System Review
Volume 2, Issue 1
January 12, 2007
NEWS FROM THE SYSTEM
Commissioner Meets with Education Secretary Spellings
On Wednesday, Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Thomas Meredith met
with U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Margaret Spellings in her Washington, D.C.,
office. Secretary Spellings asked the Commissioner to discuss the Spellings
Commission on the Future of Higher Education report, "A Test of Leadership:
Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education." Read the report. The
Commissioner described the status of higher education in Mississippi and how
the state's public universities are progressing in terms of the recommendations
made by the Spellings Commission. The Commissioner highlighted the state's
efforts to improve teacher preparation through the Blue Ribbon Committee, to
increase the number of university graduates, to improve access to the state's
public universities, and to better align high school curriculum and standards with
university expectations. Secretary Spellings will address many of these issues at
a summit of national higher education leaders in March, which the Commissioner
will attend. As president of the National Association of System Heads (NASH),
the Commissioner also described to Secretary Spellings a voluntary NASH
initiative, which is being conducted in partnership with the Education Trust, to
expand access and success in participating systems, especially for low-income
students and students of color. The initiative will be presented to the Mississippi
Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning for consideration during
its January Board meeting next week.
Mississippi and the American Diploma Project
IHL Assistant Commissioner of Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Lynn House,
her staff, and officials from the Mississippi Department of Education held an
introductory meeting Tuesday with leaders of Achieve, Inc., a bipartisan, nonprofit organization, founded by governors and business leaders to help states
better prepare young people for postsecondary education, work, and citizenship.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss Mississippi's participation in the
American Diploma Project, launched by Achieve and its partners to restore the
value of the American high school diploma by establishing specific college and
workplace readiness benchmarks. Achieve leaders provided extensive
information to help Mississippi education leaders align high school, college, and
work expectations to ensure that high school graduates are prepared to enter
into credit-bearing college courses without the need for remediation or have the
skills needed to enter the workforce. For more information about the American
Diploma Project, visit the Achieve website. To learn more about Mississippi's
efforts to align high school, college, and work expectations, contact the IHL
Office of Student and Academic Affairs at 601.432.6501.
IHL Office of Academic and Student Affairs staff met with officials from the
Mississippi Department of Education and leaders of Achieve, Inc.
SREB Releases "High School to Colleges and Careers" Report
Much emphasis is being placed on the importance of college and workplace
readiness. On January 3, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), to
which Mississippi belongs, released a report entitled "High School to College and
Careers: Aligning State Policies." The report summarizes current state policies,
programs, and requirements for high school completion and readiness for college
study. The report recommends better alignment of the many state policies that
guide students from high school to college and careers, including the courses
and tests required in high school, joint enrollment programs, college admission
standards, etc. The report, which shows Mississippi's progress in these areas, is
available online.
Sykes Appointed Legislative Liaison for 2007 Session
There will be a new face around the Capitol during the 2007 Legislative Session.
Dr. Reginald Sykes, Assistant Commissioner of Community and Junior College
Relations, will be serving as IHL’s legislative liaison during the Session. Dr.
Sykes will be the primary contact for legislators who have questions or need
information about higher education. In his daily work as the Assistant
Commissioner of Community and Junior College Relations, Dr. Sykes works with
community and junior college leadership to assist individuals in continuing their
postsecondary education after completing work at a two-year institution. Dr.
Sykes came to IHL from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Jefferson
Davis Campus, where he was Vice President. A native of Meridian, he previously
served as the dean of student services at Meridian Community College. Dr.
Sykes can be reached on his office telephone at (601)432-6458, on his cell
phone at (601)968-7002, or by email.
Dr. Reginald Sykes
UNIVERSITY NEWS
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.
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI NEWS
Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute Researching Biodiesel as Fuel for
UM Vehicle
When senior Brad Crafton takes a drive, he often gets a whiff of fried catfish, not
from any roadside joint but rather from the exhaust of his Chevrolet 2500 diesel
pickup. Crafton, who was hired by the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute in
October to develop a viable means to recycle used vegetable oil into biodiesel,
sometimes burns the fuel in his truck. “Whatever was cooked in the oil, that’s
what it smells like,” he explains. Crafton produces about 250 gallons of biodiesel
per month for MMRI’s test vehicle, using a homemade processor that includes a
modified 40-gallon water heater, a 70-gallon cone-shaped settling tank, a 120gallon washing tank, a filter, a couple of pumps and several hoses with quick
release valves. “It’s a rudimentary operation that takes up to 14 days from start to
finish,” said Bob Woolsey, MMRI director. “We’ve run successfully now for four
weeks, producing biodiesel at 71 cents per gallon, so things looks promising.”
Woolsey hopes to produce enough fuel by next winter to supply half of MMRI’s
needs. His goal is to establish a full-scale production facility that could one day
fuel MMRI’s entire fleet of diesel engines and perhaps make economic sense for
university-wide use. Learn more.
School of Education Making Changes to Better Prepare Tomorrow's
Teachers
Wintersession Classes Become Popular Alternative for UM Students
Business Professor Elected VP of Southern Finance Association
Pharmacy Dean and Husband Establish New Endowed Professorship in
Pharmacy Practice
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER NEWS
New Treatments, Drugs Target Age Related Vision Loss
The University of Mississippi Medical Center is leading the way in treatments for
age related macular degeneration (ARMD), the main cause of severe vision loss
among adults over the age of 60. Learn more.
Jackson Free Clinic Public Health Resource, Invaluable Tool for Medical
Students
Dental Profession Proves Strong Bond for Grubbs Family
Woodworkers’ “Angel Cradles” Offer Comfort During Time of Loss
State-of-the-Art CRTs Track UMC Cardiology Patients’ Progress from Home
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI NEWS
Researchers Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Staph Infections
In findings that may signal a new approach to fighting bacterial infections, a
University of Southern Mississippi research team has identified a potentially new
way of combating the spread of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or
“staph” infection. “In order to fight something effectively, you have to understand
how it works first,” says Dr. Mohamed Elasri, assistant professor of biological
sciences. Elasri’s lab in the Biological Sciences Department at Southern Miss
has identified a previously unknown gene that can be manipulated in such a way
that staph cells are effectively “tricked” into thinking that the time is not right to
release their toxins. Although it is normally found in the nasal tissue of a
significant proportion of healthy individuals, staph is also capable of causing a
variety of infections, some of them serious and even life-threatening. “The gene
we’ve identified works like a master switch that possibly can be used to inactivate
the staph so that it doesn’t cause disease anymore,” said Elasri. Dr. Elasri and
his team want to solve the problem with an antibiotic “smart bomb” developed
specifically for staph, and rather than killing it off, keep it from reproducing at all
so that eventually the immune system kills it off. Learn more.
War Trauma Expert Pens Book of Parallels between Iraq, Vietnam
Southern Miss on the Gulf Coast to Host Night Classes on Long Beach
Campus
Outreach Activities at Southern Miss Spark Interest in Math and Science
Katrina Research Center Documents South Mississippi Story
ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Alcorn State Scientist Receives Homeland Security Award
Alcorn State University (ASU) recently received a contract award from the
Department of Homeland Security South Eastern Regional Research Initiative.
The project, “Development of an Integrated Sensor System for Real-time
Monitoring of Metabolits of Organophosporus Chemical Warfare Agents,
Pesticides, and E. coli in Food and Water” is an interdisciplinary, multiinstitutional effort. Strategic partners for the ASU-led project include Jackson
State University, the University of Washington, Compliant Embedded Systems,
and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The goal of the project is to develop a
compact, portable, and inexpensive sensor capable of detecting accidental or
intentional contamination of wood and water by toxic agents. Dr. Yolanda K.
Jones, an assistant professor of physical chemistry at ASU, will direct the project
as the principal investigator. A native of Walnut Grove, MS, Dr. Jones earned her
Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI, in 2005.
She has received a number of awards, including a Wal-Mart foundation
competitive edge scholarship, a GAAN (Graduate Assistance in Areas of
National Need) Fellowship at Marquette University, Marquette’s Richard W.
Jobling Fellowship, and a presenter award in the 2001 American Chemical
Society’s division of surfaces and colloids poster presentation. Dr. Jones is an
active member of the American Chemical Society. Learn more.
DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Delta State's Wright Art Center Gallery to Present American South
Photography Exhibition
Delta State University’s Wright Art Center Gallery will present a show entitled
“Tell Me a Story: Photographing the American South,” about the American South
pictured through the eyes of numerous photographers. The show opens Sunday,
January 14, with a public reception from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Wright Art Center
Gallery on the campus. The body of work is on loan to the gallery from the
Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson and includes photographs by William
Christenberry, William Eggleston, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Milly Moorhead, Tom
Rankin, Maggie Lee Sayre, Jack Spencer, Lea Barton, Kendall Messick, William
Greiner, Sandra Russell Clark, John T. Edge, Birney Imes, Carl Mydans, Robert
Hubbard, Eudora Welty, and Bern and Franke Keating. Like stories, photographs
invite us to observe life around us and within us. They tell us a story of an instant
- when William Faulkner and his dog stood just so or when Eudora Welty looked
straight into our eyes. They tell a history and allow us to ask questions. There is
no single shared story in this exhibition. Rather, images of the land, the people,
and the everyday details of the South will mean different things to each viewer
and will resonate depending on individual experiences and perspectives. The
exhibit, which is free and open to the public, can be viewed through February 24.
Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and on Friday 8
a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information, please contact the DSU art department
at (662) 846-4720.
JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Jackson State Celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
The Jackson State University (JSU) community is celebrating Martin Luther King,
Jr. Day, which will be observed, Monday, January 15. JSU and the Margaret
Walker Alexander National Research Center are celebrating the life of the slain
civil rights leader with a convocation, luncheon, and symposium today. Following
the theme “‘A Day On, Not a Day Off,’ Where Do We Go from Here? Chaos or
Community?,” U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) is slated to be the keynote
speaker for the 10 a.m. convocation in the Rose Embly McCoy Auditorium. Now
serving his seventh term, Thompson is the ranking Democrat on the Homeland
Security Committee. Learn more. JSU’s Delta Phi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity will hold a candlelight vigil at 9 p.m. on Monday, January 15, on the
main campus. To honor King, a silent march will begin at the entrance of the
Gibbs-Green Plaza and culminate at the Alpha Phi Alpha pylon with a prayer,
wreath laying, and words of encouragement and inspiration. For more
information about the scheduled events, contact the Office of Public Relations at
(601) 979-2272.
JSU’S Beloved Mascot Laid to Rest See pictures.
JSU Choral Ensembles Invited to Compete in Italy
Jackson State University's Concert Chorale will perform in Italy in April.
JSU Students Win Cash to Start Business
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
New MSU Leadership Program Already Expanding Scope, Programs
Mississippi State University’s Sonny Montgomery Chapter of the Appalachian
Leadership Honors Program, launched by university President Robert H. "Doc"
Foglesong, is expanding its scope and programs to provide what Dr. Foglesong
terms as a "leadership continuum." The program is currently open to second- and
third-year university students through a highly competitive process. In keeping
with Dr. Foglesong’s belief that leadership must extend from the cradle to the
chief executive officer's suite, the program is adding components to emphasize
leadership from high school forward. A series of "Young Guns" summer
leadership camps are being rolled out for 200 rising high school seniors,
including participants from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Cade
Smith, who directs the leadership honors program, described the camps. "We'll
have a week of structured activities that include team-building exercises, a reallife project relevant to a Mississippi community and individual skills
assessments," Smith said. Each group will produce a master plan to address a
specific community issue. "We will give these 'young guns' an opportunity to
explore who they are, as well as to define and test the concept of leadership in
situations relevant to their lives," he explained. Read more.
Energy Conservation Yields Savings at Mississippi State
Associate MSU Provost Being Honored for Career Achievements
Buffum Begins Work as MSU Procurements/Contracts Leader
Former U.S. Rep, Ag Secretary to Lead Local MLK Observance at MSU
MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN NEWS
$1 Million Grant to Provide Services for At-Risk Youth
A $1 million grant from the Mississippi Department of Education Office of
Innovation and School Improvement will help at-risk youth in Columbus and
Lowndes County. Mississippi University for Women will serve as the lead
institution for the "Crossroads: A 21st Century Community Learning Center
Proposal," which will be funded over five years, according to Dr. Suzanne Bean,
project director. Ivey Ivy will serve as the on-site project manager. MUW
President Claudia A. Limbert said, “We are thrilled about this proposal. The grant
will enhance the many services already being provided by these organizations.”
The Roger F. Wicker Center for Creative Learning at MUW will join the resources
and expertise of six community partners to provide comprehensive out-of-school
services for academically at-risk middle school students in the Columbus
Municipal School District. Learn more.
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Incident Preparedness Coordinators Meet at Valley
More than a dozen incident preparedness coordinators from the state’s eight
public universities met at Mississippi Valley State University on December 12,
2006, to better prepare themselves in the event a disaster occurs. Andrew
Taylor, director of safety and loss control, and Bob Neal, emergency and fire
safety coordinator, both of Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, attended
the group’s quarterly meeting. “We’re trying to do diligence in being prepared and
make sure we’re able to pool together our resources,” said Taylor. “By pooling
resources we can better respond to emergency situations.” Tom Ball,
governmental training officer for the Mississippi State Extension Service’s Center
of Governmental Training and Technology, was the guest speaker. Ball
emphasized the importance of training and practicing for disastrous events and
having a trained staff on hand, but noted that no amount of classroom lessons
can replace actual experience. Ball said it is important for incident management
officials to maintain a close relationship with their local county emergency
management. Buster Clark, director of telecommunications and incident
preparedness coordinator for the University of Mississippi said incident
preparedness training is an ongoing process and “we’re going to train and do
more training, not just to remain compliant, but to better prepare ourselves.”
Pam Hemphill, (left) incident preparedness coordinator for University Medical
Center, and Buster Clark, director of telecommunications and incident
preparedness coordinator for the University of Mississippi, meet with other
incident preparedness coordinators.
Tom Ball, governmental training officer for the Mississippi State Extension
Service’s Center of Governmental Training and Technology, discusses training
exercises.
COMING UP
Jan. 15 - Alcorn State University will hold the Southwest Mississippi Meat Goat
Sale at the Port Gibson Fairgrounds, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. All goats will be
sold “on the hoof.” Interested persons wishing to buy or sell should contact Dr.
Gregory Reed at 601.877.3933. Persons wishing to receive periodic updates
should join the Alcorn Goat Group online.
Jan. 15 - Mississippi State University is hosting the Martin Luther King Unity
Breakfast in Bost Auditorium at 7:30 a.m. The Keynote speaker will be former
congressman Mike Espy, who also served as Secretary of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture.
Jan. 15 - The University of Mississippi William Winter Institute for Racial
Reconciliation invites the public to the dedication ceremony of the Medgar Evers
Historical Marker at the Newton County courthouse in Decatur, at 11 a.m. on the
front lawn of the building. There is no admission charge. For more information,
contact the Winter Institute at (662)915-6727. Read more .
Jan. 18 - Mississippi State University’s Lyceum Series presents jazz vocalist
Sophie Milman and guitarist Jesse Cook in concert at 7:30 p.m. in the newly
renovated Lee Hall. General admission tickets for the performance will be
available at the door. For more information on this Lyceum Series program, call
(662)325-4201 or visit the Lyceum Series website. Read more.
Jan. 18 - The University of Mississippi hosts “Space Law in the Era of
Globalization,” a meeting of 21 experts from ten nations to discuss the latest
developments in the laws that govern activities in outer space. The meeting is
scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Moot Court Room 1 of the Lamar Law
Center. For more information, please contact Dr. Joanne Gabrynowicz at
(662)915-6857. Read more.
Jan. 20 - The University of Mississippi Ford Center opens the new year with the
five-time Tony Award-winning musical “Man of La Mancha.” Tickets are available
through the UM Box Office and Ford Center Box Office. Call (662)915-7411 for
assistance related to a disability or for tickets. Read More.
Jan. 24 - The University of Southern Mississippi Trent Lott Center Entrepreneurs
in Polymer Science Lecture Series will host Dr. Joseph DiSimone, principal
researcher and founder of Liquidia Technologies, in the auditorium of the Shelby
F. Thames Polymer Science Research Center. The lecture, “The Blending of
Research and Teaching with Entrepreneurship: The Launching of Liquidia
Technologies,” will begin at 3:00 p.m., and is to be followed by a reception at
4:00 p.m. and Perspectives on Entrepreneurship at 4:30 p.m. Learn more.
Jan. 25-26 - Jackson State University Department of Elementary and Early
Childhood Education is hosting a literacy Conference, “Reading Together:
Promoting Family Literacy.” For more information, contact Dr. Rodney
Washington at (601)979-3414. Read more.
Jan. 25-26 - The University of Southern Mississippi will host the 11th annual
DuBard Symposium on Dyslexia and Related Disorders at the Hattiesburg Lake
Terrace Convention Center. For more information, contact Michelle Coleman at
(601)266-4709, or visit the DuBard School online. Read More.
Feb. 1-2 - Jackson State University College of Public Service in the School of
Social Work is sponsoring the fifth annual Mississippi Child Welfare Institute
Conference at the Jackson Marriott. For more information, call (601)979-1123.
Read more.
Feb. 2-3 - The University of Southern Mississippi will host the 22nd annual CocaCola Classic Rodeo at the James Lynn Cartlidge Forrest County Multi-Purpose
Center on U.S. Highway 49 South in Hattiesburg. The world famous Budweiser
Clydesdales and Lecile Harris, four-time ProRodeo Clown of the Year, will be
featured performers. Tickets are available at T.J.’s Western Ware on U.S.
Highway 49 in Hattiesburg. Read More.
Feb. 21 - The University of Southern Mississippi will host Nobel Laureate Richard
J. Roberts at 6 p.m. in Bennett Auditorium, where he will speak on "Friends and
Foes: The Unseen Bugs who Share our Planet.” Roberts is chief scientific officer
of New England Biolabs. For more information call (601)266-4497.
Feb. 22 - Mississippi University for Women's Honors Forum presents Arun
Gandhi, grandson of the legendary peace fighter and spiritual leader, Mohandas
K. Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi, at 6:30 p.m. in Nissan Auditorium,
Parkinson Hall. For more information, contact the Honors College at (662)2416850.
Feb. 25 - Mississippi State University hosts a performance of the internationally
popular Australian band, the Wiggles, who specialize in children’s entertainment.
The performance, which is the band’s first in Mississippi, will take place at 2 p.m.
in Humphrey Coliseum. Tickets for the 2007 Racing to the Rainbow Live! Tour
are available at all Ticket King outlets, as well as the MSU Athletic Ticket Office
and online at http://www.ticketweb.com. For more information, contact Todd Hunt
at (662)325-4201. Read more.
Mar. 22-23 - The University of Southern Mississippi will host the Second Annual
Eagle Institute for School Leaders in the Thad Cochran Center. The conference,
"All Means All: Ensuring the Success of Students with Unique Learning Needs,"
will be convened by State Superintendent Hank Bounds and Dean W. Lee Pierce
of the USM College of Education and Psychology. The conference promises to
be a powerful session on leadership strategies for helping
disadvantaged/displaced students, English language learners, gifted students,
and students with special needs to achieve academic success in an era of high
stakes accountability. Complete information can be found online.
Look for the next edition January 19.