Throwback game will be Tad Smith Coliseum’s last hurrah
EDDINS Sports Editor
The C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum — home to Ole Miss basketball games, graduation ceremonies, class registration and concerts for five decades — will be razed, with demolition tentatively planned to begin this summer.
The University of Mississippi announced the demolition on Tuesday in a press release that listed additional upcoming construction projects
and others already underway.
These projects include construction of a 1,379-space parking garage in the northwest part of campus, scheduled for completion in fall 2026; two new on-campus student housing facilities, the first expected to open in fall 2027; an expansion to Rebel Market in Johnson Commons in 2026; and construction of an Early Learning and Evaluation Center at the South Oxford Center, expected
to be completed in fall 2027.
The coliseum site will be used for surface parking while the university determines a long-term use for the area.
The final Ole Miss Basketball game at the coliseum, known as the Tad Pad, will be on Friday, Nov. 14, when the men’s team will host CSU Bakersfield.
“The university’s commitment to the thoughtful development of our campus includes
Volume 114, No. 11
Jeremy Roberts, the assistant director of Academic Support Programs for the Center for Student Success and First-Year Experience, died at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday. Roberts was a Ter -
ry, Miss., native and a graduate of UM, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in English and hospitality management, as well as a doctorate in higher education administration. He began working with the university in 2012 and served as an instructor and learning
Bursting at the seams: University enrollment rises again with a 5.2% annual increase
CAMERON LARKIN
University of Mississippi enrollment continues to rise as recently released data from the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning showed a 5.2% increase from fall 2024 to fall 2025 on all UM campuses, excluding the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
UM enrolled 25,222 students for fall 2025, compared to 23,981 in fall 2024. According to a statement released by the university on Monday, this is the third consecutive year that UM has
SNAP
set a record for total enrollment.
According to that statement, the 2025 freshman class includes 5,464 students and represents all 82 Mississippi counties, every U.S. state and 93 countries. This makes the 2025 freshman class the second-largest freshman class in university history.
Many students at UM view the increasing enrollment as a positive reflection of growing networking opportunities at the university.
“I think the increase in student enrollment is a reflection upon how much the University of Mississippi has been improving in all areas. Being from (Madison, Miss.), more students from different back-
grounds (enrolling at the university) opens up more opportunities to make connections with people outside of Mississippi and hear different perspectives,” senior allied health studies major and current Mr. Ole Miss Ryan Augustine said. Seven of Mississippi’s eight major public universities saw enrollment increases this fall, including Delta State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi Valley State University, UM and the University of Southern Mississippi. Alcorn State
Mississippi residents grapple with pause in SNAP benefits.
SEE PAGE 3
CFP RANKINGS
See where the CFP committee placed Ole Miss in Tuesday’s rankings.
SEE PAGE 9
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
“Personally, I’m sick of my sleep schedule being tampered with every year.”
SEE PAGE 11
RUSS
The C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum
NOAH WALTERS Assistant News Editor
CHANCE MARLOWE News Staff Writer Jeremy Roberts
investing in new construction, as well as the strategic repurposing of existing structures and areas to ensure the campus evolves in ways that support academic excellence and an exceptional student experience,” the university’s announcement said.
Head coach of Ole Miss Men’s Basketball Chris Beard encouraged fans to attend the final Tad Pad game at a Monday press conference. “We welcome everybody out. We’ve had a couple of great crowds our first two throwback games,” Beard said. “It’s my understanding this will be the last basketball game ever in the event, so we’re going to try to play well and show great respect to those who came before us.
ENROLLMENT
continued from page 1
University is the only school where enrollment decreased.
The total enrollment combined for the eight major universities in the state of Mississippi increased 2.7% from 79,817 in fall 2024 to 81,961 in fall 2025 — an increase of 2,144 enrolled students.
“Mississippi’s universities continue to set a high standard for our students in terms of value and price, and these enrollment figures reflect the confidence that families from around the state and beyond have in our university system,” Al Rankins Jr., commissioner of higher education, said in an IHL press release. “With the support from the Mississippi Legislature and Governor Reeves, we know that our state’s universities will continue to be seen as a place where investments in time, funding, academics and research will have a strong return.”
UM Chancellor Glenn Boyce announced to the Associated Student Body Senate on March 4 that the university was considering capping freshman admissions.
“The freshmen class next year is exploding again. The applications are up (to) over 40,000,” Boyce said. “We are not slowing down, and there comes a time when we are going to have to cap and stop (accepting applicants).”
Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management Eduardo
We’re really excited to get coach Barnes and his wife back to Oxford and show them the respect and love they deserve.”
The team will honor former Ole Miss basketball player and head coach Rob Barnes at the game.
“The (throwback) game’s been great to us,” Beard said on Monday. “To honor coach (Rob) Evans the first year was special. Coach (Bob) Weltlich last year. Next Friday night we’ll honor coach Barnes, one of the best coaches that really ever coached in the SEC. He had NCAA Tournament teams here. I know he’s super appreciative of coming back. He’s excited, and so are we.”
The C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum, originally called “Rebel Coliseum,” opened on Feb. 21, 1966. In 1972, it was named after former athletic director Claude M. “Tad” Smith.
In addition to being home to the Ole Miss men’s and
Prieto countered Boyce’s March announcement in a statement via email on June 20.
“The university has no plans to implement a cap on freshman admissions at this time,” Prieto said. “The university is always evaluating our enrollment strategies to ensure we serve students and the state effectively. Qualified Mississippians will always have a place at Ole Miss.”
The university has not provided an update on the potential cap on freshman admissions since the fall 2025 enrollment numbers were released.
Sophomore finance major RJ Kelly from Laurel, Miss., questions whether the university is doing enough to support the continued enrollment growth and whether Oxford is big enough to handle it.
“I’ve found it harder to register for the courses I want, and housing and parking is becoming increasingly more scarce,” Kelly said.
Jacob Yarborough, a junior allied health studies major and Oxford native, agrees with Kelly.
“I feel like Oxford has become a little more crazy,” Yarborough said. “There needs to be better access to roads to decrease traffic and more parking on and off campus to ensure a safe environment for the university.”
The UM Department of Parking and Transportation announced on Nov. 3 that parking previously marked for Malco Theater customers only in the Jackson Avenue Center parking lot has now been
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women’s basketball teams for five decades, the Tad Pad held volleyball games and practices when the Gilliom Center was undergoing renovations in 2016-17.
The basketball teams ceased playing regular season games in the Tad Pad in January 2016 after relocating to The Sandy and John Black Pavilion.
The Ole Miss Women’s Basketball team held its final game in the Tad Pad on Jan. 3, 2016, with a victory over Vanderbilt, 55-52.
Former Ole Miss Men’s Basketball player Zach Graham (2007-11) spoke about the C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum in a 2023 interview with The Daily Mississippian.
“The Tad Pad was one of the hardest places in the SEC for teams to play on the road,” Graham said. “A lot of big wins in there. I walked into the Tad Pad as an 18-year-old kid and
walked out as a 22-year-old young man. So, Oxford and the Tad Pad will always have a special place in my heart.”
While throwback games in the Tad Pad have been a hit among the Rebel basketball fans in recent years, some students believe the existing structure would better serve them as parking spaces.
“Last year, I went to the game in the Tad Pad and it was really fun,” sophomore integrated marketing communications major Leah McMahon said. “It is kind of an eyesore, but I think the parking lot is good because we need more parking. (Parking) is getting really bad.”
Sophomore banking and finance major Roman Brown agreed.
“Why not tear it down? We definitely need more space,” Brown said. “The university is getting bigger and bigger each year.”
Sophomore integrated marketing communications major Bridges McGowen does not agree with the decision to demolish the C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum, but she understands the need for more parking.
“As someone who had to park 20 minutes away from my dorm last semester because of the parking situation, I definitely understand it is necessary,” McGowen said. “I don’t know if the right way to do it would be to destroy something historical that means so much. They should take advantage of more open spaces on campus.”
Akayla Hughes contributed reporting.
permitted for student usage.
“The university anticipated continued growth and has been investing in infrastructure such as new housing and parking to support it. Our enrollment increase reflects that we’re a thriving institution and a top choice for students seeking strong academics and a vibrant campus experience,” UM Director of News and Media Relations Jacob Batte said.
Other students, such as sophomore entrepreneurship major Maya Miller of Jacksonville, Fla., have concerns about the uni-
versity’s 98% acceptance rate.
“I think that it’s good that Ole Miss is being put on the map and people want to enjoy the same experiences that make me love this place, and I don’t think the increase should stop. However, I do think that the university should prioritize lowering the acceptance rate to improve our reputation,” Miller said.
But others pointed out that rising enrollment provides clubs and organizations the opportunity for more students to join. Sidera Corry, a sophomore allied health
studies major from Chicago, is excited by increasing enrollment.
“This year has been amazing to see how the increase in student enrollment has directly impacted campus ministries. It makes me so happy to see the increase in attendance compared to last year. This year, my sorority even started its own freshman Bible study on top of the one our entire chapter has,” Corry said.
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Pause in SNAP benefits affects Mississippians
HANNAH IVEY News Staff Writer
The longest federal government shutdown in United States history is resulting in the suspension of Mississippi’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, posing a problem for Mississippi residents who rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table. As benefits are being withheld, many Oxford organizations are working to fill that gap for people in need.
SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, provides monthly food assistance to low-income people, including those who are elderly or disabled. According to data from USAFacts, SNAP aided 384,800 Mississippi residents, or 13% of the state population, in the 2024 fiscal year.
Following rulings issued by two judges on Oct. 31, requiring the federal government to keep the program running, President Donald Trump’s administration has pledged to partially fund SNAP for November according to reporting from the Associated Press. The U.S. government says it will use an emergency fund of $4.65 billion, which is enough to cover about half of the normal benefits offered by the $8 billion monthly program.
It is unclear how quickly recipients will be able to access these benefits or how much they will receive.
“It feels like the whole system is paused while people’s real lives aren’t,” Milissa Wilson, an Oxford local originally from
Etta, Miss., said. “The government shutdown has caused important time-sensitive documents to not get mailed out. Things like health care and housing support are slower or harder to reach right now. There is limited help when calling government agencies, furloughs. It’s just too much and I can only pray that this shall pass, too.”
The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) issued a press release on Oct. 24 detailing the shutdown but has not yet addressed the partial funding of SNAP.
“The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has directed states not to transmit the EBT issuances files to EBT vendors until further notice,” the press release said. “As a result, no new SNAP benefits will be issued for November unless federal guidance changes.”
In a statement reported by WAPT, MDHS Chief Communications Officer Mark Jones said MDHS is awaiting direction to plan their next steps.
“Once a directive has been received and MDHS formulates a plan to distribute funds to clients, we will notify the public via our website and social media,” Jones said.
There have been no posts on MDHS social media regarding next steps for Mississippi SNAP recipientssincethepressreleaseonOct.24.
The MDHS website lists resources and food banks in Mississippi and encourages those who need assistance to reach out to them.
Jones gave some advice for peo-
ple who wish to help those struggling with the effects of the shutdown.
“If people want to help, we suggest making a financial donation to the food banks, as they can purchase items in bulk and maximize purchase power,” Jones said. “SNAP clients can contact the food bank websites for a pantry near them.”
For some Mississippi residents, such as Tupelo, Miss., native Finnegan Griffin, the situation has ushered in calls for community.
“SNAP benefits are what keep food in my house when everything else falls apart. They make the difference between eating something decent or skipping meals so my kids can eat,” Griffin said. “I’d love to see people share what they can, whether that’s food, rides, or even just checking in on each other. We can’t control what the government does, but we can make sure our neighbors don’t go hungry.”
Organizations in Lafayette County, such as the Oxford Community Market, are making efforts to aid those who usually rely on SNAP benefits.
“Our market is deeply committed to making sure that local food is abundant and accessible on every table in our community,” Oxford Community Market Director Betsy Chapman told The Daily Mississippian. “We want to do our part to help meet any extra food needs people might be facing this time of year.”
Chapman plans to continue her efforts with the market to help those in need.
“We had 20 bags (of food), and we have about eight left, so the demand is definitely there,” Chapman said. “The need is there, and we’re happy to just play a small role in helping make sure that people have healthy food. We plan to do this every week for the month of November, just to make sure that our friends and neighbors are in good shape with lots of fresh produce in their kitchens.”
Oxford Community Market collects donations for the Oxford Food Pantry every Tuesday.
“At the end of the farmers market, our farmers will often have some leftover tomatoes or squash, cucumbers or whatever (else),” Chapman said. “So we go around and purchase it from them, and then we take it to the food pantry. It works out great because they do their distributions on Wednesday morning so everything is fresh and delicious, and people enjoy having some healthy vegetables to go with all the other food that the pantry provides.”
While the Oxford Food Pantry has not made any specific efforts in response to the shutdown, it also has been impacted by the reduction in federal funding for food banks and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. As the pantry no longer has access to low- or no-cost meat, it is asking for monetary donations to offset the cost of serving around 650 families a month.
According to reporting from Mississippi Today, Gov. Tate Reeves has not indicated any ef-
fort from Mississippi to bridge the gap in the food assistance program until the federal shutdown ends, despite promises from Democratic and Republican governors in a few other states to utilize state funds in covering all or part of the program. In the midst of the shutdown, Reeves is seeking a waiver to restrict the types of food that can be purchased using SNAP. According to a press release, the waiver Reeves has requested from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service moves to ban the purchasing of unhealthy food and beverages. If approved, this waiver will prohibit the use of SNAP benefits to purchase processed foods that list sugar, cane sugar, corn syrup or high fructose syrup as the first ingredient excluding single-ingredient sugars used for cooking and baking. It will also ban beverages that list carbonated water and sugar, cane sugar, corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup as the first two ingredients. In addition, the waiver would make it possible for SNAP recipients to purchase hot prepared chicken such as rotisserie and non-fried, non-breaded chicken.
Stella Savell contributed reporting.
Government shutdown forces cancellation of Ole Miss B-2 Bomber display
EVANS Multimedia Coordinator
As the United States’ federal government shutdown nears 40 days, making it the longest in American history, some University of Mississippi services and traditions have been impacted.
The B-2 Spirit Bomber that flew above Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Sept. 27 at the Ole Miss game against LSU wowed the crowd of Rebel fans, but the flyover planned for the Oct. 5 matchup against Washington State was canceled days before kickoff due to the federal government shutdown.
The sleek, bat-winged aircraft, one of the U.S. military’s most advanced bombers, is operated by the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Johnson County, Mo. Jeremee Alexander, director of UM’s Office of Veteran and Military Services, said the call about the cancellation of the flight came Thursday Oct. 2 before the game, the day after the shutdown, which started on Oct. 1.
“We could assume that because the government shut down, everything that’s nonessential, non–mission critical was going to be shut down,” Alexander said. “We were hoping it didn’t happen, but it did.”
While the cancellation may have disappointed fans, Alexander, a veteran who served for more than 20 years, said that it is a routine part of military operations.
“Canceling that is really easy because they just say, ‘Hey, we’re
not going to do it,’” Alexander said. “Missions get turned on and off all the time. It’s the coordination that’s the biggest effort.”
That coordination takes months of logistical planning, including route approvals, flight paths, pilot scheduling, weather considerations and support staff.
The Office of Veteran and Military Services plays a key role in helping connect the university with the military units that participate in flyovers and other game-day events.
“Because everything with a military connection tends to come through our office, it’s easy to reach out and say, ‘Can we make it happen?’” Alexander said. “It’s really about showcasing the military and giving service members a chance to do something on the civilian side.”
Still, Alexander said the flyover experience carries deep meaning for service members and fans.
“It’s pride — American pride,” Alexander said. “It’s awesome to showcase our brothers and sisters in the sky who defend your freedom. To feel that roar of the engines flying overhead, there’s something to be said about that.”
Ole Miss Athletics military liaison Jonathan Hudson helped coordinate the September flyover and said the excitement spread quickly once it was announced.
“We had a big Zoom meeting about two or three weeks prior. … Then, all of a sudden, there’s a poster that drops on Twitter … and it just exploded and spread like wildfire. The fans loved it,” Hudson said.
Hudson said that many fans do not realize that the university does not pay for these events — they are considered training exercises for the pilots.
“One of the common misconceptions is that Ole Miss calls a unit, or the university calls a unit, and they’re like, ‘Hey, we’ll give you a check to come fly over.’ … These pilots and these flight crews have to have flight hours,” Hudson said.
Hudson oversees coordination among pilots, athletic marketing and game-day operations, ensuring logistics like the flyover lining up perfectly with the National Anthem.
“First and foremost is seeing what the schedule is,” Hudson said. “You sit down with marketing and ask how many games we want to fly over for. Then, you set up a flight request. … You reach out to the Air Force, Navy, Army or Mississippi Army National Guard. A lot of it is just relationships with pilots who graduated from Ole Miss and want to come back.”
Beyond logistics, Hudson is also a military recruiter. He said the flyovers are important for inspiring future military personnel.
“People see the cool stuff and think, ‘I want to go do that.’
There’s probably a kid sitting in the stands thinking, ‘One day, I can do that,’” Hudson said.
Looking ahead, Hudson said Ole Miss Athletics is still planning future flyovers.
“We’ve got a couple of units that reached out. The flight crew we had for this game was the Mis-
sissippi Army National Guard. … We’ll lock in for next year once we know the schedule,” Hudson said.
For many fans, including freshman finance major Sophia Wilson, the precursor to the Ole MissLSU game was a moment that merged football with patriotism.
“It’s amazing to see. It’s a great experience because, especially where I’m from in Michigan, that’s not something that happens all the time,” Wilson said.
The flyover means more than entertainment for Wilson, who is the daughter of an Army veteran.
“I just think it’s to represent (veterans) and show all that they’ve been through. Obviously it’s not enough, but (it’s important to) represent them,” Wilson said. Conner Shurden, a sophomore
exercise science major from Olive Branch, Miss., said the flyover is important to the game-day experience.
“Ole Miss is one of the biggest football programs in the country, and having a flyover is really cool. It’s part of the experience. … Not having that would really take away from the game and the whole atmosphere,” Shurden said.
Kelly Enright, a junior Arabic major and member of Army ROTC, from Charleston, S.C., echoes this sentiment.
“I think it’s just different, and it just adds a bit of fire to everybody when they see wings in the air going over the game,” Enright said.
MARY
Northrop B-2 Spirit flies over Vaught-Hemingway Stadium before the game against LSU on Sept. 27.
FORD BENTON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
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Cause and manner of death for Jimmie ‘Jay’ Lee ruled undetermined by medical examiner
DYLAN THOMAS News Staff Writer
Jury selection in the retrial of former University of Mississippi student Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr. is scheduled to begin Dec. 1 in Madison County. Once the jury is selected and jurors are transported to Oxford, the trial will take place in Lafayette County Circuit Court. Herrington is charged with capital murder in the death of former UM student Jimmie “Jay” Lee.
Lafayette County Circuit Court Judge Luther Kelly granted a request for a change of venue for jury selection in June after Herrington’s attorneys cited extensive news coverage and social media activity as reasons an impartial jury could not be seated in Lafayette County.
A mistrial was declared in Herrington’s first trial on the charges in December 2024 due to a jury deadlock. The retrial, originally scheduled for Oct. 13, was postponed on Sept. 9 after Lafayette County Circuit Court Judge Kelly Luther filed an order to reschedule to the December date.
The cause and manner of death for Lee, who dis -
appeared in July 2022 and was declared dead in October 2024, could not be determined by the Mississippi state medical examiner’s office due to the extensive decomposition of Lee’s remains.
On Feb. 1, skeletal remains of Lee’s body were found in a wooded area in rural Carroll County, Miss. Carroll County Coroner Mark Stiles had responded to the scene after the discovery of human remains and said that because there were no soft tissue remains — only skeletal ones — the information an autopsy could reveal would be limited.
In February, Stiles sent photographs of the remains and photographs of them to the state crime lab in Jackson, Miss., where an analysis and autopsy were conducted.
The discovery of Lee’s remains prompted a new indictment of Herrington on charges of capital murder and tampering with evidence. The tampering with evidence charge was dropped on March 7 due to the expiration of the twoyear statute of limitations.
27.
On Oct. 28, Aafram Sellers, Herrington’s defense attorney, requested that Luther exclude photographs of the crime scene and/or Lee’s autopsy, arguing that the “gruesome” images could prejudice jurors against Herrington and are not necessary to establish Lee’s death. Sellers also requested that Luther not include expert testimony from Melissa Ratcliff-Sorrell in the trial, a clinical social worker who has done research on behavior in LGBTQ+ communities. Lee was a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Jurors for the first Herrington trial in Lafayette County, which ended in a deadlock, were selected in Forrest County.
Ruth Adams Ball and Lisa Barber advance to runoff in District 2 election commissioner race
AIDAN PONIATOWSKI News Editor
Ruth Adams Ball and Lisa Barber will face off in a runoff election in Lafayette County’s District 2 election commissioner race after votes in Tuesday’s election were counted.
Because no candidate received more than 50% of the votes cast, the runoff election will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 2, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the National Guard Armory on Ed Perry Boulevard in Oxford or Philadelphia Fire Station No. 12 off Highway 30 in Etta, Miss. Absentee voting will begin on Monday, Nov. 17 at the Lafayette County Courthouse.
The special election was called to fill the seat of Erin Smith, who was elected as an alderman for Ward 1 in Oxford in June. Three candidates ran for the seat: Adams Ball, Bar-
JEREMY ROBERTS
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specialist before becoming an assistant director and coordinator of the annual Academic Probation Symposium.
“Jeremy was a consummate employee at the university and an integral figure behind the university’s successful re -
ber and Kate Sinervo Wallace.
Adams Ball led the voting with 320 votes, or 40.76% of total votes, while Barber came in second with 243 votes, or 30.96% of the vote. Sinervo Wallace came in third with 220 votes, or 28.03% of the vote, eliminating her from the race.
Out of 7,438 registered voters eligible to vote in the election, 786 ballots were cast, for a voter turnout of 10.57%.
Polls were open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday’s Election Day. District 2 voters were able to vote absentee from Sept. 22 until Nov. 1.
The Daily Mississippian reached out to Adams Ball and Barber for comment, but neither responded in time for publication.
CONTACT THE NEWS DESK AT thedmnews@gmail.com
tention rates,” UM Academic Adviser Jacob Agner said. “Dr. Roberts spoke to countless students and their parents during critical moments in their education at UM. So many other members of Dr. Roberts’ department … know that their eponymous success depended significantly on his contributions. They are deeply saddened by his loss, and he will be remembered for
his extraordinary work ethic, his humor and his kindness.”
Roberts was awarded Instructor of the Year Spring 2017 for his work teaching EDHE 101. Director of the Center for Student Success and FirstYear Experience Kyle Ellis is also mourning Roberts.
“Jeremy was a remarkable person who cared deeply about the University of Mis -
sissippi, our students and his colleagues,” Ellis said. “Jeremy will be remembered for his commitment to the success of University of Mississippi students and the joy he brought to his coworkers in the Center for Student Success. I am grateful to have known Jeremy as not only his supervisor, but also his friend.”
The University Counseling Center and UMat -
ter are available for free to students needing support.
CONTACT THE NEWS DESK AT thedmnews@gmail.com
Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr. appears in the Lafayette County Courthouse on Feb.
Lafayette County Courthouse
REAGAN KURTZ / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Code Pink’s ‘Fangbanger’ was no tricks, all treats
JESSICA JOHNSON Assistant A&C Editor
With plastic skeletons hanging from the cobwebbed ceiling and alcoholic “blood bags” selling out within The Lyric’s first hour of opening, Code Pink’s fifth-annual Halloween drag event, “Fangbanger,” on Thursday, Oct. 30 was a ghoulish delight to many.
This event featured 14 drag performers, putting some University of Mississippi students on the main stage. This show brought together students and locals, all wrapped around Van Buren Avenue, clad in corsets, feather boas and various other costume attire. The event included a dance party, drag show and a costume contest.
From Lady Gaga songs to anime soundtracks, the drag performances were varied and electric.
Miguel Ángel Ortiz, a junior psychology major, performed as his drag alter ego, Angel Bebe,
to a mix of “Not Myself Tonight” by Christina Aguilera and “Maneater” by Nelly Furtado. Ortiz dressed as Megan Fox from the movie “Jennifer’s Body” and incorporated monologues from the film into the sound mix.
“My drag style is very ‘hot girl in the club,’ so ‘Jennifer’s Body’ was the perfect choice for a theme for my performance,”
Ortiz said. “The crowd loved the monologues and (had) fun dancing with the songs I chose.”
Code Pink is a recurring dance party and drag show co-founded by UM alumnus and Water Valley, Miss., resident Blake Summers.
As a Halloween event, Fangbanger encourages audience members to dress up for the holiday. Senior communication and science disorders major Ariane Sanchez, who dressed up as singer Charli xcx, said this Code Pink was especially worth experiencing.
“(My friends and I) couldn’t miss this one since it was the
week of Halloween and we knew people were going to dress up and we wanted to dress up as well,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez emphasized the importance of expression through clothes.
“Dressing up definitely enhances the overall experience of Code Pink,” Sanchez said. “Being able to express yourself through the clothes and makeup you wear allows you to show your personality, confidence and creativity.”
Ortiz agreed from the perspective of a performer.
“Compared to other Code Pinks, I think that this event felt more exciting because I loved seeing the crowd dress up in costumes, and it made it even more fun interacting with them during my performance,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz also acknowledged the importance of putting on a good show for the audience.
Performer Juicy Massacre poses at Code Pink’s “Fangbanger” on Oct. 30.
Code Pink’s “Fangbanger.”
Emma McHard contributed reporting.
Editor’s Note: The Daily Mississippian Opinion
Editor Kadin Collier was one of the performers at
“I keep in mind (a lot) of the people who go to Code Pink ‘Fangbanger,’ it is their first drag show, so I try to make it worth it for them,” Ortiz said.
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Velvet Ditch Coffee Roasters goes from beans to brews with new storefront
CHARLIE SLUSHER
A&C Staff Writer
Oxford’s coffee scene is brewing up something familiar with Velvet Ditch Coffee Roasters’ new location. While the vintage-styled sitdown shop just opened at 1316 North Lamar Boulevard last week, Velvet Ditch Coffee Roasters has served Oxford since 2021.
Owner and founder Lesley Vance-Walkington learned to roast in 2019 and started the Velvet Ditch Coffee Roasters brand in 2021 by selling her beans to retail stores around Oxford.
“I just kind of took my time, took a couple of years after learning to roast, perfecting my profiles, perfecting my roast levels and my roasting abilities because there’s so much to learn about it,” Vance-Walkington said. “It’s part science, part math, part artistry.”
Vance-Walkington described the differences between her business and larger coffee companies.
“Commoditized coffee is something like Folgers — roasting on an industrial scale,” Vance-Walkington said. “I am an artisan roaster. I only roast 25 pounds at a time in my San Franciscan roaster here.”
The subtle differences in flavor brought about by slight changes in the roasting method make coffee making a dy -
namic business that never gets boring to Vance-Walkington.
“I can take this one bean from Guatemala, and I can roast that one bean six different ways, and I will give you six different flavored coffees based on how I handle it in the drum,”
Vance-Walkington said.
Vance-Walkington’s love of coffee was only part of what spurred her to start this business, as the entire operation pulses with a love for the Oxford community, too. She cites her talks with students at the University of Mississippi as a major inspiration source, as well, with many students telling her they wanted to stay in Oxford after graduation.
“So my goal here is to build community right now because I’ve watched Oxford since I moved back home in 2013. I’ve watched Oxford just grow and explode,” Vance-Walkington said. “I just want to have a place where people can feel connected, even if they’re an out-of-towner and for locals to just come in and have a home away from home. I wanted my business to serve the community, to offer more jobs for students who didn’t want to leave, and to keep Oxford, Oxford.”
The new Velvet Ditch Coffee Roasters shop sits in a remodeled house from the 1940s, with the shop’s roaster occupying the old garage.
Vance-Walkington bought
the house and has spent the last year and a half transitioning it into a functional business space. She wanted the renovation to be impressive, while also keeping the original form of the building as a testament to old Oxford.
Kate Hands, an employee at the Velvet Ditch and a junior entrepreneurship major, said excitement for the new business is high.
“We had a soft opening for the first couple days, just
family and friends,” Hands said.“And we had a line out the door for the hard opening. That was for hours. It was just so great to see everyone show up for Lesley and all the hard work she’s done. It’s been fun and everyone’s having a great time.”
Customers who visited the Velvet Ditch praised the shop.
“I’m glad that it’s a really comfortable spot, and it’s cozy and it’s a place you could go and hang out with people.
But also you go to get work done,” Sydney Avery, a senior management major, said. Velvet Ditch Coffee Roasters, located at 1316 North Lamar Blvd., is open on Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
Daisy Leary contributed reporting.
Diapers and discipline: the student parent experience at the University of Mississippi
JESSICA JOHNSON Assistant A&C Editor
Candace Bolden is a lot like other PhD students at the University of Mississippi; she has to balance teaching public health classes as a graduate instructor with studying for her own classes. Where Bolden differs from many others is that she is also a mother to a 20-month-old toddler.
“It’s kind of like when you’re doing your coursework, you have to sit out and plan everything out in order to make sure that you hit your deadlines, or you hit your personal deadlines,” Bolden said. “So as a PhD student, specifically in nutritional sciences and also teaching classes, I have to map pretty much every part of my day out.”
“It’s not just a few,” Wilkins said. “It’s not just people coming back to school; it’s people in every kind of academic journey, you can find some parenting students.”
For Bolden, her day begins earlier than most students.
“I currently split (child care for) my son with my parents, so (at the) beginning of the week, I get up and feed him and take him to my parents, and then I start my day at school,” Bolden said. “And then at the end of the week, he goes to day care, so we just get up, eat breakfast and go off, and I kind of have to start my day a little bit earlier than I did before I had a son.”
Bolden said certain challenges come with the student-parent experience, including finding time and spaces to breastfeed. There are 16 lactation spaces on campus, ranging in locations from the Lyceum to the School of Pharmacy.
“It is difficult to study sometimes when you have a small child running around,” Bolden said. “When I first had him, in terms of studying and being on campus, it was hard because I was a pumping mom,
Lynn Wilkins, the student and caregiver program manager at UM, estimates that approximately 9% of undergraduate students and 28% of graduate students at UM are student parents based on national estimates from the Student Parent Action through Research Knowledge (SPARK) Collaborative. That would equal roughly 1,900 undergraduate students and 650 graduate students.
so I had to find different spaces to breastfeed or also pump.”
Wilkins formally stepped into her caregiver program manager role over the summer after working with student parents in her former role in work life resources under the university’s department of human resources. She hopes to increase the resources available to student parents.
“We’re always trying to build,” Wilkins said. “We did a survey in the spring to try and understand student parents’ needs more clearly, and so we’re just going to be trying to respond to those more and more, providing the support that student parents need to persist and to graduate.”
Another resource on campus is the Student Parent Association, which hosts various events and programming. Wilkins said these events can create a sense of belonging for student parents.
“Student parenting can be kind of an isolating experience, so that connection to others on campus is really important,” Wilkins said.
Bolden said the resources for student parents have been very helpful.
“I still taught pregnant and
Candace Bolden
then also taught right after having him,” Bolden said. “So it made things more difficult, but I found really good support at the university in order to help me be more successful.”
Bolden’s journey may not be the most traditional, but it is reflective of the realities for student parents.
“I never imagined that I would have my first child as a student,” Bolden said. “But
it’s also a little different because I had him at the beginning of my PhD study. ... It looks different for everyone.”
Lesley Vance-Walkington at her new coffee shop Velvet Ditch Coffee Roasters on Nov. 4.
REESE
MADISON TWIDDY /
Ole Miss alumna Renie Anderson’s journey to executive vice president of the NFL
RUSS EDDINS Sports Editor
As executive vice president and chief revenue officer of the National Football League, University of Mississippi graduate Renie Anderson is a leader of one of the largest and most profitable sports leagues in the world.
“I didn’t know this type of job existed, and so I’ve always been passionate about sports,” Anderson said in a Zoom interview with The Daily Mississippian. “I was lucky enough that my first job as an assistant (in the American Football League) at the time out of college was in sports, and then I was able to really learn from those around me to continue to, almost 30 years
later, have a career in sports.”
After graduating from UM in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, Anderson moved to California, where she thought she could write for television or movies on the side. She struggled to find time to do that.
“When you’re working full time, it’s hard to have a side hustle,” Anderson said.
“I realized that I really enjoyed working in sports. I’m super passionate about it, and so I just laser-focused on it. I think I realized in sales, you tell a story — you just tell it in a different way.”
In her first job out of college, Anderson worked as the assistant to the commissioner of the AFL, David Baker.
“I was his assistant for
“I don’t put on a helmet and pads everyday, but my uniform is either a blazer or a business suit. I feel like I’m about to run through that tunnel every day, and so I like that same intensity that the NFL brings.”
- Renie Anderson executive vice president and chief revenue officer of the NFL
about two years, and then I volunteered to move to the East Coast prior to 9/11 to start the East Coast office,” Anderson said. “I was kind of a group assistant, and then the boss at that office quit. So I started doing those jobs, and then I became, long story short, a manager of consumer products. And then I became a manager of sponsorship sales.”
Anderson’s time at the AFL taught her valuable skills and lessons such as work ethic, problem-solving and taking initiative.
“That was my first job in sports, and it taught me to really hustle and to learn, (as well as) a little bit of ‘If you don’t know something, (that) doesn’t mean you step away from that,’” Anderson said. “You continue to raise your hand and figure out problems. And ultimately, it also taught me that when there’s not anyone there to do the job and the job needs to be done, that I could figure out how to do a specific job that would give me a boost and opportunity to continue to grow.”
Anderson, a Kentucky native, said that being a woman in sports has not been as important in her career as her being a Southerner working in the North, specifically New York City where the NFL league office is located.
“I think I’ve been a little naive that I haven’t really thought about being a woman,” Anderson said. “Sometimes I think about being Southern before I do about being a woman, especially here in New York, but I think at times I could be possibly underestimated, which, by the way, is completely fine with me. Because then, ulti -
mately, I want to make sure that I’m exceeding those expectations every time.”
Anderson believes people overlook her because she is from the South — specifically, because of her Southern manners.
“It’s our secret weapon that we’re so kind and nice,” Anderson said. “But I think that so many people are coming from the Northeast and going to schools down in the South, right? Because everyone knows the secret is out.”
Anderson has been with the NFL since 2006, making partnerships with companies that provide technology that teams regularly use on the sidelines, such as Microsoft Surface Tablets and Sony headphones.
Her work addresses product integration and sponsorships. The NFL recently announced a partnership with Lululemon, and Anderson is preparing for another partnership down the road.
“I was just in Los Angeles for the Thursday Night Football game with the Vikings at the Chargers, and we hosted a bunch of partners from our partner in trading cards starting in April with Fanatics and Tops,” Anderson said.
While Anderson is not one of the athletes on the field playing games, she certainly plays a big part in the NFL’s brand. “I don’t put on a helmet and pads everyday, but my uniform is either a blazer or a business suit,” Anderson said. “I feel like I’m about to run through that tunnel every day, and so I like that same intensity that the NFL brings.”
Renie Anderson
Kiffin, Rebels aim to stay sharp against The Citadel
WILL WRIGHT
Sports Staff Writer
The No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels enter Week 11 of the college football season in prime position to make a postseason run. The Rebels (8-1, 5-1 SEC) host The Citadel Bulldogs (4-5, 3-4 SoCon) at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for a noon Saturday kickoff.
With matchups against Florida and Mississippi State still to come, Ole Miss could use this weekend to sharpen execution and reinforce depth before its final SEC stretch.
Ole Miss is coming off of a 30-14 win over South Carolina — a game in which the Rebels showcased balance and control on both sides of the ball. Ole Miss averages 36.2 points per game (No. 4 in the SEC).
The reality of this matchup is that Ole Miss is an 8-1 SEC team that the College Football Selection Committee ranked No. 6, and The Citadel is a 4-5 SoCon team who has not played an FBS opponent yet.
Head coach Lane Kiffin’s offense will aim to play mistake-free football while open -
ing up the playbook. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss hopes to get back in rhythm after a shaky passing performance last week, when he threw for only 156 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He and running back Kewan Lacy have become a dangerous backfield duo in the SEC.
On defense, the Rebels’ front seven will be challenged to stay assignment-sound against a Citadel team that prefers long drives and misdirection runs. Ole Miss has been strong up front all season, limiting their opponents’ rushing production and generating consistent backfield pressure. The Rebels tallied six sacks against the Gamecocks last week.
The Citadel runs a triple-option scheme. Since the Rebels have struggled against mobile quarterbacks earlier this season — Arkansas’ Taylen Green rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown, and Georgia’s Gunner Stockton totaled 59 rushing yards and a touchdown two weeks ago — this game could be an opportunity for the defense to work on its
discipline and fundamentals.
The Rebels enter as heavy favorites, and Kiffin’s group knows a sharp, mistake-free performance could help set
the tone for what lies ahead. The next three weeks will define Ole Miss’ postseason hopes, and this matchup offers a chance to tidy
up small issues before the competition ramps up again.
Ole Miss comes in at No. 6 in initial CFP rankings
RUSS EDDINS Sports Editor
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee released its first Top 25 rankings on Tuesday, Nov. 4 on ESPN. The committee ranked Ole Miss No. 6 in this initial bracket — one spot above
their position in the AP Poll, which has the Rebels at No. 7.
In this bracket, Ole Miss would face off against the Virginia Cavaliers, the projected ACC champion, in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in the first round of the College Football Playoffs.
Ole Miss (8-1, 5-1 SEC)
would host Virginia (8-1, 5-0 ACC), whose loss came against NC State 35-31. Like Ole Miss, the Cavaliers had a narrow victory over Washington State. The winner of Ole Miss and Virginia would play No. 3 Texas A&M in this projected bracket.
The five highest ranked conference champions — all four Power 4 conference champions and the highest ranked Group of 5 champion — qualify and the remaining seven spots in the playoff are at-large bids. The Top 4 teams have a first round bye. This is a change from last year’s model that had the four highest conference champions receiving a bye.
As of now, Virginia’s entry into the playoffs is based on their projected likelihood of winning the ACC championship. If the Cavaliers lose that game, or fail to make it altogether, they could miss the playoffs entirely. Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh or Louisville are other teams at the top of the ACC who could win the conference.
Ole Miss, on the other hand, would make this bracket as an at-large bid. As long as they take care of business in their final three games and finish the season either 11-1 or potentially 10-2, the Rebels should be in the playoffs;
they do not need to win the SEC Championship to qualify.
“We just need to win out, and then we get a good spot for the playoffs,” sophomore psychology major Taylor Williams said.
Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M and Alabama were the Top 4 seeds. No. 11 Texas and No. 12 Oklahoma were the first teams out of the playoffs, bumped out by Virginia (projected ACC champion) and Memphis (top Group of 5 team), who currently is not ranked in the Top 25.
“Yeah, I think it’s always part of the discussion when we’re talking about wins and losses, that’s extremely important,” CFP Selection Committee Chairman and Baylor Athletic Director Mack Rhoades said during the selection show. “But again, we have a variety of tools at our disposal, and so not one is weighted more than the other. We’re sitting here. We’re looking at head-to-head. We’re looking at common opponents. We’re looking at schedule strength. We’re looking at record strength. We’re looking at all of the analytics.”
The first round of the playoffs will begin with one game on Friday, Dec. 19. The remaining three games are all on Saturday, Dec. 20, beginning at noon. Teams with
better seeding, including Ole Miss as of now, would host first round games on their respective campuses.
The prospect of hosting a playoff game is exciting for many Ole Miss students.
“I think it’s gonna be real packed down here. When’s the last time Oxford hosted a playoff game?” junior exercise science major Jalon Townes said. Quarterfinal games will begin on Wednesday, Dec. 31 and end on New Years Day. Those games include the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. The semifinals, the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl, are on Jan. 8 and Jan. 9, respectively. The National Championship is on Monday, Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The College Football Playoff Selection Committee will release its Top 25 every Tuesday until the end of the season. The final rankings will determine the playoff order and will be released on Sunday, Dec. 7.
Tahj Chambers hypes up the student section in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium during the game against South Carolina on Nov. 1.
ALANA AKIL / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Behind the broadcast: Jimmy Dickerson and David Dillard
ISAAC SCHEER
Staff Writer
Athletes and coaches may be the stars of the show in Ole Miss Athletics. The behind-the-scenes technical work, however, often ensures Rebel fans across the country have a fantastic game-day experience. Two important, yet often unsung, heroes of the broadcasts are Jimmy Dickerson and David Dillard.
Dickerson is the senior director of live productions in the university’s athletics department. His crew is largely responsible for creating the high-energy atmosphere within the stadiums, producing the graphics, camera shots and replays displayed on videoboards.
Dickerson’s crew consists of 20-25 students, two engineers and an assistant director; he believes that all of these individuals are highly capable and that the quality of their work speaks for itself.
“I see us as a top-notch place, even though we don’t have as many people (as other in-venue productions services),” Dickerson said in an interview with The Daily Mississippian. “Our administration is dependent on us to put on a good show, and they’ve seen the results.”
Students have noticed the results, as well. Jumbotrons, for instance, have enhanced the experience of sporting events for some students.
“I don’t really understand football, so like it (the field) being so far away doesn’t really help that. But I like to watch the jumbotron more because it’s just easier on the eyes,” freshman pharmacy major Reese Wilson said.
For sophomore integrated marketing communications major Wade Neyland, the videoboards increase fan participation at games.
“I’d say that (jumbotrons) definitely get people involved, and kind of creates more ‘oohs’
and ‘awes,’” Neyland said.
Game days are long commitments for the crew, but Dickerson emphasizes that long hours are necessary for proper preparation and execution.
“We come in probably two-and-a-half to three hours before the game starts,” Dickerson said. “We just go through everything … cameras, turning them on, making sure they work. They are (all) connected — graphics, audio, everything’s tied together.”
While Dickerson’s crew works to maximize the in-person experience for fans, Dillard’s Total Production Services, the service that broadcasts a variety of Ole Miss home sporting events, creates high-quality broadcasts for fans watching from home.
“I feel like it (the Ole Miss broadcasts) compares to when I’m watching a professional game,” junior business major Austin Weber said.
Dillard’s company is contracted by the university to
produce ESPN broadcasts on television and streaming platforms such as ESPN+ for the Rebels. Each year, Total Production Services broadcasts approximately 120 games across sports including volleyball, soccer, basketball, football, baseball and softball.
Dillard said that his favorite sports to broadcast are baseball and softball because of the pressures and challenges they provide.
“If you think about it, the action is not always where the ball is,” Dillard said in an interview with The Daily Mississippian. “So a fly ball to right field and a runner on third, you have to shoot completely differently than a fly ball to right field and nobody on base. I like the chess match between baseball and softball.”
Like Dickerson, Dillard is the leader of a larger production team. Dillard has spent 37 years in the industry and serves as a mentor for his
student workers. His crew is about 80% students — many of whom start working with him as freshmen and continue to do so until graduation, when they often step into big careers.
“We’ve had a lot of success with students going from here to ESPN,” Dillard said. “We have 13 at ESPN in Connecticut and Charlotte right now that are full-time employees.” His overarching goal is to provide players with the high-quality coverage that they deserve.
“These student-athletes work so hard, and they put so much of their life into this,” Dillard said. “(We aim to) tell some stories about them and humanize them.”
Sports
The jumbotron at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion from the in-venue productions control room.
RUSS EDDINS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Learn to love the real Oxford — not the one you saw on TikTok
“I love the slower pace of Oxford and the fact that it does not have a skyline or a dozen chain restaurants, but sometimes it feels like that’s exactly what newcomers want to change.”
MACKENZIE MCDARIES Opinion Staff Writer
It is practically a campus ritual to hear an out-of-state student griping about how there’s “nothing to do in Oxford” or that the nearest Target is over an hour away.
These out-of-state students pass it off as a light-hearted joke, but you can tell they mean it. And as someone who grew up in the South, I have started to wonder why so many people choose to come to a small Mississippi town and then act surprised, or even irritated, that it feels like one.
Perhaps the reason is because the version of the University of Mississippi they saw online is not the one they actually moved to.
SEC schools have become trendy in recent years; our university, in particular, increased enrollment by 5.2% in fall 2025. These schools are attracting out-of-state students at increasing rates due to the appeals of SEC football and Greek life.
Platforms like TikTok, especially during “RushTok” season, have glamorized that culture even further, painting SEC campuses as perfectly curated worlds of designer dresses, luxury apart-
ments and dreamy sorority houses.
For many, that image becomes the expectation before they ever step foot in Oxford. Countless students from all over the country decide to come here without realizing the uniquely Southern, small-town nature of Oxford, and then they are disappointed when it does not line up with what they saw on their “ForYou” page.
I love the slower pace of Oxford and the fact that it does not have a skyline or a dozen chain restaurants, but sometimes it feels like that’s exactly what newcomers want to change. Why choose Ole Miss if what you really want is Atlanta or Nashville?
These passive-aggressive comments stem from an issue greater than the frustrations of living in a small town for the first time; many who are not from the South tend to see the region as poor, uneducated or behind — but they fail to acknowledge what makes it special. The real South isn’t filtered through a ring light or wrapped in a bow. It’s about people, rather than presentation.
The South is filled with an abundance of community and hospitality that is entirely unlike anywhere else. It can be easy to mock a small town,
but once you realize how much pride and history hold it together, you begin to appreciate it for what it is.
We may not have a mall with American Eagle or H&M, but we have the Square, lined with stunning boutiques and cute shops with richness beyond comparison.
And though there’s no Texas Roadhouse or Cheesecake Factory, you’ll have just as great, if not a better, experience at a locally owned restaurant in town served with a smile and Southern charm.
Ultimately, you do not have to be from Mississippi to love it here, but you do have to meet it halfway. If you choose a school in the South, take time to understand what it means to be Southern.
Recognizing the history and culture here will open your eyes to the soul of Oxford, and you may come to find that there’s more to love than you expected.
MacKenzie McDaries is a freshman Arabic and international studies major from Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Spring forward, fall back: why daylight saving time serves no one
“Personally, I’m sick of my sleep schedule being tampered with every year.”
TAYLOR YOUNG
Opinion
Staff Writer
The old saying “spring forward, fall back” refers to the practice of daylight savings, where America rewinds her clocks on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November. The phrase definitely serves as a reminder to adjust the time on cars, ovens and microwaves, but for many, it represents an unfortunate hassle: The daylight saving switch is an inconvenient relic of the past. It is universally true that sleep is crucial to our everyday lives, affecting everything from our mood, mental health to physical wellbeing.
But personally, I’m sick of my sleep schedule being tampered with every year.
If the government is going to mandate a biannual flip-flop in clock policy, there ought to be an adequate reason for doing so.
We are often told day -
Opinion
the university, if applicable.
light saving time was created to help farmers and that it was supported by our founding fathers such as Benjamin Franklin. It is true that Franklin wrote a letter seemingly supporting earlier rising in the morning to conserve resources such as lamp oil.
In the same letter, however, he suggested the government fire cannons at dawn to force everyone to rise from their slumber and even argued that everyone should get up at 4 a.m. Policy proposal? More like political satire.
The truth is, daylight saving time came from a time of necessity in the wake of World War I. Many nations during the Great War sought to conserve energy and maintain high production. By moving the clocks forward an hour, the government extended the workday and conserved energy for basic essentials like electricity. During a time of emergency, this rationale makes sense. But does it make sense now?
Currently, the U.S. is not at war and does not have a wartime economy, which raises the question: Why are we constantly changing the time?
Centuries have passed since Franklin’s antics, but in the meantime, the science of sleep has jumped leaps and bounds.
One hour of daylight might seem negligible to some, but scientists have since discovered that light exposure makes more of a biochemical difference than you might think.
The human body is meant to rise with dawn and fall with dusk; light exposure at the wrong times disrupts the circadian cycle, creating a host of negative health effects.
Many sleep and medical groups such as the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and National Sleep Foundation argue that adopting permanent standard time would be better for our health. In fact, researchers estimate that adopting standard time yearlong would result
in 2.6 million fewer people with obesity and 300,000 fewer cases of strokes.
Permanently adopting daylight saving time, on the other hand, would result in 1.7 million fewer people with obesity, 220,000 fewer cases of strokes, potentially reduce energy use and extend daylight further into the evening.
As opposed to permanent standard time, which aligns more closely with the natural circadian cycle, daylight saving time creates a permanent mismatch between solar clocks and our internal timers.
Whichever camp you consider yourself a part of, there is an obvious truth: Perpetually switching times is not worth the hassle.
In reality, not making a choice is a choice in itself, and it is almost always the worst decision. Every year, this decision to walk this thin line leads to increased vehicular fatalities when the clock springs forward, heightens
anxiety, depression and even increases hospital admissions. As the old adage goes — never put off something until tomorrow if you can do it today, and if we know change is needed, why not let this be the year for that change?
Taylor Young is a second-year law student from Gulfport, Miss.
GRACE ANN COURTNEY / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Taylor Young
