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Volume 3, Issue 2
Friday, January 18, 2008
Edited by Jennifer Rogers

Mississippi's Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning
News from the System
University News
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IHL Board Announces Best Practices Winners
During its regular monthly meeting Thursday, the IHL Board recognized the institutional winners of the 2007 Best Practices competition. The Board implemented the annual Best Practices competition to recognize efficient and effective practices in the areas of academics; finance, business, and administration; student services; and technology. The practices submitted for competition by the institutions were judged by institutional peer groups. First-place institutions in each category receive $10,000 and second-place winners receive $5,000, paid from the Board's incentive pool. Read detailed descriptions of the winning Best Practices. The 2007 Best Practices competition winners include:

Category: ACADEMICS
  • First Place: Mississippi State University's "Learning Skills Support Program"
  • Second Place: Mississippi University for Women's "Increasing Advisor Knowledge and Information Access"
Category: FINANCE, BUSINESS, AND ADMINISTRATION
  • First Place: Delta State University's "Increased Efficiencies in Business Processes through Barcoding"
  • Second Place: Jackson State University's "Comprehensive Vehicle Management Solution"
Category: STUDENT SERVICES
  • First Place: The University of Southern Mississippi's "Service-Learning Faculty Fellows Program"
  • Second Place: The University of Mississippi's "Media Convergence"
Category: TECHNOLOGY
  • First Place: The University of Mississippi's "Online Policy Directory and Administration System"
  • Second Place: Mississippi State University's "Network Quarantine"

Mr. Scott Ross

Ms. Amy Whitten
Board Elects Ross Vice President, Prepares for Membership Change
Also during its January meeting on Thursday, the IHL Board elected Mr. Scott Ross as its next Vice President. Mr. Ross and Ms. Amy Whitten, the current Vice President who will succeed Dr. L. Stacy Davidson, Jr., as President, will begin their one-year terms on May 7, 2008. Mr. Ross was appointed to the Board by Governor Ronnie Musgrove in May 2000 to represent the Third Supreme Court District for a term to expire May 7, 2012. Mr. Ross has served as Mayor of West Point, Miss. since July 1, 2005. An attorney and businessman, he also served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1984 to 1992, including nine years on the Universities and Colleges committee. Ms. Whitten was also appointed to the Board by Governor Ronnie Musgrove to represent the Second Congressional District for a term to expire on May 7, 2012. She is a practicing attorney in Oxford, Miss. and is the founder of The Whitten Group, a consulting and development firm. In May 2008, Trustees Thomas Colbert, Roy Estess, D.E. Magee, Jr., and Virginia Shanteau Newton, will conclude their service to the Board. Governor Haley Barbour will appoint four new members to serve nine-year terms. Learn more about the Board of Trustees.
More University Graduates for Mississippi's Future
Mississippi needs more quality, baccalaureate degree holders to compete in today's dynamic global landscape. Economic growth and development is directly related to educational attainment. Strong companies seek educated individuals for their work teams; and educated citizens become entrepreneurs, innovators, and new business owners. To guarantee a bright future for our state, we must increase the number of Mississippi's children who complete a university degree. Of approximately 45,000 children who enter the first grade in public school, only about 11,500, or 26 percent, actually receive a public or private four-year university degree. What happens to the other 74 percent? They slip through the cracks of the education pipeline. To meet the educational needs of our state, IHL is working hard to make college accessible and affordable to more students. But, IHL needs continued adequate support from the state Legislature to keep tuition low, to provide first-class professors, to maintain safe, comfortable learning environments, and to continue offering essential services to the state through the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the agriculture units at Alcorn and Mississippi State. For more information about IHL's request for state appropriations, contact Dr. Jim Borsig at (601) 432-7039.

Items included in the "University News" section of the System Review are submitted each week by the universities. The news items are listed in rotating alphabetical order by university.

UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI NEWS
School of Education Earns Perfect Score on NCATE Accreditation
The University of Mississippi (UM) School of Education has earned a perfect score from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). According to UM education dean Tom Burnham, the school met every NCATE standard, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. NCATE officials cited no areas where improvement is required, he said. "If NCATE identified success according to letter grades, it would be an A," said Fannye Love, associate dean of education and NCATE coordinator. "This continued accreditation affirms both the quality of our programs as well as the quality of our faculty and students." NCATE is the nation's top accrediting agency for establishing superior teacher-preparation programs. An NCATE charter member, the UM education school has been continuously accredited since 1954. Not only did the school receive continued accreditation for another seven years, but its assessment approach is serving as a national model, Burnham said. "NCATE was impressed with our assessment system, the level of collaboration from our local school districts as well as the way we included data to help build learning communities among our faculty," Burnham said. "Other universities are now looking to UM as a leader in the accreditation process." Learn more.

Barksdales to Give $12.8 Million to Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College

LIGO Analysis Sheds Light on Cosmic Event

University Museum Director Featured in Revised Documentary on Ellis Wilson

Chemical Engineer, Daughter Write Biomedical Textbook

UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER NEWS
Medical Center Brands State-of-the-art Medical Care
The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) has developed an image campaign to inform the public about the quality of patient care offered by University of Mississippi Health Care (UMHC). The message to Mississippians is that the Medical Center has a strong commitment to health care. According to Dr. Will Ferniany, associate vice chancellor for health systems and chief executive officer of University Hospitals and Health System, financing for the ad campaign is not taken from state funding; it is a budget item that comes from other revenues. "Advertising is not an expense," Ferniany said. "It is an investment in UMHC. It is only through telling our message that we will be able to have the people of Mississippi understand what a wonderful resource the state has in UMHC." Ferniany said advertising does not take money away from the Medical Center's missions or goals. "It is a way to improve our margin and have the money we need to meet our three-fold mission," he said. According to Ferniany, for the Medical Center to meet its mission, it must inform the public about the state-of-the-art health care at UMMC and some of the most advanced physicians in the nation who practice here. He said the majority of physician-graduates stay in Mississippi to practice medicine. Although the institution's name remains the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the new brand, University of Mississippi Health Care, supports the institution's patient care mission. Learn more.

Making an Appointment, Referring a Patient to UMMC Just Got a Lot Easier

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI
Southern Miss Center to Host National Focus Group Conference
Officials from six universities will convene next week in Chicago to discuss the development of a National Risk Management Certification for Sports Events curriculum designed to train intercollegiate sports security personnel across the nation. Officials from The University of Southern Mississippi Center for Spectator Sports Security Management and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) will host the first National Risk Management Certification Focus Group conference Jan. 20-22 at the Hyatt Rosemont Hotel in Chicago. Athletics and security administrators from Penn State University, Rhode Island College, Richard Stockton College, the University of Oklahoma, Grand Valley State University, and Delta State University will share ideas and expertise for the development of a curriculum offered through the center to train sports security personnel for intercollegiate athletic events. "We're bringing security experts and field-based professionals together in helping us identify critical components of the certification curriculum," said Dr. Stacey Hall, the center's associate director. "The certification will be delivered to 1,055 institutions nationwide via regional workshops." Subject matter experts from a variety of fields such as campus police, emergency medical services, and athletic operations will share their knowledge with the universities and the center. Expert observers from the FBI, NASCAR and Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies will evaluate the overall process. Learn more.

Professor's Vietnam Book Focuses on U.S.-Backed ARVN

Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra's "Atlantis Gala" Named "Top Event" for 2007

Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra Carries International Tune

Southern Miss Hosts First Economic Outlook Conference

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST NEWS ONLINE
The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Online
www.usm.edu/gc

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Alcorn State University Online
www.alcorn.edu

DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Delta State's 'Year of Delta Heritage' to Explore Delta Authors
Delta State University is continuing to celebrate its theme for the 2007-08 academic term - "The Year of Delta Heritage" - with activities highlighting the Delta's rich cultural history, including Blues, Gospel, and Rock, civil rights and political leadership, religious heritage, the visual and performing arts, and food. As part of this celebration, the Delta State Division of Languages and Literature program is offering a new class called "Writers of the Mississippi Delta" (ENG 492/592). The class will explore works by numerous authors who have either written about the Delta or grown up in the Delta including William Alexander and Walker Percy, Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, Clifton Taulbert, Ellen Douglas, Willie Morris, Shelby Foote, Greg Iles, Steve Yarborough, and William Attaway. Each text will be discussed in light of questions raised by modern critical theorists like Henry Louis Gates and Stanley Fish, among others. Learn more.

Celebrated Author and Baseball Fan, John Grisham, to Appear at Delta State, Feb. 11

Delta State to Present 4th Annual Delta Health & Wellness Day, Jan. 24

Jennifer Rushing Captures Second GSC West Division Player of the Week Honor

JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
JSU Defense Center Earns $4.7 Million Federal Grant
The Center for Defense Integrated Data at Jackson State University has received a $4.72 million federal grant from the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command in Huntsville, Ala. The funds, available by March, will be used to develop software for space and missile defense, as well as collaborate with U.S. Department of Defense partners, said Gordon W. Skelton, director of the CDID. The grant money also will be used to double the size of the four-member full-time staff, offer scholarships, and hire more Jackson State undergraduate and graduate students, Skelton said. Currently, three computer science students work at the CDID. "Jackson State is getting recognized for its capabilities, high-quality results, and its researchers," Skelton said. "We are proud of the work we do, and we also believe that it has a real impact." Computer, telecommunications, and civil engineering students at Jackson State, as well as computer science students, will have the opportunity to participate in applied research directly relevant to national defense, said Robert Whalin, associate dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology and a professor of civil engineering at Jackson State. Learn more.

Lerone Bennett Returns Home to Jackson, Celebrates King's Legacy

Sixth Annual Mississippi Child Welfare Institute Conference

BankPlus Becomes JSU's Official Banking Partner

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
MSU Fundraising Campaign Exceeds $400 Million Goal
A flurry of year-end gifts and commitments to Mississippi State is taking the "State of the Future" capital campaign beyond its $400 million goal a full year ahead of schedule. In December alone, almost $13 million in gifts and commitments brought the university campaign total to more than $406 million (as of Dec. 31). "State of the Future" continues through December of this year. Among year-end gifts were several major outright and deferred commitments, including: a $1 million gift from Mr. and Mrs. Dave Swalm of New Ulm, Texas, to supplement the Dave and Beth Swalm Chemical Engineering Scholarship; a $500,000 commitment from Mr. and Mrs. John "Nutie" Dowdle of Columbus, to create the John "Nutie" and Edie Dowdle Professorship in Business; a $500,000 commitment from Dr. and Mrs. Niles "Ranny" Moseley of Los Altos, Calif., for campus beautification projects and the MSU Medallion Scholarship Program; and a more than $200,000 commitment from Mr. and Mrs. Roderick A. Moore of Brandon, along with friends and family, to establish the Dr. Brad Roderick Moore Memorial Presidential Endowed Scholarship in honor of the couple's late son. Learn more.

MSU Inventions + Campus Office = Patents, Products

Supreme Court Justice Returns to MSU Campus Next Week

Band of MSU Students 'Carrying On' to Music City Stage

Ladysmith Black Mambazo to Share Cultural Sounds at MSU

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND VETERINARY MEDICINE NEWS
MSU Genome Mapping Yields Clues about Cattle Disease
Mississippi State University researchers are developing a biological map of how three tiny pathogens cause big losses for cattle producers each year. Faculty members Mark Lawrence, Shane Burgess, and Bindu Nanduri of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Susan Bridges of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering are using state-of-the-art genome science and computer modeling to detect, confirm, and locate harmful genes that cause bovine respiratory disease. "This disease is known in the cattle industry as shipping fever because it commonly occurs when cattle are stressed from being shipped hundreds of miles to feedlots," said Burgess, a veterinarian, genome biology researcher, and co-director of MSU's Institute for Digital Biology. "Many animals that develop this syndrome stop eating, suffer, and die." The cost of the disease to the cattle industry is more than $1 billion each year, he said. The research is funded through a competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service. Using a newly developed technique called proteogenomic mapping, MSU researchers have overcome the limitations inherent in computer modeling. They are using mass spectrometers at the MSU Life Sciences and Biotechnology Institute to identify protein amino acid sequences and map them back onto the genome DNA sequences. Learn more.

Historic MSU Delta Research Changed Cotton Farming

MSU's Animal Hospital Maintains Accreditation

MSU Analysis Shows High Fertilizer Prices Effect Crop Decisions

Mississippi's Expanding Peanut Crop is Focus of MSU Short Course

MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN NEWS
MUW Professors' Works Displayed in Meridian Museum of Art
Four professors from the Art and Design Department at Mississippi University for Women currently have their works on display at the Meridian Museum of Art. Assistant Professor Shawn L. Dickey, Department Chair Robert Gibson, Professor Thomas Nawrocki, and Assistant Professor and gallery director Alex Stelioes-Wills each have works showcased in "Impressions: Work by Mississippi University for Women Art Professors." According to Stelioes-Wills, the exhibit came together because of Nawrocki's working relationship with Meridian Museum of Art director Terry Hedder. Nawrocki has shown at the museum several times in the past. Hedder had the idea to host a show with the art faculty members, and, at a meeting for the Collegiate Show, Nawrocki suggested they do it this year. Hedder agreed. The museum is actually an old library, providing a large space to exhibit work, and is divided into five separate gallery spaces. Nawrocki had one room for his artwork, which he filled easily, said Stelioes-Wills, who also had a room for his artwork. Dickey and Gibson shared a room, because Gibson's work consists of three-dimensional pieces that sit on the floor, and because Dickey will have his own one man show at the museum in a few months. An opening reception was held on January 5 and boasted over 100 in attendance, including many W alums from the area. The works will be on display until February 2. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 1 to 5 p.m. Learn more.

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY NEWS
MVSU Vice President Selected for 2008 Leadership Mississippi Class
Dr. Moses Newsome, Vice President for Research, Planning, Community and Economic Development, has been selected to participate in the 2008 class of Leadership Mississippi, the second oldest statewide leadership program in the nation. Participants of the 2008 class will meet in five communities across the state, including: Jackson, for the opening session of the Legislature and discussions on government and public affairs; Tupelo, to explore economic development; Biloxi, to learn about quality of life in Mississippi; Hattiesburg, to examine Health; and Oxford, to study education. The program will run from February to November. Those successfully completing the program will participate in a graduation ceremony in Jackson in January 2009. "The program should be particularly beneficial in that it will afford me the opportunity to broaden my business and political relationships for the purpose of educational advocacy, local economic development promotion, fund raising, and legislative advocacy," Newsome said. Since its beginning in 1974, Leadership Mississippi has graduated 29 classes and currently has more than 900 alumni active in Mississippi business and politics. The goal of Leadership Mississippi is to develop and maintain a network of Mississippians committed to improving the state's quality of life. Learn more.

Jan. 21 - Mississippi State University 's Office of Diversity and Equity Programs presents the 14th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Unity Breakfast at 7 a.m. in the Colvard Student Union Ballroom. Gregory B. Craig, partner in the Williams & Connolly LLP law firm, is the featured speaker. Learn more.

Jan. 21 - The University of Mississippi observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an array of community events. The celebration theme, "Achieving Greatness through Service: Commitment to Mentorship," encourages the community to remember the slain civil rights leader by extending a helping hand to today's youth. Learn more.

Jan. 23 - Mississippi State University's Center for Student Involvement presents the Spring Student Involvement Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Colvard Student Union. This will provide information on how to get involved on campus. For more information, call (662) 325-2150. Learn more.

Jan. 24 - Jackson State's Trent Lott Geospatial and Visualization Research Center is hosting a free workshop on geospatial metadata. The workshop will be 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Mississippi e-Center @ JSU, 1230 Raymond Road. To register, call (866) 732-2382.

Jan. 24-26 - Mississippi State University hosts the Alliance for Graduate Education in Mississippi (AGEM) Winter Scholar Symposium. The symposium, funded by the National Science Foundation, brings together students, scientists, and professionals from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics departments, with the goal of increasing the number of underrepresented minority students pursuing advanced study, obtaining doctoral degrees, and entering the professoriate in STEM disciplines. Collaborating institutions include the University of Mississippi (lead institution), the University of Southern Mississippi, Jackson State University, and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. For more information, contact Shlynn Morris at (662) 325-7400 or smorris@grad.msstate.edu.

Jan. 27 - Quink, an internationally recognized vocal ensemble, performs at the University of Mississippi's Ford Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets to the 7 p.m. concert are $10 and available at the UM Box Office in the Student Union or by calling (662) 915-7411. Learn more.

Jan. 30-Feb. 1 - Southern Miss Theatre will restage its production of "Doubt" at the Gilbert F. Hartwig Theatre in Hattiesburg. Order tickets online at www.southernmisstickets.com or call the Southern Miss Ticket Office at (601) 266-5418 or (800) 844-8425. Learn more.

Jan. 31 - The Southern Miss Symphony Future Stars Concert will feature the winner of the William T. Gower competition at 7:30 p.m. in Bennett Auditorium. For more information or for tickets, call (601) 266-5418. Learn more.

Jan. 31-Feb. 7 - The Mississippi State University Extension Service coordinates the 43rd Annual Dixie National Junior Round-Up, the showcase for the 4-H and FFA livestock programs and livestock industry. It is the largest junior market livestock show in Mississippi. Learn more.

Feb. 8 & Mar. 3 - A stallion service auction at MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine raises funds for research and to purchase state-of-the-art equipment to definitively diagnose and treat lameness in horses. The public may bid on stud fees, donate a stallion's stud fees, or donate cash for needed equipment. Learn more.

Feb. 12 - 14 - The Mississippi Crop College at MSU's Bost Extension Center previews the 2008 growing season for crop consultants and Extension agronomists. Contact Larry Oldham at (662) 325-2701 or loldham@pss.msstate.edu . The pre-registration deadline is January 30, 2008. Learn more.

Now through Feb. 14 - The Southern Miss Museum of Art presents "Sculpting America," a mixed-media exhibit featuring the works of six celebrated American artists. The Museum of Art is located in the Fine Arts Building on the Hattiesburg campus. Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more.

Now through Feb. 17 - "The Prints of John L. Winters" display in the Adair Skipwith Gallery at Ole Miss is a retrospective of the professor emeritus of art's graphic works from 1967 to 1997. Museum hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Learn more.

Mar. 27 - Delta State University will present "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" in the Delta and Pine Land Theatre of its Bologna Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. For ticket information, please call the Box Office at (662) 846-4626 or you can order tickets online. Learn more.

Look for the next issue JANUARY 25.

FOR FURTHER COMMUNICATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Mississippi's Institutions of Higher Learning
Attention: Public Affairs
Jackson, Mississippi 39211-6453
Fax: (601) 432-6891

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