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Serving Southern Miss since 1927
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Volume 93, Issue 9
Legislature aims to decentralize college board Lesley Walters News Editor
State legislators met with university administration officials and representatives of Southern Miss faculty, staff and student body Tuesday afternoon to discuss a possible reconfiguration of the College Board. Chairman of the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee, Doug Davis began his statewide tour of Mississippi’s eight institutions of higher learning in the conference room of the Administration Building at Southern Miss. With a handful of fellow legislators in tow, he explained a bill he authored that aims to reconfigure Mississippi’s
system of higher education. The College Board, or the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, is the governing body that oversees all eight universities and colleges in the state. The IHL Board receives funding from state legislature in one lump sum, then allocates funding to each university and college, based on a formula. The College Board also has control over which degree programs a college can offer. The bill, which won’t be presented to the Senate until regular sessions resume in January, would make the current IHL Board a Board of Governors to oversee eight Boards of Trust-
I found out why, “it When just scared me so bad. I started praying for a lot of people my friends and I knew who were working in those buildings.
”
Candice White
sophomore forensic science major
ees, one for each university. The local boards would have control over what degree programs would be offered and state legislators would be in charge of creating a formula for funding. Davis said that part of the legislation would allow individual
boards of trustees some “sayso” over their funding, within certain parameters. To concerns that a funding formula set in place by state legislators would create an unfair dispersement of funds, Davis points to how the IHL allocated its funds to Mississippi universities this year, in which “five received a decrease in funding, two received level funding and one received an increase in funding.” Davis added that “you don’t have to look far” to find another similar set-up. Systems like the one he is proposing are already in place in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and Texas. Even the Mississippi State Board for
Community and Junior Colleges. “What I’m trying to do is ave what I did not have in my four years as a student, and that is a discussion about our higher education system,” Davis said. “What I am trying to do is make sure that at the end of the day, the system we have, or that we put into place, is the best system that the people of this state can have.” Rep. Toby Barker, R-Hattiesburg, was the only House member to attend the meeting Tuesday. He said that he appreciates that Davis is willing to take time out of his day to visit each college to consider their input as he proposes this bill. He added that
Davis has shown “a great deal of initiative.” However, Barker said he believes the legislation “would over-politicize higher education.” He added that while there is “always room for improvement,” he is unsure that the reconfiguration of higher education would create more benefit than complication. His primary concern is with the idea that legislation would create the formula for funding. “You can look at how the legislature handled medicaid this year, and see that probably won’t go over very well.” Barker added that since there are now three members of the College Board with degrees COLLEGE BOARD continued on page 8
Miss. politicians tailgate at USM Meryl Dakin Printz Writer
Though it may snag the big headlines, the presidential race isn’t the only one up for grabs this November. Mississippi’s US Senate elections are scheduled for this fall as well, with the rare coincidence of both seats being contested. Along with the regularly scheduled election for the Class II seat, currently held by Sen. Thad Cochran (R) and challenged by Erik Fleming (D), two Mississippi candidates are vying for Trent Lott’s recently vacated Class I seat: Roger Wicker (R) and Ronnie Musgrove (D). In December 2007, Senator Lott resigned, leaving his Class I seat empty in the fourth quarter of his term. Governor Haley Barbour appointed Roger Wicker to fill his place. Immediately after appointment, Wicker began gathering forces to regain the seat when his term ends this November. Among the candidates who announced their bid for the seat this January was Ronnie Musgrove. The former Governor has been the only candidate to prevail against incumbent Wicker. The latest Rasmussen Report indicates the two are running a close race so far. Conducted on August 21, the poll places Wicker at 47% among Mississippi voters and Musgrove at 42%. Neither candidate is ignoring the young adult demographic among Mississippi’s constituents. Though many students from USM are not eligible voters in the Mississippi election, these candidates have established quite a presence on campus. Among the non-natives is Emily Hoxie, President of the College Republicans, who is or-
ganizing tailgating parties for W i c k e r. “ We ’ r e g o i n g Ronnie Musgrove (D) to have a tent with a lot of bumper stickers and yards signs and we’ll be there to Roger Wicker (R) talk about Wicker if people have questions. And then Wicker will be here for some of the games as well.” Ronnie Musgrove is equally as active in Southern’s atmosphere. According to Ry Logan, president of the College Democrats, he’ll be attending the USM game against Marshall Saturday, September 20th. For the students who are eligible to vote in the Mississippi elections and those who are interested in the future of their college careers here, selection and support of one of these candidates is “very important,” says Logan. “After helping elect someone here, students can always go back to their home state and know how to campaign for someone there. Also, the senator we elect here will be working with home senators on bills and such, and we want to know they’ll be working together.” Hoxie added that her interest in Mississippi’s government officials is great despite her background in Louisiana. “Even though I go home to New Orleans during the summer and some weekends, my life is here: my school, my friends, my boyfriend…as of now Mississippi is my home.”
Maggie Sanford/Printz
The Trent Lott Center, a project of $22.8 million is set to open the first floor by December and will house the department of economic and workforce development. After delays due to lack of funding, the building is to be fully occupational by September 2009.
Lott Center to open in a year Bob Worth Printz Writer
After funding shortfalls and numerous delays, the first floor of the Trent Lott Center is expected to be completed by December. The remaining floors of the massive columned building should be ready for occupancy by September 2009, according to Rusty Postlewate, Director of Physical Plant. “Completed in about a year - that’s our goal,” he said. The University recently over-
News Editor
Three years after Hurricane Katrina wrecked the coastal sister-campus of Southern Miss, Gulf Park has recordhigh enrollment this fall. Preliminary figures show that fall enrollment is at its highest since it was opened 36 years ago. The number of students enrolled at the Gulf Park campus in Long Beach increased by 344 students, or 18.13 percent, from 2007. Shelia White, director of
marketing and public relations for Southern Miss Gulf Coast, said part of the increase could have something to do with recovery from Hurricane Katrina, but gives most of the credit to faculty and staff. “We’ve had some great efforts from our faculty and staff to both recruit and retain students,” White said. “We just have a dedicated team down here.” Pat Joachim, associate provost of Southern Miss Gulf Coast, said she was excited to see the high numbers. She also gave credit to the faculty, staff and marketing team for this
of Economic and Workforce Development, The Trent Lott Center of Excellence for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship, and the University Foundation. The Department of Economic and Workforce Development, which was originally expected to occupy the second and third floors, will now occupy the second floor only, and the University Foundation will be housed in the third floor. The change has necessitated a new layout for the two upper
floors, which is further aggravating the delays. “We went back to those two activities, and asked how do you need them configured?” Postlewate said. The reconfiguration will add additional construction time, but Postelwate added, “It’s a commitment of the administration to complete the building.” When asked about the inclusion of the University Foundation in the building, Dr. Cecil Burge, Vice President for Research and Economic Development noted that “It is a very
TRENT LOTT CENTER continued on page 8
Enrollment figures break record Lesley Walters
came a four million dollar funding shortfall that was preventing completion of the project. The plan to construct the building, which was initiated during the administration of University President Horace Fleming, is being paid for by a combination of Federal and State funds, as well as private donations through the University Foundation. Delays in the project have prompted the withdrawal of some private donations. Once completed, the building will house the Department
year’s record-breaking enrollment. Joachim said professors are “doing a terrific job in their classes,” from content to instructional delivery. She added that advisement and encouragement have played a role in retaining students. Their recruitment efforts were amplified with help from marketing, which went to each college of study to find a degree program to highlight that would interest incoming students, Joachim said. She added that they are “aggressive” in their recruitment, making efforts to keep in contact with ENROLLMENT continued on page 9
Page 2|News
www.studentprintz.com | Thursday, September 18, 2008
CampusEvents
TODAY 11:45 a.m. – Wesley Foundation Lunch – Wesley Foundation 6:30 p.m. – Symphony Orchestra presents Shangri-La Gala – Lake Terrace Convention Center 7 p.m. – Southern Miss Volleyball v. UCF – Reed Green Coliseum TOMORROW All Day – Southern Miss Women’s Tennis @ Stony Brook Invititational – Stony Brook, N.Y. 11:30 a.m. – College of Business BAC meeting – Hattiesburg
1 p.m. – McNeese State v. North Texas – Southern Miss Tournament – Reed Green Coliseum 3:30 p.m. – UCF v. McNeese State – Southern Miss Tournament – Reed Green Coliseum 6 p.m. – Southern Miss Volleyball v. North Texas – Southern Miss Tournament – Reed Green Coliseum 6 p.m. – Dr. Heidi Lucas – Faculty Recital – Marsh Auditorium SATURDAY All Day -- Southern Miss Women’s Tennis @ Stony Brook Invititational – Stony Brook, N.Y. All Day – All-South Marching Band Day – The Rock 9:30 a.m. – North Texas v. UCF – Southern Miss Tournament – Reed Green Coliseum 2:30 p.m. – Southern Miss Football v. Marshall – The Rock 6:30 p.m. – Southern Miss
Volleyball v. McNeese State – Southern Miss Tournament – Reed Green Coliseum
SUNDAY All Day – Southern Miss Women’s Tennis @ Stony Brook Invitational – Stony Brook, N.Y. 2 p.m. – Southern Miss Soccer v. Miss. State – Track and Field Complex 2:30 p.m. – Andrew McKay and Taylor Hammons Trombone Recital – Marsh Auditorium MONDAY All Day – Southern Miss Men’s Golf @ Adams Cup – Kingston, R.I.
Send your campus event info to: events@studentprintz.com
Lesley Walters/Printz
Brittany Hall senior accounting major from Magnolia, paints the baby rock in preparation of game day. Hall is a board member of Legacy, which is in charge of painting the baby rock.
DirtyBirds
9-12-08 •Hillcrest Lot - Motor Vehicle Accident - MS Uniform Crash report on file. •Scott hall - Destroying Private Property - A USM bicycle was found lying on the sidewalk with damage to the basket and rear wheel. •Pinehaven Apt - Petit Larceny - A resident reported the theft of a bicycle. 9-13-08 •iTech Bldg - Welfare Concern - Report on file. •Elam Arms - Harassing Phone Calls - Referred to Forrest County Justice Court. 9-14-08 •Pulley Hall - Medical Assist - Incident report filed. •Panhellenic - Grand Larceny - A resident reported the theft of a Sony laptop.
Thursday, September 18, 2008 |News
www.studentprintz.com |Page 3
Entertainment
Page 4 entertainment@studentprintz.com
Finding your way around the new Facebook A quick tour of America’s favorite social network site on the net Andy Hess Executive Editor
Even though they’ve been testing the new site for months, popular social networking site Facebook has released their new site design this week replacing the old site, forcing over 100 million users to conform and complain about the newness of it all. Since launching the site, they’re has been backlash from Facebook faithful with groups and petitions calling for the site to change back to the old format. “The new Facebook has been available for a few months for general use, and we’ve been iterating on it for a long time,” said Mark Slee, the product manager
of Facebook, in a blog post announcing the switch to the new site. “We set out to make Facebook simpler, cleaner, more relevant, and easier to control.” But before you join “1,000,000 Against the New Facebook” and apply a digital signature to an online petition take a look at our how-to guide. The Homepage One of the most notable changes is the complete removal of the left-hand sidebar. Instead all the links have been moved to a wider sidebar on the right side of the page. Also, the applications menu has been moved to the bottom of the page in a scrollable menu. The page also features tabbed browsing. From the homepage you can access the Facebook
news feed, status updates, photos and posted items. The status update has taken on a Twitterlike design and can be instantly updated from any page on the Web site. Your Profile All of the important links that you would need to use the site are at the top of the screen. The newest and one of the better features is the publisher on the main page of your profile. Want to change your status, upload photos and a video? All three can be done from the your profile page. Also, your Facebook Wall has been replaced with a list similar to the news feed. This streamlines the process of accessing your content. Tabbed browsing is also available on your profile page to give you the ability to access your information, photos and applications without loading a new Web page. Application Menu There is a new dropdown menu in which users can view all their applications. It’s great if you have very few applications, but if you have a good number then you might have some problems with the scrolling and it takes a decent amount of time to browse through the list. Also, Facebook has updated with pretty much every Web 2.0 feature on the market along the lines of Friendfeed and countless other web aggregators. Now you can import your feeds from various social networking sites such as del.icio.us, Stumbleupon, Digg and Last fm among others. Bookmarks As previously mentioned, Facebook moved the applications to two different places: the top of the right side-bar and at the bottom of the page. The sidebar version gives you eight links, but by clicking “more” expands
Photos from Facebook.com
Popular social networking site Facebook.com officially launched their redesign late last week. Facebook has over 100 million users.
to show other applications. Friends Page The friends page does not have really anything new on it, but they did expand some of the features on the page. Long gone is the way of “[Insert name here] needs yo digits!” group. If you lose a number, get it on Facebook in the Phonebook tab. If you don’t want you number on
Facebook, take it off your information. Speed Facebook has done tons of work to reduce the number of page views required to navigate the site. Instead of waiting for a new page to load, everything is viewed inside the same page you are on. With the introduction of new features and the ability to
use different Web sites through Facebook, speed helps when having to navigate the pages. Feedback Facebook has thrived by listening to their users and nothing is going to change unless the users want it changed. The Web site is always looking for an angry letter or some positive reinforcement. Send them something.
Thursday, September 18, 2008 |Entertainment
www.studentprintz.com | Page 5
Review: Mercenaries 2 is unpolished, but fun Brandon Morris Printz Writer
“Mercenaries 2: World in Flames”, which hit shelves August 31st, is the latest release from Pandemic Studios for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Playstation 2. Highly anticipated due to its predecessor, the title simply does not live up to the hype. As a sandbox game, I have to compare “Mercenaries 2” to “Grand Theft Auto”. Unfortunately for Pandemic, that comparison is rarely favorable. There are two kinds of “GTA” fans. Those that enjoy the missions and storyline and those that just turn on cheat codes and go on rampages. “Mercenaries 2” is for the latter group. The storyline of “Mercenaries 2” is laughably simple. Guy pisses off Viking, Viking
kills guy, and a nuclear war occurs incidentally. Pay it no attention, Pandemic didn’t either. The cut-scenes are at best slightly funny and at worst awkwardly mechanical. While both Mattias Nilsson and Chris Jacobs, voiced by Peter Stormare and Phil LaMarr respectively, feel well characterized and fun to play, I felt that Jennifer Hale phoned in her performance as Jennifer Mui. I began the game as Jennifer, preferring the character’s speed, but hated her character enough to restart as Mattias. The entirety of Venezuela isn’t at your mercy, only the immediate area around Caracas. This is adequate, however, as each part of the world is unique and interesting. The only filler is in the relatively small cities, which have none of the charm of those from the
Mercenaries 2
Mercenaries 2 is out now for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC and Playstation 2. Cost: $35 to $59 Released: August 31
“GTA” series. The only buildings worth noting are those that employ you, all others exist only to be razed. Pandemic implemented the cooperative game play well. However, the game has no local multiplayer options. You cannot play co-op unless your friend has another Xbox, Live account, and a copy of the game. I hate this trend. The developers have accomplished their goals. The variety of vehicles, air strikes, and weapons available allow you to lay utter waste to a large game world alone or online.
However, everything else feels unpolished. Rarely do I see this many glitches in a major release. There are too many to detail here, but the worst is the NPC chatter. Intended to be informative, it is instead rage inducing. If someone is in my vehicle, for example, he spends his tenure constantly saying “Hello,” “Hey,” “Yo,” and “Hey look, it’s Mattias.” It’s like a world populated by “Ocarina of Time’s” Navi, but far less useful. Yet, somehow, it remains fun. Any game where my buddy can carry a tank with a helicopter, while I use that tank to sink an oil rig, is going to be fun. “Mercenaries 2” survives on such moments of over the top spectacle.
Brandon Morris is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu
Film society celebrates Contempt Eric Nagurney Entertainment Editor
For the 45th anniversary of JeanLuc Goddard’s “Contempt,” the Hattiesburg Film Society will be holding a showing of the film at the Saenger Theater this Sunday. Jean-Luc Goddard’s 1963 film stars Brigitte Bardot, Jack Palance and Michel Piccoli. “Contempt follows a screen writer, who is mostly concerned with art, through the travails of the ‘studio system’,” said film society head Chris Cagle. “The film follows him through one compromise after another, until his private life begins to bear the weight of the compromises as well.” The movie is Goddard’s only attempt at making a commercial film. “It’s Jean-Luc Goddard making a film for a mass audience with the finest in cinema making tools, which is an absolute oxymoron, but
he succeeds,” said Cagle. The Hattiesburg Film Society has a number of other events scheduled for the next few months. October will see a screening of the Mississippi-made film Ballast. In December, there will be a showing of Contempt
What: Contempt Where: Saenger Theater When: Sunday Price: $5
the French animated film Johnny the Giant Killer, along with a live performance of a newly-composed soundtrack by New York jazz quartet Gutbucket. Sunday’s screening will be begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission will be $5.
USM Homecoming September 15 outside the SGA office Eagle Alley Room 120
Deadline for submitting applications
September 22
Opinions
Page 6 opinion@studentprintz.com
Palin-mania distracts from hypocrisy of GOP rhetoric In an election season that has given us Barack O b a m a , praised for his fresh apEvan Jones proach and reviled for Printz Writer his inexperience, the emergence of a GOP-backed reform-minded counterpoint should have seemed imminent. However, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s entry to the American political landscape was met with surprise and a sort of hysteria usually reserved for a Jonas Brothers sighting at The Limited Too. The most interesting and confounding element of this Palin mania is her being sold by the GOP to the American people as a feminist. This suggests to me two things: first, it would seem that the women’s rights movement has had little lasting effect if a pro-life zealot is accepted as a feminist by the American public. Second, that the GOP
have such little understanding of what feminism is that they call anyone with a vagina and a good job title a feminist. This blind acceptance of Republican talking points even when they are clearly at odds with reality doesn‘t surprise me. The most glaring current example is Governor Palin’s request for the American public to respect her daughter’s decision regarding her unmarried pregnancy. The irony of the situation is that Gov. Palin is running for the vice presidency in support of overturning Roe v. Wade-effectively making it illegal for other people’s daughters to have a choice regarding their bodies. As ridiculous as it sounds, she is basically saying respect my daughter’s choice, and vote for me so I can take your daughter’s choice away. This is almost ridiculous as a vice president having a lesbian daughter and making appeals for her privacy to be respected while attempting to pass a constitutional amendment illegal-
Special to the Printz
coverage under that law. They do so through stand-alone plans or through Medicare Advantage policies that combine drug benefits with other traditional Medicare coverage. Participation by private insurance companies was supposed to provide “competition” for traditional Medicare. In theory, that would be a fine idea. But reality is that this “competition” has come at a steep cost for taxpayers. That’s because Congress added extra fees to entice private companies to “compete.” About one of every five Medicare participants now is enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, which costs about 12 percent more per enrollee than traditional Medicare. The fastest-growing kind of Medicare Advantage plan, called a private fee-forservice plan, costs an average of 19 percent more than traditional Medicare. Extra payments to private insurance companies have jumped from $3.9 billion in 2004 to $8.5 billion this year. With so much money at stake, insurance companies have cranked up the advertising pressure, often in misleading ways. People with mental disabilities and dementia have been sold Medicare coverage they didn’t need and don’t want. Federal and state governments have begun to crack down on high-pressure sales tactics used to sell Medicare Advantage plans. Insurance commissioners in at least 39 states have received complaints about such sales tactics, which are illegal. Congress twice tried to cut the overpayments last year and direct the money to expand health
izing her right to marry. Actually, that already happened, look it up. (does the name Dick Cheney ring any bells?) This deep-seeded hypocrisy and double-standard regarding their personal lives is the fundamental flaw in the republicans’ attempt to pass themselves off as the party of morality. Teen pregnancy and homosexuality can be present in any family and it seems like poetic justice that two of the most intolerant people in the American political landscape (Palin and Cheney) have seen these things emerge in their own family. Any logical person would certainly rethink their intolerance when such issues arise in their personal life, but today’s republicans are so committed to the party line and the rhetoric that goes along with it that they find nothing odd with such contradictions. Evan Jones is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu
Buyer beware of overpriced Medicare
On the campaign trail and during their convention, Republicans have touted private enterprise as the solution to America’s health care crisis – despite evidence that within the government’s Medicare program, private enterprise is causing more problems than it’s solving. Exhibit A is the $8.5 billion in extra payments that taxpayers will make this year to private insurance companies that cover some elderly Medicare patients. The extra payments – over and above what it costs for traditional Medicare coverage – average nearly $1,000 for each person enrolled in a so-called Medicare Advantage plan that private insurance companies sell. Between 2004 and 2008, those extra payments added almost $33 billion to Medicare’s costs, according to a recent review by the nonpartisan Commonwealth Fund. Exhibit B: The baffling and opaque marketing materials that private companies are using to sell stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans. Eighty-five percent of the marketing materials fail to meet federal standards for fairness and clarity, according to a recent inspector general’s report. The result: customers don’t know what they’re buying. Some background: In 2003, the Republican-controlled Congress passed a Medicare prescription drug benefit that greatly expanded the role of private health insurance companies in the federal health program for the elderly. Only private insurance companies are allowed to offer drug
insurance for children. President George W. Bush vetoed both bills. He threatened to veto another attempt to cut the overpayments this year. The federal government is obliged to closely monitor private insurance companies that market to Medicare enrollees to ensure that they meet their legal obligations. But audit after audit has shown it has failed to do so. Medicare exists to provide health insurance to millions of elderly Americans who either couldn’t obtain or couldn’t afford it otherwise. There are legitimate concerns about the program’s costs, especially with baby boomers reaching retirement age. But if Congress and Mr. Bush truly were concerned about cutting costs, why make extra payments to private insurance companies? If they are concerned about protecting the elderly, why not enforce existing regulations requiring that marketing materials be complete, accurate and understandable? Under the Bush administration, Medicare has become a subsidy program for private insurance companies that pressure seniors to sign up for overpriced coverage. Now, the people who brought lax oversight and overpayments for Medicare have another theory they’d like to test: If government just would get out of the way, private enterprise would solve the nation’s health care crisis. Will it work any better for everyone’s health care than it has for Medicare? Don’t bet on it.
The following editorial appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Friday, Sept. 12.
Thursday, September 18, 2008 |Opinions
www.studentprintz.com | Page 7
USM needs ‘cool school’ status In the past, I have mentioned schools that were making major changes in order to beBrandon come more Drescher sustainable Printz Writer and lessen their carbon footprint. In the newest Sierra magazine they list the top ten coolest schools across the nation; coolest meaning how green the college or university is or has become. The coolest school is Middlebury College in Vermont, with about 2,350 students. The school received recognition for using recyclable materials from a demolished building for various projects. Taking materials from demolished buildings is the smart thing to do instead of buying all new materials. This is comparable to the Native Americans long before the arrival of Europeans. The Native Americans used every part of a hunting kill and wasted nothing. We should apply this lesson to modern day issues and do the same with a building. Once that building has served its purpose and we take it down, a new use for that material can be devised. Waste not want not, as the saying goes. Also at Middlebury, 25 percent of their recycling center’s energy is produced by a wind turbine and 60 percent of their waste is
recycled. That is far more than what our campus currently recycles. We all need to step it up and increase our recycling efforts. Luckily, the SouthernGreen Initiative has provided us with the means to act. At the University of Colorado, biodiesel runs buses and campus shuttles that transport students around, with costs covered by tuition. An astounding 80 percent of the students that go to UC commuted around campus without a car last year--by choice. The second largest university in the nation, Arizona State University at Tempe has phased out flood irrigation from more than 70 percent of its campus. They now water the ground at night when evaporation wastes less water. New bus shelters with solar-powered lighting are sure to get students at Evergreen State College in Washington fired up about riding the buses and transit system versus burning their own gas. Another cool school on the list, Oberlin College in Ohio, relies on coal for about half of their energy needs. However, the college is looking at renewable sources for the other half to start the slow but necessary transition to becoming completely sustainable. Our school has pride in many things such as sports, education and study abroad programs. Isn’t it time to
gain some pride for going green? To make it on the cool school list would surely make Southern Miss proud of their accomplishments. The industrial revolution has been over for years; let’s go back to when our surroundings were not only aesthetically pleasing, but also healthy. We all want to be healthy and proud of our accomplishments and we now have examples among our nation’s universities of how to accomplish this. Eighteen U.S. colleges and universities have offset greenhouse-gas emissions by 100 percent. It is obvious that we should go green and obtain sustainability at levels of 100 percent so we too can be among those top colleges and universities of the U.S. What a great legacy to leave to our campus and community! The way I see it, if you are against making something better, then you are against the principles of humanity. Brandon Drescher is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu
Doing the Things that a Particle Can Justin Sawyer Printz Writer
On September 10 the world’s largest particle accelerator was activated. The Large Hadron Collider, as it is called, is seventeen miles long and rests roughly 300 feet below ground near the French-Swiss border. Essentially, a particle accelerator creates highly volatile concentrations of energy that are used in a variety of experiments, from the study of matter to the creation of miniature big bangs. The thought that such a powerful device exists, and that it is in the hands of mere mortals has caused concern that the scientists of CERN (The European Organization of Nuclear Research) will go too far with their research, accidentally creating microscopic black holes.Another concern is the fact that this
is one of the few true advanced steps in the field of science that America hasn’t been apart of, leading many to speculate that the good ole U.S of A. has been dethroned as a leading force in the scientific community. For a guy who could only manage a B- in high school Biology such as yours truly, all of this stuff sounds pretty scary. I mean miniature black holes? As in the things that suck up planets and stars? I’m all for progress, just so long as I don’t die in the process. In all seriousness, I do think that this is really a great thing. We’re talking about a device that can help us figure out what really makes us tick, and possibly where we come from. This is heavy stuff. However, I think that the scientists in charge of the LHC would do best to test the capabilities of this powerful device with a great deal
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of caution. Even though the world did not end when the LHC was switched on, we’ve seen how badly humans are capable of wrecking this planet with a couple of gallons of oil and a few leaky air conditioners. God only knows what we’d do if we had access to the building blocks of matter. As for those who see the fact that a true scientific marvel belongs to a foreign power (the French no less) as a sign that America is losing ground in the realm of science, I say relax. The scientific community knows no borders. Our own scientists will have access to the LHC, just like any other interested party. As scary as it is, this is a great advancement for the whole of humankind, not just Europe. Justin Sawyer is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu
studentprintz.com
www.studentprintz.com | Page 8
Help Southern Miss go green by recycling this when you’re done!
Thursday, September 18, 2008|News
College board Continued from page one from USM, “the IHL is in a better position to help Southern Miss than ever before.” “Because we’re still kind of a new kid on the block in the context of the big three universities, having those three seats on the College Board is very, very beneficial to us, so again, I would have some real reservations about changing the structure now,” Barker said. “Again, I will listen to all sides of the argument and make and objective decision, but my initial reaction is one of reservation.” Steve Oshrin, Faculty Senate president, also has some concerns about the proposed legislation. Specifically he worries about the added expense of a local Board of Trustees -- that is, seven members on the board and the infrastructure needed to support them -- and the duplication or elimination of degree programs. Since a local board would determine which programs a college can offer, Oshrin is concerned that popular programs would be offered in several colleges “even if that duplication is not appropriate or not necessary.” “What also might happen is, if there are smaller programs that aren’t very visible - not very popu-
lar - they may not be offered at any of the universities,” Oshrin said, “and that’s one of my primary concerns.” Oshrin said the legislation might improve communication between legislature and the IHL Board and could improve students’ education, but “other than that, I’m really not sure what the advantages would be.” “I really appreciate Senator Davis and his efforts,” Oshrin said. “We haven’t ever had this discussion before and I think it’s important that we be willing to listen to proposals for improving our system of higher education. That being said, we have to consider them very carefully and try to anticipate advantages and disadvantages.” Sen. Davis is headed to Cleveland, Miss., Tuesday to have a similar discussion with administrators at Delta State University. While the proposed bill has certainly generated a discussion, it will take an amendment to the state constitution to pass. It will have to pass through the Mississippi Senate and House of Representatives, be signed by the governor and then be approved by Mississippi voters in an election.
Trent Lott building Continued from page one large and impressive building, certainly we should have enough space for the economic development functions that we want to house there.” Dr. Burge pointed to hurricane Katrina as a primary cause of both the delays and the funding shortfall, saying “After the hurricane, we had big run-ups in cost.” He pointed to increases in construction costs of as much as 40 percent per square foot as a
primary cause of delay. Mark Miller, Professor of Economic Development and Geography, said, “Honestly, it’s still something of a mystery,” when asked when he expected the department to occupy the building, but was enthusiastic about the proposition. “We do good work here (the International Center), and I’m sure we’ll do good work there.”
Page 9|News
www.studentprintz.com | Thursday, September 18, 2008 Help Southern Miss go green by recycling this when youĘźre done!
Maggie Sanford/Printz
Record high enrollment means crowded hallways for Southern Miss students. Gulf Park campus enrollment is up 18.13 percent this year.
Enrollment Continued from page one any students interested in going to college. “This has been really a team effort because everybody, for the past three years, has worked incredibly hard,� Joachim said. She also gave credit to the commitment of students on the Gulf Coast. “Many of them have jobs, many of them have responsibilities within the home, but they are committed to getting their degrees and they are willing to work hard,� Joachim said. “We don’t have a lot of scholarships on the Coast,� Joachim added later, “so these are students that are
paying their own way.â€? White said a majority of the student population live near the Gulf Park campus. “We are the university for this whole southern region, and there are some great things happening at Southern Miss overall, on both campuses,â€? White said. Norr Atarji, a senior ďŹ lm major and native of Saudi Arabia, said she commutes every Tuesday and Thursday from the Hattiesburg campus, where she lives, to the Gulf Coast, where her ďŹ lm classes are held. She said she and the rest of her ďŹ lm class have noticed several new faces in their number.
Atarji said the “enormousâ€? increase of students in her department may be the product of an outdoor advertisement for the ďŹ lm department at Gulf Park, which she has seen on the way to classes on the Coast. The inux of nearly 20 students into the ďŹ lm department this semester is exciting, Atarji said, but might cause some conict over their limited supply of cameras. “This semester, a lot of students have been commuting to the Gulf Coast campus for ďŹ lm classes, like me,â€? Atarji said. “The classes down there are just a lot of fun and well worth the drive, even though gas prices kind of suck.â€?
MSU Riley Center
Cadets lend helping hand Meryl Dakin Printz Writer
This Saturday, before they make their presence at the Rock during game time, USM’s ROTC unit will be volunteering with the Habitat for Humanity. Jeremiah Malmberg, Battalion Commander, described how this community service effort was conceived. “One of my goals when I took over as Battalion Commander was to make ROTC better known for what we do for the community. I went through the USM community service ofďŹ ce and told them we were looking to do a project that would have a direct impact on the community. They told me to call Habitat for Humanity.â€? Habitat for Humanity International is a nonproďŹ t housing ministry. It
builds houses through volunteer labor and sells them at no proďŹ t to families who apply for them. William C. Allred, Public Affairs OfďŹ cer in ROTC said, “We want to show that we’re here to assist and be there for our community in the best possible way we can.â€? He said that working with an organization like Habitat for Humanity is a better way for students in ROTC to give back than raising money or donating funds. Though it isn’t widely publicized for it, ROTC students donate countless hours of their time to community service, especially on the Gulf Coast. Malmberg said, “In the past we’ve done a lot of volunteer work on the Coast because the majority of the people in our program are in the National Guard as well. I’d say we
have the equivalent of a thousand hours or more helping down on the Coast after Katrina, which is an ongoing project. When we can we’re down there working all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.â€? As another community outreach, ROTC is sponsoring a 5K for Hattiesburg Purple Heart recipients this spring. “All the money we raise in the 5K we give to the Purple Heart Foundation of Hattiesburg. Then they use that money to help soldiers and their families,â€? said Malmberg. On this Saturday’s efforts, Malmberg added “This is something we can to do to have a better impact on the Hattiesburg area where we can actually see it happening in our community‌We’re just helping to improve their quality of life.â€?
WAR Oct. 3, 2008 – 8 p.m. | Pre-Show Social – 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $39 & $33 An American original, WAR was the first and most successful musical crossover phenomenon that forever fused rock, jazz, Latin and R&B. Hits include Low Rider, Spill the Wine, The Cisco Kid, Why Can’t We Be Friends? and Slippin’ Into Darkness.
Economic woes plague country Lauren Moak Printz Writer
The fall of major corporations over the past week has created concern about the state of our economy on Wall Street and in the Federal Reserve. Sunday, the 158-year-old ďŹ nancial giant, Lehman Brothers ďŹ led for bankruptcy. Monday, Merrill Lynch,known as the “thundering herd,â€? was bought-out by the Bank of America. It is the largest bank in the U.S., and is in the position to make things work despite the baggage that Merrill brings to the company, said Kimberly Goodwin, the assistant professor of ďŹ nance at the University of Southern Mississippi. Tuesday, reports that the government is considering providing aid to the world’s largest insurer, A.I.G., American International
Group Inc, indicate another crunch into the Federal Reserve. Goodwin said the upcoming national elections could also impact the economy. “The President could propose a new tax policy which could affect the economy and make people want to invest again,� Goodwin said. George Carter, professor of regional economics and economics education at USM, said that the issue emerged at the bottom with mortgage lenders giving loans to people with no possible way of ever repaying their debt, which is a totally unethical practice that should be unacceptable. The Federal Reserve backs pseudo-government organizations such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Sallie Mae. “In the 1980’s the savings and loan industry went through a similar situation from selling stock and
bonds and it took a few years for the country got through the crisis, but the 1990’s was the most successful decade for any country economically,â€? Carter said. For these companies, the sale of mortgages to a bank stands at a low probability on being backed with money, which ends in foreclosed mortgages. Jeff Rassier, WUSM general manager with a masters degree in mass communication, said that many polls are showing just how important the economy is to American voters. “Poll after Poll has shown that the primary issue in an election is the economy and how politicians communicate to voters that they will ďŹ x it,â€? Rassier said. “The bottom line is, Voters vote from their pocket book, it is the main determining factor.â€?
An Evening with Shawn Colvin Oct. 18, 2008 – 8 p.m. | Pre-Show Social – 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $41 & $35 Shawn Colvin received both Song of the Year and Record of the Year Grammys in 1997 for Sunny Came Home. In 2007, Colvin released a single titled Crazy, a cover of the Gnarls Barkley song. Colvin can also be heard on Chris Botti’s tune All Would Envy, written by Sting, and has begun touring again with the likes of Alison Krauss, Lyle Lovett and Bruce Hornsby.
Robert Cray Band Oct. 23, 2008 – 8 p.m. | Pre-Show Social – 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $41 & $35 Robert Cray has won five Grammys and been nominated for 11 more. His soulful vocal and instrumental artistry can be heard on classic titles such as Phone Booth, Poor Johnny, and The Things You Do To Me. Cray’s repertoire has led to collaborations with Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, B. B. King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry and Bonnie Raitt.
Upcoming Shows: An Evening with Garrison Keillor 10/29/08 Boyz II Men 11/6/08 The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley 12/21/08
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Sports
Page 10 sports@studentprintz.com www.studentprintz.com/sports
Eagles look to continue their winning streak Tyler Cleveland Sports Editor
Austin Davis said Monday that until last week, he was having trouble sleeping on Friday nights. If that’s true, the red-shirt freshman has looked pretty good playing on little or no sleep. Davis has started his Southern Miss career with three consecutive 200-yard passing performances, and will look to continue that trend Saturday when the Eagles host Marshall at 2:30 p.m. to kick off Conference-USA play. The Herd (2-1) have never beaten the Eagles, losing by a combined 102-55 in their only three meetings, but this season’s Herd has shown what it can do on the field. They might not have turned many heads with their season-opening 35-10 win over Illinoise State or their 17-16 edging of Memphis (0-3), but head coach Mark Snyder’s Herd can create problematic matchups with their offense, and feature one of the best defensive players in college football.
Marshall quarterback Mark phis last week. Cann, a true freshman, has On defense, it’s all about been strong in his first three versatile defensive end Albert games, completing 45 of 89 McClellan. McClellan is listed passes for 596 yards, but he’s as a linemen, but has the aththrown as many interceptions leticism to play both end and as touchdowns outside They are young in and struggles linebacker, when he’s forced which he the secondary, but out of the pocket. often does. they are doing a lot of Cann’s main The 6things with the blitzes, target, wide refoot-2 252 and changing up their ceiver Darius pounder fronts, going from three Passmore, reprefrom Lakedown lineman to four sents a real threat. land, Fla. down lineman trying to Passmore has 17 was named confuse you. catches for 334 C - U S A -Larry Fedora, Head Coach Defensive yards (19.7 avg.) and three touchP l a y e r downs. Two-time All-Confer- of the Year in 2006, but was ence tight end Cody Slate has forced out of action for all of been limited by injury in the 2007 with a knee injury. first three games, but could The Marshall linebacking see some action Saturday. corp is led by senior Maurice The Herd passing game Kitchens, who was second in can cause problems, but Mar- tackles last season with 90. shall’s real bread-and-butter is The Thundering Herd secin the run game, an area they ondary is anchored by safeties have been successful in so C.J. Spillman and John Saunfar this year. Darius Marshall ders. The duo combined for is the Herd’s leading rusher 199 tackles in 2007. coming in, averaging just over Fedora said that his offense 100-yards a game, including a will have its work cut out for 140-yard effort against Mem- them if they plan to continue
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averaging nearly 430 yardsper-game. “(McClellan) has come back, and he is playing really well,” Fedora said. “They are young in the secondary, but they are doing a lot of things with the blitzes, and changing up their fronts, going from three down lineman to four down lineman trying to confuse you.” The Eagles got some good news in practice on Tuesday, when both Calvin Wilson and Ryan Hebert went through a full practice without a hitch and likely will be healthy when the Herd come to town.
Courtesy of Media Relations
(Above) Runningback Damien Fletcher rushes through the defensive line for a touchdown during last yearʼs game against Marhsall. (Left) Damien Fletcher leaps into the endzone during last yearʼs game against Marshall. Kickoff for Saturdayʼs game will be at 2:30 p.m.
Lady Eagles pick up fourth W Special to the Printz The Southern Miss soccer team picked up their fourth win of the season and improved to 42-1 with a 1-0 win at Mississippi Valley State Tuesday evening. “Any win is a good win,” head coach Scott Ebke said. “We somehow found a way to win tonight and I am proud of this team and their effort.” The game was scoreless through the first half and at halftime with the Golden Eagles just missing a few chances to score. Sarah McFadden scored the Maggie Sanford/Photo Editor games only goal in the fifty-secStevi Cherry senior outside hitter from Tampa, Fla. and Amelia Hendrickson a freshman middleback from Belle ond minute as she converted a Chasse, La. double block the ball during Tuesday nightʼs game against Alcorn State. penalty kick. Amy Skeet picked up the hard foul inside the box to allow McFadden the opportu-
Volleyball ready for tournament Tyler Cleveland Printz Writer
Southern Miss volleyball coach Ricci Luyties has been looking forward to this weekend for a long time. Sure, it has a lot to do with the fact that his team (8-3) is getting to face three quality opponents over the weekend in the La Quinta Inn Invitational Tournament, and he feels good about the fact that they are coming off of a 3-0 win over Alcorn State Tuesday night. But if you want to know the real reason Luyties is ready for this weekend, just look at the venue: Reed Green Coliseum. “It’s great to have a home tournament on the schedule,” Luyties said. “We’ve been trying to do it for years, but there has always been
some kind of scheduling conflict, or we had trouble getting a venue, it was always something. So we’re very excited about getting to play at home this year. The Lady Eagles may be glad to be home, but it’s not like they don’t play well on the road. Seniors Ashley Petrinec and Stevi Cherry led the Lady Eagles to tournament wins in Colorado Springs, Colo. in the Air Force Tournament and Lake Charles, La. in the McNeese State tournament before losing out last week in the San Diego Invitational. “We’re clicking right now,” Petrinec said last week. “We have a good group of girls, our older teammates are contributing a lot and our younger players are stepping up big time.” Southern Miss’ first home tournament since 1996 will feature
conference foe Central Florida, the North Texas Mean Green and the Cowgirls from McNeese State. Oddly enough, however, when the Lady Eagles face the Knights tonight at 7 p.m., it will not be considered a part of tournament play, but will count toward both team’s Conference USA record. After tonight, The two teams are not scheduled to face each other again this weekend. McNeese State will kick off tournament play with North Texas (1-8) at 1 p.m. Friday before turning around to face Central Florida(6-5) at 3:30 p.m.. Friday’s action will conclude with the Lady Eagles taking on North Texas at 6 p.m.. Saturday, North Texas will face Central Florida at 9 a.m. and Southern Miss will take on McNeese State at 6 p.m..
Fedora to speak at Friday luncheon Special to the Printz The second of six Golden Eagle football luncheons returns to campus Friday at the Thad Cochran Center Ballroom at 11:30 a.m. . The luncheons, which take place on Fridays prior to each home football game weekend, will run for an hour. Coach Larry Fedora is slated to speak at noon and it will be Golden Eagle fans’ last change
to find out about this week’s opponent, Marshall. The meal is buffetstyle with the cost of $10. “We are extremely excited about the new format and location of our football luncheons,” Southern Miss Director of Athletics Richard Giannini said. “We had a good turnout for the first luncheon, but we want to make sure that our fans on campus - our faculty, staff and students
- are aware of what we are doing and we want them to be a part of this event.” Faculty, staff and students can use their campus Eagle Dining Dollars to purchase their lunch. There will be four more luncheons held the Friday before every home football game during the season. The dates for these luncheons are October 3, October 10, October 31, and November 14.
Sports Calendar TODAY • 7 p.m. – Women’s Volleyball vs. Central Florida -- Hattiesburg TOMORROW • 1 p.m. – McNeese St. vs. North Texas in Golden Eagle Invitational – Hattiesburg • 3:30 p.m. – Central Florida vs. McNeese State in Golden Eagle Invitational – Hatties-
burg • 6 p.m. – Women’s Volleyball vs. North Texas in Golden Eagle Invitational – Hattiesburg SATURDAY • 9 a.m. – North Texas vs. Central Florida in Golden Eagle Invitational – Hattiesburg • 2:30 p.m. – Football vs. Marshall – Hattiesburg
• 6:30 p.m. – Women’s Volleyball vs. McNeese St. in Golden Eagle Invitational – Hattiesburg SUNDAY • 2 p.m. – Women’s Soccer vs. Mississippi St. – Hattiesburg MONDAY • All Day – Men’s Golf in Adams Cup – Newport, R.I.
nity to get the point on the penalty kick. Holly Cox picked up the win in goal for the Golden Eagles with five saves, including two at point blank range to keep Mississippi Valley off the scoreboard. In the 70th minute as Cox was making a point blank save she was kicked in the thigh and had to leave the game. McFadden moved from her usual forward spot into goal and picked up three saves. “I had no idea McFadden could play in goal,” Ebke added. “We were just looking for someone who would embrace the opportunity to play a different position, she is an outstanding athlete. The back line played extremely well defending as many shots as possible as well.”
Southern Miss came into the game with only one healthy keeper as Tina Duvall and Hannah Vanderbough are both nursing injuries and were unavailable for tonight’s match. The Golden Eagles scored what appeared to be the second goal of the game as time expired when Renee Hrappman fired a shot into the back of the net from about eight yards out and appeared to beat the buzzer, however the goal was waved off and ruled that time had expired. Southern Miss outshot the Devilettes 15 to 10 and both team had eight shots on goal. The Golden Eagles return to action Sunday afternoon at the Southern Miss Soccer Complex as they host instate rival Mississippi State. Kickoff is set for
Basketball releases schedule Special to the Printz Fourteen games against 11 teams that participated in last year’s postseason highlight the 2008-09 Southern Miss men’s basketball schedule, head coach Larry Eustachy announced on Wednesday. The Golden Eagles will also play 14 home games over the course of the year. The Golden Eagles open the season with two home games against Loyola (N.O.) (11/15) and NIT participant Alabama State (11/18). Southern Miss then goes on the road for the first time, as they take part in the 2008 Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, V.I., Nov. 21-24. The Golden Eagles open the tournament against Miami (Fla.) in the first round. They will then face either Connecticut or LaSalle in the second round. The final round will see the Golden Eagles face one of four teams - Iona, San Diego, Valparaiso or Wisconsin. Following the Paradise Jam, Southern Miss returns home to face South Alabama (12/2) for the third consecutive season, as they try to avenge last season’s loss in Mobile. Southern Miss goes back on the road, at New Mexico (12/6) before a neutral site game against Kansas State (12/11) at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. The Golden Eagles return home for two games, hosting McNeese State (12/18) and crosstown rival William Carey (12/15). The Golden Eagles play their final three neutral site games to close 2008. They will host the Mississippi Gulf Coast Clas-
FIRST GAME
First game of the basketball season is Monday, Nov. 11
sic in Biloxi, Miss., December 22-23. They face Spring Hill on the 22nd, followed by Weber State the next night. A week later, the Golden Eagles will take on in-state rival Ole Miss, Dec. 30 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Conference USA play opens against Tulsa (1/7), and a week later Southern Miss plays at Tulane (1/14). Houston comes to Hattiesburg on January 17, before the Golden Eagles travel to UCF (1/21). Southern Miss takes a break from conference play on Jan. 24 when they face Montana State for the first-time ever at Reed Green Coliseum. After a home date with Marshall (1/28), the Golden Eagles go on the road for two games with UTEP (1/31) and East Carolina (2/4). Southern Miss then hosts UAB (2/7) before traveling to Rice (2/11). They play NCAA runner-up Memphis for the first time, Feb. 14, in Hattiesburg, before hosting ECU (2/17). The Golden Eagles play an afternoon contest at UAB (2/21), followed by Tulane (2/24), at Memphis (2/28), at SMU (3/4), before ending the regular season at home against UTEP (3/7). Southern Miss will take part in the Conference USA Tournament, March 11-14, at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. For season ticket information, call 1-800-844-TICK, or visit www.SouthernMiss.com
2008 Basketball Schedule 11/15 vs. Loyola (N.O.) 11/18 vs. Alabama State *11/21 vs. Miami (Fla) *11/22 vs. UConn or LaSalle *11/23 vs. Iona, San Diego, Valparaiso or Wisconsin 12/2 vs. South Alabama 12/6 at New Mexico &12/11 vs. Kansas State 12/18 vs. McNeese State 12/15 vs. William Carey %12/22 vs. Spring Hill %12/23 vs. Weber State 1/7 vs. Tulsa 1/14 at Tulane 1/17 vs. Houston 1/21 at Central Florida 1/24 vs. Montana State 1/28 vs. Marshall 1/31 at UTEP 2/4 at East Carolina 2/7 vs. UAB 2/11 at Rice 2/14 vs. Memphis 2/17 vs. East Carolina 2/21 at UAB 2/24 vs. Tulane 2/28 at Memphis 3/4 at SMU 3/7 vs. UTEP 3/11-14 Conference USA Tournament *-2008 Paradise Jam St. Thomas, V.I. &-Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO % - Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic, Biloxi