[176] MTSU students 'take a stand' against bullying at work, school, online

For release:  Nov. 28, 2012

News and Media Relations contact: Jimmy Hart, 615-898-5131 or Jimmy.Hart@mtsu.edu

MTSU Management and Marketing contact: Dr. Jackie Gilbert, 615-898-5418 or Jackie.Gilbert@mtsu.edu

MTSU students ‘take a stand’ against bullying at work, school, online

MURFREESBORO — Students in Dr. Jackie Gilbert’s Principles of Management class at MTSU are taking a stand against bullying, whether in social settings on campus, in the free-for-all interactions of cyberspace or inside corporate offices.

They want to educate other students about the issue, including what they can do to stop it.

“Take a Stand to Stop Bullying” will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. today, Nov. 28, in the State Farm Lecture Hall inside the Business and Aerospace Building.

Hosted by the MTSU Leadership and Service Office, the event will feature presentations by students in Gilbert’s undergraduate Experiential Learning, or EXL, management class on the topics of cyberbullying, corporate bullying and stalking.

“Their overall goal is to educate their peers,” Gilbert said. “What are the consequences of bullying, and more importantly, what can they do about it?”

During today’s event, three student groups made up of juniors and seniors will each present a topic for 25 minutes, followed by a five-minute period for the audience to ask questions.

“This is a student event to educate peers; namely, to provide information on the content, cause, and remedies of bullying both within school systems and within organizations,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert’s research and teaching interests for the past two years have been focused on workplace bullying.

In 2011, Gilbert applied for Distinguished Lecture Series funds to bring Gary Namie to campus. Namie is co-director of the Workplace Bullying Institute and a nationally recognized expert on bullying.

In spring 2011, a non-EXL Principles of Management class explored five different aspects of bad behavior: mobbing, hazing, cyberbullying, stalking and corporate bullying. Students then created an instructional video to raise awareness.

The goal of the project, according to that video, was to “groom a generation who will make a difference, one that will engender transparency, accountability, empowerment, and shared governance within their sphere of influence.

“They will infiltrate companies to promote good management and to change their firm’s culture,” the video continued. “They are the freedom fighters of a new era, trained to be rabble-rousers in the best possible way.”

The video can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9XzvyUQIwE.

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Photo captions

Jackie Gilbert.jpg (head shot)

Jackie Gilbert (Photo by MTSU Creative and Visual Services)

Anti-bullying flyer.jpg

“Take a Stand/STOP Bullying will be a Principles of Management class participation event , starting at 6 p.m. today in the State Farm Lecture Hall in the Business and Aerospace Building. (Graphic provided by MTSU)

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