In addition to his duties in the classroom, Whit Waide has been appointed Mississippi State University’s student attorney.
Bill Kibler, vice president of student affairs, said the position was implemented in order to provide students and student organizations  free legal advice.
Student attorneys have been in use on campuses across the country for years, but Waide will be the first to hold the title at MSU.
“Dr. Kibler was kind of the brains behind the idea,” Waide said. “When he was at Florida and Texas A&M, they both had big student attorney offices with like three and four attorneys, and I think he and Dr. Keenum had been throwing around the idea for a while.”
Kibler said students can receive advice on nearly anything that constitutes some legal issue, but there are two important limitations.
“If a student has a legal issue or concern with the university or if a student has a legal issue or concern with another student, (Waide) will not be able to advise them,” Kibler said.
Waide said he is optimistic about his new post and said he thinks it will be a great asset to the student body, especially financially.
“There are things that a student attorneys office can do, just in a very general sense,” he said. “So you don’t have to go out to an attorney that would give you expensive advice that may not be so helpful.”
Waide will be splitting time at his office in Bowen Hall and at his new office in Lee Hall in the office of Student Affairs. The position will be part time, however.
“Mainly I am a professor in the political science department,” he said. “But maybe 25 percent of my day will be spent in the student affairs office.”
Waide also said he wants to stress this is not simply a place to come to get advice if you are in legal trouble.
“If you want to talk about law school or anything law related really, that’s what I am here for,” he said.
The exact office hours have not been announced. Anyone seeking more information can contact the office of Student Affairs.