The University of Mississippi has begun the process of selecting a new on-field mascot that will replace Colonel Rebel, who was removed as the on-field mascot in 2003.

The Mascot Selection Committee  is heading up the effort to pick a new mascot, and is trying to make sure students’ opinion’s are heard.  The  committee’s webpage has more details on its mission, as well as a  “Got Ideas?” link where thoughts on selecting a mascot ideas can be submitted.

Committee co-chair Margaret Ann Morgan says they have received quite a lot of submissions.

“We’ve received lots of land sharks, patriots, black bears; there are tons of submissions coming in every day,” Morgan said.

Colonel Rebel merchandise is no longer being printed by wholesalers and as of August 31, the only Colonel Rebel merchandise that will be available in retail stores is whatever they have left in stock.

“Once we sell it all, its gone,” says Ashley Grantham, Rebel Rags manager. “We’re meeting with sales representatives almost every day, seeing what they still have in stock; there’s a high demand for Colonel Rebel stuff.”

University officials say Ole Miss will retain the name “Rebels,’ regardless off the on-field mascot change.

“We are the Ole Miss Rebels and we are trying to find a mascot that personifies what Ole Miss Rebels is to us,” said Morgan.

Lee Tyner, University of Mississippi attorney and Special Assistant to Chancellor Dan Jones, also serves as one of the three advisors to the Mascot Committee.  Tyner says the Colonel Rebel logo is something the University wants to continues to own and control.

“We want it to continue to play a great role, a historical sort of role for the University. We will use it in historically appropriate ways,” said Tyner.

He cites the printing of throwback jerseys as a type of merchandise that might be included as an example of an historically appropriate use.

The Ole Miss baseball team heads into the last couple weeks of the season with a chance to capture the SEC crown, something that’s become familiar for the team over the past four years.

The Rebels are 24-13 and only three games back in the SEC West.  The program has come a long way in the past couple years, racking up three Super Regionals as well as an SEC Championship.  Head Coach Mike Bianco attributes the success to the hard work of his players and the dedication of his coaching staff.

“I’m very fortunate and blessed to do something that I love and to be out on the field every day coaching some great young men.  I think they are great representatives of our university and do it the right way,” Bianco said.

Oxford University Stadium has also undergone a major transformation.  The $18.5 million renovation in 2009 resulted in an increase of just more than 6,000 seats, making the total capacity around 10,000.  With this increase, the players and coaches can feed off of the home crowd and use it to their advantage.  Zach Miller feels the atmosphere gives the team a boost during home games.

“Words are hard to describe it, it’s a great feeling having all of those fans cheer you on,” Miller said.

Despite their recent success in hosting three Super Regionals, the Rebels have failed to make it past that stage and have not been able to break into the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.  The Rebels have been one of only six teams in the nation to host Super Regionals four of the past five years, but their goal is to make it to Omaha.  Bianco believes his team is not far from breaking through.

“We’ve hosted a bunch of Super Regionals, but we just haven’t been able to make it past those.  It’s going to happen, we’re too good for it not to, we just need to keep playing Ole Miss baseball,”  Bianco said.

The team has five crucial series remaining on their schedule, starting with a home set against the fourth ranked LSU Tigers on April 23. 

Multiple sclerosis, also known as MS, is a central nervous system disorder that affects over 3,500 Mississippians.

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Symptoms of multiple sclerosis vary from one person to the next, and according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, more than 200 new cases are diagnosed in the United States every week.

The Alabama-Mississippi Chapter of the National MS Society’s mission is to create a world free of MS.  They offer support by providing programs and services that educate people about current research and treatment options that may help improve their quality of life.

Walk MS is one of the signature fundraising events of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  More than 250,000 walkers participate in more than 700 cities across the country. The goal is to make a difference by raising funds for research and services for people with MS.

Angie Jackson is a Development Manager for the National MS Society and she coordinates Walk MS for the Alabama-Mississippi Chapter.  In Mississippi alone there are eight locations where walks are held each having their own committees involved with planning the events.

“We coordinate from our office with the committees to make sure that we distribute posters and brochures, help get registrations going, get food donations and sponsorships” Jackson said.

For more information on how to get involved with the movement to cure MS or to make a donation visit the National Multiple MS Society website.

In addition to the Delta, catfish, blues music and magnolia trees, one of the things Mississippi is known for nationwide is the state of its K-12 education.

A report from the American Legislative Exchange Council shows that in 2008, Mississippi’s public education system was ranked 50th out of 51 states (and the District of Columbia).  The report showed that Mississippi students had the worst average scores on the ACT, and that only 61 percent of students graduate from high school.

Doctor Susan McClelland is an assistant professor at the University of Mississippi School of Education.  She says that one of her goals is to improve the quality of K-12 education in the Magnolia State, so that “when you look at a chart that has the states listed, that Mississippi is not at the bottom.”

Of course, that may be easier said than done.

One of the biggest issues standing in the way is the issue of funding.

“[School districts] are facing such shortages that it is now affecting having adequate teachers in the classroom, buying supplies and things that students need,” McClelland said.

The shortages in funding come despite a level of spending on K-12 education that is reportedly only 1.3 percent below peak spending and that totals $4.574 billion from federal, state and local sources.

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour has proposed an emergency fund for school districts that are strapped for cash as a way to help out schools in need, planning to use $30 million originally appropriated for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program to fund the emergency bridge loan program.

Dr. Kim Hartman, Chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the School of Education at Ole Miss, says the budget issue has another serious impact on school districts.

“Being able to hire the number of teachers needed, particularly in high-risk schools areas where we need special teachers is an issue,” Hartman said.

However, the number of teachers is not only a problem for the high-risk schools of the Delta and the city of Jackson, but also it is a state-wide problem.

“Being able to find qualified, licensed teachers for mathematics and science at the secondary level,” Hartman said, is the second-biggest issue in K-12 education in Mississippi. 

She said the state needs to do a better job of recruiting people from the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields to teach in schools.

Hartman added that the School of Education at Ole Miss is looking at increased use of technology in classrooms to allow the best math and science teachers, in particular,  to reach more students through distance education.

“In the math and science fields, those really strong teachers would be able to teach more students,” she explained.  “I think that is a definite plus.”

McClelland agrees. 

“The single most important factor,” she said, “is quality, effective instruction.” 

With some superintendents in certain parts of the state being unable to attract teachers for foreign languages, advanced math and science, as well as technology, despite multiple incentives, the ability to have a sort of virtual classroom can be invaluable.

McClelland said it’s a wonderful opportunity for students who want to take a subject in a school that doesn’t offer that class, but it’s not a perfect solution.

“It’s second to having their own teacher in the classroom, but it definitely benefits those students in those areas,” said McClelland.

However they are brought to the classroom, math and science teachers are urgently needed in Mississippi.

According to the STEM Education Coalition, Mississippi’s math scores on the 2006-07 National Assessment of Educational Progress lagged behind the national average, and Mississipp fell short as well as in percentages of students taking Advanced Placement Math and Science courses.

In March, the Mississippi legislature passed what was called the “charter schools bill,” which would give the state’s Department of Education the ability to take over failing schools and reorganize them as charter schools.  This is an extension of the state’s current ability to take over failing schools and reorganize them, and would also give the state-appointed superintendent the ability to fire all of the teachers and re-form the school board.

McClelland said she can’t wait to see how the charter schools bill is implemented. 

“I don’t really know [what will happen],” she said. “I have high hopes that…it will be very successful.”

The new legislation could potentially affect over 200 of the 951 elementary and secondary schools in Mississippi, which the Department of Education says are either already failing or at risk of failing. 

That list includes schools like North Panola High School, Coldwater High School in Tate County and Coffeeville High School in Yalobusha County.  North Panola was actually previously taken over by the state after consistently poor performance, and the Department of Education’s Mississippi Assessment and Accountability Reporting System (MAARS) lists it as “At Risk of Failing.”

The results of efforts to improve education in Mississippi, and achieve Dr. McClelland’s goal of raising Mississippi from the bottom of the list, are unlikely to be immediate, but the professors at Ole Miss’ School of Education hope that in the long run, their work will pay off.

Census 2010 available at Oxford City Hall

Oxford residents are checking their mailboxes and making their way to the Oxford City Hall to pick up their 2010 Census forms.  This survey is filed out once every 10 years and affects the numbers of seats your state occupies in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The information the census collects also helps the state to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding is spent each year.

According to C.N. Le, a professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, “an accurate count of the U.S. population forms the basis for many important but often overlooked political, economic, and social decisions that are made that end up affecting our daily lives.”

Residents who do not receive their Census 2010 forms in the mail can head to Oxford City Hall to pick up a copy.  It is important that every resident accurately fill out a census form.

Oxford Census Enumerator Jace Ponder said, “The census is very important in receiving an accurate number of the local  residents in Oxford.”

Oxford officials are doing their part by hanging banners around town and making forms accessible to the public.  The Census 2010 deadline is Friday, April 16.

We continually hear the same worn out line these days, “the economy is suffering,” but a certain group of people are faced with some heavy decisions that could potentially affect the course their lives.

College graduates entering what has always been referred to as “the real world” now have to face it or decide to put more time in the classroom.

The economy continues to affect people all over the country, especially college graduates.  Unfortunately for graduating seniors, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in March that unemployment reached 9.7 percent nationwide.  Many students preparing to graduate fear this statistic is going to leave them without a job.

Education majors preparing to graduate are beginning to learn that trying to find a job in today’s economy is going to be more difficult than they had planned, and the numbers don’t lie.

With the amount of teaching jobs down 300,000 since 2000, many education majors are deferring the job market for graduate school.

“After graduate school is when I’ll start applying for jobs, I really haven’t thought too much about applying for jobs (in this economy),” Joanna Martin, Ole Miss education major and student teacher at Oxford Middle School, said.

The School of Education at Ole Miss mandates that students complete a student-teaching program.  This program allows students to shadow teachers and do some teaching before they move into their own classrooms.

However, one lesson the student won’t get:  How to find a job.

On the plus side, teaching job opportunities are expected to increase by 500,000 over the next ten years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The original grand opening was set for this coming fall, but due to inclement weather this past winter, the opening has now been pushed back to January 2011.

Law school dean Samuel Davis said, “The project has been set back at least sixty days.”

Construction workers are trying to find a way to make up for lost time.  They are working around the clock to complete the $50 million dollar building.  Davis said $35 million of this funds comes from private donors.

The new building will feature classrooms with state of the art technology, as well as a cafe much like the one in the student union.

Davis says being farther from the Grove will be one drawback for the new location, but he is still excited about the changes and prospective students seem to be, too.

“I’ll tell you one thing, applications have increased 30% this year alone,”  Davis said.

The university is also anticipating the move because it will free up more space for classrooms in the old building.

The Patron Party, which is the event pre-party, gives guests a chance to look around at the items while listening to live music and having a drink from an open bar. This event costs $45 per person or $80 per couple.

Immediately following the Patron Party at 7 p.m., the Auction Party begins. There is both a silent and a live auction, full bar, and gourmet hors d’oeuvres provided by local Oxford restaurants.

As for the cost, it is comes to $1,000 for a table of eight. This includes admission to the Patron and Auction Parties, premier stage-side seating for the live auction, two bottles of wine and munchies at your table. This also comes with a special recognition in the auction program.

All proceeds benefit the animals at the Oxford Animal Shelter.

On a bright sunny day in Oxford, Miss., dozens of university organizations came out to play.  From 11 a.m. till 2 p.m., 40 different groups, representing local as well as national levels, set up booths with balloons, candy and smiling faces to try to get as many Ole Miss students involved in their efforts as they could.

The day started with a speech from Ole Miss Chancellor Dan Jones.  In the speech, Jones spoke of promoting more student engagement and praised the organizations for the work they have done for the community, as well as for the university.  

One of the many booths outside the union was for the Mississippi Blood Services.  Operations Manager Lolita Gregory says that student involvement is the key to help organizations thrive.

“We want students to come and take a look around and pick an organization to donate their time,” said Gregory.

Senior R&D Horticulturist of the Medicinal Plant Garden Derek Oglesby says that having an opportunity to come out and inform students about their organization is vital to their success. He says it’s also important to the entire Oxford area.

“We understood this fair to be different organizations within the university that could provide a service to the community,” said Oglesby.

The Medicinal Plant Garden’s goal is to educate the public about today’s use of medicinal plants.  Oglesby says student involvement could greatly help to spread the word.

The fair continues on Friday as part of the inauguration ceremonies for Chancellor Dan Jones.

In this time of economic unrest, people are not taking many risks when it comes to investments, especially in real estate.  The real estate market has been at it’s lowest in years and foreclosure rates are at a historic high, but this combination can add up to thousands of dollars in savings for buyers.

According to a recent article in Money Magazine, now is the time to get great deals on real estate.

Ole Miss alumnus Will Burroughs recently bought a foreclosed condominium in Oxford, Miss. at almost half the list price of similar properties in the same gated community.  Burroughs paid  $47,000 for a two-bedroom, two-bath condo that’s approximately 1,000 square feet.

“There are places in here that are going for upper $70,000, and one or two listed at just over $100,000,” Burroughs said.

Since his purchase, Burroughs has added value to his home without breaking the bank.  He has painted all the rooms in his condo and added hardwood floors in the bedrooms, doing most of the work himself, which allowed him to save on cost.

If you’re looking to purchase property, it can pay to check out foreclosures.  There are numerous Web sites dedicated to listing foreclosed properties, such as foreclosure.com, or you can ask a real estate agent.