[246] Getting Warmed Up for 2010: MTSU Spring Semester Begins Jan. 14

Release date: Jan. 11, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Enrollment Services contact: Sherian Huddleston, 615-898-2828 or shuddles@mtsu.edu
Student Affairs contact: Dr. Deb Sells, 615-898-2440

Getting Warmed Up for 2010: MTSU Spring Semester Begins Jan. 14


(MURFREESBORO) — Following an awesome autumn, a new semester, spring 2010, dawns at MTSU.
On the heels of 1,633 degree candidates graduating Dec. 19, the MT Blue Raiders capping off a 10-win season by capturing the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Dec. 20 and countless classroom successes, the returning, transfer and online students and faculty will be back on campus Thursday, Jan. 14, in anticipation of academic achievement this spring.
“Although we will be faced with many of the same budgetary challenges that we encountered in 2009, exciting things are on the horizon for MTSU in 2010,” said President Sidney A. McPhee. “We are making significant progress in the implementation of the recommendations associated with our ‘Positioning the University for the Future Initiative’; our campus construction projects are progressing nicely; and we are making significant strides in our preparations for our upcoming Centennial Celebration in 2011.
“Additionally, we are looking forward to the grand opening of the Confucius Institute at MTSU later in the spring as well as the implementation of three new doctoral programs in math and science in the fall. Needless to say, this should be yet another busy but productive year for all of us here at MTSU, and I am looking forward to working with the entire university community as we propel our institution to even greater heights of achievement.”
MTSU again may have one of its largest graduating classes during the Saturday, May 9, commencement services scheduled for 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Murphy Center.
This spring’s enrollment could be near or slightly ahead of spring 2009 totals, said Sherian Huddleston, associate vice provost for enrollment services. She reported 22,083 students registered for spring classes today following a Jan. 7 purge for nonpayment of fees and students registering or re-registering Jan. 8.
“We’re 4.3 percent above the total (21,173) for the same date (the Monday following the purge),” she said, adding that 22,511 students were submitted in enrollment data sent to the Tennessee Board of Regents by the census date (Jan. 28), when MTSU’s numbers are frozen.
A full slate is on tap for students this semester.
“It will be a busy semester, as spring always is,” said Dr. Deb Sells, vice president for student affairs and vice provost for enrollment and academic services.
Along with classes and lectures (led by the Feb. 1-April 12 Honors Lecture Series, “Global Tensions: A Focus on the Middle East”), the semester will feature many campus activities.
• Black History Month events are planned throughout February, including the Unity Luncheon, which starts at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, in the James Union Building’s Tennessee Room. For a full schedule, visit www.mtsu.edu/~aahm or call the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs at 615-898-5812;
• The 37th annual Groundhog Day Luncheon for the MT baseball program will begin at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, in the Murphy Center Monte Hall Arena. Tickets are $20 each. For reservations, call the MT Ticket Office at 615-898-2103. For more information, call 615-898-2210;
• For the Jazz Artist Series, trombonist Steve Davis will appear Thursday, Feb. 11. This will headline a busy February for the School of Music, which also will have auditions for new students on Friday, Jan. 29, Friday, Feb. 19, and Saturday, Feb. 27. Call 615-898-2493 or visit the School of Music Web site (www.mtsu.edu/~music) for more details and events;
• MTSU’s Office of Financial Aid will participate again in College Goal Sunday, which will be held from 2 until 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14, in the Business and Aerospace Building’s State Farm Lecture Hall. MTSU personnel will assist prospective students and their parents or guardians and answer questions. For more information, call 615-904-8414 or visit www.mtsu.edu/scholarships (click on “Incoming Freshmen” and “College Goal Sunday” under “Other Opportunities”;
• Feminist, journalist and activist Gloria Steinem’s keynote address at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 2, leads MTSU’s National Women’s History Month activities. Call the June Anderson Women’s Center at 615-898-2193 for more information;
• Graduate, undergraduate and faculty research endeavors will be recognized during March 22-26 Scholars Week activities. For more information, visit http://frank.mtsu.edu/~research/scholarsweek.html or call 615-898-2071;
• Admissions’ Spring Preview Days will be March 27 and April 24. Online registration began Jan. 1. To register, visit www.mtsu.edu/admissn and click on “Special Events” and then “Preview Days,” or call 615-898-5670.
• Some of the region’s brightest young minds will visit campus and participate in the 18th annual Invention Convention on Thursday, Feb. 25, which is expanding to Murphy Center, and the Saturday, Feb. 27, Science Olympiad, which begins in the McWherter Learning Resources Center and moves to various campus buildings;
• In addition to MT basketball, baseball, golf, softball and track and field action in the next five months (see www.goblueraiders.com), many of the state’s top girls’ and boys’ basketball teams head for Murphy Center for the TSSAA state tournaments, set for March 11-14 and March 18-21, respectively. The TSSAA Spring Fling will be May 24-29 at various MTSU and Murfreesboro sites. Visit www.tssaa.org or call 615-889-6740 for information;
• First Friday Star Parties will return at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 5, March 5, April 9 and May 7 in Wiser-Patten Science Hall Room 102. (April 2 is skipped because it’s Good Friday.) For information, call 615-898-2130;
• The Office of Student Programming’s movie lineup for the Keathley University Center Theater can be found online at www.mtsu.edu/events/mma.shtml. Two other key events will be the Saturday, Feb. 6, Tennessee Ultimate Fighter in Murphy Center (contact Anthony Gomez at 615-796-3919 for more information) and Last Band Standing (MTSU Battle of the Bands) starting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, in the JUB Tennessee Room (call 615-898-2551 for more information);
• The Jennings A. Jones College of Business’s Executives in Residence will be held the first week in April;
• For theatre and dance events, visit www.mtsu.edu/~theatre.

Spring 2010 academic dates to remember
Jan. 14 – Classes begin;
Jan. 18 – Martin Luther King holiday (university closed, no classes);
March 8-14 – Spring break;
March 12 – University holiday;
April 28 – Last day of classes;
April 29 – Student study day, no classes;
April 30-May 6 – Final exams;
May 8 – Commencement (9 a.m. and 1 p.m. ceremonies in Murphy Center)
May 10 – Deadline for final grades


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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.