Wednesday, September 29, 2021   
 
Baseball title nets MSU media exposure worth $146M
The topic was what kind of exposure did the 2021 NCAA baseball championship bring Mississippi State and by way of introduction, MSU Chief Communications Officer Sid Salter engaged in a game of word association. "If you went to North Dakota and said, 'Mississippi State,' what's the first thing that person would say back to you?'" Salter asked during his appearance at the Starkville Rotary Club meeting at Hilton Garden Inn on Monday. Across the room, came a smattering of responses. "Dak Prescott" was the prevailing answer. Salter, himself an MSU graduate, seemed to anticipate the response. In an effort to quantify that exposure, while admitting that it's an inexact science, Salter turned to Google Analytics and Cision, an analytics company MSU uses regularly. Based on Google Analytics, MSU's seven games in the College World Series, broadcast on ESPN, netted for MSU the equivalent of $96.6 million in advertising exposures, another $27 million in exposure on the SEC Network, through its pre-game and post-game shows and title game rebroadcasts, and another $1.25 million from mentions on ABC'S Good Morning America, hosted by Mississippi native Robin Roberts. "That's an estimated $125 million in television exposure alone, but it goes farther than TV," Salter said, circling back to the word-association question he posed at the beginning of his talk.
 
Reports of sick deer in Mississippi on the rise
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks has received an increasing number of sick and/or deceased deer reports within the past few weeks. Wildlife Biologists suspect Mississippi may be experiencing an outbreak of Hemorrhagic Disease, commonly called blue-tongue. "Hemorrhagic Disease is caused by a virus and is transmitted deer to deer by midges of the genus Culicoides. These tiny, biting insects are commonly referred to as gnats. The virus causes internal hemorrhaging and sometimes rapid death occurs. The virus may cause ulcers which can disrupt digestion," according to Mississippi State University Extension Wildlife Specialist Dr. Bronson Strickland. "While deer are suffering from the virus, they will get a fever and seek water to cool their body temperature. Deer that succumb to the virus are commonly found near water for this reason. Far more often, deer become infected but are able to cope with the virus and will have no long-term damage, other than tell-tale indicators they had the virus. This is often seen with deer harvested in the fall and their hooves appear to have sloughed off. The fever a deer experiences while fighting the virus interrupts hoof growth, but the hoof will grow back."
 
Starkville ARPA plan criticized for lack of support for homeless, infrastructure
The city's decision to dedicate $5.5 million of its American Rescue Plan Act funds to parks and recreation did not sit well with many citizens. Homelessness and evictions, for example, are increasing in the city, said Cate Van Hurdle, a representative with the Starkville Strong community action group. Spending so much aid on "beautification," she said, does nothing to address what she sees as more pressing issues. Mayor Lynn Spruill developed the city's ARPA plan with the help of City Attorney Chris Latimer, focusing heavily on the tourism aspect. She said she has spoken with several members of the business community who support the city's plan. "This is one time major money that is going to affect our city," Spruill said. "I still stand by my beliefs that spending it on parks is the broadest and best way to reach the largest percentage of citizens. We will never get this money again. We wouldn't be able to do these things for 20 years like we can with this money." While Spruill acknowledged growing homelessness and other infrastructure needs, she noted there are other funding avenues to address those problems.
 
Four candidates qualify for November school board election
Four county residents are vying for an elected spot on the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Board of Trustees in November. The incumbent, a member of the Education Association of East Oktibbeha County Schools, a previous parent-teacher organization executive president and a reverend have all qualified for the Nov. 2 election that will fill one of the two county seats on the board. When the Starkville and Oktibbeha County school districts consolidated in 2015, legislation outlined the layout of the school board -- three city representatives appointed by the Starkville Board of Aldermen and two elected by Oktibbeha County citizens who live outside city limits. John Brown currently serves in the position up for election, while Jamilla Taylor serves in the other county position. The election for Taylor's seat will take place in two years. Incumbent Brown, who has served on the board since 2016, is running for re-election. Longtime Oktibbeha County resident Willette DuVall said she is running as a voice for the rural community. Licensed professional counselor Cassandra Palmer served as the executive PTO president for three years, with her final year being when COVID-19 hit in 2020. Rev. Ronnie Tucker serves as the pastor of Mt. Peiler Missionary Baptist Church in Starkville. He said he has a good working relationship with all of the population, which will make him a great candidate for the school board because he will advocate for all members of the community.
 
Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley touts federal broadband discount program
Brandon Presley, the public service commissioner for the northern district, is promoting a federal relief program that awards $50 per month to certain individuals for assistance on their broadband bills. Presley told members of the press on Tuesday afternoon that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state has seen how vital it is for families to have access to a reliable, affordable internet service. "I'm proud to do my part in highlighting this program and raise awareness so that Mississippi families can save," Presley said. "This $50 monthly discount for broadband service is real savings for real families." Presley estimates that the average monthly bill for broadband services is around $50 to $60 per month. So, the $50 a month savings could lead to free or greatly reduced broadband services. People can qualify for the assistance program if they have received a federal Pell Grant this year, received benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or have an income that is at or below the 235% of the federal poverty guidelines. Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic shed a harsh light on the plight that many rural Mississippians face from having a lack of access to quality, affordable broadband. Teachers, students and workers were forced to travel long distances to use free WiFi to work, teach and learn.
 
Gov. Tate Reeves: No date yet for special legislative session for medical marijuana law
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday a special session for medical marijuana will happen, but a date has not been set for when. "There are some other issues that we've got to address," Reeves said during a morning news conference. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said last week he anticipates the special session lasting just a day, as most of the details have been hammered out between the House and Senate. A draft bill of the medical marijuana legislation began circulating at the end of last week. "I think there will be tweaking of the draft bill that you've seen," Reeves said. Reeves said he spoke with Hosemann and House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, on Monday about the proposed bill -- "I had a great call," Reeves noted -- but legislators need to make some changes. Specifically, Reeves said the proposed bill needs an appropriations package funding the implementation of a medical marijuana program. State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs and Agricultural Commissioner Andy Gipson have also said their agencies would be hard-pressed to pay for the program's implementation without additional funding from the legislature.
 
State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs: Funding for medical marijuana regulation a concern
The Mississippi state health officer said Tuesday that he's concerned about how the Health Department would receive money for its part in licensing and regulating a proposed medical marijuana program. Dr. Thomas Dobbs said some regulatory programs, such as restaurant inspections, are funded by specific fees, but "there's no mechanism for funding" for the Health Department in a medical marijuana bill that House and Senate leaders are promoting. Dobbs said relying on legislative budget writers to set aside money for medical marijuana regulation could result in cuts to other public health services if cash is tight. "Whenever these big pots of money get into our state general fund and there's a cut, it ends up cutting care for pregnant women and babies, and these other things get fully funded," Dobbs said. "So, I just want to make sure that we're very cautious about how we budget this money so that it doesn't harm the public health mission." Dobbs spoke at the Capitol during a hearing hosted by the Legislative Black Caucus.
 
Legislative Black Caucus holds medical marijuana hearing, may draft its own bill
As the state's Republican legislative leadership waits for Gov. Tate Reeves to call lawmakers into special session for medical marijuana, a special committee of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus on Tuesday held a daylong hearing on the issue. "The hearing will help us meaningfully evaluate legislation that has been crafted in the event of a special session," said Black Caucus Chairwoman Sen. Angela Turner Ford, D-West Point. "And should the session not materialize, the caucus will use the information provided during the hearing to prepare its own medical marijuana bill." The caucus on Tuesday heard from medical experts, including state Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs, on the pros and cons of medical cannabis and from patient advocates, policy and industry experts. The Black Caucus on Tuesday heard from Karmen Hanson, with the National Conference of State Legislatures, who outlined some of the medical marijuana policies, tax and fee structures of other states. She noted how varied they are. "If you've seen one state's cannabis regulatory program, you've seen one state's cannabis regulatory program," Hanson said. Caucus members during the Tuesday hearing questioned many particulars of the bill drafted by the GOP legislative leadership.
 
Mental Health chief says agency will comply with federal order despite appeal by attorney general
Mississippi Mental Health Executive Director Wendy Bailey said she will work to carry out a federal order to place more of an emphasis on treating people suffering from mental illness even as the office of Attorney General Lynn Fitch prepares to appeal the ruling. When asked recently by legislative leaders about a possible appeal of a final remedial order handed down earlier this month by U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, Bailey said, "I feel we are on track to make great progress even over the next 24 months in this area. "We will comply with the judge's order and do everything that we need to do as a state agency," she continued. "As far as the appeal, that would be a question for the Attorney General's office." Last year, Reeves ruled in favor of the U.S. Department of Justice, which had sued the state of Mississippi on allegations it violated federal law by not prioritizing treating mental health patients in community settings when possible instead of placing them in hospitals. Reeves issued his remedial order earlier this month putting in place a monitor and specific guidelines on how the state should achieve the goal of treating people in community settings. On Monday, Fitch's office filed a motion asking Reeves to stay portions of his order while it was appealed. Fitch argues the order would mandate the state spend money not yet appropriated by the Mississippi Legislature and it should be up to the state, not the judge, to determine how to meet the mandates of moving toward providing care in community settings.
 
Top defense officials acknowledge they advised against withdrawing all troops from Afghanistan
Top U.S. military officers acknowledged publicly for the first time that they had advised President Biden not to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan ahead of the chaotic evacuation during which 13 American service members were killed. Appearing before a Senate panel, Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that military leaders were able to give their advice to the president during the lead-up to Mr. Biden's decision to withdraw. But, the general said, "Decision makers are not required in any manner or form to follow that advice." General Milley testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee with Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, Jr., the head of the military's Central Command. Both men, along with General Milley, were said to have advised Mr. Biden not to withdraw all troops. During the hearing, Generals Milley and McKenzie confirmed that. Pressed by Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi, General Milley said that American "credibility with allies and partners around the world and with adversaries is being intensely reviewed by them to see which way this is going to. And I think 'damage' is one word that could be used, yes."
 
The AP Interview: Capitol Police chief sees rising threats
The newly installed chief of the U.S. Capitol Police says the force, still struggling six months after an insurrection that left its officers battled, bloodied and bruised, "cannot afford to be complacent." The risk to lawmakers is higher than ever. And the threat from lone-wolf attackers is only growing. In an interview with The Associated Press, J. Thomas Manger said his force is seeing a historically high number of threats against lawmakers, thousands more than just a few years ago. He predicts authorities will respond to close to 9,000 threats against members of Congress in 2021 -- more than 4,100 had been reported from January to March. "We have never had the level of threats against members of Congress that we're seeing today," Manger said. "Clearly, we've got a bigger job in terms of the protection aspect of our responsibilities, we've got a bigger job than we used to." Manger touted changes that have been made in intelligence gathering after the department was widely criticized for being woefully underprepared to fend off a mob of insurrectionists in January. Officials had compiled intelligence showing white supremacists and other extremists were likely to assemble in Washington on Jan. 6 and that violent disruptions were possible. Police officers were brutally beaten in the insurrection. The events of that day have redefined how the U.S. Capitol police and other law enforcement agencies in Washington approach security. Extreme measures put into place two weeks ago for a rally in support of those jailed in the riot aren’t a one-off, they might be the new normal. Propelled by former President Donald Trump, the awakening of domestic extremist groups and the continued volatility around the 2020 election have changed the calculus.
 
Jan. 6 probe could affect future congressional oversight
The House Jan. 6 select committee's pursuit of what led to the attack on the Capitol is shaping up to be a fight over congressional oversight authority that may have lasting effects on the way the legislative branch conducts investigations. The panel in August asked 35 telecommunications, email and social media companies, such as Apple and Verizon, to preserve records -- from April 1, 2020, through Jan. 31, 2021 -- relating to certain people who could be of interest to the inquiry. Those ranged from persons criminally charged by the Department of Justice in connection with the riot to rally organizers, and to people potentially involved in discussions to challenge the certification of the 2020 presidential results, which could extend to lawmakers. "Any information that's going to be important to the committee's work, we're going to seek it," Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said last week when asked if his panel was seeking text messages and other communications of lawmakers. On Sept. 23, the panel issued subpoenas to four people close to Trump leading up to or on the date of the insurrection. But it's not yet clear how the panel will approach members of Congress who are of interest to the investigation. Thompson said last week that subpoenas have not been sent out to individual lawmakers but noted that "it could happen."
 
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey defends plans to use coronavirus relief funds to build new prisons
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) is hitting back after criticism over plans to use coronavirus pandemic relief funds provided by the federal government to finance the construction of new prisons in the Southern state. "The Democrat-controlled federal government has never had an issue with throwing trillions of dollars toward their ideological pet projects," Ivey said in a statement on Tuesday. "These prisons need to be built, and we have crafted a fiscally conservative plan." The fallout comes after Ivey convened a special session of the Alabama legislature on Monday to address the state's ailing prison infrastructure, which she admitted was "broken." Using the funding in this way, she said, aimed to provide an "Alabama solution to this Alabama problem." The plan, backed by Ivey, to build three new prisons and renovate others will involve using up to $400 million from the state's share of American Rescue Plan funds, according the Associated Press. Alabama has reported almost 15,000 covid-related deaths, according to the latest state data, making it one of the hardest hit parts of the country from the pandemic. Rescue plan money comes with relatively few restrictions on how governments can spend it, with cities and counties able to use the money to help residents and businesses directly hurt by the pandemic, invest in long-term projects or to supplement budgets hit by the decline in tax revenue, due to shutdown restrictions that curtailed economic activity.
 
Jackson State to focus on students, athletics with new five-year plan
A focus on campus expansion, athletics and providing more support for students with advanced curriculums are the main focus areas for growth at Jackson State University, according to a new five-year plan revealed Tuesday. The university's new strategic plan, JSU Elevate, focuses on six areas for the university, including improving student success through intensive tutoring and developing not only its physical campus, but its athletic program. Jackson State University President Thomas K. Hudson said he'd been part of the planning process even before he became president of the university in November 2020 and he's pleased to see the first strategic plan the university has had for several years beginning to come together. "We really want this plan to elevate the brand and the name and the prestige of the university," he said. Hudson said student success has always been a goal for the university, but a renewed focus on new integrated intervention programs -- as well as supporting student mental health -- is a vision for the university. Hudson said further developing Jackson State as a research institution is also a key part of the university's future. One of the main goals is to become the first historically Black college or university in the country to be considered a top-level research university by the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Learning, he said. Athletics will also play a huge role for the university going forward.
 
Accelerate Mississippi funds Gulf Coast diesel tech program, flexing its new authority over job training dollars
Mississippi's brand new workforce development office has awarded nearly $1 million to a Gulf Coast college program that trains diesel technicians, marking the first time Accelerate Mississippi has publicly flexed its authority over state job training funds. The award signals a shift in how the state is spending workforce training dollars under the guidance of Ryan Miller, Accelerate Mississippi's executive director. Miller's office oversees tens of millions of dollars, including a $25 million pot collected via an unemployment insurance tax on businesses for the state's 15 community colleges. But that oversight just began in July. "We are trying to be more targeted and specific toward the areas where we are focusing funding and resources," Miller said. "Where are there industry sectors that appear to have a large amount of vacancies with a large need that are also professions that pay above the average wage?" Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, which will use the money to grow the capacity of its diesel technician program from 20 students to 40, is the first program to make a proposal to Miller's office and be awarded money. Miller has designated $10 million of the $25 million pot for the office's grant program to target in-demand jobs.
 
UAB receives $100 million, largest gift in history, for medical school
Dr. Marnix Heersink, an eye surgeon and entrepreneur, and his family have made the largest gift in the history of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. University of Alabama System trustees met in a special meeting Tuesday to recognize and announce the gift. The $95 million is the single largest philanthropic commitment in university history and will place a name on its medical school -- the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine -- as well as establish and name the Marnix E. Heersink Institute of Biomedical Innovation and the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health, according to the university. UAB is adding $5 million from Triton Health Systems to the effort, bringing the total new support for the school to $100 million. Marnix Heersink is coowner and chairman of Eye Center South in Dothan, a practice with offices in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. He has a special interest and training in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of cataracts as well as laser vision correction. Mary Heersink serves on the UAB School of Medicine Board of Visitors and is involved in several global health efforts. UAB has steadily increased its research portfolio and rankings among public medical schools in the country, officials said. They plan to use Heersink's gift to recruit and retain scientists and physicians in priority areas like precision medicine and pharmacogenomics, pulmonology, oncology, neurology, health disparities, immunology, and others through endowed chairs and professorships.
 
Despite new law requiring it, LSU and police have not signed agreement over sexual assault
Six months ago, as lawmakers pushed for answers from LSU officials amid a sexual assault scandal roiling the flagship campus, several vented frustrations over the lack of an agreement between local law enforcement and LSU to track sexual assaults. The "memorandum of understanding" was long overdue: the Legislature passed a law in 2015 that required one. LSU officials said in March that they'd drafted it in 2019, but that law enforcement had never signed it. This summer, the Legislature passed another law requiring the agreement, and LSU and law enforcement officials have drafted and reviewed new versions of it. But it remains unsigned. "This information is very important," said State Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, during a hearing Tuesday about how universities have changed their policies over sexual assault on campus. "This is one of our hiccups." The agreement is meant to help track off-campus sexual misconduct by students, as well as beef up on-campus investigations and trainings. The problem extends beyond LSU. Both Southern University and Baton Rouge Community College are included in the unsigned memorandum of understanding with the Baton Rouge Police Department, East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office and East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office. LSU President William Tate IV told the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children on Tuesday that "the institutions have done their part of it and we're waiting to hear back from our colleagues" in law enforcement.
 
Survey shows financial struggles some U. of Florida graduate assistants face
Marika Edwards spends her days pulled three ways. At the University of Florida, she is in her third year pursuing a doctoral degree in astronomy and working as a graduate assistant. At home, she cares for her 9-year-old son and dog with her husband. And for extra income on the side, she tutors a handful of students. Edwards is paid a stipend from UF for her part-time grad assistant work in the spring and fall semesters. She earns $18,000 a year in biweekly paychecks for the two semesters combined. But it's nowhere near enough to cover her life expenses, she said. "Fortunately, I have a husband who makes more than me ... it's basically his salary that supports us," the 32-year-old said. "Mine just kind of helps us make it to the end of the month." Edwards isn't alone. A recent survey emailed by the Graduate Assistants United union to all of UF's over 4,000 graduate assistants, which was completed by about a quarter of them, found that 72% of the respondents could not cover all their living expenses with their stipend pay. Almost half relied on family for extra money, while just under a quarter took on another informal or part-time job, like delivery driving, to make ends meet. As of the union's latest collective bargaining agreement, the minimum stipend for a grad assistant employed part-time all year at UF, including summers, for 20 hours a week is a little over $21,000, according to Esteban Rodofili, a third-year doctoral student in UF's interdisciplinary ecology program and chief negotiator for GAU. Amounts vary by department, however, and not every grad assistant is guaranteed summer work and funding in their appointments.
 
Vanderbilt, Metro Nashville Public Schools launch research partnership focused on educational inequities
Vanderbilt University and Metro Nashville Public Schools are launching a research partnership to study and address racial and social inequities in the city's K-12 schools. Officially housed within Vanderbilt's Peabody College of Education and Human Development, the new partnership, Nashville Partnership for Educational Equity Research, will help the district "ask the big questions," board member Gini Pupo-Walker said during a Metro Schools board meeting Tuesday night. "I think this will be a game changer for us to ask the hard questions and then find the answers together," she said. Peabody College already houses the Tennessee Education Research Alliance, a similar research alliance launched in 2016 in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education. The alliance, produces the annual Tennessee Educator Survey and has given Vanderbilt and national researchers a chance to put an unprecedented stamp on education policy and practices statewide. Now, university and district officials hope to create a similar model to address educational inequities experienced by students in Metro Schools. "The roots of educational inequities in our city are complex and multi-faceted and these enduring challenges have only been compounded by COVID-19, and our city's recent growth," said Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier Tuesday. "These are issues that defy easy answers. But together, we can start to address them through rigorous research and collaboration. Drawing on data and history, we can find new ways to improve access and belonging and to reduce disparities in educational outcomes."
 
Two-year colleges ramp up community outreach efforts
Wallace State Community College in Alabama plans to create a community learning center in Arley, a town of approximately 330 people in Winston County, about 45 minutes from the campus. College administrators spent years reaching out to residents of the county, which Vicki Karolewics, president of the college, described as "extremely rural" with "significant poverty," but the pandemic intensified that goal as students struggled with remote learning. Even with laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots provided by the college, she said some students were left trying to complete their assignments on their phones because of poor internet access. Karolewics said the pandemic exacerbated "a long-standing challenge" that demanded "a local solution." The focus of the center "will be to place a resident of Winston County who seeks our services ... to place them on a career path ... at the moment they come in the door." Wallace State is among the many community colleges across the country ramping up their outreach beyond the campus in the wake of the pandemic. The institutions are offering classes and programs, academic help, and a variety of support services for community members at off-campus locations. Battered by enrollment declines and lost academic momentum among low-income students weighed down with fresh financial burdens brought on by the pandemic, the colleges are redoubling their efforts to offer community-based opportunities to help current students -- especially adult learners juggling classes alongside work and childcare responsibilities -- to continue their education. The colleges are also using the outreach to encourage other residents to enroll and get new work skills, credentials or degrees.
 
Why Did a Peer-Reviewed Journal Publish Hundreds of Nonsense Papers?
A peer-reviewed journal recently published a mind-bending paper. It begins with a highly technical section about groundwater seepage before delving into a lively discussion of dance training. The paper shifts back and forth between the two topics, informing the reader about rare-earth elements before urging dancers to "tighten buttocks" during warm-ups. There are tables and graphs, citations and hyperlinks. It's all very sober and scientific-seeming and yet, at the same time, completely bonkers. The paper appeared last month in the Arabian Journal of Geosciences, which is one of several thousand journals put out by the publishing giant Springer Nature. If this was just one weird paper in an obscure journal, it probably wouldn't be noteworthy. But hundreds -- 412, to be exact -- of equally bizarre papers have popped up in the same journal in recent months. One examines college sports-injury insurance along with rainfall on the Loess Plateau, in China. Another deals with sea-level height and aerobics teaching. In what purports to be a legitimate geosciences journal there are at least five papers on swimming and seven on basketball. Reading the papers makes for a disorienting experience. One minute you're being lectured on ecological risk assessment, and the next you're learning about the many similarities between badminton and tennis. So what exactly is going on here? And what does it tell us, if anything, about the state of academic publishing?
 
What Climate Resilience Can Mean on Campuses
A few years before the bomb cyclone, Newton had started climate resilience workshops at CCC on what to do in an extreme weather event. The devastation in March 2019 was severe. "In rural communities, we have a lack of first-responders that are trained, so preparing for natural disasters is crucial," said Newton. "For example, I live in Grand Island, a city of 53,000 people, and within our whole country, there are two people that work for emergency management. So, we rely a lot on volunteers that get trained." Yet Newton said it could have been much worse if CCC hadn't already been preparing not only its campus community but its neighbors. "I offered it here on campus for the emergency management director to train our students, our staff, and anybody in the community on what to do if there's a flood or a fire," said Newton. In around 2015, CCC signed a climate commitment with Second Nature, a nonprofit organization that works with higher education institutions on campus climate initiatives. The commitment included CCC making plans for climate resiliency, or how to adapt to anticipated climate stressors and shocks. The Grand Island campus had a flood diversion project that in 2019 spared that campus from major flooding. "Rural communities are the least prepared but the most impacted by these extreme weather events, which are going on all over the country," said Newton. "Most people think that sustainability happens on the coasts, but we have two campuses now that are completely carbon neutral."
 
Education Department negotiates Navient's exit from federal student loan program
The Biden administration is considering approving a deal under which Navient, the student loan company reviled by many progressives, would no longer collect monthly loan payments on behalf of the Education Department and transfer the accounts of nearly six million federal borrowers to another company. Navient announced on Tuesday that it has reached an agreement to transfer its federal loan servicing accounts to Maximus, a large government contractor that has for years managed the Education Department's portfolio of defaulted student loans. The deal, if green-lighted by Education Department officials, would represent one of the most dramatic shakeups of how the federal government collects student loans in recent years. It comes as the Biden administration prepares to resume collecting federal student loan payments that have been frozen since the beginning of the pandemic while also figuring out how to respond to pressure from progressives to cancel large swaths of the $1.6 trillion of outstanding federal student debt. Richard Cordray, the head of Federal Student Aid, said in a statement to POLITICO that his office had been monitoring the negotiations between the two companies and is now in the process of considering the deal.
 
AAC&U, SHEEO help create coalition to address civic engagement
Although higher education institutions have made strong commitments to address the most pressing issues facing American democracy -- from racial equity to healthcare to climate change -- a group of organizations and leaders have pledged to do more and do it equitably. On Tuesday, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association announced the creation of the Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement coalition in partnership with Complete College America and College Promise. The CLDE's mission, backed by dozens of other agencies committed to change, will be to give all postsecondary students the knowledge and frameworks to proactively open dialogues and work together to help solve issues that are critical to the nation's success. "There are many ways to prepare students for active and knowledgeable participation in democracy," said AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella, a member of the CLDE leadership group that includes some of the most prominent education-focused agencies in the U.S. "We are not recommending a one-size-fits-all approach. What we want to see is a next generation of creative leadership across all higher education institutions to make college-level civic learning expected, equitable, high quality, and inclusive."
 
Harvard cracks and a dam breaks
Academic endowments are entering a new normal after Harvard University, the richest school in the world, said it would divest from fossil fuels. The decision wasn't made lightly. The nearly $42 billion endowment succumbed to years of pressure from students and climate activists, a massive protest at a 2019 football game, and a string of legal efforts. President Lawrence Bacow in the past has said the endowment shouldn't be used for political ends. Earlier this month he changed his tune. "None of us will be spared the realities of climate change, which means we are all in this together," he wrote. This isn't about Harvard. It's about the beginning of the end. A cascade of similar announcements has followed in Harvard's wake, with Boston University, the University of Minnesota and the $8 billion MacArthur Foundation pulling the plug on fossil fuels. And there are more to come. "We're going to see this ripple out in the coming months," said Richard Brooks, climate finance director at the nonprofit Stand.earth. "The financial arguments have never been stronger, with declining demand for oil, gas and coal. The social acceptability has now shifted as well." Divestment activists now have turned their focus to Yale, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Boston College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, none of which have fully abandoned fossil fuels.
 
University Endowments Mint Billions in Golden Era of Venture Capital
Large college endowments have notched their biggest investment gains in decades, thanks to portfolios boosted by huge venture-capital returns and soaring stock markets. The University of Minnesota's endowment gained 49.2% for the year ending June 30, while Brown University's endowment notched a return of more than 50%, said people familiar with their returns, which aren't yet public. Meanwhile, Duke University over the weekend said its endowment had gained 55.9%. Washington University in St. Louis last week reported a 65% return, the school's biggest gain ever, swelling the size of its managed endowment pool to $15.3 billion. The University of Virginia's endowment reported a 49% gain. Universities' returns may include portions of endowments, plus other long-term investments. The string of blockbuster returns is likely to continue when other endowments with significant venture exposure report their performance. Venture-capital funds invest in startup companies, often in early stages when the companies need funding to grow their businesses. A few years ago, venture-capital investors were elated when companies went public with multibillion-dollar valuations. Today, the biggest hits are often companies worth tens of billions of dollars, delivering staggering profits to the early investors. But it is unclear whether universities will be able to hang onto those gains.
 
Teacher pay increases alone not enough
Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford writes: Ever since Gov. Tate Reeves changed course during his 2019 election campaign and proposed major pay increases for teachers, those teachers have been watching for state Republican leaders to deliver. Maybe that's about to happen. On the same day the Senate Education Committee, chaired by Republican Sen. Dennis DeBar of Leakesville, considered pay raises, Reeves released a report calling for significant increases and more. Apparently, the only coordination of the two events was the involvement of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), an education research organization serving 16 southern states from Texas to Delaware. ... So, raises look promising, but, there's always a but, some legislators say the cost of substantial teacher pay increases would make elimination of the state personal income tax a no go. Both Gunn and Reeves want to do away with the tax. And pay raises alone are not enough, as the SREB report notes, to solve teacher shortages, particularly teacher retention. "Challenging working conditions, including lack of support, overwhelming stress, and inadequate pay and benefits," were cited as reasons why teachers leave the profession. Not cited were issues such as difficulties in passing the required PRAXIS exam, burdensome student testing, too many dilapidated facilities, unruly student behavior, concerns about safety, and weak administrators. Much to be done if we want good schools.
 
Legislature headed to medical marijuana vote, but initiative process fix a longer shot
Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: Sources in both the Mississippi Senate and House spoke publicly in recent days to their belief that a compromise has been reached between the two chambers on a medical marijuana statute that will salvage much of what was lost when state voters overwhelmingly approved a medical marijuana voter initiative only to see it overturned by the Mississippi Supreme Court. Gov. Tate Reeves still has the final say on issuing a special session call. This writer studied the 12-page Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act that purports to be the compromise legislation. It appears to be a reasonable, thoughtful salvage of the nullified voter initiative's benefits without many of the negatives written into the initiative by the pro-marijuana lobby. In other words, the proposed law takes care of suffering patients who need relief without putting retail marijuana sales in the state constitution. But one thing appears clear – even if Reeves issues the special session call and lawmakers quickly dispatch passage of a new medical marijuana statute, the underlying issue of a broken, outdated initiative process won't even be addressed in the special session. A fix to those issues is at the very least still over a year away.


SPORTS
 
Bulldogs take on 'frustrated' Texas A&M in first SEC road game
Texas A&M football coach Jimbo Fisher has a clear objective as his Aggies rebound from their first loss of the season Saturday against Arkansas. "We can't let one game become two," Fisher said. Mississippi State (2-2) is next up on the schedule for Texas A&M (3-1), the No. 15 team in the country in the latest AP Top 25 poll. The Bulldogs will play their first Southeastern Conference road game of the 2021 season against a highly motivated Aggies team at 6 p.m. Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. "It's a great place to play," Mississippi State coach Mike Leach said. "It's loaded, it's loud, and it's pretty hostile. It's a blast. College Station is one of the best stadiums to play in in the country." In front of Texas A&M's "12th man," Mississippi State will face a tough challenge if it hopes to snap a two-game losing streak. The Bulldogs lost 31-29 at Memphis on Sept. 28 and 28-25 to LSU on Saturday. And the Aggies are superior to either opponent. ESPN's Football Power Index places Texas A&M at No. 20 in the country, while LSU is at No. 22 and Memphis is No. 64. The Bulldogs sit at No. 30, a testament to their ability to statistically outplay opponents. Mississippi State has put up more total yards in all of its first four games except a 24-10 win over No. 23 NC State in which the Wolfpack moved the ball quickly in garbage time. But the past two final scores have belied MSU's statistical superiority. "They've had some really tough luck in some tough games," Fisher said of the Bulldogs.
 
Mike Leach calls time of possession 'nearly useless'
On average, only six offenses in the country have the ball more often than Mississippi State does. And head coach Mike Leach could not care less. "A stat that is nearly useless is time of possession," Leach said Monday. "We might lead the nation in that, which I take no gratification out of." While the Bulldogs' average time of 33:52.75 is nearly seven minutes behind FBS leader Army, Leach has a point when it comes to the disconnect between time of possession and effective offense. Here's where the country's top 10 teams in time of possession rank in terms of total yards per game: No. 60, No. 70, No. 67, No. 35, No. 106, No. 39, No. 48, No. 114, No. 26 and No. 80. And Mississippi State's 48th-ranked offense is even less effective when it comes to scoring, where the Bulldogs sit 73rd in the nation. Just look at Saturday's game against LSU for an explanation. The Bulldogs had two key turnovers in Tigers territory plus a missed field goal, yet they had the ball for 35:08 compared to LSU's 24:52. While Mississippi State can possess and move the ball, only punching it into the end zone will solve the Bulldogs' offensive struggles. "We are making plays," Leach said. "We are putting plays together. We have to do that in the context of drives. We have to finish drives, whether it is offense or defense."
 
'Big plays haunt us': How 3 long LSU TDs exposed Mississippi State defense's shortcomings
For the most part, Mississippi State's defense has had a standout season. The Bulldogs allow an average of 323.2 yards, ranking 43rd in FBS. Opponents convert 28.3% of their third-down opportunities, placing Mississippi State (2-2, 0-1 SEC) at No. 14. And offenses score on two-thirds of their red zone possessions against Zach Arnett's defense, which is No. 17. But dig a little deeper and there's trouble to be found, creating a point of emphasis to correct -- or at least limit -- when the Bulldogs play at No. 13 Texas A&M (3-1, 0-1) on Saturday (6 p.m., SEC Network). LSU (3-1, 1-0) had 343 yards against Mississippi State during Saturday's 28-25 win for the Tigers. But 48% of the Tigers' total yardage came on just three explosive plays -- 41, 58 and 64 yards -- with all three resulting in touchdowns. "Big plays haunt us," coach Mike Leach said. Sometimes a defensive breakdown leads to a big play. Other times, bad luck can play a role, and that's what happened on tight end Kole Taylor's 41-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Taylor and Boutte ran crossing routes, creating a sort of natural pick between the defenders guarding each receiver in man coverage. When Johnson found Taylor, Forbes and Peters ran right into each other, leaving Taylor with ample room to run. The collision also left Forbes injured, and a cart to take him off the field. His status is unknown against Texas A&M.
 
Mississippi State football team also looking for bounce-back victory Saturday at Kyle Field
The 15th-ranked Texas A&M football team will try to bounce back from its first loss in almost a year on Saturday against Mississippi State, which is trying to put its own frustrations behind. The Bulldogs (2-2) are a few plays away from being unbeaten but instead are just .500 so far this year. Two weeks ago, Memphis beat the Bulldogs 31-29 with the help of a 94-yard punt return that officials later admitted they should have blown dead at the Memphis 6-yard line before the return. Last week in a Southeastern Conference opener, LSU hung on for a 28-25 victory over MSU with its first touchdown set up by a 35-yard fumble return and scoring its last touchdown three plays after MSU drew a roughing the punter penalty. MSU has been slowed by self-inflicted mistakes. The Bulldogs ranks 94th in the country in turnovers with seven and 122nd in penalties per game at nine. "We are really quite similar offensively and defensively," MSU coach Mike Leach said. "We put together some plays. We make every game exciting, but we have to finish the drives. When you get someone backed up to third-and-something, finish the drive. [When] you've got the ball, finish the drive." The Bulldogs have shown a tendency to dwell on their errors, which leads to not taking advantage of opportunities. "Occasionally, we are the victim of some bad experiences," Leach said. "We indulge in those deals. That just gets in the way. We have to clear all that and go."
 
Fate intervened and Texas A&M looks vulnerable as Mississippi needs a pick-me-up
Parrish Alford writes for the Daily Journal: Mississippi State's search for consistency takes the Bulldogs to College Station, Texas, this weekend. No game looks easy when you're trying to make mistakes less often and score touchdowns more often. Sometimes fate intervenes, though, and the No. 15-ranked Aggies look like they can be had if the Bulldogs can make moderate gains on offense. State could very easily be 4-0 instead of 2-2, and it was defense more than offense that had the Bulldogs in position to win against Memphis and LSU. Defense hasn't been perfect. Cleaning up plays like long touchdowns allowed against LSU -- not the first time for that sort of thing -- has been a point of focus this week. What makes Saturday interesting is that fate intervened to take away A&M's starting quarterback in Week 2. The Aggies have since scored just two touchdowns against Power Five teams Colorado and Arkansas. They rushed for just 98 yards against Colorado and 121 against Arkansas. They didn't reach 200 yards passing in either game. Replacement quarterback Zach Calzada, a sophomore, is completing just 52.7 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and three interceptions. "Zach's a new guy. We've got to play better around him," Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said.
 
Mississippi State coach Mike Leach has a problem. The problem's name? Sam Pittman
Columnist Blake Toppmeyer writes for USA TODAY: Mike Leach has a problem. The problem's name is Sam Pittman. This problem isn't specific to Leach, Mississippi State's second-year coach. Pittman's success in his second season at Arkansas is a problem for any coach who is struggling to gain momentum early in his tenure. See, coaches and athletics directors aim to convince fans that rebuilds require patience. They take several seasons to accomplish. Give them time. Be calm. And then here's Pittman, taking a hog-sized bite out of the idea that it takes years to gain traction. No. 11 Arkansas is 4-0 for the first time since 2003, entering its game against No. 2 Georgia (4-0, 2-0 SEC) on Saturday (noon ET, ESPN) in Athens, Georgia. Pittman was hired in the same offseason that MSU hired Leach, Ole Miss hired Lane Kiffin and Missouri hired Eli Drinkwitz. Each was tasked with a rebuild. Pittman's task seemed the stiffest. The Razorbacks were pitiful under Pittman predecessor Chad Morris, who went 4-20 with no SEC victories in two seasons. The year before Pittman's arrival, Arkansas lost to San Jose State and Western Kentucky. If college football embraced relegations modeled after English soccer leagues, the Razorbacks would have been relegated to the Mountain West.
 
Mississippi State basketball teams set to officially begin season
Expectations for Ben Howland and Mississippi State are rising as the coach enters his seventh season at the helm. The story for the Bulldogs ahead of their first official practice Wednesday: the transfer portal. After a loss in the NIT title game last season, MSU has revamped its lineup as it aims toward its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2019. ESPN's Joe Lunardi has MSU as his second team out of the field in his latest bracketology. MSU's offseason is highlighted by the additions of Garrison Brooks from North Carolina, Rocket Watts from Michigan State and Shakeel Moore from N.C. State. The trio joins guard Iverson Molinar who led MSU in scoring last season with nearly 17 points per game. Brooks averaged 13 points and eight rebounds in his final two season at UNC, capped off by a double-double in the team's first round NCAA tournament loss to Wisconsin last season. He signed with MSU about a week after entering the transfer portal in April. Watts was a four-star recruit out of high school before being named to Big Ten All-Freshman two years ago. Last season, Watts' scoring didn't rise as expected. A more natural fit at shooting guard, Watts could find his role playing alongside Molinar. On the women's side, practice gets underway Friday as Nikki McCray-Penson looks to return MSU to it historic ways.
 
Public return of the Sanderson Farms Championship means increased revenue for businesses
The first day of tournament play in the Sanderson Farms Championship is coming up, a welcome return for spectators and the City of Jackson. COVID play last year meant huge losses in revenue. Businesses in the Capital City felt the impact of last years limited attendance but already this week hopes are high among retailers. Hotels and restaurants are filling up with players and fans of the PGA. Last year the City of Jackson took a financial hit when mainly players attended. Businesses like Broad Street Baking Company expect a turnaround in 2021. "We always see a lot of players that come through here," said Kati Leach. The service manager believes the public's return to the tournament will have a huge economic impact for the city. "I think that it's gonna have a huge impact on Jackson's economy, boost it back because when we have big events, like, it really just triggers the economy to bring it back to where it was. 2020 was a huge blow," said Leach. "I really appreciate it being back again and generating some normalcy to life here in Jackson," said Arun Sunkra. Sunkra owns The Bottle Shop just down the street from The Country Club of Jackson. The wine and spirits retailer said he is one of the local sponsors for the event. "We're really thankful that the tournament is back," added Sunkra. "It's generating a lot of traffic, much needed traffic and much needed life back into businesses from last year. It's been a marked improvement."
 
Jackson State will look at building football facility on campus
Jackson State University will conduct a feasibility study for the construction of football stadium on campus, according to the school's strategic plan announced Tuesday. Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium has been the Tigers' home since 1970. The school would like to maintain the stadium for the next three-to-five years before adding a new facility. There were no details released on what the cost of a new stadium would be or the seating capacity. The strategic plan called for an "upgrade" of the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center, the 8,000-seat multi-purpose arena built in 1981 and the home of the women's and men's basketball teams. There would also be upgrades to the T.B. Ellis Arena for volleyball, the tennis complex, track and field complex, softball, baseball and soccer facilities, weight rooms, as well as athletic training rooms in the AAC and the T.B. Ellis Annex. There are four components for athletics in the strategic plan. Academic excellence, developing life skills, a commitment to building JSU into a premier FCS program and maintaining athletic facilities will be the focus. For academic excellence, the goal is to encourage athletes to graduate within five years. Academic support will be enhanced to ensure students "have access to all resources, personnel, athletic support and academic programs to excel academically."
 
For CFP to expand by '24, plans needs approval in 4 months
The college sports leaders who run the College Football Playoff have about four months to come to an agreement on a new format if expansion is to be implemented for the 2024 season. If they can't get it done by then, any change to the way major college football decides its national champion will have to wait until the current television contract with ESPN runs out after 2025. "We have time," CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock said Tuesday after a four-hour meeting with the management committee. "Because if the event is going to change before the end of the term, into the 12 years, we have three or four months. If it's going to change in year 13, then we have a couple of years. So, we have the luxury of time." The management committee, comprised of the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame's athletic director, gathered at a hotel outside Chicago for a meeting that had been on the calendar for several months. The Board of Managers, comprised of 11 presidents and chancellors representing each conference and Notre Dame, were originally expected to attend in-person, but instead joined online for the final two hours of the meeting, Hancock said. There was some hope that the management committee would be ready to recommend a new format to the board this week and put it up for a vote. But the commissioners were unable to come to a consensus last week. "I never expected a rubber stamp on this," Hancock said. "It's too complex."
 
AD Scott Stricklin responds to allegations of abuse under former women's basketball head coach Cam Newbauer
Multiple former Florida women's basketball players accused former Florida Gators women's basketball coach Cam Newbauer of making racist remarks, throwing basketball players during practices and verbally abusing the team, assistant coaches and trainers. Just over six hours after the story was released Monday, UF Athletic Director Scott Stricklin released a statement in response. He said it is his responsibility to cultivate a championship experience with integrity, along with the necessary support for Florida student-athletes and staff. Stricklin said the culture of the women's basketball program under Newbauer described in The Alligator's article is in no way consistent with the values of UF. "At times during Coach Newbauer's tenure there were concerns brought to our attention," he wrote. "Each time, additional information was sought, and these concerns were addressed directly with Cam as we required corrective actions and outlined clear expectations of behavior moving forward. Additionally, the UAA provided enhanced administrative oversight and presence within the program and sought anonymous feedback directly from student-athletes and staff. Ultimately, we did not see the required improvements, and following discussions with Coach Newbauer he made the decision to resign." Newbauer's associate head coach Kelly Rae Finley was appointed as the interim head coach following his resignation. Cydnee Kinslow, a graduate transfer on the 2020-2021 team, said Finley is just as complicit as Newbauer, adding that she swept the former coach's behavior under the rug and did damage control.
 
Strike up the band: Former Million Dollar Band director Kathryn Scott returns for special performance
Kathryn Scott, who directed the University of Alabama's Million Dollar Band from 1984 until 2002, returned to Bryant-Denny Stadium for a special performance during the Sept. 25 UA-Southern Mississippi game. Scott led a combined group of band alumni and current members of the Million Dollar Band, now led by Kenneth Ozzello, as they played the national anthem before the game. The group also played "Yea Alabama," UA's fight song. The band also paid tribute to another former Million Dollar Band director, James S. "Doc" Ferguson, who died in March at the age of 85. Ferguson directed the Million Dollar Band from 1971 until 1983. He also served as band director at the University of Mississippi from 1966-70. Ferguson is credited with popularizing the "Rammer Jammer" cheer at Alabama, which was based on an Ole Miss cheer. Kenneth Ozzello has been the Million Dollar Band director since 2003, after Scott's departure. Since 1971, the Million Dollard Band has had just three directors, Ferguson, Scott and Ozzello.
 
The NCAA's 'March Madness' Basketball Brand Will Now Include Women
The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament next March will use the "March Madness" branding long associated with the men's tournament, the NCAA announced Wednesday, reversing the association's practice of withholding the slogan from the women's event. The move was one of many recommendations from a recent external review that was sparked by national outrage at inequities at this year's women's tournament -- most notably a skimpy weight room compared with the men's sprawling setup. Wednesday's announcement lacked details about how the popular brand will be incorporated into the women's event. The branding issue extends beyond the use of logos. The March Madness social-media channels, which have millions of followers, have featured only men's basketball, and the popular March Madness Live app is owned and operated by CBS/Turner, which owns the rights to the men's tournament. Extension of the brand to the women's tournament is a significant and public shift in the wake of the controversy that roiled this year's tournament. The Wall Street Journal reported last spring that the NCAA had purposely held back the valuable marketing asset from use in the women's tournament.
 
President Biden's Labor Counsel Says College Athletes Are Workers With Collective Bargaining Rights
The general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board issued a memo Wednesday arguing that certain college athletes are workers eligible to bargain collectively, warning the NCAA and colleges not to run afoul of their rights. Jennifer Abruzzo, who was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in July, said she would pursue cases against schools, conferences or other entities that try to tell players they don't have the same rights as other private-sector workers. The NLRB's general counsel acts as a kind of prosecutor, charging employers who commit "unfair labor practices" by violating workers' rights. The memo puts private colleges and universities around the country on notice that they should not try to classify players as "student athletes" who aren't covered by the law. Although the memo does not address union elections directly, it makes clear Abruzzo's position that certain college players should be eligible to form unions, akin to the one football players on scholarship at Northwestern University tried to create in 2015. Her position could open the door to future attempts by players at private schools to unionize. If any such players filed a union election petition with the NLRB, it could prompt the NLRB's five-member board in Washington to review the earlier decision in the Northwestern case, which had initially dodged the question of whether college players were employees under the law. Abruzzo said in an interview Wednesday that it was likely that the board would have to weigh in on the position she was taking. She also said she would not use the term "student athlete" -- a term eschewed in her memo -- because she believed it was created to propagate the false idea that college athletes are not workers with rights.



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