| Tuesday, April 1, 2025 |
| MSU's Agricultural Autonomy Institute hosts AI conference | |
 | The vision for Mississippi State University's Agricultural Autonomy Institute is to establish Mississippi as the Silicon Valley of Agricultural Autonomy. One pioneer of that vision is Alex Thomasson, the institute's director, who says when he first came to MSU he saw a huge opportunity. To merge engineering technology with agriculture to develop something new. "Which is autonomous systems for agriculture that we really need to feed the world's population as it continues to grow," Thomasson said. " Those autonomous systems use artificial intelligence for a variety of agricultural applications. From powering essential USDA research to operating 400-pound spray drones, the development opportunities are endless. A big part of that development requires networking to create collaborative relationships around research. Which is why the institute is hosting its fourth annual AI in Agriculture Conference. |
| Mississippi State earns Top 5 Military Friendly School recognition | |
 | Mississippi State University (MSU) has been recognized this year as a Top 5 Military Friendly School. VIQTORY, also known as GI Jobs, ranked MSU as a top institution nationally in its recently released Military Friendly Schools ranking, which surveyed more than 1,800 participating institutions. "The distinction simply validates the work we are doing across the university to support and care for our military-connected students, faculty and staff," said Andrew Rendon, MSU executive director for Veterans and Military Affairs. "Through our award-winning programs, expertise in benefits, incredible space at the G.V. 'Sonny' Montgomery Center for America's Veterans at Nusz Hall, and our passionate and dedicated staff, we are taking care of what matters -- our military-connected students." Including dependents, the veteran community at MSU now includes more than 3,000 students. These students are served by MSU's Montgomery Center for America's Veterans at Nusz Hall and a network of specially trained university personnel. |
| Education: MSU-Meridian Physician Assistant Studies students receive first white coats | |
 | In a longstanding tradition, 25 Mississippi State University-Meridian Master of Physician Assistant Studies students received their first white coats on March 13, signaling their readiness to move from the didactic phase of education into clinical rotations. The ceremony was held with hundreds of family members and friends in attendance at the MSU Riley Center. The occasion featured a brief history lesson from Ed Smith, assistant teaching professor, who spoke about the emergence of the white coat into the medical field. After receiving their coats, the cohort recited the Pledge of Professionalism in Medicine, a promise to consecrate their lives to humanity. MSU-Meridian's PA program seated its fifth cohort in January with students selected from the most competitive applicant pool to date. These students will go on to earn their white coats next spring. |
| Education: MSU electrical engineering professors Fu, Karimi named IEEE Fellows | |
| Two Mississippi State Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering professors have been named Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Fellows for their significant contributions and accomplishments in their field. Yong Fu and Masoud Karimi are selections for the IEEE Fellow Class of 2025 in the Research Engineer/Scientist category for their major, impactful advancements and applications in the engineering field. Fu, the Tennessee Valley Authority Endowed Professor in MSU's James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, is being honored for his contributions to computational optimization and parallel computing for power system operation. Karimi's designation is for his research contributions to synchronization, modeling and control of power electronic converters in DC/AC applications. |
| Heisman-winning quarterback Tim Tebow set to speak in Starkville on April 7 | |
 | Tim Tebow, best known for his excellence on the football field and his faith-driven character off the gridiron, will soon make an appearance in Starkville. Mississippi State University announced on Monday that the two-time college football national champion, Heisman trophy winner, and multi-year NFL player will speak in Humphrey Coliseum on April 7 at 7 p.m.. Tebow is slated to be the special guest of the Delta Gamma sorority's free, biannual "Lectureship in Values and Ethics" event. Students, employees, alumni, and the surrounding community are invited to hear from the five-time New York Times bestselling author and television football analyst. The "SEC Nation" host will look to motivate and empower attendees to bring significance to success -- by not only pursuing goals and leveraging opportunities but, more importantly, serving others. |
| Severe weather forces International Fiesta to postpone to April 12 | |
| Mississippi State University's 33rd annual International Fiesta has been postponed to April 12 due to severe weather forecast for Saturday. The National Weather Service forecasts a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday. The event, hosted by MSU's Holmes Center for Student Success and the World Neighbors Association, will now take place 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 12 on MSU's Drill Field. Joan Mylroie, a member of the World Neighbors Association, said the International Fiesta will offer attendees a chance to see the world without leaving Starkville. "It's the best way to have a trip around the world without having to buy a plane ticket," Mylroie said. The event will kick off with a parade of international flags across the Drill Field. Participants interested in carrying one of the 125 flags to the fiesta stage should arrive at 10:45 a.m. in front of Allen Hall. "We're a global community these days, and it's just great to learn about each other, make friends, and love on each other," Mylroie said. |
| Election Day reminders heading into Mississippi's municipal primary election | |
| Mississippi's municipal primary election is here with local races for mayor, city council, and more taking place across the state on Tuesday, April 1. Any registered voter may participate in either the Democratic or Republican primary, as Mississippi voters do not register by party affiliation. In the event of a primary runoff, which would take place on Tuesday, April 22, voters must stick to the party they voted for on April 1. Those who did not vote in the primary election will still be able to cast a ballot in the event of a runoff or during the general election on Tuesday, June 3. Polls statewide will open Tuesday, April 1, at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Secretary of State Michael Watson, whose office manages elections, reminds eligible voters that anyone in line before 7 p.m. is legally entitled to cast a ballot. Eligible voters should bring a photo ID to their polling location. Voters without an acceptable form of photo identification are entitled to cast an affidavit ballot. However, Secretary Watson urges people to be prepared when they get to the polls, so they won't have to go through the affidavit process. While cell phones are allowed inside polling locations, Mississippi law does not allow people to take a photo of any marked ballot. |
| New state retirement funding dies in Legislature | |
 | New employees in the Public Employment Retirement System of Mississippi will soon have new hybrid retirement benefits, mostly to increase the long-term sustainability of the retirement system rather than increase incentives for public workers. Related to those new benefits was an effort to either infuse $200 million into the state retirement system or establish a recurring $100 million in lottery tax revenue for the system, which is currently being given to the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Both of those ideas as of Monday are no longer viable because state lawmakers killed both proposals over disagreements on state budget funding, which also died over the weekend by legislative deadlines. The idea of PERS reforms has been debated much this legislative session. Sen. Daniel Sparks, R-Belmont, had pushed benefit reforms as a method to save the system from growing debt and establish sustainable retirement benefits. "This is the biggest issue in our state," Sparks said on several occasions this session. |
| Cities may not receive funding for special projects from Legislature this year | |
 | As the session draws closer to its scheduled end, as of Monday afternoon, legislative leadership had not yet come to an agreement to revive more than 100 bills dealing with the state's $7 billion budget or whether to fund a local projects bill. If no compromise is met on the budget, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves will have to call lawmakers back to Jackson prior to July 1, when the state's fiscal year starts, to draw up a budget and fund the government. In order to avoid it, both chambers would need to agree on suspending the in-house rules of the legislature to extend revenue bill deadlines and revive budget proposals. That is not likely to happen, according to members of leadership in both the House and Senate. At the same time, because of some of the same political maneuvering that has killed the state's budget by a legislative deadline, so too does it appear to be stalling a bill the legislature passes every year, dubbed the Christmas tree bill. This legislation is typically used to funnel state dollars toward local projects. That funding amount usually falls between $100 and $400 million every year. Several senators last week told the Clarion Ledger they didn't want to pass a projects bill this year due to several factors. |
| Lawmakers on the verge of ending session without passing a budget | |
| It remained unclear on Monday whether legislative leaders will engage in last-minute negotiations to revive around 100 budget bills that died over the weekend or adjourn this year's session without passing a $7 billion budget to fund state agencies. If lawmakers leave the Capitol sometime this week without passing a state budget, dozens of state agencies, which provide critical public services, could be in limbo when the new state fiscal year starts July 1. To restart negotiations, lawmakers would have to pass a parliamentary measure to revive the budget bills and extend the session, which requires a two-thirds majority of support from the House and Senate. "That would be my urged course of action," House Speaker Jason White said of a suspension measure. "But it takes two. I've been reminded this weekend that we have a Senate, and it's a bicameral Legislature." Republican Gov. Tate Reeves could also force legislators into a special session to pass a budget. This would give the constitutionally weak governor more power than he normally has over legislation. During a special session, governors have the sole ability to set the legislative agenda, and lawmakers can't take up or pass legislation outside that agenda. |
| State budget talks still stalled | |
| There's little new information to report about state budget negotiations. They've stalled out and the path forward is unclear. "They went home and we were unable to get negotiations finished," said Sen. Briggs Hopson from the Senate floor Saturday morning as he mentioned the House. "I don't know why anybody, any member of the Senate or the Lieutenant Governor, was surprised at all that when we didn't have real negotiations on the budget earlier, that we weren't going to be here this weekend," said Speaker Jason White Monday. "I had clearly communicated that." House Democrats say this is another example of something they aren't in the loop about. "Many Democrats stayed for conference weekend prepared and ready to work," said Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Rep. Cheikh Taylor. "All eyes are on the supermajority on what they're going to do as far as this debacle that we're in right now," added Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Kabir Karriem. |
| Lawmakers agree on measures to fight blight in Mississippi municipalities | |
| Lawmakers passed a conference report Monday afternoon that sets the framework for awarding grants to Mississippi municipalities to fight blight on tax forfeited properties listed with the Secretary of State's office. The report for HB 733 establishes the "Property Cleanup Revolving Fund." Its purpose is to provide up to 15 grants to every local government body, from the state's smallest village of Satartia in Yazoo County to the largest municipality, the capital city of Jackson, explained State Senator Chad McMahan (R). The City of Jackson would be eligible to receive up to 30 grants. Each grant could total up to $2,000. "This is a good product. It takes [into consideration] every municipality, every mayor, every alderman. You can take it home and share this with them. These are grants, not loans," said McMahan. However, the fund must still be filled through the appropriations process, he said. As described by State Senator Angela Hill (R), the measure was merely "enabling legislation." McMahan said the legislation came from a desire to help all 300 municipalities in the state clean up their cities and towns. |
| Hyde-Smith receives Trump endorsement for 2026 | |
 | President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed Mississippi Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith's re-election campaign. In his Truth Social post, Trump said, "Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith is 100% MAGA, and doing a fantastic job representing the Incredible People of Mississippi! ... Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election -- SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!" The Brookhaven Republican senator was also praised by the president for her loyalty and conservative values. "An Original Member of my Mississippi Leadership Team, Cindy has been with us from the very beginning. In the Senate, Cindy is fighting hard to Secure our Border, Grow the Economy, Champion our Amazing Farmers and American Agriculture, Support our Brave Military/Veterans, Promote Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment." The senator's campaign team took to social media to share the endorsement. |
| Elections in Wisconsin and Florida pose first major test for GOP in 2025 | |
 | Tuesday marks one of the biggest political tests for Republicans this year, with a pair of special elections for House seats in Florida and a high-profile contest for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court that will determine whether liberals maintain their majority on the bench. The Wisconsin race, which is technically nonpartisan but has attracted millions in outside spending from partisan figures, had long been expected to be competitive. But the special election for Florida's 6th District, where voters backed Donald Trump by 30 points in November, has also grown much closer. One poll last week showed Republican nominee Randy Fine with a lead within the margin of error over Democrat Josh Weil, who has benefited from a fundraising surge fueled by base anger at the Trump administration. The results in both states, Wisconsin being a perennial battleground and Florida having become a safe bet for Republicans statewide, could offer clues about how motivated each party's base is nearly five months after the November elections. And they come after Democrats flipped a state Senate seat in Pennsylvania last week and have had success in other down-ballot special elections this year. |
| Trump's Loyal Farmers Stung by His Funding Cuts and Tariffs | |
 | In January, the year ahead for Jim Hartman, a North Carolina farmer, was looking bright. He planned to replace his 40-year-old forklift, and to finish building a new packing and processing facility for the 18,000 pounds of honey he harvests every year. And he had his eyes on another machine that could parcel honey into packets for school meals. Then, the U.S. Agriculture Department said it was phasing out two programs used to buy local produce for food banks and schools, costing him an estimated $100,000 in revenue. The agency has also frozen another roughly $20,000 he expected to get from conservation programs and a Biden-era climate project. "Stuff like this is pushing me left," said Hartman, an Army veteran and lifelong Republican who voted for President Trump in November. In two months, the Trump administration has injected uncertainty into agriculture, an industry already struggling with low prices, high expenses and unpredictable -- and at times, destructive -- weather. Now, farmers -- traditionally a key block of support for Trump---are also contending with a host of other challenges. USDA and foreign-aid funding is frozen or in limbo. Deportations are expected to squeeze an already tight agricultural-labor market. Tariffs are being aimed at the industry's main trading partners: Canada, Mexico and China. |
| Trump voters in the federal government are torn over his job cuts | |
 | Inside the airport in Huntsville, Alabama, Robert Capsopoulos, a federal worker for the Transportation Security Administration, barely thinks about the U.S. DOGE Service, other than hoping the group will put an end to his mandatory trainings on how to treat transgender people. Instead, he said, he worries about the price of eggs and cost of gas and how he is still taxed on overtime, even though the president he voted for three times promised to change that. Capsopoulos, 58, said he supports Donald Trump's mission to shrink the federal government but wants to see his financial situation improve -- like it did the last time Trump was in office. "I'm kind of all for the cuts, but I think he's a totally different person than the first time he ran," Capsopoulos said. "The first time, I was seeing it in my wallet. Now, it's like he's got a bit of a revenge thing going." Capsopoulos's views mirror those of many other federal workers who voted for Trump. Nearly 4 in 10 federal workers who are registered to vote picked Trump and the vast majority of them approve of what he's doing overall, a Washington Post-Ipsos poll found in March. About three-quarters approve of what Trump adviser Elon Musk is doing. But in interviews, a half dozen federal workers who voted for Trump described a more complex picture. |
| Trump's Mantra From Schools to FEMA: 'Move It Back to the States' | |
 | President Trump's interest in closing down the Education Department was never front and center to any of his three White House campaigns, but his explanation for shuttering the agency has always remained consistent. "Move it back to the states," Mr. Trump said in his third month as a candidate in 2015. In the final days of the 2024 race, he told supporters, "Your state is going to control your children's education." Very little control over education has ever resided with the federal government, which is mainly in charge of administering college loans and enforcing civil rights in schools. Even so, Mr. Trump deployed the back-to-the-states mantra again when signing an executive order on March 20 to close the department. The title of the order was: "Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities." The maneuver has long been a calling card of politicians from the conservative establishment advocating a smaller federal government and more local control, and is now a central tenet of the second Trump administration when it comes to a host of issues, from abortion and cutting regulations to hiking tariffs. But states are not necessarily positioned to replicate the oversight functions that the federal government has played, particularly on education matters. As Mr. Trump looks to shed responsibility for some of the nation's most pressing and challenging issues, state officials are deeply divided over the changes. |
| Judging of MSMS proposals shows concerns about budgets, integrating students on campus | |
| Scoring rubrics for Mississippi State University and Mississippi University for Women's proposals to house the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science reveal the state board saw concerns with both plans. The State Board of Education appointed a subcommittee March 5 of four board members who scored the proposals. On a scale of 400 points, MSU's proposal scored 363 and MUW's scored 304. The state board voted unanimously March 20 to recommend the legislature move the residential high school for gifted juniors and seniors to MSU. Obtained by The Dispatch through a records request, the rubrics included six categories on which the proposals were judged for a total of 100 points, including narrative, academics, residential life and facilities, food services, student affairs and human resources and business support. The total scores represented the cumulative sums of all four judges. Each of the four subcommittee members gave MSU the edge. |
| Ole Miss study explores how time-restricted eating affects weight loss | |
 | Time-restricted eating is the latest craze for people looking to lose weight, but whether it works remains the calorie-burning question. A new study from the University of Mississippi indicates that when healthy adults pair an eight-hour eating window with regular exercise, they lose more fat -- without sacrificing lean muscle -- compared to exercise alone, according to a study released in the International Journal of Obesity, which is published by the Nature Publishing Group. "We saw that this did lead to more fat loss and reduced body fat percentage over time when healthy adults were following both exercise with time-restricting eating compared to those who were only exercising for at least four weeks," said Nadeeja Wijayatunga, assistant professor of nutrition and hospitality management. "It is important to note lean mass preservation." Wijayatunga and Michael Hays, tactical dietitian and recent Ole Miss graduate, began their study after seeing the dramatic rise in time-restricted eating. |
| A Mississippi allergy expert says the state's spring season has gotten more intense | |
 | Trees and flowers have started to bloom throughout Mississippi. Bright, yellow coatings of pollen are blanketing cars and roads throughout the state. Dr. Gailen Marshall is chair of the Allergy and Immunology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. He says for southern states like Mississippi, climate change is causing the spring pollen season to become longer. "The climate change that is going on, I recognize that that's sometimes a volatile subject among individuals and really the volatility comes from arguing about why it's going on," Marshall said. "No one can really deny that over the last decade or two that it gets warmer earlier, that it stays warmer longer, and that we're having more water, with the exception of some years where we have dry and drought." Marshall says these changes have resulted in a higher pollen count for a longer period of time. "It's particularly rough throughout the entire state of Mississippi," he said. Marshall expects the allergy season prompted by tree pollen to last through May. |
| USM celebrates 115th 'Founders' Day' | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi held its annual "Founders' Day" student awards on Monday. The event puts focus on reminding students their 'why,' while celebrating the anniversary of when Southern Miss was founded. Scholarships, student awards and Hall of Fame inductees were presented. Student government officials were also sworn in. Picayune native Dylan Littles says the event was a full circle moment. Little started his freshman year in 2021, and now, four years later, he's one of the ten Hall of Famers inducted this year. "I couldn't attest more to what Dr. Paul yearns for," said Littles. "Which is for that Southern Miss grit, for us to keep striving to the top. I think that's the whole reason why I came to Southern Miss, is because of the slogan 'To The Top.' I mean, who wouldn't want to be there?" "This represents 115 years that the University of Southern Miss has been here, but most importantly, we focus on our most outstanding students," said USM President Dr. Joe Paul. "We challenge them to leave Southern Miss better than they found it, and today, for our seniors being recognized, they sort of crossed that hurdle and are being rewarded for it well earned." |
| USM granted $2.3 million for the expansion of mental health services | |
| The University of Southern Mississippi Center for Behavioral Health, in partnership with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health and Mississippi State University, was awarded $2.3 million through a four-year grant from the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. The Center for Behavioral Health will use the grant to expand it's existing services, which utilized psychology graduate students to provide accessible and affordable therapy to Mississippians. On top of strengthening the program, CBH will be offering specialty services to treat Mississippians who are identified as being at a high risk of developing psychosis. Psychosis is a mental health condition in which a person experiences a loss of contact with reality. They may experience hallucinations or delusions. "I am very thankful for the leadership and expertise being provided by USM for this award because without the faculty at Southern Miss, this grant simply would not have been possible for the state. MSU is honored to work alongside USM and be a part of this life-changing work," said Dr. Michael Nadorff, professor in the Department of Psychology at Mississippi State University. "It is a tremendous opportunity for the state, and as a parent of a child who will soon be entering the age range where psychosis can develop, I am grateful that these resources now exist!" |
| Entergy opens new scholarship program for Mississippi HBCU students | |
| Entergy Mississippi has announced the launch of its new scholarship program for students at historically Black colleges and universities. The Power Your Future Scholarship program is now open to undergraduate students pursuing eligible technology majors who plan to further their education at an HBCU or minority-serving institution in Mississippi. Selected recipients will receive a $5,000 award, with up to 20 scholarships available from Entergy shareholder funds. "Entergy Mississippi is thrilled to offer the Power Your Future Scholarship as a means to empower the next generation of technology leaders," Entergy Mississippi President and CEO Haley Fisackerly said. "By supporting students in their pursuit of higher education at HBCUs and minority-serving institutions, we are investing in an innovative future for our communities in Mississippi." Over the past 10 years, Entergy has pledged $20 million to elevate and empower HBCUs and their students across its service area in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. The funds are aimed to support enhanced education, career readiness, and workforce development programs at HBCUs. |
| Pi Sigma Alpha offers bipartisan community for political science students | |
| Pi Sigma Alpha, the only honor society for political science students in the nation, has returned to permanent status at Auburn University and welcomes all students interested in political science topics to join the organization. Pi Sigma Alpha was first formally chartered in 1920 at the University of Texas at Austin, and at Auburn, it existed for many years. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the organization became inactive, but as of Monday March 17, Student Involvement granted Pi Sigma Alpha permanent status. "A lot of my professors, when I explained to them how we're getting started back, they were surprised. Like, Auburn hasn't had one already?" said Joey Weston, president of Pi Sigma Alpha and junior in political science. Auburn's charter includes an honor society component and a club component which is open to all majors. This club component allows any students interested in similar fields like law and international studies to join the organization. Weston shared that creating a community for students interested in political science topics, regardless of party affiliations, is one of the main goals of Pi Sigma Alpha, and it's his favorite part of the organization. "It comes back to that community for poli sci and adjacent," Weston said. "There wasn't really much of anything like that, that wasn't partisan before because you had your college republicans or college dems, but we're just political science." |
| Giant tegu lizards creep further north as UGA tracks them in Georgia | |
 | Georgia has more than alligators, turtles, and snakes. While they are the opposite of a welcome guest, multiple Argentine tegu have decided to call this home. What are they and what dangers (if any) do they pose? The tegu is a large, invasive, commonly black and white lizard from Argentina. They can grow up to 4 feet long and weighing 10 pounds or more, according to Georgia Wildlife. Unlike some other lizards, the tegu rarely climbs more than a few feet off the ground, but they are strong swimmers. The University of Georgia runs an interactive map with detailed info about tegus in Georgia. Over the last few years, there have been 43 reports spread out across counties across the state. Clarke County has one reported sighting, while Franklin County, Hall County and even as far north as Union County have reported a sighting. According to the University of Florida, a population of tegus is considered "established" in southeast Georgia.Although not considered aggressive toward people, tegus will defend themselves if threatened, according to Georgia Wildlife. They can react fast and lash with their tails. They also have sharp teeth and claws and strong jaws. |
| Ohio and Kentucky Ban DEI, Reduce Tenure Protections | |
 | Republican-controlled legislatures in two bordering states, Ohio and Kentucky, have now passed laws requiring post-tenure review policies at public universities and banning diversity, equity and inclusion offices, along with other DEI activities. Many faculty and some Democratic leaders say the new laws threaten academic freedom and undermine tenure. In Ohio, lawmakers passed the sweeping higher education legislation, which has been in the works for a few years, over protests from faculty and students. The Ohio Student Association, for instance, said the bill would kill higher education in the state. Meanwhile, in Kentucky, Republican lawmakers rushed legislation through the process in order to successfully override their Democratic governor's veto and put their higher education changes into law. Ohio and Kentucky join Arkansas, Utah and Wyoming this year as states where Republicans have passed laws targeting DEI and/or promoting alternative "intellectual diversity." Even if the Trump administration's ongoing nationwide attacks on DEI founder, these laws lock in restrictions on DEI in these states, preventing institutions from reversing course on diversity program rollbacks. |
| Trump wants to move student loans to SBA. Republicans aren't so sure. | |
 | President Donald Trump has yet to win over his own party with his push to "immediately" transfer the Education Department's massive student loan operation to another agency slated for deep staff cuts. Trump was expected to propose moving the agency's $1.6 trillion portfolio to the Treasury Department -- a concept long-discussed on Capitol Hill and suggested in Project 2025, The Heritage Foundation's conservative policy blueprint. Instead, the president announced this month that the Small Business Administration would get it, surprising many lawmakers and conservatives who track the issue. Although SBA, which provides financial support to companies for disaster relief, training and other needs, managed a wealth of Covid relief programs, it normally runs a much smaller operation than student debt. It's also slated to lose 43 percent of its staff. Now, many Republicans are worried about the size of the debt and the staffing needed to manage the complex system of servicers, borrowers and loan applications. And with about 43 million borrowers -- and a record number of them starting to fall behind on their payments since the pandemic-era hiatus ended in 2023 -- transferring this work may be one of the most challenging hurdles for unwinding the agency Trump has pledged to close. |
| Entire staff at federal agency that funds libraries and museums put on leave | |
 | The Institute of Museum and Library Services has placed its entire staff on administrative leave. The IMLS is a relatively small federal agency, with around 70 employees, that awards grant funding to museums and libraries across the United States. This month, President Trump named Keith E. Sonderling -- the deputy secretary of labor -- the new acting director of IMLS. This followed Trump's previous executive order shrinking seven federal agencies, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The IMLS is an independent federal agency that provides grants to libraries and museums across the country. According to the American Library Association, the IMLS provides "the majority of federal library funds." The IMLS says it awarded $266 million in grants and research funding to cultural institutions last year. This money goes to help staff, fund maintenance and create new programs. In comparison, the projected 2025 budget for the National Endowment for the Arts was $210 million. Steve Potash is the CEO of OverDrive, which distributes digital products such as audiobooks, e-books and movies to libraries. He said in an interview that small and rural libraries will be most affected by cuts to federal funding. |
| Federal funding cuts are raising questions about university endowments | |
| In early March, the Trump administration canceled $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia University over its handling of pro-Palestinian protests last year. The federal government sent the university a list of demands, such as suspending or expelling students who participated in the demonstrations. Columbia agreed to the demands. Meanwhile, the university is facing growing backlash, with several critics arguing that Columbia should use its immense endowment to cover the shortfall rather than capitulate. One such op-ed in the New York Times was accompanied by a photo of a smashed piggy bank. Columbia has an endowment of $14.8 billion, the 12th largest university endowment in the U.S., according to a study by the National Association of College and University Business Officers, or NACUBO, and asset manager Commonfund. But endowments, especially at wealthier institutions, also have a substantial portion of illiquid assets. At universities large and small, endowments aren't slush funds. The endowments are actually made up of hundreds or even thousands of funds, and the majority of those are restricted by donors, to areas such as professorships, scholarships or research. "Most of that money was put in for a specific purpose," said Scott Bok, former chairman of the University of Pennsylvania. "Universities don't have the ability to break open the proverbial piggy bank and just grab the money in whatever way they want." |
| Colleges watch nervously as Columbia scrambles to appease Trump | |
 | Universities could soon face two tough options: bow to the Trump administration or fight back. The federal government has yet to restore $400 million in frozen funding to Columbia even after the Ivy League school agreed to change its disciplinary policies and put some departments under academic receivership, as the administration demanded. The concessions are only a "first step" to restore the funding, Trump officials have said, though they have yet to lay out any others. Developments in the saga surrounding Columbia, which is accused by White House of failing to protect its students from antisemitism, will be closely watched by other colleges that could find themselves under President Trump's eye. "I hope [other universities] will look at it and see a kind of roadmap for their own institutions, and that they will pursue reforms on their own, whether that be led by the university presidents, the faculty senates, and ultimately, as well, members of the Boards of Trustees," said Steve McGuire, the Paul & Karen Levy Fellow in Campus Freedom at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. "I think it's critical that trustees are especially engaged at this moment and paying attention to what's going on and asking about where do their institutions stand relative to the kinds of concerns that the administration has expressed about Columbia," McGuire added. |
| Professors Pushed Harvard to Resist Trump. Now Billions Are on the Line. | |
| The Trump administration has turned campaign promises to target universities into devastating action, pulling hundreds of millions in federal funds from Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. On Monday, the Trump administration went after Harvard, the world's wealthiest university, announcing that it would review about $9 billion in contracts and multiyear grants. It accused the university of failing to protect Jewish students and promoting "divisive ideologies over free inquiry." Harvard had been bracing for the development. In recent months, it had moved cautiously, seeking compromise and, critics said, cracking down on speech. The approach riled some who worried that Harvard was capitulating at a moment of creeping authoritarianism. Though it remains unclear how much the university will actually lose, if anything, the move on Monday shows that the conciliatory approach hasn't fended off its critics yet. In the days leading up to the Trump administration's announcement, faculty members called on the university instead to more forcefully defend itself and higher education more broadly. In a letter, more than 700 faculty members called for Harvard to "mount a coordinated opposition to these anti-democratic attacks." |
| NSF has awarded almost 50% fewer grants since Trump took office | |
| The number of new grants handed out by the National Science Foundation (NSF) since President Donald Trump took office has fallen by nearly 50% compared with the same 2-month period 1 year ago. The drop-off -- which has reduced the funds awarded to researchers by more than $400 million -- is even steeper for engineering, education, and computing sciences, as well as NSF's new technology directorate. The finding, revealed by an independent analysis of NSF's publicly available database, contrasts with NSF's public claims. On 11 March, NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan posted a letter to the research community saying the $9 billion agency was "continuing to advance the scientific enterprise" despite the slew of executive orders and actions by the Trump administration targeting government spending and the federal workforce. "My priorities have not changed," Panchanathan wrote in the letter. The agency, he asserted, "has continued to make significant progress and has issued 95% of our funding as compared to the same time last year." That figure, however, refers to the money handed out since the start of this fiscal year on 1 October 2024. But the analysis, based on data for the 2 months following Trump's inauguration on 20 January, tells a starkly different story. |
| How U.S. colleges are navigating cuts to grants for research after Trump restricts federal funding | |
 | After decades of partnership with the U.S. government, colleges are facing new doubts about the future of their federal funding. President Donald Trump's administration has been using the funding spigot to seek compliance with his agenda, cutting off money to schools including Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. All the while, universities across the country are navigating cuts to grants for research institutions. The squeeze on higher education underscores how much American colleges depend on the federal government -- a provider of grants and contracts that have amounted to close to half the total revenue of some research universities, according to an Associated Press analysis. It adds up to a crisis for universities, and a problem for the country as a whole, say school administrators and advocates for academic freedom. America's scientific and medical research capabilities are tightly entwined with its universities as part of a compact that started after World War II to develop national expertise and knowledge. |
| American progress in peril | |
| The U.S. is freezing research funding, canceling projects, firing thousands of federal scientists and creating an atmosphere of uncertainty that scientists warn could slam the brakes on progress. America has enjoyed decades of dominance in science and technology -- plus the economic boom, medical advancements and global influence that come with it. Now, as the U.S.'s global lead is contested and competition for the world's top talent gets stiffer, the Trump administration is disrupting the system that has propelled the country. There are some immediate effects. People will be laid off, talent will go elsewhere, some research groups will shut down," says Chris Impey, an astronomer at the University of Arizona. "But over the years it will have a profoundly negative impact. You're creating an opportunity for other countries to happily start moving in, poaching our talent and riding the escalator of scientific progress." 40% of U.S.-affiliated Nobel Prize winners in the sciences -- physics, chemistry and medicine -- between 2000 and 2023 were immigrants. Funding resources, top-notch universities, research freedom and a diverse culture that supports innovation are among the factors that have made the U.S. a global magnet for scientists. The U.S. could see a two-fold brain drain: fewer foreign scientists coming to America, and American talent heading to other countries. |
| Trump's Science Policies Pose Long-Term Risk, Economists Warn | |
| President Trump's tariffs could drive up prices. His efforts to reduce the federal work force could increase unemployment. But ask economists which of the administration's policies they are most concerned about and many point to cuts to federal support for scientific research. The Trump administration in recent weeks has canceled or frozen billions of dollars in federal grants made to researchers through the National Institutes of Health, and has moved to sharply curtail funding for academic medical centers and other institutions. It has also, through the initiative called the Department of Government Efficiency, tried to fire hundreds of workers at the National Science Foundation, an independent federal agency. And it has revoked the visas of hundreds of foreign-born students. To economists, the policies threaten to undermine U.S. competitiveness in emerging areas like artificial intelligence, and to leave Americans as a whole poorer, less healthy and less productive in the decades ahead. "Universities are tremendously important engines of innovation," said Sabrina Howell, a New York University professor who has studied the role of the federal government in supporting innovation. "This is really killing the goose that lays the golden egg." |
SPORTS
| Softball: No. 18 Mississippi State Hosts Central Arkansas In Final Non-Conference Game | |
| In what will be its final midweek game and final non-conference game of the 2025 season, No. 18 Mississippi State is set to host Central Arkansas at Nusz Park at 5 p.m. CT on Tuesday. The Bulldogs are currently tied for third in the SEC with a 6-3 conference record, which is tied for their best start to league play since 2000. State took down No. 1 Texas on Friday night, marking the third upset of the nation's top team in program history. Sierra Sacco and Nadia Barbary have been a big part of MSU's recent success. The duo is hitting a combined .485 over the last 10 games with eight extra-base hits and 16 RBIs. Barbary leads the team in RBIs in that span with 10. With a win, MSU would secure its fourth 30-win season under Samantha Ricketts and mark the 200th victory in Nusz Park since the facility was constructed in 2016. Central Arkansas is coming off a series win against Austin Peay, highlighted by the highest-scoring game in program history, a 16-15 walk-off victory on Friday night. The Bears have played three other SEC teams and are 0-4 against the conference. |
| What we learned from Mississippi State softball's series loss to No. 1 Texas | |
| They call her "pinch-hit Paige" for a reason. She may be just a freshman, but Paige Ernstes has displayed remarkable calm coming off the bench in big moments for Mississippi State this season. Entering Friday's series opener against No. 1 Texas, seven of Ernstes' 10 hits had come in pinch roles. So with the game tied in the seventh inning, two outs and the winning run at first base, head coach Samantha Ricketts sent Ernstes to the plate to bat for first baseman Riley Hull. On a 2-2 pitch, Ernstes hit a line drive off Longhorns ace Teagan Kavan that dropped just inside the left-field foul line and rolled into the corner. Pinch-runner Abby Grace Richardson was off on contact and scored all the way from first without a throw as No. 18 MSU earned a 4-3, walk-off win. The Bulldogs would end up losing the series after the second game of Friday's doubleheader slipped away in the seventh inning and the bats were quiet in Sunday's rubber match. But MSU proved it can compete with the top of the heap in the Southeastern Conference and is still very much in contention to host its first-ever NCAA regional. |
| Baseball: MSU Readies For Memphis On The Road | |
| Mississippi State returns to the road on Tuesday to take on another set of Tigers. After competing at now seventh-ranked LSU over the weekend, the Bulldogs are bound for Memphis on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. contest at FexExPark. The game will be streamed on ESPN+. MSU has claimed the past four meetings against the Tigers and lead the overall series 58-27. The Diamond Dawgs won both outings versus Memphis last season with a 17-9 victory in Starkville before edging out a 6-4 road triumph thanks in part to a Bryce Chance double. Junior right-hander Noah Sullivan (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 7K, 1 BB) is set to make his fourth-straight midweek start on the mound for State. The Tigers will counter with a junior righty of their own in Caden Robinson, who is making his seventh start of the spring and is 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA with 18 strikeouts and 13 walks in 20 innings. The Bulldogs are 16-9 overall and have won five-consecutive midweek games. Chris Lemonis' club comes into Tuesday's affair batting .305 with 42 home runs and scoring 7.3 runs per game. They're also 33-of-37 in the stolen base department and maintain a .969 fielding percentage. |
| Former Mississippi State standout Jake Mangum makes MLB debut | |
| A childhood dream came true for former Mississippi State outfielder Jake Mangum over the weekend. After roughly five years in the minor leagues, Mangum was finally called up to make his MLB debut. On Saturday, the Pearl native was notified by his now-former Durham Bulls manager that he would be suiting up for the Tampa Bay Rays the next day. The switch-hitter went on to be announced as the starting right fielder in the third game of the Rays' opening weekend series against the Colorado Rockies. Then, on Sunday, the popular jingle, "Josie's on a vacation far away..." played in George M. Steinbrenner Field as Mangum stepped up to the plate to his walk-up song, "Your Love" by The Outfield. Mangum, in his first game in the big leagues, made four plate appearances and reached base once after having been walked. The Rays went on to defeat the Rockies 6-2. The storied Bulldog leader made two College World Series appearances while at Mississippi State and earned the honor of being the SEC's hit leader. He posted a .357 batting average during his college days, with 73 doubles, 10 triples, five home runs, and 126 RBI. |
| Coastal Carolina 1st in FBS to offer free game concessions | |
| Here's a juicy story: Coastal Carolina University says fans can "feast for free" for the 2025 football season, making the Chanticleers the first FBS program in the country to offer free concessions at games. "Our fans are the heartbeat of Teal Nation, and we're always looking for ways to elevate their game day experience," athletic director Chance Miller said in a statement Monday. "We're excited to offer free concessions this fall as a way to say thank you for the energy, passion and support they bring to Brooks Stadium every game." CCU fans who buy a ticket to the game will be able to select up to 4 items per concession stand visit from a menu selection of hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and fountain drinks. There are no limits on how many visits to the concessions stands fans can make but they must scan an app each time. Average attendance at Coastal Carolina football games was 21,415 during the 2024 season -- about average for the Sun Belt conference. Alcoholic beverages, specialty items, and items from third-party vendors are not included in the promotion. |
| In recruiting battle, lawmakers weigh whether to give college athletes a tax break on NIL earnings | |
| Illinois state Rep. Travis Weaver remembers how surreal it felt having Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram sit a few rows behind him in a political science class. He will never forget the pure joy in Alabama every time the Crimson Tide rolled to the national championship, either. Weaver was there for two title runs as a student from 2010 to 2015. The way he sees it, coach Nick Saban and his players weren't the only winners. "The city of Tuscaloosa, the state of Alabama, the employers who recruited the University of Alabama because there's higher-caliber students there -- they all benefited massively because of the success of the football team," Weaver said. "Coach Saban made that a different school than when he got there. Obviously, the football team was better. But what I saw as a student was an entire community become much stronger because of that success." His college experience is driving the push he's now making. Weaver wants to give an assist to Illinois schools and entice more recruits to stay home by exempting up to $100,000 in name, image and likeness earnings from the state income tax. In Georgia and Alabama, lawmakers are looking to eliminate income tax on NIL earnings altogether. There's a similar push in Louisiana. |
| ESPN's Pat McAfee and others amplified a false rumor. A teenager's life was 'destroyed' | |
| It is Feb. 26, and "The Pat McAfee Show" is filming in Indianapolis the week of the NFL Scouting Combine. McAfee sits behind a desk. Before him is an arc of chairs, occupied by a few of what he describes as his "stooges" and a featured guest: Adam Schefter, ESPN's NFL insider. Schefter's presence and the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine logo behind the chairs seemingly portend the day's subject matter. However, McAfee has a different topic on his mind. Schefter, looking befuddled and uncomfortable in the chair closest to McAfee, tries to redirect the conversation: "So where is (Ole Miss quarterback) Jaxson Dart in all this?" The segment lasts roughly two minutes. McAfee worked an unsubstantiated internet rumor into his show, then transitioned to analyzing Dart's draft stock and moved on. Mary Kate Cornett, the college freshman at the center of the rumor, wishes she could do the same. Five weeks ago, she was a first-year business major dating another Ole Miss student. Happy. Confident. Outgoing. Then her idyllic freshman experience was pierced on Feb. 25 when a spurious claim about her and her boyfriend's father spread on YikYak, an anonymous message-based app popular among college students. It then gained traction on X and collided with the sports talk ecosystem to become a top trending topic that day. Many posts featured a picture of Cornett pulled from her Instagram account. The following day, McAfee became the most influential sports personality to address the rumor when he shared it with his ESPN viewers. |
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