Are professor perceptions of student stereotypes present in Ole Miss classroom?

Courtesy of Ole Miss Law School

It's no secret that Ole Miss students place social labels on their peers solely from what they’re wearing, if they're involved in Greek life or not, or even based on a students dialect. Do professors on the Ole Miss Campus do the same? Is there a correlation between a students classroom performance and what stereotypical group they are placed in?

University of Mississippi junior and sorority member, Mckenzie Baldorossi, feels that professors do share the same prejudicial biases that students hold about their classmates and that often times, professors do immediately categorize a student into a stereotypical group just from their appearance. 

Ole Miss football player and fraternity member, Hunter Raines, feels that at first, professors may think that an athlete could be viewed as a "slacker" and that the athlete may believe they're going to receive a certain grade solely based on their campus prominence. However, after the professor gets to know the student as an individual, they may find that the athlete shows an incredible amount of effort in their academic work.

Zach Schwartzman has more on the story.

Do Student Stereotypes Among Teachers Run High On The Ole Miss Campus?

Courtesy of Ole Miss News

We know how students perceive other students on the Ole Miss campus, and we know how outsiders perceive students on the Ole Miss campus, but what about the teachers? What are the stereotypes professors see on campus and does it effect a student's performance in the classroom?

According to some Ole Miss students, stereotypes are definitely acknowledged by teachers simply because the stereotypes are so devout. Their concern wasn't that professors categorize all types of students, but rather, a certain few seem to stand out the most.

Ole Miss professors, however, believe that these stereotypes do not necessarily stem from a student's ideologies or upbringing; instead, they are usually formed due to the organization in which a student is involved.

Margaret Collins has more on this story.

FedEx Academic Center at Ole Miss Helping Student-Athletes Achieve Academic Success

FedEx Student Athlete Academic Support Center
Photo Courtesy of olemisssports.com

In 2005, thanks to a $2.5 million gift over five years from FedEx, the University of Mississippi was able to build the FedEx Student-Athlete Academic Support Center in 2007.  This building provides a state-of-the-art facility for student-athletes at Ole Miss to be able to get on top of their schoolwork, and balance academics with the time demands of their respective sports.

The FedEx Center is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every weekday and on Sundays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Various staff members in charge of each individual sport, and that particular team's academic standing, make up the facility's Academic Support Staff.

Hawtin Buchanan has more on this story, which you can watch by clicking here.

Square Books Shapes the History and Culture of Oxford

Square Books is a general independent bookstore located on the historic town square of Oxford, Mississippi, which is the home of the University of Mississippi and many great writers, including William Faulkner.

Square Books Jr. is in a building adjacent to the historic Neilson's Department Store, and is a children’s bookstore that offers various types of books and toys for kids. 

Square Books is known for its strong selection of literary fiction, books on the American South and books written by Southern writers. The store hosts 150 author events a year and is a founding co-sponsor of the Oxford Conference for the Book.

Darby Radcliff has more on this story, which you can watch by clicking here

Paid parking returning to the Oxford Square

The Board of Alderman voted earlier this month to implement paid parking on the Square from 10 AM to 10 PM, but not everyone is on board. 

Parking on the Square has been an ongoing issue in Oxford for some time. Since the removal of parking meters in the 1960s, parking has been what City Parking Manager Matt Davis called "a free-for-all" with minor regulation and no collection of revenue for the city.

But that is soon to change as over 300 parking meters are set to be put up around the Square and surrounding side streets by August as part of an effort to raise money for a future parking garage. According to an article in the Oxford Eagle, the Board of Alderman spent over $300,000 to purchase these meters. Not everyone is so quick to agree with this new policy. Pete Porter has more on that story.

Student Athletes now allowed by NCAA to receive unlimited meals

The NCAA has just agreed to provide Division I student-athletes with unlimited snacks and meals during their athletic seasons as well as mandatory. The rule will go into effect August 1, 2014 but had to first be approved on April 24, 2014, by the NCAA board members.

Prior to the new ruling all Division I sports were only allowed to provide students with 1 incidental meal a month outside of the breakfast, lunch, and dinner allowance that is included into their scholarship. The decision of the ruling came about after Shabazz Napier, a guard for the Connecticut men's basketball team, made a comment in an interview that he sometimes "goes to bed starving."

Ole Miss will be placing the rule into effect for the student-athletes at the University. Matt Ball, the Senior Assistant Athletic Director, says that the plan can cost the school anywhere from $500 to $5,000 extra dollars depending on what all they will provide for athletes next year.

Amber Singletary has more on this story, which you can see by clicking here.

Students in Oxford, MS Host Poetry Slam to Break Silence

Ole Miss junior, Jalisa Giles, explains how she came up with the idea to host a poetry slam. April 27th, 2014 in Oxford, MS.  Photo Credit - Jared Boyd

Do you ever feel the need to get something off your chest?  As finals week approaches, Ole Miss junior, Jalisa Giles, took to the stage of Cups of Oxford to do just that. 

Giles, a Vicksburg, MS, native, along with a host of performers, participated in a poetry slam, free and open to the Ole Miss, Oxford, and LaFayette community.

The event was titled Song Cries, Vol. 1 – Broken Silence.

The artists took to the stage to sing songs, play guitars, and recite monologues.

One well-received segment was a piece written by, Chealsea Williams-Simpson, a junior from Byhalia, MS, revolving around marriage, love, and pain.  “I got the idea from the TV drama, Scandal.  The characters resonated with me so deeply, but I tried my best not to spoil the show for anyone who hasn’t seen it.”

Also taking the stage, was Giles, the woman who spearheaded the idea of breaking silence.  Her poem, comparing a turbulent relationship to a severe storm, stirred up audience members, as a real-life tornado watch went into effect for surrounding areas.

Despite the gloomy weather, Giles was thrilled with the turn out.  “I got [the Ole Miss community’s] attention,” she said, just after the show.  She hopes to make her poetry nights a regular event, although she anticipates growing her event to larger areas than the small espresso café.

Customers study and listen in on the performances during "Broken Silence."  April 27th in Oxford, MS.  Photo Credit - Jared Boyd

“The event last night was something well overdue in the community,” said Colin Cody, an audience member and student from Memphis, TN.  “I feel there haven’t been that many off-campus events that unify the student community, where anyone is welcome to voice their thoughts and opinions.”

In the future, each poetry event Giles sponsors will feature an open mic portion of the show.  Giles hopes that this will promote everyone to give honest expression and dialogue back to the Ole Miss family.  Will you be there to break your silence?

To view more of Jared Boyd's coverage on this story CLICK HERE.

UM Opera Theater Presents final showing of "The Elixir of Love"

                                          Graduate assistant Jake McNeely preforms in from of a capacity crowd in 
                           the Meek Building auditorium on Saturday night.  (Photo Courtesy of Phillip Waller/ DM)

The UM Opera Theatre preformed its final showing of Gaetano Donizetti’s “L’Elisir D’Amore,” also known as “The Elixir of Love” in Meek Auditorium on Sunday.This particular opera was made popular by legendary tenor, Luciano Pavarotti. 

The performance Featured both graduate and undergraduate students in a wide range of roles.“The Elixir of Love” is set in Bergamo, Italy, in 1832, and it is orginally performed in both English and Italian.

The UM Theatre felt the use of supertitles in English and would make the opera much more audience-friendly and open to anyone.

Julia Aubrey, Director of the performance, discussed the process in which she determines what students are right for which part and how she can best accentuate their particular skill sets with each showing.

The UM Opera Theatre has a busy year ahead of them, next April they will be presenting their own rendition of Shakespeare's "Hamlet," at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts and will then go on to preform in Prague, Czech Republic late in May, Addison Moreno has more on the story by clicking HERE. 

Small town Artist shows strong ties to his heritage through his work

Oxford, Mississippi Artist, Frank Estrada http://www.frankestradaart.com, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, has always had a passion for art and decided to turn that passion into a carrer when he discovered print making. When Estrada first picked up his tools to create his first print he was hooked. A member of the Oxford Artists Guild http://oxfordartistsguild.blogspot.com/, Estrada uses his work to dipict both southern and counterculteral themes, but also shows the struggle of Mexican American Immigrants and Mexican culture. One of the prints in Estrada's collection titled, Unemployment, shows Mexican Imigrants working tiresly to make ends meet. Estrada believes his work can help put light on their struggle. To view more on this story please click here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9LuYL1UQI4 Estrada's work can be seen through the Memphis, Tennesse based Art collection, Front Porch Art. http://www.frontporchart.com/

Chick-fil-A, it's More Than Selling Chicken

Senior adults listen for bingo numbers to be called

Local Chick-fil-A owner Lance Reed is on a mission to find ways to give back to the Oxford, MS community. Senior bingo is one of the yearly community activities that the restaurant plans. The morning event is held every Wednesday morning from 8-9 a.m. at the West Jackson Avenue Chick-fil-A. 

The restaurant has hosted senior bingo since last October. The morning event started with about five people, and has grown to 15 to 20 regular attenders. Taylor Delandro has more on this story, which you can watch by clicking here.

Overcoming Cancer as a College Student

Courtesy of Kaitlin Bachmeyer  

Last Thanksgiving Kaitlin Bachmeyer, a senior at the University of Mississippi, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. After receiving the diagnosis Kaitlin decided to remain a full time student in order to graduate this May.

Kaitlin originally planned on seven chemotherapy treatments until she was hospitalized last week for Sepsis, a severe blood infection that can lead to organ failure. Now, Kaitlin is responsible for three more chemotherapy treatments.

Since the diagnosis, Kaitlin’s parents leased a house in town for the spring semester to assist their daughter in her recovery. Each week, Kaitlin’s parents decide who is going to drive from Huntsville, Ala. to help Kaitlin.

Kaitlin’s optimism and positive attitude have allowed her to persevere through seven chemotherapy treatments. With only three more left, Kaitlin is adamant about overcoming cancer.

Nancy Hogan has more on the story, which you can see by clicking here.

Dancer becomes a Shark Attack Survivor

   

Courtesy of theman-cave.com

   Shark attacks happen all around the world. Sandbridge Beach Virginia is no stranger to these attacks. In 2003, Virginia Beach had the second highest recorded shark attacks in the United States.  
   According to National Geographic you are more likely to be killed by the flu than a shark. Also, toilets, buckets and pails have injured more people than sharks. However, attacks do happen and when they do you are lucky to come out alive. Machael Wade has more on the story.
 

Double Decker Weekend Brings in Revenue and Crowds

Double Decker Festival: Photo courtesy of Hugh Jones.

Oxford Mississippi held it's 19th annual Double Decker festival in the Downtown Square on August 25th and 26th. Named after the town's famous English styled tour bus, the two day format draws in over 50,000 people to celebrate art, music, and culture.
The Festival takes place around the Oxford Courthouse where over hundreds of tents, and shopping venues are set up to sell various types of artwork, clothing, and food. The weekend event draws in a lot of different people which creates revenue for local bars and restaurants in the area.
Justin Baker has more on the story, which you can watch by clicking HERE.

Oxford Double Decker 2014 Spring Run

    Double Decker started off with its annual spring run on Saturday, April 26th 2014. Runners kicked off their morning with either a 10K, 5K, or Kids Fun Run.
    Start2Finish is a event management company that partnered up with the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce to sublimate their budget, raise extra funds and help give Oxford the possibility to be a healthy community.
   The spring run is growing with diverse people every year. According to Pam Swain, the Vice 
President at the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, people from 20-25 different states have come to run the event in the last few years.
      The event started at 7:30 AM and ended around 9:45 AM with an award ceremony. Refreshments and healthy snacks were available for runners after their event.

Giana Leone has more on this story, which you can see by clicking here.

Bramlett Elementary School Starts a Learning Garden

Sunny Young teaching the students how to properly plant a seed

Thanks to Good Food for Oxford Schools , as well as financial and parental support from the school PTA, Bramlett Elementary School was able to plant several garden beds. 
Kindergarten students now have a chance to see firsthand how food is produced, and are able to grow their own vegetables and at the end of the year they will harvest their own food. 

Sunny Young is the director of EduFood Consulting LLC, which is a school food reform-consulting firm. Young led the students in the act of planting. She believes the garden will drastically improve the health of many students.

“The more connection the students have with their food, the earlier we educate them on the importance of seeds and the importance of growing your own food and knowing where your food comes from the better off our environment will be and the health of our children and families will be.”

Camille Mullins has more on this story:

Students Abuse Adderall with Finals Coming Up

Ole Miss Senior Student, Christian Tucker is preparing for finals week.

Adderall is a a controlled substance that is prescribed to people who have an alternative learning disabilities. To be prescribed this drug one must go see a doctor, take a test and then the doctor will decide if one is a candidate to be prescribed this drug. On college campus, this drug can be easily obtained if one is not prescribed. At Ole Miss adderall is a huge topic of conversation around the end of bother semesters with finals coming up.

Finals week is a stressful week for students all over the world. What makes one stressed more than usually are the students who procrastinate around finals and have to pull all nighters to know the information needed. It is easy for students to get adderall because most time there is one person in your close group that is prescribed it. These people either give their close friends the drug for free, or one could buy it up to 5 dollars.

Alex Rosado has more on this story, which you can watch by clicking here.

Advice for Students Before Signing a Lease

Courtesy of www.rentseeker.ca

Many young adults, living in Oxford, are learning how to live independent from their parents. Part of this development is moving into their first apartment. Before they can do this they need to sign a lease. This is one of the most important steps. Yet, according to Attorney Forrest Jenkins, many people do not take the time to carefully read through their lease. If they do the language may be difficult to understand and they may not know what can be legally enforced and what can’t.

Knowing what your rights are and what steps you can take as a tenant to protect them is an important step for gaining your independance,

Charlotte Roi has more on this story, which you can watch by clicking here.

Dance Class at the University of Mississippi Helps Students and Staff Get Active and Fit

 



Courtesy of Salsaorlando.com

Students at the University of Mississippi are keeping active with the Latin-inspired dance class, Zumba. Classes are offered at the Turner Center to students, faculty and staff, and local residents.

Unlike running a treadmill, Zumba goers are able to target specific body parts such as abs, glutes, and legs with just one 45 minute class. Zumba incudes Salsa, Cumbia, and Samba styled dancing.

The class is  taught by Dallas Kirr, a student and group fitness leader at Ole Miss. Zumba  is offered three times a week and recently added Saturdays. Students are encouraged to join the class for a fun and exciting workout.

Keiyunna Floyd has more on this story, which you can watch by pressing the video below.

NewsWatch 99 Behind The Scenes

NewsWatch 2013-14 Staff (Courtesy of Ole Miss Yearbook)

NewsWatch is a live, student-run broadcast that airs at 5:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays on Channel 99. The 30-minute show is the only local newscast generating news directly to and for Ole Miss, Oxford and Lafayette County. The broadcast is repeated each evening at 10 p.m. on Channel 99. NewsWatch provides students with hands-on experience. More information can be found on the Student Media Center website. Positions include anchors, producers, sports anchors, reporters, camera operators, and directors, but what goes on behind the scenes of NewsWatch? Bailey Braseth takes an inside look on what it is like to work beyond the camera. 

WFAA-TV in Dallas, TX works on social media news policy

Jonathan Betz of WFAA

Some have called this the age of social media. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have grown incredibly in the past few years. For example, Facebook now has more than a billion users.

Television news stations are trying to figure out how to reach those huge audiences. That includes WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas, which has some of the highest rated newscasts in the country. But WFAA is still struggling to understand the emerging role of social media in television news.

Brad Schultz has more on this story, which you can watch by clicking here.