| Tuesday, January 22, 2019 |
| 25th-annual Unity Breakfast and Day of Service held at Mississippi State | |
 | Education, service and leadership highlight the 25th annual Unity Breakfast and Day of Service at Mississippi State. Folks packed into The Mill at MSU Monday morning. Marcus Thompson was the keynote speaker. He's the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Administrative Officer for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. Thompson also provides equity and diversity strategies for all of the state's universities. He believes giving back makes our communities better. "We should come together and work through divisiveness and be the people that Dr. King dreamed and live about us being. We also need to appreciate the character and service in our world today and how service makes us all great," said Thompson. |
| It's cold! A physiologist explains how to keep your body feeling warm | |
 | JohnEric Smith, an assistant professor of exercise physiology at Mississippi State University, writes for The Conversation: Whether waiting for a bus, playing outside or walking the dog -- during the colder winter season, everyone is looking for ways to stay warm. Luckily, the process your body uses to break down foods serves as an internal heater. But when the weather is cold, some defensive strategies are also necessary to prevent your body from losing its heat to the surrounding environment. As the temperature difference between your warm body and its frigid surroundings increases, heat is lost more quickly. It becomes more of a challenge to maintain a normal body temperature. And two people with the same exact body temperature in the same exact environment may have very different perceptions. One may feel frozen while the other is completely comfortable. |
| Mississippi State's Mitchell Memorial Library begins construction of new television studio | |
 | Mississippi State University Libraries is launching construction this month on a new digital, high-definition television studio capable of filming, editing and producing high quality digital media video projects. Located in Mitchell Memorial Library's second-floor Digital Media Center, the area also will include a One Button Studio and flexible classroom space and group study space, all available for reservation by departments, classes or study groups this fall. MSU Associate Dean for University Libraries Stephen Cunetto said this new studio will be used by the Department of Communication's broadcasting program as its main facility for broadcasting courses. It also will be available to all students and faculty, with specialized training and staff assistance required in advance. The space will provide the facilities, tools and expertise needed to develop high quality videos from concept to production. |
| Successful first test of terabit-speed university research network in Mississippi | |
| In another first for its trailblazing Tech Movement initiative, C Spire and several other technology partners successfully tested the first Terabit-speed connections on a Mississippi university campus in November as part of its continuing improvements and innovation for the Mississippi Optical Network (MissiON). Engineers from C Spire, Nokia and EXFO, a Canadian firm that specializes in network test, monitoring and analytics, worked with the information technology staff at Mississippi State University to provide the Allen data center on the Starkville college campus with super-fast Terabit-speed connections. "We're excited to be a part of this proof-of-concept trial, and we look forward to continuing our work with C Spire to make this vital infrastructure second to none," said Dr. David Shaw, vice president for Research and Economic Development at Mississippi State University and chairman of the MissiON Network Advisory Council. |
| Cybersecurity 101: There's more than one way to 'get fit' in the new year | |
| The cyberthreat landscape is too vast -- and rapidly evolving -- to address in one newspaper article, but two area experts do offer some basic "101" advice for shoring up the fort against malicious attacks. It begins with awareness -- awareness that almost everything we do these days leaves a digital footprint. Unfortunately, the weakest wall in defense is often ... us. We click on a link, play a game online, or respond to emails or texts without knowing who they're really from. "People are the biggest vulnerability we have in terms of cybersecurity," said Sarah Lee, assistant department head and associate clinical professor of the Mississippi State University Department of Computer Science and Engineering. "Obviously, it's possible for someone to hack into your phone or your laptop, but there is also a lot of software that helps prevent that as well. But we can't install software in people." Social engineering is a criminal's most potent weapon, Lee said. |
| Nine coders graduate from inaugural GTR Coding Academy | |
| When Kingdom McGee had to withdraw from Mississippi State University, he didn't know his next step. McGee, 23, was diagnosed with severe blood clots and never thought he would walk again. The Crawford native said he saw a newspaper on his table advertising 11-month free tuition for a coding academy in Columbus. McGee's health started to improve and he decided to take a chance. More than a year after he started in the academy's first class in November 2017, McGee is now one of nine coders who graduated from GTR Coding Academy last year. The GTR Coding Academy is one of two in the state, with the other in Jackson, that offers training and coding practices in order to fill technical positions in Mississippi. Director Sarah Lee, MSU engineering professor, said the goal is to expand students' opportunity for success in technical fields. "It's to create more computing pathways for people in Mississippi," Lee said. |
| MSU-Meridian enrollment bucks trend, sees increase | |
 | Bucking the trend of other collegiate institutions across the state, the Mississippi State University in Meridian continues to increase its enrollment, jumping by double digits. "The national trend for traditional-age students, those coming from high school, is trending downward," Terry Dale Cruse, the head of campus, said. "For us, what that means is that we have to focus on our relationship with community colleges." Enrollment increased by 14 percent coming into the fall semester last year and increased by another 17 percent between semesters, Cruse said, bringing enrollment from 505 students to 590 students. Cruse credited a focus on graduate programs for students, such as a professional MBA program and teacher licensure program. "The other thing that has helped us is the statewide initiative 'Complete to Compete,' " Cruse said. The initiative targets non-graduates who may have partial credits toward a degree. |
| MSU-Meridian bucks trend in college enrollment | |
 | College enrollment in the U.S. is down for the seventh straight year. It's a trend that's impacted universities for the past several years. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, more than 275,000 potential students failed to register for classes compared to the year before. The numbers are alarming to administrators, but many colleges are finding new ways to change that trend. "As a result, we have had to focus on non-traditional paths of enrollment," said Mississippi State-Meridian Administrator and Head of Campus Dr. Terry Dale Cruse. Dr. Cruse says MSU-Meridian spring enrollment numbers have spiked nearly 14 percent. "First, we focused on stronger partnerships with our partnering community colleges to get more of those students at the point that they transfer," said Dr. Cruse. |
| Enrollment increases at the MSU-Meridian Campus | |
| Mississippi State University, Meridian campus has seen a 14% increase in students that enrolled this spring term. The Meridian campus offers programs in business, arts, sciences, and education. The main college is in Starkville, and college administrators say the local branch offers more of a convenience to fit the needs of the local commuters in the area. The college is also planning on expanding the health, and science offerings once approved by the accreditation committee. Administrators with the college say they plan on seeing the continued increase in enrollment and offer more courses that will fit the student's needs. |
| Phi Theta Kappa breaks down barriers to bachelor's degree | |
 | As a junior in high school, Jenna Hull visited Mississippi State University's campus and was sold. She wanted to earn a degree in Starkville. Cost stood in the way, though. Like many of her classmates in Monroe County and across the country, the prospect of long-term debt was a barrier to entering a four-year university out of high school. "I knew at MSU that I could get scholarships, but they could run down, and I would have to take out students loans," Hull said. "I wanted to avoid that at all costs." Community college and Phi Theta Kappa offer an affordable alternative path. The honors society opens doors to scholarship opportunities, but like most aspects of post-secondary education, Phi Theta Kappa has its own cost barrier that prevents some students from joining. Earlier this week, the Woodward Hines Education Foundation announced a grant of more than $440,000 to pay the $60 Phi Theta Kappa membership fee for more than 6,600 students and ease the route from high school to community college to a bachelor's degree. |
| 'Stand to Stop Hazing' presentation at Mississippi State | |
| Mississippi State University's Epsilon Eta Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi and the Mississippi Theta Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon are sponsoring "Stand to Stop Hazing" on Jan. 23 at MSU's Humphrey Coliseum. Rae Ann Gruver, mother of Louisiana State University student Max Gruver, and Evelyn Piazza, mother of Pennsylvania State University student Tim Piazza, will be the featured speakers for the event. Both mothers will share stories about their sons, who each died in hazing-related incidents in 2017, to raise awareness of the dangers of the practice. The event is free, and is open to both MSU students and the public. |
| Diversity expert to speak at Mississippi State's Diversity Conference | |
| One of the world's foremost authorities on diversity, equity and inclusion is the featured speaker for Mississippi State University's 2019 Diversity Conference on Jan. 31-Feb. 1 at The Mill at MSU in Starkville. Damon A. Williams, one of the nation's recognized experts in strategic diversity leadership, youth development, corporate responsibility, educational achievement, social impact and organizational change, is this year's keynote speaker on Jan. 31 at 11:30 a.m. Conference registration is $25 for students, $99 for faculty and staff, and can be completed online at voices.msstate.edu. Campus departments are encouraged to sponsor attendance for faculty, staff and students. Registration is open to the public; non-MSU registrants may register at ecommerce.msstate.edu/saffairs/voices. The conference is organized by the MSU President's Commission on the Status of Minorities. |
| FFAR seeks nominations for 2019 New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award | |
| The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) on Jan. 16 begins accepting nominations for the 2019 New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award. This award supports early-career scientists pursuing research that sustainably enhances agricultural production or improves health through food. FFAR will grant as many as 10 awards, and each awardee may receive up to $600,000 (including matching funds), over three years. "The future of agriculture will be defined by an innovative scientific workforce that aims to modernize how food is grown, processed and distributed," said FFAR Executive Director Sally Rockey. The FFAR Board of Directors is chaired by Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum, Ph.D., and includes ex officio representation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation. |
| Video games: Mississippi's new high school sport | |
| When Lucas Rader, 14, downloaded the video game League of Legends, he never imagined he would end up playing it on a school-sanctioned team. Rader, along with 21 other Starkville High School students, will compete this year in Mississippi's inaugural video game sports season with Mississippi High School Activities Association. Like any other sport, SHS will complete a regular season schedule in hopes of making it to the state championship. "I don't really know how good other schools will be," Rader said. "But I don't really know how well we will do either. Everyone on the team I'm basically going to have to teach. I thought it would be pretty cool to play for school though." In 2018, MHSAA announced its interest in creating a video game team sport. The organization partnered with PlayVS, an online video game provider to connect high school students throughout the state. Starting in February, teams will begin competing League of Legends on Tuesdays and Rocket League on Thursdays, the latter of which pits two teams of three players each against one another. The players drive different types of vehicles in the arena, and try to hit a large ball into a goal. |
| Ashford, Elliott added to Starkville's Unity Park - The Dispatch | |
| Annette Ashford Johnson can remember a story from the Civil Rights era in Starkville where three men who participated in a sit-in protest at a diner in Clayton Village were arrested. Douglas L. Conner, a local doctor and civil rights leader in Starkville, began looking for someone to help get the men out of jail. The person he found to help was Johnson's father, Wilson Ashford Sr. "Nobody stepped up but Dad," Johnson said. "Those days were dangerous times. They would burn your house, even kill you or rape your children. But Dad stood with Dr. Conner in all the things that he did." Johnson told the story Monday at Unity Park, during a ceremony honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and adding Ashford as an honoree at the park. Also added to the park's honorees was Adelaide Jeanette Elliott. Unity Park, located behind the former Mugshots building on D.L. Connor Drive, is dedicated toward recognizing individuals and events that advanced civil rights locally and nationally. In 2018, the park began adding plaques annually to recognize local individuals who have contributed to civil rights in Oktibbeha County. |
| Martesa Bishop Flowers joins Oktibbeha chancery clerk race | |
| Two rematches have been set for this year's elections in Oktibbeha County. District 4 Supervisor Bricklee Miller has officially qualified for re-election, running against her predecessor, Daniel Jackson. Miller beat Jackson by 55 votes, including absentee and affidavit ballots, in 2015. Miller is a Republican and Jackson a Democrat. Martesa Bishop Flowers filed to run for the position of chancery clerk last week. Flowers, a contract and grant specialist at Mississippi State University, is running as a Democrat. She's challenging current chancery clerk Sharon Livingston, who's also running as a Democrat. Livingston qualified for the election early in the qualification period, which started at the beginning of January. |
| Lawmaker pushes to replace some state tests with ACT | |
 | Tenth-grade English teacher Nakiya Beaman brought laughs to a committee room in the Capitol when she joked about the attire she chose -- sweatpants and comfortable footwear -- for testifying at a hearing on state tests. But the mood shifted as Beaman shared her struggles of trying to help students who started the school year behind. "I'm not going to school tomorrow," she said. "I spent Friday in my classroom crying real tears. My scores are so low. My tenth graders read, on average, at a fourth-grade level. My tenth graders. How? What water do I have to walk on? What am I supposed to do?" Rep. Tom Miles, D-Forest, grew emotional as Beaman described the obstacles her students face and the pressures that have led her to consider leaving the teaching field. As lawmakers gear up to debate education policy, Miles is pushing for a proposal that provides students who achieve passing scores on coursework could graduate, |
| Mississippi lawmakers take step toward criminal justice reform | |
| Send fewer people to jail or prison in Mississippi in the first place. And help those leaving incarceration to get back to a normal life, including a job, so they don't wind up back in the system. Those were two underlying criminal justice reform themes experts told state lawmakers they should act on at a joint hearing Monday. But is there legislation that could make these changes to Mississippi's corrections system a reality? They're still working on it, lawmakers said. "We're trying to find common ground to make the biggest impact, the quickest," said House Corrections Chairman Rep. Bill Kinkade, R-Byhalia. Sen. Sampson Jackson II, D-Preston, said the hearing was a chance to hear from a range of criminal justice voices on where they felt reforms should be prioritized. Several pointed out major sentencing and rehabilitation changes already have been implemented in other states. |
| PSC, Transportation commission seats up for grabs in election; Willie Simmons jumps in | |
| The floodgates may be opening in terms of candidates running for the state's Transportation Commission and the Public Service Commission. On Thursday, Senate Transportation Committee Chair Willie Simmons, D-Cleveland, announced he is running for the open Central District Transportation Commission post. As chairman, Simmons said, "I have acquired a wealth of knowledge about resources, needs and the roadbuilders' industry. This knowledge coupled with my commitment and vision for our transportation system, places me in the position of being ready to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the Transportation Commission from the day that I am sworn in." While the Transportation Commission and the Public Service Commission have vastly different responsibilities, both are comprised of three members elected from districts -- the Central, Northern and Southern. |
| Steve Holland faces primary challenge from former Justice Court judge | |
| Long-serving state representative Steve Holland will face a contested Democratic primary this year. Rickey Thompson confirmed to the Daily Journal last week that he intends to seek the seat Holland holds. Thompson was formerly a Lee County justice court judge until the state Supreme Court removed him from office in 2015 over judicial misconduct charges dating back to 2013 and 2012. Thompson was also reprimanded in 2012 and 2008 related to other charges. The 2015 removal from judicial office stemmed from charges that he lent the prestige of his office to advance the private interests of others, denied a defendant her right to the counsel of her choosing and kept several participants in the drug court program past the two-year limit allowed by state law as well as jailing participants for unspecified violations or failure to comply with drug court. Holland has long been an outspoken and storied figure in Mississippi politics and is known for his colorful and at-times profane rhetoric. He represents House District 16, which includes parts of southwestern and central Lee County, including part of Tupelo. |
| Another GOP candidate put her name on the ballot for Senate District 37 | |
 | Another Republican candidate has thrown her hat into the ring to run for the Mississippi Senate District 37 seat being vacated at the end of the by Sen. Bob Dearing, D-Natchez. Morgan Poore of Meadville, an associate attorney at Halford Law Firm and a former attorney/law clerk in the First Chancery District of Mississippi, has filed paperwork with the Mississippi Republican Party Headquarters in Jackson. Republican candidates who had previously filed to run in the Aug. 6 Republican Party Primary for the District 37 seat, include: Milt Burris of Magnolia who is a co-owner at Glass Builders of Mississippi and who studied forestry at Mississippi State University. Former Dist. 37 State Sen. Melanie Sojourner who handed Dearing his only defeat in 2011 for the seat he has held since 1980. Dearing then defeated Sojourner in the 2015 election. |
| Tobacco makes $400 million impact on Mississippi Medicaid | |
| An in-depth analysis of Mississippi Medicaid claims estimates tobacco use costs the program nearly $400 million a year. Based on the detailed estimates, Mississippi's share of the tobacco-attributed health care costs is around $90 million; federal allocations cover 77 percent of Medicaid costs. "It's really a very conservative estimate," said Therese Hanna, executive director of the nonpartisan, independent Center for Mississippi Health Policy, which commissioned the report. Researchers at the Hilltop Institute of University of Maryland-Baltimore County reviewed Mississippi Medicaid claims from 2016 and 2017 to develop a more accurate picture of what tobacco-attributed conditions costs Medicaid. "No one had ever tried to precisely measure it," Hanna said. |
| 'Let's give Dr. King his due': Democratic lawmaker pushes to nix Robert E. Lee holiday | |
| As the state of Mississippi again officially honors the birth of Robert E. Lee on the same day as that of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a state lawmaker is pushing to scrap the Lee celebration altogether. Rep. Kabir Karriem, D-Columbus, sponsored a bill this session to remove the celebration of Lee, the Confederate Army's general during the Civil War, from the list of official state holidays. Mississippi and Alabama are the only two states to pair Robert E. Lee and Martin Luther King Jr. holidays. "I think we do Dr. King a disservice by celebrating Robert E. Lee on the same day," Karriem told Mississippi Today. "It's 2019. It's time for us to look at that legislation and do away with Robert E. Lee Day altogether. Let's give Dr. King his due as far as being the historical figure he is." |
| Mississippi Least Educated Despite Gov. Phil Bryant's 'Better Than Ever' Claim | |
| Mississippi claims the top spot as the least educated state in the country in a new study out just two weeks after Gov. Phil Bryant proclaimed that Mississippi's educational system "is clearly better than it has ever been before" in his final State of the State Address on Jan. 9. In assessing state rankings, personal-finance website WalletHub considered the following factors: educational attainment, school quality, and achievement gaps by race and gender. Mississippi snagged the title of least educated thanks to its poor performance in several categories. Among U.S. states, Mississippi is third lowest in the percent of its population with a high school diploma at 83.4 percent; fifth lowest in percent with some college experience or an associate's degree at 53 percent; the second lowest with a bachelor's degree at 21.3 percent; and the fourth lowest with a graduate or professional degree at just 8 percent. Just behind Mississippi, in order, are West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama. |
| Nature of memory is central to unique exhibit at MUW | |
| An exhibition by Jenna Fincher Donegan entitled "Submerge/Emerge" recently opened at the Mississippi University for Women Galleries. The work varies in media and includes installations, sculpture, drawings, prints, ceramics and handmade books. In all of these works, the artist explores the nature of memory. The show runs through Friday, Feb. 8, with a reception Thursday, Jan. 31 from 5:30-7 p.m. While Fincher Donegan grew up in southern Louisiana, her work speaks to universal aspects of memory. Some of the artwork suggests poetic moments of fleeting memories. For example, the installation entitled "Pursuit of Happiness" beckons the viewer to enter its space. Although the work consists of papers sewn together, the viewer can easily imagine sunlight passing through leaves to cast dappled shadows while simultaneously recalling past experiences. The effect is intentional as Fincher Donegan equates the construction of the installation with the stitching of "experiences and memories together." |
| USM recognized as leading research university | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi has been recognized as one of the nation's leading research institutions by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the pre-eminent classification of top doctoral research universities. USM's inclusion in the "R1: Doctoral Universities - Very high research activity" category places it in the company of institutions like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and others. Only 130 institutions in the nation are classified as R1, which represents the highest level of research activity for universities. |
| Delta State U. cracks down on crime | |
| A series of recent break-ins have prompted the Delta State University Police Department to take additional steps to deter campus crime. "Ever since I started here, about two years ago, we have known about auto burglaries in the northwest corner of campus," said DSU Police Chief Jeff Johns. "They tend to occur west of the Bologna Performing Arts Center near the Hill Apartments. There have been a number of break-ins over the years. Fortunately we had not seen much activity until earlier this year. We had a vehicle stolen and several other vehicles had items stolen from them," said Johns. He said that all of the vehicles that were targeted had been left unlocked. Police were able to recover the stolen vehicle and three individuals were arrested in connection with the crimes. "When it gets dark earlier and it stays dark longer we see an increase in burglaries. Thieves feel that they have a better chance of not being seen when it's dark. My concern in these cases is that they don't seem to be following a normal pattern. Johns and his team have taken precautions such as increasing patrols and keeping the timing of them irregular so criminals and thieves cannot anticipate police presence. |
| 'There's always a domino effect:' The impacts of the federal shutdown on Auburn research | |
| As the partial federal government shutdown continues, Auburn University could soon begin feeling more serious effects. Grant proposals won't be processed. New awards will be delayed. Funds may run out. And the University won't be able to invoice for some federal projects. Negotiations between President Donald Trump and Congress have been at an impasse for three weeks, leaving about a quarter of the federal government closed. Auburn Interim Vice President for Research Jennifer Kerpelman said the University hasn't faced major issues with grants or awards yet. "We're currently seeing little impact so far on delays with federal grant proposals, new awards or administration of ongoing grants and contracts," Kerpelman said, adding a warning. "However, if the shutdown continues much longer, we will likely see more problems." |
| Coming in 2021? Auburn University begins testing electric buses | |
 | The future is beginning to arrive on Auburn University's bus routes. Last week, Tiger Transit began testing an electric bus on campus bus routes to potentially bring them to Auburn as part of its next contract. "We are testing these out now because our current contract with First Transit ends in August 2021," said Don Andrae, director of parking services at Auburn University. "We have to see if they will work on our campus and on our routes." To prepare for the end of the contract, the university is beginning to test buses and plan for its upcoming product order, which must be complete 14 months in advance to August 2021. "It takes a while to manufacture buses, so we're trying to get ahead," Andrae said. "We are trying to make a certain part of the fleet have to be electric buses." Bringing electric buses to Auburn's campus will come with a hefty price tag but could be a better investment in the long run, according to Harris. |
| LSU's Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity closes, citing hazing allegations | |
 | The Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity has closed its doors at Louisiana State University this week in response to the findings of an investigation related to hazing, according to a statement released by LSU Friday. The Delta Kappa Epsilon International Fraternity conducted an investigation into the LSU chapter in response to allegations of violations of its hazing and alcohol policies, according to a statement from Doug Lanpher, executive director of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. The decision was issued Jan. 15, meaning all chapter activities and operations have ceased, and the chapter has disbanded, since then. LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard confirmed Friday the university has been notified by the national organization that the chapter has been closed. LSU will now conduct a full investigation, and the chapter has been placed on interim suspension by LSU, in addition to the action taken by the national organization, Ballard added. LSU has enacted stricter Greek Life rules to root out student misconduct after the hazing death of freshman Phi Delta Theta pledge Maxwell Gruver. |
| Mick Mulvaney 'no longer interested' in U. of South Carolina presidency, his office says | |
 | Mick Mulvaney's office confirmed reports that he sought to be the president of the University of South Carolina, but said he no longer wants the job. Mulvaney, President Donald Trump's acting chief of staff and former S.C. Congressman, met with a USC board of trustee member late last year where they discussed Mulvaney's possible presidency, an Office of Management and Budget spokesperson said in a statement "In early December, Mick had coffee with a longtime friend, neighbor, and member of the University of South Carolina Board of Trustees, when he was home. They had a brief conversation about the recent retirement announcement of the president of the University of South Carolina and the potential suitability of Mick filling that position," the statement said. "The conversation occurred before he was named acting chief of staff and it should go without saying that he is no longer interested in seeking employment at the university or anywhere else." |
| Emerging companies find home at new U. of Memphis research park | |
| A new University of Memphis research park will house a company healing wounds with honey, a hotel blockchain business, an education software developer and others hoping to make waves in what was once a city library branch. University and company officials held a grand opening for CommuniTech Research Park on Thursday, emphasizing the park's purpose to drive development in the University District through research and access to university resources. The 10,000-square-foot facility is part of the university's Division of Research and Innovation. "The theme for us as we launch this is, this neighborhood is coming back, this library is coming back, and this is going to be the anchor for the character of this neighborhood in the University District," said Dr. Jasbir Dhaliwal, executive vice president of the division. "There is going to be a lot of young people, a lot of new and emerging technologies and a lot of cool stuff happening." |
| Study: Student resistance to curriculum innovation decreases over time | |
 | Faculty buy-in is a common challenge to curricular innovation. But what about students? What hurdles, if any, do they represent when it comes to adopting a more student-centered pedagogy? After all, taking notes during a lecture is arguably less demanding than engaging in more active learning. That question is at the heart of a new study published in PLOS ONE, called "Knowing Is Half the Battle: Assessments of Both Student Perception and Performance Are Necessary to Successfully Evaluate Curricular Transformation." Hypothesizing that student buy-in would increase as the share of students who completed a revised course grew within a given student population -- due to a new sense of "community," and not just teacher efficacy -- the authors of the study measured learning gains and attitudes during a course transformation at a small liberal arts college. |
| Slain U. of Utah student asked campus police for help multiple times with no results | |
| Jill McCluskey was on the phone with her daughter when she heard the screams. On the phone call on an October night, Jill heard her 21-year-old daughter, Lauren, a University of Utah student, yell out, "No, no, no!" Lauren McCluskey was a track athlete who planned to graduate in 2019 and get a job in public relations or academic advising. Lauren was found dead in the back of a car in a campus parking lot. She was shot by Melvin Shawn Rowland, a man she had dated for about a month, a relationship she ended and reported on multiple occasions to campus police, who missed signs that Rowland (who fatally shot himself after killing her) was abusive and controlling, according to a university-commissioned report on McCluskey's case. The tragedy of a young woman murdered by a man whom she told law enforcement she feared was enough to inspire national drama, but experts in dating violence say Lauren McCluskey's death serves as an important lesson for institutions -- that they should invest financially in both their police forces and counselors, as well as coaching on how to prevent such incidents. |
| Students showing academic prowess must be challenged | |
| Angela Farmer, an assistant professor of educational leadership at Mississippi State University, writes: Students' accomplishments are a comprehensive composite of the intellectual processing ability they inherited, the nurturing they received to maximize these native skills, the quality of instruction they witnessed, and the level of effort they were willing to contribute to reach the goal. To discount any facet of this critical composition is to diminish a student's potential outcome. Of these contributing aspects, the one most people rely upon is one's natural ability. Whether it's a proclivity for mathematical prowess or an enhanced ability to convey one's message to the written word or even a gift in the arts, recognizing a student's stand-alone aptitude is rarely difficult. However, to deny a student the opportunity to nurture this ability can often lead to the gift's limitations. |
| Drew Snyder, Robert Foster open door to constructive conservatism | |
| Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: There is political language used to divide us. There is political language used to unite us. Our founding fathers utilized the language of unity. "E Pluribus Unum," the motto emblazoned on the Great Seal of the United States of America, means "out of many, one." "We the people" in the preamble to the Constitution intones unity of purpose. Indeed, the very name of our nation, the "United States of America" is about unity. Our first president and exemplary patriot, George Washington, talked of this in his extraordinary farewell address. ... Fast forward to the politics of today where Washington's warning is ignored. Internally, politicians and moneyed interests of all persuasions intentionally utilize divisive language and tactics to grab power. Externally, foreign enemies amplify this discord on the Internet and social media to further divide us. |
| Is history repeating itself on Medicaid expansion in Mississippi? | |
| Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison writes: History just may be repeating itself right now in Mississippi. In 1969 the state's politicians, led by then-Gov. John Bell Williams, reversed course and opted to become part of the federal Medicaid program. That reversal did not come easy. It necessitated a special session that incredibly ran from July 22, 1969, until Oct. 10, 1969, and the leadership of Williams, who had previously been a staunch and vocal opponent of the Medicaid program. Could 1969 repeat itself? Now the state is bucking the national trend and rejecting efforts to opt into the Medicaid expansion program to provide health care to as many as 300,000 primarily working Mississippians. It appears that the first signs of a softening of the position of many state politicians in the majority Republican Party may be occurring. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State men's basketball has 'special' opportunity against Kentucky | |
| If anybody still has reservations about Mississippi State being a ranked team, those thoughts will likely be confirmed or eradicated by the way the Bulldogs play this week. The No. 22 Bulldogs have two tough tests in a five-day span. The first comes Tuesday night at 6 p.m. CT inside Rupp Arena. Mississippi State (14-3, 2-2 SEC) has to take on the No. 9 Wildcats (14-3, 4-1 SEC) in a hostile environment. Then State comes back home to face No. 15 Auburn (13-4, 2-2 SEC) at Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday. The Bulldogs battled back from an 0-2 start in conference play with wins over Florida and Vanderbilt, but that progress could go by the wayside with consecutive losses against ranked teams this week. Or, the preseason hype surrounding Starkville could be validated with what would be Mississippi State's biggest win of the season if head coach Ben Howland's team perseveres in either game. |
| No. 22 Mississippi State men look for rare road win at No. 8 Kentucky | |
| Mississippi State men's basketball coach Ben Howland knows the challenge will be great when his No. 22 Bulldogs face No. 8 Kentucky at 6 tonight in Southeastern Conference play at Rupp Arena. However, he feels like limiting the Wildcats on the boards and keeping them off the free throw line will give his team a chance. "(Kentucky is) really talented," Howland said. "They're always going to play good defense. They'll play different ways based on their team and their personnel. They're always good defensively, and they'll always take good shots. I think a big trademark is that they try and beat you up on the glass. Every year, Kentucky is always way up at the top in rebound margin. This year, there's no exception. They really try to pound you on the glass, and they get to the line 20 times a game plus. They're battle-tested. Every time they play anybody, it's that team's big game because you're playing the iconic Kentucky program and brand." |
| Mississippi State men look for rare basketball win at Kentucky | |
 | Before last Saturday night, Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym had been a house of horrors for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs lost 47 of their previous 56 games at the home of the Commodores before MSU pulled out a relatively easy 71-55 win there over the weekend. Now, State gets the chance to reverse another losing trend at another difficult place to play -- Kentucky's Rupp Arena. No. 22 MSU (14-3, 2-2) squares off with No. 8 Kentucky (14-3, 4-1) Tuesday night at 6 p.m. in a game televised by ESPN. The Bulldogs hope to find the same road magic they found on Saturday in Nashville. "I was impressed with that," MSU head coach Ben Howland said of State winning at Vanderbilt. "We got a good, important win in a tough place to play." Howland says MSU isn't putting any extra weight on Tuesday's game though. "Any road win is significant," Howland said. |
| Mississippi State seeks another elusive SEC road victory | |
| Over the weekend, Mississippi State hit the road and won for just the 10th time in 58 games at Vanderbilt. Tonight, the 22nd-ranked Bulldogs will walk into another venue that has been a house of horrors for them historically. MSU travels to No. 8 Kentucky at 6 p.m. on ESPN. The Bulldogs are only 5-48 in games played in Lexington against the Wildcats. "We have an older group that's been on the road before, so I think they understand the challenge of winning on the road," said MSU coach Ben Howland. "They accept it and thrive on it." The Bulldogs' last win at Rupp Arena came nearly a decade ago when State claimed a 66-57 victory on Feb. 3, 2009. Although most of Kentucky's faces are new, they still possess many of the same characteristics coach John Calipari has had so much success with in the past. "They're really talented and are always going to play good defense," Howland said. |
| Mississippi State's Aric Holman gives Kentucky a home-grown challenge | |
 | If you like rags-to-riches stories, Mississippi State forward Aric Holman is a player to watch and appreciate at Rupp Arena on Tuesday night. Remember how Kentucky Coach John Calipari lauded the way Keldon Johnson came back from a scoreless game at Georgia? Holman did the same thing, only at a younger age and under more-pressured circumstances. Holman missed all seven of his shots in a 2014 Kentucky State Tournament game. He also fouled out in 11 minutes of play. Owensboro High School lost to Trinity in the first round. "Everybody thought, 'this kid is a big old guy,'" Owensboro Coach Rod Drake recalled Monday. "'I don't know if he can play or not.'" Drake said Holman worked hard to improve during the following summer. "Going into his senior year, he got his name out there," Drake said. "It was lights out from that point on." |
| Mississippi State baseball earns first Top 10 ranking at No. 9 by Baseball America | |
| The Mississippi State baseball team is ranked No. 9 in the Baseball America preseason poll, which was released Monday. MSU is one of eight Southeastern Conference teams in the top 25. The Bulldogs are coming off a 39-29 season that saw them overcome a coaching change early in the season. Interim head coach Gary Henderson guided MSU back to the College World Series and a final ranking of No. 6. The ranking is MSU's highest since it was named a consensus top-10 team prior to the 2014 campaign. It is the Bulldogs' highest preseason ranking from Baseball American since the publication placed MSU No. 8 in its 2014 poll. MSU is ranked No. 14 by D1Baseball, No. 17 by Perfect Game, and No. 27 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. In the 2018 preseason, MSU appeared in two of the six major polls, earning the No. 32 spot from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers and USA Today Coaches Poll. New MSU coach Chris Lemonis will open the season against Youngstown State at 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, at the new Dudy Noble Field. |
| James Armstrong hired as Mississippi State head coach | |
| James Armstrong has been named the sixth head coach in the history of the Mississippi State women's soccer program, director of athletics John Cohen announced on Friday. Armstrong comes to Starkville from Auburn where he spent the last six years, including two seasons as the Tigers' associate head coach. In his tenure on The Plains, Auburn made the NCAA Tournament in five straight years, advanced to the second round four times, made two trips to the Sweet 16 and finished in the Elite Eight in 2016. "James is a proven winner not only internationally but in the Southeastern Conference," Cohen said. "He has recruited at the highest of levels and understands what it takes to continue the momentum our program has established. His aggressive style of play and ability to develop student-athletes make him a perfect fit in Starkville. We are excited to welcome James, Casey and Olivia to the Mississippi State family." |
| Mississippi State's Teaira McCowan named espnW national player of the week | |
| Mississippi State's Teaira McCowan was selected as espnW's national player of the week on Monday. McCowan averaged 24 points, 17 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in the Bulldogs' wins over Auburn and South Carolina last week. The 6-foot-7 senior center also shot 18 of 25 from the field and 12 of 13 from the free throw line. McCowan leads MSU in scoring 17.3 points and ranks in the top 10 nationally with 13.9 rebounds (2nd), 67 percent shooting percentage (5th) and 47 blocked shots (8th). |
| SEC women's basketball power rankings: coaches preach parity as MSU clearly reigns | |
| Both coaches in Sunday's Ole Miss and Florida contest, Yolett McPhee-McCuin and Cam Newbauer, both echoed the same sentiments in their evaluations of SEC women's basketball. It's anybody's game, really. Well, if you don't count Mississippi State and South Carolina. Newbauer and McPhee-McCuin are both fresh faces in the SEC: Newbauer is in his second year, while McPhee-McCuin is in her first. Newbauer understands the faces of the conference are borderline untouchable. "The top is the top," Newbauer said. "There's South Carolina and Mississippi State. After that, there's some parity there with the number of teams." This is true. Who's going to argue any team is better than Mississippi State right now? The Bulldogs' only loss was on the road against a red-hot Oregon team featuring some of the best offense in the nation. MSU should be fine the rest of the way, and might have a shot at winning the conference easily. But, then again both coaches pointed out anything's possible. It's why the play is gamed, so to speak. McPhee-McCuin know this, as she was an architect of the chaos she described Sunday. |
| South Carolina flattens Missouri in rivalry renewal | |
 | There was plenty of bluster before the No. 25 Missouri women's basketball team's highly anticipated showdown Monday night against No. 19 South Carolina. The game itself was a dud for the Tigers. The Gamecocks harnessed the energy from a large, passionate crowd at Colonial Life Arena and wire-to-wire in a dominant 79-65 victory, their third win over Missouri in the last three seasons. Missouri (15-5, 4-2 SEC) handled the ball with reckless abandon in Monday's first half, turning it over nine times before the break. South Carolina (13-5, 5-1 SEC) turned those nine errors into 17 points. "The thing I'm most disappointed in was the poise offensively with the turnovers we had," coach Robin Pingeton said on KTGR radio after the game. Sophie Cunningham was often booed when she touched the ball and finished with 23 points, though 14 of those came in the final seven minutes with the Tigers trailing by at least 14. The bad blood between the two programs stemming from last year's physical two-game series and a lawsuit filed by South Carolina coach Dawn Staley against athletic director Jim Sterk served as prelude to Monday's contest. There was also the fact that the Tigers and Gamecocks both entered with 4-1 league records, making them tied for second in the Southeastern Conference behind Mississippi State. |
| UT, Texas A&M presidents in favor of resuming football rivalry | |
| The desire to reignite Texas' most iconic football rivalry goes all the way to the top. University of Texas president Gregory L. Fenves and Texas A&M president Michael K. Young both agreed they would like to see their schools meet again on the football field. "It's a storied rivalry of a hundred years or so," Fenves told the Austin American-Statesman. "We're supportive" of renewing it. "Absolutely. We have been from Day One," Young agreed. With both schools' presidents on board, it is in the hands of UT athletic director Chris Del Conte and his counterpart at A&M, Scott Woodward, to put together the plan that will bring the schools back together on the gridiron. "We've told our ADs (athletic directors) to figure out a plan and bring it to us," Fenves said. |
| Ray Tanner 'optimistic' about getting giant gamecock statue in place | |
| South Carolina wasn't able to get its massive gamecock statue erected in time for the 2018 football season, but athletics director Ray Tanner is optimistic it will be in place for the next one. The 15- to 18-foot-tall statue was set to be ready for 2018, but engineering challenges delayed the installation in a plaza at Williams-Brice Stadium. Asked about it Tuesday, Tanner said there had been measured progress. "There's been some dialogue," Tanner said. "We've exchanged some conversations. We're optimistic that before we kick it again, we'll have the statue in place. That's certainly my aspiration. I ask about it quite often." The $995,000 bronze statue was originally supposed to debut before the 2017 season, but that date has been pushed back twice. It was approved by USC's board in 2016. |
| Kentucky wins its 24th national cheerleading championship | |
| The University of Kentucky cheer squad won its fourth consecutive national championship and 24th overall at the 2019 Universal Cheerleaders Association College Nationals in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday. The three-day event, which also included national dance team competitions and events pitting the best mascots, stunt teams and smaller division schools against each other, culminated in the crowning of the Cats in the UCA's Division IA co-ed ranks. Morehead State's co-ed squad won a record 27th title in its division. After an exhibition earlier this month, senior Josh Marsh expressed confidence UK would defend its title. "This is by far the most prepared squad that I've ever been a part of," Marsh said. The Cats' 24 titles have come in 35 years beginning in 1985. Kentucky won a school-record eight straight from 1995 to 2002. |
| Saints' controversial elimination from playoffs means financial loss for local businesses | |
 | Black & Gold Sports Shop owner Pam Randazza had about a thousand preprinted NFC Champion New Orleans Saints hats and shirts just waiting to be snapped up by jubilant fans. Bob Bourg had finished off a month of hard work putting together Super Bowl packages for his travel agency, Destination Management Inc., which had 100 people signed up already. And both were watching the game on Sunday afternoon when Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman pasted wideout Tommylee Lewis with the flagrant but unpenalized hit that cost the Saints a likely trip to the Super Bowl. That missed call, which the NFL acknowledged within minutes after the final whistle, not only devastated Saints players and fans but cost a number of local companies business they'd been counting on. "Super Bowl parties are a huge deal, and it would be a lot bigger deal for us if the Saints were in it," said Donnie Rouse, chief executive officer for Rouses Supermarkets. |
| Veteran SEC official: 'Most devastating call or no-call I've seen' | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Ridgeland resident Don Shanks officiated football in the Southeastern Conference for 28 years, often making crucial calls that determined who went to bowl games and who won them. Shanks was back judge and then a side judge, meaning he faced many calls similar to the one that was so clearly missed in the Los Angeles Rams' tainted 26-23 victory over the New Orleans Saints Sunday in New Orleans. Surely, you saw it. The game was tied at 20, and the Saints were driving toward what might have been a winning score with under two minutes remaining. Drew Brees threw a pass down the sideline to Tommylee Lewis. Before the ball got there, Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman clobbered Lewis, just nailed him. ... "Interference at the very least," Shanks said. "Blatant interference. It was probably the most devastating call or no-call I've seen, given the situation. They just missed it." |
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