THE
Daily
MISSISSIPPIAN theDMonline.com
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Volume 113, No. 18
Bills eliminating DEI programs in schools advance in state House and Senate After President Donald Trump issued an executive order to phase out diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Mississippi lawmakers introduced separate bills paralleling his efforts at the state level. JAYLYNN CONNER Assistant Editor
The Mississippi House and Senate have passed respective bills that will prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion language and programs in public educational institutions, following a pair of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump that cut DEI programs on the federal level. House Bill 1193, which passed Feb. 5 with a vote of 7441, prohibits “public schools, state accredited nonpublic schools and
public postsecondary educational institutions from creating, promoting and implementing diversity, equity and inclusion programs.” This bill also prohibits these institutions from using diversity statements and training in hiring, admissions and employment practices. Requirements for teaching and promoting that there are two genders, male and female, would also be implemented. This implementation would require higher education institutions to
submit annual reports to the Mississippi governor and legislature to ensure compliance. If passed by the Senate and signed into law by the governor, the bill would take effect July 1, 2025. Senate Bill 2515 passed Feb. 6. with a 3414 vote in favor of the bill. This bill, which is also related to DEI, is being referred to as the “Requiring Efficiency For Our Colleges and Universities (REFOCUS) Act.” KHARLEY REDMON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN The bill would cre- Some of the most common words found in recent Mississippi state legislation and
SEE DEI PAGE 2
President Donald Trump’s executive orders related to the elimination of DEI
IHL approves Vardaman Hall renovations HANNAH IVEY
News Staff Writer
Renovations to turn Vardaman Hall into a Student Engagement Center are expected to begin in spring 2026, according to Jacob Batte, director of news and media relations at the University of Mississippi. Vardaman Hall, across from Rebel Market on Dormitory Row W, was constructed in 1929 to serve as a male-only dormitory but was renovated in 1988 to become an administration building. The nearly 100-year-old building was last renovated in 2011. The Student Engagement Center will provide a space for hosting programs and events, according to Batte. Changes will include a complete renovation of both the exterior and interior of the building, according to the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. The renovations will also include additions to provide accessibility to all floors. “Proposed features include student spaces such as lounges and study rooms, staff offices and an outdoor plaza,” Batte said. “The university will work with current building occupants to identify temporary space while the renovations are underway.” Batte said that plans for the facility were craft-
Rebel baseball opens season with loaded freshman class IAN SPARKS
Sports Staff Writer
Vardaman Hall ed
by students and staff. “The university has worked with an advisory committee of students and staff on plans to renovate Vardaman Hall to become a Student Engagement Center,” Batte said. “The focus of the center is on cultivating success, strengthening a sense of community and promoting opportunities for all students.” Housed inside Vardaman Hall is the university’s designated prayer room. Earlier this year, the Muslim Student Association petitioned the university requesting a new prayer space with more room and improved facilities for ablutions.
CALLI HULL / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
“I was informed last semester that once the renovations officially begin, the university will ensure that we are provided with another space on campus until the changes are completed,” Adam Soltani, president of the Muslim Student Association, said. “In the meantime, we have been given a space in the union for our weekly Friday prayers in addition to our current usage of Vardaman Hall for our daily prayers.”
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Ole Miss Baseball will begin its 2025 season in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Rebels face Arizona in their opening game on Friday, Feb. 14, followed by Texas on Saturday, Feb. 15 and Clemson on Sunday, Feb. 16. In the past two seasons, Ole Miss has fallen short of post-season NCAA Tournament play. Under head coach Mike Bianco, who has led the team for 24 years, the program has appeared in the tourna-
ment 18 times with eight Super Regional and two College World Series appearances. The Rebels won the College World Series in 2022 but lost a large number of star players after that championship run, including Tim Elko, Dylan DeLucia, Justin Bench and Hayden Dunhurst. While Bianco and his staff have not reproduced the impact of those departed players, they have grabbed some key
SEE BASEBALL PAGE 7
DANIEL LAUBHAN / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Ethan Groff prepares to swing against Mississippi State on April 12, 2024.