Thursday, February 24, 2022   
 
MSU Extension Service receives ATVs, equipment through grant
The Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension Service 4H ATV Safety Program recently received $10,000 from Polaris through the company's T.R.A.I.L.S. grant program. The funds purchased two youth sized Polaris ATVs and safety equipment. T.R.A.I.L.S. is an acronym for trail development, responsible riding, access, initiatives, lobbying and safety. Brad Staton, an Extension associate with the 4-H ATV Safety Program, said he is thankful for the grant because it will allow his program to train more people at once. "Before, we just didn't have enough ATVs to hold a full class," he said. "Now, we have enough equipment to hold a full class of six riders for the 10-to-13 age group. These machines can also be used in classes for the 13-and-older age group. The ability to have a full class makes the training exercises more effective. And with more riders, the class is more fun." Participants in the 4-H ATV Safety Program learn to operate ATVs safely and responsibly in a controlled environment. The half-day 4-H ATV RiderCourse, which is taught by licensed instructors, covers starting and stopping, quick turns, hill riding, emergency maneuvers and riding over obstacles. Participants also receive training on protective gear, local regulations, places to ride and environmental concerns. Offered through Extension offices statewide, these classes are tailored to the age and experience level of the participants. he course is open to adults and children aged 8 and up. Each participant receives a free helmet courtesy of the Brain Injury Association of Mississippi.
 
MSU Receives Amazon Cyber Security Grant
Mississippi State University recently received a grant from Amazon to support diversity in the university's Department of Computer Science and Engineering. The grant will help promote undergraduate diversity in cyber security through the Amazon Cyber Security Scholarship and the Amazon Security Support Fund, which aims to provide computer science and engineering minority students with funding for cyber security educational opportunities. MSU will use the funding to provide hands-on experience in cyber security, conference attendance, support for minority student societies focused on advancement in STEM and to provide outreach to students interested in cyber security, a release from the university says. The Mississippi State University Extension Service recently received a $5 million grant from the Mississippi Department of Human Services to directly impact early-childhood education in the state by developing a new curriculum for children from birth through age 5. MSU will use the funding to develop "My Mississippi Adventures," a developmentally appropriate, integrated curriculum to be used in licensed child care facilities. The curriculum will focus on people, places and things indigenous to Mississippi, a release from MSU says. Mississippi State University's Center for Distance Education and Department of Communication recently established a new online degree program to provide new options for students interested in earning a communication bachelor's degree with an emphasis in communication and media studies. The degree will equip students to "specialize in the theory, critique and practice of communication, equipping students to communicate effectively and ethically in diverse contexts," a release from MSU says.
 
Up, up and away: Fueled by several factors, gas prices soar
Tommy Franks takes a deep breath every time he has to fill up his truck at a gas station. And it's not just any truck or even one truck -- it's one of five tractor-trailers his company, Magnolia Freight Service, uses as dedicated freight haulers. "I've usually got three trucks on the road every day, and they'll use about 250 gallons of fuel a day," he said. "So we're talking another $750 more a day for fuel I'm paying than a year ago. Take that over a week's time, and that's a lot of money. Over a month, that's a ton of money." Most freight companies like Magnolia have a fuel surcharge built into their deliveries, particularly on outbound loads. The surcharges are built around a per-mile rate. On inbound freight, Magnolia gets a flat rate. Gas prices have risen for eight consecutive weeks, and now stand at a national average of $3.54 a gallon, the highest since 2014. Diesel is nearly $4 a gallon on average. Fuel prices have risen steadily for several reasons -- higher demand, lower oil and gas inventories, the cost of blending with ethanol into gasoline and OPEC keeping production increases at bay. And with Russia invading Ukrainian territory, oil prices -- and fuel prices -- could rise to record levels if international sanctions limit the purchase of Russian oil. The country is the third-largest oil producer in the world. Experts warn that $100 barrels of oil and $5 gas could be imminent.
 
Mississippi Senate advances 1 tax cut plan; another awaits
The Republican-controlled Mississippi Senate voted 40-11 Wednesday to pass a bill that would cut hundreds of millions of dollars in state revenue by phasing out part of the income tax and reducing the sales tax on groceries. The vote sets up a showdown in coming weeks with the House, which is also controlled by Republicans and passed a more extensive tax cut proposal last month. Mississippi has long been one of the poorest states in the nation. Discussion of tax reductions is happening as the state has enjoyed larger-than-expected tax collections the past several months, driven partly by federal spending during the pandemic. "I believe this is the right time to cut taxes without being reckless," Republican Sen. Daniel Sparks of Belmont said during Wednesday's debate. Some Democrats voted for the bill, but all votes against it came from Democrats. Among the opponents was Democratic Sen. Hob Bryan of Amory, who said lawmakers should focus on funding state services. "Just think about your folks back home," Bryan said. "Are they clamoring for a tax cut? Or are they clamoring for roads, water and sewer and schools and broadband?"
 
Senate lawmakers debate tax relief bill
During the two-hour debate on the Senate floor, lawmakers discussed how Senate Bill 3164 could affect the state. The bill would eliminate the state's 4% income tax bracket, state car tag fees, and reduce the grocery tax without raising additional taxes. Senate Finance Committee Chair Josh Harkins of Flowood spoke in favor of the bill. Senator Harkins says "We're trying to be fiscally responsible that we operate with the mantra that we don't use one-time money for recurring expenses. This plan uses recurring revenue for recurring expenses. It looks at all those factors when considering the impact of this tax cut." The tax plan from the House would completely eliminate the state income tax, and increase some taxes to adjust for lost revenue. Republican Senator Chris McDaniel of Ellisville says both bills are insufficient and says the state must remove the income tax without raising additional taxes. "The House, with their economist, and their calculators, they say we can do it," says Senator McDaniel. "Every think tank I've seen with the exception of one economist who incidentally works for the state, in some respects is very biased, all but one in this body seems to think we can't make the move. I'm trying to question why. How imprudent is it for us to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and not take it?" Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about how the elimination of major revenue streams could affect state spending.
 
'It doesn't blow the budget': Senate sends income tax cut to House
After a lengthy debate -- mostly between Republicans -- that stretched back to Hoover administration economic policies, the state Senate on Wednesday passed a modest Mississippi income tax and grocery tax cut with a bipartisan vote. Senate Bill 3164 passed 40-11 and now heads to the House, where Republican leaders want to eliminate the income tax, not just cut it, and have decried the Senate plan as a "token" cut. All Republicans voted for the Senate measure and all the votes against were Democratic, although five Democrats voted yes. "It doesn't blow the budget," Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins, R-Flowood, told colleagues of the plan he authored. "That's the most important thing to note with this plan. It does not use one-time money for recurring expenses ... I don't think anybody believes we are in stable economic times, with inflation at 7% ... This is a good first step, a sound plan that is fiscally responsible." House Speaker Philip Gunn, who has championed elimination of the state income tax for two years, said he hopes citizens "just do the math" on how much they'll save with the House plan compared to the Senate plan. But Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and his Republican Senate leadership have said the House plan is foolhardy, eliminating a third of the state's revenue and upending state tax structure at a time of great economic uncertainty and volatility.
 
Mississippi Senate passes its tax cut plan with immediate rebate for taxpayers
The Mississippi Senate has passed their version of a tax cut. While the plan is not a full elimination of the state's individual income tax, it does offer an immediate reimbursement between $100 and $1,000 for some taxpayers. The bill, SB 3164, passed by a vote of 40 to 11 with the primary support coming from Republican members. Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann said the Senate saw a healthy debate on the bill with Democrats and Republicans voting in a bipartisan way on what he called "common sense." The plan will phase out the 4 percent income tax bracket over the next four years, cut the sales tax on groceries from 7 percent to 5 percent, and take the state's portion of the car tag out of the cost to consumers, which equates to roughly $5. The plan does not raise sales tax or any other excise tax. Mississippi's individual income tax makes up nearly $1.8 billion of the $6 billion plus state budget, much of which is federally funded. The bill was presented by Senator Josh Harkins (R), Chairman of the Finance committee. Harkins said in total the recurring revenue loss will come to roughly $316 million for the phase out. When including the rebate, the package is over $440 million out of the state's budget. Harkins said the cut takes into consideration the teacher pay raises proposed by both the House and Senate this year, increases in state employee health insurance coverage, increased pay for state employees, and some other expenditures.
 
State lawmakers hope bonuses will stop flow of nurses leaving jobs
Mississippi lawmakers are pushing a measure at the State Capitol to give nurses a bonus for working during the pandemic. In the past two years, nurses have been leaving hospital doors in record numbers. The latest estimate is more than 3,000 nursing vacancies statewide. State Rep. Sam Mims is the chairman of the House Health and Human Services Committee and a supporter of a health care worker retention measure moving through the legislature. It is designed to not only give nurses more money to stay on the job, but health care workers too. "So, it will be up to the leadership at these facilities to decide which employees they need to retain," Mims said. "We know these nurses are being recruited and we want them to stay in Mississippi. This is not a situation we got into overnight and not something we are going to fix overnight. It is going to take some time." Tim Moore, Mississippi Hospital Association CEO, said it will take more than a bonus to rebuild the state's nursing pool. "It has never been to the extent we are seeing now," Moore said. Lawmakers are also talking about paying school tuition for nurses if they agree to stay longer, building the training schools' capacity to teach more nurses. But that will not be a quick fix. "It will take at least three years to start making a dent in the nursing population and we have to make it perfectly clear that it is not just nursing, it is respiratory therapy, it's lab techs, it is radiology techs," Moore said.
 
MDAH seeks community input on preservation plan for Historic Jefferson College
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History hosted a community meeting at the Natchez Convention Center Tuesday seeking public input on their Historic Jefferson College preservation effort. Historic Jefferson College is the first institution of higher learning chartered in the Mississippi Territory and was the birthplace of Mississippi's statehood in 1817. Today, the site is operated as a museum with several original buildings dating between 1819 and 1839. MDAH is working with The Design Minds Inc. to create a comprehensive plan for the future of the historic college. Tuesday's meeting helped gather input regarding how it can better meet the needs of the community. This included some early discussion of using parts of the campus for educational and trade school purposes. As plans for the campus are still being discussed, MDAH Executive Director Katie Blount said the preservation of the historic buildings is a top priority. "We want to find a way to draw people to the site, make an educational and economical impact all while making strides to preserve it for future generations," she said. Blount said the timeline for starting and finishing the project has not been determined as it depends largely on if and when federal funds for it are received. The department presented a broad thesis statement of what story they'd like to tell at the site as well as a breakdown of topics to be explored there, from agriculture and slavery, Native American history, site history and its national connections.
 
Russia attacks Ukraine; peace in Europe 'shattered'
Russia launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine on Thursday, hitting cities and bases with airstrikes or shelling, as civilians piled into trains and cars to flee. Ukraine's government said Russian tanks and troops rolled across the border in a "full-scale war" that could rewrite the geopolitical order and whose fallout already reverberated around the world. In unleashing Moscow's most aggressive action since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, President Vladimir Putin deflected global condemnation and cascading new sanctions -- and chillingly referred to his country's nuclear arsenal. He threatened any foreign country attempting to interfere with "consequences you have never seen." Sirens wailed in Ukraine's capital, large explosions were heard there and in other cities, and people massed in train stations and took to roads, as the government said the former Soviet republic was seeing a long-anticipated invasion from the east, north and south. It reported more than 40 soldiers had been killed and dozens wounded so far. The attack targeted a country the size of Texas that has increasingly tilted toward the democratic West and away from Moscow's sway. The autocratic Putin made clear earlier this week that he sees no reason for Ukraine to exist, raising fears of possible broader conflict in the vast space that the Soviet Union once ruled. Putin denied plans to occupy Ukraine, but his ultimate goals remain hazy.
 
Russian Attack on Ukraine Roils Markets
Investors pushed down stocks and lifted the prices of oil, gold and government bonds, after Russian missiles and airstrikes hit Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and more than a dozen other cities across the country. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 800 points, or 2.4%, shortly after the opening bell. The S&P 500 dropped 2% and the Nasdaq Composite declined 1.9%. The S&P 500 reached correction territory earlier in the week. The Nasdaq Composite is on pace to close in bear territory. The Cboe Volatility Index rose to the highest level in over 15 months. The Russian attack, which was swiftly condemned by President Biden, heightens the pressure on a global economy already reeling from snarled supply chains and some of the highest inflation in years, with Europe likely to bear the brunt of the economic impact. Investors are worried that a war between Russia and Ukraine could threaten returns on their investments. "This is what appeared unbelievable to most investors, and this is actually happening," said Slava Smolyaninov, Moscow-based chief strategist at BCS Global Markets. "It's a complete change of everything; we are in a different world right now." The Russian attack comes at a time where volatility in markets was heightened, due to looming changes in Federal Reserve monetary policy. "The game-changer for me is, what does this mean for the Fed? Ultimately now, interest rate hikes and aggressive tightening are going to be very difficult," said Gregory Perdon, chief investment officer at Arbuthnot Latham.
 
Daniell Mattern named inaugural Stefani-Miller Chair in recognition of excellence, STEM research
Daniell Mattern, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Mississippi, has been named to a new endowed chair established to bolster teaching and research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. With a gift of $1.5 million, Dr. Rhett Atkinson and his wife, Elaine, established the Doctors Andrew Stefani and Eldon Miller Memorial Chair for STEM Teaching and Research in 2019 to honor Stefani, former professor and chair in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Miller, former professor and chair in the Department of Mathematics. Mattern is the inaugural holder of the position. The Atkinsons' gift provides income to the College of Liberal Arts to support the recruitment and retention of a top-tier scholar who demonstrates outstanding teaching in STEM and is also a productive researcher in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, mathematics, physics or astronomy. "My wife and I strongly believe in education and academics, and we want to give back to the institution that gave me the background and the tools I needed to be successful," said Atkinson, of Sedona, Arizona. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in mathematics from Ole Miss in 1970 and '72 and graduated from the UM School of Medicine in 1979. Mattern said he is delighted to be selected as the inaugural chair.
 
UM ASB Senate and Faculty Senate condemn anti-CRT vote
The University of Mississippi's Associated Student Body and Faculty senates voted this week to condemn the Mississippi State Senate's passage of Senate Bill 2113, which would ban the teaching of critical race theory in Mississippi's public schools, colleges and universities. "Mississippi Senate Bill 2113 undermines the quality and fundamental purpose of public higher education, which the University of Mississippi has financially invested in to bolster its merit and reputation in the past decades," the ASB Senate resolution reads. The student-authored resolution, which passed unanimously, also points to SB 2113's ambiguous language, the precedent Mississisippi would set by legislating academic material and the University of Mississippi's own historical connections to slavery and racial injustice. The faculty-authored resolution passed 32-8, according to reporting from Mississippi Today. "The Senate of the Faculty of the University of Mississippi rejects any attempts by bodies external to the faculty to restrict or dictate university curriculum on any matter, and reaffirms the American Association of University Professors' 1940 statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure," the resolution reads. Lila Osman, President Pro Tempore of the ASB Senate, is pleased the resolution passed. She sees it as necessary to protect not only students, but also faculty and the institution at large.
 
USM alum wins 2022 Black Engineer of the Year
University of Southern Mississippi alum Brianna Thompson is one of three researchers from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center who have been chosen to receive a 2022 Black Engineer of the Year Award. The BEYA recognizes African-American scientists and engineers around the country, and the winners are leaders shaping the future of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as promoting diversity and inclusion in the STEM pipeline. Thompson began her career at ERDC in ITL three years ago as a mathematician and was chosen for the BEYA Modern-Day Technology Leader Award. Her research in hypersonic systems evaluation and design and the coupling of fluid, thermal and structure models for computational simulation of hypersonic systems is making a difference and advancing the capabilities of the army and the Department of Defense in developing state-of-the-art solutions to challenging problems. In the announcement released by ERDC, Thompson said that her love for mathematics began as a child. She credits her parents for encouraging her to never stop learning. "I have always liked figuring things out and I've always loved numbers," said Thompson, who earned her doctorate degree in computational science at Southern Miss.
 
USM Associate Professor named 2021 Chemist of the Year
Dr. Julie Pigza, Associate Professor of chemistry and biochemistry at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), has been named the 2021 Chemist of the Year by the Mississippi Local Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS). This marks Pigza's first time to earn the award. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., she joined the USM faculty in 2013. "Research faculty have a lot of aspects to our jobs that take up our time, and it can be hard to know if you are devoting time to everything completely," she said. "A recognition such as this makes me pause and realize I must be doing something right." Much of Pigza's research emphasis at USM involves the various facets of organic chemistry.
 
ERDC partners with multiple universities on graphene research
Researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) have started working with multiple applications for graphene, from graphene-infused asphalt and concrete to water filtration systems. This research has led to the development of a new initiative that brings together top research institutions and experts from the University of Mississippi (UM), Jackson State University (JSU), Rice University and the ERDC to explore graphene's unique abilities in uses ranging from advanced materials-by-design to self-sensing infrastructure. Emerging materials such as graphene are driving fundamental changes in material performance with potential future military and civilian applications. "This new initiative will continue a long legacy of ERDC partnering with academia and industry to advance emerging technologies in support of our warfighters and the nation," said ERDC Senior Scientific Technical Manager Dr. Robert Moser. This strategic ERDC partnership provides an incredible opportunity to leverage expertise and state-of-the-art materials research from Rice University's NanoCarbon Center and the UM Center for Graphene Research and Innovation (CGRI). The CGRI is also working with JSU experts on computational chemistry and synthesis of graphene. The CGRI executes graphene research and acts as a bridge with the other research universities, particularly within the state of Mississippi, private industry and other government research and development organizations in the region.
 
NEMCC announces $5.4 million Franks Foundation Scholarship Endowment Fund
Northeast Mississippi Community College will grant some of the school's graduating students the opportunity to continue their educations thanks to a new $5.4 million scholarship endowment fund. The Franks Foundation Board of Directors donated the money to the NEMCC Development Foundation to continue the legacy of former Booneville attorney, the late Donald Franks, who was instrumental in establishing the country/western music program at NEMCC in the early 1980s. The school held a special check presentation ceremony announcing the creation of the scholarship on Wednesday. Scholarships generated from the Franks Foundation Endowment are awarded to full-time students on a recurring basis for a maximum of four consecutive semesters at Northeast. The scholarships will be awarded to students in Northeast's five-county service area -- Alcorn, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo and Union counties. To qualify, a student must have an ACT score of 20 or above and maintain a 3.0 GPA. Upon graduation from Northeast, qualifying students can receive a transfer scholarship to a university of their choice for four consecutive semesters. To qualify, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA, full-time status and submit documentation following each semester.
 
Lecture by EMCC Humanities Teacher of the Year Monday
East Mississippi Community College Humanities Teacher of the Year Award recipient DeLisa Brand will present a lecture titled "Stitching Cultures" on Feb. 28. The public is invited to attend the free lecture, which will be followed by a reception. The lecture begins at 12:30 p.m. in the board dining room inside the F.R. Young Student Union on EMCC's Scooba campus. "My topic will be about how literature is similar to a quilt; each piece of literature makes up the fabric of who we are as a culture," said Brand, who is the English Department chair for the Scooba campus. Each year the Mississippi Humanities Council presents Humanities Teacher of the Year Awards to humanities faculty at each of the state's colleges and universities. The recipients will be recognized this year during a public ceremony and reception March 25 in Jackson. Recipients receive a $400 cash award and are required to prepare and deliver a public lecture. "I feel like it is an honor to be selected," Brand said. "Instructors work very hard, and I appreciate it any time instructors are recognized for their dedication to the field of education." Brand is in her sixth year as an instructor at EMCC, where she teaches English Composition I and II, as well as World Literature.
 
Alabama educators oppose compromise CRT bill that would ban 'divisive' concepts from classrooms
A new bill seeking to prohibit concepts related to race, gender and religion sparked confusion from Black lawmakers and concern from Alabama teachers, education leaders and college faculty at a public hearing Wednesday afternoon. "We are fighting for a colorblind America and we believe that it is an abuse of power to subject students or employees who are in a subordinate position to learn racist concepts," said Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, who authored HB312, which seeks to restrict so-called "divisive concepts" from being taught in K-12 schools and other state institutions. HB312, filed earlier this month, has 38 sponsors, all of whom are white and Republican. The bill, which was meant to replace three similar bills filed in the summer, still has anti-CRT language in it, but also includes other topics related to race, gender and religion. Critical race theory is a legal concept that was banned in K-12 schools by the state school board in October, but is taught in some college-level classes. In Oliver's version of the legislation, faculty can teach so-called "divisive concepts" but can be terminated if they require students to agree with or "assent" to any of the topics listed in the bill. This marks a change from a previous bill, which prohibited those concepts altogether. But higher education faculty say the new bill, regardless of intent, will still censor teachers and prevent them from openly addressing "painful elements of our nation's past and present."
 
Bringing its 'A' game: Water tower near campus has U. of Alabama's logo
Tuscaloosa's new water tower has brought its "A" game. The water tower under construction at the corner of Campus Drive West and Riverside Drive now has the University of Alabama's red script "A" logo painted on its top. The 230-foot tall, 1 million gallon capacity tower will supply water to an area between Queen City Avenue and the UA campus. The tower will help meet water demands in an area heavily populated with campus buildings, Bryant-Denny Stadium and student apartments. "This will upgrade water distribution and pressure throughout the city, but will primarily benefit campus," Matt Fajack, UA vice president for financial affairs, said in 2020. The water tower's projected completion date is this summer. According to an artist's rendering presented by Fajack at a 2020 Tuscaloosa City Council meeting, the tower was depicted as painted white with the university's script "A" logo on the side. After the initial public announcement, the internet exploded with jokes about the tower, which appeared in the artist's renderings to have a shape similar to that of a football. However, the tower, which is visible from many points across the city, including the stadium, is shaped more like a traditional water tower. The project's primary funding is coming from the city of Tuscaloosa to the tune of at least $6.6 million, with UA kicking in an additional $650,000. Recent reports from the city have indicated the final cost might be more along the lines of $11 million because of increases in construction costs.
 
Georgia lawmakers favor tuition bill for refugee college students
Several state lawmakers voiced their support Wednesday for legislation that would make it easier for refugees to pay tuition at Georgia's public colleges and universities. House Bill 932 seeks to extend in-state tuition rates to refugee students at the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia as soon as they settle in the state. Currently, refugees must wait one year after settling in Georgia to establish residency to qualify for the lower in-state tuition rates, which are roughly three times smaller than their out-of-state counterparts. The bill came from a bipartisan House study committee that met last year to examine workforce development issues among foreign-born Georgians, including barriers to education and professional training. Georgia's House of Representatives Higher Education Committee held a hearing on the legislation Wednesday afternoon. Some members said they have received calls and emails for and against the bill. More than a dozen speakers made pitches for the bill. None spoke against it. The arguments from supporters were based on humanitarian and economic means. One speaker noted more than 10% of Georgia workers are foreign-born. Several speakers said the 12-month wait could discourage some refugees from enrolling in college.
 
Four takeaways from the U. of Tennessee 'State of the University' address
Expansion and innovation were on the minds of the University of Tennessee leaders as they delivered the system's State of the University address Wednesday. Leaders focused on the university's accomplishments of 2021: a new campus, an upward enrollment trend, new research opportunities and more. But there were few specifics about what administrators want to achieve next, both the short- and long-term. UT System President Randy Boyd kicked off the address, then passed it off to each university's chancellor to share how the university is achieving its strategic plan. "Without a doubt, this was a strong second year to the greatest decade in the history of the University of Tennessee," Boyd said. More and more people are joining the University of Tennessee family. The university system set new records in enrollment and graduation in 2021. The flagship campus in Knoxville continues to see exponential growth, propelling the system past its 2% enrollment growth goal. Research continues to be a key part of the what draws people to UT, and the university is having no trouble finding the funding to make that research possible. In 2021, $28 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly kicked off the Oak Ridge Institute, a partnership with the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. As the UT family continues to grow, the system and its campuses are looking at how to adjust how it operates to make sure students and staff have the tools they need to succeed. UT Knoxville and UT Chattanooga, the two largest colleges in the system, started implementing their new strategic visions.
 
Texas A&M Faculty Senate fights back against Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick attacks on tenure, critical race theory
Leaders of Texas A&M University's Faculty Senate this week voiced their support of academic freedom in response to Lt. Gov Dan Patrick's recent attacks on the tenure process and critical race theory. Members of the Faculty Senate's executive committee at the state's largest university are the latest to affirm professors' ability to decide what they teach. University of Texas at Austin's Faculty Council last Monday issued its own nonbinding resolution upholding their freedom to teach about race and gender theory, causing Patrick to announce his intention to end eligibility for tenure for all new hires at public universities. Patrick, a conservative Republican who leads the Texas Senate, also said he hopes to introduce legislation designating the teaching of critical race theory as "good cause" for tenure revocation. The executive committee's statement on Monday openly criticized state officials but did not name Patrick, who is up for reelection. Patrick's announcement Friday worried many scholars, who cited academic freedom's bearing on tenure and faculty recruitment. The A&M Faculty Senate executive committee members noted the same in their statement, adding that academic freedom is the foundation of universities and is affirmed in the 1940 statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, from the American Association of University Professors. "Educators, not politicians, should make decisions about teaching and learning," the committee wrote, citing the association's stance.
 
Ukraine crisis through the eyes of U. of Missouri international students
Vlad Sazhen's hometown in Ukraine where his girlfriend, parents and 8-year-old sister live is 40 kilometers, about 25 miles, from the Russian border. His hometown is Kharkiv. An aunt and a grandfather are in the capital, Kyiv. He also has a brother who is in Poland. Sazhen, 19, is in Columbia at the University of Missouri, studying aerospace engineering as a sophomore exchange student. He's in touch with his family and girlfriend through video calls "all the time while they're not asleep," Sazhen said. He spoke to the Tribune on Wednesday during an interview in Memorial Union. "They're nervous, but they're confident as well that the Ukrainian Army will protect them," he said of his family and girlfriend. The Ukrainian Army is much stronger since what Ukrainians call the Revolution of Dignity in 2014 when a pro-Russian president was ousted. It was that year that Russia invaded the Crimean region of Ukraine, occupying it. "For us, the pro-Western part of the world is the way to go," Sazhen said. "We didn't want to go back." "A lot of students from my dorm are supporting me," Sazhen said. Among those on campus supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people is Russian student Ekaterina Coleman. She's from Omsk, in the Siberian region. "I have many Ukrainian friends," said Coleman, a graduate student in accountancy. "I feel their pain." Her country is an aggressor and Russia has no rights to any part of Ukraine, she said.
 
FBI reports at least 57 bomb threats at HBCUs, other institutions since January
The FBI said 57 historically Black colleges and universities, places of worship, and other faith-based and academic institutions received bomb threats between Jan. 4 and Feb. 16. The bureau is investigating the incidents as hate crimes. Hampton University on Wednesday was the latest historically Black school to be targeted, the school said in a statement. The incident is among dozens of threats that have been made against HBCUs since the beginning of the year, sparking fear, anger and anxiety on campuses. The threats have been made via phone call, email, instant message and anonymous posts online, the FBI said in a statement Wednesday. The agency has said its investigation is "of the highest priority," with 31 FBI field offices working with local, state and federal law enforcement. Authorities have yet to find any explosive devices, but officials said that the threats are being treated with the "utmost seriousness" and that law enforcement "will remain vigilant to protect our communities." Agents are conducting hundreds of interviews and gathering electronic evidence, officials said. The FBI on Feb. 2 said as many as six juveniles were suspected to be involved in making threats.
 
Student success coaches re-enroll 3,000 students
As students left higher education in droves during the pandemic, 25 colleges and universities launched campaigns to re-enroll them ahead of fall 2021, in partnership with InsideTrack, a nonprofit that helps institutions enroll students and improve academic outcomes through coaching. The campaigns yielded positive results, according to preliminary data released by InsideTrack today. Partner colleges and universities ultimately reached out to 27,000 students who stopped out during the pandemic. About 73 percent of those students were students of color, first-generation students, low-income students or older adult learners. Success coaches were able to re-enroll 3,000 students for the summer and fall 2021 semesters. The 25 partner institutions included eight community colleges, four public universities and three private, nonprofit institutions. A cohort of eight historically Black colleges and universities and one predominantly Black institution also participated as part of a pilot program launched by the United Negro College Fund. These campaigns to re-engage former students follow staggering enrollment declines at colleges and universities across the country -- undergraduate enrollment nationwide fell 6.6 percent between fall 2019 and fall 2021, a loss of more than a million students, according to recent data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Ruth Bauer White, president of InsideTrack, described re-enrollment efforts as a critical part of the country's economic recovery and "equitable social mobility" after the pandemic.
 
Balancing hopes, dreams and a low-paying college major
Humanities majors are more than a punchline. Not everyone can or wants to be a STEM major, and the world would be a poorer place if they were. To have great things to read, music that inspires, perspectives that challenge us -- to have a sense of reward and meaning in life -- we must have students who pursue college degrees that don't lead directly to a big paycheck. That turns the pursuit of intellectual curiosity and artistic appreciation into a balancing act: the likelihood you'll make a good living versus the debt you incur along the way. "I encourage students to find this balance between what they like and what pays," says Nicole Smith, research professor and chief economist at the Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce. "I'm not discounting how beneficial these positions are to our society as a whole, but if you can't pay back your student loan, you'll be in a serious state," Smith says. Liberal arts grads face longer odds compared with science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees, but a well-chosen humanities major doesn't have to be a vow of poverty. To assess the value of earning a specific degree at a specific institution, consider the concept of price-to-earnings premium, spearheaded by Michael Itzkowitz, senior fellow of higher education at Third Way, a center-left think tank. The majority of liberal arts degrees lead to a "pretty good ROI," says Itzkowitz, but the specific program you graduate with and the type of degree you earn will affect individual outcomes.
 
A Snapshot of Pandemic Life for Adjunct Faculty Members
Nearly a third of contingent and adjunct faculty members covered their costs of moving courses online in 2020, according to one of the first pandemic-era studies of their working lives. The new report, from the American Federation of Teachers, offers a snapshot of how Covid-19 has exacerbated the struggles of this growing population of workers, who have contended for years with low pay and a lack of job security. The report, which follows a similar study in 2019, includes feedback from 1,883 respondents at both public and private two- and four-year colleges from May 21 to August 18, 2020. "Regardless of where we are currently with the pandemic, to have these results out there shows not only what happened, but the context in which contingent faculty are still struggling as they experience Covid-era conditions and policies," said Andrew J. Crook, a spokesperson for the federation. Many issues highlighted in the report are not new. One-quarter of respondents earned less than $25,000 annually, and only 20 percent reported being able to cover their basic monthly expenses easily. Of those surveyed, 48 percent said they struggled with job security. Employment was guaranteed from term to term for only three out of four contingent faculty members surveyed. Many of them reported not knowing if they would have a teaching job until one month before the beginning of an academic year.
 
Advocates call for reform of federal student loan default system
Federal policymakers need to reform the student loan default system, according to an advocacy organization focused on affordability and equity in higher education. The government should let borrowers in default sign up for income-driven repayment, or IDR, plans, stop making borrowers pay their own collection costs, and exempt low-income borrowers from wage and federal benefit garnishments, according to The Institute for College Access & Success, or TICAS. The organization released a memo this month that also highlighted policy changes that could help prevent defaults, such as automatically enrolling at-risk borrowers into an IDR plan and providing better data on which loan holders are struggling. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all federal student loans have been paused since March 2020. The U.S. Department of Education suspended payments and stopped defaulted loan collections, while dropping loan interest rates to 0%. The relief program has been extended several times and is currently set to expire on May 1, 2022. One in four federal Direct Loan borrowers were in default at the end of 2019, according to a TICAS analysis of Ed Department data. A federal student loan defaults if the borrower misses payments for at least nine months. When the current relief program ends, borrowers in default will again immediately owe their entire unpaid loan balance plus interest from before the freeze, while likely being in worse economic shape than before the pandemic began.
 
U.S. Department of Justice Ends Controversial Probe of Researchers' China Ties
The U.S. Department of Justice is ending a Trump-era investigation of national-security threats from China following several failed prosecutions of American university researchers for their ties to China. Matthew Olsen, assistant attorney general for national security, announced the end of the China Initiative in a speech Wednesday afternoon at George Mason University, saying that it "fueled a narrative of intolerance and bias." "While I remain focused on the evolving, significant threat that the government of China poses," Olsen said, "I have concluded that this initiative is not the right approach." Instead, he said the U.S. government must take a "broader approach" to protect know-how and intellectual property from foreign governments, including China, Iran, and Russia, that seek to poach American innovation. Higher-education, civil-rights, and Asian American groups had pushed for a reconsideration of the China Initiative, and Olsen had begun a review when he took office in the fall. The Trump administration started the China Initiative in November 2018, an effort to root out espionage by the Chinese government. From the outset, public officials singled out American universities as particularly vulnerable to Chinese influence. But the actual indictments brought against American researchers and visiting scholars were unrelated to spying. Instead, the prosecutions focused on academics' failure to disclose Chinese ties to federal grant-making agencies or universities, making false statements to government authorities, and tax and visa fraud.


SPORTS
 
PREVIEW: Women's Basketball Heads to Tennessee for Final Regular Season Road Trip
One last road trip stands between the Bulldogs and senior day on Sunday. Mississippi State will travel to Tennessee for a Thursday contest between the No. 16/14 Lady Vols and the Bulldogs. The two teams will square off at 5:30 p.m. CT with the game being broadcast on SEC Network+. Mississippi state enters Thursday in a four-way tie for seventh in the SEC standings. State is joined by Missouri, Arkansas and Kentucky, who sit a 6-8 in the conference. Alabama is sitting in 11th at 5-9. The Tide will play LSU Thursday and Vanderbilt on Sunday. A win Thursday would go a long way towards MSU earning the first round bye in Nashville. Other key games on Thursday include Georgia at Arkansas and Kentucky at Missouri. Tennessee enters Thursday with a record of 21-6 overall and 10-4 in the SEC. They have lost back-to-back games to Alabama and South Carolina, both on the road. At home this season Tennessee is 13-1, with their lone loss coming at the hands of No. 3 Stanford. The Lady Vols are averaging 69 ppg and allowing just 59 points to their opponents. The Lady Vols lost their best player, Jordan Horston, who led her team in points, rebounds, assists and steals, to an injury against Alabama last week. Mississippi State will honor its seniors on Sunday, Feb. 27, in the regular season finale against Arkansas. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 5 p.m., with senior day recognition set for pregame.
 
'It'll be strange': Novak leading Mississippi State against alma mater No. 16 Tennessee
Doug Novak and his daughter Mackenzie sat in the stands of Neyland Stadium as the Volunteers crossed the goal line and the famous tune of 'Rocky Top' began. Novak, a Tennessee grad, made sure his daughter knew the UT fight song -- or at least one of the five different versions he has heard. So when Tennessee scored and the band got to work, Mackenzie was stunned. "Dad, how did they get our song," she asked. "They're playing our song." "Well, it's not actually our song," he responded. Doug Novak is a native of South Dakota, but he attended Tennessee where he played tennis. However, his interest remained strong in basketball and he quickly took the route of coaching the sport on the men's side after graduating from UT in 1990 and Clemson with a Masters in counseling two years later. When he returns to Knoxville on Thursday as the interim head coach at Mississippi State (15-11, 6-8 SEC), he admits there will be some nostalgia -- especially as he stands on a court named after one of his biggest mentors in Pat Summitt. "I hadn't really thought about it until (Monday) knowing that we're gonna go there and play probably because I don't look too far ahead on anything," Novak said. "But it will be strange. It'll be odd. I had always been a Tennessee guy. That's where from 18-22 years old, I grew up with that program."
 
Evaluating four Mississippi State baseball position battles through four games
Mississippi State coach Chris Lemonis knows the period in a baseball season between Week 1 and Week 2 offers the most room for improvement the Bulldogs are likely to get all spring. Three days off and Tuesday's 17-1 midweek rout of Arkansas–Pine Bluff will allow MSU (2-2) to answer some of the questions that always arise in any season's early going. "What do we need to work on?" Lemonis said Sunday. "What do we need to do?" Perhaps the most important thing the fourth-year Mississippi State coach must do is figure out which players are best suited to help the Bulldogs chase a second straight College World Series title. Realistically, it's far too early to tell for sure. MSU never really cemented its title-winning lineup until late in the 2021 season, and just a few games into 2022, there's hardly anything set in stone. "We're nowhere near finalizing a lineup or a rotation or anything like that," Lemonis said. "There's just too much competition." Through the season's first four games, here's an update on the Bulldogs' four key position battles.
 
Mississippi State basketball's NCAA Tournament hopes dwindle with loss to South Carolina
If there was going to be some sort of change to Mississippi State basketball's fortunes to begin the second half Wednesday, a steal from guard Iverson Molinar was the way to do it. But just as quickly, as Molinar sped down the floor, the transition opportunity for the Bulldogs turned into a resolve-crunching giveaway. Molinar lost possession. When South Carolina regained the ball, it pushed the pace. And then a pass underneath the basket found forward Keyshawn Bryant wide open for a dunk. That swing -- from breakaway to giveaway to emphatic basket -- took all of 10 seconds, but it may as well encapsulated Mississippi State's 66-56 defeat to the Gamecocks (17-10, 8-7 SEC) in Columbia. The two teams entered Colonial Life Arena as wannabe bubble teams, fighting for a chance to maintain NCAA Tournament consideration. Only one team looked worthy of that distinction, though. "Everybody know where we're trying to get to: To the tournament," forward Tolu Smith said. "They have that same mentality. At the end of the day, it's on to the next one and never quit. And that's what we're going to do. We're not going to quit." The heavy road loss makes the Bulldogs' path to reach March Madness more treacherous -- and potentially impossible. Mississippi State (16-12, 7-8) needed a late-season run to make things interesting entering the SEC Tournament, winning three of the final four games in the regular season to stay close to the bubble.
 
Howland: Win SEC tournament or bust for Mississippi State after loss at South Carolina
Andersson García snagged the basketball out of the air and took off down the court. The Mississippi State wing seized a South Carolina inbound pass with 4:07 left in Wednesday's game, seeking to cut the Gamecocks' lead to single digits. García passed to Tolu Smith, who got it to Shakeel Moore. Moore found an open Iverson Molinar trailing the play at the top of the key, open for a 3-pointer that would have given the Bulldogs a 10-0 run. The shot glanced off the right side of the rim and into the hands of South Carolina's AJ Wilson. The Gamecocks went down the court and scored, pushing their lead back to 14 points. Once again, Molinar was unable to get it done. With their best player largely ineffective, the Bulldogs (16-12, 7-8 Southeastern Conference) were soundly beaten by the Gamecocks (17-10, 8-7 SEC) by a score of 66-56 in Columbia, South Carolina. The latest loss in a string of recent defeats for Mississippi State could be the one that all but ends its hopes for an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament. Even head coach Ben Howland, not one to talk too candidly about the Bulldogs' case for the Big Dance, readily admitted as much after Wednesday's loss. "I think we're going to have to win the conference tournament to get in," Howland said. "No doubt at this point. This was a must-win to keep that hope alive of having an at-large bid."



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