NEWS | 11.4.11
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is for all the departments to do likewise. “Honestly, we just want the students to have free Scantrons, it doesn’t matter which way they get them,” he said. “The reason why we would in theory like for teachers to give them out is because it reduces the amount of wasted Scantrons.” Senior accountancy major Adam Buckheister said he would be in favor of teachers handing out Scantrons because the same problem exists in the accounting school. “It would help with the rush of forgetting a Scantron during a test and having to go and get one,” he said. “It would be really beneficial to us, and it wouldn’t be that much out of the way for the teachers to get them for us.”
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passes, it would cost the state 1.5 million dollars. There is a fiscal note added to the initiative that states, “Based on Fiscal Year 2010 information, the Department of Public Safety issued 107,094 photo IDs to U.S. citizens of voting age. The individuals were assessed $14 per ID to offset a portion of the $17.92 cost per ID. The cost is estimated to remain the same, but the assessment will no longer be allowable under the provision of Initiative 27. Therefore, the Department of Public Safety is estimated to see a loss of revenue of approximately $1,499,000.” That fiscal note will appear on the ballot and opposition to this initiative utilizes this fact. Both gubernatorial candidates, Republican Phil Bryant, who is the Lt. Gov., and Democrat Johnny DuPree, who is the mayor of Hattiesburg, are against the initiative. Students around campus, however, have mixed feelings. “I’m all for enforcing photo identification at the polls, but I’m absolutely against the fact that government has to pay for it.” Sam Garner, Music senior, said However one other student, Tyler Ferrell, Sophomore Forensic Chimistry major, asked whether this initiative would actually stop voter fraud “How much voter fraud would this initiative stop? If it’s not a substantial amount, then there is no point in making the government pick up a 1.5 million dollar tab,” Ferrell said. All of these questions and opinions will be expressed in the polls next week.
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The White Cross helps the Red Cross move BY JOSEPH MILLER jhmille2@gmail.com
The Red Cross is often there to help people in need, so when they needed help, members of the Sigma Chi fraternity returned the favor. Thursday, the pledge class of Sigma Chi helped the Northwest Chapter of the Red Cross move in to its new location just west of campus. The new office, located at 2706 West Oxford Loop, covers 17 counties in Northwest Mississippi. Jennifer Coleman, manager of the Northwest Chapter, said the reason for the move was having “a space that was more
visible in the community”. The decision for Sigma Chi to help move the Red Cross was collaborated by Sigma Chi Advisor Geoffrey Yoste and Jennifer Coleman at church. Yoste offered to help with the move and Coleman contacted Sigma Chi pledge trainer Sean Farrell. “The Red Cross helps everybody in every situation when they’re in need,“ he said. “Volunteering gives a sense of giving back.” Farrell and a force of 45 new members aided the Red Cross in relocating, spending five hours loading and unloading equipment into loading trucks and U-hauls.
“Absolutely anytime we can help a great organization like the American Red Cross, we will do it,” Geoffrey Yoste said in a press release. “Sigma Chi’s philosophy is ‘Give where you live’ and helping the American Red Cross is one way we can show support to our local chapter.” The Red Cross is well known for its support of victims of natural disasters, but one lesser known service the Red Cross provides on an almost daily basis is aid to victims of home fires. “If we have a victim of a fire, we put them up in a hotel for three nights and give them a debit card for food and clothing,” Jennifer Coleman said.
“A lot of people don’t really realize how many home fires there are.” Another lesser known service the Red Cross provides is the reintegration into society for the armed forces coming back from war. The Red Cross is always looking for volunteers for all sorts of jobs, but are particularly in need of those with disaster training who can be on-site giving basic necessities like food and water to victims and working in shelters. Those who wish to help the Red Cross need only visit the new office at 2706 West Oxford Loop, Suite 105, call 662-8426101 or visit www.mississippiredcross.org.