The
S TUDENT P RINTZ www.studentprintz.com
SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927
March 6, 2012
LOCAL
Don’t Kill the Music:
Volume 96 Issue 43
ON CAMPUS
Face-lift planned Ordinance sparks controversy for Fraternity Row Justin Mitchell News Editor More than 200 people sporting “Don’t Kill the Music” buttons sat in on Monday’s open forum meeting concerning a proposed city ordinance that would reshape Hattiesburg nightlife. The meeting, which was hosted by city officials at the Hattiesburg train depot downtown, allowed local restaurant and bar owners to voice their opinions about the ordinance that would redefine what type of business constitutes a “nightclub.” Ward 1 City Council member Kim Bradley moderated the forum, for which all city council members were in attendance. Some members of the committee who created the ordinance were also at the meeting to answer concerns and respond to reactions. Committee members present included Hattiesburg Police Chief
Hardy Sims and city attorney Charles Lawrence. Other members of the committee include Hattiesburg Fire Chief Andy Cartlidge and University of Southern Mississippi Dean of Students Eddie Holloway. Owners of local bars are also on the committee, but none attended the meeting. Those members include James Rahm of Ropers, Rick Taylor of the Hattiesburg Convention Center, Roy Tatum from Club Memories and Mitch Brown from The Bottling Company and Brownstones. City attorney Charles Lawrence
Hayley Bush Printz Writer
said the restaurant and bar owners took part in proposing ideas for the ordinance. “They came up with the skeleton, and we put the meat into it,” Lawrence said.
See MUSIC, 3
Justin Sellers/Printz
Above: Ward 1 City Councilman Kim Bradley moderates the open forum meeting concerning the proposed bar ordinance on Monday. Bottom: Jason Le Viere (left) and Adam Myrick (right) applaud a comment made by restaurant owner Tom White
SGA PRESIDENT
FOOTBALL
AWAKE
Last week, Fred Pierce, a consultant from Pierce Education Properties, visited the University of Southern Mississippi to take a look at the future of fraternity housing. A project for new fraternity housing is in the talking phase and has a lot of momentum behind it. It would include rebuilding fraternity housing and providing housing to National Pan-Hellenic fraternities. “Some of our fraternity houses were built in the 1960s, and they need to be updated,” said assistant dean of students for Greek Life Josh Schutts. “Occupancy is different today, and many chapters were bigger when the current houses were built. Across the country we are seeing a trend for newer houses to have more multi-use space and less residential space, and that’s what we would want here. However, a construction date and the means of funding the project have not been set. “He [Pierce] will tell us how realistic this is and how we should go about funding it,” Schutts said. “We want it sooner, but he will be able to figure that out.” The new housing would likely be located where the current fraternity houses are but also continue past the Sigma Chi and Alpha Tau Omega houses. The company is meeting with focus groups of students in Interfraternity Council, College Panhellenic Council and National Pan-Hellenic Council to get student input. “This is definitely a step in the right direction,” IFC president Keenan Dollar said. “It’s a long awaited process that won’t happen
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overnight, but I’m thrilled about the possibility. “Some chapters may feel this is a disadvantage to get new houses because they have deep ties to the present house, but they need to know that if this happens the new houses will be top-notch and will benefit our Greek system in the long run.” The company has assured students that they will be able to be involved in the drafting and planning process and that fraternity members will have a say in what the houses look like. “We will allow the men to be very involved in the planning, but some of the houses may look similar,” Pierce said. “If you ask a fraternity man what he wants his house to look like, most of the time he will say something brick with big columns.” Another possibility with the project is housing for NPHC sororities such as Zeta Phi Beta and Sigma Gamma Rho, which did not receive housing when The Village was built in 2006. The project is currently in the research phase, and Pierce and his company are looking at Southern Miss and comparing it to other schools of the same size. “We are taking USM and looking at what has worked for fraternities at other similar schools,” Pierce said. Pierce Education Properties designs multi-use student housing projects all over the country. They have won many awards for their designs for off campus and on campus housing communities. Pierce will be back on campus in April to meet with more administrators and students and to take the next step for the future in fraternity housing at Southern Miss.
INDEX
Calendar ........................ 2 News .............................. 3 Feature ...........................4 Arts & Entertainment......5 Opinion ...........................6 Sports...............................8