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Ole Miss changes tornado policy following severe weather, complaints

By Donica Phifer

Changes have been implemented to The University of Mississippi's tornado policy following severe weather on April 27.

A line of severe, tornado spawning, thunderstorms moved through the area, damaging homes in northern Lafayette county.

While Ole Miss followed an emergency plan that was already in place, students, faculty and staff didn't know what to do, said Jim Windham, member of the university Crisis Management Team.

“The university had never been tested in this way,” Windham said, “We weren't prepared. But we found our plan had problems in it.”

For emergency situations, the university relies on a system of text messaging called Rebel Alert which notifies students of any warnings, cancellations or closings.

However, text messages are not sent for tornado warnings, sirens are the primary alert, Windham said.

“There isn't sufficient time to send text messages for a warning. Technology doesn't allow real time results for cell phones, and it can take five to 20 minutes for texts to reach everyone,” Windham said.

Even though the text alerts and sirens were operating correctly, students were still unsure what to do.

“I unofficially cancelled my own classes. I had that option so I just stayed home,” said Elizabeth Wilson, a junior theatre major. “I felt bad for the people who felt like they had to go to class because there was no one who told us we could stay inside.”

Complaints from students, parents, and faculty led the Crisis Management Team to develop a new plan of action, including a website that will give real-time updates during an emergency situation, Windham said.

The same type of website is also used by the University of Alabama, and proved useful during the F4 tornado near the campus on April 27.

Further clarification of the tornado policy and open communication with students, faculty, and staff is a goal. Letters indicating changes in the policy have been sent via e-mail, and placed in The Daily Mississippian, Windham said.

Policy changes include classes being suspended when a tornado warning is issued and resuming 30 minutes after the warning expires, provided half of the class period is left.

Classes that are missed due to severe weather will be given time to make up tests or class work at a later date, Windham said.

Limited Sunday alcohol sales begin this weekend

By Donica Phifer

For the first time on a Sunday, you can take your mother to drink alcohol at a restaurant in Oxford.

May 8 marks Mother’s Day, the first national holiday to fall on a Sunday since the Sunday alcohol sales law was passed by the city.

Matt Smith, junior hospitality management major, said he plans to go out and drink Sunday.

Although Smith is taking advantage of the new law, many restaurants on the Square, including the John Currence- owned Boure, City Grocery and Snackbar, will remained closed.

Currence’s fourth restaurant, Big Bad Breakfast, will be open but will not be serving alcohol.

Restaurants that are open on regular Sundays will remain so with the addition of alcoholic beverages to the menu.

“We’re not really going to bedoing anything different than on a normal day, but we are looking forward to the opportunity for people who want to have a drink to come in and have one,” said Rob Carpenter, general manager for South Depot Taco Shop.

Other businesses are following the same concept, opening for normal business hours but not preparing for large crowds.

“We aren’t expecting that much of a fluctuation because of alcohol sales,” said Ross Green, general manager for the Rib Cage.

Ward VI Alderman Brad Mayo said he had no expectations for Sunday sales, but that the current law was the result of a compromise.

“It’s not what everyone wanted,” Mayo said. “Some wanted Sunday sales every Sunday, and others didn’t want sales at all, but this is the compromise that we reached.”

The push for Sunday sales in Oxford began in February 2010, when Valentine’s Day fell on a Sunday and the Restaurant Association pushed for an exception to the no-Sunday sales law, Mayo said.

While the city granted the exception, the Mississippi State Tax Commission denied the request.

The summer months in Oxford brought campaigns and open forums for both sides of the Sunday sales issue.

“I just don’t agree with how they went about doing it by having special days or whatever,” Smith said. “I just think it’s all or nothing. I think it’s good for business owners in general.”

The Oxford Board of Aldermen passed the law Dec. 7, 2010, and it was approved by the state in January 2011.

With the adoption of the law, restaurants can now sell wine and liquor from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Sunday.

STD rates rising in Mississippi

In the past three years, Mississippi has topped the charts for gonorrhea and chlamydia infections, and the numbers are still rising.

Condoms are the best way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, but they are not 100 percent effective.  At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women contract an STD during their lives.
Photo illustration by Mia Camurati

With Mississippi constantly topping the list of chlamydia and gonorrhea infections compared to other states, the Oxford medical community remains mindful of the potential health threat sexually transmitted diseases pose to the college town.

An estimated one out of every four college students has an STD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but University of Mississippi Student Health Director Barbara Collier said approximately 80 percent of those with STDs show no signs and experience no symptoms of infection, causing many to go undiagnosed.

At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women contract an STD during their lives, with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) ranking as the most common STD in the nation.

Dr. Will Dabbs, a physician at Urgent Care of Oxford, said he most often treats herpes cases.

“It’s such a common occurrence,” Dabbs said. “I often get a student in the clinic asking about sores that have developed, and I have to break it to them that it’s herpes.”

Dabbs said he is almost always confronted with an immediate follow-up question: “What happens when I get married?”

“I tell them their future spouse better love them a lot, because they’ll get it too,” he said.

Both strains of the herpes virus (1 and 2) are passed by skin-to-skin contact between sexual partners, Dabbs said. Though condoms are often heavily promoted as a tried-and-true safeguard against sexually transmitted diseases, he said herpes is not adequately prevented through condom use.

Collier said she considers condom use 50 percent effective against STDs.

“That’s not the figure you’re going to read,” she said. “But condoms have to be put on, stay on and not break.”

Collier and Dabbs agree that condoms are the best option to prevent the spread of some STDs during sexual activity, a factor to keep in mind considering the amount of college students they treat on a regular basis.

“I probably see a student at least every other day, usually once a day, who wants to be tested for STDs,” Dabbs said. “If you’re being tested for everything, the bill can run into the hundreds of dollars at a commercial clinic.”

The full spectrum of STD testing costs approximately $150 at the University Student Health Center. The Lafayette County Health Department offers free STD testing every Monday from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and every Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Dabbs said it’s important students realize the harsh reality of sexually transmitted diseases.

“STDs are unbelievably dangerous,” he said. “It’s the gift that keeps on giving. In many cases, once you’ve got it, you’ve got it; and other times it’s life-threatening.”

“The people who have STDs look just like you and me. A lot of times the people passing them have no idea. It affects when you have children and who you eventually settle down with. The sad thing is that one moment’s inattention can have lasting effects the rest of your life.”

Digging Deeper with Mornah Dekuwmini

Mornah in his hometown of Ghana.

Many might think that making the move from West Africa to the United States might be a difficult adjustment, however, that was not the case with the 18-year-old Ghana native.

Mornah Dekuwmini grew up in the populous capital of Accra, Ghana. Born and raised in Accra, Dekuwmini was well accustomed to big city life. In high school, Dekuwmini knew that he wanted to move to the United States. Dekuwmini came to Ole Miss through the International Student Exchange Program, funded both by the US government and the University of Ghana.

“Coming to Mississippi wasn’t that big of an adjustment for me. When I got here (to Oxford), there were so many exchange students that I bonded so well with, we were oblivious to what was happening around us,” said Dekuwmini. “The culture in Mississippi is similar to Ghana, how respectful and hospitable the people are made me feel right at home.”

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Accounting, Dekuwmini decided to continue his education and go to three more years of school to earn his PhD in Economics and Law. As part of his PhD program, Dekuwmini was required to teach economics classes, both microeconomics and macroeconomics.

Not only is Dekuwmini a professor to many students, he is a friend.

“I would usually dread going to a class like economics, but Mornah made it fun and interesting. He would integrate the concepts with aspects from our everyday life, making it easier to comprehend,” said senior Lauren Fitzpatrick. “Mornah is always so happy and never makes any of his students feel ashamed for grades they made, only encourages them to come in and discuss how to improve on the next exam or homework assignment.”

He goes out of his way to get to know you and help you succeed not only in his class, but also with any class you take.

“Knowing that I am making in impact in someone’s life is a great feeling. It’s so rewarding to see students earning great grades, that gives me a sense of accomplishment,” said Dekuwmini.

Having dealt with hundreds of students over his years of teaching, Dekuwmini doesn’t seem to find much about teaching he dislikes.

“I don’t really have many complaints about teaching, except that I hate grading,” said Dekuwmini. “It’s hard when students come to me at the end of the semester asking why they are doing so poorly in the class, with excuses as to why they have been missing homework assignments, classes, etc.. I feel bad for them, but it is their own fault and could have been avoided.”

Dealing with hundreds of personalities of the students is never easy, but Dekuwmini makes every student feel intelligent and accomplished.

Graduation: Where to go from here?

Callie Mounger (left) and Annie Horsley (right) pose in their graduation ensambles 

In the next few weeks, college graduations will be happening all around the country. It is a time of jubilation and gladness for the stress of test taking is over, a time to reminisce of the freedom and lack of responsibility of the past four years, and a time of fear, fear of the unknown and fear of finding a job.

In the economy today, young adults just getting out of college are finding it difficult to find a job. Reid Wesson, an Ole Miss alum, said he was turned down from multiple jobs for months after college before finally finding a job the following fall.

“It was very disheartening. I had graduated college with an Accounting degree, my grades were good, and yet no one would hire me. I couldn’t understand why,” Wesson said.

Other students graduating did not find getting a job so difficult. Whitney Vance, a Taylor medalist, will be starting a job this summer teaching at a public school in Jackson.

“I am from Alabama and it is very uncommon for someone outside of the state to stay and teach. Most of the time, teachers go back to where they were from. I had two job offers in Jackson, and had the fortunate time of being able to choose where I wanted to go. I know that most people don’t get to have that,” Vance said.

While others are moving on, some are being left behind. Senior Liz Fair will be staying an extra year to finish up an art degree after receiving a rejection letter from nursing school.

“I know it’s for the best and I am really excited about staying in Oxford for one more year. I am also glad that some of my friends will be with me. I don’t think that a ton of people are graduating in four years,” Fair said.

With Ole Miss graduation rates of graduating in four years only at 35 percent, Fair most certainly wont be alone. In the current market, Fair may be the smarter one by staying in school. More than 2.4 million people will graduate with bachelor and masters degrees this year. These job seekers will be competing with fellow classmates, laid off workers and the still unemployed. Whether you are staying or leaving college, take the time to enjoy each phase of life.

College Students celebrate graduation with colorful confetti

Sources:

Reid Wesson 901-857-4549

Whitney Vance 256-861-0440

Liz Fair 601-457-5786