Tuesday, June 22, 2021   
 
ORED accepting Faculty Leadership Program applications through July 30
The Office of Research and Economic Development is currently accepting applications for the 2021-2022 Faculty Leadership Program. Interested faculty members that meet eligibility criteria can submit applications through July 30. The Faculty Leadership Program is designed for faculty who have aspirations of becoming an administrator or who simply want to improve their personal leadership skills. Many past participants have been successful and serve in key leadership positions today at MSU. The Faculty Leadership Program includes a range of topics aimed at supporting and empowering faculty at the associate and full academic ranks on their professional journeys. The monthly virtual, and interactive sessions, will be led by Claudia and Ruben Fernandez, founding members of the Food Systems Leadership Institution (FSLI) program. FSLI has a strong reputation for preparing leaders who are able to navigate complex challenges and lead organizational change, all while honoring the mission and ethics of the enterprise itself. Programming includes small group discussions, monthly seminars, and coaching. The FLP is limited to 20 faculty who will be selected from a competitive application process. Eligible faculty include those with the rank of Professor and Associate Professors who have held this rank for at least two years (since Aug. 16, 2019).
 
New ride-sharing service offered in Sunflower County
Neighbors in northern Sunflower County can use a new ride-sharing service, called Healthy Destination Access. The service kicked off on June 15 with ribbon cuttings in Rome and Drew. Healthy Destination Access is a partnership between the Mississippi State University Extension Service, the Bolivar County Council on Aging and the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Participants can use the service to get to full-service grocery stores in Cleveland, including Vowell's, Kroger and Wal-Mart. Services will be available every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Cost to ride is $3 per person. Each person is limited to two bags. Passengers must wear a facial covering and adhere to physical distancing guidelines. Passengers will board the bus in Drew at the Citgo gas station and in Rome at the Silver Star M.B. Church. Seats are filled on a first come, first served basis, or clients can call the Council on Aging to reserve seating. For more information about the ride-share program or to reserve a seat, call 1-877-866-8272.
 
Mississippi is losing the catfish wars
Mississippi farmers are losing the catfish wars against their foreign competitors with the very weapon they saw as their salvation. The domestic catfish industry along with representatives like the late U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi lobbied to move oversight of catfish processing from the Food and Drug Administration to the U.S. Department of Agriculture five years ago with the expectation the USDA's stricter eye would limit the foreign imports that had decimated domestic production throughout the Mississippi Delta. Instead, imports of siluriformes -- the larger category of catfish and catfish-like fish sometimes referred to by their family name "pangasius" -- have only increased since the switch to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service in 2016. Meanwhile, domestic prices and production, mainly in Mississippi and other Southern states, have continued to decline. Almost 65,000 additional tons of catfish were imported in 2019 than in 2015 before the FSIS took over according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service. The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce lists recent processing volumes at 5 million pounds per month less than in 2015 during FDA oversight. As domestic prices have declined, the average value of imports has grown with the added USDA label.
 
Sanderson Farms Explores Sale
Poultry giant Sanderson Farms Inc. is exploring a sale, according to people familiar with the matter, as demand for chicken products rises. Sanderson Farms has tapped Centerview Partners for advice on the potential sale and has attracted interest from suitors including agricultural investment firm Continental Grain Co., which owns a smaller chicken processor, the people said. The process may not result in a sale. Mississippi-based Sanderson, the third-biggest U.S. chicken producer by processing capacity, had a market value of around $3.5 billion Monday afternoon, and a buyer would be expected to pay a premium to that. Demand for chicken breasts, wings and other products has increased as pandemic restrictions lift and restaurants reopen, boosting sales and prices. At the same time, consumers have continued spending more on groceries as many are still working from home. The cost of boneless, skinless chicken breast has more than doubled since the beginning of the year and wing prices have hit records. A deal with Continental would merge Sanderson with Georgia-based Wayne Farms LLC, a poultry producer owned by Continental, forming a company producing about 15% of the country's chicken meat. No. 2 player Pilgrim's Pride Corp. produces about 16% of the national total. Sanderson was founded in 1947 as a farm-supply store. Joe Sanderson, the grandson of founder D.R. Sanderson, has served as the company's chief executive since 1989 and chairman since 1998.
 
Delta variant cases low in Mississippi, but young, unvaccinated at higher risk
U.S. health experts recently have warned of the COVID-19 Delta variant's threat to young and unvaccinated people, as the variant is more contagious and carries a greater hospitalization risk than other variants. The Delta variant has quickly gained prominence in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates it makes up 10% of new COVID-19 cases in the nation. Mississippi health officials have warned for several weeks that young people are not immune to severe illness from COVID-19, especially if they're infected with one of the variants. Prolonged COVID-19 effects, serious health outcomes and hospitalization are still possible in young, unvaccinated people. Young people in Mississippi are not getting vaccinated at the same rate as older residents. Mississippians ages 25 to 39 account for 13% of those fully vaccinated while those between ages 12 and 24 make up 6.5% of the state's fully vaccinated residents. State Epidemiologist Paul Byers said during a Friday livestream with the Mississippi State Medical Association that the three available vaccines are effective in combatting the spread of the Delta variant.
 
Jill Biden to visit Mississippi as COVID-19 vaccination rate sputters
First Lady Jill Biden will visit COVID-19 vaccination sites in Jackson on Tuesday as part of the Biden Administration's nationwide tour to reach Americans who haven't been vaccinated and promote vaccine education. The visit comes as Mississippi continues to rank last in the nation in the share of its population that has been vaccinated. Only 32% of Mississippians have been fully vaccinated despite significant gains made in recent months in vaccinating the most vulnerable and making vaccine access more equitable. Mississippi is also the state furthest behind in reaching President Joe Biden's goal of getting at least one COVID-19 shot into the arms of 70% of adults by July 4. Just over 36% of Mississippians are currently vaccinated, providing no hope the state will reach even 50% by Independence Day. If vaccination rates don't improve significantly, the state wouldn't reach that 70% threshold for well over a year. As the state's vaccine rate continues to sputter, Gov. Tate Reeves announced last week that the last remnants of COVID-related government policy in Mississippi -- the state's COVID-19 emergency orders -- will expire on Aug. 15, more than a year after the orders were first enacted.
 
State Senator Joey Fillingane considering run for Congressman Steven Palazzo's seat
State Senator Joey Fillingane is considering a run for embattled Congressman Steven Palazzo's seat. Palazzo is accused of 3 ethics violations, according to a report from the Office of Congressional Ethics. During an interview on The Gallo Show on SuperTalk Mississippi this morning, Fillingane said what's been out in the media is not good. "He's obviously under House Ethics Committee investigation. We recently found this past week that he spent about $60-thousand in campaign funds hiring attorney's to represent him in the investigation. While that may be legal, it looks horrible," Fillingane said. "I mean, if you're already under investigation for unwisely using campaign funds, then you have to spend another $60-thousand plus of those monies hiring legal counsel -- lawyering up -- to try to defend yourself. That sounds to me really, really bad." Fillingane says if it becomes an open seat, he's very interested in throwing his hat in the ring. "Of course, we're all innocent until proven guilty. So, I think we wait and see what the House Ethics Committee (investigation) looks like and see just how bad his actions were, or not."
 
Mississippi Lottery paying off for state's infrastructure, education
The Mississippi Lottery Corporation (MLC) has transferred $14,189,448.06 in revenue to the Lottery Proceeds Fund in the Mississippi State Treasury. That brings the current total transfer to $129,182,547.36, with still one more month left in the fiscal year. According to the legislation that created the lottery, the first $80 million was set to go to the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) to repair roads and bridges across the state. State Rep. John Read, Chairman of Appropriations in the House, said this was a feat they were not expecting to hit. "I think it's great. It has exceeded our expectations so far," said Read. With the first $80 million headed to roads and bridges, it was also stipulated through legislation that any additional funds go toward education. Read said the first half of the leftovers will go to K-12 schools and the rest to community colleges and IHL, split up into quarters. So far this year, the Education Enhancement Fund is set to receive $49,182,547.36. Chairman Read said that this year's amounts have far exceeded expectations and that coupled with increased general state revenues has put Mississippi in a solid financial standing. However, he said if Alabama moves to implement a lottery, things could change for the Magnolia State.
 
Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith joins Bryant Songy Snell Global Partners
Bryant Songy Snell Global Partners announced that Dr. Laurie Todd- Smith has joined the consultancy firm as a partner. Dr. Todd-Smith has a wide range of experience in public policy at the state and federal levels and specializes in advising clients on education and workforce development, as well as issues that affect working women. She was appointed by President Trump to serve as director of the Women's Bureau at the United States Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. During her tenure at the Women's Bureau, Dr. Todd-Smith led the development of policies and standards to safeguard the interests of working women; advocated for equality and economic security for working women and their families; and promoted quality work environments. She also focused the Women's Bureau on addressing the needs of working women due the impact of Covid-19. She drafted legislative language and helped to secure federal funding for states to help stabilize the childcare industry. A former elementary school teacher, Dr. Todd-Smith holds a doctorate in education leadership from Mississippi State University, a master's degree from Western New Mexico University, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona.
 
Democratic lawmakers push to make Juneteenth a state holiday
Around this time last year, lawmakers at the Mississippi Capitol voted to retire the state's former flag with its Confederate symbols. Today, Democratic leaders in the senate are crafting legislation that would remove yet another confederate symbol in the state -- Confederate Memorial holiday. It's the last Monday in April. Senate Minority Leader Derrick Simmons of Greenville says the bill to repeal the Confederate holiday will replace it with Juneteenth in June, the celebration of the end of slavery in America. "This is an effort to continue with a momentum and try to move Mississippi up into the future and not continue to hold on those ties of the past of the Confederacy," said Simmons. Last week, President Joe Biden signed into law a bill formally recognizing Juneteenth as a national holiday. Leslie Burl McLemore is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Jackson State University. He says it's a no-brainer. Mississippi, having the largest population of Black people in America, should make Juneteenth a state holiday. But with fewer Black people in leadership, he's concerned.
 
State Senator Angela Turner Ford Slams Voter Suppression Efforts at Black Voters Matter Rally in Jackson
Attempts to purge the voter roll last legislative session is not acceptable, Legislative Black Caucus Chairwoman Sen. Angela Turner Ford, D-West Point, said on Saturday, June 19 at a Black Voters Matter event. The national organization organized the gathering to re-enact the Freedom Rides of the civil rights era to draw attention to voting rights. "People are sitting quietly in their rooms; they are trying to scheme and devise laws that will further restrict our rights to vote, and that happened in this past legislative session," Ford told those gathered at the Owens Health and Wellness Center at Tougaloo College on Saturday. "Bills were filed to try to strip and purge the voter roll, just because people have not participated in a series of elections, and that we cannot stand for." Ford explained at Tougaloo that the Legislative Black Caucus held events across the state earlier in the month on the importance of voting. "We heard (about) the inception of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and those protections that we have enjoyed have been rolled back, and there is an effort to continue to do so," she said. The Saturday event featured Black Voters Matters co-founders LaTosha Brown and Cliff Albright, and other national and Mississippi community organizers on voting rights. The day was also Juneteenth after President Joe Biden, two days earlier, had signed a bill into law making June 19 a federal holiday to celebrate the emancipation of enslaved Americans. Speakers argued for the passage of the For The People Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, and legislation to make Washington, D.C., a state.
 
Rising violent crime poses new challenge for White House
President Biden will detail his administration's crime prevention strategy on Wednesday in a high profile address that comes as a series of major cities see spikes in crime. Violent crime rates are still well below the rates of previous decades, but the jump has prompted concern in locales in different parts of the country, and become a part of the debate over electing a new mayor in New York City. It is also a potential problem for the White House and congressional Democrats ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. The murder rate in the United States rose from five murders per 100,000 people in 2019 to roughly 6.2 per 100,000 in 2020, according to preliminary data from the FBI. That is a significant jump, though the rate was closer to 10 percent as recently as 1991. That rise has continued in the early part of 2021 as Biden took office and the country steadily returned to normal from the pandemic. The New York Times reported a sample of 37 cities with data for the first three months of the year saw an 18 percent increase in murders compared to the same time period in 2020. The White House was mum about specifics that will come from Biden on Wednesday, but sources said the president is likely to highlight funding for law enforcement and Department of Justice initiatives to cut down on criminal activity.
 
White House: President Biden's Catholic faith is not 'political'
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday that President Joe Biden did not interpret his Catholic faith "through a political prism," declining to comment on a recent decision by U.S. Catholic bishops that could result in a rebuke of the president for his views on abortion. "Joe Biden is a strong man of faith. And as he noted just a couple of days ago, it's personal. He goes to church, as you know, nearly every weekend. He even went when we were on our overseas trip," Psaki told reporters -- referring to the president and first lady's attendance at a Sunday service last week at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the English seaside town of St. Ives. "It's personal to him. He doesn't see it through a political prism," Psaki added at her White House briefing. "And we're not going to comment otherwise on the inner workings of the Catholic Church." Psaki's remarks come after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the drafting of a "teaching document" last Friday that some supporters say will serve as an admonishment of Biden and other Catholic politicians for receiving communion while holding political positions that run counter to church doctrine. Catholics have questioned his devotion to the faith in recent years, as he competed in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary and campaigned against then-President Donald Trump -- who enjoyed enormous support from evangelical Christian voters.
 
President Biden's cyber warning to Russia may have to be backed by action
President Joe Biden last week warned Russian President Vladimir Putin about the "significant cyber capability" the United States possessed to retaliate in case Moscow didn't curb cyberattacks stemming from its territory that have crippled key American companies. The warning may have to be backed by action to convince the Kremlin of America's seriousness. "I've been working cybersecurity policy for more than a decade. I am not so naive as to think that Putin is going to turn around tomorrow and arrest the hackers his government has been cozying up to for years," said Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies and Information Systems. "But he is now on notice." Biden "very clearly articulated that we will take concrete action if [Putin] continues to ignore the cyber criminals operating within Russia," Langevin told CQ Roll Call in an email. "I just hope the President is prepared to act swiftly and decisively when the time comes." In the past couple of months, Russia-based criminal groups have attacked Colonial Pipeline, which led to a shutdown of gasoline supplies along the U.S. East Coast, and JBS, one of the world's largest meat processing companies, which led to a brief closing of beef plants. "I looked at him ... I said how would you feel if ransomware took on the pipelines from your oil fields? He said it would matter," Biden said. "This is not about just our self-interest; it's about a mutual self-interest."
 
Dam releases, bank failures and poisoned water: Cyber pros warn worst cases are possible
Hackers could have opened the flood gates on a dam in New York in 2013, but the gates were offline for maintenance. Another hacker was in the process of trying to poison the water supply in a Florida town in February when a worker noticed and stopped it. Rather than risk a spill or other pipeline disaster after a ransomware attack last month, operators of an East Coast pipeline shut it down, leaving millions waiting in long fuel lines. Such close calls are ratcheting up fears about how vulnerable the nation's infrastructure is to cyberattacks. Experts say there are more to come and the attacks could be far more devastating than anything seen so far unless the United States girds its critical systems against a growing onslaught of digital intrusion. That worst-case scenarios haven't played out already, experts said, comes down to a combination of luck, and the fact that hackers have focused on making quick money using relatively unsophisticated attacks. Think of all the automated systems that people rely on every day, said Paul Rosenzweig, who formerly worked on cybersecurity policy for Homeland Security: "Traffic lights for our cars, natural gas for our houses, water for our homes, clean water and sewage, electricity to power our houses, our metro rail systems that that many of us use." All of those systems can be hacked, he said.
 
Feeling sticker shock at the gas pump? Think Iran.
The price of a gallon of gas has jumped $1 from a year ago. The national average is now just over three bucks. And if you've got long-delayed vacation plans, what should you pay attention to? Vaccinations, variants, the economic recovery -- sure. But also, faraway Iran. Iranians just elected an ultraconservative president who's critical of the West, which could stall the return of much-needed Iranian crude oil to the world market. Going into Iran's election last week, talks between the government in Tehran and the Joe Biden administration were moving toward a deal to patch up their differences, revive the nuclear accord and let Iran export oil again. But the newly elected president, Ebrahim Raisi, and his allies "are very skeptical of U.S. intentions," said Sara Vakhshouri, who heads the consulting firm SVB Energy International. Since Friday's election, the price of crude has risen $3 to about $75 a barrel. "Traders are having lower expectations for Iran oil," Vakhshouri said. Meanwhile, Russia and members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries are keeping supplies tight as international demand is red-hot.
 
Thacker Mountain Radio Hour to Perform in the Grove Sunday
The Thacker Mountain Radio Hour will perform the show's first Oxford appearance with an audience Sunday since the COVID-19 pandemic began last year. The show will begin at 6 p.m. on Sunday in the Grove at the University of Mississippi. Admission is free and lawn chairs and picnics are welcome. The show is part of the Summer Sunset Series and is sponsored by the Gertrude Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Mississippi Arts Commission and the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. Guests will include author Melissa Ginsburg and her literary thriller, "The House Uptown," with musical guests Damein Wash and the Venture Fourths and R&B singer Effie Burt. Jim Dees and Thacker house band, the Yalobushwhackers, will host the show. In the event of rain, the show will move to the Gertrude C. Ford Center at 351 University Avenue. There will be no live broadcast. This show will be recorded to air later this summer. The show's summer schedule includes performances in August at the Mississippi Book Festival in Jackson and at the Walter Anderson Museum in Ocean Springs.
 
First Lady Jill Biden to visit Jackson State's vaccination site
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden will visit Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday as part of a vaccine tour this week. While in Jackson, Biden will visit the COVID-19 vaccination site at Jackson State University. The visit comes two weeks before President Joe Biden's July 4th vaccination goal to get 70 percent of adults in the United States at least partially vaccinated. Mississippi's Democratic National Committeewoman Jacqueline Amos hopes the first lady's visit will help boost the demand for COVID-19 vaccines in the state. "I believe this administration is going to help us make those different changes, and we should be ready to receive," said Amos. The first lady will be joined by Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba.
 
What to Expect When Mississippi Schools Return in the Fall | Mississippi Politics and News
Schools in Mississippi were closed to in-person instruction on March 2020, and remained closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. All counties in the state were allowed to start reopening schools by August 2020. "This has been a very resilient year for children, for teachers, for leaders, for parents," said Dr. Carey Wright, State Superintendent of Education for Mississippi. "If there's one thing I can say about Mississippians it's that we are incredibly resilient and I think everyone is kind of looking forward to coming back to school in person and getting the year started." Wright said returning to school for the 2021-2022 school year will still look different because of the ongoing coronavirus. Because of this, districts will need to adjust how their schools will run in order to protect the health of students and staff. Schools will be following guidance from the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) and the CDC in order to secure the well-being of all as the pandemic continues. Governor Tate Reeves told Y'all Politics in May that he does not anticipate a state mask mandate for K-12 schools when students return in August 2022. Those orders have since expired. However, local districts may require additional measures at their own discretion.
 
Reports: Alabama higher ed relies more on tuition, less on state support
Revenue at Alabama's higher education institutions in 2020 was greater than the national per-student average and ranked seventh in the nation, but students' tuition dollars made up significantly more of that total than the national average. About 67% of Alabama's higher education's total revenue came from tuition, according to information from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association. In 2008, the "student share" of total revenue was 41.7%, according to a report from the association. "The hard part is 67% of our total revenue is dependent on tuition, which means parents and families have a bigger share of that," Alabama Commission on Higher Education Executive Director Jim Purcell told commission members at their quarterly board meeting this month. "Alabama has a lot of low-income people, but our tuition revenue is twice the national average," Purcell said. State support for Alabama institutions in 2020 was $8,023 per full-time equivalent student, referred to as FTE, about $600 less than the national average. The report notes support for community colleges is slightly higher than that for four-year schools.
 
Joe Aistrup looks back on time as dean of Auburn's College of Liberal Arts
Room 331 in Tichenor Hall is not just another room in the building -- it is the office for the dean of liberal arts, and it is where Joe Aistrup has been serving Auburn students for eight years. "You can see my boxes," Aistrup said Friday afternoon, glancing at an unused stack in the corner of his office. "I'm getting ready to pack." After eight years, Aistrup has finally decided to step down, take a year leave and then resume his work as a political science teacher. As he reminisced on his time as dean, Aistrup said he is extremely proud of the programs the College of Liberal Arts has been able to implement and create during his time here. "We established a master of social work, which I thought was really critical for a land-grant institution in Alabama," he said. "That's a very important profession that helps people and is on the frontlines of a lot of public health and other types of public issues." The college also established new undergraduate programs while he was dean. "We started thinking about the outcomes that our students experienced once they graduate," Aistrup said. "I kind of felt like it was very important that every student here at Auburn have a clue as to how to get a job or how to go to graduate school and what to do to do after that."
 
Acting U. of Arkansas chancellor named; leader for school year undecided
Bill Kincaid, a campus attorney, has been named acting chancellor at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville but more time is needed to decide who should lead in the upcoming academic year, UA System President Donald Bobbitt said Monday. Kincaid takes over from Joe Steinmetz, 66, who announced his resignation Thursday within hours of a board of trustees meeting held to discuss an unspecified personnel matter. Kincaid, a Fayetteville native and professor's son, is expected to hold the title of acting chancellor for "a few weeks," Bobbitt said in his statement. "I will take some time to visit with university stakeholders to identify the best person to lead the campus through the next academic year and beyond," Bobbitt said in a letter addressed to the "UofA community." Jon McNaughtan, a Texas Tech University researcher who studies higher education leadership, on Monday described how a top administrator's sudden departure affects decisions about selecting the next-in-line leader. He contrasted the role of an acting administrator, working on a short-term basis, with that of an interim leader, who he said often has significant experience in a role like that of vice president and "is a leader that can kind of get the campus back." "Usually you get a little more time leading up to select an interim, which is why they're having to select an acting" chancellor, McNaughtan said, adding that this "is rare" in higher education.
 
Interim LSU president hands out raises on way out: How much for faculty and staff?
The outgoing interim president of LSU sent a letter to employees Monday announcing a 3% pay raise. The money will be available for eligible unclassified faculty and staff, LSU President Tom Galligan said. Galligan took over on an interim basis after F. King Alexander left for Oregon State in December 2019. He will be replaced July 5 by William F. Tate IV and return to teaching law. "As I prepare to return to the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, I am incredibly happy that one of my last messages to you is to announce that LSU will provide a 3% merit raise pool to each department," Galligan wrote Monday. "Raises were my number one priority during the legislative session and thanks to the support of the Governor, the Legislature, and a host of too many others to name, our goal is now a reality." Galligan said he is hopeful that employees could receive raises annually. The raises are effective July 1 for fiscal year and professional hourly employees and Aug. 15 for those paid on an academic year basis. Classified employees will be given a market pay adjustment July 15, LSU said.
 
South Carolina members of Congress call on USC, Clemson to stop teaching Critical Race Theory
Several South Carolina members of Congress are calling on the state's two most prominent universities to stop teaching a field of study called Critical Race Theory. Critical Race Theory, founded in the '70s, is a field of study that examines how social institutions, such as law enforcement, banking, school funding, zoning and more, have created or exacerbated racial inequality. The letter was signed Monday by Reps. Ralph Norman, William Timmons, Nancy Mace, Joe Wilson, Tom Rice and Jeff Duncan, all of whom are members of the Republican Party. "We are extremely disappointed by both universities' decision to permit a neo-racist ideology on campus, especially considering their receipt of millions of state and federal taxpayer dollars per year," according to the letter, which was addressed to USC President Harris Pastides and Clemson President James Clements. Critical Race Theory, often abbreviated CRT, has been a punching bag for conservative commentators and media outlets since former President Donald Trump mentioned it in 2020. Critics of CRT argue it blames all white people for the actions of a few racists. Proponents of CRT, who argue conservatives are twisting their words, say the field of study focuses on the systems which allow racism to thrive, even if that racism is unintentional or unconscious.
 
New COVID-19 test from U. of Florida scientists takes a single second for results
When the COVID-19 pandemic first began, tests were in short supply. Results took days to receive or even weeks with delays. Then, they got faster. Wait times shrank to hours and minutes as rapid tests developed. Now, University of Florida researchers, in collaboration with Taiwan's National Chiao Tung University, have created a prototype test that detects the virus and gives results within the span of a single second. Their findings were published May 18 in the academic Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B. Minghan Xian, a third-year doctoral candidate at the UF Department of Chemical Engineering and first author on the paper, and Dr. Josephine Esquivel-Upshaw, a professor at the UF College of Dentistry and principal investigator of the $220,000 grant funding the research project explain that it is split into two parts: a single-use biosensor strip and a reusable electric circuit board. The strip works similarly to glucose test strips used by people with diabetes to monitor blood sugar levels. Fluid, like human saliva, enters the tip. An electrical signal is sent to the circuit board, amplified and converted to a number based on the concentration of COVID-19 antigens. The device is still undergoing trials, and in the past two weeks, researchers began running it with human saliva samples from COVID-19 spit tests collected through UF Health's Screen, Test & Protect initiative.
 
U. of Missouri's Greek life office delays freshman housing policy until 2022
The University of Missouri's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will delay starting new policies for freshmen in Greek housing until the start of the 2022 school year. The rules will govern whether a chapter can allow freshmen initiates to live in their houses. The decision to delay was made "due to COVID-19 and missed opportunities for our Greek chapters," according to an email from Kathryn O'Hagan, assistant director of the Greek life office, to housing advisory board members. MU spokesperson Christian Basi said the delay "gives us an opportunity to do one more review, take a look and see what COVID has done to change the landscape, in this case in the Greek community, and see if that means that we want to adjust or alter some of those recommendations or restrictions before they're implemented." The changes stem from a 2019 report created after a 2017 external review of MU Greek life. The goal stated in the report was to "create an environment that maximizes opportunities for personal and academic growth in a safe environment that supports our university values." Basi said MU's Greek community is integral to the campus and the Greek experience is important to many students. "So, we want to make sure that we have a vibrant community but one that has safety at the utmost top of mind," he said, "and we want to make sure that all of our students are in a welcoming and safe atmosphere."
 
How colleges can be proactive about the ransomware threat
Criminal hackers drew national attention when they brought down a major East Coast oil pipeline for several days in May, triggering a panic that led to gasoline shortages and price increases. Colleges have been similarly hit, knocked offline for days or weeks by attackers who froze -- and sometimes threatened to sell -- their data and demanded payment for it to be restored. Called ransomware, these attacks doubled in frequency within higher education between 2019 and 2020, according to one industry report, which pegs the average cost of such an event for institutions at $447,000. They have affected colleges nationwide, from a community college in Iowa, to Michigan State University and a University of California system campus. One two-year system in Arizona said it narrowly averted such an attack. Federal law enforcement agencies warned colleges of the increased threat earlier this year. Ransomware attacks are hitting colleges at an inopportune time. Institutions have been relying far more heavily on their virtual systems for instruction and student support during the pandemic than ever before. This has made the impact of such attacks that much bigger for colleges, said Von Welch, associate vice president for information security at Indiana University.
 
'Speed and scale.' One year into the job, NSF's director prepares for massive budget growth
Sethuraman Panchanathan has a lot to celebrate this week as he marks his first anniversary as director of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). President Joe Biden has asked Congress to boost its current $8.5 billion budget by 20% in 2022, and a bipartisan majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives has embraced the idea of making NSF the lead agency in a massive increase in federal research spending aimed at helping the United States outinnovate the rest of the world. Lawmakers also want to give NSF a new multibillion-dollar directorate tasked with developing new technologies. "This bill pushes NSF to be its own best self," said Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D–TX), chair of the House science committee, shortly before the panel voted unanimously on 15 June to approve legislation that would turn the agency into an $18 billion juggernaut by 2026. The committee's top Republican, Representative Frank Lucas (OK), otherwise a staunch fiscal conservative, gushed about "preserving what makes NSF great" while giving it the resources "to meet the challenges of the 21st century." With those added resources, however, comes increased scrutiny of an agency that has traditionally flown under the political radar since it was created in 1950 to fund academic research. And although a rising budget -- assuming Congress appropriates the money -- might be a de facto measure of success, Panchanathan will likely spend the rest of a 6-year term that began on 23 June 2020 trying to show policymakers that he can manage new initiatives like the technology directorate as well as scale up existing programs. He must also align NSF's mission with two hot-button political issues that legislators have made prerequisites for the agency's growth: increased research security and greater geographic diversity in its funding patterns.
 
Do Colleges Need a Foreign Policy?
When Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration announced plans for a dual-degree program with Peking University in China earlier this year, many professors opposed it with alarm. Under President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government has become increasingly repressive, cracking down on pro-democracy advocates in Hong Kong and workers' rights supporters. The U.S. State Department has charged the Chinese with committing "genocide and crimes against humanity" against Uyghurs, a Muslim minority. That authoritarianism has extended to China's universities, where academic freedom and dissent have been squeezed. One of the professors who opposed the program was Eli Friedman. An associate professor of international and comparative labor, Friedman had run a pair of student-exchange programs with Renmin University of China before suspending them in 2018 amid concerns about academic freedom and treatment of student activists. He was dismayed that Cornell was planning a far deeper collaboration with China. The Cornell debate mirrors the tensions playing out on campuses across the country around international collaboration. Much as with the current culture wars, colleges are feeling these geopolitical pressures from all sides: Students and professors question academic ties to places without the same protections for speech and expression, and government officials are wary of universities' willingness to engage with regimes that can be seen as hostile to American national interests.
 
Another blocked appointment? What's going on at Carolina?
The University of North Carolina system's Board of Governors is once again accused of conspiring against a faculty member at the Chapel Hill campus. Last month, the professor in question was Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and MacArthur Fellow Nikole Hannah-Jones, who was not granted tenure. Now it's Eric Muller, Dan K. Moore Distinguished Professor in Jurisprudence and Ethics, whose reappointment to the UNC Press's Board of Governors was effectively denied. Muller, the press board's current chair, was unanimously reappointed by that board's members for a third and final five-year term set to begin July 1. But a committee of the university system's governing board, which has previously rubber-stamped all board press appointments and reappointments, chose not to vote on Muller's reappointment at all this spring. Two other names were sent to the system board for approval at the same time as Muller's, and the board approved both. Muller, who has previously criticized the system board for how it dealt with Chapel Hill's Silent Sam Confederate monument, among other issues, said Monday that he didn't know why the governing board won't reappoint him. But he had an idea. It would be "an ominous sign for the values of a leading research university and of a celebrated academic press if our system's Board of Governors were to single out faculty members for punishment for voicing their views on matters within their expertise and research," Muller wrote in a public statement. "Did they do that here? I'd like to hope not. But they knew nothing else about me. They never asked about my service as a press board member. They never asked about my leadership as chair. So it's hard to imagine a different reason."
 
Apple, Google award millions in grants to historically Black colleges and universities
On the heels of the federal Juneteenth holiday, tech giants Apple and Google on Thursday is awarding tens of millions in grants to several historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Apple is awarding $5 million "Innovation Grants" to four HBCUs, the company announced Thursday. Alabama A&M University, Howard University, Morgan State University, and Prairie View A&M University will get the grants, which are part of the company's broader $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative launched in June 2020. The three-year grants are part of the iPhone maker's New Silicon Initiative to help prepare students for careers in hardware technology and silicon chip design. Apple said the grants will support each university's engineering school as well as help expand emerging hardware technologies coursework and expertise, particularly in computer architecture and silicon engineering. Howard, Morgan State and Prairie View are also among 10 HBCU's each receiving a $5 million grant from Google as part of its initiative to "address the diversity gap in tech," the company announced Thursday. The other seven institutions receiving a one-time unrestricted $5 million grant include Claflin University Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, North Carolina A&T State University, Spelman College, Tuskegee University and Xavier University.
 
Will Philip Gunn primary Tate Reeves?
Sam R. Hall, the executive editor of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, writes: For those not paying attention, House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, is sending some not so subtle hints that he's at least considering a primary challenge to Gov. Tate Reeves in 2023. The two Republican leaders have never had a close relationship. When Reeves was lieutenant governor, the two often sparred. The contentious relationship between the House and Senate was partly a reflection of the legislative one-upmanship in which the two often engaged. Now that Reeves has graduated to the governor's mansion, he finds himself unable to influence the Legislature due to an office that was purposefully designed to be constitutionally weak. In that way, Gunn and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann have done as they please with little attention paid to the governor. The biggest legislative battle in which Reeves was involved was over the spending of federal COVID-19 dollars. Reeves used the power of his bully pulpit -- and that of his role leading the state during the pandemic -- attempting to influence lawmakers. Along the way, his anger at their direction (and likely his frustration over a governor's legislative impotency) led him to lash out at lawmakers.


SPORTS
 
Chris Lemonis tells Mississippi State to stay the course ahead of winners' bracket matchup with Virginia
After Mississippi State beat No. 2 Texas in Sunday night's College World Series opener, coach Chris Lemonis issued a directive to his players: Celebrate the win -- but stay the course. "Enjoy tonight," Lemonis told the Bulldogs. "When we wake up tomorrow morning, it's over." With so much left to play for, the third-year MSU coach knows his team can't afford to ride too high off its third straight opening-game win in Omaha, Nebraska. He was there when the Bulldogs won their first game in the 2019 event, walking off Auburn with a dramatic comeback, just to lose twice in a row and end up back home in Starkville. It's a fate Lemonis is determined to avoid this time around. "We did not come here just to win one game or two games," he told his team. "(The goal) is to play through this tournament and win this tournament." Achieving that objective will be made easier by a victory in the Bulldogs' winners' bracket matchup with Virginia (36-25) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at TD Ameritrade Park. The unseeded Cavaliers shut out No. 3 Tennessee 6-0 on Sunday to continue a strong run of play. "They can really, really pitch it," Lemonis said of Virginia, which used six strong innings from starter Andrew Abbott and a three-inning save by reliever Matt Wyatt to blank the red-hot Volunteers. "You're dealing with some upper-level arms."
 
Mississippi State to face Virginia in College World Series winner's bracket
Mississippi State has been in this situation before, but head coach Chris Lemonis is looking for a different result for his baseball team. No. 7-seed Mississippi State will play unseeded Virginia today at 6 p.m. at Omaha's TD Ameritrade Park in the winner's bracket of the College World Series. The game will be on ESPN2. The Bulldogs (46-16) are in familiar territory. In each of their last two CWS appearances, in 2018 and 2019, the Bulldogs have won the opening game of the tournament. In 2018, MSU won the second game before dropping the next two. In 2019, MSU lost two straight after the opener and was eliminated. With those results in the back of his mind, Lemonis hopes his team isn't satisfied yet. "We didn't come here just to win one game or two games," Lemonis said. "It is to play through this tournament and win this tournament.' We hope to get back to a focused mindset today. Not a long practice, but get to work and prepare for Virginia. I'm challenging myself to keep baseball at the forefront of everything and stay locked in." Virginia (36-25) was one of only two teams to make the trip to Omaha after not earning a No. 1 seed in the tournament. N.C. State is the other.
 
College World Series brings together former Germantown travel ball teammates
Four former Germantown travel baseball teammates are on rosters in the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, this week. Though the four are now playing on a much larger stage at TD Ameritrade Park, Vanderbilt pitcher Hugh Fisher, Tennessee outfielder Evan Russell, Mississippi State pitcher Houston Harding and North Carolina State outfielder Terrell Tatum have all overlapped before. The group's paths crossed when they were teammates with the Germantown Giants at age 11-13. Vanderbilt and NC State play Monday night in the winner's bracket. Tennessee will face Texas on Tuesday with the prospect of elimination for the loser, while Mississippi State plays Virginia later that night. The four played together for the Germantown Giants under coach Terry Rooker, whose son Brent played for Mississippi State and is now in his second year with the Minnesota Twins. But it was Terry's younger son Josh who played alongside the four in Omaha. Unlike his brother, Josh elected to stay closer to home and played one year at Memphis.
 
Tailgating an annual tradition at the College World Series
There are a lot of traditions that are different at the College World Series this year. Some fan events have been canceled, while others have been condensed and modified. One tradition that fans are happy is still around is tailgating. Fans from all over the country are catching up with old friends, playing some games, and bringing their favorite regional dishes to share with strangers who pass by. Mickey Lanclos said even though he wasn't able to cheer for Louisiana State this year, he wouldn't miss out on a trip to Omaha during College World Series. For 30 years he's joined tailgaters, bringing fresh shrimp crawfish and other Louisianan delights to share. "I love bringing this stuff up for people's that's never seen it," Lanclos said. "I just enjoy doing that." "If you like baseball, you've got to come to Omaha," said Mississippi State fan Dennis Everett. "This is where it's at. I've got so many friends that say, 'I'm going to wait until the finals.' Well, a lot of times you don't make it to the finals and they get cheated of a great experience." Some of the fans say with COVID-19 not long behind us, that the atmosphere still isn't quite the same as what is was in years past. But this is a good step back toward normalcy in Omaha.
 
College World Series: 2021 attendance so far is similar to 2019′s
The sea of fans swarming TD Ameritrade Park Omaha is one of the many reminders that things are slowly returning to normal after the pandemic shuttered the tournament in 2019. But could it be deceiving? The executive director of the CWS said that just because the park can be filled to capacity doesn't mean things are 100% normal. When CWS 2021 is compared to CWS 2019, a lot has changed. But not necessarily everything is different. Attendance numbers are similar: This year, the first five games amassed more than 110,000 people. In 2019, that number was 114,000. Organizers said "it's unbelievable" that attendance is on track to hit 2019 numbers. "A month ago, when we went to no limitations on attendance, nobody thought we'd have attendance these first five games like we have." Starting May 21, organizers literally had less than 30 days from they learned the NCAA would allow full capacity at games during opening day to try to rework sales plans. Since then, they quickly realized that competing teams drew some of their most loyal fans. "Nor did we think so many people would be coming in from out-of-town, so we are absolutely thrilled."
 
'Nebraska is a hot spot': Advocates urge vigilance against human trafficking around sporting events
With thousands of visitors in Omaha, experts say it can make things easier for human traffickers. The Set Me Free is all about preventative education. They go into schools and teach kids what to look for and how to recognize the signs, so they don't become victims. But trafficking is a nearly $100 billion industry, meaning it's happening, and you can help stop it. As baseball fans flood Omaha and swim trial fans leave, advocates are keeping their eyes open. "Nebraska is actually a hot spot for human trafficking," said Stephanie Olson, with The Set Me Free Project. She said it may go unnoticed by most, especially as back-to-back sporting events roll through the city. That's because it doesn't happen how we think. "It's not at all like kidnapping. That's not what it looks like," Olson said. "It's not something that just happens overnight, it's usually a grooming process that takes a long period of time." Olson said big events aren't often a "luring ground" but instead, a hot spot for selling and buying. Olson said agencies are on the ground at these events watching for human trafficking and offering help.
 
Terrell Tatum HR bests Jack Leiter's 15 Ks in NC State's 1-0 win over Vandy
North Carolina State's postseason just keeps getting better. The Wolfpack beat SEC pitcher of the year Kevin Kopps of Arkansas to win their regional, beat the Pac-12 pitcher of the year Brendan Beck of Stanford in their College World Series opener, and Monday night they beat projected top-five draft pick Jack Leiter. Terrell Tatum's fifth-inning home run spoiled a dominant performance by the national strikeout leader and now NC State is in control of its CWS bracket after its 1-0 win over Vanderbilt. "We've slayed a lot of giants," said Sam Highfill, who dueled with Leiter most of the unseasonably cool evening at TD Ameritrade Park. The Wolfpack (37-18) have knocked out the No. 1 national seed in Arkansas and now have beaten the reigning national champion in Vanderbilt in the NCAA Tournament. They've won 33 of 42 since starting 4-9 overall and 1-8 in ACC play. Leiter went eight innings and struck out 15, the same number of Ks by Mississippi State's Will Bodnar against Texas on Sunday in what was the most by a pitcher in a nine-inning CWS game in 25 years. NC State plays Friday against the Vanderbilt-Stanford winner.
 
Facing College World Series elimination without Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter, who does Vanderbilt turn to now?
Vanderbilt might pitch Patrick Reilly or Johnny Wholestaff with its season on the line. Coach Tim Corbin didn't tip his hand either way. Vanderbilt (46-16) will play Stanford (39-16) in an elimination game Wednesday (6 p.m., ESPN) at the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. The bad news is that it already has used aces Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter. The good news is that virtually every other pitcher should be available to try to extend the season. "No one is the obvious choice right now," Corbin said after Vanderbilt lost 1-0 to NC State in the winners bracket Monday night. "And I'm not looking ahead right now. We've got a day to do that." Freshman right-hander Patrick Reilly -- the lesser-known third starter -- is the plausible option. Right-hander Christian Little, a 17-year-old freshman, is another possibility. Reilly has been hit-or-miss in seven starts since entering the weekend rotation against Georgia on April 10, usually alternating good starts and poor ones. His best was against Alabama, giving up two runs in seven innings on 108 pitches. His worst was allowing three runs and walking four batters while recording only one out in the first inning against Mississippi State. Corbin made it clear that he intends to exhaust every option to stay alive in Omaha.
 
Hot-hitting Stanford sends Arizona packing with 14-5 CWS win
Brock Jones homered, doubled and drove in five runs to lead one of Stanford's most productive offensive performances of the season in a 14-5 victory over Arizona in a College World Series elimination game Monday. The Cardinal got their bats cranked up again after losing 10-4 to North Carolina State in their CWS opener Saturday. They also got payback for the 20-2 beatdown they took from their Pac-12 rival May 8. Stanford led 10-0 in the fourth inning and, after Arizona cut the lead in half, tacked on four more runs in the seventh to assure itself of extending its first CWS appearance since 2008 at least two more days. "We played like a team that didn't want to end their season, didn't want to go home, and wants to get some momentum and keep playing in the World Series here," Stanford coach David Esquer said. Arizona (45-18), the No. 5 national seed, lost 7-6 to Vanderbilt in 12 innings Saturday and went two games and out at the CWS for the first time in five appearances since 1985. The loss to Stanford was its most lopsided in 31 CWS games since a 16-3 defeat to Cal State Fullerton in 1979.
 
In Unanimous Ruling, Supreme Court Takes Aim at NCAA's 'Amateurism' Model
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Monday that limits on education-related benefits for college athletes violate federal antitrust laws. The opinion, written by Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, is seen as a victory for athletes' rights and a strong rebuke of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's argument that increasing benefits for athletes will undermine what it says is the enterprise's signature appeal -- that its athletes are considered unpaid amateurs. The case, NCAA v. Alston, considered whether the association had the authority to limit scholarships to the cost of attendance and bar colleges from providing any additional compensation or benefits, even if they were related to an athlete's education. The NCAA has argued that a prohibition of such benefits was necessary to preserve "amateurism" in college sports and to prevent wealthy colleges and athletic boosters from gaining an unfair advantage in recruiting athletes. The court's opinion also leaves lots of unanswered questions, including who will define what "education-related" means. There are also potential tax issues for colleges and athletes depending on who or what entity pays for the benefits.
 
Supreme Court upholds payments to athletes
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled unanimously that the National Collegiate Athletic Association may not bar modest payments to athletes. The court upheld a 2019 ruling by a federal district court judge, which in turn was endorsed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit last year. The rulings all concern the Sherman Act, which bars monopolies by organizations in the United States. As they often do, the justices took a measured approach. They chose not to seize a potential opportunity to challenge the NCAA's overall regulations limiting the value of scholarships and other compensation tied to athletic performance, which could have undermined the entire business model of college athletics. But a concurring opinion by Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested that such a reckoning for the NCAA and its financial model is likely ahead -- and that at least he eagerly wants it to be so. If Gorsuch's overall message on behalf of the court was that the lower courts had struck a fair balance between the NCAA's interests and those of the athletes in service of upholding federal antitrust law, Kavanaugh in his concurrence issued more of a threat to the powers that be in big-time college sports. He describes the NCAA's amateurism argument as "circular and unpersuasive."
 
SEC's Greg Sankey reacts to Supreme Court's ruling for NCAA athletes in compensation cases
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement Monday that the next step should be to talk to member institutions about the "implications" from a Supreme Court ruling earlier in the day. The high court ruled unanimously the NCAA can't limit education-related benefits -- like computers and paid internships -- that colleges can offer their sports stars, a victory for athletes that could help open the door to further easing in the decades-old fight over paying student-athletes. Schools recruiting top athletes can now offer tens of thousands of dollars in benefits that also include study-abroad programs and graduate scholarships. However, the case doesn't decide whether students can simply be paid salaries for the benefits their efforts bring -- measured in tens of millions for many universities. The high court said specifically that NCAA limits on the education-related benefits that colleges can offer athletes who play Division I basketball and football violate antitrust laws. Under current NCAA rules, students cannot be paid, and the scholarship money a college can offer is capped at the cost of attending the school. The NCAA had defended its rules as necessary to preserve the amateur nature of college sports, preventing a blurring of the line between them and professional teams, with colleges trying to lure talented athletes by offering over-the-top benefits. A lower court had upheld the limits on scholarships and cash awards.
 
What does the Supreme Court ruling on NCAA v. Alston mean? More benefits and (possibly) more lawsuits
Ben Siegel, an attorney involved in one of the most pivotal legal battles in sports history, read aloud the final sentence of a Supreme Court decision that is expected to change the future of how college athletes are compensated. "The NCAA is not above the law," Siegel read. He paused. "That to me sums up the whole opinion," Siegel said. The final sentence, written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, concluded a 45-page decision on NCAA v. Alston in which the Supreme Court unanimously ruled Monday that the NCAA can no longer ban schools from providing college athletes education-related benefits. There will be influences in both the short term and long term. Marc Edelman, professor of law at Baruch College's Zickland School of Business, said "the writing is on the wall" that colleges and athletes will now challenge other NCAA restrictions on compensations that aren't education-related. "It's not just the outer fringes of the NCAA restraints that are illegal," said Edelman, who has practiced antitrust law with attorneys representing both sides in NCAA v. Alston. "It's something closer to the whole shabang."
 
Supreme Court win for college athletes in compensation case
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday the NCAA can't limit education-related benefits that colleges can offer their sports stars, a victory for athletes that could help open the door to further easing in the decades-old fight over paying student-athletes. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court that the NCAA sought "immunity from the normal operation of the antitrust laws," an argument the court rejected. Gorsuch said that allowing colleges and universities to offer "enhanced education-related benefits ... may encourage scholastic achievement and allow student-athletes a measure of compensation more consistent with the value they bring to their schools." Writing for only himself, Justice Brett Kavanaugh signaled where Monday's decision may lead. He said there are "serious questions" about whether the NCAA's other restrictions on compensating athletes can stand. Kavanaugh wrote that "traditions alone cannot justify the NCAA's decision to build a massive money-raising enterprise on the backs of student athletes who are not fairly compensated." "Nowhere else in America can businesses get away with agreeing not to pay their workers a fair market rate on the theory that their product is defined by not paying their workers a fair market rate. ... The NCAA is not above the law," wrote Kavanaugh, who as a college student played on Yale's junior varsity basketball team.
 
After Decades of Control, the NCAA Finds Itself 'On Its Heels'
The National Collegiate Athletic Association once had the tightest of clamps on college athlete compensation, maintaining a strict stance that any form of benefit that rewarded players for their participation would wreck a so-called "amateur model" that it had relied on for decades. As the NCAA meets on Tuesday to determine a new vision for college sports, however, its ironclad hold on athlete compensation has been broken -- and it has little leverage to retake control of the matter. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Monday that the NCAA had violated antitrust law in a case about the range of permitted education-related benefits that college athletes can receive. In the future, the NCAA will now be subject to the same kind of scrutiny as other entities as to whether its rules unlawfully suppress competition. It can't fall back on arguments that maintaining an amateur model is crucial to its product. "The NCAA is on its heels right now," said Len Elmore, co-chair of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, an advocacy group that aims to reform inequities in college sports. The decision marks a historic loss of control for an organization that for decades has maintained a narrow view of how athletes are compensated for playing college sports -- and wielded a powerful enforcement club at those who violated them. It held the power to vacate titles and remove wins. On its own, the Supreme Court decision will not stop the NCAA from continuing to make rules, which the association noted in a brief statement on Monday. But the association has already lost control of the debate going forward.
 
'We've Done It to Ourselves': A Divided NCAA Membership Delays NIL Vote as Pressures Mount
In January, the NCAA was on the brink of passing groundbreaking legislation to grant athletes the right to earn compensation on endorsement deals, business ventures and public appearances. The exhaustive 30-plus page legislative document governing name, image and likeness (NIL) -- in the works for more than a year -- marked progress forward in the NCAA's march to modernize its archaic rules. The legislation struck down decades of prohibitions, freeing athletes to profit on their images like any other college student -- a victorious win for athletes around the country. And then, days before the organization's virtual annual summit in mid-January, the governing body shelved the proposal. Now, six months later, there is still no rule to govern athlete compensation, and the wait is expected to extend several more days. The NCAA's chief policy-making board, the Division I Council, is not, as of now, scheduled to vote on NIL legislation this week, sources tell Sports Illustrated, again shelving the vote, this time to review an alternative model from a group of conference commissioners and to digest the Supreme Court's Monday decision. The council has reserved a time next Monday to potentially cast the historic vote. Internally, while pressures around the organization continue to mount, NCAA members are more fractured and divided as ever over the most significant piece of legislation in the association's history.
 
NCAA pushing to adopt name, image and likeness rules before July 1 after Supreme Court decision clears way
The U.S. Supreme Court decision handed down Monday now clears the way for the NCAA to adopt name, image and likeness legislation perhaps as soon as this week. Sources tell CBS Sports that such legislation will not come down until at least June 28, three days before six states are set to allow those NIL rights outside of NCAA oversight. The NCAA Council meeting this week for NIL discussion wasn't expected to result in immediate action as it planned to wait for the Supreme Court to render a decision on the NCAA v. Alston appeal regarding athletes receiving education-related benefits beyond their scholarships. However, the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the lower-court ruling allowing such benefits. That decision could be far-reaching in that any player compensation going forward may be ripe for a lawsuit given Monday's decision. That is until and unless Congress passes a federal NIL bill allowing the NCAA an antitrust exemption to implement its own rules. When Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, announced last week that Congress wouldn't have an overarching federal NIL bill in place by July 1, the NCAA was sent into scramble mode. The NCAA needs federal help or else it risks the perception that it is capping compensation by implementing a NIL rule, thus violating those antitrust laws.



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