Devoted to Student Success The President’s Biennial Report, 2013
Table of Contents MTSU at a Glance
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Executive Summary
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Introduction 10 Setting New Goals 16 • Maintaining an Exceptional Student Body 18 Student Success 20 Enrollment Strategy 24 • Assuring the Highest Quality Faculty and Staff 26 Faculty Achievement 26 Endowed Chairs 30 • Fostering an Innovative Learning Environment 33 Programs and Partnerships 36 Campus Construction 40 Science Building: A New Catalyst 44 • Competing at the Highest Levels in Athletics 48 Student-Athletes in the Classroom 48 On the Field 52 Philanthropy 54 Conclusion
University President Dr. Sidney A. McPhee Executive Assistant to the President Kimberly S. Edgar
Vice President for Development and University Relations Joe Bales Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications Andrew Oppmann
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Financial Information
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University Editor Drew Ruble
Designer Brian Evans
Contributing Editor Bill Fisher
University Photographers J. Intintoli, Andy Heidt
Art Director Kara Hooper
MTSU at a Glance
MTSU at a Glance Founded September 11, 1911, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and located at the geographic center of the state, Middle Tennessee State University is proud of its more than 100-year commitment to academic excellence and student success. • MTSU is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents State University and Community College System and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. With an enrollment of more than 25,000 students, MTSU is the largest undergraduate university in Tennessee and boasts 962 full-time faculty members and about 2,500 full- and part-time employees. • MTSU houses a wide variety of nationally recognized academic degree programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels. The University is composed of eight undergraduate colleges offering 37 departments/programs and 142 majors/degree programs. The College of Graduate Studies offers 104 majors/degree programs.
James E. Walker Library
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MTSU is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
• Some of MTSU’s most notable alumni include Senator Albert Gore Sr. (’32), Nobel Prize–winning economist James M. Buchanan (’40), Dot Records founder Randy Wood (’41), Hollywood movie composer (of the Austin Powers trilogy, among many others) George S. Clinton (’69), former U.S. congressman and past chair of the House Science Committee Bart Gordon (’71), 1988 National Teacher of the Year Terry Weeks (’72, ’74), former CNN producer Jeffrey Reid (’81), journalist Karla Winfrey (’82), Grand Ole Opry vice president and general manager Pete Fisher (’87), former NFL quarterback Kelly Holcomb (’94), chart-topping country music songwriter Eric Paslay (’05), current NFL players Erik Walden (’07) and Phillip Tanner (’10), and WNBA players Alysha Clark (’09) and Amber Holt (’11). Country music artists Chris Young and Hillary Scott (of Lady Antebellum) attended MTSU. • A study published by MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center found that the University is the third-largest employer in Rutherford County and the 21st largest employer in the Nashville metropolitan statistical area. MTSU-related activities account for $896.13 million in annual local business revenue.
Tennessee’s Best How has MTSU achieved so much over the years? It has been accomplished by maintaining high academic standards, being good stewards of state resources, and pursuing what is truly important– the University’s strategic goals of enhancing academic quality, promoting a student-centered living and learning environment, and creating partnerships with business and industry. As a result of those efforts and a commitment to excellence, MTSU has rightfully received regional, national, and international acclaim for its academic programs and activities. Here are a few examples of the University’s excellence. MTSU is • • • • • •
the number-one choice of undergraduates in the state; the number-one producer of college graduates in middle Tennessee and the Tennessee Board of Regents system; the second-largest producer of college graduates in the state; the most efficient producer of graduates among the state’s public universities, helping more students reach their educational goals with fewer tax dollars per pupil from the state; a globally focused institution; and a university with athletic teams that lead the nation in academic performance and win championships.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. This report showcases the full scope of MTSU’s impact on middle Tennessee, the state, and the world. The theme of MTSU’s Centennial celebration in 2011–2012 was “Pride, Tradition, Excellence.” Those three words captured the feelings MTSU supporters share about the University’s accomplishments from the past century and the renewed focus on the years ahead. With strong momentum, great promise, and enormous potential, MTSU strives to live up to its tradition of excellence as Tennessee’s Best comprehensive university. Alpha Omicron Pi members in the Homecoming parade
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Executive Summary
The Most Efficient Producer of Graduates in the TBR System The state’s funding formula for universities has changed. With the passage of the Complete College Tennessee Act (CCTA), state appropriations are now based on retention and graduation rates, not enrollment.
MTSU’s cost to the state per graduate, the lowest in the TBR system.
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* Source: Tennessee Higher Education Commission
MTSU is the most efficient producer of graduates for Tennessee. The University makes great use of state dollars and is a tremendous investment for the state!
MTSU Leads the State in Adult and Low Income Graduates
Abbreviation Guide APSU ETSU MTSU TSU TTU U of M UT窶適
Austin Peay State University East Tennessee State University Middle Tennessee State University Tennessee State University Tennessee Tech University University of Memphis University of Tennessee窶適noxville
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20 Key Facts About MTSU 1. MTSU is a Carnegie Doctoral Research Intensive University. 2. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach, and partnerships. 3. MTSU is the number-one choice of undergraduates, college students attending summer school, veterans, and transfer students in the state of Tennessee. 4. MTSU boasts nationally recognized programs in aerospace, accounting, agribusiness/agriscience, recording industry, and concrete industry management, which attract students from around the world. 5. A new partnership with the Robotics Systems Joint Project Office (U.S. Army and Marines) and MTSU’s Aerospace Department is studying how to direct ground-based robots using unmanned aircraft (more on page 36). 6. For the third year in a row, MTSU was designated a “military-friendly institution” by G.I. Jobs magazine. MTSU enrolls more than 1,000 students, including dependents, using G.I. benefits and at least 1,000 students who have past military service or are dependents using G.I. benefits. MTSU has the state’s only VetSuccess on Campus program (more on page 34). 7. MTSU’s newest doctoral program, announced in 2012, is the first of its kind in Tennessee. The Doctor of Education in Assessment, Learning, and School Improvement is intended to move MTSU forward into its second century of preparing the state’s educators. 8. All 17 athletics programs met or exceeded multiyear Academic Progress Rate (APR) requirements. Two programs—men’s golf and football—
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earned Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA for scoring in the top 10 percent of APRs. Football was one of just 12 FBS programs honored (more on page 51). 9. Study abroad participation among MTSU students increased 14 percent between 2010 and 2011 and 32 percent between 2011 and 2012. 10. The most recent incoming international undergraduate class represented an 82 percent increase.
11. MTSU was one of just 108 colleges and universities recognized by the Chronicle of Higher Education for producing Fulbright scholars in 2012–2013, ranked alongside universities such as Duke, Harvard, and Yale. No other Tennessee institution made the list. 12. The Associated Press Managing Editors (APME) organization awarded MTSU’s new Center for Innovation in Media an Honorable Mention in the category of Innovator of the Year for College Students in 2012 for its merging of student media and fostering of collaboration across communication platforms (more on page 43). 13. The Professional Counseling program (M.Ed.) received the 2011 Outstanding Master’s Counselor Education Award from the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision.
Executive Summary
14. In 2012, MTSU was the only institution of higher education in Tennessee to receive the Adult Learner Friendly Institution designation from the Coalition of Adult Learning Focused Institutions. Officially, half of MTSU students are classified as adults (more on page 37). 15. During the past two academic years, agreements were signed with Roane State Community College in east Tennessee and Jackson State Community College in west Tennessee to make it easier to transfer to MTSU. Similar programs were already in place with Nashville State, Chattanooga State, Dyersburg State, and Motlow State Community Colleges. 16. MTSU’s Center for Popular Music is internationally recognized as a repository of music and has one of the largest sheet music collections in the U.S. 17. In 2012, MTSU was named a “sponsoring” institution for Oak Ridge Associated Universities, which has a $400 million budget for performing research in cooperation with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and other sponsoring institutions including Duke, Georgia Tech, and Johns Hopkins (more on page 34). 18. MTSU established, in the spring of 2012, its first international Alumni Association affiliate in Thailand, home to about 500 graduates, including the former deputy prime minister of Thailand. Many others have become leaders of government and industry in that country (more on page 35). 19. According to a report published by the Business and Economic Research Center at MTSU, one in every seven college-educated people in the Nashville area is an MTSU graduate. 20. Sponsored by the MTSU Student Government Association, the annual “BIG Event” is part of the largest one-day, student-run service project in the nation.
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Introduction
Positioning for the Future (L–R) Adam Hinds, sophomore, and April Lawson, freshman
These are exciting and very important times for Middle Tennessee State University. In 2011–2012, the University celebrated an important milestone— its one-hundredth anniversary. MTSU opened wonderful new facilities that will better serve students and the entire state. It developed innovative, niche- and work-oriented programs to help meet the needs of the local economy. And MTSU has been and continues to be a careful steward of state resources. MTSU enters its second century with a clear mission—to increase its already considerable commitment to provide quality education and, in doing so, provide even more college graduates for Tennessee’s workforce. The University is well positioned to build on past successes and solidify its position as Tennessee’s Best comprehensive university. But there is much more to do to reach full potential. As previously mentioned, the state’s funding formula for universities has changed. With the passage of the Complete College Tennessee Act, state appropriations now reflect success in retention and graduation rates, not enrollment. This change has prompted MTSU, as well as all of the state’s public institutions of higher education, to rethink operations and
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(L–R) Joe Bales, vice president, Development and University Relations; Debra Sells, vice president, Student Affairs and vice provost for Enrollment Management; Sidney A. McPhee, president; Brad Bartel, executive vice president and provost; Bruce Petryshak, vice president for Information Technology and chief information officer; John Cothern, senior vice president
structure. It is now more important than ever to focus on attracting the students who are best equipped for college and are most likely to graduate. And it becomes critical to develop support systems that will help all students succeed. MTSU will be successful because one of its biggest selling points is the sense of community that stems from its roots as a small, regional college. The University grew from a culture where it was educating neighbors’ kids, and somehow, as the student population grew, MTSU never lost sight of that. It’s not about changing the input. It’s about what faculty and staff do to engage and support students while they are on campus. That’s where MTSU will be engaged. And that sense of shared purpose will be MTSU’s best strategy yet.
“Striving to reach any worthy goal is an exciting experience. But working with the right people to meet a challenge makes it even more satisfying. At MTSU, we really are a family. We are all True Blue!” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee 11
Introduction
Carolee Reed, MTSU transfer student
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A Promise Kept As we look to the future, MTSU is working to develop a community devoted to learning, growth, and service. The University holds these values dear, and there’s a simple phrase that conveys them: “I am True Blue.” Each time these words are repeated, it expresses not only the ideals the University wishes to share with its students but also a commitment to the student-centered culture that’s been built at MTSU. New students at convocation take the True Blue Pledge. It commits them to practice the core values of honesty and integrity; respect for diversity; engagement in the community; and committing to reason, not violence. The MTSU community has been overwhelmed by the passion and attachment that True Blue has received on campus since it was introduced at the August 2011 convocation exercises. The Student Government Association adopted it as its official motto and redesigned its seal to emphasize True Blue. The pledge was incorporated into numerous student events, rallies, and other activities. It has been well received by students, staff, alumni, and University supporters. It was not intended to be a marketing slogan, and perhaps that’s why it has resonated more deeply than just a phrase written for a billboard. In short, True Blue stands for the very best of what Blue Raiders expect from one another: that, together, the MTSU community is committed to the progress and success of the University. But without good actions to stand behind these good words, it will be meaningless. Here are a few examples of those who are True Blue.
SGA president Coby Sherlock leads the audience in the recitation of the True Blue Pledge during the 2012 University Convocation.
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The Extra Mile
Above and Beyond
If you asked Tiffany Vance, she would say Dr. Lawanna Fisher, a professor in the University College, is True Blue.
If you asked Tyree Rumph, he would say Ben Jones, an assistant director in Accounting Services, is True Blue.
Tiffany says that Dr. Fisher made her success as a student possible. Tiffany works full time in a demanding job and is a single mother. She needed to take algebra online and asked Dr. Fisher for her permission. Dr. Fisher gave Tiffany a very candid warning on the intensity of the class. She gave her permission but also committed to work with her through frequent reviews. From time to time, Tiffany would ask additional questions by email, and Dr. Fisher took the time to provide videos of her answers.
Tyree, who came here from Detroit, struggled with his studies shortly after arriving. In the process of withdrawing from the University, he met Mr. Jones. Jones promised to help point Tyree in the right direction. He now meets with Tyree once a week, every week, over lunch, serving as a mentor, tutor, and life coach. Mr. Jones is part of MTSU’s business office; his job responsibilities do not call for him to work directly with students. Yet he has committed his time and talent to helping Tyree succeed.
Tiffany says, “That was so unexpected. I can’t imagine how many students she must have at any given time, and yet she took the time to do that for me.” She passed and got a B. (L–R) Ben Jones and Tyree Rumph
(L–R) Tiffany Vance and Lawanna Fisher
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Introduction
Will to Succeed If you asked Chad Lassiter, he would say that Dr. Joey Gray, a professor in the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, is True Blue. Chad says that Dr. Gray “has meant so much to me and has helped me overcome obstacles others put in my way. She is a true example of what a professor . . . should strive to be.” Chad adds, “I first met her when I was on academic probation and had to appeal to get back in school. She was the one who took a chance on me and believed in me. She has helped me overcome so many challenges, and I know if it were not for her believing in me, I would not have graduated in December 2012.”
(L–R) Chad Lassiter and Joey Gray
These are just a few examples of how the MTSU community has shown True Blue spirit, demonstrating that a major comprehensive university can provide the care and attention of a small college. But there is so much more to do. 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 each faculty and staff member at MTSU understands that they have a responsibility for student success. Together, they make student success possible at MTSU.
“I appreciate the commitment of the employees at this University to improve student performance and scholarship.” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee
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Setting New Goals
Setting New Goals The Future Is Now To maintain this True Blue vision, though, will require new approaches, total commitment, and the support of the entire MTSU family. For most of its first century, MTSU looked primarily to the state for the resources needed to maintain the campus and support students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Unfortunately, demands on state resources and resulting reductions in funding for higher education will challenge MTSU’s ability to sustain the level of quality its constituencies have come to expect. The University must look boldly at new opportunities as it begins planning for a second century of excellence.
Pam Wright (’73), chair of the Centennial Campaign
To address the needs of the state of Tennessee and fulfill the potential of this great University, MTSU recently embarked on its most ambitious quest for philanthropy. This fundraising campaign will address strategic needs across all areas. More importantly, however, this effort will ensure the University’s place among the nation’s top comprehensive universities, further raise MTSU’s visibility nationally and internationally, and maintain MTSU’s legacy as a center of higher education excellence.
“We are rightfully proud of our past. But it is merely the foundation for future progress.” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee 16
The philanthropic goal is $80 million, almost three times the amount of the last campaign ($30 million), which concluded in 2002. More than $60 million has already been committed for the current campaign. Raised over the past few years during the campaign’s “quiet phase,” that amount alone would constitute a successful effort at many comprehensive universities of the size and profile of MTSU. With this campaign, MTSU is poised to accomplish over the next decade as much or more for the good of the state of Tennessee as it has done in its entire first 100 years of service. The goals of this campaign speak clearly to the priorities and vision for MTSU.
Here are the campaign goals:
• Maintaining an exceptional student body • Assuring the highest quality faculty and staff • Fostering an innovative learning environment • Competing at the highest level in athletics
Vice Chair of the Centennial Campaign Don Witherspoon (’64) with President Sidney A. McPhee
(L–R) Campaign executive committee members and alumni Stephen Smith (’11) and Joey Jacobs (’75)
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Goal 1: Maintaining an Exceptional Student Body The Princeton Review (2007–2010) and Forbes magazine (2009) each recognized MTSU in their annual rankings. Forbes listed MTSU in the top 100 public universities in the country (57th) and named it the best public institution in Tennessee and the 47th “best buy” among all public colleges and universities in America. What makes it so special? MTSU’s standing as Tennessee’s numberone choice for undergraduates is connected to its student-centered approach to education. Perhaps the best example of MTSU’s student focus is the recent opening of a new Student Union Building. The $65 million, nearly 211,000-squarefoot building has quickly become the place for students and others to gather. But it is more than bricks and mortar. Putting student activities, student groups, and student services in one location is having a tremendous impact on the campus community and speaks loudly to MTSU’s studentcentered focus. The University started an Academic Alert program, which allows faculty to communicate directly with students about classroom performance and follow up on concerns. Last year, more than 27,000 early alerts were delivered using this digital system. MTSU has assigned academic counselors to all incoming students in addition to their traditional academic advisors. Advisors change each time a student changes majors, but the academic counselor is the one person
students can turn to for help—from enrollment through graduation— regardless of their fields of study. MTSU’s Shelbyville campus, which opened in 2009, offered three times as many classes in fall 2012 as it did the previous year. That’s higher education in your own backyard! MTSU joined approximately 250 institutions of higher education across the country by becoming tobacco free. Newsweek’s 2011 College Rankings placed MTSU fifth among U.S. schools that are “health-minded and inclined to healthier pursuits.” Admissions counselors have been assigned to major feeder community colleges in the region. Through this program, prospective transfer students have access—on their own campuses—to MTSU staff through regularly maintained office hours at the community colleges.
“It is critical that we continue to develop effective academic and nonacademic support systems that will help all our students succeed.” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee
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Setting New Goals
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MTSU seeks highly qualified students who are eager to engage with a distinguished faculty in an embracing, nurturing community.. Here are a few examples of outstanding students producing outstanding results at MTSU!
Standing Out among the Masses In the wake of natural catastrophes like earthquakes and tsunamis, one of the unhappy tasks first responders face is finding, identifying, and properly handling large numbers of the dead. Given that grim reality, it’s no wonder MTSU student Jeannie Stubblefield’s research on alternatives for managing human and animal remains resulting from mass fatalities has piqued the interest of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Stubblefield won first place for her poster research at the Fifth Annual DHS University Network Summit in Washington, D.C. Her research, funded by DHS and managed through Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Southeast Region Research Initiative, even landed her a request for a private meeting with DHS officials.
Jeannie Stubblefield and Trypanosoma cruzi, or the “kissing bug,” the insect that played a role in her research.
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Student Success
You’re Going to Hollywood Erica Doyle won second place in the video magazine category at the 33rd annual College Television Awards, presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation (the same organization behind the Emmy Awards). She won for Koure TV—Pushing Boundaries, a creative look at ordinary people doing extraordinary things in business and community service, which she produced and directed for the University’s television channel, MT10. She accepted the award at a black-tie gala in Hollywood.
Mock Up MTSU’s Mock Trial team recently placed third in its division and in the top six nationally at the American Mock Trial Association’s 28th annual National Championship Tournament in Minneapolis. If mock trial were basketball, placing third and losing only to the eventual national champion (Duke University) would be like making the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament!
“Not a day goes by that I do not hear about or encounter an MTSU student doing something great, something valuable or noteworthy. We are producing the next generation of leaders for the middle Tennessee region, the state, and our nation.” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee
(L–R) Alumna Rachel Harmon and graduate student Constance Grieves
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Two students enjoy the weather on campus.
Enrollment Strategy
Making Ends Meet The brightest young minds at our University, destined to become the next generation of doctors, lawyers, statesmen, scientists, and teachers, are sought by universities around the world. MTSU is committed to enhancing scholarships and stipends available to these students. As the centerpiece of the Centennial Campaign, MTSU has identified a new merit-based scholarship program as a top priority. The Centennial Scholars program will provide the University with one of the most competitive, highly desired scholarship programs in the region. In addition, providing endowed and recurring stipends will enable MTSU to expand the number of graduate opportunities for students, assuring the University’s continued contributions to the sciences, education, and the economic development of the region.
“MTSU has grown not just in numbers but also in academic quality. The University will continue to be strategic about future growth.” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee
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Completing the Circuit Helping ensure the recruiting trail ends in the graduation line MTSU’s enrollment has grown significantly: from 19,121 students in 2000 to a record 26,442 in 2011. Even as the University has experienced such rapid growth, it has sustained one of the top graduation rates among the state’s public universities. A key to future efforts to better serve students will be adherence to a new strategic plan for enrollment at MTSU that caps enrollment going forward and places new emphasis on enrolling and retaining the right mix of students. The enrollment strategy plan will help 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 specific outcome factors, such as student progression and graduation rates. The plan will focus on attracting more students who are likely to graduate, and it uses a variety of support systems to help keep all students on a path to academic success.
2011 Fall Commencement in Murphy Center.
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Enrollment Strategy
A Strategic Road Map The enrollment strategy plan emphasizes communication as a key to continued improvements in recruitment, retention, and growth. It includes strategic use of software that makes it easier for the University to identify and stay in touch with top prospects. And the plan provides a continuum of support to keep enrolled students on track and engaged. The plan also broadens that safety net, adding more specialized programs and stricter advising requirements for students who are statistically at higher risk of academic failure. It is designed to • slow the growth of the freshman class and target high achievers by slightly raising academic standards for guaranteed undergraduate admission (pending approval by the Board of Regents); • increase the number of graduate students, a population that earns diplomas more quickly and reliably than undergraduates; • direct recruitment efforts and scholarship dollars to transfer students, a population that has survived the so-called dropout years of early college; and • expand the international student base, a high-achieving population whose members generally complete their degrees on time.
Viviana Lepes Hoyos, international student
“A business is only as good as the talent that works there. Likewise, a university is the net sum of its students and the work they are accomplishing.” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee
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College of Business academic advisor Amie Donahue working with Ryan Cooke (sophomore, Business Administration) in her BAS office.
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Goal 2: Assuring the Highest Quality Faculty and Staff Exceptional students deserve exceptional faculty. As part of its commitment to quality, MTSU must provide students the opportunity to interact with and be guided by the nation’s leading educators and practitioners. Here are some of the most recent examples of top faculty achieving great works with the help of MTSU students.
Piece by Piece Professor Hugh Berryman received the 2012 award for lifetime achievement in physical anthropology from the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Museums and research centers such as the Smithsonian Institution regularly tap Berryman’s expertise on bones and bone trauma. At MTSU, he has turned forensics into a signature program that benefits students and community alike. In addition to offering extensive training for local law enforcement, Berryman provides students the opportunity to accompany and assist him at actual crime scenes. (L–R) Tiffany Saul, forensics student, investigating a location by shovel skimming and troweling, and Hugh Berryman, Sociology and Anthropology professor.
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Faculty Achievement
Change Agent MTSU chemistry professor Judith Iriarte-Gross grew up in the shadow of the White House in Capitol Heights, Md. Last year, she was invited to a White House “Champions of Change” event, which saluted those who work to recruit and retain girls and women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Iriarte-Gross was invited in recognition of her role as director of the Girls Raised in Tennessee Science (GRITS) Collaborative, a statewide organization.
Walking on Water Sandra Stevens’s underwater treadmill research at MTSU enables people with limited mobility, paralysis, and/or spinal cord injuries to become more active. Participants have demonstrated a 57 percent increase in leg strength, 39 percent improvement in balance, and a 121 percent increase in the number of steps they took in their own environment. Almost all participants reported greater independence, better general health, and improved mental well-being.
(Top) Judith Iriarte-Gross, chemistry professor, (Bottom) Sandra Stevens working with Janette Rodgers on the Health and Human Performance underwater treadmill in the Exercise Science Lab at Alumni Memorial Gym.
“Ask anyone to name the five most influential people in his or her development. I promise you a teacher will be among those listed.” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee 27
Grammy Time MTSU basked in the national spotlight at both the 53rd and 54th annual Grammy Awards. Recording Industry professor John Hill won a Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Classical, in 2011. Country music trio Lady Antebellum’s back-to-back Best Country Album Grammys in 2011 and 2012 earned awards for engineer Clarke Schleicher (’80). Schleicher and Lady A. singer Hillary Scott— a former MTSU student—were two of nine MTSU alumni and/or former students nominated for their work on musical releases ranging from country to contemporary Christian to bluegrass. Music by 14 current and former MTSU School of Music professors was included in the catalog that earned a classical Producer of the Year nomination for Blanton Alspaugh. MTSU-trained nominees for their work in the Best Country Album category included Brandon Epps (Recording Industry major, 1996–2001), engineer for My Kinda Party by Jason Aldean; Jason Hall (’00), engineer for Chief by Eric Church; Michael Knox (’91), producer for Aldean’s My Kinda Party; and Brandon Schexnayder (’05), engineer for Here for a Good Time by George Strait. Recording Industry alumnus Dave Barnes (’00), writer of “God Gave Me You,” performed by Blake Shelton, was also nominated in the Best Country Song category. Fellow alumnus Brandon Heath (’03) earned three nominations for his contemporary Christian album Leaving Eden. Brandon Bell (’04) was nominated in the Best Engineered Non-Classical Album category as co-engineer on Follow Me Down by Sarah Jarosz.
President Sidney McPhee congratulates Grammy Award– winning Recording Industry faculty member John Hill during a reception for Hill at the Mass Comm Building. Very few universities have a Grammy winner on the faculty!
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Lending a Hand A contingent of 10 MTSU students, Professor Doug Heffington, and David Schmidt, vice provost for International Affairs, participated in a cleanup and rebuilding mission in Fukushima, Japan, after the earthquake and tsunami of 2011 that killed nearly 16,000 people and left more than 3,000 missing on the main island of Honshu. The catastrophe left behind an estimated 23 million tons of debris in the hardest-hit coastal areas alone.
Shell Shocked
Faculty Achievement
The thousand-year flood that submerged downtown Nashville in May 2010 also swept away thousands of years of human history: prehistoric burial sites along the banks of the Cumberland River. MTSU anthropology professor Tanya Peres, along with 10 MTSU students, spent six months surveying 128 riverbank or bank line sites and documenting samples from the 20 most endangered. The work has curtailed the raids of archeological looters who covet the sites for their black-market potential.
Mirror, Mirror The MTSU Poll is an independent, nonpartisan telephone poll in part created and analyzed by College of Mass Communication students each year. Guided by faculty members Ken Blake and Jason Reineke, the poll has collected public opinion data since 1998 on major social, political, and ethical issues affecting Tennessee. The most recent poll results, gathered before the 2012 presidential election, showed Tennesseans increasingly leaning to the right in their political views. Media outlets that have covered the MTSU Poll have included the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, The Tennessean, the Atlantic, and the Guardian newspaper in London.
Hybrid Thinker Professor Cliff Ricketts and a team of eight MTSU students garnered national media attention in 2012 by driving three alternative-fuel vehicles approximately 2,582 miles across country (literally coast to coast!) using only 2.15 gallons of fuel. (Top) Tanya Peres excavating flood-eroded areas along the Cumberland River. (Bottom) Cliff Ricketts with his hybrid research vehicle.
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Endowed Chairs
At MTSU, the academic, cultural, and societal needs of our students are paramount.
John Vile, dean, University Honors College
To enlarge the pool of exceptional faculty, the University has begun to established a cadre of endowed chairs and professorships. These awards attract prestigious scholars whose teaching and research energize the University, draw national attention, and raise the profile of MTSU’s academic and research programs. These chairholders focus on innovative research, develop coursework on timely and relevant topics, and maintain a presence in the business community, providing valuable links to MTSU. Additionally, the University has worked to expand the annual funds available to reward faculty for exceptional service to students, the University, and the community. These annual monetary awards will recognize exceptional classroom teaching, engaged student advising, and a dedication to creativity and discovery. The stories on the following pages are about some of the chairs established at MTSU and the influence those chairholders are having in the classroom, at the University, and in the world.
“Faculty with expertise help students learn and grow. What a gift!” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee 30
The Wright Stuff The establishment of a faculty chair in entrepreneurship gives MTSU students a distinct market advantage Research conducted by professor Doug Tatum, holder of the Wright Chair of Entrepreneurship, suggests that most net jobs are created by entrepreneurs. Tatum’s leadership of a major national business research initiative is proving that.
Doug Tatum, Wright Chair of Entrepreneurship
As appointed head of the Institute for Exceptional Growth Companies, Tatum investigates the performance of such companies (EGCs) through economic cycles, looking at how they contribute to job creation and economic prosperity. Specifically, Tatum is probing the relationship between equity-funding sources and fast-growing companies to better understand the impact that EGCs have on community and economic development. The institute was established by the Edward Lowe Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurship. The venture was funded by a $730,000 grant from the NASDAQ OMX Educational Foundation, a nonprofit supported exclusively by the world’s largest exchange company. Tatum is the author of No Man’s Land: What to Do When Your Company Is Too Big to Be Small and Too Small to Be Big, a book that was recently included in the updated edition of 100 Best Business Books of All Time. Tatum is the former chair and CEO of Tatum LLC, one of the country’s largest executive-services consulting firms—it is said to have more than 1,000 employees and professionals in 30 offices. Tatum recently chaired a private equity conference in Dallas at which more than $100 billion worth of capital was represented. Speakers included Condoleezza Rice, Karl Rove, and James Carville. Tatum’s chair at MTSU was made possible by a $1.25 million commitment from MTSU graduate Pamela Wright, founder and CEO of Nashvillebased Wright Travel, Tennessee’s largest travel agency. Wright, who also chairs MTSU’s Centennial Capital Campaign, says she endowed the chair in an effort to better engage in the economic fight that America has on its hands in competing with the developing world.
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Endowed Chairs
A Retrofit Future One MTSU professor’s invention, the Plug-In Hybrid Retrofit Kit, could save America 120 million gallons of fuel daily. Dr. Charles Perry, holder of the Robert E. and Georgianna West Russell Chair of Manufacturing Excellence in the Department of Engineering Technology at MTSU, says that 80 percent of U.S. drivers make daily trips of 30 miles or fewer driving 40 mph or less. Those trips can be made with his 10- to 15-horsepower electric motors powered by extra batteries installed in the car’s trunk. His patent-pending, wheel-hub motor project is installed in the space between the brake mechanism and the hub, generating more electricity while the vehicle is driven. (Perry is a former IBM electrical engineer who was awarded 40 patents during his career there.) A prototype vehicle recently hit the streets, allowing Perry and his team of students to try to prove its fuel savings and reliability. The next step will be to fund a fleet of independently manufactured cars that will be retrofitted with the kit. Then Perry and crew will be able to test the product’s efficiency and durability. The Tennessee Technology Development Council (TTDC), a state agency that offers grants designed to help Tennessee inventors take their innovations from the lab to the marketplace, awarded the kit first place in a recent competition that included applications from Vanderbilt University, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Charles Perry, Russell Chair of Manufacturing Excellence
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Goal 3: Fostering an Innovative Learning Environment MTSU is dedicated to providing an environment where every student has access to the finest facilities, the most modern equipment, and the most innovative academic programs. Doing so creates a culture of achievement for our students. Funds provided for academic program enhancement enable the University to better internationalize our curricula and forge industry partnerships to integrate a global perspective. They also ensure that our students have hands-on exposure to and familiarity with state-of-the-art technologies, preparing them for success in the world marketplace.
Lana Seivers (’72) dean, College of Education
Here is a look at some of the recent savvy partnerships created by the University as well as some of the facility upgrades that are transforming the University’s physical and educational landscape.
“We cannot be a great university, a national university, without the proper resources to take us there.” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee 33
Programs and Partnerships
University partnerships and public service initiatives support our educational efforts and provide breadth and relevance to our academic offerings.
From Combat to Classroom
David Schmidt vice provost for International Affairs
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and MTSU launched “VetSuccess on Campus” to ease the transition of veterans from combat to college coursework. MTSU is the first university in Tennessee and one of only 16 nationwide to be a part of VetSuccess. MTSU, which enrolls more than 1,000 students who have past military service or are dependents using G.I. benefits, has been named a “military friendly” university for three consecutive years by GI Jobs magazine.
Join the Club In 2012, MTSU became a member of Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), a nonprofit that operates like a chamber of commerce for universities across the globe, advancing scientific research and education by having the best and brightest students work on projects with the government and in private sector industries.
“Universities are places where problems are solved for the betterment of the region and the world.” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee 34
Global Reach MTSU has strengthened its international initiatives on campus and around the world. During the past few years, the University has increased its international undergraduate and graduate student enrollment, expanded its study-abroad opportunities, developed faculty and student exchanges, and sought research collaborations with international partners. Here are just a few examples of MTSU’s varied international outreach activities: • MTSU was granted the prestigious Confucius Institute program by the Hanban Confucius Institute Headquarters in Beijing. The University has received more than $300,000 in external grant funding for its operation. • MTSU’s latest collaboration with the Chinese has great potential to yield significant dividends for Tennessee’s economy—and cure some of the world’s worst illnesses at the same time. In concert with the Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants in Nanning, China, MTSU has gained exclusive access to a library of traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) extracts, creating the opportunity to develop new Western medicines based on TCM’s proven healing powers. • MTSU established the first international affiliate of its alumni association in Thailand, home to almost 500 MTSU graduates. MTSU alumni in Thailand have risen to become leaders of government and industry in that country. (Top) Dancers perform “Spring Outing,” a classic Chinese dance incorporating postures from the Han dynasty, during An Oriental Monsoon performance by Hangzhou Normal University in honor of the Confucius Institute grand opening at MTSU. (Bottom) President Sidney A. McPhee speaking to alumni from the 1980s in Bangkok, Thailand.
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(L–R) Lt. Col. Joel Miller, Lt. Col. Nick Kioutas, President Sidney A. McPhee, and Lt. Col. Robb Walker chat after an Aug. 13, 2012, signing ceremony of a partnership agreement between the U.S. Army, Marines, and MTSU involving unmanned aerial vehicles.
Native Truths When the United South and Eastern Tribes wanted to learn the true cost of providing health care to the members of its 26 American Indian tribes in 12 states—and whether adequate resources were being allocated—they turned to MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) to conduct the research. BERC studies in recent years have also been used to prove that Nashville’s health care industry contributes $30 billion to the local economy, that music festival Bonnaroo is a cash cow for middle Tennessee, and that a proposed $20 million northwest Tennessee slack-water port was worthy of federal funding.
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Eye in the Sky Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are in high demand for use in defense and homeland security, law enforcement, emergency management, and agriculture. In 2012, MTSU formed a historic educational partnership with the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps to study ways robots on the ground can be used in concert with unmanned vehicles in the air. The three-year cooperative effort with the Robotic Systems Joint Project Office, headquartered in Warren, Mich. with a satellite office at the Redstone Arsenal near Huntsville, Ala., is the first of its kind. It comes one year after MTSU and the Army partnered to support educational and research efforts into the Army’s remotecontrolled Raven aircraft. In addition, MTSU and ISR Group of Savannah, Tenn., have developed an unmanned aerial system program unparalleled in the Southeast. The University is also assisting the Federal Aviation Administration in the study of UAV air traffic control to ensure safe integration of UAVs into the national airspace.
Tibor Koritsanszky, MTSU chemistry professor
Programs and Partnerships
Upon Further Reflection MTSU chemistry professor Tibor Koritsanszky has teamed up with Oak Ridge National Laboratory on a technique that enables scientists to peer deep inside molecules and identify their “fingerprints.” The project, called IMAGINE, could lead to the creation of new designer medicines, superconductors, or shape-memory substances with military, medical, and robotic applications.
In Focus MTSU has accelerated its efforts to provide opportunities and services for adult students to continue their educations and complete their college degrees. In 2011, the University joined the coalition of Adult Learning Focused Institutions (ALFI). Colleges and universities that partner with ALFI work to improve and regularly assess their adult-learner programs and share best practices with other coalition members. Nationally, only 70 universities have received ALFI status. MTSU is the only school to do so in Tennessee. More than 800 students have graduated from MTSU’s adult degree completion program, administered through the University College. Officially, half of MTSU students are classified as adults.
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Capitol Street Party
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An estimated 14,000 fans gathered on Lower Broadway in downtown Nashville for the Capitol Street Party.
Street Cred As an estimated 14,000 fans on Lower Broadway in downtown Nashville enjoyed the music of Capitol Records artists Luke Bryan, Jon Pardi, and Kelleigh Bannen in October 2012, fifty-three MTSU students were modulating audio, operating high-definition cameras, conducting interviews, and recording the concert for the label. Students later postproduced three music videos, each one a specific song. They also produced a promotional video for the Recording Industry Department and a “sizzle reel,” which Capitol is using in social media and other marketing efforts. Usually, students don’t get to do projects of this magnitude. But MTSU’s Electronic Media Communication Department, part of the nation’s fifth largest college of mass communication, benefits from its proximity to Nashville’s entertainment business and the University’s close and growing ties to the music industry. It’s a perfect formula for delivering extraordinary college learning experiences. As a result, MTSU students are going to graduate with portfolio materials of professional quality.
For the second straight year, students directed the production from MTSU’s 40-foot, $1.7 million HD mobile production laboratory. They worked 18 hours straight on location. According to Mike Dungan, president and CEO of Universal Music Nashville, which at the time of the event was in the process of merging with Capitol Records, the MTSU students executed their tasks flawlessly. “The most frustrating thing is when people are only book smart,” Dungan said. “They know the theories but don’t know how to do it. That’s why this is great. It’s terrific that the students can come in and produce this and put this on their written or spoken résumé. Right away, we know what they’ve done.” That makes MTSU’s electronic media production program yet another sterling example of the educational delivery and workforce preparedness being accomplished at MTSU. (Left) Students work in MTSU’s $1.7 million mobile production lab. (Right) Taylor Knose, senior, films the crowd at the 2012 Capitol Street Party.
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Construction at MTSU is planned around the curricula of the future, not the present or the past.
A New Union The shiny new pearl of MTSU’s campus is the $65 million, nearly 211,000-square-foot Student Union Building, the newest place for the campus community to gather, recharge, collaborate, or simply unwind. New campus entrances and nearby parking garages ensure that the building truly serves students. This three-story building, which is the length of one-and-a-half football fields, features Phillips Bookstore; a 640-seat food court and 102-seat casual-dining restaurant; an 840-seat ballroom; student government, the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, and other offices; a parliamentary room; a theater; and a collaborative computer center. In short, the new Student Union has become a visible representation of the True Blue spirit, as faculty, staff and students come together to eat, meet, relax, and socialize.
(Top) President Sidney A. McPhee speaking at the Student Union Building dedication ceremony. (Bottom) Students congregate in the food court of the new Student Union. (Right) The Student Union Building shines at night.
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Campus Construction
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From Normal to Extraordinary In 2011, MTSU opened a brand-new, $30 million, 87,000-squarefoot, state-of-the-art College of Education building. It was fitting for the University to cut the ribbon on a new education building during its 100th anniversary year: the institution was founded as a normal school dedicated to training teachers.
Suddenly Soaring MTSU’s new, $3.4 million, 360-degree seamless air traffic control flight simulator is the most sophisticated of its kind in the world. No other flight school in America has a teaching facility like this.
Field Lab The Harpeth Wetland Bank in 2012 donated about 220 acres of rural property in the Rockvale area of Rutherford County to MTSU. The land will be used as an environmental field laboratory for programs in biology, environmental science, botany, conservation, and other sciences.
Got Milk? MTSU in 2011 opened a new $4 million dairy. The MTSU dairy provides chocolate and white milk to campus dining facilities. Onethird of the dairy’s production—about 3,800 pounds—is consumed on campus every week. The rest is sold to the Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association.
The College of Education Building
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New Media
Campus Construction
MTSU’s new $700,000 Center for Innovation in Media combines the newsrooms for Sidelines, the student newspaper; WMTS-FM, the student-run radio station; MATCH Records, the student-run record label; MTTV, the student-operated cable television station; and WMOT-FM, the 100,000-watt public radio station. The new center encourages students from all media disciplines to hone their skills while working under one roof with state-of-the-art technology.
A Green Campus MTSU recognizes that the costs associated with consuming energy are both economic and environmental, and has established guidelines for energy use and energy management campus-wide. • MTSU is a major purchaser of green power through the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Green Power Switch (GPS) program—more than 10% of the power consumed by the campus annually. • MTSU renewable energy projects include a solar array for power generation, solar-powered fans, and power-generating exercise equipment in the Recreation Center. • MTSU’s vehicle fleet includes fuel-efficient hybrid sedans and several new electric vehicles, donated by Nissan. • MTSU emphasizes energy management and conservation opportunities when designing new facilities. • Since employee involvement is essential for effectiveness in energy management, the University conducts significant educational outreach to our employee base. • Significant road improvements, redesigned bus routes, and traffic roundabouts now dot the MTSU campus.
(Top) Senior Monica Adamson, front, milking cows at the MTSU dairy with junior Natalie Rich, back right. (Bottom) Former CNN producer and MTSU alumnus Jeffrey Reid (’81) in the new Center for Innovation in Media in the Mass Comm Building.
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Science Building: A New Catalyst
44 Artist’s rendering of the new science building.
A New Catalyst MTSU’s $147 million science building promises to elevate science education and research efforts In 2012, the Tennessee General Assembly approved state funding to build a brand-new, state-of-the-art, $147 million science building at MTSU. The building, currently under construction, is scheduled to open in 2015.
The Brass Tacks The existing Wiser-Patton and Davis Science buildings (built in 1932 and 1967, respectively) house most of MTSU’s science programs in a combined 75,332 net square feet. In 1968, just after the Davis building opened, MTSU’s student population was 6,779; by fall
2011, the University’s enrollment was 26,442. That’s an almost fourfold increase with no corresponding expansion of the space for science education. The new building will provide more than 250,000 gross square feet of teaching space, faculty and student research laboratories, and collaborative learning spaces for the more than 13,000 students, both majors and nonmajors, who are enrolled annually in biology, chemistry, and physical science courses at MTSU. Science courses offered in the new building will serve academic programs beyond general education biology and chemistry and include aerospace, agribusiness/agriscience, engineering technology, nursing, physics and astronomy, elementary education, teacher licensure in science education, and wellness and exercise science.
Groundbreaking for the new science building.
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Science Building: A New Catalyst
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Research for Answers Research space in the new science building will be expansive. Two upgrades will be particularly transformative. MTSU will for the first time have an animal facility for conducting research. On the chemistry side, modern ventilation will allow experiments long prohibited in the older science buildings. As a result, the new facility will enhance the University's abilities to pursue a solid, focused research agenda and ramp up its profile as a research institution.
Path to Progress The recent creation of three new science Ph.D. tracks (math and science education, molecular biosciences, and computational science) coincides roughly with the laying of the new building’s foundation. (The University graduated its first science Ph.D. students in the spring of 2012.)
Ripple Effects The impact will be felt beyond the University. All of Tennessee stands to benefit. In remarks at the groundbreaking for the science building, Gov. Bill Haslam said that the $147 million in state funding necessary to build it had to become a high priority because the building will affect economic development in the entire state of Tennessee, given MTSU’s primary role in workforce development. The building will also enable the University to address needs identified in the America Competes Act by producing more science graduates to fill high-technology jobs and teach science and math in K–12 schools. During academic year 2009–10, MTSU granted almost 700 degrees in biology, chemistry, and related fields. The University now estimates that number could increase by 25 percent after the new science building is in operation.
Additionally, the new building is already proving to be a powerful strategic tool for regional, national, and international recruitment of students. The same is true of top faculty and administrators. When considered together, the construction of a new building, improvements in MTSU’s research capacity, new Ph.D. programs, and an influx of new student and faculty talent represent something much more transformative. This is going to be a real game changer for the University.
Gov. Bill Haslam, left, with President Sidney A. McPhee at the groundbreaking for the $147 million Science Building.
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Student-athletes in the Classroom
Mark Owens, associate athletic director
Goal 4: Competing at the Highest Levels in Athletics In November 2012, MTSU entered into a membership agreement to join Conference USA (C-USA) for intercollegiate athletics. The University will join the conference on July 1, 2013. The move to such an established, nationally recognized conference clearly elevates the standing, competitiveness, and stature of MTSU’s athletics program. C-USA teams and athletes have made nearly 700 NCAA championship appearances since the league’s inception in 1995. Member schools enjoy significant national and regional television exposure and revenue sharing through partnerships with CBS Sports, Fox Sports, and ESPN. The invitation to join C-USA recognizes the hard work and excellent results of MTSU’s athletes, coaches, and administrators. The University’s affiliation with Conference USA will build upon the strong results it enjoyed as a proud member of the Sun Belt Conference for the past 12 years (during which MTSU won eight All-Sports trophies and 54 conference championships). It will position MTSU for even greater success.
“A university’s brand is affixed in the minds of its alumni base and the public at large in the achievements of its athletic programs.” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee 48
The C-USA invitation also validates the progress MTSU has made over the past decade both athletically and academically. Conferences look at a lot more than just athletics when choosing new partners, and for MTSU to be joining a conference with top academic institutions is a signal of overall quality. Blue Raider athletics is committed to the highest level of performance on the field and in the classroom, uniting the MTSU community and promoting a greater sense of pride. Athletics provides a link between the University, its alumni, and the community at large and increases alumni and public support for all aspects of the University. But to maintain its status and assure its continued success in future athletic pursuits, MTSU must attract the best student-athletes to compete as Blue Raiders, and it must provide student-athletes and coaches with the highest quality facilities and services.
(Left) President Sidney A. McPhee and Chris Massaro, athletic director, announcing the move to Conference USA. (Right) Students at the Homecoming game.
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Getting in the Game The most gifted student-athletes are sought by universities around the world. If MTSU is to successfully attract the next generation of Blue Raider and Lady Raider players, it must have financial support to offer competitive student-aid packages to attract and support exceptional scholar-athletes. In addition, today’s leading intercollegiate athletics programs provide their student-athletes with facilities that allow year-round training and participation regardless of weather. The University has announced plans to develop an indoor tennis facility and a multipurpose track competition and training facility that will provide climate-controlled practice areas supporting football, soccer, baseball, and softball. Providing new opportunities for coaches to better interact with staff and players in a more supportive environment is another significant need. Thus, the University is seeking to build a new athletics administrative and educational center, which would house key offices and provide academic space for student-athletes.
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(Top) Artist’s rendering of the proposed indoor tennis facility. (Bottom) Artist’s rendering of the proposed indoor training facility.
True Student-Athletes
Student-athletes in the Classroom
Such new facilities would support an already extraordinary group of student-athletes studying at MTSU. During the fall 2012 semester, 8 of 17 teams had a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher, 77 student-athletes made the Dean’s List (3.5+ GPA), and 23 had a perfect 4.0. Overall, 149 of 306 student-athletes had a 3.0 or higher (49%). When the NCAA released its annual multiyear Academic Progress Rate (APR) report in 2012, the Blue Raiders had one of the best overall scores in the nation. All 17 NCAA–sponsored sports scored above the 960 mark, and two of them, men’s golf (1,000) and football (983) received Public Recognition Awards for performance in the classroom. The football program was one of just 12 FBS programs honored, including Duke, Vanderbilt, and Rutgers. APR is a term-by-term measure of eligibility and retention for Division I student-athletes developed as an early indicator of eventual graduation rates. The current threshold for adequate progress is 925, under which the NCAA can hit the program with sanctions. The highest Lady Raider program was women’s volleyball with a 995. Now those are sports statistics worth crowing about!
“Athletics is indeed the front porch of a university, providing a link between the university, its alumni, and the community at large” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee
Whitney Rae Jorgenson, MTSU Dean’s List
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The Field of Play Blue Raiders dominate in competition as well. Once again in 2012, MTSU won the Sun Belt Conference All-Sports Trophy, the Vic Bubas Cup. Since joining the league in 2000–01, MTSU has won it eight times, including the last four in a row.
2012 Athletic Highlights
(Top left) Men’s tennis head coach, Jimmy Borendame. (Top right) MTSU’s eighth Bubas Cup. (Below) Band of Blue centennial celebration.
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• Men’s basketball won the SBC regular season championship and earned a No. 1 seed at the league tournament. The Blue Raiders earned a bid to the NIT, where they picked up wins over Marshall at home and on the road against UT–Knoxville. MTSU drew over 10,000 fans for its home quarterfinal game against Minnesota. Head coach Kermit Davis was voted SBC Coach of the Year, and LaRon Dendy was named SBC Player of the Year. • Women’s basketball won the SBC regular season championship and earned a No. 1 seed at the league tournament after a 16–0 league record. The Blue Raiders earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the field for the fourth straight year. Head coach Rick Insell was voted SBC Coach of the Year. • Women’s indoor track won the Sun Belt Conference Championship held at Murphy Center. • Men’s tennis won its second straight Sun Belt Conference Championship and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Jimmy Borendame was voted SBC Coach of the Year. • Men’s golf earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Regionals, making the elite field for the fifth straight year.
More 2012 Athletic Highlights
On The Field
• The Blue Raider football team enjoyed the biggest win improvement of any team in the nation by finishing the 2012 campaign with an 8–4 overall record and a 6–2 conference mark. Highlighting the season, which included games against five bowl teams, was a resounding 49–28 win at Georgia Tech.
• The Middle Tennessee soccer team won a share of the Sun Belt Conference regular season championship with North Texas. Both teams finished with 8–1–1 league marks. Head coach Aston Rhoden was voted SBC Coach of the Year.
• Wide receiver Anthony Amos’s one-handed touchdown catch at Georgia Tech finished third nationally in college football’s GEICO Play of the Year award. • Middle Tennessee soccer’s Paige Goeglein grabbed first-team Capital One Academic All-America honors. An economics major with a 3.93 GPA, Goeglein scored 14 goals for the Blue Raiders. She was named Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Blue Raiders to a 14–5–1 record.
Head women’s basketball coach Rick Insell was one of 10 inductees into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
• On November 14, the world’s sixth-ranked junior golfer and consensus junior All-American, Tae Wan Lee, signed a scholarship agreement with Middle Tennessee. Lee, from South Korea, has been ranked as high as fourth in the world and was recruited by Florida, LSU, Virginia, and Southern Cal. • During the 2012 football season, Middle Tennessee had nine of its 12 games televised. The Blue Raiders had two national broadcasts, two regional games, and five that were on ESPN3.
Anthony Amos earned third place in the GEICO Play of the Year award.
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Blue Raider athletics has strong support from the community. Here’s a look at two generous financial donations that have helped MTSU in its $80 million fundraising campaign effort.
The Big Give Jeff Hendrix, a devoted Blue Raider supporter whose $1 million estate gift in December 2011 was the largest unrestricted donation in MTSU athletics history, was the 2012 recipient of the TBR Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. “During his more than decade-long association with the University, Jeff, his family, and his company, Enterprise Electric, have contributed more than $1.4 million to the University,” Chancellor John Morgan said. “Jeff’s contributions supported numerous athletic projects on our campus.” Among the projects aided by Hendrix’s efforts were renovations to the baseball stadium, construction of the Dean Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium, enhancements to men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms, development of a new golf training facility, and development of a new stadium club at Floyd Stadium, which bears his name.
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(Top left) The family of the late Jeff Hendrix poses for a photo at halftime of the Middle Tennessee-Georgia Tech women’s basketball game. From left are his children, Timi, Emily, and Bennie Hendrix, and his widow, Kay Hendrix. (Bottom left) The Jeff Hendrix Stadium Club.
A Learning Experience
Philanthropy
The late Ken Shipp, a 1947 MTSU graduate and professional football coach, was perhaps best known for his generosity to Lady Raider athletics, including the gift that renovated the women’s basketball offices. Soon, however, he will likely be known to future generations for creating a way for deserving students to get a college education. University officials announced in October 2012 that Shipp, who died March 5, 2012, at age 83, decided that most of his estate would benefit the fund he established with the MTSU Foundation in 2007. A $3.5 million bequest to that scholarship fund for Rutherford County students, coupled with earlier gifts, brings the fund’s total to more than $4 million—making it the most generous donation to date for Rutherford County students. The fund will help select incoming freshmen from Rutherford County public high schools who demonstrate an ability and desire to excel but for whom tuition is a major barrier. (Right) Ken Shipp at MTSU’s centennial celebration. (Bottom) The newly remodeled women’s basketball offices.
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Conclusion President’s Conclusion
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Students walk across the MTSU seal located in the quad on campus.
The Road Ahead On June 30, 2012, the University completed its celebration of the pride, tradition, and excellence of MTSU’s first century as a leading academic institution in middle Tennessee. Looking forward, service and leadership will continue to be key to the institution’s vision for the future as middle Tennessee’s premier public university. So, too, will be growth of the MTSU brand nationally and internationally. MTSU started as a small teacher-training school in 1911. It has grown tremendously in the last 100 years—particularly the last 20— and has become a key component of middle Tennessee’s education and economic engine. The Complete College Tennessee Act calls for colleges and universities to focus on student retention, degree completion, improvement in the areas of transfer and articulation, and institutional mission distinctiveness. MTSU had already made those goals a strategic priority. The century ahead will be marked by further expansion of the University’s role as the primary public higher education institution for the citizens of middle Tennessee. MTSU has long been a place to obtain an excellent education. It has been the marketplace for the exchange of ideas. It has been a place where students obtain a better understanding of human rights, civic virtues, and ethical values and learn their duties as citizens of a democracy. In the 100 years ahead, MTSU will assume a larger role on the national scene and will expand its global reach.
“In the 100 years ahead, MTSU will assume a larger role on the national scene and will expand its global reach.”
To do this, MTSU must continue to build interdisciplinary programs with international organizations and businesses. It must continue to focus on collaborative research with industries and other research institutions. And it must continue to improve facilities to attract world-class faculty and students.
—Dr. Sidney A. McPhee 57
Conclusion
The Next Century From its humble beginnings as a normal school established to train teachers, MTSU has become the largest undergraduate institution in Tennessee and is broadly recognized throughout the state as Tennessee’s Best comprehensive university. As the institution has experienced significant growth, it has maintained a commitment to students, seeking to provide a supportive learning environment, the finest faculty, and a learning experience as personal and unique as its graduate and undergraduate student populations. MTSU’s commitment to the success of each member of the University family is widely acknowledged among students, parents, and educators and is a primary factor in the institution’s phenomenal growth. MTSU has emerged as the institution of choice for the region’s top scholars and athletes. The result is a campus that has grown in both quantity and, more importantly, quality during the last decade. Positive change continues to occur at MTSU. Over the past few years—and most significantly during this past Centennial year—dynamic new initiatives have taken shape, $400 million in new facilities have come out of the ground or are now under construction, and, perhaps most importantly, a renewed spirit of what it means to be part of the MTSU family has emerged. Blue Raiders young and old are proudly embracing a shared aspiration of the great things that can be accomplished together at MTSU.
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Grounded in outstanding tradition, MTSU faces a future that has never been brighter as the institution enters its second century of service to middle Tennessee, the state, the nation, and, yes, even the world. The University will remain ready for change in addition to serving as a model for addressing such major issues as degree attainment and workforce development. This biennial presidential report is intended to celebrate the exciting advances and achievements that the University’s collective efforts have produced over the past few years. These accomplishments would not have been possible without the incredible faculty and staff in place at MTSU. The report also looks forward to the challenges, opportunities, and strategic directions that will shape MTSU into an even greater University in the years ahead. Those same excellent faculty and staff members will be crucial to that effort. As a valued MTSU stakeholder, thank you for taking stock of the accomplishments of the past and the promise of the future at MTSU. True Blue!
Sidney A. McPhee
“There is a new confidence in the role MTSU plays in this region. You can feel the difference. People know that we do what we say we will do. People are believing in the great promise of this University.” —Dr. Sidney A. McPhee 59
The Dollars and Cents Unaudited Statement of Revenues, Expenses, and Changes in Net Assets For the Year Ended June 30, 2012, With Comparative Figures for the Year Ended June 30, 2011 Revenues 2012 2011 Operating revenues Net tuition and fees $122,021,025.17 $110,694,573.41 Operating grants and contracts 32,340,577.39 30,779,280.22 Sales and services of educational/other activities 15,111,316.74 13,645,531.78 Net auxiliary enterprises 30,716,156.74 30,475,331.05 Other operating revenues 341,838.42 1,039,348.28 Total operating revenues
State appropriations Capital appropriations Nonoperating grants and contracts Gifts and capital gifts Investment income–net of expense Other capital revenues Total revenues
$200,530,914.46
$186,634,064.74
$74,924,252.30 6,844,135.01 84,982,682.95 3,264,890.48 864,153.32 -
$100,986,209.00 12,031,166.24 89,604,472.95 1,481,219.59 1,095,315.46 1,749,848.77
$371,411,028.52
$393,582,296.75
Expenses Operating expenses
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Salaries and wages Benefits Utilities, supplies, and other services Scholarships and fellowships Depreciation expense Total operating expenses
$154,173,839.31 50,309,345.88 83,737,467.28 44,373,788.81 22,849,908.78
$141,305,907.89 47,230,391.20 78,884,800.33 47,208,327.71 15,045,113.82
$355,444,350.06
$329,674,540.95
Expenses (continued) Interest on capital asset-related debt Other nonoperating and capital
2012 2011 $6,846,052.69 $7,314,803.75 688,789.98 1,003,320.41
Total expenses
Increase (decrease) in net assets Net Assets Net Assets–beginning of year Increase (decrease) in net assets Prior period adjustment Net Assets–end of year
$362,979,192.73
$337,992,665.11
$8,431,835.79
$55,589,631.64
$297,431,341.71 8,431,835.79 (5,537,815.89) $300,325,361.61
$241,841,710.07 55,589,631.64 $297,431,341.71
$400 MM
$300 MM
Total Operating Revenues
Total Revenues
Total Operating Expenses
Total Expenses
$297.4 MM
$300.3 MM
$337.9 MM
$362.9 MM
$329.6 MM
$355.4 MM
$393.5 MM
$371.4 MM
$100 MM
$186.6 MM
$200.5 MM
$200 MM
Net Assets– End of Year
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I am True Blue. As a member of this diverse community, I am a valuable contributor to its progress and success. I am engaged in the life of this community. I am a recipient and a giver. I am a listener and a speaker. I am honest in word and deed. I am committed to reason, not violence. I am a learner now and forever. I am a BLUE RAIDER. True Blue!
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0812-60 - Middle Tennessee State University is an AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Executive Director of Institutional Equity and Compliance, 1301 E. Main Street, CAB 220, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, 615-898-2185. The MTSU Title IX coordinator, designated to monitor and oversee Title IX complaints, may be contacted at Sam Ingram Building, 2269 Middle Tennessee Blvd., Murfreesboro, TN 37132, 615-898-5133, or via this webpage: www.mtsu.edu/titleix/.
Cover photo on page 19 from Forbes, August 24 Š 2009 Forbes. All rights reserved. Used by permission and protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States. The printing, copying, redistribution, or retransmission of this Content without express written permission is prohibited.