The Insider’s Guide to Mississippi State University Prepared by Dr. Tom Carskadon Professor of Psychology and Director of First-Year Experience Programs Mississippi State University All portions of this Guide are copyright © 2018 by Mississippi State University. All rights are reserved. This material may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without express written permission. For permission, please begin by contacting the author, Thomas G. Carskadon, at [email protected] or (662) 325-7655 Note: This material is a DRAFT. We are still in the process of writing, adding, and editing chapters. Comments, reactions, and suggestions are welcome. Contents Chapter 1. MSU History and Traditions Chapter 2. The Seven Secrets to Student Success Chapter 3. Professional Student Behavior Chapter 4. MSU Athletics Chapter 5. The MSU Learning Center Chapter 6. The MSU Writing Center Chapter 7. The MSU Career Center Chapter 8. The MSU Student Health Center Chapter 9. Diversity at MSU Chapter 10. Academic Advising at MSU Chapter 11. The MSU Counseling Center Chapter 1: THE PEOPLE’S UNIVERSITY poor, male or female, urban or rural, sophisticated or simple, black or white or red or yellow or brown, all Scholars, it’s a long story, but I actually came to are welcomed and given opportunity here. There is no Mississippi State by accident—and I loved it so much I “one” way that students are supposed to be at never left. Being a professor here is my first, last, and Mississippi State. This is the friendliest campus I have only full-time job. In fact, I was shocked to discover ever set foot on, and that is nothing new. For decades, that in three years, I will have served here for fully everyone who visits has said the same thing. one-third of the entire history of Mississippi State University. I guess that makes me a good choice to A very important point of pride is that Mississippi welcome you and tell you some things about the State University is one of the few remaining high- history and traditions of this great school. quality, comprehensive universities in the entire country where students can enter with nothing, work I am Dr. Tom Carskadon, Professor of Psychology and their way through with jobs, loans, and grants, and Director of First-Year Experience Programs here at graduate with a university degree that will be the key Mississippi State. To save time, everybody calls me to their future success. “Dr. C.” I will be your guide and author in these chapters. Over the past 45 years, I have taught over Service at MSU 40,000 of you Scholars—I call all my students Scholars—and my fondest wish is that you thrive here The second overriding theme is service. The people and come to love Mississippi State University as much created this university, and a core part of the as I do. In fact, I want to teach your children! University mission is to serve the people in return: locally, statewide, nationwide, and worldwide. Now, let’s begin our tour of this great university. Expansion of MSU People often ask me how students have changed over my years here, and my answer usually surprises them: The third overriding theme is expansion. Over our The students haven’t changed very much at all. Sure, history, we have added program after program, field the styles and fads, the music and entertainment, and after field, specialty after specialty to become a truly certainly the technology have changed; but the comprehensive university. And we have continually students themselves are still the same intelligent, expanded the number of undergraduate and graduate enthusiastic, interesting people they have always students enrolled here. been, here for a first-rate education and a great college experience. Really, it is not the students who have Research at MSU changed; but the University has changed dramatically. The fourth overriding theme is research. Without A whole book could be written about our history, and research, there is no knowledge to teach. Think of it in fact it has been: Most of what I will tell you comes this way: It is easy to make light bulbs, once you from Maroon and White, written by University discover how; the true challenge is to invent the first Archivist Michael Ballard. who extended two previous one. Mississippi State University does cutting-edge histories written by the legendary MSU teacher and research in far more fields than I could possibly administrator John K. Bettersworth. The beautifully include in this chapter—and the world is better for it. restored, 1,000-seat Bettersworth Auditorium in Lee Hall, the original and current central administration Now, let’s look at some of the history and traditions of building, is named after Dr. Bettersworth. “The People’s University.” Our Four Themes Early MSU History Inclusion at MSU: Mississippi State University is a land-grant institution. The People’s University In 1862, in the midst of the Civil War and ungodly strife and crisis, President Abraham Lincoln signed the There are four overriding themes in the history of this Morrill Act, providing land in every state of the Union great institution. The first is a warm, welcoming to provide higher education in agriculture, mechanical inclusion of all types of people, regardless of wealth, arts (what we now think of as engineering), military status, or social class, regardless of gender, regardless science, and associated academic subjects. of race. We truly are “The People’s University.” Rich or A little-known fact is that after the Civil War, it was the Various methods were tried to enforce discipline. If a University of Mississippi that was designated as one of student got in trouble and was to be expelled, the the state’s two land-grant schools: Ole Miss for whites, student could be spared if enough fellow students and Alcorn for blacks. But when Ole Miss students pledged to follow all rules. Students enforced many showed no interest in agricultural programs, and rules themselves, but cheating was a major problem faculty opposed to them left in droves, Ole Miss even then. Gambling and drinking were forbidden. renounced its land-grant status. Therefore, in 1878, Even innocent games with playing cards were banned, the Mississippi Legislature authorized creation of a and dances were soon abolished, as well. Any student new college for this purpose, and Starkville was who was unaccounted for longer than two hours could subsequently chosen as the best location for what was be expelled. Fraternities and “secret societies” were named the Agricultural and Mechanical College of the forbidden. State of Mississippi, affectionately known as “A&M.” There weren’t many sources of amusement, other than Our first President was Stephen D. Lee, after whom academic and religious groups, including the YMCA. Lee Hall is named. A well-to-do South Carolinian, Lee Some students tried rabbit hunting, but they had to was a graduate of the famed United States Military herd them and beat them to death with sticks—can Academy at West Point. He fought on the Southern you imagine—because guns were banned except for side during the Civil War and rose to the rank of military training. Students often set off firecrackers for Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army, the mischief, both indoors and out, and yelling out the youngest person to reach such a rank. He was only windows at faculty was a strange but popular pastime. distantly related to General Robert E. Lee, the famous commander of the Confederate armed forces. After the Transportation to the College was via a rail line spur war, Stephen D. Lee settled in Columbus, Mississippi, that went from the small town of Artesia straight into where his wife’s family had major land holdings. Lee the middle of campus. In 1884, “women of became a state senator, and with the support of the disreputable reputation” got off the train with the Grange, a powerful group representing common thought of entertaining some of the student body, but farmers, he was named our first President. they were literally beaten back by a vigilante group of 30 students who intercepted them and caned them The first building was completed in late 1880, and the with switches. Things looked up very slightly with the first students arrived on October 6th of that year. The first admission of females in 1882, but it would be intended dormitory was not yet completed, so until many years before women enrolled in significant the Spring semester, President Lee allocated each numbers. The main source of more reputable women student $8 per month to rent rooms locally from the was the newly established college in Columbus we townspeople of Starkville. There were 13 faculty and now call Mississippi University for Women, 87 college students, plus another 267 students in a affectionately known as “The W.” On special occasions, preparatory high school that was then part of the their entire student body would visit here. In fact, for college, designed to prepare students who were not many decades, even through the first half of the 20th yet ready for college. century, “The W” was the chief way that men at Mississippi State met women. All students wore gray uniforms and participated in military training. Regardless of finances, all students Women at MSU were required to work, mostly farm work, and the wages they made were applied to their tuition. This The story of the early days of women at Mississippi was all part of the concept of “The People’s College.” State is well documented in a doctoral dissertation, There was even a rule against students’ bringing or Steps Toward Redefinition: Coeducation at Mississippi hiring personal servants.