The Student Printz January 17, 2018

JANUARY 17, 2018 VOLUME 102 ISSUE 16

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New Year, New Me? How to set resolutions that will stick.

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Black Mirror Read a recap of season 4.

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Legal Weed

Position 64 gives opportunity to erase criminal records.

serving southern miss since 1927

Bryant’s religious freedom law forces schedule changes for USM’s baseball season Alyssa Bass

entertainment editor Southern Miss cancelled three February home games versus Stony Brook University after becoming aware of New York’s Mississippi travel ban. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo banned all nonessential travel to Mississippi due to the signing of HB1523 in April 2016.

Commonly known as the “religious freedom law” or the “gay marriage law,” HB1523 allows business owners to refuse service to those not aligned with their personal religious beliefs that target the LGBTQ community without repercussions from the government.

The bill states, “Marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman; sexual relations are properly reserved to such marriage; and male (man) or female (woman) refer to an individual’s immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy and genetics at time of birth.”

Cuomo, citing New York as a “national leader in protecting the civil rights and liberties of all of its citizens,” made the executive order banning state-funded travel to Mississippi the same day Governor Phil Bryant signed it into law.

The law went into effect in October 2017 despite First Amendment challenges by Campaign for Southern Equality.

Stony Brook University

Courtesy Photo and Southern Miss were not knowledgeable of the executive order when initially creating the 2018 baseball schedule. Stony Brook University officials appeared to discover the mistake during the fall semester, according to The Sun Herald.

“Southern Miss obviously wasn’t

pleased that we were trying to get out of it,” Stony Brook’s Associate Director of Communications Brian Miller said.

USM’s Assistant Athletic Director Jack Duggan said the head coaches of both teams, Southern Miss’ Scott Berry and Stony Brook’s Matt Senk, tried to

find another way to play against the team, having failed in doing so twice now.

“We had Stony Brook scheduled here for a three-game series in 2014, but they were unable to travel [due] to winter weather in the northeast,” Duggan said. “Instead, we were able to find a tournament

to travel to that weekend at the last minute. At the start of this, I know that our athletic administration was in contact with their athletic administration and at the end of the day, we were unable to secure the series.”

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District at Midtown set to open in early 2018 Amelia Strahan printz reporter

The District at Midtown project began to take shape in 2013 after the vacant Elam Arms dorms and parking lots were demolished and sold to developers. Construction of two buildings is set to be completed in early 2018.

The Midtown project will reside between Highway 49 and Interstate 59 neighboring The University of Southern Mississippi. Due to its location, the District at Midtown is an avenue to connect the campus with the community.

The ultimate goal in the development of the District at Midtown is to help establish a city more accessible to foot traffic where Hattiesburg residents can enjoy sidewalks, shops, restaurants and

apartments while staying in touch with the spirit of Hattiesburg.

“In [regard] to the project’s goal to add sidewalks to connect the city via foot, I predict this will be a hit with students,” SGA Vice President McKenna Stone said.

“We’re quite used to walking - we spend most of our days walking around campus from classes to meals to residential areas. If you give us a new area to walk around, we’ll explore. The sidewalks will provide fun leisure activities for students such as shopping, eating, exercising, sightseeing and meeting new people.”

With the District at Midtown just steps away from campus, Southern Miss students will have a convenient opportunity to interact with fellow community members, eradicating any isolation of campus.

“I believe the Midtown project will incentivize Southern Miss students to spend more time exploring all that Hattiesburg has to offer outside of our campus,” Stone said. “In my opinion, this project can help students get plugged into the Hattiesburg community whether through networking with locals, volunteering to serve Hattiesburg or finding their favorite spots to hang out off-campus.”

Southern Miss students who grew up in the Hattiesburg area identify with Hattiesburg not only as their college town, but also as the place they call home. The advances being made in the Midtown project are exciting to local students who are familiar with the city.

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Kaitlyn Watkins, Executive Editor

JANUARY 17, 2018

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Parking Management will no longer be issuing warning citations for parking tickets during the spring and summer semesters 2018.

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OPINIONS

EDITORIAL POLICY The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz

Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

Students urged to take precautions against the flu Caleb McCluskey printz reporter The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted the United States is at the peak of an extremely active flu season as of the first week of January. Of the 50 states, Hawaii is the only state not showing the flu as widespread, and the Moffitt Health Center of The University of Southern Mississippi urges students to be prepared.

Kayla S. Johnson, Health Educator and Promotions Coordinator for the Moffitt Health Center, said there were about 200 cases of the flu on campus, and the clinic is gearing up for the spring semester’s returning students.

The clinic offers immunizations and allergy shots among other accommodations to all USM students.

With the flu season at its peak, students should be aware of tactics to stay healthy. Johnson said there are three key parts to flu prevention.

“Get your flu shot, take precautions to stay well, and take your flu medications if the doctor prescribes them.”

Flu shots are important to staying healthy during the flu season. The CDC says on its official website even healthy people can become seriously ill from the flu and spread it to others. The best way to reduce risk of getting the flu is to get an annual vaccination. They punctuate the statement by saying, “When more people get vaccinated against the flu, less flu can spread

through that community.”

Johnson also said to avoid contact with sick people, wash your hands regularly with soap and water, disinfect surfaces and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. The CDC adds that managing stress, being physically active and sleeping and eating well helps to keep you healthy.

Healthline.com lists the early symptoms of the flu as being fatigue, body aches and chills, cough, sore throat, fever and gastrointestinal problems. Whereas, cold symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, body aches and general fatigue.

“To determine whether your symptoms are from a cold or from the flu, you need to see your doctor,” according to Healthline.

“Your doctor will run tests that can help determine what’s behind your symptoms.”

If already sick, it is best to avoid the general public and reduce the spread of germs by keeping your mouth covered when sneezing or coughing. Johnson said that it is important to take flu medications if the doctor prescribes them because the antiviral medications treat and lessen the severity of the illness.

“Our staff works with the Office of Student Ombudsman Services and Residence Life to assist in making arrangements to limit exposure of the sick patient to others,” Johnson said. “They receive a class excuse and are encouraged to limit contact with others... until they are symptom free for at least 48 hours.”

The flu can be very dangerous

Courtesy Photo to students. The Mississippi State Department of Health reported the flu was most common among the ages of five to 24 over this flu season.

The Moffitt Health Center is

available to students and accepts most insurance providers. The clinic’s hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday. There

is a $20 fee for students to see a health care provider, and the clinic also offers a full-service pharmacy for students to get medications filled during operating hours.

JANUARY 17, 2018

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New Year, New Me: Tips for sticking to your goals Ashley Hobson social media editor

As 2017 graciously came to an end, many students inevitably decided to take a step back and regroup for the upcoming year and imposing semester. As cliché as it might be, I sincerely love New Year’s resolutions.

It’s something about the hope for the upcoming year that just helps my spirits soar until around mid-February when reality sets in and life gets tough again. Personally, the end of 2017 saw the closing of so many chapters in my life, both happy and sad, so maybe that’s why I feel particularly renewed and hopeful for 2018.

That being said, I know better than anyone else how likely I am to stick to the New Year’s goals that I set after the third glass of wine on New Year’s Eve. However, there are a few things I’ve learned that help set me up to feel accomplished 365 days later.

1.) Pick a word that you want your year to embody. I would love to be

able to take credit for this tip since it’s become a personal favorite, but a good friend of mine introduced this to me my sophomore year of college. The beauty of this is that your word can be as complicated or simple as you want. The meaning of your word can also change for you as the year progresses. For example, my word(s) for this year are “persistence” and “consistency.” I’ve splattered them around my room, in planners, and in every notebook in the hope that the tiny reminders I’m leaving myself will provide encouragement in the year ahead.

2.) Set smaller, more attainable goals in addition to larger goals.

Often, we get ahead of ourselves and set a goal that we won’t see come to fruition for weeks if not months later. Instead of saying you want to lose 30 pounds, commit to losing 5 pounds a month for 6 months. Before you scrawl “make President’s list” across your list, decide to study an extra 2 hours a week. Smaller goals that you can meet quicker will help you stay on track without getting discouraged looking at the bigger picture.

3.) Find your community to keep you accountable. There’s a reason

solitary confinement is a punishment in prison. People need other people.

We need to have someone there to tell us we’re not alone and to push us to be our best. If you want to make better grades, find at least one person that’s willing to study with you in a way that’s beneficial to you both. If your roommate gets up at 7 a.m. and you can barely crawl out of bed by noon, then ask them to wake you up occasionally. Support each other, it’s a tough world out there.

4.) Be willing to put yourself out there. Change is uncomfortable, but it is possible. Make conscious decisions that lead to the change you want to see in your life. If you want to be more involved on campus, then sign up for a new club and make yourself go. Follow through and eventually the change you fought so hard will be a comfortable part of your life.

5.) Seize the day. I know, these are getting more and more “Starbuck’s White Girl” as we go. But honestly, stop putting things off. If you want to travel more in 2018, then get in your car and go. We live in the Hub City which is great because there are so many places you can go that are only around an hour away. If

Courtesy Photo you want better grades, then open a book right now. If you want to run a marathon, then get out the door and run a mile. There’s only 349 days left in the year, use them while you can.

6.) Know you don’t need a new year to make a new change. This is your life. You have the freedom at any time to change the direction.

You are the master of your fate, you are the captain of your soul.

Star Wars fans outraged over Episode VIII Carlton McGrone printz reporter

Eighty-four thousand people have signed the “Have Disney strike Star Wars Episode VIII from the official canon” petition, and the numbers are growing, though at a slow pace.

Sitting at a 91 percent on film critic site Rotten Tomatoes, ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ is by far the highest rated ‘Star Wars’ film to date. Despite the high praise from multiple critics and fans, this film may also be the most polarizing episode. According to multiple accounts, ‘The Last Jedi’ either took far too many risks or was the perfect movie for this ever-spiraling mega-franchise.

‘Episode VIII’ takes place immediately after ‘Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens’ and follows our heroes on their quest to recruit the honored Jedi Luke Skywalker in order to finally defeat Kylo Ren and the First Order. Leaving behind the style and direction J.J. Abrams brought to this new trilogy in ‘Episode VII,’ Rian Johnson takes the reins and steers ‘The Last Jedi’ into waters that jarred and otherwise impressed longtime fans. Whereas one party of fans felt ‘The Force Awakens’ played it too safe and followed too closely to the original trilogy, another party was adamant that ‘The Last Jedi’ introduced too many risks and was much too different from the original trilogy.

It didn’t take long for Change. org user, Henry Welsh, to create the aforementioned petition, which gained overwhelming support upon being posted.

“Episode VIII was a travesty,” Welsh said in his post. “It completely destroyed the legacy of Luke Skywalker and the Jedi.”

Welsh went on to say that despite Disney’s poor direction with the

film, this devastating turn could be fixed simply by signing the petition.

Through his efforts, Welsh hoped to convince Disney that ultimately, fans were unhappy and unsatisfied with the film that Johnson created.

Therefore, ‘The Last Jedi’ should be re-made, pushing back the untitled ‘Episode XI’ in order to reclaim Luke’s lost legacy.

“Please don’t let this film stand.

Don’t take something so many of us loved so much and destroy it like this. Let us keep our heroes,” Welsh said to end his post.

Despite these allegations and claims of injustice, the entertainment site The A.V. Club reported that Welsh realized the petition would ultimately go nowhere as the film had at the time grossed $220 million.

“He explained that he had been in a bad car accident last year and was on strong pain medication when he posted the petition,” Sam Bersanti wrote in the article. “He knows that Disney will never cut ‘The Last Jedi’ from the canon.”

After receiving multiple threats for going back on his original standing and spurring a conspiracy theory that Welsh was bought out by Disney, Welsh has since abandoned his aspirations to remake the film, though the petition still remains for anyone to sign.

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ is out in theaters now, and if you hated ‘Episode VIII,’ signing the petition may be your best chance of making a change.

‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ is expected to be released May 25 of 2018 with Ron Howard directing.

‘Star Wars: Episode IX’ is slated to premiere on December 20 of 2019. Disney is rumored to release a Boba Fett movie in 2020.

Courtesy Photo

JANUARY 17, 2018

People you should know on campus: Amy Miller Ashley Hobson social media editor

At a university as large as Southern Miss, students may not always know the important people who affect their day-today lives on campus. Dr. Amy Miller is one of those individuals as she currently serves as the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at USM. To help students know who Dr. Miller is, or even what the Office of Academic Affairs is for, we put together this Q and A with Dr. Miller.

Where did you complete your undergrad, graduate, and doctorate degrees?

My undergraduate degree is an interdisciplinary degree from the University of Alabama. I also earned an Associate’s degree from Calhoun Community College. I have a M.A. in Sociology from the University of Tennessee and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Michigan.

What were some of the influencing factors in how you decided which degrees to pursue?

I know it can be a struggle to pick a major, because it feels like you are also deciding your career and that’s a lot of pressure on a student. For me, I focused on taking classes that interested me and that I thought would be beneficial for a variety of future possibilities. I had no idea what I wanted to do, which is how I ended up with an interdisciplinary degree. I took many classes in English, anthropology, political science and even Russian. By the time I graduated, I knew I was interested in studying political and social issues and human behavior, and I knew I wanted to go to graduate school to keep studying. I decided to apply to five programs in five fields and go to the best one I could go to for free. I was admitted and given a full assistantship at UT-Knoxville in sociology. That was the only sociology program I applied to, but that’s where I went. Lucky for me, I discovered I really loved sociology and wanted to continue, so after I finished my Master’s I knew I wanted to be a professor and I applied only to Ph.D. programs in sociology. I had some options, but I went to Michigan because it’s a great school and it was also a really different environment than my prior experiences. It was a great choice for me.

I always encourage students to be open to majors they haven’t thought about and might not have ever heard of. We have MANY degree programs and students often need to change their major once they realize what their options actually are. I suggest that students visit Career Services in their first year to do some assessments and try to identify their skills and interests; students should also talk to friends and faculty to ultimately find a major that will get them excited about what they are learning. Regardless of major, all students should work on their professional development – enhanced communication skills (oral and written), seek opportunities for hands-on experiences (like in research and/or internships), and get to know faculty who can help them think through your options. All of those things will help students find the right career path when they get to that point.

Kathleen Dearman, Printz contributor

How did you become the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at USM? In 2015, I applied for the position of Associate Provost for Academic Excellence and was offered that job, which I started in July 2015. This position was a new position at Southern Miss, so the duties had not been fully fleshed out until I took the job and began doing the work. My role was to focus on student success and faculty development. Over the course of my first year, my duties expanded and I began working more and more on broad academic affairs areas in the Office of the Provost. As a result, my role was changed to Vice Provost to reflect my general role in the office.

How long have you held this position?

About 2.5 years.

As Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, what are some of your responsibilities and daily routines?

I work alongside Provost Moser to support the work of the Provost’s office in the academic affairs of the campus; I report to Dr. Moser, and he oversees my work. In some cases, I work directly with him on initiatives such as the academic reorganization underway. I also personally oversee some specific offices and areas. Some of the offices that directly report to me are the Registrar’s office, the Office of Online Learning, the Center for Faculty Development, the athletic academic support office, Career Services, the Luckyday Scholars Program, the Office of New Student and Retention Programs and the TRIO/Student Support Service program. I also am the point person in the Office of the Provost for academic concerns from students, including grade appeal processes.

Overall, my primary areas of responsibility include leading student success initiatives on campus and fostering faculty development. The various offices above report to me because they are part of the student success and faculty development efforts underway. My daily routine varies, but it’s always very busy and filled with meetings and email! Most days, I work with different committees, offices, and individuals to identify challenges to student success and then strategize about improvements that can be made. We are a campus that cares about students and we try to work collaboratively to find solutions to issues – then I work with various offices to ensure improvements are implemented. For example, a major discussion currently underway has to do with advisement and how we can improve the rates at which students get advised, the access students have to advisors, and the ease with which students are able to register for classes in a timely fashion. Our goal is for students to receive broad advisement support so that they can get settled in the right major for them early in their career, then register as early as possible each term and stay on track to graduation. I have been talking for more than a year with many different groups on campus about advisement practices and what is working well as well as what improvements we can make to better serve our students. Advisement varies a lot across Southern Miss, and different departments and colleges have their own policies and practices for how to advise students. In some areas, students are very satisfied and advisement runs smoothly, and in other areas we face challenges with getting students to advisement and registration. We are committed to finding new solutions to better support our students, advising staff, and faculty on campus. You can expect more news on that in 2018!

What do you wish students knew about your position?

I’m not sure – I think some students know me and what I do fairly well, and others have no idea what our office does, just because we haven’t crossed paths. I wish more students had a sense of how the university is organized and which offices are responsible for what, and that’s something we need to do a better job of communicating. I also want students to know that I am here to help – we want to help students transition successfully from high school or to transfer from another institution smoothly into Southern Miss. I know there’s a lot to learn when you first get to a new school, and we want to set up our institution so that students learn how to be successful quickly and are empowered to chart their own paths to graduation (and professional success after that). I am always open to feedback from students about what is working well for them and what we need to work on.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

Finding solutions to problems. When we become aware of an issue and then are able to come up with an improvement or a fix for a problem, it’s a great feeling. We are committed to continuously improving students’ experiences and learning opportunities at Southern Miss, and it’s an honor to be part of that.

Can you give an example of a problem that students should feel comfortable communicating with you?

If students have ideas or observations about patterns they’ve noticed in why students don’t stay at Southern Miss or things that really help students to thrive, I am always interested in hearing from them about their insights. So, for instance, I want to know about great advisors, great online teachers/programs, great support from faculty or staff, and also areas where we need to improve, if there’s a pattern at work that’s making it hard for students in general to do something well. Students should also feel comfortable reaching out to be about policy questions and I can try to clarify or explain anything that’s fuzzy.

In terms of whether to contact me first, it depends on the issue. If the question is about Financial Aid or Scholarships, for example, I’m always going to direct them to those offices, as they are the experts, so they should just start there first. Similarly, sometimes students contact me about a professor they are having issues with – those concerns need to start with the professor, then that person’s chair or director. Usually situations can be resolved there, but if not they will make their way to my office. There’s a chain of command from the instructor to the chair then to the Dean, so I will always ask students to go that route about academic concerns/complaints about particular classes or people; it will save them time to go that route first.

JANUARY 17, 2018

The Bachelor: What to know about Arie Luyendyk, Jr. Vivian O’Neal printz reporter

Well ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time again. Monday nights are officially back to being reserved for your couch, a glass of wine and ABC’s newest Bachelor Arie Luyendyk, Jr. Season 22 began January 1, and what better way for this racecar driver to kick off the new year than with the race to find love?

In case your Bachelor obsession just started and you’re confused along with the rest of America about where Arie came from, here are the details. The episode begins with Arie’s first shot at a TV love story during Emily Maynard’s season of The Bachelorette, where he was the runner-up five years ago. Now, he’s a 36-year-old racecar driver who also sells real estate and is looking for a second chance.

But enough about him, let’s get to the best part: the contestants.

The girl that caught Arie’s eye (and some less friendly eyes from the other women) was 29-year-old single mother Chelsea. Arie claims Chelsea is “mysterious” and leaves

him wanting more, which snagged her the coveted first impression rose. However, Chelsea makes it no mystery throughout the episode that she means business - even if it means bringing the claws out. Later comes Bekah who really steals the show by showing up in a classic car.

That’s the way to a racecar driver’s heart, right? Maybe, but she’s got a little mystery to her too: her age, which she refuses to tell. That’s definitely a first.

Not crazy enough for you yet?

Let’s skip over to episode two.

Apparently Arie is already feeling pretty comfortable given he took Krystal back to his hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona to meet the parents on their first date. Yes, you read that right: the first date. We thought showering Becca K. with free Rachel Zoe gowns and Neil Lane diamonds on the first oneon-one date was a big deal, and then he pulls this stunt, which is definitely more dangerous than race car stunts. Put a group of women in a pit with the primary goal being to ram into each other as fast and hard as they can until they voluntarily quit or their engine quits, and what do you get?

Courtesy Photo Some serious competition.

These women are out for blood and not stopping until they have a rose in their hand. Unfortunately,

three ladies had to say goodbye to that dream and head home after the second rose ceremony. It’s only the beginning, but there’s already

promise for plenty more drama ahead. Hold on tight Arie, this will definitely be the ride of your life.

Netflix releases season four of Black Mirror Will Veazey printz reporter

Black Mirror is a show about our realistic technological future, and it often projects these possible futures in a negative light. Black Mirror season four opens up with an episode called “USS Callister.”

The plot involves a man (who looks freakishly like Matt Damon) who works for a video game company that’s developing advanced virtual reality gaming software.

I did like this episode; the premise and the episode itself were done really well. However, the semantics of what happened got on my nerves quite a bit. I thought that the hopeless inhabitants of the man’s modified form of his video gaming software would also be hopeless to combat him. I thought that if he was truly their “god,” then the copies wouldn’t have had any way to overcome him. They were in his computer after all. I’d rank this episode as the fourth best of the season.

Episode two of Black Mirror season four is called “Arkangel.”

This one is certainly one of my favorites. The idea of a parent implanting an engram to block out all the bad things from his/her child’s life and being able to always know where they are and even see through his/her life is something I could genuinely see happening in the real world. The psychological wear and tear of never seeing anything bad, and never being truly alone ever, is portrayed incredibly well in this episode. This episode was my favorite episode of the season.

The third episode, called “Crocodile,” was absolutely exhilarating. The story arc was very well thought out. The futile murder rampage to cover her tracks is also something that I could see happening in the real world for someone who’s spent so long hiding

a dark secret. I have two negatives about the episode: one being that they used the guinea pig to find her, which didn’t make sense to me because guinea pigs don’t really retain memories like that. A guinea pig is like an etch-a-sketch that you shake every hour. They don’t have emotional attachment to memories like we do and cannot easily recall information at will. Also, the episode ended before we could see justice be done. I felt like the audience deserved to watch her go down, yet the episode just sort of ends. I think this episode was my fifth favorite.

“Hang the DJ” was almost a

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perfect episode. The stories were so well done, and the whole time you think the main characters must be stuck in some futuristic dystopian mating scenario that has way too much control. However, right at the end you realize everything that happened was basically just a Tinder app finding a match. This episode was a close second behind “Arkangel.”

Episode five titled “Metalhead” was pretty cool. It wasn’t horrible, but I simply couldn’t take the episode seriously. Every shot of the weird “dog” they call the robotic evil in the episode made me laugh. This episode was my least

favorite of the season. However, the cinematography was gritty and cool. I did appreciate the episode being shot in black and white.

The final episode of season four was completely unexpected.

“Black Museum” is basically the reveal of a face behind all of the technological madness. I feel like the stories that were told were of Black Mirror episode ideas that didn’t make it to full episodes. The stories were really mind-boggling, and I think the final story was going way too far on the infinite terror and hell of being a slave copy of your original self. Then the whole “microcopy” that individuals

would get after pulling the lever on the poor convict was just going too far. I kept wondering while watching, “Would people actually participate in this?” The episode was a wonderful idea, and like I said, I did appreciate the stories.

However, I think it went over the top. I’d rank this episode as being my third favorite episode of the season. All in all, season four of Black Mirror was quality television and is highly recommended despite its sometimes overbearing qualities.

JANUARY 17, 2018

Hollywood stars bring awareness of sexual assault Vivian O’Neal printz reporter

On Sunday Jan. 7, celebrities showered the Golden Globes red carpet in black to protest against sexual assault and harassment in the film industry. Big-name stars such as Emma Stone, Helen Mirren, Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep and many more showed their support by joining the cause. The protest was in support of the “#TimesUp” and “#MeToo” movements, created in the wake of sexual harassment scandals in Hollywood. Leading ladies such as Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington were contributors in the creation of the “#TimesUp” campaign following the Harvey Weinstein scandal and other women recently speaking out about being sexually harassed and abused in the film industry.

However, the black dress code was not the only way these women made their voices heard. Along with her winning “Big Little Lies” co-star Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern was presented with the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Limited Series or TV Movie. Dern’s acceptance “Culture

of Silencing” speech is what truly stole the show. She opened up by thanking Hollywood Foreign Press Association, her co-stars, producers and more.

“Many of us were taught not to tattle. It was a culture of silencing and that was normalized,” Dern said. “I urge all of us to not only support survivors and bystanders who are brave enough to tell their truth, but to promote restorative justice. May we also please protect and employ them. May we teach our children that speaking out without the fear of retribution is our culture’s new north star.”

Another moving speech made by Oprah Winfrey was described as “presidential.” Winfrey became the first-ever African-American woman to receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award. Her acceptance speech was followed by a flood of messages and tweets with fans urging her to run for president in the 2020 election.

Two of Winfrey’s close friends told CNN on Monday that she was “actively thinking” about running.

Well, Kanye, looks like you should just respectively bow out now. #Oprah2020.

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Happy New Year everyone!

This week, I’m taking you guys back in time.

After combing through my bookshelves at home, I recently learned (rediscovered?) that high school me was a very particular brand of nerd— a nerd who felt an inexplicable, almost compulsive need to jot everything, no matter how mundane or trivial, down in a journal.

Most of these entries are horrible and useless and do nothing aside from offering a trip down the dark, winding path of Memory Lane.

One entry, though, is somewhat interesting. It’s dated Friday, July 27, 2012, and it’s a list of ten things I hoped to accomplish before I turned 17 in roughly six months’ time. Stumbling across this entry as a nearly-22-year-old is a jarring experience, to say the least.

Case in point: I have yet to accomplish nearly all of the things on the list.

In the spirit of a New Year (and because I was too busy to make any resolutions on Dec. 31) I’ve decided to honor my ridiculous past self and make some of her desires my 2018 goals. But because I’m not insane, I’m also going to update them to be a little more realistic— my 16-year-old self was ambitious to a fault— and a little more befitting of a college senior with common sense and a tendency to abandon selfimprovement projects.

1.) Become a bestselling author I laughed so hard at this one, and it was first on my list. I’m updating it to “find a person who enjoys a bestselling book I’ve read. Talk to them about it until they have to make an excuse to get away.” I don’t think we, as a society, talk about books nearly as often as we should. I also don’t think we talk enough in general. I’m looking

forward to fulfilling this goal.

2.) Learn Jon Schmidt’s “All of Me” I’ve learned other piano compositions

by Jon Schmidt before, so this one isn’t THAT insane. But it’s been a good four or five years since I’ve even looked at a piano. I’m updating this to “Learn to whistle Eliphalet Oram Lyte’s ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat.’” This goal is great because it will allow me to have a new

method of defense readily available in case I am ever held hostage. Trust me, no bad guy could stomach this composition paired with my underwhelming whistling skills for very long.

3.) Travel to seven new states I’m updating this one to “get out of bed before 12 p.m. seven days in a row.” I don’t think I’ve ever actually slept in until 12 before, but there’s a first time for everything

and past infractions have made me wise enough to give myself the wiggle room.

4.) Maintain a 100 average in four classes.

I know, I know— High School Hiba was a nightmare.

Speaking of nightmares, I’m updating this to “maintain full consciousness in one class all semester,” and it’s probably going to be the most challenging one on this list.

5.) Knit a Sweater

In addition to being insufferable, High School Hiba appears to have been an aspiring grandmother.

I’m updating this to “knit my brows less,” because frowning causes wrinkles and no one wants wrinkles.

6.) Inspire Someone I’m updating this to “inspire whoever reads this list to join me in completing it, and then eventually rule the world together.”

ARE YOU IN?

JANUARY 17, 2018

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California legalizes marijuana, exonerates previous charges Morgan Clark news editor Pretty major news hit the media on Jan. 1 that the recreational use of marijuana is now legal in California.

While this is a stride in the direction of furthering legalization, this is also an opportunity for those whom have been criminalized by their past related charges.

“California’s Proposition 64 ballot measure was not only about marijuana legalization, it was one of the most progressive sentencing and criminal justice reforms in the entire country,” said Eunnisses Hernanadez, the policy coordinator

at Drug Policy Alliance.

Those with criminal records for possession of cannabis will now be able to have their records cleared or reduced, allowing for more work and financial opportunities. This is a great chance to take advantage of, but the processes are the same as any other legal situation. Individuals wanting to clear or reduce their record will have to submit an application to the court and possibly even hire an attorney like any other case would require. The process is progressive and exciting but requires patience.

Thus far, only around 500 cases have been submitted into the California justice system. According to Rodney

Holcombe of the DPA, there “could be close to one million people in the state who have convictions that could now be eligible for relief.”

That number is quite incredible considering all medicinal marijuana was legalized in California in 1996.

That means most of these charges are for possession or being under the influence in public.

Let’s also be practical and say most people there would get medical cards for miniscule things to gain access to cannabis. I find it hard to believe that many people over time were even charged considering the easier access to the cards. Despite the charges for the non-violent crimes, they are finally getting justice.

So I’m sure some would say that their charges shouldn’t be dropped or reduced at all. I know some would like to attach their personal beliefs to the law and say they should keep the record or stay in jail. They committed the crime while knowing it was illegal at the time, right? Right, but that law no longer stands and changes must be made. Those who are just against marijuana and its users most likely have these opinions because they begrudge them, not because it’s logical or practical.

I have absolutely no problem with people being able to live their lives after handling their legalities. What they did five years ago in their own privacy isn’t a big deal and affected

no one other than them. To me it does not make sense to deny someone a life because you don’t like something they’ve done in the past. That’s like not liking someone because of the shirt they’re wearing.

That is petty.

But, I digress. One reasoning behind the legalization is so adults can consume marijuana just as they would have a glass of wine after dinner to relax. And according to The Huffington Post, the local and state governments are projected to collect one billion dollars annually off of a seven billion-dollar industry.

Government gets their money, and Californians get their weed.

Everyone is happy.

YouTube drops Logan Paul after controversy Caleb McCluskey printz reporter

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In the wake of controversy, YouTube finally took action in reprimanding Logan Paul. On Dec. 31, Paul uploaded a disrespectful video that featured a corpse he found at the Aokigahara forest—better known as the suicide forest of Japan.

Logan Paul is a vlogger that jumped onto YouTube after Vine was shut down. He has some 15 million subscribers and is considered one of YouTube’s flagship creators. He and his brother Jake Paul, over the past year, have gained a reputation for the increasingly infamous videos they upload.

The new controversy surrounding Paul is no different. His friends and he went to the Aokigahara forest in Japan for a camping trip during New Year’s and, while in a restricted area, found a dead body. The natural response would have been to put the camera down, but Paul instead features the victim heavily.

The body had its face censored, but Paul proceeded to talk about suicide prevention while showing the hands and other features of the victim.

The video garnered a lot of backlash, but only after it hit top trending and got six million views. YouTube began with vague statements.

“YouTube prohibits violent or

gory content posted in a shocking, sensational or disrespectful manner,” said Youtube. “If a video is graphic, it can only remain on the site when supported by appropriate educational or documentary information and in some cases, it will be age-gated.”

The video was not taken down, nor was it age-gated although it clearly violated YouTube’s policy. Last year, Pewdiepie, YouTube personality with over 59 million subscribers, was dropped instantaneously when he used racial slur on film in the wake of being branded a nazi, but Paul showed a dead man’s body with close-ups. Only after deep criticism did YouTube cut Paul’s partnership.

Logan Paul issued a public apology to his fans and the victim’s family on Jan. 2 that was, like the original video, not monetized, but for many that was not enough.

“For my fans who are defending my actions, please don’t,” said Paul. “They do not deserve to be defended.”

“Like many others, we were upset by the video that was shared last week,” Youtube said in an official statement.

“Suicide is not a joke, nor should it ever be a driving force for views.”

YouTube is in a public relations nightmare along with Logan Paul; YouTube tried to repair damages by cutting ties with him. YouTube also admitted that the video violated community guidelines, but neglected

to mention that they did not take it down themselves. “[We’ll] have more to share soon on steps we’re taking to ensure a video like this is never circulated again,” said Youtube.

YouTube is in need of serious reform. They took the right steps in denouncing Logan Paul officially and cutting his partnership, but it goes beyond Paul and his mistakes.

YouTube has a history of favoritism that needs to be addressed and fixed.

Their most notable act of hypocrisy came last year during the Las Vegas tragedy. Casey Neistat, another famous YouTube personality, created a video to raise awareness of the shooting. In the video, he said that the ad revenue he got from the video would go to a fundraiser he created for the victims. YouTube was swift in demonetizing the video, claiming they cannot run ads on videos about tragedy.

Soon after, Phillip DeFranco brought attention to a video by Jimmy Kimmel about the Las Vegas tragedy that continuously ran ads.

Unlike the Logan Paul controversy, YouTube made no statements, and the video runs ads to this day.

“People are tired of this. Be better,” DeFranco said.

YouTube needs to take these words to heart. When the next controversy strikes, they need to be ready, respond quickly and, above all, fairly.

JANUARY 17, 2018

www.studentprintz.com

Korey Robertson declares for the 2018 NFL Draft Trevor Ritchie printz reporter

Southern Miss finds itself with another void to fill as wide receiver Korey Robertson decides to forgo his senior season to enter his name in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Robertson caught a total of 51 passes for 637 yards in his first two season at Southern Miss. However, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound receiver caught 76 passes for the Golden Eagles in 2017, the second most in Southern Miss single-season history, recording 1,106 yards and 12 touchdowns in what became a breakout season. When he decided to sign with STL Sports Group, his decision was official to start his journey towards professional football.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported on Jan. 2 that Robertson is projected as a second or third round draft pick for 2018. Robertson is the first Southern Miss underclassmen to declare for the NFL early since

the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches did so following the 2014 season. NunezRoches was ultimately a sixth-round pick. Robertson said he feels he has achieved his collegiate goals and has spoken to various NFL staff members who also give him a grade with a midround pick.

Southern Miss is losing other receivers as well, with Allenzae Staggers and Isaiah Jones going due to graduation. Considering Ito Smith was a threat in the passing game as well, this means Southern Miss has lost its top-four targets in the air. Quez Watkins, Jaylond Adams and Tim Jones are notables that will return to the receiving core, in addition to Trevor Terry, Jordan Mitchell, Reid Rials and Bubba Fludd. During the early signing period, Southern Miss added two junior college receivers in Neil McLaurin and DeMichael Harris with a chance to add more when prospects are eligible to sign again beginning on February 7.

Kenyatta S. Ross, Printz Photo Editor Korey Robertson (18) scores the second touchdown for the Golden Eagles during the Walk-Ons Independence Bowl on December 27, 2017.

Tez Parks (08) breaks tackles on his first drive in the 2nd quarter of the Independence Bowl.

Golden Eagles prepare to rush on the field at the beginning of the Walk-Ons Independence Bowl.

Baseball faces a weaker 2018 schedule Andrew Abadie printz reporter

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Southern Miss is coming off a school-record breaking 50win season and a regular season Conference USA title as well as hosting the school’s second ever Regional.

The No.25 Golden Eagles, according to Collegiate Baseball, now looks to duplicate the results and hopefully carry it to a potential second ever trip to the College World Series.

Southern Miss’ schedule faces an early daunting task of opening the season against in-state rival No. 13 Mississippi State, who last season defeated Southern Miss in the Hattiesburg regional.

However, excluding Miss. St., Southern Miss only faces three other teams that made the NCAA tournament last season which are No. 17 South Alabama, Southeastern and conference opponent Rice. Winning that early matchup against Miss. St. will be pivotal in establishing Southern Miss’ RPI (rating percentage index).

Although the schedule lacks

teams that made post season play, several non-conference teams will pose admirable challenges and hopefully make up for the Stony Brook change which hurt the strength of their schedule as the team now faces three Division II schools.

The most notable nonconference matchups for the Golden Eagles come from the Sun Belt Conference as Southern Miss hosts Georgia Southern who finished last season with a 38-21 record and having a midweek series against South Alabama. Another tough Sun Belt team is No. 18 University Louisiana-Lafayette, who won the weekend series against Southern Miss last season. Even though the Rajin’ Cajuns missed the postseason, they still posted 35 wins and had made the NCAA tournament four times in a row along with two appearances in the Super Regionals.

In conference, Southern Miss faces several major matchups with Old Dominion and Rice. Old Dominion was the only series in conference that the Golden Eagles lost and Rice defeated Southern Miss in the C-USA tournament’s

championship game.

Potentially, the Golden Eagles could face a respectable schedule as the team still encounters reputable challenges but they will need to win to maintain a high RPI in order to make up for the lack of conference prestige. This will be pivotal if the Golden Eagles hope to host another Regional and potentially a national seed.

Southern Miss returns many of their key hitters that helped orchestrate a team batting average of.307 that led the team to fourth in the nation in both runs per game and hitting home runs (90).

Another successful season is possible if the Golden Eagles can reestablish their pitching staff and replace Kirk McCartey, who was drafted in the sixth round by the Cleveland Indians, and Taylor Braley, who was drafted in the seventh round by the Miami Marlins.

Coupled with a strong offense and a seasoned bullpen led by AllAmerican Nick Sandlin, this will assist the new weekend starters in reasserting themselves as the best pitching staff in conference.