Friday, May 18, 2018   
 
Latest Society of Scholars inductees at Mississippi State feature local faces
Mississippi State saw 24 seniors and May graduates named as the most recent inductees of the university's prestigious Society of Scholars in the Arts and Sciences. The honor organization recognizes top university students each semester from all majors who have demonstrated the highest standard of academic excellence, and who also possess a broad and rigorous exposure to courses in the arts, sciences and humanities. MSU says those selected have demonstrated a sound foundation in languages, mathematics, science, oral and written communication, humanities and social sciences.
 
Planting cotton under film
Darrin Dodds, associate Extension, research professor, cotton agronomics, Mississippi State University, is conducting a unique cotton research experiment in the Mid-South using biodegradable film to trap soil heat and help young cotton plants establish more robust rooting systems, hopefully leading to more vigorous and healthier plants earlier in the growing season. According to David McGrath, DC EnvironPlas, an Australian company marketing what it calls a OneCrop Cotton System, the film can trap up to 7 degrees of additional heat over what is available to the plant without the film. "The objective is to promote early season growth," says Dodds. "The film has slits in the top so the cotton can grow up through the film which will biodegrade in 50 to 60 days."
 
SHS class of 2018 honored at awards night
Starkville High School recognized its class of 2018 Tuesday night with its senior awards night. SHS seniors were honored for GPA, scholarships, and other accolades they attained over the school year. The school also named seniors Sean Mackin and Abigail Musser as valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively. Mackin will head to New York University in the fall, while Musser will attend Mississippi State University. In addition to being named salutatorian, Musser was also recognized for being named Distinguished Young Woman for the state of Mississippi. The school also announced its graduates with honors and highest honors.
 
Hamilton student ready for next academic adventure
A Monroe County student is being recognized for a rare academic feat. Hamilton School Principal Tim Dickerson takes great pride in Charlie Terrell's academic accomplishments. "I wish we had a hundred Charlie's," he said. Terrell is being recognized as a National Merit Finalist. This fall, he plans to attend Mississippi State University on a full scholarship to study chemical engineering. "At Mississippi State, there are co-op programs," he said. "You work for three semesters and go to school in between. I want to use those co-ops for different industries to figure out which one fits me the most." He's looking forward to new beginnings and a new chapter in his academic career.
 
Data shows smoking and smokeless tobacco rates decreasing among Mississippi students
According to research results, Mississippi is seeing a decrease in smoking and smokeless tobacco use among middle and high school students. The 2018 Mississippi Youth Tobacco Survey from the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State University released the promising news for the state. The data indicated the rates from 2016 to 2017. "And while e-cigarette use has increased for high school students, it has decreased for middle school students," stated the Mississippi State Department of Health. "This is an encouraging development for a state leading the nation in preventable deaths, 5,400 a year of which are caused by tobacco use."
 
Sales tax revenue down across Golden Triangle
Sales tax revenues for May are down across the Golden Triangle, compared to last year's revenues for the same month. Starkville's sales tax collections for March were down compared to last year, but the city is holding relatively steady in collections overall. Starkville received $623,938 in sales tax revenue, compared to $635,535 last year -- down more than $11,000. Year-to-date, the city is down $16,408. Starkville has received $4,714,688 in sales tax revenue this fiscal year, compared to $4,731,096 at the same point last fiscal year. Mayor Lynn Spruill said she's confident the city will continue to stay relatively even, or possibly see some growth, by the end of the fiscal year based on recent trends. Still, Starkville is the only one of the Golden Triangle's three main cities that's held close to even year-to-date. Spruill said she believes that speaks well of Starkville.
 
Mississippi proposes rules to govern legal sports betting
Mississippi's sprint toward legalized sports betting has begun. The state Gaming Commission on Thursday proposed rules to govern sports books at Mississippi's 28 licensed casinos. The commission could vote on the rules at its next scheduled meeting on June 21. That means casinos could start taking bets 30 days later in late July, well before the start of football season. Although most lawmakers said they didn't realize it at the time, Mississippi changed its law in 2017 to allow sports betting as part of a bill legalizing and regulating fantasy sports. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday struck down a federal law that barred gambling on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states, clearing the way for Mississippi casinos to move forward.
 
Surgeon General: Most in US Think Opioid Abuse Is Not Local
The U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Jerome Adams, said Thursday that opioid abuse occurs nationwide, but only a small percentage of Americans think it's an emergency in their own communities. "Most of us feel that the opioid epidemic is a problem," Adams said during a panel discussion at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. "But when you look at surveys, less than half of the people in the United States feel that it rises to the level of an emergency. And less than half of that -- less than a quarter of the people -- feel it's an emergency in their community. Everyone thinks there's a problem somewhere else." Gov. Phil Bryant said Mississippi law enforcement officers have revived 43 people in the past nine months with naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid overdose.
 
Cindy Hyde-Smith joins with GOP majority to defeat Rand Paul budget plan
U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is defending her vote against a budget plan that supporters say would have forced the federal budget to balance within the next five years. On Thursday, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky won a floor vote by the full Senate on what has been dubbed the "penny plan." The plan would require cutting one penny for every dollar of federal spending, and doing so each year for the next five years, at which point projections say the budget would balance. Thereafter, Paul's plan would impose annual limits of 1 percent growth in the federal budget. Social Security would have been exempted from the annual budget cuts. In total, only 21 senators, all Republicans, voted in favor of the measure.
 
Freedom Caucus Wants to Delay Farm Bill for Immigration Votes
House Freedom Caucus members continued to hold the farm bill hostage to their demand for a floor vote on immigration late into Thursday evening, less than 24 hours before a scheduled vote on final passage on the farm bill. Republican leaders appear to need the caucus members' support to pass the farm bill, which is opposed by most Democrats and some GOP moderates. The Freedom Caucus met Thursday afternoon and decided they wanted GOP leaders to schedule a floor vote on immigration legislation before completing work on the farm bill. Rep. Mark Meadows, the group's chairman, told reporters after the meeting that the vast majority of caucus members feel that way and he believes there's "more than enough" to block passage of the farm bill.
 
Trustees Give Final Approval to University Tuition Increases
Trustees of Mississippi's eight public universities are giving final approval for tuition increases next fall. The College Board discussed the plan in April and voted for a required second time Thursday without making any changes. Tuition will increase by an average of 4 percent next fall. Presidents say lingering effects from state budget cuts two years ago require them to raise more revenue from students. Increases range from 5.6 percent at Delta State University to 2 percent at Mississippi Valley State University.
 
MUW and Columbus police departments team up for active-shooter training
Knowing how to communicate when there's an active shooter can save lives. Mississippi University for Women and Columbus police departments co-hosted an active shooter program this week on campus. The hands-on experience focuses on how emergency responders talk with each other during an active shooter incident. Area law enforcement are put in active simulation training, classroom work and medical care. Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training or ALERRT provides the knowledge officers need when the call goes out.
 
Blue Cross will cover UMMC care if contract lapses
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi has pledged to pay in-network rates even if the insurer and University of Mississippi Medical Center cannot resolve their dispute by June 30. "We will continue to provide network-level benefits for care received from UMMC providers and facilities. This applies to adults as well as to children who need care at Batson Children's Hospital," said Meredith Bailess, Blue Cross director of corporate communications, in a statement. UMMC officials said Blue Cross has yet to communicate with them directly, and the hospital system needs to better understand what the insurer's position going forward. "We can't take what they're saying at face value," said Marc Rolph, UMMC director of public affairs.
 
USM police seek armed robbery suspects
University Police are reporting an armed robbery in the Century Park North parking lot on the Hattiesburg campus. Suspects were armed with a handgun and last seen fleeing the scene, heading south on Championship Lane. Suspects were described as two males, each approximately 5-feet, 8 inches. One was wearing a jacket and the other a white tank top. An Eagle Alert was issued around 10:30 p.m. Thursday. No other information was immediately available. Although the spring semester has ended and most students are no longer on campus, the dormitory parking lot also serves as parking for the campus entrance to the Longleaf Trace.
 
Jackson Academy senior dies in crash day before her graduation
A Jackson Academy senior died on her way to graduation practice Thursday after her car hit an uncovered manhole and flipped, according to witness reports and police officials. According to a post asking for prayers on the St. Mark's Methodist Church youth group Facebook page, Frances Fortner was driving to Christ United Methodist Church in her mother's convertible when the accident happened. The vehicle landed upside down, the post stated. Witnesses said they saw the red car upside down at the accident site. Fortner was a talented artist at JA and had won awards from the Mississippi Museum of Art for her work.
 
Brandon High School principal, Rankin County assistant superintendent abruptly retire
Two officials within the Rankin County School District retired abruptly Monday. Charles Frazier, head principal at Brandon High School, and Tanya Crain, assistant superintendent for the district, each announced their retirement Monday, May 14, effective immediately, according to RCSD spokesperson Kristen Windham. Windham declined to elaborate on the retirements, citing personnel matters. To her knowledge, Windham said, neither is under an internal investigation. Seniors at the high school graduated Monday night. Frazier was not present for graduation. The last day of school is May 24.
 
Auburn University student awarded Boren scholarship to study in China
Auburn University undergraduate Nicole Hogue has been awarded the David L. Boren Scholarship and will spend next academic year studying Mandarin Chinese at Capital Normal University in Beijing, China, and the Harbin Institute of Technology in Weihai, China. The Boren Scholarship aims to increase the number of American students studying in nations that are underrepresented in traditional study abroad programs. Hogue, a sophomore in the College of Liberal Arts from Charlotte, North Carolina, is majoring in French International Trade and minoring in Asian Studies and Military Science. Hogue, with a perfect 4.0 grade-point-average, is a member of the Auburn University Army ROTC "War Eagle" Battalion where, upon graduation, she will commission as an officer in the U.S. Army.
 
Student death prompts tougher hazing penalties in Louisiana
The parents of a college student who died in a drinking gantlet last year have persuaded lawmakers to toughen anti-hazing laws. House lawmakers late Wednesday gave final passage to two proposals that would make hazing resulting in death a felony; levy fines on organizations that knowingly allow hazing to occur; and require fraternities to report hazing to schools. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards is expected to sign both bills, both of which passed the House by a vote of 88-1 and have won widespread support in the Legislature. Legislators took action at the urging of the parents of Louisiana State University freshman Maxwell Gruver.
 
U. of Kentucky moves to fire journalism professor over book sales
University of Kentucky officials are trying to fire a tenured professor because they say he made students buy his book for classes he taught and then kept the proceeds without telling administrators. The move against journalism faculty Buck Ryan -- who was sanctioned for inappropriate behavior in 2016 -- is nearly unprecedented for tenured faculty in the last 50 years at UK, and will be a test of UK's tenure policies and procedures. But UK struck a tough stance, with Provost David Blackwell saying in a statement to the Herald-Leader that Ryan "stole from students. And he used university resources to do it." UK policy requires special administrative permission before professors can use their own books in their classes and also requires any royalties to be donated to the school or a charity. Ryan says he will fight the charges.
 
U. of Florida names new general counsel
Amy Hass has been promoted to University of Florida general counsel and vice president, a job she has had on an interim basis since May when Jamie Keith resigned from the post while under investigation. UF President Kent Fuchs announced Hass' promotion Thursday. Hass began working at UF, from which she earned her law degree with honors, in 2006. Keith resigned with a $175,000 severance about a year ago. She was placed on paid administrative leave a month before the resignation after UF's Office of Internal Audit launched an investigation. That investigation began when the Gainesville law firm of Huntley Johnson and Amy Osteryoung filed complaints regarding Keith's handling of their public records requests. The investigative report issued in August found evidence that Keith may have altered documents, withheld public records and improperly billed the university for outside legal advice.
 
Startup companies speed pitch at Texas A&M's New Ventures Competition
In 20 minutes, six companies proved their worth to a panel of judges and a collection of investors Thursday at this year's Texas A&M New Ventures Competition. Ultimately, Alex Wesley's Arovia took the top prize of $50,000 for the Spontaneous Pop-Up Display or SPUD, the desktop-size collapsible display that uses umbrella technology for portability. With the opportunity to win thousands of dollars in investments, meet new resources and get feedback from the judges, Wesley said, the competitions are very important to startup businesses like his. "These types of competitions are really, really important for early stage companies... If you're not getting grant funding, it's really hard, and in the early stages $50,000 can really affect your business," judge and 2017 winner Jessica Traver said. "A lot of companies rely on this stuff. We did. It was a huge influx of money for us."
 
Advocates push for stronger Pell Grant as appropriations cycle begins
With Congressional talks over next year's spending package having just begun, higher education groups are zeroing in on a stronger Pell Grant as a key demand for this funding cycle. But while student aid advocates want major new investments in the primary form of grant-based aid for low-income college students, they expect only modest gains to happen before an update to the Higher Education Act, the law overseeing federal financial aid. The groups are looking to build on successful efforts to raise the maximum value of the Pell Grant in the spending bill passed by Congress in March, which boosted the maximum grant award by 3 percent to $6,095. Observers say a similar increase is possible this year. But longer-term goals for the program, such as significantly increasing the purchasing power of the grant or even pegging its maximum value to inflation, are viewed as more likely objectives for a comprehensive higher ed bill.
 
Yes, College Is 'Worth It,' One Researcher Says (It's Just Worth More if You're Rich)
The question "Is college worth it?" is a favorite of op-ed writers. Its latest iteration, published in The New York Times this week, argues firmly that it's not. In that op-ed, Ellen Ruppel Shell, a journalism professor at Boston University, contends that college is not as effective a catapult for social mobility as students, families, and policy makers think, especially where low-income students are concerned. "It's a cruel irony that a college degree is worth less to people who most need a boost: those born poor," she writes. But the researchers behind a paper cited by Shell, "Degrees of Poverty: The Relationship Between Family Income Background and the Returns to Education," say the professor's argument mischaracterized their findings. College still largely benefits low-income students, they say.
 
Early analyses of federal data show changes in student and debt profiles
The proportion of the U.S. college-going population made up by nontraditional students -- at least by some common markers -- has dropped off in recent years as the economy has continued to improve. And among those pursuing graduate education, the share of black students accumulating significant student debt levels has shot up sharply, outpacing other student groups. Those are among the takeaways of researchers reviewing new federal data on postsecondary students with a particular focus on how they pay for their educations. The latest iteration of the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, a nationally representative survey of postsecondary students, was released this week. The data from the survey, which is administered every four years, reflect the student population for the 2015-16 academic year. Higher ed researchers have weighed in with early thoughts via outlets like Twitter or in longer analyses of findings from the new data.
 
'Why Are Black People So Loud?' One University Says It's OK to Ask
Southern Methodist University is taking an unusually direct approach to combat racial stereotypes: It's asking people on its campus to own up to them. In an internal survey the university poses questions, many of which indulge racial stereotypes, about different ethnicities, and asks participants to indicate whether they would want the questions answered. Among the questions: "Why are black people so loud?" "Do Asians really eat dogs?" "What is the difference between white trash and white people?" Maria Dixon Hall heads up the university's Cultural Intelligence Initiative, which produces the survey. And she said since it was first administered, in the fall of 2017, the project -- called the "Ask Anything Survey" -- has not drawn any complaints from students or faculty members. "People want to ask things, but they are afraid that they're going to sound racist or homophobic or sexist or whatever," Dixon Hall, the senior adviser to the provost for Campus Cultural Intelligence Initiatives, told The Chronicle on Thursday.
 
USC's aggressive recruiting of Chinese students faces challenge amid gynecologist scandal
USC has relied on bright young minds from across the Pacific to propel itself from prominent Southern California commuter school to international research university. Aggressive recruitment of Chinese students has delivered high-quality students and tuition dollars to the university and given scholars from rural provinces access to top professors and the bright lights of Hollywood. But the unique bond forged in recent decades between USC and the world's most populous nation was shaken this week amid allegations of misconduct on the part of a longtime campus gynecologist. A Times investigation quoted former colleagues alleging that Dr. George Tyndall targeted young women, especially those from China and other Asian countries, for exams that included inappropriate touching and lewd remarks about patients' sex lives and bodies. The Chinese government issued a pointed public statement late Wednesday expressing "serious concerns" about USC's handling of Tyndall.


SPORTS
 
Big comeback sends Mississippi State past No. 1 Florida, into SEC tournament
The only thing beating the Mississippi State baseball team on Thursday was the unknown. No. 1 Florida's search for a third starting pitcher has been a turbulent affair for the second half of the season and one that took an interesting turn Thursday, with one candidate out with a shoulder impingement and another still recovering from pitching four days prior. Florida's answer was Tommy Mace, a freshman making his first start in Southeastern Conference play. The Bulldogs didn't know what to do with him; his exit was all MSU needed to find its collective swing. MSU was held to three hits with Mace on the mound but racked up four in the 1 2/3 innings without him, and those four hits may have officially saved the season. The onslaught against the Gator bullpen propelled MSU to a 6-3 win Thursday night, clinching MSU's spot in the Southeastern Conference tournament.
 
Bulldogs upset No. 1 Gators in baseball
Mississippi State has made a habit out of beating the nation's best teams all season long. The Bulldogs' latest conquest was their biggest yet. MSU used a four-run rally in the eighth inning to secure a come-from-behind 6-3 win over top-ranked Florida at Dudy Noble Field on Thursday. The victory clinched a spot in next week's Southeastern Conference Tournament for the Bulldogs and also ensured Mississippi State will end next week with an above-.500 record against Division I teams -- a requirement for participation in the NCAA Tournament. It was a night full of heroes for MSU as the Bulldogs (29-24, 13-15) defeated a top-three team for the seventh time in eight games this season.
 
Bulldogs clinch postseason bid by upsetting No. 1 Florida
Mississippi State entered the weekend needing just one win to clinch a spot in the Southeastern Conference Tournament next week. The Bulldogs went ahead and took care of that business Thursday night, rallying from a three-run deficit with six runs in their final two at bats to down top-ranked Florida 6-3. MSU (29-24, 13-15 SEC) managed only three hits off Gator starter Tommy Mace. Mace was making his first SEC start and mowed down the Diamond Dogs for 6 1/3 innings but was lifted after a one-out single to Hunter Stovall. State immediately took advantage as Elijah MacNamee took reliever Jordan Butler deep with a two-run blast. The Gators (41-13, 20-8 SEC) went closer Michael Byrne in the eighth but Jake Mangum slapped a two-run triple and Tanner Allen belted a two-run homer to put the Bulldogs out in front.
 
Mississippi State rallies to stun Florida, 6-3
Top-ranked Florida's bullpen spoiled a strong start Thursday by freshman pitcher Tommy Mace in a 6-3 Mississippi State win. UF (41-13, 20-8 SEC) led 3-0 before the Bulldogs (29-24, 13-15) scored two runs in the seventh and four in the eighth for the win, the Gators' second consecutive loss. "In the grand scheme of things, he threw outstanding, even more than I thought," UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "I probably could have left him in there in the seventh, but I was really trying to be careful about him coming away feeling good about himself because we'll really need him down the stretch." Jordan Butler relieved Mace after a single in the seventh inning. Elijah MacNamee greeted Butler with a two-run home run to cut the Bulldogs' deficit to 3-2.
 
Mississippi State clinched a spot in the SEC Tournament; what about a regional?
Riley Self walked in foul territory near third base with right arm raised and his fingers pointing toward the crowd. He had just picked up the win after pitching 2 2/3 perfect innings in relief of Konnor Pilkington, who himself had produced a quality start. Earlier, Jake Mangum hit a two-run triple in the eighth inning to give Mississippi State the lead in its eventual 6-3 victory over No. 1 Florida at Dudy Noble Field. That was the way Mississippi State baseball was supposed to look all along in 2018. Plans changed. But all of that matters less now that Mississippi State (29-24, 13-15 SEC) was able to use its preseason blueprint to beat Florida (41-13, 20-8) and at least clinch a spot in the SEC Tournament next week in Hoover.
 
Jake Mangum's father helped him learn to fly like Superman
Tucked in between apartment complexes and an extensive housing subdivision in Brandon, on the eastern edge of Jackson, lies an extensive public park space. Shiloh Park contains a couple of tennis courts, a splash park and over a dozen baseball/softball fields, clustered together in tight diamonds yet still spanning almost a mile altogether. On those fields, whichever happened to be empty at the given time, is where Mississippi State center fielder Jake Mangum became what he is: a ground-covering, full-extension diving center fielder who thinks no ball is out of reach -- and he's right more times than he should be. John Mangum remembers his only son as one that couldn't get enough baseball. "We spent a lot of time there, hitting and catching fly balls. It's really nothing I did: when your kid wants to put in the time, as a parent you try your best to do it as much as you can," John Mangum told The Dispatch. "That was his deal, that's what he liked doing."
 
Mississippi State's Hunter Vansau selected to SEC Community Service Team
Mississippi State's Hunter Vansau was selected as a member of the Southeastern Conference Community Service Team for his charitable contributions off the field. Vansau is an active member of both the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the M-Club at MSU. He has also volunteered his time as a classroom assistant at the TK Martin Center for Technology and Disability. The junior outfielder from Crawford, Texas was also selected as the Newsom Award winner for baseball, an honor that recognizes academic excellence, personal development, community service and athletic success.
 
Time for Mississippi State to take next step to softball super regionals
The Mississippi State softball team will get another chance this weekend. Coach Vann Stuedeman has continued the tradition of guiding the program to the postseason. The Bulldogs have made 14 NCAA regional appearances. Of that total, six have come in Stuedeman's seven seasons as coach. Now, the Bulldogs will try to achieve more. MSU will begin its 14th quest for a super regional berth at 8 p.m. Friday (ESPN2) when it takes on North Dakota State in the Arizona-hosted Tucson Regional. A perennial College World Series participant, the 14th-seeded Wildcats are a favorite to defend the home field to set up a super regional matchup against third-seeded UCLA. MSU will try to thwart those plans.
 
Bulldogs open NCAA Tournament in Tucson
Mississippi State coach Vann Stuedeman remembers getting excited to watch Arizona play softball during her senior year of college when the sport being televised was still in its infancy. Tonight Stuedeman will get her chance to coach at historic Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson on national television as her Bulldogs open the NCAA Tournament. But instead of the host Wildcats, second-seeded MSU will battle No. 3 seed North Dakota State at 8 p.m. on ESPN2. "I think we'll all be big-eyed but we'll be ready to go," Stuedeman said.
 
Mississippi State men's tennis begins play at Sweet 16 today
The clues for Niclas Braun's playing style were evident from birth. All he had to do was look at his twin sister. Niclas and his sister, Janina, went through the youth ranks in their native Germany to become tennis players at Mississippi State. Every step of the way, and to this day, Janina was taller than Niclas and had physical advantages on her competition Niclas didn't, so Niclas had to find a different way to win. Niclas Braun's maturation has helped him earn the No. 4 spot in the lineup for No. 6 seed MSU (22-2), which will take on No. 11 Texas (19-6) at 11 a.m. Friday in the Round of 16 of the NCAA tournament in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on the campus of Wake Forest. A win would send MSU to the Elite Eight, where it would face the winner of the match between No. 3 Ohio State and Minnesota on Sunday.
 
Mississippi State track team leads nation at javelin
April Thomas needed a starting point. When she took over as the Mississippi State track and field throwing coach eight years ago, she looked back on her career at Cloud County (Kansas) Community College and Tennessee and chose javelin -- the event she didn't do well as an student-athlete. Now she's leading a group of throwers that has re-branded MSU as Jav U. MSU is the first program in NCAA history to have three javelin throwers all record throws of longer than 75 meters. Curtis Thompson did it last year in setting the school record at 82.88 meters. Anderson Peters and Nicolas Quijera achieved the feat last week at the Southeastern Conference Championships, as Peters won with a mark of 82.04 and Quijera finished third (75.09).
 
Southern Miss wins 5th Conference USA championship
Southern Miss clinched its fifth Conference USA championship Thursday with a 10-2 win at Marshall. The Golden Eagles (37-15, 21-6) also won the conference title in 2017, 2013, 2011 and 2003. It's the fourth championship under ninth-year coach Scott Berry and the third time the team will finish in sole possession of first place in C-USA. This season marks the 19th time (in 23 seasons) either Southern Miss, Rice, Tulane or Houston has won the C-USA title. Rice has nine league championships, while Southern Miss has the second-most. It's the first time the Golden Eagles have won back-to-back C-USA championships. Rice, Tulane and Houston are the only other teams to pull off the feat.
 
NCAA to allow championships in states with gambling
Roughly 72 hours after the Supreme Court paved the way for individual states to legalize sports gambling, the NCAA said it will temporarily suspend its current policy and allow states that condone sports gambling to host championship events. In a news release Thursday morning, the NCAA announced that it is adjusting its policy in the wake of Monday's ruling to "ensure championship location continuity." The NCAA's policy had previously prevented states that allow "single-game sports wagering" from hosting championship events. The organization also clarified that Monday's decision does not change its rules prohibiting sports gambling. NCAA coaches, administrators and staff are still not allowed to gamble on sports, nor are the more 460,000 athletes who compete in 24 sanctioned sports.
 
Gov. Phil Bryant, USM athletic administrators react to sports betting
Governor Phil Bryant and some college sports administrators are reacting to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision earlier this week, giving states the option of approving sports betting. Thursday, the State Gaming Commission released 21 pages of proposed regulations that are available for public comment. "This was a state's rights issue, whether or not the federal government was going to tell the states what type of gaming they could have in their states and so, I think they made the right decision," Bryant said Wednesday. "It's a little premature to say if it's going to affect it positively or negatively," said Stephen Pugh, a senior associate athletic director for external operations at the University of Southern Mississippi. He said the NCAA has betting rules in place now for student-athletes, but he said there will likely be additional rules.
 
Florida administrators reflect on Mike Slive's impact
Mike Slive touched many lives in his 13 years as Southeastern Conference commissioner. Slive, who died Wednesday night at 77 after a lengthy illness, was a visionary who helped shape the SEC into the dominant conference it is today. To Florida current Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin and Florida AD emeritus Jeremy Foley, Slive was more than a leader. He was a friend. Stricklin worked closely with Slive during his tenures as AD at both Mississippi State (2010-16) and UF. Slive remained a consultant with the league after stepping down as commissioner in 2015 to undergo treatment for a recurrence of prostate cancer. "I'm so saddened to learn that Mike Slive, who was both a personal friend and mentor, has passed," Stricklin tweeted late Wednesday night. Both Stricklin and Foley plan to attend Slive's memorial service Friday in Birmingham, Ala.
 
Hogs' Little Rock games hinge on stadium redo; deal has income, ticket thresholds
Arkansas Razorback football games in Little Rock hinge on state officials upgrading War Memorial Stadium before Thanksgiving 2019, according to a signed agreement that partially keeps a seven-decade tradition intact. The precise cost and specific funding source for the improvements aren't yet known, said Kane Webb, director of Arkansas Parks and Tourism, with whom the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville struck the deal to keep Razorback games in the capital. Webb called the upgrade work "manageable," estimated it would total less than $10 million and said the parks agency will meet its end of the deal. Chancellor Joe Steinmetz said the university takes "very seriously" the importance of the Razorbacks to a state that lacks a top-tier professional sports franchise, adding that he sees athletics as an important part of "uniting the state." "Little Rock is not only the capital city, of course, but it's right in the heart -- and may be the heart -- of this great state," Steinmetz said.
 
UGA sells out football season tickets, proposes spending rate policy
Even with an increase in prices, demand for Georgia football season tickets exceeded supply coming off a trip to the national championship game, athletic director Greg McGarity told the athletic board's finance committee. "We're happy to announce we're all sold out of season tickets," McGarity said in a meeting Wednesday. "Our fans have responded very well and again have answered the call." The Hartman Fund has generated $31 million in donations for the right to buy season tickets so far this cycle, an increase of about $4 million from this time last year, according to executive associate athletic director Matt Borman, who oversees athletic fundraising. The finance committee recommended the full athletic board, next week at its spring meeting, approve a new spending rate policy for fiscal year 2019 that will dip into the association's long-term investments in the UGA Foundation to be used for spending on preventive maintenance on facilities. The spending rate would be four percent or $1.9 million for the 2019 budget with a revenue stream for the future year's budgets as well.



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