| Friday, March 27, 2026 |
| Area gardeners get head start on tomato season | |
 | Josh Tilley has been a backyard tomato grower for more than 15 years, and while he wouldn't consider himself an expert on the subject, he's become well-versed with the ins and outs of raising the plants. On Thursday, Tilley joined Exchange Club of Columbus members during their weekly meeting at Lion Hills Center, sharing what he's learned about growing tomatoes successfully, and inviting others to give it a try. "Tomatoes, and gardening in general, we get a lot of satisfaction from growing gardens," he said. "It can be a hobby of sorts. Some of us put more into it than others ... and anyone can take part. ... That's one of the great things about it, young or old, everybody enjoys it and gets something out of it." Tilley recommends backyard gardeners and commercial growers alike test their soil before choosing a fertilizer. Soil samples can be analyzed by Mississippi State University Extension. New and experienced gardeners alike will have a chance to put their tomato-growing knowledge to the test following this year's Tomato Growing informational seminar, scheduled for April 27 at the Lowndes County Extension office at 485 Tom Rose Road. Following the free seminar, attendees can pay $5 and take home two hybrid tomato plants to grow through the end of August, at which point growers can participate in the Tomato Battle, a contest to determine who grew the heftiest tomato |
| Organic vegetable production workshop set for April 17 | |
 | Small farmers will have an opportunity to learn more about organic vegetable production during an upcoming workshop. The Mississippi State University Extension Service will host the Organic Vegetable Production Workshop April 17 in Crystal Springs at the Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station. Both producers who currently grow organically and those interested in organic production practices are welcome. The workshop begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. Preregistration is required and costs $15 per person. The fee covers handouts, refreshments and lunch. Register online through the Extension registration portal at https://msuext.ms/ovpw2026. A hands-on session will offer participants the opportunity to explore and use some of the organic integrated pest management resources available for the Southeast. Each registrant will receive curated pest management resources. Extension specialists and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, or MAFES, scientists with MSU and Auburn University will lead the workshop sessions. |
| Aquatic animal health research enabled by biosecure hatchery and experimental fish facilities | |
| Since the early 1980s, Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine (MSU CVM) has been a leader in catfish health research. Located in the heart of the US catfish industry, the nation's largest aquaculture sector, MSU CVM is positioned to support commercial production and aquatic medicine training within the veterinary curriculum. The aquatics program includes 9 faculty researchers on the main campus and 3 at the Mississippi Delta Branch Experiment Station. A key component is our college's investment in fish research facilities. The hatchery and research rooms are integrated into the Laboratory Animal Resources and Care system management. Mississippi State University's CVM recently secured a USDA facilities grant to construct 2 additional multi-tank research laboratories adjacent to the existing hatchery. Primary research areas are infectious diseases, parasitology, and immunology. We combine in-depth mechanistic components such as flow cytometry, genomics, single-cell transcriptomics, and metabolomics with direct observational research on farms and controlled experimental investigations in tank-based systems. |
| International Leader in Sports Science Forms Research Partnership with TCU | |
| Tex-Mex, with a heaping side of athlete engineering, was on the menu when researchers from Deakin University visited Texas Christian University's campus recently. Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, associate dean for research, and Ashim Debnath, associate head of school for research, were at TCU to talk collaboration on research as well as student experience. The first-time visitors to campus from Melbourne, Australia, experienced the best of Fort Worth and a reminder of why the international leader in sport and exercise science chose to partner with TCU and Mississippi State University to establish the Athlete Engineering Consortium. Another key answer to "Why TCU?" is Reuben F. Burch V, TCU's vice provost for research. Burch founded and launched the Athlete Engineering Institute while at MSU, advancing health and performance across the state through research, interdisciplinary collaboration and industry and government partnerships. In November, Burch joined Horan; Jim Weinstein, director of MSU's Athlete Engineering Institute; and Brad Aisbett, head of Deakin's School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, in Melbourne to sign the memorandum of understanding launching this first-of-its-kind international partnership. |
| American politicians talk about persecuted Christians abroad -- but here's what happens when those Christians migrate to the US | |
| Mississippi State University's Candace Lukasik writes for The Conversation: Two months ago, Terez Metry arrived at a Department of Homeland Security office in Nashville with her husband, a U.S. citizen, expecting a routine step in beginning her green card application. The couple had prepared documents for a Form I-130 petition and anticipated an interview about their marriage. But the appointment took a different turn. Instead of leaving together, immigration officers detained Metry and transferred her to an immigration detention facility in Alabama. Metry's family had fled Egypt during the Arab Spring -- the 2011 wave of uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa – and came to the United States when she was a teenager. Their asylum claim was denied, and Metry was unaware that a removal order had been issued when she was 13. She is now 28. Metry is a Coptic Christian. Copts belong to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world and make up about 10% of Egypt's population. A majority of Coptic Christians live in Egypt. They face discrimination and periodic violence; they are often described in political, religious, and advocacy discourse as a persecuted minority. This framing has generated concern among many American Christians and spurred political mobilization on their behalf. Yet, as Metry's case reveals, such concern does not translate into preferential treatment: When these Christians arrive in the U.S., they are subject to the same immigration system that detains and deports other migrants. |
| Blue Angels land at NAS Meridian ahead of Wings Over Meridian Air Show | |
| The U.S. Navy Blue Angels arrived Thursday morning, March 26, at Naval Air Station Meridian ahead of the Wings Over Meridian Air Show this weekend, March 28 and 29. Queen City Newsfeed was on hand to watch the team land and speak with members of the squadron as they arrived in Meridian for the show, which is free and open to the public. For Capt. Adam Bryan, Blue Angel No. 1 and commanding officer and flight leader of the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the visit marks his first time in Meridian. Bryan, who has served in the Navy for more than 20 years, is in his second year with the Blue Angels. He said this season will be his last with the team. Bryan said the Blue Angels perform at about 32 show sites each season and conduct roughly 65 flight demonstrations. During the performance, he said, the precision is extreme. "We'll be about 12-18 inches apart from wing tip to wing tip," Bryan said. Maj. Scott Laux, Blue Angel No. 6, said landing in a place with deep ties to naval aviation makes the visit especially meaningful. |
| L.A. Green Madison celebrates grand reopening under new ownership April 2 | |
 | The Madison location for L.A. Green will hold a grand reopening under new ownership next week. Under the leadership of new owner Terry Pullen, L.A. Green Madison has undergone a thoughtful revitalization, including expanded inventory, refreshed merchandising, and a renewed focus on customer experience. The reopening celebration will take place on Thursday, April 2, marking a fresh chapter for the store and a renewed commitment to serving the Madison community. The Madison location joins L.A. Green's growing brand presence, which includes successful locations in Nashville, TN, Starkville, MS, and Tupelo, MS. These locations have built a loyal following for their thoughtfully curated collections and strong community ties, contributing to the brand's continued growth across the region, Pullen said. Lauren Ann, owner of the L.A. Green Starkville location, will attend and said, "We can't wait to meet everyone and introduce L.A. Green to Madison and Madison County." |
| Poultry company expands Hazlehurst operations, creating more jobs | |
 | DG Foods, a poultry processing and portioning company, is expanding its operations in Hazlehurst with a $1.19 million investment that will create 32 jobs. "DG Foods' expansion in Hazlehurst shows how Mississippi companies can grow, modernize and stay competitive while continuing to create jobs in their hometowns," Gov. Tate Reeves said in a statement. "This $1.19 million investment strengthens an established local employer and brings dozens of new job opportunities to Copiah County." The expansion includes installing automated equipment to boost the company's chicken nugget production capacity and meet rising demand. DG Foods specializes in deboning, tender portioning and custom processing services. "DG Foods is grateful for the support from the Mississippi Development Authority. This partnership has played an important role in our growth, and we appreciate the opportunity to work together on this project," DG Foods CEO Chris Carter said. Copiah County is also assisting with the project. |
| Mississippi farmers markets gear up for season despite rising costs | |
 | The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) hosted a farmer's market workshop, bringing together market managers from across the state. The managers gathered in Jackson on Thursday for the workshop that focused on growing and improving local markets. With inflation impacting everything from fuel to supplies, both farmers and vendors said they're feeling the pressure. However, they remain committed to serving their communities with fresh, local products. "It takes a lot of work for a farmer to be able to produce what they do and to bring it to the market. We just have to go and thank them for all the hard work that they that they do every day just to make ends meet for them, but also to give us some wonderful tasting product," said Gia Matheny, director of the Hernando Farmers Market. Despite challenges, market leaders said supporting local farmers is more important than ever, especially as prices continue to rise. |
| Everything you need to know about Hal's St. Paddy's Day parade in Jackson | |
| One of Mississippi's largest annual outdoor parties, Hal's St. Paddy's Parade, returns this weekend, March 27-29, with the theme: "Stars, Stripes, & Shamrocks - Jackson Celebrates America 250." Jackson Mayor and former State Sen. John Horhn will serve as Grand Marshal, highlighting the parade's connection to both local leadership and national history. On Saturday morning, March 28, floats will begin lining up beginning at 7 a.m. Then at noon the official St. Paddy's Parade gets underway starting at Cathead. The route this year will follow Court Street to West Street where marchers will then head north to Capitol Street, then east to State Street, and finally south back to Court Street and Commerce Street. Of course there will be wide participation by hundreds of "Sweet Potato Queens," headed by "Boss Queen" Jill Conner Browne. Following the parade's conclusion the official afterparty gets started outside Hal & Mal's at 2 p.m. The first parade happened on a weekday in 1983 beginning at CS's Restaurant on North West Street near Millsaps College. The revelers marched all the way to Capitol Street then circled back on President Street to wind up at George Street Grocery (now known as Old Tavern on George Street). "It caused a huge traffic jam during the afternoon rush," parade founder Malcolm White said. By the following year the city revised permit rules to insist the parade had to happen on a Saturday. |
| Appropriators hammer out FY 2027 state budget as regular session nears end | |
| Mississippi appropriators are hammering out the state budget as the 2026 regular legislative session nears its end. The Fiscal Year 2027 estimated state budget is nearly $7.4 billion, up slightly from $7.3 billion in FY 2026. The Mississippi House of Representatives and state Senate both have versions of appropriations bills to fund the state's numerous financial obligations across the various agencies. Conference reports must be filed by 8 p.m. Saturday. State Senator Briggs Hopson (R), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the sides are close on many of those bills. In an interview with Magnolia Tribune on Thursday, the chairman said there is a "general agreement" between conferees on many of the remaining bills. However, as Hopson said, "The devil is in the details... I think it's going good." Hopson added that, unlike last year when the regular session ended before a state budget was fully adopted, Mississippi's FY 2027 budget should be completed before Sunday, April 5. He said "we're on the right path" to end the session as planned. |
| Mental health providers brace for next year's state budget | |
| Power generator replacements for homes where Mississippians with intellectual disabilities live. A major repair for a state hospital that's likely to be cited in its next inspection without it. Financial support for the community mental health centers required to treat people regardless of their ability to pay. These are some of the looming financial issues Department of Mental Health Executive Director Wendy Bailey highlighted to state lawmakers in her agency's fiscal year 2027 budget request. It asks for just over $765 million -- about $33 million more in general fund appropriations than lawmakers allocated last year. State agencies rarely receive all the money they request. The mental health department's plan for some of the additional tens of millions of dollars is to expand services and to address one-time needs, Bailey said at a January Senate appropriations meeting. Some of the money also would help to keep up with rising expenses across health care. But as the legislative session approaches its March 30 deadline to decide the mental health department's next budget, the House and Senate haven't included funding for much of these expenses in their proposals. Neither plan will likely match the final appropriation, but they can indicate how each chamber is considering the agency's next budget. |
| PBM reform dies as Speaker White calls for special session | |
| Speaker Jason White (R) took to social media Thursday afternoon to say House leadership was allowing the Senate amended pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform bill to die at the evening deadline without concurring or inviting conference. The action from the House comes after the Senate inserted language into the House bill that would increase dispensing fees, a move White contends "would have increased annual healthcare expenses by millions for plan sponsors and higher insurance premiums for hardworking Mississippians." The Mississippi Business Alliance and its members came out in opposition to the strike-all amendment inserted from the Senate in a 44 to 7 vote. Speaker White said conversations with Governor Tate Reeves (R) pointed to him being "unlikely to sign" HB 1665 in its current form as amended by the Senate. White said Reeves "has been working diligently with all interested parties to find an agreement." In an effort to revive the conversation, White said the House has requested that the governor call a special session in the remaining days of the regular session to address PBM reform. |
| Senators worry about 'historically dangerous' strategic threats | |
 | A Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday laid bare concerns in both parties about alarming advances in Russian and Chinese missiles, nuclear weapons and antisatellite capabilities. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the committee's chairman, said at the hearing that these dangers are advancing by "leaps and bounds." Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the committee's top Democrat, said: "We are operating in a historically dangerous strategic environment." The hearing's purpose was to review the posture of U.S. space and nuclear forces. The witnesses were Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting, the commander of U.S. Space Command, and Adm. Richard Correll, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command. Wicker reiterated Strategic Command's 2023 finding that China now has more land-based intercontinental missile launchers than the United States, though America still has more submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Russia, meanwhile, remains "a major strategic threat to the United States," Wicker said. Looming over the separate risks from Russia and China is the fact that they are increasingly coordinating their strategic efforts, including with joint bomber patrols off Alaska and in the Western Pacific, Reed said. |
| Senate agrees to fund TSA and most of DHS, but not ICE | |
 | Senators agreed by unanimous consent early Friday morning to a proposal that funds the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and other critical agencies in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The late-night Senate deal left out funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol after negotiators failed to agree on reforms demanded by Democrats after federal immigration officers fatally shot two protesters in Minneapolis in January. The deal came together swiftly after months of often-stalled negotiations and just before lawmakers were set to depart for a two-week recess -- and as hours-long lines at airport TSA checkpoints put enormous pressure on them to act. The speedy agreement was surprising given that Democrats had on several occasions this month requested unanimous consent on the Senate floor to fund TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard and CISA with Republicans objecting each time. |
| Powerful House Republican Joins Retirement Wave | |
 | Republican Rep. Sam Graves, the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, is pulling his plans to seek re-election for his Missouri seat, joining dozens of other lawmakers who are retiring from Congress at the end of this term. The 62-year-old said he is withdrawing his paperwork seeking re-election in Missouri's Sixth Congressional District on Friday, a reversal that comes ahead of the August primary for his seat. He was first elected to Congress in 2000 and is leaving after 13 terms. "I think it is time for me to step down," Graves said in an interview. "I filed for re-election, and I was still kind of evaluating...my next chapter in life, and what that might look like." He said he made the decision earlier this week. There were already two other Republican candidates in the GOP primary, but more Republicans could jump into the race once Graves formally exits. Graves won the district with roughly 70% of the vote in 2024. Graves is among a wave of lawmakers leaving Congress after this term, with more than 50 House members announcing they won't seek another term -- recently hitting a record for a midterm election. About half of those members are seeking a different elected office. |
| A Republican Farmer Relies on Immigrant Work. He Sees His Party Erasing It. | |
 | t was 5 a.m. and five degrees above zero on the O'Harrow dairy farm, and two workers, men from Honduras, moved down rows of outdoor hutches pouring steaming milk into buckets for mooing calves. A third followed in the darkness with a flashlight, looking for babies that did not drink, a sign of illness. That worker, who came from Mexico as a teenager, knew that a calf that was sick in the morning could be dead by evening. He knew this because he has worked in the dairy industry in Wisconsin for his entire adult life, and on this family farm for about 20 years. Now in his 40s, he has mastered the intricacies of milking, birthing and inseminating, and logging it all onto a computer. This February morning, he was passing down his knowledge to the 19-year-old grandson of the family who employs him. Immigrant workers are the lifeblood of the O'Harrow farm, a four-generation family enterprise with 1,600 cows in northeastern Wisconsin. That they need to hide strikes the O'Harrow family as morally wrong, but also as potentially bad for the country: These workers oversee America's milk. By one estimate, dairies that employ immigrant workers produce 79 percent of the nation's milk supply and the price of milk would double without them. For two decades, Tim O'Harrow, 79, the family patriarch, has tried to persuade politicians he has voted for and donated to -- most of them Republican -- that they need to fix the nation's broken immigration system. |
| Older and younger conservatives at CPAC are split over Trump's war in Iran | |
 | A generational divide over the Iran war surfaced Thursday between older attendees and their political heirs at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, as the group's leaders pleaded for unity in a challenging midterm election year for Republicans. Younger conservatives spoke of disappointment and even "betrayal" over President Donald Trump's launch of strikes against Iran, saying in interviews with The Associated Press that the president's actions run counter to his many pledges to oppose foreign entanglements. Meanwhile, older conservatives were looking past Trump's campaign criticism of military action to topple foreign regimes, arguing the war in Iran is a pragmatic act forced by threats to the United States. The bright dividing line emerged in conversations with a dozen participants on either end of the age spectrum who gathered for the annual meeting of conservatives, being held outside Dallas. That split could reflect flagging enthusiasm for Trump among some younger voters, a potentially troubling sign for Republicans heading into midterm elections and for the conservative movement as it looks to build beyond Trump's tenure. |
| How women succeed in male-dominated fields | |
 | It is a man's world -- at least for the women pursuing degrees in a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) field at the University of Mississippi, despite the growing number of women in academia. As of fall 2024, 57% of the University of Mississippi students enrolled were women and 43% were men, according to U.S. News & World Report. Even though women make up a majority of the student body, they are a minority in many STEM degree programs on campus. According to UM's Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness and Planning (IREP), men made up 74.1% of the students enrolled in the engineering department, while women made up 25.9% as of fall 2025. The computer science department has an even greater disparity, as men made up 78.9% of the department while women made up 21.1% as of fall 2025. Emma Donovan, a junior geological engineering major from Nolensville, Tenn., reflected on her experiences in a male-dominated field. "A lot of the time, it feels as if my answers to questions are overlooked because I don't interrupt others when they are answering," Donovan said. "If I do better than my male classmates, there must be some sort of favoritism going on." Donovan explained other ways she has felt out of place or overlooked in the classroom. |
| 'Matching' students reminisce about caring doctors | |
| Deshauntra Green-Johnson and Alex Michelletti both took the scenic roads out of rural Mississippi to earn their white coats in recent years. Both, however, plan to hop on those same routes to the same small towns to start their careers helping build healthy communities. Both were among the 154 graduates of the medical school class of 2026 who announced where they will continue their training during the University of Mississippi Medical Center's Match Day event held Friday at Thalia Mara Hall. Akin to the NFL Draft and national signing day for aspiring college athletes, the annual ceremony held at medical schools nationwide involves students taking the stage to declare a specialty and where they'll begin practicing as resident physicians. Green-Johnson, a Fayette native, matched in obstetrics-gynecology at the Medical Center. Michelletti comes from a family of cattle and chicken farmers and accountants in and around Philadelphia and Neshoba County. A health crisis for an older brother steered his pursuit of a medical career, now aimed at internal medicine, where he matched at the Medical Center. At UMMC, there was a 100% match rate, said Dr. Michael McMullan, associate dean for student affairs. Among the students who will graduate in May, 66, or about 43 percent, are staying in Mississippi for at least their first year of residency. |
| USM Army ROTC celebrates 75th anniversary | |
 | The Army ROTC is celebrating 75 years at the University of Southern Mississippi. The Golden Eagle Battalion was founded in 1951. Since then, a total of 1,726 cadets have been commissioned as second lieutenants through the ROTC at USM. Thursday afternoon, a formal anniversary celebration was held at Bennett Auditorium, followed by a tour of the ROTC headquarters at Southern Hall. Many former cadets in the Golden Eagle Battalion attended the birthday celebration. "I think it's important to remember the sacrifice that's been given for so many years, all the way back to 1950 when this program was founded, every conflict has had a Golden Eagle which has been part of that conflict," Lt. Col. David P. Allen, director of military science at Southern Miss, said. "I think it's important to remember that sacrifice, but also to commemorate those going forward and the great future that we've got in store." |
| Ser Boxley donates 'Forks of the Road' exhibition to Alcorn State University | |
| Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-C. M. Boxley has donated his Forks of the Road exhibition to the Southwest Mississippi Center for Culture & Learning at Alcorn State University, Lorman Campus, announced the Center's director, Dr. Garry Lewis. "I am honored to entrust this research to Alcorn State University," said Ser Boxley. "The Center's commitment to cultural preservation ensures that the stories connected to the Forks of the Road will continue to educate, challenge, and inspire." Lewis emphasized the importance of Ser Boxley's work. "Ser Boxley's donation strengthens ongoing collaborations between Alcorn State University and regional heritage organizations committed to documenting African American history, preserving sacred sites, and expanding public access to historically grounded scholarship," he said. To recognize Ser Boxley's decades‑long contributions as a preservationist and researcher, the Center will host a public lecture and presentation of the Forks of the Road exhibit from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, March 27, at the Claiborne County Welcome & Heritage Center, 210 Walnut St. in Port Gibson. The event is free and open to the public. |
| 'We Didn't Murder Sociology. Sociology Committed Suicide.' | |
 | Florida's Board of Governors, which oversees the state's 12 public universities, removed Introduction to Sociology from those institutions' general-education curriculum on Thursday following years of conflict over the discipline, its purported ideological leanings, and curricular control of college classrooms. "Sociology as a discipline is now social and political advocacy dressed in the regalia of the academy," Ray Rodrigues, chancellor of the State University System, said during Thursday's board meeting, according to The Independent Florida Alligator, the University of Florida's student newspaper. Thursday's vote has its origin in a 2023 state law, known as SB 266. It says that general-education courses taken at public colleges should not include "unproven, speculative" content and that "core courses" may not be based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in American institutions. "I want to make sure I get this quote right, and I want to make sure you get it right. We didn't murder sociology. Sociology committed suicide." |
| In Florida, Conservative Students Are Battling Each Other -- and Suing the University | |
| A feud over antisemitism is erupting among conservatives at the University of Florida -- and colliding with the governor's race. Earlier this month, administrators at the state's flagship public university -- which has been at the vanguard of a national movement championing conservative values -- deactivated its College Republicans chapter after a photo circulated online showing a young man with his arm raised in an alleged Nazi salute. In response, the College Republicans chapter sued the university, saying a member "expressed a viewpoint off-campus that was alleged by some to be anti-Semitic" and that the group is being punished for political speech protected under the First Amendment. They are seeking an injunction to force the school to reinstate the club. The group has clashed with other campus conservatives, who are upset because they say the political conversation has been hijacked by extremists. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R., Fla.) weighed in on the side of the university. "Antisemitism has no place in the Republican Party, higher education or our country," he wrote. The controversy at the University of Florida, which has one of the country's largest populations of Jewish students, parallels larger fault lines emerging among factions of MAGA over Israel, the Iran war and entanglements with extreme influencers like Nick Fuentes. |
| U. of Arkansas, UAMS partnering for 6-year bachelor's to medical degree program | |
| The University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences have partnered to create a new accelerated six-year Bachelor of Science to Doctor of Medicine (BS-MD) program. UAMS said in a news release that the program is designed to be a direct pathway for students to progress from high school to a medical degree while reducing both training time and student debt. This will be the third program in the United States to offer a six-year bachelor's-to-MD pathway, when the inaugural cohort is welcomed in fall 2027, according to the release. "The collaboration between UAMS and the University of Arkansas reflects what is possible when two great institutions align around a shared purpose," UAMS Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D. "As a land-grant institution, the University of Arkansas is committed to improving the lives of Arkansans, and this partnership with UAMS helps us do just that," U of A Chancellor Charles Robinson said. "Together, we are creating a faster, more affordable path to a medical degree that will expand opportunity for exceptional students while strengthening health care statewide." |
| Faculty Push Back Against OpenAI Deals | |
 | More than a year after the California State University system spent $17 million to give all students, faculty and staff access to ChatGPT Edu in the name of workforce readiness, thousands don't want the system to renew its contract with OpenAI. While they're skeptical of the product's ability to enhance teaching and learning and worried about its potential to worsen working conditions and student mental health, the CSU system's ongoing financial troubles are driving the pushback. In January, faculty wrote a petition asking Chancellor Mildred García not to renew the CSU's contract with OpenAI, which expires June 30, and instead "use the savings to protect jobs at CSU campuses facing layoffs." The CSU system's contract with OpenAI is the largest of such partnerships to date, but the company has also inked deals with numerous other universities, including Arizona State University, the University of Oxford and the University of South Carolina. One of the latest -- a $2 million annual contract with the University of Colorado system announced last month -- has already generated faculty pushback. At both the CU and CSU systems, such deals are raising questions about institutional priorities. |
| As political pressure mounts, medical school accreditor drops requirement to teach about health equity | |
| The leading medical school accreditation body in the U.S. has removed language from its standards that had required schools it validates to teach about health inequities. The action comes as initiatives to diversify the medical workforce and study disparate health outcomes have come under fire from the Trump administration, and as the accreditation body itself has been subjected to political pressure. On Wednesday, the Department of Justice contacted three medical schools, asking for data as part of a probe into their admissions practices. "At this time, our investigation will focus on possible race discrimination in medical school admissions," Harmeet K. Dhillon, the Justice Department's assistant attorney general for civil rights, wrote in each of the letters, according to The New York Times, which first reported on the investigations. The accreditation organization, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, significantly changed its standard that encouraged schools to teach "structural competency," the ability to recognize how factors beyond the health care system impact patients' health. Teaching about structural competency was designed to say to medical students, "Do you know the social, political realities affecting your patient's health?" said Stella Safo, a physician and founder of Just Equity for Health, a company focused on making health care more equitable. She added it is a way to encourage physicians to think about factors like access to food, housing, and transportation -- and to move away from thinking about purely biomedical factors. |
| In Charlie Kirk, State Lawmakers Find a Muse for Their Higher-Ed Reforms | |
| Across the country, some lawmakers looking to make changes at their state's colleges have attached a household name to their bills: Charlie Kirk. Kirk, the late founder of Turning Point USA, was a vocal critic of American higher education, actively accusing professors of "indoctrination" through the organization's "Professor Watchlist." After his assassination in September, at least 20 campuses fired or suspended faculty who commented on the killing. A few institutions introduced civil-discourse initiatives, citing Kirk's stated belief in the free exchange of ideas. Lawmakers have invoked his name in pursuit of a wide variety of proposed reforms, although none have yet been enacted. An Oklahoma bill introduced days after Kirk's murder mandated all public campuses in the state establish a "Charlie Kirk Memorial Plaza," featuring a statue of Kirk either sitting across from an empty seat or standing with his wife and children. A similar bill was proposed in Florida, requiring public universities to rename portions of roads in honor of Kirk and freezing state funding to universities that failed to do so in a timely manner. In South Carolina, a Republican senator prefiled the "Remembering Charlie Kirk Act" in September so that it would automatically be considered for the 2026 legislative session, which is underway. |
| The Education Department is poised to lose its longtime HQ | |
 | The Education Department is abandoning its Lyndon B. Johnson building headquarters this August to make room for a new tenant: the Energy Department. Thursday's announcement is the latest in a series of moves the Trump administration has made to dismantle the Education Department, where roughly half the staff has been shed since President Donald Trump reentered office last year -- departures that have made this downsizing possible. It's unclear how the Energy Department, which has a sprawling portfolio that includes nuclear security and other sensitive matters, will adapt the physical spaces in the current Education Department headquarters. But the Education Department said the relocation will save taxpayers more than $4 million annually in rental costs, adding that the smaller staff meant that nearly 70 percent of the headquarters space "is not being utilized." The move is almost certain to be a major point of discussion when Education Secretary Linda McMahon defends the president's budget on Capitol Hill in the coming week, but Republican lawmakers cheered the decision. |
| GOP Decries Chinese 'Espionage'; Dems Focus on Loan Debt, ED Layoffs | |
| Republicans and Democrats spent roughly two and a half hours Thursday holding what a committee chairman called "alternate" hearings, with the GOP raising concerns about foreign espionage in higher ed while the minority party denounced student debt and continued moves to dismantle the Education Department. It was a preview of how the House's higher ed focus could change next year if Democrats recapture control of the chamber in November's midterm elections. While Republicans on the Education and Workforce Committee said the U.S. faces real threats, particularly from China, and accused universities of not doing enough to stop them, Democrats accused Republicans of xenophobia and distracting from continuing college affordability issues that they're exacerbating. Despite the gravity of the dueling allegations, members of Congress sparsely attended the hearing, with many coming in just to make their statements and ask their questions, then leaving. Committee chair Tim Walberg had called the committee together for a hearing titled "U.S. Universities Under Siege: Foreign Espionage, Stolen Innovation, and the National Security Threat." The Michigan Republican and his party largely focused on China and Chinese students and faculty. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: Diamond Dawgs Set For Top 20 Showdown In Oxford | |
| No. 6 Mississippi State carries momentum and confidence into one of college baseball's fiercest rivalries this weekend, traveling to face No. 18 Ole Miss in a three-game Southeastern Conference series at Swayze Field. The Diamond Dawgs arrive in Oxford riding a five-game winning streak and carrying plenty of momentum into one of the league's premier matchups. MSU sits at 21-4 overall and 4-2 in conference play, while the Rebels enter at 19-6 and 3-3 in the SEC. Mississippi State has been one of the most complete teams in the country through the first half of the season. The Bulldogs are hitting .347 as a team with a .452 on-base percentage and 39 home runs, consistently putting pressure on opposing pitching staffs. Ole Miss counters with plenty of power of its own, already launching 46 homers while posting a .500 slugging percentage. Mississippi State will lean on its weekend rotation that has begun to separate itself as a strength. Left-hander Charlie Foster is expected to get the ball in Friday's opener. Ole Miss is expected to counter with left-hander Hunter Elliott in the opener, a veteran arm with a 3-0 record and 44 strikeouts. |
| What to know about Mississippi State-Ole Miss baseball series this weekend | |
| The first round of rivalry action between the Mississippi State and Ole Miss baseball teams is on tap this weekend with the Bulldogs traveling to Oxford. No. 6 Mississippi State (21-4, 4-2) is coming off a sweep of Vanderbilt and a midweek mauling of No. 11 Southern Miss. No. 18 Ole Miss (19-7, 3-3) took two of three from Kentucky last weekend but was upset by Memphis during midweek action. Brian O'Connor, the longtime Virginia coach who Mississippi State poached during the offseason, previously coached at Swayze Field during a super regional on the way to the 2009 College World Series. That being said, he's never coached against the Rebels while wearing maroon and white. "I've heard about [the rivalry] for about nine months now," O'Connor said with a laugh. It may be O'Connor's first series against Ole Miss as Mississippi State's skipper, but the former Virginia coach holds a 5-1 record against the Rebels. Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco has historically struggled against Mississippi State. He has an overall record of 43-55 when facing the in-state rival, including a series loss in Starkville a season ago. |
| Bulldogs and Rebels renew diamond rivalry in Top 25 matchup in Oxford | |
| A week of Magnolia State matchups continues today as Mississippi State travels north to face rivals Ole Miss in the third SEC series of the season. The No. 6 Bulldogs head to Oxford with a 21-4 record after a dominant 12-0 run-rule win over No. 11 Southern Miss on Tuesday. It was the 10th game in which the team posted double-digit runs, and the second game in a row after a 17-7 run-rule win to complete a sweep against Vanderbilt on Sunday. MSU's offense has lived up to the billing so far this season. The team averages 10.2 runs per game, the sixth-best scoring offense in Division I, with a collective batting average of .347, the third-best in DI. Head coach Brian O'Connor saw the hot hitting continue with 14 hits to overwhelm USM, and expressed his excitement for getting a first taste of rivalry action in Oxford today. "I completely understand and love this rivalry," he said on Tuesday. "It's going to be an awesome weekend, great crowds, two really outstanding ball clubs. I've had an opportunity a number of times to compete against Ole Miss and have the utmost respect for their program. It should just be a great weekend in Oxford. I was proud of our guys that we didn't look ahead of Southern Miss, I think they're the No. 1 ranked RPI team in the country, and we took care of business tonight of what's in front of us, and now we'll turn our attention to the opportunity we have up in Oxford." |
| No. 18 Ole Miss hosts rival No. 6 Mississippi State in crucial weekend series | |
 | One of the most anticipated annual matchups in college baseball is already here. No. 18 Ole Miss hosts No. 6 Mississippi State for a pivotal three-game series at Swayze Field starting Friday. First pitch for Game 1 is set for 6:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network+. The Bulldogs won the series between the teams last season in Starkville, while the Rebels took two of three in Oxford in 2024. It was Ole Miss' first series win against Mississippi State since 2015. The teams also play a nonconference game in Pearl every year. This year's matchup is April 28. The Rebels (19-7, 3-3) are 17-1 at home this season. Mississippi State (21-4, 4-2 SEC) boasts one of the top offenses in college baseball, leading the SEC and ranking sixth nationally at 10.2 runs scored per game. The Bulldogs' .347 team batting average is third in Division I, while their .452 on-base percentage is ninth in the country. Seven players with at least 17 starts are batting .315 or better, led by outfielder Bryce Chance's .452 clip. Mississippi State's pitching is no slouch either with a 3.39 ERA (17th nationally) and 12 strikeouts per nine innings (fifth). The Bulldogs defeated No. 11 Southern Miss 12-0 on Tuesday and swept a three-game set with Vanderbilt last weekend. Mississippi State has won five in a row overall. |
| Mississippi State's Brian O'Connor gets his first dose of an intense baseball rivalry | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Mississippi State baseball coach Brian O'Connor was just about to board the team bus for Oxford when we talked by phone Thursday afternoon. Yes, O'Connor said, he has mighty fine and fond memories of his first visit to Swayze Field nearly 17 years ago. You would, too. In a memorable NCAA Super Regional, O'Connor's Virginia Cavaliers battled back from a 12-inning, 4-3 Game One defeat, to defeat Mike Bianco's Rebels 4-3 and then 5-2 to advance to the College World Series. It was fantastic college baseball, matching two talented, well-coached teams. It was June college baseball at its best with the outcome often hanging on every pitch. Said O'Connor, "You don't forget something like that, especially when it sends you to Omaha for the first time." There won't be a trip to the College World Series on the line this weekend, but O'Connor's first Mississippi State-Ole Miss experience definitely matches two teams that have Omaha and national championship potential. "This is just another reason why you come to the SEC to coach or play baseball," O'Connor said. "You play high-level opponents every weekend with great crowds and great rivalries." |
| Mississippi State Football To Host April 11 Spring Scrimmage And Fan Event At Davis Wade Stadium | |
| Mississippi State football will welcome Bulldog fans to Davis Wade Stadium for a free spring scrimmage and fan event on Saturday, April 11, highlighting an exciting day of competition across campus. Head football coach Jeff Lebby and the 2026 Bulldogs will take the field at 9:30 a.m. for a spring scrimmage at Davis Wade Stadium. The scrimmage will feature extended live action with the team competing throughout in a full-squad setting, giving fans an authentic look at the Bulldogs in action. A traditional game format will not be used, as no score will be kept and teams will not be split. The scrimmage will not be televised. Following the scrimmage, which will run 100-plus plays, fans will have the opportunity to interact with Mississippi State players, including photo and autograph opportunities, as part of a post-scrimmage fan event. Additional details regarding the event's setup and format will be announced in the coming weeks. "We are excited to welcome our fans back to Davis Wade Stadium this spring and give them an early look at our team," Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "This is a great opportunity for our Bulldog Family to connect with our student-athletes, experience our program up close and be part of a full day of competition across our campus." |
| Federal judge denies NCAA's restraining order request to make DraftKings stop using 'March Madness' | |
| A federal judge on Thursday denied the NCAA's motion for a temporary restraining order to stop DraftKings from using registered trademarks associated with its men's and women's basketball tournaments. The complaint for trademark infringement, filed in the Southern District of Indiana last week, requested that DraftKings stop using "March Madness," "Final Four," "Elite Eight" and "Sweet Sixteen" and variations of those terms to promote its business. Judge Tanya Walton Pratt ruled the NCAA did not show how the online sports wagering platform's use of the terms would cause irreparable harm. "With further discovery the NCAA may be able to show they are entitled to a preliminary or permanent injunction, and those claims remain pending," Pratt wrote. DraftKings has been using "March Madness" and other familiar terms to refer to the NCAA Tournament for more than five years and has the legal right to do so, the sportsbook said in a court filing Wednesday in response to a complaint filed by the NCAA last week. |
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