Friday, March 18, 2022   
 
Cost of Ukraine invasion will demote Russia from its 'great power' status
A Mississippi State University political scientist said Russian President Vladimir Putin took a "rational gamble" when he directed the invasion of Ukraine last month. Regardless of their views on the conflict, many observers around the world expected the war to be over by now. "It was a bad gamble," said Vasabjit Banerjee, MSU associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, who explained that Putin and most of the world underestimated the fight in the Ukrainian people and their President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "The Russians also have had some core logistical failures," said Banerjee, citing food shortages among soldiers. "They thought they'd be done within 72 hours," he said of the miscalculation. With still an unknown outcome in the ongoing war, Banerjee said whether the Russians are able to claim a victory in Ukraine or not, the cost of the war will demote Russia from its status as a "great power" and change the global political dynamic. A graceful exit strategy for Putin is a big problem, he said. "When gamblers are losing, they often gamble higher and higher stakes," said Banerjee, noting the threat of Putin using bio-chemical weapons or tactical nuclear weapons. He said he thinks a nuclear escalation is unlikely, but Putin may be more likely to employ bio-chemical warfare.
 
MSU gets grant for virtual reality job training
Mississippi State University (MSU) received a $1.49 million grant to broaden virtual reality workforce training in five counties. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded the grant through the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative. The grant will be used to enhance career and technical education infrastructure in Clay, Kemper, Lowndes, Noxubee and Oktibbeha counties. This will provide virtual career exploration and job training simulations for careers in manufacturing, hospitality, healthcare, construction, transportation and warehouse industries. East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) and the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) will also match the funds to support the project. The initiative is expected to reach over 10,000 youth over the three-year period of the grant.
 
MSU receives $1.49M grant for VR workforce training
Mississippi State University has been awarded a $1.49 million grant to expand virtual reality workforce training in Clay, Kemper, Lowndes, Noxubee and Oktibbeha counties. The grant was one of the Appalachian Regional Commission's nearly $21 million in grants for 21 projects impacting 211 counties through its POWER – Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization Initiative. The MSU-sponsored "Infusing Virtual Reality in the Workforce" project will be used to enhance career and technical education infrastructure in those counties to provide virtual reality career exploration and job training simulations for careers in manufacturing, hospitality, healthcare, construction, transportation, and warehouse industries. "The Appalachian Regional Commission has provided Mississippians economic opportunities for decades," said U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss. "I am glad to see this latest grant come in the form of a partnership for Mississippi State and East Mississippi Community College students. This grant will give students cutting-edge tools to develop the kind of skills they need to be competitive in our workforce for decades to come."
 
Agri Science 4-H Club wins state award
Mississippi State University recently highlighted the top 4-H clubs in the state with an awards ceremony in Jackson. The awards and ceremony are sponsored by AT&T and focus on community service. To be in the running for a state award, the club secretary must submit a record book which documents the club's and members' activities for the past year. The books are judged based on the quality and quantity of work and activities the club has done in 4-H and in their communities. This year, Mary Welch's Agri Science 4-H Club was awarded the Lt. Governor's award and a $400 cash prize for their second place finish in the state. The Agri Science 4-H Club focused their community service project this year on supporting the Salvation Army. The kids learn about the importance of service – which is what the four H's in the four leaf clover, the emblem of 4-H mean. Head, Heart, Hands and Health represent clearer thinking (head), loyalty (heart), service (hands) and better living for the world we live in (health). The club also worked to help Batson Children's Hospital and Hope for Hunger campaign. The club holds monthly meetings the second Saturday of every month and meetings are focused on learning new things and new experiences. Participation in 4-H also makes kids eligible for scholarships that are not available to just anyone.
 
Mississippi farmers are feeling the pinch of inflation and rising gas prices
We are all feeling the pinch of inflation and rising gas prices; that's especially true for Mississippi farmers. On top of gas prices, some are also paying more for fertilizer and other products. "Our biggest problem is fertilizer which has gone from 350 to 950 [dollars] a ton," Clay County Co-Op Manager John Elliott. He's had to raise prices inside the store. "Our imports have been shut off from Ukraine, Russia, and China," he explains. Extension agent B.J. McClenton said farmers will need to make tough decisions. "They [farmers] still got to grow these cattle, but they got to figure out the cheapest most economical way to do it," McClenton said. "And that might just be by cutting out some of their input cost." The price for feed increased 20 percent within the last few weeks, Elliott said. Farmers outside of Clay County have been calling the store each day, Elliot said, hoping to find cheaper prices.
 
Dan Fordice to head Associated General Contractors of America
Vicksburg contractor Dan Fordice will receive a new title at the end of the month. On March 31, he will be installed as president of the Associated General Contractors of America at the organization's national convention in Dallas, Texas. He presently serves as its senior vice president. "The AGC of America is the largest construction trade association in America," Fordice said. "As president, I will be representing the organization. I'll be visiting chapters to let them know what's going on at the national level and to find out what they need done to better be able to do their job." During his one-year term as president, Fordice will represent the AGC at meetings with other organizations and may also testify before Congress on issues affecting contractors, like the national infrastructure bill. "It's an incredible honor to be put in this position in the industry I'm in, and then it's a lot more of an honor because my dad (former Gov. Kirk Fordice) was also the AGC president, and I am the first-ever second generation to do this," Fordice said of being elected to the position. A graduate of Mississippi State University with a bachelor's degree in construction engineering technology, Fordice is vice president of Fordice Construction Co. in Vicksburg and has been active in the Mississippi Valley AGC chapter and the national organization.
 
Lt. Gov. fears ARPA money could be bungled over tax cut fight with House
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann fears Mississippi could blow its once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to efficiently dole out $1.8 billion in federal stimulus funds if the House does not start negotiating on how those dollars should be spent. "I'm very concerned that this is getting hung up here in the last two weeks of the session," Hosemann told reporters in his office on Thursday. But Hosemann's plea appears to have fallen on deaf ears with House Speaker Phililp Gunn, R-Clinton, who has flirted with the idea of holding American Rescue Plan Act funds hostage if the Senate does not agree to eliminate the state income tax, which accounts for a third of the state's general budget. Shortly after Hosemann's press conference concluded, Gunn in a statement said that Hosemann and the 52-member Senate were being hypocritical by wanting to spend all of the ARPA dollars, yet thinking the state cannot afford to eliminate the income tax. "The Senate cannot have it both ways," Gunn said. "If a crisis is indeed coming, then following their logic, we need to save ARPA and our reserves. Our position is to point out these glaring discrepancies." "If the lieutenant governor and Senate genuinely believe that a revenue decline is coming, then the true conservative policy would be to keep these monies in reserve should we need to repurpose them to address a potential downturn," Gunn said. But federal law requires states must commit the ARPA funds by the end of 2024 and for entities to spend them by the end of 2026. If the funds get crossed up with the massive tax brawl in the Capitol and are not appropriated this year, Hosemann predicted that historic inflation could decrease the purchasing power of the money and lead to municipalities and counties scrambling to spend the money properly.
 
Hosemann fears federal funds might be lost, squandered in battle over taxes
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann expressed concerns Thursday that Mississippi could lose $1.8 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds or at least the ability to allocate the funds efficiently if the Legislature does not act this session to spend the money. "We continue, unfortunately, to be concerned about the fact we are not passing out the American Rescue Plan funds," Hosemann told media on Thursday in his Capitol office. Hosemann spoke Thursday of the need to speed the process of spending the federal funds as House leaders, including Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, continue indicating that the expenditure of what are known as ARPA funds might be delayed until an agreement can be reached between the House and Senate on cutting taxes. Gunn has been adamant that legislation be passed this year to eliminate the state's personal income tax, which accounts for about one-third of state general fund revenue. The Senate has proposed a more modest tax cut that still would be one of the largest ever passed by the state. Mississippi is one of just four states, districts or territories not to have allocated substantial amounts of ARPA funding to date, along with Idaho, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Washington, D.C., according to data collected by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Under existing federal law, the states must commit the ARPA funds by the end of 2024 and actually spend them by the end of 2026. If the funds get caught up in the tax fight and are not committed this year, Hosemann expressed concern that it might be difficult for local governments to find contractors to actually do the water and sewer improvements.
 
State Senate passes teacher pay raise plan, House expected to consider plan soon
The Mississippi Senate on Thursday unanimously voted to give public K-12 educators a significant salary increase, bringing the state's average teacher pay above the southeastern average. "This is the plan that teachers have told us they wanted," Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar said. "This is the input they provided to each and every one of us since last year." Both the House and the Senate must pass the plan before it's sent to the governor for consideration. As of late Thursday afternoon, the House had yet to vote on the issue, but it's expected to take the measure up soon. If both the House and Senate approve of the plan, it would mean a substantial pay raise for Mississippi's public educators. The plan would provide teachers with an average raise of more than $5,100 for the next school year. The agreed pay scale contains between $400 to $600 bumps for each year, depending on the educator's certification level. The pay scale in years five, 10, 15 and 20 allows educators to receive between $1,200 and $1,350, depending on certification level.
 
Reeves vetoes 'automatic defense' bill for people charged with certain drug crimes
Gov. Tate Reeves this week vetoed a bill that would have allowed the state's top health expert to declassify federal drugs on the state level if those same drugs had been rescheduled by the federal government. "The decision of what substances should be regulated and what criminal penalties should be imposed for violations of such regulations should be made by the Mississippi Legislature on a case-by-case basis," Reeves wrote in his veto message to the Legislature. "Not the federal government." House Bill 980, which was authored by House Judiciary B Chairman Nick Bain, passed the House 119-0 and the Senate 51-0. The Legislature has the ability to override a governor's veto, but Bain, R-Corinth, and the Judiciary B Committee decided to sustain the veto. The Alcorn County legislator said he let the veto stand because he did not have a firm commitment from the 52-member Senate that they would override it. The bill would have allowed the state health officer to declassify a drug on the state level for two years if the federal government had already declassified the drug on the federal level. After the health officer's order, it would be up to the Legislature to either mirror the order to reject it altogether. Bain said the Legislature is only in session for around three months of the year, and the federal government can declassify a federal drug year round. So he wanted the state to have the flexibility of adjusting classifications even when the Legislature wasn't in session. "It's his prerogative to veto," Bain said of the governor. "But I believe he's wrong on the law and on the policy."
 
February transfer from the Mississippi Lottery hits education benchmark
The Mississippi Lottery Corporation completed its February transfer of $9,410,686.64 in net proceeds to the Mississippi State Treasury. This brings the approximated the Fiscal Year 2022 net proceeds total to $83,802,303.97. The Lottery Law stipulates the first $80 million in net proceeds goes to road and bridge needs around the state for 10 years. Net proceeds of over $80 million go to the Education Enhancement Fund. The February transfer will return $3,802,303.97 to the Education Enhancement Fund "Exceeding the $80 million mark is a huge milestone for the lottery, our retailers, and all Mississippians," said Mississippi Lottery President Jeff Hewitt. "By passing this benchmark, the proceeds from the sale of lottery products for the remainder of FY22 will now be directed to the Education Enhancement Fund. We are honored to be able to give back to important Mississippi causes -- road and bridge repair and educational needs." In accordance with the Alyce G. Clarke Lottery Law, the MLC is required to transfer net proceeds within 20 days following the close of each calendar month.
 
Secretary of State Michael Watson launches Student Ambassador Program
On Thursday, Secretary of State Michael Watson announced the launch of a newly-created Student Ambassador Program. The program seeks to increase voter education and registration among youth as well as encourages students to engage in Mississippi civics. Secretary Watson said that the SOS Student Ambassador Program is a great opportunity for young leaders to grow their liking for public service and expanding their leadership skills. "We are excited to take part in the development and growth of the next generation of Mississippians and look forward to providing a greater understanding of one of our greatest liberties, the right to vote," Watson said. "Students who complete the program will get a first-hand account of state government in action and will experience the processes that ensure Mississippi is a better place for their generation and generations to come," the overview of the program states. Students will gain experience by participating as a poll worker on Election Day, attend summits in the fall and spring, and attend virtual trainings and education sessions with SOS representatives and government officials. The fall summit will focus on the elections process in Mississippi and the spring summit will give students a deeper understanding of the Mississippi legislative process.
 
A Mobile Clinic Set Out to Improve Reproductive Care for Women in the Mississippi Delta. The Problems It Found Went Much Deeper.
On a humid day in late September, a box truck with images of people and trees decorating the cargo trailer was parked in front of a home goods store in this small town of Indianola, Miss. Juliet Thomas, a community health worker, stood at the foot of the steps that descended from the trailer. Inside was a 260-square-foot space with two exam rooms, a bathroom and even a small lab space -- the mobile health care clinic run by Plan A Health, a nonprofit that provides free reproductive, sexual and primary care in towns across the Mississippi Delta. Thomas and her colleagues spend their work week traversing the Delta's highways, usually visiting a single small community in a day and, by doing so, testing out a new, portable model for improving reproductive care in rural America. Once a patient enters Plan A's clinic, either Thomas or a colleague does a blood pressure and blood sugar test, and then gently broaches the clinic's other services. Does the patient want to discuss family planning? Would she like an HIV test? Does she need a test or treatment for a sexually transmitted infection? Thomas, who grew up about 30 minutes away in Greenville, Miss., formerly worked as a field representative for Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), and she knows how deep-rooted her patients' challenges are. The majority of patients who visit Plan A are uninsured or underinsured, struggling both to afford health care and to physically access it in a sparsely populated region where the nearest hospital or doctor might be an hour's drive away.
 
Mass leadership exit hits nation's state legislatures
Nearly a third of the top leaders in the nation's 99 state legislative chambers will quit their posts this year, signaling a wave of turnover that will hand power to a new generation. At least 30 state House Speakers, Senate presidents and majority leaders have either resigned or said they will retire at the end of their current terms, according to a tracker maintained by the National Conference of State Legislatures. South Carolina House Speaker Jay Lucas (R) became the latest to announce his exit. After a quarter century in the legislature and eight years as one of the state's most powerful politicians, a tearful Lucas told colleagues Tuesday the current session would be his last. Substantial turnover in an election year is not entirely unusual in state legislatures, especially among leaders who have spent years in office ascending to their posts. In 2020, 20 speakers and presidents quit, and another four lost primary elections; in 2018, 35 left office, according to NCSL data. And now, when most legislatures are concluding their work in what are usually short election year sessions, is when most retirement announcements come. "As sessions start to wrap up, that is when we start to see leaders make announcements one way or the other," said Stacy Householder, director of NCSL's leadership, training and international programs. "We're actually right on par with past election years." "Legislatures are constantly changing. There are constantly opportunities for people to step up into leadership positions," Householder said.
 
Dick Durbin, a low-key Senate veteran, to preside over Supreme Court hearings
When Senate confirmation hearings open on the Supreme Court nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson next week, there will be a new face in the center chair. Presiding over the hearing will be Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin. Though he has served in the House and the Senate for a total of 39 years, his influence has largely been behind the scenes. Until now. He has been No. 2 in the Senate Democratic leadership since 2007, a job that involves knowing senators well enough to be able to count and corral votes, and knowing how to broker a deal. Durbin was raised in the working-class city of East St. Louis, Ill. Both his parents had only an eighth-grade education and both worked for the railroad, his mother in the office and his father as a night watchman, who worked his way up to a chief clerk's position. So, how did a boy from East St. Louis, with no financial means, get to college, law school, and the U.S. House of Representatives? To start with, Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., was lot cheaper in those days. "I could work all summer in the slaughterhouse in East St. Louis, make $1,200 a summer," and with a part-time job during the school year, and a $1,000 loan each year, he made ends meet. One of the part-time jobs Durbin took was working for Sen. Paul Douglas, a famous liberal lion of his times, whose photo sits on the wall in Durbin's Capitol office. Now Durbin holds the Senate seat that Douglas once did. Not only is he the assistant majority leader, he is the first whip to also be the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He persuaded the Democratic caucus to let him do these two full time jobs by giving up other significant committee assignments. He is intent on trying to break the committee's gridlock where he can. Everything has to be a compromise to succeed because the committee, and the Senate, is evenly split.
 
Largest Federal Utility Chooses Gas, Undermining Biden's Climate Goals
The nation's largest federally owned utility plans to invest more than $3.5 billion in new gas-burning electric plants, despite President Biden's commitment to swiftly move away from fossil fuels and eliminate greenhouse gases from the power sector in a little more than a decade. The Tennessee Valley Authority, which provides electricity to nearly 10 million people across the Southeast, is replacing aging power plants that run on coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel. But critics say substituting gas for coal would lock in decades of additional carbon dioxide emissions that are heating the planet and could be avoided by generating more electricity from solar, wind or another renewable source. It marks the second time in recent months that a federal entity has clashed with Mr. Biden's climate agenda. The United States Postal Service is replacing 165,000 aging mail trucks with mostly gasoline-powered vehicles, despite the desire of the White House and leading Democrats to convert the fleet to all-electric vehicles. In its deliberations about replacing coal-fired generators, the T.V.A. found that solar or other zero-emissions sources would be less dependable and more expensive than gas, said Catherine Butler, a spokeswoman for the T.V.A. Mr. Biden has nominated four new members to T.V.A.'s nine member board of directors who are awaiting confirmation hearings. If approved by the Senate for five-year terms, the newcomers, several of whom have environmental or labor ties, could shift the direction of the authority.
 
'We are turning a corner.' Acting White House science director moves to calm troubled office
It has been 1 month since Alondra Nelson became acting head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) following the 7 February resignation of Eric Lander, who admitted to "disrespectful and demeaning" treatment of employees at the low-profile policy shop. Nelson, a sociologist who has written extensively about the impact of new medical technologies on marginalized groups, says she's had to divide her time between managing OSTP's role as a liaison with the U.S. research community and convener of federal science officials and boosting morale in the office. "[My] top priority was to make sure that OSTP ... is the kind of supportive and trusting workplace that allows them to do their work," Nelson says about the 140-member staff, more than a dozen of whom had complained about what a White House investigation concluded was "credible evidence" of a toxic work environment under Lander. Yesterday, in her first interview since being promoted from deputy director for science and society, the 53-year-old Nelson spoke with ScienceInsider about a wide range of issues, including the recently enacted 2022 federal spending bill, President Joe Biden's ambitious science agenda, and the division of labor between her and Francis Collins, the recently retired director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) who is now serving as the president's science adviser.
 
Food shortages loom as conflict roils Ukraine
The Russian invasion of Ukraine will cause shortages in developing nations already struggling with food insecurity, Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., warned during a House Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday. Ukraine was the source of more than half the grain in the United Nations World Food Programme last year, Scott said, noting that Russia and Ukraine together accounted for 30 percent of global wheat exports. "As this invasion continues, it's more and more unlikely that Ukrainian farmers will be able to plant their crops, or fertilize their crops, or harvest their crops, or export any of this food supply into the world," Scott said. An official with the U.N. World Food Programme described it as "a catastrophe on top of a catastrophe," he said. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the commander of U.S. Africa Command, and Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command, said the effects were already being felt in their areas of responsibility. The World Health Organization just declared a humanitarian disaster in Ethiopia, and food insecurity is a big part of that, Townsend said. "I think it is imperative that we continue to fund USAID because they invest in a robust way on the African continent," he said, referring to the U.S. agency that administers aid and development assistance to foreign countries. "I think it's one of the best investments we make there." "We are looking aggressively now for short term solutions that will bring wheat and other foodstuffs in for the short term," McKenzie said. "Obviously you're going to have to find other global sources rather than Ukraine and Russia, and that's going to be hard to do, with a third of the market coming from those two areas. This is a very pressing concern."
 
Biden, Xi Talk as U.S. Threatens Actions if China Backs Russia in Ukraine War
President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping conferred Friday amid growing hostility over what the U.S. says is Beijing's failure to join other leading nations in denouncing Russia's military assault on Ukraine. During their phone call, which began shortly after 9 a.m. in Washington, Mr. Biden was expected to threaten repercussions should China lend military or economic help to Russia. Mr. Xi has points to make as well, including concerns about U.S. support for Taiwan, a democratically ruled island claimed by Beijing. Ukraine -- and Mr. Xi's close partnership with Russian President Vladimir Putin -- have added friction to a U.S.-China relationship that is already contentious and running low on trust, and both sides have hardened their rhetoric in recent weeks. "The claim that China is on the wrong side of history is overbearing. It is the U.S. that is on the wrong side of history," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying tweeted Friday morning, accusing the U.S. of provoking Russia. The U.S. has said Beijing bears a responsibility to use its influence with Mr. Putin to seek an end to the war. Mr. Xi, however, is likely to present China as a neutral party to the conflict, and one that can facilitate negotiations to bring it to an end, according to foreign-policy experts close to the Chinese government. After having been caught off guard during the early days of Russia's attack, the foreign-policy experts said, Beijing now has settled on a clearer strategy: It won't oppose Russia, and it will support Ukraine -- what is described in China as "benevolent neutrality."
 
Moderna seeks FDA authorization for a second booster dose of its coronavirus vaccine for all adults
Biotechnology company Moderna on Thursday asked the Food and Drug Administration to allow adults 18 and older to receive a second booster shot of the company's mRNA vaccine amid concerns that immune protection from the vaccines wanes over time. Moderna's application is substantially broader than what Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, sought earlier in the week -- FDA authorization for a second booster shot for adults 65 and older. The applications by the makers of the two messenger RNA vaccines, which account for almost all of the vaccines distributed in the United States, are sure to intensify the debate about the durability of the protection afforded by the coronavirus vaccines -- a topic that has divided the scientific community. Both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have said their requests to allow for a second booster shot are based in part on recent data from Israel that shows decreased vaccine efficacy during the omicron surge. Moderna, whose booster application was first reported by the New York Times, is still conducting clinical trials for an omicron-specific booster shot. Moderna said in a statement Thursday that it requested the second booster shot be authorized for all adults to give the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and doctors more flexibility in deciding which patients might be good candidates for an additional dose of the vaccine.
 
Jackson State president testifies before Congress about HBCU bomb threats
Since the start of 2022, over 50 HBCUs across the country have been the targets of bomb threats. Campus leaders and lawmakers addressed the issue during a public hearing in Washington D.C., where they discussed safety at historically Black institutions. This comes after a national wave of bomb threats to historically Black colleges and universities earlier this year. Six Mississippi colleges, including Jackson State, were targeted in February. Jackson State University President Thomas Hudson testified before the House Homeland Security Committee and said additional funding can go a long way in boosting campus safety. "Holistically, you're looking at more training for your campus security, campus police. You're looking at better data science capabilities, increasing your bandwidth, increasing your ability to store the type of data you need so you can do your threat assessments and go back and provide the historical analysis. You're talking about the overall infrastructure of campus," Hudson said during the hearing on March 17. Hudson told the committee it would cost about $12 million to complete physical and technological improvements to increase campus safety at Jackson State. Vice President Kamala Harris announced this week that HBCUs targeted in this year's bomb threats are now eligible for immediate grant funding from the Department of Education to upgrade campus security and provide mental health resources.
 
HBCUs are still receiving bomb threats, frustrating lawmakers and campus leaders
Federal lawmakers on Thursday expressed frustration over ongoing bomb threats targeting historically Black colleges and universities, now continuing into another month with a threat leveled this week against Morehouse College in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the FBI continues to investigate the threats and has identified people of interest. However, authorities have yet to make any arrests, Ryan T. Young, executive assistant director of the agency's Intelligence Branch, said during a congressional hearing. The House Committee on Homeland Security also convened a hearing Thursday on threats against Black institutions. Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), whose district includes Jackson State University, said some institutions have been frustrated by a lack of communication from law enforcement. Thomas K. Hudson, president of Jackson State, said the threats have exposed the "real-life consequences" of historic state and federal underfunding of HBCUs. It would cost upward of $10 million to improve infrastructure around his campus -- including data security and surveillance upgrades -- and help make it safer, he said. "A lot of HBCUs are located in urban centers," Hudson said, making it difficult for campus officials to monitor who is moving in and out of campuses. "We felt it was very important to highlight those funding disparities."
 
North Carolina Author Sharon Holland set for annual Howry Lecture
Distinguished author and lecturer Sharon P. Holland is set to deliver the second annual Howry Lecture in Faulkner Studies at the University of Mississippi. The talk is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday (March 21) in the Bondurant Hall auditorium. Holland, the Townsend Ludington Distinguished Professor and chair of American studies at the University of North Carolina, is titling her lecture "How to Tell a Story about a Horse." The Howry Lecture in Faulkner Studies is funded by the same endowment that sponsors the Howry Professorship of English, held by Jay Watson, and was created to honor the generosity of the Howry family and to continue the study of William Faulkner's works at the university. Each year, the lecture brings a Southern literature expert to speak to English faculty, students and alumni and to spark discussion among the community. "To lure Sharon Holland to the Faulkner studies podium from her brilliant work on Blackness, sexuality and posthumanism represents a real coup for the English department, the university and this lecture series," Watson said. "Our audience is in for a real treat: a breathtakingly original thinker at the top of her game, and doubtless with surprises in store."
 
UMMC and Blue Cross & Blue Shield near contract expiration
The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) has not come to a contract agreement with its health insurance provider, Blue Cross & Blue Shield Mississippi. Their current contract's expiration date is set for March 31, 2022, and is quickly approaching for select families and individuals who use the provider. UMMC released a letter to those who would be affected by the changes in early March and informed patients of the lack of an agreement between the provider and insurer, threatening the continuation of Blue Cross' coverage at the facility. Termination of a contract with Blue Cross for patients who choose to stay with UMMC would mean higher out-of-pocket rates or having to find a new provider. Otherwise, patients may have to find another hospital that is in-network that covers their needs. Transferring hospitals is not an option for some patients, however, as UMMC offers certain specialized care that is not available in other hospitals in Mississippi. Some of these services include a Level I trauma center, Children's Hospital, organ transplant program, and Level IV neonatal intensive care unit.
 
How an academic win could be the key to U.S. citizenship for a Southern Miss student
Sonia Stanciu, originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, has lived in the United States since 2002, but she is not yet a citizen. "I kind of just for a little while forgot that I wasn't really American, because it felt like this place had been my home for so long," said Stanciu, a Southern Miss graduate student, science-enthusiast and sorority member. Stanciu moved to Indianapolis in 2002 with her family. She grew up in a multicultural home, with her father being a Romanian native and her mother being Scottish-Canadian. She is a third-year graduate student in the Southern Miss School of Polymer Science and Engineering. Now 24, Stanciu began looking to apply for citizenship when she was 20 because she was not eligible for some of the internships and opportunities that her peers were. "Until I was older and ready to enter the workforce, I didn't realize I didn't have quite the same foothold," Stanciu said. "That meant that I wasn't able to explore the full broadness of what my area of science could potentially impact." Stanciu began saving money to become a U.S. citizen when she started graduate school, but the fees associated with the citizenship application can be high. She first had to renew her green card for more than $500. Then it takes about $800 to apply for citizenship. That's where the Three-Minute Thesis competition came in.
 
USM School of Psychology hosting Out of the Darkness Walk
Members of The University of Southern Mississippi family and local residents will step forward March 26 in a show of love and remembrance for those who have taken their own life. The university's School of Psychology will host the Out of the Darkness Campus Walk, in collaboration with the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. According to AFSP, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, yet suicide can be prevented. "It is so personal for me, just to have people to know that there are ways to seek help for suicide, there are suicide prevention options out there," said Hope Harper, a mother who lost her teenage son to suicide. "Plus, this being a fundraiser to bring money and funds for this program, it's so meaningful to me." In addition to raising awareness and funds to fight suicide, the walks give those who attend a chance to connect with others and know they are not alone, whether they walk in memory or in support of a loved one, or in honor of their own mental health journey. If you are in crisis, please call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text TALK to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
 
USM Art and Design's annual Juried Student Show begins March 23
Artwork by students in the Art and Design program at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will be on exhibit for the 2022 Annual Juried Student Show. The event will be from March 23 through April 8 on the Hattiesburg campus. An awards ceremony will be held March 24 at 6:00 p.m. The Exhibition was juried by Anthony (Tony) DiFatta, Director of Education at Walter Anderson Museum in Ocean Springs; Christian Bailey, potter, sculptor, and art teacher at Harrison Central High School; and Zach Blessing, graphic designer and Vice President of American Advertising Federation of Pensacola. The show features more than 151 works of art that were selected from 192 entries. The exhibit can be viewed at the Gallery of Art and Design in the George Hurst Building, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
 
U. of Arkansas trustees OK solar power project
A portion of power used by the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville will come from solar panels as part of a deal approved by trustees Thursday. "The project would generate about 8.7 megawatt-hours of electricity; that's about 6.3% of what the campus uses. To give you some perspective, the entire campus uses about 138 million kilowatt-hours a year," Scott Turley, UA's associate vice chancellor for facilities, told trustees. The 10-member University of Arkansas board of trustees authorized the university to take part in what's known as a solar services agreement, a deal that's been in the works for more than two years. Entegrity Energy Partners is responsible for designing and installing a solar array and providing energy as a service to the university. The solar panels will not be on UA property. "Over the 25-year term of the agreement, the University would agree to purchase from Entegrity the entire output of the array at the specified rates for the energy generated," stated a letter from UA System President Donald Bobbitt recommending approval. The deal requires a minimum amount of solar energy production and includes a price structure providing cost savings to the university, according to board documents. "Based on reasonably projected utility rate increases, the SSA is expected to maintain positive cash flow each year over the life of the agreement," Bobbitt's letter stated.
 
U. of Missouri System and MU announce new hires
The University of Missouri System hired a new general counsel, and MU appointed a new vice chancellor for operations and strategic initiatives, the two announced Thursday. Mark Menghini was named general counsel for UM System, and Sarah Chinniah was appointed vice chancellor for operations and strategic initiatives for MU. Menghini's appointment will be effective April 4. He was previously the executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Aegion, a St. Louis-based construction firm. He is a member of both Illinois and Missouri's bar associations. The Office of the General Counsel is responsible for providing all legal representation for the entire UM System, including the Board of Curators, all four universities and the health care system. The office also has a staff of attorneys and legal assistants, in addition to help from outside firms. Menghini will replace Steve Owens, who stepped down earlier this year. Chinniah's appointment as vice chancellor for operations and strategic initiatives for MU will be effective May 16, according to a news release. Chinniah currently works at Northern Illinois University, where she is the vice president of administration and finance and chief financial officer.
 
U. of Memphis administrator Tom Nenon leaving provost role
Longtime University of Memphis top administrator Tom Nenon will leave his current role as provost at the end of June and move back to full-time faculty, researching and teaching philosophy. Nenon, 70, made the announcement to faculty and staff Thursday, a couple of weeks before current President M. David Rudd departs and incoming President Bill Hardgrave begins his tenure as 13th president of the university. Nenon, a Memphis native, began his 37-year tenure with the U of M as a professor of philosophy in 1985 and has held additional vice provost administrative positions since 1997. When he assumed the provost role in the fall of 2018, Nenon had intended to stay through May 2021 but said he decided to stay in administration for another year to ease the tumult caused by the ongoing pandemic. He had previously held the interim role of provost in 2012-13, before Rudd was selected for the position, and then became Dean of Arts and Sciences. U of M has emerged "in the strongest position ever," Nenon wrote to faculty. Achieving the top research designation of Carnegie R1 is a testimony to the collaborative accomplishments in student success, research, diversity and evidence-based decision-making, he told them. This fall, Nenon will revise his philosophy coursework, much of which focuses on German philosophers, and begin teaching again next spring.
 
With Emotional-Support Animals on the Rise, How Are Colleges Responding?
Jessica Scull had just been accepted to Columbia University as a transfer student when she met the companion who would become a crucial source of strength in her life: a gray and white cat named Smokey. Scull, who had recently been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and major depression when she adopted him, in May 2021, says the effect on her mental health was immediate -- so much so, she couldn't bear the idea of moving to Columbia without him. Smokey once stuck his snout into her mouth as she was experiencing a panic attack, distracting her "long enough to snap out of it." "I don't know where he learned that, but he's very in tune with my feelings," she says. It used to be rare to see cats like Smokey -- or any animals -- in college housing. But today, emotional-support animals, or ESAs, are increasingly common. While experts are reluctant to tie the uptick of ESAs on campus specifically to the pandemic, there's been a substantial increase in their number over the past decade, as students' mental-health concerns have been on the rise. Colleges historically resisted allowing animals in dormitories, fearing that they would be disruptive and that students who didn't really need an emotional-support animal would take advantage of such policies to bring their pets to college. In recent years, the legal case for animals on campus has strengthened, but experts say concerns about fraud and misconceptions about their purpose have persisted.
 
Planned wage changes put institutions and employees at odds
A plan by the Department of Labor to increase the salary threshold for overtime-exempt workers has higher education associations worried about the effect it could have on college budgets. The department plans to update overtime regulations to "ensure that middle class jobs pay middle class wages, extending important overtime pay protections to millions of workers and raising their pay," according to a 2021 statement. That means raising the salary minimums for workers who are exempt from overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The forthcoming proposal is creating tension in higher education. While more than a dozen higher education professional associations have expressed concerns about the budget impact, some faculty and staff members are frustrated that the associations are not advocating more strongly for wage increases for college and university employees who are overworked, burned out and leaving the field. The College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, alongside 14 other higher education associations, co-signed a letter to the Department of Labor last month, asking the department to talk with higher education officials before raising the salary threshold to "ensure application of the white-collar exemptions in a manner that protects employees and workplace fairness, while also ensuring the exemptions function as intended." The associations -- including the Association of American Universities, the American Association of Community Colleges, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities -- expressed unease about another hike to the minimum salary for overtime-exempt employees.
 
A Look at Cardona's First Year as U.S. Secretary of Education
In a wide-ranging interview with Diverse, Dr. Miguel A. Cardona discussed what he sees as the biggest challenges and accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) more than one year since he took the helm as the U.S. Secretary of Education. "First and foremost, I remember not only as an educator but as a parent where we were before I became Secretary and Biden took office," said Cardona. "There was a lot of fear. More than half of our schools were closed. A year later, our schools are open again. Now, more than 90% of students are connected to schools both at the K-12 and higher education levels." Cardona stressed that the American Rescue Plan (ARP), including the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF) made that possible when it was signed into law last year. HEERF gave more than $39.6 billion in support to higher education institutions to serve students during the pandemic. "Can you imagine the headlines today if that money didn't go through?" asked Cardona. "We'd be talking about schools closing, about thousands of students not pursuing higher education."
 
College Statements Recognizing Stolen Native American Land Spark Pushback
Colleges are increasingly adopting formal statements acknowledging that their campuses are located on land taken from Native American communities, often violently. Those statements are turning into the latest battleground over free speech in academia. Land acknowledgments are being posted on websites and course syllabi and spoken at the start of public events at scores of schools, as part of their broader diversity and inclusion efforts. They aren't generally mandated, and are used at schools including the University of Connecticut and Emory University in Georgia. Brown University in Rhode Island is currently considering adding one. The movement to recognize the prior presence of indigenous people accelerated in recent years in Canada, Australia and New Zealand and is now gaining traction in the U.S. The acknowledgments are becoming more common at arts events and in corporate settings. In academia, they were first popularized at conferences and then spread to schoolwide statements. Critics, including some in academia, say the statements are little more than virtue signaling, hollow gestures built from boilerplate language. They also say that mandated use of the statements on syllabi or at events diminishes the power of those words. Several campuses are now walking back how they direct or encourage faculty to adopt the statements, or are under pressure to do so.


SPORTS
 
Rivalry Matchup, 40th Anniversary Celebration Highlight State's SEC Home Opener
SEC softball returns to Nusz Park this weekend as Mississippi State hosts rival Ole Miss for a three-game set on March 18-20. The Bulldogs and Rebels will play at 6 p.m. and 12 p.m. CT on SEC Network+ on Friday and Sunday. Saturday's game will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network at 4:30 p.m. It's a special weekend in Starkville as the Bulldogs are set to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the program. Softball was elevated to a varsity sport in 1981, but it wasn't until 1982 that the team began playing fast-pitch. This weekend is a fitting time to recognize that legacy as State's first fast-pitch win came on March 19, 1982, and the Bulldogs defeated Ole Miss for their first SEC victory. The 80s Ladies will be recognized on Saturday with Janice DeNomie Skinner and Vicki Bonar Earnshaw, two 80s-era pitchers, throwing out the first pitch. Skinner was the starting pitcher in MSU's first game in 1982. Additionally, all ballpark music will be 1980s hits, including the walk-up songs of the 11 80s Ladies who have confirmed they will be in attendance. Fans in attendance will receive throwback logo slap bracelets as well. Friday night is the first Scorecard Bingo night of the season, and Sunday will see the first of four All-Time Team Trading Card giveaways. This week's set includes Courtney Bures (2005-08), Kim Davis (1985-86), Iyhia McMichael (2001-04), Karrie Rider (1997-00) and Kayla Winkfield (2013-16). Admission to MSU softball games is always free.
 
Diamond Dawg Gameday: at Georgia
No. 23 Mississippi State (11-7) opens SEC play this weekend as the Diamond Dawgs travel to Athens, Ga., to take on No. 10-ranked Georgia (14-3) in a three-game weekend series at Foley Field. The series begins at 6 p.m. CT on Friday, March 18, at Foley Field. Game two of the series is scheduled for a 1 p.m. CT first pitch, while the weekend will wrap up at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday. The series opener and Sunday's finale will air nationally on SEC Network, while all three games will be available on SEC Network+. The series will also be carried on the Mississippi State Sports Network powered by Learfield along with a live audio stream via HailState.com/plus. Mississippi State enters the weekend with an 11-7 overall record over the first 18 games of the season, with 12 of those games coming at home. The Diamond Dawgs are in the midst of a four-game winning streak after sweeping Princeton in a three-game home series and downing Binghamton on Monday night. This weekend's series will mark the first time MSU and Georgia have met on the diamond since the 2019 season when State swept Georgia in a three-game series in Starkville. Mississippi State is 50-48 all-time against Georgia in a series that dates back to 1915. Georgia, who is led by ninth-year head coach Scott Stricklin enters the week ranked as high as No. 10 with a 14-3 overall record on the season. Georgia is 11-0 this season in games at Foley Field.
 
No. 23 Mississippi State baseball opens SEC play with important series at No. 20 Georgia
Entering SEC play with the most nonconference losses, No. 23 Mississippi State has an early opportunity to reinsert itself firmly into the conference picture. In a battle of the Bulldogs, State opens SEC play Friday with a three-game set at No. 20 Georgia. Georgia was projected to finish third in the Eastern Division in the preseason coaches poll with a pair of first place votes. Scott Stricklin's team has backed up the lofty expectations with a 14-3 start worthy of No. 2 in the RPI. Two of those losses came against Georgia Tech -- the nation's top team in terms of RPI. For college baseball fans, a meeting between the defending national champion and a team with a strong chance of getting back to the College World Series for the first time since 2008 is a fascinating one. But for those fans, the possible disappointment of losing a star-studded Friday matchup lingers. Georgia has one of the top arms in the conference in Jonathan Cannon. He was a third-team All-American selection by Collegiate Baseball last season and hasn't let up. With MSU's Landon Sims out for the remainder of the season, a premier matchup is no more. This weekend's series has added importance considering the path ahead for State. With wins in Athens, MSU has a winnable series at home against Alabama ahead before the heart of conference play begins. State travels to Arkansas and hosts LSU to follow.
 
'Born to play ball,' Mississippi State catcher Logan Tanner is ready to pay his mother back
Logan Tanner will never forget one of his College World Series experiences. He'll never remember the other. Few people have been on the playing field during both the men's and women's College World Series. The Mississippi State catcher is among them. In May 2000 -- long before Tanner helped lead the Bulldogs to the 2021 CWS title -- his mother Dalenah played softball for Southern Miss in the WCWS in Oklahoma City. Logan Tanner was born less than six months later. You do the math. "I tell my son he was born to play ball," Dalenah said. Ever since playing pregnant at college softball's highest level, Dalenah has done all she could to help her son chase his own dreams. She worked extra jobs, traveled all over the country and helped Tanner hone his skills, all while forging a strong bond in the process. Now it's 20 years later, and roles have shifted. Logan Tanner is a national champion. He's a top prospect in the MLB draft. His long-held professional dreams are close to coming true. It's time to pay his mother back. "Not many people have a mom like I've got," Tanner said.
 
No. 18 Georgia baseball hosts defending national champions in SEC opener
Georgia baseball coach Scott Stricklin said at the outset of the season he liked his team's depth. The baseball gods have been testing his words ever since. The No. 18 Bulldogs (14-3) open Southeastern Conference play Friday night against defending national champion Mississippi State (11-7). UGA's Foley Field has long been sold out in anticipation. But the crowd and the SEC Network, which will televise Friday night's 7:02 p.m. game and Sunday's noon tilt as well, is not going to get exactly what they expected. The visiting maroon-clad Bulldogs will be without two of their top pitchers, including Georgia native Landon Sims. Both Sims and closer Stone Simmons suffered season-ending arm injuries against Tulane this past weekend. To that, Georgia says, "hold my rosin bag." The Bulldogs also will be without several key hurlers. The good news is ace right-hander Jonathan Cannon (3-1, 2.39 ERA) is good to go for tonight's game. But regular Saturday starter Liam Sullivan (2-1, 3.68) is going to miss his start with what Stricklin describes as a minor arm issue. The Bulldogs already are having to play without Sunday starter Dylan Ross, who was lost to a season-ending arm injury two weeks ago. The Bulldogs have had to navigate injuries to fielders as well this season.
 
MSU Announces Change In Leadership Of Its Men's Basketball Program
Mississippi State Director of Athletics John Cohen announced on Thursday that MSU and head men's basketball coach Ben Howland will part ways effective immediately. Howland recently completed his seventh season as MSU's head coach. "We are appreciative of the time and effort Coach Howland devoted in leading our men's basketball program," Cohen said. "We thank him for his investment in the lives of our student-athletes and pouring his heart and soul into our program from the day he arrived in Starkville. There's no question he left our program better than he found it. MSU owes a debt of gratitude to Coach Howland, and we have the utmost respect for him as a coach and person. Coach Howland is one of the best basketball minds in the country and a future College Basketball Hall of Famer. He and his wife Kim have been tremendous ambassadors to Mississippi State and the Starkville community during their seven years here. On behalf of the entire Mississippi State Family, we wish them the absolute best." Howland became MSU's 20th head men's basketball coach in March 2015 and was 134-98 in his seven seasons. He has posted a 26-year head coaching record of 535-304 with stops at UCLA (2004-13), Pittsburgh (2000-03) and Northern Arizona (1995-99) before his MSU tenure. Cohen announced a national search for the next head coach of Mississippi State men's basketball is underway.
 
Charles Barkley rips into Kentucky's performance after upset loss to Saint Peter's
It was a wild one in Indianapolis. Bodies diving on the floor, clutch 3s and big blocks galore when No. 2 seed Kentucky took on No. 15 seed Saint Peter's on Thursday night. But Hall of Famer and March Madness analyst Charles Barkley wasn't impressed. After praising the Wildcats as the "most dangerous team" playing in the NCAA Tournament before the game, Barkley changed his tune during CBS' halftime show and after Kentucky lost 85-79 in overtime to the Saint Peter's Peacocks. The Auburn legend had a lot to say about Kentucky's defense --- or lack thereof -- while also insinuating that the Wildcats were not prepared for the hunger of the Peacocks. "One thing about sports when these little schools get their once in chance --- its the greatest thing to ever happen to them," Barkly said at halftime. "What are the chances? Unless they luck up and meet Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament, because Kentucky is not going to go there (play at Saint Peter's) and they (Saints peters) aren't going to go there (Rupp Arena in Lexington) and get their brains kicked in." After the game, Barkley expressed greater concern for Kentucky's performance in the overtime loss. "They always play down to the level of their competition," Barkley said. "The thing I hate about this Kentucky team is they always play to their competition... that's the one weakness of this team."
 
Lia Thomas's Success as a Transgender Swimmer Is Divisive -- and Unlikely to Be Repeated
Penn swimmer Lia Thomas's decision to keep swimming as a transgender woman has spawned a thousand think-pieces, new rules and threats of legal challenges over her presence. And the waves she makes are only going to get bigger when she dives into the pool this week at the NCAA championships. On Thursday, Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle in a time or 4:33.24, a little more than a second ahead of a field that included three Olympic silver medalists. She also could record additional podium finishes in the 200-yard freestyle on Friday and the 100 free on Saturday. In the eyes of many, her success in the pool has made her the embodiment of how transgender athletes could transform sports and its record books in the future -- for better or worse, depending on your point of view. The reality, however, is that Thomas is more likely an extreme outlier rather than harbinger of a new reality. Few, if any, female transgender swimmers are likely to follow in her wake. That's because Thomas's success is the product of an extraordinary combination of circumstances -- including a pandemic -- that are unlikely to repeat. Rule changes implemented in response to her will make it much more difficult for future Lia Thomases to even compete, much less dominate.
 
Hunter Riggins proving what he always believed about himself
Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Hunter Riggins pitched four seasons, including one shortened by COVID, at Delta State. He blew away Division II competition, winning 27 games and losing only 12 for the perennial powerhouse Statesmen. Still, you had to wonder how Riggins would fare after entering the NCAA transfer portal and moving on to Division I Southern Miss to play his last season of eligibility. Well, wonder no more. In four starts for the Golden Eagles, Riggins has treated D-I competition like Little Leaguers. Numbers? He has allowed two earned runs over 26 innings. His earned run average: a miserly 0.69. He has struck out 17 batters, walked but three. His record is 3-1, but it could just as easily be perfect. The one loss came last weekend against formidable Dallas Baptist when Riggins allowed just one run and Southern Miss was shut out. You should know that none of that is a shock to Mike Kinnison, the Delta State baseball legend who recruited Riggins out of Hernando High School five years ago. "Doesn't surprise me at all," Kinnison, now the Delta State athletic director, said Wednesday morning. "Hunter knows how to pitch. He's going to use both sides of the plate. He's going to change speeds. He's going to throw strikes. He's going to get people out."



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