News and information about Starkville and Oktibbeha County
Lots to read in the SCEI report released by MSU a few days ago. (PDF of the report available here.)
What are your thoughts? SOme things seem like common sense. Some- like a few of the degree program cutbacks- seem a little over the top.
Too little, too late? Just enough?
BOA punted tonight on school board appointment. They cited a 1981 AG opinion that limits SSD board membership to two members who reside outside of the city but within the school district. Current members Bill Weeks and Keith Coble both reside outside the city limits.
There are several applicants who also live outside the city limits and would not be considered under the ’81 AG opinion.
The BOA have requested a clarification in light of two later opinions that are on file that confuse the issue.
More info tomorrow.
MSU UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
STARKVILLE — Building on many decades of neighborly relations, Mississippi State and Mississippi University for Women signed a memorandum of agreement Thursday [Feb. 18] that allows students to earn both an MSU bachelor’s degree and an MUW nursing degree.
The two universities also formally moved ahead with a joint culinology degree, which was approved Thursday by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning, at its regular monthly meeting.
Through the memorandum signed by MSU President Mark E. Keenum and MUW President Claudia A. Limbert, the Golden Triangle-area schools agreed to develop a process to enable MSU students enrolled in a specially designed pre-nursing curriculum–and accepted into MUW’s nursing program–to simultaneously earn bachelor of sciences degrees in Starkville and Columbus, respectively.
“All students who opt to enter the new interdisciplinary pre-nursing track at Mississippi State and satisfy the requirements of the MUW bachelor of science in nursing program will hold degrees from both institutions,” Keenum explained.
He said the agreement presents new opportunities for students enrolled at each school and creates programming strengths through collaboration.
“This agreement will benefit students who are interested in completing pre-nursing requirements at Mississippi State and the nursing program at MUW,” said MSU Interim Provost Glenn Steele. MSU has about 200 students enrolled in its pre-nursing program, he added.
Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.
DISPATCH STAFF REPORT
The state College Board has directed Mississippi State University and Mississippi University for Women to explore consolidating operations, a move that MUW’s president says “is not a merger,” and would end with The W remaining a stand-alone institution.
The state College Board and university presidents are meeting in Jackson today.
The two schools will name coordinators to “develop functional teams from the two universities to review the operations. We will carefully and deliberately examine all possibilities before taking any action,” MUW President Claudia Limbert said.
In a separate statement, MSU President Mark Keenum said that the arrangement “simply involves one university helping another during extraordinary times.”
“IHL Commissioner Hank Bounds and IHL Board members asked us to reach out to a sister institution, and we have agreed to do that,” Keenum said. “It is my hope that sharing back-office resources will achieve efficiencies and allow MUW to continue to play a vital role in the higher education system in our state.”
After several months of work, a Mississippi State committee released a series of its own cost-cutting proposals Wednesday, which included combining the College of Forest Resources and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and merging or realigning other academic departments with similar missions.
Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.
TIM PRATT
The Starkville Police Department is searching for a woman suspected of using a Missouri woman’s debit card last month to purchase items at Wal-Mart on Highway 12 West.
The incident occurred the evening of Jan. 31 when a black female with two small children purchased a flat-screen television, several Nintendo Wii games and multiple iTunes gift cards, Starkville Police Department Detective Landon Stamps said. He did not disclose the amount of charges the suspect put on the victim’s debit card.
The suspect first tried to use a different credit or debit card to make the purchases, but the card was rejected, Stamps said. It was only then when the suspect used the duplicate debit card, which can be obtained from a bank if a person says their original is lost, belonging to the woman from Missouri, he said.
Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.
DAVID MILLER
STARKVILLE — What could have been a spectacular night, with a national television audience watching the Mississippi State men’s basketball team bid for an upset of No. 2 Kentucky, turned ugly Tuesday.
Mississippi State’s image suffered a black eye when unruly fans threw bottles of water onto the court at Humphrey Coliseum after Kentucky rallied to beat the Bulldogs 81-75 in overtime.
Mississippi State Director of Athletics Greg Byrne isn’t happy about it.
Neither is university president Dr. Mark Keenum.
Byrne and Keenum addressed MSU students and fans through Byrne’s weekly “Thursday with Greg Byrne” column about the incidents that took place during and the events leading up to the ESPN-televised game.
Objecting to fouls that were called during the game, some MSU fans their disgust by throwing objects onto the court.
Then, there was the incident of Kentucky forward DeMarcus Cousins receiving harassing phone calls and text messages from MSU students and fans after the freshman’s cell phone number was made public.
Against Ole Miss last week, there was a fracas in the stands that resulted in several Rebels fans being pelted with drinks while trying to escape to the concourse.
Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.
From: Dispatch Staff Report
February 17, 2010 4:02:00 PM
In a huge economic shot in the arm for West Point, the city’s near-idle Navistar plant has been awarded a $751.5 million contract to build more than 1,000 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles for the U.S. Marine Corps.
U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., today reported that the firm-fixed-price contract was awarded by the Marine Corps to Illinois-based Navistar Defense LLC for more than 1,000 Category I MRAP vehicles. The contract was competitively procured.
“The MRAP vehicles to be built at West Point will continue to support the strengthened U.S. military surge in Afghanistan,” Cochran, ranking Republican on the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, said in a release. “MRAPs have saved hundreds of our troops from roadside bombs, and I am proud that a significant number of them have been built in Mississippi.”
“I am also pleased that our strong West Point workforce will be part of providing the Marine Corps with these life-saving vehicles,” he said.
Full article here.
BONNIE COBLENTZ
School officials took no action Tuesday night on the proposed uniform policy for students of the Starkville School District.
The board conducted a short business meeting after spending two hours hearing five annual administrator reports. All board members were present for the meeting.
The board was not asked to take any action on the proposed uniform policy as the item was on the agenda as a first reading. It was on the Feb. 2 agenda as a first reading, but the board voted them to table the matter until they could hear from the public on the subject. The board held a public forum on the issue of school uniforms Feb. 11.
Keith Coble asked a follow-up question raised at the forum. He asked Superintendent Judy Couey what she learned other school districts with uniform policy have spent on buying uniforms for those who couldn’t buy their own.
Couey said she contacted Oktibbeha County, West Lowndes, West Point and Columbus schools for data.
Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.
BONNIE COBLENTZ
School officials heard five annual administrator reports Tuesday night from the principals of the high school, alternative school and vo-tech school, and both assistant superintendents of the Starkville School District.
This year, several reports were combined in one individual, such as the high school report including bands and athletics. Making the reports were Keith Fennell, SHS principal; James Stidham, director of Millsaps Career and Technology Center; Julie Kennedy, director of Quad County Alternative School; Walter Gonsoulin, assistant superintendent for federal programs and operations; and Beth Sewell, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.
“I feel we’re working in the right direction to perform at the level expected of us,” Fennell told the board as he began his report on the high school.
Among his highlights were the bands’ continued superior ratings in competition, the ROTC’s renewed status as a unit with distinction, 400 students performing in high school athletics and two National Merit finalists. He said maintaining these high rankings will be the challenge for coming years.
He said the school is working to implement differentiated instruction and differentiated assessments, which allow teachers to instruct a student in the way best suited to their learning styles and allows for testing that takes into consideration a student’s learning style. The school is working to standardize grading policies and procedures, and trying to reach average daily attendance of 95 percent.
Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.
TIM PRATT
Pet owners in Starkville could soon face some new regulations.
The Starkville Board of Aldermen is considering amendments to the city’s animal control ordinance which, among other things, would limit the amount of time domesticated animals can be restrained outdoors. The existing animal control ordinance does not address animals being restrained or “chained up” in yards for lengthy periods of time, but an amendment aldermen are considering would only allow pet owners to tether their animals to an outdoor permanent fixture for up to three hours over any 24-hour period.
“There are several instances where this is becoming, I’d say, a nuisance in different parts of the city,” said Ward 5 Alderman Jeremiah Dumas, who introduced the amendments to the board Tuesday night. “I know there are some (instances) in Ward 5. There are others within the downtown district that I’ve seen just walking around.”
The board is still working out kinks in the amendment. Ward 3 Alderman Eric Parker inquired whether the amendment would apply to dogs attached to “zip lines,” or running lines, which gives animals more room to roam.
“I think that’s up for discussion,” Dumas said. “That’s a good question and … that’s something we’ll have to look at.”
During a public hearing on the amendments Tuesday, city resident Patrick Nordin, of 205 Louisville Street, said he was in favor of regulations which would improve living conditions for animals in town.
Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.
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