Review on page 6
RECYCLE ME
Student Printz The
Serving Southern Miss since 1927
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Volume 93, Issue 1
Road woes expected to continue through October Justin Roland Printz Writer
Road construction at the intersection of Hardy Street and U.S. 49 has been an unwelcome addition to the beginning of classes at USM this week. But the worst of the congestion might be drawing to a close. Throughout the summer months, construction delays and lane closures have plagued the busy intersection - among the
most heavily traveled in the city - and the Hardy Street entrances to Southern Miss became inaccessible for days at a time. Sections of Hardy Street have been closed off, leading to detours and lengthy traffic delays The construction has placed a burden on some area residents and USM students, including Preston McDaniel, a sophomore polymer science major. “I’m not a big fan of the barri-
cades they’ve put out,” McDaniel said. “They really inconvenience me.” Benny Sellers, director of public services for the City of Hattiesburg, said the construction has passed its most inconvenient stages. “There will be no more detours in the future,” said Sellers, adding that U.S. 49 might still be reduced to one lane of traffic to accommodate work crews.
Sellers said the detours were a joint decision between Hattiesburg and the Mississippi Department of Transportation and were intended to keep Hardy Street open, preventing even more severe traffic backlogs. The actual construction of the barricades and signs that formed the detours, however, was a city project. Dave Steele, lead engineer for the project, said the construc-
Warming up for the ‘08 season
tion is part of a larger project extending out to Bellevue that is intended to upgrade the road signals and improve traffic flow. MDOT officials expect construction within city limits to be finished by October. An $8 million budget, comprised of both federal and state funds, has been allocated to the project. City funds have been used to obtain right of way for the construction and to relocate
Campus honors Miss Mississippi Sophie McNeil Printz Writer
A homecoming celebration tonight will honor Miss Mississippi 2009, Southern Miss student Christine Kozlowski. A sophomore nutrition and dietetics major from D’Iberville, Kozlowski claimed the title of Miss Mississippi at the state pageant in Vicksburg in June. Southern Miss and the Student Government Association will host the event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Ballroom 3 of the Thad Cochran Center. Guests will be able to meet Kozlowski as she makes her debut, and hear a few words from Miss Mississippi. Faculty, staff, students, and the Hattiesburg community are encouraged to attend. “We’re excited about bringing Christine to campus so her Southern Miss family can celebrate her achievement,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Joe Paul in a news release. “As she carries the banner for the state at the Miss America Pageant, she also represents the university and we’re extremely proud of that fact,” he said. The Luckyday Scholar has used diabetes education and prevention as her platform since her earliest pageants. Kozlowski has been involved with forming Diabetes Advocates Nourishing Children’s Education which helps to educate
Maggie Sanford/Photo Editor
Quarterback Austin Davis, a redshirt freshman from Meridian, stretches with his teammates before practice Tuesday afternoon. The Southern Miss Golden Eagles kick the 2008 season at home, Aug. 30 against Louisiana-Lafeyette. For more on the 2008 football season, see page 8.
B&G Festival aims to spark school spirit Lesley Walters Printz Writer
To kick off a new football season and a new school year, the Athletic Department will sponsor the first Black and Gold Festival from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday in M.M. Roberts Stadium. Director of the Athletic Department Richard Giannini said the idea for the festival came from an undergraduate and former football player, Vontre Mason. Mason wanted to create an event at which students and football players could come together and enjoy food, music and entertainment with each other before the season or the semester gets too hectic, Giannini said. “Friday Night at the Fountain is a great event on Friday nights but the team, with the game preparation, they just don’t have the opportunity to really experience that,” Giannini said. “So that’s what
we’re trying to create with this Festivalival idea this Sunday night.” Mason, a senior coaching major from Richmond, Calif., is also a musical performer, specializing in hip-hop. He said the idea for the Black and Gold Festival came to him when he held an “unsuccessful performance” in the Thad Cochran Center. Mason, whose stage name is TRÉ, said Giannini and the Athletic Department helped to change what was only an idea into a reality. Mason added there are several students on campus who have talent which goes unnoticed and unexposed without help from a positive influence. “[Giannini] believed in the idea and the Athletic Department picked it up and I am doing everything in my power to make sure that Mr. Giannini is 100 percent proud of the entire event,” Mason said. Tickets for the event are $5
and will be sold at the door. All proceeds will go to the Southern Miss Athletic Department. Musical entertainment for the Black and Gold Festival will include: the West Point Gospel Choir; the Southern Miss Jazz sextet; the Chance Fisher Band; KJ will perform rythym and blues; and TRÉ will perform hip-hop. The Golden Eagles Head Football Coach Larry Fedora will also be in attendance and give a speech. One of the main events, the Mount Olympus Obstacle Course Challenge, was designed by the Golden Eagles Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Scott Bennett. Bennett said the course will test the strength, agility and speed of the three-person teams that will participate. Though the course has not been finalized, Bennett said it will include a sled push, several cones to bob and weave through, and medicine balls
that will weigh between 10 and 25 pounds. The teams will be made up of fraternity and sorority members. The weight of the sled and the medicine balls will be slightly less for female participants, but otherwise, the course is the same. Winners will receive a crown. Mason said a few teams of men and women have already signed up, but that if other Greeks would like to participate, they should contact him by phone at (601)266-1820. The deadline for teams to sign up is Saturday. In the meantime, Mason said football players will be in Shoemaker Square between noon and 1 p.m. today and Friday to pass out fliers, give away tee shirts and sign autographs. “We want to make this whole week a celebration,” Mason said. “Come enjoy the sounds and celebration of Black and Gold Festival 2008, starring the handsome Larry Fedora!”
utilities displaced by construction. For safety reasons, Sellers urged motorists to drive cautiously in the construction zone, and to take extra care near work crews and pedestrians. Drivers should also remember the possibility of future lane closings. “We’re talking about a few more weeks of construction, so drivers should bear with us,” Steele said.
young people about diabetes. Along with DANCE, Kozlowski has been a member of the Student Dietetic Association, Alpha Lambda Delta, Lambda Sigma, Freshman and Kozlowski Student Athletic Activities councils, among other activities. She also performed as part of the Southern Miss Dance Team. Erin Munton, assistant director of Greek Life, said Kozlowski is looking forward to returning back to her university grounds and take a break from her schedule. “This celebration is an opportunity for us to wish her well, and she’s excited about it,” Munton said in a news release. Student body president Melissa Cirino said she believes this will be a great time for students to get to meet one of their own. “Christine is going to be a wonderful representative of our state and our University,” Cirino said. “We are proud to welcome her home.” Kozlowski is taking a oneyear leave from Southern Miss, but will be making public appearances across the state and preparing for the Miss America Pageant. The pageant will be held Jan. 24, 2009 in Las Vegas.
Need a lift? Know your health trivia Maggie Mays Printz Writer
USM students who dread walking across campus in the August heat might want to look over some health trivia before leaving for class this week. Representatives from USM Student Counseling Services and Recreational Sports will be in golf carts waiting to pick up students and drive them to their classes for Prize Cab Outreach, a back-toschool event that will take place from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. today and Friday. Whether students make it to their destination on wheels depends on the number of healthrelated trivia questions passengers answer correctly. Students who answer enough questions to make it all the way to class will receive a prize in addition to the ride. The trivia questions will relate to various health topics college students often face. For example, “How many alcoholic drinks are considered binge drinking?” The event is designed to introduce Southern Miss students to the counselors and wellness services on campus, promote awareness of mental health issues and remove the stigma associated
with seeking counseling. “I think it’s important that we are out there meeting the students and letting them know that counselors are here to talk,” said Deena Crawford, Student Counseling Services interim director. “I also think it’s important to get rid of the stigma of counseling and to give faces to the counselors.” Susan Bone, Recreational Sports assistant director, said Prize Cab Outreach kicks off a year full of activities for all USM students. “Our purpose with this event is to let students know we offer a lot of different activities for those who want to be active and competitive to those who want to exercise on their own individually,” Bone said. “This is a part of their university experience and a great way for us to welcome students to our campus.” Erin Read, a junior English major from Madison, said she thinks the Prize Cab is a great way to welcome new students. “As a transfer student who has no idea where they’re going anyway, it’s nice to know people are there to help,” Read said. For more information about Prize Cab Outreach and counseling or wellness services on campus, call 601.266.4829.