Henry Victor Gaston (born January 15, 1943) is an American politician . He was the Acting Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives .
57-630: Victor Gaston was born on January 15, 1943. He received a B.S. from the University of Southern Mississippi , an M.A. from the University of South Alabama , and Ed.D. from Auburn University . He worked as a school administrator and timber farmer . Gaston was first elected to represent the 100th district in the Alabama House of Representatives in 1982. He was elected by his colleagues to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore in December 2010 for
114-463: A fine of $ 500. Southern Miss offers approximately 189 programs leading to baccalaureate, master's, specialist, and doctorate degrees. Southern Miss has traditionally drawn many of its students from Mississippi schools and community colleges, hailing from every county in Mississippi, though today the majority of undergraduates come from public schools across the southern United States and around
171-406: A 4-story, multimillion-dollar addition to its R.C. Cook University Union. The Thad Cochran Center now houses a 2-story Barnes & Noble bookstore, three ballrooms, a stadium-style theater, student organization offices, and Southern Miss Dining and Fresh Food Company. Several meeting rooms are within the union complex. The Union and Programs team hosts more than a thousand events each year. In 2010,
228-496: A contract with Aramark to provide dining services. Known as Eagle Dining on campus, Aramark operates multiple eateries on campus as well as four Provisions on Demand (POD) locations, which are small retail operations similar to convenience stores. Eagle Dining operates the following dining locations: Eagle Dining operates the following Provisions on Demand (POD) locations: The University of Southern Mississippi has 13 residence halls, and about 5,000 students live on campus throughout
285-512: A felony. Gaston served as Acting Speaker until the full House reconvened to elect Mac McCutcheon as the permanent Speaker. With the chamber adjourned sine die for the rest of 2016, Gov. Robert J. Bentley would have to call a special session or the election of a permanent Speaker would have to wait until the House reconvenes in February 2017. In June 2016, Gaston announced that he would seek
342-485: A new logo that was a redesigned version of the 2003 logo. This logo was copyrighted and has mostly replaced the 2003 logo. In October 2013, the U.S. Army announced that, due to financial constraints and the low production rate of commissioned officers, 13 ROTC programs at various universities would be shut down, including the Golden Eagle Battalion of Southern Miss. The programs were to be ended by
399-606: A period when Queen Anne-style architecture was dominant in the United States. From 1910–1930, the Colonial Revival movement was ascendant, with about 40% of U.S. homes built in the Colonial Revival style. In the immediate post-war period ( c. 1950s –early 1960s), Colonial Revival homes continued to be constructed, but in simplified form. In the present-day, many New Traditional homes draw from Colonial Revival styles. Although associated with
456-493: A review of the Thames Administration describing its controversies. After Thames resigned, by 2009, U.S. News & World Report again ranked the university as in the upper portion of "Tier 3.". In the 2011 U.S. News & World Report College ranking, USM was in the "Tier 2". In 2016, USM was ranked by U.S. News & World Report 125th in national public universities and 220th in national universities. USM
513-423: A segregated society. ... In all fairness, I admit that we are not encouraging Negro voting," he said. "The Negroes prefer that control of the government remain in the white man's hands." Kennard was finally released on parole in 1963, when he was terminally ill with cancer; he died six months later. By the early 1960s, national pressure was growing to integrate Mississippi's institutions of higher learning. McCain
570-541: A semicircular form and contains many types of hybrid roses in 32 rose beds. It has existed since 1973 and was accredited the status 'Public Rose Garden' by the All-American Rose Selection Inc. in 1975. Many biologists and botanists come from all over the world to study the roses found in the rose garden. Due to the large number of rare roses in the rose garden, plucking out a rose is against college policy, and getting caught results in
627-639: A special session after the Republicans gained a majority during the 2010 mid-term elections . He was re-elected to full four-year terms in 2011 and 2015. Gaston became the Acting Speaker of the Alabama House of House per state law and House rules after incumbent Speaker Mike Hubbard was convicted on 12 felony counts of public corruption. Alabama law requires any public office holder immediately removed from office if they have been convicted of
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#1732782687204684-817: A wide spectrum of interests: Business, Education and Psychology, the Arts, Games and Athletics, Graduate Studies, Greek Life, Health and Human Sciences, Honors Societies, Liberal Arts, the Military, Religious Life, Residence Halls, Community Service, and Science and Technology. The largest organizations based on student membership include the: Student Government Association, African-American Student Organization, Southern Miss Activities Council, The Legacy Student Alumni Association, and Baptist Student Union. The university has 26 Greek organizations on campus, including 14 fraternities and 12 sororities. There are 19 fraternity and sorority houses. The University of Southern Mississippi holds
741-806: Is a public research university with its main campus in Hattiesburg, Mississippi . It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's , master's , specialist , and doctoral degrees . The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity". Founded on March 30, 1910, the university is a dual-campus institution, with its main campus in Hattiesburg and its other large campus, Gulf Park, in Long Beach . It has five additional teaching and research sites, including
798-457: Is also ranked highly by Washington Monthly , which has criticized rankings by U.S. News & World Report and developed its own system. These rankings attempt to make a more holistic assessment of an institution's value; USM ranked 98th out of 245 doctoral institutions, the highest ranking of any school in Mississippi. As of 2018 , Washington Monthly ranked USM 235th overall nationally. On February 10, 2013, an EF4 wedge tornado tore through
855-521: Is the day-to-day administrator of Southern Miss and is appointed by and responsible to the State Institutions of Higher Learning Board. Rodney D. Bennett became the tenth president of the university in April 2013. The University of Southern Mississippi recently began an academic reorganization changing the academic structure at the university and the roles of administrators. This plan reduced
912-908: The John C. Stennis Space Center and the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL). Originally called the Mississippi Southerners, the Southern Miss athletic teams became the Golden Eagles in 1972. The school's colors, black and gold, were selected by a student body vote shortly after the school was founded. While mascots, names, customs, and the campus have changed, the black and gold colors have remained constant. USM's 17 sport programs participate in NCAA Division I athletics, mainly as members of
969-499: The Sun Belt Conference . The University of Southern Mississippi was founded on March 30, 1910, as Mississippi Normal College , a teacher-training school. The Normal College was created to standardize the process of training upcoming teachers. Before the existence of a specialized teaching college, instructors were required to travel throughout Mississippi in preparation for teaching their students. R. H. Hunt designed
1026-566: The U.S. News & World Report college rankings in 2004. This roughly coincided with the height of the Shelby Thames controversy, when he fired tenured professors for "dissension". Several organizations scrutinized his actions' legality, as tenure is designed to protect academic independence. In 2004, the USM Faculty Senate expressed its grievances to Thames after the allegations were heard. The Faculty Senate later published
1083-463: The 1990s with an eagle head logo. Two years later, when Southern Miss attempted to trademark the new logo, the University of Iowa filed against it, believing it too similar to its Hawkeyes logo . The new logo was very popular, and was placed on sports venues, advertising, and all merchandise. In August 2011, the US Patent and Trademark Office denied the trademark. In 2014, Southern Miss revealed
1140-468: The 1990s. The transition from the 1960s to the 1970s involved a surge of social activism and major changes at the university. In response to black students' growing concerns, the university ramped up its efforts to hire black faculty. In 1972, "General Nat" (Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest) was discarded in favor of the Golden Eagles. In 1974, standout football player Fred Cook was voted
1197-762: The Boards of Volunteers of America , the Penelope House, Home of Grace for Women, Mobile Mental Health Center, the Mobile Association of Retarded Citizens, and Alabama 4-H Club Foundation. He is widowed with two sons. He serves as a deacon at the Springhill Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama , which was founded in 1949. University of Southern Mississippi The University of Southern Mississippi ( Southern Miss or USM )
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#17327826872041254-947: The Gulf Coast region are elements of the College of Marine Sciences; the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs; the J. L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Point Cadet in Biloxi; the Hydrographic Science Research Center; and the Center for Marine Sciences at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused about $ 115 million in damage to Gulf Park. Classes were relocated to
1311-586: The Gulf Park campus passed a resolution of appreciation. The Hattiesburg American reported that Thames's post-Katrina address to the faculty at Hattiesburg was well received. Thames did not lay off any university employees after the storm, although the Gulf Park campus alone sustained over $ 100 million in damage (By contrast, Tulane University in New Orleans released approximately 25% of its staff and dropped significant athletic and academic programs, including
1368-603: The Healthmark Center in Gulfport. In 2012, the Gulfport campus was closed and all facilities were moved back to the renovated Long Beach campus. The Friendship Oak survived this storm as it survived Hurricane Camille and countless lesser storms that have hit the area. The All-American Rose Garden is a rose garden found near Hardy Street on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. The garden has
1425-995: The Jefferson Davis campus of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College . It called this complex the USM Harrison County Resident Center. In September 1966, Southern Miss extended its offerings by adding the Jackson County Resident Center, located on the Jackson County campus of the MGCCC in Gautier. The Jackson County Center was built for the university by the Jackson County Board of Supervisors. This effort
1482-423: The Mississippi state flag from all USM campuses. On October 25, 2015, university president Rodney D. Bennett released another statement announcing that the university would only raise flags that he felt united all students. Since the removal of the state flag, protests to bring it back have become common Sunday occurrences on the Hattiesburg campus. In 2003, Southern Miss replaced its attack eagle logo from
1539-746: The ROTC program continues. The university's operations on the Mississippi Gulf Coast began in 1947 when Mississippi Southern College first organized classes at Van Hook Hall, on the Methodist Camp Grounds in Biloxi . In 1958, the operation was moved to Mary L. Michael Junior High School in Biloxi. To meet the educational needs of various occupational fields, the university relocated in 1964 to Keesler Air Force Base. In addition, it obtained classroom facilities for night classes from
1596-406: The Southern Miss campus, causing tens of millions of dollars in damage. It formed in western Hattiesburg and continued into southwestern Alabama, destroying two buildings and damaging six others. As most students were away for Mardi Gras break and there were warnings of the tornado, there were no fatalities and few injuries on campus. In June 2015 Southern Miss released a statement on the removal of
1653-451: The Study of War and Society hosts several lectures and programs throughout the year. Several guest lecturers including General David Petraeus (2017), Robert M. Gates (2014), and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (2010) visited Hattiesburg as a part of the center's Dale Distinguished Lecture Series. 2018 marked the 13th annual Richard McCarthy Lecture Series, wherein students and
1710-442: The University of Southern Mississippi opened Century Park (now known as Century Park North), a gated living community with four residence halls and a multi-purpose building containing a convenience store. In the 2014–15 school year, the university opened Century Park South, another gated living community with three residence halls and the campus's new student health center. At nearly 300, Southern Miss's student organizations appeal to
1767-718: The architectural movement, "Colonial Revival" also refers to historic preservation , landscape architecture and garden design, and decorative arts movements that emulate or draw inspiration from colonial forms. While the dominant influences in Colonial Revival style are Georgian and Federal architecture , Colonial Revival homes also draw, to a lesser extent, from the Dutch Colonial style and post-medieval English styles. Colonial Revival homes are often eclectic in style, combining aspects from several of these previous styles. Since Colonial Revival architecture pulls structural and decorative elements from other styles, there
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1824-401: The baccalaureate and graduate levels. University development has continued and on August 19, 2002, Southern Miss admitted its first class of freshmen on its Gulf Park Campus. USM is the only comprehensive university in the state with dual-campus status. In the early 21st century the Gulf Park campus serves as the central campus for several remote teaching centers, including: Other USM units in
1881-559: The community at large could participate in a broad range of events and programming from panel discussions to roundtables focusing on war and the effects it has on the societies surrounding it. The University of Southern Mississippi is governed by the University President along with the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. The President of the University of Southern Mississippi
1938-460: The computer science major and most engineering programs, in retrenchment after closure and damage to the campus.) The Thames administration gained financing and supervised several campus construction projects, often in partnership with private-sector entities. An addition to the student union houses the second-largest Barnes & Noble store in the southern U.S., which is open to the community. Barnes & Noble pays $ 1.5 million in annual rent for
1995-479: The end of the 2015 spring semester, but the universities appealed the decision. On October 12, a press conference was held at USM to protest the closure; speakers included Governor Phil Bryant and Major General Augustus Collins . In November, the Army said it had changed its plan to end programs at specified institutions, putting them on a two-year probation, with reevaluation. USM has been taken off probation and
2052-545: The facility. Thames also negotiated a food services agreement with Aramark which will donate $ 9 million to university construction projects. Other enhancements include the upscale Power House restaurant (at a former college power plant adapted for this use); the $ 15 million sorority village; additions to the football, basketball, and baseball facilities; and urban design elements to make the campus more open, "green," and pedestrian-friendly. The university experienced an unexpected, highly publicized drop from "Tier 3" to "Tier 4" in
2109-785: The first African-American doctoral student to graduate from USM, Walter Washington . Shortly thereafter, at the commencement ceremonies in May 2018, Kennard was posthumously awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa . A student in Kennard's Sunday School class at Mary Magdalene Baptist Church in Eatonville, Mississippi , accepted the honor on his behalf. Between 1955 and 1965, USM and McCain infringed upon gay and lesbian students' civil rights. Gay and lesbian students, especially male homosexuals, were targeted and expelled. McCain's intention
2166-495: The first black Mr. USM. The first black Greek organizations premiered in 1975. By the time McCain retired in 1975, enrollment had climbed to 11,000 students. In the years following McCain's campus transformation, The University of Southern Mississippi continued to expand dramatically. Changes included replacement of the quarter system by semesters, creation of the Polymer Science Institute, reorganization of
2223-812: The globe. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and its programs are accredited by 30 state and national agencies. The University of Southern Mississippi offers more than 250 clubs and organizations, as well as intramural athletics and special events. Student organizations at Southern Miss include the Student Government Association, The Legacy, The Student Printz (the biweekly student-produced newspaper), The Southerner (the yearbook), Southern Style (the university's student orientation team), national fraternities and sororities, honor societies, and various religious organizations. In addition,
2280-1082: The job of Speaker on a permanent basis. He also sits on the Advisory Council for the Assistance League of Mobile, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the State Building Commission, and the Southwest Alabama division of the National Mental Health Association . He is a member of Phi Delta Kappa , and a former member of the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars and the United States Energy Council . Additionally, he serves on
2337-416: The latter peacefully. McCain, USM, and state leaders recognized that the state needed to integrate to appeal to businesses outside the state. They made extensive confidential plans for the admission of USM's first two black students. A faculty guardian and tutor was secretly appointed for each to help with the transition. The campus police department was instructed to prevent or quickly stop any incident against
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2394-613: The moniker Friendship Oak is found in an article written by Bob Davis, correspondent for the New York Sun. He described the tree in his book People, People, Everywhere (1936). In July 1972, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning established the USM Gulf Park and Keesler Air Force Base Center as an upper-level degree completion regional campus of the university. It offered programs leading to degrees at
2451-447: The number of colleges from six to four and consolidated traditional departments into thematic schools. In addition to its academic colleges, The University of Southern Mississippi also offers the following programs: Semesters at the university run from August to December and January to May, with a 10-week summer session. There are two four-week accelerated summer terms. In 2006, The University of Southern Mississippi dedicated
2508-578: The original campus plan and seven buildings in the Colonial Revival style . The college's first president, Joseph Anderson Cook, presided over the opening session of instruction on September 18, 1912, and oversaw the construction of College Hall (the academic building); Forrest County Hall (men's and married students' dormitory); Hattiesburg Hall (women's dormitory); the Industrial Cottage (training laboratory for home management); and
2565-528: The president's home (now the Ogletree Alumni House). In its first session, Mississippi Normal College had an enrollment of 876 students, and stood for "clean, pure, efficient lives." As the school developed its curriculum and departments, its name changed to reflect its progress: in 1924, to Mississippi State Teachers College , and in 1940, to Mississippi Southern College . The college's fifth president, State Archivist William David McCain ,
2622-604: The school participates in the NCAA 's Division I-FBS, and Sun Belt Conference featuring year-round athletics in 16 sports. Southern Miss also hosts, participates in, and promotes more than 300 cultural events every year. Regular events include the Jazz and Blues Festival held on the Long Beach campus, performances by the theater, dance and music departments, and exhibits presented by the art department. The university's Dale Center for
2679-518: The school year. Colonial Revival architecture The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture . The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 , which reawakened Americans to the architectural traditions of their colonial past. Fairly small numbers of Colonial Revival homes were built c. 1880 –1910,
2736-557: The two black students. Student athletic, fraternity, and political leaders were recruited to keep the peace and protect the university from the kind of negative publicity Ole Miss had suffered during rioting against Meredith's enrollment. As a result, black students Gwendolyn Elaine Armstrong and Raylawni Branch were enrolled without incident in September 1965. In 2018, USM unveiled a Freedom Trail Marker in honor of Clyde Kennard in front of Kennard Washington Hall, named after him and
2793-403: The university's 10 schools into six colleges including the College of Nursing, affiliation with Conference USA , the implementation of online classes; and an expansion of the Gulf Coast campus. In the early 21st century, Southern Miss developed under the presidency of Shelby Thames. His tenure was characterized by a significant increase in the quantity of research conducted at the university. USM
2850-671: Was classified as a "Doctoral / Research Extensive" university by the Carnegie Foundation during the Thames era. According to the National Science Foundation , USM spent $ 61 million on research and development in 2018, ranking it 183rd in the nation. Thames's work to respond to the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina brought praise from the community. In October 2005, the Faculty Senate of
2907-560: Was encouraged by Shelby Thames when he was executive vice president of USM. The center was constructed with the intention of enabling students in Jackson County to complete four-year degrees in several fields through combined programs at MGCCC and USM. In 2009, however, the university decided to close its Jackson County Center and consolidate course offerings at other teaching sites on the Gulf Coast. The Gulf Park College for Women in Gulfport, Mississippi , opened in 1921. The last commencement
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#17327826872042964-616: Was eventually convicted and sentenced to seven years in the state prison. McCain's direct involvement in this abuse of the justice system is unclear. He was likely aware that the charges against Kennard were fraudulent, but neither he nor other public officials made any objection. Speaking to businessmen in Chicago on a trip sponsored by the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission , McCain said: "We insist that educationally and socially, we maintain
3021-484: Was held in 1971 and the University of Southern Mississippi acquired the campus in 1972. In March 1972, USM moved its Harrison County Resident Center program from the Jefferson Davis campus of MGCCC to the Gulf Park campus, located on Highway 90 in Long Beach . One of the most prominent landmarks on campus is the Friendship Oak . This huge live oak tree on the lawn of Hardy Hall and the Administration Building, dates from approximately 1487. The earliest available reference to
3078-490: Was installed in 1955 and worked to expand Mississippi Southern College. He oversaw the construction of 17 new structures on campus and convinced Governor Ross Barnett to upgrade the school to university status in recognition of its graduate programs. On February 27, 1962, Barnett signed the bill into law that renamed the school the University of Southern Mississippi. In 1954 the United States Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that segregation of public schools
3135-414: Was to purge the campus of all sexual impurities. In 1969, the Afro-American Cultural Society (AACS) was founded. Alvin Williams, an early member of the organization and professor emeritus of media at the university, called AACS an "instrumental part of student life for black students" attending the university in the late 1960s. The organization was renamed the African American Student Organization (AASO) in
3192-439: Was unconstitutional. But when Clyde Kennard , a black Korean War veteran, attempted to enroll at Mississippi Southern College in the late 1950s, USM President William McCain made major efforts with the state political establishment and local black leaders to prevent it. Kennard was turned down three times. After he wrote letters about educational integration to the local paper, he was twice arrested on trumped-up criminal charges; he
3249-416: Was well known to vehemently oppose having any black students at Mississippi Southern. In 1962 James Meredith attempted to enroll at the University of Mississippi , the state's flagship institution. His enrollment was accomplished after white rioting and use of federal troops to end the violence. By the fall of 1965 both Ole Miss and Mississippi State University had been integrated—the former violently,
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