Student Activities
The primary source of extracurricular activities at The University of Southern Mississippi is the multitude of student organizations and activities. More than 290 student organizations encompassing service, social, religious, professional, and honorary provide an opportunity for almost any interested student to participate. While these activities are outside of or “extra to” the formal curricula, they are unquestionably a part of a student’s total experience while he or she is enrolled at The University of Southern Mississippi.
In addition to the numerous student organizations, there are groups that, by their representative function, serve the entire student body in their various capacities and areas. These groups are Student Government Association and Southern Miss Activities Council.
While these groups are deliberative and propose to represent the views and wishes of the entire student body, other student governing groups may be found in the residence halls, the fraternity and sorority system, and the international student community.
Athletics
The University of Southern Mississippi is a member of Conference USA and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Intercollegiate sports are football, men’s basketball, men’s baseball, men’s tennis, men’s golf, men’s track, and women’s tennis, women’s basketball, women’s golf, women’s softball, women’s cross country, women’s volleyball, women’s track and women’s soccer.
Organizations
College of Arts and Letters Organizations — Air Force ROTC Cadet Booster Club, Alpha Psi Omega (Theatre), Anthropological Society, Arnold Air Society (Air Force), Chi Tau Epsilon (Dance), Association Français, Future Black Law Student Association (Political Science), Golden Eagle Advertising, Golden Eagle Tuba Society, Guitar Society, Interior Design Student Association, Lambda Alpha (Anthropology), Latin Dance Club, Logos Philosophy Club, Media Production Crew, Music with a Mission, National Association of Black Journalists, National Band Association, National Dance Education Organization, National Kitchen and Bath Association Student Chapter, Paralegal Society, Phi Alpha Theta (History), Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society (Political Science), Pre-Law Society, Public Relations Student Society of America, Ranger Challenge Team (Army), Scabbard and Blade (Army), Sigma Alpha Iota (Music), Sigma Delta Chi (Society of Professional Journalists), Sigma Tau Delta Hattiesburg Campus (English), Sociology Club, Southern Cinema, Southern Miss Council for Public Deliberation, Spanish Club, Student Broadcasters’ Association, Student Press Photographers Association, Tactics Club (ROTC), The Center for Writers Graduate Organization (C4W), The Saxophone Chamber Music Society, Voices for Planned Parenthood (VOX)
College of Business Organizations — Alpha Kappa Psi (Business), American Marketing Association, Association of Information Technology Professionals, Beta Alpha Psi (Accounting), Beta Gamma Sigma, Business Student Advisory Council, Delta Sigma Pi (Business), Eta Sigma Gamma (Tourism Management), Fashion Merchandising Organization, Financial Management Association (Finance), Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics), Phi Beta Lambda (Business), Pi Omega Pi (Business), Society for Human Resource Management, Students in Free Enterprise
College of Education and Psychology Organizations — Child and Family Student Organization, Child Life Student Association, George Hurst Chapter of the Student Education Association, Kappa Delta Pi (Education), Library and Information Science Student Association, Psi Chi (Psychology), Psychology Club, Student Council for Exceptional Children
Games and Athletic Organizations — Badminton Club, Bass Fishing Team, Chess Club, Cycling Club, Diamond Darlings (Baseball), Dixie Darlings (Football), Eagle Ambassadors (Football), Gamers Alliance, Goal Tenders (Basketball), Hapkido Club (Self-Defense), Martial Arts Club, Muay Thai Club, Nocturnal Ultimate Team, Raquetball Club, Rappel Club, Rugby Club, Southern Miss Soccer Club, Sports Officials Association, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Table Tennis Club, Tai Chi Club, The Golden Varsity (Student Athletic Boosters), Women’s Rugby Club, Women’s Soccer Club
General Honor Societies — Alpha Lambda Delta (Freshman Scholarship), Gamma Beta Phi (Service), Golden Key International Honor Society (Scholarship), Lambda Sigma (Sophomore Leadership/Scholarship), Omicron Delta Kappa (Leadership/Scholarship), Phi Eta Sigma (Freshman), Phi Kappa Phi (Scholarship), Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Society (Scholarship), Tau Sigma National Honor Society (Transfer)
Graduate Student Organizations — Association for Policy Resilence, Black Graduate Student Organization, Chemistry and Biochemistry Graduate Student Forum, Counseling and Personnel Services Association, Counseling Psychology Student Government, English Graduate Organization, Graduate Business Association, Graduate Educational Research Association, Graduate Student Forum in Biological Sciences, Graduate Student Senate, Instructional Technology Student Association, Marine and Estaurine Graduate Student Association, Marriage and Family Therapy Student Organization, Student Association of Social Workers, Student Oceanographic Society (Marine Science)
Greek Organizations — Greek Seekers, Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol (GAMMA), Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Order of Omega, Panhellenic Council. Sororities — Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Delta, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, Zeta Phi Beta
Fraternities — Alpha Tau Omega, Delta Tau Delta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Phi Kappa Tau, Pi Kappa Alpha, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Chi, Sigma Nu, Sigma Phi Epsilon
Gulf Coast Organizations — Collegiate DECA Gulf Park Chapter, Gulf Coast Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, Gulf Coast Psychology Student Association and Psi Chi, Gulf Coast Student Nurses Association, Gulf Coast Wesley Foundation, Sigma Tau Delta (English), Social Work Student Government Association
College of Health Organizations — Access Recreation Sports Club, Christian Nursing Fellowship, Eta Sigma Gamma (Community Health Science), Exercise Physiology Club, Health Administration Student Association, Health Raisers, Kinesiotherapy Club (Human Performance and Recreation), MT/CLS Club (Medical Technology), Nurses Working for Cultural Diversity, Phi Alpha Honor Society (Social Work), Recreation Majors Association, Social Work Club, Sport Professional Student Association, Student Academy of Audiology Chapter, Student Dietetic Association, Student Nurses Association, Student Speech and Hearing Association, Student Sports Medicine Association
Religious Organizations — Adventist Student Union, Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Organization, Baptist Student Union, Catholic Student Association, Chi Alpha, Chosen Ministries of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Church of God in Christ Fellowship, Episcopal Church (Canterbury Fellowship), Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Generation 6:20 Campus Ministry (Glory Phi God), Jewish Student Union/Hillel House, Latter Day Saint Student Association, Orthodox Christian Fellowship, Presbyterian Fellowship, Reformed University Fellowship, Southern Christian Student Center, The Point, Wesley Foundation
Residence Hall Organizations — Residence Hall Association, Resident Assistant Association, Rho Eta Alpha (Residence Life)
College of Science and Technology Organizations — Alpha Epsilon Delta (Pre-Med), Amateur Radio Club, American Chemical Society, American Institute of Building Designers, American Society of Safety Engineers, Association for Computing Machinery, Beta Beta Beta (Biology), Construction Specification Institute, Forensic Science Society, Future Medical Professions Association, Gamma Theta Upsilon (Geography), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Kappa Mu Epsilon (Math), Lambda Alpha Epsilon (Criminal Justice Student Organization), National Association of Home Builders, National Society of Black Engineers, Polymer Science Association, Sigma Lambda Chi (Architecture and Construction), Sigma Pi Sigma (Physics), Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Society of Physics Students, Southern Geological Society, Student Constructors, Student Economic Development Association, Tau Alpha Pi (Engineering Technology), Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (WISE)
Service Organizations — American Humanics Student Association; Amnesty International, First Book, Habitat for Humanity, Luckyday Citizenship Scholars Leadership Team, Red Cross Council, Relay for Life, Rotaract, Southern Miss Campus Civitan Club, Student United Way, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Together Enhancing Autism Awareness in Mississippi (TEAAM), TOMS Campus Club, Volunteers Impacting Society through Individual Outreach Now (V.I.S.I.O.N.)
Special Interest Organizations — A Show of Hands (Signing Eagles); Afro-American Student Organization; Alcoholics Anonymous; Anime Club (Japanese Animation); Ballroom Dance Club; Chinese Student Association; Collective Hip Hop: An Artistically Original Society (CHAOS); College Democrats; College Republicans; Council of American Instructors for the Deaf; Disney College Program Alumni Association; Eagle Connection; Eagles for Life; Empower, Lead, Inspire, Teach, Educate (ELITE); Feminist Community Partnership; Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance; Gay/Straight Alliance; Golden Eagle Intertribal Society; Golden Eagle Paintball Club; I.D.E.A.L. Women; Increasing Minority Access in Graduate Education (IMAGE); Indian Students Association; International Studies Organization; Leadership Ambassadors; Linux User Group; Macintosh Users Group; Men of Excellence; Mystics Lounge; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); Picture Perfect Models; Phi Theta Kappa; Rho Gamma (The Southerner); Roots and Shoots (Environment); Sierra Student Coalition (Environment); Southern Miss Activities Council; Southern Miss Swing Dance; Southern Miss Transfer Student Association; Southern Style; Stage Monkeys (Comedy Improv); Student Government Association; Student Government Association Senate; Students for Human Rights; Students Promoting ,Educating and Empowering for Diversity (SPEED); The Legacy (Student Alumni Association); The Student Printz; Union Advisory Board; United Students Against Sweatshop; United States Green Building Council
Dramatic, Musical and Other Performing Groups — The university’s pre-eminence in the fine arts fields of theater and music is reflected in the prominent role of student performing groups. The Debate Squad and the university’s own radio station also encourage student performance.
The Southern Miss Repertory Dance Company is open to all university students by audition and is sponsored by the Department of Theatre and Dance. This performance group presents reconstructions of masterworks and original choreography in informal and formal concerts, lecture demonstrations, workshops and tours. Auditions are held at the beginning of each semester.
The University Theatre is the campus dramatic organization sponsored by the Department of Theatre and Dance. Open auditions are held for all productions, and any student enrolled at the university is eligible to participate.
The Opera Theatre, open to all students of the university by audition, performs many works of musicodramatic interest during the year.
The Oratorio Chorus, a large symphonic chorus, is open to students and members of the Hattiesburg community. Its two major concerts each year highlight the masterworks of Western art music for chorus. No audition is required.
The University Chorale is a select choir made up of auditioned singers. Their repertoire, performed on campus and on tour, encompasses sacred and secular music from all music eras.
The University Singers is a mixed chorus of about 60 voices. One of the most popular campus groups, its frequent performances touch a varied repertoire of music for chorus. An audition is required.
Jazz Singers is a small select ensemble made up of excellent student singers who concentrate on performing vocal music in the jazz idiom, especially original music and arrangements made popular since 1960. Membership is by audition only.
Carillon select ensembles, tours regularly and rings about 40 performances a year. Carillon, a handbell group, concentrates on contemporary sacred music. An audition is required.
The Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Symphonic Band and the Concert Band are open to all university students by audition. The university’s bands have an outstanding record of service to the university and the state.
The Marching Band, known as the “The Pride of Mississippi,” presents colorful half-time shows at the university football games and appears regularly on national television. It is open to all university students.
The Dixie Darlings, a precision drill group, open by audition to the best female dancers of the university, are well-known nationally through their many televised appearances with the marching band.
Chamber Music (i.e., small, expert, student ensembles) includes brass, woodwind, string quartets; large homogenous groups (e.g., Trombone Choir); and groups devoted to the performance of early music (e.g., Collegium Musicum). For information, please consult the School of Music, Fine Arts Building, room 211.
The Percussion Choir and Marimba Ensembles utilize programs of original music for chamber percussion performance.
The Jazz Laboratory Bands are full-size modern jazz ensembles that play the latest arrangements of music in the big band contemporary idiom.
The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony, open to all students and faculty members of the university by audition, gives a number of concerts each year in addition to assisting with oratorios and operas.
Service awards are available to talented students. Auditions may be arranged through the School of Music.
WUSM-FM is a university-owned public radio station that serves the diverse educational and cultural needs of the Hattiesburg community. Students interested in joining the WUSM-FM staff should contact the radio station.
Student Government Association
The Student Government Association (SGA) of Southern Miss represents all students enrolled in the university. It is structurally set up with executive, legislative and judicial branches. The officers of the SGA comprise the executive branch, elected representatives from the academic colleges and places of residence make up the senate or legislative branch, and the student courts comprise the judicial branch.
The SGA, however is much more than a structured student organization. It is the official voice of the student in university affairs. In addition, the SGA serves the student in special services and projects, along with providing representation on committees and boards.
SGA projects and services include the Miss Southern Pageant, student elections, spirit activities, recruiting and legal services.
The Student Government Association is constantly striving to improve programs and services available to the Southern Miss student population. By working with the university administration and voicing student concerns, the SGA promotes the welfare of all students in all phases of university life.
Student Publications
The Student Printz, winner of many national awards, is the university newspaper published semi-weekly by a staff of students under the direction of faculty advisers. The Southerner is a yearly publication, published by a student staff under the direction of the associate director of Union and Programs.
Southern Miss Activities Council
Southern Miss Activities Council plans, produces and promotes a variety of entertainment for The University of Southern Mississippi community. The organization is run entirely by students.
Dedicated, hardworking and enthusiastic students enjoy the benefits of SMAC involvement. SMAC members gain practical leadership, organizational and interpersonal skills that they can use both inside and outside the classroom.
SMAC members gain valuable event-planning experience, meet new friends and have a great time bringing educational and entertaining programming to Southern Miss!
The Student Community and Campus Life
Department of Residence Life
The Department of Residence Life is committed to providing a premier physical, social and cultural environment that encourages and supports the holistic development of the residential student. The department is made up of 27 residence halls, which offer diversified housing options to an on-campus population of more than 3,000 students.
Research indicates that students who live in residence halls show a higher scholastic performance and are more likely to graduate than those who live off campus. The Residence Life staff encourages high academic success by offering programs that help students with study skills, as well as providing them with a quiet study lounge in most halls. We also provide tutoring in the halls for general courses at no cost to the student.
The safety and security of residents is a top priority of the Residence Life staff. All residence halls offer controlled card access entry, 24-hour front desk assistants and hall staff on each floor. In addition, University police officers assist with desk operations on a nightly basis and patrol the exterior and interior of the halls. Students also have access to a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week escort service.
Residence Life at Southern Miss strives to provide a safe environment that allows for the development of student relationships and the building of fun, living-learning communities…an opportunity for friendships that last a lifetime!
Family Housing
Pine Haven Apartments, located on the west side of campus, consists of 96 one-bedroom, 56 two-bedroom and 16 three-bedroom unfurnished apartments designed to offer convenient and comfortable living opportunities to students and their families. For questions or to check eligibility, contact the Pine Haven office at 601.266.2705 or visit our Web site at www.usm.edu/residence-life.
Application
Application for campus housing can be made through our Web site at www.usm.edu/residence-life. To receive an assignment, you must be accepted to the University, submit a completed housing application and processing fee.
The Department of Residence Life accepts applications for housing regardless of age, race, creed, color or national origin.
For more information, contact our office at 601.266.4783 or reslife@usm.edu.
Dining Services
Eagle Dining is committed to providing excellent food in a clean and appealing environment. All students living in a residence hall are required to purchase a Resident Meal Plan. There are several plans customized to meet students’ needs and lifestyles.
Each resident dining membership includes a certain number of meals per week (Monday-Sunday) that may be redeemed at the Fresh Food Company in the Thad Cochran Center and Real Food on Campus in Hillcrest. The Golden Eagle Pass provides an unlimited number of meals per week at these locations during regular restaurant hours. Resident meal plans are nontransferable and may not be taken within one hour of the last meal redeemed.
All resident students will be assigned the Golden Eagle Pass upon registration. This plan may be changed the first two weeks of classes each semester by visiting the Eagle Dining Office or visiting www.eagledining.com.
Fraternity Housing and Village Residents will be assigned the Greek plan. Residents of Hillcrest will be assigned the Hillcrest Pass.
Commuter students are welcome to purchase a Resident Meal Plan or may choose from of the many Commuter Dining Memberships available.
A designated amount of Bonus Bucks is included with each Resident Meal Plan. Bonus Bucks are good for the current semester and may be used at any Eagle Dining locations.
Dining Dollars are like Bonus Bucks, but can carry over on student’s account from semester to semester, and year to year if not used. Dining Dollars are great to add to accounts when Bonus Bucks are running low.
For a complete and up-to-date listing of these locations, please visit www.eagledining.com. Chick-fil-A, Subway, Starbucks and Einstein Bros. Bagels are just a few of the retail locations where Bonus Bucks and Dining Dollars may be used to purchase food or convenience items.
Meal Plan Exemptions
Meal plan exemptions are allowed only for those students with modified diets that cannot be prepared by Eagle Dining and for those students with internships that conflict with cafeteria serving hours. Those students who may qualify for an exemption should make arrangements for an evaluation PRIOR TO REGISTRATION. However, those not arranging for an evaluation prior to registration should go to the Eagle Dining Office in the Thad Cochran Center after registering for classes. Those students who have not completed the requirements for a dining meal plan exemption prior to registration will be charged for a dining meal plan during the registration process. Because of the extensive serving hours in the Fresh Food Company, work-related exemptions will not be permitted.
Medical Exemptions
Those students with a medical problem requiring a modified diet who feel their needs cannot be met by Eagle Dining should make arrangements to have their diet evaluated by the registered dietitian before registration. Documentation required for this evaluation includes a prescription signed by a physician, which specifies the student’s modified diet, and a copy of the modified diet. Eagle Dining is willing to provide personal and one-on-one assistance to those students with medical problems that require special diets.
Academic Related Exemptions
Requirements:
A student must miss a minimum of 50 percent of his or her meals served per week due to an internship.
Documentation Required:
- A statement, on letterhead stationery, signed by the student’s adviser giving the student’s hours, on a daily basis, Monday through Friday
- A copy of the student’s Advisement and Registration Appointment Form, which shows the student’s class schedule
Work-Related Exemptions
University policy does not allow for meal membership exemptions for students holding part-time or full-time employment.
University Facilities and Student Services
Automobiles on Campus
Faculty/staff, employees and students, full-time or part-time, who operate a vehicle on university-controlled property, will be required to purchase a parking permit from the Department of Parking Management. Parking permits in the form of hangtags, decals and temporary permits are available from the Department of Parking Management in McLemore Hall, room 152. The department offers a brochure detailing parking zones and traffic regulations. Penalties are assessed for regulation violations. For additional information, contact
The University of Southern Mississippi
Department of Parking Management
118 College Drive #5149
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
601.266.4943
www.usm.edu/parking
Career Services
Career Services offers individual assistance in the process of examining and exploring career opportunities. The following services are available:
Career Counseling — Assistance in clarifying each individual’s major and career path, including education necessary to achieve one’s goals as well as an action plan
Individual Career Testing — Administered by a counselor to assist an individual in determining career fields of interest. An understanding is gained of one’s interests, skills, personality and values
Career Resource Center — Contains information on numerous occupations, including job descriptions, salaries, advancement opportunities and hiring trends
Job-Finding Skill Development — Discussion of the interviewing process, the hidden job market, job-seeking skills and resumé writing
Online Vocational Guidance — Software programs that facilitate the career decision-making process and contain current information on various career fields
Student Employment, a division of Career Services, offers students an opportunity to obtain part-time employment while enrolled as a student at Southern Miss. The comprehensive service includes jobs both on and off campus.
The Cooperative Education Program affords the student the opportunity to gain a complete education with periods of work related to the student’s major. The Cooperative Education coordinator assists in securing meaningful jobs that will give the student practical work experience and financial support to aid in his or her education. The basic qualifications for the undergraduate Co-op Program are as follows:
- The student must have a current and cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above.
- The student must have completed 30 semester hours.
- The student must be in good standing with the university.
Some companies have additional application requirements.
The Cooperative Education coordinator will determine a student’s eligibility to participate in the program. Each student’s record of performance will be periodically reviewed once an active participant, and he or she may be placed on probation or removed from the program if failing to meet minimum requirements.
Career Services provides assistance to all students and alumni who seek career employment after graduation. Students seeking career employment should register with Career Services to access an online career center that allows students access to an employer database and resources useful in beginning a job search. Career Services is able to refer resumés and other materials from the online system to prospective employers. The system provides the flexibility for students to update their files as often as necessary and to generate a resumé meeting specific criteria of a given job opening.
For more information, contact
Career Services (McLemore Hall, Room 125)
The University of Southern Mississippi
118 College Drive #5014
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
601.266.4153
www.usm.edu/career-services
Health Services
Southern Miss Student Health Services can provide students, faculty and staff with the same services available at a family doctor’s office.
Student Health Services provides a wide range of services, including laboratory testing, X-ray, pharmacy, counseling and educational services. Student Health Services is staffed by several competent physicians and nurse practitioners. Student Health Services is located on the west side of Kennard-Washington Hall. During the fall and spring semesters, Student Health Services hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday. There is a $10 charge for every visit for students. There are additional charges for labs, x-ray, pharmacy, etc. They can pay with cash, credit card or charge this to their student ID. The staff and faculty pay at the time of visit. For more information, visit our Web site at www.usm.edu/healthservice.
Southern Miss Student Health Services is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare Inc. and is a member of the American College Health Association. For more information, please call 601.266.5390.
Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA)
In accordance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), Southern Miss does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs or activities. Reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities are provided through the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA). ODA verifies eligibility for accommodations and works with eligible students to develop and coordinate plans for the provision of accommodations. Eligible students, including those who are enrolled in degree and nondegree programs offered by The University of Southern Mississippi, are considered qualified to meet all university program requirements despite a disability, and meet the definition of disability as defined by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the ADA. To receive accommodations, students must self-identify with the ODA.
Accommodations may include exam modifications, assistive technology, accessible housing, document conversion, interpreters, note-takers and readers. In order to receive appropriate and timely accommodations, eligible students should contact the ODA before the semester begins to file an application and submit documentation of disability for review. The ODA is committed to creating a positive campus environment where students with disabilities are encouraged to pursue careers on the basis of personal interest and ability.
For an application and guidelines for documentation of disability, contact The University of Southern Mississippi, Office for Disability Accommodations, 118 College Drive #8586, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001 or call 601.266.5024 or 228.214.3232 or visit the Web site, www.usm.edu/oda. Individuals with hearing impairments can use Mississippi Relay Service at 800.582.2233 (TTY) to contact campus offices.
Union Complex (Thad Cochran Center, R.C. Cook University Union, Hub)
The Union Complex (Thad Cochran Center, R.C. Cook University Union and Hub) is the center of the student and university community at Southern Miss.
The Thad Cochran Center houses Barnes and Noble at Southern Miss, including retail and textbooks, the Fresh Food Company (major dining facility), Event Services office, Post Office, Image Center, including Photo Services and Copy Center; numerous meeting rooms, as well as a grand ballroom.
The R.C. Cook University Union is home to Seymour’s food court; R.C.’s Lounge; The Locker Room (game room); several meeting rooms; and administrative offices for the Union and Programs department, Greek Life, Dean of Students, student-oriented services and Conference and Fraternity Housing Operations.
The HUB is where you will find the Office of Community Service Learning (OCSL), Office of Student Activities, as well as offices for the African American Student Organization (AASO), Southern Miss Activities Council (SMAC), Student Government Association (SGA) and The Southerner yearbook.
Recreational Sports
Through recreation, sports competition, special programs and wellness activities, Recreational Sports provides a safe environment while enhancing sportsmanship, leadership and quality of life for a diverse university community. Housed in the Payne Center, Recreational Sports provides an opportunity for the campus to take advantage of a variety of services and programs that include personal fitness instruction, intramural sports, aquatics, fitness classes, sports clubs outdoor programs and informal recreation activities.
The Payne Center offers indoor recreational facilities, which include four basketball/volleyball courts, six badminton courts, four championship racquetball courts, an international-size squash court, a six-lane indoor pool, the M.C. Johnson Natatorium, a one-eighth mile indoor exercise track, sauna, free weights, circuit training, cardiovascular workout room and is fully accessible to the disabled. Activities and programs available include more than 40 intramural sports events from flag football to dodgeball, and sport clubs such as table tennis, fencing, badminton, men’s soccer, cycling, men’s rugby and women’s rugby. The Fitness Assessment Center provides services that include fitness assessment, personal fitness instruction and nutritional counseling for the university community at a nominal fee.
Recreational Sports offers outdoor facilities such as the Intramural Fields, the Bruce and Virginia Wilgus Fitness Trail and outdoor volleyball courts. All indoor and outdoor facilities, activities and programs are supervised by First Aid/CPR-trained personnel to promote a safe recreational environment for participation. For more information regarding Recreational Sports programs and services, call 601.266.5405 or visit www.usm.edu/recsports.
Student Counseling Services (SCS)
Southern Miss Student Counseling Services provides individual, group and couples counseling for students. The goal of the SCS is to enhance individuals’ functioning and improve their ability to meet their life goals. The office assists students in developing their full potential to cope with various life stressors. Individuals seek the services for a wide variety of reasons, including depression, anxiety, relationship concerns, low self-esteem, substance use or abuse, sexual orientation concerns, difficulties coping with past or recent trauma, problems with eating behaviors and difficulties adjusting to university life. All counseling services are provided at no charge. Contact with counselors at the center is confidential. The SCS’s current professional staff consists of one licensed psychologist, five licensed counselors and up to four practicum students. Referrals for psychiatric services are also available as needed.
Services provided by the SCS to the larger university community include outreach and consultation. These services often include providing education and prevention programs to student groups, academic departments and other campus organizations; serving on panel discussions; and advising student groups.
SCS collaborates closely with the Department of Student Affairs staff to provide rapid and effective intervention to students in distress though the University CARE System.
Southern Miss SCS is located in Kennard-Washington Hall, Room 200. To find out more about any services provided by the center or to arrange for counseling, call 601.266.4829 Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The center also provides access to a counselor by phone outside regular hours for crisis calls. To use this service, individuals may call 601.606.HELP (4357). You can also access our Web site at www.usm.edu/counseling.
Veterans Affairs
Veterans Affairs are administered through the Office of Financial Aid. Assistance is given to veterans and dependents of eligible veterans to enable them to derive the maximum benefit from their veterans’ educational entitlement. |
