| Tuesday, September 8, 2026 |
| Mississippi State Online celebrates 40 years of expanding access to education | |
 | For 40 years, Mississippi State has helped students earn an education without having to put their careers, families or other responsibilities on hold. What began in 1986 as distance education has evolved alongside technology and the changing needs of students. Now, MS State Online serves approximately 3,200 students through more than 180 programs, connecting learners across Mississippi, the nation and beyond with MSU educational opportunities and degrees. "Forty years of online education at Mississippi State represents far more than the evolution of technology," said Tracy Craven, associate director for the MSU Center for Distance Education. "It represents 40 years of opening doors for people who may not have been able to leave their jobs, relocate their families or step away from their responsibilities to pursue an education." Since its inception, affordability and excellence have gone hand-in-hand for MS State Online. Students receive the in-state tuition rate regardless of where they live and have access to academic advising, tutoring, technical support, library resources and career services. |
| Highway marker keeps Lake Little's memory alive | |
 | Before Elizabeth "Lake" Little was born, her mother, Pattie Little, saw a sign on the side of the highway for Lake, Mississippi. She liked the name enough to give it to her daughter. Now, Lake has a sign of her own. State, city and county officials gathered alongside the Little family and friends Friday to dedicate a portion of Highway 82 in Oktibbeha County as the Elizabeth "Lake" Little Memorial Highway in honor of Lake, who passed away in July 2019. Lake, a member of the Civil Air Patrol who had enlisted in the Mississippi Air National Guard, died at age 18 when the single-engine plane she was flying solo crashed in Oxford. In Starkville, Lake was active in a number of community organizations, including Starkville Academy, where she was a popular student and member of the 2019 graduating class, and First Baptist Church, where she played an active role in a variety of church programs. Lake represented Starkville in the Miss Hospitality pageant and planned to attend University of Southern Mississippi to study speech pathology. "Those accomplishments are impressive, but perhaps Lake's greatest legacy is found in the countless people whose lives she touched through her kindness, generosity, joyful spirit and servant's heart," said Sid Salter, Mississippi State University vice president for strategic communications, who emceed the dedication ceremony. |
| A beautiful day in the neighborhood: MSU, Habitat partner for 18th Maroon Edition house | |
| Starkville native Tyerria Bryant will unlock the door to her new home this spring as the recipient of Mississippi State's 18th Maroon Edition Habitat for Humanity home. Bryant, a mental health therapist at an elementary school in Macon, said when she found out she would be the Habitat recipient, she simply couldn't stop crying. Now overwhelmed with gratitude, she is ready to put in the sweat equity to build her future. "I cannot wait to create new memories and spend time in a new environment with the people that matter most," said Bryant, a 2020 Mississippi State graduate. "I am grateful for this opportunity to be in my forever home. Thank you, God, and thank you, Habitat for Humanity, for this precious moment." Starkville Habitat Board of Directors President Cassie McGee said, "We are so excited for you in this journey that you're about to have with homeownership, and we look forward to walking on this journey with you and watching your house become a home." Once complete, Bryant's home will mark the sixth Habitat build in Kelly Estates, an 11-acre former dairy farm located on 16th Section Road. Volunteers, including MSU staff and students, will continue to transform the property into a 30-home Habitat community. |
| Starkville Community Theatre takes on all of Greek mythology -- in 99 minutes or less | |
| Gods, heroes, monsters and one very determined ticking clock take the stage when Starkville Community Theatre opens its 2026-27 season with "The Iliad, The Odyssey, and All of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less." Opening Thursday at the Playhouse on Main, this fast-paced comedy, written by Homer, Jay Hopkins and John Hunter, races through centuries of Greek mythology in just 99 minutes, or less. The production continues through Sept. 18. With only 99 minutes to tell the story, the cast races from the dawn of humanity to the fall of Troy and Odysseus' adventure-filled voyage home. Greek mythology gets a thoroughly modern makeover as gods become celebrities, legendary romances play out on reality television, and centuries of tragedy are recapped like the biggest plays of the season. "It's fast, funny and wonderfully chaotic," director Jessica Jolly said. "You do not need to know anything about Greek mythology to enjoy it. In fact, the show makes these enormous, complicated stories surprisingly easy to follow and then finds every possible opportunity to make them ridiculous." The cast includes DeeDee Baldwin, Jake King, Reagan Lagg, Tyler Marsh, Katie Sales, Virgil Simpson, Melanie Tubbs and Shane Tubbs. |
| NYT best-selling author Kathryn Stockett coming to Columbus Sept. 17 | |
| New York Times best-selling author Kathryn Stockett will be making a Columbus stop Sept. 17 for her 2026 book tour for "The Calamity Club," her most recent novel. "Kathryn and her publisher really wanted to make sure that she visited all the bookstores in Mississippi," said Emily Liner, owner of Friendly City Books. "Once it was announced '(The Calamity Club)' was coming out, we had the opportunity to meet Kathryn at several bookstore conference events, and she told us that she really wanted to come to Columbus, and her publisher made it happen." The event is free and open to the public and will be hosted by Friendly City Books at the Tavern, 418 Second Ave. N., at 5 p.m. in downtown Columbus. Guests will have the chance to meet Stockett and have their copies of "The Help" and "The Calamity Club" signed. Liner said both novels will be available for sale at the event if readers don't have their own copies. Stockett published "The Calamity Club" 17 years after her debut novel, "The Help," which has sold over 15 million copies worldwide and was made into an Academy Award-winning film in 2011. "The Calamity Club" is once again set in Mississippi, this time in Oxford during the Great Depression in 1933. |
| How a Pulp Mill Closure Could Cost Rural Alabama $7 Billion | |
 | The economic loss in the region around a pulp mill that closed in Alabama this spring could reach nearly $7 billion, according to a new study circulating around Southern statehouses and Washington, D.C. The Coosa Pines, Ala., mill, which made absorbent material for diapers and sanitary products, was relatively small compared with the containerboard mills that have shuttered throughout the pine belt and left timber growers without buyers for much of their wood. Forester Tom Richardson and Larry Wall, a financial adviser to timberland owners, crunched the numbers to show Alabama's congressional delegation, business leaders and federal officials how economic losses extend beyond the more than 250 mill workers who lost jobs. "It's a tidal wave that goes in all directions," Richardson said. The bulk of the monetary loss is the mills' direct economic impact over 10 years, but they also tallied losses in a region encompassing about a million acres southeast of Birmingham from which the mill had sourced wood. They included the collapse in pulpwood prices from about $7 a ton to zero in an 85-mile radius, which eliminates income and logging jobs and wrecks the net present value of timberland investments. They also considered the subsequent overcrowding of stands that would prevent trees from growing big enough to make lumber and utility poles and make swaths of timber susceptible to wood-boring beetles and total loss. |
| Hopson won't seek re-election to state Senate or run for Attorney General | |
 | State Senator Briggs Hopson said Monday that he would not be running for statewide office in the 2027 election cycle. He will also not seek re-election to the Mississippi Senate District 23 seat that he has held for five terms. The Republican Senate Appropriations Committee chairman had been rumored to be on a short list of potential candidates considering a run for Attorney General next year. The Attorney General seat is now an open seat following Lynn Fitch's announced gubernatorial bid. "Over the last few weeks, I've had many encouraging conversations with friends and colleagues across Mississippi about a potential statewide run for office next year," Hopson wrote on social media. "However, after serious consideration, Ali and I have decided that this is not the right time for us to undertake such a tremendous commitment." Had Hopson entered the Attorney General's race, he would have been pitted against fellow Republican Sean Tindell, the current Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety. Hopson was viewed as one of the few who could give Tindell a serious challenge, due to the state senator's network and his sizable campaign war chest of nearly $1 million. |
| Screwworm Cases Are Going Down. Experts Are Suspicious. | |
| America's fight against the New World screwworm was expected to be a multiyear effort, yet the number of new cases has dropped to a surprisingly low level. Only four cases of screwworm were detected in the U.S. in August and none of them in cattle, according to a dashboard maintained by the Agriculture Department. In June, there had been 30 cases detected, and an expectation that the fight against the screwworm had a long way to go. That August number baffles experts, given how far the screwworm had advanced into Texas and the high number of cases in Mexico and Central America. "It's very strange," a former longtime USDA official who worked for the department's plant and animal health department told NOTUS. "It doesn't make a lot of sense, biologically." On top of that, the USDA reports it hasn’t detected screwworm through trapping flies or seeing the pest in any wildlife or feral animals, the primary ways officials might expect to keep tabs on the population and their movement. “Zero cases in wildlife is unexplainable to me,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told NOTUS. Miller said that he and horticulturists on his team have caught what they believed to be screwworm in traps, only to have the tests come back negative when sent to the USDA. The USDA says its playbook for fighting screwworm is working, which is why cases are so low. |
| GOP to open first-ever midterm convention in Dallas as Texas' U.S. Senate race hangs in the balance | |
| Republicans are gathering in Dallas this week for an unprecedented midterm convention, where President Donald Trump and his GOP allies will look to sell their agenda, rake in campaign cash and galvanize voters amid a difficult political climate. The convention, a two-day affair at the American Airlines Center on the edge of downtown, will put Texas at the center of the political world as the state hits the homestretch of its most competitive election cycle in years. Texas, a longtime GOP stronghold rich with conservative donors, is a natural landing spot for the party's first ever midterm convention. But national Republicans will also arrive at a watershed moment for the party in Texas, as Democrat James Talarico threatens to end the GOP's three decades of statewide electoral dominance in a Senate race that most analysts see as a tossup. While Trump has thrice carried Texas and counts many of its top politicians as allies, his approval rating in the state has sagged since his 2024 election, where he posted his best margin in Texas of his three races. Just 43% of Texas voters approved of his job performance in last month's Texas Politics Project poll, putting him 8 points underwater in the state hosting his midterm bash. |
| After Charlie Kirk's death, Turning Point forges ahead, with eyes on JD Vance | |
 | Nearly a year has passed since Charlie Kirk was shot dead debating politics on a Utah college campus, an assassination that shook the conservative movement and beyond. Now at the headquarters of Turning Point USA, which Kirk grew from a small youth organization into a movement with global reach and the ear of the White House, his team is increasingly focused on an electoral mission. To some extent, they're gearing up for the midterm contest just eight weeks away, in which Republicans are bracing for losses. One reason those losses seem likely is erosion among the young voters Kirk played a major role in rallying in 2024. But Turning Point's main focus is now 2028, when the group intends to play a key part in getting Kirk's close friend, Vice President JD Vance, elected president. "There is no doubt that we lost ground with the youth vote. Charlie saw it coming. Charlie was frustrated," said Andrew Kolvet, Kirk's friend, spokesman and right-hand man, referring to the administration's handling of documents related to the deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, among other issues. "And he knew that Iran -- that it was going to be a tough pill to swallow for Gen Z," he said. The gains Republicans saw with young voters two years ago have largely melted away --- a decline that always was likely during the midterm cycle but that may be more pronounced without young conservatives' most charismatic leader urging them to keep the faith. |
| Supersized arguments at the Supreme Court are testing the patience of justices | |
 | Like many things in the United States, arguments at the Supreme Court have been getting bigger in recent years. Sessions that once lasted an hour are now stretching far beyond -- and that's testing the patience of some of the justices. Chief Justice John Roberts says he's considering some changes for the new term that begins in October. But there may be no easy fix. The Supreme Court used to be a stickler when it came to oral arguments. Most cases took 60 minutes, start to finish. The late Chief Justice William Rehnquist operated as the enforcer. He slammed the brakes on everyone from the prominent Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe to independent counsel lawyer Brett Kavanaugh, now a justice himself. Lawyers still tell stories about Rehnquist cutting off arguments once time had expired and the light in front of an advocate turned red. How times have changed. "The arguments are definitely longer than they used to be," said Adam Feldman, who analyzes the Supreme Court in a Substack devoted to the justices and data. "I mean, they're called for 60 minutes but they've been going 90 minutes or longer for many of them." Oral arguments are important, especially for the court, which has been sinking in public opinion polls. |
| Mississippi opens MPACT enrollment for 2026-27 season | |
 | State Treasurer David McRae (R-Miss.) announced the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (MPACT) program reopened for the 2026-27 season. During this open enrollment period, families will be able to lock in tuition rates and begin prepaying their child's college tuition. "MPACT gives families a chance to get ahead by locking in today's tuition rates and building a more affordable path to college. I encourage Mississippi parents and grandparents to take a look at MPACT this enrollment season to see if it's right for their family," said McRae. The Mississippi Treasury also announced that MPACT plan costs will remain unchanged for the 2026-27 enrollment season. Mississippians can lock in 2026-27 pricing through May 31, 2027. |
| Blue Velvet brings new shade of blues to Thacker Mountain | |
| Oxford's all-female blues collective Blue Velvet will take the stage Thursday as they join the lineup for the fall season premiere of the Thacker Mountain Radio Hour. The group, led by Mississippi blues singer Effie Burt, will appear Sept. 10 at the Powerhouse Arts Center alongside Mahalia Jackson biographers Timothy B. Tyson and Mary D. Williams and North Carolina songwriter Laurelyn Dossett. The free show begins at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. For Blue Velvet, the appearance offers an opportunity to introduce a growing local audience to a group that Burt describes as both collaborative and distinctly its own. The project began taking shape a couple of years ago after Burt received a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission. Her initial goal was to help "keep blues alive," but the effort gradually developed into something more communal as she encountered other women musicians who shared her enthusiasm. Burt sees the group as a natural extension of the city's appreciation for blues, while also opening the door for new voices. |
| Ole Miss researchers explore how developing hearts recover from early errors | |
| A University of Mississippi biologist is studying how developing hearts bounce back from early setbacks, work that could improve scientists' understanding of congenital heart defects. The heart is the first functioning organ to develop in the body, and congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defects. But not all genetic mutations or environmental exposures in early heart cells lead to a birth defect; often, the heart recovers. Joshua Bloomekatz's research focuses on how some early-stage embryos compensate for these developmental mistakes to better understand why others do not. "This is a fundamental biology question, but in the long term, it could give us an idea of how (heart defects) happen," said Bloomekatz, associate professor of biology. "If we can figure out the recovery processes, we may be able to figure out a way to stimulate them so that we can overcome birth defects later on. But that has to start with understanding what those processes are." |
| Education: Mississippi Governor's School applications open for 2027 summer program | |
| Mississippi high school students with a passion for learning, leadership, creativity and discovery can now apply for the 2027 Mississippi Governor's School, a tuition-free residential honors program that will bring talented students from across the state to Mississippi University for Women's campus next summer. Applications for the 2027 MGS are now open and will be accepted through Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m. The two-week program will take place June 6-19, 2027, on The W's campus. MGS is open to Mississippi residents who are currently completing 10th or 11th grade and have not previously attended MGS. Eligible students must demonstrate academic qualification and advanced ability in one area, including academic aptitude, creative thinking, leadership or fine and performing arts. "MGS represents an investment in Mississippi's future," said Penny Mansell, director of the Center for Education Support at The W. "For more than four decades, this program has brought together some of our state's brightest young people and allowed them to learn from one another, explore their interests and imagine what they can contribute to Mississippi. We want students from every corner of our state to know that MGS is an opportunity for them." |
| MUW ranks in top 20 for affordability | |
 | Mississippi University for Women is being recognized nationally for helping families and taxpayers save money. The magazine Washington Monthly ranked The W as number 14 in the South's category for the 2026 list of Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars. The W ranked as number 185 nationally on the list and was the highest ranked Mississippi school in both categories. According to Washington Monthly, the magazine ranks the schools based on their contribution to the public good in four categories: access, affordability, outcomes, and promoting public service. |
| Education: EMCC's enrollment grows for ninth consecutive semester | |
| While overall fall enrollment numbers compared to the same time last year showed an increase of 2.6% in Mississippi among public two-year colleges, East Mississippi Community College's fall enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year rose by 5%. "Everyone at EMCC works daily to ensure that our students are getting the support and resources they need to succeed both in and outside the classroom," said Nikita Ashford-Ashworth, vice president of enrollment management and student success. EMCC's preliminary head count this fall is 4,352 students, up from 4,145 students during the same time last year. This follows on the heels of nine consecutive semesters of enrollment growth at EMCC for the spring and fall terms and marks the second time since 2018 that the college's fall enrollment topped 4,000 students. Enrollment was up at all EMCC campuses. Enrollment numbers for Mississippi's colleges are compiled by the Mississippi Community College Board and are based on a preliminary headcount taken each year on the 10th day of the fall semester. |
| Dr. Corey Wiggins Talks About his New Role as Tougaloo College President | |
 | As colleges across the country face enrollment declines, financial pressures and growing competition for students, Tougaloo College's new president says the historic institution will lean into its identity rather than retreat from it. Dr. Corey Wiggins, who became Tougaloo's 15th president on July 1, says the college is focused on strengthening its operations, expanding economic partnerships and building on its legacy as a leader in education and social justice. A Hazelhurst native, Wiggins brings a background in public health, public policy and economic development to the role. Before joining Tougaloo, he served as executive director of the Mississippi State Conference NAACP, held leadership positions at HOPE Enterprise Corp. and was appointed by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as federal co-chair of the Delta Regional Authority. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Alcorn State University and master's and doctoral degrees in public health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In a recent conversation with Mississippi Matters, Wiggins discussed his unconventional career path, the challenges facing higher education and his vision for Tougaloo's future. |
| Americans' satisfaction with schools is at a low point, new Gallup poll shows | |
 | Americans' satisfaction with the quality of K-12 education in the country has hit a low point, driven by a growing political divide and concerns that schools are not preparing children for college and future jobs. Just 32% of American adults say they are "completely" or "somewhat" satisfied with the U.S. school system, according to an August poll published Tuesday by Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation and shared exclusively with The Associated Press. That's an 11-point drop over the past two years and the lowest since Gallup began polling on the subject 27 years ago. At the same time, dissatisfaction has increased to a high of 67%. Democrats are driving the recent slide, with their satisfaction dropping about 19 points since President Donald Trump's second term began in 2025. Independents' satisfaction appears to be down as well, about 10 points from 2024, while Republicans' satisfaction has also fallen slightly, about 6 points. But politics alone does not explain the dissatisfaction. Gallup polling shows public confidence in schools generally has declined since the COVID-19 pandemic closed classrooms, exacerbating academic declines, mental health issues and other problems. |
| U.S. Reading Scores Plummet on Global Exam | |
 | The reading scores of American 15-year-olds have fallen sharply since 2022 and are near their lowest point in 25 years, according to the results of a key global exam released on Tuesday. U.S. math scores are also among the lowest since the test began in 2000, even as students have held their ground in science. By every measure, American students are being outperformed by students in Singapore and parts of China who had top scores on the Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA, taken by 15-year-olds around the world. It is the latest warning sign for an American education system that has seen test scores fall over the last decade, starting before the pandemic. "Our kids are going in the wrong direction on the skills that are absolutely essential for their -- and our -- success. Period. The end," said Margaret Spellings, a former education secretary under President George W. Bush. She called for "urgent action at all levels." But the results also show that the challenges facing the United States -- including the allure of smartphones, social media and A.I., and the continued fallout from the pandemic -- are not just American problems. Reading scores are falling in many industrialized countries, down from their peak in 2012. Math scores are down globally since 2018. |
| U. of West Alabama named nation's Best College for Rural America | |
 | The University of West Alabama has been named the nation's No. 1 college for rural America in a new national ranking by Washington Monthly. The ranking recognized UWA for its ability to create opportunity for students while preparing graduates to meet workforce needs in rural communities. The inaugural Best Colleges for Rural America ranking evaluated 225 four-year colleges and universities nationwide. Institutions were measured on student access and affordability, graduate earnings, student debt, service to in-state students, retention of graduates within their states, and production of degrees in fields where rural communities face workforce shortages. UWA ranked No. 1 overall. The university also led the nation in two measures: earnings performance and the percentage of graduates earning degrees in fields in high demand in rural areas. Washington Monthly highlighted UWA's role in preparing educators, noting the university's roots in teacher education and its continued production of education graduates in a region facing teacher shortages. |
| Auburn University expands on-campus housing, opens Concourse Hall | |
| Starting Fall 2026, Auburn University officially opened Concourse Hall, its newest co-ed residence hall for freshmen. Located across from the Haley Center in the heart of campus, the new residence hall allows students easy access to academic buildings, dining facilities and many other community centers throughout campus. Concourse Hall provides 371 new beds for freshmen students, along with many other features designed to make incoming students feel right at home. Throughout the first floor of the building, there are multiple common areas that students have access to 24/7 and can use however they want. These spaces combine comfort and convenience with features like multiple cable TVs that support HDMI devices, allowing students to use their own FireSticks or gaming systems. The large seating areas can also be arranged to fit students' needs and can be used as a tornado shelter in the event of an emergency. The Hall provides an extra layer of security by requiring students to have proper access for entry. Throughout the hallways, each floor has its own accent color such as navy blue, green, orange or lime that the walls and furniture coordinate with. Future plans have been made for dining services to move into a new area of the building, so students will have access to it without needing to leave the complex. |
| Flock cameras are now surrounding LSU's campus. Here's what students think | |
| Flocks of birds fly over Baton Rouge, but a different kind of Flock lies on the streets below. LSU students are beginning to question how much privacy they really have as Flock cameras become more common throughout Baton Rouge and around LSU's campus. Flock cameras are automated license plate readers that capture vehicle information, such as time, location and vehicle characteristics. Law enforcement agencies use these cameras to aid in investigation processes. According to the DeFlock mapping platform, there are multiple Flock cameras surrounding LSU's campus. WAFB reported in August that Jefferson Parish fired a deputy after he admitted to using the department's Flock camera system to track his ex-fiancée's vehicle. Over several years, ex-deputy Nathan Rome used the system to follow the vehicle's movements more than 3,200 times. LSU students have voiced concerns about whether Flock cameras protect or violate residents' privacy after the recent case in Jefferson Parish. Reese Wootten, a sophomore history major, said she is uncomfortable with Flock cameras being used in the Baton Rouge area after learning about the nearby misuse of the technology. "I think there's been multiple cases of police officers who have abused their power," Wootten said. "I think it's just invasive and violates our Fourth Amendment." |
| How many South Carolina college grads stay in state for work? | |
| Over the past decade and a half, more than 60% of South Carolina college graduates went to work in the Palmetto State in the year after receiving their diploma. But by year three, that drops 10 percentage points, and by year five less than half of those same graduates are still working in the state, according to a new study by the state's employment agency. On a national basis, South Carolina lands in the middle third of states when it comes to retaining its graduates. Economists from the state Department of Employment and Workforce tracked technical and four-year college graduates from the class of 2010 through the class of 2023, who are now three years out of school -- to see how many stayed in South Carolina to work and how many left to pursue a job or further their education elsewhere. The study, which relied on unemployment insurance wage records, did not count federal government workers, the self-employed or military members. Researchers also adjusted for students who went on to further their education in South Carolina rather than joining the workforce after graduation. Lawyers, architects and health care students are the most likely to have careers in South Carolina that most closely match their degrees, the researchers found. |
| 'Education transforms families:' Meet new U. of Tennessee Board of Trustees member Misty Mayes | |
| The University of Tennessee welcomed Misty Mayes, engineer and CEO of Management Solutions, to the UT Board of Trustees in late June. Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton appointed Mayes for a six-year term to the board starting in July. As a 1988 graduate of UT's Tickle College of Engineering, the Knoxville native achieved her bachelor's degree in an era when few women pursued STEM degrees. "I was one of the first females that ever majored in engineering (at UT)," Mayes said. "It ended up being one of the most positive decisions I ever made." Now, nearly 40 years later, female students make up 25% of undergraduates in the college of engineering, with enrollment increasing 212% since 2008. Mayes said the university is truly one of a kind, giving students the tools for success and hosting major scientific hubs. "Where else do you have a national laboratory on one side and a national park on the other?" she said. The UT alum described her experience as a student as "transformative," providing a foundation for her career. "The university opened doors that I would have never dreamed of," Mayes said. |
| #flUGA campaign aims for 10,000 flu vaccinations this fall | |
| The University of Georgia's annual #flUGA flu vaccination campaign will return Tuesday with more vaccination opportunities across campus and a goal of administering 10,000 flu vaccines. The campaign will begin alongside #BeWellUGA Week. As of Aug. 28, 18 vaccination events have been scheduled with more expected, according to Steve Rose, assistant director of communications and external relations for the University Health Center and UGA Well-being Resources. "We want to get as many students, faculty and staff vaccinated as possible, so we are removing as many barriers as we can," Rose said in an email to The Red & Black. According to Rose, the two biggest barriers students face when getting their flu shot are time and cost. To address those concerns, #flUGA will bring vaccines to different areas of campus throughout September and October. Students will be able to receive their flu shot with no out-of-pocket cost, partly due to financial support from the UGA President's Office. |
| How Texas Became an Enrollment Battleground | |
 | Driving on the highway through Dallas is like encountering a running advertisement for higher education. Heading southbound on the bottlenecked I-35E, at least eight campuses, university medical centers, and academic colleges pass by in as many miles. Static or digital billboards half the length of a basketball court pepper the roadway. They might tout a Forbes "Top Colleges" accolade, or a Division I football team, or a high-demand credential. The reason is clear: The area is teeming with students to recruit. And they're not just in this region, but across Texas. The Lone Star State welcomes more than 1,000 new residents daily and is one of just 12 states that expects to have more high-school graduates by 2041 than it did in 2023, according to the most recent "Knocking at the College Door" report from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, or WICHE. With declines in high-school graduates looming over much of the sector, Texas "seems like blue-sky country" for colleges seeking more students, says Kim Reid, a principal analyst at Eduventures, a higher-ed market-research firm. That perception has made Texas a prime recruiting target for both out-of-state and in-state colleges, exemplifying the fierce competition for students and talent brought on by demographic changes. Putting boots on the ground has been a key part of colleges' strategy. |
| U. of Missouri System Board of Curators highlight milestones for upcoming projects | |
 | Updates on capital improvement projects, advising for future real estate developments and the University of Missouri System's milestone funding for critical minerals were among topics discussed Thursday during the UM Board of Curators meeting. Last fall, Mizzou announced its intent to utilize university property to invite real estate development. A Request for Information (RFI) was submitted in October, and after consideration, Reith Jones Advisors (RJA) has been chosen to provide special advisory services. The complexity, visibility and long-term implications of these activities requires Mizzou to hire a real estate advisory service, according to the proposal. "RJA is uniquely qualified to provide these services because of its specialized focus, demonstrated experience, institutional independence and direct familiarity with MU's development initiative. RJA is exclusively focused on higher education real estate, infrastructure and strategic partnership advisory services," the release stated. RJA will assist in Mizzou's evaluation of developer RFI submissions. The services from RJA will not exceed a fee of $900,000. |
| A New Direct Admissions Model in Michigan, Alabama | |
 | This fall, a group of private and public colleges in Michigan are joining the dozens of states where students can be admitted to college without sending in an application. But Michigan's approach differs from the traditional direct-admissions model, in part because it lacks the data infrastructure that most states rely on to send out offers of admission. The program in Michigan could be an example for other states with similar data constraints. Instead of sending eligible students an offer of admission, institutions will have to wait until students make profiles that include information like their grade point average and intended major. After that step, they will receive offers of admission from institutions whose criteria they fit. Admissions offers will begin rolling in as early as mid-September. From there, students can opt to receive further communications from the universities and will have the opportunity to attend events like admitted students' day. The Michigan College Access Network, a college-access nonprofit, worked with the enrollment-management firm EAB to develop the program known as MI College Match. EAB launched a similar program last year in Alabama, where over 12,000 students received admissions and scholarship offers totaling over $5.1 billion. The Alabama program inspired MCAN's leaders to reach out. |
| Why a President Is Worried About All the Students Wearing Headphones | |
| When C. Shane Reese arrived for his first fall semester at Brigham Young University, he was overwhelmed. Within days, he was "this close" to packing up and leaving. A first-generation college student, Reese was not raised a "BYU fanatic" like some of his peers at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titan in Utah. He did not feel a sense of belonging. "It took somebody who called me by my name and didn't call me by my student-ID number to really change that experience for me, and I actually found a tremendous sense of belonging here. But it wasn't immediate," Reese says. "And I know that there are still students who walk on this campus who feel that same way." He returned to BYU later as a statistics professor and eventually ascended to the presidency. In that post, which he's held since 2023, Reese is taking aim at the increasing prevalence of loneliness, something the previous U.S. surgeon general called an epidemic. While experts haven't pinpointed a cause, many believe social media, the Covid pandemic, gaming culture, and general growth in time spent online are contributing. At BYU, Reese called it "nearly universal in its impact." He's requiring first-year students to take a course on student success --- and teaching a section himself. He's also encouraging faculty members to prioritize student connection over research output. He's even trying to demonstrate pro-social behavior from his car. |
| Post-Pandemic, Online Ed Has 'Staying Power' | |
| The surge in online enrollment forced by the pandemic is leveling out. And the modality is now far more popular than it ever was during the 2010s, according to newly released federal data. The Education Department published fall 2024 online enrollment data last month, covering more 5,615 institutions. The data shows nearly 54 percent of college students were taking at least some distance education courses during the fall of 2024, compared to about 53 percent in 2022 and 2023. Although online enrollment in 2024 was nowhere near as high as it was during the height of the pandemic -- 73.4 percent of college students took classes online in 2020 -- it's still much higher than pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, just 36 percent of students were enrolled in some online courses. "This data reinforces the idea that online is now strategic to institutional success," Bruce Etter, senior director of research and consulting for the online and professional education association UPCEA, told Inside Higher Ed. "We were always heading in this direction. The pandemic didn't create the trend, but it accelerated it and didn't give ground back because learners decided that online education was still a high-quality experience with more flexibility." |
| Americans Without College Degrees Are Having One of the Best Job Markets in Years | |
| For most U.S. workers -- those without college degrees, that is -- it is one of the best job markets in decades. In fact, the unemployment rate for workers ages 22 to 34 who never graduated from college has rarely been lower in the past two decades, according to a new analysis by labor-market think tank Burning Glass Institute. What is just as remarkable is how different that is from the experience of job seekers who did graduate from college, says Gad Levanon, Burning Glass's chief economist. For most of the past two decades, the two groups largely tracked each other, in good economic times and bad. Now, though, just as job hunters without degrees are having one of their best runs, those with college educations are having one of their worst. And those with advanced degrees or in fields such as science and technology are having an even harder time than usual. That divergence of fortunes is a departure from what the U.S. economy has seen for years, and much of it boils down to supply and demand: There aren't enough skilled tradespeople to go around, for example, as older generations retire and immigration drops. Meanwhile, more Americans have college degrees than ever, just as artificial intelligence is doing more of the entry-level work companies typically hire young graduates for. |
| Will $17 billion Meta deal really protect Mississippi children? | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: Did most state attorneys general -- including our own Lynn Fitch -- sell out child safety for a $17 billion settlement with Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram? Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier thinks so. "The payouts are peanuts compared to the profound harm Meta's profit-driven addictive features inflicted on kids, and a slap on the wrist for a trillion-dollar corp that'll pay more to lawyers than to states," Uthmeier posted on X. "We're not going to bend over and capitulate," he told CNBC. Additionally, parents of impacted children told the New York Times the settlement wasn't enough. AGs representing 47 states including Mississippi agreed to the deal. Texas largely went along but negotiated its own $1 billion settlement, and New Mexico had already won $942 million in its case. ... Will this settlement really protect children? See tobacco settlement results. |
SPORTS
| Gophers football hosts its first SEC opponent in 65 years. Can it send Mississippi State home with a loss? | |
| For the first time since Oct. 31, 1959, a team from the Southeastern Conference will venture to Minnesota to play the Gophers. Back then, Vanderbilt lost 20-6 against a dominant Minnesota defense. This year, the opponent is Mississippi State, which will be playing the Gophers for the first time. The Bulldogs were impressive in their season opener, hammering Louisiana-Monroe 62-13 on Sept. 5 while gaining 762 total yards. Leading that effort was sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor, who completed 22 of his 34 passes for 354 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed six times for 59 yards and a score. Taylor's favorite target was wide receiver Anthony Evans III, who caught seven passes for 118 yards and a TD. The Gophers, who routed FCS opponent Eastern Illinois 59-7 on Sept. 3, should face a stiff challenge from Mississippi State, which went 5-8 overall and 1-7 in the SEC last year. The Bulldogs, under third-year coach Jeff Lebby, run an uptempo offense, and their 762 yards against Louisiana-Monroe set a program record. Minnesota's defense gave up only 110 yards to Eastern Illinois, but the Bulldogs will be several steps up in quality. |
| Lebby's lectures: Head coach critical of cleanliness ahead of tough road test | |
| Jeff Lebby can hardly go any time without giving critiques. The first question asked to him at his Monday press conference was about his review of the tape from Saturday night's 62-13 routing of ULM. He opened the response with a compliment to his squad, before pointing out things the Bulldogs need to clean up. A reporter asked Lebby about the cleanliness of the Bulldogs' performance against ULM. MSU finished the first half with no penalties, kept quarterback Kamario Taylor upright and didn't allow any blown plays on defense. Lebby got one sentence in before mentioning his frustration with MSU's second half play. "I was frustrated in the second half because of the penalties, and I'll continue to talk about that," Lebby said. "Regardless of who is on the field, the expectation is to execute." MSU ended six of its first eight drives in paydirt, but when asked about if he would classify Saturday's performance as what MSU is "supposed to look like," Lebby opened with his irritation about the two drives ending with field goals. Lebby said these critiques are just the "reality" of MSU's situation as the Bulldogs' level of competition grows. |
| MSU looking to learn from Week 1 win | |
| Mississippi State wrote a strong first chapter to 2026, but it wants to turn the page quickly. The main focus at the team's weekly press conference at the Seal Complex on Monday was about one thing: beating the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Ever since the final whistle blew on Saturday, the Bulldogs' coaching staff has been working to put the pieces in the right places. "For us as a staff, just the game plan and putting our guys in positions to go have great success on Saturday afternoon," State coach Jeff Lebby said. "A great environment where the opponent has been really, really good for a while now." Minnesota has won its last eight home games, including a 59-7 drubbing of Eastern Illinois in Week 1. In coach P.J. Fleck's 10 seasons, the Gophers have reached and won seven bowl games, including each of the last five years. Lebby and the coaching staff did feel that the offense played the way they wanted it to, as it scored on each of its first eight drives. Six of those ended in touchdowns, but the two that ended in field goals irked them. "Those moments were frustrating because of what happened on those third downs, not being able to stay on the field," Lebby said. "Outside of that, we did exactly what we needed to do and were supposed to do. |
| What's Mississippi State's plan for Minnesota DL Anthony Smith, 2025 Big Ten sack leader? | |
 | Mississippi State football didn't allow any sacks and just one tackle for loss in its season opener against Louisiana-Monroe, despite offensive line coach Phil Loadholt serving a one-game NCAA suspension. But the Bulldogs know their competition is about to get significantly more difficult than the 62-13 victory against the Warhawks of the Sun Belt Conference. Their next nine games are all against power conference teams. Those will be the true tests of how the Bulldogs' offensive line stacks up this season. And their next game, at Minnesota (1-0) on Sept. 12 (2:30 p.m., CBS), features what could be the best pass rusher MSU (1-0) plays all season in Anthony Smith. Smith, a 6-foot-6, 280-pound defensive lineman, led the Big Ten last season with 12.5 sacks and also had 17.5 tackles for loss. So, stopping him with a clean pocket for quarterback Kamario Taylor could be a key matchup for Mississippi State to get a big nonconference win. "He's the most productive guy in all of college football," coach Jeff Lebby said. |
| Football weekend that was: Ole Miss survives while State, USM and JSU romp | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Let's look back at Mississippi's first big college football weekend. ... The Bulldogs did what they were supposed to do against an inferior team, putting up other-worldly offensive numbers in the process. State gained 762 yards of total offense, just a smidgeon under a first down per play. It could have been worse if State coach Jeff Lebby had a sadistic streak. He called off the Dogs early. Kamario Taylor wasn't as sharp as these eyes have seen him before, so he threw for only 354 yards and four touchdowns without an interception and ran for 59 more and another score. He is going to win some big games for State. Taylor has more help this season with a deep pool of running backs and receivers and an offensive line that for one night, at least, was dominating. We will see just how much they have improved Saturday. That's when the Dogs venture into Big Ten country to play at Minnesota, which won seven games and a bowl last year and started the season with a 59-7 crushing of Eastern Illinois. Both Minnesota and State take a huge step up in competition. |
| Volleyball Travels To Wake Forest For Showdown At The Net | |
| Coming off a pair of victories in the Big Ten x SEC Challenge, Mississippi State volleyball will hit the road to take on Wake Forest in the ACC/SEC Showdown At The Net. First serve is set for 5:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday. The Bulldogs went 2-0 in the Big Ten x SEC Challenge, picking up a pair of victories at home against Northwestern and Iowa in four sets. Wake Forest enters the matchup 2-3 on the season, dropping their last contest to Georgetown. Jeff Hulsmeyer is in his second season at the helm of the Wake Forest program. Last season, the Deamon Deacons went 15-16 and lost to Alabama in last year's Showdown at the Net. Wake Forest has won both of the previous two meetings against the Bulldogs. The two teams last faced off on September 10, 2023, where the Bulldogs were swept. |
| SEC files amendment for authority to expel LSU from conference | |
| The SEC filed an amendment to its federal lawsuit against LSU, Lane Kiffin and school officials on Tuesday, which seeks the authority for the SEC to expel LSU from the league. The SEC is not expected to take such action, but the filing indicates the seriousness of the league as it attempts to affirm the legal right to enforce its own rules. LSU has declined comment. In the filing, the SEC said its presidents and chancellors will meet Thursday to decide whether to terminate LSU as an SEC member institution pursuant to Section 3.1.5 of the SEC Constitution and Bylaws, which gives the presidents the "plenary power and authority with respect to all affairs of the Conference of any type or nature whatsoever," including the power to "[t]ake all actions specified and contemplated in Article 3 [of the Constitution] in their sole discretion." Under SEC rules, a vote of at least two-thirds of all the presidents is required to terminate a school's membership. |
| SEC seeking legal authority to expel LSU in updated federal court filing | |
| he SEC is seeking legal authority to expel LSU, according to an updated court filing obtained by CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello. The language is part of a federal suit first filed last week as the conference seeks legal coverage to enforce rules prohibiting pro athletes from returning to college sports. "Forced association with a member whose conduct is antithetical to the SEC's mission and core values violates the Conference's fundamental First Amendment rights," reads the SEC's updated filing. "LSU has rejected those core values repeatedly and publicly. An injunction is necessary to prevent the irreparable harm that the SEC will suffer if it cannot remove a member to avoid association of the Conference's name, brand, championships, and media properties with the conduct and views that the Conference and its member institutions have condemned for decades." While booting the Tigers from the conference would still be an extraordinary step, CBS Sports' John Talty reported last week that multiple sources believed the league had the necessary votes to do so should the Tigers refused to de-escalate the situation. |
| Big 12 withdraws lawsuit against Texas Tech filed during Brendan Sorsby saga | |
| The Big 12 Conference has withdrawn its lawsuit against Texas Tech University, school officials and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, according to court documents obtained Monday by The Athletic. The case, which was related to quarterback Brendan Sorsby's gambling saga, was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be brought again. The federal lawsuit was originally filed in U.S. district court in Texas in June, shortly after Sorsby was granted eligibility by a state court ruling in Lubbock County. Sorsby had previously been ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA for excessive gambling violations. The Big 12's lawsuit also came on the heels of a letter from Paxton's office that warned against any Big 12 penalties against Texas Tech for rostering and playing Sorsby in 2026. (Under state law, the Texas attorney general represents Texas Tech in court.) The Big 12 argued that Paxton and Texas Tech were violating the league's First Amendment rights by threatening penalties if the Big 12 enforced its bylaws and sanctions against member schools. The case never progressed in court, but filing it proved to be a shrewd move by the conference. By filing in federal court on First Amendment grounds -- and using the Paxton letter to bolster its argument -- the Big 12 put a time crunch on Sorsby, who had to decide between staying at Texas Tech and continuing to fight for his eligibility in court, or applying for the NFL supplemental draft by its summer deadline in hopes of playing in the NFL in 2026. |
| College Football Kickers Were Underpaid. Then They Started Texting. | |
| College football kickers have long accepted their place as afterthoughts on their own rosters. They practice alone. They play a minuscule number of snaps. And for years, many weren't even on scholarships. But in the game's era of player pay, these football outsiders are now banding together to cash in. The community of kickers is determined not to miss on college football's new gold rush. In group chats, on social media and at the specialized camps where they hone their skills, kickers are disseminating vital information on how much they get paid. They're then using that knowledge to leverage some of the biggest raises in the sport. "A lot of guys I've known since like freshman year of high school," said Nathanial Vakos, who kicked at Wisconsin last season. "It's a lot tighter-knit of a group than pretty much any other position." For kickers, being in cahoots is yielding dramatic results. The average starting specialist -- a positional grouping comprising mostly kickers and punters -- in a Power Four conference is making $225,000 this season. Those specialists had the second-highest pay growth among all position groups this season (up 60.9%), trailing only tight ends, according to estimates by Opendorse, a marketing and technology platform that connects athletes with brands and tracks endorsement trends. |
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