Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

A cold, the flu and other viruses can put a damper in anyone’s schedule. According to MSU's University Health Services, proper handwashing, adequate sleep, a nutritious diet and a yearly flu shot are simple ways to stay healthy and protect others from illness. For more information on MSU’s University Health Services, visit www.health.msstate.edu. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs

MSU wildlife researchers use UAVs to help conserve bird species and habitats
Unmanned aerial vehicles are taking flight to aid Mississippi State researchers in a quest to improve grassland bird conservation, safeguarding the storied feathered vertebrates that are nationally in decline. UAVs are assisting MSU researchers in the university’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center in detecting quail coveys. The new method for estimating bird population also provides a faster, more accurate and less disruptive way to study other grassland bird species, while simultaneously benefiting conservation efforts. FWRC assistant professor Mark McConnell said the data collected is essential to landowners interested in managing for once-abundant gamebirds.

Registration underway for annual Legal Issues Conference at MSU
Mississippi State will hold its 9th annual Legal Issues Conference April 22-24 on the Starkville campus. The conference is open to all levels of university practitioners and will provide valuable educational and networking opportunities. This year’s keynote speakers include Will Creeley, senior vice president of legal and public advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), W. Scott Lewis, partner at NCHERM Group, a legal and consulting firm that serves K-12 schools and university campuses, and Marisa R. Randazzo, CEO and founder of SIGMA Threat Management Associates.

Applications for MSU's 2020 Community-Engaged Learning Fellows program due by Feb. 21
Feb. 21 is the deadline to submit an application for Mississippi State's 2020 Community-Engaged Learning Fellows program. Sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, the Center for Community-Engaged Learning and the Center for Teaching and Learning, this three-week program supports instructional faculty and staff in integrating community-engaged learning into their formal or non-formal teaching. The CEL Fellows program will meet in May 2020, and CEL Fellows will learn community-engaged learning theory, course design, and pedagogy.

Nominations sought for Jefcoat and Ammon advising awards
The Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President is seeking nominations for Mississippi State’s 2020 Irvin Atly Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Awards and Wes Ammon Outstanding New Advisor Awards. The deadline for nominations for both awards is March 23. Nominations are to be submitted in PDF form to the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President via email to nfultz@provost.msstate.edu.

Information needed for 2020 youth summer camps
The MSU summer camp page is ready to be updated with your 2020 camp information. Please login at http://ce.extension.msstate.edu/add-summer-camp to enter information about your upcoming summer camps. Only MSU employees have the ability to access the summer camp information site using their MSU NetID and Net Password. Once submitted, your camp information will be reviewed, approved and posted. If you have any questions or have any trouble entering your information, please contact Amber Shultice at 662-325-1457 or ams257@msstate.edu.

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.

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Carnegie Foundation endorses Mississippi State with renewed Community Engagement Classification
Mississippi State again is being recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for excellent integration of community engagement with university teaching and learning strategies. The Carnegie Foundation announced last Friday [Jan. 31] that MSU is receiving the 2020 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. An official letter informing MSU President Mark E. Keenum of the university’s selection for the prestigious honor said higher education institutions like Mississippi State are “making significant strides in finding ways to engage with community partners, building on community assets, and addressing a wide array of community challenges.”

Coble honored for lifetime achievement
A Mississippi State University department head and leading agricultural economics expert is being honored for his longstanding contributions to agriculture. Keith Coble, professor and head of MSU’s Department of Agricultural Economics, is a selection for the Southern Agricultural Economics Association Lifetime Achievement award. According to its website, the mission of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association, or SAEA, is to foster the study and understanding of agricultural economics and its applications to address problems in the southern U.S.

Cui honored for early career success and prominence in field
A Mississippi State faculty member is the recipient of the 2020 Thieme Chemistry Journal Award acknowledging his respected reputation and early success in the field of chemistry. Xin Cui, an assistant professor in MSU’s Department of Chemistry, is being recognized for his laboratory research on organic chemistry, catalysis and medicinal chemistry. “This is an outstanding recognition by an expert peer leadership group of organic chemistry journal editors related to Dr. Cui’s science,” said Dennis W. Smith Jr., MSU professor and head of the chemistry department.

Mississippi Horse Park hosting Rotary Classic Rodeo on Friday and Saturday
While the Rotary Classic Rodeo is a competitive tournament featuring bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling and other contests, the event offers something for the whole family. Hosted by the Starkville Rotary Club, the annual rodeo sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association is returning to the Mississippi Horse Park Friday and Saturday [Feb. 7-8]. The Mississippi Horse Park, a partnership of Mississippi State University, the city of Starkville and Oktibbeha County, is a division of the MSU Extension Service.