The Student Printz. April 30, 2015

Volume 99 Issue 54

Thursday, April 30, 2015

www.studentprintz.com PAGE THREE

PAGE FIVE

NEWS

Greek Life

IFC recognized with several awards.

PAGE SIX

PAGE EIGHT

F E AT U R E

OPINION

S P O RT S

Former students get involved even after receiving diplomas.

One person does not define the entire organization.

Eagles win longest game in USM history, 7-6.

Graduation

Fraternity

Baseball

Free Comic Book Day returns Students

ON CAMPUS raise funds for Nepali disaster relief Nikki Smith News Editor

Lavenue Clifton/Printz Manager Justin Adcock and employees Sabrina Watts and Dolly Slade look over items at the Bombshell Comics store as they get ready for Free Comic Book Day with a giveaway of 12,000 comics on Saturday morning.

Lindsey Kelley Printz Reporter

On Saturday, comic book shops around the world and in Hattiesburg will host Free Comic Book Day, a day to celebrate both independently owned comic book stores and comic book enthusiasts.

According to the organization’s website, Free Comic Book Day is not an individually run organization, but instead is administered by a panel of spokesmen from across the comic book industry from retailers, publishers and distributors.

This year, local Hattiesburg comic book retailers Bombshell Comics and Southern Fried Comics will participate in Free Comic Book Day.

Justin Adcock, the owner of Bombshell Comics, said that his store has participated since the first event in 2002. Some of the events to expect from Bombshell Comics are hourly sales, a large tent sale outside of the building, visiting artists and appearances from the Mandalorians, a group of local Star Wars cosplayers.

And, of course, there are many free comics.

“We’re giving out over 12,000 free comics this year,” Adcock said. “We give out more and more each year.”

Over 40 titles will be offered with new and old titles alike such as Marvel’s “The Avengers,” Dark Horse’s new Chuck Palahniuk

graphic edition of “Fight Club,” DC Comics’ “Divergence” and Neil Gaiman’s new project “Lady Justice.”

As one heads downtown, Southern Fried Comics will pair up with the Hub City Humane Society to bring a charitable aspect to the day of fun.

“For a $5 donation or a bag of dog food, you’ll get 10 percent off everything in the store that day,” said Barry Herring, owner of SFC. Two cosplay groups will also be in attendance at the SFC storefront, with Star Wars-themed 501stLegion and steampunk group Airship 67 available for pictures. There will also be a children’s costume contest, with the winner of the contest receiving a

$50 Lego prize pack.

“If you’ve only seen the movies or watched the TV shows, Saturday is the perfect time to sample a comic,” Herring said. “All you have to do is walk in.”

Both Southern Fried Comics and Bombshell Comics will be open at 11 a.m., but to beat the crowd it is often advised to be there early.

“It’s first come, first serve, so who whoever gets there first is going to get the best titles,” Adcock said. “But, we have enough to get through the day.”

For more information on Free Comic Book Day, visit Bombshell Comics or Southern Fried Comic’s respective Facebook pages or visit freecomicbookday.com.

University of Southern Mississippi students and members of the Hattiesburg Nepali Society have created a gofundme account to collect donations for those affected by the earthquake in Nepal April 25.

“We request the support of the Southern Miss and Hattiesburg communities in our efforts to secure relief for Nepal,” said Southern Miss student Khem Raj BC, according to Southern Miss Now. “The families of USM Nepalese students are safe, but some have lost their homes in the earthquake. Any support will be greatly appreciated and help our country and its people recover from this disaster.”

According to the New York Times, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake left many homeless and killed more than 5,000.

The Nepalese government has struggled to get aid, including food, water and tents, to those affected by the disaster.

“Our (primary) goal is to rescue the people,” Brig. Gen. Jagadish Pokharel, a spokesman for the Nepalese Army, said to the New York Times. “We are also trying to synchronize it and to distribute to the needy people. We will do our best.”

To donate to the gofundme account, visit http://www. gofundme.com/szg82g or visit the Hattiesburg Nepali Society Facebook page.

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Page 2 | Thursday, April 30, 2015

INFORMATION MEET THE STAFF OF SPRING 2015

EDITORS & STAFF

Dirty Birds •

On Monday, April 27, petit larceny was reported on East Memorial Drive near Hattiesburg Hall. The theft occurred around 8 p.m. The case remains open.

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

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

Join the ISSS office and the Graduate Student Senate on Thursday, April 30, at 7:30 p.m. for a Candlelight Vigil to honor the victims of the Nepal earthquake. We will meet on the Weathersby Lawn (in front of Walker Science Building) on the Southern Miss campus.

Contact Us 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.

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.

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NEWS ON CAMPUS

Thursday, April 30, 2015 | Page 3

NATIONAL

IFC receives 11 regional awards Univ. of Washington students protest wages Colin Cameron Printz Reporter

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) of Greek Life at The University of Southern Mississippi received 11 awards at the 2015 Southeastern Interfraternity Conference (SEIFC) in Atlanta, Georgia. Also, Southern Miss Director of Greek Life Charles Childress received additional recognition and was awarded the Dr. Tom Shoemaker Adviser of the Year Award, named in the honor of Southern Miss’ former dean of students.

According to Childress, the

leaders of the group engaged in meaningful conversation in an effort to promote sustained improvement and creativity. Those leaders built a great base that is leading to even more success stories this current semester and calendar year.”

Among these awards, USM’s IFC was also awarded the Fraternal Excellence Award. For the second year in a row, Southern Miss was the only university in Mississippi to receive this recognition. The Fraternal Excellence Award recognizes Interfraternity Councils that meet the SEIFC Fraternal Excellence Standards in philanthropy and community service, leadership

past few years at USM. “I could not be more pleased with the steady progress and growth of our fraternity system at Southern Miss,” Southern Miss Vice President for Student Affairs Joe Paul said in a USM press release. “The Interfraternity Council has provided great leadership, and I am happy that their work has been duly recognized by the SEIFC.” The positive growth in USM’s fraternity system has been evident to Greek students as well. Kappa Sigma president Tanner Shaw said that, given the positive growth that Greek Life at Southern Miss is experiencing, the IFC’s recent

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(Back row, left to right): Hunter Hawkins (Pi Kappa Phi), Matthew McMullan (Sigma Phi Epsilon), Will Allen (Sigma Chi), Adam Miller (Sigma Alpha Epsilon), Jacob Fitzgerald (Delta Tau Delta) (Front row, left to right): Charles Childress (Adviser), Chris Huffman (Pi Kappa Phi), Nicholas Souhlas (Sigma Phi Epsilon), Daniel Paul (Pi Kappa Phi), Andrew Burleson (Sigma Alpha Epsilon), Zachary Turner (graduate assistant)

awards included Excellence in Recruitment; Excellence in Publications, Excellence in Philanthropy, Excellence in Outstanding Publication, Excellence in Educational Programming, Excellence in Academic Achievement and Scholarship Programming, Excellence in Alumni Development, Excellence in Campus and Community Relations and Excellence in Community Service.

“The 2014 Southern Miss IFC Executive Board worked diligently to innovate in an effort to provide programs and opportunities to the chapters, their members and Greek Life as a whole,” Childress said. “Throughout the year, the

development, scholarship and academics, social engagement, chapter service, public relations, management, recruitment, legal concerns and judicial processes.

“To receive these awards and the Fraternal Excellence designation for the second year in a row shows that the Southern Miss IFC system is a leader in the southeast,” Childress said. “I’m proud of the fraternity leaders and their commitment to promoting the true values of fraternal life.”

The IFC’s recent achievements not only hold USM’s Greek Life system in high regard compared to other Mississippi universities, they also indicate an overall positive trend in the quality of Greek Life over the

achievements are certainly well deserved.

“The Greek Life system at Southern Miss is without a doubt on the rise,” Shaw said. “Even over the course of the past two years, I have seen dramatic improvement in the amount of inter-fraternity and intersorority activity.”

Shaw added that the relationships between organizations have developed and become more positive.

“The amount of drive and ambition among members in order to reach targets and set new, higher goals is evident throughout the system,” he said. “The 11 awards recently bestowed on our IFC are indication of this trend.”

Andrew Dutton

Printz Reporter Over 4,000 student employees at the University of Washington are set to strike for better wages and conditions.

The strike mostly consists of graduate students who teach undergraduate classes. These classes will be without an instructor during the strike.

USA Today reported the strike vote—over 90 percent came after a protest at a Board of Regents meeting earlier in the month. The protest was led by a coalition of 21 groups within the University of Washington and the protesters sought higher wages, better conditions and a tuition freeze for undergraduate and graduate students.

“Such a result was not expected,” said Norm Arkans, associate vice president of the University of Washington.

Arkans said the protesters demands may already be out of reach. “It was a pretty full cornucopia of demands. I don’t know where it will go from here,” Arkans said.

Arkan’s greatest concern is the impact of 4,000 vacant academic employees.

“We would of course make every effort to minimize the impact on undergraduates, that’s our top concern,” Arkans said.

Mackenzie Barton-Rowledge, a member of the protests, said the group’s overall goals are similar. “Our demands center people above bureaucracy, basic needs above impotent formal complaint structures and a more equitable distribution of wealth as a fundamental tenant

in a healthy society,” BartonRowledge said.

The list of demands the protesters are striking for include a freeze or reduction in the cost of tuition and fees, campus worker wages raised to $15 per hour and affordable and accessible childcare for all university staff, faculty and students.

Paul Pierce, a sophomore studying construction engineering at The University of Southern Mississippi, offered his own opinion about the protesters fight for higher wages.

“It sounds good but then you have to think about whether the university is going to raise prices for things like books or cost of living,” he said. “You gotta think that if minimum wage goes up out there, then cost of living goes up and gas goes up.”

Pierce commented on the protesters themselves.

“I feel like they’re doing it to get the money, but I don’t think they thought it through.

Something is always going to come with raising the minimum wage,” he said.

Kendric Burdstone, a sophomore studying physical therapy at USM, gave an opposing stance on the protests.

“The minimum wage is fine for the cost of living to me,” Burdstone said.

Burdstone works at the Payne Center and makes minimum wage at $7.25 per hour.

When asked if she would support the raise the minimum wage, she said, “I would support the raise. I mean it’s more money.”

ON CAMPUS

Dance majors to showcase choreography Thursday Sydne’ Autry Printz Reporter

The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Dance will kick off its spring “Studio 115” dance concert Thursday in the Theatre and Dance Building.

The concert will feature choreographic projects created by seven junior dance majors.

Jamiaus Marion, a junior dance performance and choreography major, will showcase his choreography, titled “Underneath the Woodburied Forrest 1921.”

The self-titled piece includes 11 dancers, and while it does not necessarily have a set meaning, it is inspired by the movie, “The Woman in Black.”

“I created a story about 11 killers being trapped in a forest haunted by the mistakes they have faced in the past,” Marion said. “It also shows how relationships can form in the midst of turmoil and stress.”

Marion went on to explain that his black costumes, as well as the movement in the piece are highly dramatic and stylized.

“I want the student body to come see this because it’s different and something fun and exciting to watch,” Marion said. “Along with my fellow colleagues, we have worked very hard in making these works.”

Each junior is required to create a dance project in order to fulfill the junior choreography component and advance to his

or her senior year.

Although the students decide on the theme, music, costume choice and lighting for their piece, faculty members serve as a guide or “listening ear” throughout their process.

One faculty member that mentored the students is professor Kelly Lester, who

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revealed each piece presented in the concert includes originality and investigates personal interest or emotions.

“I am proud of the work by our students as they each are developing a unique artistic voice,” Lester said. “This a major embark for our students as they embark on creating a

work with less limitations than the other dance compositions.”

Lester went on to express her great pleasure working with the students and excitement for the audience to see the unique pieces.

“These works represent each individual and his or her creative vision,” Lester said.

The concert will take place April 30 and May 1-2 at 7:30 p.m. and May 2 at 2 p.m.

Guests attending the opening night will receive a treat as a post-performance “Meet the Artist” takes place.

General admission for the event is $5.

For more information on the concert, visit w w w. u s m . e d u / d a n c e / 2 0 1 4 2015-season.

Page 4 | Thursday, April 20, 2015

ON CAMPUS

FEATURE

Art professor celebrates 50 years of teaching Lindsey Kelley Printz Reporter

James Meade, a professor of drawing and painting at The University of Southern Mississippi, celebrates his 50th year teaching as well as his 44th year at Southern Miss.

Meade was born in western Virginia in the small miner’s town of Coeburn, the grandson of coal miners who never dreamed of teaching at a university. He was an active child who enjoyed hunting, fishing and playing football.

Meanwhile, he also began to show artistic tendencies.

“When I was a kid, I always drew and painted and made little sculptures,” Meade said. “I didn’t have a chance to study art in elementary or high school.”

Meade was the first of his family to graduate high school and, on the eve of signing with the Marine Corps, he decided to attend college. “(It) took me a while to figure out the ropes, but I thrived in college,” he said. “I’ve stayed with it ever since.”

During a small stint at a state school, Meade took an art history course and rekindled his interest in art. After this discovery, he sought out a studio art department and received his bachelors and masters from East Tennessee State University. He then began to teach freshman drawing courses during his graduate career at ETSU. “Whoever knew that someone who grew up in a coal field would be a university professor teaching art?”

Meade said.

After his time at ETSU, he taught at the University of Georgia, where he received his Masters of Fine

ON CAMPUS

Arts degree.

Meade also has significant ties to Italy, where he formed a school in 1970 that still exists today. He has been to Italy over 18 times, some solo trips but also many with Southern Miss students.

“I’ve been strongly influenced by the Italian Renaissance painters,” Meade said. “As well as the Spaniard Francisco Goya, French artist Honoré Daumier and Rembrandt.

He has also taught abroad, spending two and a half years in Korea studying with a Korean artist, as well as teaching in Korea and China.

As a USM professor, Meade now teaches freshman drawing, freshman two-dimensional, figure drawing, beginning painting and advanced painting.

“I’m a producing artist, I make drawings,” Meade said. “I’ve had about 132 shows of my work. I’ve exhibited at USM, in Laurel, in Jackson, regionally and nationally.

I’ve also participated in 17 international shows.”

Meade said university work allows him to develop his own skills and teaching style.

“My job allowed me to continue to grow and develop on my own,” he said. “I’ve spent the last 44 years developing, learning and growing with drawing and how to teach drawing.”

As much as he loves his art, he said that his favorite aspect of his time at Southern Miss has been his ability to help others.

“It gives me great pleasure to help these students get started. They have to finish on their own, but I help them get started,” he said. “I still keep in touch with the students that I

taught in 1971.”

Some of Meade’s students are approaching their senior painting, drawing and sculpture showings after several years under his tutelage. George Brown, a senior painting major, said Meade was one of two teachers in his career at Southern Miss.

“It’s been a really long journey,” Brown said. “I’ve had him for four years, but I feel like it’s been really fun and really stressful, because art work can be stressful sometimes.“ Brown also talked the inspiration behind his painting work that will appear in the senior show.

“Mr. Meade showed me a painter named Pierre Bonnard, and I got really into him. He does these surreal landscapes,” Brown said.

According to the arts events website, along with Brown, senior artists Sophie Brenneman and Sarah Norman will also present their work beginning April 30 and running through May 8, with the reception occurring April 30 at 5 p.m.

Meade praised his students’ accomplishments and said what a pleasure it was to work with all of them over the years.

“In painting and drawing, the students are in that really want to be there,” he said. No one is forcing them to draw and paint.

They’re there because they enjoy it, and I enjoy working with them.”

In the future, Meade plans to keep teaching and producing while his health holds out and he is able to keep working. Looking back on his long career, he only had positive words for his experiences.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” he said. “I have no regrets.”

Expo brings new flavors to USM Jesse Hammett Printz Reporter

While The University of Southern Mississippi is rife with artists of the visual variety, and those of culinary inclinations are just as important. Students in NFS 430, a course otherwise known as Experimental Foods, seem to be Southern Miss’ best kept secret.

Fortunately, community members and connoisseurs alike had the chance to make the rounds at the Nutrition and Food Systems Expo and experience NFS 430’s gastronomic artistry.

The event took place Tuesday, April 14, as Experimental Food students presented their dishes to attendees in the College of Health’s food laboratory. Each dish was made from a minimum of eight local ingredients selected from 32 different ingredient options. The event was open to the USM campus and the Hattiesburg community.

According to Southern Miss Now, over 100 guests participated.

Attendees helped the students assess if their experimental recipes were adequate as meals. Dishes included goat cheese pizza and

a cake made of beets. For the purpose of allowing guests to make judgments, the students provided sensory measures and evaluations for their respective dishes, according to Southern Miss Now. According to Hanna Knowles, assistant to the dean of College of Health, the presented food was more than adequate enough to make some impressions.

“Judging by their reactions as they taste-tested the food, it was evident guests were impressed with the creative recipes,” Knowles said.

Students enrolled in Experimental Foods have taken the semester in its entirety to learn to develop recipes and deeply understand the characteristics of food. The Expo, according to Knowles, was their chance to showcase what they had been up to all this time.

Knowles also said the students are dedicated to improving the health of Mississippi residents.

“The Expo helps educate students and our community that it’s possible to eat healthy local food in Mississippi,” Knowles said.

“It’s important to pause and think about the complete picture of our food: where it comes from, the

livelihood of the farmers, the impact on our local economy and the nutritional benefits of eating fresh seasonal products.”

Alicia Landry, professor of the Experimental Foods course, oversaw the food’s creation and execution. According to Landry, the foods are considered local because of their contribution to the Mississippi farming economy.

“Local foods are important for local economies,” Landry said.

“They often embody cherished traditions that need to be recognized. When students showcase their talent, knowledge and ability, I believe we all benefit.”

Landry also shared her enthusiasm for the Nutrition and Food Systems department because of its array of opportunities.

“Nutrition is a diverse field with many career options, and we strive to prepare our students to succeed,” Landry said. “Our students are hard-working, dedicated and involved. What more could you ask for?”

More information about the Department of Nutrition and Food Systems can be found at usm.edu/nutrition.

James Meade, professor of drawing and painting at Southern Miss.

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FEATURE

Thursday, April 30, 2015 | Page 5

THEATER

Rock musical recounts story of Christ Yolanda Cruz Copy Editor

This spring, the Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera will open its latest production, “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

As the title implies, the story is a modern retelling of the life of Jesus Christ, focusing on his last days on Earth. Not only does the rock music woven throughout the piece add a new element to it, but this story is also told from the perspective of Judas, not Jesus or some omnipresent narrator. Something unique to this particular production is the fact that the characters of Jesus and Judas are played by two men who alternate roles every show.

“During auditions, we discovered that both actors were qualified for either role,” said Rob Mulholland, director of “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

“Michelle (the music director) and I were having a tough time deciding and that’s when we thought of this.

It is unique in HCLO history and will be particularly fascinating for audience members who are able to see it twice.”

ALUMNI

The two men portraying Jesus and Judas are Joseph VanZandt and Miles Doleac, a Southern Miss professor of classics.

“I’m ecstatic to be doing this show,” Doleac said. “It has been my favorite musical since I was a kid.

This rock ‘n’ roll retelling came out in 1970 in the midst of Woodstock, the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement. It was the opportune moment to do a retelling showing Jesus as the revolutionary he was.”

Doleac has been involved with HCLO since he was a child growing up in Hattiesburg, and last year starred as Jean Valjean in a production of “Les Miserables.”

“Many of the people involved with HCLO are doing it on a volunteer basis, so it’s great to see everyone working so hard on this and really make it an amazing show,” Doleac added.

Sawyer McLeod, a USM alumnus with a BFA in theatre performance, will also perform in this production as the character of Simon Zealotes.

“He’s considered the most passionate and dramatic of all the disciples,” McLeod said. He’s

fiercely devoted to Christ and sings an entire song about how much he and all those surrounding him adore Christ and that they would do anything he asked of them.”

With this piece being a musical, all of the actors have had to do voice work to prepare for their roles.

“Most all of the male roles in the show are in the higher tenor register, and I haven’t used my true tenor voice since I was a music major (freshman year),” McLeod said. “But regardless of what vocal part one sings, the show is very vocally demanding. It’s been very challenging.”

With the story being told from the perspective of Judas, an interesting relationship with Mary Magdalen and all of the rock music, some people consider this piece to be blasphemous. However, those involved with the production do not see this being the case.

“Superstar has been endorsed by thousands of clergy all over the globe, including a number of them locally,” Mulholland said.

“For the original production, Pope Paul VI was quoted as saying that ‘the music was so inviting and so

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Lauren Cate Leake, Joseph VanZandt, Miles Doleac, Lindsey Williams and David Echevarria will be in the upcoming play ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ at the Saenger Theater rolling May 8-10.

spiritual that it would spread the essence of Christ worldwide.’”

“It simply takes the age old story we all know and relates it to today’s audiences, basically making us get a feel for what it would be like if Jesus was around today,” McLeod said.

“There is evidence of all of the things implied in the musical,” Doleac said. “The revolutionary who was a danger to the

establishment could be inferred from the Gospels. If your Jesus is Jesus the revolutionary, then this is the show for you.”

“Jesus Christ Superstar” opens May 7 at 7:30 p.m. The show will continue to run on May 8 and 9 at the same time with a 2 p.m. matinee on May 10. For more information about the show or tickets, check out the Facebook event page or the HCLO website.

Graduates encouraged to stay involved Mary Sergeant Social Media Editor

Among the questions going through the minds of soon-to-be graduates, how to stay involved with their alma mater may prove to be one of their last worries.

But, according to an article published by USA Today, it is mutually beneficial for graduates to remain engaged and involved with the university they attended.

According to Shea Kidd Houze, University of Southern Mississippi associate director of external affairs, USM begins engaging its students as soon as they enter campus through events such as the Painting of the Eagle Walk and the option to be involved with The Legacy, the student chapter of the Alumni Association.

“The Legacy is the campus leader in promoting spirit and enthusiasm on campus by protecting the tradition and history of Southern Miss,” Kidd Houze said. “We encourage everyone to join The Legacy and to attend Legacy events, where each event is centered on tradition and pride.”

Sophie Saizan is a former president of The Legacy.

“Once graduates sign up for the Alumni Association, they will be entered in the database to receive email updates and letters,” Saizan said. “We have alumni chapters all over the U.S. that hold events in their area to keep alumni connected to a close knit USM community

away from Hattiesburg.”

Some recent graduates, though, have become very discouraged with the Alumni Association and how they have been asked to stay involved with Southern Miss.

Kalen Kenney, class of 2014, is one of those students.

“I’ve been very disappointed that the only interaction with our Alumni Association since I graduated last May has been emails and phone calls asking for donations,” he said.

“It’s frustrating and worrisome that the Alumni Association is deterring recent graduates from becoming active alumni by asking for donations so soon after graduation without offering opportunities for those who may not have the means to donate, but would love to serve Southern Miss in another capacity in their communities outside of Hattiesburg.”

On the other end, Jacob Barry, class of 2013, has been quite pleased with the Alumni Association’s interaction with him.

“The Alumni Association sends out emails with events that are going on,” he said. “They have wanted me to come back but I haven’t been able to make it back to any yet.”

But Barry did say he wished the Alumni Association had provided him with more events prior to his graduation.

One way the Alumni Association is granting that wish and encouraging soon-to-be graduates to stay involved with USM following

graduation is through their Senior Send-Off: Grads and Crawdads event. This event will be held May 1 at 3 p.m. at the house of President Rodney Bennett himself.

“It is our hope that the Senior Send-off will offer an opportunity to celebrate all graduates on this exciting milestone and welcome them to the Golden Eagle alumni family,” Kidd Houze said.

To get involved with the Alumni Association, graduates from the past three years can join the

organization for a small fee of $20.

Recent graduates also receive a “grad pack” with their alumni membership, which includes several items such as a portfolio and a license plate. These can be purchased and picked up during cap and gown pick up from May 4-7.

“Southern Miss truly changed my life and I’m continually reminded of the life lessons learned from this beloved institution. As students graduate, their Southern Miss

stories illuminate the power and influence of the Golden Eagle experience,” Kidd Houze said.

“Our alums graduate and become professionals in every type of field imaginable. The common thread to a façade of differences is that we are all ordinary people with an extraordinary love for The University of Southern Mississippi.”

For more information on the Alumni Association and how to stay involved with USM, visit SouthernMissAlumni. com/JoinToday.

2906 Hardy Street by IHOP

OPINION

Page 6 | Thursday, April 30, 2015

NATIONAL

Bad apples lead public to condemn fraternities Chris Lee

Printz Reporter Last weekend, several members of the University of Florida’s and Emory University’s Zeta Beta Tau fraternity were in Panama City, Florida, when they were accused of harassing and spitting on United States military veterans and urinating on American flags.

The fraternity members visited Panama City for their spring formals, which coincided with one of the two annual Warrior Beach Retreat Inc. retreats.

Warrior Beach Retreats Inc. is a nonprofit organization that sends 50 combat wounded veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and their families to Panama City Beach for a seven-day retreat hosted by local businesses in honor of

their service to our country.

Linda Cope, the founder and current executive director of the organization, is the mother of a wounded veteran. Her son, Sgt. Joshua Cope, lost both of his legs and injured both of his hands following an IED blast while serving in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2006. The event inspired his mother to start Warrior Beach Retreats Inc. to honor wounded veterans for their sacrifices.

However, members of the latest retreat were subjected to the heinous and criminal behavior of the University of Florida and Emory University students.

“In all of my years, I’ve never seen such debauchery and disrespect,” Linda Cope told USA Today.

She also indicated that the women who were accompanying the fraternity members were

also behaving disrespectfully.

Since the incident was first reported, the Zeta Beta Tau chapter at the University of Florida has been shut down and a full investigation of the situation has been ordered.

Meanwhile, Emory University has remained quiet about the incident.

The perpetrators could also be subjected to criminal charges.

This incident comes on the backhand of a string of fraternityrelated incidents that have received national attention over the past few months including the Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter at the University of Oklahoma, which was shut down after a video surfaced of members singing racist chants. These incidents have caused many to question whether the problem lies within fraternity culture itself.

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

An appeal to save the USM art and design darkroom in GHB I hope that USM Art and Design will reconsider its decision to close the darkroom. Once it is closed and the space given over to something else there will not be a way to bring it back, and it will create a vacuum in the arts program in my opinion.

In the fine art photography world using film is not dead. It is becoming more popular as artists have now used the digital medium and not found it is all it was cracked up to be. Most artists like working in both digital and film and it is a plus to know both mediums. It can also be a way for an artist to stand out in a crowd.

As Will Jacks, a Mississippi photographer said, “Understanding how a darkroom works makes you a much better photographer even when using digital techniques. It teaches—or perhaps forces—

thoughtfulness if nothing else, which is vital in the arts.”

And from former USM student Olivia Grey Pritchard: “I still work in a wet darkroom occasionally by choice. It is not the same as digital photography, and as a photographer with a successful studio in New Orleans, I don’t believe one learns the same skills without starting with film and a wet darkroom.”

Digital photography is great, but combined with analog photography it makes an even stronger and diversified arts program.

Photography is one of the most popular programs in most art and design programs. And programs that still have darkrooms have an added attraction.

Our darkroom classes are electives at this point, which is OK. They are popular and fill up quickly.

They draw students from other faculties in the university, which introduces more students to our arts and design program. A lot of our students would love to have at least a minor which could be possible in photography. I think if we promoted this we could use it as a way draw to increase our enrollment.

The darkroom is in good enough shape that we can keep it going without major financial commitments.

We also have alums who have endowed the photography program in the past and might be interested in helping to keep it going if we need to make some improvements in the future.

So budget reasons are not the best reasons for closing the darkroom.

Sincerely, Betty Press Adjunct professor of photography

The answer? Well yes, and no.

Many people like to treat fraternities as if they are all connected somehow, when in reality, every fraternity is different and has its own culture. The University of Florida chapter immediately expelled the members involved with this incident and the fraternity’s national headquarters was quick to condemn the student’s actions.

To say that there is a problem with fraternity culture nationally just is not true. Fraternities do a lot of great things.

They help students to adjust to college, build lifelong friendships, teach social skills such as networking and they raise millions of dollars for charity each year. Just look at some of the people who have been fraternity members.

Sanford Weil, who is the CEO

of Citigroup, the top-ranked business in the Forbes 500 list, was a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi at Cornell University.

Dr. Seuss was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon during his time at Dartmouth University.

In fact, 17 of the last 25 United States presidents were fraternity members at some point. On a national scale, college fraternities are producing a lot of successful people.

It’s time that we stop calling for the end of all fraternities and start taking these incidents on case-by-case basis. The focus needs to be on fraternities’ national oversight, rather than their worth. When a fraternity house starts to drift into creating a negative culture, it can be a slippery slope. Good fraternities don’t make bad people. Bad people make bad fraternities.

SPORTS

Thursday, April 30, 2015 | Page 7

FOOTBALL

Pass rushers and receivers dominate mock draft Joshua Campbell Sports Editor

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-14): Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State Jameis Winston is the better pro prospect than Marcus Mariota and the Bucs would be foolish to pass on Winston. He may have struggles early on, but his ceiling is Andrew Luck-like.

2. Tennessee Titans (2-14): Leonard Williams, DE, USC This pick could end up being traded to secure the right of Mariota, but if the Titans keep it, Williams is a no-brainer. He brings versatility and physicality that would immediately improve the defense.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dante Fowler, Jr., DE, Florida The Jaguars have been trying to find a pass rush for years and should lean toward the purest pass rusher in Fowler. He can play the run and the pass and shows impressive counter moves for such a young prospect.

4. Oakland Raiders (3-13): Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama The more I think about it, the Raiders seem likely to stray from their ways and go with the guy that makes the most sense for their team. If Al Davis was still around, Kevin White would without a doubt be the pick here. But the Raiders need help on the outside, especially on third down, and a polished route runner like Cooper will be a stud in Oakland.

5. Washington Redskins (4-12): Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson Beasley has emerged as the best option for the Redskins with concerns about Randy Gregory and Shane Ray. He will immediately upgrade their pass rush and ease the loss of Brian Orakpo.

6. New York Jets (4-12): Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon Recent comments suggest that the Jets are willing to live with Geno Smith and give him one more year to prove himself, but that is likely just a smoke screen. If Mariota falls this far, the Jets will grab him.

7. Chicago Bears (5-11): Kevin White, WR, West Virginia With Brandon Marshall no longer in town, wide receiver becomes a realistic option for the Bears.

Pairing White with Alshon Jeffery would terrorize defenses for years to come.

8. Atlanta Falcons (6-10): Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky They would have loved if Gregory and Ray stayed out of trouble, but the Falcons get forced to reach for a need. Dupree is a dynamic athlete, but a better secondary rusher.

9. New York Giants (6-10): Brandon Scherff, OG, Iowa When the Giants were winning Super Bowls, they were dominant in the trenches. It’s time for them to get back to that, starting with taking the best offensive lineman available.

10. St. Louis Rams (6-10): Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford The Rams traditionally draft the best player available, but the top

players left all have major baggage.

They will stay conservative and get Peat, who could develop into a premier tackle.

11. Minnesota Vikings (7-9): DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville The Vikings are in need of receivers; Greg Jennings is gone and Cordarrelle Patterson is still learning to be an effective receiver.

Parker can step in right now and give the Vikings a go to guy. Also, it helps that the majority of passes Parker caught in college came from Vikings’ quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater.

12. Cleveland Browns (7-9): Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF The Browns may end up picking No. 2 overall, but if they stay here, their best bet is to snag a receiver. It will be a bit of a reach, but Perriman has the potential to become a beast in Cleveland.

13. New Orleans Saints (7-9): Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska Sean Payton has made it known that the Saints are not afraid of taking a player with character concerns. Gregory could end up being the best pass rusher in this draft class, but he’s going to need to clean up his act and quick. Having a dynamic pass rusher opposite of Junior Galette could take their defense to another level.

14. Miami Dolphins (8-8): Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State The Dolphins could go in several different directions with this pick, but their best option is take the best corner in this draft. Waynes has prototypical measurables and plays with both grace and tenacity.

15. San Francisco 49ers (8-8): Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon The once stout and feared 49er defense has aged and been gutted.

Armstead is a massive man with huge upside and plays with the type of nastiness that the San Francisco defense has become known for.

16. Houston Texans (9-7): Nelson Agholor, WR, USC

Losing Andre Johnson to the Colts was a huge blow, but adding an NFL-ready product like Agholor will help soften the blow. He may never be an elite receiver, but he has the ability to be one of the best No. 2 wide receivers around.

17. San Diego Chargers (9-7): Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia Gurley to the Chargers has been picking up steam for weeks and rightfully so; it makes a ton of sense. Losing Ryan Matthews to the Eagles leaves a huge void in San Diego in the backfield. Branden Oliver is a nice change-of-pace back, but is nowhere near as good as Gurley.

18. Kansas City Chiefs (9-7): Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri/Oklahoma The Chiefs need playmakers on the outside more than any other team in football. To go a full season without a single TD reception by a WR is nuts. DGB is a huge risk, but Andy Reid put with Terrell Owens for years.

19. Cleveland Browns (from Buffalo) (7-9): Danny Shelton, NT, Washington Most draft analysts think Shelton will go in the top 10, but he only fits 3-4 teams and nose tackles do not carry a ton of value. Regardless, his natural ability is undeniable, and he could become a fan favorite of the Dawg Pound.

20. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6): Marcus Peters, CB, Washington Even after adding Byron Maxwell, the Eagles still need help on the outside. Chip Kelly has shown he is not afraid to take chances and picking up a player with toptier talent like Peters is too good to pass up.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (10-5-1): Malcom Brown, DT, Texas The Bengals’ defense was at its best when it could harass opposing quarterbacks with ease. They desperately want to return to that and taking a penetrating talent like

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Brown is a great start.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5): Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest The Steelers were awful in coverage last season and their secondary is not getting any younger. Johnson may not be a flashy name, but he can play pressman, off and in zone, which very few young corners are capable of.

He fills a huge need and fits the Steelers scheme perfectly.

23. Detroit Lions (11-5): Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State The Lions lost both Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley and need to add depth up front. Goldman may not be the pass rusher that Suh or Fairley is, but he is a massive presence against the run.

24. Arizona Cardinals (11-5): Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri The Cardinals had a good pass rush last season because they were forced to blitz a ton with no impact rushers healthy. Ray was viewed as a top 10 lock just a few days ago, but injury concerns and a recent arrest for marijuana have drastically hurt his draft stock. However, the Cardinals have had success with turning guys around before like Tyrann Mathieu and will take a chance on Ray’s talent.

25. Carolina Panthers (7-8-1): D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida The Panthers boasted one of the worst O-Lines in football last year, along with the worst receiving corps and a pretty bad secondary.

Getting better up front is a necessity and Humphries may be the steal of the draft. He plays a bit soft at times, but he flashes franchise left tackle potential.

26. Baltimore Ravens (10-6): Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin The Ravens caught lightning in a bottle when Justin Forsett broke out last season, but he may be a one-year wonder. Gordon has elite vision and agility and could become a workhorse for Baltimore sooner rather than later.

27. Dallas Cowboys (12-4): Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut Jones’ rise up draft boards is not solely based on his freakish athleticism, but it certainly helps.

His film shows that he can be a dynamic press-man corner and impact games in a variety of ways.

The Cowboys have lacked a true playmaker in the secondary since Darren Woodson retired.

28. Denver Broncos (12-4): Cameron Erving, C, Florida State Gary Kubiak likes athletic lineman who fit his zone-blocking scheme and have strong pass blocking traits. Kubiak meet Erving, Cameron meet Gary. Erving is one of the most underrated prospects in this class and could easily become a perennial pro bowler.

29. Indianapolis Colts (11-5): T.J. Clemmings, OT/OG, Pittsburgh The Colts would be wise to invest in the offensive line to protect Andrew Luck. Clemmings has the flexibility to play guard or tackle and excel at either position.

30. Green Bay Packers (12-4): Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA The Packers desperately need a legitimate inside linebacker and Kendricks is a tackling machine that does not need to come off the field on any down and distance.

31. New Orleans Saints (7-9): Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota When it’s all said and done, I don’t think the Saints keep this pick. I think they will package their two first-rounders to get a dynamic talent. But in a nontrading mock draft, the Saints pick up a dynamic talent after all and get an outside threat to replace Kenny Stills.

32. New England Patriots (124): Landon Collins, SS, Alabama The Patriots already have one of the best free safeties in football in Devin McCourty. Having McCourty will allow Collins do what he does best, play as a down safety against the run.

SPORTS

Page 8 | Thursday, April 30, 2015

BASEBALL

Eagles victorious against pair of Alabama teams Ashley Hickman Sports Reporter

The University of Southern Mississippi improved to 4-0 against SEC teams this season and also made history Wednesday night. The Eagles’ game against

the South Alabama Jaguars was the longest game in Southern Miss baseball history and the third longest game in C-USA history.

Southern Miss defeated the Crimson Tide 6-2 in Hoover, Alabama, at Hoover Met Stadium Tuesday in a non-conference

showdown, improving their overall record to 24-16-1.

The victory over the Crimson Tide could be just the push the Golden Eagles needed to finish strong in the rest of their conference games against Marshall, Charlotte and Middle Tennessee State.

Junior Chase Scott makes contact with the ball while at bat against South Alabama during Wednesday’s game.

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Starters Cord Cockrell for USM and Nick Eicholtz for Alabama both held their own over the first three innings, leading to a scoreless game. However, USM’s offense got to Eicholtz and exploded for three runs on five hits in the fourth inning.

Chase Scott set the tone with a solo home run, scratching the first run on the board for either team, 1-0. Southern Miss hit three consecutive singles, and on the third one by Michael Sterling, Matt Durst scored from second base to give the Golden Eagles a 2-0 lead.

Alabama head coach Mitch Gaspard paid a visit to Eicholtz on the mound and decided to continue with his starter to finish the inning.

Nick Dawson showed no mercy to Alabama’s struggling pitcher by drilling a double down the right field line to score Austin Roussel.

Eicholtz was able to strike out Dylan Burdeaux to end the inning and strand two Golden Eagles in scoring position. But USM’s threerun lead did not last long.

The Crimson Tide answered back when J.C. Wilhite cranked a two-run homer deep over the left field fence, narrowing the USM lead to only 3-2.

In the top of the fifth, back-toback singles from Braley and Scott ended Eicholtz’s night on the mound as Alabama brought in freshman Alex Watkins to slow down the fiery Southern Miss offense. The young pitcher was able to force a couple groundouts, but Matt Durst’s groundout scored Braley from third base and added more cushion to USM ‘s lead, 4-2.

With two outs and a runner at first base in the sixth, Watkins was relieved by designated hitter J.C. Wilhite on the mound. Wilhite’s first batter of the night was Burdeaux, who drilled a two-run home run to left field, lifting USM to a 6-2 lead over the Crimson Tide.

Cockrell was relieved in the seventh inning by Luke Lowery on the mound for the Golden Eagles.

Cockrell threw six strong innings for USM, only giving up six hits and two runs with three strikeouts.

Rain forced the umpires to call for a rain delay at first, but ultimately the ballgame was officially called as Southern Miss defeated Alabama 6-2 in a rainshortened game. Chase Scott led the USM offense and went 3-for-4 with a home run.

The Golden Eagles are now 4-0 this season against teams from the Southeastern Conference, which is regarded as one of the best conferences in the country.

USM hosted the South Alabama Jaguars (29-16) Wednesday evening, which turned into the longest game either team has played this season. The Eagles won 7-6 in 17 innings, improving their overall record to 25-16-1.

Barron wasted no time getting the USM offense going, smacking

a solo home run over the right field fence on the first pitch he saw from Cameron Cochran. It was Barron’s seventh home run of the season.

In the top of the third inning, USM starter Cody Livingston was replaced on the mound by junior Connor O’Brien. Ryan Raspino led off with a hard ground ball that just missed the glove of third baseman Taylor Braley for a single. Cole Billingsley hit a chopper over USM’s first baseman Tim Lynch, to put both runners in scoring position with no outs.

Southern Miss coach Scott Berry visited O’Brien on the mound and chose to keep him in the game. Bud Callura battled at the plate before drilling the ball down the first base line, scoring two runs to take the lead.

After a Ben Gann RBI groundout, Adam Ballew knocked in another South Alabama run for a stand-up triple. Clay Targeant replaced O’Brien and worked out of the jam.

Braley’s solo home run in the fourth inning sparked a rally that tied the game at 4-4. With the bases loaded, Chuckie Robinson singled in two runs before Barron struck out to end the inning.

Both teams were scoreless in the fifth inning, and the Golden Eagles brought in senior Christian Talley to pitch in the top of the sixth. The game quickly turned into a pitching duel as both Talley and Tageant allowed no hits in the fifth and sixth innings.

Sterling led off the seventh inning reaching first safely on a bunt. South Alabama’s head coach Mark Calvi furiously argued the play, but it was not overturned.

Dawson sacrifice bunted, moving Sterling into scoring position. With two outs, Burdeaux doubled to right field on the first pitch, scoring Sterling. Braley struck out to end the rally, but USM took the lead 5-4 with two more innings left to play.

A throwing error by Dawson plated two runs for the Jaguars in the eighth inning to give them the lead, 6-5. In the bottom of the eighth, Robinson drilled a ground ball through the left side of the infield, scoring Breck Kline and tying the game 6-6.

The game remained scoreless into extra innings before Roussel hit a walk-off single in the 17th inning, scoring Kline to win 7-6.

The 17 innings played is the longest in Southern Miss history.

There was a scary moment in the bottom of the 14th inning.

Home plate umpire Brian Clark had a foul ball off the bat of Kline hit him squarely in his mask. He was down for several minutes and the game was delayed for nearly 20 minutes.

The Golden Eagles will continue play when they host Marshall in a weekend series at Pete Taylor Park. The first game of the series is slated for 6 p.m. on Friday.