NEW TRANSFER CHIEF NAMED

Michelle Blackwell, new direc-

tor of transfer student services,

comes to MTSU from the March of

Dimes in Huntsville, Ala. She’ll

now be working with deans, chairs,

faculty and staff to improve the

transfer process, build positive rela-

tionships with community colleges,

provide orientation and advising to

transfer students and coordinate

UNIV 2020 for transfers. She can be

reached at 615-898-5728 or

emblackw@mtsu.edu.

HELP SOLVE EQUIPMENT THEFT

Crime Stoppers is offering a

cash reward up to $1,000 for infor-

mation about the June 15-18 theft of

copper wire, garage doors and shop

lights from the Family Student

Housing maintenance warehouse.

Call 615-893-STOP 8 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.

Aprojected 940 degree candidates willgraduate during the 96th annual summercommencement ceremony, MTSU officials

announced.The single-ceremony event will begin at 10

a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, in Murphy Center on theMTSU campus, with Dr. TonyJohnston, associate professor ofagriscience and agribusinessand the current MTSU represen-tative on the Tennessee Board ofRegents’ Faculty Subcouncil,delivering the commencementaddress.

Some 703 of this summer’sdegree candidates will beundergraduates, said Dr.Sherian Huddleston, director ofrecords and assistant vice provost of enrollmentservices, with 237 students slated to graduatefrom the College of Graduate Studies. This totalincludes one graduate certificate recipient, 207master’s degrees, 24 specialist in educationdegrees and five doctoral-level degrees.

“Graduation marks the first day of the rest of

a student’s education,” Johnston said of hisplanned message to degree candidates. ”Justwhen we think we’re ‘finished’ with education,we realize it’s just begun.”

Prior to joining the MTSU faculty in 1995,Johnston served as a full-time food quality andfood assurance manager for national corporations,including Pilgrim’s Pride, Tyson Foods and OzarkSalad Company, as well as a winemaker and con-sultant for land and business owners interested inestablishing vineyards and wineries in Tennessee,Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama and Georgia.

Born in Louisville, Ky., and reared in Texas,Johnston earned a bachelor’s degree in geophysicsand a Master of Science degree in food sciencebefore garnering a doctorate in food science/enology from the University of Arkansas atFayetteville. He also holds professional member-ships in the Institute of Food Technologists, theAmerican Society for Enology and Viticulture andthe Tennessee Viticultural and OenologicalSociety.

He has devoted professional service to a num-ber of food science-related organizations, includ-ing serving as secretary for the Grape Research

www.mtsunews.com

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE PAID

MURFREESBORO TNPERMIT NO. 169

IN BRIEF

Inside this edition:Earn credit by guiding young minds, page 3Health programs await federal OK, page 520th Labor-Management Conference , page 7

by Lisa L. Rollins

See ‘Class’ page 5

Historic acclaim, page7Historic acclaim, page7

a publication for the Middle Tennessee State University community July 30, 2007 • Vol. 16/No. 3

It’s well-documented thatMiddle Tennessee enjoyed abanner year in athletics, as

evidenced by winning its fourthSun Belt Conference All-Sportstrophy in seven years.

The payoff is also being real-ized from an economic standpoint:the Blue Raider AthleticAssociation just turned in recordfundraising numbers, the currentfootball season ticket drive isahead of last year’s pace and thefootball and women’s basketballprograms are coming off record-setting attendance seasons.

“We are coming off one of ourbest years athletically and aca-demically, and our fans and sup-porters are responding to this suc-cess,” Middle Tennessee Director

from MT Media Relations

BRAA’s $2.54Mbeats recordin fundraising

See ‘BRAA’ page 5

Keys to knowledge

FUTURE EDUCATORS IN TRAINING—Dr. Padgett Kelly's biome analysis students await their return flight to Nashville atMiami International Airport after a week of studying marine biology in the Florida Keys. Clockwise from lower left, the educationmajors are senior Aaron Nuell, junior Molly Hamm, senior Lindsey Calton, sophomore Mary Eatherly and seniors Crystal Hughes,Sharese Richardson, Cara Burham, Emily Bowles, Lindsey Walker and Lance Crowell. For details on their trip, please see page 3.

photo submitted

Johnston

CCCCllllaaaassssssss ooooffff2222000000007777::::‘‘‘‘ IIIItttt ’’’’ssss jjjjuuuussssttttbbbbeeeegggguuuu nnnn’’’’

Timely recognitionCollege of Education secretary

receives quarterly awardsee page 2

page 2 The Record July 30, 2007

Middle Tennessee head bas-ketball coach Kermit Davishas announced the addi-

tion of Brian Burg as director of bas-ketball operations.

Burg begins his first season onDavis’ staff after serving as an assis-tant coach at Western Texas College

for the 2006-07 sea-son.

“Brian is anoutstanding addi-tion to our staff,and he has alreadydone a great job inupgrading ourcomputer programsand taking overseveral otherresponsibilities,”Davis said. “He

brings a wide range of experience tothis position, which has changedsomewhat from what we have donein previous years.”

The position was previously agraduate-assistant slot, and each ofthe four previous coaches whoserved in that capacity under Davisall landed full-time coaching jobs.Dan Weisse, who most recently heldthe position, accepted a job on thestaff at North Dakota State.

The upgrade from graduateassistant to director of operationswill allow Davis to add even more

responsibilities to the post, he said.“We’ve been so fortunate to

have outstanding graduate assis-tants,” Davis said. “This positionwill give us a chance to put moreduties on one person, and it’s a realgood addition for us.”

Burg said the opportunity towork for Davis and at the Division Ilevel were factors for him, afterworking primarily at the junior col-lege and Division III levels.

“Coaching at the Division I levelhas always beena goal, and thisis a great opportu-nity to work undera highly respectedcoach in this pro-fession in CoachDavis,” Burgsaid. “I couldn’task for a better situation. When Ifirst came here I was amazed bythe commitment Middle Tennesseehas in not just the basketball pro-gram, but all of its athletics. It’s notoften you see this kind of commit-ment to every sport, and I’m proudto be part of it.”

A native of Houston, Texas, Burgprimarily will be responsible for aca-demics, video editing and the BlueRaiders’ extensive community serv-ice programs, as well as the varioustasks included in the day-to-dayoperation of the Middle Tennesseebasketball program.

MT men’s, women’s basketball add 2 leaders

from MT Media Relations

Burg named new director of operations

Middle Tennessee women’sbasketball coach RickInsell has announced that

former Shelbyville Central standoutand University of Florida playerKim Dye will join this year’s coach-ing staff as a graduate assistant.

Dye will be involved in allareas of the basketball program,including film exchange, on-court

teaching and practice,and game prepara-

tion. “I’ve really

thought aboutgetting into

coaching, and I knowthis will be a great place

to learn and get experi-ence,” Dye said. “I knowwhat to expect having

played for Coach Insell, and I knowI’ll be expected to work just as hardas the players and all of the otherassistant coaches. That’s what Iwant, so I can make an educateddecision about whether I want toenter the coaching profession as acareer.”

Dye played for Insell atShelbyville for three seasons, win-ning a pair of AAA state titles andgarnering All-District honors as ajunior and senior. The GoldenEaglettes won state championshipsin 2001 and 2003, compiling a 37-1

mark in 2003 and finishing the yearranked 10th in the USA Today Super25 Girls rankings.

Dye was named the best defen-sive player at Shelbyville her finaltwo years and served as team cap-tain as a senior. The Fayetteville,Tenn., native played in the 2003Tennessee East-West All-Star gamebefore earning a basketball scholar-ship to the University of Florida.

Dye played forCoach CarolynPeck the last fouryears at Florida.The Gators madethree consecutivetrips to the NCAATournament from2004-06, makingthe second roundof the 64-teamfield in 2004.

“Kim played for me atShelbyville and was a team playerthere and went on to be a big teamplayer for four years at Florida,”Insell said.”When she and CoachPeck inquired about Kim coming toMiddle Tennessee, I was ecstatic.She has a lot she can share and addto our program.”

During her playing career atFlorida, the Gators defeated fifth-ranked Tennessee, winning the pro-gram’s first-ever game over theLady Vols and becoming the firstunranked team to ever win atThompson-Boling Arena.

from MT Media Relations

Former Shelbyville standout joins staff

DyeBurg

Recognizing excellence

GREAT WORK!—Ben Jones,right, chairman of MTSU'sEmployee Recognition Commit-tee, presents Linda Hall, executivesecretary for the College ofEducation and Behavioral Science,with the latest QuarterlySecretarial/Clerical Award asDean Gloria Bonner, left, looks on.The Employee RecognitionCommittee salutes staffers whomake outstanding contributionsand demonstrate excellence intheir roles. To nominate an admin-istrative, secretarial/clerical, clas-sified or technical/service co-worker for the quarterly awardprogram, download an employeerecognition nomination form athrs.web.mtsu.edu/forms/forms.htmland submit it to Human ResourceServices in Room 204 of theIngram Building. Questions aboutthe process may be directed toTrina Clinton at 615-898-5344 orany other ERC member.

photo by Jack Ross

Ten MTSU students gained aglimpse of the current statusof the Florida Keys’ ecological

system when they traveled therewith Dr. Padgett Kelly in June.

Kelly said the weeklong biomeanalysis class activities included:

• kayaking through the KeyLargo mangrove runs;

• snorkeling in Key Largo, KeyWest and the Dry Tortugas 75 mileswest of Key West;

• seeing endangered key deer atBig Pine Key and No Name Key;

• feeding tarpon at Robby’sMarina in Islamaroda;

• viewing injured turtles beingrehabilitated at The Turtle Hospitalin Marathon; and

• seeing other interesting sites

and history of the Keys.“They learned about the role of

the mangroves, turtle grasses andecology of the Keys,” Kelly, profes-sor of biology and co-director for theCenter for Environmental Education,said. “They snorkeled on patch (KeyLargo) and barrier (Key Largo, KeyWest and the Dry Tortugas) reefs. …It was an enthusiastic group. Theylearned quite a bit in a short amountof time.”

All 10 students will become edu-cators when they graduate, Kellysaid.

“This was the first time I hadever snorkeled. I saw sharks andstingrays that I had only seen on tel-evision. It was my kind of trip,” saidCrystal Hughes, a senior interdisci-plinary studies major from Franklinand mother of two children.

“Taking a trip like that shows

you how small the world is, what wehave in common and broadens yourperspective,” said Hughes, whoadded that she “will be enthusiastic”about carrying her knowledge—andlots of pictures‚to the classroom.

For Lance Crowell, senior inter-disciplinary studies major fromHohenwald, the trip “was a lifetimeexperience for me. I probablywould’ve never been able to see thatpart of Florida had it not been forthis class.”

“I never thought I would learnas much science in a week,” headded. “There’s something I learnedevery day that can be a science les-son as well as a history lesson (whenI begin to teach). It was beautiful: thecoral reefs, fish, the mangroves, thesunset cruises—all of it. What Ienjoyed most was the snorkeling.The snorkeling at the Dry Tortugas

at Fort Jefferson was fantastic.”Molly Hamm, a junior special-

education major from Lebanon, saidthe Keys experience will enable herto “make it come to life” when shebecomes a teacher one day.

“When I teach, I’ll have a visualaid and hands-on experience,” saidHamm, who is teaching this summerat Northfield Elementary School inMurfreesboro.

“It’s amazing all that Dr. Kellyknows. We would pass by somethingand he’d point out five or six thingswe couldn’t see.”

Kelly said he was “very appre-ciative of the administration forhelping us out and making this trippossible.”

He will take another group tothe Keys in June 2008.

The Record July 30, 2007 page 3

Students investigate ecology of the Keysby Randy Weiler

There is a new service-learning class available through the ExperientialLearning department for fall 2007. MTSU students can earn one hourpass/fail credit by serving as group leaders with middle-school girls

with the Expanding Your Horizons, or EYH, conference in the EXL 2010 or3010 Group Leaders class.

EYH conferences are designed to nurture middle-school girls’ interest inscience and math courses and to encourage them to con-sider science- and math-based career options such asbiology, chemistry, physics, engineering, computer sci-ence and physical science.

MTSU students are needed to serve as group lead-ers to supervise, escort and encourage girls in the vari-ous math and science workshops. This service-learningclass is for MTSU students in basic and applied sciencefields but also for those in the helping fields like edu-cation, human sciences and social work.

There is a section of thisservice-learning class forfreshmen, as well as a sec-tion for upperclassmen.

This one hour service-learning class will providestudents with:

• One hour service-learning college credit (a won-

derful resume item);• the opportunity to learn why girls are less likely to enter math and sci-

ence careers;• the opportunity to serve as a role model and leader to the middle-school

girls; • the chance to assist with professional workshops led by scientists, mathe-

maticians and engineers;• experience for helping majors like education, social work and human sci-

ence, as well as those inter-ested in math and sciencecareers.

Students can go towww.mtsu.edu/~lclippar todownload an EYH volunteerapplication or get more infor-mation.

Admission to EXL 2010or 3010 is only by permissionof the instructor. It typicallytakes one to three days forthe student backgroundcheck.

Please email lclippar@mtsu.edu if you have addi-tional questions.

Guiding young math, science whizzes can earn course creditfrom Staff Reports

YEOWCH!—In the photo above left, Emily Bowles, a senior majoring in elementary and special educa-tion, feeds a tarpon at Robby's Marina at Islamorada, Fla., as classmate Aaron Nuell, kneeling, tries tozoom in for a photo. (Both Bowles and the fish escaped serious injury.) In the photo above right, MTSUbiome analysis students view turtles being rehabilitated at the turtle hospital in Key Largo.

photos submitted

“Middle Tennessee Record”

Cable Channel 9: Monday-Sunday—5 p.m.Visit www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html for airtimes on 12 other cable outlets.

Order August 2007

Commencement DVDs

For information, visitwww.phillipsbookstore.comor contact: 615-898-2700.

July 30-31

CUSTOMS Orientation

All colleges and majorsFor information, visitwww.mtsu.edu/~customsor contact: 615-898-5533.

Tuesday, July 31Eighth Annual McNair Scholars

Research Symposium

9 a.m.-4 p.m., Tom H. JacksonBuildingFor information, contact: 615-904-8462.

Thursday, Aug. 2

Blue Raider Blast: Smyrna

5:30-7:30 p.m., 135 Sugar CreekLane in SmyrnaFree and open to the public;barbecue, $5 per plateFor information, contact: 615-898-2210.

Saturday, Aug. 4

Back to School Kick-Off

Celebration

for K-12 students and families2-6 p.m., Murphy CenterFree and open to the publicFor information, visitwww.newschoolyear.comor contact: 615-907-9664.

Thursday, Aug. 9

Final Exams:

Summer Sessions III & IV

Classes meeting M-Th

Retired Faculty/Staff Coffee

9:30 a.m., Foundation HouseFor information, contact:615-898-5756.

Blue Raider Blast: Woodbury

5:30-7:30 p.m., Public SquareFree and open to the public;barbecue, $5 per plate For information, contact: 615-898-2210.

Friday, Aug. 10

Final Exams:

Summer Sessions III & IV

Classes meeting M-F

Summer 2007 AROTC

Commissioning Ceremony

10 a.m., KUC TheaterFor information, contact:615-898-2470.

Commencement Reception

for the August graduating class4-6 p.m., Alumni HouseFor information, visitwww.mtalumni.comor contact: 1-800-533-6878.

Saturday, Aug. 11

Summer 2007 Commencement

10 a.m., Murphy CenterFor information, contact: 615-898-2919.

Campus CalendarJuly 30-Aug. 12

TV Schedule

page 4 The Record July 30, 2007

A little fatherly advice

CUSTOM CARE—Murfreesboro homebuilder Sam Anderson, left, takes a break with his son, Zeke, a Siegel High graduate and incoming MTSU freshman who plans to majorin business administration, on the steps of the James Union Building as they continue on the CUSTOMS path for new undergraduates. The final two-day CUSTOMS sessionfor summer 2007, open to majors from all colleges, is set for Monday and Tuesday, July 30 and 31, campuswide. For more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~customs.

photo by News and Public Affairs

July 30

Aug. 9

Aug. 2

Aug. 10

Through Sept. 14

July 31

Aug. 4

Aug. 11

The Record July 30, 2007 page 5

BRAA from page 1

of Athletics Chris Massaro said. “We are building the foundation for futuresuccess and we plan to exceed last year’s results in 2007-08.”

One of the biggest areas of success last year was in the area of fundrais-ing, where the BRAA raised $2.54 million compared to $1.59 million in 2005-06. It set a record in 2006-07 with $835,383 raised in unrestricted moniescompared to $658,281 the previous year. Also during the year, a total of 500new donors joined the BRAA. This is critical because the BRAA is the pri-mary provider of scholarship funding for student-athletes,officials said.

“It was a great year for us in terms of raising addi-tional money and bringing in several new members,”Associate Athletic Director Alan Farley said. “I com-mend the efforts of our staff and committees for theirhard work in helping make all of this possible. Our fansrealize this is an important time in the growth of ourprogram, and their giving helps fund scholarships aswell as enable us to improve our facilities.”

Success on the field is also carrying over into season-ticket sales for the upcoming 2007 football campaign.Middle Tennessee is feeling the effects of a conferencechampionship and bowl appearance as football season-ticket sales are upnine percent over this time a year ago.

That’s a good sign, too, Massaro said, because based on previous sellingtrends, Middle Tennessee’s new season-ticket drive generally gains momen-tum in early August.

“If your retirement portfolio gains nine percent annually, you wouldprobably be pleased, or if a business turns a nine percent increase, thatwould probably be considered a successful year,” Massaro added. “We areencouraged by this current increase because trends would indicate the num-

ber should pick up as we get into early August and closer to football sea-son.”

Success within various programs also has driven record numbers at theticket office. For instance, the Blue Raider football team drew a school-record22,037 fans for home games in 2006 and set a single-game home attendancemark when 32,797 watched the Blue Raiders face nationally rankedLouisville in Nashville. The average attendance in 2006 was up almost 7,000

from 2005; in 2006, 110,185 fans went through the turnstilesfor the Blue Raiders’ five home contests.

“We were pleased and impressed with the supportof Middle Tennessee fans last season,” said headFootball Coach Rick Stockstill. “Fan support is so crucialwhen you are trying to build a program, and our fanswere a big reason for the team’s success in 2006.”

A similar correlation can be found in women’s bas-ketball, where the best season in program history trans-lated into the nation’s sixth-best attendance increase inthat sport. The Blue Raiders averaged 4,157 fans pergame and set a single-game mark when 10,010 sawMiddle Tennessee take on top-ranked Maryland.

Attendance also has been on the rise in men’s basketball and baseball.The Blue Raider men’s basketball team has averaged more than 4,000 in con-secutive seasons for the first time in 15 years, while the baseball programsaw the third-highest single-season attendance average in school historyduring 2007.

For football season tickets, please call the Middle Tennessee Ticket Officeat 1-888-YES-MTSU or order online at www.goblueraiders.com.

and Extension and Exchange Groupin 2004-05 and 2006-07; chairman ofthe Southern Regional Sections ofthe Institute of Food Technologists in2000-01; representative for theInstitute of Food TechnologistsCareer Guidance Committee to theNational Science TeachersAssociation Conference in 1997; andservice as a session moderator forthe Southern Agricultural EconomicsAssociation Annual Meeting in 2005,among other activities.

In addition to his 2006-07 tenureas president of MTSU’s FacultySenate, Johnston—whose academicresearch has garnered 10 education-related grants to date— has servedon many university committees,including membership on the MTSUUniversity Relations Committee(1997-1999), MTSU Applied Scienceand Technology PartnershipTaskforce (1999-2001), MTSUDemocracy Project (2003-05) andMTSU Master Plan Committee (2006-07). He also is the current academicadviser for Alpha Gamma Rho, aprofessional/social fraternity, andDelta Tau Alpha, an agriculturalhonor society.

An active member of the U.S. AirForce from 1980-1984, Johnstonserved as a configuration manage-ment officer in the Tactical Air andBattle Management Systems Officeand test director for field-testing of aradar-modification program. He hasserved as an Air Force reservist since1988 in the capacity of a logisticsreadiness officer, where he is a staff

member of the Air Force LogisticsCommand Headquarters at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base nearDayton, Ohio. He has been activatedtwice as a reservist since Sept. 11,2001, and served an additional 28months of full-time military servicein the development and preparationof battle plans and war games forthe command.

Dr. Jack Thomas, vice provost foracademic affairs and chairman of thecommencement committee, said hewanted to remind all degree candi-dates of the importance of appropri-ate dress, decorum and respect forthe commencement ceremony.

“We believe this is a very impor-

tant day in the lives of many peo-ple,” Thomas said. “Commencementis one of those few days that familiesalways remember as special. It is dif-ficult to give the ceremony the digni-fied atmosphere it deserves if atten-dees are using air horns or leavingbefore the completion of the ceremo-ny.”

Additionally, Thomas noted,members of the graduation commit-tee emphasized that students whoparticipate in commencement will berequired to stay for the entire cere-mony. The ceremony should lastabout two hours. Candidates whoare planning celebration activitiesshould be aware of this time com-

mitment, he said. “To make this a special day, it

requires cooperation from everyonein attendance,” Thomas said. “Webelieve it should be a dignified cere-mony, which adds to its enjoymentby all in attendance.”

At 8:30 a.m. Aug. 11, MurphyCenter doors will open for the com-mencement ceremony. Candidatesare expected to be in their assignedareas, dressed in their caps andgowns, no later than 9 a.m. Officialsreport that students who are not intheir assigned gym at the propertimes will not be allowed to partici-pate in the ceremony. Because com-mencement rehearsals are no longerconducted, timely attendance ismandatory for students to receiveimportant instructions.

Graduation information—including how to watch the gradua-tion ceremony via streaming videothe day of commencement, mapsand driving directions to MurphyCenter, cap-and-gown informationand how to order a DVD ($10 each)of the summer ceremony— is avail-able online at www.mtsunews.com byclicking on the “GraduationInformation” button at the top centerof the Web page.

For more information aboutreceiving a degree in absentia, pleasevisit the Records Office Web site atwww.mtsu.edu/~records/grad.htm. Anyadditional questions about gradua-tion may be directed to the RecordsOffice at 615-898-2600.

Class from page 1

Who: 940 graduates*

What: 2007 summer commencement

When: 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11; doorsopen at 8:30

Where: Murphy Center, MTSU

Speaker: Dr. Tony Johnston, agriscience andagribusiness and the current MTSU representa-tive on the Tennessee Board of Regents’ Faculty Subcouncil

Webcast: Go to www.mtsunews.com, click on the “Graduation Information”button and then click “Graduation Streaming Video.” Video will be avail-able about 15 minutes before the ceremony begins; you’ll need WindowsMedia Player to view it. Information on purchasing DVDs of the ceremonycan be found at the “Graduation DVDs” link.

*Approximate number as of July 25, 2007.

The MTSU National Alumni Association will host its second com-mencement reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, honoring theAugust 2007 graduating class.

Graduating seniors and their families are invited to the MTSU AlumniHouse at 2259 Middle Tennessee Blvd. to be welcomed as new members ofthe alumni association. Students also will have the opportunity to introducetheir families to their favorite professors, advisers and staff members beforethe next day’s commencement ceremony.

No RSVP is required to attend the commencement reception, which alsowill include refreshments.

All faculty and staff are invited to attend and congratulate the newestgraduates.

For more information, contact the Alumni Office at 1-800-533-6878 orvisit the office online at www.mtalumni.com.

New alumni can celebrate at commencement reception

page 6 The Record July 30, 2007

With a focus on paying tributeto the beloved old-time musicfestival known as Uncle Dave

Macon Days, the staff of The HeritageCenter of Murfreesboro and RutherfordCounty recently unveiled an exhibit,“Uncle Dave Macon Days: CelebratingOld-Time Music in Rutherford County.”

Melissa A. Zimmerman, program-ming specialist for MTSU’s Center forHistoric Preservation, said the two-panel display offers viewers a bit of his-tory, photographs and quotes from theearliest years of the festival to the pres-ent day.

Zimmerman said Dr. StaceyGraham, research professor for the CHP,was the project’s curator. In this role,

Graham researchedand located the imagesused in the Maconexhibit and developedthe accompanying text.

On display nowthrough the end ofAugust, the “UncleDave Macon Days:Celebrating Old TimeMusic in RutherfordCounty” exhibit was

created to honor Macon’s music legacyand Murfreesboro’s historic past,including the now 30-year-old musicfestival.

“In the words of Uncle Dave, ‘Aman who can’t enjoy music has no heartand very little soul,’” Zimmerman said.

Exhibit creator Graham, a native ofMurfreesboro, said, “This exhibit pro-vides some information about UncleDave Macon Days that will hopefully benew to many people. More importantly,it honors the old-time musical traditionof Rutherford County and the festival’srole in the preservation of that tradi-tion.”

In addition to the timely UncleDave Macon exhibit and “Entering theModern Era: Murfreesboro’s Jazz Age,”the Heritage Center currently featurestwo other exhibits, “The Occupied CityFrom the Nation’s Capital to Neighbor-hood Classrooms: Rutherford CountyWomen, Past and Present” and“Community Building Blocks:Downtown Murfreesboro’s HistoricArchitecture.”

Located at 225 W. College St., thecenter is open 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Mondaythrough Friday. Admission is alwaysfree. Staff members also offer guidedwalking tours of Murfreesboro’s PublicSquare on the hour, with group toursavailable Monday through Saturday byadvance reservation.

For more information on theseexhibits, as well as visitors’ informationon area sites and cultural events, pro-gramming or tours, please contact TheHeritage Center directly at 615-217-8013.

by Lisa L. Rollins

PLENTY OF SOUL—Uncle Dave Macon is shown in this undated publicity photo.

photo courtesy of Shacklett’s Photography

New exhibit traces history of Macon festival

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved fundingthat will allow MTSU to address two pressing nationalhealth care needs by boosting nursing education and

developing new programs to reduce childhood obesity, accord-ing to U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon.

“MTSU is working to eliminate two critical health careproblems in Tennessee—our nursing shortage and child obesi-ty,” said Gordon, an MTSU alumnus.

“We are facing a critical nursing shortage in this country.With this funding, MTSU will be able to graduate additionalwell-trained nurses to end that shortage and meet the health-care needs of our growing population.”

The Department of Health and Human Services predictsthe nation will face a shortage of more than 1 million nursesby 2020.

On July 19, the House approved $200,000 for MTSU’sSchool of Nursing in a funding bill for the Department ofHealth and Human Services. The Senate now must considerthe measure and both houses of Congress sign off on it beforethe federal fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

The funds will be used for equipment to enhance the edu-cation of nursing students.

“We will be able to use this funding to purchase equipment for labs thatare needed to provide students with the hands-on experience they will need intheir profession,” said Joe Bales, vice president for development and universityrelations at MTSU.

The bill also included $300,000 to enable MTSU to establish a Center forPhysical Activity and Health in Youth, which will develop programs toaddress childhood obesity in Middle Tennessee.

“Childhood obesity is a problem that has been gaining attention in recentyears as it becomes more prevalent,” said Gordon. “Children who are over-weight are more likely to develop health problems, such as high cholesterol,

high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.”According to Bales, the multidisciplinary center aims to help schools and

community agencies enhance their understanding of childhood obesity,increase physical activity among youth and encourage young people to lead ahealthy lifestyle.

The center will operate through the Department of Health and HumanPerformance within MTSU’s College of Education and Behavioral Science.

“Childhood obesity is a national problem, and this center will help MTSUaddress an important health issue,” said Bales. “We want to develop strongpartnerships between the university and communities to target the problemfrom a multidisciplinary perspective.”

Health programsawait final fundingOK from Congressfrom Staff Reports

FILLING UP FAST—MTSU’S School of Nursing, housed in the Cason-Kennedy Nursing building (its new23,717-square-foot addition is shown above) will benefit from federal funding proposed for nursing educa-tion equipment. Federal dollars also may establish a center to combat childhood obesity.

file photo by J. Intintoli

Graham

CHP’s expertise helps promote old-time music

The Record July 30, 2007 page 7

Labor-Management Conference celebrates 20 years

Labor and management is celebrating “20years of listening, learning and leading incollaboration” this year at the Tennessee

Labor-Management Conference, Wednesdaythrough Friday, Aug. 15–17.

The conference will take place at the SheratonMusic City Hotel, 777 McGavock Pike in Nashville,and is expected to draw more than 500 attendees.

Professionals in labor relations, humanresources and organized labor, as well as attorneys,mediators and arbitrators and those in academiamay register online at www.tnlabormgmt.org or call615-895-4166. A special conference rate for interest-ed college students also is available.

The conference will kick off with the traditionalprayer brunch led by the Rev. Becca Stephens.Program highlights will include a discussion oftrends in National Labor Relations Board decisions,moderated by Harold J. Datz, senior attorney, and apeek into the future with futurist Ed Barlow.

“Labor-management participants at the Augustconference will have the opportunity to discusspossible solutions to problems in the health-care,pension and other workplace areas,” said Dr.Barbara Haskew, director of the MTSU-headquar-

tered Tennessee Center for Labor-ManagementRelations and professor of economics at MTSU.“The focus on joint problem-solving and workingtogether makes this labor-management conferenceunique and generates excitement about the out-comes that such collaborations can produce.”

Concurrent workshops from2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. will addressadvanced negotiations, developingtalent pools, how to prevent vio-lence in the workplace and thelegal matrix of the injured work-ers.

After a short break, work-shops from 3:55 to 5:10 p.m. willinclude safety in the workplace(mediated by the TennesseeOccupational Safety and HealthAssociation), apprenticeship programs and innova-tion at work.

During the TLMC banquet, which starts at 6:30p.m. on Wednesday, winners of the $2,000Tennessee Labor-Management Scholarships will beannounced, followed by a scholarship auction at8:30 p.m. The scholarships encourage college stu-dents who are legal residents of Tennessee toremain in the state following their graduation andto continue pursuing a career in labor relations.

On Thursday, Aug. 16, at 1:30 p.m., following amorning golf outing, futurist Barlow will present adynamic approach to anticipating and preparingfor what’s ahead. The popular arbitrators panel at3:15 p.m. will be moderated by Haskew and willaddress new directions in arbitration.

The 2007 conference officers will be installedFriday morning.

Early-bird registration for individuals will beavailable at considerable savings until Friday, Aug.10. Early registration for parties of five people ormore will be accepted up to Wednesday, Aug. 1.For hotel and registration information, visit theconference Web site.

The statewide conference is sponsored by thenonprofit corporation, the Tennessee Labor-Management Conference, co-sponsored by theFederal Mediation and Conciliation Services, andfacilitated by the TCLMR.

The TNCLMR is a consortium of the TennesseeDepartment of Labor and Workforce Development,MTSU and the Tennessee Board of Regents. It wasenacted by legislation in 1977 and is associatedwith MTSU through a contractual agreement. Itsprimary purpose is to develop and deliver educa-tional services to labor and management through-out Tennessee.

from Staff Reports

Haskew

Members of MTSU’sTennessee Civil WarNational Heritage Area

recently partnered with RickWarwick of the Heritage Foundationof Franklin and Williamson Countyto produce what has become anaward-winning historical book.

Freedom and Work in theReconstruction Era: The Freedmen’sBureau Labor Contracts of WilliamsonCounty, Tennessee is the title of thenewly completed book that “is aninvaluable collection of the very firstlabor contracts signed by formerslaves as they made the transition tobecoming free workers after the CivilWar,” said Dr. Antoinette G. vanZelm, an interpretive specialist withthe Center for Historic Preservation.

The publication contains 476labor contracts, two interpretiveessays, photographs, a map, annota-tions, suggested readings and a com-prehensive proper name index,noted van Zelm, who worked formore than a year with Warwick andCHP preservation specialist MichaelGavin to complete the book.

“The contracts bring to life theexperiences of African Americans inthe days following a war of unimag-inable bloodshed and unparalleledsocial upheaval,” van Zelm said ofthe 233-page title. “The contractscontain rich information about agri-cultural practices, family life, materi-al culture, race relations and newopportunities for education.”

Designed by the Office ofPublications and Graphics at MTSU,Freedom and Work in theReconstruction Era is one of severallocal cooperative efforts to collectand interpret Williamson County’sblack history and also fulfills the

local heritage organization’smission to tell the whole storyof the Civil War andReconstruction, explained vanZelm, who was the project’scoordinator and one of its co-editors.

Copies of Freedom andWork in the Reconstruction Era:The Freedmen’s Bureau LaborContracts of Williamson County,Tennessee are now available ata cost of $20 each from theHeritage Foundation at FivePoints Post Office, 510Columbia Ave., in Franklin.

Representatives from theTennessee-based heritageorganizations recentlylearned that their historicbook will be honored withan Award of Merit from theAmerican Association forState and Local History'sLeadership in HistoryAwards program duringits September ceremony.

A nonprofit profes-sional organization head-quartered in Nashville,the association hasadministered theLeadership in HistoryAwards for 62 years andits awards are consid-ered the most presti-gious recognition forachievement in thepreservation and inter-pretation of state andlocal history, van Zelmsaid. Additionally, event organizershave announced that winners of the2007 awards represent 72 organiza-tions and individuals from through-out the United States.

“The labor-contract book was agreat partnership opportunity for theTennessee Civil War NationalHeritage Area and the HeritageFoundation of Franklin andWilliamson County,” MTSU's LauraHolder, manager of the TCWNHA,said. “This project enabled us tobring to light powerful stories about

the Freedmen's Bureau inTennessee, and the way society wastransformed after the war. Thebook's publication allows us toadvance our mission of telling thewhole story of the Civil War, includ-ing the impact of emancipation andReconstruction across the state.We're very proud that the AASLHrecognized this project with anAward of Merit.”

The TCWNHA is a partnershipunit of the National Park Service and

is administered bythe CHP at MTSU. The HeritageFoundation of Franklin andWilliamson County is a grass-rootspreservation organization committedto protecting the architectural, geo-graphical and cultural heritage ofFranklin and Williamson County.

For more information about thepublication, please contact Holder at615-898-2947 or via e-mail at lholder@mtsu.edu.

Heritage groups create acclaimed publication

by Lisa L. Rollins

Collection’s focus isfreedmen’s contractsin Williamson County

Dr. Robert B. Blair (businesscommunication and entrepreneur-ship) received the 2007 NationalBusiness Education AssociationCollegiate Teacher of the Year Awardat the organization’s annual conven-tion in New York City. Blair is secre-tary of the Tennessee Association ofParliamentarians—Delta Unit inNashville.

Shelly Thomas (educationalleadership) recently earned herCertified Professional Secretary desig-nation.

Several MTSU faculty and stu-dents participated in the AmericanDemocracy Project annual meeting inPhiladelphia in June. Dr. AndreiKorobkov (political science) facilitat-ed a discussion on international ser-vice learning and delivered a paperwith co-author Derek Frisby (history)on “Mobilizing Memory: CivicEngagement and the Construction ofa Campus Veterans’ Memorial.” Dr.John Vile (political science) appearedin character as James Madison at aplenary luncheon. Dr. Jim Williams

(history) delivered the paper“Intergenerational Learning and CivicEngagement in American HistoryCourses: Connecting Students andVeterans in Middle Tennessee,” andDr. Ron Kates (English) and under-graduate students Brittney Baumanand Marsha Riggs teamed up topresent “How Students and Facultyfrom Three ADP-South InstitutionsCollaborated on an Inter-CampusService-Learning Initiative.”Korobkov and Williams co-direct theAmerican Democracy Project atMTSU.

Computer science faculty madetheir mark at the 2007 WorldCongress in Computer Science,Computer Engineering and AppliedComputing Conference, held June 25-28 in Las Vegas. Professor RalphButler and Dr. Chrisila Pettey co-authored and presented “A BilingualTheorem Prover for Evaluating HPCSystem” at the conference, joining Dr.Al Cripps’ presentation of “FuzzyLattice Reasoning with DeltaMeasure” and Drs. Sung andJungsoon Yoo’s presentation of“Student Performance Monitoring inClassroom Teaching.”

Tammie Allen (Development andUniversity Relations) published anarticle in GX Magazine, “A Mother’sPatriotism,” as a response to herdaughter Heather’s service in theTennessee National Guard. Go towww.gxonline.com, click on the “PastIssues” link and read the “feature”article of issue GX 4.6, “Why We ArePatriots.” Allen’s commentary is fea-tured on page 41.

Dr. Tom Brinthaupt and MonicaWallace (psychology) and their col-league at Pittsburg State University,Richard Lipka, authored a chapter,“Aligning Student Self and IdentityConcerns with Middle SchoolPractices,” in the 2007 volume TheYoung Adolescent and the Middle School(Information Age Publishing, pp. 201-218).

E-mail your faculty/staff accom-plishments to gfann@mtsu.edu or faxto 615-898-5714, Attention: The Record,Faculty/Staff Update.

NOTE: If you submitted an itemfor the Faculty/Staff Update betweenJune 12 and 27 and haven’t seen itpublished yet, please resubmit it. Itmay have been lost in a softwareupdate snafu. Thanks for your help!

page 8 The Record July 30, 2007

Faculty/Staff Update

PublicationsAwards

See yourself in The Record!

UR006-0707

Tom TozerDirector, News and Public Affairs

Editor: Gina E. Fanngfann@mtsu.edu

Contributors: Gina K. Logue, John Lynch,Paula Morton, Lisa L. Rollins, Randy Weiler,Doug Williams, Seth Alder and RometriusNorth.

Photos: MTSU Photographic Services,except where noted

Printed by Franklin Web Printing Co.

Phone: 615-898-2919 Fax: 615-898-5714

The Record is published every two weeksby the Office of News and Public Affairsat MTSU. It is distributed free to faculty,staff, friends and media outlets.

Attention Postmaster:Address changes andother correspondence shouldbe addressed to:

The RecordOffice of News and Public AffairsCAB 209, MTSUMurfreesboro, Tenn. 37132

MTSU, a Tennessee Board of RegentsInstitution, is an equal opportunity, non-racially identifiable, educational institu-tion that does not discriminate againstindividuals with disabilities.

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Events Around Campus

Don’t be alarmed, just beaware! MTSU’s fire-alarminspection schedule is get-

ting under way over the next threeweeks to ensure that all safety sys-tems are working properly beforestudents return to classes Aug. 27.

The brief inspections won’trequire employees or students toleave their work areas as they wouldin a fire drill, organizers say; they’lljust have to bear with a little noisefor a moment.

“We want people to be confidentin how they should respond toalarms and alerts on campus,” saidChief Buddy Peaster of MTSU’sDepartment of Public Safety. “Part ofthat confidence is being able to pre-dict what they’ll do when a firealarm sounds.”

The alarm inspections offer agood opportunity to take a fewmoments to mentally “do the drill”by reminding occupants to make surethey know at least two safety exitsout of their buildings and what per-sonal items they’d want to grab for a real emer-gency.

When it’s an actual emergency or a true firedrill, however, staff and students will be alertedand guided to safety by their appointed buildingrunners.

The fire-alarm inspection schedule is as fol-lows:

• Monday, July 30: Parking Services, Wood-Stegall Center, Fairview Building, Alumni Houseand Office;

• Tuesday, July 31: Greek Row;

• Wednesday, Aug. 1: Lyon, Mary, McHenry,Rutledge, Cummings and Corlew Halls;

• Friday, Aug. 3: Ezell, Abernathy, Nicks, Deereand Peck Halls and McFarland Health Services;

• Monday, Aug. 6: James E. Walker Libraryand Felder, Wood, Clement and Gore Halls;

• Tuesday, Aug. 7: Gracy, Beasley, Smith, Simsand Judd Halls;

• Wednesday-Friday, Aug. 8-10: Monohan,Schardt and Reynolds Halls;

• Monday, Aug. 13: Co-generation Plant, FloydStadium;

• Tuesday, Aug. 14: Foundation House, Miller

Coliseum, Horse Science;• Wednesday, Aug. 15: Sports Hall of Fame,

Student Recreation Center; and• Thursday, Aug. 16: Extra day, if needed.For more information about fire-alarm safety

and preparedness, visit www.mtsu.news/alert4u andclick on the “fire” link, or go to www.mtsunews.comand click on the bright orange and red “Do theDrill” button. You also may call 615-898-2424 withquestions.

Fire-alarm inspections scheduled over next 3 weeksfrom Staff Reports