Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Webster Electric Co. employees Billy Pugh (left to right) and John Gist take down lights last week in preparation for the renovation of Mississippi State's historic Lee Hall. PHOTO: Russ Houston | University Relations

Monday deadline for Movin' You to MSU volunteers
Faculty, staff and student volunteers are needed for Mississippi State University's annual Movin' You to MSU move-in day, which will take place Saturday, Aug. 11. Duties include working check-in at Humphrey Coliseum, moving boxes from cars to rooms, greeting students and directing traffic. Volunteers receive a free t-shirt, and a box lunch from Aramark. Please submit your completed application by Monday, July 16 at 5 p.m.

MSU Riley Center announces Fall/Winter Series
Whether your taste runs to romantic French plays, raucous halftime shows, or somewhere in between, the MSU Riley Center's Fall/Winter Series promises to deliver fantastic entertainment in a beautiful setting. The series kicks off Aug. 24, when legendary singer/songwriter Art Garfunkel brings his trademark folk rock sound to the Riley Center stage in downtown Meridian.

No-cost lab safety training session Tuesday
The Office of Regulatory Compliance and Safety is offering an interactive, hands-on training course on general laboratory safety. "Introduction to Laboratory Safety" is a three-hour seminar for laboratory users of all experience levels. The next session of the summer takes place this Tuesday.

Road closures for summer paving projects
The following areas on the Mississippi State University campus continue to be affected by summer paving project work: the parking lot on the northwest side of McArthur Hall will be closed to all traffic from July 9-31; from July 9-July 31, access to the Zacharias parking area will be maintained, but expect to encounter construction.

Ticket sales underway for Lyceum Series season
With the 2012-13 season to begin mid-fall semester, the Mississippi State University Lyceum Series announces the opening of ticket sales for all five, or individually selected, performances. The Capitol Steps, a Washington, D.C.-based musical and political satire troupe of former congressional staffers, will inaugurate the season Oct. 11. The American Shakespeare Center's Feb. 22 presentation of "Twelfth Night" opens the spring events.

Maroon Volunteer Center wants you
The Maroon Volunteer Center at Mississippi State details a number of volunteer opportunities for the campus community in its current newsletter, including Starkville Community Day, Maroon Edition Habitat for Humanity, North MS VISTA positions, GED tutoring, and more.

University hosting PERS seminar this fall
Human Resources Management at Mississippi State is hosting a PERS pre-retirement, full-day seminar on Oct. 3, 2012, at Bost Extension Center. The seminar offers general information on a range of topics, including estate planning, Mississippi Deferred Compensation Plan and Trust, Social Security benefits, and PERS benefits and options. The seminar is available to any covered PERS member at no cost, but pre-registration is required.

Policy reminders from University Health Services
University Health Services at Mississippi State reminds the campus community of several important policies for its patients to keep in mind when seeking treatment, parking, refilling a prescription online, and privacy.

The Office of Public Affairs provides Maroon MEMO as a general information
resource for Mississippi State University employees.

Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.

Health goals earn funding for wellness project
Mississippi State's efforts to help individuals on campus develop healthy habits and pursue overall wellness will be bolstered with more than a half million dollars in grant funding. The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation awarded the university's "MSU on the Move" project $562,485 to support programs that strive to promote a healthier culture throughout campus and in the surrounding local community.

Faculty announced for MSU leadership program
Eighteen Mississippi State faculty members are new selections for the competitive 2012-2013 Buz M. Walker Faculty Leadership Program. Sponsored by the university's Office of Research and Economic Development, the program works to develop the next generation of campus academic leaders, among other goals. It honors the memory of the land-grant institution's seventh president (1925-30), an MSU alumnus.

Harris joins Extension as beekeeping specialist
Southern beekeepers have an experienced ally joining the ranks of researchers and specialists at Mississippi State University. On July 1, Jeff Harris began his new position as an Extension Service apiculture specialist and researcher with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. He previously worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the honeybee breeding laboratory in Baton Rouge.

Stricklin to host radio show beginning July 24
Mississippi State director of athletics Scott Stricklin is set to add another duty to his already busy schedule. The third year athletic director will host "Hail State with Scott Stricklin," a monthly hour-long radio program beginning July 24. "This is a great opportunity, working with our friends at Learfield, Eat With Us Group and Ely's, to get the word out about Mississippi State athletics and what we're doing in a fun and innovative way," Stricklin said.