Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Shelby Grice, a Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station lab technician, shows middle schoolers a display with white admiral and viceroy butterflies during the recent Bug and Plant Camp. The summer, week-long experience introduces young students to insect collection and preservation, while also familiarizing them with habitats. The annual camp is sponsored by the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology. PHOTO: David Ammon | Agriculture and Natural Resources Marketing

MSU creates groundbreaking cotton quality model to aid farmers
Does climate change have an impact on the quality of cotton? Mississippi State scientists hope to answer that question with a new way to monitor the environmental impacts on the cash crop throughout the growing season. Researchers in the university’s Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station -- in collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Nebraska Water Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service -- have produced the world’s first cotton quality module -- a part of a larger forecasting tool -- allowing cotton producers to better monitor crop quality under changing environmental conditions.

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.

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.

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.

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MSU sweeps Grand Awards during annual CPRAM competition
Mississippi State University’s Office of Public Affairs swept the senior division Grand Award categories during College Public Relations Association of Mississippi’s annual competition. CPRAM is a consortium of public relations professionals employed at Mississippi’s public and private colleges and universities. During the annual CPRAM conference last month, OPA Senior Associate Director Harriet Laird was elected to serve as president of the CPRAM board for the 2024-2025 academic year. A Grand Award in print media and first place in the institutional magazine category went to the 2023 issues of MSU’s Alumnus magazine edited by Susan Lassetter, OPA publications editor, and published by OPA and the MSU Alumni Association. “Mariah,” a documentary produced by OPA and the University Television Center, is the Grand Award recipient in the electronic media category and took home first-place in the television program category.

Rico Mendez dives into sustainable aquatic food-based solutions at UN event
Gina Rico Mendez, an assistant research professor and research fellow at Mississippi State’s Social Science Research Center, represented the university during the 24th United Nations Open-Ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea on June 18. “The purpose of this event is identifying areas of intergovernmental and interagency coordination and cooperation, which is critical to this year’s topic, ‘The ocean as a source of sustainable food,’” said Rico Mendez, research and learning manager for the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish. “Sustainable aquatic food-based solutions are at the core of the discussions in international development these days, and our work at the Fish Innovation Lab has a lot to contribute to this issue.”

University hosts 2024 Delta Scholars Program
This summer, Mississippi State’s Shackouls Honors College is hosting a multi-institution cohort of 16 who are identifying and studying an issue at the intersection of public policy, food security, public health and community development during the seventh annual Delta Scholars Summer Program. “The Delta faces challenges unique to its history and geography, and we are proud to once again host a coalition of students committed to public service from across the country who are focused on solving those unique challenges,” said Shackouls Honors College Dean Tommy Anderson. The program enables participants to better understand the challenges and opportunities of the Delta and what can be learned in the area to inform public service leadership more broadly.