| Tuesday, October 20, 2026 |
| Rendon expands role in MSU military initiatives as new assistant vice president | |
 | Andrew Rendon, Mississippi State executive director of Veterans and Military Affairs, is transitioning into a new assistant vice president role at the university, with dual reporting in the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President and Division of Student Affairs. Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw said of Rendon's increased responsibilities, "The broadened structure of Dr. Rendon's position will ensure a more coordinated strategy and operation for Mississippi State's long-term priorities in military education and services we offer and deliver. He understands the importance of our educational opportunities for military-connected students and significance of our participation in national security and workforce initiatives." Regina Hyatt, vice president for Student Affairs, said, "Dr. Rendon's expertise, including his past and current military service, will help elevate MSU's efforts in supporting military-connected students and growing the university's military- and defense-related priorities. These students, including veterans and those in active service, remain a critical focus for his work in ensuring Mississippi State continues to be their top choice." |
| MSU-Meridian receives $500,000 grant to expand rural clinical training for physician assistant students | |
 | Mississippi State University-Meridian is one of two Magnolia State institutions sharing a $500,000 U.S. Department of Education grant to expand clinical training opportunities for physician assistant students in rural Mississippi. The funding, which runs through August 2029, will help strengthen future healthcare workforces and improve patient outcomes where access to care is needed most. Collaborating with Mississippi Christian University in Clinton, the shared funding will support the development and expansion of rural preceptor partnerships, which provide supervision and training for students during required clinical rotations. Lesley Clack, dean of MSU-Meridian's School of Health Professions and principal investigator, said in addition to creating more preceptor relationships, the award will reduce financial barriers for the 40 MSU-Meridian PA students who are currently completing nine five-week rotations throughout the state. Pamela Vayda, who serves as MSU's PA program director and department head, said, "MSU-Meridian already works with preceptors throughout Mississippi and in neighboring states, but this grant will expand the program and will allow students to expand job opportunities within Mississippi's rural areas. |
| MSU landscape architecture students, faculty advisors win national honor for local elementary school project | |
 | A Mississippi State Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design team is the recipient of a prestigious national accolade for innovative work at a local elementary school. The group of approximately 60 MSU students and faculty advisors was recognized with an Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects at its recent annual conference in Los Angeles, California. The project, which began a few years ago as a design exercise in Associate Professor Peter Summerlin's Construction Materials class, transformed a central outdoor area at Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's Sudduth Elementary School into a courtyard designed for outdoor dining and classroom instruction, encouraging learning through motion, activity and play. The MSU team partnered with the Sudduth parent-teacher organization and elementary staff and students to bring to life a final design that features talking tubes, an abstract forest, a stone abacus and winding caterpillar bench. |
| Economist says recent cattle price declines don't necessarily signal a long-term downturn | |
| An ag economist says it's been a tough couple of months for the cattle complex. Josh Maples with Mississippi State University Extension tells Brownfield the five area price is currently about $230 per hundredweight. "This is down about 11% from a month ago," he says. "And it's down about 12% from the high that we saw back in mid-May when we were up over $260 per hundredweight." He says the futures market and boxed beef sector have also been under pressure and it's possible that this is a mid-year correction. "We could easily see these prices pick back up steam again as we head into the fall," he says. "We've had some pretty tough packer margins, quite frankly, for a while now. So some of this could just kind of be some correction to address some of that." "But, I don't really see this as a clear signal of, hey, the good times are over," he says. "I see this as something that's been going on for the last couple of months and not that we've embarked on this new long run downward trajectory." |
| Steel shortages affect Nissan Canton plant | |
 | A steel shortage is creating challenges for automakers across the country, including Nissan's assembly plant in Canton. Production at Nissan has come to a stop because of a shortage of steel. The company says the supply constraints have affected production schedules. Though it's not clear how long the disruption could last. Frank Adams is a professor of supply chain logistics at Mississippi State University. Adams said there may be little impact on production of cars depending on the timeline. "Most of the steel in the world is produced internationally," said Adams. "We, of course, have some domestic producers. But there's a limited supply of that. And so that, again, changes the cost equations." Adams said due to tariffs, transporting steel to America is becoming expensive. Adams said import-export management affects the daily lives of Mississippians. "We live in a world where we can be impacted in ways we can't even imagine by things happening in other places," said Adams. "And so we need to be interested in what is going on in other countries and be working with other countries in hopes of better managing the economy for all of us." |
| Entergy Mississippi set to receive $4.2 million for grid improvements | |
| Entergy Mississippi will receive $4.2 million from the federal government to help lower costs for customers. Serving as the largest power supplier in Mississippi, Entergy is set to obtain the funding from the U.S. Department of Energy through the agency's SPARK initiative. The federal funding is expected to provide customers with more reliable and affordable electricity with advanced technology and additional capacity along 375 miles of transmission lines in Mississippi. The project is expected to span four years. "We are grateful for the partnership with the Department of Energy and Katie Jereza and her team for their strong commitment to strengthening energy resilience in our region," Entergy Mississippi CEO Haley Fisackerly said. These upgrades are anticipated to help the company more effectively manage its energy infrastructure in areas experiencing growth driven by business and industrial development and expansion. |
| Vicksburg, Warren County back funding plan for $114M Interpretive Center at military park | |
| Money from Entergy Mississippi's new power plant could help repay bonds used to build a $114 million Interpretive Center at Vicksburg National Military Park. The Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Monday to move forward with a plan to borrow up to $15.5 million with Warren County to help build the center. The Warren County Board of Supervisors approved its own resolution on Monday as well. Under the plan, the county would issue the bonds, which could take up to 30 years to repay. The county would be responsible for 60 percent of the payments, with the city covering the remaining 40 percent. Mayor Willis Thompson said the project would build on one of the area's biggest tourist attractions, bringing more visitors to Vicksburg and more business to the local economy. "As we know, the National Military Park is one of the premier historical attractions in the state, bringing in hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city of Vicksburg every year," Thompson said. "When we enhance a tourist attraction like that, we help support our local economy." |
| New hotels are sprouting up all across the Mississippi Coast. Here's why | |
 | More than a dozen new hotels have opened over the last several years on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and more are under construction as the region attracts a growing number of visitors from Louisiana and across the country. The building boom includes small boutique stays, legacy hotel brands and historic redevelopments. Developers and local leaders say the investments are helping invigorate the region's economy and will position cities to attract even larger festivals and events in the future. "The demand for rooms is there," said Pat Fontaine, executive director of the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association. The proliferation of hotels is driven largely by the region's growing festival and event scene, said Pattye Meagher, director of communications for Coastal Mississippi, the local tourism agency. An annual car show called Cruisin' The Coast attracted more than 10,700 registered participants this year, breaking a previous record. Meagher said sporting events -- including a triathlon and golf tournaments held along the coast -- are also bringing in thousands of new visitors. |
| Ingalls Shipbuilding awarded $99 million for Zumwalt-class destroyer | |
 | Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been awarded a $99 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy for critical testing and upgrades to the Zumwalt-class destroyer Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002). "This award reflects the Navy's continued confidence in the Ingalls team to execute the critical system test and sea trials work essential to the Navy's phased delivery approach," said Brian Blanchette, Ingalls Shipbuilding president. "Our shipbuilders are proud to help deliver DDG 1002 and prepare her for future fleet operations." The ship arrived at Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula in January 2022 to complete installation, activation, and testing of its combat systems. The new funding will support sea trials to test those systems. While at Ingalls, the ship is also receiving modernization upgrades, including integration of the conventional prompt strike (CPS) weapon system, making it the Navy's second CPS-equipped platform. |
| Marine life dramatically declined in Gulf of Mexico in years after BP oil spill, study finds | |
 | In a deep, dark part of the Gulf of Mexico, the number of marine animals plummeted by about 60% in the years following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion, a new study found. In a crucial part of the Gulf between the light surface and the darkest depths, where the BP-operated well failed and dumped 134 million gallons of oil, the number of fish found dropped by 63.5% from the year after the spill to 2015. Crustaceans, including shrimp and krill, a key food for whales, went down 62%, and larger animals like squid and octopuses fell 59.7%, according to a study published Monday in the journal PNAS. And those populations haven't come close to recovering, the study found. Researchers focused on the ocean's "twilight zone," a vast area above the seafloor, where much of the surface marine life, including dolphins and whales, feast on creatures. Yet little is known about this gigantic ecosystem, and this region of the Gulf had not been studied before the 2010 spill, said study lead author Tracey Sutton, a biological oceanographer at Nova Southeastern University. |
| Reeves appoints Jordan as DeSoto County Court Judge | |
| A Desoto County prosecutor has been appointed by the governor to serve as the county's new County Court Judge. The appointment was announced Monday by Governor Tate Reeves. Starting on November 1, Russell B. Jordan of Hernando will begin his duties as the interim County Court Judge. A special election will be held next year to determine a permanent replacement. The appointment was made in response to a vacancy that occurred when Craig Treadaway, the former DeSoto County Court Judge, was appointed by Reeves to take over responsibilities of the 21st Circuit Court District in August. Jordan's legal experience entails various civil and criminal cases heard in state and federal courts. He earned his J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law and his B.B.A from Mississippi State University. |
| Mississippi AG says officer's force was justified during shoplifting call in which boy was killed | |
| Mississippi's attorney general says a Senatobia police officer was justified in the use of force during a June shoplifting call that ended in the fatal shooting of a 1-year-old boy. The conclusion of the state's investigation into the shooting death of Kohen Wiley follows months of mourning and calls for justice, both nationally and in the small town about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Memphis, Tennessee, where the shooting took place. The shooting occurred in mid-June as Senatobia officers responded to a shoplifting call at a local Walmart, where they saw Vellesiya Wiley, Kohen's mother, carrying her son as she and a friend left the store, got into a car and began driving away. Wiley and her friend are both Black. Police reports indicate diapers and baby clothes were allegedly stolen. According to a statement released shortly after the shooting by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the car drove toward law enforcement, prompting an officer to fire into the car, striking Kohen and his mother's friend. |
| Auditor launches Non-Profit Spending website showing Mississippi has paid non-profits over $4.2 billion since 2020 | |
| State Auditor Shad White announced Monday that his office had launched a new online Non-Profit Spending Dashboard showing where Mississippi tax dollars are being spent. The dashboard includes a searchable database by state agency or non-profit as well as a map showing where the monies are being sent, with one expenditure listed as far away as Alaska. Since July 2020, the Auditor's office says Mississippi state agencies have paid non-profit organizations over $4.2 billion in taxpayer dollars. Mississippi state agencies paid non-profits over $650 million in Fiscal Year 2026, representing an increase from the previous fiscal year. Nearly 93%, or $3.92 billion, of the expenditures listed remained in Mississippi. The Auditor's office gathered data from the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration's transparency website. It was noted that that data did not include expenditures to Mississippi public universities, community colleges, public school districts, or MPACT tuition payments. |
| Trump Announces $8 Billion Plan to Cover Farm Losses | |
 | President Trump said at a rally in Kansas Monday night that the Agriculture Department would provide $8 billion in economic aid to farmers hurt by high diesel prices. It was the second time in two years that the president authorized billions of dollars in bailout money for farmers harmed by his administration's policies, and came 15 days before a midterm election in which unhappy farmers and ranchers could be the deciding votes in close races across the country. Under the plan, known as the Harvest Fuel Relief Program, the Agriculture Department will use a formula based on how many acres and which crops farmers planted to reimburse them for a "portion" of their losses. The money will come from the Commodity Credit Corporation, a financing institution that the Agriculture Department uses to fund crop insurance and natural disaster payment programs. Farmers are traditionally a solid Republican voting bloc. But high fuel and fertilizer costs, along with tariffs and trade disruptions, are dragging down the electoral prospects of a number of Republican candidates in what were thought to be solidly Republican areas. Mr. Trump was rallying for Senator Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, outside of Wichita on Monday night. |
| Trump's new Hill liaison has the 'single best resume' for divided government | |
 | President Donald Trump's pick for top emissary to Capitol Hill is a longtime former congressional aide with wide-ranging experience in oversight and investigations --- a telling choice at a time when Washington could be heading toward divided government. As the new director of the Office of Legislative Affairs, Katie Bailey will serve as the lead liaison between the White House and Congress. Her first task will be helping navigate a fast-moving, high-stakes "lame duck" legislative session, where lawmakers will be rushing to pass outstanding bills and avoid a government shutdown in the immediate aftermath of the midterm elections. Bailey is also staring down the possibility of having to advocate for Trump's agenda on the Hill with one or both chambers under Democratic control. Bailey, who was not available for an interview, has been with the White House legislative affairs office since June 2026, but got her start in Washington more than two decades earlier as a legislative assistant to former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), then the chair of the Education and Workforce Committee. She held different jobs in the subsequent years but kept returning to Capitol Hill, with Eric Schmitz, a former aide to Speaker Mike Johnson, noting -- with admiration -- that Bailey is a "Congress addict" with deep reverence for the institution. |
| Trump's Russia moves could complicate lame-duck agenda | |
 | Lawmakers in both parties are assailing President Donald Trump for a series of decisions this month that critics say ally the U.S. government with the Kremlin amid its ongoing war on Ukraine, now in its fifth year. A handful of Ukraine's Republican allies in Congress, joining with most Democrats, are promising obstacles for the president's lame-duck legislative agenda if the perceived tilt toward Moscow continues. Even more resistance on this issue could arise next year if Democrats gain control of the House or Senate in the 120th Congress. With thin majorities in both chambers for the rest of the year, it would not take many GOP mavericks to threaten, for example, the prospects for the NDAA and the Defense spending bills, among other measures. Numerous Republican senators have also joined their Democratic colleagues in resisting the president's softening of sanctions on Russia and apparent withholding of some security help for Ukraine. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., who serves on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, told reporters Monday morning she was "extremely surprised" Trump waived the Graham sanctions. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been pushing an arrangement, which he says Zelenskyy has agreed to, under which Ukraine would stop striking Russian energy facilities in exchange for Ukraine receiving U.S. assistance in targeting Russian missile launchers. |
| Trump order sets up new women's health research initiative at NIH, White House task force | |
| President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday establishing a Women's Health Division within the National Institutes of Health. The new division is set to work with the agency's existing Office of Research on Women's Health, which was established in 1990 and "has served as the focal point for women's health research at NIH," according to the NIH website. The White House said first lady Melania Trump was involved in formulating and leading work on the order, which also creates a White House Women's Health Task Force that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles will co-chair. The order does not mention research into contraception or reproductive rights. The Food and Drug Administration is conducting an ongoing safety review into abortion medication. Kennedy and Wiles were in attendance Monday, along with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Erica Schwartz and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, among others. |
| Faith leaders unite across religions to counter voter intimidation on Election Day | |
| Come Election Day, a Quaker leader will travel from the nation's capital to her home state of Ohio. A Christian minister and a Jewish rabbi will stand vigil outside a polling place in Arizona. A Buddhist nun will offer support to voters in Wisconsin. In battleground states across the country, these faith leaders and hundreds of their colleagues will assume the role of poll chaplains for one day. They will deploy to nine states -- Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Virginia and Texas -- where contentious races are expected to raise political tensions. Faiths United in Saving Democracy, a nonpartisan coalition of interfaith and secular partners, is helping to train and certify this volunteer force of clergy members and lay peacekeepers in time for the Nov. 3 elections. They'll wear identifying hats and vests, and stay outside the poll centers, with the goal of maintaining a calm, reassuring presence to encourage more voters to exercise their rights without fear or hesitation, said co-founder Barbara Williams-Skinner. As of Oct. 19, they've recruited 1,235 poll chaplains and peacekeepers, she said. The initiative, strongly rooted in the Black church, has expanded to include diverse faiths as well as non-religious people, she said. |
| Nurses Are in High Demand -- but They're Quitting in Droves | |
 | Paige Campbell became a nurse during the pandemic, wanting to make a difference. She landed a job after college working in the emergency department at a Fort Walton Beach, Fla., hospital. Since then, she's been kicked, spat on and shoved to the ground. Last year, after an emergency patient strangled her, she left for a role remotely monitoring patients. Front-line nurses are in high demand, but she needed a break. "All I could think was, 'I can't breathe, I'm going to die here, and who's going to tell my mom and dad?'" Campbell, 33, said. The incident unfolded after an ER patient she'd offered a blanket to became aggressive. America's nurses are more educated than ever and can command six-figure salaries. Most have their bachelor's degree. Their income has boomed since the pandemic to a median $97,550 a year, and their hands-on work isn't easily automated away. Nursing schools have seen their ranks swell, minting thousands of new graduates every year. They're also leaving the bedside in droves. Burnout and complaints about understaffing, verbal abuse and workplace violence are pushing many nurses off the front lines and into other careers where their skills are in high demand. |
| Survey: 48% of Employers Say AI Will Make College Degrees More Important | |
 | Despite fears that AI will replace many entry-level white collar jobs, new data shows that many employers still want workers with a college degree. According to a survey of 2,500 employers that the Lumina Foundation and Gallup published Tuesday, 48 percent of employers believe artificial intelligence will make college degrees more important over the next five years, compared to just 26 percent who believe they will become less important. "There is a surprising disconnect between the public perception and employer behavior, and what AI might mean for the future value of a college degree," Courtney Brown, Lumina's vice president of impact and planning, told Inside Higher Ed. "Employers are hiring for the things that AI can't do. They're putting a premium on judgment, critical thinking, communication and adaptability. They value those skills you gain by getting degrees." According to the survey, 80 percent of employers said they would prefer a candidate who has a college degree, regardless of whether the job requires one. The survey's findings come during a period of diminished public confidence in higher education and recent headlines proclaiming a booming job market for job seekers without a college degree. |
| Jackson could tear down stadium for medical district near cancer center | |
 | With ground set to be broken on Mississippi's new state-of-the-art cancer center across from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, a coalition of business, civic and political leaders believes the project could become the centerpiece of a medical business district that reshapes Jackson's economy for generations. The proposal centers on roughly 110 acres surrounding UMMC and Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, land supporters said represents one of the largest and most significant economic development opportunities in Mississippi. Backers envision a district combining medical research, private-sector health care investment, housing, retail development, public green space and potentially a reimagined future for Jackson State University football. The conversation comes as construction begins on the new National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, funded through a combination of state, federal and private dollars. The Mississippi Legislature committed $100 million to the project; private donors have contributed more than $125 million, and Mississippi's congressional delegation secured roughly $30 million in federal appropriations. "This investment is a catalyst for Mississippi and Jackson to look at strategic growth opportunities and options to build a larger health care research and treatment center," Chip Pickering, a founding board member of the Great City Foundation, told the Clarion Ledger. |
| Sports industry leaders offer business insights at Ole Miss Sports ForUM | |
 | Sport industry experts shared insights and advice on sports business at the University of Mississippi Sports ForUM in the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics on Thursday, Oct. 15 and Friday, Oct. 16. Six panels across the two days featured a variety of panelists from major industry brands, including the NFL, EA Sports and the SEC, among many others. Norman Seawright III, an anchor and news reporter at WLKY in Louisville, Ky., and a university alumnus, opened the event with a talk discussing how making connections with fellow UM students can help down the road. "The people that you know, the people you take with you off this campus, are the people that matter most to you," Seawright said. "Your own peers are the ones who will unlock something in you, and you will be the ones to unlock something in them." The panel titled "Inside Sports' Biggest Brands" featured Renie Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president and chief revenue officer; Charlie Hussey, associate commissioner for network relations for the SEC; Josh Gregory, the director of business development for EA Sports; and Lindsey Landrum, the director of sports management at IMG. Hussey, an Oxford native, said growing up in Oxford and around the university helped him rise to his current position. He referenced his time working at University Sporting Goods when he was just 12 years old. |
| ICC public health students complete Southern Miss research fellowship | |
| Two Itawamba Community College students recently completed an 11-week training program through the University of Southern Mississippi designed to prepare participants to help identify and address public health needs in their communities. Khandra Ivy of Okolona and Jakera Gladney of Aberdeen, both students in ICC's Public Health Technology program in the School of Health Sciences, completed the Community Research Fellows Training program. They attended weekly evening sessions from May 26 through Aug. 4, studying evidence-based public health research methods. The program expands participation in research among racial and ethnic minority groups and other underserved populations by strengthening partnerships among university researchers, public health professionals, community organizations and community health workers across Mississippi. Participants commit to applying evidence-based, culturally appropriate approaches to address needs in their communities. |
| Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College students use AI to solve business problems | |
| Students at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College are studying ways to solve problems using artificial intelligence, specifically for businesses. The Information Systems Technology course is now in its second semester. Instructors say they are working to highlight why AI is a useful tool but should be used properly. Students at the Harrison County campus are learning ways to solve real-world problems using artificial intelligence. "It's where we can get local businesses to offer a problem that they have to get a solution with AI," Information Technology instructor Vic Gauthreaux said. The course started with seven students in spring 2026 and now has 11 students enrolled. Students are exploring the AI workflow by analyzing data, preparing data, and selecting models to achieve efficiency. "Every business has a different specific issue that they want to implement AI with, and we try to focus on what their needs are," Gauthreaux said. "A lot of folks are happy to use it because it speeds up their workflow during the day. It takes away a lot of redundant tasks, and that is the benefit." |
| MC Law School students replenish pantry shelves during food drive competition | |
| Between their heavy course load MC Law students are taking on feeding the needy. A competition among the classes turned out to be a big win for We Will Go's food pantry and the families they feed. Mississippi Christian University School of Law students pack the food they've collected to feed needy families. They are helping to fill the pantry at We Will Go Ministries. "With Thanksgiving right around the corner there's a lot of families around Jackson so this was our way of helping them," said MC Student Bar Association vice president Coulson Aaron. The 24 year old from Jasper, Alabama organized the food drive, a competition among first year to third year law students. "What went through my mind when I was purchasing food was what did my grandmother cook for Thanksgiving, what did my mom cook for Thanksgiving," said Aaron. The donations will go to more than 1,000 families the non-profit serves monthly. |
| Belhaven University to host 94th Singing Christmas Tree | |
 | Belhaven University will welcome the Christmas season with the 94th annual Singing Christmas Tree on December 4–5, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in the Belhaven Bowl Stadium. The tradition began in 1933, when music professor Mignonne Caldwell arranged her choir in the shape of a Christmas tree. Today, singers stand in a 35-foot illuminated structure as programmed LED lights change color in time with the music. "Each year, singers from across the Belhaven family come together to be part of something bigger than themselves," said Dr. Rebecca Geihsler-Chittom, chair of the Belhaven Music Department. "There's something special about making music together, and I think that sense of community is what makes the Singing Christmas Tree so meaningful, both for those who participate and for the families who come back year after year." |
| Louisiana's sexual violence reporting system for colleges has gaps. Lawmakers want answers | |
| Six years after a national sexual assault scandal roiled the state's flagship university, Louisiana lawmakers question if the reporting system implemented in its wake provides enough information. In 2020, LSU became engulfed in controversy following a USA Today investigative report that revealed how the university mishandled sexual misconduct complaints against student-athletes. A subsequent probe revealed a number of institutional problems regarding Title IX, the federal law that covers sex-based discrimination in the realm of education. The next year, Louisiana lawmakers strengthened state laws around campus sexual misconduct, creating a new category called power-based violence that includes Title IX offenses and other related abuse. A statewide reporting system was also implemented to inform lawmakers, students and families about how often abuse happens and how state colleges and universities respond to it. Students and campus employees can report suspected power-based violence and Title IX incidents to their schools, but a relatively small amount of information about these reports is made public. |
| Knoxville looks 25 years ahead as city seeks input from U. of Tennessee students | |
| At an Oct. 1 community input session, Knoxville residents had the opportunity to weigh in on Knoxville's future as part of an ongoing public feedback process. As Knoxville continues to grow, city leaders are asking residents to consider what they want the city to look like in the next 25 years, including what would make University of Tennessee students want to stay after graduation. Cheryl Ball, What's Next Knoxville's chief policy officer, discussed the process in an interview, emphasizing that the city is working to understand residents' priorities and how they envision the community changing over time. "What we were asking people is, what do you value about our community? What is most important to you? If you think ahead 25 years, what do you want to see?" Ball said. The University of Tennessee plays an important role in Knoxville's growth, contributing to not only students but also faculty, staff and jobs. Ball said the university has been involved in the planning process through campus events, interviews and focus groups. "We don't want to ignore the University of Tennessee. It's a tremendous asset," Ball said. "For our community to be in a college town and a growing college town, right? That's exciting, and that's important." |
| Expanded scholarship program 'a huge relief' for SC's college-bound high school seniors | |
| Jazz'e Spencer has played soccer -- a center back defender -- for 14 years. Now the Dutch Fork High School senior dreams of studying sports medicine, either at the University of South Carolina or College of Charleston, to help her fellow athletes treat injuries early so they can stay in the game. One look at the cost of college, however, and the prospect is daunting. Before scholarships and financial aid, her top-choice schools are expected to cost between $31,600 and $35,300 annually on tuition, supplies, meals, housing and other expenses. With an older sister attending college in another state, she's seen the numbers and Spencer is left worrying about the expense of her own education. "It's like how am I gonna pay for this?," she said. "It makes it a little nerve-wracking." So, when representatives of the nonprofit Meeting Street Scholarship Fund came to her school Monday to talk about a new opportunity for high-achieving, low-income South Carolina students to receive as much as $40,000 toward their college education, it gave her hope. Spencer is among thousands of high school seniors across South Carolina newly eligible for scholarships enabling them to earn a college degree with little-to-no debt under a partnership between Meeting Street and the state. |
| Liberal Arts College, Medical School Receive Big Gifts | |
| Centre College, a liberal arts institution in Kentucky, and the Medical College of Wisconsin both announced major gifts last week. An anonymous donor contributed $225 million to anchor the public launch of a $405 million fundraising campaign at Centre, the college announced Friday. The gift will create an endowed scholarship fund, called the Centre Forever Fund, which will provide both merit and need-based aid. "My wife and I believe in Centre College and its mission of providing an extraordinary liberal arts education to exceptional and deserving young men and women," the unnamed donor said in a press release. "We believe in where this College is headed, and we hope this gift encourages others to join us in making a Centre education possible for every student who has earned it." The Medical College of Wisconsin received $50 million from John Mellowes, former CEO of Charter Manufacturing, a Wisconsin manufacturing company, and his wife, Linda, to support the college's work in precision medicine, a growing field focused on tailoring disease prevention and treatment to a patient's individual lifestyle, environment and genetics. According to the press release, the college has been at the forefront of the field for nearly two decades. The Melloweses previously donated $10 million for MCW's research into genomics in 2022. |
| Justice Dept. resolves 18 civil rights investigations at UNC in settlement with university | |
| The United States Department of Justice on Monday said it has reached a settlement with the University of North Carolina that will close up to 18 civil rights investigations into the university. According to the Justice Department, its Office for Civil Rights entered a voluntary, university-wide agreement with UNC to end what it called antisemitism and discrimination. Kimberly Richey, assistant secretary of the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, said the settlement is an important step in upholding civil rights and "restoring faith in the American people's confidence in higher education." Because the university settled, the Justice Department said it closed 18 active investigations into UNC, and the Civil Rights Division would end its 18-month compliance review. In a statement, UNC said the agreement ensures Carolina's eligibility to compete for federal grants, contracts and awards, including funding that supports the university's research mission. UNC said the settlement neither admitted wrongdoing or liability nor made a monetary settlement payment. "This announcement reinforces our commitment to the fair and equal treatment of everyone at Carolina," said Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. |
| Oregon State U. Put Its Chips on Computer Science. It Lost $19 Million. | |
 | The students started noticing when the Discord, subreddit, and internal chat platform they used went quiet. Between the spring of 2025 and the spring of 2026, Oregon State University lost nearly 1,000 computer-science majors, or 23 percent of its overall enrollment in the field. The drop-off was especially steep in its online programs, which lost 30 percent of their students. Computer science is the university's most popular major, and the "melting down" of that enrollment was so significant that during a board meeting in March, Jayathi Y. Murthy, Oregon State's president, told trustees it was responsible for a $19-million budget shortfall. "I go to a lot of TA tutoring," said Teodoro Partida, a case manager at a nonprofit in Chicago who last year started a bachelor's program in computer science through Oregon State's Ecampus. "I was seeing less of my peers at those as more time went by." Oregon State, of course, is part of a national trend. For two decades, students from elementary school on up were told that the future was in learning to code. Enrollment in computer science rose accordingly. Then, in late 2022, OpenAI released ChatGPT. |
| US government probe into postdoc visas worries scientists | |
| A US investigation into nine universities' employment of international researchers is prompting concerns among academics at the campuses. The investigation is focused on the universities' use of J-1 visas, the main visa used by international postdoctoral researchers. The probe's purpose is to reduce "visa fraud", according to vice-president JD Vance. "They're using these visas way too much," Vance said when announcing the investigation on 8 October. "They're using them to undercut the wages of American grad students and American researchers, and it simply has to stop." Critics say that the rationale for the investigation is flawed, that international postdocs play a crucial part in US laboratories and that the announcement is deepening the sense of unease felt by international scientists. "For folks who are not US citizens, it's pretty dire. It really makes people nervous," says Theresa Desrochers, a neuroscientist at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, whose lab has hosted a number of visa-holding postdocs over the years. "It just contributes to an overall mood of 'you're not wanted here'." |
| How Democrats could make Trump's Education Department overhaul much harder | |
 | Democrats are preparing to use all the tools at their disposal to halt the dismantling of the Education Department if they win the House or Senate in November. President Trump, like many other Republicans, has long called for the department to be abolished, and his administration has slashed its workforce and created interagency agreements (IAA) to move programs to other federal agencies, such as the student loan portfolio to the Treasury Department. Those moves have been deeply unpopular with Democrats, who have struggled to counteract them or even get more information about the department's actions while in the congressional minority. But Republicans are considered likely to lose the House and potentially the Senate in next month's midterms, putting the administration at the mercy of oversight powers that could force education officials into hearings and put a pause on interagency agreements. During Trump's second term, the Department of Education has fired thousands of employees, entered more than a dozen interagency agreements to move programs out of its sole purview and significantly downgraded its facilities in Washington, D.C. |
| Education Affordability a Priority for Voters, Survey Finds | |
| Affordability concerns are top of mind for registered voters ahead of this year's midterm elections, and that extends to education costs, according to a new survey from Jobs for the Future, a nonprofit focused on the intersection of education and the workforce. Just 43 percent of the 2,000 registered voters surveyed said they had enough money to enroll in a college degree program, and 66 percent said they would be more likely to support a candidate who focused on making education and training more affordable, according to the results released today and shared exclusively with Inside Higher Ed. Jobs for the Future partnered with Morning Consult on the survey of registered voters conducted in late September. The survey highlights some key concerns and priorities for voters in the midterm elections, which will determine which party controls Congress for the rest of President Trump's term in office. Over all, nearly 60 percent of respondents said the economy is on the wrong track and 53 percent felt economically secure. Responses varied according to political affiliation and geography. About 20 percent of independents surveyed said the economy was headed in the right direction, compared to 58 percent of Republicans. |
SPORTS
| Jeff Lebby gives Kamario Taylor injury update for Mississippi State vs Oklahoma | |
| Mississippi State football coach Jeff Lebby would not commit to star quarterback Kamario Taylor playing in Week 8 vs Oklahoma. "The injury report will continue to speak to that," Lebby said on Oct. 19. "I talked about it in the post-game (press conference vs LSU). He didn't wake up yesterday morning and was healed. It's going to be day-to-day. He's got a lot of work to do, but we'll see where we end up." The Bulldogs (4-2, 2-2 SEC) host Oklahoma (3-3, 1-2) at Davis Wade Stadium on Oct. 24 (2:30 p.m., SEC Network). Taylor, the sophomore who emerged as a contender for the Heisman Trophy early in the season, missed MSU's Week 7 game at LSU. MSU has not said what his exact injury is. Taylor watched the 31-0 loss from the sideline with a boot on his right foot. The first availability report for the Oklahoma game will release on Oct. 21. Mississippi State was also without starting running back Fluff Bothwell for the LSU game, but Lebby did not give an update on him or any other injured players on Oct. 19. |
| Lebby's lectures: Kamario still 'day-to-day' with lower leg injury | |
 | Jeff Lebby will again let Wednesday's SEC availability report speak for Kamario Taylor's status. The report has served as the primary source of Taylor's status as MSU's star quarterback deals with a lower right leg injury, and will continue to "speak for" his health this week, Lebby said. Taylor missed Saturday's 31-0 loss against LSU. "He didn't wake up yesterday morning and was healed," Lebby said at his Monday presser. "It's going to be day-to-day. He's got a lot of work to do, but we'll see where we end up." Taylor "worked his butt off" to play against LSU, but was "just not quite" ready to go, Lebby said after the game. He said Taylor needs to have a great week this week to have a chance to play against Oklahoma. |
| Bulldogs being blunt after blowout loss | |
| Mondays at the Leo W. Seal Complex are for truth-telling. Less than 48 hours removed from a 31-0 drubbing at the hands of LSU, the truth for the Mississippi State Bulldogs was simple: they were not good enough in any of the three phases. "We knew we had a great challenge on our hands, but for us not to play the way that we were capable of playing was the most frustrating thing," State coach Jeff Lebby said. "As you watch the tape, man, the reality is there's great accountability throughout the entire program. It starts with me, it ends with me getting these guys to go play better and understand that there's all kinds of plays inside that game that are going to give us the opportunity to apply pressure to the other sideline. We weren't able to get that accomplished." After the loss to the Tigers, Lebby felt that, despite the defeat, many of their goals were still in front of them. The most "immediate" of them is going 5-2 on the year and 1-0 on Saturday when Oklahoma comes to town. However, doing those things will take a handful of improvements. With the injuries piling up, State's depth is being tested now more than ever. The hope is that, the more the backups play, the better they get. |
| Why Mississippi State's Billy Puckett could face bigger test if Kamario Taylor is out vs OU | |
| Billy Puckett could make a second consecutive start as Mississippi State football's quarterback and face another really good defense. The Bulldogs (4-2, 2-2 SEC) host Oklahoma (3-3, 1-2) at Davis Wade Stadium on Oct. 24 (2:30 p.m., SEC Network). And as of Oct. 19, it's uncertain whether star QB Kamario Taylor will be healthy enough to return after missing the last game against LSU. Defense is Oklahoma's strength and ranks among the SEC's best in several categories. It could be in a similar tier, if not better, than LSU's defense that shut out Mississippi State, 31-0, on Oct. 17 in Baton Rouge. Puckett led the MSU offense to 291 yards but went 0-for-5 on fourth down. It was the first career start for Puckett, the sophomore from Jackson Prep who walked on to the team last season. He went 16-for-26 with 121 passing yards, no touchdowns, one interception. and 36 rushing yards. "Contrary to what other people believe, I was super comfortable with (Puckett) during the game, and I have all the belief in the world in what he can do," starting center Canon Boone said. "No matter the circumstances this week, whoever's behind us during the game, I feel super confident in them that we'll be able to go execute." |
| Even if Kamario Taylor doesn't play, Sooners' defense still preparing for Jeff Lebby's high-powered offense | |
| There is no question Kamario Taylor is one of the stars in college football. The question is whether he will play against the Sooners or not this weekend. When Oklahoma football travels Saturday to Starkville to play Mississippi State, there is a massive unknown that will be solved by then -- if Bulldogs' star quarterback Taylor will play against OU. Taylor has dazzled so far this season for the Bulldogs, throwing for 1,450 yards and 17 touchdowns while also leading MSU to a record of 4-1 when he plays. However, he's been dealing with an apparent foot injury that he sustained in MSU's loss against Alabama a few weeks ago. Taylor did not play last week against LSU and MSU coach Jeff Lebby -- OU's former offensive coordinator -- said he's 'day-to-day' and he still has 'a lot of work to do' before making a return to the field. With Taylor's injury status still up in the air, the Sooners' top-ranked defense is unsure which quarterback to prepare for. However, OU defensive back Reggie Powers III said Monday that it's more about preparing for the scheme than a specific quarterback. "We could still prepare like any other game and look at all the other games. We know what they're going to like and stuff like that," Powers said. "So preparing for both QB's isn't really too serious because we can look at every game just like any other game, just preparing the same way. If they have the better QB in, we're going to prepare the same way because we know we have to stop them anyway." |
| Hubbard misses Bulldogs' exhibition loss to NC State | |
| The most concerning thing from Mississippi State men's basketball exhibition loss to North Carolina State Sunday may not have been the score. The Bulldogs released a starting five pregame that did not include star point guard Josh Hubbard. Head coach Chris Jans said Hubbard has been out for "a few days," but said it isn't a "long-term situation." "We've had a couple of opportunities and he hasn't been able to play in either one of them," Jans said. "He'll be back hopefully tomorrow or the next day for practice... he'll get going again." Hubbard's absence may have made the difference in MSU's 77-73 loss to the Wolfpack. MSU shot just 5-23 from 3-point land, including a 2-15 mark from deep in the second half. The Bulldogs lost the turnover battle 9-5, allowing 12 points off turnovers. There are some good things on the scoresheet in the loss. MSU outrebounded NCST 39-30, bringing down 18 offensive rebounds. The Bulldogs play their next exhibition at home against Memphis Friday. MSU's regular season tips off Nov. 2 against Tennessee Tech. |
| Inside College Football Playoff's 24-team expansion: What to know about the new format, schedule and fallout | |
| Over the last month, a small group of college sports executives hammered out a lucrative new contract with ESPN to expand the College Football Playoff to 24 teams. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua held the most conversations with ESPN's representatives. The negotiations have culminated in a new deal that is expected to provide the leagues with millions in additional revenue, well exceeding the figure needed to recoup the loss of conference championship cash (the total additional revenue is expected to be more than $300 million). Executives presented the new contract details to the rest of the CFP management committee (Bevacqua and the 10 FBS conference commissioners) on Thursday afternoon during a more than 90-minute meeting that, at times, got spicy. Some commissioners took issue with a couple of things: (1) why weren't more of them involved in the final stretch of negotiations?; and (2) why are leaders not entering the 24-team concept into the open market? But alas, the new expansion contract is expected to soon be signed. The Big Ten and SEC hold authority over format decisions and they've agreed on the deal. The 24-team playoff would begin next season and run parallel to ESPN's current ownership rights contract with the CFP, through the 2031 postseason. But what else should you know about college sports' new postseason and its impacts on the industry? |
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