Tuesday, March 22, 2022   
 
MSU moves to remote learning, telework for afternoon, urges weather caution throughout Tuesday
Mississippi State University (all campuses) is urging students, faculty and staff to remain weather aware throughout Tuesday [March 22]. The National Weather Service and local meteorologists are predicting the potential for tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds, heavy rain and flash flooding. MSU's Starkville campus will transition to remote learning and telework beginning at 12:30 p.m. Afternoon and evening classes will continue online. The National Weather Service forecasting indicates a danger of high straight-line winds and excessive rainfall that may cause flash flooding. All previously scheduled afternoon events at the university will be postponed and rescheduled. MSU Dining Services will continue operating in the following locations only: Moe's, Subway, Perry Cafeteria, and the P.O.D.s in Dogwood and Hathorn halls. All other dining locations will close at 1 p.m. The Sanderson Center and MSU Libraries will close at 12:30 p.m., and the Longest Student Health Center will close at 1 p.m. All students, faculty and staff should monitor weather conditions and exercise caution and good judgment when traveling. Motorists should not drive through unknown patches of standing water and should approach any standing water with caution. For more preparedness information, visit www.emergency.msstate.edu.
 
School news: MSU aircraft to appear in air show
Three airplanes from Mississippi State University's Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, as well as an unmanned aircraft system, will be displayed Saturday and Sunday at the Wings Over Columbus Air Show at Columbus Air Force Base. Gates open at 10 a.m., and the air show begins at noon and ends at 5 p.m. on both days. The event is free and open to the public. The following Raspet aircraft are scheduled for display during the event: A Boeing Stearman PT-17, the centerpiece of Raspet's manned aircraft fleet, which was used by the Army Air Corps from 1941-1943 as a trainer for World War II pilots. A Cessna L319, a one-of-a-kind experimental aircraft originally built for the U.S. Marine Corps as a forward observer aircraft, which is used by Raspet as a chase airplane during its unmanned aircraft research. A Grumman AA5B Tiger, the first prototype built of the Grumman American Tigers, which is used by Raspet as a training aircraft for its flight crew. Guests at the air show may also access the STEM Expo, featuring approximately 30 science, technology, engineering and mathematics exhibits, during the event. The STEM expo also will be open to groups from area schools on March 25.
 
Starkville Fire Department introducing new recruitment program
Starkville Fire Department is doing its part to help get the younger generation out and about this summer. The Department will begin a youth firefighter program in May with the hopes of keeping kids out of trouble; while also trying to peak their interest in becoming a firefighter. Kids aged 12 through 18 will have the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of working with their local fire department, and while it is a recruitment effort; chief Charles Yarbrough felt that there is a bigger meaning within the program. "Number one community service, number two positive mentorship, number three will be physical fitness, education, and career development so at the end of the day we hope to get firefighters out of this deal," said Yarbrough. It's not for a period of time; it's a year-round program, and the only requirement is a 2.5 GPA. Even if the student doesn't want to become a firefighter in the future, Yarbrough felt the students would learn a thing or two about working with others. "Even if they don't want to be firefighters we still want them to stay out of trouble and we believe that this programs will be an opportunity for them to be in the community... to do some ride alongs, maybe some sleepovers so several different aspects to get them engaged in the community," said Yarbrough.
 
Property sale approval will lead to dozens of new jobs in Starkville
More jobs will soon be available in the Golden Triangle. The Starkville Board of Aldermen voted 6-0 on Friday, March 18 to sell property to Oregon-based company Columbia Industries. The property is the old Kirby Building Systems building off Airport Road. "They looked around all over the South for an area that would complement what they do and they settled here," Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill said. The equipment manufacturing company will bring anywhere between 65 and 75 jobs to Starkville with an average salary of $45,000. Spruill believes adding more job opportunities will entice more people to stay in the college town.
 
Tornadoes Rip Through Texas With Strong Storms Moving Eastward
A storm system bringing tornadoes, rain and hail is ripping through Texas and moving through the Southeast, damaging homes and infrastructure across the region. The National Weather Service said tornadoes, thunderstorms and flooding are possible in Texas and Louisiana through Tuesday. Strong storms are also expected in Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi. TV footage showed a high school in northern Texas with its roof torn off on Monday due to the storms. Golf ball-sized hail and tornadoes are possible in parts of Mississippi, including in Jackson, the state's capital and most populous city, according to the National Weather Service. "A deep surge of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico interacting with favorable dynamics both at the surface and aloft helped fuel widespread heavy rainfall and severe thunderstorms," the National Weather Service said. Video shared by the National Weather Service shows a tornado near Austin, Texas, destroying a mobile home and lifting debris across the area while causing significant damage to a single-family home. Nearly 50,000 power customers in Texas were experiencing outages as of Tuesday morning, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.us. About 10,000 customers in Oklahoma were experiencing outages Tuesday morning; severe storms and tornadoes also affected the state.
 
MEMA addresses preparations ahead of severe weather event
With severe storms expected Tuesday, MEMA is urging all Mississippians to stay weather aware. On Monday, MEMA put out a warning order for all Mississippi emergency support functions. "This includes our folks that work with MDOT all the way to the Salvation Army, American Red Cross and Department of Human Services. Anyone that would assist us or we would coordinate with in a disaster they are now on a warning order," said Director of External Affairs Malary White. Some of MEMA's biggest concerns are tornadoes and flash flooding. "Before a flood, go ahead and if it makes you feel comfortable, move some of your valuables up high so they don't get flooded. Another thing that people should do is go ahead and take those before photos and document what your house looks like right now while it's intact, just in case a disaster does happen," said White. MEMA said it's beneficial to have multiple ways to receive warnings other than outside sirens. Sirens are meant to be for those who are outside and aren't meant to be heard inside buildings. In addition, prepare ahead of the storm by making a preparation checklist and knowing your safe place.
 
Lt. Gov. Hosemann commits to more transparent meetings. Speaker Gunn waffles.
When lawmakers walked through the historic doors of committee room 216 in the state Capitol on March 16, they were greeted by dozens of teachers and advocates wanting to hear about one thing: pay raises for K-12 public teachers. Hearings on teacher pay raises are commonplace in state government, but what was unique about the Wednesday meeting was that the public was actually able to attend a transparent conference committee that was advertised in advance. The House had snubbed the Senate days before the Wednesday meeting by sending them a conference proposal without even an informal conversation beforehand. But the Senate decided to up the ante and call a physical conference committee where the House and the Senate had to publicly negotiate a final teacher pay raise bill. Mere hours after that meeting concluded, legislators announced they had reached a tentative deal to raise the salaries for teachers by a historic rate. "I thought the conference report on teacher (pay) helped push it over the line," Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said. The joint rules of the Legislature say that all official conference committee meetings "shall be open to the public at all times." But there are, in reality, very few conference meetings that are advertised in advance where the public can attend.
 
Ethics Commission to decide if House GOP Caucus meetings are illegal
A state senator has formally asked the Mississippi Ethics Commission to decide whether House Republican Caucus meetings -- the closed-door, secretive Capitol gatherings that are open only to 77 Republicans in the House of Representatives -- violate the state's Open Meetings Act. The House Republican Caucus meetings, which have been convened regularly since Philip Gunn became Speaker of the House in 2012, are the subject of close scrutiny by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers this session as House and Senate leaders battle over major tax proposals. The meetings had never been challenged before the Ethics Commission or state courts. But several past opinions -- including a 2017 Mississippi Supreme Court ruling -- indicate the meetings could be illegal because the House Republican Caucus represents much more than a majority of the entire House of Representatives and is deliberating public policy in private. Sen. Sollie Norwood, a Democrat from Jackson, requested an opinion from the Ethics Commission on March 4 about whether the House Republican Caucus meetings violate the Open Meetings Act. "The request is meant to clear up concerns with a process that has been at best misused," Norwood told Mississippi Today on Monday evening. "It is not a partisan issue. It seeks clarity on the confines of an open, deliberate process regarding how public policy should be considered at various levels of government."
 
Mississippi independent pharmacists raise concern about hidden industry fees
Mississippi pharmacists are raising concerns about industry practices that can cost them thousands of dollars. The State Auditor says hidden fees are raising the price of medicines, and threatening to shut down local drug stores. A new report by the State Auditor's office outlines practices by pharmacy benefit management companies that result in independent pharmacies being overcharged. PBMs are intermediaries between a pharmacy, insurance provider and drug manufacturer, and last year the state filed a suit against the company Centine leading to a $55.5 million settlement. State Auditor Shad White says these companies use hidden fees targeting pharmacies. "They are often giving money or sending money to the pharmacist to reimburse them for the cost of drugs but then later coming back and clawing some of that money back, and then the pharmacist are really helpless at that point. They have to give the money back," says White. "That as you can imagine is really hurting the pharmacist's bottom line, but it's also making their business model really volatile." White says more than 25% of pharmacists polled claimed their business was at risk of shutting down within three years due to charges by PBMs. Pharmacists say they often file paperwork to get reimbursed for medicines, but will not hear back from PBMs until months later. Beau Cox, Executive Director of the Mississippi Pharmacists Association, says this makes annual financial planning difficult.
 
Powell Says Fed Could Raise Rates More Quickly to Tame Inflation
Jerome H. Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, said on Monday that the central bank was prepared to more quickly withdraw support from the economy if doing so proved necessary to bring rapid inflation under control. Mr. Powell signaled that the Fed could make big interest rate increases and push rates to relatively high levels in its quest to cool off demand and temper inflation, which is running at its fastest pace in 40 years. His comments were the clearest statement yet that the central bank was ready to forcefully attack rapid price increases to make sure that they do not become a permanent feature of the American economy. "There is an obvious need to move expeditiously to return the stance of monetary policy to a more neutral level, and then to move to more restrictive levels if that is what is required to restore price stability," Mr. Powell said during remarks to a conference of business economists. Policymakers raised interest rates by a quarter point last week and forecast six more similarly sized increases this year. On Monday, Mr. Powell foreshadowed a potentially more aggressive path. A restrictive rate setting would squeeze the economy, slowing consumer spending and the labor market -- a move akin to the Fed's hitting the brakes rather than just taking its foot off the accelerator. Stocks fell in response to Mr. Powell's comments and were down 0.6 percent by the time he finished speaking in the early afternoon; the S&P 500 index closed the day down 0.4 percent. Rising rates can especially hurt share prices if they tank economic growth or cause the economy to contract.
 
Graham fumes at confirmation hearing: Childs treatment 'vicious'
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) fumed over progressive criticism of J. Michelle Childs, a district court nominee who was also a Supreme Court contender, and accused Democrats of holding a double standard against GOP nominees. Graham's remarks, which came near the start of the four-day hearing for President Biden's actual nominee for the court -- Ketanji Brown Jackson -- are the most extensive comments Graham has given on Jackson's nomination since his meeting with Jackson last week. After that meeting, which lasted roughly 15 minutes, Graham went radio silent on his thinking about Jackson. "The attacks from the left against Judge Childs was really pretty vicious, to be honest with you," Graham said. Graham added that he believed there was a "wholesale effort" to take her out of the running for the Supreme Court seat. "This is a new game for the Supreme Court, and this game is particularly disturbing to me," Graham said. "If that's the way the game's going to be played then I'll have a response, and I don't expect it to ... reward that way of playing the game," he added. Graham predicted that Childs, if she had been nominated, would have gotten 60 or more votes. Supreme Court nominees can be confirmed with a simple majority. Beyond Childs, Graham accused Democrats and the media of having a double standard in its treatment of Republican versus Democratic nominees of color.
 
It's Jackson's SCOTUS hearing. But GOP can't stop talking about Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett
Senate Judiciary Chair Richard J. Durbin opened the confirmation hearing for Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court expressing his hopes that the Republicans would be respectful over the next three days, but they were more concerned about complaining about how Democrats treated GOP nominees over the past three years. "I ... ask the members of this committee as we begin this landmark confirmation process to consider how history will judge each senator as we face our constitutional responsibility to advise and consent," the Illinois Democrat said. Republicans groused about the confirmation process for President Donald Trump's picks, especially attacks on Justice Brett Kavanaugh's character after he was accused of sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford when both were in high school. "Judge Jackson, I can assure you that your hearing will feature none of that disgraceful behavior," Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said. "No one is going to inquire into your teenage dating habits. Nobody is going to ask you with mock severity, 'Do you like beer?'" Other Republicans joined Cruz in lamenting how Democrats treated GOP picks to the federal bench in the past, including Janice Rogers Brown and Miguel Estrada, two of George W. Bush nominees who are Black and Hispanic, respectively. Democrats filibustered Estrada's nomination and held up Brown's appointment to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit for two years. The GOP also groused about the treatment of Trump's other Supreme Court picks, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.
 
Mo Brooks wants to 'fire' Mitch McConnell, calls on rivals to join him
U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks said in a press release Monday he wants to "fire" U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell as the top Republican in the Senate. Brooks has also launched firemcconnell.com where "conservatives around the country" can sign a petition opposing McConnell and called on his rivals in Alabama's Senate race -- Katie Britt and Mike Durant -- to join him in. Brooks, who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, framed his opposition to McConnell as "McConnell versus Trump in a war for the heart and soul of the Republican Party" in a video posted on the website. Just over two months until the Republican primary, Brooks' announcement Monday may well have a two-pronged strategy: Reinforce his alignment with Trump, which the former president has started to question, and spotlight that Brooks believes McConnell is funneling millions of dollars into a negative ad campaign against Brooks. Britt's campaign dismissed Brooks announcement Monday as a "gimmick." In a story last week by Politico, Texas Sen. John Cornyn -- a McConnell ally and a potential candidate to someday become Republican leader -- criticized Brooks and described Britt or Durant as a "no-lose" proposition for Republican senators.
 
Pence distances himself from Trump as he eyes 2024 campaign
After Donald Trump was caught on video bragging about sexually assaulting women, Mike Pence stayed on his ticket. As the coronavirus ravaged the U.S., the then-vice president praised the administration's response. And after a violent mob threatened his life during an attack on the U.S. Capitol, Pence rejected entreaties to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. But after years of being a subservient sidekick, Pence is beginning to distance himself from Trump as he takes increasingly overt steps toward a White House bid of his own. Last month, Pence called out Trump by name, saying his former boss was "wrong" to insist that he had the power to unilaterally overturn the results of the 2020 election --- a power vice presidents do not possess. In a separate speech before top Republican donors, Pence urged the GOP to move on from Trump's 2020 grievances and declared "there is no room in this party for apologists" for Vladimir Putin after Trump praised the Russian leader's maneuvering as "genius" before his brutal invasion of Ukraine. The moves show how Pence, a former congressman and Indiana governor, is working to craft a political identity independent of his former boss. The strategy carries substantial risk in a party still dominated by Trump and his lie that the 2020 election was stolen. But if Pence successfully navigates this moment, it could offer a model for Republicans to benefit from their work with Trump without being tied to his most toxic behavior, which has consistently hurt the party with crucial suburban voters who often determine elections.
 
U.S. warns companies to stay on guard for possible Russian cyberattacks
The White House is warning companies that Russia could be planning to launch cyberattacks against critical U.S. infrastructure. The U.S. has previously warned about the Russian government's capabilities to digitally attack U.S. companies, but President Biden reiterated the message on Monday, saying in a statement that "evolving intelligence" showed Russia is "exploring options for potential cyberattacks." The potential attacks would be in response to U.S. sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, the White House said. Deputy National Security Adviser for Cyber and Emerging Technology Anne Neuberger called for companies to secure their systems, including implementing multifactor authentication, patching systems against known vulnerabilities, backing up data, running drills and engaging with federal authorities before a cyberattack happens. Neuberger said the administration held classified briefings with companies last week based on "preparatory activity" that U.S. intelligence is picking up from Russia, but she said the U.S. government doesn't see a specific cyberattack approaching. Neuberger told reporters the U.S. had noticed an increase in malicious behavior while still seeing avenues for bad actors to easily exploit critical targets.
 
Ukraine war imperils wheat, but farmers in no rush to pivot
Russia's war in Ukraine could mean changes for Ed Kessel's farm along a quiet stretch of western North Dakota. Worldwide, farmers like Kessel are weighing whether to change their planting patterns and grow more wheat this spring as the war has choked off or thrown into question grain supplies from a region known as "the breadbasket of the world." Ukraine and Russia account for a third of global wheat and barley exports, which countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa rely on to feed millions of people who subsist on subsidized bread and bargain noodles. They are also top exporters of other grains and sunflower seed oil used for cooking and food processing. Kessel said he may plant some more wheat and ride the tide of high prices that have spiked by a third since the invasion, helping offset losses from drought and the increasing cost of fuel, but not a lot more. Major grain producers like the United States, Canada, France, Australia and Argentina are being closely watched to see if they can quickly ramp up production to fill in the gaps from lost Ukrainian and Russian supplies. But farmers are facing the prospect of another year of drought, climbing fuel and fertilizer costs, and supply chain disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Major producers also are hamstrung by factors like legal limits on exports and farming patterns. About half of the grain the World Food Program buys to feed 125 million people worldwide comes from Ukraine. The double blow of rising food prices and depressed wheat exports from the war is a recipe for "catastrophe not just in Ukraine, but potentially globally," the head of the U.N. food assistance agency warned.
 
As it enters a third year, California's drought is strangling the farming industry
The school is disappearing. Westside Elementary opened its doors nearly a century ago here in the San Joaquin Valley, among the most productive agricultural regions on earth. As recently as 1995, nearly 500 students filled its classrooms. Now 160 students attend and enrollment is falling fast. This was where the children of farmworkers learned to read and write, often next to the children of the farm owners who employed their parents. But the farms are also vanishing, as hundreds of thousands of acres of rich soil are left unplanted each year. The hard truth here, the one that fundamentally shapes the lives of those in the valley, is that water is disappearing. So is a way of life, a core of California economic culture, and a place that provides a nation struggling under the rising rate of inflation with a quarter of its food. California's drought is intensifying as it enters a third year, and along with much else here in the San Joaquin, the hope that a wet end to 2021 would bring more water has disappeared, too. The same sentiment holds across much of the parched American west. According to a UC Merced study conducted for the state, California farmers left nearly 400,000 acres of agricultural land unplanted last year due to a lack of water. The result, the study found, was a direct economic cost to farmers of $1.1 billion and the loss of nearly 9,000 agricultural jobs.
 
W singers win top prizes
Five Mississippi University for Women voice majors recently won awards at the statewide voice competition held by the Mississippi chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Feb. 25 and 26. "I'm thrilled that every single W student who entered the competition not only placed in the finals but won one of the top awards in their division, including a singer who entered two categories and won prizes in both," said Hurley. "The fact that our W singers were so consistently successful in meeting the demands of a major statewide competition speaks most highly of our voice area and of our music department as a whole." Jerry Brown, a music education major, won first place in Older Student Adults. Ricarrdo Byrd, a music education major, won first place in Upper Division Spirituals and also won third place in Upper College Musical Theatre, Tenors, Baritones and Basses. Kory Scales, also a music education major, won first place in Lower Division Spirituals. Faith Gammel, a music therapy major, won second place in Upper College Musical Theatre, Treble. Aaron Rishel, a voice major with Performance Emphasis, won second place in Junior Tenors, Baritones and Basses. Gammel is a voice student of Elizabeth Jones. Brown, Byrd, Rishel and Scales are voice students of Susan Hurley. William Reber, a member of the music faculty, accompanied all five W singers at the piano during each round of the competition. The competition was part of the MS NATS chapter's annual conference, which was hosted this year at The W.
 
UM professor Dowling named University's top online instructor
Following a global pandemic, online learning has seen tremendous growth at higher education institutions across the nation. At the University of Mississippi, faculty are developing unique and innovative ways to support virtual instruction. The UM Office of Academic Outreach, which houses Ole Miss Online, presents the Paragon Award for Excellence in Distance Teaching to recognize these efforts. Winners are selected annually based on criteria such as successful course design, creative use of technology and dedication to excellent learning experiences. Carey Bernini Dowling, instructional associate professor of psychology, is this year's Paragon Award recipient. Laurie Babin, instructional associate professor of business administration, and Georgianna Mann, assistant professor of nutrition and hospitality management, were selected for honorable mentions. The awardees will be featured at the annual "Toolbox Talks" virtual event at 10:30 a.m. March 23. "I was very honored to be chosen for the Paragon Award," Dowling said. "It feels really amazing to be recognized by my colleagues." Dowling's biggest piece of advice for new online instructors is to avoid making big changes all at once. "Try one small tweak each semester," she said.
 
JSU announces new police chief
Jackson State University has a new top cop. Herman Horton is the new police chief for Jackson State University's Department of Public Safety. Prior to becoming JSU's chief of police, Horton was the police chief for Hinds Community College in Utica. He is the former director of training for the Jackson Police Department.
 
U. of Alabama to host memorial service for Autherine Lucy Foster
The University of Alabama will host an on-campus memorial service for Autherine Lucy Foster at 11 a.m. Thursday in Foster Auditorium. The memorial service will be open to the public. Foster, the first Black student to attend UA, died on March 2 at the age of 92. Foster's death came just days after UA renamed Bibb Graves Hall in her honor on Feb. 25. UA hosted a dedication ceremony that Friday afternoon at the education building with Foster and her family in attendance. During the ceremony, Foster was given a certificate from the state of Alabama proclaiming her as a master teacher. UA President Stuart R. Bell released a statement the morning of Foster's death saying, the UA community was "deeply saddened." "While we mourn the loss of a legend who embodied love, integrity and a spirit of determination, we are comforted by knowing her legacy will continue at the University of Alabama and beyond," Bell said. "... Dr. Foster will always be remembered as one who broke barriers, reminded us of the respect due to every individual, and lived a life of strength in steadfast service to her students and community," he said. UA officials, faculty, staff and students gathered at the Autherine Lucy Hall building that Thursday afternoon to speak about Foster's death and her role in desegregating UA.
 
Senate passes critical race theory, 'divisive concepts' bill aimed at Tennessee colleges
Tennessee Republicans passed a bill targeting what they call "divisive concepts" in higher education. The bill, supported by leadership in the House and Senate, would give college students and staff at state universities the ability to sue them for discriminating against them for not accepting "divisive concepts." The legislation defines "divisive concepts" along the same lines as a bill passed last year, which banned public K-12 schools from teaching critical race theory and white privilege. Although last year's bill did not cite critical race theory by name, its supporter pointed to it when urging passage of the legislation. The bill, HB 2670, will also require colleges to conduct a survey every other year to "assess the campus climate with regard to diversity of thought and the respondents' comfort level in speaking freely on campus, regardless of political affiliation or ideology." In a caucus meeting Thursday, Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, the bill's sponsor, said it doesn't ban teaching these concepts like last year's legislation because college professors have stronger First Amendment protections than K-12 teachers. "But, they can't have mandatory training and can't incentivize teachings around these concepts," Bell said. The bill is the latest in the conservative movement's fight over what it deems the teaching of critical race theory.
 
Legislature drops effort to regulate University System of Georgia teaching race, but K-12 proposals ongoing
Regulating how University System of Georgia professors address questions of race and history likely won't be moving forward in the Georgia General Assembly this session. Two bills regulating the teaching of "divisive concepts," one in the House and one in the Senate, passed their respective chambers ahead of crossover day, the day by which legislation has to be approved by at least one chamber to move forward that session. The two bills contained similar lists of divisive concepts: the idea that the United States is fundamentally racist, that morality is determined by race, and that people bear responsibility for past actions by people of their race. Both bills prevent curriculum or training programs that promote these concepts in K-12 education, but the Senate bill, SB 377 initially had extensive requirements for University System of Georgia professors and Georgia Technical Colleges as well. These requirements for higher education were dropped in the version of the bill to pass the Senate. The House bill, HB 1084 also exempts advanced placement courses, which SB 377 does not. "There were constitutional issues that were brought up in committee hearings," said Sen. Bo Hatchett, R-Cornelia, who introduced SB 377. "It would be unconstitutional for us to apply that to higher education because of protections that professors have, so it would be very difficult to enforce with professors. So we're potentially looking at doing an urging resolution, just urging the University System to have some type of policies to prevent that."
 
Aggies join hypersonic test flight research
Staff and students at Texas A&M University are involved with a research team that launched a two-stage suborbital sounding rocket for the U.S. Air Force on Monday. The launch occurred around 6:12 p.m. Officials at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia said the launch was a success. It could be seen for up to two minutes from parts of seven states, including Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia as well as Washington, D.C. This experimental flight was conducted to collect scientific data to improve understanding of boundary layer transition and turbulent heating during hypersonic flights. Officials said their specific desire with the experimental flight is to improve prediction and control of drag and heating on hypersonic vehicles. Ed White, a professor of aerospace engineering at A&M, said university and national officials have strong experience doing high-speed wind tunnel tests, but added the issue of conducting some experiments in wind tunnels is experiencing difficulties getting the full range of conditions that can occur during a flight. White said this experiment is a science-focused, meaning there are a number of instruments that will be able to make measurements that have never been made before. Rodney Bowersox, a Texas A&M professor of aerospace engineering, led the test flight as the principal investigator.
 
Ukraine war 'biggest global shift since 9/11,' MU international panel expert says
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is the "biggest shift in global affairs since 9/11," one member of an expert panel said Monday. "I am convinced that Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine has initiated the biggest shift in global affairs since 9/11 and is therefore worth all our close attention," said William Reisinger, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. Reisinger was among the speakers at a "War in Ukraine" webinar hosted Monday by University of Missouri International Programs as a way to explain the combat and refugee crisis to those not familiar with the Eastern Europe situation. The hour-long webinar was hosted online by Mary Stegmaier, vice provost for International Programs, and Mary Kelly, associate professor of Russian with the MU School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. Stegmaier and Kelly moderated as three panelists featured presentations on varied aspects of the topic, including the enormous international reaction to the suffering that Ukraine civilians are enduring. Users have also taken to social media to praise the responses of neighboring countries such as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova.
 
Cornell engineering cuts credit limit to save mental health
In an effort to improve student mental health, Cornell University's College of Engineering will reduce the maximum number of credits students can take each semester, the college announced Thursday. The move comes in response to a universitywide mental health review, completed in 2020, which recommends a number of measures to reduce student stress and anxiety. They include implementing grading on a curve, mandating meetings between students and advisers, exploring pass-fail assessments, and establishing a credit limit at each college. For engineering students, that means beginning next semester, they will be limited to a maximum of 20 credits per semester, down from the current 23. The total number of credits required for a degree remains unchanged and varies by major. About 13 percent of engineering students took more than 20 credits last semester, and 0.5 percent took more than 24, according to a Cornell spokesperson. The mental health review "specifically cited academic credit limits as an effective strategy for decreasing student stress and anxiety in a manner that complements our emphasis on excellence," engineering deans Alan Zehnder and Miranda Swanson wrote in a statement to Inside Higher Ed. The credit-limit change comes as institutions nationwide are grappling with rampant student mental health issues, heightened by the disruption and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. STEM students have been especially hard-hit, said Norman Fortenberry, executive director of the American Society for Engineering Education. He said he's heard many engineering faculty fret about the mental health of their students.
 
NACAC releases report on diversity in admissions field
On one level, the National Association for College Admission Counseling would appear to have a good record on diversity. The group strongly favors affirmative action, and its annual meetings (and other meetings) have a strong focus on recruiting students of all races and ethnicities. It favors test-optional admissions. It opposes legacy admissions. Its CEO is a Latino man, Angel B. Pérez. He took over in 2020 when a Black woman, Joyce E. Smith, retired. But at another level, NACAC isn't that diverse at all -- in its membership. A report being released today by the association, "DEI Challenges in the College Admission Counseling Profession," makes that clear. The report notes early on that a large percentage of professionals in higher education (and the admissions field specifically) are white. In contrast with those numbers, 48 percent of undergraduates are white, and 47 percent of public high school students are white. "The diversity and climate of a campus -- the policies and practices that reflect institutional priority on equity and inclusion -- are critical for the successful engagement and outcomes of all students, and in particular for underserved students of color," the report says. "College admission professionals, consisting of both school/college counselors (secondary) and enrollment management/admission professionals (postsecondary), are critical to helping students navigate their educational goals." Pérez said the report was about NACAC's lack of diversity up until now. "This is our history, but not our future," he said.
 
Ukrainian students in the U.S. watch a war on their homeland unfold from abroad
Some 1,700 Ukrainians are studying in the U.S., according to the most recent data from the Institute of International Education. NPR spoke to three of them about what it's like watching their home country come under attack from thousands of miles away. They described constantly scrolling for news and checking in with family members back home, while handling classes and other academic commitments that feel less important under the circumstances. All three say the conflict feels close to home, even from abroad. And they're all figuring out how to channel their emotions into tangible support for Ukraine, from organizing vigils to sharing resources and information. "School is one area, but this is ... not of the greatest importance right now," says Tetiana Tytko, a Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland who grew up in western Ukraine. "Going to a protest, raising my voice, raising money, like sharing resources how people can donate -- I think that's more important right now than just with exams or, you know, homework." When Russia first invaded Ukraine in late February, Tytko initially felt disoriented and didn't know what to do. Then she jumped into action. She went to a protest outside of the White House and got in touch with more Ukrainians. Soon she was packing medical equipment and rescue kits, and compiling fundraising information about how to help Ukrainians.
 
American Agriculture Fueling the Economy
Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson writes: On March 22, we celebrate National Ag Day and recognize the contributions of agriculture that provide food, fuel, fiber, and shelter to our communities. In Mississippi, agriculture -- the state's largest industry -- makes an enormous impact on our economy. In 2021, the farm-gate value of agricultural commodities produced in Mississippi was $8.3 billion, which set an all-time high record. With 34,700 farms in the state covering 10.4 million acres, the agriculture industry employs nearly one-fifth of our workforce. Farmers and ranchers work tirelessly year-round to provide a safe, abundant and affordable food supply along with countless other products that we use in our daily lives. We see and consume the fruits of their labor (sometimes literally fruits) at the grocery store, farmers markets, and restaurants. Sometimes we take for granted the abundant, affordable food; but, in a crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic, we are reminded of farmers' invaluable contribution to society. When society shut down, our farmers kept working so we could keep eating. ... As we recognize National Ag Day, and Ag Day in Mississippi with the proclamation by Governor Tate Reeves, we remember that food security is national security.
 
Tax cuts aren't now or never
The Greenwood Commonwealth's Tim Kalich writes: Maybe Philip Gunn was just being theatrical this past week when Mississippi’s speaker of the House said it was now or never to pass sweeping tax cuts. The statement -- “This is the opportunity to do something right now that we will never have again in our lifetimes” -- was farcical, though. Barring a nuclear holocaust -- not something to joke about given the current tensions between Russia and the West over the invasion of Ukraine -- Mississippi lawmakers have had and will have plenty of opportunities to radically alter the state’s tax code. They had a chance, for instance, last year when Gunn unveiled his first pitch to eliminate the personal income tax. They rejected it. If the House and Senate cannot reach an agreement on tax cuts before this year’s regular session ends in early April, there’s a good chance that Gov. Tate Reeves will call them back to address the matters in a special session. If nothing passes this year, it will be back on the table next year. It is, in fact, contradictory for Gunn to argue that Mississippi’s currently robust financial condition makes it imperative that lawmakers act immediately while at the same time postulating that the state will remain in such good financial shape that it can afford to severely reduce a main stream of revenue indefinitely into the future.


SPORTS
 
Ringing In A New Era Of Bulldog Basketball
It was around 10:45 on Monday morning when the Mississippi State contingent gathered at George M. Bryan Airport in Starkville. Destination: Las Cruces, New Mexico. In this Southwestern city, the Bulldogs' new head coach, Chris Jans, was waiting. Truth is, he'd been waiting for this for a while. He'd been working for this very moment in time for years. This is the tale of a man with an unconventional journey. It's a story about a coach who took the long route to his dreams. To achieve them, he simply put his head down, got after it day after day and became one of the winningest coaches in all of Division I college basketball. Soon, Jans would be on a plane that was Starkville-bound. But first, the plane had to get to him. By 11 a.m., the jet was hurtling down the runway, taking off and gaining altitude -- all to go get the man who's about to help Bulldog basketball do the same.
 
Mississippi State midweek matchup against Southern postponed to Wednesday
Mississippi State has fallen out of D1Baseball's top 25 rankings 264 days after it was crowned king of collegiate baseball. It's a move a couple weeks in the making since State dropped 14 spots to No. 23 in early March after losing two of three at Tulane. MSU won five of its next six, only one of which came against a Power Five opponent, to hover in the same spot. But losing two of three at No. 17 Georgia to open SEC play has finally knocked MSU out. But, as former MSU outfielder Tanner Allen put it on Twitter, the season is far from over for the Bulldogs. "If you win the series at home and avoid being swept on the road, you will be sitting pretty at the end of SEC play," he wrote. State did the latter by winning the series finale in Athens, Georgia, 20-3. Next will come a chance toward the former with a home series against Alabama ahead. But before MSU gets there, it must continue its momentum from Sunday with a midweek game against Southern University at 5 p.m. Wednesday -- which was postponed from Tuesday due to weather. Southern sits at No. 244 in the RPI -- dropping 55 spots after losing two of three at Arkansas–Pine Bluff. MSU beat UAPB 17-1 earlier this season.
 
What to keep an eye on in Mississippi State's football pro day Tuesday
Mississippi State is hosting its football pro day Tuesday with five former players participating. Three come as no surprise -- Makai Polk, Charles Cross and Martin Emerson -- as they participated in the NFL combine earlier this month. They're joined by kicker Brandon Ruiz and punter Tucker Day. Cross is a likely top 10 pick, Emerson should go in the first two rounds and Polk is coming off a season where broke multiple MSU single-season receiving records. They had their chance to shine in interviews and workouts in Indianapolis at the combine, so what could they show in Starkville? For starters, a smaller sample size of players means more time for them to hold the spotlight. Expect the trio to take part in the bench press as they did not at the combine like many of their peers. Cross was among the top lineman in the 40-yard dash, running a 4.95. However, he said he'd like to record a number below 4.80. Emerson's vertical and broad jumps were not recorded at the combine along with the bench press, so anticipate some eyes on that for the former MSU corner.
 
Deion Sanders calls out NFL scouts who skipped Jackson State pro day
Twenty-two NFL teams attended Jackson State football's pro day on Monday that featured the Tigers and other area Mississippi colleges. But, there are 32 teams in the NFL, and Jackson State coach Deion Sanders has a message for the 10 teams who weren't in attendance. "Ten of them are missing. Don't think I ain't going to call you out," Sanders told NFL Network, pointing his finger at the camera. "You 10 that's missing, if I catch you at Mississippi State or Ole Miss it's going to be a problem, that's all I'm going to say. That's all I'm saying, it's going to be a problem. Our kids are that good, you should have shown up too." No HBCU players were selected in the NFL Draft in 2021. Part of the aim of having a joint pro day with rivals Alcorn and Mississippi Valley among others was to give HBCU players an opportunity in front of scouts. Sanders said he hopes there's never a year without a single draft pick from an HBCU again. "That's not going to happen again. It'll never happen again," Sanders said. "I know during the pandemic year we had an excuse, but that's never going to happen again. My desire is 7-10 players this year. Then we're going to try to double that." The exposure for players like James Houston, who wasn't invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis despite finishing second in the FCS in sacks with 16.5, could be a difference-maker. Houston ran a 4.6 second 40-yard dash, posted a 39-inch vertical leap, and a 10.6 foot broad jump.
 
JSU, Regions Bank partner to deliver personalized debit card to showcase Tiger pride
Jackson State University and Regions Bank have partnered to deliver a personalized debit card for fans to showcase their Tiger pride. The university announced the partnership on its website. "Establishing partnerships with financial institutions and developing affinity cards/debit cards has been a work in progress for the Auxiliary Enterprises team. We are committed to enhancing the brand recognition of Jackson State University," said Kamesha Hill, executive director of Auxiliary Enterprises at Jackson State University. Kamesha Hill says that their goal is to support JSU by implementing three objectives: protection, promotion, and profit. The JSU card can be used with all Regions Bank personal checking accounts as well as checking accounts for students. "Regions has a proud history of supporting JSU and other HBCUs in our footprint, providing financial education and supporting student and alumni engagement and athletics," says Abbas Merchant, head of corporate marketing. "We're excited to expand our relationship by offering fans and supporters of JSU a uniquely branded debit card."
 
Tim Tebow to speak at April's commencement
Former Gator quarterback Tim Tebow will return to The Swamp this Spring to address the 2022 graduating class in a commencement speech. Tebow will speak April 29 at 7 p.m. in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the university-wide ceremony, a celebration of students from all colleges. Graduates, their families and members of the public are invited to come to the special night under the lights. Graduating in 2009, Tebow led the Gators football team to glory, winning two national championships and earning a Heisman Trophy. He became a four-time New York Times best-selling author, played professional football for the Denver Broncos and professional baseball for the New York Mets. Those achievements, however, are not why he was chosen to speak, UF President Kent Fuchs said. When Fuchs was looking for an external speaker for this year's commencement, he searched for someone who had a connection to the university and had made a difference in the world. Tebow, he said, fit both criteria. For the past three years, UF only held college recognition ceremonies where graduates would be individually honored, and Fuchs gave a commencement speech at every ceremony. "In a little more than seven years, I have given 120 commencement addresses," Fuchs said. "I enjoy it, but we decided that we would have an external speaker for this all university ceremony."
 
Matt McMahon makes first public appearance as the LSU men's head basketball coach
Matt McMahon made his first public appearance as LSU's new men's basketball coach during the third quarter of the LSU women's NCAA tournament game versus Ohio State on Monday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The announcement of McMahon's hiring came just two days after his Murray State Racers fell to Saint Peter's in the second round of the NCAA men's tournament. McMahon was named a Naismith Coach of the Year semifinalist after compiling a 31-3 overall record and an 18-0 conference mark this season. It was the first undefeated record in Ohio Valley Conference history. McMahon and his wife, Mary, walked through the aisles on the sides of the court, waving to the crowd.
 
Board of Curators approves Cleveland State's Dennis Gates as Mizzou's men's basketball coach
Missouri men's basketball is hiring Cleveland State head coach Dennis Gates the 20th head coach in program history. The University of Missouri System Board of Curators held an executive session shortly after the board met at 7 a.m. Tuesday to approve the hiring. An email from an MU spokesman just after 7:40 a.m. announced the board had approved Gates' contract with Missouri. A press conference is expected around noon Tuesday. Of the nine Board of Curators, Julia Brncic was the only member absent during roll call. Missouri Director of Athletics Desiree Reed-Francois joined prior to roll call, as well. Gates, 42, comes to Missouri after reshaping Cleveland State's program. In just two years' time, Gates had the Vikings winning the Horizon League and clinching a berth in the NCAA Tournament last season. Cleveland State won its second regular-season conference title in a row this season before getting upset in the Horizon League Tournament semifinals and settling for an NIT appearance. This is athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois's first major hire at Missouri since her tenure began last August. Former college basketball coach Eddie Fogler has served as a consultant for the university in its search process.
 
Gamecocks tab Lamont Paris to lead men's basketball program
South Carolina has its man. Exactly one week after firing 10-year head coach Frank Martin, the Gamecocks finalized a deal to hire Chattanooga coach Lamont Paris as his replacement, sources close to the situation confirmed to The Post and Courier on March 22. An announcement that the Board of Trustees is meeting to discuss an athletics employment contract is soon expected so Paris can be formally introduced on March 23. The BOT is required by state law to publicly announce its meetings at least 24 hours in advance and must approve the hire before USC can confirm it. Paris' last team at Chattanooga finished 27-8 and made the NCAA Tournament, leading Illinois until falling in the final minute, 54-53. It was his only trip to the tournament in five years as the Mocs' head coach, but playing in the highly competitive Southern Conference with Furman, Wofford, East Tennessee State and UNC Greensboro, an NCAA bid almost always depended on winning the conference tournament (Wofford, ETSU and UNCG each had a coach leave for a high-major job within the last three seasons). Paris was 84-71 (43-45 SoCon) in five years at Chattanooga but 65-29 (33-19 SoCon) in the past three. A proven recruiter after being counted on to find talent in his seven years under Bo Ryan and Greg Gard at Wisconsin, Paris also embraced the used of the NCAA transfer portal to build his last team at Chattanooga.
 
AD Mitch Barnhart: Kentucky basketball needs to return to 'championship-level performance'
For almost an hour Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari and radio play-by-play man Tom Leach broke down the implications of UK's shocking season-ending loss to No. 15 seed Saint Peter's. But it was the final seven-minute segment of the Calipari radio show in which athletic director Mitch Barnhart made an appearance that may have been most telling. "We have built the foundational pieces of Kentucky athletics and specifically Kentucky basketball to layer upon layer give us an opportunity to celebrate championship-level performance," Barnhart said. "We need to return to that. Our fans deserve that. I am deeply disappointed, as they are, that we didn't have a chance to experience that this year." The comments were Barnhart's first public assessment of the athletic department's flagship program losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, one year after posting its worst record since the Great Depression. Nothing about Barnhart's comments suggested Calipari is on the hot seat -- his massive buyout essentially assures his job is safe -- but Calipari's boss made it clear expectations are higher than the program's performance the last two years. "We have a responsibility to the tradition, the rich tradition, the history of this program to make sure that we make runs in March and we provide those memories that everybody wants to cling to," Barnhart said. "We'll work diligently to get that done. I lead the department in that way, and our coaches believe that and they carry that banner."



The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
Mississippi State University  •  Mississippi State, MS 39762  •  Main Telephone: (662) 325-2323  •   Contact: The Editor  |  The Webmaster  •   Updated: March 22, 2022Facebook Twitter