Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Construction continues bringing to life Azalea Hall -- the 159,000-square-foot facility that will boast more than 400 bedspaces when it opens ahead of the fall 2025 semester. Mississippi State's newest residence hall will serve future Bulldogs as a central hub for campus life, dining, academic partnerships and other community needs for decades to come, as well as offering a living and learning community for the university's Luckyday Scholars. PHOTO: Jonah Holland | Public Affairs

Staff develop research support skills, graduate from university’s DAWG program
Mississippi State’s Office of Research Development is announcing 24 graduates from the 2023-2024 DAWG program. The Departmental Administrators Working Group (DAWG) is a professional development program offered to Mississippi State University staff who work with research grants and contracts. Program graduates have learned the fundamentals of sponsored projects such as reading a Request for Proposals to grant close-outs. Recent DAWG graduate Lyla Garner of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies said the program provides both social and professional resources. “I really enjoyed making connections with others across campus that I typically would not have much interaction with along with learning more about the grants and contracts process,” Garner said.

Swann receives 2024 CPDD Joseph M. Biedenbach Distinguished Service Award
The Bagley College of Engineering’s Tamra Swann, a distance education coordinator, has been awarded the American Society for Engineering Education Continuing Professional Development Division’s Joseph M. Biedenbach Distinguished Service Award. This award is the highest honor given to CPDD members who have excelled in leadership and service within the division and recognizes outstanding service to the continuing professional development of engineers.

Folk exposes new symbiosis origin theories, identifies experimental systems for plant life
A Mississippi State faculty member’s work on symbiosis -- a mutually beneficial relationship between living organisms -- is pushing back against the newer theory of a “single-origin” of root nodule symbiosis (RNS) -- that all symbiosis between plant root nodules and nitrogen-fixing bacteria stems from one point -- instead suggesting a “multiple-origin” theory of symbiosis which opens a better understanding for genetically engineering crops. Ryan A. Folk, an assistant professor in the MSU Department of Biological Sciences and herbarium curator, is an author on a paper published last month in Nature Communications examining RNS, which allows plants to access atmospheric nitrogen converted into usable forms through a mutualistic relationship with soil bacteria. He joins investigators at the University of Florida and an international team.

Bryan-Watts joins Journal of Research Administration as editorial board member
The Bagley College of Engineering’s Teresa Bryan-Watts, a program and grant development specialist, has joined the Journal of Research Administration as an editorial board member. The position involves encouraging submissions related to the journal’s focus on research administration, ensuring articles are responsive to research administration issues and trends, and leading the review of submitted manuscripts. The JRA is an academic, peer-reviewed publication focused on the field of research administration and management.

‘On the Farm’ explores plights of small-scale farmer
Sam McLemore had exceptional strawberry harvests in 2020 and 2021, but he still couldn’t grow enough produce to meet increased local demand, so he took out a bank loan for a new tractor and began expanding his farm. McLemore and his wife, Isabel, have co-owned Starkville-based Bountiful Harvest Farms for more than a decade. A time of prosperity for their farm was brought to a sudden halt with one bad crop. In the 2022 growing season, late fall temperatures were too high and winter rains too heavy. Plantings for an anticipated 5,000-pound strawberry harvest only yielded 150. He explained in the miniseries “On the Farm” that the setback caused him to fall behind in making debt payments. The miniseries, produced by the University Television Center at Mississippi State University, represents a partnership between the MSU Extension Service and the MSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Reminder: University policy addresses employee political activity
With campaigning for elected offices underway this year, 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.

Free learning opportunities via LinkedIn Learning available to faculty, staff and students
Sharpen skills. Explore new interests. Increase professional value. These and other results are now available via no-cost learning opportunities to Mississippi State faculty, staff and students through MSU’s new agreement with LinkedIn Learning. A popular, online education platform, LinkedIn Learning’s 20,000-plus courses are available to campus via a quick login using their MSU NetID email addresses. With self-paced learning, courses are presented in various formats, including bite-sized video, audio only and in-depth content. The platform is directly integrated with Canvas, the university’s learning management system. MSU faculty can use it to supplement course material or even develop and load their own content onto the platform.

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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Green to serve as interim engineering dean
A longtime Mississippi State engineering administrator will serve as interim dean of the Bagley College of Engineering. Bagley College of Engineering Assistant Dean Robert A. Green will serve as interim dean, succeeding former Dean Jason Keith, who was recently named provost at Iowa State University. Green assumes his new role on Aug. 1. “We are confident that Dr. Green will help us maintain the momentum of the Bagley College of Engineering and provide consistent and effective leadership,” said David R. Shaw, MSU provost and executive vice president. Shaw will immediately begin the election and appointment process for the composition of a search committee, which will be chaired by MSU College of Business Dean Scott Grawe.

Buys, Jones enter administrative roles at MSU-Meridian
Mississippi State University is promoting two key administrators to guide the rapidly developing health sciences units at MSU-Meridian’s Riley Campus. David Buys is the new associate vice provost for Health Sciences, and Harold Jones is the interim dean of Health Professions. The two are important additions to a university team continuing to strengthen MSU’s leadership position in training students to meet critical healthcare needs in the state and region. “This is an exciting and inspiring time in the history of MSU-Meridian and for East Mississippi and West Alabama communities,” said MSU Provost David R. Shaw. “These very competent and experienced administrators will bring great focus and enthusiasm that will build on the solid foundation of MSU-Meridian and our commitment to growing our health sciences units in this wonderful community.”

Lance named vice president of National Band Association
Elva Kaye Lance, Mississippi State’s director of bands, is the new vice president of the largest professional band organization worldwide. A veteran music educator for more than 40 years, Lance was elected to the leadership role for the National Band Association this spring and will serve a two-year term before moving into the roles of president-elect and president. Craig Aarhus, one of the Famous Maroon Band’s associate directors, was re-elected as an at-large representative on the board of directors. Founded in 1960, the NBA promotes band activities across the globe and includes representatives from universities and elementary, middle and high school bands, as well as conductors of professional ensembles and community and military bands. “It is humbling to be elected to this leadership position in our National Band Association,” Lance said.

Lawrence, Harvey appointed to national boards advising U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Congress
Two Mississippi State University faculty members are serving on national boards that provide insight and advice to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Congress. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently reappointed Mark Lawrence, professor in the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board, and appointed Lorin Harvey, MSU Department of Plant and Soil Sciences assistant professor, to the specialty crop subcommittee of the NAREEE Advisory Board. The boards advise Vilsack and, per mandate, provide reports and recommendations to Congress’s appropriate agricultural committees.