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129 th YEAR | ISSUE 31
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
Student initiates ‘Blue Forever,’ donates supplies to MSUPD by Taylor Bowden Staff Writer
Forever Blue | Courtesy Photos
ʻBlue Foreverʼ:
Kellie Abbott, Mississippi State University sophomore, initiated ʻBlue Forever,ʼ a nonprofit organization that raises funds to supply police departments around the world with QuickClot belt-mounted trauma kits. Initiated in September 2012, Abbottʼs organization has provided 18 MSUPD officers with first aid kits containing special components.
Blue Forever Inc., a registered nonprofit organizationfounded by Mississippi State University sophomore Kellie Abbott, recently donated around $1,300 worth of medical supplies to the MSU Police Department. The organization raises funds to supply police departments around the nation with QuickClot belt-mounted trauma kits. Blue Forever outfitted 18 MSUPD officers with firstaid kits containing specialized components, such as tourniquets, mouth guards for CPR and an enhanced form of medical gauze used to treat serious traumatic injuries police officers are exposed to while on duty, such as gunshot wounds. “If you get hit in the femoral artery, you are going to die within five to eight minutes without a tourniquet,” MSUPD Chief Vance Rice said. “It makes a huge difference whether or not that tourniquet is there.” Abbott said Blue Forever started out as a highschool senior project in her hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. Abbott’s mother and father both worked at the local police department. Abbott said she grew up around police officers. BLUE, 3
‘GAIN’ MSU earns spot on ‘Honor Roll’ for community efforts strives to promote alcohol education by Katrina Smith Staff Writer
Mississippi State University has received national recognition for its community involvement and service learning on the President’s Higher Education Community
Service Honor Roll. The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll was launched in 2006 by the Corporation for National Community Service. Since 2009, MSU has been included on the honor roll five consecutive times, and this year, it was added to the General Community Service Honor
Roll with Distinction designation for the second time. According to the National service website, the honor roll “With Distinction” recognition will be given to those applicants that display strong levels of institutional commitment, provide a compelling case for partnerships that produce measurable impact in the community and have a
federal work-study community service percentage of 15 percent or above. The award was given to the university for the community service of the 20132014 school year. There are also three other categories that can be awarded general community service, economic opportunity, education and interfaith community service.
Meggan Franks, assistant director in the Office of Student Leadership and Community Engagement said she thinks this award is a great thing. “I think it’s wonderful that MSU has received this award. Our students, faculty, staff and our community partners worked hard for it,” Franks said.
by Jennifer Flinn
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Dean of honors college receives fellowship for research in Oxford
Contributing Writer
Health Education and Wellness’s Goal-driven Alcohol anddrugIntervention Network (GAIN) program at Mississippi State University promotes student education about personal alcohol habits and driving under the influence. Since its inception two years ago, the student-only program has placed a high priority on the education of students regarding their personal alcohol habits. The program’s office is located on the third floor of the Longest Student Health Center. JuLeigh Baker, a health educator at MSU, said there has been an alcohol education program students can utilize for all of the seven years she has worked for the university. “Health Education is always looking at our programs and trying to improve,” Baker said. GAIN, 2
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by Eshan Newaz Staff Writer
Karen Jones | Courtesy Photo
National Prayer Breakfast: Miss Mississippi Jasmine Murray sang at the National Prayer
Breakfast on Thursday last week in Washington, D.C. for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Murray sang a rendition of ʻHis Eye Is on the Sparrowʼ at the annual event held every first Thursday in February.
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Dean Christopher Snyder of Shackouls Honors College has received a research fellowship at the University of Oxford to examine the link between the protagonist of “The Great Gatsby” and Mississippi State University’s first Rhodes Scholar, Major William Rogers. “This is in a research program called ‘Globalising and Localising the Great War,’ the World War I,” Snyder said. Snyder said he will be at Oxford for the periods of
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May and early July of this year for about six weeks for the fellowship. “I will teach a course to Mississippi State University students who will be over for Shackouls summer study program in Oxford and will be conducting research,” Snyder said. According to Snyder, the research for this summer is aimed at looking at a project launched by American Expeditionary Forces. “They got together the hierarchy to look at the soldiers and officers who were in Europe during the armistice,” Snyder said. “As the war was dwindling down, these soldiers in Europe didn’t have a home.”
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Snyder said a program was created to send army officers to universities throughout Europe to study for five months. “One of these programs was in Oxford. That program was led by Rogers, who was the first Rhodes Scholar of Mississippi State University,” Snyder said. According to Snyder, characters within “The Great Gatsby” try and discover who the “Gatsby” character is, and one character describes “Jay Gatsby” as an Oxford man. When later confronted, Gatsby said he did not graduate as a student, but was in the army and went to Oxford for five months. “Turns out it was a very real program led by our guy William Rogers. Rogers was later in Alabama, training as an officer at the same time as Fitzgerald was training as an officer,” Snyder said. Snyder said one thing he could do is try to connect all the dots to find out if there was a meeting between Fitzgerald and Rogers and if they exchanged information. “In a way, I don’t want
to make all those connections,” Snyder said. “I want to leave it to the reader to imagine the meetings, imagine Fitzgerald figuring the story out.” Snyder said he wants to write about Oxford through American experiences and examine why Americans are still drawn to Oxford. Synder also added he is excited to create more alley ways for MSU students to succeed globally. Snyder also said he lived in Oxford for a period of time as a graduate student and worked at Ashmolean Museum. “Our hope is to introduce our students to Oxford and getting familiar with the Oxford faculty. Through that experience they will be able to make stronger applications for Rhodes, Marshall and other scholarship programs,” Snyder said. Will Prater, senior mechanical engineering Public Affairs | Courtesy Photo major in the honors college, Christopher Synder, dean of Mississippi State University’s Shackouls Honors College, received a research fellowship at the University of Oxford. The said he finds the research felfellowship will allow Synder to examine the link between the protagonist of ‘The Great Gatsby’ and MSU’s first Rhodes Scholar, Major William Rogers. lowship to be a great highlight for MSU. have a very rewarding history,” Prater said. MSU, Snyder will also use book, “Gatsby’s Oxford: “I would say that it sounds experience investigating According to the News his research from this fel- Americans in the City of like the Dean is going to a rich nugget of MSU’s Bureau press release by lowship for his upcoming Dreaming Spires.”
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GAIN is an approved research project that compiles and stores confidential data acquired from students and stores it. The Health Educator in charge of the program, Ashley Fondren, said she thinks GAIN may be able to publish an article at some point in the future using this data. Several universities
across the country have implemented similar programs for alcohol awareness. GAIN was developed from another such program, BASICS, which is thoroughly researched and provides evidence of its effectiveness on college students. GAIN recruits students through class presentations, enlisting the help of
professors who offer extra credit to the students who participate in the program. The program also sets up booth displays in highly traveled areas around campus. Students interested in participating should contact a Health Educator who will schedule them for two 30-minute appointments for the student interviews.
rates as low as $449
In the first session, the student will take two surveys of varying depths which account for the majority of the 30-minute time period. Fondren said the first survey called an “Audit,” assesses the student’s risk for alcohol abuse and is based on the frequency of their drinking habits. The second is a longer and more in-depth online survey thatgauges their attitude toward drinking as well as establishes basic demographic information to determine statistics specified to that student’s body type and size. The second survey includes questions such as how many days of the week in the last 30 days the student drank to establish a drinking pattern. This information is also used to determine if a binge drinking episode has occurred and what the student did while experiencing it. According to Fondren’s Alcohol Awareness presentation, 63.3 percent of students reported alcohol consumption within the last 30 days. It also said 42.3 percent reported consuming five or more alcoholic beverages in the last two weeks. Fondren said the program wants to make a connection for the student between the amount of alcohol consumed and the resulting
outcomes. Once GAIN has established a maximum limit the student has drunk at one time, they can determine that student’s level of risk with his/her drinking behavior. Fondren also said GAIN also uses what is referred to as “social norming” to shed light on the actual drinking habits of MSU students rather than the misperception most students believe. “What we want to do is enlighten the student on what really happens at MSU concerning all students,” Fondren said. “We find that people’s perceptions of how much students drink is often much higher than what really happens.” Some of the questions students are asked in the interview include opinions on the prices of the average MSU student drinks and how the student perceives their own drinking. Students are also asked to consider what kinds of things they think would happen to them while under the influence of alcohol. These include both positive and negative side effects of its consumption. Fondren said when students were asked what they did while drinking, the top three answers included the highest percent said they did something they regretted, forgot where they were or what they had done or had unprotected sex. The information attained through the surveys is assembled into a feedback report. The feedback report is explained during the second appointment; caloric intakes as well as the cost associated with consuming alcohol are
also discussed during this session. Fondren said she remembers the reactions of some students during their second appointments when viewing their feedback report. “I got to sit in on some interviews with students and I could see the surprise in some students eyes especially whenever we talked about the social norming,” Fondren said. GAIN emphasizes the use of protective strategies while drinking. It most heavily stresses not operating a vehicle after the consumption of alcohol. The program strongly recommends the use of designated drivers. “If you are under 21 or are driving you should not drink at all,” Fondren said. “If you’ve had even one drink, do not get behind the wheel.” MSUPD Chief of Police Vance Rice said it’s GAIN’s job to be a preventative measure for driving under the influence (DUI) arrests, and educating students about the issue. The legal limit of alcohol consumption is any number below 0.08 percent, but this number can differ from person to person depending on their sensitivity to alcohol. Rice said when the average person processes alcohol their blood alcohol content lowers about two points an hour, and typically women process alcohol slower than men. “There are so many lives lost every year needlessly to impaired driving,” Rice said. According to Rice, being convicted of driving under the influence can be detrimental for several years, will cost a fortune, and will prevent the person charged from being hired for certain jobs.
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“One night, October 24, 2010, I woke up to my mom crying in the middle of the night,” Abbott said. “I learned that one of our best friends in the police department had been shot and killed in the line of duty.” The officer, Tim Prunty, had been making a routine visit to a local woman that was afraid to leave her home alone, but had the night shift at her job. While he escorted her, the two were attacked by another citizen, and Prunty was shot in the back of the leg. A second officer was in the area and arrived on the scene in moment. He began to use whatever was available–hands, shirts–to try and slow the bleeding but unfortunately, Prunty died as a result of blood loss. “It was shocking to hear that because you hear about officers being shot all the time, but it doesn’t happen everyday and never close to home,” Abbott said. “It was really hurtful.” Later, Abbott’s high school started a program that required all students to do a senior project where they had to demonstrate how to do something new they learned. “It had been implemented the year before and people did stuff like how to decorate a cake or how to teach football,” Abbott said. “I kind of felt like I wanted to do something more than that.” After her friend Prunty’s death, Abbott
Forever Blue| Courtesy Photos
Kellie Abbott (top photo) initiated ‘Blue Forever,’ an organization dedicated to raising money for first aid kits and supplies to donate to police departments nationwide. ‘Blue Forever’ raised $6,400 in its first year.
COMMUNITY “Over 6,000 students, faculty, and staff participate in community service activities every school year,” she said. “It shows that the MSU community is engaged in
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long term efforts of making our community, our state, and our world a better place for others.” Other ways that students can get involved are to visit
the Maroon Volunteer Center located in Moseley Hall on the fourth floor. There are opportunities year round to contribute to the community service efforts.
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Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015 10:36 a.m. A student reported her iPhone stolen from the Sanderson Center. 11:23 a.m. An employee reported two MSU bollards damaged on Barr Avenue. 2:03 p.m. A student reported his vehicle was burglarized while parked in Zacharias Village. 2:52 p.m. A student reported his wallet stolen from his vehicle while it was parked at Leo Seal Football Complex. 8:44 p.m. An Aramark employee was arrested in Starkville for possession of marijuana and controlled substances. Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 12:42 a.m. A student was arrested in Starkville for driving under the influence, careless driving, running a stop sign and possession of paraphernalia. 10:29 a.m. A student reported an unknown subject causing a disturbance in the break room. 2:22 p.m. A golf cart belonging to Twenty-one Apartments was recovered at the Colvard Student Union. 4:08 p.m. An employee dropped off narcotics for waste disposal. 9:54 p.m. Students were issued student referrals for smoking marijuana at Ruby Hall. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 1:07 p.m. A student reported being stalked and harassed by her separated husband. Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015 2:50 a.m. A student was arrested at Magnolia Hall for minor in possession of liquor. A student referral was issued. 7:43 a.m. An unknown subject removed the letter E from the Mississippi State University sign on Stone Blvd./Highway 12.
said she did research into how best to prevent officer deaths. She learned about a product by Z-Medica called the QuickClot Belt Trauma Kit the U.S. military has been issuing to soldiers. It was designed to stop life-threatening blood loss, the same thing that claimed the life of her family friend. With the help of her mentor Mike VanSant, Abbott raised $6,400 in Blue Forever’s first year to donate the QuickClot trauma kits to the Shreveport Police Department where Officer Prunty served. Since then, with help from her mother, VanSant, and Z-Medica
Abbott has turned her high school senior project into a full -f ledged 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has raised in total around $60,000 dollars and outfitted officers in seven states as far out as Pennsylvania. “It was actually extremely hard, it took me months to get my papers but I finally have them and I can do a lot more now that I am a nonprofit,” Abbott said. Blue Forever raises most of its money primarily through selling T-shirts and organizing events. For more information about the organization or how to donate, visit its website BlueForever.org.
THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015
Ponder This
Vaccination is still beneficial despite debate The Center for Disease Control reports from Jan. 1 to Jan. 30, 102 citizens from 14 states were reported to have measles. According to the records of the CDC, this is considered to be an outbreak, occurring very early in the year 2015. In 2014, however, the number of patients reported to have measles as higher than it has been in the last 10 years at nearly 650 cases. The number of cases reported last month is already higher than the number of cases per year since 2001. According to the CDC’s report, many cases are believed to be the result of exposure within an unnamed theme park in
California. USA Today confirms the “amusement park in California,” as it is referenced to in the CDC’s report, is in fact Disneyland. While this is still under investigation, it is believable. Disneyland is a hotspot for visitors from all over the world. While some countries may not have access to the measles vaccination, we do. Disneyland and other widely visited attractions can take all the health precautions they can, but these procedures are not enough if we do not accept the vaccinations. NBC News reported the vaccination debate is now a political matter. It is still a health matter. Many parents
are allowed free choice as to whether or not their children receive the measles vaccination. Like the flu shot, many parents refuse to allow children to be vaccinated due to a recent concern that the vaccination is linked to mental problems in children. It is rumored that autism often is triggered by the measles vaccination. Several medical research studies have been performed, but all have failed to find a link between this vaccination and autism. Due to a few cases out of thousands a year in which another physical disability is the result of a vaccination, our society has become increasingly paranoid about vaccinations, which have
protected us for a long time. These vaccinations are responsible for the near extinction of smallpox, polio and, until recently, measles. Many of these illnesses resulted in death a century ago. Health professionals and the CDC recommend society to remember this and continue to encourage children to receive these vaccinations, despite recent widespread panic. This recent mistrust of vaccinations is possibly responsible for the recent measles outbreak within the last two years. If a child does not receive both vaccinations for measles, he or she is much more likely to contract the disease should they
visit a diverse place such as Disneyland. The park is hardly to blame as Disney is one of the most highly praised parks for its cleanliness. The park expects, however, that families know the risks of visiting. A busy theme park such as this can only do so much to protect against easily spread diseases such as measles. It is our responsibility to weigh the pros and cons of vaccinations. In this case, there are many inputs but only a few possible outcomes. It is very important we keep in mind that, in most cases, the vaccination helps. To refuse these vaccinations is to raise your chances of exposure to these
Brooklyn Tucker is a senior majoring in kinesiology. She can be contacted at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.
diseases. Despite the recent debate, it is important to keep the CDC’s advice and continue to take the vaccinations until reasonable cause for cessation of vaccinations is found.
A Little Birdie Told Me
Bruce Jenner’s public transition devalues humanity Over the past several weeks, rumors have circulated regarding the sexuality of Olympic athlete and reality television star Bruce Jenner. The former husband of Kris Jenner of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” Bruce Jenner has recently been spotted out and about with shaved legs, longer hair and fuller lips. That’s because, with the blessing of his mother and the assistance of modern medicine, Bruce Jenner is reportedly undergoing a sex change. I think it’s Bruce Jenner’s business what he does with his body. I could not care less about how much estrogen he is taking or how his ex-wife, Kris, feels about the transformation. But the rest
A Little Spark
“This manipulation of one’s identity according to his or her sexuality is what I believe is the biggest problem in today’s fight for gender equality.”
of the world does. I understand Bruce Jenner is a celebrity, and I understand the media is likely to seize details about his personal life and render them in an intriguing way to attract viewers. I get people want to hear about his life and those of his family members. “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” allows viewers to peer through the windows of a home that is, for the most part, praised
by modern culture, and say, “Oh, my home life isn’t so dysfunctional after all.” It allows them to critique outfits, make jabs at plastic surgery and judge relationships, all from the comfort of their own home. It gives people something to talk about. While I understand the appeal of this type of show, I think “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” is a dangerous form of entertainment. It reduces people to ratings and
conversations to plot points. I believe Bruce Jenner’s sex change will only add fuel to the fire to this serious reduction of personhood. It is my prediction that, as he continues down the path to sex change, Bruce Jenner will no longer be Bruce Jenner: former Olympic athlete, step-father of Kim Kardashian, ex-husband of Kris Jenner, reality television star. Bruce Jenner will quickly become less of a person and more of a symbol for gay rights and equality. All previous accomplishments and life decisions will pale in comparison to his enormous decision to undergo a sex change. This is not to say that sex changes are miniscule by any stretch of the imagination. I
simply wish to point out that, as the media begins to define Bruce Jenner’s career as an athlete and celebrity by his sexuality, the general public will inevitably begin to define others by their sexuality, which is what I so strongly oppose. This manipulation of one’s identity according to his or her sexuality is what I believe is the biggest problem in today’s fight for gender equality. People are so caught up in reducing one another to a single aspect of their personhood that they often neglect seeing one another as fellow human beings in exchange for labeling someone as “gay,” or “straight,” or “bisexual” or “transgender.” These labels are polarizing, and they push homosexual people further
Catie Marie Martin is the managing editor at The Reflector. She can be contacted at managing@ reflector.msstate.edu.
and further away from feeling accepted in today’s society. Whittling down one’s story to a single aspect of his or her personhood is wrong, regardless of the side of the gay rights movement upon which you fall.
Technology improves Writing Center outreach by Whitney Knight Staff Writer
If you’ve been to the Writing Center this semester, you may have noticed that it looks very different. New furniture, new computers and new tablets have brought new life to the center, drawing in students who need technology. In addition, rather than signing paper forms, tutors now use the online scheduler to input information about sessions directly into the system. This allows for the opportunity to include links used in the session so students can easily access the tools tutors show them
after the session is over. The use of technology in writing is debated in education. There will always be those who advocate for pencil and paper as the best tools. This position even has some credence when it comes to things like note-taking. According to a study in Psychological Science, taking notes by hand instead of on a laptop increased retention because students were forced to synthesize information since they could not simply quote the professor word for word. Teachers also worry that writing on a computer, especially into Internet-based locations (i.e. blogs, email, forums,
social media), increases use of “text language.” In spite of these concerns, technology has become imperative in the writing process. Literacy in word processing is essential for students to provide the papers their instructors want. Furthermore, online resources like the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue, which provides citation and composition assistance; or Grammar Girl, which teaches grammar that sticks in your head; or YouTube videos explaining everything from the writing process to advanced calculus are all too beneficial to be ignored. For writers of research papers, the Internet
Catie Marie Martin
Editor in Chief
Emma Crawford
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Letters to the editor should be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. Letters may also be emailed to editor@reflector.msstate.edu. Letters must include name and telephone number for verification purposes. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.
325-7905 editor@reflector.msstate.edu Managing Editor/Catie Marie Martin 325-8991 managing@reflector.msstate.edu News Editor/Lacretia Wimbley 325-8819 news@reflector.msstate.edu Opinion Editor/Michael Lamb opinion@reflector.msstate.edu Sports Editor/Blake Morgan 325-5118 reflectorsports@gmail.com Life Editor/Noor Mujahid 325-8883 life@reflector.msstate.edu Photography Editor/Emma Hutto 325-1584 photo@reflector.msstate.edu Multimedia Editor/Kelsee McKim multimedia_editor@reflector.msstate.edu Advertising Sales/Alex Anthony 325-7907 advertise@reflector.msstate.edu
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The Reflector staff strives to maintain the integrity of this paper through accurate and honest reporting. If we publish an error we will correct it. To report an error, call 325-7905.
“Writing today necessitates being connected not just with technology, but with people around the globe.” Writing today necessitates being connected not just with technology, but with people around the globe.
The Writing Center also offers tutoring sessions online. For those of us who like to go home at night and put on pajamas, this option allows us to upload a paper and chat with a tutor who can work with us on improvements. The online appointment system is unique because the session remains available to the student who participated in it to go back and review again and again. For those looking for connectivity, online tutors are even more amazing at providing links to resources right in the chat. Both online and on campus tutoring offer the most options for assistive
technology for all sorts of students. By offering tutoring experiences across campus — from Templeton to the library to President’s Circle to the comfort of your own home — the Writing Center tries to reach out to every student writing on campus. Through expanding its use of technology, it can offer tools from students with diverse needs — whether one has low vision or a preference to walk while he or she talks. Ultimately, the goal of any center on campus should be to serve all students, and technology and driven employees are getting the Writing Center closer to that goal.
Obama administration want to throw out authorization that gives him, as commander-in-chief, power to engage ISIS in any way possible for however long needed in exchange for limited capabilities? This new resolution sounds like it would mostly just allow him to continue the same airstrikes — airstrikes that for four months have only helped contain and not reverse ISIS expansion. The strikes were a great start, but now have mostly forced ISIS military underground. Not to mention, their atrocities have only grown crueler; recent reports claim they’re using children with mental disabilities as human shields. If Congress drafts a new resolution, it can serve to help validate a stronger military effort against ISIS, but it also needs to be a full and long-term commitment — something many Americans don’t want to hear. If the U.S. wants to get involved in the international community by actively pursuing peace, then it must commit to ensuring it. ISIS will only fall when a strong, competent army engages it, and the Kurds and Iraqi military, sadly, are not fully equipped for this fight. In fact, the Iraqi government is weak, corrupt and does not have the ability to keep peace within its own borders, even
before ISIS invaded. U.S. presence in Iraq prior to 2012 was the main reason the government was able to maintain peace and remain an inclusive government; it not only bolstered Iraq’s strength but also provided the intelligence on the terrorist enemies of the state. In fact, in December 2011, after the U.S. pulled the last of its troops, there was a spike in violence in Iraq. Within a year the government had lost all of its ability to effectively represent and protect its citizens. This was the perfect breeding ground for ISIS. The war against it won’t end when it is defeated, and it would be a grave injustice to invade and leave Iraqi citizens without a strong government. We cannot make that foolish mistake again. Active U.S. peacemaking is the key to long-term peace for Iraq; that is the active participation in the destruction of ISIS (the use of military ground forces) followed by the active participation in strengthening an inclusive government in the region (one that Assyrian, Kurds, Turks, Sunni and Shia Arabs can get behind). If the Obama administration can promise this long-term commitment and pursue an appropriate resolution, the U.S. can finally put this evil to rest.
ISIS continues to threaten U.S. by Joseph Kerstiens
Managing Editor
has made it possible to connect to libraries in ways previously unimagined.
Contributing Writer
Terror continues in Iraq and Syria as the Islamic State, otherwise known as ISIS or ISIL, has yet to halt its aggressive campaign. With the brutal executions including beheadings, crucifixions and recently the burning of a Jordanian pilot, it has simultaneously spread fear throughout its region and made enemies with most of the world. So far, the U.S. and allies have been working with local Iraqi and Kurdish fighters, providing weapons and strategists in addition to limited strategic airstrikes throughout ISIS-controlled Iraq and Syria. They have also been joined by several other nations who have provided funding as well as UN-led humanitarian aid to the thousands of displaced refugees. And how well has this been working? While several refugee camps have been successfully helping escapees, ISIS’s advances have yet to be fully reversed. As mentioned, direct military aid is mostly limited to airstrikes. President Obama, who approved the airstrikes in September, is now trying to get a new authorization resolution from Congress. The
past six months he has cited the “Authorization for Use of Military Force against Terrorists (AUMF),” which passed with almost unanimous bipartisan support
“... it would be a grave injustice to invade and
leave
Iraqi
citizens without a strong government.”
in 2001, as the authority by which he has carried out the strikes so far. Truly, the AUMF provides Obama with all the authority necessary to engage ISIS as needed because of its prior association with Al-Qaeda. Despite this, the White House still seeks a more detailed resolution — the official request, though, has yet to be submitted. Congressional Democrats, namely House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), claim talks with the White House are leaning toward a new resolution that would both limit our time of engagement to three years, limit the possibility of ground troops and repeal previous resolutions. Why would the
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Jews wanted! If you’re Jewish, let us know! Like us on Facebook at Hillel @ Mississippi State University. Join us for meetings. For more questions, contact Joseph Metz at 601-813-7720. YOGA MOVES CLUB
School or work stressing you out? Get moving into Yoga Moves. Try our moves to get into shape and our relaxation techniques to handle the stress. Yoga Moves meets at the Sanderson Center in Studio C, Thursday evenings from 5:30-7 p.m. Like Yoga Moves Club MSU on Facebook. STUDENTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS
Care about the environment? Love activism? Come join SSC on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. in McCool 111 to make a difference. Follow on Twitter @MSU_SSC. WESLEY FOUNDATION
Join us for a night of worship with Jenny and Tyler February 3 at 8 PM at the Wesley Foundation. STATE RUGBY
Think you’re tough??? Think again… Join State Rugby. 2014 SEC Division Champions! Practices T, W, R @ 5:30 at Rec Plex. For more info: rugby.org. msstate.edu or rugbyinfo@org.msstate.edu. BALLROOM DANCE CLUB
The Ballroom Dance Club is having its 10th Annual Moonlight Ball. It will be $20 for students and $25 for non-students and includes a catered dinner. It will be held April 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanderson Center.
ASSOCIATION FOR COMPUTING MACHINERY (ACM)
Join us to welcome ACM Distinguished Lecturer Nancy Amato from Texas A&M on Tuesday, February 10, at 6:00 in Butler 100. Free food for members. SOCIOLOGICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION
The Sociological Student Association will meet the last Thursday of every month at 5 p.m. in Bowen Hall room 250. All majors are welcome. For more information, contact Dr. Lane at lane@soc.msstate. edu. ANTHROPOLOGY CLUB
The Anthropology Club will be having its Annual International Potluck on February 17 at 5:00 p.m. Bring your favorite international dish and have a great time.
THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015
MSU welcomes award-winning poet Terrance Hayes by Noor Mujahid Life Editor
Literary critic Cornelius Eady said of Terrance Hayes, this year’s College of Arts and Sciences’ Institute for the Humanities writerin-residence, “First you’ll marvel at his skill, his near-perfect pitch, his disarming humor, his brilliant turns of phrase.” Eady went on to say of Hayes, “Then you’ll notice the grace, the tenderness, the unblinking truthtelling just beneath his lines, the open and generous way he takes in our world.” Hayes will hold a public reading at 7 p.m. tonight in Taylor Auditorium in McCool Hall. Hayes will be on campus through Friday. William Anthony Hay, director of the Institute for the Humanities, said this is the second annual writer-in-residence hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences’ Institute for the Humanities. “Last year we had Robert Olen Butler, who won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for students and faculty to work with a leading creative writer.” Hays said the program features MSU’s commitment to the humanities. “We invited Hayes on
Blue Flower Arts| Courtesy Photograph
National award-winning poet Terrance Hayes is this year’s writer-in-residence with the College of Arts and Sciences’ Institute for the Humanities.
the recommendation of faculty in the creative writing program,” he said. “They were impressed not only with the range and quality of Hayes work, but also his public readings. He’s a prize-winning poet.” Catherine Pierce, director of MSU’s creative writing program, said Hayes was chosen as this year’s writer-in-residence based on the depth of his work.
“We invited Hayes to be this year’s writer-inresidence because he’s one of the most acclaimed and most innovative poets writing today,” she said. “To have him here this week, sharing his work and his insights, is a fantastic opportunity for MSU students.” While visiting campus, Hayes will not only read from one of his five published books of poetry, but he will also
visit students in creative writing courses as well as hold office hours in English associate professor Tommy Anderson’s office, as Anderson is currently on sabbatical. Pierce said students will have an opportunity to discuss Hayes’ work and ask him questions while he visits classes. “I hope they’ll leave the conversation ready to take their fresh insights to
their own work,” she said. After receiving an invitation to come to MSU, Hayes was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, commonly described in the media as a “genius grant.” In addition to this award, Hayes has been granted the Whiting Writers Award, three Best American Poetry selections and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship
and the Guggenheim Foundation, along with other awards. Rich Raymond, professor and head of the Department of English, said Hayes’ one-on-one interaction with students will be conducive to their productivity as well as interest in literature. “I would encourage them (students) to come and read not just because he’s famous with all these awards, but because they’re going to discover in hearing his poetry that there’s a real connection between the writing and the life that it portrays,” he said. “I think it’ll reinforce their instincts that tell them that literature matters — poetry matters. It’s highly relevant to their own existence and to those who open the doors to it.” Pierce said she has heard Hayes speak on prior occasions, and she is excited to once again be englightened. “I can promise that his reading will be excellent — engaging and powerful. He’ll share his poems, but will also take questions and talk about his work, and I think students will leave with a broader — and inspiring — understanding of what poetry can be and do,” she said. Tonight’s poetry reading will be followed by a book signing and refreshments.
57th Grammys recap: Farewell ‘Parks & Rec’ Highlights of the year’s biggest night in music by Emma Crawford Editor-in-Chief
Spoiler alert — Sam Smith swept the night, winning four Grammys total. Beck followed the British crooner closely, taking home three awards. There were live performances galore, and Kanye West even made an impromptu appearance on stage a la Taylor Swift’s MTV Video Music Awards acceptance speech in 2009 before retreating back to his seat in the audience. West later told reporters he was disappointed Beck won Album of the Year over Beyonce, but it seems he decided against repeating his 2009 antics. Record of the Year: Sam Smith, “Stay With Me” Song of the Year: Sam Smith, “Stay With Me” Album of the Year: Beck, “Morning Phase” Best New Artist: Sam Smith Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: A Great Big World with Christina Aguilera, “Say Something”
Best Pop Solo Performance: Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
by Michael Lamb Opinion Editor
Best Rock Performance: Jack White, It all began some spring “Lazaretto” evening back in 2009 — Leslie Knope entered Best Rock Album: Beck, “Morning Phase” our living rooms and eventually, our hearts. Best Rock Song: Paramore, “Ain’t It Fun” “Parks & Recreation” is an NBC award-winning Best Alternative Rock Album: St. comedy series that stars Vincent, “St. Vincent” Amy Poehler as passionate, determined bureaucrat and Best Rap Song: Kendrick Lamar, “I” waffle-lover Leslie Knope and documents her work Best Rap Album: Eminem, “The Marshall in the parks and recreation Mathers LP2” department in charming Pawnee, Indiana. Best R&B Performance: Beyonce feat. Jay The show boasts 12 wins Z, “Drunk In Love” and 46 nominations for various television awards, Best R&B Song: Beyonce feat. Jay Z, including both Emmys “Drunk In Love” and Golden Globes, owing its success to the powerful Best R&B Album: Toni Braxton and narrative executive Babyface, “Love, Marriage & Divorce” producers Greg Daniels and Michael Schur have Best Country Album: Miranda Lambert, spun. “Platinum” The first season introduces the audience Best Country Song: Glen Campbell and to Leslie, who was at first Julian Raymond, “I’m Not Gonna Miss mistaken for a female You” Michael Scott (he would be so lucky). As Leslie gives the audience a tour of Pawnee City Hall and what life is like in city government, something magical happens — she meets Ann Perkins, played by actress Rashida
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Jones. The two become fast friends as Ann gives Leslie the daunting task of filling in a large pit behind Ann’s house. Devoted government employee that she is, Leslie promises to fill in that pit. “That promise launched a friendship so grand it takes 103 scrapbooks to capture it,” Leslie Knope said in season six. If there’s one thing Leslie Knope does well, it’s friendship. She takes that position seriously, and once we see her take Ann as her friend, we see just how hard Leslie works to accomplish a better life for the people she loves. The entire character of Leslie Knope demonstrates qualities she believes every public servant should embody: a conviction to do what is best for the community and a love for the people in that community. And she’s not alone — in half of that, at least. Ron Swanson, played by Nick Offerman, is famous for being a man among men. He, too, would agree everyone should live with conviction and have principles on which they live. Swanson is also famous for being antigovernment, garnering libertarian philosophies
while working as director of the parks department. Despite his obvious disdain for everything government, Ron is unrelentingly patriotic. “History began July 4, 1776; everything before that was a mistake,” Swanson said while reluctantly traveling in London in one episode. These amazing characters have been through so much in the past six years, and in the season six premiere, we saw that story jump ahead to 2017. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, writer Dan Snierson and executive producer Michael Schur discussed the time-jump and the new direction the show has taken in its final season. “Whatever this is, we can handle it for 13 episodes. We know that we don’t have 50 more episodes. It’s a move that you don’t make in season three of your show,” Schur said. Now, Parks & Rec has only six episodes remaining to air the next three Tuesdays. Two new episodes for Parks & Rec will air tonight at 7 p.m. (CST) on NBC. The series finale is scheduled to air on Feb. 24.
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Sports
7 THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015
Bulldogs upset Texas A&M Aggies in overtime by Zach Wagner Staff Writer
With the help of Victoria Vivians’ three-pointer with 55 seconds remaining, the Mississippi State University Bulldogs found out for the first time what it feels like to taste victory against SEC foe Texas A&M. No. 13 MSU (No. 17 before the upset) knocked off the Aggies 63-61 in overtime in front of a frantic crowd of nearly 5,000 people. After stopping A&M on the final shot of regulation, the Bulldogs came back from an early deficit during the overtime period and helped Head Coach Vic Schaefer pick up a win against his former mentor, Gary Blair. With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 8-3 in conference play, going into another tough game against Kentucky in Lexington on Thursday. An emotional Schaefer spoke after the game on how much it meant to him to get a win against the man he coached under for more than a decade. “Obviously, I have a tremendous amount of respect and love for that man. We spent 15 really good years together and he’s a big brother who has mentored me. I’ve learned so much from him, and I had nine great years at Texas A&M, with all of my friends being there. I hope he’s proud of me. I hope he is proud of my staff and what we have been able to do in
Jacob Follin | The Reflector
Victoria Vivians flies through the air for a layup against Texas A&M. Vivians finished the game with only five points, but hit a three to take the lead at the end of overtime.
three short years. It’s very difficult.” The game saw a plethora of lead changes and no team at any point in the contest held a lead of more than eight points. Both teams put in the work defensively, holding each other to less than 33 percent shooting and forcing over 12 turnovers. Once again, some of MSU’s youngest contributors came up large in the most important junctures of the game. Whether it was
Morgan William using her craftiness to get into the lane and finish at the basket, or the clutch three-pointer by Victoria Vivians in overtime to give the Bulldogs the lead for good, the contributions from the freshmen cannot be overstated. Schaefer reiterated he has the utmost confidence in his freshmen to get the job done, no matter the situation. “I believed in these kids from the day we signed them, from the first time we went
to practice,” Schaefer said. “They’re players. They’re competitors. They’ve got toughness about them. They’ve all made big shots in their careers.” The last two seasons saw the Bulldogs play the Aggies twice, losing both games by a combined 86 points, and both times it never seemed as if the Bulldogs had any chance of leaving the court victors. Senior center Martha Alwal, who was one of the
few current Bulldogs present for those previous lopsided games, has a sense of newfound pride in finally being able to get a win against a team that has typically beaten the Bulldogs during the course of her career. “I am excited,” Alwal said. “Getting the win today was really big for this team. We have worked so hard. Since my freshman year, we hadn’t beaten Texas A&M, so this really meant a lot to us.” The depth gives the
Bulldogs flexibility to deal with any matchup problems that arise during the course of a game. When starting sophomore guard Dominique Dillingham fouled out of the game, Schaefer had the luxury of bringing in seniors like Kendra Grant and Savannah Carter to help close out the tight overtime period. This type of team structure will pay dividends in help getting the team to where it ultimately wants to end up competing with the best teams in the country in the NCAA Tournament come March. Eight conference wins in arguably the toughest conference in America should be enough to get them over the hump. If the Bulldogs continue to win games against the likes of ranked opponents, they could be a pretty high seed come tourney time. Even the opposing coach Sunday said the Bulldogs’ latest win should be the final piece of the puzzle to get them into the tournament. “Welcome to the NCAA Tournament,” Blair said, who won a national championship with Schaefer on his staff in 2011. “That gives them eight wins. They’re in.” The Bulldogs still have a couple of tough games on the road against quality top 15 opponents, including Thursday’s game at Kentucky. A win against the Wildcats would do wonders for the Bulldogs’ chances of securing a first round bye for the SEC Tournament as well. Thursday’s SEC match-up tips off at 6 p.m. and can be seen on the SEC Network.
MSU baseball prepares for season by Shane Anderson Staff Writer
Christmas is not the most wonderful time of the year at least not for Dudy Noble Field. The Polk-Dement Stadium comes alive in February for basball season. With spring around the corner, it is almost time for “The Dude” to crank up the volume, along with the grills, and prepare for another season of Mississippi State baseball. With a new season come new expectations for what a consistently talented Diamond Dog squad can accomplish. Head Coach John Cohen enters his seventh year as manager of the Bulldogs, and he feels confident on his team’s focus going into the opening week. “Our kids are really excited about playing somebody else,” Cohen said. “We have done a lot of drill work. Our kids have worked hard in the weight room and in conditioning – all of the stretching, all of the rehab type of things that you have to do to get ready for a season.” Although the team lost key players from last year’s lineup, such as C.T Bradford and Brett Pirtle, Cohen said he feels this team could have more power at the plate than his previous teams. A name he constantly brings up is sophomore outfielder and designated hitter Reid Humphreys. “Certainly you talk about a Reid Humphreys, who has really come along and become a guy that can provide some power in the middle of our lineup,” Cohen said. “He had a really nice first year, but I think he’s
ready to take that next step forward.” Senior first baseman Wes Rea also complements Humphreys in the lineup. Both players can get a barrel on the ball and change a game with one swing. Rea struggles at times hitting in the middle of the lineup, but said he feels this team can put an emphasis on extra-base hits. “That was our philosophy going into this season,” Rea said. “We said we have to be aggressive and drive the baseball. Even the smallest guys on the team have had that mindset. I think it has shown up a lot.” The Bulldogs are just as strong on the mound as they were a year ago, even after losing All-American closer Jonathan Holder and left handed pitcher Jacob Lindgren. Senior left-handed pitcher Ross Mitchell looks to carry out the tradition of a stellar bullpen that the Bulldogs have had success with the past three seasons. Mitchell and senior right-handed pitcher Trevor Fitts were starters in 2014 but will move to the bullpen for the start of the 2015 campaign. Fitts said he hopes to fill the role as a closer, which is where he feels most comfortable. “My fastball was not good enough to survive five innings in the Southeastern Conference,” Fitts said. “I think it is going to be good for five to six outs, or however my team needs me.” Fitts also had strong words of confidence about the Bulldogs’ bullpen as a whole.
“It is limitless,” Fitts said. “We have a lot of new guys people do not really know much about. They are going to step up and do a good job.” One of the pitchers Fitts feels will step up is Vance Tatum. Tatum is a power left-handed pitcher with a good breaking ball that hopes to fill the role left open by Jacob Lindgren. With opening day around the corner, junior right-handed pitcher Preston Brown said he thinks the starting rotation is ready to step up in the early season. Much needed depth has been added from last year’s rotation and looks to be a solid part of the team. “I think we have five or six guys that can go out there every weekend and go deep into a game,” Brown said. However, the most important aspect of the team for Cohen is the team’s character. “I think the kids are really loose because we have great character. We have great kids and they come from great families,” Cohen said. “They have really bought into what we do and I use that word collectively – we – because the kids are so important in the recruiting process and so important in what we do on a daily basis; their spirit, their togetherness, all of those things.” The much anticipated first pitch for the 2015 Diamond Dog campaign will be Friday night at 6:30 p.m., as the Bulldogs host Cincinnati and Miami (OH) for the opening weekend of collegiate baseball.
Sarach Story | The Reflector
(Above) Bulldogs win five straight: Mississippi State University finished the Bulldog Kickoff Classic last weekend by winning all five of its games. To start off the season, MSU beat Mississippi Valley State University 8-0 in six innings. Alex Silkwood would have a career night on the mound, recording a career-high 15 strikeouts against 19 batters. The Bulldogs moved to 27-1 all time against MVSU. MSU played Middle Tennessee State in the second game of the weekend. The Bulldogs won 9-1 in six innings, and sophomore catcher Katie Anne Bailey led the State offense by going four-for-four at the plate. The Bulldogs played two games on Saturday against Saint Louis and Austin Peay. MSU beat Saint Louis 3-2 in the closest game of the weekend. The Bulldogs beat Austin Peay in five innings 8-0. MSU rounded out the Bulldog Kickoff Classic playing Saint Louis for a second time. The Bulldogs finished off the weekend with an 8-3 win.
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