The
S TUDENT P RINTZ www.studentprintz.com
SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927
September 1, 2011
Volume 96 Issue 3
ON CAMPUS
Students seize overseas opportunities Jonathan Andrews Printz Writer The hallowed halls frequented by Southern Miss students aren’t the only places to further one’s education through the university. There are a variety of study abroad programs available to those interested in expanding their horizons by studying in foreign countries. Brittany Murphy, a senior history major, spent nearly three weeks in Vietnam as part of a study abroad program. Murphy described mealtime as one major difference between American and Vietnamese culture. “After the second day, we became pros at chopsticks. They don’t give you a fork,” she said. Murphy named noodles and rice as two staples in the diets of the third-world country, but she said more exotic offerings were also available.
“They eat snakes, sparrows, pigeons, all sorts of fish and some insects,” she said. “They also drink snakes’ blood for good health and long life.” Jessica Nester also spent some time abroad, but chose be a part of the program in Spain. According to Nester, in addition to different cuisines, being a part of a different culture helps those who study abroad put things into perspective. She experienced some culture shock during her adjustment but said “I stopped crying about two weeks in.” Nester, whose study abroad trip was her first outside the country, explained that being in a place where everyone speaks a different language can seem daunting at first, but having others in the same situation, like fellow students in a study abroad program, can help ease the transition.
See ABROAD, 4
Kristi Bruister
A sidewalk band performs on the streets of Spain for study abroad students. A new taste of music is only one of the things students are exposed to while studying abroad.
ON CAMPUS
Bonus Bucks no longer tax-free As of Aug. 22, the Mississippi Department of Revenue has ruled that all meal plan “flex dollars” at Mississippi universities be taxed. Pre-set “block meals” from the cafeterias purchased with a meal plan will remain exempt from taxes. However, all other retail restaurant locations on campus will charge at least a seven percent sales tax when a student wants to use Bonus Bucks or Dining Dollars on his/ her student ID card. Ches Roberts is the resident
district manager for Aramark, the company that oversees all food services on campus. He explained that this is the state’s law and not the university’s decision. “There was a push by the state a year ago to tax all university/ college declining-balance accounts, but the schools got together and lobbied against it,” Roberts said. This year the schools’ efforts to keep their flex dollars taxfree fell a bit short. Roberts wants students to understand that the state is profiting from these taxes, not the university. Sophomore marine biology major William Murphy feels this
RON PAUL
WEATHER
Leighanne Lockhart Printz Writer
Thomas Pearson/Printz
Students now will be required to pay a seven percent sales tax on all Dining Dollars and Bonus Bucks purchases.
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is another testament of the poor financial state of Mississippi. “It’s like they have to seize money from any place they can in a desperate attempt to salvage the crumbling economy,” Murphy said. Sophomore psychology major Tyler Artis made the point that fighting to tax the flex dollars every year is just unnecessary work for the state. On the positive side of things, students can now purchase restaurant store merchandise with their Bonus Bucks or Dining Dollars. This mainly refers to the merchandise for sale in
See BUCKS, 3
INDEX Calendar ........................ 2 Crossword ...................... 2 News .............................. 3 Arts & Entertainment......4 Opinion............................ 6 Sports............................. 8