Faculty Voices

Can economy afford more

Schwerdt, Marc — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:15:00 GMT

Sequestration is a government budget tool that attempts to provide oversight to a budget that is out of control. It is controversial as it is evidence of the inability of the president and Congress to come to an agreement over spending and taxes. Congress passes a budget resolution that lays down overall limits, and then the dozen or so appropriation bills must fall under that limit. If they do not, then sequestration’s automatic spending cuts go into effect.

Even though the President is using fear of sequestration’s effects to promote overturning the legislation, the real effect of sequestration on the economy is debatable.

The federal budget is difficult to manage due to three factors:

First, the budget is not one single document. The federal government passes its budget in a piecemeal fashion through several appropriations bills as opposed to one comprehensive piece of legislation. This dilutes the ability to manage spending since it prevents tying separate pieces of the federal budget together.
Second, only a minority of government spending is dealt with in yearly budgets. The yearly budget only applies to discretionary spending by the government, not the entitlement spending through Social Security, Medicare and interest on the national debt. Such mandatory spending accounts for 47% of the federal budget. Defense accounts for 67% of the remaining 53%, thus accounting for the lion’s share of the proposed cuts.
Third, and most importantly, our divided government allows both sides to avoid responsibility, and our current partisan atmosphere allows voters to support their party while not allowing compromise to take place.

All of this combines to illustrate how closely tied government spending is to the performance of the current economy and how fragile the current economic growth is. People don’t trust the economy or government and we are very risk-averse as a result.

The Stingray Returns

Borchers, Andy — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 11:00:00 GMT

So how healthy is the auto industry in the U.S.?

This year’s Detroit auto show (officially the North American International Auto Show) tells the tale of an industry that has recovered from a near-death experience and has come back stronger than ever.

The star of the show makes the case for this assertion. Need to get from 0 to 60 in less than four seconds? The 2014 Corvette Stingray is your car. The seventh generation Corvette offers 425 horsepower in a vehicle that is likely to offer mileage above 26 miles per gallon.

The Corvette has a local connection in that General Motors (GM) assembles the car in nearby Bowling Green, Ky. Recently, a reporter from the Nashville Ledger called to get my thoughts on this vehicle.

To me there are really two interesting parts of the Corvette story. First, the fact that GM has the money to launch a new sports car speaks volumes about the company's renewed health. In 2009 when GM faced death, nearly all product production (except the Volt) went on hold. Now GM has money to produce an expensive image car.

Second, GM is facing a real challenge in changing the Corvette’s image as “grandpa’s hot car." GM has a tough road ahead to interest youthful buyers in cars in general. They now see a generation that focuses on social media, car sharing and urban living where a couple’s second car is public transit. Perhaps the only hot spot with youth comes in connecting their electronics to the car via Ford’s Sync and GM’s MyLink.

What is even more interesting in watching the auto industry is the overall strength of the competitors. The Japanese and Korean makes (Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia and Subaru) have retained and strengthened their place in the market. Chrysler, once 60 days from liquidation, is now generating strong profits and is rescuing Fiat from a disastrous European market. Ford, Chrysler and GM are all making big money (reportedly $10,000 per unit) on pickups, a market in which they have a 93 percent combined market share. It is amazing what a bankruptcy can do to help a firm jettison costs and shake up the bureaucracy. I’ve never seen such a competitive market with so many competent players.

We need problem-solving, not political posturing

Ingram, Bill — Sat, 9 Feb 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Don't miss Dr. Ingram on "Be The People" on WSMV, Channel 4, at 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. Dr. Ingram will discuss deficits and the growth of entitlement programs, as well as possible solutions.

Hosted by Dr. Carol Swain, Be the People is a new hard-hitting television series directly confronting the hot topic issues facing Americans today. Featuring one-on-one interviews and panel discussions with influential politicians, businessmen, journalists, celebrities, entertainers and nationally known political pundits.

I guess cutting out the political posturing and addressing some actual fiscal problems wasn’t among Congress’ New Year’s resolutions. And if you hadn’t noticed, the fiscal crisis points are now accelerating in 2013.

First we had the debt limit maneuvering in the summer of 2011, which lead to the Super Committee’s non-attempt to come up with bipartisan long-term solutions by the end of 2012 or face the fiscal cliff. To avert the consequences of the fiscal cliff, we got the after-midnight agreement to enhance revenues (ending the payroll tax holiday on everyone and higher income tax rates on high income earners). Now we face predetermined sequestration on March 1, the deadline for funding the rest of the fiscal year on March 27, and the Congressional self-imposed deadline to vote on a budget outline or suspend their pay by April 15.

The problem with all of this political confrontation is that it tends to draw attention away from the real national fiscal problem. By focusing on whether, and by how much, we should increase the current official debt limit, we continue to move closer to the real debt limit -- which is the point at which outsiders (international interests) stop allowing us to live beyond our means by refusing to lend to us anymore. I cannot say when that will be, but if we were a business looking for more credit with the current levels of revenues versus spending we would already be at our borrowing limit.

Being a sovereign nation with the power to tax and issue money affords us borrowing advantage, but as we have seen by the examples of other nations there is an ultimate limit and negative consequences that will begin to appear even before we approach that true limit.

The fundamental problem that we face as a nation is that our federal budget is now dominated by entitlement programs like Medicare that mandate spending at increasing rates and the unwillingness for most of us to have our own taxes raised. We praise politicians when they pass programs and projects that we benefit from, but we threaten to vote them out of office if they raise our taxes.

And in a vain effort to make both sides happy, our leaders continue to keep maneuvering, rather than solving problems, setting up one artificial deadline after another. Both our politicians and the public need to accept that when it comes to the economy, we can’t have it both ways.

Flu season is at its peak: 6 flu myths to know

Massey, Bethany — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:00:00 GMT

Don’t be fooled into thinking that if you haven’t gotten the flu yet you are safe. The nation is experiencing a particularly bad flu season this year and Tennessee’s traditional flu season peaks in February. There’s still time to get a flu shot and get some benefit out of it if you hurry.

Check out these other flu myths that can be heard all around campus.

Myth: The flu vaccine can give you the flu.

Fact: It’s impossible to get the flu virus from the injectable vaccine. The flu shot is made from an inactivated virus that cannot transmit an infection. It does take about two weeks for your body to build up flu antibodies after getting a flu shot, so it’s possible to still get sick after you get the shot. But it’s not the vaccine that made you sick.

Myth: Being a healthy person and using good hygiene measures is enough to protect me from the flu.

Fact: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend all persons over six months of age, regardless of health status, to get a flu vaccine every year. Getting the flu can happen to anyone and unless your body has built up antibodies from the flu (either from the vaccine or from being infected with the flu), it’s a possibility that you could get sick. It takes several measures like the flu vaccine, frequent hand-washing, and other immune system boosters such as avoiding sick people and adequate sleep to decrease the likelihood of a flu infection.

Myth: I’ve received my flu shot, so I don’t need to be concerned about getting a flu bug.

Fact: The flu shot usually offers on average 60 percent protection from the flu. The three strains of flu virus that are in each year’s vaccine are predicted by experts before flu season starts, but there is always the chance that another strain of flu will start to spread and cause infection. The CDC reports that the 2012-13 flu vaccine is covering 91 percent of the flu strains circulating as of early January. Even though it’s not guaranteed protection, those who get the flu shot still have better chances of not getting the flu or having a less severe case if they do get infected.

Myth: The stomach flu is a type of flu.

Fact: Many people call gastroenteritis the “stomach flu” and lump it in the same category with influenza. But the flu is a respiratory disease. Most people don’t have nausea, vomiting or diarrhea at all—but such symptoms do occur more frequently with children. Symptoms of the flu are runny or stuffy nose, fever, body aches, headache and cough.

Myth: I haven’t had a flu shot yet this year, but now it’s too late.

Fact: While getting the vaccine when it first comes out each season is best (in early fall), flu season usually hits its peak in February. It’s not too late to get a vaccine and be protected.

Myth: I got a flu shot in the fall, so I may need a second one in case the protection doesn’t last through the season.

Fact: Studies on levels of circulating flu strain antibodies have shown that the vaccine offers adequate protection through the end of flu season and some protection for months after. Those over age 65 are encouraged to get the high-dose flu vaccine to increase their protection.

Hand washing or hand sanitizer: Which beats back the flu better?

Hesselrode, Mary — Tue, 8 Jan 2013 18:00:00 GMT

Proper technique fo
washing your hands
with soap and water:

Wet hands with clean, running water and apply soap.

Tip: Avoid hot water to prevent skin irritation.

Rub hands together for at least 20 seconds, covering all surfaces of the hands and fingers.

Tip: Mentally sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice to time your efforts.

Rinse hands with water and dry thoroughly with a disposable towel.

Tip: Dry hands completely because germs are passed in larger numbers from wet hands than from dry.

Proper technique for
using hand sanitizer

Observe hands for visible dirt and revert to hand washing with soap and water if present.

Tip: If hands are wet wash with soap and water.

Check the label for manufactures’ recommended volume application.

Tip: Apply enough of the product to wet your hands completely.

Rub your hands together covering all surfaces until they are dry.

Tip: A sufficient amount of alcohol was applied if drying takes 30 seconds.

Amidst a busy flu season it is important to remind ourselves of the simple sanitary obligations in order to maintain public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider hand hygiene to be at the top of the list for prevention of spreading germs and getting sick.

Hand hygiene is not a new concept. In 1822, a French pharmacist used solutions containing chlorides of lime or soda as disinfectants and antiseptics. Nursing pioneers such as Florence Nightingale led the way as early as 1854, during the Crimean war, by recognizing anti-septic agents used for hand washing significantly reduced the spread of disease and mortality. Why are we not washing our hands?

With a market saturated with gels, sprays, foams, liquid and antibacterial soaps each claiming to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria, we are confused. Moms, school teachers, grocers, librarians and many more want to know which work the best?

The CDC maintains washing with soap and water to be the best method for germ reduction. Research shows regular soap to be as effective as antibacterial soap. Some scientists even discourage use of anti-bacterial soap related to the destruction of healthy bacteria. The effectiveness of hand washing with soap and water is greatly affected by the technique used.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates antiseptic hand wash products and found solutions containing 6o-95 percent ethanol or isopropanol alcohol to be most effective. Consumers should take note of product labels before making a purchase because products containing less than 40 percent alcohol have been found on store shelves. The FDA stresses that the effectiveness of alcohol-based hand hygiene products may be skewed by the concentration of alcohol, contact time, volume of alcohol used and whether the hands are wet when the alcohol is applied.

Wash hands with soap and water after every 5-10 applications of hand gel to eliminate build-up.

Hand hygiene practices play an important role in the prevention and spread of disease. Most of us realize we need to wash our hands and have been told this since a very young age. Whether using soap and water or hand sanitizer, now is the time to slow down and be mindful of proper technique. All you need is 30 seconds.

In the wake of Sandy Hook, don't confuse mental illness with violence

Gonzalez, Chris — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 10:00:00 GMT

The tragic mass killing at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, is both heartbreaking and disturbing. We all ache and share the trauma of this unthinkable event. In the shock and grief, we are filled with questions. Some questions seek facts – what happened? Some questions seek the Divine – where was God? Some questions seek understanding – why did this happen?

In times of such pain and uncertainty we want answers sooner rather than later. We hope that perhaps answers will provide a little balm for the soul wound we all feel. In our urgency to know, we run the risk of being satisfied with simple and incomplete answers.

Mental illness such as a personality disorder and neurocognitive disorders such as Aspergers Syndrome (an Autism Spectrum Disorder) have been discussed extensively in media accounts of the Sandy Hook tragedy. In less formal conversations about the shooter, I have heard people default to saying, “He was crazy.” It is understandable to default to mental health conclusions in our urgency to find relief in answers to impossible questions, but we must also consider how these mental health social narratives impact the vast majority of people with mental illness or neurocognitive disorders who are not violent.

If we arrive at the simple conclusion that “he was crazy” or had a mental illness and go no further in our thinking or understanding, then what we have done is to situate anyone with a mental illness as potentially or likely dangerous. It will result in the social construction of stigma, creating an environment ripe for discrimination, dismissal and violence against people who fight daily against mental illness.

In order to help with the conversation about the intersection of violence and mental health, here are some facts:

"…the vast majority of people who are violent do not suffer from mental illnesses” (American Psychiatric Association, 1994)
“People with mental illness are much more likely to be the victim of violence than the perpetrator.” (World Psychiatry. 2003 June; 2(2): 121–124)

In short, people who struggle against mental illness are not to be feared, but rather protected and advocated for. Here are a few tips on helping the conversation of mental health and violence.

Avoid simple answers that serve only to soothe our own anxieties, but do little by way of helping.
Put unhelpful words like “crazy” out of the social narratives of mass violence.
Engage in activities, organizations and relationships in such a way that promotes the mental, emotional, social and spiritual health of yourself and everyone around you.

Go home with gifts, not extra pounds

Anderson, Anna Rose — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 17:37:11 GMT

It’s way too easy to head home from a Christmas celebration with a few unwanted gifts you didn’t expect -- extra pounds from all the celebrating. But with a little self-discipline and a dose of creativity, anyone can fight off the holiday pounds.

Even if family commitments and Christmas parties throw off your exercise schedule, make time for 10-to-20 minute exercise sessions throughout the day or week. Get outside and rake some leaves or go for a quick walk around the neighborhood with the dog. Get out an old exercise video you haven’t used in a while. The key is make exercise FUN!

Here are some additional ways to make the holiday healthy from my co-workers in Lipscomb’s health sciences programs:

Looking to maintain your weight during the holidays? Try committing to “Meatless Mondays” from now until the end of the year.

Autumn Marshall, chair of the department of a family and consumer science and professor of nutrition

Sorry Starbucks, but I’ve got to advise limiting the holiday-flavored drinks. Pumpkin lattes, hot chocolate and peppermint mochas can be festive and good, but they pack a lot of calories. Make these drinks a special treat. Choose a smaller size with skim milk and skip the whipped cream!

Bethany Massey, director of health service

Deck the holidays with bowls of fiber! Collards, winter squash, beets, apples, sweet potatoes, turnips, pecans and mushrooms are all in season right now. This fare is featured at the Nashville Farmer’s Market during the holiday months. Consuming unprocessed, nutrient-rich foods can stave off holiday poundage giving you a head start with New Year’s resolutions.

Autumn Marshall

Choose your favorite foods deliberately, savoring the first bites and chewing each mouthful 20 times to create a taste sensation, a true sensory celebration. Gluttony and guilt prevail after mindlessly shoveling in copious amounts mediocre food. Save yourself from overconsumption and digestive problems with more mindful selections.

Karen Robichaud, director of the exercise and nutrition graduate program

Stop when you’re full! Don’t worry, if you didn't get to try everything you want at the meal, eat the leftovers at the next meal after a walk around the block.

Autumn Marshall

Fiscal cliff debate would benefit from a fresh approach to negotiation

Joiner, Steve — Sat, 8 Dec 2012 07:00:00 GMT

“America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership, Americans deserve better” - The words of then-Senator Barak Obama in 2006.

Too bad the fiscal cliff isn't as scenic as this one.

Here we sit in the aftermath of the 2008 economic meltdown. America is entering the second term of the Obama administration and partisan gridlock seems more entrenched than ever before. The fiscal cliff sits threateningly on the horizon. In fact, in the middle of December, both parties seem no less entrenched in their positions than before the election. The Republican-controlled House is focused on stopping the perceived excesses of the Obama administration; the Democratic-controlled Senate feels more empowered to push its agenda while the president begins to think of his legacy. In light of these entrenched views, can across-the-board cuts and tax increases be avoided in January?

Of course it can. However, it will take a different kind of conversation and principled negotiation to move forward in the new Washington reality. Historically, Washington has been a place of competitive compromise. When a major decision loomed on the horizon, the different players would argue, accuse, threaten and pontificate until the 11^th hour, and then agreement would be reached. This approach of establishing positions and giving in as little as possible until the last minute worked when both parties were interested in dancing this dance. (Perhaps, it will happen like that again. But, in the current political environment, one wonders about the ability of these bodies to agree on legislation of this magnitude.)

Beginning with the Contract for America in the 1990s, new reality began to develop in D.C. Ideologues began to be elected. At this moment, people are serving in both houses who were elected with the standard of “don’t give in.” For those on the right – “Don’t give in to big government and out of control spending.” For this group, the fiscal cliff can be avoided by cutting costs only. For those on the left – “Don’t give up the gains made in social justice and extending governmental services.” For this group, the primary way to address the economic problems is to raise taxes on the rich. In the meantime, the Government Accountability Office states that both tax increases and spending reductions are necessary to resolve our economic problems. Yet, compromise on principles seems weak and disingenuous to a segment of our political leaders.

But there is hope for a fresh start, but that fresh start will require a different commitment and spirit than exists today. Trent Lott, former majority leader of the Senate, said these politicians need to set aside their strongly held positions and “really learn how to listen to each other.” But it goes beyond listening. The two parties and the president must develop legislative recommendations based on consensus that takes shape through in-depth conversations. The president in particular will need to clarify his agenda, since he holds the strongest position of power in Washington at this moment, leaving room for the Republicans to make gains also. Upon this clarification by the president, an agenda should be set with a schedule for action that emanates from the White House. The president and his team must decide that drawing lines between themselves and the speaker of the House at university campuses won’t necessarily resolve the problem. Therefore, instead of attempting to force the competition into cooperation, the president must be ready to steer the conversation rather than dictate it.

However, Congress and the Senate will also need to step up to the plate. These Houses should stay in session and communicate with each other on a daily basis until a mutual plan is developed. The speaker of the House and majority leader of the Senate have to spend hours engaging each other in respectful dialogue until they are able to appreciate each others’ position and find ways to address each others’ interests.

In many ways, the House and Senate have abandoned their regular order of work and have depended too much on the media and party designates to communicate their messages. Both entities need to involve their committees and subcommittees in the hard work of hammering out legislation and quit depending on the top of the respective tickets to solve their problems for them. We all know that significant differences exist, but these differences require more communication, not less. Members of the House and Senate need to have conversations, mark up bills, confer with each other and eventually take final action by bringing both bodies together to vote on final passage and send it to the president to sign or veto.

In this substantial fight, we have forgotten that democracy is a process and this process will save us. As Lott said, “Both parties need to remember that the goal is a better future for this country”…not for their respective parties.

I recently visited with a long-time congressman and asked him about a mutual acquaintance from a different political party who serves with him in Congress. He replied, “He is a really nice guy and does some good work, but I think we can pick him off.”

We have a long way to go.

Please, trust the process of negotiation and compromise that have been the historical strengths of our two-party system.

Five ways to give yourself the gift of health this Christmas

Lowery, Anne — Sat, 1 Dec 2012 17:30:00 GMT

Christmas is a time of non-stop fun, but all that fun can be pretty stressful sometimes. The best gift you may give this year is to stop and focus on your own health for a little while each day. A healthy, rested body will make the good times over Christmas even better!

Check out my list of five ways you can stay healthy and stress-free during the holidays, collected from Lipscomb’s health sciences faculty and staff:

1.) To get the most out of the season, use all of your senses, not just taste, to slow down and savor the indulgent foods during the holidays.

Denis Thomas, assistant professor in psychology and counseling

2.) Do like the Kennedys. Model your Christmas Day after the Kennedys’ with a backyard touch football game. Find other ways to incorporate activity into your holiday traditions whether it’s hiking at Radnor Lake; participating in a 5K run/walk; or establishing a family ping-pong or Wii tennis tournament. Boost spirits and energy levels by fostering active holidays.

Karen Robichaud, director of the exercise and nutrition program

3.) Plan, Plan, Plan! Plan what you’re going to eat and factor it in BEFORE the Christmas parties. Don’t get caught starving at the party and then eating lots of unhealthy foods because you didn't eat lunch.

Anna Rose Anderson, director of the university’s employee wellness plan and instructor in kinesiology

4.) Consider parking as far away from the stores as possible whenever you go Christmas shopping, You’ll get more exercise and every calorie you burn will help you maintain your weight over the holiday. Get out and hit the stores rather than shopping on your computer. The more you move, the better off you’ll be! (And the better you’ll fit into your new clothes after the holiday.

Karen Robichaud

5.) Don’t forget to drink plenty of water (It’s calorie-free!) during the holiday season, Tired of plain old water? Get some low-calorie hot chocolate mix available at any grocery store and mix it with hot water instead of milk to further reduce the calorie content.

Denis Thomas

A psychologist’s plan for enjoying a positive holiday season

Ribeiro, Douglas — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:00:00 GMT

I have the privilege (or some might say burden) to introduce graduate students aspiring to become counselors or psychologists to a myriad of psychological problems. As you can imagine, this is not the most uplifting class in their program of study. Week after week we focus on abnormality. We attempt to understand what keeps people from experiencing a meaningful and joyous life.

So I thought about focusing this blog on the numerous studies that discuss the increased incidence of depression, anxiety and other mood disorders during the holiday season. But then I was reminded that even though there is an increased incidence of mood disorders during this time, most of us are far more interested in learning ways to optimize this holiday time to
experience joy and fulfillment. I’m not the first one to realize this. Dr. Martin Seligman, a past American Psychological Association president and proponent of positive psychology, has spent years researching what works to improve people’s level of life satisfaction and meaning. Among his recommendations there is one that I believe could make this holiday season one to remember. It is called a gratitude visit. Here is what you need to do in Dr. Seligman’s words:\

Select one important person from your past who has made a major positive difference in your life and to whom you have never fully expressed your thanks. (Do not confound this selection with new-found romantic love, or with the possibility of a future gain.)
Write a testimonial just long enough to cover one laminated page. Take your time composing this; my students and I found ourselves taking several weeks, composing on buses and as we fell asleep at night.
Invite that person to your home, or travel to that person’s home. It is important you do this face to face, not just in writing or on the phone.
Do not tell the person the purpose of the visit in advance; a simple “I just want to see you” will suffice… but bring a laminated version of your testimonial with you as a gift.
When all settles down, read your testimonial aloud slowly, with expression, and with eye contact.
Then let the other person react unhurriedly. Reminisce together about the concrete events that make this person so important to you.

It is my hope that this simple but profound visit may change the way you experience your
holiday season.

Six ways to say thanks to your healthy body over Thanksgiving

Marshall, Autumn — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 18:45:00 GMT

More than any other time of year, Thanksgiving is the day we are to show gratitude for our blessings -- but that doesn’t mean we need to partake of every edible blessing all in one day!

A healthy body and mind is an incredible blessing, too, so try saying “thanks” to your healthy body by taking a few small steps to protect it during the non-stop feasting.

Here are a few tips for keeping your body healthy and whole through the Thanksgiving holiday, starting with my own advice: on Thanksgiving Day, eat breakfast. That way you won’t be as tempted to over-eat later in the day!

1.) Decrease your stress levels this holiday season by keeping a gratitude list of a few things each day or week that you are thankful for. It’s a great way to combat the extra stresses that can come with family commitments during the holiday season.

Bethany Massey, director of health services

2.) A great way to keep on an even keel over the holidays is to walk a mile for each dessert you eat. Take a family member with you for enjoyable company, or enjoy the solitude if that’s more your style.

Denis Thomas, assistant professor in psychology and counseling

3.) Avoid elastic waistbands! Thanksgiving is a holiday notorious for gluttony. If your waistband expands as you eat, you don’t have that nagging reminder to stop when you’re comfortably full, rather than eating until you split your sides. So put on your regular pants or skirt without the elastic waistband. Your waistline will thank you.

Karen Robichaud, director of the exercise and nutrition program

4.) Don’t skip meals so you can “splurge” later. Skipping meals makes you more hungry so you tend to over-eat once you get to the table for the feast. Eating every 3-4 hours also helps keep blood sugars stable to avoid insulin dips and spikes.

Bethany Massey

5.) Everyone should eat their calories at the Thanksgiving feast, not drink their calories throughout the holiday week. Stick to water or low-calorie drinks!

Bethany Massey

City should learn from education bright spots

McQueen, Candice — Fri, 2 Nov 2012 20:15:00 GMT

Metro-Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) is one of the most diverse school districts in the Southeast, if not the entire U.S. It is a district that serves not only diverse ethnicities, but also a myriad of cultures and languages from around the globe and almost every income level in the socio-economic spectrum. Student diversity brings both opportunities and challenges to the district that can never be met if the community and the school board continue to spend exhaustive amounts of time and energy discussing events that have little impact on serving the greatest needs in the district.

To see more information on how McQueen and the College of Education help charter school and district schools to work together, click here.

Yes, I mean Great Hearts Academies. The controversy may remain for years, but we must move ahead with all urgency. The singular focus of every conversation we have about education in our city must be on excellence for all students.

What does that mean? It does not mean looking for a “magic pill” or seeking a pre-packaged solution or developing a complicated plan.

Achieving excellence takes nothing short of very hard work. Hard work begins with authentic admission of failures, an accurate view of current status, and a clear vision of success. The hard work should be done collaboratively -- to work with others toward the goal. I think we are missing a golden opportunity to genuinely co-labor toward doable solutions in the city. We have schools in our city that are showing yearly growth as measured on state achievement tests. These schools are both district and charter schools. Are we intentionally asking: What can we learn from these “bright spots” that can be scaled in our community? In what conditions do these schools thrive and how can that be replicated? What school practices are working with what student populations?

We should be proponents of quality charter schools for all the reasons most charters exist:

They provide school choice,
They provide an autonomous option that increases competition that can ultimately improve the quality of all schools, and
They provide a smaller, more independent setting to try and then scale up best practices.

Many charter schools have been very successful and have contributed to not only the lives of their students and families, but also to the body of research on innovation in K-12 school settings.

I also believe you do not have to be anti-district to be pro-charter. I am pro-charter and pro-district and believe we can and should look at where progress is being made in any place it occurs, looking for scalable practices. Some of the best teachers in Tennessee, making significant yearly gains, are teaching in Metro-Nashville Public Schools.

We need to stop letting the charter conversation be a distraction to the work we must to do to be successful in every community. We are at a perfect time in our city to move ahead and learn what we can from any school that is having success in our own backyard. Let’s stop bickering about what has happened and look for real solutions to the larger challenges we have with attention to the opportunities that abound.

Five things we learned from the Presidential debates

Schwerdt, Marc — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 19:20:00 GMT

Now that the debates are over, it’s time to set the stage for the final stretch of the campaign. Nov. 6 happens in two weeks and what do we know now that we didn’t know three weeks ago before the debates even happened?

1. Mitt Romney has a chance to win this election though it is still south of an even 50-50 chance. The first debate allowed people to see Romney as more than a caricature painted by the Obama campaign or his former Republican rivals. Romney was able to position himself alongside Obama, as opposed to trying to set himself apart from other Republicans.

2. President Obama is severely weakened by the economy, and he has no other accomplishments to fall back onto. The economy has not met expectations, and voters are not buying the argument that the economy is doing ‘well enough considering the hole we were in four years ago’ mindset. It shows a lingering faith in the strength of a free market that MORE people were not disillusioned by the events of 2008. Romney has played to this faith much better than Obama has.

3. None of the things that President Obama has done (e.g. ending the war in Afghanistan, passing ObamaCare, the spending bills in TARP and the stimulus) have gained him any support during the campaign. What were thought to be major successes either paled in comparison to the continuing weakness of the economy or provided Obama no credit for these accomplishments except as failures.

4. Attempts to paint the current economy as a shared burden with the Bush administration or a Republican Congress have not been convincing to voters. Though voters may agree that the Bush administration or the recalcitrant Republican Congress are partially at fault, this doesn’t mean voters are willing to give Obama another term. He has to give the voters something to vote for but all he is giving them is something to vote against: Governor Romney.

5. Women voters are becoming more relevant as they are increasingly becoming heads of household, not just for single mothers but also as the primary wage earners within many family types. Many now see Republican initiatives from the head-of-household standpoint rather than the more traditional standpoint of ‘women’s issues’ such as abortion and equal pay, which usually advantage Democrats.

The debates made this campaign a dead heat, though it is President Obama’s race to lose. If he loses, it will be a sign that American voters are willing to give each side a chance.

Update: See Marc Schwerdt discussing Hurricane Sandy's effect on voting Nov. 6 on Channel 2

Election 2012: Keep an eye on college voters in 2012

Peek Schacht, Linda — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Linda Schacht will host debate-watch and discussion parties for students and the community tonight (10/16) and Monday (10/22) in Shamblin Theatre. For more information click here.

While signs indicate that college voters are not as engaged in election politics in 2012 as they were in the high watermark year 2008, the power of the college vote is still crucial to the 2012 election and students should strive to make their voice heard, said Linda Peek Schacht, executive director of the Nelson and Sue Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership as well as a former White House staffer and political activist.

Schacht’s institute, along with the communication and journalism; and history, politics and philosophy departments in the College of Arts and Sciences, are hosting four debate watches for students and the community, and Schacht believes political operators should keep a close eye on the college vote on Nov. 6.

“The big question for 2012 is who among the youth demographic will vote and who won’t. Those results will indicate whether the college vote is now a sustainable, powerful force in the campaign process, or if 2008 was an exception to past voting trends. It will also show the effects of new laws in various states making it harder for many college students to vote at all,” said Schacht.

In Tennessee, not only does the new voter identification law specifically exclude student IDs from being used at the polls, but the law also prohibits an out-of-state student turning 18 from registering to vote by mail and then also voting absentee by mail in their first election. The student must register in person at their county of residence before they can receive an absentee ballot to vote by mail in their first election.

“Both students and political activists should be watching closely how Tennessee’s and other laws affect the student vote in this election, and then ask themselves if making voter fraud more difficult is worth making it more difficult for a rising, powerful new demographic to vote as well,” she said.

Students are invited to watch the last two presidential debates at Pizza and Politics in Shamblin Theatre, tonight,(10/16) and Monday (10/22). For more details, click here.

Click here and select "Inside Politics; Vice Presidential Debate" to see Linda Peek Schacht discuss the Oct. 11 debate on Inside Politics with Pat Nolan.

Pharmacy compounding is nothing to be afraid of

Davis, Roger — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 18:00:00 GMT

While the thoughts and prayers of everyone at the Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy are with those impacted by the fungal meningitis outbreak, I thought I would take this opportunity to assist the community in understanding what is occurring.

You may have heard a lot of talk about “compounding” since this outbreak started. Compounding is a core component of the art and science of pharmacy. It is simply the preparation and mixing of ingredients, assembling and/or packaging, and labeling of a drug or device. Compounding is specifically done in accordance with a licensed practitioner’s patient-specific prescription for a customized preparation.

The non-sterile form of compounding is done in your retail pharmacy every day to fill your prescriptions, and the sterile form of compounding is done in specialty sterile compounding pharmacies every time a patient requires an IV or any other type of drug. It is not a process that should cause patients concern.

While “compounding” is in the name of the New England Compounding Center that has come under scrutiny, it appears, based on news reports and Center for Disease Control announcements, that the process conducted by the New England center resulting in the tainted medication could have been manufacturing. The manufacturing of a drug is defined as the distribution of inordinate amounts of compounded preparations or the preparation of any quantity of a drug without a licensed prescriber, pharmacist and patient triad.

Manufacturing is not a process carried out by your local pharmacy, and when conducted legally, it is overseen and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration to ensure product integrity and patient safety.

If you are concerned about your medications, here are some questions to ask your local pharmacist:

Is this a compounded or a commercially available product?
Does this product require sterile technique for proper preparation?
Has your prescriber explained the risk and benefits of this product?

These questions should be asked regarding any prescription you are given:

Why are you taking this medication?
What did the doctor tell you to expect from this product?
What are the potential side effects or adverse reactions of this product?
How am I to manage and respond to side effects or adverse reactions?
How long am I to take this medication to achieve the outcome desired?

Read more:

Click here to see video of Dean Davis on Channel 4
Click here to see a transcript of Dean Davis on Channel 2
Click here to see video of Dean Davis and pharmacy professors on Channel 5

Avoiding West Nile virus just takes common sense

English, James — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Nashville is experiencing its toughest year fighting West Nile virus since 2008. Now that the virus has claimed the life of a local resident, it’s an appropriate time to get serious about avoiding mosquitoes, which could transmit the disease from birds to people. But it’s not the time to lose your head and barricade yourself inside your dorm room (especially if you have classes with me!).

It's pretty important to recognize the actual risk of getting this disease. Just because you get a mosquito bite doesn't mean you'll get the virus, and if you got the virus, it's most likely you'd never know it. It’s pretty rare for the West Nile virus to give someone symptoms bad enough to send them to a hospital or doctor. Usually, at most you might feel a little run-down, maybe you would have some body aches or feel like you have a mild case of the flu. In very rare cases people who get the virus will get more severe symptoms like a high fever or terrible headache, very stiff joints or a body rash. It does seem to be the case that people over the age of about 50, and those with already compromised immune systems seem to be more likely to become ill from the virus. Just to be clear, you won't get the virus from another person, and it doesn't seem that mosquitoes will pass the virus from person to person.

Because I'm a scientist, I have to tell give you a little information on the ecology of this disease. The virus lives in birds, mainly crows. One type of mosquito passes the virus around from bird to bird, increasing the virus load in the bird populations. By the end of summer, the virus load is heavy enough in the birds that other mosquitoes - those that feed on birds and mammals - will carry the virus from the bird populations into mammals, like people. Human cases of West Nile virus usually start showing up in the early fall. Usually, after the first hard frost, mosquitoes start dying and human cases slow down. In most places in the United States, winters are cold enough to kill most mosquitoes, so the next season of West Nile virus doesn't start up again until late spring when mosquitoes come out again.

As far as diseases go, West Nile is one you can do something about, to some degree. Get plenty of sleep, eat well, stay healthy and follow these basic tips to diminish your chance of being affected by West Nile virus:

Limit outside activity at dawn and dusk, the key times for mosquito activity.
Wear long sleeves and pants, especially at dawn and dusk.
Wear insect repellant on your skin and clothing that contains DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535.
Don’t panic if you are bitten by a mosquito. Though West Nile virus can affect people of all age groups, only about 1% of those getting the virus will get seriously ill.

Click here to see Dr. English talking West Nile virus on Channel 4

Click here to see Dr, English talking West Nile virus on Channel 17