Monday, March 6, 2017 Volume 101 Issue 40
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Sanders leads Nissan protest ‘Why not Mississippi?’
HIBA TAHIR
entermainment editor On March 4, hundreds of people from across Mississippi gathered at the Canton Multipurpose Complex to protest poor treatment and unsafe working conditions for workers at the Renault-Nissan manufacturing plant. The Mississippi Alliance for Fairness at Nissan (MAFN) hosted the event. Prominent political figures including Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Nina Turner, NAACP President Cornell William Brooks and actor Danny Glover joined hundreds of Nissan employees in solidarity with their fight for workers’ rights and unionization. Canton’s Nissan assembly plant is one of three company facilities worldwide that do not have unions. Crowds chanted, “Why not Mississippi?” throughout the protest. “There is an ongoing anti-union campaign happening daily within the Canton plant,” the MAFN mission statement reads. “The company wants to continue to
hide from their responsibilities of creating safe working conditions, real health benefits and job security. Their campaign of fear spreads lies to the workers, saying a union will close the plant.” Sanders said there is a reason why large multi-national corporations continue to come to the South and have done so for many decades. “[Corporations] think that people here in the South are not prepared to stand up and fight back,” Sanders said. “They’ve got another guess coming.” According to the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, the National Labor Relations Board charged Nissan and a temporary worker agency with violating workers’ rights in Mississippi in 2015. Additionally, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued multiple citations against Nissan for violations of federal safety and health laws, the most recent of which found that Nissan “did not furnish . . . a place of employment which was free from recognized
hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.” “People lose limbs, sustain lifelong injuries and often times are refused light-duty or workman’s compensation,” MAFN said in its mission statement. “Senior workers are forced out of their positions with faulty drug testing. Workers have even died inside the plant. We can’t sit by and allow this to happen to Mississippians.” In his speech, Sanders called the protest a “struggle for dignity.” “The reason that we see opposition to unions here in Mississippi and in fact, all over the country, is because unions work in providing increased wages and benefits,” Sanders said. “The eyes of the country and the eyes of the world are on you this moment. One worker walking into a multibillion dollar national corporation has zero power but when workers stand together and they negotiate contracts for decent wages, for decent working conditions, for decent healthcare – you have power.”
Samuel Mingo/Printz Hundreds of people attend the March on Mississippi in support of workers’ rights on March 4, 2017.
Samuel Mingo/Printz Sen. Bernie Sanders addresses a crowd in Canton, Miss. for the March on Mississippi on March 4, 2017.
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INTRODUCTION MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2017
Meet the Staff Spring 2017
FIND US ON THE WEB
Cam Bonelli
Executive Editor
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The Student Printz
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NEWS MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2017
SGA presidential candidates prepare for election ALYSSA BASS
printz reporter
On March 7 and 9, students can cast their vote for SGA president for the 2017 - 2018 academic year. Sophomore Cameron Cloud and senior Jesse Robinson are running against one another for the job to replace current SGA President Caroline Bradley. Sophomore biological sciences and communication studies double major Cameron Cloud said he feels the need to give back to the university after living in Hattiesburg for 20 years. “I knew when I was choosing colleges, I wanted to be somewhere I could go to make a difference,” Cloud said. “Southern Miss takes ordinary people and allows them to do extraordinary things. The famous quote by Dr. Joe Paul says, ‘Leave Southern Miss better than you found it,’ but in the end, I truly believe that Southern Miss has left me better than it found me.” Cloud has been an active member in several on-campus clubs and organizations during his two years at the university, including SGA Eaglepalooza as assistant director, SGA Freshman Forum, the Luckyday scholarship program, the Honors College where he serves as an ambassador, Lambda Sigma, Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, former Vice President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Miss and a 2016 GEWW Crew leader. USM awarded Cloud Most Outstanding Freshman Male of the Year in 2016. Cloud’s campaign has four main points: relationships, inclusivity, transparency and community. Regarding relationships, Cloud
said he would like to advertise the Speak Up Southern Miss website, so that more students will be encouraged to make appointments with representatives from SGA Senate members since many students feel the SGA office is intimidating. In another attempt to make the SGA office more approachable as well as assure fairness in the Cabinet appointment process, Cloud is in the process of writing and proposing a bill to the SGA Senate to ensure inclusivity is a priority. “Each student – whether transfer, international, scholar, athlete, artist, Greek, graduate or undergraduate – needs to have representation within SGA,” Cloud said. In addition to the lack of representation in SGA, Cloud has noticed that most students do not recognize the power of SGA. Cloud said, “I have personally asked many students, ‘What can SGA do to improve your experience here on campus?’ The number one response is: ‘What is SGA, and what has it done for me?’ “ To provide transparency between the student body and SGA, Cloud said he wants to post in monthly update videos on social media as well as the SGA website for all USM students to see. He said he is also planning on sending bi-weekly updates to the SGA branches to ensure proper communication. For his final point, community, Cloud would like to partner with local businesses to provide students with discounts and advertise those discounts on the SGA website. Senior Jesse Robinson also has a list of achievements and plans for
the university if elected. Robinson, a mathematics major and economics minor from Florence, Miss., has been a member of SGA Freshman Associates and SGA Senate. He has also served as SGA Vice President this past year. Robinson’s early membership in SGA and continued involvement inspired him to run for president. Robinson said, “My term as a senator taught me to seek out the thoughts, ideas, and opinions of my fellow students and always remember that I am representing more than just myself for as long as I serve a role in SGA. This past year, being the Vice President allowed me to play an even larger role in ensuring that student voices were being heard and that we were striving to push the university forward.” Robinson has also held membership in Southern Style, Honors College, Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Lambda Sigma Honor Society, Order of Omega Greek Honor Society, Kappa Mu Epilson Mathematic Honor Society, National Society of Leadership and Success, Student Support Services as a tutor, and the Interfraternity Council. His campaign relies on the belief that the college experience is twofold: academic and student life, both of which Robinson believes are equally important. He has divided his initiatives into the two categories. His academic plan includes four main points. First, Robinson wants to be a part of the development of the Academic Reorganization Plan, which strives to better use academic resources, and communicate the
effect to students. He would also like for the SGA to partner with the Finish in 4 campaign. Robinson aims to reinforce the Relief/”Dead Days” policy after multiple complaints from the student body concerning professors giving tests on the Thursday or Friday prior to final exams. He would also like to modify academic advisement so that students feel prepared to take advised classes. In regard to student life, Robinson’s priorities are to educate students on new parking plans as well as alternative transit systems, continue refining the relationship between Aramark and SGA, and
make a conscious effort to have SGA effectively represent and reach out to the entirety of the student body. Robinson emphasized his connection to the student body when he said, “The first word of the organization, student, explains our entire reason for existing. SGA exists to govern and represent all of the students at the university. However, without branching out and having discussions with students from all walks of life, how can we claim to represent them?” Students will be able to cast their vote for SGA president on March 7 and 9 in the Thad Cochran Center.
Durlab Man Sherchan/Printz
Durlab Man Sherchan/Printz
Jesse Robinson, a senior majoring in Mathematics served as the SGA vice-president the past year and will be running for the president this upcoming Student Government election.
Cameron Cloud, a sophomore majoring in Bio-chemistry and Communication Studies is the ambassador of the Honors College and will be running for the president in the upcoming Student Government election.
Thirsty Hippo hosts second ‘Fleshed Out: The Body Politic’ session KELLY BRAHMBHATT
printz reporter
The Thirsty Hippo in Downtown Hattiesburg continued its Interdisciplinary Investigations series of lectures entitled “Fleshed
Courtesy Photo
Out: The Body Politic” held throughout the 2016-2017 year. The second of the three sessions held in the spring semester entitled “How Do We Control ‘Dangerous Bodies?” was hosted on March 2. Associate Professor of Sociology
Ann Marie Kinnell discussed what makes a body dangerous. The focus of her presentation was on how a society seeks to control, modify or even eliminate those dangerous bodies. “Externalization is the idea that man creates the social world and gives meaning to it,” Kinnell said. “Objectification follows as a result, where those meanings become so real that they take on a life of their own. We forget that we have created the meanings for them. Internalization is when the objectified world acts back on the human, and we teach other people what the meanings are subconsciously.” Kinnell used cocaine toothache drops as an example of how meanings in society can change. According to her, drops of cocaine were used to sooth toothaches and given out without second thought, whereas cocaine is now so far ostracized that the idea of giving out cocaine is deemed dangerous. Society, Kinnell said, creates meanings for objects, words
and ideologies and has control to change the meanings for those same constructs. There are three facets of the body: the internal body, the external body and the adorned body. Kinnell addressed the internal body and used menstruation as the primary example. “In Nepal, when a female gets her period, she must stay in the Shed,” Kinnell said. “We, as a society, have given meaning to periods that the female is unclean and [cannot] be touched because they are dangerous – in the sense that it is something you do not talk about, that it is taboo and something kept private.” According to Kinnell, young women in Uganda sometimes drop out of school because they cannot afford pads and therefore are a danger to themselves due to the meanings applied to menstruation. Kinnell discussed the external body in relation to skin color. “The darker the skin color, the more dangerous society makes you out to be,” Kinnell said. “We have
criminalized dark skin. Black skin is the scheme we use to evaluate whether a person should be criminalized.” In other words, everyone sees skin color, but it is the meaning given to skin color that defines whether or not it is dangerous. This creates socially destructive relationships and a cycle of distrust, according to Kinnell. Kinnell then discussed the adorned body and its relation to tattoos. Society gives tattoos both positive and negative connotations. “If we, as a society, do not look past a person’s tattoos, we do not allow them to move on from them,” Kinnell said. Kinnell concluded by discussing how people create a meaning system, impose order on the world and internalize through socialization. Meaning and order, however, can be changed. The event and series are open to the public. For more information about upcoming events in the series, visit www.artsandlettersnow.usm. edu.
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FEATURE MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2017
‘Burg bands ‘blast off’ to Spacecamp KENDRA SMITH-PARKS
printz reporter
Spacecamp, a new warehouse venue, emerged amid a short dry spell in Jackson’s music scene. Featuring different music from punk to groovy post-punk, the warehouse drew a crowd from around the state. On Saturday, Hattiesburg bands and friends traveled to Jackson for a show with May Queen, Him Horrison, Late Bloomers, Nossiens and Dumspell at the warehouse. After Big Sleepy’s closed in 2016, Jackson’s DIY scene briefly paused. “The music scene in Jackson is pretty good,” said Jackson resident Justin Blaine. “It has its highs and lows during different periods of time. It’s definitely in a positive period since Big Sleepy’s was done. Right now it’s rolling and new people are coming into it.” Spacecamp is completely operated by local bands. Bad Magic members Josh Taylor and Joey Gray and May Queen member Hayden Boyd organize the events. The idea of Spacecamp came when the three roommates were practicing in their dining room with their bands. The guys started calling the house Spacecamp and realized they had too many circulating bands to continue using the small living space. “For a pretty long time, way before we even had the house, we’ve always wanted to have somewhere we could have shows for our bands that we controlled,” Boyd said. “We wanted to bring bands from out of town and showcase what we’re all doing and give people in Jackson something fun to do.” After this realization, Gray found a warehouse for rent on Craigslist. Many local bands use the space for band practice in a smaller warehouse in the
Kendra Smith-Parks/Printz Nossiens plays at Spacecamp in Jackson on March 4, 2017. back. “So many Hattiesburg bands came to play, and it seemed like a sick show,” said Hattiesburg resident Emma Moore. “I haven’t seen some of the bands in a while, too. So I decided it was worth the travel.” Jackson-based band May Queen consists of members Logan Owensby, Salar Almakky, Jesse Coppenbarger and Boyd. The group started in 2014 with Owensby writing songs in his shed. Eventually, everyone came together by 2015 to write their first album. However, Coppenbarger’s first show
as part of the band was at Spacecamp Saturday. The four-piece is currently in the process of putting a record together. Him Horrison started with one member – Him Horrison. He described the concept of it as created by birth because it is just him. At the show, Horrison got all of his musician friends to get on stage with all black and play music with him. “Nothing is for sale – expression is an extension of who we are,” Horrison said. “What’s happening at Spacecamp is a reflection of how important it is for people to express themselves as
they see fit. It’s not about catering to popular idea of ‘success’ or what is ‘professional.’” Nossiens consists of Nick Panella, Tony Panella, Hal Kolodney and Quinn Mackey. The band started in 2015 and was previously called Dinner Guests. Nossiens recently released a self-titled album on Bandcamp and Spotify. Late Bloomers started during the late summer of 2016 as a four-piece – Big Bleach’s Harley White and Zach Burton, Him Horrison’s Dylan Kern and the bass-destroying Cody Pope – and was later joined by Harbor’s Jay
Cummings. Dumspell began in 2015. Promoting normality in female band members, vocalist Mary Spooner and bassist Olesya Ufimtseva are joined by guitarist Cody Bass and drummer Bradley Presson. On Saturday, the four performed a cover of Agent Orange’s “Blood Stains.” Dumspell is currently working on an LP and will head to Oklahoma City for a punk festival next week. More information on Spacecamp can be found at facebook.com/ spacecampjxn.
New Orleans-based band draws crowd to Dollar Box DAISY STUTTS
photo editor
New Orleans funk and jazz group Flow Tribe played a pre-
spring break show at the Dollar Box Showroom in Downtown Hattiesburg on March 2, 2017. The Thursday night gig brought out some longtime fans of Flow
Daisy Stutts | Printz Flow Tribe performs at the Dollar Box Showroom on March 2, 2017.
Tribe and made for a relaxed but upbeat audience. Flow Tribe has been playing shows in Hattiesburg for around 10 years, according to Dollar Box owner Ben Shemper.
The group started out playing at Benny’s Boom Boom Room, also owned by Shemper, and has become a Hattiesburg regular that plays multiple times a year and always draws a familiar crowd. The Dollar Box opened in January of 2015 and has become a hot spot for college and postcollege aged Hattiesburgers to see their favorite local entertainment. With relatively regular appearances from groups like Afroman, The Weeks, Flow Tribe and local acts, the Dollar Box is known in the area for hosting shows with a local cult following. Given that it has that kind of relationship with the city, it is a rare occasion when a Dollar Box show is not full to capacity. “I’ve been booking Flow Tribe for 10 years,” said Shemper. “Ever since they played at the Boom Boom Room a couple years ago, we had a much bigger crowd come out to see them. I was like, ‘We’ve gotta get some of these pool tables out of the way so more people can get in here to see this show.’” “I’ve been a huge fan of Flow
Tribe since the first time I saw them two years ago,” said attendee Dakota Delozier. “I really like how they make jazzy music more modern so that it appeals to a younger demographic. Their energy really captures a crowd.” Flow Tribe is New Orleans-based and brings together a mix of funky covers and originals, making up a high-energy and entirely danceable show. The 5-piece consists of guitar, drums, vocals and an interesting percussion setup that includes a washboard. Anyone can find something enjoyable about the band because of their versatility. “I guess in my eyes it’s like a taste from home,” said New Orleans native Peyton Czerwonka. “I’m from New Orleans and there are not many local bands that come and perform in Hattiesburg. It brings everyone together for great music and that’s what I love about them.” “I wanted to make sure we could get Flow Tribe back before summer,” Shemper said. “It was a great show, as always.”
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NEWS MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2017
Honors College hosts international fair HIBA TAHIR
entermainment editor On Thursday, Feb. 23, The University of Southern Mississippi’s Honors College hosted its first International Fair, where numerous international students representing diverse cultures presented different aspects of their cultures through food, music and dance. Social chair Alexis Aleman came up with the idea during an executive board meeting. “I plan all of our events,” said Aleman. “When we were discussing last semester which events we wanted to plan for this semester, I discussed a multicultural fair with the other executive board members, and we all really liked the idea [of a multicultural fair], so we decided to pick that as one of our socials this semester.” Aleman said she knew she and her colleagues would require the participation of multiple groups in order to make the event a success, so she contacted vice president Rachel Williamson, who is involved in numerous cultural organizations on campus. Together, they were able to convince a few groups to come to the event. These four groups represented the countries of Nepal, Italy, Japan and Mexico. “I think the fair did an excellent job of
bringing members of various different backgrounds and cultures together to embrace one another’s differences,” said President of the Honors College Ambassadors Michael McDonald. “We were open to any group that wanted to present, and we tried to get as many as we could,” said Aleman. “I am hoping to continue the event in the future and have even more groups present. Our main goal was to show that the Honors College and the university as a whole are diverse organizations and to increase appreciation for that diversity.” Aleman said that she thinks the event was helpful. Her favorite moment during the event was when everyone turned off the lights, and the group from Nepal taught participants various dances. “We all joined in,” said Aleman. “And then the faculty member representing Italy taught the Macarena, and then the President of the Honors College Ambassadors and I showed them the Cupid Shuffle and the wobble. That was probably my favorite experience in the Honors College so far, because in that moment, there were no language or social barriers. We were all friends dancing and having fun.” Aleman said that she really enjoyed herself, and that she knows she made friends she will continue to speak to
Shraddha Bhatta/Printz International students and members of the Honors College pose in Namaste, which means “hello” in Napal.
whenever she sees them on campus. “Friendships were made that night between people who may have been too shy or scared to talk to each other when passing each other on campus,” she said. “I really am appreciative [of] how open and friendly everyone was, because we were relying on that for the success of
the event. I couldn’t not get over how nice everyone was, and I was able to learn a lot about cultures I did not know much about.” Vice President of the Honors College Ambassadors Rachel Williamson said she was worried about the event coming together, but that “everyone really came
through.” “It was nice to see all the different students come together and have fun,” said Williamson. “A lot of my friends who hadn’t met any international students before got to make new friends and learn about other cultures, which was the goal. Plus, my food was a hit!”
USM dedicates Asbury hall with ribbon cutting NAN BEAUTI copy editor The University of Southern Mississippi held an official ribboncutting ceremony for Asbury Hall, its new state-of-the-art nursing building, March 3. The event featured a tour of the building and guest speakers. The College of Nursing made its transition into the new building in November of 2016. The new semester ushered in the college’s first classes at the building in January. The building cost $31 million and took nearly two years to complete.
“We got to the finish line today, and we are so happy to be here,” said President of USM Rodney Bennett. “I am excited that we will be able to offer future students the opportunity to learn and thrive in a new facility customized to meet the needs of a challenging and changing healthcare industry.” Southern Miss’ nursing program is expanding, and as a result of the new building, its enrollment has increased from 550 students to more than 800. The building houses student interactive areas, a state-of-the-art clinical simulation lab, computer labs and classrooms
that promote learning and positive interaction in an advanced academic environment. The College of Nursing was previously centered in Harkins Hall, and its move to Asbury Hall allowed for 135 percent more square footage. Asbury hall is situation on the northeast corner of the Southern Miss Hattiesburg campus at 93,500 square feet. “I’m confident that our students and faculty will utilize Asbury Hall’s new features and services to maximize learning opportunities and develop strong skills for success in the growing field of healthcare,”
Julius Kizzee/Printz Several members of the USM community cut the ribbon for Asbury Hall at a ceremony on March 3.
Bennett said. Also in presence at the event was Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree, to whom Bennett gave thanks for his support. “We enjoy an excellent relationship with the city, and we’re glad the city has hosted the university for more than 107 years,” Bennett said. Dean of the College of Nursing Katherine Nugent thanked the donors and contributors of the project including all those who joined in the dedication of Asbury Hall. “In early 2012, I remember the day that we launched the College of Nursing building campaign to build this new 3-story state-of-theart building,” Nugent said. “The task seemed so daunting at that time. As dean of the College of Nursing, this is one of the finest moments of my thirteen years at Southern Mississippi.” The facility’s official opening concurs with the College of Nursing’s 50th anniversary. Nugent also unveiled of a special 50th edition artwork by Kim Garraway Bradley. The USM Foundation announced in January 2012 an $8-millionfundraising-campaign toward the construction of the new nursing facility. The College of Nursing Building Campaign also received
a $4 million commitment from the Asbury Foundation of Hattiesburg. The building named after the donors of this gift. Groundbreaking for Asbury Hall occurred in September, 2014. In his speech, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves dedicated the building and guided the event with the ribboncutting festivities. He supported the university with the funding of the building. The Mississippi Legislature dedicated nearly $20 million in state bonds to the project. Approximately $4 million of federal grants were also obtained for construction costs. “If you think about the future of healthcare in our state, we know we need more healthcare providers,” Reeves said. “This facility is going to help grow the size and the scope of this school. In the long-term the true beneficiary of this new building and this expanded school is going to be the healthcare of the citizens of our state and ultimately the economy of our state as well.” Southern Miss has worked for many years to play a role in the improvement of the state of Mississippi. Over the last five years, 20 percent of the state’s nurses with bachelor degrees have graduated from Southern Miss, and the contribution of Asbury Hall will allow Southern Miss to continue providing state-ofthe-art healthcare education.
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OPINION MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2017
SB 2703 death endangers domestic abuse victims ALYSSA BASS
printz reporter
On Feb. 28 pastor and Chairman of the House Judiciary B Committee Andy Gipson declared Senate Bill 2703 dead. The bill would have declared domestic violence as means for divorce in Mississippi. According to Mississippi state law, there are 12 grounds for divorce, including desertion, natural insanity, adultery, habitual abuse of drugs and alcohol, incest and yes, habitual cruel and inhuman treatment. Domestic violence would have been added to the seventh item in article one – where habitual cruel and inhuman treatment is listed, adding “including spousal domestic abuse” to the end of the phrase. Gipson denied the addition due to inhumane treatment already being
grounds for divorce, implying that the specific language was not necessary. He also said, “We need to have policies that strengthen marriage. If a person is abusive, they need to have a change in behavior and change of heart.” I agree with Gipson when he insinuates that adding the words domestic violence is redundant. Gipson is also correct when he says that abusers need to change their behavior. After all, about 10 million men and women are estimated to be victims of physical abuse, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. However, those in abusive marriages should not be forced to stay with their partner in hopes of fixing them. Currently, the Mississippi court system makes getting divorced on the grounds of domestic violence extremely challenging. Many are discouraged to take their domestic violence cases to
court due to having to prove that the violence occurred over a period of time. Because most incidents of domestic violence occur privately in the home, there are often no witnesses. The type and amount of proof also varies from judge to judge. According to Stacey Sarver, legal director of Women’s Law, Mississippi’s law in regards to domestic violence is unique, telling the Huffington Post that most states do not require proof of the frequency of the violence. Sarver said, “It seems in Mississippi, one incident is not enough.” Unfortunately, Sarver›s interview with the Huffington Post was conducted in April of 2016. The article was made after the Mississippi Senate›s failed attempt to rectify the list of reasons for divorce. Gipson provided insight to the lack of change in a lengthy Facebook post
on March 1. Stating that the problem is not with the law, Gipson cited multiple court cases where the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled in favor of the victims. Then, Gipson hypocritically put the blame on Mississippi judges when he said in the comment section, “To the extent there is a problem, I think it is a lack of uniformity in application of the law by the different judges who are elected from district to district. You could change the law to whatever, but unless judges enforce it uniformly, it won›t make a difference. For example, if a judge demands a certain level or type of proof, etc. It’s worth studying but I›m not sure any change in the law would help this issue.” Gipson›s complacent attitude makes me wonder why he is in office. If he recognizes that there is a problem with the application of a law, why not at least
attempt at making a law that forces for proof standards to be uniform? Maybe if the Senate would have added details about what is needed to prove domestic violence Gipson would have approved the bill, but the fact that Gipson sounded content with the current law is concerning. The first priority of any public servant should be to ensure that its constituents are safe. While I do understand that charging someone with domestic violence is a serious allegation, representatives like Gipson should be more considerate of the victims. Even if the proof is found to be inadequate, perhaps the alleged victim should be allowed to divorce anyway. The decision to marry and remain married should be mutual, and if one person is forced to remain in a marriage, then the state is guilty of committing cruel and inhumane treatment.
Education Secretary thinks HBCUs ‘pioneers of school choice’ TICHINA WILSON
printz reporter
According to BuzzFeed, 31 percent of all voters – and 46 percent of Democrats – say they have an unfavorable opinion of the United States Education Secretary, who was not a national figure until very recently. The Michigan billionaire has only held the position of Secretary of Education for a few weeks. According to the Washington Post, she has already “shown herself to be exactly what her critics feared.” While running the Department of SEXUAL
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were too many students in America who did not have equal access to education,” she wrote. “They saw that the system wasn’t working, that there was an absence of opportunity, so they took it upon themselves to provide the solution. HBCUs are real pioneers when it comes to school choice.” Only, “the system,” that “wasn’t working at the time ” some have pointed out, was Jim Crow-era segregation. Twitter users disagreed with the Education Secretary’s statement and voiced their opinions. “Wow. DeVos said HBCUs were ‘pioneers of school choice.’ No, Betsy, HBCUs were created because they HAD no choice,” @JordanUhi tweeted, which received hundreds of retweets and likes. “DeVos saying HBCUs are examples of school choice is like saying the underground railroad is an example of social mobility,” @MajorBeige tweeted. Critics noted that the schools were indeed necessary because of the Plessy v. Ferguson decision, which allowed racial segregation, thus forcing AfricanAmerican students into separate schools from white students. Sen.
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State Standards and made crystal clear that a top priority will be pushing for alternatives to traditional public schools, otherwise known as “school choice.” The latest incident that DeVos is in hot water over is a statement relating the history of black colleges to school choice policies. President Donald Trump and DeVos met with the leaders of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). After the meeting, DeVos released a statement to recap the occasion. A portion of the statement read: “They started from the fact that there
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Education, she has managed to insult teachers at a middle school, bash protesters by saying they are “hostile” to change and new ideas, said she would be fine if the department she runs is shut down, complained that critics want “to make [her] life a living hell,” did not participate in the first Twitter chat her department had for teachers on Feb. 21, suggested schools should be able to compensate for troubles that children have at home such as absent fathers, had U.S. marshals protect her after protesters blocked her entrance to a D.C. school door, made a confusing statement about the Common Core
Courtesy Photo | Betsy Devos
Claire McCaskill of Missouri called the statement “totally nuts” in a tweet. “Totally nuts. DeVos pretending that establishment of historically black colleges was about choice not racism,» she wrote. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, who serves as the ranking member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, also denounced the statement on Twitter. “No, Sec. DeVos- the segregation and inequality that forced the establishment of HBCUs is not a model of ‹school choice,›» he wrote. After public humiliation and numerous backlash, DeVos began to backpedal. At a luncheon for school presidents at the Library of Congress, she said: “Bucking that status quo,and providing an alternative option to students denied the right to attend a quality school is the legacy of HBCUs. But your history was born, not out of mere choice, but out of necessity, in the face of racism, and in the aftermath of the Civil War.” DeVos later published several tweets repeating those sentiments in a continued effort to clear up her earlier comments.
EXPLOITATION
7
SPORTS MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2017
Community supports coach after cancer diagnosis JULIUS KIZZEE
sports editor
A college coach is asked to carry a program and the lives of each one of his or her athletes to new heights in not just their professional lives but in their personal lives as well. Things are different, however, when the players must carry their coach. “It wasn’t hard, it wasn’t easy,” said senior guard Brittanny Dinkins. “When you have someone who demands excellence and demands hard work every day, with that, it holds us accountable as players to know what she allows and what she doesn’t allow.” The 13-year Southern Miss women’s basketball Head Coach Joye LeeMcNelis was always a tough individual. As a child with two brothers, there were not many activities for her to enjoy alone. So she had to adapt. That meant picking up pecans to earn Christmas money and competing with her brothers to see who could get the most. The competitive Lee-McNelis sees most things as a challenge and as a battle to the finish. “I’ve been the kid who wanted to prove to somebody that I could do something,” Lee-McNelis said. “No matter what it was. I’m very competitive.” Even when adversity strikes, LeeMcNelis strives to achieve her personal best in her Lady Eagle program and her family. “At the bottom of the day, we’re all in a boat and we’re all rowing in the same direction,” Lee-McNelis said. “It’s a shared vision. There’s been events throughout my life, that I can’t do it by myself. Family is in it, friends are in it — they’re in it with me.” Dinkins always credits her coach for teaching her players the efforts of hard work and dedication. So when her coach had to miss time on the sidelines, she had a few words to say about the
work ethic not going away, just because Coach Lee-McNelis was not present. “Would [we work as hard] if she was here?” Dinkins said. “You [need to work as hard] when eyes are not looking.” Lee-McNelis’ family has a previous history of heart conditions, so she had a hunch that she may have been sick but never realized it would actually affect her. A few days after the Lady Eagles dropped a 79 - 53 game at Western Kentucky, Lee-McNelis was feeling pains in her chest. That was when she thought heart cancer had finally caught up with her. However, her heart was not the problem. After consulting a doctor, LeeMcNelis received news that would change her life forever. “When that doctor walked in and told me and my husband that I had lung cancer, that’s scary,” Lee-McNelis said. “That rocks your world. Never me, I didn’t smoke. I’ve never been around smoke. How could I have lung cancer?” Lee-McNelis, one of the greatest basketball players in Southern Miss history, has never been one to mess with her health. Smoking, was way out of the question. So, she was surprised at the diagnosis. She came back to the team and told them the news, allowing Assistant Coach Kiley Hill to lead the team to a 74 - 71 victory over Texas-San Antonio. Lee-McNelis sat in the stands near the top of the stadium as a precautionary measure after her procedures. “It was a bit emotional for me to walk in and know I wasn’t on that sideline,” Lee-McNelis said. “It was hard for me.” Instead of pouting about being sidelined, Lee-McNelis decided to be proactive in the stands. “You look at it a little differently because you’re not calling plays,” LeeMcNelis said. “It’s a total different perspective. The thing I tried to look at is if I was scouting them, what would I
have to do? That’s the way I looked at the game against UTSA.” The coach returned to the court Feb. 24 but gave the grave news to the community about her condition. The community immediately stepped in to try to help her out. One woman who checked on Lee-McNelis early in her treatment was able to get her a treatment plan in Jackson three days earlier than her original appointment – just so the coach could be on the sidelines. “There’s been so many people in this community that have reached out to help me because they know that I want to be able to continue to fight with this time as we have an opportunity to go into postseason play,” Lee-McNelis said. “I can’t fight this by myself. That’s true in this case – you can’t do it alone. You’re never guaranteed tomorrow. Live each day to the fullest.” Living each day to the fullest is something that she does for the community, her family, her faith and for her team. She knows that if she leaves, whether it’s the basketball team or this Earth, she will be solely missed. “I don’t plan on kicking the bucket tomorrow,” Lee-McNelis said. “One day it’s going to happen, but I’m not there yet. We will fight this fight, but we will fight this together.” Lee-McNelis said she still wonders how her cancer formed. “For years, I have worn my cell phone where my lung cancer is – in my sports bra,” she said. “I’m interested to know if that plays a part in it. If it provides a platform to young people to not put their phones places, then I want to be the leader in that platform to share that with others. Be careful where you put your phone. I do think there’s a correlation.” The Lady Eagles will be going for it all in the C-USA tournament, starting on Mar. 8, with Lee-McNelis back on the sidelines.
USM victorious in regular season finale, 72-63 GRANT CHIGHIZOLA printz reporter With a chance to earn a firstround bye and favorable seeding in the C-USA Women’s Basketball Tournament, Southern Miss (21 - 9, 13 - 5 C-USA) overcame a slow first quarter start to defeat the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (17 - 12 ,12 6 C-USA) on Friday night at Reed Green Coliseum. Besides earning the win and a first round bye in the tournament, the game was also notable for being the final home game for senior players Brittanny Dinkins, Tajanay Veiga, Lashyra Cotton and Brittny Norris. “We’re going to enjoy this [win] tonight,” said Head Coach Joye LeeMcNelis. “It was a night to bid our seniors farewell at Reed Green, and they need to enjoy time spent with their families that are in town.” The Lady Eagles struggled
offensively to start the game. Five Lady Eagle turnovers and a 37.5 field goal percentage contributed to their 21 - 14 deficit at the end of the first quarter. Southern Miss slowly chipped away at the La. Tech lead during the second quarter, regaining the lead off of a Lashyra Cotton jumper with 1:50 left to play in the half. The lead was short-lived, however, as a layup by Lady Techster guard Kierra Anthony with eight seconds remaining would tie the game 33 33 heading into halftime. In the second half of the game, the Lady Eagles took control of all phases. The team scored first to start the third quarter and never trail in both the third and fourth quarters, scoring 39 second-half points and holding off a late La. Tech rally to end the season on a seven-game winning streak. Despite their first-quarter offensive struggles, the Lady Eagles
ended the game on a more positive note, converting 51 percent of their field goals and 64 percent of their free throw shots on the night. Freshman Respect Leaphart, coming off the bench for the Lady Eagles, scored a career-high 19 points to go with seven rebounds on the night. “I went back to what I do and got excited,” Leaphart said. “I got comfortable and had a lot of confidence in myself.” Two other Lady Eagles had double-digit scoring nights. Dinkins and Megan Brown each finished the contest with 12 points apiece. The Lady Eagles earned the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament with their win against La. Tech. The C-USA Women’s Basketball Tournament will begin Mar. 8 and conclude with the championship game on Mar. 11. All games will be played in Birmingham, Ala.
Cam Bonelli | Printz Women’s Basketball Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis was diagnosed with lung cancer in early February, missing time from the sidelines.
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