Wednesday, January 5, 2022   
 
Quantum Accelerates Data-Intensive Autonomous Vehicle Research at Mississippi State University
Quantum Corporation (NASDAQ: QMCO) today announces its role in accelerating all-terrain autonomous vehicle research at the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) at Mississippi State University (MSU), one of the premier university automotive research centers in the world. CAVS collects vast amounts of unstructured data using Quantum R-Series Edge Storage, a high-performance, ruggedized solution purpose-built for capturing massive data volumes in edge environments. The data is generated by vehicles and used for further analysis and machine learning (ML) model development in the CAVS data center. At the CAVS facility, featuring a 55-acre off-road proving ground, test vehicles equipped with a variety of sensors collect a wide array of data about the outdoor terrain. This data is then used to create a digital twin of the environment for running driving simulations. These simulations are leveraged to create navigation software that guides AVs through the outdoor terrain. Creating a digital twin of the environment requires high-quality data collected in the field. The CAVS team needed vehicle onboard storage systems that could flawlessly collect field data and enable engineers to quickly transfer that data to the large-scale centralized data center storage for simulations. The autonomous systems developed at CAVS will be vital for the military and organizations in agriculture, energy, construction, forestry, and more. "Using the information collected in our test vehicles, we are building a comprehensive data set that will be valuable to several other teams at MSU and beyond," says Clay Walden, executive director of CAVS. "We're eager to see how this data will fuel breakthrough research and development in a wide variety of fields."
 
Oktibbeha County has a new board of supervisors president
The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors has a new face at the head of the table. On Monday, January 4, 2021; Bricklee Miller was elected the new board president after serving as vice president the last term. "In 2015 the citizens of Oktibbeha County trusted me enough to elect me as the first female to the board of supervisors and I have enjoyed working with the board over the years and the constituents and now I'm super honored to be in the role of president of the board of supervisors," said Miller. Miller served on the board going on seven years and just moved up from vice president to the president; on a unanimous vote. During that time, she's had to learn a few things to adjust. "Listen to a variety of opinions and make sure that you really study things and understand what you need to know about every situation," said Miller. Miller said that she's grateful that her fellow board members see her as fit for the position. District 2 supervisor Orlando Trainer said she brings a lot to the table. 2022 is a new year with new challenges, and Miller has some new plans in place for the board. "Transparency is very important to me and so we talked a lot yesterday about Facebook live and doing some more things about putting our pack out earlier so I think we will make some different moves this coming year," said Miller.
 
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann tests positive for COVID-19
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday morning, according to a press release from his office. Hosemann had previously received both doses of the vaccine and a booster shot, according to the release. "He is quarantining for five days according to the recommendation of the State Health Officer and CDC guidelines," the statement read. "The Office of the Lt. Governor is in the process of notifying those who may have been exposed."
 
Mississippi legislators begin session, face marijuana debate
Mississippi legislators began their three-month session Tuesday, and the mother of a man with chronic medical problems implored them to create a medical marijuana program, despite objections from Gov. Tate Reeves. The Republican governor has said a proposed program would allow access to large quantities of the drug. Creation of a medical marijuana program could be one of the first issues that the Republican-controlled House and Senate consider during the session's opening weeks. Angie Calhoun, founder and CEO of the Mississippi Cannabis Patients Alliance, said Tuesday that her 25-year-old son, Austin Calhoun, has experienced debilitating medical problems for several years because of chronic Lyme disease. She said 17 prescription drugs did not work for him, and he moved to Colorado to have access to marijuana to ease his pain. "Without it, his symptoms do return," Calhoun said during a news conference outside the Capitol. Calhoun said patients need to be able to buy "safe, effective and tested medical cannabis" in Mississippi. Legislative leaders said Tuesday that other issues up for debate during the session will be a pay raise for teachers, a reduction in taxes and the possibility of bonus pay for medical workers who have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Pleas for medical marijuana legislation kick-off Mississippi legislative session
The mother of a man with a chronic illness implored legislators on the first day of their regular session to enact a medical marijuana program quickly to give patients access to medicine. Angie Calhoun, CEO of Mississippi Cannabis Patients Alliance, said Tuesday that her 25-year-old son, Austin Calhoun, has experienced medical issues for years. She said he was forced to move to Colorado to access marijuana for treatment. The main person standing in the way of the state having a medical cannabis program is Republican Gov. Tate Reeves. Reeves initially agreed to call lawmakers back into a special session to enact a medicinal program if a deal could be reached in both legislative chambers. But after a deal was reached, the governor took issue with the legislation. Reeves has threatened to veto marijuana legislation if the amount of cannabis a patient can receive at one time is not reduced. He has called the proposed bill a recreational marijuana program. "Today, I ask Gov. Tate Reeves to open his heart and mind to feeling and seeing the pain, suffering, agony and frustration of the caregivers and patients of Mississippi," Calhoun said. "And to empathize with us and give the patients of our state medical freedom." The Senate is expected to take up a medical marijuana bill soon, but an exact timeline of when the legislation will be filed is not known.
 
Cutting income tax top priority for Mississippi leaders in 2022. Medicaid expansion unlikely.
The Mississippi Legislature's 2022 session convened Tuesday and already the prospect of a personal income tax cut seems likely, whereas Medicaid expansion seems dead in the water. Speaker of the House Philip Gunn and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann revealed their legislative priorities for the next 90 days after gaveling their respective chambers in and out in under half an hour. Both Republicans are looking to cut the personal income tax with bills that would come out of their own chambers, and both played their cards relatively close to the vest on opening day. "We will unveil that when we get the final version," Gunn, R-Clinton, said. Gunn is in favor of repealing the personal income tax entirely, and offsetting lost revenue with a 2.5% increase in the state sales tax. The state's personal income tax accounts for about $2 billion in state revenue. Gunn said he's made changes to the bill he introduced in the 2021 session, but declined to discuss them until the final draft of the 2022 house bill is finished. Gunn said repealing the income tax is his top priority in 2022. Hosemann didn't reveal his plan at all, only saying he hopes to pass substantive income tax relief in 2022. He is against increasing any tax, and said his bill would only decrease rates. "We're not persuaded by a tax swap," Hosemann said. Gunn said labeling it a tax swap is incorrect because his plan results in a net-effective tax cut.
 
Marijuana, taxes, teacher pay: Where top leaders stand on major 2022 legislative issues
House Speaker Philip Gunn and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann seem to agree on the issues that need to be addressed during the 2022 legislative session, but the devil might be in the details of how those items are resolved. The two presiding officers offered few specifics Tuesday -- the opening day of the 2022 legislative session -- but said they anticipate taking up taxes, providing teachers a significant pay raise and reenacting medical marijuana after the voter initiative legalizing medical marijuana was struck down this past May by the state Supreme Court. In terms of quick action, both indicated that the plan to redraw the state's four congressional districts to adhere to population shifts gleaned from the 2020 U.S. Census might be one of the first items taken up. The quick action is needed because the deadline to qualify to seek one of the four House districts is March 1. Gunn said the House will have a teacher pay raise proposal, but would not specify the amount or details. "You'll see it when we bring it out, but I think it's going to be a very good plan," Gunn said. Hosemann said he anticipates the Senate will support a teacher pay increase proposal larger than the roughly $1,000 salary hike approved by the Legislature in the 2021 session. He also said that plan could be unveiled this week if Senate Education Chair Dennis DeBar, R-Leakesville, releases his teacher pay bill as expected.
 
Hosemann fires back at Reeves regarding medical marijuana
Last week, Governor Tate Reeves went to social media to say that he will not sign a medical marijuana bill unless the proposed one-day medical dosage unit is cut in half. "Call me crazy, but I just think that's too broad of a starting point," he wrote in a lengthy Facebook post. "I am asking the Legislature to simply cut that amount in half to start the program." Also in the post, Reeves stated that the one-day medical dosage unit of 3.5 grams would equal out to 11 joints. On Tuesday, the first day of the 2022 Mississippi Legislative Session, Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann explained that the governor's scale is incorrect. "They've informed me that it's not 11 (joints)," Hosemann said, noting that the Senate Public Health Committee will soon test out the measurements. "It depends on how much weed you put inside the rolled-up paper, but if you did 11, according to the people that we talk to, it would be mostly paper." In November of 2020, 74 percent of Mississippians voted to approve Initiative 65, a grassroots initiative spurring from the Medical Marijuana 2020 (MM2020) campaign. While Hosemann was not a supporter of Initiative 65, he does feel that the numbers speak for themselves. "Over 70 percent voted to have medical marijuana so I think that's mandate for the Senate and the House to address medical marijuana," he said.
 
Hosemann anticipates Mississippi Senate will have a tax relief bill this session, not a 'tax swap' bill
Over the last year, there has been a question of whether or not Mississippi will join the trend of states lowering and cutting taxes. However, it is unclear if Governor Tate Reeves, Speaker Philip Gunn, and Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann can find a compromise to eliminate the state income tax, improving the Magnolia State's competitive advantage in attracting new businesses and residents. On Tuesday during a press briefing, Lt. Governor Hosemann said he anticipates the Mississippi Senate will have a tax relief bill brought to the floor this session, adding that his members were not persuaded by a tax swap -- a direct reference to Speaker Gunn's proposal the House passed in 2021 but was not taken up in the Senate. Governor Reeves has also been vocal about not supporting a tax swap, meaning eliminating the income tax while raises or taxes and fees. Hosemann's comments fall in line with what Governor Reeves has been saying for months. Reeves has made it one of his top priorities to eliminate the state income tax since taking office in 2020. During the 2021 Mississippi legislative session, Speaker Gunn offered his plan to eliminate Mississippi's income tax. Gunn's bill consisted of a 10-year phase out of the individual income tax, cutting the grocery tax from 7% to 4% and increasing the state's sales tax by 2.5%, along with other tax or fee increases across specific industries. Gunn said that though he backs the House plan, he is not married to it. "If there's a better idea, then we welcome that," Gunn said. "Unfortunately, no one else has presented an idea at this point."
 
Hosemann: State should provide insurance for working people
One of Mississippi's top legislative leaders said Tuesday that the state should provide health insurance for working people, but sharply rebuffed a question about expanding Medicaid. Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said that instead of "talking about some nomenclature that's three presidents ago," lawmakers should be looking at how real people are being impacted by lack of insurance in the nation's poorest state. "What does that mean? What is the expansion of Medicaid? That is a lazy question," he said to a reporter who asked him about his thoughts on expanding Medicaid -- something 38 states have done -- during a news conference on the first day of the legislative session. "What you need to be thinking about is how we are going to cover people that are working in Mississippi that have catastrophic illnesses. That's the real question." Hosemann said lawmakers are drafting a proposal that would bring health insurance to working people in Mississippi, but said it's too early to provide details on what format that plan would take. When asked whether a proposal could be presented this session, Hosemann said it would be made "as soon as we can do it." During a separate news conference Tuesday, House Speaker Philip Gunn said he doesn't support expanding Medicaid and that it's not a realistic plan in Mississippi.
 
Mississippi State Auditor calls out racist books bought with your tax dollars
A federal grant used to purchase an 'anti-racism bookshelf' has caught the attention of State Auditor Shad White. In a recently released video, he holds up a book titled "Not My Idea" and quotes a line from it that states 'Whiteness is a bad deal.' "Not only did you pay for that with your federal tax dollars, you also weirdly paid for it twice because your state tax dollars went to the Mississippi Library Commission which helped select that book to be in Mississippi libraries. I pulled that book as an example, but there are a lot more like it with content just like it," he explains in the video. White -- who backs banning Critical Race Theory -- goes on to say that taxpayers shouldn't be asked to subsidize ideas like this that are harmful to children, and have nothing to do with teaching history or civil rights.
 
U.S. Supreme Court to hear Challenge to Biden COVID Vaccine Mandates on Friday
The U.S. Supreme Court is returning earlier than expected to take up the challenges to President Joe Biden's COVID vaccine mandates on health care workers and private businesses that employ 100 or more workers. The Justices will meet Friday, January 7, for the special session. The decision to hold the session was announced before the end of the year after the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the Biden Administration mandate on businesses, allowing the Department of Labor through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) to implement its rules. Those rules had been stalled when the 5th Circuit issued a stay on the President's mandate in early November. Following the ruling from the 6th Circuit, OSHA advised businesses that it will begin citations for noncompliance after January 10, 2022. A special session of the Supreme Court is rare, yet given the timetable from the Biden Administration, the justices had little wiggle room. A ruling from the High Court in the special session could come before OSHA's planned enforcement. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has remained opposed to President Biden's vaccine mandates. Attorney General Lynn Fitch, with Reeves' support, has challenged each of the Biden mandates on behalf of the state, having been successful initially in courts to grant a stay.
 
Senate inches toward rules showdown over voting rights legislation
Senate Democrats are focused on protecting voting rights ahead of Thursday's one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, but the caucus is a long way from sorting out the procedural mechanics of how to pass legislation without Republican support. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., on Tuesday reiterated his commitment for the Senate to consider, no later than Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 17, a rules changes that would clear the path for a majority to approve voting rights legislation. He said it was clear that given opposition from Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., there would be no path that would get the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster under the current rules. "It's well known in our caucus and McConnell's caucus, in the Republican caucus, that McConnell said it's a bottom line: Nobody should cooperate on voting rights," Schumer said. "So, there's not going to be any kind of bipartisan action. We know that." As senators made their way back to the Capitol Tuesday following a Monday snowstorm that caused travel delays throughout the region, it was unclear whether Democrats would ultimately reach an agreement on any kind of go-it-alone procedural changes. But leaving a meeting Tuesday evening, Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., hinted at some of the changes that could be on the table. They include an effort to limit filibusters of motions to proceed to legislation and a requirement for talking filibusters -- where objecting senators actually have to hold the floor.
 
Biden disapproval hits record high in new poll
President Biden's disapproval rating reached a new high in December, according to a new CNBC-Change Research poll. Overall, the survey showed 56 percent of voters disapproved of Biden's performance in office, an uptick from 54 percent in September and 49 percent in April. His approval rating now stands at 44 percent. Biden was particularly hard hit when it came to the public's opinion of his handling of the economy and the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the poll indicated that 60 percent of respondents disapproved of Biden's handling of the economy and 55 percent disapproved of his pandemic response. For the economy, 72 percent said they disapprove of Biden's management of the price of everyday goods, and 66 percent said they did not approve of the president's efforts to help their wallets. Additionally, 46 percent of respondents said the stock market is doing "not so good" or "poor" despite one of the market's best years in decades, according to CNBC, as the S&P 500 completed the year up 26.89 percent. Regarding vaccine mandates, the survey also indicated that 50 percent said Biden had gone too far. Twenty-six percent said the administration had the right approach, and 24 percent said it had not gone far enough.
 
Recalling Jan. 6: A national day of infamy, half remembered
Beneath a pale winter light and the glare of television cameras, it seemed hard not to see the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot for what it was. The violent storming of the Capitol by Donald Trump supporters bent on upending the election of Joe Biden was as clear as day: democracy under siege, live-streamed in real time. Yet a year later, when it comes to a where-were-you moment in U.S. history, there is far from national consensus. A Quinnipiac poll found that 93% of Democrats considered it an attack on the government, but only 29% of Republicans agreed. In a recent CBS-YouGov poll, 85% of Democrats called the riot an "insurrection" while only 21% of GOP voters did. Republicans (56%) were more likely to explain the rioters as "defending freedom." A poll by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 4 in 10 Republicans recall the attack -- in which five people died -- as violent, while 9 in 10 Democrats do. Such a disparity in memory may be inevitable in our hyper-polarized politics, but it's striking given the stark clarity of Jan. 6 at the time and in its immediate aftermath. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said then that "the president bears responsibility" for the attacks. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., then the majority leader, said: "They tried to disrupt our democracy. They failed." But since that day, separate versions -- one factual, one fanciful -- have taken hold.
 
Trump cancels Jan. 6 event amid GOP complaints
Senate Republicans can now breathe easier on Jan. 6. Former President Donald Trump's announcement Tuesday evening that he would cancel a previously planned press conference is good news for Senate Republicans, who earlier in the day openly fretted that he would pull their party back into debating his false election claims. It also ensures that Republicans won't have to keep one eye on the TV on the anniversary of the Capitol attack, nor will they face a deluge of questions about Trump in the immediate days. "I don't think that's a good idea," said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), when asked about the press conference earlier Tuesday. "I guess it depends on what he's going to say. But early assumptions are that it's going to be an aggressive statement. I just don't think it's a good idea." Similarly, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said she wanted to "stay focused on congressional activities." And Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who voted to convict Trump over his role in the Jan. 6 attack, said the event wasn't a "terribly good idea," but added, "What am I going to do about it?" And those were the members who decided to even talk about it. Even as the former president continues to defend the rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol, Senate Republicans largely prefer to ignore him, still seeing scant purpose in provoking a prickly Trump even a year after he's left office. In interviews Tuesday, several declined to comment and instead said their attention is on moving forward.
 
U.S. Representative Thompson prepares to return to Washington for January 6 Anniversary
The nation will look back on the January 6 Capitol Insurrection in two days. A shocking day when protests led to the deaths of rioters and law officers. U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson shared information about efforts by a congressional committee to prevent what he calls a future attack on democracy. "It was a terrible day," said Thompson. "As we started the certification process, people started breaking into the United States Capitol." The District Two representative was there nearly one year ago when rioters descended on the Capitol during a historic and normally routine process after an election. "I heard the shot where the young lady was killed," said the congressman. "I heard the officer crying out in pain, but I also had to move to a secure area to protect myself along with other members." That violence launched the January 6th Select Committee, with Thompson as chair. It has interviewed over 300 witnesses and reviewed about 35,000 documents, questioning participants and organizations, including former President Trump's administration. "We're talking to people who worked in the administration," said the committee chairman. "About 90 percent of them are cooperating with us." Thompson returns to Washington on Wednesday in preparation for services at the Capitol to mark the anniversary of the insurrection. "The president is scheduled to speak. There will be several historians who will give us a background on what has occurred. Then we'll have a town hall meeting," added the Bolton native.
 
Touring Exhibit Examines 'Americans and the Holocaust'
There is still time to learn more about the issues and motivations that influenced the country's response to Nazi Germany and led to the Holocaust in a special exhibit at the University of Mississippi. "Americans and the Holocaust," a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, is on display at the university's J.D. Williams Library through Jan. 14. The UM library is among 50 U.S. libraries hosting the exhibit, which examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans' responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and '40s. The touring display – based on a special exhibition of the same name at the museum in Washington, D.C. -- began traveling to U.S. libraries in 2020. It arrived in Oxford on Dec. 1, 2021, and is free and open to the public. "Being selected to host this exhibition is also significant because there are not many opportunities for people in this area to engage with cultural heritage programming related to the Holocaust," said Cecelia Parks, research and instruction librarian and assistant professor. "Hosting this exhibition will help increase knowledge and awareness around this important issue for UM students and the broader north Mississippi community." Besides the loan of the traveling exhibition, the library received a cash grant to support public programs.
 
JSU offering COVID-19 vaccinations as students return for Spring semester
With the high number of cases caused by the emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, Jackson State University will begin the Spring semester completely virtual. "I'm glad that we are not doing all virtual classes because the students need to have that face-to-face interaction and we just have to adjust because we have no control over it and all we have to do is make those adjustments to make sure everyone is safe as possible and encourage students and staff to get the vaccine," said Associate Vice President Dr. Susan Powell. Beyond encouragement, the university has made the vaccine easily accessible to students and staff. "We knew we couldn't make it mandated that the students get their vaccine so we wanted to strongly encourage it. So what we thought we would do was partner with Jackson Hinds to see if we can at least make it available for those students. We make it accessible for them so they can just come right across the street." Spring semester students are required to provide proof of a negative PCR test before moving back on campus. Jackson State is also offering to take $500 off students' cost of housing per semester for those who are vaccinated.
 
Republican women against funding curriculum proposal
The Mississippi Federation of Republican Women (MFRW) has come out opposing state and federal funds being used to promote or teach Critical Race Theory (CRT) in K-12 schools. Kimberly Remak of Olive Branch is president of the MFRW. The organization had voted at its October 2021 convention to support state and federal legislation that would prohibit funding for programs that support CRT. "The MFRW advocates teaching K-12 students American History and Civics based solely on facts and our nation's founding documents as written, neither ignoring the scars of our past nor promoting hatred via the destructive view of inherent racism taught in Critical Race Theory," as stated in a news release. In late December, the Mississippi Department of Education proposed a new social studies curriculum to be implemented for the 2022-23 school year. Notice of the proposed changes was given on Dec 16 and sent to the Mississippi Secretary of State's office as required. No hearing was planned prior to the adoption of the new standards at this time, but if 10 or more persons file a written request by Wednesday, Jan. 5, a public hearing would be needed. Reports were that a primary source for the new framework, the National Council for the Social Studies, is a supporter of Critical Race Theory. "We stand firmly opposed to mandating curriculums and educational standards at the federal, state, and local levels that include Critical Race Theory and discredit the values which our nation was founded on," Remak said.
 
GOP sees 'huge red wave' potential by targeting critical race theory
Missouri state Rep. Brian Seitz has one clear priority for the 2022 legislative session: "Shut down" critical race theory in his state. He intends to do that by passing a bill that would forbid public school teachers from discussing critical race theory, an examination of how race and racism permeates American society. In South Carolina, a bill lawmakers may consider in coming months would require K-12 public schools to post online detailed lists of instruction materials and curriculum. Another bill would go a step further by banning any state-funded entity like colleges, private contractors and nonprofit organizations from promoting "certain discriminatory concepts." And in Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is urging the GOP-led state Legislature to pass a measure that would allow parents to sue school districts that teach lessons rooted in critical race theory. Attacking the study of racism in the United States emerged as a leading culture war cause for Republicans in 2021. But state lawmakers have only just begun focusing on the issue, which promises to dominate red-state legislatures across the country this year. Legislators in at least a dozen Republican-controlled statehouses -- including in Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina and Ohio -- plan to push dozens of bills in upcoming legislative sessions that aim to halt teachings about race and society and give parents more say in what's discussed in classrooms. There's a clear power incentive: Republicans are amped up by the party's November election sweep in Virginia, where education was a top issue, and intend to campaign on such bills leading up to the midterms.
 
Controversial charter school regulations that were approved last month could still be improved
Despite passage of new, controversial regulations for public charter schools, one charter advocate thinks there is still time for the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board to change them. Elyse Marcellino, director of the New School Project at Empower Mississippi, told the Northside Sun the new regulations will be rolled out as a pilot project that won't be fully implemented until next year. The new regulations are the first time the board has reworked the regulations since they were implemented in 2013. The new standards measure accountability for the 501(c)(3) non-profits that operate the schools in three areas: Academic (student achievement), financial (measures whether the school operator is a good steward of taxpayer funds) and organizational (measures whether the non-profit is stable enough to continue operating the school). The schools are free public schools and receive taxpayer funds for each student that attends there. "We still want to speak to the board and will be advocating for changes and talking to schools and making sure that they're connecting with the board and their voices are being heard," Marcellino said. Among the issues with the regulations, as pointed out by charter advocacy group Mississippi First, include unaltered adoption of the Mississippi Department of Education's accounting manual (written for traditional public schools with no specific changes for charters) for the fiscal component of the framework and unfair academic comparisons with surrounding public school districts.
 
Auburn University scales back COVID isolation time
Auburn University will adjust its required COVID-19 isolation period in line with new federal recommendations ahead of students returning to campus next Wednesday. The university announced the update in a campus-wide email on Tuesday. The university's isolation period will be scaled back from 10 days to five days in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention amended Dec. 27, 2021. The university said this also applies to the required quarantine period contingent on vaccination status for those exposed to a person with COVID-19 through close contact. "According to the CDC, this change in protocol is supported by data demonstrating that the majority of COVID-19 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally one to two days prior to the onset of symptoms and two to three days after," the email statement read. The isolation period update comes as the university reinstated its indoor mask requirement for campus buildings Monday, which it said was a decision made after consulting with local and state medical authorities. The university previously said it "highly encouraged" students, faculty and staff to test to receive a negative COVID-19 test before returning to campus next week but will not require them to do so.
 
UF president Kent Fuchs announces he will step down soon
In a video message to the university community on the first day of classes Wednesday, University of Florida president W. Kent Fuchs announced he would be stepping down soon. Fuchs, 67, said he had told board of trustees chairman Mori Hosseini of his decision last August and the two agreed to inform the public this month. Fuchs said he will stay president until a new leader is found. He became UF's 12th president in 2015. The search for a successor at Florida's flagship university is the third presidential search underway in the State University System. The University of South Florida and the University of North Florida are looking for new presidents as well. Florida State University selected a new president, Richard D. McCullough, in May. Over the last year, Fuchs was lauded with praise as UF climbed in stature to the Top 5 in U.S. News & World Report rankings and the university launched a massive artificial intelligence initiative. More recently, he has been the subject of intense criticism from faculty and the greater academic community, with many calling for his and Hosseini's departure, after issues of academic freedom plagued the school. Fuchs said he plans to return to a professor position in the department of electrical and computer engineering research. A UF spokesperson said Fuchs and Hosseini would not be available for interviews.
 
UF classes to remain in-person with no mask or vaccination requirement despite rising COVID-19 cases
As the first day of University of Florida Spring 2022 classes rolls in, some students worry about safety with in-person classes and no mask mandates amid rising COVID-19 cases. UF Health Screen, Test & Protect discontinued its COVID-19 data dashboard Dec. 31. The on-campus COVID-19 data is now only available through the Florida Department of Health. "Requests for up-to-date data starting Jan. 1 should be directed to the Department of Health," Ken Garcia, UF Health spokesperson, wrote in an email. Some university campuses across the country prepared to go online for the start of the semester. Private universities such as Harvard, Howard and the University of Miami plan to teach classes remotely for a portion of the Spring. In contrast, students and faculty at UF brace for in-person classes. The decision for classes to remain in-person was made in consultation with UF Health experts and following guidance from the Florida Board of Governors, Garcia wrote. He added that testing is being expanded at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium beginning Jan. 5 but did not elaborate. Last Friday, UF sent out a campus brief detailing information about the university's response to the rising COVID-19 cases across Florida. The email encouraged students and employees to get tested, vaccinated -- including the booster shot -- and wear a mask.
 
84-year-old Columbia man pilots U. of Missouri's in-home sensor system to monitor seniors' health
Raymond Sloan has sensors in every room of his apartment and one under his mattress. He has a watch that counts his steps and measures his heart rate. Sloan, 84, of Columbia, said having the data about his health is a big help. He had a stroke at 46 and uses a walker now to get around. "It makes me more aware of things," Sloan said. "It helps me feel a little more secure. It will notice if you have a heart murmur." He said the sensors aren't obtrusive. "Within a month or so, you're not even aware of it," he said. Sloan is piloting something that is being revised for around 60 senior citizens with disabilities in rural areas of the state. University of Missouri researchers are using a $2 million grant to install the sensors to monitor the activity and vital signs of the older Missourians. "This is an extension of work that's been done over two decades," said Rachel Proffitt, assistant professor in the MU School of Health Professions and principal investigator for the project. The work began in nursing homes, branched out into independent living homes and now is moving into residential homes, Proffitt said. The system allows older adults, their caregivers and adult children to see the health data generated.
 
U. of Texas reports record-high COVID-19 case count amid omicron surge
The University of Texas reported a record number of COVID-19 cases among students, staff and faculty on Monday, as testing resumed after the holidays. UT reported 108 positive COVID-19 student cases and 25 faculty and staff cases on Monday, according to the university's COVID-19 dashboard. All the tests were administered Monday. It's the second-highest number of cases ever reported in one day among UT students and the highest number ever reported among its faculty and staff. The data provide the first glimpse of how COVID-19 is impacting the university since UT paused the reporting of COVID-19 tests during a break for the holidays. The record case count comes as the highly transmissible omicron variant continues to spread in Texas and the U.S. and threatens regular operations for universities across the nation. UT reported the first three cases of the omicron variant in Austin among members of the campus community last month, and COVID-19 cases among the UT community have increased significantly since then. Darlene Bhavnani, a UT epidemiologist, previously told the American-Statesman that the increase in cases is likely due to the omicron variant. UT classes are to resume Jan. 18 after its dorms reopen on Jan. 14. Students in residence halls will be required to get tested for COVID-19 before the semester begins, and the university is encouraging all other students to get tested within 72 hours before their return to Austin or classes.
 
How can colleges convince admitted students to enroll?
Highly personalized methods for getting admitted students to enroll at a particular college, like counselor outreach, may be expensive and difficult for institutions to scale. But sometimes solutions can be simple, such as asking students if they intend to commit and focusing outreach on those most likely to attend. These are some of the conclusions of a new report from EAB. The consultancy outlines core components of robust admissions predictive modeling and the strategies for targeting students likely to enroll. Virtual outreach tools, such as school-owned social media platforms and online campus tours, are particularly effective at attracting admitted students, according to the report. The coronavirus pandemic inspired many colleges to grow their pool of admitted students and figure out how to secure their commitment. Undergraduate enrollment dropped by 3.5% this fall from the previous year, according to preliminary figures from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The losses were unevenly felt among institution types, as some competitive private colleges enjoyed record application numbers while enrollment sank at other institutions, including community colleges and for-profit schools. But every kind of institution needs to employ a dynamic model for determining which admitted students will enroll, said Madeleine Rhyneer, EAB's dean of enrollment management and vice president of consulting services.
 
Cloth Masks Won't Cut It: Some Universities Now Require More-Protective Face Coverings
As Covid-19 case numbers surge, some universities have decided cloth masks aren't cutting it. Three institutions have announced they'll require more-protective masks to be worn on campus to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans announced a KN95 or N95 mask requirement for its campus on Monday, citing the transmissibility of the Omicron variant. "Due to the unprecedented transmissibility of this new variant, we must pay particular attention to wearing properly fitted KN95 or N95 masks at all times while indoors," the university's leaders said in a statement. The university's infectious-disease experts are not just worried about student exposure to the virus from sick patients in clinical settings. Julio Figueroa, chief of infectious diseases in the school of medicine, said the campuswide policy was enacted to mitigate spread within the campus community. "It's not clinical people that are bringing it in from the hospital to the campus, it's people going and doing their thing out and about who are getting infected and bringing it into campus," Figueroa said. He added that cloth and surgical masks, used heavily in mitigating the spread of previous variants of Covid-19, were less effective in curbing the spread of the Omicron variant. "With Omicron it appears that the contagion plus the aerosol aspect is very similar to measles and therefore requires this higher-level mask," he said.
 
With covid surging, many college students are confined in isolation and quarantine
Oscar Lloyd was eating with some friends in a lounge at his college dorm when he got the email: He had tested positive for the coronavirus, and he had two hours to pack and move into isolation housing for 10 days. "Everyone went into a frenzy," the first-year student from Virginia said. He was the second person in his group of friends at Columbia University to test positive. He called his parents and some other friends he had just been with. His roommate called his parents. Several people called to get flights moved up to the following day -- it was just days before the end of the semester, and they didn't want to get stuck on campus in quarantine. Thousands of college students ended 2021 and will begin 2022 in isolation and quarantine as the omicron variant surges in the United States. For school administrators, the sudden outbreaks sparked logistical scrambles to get students swiftly and safely housed away from others. Some of the first warning signs that the pandemic had changed, again, were on university campuses: Cases spiked last month and many colleges announced they would hold finals online, extend the winter break, or resume classes virtually. In some cases those decisions were driven by the limitations on housing available to separate infected and potentially exposed students from others on campus -- the virus was spreading so rapidly that models predicted broadening waves of exposures. When federal officials updated guidance on isolation and quarantine last week, announcing that asymptomatic people infected with coronavirus need only isolate for five days, rather than 10, school leaders responded with a mix of relief, concern and uncertainty. Many were seeing mild, moderate or asymptomatic cases -- but in unexpectedly large numbers.
 
Federal Student Loan Repayments Stay Paused. What Next?
Last month, the Biden administration announced a 90-day extension on a roughly two-year, pandemic-long pause on borrowers repaying their federal student loans. While many higher education advocates and experts welcome the move, some also say bigger reforms are needed. A mid-December report from Third Way, a think tank, unpacks one key player: student loan servicers, both how they work now and how they can better serve borrowers. "Student loan servicing is a really complicated, often misunderstood element of higher education financing and the student loan process," said Michelle Dimino, the education senior policy advisor at Third Way. "There are a lot of mismatches at play with servicing when it comes to what borrowers want and expect from their servicer -- and what servicers are hired to do." Dr. Rajeev Darolia, a professor of public policy and associate professor of public policy and economics at the University of Kentucky, authored the report, which is titled "Getting it Right: Design Principles for Student Loan Servicing Reform." The paper highlighted three ways servicing can improve, including clarifying the servicer's role and simplifying where as well as how borrowers get information. Such reforms, argues the report, could yield long-term benefits for borrowers and society at-large. As servicers remain in the public eye with this extension, Dimino added that Darolia's paper could help people and policymakers make sense of the student loan apparatus.
 
When Professors Offend Students: Classroom norms are changing. Where's the line, and who decides?
Erica Cope admits it wasn't a great lesson. In the fall of 2020, Cope, like faculty members across the country, was teaching virtually, from her kitchen table. None of her students -- all freshmen at Buffalo State College -- seemed particularly engaged in the introductory writing course. Discussions were scarce. Faced with a sea of black screens, Cope, an adjunct lecturer, couldn't tell whether her lessons were landing. "You can't read the room," Cope says of virtual teaching. "There is no room." So she decided to spur her class into contributing. The day's lesson was about "cancel culture." Students had read a few articles on the topic beforehand. Cope wanted to present them with an opinion that, at first blush, they'd object to but that would actually be more nuanced than it appeared. She said, "This is me, like, speaking honestly, and you guys have to respond to me honestly with what you think, with what you feel about this. So, I am sick of talking about Black Lives Matter." Though clumsily articulated, Cope acknowledges, it's an opinion that she holds. While Cope, who is white, supports Black Lives Matter in general, she thinks that conversations about the movement can be performative, and that it should focus not just on police brutality but also on education, health care, poverty, and other issues that affect Black people in America. She wanted her students to engage with that sort of critique, which she thought would be unfamiliar to them. But her choice of words was "very very" poor, she says. "It didn't work. It was a mistake," Cope says. "And I recognized that." Before teaching the same course in the spring, Cope revised the lesson, she says, and it went much better.


SPORTS
 
MSU women, Kentucky rescheduled for Jan. 13
The Mississippi State-Kentucky women's basketball game originally scheduled for Jan. 3 has been rescheduled for Jan. 13. The game will tip at 6 p.m., in Lexington and will be streamed live through SEC Network-plus. The game was postponed because of COVID issues within the Kentucky program. The MSU women (9-4, 0-1 SEC) next play Thursday at 6 at Alabama.
 
Mississippi State football prioritizing finding a kicker this offseason
It didn't take Mississippi State football long to put a contingency plan in place once kicker Brandon Ruiz announced he'd depart the program with eyes on the NFL. The coaching staff had already had conversations with potential additions in the preceding weeks. So Gabriel Plascencia, a junior college kicker at the College of San Mateo in California, received a call from special teams coordinator Matt Brock. He had an offer to join the Bulldogs as a preferred walk-on, providing immediate competition among kickers -- a unit that drew criticism from coach Mike Leach throughout the season due to its spotty record. Plascencia plans to transfer in January, although his final destination is yet to be determined. He has an offer from Sacramento State, and he has been in close contact with Washington, Cal and San Diego State. But an offer from an SEC school? That has piqued his interest. Whoever winds up joining Mississippi State -- be it Plascencia or another transfer portal or junior college option -- will find himself in an immediate open competition. When Ruiz and freshman Nolan McCord combined to miss three field goals in a three-point loss to Arkansas in November, the situation reached its nadir. The Bulldogs finished 14-for-25 on field goals, including a 2-for-10 mark on tries longer than 40 yards. Those 33 points left on the field loom large in a season full of close games and fine margins. And while Leach has said he feels "like a failure" whenever a drive doesn't result in a touchdown, settling for three points is a necessary consolation -- although only eight teams had a worst conversion percentage than the Bulldogs. So one of the offseason priorities has been to bolster the kicking options, leading to Plascencia's first conversations with Leach and Brock a few weeks before the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
 
Ole Miss basketball dealing with COVID outbreak but intends to play at Tennessee
If the Ole Miss men's basketball team has the players, it's going to play. Ole Miss (8-4) is scheduled to play No. 18 Tennessee in Knoxville on Wednesday (6 p.m. CT, SEC Network) for the Rebels' SEC opener. Rebels coach Kermit Davis is committed to playing that game despite the low number of players he said the Rebels should have available. Davis says Ole Miss had two players enter into COVID-19 protocols after testing positive on Tuesday. This comes on the heels of having four players, two assistant coaches and four support staffers in the protocols last week. Throw in the non-COVID injuries to senior forward Robert Allen, who is out for the season, and senior guard Jarkel Joiner, who is questionable with a lower back injury, and Ole Miss' numbers get murky. "It's run through our team a bit," Davis said. "If we have seven scholarship players, we're going to go to Tennessee and play our tail off and do everything we can to play that game." Ole Miss' SEC opener was supposed to be last Wednesday against Florida, but that game was postponed. Not because of the Rebels. Davis said the team was low on numbers but intended to play because it was above the threshold of seven scholarship players and one full-time coach needed for a game to happen. Florida elected not to play the game because of COVID issues within its own program.
 
Commissioners not concerned about lopsided College Football Playoff semifinals as expansion discussion continues
As the leaders of the College Football Playoff prepare for another in-person meeting on Saturday in Indianapolis to discuss expanding the current four-team system, the lopsided semifinal scores that resulted in two SEC teams playing for the national title -- again -- might not resonate as much with the commissioners as they have with fans and critics over the past week. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey obviously doesn't have any objections, but it will be a backdrop to the discussions as the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick continue to debate what future model is best for the sport. "I think college football is better served by having a broader participation in national championship games, but the fact is, you've got to go beat those people," Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby told ESPN on Tuesday. "And that means you've got to go do it on the football field. That doesn't have anything to do with the format; that has to do with who's playing at the highest levels." For the second time in the eight years of the CFP era, it's No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia. They also faced each other in the 2018 national title game and this season in the SEC championship game. Alabama defeated Cincinnati 27-6 in the CFP semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and Georgia defeated Michigan 34-11 in the CFP semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl.
 
Alabama's Nick Saban weighs in on College Football Playoff expansion
After Nick Saban spearheaded the latest College Football Playoff semifinal blowout, the Alabama football coach was asked about the state of the playoff, which features four teams but has been considered for expansion. Saban said he doesn't see the logic in expanding to more teams. A reporter asked: "The semifinal games were both blowouts. Do you feel like going to an expansion with 12 teams would maybe help that and create more competitive games, or do you think that would diminish the regular season too much?" Alabama defeated Cincinnati 27-6, while Georgia rolled over Michigan 34-11. "I don't necessarily agree with your assessment of our game," Saban responded. "I can't speak to the other game, but it was a really hard fought game for us, I think. And we have a tremendous amount of respect for the team that we played. "I don't know that expanding -- if this is the best four teams and they played each other, I don't see the logic in: If we had more teams, there would be better games. I don't know how that adds up. But I'm really not in position to answer that."
 
Mizzou basketball's Cuonzo Martin, Robin Pingeton detail COVID pause
On Monday, it became official: Missouri's men's and women's basketball teams would have to postpone at least one game each due to COVID-19 protocols. The men postponed Wednesday's game against Mississippi State, while the women postponed their game against Vanderbilt originally set for this past Sunday as virus issues arose with each respective Tiger program. This comes after the MU women upset South Carolina, the No. 1 overall team in the nation, with just eight available players last Thursday, using just seven of those eight. Both Cuonzo Martin and Robin Pingeton were at Cheerleader Pub and Grill for the Tiger Talk radio show aired on KTGR on Monday night and talked about the status of their squads. Martin detailed how the team tested for COVID-19 last Friday with results coming back Saturday. The Tigers exhausted every avenue to try and play Mississippi State, he said. The test results led to contract tracing, which then led to MU needing to postpone its game with the Bulldogs. Martin said his entire team has received both COVID-19 vaccines and is in the process of getting the booster shots as well. He outlined the difficulty of players feeling fine but still needing to finish their quarantine period. Should the Missouri men be healthy enough, they'll host No. 15 Alabama on Saturday.
 
Will the sports collectibles market have another good year?
The online sports merchandise company Fanatics announced Tuesday that it will buy Topps, the longtime manufacturer of those baseball cards still lying around in attics somewhere. Stimulus checks and pandemic-induced boredom pushed the secondary trading card market to grow 170% last year, per the card trading platform Alt. Just how long can that last? Ted Barker is senior sales executive at Beckett Media -- it's like the Kelley Blue Book for trading cards. "The collector used to be a guy more my age," said Barker, 67. He's no longer the industry's target demographic. Manufacturers are marketing to younger consumers. "Millennials with their hats on backward and their backpacks full of cards and money," he said. Barker's bullish about 2022, but said inflation could mean less disposable income going to trading cards. Plus, the baseball lockout could hurt. Nicole Colombo, president of Alt, said she's not concerned. And neither is Silicon Valley. "There's been a lot of startups in the space, a lot of mergers and acquisitions in the space, and I expect there's going to be a lot more," she said. Colombo points to more innovation -- think more trading card nonfungible tokens and tracking card sales on the blockchain.



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