The Daily Mississippian | August 26, 2024 by The Daily Mississippian

MISSISSIPPIAN THE Daily

Monday, August 26, 2024

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Hotty Toddy rush almighty

JANE DUNN

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Sorority Row and Rebel Drive were filled with tears and screams of excitement on Saturday, Aug. 24 as Panhellenic Formal Recruitment ended with bid day and 11 Panhellenic Sororities welcomed new members home.

The largest group of potential new members in university history — 2,461 freshman and transfer students — participated in the process this year. As of May 2024, 50% of the University of Mississippi students were active in Greek organizations. The location of bid day was moved to the Sandy and John Black Pavillion, a

shift from recent years, when it took place in the Grove. Freshman allied health studies major and new member of Alpha Delta Pi Ella Ann Jensen talked about her experience receiving her bid. “I knew from the very begin-

Two former student-athletes turned country music stars are coming back to campus, thanks to Ole Miss Athletics.

SEE PAGE 6

OLE MISS FOOTBALL KICKS OFF

Ending the month of September with their first SEC matchup, the Rebels will have to find early success to make waves this season. SEE PAGE 9

Meal swipes now available at food trucks

JORDAN ISBELL

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Ahead of the 20242025 school year, Ole Miss Dining announced changes intended to make food and meals more accessible for students on campus.

An Instagram post on July 24 announced that food trucks are accepting meal swipes, with one swipe as an

$8.50 cash equivalent toward food items.

The idea of food trucks accepting meal swipes has been under consideration for several years.

“(Concerns) included logistical issues such as setting up infrastructure for a uniform payment

University housing adapts to increase in student population

KHARLEY REDMON thedmnews@gmail.com

Three consecutive years of record-breaking freshman classes has caused the University of Mississippi to expand housing options and has created uncertainty for students as they sit on housing waitlists and struggle to find off-campus accommodations.

When Assistant Vice Chancellor and Director of Student Housing John Yaun joined the university in 2019, there was a strategic plan for student housing.

“Because of all the changes, much of that strategic plan is almost obsolete or not applicable,” Yaun said earlier this month. “At that time, the freshman class that we were housing was about 3,200, and right now I think we

have at least 6,000 firstyear students that are signed up for housing.”

UM has 22 student housing locations on and off-campus, with a total of 6,841 bed spaces. On-campus residence halls and Campus Walk have 5,687 bed spaces. The other 1,154 bedspaces are distributed across five off-campus apartment complexes that have entered master lease agreements with the university.

All bed spaces are currently filled, and many freshmen and upperclassmen spent the summer on university housing waitlists.

At the beginning of July, the freshman waitlist consisted of approximately 140 women and 70-80 men, Yaun said. Freshmen are required by the university to live in student housing. The waitlist consisted of 30

women and 10 men on Aug. 9 and was down to one woman and two men on Aug. 21. The waitlist for sophomore and upperclassmen was at 120 on Aug. 9.

As the university receives cancellations, students are contacted

and placed in open spots according to the order in which they joined the waitlist. While the university plans to house all freshmen, Yaun said it is not likely that the university would be able

Caitlin Magnuson working at the Magnolia Coffee Co. truck on Aug. 22.

ASHTON SUMMERS

SEE BID DAY PAGE 5

New members run to the Chi Omega house on Aug. 24.

MARIA RAMIREZ / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

BRETT YOUNG IN OXFORD

Parents help their daughter move in to her new dorm on Aug. 15.

MARIA RAMIREZ / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

SEE HOUSING PAGE 3

SAA hosts annual Welcome Week

The Students Activities Association is hosting Welcome Week, a series of free events, which began on Sunday, Aug. 25 and will run until Friday, Aug. 30.

Hannah Hoang, one of SAA’s directors of special events, encouraged students to attend the events throughout the week.

“We are going to be on the Union Plaza most days,” Hoang said. “And chances are you will be going to class, you are going to walk right by, so just stop by, meet some of us and have a great time.”

Some of the events include a movie night in the Grove, an opportunity to dunk your orientation leader, flagship involvement fairs and a silent disco. The full schedule is listed below.

Though the events are targeted toward first-year students, Hoang said that they are for all students.

“(Welcome Week is) inclusive to everybody,” Hoang said. “It’s free for all students, so you can attract a lot of different students. I think it’s a great way to bond and meet new people. What college student doesn’t want free food?”

Hoang said that her fellow directors of special events and SAA representatives try to plan events that offer something for everyone.

DINING

continued from page 1

system compatibility and ensuring the food trucks could meet the standards required for participation in our dining program,” Amy Anderson, marketing manager for Ole Miss Dining Services, said.

Since partnering with Grubhub in January, Ole Miss Dining sought to further integrate the company’s software in order to improve the overall dining experience for all students.

“With Grubhub’s technology, we can now accurately track and process meal swipes, making it feasible for food trucks to be included in the meal plan system,” Anderson said.

Students expect the change to make dining on campus more convenient.

“My friends and I always used to complain about running out of flex while having so many unused meal swipes,” junior southern studies major Kamryn Reed said. “My little sister is starting here this year, and I think living on campus with more dining options that accept meal swipes will make her transition to college life smoother.”

Reed’s younger sister, Kristian, an incoming freshman allied health studies major, Thinks this new payment option will increase the appeal of food trucks.

“Now that the food trucks will be accepting meal swipes, I find it more convenient for me to stop by them rather than the union,” Kristian Reed said. “I’ve heard the

“We’re always trying to become more accessible for students and cater to every kind of student that we have on campus,” Hoang said. “I think something that’s so great about Ole Miss is how diverse our student body is, so finding events that fit all students from different backgrounds is something I think that we’ve done a great job with so far.”

Senior criminal justice major Aliycia Young encouraged students to participate during Welcome Week to meet new people.

“In my opinion, (new students) should attend Welcome Week and every university event held weekly because it’s something new every week with games and activities, and it’s all about having fun while you are in college,” Young said.

The SAA hopes these activities will engage students while communicating its mission.

“This is the largest incoming freshmen class, and I know we say that every year, but again, it is this year,” Hoang said. “Catering toward new students, as well as every age on campus, providing something fun for them to do, continuing the SAA mission of free activities for students by students and keeping up that tradition of every Welcome Week (is what we hope to accomplish).”

union can sometimes be unreliable, as they do get busy, so I think skipping the rush and going to eat at the food trucks will be a better outcome.”

Caitlin Magnuson, owner of Magnolia Coffee Co.’s Copper Top, will have a food truck next to Ventress Hall.

“We are ecstatic about the meal swipes being accepted,” Magnuson said. “I think that any time you make meals more accessible it’s a win for everyone involved.”

She has edited her menu in response to meal swipes becoming a new form of payment.

“We have tweaked our menu a few times to try and have it make the most sense for the students in correlation to their meal swipes,” Magnuson said. “Simple items like a latte or lotus will be one swipe, where a meal plus a drink will amount to two.”

The addition of meal swipes is also attracting students who typically would not have eaten at the food trucks.

Georgia Skelton, a fresh -

Monday (Aug. 26)

First Day of Class Bash:

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Union Plaza

Movie Night & Late Night Bite featuring “10 Things I Hate About You:” 7:15 p.m. Grove Stage

Tuesday (Aug. 27)

Slide Into The Semester + Oxsicles

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Union Plaza

Flagship Involvement Fair

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Lyceum Circle

Fall Convocation: 7 p.m.

Sandy & John Black Pavillion

Wednesday (Aug. 28)

Dunk An Orientation Leader + Snobiz

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Union Plaza

Flagship Involvement Fair

1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Lyceum Circle

Workout Class with Campus Rec & Blenz 7 p.m. Union 323

man general studies major and Ole Miss soccer player, said she may be more inclined to try on-campus food trucks.

“Even though I will mostly be eating at The Grill and with my team, I definitely want to try the food trucks, especially because they are taking meal swipes,” Skelton said.

Another dining change includes Chick-fil-A and McAlister’s switching locations inside the Ole Miss Student Union. Chick-fil-A will now be on the second floor of the student union, and McAlister’s will assume its position next to Panda Express on the first floor.

“We saw this as an opportunity to address student feedback regarding menu limitations stemming from (the UM Chick-fil-A) being a non-traditional restaurant,” Resident District Manager for Ole Miss Dining Chip Burr said. “Swapping the concept locations provides us with the space and capacity to expand the menu and add more of Chick-fil-A’s core favorites.”

Thursday (Aug. 29)

Union Unplugged 12:15 p.m. Union Plaza

Silent Disco 8 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Union Ballroom

Mareleigh Rayner, a firstyear law student, said the change will eliminate the classic McAlister’s experience and increase wait times.

“It’s getting rid of the McAlister’s feel because when you think of McAlister’s, you think of a place to go sit down, and it also gives a quiet escape, compared to downstairs, which is always busy,” Rayner said. “Ultimately, I think it’s a bad decision, because the wait times are going to be even longer downstairs, and I think people will see that impact. “

Maddie Cobb, a sophomore pharmacy major, supports the location switch.

“I think moving Chickfil-A to where McAlister’s was is a great idea,” Cobb said. “It will alleviate a lot of traffic from downstairs, which will make the union much easier to navigate.”

Kamryn Reed agreed.

“I often avoided the union (Chick-fil-A) location last year because it was always overcrowded and opted for

the Jackson Avenue location instead,” Kamryn Reed said. “With Chick-fil-A moving, it should alleviate the crowding issue, making it more accessible. As for McAlister’s, while it’s not as popular as Chick-fil-A, I think the move downstairs could actually help it gain more exposure and potentially do even better.”

Other plans are being discussed within the Ole Miss Dining Services to expand options and accommodate the larger incoming classes.

“We have had extensive discussions about how to best accommodate and support this influx of students. In the dining program specifically, we are taking proactive steps to manage the increased demand,” Anderson said. “This includes expanding dining hours, increasing seating capacity in our dining halls, adding additional stations in the Rebel Market, increased staffing and adding more food options to reduce wait times and enhance the overall dining experience.”

Precious Benson is thrown around by a mechanical shark during Welcome Week 2020.

BILLY SCHUERMAN / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

continued from page 1

to find spots for all the upperclassmen on the waitlist.

“Just in case we didn’t get cancellations, we communicated to (freshmen) that we may not have a bed for you (and) you’ve got some options. You can either stay on the waitlist or you (can pursue) an exemption to be released from the requirement to live on campus,” Yaun said. “Some have done that. Some have decided to stay on the waitlist, but we’ve given them the option and let them know we may not have a bed available.”

As of Aug. 9, approximately 180 freshmen had opted for an exemption from university housing, Yaun said.

Remaining on the waitlist for a long period of time has caused stress for many incoming students. Freshman biological science major Jonlya Garrett spent several weeks on the waitlist before securing a spot in July.

“For weeks and weeks, I was on the waiting list stressing if I was going to get one. I was stressing so badly because, with my scholarships, I have to stay in Ole Miss-owned housing,” Garrett, a Grove Scholar, said. “If I had not gotten a room, I don’t know how I would have been able to live.”

Garrett said that she did not expect to encounter this difficulty.

“When coming to this school, I didn’t know it would be this stressful trying to find a dorm room. I have friends and family that have gone here that have not had any

problems with housing and getting a dorm,” Garrett said.

For upperclassmen, the housing department encouraged students to start the search for non-student housing early, Yaun said.

“We’ve been communicating with (upperclassmen) every month that there’s nothing available and that they need to think about an option off campus to live,” Yaun said. “I know that off-campus housing has become more expensive, and that’s an issue.”

Destiny Kirksey, a junior biology major, decided not to join the upperclassmen waitlist.

“By the time upperclassmen had their housing portal windows open, there was nowhere else to stay,” Kirksey said. “Frankly, I didn’t think there was any point in me getting on the waitlist when I could just find another place to stay.”

However, her search for an apartment was not easy.

“Most of the apartments were booked and taken. It took me three months to find an apartment that fit my budget. Even then, it wasn’t furnished, and I still have to pay for furniture,” Kirksey said. “It took me a while. I’m still finalizing some things, but at least I have a place to live in the fall.”

Anna Buckley, a junior public health and health sciences major who is leasing a house, described the experience of searching for non-student housing as stressful.

“I had a lot of different emotions, but one that was constant was feeling stressed. During the spring semester, trying to balance house hunting with my class load, student organizations and other commitments proved to be very difficult,” Buckley said.

The UM student move-in team helps parents and students unload vehicles outside of Residential College South on Aug 15.

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“Trying to focus on the reason I’m here at school — to get my education — was put on the back burner, which should never be the case.”

While Kirksey and Buckley have secured housing, there still are upperclassmen looking for accommodations. Social sites such as Facebook have been populated with groups of students and parents searching for non-student housing in Oxford.

A group named Oxford Mississippi (U.S.) Off Campus Student Housing/Rentals/Rooms For Rent has more than 6,000 members. As of Aug. 22, four days before the start of the fall semester, students were still posting looking for housing.

While the university does not have an office dedicated to helping students find non-student housing, Yaun said that his department is starting to talk about the resources it can provide this coming year and can have one-on-one conversations with students.

“Ideally, in the future, we’d like to be able to offer enough beds for upper-class students so that we can have an affordable living option for them,” Yaun said, noting that one of the three dorms being built in the old Kincannon Hall lot are planned to go to upperclassmen.

Construction on those residence halls is projected to be completed by summer 2026.

In addition to struggles securing housing, students and parents have expressed concern about the master-leased, off-campus apartments. Billi Hart, the parent of an incoming freshman, talked about why she wanted her son to stay on campus.

“I want him to have the dorm experience,” Hart said. “If you’re not on campus your freshman year, that feels like a bit of a disadvantage to me because you’re missing out on so many of those things that are at your fingertips.”

Yaun assured students and parents with such concerns that the university has worked to make sure students housed off campus are integrated into the campus community.

“Many parents are reluctant to have their students live in a master lease off campus, and I understand because they want them to be a part of the on-campus experience, but our goal is to create the very same

experience that we have on campus,” Yaun said. “We have residential assistants there, we’re going to have programming there, we’re going to have

yet this year,” Jacob Batte, director of news and media relations for UM, said. Yaun said his department is dedicated to keeping stu -

security there. Everything that someone gets in Martin or Stockard (on campus), they’re going to get at one of the properties (off campus).”

In recent years, many students have suggested that the university accept fewer students to alleviate some of the housing pressure.

“I always love an opportunity to meet more people and believe that everyone should have an opportunity (for higher education). However, at this time, the university is not equipped to handle this influx,” Buckley said. “It definitely affects my opinions of the university because it makes me feel like I’m just a number to the school as they try and succeed at increasing the amount of students here each year.”

However, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning statewide open-admissions policy indicates that a cap cannot be placed on the number of in-state students admitted to UM.

According to a February 2024 interview that The Daily Mississippian conducted with UM Director of Admissions Jody Lowe, there is language in the policy that allows the university to limit the number of out-of-state students admitted.

“Every year, we take a fresh look at our out-of-state admissions standards. We have not started that process

dents informed about the housing process and is working on initiatives with the Associated Student Body housing committee. While many have wondered whether the requirement to live on campus will be eliminated, Yaun said that the university has not discussed that option.

Wesley Templet, chair of the ASB housing committee and a junior public policy leadership major, said that some of those initiatives include bringing back hall councils, making sure that maintenance issues are addressed and working with the city government to discuss affordable housing options.

In the meantime, he encouraged students to start thinking about their housing for the 2025-2026 academic year and reach out to ASB, the university and LOU-HOME — a local affordable housing non-profit — for support.

“These apartments start waiting lists as early as October in some places,” Templet said. “You can always reach out to LOU-HOME or the ASB Committee on Housing, and we can try to help you find places. We do have an Ole Miss off-campus housing website through apartments.com (that is a university partnership).”

Tanissa Ringo and Jordan Isbell contributed reporting.

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SALES ACCOUNT

EXECUTIVES

Lola Phillips Kendall Scott

MARIA RAMIREZ / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Housing John Yaun

PHOTO COURTESY: JOHN YAUN

The University of Mississippi’s Interfraternity Council Formal Recruitment week kicked off on Thursday, Aug. 22, with a record-breaking 1,593 participants and Phi Kappa Tau stepping out of the recruitment process.

IFC President and senior accounting major Beckett Abington explained that recruitment began earlier this year due to classes starting later in the fall.

“We decided, (while) working with school administration, that since school is pushed back a week and we have the first (football) game that first weekend, it’d be best to have (recruitment this week),” Abington said.

Abington also explained that Phi Kappa Tau would not be participating in recruitment due to “internal issues.”

“As of now, Phi Kappa Tau, which is a fraternity here on campus, will not be participating in recruitment due to some internal issues,” Abington said.

“The university, working with the (Phi Kappa Tau) board of directors, nationally thought it would be best that they step out of this recruitment.”

According to Jacob Batte, director of news and media relations for the University of Mississippi, Abington’s statement addresses everything that the university can share.

The Daily Mississippian reached out to Phi Kappa Tau on Sunday, Aug. 25, and a representative declined to comment on the situation for publication. In 2021, the fraternity faced a one-year suspension from the UM campus after a hazing investigation in June 2020. The suspension lasted until May 2022.

Abington gave the following statement when asked whether or not the fraternity would be accepting new recruits during

Fraternity recruitment proceeds without Phi Kappa Tau

formal recruitment this year.

“Unfortunately, things go wrong, people make mistakes and people do things that are unjust — not unjust — that are wrong, people do things that are wrong. Unfortunately when things like that happen, there are consequences,” Abington said. “I only know so much about the situation as it’s over my head, but I don’t think they will be participating in anything this year. I think it’s best that the fraternity seeks more internal improvements and works together to create what a true fraternity should be, and I don’t think they’re quite there yet.”

In an Aug. 23 statement, the IFC emphasized the importance of class attendance during Greek recruitment.

“We have told all of our (potential new members) that if they skip class for any recruitment reason, then they will be dropped from our recruitment process and will not be allowed to join a chapter,” the letter to university students, faculty and staff stated.

The message also stated that although the IFC recognizes that fraternity and sorority life holds a large influence over many students’ college decision, the organization does not condone the skipping of class for recruitment purposes.

“PNMs were required to fill out absentee forms disclosing any scheduling conflict they may have with recruitment and classes before the formal rush process began to ensure that if they had a class during a recruitment round they were not penalized for missing it,” Beta Theta Pi President Will Beatty, senior political science major from Augusta, Ga., said. “This change, I believe, will positively impact the students recruitment process, as it will teach them from the start that their education always comes first.”

The first step in the recruitment process, known as Round Zero, took place on

Thursday, followed by IFC Convocation on Friday, and two days of Round One on Saturday and Sunday.

Abington, a former recruitment counselor — known as a Rho Alpha — talked about the impact that the recruitment process has on its participants.

“I had a group of about 17 potential new members. I think a highlight from (my experience) is that I still know each and every one of them today,” Abington said. “Each of them are placed in various different chapters, and I still connect with all of them … I think that’s great because people in fraternities shouldn’t just be making friends within their fraternity. They should branch out and meet other people.”

Recruitment wraps up on Friday, Aug. 30, as participating fraternities will offer bids to potential new members.

Assistant Director of Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Spencer Laiben speaks at

Convocation in the Pavilion on Aug. 23.

BID DAY

continued from page 1

ning of recruitment I wanted to go ADPI, so being able to run home to my new home and best friend was one of the most memorable experiences of my entire life,” Jensen said.

Prior to bid day, PNMs go through four rounds of recruitment, including Greek Day, three philanthropy days, three sisterhood days and a preference day. This is a longer process than previous years.

In an attempt to accommodate the influx of participants, recruitment and bid day were slightly altered from years past.

“It’s not usually this long. In the past, Philanthropy (Round) has been two days and Sisterhood (was) one, but because there are so many girls, so we’ve had to change it to three days of Philanthropy and three days of sisterhood,” junior finance major and Delta Delta Delta Active

Member Emma Williams said.

Freshman integrated marketing communications major Anna Thrasher received a bid from Alpha Chi Omega. The community aspect of recruitment stood out as a significant part of her experience.

“It has shown me all the different ways to get involved and be able to help the community,” Thrasher said. “The highlight so far is getting to meet other girls who are also going through recruitment. I love seeing how each sorority is different. It’s fun getting to see a glimpse of each sorority and what it would be like to be in that house.”

Williams encouraged the young women beginning their Greek life journeys to remember that the sorority they end up in should not represent their whole personality.

“Don’t put too much of your identity into what sorority you’re a part of because, at the end of the day, it is just a club,” Williams said. “It does not define who you are.”

Olivia Grace Gorton, an allied health studies major

and member of Chi Omega from Belzoni, Miss., shared a similar piece of advice.

“You can be as involved as you want or not,” Gorton said. “It is not make or break in any sense. It can be amazing, and for me, so many great things have come from it, but it is not everything.”

Gorton said that recruitment is worth the long hours.

“It can all be very overwhelming, but this is just such a small portion of what being in a sorority really is. It does give you such a great opportunity to meet so many people and form so many new connections,” Gorton said.

Williams shared a similar sentiment.

“A lot of people say that it’s all fake, but I can’t jump and scream fakely for hours on end. I do it because I love the girls around me, and I want them to feel that love,” Williams said. “Even when my calves are dying, I can look at the girls across from me and keep jumping for them.”

After potential new members opened their bid cards at the Sandy and John Black Pavillion on Saturday, Aug. 24, they rushed to celebrate and meet members of their chapters. New members were welcomed with open arms and given jerseys and hats embellished with their sorority’s letters.

MARIA RAMIEREZ / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN ASHTON SUMMERS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

PHOTO COURTESY: KAM HOLT PHOTO COURTESY: MOLLIE WRIGHT

Duff Center opens after three years of construction

Construction of the Jim and Thomas Duff Center for Science and Technology, located on All American Drive at the University of Mississippi, has been completed, and the building will host its first classes this semester.

“The Jim and Thomas Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation has been a long time coming, and we’re thrilled to see it finally become a reality,” Jacob Batte, director of news and media relations for UM, said. “This world-class facility will not only transform the way we teach and learn but also position our university — and Mississippi — at the forefront of STEM educational innovation.”

Construction on the

202,000-square-foot project began in fall 2021 with a budget of $175 million dollars. The university is planning a grand opening later in the fall semester.

The center is the largest academic project in the university’s history. Its website indicates resources in the building such as spectrometers and state-of-theart microscopes “will prepare students to enter STEM fields that allow them to work on the cutting edge of medicine, computer technology, chemical engineering, robotics and other jobs.”

Recently released photos of the building’s interior have sparked excitement.

“It’s going to be a great place for all of the STEM majors to collaborate and hang out together,” junior biology major Shayla Hanson said. “When I

saw the picture of the building this summer, I could not believe all of the different study areas that were going to be available for students to use. Science majors haven’t really had a place to come together and study in one building up until now, but the Duff Center is doing just that.”

Classrooms in the new center are designed with innovation and active learning in mind. The building will host 50 “TEAL” classrooms dedicated to technology-enabled active learning and participation, as opposed to a traditional lecture-style layout.

Other features include a center for success and supplemental instruction, a food provider location and a 3D visualization lab that are meant to make the center one of the top STEM education buildings in the nation.

Brett Young and Josh Kelley return to Ole Miss

The night before Ole Miss Football’s premiere game of the season against Furman, country stars Brett Young and Josh Kelley – both former University of Mississippi student-athletes – will make some noise in the Sandy and John Black Pavillion on Friday, Aug. 30.

Tickets for the show, which is being hosted by Ole Miss Athletics, are still available as of Sunday, Aug. 25, ranging in price from $25-$50, not including fees associated with online purchasing, and students are offered discounted floor seats.

Parking, which ranges in price from $20-$40 depending on lot location, opens at 5 p.m.. Doors

to the SJB Pavilion open at 6 p.m. and the concert starts at 7 p.m.

Before Young had seven consecutive No. 1 hits and an Academy of Country Music Award under his belt, he was a pitcher for the Ole Miss Baseball team, where he earned a varsity letter in 2000. After success with the Rebels, he transferred to his home state of California and attended Irvine Valley College and ended his pitching career at Fresno State University, where he sustained an elbow injury in 2003.

“I think it is pretty great that Brett is performing for his very own Ole Miss Rebels. I think it’s so extraordinary that he played baseball here for a time,” junior marketing major Emily Otero said. “It’s really cool to see someone who came here to play base-

ball come back to play a concert.”

Josh Kelley, an Augusta, Ga., native, played for the Ole Miss Men’s Golf team from 20002001. In 2003, Kelley released his debut album, “For the Ride Home.” Since then, he has had multiple songs chart on Billboard.

Accompanying Young and Kelley on the basketball arena’s floor will be Mustache the Band, which has made several appearances in Oxford at venues including the Lyric and the Double Decker Arts Festival. Founded in 2010, the band is known for channeling a ’90s country-pop sound and embracing the mustache aesthetic by providing fans with their very own mustaches as they enjoy the show.

Students are excited for Young’s performance, but some are surprised he is returning so soon after headlining the 2022 Double Decker Arts Festival.

“I think it’s cool (Brett Young is) coming but also a little weird since he was just here two years ago. But I guess it makes sense since he is an alum,” senior elementary education major Elle D’Angelo said. “I guess if the audience is there, then why not come?”

While some locals have concerns about possible congestion, especially with how Oxford traffic was affected by the Morgan Wallen concert in the spring, others think the concert benefits will overshadow frustrations it may cause.

“Oxford is always crowded, but I’m sure (the concert) is good for business,” D’Angelo said.

Otero shared a similar sense of optimism.

NOTICE OF ENACTMENT OF UNIVERSITY PARKING RULES & REGULATIONS

The University of Mississippi Department of Parking & Transportation (DPT) in Oxford, Mississippi hereby gives notice of enactment of the University’s Traffic and Parking Regulations for the 2024-2025 academic year. These rules and regulations are enacted by the Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning, State of Mississippi, and are effective from and after July 1, 2023. The full text of such rules and regulations are available at www.olemiss.edu/parking the website of DPT.

“I think it’s a great way to bring on football season,” Otero said. “A fun concert to go to

on Friday night and then a game the next day, what could be better than that?”

Brett Young’s press photo for his newest album “Across The Sheets.”

PHOTO COURTESY: JT PRATT

Inside of the Jim and Thomas Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation on Aug 22.

ASHTON SUMMERS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

SYDNEY STEPP thedmfeatures@gmail.com

Tickets for the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts’ 2024-2025 season are on sale. This season boasts a diverse lineup that includes two Tony Award-winning musicals, comedians, tribute bands and more.

“There are plenty of shows this fall and in the spring that will interest our university students,” Julia Aubrey, director of the Ford Center, said. “Be sure to ask about student discounts.”

Stand-up comedian and Ole Miss alum Heather McMahan’s comedy act will open the fall semester on Thursday, Aug. 29.

“We had the Ole Miss students in mind when we booked comedian Heather McMahan as our opening show this fall,” Aubrey said.

“She is an alumna, (Delta Gamma) and highly popular with a younger demographic.”

In the fall semester, the six-time Tony Award-winning musical “Dear Evan Hansen” will take to the stage. In the spring, “Hadestown” by Anaïs Mitchell will retell the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice through song and dance.

In response to student focus

Ford Center unveils its 2024-2025 schedule

groups who requested more country music acts, the Ford Center will host the Frontmen on Sept. 26. The group features three iconic country music band lead singers: Larry Stewart of Restless Heart, Richie McDonald of Lonestar and Tim Rushlow of Little Texas.

While many of the offerings appeal to students, the season also offers something for all members of the Oxford community.

On Sept. 12, former lead vocalist of rock ‘n’ roll group

Journey Steve Augeri will perform the band’s greatest hits, including “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Any Way You Want It.” On Feb. 8, “Britbeat - the Immersive Beatles Tribute Experience” will provide attendees with “a transformative encounter with the timeless legacy of the Beatles,” according to the Ford Center website.

A cappella group Voctave will perform on Oct. 19, and the Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Band will play on the evening of Nov. 18. In the spring semester, the string ensemble Catalyst Quartet will take over the Ford Center on Jan. 30.

Two educational programs will be held at the Ford Center this fall. “Mister C Live! The World in Motion - Newton’s

Laws” will be held on Sept. 30, while “Our Planet Live - Life on Our Planet with Dan Tapster” will be hosted on Oct. 17.

For the Christmas 2024 season, “A Charlie Brown Christmas, Live!” will pres-

ent familiar tales of the Peanuts crew on Dec. 5.

A new year at the Ford Center will kick off Feb. 11 with “The Simon and Garfunkel Story,” which will feature a full live band to present the journey of the folk-rock duo Paul

Simon and Art Garfunkel. Capping off the season, William Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” has been transcribed into modern verse by Christina Anderson and will be at the Ford Center on April 1.

The Gertrude Castellow Ford Center

PHOTO

Ole Miss Football kicks off new season

Ole Miss is looking to make a run this college football season. Although this year’s schedule does not appear to match the difficulty of last year’s, the season promises to be exciting.

The Rebels do not play traditional rivals Alabama and Auburn this season but pick up SEC newcomer Oklahoma in Oxford. This year each SEC school’s schedule includes eight conference games, with at least one opponent coming from the Big 12, Big 10, ACC or a major independent. SEC East and West divisions also will be eliminated.

The Rebels will play a few non-conference games to start the 2024 season, first hosting Furman on Aug. 31. SEC play begins Sept. 28 against Kentucky in the homecoming game. Here are predictions for the first month of Rebel football.

Furman (Aug. 31)

Furman will face the Rebels in Oxford for the first time since 1902, and this time Ole Miss and its roster have never looked better. With an updated defense and plenty of offensive starters returning, week one should be fun.

Middle Tennessee (Sep. 7)

The last time the Rebels faced Middle Tennessee was in 2001,

when Ole Miss Football legend Eli Manning led the Rebels to a 45-17 win. Since then, Ole Miss has developed a fast-paced offense that includes quarterback Jaxson Dart, running back Ulysses Bentley IV and wide receivers Tre Harris III and Dayton Wade.

The Rebels should start the season 1-0 after playing Furman, and the offense should pull out a win without any degree of difficulty in week two.

@ Wake Forest (Sep. 14)

The Rebels’ first away match of the season could be seen as a challenging trap game for Ole Miss. Visiting in 2006 and hosting in 2008, Ole Miss stands at 0-2 in their matchups against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. In 2006, under the leadership of Ed Orgeron, the Rebels had standouts that included linebacker and Ole Miss Hall of Famer Patrick Willis, running back Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis and defensive back Jamarca Sanford. In 2008, under Houston Nutt, the Rebels had offensive linebacker Michael Oher and wide receiver Mike Wallace.

The Demon Deacons have typically been an average team. However, they look weaker going into this season, so the Rebels might end this game at 3-0.

Georgia Southern (Sep. 21)

Ole Miss last faced Georgia Southern in 2016, taking home a 37-27 win.

The Rebels and the Golden Eagles have a connection. When current Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin served as head coach at the University of Southern California in 2010, he hired Clay Helton as his quarterbacks coach. Helton then moved on to be head coach of Georgia Southern and will face Kiffin in Oxford. Up against a well-rounded Rebel team, the Golden Eagles will have to work hard to fill holes on their team. Ole Miss should find success in this game and advance to 4-0.

Kentucky (Sep. 28)

SEC play starts with the Kentucky Wildcats rolling into Oxford. Last time the Wildcats paid a trip to Oxford in 2022, they were sent home by the Rebel defense in a fourth-quarter thriller.

Kentucky has some new pieces including quarterback Brock Vandagriff. A transfer from Georgia, Vandagriff is a solid passer. With speedster wide receiver Barion Brown on the outside, the Wildcats could test the Rebel defense.

Wrap-up

Ole Miss’ first month looks easy on paper, so the team should be undefeated going into Octo-

Kentucky’s defensive line is also something to consider as they consistently apply high pressure against offenses right off the snap. The Rebels will have to rely on their passing game for this matchup, as the Wildcat secondary is the weak link on the defensive side of the ball. This game might be closer than some think, but the Rebels ultimately should come out with a win and advance to 5-0 and 1-0 in SEC play.

ber. The Rebels have a chance to make a name for themselves early in the season with three non-conference games that may set the tone for subsequent SEC play.

Tre Harris III walks back to the sideline after scoring a touchdown against Texas A&M in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Nov. 5, 2023.

HAILEY AUSTIN / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

House v. NCAA: How will it affect college athletics?

RUSS EDDINS thedmsports@gmail.com

Significant progress has been made on the lawsuit House v. NCAA, which impacts the way college athletes are paid.

The case was brought in 2020 by former Arizona State swimmer Grant House and TCU/Oregon basketball player Sedona Prince, who sued the NCAA for barring name, image and likeness (NIL) payments for athletes prior to 2021, when the NCAA changed its rules to allow NIL. The plaintiffs alleged that the NCAA’s rules prohibiting payment was a violation of the Sherman Act and they deserved compensation.

On May 23, 2024, the NCAA reached a settlement of the case allowing Division I college athletes to receive pay directly from the universities for whom they compete and agreeing to back-pay damages to former Division I athletes who were unable to profit on their NIL rights as well as a future revenue sharing model between the Power Five conference schools and athletes. The settlement has not yet been finalized and still must be approved by U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken in the coming months.

Under the $2.78 billion settlement, the NCAA would be responsible for roughly $1.2 billion from reserves. The Power Five conferences would be responsible for about 24% in withheld future revenues. Every collegiate athlete that competed between 2016 and 2021 will have the opportunity to opt into the revenue share.

“The NCAA will pay (the $2.78 billion in back-pay to former college athletes). They will pay it out over a 10-year period,” Ole Miss Athletic Director Keith Carter said in an interview with The Daily Mississippian.

“They will take our revenue share and help supplement that, but it will

LOOKING FOR A SIDE JOB

be coming from the NCAA on the backwards looking damages. Obviously we’re going to be in charge of figuring out how we pay the current revenue share for the current student athletes starting in 2025.”

Until they figure out what the revenue share is going to look like, Ole Miss Athletics is delaying future facility renovation and construction projects.

While construction on the softball facility will continue, construction on the baseball stadium has been paused. Other planned projects affected include renovations to the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium, Ole Miss Golf Complex and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Carter said the university is still determining what system and scale will be used to pay current and former athletes, although some ideas have been suggested.

“There’s been a recommendation … 75% would go to former football players, 15% would go to former men’s basketball, 5% to (former) women’s bas -

ketball, and then the other 5% would go to the rest of the student athletes,” Carter said.

How Title IX will impact the settlement is also unknown. The revenue could be divided equally among women’s and men’s sports, lean toward the sports that generate more revenue or be a mix of the two.

When student athletes will be paid is also yet to be determined. Carter said that universities are waiting for the settlement to be finalized and anticipate payments to start in July 2025.

“Judge Wilken has to go through different processes from a legal perspective, but they’re saying it will probably be next April or so before the final settlement,” Carter said. “And that’s if there’s no hiccups and no roadblocks. We’re kind of preparing that rev (revenue) share would start July 1 of 2025. … All of our legal counsel from the SEC office and outside legal counsel are confident and hopeful that it will settle in April or so.”

HOW TO PLAY

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 with no repeats.

ACROSS 1- Lends a hand; 5- Home to billions; 9- Baton Rouge sch.; 12- Reason to cancel school; 13- More than medium; 15- Sardine containers; 16- To ___ (exactly); 17- Creates; 18- Puts into service; 19- Rhinoplasty; 21- Cork; 23- Makes brown; 24- Before, before; 25- Astute; 28- Divinity; 33- Mall frequenters; 34- Did the butterfly; 35- Man-eating giant of popular folklore; 36- Colonnade tree; 37- Writers of verse; 38- It’s a moray; 39- Would ___ to you?; 41- Pub potables; 42- Alloy of iron and carbon; 44- Written remarks; 46- Hotel patrons; 47- Eur. carrier; 48- Swiss river; 49- Extreme; 53- Assembly;

57- Thin woodwind instrument; 58- Birth-related; 60- Needle case; 61- Visionary; 62- Man from Muscat; 63- Drum sound; 64- ___ Lingus (Irish carrier); 65- Bric-a-___; 66- Auctioneer’s cry; DOWN 1- Strong ___ ox; 2- A big fan of; 3- Evil is as evil ____.; 4- Add sugar; 5- Nutlike kernel; 6- Swedish imports; 7- Peeve; 8- Matures; 9- Speech issue; 10- Dagger; 11- The Beatles’ “Back in the ___”; 14- Values highly; 15- Black gum; 20- Mouth bones; 22- Guadalajara gold; 25- Beer mug; 26- Greeting; 27- Send payment; 28- Twixt’s partner; 29- Panama and bowler;

30- Curved moldings; 31- Welcome; 32- Shouts; 34- Go it alone;

Countryman; 40- Simpler; 42- Deodorant brand; 43- Seesaws; 45- Tic-___-toe; 46- Irish tongue; 48- Appliance brand; 49- Civil rights leader Parks; 50-

Keith Carter smiles after a football game against Arkansas on Oct. 7, 2023, in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

PHOTO COURTESY: JOSHUA MCCOY / OLE MISS ATHLETICS

Diary of a Black Girl: Only we can change the university

BRE’ANNA COLEMAN thedmopinion@gmail.com

During my time at the University of Mississippi, I can truly say that I have experienced the ups and downs of Mississippi life. I have experienced the high-energy events hosted by different organizations such as RASA, ESTEEM and NAACP, but I have also witnessed horrific events similar to the protest that occurred last semester.

As a Black woman here at the university, events such as the confrontation on campus last May between pro-Palestine protesters and counter-protesters remind me that this institution was not created with my matriculation in mind. Yes, plenty of minority students here often say that this institution is where they belong, and I agree, but we cannot overlook the treatment that students still face. I am calling attention to the fact that the pro-Palestine protesters did not receive proper justice or acknowledgment after they were belittled with

Opinion Policies:

hateful language and racially charged gestures and had food thrown at them.

The university’s first statement acknowledging the protest was dismissive and overlooked the treatment of the pro-Palestine protesters. The second statement issued, while more assertive in language, came off as damage control as videos from the protest began to hit national media outlets.

That fateful day was an example of the issues we brush beneath the rug, hoping that ignoring them will somehow improve things. When reality rears its ugly head and is met with applause and celebration, we must call a spade a spade. Many people of color associate Ole Miss with aggressive, angry emotions influenced by the university’s dark history that still bleeds into the present. There is no denying the history this campus holds, but whether people want to face it or not, the university’s gruesome history is a mirror to all that Mississippi once was. And you

cannot move forward without acknowledging the steps it took to bring us this far.

While the university itself accepts mistakes of the past, it is evident there is still a problematic culture that quietly exists. Our reality is much more nuanced and unique among campuses across the country.

It is without a doubt that election years at the university are heavily prepared for; minority students brace themselves, faculty and staff strategize and activists plan their steps. I hope that as a campus community we can strive to prove that regardless of campus history, there are people actively fighting not only to change the narrative but also to make this campus a place where all students can thrive.

The University of Mississippi is a place where students come to prepare themselves for the arguments that we are bound to face after college. We sit in classes and prepare for counter-arguments that we know are to come. We walk past

buildings we know were once built by slaves and we make history similar to the people before us.

As we begin the fall semester, I hope that every student will never forget that they belong on this campus. Your voice and perspective are needed to transform the University of Mississippi into what we hope even the state of Mississippi is to become.

Remember how far we have come and know that it took determined individuals such as James Meredith, Donald Ray Cole, John Donald, Theron Evans Jr., Paul D. Jackson, Linnie Liggins, Kenneth Mayfield, Alva Ruth Peyton and Henrieese Roberts to bring us this far. Even though there is a way to go, I have no doubt that the students here can bring forth the same change for the generations after them.

Regardless of your political affiliation, there must be action this fall semester. I implore students to register to vote and advocate for their beliefs while

remaining respectful to others on campus. This semester, students will be empowered to step up and demand the desired changes.

Coleman is a senior political science major from Drew, Miss. She is also the Black Student Union president.

Columns do not represent the views of The University of Mississippi or The Daily Mississippian. The Daily Mississippian welcomes letters to the editor, which should be emailed to thedmopinion@gmail.com. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. They may be edited for clarity, brevity and libel. Third-party letters and those with pseudonyms or no name will not be published. Letters are limited to one per individual per month. Letters should include contact information, including relationship to the university, if applicable.

• Former Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Since 1970

• Practiced at his privately owned law firm for 45 consecutive years - located at the same place, being the Oxford Square, Downtown, Oxford, Mississippi.

• Still practicing at his privately owned law firm for over 50 consecutive - located at the same place, being the Oxford Square, Downtown, Oxford, Mississippi.

• Taught the Mississippi DUI Law and 5 different Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure courses each and every semester at the University of Mississippi for 29 consecutive years.

• A member of the Chancellor’s Trust at the University of Mississippi since 1981.

• Former Municipal Prosecutor for the City of Oxford, Mississippi for over 6 years.

• Former Municipal Court Judge for the City of Oxford, Mississippi for 8 years.

• Former Vice President and President of the Lafayette County Bar Association; member of the Mississippi Bar Association, etc.

• Appointed by the Mississippi State Bar to the Mississippi Commission on Attorney Ethics and Attorney Violations of the Canon of Ethics and All Mandatory Rules concerning the Practice of Law. Occupied the positions of Vice Chairman and Chairman and served for 18 years.

• A Founding Member of the National College for DUI Defense conducted at Harvard Law School.

• Selected as one of the Top 50 DUI Attorneys in Mississippi by the National Advocacy for DUI Defense.

• Selected as one of the Top 10 Best Attorneys of Mississippi in for Client Satisfaction Award by the American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys.

• Selected as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers Organization.

• Recipient of the DISTINGUISHED AWARD OF MERIT for 1989 from the Mississippi State Bar given to one Attorney in the State each year for outstanding contributions to the practice of law.

• Recipient of the DISTINGUISHED AWARD OF MERIT for 1989 from the Mississippi State Bar given to one Attorney in the State of Mississippi each year for outstanding contributions to the practice of law.

• Voted “Best Attorney in Oxford, Mississippi” in the Grove’s Choice Awards.

• Member of the American Association of Premier DUI Attorneys

• Member of the National League of Renowned Attorneys - Top 1%

• Awarded the United States Congressional Medal of Distinction by RNCC.

• Member of the American Jurist Institute - Top 10 DUI/DWI Attorney for Mississippi

• Member of the American Society of Legal Advocates - Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyers in the State of Mississippi

• Selected by the Attorney and Practice Magazine as one of Mississippi’s Top 10 Attorneys, et cetera.

Bre’Anna

Bre’Anna Coleman

PHOTO COURTESY: BRE’ANNA COLEMAN