| Tuesday, May 19, 2026 |
| Keenum: Graduating Bulldogs prepared for next chapter of life thanks to MSU education, values | |
 | With a world-class degree in hand and a personal foundation built on Bulldog values, approximately 4,000 new Mississippi State graduates are ready to change the world. The Class of 2026 was honored at commencement ceremonies in Starkville and Meridian this week -- events MSU President Mark E. Keenum said were the beginnings of "an exciting new chapter" in their lives. "With your degree from this wonderful institution, you'll have people tripping over themselves to open doors to opportunities for you," the university's 19th president said. "Integrity, strong work ethic and respect for others -- that's who we are, and that's what we're known for. Embrace and live your life with these values." Keenum also conferred honorary Doctor of Public Service degrees to William "Bill" Berry, retired ConocoPhillips executive vice president for worldwide exploration and production, and Archie Tucker, retired area director for the federal government's Agricultural Research Service. |
| Orientation welcomes incoming Bulldogs, celebrates century with gallery exhibit | |
| Since 1926, Mississippi State's Orientation sessions have offered new Bulldogs a warm welcome. As MSU Orientation marks 100 years, an exhibit highlighting the program's history is opening in the Colvard Student Union Art Gallery. "It's a special year to be able to look back over the past century. While times have changed, the main goals have remained constant -- welcoming students, easing their anxieties as they enroll, assisting with their class schedules and providing helpful information," said Director of Orientation and Events Jake Hartfield. The "100 Years of Orientation at Mississippi State" exhibit, located on the Union's second floor, is open throughout the summer. A come-and-go reception will be held May 29, 3:30-5 p.m., and Hartfield encouraged alumni, current and former administrators and everyone affiliated with the Orientation program, past or present, to mark the occasion and interact with current Orientation Leaders. |
| Education: Shapley and Burton named 2026 Starkville High STAR student, teacher | |
 | Starkville High School has named Catherine Shapley as 2026 STAR Student for her performance on the ACT college entrance exam. As part of the STAR program, Shapley chose a STAR Teacher recipient who has most impacted her high school career, naming Advanced Placement instructor Adam Burton for the honor. The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition program recognizes high school seniors in Mississippi who earn the highest ACT score in their school. The STAR student then selects his or her STAR teacher. Shapley and Burton were honored at a luncheon hosted by the Mississippi Economic Council in April. Shapley plans to attend Mississippi State University after graduation and major in public relations and communications. She hopes to pursue a master's degree and become an event planner. "The opportunities at SHS are endless," Shapley said. "There truly is something here for anyone and everyone. I feel it's due to these opportunities I've grown into who I am." |
| Richton, Perry County students learn farm safety at annual Progressive Agriculture Safety Day | |
 | Students in Perry County learned how to operate various pieces of farming equipment at the annual Progressive Agriculture Safety Day. The Mississippi State University Extension Service organized the event for fifth-graders in the Richton and Perry County school districts. Students rotated throughout the day, visiting stations dedicated to areas such as fire safety, gun safety and water and boat safety. They also got hands-on experience using equipment like lawnmowers and tractors. "We just hope the kids learn one thing they can take back to the home that can keep them safe or something that caught their attention here they can take back and learn from," extension agent Brittany Odum said. Odum said the extension service has been hosting the event for at least 18 years. |
| Ag economist says CME's new cattle futures limits could bring more volatility but also upside opportunities | |
| An ag economist says new trading limits for cattle futures could bring additional volatility to the markets. Josh Maples with Mississippi State University Extension says the changes go into place June 1, 2026. "It absolutely does allow for bigger daily price swings, and it can lead to some larger margin requirements because of the risk there," he says. "So, it's something traders are going to have to adapt to." He tells Brownfield there will be opportunities. "I don't want to say this is all negative," he says. "Plenty of pluses we can point to. One, it allows prices to go up if that's what you're hoping for. If you're long, it allows prices to go up more on limit-up days." Maples says there will also be some price discovery benefits with the increased limits. "Let's say a new report came out or some new geopolitical thing has happened, something that traders think should move markets up or down more than the limit allows, or the previous limit allows, these expanded limits will allow those markets to absorb that information more quickly," he says. |
| $23 million in CDBG funds going to 41 Mississippi communities | |
| The State of Mississippi is deploying over $23 million in congressionally authorized Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Facilities funding to help ensure basic community services, environmental quality and economic opportunities for their residents. The funding, approved through the Mississippi Development Authority, will go to 41 cities and counties to address urgent infrastructure needs and modernize the foundations of their local economies. Governor Tate Reeves said Monday that he is grateful to have this funding to put to work where it matters most. "These investments empower cities and counties to take on real projects that improve everyday life -- from safer roads to stronger public facilities and more reliable services families depend on," Reeves said. The approved projects in Mississippi include: Starkville, Sewer Improvements, $698,448.36. |
| Starkville Man Charged After Reported Assault With Bat | |
| A Starkville man has been charged after police said he entered a home, struck a woman with a bat and attempted to strangle her. The Starkville Police Department said officers responded Sunday, May 17, around 11 a.m. to a report of an assault that had occurred earlier that day at a residence on Peoples Street. Police said the victim was treated at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Oktibbeha County and later released. Blair Bell, 35, of Starkville, was charged with domestic violence-aggravated assault and residential burglary. Police said Bell turned himself in Monday morning. The incident remains under investigation. |
| Severe weather and hail chances increase in Mississippi Tuesday | |
 | Storms are expected to move into Mississippi on Tuesday, May 19, and with them comes the risk of damaging winds and large hail for most of the state. According to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service on Tuesday morning at 6:30 a.m., the threat of severe weather has increased since the previous day's forecast. Counties along the Mississippi River from Greenville and north are now under a Slight Risk, or Level 2 warning of a possible five. That area is at risk of severe thunderstorms, winds up to 60 mph and hail up to golf ball size. East of that area from the northeast corner of the state down to Sandy Hook in Southwest Mississippi is under a Slight Risk, or Level 1 warning. Threats in that area include possible isolated severe storms, winds up to 60 mph and hail up to the size of quarters. Mississippi will also see above average chances for rain this week. Beginning Tuesday night into later this week, Mississippi should receive much needed rain with areas in the northwest portion of the state getting the most 3-5 inches total possible. |
| US Supreme Court reverses ruling against Mississippi legislative redistricting | |
| The U.S. Supreme Court, in a brief order on Monday, reversed a lower court's ruling that determined Mississippi lawmakers unlawfully diluted Black voting strength when it redrew the state's legislative districts. Monday's order from the high court sends the case back to the lower federal court for further arguments in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent Callais decision, which rolled back protections against racial discrimination in the redistricting process. The order contained no legal justification or reasoning. Justice Kentaji Brown Jackson was the sole dissenter from the order. She wrote that she dissented because the only issue raised in the appeal was whether private groups could file a lawsuit under the Voting Rights Act. The ruling stems from a federal three-judge panel's order in May 2025 that determined Mississippi lawmakers did not give Black voters in three areas of the state a fair chance to elect voters of their choice and ordered the state to conduct special elections for the new districts. |
| Mississippi GOP chair says timing limits congressional redistricting push but sees path to Republican gains | |
| Mississippi GOP chair Mike Hurst said Monday that Gov. Tate Reeves was correct to call off the state's special session but believes there is a way for state lawmakers to draw four Republican congressional districts after November's midterms. "Unfortunately, we already had our primaries in March. It was a tough decision for the governor," Hurst said during an appearance on Mornings with Richard Cross. "I think he made the right decision, but at the end of the day, Bennie Thompson's days are numbered." Hurst is among a group of Republicans pushing the GOP-led legislature to create a new map that would make it more difficult for longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson to be reelected after this year's cycle. Reeves is also part of that group, writing on social media after calling off the session intended to redraw the state's Supreme Court map -- not the congressional map -- that Thompson's "reign of terror...is over." However, the problem that both Hurst and Reeves are seeing is the timing of it all. |
| Politicians criticize Lt. Gov. Hosemann's redistricting committee | |
| Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann's special committee on redistricting has caught flak from some of his Republican colleagues, because it includes two Democratic senators. Hosemann followed in the footsteps in his House counterpart, Speaker Jason White, to convene a group of legislators charged with proposing new voting district maps before the start of next year's legislative session. Both the House and Senate committees will brainstorm new configurations for most, if not all, of Mississippi's statewide voting district maps, including the map for each chamber, the U.S. House map and the state Supreme Court map. Hosemann's committee will be comprised of 10 senators, and the president pro tempore of the Senate, Sen. Dean Kirby, R-Pearl, will serve as its chair. Some politicians, including Republican senators, have taken to social media to criticize Hosemann's membership choices. Two of the committee's members are Democrats Sen. Angela Turner-Ford, D-West Point and minority leader Sen. Derrick Simmons, D-Greenville. Some of their colleagues, including Sen. Michael McLendon, R-Hernando, criticized both the presence of Democrats on the committee and the particular members. |
| Wingate allows NAACP, SPLC ARPA funding case against Mississippi to proceed | |
| A federal judge ruled on Monday that the NAACP's case against the State of Mississippi for allegedly withholding American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from Jackson can proceed after the State attempted to have it dismissed last week. U.S. District Court Judge Henry Wingate's ruling read in part, "This court has examined, as I stated before, the circumstances [and] the allegations of the plaintiffs, [and] has examined the arguments in opposition from the defense, and this court is persuaded that this lawsuit shall go forward." Late last week, Wingate heard from the NAACP and the Southern Poverty Law Center, the group representing the individual plaintiffs, that Mississippi withheld $36 million for vital infrastructure repairs by imposing extra conditions on receiving funds from ARPA. The lawsuit claims that Mississippi discriminated against Jackson, where about 82% of the population is black, when it released the Municipality & County Water Infrastructure grant. |
| Trump's ouster of Republican senator sends shock waves through Senate GOP | |
 | The resounding defeat of Sen. Bill Cassidy (R) in Saturday's Louisiana primary has sent shock waves through the Senate Republican Conference, underscoring how Republicans who look to distance themselves from President Trump and his low approval ratings will have to think twice about paying a political price for perceived disloyalty. Cassidy's ouster came a few weeks after Trump and his allies helped defeat five state senators in Indiana who defied Trump's desire to redraw the state's congressional map, sending a loud message to any Republican on Capitol Hill thinking about clashing with the president. "It's hard to confuse that message. The message is the one unifying principle of the Republican Party today is Donald Trump, and if you appear to abandon him, the party will abandon you," said Vin Weber, a GOP strategist and former member of House Republican leadership. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) offered a subdued response Monday afternoon when asked about Cassidy's decisive defeat and praised his colleague. |
| Cassidy's defeat complicates Senate Health committee's future | |
 | Sen. Bill Cassidy's loss in the Louisiana Republican primary over the weekend puts the future of the powerful Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in flux. During his tenure as HELP chair, Cassidy has pushed legislative priorities such as a proposal to establish pre-funded health savings accounts for people on the Affordable Care Act insurance exchanges, and often sought to elevate anti-abortion policies. As he focused on policy goals, however, he clashed over the direction of the Department of Health and Human Services and struggled with several of President Donald Trump's nominees, driving a further wedge between him and the president. If Republicans maintain control of the chamber after the midterm elections, Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas appears as a likely contender for the HELP chairmanship. An OB-GYN by training, Marshall has made health policy a key issue in his portfolio. He has been a vocal supporter of the "Make America Healthy Again" agenda and would perhaps clear the path for future Trump nominees. He's also willing to work across the aisle. He and Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., have teamed up on legislation that would require health care providers to post prices and give patients an explanation of benefits statement. |
| The American Rebellion Against AI Is Gaining Steam | |
 | The only thing growing faster than the artificial-intelligence industry may be Americans' negative feelings about it -- as former Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt saw on Friday. Delivering a commencement address at the University of Arizona, Schmidt told students the "technological transformation" wrought by artificial intelligence will be "larger, faster and more consequential than what came before." Like some other graduation speakers mentioning AI, Schmidt was met with a chorus of boos. In one poll after another in recent weeks, respondents have overwhelmingly voiced concerns about AI, a challenge to claims by industry executives that their technology would gain popularity by improving people's lives. Consumers resent energy-price jumps exacerbated by the spread of data centers. Workers fear widespread job losses. Parents worry about AI undermining education and harming children's mental health. In recent months, the wave of anger has brought protests, swayed election results and spurred isolated acts of violence. Pollsters and historians say the souring of public opinion is all but unprecedented in its speed. "I don't think I've ever seen something intensify this quickly," Gregory Ferenstein, who conducted a recent poll with researchers at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, said of the backlash. |
| It's a tough time to break into cybersecurity | |
| AI tools are helping bad guys automate bigger, faster, more sophisticated attacks. FBI data show cybercrime losses in the U.S. surged by more than 25% last year. AI itself is also being used to defend systems, but many organizations have chronically underinvested in security. And industry groups have long pointed to a gaping shortage of people with the skills to fend off hackers and phishers. Now, a lot of job-seekers trying to break into the field are hitting a firewall. Megan Osteen is one of them. She's wanted to work in tech pretty much forever. "My dad was a software engineer, and I just remember, a lot of my childhood, I would sit in his office with him, and he would explain to me what he was doing, like how it worked," she said. AI is increasingly taking over the routine tasks that junior workers once handled, like monitoring systems for anomalies and deciding which ones to prioritize for response. Osteen said she might have to go back to her old job in behavioral therapy while she plans her next steps. In the meantime, she's putting her skills to practical use. She used AI to build a system that flags job scam phishing messages, which she's been getting a lot of during her search. |
| As more jobs demand AI skills, some colleges may fall short in prepping students: 'Why would we train them using the skills of yesterday?' | |
| As companies integrate artificial intelligence into the workforce, college graduates in virtually every industry will likely need experience working with AI tools to secure jobs. But educators and career experts say if colleges and universities want to best prepare students for the changing landscape, those institutions need to support students in building technical AI skills while continuing to teach the soft skills necessary for competent, ethical and effective AI use, including critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. "If the purpose of [higher education's] training is to train kids to be able to do the jobs of today and tomorrow, why would we train them using the skills of yesterday?" says Jeff Crume, adjunct professor of cybersecurity at North Carolina State University. Since January 2023, job listings for entry-level positions have dropped about 35%, largely due to AI, according to a 2025 study from labor research firm Revelio Labs. A Stanford University study from November similarly found early-career workers in the most AI-exposed occupations, such as software engineers and customer service representatives, declined 16% between 2022 and 2025. here is some good news: Employers expect to hire 5.6% more new graduates this spring, according to April survey data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers. |
| AI supercharging cybercrime, top global law enforcement official warns | |
| AI tools are making cybercrime faster and easier, the head of Interpol's cybercrime unit told POLITICO. In an interview on Friday, Neal Jetton, director of cybercrime at Interpol, said a range of AI tools and technology mean it's now much easier for people without technical expertise to carry out cybercrimes that cost the global economy billions of dollars each year. Tools include technical infrastructure specifically designed for cybercrime, like so-called "phishing-as-a-service" kits -- off-the-shelf tools that allow would-be scammers to create and run phishing campaigns with little or no technical skill -- but also widely available commercial tech like AI chatbots. "What makes it so difficult is that these tools allow pretty much beginners ... to actually be able to go and commit fraud at scale," Jetton said. The lower barriers to entry mean organized crime groups are increasingly involved in fraud and cybercrime, as they can outsource the technical aspects, in part by using AI tools, Jetton explained. Interpol said in March that AI-enabled fraud is four-and-a-half times more profitable than traditional methods, and that some terrorist groups in Africa are using online scams to fund their activities. |
| U.S. issues Ebola travel restrictions, first infected American identified | |
| In response to a fast-moving Ebola outbreak, the Trump administration has imposed a U.S. entry ban on foreign travelers who have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past 21 days, according to a new order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The order comes as an international Christian aid group confirmed one of its members, an American doctor working in the outbreak zone, is among those who have a confirmed Ebola infection. The organization, Serge, said that Peter Stafford, a physician who had been working at a hospital in Bunia since 2023, in northeastern DRC, tested positive for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus variant. Two other doctors working for the charity, including Stafford's wife, also had exposure to infected patients. Stafford is being relocated to Germany for treatment. His family, including his four children, are also being transferred there for observation, along with the other doctor working for the charity at Nyankunde Hospital, all of whom are asymptomatic. |
| Boutique hotel being built in Plein Air | |
| Developer Campbell McCool is building a new boutique hotel at Plein Air in Taylor that he says will serve wedding guests, reunions and visitors looking for a destination stay near Oxford. The boutique hotel, named Hotel Leighton after McCool's wife, Leighton, has been something the McCools have been tossing around for a few years. McCool said the idea grew out of Plein Air's expanding wedding business, which now hosts between 35 and 40 weddings each year. "One of the first questions people ask is 'Where can people stay?'" McCool said. After exploring partnerships with hotel management companies, McCool decided he would develop and operate the hotel independently. Construction officially began about six months ago after roughly nine months of design work. It's expected to open in the fall. |
| Judge tosses out former Jackson State University president's lawsuit against IHL board | |
| A judge has dismissed a lawsuit by former Jackson State University President William Bynum Jr. against the university and the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees, ending a six-year legal battle. Bynum, who was JSU president from July 2017 to February 2020, sued the university and IHL in Hinds County Circuit Court alleging that the state's college board violated his contract after he resigned. Bynum resigned after he was arrested in a prostitution sting. Bynum remained on staff at Jackson State as a professor until April 2020. A month after he filed the lawsuit, university leaders fired him. In the lawsuit, IHL and JSU countered that Bynum's contract never granted him tenure at the university. Senior Status Judge James D. Bell noted in his decision that the IHL Board of Trustees' policies stipulate that after completing five years of service, a college president could be granted tenure as a professor at the board's discretion. But Bell ruled, Bynum did not serve five years as JSU president and did not qualify for tenure. Nothing in the contract gave Bynum a right to tenure, Bell wrote. "Upon his resignation, he became an at-will employee. The entire premise of his Complaint is based upon a misreading or misunderstanding of the plain words of his contract." Charles Winfield, an attorney who represents Jackson State and IHL, and Bynum's lawyer, Dennis Sweet III, did not respond to a request for comment. |
| Jackson State hosts Groundbreaking Ceremony for new dining hall | |
| Jackson State University will break ground next week on a new dining hall that university leaders say will enhance the student experience on campus. The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, May 26, at the university's Public Safety parking lot at 1400 John R. Lynch St. University officials said the project will include construction of a modern dining facility spanning more than 30,000 square feet. Denise Jones Gregory, president of Jackson State University, along with other university officials, is expected to participate in the ceremony. Officials described the project as an institutional milestone focused on improving campus life for students. |
| Third Freedom Trail marker unveiled at Jackson State University, highlighting campus unrest | |
 | Jackson State University held its annual Gibbs-Green Commemoration, unveiling its third Mississippi Freedom Trail marker in honor of Benjamin Brown. Brown was 22 years old when he was shot and killed during student protests over police presence on Jackson State's campus in 1967. Robert Luckett, director of the Margaret Walker Center, said the legacy of Brown and other activists should be acknowledged. "The story of Jackson State is also intertwined deeply with the civil right movement. And so that makes days like today special for us to remember, remember our connection to it. And also to remember that these people who live through this dwell in sadness or misery, but they went on and led incredible lives of great grace and dignity." The unveiling served as a central event in the 56th annual Gibbs-Green Commemoration. This year's ceremony also recognized James "Lap" Baker. Three years after Brown's death, Baker survived the 1970 campus shooting that killed students Phillip Lafayette Gibbs and James Earl Green. Baker spent decades working to preserve the memory of the tragedy before his death earlier this year. |
| MCC hosts four commencements spotlighting students' achievements | |
 | Cheers, applause, and some tears could be heard and seen throughout Meridian Community College's Graham Gymnasium repeatedly as the College celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2026 with four commencements, honoring students from Career and Technical Education and University Transfer Programs, marking the end of one chapter and the start of another. MCC President Dr. Tom Huebner praised the graduates for their hard work and determination. "MCC has helped these students find their potential and gain the knowledge and skills they need to succeed," he said. "Watching them reach for their dreams reminds us why we do this work." |
| LSU President Wade Rousse talks arena project, restructuring and NIL era after his first 180 days | |
 | Almost exactly six months after he assumed control of the presidency at Louisiana's flagship university system, Wade Rousse gave a candid address to the Baton Rouge Press Club on the challenges of his first 180 days at the helm -- from the now-checkered arena project to the ongoing administrative overhaul. "Serving in this role is the honor of my life," Rousse said. "I've been in it for six months, and in this business, that's like a long tenure." According to his 90-day plan, LSU "outperformed dramatically," he said. Rousse made sweeping changes to the system's architecture, crusading to reestablish the chancellor position at the flagship and to rework titles and reporting lines with the goal of unifying the constellation of campuses and propelling LSU into the top 50 among research universities. But LSU has missed the mark in some ways, he said -- namely, in failing to fill leadership positions that remain vacant, including the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs & Provost spot in Baton Rouge. In the wide-ranging speech and question-and-answer session, he also addressed the LSU arena, massive administrative reform and the difficulties of leading a university post-House v. NCAA settlement |
| Amendment 3 rejection leaves Louisiana universities without $70M in savings | |
| Louisiana colleges and public school systems will miss out on hundreds of millions in projected savings after voters rejected a constitutional amendment Saturday that would have used education trust fund money to pay down retirement debt. The savings would have come as several public Louisiana universities face significant budget deficits and worsening inflation. When speaking to lawmakers in March, Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed said that the Board of Regents' "number one request" was for colleges to keep the savings generated by paying down the retirement debt. The proposal would have eliminated the Louisiana Education Quality Trust Fund, the Louisiana Quality Education Support Fund and the Education Excellence Fund. Their balances would have been used to pay off about $2 billion in debt owed by the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana. Hunter Reed said that colleges would save more than $70 million because colleges and universities would no longer have had to make certain payments toward teacher retirement debt. |
| U. of Florida picks Stuart Bell as sole finalist in its presidential search | |
| After a bruising two-year stretch defined by political controversy, leadership instability and a botched presidential hire, the University of Florida has zeroed in on a veteran red-state academic leader as its next president: longtime University of Alabama President Stuart Bell. UF's presidential search committee on Monday named Bell the sole finalist to lead the state's flagship campus, signaling a sharp shift away from the politically combustible choices that defined the eras of Ben Sasse and Santa Ono. The search committee's selection sends a clear message: After the turbulence surrounding Sasse and Ono, UF wanted a president already steeped in the realities of leading a flagship university in the conservative South. Bell spent a decade steering Alabama through the culture-war battles reshaping public higher education, including fights over diversity initiatives, campus speech, athletics and pressure from Republican lawmakers. That background is likely to reassure Florida officials seeking a leader who can navigate the state's increasingly ideological higher education environment without becoming consumed by it. And Bell already has an endorsement from Gov. Ron DeSantis. |
| UNC Board Rejects Hire of Women's Studies Professor | |
 | The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Trustees on Wednesday voted to reject the appointment of a women's studies professor whose hire had been approved by faculty and administrators. The decision is the latest example of the UNC trustees using what is typically a rubber-stamp vote to deny the hire of a green-lighted faculty candidate. Kiran Asher, a professor of women's, gender and sexuality studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, first interviewed for the distinguished professor position in January and followed what she called a "perfectly normal" hiring process. Provost Magnus Egerstedt told her two weeks ago that her hire would be put up for the board's approval at the May 13 meeting. During an open-session voice vote at the meeting, one unnamed tenure candidate was rejected. The board approved five other outside hires and 27 promotions during the meeting. |
| Northwestern hires away Purdue President Mung Chiang as its next university leader | |
| Purdue University President Mung Chiang will leave West Lafayette less than four years after taking over the the school's leadership to accept the presidency at Northwestern University. Chiang, Purdue's 13th president, will assume the role in Evanston, Illinois, just outside Chicago, on July 1, according to announcements released Monday by both universities. Purdue trustees said they plan to name an interim president in the coming weeks and begin a search for a permanent successor shortly afterward. The move marks another leadership transition for Purdue only a few years after trustees selected Chiang through an internal search process following former Gov. Mitch Daniels' retirement announcement in 2022. Chiang has been Purdue's president since Jan. 1, 2023, after previously leading the university's College of Engineering and serving as executive vice president for strategic initiatives. He first arrived at Purdue in 2017 from Princeton University. Purdue first lady Dr. YingKei Hui will also make the move with Chiang and become an internal medicine physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. |
| Michigan State President Receives $1M Raise | |
| As many Big Ten institutions struggle to hold on to their leaders, Michigan State University's Board of Trustees voted to raise President Kevin Guskiewicz's salary from just over $1 million to $2 million. The board also raised his deferred compensation from $200,000 to $250,000 a year. The move comes as Guskiewicz faces mounting frustrations with the board, The Lansing State Journal reported. Though the newspaper did not specify possible matters of contention with the board, Board Chair Brianna Scott said in a Sunday board meeting that "our president is frustrated." Another trustee, Sandy Pierce, said Guskiewicz was being "aggressively pursued" and Michigan State didn't want to lose him. Trustees said they would seek outside funds to support the raise. Guskiewicz has been at MSU since March 2024. He was hired after former president Samuel Stanley Jr. resigned in late 2022 after three-plus years on the job amid a conflict with trustees over Title IX issues. Michigan State's board has been defined by drama in recent years; trustees were accused of bullying interim president Teresa Woodruff and retaliating against a critical faculty member. Two trustees were also found to have violated university ethics rules, according to a 2024 report. |
| The University That Chose to Shrink | |
 | Save the occasional interruption of Air Force jets overhead, the University of Arizona's spring feels idyllic. Students sunbathe, take graduation photos, and dodge anthropomorphic food-delivery robots. It's not too early in the season to enjoy un raspado from one of the palaterías downtown, nor too late to spend the afternoon outside. The casual bustle does not betray that the culturally diverse campus of 43,000 undergraduates is, in fact, more svelte than it has been in recent years. At a time when most colleges are chasing enrollment gains to shore up finances, Arizona is doing the opposite. In the fall of 2025, the first-year class shrank by nearly one-fifth -- a change that leaders describe as intentional. The president and provost felt that too many freshmen were coming in unprepared. They wanted to increase the graduation rate, which is lower than that of any of Arizona's mutual peers. And they wanted to decrease how much financial aid was being doled out to students who weren't from Arizona. A handful of other flagships have capped growth in recent years to avoid overcrowding amid a surge in popularity. But Arizona's thinking -- enrolling fewer students to boost completion and cut costs -- stands out. |
| Workforce Pell Regulations Finalized | |
| The final rule that will be used to implement Workforce Pell -- an expanded version of the long-standing financial aid program -- was finalized Monday. Starting July 1, students enrolled in certain high-demand, short-term job training courses will have access to federal Pell Grants. Historically, Pell was only available to low-income students pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree. But now, under the new regulations, aid from the same pot of funding will be extended to learners in certificate programs that last between eight and 15 weeks and are preapproved by both the state and federal governments. "The Trump Administration's postsecondary education agenda is straightforward: we should shift away from high-cost, low-value programs to low-cost, high-value programs," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a news release about the final rule. Through Workforce Pell, "American students will soon be able to graduate with little to no debt and be well-prepared to start earning in one of today's in-demand jobs in weeks, not years." No Workforce Pell programs have been officially approved so far, but Monday's news clears the path for that process to begin. |
| Health worker shortage will worsen with federal loan limit, 25 states say in suit | |
 | A coalition of 25 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia sued the Education Department on Tuesday over new graduate student loan limits, arguing the restrictions will worsen the health care workforce shortage. "Higher education is expensive, and our health care system is already under immense strain. This rule will shut talented people out of critical professions and leave communities with fewer healthcare providers they desperately need," New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is leading the coalition, said in a statement. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Maryland, comes nearly three weeks after the Education Department finalized rules that lower the amount of money graduate students can borrow from the federal government. The rules, which take effect July 1, are a feature of the One Big Beautiful Bill that President Donald Trump signed into law last summer. They implement borrowing caps based on whether students are pursuing a degree in what is designated as a professional or graduate program. The law listed examples of professional programs, including pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry and theology. |
| Virginia Increases Campus Gun Restrictions, While Florida Allows Armed Workers | |
| Last week, Virginia's Democratic governor held a ceremonial signing of a law that generally bans guns and explosives from public college and university buildings. The event was held at the University of Virginia, which saw a deadly campus shooting almost four years ago. "In November 2022, three students here at the University of Virginia were shot and killed on Grounds -- Devin Chandler. Lavel Davis Jr. D'Sean Perry," Gov. Abigail Spanberger told attendees, according to a news release from her office. "This horrific tragedy devastated this community and our Commonwealth. Their families, friends, and football teammates deserve more than shared grief. They deserve action." Spanberger said that while some regulations already technically banned possession of firearms on Virginia campuses, the lack of a law made that prohibition harder to enforce. The law (House Bill 626/Senate Bill 272) still allows institutions to permit guns in buildings as part of curricula or "as part of any organization," such as the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, authorized by a university to carry weapons in a building. In Florida, Republican political leaders took a different approach this year, apparently in response to a similar campus tragedy: They moved to allow more guns on campuses. |
| Supreme Court to determine if college employees can sue under Title IX | |
| Can employees who work at colleges or schools that receive federal funding personally sue their employer for sex discrimination under Title IX? For years -- and in most parts of the country -- the answer to that has been yes. However, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case Monday that could change that answer. In Thomas Crowther v. Board of Regents of University System of Georgia, justices will decide whether college employees have a right to privately sue if their employer fails to enforce Title IX, the federal civil rights statute that protects students and employees against sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs. The case rose to the high court out of the 11th U.S. Court of Appeals, after that court decided in 2024 that Title IX's right to sue doesn't apply to employees, diverging from at least eight other appeals courts. The case was brought by two University System of Georgia employees -- a basketball coach at Georgia Tech and an art professor at Augusta University -- who said the university system discriminated against them on the basis of sex when it fired them. |
| APLU Report Outlines Public Engagement Agenda for Public & Land-Grant Universities | |
| In an effort to support greater engagement efforts at public and land-grant universities, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) today released a report outlining a public engagement agenda. The report, Public Purpose, Renewed: Future-Leading Engagement in Higher Education, is a follow-up on engagement efforts since a landmark 1999 Kellogg Commission report called on public and land-grant universities to reimagine their role in society. Public Purpose, Renewed traces the trajectory of engagement work at public and land-grant universities over the past two and a half decades from isolated efforts led by individuals toward focused, institution-wide commitments that are key to the mission of these institutions. "Public and land-grant universities are vital problem solvers in the community," said APLU President Waded Cruzado. "Their campuses are home to some of the brightest minds in the world, with students, faculty, and researchers who are dedicated to tackling stubborn problems and advancing the public good. We're delighted to release new research sharing the breadth of public and land-grant universities' engagement efforts and offering recommendations on how institutions can further increase the impact of their engagement." |
| Mississippi students, graduates continue to impress | |
 | U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) writes: Graduation season is in full swing in Mississippi, and our students, parents, and teachers have a great deal to celebrate. Our high school graduation rate hit a state record last year, ranking among the highest in the nation. Meanwhile, dropout rates have fallen every year since 2014. The world is taking notes from our improved reading performance, and, in the most recent Nation's Report Card, Mississippi was the only state where student scores improved in all four reading and math exams. ... Mississippi undergraduate and graduate students are also continuing to impress. Nearly all our public universities boasted increased enrollment in the 2024-2025 year. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: Tomas Valincius Wins 2026 Ferriss Trophy | |
| Tomas Valincius has made his first season in Maroon and White a memorable one. The Mississippi State sophomore pitcher has already picked up numerous honors for his mound prowess this year. On Monday, Valincius added another to his collection by being named the Ferriss Trophy winner for 2026. The Ferriss Trophy is presented annually to the top collegiate player in the Magnolia State at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. He claimed the honor over finalists Grayden Harris (Southern Miss), Ace Reese (MSU), Cade Townsend (Ole Miss) and Judd Utermark (Ole Miss). An MSU player has won the Ferriss Trophy 10 times during its 22 years of existence, the most of any program. Former Bulldogs to claim the Ferriss Trophy are Thomas Berkery (2006), Ed Easley (2007), Chris Stratton (2012), Hunter Renfroe (2013), Jake Mangum (2016, 2019), Brent Rooker (2017), Tanner Allen (2021) and Dakota Jordan (2024). Mangum is the only two-time winner of the Ferriss Trophy. The award is named in honor of former Diamond Dawg legend Dave "Boo" Ferriss. |
| Mississippi State baseball pitcher Tomas Valincius wins 2026 Ferriss Trophy | |
| Mississippi State baseball's Brian O'Connor has been coaching college programs for over 30 years. The first-year Bulldogs coach said there's a reason sophomore pitcher Tomas Valincius stands out from other top players. "Everybody talks about these elite players and how much they compete. He's at a different level," O'Connor said at the Mississippi Sports Museum and Hall of Fame on May 18. "I mean, it's just special. He's a fiery guy that backs it up, and he just goes out there and is a bulldog, every time he's out there." Valincius was named the 2026 Ferriss Trophy recipient, awarded annually to the best college baseball player in Mississippi. "That family means a lot to me, personally," O'Connor said. "Certainly, who he is as a player and a young man, and very proud of him. He's deserving of this award. All of them are, but unfortunately, in this process, they've got to pick a winner, and fortunately for Tomas, it's him, and he's earned it this year." Valincius said the award is a huge honor, given the list of winners, as it's his first time playing college baseball in Mississippi among such talented peers. |
| Mississippi State's Tomas Valincius wins 2026 Ferriss Trophy | |
| Mississippi State sophomore pitcher Tomas Valincius is the winner of this year's Ferriss Trophy, handed out annually to the top college baseball player in Mississippi. Valincius received the honor during a luncheon at Pearl River Resort on Monday. The trophy is named in honor of Dave "Boo" Ferriss, a former Bulldog pitcher who went on to play six seasons for the Boston Red Sox before injury derailed a historic career that included 46 wins across his first two professional campaigns. As someone who sported the maroon and white and had plenty of hardware to his name, the late Ferriss would be more than impressed with Valincius' stats. In his first season as a Bulldog after transferring from Virginia, Valincius has a 9-2 record with a 3.04 ERA across 14 starts. The lefty's win count is tied for best in the SEC and his 112 strikeouts is second in the league. He leads the SEC in strikeouts against conference opponents, fanning 86 in 10 appearances. |
| MSU's Valincius wins Ferris Trophy | |
| Mississippi State's Tomas Valincius has won the 2026 Boo Ferris Trophy. It is given annually to the best college baseball player in the state of Mississippi. The trophy was presented to Valincius during a luncheon at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Museum in Jackson on Monday. Valincius, a sophomore pitcher from Lockport, Illinois, is fifth in the SEC in earned run average (3.04), second in strikeouts (112) and tied for first in wins (nine). The southpaw has eclipsed 10 strikeouts in four starts, most recently in a 10-3 win over Auburn on May 7. Valincius is the ninth Bulldog to win the award and the first since Dakota Jordan split it with J.B. Middleton of Southern Miss in 2024. He's just the second MSU pitcher to win the award, joining Chris Stratton. |
| Baseball: Seven Bulldogs Selected All-SEC | |
| Seven members of Mississippi State's baseball team were selected as All-Conference performers by the league's coaches on Monday. Sophomore starting pitcher Tomas Valincius, junior third baseman Ace Reese and graduate designated hitter Noah Sullivan were all received first team All-SEC honors. Graduate outfielder Bryce Chance and senior reliever Ben Davis were both selected to the second team while outfielder Jacob Parker and pitcher Jack Bauer were picked as Freshman All-SEC performers. Since 1941, a total of 135 Diamond Dawgs have earned 172 All-SEC honors. Bauer and Parker became the 14th and 15th MSU players to receive a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team and the first since Dakota Jordan in 2023. It's just the second time two Bulldog rookies have been recognized, joining CT Bradford and Adam Frazier in 2011. It is the second-straight year Reese has received first team All-SEC honors. |
| Bulldogs earn second-ever trip to Super Regionals | |
| Powered by a weekend spree of impeccable pitching, Mississippi State's softball team defeated St. Mary's (Ca.) 5-0 Sunday in the championship bracket of the Eugene Regional in Oregon and advanced to the Super Regionals for the second time in program history. Pitching has been the strong suit of the No. 20 Bulldogs all season, and in the Eugene Regional they didn't just lean on it – they were galvanized by it. Peja Goold and Alyssa Faircloth combined to limit St. Mary's big-hitting squad to just four hits in Friday's 3-2 win in eight innings, and on Saturday Faircloth awed from the circle as she hurled a no-hitter to help shutout host No. 12 Oregon 4-0. With a trip to the Super Regionals on the line, Faircloth fanned 14 more batters and only gave up two hits to the Gaels in back-to-back shutouts as her offense provided the run support with two homers for the victory. The Bulldogs are now Oklahoma bound for the Norman Super Regional and will play the No. 2 Sooners in a best-of-three series for a trip to the Women's College World Series. The series begins noon Friday and gives the team a chance to carry on their surge after struggling through SEC play. |
| How Mississippi State softball used broccoli power, no-hitter to reach super regional | |
| Nadia Barbary blasted a two-run home run as Mississippi State softball took a first-inning lead on Saint Mary's in the Eugene Regional final of the NCAA Tournament May 17. The TV cameras panned to the MSU dugout, where players were jumping up and down with broccoli in their hands. Yes, real broccoli. What started with a fan at the top of the outfield bleachers known as the "Broccoli Guy" turned into possibly a good luck charm for the Bulldogs. They rolled through the Eugene Regional without a loss, beating Saint Mary's twice and host Oregon once on a no-hitter to reach the program's second super regional, with broccoli emerging as the team's rally prop in the regional final. MSU (41-18) will play at Oklahoma (51-8) in the super regional starting May 22 (noon, ESPN2) with a chance to advance to the program's first Women's College World Series. |
| Women's Golf: Avery Weed Selected for 44th Edition Of The Curtis Cup | |
| Avery Weed will become just the second Bulldog in program history to don the Red, White and Blue in the Curtis Cup, as she earned her first career selection to the event on Monday, the USGA announced. The Curtis Cup, established in 1932, pits the top eight female Team USA amateurs, which are selected by the United States Golf Association, against the eight Team Great Britian and Ireland members, selected by The R&A. Weed, a rising senior from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, becomes the first Bulldog to represent Mississippi State in the event since then Ally McDonald, now Ally Ewing, did such in the 2014 edition of the match, helping guide Team USA to a 13-7 victory. The selection to the Curtis Cup marks the second event this summer that Weed will represent the United States, as she was one of 12 female amateurs to be selected for the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup earlier this month. The Curtis Cup is held once every two years and will take place this year from July 12-14 at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles. |
| With potential split from CSC on the table, college sports leaders struggling to find solutions to money problems -- 'The Big Ten and SEC should break away and do their own deal' | |
| On the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean, some 30 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, administrators and coaches from college football's new king -- the Big Ten -- gather at a Mediterranean style resort for their annual spring meetings during the most transformational time in college athletics history. As the NCAA's seven-year congressional lobbying effort reaches its climax -- a vote on legislation is scheduled for this week in the House with momentum building for a bipartisan bill in the Senate, too -- college sports is on the brink of more revolutionary decisions. At the center of it all is the landmark, multi-billion dollar legal settlement of three antitrust cases (House) that, while moving the enterprise into the age of direct athlete compensation, has failed to deliver the stability that many leaders sought -- and now it poses a risk to roster stability. The new enforcement entity's scrutiny of third-party NIL deals from the biggest above-the-cap spenders -- many of them here (Ohio State, Oregon, USC, Michigan, etc.) -- threatens to cripple the league's wealthy behemoths by putting at risk tens of millions of dollars they guaranteed to their players. "Everyone is frustrated," said one league executive here. |
| Big Ten on a roll at spring meetings, trying to solve problems in college sports | |
 | It's no stretch to say that in the battle of wills, visions and, yes, national titles being waged across the college-sports landscape, the Big Ten has taken the lead. Leaders in the conference currently holding the football, men's and women's basketball titles opened their annual spring meeting Monday with nothing more than the future of their business on the agenda. "It seems like we're paddling beneath the surface and we don't really know what direction we're going in," said coach Dusty May, whose Michigan men's basketball team won the championship a mere six weeks ago. "There's no easy solution to this. There's no logical solution. There's going to have to be some give and take." A few big-ticket items have, in fact, been resolved over the past month. Whatever conclusions the Big Ten comes to this week will only be one piece of the puzzle. The SEC gathers next week in meetings that will direct their own league's business with a view of the wider picture in mind. |
| Where things stand in the SEC as momentum builds for a 24-team College Football Playoff | |
 | Events of last week made this clear: The SEC is now alone, and all eyes now turn to the conference to decide the future format of the College Football Playoff. What the SEC will do is not clear. People within the conference, which does not have unanimity on the issue, aren't even sure. The leaders of the ACC, Big 12 and Notre Dame all came out in favor of the Big Ten's idea of a 24-team field, double the current number. Just because everyone else favors 24 doesn't mean the SEC has to go along; the CFP contract, which runs through the 2031-32 season, essentially gives the SEC and Big Ten joint decision-making power. If it wants to stand alone, it can. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is holding his cards close. When he met with reporters on May 11, he reiterated support for a 16-team field, but did not rule out supporting 24. "We're open to the conversation," he said. "But there are a lot of ideas out there that have to be supported with analysis and information, not speculation." So the scene is set for the SEC, which holds its spring meetings May 26-28 in Destin, Fla. Some in the SEC have already come out in favor of 24, such as Georgia coach Kirby Smart, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel, and Tennessee athletic director Danny White. Ultimately, presidents, with advice from athletic directors, will meet with Sankey and decide the conference's position. Right now, everyone within the SEC seems to agree the math doesn't work going to a 24-team field. |
| SCORE Act pulled from House floor after CBC opposition | |
| The SCORE Act, a landmark piece of legislation that would have paved the way for new standards in college sports on matters including revenue sharing and athlete compensation, will not be brought to the House floor for a vote this week, according to a House GOP staffer who spoke on the condition of anonymity. This week's failed effort is the second time in less than a year the bill -- which sought to grant the NCAA limited antitrust protections as it faces increasing legal challenges around issues such as eligibility -- has failed to advance in the House amid criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) on Monday came out against the legislation, which it said would "benefit major athletic institutions that continue to remain silent while Black voting rights and Black political power are being systematically dismantled across the South." President Trump had voiced support for the bill, and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told the president during a meeting earlier this year he believed his leadership had secured enough votes for its passage. |
| Bill revamping college athletics is again pulled from House agenda | |
 | House GOP leaders are pulling a long-stalled college athletics bill from a planned House vote for a second time after they failed to secure the required votes, according to two people granted anonymity to describe internal deliberations. The SCORE Act, if enacted, would reshape oversight of college athletics in the "name, image and likeness" era of student-athlete compensation. But a pocket of GOP opposition has imperiled the bill, even after Republican leaders negotiated alterations with Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and others. Last week, Republicans on the leadership whip team privately acknowledged the bill was in trouble as Reps. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and others remained skeptical of the entire effort. Speaker Mike Johnson, who would need near GOP unanimity to pass a procedural measure teeing up the bill for a final vote, said in an interview Friday he would talk to Perry and others but remained confident he could get the legislation across the finish line. While Democrats were never expected to support that procedural step, the Congressional Black Caucus dealt a significant blow to the overall legislation Monday when the influential Democratic group came out against the bill, threatening any semblance of bipartisanship. |
| Congress pulls SCORE Act -- raising new questions about college sports reform | |
 | Congress' attempts to fix college sports hit another roadblock. The SCORE Act, which was set to be voted on this week in the House of Representatives, was pulled, per a Yahoo! Sports report. This comes after the Congressional Black Caucus announced united opposition against the bill Monday, May 18: "The Congressional Black Caucus cannot support legislation benefiting major athletic institutions that continue to remain silent while Black voting rights and Black political power are being systematically dismantled across the South." Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) continue to work on a bipartisan plan in the Senate as an alternative to the SCORE Act. Members of President Trump's Council on College Sports sent a letter to both senators "applauding" their efforts. "It is time for all interested parties to set aside past differences and coalesce around legislation in order to get it to the President's desk without delay," read the letter signed by the likes of Nick Saban, Cody Campbell and others who attended President Trump's March 6 college sports summit. "Our universities, student-athletes, alumni, and fans across the entire nation deserve nothing less." |
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