| Friday, August 8, 2025 |
| MSU surpasses $260 million raised in FY25, endowment passes $1 billion | |
 | The Mississippi State University Foundation set a new record for fundraising in fiscal year 2025, exceeding $260 million and growing the size of its total endowment beyond $1 billion. The achievement pushed its total assets beyond $1 billion as well. This is the second year for the foundation to exceed a quarter billion dollars raised. "Achieving this level of unprecedented success reflects the generous spirit of countless Mississippi State University friends, alumni, and partners. Words alone cannot express the deep appreciation I have for their meaningful investments in our students and the transformative work we are doing to serve our state and nation," said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. "We are blessed to have these resources and are committed to being good stewards of these gifts as we pursue life-changing research, meet critical needs, and prepare students to be leaders." The fundraising period, fiscal year 2025, ended June 30. |
| MSU Meridian Graduates Make History | |
 | Some students made history Thursday at MSU-Meridian by becoming the first-ever graduates from the School of Nursing. Over 30 students received their Master of Science in nursing degrees before a large crowd at the MSU Riley Center. Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum was the guest speaker and conferred the degrees to the new graduates. Heather Forsythe, who initially studied nursing more than 15 years ago and graduated from MCC, was named the nursing school's most outstanding graduate. |
| Forsythe named MSU's inaugural Master of Science in Nursing Outstanding Graduate | |
 | Mississippi State University's first Master of Science in Nursing graduation means more than receiving a degree for Heather Forsythe. It's her comeback story. Forsythe, who initially studied nursing more than 15 years ago, graduated with the inaugural MSN cohort Thursday summa cum laude. She is being recognized as the inaugural Outstanding Graduate honoree in MSU's School of Nursing. When her mother-in-law told her about the new MSN program in Meridian, Forsythe jumped at the prospect. "I felt this was it," she said. "It's been a lot of hard work, but before this, I had sold myself short. I prepared myself for this, and I've put everything into it." Forsythe is the model case for the value of an accelerated MSN program, said Kayla Carr, professor of nursing. "Heather remained teachable, curious and diligent throughout the program and is well-respected by her peers and faculty," Carr said. "We're honored to have her represent the MSU School of Nursing as she heads into the Meridian nursing workforce." After taking the NCLEX in September, Forsythe plans to begin her career at Ochsner Rush Health, where she has accepted a position in the hospital's intensive care unit. |
| MSU student-focused events welcome new Bulldogs to campus | |
| Mississippi State is rolling out a slate of events this month to welcome new and returning Bulldogs for the upcoming academic year. From hosting move-in days to community-building activities and introducing students to a wealth of support resources, MSU welcomes the new freshman class and transfer students as they acclimate to their new home. "The energy that fills our campus during the start of the year is truly unmatched," said MSU Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt. "From New Maroon Camp to MVNU2MSU to Dawg Days and beyond, these events are more than just traditions -- they're the first steps students take in finding their place at Mississippi State. We want every student to feel connected, supported, and excited about the journey ahead. Getting involved early helps students build relationships, discover passions, and fully experience what it means to be part of the Bulldog family. We encourage all of our new and returning students to take advantage of every opportunity to engage with campus life. This is where lifelong memories and meaningful connections begin." |
| Mississippi State adds 2,000 trees to campus landscape, transforming university's 'great outdoors' | |
 | Mississippi State's landscape team has planted more than 2,000 trees over the past five years, strengthening the university's canopy and advancing its current strategic effort to optimize the university's outdoor environment. "With every tree we plant, we're thinking 20, 30, even 50 years into the future," said Saunders Ramsey, executive director of Campus Services. "It's about creating a landscape now that future generations of Bulldogs can also enjoy -- places to walk, study, gather and connect with nature." "Trees do so much more than provide shade," said Jim Bo Hearnsberger, associate director of Campus Landscape. "They clean the air we breathe, help manage stormwater, create habitats for wildlife, and reduce energy use by cooling buildings and sidewalks. It's a lasting return on investment for the entire campus community." Hearnsberger's team carefully selects and places trees to maximize impact, focusing on high-traffic walkways, gathering areas, parking lots, and new developments --places where shade, beauty and comfort matter most. One of those places is the university's newest green space -- McCarthy Quad. |
| Global economy impacts Mississippians | |
| When the economy is changing, you never know how your job may be affected. Whether you work for a small business or big company, the flow of the economy can directly impact your finances. "The economy both nationally and internationally is evolving a lot. There are a ton of huge factors. Many of them are policy related. We've seen fiscal legislation like the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' come through," said Dr. Brian Blank, an Associate Professor of Finance at Mississippi State University. He said increased tariffs from the United States Government and pending trade agreements are some of the top concerns for many companies. "All of these things at this particular moment have led to a lot of uncertainty, so businesses all over the country and really the world have stopped the things that they'll typically do, so they're just waiting to see how all this plays out," said Blank. Even though the economy is changing, Blank said overall it is strong and is still growing. "Unemployment is relatively low, both nationally and in the state of Mississippi. The economy is continuing to add jobs, but there are certainly organizations that are having more difficulty weathering the uncertainties whether it's related to trade policy or some of the other changes," said Blank. |
| Mississippi is an attractive place for corporate investment. Find out why | |
| Mississippi's business climate is helping the state shatter expectations, especially in the international arena. The small state with less than three million residents can count some of the largest multinational companies among its growing list of corporate investors. While state leaders have touted new investments in recent years, such as the $10 billion investment in AWS data centers, foreign-based companies have long employed thousands of Mississippians and poured millions of dollars into the state's economy. A number of companies headquartered overseas call Mississippi home and continue to invest heavily in their operations in the Magnolia State. The state aerospace industry is also a magnet for foreign direct investment. The United Kingdom's Rolls-Royce tests aircraft engines at Stennis while France's Airbus Helicopters produces light utility helicopters in Columbus. Israel's Stark Aerospace is a leading defense manufacturer located in Columbus and electrification tech company ABB and heavy equipment manufacturer Liebherr, headquartered in Switzerland, have announced major investments in their Senatobia and Tupelo facilities, respectively. High-level Mississippi officials and business leaders traveled this summer to the Paris Air Show and Morocco to attract even more new foreign investments. |
| North Mississippi counties form alliance with goal of landing major economic projects | |
| Mississippi has seen record economic development in recent years, and one group of counties is looking to keep the momentum going with the creation of a new alliance. Economic and elected leaders from Lafayette, Tate, Panola, and Yalobusha counties recently agreed to work together to bring large-scale projects to their shared portion of north Mississippi. The partnership, currently being referred to as the Northwest Regional Alliance but with a new name in the works, was rubber-stamped by lawmakers during this year's legislative session. The passage of House Bill 1897, authored by Republican Rep. Trey Lamar of Tate County, enabled coordinated efforts between the four counties. It also provides a chance for existing laws surrounding economic development and taxes to potentially be amended if it means more major projects locating in the area. Ryan Miller, president and chief executive officer of the Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation, said the idea of the alliance is when the four counties combine their strengths to plan for and eventually land projects, each county and its residents will benefit. "If we want to see larger projects in our neck of the woods, we've got to start now in preparing for that. A regional approach allows us to pool our assets together," Miller said during an interview on Mornings with Richard Cross. |
| Delta health group breaks ground on clinic expansion to offer dentistry, physical therapy | |
| Delta Health Alliance is starting construction on a center in Leland that will offer dentistry and occupational, physical and speech therapy – with options for those who are uninsured or underinsured. Groundbreaking was held Thursday for Delta Cares Center. It will be a $10 million addition to the comprehensive Leland Medical Clinic that has served the region since 2013. The expansion is made possible by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to Delta Health Alliance, a nonprofit organization that works to improve access to health services in the mostly rural, impoverished part of the state. The decision to focus the new center on rehabilitative therapies and dentistry was born from the need providers saw in the main clinic, said Karen Matthews, CEO of Delta Health Alliance. While construction of the new building will take approximately a year, Matthews said patients can make dental appointments immediately to be seen in the clinic's mobile van. |
| Trump teased a solution for farmers. It's likely not coming soon. | |
 | President Donald Trump keeps saying he'll solve the politically fraught problem of reconciling the need for undocumented farm labor with his mass deportation plan. But the White House does not appear close to a policy decision -- and farmers are getting frustrated with the delays. "My understanding is they still really haven't put pen to paper," said a person close to the White House, granted anonymity to discuss private conversations. Even as angst grows among the nation's farmers, no new policy is imminent, according to White House aides, farm lobbyists and people familiar with the discussions. Border czar Tom Homan also told reporters this week that no "formal policy" had been agreed to. Another farm group representative, who was granted anonymity to candidly react to Trump's remarks on Tuesday, said that farmers have "concerns about the mixed messaging and the promises of a plan but no action" from the White House. The Trump administration noted that it has already taken action to help farmers, including the formation of a new office inside the Department of Labor to handle work visas, part of an effort to ease the complex process of hiring non-citizens for farmwork and other agricultural jobs. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer are also exploring adjustments to the H-2A visa program, which allows agriculture employers to hire seasonal labor and has traditionally enjoyed bipartisan support. |
| Cassidy says canceled vaccine research needed to fight pandemics | |
 | The chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee denounced a decision by the federal government to phase out mRNA vaccine development, warning that could hurt pandemic preparedness. Others say it the harm will go beyond that, to potentially damage domestic biosecurity. Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., said the decision, which Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Tuesday, wastes an investment in research worth about $500 million. He also said Kennedy has "conceded to China an important technology needed to combat cancer and infectious disease." "President Trump wants to Make America Healthy Again and Make America Great Again," Cassidy posted Wednesday evening on X. "This works against both of President Trump's goals." The move ended 22 mRNA vaccine development projects for COVID-19 and bird flu at the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA. Others are worried that the decision could create security vulnerabilities. Chris Meekins, a Trump political appointee at the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response from 2017-2019, said investments in mRNA allow the U.S. to quickly develop lifesaving vaccines against novel pathogens. If BARDA winds down this research, the country could be left unprepared for the next pandemic, he said. MRNA vaccines "serve as a deterrent to prevent other nations from using certain biological agents," Meekins told CQ Roll Call. "The speed of the technology to create new biodefense capabilities is a national security asset." |
| Trump ups aggressive redistricting war with call for new census | |
 | President Trump is going all in on the national redistricting war with his call for the Commerce Department to conduct a new census ahead of the next scheduled one in 2030. Trump said in his Truth Social post on Thursday that the census would not count those who are in the country illegally and use the "results and information gained" from the 2024 presidential election. The plan would likely face significant legal hurdles, as the Constitution's 14th Amendment states that the census should be conducted on the basis of the total number of people in each state. But it adds a new dimension to the fight in which Republicans are trying to gain the upper hand ahead of next year's midterm elections. "From a messaging standpoint, it is ingenious to push the envelope on this front," said Republican strategist Ford O'Connell. This isn't the first time that Trump has pushed for such a change in how the population is counted and seats in the House are subsequently apportioned. But his renewed effort is taking place before the backdrop of a wider conversation about how people are counted for purposes of their representation in Congress. |
| Trump Taps Top Economic Adviser to Join the Fed's Board of Governors | |
 | President Trump has nominated his top economic adviser, Stephen Miran, to serve as a governor at the Federal Reserve, an institution the president has repeatedly attacked for failing to acquiesce to his demands for lower borrowing costs. The opportunity to reshape the top ranks of the central bank arose when Adriana Kugler, whose term as a governor was set to expire on Jan. 31, unexpectedly announced last week that she was stepping down early. As a governor, Mr. Miran would have the ability to vote on interest rates as well as a range of other policy decisions. Those decisions have become more fraught in recent months, as officials have split over the right time to restart interest rate cuts. Mr. Trump made it clear on Thursday that Mr. Miran, who has criticized the Fed and its chair, Jerome H. Powell, in the past, would serve in the position temporarily if confirmed by the Senate, although it is possible that he could stay on. The White House is planning to run a separate process to nominate someone to fill the seat starting in February. Mr. Miran served at the Treasury Department during the first Trump administration, advising on economic policy. Since returning to the administration, Mr. Miran has overseen work at the White House to produce research about the economic effects of the president's policies. In that role, he has been unwavering in his support for Mr. Trump's agenda, at times producing reports that economists have questioned. |
| MAGA world swallows a difficult truth: Arresting Trump's opponents is easier said than done | |
| The calls from President Donald Trump's MAGA base are getting noisier: Texas Democrats who fled the state to derail a hyperpartisan GOP redistricting maneuver should be criminally charged, arrested and dragged back to Austin. Now, it appears the FBI is involved in the hunt. But those screaming the loudest appear likely to wind up disappointed. There's no known evidence that the absconding lawmakers have actually broken any federal or state laws, despite Gov. Greg Abbott's strained suggestion that they may have committed bribery. It's a familiar refrain for Trump's second term: The far right lusts to see prominent Democrats or Trump adversaries hauled off in handcuffs, only to be let down when their revenge fantasies run into reality. "They voted for that and now they realize they can't have retribution because it's not legally sound," said Gene Rossi, a white collar criminal defense lawyer who spent 30 years at the Justice Department. This cycle -- impetuous promises of criminal consequences followed by dejection when Trump's enemies aren't immediately arrested -- has already happened with Jack Smith, with James Comey, even with Joe Biden and Barack Obama (and their top advisers). The Trump administration has ordered investigations of all these figures, but legal experts say the probes are largely performative and unlikely to prompt serious or legitimate criminal charges. It's also happening, perhaps most profoundly, with MAGA loyalists' dissatisfaction over the Jeffrey Epstein saga. |
| Feds take steps to fill vacancies at the National Weather Service | |
 | The National Weather Service has taken steps to begin filling some of the more than 550 positions left vacant by federal cutbacks and early retirements since Inauguration Day. Earlier in the summer, the agency received an emergency hiring exemption to fill 126 of its vacant positions and has begun to post those jobs on usajobs.gov. But in an all-hands meeting on Aug. 4, weather service employees learned the agency has since received permission to hire a total of 450 people by September 2026, said two long-time weather service veterans who retired earlier this year. The mass exodus of workers this winter and spring, as the Trump administration aimed to shrink the federal budget and bureaucracy, prompted widespread concern across the weather service staff, many members of Congress and the broader weather forecasting community. While the new hires are "good news," it doesn't mean clear sailing for the beleaguered agency in the months ahead, given the complicated federal hiring process and the need to train new employees, said Brian LaMarre, who retired earlier this year as meteorologist-in-charge of the weather service office in Ruskin/Tampa, Florida, after more than 30 years with the agency. "That still doesn't backfill to what the agency was on January 1, but it's a good step," LaMarre said, noting it will take months to fill posts now vacant and those created by promotions. |
| NASA plans to put a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030 | |
 | The Trump administration is accelerating plans to place a nuclear reactor on the moon to power a base for humans. The reactor would launch to the moon by 2030, according to a directive by acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy that was sent to NASA officials in July and obtained by NPR. It's an ambitious target that has some in the scientific community concerned about high costs and a potentially unrealistic schedule. The plan follows the United States' goal to return astronauts to the moon and be a leader in space exploration as China and Russia also aim to use nuclear power on the moon by the end of the decade. Duffy said during a press conference on Tuesday that using nuclear energy as a power source on the moon is necessary to sustain life there -- and that the U.S. is behind in its efforts. Spacecraft orbiting the Earth or stationed on the moon are typically powered by solar panels. But for any long-term human occupation of the moon, solar power alone won't be enough according to Roger Myers, an expert on space-based nuclear power. "The sun sets on the moon for two weeks," he says. "You have to have another source of energy: The sun and batteries do not work. We're going to have to have nuclear power." |
| National organization recognizes Ole Miss Dining | |
 | Combine equal parts design, technology, food service, and community and campus involvement. Season with thoughtfulness and creativity, and the University of Mississippi's dining program serves up a perfect recipe for satisfied students. It's an award-winning concoction too. Ole Miss Dining received the Loyal E. Horton Dining Award for Innovative Dining Program of the Year, presented by the National Association of College and University Food Services. More than 300 schools across the country applied for the recognition. "The Innovative Dining Program of the Year award evaluates how the dining program goes beyond just serving meals," said Amy Greenwood Anderson, marketing manager for Ole Miss Dining. "It considers staff development, sourcing practices, student involvement and partnerships across campus." Technology is a vital ingredient in the program's recipe for success. Starship delivery robots and the Grubhub mobile-ordering app make fresh food more accessible while reducing congestion. Dining hall robotics streamline food preparation while maintaining scratch-made quality. |
| New USM symphony season to celebrate America's 250th birthday | |
 | The new season for the University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra will celebrate America's upcoming 250th birthday. The season, which begins Sept. 25 and has the theme, "American Perspectives," will feature a variety of American music, from classics to modern works. Student musicians from 15 countries are part of this year's symphony. The orchestra is under the direction of Gregory Wolynec, who is in his second year as director of orchestral activities at USM. "It seemed only appropriate that each of our programs this year would look at American music, alongside some of the great masters from Europe and beyond," said Wolynec. "Each of the concerts is named after a portion of a Betsy Ross quote, attributed to her, regarding the flag. We have a 'Field of Blue,' we have a 'Ground of White,' 'Bars of Red,' and 'Stars.'" |
| California congressman provides tech career opportunities for HBCU students | |
| Connecting high-paying Silicon Valley jobs with Black students is the mission of congressman Ro Khanna. Khanna has partnered with Jackson State University to encourage students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to involve themselves in careers at top corporate tech companies, beginning in his district -- the 17th congressional district in California. "There are ambitious students at our HBCUs, but we need to provide the capital to them so that they can realize their dreams," Khanna said. The congressman wants to include Black Southerners in the digital revolution, learning about and working with artificial intelligence and technology. Currently, Khanna is creating a way to accomplish this goal by establishing a program for students at JSU to learn directly from the experts. "I represent Silicon Valley -- $14 trillion of market value. I've got Apple, Google, Tesla, Nvidia, and Broadcom -- all trillion dollar companies in my district," Khanna emphasized. "And we need to create opportunities for the Black South to have high-paying technology jobs." Khanna served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce under President Barack Obama. He spoke about his efforts on Thursday at the Smith Robertson Museum. |
| What's a Silicon Valley congressman doing in Jackson? Helping JSU students get tech jobs | |
 | Ro Khanna's district is home to Apple and Google, but on Thursday he was in West Jackson talking about how Jackson State University students can join them. Khanna, a U.S. Congressman from California, spoke at the Smith Robertson Museum to highlight TechWise, a Google-funded workforce program he's helped bring to historically Black colleges and universities across the country. That includes Jackson State University, which joined TechWise three years ago after discussions with Khanna, according to Almesha Campbell, JSU's vice president for research and economic development. Since then, JSU has graduated 35 students from TechWise. Another 12 students are currently enrolled, Campbell said, and are working through their 10-month cycle of mentorship, project development and presentation. Recruitment for the next group will begin this fall. Campbell described the initiative as a "workforce program" that blends skill-building with industry exposure. Khanna believes artificial intelligence and the broader digital economy will be central to building modern wealth, and he argues that programs like TechWise are one way to ensure Black Americans have a stake in that future. |
| How the 'Big Beautiful Bill' could bolster Texas' workforce goals, reshape higher ed | |
| As national Republican leaders scrutinize the value of college degrees, the Trump administration is ramping up investments in job training -- a move Texas education advocates say mirrors state efforts in recent years to prioritize workforce needs over traditional higher education. President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" expands Pell Grants -- which help millions of low-income students pay for college -- to include workforce training programs. The legislation signed into law last month also slashes the amount of money students and parents can borrow from the federal government to pay for higher education. The debate at hand, in both state and federal legislation, is what the mission of higher education is -- to help students acquire knowledge or to prepare them for employment -- and whether lawmakers or academics should be the ones to guide that trajectory. As the number of job openings in the state climbs, the new federal law could bolster state leaders' goal to more efficiently prepare Texans to meet workforce demand. It could also push students to rethink their career choices as they question how to afford higher education. |
| Bid Day 2025: What you need to know about U. of Alabama's sorority rush | |
 | Bid Day means the University of Alabama's fall semester will soon begin. The University of Alabama's annual sorority recruitment event, held Aug. 17 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, is when thousands of students find out which sorority has accepted their membership bid. Bid Day is the culmination of Bama Rush Week, which began Aug. 9 at UA. Rush week gives fraternities and sororities the opportunity to host events, where new students can get their first chance to meet members. Videos from UA's sorority rush week went viral on TikTok in 2021. The #bamarush and #alabamarush hashtags on TikTok have attracted millions of views during the past few years and continue to do so. Sorority rush week has even spawned its own lingo, with acronyms like OOTD (Outfit of the Day) and PNMs (Potential New Members) becoming popularized. UA has traditionally been home to a thriving fraternity/sorority system. According to the Division of Student Life website, 36% of UA's undergraduate student body belong to Greek letter fraternities and sororities. That means that around 12,000 students belong to UA's 71 Greek organizations. In 2024, UA had an enrollment of 40,486 students. |
| Mizzou confirms plans for Veterans Day holiday | |
 | The University of Missouri confirmed plans Thursday for a new university holiday celebrating Veterans Day on Nov. 11. In an email sent out to Mizzou staff and faculty, UM Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Matthew Martens confirmed that classes will not be held and the campus will be closed that Tuesday. Gov. Mike Kehoe signed House Bill 419 in July. The law deals with veterans' issues and includes language stating "the eleventh day of November of each year shall be a public holiday for all employees of the University of Missouri system in observance of Veterans Day." The federal Veterans Day holiday is celebrated on Nov. 11 each year, regardless of the day of the week it falls on. This year, Nov. 11 is a Tuesday when classes and other university system activities would normally be conducted. The email from Martens also included a reminder that there will be a home football game at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 28. Non-public-facing staff are encouraged to work from home starting at noon that day. This move has been done in the past to help relieve congestion around the campus area during weekday evening football games. Instructors with scheduled in-person class will remain on campus as usual. |
| Improved severe weather forecasting system threatened by cuts | |
| Weather researchers at the University of Oklahoma have been working over a decade for better forecasting in face of increasing hazards like the flash floods that killed more than a hundred in Texas Hill Country recently. Wednesday, Texas Hill Country camp operators told the U.S. Congress's House Culture, Recreation and Tourism Committee that they needed warning and communications systems that will work even in the event of a cell service or power outage, according to the Texas Tribune. Investigators looking into the disaster have found that warnings were issued, but in some cases, were not heard in time. However, in any case, those warnings have to come from somewhere, and that takes technology, science and funding. At the University of Oklahoma, weather researchers with the Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations have been developing a system for detecting extreme weather events for more than a decade. U.S. Representative Tom Cole, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, has promised that funding at the National Weather Center in Norman won't be cut. However, he said he could not make the same promise for CIWRO. The cooperative institute is grant-funded. "I worry more about grants and things like that," Cole said. "Executive Branch has a lot of ability to slow those down, review them, or whatever." |
| College endowment tax is leading to hiring freezes and could mean cuts in financial aid | |
 | A big increase in the tax on university endowments is adding to financial uncertainty for the wealthiest colleges in the U.S., leading several already to lay off staff or implement hiring freezes. Spending more endowment money on taxes could also lead colleges to reduce financial aid, cutting off access to elite institutions for lower-income students, colleges and industry experts have warned. President Donald Trump signed the tax increase into law last month as part of his signature spending bill. The new tax rates take effect in 2026, but colleges such as Harvard, Yale and Stanford already are citing the tax as one of many reasons for making cuts across their universities. Each will be on the hook to pay hundreds of millions more in taxes, while also navigating reductions in research grants and other threats to funding by the Trump administration. A tax on college endowments was introduced during Trump's first administration, collecting 1.4% of wealthy universities' investment earnings. The law signed by Trump last month creates a new tiered system that taxes the richest schools at the highest rates. "The tax now will really solely apply to private research universities," said Steven Bloom, assistant vice president of government relations for the American Council on Education. "It's going to mean that these schools are going to have to spend more money under the tax, taking it away from what they primarily use their endowment assets for -- financial aid." |
| Hearing Spotlights Concerns Heading Into Rule Making for 'Big Beautiful Bill' | |
 | The Education Department's yearlong effort to roll out the sweeping higher ed changes signed into law last month kicked off Thursday with a four-hour hearing that highlighted the many tweaks college administrators and others want to see. The law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, capped federal student loans, created new loan-repayment plans, extended the Pell Grant to include short-term workforce programs and instituted a new measure to hold institutions accountable. Now, the department is planning to propose and issue new regulations that spell out how those various changes will work. On nearly all fronts, college administrators, policy experts and students argued that lawmakers left significant gaps in the legislation, and they want a say in how Trump administration officials fill them in. For instance, the legislation does doesn't explain what data will be collected for either workforce Pell or the accountability measure or who will have to take on that task. Some speakers raised concerns about how new reporting requirements could increase administrative burdens for colleges. But Nicholas Kent, the department's newly confirmed under secretary, said at the start of the meeting that he looks forward to clarifying all the details during the lengthy process known as negotiated rule making. |
| Trump Begins Hunt for 'Bogeyman' in Colleges' Admissions Data | |
 | President Trump on Thursday signed a memorandum requiring all colleges participating in federal-aid programs to share detailed admissions data with the federal government "to verify" that they are not unlawfully considering applicants' race. And with that, the hunt is on. In the months ahead, the Trump administration apparently plans to seek out evidence that institutions are flouting the Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, which banned the consideration of an applicant's racial status. The big, perplexing question: What, exactly, might constitute such evidence? The answer isn't clear. But what's certain is that with the stroke of a pen, President Trump just ushered in an era of intense and unprecedented scrutiny for the nation's admissions offices. Angel B. Pérez, chief executive of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, told The Chronicle on Thursday that colleges are being set up to fail. After all, merely looking at two applicants' race, test scores, and grades can't reveal why one was admitted and the other was denied. "These data points won't tell the full story of a student's academic promise, of what students are actually bringing to the table," he said. "That story is much more complicated than just their grades and test scores. And so you're not going to be able to gather the full picture of information from the kind of data that the government is asking for, particularly around race." |
| Trump signs order giving political appointees oversight of federal grants | |
| President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order tightening control of the federal grant funding process, requiring political appointees to sign off on each grant. The order directs each agency head to designate a senior appointee who will be responsible for creating a process to review grant opportunity announcements and to ensure any grants awarded are "consistent with agency priorities and the national interest." "In short, there is a strong need to strengthen oversight and coordination of, and to streamline, agency grantmaking to address these problems, prevent them from recurring, and ensure greater accountability for use of public funds more broadly," the order states. "The Government holds tax revenue in trust for the American people, and agencies should treat it accordingly." The text of the order cites federal grants that have been given to universities that are used to cover "facilities and administrative costs." It also points to a federal grant that supported gain-of-function research, which came under scrutiny amid the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. The order is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to review and eliminate funding that does not align with the president's "America First" agenda. |
SPORTS
| Football: Receiver Room Drawing Early Praise At Camp | |
| If you've noticed a glow coming from the direction of Starkville lately, it's not the beautiful new lights that'll illuminate Davis Wade Stadium this season. Those will get their shine in due time. Instead, it's likely the bright smile beaming from the face of Mississippi State wide receivers coach Chad Bumphis, who is as excited about his current group of pass catchers as any he's ever had the chance to lead. "I've had really good rooms, but this may be my favorite just because they love ball," Bumphis said. "You have to pull them off the football field. "These are guys that you have to say, 'Woah', instead of, 'Giddy up'. You have to pull them back to protect them from themselves and over training. They just love ball, and you see it." You sure do see it. The unit's playmaking ability is already being showcased in the early days of preseason camp. |
| NCAA Board of Governors advances new women's championships, basketball fund enhancements | |
| The NCAA Board of Governors this week approved funding to support two major initiatives: enhancing the Division I basketball performance fund and establishing two new women's championships. The board approved the funding to create three additional units in both the Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Performance Funds to reward performance in the semifinals and finals. If adopted by Division I members at the 2026 NCAA Convention, each team participating in a championship game would receive one additional unit, and the national champions would receive the final unit. Under the current unit structure in both men's and women's basketball, conference offices receive units for each game in which one of their member schools participates, up until the Final Four. The Division I Board of Directors introduced the proposal this week. The Board of Governors also approved Association-wide budget allocations to support National Collegiate Championships and sport committees in stunt and acrobatics and tumbling. The board elected Jim Phillips, commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference, as its chair for a two-year term, effective immediately. Phillips assumes the chair position held by Livingstone since August 2022. |
| NC State's 1983 NCAA champs lose in court over NIL rights | |
| Members of NC State's 1983 "Cardiac Pack" national championship basketball team won't receive money for continued replays of their NCAA Tournament victories after a North Carolina judge dismissed their case against collegiate athletics' governing body. A lawyer for the former NC State players told WRAL on Wednesday night that the case was dismissed. The NCAA asked the court to dismiss the case, citing the dismissal of a federal case brought by a former Kansas men's basketball player who used similar arguments. A 44-page order from Superior Court Judge Mark A. Davis, who held a lengthy hearing in May in Raleigh, was released Thursday morning. "In this lawsuit, twelve former members of North Carolina State University's ("N.C. State") 1983 NCAA men's basketball championship team have sued the NCAA for using without permission their names, images, and likenesses contained in copyrighted game footage from that season," Davis wrote. "Because their claims are untimely, barred by their failure to allege a violation of a legally enforceable right, and preempted by the federal Copyright Act, dismissal of this action in its entirety is appropriate." The 1983 NC State team, coached by Jim Valvano, won the NCAA title on a last-second dunk, capping a dramatic run through the tournament. Valvano famously ran around the court looking for someone to hug after the game. Some of the team's best and most famous players didn't join the lawsuit. |
| That vexing college football calendar: Changes coming to transfer portal, spring practice and recruiting cycle | |
| With college football's klieg lights trained on playoff expansion, NIL sanity, revenue sharing and the fast-approaching season -- kickoff is just two weeks away -- a small group of administrators is planning to overhaul the way the sport goes about its business. "It's everything," a source with knowledge of the undertaking said recently. "It's the transfer window. It's recruiting. It's spring practice. And it's everything tied to those issues." The 15-member working group of athletic directors, compliance officers and chief football administrators from the power conferences is quietly creating an entirely new calendar for the sport. The group has met formally a few times this summer, but its members exchange ideas on a daily basis with the goal of producing a revolutionary proposal by the end of August. In theory, the sport could have a single transfer window in place this winter. Spring practice could be pared down or eliminated altogether. NFL-style OTAs (organized team activities) could be implemented. Signing day for high school recruits could be moved to the summer. "We felt there was a huge opportunity, coinciding with the House lawsuit decision" -- and the implementation of revenue sharing with athletes -- "to get a bunch of things rectified," a second source said. "But everything is interwoven." |
| After the House v. NCAA Settlement: Mid-major schools fighting for seat at college football's shrinking table | |
| College athletics has entered a new frontier in the revenue-sharing era, but another trend is emerging as programs jockey for position in the conference landscape: franchise expansion fees. As conference realignment slows and revenue sharing accelerates, mid-major programs are offering millions just for a seat at the table. Few, however, are pulling out a chair. It's not the first time. It won't be the last. In this chaotic new era, desperation breeds innovation and risk. Schools are rewriting the playbook and borrowing from professional sports to stay relevant. In pro leagues, investors pay up to $1 billion in expansion fees for start-up franchises. Now, as money drives decisions in the collegiate space, deep-pocketed mid-majors are following suit. SMU gave up roughly $360 million -- nine years of media rights revenue -- to join the ACC in 2024. American Conference member Memphis offered the Big 12 a package worth more than $200 million in corporate sponsorships and pledged to forgo media revenue for five years. Big 12 officials still said no. Memphis' offer may have been an inflection point. "It's like a quarterback resetting the market in NFL free agency," an industry executive told CBS Sports. "Memphis just reset the market. Now if you're a [Group of Six] school and want to get into the Power Four, Memphis' offer is your starting point." |
| Does SEC, Big Ten or Congress run college football? Examining candidates atop the chaos | |
| For better or worse, it looked as if the chaos engine that is college football finally had a hand on the wheel. Two hands, actually: Leaders from the SEC and Big Ten met in February in New Orleans, the most powerful leagues breaking bread to decide the future format of the College Football Playoff. Super conference powers, activated. But old habits die hard. Only weeks later, the Big Ten still wanted more automatic qualifiers for the Playoff, while the SEC suddenly leaned toward more at-large bids. Just like that, the sport's newest power couple was already on the rocks as the chaos revved on. College football has long been plagued by too many forces pulling in too many directions, with no one in command. It's a confounding existence for such a popular, lucrative sport ... but it's also what makes it so fascinating. We love the mess, exhausting as it might be. Now, after two decades of realignment and defining legal battles, college sports is embarking on a new era in which schools pay players directly, with a lingering question: Who is really in charge of college football? In no particular order, these are the contenders. And they go all the way to the top. |
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