Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Ice formed where a sprinkler system provided extra water near Simrall Electrical Engineering Building last week when the state and much of the country saw near-record low temperatures. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs

Register for Safe Zone awareness training
Mississippi State University’s Safe Zone Advisory Board encourages interested students, as well as faculty and staff members who have not previously attended, to register now for the Spring Safe Zone LGBTQ Awareness Training on Feb. 10 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Colvard Student Union’s Foster Ballroom. Since space is limited, early registration is encouraged.

Starkville-MSU Community Band seeks musicians
Mississippi State's band staff again is inviting university students and employees, as well as Golden Triangle residents with previous band experience, to participate in the Starkville-MSU Community Band. Craig Aarhus, associate director of bands, said the community band gives musicians of all ages and abilities a low-stress environment where they can practice their craft on a weekly basis.

Florist announces hours for spring semester
The University Florist -- operated by floral management program faculty and students -- has set its hours for the spring semester at Mississippi State. During the spring, the shop will be open every weekday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except on Wednesdays when it will close at noon. It will be closed on Jan. 19 for the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday.

Kick off the new semester by volunteering
The Maroon Volunteer Center at Mississippi State details a number of volunteer opportunities for the campus community on its website and in its newsletter this week, including MLK Week events and America's Sunday Supper. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to make a difference by volunteering as a new semester gets underway.

Proposal development assistance from SPA
Sponsored Programs Administration and the Office of Research and Economic Development at Mississippi State University are committed to helping faculty find the resources needed to support research endeavors. Recognizing that not all faculty members have departmental support for proposal development, SPA is working to provide this support as needed.

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.

This Week in Mississippi State Sports, 01/12/15
Men's Basketball travels to College Station for an 8 p.m. tipoff against Texas A&M on Tuesday, and then hosts Vanderbilt on Saturday at 3 p.m.... Women's Basketball hosts LSU on Thursday at 7 p.m., and then Alabama at 3 p.m. on Sunday... Track & Field begins competition Friday at the Commodore Invitation in Nashville... Men's Tennis hosts Jackson State at 11 a.m. and Alabama State at 4 p.m. on Saturday... Women's Tennis hosts Alabama State at 10 a.m. and Jackson State at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

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University community reminded of traffic changes
As the volume of campus traffic increases dramatically with the Monday start of spring semester classes, Mississippi State officials are reminding members of the university and local communities to exercise caution and follow all parking and traffic rules. Jeremiah Dumas, director of parking, transit and sustainability, said one significant traffic-flow change has taken place behind Allen Hall.

Programs rank highly in U.S. News & World Report
Mississippi State University is listed in the 2015 U.S. News & World Report rankings of the nation's online programs, getting especially high marks for online graduate programs in computer information technology, business administration and engineering. "As chief academic officer, I am proud of the rankings of the various MSU programs by U.S. News & World Report. These rankings are quite an accomplishment and a tribute to our fine distance programs," said Jerry Gilbert, provost and executive vice president.

Carnegie recognizes community engagement efforts
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching last week congratulated more than 350 colleges and universities for their engagement with local communities. Mississippi State University earned the community engagement classification during Carnegie's 2010 selection process and is among those being recognized along with 83 institutions receiving the classification for the first time and another 157 being re-classified after earning their original designation in 2006 or 2008.

Diaz named defensive coordinator for football
Manny Diaz, a nine-year veteran defensive coordinator who spearheaded Louisiana Tech into one of the nation’s elite units in 2014, has been named defensive coordinator at Mississippi State, head coach Dan Mullen announced last week. Diaz brings an impressive resume to Starkville that includes more than 15 years of collegiate experience and 13 bowl appearances.