Civic Education Blog

Memorial Day

jeffatstennis — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:26:27 +0000

After the conclusion of the Civil War, many locations throughout the U.S. began to set aside a day to remember those who had fallen. Columbus, MS is noted as one of the first communities to honor those who had served and died in the war. According to Dr. David Blight of Yale University, however, the first Memorial Day may have been observed by former African-American slaves in Charleston, S.C. An interesting article was posted today Larry Bowers in the Cleveland Daily Banner:
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/7731896/article-The-first-Memorial-Day?instance=latest_articles

Private versus Public Pay Parity

jeffatstennis — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:36:29 +0000

As many of you know, the Stennis Institute conducts compensation studies for local governments throughout the State of Mississippi. One of the most common issues that arises during the studies centers around the parity between the public and private sector. Generally speaking, local government salaries tend to lag behind their counterparts in the private sector. At the same time, our analysis has shown that public sector employees receive extremely competitive fringe benefits – often far better than their private sector comparables – especially among local government employees.

A recent study released by USA Today examines the pay equity among federal employees and their counterparts in the private sector. The article brings to light one of the most controversial aspects of conducting compensation studies – are we really comparing apples to apples? Do financial consultants in the private sector perform the same duties in a daily basis as their public counterparts? Are their qualifications the same? An interesting article::

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-03-04-federal-pay_N.htm?csp=34

Veterans Day November 11, 1993

jeffatstennis — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:26:11 +0000

On this date in 1993, the USS John C. Stennis was christened at Newport News. With Senator Stennis’ daughter, Mrs. Margaret Stennis-Womble in attendance, the U.S. Navy announced that the USS John C. Stennis would “conduct sustained combat air operations while deployed in the global arena.” The USS Stennis was the first carrier to launch strikes in Afghanistan in support of Operation Anaconda, and conducted flight operations for 111 days in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The USS John C. Stennis is an enduring tribute to the senator, who worked tirelessly to support America’s veterans.

The Coker House

jeffatstennis — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:12:15 +0000

On August 25, 1916 the United States Department of the Interior established the National Park Service. The State of Mississippi has multiple NPS sites, including Brices Crossroads, the Natchez Trace, the city of Natchez (multiple sites), the Tupelo National Battlefield, and the Vicksburg National Military Park. These sites are national treasures and provide wonderful learning opportunities, but many are in desparate need of repair.

One of the centerpieces of Mississippi’s historical sites has just undergone a major renovation project by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH). The Coker House, which was perhaps the most important structure that survived the battle of Champion Hill, received a major exterior facelift from MDAH. According to Gordon Cotton of the Vicksburg Post, the historical residence survived the Battle of Champion Hill, which was part of the Vicksburg campaign. MDAH, utilizing grant money, began the renovation on December 8, 2008. The full Vicksburg Post article may read here: http://www.vicksburgpost.com/articles/2009/08/16/features/doc4a85ae8605102520801570.txt

M.P.P.A. Students Back at Work

jeffatstennis — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:08:20 +0000

The M.P.P.A. program at Mississippi State is back in full swing for the Fall semester. Before completing their masters in public policy and administration, each student is required to complete an integrative capstone project, which pulls together the theories of coursework into a real world project. The capstone project bridges the gap between coursework and professional practice, and is an excellent opportunity to apply your skills and abilities to a practical, “real-world” project. The course is useful for understanding the process of policy related research design as it requires students to professionally conduct and present public policy related research.

The Fall 2009 graduating class has nine students – these students will be working throughout the state of Mississippi with projects in Arcola, Columbia, Hollandale, and Metcalfe. Graduating students will help the towns in a variety of projects, including municipal budgeting, strategic planning, and basic human resources management. The students will be supervised by staff members of the Stennis Institute.

Civic Education in Mississippi: An Introduction

jeffatstennis — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:20:29 +0000

Elvis Presley, B.B. King, William Faulkner, Walter Payton, Morgan Freeman: What do these individuals have in common? They called Mississippi home. From the numerous antebellum homes in Natchez, to the many local dives along Highway 61 (the “Blues Highway”), there is a distinct sense of culture and history that is evident throughout the state. From the many small towns that offer unique perspectives on culture and history, to the larger cities that offer numerous forms of entertainment, Mississippi is truly a unique and special place.

Civic Education in Mississippi

jeffatstennis — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:10:20 +0000

Civic education is one of the primary functions of the Stennis Institute. Over the past few months, Stennis Institute graduate assistant Joanna Frederick and former Stennis Institute assistant Phil Bass (currently a law student at the University of Mississippi) researched and developed a book on Civic Education in Mississippi. The book, edited by Lydia Quarles and Jeff Markham, serves as a basis for understanding government and culture in Mississippi. The book will be available for ordering later this Fall. In the meantime, this blog will offer excerpts from the book. Stay tuned for further information.