| Friday, February 16, 2018 |
| IHL OKs College View development at Mississippi State | |
 | A major mixed-space residential project is closer being underway at Mississippi State University after getting an OK from the State Institutions of Higher Learning on Thursday. The IHL Board of Trustees approved a partnership between MSU and Memphis-based Education Realty Trust (EdR) Thursday to move ahead with the development of a $67 million College View mixed-use university village. The development will be built on an approximately 34-acre piece of land on the northwest edge of campus. "I appreciate the support of the Board of Trustees as we have worked steadily over the past three years to bring this first-of-its kind project to a Mississippi university campus," MSU President Mark Keenum said. |
| $67-million Mississippi State student housing project clears another hurdle | |
 | Site work could start next week on a $67 million college housing project at Mississippi State University. The university says the state College Board approved an agreement for the project Thursday between MSU and a private company, Education Realty Trust of Memphis. College View will be built on the northwestern edge of campus where the Aiken Village apartments used to be. Plans call for 656 upperclassmen beds to be available in the fall of next year. The project will also include retail businesses, an outdoor entertainment space and a day care. |
| Starkville-MSU Symphony offers Link Up program | |
 | The Starkville-MSU Symphony Association has partnered with Carnegie Hall to present the Link Up program to Starkville-Oktibbeha County schools, home school co-op and Starkville Christian School. Link Up, Carnegie Hall's longest-running education program, has over 100 partners worldwide. Link Up educational materials have been translated into four languages as the program expands, reaching more than 400,000 students and teachers worldwide, including 38 states in the United States including Puerto Rico, Canada, Kenya, Spain and Japan. Starkville-MSU Symphony chair of programs for children Joe Underwood said the symphony performs six to eight free concerts each year. "Since 1968, we have committed ourselves to providing free concerts, but we do fundraisers, write grants and there's a lot of people who donate money, but we don't charge at the gate," he said. |
| School officials: No shooter or gun at Armstrong Middle School | |
| A social media post claiming a student had a gun at Armstrong Middle School caused "panic and confusion" on Thursday, but all students and employees are safe, according to a school officials. Sammy Shumaker, chief school resource officer at AMS, told The Dispatch the school is operating normally and dispelled rumors there was a gun on campus or that the school had observed a lockdown. "Social media posts caused a panic and created confusion in our school," Shumaker said. "There has not been any incident." Assistant Superintendent David Baggett also confirmed to The Dispatch there was no gunman at AMS, saying a social media post caused "a small firestorm." Still parents swarmed the campus to check out their children, with lines stretching well beyond the AMS main entrance. |
| Mississippi high school graduation rate at record 83 percent | |
 | State officials said Thursday that a record 83 percent of Mississippi seniors graduated on time from high school in 2016-2017, even as some lawmakers demand an end to subject tests that affect whether students can graduate. State Superintendent Carey Wright said the higher rate is just one measure showing Mississippi schools are improving. "Are we where we want to be nationally? No," said Wright. "Are the trend lines headed in the right direction? Absolutely." The nationwide graduation rate is 84 percent, according to the most recent data. |
| High school graduation rate continues to climb | |
 | Mississippi's high school graduation rate is continuing to climb, now approaching the national average. The graduation rate reached its highest point at 83 percent in the 2016-2017 school year, according to numbers released by the Mississippi Department of Education on Thursday. The national graduation rate sits at 84 percent. The graduation rate for students with disabilities also slightly increased from 34.7 percent the previous school year to 36.4 percent. "I congratulate our school districts for ensuring that students are completing high school successfully, so they can pursue their goals in college, postsecondary training, the military or workforce," State Superintendent of Education Carey Wright said. "A diploma is key to success in life after high school." |
| Legislation would consolidate administrative functions of agencies | |
 | The "back shop," or administrative functions, for about 20 small state agencies will be centralized under legislation that passed the Senate and is pending in the House. The legislation, authored by Senate Appropriations Chairman Buck Clarke, R-Hollandale, would create the Office of Shared Services within the Department of Finance and Administration to handle such issues as payrolls, accountancy services and technology services. It is estimated that the sharing of the services could save the state $600,000 or more per year. "It is to save money," Clarke said recently. "...Some of these agencies might have one or two employees." A stated goal of Gov. Phil Bryant when he was inaugurated in 2012 was to combine some of the 200 boards and commissions that oversee various aspects of state government. |
| Nonprofit calls for DOJ to investigate Heath Hall on federal criminal charge | |
| A national government watchdog group is calling for an investigation into Mississippian Heath Hall, the former acting administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration. Hall resigned the federal post last week after POLITICO raised questions about whether he had still been working as a public relations consultant for the Madison County Sheriff's Department. Hall has a public relations and political consulting firm, Strategic Marketing Group LLC, in Madison. According to claims documents posted on Madison County's website, Strategic Marketing Group LLC received $2,000 from Madison County in July and $4,000 in August. Hall was appointed to the federal position in June. He said Thursday he had hired a spokesperson for the position during his federal tenure. However, Hall was quoted by a television station in August. The Campaign for Accountability, a 501 CS nonprofit that calls itself a "government watchdog," asked the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice Tuesday to investigate whether Hall violated federal criminal law by "willingly filing a public financial disclosure report in which he falsely claimed he would not be receiving outside income." |
| Some lawmakers pay NRA dues with campaign funds | |
 | Many members of Congress receive campaign donations from the National Rifle Association. In some cases, though, the funds flow the other way, too: Lawmakers use campaign money to pay membership dues to the organization. Two sitting U.S. senators and nine current members of the House have used campaign money to pay the cost of membership to the powerful gun rights lobby or its related entities since 2004, with the outlays ranging from $25 to $1,500, according to Federal Election Commission records. A Trump administration political appointee, John Fleming, was among nine former members of Congress whose campaign committees also paid for NRA membership. Fleming is an official at the Department of Health and Human Services. Mississippi Republican Rep. Trent Kelly's campaign spent $750 on NRA membership in December 2017, while North Carolina GOP Rep. Mark Walker's campaign spent a combined $200 on membership fees to the NRA in October and November. Kelly's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment. |
| Matt Wilbanks sentenced to death for 2013 shooting of Ole Miss student | |
| After more than four hours of deliberation, a 12-member jury has sentenced Steven Matthew "Matt" Wilbanks to the death penalty for shooting and killing Ole Miss graduate student Zacharias Hercules McClendon in 2013. The jury started deliberations on Thursday at about 9 a.m. and returned the sentencing verdict at about 1:20 p.m. On Tuesday, the jury found Wilbanks guilty of capital murder after one day of testimony from witnesses for the prosecution. Wilbanks attorneys did not put anyone on the stand. Wilbanks admitted his guilt to law enforcement during an interview in December 2013; however, he decided to continue with a trial rather than change his plea and move directly to the sentencing phase. Wilbanks showed little emotion as the verdict for the death penalty was read in court. |
| Man found guilty of killing Gulfport native in Oxford sentenced to death | |
 | Two days after being convicted of capital murder, Steven Matthew "Matt" Wilbanks was sentenced to death in the killing of an Ole Miss student from Gulfport, the Oxford Eagle reported Thursday. According to the Eagle, the jury deliberated for just over four hours Thursday before sentencing Wilbanks, one of three men connected to the 2013 shooting death of Gulfport native Zacharias "Zach" Hercules McClendon. McClendon was a 2006 Gulfport High graduate and honor student who aspired to work in the medical field. He earned undergraduate degrees from Williams College in Massachusetts and Mississippi College and was pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree from Ole Miss. He had been accepted into the University of Mississippi Medical School in Jackson, according to family. |
| Southern Miss ups outreach as study finds many students at risk of hunger | |
 | Jacky Thompson always figured her classmates at the University of Southern Mississippi were just like her -- she attends class, goes about her studies and certainly never worries if she will have enough food to eat. "I always looked at students as though we were the same -- everyone has the same access to resources," she said. "But not everybody, when they wake up, can get a meal." Thompson, a social work student, volunteers at the Eagle's Nest -- the on-campus food pantry that provides free food to Southern Miss students and faculty who need it. Hunger on campus is becoming increasingly more common. The School of Social Work, which manages the Eagle's Nest, conducted an informal survey in 2016 and found there was a need at Southern Miss for a food pantry. It opened Oct. 12, 2016. |
| Take up the baton, Charlayne Hunter-Gault urges UGA audience | |
 | "Take up the baton," one of the University of Georgia's first black students urged a standing-room-only in the university's Chapel on Thursday. Charlayne Hunter-Gault returned to the campus this week to mingle with students and deliver the annual Holmes-Hunter Lecture, named for her and the late Hamilton Holmes, who enrolled in UGA classes in 1961 after a federal judge ordered the end of legal segregation at the state's flagship university. Greeted with hostility back then, Hunter-Holmes is now one of the university's most famous and honored graduates, a journalist whose employment resume includes work at The New York Times, The New Yorker and stints as bureau chief in South Africa for both CNN and NPR. Thursday's enthusiastic welcome was far different -- standing ovations, an emotional welcome from the university's president, and rapt attention from the audience. |
| Nearly all gun legislation filed in Kentucky would expand access at schools, colleges | |
 | After a moment of silence, along with thoughts and prayers, in reaction to Wednesday's Florida high school shooting that killed 17 people, chairmen of the Kentucky House and Senate Education committees said Thursday they would meet again to discuss school safety. "We need to take a very deliberate approach in how we will address this in the Commonwealth. It's something I've said before that it does not need to be a knee-jerk reaction. It is something that needs thoughtful consideration," said Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee. However, almost all the gun legislation filed so far this session would expand access to guns in schools, including one bill that would allow guns on university campuses, and another that would allow unlicensed guns in public. "Public universities in Kentucky are exempted from the concealed carry law. We support -- and the officials on our campus charged with keeping our community safe support -- maintaining that exemption," said UK spokesman Jay Blanton. |
| Scholars address gender socialization during panel discussion at Texas A&M | |
 | Three scholars spoke at a forum Thursday evening on how the societal relationship between men and women -- particularly in the context of power, violence and control -- can play a role in influencing and encouraging conflict. The Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at the Texas A&M University Bush School for Government and Public Service hosted Valerie M. Hudson, Rose McDermott and Khandis Blake on the topic during the panel and lecture session in the AgriLife Center on the College Station campus. While the work and perspective of each of the three women varied in its focus, a common theme included the role of evolution in shaping how the relationship between men and women have formed across the centuries and in modern societies. |
| Conference shows higher education's many tensions and challenges | |
 | The splay of fault lines running through nearly every facet of higher education widens in sometimes unexpected places. Yes, there are the stalwart tensions: liberal arts versus job training, free speech versus inclusive campuses, public institutions versus privates, colleges versus regulation. Then there are the less obvious, yet still very real divides: educating adult students versus traditional 18- to 22-year-olds, giving colleges more public funding versus demanding they control costs. Underneath it all are the esoteric issues, like the gulf between the high-quality education colleges and universities believe they are imparting to students and what many companies' chief executive officers think are poorly prepared graduates entering the work force. Issues like the hazy gulf between higher education's perception of itself and reality. Numerous fault lines came into focus Thursday during a series of sessions at "Higher Ed in an Era of Heightened Skepticism," the first installment in Inside Higher Ed's 2018 leadership series. |
| Bill Would Hold College Presidents Accountable for Sexual Abuse by Employees | |
 | A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced legislation to hold campus leaders accountable for sexual abuse that happens on their watch. The bill, the Accountability of Leaders in Education to Report Title IX Investigations Act, or the Alert Act for short, was introduced on Thursday. It would require college and university presidents to certify annually that they have reviewed all incidents of sexual misconduct reported to their campus Title IX coordinator, and that they have not interfered with investigations of those incidents. The bill was introduced by Sen. Debbie A. Stabenow, Democrat of Michigan; Sen. Gary C. Peters, Democrat of Michigan; and Sen. John Cornyn, Republican of Texas. |
| Senate Democrats want Public Service Loan Forgiveness fix in budget agreement | |
| Tucked into last week's U.S. Senate budget deal was $4 billion for student-centered programs that aid "college completion and affordability." Congressional leaders who struck the deal kept that language vague to avoid another prolonged government shutdown. As result, it's up to House and Senate appropriators to determine the specific uses for that money. A summary document describing the funding -- it mentions steering the money toward programs "that help police officers, teachers and firefighters" -- hints that one specific intended purpose could be a fix for eligibility issues encountered by borrowers expecting to get Public Service Loan Forgiveness. But the amount needed to make that fix is unclear, and various higher education groups are offering their own ideas for how the funds should be spent. |
| Colleges keep hiring experienced presidents, even in their 60s and 70s | |
| When Harvard University announced Lawrence S. Bacow as its president-in-waiting on Sunday, the institution focused heavily on his illustrious academic history, past presidential experience at Tufts University and family story as the son of immigrants. Less discussed was Bacow's age. He's 66, about four years older than the average college president. If he stays at Harvard for 10 years -- the tenure he has previously said is about right for a president -- he will be stepping down in his mid-70s. And Bacow is just one of several presidents in their mid- to late 60s or 70s to take prominent leadership positions at major universities in recent years. Critics might see generational attitudes at play. But other forces are likely at work. Simply put, life expectancy has risen, and many people are healthy later in life. A considerable pool of older, experienced presidents exists, and a sizable number of ex-presidents are willing to think about one more stint in a job they love: leading a college or university. |
SPORTS
| No. 12 Bulldogs start season in Hattiesburg | |
| The rematch from last year's Hattiesburg Regional final is being billed as the top opening weekend series to watch. No. 12 Mississippi State visits Southern Miss after eliminating the Golden Eagles from postseason play last June. Today's first pitch at Pete Taylor Park is scheduled for 4 while Saturday and Sunday's games begin at 1 p.m. "We know it's going to be a tremendous battle for us," said MSU coach Andy Cannizaro. "But at the same time, it's one that we're excited about and really looking forward to. We feel we're at that point where we're ready to go play somebody and are looking forward to the challenge. We're excited to go down there and play somebody of their stature." The Golden Eagles will be without head coach Scott Berry tonight. Berry was ejected for arguing a call in the ninth inning of Game 2 against MSU on June 5. |
| Mississippi State opens baseball season Friday | |
| Mention the town of Hattiesburg to Mississippi State baseball players and you'll likely get a big grin. In MSU's last trip to the city back in 2017, the Bulldogs won the NCAA Hattiesburg Regional, toppling host Southern Miss in back-to-back games to clinch. "It was a dominating experience and we came out on top," State pitcher Konnor Pilkington said. While last season's trip to Hattiesburg put an exclamation point at the end of MSU's season, this year, the trip southward is the opening salvo. The No. 23 Bulldogs and No. 21 Golden Eagles open their 2018 seasons Friday at Pete Taylor Park with a 4 p.m. game. The three-game series will continue with 1 p.m. games on Saturday and Sunday. To say MSU is ready to get things going is an understatement. |
| How Mississippi State's Jake Mangum plans to be better in 2018 | |
 | Jake Mangum is back because he wants more --- and he wants to do more. Predictably for the face of Mississippi State baseball, Mangum first referred to the Bulldogs' team goal when discussing why he's in Starkville for his junior season instead of some minor league camp somewhere. "We haven't done enough," Mangum said. "Win the national championship and be the first team on this campus to win a national championship -- that's everything. All we do is devoted to Omaha. That alone was enough for me to come back." Then, there's the idea that Mangum can improve. Mangum has accomplished plenty in two seasons; he hit .408 with a .458 on-base percentage as a freshman and .324 with a .385 on-base percentage despite dealing with a broken hand last season. He was good enough to field phone calls from teams within the first 10 rounds of the draft last year but "It wasn't anything I would leave for," he said. |
| Mississippi State has quite a mix in its outfield | |
| Mississippi State's outfield is very much a mixture of veterans and rookies with nothing in between. The Bulldogs bring back all three of its starters from last season -- senior Tanner Poole and juniors Jake Mangum and Elijah MacNamee -- and all of their backups fall in the freshmen category. "Jake Mangum leads that group," said MSU coach Andy Cannizaro. "He had a terrific fall and has had an outstanding last couple of weeks of practice. He's done a tremendous job in terms of leading our team so far and trying to help us get some younger guys get ready to play." Mangum returns to roam center field and lead-off the lineup for MSU. The switch-hitter from Pearl claimed the SEC batting crown as a true freshman in 2016 hitting .408 but saw that average dip to .324 battling through a broken hand over the final month-plus last year. |
| From the rotation to the lineup, here's a breakdown of the Mississippi State-Southern Miss series | |
| If you're a fan of good pitching, Friday's Mississippi State-Southern Miss series opener should be a treat. The two games begin a highly anticipated three-game series at 4 p.m. on Friday at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg. All three games have been sold out. East Central product Konnor Pilkington, who is projected by many to be a first-round pick in this year's Major League draft, will resume his role as MSU's Friday night starter. The junior left-hander was 8-5 with a 3.08 ERA last year. The man on the hill for Southern Miss will be junior right-hander Nick Sandlin, who has been outstanding as the Golden Eagles' closer the last two seasons. The Golden Eagles will take the field with plenty of motivation after losing consecutive games to Mississippi State, 8-1 and 8-6, on the final day of the 2017 Hattiesburg Regional to prevent the program from reaching just its second Super Regional. |
| Southern Miss baseball coach explains why Nick Sandlin has been moved to starter | |
| With a couple of pitchers not quite 100 percent healthy, the Southern Miss weekend rotation had a little different look than anticipated when it was announced on Thursday. Junior right-hander Nick Sandlin, who has been a closer for his entire college career, will make the start for the Golden Eagles at 4 p.m. on Friday against Mississippi State. USM head coach Scott Berry took the time Thursday to explain why the rotation is not quite what was anticipated. Colt Smith, a senior right-hander, had long been expected to fit into a weekend role, but he won't be available this weekend. |
| Dynamite series between State, USM leads off intriguing baseball season | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: "This is a big baseball deal at Hattiesburg this weekend. Mississippi State and Southern Miss play a three-game series to open a much-anticipated college baseball season in the Magnolia State. Ole Miss, State and Southern Miss are all ranked nationally and projected by experts to be NCAA Tournament teams and perhaps regional hosts. In Division II, Delta State, as usual, sports a powerhouse team, already off to a 4-1 start. But Pete Taylor Park is where pro scouts will flock and many eyes outside Mississippi will be focused. USM is coming off a best-ever 50-victory season. State is coming off a 40-win season in which it toppled USM in the same ballpark to advance to an NCAA Super Regional." |
| No. 2 Mississippi State women clinch share of SEC regular-season title | |
| The Mississippi State women's basketball team earned a piece of history Thursday night. Teaira McCowan and Victoria Vivians shared team-high scoring honors with 19 points to lead No. 2 MSU to a 95-50 victory against Vanderbilt at Memorial Gymnasium. The win allowed MSU (27-0, 13-0 Southeastern Conference) to earn at least a share of its first SEC regular-season title. It also enabled MSU to wrap up the No. 1 seed in the SEC tournament. The top four seeds get double byes in the annual event. MSU will have a chance to win the SEC regular-season title outright at 4 p.m. Sunday (ESPN2) when it plays host to Texas A&M at Humphrey Coliseum. "If you're going to do this, y'all, you've got to stack classes," MSU coach Vic Schaefer said. "You can't get one good class and then go two or three years and get another. You've got to stack recruiting classes. You recruit, you retain and you develop and that's been the secret to our success." |
| Mississippi State Women Earn Share of First SEC Title | |
| When Vic Schaefer became Mississippi State's coach six seasons ago, a Southeastern Conference title seemed far away. After all, it had never been done before. On Thursday night, Teaira McCowan had 19 points and 11 rebounds and No. 2 Mississippi State earned a share of its first Southeastern Conference title with a 95-50 victory over Vanderbilt. Consistent recruiting has been the key. "If you're going to do this, y'all, you've got to stack classes," Schaefer said. "You can't get one good class and then go two or three years and get another. You've got to stack recruiting classes. You recruit, you retain and you develop and that's been the secret to our success." The Bulldogs (27-0, 13-0) can win the regular-season championship outright with a victory over No. 17 Texas A&M on Sunday. |
| Mississippi State women clinch share of SEC title with Vanderbilt win | |
| Teaira McCowan had 19 points and 11 rebounds and No. 2 Mississippi State earned a share of its first Southeastern Conference title with a 95-50 victory over Vanderbilt on Thursday night. The Bulldogs (27-0, 13-0) can win the regular-season championship outright with a victory over No. 17 Texas A&M on Sunday. McCowan, a 6-foot-7 junior center, had her 19th double-double of the season. Senior guard Victoria Vivians also scored 19 points. Roshunda Johnson added 13 points, and Blair Schaefer had 12 for the Bulldogs, who outrebounded the Commodores 34-20. MSU boasted a 17-5 advantage on the offensive glass as it dominated play most of the way. |
| Our View: A milestone moment in women's sports | |
| The Dispatch editorializes: "Until Thursday evening, there were many things you could call Mississippi State's women's basketball team -- and one thing you could not. Heading into Thursday's game at Vanderbilt, you could refer to the Bulldogs as tough, talented, versatile, resilient, successful. What you could not call them was SEC Champions. Now you can. With Thursday's dominating 95-50 win over Vanderbilt, the Bulldogs have assured themselves of no worse than a tie for the conference title. With three games to play, the undefeated, second-ranked Bulldogs are almost certain to claim sole possession of that title. Yet Thursday remains a watershed moment, not only for the women's basketball program, but for the entire women's athletic program at MSU." |
| Cassady Knudsen helps Mississippi State softball extend shutout streak | |
| Cassady Knudsen kept the Mississippi State softball team's shutout streak going Thursday night with a complete-game one-hitter in a 3-0 victory against Tennessee-Martin at Nusz Park. Knudsen (2-0) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up a single to Jodie Duncan. MSU (5-0) has thrown a program-record five-straight shutouts to open the season. Knudsen walked none and struck out 10. She allowed just two base runners after a MSU error in the third and a single in the top of the seventh. Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week catcher/infielder Mia Davidson went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Davidson scored MSU's first run in the bottom of the fourth on junior infielder Sarai Niu's single. |
| Amid longest losing streak since 2006, Ole Miss plans to 'come out and fight' against Mississippi State | |
| Next month's Southeastern Conference Tournament will be the extent of Ole Miss' postseason barring a dramatic turnaround in the final three weeks of the regular season. At this point, the Rebels are just trying to keep their collective head above water. Ole Miss is in the midst of its worst stretch of basketball in more than a decade. The Rebels have lost eight of their last nine games following Tuesday's setback to Arkansas, one that extended Ole Miss' losing streak to six -- the program's longest skid since losing six straight to end the 2005-06 season. "Let's get a winning season at least," senior guard Deandre Burnett said. The Rebels' first chance to do that comes Saturday with a trip to Starkville to take on Mississippi State (7:30 p.m., SEC Network) in the final rivalry matchup for Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy, who announced Monday he'll be stepping down at the end of the season. |
| Salaries for recent UGA football hires released | |
| The salaries for three recent hires with the Georgia football program were released this week by the school under an open records request. Cortez Hankton will be paid $375,000 annually and Scott Fountain will make $300,000 to be on-field assistant coaches under coach Kirby Smart. The school also said new assistant director of strength and conditioning Ben Sowders will have a salary of $85,000. Hankton and Fountain's titles haven't been announced yet but Fountain lists himself as special teams coordinator on his Twitter profile and Hankton is likely to be wide receivers coach. Fountain made $115,000 last season as a special teams analyst at Georgia and had a stint this offseason as special teams coordinator at Mississippi State before returning to Georgia after Shane Beamer left for Oklahoma. |
| Gator coaches Mullen, Hevesy and Gonzales built a strong bond | |
| They have been together so long, friends working side by side and raising families at the same time that they now consider themselves brothers. Dan Mullen, John Hevesy and Billy Gonzales. The three have been coaching together, on the same side of the ball, since 2001. Their shared career path started at Bowling Green and has taken them to Utah, Florida, Mississippi State and now back to Florida again. The bond is strong. "It's a brotherly love," said Hevesy, the Gators' offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator. "There are times we're going to fight like brothers. There are times we all agree." Hevesy said there will be times when there will be disagreements between himself, Gonzales and Mullen. But the three will work them out, because that's what brothers do. They will find a common ground. |
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