaw: Lecture, Documentary Screening and Book-Signing
7 p.m., LRC 221
For information, contact: 615-898-2085.

Faculty Oboe Recital: George T. Riordan
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Tuesday, Jan. 29
Murfreesboro Youth Orchestra
7 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Jan. 31-Feb. 1
Wind Band Conference
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Jan. 31-Feb. 2
MTSU Theatre's Student-Directed Studio Series: "Underwear" by Heidi Ervin and Brandon Gwinn
7:30 p.m., BDA Studio Theatre
For information, contact: 615-898-2640.

Thursday, Jan. 31
Red Cross Blood Drive
10 a.m.-4 p.m., KUC 322 and 318
For information, contact: 615-898-2590.

Friday, Feb. 1
MT Baseball Annual Groundhog Day Luncheon
11:30 a.m., Murphy Center arena
Tickets: $20 per person (order deadline is Jan. 25)
For information, contact: 615-898-2103 or 615-898-2210.

MTSU Wind Ensemble
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Saturday, Feb. 2
MT Baseball "Show Me" Camp
open to children ages six to 12
1-5 p.m., Murphy Center
Cost: $75 until Feb. 1; $85 day of camp
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2450.

Honor Band Concert
2 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Sunday, Feb. 3
"MTSU On the Record-Update on Russia"
Guest: Dr. Andrei Korobkov
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM

Feb. 4-5
Black History Month: Black Inventions Exhibit
sponsored by the Student Government Association
10 a.m.-6 p.m., KUC Lounge
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~aahm or contact: 615-898-2987.

Monday, Feb. 4
Red Cross Blood Drive
sponsored by School of Nursing
10 a.m.-4 p.m., Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building
For information, contact: 615-898-2590.

Stones River Chamber Players
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Wednesday, Feb. 6
Black History Month: Annual Unity Luncheon "Unsung Heroes" Honors
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Tennessee Room, James Union Building
Admission: $18 adult; $8 student with MTSU ID
To purchase tickets by Jan. 31, call 615-898-2797 or e-mail bwunder@mtsu.edu;
for information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~aahm or contact: 615-898-2987.

Honors Visiting Artist's Public Lecture: Washington Post illustrator Patterson Clark
4:30 p.m., HONR 106
For more information, contact: 615-898-2887.

Women's Basketball vs. Arkansas-Little Rock
7 p.m., Murphy Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2103.

Thursday, Feb. 7
Black History Month: "Africa and the Diaspora: African, African-American and Caribbean Student Dialogue"
co-sponsored by International Programs and Services Office
2-4 p.m., JUB 100
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~aahm or contact: 615-898-2987.

Thursday, Feb. 7
Black History Month: "Street Fight"
a film about racial politics in Newark, N.J., sponsored by the University Honors College
5 p.m., HONR 106
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~aahm or contact: 615-898-2987.

Men's Basketball vs. Arkansas-Little Rock
7 p.m., Murphy Center
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com or contact: 615-898-2103.

Jazz Artist Series: Jeff Coffin
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
Admission: $15 general public, MTSU students and staff free
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Saturday, Feb. 9
Women's Invitational Choral Festival
Wright Music Building
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Sunday, Feb. 10
"MTSU On the Record: Post-Mortem of Tsunami Tuesday"
Guest: Dr. Robb McDaniel
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast available at www.mtsunews.com.

Get information about financial aid at
College Goal Sunday at MTSU
2 p.m., north lobby of Business and Aerospace Building
For more information, visit www.collegegoalsundaytn.org or call 615-904-8414.

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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