MT-SWIM UNIVERSITY: DIVE IN!MT-Swim University, a summer

camp for competitive swimming, isready for ages eight to 17. Campsbegin June 4; for more information,contact Pam Footit at 615-898-2104.

FEEL BETTER WITH A CLICK The MTSU Faculty-Staff

Wellness program has a new Website! It's www.mtsu.edu/~wellness andincludes information about health-related topics, tips on proper fitnessand nutrition, updates on researchfindings and information about thecampus wellness program.

LADIES, GRAB YOUR HELMETSHead Football Coach Rick

Stockstill and his staff invite femalefootball fans to join them Saturday,July 14, for the 2007 Ladies FootballClinic in Murphy Center, featuringseminars on strategy, equipment,training and rules. Call DannyLewis at 615-898-2311 for more info.

F our current and 26 retiring members of theMTSU community have been honored fortheir exemplary work and years of dedica-

tion in separate ceremonies in the James UnionBuilding.

Recognized April 11 for their combined 680years of service to the university, the retiringhonorees received engraved clocks commemorat-ing their accomplishments from PresidentSidney A. McPhee. Winners at the May 9Employee of the Year reception received engravedcrystal awards and monetary gifts for their com-mitment to the success of MTSU.

“I want to thank all employees for their hardwork and dedication to MTSU, and today we

want to acknowledge and recognize the fourEmployee of the Year winners,” Senior VicePresident John W. Cothern said at the May 9awards event.

“All employees are an integral partof the university in meeting oureducational mission of instructingstudents. I also would ask you tothank our students, for without

them, we would not be a university.”The Employee of the Year win-

ners were chosen from dozens ofnominees, including quarterly award recipients inthe secretarial/clerical category, during the 2006-07 academic year. They are:

• Jennifer Coppinger, assistant director of theBudget and Financial Planning Office, winner of

the 2007 Administrative Award;• Donnie Murray, central shipping/receiving

supervisor in Distribution Services, winner of the2007 Classified Award;

• Michelle “Shelly” Graham, executive secre-tary to the dean of the College of Mass Communi-cation, 2007 Secretarial/Clerical Award winner;and

• Jimmy Stokes, custodian at the Homer J.Pittard Campus School, winner of the 2007Technical/Service Award.

Retirees honored April 11 included:• Hylda M. Anderson, post office;• Leon Bell, custodial services;• Dr. Raymond P. Bills, music;

B eginning in the summer of2006, MTSU student-athletesagreed to partner with local

schools in a mentoring program.Today, the collaboration is still goingstrong.

The program is one facet of thepartnership created two years agobetween MTSU and Murfreesboro

City Schools to shareresources andincrease communitydevelopment.

“We help themwith their accredita-tion initiatives, andthey help us withours. It is a mutuallybeneficial relation-ship,” said Dr. GloriaBonner, dean of the

College of Education and BehavioralScience.

The 14 MTSU teams are eachassigned to visit a school monthly toread, talk and play with the childrento get them excited about learning.Since the program’s creation, there hasbeen a noticeable, positive change inthe class behavior, attendance and

www.mtsunews.com

PRE-SORTEDFIRST CLASS MAILU.S. POSTAGE PAID

MURFREESBORO TNPERMIT NO. 16

IN BRIEF

Inside this edition:Create happy campers this summer, page 3Students thank design mentors, page 6Books depart for Jamaican school, page 8

See ‘Mentoring’ page 5

Employees of the Year, retirees honored

by Claire Rogers

Coach of the Year—again!Mentoring buildsesteem, rapportin local schools

from Staff Reports

Bonner

See ‘Employees’ page 5

On your mark! page 4

A BIT OF RECOGNITION—Head Coach Dean Hayes poses alongside memorabil-ia from his decades of leadership at the recent unveiling of new displays at theKennon Sports Hall of Fame. Hayes, whose men’s team captured its second straightSun Belt Conference Outdoor Track and Field title May 13 in Lafayette, La. (and his42nd conference win in 43 years), was voted SBC Coach of the Year for the 14th time.

photo by News and Public Affairs

S ome 400 educators are expectedto visit the MTSU campusSaturday, June 2, when national-

ly known author-speaker Alfie Kohnpresents a teachers-only workshop aspart of the inaugural PositiveBehavior Support Conference.

Dubbed as “per-haps the country’smost outspoken criticof education’s fixa-tion on grades (and)test scores” by oneTIME magazinewriter, Kohn is theauthor of 11 titles todate, includingBeyond Discipline:From Compliance toCommunity, a book that addresses thenonacademic realm of school life,including the ways in which at-schooldiscipline tends not only to backfirebut to actively interfere with helpingstudents grow into responsible, com-passionate adults.

“The Department of Elementaryand Special Education is especiallypleased to welcome Alfie Kohn to ourcampus,” said Dr. Connie A. Jones,

See ‘Kohn’ page 5

by Lisa L. Rollins

Author Alfie Kohnto address June 2teachers’ summit

a publication for the Middle Tennessee State University community May 21, 2007 • Vol. 15/No. 21

Crank it up, y’allGirls’ rock camp rolls into

5th fun-filled year at MTSU see page 2

Kohn

M TSU has enjoyed a banneryear in the athletic arenaduring the 2006-07 school

year, and the Blue Raiders are mak-ing the grade in the classroom aswell.

In the latest Academic ProgressRates, released May 2 by the NCAA,Middle Tennessee’s student-athletesproduced an aggregate score of 951for the 2005-06 academic year—itshighest total in the three years of theexistence of the APR.

The latest figure shows a contin-uing progression for MiddleTennessee, which produced a 908 in2003-04, 918 in 2004-05, and the mostrecent 951 in 2005-06. Pending theresults of final exams, athleticdepartment officials anticipate ascoring range of 950 to 975 for the2006-07 school year when APRresults are next released.

“The progression we havedemonstrated as a whole is veryencouraging,” Director of AthleticsChris Massaro said. “It is a compli-ment to our student-athletes, ourcoaches and Jim Rost and his staff atthe Academic Enhancement Center.The entire university placed a greatemphasis on academic enhance-ment, and the results are there, asevidenced by the proof of these

scores and the progression you areseeing.

“The NCAA is pleased with theprogress we have made, and it iseven using our university as anexample of how to manage APR.”

While Massaro is pleased withthe latest results and the showing ofall 17 of MTSU’s Division I sportsteams, he said there is still work tobe done.

“When you look at the three-year average and take into consider-ation the progress we have madeacross the board each year, clearlywe are making strides,” Massarosaid. “While I am pleased with theprogress, I am still not completelysatisfied because we can continue toimprove, and I know we will.”

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, whoserves on the NCAA Division IBoard of Directors and the NCAAExecutive Committee, said academicenhancement must be at the fore-front with student-athletes, addingthat he is delighted to see significantresults in the latest APR Report.

“I find the results of the recentAPR data to be very revealing,because these data support the

emphasis being placed on academicenhancement at Middle Tennessee,”said McPhee, who also serves aspresident of the Sun Belt Conference.“Our student-athletes continue toexhibit the ability to successfully bal-ance academics and athletics andthat is very pleasing. We will contin-ue to make strides, but I am delight-ed with the progress we are showingin this highly important area.”

The APR is calculated by meas-uring the academic eligibility andretention of student-athletes by teameach term. Based on current data, anAPR of 925 calculates to an approxi-mate graduation success rate of 60percent. Failing to reach the NCAA’scutoff line of 925 could result inreduction of scholarships for a par-ticular sport, as well as penalties forathletic departments, if their cumula-tive APR score of its programs dipbelow 925.

Historical penalties begin tooccur when the average falls below900, but officials said MTSU is fine inthat regard, based on the NCAA’sstatistical confidence boundaries.Middle Tennessee’s three-year aggre-gate score is 925, and the most recent

results showed 13 of the university’s17 sports earned an APR score of 938or higher in 2005-06.

Ten of the 17 sports increasedtheir points from 2004-05 to 2005-06,and three of the seven that did notshow an increase only showed aslight decrease and still had a scorethat easily exceeded the NCAA cut-off line of 925.

Along the lines of progression,Middle Tennessee’s football programhas been a model. The Blue Raidersscored at the bottom of the NCAAwith 812 points in 2003-04, butincreased to 893 in 2004-05 andraised the figure to 949 in 2005-06.

Middle Tennessee’s athleticteams that scored in excess of 925 onthe APR during 2005-06 include:

• baseball (986 points)• football (949)• men’s basketball (940)• men’s golf (979)• men’s tennis (1,000)• softball (955)• soccer (952)• volleyball (938)• women’s basketball (960)• women’s cross-country (950)• women’s golf (964)• women’s tennis (974)The following three-year aver-

ages are below 900: men’s cross-country (917), men’s indoor track(885), men’s outdoor track (885) andwomen’s indoor track (919).

“With the information we havethus far in the school year, includingsummer terms, we anticipate all ofour sports aggregate to be above 900next year,” Massaro said.

page 2 The Record May 21, 2007

Academic progress continues for MT athletes

from MT Media Relations

R egistration will run through Thursday, May31, for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock& Roll Camp, a weeklong music day camp

for girls ages 10 to 17 slated July 16-21 on theMTSU campus.

Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals,keyboards, drums, guitar and electronic music. Thegirls will learn about other aspects of the musicindustry through workshops in subjects such asphotography, music journalism, recording, DIY artsand crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel dis-cussions with industry insiders.

Throughout the week, campers will form theirown bands, write songs, and practice two hourseach day with volunteer band managers. At the endof the week, the girls will show off their talents in aSaturday-night showcase in Tucker Theatre.

The camp is a program of Youth Empowermentthrough Arts and Humanities, or YEAH, a nonprof-it arts organization. The event was inspired by theRock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls, which was foundedin 2000 in Portland, Ore.

“The mission of the Southern Girls Rock & RollCamp is to support a culture of positive self-esteemand collaboration among girls while building com-

munity through music,” says co-founder KelleyAnderson. “SGRRC recognizes the potential ofevery young woman to be a strong, talented, cre-ative and empowered individual while providing asafe space where all girls rock.”

Musical acts slated to perform include:• Those Darlins—a three-piece Murfreesboro-

based band that plays traditional country musicwith a rock ‘n’ roll attitude. Members includeSGRRC founder Anderson on bass, camp volunteerNikki Kvarnes on ukulele and Jessi Wariner, whohas attended all four summers of SGRCC, on gui-

tar; influences include The Carter Family, WoodyGuthrie and Hank Williams Sr.;

• Six Gun Lullaby—a trio that fills its musicwith huge sonic landscapes and sounds reminiscentof the No Wave music scene in New York andintentionally lacking a bass guitar. Inspired byphilosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s approach to art,the band believes “there can be no way of freeingyour sound from its naturalization if you do notfirst limit yourself to what is most capricious: thebass.” Members include Claire Adams, TiffanyMinton and Martin Schneider.

• My Siamese Self—a three-piece punk bandfrom Atlanta featuring lead singer and guitaristDeb Davis, drummer Kat Riederich and bassist andbackup vocalist Stacey Singer. It’s been comparedto Joy Division, Television and The Clash and cur-rently has an EP, “If You Please.”

Sponsors of the Southern Girls Rock & RollCamp include Rose Companies, Luna Guitars,Chambers Guitars, Grand Palace Silkscreen, GrandPalace Records and Makeshift Music.

Tuition is $250 per camper. Scholarships areavailable, but they are expected to be distributedquickly. For more information, visit www.sgrrc.org,call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

Girls’ rock camp rolls into its 5th fun-filled yearby Gina K. Logue

Registration deadline is May 31

3-year average rises;13 of 17 sports exceedNCAA’s cutoff target

‘We can continue to improve,and I know we will.’

Chris Massarodirector of MTSU athletics

The Record May 21, 2007 page 3

F aculty and staff: Are you on campus this summer doing research,teaching a class section in one of the summer sessions or just organiz-ing your files and enjoying a little downtime?

As you know, the news never rests, even when the rest of the world ison vacation. That means the Office of News and Public Affairs is alwayslooking for experts—those who have background, training and experiencein specific areas of interest to the media.

“Today’s Response” is a media tip sheet that NPA sends out everyweekday—yes, even in the summer—to more than 170 print and electron-ic media members, offering expert commentary on timely news topics.

A recent “TR” item, for example, quoted Kenneth Sanney, recordingindustry adjunct and a licensed attorney, on the legal and mental-healthsystem loopholes that may have had an impact on the Virginia Techmassacre. Other topics have been as wide-ranging as talk radio, con-sumer confidence and requiring Shakespeare courses for an Englishdegree. (To get a feel for TR, check out its blog at http://todays-response-from-mtsu.blogspot.com.)

To ensure the success of TR—and keep MTSU’s wealth of expert-ise at the forefront when local media need commentary—NPA needsto continually replenish the pool of experts on campus.

If you are a new faculty member, or if you’ve never volunteeredyour expertise before, visit the NPA Web site at www.mtsunews.comand click on “Experts List.” The form there can be filled out andsent to NPA, or you can do the same with the form at right.

Your expert contributions do more than inform the communi-ty and keep MTSU in the forefront; they’re also excellent fodderfor your curriculum vitae! Check out the rest of the NPA Web siteto get a feel for the ways MTSU is in the news, and then add your expert-ise to the list!

For more information, call Gina K. Logue, “Today’s Response” editor, at615-898-5081 or e-mail her at gklogue@mtsu.edu.

Faculty: Please don’t saygoodbye for the summer!from Staff Reports

Create happy campers with Campus Rec’s summer opportunities

D on’t want your children sit-ting in front of the tube allsummer? Campus Recreation

has a couple of day-camp opportuni-ties to consider.

Youth Adventure Day Camp isopen to guys and gals 13 to 15 yearsold and meets weekdays through themonth of June from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.The camp is staffed by male andfemale counselors from CampusRecreation’s Outdoor PursuitsProgram and supervised by full-timeprofessional staff.

Campers will learn basic to inter-mediate skills in canoeing, rock-climbing, kayaking, camping andbackpacking. They also will beexposed to team-building activities,

challenge/ropes course climbing, out-door skills workshops and adventuregames.

Campers will travel locally to per-form the practical application ofskills. Sessionsare sched-uled June4-8, June11-15, June18-22 andJune 25-29.

Costfor onesession is$150 per camperwith discounts availablefor multiple family members and/ormultiple sessions. A $25 nonrefund-able deposit reserves your child’s spotwith the reservation form and is

applied to the total cost of the camp. For more details, visit

www.mtsu.edu/~camprec or contactScott Pruett, Challenge Course coordi-nator.

Summer YouthSports Camp

beginsMonday,June 4, andruns weeklythrough July30 for boys

and girlsseven to 13

years old. A varietyof sport, leisure and fitness

activities will be taught. Tuition for each weekly session is

$150 with lunch or $125 if campersbring their own lunches. A $25 nonre-

fundable deposit for each sessionmust accompany the registration butis applied to the total cost of thecamp. Discounts are available; fordetails, check the Web site or contactFitness Director Jerry Langham.

There’s also still time to takeadvantage of summer family mem-berships for only $50. That member-ship gives MTSU employees and theiryoung folks access to the indoor andoutdoor pools, the gym and racquet-ball courts.

Campus Rec also offers a varietyof swimming lessons, as well as skillsclinics and workshops. Costs vary,and more information is available atthe Web site or by calling 615-898-2104 between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.weekdays.

from Staff Reports

C USTOMS, the summer orientation for newMTSU students and family members, willbegin a two-month run May 30-31, officials

in New Student and Family Programs said.CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the tran-

sition of new undergraduate students to the univer-sity, prepare them for educational opportunitiesand to initiate the integration of new students intothe intellectual, cultural and social climate ofMTSU.

College of Basic and Applied Sciences andCollege of Mass Communication majors will attendCUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25 and July 30-31.

Jennings A. Jones College of Business, Collegeof Education and Behavioral Science and College ofLiberal Arts majors will attend June 5-6, June 12-13,

June 22-23, July 19-20and July 30-31.

Undeclaredmajors can attendone of the 11 CUS-TOMS sessionsavailable through-out the summer(see above dates).

CUSTOMS datesare scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, a New Student and FamilyPrograms representative said.

Gina Poff, director of New Student and FamilyPrograms, said “more individualized advising”would take place this year.

“We expect that most students will get to meetwith a faculty member or adviser to individuallytalk about their major and the course requirementswithin that major,” Poff said. “The SOAs (summer

orientation assistants) will be leading their groupsto all the events that are in the agenda, so thereshould be even more group cohesion and an oppor-tunity for our new students to get to know othernew students.”

Poff added that a pre-CUSTOMS online pro-gram that students must complete before theyarrive for the orientation will be helpful.

“It is more of an informational video that isentertaining and filled with important information,yet brief,” she said.

CUSTOMS registration for students is $64 and$40 per person for family members. Overnightaccommodations will be available in residence hallsfor an additional fee.

For more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call615-898-2111.

CUSTOMS orientations planned for new students by Randy Weiler

“Middle Tennessee Record”Cable Channel 9: Monday-Sunday—5 p.m.NewsChannel 5+: Saturdays—1 p.m.Visit www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html for airtimes on 11other cable outlets.

Student Photography Exhibit8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday(closed May 28 and June 2)Baldwin Photo Gallery, LRCNo admission chargeFor information, contact: 615-898-2085.

May 21-26BlueCross Spring FlingTSSAA baseball, track andfield, and tennis championshipsReese Smith Field, MT Track &Soccer Complex and Buck

Bouldin Tennis CenterFor information, visitwww.tssaa.org or contact: 615-889-6740.

May 27-June 2Volunteer Girls StateCampuswideFor information, visitwww.volunteergirlsstate.org.

Sunday, May 27“MTSU On the Record—The Multimedia Manifesto”Guest: Chris Harris7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FMPodcast available atwww.mtsunews.com or via free subscription at iTunes.

Monday, May 28Memorial Day HolidayNo classes; all universityoffices closed.

May 30-31CUSTOMS OrientationColleges of Basic & AppliedScience, Mass Communicationand undeclared majors7:30 a.m., campuswideFor information, visitwww.mtsu.edu/~customs orcontact: 615-898-5533.

May 31-June 14-H District Horse ShowTennessee Miller ColiseumFor information, contact: 615-832-6550.

Friday, June 1Final Exams, Summer Session I

Saturday, June 2Positive Behavior SupportConference

Guest speaker: Alfie Kohn7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., LRC 221For information, contact: 615-898-2680 or 615-898-2687.

Middle Tennessee ArabianHorse Association“Open Fun Show”9 a.m., Tenn. Livestock CenterFor information, visitwww.mtaha.com/shows1.htmor contact: 615-468-4040.

Sunday, June 3“MTSU On the Record—In Vino Veritas”Guest: Dr. Tony Johnston7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FMPodcast available atwww.mtsunews.com or via free subscription at iTunes.

Blue Raider Football “Mini Camp”for boys in ninth to 12th gradesFor information, visit www.goblueraiders.comor contact: 615-898-2926.

Campus CalendarMay 21-June 3

TV Schedule

June 1

page 4 The Record May 21, 2007

On your mark!

READY, SET, GO!—Dignitaries celebrate the long-awaited completion of the newly renovated Middle Tennessee Track and Soccer Complex at the corner of Greenland Driveand Champions Way at the north end of the MTSU campus. Joining in for the official May 1 ribbon cutting for the $4 million project are, from left, 48th District State Rep. JohnHood, D-Murfreesboro; former state senator and current Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce Chairman Andy Womack; Murfreesboro City Councilman Doug Young;Murfreesboro Vice Mayor Chris Bratcher; Murfreesboro City Manager Roger Haley; MTSU President Dr. Sidney McPhee; MTSU Athletics Director Chris Massaro; and MTSUFirst Lady Liz McPhee. The facility will house the upcoming BlueCross Spring Fling (see calendar above) as well as the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Track Championships.

photo by Andy Heidt

May 21

May 30

May 31

June 2

June 3

Through June 15

May 27

May 28

The Record May 21, 2007 page 5

Mentoring from page 1self-esteem of mentored students,participants report.

Many of the children in the cityschools system live in single-parenthomes, and program organizers saythat mentoring provides them withsupport from other adults who areinterested in their well-being.

“They need someone to meetwith, say, once a month to talk aboutwhat their hopes and aspirationsare,” said Zane Cantrell, former prin-cipal of Black Fox Elementary Schooland director of MTSU communityresources, who works alongsideBonner.

The program is also expandinginto Rutherford County Schools. Forexample, the men’s basketball teamis assigned to Central Middle School,currently the only county school inthe partnership. Organizers say thecollege athlete-mentors are well

received by the students at CMS.“The kids treat them like rock

stars,” Cantrell said.Cantrell added that there is a

special need for more female volun-teers in the mentoring program,especially with the adolescents atCMS. Due to the large number ofgirls in the partnership, groups suchas sororities or women’s organiza-tions are welcome to participate, hesaid.

MTSU President Sidney A.McPhee mentors 16 CMS students—most with troubled backgrounds—once a month. McPhee said he stress-es developing “stickability,” or perse-verance through life’s troubles, to theyoungsters.

The program continues to attractvolunteers from outside MTSU,many of whom are from localchurches. However, organizers said,

the mentored children prefer collegestudents, apparently because of thesmaller age gap between them.

Additional aspects of the part-nership between MTSU and areaschools include providing teachers,either MTSU staff or graduate stu-dents, to help with hands-on activi-ties in art, science and social studies.

“We have a tremendous scienceprogram here on campus,” Cantrellsaid. “Science is one of the weakestareas in elementary education, andwe have a wonderful resource hereto help that.”

The mentoring program is agreat way to fill individual commu-nity service requirements while mak-ing a positive contribution to society.Interested individuals or groups maycontact Bonner at 615-898-2874 orgbonner@mtsu.edu.

Employees from page 1• Dr. Jerry H. Brookshire, histo-

ry;• Dr. Robert A. “Bob” Bullen,

educational leadership;• Jennifer B. Butt, criminal jus-

tice administration;• Dr. Sarah C. Dawkins, account-

ing;• Roy H. Fults Jr., facilities ser-

vices/building services;• Dr. Anthony J. “Tony”

Halterlein, agribusiness and agri-science;

• Joyce E. Harding, custodialservices;

• Dr. Thomas E. Hemmerly, biol-ogy;

• Robert R. Hester, custodialservices;

• John L. High, Jazz89 WMOT-FM radio;

• Dr. Cary T. Hughes, computerinformation systems;

• Dr. Geoffrey P. Hull, recordingindustry;

• Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, eco-nomics and finance;

• Dr. Karen K. Lee, social work• Peggy L. Lukasick, institution-

al research;• Mary K. Malone, custodial

services;• Dr. Powell D. McLellan,

health and human performance;• Mary McKee, speech and the-

atre;• John Claytor Moore, men’s

golf coach/athletics;• Dr. Donald E. Parente, journal-

ism;• Grace W. Prater, College of

Graduate Studies;• Dianne H. Wagoner, English

(posthumous award); and • Connie L. Witte, photographic

services.

Kohn from page 1department chairwoman.

“Kohn is a sometimes controver-sial and often irreverent speaker, buthe always challenges us to lookbeyond the façade to the importantissues affecting children and the quali-ty of their education today,” sheobserved. “He is well known for hispositions on K-12 assessment, class-room management, parental involve-ment and homework.”

The author-speaker’s MTSU visitis funded by a Positive BehaviorGrant directed by Dr. Zafrullah Khan,assistant professor of elementary andspecial education, Jones said.

Kohn’s presentation, “BeyondBribes and Threats: RealisticAlternatives to Controlling Students’Behavior,” will “begin by addressingthe problems with trying to manipu-late students’ behavior with the use ofrewards, including praise, or punish-ment … (often referred to) as ‘conse-quences,’” according to event organiz-ers.

“Then we will dig deeper, lookingat how much is lost by focusing onbehavior in the first place, how ademand for short-term compliance …gets in the way of our long-term goalsfor kids (as well as) how many prob-lems originate with the assumptionthat the teacher should be in control ofthe classroom.”

Kohn’s four-hour session, whichbegins at 8 a.m., kicks off the June 2workshop in the Learning ResourcesCenter’s Room 221. The event also

will include addededucation sessionsbefore its 3:30 p.m.conclusion.

“This is a won-derful opportunityfor educators in ourregion to hear thisnationally knownspeaker,” Jonesnoted.

Teachers interested in learningmore about the event, including regis-tration information, may contactLinda Copciac at 615-898-2680 orlcopciac@mtsu.edu. Seating is limitedand registration is on a first-come,first-served basis.

For more information about Kohn,please access his Web site atwww.alfiekohn.org.

ON THEIR WAY—Jessica Arndt, a sophomore aerospace administration major, senior chemistry major Sara Serati and Erin Meaker,a senior philosophy and anthropology major, are the 2007 recipients of the June S. Anderson Foundation Scholarships, presentedannually to female nontraditional students at MTSU who are pursuing careers typically occupied by males. Anderson, a formerchemistry professor at MTSU who died in 1984, was an independent person who believed in reaching beyond one's grasp.

photo by Andy Heidt

Top scholars

TIMELY HONORS—MTSU staffers recognized at the recent Employee of the YearAwards are, from left, Jennifer Coppinger, Administrative Award winner; Donnie Murray,Classified Award; and Jimmy Stokes, Technical/Service Award. Not pictured is Michelle“Shelly” Graham, Secretarial/Clerical Award winner.

photo by Andy Heidt

page 6 The Record May 21, 2007

T hree accomplished alumni andone “Friend of the College”have been added to the grow-

ing roster of MTSU’s College of MassCommunication’s Wall of Fame.

Dean Anantha Babbili announcedduring an April 25 ceremony thatalumni Tracey J. Rogers, GregMcCarn and Lucas L. Johnson IIwould be honored with plaques andphotos installed on the northwestinterior wall of the Bragg MassCommunication Building.

Also honored was Friend of theCollege Judith G. “Judy” Clabes.

The Wall of Fame began in 2000as a way to both honor successfulmass communication graduates andinspire current students to continueworking toward their goals. Eachyear, each of the college’s depart-

ments solicits nom-inees from faculty,chooses an honoreeand submits his orher name to thedean. Details aboutthe four “Wall ofFame” 2007 addi-tions include:

• Rogers (B.S.’91), an alumna ofthe Department ofElectronic MediaCommunication, iscurrently newsdirector at WMC-TV, the MemphisCBS affiliate. Sheworked at all threeof Nashville’s net-work news affili-ates, then workedin Paducah, Ky.,

before joining WAFFin Huntsville. UnderRogers's leadership,WAFF transformedfrom the third-ratedstation to the first-rated station in themarket. After sevenyears in Huntsville,Tracey transferred toWMC-TV.

• McCarn (B.S.’89), an alumnus ofthe Department ofRecording Industry, isnow vice president ofmarketing for LyricStreet Records inNashville.

• Johnson (B.S.’91), an alumnus ofthe School of Journa-lism, joined the

Associated Press’s Nashville bureauimmediately after his graduation. Hestayed with the AP for 10 years beforetaking a two-year sabbatical to writehis first book, Finding the Good, thestory of author Alex Haley’s child-hood friend, Fred Montgomery, pub-lished in June 2003. Johnson has sincereturned to the AP to cover theTennessee legislature.

• Clabes, the 2007 “Friend of theCollege,” has been president and CEOof the Scripps Howard Foundationsince 1996. A member of the Collegeof Mass Communication’s Board ofVisitors, she also serves on the boardof directors for the Thomas JeffersonCenter for the Protection of FreeExpression, Ohio University School ofJournalism and the NationalConference of Community andJustice.

Mass Comm’s ‘Wall of Fame’ grows by 4 namesfrom Staff Reports

Rogers McCarn

Johnson Clabes

S tudents honored three members of MTSU'sDepartment of Human Sciences faculty aspart of the first “Celebration of Interior

Design Awards,” held April 26 in Peck Hall.Members of MTSU’s student chapter of the

American Society of Interior Designers planned theceremony to formally recognize Sharon Coleman,Dana L. Miller and Dr. Janis Brickey, all assistantprofessors of interior design, for their exceptionalcontributions to the students’ learning, said Dr.Deborah Belcher, faculty adviser to MTSU’s studentASID chapter.

Dr. Kaylene Gebert, executive vice presidentand provost of MTSU, presented the awards onbehalf of the students to honor Miller and Coleman“for their dedication, commitment and lasting con-tribution to excellence in the profession of interiordesign” and to acknowledge Brickey for “her out-standing teaching techniques and use of technologyin the classroom,” Belcher said.

Amanda Alldaffer, publicity chairwoman andevent coordinator for the campus ASID chapter,conceived the idea to acknowledge the trio.

She then enlisted the assistance of Belcher, alsoan assistant professor of interior design, to helpplan and involve Gebert in the event so that ASIDmembers “could recognize them on a larger scale,rather than just in our college and program,” saidLydia Melton, president of the university’s ASIDstudent chapter.

“It’s hard to put into words what Ms. Coleman,Ms. Miller and Dr. Brickey have done for the interi-or design students,” said Melton, a Murfreesborosenior. “Yes, they have taught us everything fromthe basics of color choices and space planning tothe intricacies of fire codes and computer drafting,but their influence goes so much further.

“They are our guides into the professionalworld of interior design and our friends. I know Ican go to them anytime with a problem, be itschool, work-related or a personal issue, and theywill use their experiences and intelligence to adviseme to the best of their ability.”

Dyersburg senior Jessie Cook agreed. “Theyhave all pulled many strings for us to be able tohave the best speakers, like Michael Payne (ofHGTV) and many others, for our monthly meet-ings.”

Coleman joined MTSU in 1983 as the coordina-tor for the interior design program, dedicating her-self to its development, pursuing accreditations,supervising internships and cooperative-educationstudents in interior design. She also developed andlead study tours to New York and abroad,enhanced courses through interactive/experientiallearning techniques and developed computer-

assisted design courses and 3-D software programsto help prepare students for the technologicaldemands and expectations of the profession,Belcher said.

“I was touched and honored that the studentswould take time out from the busiest part of thesemester to host a reception to thank the interiordesign faculty,” Coleman said.

“Our interior design majors are eager toembrace new technology that supports their chosencareer … (and) as the faculty member who hasdeveloped, implemented and taught the computerapplication courses, it is rewarding to see studentswho are eager to explore new design tools andpresentation options.”

A member of MTSU’s faculty since 1992 and afounding member of the Tennessee Interior DesignCoalition, Miller said, “I was very impressed thatthe students cared enough to take time during thelast week of classes to put this together.

“I know they all have large interior design proj-ects to complete and were working themselves todeath. I appreciate their thoughtfulness, and I wasvery surprised to be honored in this way.”

Credited with adding a wealth of design expe-rience and technology skills to MTSU’s design stu-

dio, including developing interactive exercises andprojects for foundation as well as senior-levelcourses, Brickey has been instrumental in bringinga variety of industry speakers into MTSU’s class-rooms and student ASID chapter meetings.

“As the newest member of the MTSU interiordesign faculty team, I was particularly touched bythe students’ recognition,” she said.

“During my first year here, I have witnessedmany examples of how students have embracednew ideas and technology … and look forward tomany more opportunities to witness the specialcombination of talent, education, technology andindividual dedication in the students.”

The design students’ appreciation for their fac-ulty grows daily, said Cook, who is ASID co-presi-dent-elect at MTSU.

“(Each of these women) make a daily effort inhelping all of their students to the best of theirknowledge.” said Cook.

“It shows in all of these women that they loveand enjoy their career, making them great profes-sors and mentors, and for that we wanted to thankthem.”

by Lisa L. Rollins

DESIGNING WOMEN—MTSU Provost and Executive Vice President Kaylene Gebert, left, joins members of the stu-dent chapter of the American Society of Interior Design at the April 26 Interior Design Awards ceremony. Honored fac-ulty members Dana Miller, Sharon Coleman and Dr. Janis Brickey celebrated with student chapter ASID presidentLydia Melton and event coordinator Amanda Alldaffer during the presentation.

photo by Jack Ross

Students thank interior-design mentors

W inning a prestigious award doesn’t hap-pen every day, but for Dr. PippaHolloway, associate professor of history,

that day has dawned.A member of MTSU’s faculty since 1999,

Holloway recently received a 2007 George SorosJustice Fellowship for her research on felon disen-franchisement in the South from 1865 to 1965.

Projects conducted by the Soros JusticeFellows “have helped to ensure that the crim-inal justice system in America does not ignorethe needs of the most vulnerable and margin-alized people,” according to information fromthe Open Society Institute, a private operatingand grant-making foundation that aims toshape public policy to promote democraticgovernance and human rights as well as eco-nomic, legal and social reform that includesthe Soros Foundations Network.

Those competing for the Soros awardswere among the best of the best, said Holloway,who noted that winning the George Soros JusticeFellowship is a true honor.

“The award is given once a year. This year, theygave over $1 million to 18 people,” Holloway said.

According to OSI and the Soros FoundationNetwork, the 2007 Soros Justice Fellowships sup-port work on local, state and national levels, andthe fellows come from 10 states and the District ofColumbia. Awards ranged from $45,000 to $71,250for 12- to 18-month projects.

Dr. John McDaniel, dean of the College ofLiberal Arts, said Holloway’s recent Soros win “isright up there with Fulbrights and … (national)Professor of the Year awards.”

Moreover, he observed, “the competition wasboth national and fierce, with 10 finalists being

flown to New York some months ago for in-depthinterviews before the winners were selected.”

According to www.soros.org, Soros, an investorand philanthropist, created OSI in 1993 to supportthe foundations that he established to help coun-tries make the transition from communism.

Born in Hungary in 1930, Soros fled to Englandin 1947 to escape his deadly fate as a Hungarianunder communist rule. He moved to the UnitedStates in 1956 and today is one of the richest men inthe world, according to www.investingvalue.com.

Holloway said she did not submit her work forconsideration until three weeks before the deadline,after learning about the award from a previouswinner and friend who encouraged her to submither work.

She said she didn’t think she had a chance atwinning, since she had only three weeks to collectthe required materials for the application.

“I sent in an application, three letters of recom-mendation and two letters from presses saying theywould publish (the research), just so that theyknow that it is publishable,” she said. “Then they(review) all the applications.”

After she passed the initial cut, Holloway said,she was flown to New York for an interview. Andthe rest, as the saying goes, is history, and all abouthistory—namely, Holloway’s latest research project,

for which she’s already received two grants.Holloway explained that winning the Soros

award will afford her much-needed time to contin-ue working on the project, because part of her win-nings include one year of paid salary. She’ll be tem-porarily away from the classroom so that she canmore fully focus on her research; her goal is towrite the history of felon disenfranchisement lawsof 11 states within a year.

“In the next year and a bit, I am hoping towrap up five or six states focusing on what the law

is, how it has changed, how it is enforcedand how it has been enforced over theyears,” Holloway explained.

Part of Holloway’s passion for her work,she said, comes from the fact that these lawsare relevant today. Some states still have alaw making it illegal for any person who hasever been convicted of a felony to vote, shesaid, noting that those voting privileges arerevoked for life.

Nationally, an estimated 5.3 millionAmericans are denied the right to vote

because of laws that prohibit voting by people withfelony convictions, according to The SentencingProject.

Considering the determination Holloway has totake on such an ambitious project, it’s not surpris-ing this isn’t the first of her research endeavors.

Before receiving her doctorate from Ohio StateUniversity in ‘99, Holloway wrote her dissertationon social and political issues in Virginia from 1920to 1945. After graduating, Holloway continued towork on the project, and five years later, in October2006, her first book, Sexuality, Politics, and SocialControl in Virginia: 1920-1945, was published by theUniversity of North Carolina Press.

Tabitha May is a senior majoring in journalism.

The Record May 21, 2007 page 7

REVVING UP FOR SUCCESS—Representatives from thebranch office of Auto Owners Insurance Co. in Brentwood join Dr.Ken Hollman, center left, and senior insurance major HarrySwaim, center right, to present the Murfreesboro student with a$1,500 scholarship. From left are Joe Jackson, Auto Ownersbranch underwriting manager; Jim Baes, regional vice president,Brentwood branch; Hollman and Swaim; and Ed Colley, branchclaims manager. Swaim is the latest beneficiary of the AutoOwners scholarship effort, which has been under way for the lastdecade and now totals more than $14,500 in an endowed account.

photo by J. Intintoli

Insuring education

History professor earns national justice grantby Tabitha May

‘Right up there with Fulbrights’

‘In the next year and a bit,I am hoping to wrap up

five or six states ....’Dr. Pippa Holloway

on her latest research project

Dr. Carol J. Pardun (journalism)is the new vice president-designatefor the Association for Education inJournalism and Mass Communica-tion. She’ll take office Oct. 1 and willbecome AEJMC president-elect in2008-09 and president in 2009-2010.

Keith Jenkins and JeffHenderson (facilities services) havebeen recognized by President SidneyA. McPhee for their unique skills andcraftsmanship in contributing to theuniversity’s Printing Press Project.Jenkins and Henderson constructed

the reproduction 18th-centuryEnglish common press, which is usedin a partnership between the WalkerLibrary, the Art Department and theRutherford County School System toenhance educational opportunities forstudents.

Tom Nolan (geosciences) deliv-ered a Jan. 15 presentation to theRutherford County Historical Societyand a Feb. 15 presentation to theRetired Military Officers meeting inMurfreesboro. Both discussionsfocused on his recent use of technolo-gy in locating the Alvin York battle-field site in France.

Drs. Anhua Lin and Rong Luo(mathematical sciences) attended thesecond Computational SystemsBiology Symposium March 22-23 inAthens, Ga.

E-mail your faculty/staff accom-plishments to gfann@mtsu.edu or faxto 615-898-5714, Attention: The Record,Faculty/Staff Update. If your depart-ment isn’t receiving enough copies ofThe Record, please e-mail gfann@mtsu.edu with “Record Circulation” inthe subject line.

page 8 The Record May 21, 2007

Faculty/Staff Update

People Around Campus

T hirty-seven boxes packed with1,225-plus pounds of donatedbooks headed to the John

Rollins Success Primary School inMontego Bay, Jamaica, on May 7,thanks to the good will and efforts ofone MTSU educator.

Dr. William “Bill” Whitehill, asso-ciate professor in the Department ofHealth and Human Performance, saidhe learned of the school’s dire needfor books earlier this year when hevisited a friend in Jamaica and accom-panied him to register his nieces forclasses.

“While they were doing the regis-tration, I wandered around and cameto the library,” Whitehill said. “Whilethere, I learned they had absolutelyno books in the library, and that thisschool has been open only for 18months.”

Once he returned to Tennessee,Whitehill said he made it his missionto collect books for the school’slibrary because “it was the morallyright thing to do.”

“They have a need and we are aland of plenty,” he added. “Therefore,upon my return, I started talking topeople, and the outpouring of helpwas great. One of the first people Ispoke to was (retired educationalleadership professor) Dr. Jan Hayes,and within a day, she had two boxesof books for me to take to thisschool.”

The May 7 shipment of books,whose initial freight costs were esti-mated at $400 and funded byWhitehill, traveled from Murfrees-

boro to Fort Lauderdale. From there,an organization known as Food ForThe Poor (www.foodforthepoor.com), a25-year-old corporation whose mis-sion is to improve the health, eco-nomic, social and spiritual conditionsof impoverished people throughoutLatin America and the Caribbean,transported the books free to Jamaica,delivering them directly to the pri-mary school’s principal.

The shipment also included titlescollected by Kathy King and TammySanchez, HHP secretaries; BeverlyCorlew, an assistant professor inHHP; MTSU doctoral student MicheleDell Pruitt; Jeff Whitwell, textbookmanager for Phillips Bookstore;Shirley Luscinski, secretary forMTSU’s Student-Athlete Enhance-ment Center; Thomas Keith, a teacherat Mitchell-Neilson Elementary; anddonations from the community.

Considered one of two state-of-the-art educational centers in St.James Parish, the school—formerly

known as the Success PrimarySchool—recently was renamed theJohn Rollins Success Primary Schoolin honor of the late philanthropistand businessman whose develop-ments played a pivotal role in thecountry’s tourism industry.

Whitehill said about 900 studentsare currently enrolled in the school,which was designed to accommodate1,050 students and constructed by theUrban Development Corporation forJamaica’s Ministry of Education.

Dr. Dianne Bartley, HHP chair-woman and a native of Trinidad, saidthat when Whitehill first told herabout the bookless library, she wasnot surprised.

“Being from the Caribbean, Iknow such situations exist, eventhough most of us in the U.S. can’timagine a library with no books,” shesaid. “We look forward to establish-ing an ongoing relationship with thatschool.”

A member of MTSU’s faculty

since 1994, Whitehill said the school’sbook needs are “anything and every-thing,” and used as well as new bookdonations are welcomed, includingdonations from the community atlarge.

School principal Yvonne Miller-Wisdom said the books already arecirculating among the students.

“The donations are being usedextensively through grades one tosix,” she said. “The children areenjoying them and request for moreof these books to be read to them aswell as to be put into the library.”

Said Whitehill: “These efforts toget books and educational materialsto the school will be ongoing, and Ihope it escalates to sending technolo-gy and other resources to this school.But the bottom line is, they need thehelp and we have the resources.”

For more information aboutdonating books or learning materialsvia this MTSU-led campaign, pleasecontact 615-898-2811.

‘They have a need and we are a land of plenty’

READY TO HELP—Another box of books donated by the MTSU community awaits shipment to Jamaica and the students at theSuccess Primary School, thanks to a project by Dr. William Whitehill. For more information, contact 615-898-2811.

photo by News & Public Affairs

by Lisa L. Rollins

Honors

Presentations

Elections

See yourself in The Record!

UR061-0507

Tom TozerDirector, News and Public AffairsEditor: Gina E. Fanngfann@mtsu.edu

Contributors: Gina K. Logue, John Lynch,Paula Morton, Lisa L. Rollins, Randy Weiler,Doug Williams, Seth Alder, CristolCamacho, Danielle Harrell, BrittanySkelton, Claire Rogers and Jennifer Posey.

Photos: MTSU Photographic Services,except where noted

Printed by Franklin Web Printing Co.

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