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Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Dudy Noble:

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129 th YEAR | ISSUE 32

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

Starkville experiences crime spike, city seeks solutions

by Taylor Bowden Staff Writer

Starkville saw significantly more thefts, robberies, assaults and burglaries in 2014 than in 2013, and

Starkville Police Chief Frank Nichols attributes this in part to Starkville’s population increase during MSU’s athletic success.

The Starkville Municipal Court gave a report last week of the city’s criminal case statistics for 2014. The report showed that while

the amount of cases have increased across the board, misdemeanor and felonious theft cases increased the most drastically.

“Last year we started averaging about 107 extra calls each month than we did in 2013,” Nichols said.

“I expect that to continue

to go up as enrollment goes up at the university. There is a direct correlation between high enrollment and traffic offenses and crime in the city.”

MSUPD also had to deal with an increase in automobile thefts. In 2013, there were seven reported instances of

motor vehicle theft. In 2014, the city experienced 13 auto thefts, only two of which happened outside of the football season. Auto thefts were not the only issues MSUPD dealt with last year.

“We’ve never had an armed robbery in the middle of a game before. We did this

year,” MSUPD Chief Vance Rice said.

While enrollment for MSU has remained about the same for the past four years, the success of its athletic program is unprecedented, and the full effects of last year’s football season remain to be seen.

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Arbor Day Diamond Dog fans show support at Cowbell Yell celebration presents Keenum with award

Richard Holmes 50th year anniversary approaches

by Jennifer Flinn

by D.J. Wormley

Contributing Writer

Staff Writer

The Campus Tree Advisory Committee and the Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters at Mississippi State University, will host the celebration of the Tree Campus USA designation in conjunction with the Arbor Day celebration Friday at 10:30 a.m. in the Junction.

President Mark Keenum will receive the award given to the university for the Tree Campus USA designation.

Karen Brasher, marketing coordinator for the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, said it seemed fitting to give the award to Keenum because the university received the award.

Chair of Campus Tree Advisory Committee Jason Gordon said this annual event is a small way to recognize the importance of trees to the landscape and to the residents of Mississippi.

“It recognizes how important trees are to our lives,” he said. “The Tree Campus recognition demonstrates how the only land-grant university in the state of Mississippi is committed to the environment and its resources and to improving the well-being of all residents here through teaching, research and service.”

The designation of Tree Campus USA carries significance in the way MSU views its landscape. Gordon said it is symbolic of the level of commitment to trees and natural resource management on the part of MSU. “As Tree Campus, there are certain characteristics we ascribe to, and that’s for every tree that must be removed for construction, we have to plant so many trees in its place,” Gordon said.

Brasher said the Tree Campus USA designation is a reflection of the beauty of MSU’s campus and the value placed on trees across campus.

Jacob Follin | The Reflector

Yell for ʻDiamond Dogsʼ:

Mississippi State University hosted a Cowbell Yell for MSUʼs baseball team Tuesday night at Dudy Noble Field. The team will play against the Cincinnati Bearcats today at Dudy Noble Field. The Diamond Dogs ended last yearʼs season at regionals in Lafayette, Louisiana against the Raginʼ Cajuns.

Lyceum series to feature Aquila Theatre Company, perform rendition of ‘Tempest’

by Lacretia Wimbley News Editor

The Lyceum Series at Mississippi State University will feature the Aquila Theater Company in Lee Hall’s

Bettersworth Auditorium Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m, performing “The Tempest.”

The notable theater crew will perform its rendition of William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” for students and faculty of the Bulldog community. Founded in 1991, the Aquila Theater began under

Lyceum Series:

Aquila Theatre Company Presents William Shakespeare’s

The Tempest February 16, 2015 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Bettersworth Auditorium

director Peter Meineck, who founded the theatre company.

According to aquilatheatre. com, Meineck possessed the desire to create bold reinterpretations of classical plays for contemporary audiences that sought to free the spirit of the original work and recreate the excitement of the

Aquila Theatre’s past productions: Fahrenheit

Othello

Taming of the Shrew

The Man Who Would Be King

National Tour 2003-2004

National Tour 2013-2014 U.S./Canada National Tour 2012-2013

National Tour 2003-2004

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live performance that made it become a classic play.

Highlighted on MSU’s Department of Music website, The New York Times acclaimed Aquila’s productions as “Gleefully engaging…almost unbearable fun…directed with inspiration.”

Richard Holmes, Mississippi State University’s first African-American alumnus, approaches the 50-year anniversary of his enrollment at MSU. MSU’s Holmes Cultural Diversity Center (HCDC), originally named the Office of Minority Affairs, was dedicated to and renamed forHolmes in 1991.

According to HCDC’s website, Holmes is one of 10 children and was born in Chicago, Illinois, on Feb. 17, 1944. He moved to Mississippi when he was just 18 months old. He graduated from Henderson High School in Starkville, Mississippi in 1963 where he played the position of line-backer for the school football team. He spent the first two years of his college career at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas.

He then transferred to MSU and became a student in 1965.

Holmes said when he stepped foot on MSU’s campus he was greeted peacefully and respectfully.

“There were no catcalls, no racial slurs it was quiet and serene. Nothing happened; there was just curiosity and disbelief,” Holmes said.

Holmes left MSU to take a teaching position in Aliceville, Alabama in 1967 and returned to earn his MSU degree in microbiology and nutrition in 1969.

Cedric Gathings, assistant dean and director at the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center at MSU, said he believes Holmes is a pioneer for MSU. “He was a trailblazer for all, and he started a trend. MSU is what it is today because of him,” Gathings said.

Gathings said Holmes’ attendance at MSU began a great appreciation for variety.

“He started a sense of diversity and because of that, the diversity at MSU has become even wider,” Gathings said.

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Austin Grove | The Reflector

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“The biggest thing is that we have a plan in place to document the trees and take care of them and replace them as needed,” Brasher said.

Associate Director of Campus Landscape Bart Prather said his team planted trees throughout this week and plans to plant one for the ceremony on Arbor Day. “We are glad to be a part of it. We try to do the best with what we have to keep our campus as beautiful as it can be,” Prather said.

Both Gordon and Brasher emphasized the importance of the four-year

forestry major offered at MSU as well as the economic impact the industry has on Mississippi.

“Forestry is a big business in Mississippi. It is good for our economy, our environment and we provide good leaders who can manage these resources,” Brasher said.

All sources agree this is the optimum time of year for planting trees, which is the reason for Arbor Day’s placement on the second Friday of February.

Campus Landscape plants between 20 to 100 trees this time of year.

Prather said this is the

normal time for Campus Landscape to plant trees.

More trees are added in the event of a student death.

The Forestry Department is currently conducting a student-led inventory of all trees across campus. Brasher said this is about a five-year endeavor in which measurements of height and diameter are taken of the approximately 10,000 trees on campus.

The health of individual trees can be determined from this collected data.

“It’s only right that the state’s flagship research university is also forested, and does forestry

HOLMES

research,” Brasher said.

“That kind of ties into our land-grant mission.”

Gordon said he spends about a week every semester on the inventory with about 40 to 60 students of varying majors. He said this data can also be made into a quantified assessment that can be understood monetarily by placing a dollar value on individual trees based on their benefits.

“That is kind of exciting to have some documentation of how many trees are on campus because we do not really know,” Brasher said with a smile.

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Dominique Brown, a student at MSU, said she believes dedicating something in Holmes’ honor is a great idea because it provides a great

understanding of the historical value of MSU. “The dedication to Dr. Holmes would bring a little insight into our

history as a student body,” Brown said.

Plans of Holmes’ celebration have not been fi nalized but are underway.

Mississippi State University’s

Student Association Executive Council Election Debate February 17, 2015 7 p.m. in Lee Hall Bettersworth Auditorium

Student Association Executive Council Election Meet Your Presidential Candidates:

Jamie Aron -Academics: I hope to work with administration to implement Winter Sessions and in-state and out-of-state scholarships.

-Finances: Bully Bucks will expand upon MoneyMate as well as locations to use student IDs to pay for meals.

-More Cool Ideas: I would like to collaborate with Housing to implement recreational facilities in Residence Hall Court Yards. Also, we need a student voice in both the city of Starkville and in the state legislature.

JoJo Dodd -Expansion: We need an independent source of support for student activities on campus–expanded appropriations for student organizations.

-Advocacy: We should work to end the continual parking price increases. The Student Association is more than an event planning organization.

-Inclusion: The Student Association should resemble our campus: Diverse!

Communication is the key to engagement and involvement growth.

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Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015 1:19 a.m. A student was arrested on Stone Blvd. for disregard of traffic device and suspended driver’s license. Justice court citations and a student referral were issued.

11:55 a.m. A student was arrested on College View St. for expired tag, suspended driver’s license and no insurance. Justice court citations and a student referral were issued.

4:35 p.m. A student was arrested in Starkville for shoplifting.

4:43 p.m. A student reported losing her RayBan sunglasses in McCool Hall.

7:13 p.m. A student reported a suspicious incident between her and her roommate in Hull Hall.

7:49 p.m. A student reported being harassed via text messages to her phone from an unknown person.

11:12 p.m. A student was arrested in Starkville for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.

Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015 12:40 a.m. An officer reported dead geese on the northwest side of Zacharias Village parking lot.

10:07 a.m. A visitor reported losing his iPhone at the Humphre Coliseum. His phone was later retrieved in West Point, Miss.

11:54 a.m. A student reported finding a bag of marijuana in Hand Chemical Lab. The bag was retrieved by an officer.

1:54 p.m. An employee reported a golf cart belonging to the football department missing from Leo Seal Building.

2:20 p.m. A student was transported to Baptist Memorial Behavioral Health Care from Hathorn Hall for medical assitance.

Have you followed us yet?

For daily news tweets, links and articles follow @reflectoronline on Twitter.

Musical memories: At Starkville’s First Baptist Church Tuesday night, current and former Mississippi State University music department faculty members presented ‘Musical Memories,’ a free concert dedicated to paying tribute to long-time MSU music professors. The tribute was sponsored by the Starkville Area Arts Council and J.W. Criss Foundation.

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However, one thing that is for certain is Starkville’s growth is closely tied with MSU’s as more students attending the university means more students living off campus in the city, as well as potential jobs for professors and supporting staff.

“We’ve had an increase in traffic offenses, we’ve had an increase in DUIs, an increase in misdemeanors. So everything went up,” Nichols said.

Nichols said the national average for police departments is about 2.5 officers for every 1,000 citizens.

SPD is about 10 officers short of that mark, according to the 2013 census.

“However, that’s not even counting the students,” Nichols said. “We have 55 sworn officers here. We should have 65 as per the census, but in all actuality, with the students living here, we should be at about 75. We are definitely short when it comes to manpower.”

Nichols has served SPD for nearly 23 years, and said in that time frame the amount of officers on patrol has not increased significantly, even though there are twice as many apartment complexes now than there were in

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the early ‘90s.

That is not to say that SPD has not expanded, just that the patrol division has remained the same.

Nichols said about 10 years ago a narcotics unit was created along with a traffic unit to deal with an increase in DUI’s as well as a community oriented police unit.

Nichols said the narcotics unit presented about 100 cases to the Grand Jury last year alone.

“When I was hired, we had about 45 officers and now we have about 55.

Though we’ve increased by 10, they had to go to other places besides patrol,” Nichols said. “So now it’s time to get patrol fattened up.”

Rice said MSUPD is

about where it needs to be as far as manpower is concerned. Even though with 35 officers to 20,138 students, MSUPD is technically behind the national average. Rice’s only concerns revolve around events like game days when a large number of people from out of town flood campus.

The Starkville Municipal Court’s report also showed an increase in probation violations, which made up 30 percent of the total misdemeanor cases. Nichols said this is because the Mississippi Department of Corrections has started to release a lot more inmates who were serving time for nonviolent crimes.

Sarah Story | The Reflector

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A Worthy Cause

Minimum wage increases make employees scarce In a November 2013 Gallup Poll, 76 percent of Americans favored a federal minimum wage increase to $9 per hour, up from the current floor of $7.25. Only 22 percent said they would vote against it. A year after this poll was conducted, Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska and South Dakota passed a minimum wage increase through state referendums.

There is no doubt this policy is popular politics.

In reference to raising the minimum wage, President Obama proclaimed in his 2014 State of the Union address, “Americans overwhelmingly agree that no one who works full time should ever have to raise a family in poverty.”

This is certainly a noble sentiment, but is a nationwide wage floor an appropriate response to helping poor families? According to White House data, only 26 percent of workers that earn minimum wage have kids.

Would raising the minimum wage result in a net-positive

effect for poor households?

A paper in the Southern Economic Journal disputes this notion.

According to authors Joseph Sabia and Richard Burkhauser, “Only 11.3 percent of workers who will gain from an increase in the federal minimum wage to $9.50 per hour live in poor households.” The same paper finds that, “Of those who will gain, 63.2 percent are second or third earners living in households with incomes twice the poverty line, and 42.3 percent live in households with incomes three times the poverty line, well above $50,233, the income of the median household in 2007.” These numbers suggest raising the minimum wage would not be the best measure to target poverty in families.

Not only does fixating on the minimum wage not help the vast majority of poor families, it adversely affects an even larger population.

Generally speaking, when the cost of an item goes up,

people buy less of that item.

The same goes for labor.

Take Borderlands Books in San Francisco as an example. Borderlands has been

“Would raising the minimum wage result in a netpositive effect for poor households?” in business for 18 years and has survived a 100 percent rent increase and a subsequent relocation, the rapid growth of online booksellers like Amazon, popular e-reading innovations like the Nook and Kindle and the recession that began in 2009. San Francisco’s new minimum wage law is causing Borderlands to close.

In a statement informing its customers of the closing, the store said, “Borderlands Books as it exists is not a financially viable business

if subject to that minimum wage.” The effect of the mandated wage floor on Borderlands paints a bleak picture of not only its bottom line, but other businesses like it. The statement went on to say, “The change in minimum wage will mean our payroll will increase roughly 39 percent. That increase will in turn bring up our total operating expenses by 18 percent. To make up for that expense, we would need to increase our sales by a minimum of 20 percent.”

Other businesses and, by extension, current workers and future employees stand to lose a great deal if these compulsory wage increases continue. Businesses will have to respond by not hiring new workers, laying off current employees, slashing hours or closing up shop altogether. In an already tepid economic recovery, the last thing poor families need is a constricted labor market.

What is a more effective way to assist and offer

relief to families below the poverty line? The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a government program that has proven to lift families out of poverty by encouraging work and then bolstering wages to incentivize staying in that job. An added bonus: it’s a bipartisan issue. President Obama and Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Paul Ryan find common ground when discussing the EITC. As it currently stands, the EITC best serves individuals and families with children, but it could be utilized by more people and more effectively if it were expanded to help childless workers. This is a response to the rapidly declining labor participation rate and unemployment rate among young adults. According to a report released last year by the House Budget Committee Expanding Opportunity in America, “By increasing work’s rewards, the expansion

Walton Chaney is a senior majoring in history and political science. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

would encourage formal work over informal work, make non-custodial parents more likely to pay child support, and possibly draw more people with disabilities into the workforce.”

The EITC shows there are alternatives to raising the minimum wage. While there is popular support for raising the minimum wage, it fl ies in the face of economic growth — just ask Borderlands Books in San Francisco.

Where the Wild Thoughts Are

Consolidation will benefit local school districts Tucker Fleming is a senior majoring in sociology. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.

School policy is a delicate issue. It requires open, honest, respectful and compassionate conversations. It is a particularly challenging issue in which to engage in dialogue because at the center are two polarizing elements: children and money.

Frequently, the outcry in reaction to the consolidation of school districts is because many think the weaker schools will bring down their successful sibling schools. As a parent, this is a valid concern. No responsible father or mother wants his or her child’s education to be threatened.

Such a parental impulse is usually the source of this

anxiety. Perhaps what is really needed is an adjustment of perspective.

Consolidated school districts, especially in Starkville’s case, stand to gain a great deal. Starkville’s public schools are in a unique position to partner with Mississippi State University, a partnership which doubtless will prove fruitful for the newly consolidated school district.

According to Parents for Public Schools of Starkville, “increased collaborations between (MSU and Starkville-Oktibbeha CSD) will take place at all levels in the future.” Perhaps the comfort of partnering with Mississippi’s premier research university will quell the fears of underperformance seeping into the new school district.

In addition to the benefits of partnering with a flagship university, John Yinger and William Duncombe of Syracuse University note “the main justification for school district consolidation has long been that it is a way to cut costs.”

Cutting costs is central to the success of a school district, especially one that intends to give its students the best education and learning experience possible. Financial relief may give school administrators the opportunity to invest elsewhere: new classroom

Roscigno, recently conducted a study that drew on the following idea: “the American system of public education is one in which the amount of wealth in a school district shapes the quality of its schools.”

They go on to posit that “the most important func-

for innovative technology in the classroom and courting better teachers with higher salaries. If teachers are really as important as American society loves to say they are, we should really start paying them like it. The fi rst step in fi xing inequality of education is championing equality “Starkville’s public schools are in a unique of spending in the public school position to partner with Mississippi State system.

The personal University, a partnership which doubtless and social benets must also be will prove fruitful for the newly consolidated ficonsidered.

The issue of equality school district.” is at the forefront of this debate.

Students in a equipment, better techno- tion of spending is instruc- failing school are by defilogical resources for math- tional. Instructional funds nition not receiving the ematics and science, more are used for teachers’ sal- same education as their expansive libraries and any aries, textbooks and var- successful counterparts. number of other opportu- ious other material sup- Regardgin the consolidanities to enrich the learning plies related to classroom tion, Oktibbeha County experience of students. instruction.”

Representative Gary School districts with Thus, Condron and Chism said, “we know (SSD more cash in their pock- Roscigno’s research shows doesn’t) want this, but we ets are able to do more to how important cutting costs know there are 870 students help their students succeed. really is and how mean- in the county that need an Two sociologists at Ohio ingful those saved dollars equal education and they’re State University, Dennis can be when put towards not getting it now.”

Condron and Vincent increasing opportunities Consolidation is not all

rainbows and butterfl ies.

There will be hurdles to overcome and clunky logistics that may cause the new consolidated district to stumble. Transportation costs will go up because many students will have to travel farther to get to their new schools. The key question at hand, without sounding too crass, is one of equality. How much inconvenience is a child’s education worth? Should we, in the spirit of loving our neighbors, be willing to drive a few extra miles to give others a chance at the same education? The answer is a resounding yes.

As Chism said, there are 870 students who do not receive the education they need to provide a strong foundation for the rest of their educational career and beyond. Perhaps instead of seeing consolidation as an inconvenience, we as a community should see consolidation as an opportunity to come alongside the struggling schools in our community and walk the path to achievement together.

Song ‘Take Me to Church’ conveys deeper meaning Managing Editor Catie Marie Martin

Editor in Chief

Emma Crawford

News Editor Lacretia Wimbley

Multimedia Editor

Opinion Editor

Kelsee McKim

Michael Lamb

Life Editor

Photography Editor

Copy Editor

Noor Mujahid

Emma Katherine Hutto

John Galatas

Graphic Designer

Sports Editor

Austin Grove

Blake Morgan

CONTACT INFORMATION

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor in Chief/Emma Crawford

Letters to the editor should be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. Letters may also be emailed to editor@reflector.msstate.edu.

Letters must include name and telephone number for verification purposes. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.

325-7905 editor@reflector.msstate.edu Managing Editor/Catie Marie Martin 325-8991 managing@reflector.msstate.edu News Editor/Lacretia Wimbley 325-8819 news@reflector.msstate.edu Opinion Editor/Michael Lamb opinion@reflector.msstate.edu Sports Editor/Blake Morgan 325-5118 reflectorsports@gmail.com Life Editor/Noor Mujahid 325-8883 life@reflector.msstate.edu Photography Editor/Emma Hutto 325-1584 photo@reflector.msstate.edu Multimedia Editor/Kelsee McKim multimedia_editor@reflector.msstate.edu Advertising Sales/Alex Anthony 325-7907 advertise@reflector.msstate.edu

CORRECTIONS

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Reflector is the official student newspaper of Mississippi State University. Content is determined solely by the student editorial staff.

The contents of The Reflector have not been approved by Mississippi State University.

The Reflector staff strives to maintain the integrity of this paper through accurate and honest reporting. If we publish an error we will correct it. To report an error, call 325-7905.

“Take me to church / I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies / I’ll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife…” So read the lyrics to hit song “Take Me to Church” by Irish rock soul-and-blues artist Andrew Hozier-Byrne. The popular song’s large fan base undoubtedly enjoys the song thoroughly — without understanding or seeming to immediately question its meaning. However, while the obscure meaning of the song hides in subtlety within the lyrics, it’s no wonder that so many people took to the song so quickly (including myself) and became hooked to the catchy lyrics, musical arrangement and deep, broody voice of Hozier.

We can generalize music — especially today’s music — catches the ear of consumers based upon the artist, beauty of sound and repetitive musical arrangements that arouse our eardrums, reaching something within us that sparks happiness, excitement and even helps ease pain.

According to psychologytoday.com, music is often overlooked as a therapeutic intervention. Activities

such as singing, listening to or creating music can provide immediate biological and psychological benefits for everyone. This pointed out, it actually makes sense that Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” could positively catch the ears of so many before the question of lyric definition arises. This is especially because the song discusses church, a sentiment many people associate with peace, happiness or forgiveness.

While “Take Me to Church” does embody a message about church, it does not highlight positive sentiments of church about which one typically thinks.

During a Gigwise interview on YouTube, Hozier described the song, saying, “I would not like to think of (the song) as an indictment against religion, or an indictment against institutions.

Perhaps (the song) discusses institutions that undermine some of the more natural parts of being a person, or humanity in some way, shape or form.”

With a slight opposition to peace, “Take Me to Church” focuses on the contradiction of some church institutions’

RE F L E C T I O N S John F. Kennedy

treatment of homosexual individuals and sexual oriSongfacts.com entation. provides an explanation about the chorus of the song specifically, quoting an interview with Hozier from The Irish Times that read, “I found the experience of falling in love or being in love was a death of everything,” Hozier said in the interview.

“You kind of watch yourself die in a wonderful way, and you experience for the brief moment — if you see yourself for a moment through their eyes — everything you believed about yourself gone.”

While the chorus is a huge metaphor comparing falling in love (no matter to which sex) to the church, many consumers listen to the song and fail to catch the obscure meaning. In an interview with The Cut, Hozier said sexuality and sexual orientation are natural parts of humanity. The soul-andblues artist also went on to say that organizations like churches undermine natural aspects of humanity by successfully teaching shame about sexual orientation.

Although the song’s meaning is contradictory to

Lacretia Wimbley is the news editor for The Reflector. She can be contacted at news@reflector. msstate.edu.

its title, Hozier told The Cut the song is not an attack on faith.

“The song is about asserting yourself and reclaiming your humanity through an act of love. Turning your back on the theoretical thing, something that’s not tangible, and choosing to worship or love something that is tangible and real,” Hozier said.

While Hozier’s song depicts an important and, what some would probably describe as a sensitive and emotional sentiment, his metaphors and statements within the song are very relevant. After understanding the underlying definition of his lyrics, one might actually enjoy the song even more.

“If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.”

REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015

An In-Class Distraction

CLASSIFIEDS POLICY

The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday; the deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Classifieds are $5 per issue.

Student and staff ads are $3 per issue, pre-paid. Lost and found: found items can be listed for free; lost items are listed for standard ad cost.

FOR RENT House for rent! Two bedroom, one bathroom.

House located in Montpelier, MS. $500.00 per month plus deposit.

Great location for students looking to enjoy quiet, country living. If interested, please call 662-295-7362.

Canterbury Townhouses offers country living two minutes from campus!

2 bedrooms for $600, 3 bedroom 3 full baths $720. Water, sewage and trash included. Rent an apartment, not just a bedroom! Free TV with a 12 month lease. 662-323-9216.

HELP WANTED ARE YOU READY FOR A CAREER? Waste Connections, Inc. is looking for a Landfill Gas Technician for our Walnut, MS location. This is a learning, hands-on position designed to get you ready for a career in Landfill Management.

Recent graduates are encouraged to apply.

Please call 865-312-9519

for more information or apply online today at www. wasteconnections.com!

CLUB INFO

The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday; deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. MSU student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. Information may be submitted by email club_info@reflector. to with the msstate.edu subject heading “CLUB INFO,” or a form may be completed at The Reflector office in the Student Media Center. A contact name, phone number and requested run dates must be included for club info to appear in The Reflector.

All submissions are subject to exemption according to space availability.

MSU HILLEL

Jews wanted! If you’re Jewish, let us know!

Like us on Facebook at Hillel @ Mississippi State University. Join us for meetings. For more questions, contact Joseph Metz at 601-813-7720.

YOGA MOVES CLUB

School or work stressing you out? Get moving into Yoga Moves. Try our moves to get into shape and our relaxation techniques to handle the stress. Yoga Moves meets at the Sanderson Center in Studio C, Thursday evenings from 5:30-7 p.m.

Like Yoga Moves Club

- MSU on Facebook.

STUDENTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS

Care about the environment? Love activism? Come join SSC on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. in McCool 111 to make a difference. Follow on Twitter @MSU_SSC. WESLEY FOUNDATION

Join us for a night of worship with Jenny and Tyler February 3 at 8 PM at the Wesley Foundation.

STATE RUGBY

Think you’re tough???

Think again… Join State Rugby. 2014 SEC Division Champions! Practices T, W, R @ 5:30 at Rec Plex.

For more info: rugby.org. msstate.edu or rugbyinfo@org.msstate.edu.

BALLROOM DANCE CLUB

The Ballroom Dance Club is having its 10th Annual Moonlight Ball. It will be $20 for students and $25 for non-students and includes a catered dinner.

It will be held April 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanderson Center.

SOCIOLOGICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION

The Sociological Student Association will meet the last Thursday of every month at 5 p.m. in Bowen Hall room 250. All majors are welcome. For more information, contact Dr. Lane at lane@soc.msstate. edu.

5 THINGS FOR YOUR VALENTINE’S DAY

Feb. 10 solutions:

1. These violent delights have violent ends. Valentine’s Day has not always been candy hearts and teddy bears. One account of Valentine’s Day’s origin states Claudius II, the Emperor of Rome, would not allow young men to marry because he thought it would affect their performance in war. St. Valentine defied this law and secretly officiated wedding ceremonies. This resulted in his execution on Feb. 14 in 269 AD. 2. Lonely hearts club. Fifteen percent of women will send themselves flowers this Valentine’s Day, which has also come to be known as SAD, or Singles Awareness Day. One poll states 60 percent of people feel lonely on Valentine’s Day, which perhaps is why animal shelters often offer special adoption deals on Feb. 14 each year.

3. Not just a figure of speech. In the Middle Ages, men and women drew names from a hat in order to find out who their Valentine would be. They would then wear the name of their lover pinned to their sleeves for the following week, which originated in the popular phrase, “wear your heart on your sleeve.”

4. Superstitious love. Many superstitions surrounding birds take flight around Valentine’s Day because it is believed birds typically choose their mates on Feb. 14. Seeing a flock of doves on Valentine’s Day promises a long, happy marriage, and noticing a robin’s flight indicates one will marry a crimefighter. A squirrel sighting on Valentine’s Day suggest a marriage to a cheapskate, but goldfinch watchers are destined to marry millionaires.

5. The industry. Last year, the total spending on Valentine’s gifts exceeded $37 billion. Men typically spend twice as much on their significant others than women. Approximately 145 million Valentines are sent each year, which is second only to the amount of cards sent each Christmas.

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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015

‘Fifty Shades’ premieres in theaters

by Lacretia Wimbley News Editor

February is halfway over. It’s Valentine’s Day weekend — and yes, that means “Fifty Shades of Grey.” The first book within E.L. James’s No. 1 New York Times bestselling trilogy, “Fifty Shades of Grey,” tells the story of business magnate billionaire and 27-yearold Christian Grey ( Jamie Dornan), who reluctantly falls in love with Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson), a 21-year-old Washington State University (Vancouver, Washington) senior.

Published in 2011, this exotic love tale’s adaptation has stepped into the movie scene and premieres in theatres today. While many novelists have considered the story too “hot” for the big screen, apparently the book’s story is indeed just what consumers want to see.

Deadlinetoday.com quoted RelishMix, stating the movie’s trailer pulled

in 600,000 views on Feb. 2, accumulating a total of 193 million views on YouTube alone.

The website reported that upon the release of ticket sales on Jan. 11, 2015, the film has “fueled boom times for advance ticket sale operators like MovieTickets.com and Fandango.” Screenrant. com also reported the explicit story has been given an “R” rating for the big screen — not for sexual explicitness, but for “unusual behavior.”

“Fifty Shades” describes the supposed past inner demons lead character Christian Grey battles, leaving him an emotionally scarred and internally troubled individual.

The story goes as follows: shy, virginal “Ana” meets handsome, intimidating Christian Grey — both are infatuated by each other. The two quite astonishingly go on to develop an awkward, sexual relationship with toys and gear, but with a catch. Christian wants Anastasia to sign contracts for their sexual escapades

first.

This is because Christian can only enjoy sex accompanied with a form of submission from his partner. Unusual? Maybe, but not for Christian.

While the contract sentiment completely throws Anastasia out of her element, eventually Christian is swayed into forgetting about having her sign the contract (the first time he has ever skipped making a woman sign a contract), and he falls for her very painfully.

Although the story has been brought to life on the big screen (and it seems everyone is eager to watch), the book itself has been numerously criticized for its “sick” love story, and its “glamorization” of sexual violence and domestic abuse.

Fox News’ Dawn Hawkins described the story as a “twisted love story.” In an article, Hawkins said, “Christian uses manipulation, jealousy, intimidation and violence to control the naïve Ana.” Other sources such as vanityfair.com say the “Fifty Shades of Grey”

Writer-in-residence

film adaptation is “a lot tamer than it could have been.”

While there are multiple perspectives on the story, “Fifty Shades of Grey” is undoubtedly a hot topic movie selection, whether the topics have been positive or negative in response. Deadlinetoday. com reported Fandango’s analysis of state-by-state presales data, ranking Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia, Kentucky and Alabama in the top five states performing the highest ticket sales (Mississippi being number one). Way to go Mississippi, right?

Originally a “Twilight” fan fiction titled “Master of the Universe,” “Twilight’s” Edward Cullen and Bella Swan inspired “Fifty Shades of Grey’s” two main characters, Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele. Due to the explicit nature of the stories, James removed “Master of the Universe” from Stephenie Meyer’s official “Twilight” fan webisite and began her own website where the “Fifty Shades” trilogy was born.

Students plan for Valentine’s

by Kaitlin O’Dougherty Staff Writer

Noah Siano| The Reflector

Award-winning poet Terrance Hayes read selections from ‘Lighthead’ and ‘Wind in a Box’ during Tuesday night’s reading in McCool Hall. He spoke about his writing process, as well as how music and visual arts influence literature. Hayes is this year’s writer-in-residence with the College of Arts and Sciences’ Institute for the Humanities.

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The long-awaited book-turned-movie, ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ hits theaters tonight. The movie follows the exotic love story of Ana and Christian.

‘Tis the season for heart-shaped candy, teddy bears, balloons and greeting cards — Valentine’s Day has crept up on us yet again.

Everyone knows the holiday as the pink-andred-themed extravaganza it is today, but according to history.com, there are several possible origins surrounding the holiday.

One theory states St. Valentine performed secret marriages for couples after Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage in Rome. He was sentenced to death after this, so they named this day of love after him.

It has also been said that Valentine signed a letter to the girl he fell in love with “From your Valentine.”

This was the original Valentine’s Day card, and society has carried on this tradition.

Valentine’s Day has different connotations for every person.

Braden Benson, senior psychology major, states he has a positive attitude towards Valentine’s Day. “Some say Valentine’s Day is a marketing holiday, but who cares — It’s a day for you and the person you care about,” Benson said.

Benson said he will

spend Saturday cooking dinner for his fiancée. He also mentioned buying flowers and playing an old record for his fiancée.

The website also said approximately 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are given for the occasion. This puts the holiday second only to Christmas when it comes to delivering cards.

Sending a card is a very simple way to show one’s love; however, there are many other ways to celebrate the occasion.

Elizabeth Foresman, sophomore pre-nursing major, said she plans to spend the day at Disciple Now, a religious conference focused on service and discipleship.

“I think Valentine’s Day is about showing love to the people you care most about, whether that is family or friends,” Foresman said.

Many students view the day with a very romantic perspective. It is a day when both men and women become in-tune with their softer sides.

Vincent Ho, junior biological science major, said he has a romantic view regarding the holiday.

“Valentine’s Day is a special day where the heart tells us what it wants,” Ho said.

For those who have a Valentine, but no idea what to give them, there is an easy option provided

by the Food Science Club. The organization is selling heart-shaped cookies to fundraise for the Relay for Life event that will take place in April. They will deliver the cookies from 1-4 p.m. today, or lovers can be picked up the cookies between noon and 4 p.m. in the Herzer Building.

Valentine’s Day is not purely for students in relationships.

It celebrates the love within all types of relationships including friends, family or even pets. Students can simply celebrate by going out with their friends or planning a gift exchange with other singles. There is no reason not to indulge oneself, even if it is not with chocolates from a romantic partner.

Simply taking a break from school and focusing on enjoying family and friends can be a reward within itself.

For some students, a successful Valentine’s Day is simply being alone and enjoying time to relax. It is a great time to curl up on the couch with the book you never got around to reading or indulging in a Netflix binge. According to netflixlife.com, there are several romantic movies perfect for the occasion.

Try “Stuck in Love,” “Notting Hill,” “The One I Love,” “Annie Hall” or “Amelie.”

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Sports

8 THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015

Beyond the Arc

Julio Franco defies his age My father is 52 years old. He is one of the most fit people in their fifties I have ever met. He works out six days a week and eats relatively healthily.

Julio Franco blows my dad out of the water.

Julio Franco is 56 years old, and he isn’t quite ready to give up playing the game he loves – baseball. He has signed up to be a player-manager for the Ishikawa Million Stars in Japan.

“The Baseball Challenge League is an independent professional baseball league in the north central region of Japan,” ac-

baseball for five straight decades.

Franco’s last major league appearance came in 2007 when he was a pinch-hitter with the Atlanta Braves. At the time, he was the oldest player in the league at 49.

The high points of his career were the three-consecutive All-Star Game appearances he made from 1989-1991, and he won the American League batting title in 1991 with a batting average of .341.

Twenty Four years after his prime, Franco still laces up his cleats and trains with the professionals.

“24 years after his prime, Franco is still lacing up his cleats and training with the professionals. He will be batting against pitchers who are less than half his age.” cording to cbssports.com.

“The League consists of six teams. The League was founded in 2006 and began playing in the 2007 season.”

Did I mention he is 56?

Last year, Franco (55) attempted to revive his career by playing with the Fort Worth Cats of the United League as a player/ manager. He went 6-for-27 (.222) in seven games.

In 1982, Franco made his major league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies at the age of 23. He was in minor league baseball in the late 1970’s, which means he has now played

He will be batting against pitchers who are less than half his age.

Picture this: A freshly drafted 18 year old kid warming up with a 56 year old veteran. Franco would be playing catch with someone who wasn’t even born when he won his batting title in 1991.

What most impresses me about this feat is how Franco continues to love the game. Nowadays with all the money that circulates in professional sports, there is always doubt regarding why the athletes are playing the game. Do they really love it, or are

Shane Anderson is a senior majoring in communication. He can be contacted at reflectorsports@ gmail.com

they doing it for the paycheck?

“The team has not decided how often Franco will bat or which position he will play,” a spokesman for the Million Stars said to the Wall Street Journal. “The league has an upper limit for salary paid to managers, meaning the team’s deal with Franco is less than ¥7.2 million ($60,600).”

Julio Franco loves the game of baseball as much as a father could love a son. As much as Father Time continues to play the antagonist to Franco, he keeps fighting back, refusing to let age hinder his passion.

It is refreshing in the world of professional sports to see an “old man” play a game meant for the young.

There is always a time in a baseball player’s life where he fi nally realizes the game has passed them by. For some it’s 18; for others it’s later on. But eventually, at some point, every player will have to hang up his jersey.

Try telling that to Julio Franco.

Emma Katherine Hutto | The Reflector

(Above) 6-0 Bulldogs begin weekend with win, look to continue success:

Mississippi State University softball will take part in the ʻFebruary Freezerʼ over the weekend.

The Bulldogs began the weekend with a 6-4 victory over Louisiana Tech Thursday. Ward took the mound to begin the weekend. Ward pitched for six innings and struck out three Lousiana Tech players. Silkwood came in to finish out the game and came away with four strike outs.

MSU will play five more games throughout the weekend. The Bulldogs take on Illinois at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

Then a double-header Saturday, the first game at 11:30 a.m. against UT Martin and the next game against Lamar at 2 p.m. Sunday will also be a double-header against Lamar at noon and Illinois at 2 p.m.

The Maroon and White will meet Illinois and Lamar for the first time in the programʼs history. MSU leads UT Martin 2-0 in the all-time series and trails Louisiana Tech 9-8.

Lamar and UT Martin are the only Bulldog opponents to enter the game with a winning record in this young season. Both squads enter the weekend with a 3-2 record.

The Bulldogs will rely on sophomore catcher Katie Anne Bailey and senior first baseman Erika Gaul to continue their strong start. Last weekend the two combined to hit 16-for-27 with five doubles, two triples and 10 RBI. Last weekend, freshman Ward went 3-0 with a 1.75 ERA, while sophomore Silkwood went 2-0 with an ERA of 1.00, including a 15-strikeout complete game in the season opener vs. Mississippi Valley State University.

Silkwood has recorded a total of 41 strikeouts in her last 21.1 innings of work, dating back to the 2014 NCAA Tournament.

Baseball begins season

by Zach Wagner Staff Writer

The Bulldogs will look to improve upon last season’s campaign that ended at the hands of LouisianaLafayette in the regional phase of the college baseball season. The 2014-15 season will get underway Friday with a double header against Cincinnati and Miami (Ohio) to officially open up the new season. The Bulldogs will see Cincinnati twice more over the weekend, as well as Miami once more, within their doubleheader on Saturday.

The Cincinnati Bearcats are littered with a lot of young players, particularly freshmen, as roughly 75 percent of their roster is underclassmen.

Bearcat Head Coach Ty Neal shrugged off the notion of poor performance based on youth and leaned toward categorizing the team’s youth as a positive.

“I think it’s a good thing.

At this level, the freshmen are your most enjoyable guys because they don’t realize when we open up the fi rst weekend there will be 10,000 people,” Neal said. “They are still young enough to know that they are lucky just to be playing baseball. The youth there is a good thing. When freshmen can play at this level, they can excel at this level.”

Some key players to look out for this weekend when the Bearcats take the field against the Bulldogs are outfielder Ian Happ and shortstop Connor Mcvey.

Both players look like they will be the team’s on-thefield and off-the-field leaders heading into this season.

Happ was named the preseason American Athletic Conference player of the year on Monday, adding to the plethora of other awards he has picked up this offseason. He will anchor the Bearcat outfield and their offensive production, as he returns as the team’s leader in batting average and hits.

His teammate, Mcvey,

has gained the respect of his manager, who views him as the leader of the entire team and has big aspirations for his sophomore.

“Connor Mcvey has established himself as the leader of our team and leader of our defense, and right now he has been penciled in as our starting shortstop.

But the two freshmen are very capable of potentially manning those other two positions,” Neal said.

The one area of the Bearcat’s team that the Bulldogs more than likely can take advantage of this weekend will be the Cincinnati pitching staff, where the question marks are abundant going into the start of the 2015 season.

Whether it be the youth that encompasses their pitching staff or the fact the only returning player from last season had below a 3.30 earned run average, the pitching staff will ultimately decide the fates of the Bearcat baseball team this season.

With the likes of seniors Wes Rea, Jake Vickerson and Seth Heck strolling to the plate, the Bearcat pitchers will need to be very careful with their location this weekend.

BASEBALL, 9

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Sports REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015

Bulldogs fall to Crimson Tide, prepare for Tigers

by Shelby Anderton Contributing Writer

Suffering a 55-51 setback to Alabama, the Bulldogs experienced yet another tough loss in Humphrey Coliseum Tuesday night.

Mississippi State University’s record fell to 11-13 overall and 4-7 in conference play. The end of the game was a hard-fought battle; the Bulldogs competed until the final buzzer. MSU had one final shot at victory, trailing 51-54 with 11.4 seconds left in the game, but the Bulldogs could not pull out the win.

“We didn’t finish at the rim.” said sophomore guard Craig Sword. “We have to come back, practice, listen to coach and get more shots up.”

The game was neck-andneck with eight tied scores throughout the contest, but the Bulldogs’ 15 turnovers made it too difficult a task to defeat the Crimson Tide.

“We have to do a better job of knocking down our free throws. Our talking on the court and more importantly, our listening on the court has to be better. This one hurts because we did some good things defensively. But we have to win games like this on our home court,” said Head Coach Rick Ray. The team held the Crimson Tide to 32 percent shooting in addition to out-rebounding Alabama. MSU out-rebounded the Crimson Tide 37-33.

Jacob Follin | The Reflector

Fred Thomas shoots over an Alabama defender. Thomas leads the Bulldogs with 10.3 points per game and hits 33 percent of his shots from behind the three-point line.

“It hurts,” sophomore guard I.J. Ready said.

The Bulldog offense struggled for stretches throughout the game. MSU came away with only five

BASEBALL Even though it has been said countless times over the offseason, it bears mentioning again that the Bulldogs will be very good on the mound this season. Cohen said one name to keep an eye out for the Bulldogs this weekend and going forward is sophomore Austin Sexton, who has impressed coach Cohen during the offseason.

“He had a great summer,” Cohen said. “He was 155 pounds as a freshman, and he almost weighs 190 pounds now. He’s someone who has a clean arm. He has a really, really good changeup. He has one of the better right-handed changeups in the league.”

Miami, the other team traveling to Starkville this weekend, looks to compete not only for the MAC’s Eastern Division, title but the overall MAC Championship. The team has a roster filled with a majority of seniors and juniors who will want to keep the momentum going after a season where they finished above .500 and claimed the MAC Eastern Divisional crown for the first time since 2005.

Miami’s second-year Head Coach Danny Hayden

assists on 17 made shots. The lack of productive ball movement has caused the Bulldog offense to be easily stopped this season.

The team will travel to

CONTINUED FROM 8

has his ball club heading in the right direction and he feels this year’s squad has the potential to be better than last year’s squad.

“I feel that the nucleus of what we did well last year offensively is back,” Hayden said. “We’ve got a lot of guys back that I feel really good about in the batter’s box.”

Miami showed it could get the job done offensively last season as it lead its conference in hits and triples and finished second in overall team batting average at .284. This makes for a delightful weekend matchup between the Bulldogs’ pitching and the bats of the RedHawks.

Miami’s pitching staff is especially strong. Last season, the RedHawks leaned heavily on the pitching staff in the absence of a reliable bullpen. That should not be the case this season, as they have added depth to the bullpen and should be a lot more balanced than in previous years.

The RedHawks should choose to start both of the seniors in Ryan Powers or Nathan Williams this weekend against the Bulldogs. Powers will challenge Bulldog hitters with

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his elite talent. Ultimately, MSU will need to be balanced on both facets of the game, as the RedHawaks could take it by surprise.

Hayden was adamant earlier in the year his team was not coming to the state of Mississippi just to take in the experience, but rather pick up avictory.

“When we go to Starkville, no one is going there and saying, ‘we’re going there for the experience,’” Hayden said. “We’re going there because they’re going to take our best punch, and we’ll see what happens at the end of the game. We’re going there to beat them.”

The action gets underway on Friday when the Bulldogs host Miami at noon and Cincinnati at 4 p.m. The weekend continues on Saturday with a double-header taking place against Miami and Cincinnati at noon and 4 p.m. Lastly, the Bulldogs finish up the weekend on Sunday, as they close out the weekend series against Cincinnati at 1:30 p.m. at Dudy Noble Field.

Columbia, Missouri to take on the Mizzou Tigers on Saturday. The Tigers are looking to put an end to their 10-game losing streak and improve their 7-17 overall

record. It has been over a month since the Tigers have won a basketball game.

Starting guard for the Tigers Wes Clark went down with a gruesome injury in

the Tuesday night game against South Carolina. The SEC Network compared the injury to Louisville’s Kevin Ware’s unforgettable injury in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers are now missing four guards (three to suspensions) as they go into the Valentine’s Day battle. The Tigers have lost their last three home games by at least 14 points. These circumstances present a good opportunity for the Bulldogs to leave Missouri with a win.

Sophomore Johnathan Williams III has been a bright spot for Missouri this season. He leads the Tigers in points and rebounds per game. His biggest improvement has come on the offensive end of the floor. He scores 12 points per game, up from six points a year ago.

The Bulldogs will have to figure out how to slow down Williams to come away with a road victory.

The Tigers do not have a strong rim protecter, so MSU will have a chance to attack the rim and get easy baskets.

After defeating LSU and Tennessee, the Bulldogs looked like they were begining to click. However, the team proceeded to lose two games in a row, which Ray addressed.

“We are not regressing at all. We just need a win,” Ray said.

The Tigers and Bulldogs will face off at 3 p.m. in the Mizzou Arena. The game will also be nationally televised on ESPNU.

What is happening this weekend?

Women’s Tennis Mississippi State University (4-1) returns to action this weekend to face Winthrop in Rock Hill, South Carolina and then at a neutral site match against East Tennessee State. After the last victory over UAB, the Bulldogs moved into the ITA team rankings for the first this season at No. 74. Winthrop enters the game coming off a 5-2 victory over Charlotte. East Tennessee State comes into the match without a loss this season.

Women’s Basketball The Bulldogs return home to face the Florida

Gators Sunday at 3 p.m. at Humphrey Coliseum. The Bulldogs will be favorites heading into the game. The Gators have struggled in conference play this season. Florida guard Cassie Peoples paces the Gator offense. She is third in the SEC in assists per game.

Women’s Golf Following a strong fall that included a No. 1 ranking in the country and two first place finishes, the Bulldogs will begin their spring season at the Florida State Seminole Classic in Tallahassee. MSU begins the spring with a No. 3 ranking.

“It’s experience of our seniors, the incredible talent pool of our sophomores and the team chemistry that will get us there,” MSU Coach Ginger Brown-Lemm said in a news release.

Track & Field The Bulldogs will participate in the Spire Invitational and Samford Invitational. “Last meet was very successful for both teams, but this is a new week and a new meet,” MSU Coach Steve Dudley said in a news release. “I want all our athletes to compete in both meets as hard as they did in New York.”

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