2012_03_27

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The

S TUDENT P RINTZ www.studentprintz.com

SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927

March 27, 2012

Volume 96 Issue 47

NATIONAL

Nation unites to honor slain teen Justin Mitchell News Editor Today, the University of Southern Mississippi chapters of National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Afro-American Student Organization are hosting Hoodies for Hope: A Demonstration for Trayvon Martin from noon until 1 p.m. in the Union. NPHC and AASO are encouraging students to wear hoodies tomorrow in honor of Martin, a 17-year-old Florida resident who was shot to death for looking “suspicious” while walking through a neighborhood holding a bottle of iced tea and a bag of Skittles candy. There will also be a petition to sign for justice for Martin against his alleged shooter George Zimmerman. Students

will be able to sign the petition in the Union all day today. AASO president Eryka Wallace said that Martin’s voice needs to be heard on a global spectrum, and USM students can aid in that process. “We are having this demonstration because we would like to raise awareness of the Trayvon Martin case,” Wallace said. “It is very important to the AfroAmerican Student Organization because we strive to better race relations on campus and within the community. We want students to be knowledgeable about this issue, and we want the Martin family to know that Trayvon did not die in vain.” Hattiesburg residents and students are also invited to downtown Hattiesburg on Thursday to demonstrate in Martin’s honor. The event has been titled

See HOODIES, 3 Justin Sellers/Printz

STATE

Shootings rattle state universities In light of two deadly shootings at Mississippi universities during the weekend, one at Jackson State University and one at Mississippi State University, Vice President of Student Affairs Joe Paul sought to assure Southern Miss students that their campus is secure. “We’ve certainly been watching closely and with great sympathy the occurrences over at Mississippi State and at Jackson State,” Paul said. “We certainly feel like we’ve got state of the art security at our residence halls

at Southern Miss.” Paul was responding to the death of MSU student John Sanderson, who was shot multiple times Saturday night outside a dorm room on the first floor of Evans Hall, an all-male dormitory on the north side of the campus in Starkville. Sanderson was pronounced dead at 11:03 p.m. Saturday, just 40 minutes after being admitted to Oktibbeha County Hospital Regional Medical Center.

JORDAN WEST

HUNGER GAMES

Ashton Pittman Web Editor

Hours later, at 2:15 a.m., Jackson State University freshman Nolan Ryan Henderson III was pronounced dead after being shot at a pool party at Palisades Apartment just off the JSU campus in Jackson. No arrests have been made, and authorities are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting. John Sanderson Nolan Ryan Henderson III Both universities have Mason Perry Jones, a “person responded to the shootings by of interest,” was arrested Sunday tightening security. night. He was one of three susPaul said that such a situation is pects who were said to have been “incredibly unusual.” seen leaving in a blue Crown Vic“I’ve been a part of student affairs toria just after the shooting.

WEATHER

SOFTBALL

Tuesday

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Wednesday

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in higher education for 36 years, and I don’t recall two murders of students on campus occurring in such close time proximity,” Paul said. “Fatal assaults are very unusual on higher ed campuses, but they do happen.” Paul said that while USM leadership was certainly taking note of what happened, USM had not made any changes to its security measures. “I don’t think there’s a system in this nation that can ever 100 percent ensure against the potential for violence against a student,” Paul said. “A big part of the equation are students themselves being as vigilant as they

See SHOOTING, 3

INDEX

Calendar ........................ 2 News .............................. 3 Feature ...........................4 Opinion ...........................5 Arts & Entertainment......6 Sports...............................8


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