Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

The medical team for Buddy, a dog that suffered serious burn injuries last month, is being treated at Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. His medical team includes, from left, Dr. Elizabeth Swanson, third-year veterinary student and Live Oak, Florida native Callie Ward and Dr. Melody Whitney. According to Buddy’s care team, he is in good spirits -- eating, wagging his tail and giving kisses to anyone he can. PHOTO: Beth Wynn | Public Affairs

Search committee in place for MAFES director and CALS dean
Mississippi State University Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble and Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw last week announced members of the search committee for the university’s next director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. An 18-member search committee, now in place and chaired by Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Brent Fountain, will hold its initial meeting soon to begin the search process.

Search committee in place for College of Forest Resources dean
Mississippi State University Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble and Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw last week announced members of the search committee for the university’s next dean of the College of Forest Resources. The CFR dean also will serve as director of the university’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center. A 16-member search committee, now in place and chaired by Dr. Kent Hoblet, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, will hold its initial meeting soon to begin the search process.

Carl Ray Furr Jr. Conference Room dedicated in Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans at Nusz Hall
Mississippi State’s G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans at Nusz Hall dedicated the new Carl Ray Furr Jr. Conference Room last week with a ribbon cutting in honor of a decorated veteran and longtime friend of the university. “It is most fitting that we name and dedicate this conference room in honor of Carl Ray Furr Jr. Throughout his life, he answered the call to serve our great nation,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. Furr, a resident of Jackson and Port St. Lucie, Florida, who died in 2016, served in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army. He served in the U.S. special operations in Grenada. He also served during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.

Researchers invited to discuss opportunities for collaboration with Jackson Heart Study
Mario Sims from the University of Mississippi Medical Center will be visiting Mississippi State University virtually this Thursday [May 27] at 2 p.m. to discuss the Jackson Heart Study and opportunities for collaboration with faculty and researchers at MSU. The JHS is a community-based prospective cohort study of cardiovascular disease in more than 5,000 African-Americans in Hinds, Madison and Rankin counties. Initiated in 2000, the study is a partnership between UMMC, Jackson State University, and Tougaloo College. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities fund the study.

Lopez wins ‘best overall poster’ by APA
A doctoral student in the Department of Psychology at Mississippi State University won best overall poster and a presentation slot at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, the largest conference in the psychology field, for her research highlighting racial disparity in trauma-related events. Acacia Lopez, a first year doctoral student in MSU’s clinical psychology program, submitted her poster for consideration in the APA Child and Adolescent Psychology division. Her poster award includes a presentation invitation to the APA convention, to be held virtually this August. A native of Boulder, Colorado, Lopez works in the Grandfamilies Lab at MSU, advised by Assistant Professor Danielle Nadorff.

Nominations sought for 2021-22 SECU Academic Leadership Development Program
Mississippi State is seeking nominations for up to four SECU Academic Leadership Development Program Fellows from among the university's tenured faculty (full professor). The SECU Academic Leadership Development Program equips fellows with knowledge and skills for leading faculty and academic programs, as well as managerial and organizational skills required to lead complex organizations. Nominations should be submitted to the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President by 5 p.m. June 4 and must include a statement by nominees regarding their interest in university leadership. Nominees also must submit an abbreviated biographical sketch and support letters from both their department head and college dean.

Applications open for SEC Visiting Faculty Travel Grant Program
Mississippi State faculty members are invited to submit applications for the Southeastern Conference Visiting Faculty Travel Grant Program until June 25. Sponsored by the SEC Academic Consortium, the program is intended to enhance faculty collaboration that stimulates scholarly initiatives between SEC universities. It gives faculty from one SEC university the opportunity to travel to another SEC campus to: exchange ideas; develop grant proposals; conduct research; consult with faculty and/or students; offer lectures or symposia; or engage in whatever activities are agreeable to the visitor and host unit.

MSU Golf Course offering summer membership special for students, faculty and staff
The Mississippi State University Golf Course is offering a membership special for MSU students, faculty and staff. The $550 special includes unlimited golf green fee and golf car fees for the entire summer semester. A green fee only option is available for $300. Membership will be valid from May 10-Aug. 8. For more information, stop by the golf shop or contact PGA Head Golf Professional Tim Basel at 662-325-3028 or tbasel@business.msstate.edu.

Reminder: University policy addresses employee political activity
With political campaigning underway for local elections, Mississippi State's Office of General Counsel offers the following reminder of the university’s policy on political activities. There are several basic guidelines that university employees should keep in mind when engaging in any form of political activity. MSU employees are encouraged to review OP 01.14: Political Activities in its entirety and to understand their rights and responsibilities.

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. The complete policy is available at www.policies.msstate.edu/policy/91301.

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.

15 graduate from Leadership Development Program
Fifteen Mississippi State employees are graduating from the university’s 2020-21 Leadership Development Program: Doug Bedsaul, Ariel Burks, Austin Dillard, George Dunn, Libby Durst, Doug Gernaat, Robin Graves, Corey Hancock, Timothy Hopkins, Jermaine Jackson, Meredith Nagel, Katie Sisk, Anna Sparks, Stephen Williams and Nancy Wilson. Formerly known as the Leadership Excellence for Accomplished Professionals (LEAP) Program, the nine-month LDP empowers new supervisors and high-performing employees with heightened self-awareness, advanced knowledge and value-added leadership in a secure and challenging environment.

Pierce adds to accolades with new state award
Mississippi’s Poet Laureate Catherine Pierce is adding another accolade to her distinguished list of honors. The Mississippi State professor of English is the winner of the 2021 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Poetry Award for her book “Danger Days,” a collection of poems addressing the beauty of the world, as well as destruction created by climate change. “I’m thrilled and grateful. It’s especially heartening to know that these poems, written in the quiet of my office or late at night when my family was asleep, can resonate for and connect with readers,” Pierce said.

CFR and FWRC faculty, staff honored for excellence in natural resources
Mississippi State faculty and staff in the College of Forest Resources and the Forest and Wildlife Research Center have received recent honors for teaching, research and outreach. Wes Burger, CFR interim dean and FWRC interim director, spoke at an annual awards ceremony at the conclusion of the spring semester about how honorees continue to lead despite a challenging year. “We are a small college but very productive,” he said. “During the last year, our faculty continued their research in fields and laboratories, produced scientific publications and applied for research funding, all while teaching classes both face-to-face and online. I am so proud of the work our faculty, staff and students are doing to advance natural resource conservation and utilization.”

CVM breaks ground for Animal Emergency & Referral Center expansion in Rankin County
Expansion of the Animal Emergency & Referral Center (AERC), a Flowood satellite clinic of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, officially began with a groundbreaking ceremony last week. According to MSU CVM Assistant Dean for Clinical Services Dr. Joey Burt, the project is required as a result of the continued growth of the practice, as well as to better serve clients and university veterinary students. “This expansion is critical for the AERC’s continued success; we have simply outgrown our existing facilities,” he said. “Having all our services in one location will be a benefit to our patients, practitioners, clients and students. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”