The Student Printz. April 9, 2015

Volume 99 Issue 49

Thursday, April 9, 2015

www.studentprintz.com PAGE THREE

PAGE FIVE

NEWS

National Library Week Cook Library to host week of events.

PAGE SIX

PAGE SEVEN

F E AT U R E

OPINION

S P O RT S

Online profiles hinder personal interaction.

Horror film leads, not follows.

Eagles beat Ole Miss 6-5 to win season series.

Social media

‘It Follows’

Baseball

College of Business to offer first sports security MBA program Kathryn Miller Executive Editor

The University of Southern Mississippi College of Business and the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) announced Wednesday that the school will offer a new, distinct MBA program in fall 2015. The master of business administration with an emphasis in sports security management is the first program of its kind that will be available in the U.S. “It is an exciting program that accomplishes so many things that are the best of what Southern Miss does,” said Faye Gilbert, dean of the College of Business.

According to a USM press release, this MBA program is designed to “provide an educational opportunity for professionals who work or aspire to work in middle to upper management of the sport safety and security industry.”

Gilbert said sports security management began as a collaboration among the College of Business, the College of Health, NCS4 and executives in the sports industry.

Bret Becton, an associate professor and the associate dean of the College of Business, defined sports safety and security as the secure and safe operation of sports venues and the safety of spectators before, during and after games.

It also includes protecting highly valued assets and preventing and responding to recovery from disaster incidents that could occur at a sports venue or event.

“This program will be distinctive because it is the first and only

LOCAL

Susan Broadbridge/Printz

The master of business administration with an emphasis in sports security management will be offered at Southern Miss in fall 2015. The program is designed to provide an educational opportunity for professionals who work or aspire to work in middle to upper management of the sports safety and security industry. Sports safety and security is the safe operation of sports venues, such as M.M. Roberts Stadium on gamedays.

program to combine the business fundamentals of an MBA with unique training in sports safety and security,” Becton said.

According to the press release, to complete the program with an emphasis in sports security management, students will finish the MBA core with at least three of the emphasis’ courses and a supervised internship in the sports security management field. The program can be completed in the classroom or online.

Since the new degree program is affiliated with NCS4, which works with recognized security experts

across the country from professional sports, students will receive firsthand experience through internships, applied research projects, case studies and laboratory evaluations.

NCS4 was established in 2006 at Southern Miss and is endorsed as a top academic research institution in sports safety, security risks and threats at sporting events.

Opportunities for students to network with sports security professionals at national meetings will also be available.

Becton said although it is difficult to predict enrollment in new programs, there will be a considerable interest

among young professionals in the field as well as potential undergraduates. Also, he said with the program being offered in the classroom and online, it will appeal to a wide range of individuals.

“The sports safety and security industry is a relatively new and growing field, so there has been very little formal education available to prepare people for the associated demands until now,” Becton said. “As a result, we expect interest to grow significantly over time.”

In fact, MBA is the most demanded graduate degree in the world. USM’s College of Business MBA program

is ranked in the top 200 part-time programs in the nation, the press release reported.

“It is time for Southern Miss to be recognized for our leading-edge work in sports security and graduate education,” Gilbert said in the press release. “Students can complete this nationally distinctive program and move on to careers throughout the world.”

To learn more about the MBA with an emphasis in sports security management, call 228.214.3496 or visit www.usm.edu/business/ mba-emphasis-sport-securitymanagement.

Spring Art Walk to showcase Hub City talent Colin Cameron Printz Reporter

The Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association (HHDA) will host the Spring Art Walk April 11 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. in downtown Hattiesburg.

The Spring Art Walk is one of several art walks held in downtown Hattiesburg each year and will feature a variety of entertainment, including the artwork of several local artists, exhibits, open houses and live

music in downtown galleries and businesses and throughout the streets.

“Spring Art Walk is a kick-off for the spring season downtown,” HHDA director Andrea Saffle said in a press release. “We want to welcome people back to downtown, who have been cooped up all winter, as well as show off some of the new and exciting shops, restaurants and clubs, highlighting a thriving arts community that exists downtown.”

Co-owner of Main Street Books Diane Shepherd said her business is always involved in the downtown art walks and it is an event her business, along with the other businesses downtown, looks forward to.

“We love the art walk simply because it brings so many people to the downtown community,” Shepherd said. “We always have the opportunity to meet so many new people – that is what we look forward to.”

Saffle explained that HHDA

expanded the Art Walk so that there is something for everyone.

“We are really trying to promote the art scene in Hattiesburg,” Saffle said. “Whether it’s art, music or dance, there will be a way for everyone to get involved.”

In addition to local art and galleries on display, there will be a smART art program for children in Bianchi’s Pizzeria, Grand Ballroom dancing with free lessons in the Carter Building and The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Dance

will be in screening “Dance for Camera” in the space where Click Boutique was located on Main Street as well.

Also, Shepherd said she will host a pottery demonstration in Main Street Books where people can have the opportunity to come and learn to use a pottery wheel.

Downtown shops and galleries will open for their normal hours on Saturday with extended hours into the evening and most downtown restaurants will be open for business as well.

Page 2 | Thursday, April 9, 2015

INFORMATION MEET THE STAFF OF SPRING 2015

LAB parking lot to open Thursday, April 9

EDITORS & STAFF

The new parking lot on the corner of

North 31st Avenue and Pearl Street will open on Thursday, April 9. The lot will

be referred to as the Liberal Arts Parking Lot and will include 51 faculty/staff

spaces, 73 open zone spaces and five ADA spaces.

The signage indicating spot designation has been ordered but will not be posted prior to opening. However, the lines of the spaces have been painted to

match the rest of campus: lime green

for faculty/staff and white for open zone spaces. Please park accordingly.

Dirty Birds

• On Monday, vandalism was reported in Century Park at 2 p.m.

The incident occurred between March 4 and March 6. The case remains open.

• On Tuesday, auto burglary was reported at 1:45 p.m. The case remains open.

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. Friday. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space, or journalistic ethics.

Police Contact Information

When reporting, the following information should be provided:

• Nature of the crime or emergency • Name, address and phone number of the caller • Location of incident • Description of the scene and suspects • Description of any vehicles involved, especially license plate numbers

Source: www.krazydad.com

University Police 911 (emergency) 601.266.4986 (non-emergency) Bond Hall, First Floor West

NEWS

ON CAMPUS

Thursday, April 9, 2015 | Page 3

International Food Fair embraces campus diversity Nan Buti

Printz Reporter The University of Southern Mississippi International Student & Scholar Services and English Language Institute (ELI) will host their annual International Food Fair, a special event to showcase the university’s international students and their cultures.

“I think learning about other people’s culture aids people in learning the human experience,” USM alumnus Tyler Meador said.

“I am so thankful for the (Center for International Education) at Southern Miss. Food is something all humans connect with and it gives students the opportunity to learn about

people’s culture and eat good food at the same time.”

The International Food Fair provides international students with an opportunity to share their customs and cultures by offering their favorite foods from those backgrounds with the area community. Participants dress in traditional clothing to represent their backgrounds.

Posters and backdrops of photos and facts about participants’ home countries will also be displayed.

The food fair evolved from a general International Fair that was mainly culture-oriented, but each year, more students showed desires to serve food at their tables. In spring 2003, the annual International Food Fair was born with a focus on

international foods.

This year, the International Food Fair will take place Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Baptist Student Union. Coordinators of the fair and both departments are anticipating at least 200 attendees for the event, which is open t o anyone.

“The students who set up displays and serve the food get the opportunity to interact on a personal level with American students and community members,” said Elizabeth Shoemake, interim director of International Student and Scholar Services.

“The people who come to the fair get to meet people from all over the world, and have a gastronomic tour

of the globe in a matter of a couple of hours.”

Students of any background from the Center for International Education were encouraged to take the opportunity to share a piece of a unique heritage with the Southern Miss community. A $2 entry fee will be collected at the door.

“It’s amazing to see all of the

Courtesy Photo

international and Southern Miss students coming together in one place,” said Hannah Jones, coordinator for the Center of International Education. “I think that the food fair benefits everyone. It gives a chance for the international students to show off their culture and for USM students to learn about some of the diverse cultures of the world.”

ON CAMPUS

Cook Library to celebrate National Library Week Chris Lee

Printz Reporter Next week The University of Southern Mississippi’s Joseph A. Cook Library will host a series of events in celebration of National Library Week. The celebration is a weeklong affair that aims to bring attention to our nation’s many libraries and librarians as well as promote library use and support.

Events will include an edible book festival, a library fine amnesty day when student can return overdue books free of charge, a book sale and other activities that celebrate the importance of libraries. The celebration was instituted nationally by the American Library Association, and libraries throughout the country find their own ways to celebrate it.

“The purpose of participating in this national event is to bring attention to the services and events we have going here at Cook Library,” said Dawn Smith, assistant to the Dean for

Publicity and Outreach. “We will also be highlighting our different departments so that the campus can see the people behind our services.”

“As college students, we spend a lot of time in the library,” said Taylor Herring, senior history major. “What many students don’t realize, though, is that Cook Library contains many more resources than just the study rooms or computers. We have an awesome staff of librarians who are sincerely willing to help with research or class projects. Not to mention, Cook holds over one million books. Its resources and staff are top-notch, and I think National Library Week will help students realize what all our library has to offer.”

The celebration will begin on Monday with an edible book festival at Cook Library Learning Commons Gallery and will end on Friday with a celebration of National Repository Day in Cook Library Room 123. With the exception of the library fine amnesty day, all events are open to the public.

Monday, April 13 Edible Book Festival, Cook Library Learning Commons Gallery Tuesday, April 14 - between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Library Fine Amnesty Day Only available for overdue fines on items that are brought in that day (fines already accrued, replacement charges, nonrefundable billing fees are excluded Only available for undergraduate, graduate and ELI students ) Wednesday, April 15 Book Sale, Cook Library Art Gallery Thursday, April 16 Book Sale, Cook Library Art Gallery Friday, April 17 Book Sale, Cook Library Art Gallery Institutional Repository Day, Cook Library Room 123

Susan Broadbridge/Printz

Southern Miss Cook Library will Celebrate National Library Week April 13-17.

INTERNATIONAL

Professor weighs in on Iran conversation Andrew Dutton Printz Reporter

Negotiations with Iran about its nuclear program have concluded with a framework plan announced

by President Obama April 2.

As reported by The Guardian, the framework entails that Iran will make drastic cuts in its nuclear program in return for gradual lifting of sanctions placed against Iran’s economy. It is considered a historic breakthrough in the negotiations.

A fact sheet issued by the U.S. State Department contains specific details about the reduction in the number of centrifuges, the nature and pace of sanctions relief and the extent of inspections that

Iran will face for up to 25 years.

The problem is this fact sheet was not part of any agreement.

There are some similarities between the fact sheet and what is said on the Iranian Foreign Ministry website. However, the Iranian position conflicts with the fact sheet issued by the United States as Iranians were of the understanding not a single nuclear activity would be suspended or closed.

USM associate professor of political science Robert Press has been following the talks closely.

“These negotiations were hard, very serious and it took months,” Press said. “They are proceeding on the basis of mistrust on both sides.”

Press explained the position of Iran in this deal.

“The key is verification and reward,” he said. “The Iranians want these sanctions lifted immediately in order to heal the economy which is suffering.”

Press expresses hope and believes they are serious about this agreement.

“When this deal was made, the talk in the mosques on Friday were all about the good news of this agreement,” Press said. “That’s significant because the Supreme Leader sets the tone for what is talked about in the mosques.”

Support for this deal has been held steadfast by the Obama administration. CNN news anchor and author Fareed Zakaria

supports the deal, believing it to be the best option.

In his blog, Zakaria discusses two other alternatives to this deal with Iran. The first is return to sanctions.

“If the sanctions are maintained, Iran will be in trouble,” Zakaria said. “Oil prices have halved and are expending resources in Iraq and Syria. The pressure will be real.”

Zakaria also does not believe the sanctions will put a stop to the nuclear program. He cites that since 2003, it has grown exponentially despite the sanctions put against them.

“Option two is a military attack,” Zakaria said. “An attack would mean splintering the International

Coalition against Iran. The sanctions would crumble and Iran would be able to rebuild.”

Opposition to the deal has been building as well. The Wall Street Journal reported Israeli officials and their supporters gearing up for a lobbying effort against the deal.

“There is an alternative: to stand firm, get a much better deal, a deal that can be trusted.

The deal has to be made on the assumption that Iran might violate it,” said Israeli Minister of Intelligence Yuval Steinitz.

In response to the framework agreed upon April 2, Steinitz has presented a list of changes that drastically reworks the initial proposal.

FEATURE

Page 4 | Thursday, April 9, 2015

CAREER

Students bridge the experience gap Mary Sergeant

Across the country, recent college graduates are facing what many refer to as the “experience gap” or “skills gap” when it comes to seeking a job upon graduation.

USA Today reported that though the number of unemployed U.S.

many ways Southern Miss aids its students in bridging the “experience gap,” Career Services is one of the first places the university suggests to turn to when it comes to looking for internships and employment.

Career Services offers several tools for students to use when seeking job and skill experience.

First, the department offers Eagle

According to the Career Services website, Eagle Employment allows students to search for “jobs, internships and on-campus interviews.” There is also an option for students to upload their resumes to the database in order to be viewed by future employers.

Career Services also encourages students to come by and have

Employers look for well-rounded applicants who not only have an education but work experience, and community involvement as well.”

Another way Southern Miss is helping its students bridge the experience gap is by having certain majors require, or strongly encourage, their students to complete a practicum, internship or

a 10-15 minute presentation on all of the work he had completed.

“It gave me a preview of my career.

In fact, that’s where I’ll be working when I get out of college because I enjoyed it so much and they liked me,” he said. “It was difficult at times because they just threw me into it and expected me to learn on the fly, but overall it solidified my choice to

citizens with bachelor’s degrees has dropped 2.8 percent, there are still 44 percent of college graduates who claim they are unemployed.

Today, students are now expected to gain knowledge of the working world while they are in college. “Well, how are we expected to do that?” a student might ask.

The University of Southern Mississippi offers many programs and outlets to help and encourage students to take their learning outside of the classroom. Of the

Employment, an online database only accessible to students and alumni of the university.

“Attending Career Fairs is a wonderful way to start networking with employers and work on those professional skills that many students may not have had the opportunity to use or practice prior to that experience,” said Kathy Killam, assistant director of Career Services.

“Students, no matter what their academic level, can benefit from the Career Fair experience.”

their resumes reviewed by the department. According to Killam, they will help students with formatting as well as content.

“Students should take opportunities to become involved in student, community and professional organizations whenever possible, and take leadership roles within those organizations,” she said.

“Students should also gain some work experience, preferably in their area of professional interest even if that experience is as a volunteer.

externship during their time at USM or immediately following.

Former student Ainsley Vaughan graduated in May 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in deaf education. She is now pursuing a Masters of Science in deaf education at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

While at Southern Miss, she was required to complete a practicum within her department.

“In my undergraduate program, I was taught how to teach children who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) in an array of different educational settings,” she said. “The practicum and student teaching helped me take what I learned in class and apply it to real students who are D/HH.” Her practicum experience eventually led her to pursue her masters in education.

“Those experiences helped me gain knowledge of my field, and what kind of deaf educator and population of students I wanted to target,” she said. “It’s hard to fully understand the things you learn in class until you can actually start applying them.”

Thomas Haring is a junior construction engineering technology major. This major requires students to work at an outside venue. This past summer, Haring worked over 400 hours at Hargrove EPC. “The teacher had a conference call with my boss to ensure the job was good enough to satisfy the requirements,” he said. “I had to log all my activities at work for the entire summer by the hour.”

Haring was then required to write two papers explaining his activities and how they would help him in his future endeavors. At the end of the summer semester, Haring presented

pursue a career in project controls/ project management.”

Senior paralegal studies and sociology double major Madeline Kuluz said her major strongly encourages its students to pursue an internship. She has had several internships and jobs that she has been able to use as credit hours through her department.

Kuluz will attend law school at the University of Mississippi in the fall of 2015.

“I think this definitely makes you more marketable to law schools, but especially the workforce,” she said.

“When you’ve gotten experience, it counts towards experience time and it’s real experience you can apply to schools or a law firm.”

Junior kinesiotherapy major Katherine Brewer will begin her internship in the spring of 2016. Her program requires its students to begin meeting with their adviser a year in advance to help them secure an internship in a good location.

According to Brewer, spaces are very limited at certain locations.

They then contract with the facility they will be working with and move to begin working. The following semester, they start the process over again. Brewer said kinesiotherapy students typically intern during the fall and spring of their senior year.

Campus-wide, more and more majors require their students to gain experience. And whether a student is required to have an internship, externship or practicum, it has been proven across the nation that skills learned in those programs better a student’s success at finding a job post-graduation.

For more information on internships and employment visit www.usm.edu/career-services.

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FEATURE

ON CAMPUS

Thursday, April 9, 2015 | Page 5

Featured authors share story of John Roy Lynch Sydne’ Autry Printz Reporter

Each year, Southern Miss hosts the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival. The festival, which brings out over 400 teachers and librarians from around the country, consists of authors, illustrators and field experts sharing their expertise.

In addition to the concurrent sessions and workshops, this year’s festival includes panels featuring author Chris Barton, managing editor at Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Kathleen Merz, author and illustrator Don Tate, author David Levithan and author Deborah Wiles.

Barton, Tate and Merz kicked off the first of two panels Tuesday afternoon in the Thad Cochran Ballroom I with a breakdown on their book, “The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch.”

Barton is the author of the novel, whereas Tate served as the illustrator and Merz as the book’s editor.

“The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch” is a children’s book about the life of John Roy Lynch, a childhood slave in Mississippi whose circumstances transform with the historic Emancipation Proclamation. The book aims to present slavery and the era of

reconstruction to children in an accessible manner.

“Ultimately, the book is about the peace we are still fighting for,” Tate said. Throughout the session, the trio discussed the making of the book. Barton revealed he became familiar with story of John Roy Lynch after viewing a documentary on election fraud.

The coincidental documentary led him to the story of Lynch, who went on to serve as a justice of peace and was eventually elected into the United States Congress, becoming one of the first African-American congressmen.

“He’s one story I truly wanted to tell,” Barton said.

“The era is very important and there are not a lot of stories about reconstruction.”

Barton also revealed that alongside his detailed writing, the illustrations play an enormous part in overall success of the novel.

Tate’s vivid illustrations were done in a way that the scenes would present greatness for students in the classrooms.

“Don was right at the very top of my list and I was so glad Eerdmans agreed,” Barton said.

Toward the end of the session, a Q&A took place where the audience inquired about a second book or follow-

Susan Broadbridge/Printz

Author Chris Barton and illustrator Don Tate appear at Southern Miss’ 48th Annual Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival about their new book, ‘The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch.’ The children’s picture book about Reconstruction was launched on April 1.

up. Barton revealed that his next project will speak on segregation and NASA. Attendees of the festival can look forward to a second panel

Friday at 1:45 p.m. in the Thad Cochran Ballrooms.

The festival is being held in the Thad Cochran Center and will last

until Friday.

For a tentative schedule of all events, visit www.usm.edu/ childrens-book-festival/2015general-information

LIFE

Social media affects human interaction Emma Reeves Printz Reporter

A recent USA Today post by Jasmine Fowlkes, a recent mass communications graduate from the University of South Florida explained research which stated that social media is destroying society’s social skills because social media reduces face-to-face interactions, particularly among college students who are constantly surrounded by digital media.

“One in four people spend more time socializing online than they do in person. Even when there is an opportunity to see people face-to-face, up to 11 percent of adults still prefer to stay at home and communicate on their devices instead,” said a study done for the online casino Yazino.

According to the article, other studies have found that in-person communication is most important.

“Researchers have found word-of-mouth exchanges and indepth conversation are still most influential,” Fowlkes said.

A University of California, Los Angeles study, cited by Stuart Wolpert in the UCLA Newsroom, found that students who avoided electronic devices were better able to recognize human emotions than students that spent

A photo illustration depicting our decreasing ability to physically socialize due to our dependence on social media.

hours using electronics. These findings agree with Fowlkes opinions on the importance of in-person communication.

“You can’t learn nonverbal emotional cues from a screen in the way you can learn it from face-toface communication,” said Yalda Uhls, lead author of the UCLA study and a senior researcher with UCLA’s Children’s Digital Media in Wolpert’s article. “If you’re not practicing faceto-face communication, you could be losing important social skills.”

Fei Xue, an associate professor and associate director in the School of Mass Communication

and Journalism at The University of Southern Mississippi, discussed the impact social media have on humans’ lives.

“Research has shown spending too much time on social media could hurt an individual’s social skills,” Xue said.

However, he also said that these negative effects could be prevented, and social media could have positive effects. “If you look at social media as a part of life, not your entire life, it could help maintain a healthy social life,” Xue said.

“The jury is still out on the effects of social media on social skills,” said

Aaron J. Stewart/Printz

Ann Kinnell, chair of the Department of Sociology and an associate professor within the department at Southern Miss.

“Some studies find positive effects, some find negative effects. It seems to really depend on the type of social media, the psychological characteristics of the person, etc,” she said.

As an echo to Kinnell, Lakelyn Taylor, a sophomore communications studies major, agreed with Kinnell that many factors had to be considered when making any judgment about social media’s effects.

“It can be said that social media sites can harm social skills,” Taylor said. “However, these sites should not hold the sole blame for that. You cannot blame social media. You must blame the person because it is their choice to make.

Social media isn’t the sole reason for a lack in communication.”

Xue also mentioned some of the specific potential benefits of electronic communication.

“Social media (may) also provide an opportunity for individuals who may be afraid of speaking in public to become more vocal online and make connections,” he said.

“It is sometimes easier for some people to communicate online, away from the pressures of in person communication,” Taylor said.

As to whether or not social media really harms social skills, Kinnell remarked succinctly, “I think the upshot is that, as with any technology, there are both positive and negative effects.”

Still, it may be important to remember Fowlkes final comment, “Nothing replaces the once-in-alifetime experiences and memories made in college, and believe it or not, even with modern technology, those moments and feelings can’t be tweeted, Facebooked or emailed.”

OPINION

Page 6 | Thursday, April 9, 2015

RELIGION

Jesus: more than a TV character Alan Rawls

Managing Editor

In the South, religion is everywhere you look. For some reason we southerners just love having churches everywhere, opening businesses that proudly display the Ten Commandments and watching religious movies.

From the original “The Ten Commandments” to the typical, low-budget, Jesus-cast-as-areally-white-guy movie about the life of Christ, it seems religion — particularly Christianity, of course — has always found its way onto our TV screens.

But now we’re seeing a rise in religious entertainment. Mel Gibson brought us “The Passion of the Christ” in 2004, grossing a ridiculous $370.8 million.

About 10 years later, we now have History Channel’s 2014, 10-hour docudrama “The Bible,” its NBC follow-up “A.D.: The Bible Continues,” CNN’s latest series “Finding Jesus: Faith, Fact, Forgery” and much more.

The producers of these films are raking in huge amounts of money. According to USA Today, 20th Century Fox’s film “Son of God” brought in over $56 million in 2014. And even those films that had a lot of so-called creative liberty, like “Noah” and “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” continue to draw in large audiences.

It looks like Hollywood has finally realized the potential of catering to entertainmentstarved Christians who don’t want to see movies about violence, sex or the demonic and Satan-worshipping world of Harry Potter.

But I have to wonder if I’m the only person who has a problem with all of this, especially if I’m the only Christian who has a problem with this.

For those of you Christians out there who enjoy shows like “The Bible,” did you enjoy historical inaccuracies or creative liberty?

Did you think it was nice of the History Channel to do a show like this?

It’s not necessarily bad to enjoy these shows and movies, but come on, the History Channel didn’t launch “The Bible” because they wanted Christians to have a good, biblical source of entertainment.

They, like every other company that has produced something like “The Bible” are treating Jesus Christ as nothing more than a cash cow.

As if Jesus didn’t already suffer enough on the cross, now Hollywood is bludgeoning him like he’s a piñata in the hopes that more dollars will fall out.

And to me, that’s sickening.

“Hollywood has the same corporate and relativist values it has had for many years,” said Jeffrey McCall, professor of media studies at DePauw

Courtesy Photo

University, according to USA Today. “The producers have, however, identified a market that is underserved and won’t come to the movie theater to watch crazy violence and sexdrenched plots.”

I don’t mean to pick on just one show, but let’s go back to “The Bible.” The mini-series’ married producers, Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, unveiled the new spin-off show “A.D.: The Bible Continues” this Easter Sunday.

In a January USA Today article

by Roberto Bianco, Downey and Burnett discuss the Easter premiere.

“It’s the perfect launch day, isn’t it?” Downey said. “We are people of deep faith,” Burnett said. “And we know God’s hands were all over it. It belonged on Easter Sunday.”

But then Burnett said something that troubles me.

Bianco wrote, “But don’t think that means the miniseries is all sweetness and light. Burnett thinks of (the show) as ‘House of Cards’ in the 1st Century — a story with action, adventure and political oppression.”

Seriously? I don’t want anyone to produce a show about the early church that is comparable to a show like “House of Cards.”

What, will the apostle Paul team up with Mary Magdalene to take Peter’s role as leader of the church in Judea?

And what’s worse than Hollywood manipulating the Bible is the fact that people just keep on coughing up the dough.

As soon as someone produces a Christian movie or show, it’s

almost as if Fry from “Futurama” is holding out a fistful of dollars, shouting, “Shut up and take my money.”

The Bible and the story of Jesus Christ are more than just

a constant source of income for Hollywood. Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for everyone, and that sacrifice deserves more dignity and respect than more and more

films. And the only way we’re ever going to show said dignity and respect is to start taking that sacrifice more seriously and to avoid these visual renditions of biblical tales.

Applications are now being accepted for: Academic Year 2015-2016

Executive Editor, The Student Printz All applicants for the positions should email a packet that includes: 1. A formal letter of application.

2. A personal statement of intent which includes: a. A statement of philosophy of goals for the publication b. A plan for carrying out those goals c. An evaluation of the 2014-2015 operation 3. A resume 4. Three letters of recommendation to cover some academic as well as professional credentials.

5. A complete transcript of all college-level work (Minimum 2.5 overall GPA is required) 6. At least three writing samples by the applicant.

Submit to: Dr. Jeanne Gillespie, chair jeanne.gillespie@usm.edu

Deadline: 4 p.m., Thursday, April 9 All materials should be 8 1/2 x 11” No materials can be returned

Interviews: Wednesday, April 15 at 2:00 p.m.

Dean’s Conference Room, LAB 209

All applicants must attend

SPORTS

SOFTBALL

Thursday, April 9, 2015 | Page 7

Troy too much for Lady Eagles James Johnson Sports Reporter

The Southern Miss softball team dropped both games in a doubleheader Tuesday against the Troy Trojans. The first game of the day was a 4-2 defeat, followed by a 3-1 defeat at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.

In game one, The Lady Eagles got on the board first. Morgan McKeever led off for Southern Miss and singled to left field to reach first base. McKeever advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Samantha Reynolds.

With one out and a runner on second, Sarah Evans stepped up to the plate and hit a single to left field to move McKeever to third. Center fielder Katie Cleary was next in the batting order and singled to left field to bring McKeever home and give Southern Miss an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

The Lady Trojans caught fire from the plate in the third inning, hitting back-to-back home runs.

Kate Benton led off for Troy and singled to left field to reach first base. Hannah Day stepped up to the plate and reached first base on a fielder’s choice. Benton was thrown out as she rounded second base and tried to reach third.

Becca Hartley was responsible for the first home run; she faced a 2-1 count when she got a pitch right down the middle. She made contact and from the moment it left her bat, there was no question the ball was

BASEBALL

going over the complex walls. The home run brought Day home as well and gave the Lady Trojans a 2-1 lead.

Ashley Rainey followed with a solo home run, her sixth of the season, over the center field wall to increase the lead to 3-1.

The Lady Eagles struggled to produce anything at the plate and Troy took advantage of that in the top of the fifth inning. Benton led off for Troy and reached first base on a bunt. Benton then stole second on the next pitch and reached third base on a Day ground out.

Although Hartley flied out to center field, Benton was able to reach home and push the lead to 4-1.

The Lady Eagles answered back in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, Emily Wood entered the game as a pinch hitter, drawing a walk and allowing Shelbee Rodgers to cut the lead in half, 4-2.

That was as close as the Lady Eagles would get to Troy in game one as the Lady Trojans closed out the game with three straight outs giving Southern Miss the 4-2 loss.

Just like game one in the final game of the double header, the Lady Eagles were the first team to get on the board. Southern Miss broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning.

With one out, Kaelyn Christofferson singled to shortstop and made it all the way to third on two throwing errors. Two batters later, Reynolds stepped up to the

Kara Davidson/Printz

With one out, Kaelyn Christofferson singled to shortstop and made it all the way to third on two throwing errors. The Lady Eagles lost twice in a doubleheader against the Troy Trojans Tuesday.

plate and singled up the middle to score Christofferson and give Southern Miss a 1-0 lead entering the sixth inning.

Troy answered back in the sixth when Day tied the game with her fifth home run of the season. The Lady Trojans secured the sweep when Michelle Phelps hit a tworun home run that gave Troy a 3-1 victory.

At the plate for Southern Miss, Christofferson, Cleary and Evans finished with a pair of hits. Mallory Hayden, Samantha Reynolds, McKeever and Danielle Block all finished with one hit, giving the Lady Eagles 10 total hits on the day.

On the mound, Block gave up five hits finished with three strike outs and walked three batters in

Golden Eagles sweep rival Ole Miss Jacob Kemp Sports Reporter

The third match between instate rivals Ole Miss and Southern Miss ended with the Golden Eagles defeating the Rebels, 6-5. The two teams played their final game against one another Tuesday night at Trustmark Park, in Pearl, Mississippi.

USM had the Rebels’ number as of late and defeated them for the sixth straight time, which includes a stretch of nine wins in their last 10 contests. Ole Miss did not go quietly and provided USM with a heated contest with five lead changes.

The Golden Eagles struck first. In the top half of the first, an RBI double by Taylor Braley plated Connor Barron. Ole Miss answered in the bottom half of the inning and took a 2-1 lead behind sacrifices by Colby Bortles and J.B. Woodman.

The Rebel lead faded quickly as the very next inning, Nick Dawson sent a fastball right back up the middle and plated Sterling.

Ole Miss’ pitching let them down as they walked home a run after USM loaded the bases. USM extended their lead in the third as Sterling drove in Tim Lynch, who doubled earlier in the inning.

Ole Miss cut the lead back to one in the bottom of the frame when Bortles notched an RBI single to make the score 4-3 with USM leading. They would then take the lead once again in the bottom of the fifth when Sikes Orvis blasted a two-run double and gave the Rebels their final lead of the game, 5-4.

Sterling started things off in the sixth with a single and then, with a stolen base, he put himself in scoring position. Dylan Burdeaux tied things after a single to right center allowed Sterling to score.

Ole Miss’ mistakes continued to haunt them and ultimately cost them the game. In the seventh, power hitter Matt Durst sent one in the gap for a leadoff double.

After a ground out and strikeout, Durst moved to third.

With two outs and Sterling up to bat, the Rebels brought in

relief pitcher, Drake Robinson.

Robinson let a curveball slip away from him and it ended up in the dirt and it kept rolling to the backstop. Durst took advantage and crossed the plate and gave USM the lead for good.

Ryan Milton closed things out in the ninth and notched his seventh save of the season.

Tim Lynch, Michael Sterling and Taylor Braley each had at least two hits, Lynch with three and Sterling and Braley with two apiece.

Braley led the team with two RBI’s with Budreaux, Sterling and Nick Dawson adding one apiece.

USM’s bullpen lived up to billing as one of the best in the NCAA. Currently ranked ninth in the nation, with a collective ERA of 2.48, they are also top in Conference USA. Four USM relievers combined to allow just one earned run over three innings.

The Golden Eagles continue their road trip Friday, as they take on Conference USA foe Western Kentucky in a three-game series.

game one. In game two, Rodgers was called to the mound, and she finished the game allowing nine hits and walking two while striking out six.

The Lady Eagles (16-21, 2-10 Conference USA) will return to the diamond on Saturday, when they face off against Western Kentucky on the road in a doubleheader.

SPORTS

Page 8 | Thursday, April 9, 2015

OPINION

Fixing the one-and-done epidemic Joshua Campbell Sports Editor

Every year, the top college basketball players are faced with a tough decision once the season concludes. Do I take my chances and enter the NBA Draft or should I return to school for another year?

With the current state of college and professional basketball, a culture has been established by top prospects declaring for the draft after spending only one season at the collegiate level. But this culture of one-and-dones has severely damaged both the college game and the NBA. For every Anthony Davis that comes out after one season and becomes a superstar, there is a Rodney White who never makes an impact in the league. Who is Rodney White? Exactly my point—nobody knows.

To shed some light, White spent one season dominating the Atlantic 10 Conference at Charlotte and parlayed his one successful season into becoming the No. 9 overall pick by the Detroit Pistons. He started only 21 games in his brief NBA career and is one of the biggest draft busts of recent memory.

Far too often, players bolt to the NBA after one season and never really materialize as solid pros because they never had the opportunity to fully develop. Young players need as much time on the court in actual games as they can get to gain experience and mold their games in order to earn a spot in an NBA rotation.

But only a select few players that leave college after one year are afforded the opportunity to grow on the court in the NBA, which inevitably leads them to never fully develop. It damages the league as teams spend high draft picks on these players, hoping to tap into that potential, but ultimately, most of those picks don’t end up how they hoped.

One of the best things about college sports is the electric atmosphere. A lot of times, what fuels that atmosphere are rivalries between schools and over time, particular players. But that does not happen anymore in college basketball because the best players only spend one season in college so the rivalries between players never really get a chance to evolve.

Unless the NBA changes it rules, we will never have the opportunity to witness a great college rivalry like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the ‘70s.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has bounced around the idea of changing the rule to where players must be two years removed from high school rather

than one.

But there has to be a better way to fix this issue instead of just tacking on one more year until players can become eligible to declare for the draft.

With all the discussion going on, especially after Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan made a controversial statement about Duke renting players, I developed my own proposal to change the rule to better enhance the college game and the professional game.

The idea is similar to how Major League Baseball handles its young prospects’ eligibility.

In baseball, players can either choose to go to college and stay for a minimum of three years or go directly to the minor leagues straight out of high school.

There are a handful of undeniable talents every year that are just freakish athletes capable of making the jump from high school to the NBA such as Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Jahlil Okafor.

But sometimes, even those who clearly have the talent to succeed right away never pan out because they never had the opportunity to develop.

So here comes the twist in my proposal. Players would have the choice coming out of high school to enter the draft or go to college where they must stay for a minimum of three years.

However, rather than jumping straight to the NBA out of high school, players that choose to forgo college and enter that draft out of high school, must spend at least one season the NBA Development League.

For years, the NBA has been trying to create buzz and draw attention to the D-League, which is similar to the minor leagues in baseball. But they have been unsuccessful because there are very few recognizable names in the D-League and even fewer that actually make it to the NBA and have a successful career.

With this proposal, the D-League would draw huge crowds and get much more publicity because some of the best young prospects would be playing year after year. Some might think that players would opt to just bite the bullet and spend three years in college rather than go to the D-League, but that would not be the case.

How many 18-year-old kids would turn down the opportunity to get paid handsomely to play basketball? Very few. But to prevent players that simply will never get picked from declaring for the draft out of high school, these players must receive a first-round grade from an advisory board consisting of scouts to declare, much like the NFL offers for players considering to declare early.

In this potential rule change, all sides win. More players would choose to stay in college for at least three years and develop their games. The elite prospects would still only have to wait one year to play in the NBA and the NBA would finally be able to create intrigue for its Development League.

The biggest winner in all this would be the fans. More rivalries will emerge in college basketball with players staying longer and they will have a new league to follow their favorite prospects in the NBA D-League. This proposal is a win-win for the NBA, college basketball and fans of both.

USA Today Sports/Mark J. Rebilas

New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis plays against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Pelicans 74-72.