IHL Board Approved Ayers Disclosure Report
The IHL Board of Trustees held its regular September meeting Wednesday and Thursday on the University of Mississippi campus in Oxford. The Board approved the annual Ayers Settlement Agreement Disclosure report, which details the Board's compliance with fulfilling the terms of the 2002 settlement of the long-running Ayers discrimination case. Nearly $145 million of the $503 million settlement has been expended to date, and the Alcorn State, Jackson State, and Mississippi Valley State universities spent $19.7 million of the $20.2 million available in program funds for the 2007 fiscal year. A $70 million endowment is available to the state's three historically black universities, but the settlement agreement requires each university to attract and maintain a non-black enrollment of 10 percent for three years in order to access and manage its portion of the money. With a non-black enrollment of 10.4 percent, Alcorn State continues to be the only school that has met the goal. The agreement also designated $75 million in bonds for capital improvements, of which $27.3 million has been spent. View a copy of the Ayers Settlement Agreement online.
| | Commissioner Announces Third-Annual Best Practices Program
During his Commissioner's report at the conclusion of the Board meeting on Thursday, Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Thomas Meredith announced that entries may now be submitted for the Board's third-annual Best Practices awards program. The award program is designed to highlight efforts that create efficient and effective practices initiated at institutions in the following four categories: Academics; Finance, Business, and Administration; Student Services; and Technology. Entries are due from the institutions on October 19, and winners will be announced during the January 2008 Board meeting. First place winners in each of four categories receive $10,000, and second place winners receive $5,000, to be paid from the Board incentive fund. All entries are judged by institutional peer groups. Learn more about the Best Practices Program and view last year's winning Best Practices.
| | IHL Board Hears Task Force Recommendations
Also during its meeting this week, the IHL Board heard presentations and received recommendations from the Tuition and Financial Aid Task Forces; however, the Board opted to table discussion of both task forces' recommendations for further consideration by Commissioner Meredith and the eight institutional executive officers. Dr. Joseph Paul, vice president for student affairs at the University of Southern Mississippi, served as chair of the Tuition Task Force, which convened in February 2007 to think creatively about tuition and to consider any and all options for making a university education more affordable. Dr. Bucky Wesley, vice president for student services at Mississippi University for Women, served as chair of the Financial Aid Task Force, which convened in March 2007 to assess current state and institutional financial aid policies and programs to determine ways to increase access to universities and improve student success. Both task forces were comprised of various university representatives from throughout the System. For more information about the task forces, contact Assistant Commissioner for Finance and Administration Dr. Linda McFall at (601) 432-6732.
| | #13 - Universities Conduct Research, Bolster the Economy
(Top 15 Ways Universities Benefit Mississippi)
Mississippi's universities attracted $464 million into Mississippi in 2006 for research and contract projects, and although the numbers are not final, preliminary reports show that the 2007 extramural dollars will approach $530 million. This is important, when one realizes the impact of university research on the state's economy. University research accounted for about 69 percent of total Mississippi R&D in 2005, which resulted in an estimated $6.04 billion (about 5.9 percent) of the state GDP. But these impact figures represent only the tip of the "impact iceberg". Just as most of the mass of a real iceberg lies beneath the surface, most of the impact of university research is not readily apparent. The beneath the surface impact of university research is its impact on worker productivity. Worker productivity is directly impacted by knowledge stocks and by the ability to apply knowledge in a given field, both of which are driven by university-based research. By increasing the knowledge base, worker productivity increases. And by increasing productivity, the state's Gross Domestic Product increases, resulting in an increase in per capita income, a higher standard of living, and increased state and local tax revenues.
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Items included in the “University News” section of the System Review are submitted each week by the universities. The news items are listed in rotating alphabetical order by university.
MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN NEWS
 Annual Welty Symposium to Feature Ellen Douglas and Other Writers
Ellen Douglas, eleven other writers, and one visual artist will honor the legacy of Mississippi University for Women (MUW) alumna Eudora Welty as they read and discuss their work at the nineteenth Welty Writer’s Symposium to be held October 18–20 on the MUW campus. The theme of the annual event, which is part of MUW’s Welty Series, will be “’Amending but never taking back’: Hope and Despair as the ‘Closest Blood’ in Southern Literature.” Symposium Director Bridget Pieschel says the theme was inspired by Welty’s story "The Wanderers," in which the character Virgie Rainey, while gazing out at the houses and fields of the hometown to which she has returned, “never doubted that all the opposites on earth were close together, love close to hate, living to dying; but of them all, hope and despair were the closest blood—unrecognizable one from the other.” Douglas will headline the symposium on the opening night, and each author will be present for a book signing immediately after. The other authors will discuss and read from their works during the next two days. Other authors include Jeff Weddle, the Welty Prize Recipient, Richard Lyons, Rilla Askew, Louise Hawes, Karon Luddy, Penny Stokes, Nan Graham, Pia Ehrhardt, Ava Leavell Haymon, as well as local authors R. H. Brown and James D. Ward, and visual artist Terri Jones. Also taking place is the Woman of the Year Banquet honoring Kay Cobb, former justice for the Mississippi Supreme Court. Learn more. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
 Mississippi Valley State University Online
www.mvsu.edu UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI NEWS
Former Senator Tom Daschle to Visit Campus, Deliver Public Lecture
Former U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) is scheduled to deliver a free, public lecture Sept. 21 at the University of Mississippi (UM). U.S. Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) invited Daschle to visit the Oxford campus, sponsored by UM's Trent Lott Leadership Institute. Daschle's lecture, "A Conversation with Leaders," is set for 2 p.m. in Nutt Auditorium of Scruggs Hall. The address offers lessons from the two senators' shared experience as senate leaders and centers around how congressional leaders can work productively in a bipartisan fashion. Both leaders also plan to visit with Lott Scholars and students studying public policy leadership and journalism. "Sen. Lott and Tom Daschle worked closely together for 10 years as congressional leaders," said Bill Gottshall, executive director of the Lott Institute. "They both will discuss their bipartisan partnership and how their lessons can be applied to today's Congress." From June 1995 to January 2005, the two senators served together either as majority or minority leaders of the U.S. Senate. Following the tragedy of the terrorist attacks on Sept.11, 2001, the leaders worked together to help rebuild New York City and the Pentagon. They also focused on helping the nation's economy recover and passing legislation to defend against terrorism. Learn more. Marketing Journal Publishing by Faculty Earns High National Ranking for Business School Journalism Chair Husni Inducted into Florida Magazine Assn. Hall of Fame Renovated Bryant Hall Gets Eye-Catching Giant Globe Ole Miss Begins Yearlong Study of Its Athletics Programs UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER NEWS
Longtime Patient "Difference-maker" for Scores of Dentists
Jackson resident Shelby Kennedy came to the School of Dentistry at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in need of some immediate dental work. A broken tooth was giving him problems and a cleaning and examination were overdue. He heard the school provided services to the public and he made his first dental appointment – nearly 30 years ago. Kennedy, 81, remains a loyal patient of the school, showing up faithfully for his twice yearly cleanings. He has helped many dental school students develop their skills. “He’s trained at least 20 (dental students) and many dental hygiene students,” said Dr. Scott Gatewood, associate professor and chair of endodontics in the School of Dentistry. Both Gatewood and his brother, Dr. Hiram Gatewood, clinical professor of dentistry, have treated Kennedy. Kennedy, who has been coming to the dental school since it graduated its first students in 1979, said often he is asked, “How old are you? And you still have your own teeth?” He responds with laughter. “I’ve met some fine people here,” Kennedy said on a recent visit to the school. “They have left here and have done well for themselves.” One of those who crossed Kennedy’s path was Dr. Roddy Scarbrough, a School of Dentistry alumnus and immediate past president of the Mississippi Dental Association. As a student, Scarbrough treated Kennedy. Learn more. Expanded Computer Center, New Emergency Generator on DIS Horizon Best Doctors Taps More Than 100 UMC Faculty for 2007-08 List Children's Hospital Director Brings "Experience, Expertise" to New Role New Radiology Assistant Professor Discovers "Defining Moment" at UMC UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI NEWS
Office of Community Service Learning Celebrates Its 15th Anniversary
The Office of Community Service Learning (OCSL) is celebrating its 15th year of blending community service with the world of academia at The University of Southern Mississippi. As with many successful entities, the OCSL started small ... but with a vision. On Friday, Sept. 21, the resource center will be honored for its contributions to the university and the Hattiesburg community during a 15-year anniversary banquet at 6 p.m. at the Thad Cochran Center. Southern Miss President Dr. Martha Saunders will be the evening’s keynote speaker. In line with the tradition of teaching others about community service learning, the OCSL and the Center for Community and Civic Engagement will host a conference "Bridging the Gap Between Schools and Communities" from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, for K-12 teachers, community college and university faculty members, community partners, community service support staff, and students. Co-sponsoring the conference is the Center for Community and Civic Engagement at Southern Miss, a state agency housed on campus that offers funding opportunities to the OCSL and other education entities and non-profits across the state. Learn more. Service-Learning: Creating a New Generation of Civic Leaders at Southern Miss Outreach Efforts of Mississippi Area Health Education Center Increases Health Care Visibility Southern Miss Holds Fall Convocation Washington TV Reporter Joins Southern Miss Journalism Faculty UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST NEWS
Marine Science Graduate Student Conducts Research in Yukon
Hailong Huang, a graduate student in The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Marine Science, beat the heat of South Mississippi by spending the entire summer in central Alaska taking water samples from the Yukon River Basin. Using this research for his dissertation, Huang was accompanied by several other students in the Department of Marine Science. Taking turns throughout the summer, Peter van Erp, MooJoon Shim, and Jennifer Kuykendall flew to Fairbanks, Alaska, for two weeks at a time to assist Huang in taking samples from the area tributaries. “Even though it’s not our project, we went up to help Hailong out,” said van Erp. “It’s also the experience – it’s a good experience.” While working on his doctorate, Huang must complete a dissertation for his degree. After researching various projects to be used for his dissertation, Huang’s mission in the Yukon River Basin developed, and he decided he would study the trace metals within the tributaries. “Before I took this project, my professors asked me what I liked and whether I wanted to study the ocean or a river,” said Huang. “I thought I would prefer the ocean, but the rivers also play a very important part because what flows through the rivers will flow into the ocean. Oceans are considered more stable than rivers because with rivers, the territory changes.” Learn more. Southern Miss Gulf Coast Hosts Gubernatorial Debate ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Jessie B. Arnold Recently Named Dean of University Libraries
Mrs. Jessie B. Arnold has been named Dean of University Libraries for the J. D. Boyd Library and its branch library in Natchez. The position upgrade entails increased responsibilities and is definitely a step forward for the library and the university. Mrs. Arnold has served the university library in many positions since 1970 including Assistant Catalog Librarian, Documents Librarian, Director of Public Services, Systems Librarian, and Assistant Library Director. She was named Director of the Library in 1993. According to Mrs. Arnold, the university library serves as the cornerstone of education at Alcorn State University. Providing quality service to the students, faculty, staff, researchers, and administrators has always been and will continue to be a priority. Mrs. Blanche Sanders, archivist and circulation librarian, attended the Harvard Institute for Academic Librarians August 6-10, 2007, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The purpose of the institute was to increase the capacity of librarians to lead and manage. Organized daily group discussion sessions were held and designed to assist librarians in their ongoing efforts to improve the services and operations of the library. “I left the institute with enhanced skills that will assist me in accomplishing many of the challenges I encounter on my job. The knowledge I gained will benefit the library and the Alcorn community as a whole,” stated Mrs. Sanders. She also commented that networking with other librarians and the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Education gave her a sense of empowerment and self-discovery. Learn more. DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Delta State to Host ROMEA Faculty Development Conference
The 2007 ROMEA Faculty Development Conference is scheduled for Wednesday, September 26 in James M. Ewing Hall on the campus of Delta State University. Faculty from institutions across Mississippi will be presenting on a variety of topics throughout the day. Lunch will be provided. The conference is free to DSU faculty and staff and $25 for all other attendees. Registration information is available at http://ntweb.deltastate.edu/HEC/HEC/ . The conference is committed to promoting excellence in teaching and increasing communication and collegiality among faculty across Mississippi. Harvard psychologist, Dr. Robert Kegan, will present the keynote address, "Personal Learning and Professional Development: Diagnosing and Overcoming the 'Immunity to Change.'” In a fast-moving, experiential, and reflective workshop, Dr. Kegan will invite each of us to make use of our own experience to explore the concept of an “immunity to change," -- and what we can do about it. Learn more. Delta State Boasts Second-Highest Freshmen Enrollment in School History Delta State to Offer Heritage Tour in Conjunction with Year's Theme JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Jackson State to Host 74th Annual MAC Conference
Jackson State University will host the 74th Annual Mississippi Association of Colleges and Universities from Oct. 7-9. Following the theme, “Achieving Enhanced Student Retention and Graduation Rates in Mississippi Postsecondary Education,” more than 250 higher education professionals will discuss best practices for supporting first-year students and advising and mentoring all students. Sessions will be held at the Mississippi e-Center @ JSU on Sunday, Oct. 7, at the Marriott-Jackson Downtown on Monday, Oct. 8, and on the Jackson State campus on Tuesday, Oct. 9. “These annual gatherings allow all of Mississippi’s institutions of higher learning to support one another,” says JSU President Ronald Mason Jr., current president of the association. “Whether public or private, four-year or two-year colleges, we all have one goal and that is to prepare Mississippians for better lives.” Student athletes also will be honored during the Halbrook Awards dinner scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7, at the e-Center. Named for former Mississippi Rep. David M. Halbrook, a monetary award will go to the college or university with the greatest annual increase in graduating athletes. Learn more. Southern Heritage Classic Nets Fun, Funds for JSU Sixth Annual JSU Health Disparities Conference to Tackle Cardiobesity Hundreds to Converge on JSU Campus for 7th Biennial Alumni Conference MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
MSU Researcher Documents Rise, Fall of TV Pioneer
Gertrude Berg lived by her progressive principles, created the precursor to the television sitcom, laid a foundation for women in modern broadcasting, and fought Hollywood's blacklist hysteria a half century ago. Because of the times, she also lost. Berg's 20th century life is considered among the most historically relevant for broadcast historians, admirers of women's equality, and anyone who appreciates a good fight against injustice. Drawing from her professional papers and interviews with her daughter and son-in-law, an assistant communication professor at Mississippi State University is providing the first authoritative examination of Berg's life and career. Something On My Own: Gertrude Berg and American Broadcasting, 1929-1956 by Glenn D. "Pete" Smith is a new release by Syracuse University Press. The book traces Berg's career from when her popular show, The Rise of the Goldbergs , first aired on NBC radio in November 1929 until its television version ended in the early 1950s. A native of New York's Harlem district who attended Columbia University, Berg produced, acted, and wrote some of the most highly entertaining and socially conscious radio and television programming of her time. Chronicling lives of the fictional Jewish family living in the Bronx, she confronted anti-Semitism, public education, women's rights, New Deal politics, and other social issues of the day. Learn more. MSU Lyceum Program to Showcase 'Eloquent, Explosive' Dance MSU Launches Small-satellite Research, Education Partnership Honored by MSU, Roger King Honored by United Kingdom University Starkville-MSU Symphony 'Pops' with Entertainment for All Ages MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & VETERINARY MEDICINE NEWS
MSU Researcher Makes Career of ‘Ugly Farming’
Imogene Triplett loves and supports her husband, but the first time she saw his work with what would become a lifelong career, her reaction was, “Glover this looks terrible, they’re going to fire you!” Luckily he wasn’t fired, but at the time, his wife wasn’t the only one with doubts about Glover Triplett’s work. In 1960, Triplett, an agronomist, and Dave Van Doren, a soil physicist, began research at Ohio State University with growing crops in ground that was not plowed. Termed no-tillage farming, or “no-till,” the method went against what most farmers at the time considered the only proper way to grow crops. Instead of using a plow to loosen the soil and form rows, no-till farming uses specialized equipment to plant seeds into almost undisturbed soil and crop residue. The use of herbicides for weed control and other management techniques replace plowing during the growing season. Triplett, now an agronomist at Mississippi State University, grew up in Crawford and the surrounding countryside of Noxubee County, where he saw firsthand the effects of farming without considering its long-term impact on the land. Learn more. Assistant Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences Named Fellow Landowner Workshop Studies Income Options Seminar Designed for Mississippi Farmwomen Fall Flower, Garden Fest Set for October 
Sep. 21 - Court TV newsman Jack Ford is slated to speak on how the media and legal practice are influenced by high-profile cases at 1:30 p.m. at the University of Mississippi School of Law. The address, "High Profile Cases and their Impact on the Legal Profession and the Media," is open to the public. Learn more. Sep. 24 - American trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis performs at the University of Mississippi's Ford Center for the Performing Arts. The popular instrumentalist, with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, takes the stage at 8 p.m. Tickets are $65, $62, $60, and $55. To purchase tickets, call (662) 915-7411. Learn more. Sept. 25 - Mississippi State University's Shackouls Honors College presents Marshall Ramsey, a nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist for the Clarion Ledger, in a speaking engagement at 12:30 p.m. in Griffis Hall. For more information, call (662) 325-2522. Learn more. Sept. 25 - Mississippi State University's Holems Cultural Diversity Center Peer Counselors and Peer Ambassadors presents performances by Black Voices, Models of Distinction, Starlight Dancers, and others at the Drill Field at 6 p.m. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call (662) 325-2033. Learn more. Sep. 25 - William Faulkner would have been 110 years old Tuesday, and officials expect hundreds of visitors to converge at his Rowan Oak home to mark the occasion. For the celebration, the University of Mississippi is hosting a 7 a.m.-5 p.m. marathon reading of the Nobel Prize-winner's novel Go Down, Moses . Learn more. Sept. 28-Oct. 7 - The Southern Miss Department of Theatre and Dance present the first production of its Studio Series with a new translation of Sophocles’ legendary Greek tragedy Electra . Performances are at 7:30 p.m. in the Martha R. Tatum Theatre and Dance Building. For tickets, call (601) 266-5418 or 800-844-8425. Learn more. Oct. 1-7 - The Mississippi State University Extension Service’s 4-H Youth Development program celebrates Mississippi and National 4-H Week. More than 80,000 Mississippi youth between the ages of 5 and 19 are 4-H'ers. Learn more. Oct. 2 - The Southern Miss Gulf Coast Civic Chorale will perform with Gulfport, Hancock County, Long Beach, and Ocean Springs High Schools at 7 p.m. in the Gulfport High School Auditorium for the Festival of Choirs. This event is free and open to the public. Learn more. Oct. 3 - Jackson State University’s Lottie W. Thornton Early Childhood Center will kick off “Walking Wednesdays" at 9 a.m. at the Joseph Jackson School of Education Building on the main campus. Learn more. Oct. 4 - Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine hosts an Ornamental Horticulture Field Day at Poplarville's South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station beginning at 8:30 a.m. Nurserymen, homeowners, and landscapers are invited. Learn more. Oct. 6 - Jackson State will host "High School Community College Day" for prospective students. For more information, call
(601) 979-2913. Learn more. Oct. 19 - Jackson State University’s premier jazz-infused radio station, WJSU, will host the 3rd annual “Battle of the Saxes” concert at 7 p.m. at the Rose E. McCoy Auditorium on JSU’s main campus. For more information, call 979-2285. Learn more. Nov. 15 - The Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station’s 25th Annual Production Sale will feature registered Angus, Hereford, and Charolais bulls and bred heifers from the MSU research herds. Contact Dr. Jane Parish at (662) 325-7466 or jparish@ads.msstate.edu . Learn more. |
