THE
S TUDENT PRINTZ www.studentprintz.com
SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Volume 99 Issue 3
ON CAMPUS
New university initiative encourages campus-wide health Mary Sergeant
Printz Reporter & Photographer The Health is Golden initiative began March 2014 after the university received a $250,000 grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Mississippi. As its tagline
states, the initiative is meant to create a culture of wellness across the campus and encourage a healthier lifestyle. In March, Health is Golden first began to work with faculty and staff members. One program it launched was the Healthy 100. One
hundred qualified faculty and staff members were able to have individual counseling with the university’s registered dietitian Lisa Malone, have free access to the Payne Center for a year and have free sessions with a personal trainer.
Meredith Bennett/ Printz
Chelsey Thomas, a junior fashion merchandising major, frequently runs on campus to maintain her healthy lifestyle. Running every day is an important aspect to getting into shape and keeping up one’s daily physical activity.
Jodi Ryder is the health education and promotion director for Student Health Services at Southern Miss. She is also one of the leaders in the Health is Golden campaign. Ryder said in the first months of the Healthy 100, faculty and staff had already begun to see major improvements in weight, cholesterol and blood pressure. Because of its effect on faculty and staff, the Healthy 100 will be one of many programs and healthy outlets accessible to qualified students this fall. Freshmen students will be the first targeted by this program. Screenings will begin to take place in the university 101 classes this fall. For these students, participating in Health is Golden will earn them one credit hour and the class will be taught by Lisa Malone, Health is Golden dietitian. “I provide nutrition counseling for all participants that qualify for the grant program,” Malone said. “With this grant I provide individualized eating plans to improve the health
parameter(s) that qualified the participant.” Health is Golden will also continue its partnership with Eagle Dining as another way to promote healthy eating on campus. The Fresh Food Company will continue to post the calorie count and nutritional value of the food they serve. Students can now see how much they are truly taking in. Eagle Dining has also created an application (app) for those students with access to a smartphone. And now, students who have a MyFitness Pal account can access the nutritional value and calorie count of the food made by Aramark, the provider for Eagle Dining. Throughout the upcoming year, Health is Golden staff will be leading educational series, cooking demonstrations and other programs to encourage healthy living on campus.
See HEALTH 3
STATE
Lawmakers reduce bonds for Miss. universities Brandon Allen Printz Reporter
The University of Southern Mississippi will receive insufficient funding for its proposed capital projects in 2016 following Mississippi lawmakers’ decision to decrease budget allowances for the state’s public universities. All public universities in Mississippi nominated their top 10 capital projects yearly and each are allocated money in order to afford these projects. However, the College Board reached an
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agreement with lawmakers in 2013 to create a more tangible roadmap for university borrowing over the next three years. Mississippi lawmakers did not approve any additional university borrowing in 2012, creating difficulties for universities planning capital projects requiring continued funding over multiple years. In 2013, after the creation of the budget roadmap, lawmakers allowed universities to begin large projects, assuring continued sufficient funding for the timely completion of
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nominated capital projects. While the 2014 and 2015 university budgets allow for $96.5 million and $93.8 million in bonds, respectively, the 2016 budget allows a highly reduced $68.2 million. The change in budget has largely resulted from a lack of allocated funding for medical schools, but it affects all public universities in Mississippi, including USM. Universities have received direct legislative funding for general maintenance and renovation, being given $13.2
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million in 2014 and $17 million for the upcoming budget year, but reduced bond borrowing still means that many public universities in Mississippi will be unable to complete all of their nominated top 10 projects in 2016. USM’s top two projects are general repairs and renovations, as well as a renovation of Bolton Hall. It is estimated that these projects will cost $9 million. However, 2016 budget projections leave the university with an insufficient $5 million in
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bond allocations. “The reduction of capital bonds may impact our pace but will not change our goals,” said Douglas Vinzant, vice president for finance and administration. Southern Miss’ capital bonds allocated for 2014 and 2015 will still go toward many projects on campus, such as renovations of Joseph Greene Hall and a section of the Bobby Chain Technology Center.
See PROJECTS, 3
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SPORTS Softball McGillis hires new coach to replace Voak.