THE
S TUDENT PRINTZ SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927
Monday, January 27, 2014
Volume 98 Issue 30
GREEK LIFE
CPC receives excellence award Kathryn Miller Executive Editor
The University of Southern Mississippi College Panhellenic Council (CPC) received the National Panhellenic Conference Excellence Award Jan. 26 for being recognized as one of the top college councils in the Southeast. Phyllis Davis, National Panhellenic Council area adviser for Mississippi, said there are 574 college panhellenics in Canada and the U.S., and only 14 other schools are receiving this award in 2014. Currently, Southern Miss CPC is the only school in Mississippi that has received the award. “It is quite an honor to be included in this level of recognition,” Davis said in her speech at the CPC reception Sunday. “The (award) certificate recognizes the (Southern Miss) Panhellenic community for its hard work to meet all the core confidences. They excelled at all seven identified core functions of the college panhellenic operations.” Southern Miss CPC excelled in the seven core functions, which include recruitment, panhellenic structure, communication, judicial procedures, programming, academics and panhellenic community impact and relations. “Receiving this award is a testament of the hard work of many women who came before me,” said Elena Lofton, Southern Miss CPC president. “I think it takes everyone to make the whole. So I believe everyone in the (Greek) community is a recipient of this award, not just the council.” Lofton’s words certainly ring true when Bonnie Warren, former Kappa Delta national president and USM
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Jamie Gominger/Printz
CPC leaders proudly receive the National Panhellenic Council Excellence Award Jan. 26. Southern Miss CPC was only one of 15 schools to receive this award. From left to right: Melissa Sharp, Elena Lofton, Bonnie Warren and Phyllis Davis.
alumna, applauded Southern Miss CPC council for their consistent hard work in the Greek community. “You are an authentic community, you genuinely care about one another and (have) a desire to work together collaboratively,” Warren said as she spoke to the CPC council. “You empower your women to be the best. You develop strong leaders and you bring people together to interact and engage in debate, to dream, to grow and to develop your community.” Southern Miss Greek life panhellenic adviser Melissa Sharp is hopeful about CPC’s future at Southern Miss and also believes the NPC Excellence Award could help recruit more members for sorority life. “I do believe (CPC) can
NEWS ‘No Payne, no gain’ New program at Payne Center.
4
recruit more women because we’ve proved that we have a product that builds better women,” Sharp said. “I think
Sharp said CPC plans to keep moving forward with their impact in Greek life as well as the Southern Miss community.
I think this is what students are coming to (Southern Miss) for. They want to better themselves, and what better way to do that than to join the sorority experience? Melissa Sharp this is what students are coming to (Southern Miss) for. They want to better themselves, and what better way to do that than to join the sorority experience?”
FEATURE Norbert Putnam Former Elvis bassist visits campus.
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“Just because (CPC) achieved a high honor doesn’t mean we stop,” Sharp said. “We’re just going to continue to strive (and) continue to work. Hard
A&E “Her” is a must-see Jonze creates touching film.
work is what got us here, hard work is what is going to keep us here and take us higher.” Lofton said she looks forward to leading Southern Miss CPC this semester and plans to have a smooth transition in welcoming a new sorority to campus in fall 2014, Alpha Chi Omega. According to the Southern Miss Greek life office wesbite, the first USM Panhellenic council was formed for sororities and fraternities in 1937 to govern recruitment. Currently, 25 percent of women at Southern Miss are in the Greek life community. Sorority life at USM has an average 3.1 GPA, which is higher than the 2.74 GPA for non-Greek women.
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OPINION Merit-based pay Teachers subject to performance pay.
THE S TUDENT PRINTZ
Page 2 | Monday, January 27, 2014
Editorial Staff Executive Editor Kathryn Miller kathryn.miller@eagles.usm.edu 850.565.0812 Managing Editor Alan Rawls gregory.rawls@eagles.usm.edu Chief Copy Editor Chris Greene chris.greene@eagles.usm.edu
EVENTS Monday, Jan. 27
Thursday, Jan. 30
SGA 12:00 p.m. Big Event Awareness
Involve Me! Fair 11:00 a.m. Cochran Center 2nd Floor
Tuesday, Jan. 28
Track & Field, Cross Country KMS Invitational All Day Birmingham, Ala.
Student Eagle Club 11:00 a.m. Info Tabling
Wenesday, Jan. 29 Student Eagle Club 11:00 a.m. Info Tabling
International Club 3:30 p.m. British Studies Meeting Cochran Center Ballroom 1
Women’s Basketball Middle Tennessee State 7:00 p.m. Hattiesburg, MS
Playwright Series Jan. 30 - Feb. 2
News Editor Nikki Smith ashly.smith@eagles.usm.edu
Late Night Wings and Sliders 10:00 p.m. Fresh Food Co.
Bucky Covington Concert Reed Green Coliseum 3:00 p.m.
Sports Editor Joshua Campbell joshua.m.campbell@eagles.usm.edu
Winter storm poses travel danger on Tuesday
Urban term of the week:
Copy Editor Courtney McNichols courtney.mcnichols@eagles.usm.edu
Design Editor Joshua Byrd joshua.j.byrd@eagles.usm.edu Art Director Susan Broadbridge susan.broadbridge@eagles.usm.edu Webmaster Chris Greene chris.greene@eagles.usm.edu Graphic Designers Cody Bass cody.bass@eagles.usm.edu Parker Brewer parker.brewer@eagles.usm.edu News Content Adviser Chuck Cook 601.266.4288 chuck.cook@usm.edu Ad Graphic Designer Katherine Frye katherine.frye@eagles.usm.edu Advertising Manager Lesley Sanders-Wood 601.266.5188 lesley.sanders@usm.edu Advertising e-mail printzad@usm.edu Find us online at: www.studentprintz.com The Student Printz is published every Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. Signature Offset of Hattiesburg provides printing services.
The National Weather Service in Jackson issued a winter storm watch for Tuesday, Jan. 28, in preparation for a storm that could bring up to two inches of snow and sleet for areas across southern Mississippi. The watch is expected to last from late Tuesday morning until Tuesday evening. Travel conditions could become difficult and dangerous due to icy roads and bridges, and sporadic power outages could occur, according to the National Weather Service report. “University officials are continuing to closely monitor weather predictions and will do so throughout the day on Monday,” said Jim Coll, chief communication officer of the Office of University Communications at Southern Miss. According to Coll, the campus community will be informed through Eagle Alert and other media if the weather is expected to disrupt normal university operations.
SHOUTOUTS ARE BACK! Visit The Student Printz Facebook page and submit your shoutout to the new anonymous form!
Saturday, Feb 1
Boyfriend Bomb: When a female you are interested in casually reveals that she has a boyfriend (intentionally or otherwise). I was about to ask her out but then she dropped the boyfriend bomb. source: Urbandictionary.com
Editorial Policy The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligilible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail. com by 5 p.m. Friday. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.
Opinions Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publications manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
NEWS
Monday, January 27, 2014 | Page 3
ON CAMPUS
Business leaders talk improvement Kirstie Lowery Printz Reporter
On Thursday, Jan. 23, The University of Southern Mississippi held the sixth annual Economic Outlook Symposium. Throughout the duration of the symposium, business leaders from various companies spoke about Mississippi’s current economic state, as well as some ways that everyone can improve the economy in general.
Shannon Campbell, director of the Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Growth and Entrepreneurship at USM, said the state’s economy is steadily rising. “For Mississippi as a state, the economy looks like it is slowly growing,” Campbell said. According to Campbell, this recent growth means that students who are graduating will receive more job opportunities. “As the economy begins to improve, the public and private
partnership projects happen, and those are things we like to get involved in when it comes to research,” Campbell said. One of the reasons behind holding the symposium was to establish a stronger connection between local business owners and each of their customers. Campbell said in order for college students to assist others in helping raise the economy, they should be brave, innovative, creative and bold. According to a press release,
the speakers at the symposium included Robert Strand, senior economist of American Bankers Association, Darren Webb, senior economist of Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning and Jack Norris, President of the Gulf Coast Business Council. Other speakers included Chad Newell, president of the Area of Development Partnership and Lee Lawson, president and CEO of Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance. The Southern Miss College of
Business and the Trent Lott National Center partnered together to host the event. According to the university website, The First Bank of Hattiesburg also participated in the symposium by acting as the lead sponsor. Attendance to the event was free. However, due to the number of seats being limited, all guests were required to complete a registration process before attending.
ON CAMPUS
‘No Payne, No Gain’ kicks off Yolanda Cruz Printz Reporter
A common new year’s resolution is to lose weight or get in shape for spring break. One of the most common problems with keeping new year’s resolutions is not hav-
ing the motivation to do so. The Payne Center is now offering “No Payne, No Gain” program that will be sure to get people motivated to get to the gym this semester. With all of the facilities and programs offered at the Payne Center, from a variety of group exercise classes and
Kate Dearman/Printz
A Southern Miss student works his abdominals in the Workout Zone at the Payne Center.
7,900 square-foot Workout Zone, this gives students, faculty and staff more of a reason to pay more visits there this semester. The program begins Monday, Jan. 27, and concludes during finals week of the semester on May 8. “‘No Payne, No Gain’ is a computerized incentive program to get students and rec card holders into our Payne Center to take full advantage of everything we have to offer,” said Abigail Elias, coordinator for fitness and wellness at the Payne Center. “All you have to do is log into the computer located near the turnstiles in the Payne Center using your ID number and then enjoy your workout. The computer automatically logs you out,” Elias said. The computer keeps track of students’ number of visits to the Payne Center for the semester. The more visits a person accumulates, the more prizes they can win, like Tshirts and Eagle Dining gift cards. The only rules for the program are that a person cannot log in for a friend and cannot log in twice in one day.
GRAND MARSHAL
th 29 ANNUAL Rodney D. Bennett SOUTHERN MISS President,
CLASSIC
RODEO Friday, February 14
Keith’s Superstore Night at the Rodeo
Saturday, February 15 Comcast Night at the Rodeo
The University of Southern Mississippi
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Ticket Information
Special discounted advanced ticket sales for Southern Miss Students, Faculty and Staff at the Payne Center Sales Office only (Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) Must present Southern Miss ID to receive discount Tickets - $1O Student, Faculty & Staff (in advance) $15 (after Feb. 13) All seats are chairbacks and reserved. Day of Show - Tickets are only available at the Forrest County Multi-Purpose Center beginning at 8 a.m.
Showtime at 7:30 p.m. Forrest County Multi-Purpose Center AA/EOE/ADAI
Students are already excited to get started with the program. Ryan Coleman, a sophomore electronics engineering technology major, cannot wait to start logging in every time he visits the Payne Center to practice his racquetball or table tennis with his friends. “I think the ‘No Payne, No Gain’ (program) is a pretty good incentive to workout,” Coleman said. “You’ll be able to keep track of how often you are going and it gives you a little something to work toward. After all, what college student doesn’t like free stuff?” Even though this is such a great way to get people motivated get up and workout, very few students actually know
about it. Even frequent visitors to the Payne Center, like sophomore accounting major Ben Blake, may not be aware that this program exists. “Honestly, I wish this had been advertised more,” Blake said. “I go to the Payne Center all the time but this is the first I’ve ever heard of this program. I would walk by that computer kiosk all the time, but I never knew what it was for, so I never gave it a second thought.” For more information about the Southern Miss ‘No Payne, No Gain’ program, visit usm. edu/rec-sports/group-exercise.
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FEATURE
Page 4 | Monday, January 27, 2014
ON CAMPUS
Music legend visits Southern Miss Kristy Shelley Printz Reporter
Former bassist for Elvis and music legend Norbert Putnam visited The University of Southern Mississippi Jan. 2324 to speak with students in the School of Mass Communication and Journalism. Putnam has joined the school as a distinguished lecturer in the recording industry program. According to the Southern Miss website, Christopher Campbell, the school’s director, said Putnam will be visiting a lot more in the future. “(Putnam) has agreed to visit on a regular basis to conduct master classes for our students,” Campbell said. “He’s taken a real interest in our recording industry program, and he will be an amazing resource for the students and faculty.” Sophomore recording industry production major Emily Evans said she loves to meet people who have real world experience in her field. “The instructors in the music industry department always do a great job about bringing in people that have real world experience so that the students can get advice
from people that have been successful,” Evans said. “It is always an eye-opening experience to hear from these people because it gives students reason to believe that if they work hard, they can eventually have a fulfilling career in the industry.” Evans said she got a lot out of Putnam’s lecture. “Mr. Putnam is such a quick witted individual and he had so much advice to give,” Evans said. “Something that stuck with me the most was when he told us to always appreciate the talent that we were privileged enough to work with and to never try to change that talent these artists bring to the table.” Evans added she was honored to sit down with him and hear his stories. “He has such a great attitude about his life and his experiences, but I mean, it’s not hard when you get to talk about working with Elvis Presley and Jimmy Buffett,” Evans said. “I genuinely realized after about an hour of listening to him speak that I had not moved my eyes from his face a single time. I was riveted for the entire time he spoke and never even looked at my
Susan Broadbridge/Printz
Music legend Norbert Putnam visits The University of Southern Mississippi Friday to talk with students about his experience as a bassist for Elvis Presley.
watch or anything.” Junior entertainment industry management major Connor Holland said he is excited to have Putnam visit regularly. “Having Norbert Putnam
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coming and visiting the school every now and then to teach us what he knows is a wonderful thing,” Holland said. “This first visit was just so that we could get to know him, but I look forward to running recording sessions and learning from him first hand.” Holland said Putnam’s advice was helpful. “There is only so much about our industry that one can learn from a textbook,” Holland said. “Having (Putnam) here will help give us a great advantage for successful careers.“ Holland said Putnam is very successful and his advice will lead to success in the recording industry department. “My impression of him is that he is an incredibly smart man, but he is also an incredibly wise man,” Holland said. “He doesn’t just know what to do, he knows how to do it and that is how he became so successful. I believe having him around as a normal visitor in the program will lead to many successful careers.” Putnam said his professional career began and always comes back to Elvis Presley. “I became a musician because some local kids formed a band to play Elvis’s music. And they chose me to
be the bass player because my father had the instrument – no one else had an acoustic bass. So without Elvis, they would have never formed that band and I would have never been chosen,” Putnam said. Shortly after, Putnam began to play bass on Elvis Presley recordings. “So then later on in my 20’s I started to play with Elvis in the studio and loved the guy. He was great, he was just a good human being and really appreciated great players,” Putnam said. “But ultimately, Elvis was the beginning of my life, he was there in the middle and I traveled around the world playing bass with his band here towards the end. So, it always comes back to my relationship with Elvis.” Putnam is a bassistproducer who has worked with artists such as Elvis Presley, Neil Young, Michael Jackson and Joan Baez. In 1977, Putnam produced Southern Miss alumnus Jimmy Buffett’s album, “Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude,” which contained the single “Margaritaville” which sold between 30-50 million copies. For more information, contact Christopher Campbell at 601.266.4258.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Monday, January 27, 2014 | Page 5
TECH
New console wars on horizon Destiny Reynolds Printz Reporter
With the release of the new Xbox One and PlayStation 4, commentary on the “console wars” has been flying, begging every gamer to pick a side. Some have decided to stick with their usual console, some have made the leap across systems and others have attempted to avoid the feud, choosing instead to stick with PC gaming or consoles made by other companies, such as Nintendo.
operating system, and it will function as a normal desktop, though more powerful with precautions taken to avoid the downfalls of overclocking, or running the system for an extended period of time. Project Christine will be Razer’s first attempt at tackling desktop PCs, and while Razer’s laptops have been met with much approval from the market, some are skeptical about this new project. While it seems like a wonderful idea in theory, the cooling system could present
after a set number of months; rather, it would continue so long as the consumer keeps the product, though with the regular payment the consumer would be entitled to new hardware as soon as it is released, so long as he or she returns the old hardware. The overall response to Project Christine seems to be mixed. Some students, like freshman Jason Smith greets the concept with enthusiasm. “I think it’s about time for something like this to come along,” Smith said.
Courtesy Photo
Now that initial sales have been tallied and consumer reviews released, the console wars seem to be dying down; however, with the coming of the new year comes great change in the gaming world. Within the next year or two, two new consoles of sorts will be released, and some speculate that they will blow the wars out of the water: Project Christine and the Steam Machine. Project Christine is a project by Razer, a company known for its powerful gaming laptops and is designed to take the PC gaming world by storm. It is designed to be a fully modular PC with a liquid cooling system and “active noise cancellation” making it “silent, but powerful,” according to their website, razerzone.com/christine. The modular design would make upgrading the system simple, even for someone with little to no knowledge of computers. Each component of the PC is encased in a pod that attaches to the main tower, and the pods can be attached in any order in any slot, as the system automatically syncs the components. The system will be able to run any existing
a problem, not to mention the issue of pricing. While the website boasts an innovative cooling system using mineral oils and water to cool each individual pod, some are skeptical, such as the writers at Digital Trends, who point out that without a working prototype available for consumers to view and interact with, “such claims have to be taken with a sizeable spoonful of skepticism.” In addition with each pod having to have its own cooling system, the project could quickly become expensive, which brings up what is probably the biggest issue: pricing. A concept such as this one could potentially be far too expensive for the average consumer. The price of the base tower to which all pods connect is projected to be between $400-500, and each individual component pod would add to the price, which could reach well beyond the $1,000 range. Razer proposes to combat this issue by charging a monthly subscription fee rather than one large lump sum. However, the payment system would not end
“Nowadays if you have a computer for a year and a half, most of it is obsolete. This seems like a great way for you to update what needs to be updated quickly and with little issue.” Others, such as freshman Brandon Allen, seem skeptical, particularly of the price. When asked about his opinion regarding the concept, he said, “Until they reveal a price point for Christine, it’s hard for me to say anything. My problem is that it will probably be highly overpriced for a while, which again leads to not many people buying it.” The Steam Machine is Valve’s chosen response to the console wars. It is an attempt to bring PC gaming to the living room, combining the best features of PC gaming with those of standard console gaming. There are thirteen Steam Boxes made by 13 companies, ranging from highend designers like Alienware to more affordable producers like CyberPowerPC. Each console, while they differ in aesthetics and basic specifications like Random Access Memory capacity, will run the Linux-based Steam Operating System.
As there are so many physical consoles and they have only just been released, there is not much information available, though there is still the hotly debated issue of pricing. With the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) came further information about the pricing of each console. The price range seems to be between $500-$1500 depending on the console’s individual specs and designing company, according to an article on usgamer. net. The cheapest consoles released so far are the $499 CyberPowerPc and IBuyPower consoles, while the most expensive is the $6,000 Falcon Northwest Tiki. Again, reactions to this console system are mixed among the student population. But, some find it appealing. “That sounds awesome because, well, Steam/Valve plus console equals I don’t have to deal with the ludicrousness of Sony and Microsoft,” said freshman Philip Snyder. Others believe that, ultimately, it is not worth the money it costs to get one. “Part of the whole Steam appeal is that it will run on your system,” said freshman Jason Smith. “That everything can be on your computer. You can go from checking email to browsing to games all on the same machine. Yes the Steam Box is essentially a computer, but who’s to say we can trust Valve to make a machine able to handle everything a computer should?” When all is said and done, both consoles have their pros and cons. Pricing certainly seems to be an issue, but the ideas are ingenious regardless of their proposed price range. Only time will tell whether these machines will take over the console wars or crash in the market.
ENTERTAINMENT
Look and listen Emily Evans Printz Reporter
This week’s music top 10: “Timber”- Pitbull feat. Ke$ha “Dark Horse”- Katy Perry feat. Juicy J “Counting Stars”OneRepublic “Say Something”- A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera “The Monster”- Eminem feat. Rihanna “Let Her Go”- Passenger “Royals”- Lorde “Story of My Life”- One Direction “Pompeii”- Bastille Source: Billboard.com Upcoming albums: “Mind Over Matter”- Young The Giant “Supermodel”- Foster The People “Loyal”- Chris Brown “Bad Blood”- Bastille “Morning Phase”- Beck “Because the Internet”Childish Gambino Source: iTunes, Spotify Popular movies: “Lone Survivor” “American Hustle” “August: Osage County” “The Wolf of Wall Street” “Saving Mr. Banks” “Her” “Secret Life of Walter Mitty” “12 Years A Slave” Movies Coming soon: “That Awkward Moment” “The Monuments Men” Movies to Avoid: “Ride Along” Source: Rottentomatoes.com, thegrandtheatre.com
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Page 6 | Thursday, January 23, 2014
REVIEW
“Her” director creates masterpiece Bradley Presson
Theodore rediscovering his will for life while Samantha discovers the world for the first time. Conflicts inevitably occur, as one would expect in a relationship of this sort. Theodore and Samantha struggle with her lack of a physical body and the fact that Samantha possesses an intellect that dwarfs what a human brain can do. It is in the conflict where “Her” truly shines. Theodore and Samantha’s struggles are portrayed so realistically that their distinctly nonhuman issues feel immensely real. To Spike Jonze’s credit, Theodore and Samantha’s relationship in this film is one of the most natural I have ever seen on screen. Jonze manages to capture the small intimacies of a relationship and present them in a way that manages to avoid being overly sentimental or sappy. From timid beginnings and flirtations to pointless fights and ultimate reconciliation, Samantha and Theodore’s relationship feels anything but artificial. Their joy feels so genuine, and their struggles are so heartbreaking. That is also a testament to the
Printz Reporter
Before I begin in earnest to tell you why “Her” was the best film released in 2013, I feel that there is an issue that needs to be addressed: yes, this film really is about a man falling in love with his operating system. For some, like the two women who walked out of the theater when I saw this film, this plot detail seems to be an insurmountable deterrent, and that is a fact that deeply saddens me. For those that can push past their reservations about a relationship between a man and an operating system, they will find that writer and director Spike Jonze has crafted one of the most poignant and moving examinations of relationships and loneliness in recent cinema history. “Her” is set in Los Angeles in the near future, and virtually everyone is connected at all times to cell phone-like devices, but it seems that despite this constant connection, everyone is isolated. “Her” tells the story of Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Pheonix)
Courtesy Photo
and his relationship with his operating system, Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). Theodore is a man who makes his living by writing love letters for others. Unfortunately, his ability to write beautiful expressions of love for others does not translate into a robust social life. His childhood best friend-turned-wife has separated from him and filed for divorce, and his social life is nearly nonexistent. It is at this point that the depressed, listless and lonesome
Theodore meets Samantha, his personalized version of the first sentient operating system. Their romance begins inconspicuously, with Samantha cleaning up Theodore’s files and organizing his digitized materials, but from the onset it is apparent that there is more to their relationship than either initially realizes. Throughout the film, the relationship waxes and wanes in an incredibly lifelike manner as both Theodore and Samantha grow as individuals, with
FA L L S PA C E S G O I N G FA S T
actors, as both Phoenix and Johansson shine in their roles, with a chemistry that is so vivid, despite the fact that Johansson is never on screen. The story and acting are complemented by a background that feels completely tangible. The scenery of future Los Angeles is incredibly beautiful and believable, and the cinematography is gorgeous, with rich color play and incredible lighting. “Her” is a film that manages to deftly blend the best elements of science fiction, comedy and romance in two thoughtprovoking hours. It succeeds on all fronts with an incredible story, superb acting and powerful film techniques that all culminate in an emotional impact that few films have ever had on me. I have never been one to cry during a movie, but this film had my eyes watering for most of the second half. It also made me laugh harder, smile wider and dream bigger than any other film released in 2013. Spike Jonze and his cast have made a genuine piece of art.
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OPINION
Monday, January 27, 2014 | Page 7
STATE
Merit-based pay sparks controversy Mary Beth Wolverton Printz Reporter
A new year always brings a slew of changes as people begin to look forward to and anticipate the year ahead. For Mississippians, the 2014 session for the state legislature opened on Jan. 7, and many hot topic issues are emerging, including the controversial topic of meritbased teacher pay for public school educators which is supported by Gov. Phil Bryant. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, meritbased pay is a raise in pay based on a set of criteria set by the employer. For schools, this means that the better students perform in the classroom, the more teachers are paid, and the more likely it is that they can keep their jobs. On the surface, raising meritbased pay sounds like a wonderful plan. Mississippi teachers are consistently paid much lower salaries than teachers in the rest of the country. According to The Clarion-Ledger, Mississippi
teachers’ salaries are 26 percent below the national average for 2012-2013 and are the second lowest in the country. Not only is this a way to increase their pay, but by holding teachers accountable for their students’ performance, teachers who may have slacked off in the past will now have a personal interest in the success of their students. It can also attract more teachers to a field which has been seeing a decline in numbers as well as encouraging improvement in state test scores. Lindsey Pellittieri, a junior elementary and special education double major, is familiar with merit-based pay because of her classes and thinks it is a good idea. “I think it’s unfair that teachers go into a profession where we don’t get to advance based on our individual performance,” Pellittieri said. “If I’m only teaching for a year, but I’m more effective than a teacher who’s been in the system for 25 years, that shouldn’t matter,” she said. “If I have an effect on my students, and they’re
advancing and progressing in their academics, then I should be recognized for that.” Yet there are also dangers to merit-based pay. For students in some areas, rapid improvement is simply not realistic, especially in impoverished areas, no matter how hard a teacher may be trying. Merit-based salaries also put an unhealthy pressure on teachers to make sure that their students are constantly doing well. In recent years, critics have pointed out that teachers who are paid based on student performance are more likely to “teach to the test.” This means only reviewing material that will be on state tests and neglecting to provide a more comprehensive education. What is more frightening are reports of teachers cheating for their students, giving them the answers to standardized tests and, as in one case in Atlanta, changing answer sheets that had already been turned in as complete, according to CNN.com. Tyler Scoggins, a history
Courtesy Photo
Lindsey Pellittieri talks merit-based pay for Mississippi teachers.
licensure major, sees both the benefits and complications of merit-based pay. While he would like to see merit-based pay in the field he will eventually teacher for, and thinks it will encourage students in the classroom, he also believes that it could spark problems. “It might cause unfair and negative competition between teachers and might cause some teachers discouragement if they do not receive merit
pay,”Scoggins said. Legislators will have a difficult job ahead of them in coming months as they consider how to help the teachers in their state. With pressure from parents, government officials, lobbyists and teachers, the idea of paying Mississippi’s teachers based on performance is certainly an important issue to watch in 2014. But, as Pellittieri said, “Good teachers are in it for the outcome, not the income.”
LIFE
Work experience stumps degree Yolanda Cruz Printz Reporter
When we are growing up, everyone tells us we need to go to college so we can get a job, but is it still that simple? After my five semesters spent at Southern Miss, it seems like most college students fall into one of two categories. Either your major requires you to get a graduate level degree to have any real chance at a job or gaining experience is really what your potential employers are looking for. If that is the case, you basically have to get some sort of job in your field while you are still learning about your field.
No one told us about this when growing up. Considering most of us have already been in school for 12 years before we even got to college, the idea of having to go to more school after the standard four years it takes to get a bachelor’s degree is a little discouraging. When Aaron Bermond, a sophomore psychology major, was asked what he would do with a bachelor’s degree, he said basically nothing. “Well with a bachelor’s degree, the main places I would be employed at would be under another researcher until I get my feet wet,” Bermond said.
“No university or research program will really want another researcher who doesn’t have at least a master’s degree. Anywhere I would apply wouldn’t really care about my application with only a bachelor’s degree.” If it is getting to the point where we need to go to school for so many years, can someone work on making college more affordable? My soul cries just a little bit when I think of student loans that people would have to face after graduate school. So does that mean people who don’t have to go to graduate school have it better off? Not necessarily, because not going to
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graduate school means we have to do the same amount of work, just in a shorter amount of time. While this route does not hurt the wallet as much, it can still be rather stressful. Sophomore Emily Stokley is confident she has chosen a good field to go into after graduation as an interior design major. “It’s a pretty competitive field, but it’s grown a lot since the end of the recession,” Stokley said. “If you think about it, every house and building you’ve ever seen, someone had to have designed it. It’s a good field to go into.” While Stokley may not be out looking for an interior design job right now, she still has to gain her experience by spending twice as many hours in class as most students do for the same amount of credit as everyone else. “We have studio classes, three hour credit, six hours in class per week,” Stokley said. “Last semester, I was in class 26 hours a week. It’s rough.” Many students are not as fortunate as Stokley to be able to only need class experience for their field. While junior Zachary Thomas does have the opportunity to gain experience for his recording industry management major by working with South City Records (SCR),
the campus recording studio, it is still a big responsibility to take on for the average college student. “The employers in my job field aren’t focused on advanced degrees. They’re more focused on your experience level,” Thomas said. “I wouldn’t have a hard time balancing just school and SCR. I have a difficult time balancing a 14-hour course load, SCR and a 35-hour part-time job. I also like to spend time with my girlfriend, friends and family. You know, all the normal college stuff people do. It’s extremely difficult,” he said. All of this can be too much for a student to handle. We are expected to deal with a full-time course load and still have a social life. But, we have to either worry about getting experience or saving money for graduate school. If so many people entering the workforce have bachelor’s degrees now, meaning that people need to have something more to stand out, maybe they should consider making college cheaper and less demanding. It would be nice to know I’m not working this hard to possibly just end up as a cashier.
SPORTS
Page 8 | Monday, January 27, 2014
BASKETBALL
Jones lifts Lady Eagles to 82-80 victory James Johnson Printz Reporter
For the third straight game, the Lady Eagles played in an overtime game. Jamierra Faulkner continued her hot streak as she led all scorers with a careerhigh 39 points, including 30 in the second half, to along with five assists and four steals. “This young group rallied back behind the will of Jamierra Faulkner.” Coach Joye LeeMcNelis said. Brittany Dinkins was the second leading scorer for the Golden Eagles with 13 points. Lashyra Cotton and Tamara Jones each collected five rebounds. With 10:17 remaining in the game and Southern Miss trailing by 18, they could have accepted the loss, instead they got behind their leader Faulkner, who ignited a 15-2 run to cut the lead to 59-54. Neither USM nor ECU came out hot as they combined for just 22 points in the first 12 minutes
of the game. After exchanging baskets, East Carolina used 9-0 run to take a 23-16 lead with 3:55 to go before the half. The Pirates took a 30-21 lead into half. “We had some players who didn’t start the game playing well, but made comebacks,” said McNelis. “We saw some flashes from Lashyra Cotton where she was able to get some big rebounds for us.” ECU’s Abria Trice put the Pirates on top by seven, 61-54, before Jerontay Clemons made two free throws from the charity stripe to keep the Lady Eagles alive pulling them within five points. However, Trice, who finished with 22 points, knocked down another basket for ECU. Faulkner hit a pair of free throws then followed with a layup to get within 3 points. Following a media timeout, Faulkner hit a jumper at the top of the key to cut the Pirates’ lead to one. East Carolina answered with Kristine Mial hitting a jump shot close to
the basket before Shae Nelson banked in a three from straight away to put the Pirates up, 68-62, with 2:10 remaining. Faulkner answered with a basket before East Carolina went 1-of-2 at the free throw line to push the lead to five, 69-64. Tamara Jones then hit a clutch three-pointer with 33 seconds left to play. Clemons then came up with a steal and found Faulkner who was able to tie the game on a layup with 17 seconds remaining. The Pirates’ ensuing shot bounced off the rim and the Lady Eagles came up with a rebound to send the game into overtime. East Carolina scored the first basket in overtime before Faulkner found Ashley Folsom in the paint to tie game at 71-71. USM and ECU traded baskets before Faulkner put USM ahead for the first time since the 6:26 mark in the first half. East Carolina then scored fourstraight points to take a 79-77 lead before Dinkins hit a three
Jamie Gominger/Printz
Senior guard Jamierra Faulkner scored a career-high of 39 points against East Carolina Saturday afternoon.
from the left corner to give the Lady Eagles an 80-79 advantage. ECU tied the game on a freethrow with 34 seconds remaining. Jones then grabbed an offensive rebound after a missed Faulkner shot and put it against the glass for what proved to be the game-winner with 3.8 seconds remaining. “What a huge play by Tamara Jones to keep the ball alive, grab the rebound and put it
back for the score,” said McNelis. The Lady Eagles improved to 14-5 and 3-3 in conference play after refusing to lose their fourth consecutive game. ECU dropped to 16-3 and 4-2 in conference play. Southern Miss will remain at home when the Lady Eagles host Middle Tennessee, the number one team in C-USA on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m.
BASKETBALL
Southern Miss defeats Pirates 60-46 Printz Reporter
Despite East Carolina’s great shooting night from behind the arc, Southern Miss beat the Pirates on the road in commanding fashion, 60-46. East Carolina (11-9, 0-5) set the tone in the first half, jumping out to an early lead in the game. The Pirates held a 10-point cushion with about four minutes left in the first half and went into halftime with a 30-23 lead. The Pirates shot 42.3 percent (11-of-51) from the floor, 38.9 percent (7-of-18) from the threepoint line but only 33.3 percent from the free throw line for the first half. Free throws and points in the paint kept the Golden Eagles alive in the first half. Southern Miss shot 34.6 percent from the field (9-for-26) with 14 of their points coming in the paint. The Golden Eagles converted 18.2 percent (2for-11) from beyond the arc and 60 percent (3-for-5) from the free throw line. After halftime, the Golden Eagles (18-3, 5-1 C-USA) turned it up a notch in the second half. Daveon Boardingham threw down a powerful dunk and Neil Watson drained a 3-pointer to cut the lead to two early in the second half. However, East Carolina managed to reclaim leads in the early portion of the second half.
After Matt Bingaya hit a jump shot and a Michael Craig dunk, back-to-back three pointers from Paris Roberts and Richmond gave the Pirates a 42-38 lead with over 13 minutes left in the second half. Halfway through the second half, the Golden Eagles took a 44-43 lead. From there, Southern Miss never looked back. Jerrold Brooks hit a 3-pointer and two foul shots; Michael Craig hit two jump shots and Boardingham connected on an alley-oop from Neil Watson to give Southern Miss a 56-43 lead with 2:22 to play in the second half. Southern Miss went on a 20-4 run in the final 12 minutes of the second half to seal the deal. For the game, Southern Miss shot 43.1 percent (22-for-51) from the field, 75 percent (12-for16) from the free throw line and only 25 percent (4-for-16) from three point range. The Golden Eagles outrebounded the Pirates 36-31 and won the turnover ratio, committing two fewer turnovers in the game. Daveon Boardingham led all scorers with 15 points on 7-of7 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds. Michael Craig scored 12 points and 11 rebounds in his sixth double-double of the year and Jerrold Brooks added 11 points. Neil Watson put in 10 points, six rebounds and five steals on the
night. Watson moved up to second place on the Southern Miss all-time assists list and ninthplace on the all-time steals list. Akeem Richmond led all scorers for the Pirates with 18 points
followed by Caleb White with 13 points. Currently, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has USM as one of the last four in to make the NCAA Tournament. USM just missed the tournament
last season. Southern Miss improved to 6-3 on the road and will return to Reed Green Coliseum Saturday to host Tulane University. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
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