Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Kennedy Guest, president of the MSU Student Association, and President Mark E. Keenum cut the ribbon to celebrate the official opening of the new plaza between the YMCA Building and Colvard Student Union last Friday [Aug. 19]. Additional MSU officials joining them included (from left) Regina Hyatt, vice president for student affairs; Don Zant, vice president for finance and administration and CFO; Guest; Keenum; and Saunders Ramsey, executive director of Campus Services. Festivities also included a block party on the pedestrian-friendly plaza with food trucks and entertainment. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs

Sescu named to Bagley's Airbus Helicopters, Inc. Endowed Professorship
Adrian Sescu, associate professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, has been named to the Airbus Helicopters, Inc. Endowed Professorship for the Mississippi State University Bagley College of Engineering. Airbus Helicopters, Inc. manufactures and markets a wide range of aerospace technology including commercial aircrafts, helicopters and satellites. Among others, Sescu is currently working on a project founded by the Engineer Research and Development Center in collaboration with CAVS at Mississippi State which focuses on reduced order modeling of hypersonic turbulent boundary layers. Sescu is excited for the opportunities the professorship offers him to continue to collaborate and expand across disciplines at Mississippi State.

Fall general faculty meeting coming up Sept. 13
The Office of the President and the Robert Holland Faculty Senate invite all Mississippi State University faculty to the fall general faculty meeting at 3 p.m. on Sept. 13, 2022, in Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium. Interested members of the campus community are also welcome. The meeting will feature an update from President Mark E. Keenum. The MSU Television Center will provide a livestream of the meeting for those unable to attend in person or who prefer to watch online. The livestream will be available at https://vimeo.com/event/2364870. If you require special assistance related to a disability, please contact Meg Berry at mberry@pres.msstate.edu or 662-325-2396.

MSU Office of Civil Rights Compliance issues reminder for instances requiring mandatory reporting
The Mississippi State Office of Civil Rights Compliance issued a friendly reminder to all faculty and staff of the mandatory reporting duties under university policies on civil rights and Title IX. All faculty and staff, with a very small number of designated exceptions, are mandatory reporters for purposes of Title IX. This means you are required to report any sexual misconduct you may learn about involving members of the university community to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance. Sexual misconduct includes harassment, sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, stalking and sexual exploitation.

Apply today: Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program
Mississippi State has a long association with the Fulbright Scholar Program with over 50 MSU faculty from a variety of disciplines having received Fulbright U.S. Scholar awards since 1954. MSU has also welcomed many international scholars to our campus through the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program. The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program recently opened its 2023-24 competition with over 400 awards in 130 countries featured in the Catalog of Awards, which includes teaching, researching and professional project opportunities. The MSU International Institute welcomes questions from faculty who are interested in applying.

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.

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Stevens joins College of Education as new music department head
A longtime symphony orchestra performer, conductor and faculty member is Mississippi State’s new head of the Department of Music. Daniel Stevens comes to MSU after serving as a tenured professor at the University of North Alabama, where he also was director of orchestral studies and an applied viola studio teacher. “Dr. Stevens has a distinguished record of accomplishments in the field of music. He has served as director of the Peery Center for Orchestral Studies, president of the Alabama Orchestra Association, and artistic director of the Shoals Symphony Orchestra. He has worked throughout his career to accelerate growth in programs while supporting faculty and students,” said Teresa Jayroe, dean of MSU’s College of Education, which houses the department.

ORED announces new hires for Partnership School leadership, division operations and events positions
Mississippi State University’s Office of Research and Economic Development has recently added three new staff members in key support positions. Christina Reynolds is now serving as director of the Partnership Middle School and educational liaison; Judy Harris Middleton has been hired to fill the newly created position of assistant director for operations; and Cathy Curtis joins the office as a program manager, focusing on special events. “I am excited to have all three of these new hires on board as we begin a new academic year,” said MSU Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan. “Each brings a unique skill set that will help us carry out key initiatives in support of university research and economic development missions.”

Evans named GRI associate director
A Mississippi State faculty member with more than a decade of research and service in wildlife, fisheries, aquaculture and land conservation is adding an administrative role to her responsibilities. Kristine Evans, associate professor in the College of Forest Resources, is now serving as the associate director for MSU’s Geosystems Research Institute. “Kristine has built important relationships with favorable leadership capabilities when she managed a southeast land conservation cooperative and served as principal investigator over several research projects at GRI. With continued collaborations with GRI researchers, Dr. Evans has earned the reputation for her esteemed research processes and methodologies,” said GRI Director Robert Moorhead.