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Take a Digital Tour of the New MTSU Science Building

April 30, 2013 By

MTSU’s enrollment has almost quadrupled in the last 43 years—from 6,779 students in 1968 to 26,442 in fall 2011—with no increase in space for science education. The University’s existing Wiser-Patten Science Hall and Davis Science Building were built in 1932 and 1967, respectively, and have a combined total of only 75,332 net square feet.

The new MTSU Science Building will provide more than 250,000 gross square feet of teaching, faculty and student research laboratories and collaborative learning spaces. At least 80 percent of all MTSU students will take at least one class in the new building.

MTSU broke ground for the new Science Building May 3, 2012. (Watch the video below.) The facility is being constructed on the south side of campus adjacent to the James E. Walker Library on the site of the old Wood, Felder, Gore and Clement dorms.

 

Requested funding:

  • Gov. Bill Haslam included a $126.7 million capital-outlay funding request for the MTSU Science Building in his fiscal year 2012-13 budget. The General Assembly approved the budget April 30.
  • The new Science Building was the No. 1 priority in the MTSU Capital Outlay Funding Request, the No. 1 priority in the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s Five-Year Capital Projects Plan and the No. 1 capital project request of the Tennessee Board of Regents.
  • The University’s 1991 and 1998 Master Plans identified the significant need for additional science space. The MTSU Science Building project was placed on the TBR Capital Outlay Priority List in 1998.
  • About $20 million has already been spent to prepare for construction of the Science Building. That money funded a new campus chilling plant, distribution lines, planning, site preparation and demolitions of the old dorms.

Cost and comparisons:

  • MTSU modeled 12 science buildings at other institutions in developing the plan for its new Science Building. The average cost for those 12 comparison facilities was $463.42 per gross square foot. MTSU selected the most similar example, the science building at the University of Alabama-Huntsville (bid January 2005). UAH’s comparative cost was $379/GSF, and MTSU’s target cost in planning was $380/GSF.
  • The MTSU project is only 16 percent larger than the Science Building at Austin Peay State University, yet MTSU has three times the number of APSU’s full-time enrolled students. With the new Science Building at MTSU, the density factor, or space available for each student, will be 149 square feet per full-time enrollee. The TBR’s current average density factor at its universities is 210 square feet per FTE.

General information:

  • Grounded in MTSU’s rich tradition of teacher training, the new MTSU Science Building will make full use of technology and contemporary research in teaching cognitive science. The entire facility will feature pedagogical design attributes nationally recognized as Project Kaleidoscope Initiatives, including discovery-based, group learning environments and spaces for informal discussion and collaborative interaction, all promoting an enhanced, 21st-century science education and research continuum.
  • Nearly all of MTSU’s 26,000-plus students will benefit from the improved science facilities. During fall 2010, more than 13,200 students, both majors and non-majors, were enrolled in biology, chemistry and physical science courses. Biology is a general-education requirement at MTSU, and science courses produce about 60,000 credit hours annually at the University.
  • Science courses to be offered in the new building serve academic programs beyond general education, biology and chemistry. Those additional programs include aerospace, agribusiness/agriscience, engineering technology, nursing, physics and astronomy, elementary education, teacher licensure in science education, wellness and exercise science in health and human performance, human sciences nutrition/food science/dietetics, geology, social work, and recording-industry production technology.
  • During the academic year 2009-10, MTSU granted almost 700 degrees in biology, chemistry and related fields. The University estimates that number could increase by 25 percent after the new Science Building is in operation.
  • Construction of the new Science Building will begin immediately after the May 3 groundbreaking, and the facility could be ready for use by spring 2015.

The new Science Building will:

  • enable the University to address needs identified in the America Competes Act by creating additional science graduates to fill high-technology jobs and teach science and math in K-12 schools;
  • enhance middle Tennessee’s regional economy by providing technical entrepreneurs and researchers who launch small businesses through ideas and research;
  • make MTSU and the state more competitive for federal grants and contracts in all areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics; and
  • support greater collaboration with Oak Ridge National Labs through MTSU’s new science doctoral programs.

Click on each of the thumbnails below (exterior, interior and campus-map location) for larger views.

MTSU Science Building - Exterior MTSU Science Building - Interior 

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State Budget Formula Rewards Retention, Graduation

February 25, 2013 By

Fiscal year 2013–14 will be the third and final year of implementation of the state’s new outcomes-based funding formula, as called for in the Complete College Tennessee Act. Under the act, productivity rather than sheer enrollment drives state funding distribution. 

Based on this final phase, MTSU’s 2013–2014 recurring state funding will be reduced by $1,752,100. However, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) voted at its November 2012 meeting to propose new state funding totaling $35,500,000 for higher education institutions. MTSU’s share of the proposed new funding will be $3,470,600. Thus, MTSU’s state funding could actually increase by a net of $1,718,500.

The commission voted to recommend $7,590,000 in Capital Maintenance funds for MTSU projects, including the Murphy Center roof/ceiling replacement project; the Central Plant cooling tower replacement project; the Absorption Chiller/ Tower replacement project; the Jones Hall plumbing update project; and various projects entailing electrical updates to campus buildings.

THEC’s recommendations have been submitted to the Department of Finance and Administration for consideration in the proposed budget that Governor Bill Haslam will be submitting to the state legislature in the coming weeks. At that point, we will have more information regarding our likely 2013–14 state appropriations.

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Recent Accomplishments and Milestones

February 22, 2013 By

Not a day goes by that I do not hear about or encounter something great, something valuable, or noteworthy about our great University and its faculty and students. Here are some recent examples.

MTSU among tops in Fulbright students

MTSU has achieved a first-time national recognition for scholarly work. The Chronicle of Higher Education listed MTSU as one of the “Top Producers of U.S. Fulbright Students by Type of Institution, 2012–13.” MTSU is among 17 schools listed in the Master’s Institutions category and is the only college or university from Tennessee in any of the three categories. The highly competitive Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government.

Constitution Day includes naturalization ceremony

At a special naturalization ceremony in Murphy Center last September, MTSU celebrated the 225th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution with 288 new citizens and a global audience that tuned in via the internet. The celebration was special because the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee, allowed a rare naturalization ceremony to be held outside Nashville. The event also saw three MTSU students—senior Mike Patel  of Knoxville, sophomore Levon Mkrtchyan  of Nashville, and freshman Tammy Li  of Smithville—take the oath to become naturalized U.S. citizens.

Hybrid project gets national TV buzz

Dr. Charles Perry and his student-driven project team have gained national and international acclaim. Perry and his students were featured on the national Fox News Channel on Nov. 17 regarding the team’s gas-saving, plug-in hybrid, wheel-hub motor, retrofit project. The technology has been shown to cut fuel use by 50 to 100 percent in a 1994 Honda station wagon. Professor Perry is the holder of the Russell Chair of Manufacturing Excellence in the Department of Engineering Technology.

MTSU EXL Program commended for impact

MTSU is positioning itself as a model in service learning with its Experiential Learning Scholars Program, or EXL. The program was commended recently by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for its impact and effectiveness after five years of existence. The EXL program started in spring 2006 as a pilot project in conjunction with MTSU’s Quality Enhancement Plan. In 2011-12, the program’s work contributed $1,582,624 in value to the community.

Pittard Campus School recognized among the best in Tennessee

In August 2012, students, parents, faculty, and staff at Homer Pittard Campus School enjoyed a cyber-celebration along with other top-performing schools across the state. The K–5 public school, which is jointly operated by MTSU and Rutherford County Schools as a laboratory school, was deemed a “Reward School” under the state’s new accountability system. That means it is among the 10 percent of schools statewide with the highest achievement or overall growth on standardized tests scores. Campus School’s designation was based on achievement, with its students scoring in the top 5 percent statewide.

Fischer named dean of Basic and Applied Sciences

Dr. Robert U. “Bud” Fischer became the fifth dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences June 1, following a national search. He replaced  Dr. Tom Cheatham, who stepped down to become director of the Tennessee Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education Center (TNSTEC) on campus. Fischer, 52, previously served as chair of the biology department at the University of Alabama–Birmingham and associate chair in biology at Eastern Illinois University. His expertise is in aquatic and fisheries biology. Fischer’s wife, Anita, has been a pharmacy technician for CVS for 17 years.They have a grown daughter, Sarah Trigg, and granddaughter, Kelsey Trigg, 4, in Illinois. Called “Bud” since birth and possessor of a hearty laugh, Fischer officially began his MTSU tenure Aug. 1.

MTSU to house Journalism Hall of Fame

In October, a group of past and present media executives and practitioners announced the creation of the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame, which will be housed in the new Center for Innovation in Media in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building. The effort is led by a nonprofit, independent foundation, which plans to recognize career excellence in “all facets of media, including  newspapering, television, radio, electronic, and public relations.” Roy Moore, dean of the College of Mass Communication, said the first class of inductees to the new hall will be announced in April 2013 as part of the college’s annual academic awards ceremonies.

Mass Comm students cover APME Conference

MTSU students provided exclusive stories, photos, audio, and video for the Associated Press Media Editors national conference in Nashville Sept. 19–21. Student journalists from the College of Mass Communication generated all news content for the APME blog and produced daily video reports and a special 24-page tabloid summing up the conference. Senior Becca Andrews  of Bells, Tenn., editor-in-chief of MTSU’s independent student newspaper, Sidelines , coordinated all news coverage for APME. Senior Michelle Potts  of Franklin, Tenn., news director of the student-run TV station, MT10-HD, led video coverage. All content flowed through MTSU’s new Center for Innovation in Media, which houses operations for all student media outlets as well as WMOT 89.5FM, the University’s 100,000-watt public radio station.

A Concrete Advantage

Four Concrete Industry Management programs—at Arizona State University, MTSU, Texas State University–San Marcos, and New Jersey Institute of Technology—were named “Excellent Universities” by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) for student and faculty efforts to support the industry. Universities were selected based on the number of ACI members in student chapters; student and faculty participation in ACI competitions, committees, conventions, and meetings; and participation in other industry-related activities. Universities were also judged on community outreach efforts by students and faculty involving neighborhood revitalization, construction projects, and donated services.

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Centennial Campaign Hits $62 Million Mark

February 17, 2013 By

Our Centennial Campaign continues to maintain great momentum and is generating lots of enthusiasm among supporters. At the end of the calendar year, the campaign had achieved more than $62 million in commitments toward its $80 million goal.

A couple of key highlights from the past year include

  • bequest from the late Ken Shipp (’50) valued at more than $3.5 million, dedicated for need-based scholarships;
  • an anonymous $1 million commitment supporting a number of initiatives on campus; and
  • several new scholarship endowments and faculty awards.

We’re also seeing greater interest from our alumni and friends as the number of donors continues to increase each year. As of December, more than 15,000 donors have contributed to the campaign. Most impressively, our graduating seniors have embraced the Senior Gift Challenge; 17 percent of the December graduating class made their first gifts to MTSU through the program.

While the dollars are obviously important, this campaign is also about engaging our friends and alumni in more meaningful ways. In talking with many of our donors, the one thing most apparent to me is that their gifts were the result of a lifelong relationship with MTSU. Many still speak fondly of the important role certain faculty members had in their lives. They say they give so that future students might enjoy that same connection with members of our MTSU community.

Joe Bales, vice president for development and university relations, often reminds us that we begin developing a relationship with our students the day they first apply for admission. How we treat them and the effort we make to help them achieve their goals are the most important influences that can turn them into alumni who want to give back to their alma mater.

The results of our Senior Gift Challenge show that we are doing the right things for many of our students, but it also shows that there are opportunities remaining. How each of us chooses to interact with students in and out of the classroom is crucial to our efforts to build a stronger community.

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Enrollment Strategy Plan

January 17, 2013 By

MTSU’s enrollment has grown significantly, from 19,121 students in 2000 to more than 25,000 today. A key to future efforts to better serve students will be the implementation of a new strategic plan for student success.

A draft enrollment and retention plan now under my review would meet the requirements of the Complete College Tennessee Act of 2010 and the accompanying funding formula, where simple enrollment growth by itself is not rewarded; instead, budget allocations are based on demonstrated improvements in  retention and plan was sharedwith the Faculty Senate, the Chairs Council, and other faculty last spring. Feedback was solicited through the end of September 2012.

A consulting team of faculty was then put together, consisting of Drs. Michael Arndt, Jackie Eller, Steve Estes, Marva Lucas, and Rebecca Fischer. That group worked hard through the summer of 2012 and  even into the holiday season, evaluating comments that came in from faculty and administrators across the campus, reviewing the sources of data represented in the initial draft, and adding additional content to the strategic plan. As a result of their best efforts, a final plan will be forthcoming from my office.

A key recommendation in the draft plan is to reach a target maximum enrollment capacity of 30,000 students through carefully managed, targeted growth in various subpopulations of the student body. The focus would also be on attracting more students who are likely to graduate and using a variety of support systems to help keep all students on a path to academic success.

Final plans will emphasize constant communication as a key to targeted recruitment and include strategic use of software that makes it easier for the University to identify and stay in touch with top prospects. It will provide a continuum of support to keep enrolled students on track and engaged. And it will also broaden that safety net, adding more specialized programs and stricter advising requirements for students who are statistically at higher risk of academic failure.

Critical questions addressed in the plan include the following:

  • Should we slow the growth of our freshman class?
  • Can we better target high-achievers by slightly raising academic standards for guaranteed  undergraduate admission?Should we continue to increase the number of graduate students, who earn their diplomas more quickly and reliably than undergraduates?
  • Should we continue to aggressively pursue increasing the enrollment of more international students, a high-achieving group whose members generally complete their degrees on time?
  • Should we continue to increase our recruitment efforts and scholarship dollars for transfer students, who have survived the so-called dropout years of early college?

As these plans are finalized and adopted, it is important to keep in mind that plans alone will not ensure student success. Retaining and graduating students is everyone’s job. Students will remember those  faculty and staff members who challenged them the most, not the least. They will remember the people who reached out, who connected with them. That is why I ask each of you to remember that no matter what you do—as a member of the faculty, staff, or administration—all of us have a responsibility for  student success.

MTSU is already the most efficient producer of graduates for Tennessee and a tremendous investment  or the state. Part of the reason is that everyone at MTSU—every dean, every professor, every secretary, every technical support person, every groundskeeper—feels that retention and graduation of students is their job. Together, we make student success possible.

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Construction Update

January 17, 2013 By

MTSU is an exciting place to work and study in large part because so many improvements are underway! Here are some highlights of recent and current projects.

Science Building

Construction on MTSU’s new $147 million Science Building began in May 2012. Construction is on  schedule, an a steel topping-out ceremony took place Jan. 11. The project will result in approximately 257,000 gross square feet for biology and chemistry, 37 class labs, two open labs, 13 research labs, six classrooms, faculty offices, numerous informal learning areas, and space for student presentations. Approximately 1,500 new student stations will be provided in the labs and classrooms. The building will accommodate state-of-the-art teaching and research technologies. The design features best practices in sustainability by meeting Tennessee State Sustainability Guidelines, and the completed facility will be the equivalent of LEED-certified. The project is planned to be ready for move-in by fall 2014 and ready for classes in spring 2015.

Student Services Building and Parking Garages

Construction began last spring for a new Student Services Building located east of the new Student Union and adjacent to the Campus Recreation Building. The Student Services Building will relocate all functions related to Admissions, Records and Enrollment, Financial Aid, Scheduling, the Bursar’s Office, and Academic Advising. The facility will serve as a starting point for campus tours and as the primary visitors’ center for prospective students and their families. The building will include a bridge from a new student parking garage, through the Student Services Building and extending across Blue Raider Drive to the second-floor ballroom level of the new Student Union. Construction and move-in are expected to be complete by the start of fall semester 2014.

LRC Renovation

Renovation of the Learning Resources Center began Dec. 2011, and construction is now substantially  complete and ready for classes. The project accommodates the Interior Design and Textiles, Merchandising, and Design programs in the academic campus core. Creative and Visual Services has moved into newly renovated space in the Fairview Building, and WMOT and WMTS are now in the new Center for Innovation in Media in the Bragg Mass Communication Building.

Parking

Current parking projects include construction of two new student parking garages. One is adjacent to the Health, Wellness, and Recreation Center, and the other is in the Holmes Building lot close to Greenland Drive. The garages will give students convenient access from the edge of campus and direct pedestrian traffic to the core of campus. Each will have approximately 490 spaces for students and will be  substantially complete in summer 2013.

Transportation

The next phase of roadway improvements includes the widening of Lightning Way and the widening of Champion Way with a new turn lane at Greenland Drive; a new rotary at the intersection of those two roads; and improved pedestrian walkways, crosswalks, and lighting. Construction is expected to begin spring 2013 with substantial completion of the new rotary in the summer of 2013 and completion of the overall project by summer 2014. All roadway projects are designed to improve shuttle bus efficiency and traffic flow, relieve traffic congestion, improve pedestrian walkways and lighting, and provide bike lanes into campus and around the perimeter of the academic core.

Underground Electric Work

Construction of underground electrical duct banks is nearing completion, in what will be an electrical loop around campus. This project will improve electrical service capacity and reliability while enhancing the campus by removing most overhead lines, which will be removed following temporary, required power outages.

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Tuition Discount for Your Children

January 17, 2013 By

During 2013, many of you with high school students will begin the lengthy but important process of  selecting a college for your son or daughter to attend. Often, the first thought many students have is to leave home and go away to school. I want you to consider suggesting to your children that they look closely at MTSU before making that decision to move away. There are many reasons it can be the most beneficial choice both for them and for you!

First and foremost, I hope you feel as I  do that MTSU provides a quality education in a great university community with people who truly care about their welfare. Also, as a full-time member of the faculty or staff, your family is eligible for a 50 percent discount on undergraduate tuition fees and mandatory student fees. Combined with the wealth of scholarships that are available—such as the Buchanan, National Merit, Presidential, and Academic Service Scholarships—and the varied forms of financial aid MTSU makes available to thousands of students, the burden of paying for your child’s college education can be significantly lightened by choosing MTSU.

Finally, our campus has evolved greatly over the past decade. With so many new facilities, service clubs and extracurricular activities, students at MTSU today never have to leave campus to keep busy and to have a great time. Plus, they will be close enough to come home from time to time and get a home-cooked meal or a helping hand getting their laundry washed!

Here is what two members of our University family had to say about attending MTSU:

Alison and Kippy Todd

Alison and Kippy Todd

“I chose MTSU because it felt like a community geared towards my goal of learning at an affordable price,” said Alison Todd, daughter of Kippy Todd, a development officer in the College of Mass Communication. “MTSU felt like a place I could find unique opportunities for learning and, most importantly, quality. Sometimes, I do steal her peanut butter crackers in her desk between classes though.”

“The 50% MTSU tuition discount that faculty and staff receive is a tremendous advantage, and because it can be used during the summer term, Clay is graduating in three-and-a-half years,” said Ellen Jones, a technical clerk in the Biology department. “Not only will Clay graduate with a great education, but because of the tuition benefit he will not have any student loans to repay!”

Visit http://www.mtsu.edu/hrs/benefits/assist.php for more information on this and other educational assistance benefits available to you as an MTSU employee.

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Winter Weather Delays and Cancellation Policy

January 17, 2013 By

In the event of inclement weather, MTSU will disseminate closing plans through the following:

  • Local radio and television stations
  • MTSU’s Critical Notification System (formerly known as Rave).
  • The Alert Updates Web page at www.mtsu.edu/alertupdates
  • A banner on the MTSU home page at www.mtsu.edu
  • The MTSU hotline, (615) 898-2000.

If classes are canceled, it will be announced as soon as possible (but no later than two hours before the start of the first class on the following morning). Cancellation will apply to all classes, credit and noncredit. Offices will be considered open unless the announcement specifically says they will be closed .

Radio Stations
  • WMOT-FM 89.5
  • WQQK-FM 92.1
  • WKDF-FM 103.3
  • WGFX-FM 104.5
  • WLAC-AM 1510
  • WGNS-AM 1450
 Television Stations
  • WKRN-TV (Channel 2)
  • WSMV-TV (Channel 4)
  • WTVF-TV (Channel 5)
  • WETV (WGNS Channel 11)
  • WZTV (Channel 17)
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Reminder on our Tobacco-Free Policy

October 17, 2012 By

On Jan. 1, 2012, the University’s Tobacco Free policy went into effect following a six-month grace period, which allowed the campus to get prepared and acclimated.  We have been very pleased with the general acceptance of this new policy and have noticed a significant decrease in the use of tobacco products on our campus.  Reports from Health Services staff also indicate a number of individuals have quit smoking or are seeking cessation assistance because of the policy change.

However, a new academic year brings new students, faculty and staff to our community who may not be fully aware of our policy, which restricts the use of all tobacco products on our campus except in private vehicles.  For those who would like more information on the policy, you can click the following link for more information:
http://www.mtsu.edu/policies/pdfs/CampusSmokingPolicy.pdf

While the habits and practices that took years to form will not easily end with the establishment of this policy, undertaking this change is in the best interest of our campus community. Our intent is to signal a change in attitudes and social norms on our campus, rooted in consideration of others and concern for their safety that will strengthen with each year.  Acceptance of this policy has come a long way in the past year, yet from my frequent walks across campus and interaction with others, I know that there are some who have interpreted our thoughtful approach as a sign that this policy cannot, or will not, be enforced. I have been disappointed to see and learn about students, faculty and staff members openly smoking on campus, sometimes inside or near University buildings.

It is important for members of our campus community to understand that compliance with our tobacco-free policy is not optional. There are consequences that will result from violating this policy, just as there are from violating any other University regulation. Students who violate this policy will be referred to Judicial Affairs and Mediation Services where the disciplinary process will be initiated which could include a disciplinary hearing.  Disciplinary sanctions will range from warnings or reprimands, to suspension or expulsion for the most egregious instances of non-compliance. Faculty and staff who fail to comply with institutional policy will be reported to their supervisors for discipline.  Consequences ranging from warnings to unsatisfactory job performance ratings (which will result in denial of any across-the-board salary increase) will be imposed.  The person confronting a smoker may ask for the smoker’s MTSU ID, which must be produced.  Failure to produce an MTSU ID is itself a disciplinary offense.

No single entity has been tasked to enforce our tobacco-free policy since it is truly a community-wide effort.  Each member of our campus should take steps to remind those violating the policy that our campus is tobacco free.   Few of us like confrontation.  But as MTSU employees, we all have the responsibility to enforce campus policy.  In order to assist those hesitant to approach a smoker, the following dialogue suggestions (which have been utilized successfully) are provided as a guide when encountering someone using tobacco on university property.  Suggested language:

“Excuse me, but MTSU is a tobacco-free campus now, so you’ll need to put out your cigarette.”
Or
“You may not be aware, but MTSU is a tobacco-free campus now.  You can smoke in your car or on off campus property, but you can’t smoke on campus.”

If the person is resistant or refuses to extinguish his/her cigarette, you should ask to see that person’s MTSU ID.  Write down the name and ID number, or photograph the card with your smartphone.  If a student, provide this information to Laura Lightsy at laura.lightsy@mtsu.edu ; if faculty or staff, send the information to Kathy Musselman at kathy.musselman@mtsu.edu.  If the individual refuses to extinguish the cigarette and/or provide an ID, contact Public Safety at 2424 and ask for assistance.

We will continue our efforts to assure that the campus is aware of our policy.  Areas where frequent violations of our tobacco-free policy have been observed will be getting more attention, ranging from increased signage to visits by Public Safety officers and others, to ensure that community members are aware of our shared responsibilities.

I appreciate your attention to this matter.

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Many pride points in academics

October 10, 2012 By

MTSU programs, professors, and students continue to produce results and shine as examples of our University’s impact on the region. Below are a few recent highlights.

academic-pride-points

2012-13 Fall Faculty meeting and MTSU Foundation Awards.

Student Achievement

Jordon Dotson, an upcoming junior double-majoring in chemistry and , an upcoming junior double-majoring in chemistry and mathematics, received one of approximately 275 Goldwater Fellowships for the study of science. This is the second year that MTSU has produced one or more Goldwater Fellows.

A record three students were awarded Fulbright Fellowships: Daniel Gouger (Biochemistry) received a grant to do research in Spain; Anna Yacavone (Global Studies) will be teaching in Laos; and Adam Emerson (Psychology and International Relations) will teach in Russia. This is the third successive year that two or more MTSU students have received such awards.

For the second time in six years, MTSU’s Land Development/Residential Building Construction Management Team in Engineering Technology won the National Association of Homebuilders Student Chapters Residential Construction Management Competition.

Jeff Braun (Recording Industry) won Gold (first place) in the International Audio Engineering Society student recording competition at the AES convention in New York.

The Wind Ensemble and conductor Reed Thomas released a commercial recording on Naxos, the world’s largest classical record label, bringing international recognition to our student musicians.

Matthew Hibdon (History) and Jennifer Johnson (Psychology) received two of twenty national Foundation Awards from Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society.

Taylor Bray, Jeff Braun, and Grant Hartford (all Recording Industry) won the first-place Grand Prize in the Fantastic Scholastic recording competition sponsored by Shure Microphones.

May graduate Erica Doyle (Electronic Media Communication) won second place in the magazine category at the 33rd College Television Awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in California. Erica produced and directed Koure TV, for student TV station MT10.

A record 40 students defended honors theses in the spring of 2012.

Collage, a Journal of Creative Expression, was one of seven literary magazines in the nation to receive the prestigious Gold Crown Award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

Sidelines staff members Todd Barnes, Becca Andrews, Will Trusler, Courtney Polívková, and Amanda Haggard won awards in the Southeast Journalism Conference Convention’s Best of the South Competition.

Recent graduate Amy Parks (Recording Industry) was awarded a prestigious internship by the Emmy Awards Foundation to work on postproduction for the Emmys and to help with electronic media communication. May graduate Troy Berry was awarded first place for Best College TV Sportscast, Program, or Story by the Tennessee Associated Press Broadcasters for his MTSU golfer package.

MTSU’s mock trial team placed third in one of two equal divisions at the National Championship Tournament in Minneapolis. Over 600 teams competed throughout the year for only 24 championship berths.

Faculty Achievement

Katie Foss (School of Journalism) received the prestigious Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication 2012 James Carey Media Research Award.

Virginia (Ginny) Dansby (Educational Leadership) received the 2012 Humanistic Impact Award from the Association for Humanistic Counseling.

Anthony Farone (Biology) received over $1 million in grant funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his TRIAD project: “Reforming Graduate Education by Integrating Teaching, Research, and Industry Applications to Deepen Scientific Understanding.” Christopher Rob Herlihy (Biology) received $338,000 in NSF funding for research in integrating gene- and individual-level selection to understand the evolution of self-fertilization in flowering plants.

Robin Lee (Educational Leadership) won the 2011 President’s Award for Outstanding Service from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) and was voted ACES president-elect. The association is the national professional organization for counselor educators. These are great honors for Dr. Lee, and they also bring national attention to the MTSU professional counseling program.

Three School of Music faculty members received international recognition for research in American music when the second edition of the Grove Dictionary of American Music, published by Oxford University Press, solicited a combined sixteen articles from them, including two major articles on gospel music by Stephen Shearon, an article on hip-hop by Felicia Miyakawa and nine entries by Cedric Dent on black gospel music.

Dovie Kimmins (Mathematical Sciences) and Jeremy Winters (Elementary and Special Education) received two Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics professional development grants from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

The total of $400,000 came from Race to the Top funds for Project EMPOWER and U C STEM. These projects targeted teachers in grades 2–6 and math and science teachers in grades 4–8 in selected Tennessee counties.

The Pa’s Fiddle Project, created by Dale Cockrell (director, Center for Popular Music), is about the music in the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and has produced a songbook and several recordings. It was also the basis for a PBS special concert, Pa’s Fiddle: The Music of America, which was broadcast nationally. Mass Communication students produced a documentary on the project called The Making of Pa’s Fiddle.

The School of Music sent delegations to Italy, Costa Rica and Panama, and China this year. The MTSU Schola Cantorum, led by conductor Raphael Bundage, performed at the Vatican and in Florence and Venice. The MTSU Wind Ensemble and conductor Reed Thomas presented concerts and seminars in

Costa Rica and Panama. A seven-piece jazz combo led by director of jazz studies Jamey Simmons and a dance contingent headed by Kim Nofsinger presented concerts and seminars in Chinese cities, including Hangzhou and Beijing. Music professor Carol Nies conducted a series of concerts and operas at the international Rome Festival in the Italian capital.

Program Achievement

MTSU was named a sponsoring institution for Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), which has a $400 million budget for performing research, outreach, and training in cooperation with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and other sponsoring institutions. Top-tier sponsoring institutions include Duke, Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins, Penn State, Purdue, Vanderbilt, and the University of Texas, among others.

MTSU received TBR and THEC approval for important new degree programs: an Ed.D. in Assessment, Learning, and School Improvement to begin in fall 2013, and a new concentration in Geosciences within the M.S.P.S. degree, which allows specializations in geographic information systems (GIS) and environmental geosystems.

MTSU’s Professional Counseling Program received the 2011 Outstanding Master’s Counselor Education Award from the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision.

MTSU received the distinction of being the only institution of higher education in Tennessee to receive the Adult Learner Friendly Institution designation.

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