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.

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.

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.

The searches, now in full swing, are remarkable in two ways. First, in order to cast the broadest net possible to find a dynamic, visionary, and collaborative dean for each college, industry and community leaders are chairing the searches. Paul W. Martin Jr., chief managing member of Clarity Resources, is chairing the search for a new dean in business; Peter Fisher , vice president and general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, is chairing the mass communication search.

Second, the University has hired a private executive search firm, funded by private dollars. Parker Executive Search is actively soliciting nominations from academic and industry circles. The positions are being advertised nationally and internationally. When candidates are selected, the search committees, comprised of faculty, students, staff, and community representatives, will begin reviewing them. The goal is to have new deans selected by the beginning of April and for them to assume their posts by July 1, 2013.

You can follow the search process for each new dean on the following websites: www.mtsu.edu/provost/Dean-Search/businessDean_descrip.php  (for business) and www.mtsu.edu/provost/DeanSearch/massCommDean_descrip.php  (for mass communication).

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.

January 17, 2013 [view the pdf]

• President’s Greeting
• Budget Overview
• Student Life
• Academic Affairs
• Tobacco Free
• Security Guards
• Pride Points
• Athletics
• Technology Survey
• International Affairs
• Development Update
• MTSU Magazine
• Tuition Discount
• Inclement Weather
• Closing

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.

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.

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

“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.

• 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)