Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Charles U. Pittman Jr., MSU professor emeritus of organic chemistry, gives a keynote address during a symposium in honor of his 80th birthday and as part of the university's recent National Chemistry Week activities. A 1964 doctoral graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Pittman did postdoctoral studies at Dow Chemical Co. and Case Western Reserve University. He later joined MSU’s faculty in 1983 and founded and served for many years as the research director of the University/Industry Chemical Research Center. Pittman has published more than 900 scientific publications, including 17 books. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs

DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Sandy Havard
Sandy Havard found a home at the Warren County Extension office as Extension agent and county coordinator. he helps the people in her community solve problems regarding issues as small as identifying an insect or as large as dealing with flooded homes. “I really like how we have a really active master gardener group,” she said. “They play a huge role in this community, and without them, we would not be the resource in Warren County as we are today.”

DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Paige Tipton
Paige Tipton has recently started working with Mississippi State University as an agricultural technician in Poplarville. As part of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station team at White Sand, she works with others to conduct cattle-focused research and maintain a cattle herd. “My favorite part of my job is getting to learn more about the cattle industry and hone my animal husbandry skills,” Tipton said. “I also love to watch the morning sun rise as I ride out on my horse to gather the cattle for the day.”

New Locksley Way multiuse path showcases successful partnership between MSU, Starkville and Oktibbeha County
Representatives from Mississippi State University, the city of Starkville and Oktibbeha County celebrated the new multiuse path on Locksley Way last week. “By working together, we have created a beautiful pedestrian corridor that will benefit our students and the citizens of this community,” MSU President Mark E. Keenum said. “As our campus and the surrounding area continues to grow, it is important that we develop infrastructure to support multiple transportation methods. I would like to thank everyone who has worked to make this project a reality.”

MSU ranked top SEC university for veterans, among nation’s best
Mississippi State University is once again being recognized for its commitment to supporting veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, current service members and their dependents. In the Military Times’ Best for Vets: Colleges 2020 rankings released this week, MSU is listed at No. 21 among four-year schools, the highest ranking of any Southeastern Conference university. The publication’s annual ranking is an editorially independent news project that evaluates a variety of factors that make colleges and universities a good fit for service members and their families.

MSU ranked top in state for ‘Best Online Master’s in Mechanical Engineering’
Mississippi State is ranked the No. 1 university in Mississippi and third in the nation in a “25 Best Online Master’s in Mechanical Engineering” list released by Online Schools Report. “This recognition is a testament to the quality of our faculty and staff who provide a first-class, affordable option for a graduate mechanical engineering degree by distance education,” MSU Bagley College of Engineering Dean Jason Keith said. “There are tremendous opportunities for mechanical engineers in industry across our state, and this program brings the classroom to them.”

Smoke-free policy enhances healthy environment
Mississippi State University is a smoke-free campus. Official policy prohibits the use of any combustible or vapor products anywhere on campus property including university buildings, university grounds, university vehicles, parking areas and sidewalks. The smoke-free campus policy is part of the university's commitment to creating a healthy environment for all members of the campus community. Use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookah or other similar devices are prohibited by this policy.

Policy addresses employee political activity
With political campaigning for local and statewide races currently underway, Mississippi State's Office of General Counsel offers the following reminder of the university’s policy on political activities. There are several guidelines that employees of the university should keep in mind when engaging in any form of political activity. The Office of General Counsel encourages each employee to review this policy in its entirety to make certain you are fully aware of your rights and responsibilities.

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.

MSU notes ITS success, initiatives at annual meeting
As Mississippi State carries out its learning, research and service missions, the university’s Information Technology Services is behind the scenes making sure students, faculty and staff have the digital tools they need to be successful. MSU President Mark E. Keenum addressed ITS employees during the organization’s annual meeting last week, noting their vital contributions to the campus, which include maintaining and protecting the university’s wired and wireless networks. “You may not be high-profile, but without you, this place doesn’t run,” he said.

Vahedifard tapped Engineer of the Year by ASCE’s Mississippi Section
A Mississippi State civil engineering faculty member is being recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers-Mississippi Section as Engineer of the Year. Farshid Vahedifard, associate professor in MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering and its Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, also holds the Civil and Environmental Advisory Board Endowed Professorship. The Engineer of the Year award recognizes a Mississippi ASCE society member “who has contributed substantially to the status of the engineering profession by establishing a reputation for professional service and ethics.”

National Communication Association honors Page
For his work on post-crisis communication, a Mississippi State faculty member is receiving the Top Paper Award in Public Relations from the National Communication Association. Tyler Page, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication, will be formally recognized with a certificate of achievement during the NCA’s annual conference this month in Baltimore, Maryland. He also will present two papers and serve as a session respondent. “The paper is about how pre-existing relationships influence reputation following a crisis,” he said.

Carl Small Town Center gains community planner
Mississippi State’s Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center is welcoming Anne Welch to its team. Welch said she is passionate about small-town and rural planning and is excited to continue the CSTC’s work to help facilitate planning, placemaking and creative economic development in small towns and communities across the state. A Mississippi State alumna in interdisciplinary studies, she holds a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Georgia Institute of Technology.