SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • APRIL 8, 2020 | VOLUME 105 | ISSUE 22
STUDENT PRODUCTIVITY PG 3
ANIMAL CROSSING
PG 5
REFUNDS OPINION PG 6
Healthcare professionals protect, warn against COVID-19
Charlie Luttrell | Printz
MEGHAN FULLER PRINTZ REPORTER
ealthcare professionals throughout the United States are taking multiple precautions in order to protect themselves and their patients against COVID-19. With a lack of adequate supplies throughout the nation, many healthcare workers are struggling to protect themselves from the virus. Most workers are doing whatever they can in order to appropriately avoid risk while still protecting patients. Carrie Robinson, a patient coordinator who has been a nurse for four years, said she has even been exposed to possible cases. “I quarantined from my son and husband for four days,” Robinson said. “The unknown is what is so scary.”
Many hospitals have begun to check temperatures right as patients and visitors enter the building. Many healthcare workers have to face their fears when they go into work. Robinson risks her health and her family’s wellbeing everyday. “As healthcare professionals, we have the knowledge to know what could happen to us if we become positive for coronavirus,” Robinson said. Many are worried about their family members in the hospital with preexisting conditions, especially now that most hospitals are restricting visitation. Patients inside the hospital are just as terrif ied, especially without their loved ones around for comfort. In addition, hospitals are struggling to f ind supplies for their patients, and workers. Many masks are being reused after sterilization.
Robinson said that when the virus enters a host, it comes in contact with the mucus membranes that line the nose, mouth and eyes. From this, lungs and airways get inf lamed, causing shortness of breath and a dry cough. Robinson hopes many will see the severity of the virus and the impact it has on the community and the nation. “Some people don’t realize how serious COVID-19 is,” Robinson said. “Some think it’s just the simple f lu, which is far from the truth.” Pharmacies around the nation are installing plexiglass barriers for the safety of both pharmacists and visitors. In addition to wiping down surfaces and wearing masks for precaution, pharmacists are also encouraging sick patients, regardless of their illness, to use the drive-thru. Ede Fuller has been a pharmacist
for 36 years and said small, ordinary measures of precaution, such as social distancing, can save lives. “Many do not realize that the healthcare system is reaching capacity,” Fuller said. “People need to be very patient and stay at home.” Fuller takes precaution when leaving work by wiping down her personal items and washing her lab coat daily. She wears gloves in public places and uses a weak solution of bleach to wash her purchases. Although she does admit it is a struggle to take so many precautions, this ultimately protects her family and coworkers. “The biggest struggle is also not being able to hug or touch my family members,” Fuller said. “Another struggle is wanting to be compassionate
CONTNUED | PG 4
NEWS APRIL 8, 2020 MEET THE STAFF Executive Editor
Alyssa Bass alyssa.bass@usm.edu
Copy Editor
Mary Murphy mary.murphy@usm.edu
News Editor
Morgan Usry morgan.usry@usm.edu
Entertainment/Opinion Editor Jack McCallum john.mccallum@usm.edu
Feature/Lifestyle Editor Lillie Busch lillie.busch@usm.edu
Sports Editor
Makayla Puckett makayla.puckett@usm.edu
Multimedia Editor
Blair Ballou blair.ballou@usm.edu
Social Media Editor Bethany Morris
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Photo Editor
Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu
Design Editor
Emily Brinkman emily.brinkman@usm.edu
Graphic Designers Kathleen Hetherington kathleen.hetherington@usm.edu Alexandria Moore alexandria.casey@usm.edu Marissa Haas marissa.haas@usm.edu
Printz Advisor
chuck.cook@usm.edu
The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not 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 eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. 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 expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
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Students travel back to dorms for essentials, apply for longer stay ALYSSA BASS
EXECUTIVE EDITOR enior legal studies major Petra Ehlers took a test for coronavirus last Tuesday afternoon. After experiencing a persistent fever and cough, she suspects she was exposed to the virus while deep cleaning Turtle Creek Mall, where she works as a janitor. The day before, she was worried about where she was going to live for the remainder of the spring semester. On Monday, the Southern Miss Department of Housing and Residence Life emailed residents notifying them that they have until Friday at 8:59 a.m. to pick up essential belongings from their residence halls. Students will have to pick up their belongings by appointment only after 9 a.m. Students must provide documentation and f ill out a COVID-19 access form if they need to remain on campus by noon Thursday. Ehlers said she f illed out the form with a letter from her boss at Turtle Creek on Tuesday. However, she received an email from the Department of Housing and Residence Life on Wednesday denying her request due to insuff icient documentation. According to the email, she had until 5 p.m. Thursday to submit a new signed letter or work schedule from her boss. If Ehlers’ form was denied again, she would have to quit her job and move in with her 60-yearold mother in Alabama. “I almost went home for Spring Break. I did not even go home for Spring Break after not seeing her for eight months because I did not want to put her at risk,” Ehlers said. On Thursday, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported 485 COVID-19 cases. Sixteen of those cases have been reported in Forrest County. So far, Southern Miss is not aware of any students who have the virus, according to executive director of housing and residence life Scott Blackwell, Ph.D. Blackwell said nearly 2,800 students live on campus in the spring, but that many American and international residents left during Spring Break with no plans to return to campus. Blackwell said given the importance of social distancing, students should not feel rushed to retrieve all of their belongings from the residence halls. The department is considering future pick up dates in April and May. “We will roll out a process for students to be able to return to Hattiesburg, get access to their hall and collect their personal belongings. But the last thing we want to do is give the impression
that there’s a hurry to do this. And most importantly, you know, we need to get information to the students who are waiting for a response as to whether or not they’re going to be allowed to return to campus housing,” Blackwell said. On March 9, the university suspended all domestic and international university-sponsored travel to reduce “USM’s contribution to the potential spread of infection to other areas.” Students, faculty and staff were also asked to register their personal, domestic travel Spring Break plans with the university. Sierra Wood, senior public relations major from Tallahassee, Florida, did not. “At the time of the announcement, it felt unnecessary,” Wood said. “Obviously, things have changed dramatically in a short period of time, and I can see that was a mistake. However, I still do not think that the process is effective for spread prevention. While it may be helpful to the university legally, there is no way for them to know, based solely on your city, whether you have or have not come into contact with the virus.” Prior to receiving the housing department’s email, Wood planned on living in her sorority house for the remainder of the semester to spend time with her friends and have access to campus Wi-Fi. With an unstable Wi-Fi connection at home, she’s unsure where she will get her assignments done, given most nonessential businesses have closed in her hometown. Wood said the email from the housing department was shocking and stressful, especially since she has to make a six-hour drive back to campus. Because she’s unsure of when she will return, she said she will pick up any items that she can f it in her car along with essentials like medications and toiletries. “Prior to this announcement, I had been holding on to a sliver of hope that my Southern Miss story wasn’t over yet and that I would be able to see my friends and say goodbye. This is truly heartbreaking for me because now I have to return home to Florida, and I don’t know when I will see anyone again,” Wood said. Blackwell said the housing department has been communicating with the International Student and Scholars Off ice regularly. “Certainly, international students’ situations, in some respects, can be more complicated than domestic students because of the international nature of the crisis,” he said. Southern Miss resident from Argentina freshman athletic training major Argentina Bianca Montiel said dealing with stress has been hard lately. She’s been talking to
her family every day, often multiple times to talk about the coronavirus’ impact in the United States and Argentina. “I’m worried, not just for me, but for all my family back home and all the friends I made here,” she said. “Also, I’m a part of the cross country and track and f ield teams, and our season is already canceled. That plus the fact that I cannot go home and now we have to deal with the online classes— sometimes it seems like everything is going bad.” After spending all Monday night talking to her roommate, who is also an international student, to discuss housing options, Montiel said they’re still uncertain. Students and parents have been asking about refunds to their housing and meal plans. In a March 16 update, university off icials said the IHL off ice is looking for guidance from the United States Department of Education regarding partial refunds, but have not said anything def initive since then. Senior public relations major Makayla Crane has been reaching out to the university about receiving a refund for her meal plan in their Facebook comments. If the school doesn’t issue a statement when classes resume Monday, she said she plans on reaching out to the school directly. Crane said it’s not fair for students to not get what they’re paying for. “I work my butt off and live paycheck to paycheck to pay for schools and to pay my bills. Not to be dramatic, but I can’t just lose my money,” she said. Blackwell said Southern Miss will communicate details on all COVID-19 related updates as soon as they become available. “We’re being forced to think about lots of issues that we have never had to think about. Previous emergencies that USM has had to respond to, for example, tropical storms and tornadoes, weather related closings, we’ve responded appropriately. But in those kinds of situations. You know when the emergency passed, we got to f ixing whatever needed to be f ixed. In the case of coronavirus and the COVID-19 spread, we don’t know at this time when it’s going to be completely safe for students. . . . But we want our students’ safety to be the most important aspect of our response,” Blackwell said. Ehlers, after emailing her proper documentation, had her housing request approved Thursday morning. As she waits for her coronavirus test results from Hattiesburg Clinic or Forrest Health, she is quarantined in her dorm room. “I am relieved I won’t be driving three hours possibly spreading the virus,” she said.
NEWS APRIL 8, 2020
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SGA elections moved online due to COVID-19 MORGAN USRY NEWS EDITOR
oting for the Student G o v e r n m e n t Association executive elections is being held online until April 1 at 7 p.m. Voting usually takes place online and at limited on-campus locations, but was moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. SGA election commissioner Madison Crimm said she doesn’t have concerns about the change in the election or that it will affect voter turnout among students. “Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, we were planning to move to a completely online voter format,” Crimm said. “Durwing homecoming elections, very few voters utilized the physical voting stations on campus, so we were conf ident that strictly online voting would not make a huge difference in terms of voter participation. I am conf ident that the student body will remain invested in these elections as they have in past ones.” Without a physical presence on campus, Crimm said SGA is using its social media pages to promote the elections. “We want to make sure that voters are informed about the vote and the people for whom they are voting. The communications branch of SGA Cabinet has worked diligently to ensure that our social media accounts remain informative and interactive. We also have the website updated with candidate prof iles that show
Courtesy Photo from Student Government Association
each candidate’s qualif ications,” Crimm said. Junior communications studies major Rachel Shoemaker, who is running for SGA president, has also been using social media in her campaign.
“My initial concern was that since we are not physically on campus, we would not have the chance to remind students in person to vote,” Shoemaker said. “I have been proven wrong in the fact that everyone that I have reached out to
has voted already, and I have seen an abundance of advertising on social media reminding students about the election.” Shoemaker said that she doesn’t think the elections being only online will affect voter participation. “Because it is an all online election, it is an easy process that takes less than 30 seconds,” Shoemaker said. “I believe that the SGA communication team has done a wonderful job at advertising and getting the message out to students. With the free time that we now have because of social distancing, I believe that students will have the ample amount of time needed to vote.” Kaylen Gray, a sophomore medical laboratory science major, who is running for vice president of judicial affairs. She said that she likes the online format for the elections, but is concerned it will affect participation. “I believe most voting will be happening off-campus and this could be a challenge for those unable to access the internet,” Gray said. “This could also cause problems due to students not seeing candidates physically campaigning on campus. This is also a confusing time for students because there is a lot going on outside of elections and I believe this will have the biggest effect on voter participation.” The results of the election will be announced April 1 at 8 p.m. through a livestream on the SGA Facebook page.
Students plan to stay productive despite isolation BRIAN WINTERS PHOTO EDITOR
lasses for The University of Southern Mississippi resumed online March 30. Unfortunately, staying at home allows for the chance of multiple distractions, whether from talkative parents or a tempting show. To combat falling into a bad routine, some students plan to use this time to start a new hobby and create schedules to stay on top of their assignments. Sudiksha Kumar, a senior bio-med and forensic science major, has a plan to keep up with her classwork for the rest of the semester. “[I am] entering all due dates into my calendar and keeping a to-do list,” Kumar said. “Due to the weird deadlines, [I am] ensuring I’m submitting things a day or two in case of network errors.” Kumar said she plans to set aside specific times to do work and attend lectures. This includes plans to create a designated work area free from distraction. Outside of class, Kumar also plans to start a new hobby to stay productive. “Maybe [I will] learn a new language,” Kumar said. “I am cooking more but also [want to start] other things like painting. Major universities are offering free online classes, which I might take advantage of.” Jordan Waller, a senior marine biology major, said she is afraid she will not be motivated to do classwork, but has a plan to stay productive in and out of lectures. “I have a schedule, a laptop and, thankfully, working internet,” Waller said. “Taking care of dogs can also keep
People exercising outdoors in Hattiesburg.
William Lowery | Printz
you busy.” Cayson Miles, a junior theatre major, said he plans to work on art commissions in order to make some money. Miles also said he is not afraid to fall into a routine when it comes to hobbies and schoolwork. “[I am] scheduling blocks of time and trying to stick with it,” Miles said. “I work really well when in a steady routine.” Parker Papas is a senior graphic design and advertising major. Though she is not concerned about online classes, she is
worried about staying healthy. “I am more worried about how easy it is to snack all day,” Papas said. “I’ve been trying to cook better meals to avoid bad eating habits.” Papas also plans to start a hobby. She said she bought two new books to get back into reading before bed, and she is continuing to practice embroidery and sewing. She has also been going on more walks with her dog. “I’ve always wanted to grow a business
from home, so I am seeing this as an opportunity and learning experience,” Papas said. Despite the worry of productivity during isolation, Papas said it is fine to take time to care for yourself instead of your workload. “It is okay to take a nap or go on a walk, you don’t have to be productive all day,” Papas said. “If you find it hard to stay on track, try setting smaller goals to hit each day.”
FEATURES APRIL 8, 2020 CONT. FROM PG 1 struggle is wanting to be compassionate with patients, yet I know each interaction may endanger my family.” Hannah Murdock, a registered nurse who graduated from Southern Miss, said that hospitals are encouraging workers to be aware of symptoms
and alert doctors immediately if anyone shows signs of COVID-19. At her hospital, she says that there are two f loors dedicated to COVID-19 patients and the hospital encourages everyone to wear a mask when visiting those f loors. While supplies are low, Murdock has been reusing her mask in order to conserve materials. She washes her hands more frequently now that the awareness of the virus is much
more prevalent. Hattiesburg hospitals have yet to run out of supplies or room for the ill. As the virus increases, however, Murdock said that it is only a matter of time before things change. “We have not run out of supplies yet,” Murdock said. “It will be this way until we start getting overf low patients from other states, or until Hattiesburg’s infection rate
WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM increases.” Murdock also said that many young people fail to see the seriousness of COVID-19. Murdock urges everyone to follow the executive orders set in place, practice social distancing and protect themselves against the virus to prevent sickness. She also urges everyone to listen to healthcare professionals, as they are on the front lines of the pandemic.
The Black-Eyed Susans honor female leaders
ASHLYN LEVINS PRINTZ REPORTER
Courtesy photo from the Black-Eyed Susans.
he Black-Eyed Susans are determined to leave a signif icant impression across the campus and the surrounding community. The Black-Eyed Susans is a women’s leadership honorary at Southern Miss that was founded in 2017. It is the only organization at USM solely for women and their advancements. All 26 members were nominated based on their previous campus involvement. Member Selma Newbill, junior politicial science and English major, has been recognized as a role model across campus due to her involvement with the Sexual
Assault Prevention Ambassadors. “Receiving the acceptance letter telling me that I was to be initiated as a Black Eyed Susan this past fall meant to me that I was becoming one of the women I looked up to for so long,” Newbill said, “Partnering with existing state coalitions and nonprof its to identify gaps in services and legislation, this collaborative effort would work to increase survivor rights’ awareness, facilitate access to multi-disciplinary survivor service sites, and create and lobby for policies and legislation to standardize survivors’ access to care.” Newbill said she dreamed of being a Black Eyed Susan her freshman year. “The women in this organization have always been the upperclassmen women on campus that I aspired to be, and
as a young woman who wanted to make a difference on USM’s campus, I aspired to be like them – to be one of them.” The Black-Eyed Susans acknowledge the female mentors that came before them. Morgan Schwartz, senior public relations major, is the president of The Black-Eyed Susans. “With membership comes the expectation that you show that encouragement to other women and show them that they are so much more capable than what they think of themselves,” Schwartz said. “I think that’s really awesome that that’s something we can do.” Schwartz credits two women for inspiring her to reach her goals. “Dr. Cindy Blackwell is my advisor, and she is an incredible woman. She reminds me of my worth. She pushes me to go for
things I wouldn’t normally do and has shown me the value of academic success,” Schwartz said. “My other mentor is my boss in Res Life, Meg Freeman. She encourages me daily and is there for me in everything. She has taught me a lot about myself, and pushes me to be the best version of myself at all times.” The group is in the process of planning more events to encourage female students and gain a bigger following on social media. “We want to get people involved and interested in what the organization is trying to do,”Julia Brechtel, senior psychology major and vice president of public relations for the organization said. Follow The Black-Eyed Susans on Instagram at @ usmblackeyedsusans.
ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 8, 2020
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‘After Hours’ shines as The Weeknd’s best album CHARLIE LUTTRELL PRINTZ REPORTER
fter releasing three singles in the past few months, The Weeknd released his fourth studio album, “After Hours,” on March 20. In it, The Weeknd returns to his roots while improving his artistic abilities, making it his strongest entry yet. The Weeknd seems to have perfected his craft on “After Hours.” While his previous albums stuck to a principle style throughout, this album incorporates the full spectrum of The Weeknd’s capabilities. It is a mixture of every component of his music from the emotions the songs convey to the musical structure itself. While the topics The Weeknd sings are similar to his previous music, he provides more range of emotion in one album than ever before. Tracks like “After Hours” and “Alone Again” bring back the familiar melancholy spirit of his music, while tracks like “Heartless” convey a more aggressive and boastful tone.
The album is heavily inspired by ‘80s pop, with The Weeknd’s vocal performances reminiscent of the king of pop himself, Michael Jackson. While the sounds may be inspired by music from forty years ago, The Weeknd makes it sound as fresh as ever. “Blinding Lights,” the top song in the country as of March 30, 2020, features an 80s synthesizer in its melody. “In Your Eyes” follows the track with a similar disco sound and unexpectedly adds a sax solo, making it one of the most unforgettable songs on the album. Even with its heavy pop appeal, “After Hours” is as introspective and vulnerable as The Weeknd has ever been. “Scared to Live” and “Hardest to Love” are raw and emotional messages about a past relationship that has not settled well with him. Although he once sang, “Cali is the mission,” he opened up about how stardom is not everything he pictured it would be on the track, “Escape from LA.” On “Snowchild,” he reflects on his rise to fame and desire to return to his hometown, Toronto. He also talks about his substance abuse during “Faith,” a common topic in his songs. However, “Faith” presents the issue more seriously than usual.
The weeknd
after hours
Illustration by Marissa Haas| Printz
‘New Horizons’ calms nerves in hectic times JACK MCCALLUM
ENTERTAINMENT/OPINION EDITOR s a fan of previous “Animal Crossing” games, something about “New Horizons” hits different. In a time where the whole concept of routine and normal living has been flipped, “New Horizons” provides a much needed sense of relaxation and fulfillment. “New Horizons” has been one of the most hyped games for the Nintendo Switch since it was announced in 2018. Then, when the pandemic hit, “New Horizons” became even more essential. Since its release on March 20, “New Horizons” has given many, including myself, hours upon hours of playtime to distract from the depressing nature of quarantine and COVID-19. “New Horizons” starts your villager off in a character design screen. Then, you select a map of a deserted island, where you will be curating your dream, five-star island for the next few weeks and months. The customization in the game is stellar from the beginning, especially compared to previous games. Even if you think your villager’s look is a little frumpy, you can change their features with a mirror and wardrobe very early into the game. You start off playing on your weed-covered island with two random villagers and a random, native fruit. Starting off with only two villagers makes the beginning of the game seem a bit slow, but spending so much time with these two makes you develop a specific attachment to them. But your island won’t be underpopulated for long, though. By day nine or ten, you will have all ten of your island’s villagers to interact with.
Unlike previous games, “New Horizons” allows you to completely craft a deserted island into whatever you could imagine. While some might not like having to wait a few days for Nook’s Cranny and the museum to open up, the ability to choose where each shop is placed more than makes up for it. Part of the fun in “New Horizons”, at least for me, is roaming through the trees, climbing the jagged cliffs and planning out the next few weeks of landscaping. The customization “New Horizons” is top notch and gives everyone the opportunity to create a completely unique island experience. The customization also shines in the game’s DIY projects your villager must complete. With customization kits, you can design a lot of DIY furniture to be as ridiculous as you want. The DIY projects are also how you create your tools, another difference from the previous games. While this makes the game a bit more hands-on, it can get a bit annoying when your fifth fishing rod breaks and you have to scour your island for materials. Though there are many changes in “New Horizons”, you still collect fish, bugs and fossils in the same way. A new, more interesting addition to this is the differentiation of northern and southern hemispheres, meaning different species might spawn on your island. Catching the same sea bass and horse mackerel time and time again can get frustrating, but it’s all worth it for the rush of excitement over catching a tuna. “Animal Crossing” has always been a great game to use as an escape from the messiness of the real world. With COVID-19 news flooding our timelines and filling our hearts with fear, I think escapist entertainment like “New Horizons” is the best way to not overwhelm yourself.
Illustration by Emily Brinkman | Printz
OPINION APRIL 8, 2020
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The new class system is both flexible and empty WILLIAM LOWERY PRINTZ REPORTER
Illustration by Derrick “DJ” Reed | Printz
his last week, Southern Miss students began online-only classes. Instead of meeting up in classrooms at 8 a.m., most are either watching video lectures or participating in conference calls to stay on top of classwork. This decision only happened two weeks ago. Like many, I was caught off guard and wondered how teachers were going to handle the new teaching system. So far, this decision has its pros and cons, so let’s start with the good. There’s a lot more time to work on assignments and projects. Before, there was only so much time a person
had after class. As a result, a lot of students put in all-nighters to get work done. Knowing you can now wake up and do the work when you want removes a lot of that tension. At the same time, though, a new challenge comes from making the most out of each day. For some, the online-only model seems like an excuse to procrastinate even more. When most businesses are closed, it’s easy to be tempted to sit at home and twiddle your thumbs on the phone. For others, they focus only on schoolwork, wearing themselves out mentally and physically. Therefore, it pays to come up with a schedule of when to work or study. For me, a daily schedule helps time fly by
quickly and I get a lot done in the process. It also helps me pace myself, since I also designated time away from a computer screen to take a break. Online-only classes seem great, but they pale in comparison to the real deal. Because the campus is closed and everyone
is at home, the college experience just isn’t the same. Weirdly, the rush of hurrying from class to class and cutting it close on deadlines is what defines college. With so much time to do whatever, it really puts into perspective how adrenaline-inducing college could be. There is also no one to interact with. Conference calls provide some measure of contact with other people, but it feels more like you’re participating in a phone call rather than a group meeting. When the spring semester ends in May and the fall semester starts in August, who knows how returning students will feel about being on campus again after spending a couple of months taking classes on a computer. For current freshmen, they might find it hard to believe Southern Miss was once a thriving university and not a ghost town. The online model may only be temporary, but its effects will be long-lasting.
Students need their money back EARL STOUDEMIRE PRINTZ REPORTER
s our education continues online, so do our bills for things such as rent, loans, phone bills, light, Wi-Fi and food. After many were being forced to move back to their family homes or other shelters, Southern Miss students need their money back from Eagle Dining and Housing and Residence life. This article should not have to be written considering other schools in the U.S. have already made effective changes to benefit their student body. When I spoke to past Southern Miss student Amanda Irizarry, who is now transferring to the Georgia Southern University, she shared that all 26 institutions within its university system worked to issue partial refunds to students, especially those with oncampus residence halls and meal plans. At Georgia Southern University, 44% of remaining plans will be refunded to students who paid for room/board. A full refund for spring graduate applications was returned. A $25 refund was given to students who purchased a spring parking pass, along with refunded portions from recreation, activity, and transit fees. A post from “Watch the Yard” shared on their Instagram shows a student from Xavier University of Louisiana sharing how their administration is refunding all of their
students their room and board, providing free access to an online behavioral health program and making their Fall 2020 semester a grace period to keep current school scholarships. Even large schools like Texas A&M University can get a prorated refund for parking passes on their campus. If large, public universities and small, private universities can give their students a refund, then why can’t Southern Miss do the same for us? Many students call for a more transparent way to handle refunds from the university. The Housing and Residence Life protocol for moving students out was shady and selfish, to put it in simple terms. The fact they had an acknowledgement and release form saying the housing contract lease agreement was still in effect, but if anyone moved out before the last day in May, they would not receive any refund or credit for their housing and meal plan, is sickening. Forcing everyone out of their residence halls and leaving students empty handed to fend for themselves holds many issues in the general student body. To anyone who signed that
acknowledgement and release form, I send my condolences to them over losing their money over an over-glorified storage center. There are a lot of requests and expectations that the newly elected leaders of SGA can work with school administration on to support the student body in this pandemic and economic situation. Many students’ concerns are over parking passes, as they cost $95 for the spring and $113 annually. After the university discouraged vehicular and pedestrian traffic on university property, students should get some form of a refund. The transfer of course fees to online-only course fees should also be implemented, as no one can go on-campus to learn with the state-wide lockdown enforced by Governor Tate Reeves. They should also be refunded $120 for now inaccessible the post office, capital improvement and student activity fees. Also, if anyone received a wellness education fee of $25 their freshman year like I did, please let me know what that was for. For anyone thinking that this money being
given back to students will be used on useless things like electronics, tickets and clothes: we are in the middle of a global pandemic. This money will be used for survival because not every college student will get aid from the CARES Act. Not every student can be claimed as a dependent. Not every student has filed taxes. Hearing about how some Southern Miss students have to return home to places where corona cases are more prevalent than in Forrest County truly breaks my heart. If nothing else, help and support is the one thing everyone needs right now. The entire Southern Miss student body is going through hard times right now.Our administrators and SGA officers should work together to help us Southern Miss students succeed and keep moving to the top.
Illustration by Emily Brinkman | Printz