| Wednesday, May 4, 2022 |
| Watson wants to shift election responsibilities from Ethics Commission | |
 | Starkville Rotarians packed into a conference room at the Hilton Garden Inn on Monday as Mississippi's Secretary of State Michael Watson spoke about the responsibilities he holds in office. In Mississippi the Secretary of State serves as the chief elections officer for Mississippi, and Watson said when he was elected into office in 2019, he set out to speak to all of the circuit court clerks in all 82 counties in the state. Circuit clerks and election commissioners within each county run the elections the Secretary of State's Office oversees. Watson wanted to learn what works best for the counties and how best to help out those running the local elections. "What's important to know is that (for) elections in Mississippi, we're a bottom-up state," Watson said. "That means the hard work is all done at the local level. Your circuit clerks and your elections commissioners are the ones you really need to focus on. They do the heavy lifting. ... I announced early on in my very first year that we were going to go to all 82 counties and sit down with every clerk and all of the election commissioners because they're the experts. I know about elections, but they run this on a day-to-day basis, so I wanted to know the experts' opinion." |
| Trainer: Tax increase necessary to fix dam | |
| A back-and-forth between two supervisors Monday over funding county lake dam improvements led to District 2's Orlando Trainer saying the previously quiet part out loud: completing the project could mean more burden on the taxpayers. Trainer, presiding over the board meeting in president Bricklee Miller's absence, suggested supervisors support using $1.7 million of its American Rescue Plan Act allocation to assist with the East Oktibbeha Wastewater District's infrastructure expansion down Old Highway 25. The project would qualify for a dollar-for-dollar match from the state's ARPA program, said wastewater district manager Dwight Prisock, with the combination providing almost 70 percent of the expansion's estimated $5 million cost. Supervisors, however, have deemed improvements at the county lake dam as the priority for its $9.6 million ARPA allocation. Estimates for repairing the dam currently stand at $15 million to $17 million. On Monday, Trainer acknowledged funding the wastewater project would siphon ARPA funding from the dam -- money he said the county could replace "from some other source." "I know (the lake) is a priority," Trainer said. "I know it's out there, but right now I think this is low-hanging fruit here that we need to get moving." This drew questions from District 3 Supervisor Marvell Howard, who lives near the lake. |
| Bill Clinton on William Winter: Truly good, great and fun | |
 | Former President Bill Clinton remembered former Mississippi Gov. William Winter on Tuesday as "a person who was truly good, truly great and truly fun." And Clinton said that when he met Elise Winter, he understood how her husband had found happiness in spite of election losses and other setbacks. Clinton, Republican former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Reuben Anderson spoke at an event Tuesday celebrating the Winters' lives. The gathering had been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. The full auditorium included former Govs. Ronnie Musgrove, a Democrat, and Phil Bryant, a Republican; former state Attorney General Jim Hood, a Democrat; current U.S. Reps. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat, and Michael Guest, a Republican; and Reena Evers-Everette, daughter of slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers and his widow and fellow activist, Myrlie Evers. The event was livestreamed from the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum -- separate entities under one roof in downtown Jackson. Winter helped persuade state leaders to build the two museums, which opened in 2017. Barbour said plans originally called for a civil rights museum at Tougaloo College north of Jackson, a historically Black campus that was a haven for the movement in Mississippi. Anderson and Winter came up with the proposal for side-by-side museums near the Capitol, Barbour said. "I am very proud to tell you today that this is the only civil rights museum in the country built primarily with state money," Barbour said. |
| Bill Clinton: William Winter was one of the most authentic people he ever knew | |
 | Virtually every important Southern political figure from the past 40 years made their way into the Two Mississippi Museums in Downtown Jackson on Tuesday to celebrate the lives of former Gov. William Winter and First Lady Elise Winter. Former U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, former Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore, former Governors Phil Bryant and Ronnie Musgrove and national Democratic political consultant James Carville were all on hand to pay tribute to the late couple. Headlining the event, former President Bill Clinton and former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, shared the stage to honor both the Winters as critical figures who helped push Mississippi forward by emphasizing education and building a bridge between races in the late '70s and early '80s. "The ultimate lesson of their lives is that how your lives turn out is largely a function of how you decide to keep score," Clinton said. "If you are keeping score on yourself, you know what the deal is. They kept score truthfully. All I know is that from the minute I met Bill Winter, I never had a scintilla of a doubt that whatever happened in our friendship, whatever happened in our lives, I was with one of the most authentic people I had ever known." |
| President Clinton: William Winter was an 'authentic' leader at pivotal time in state's history | |
 | Former President Bill Clinton remembered William Winter as a rare leader whose legendary work on improving public education and endlessly striving to improve race relations lifted Mississippians up in a way that had generational impacts on the state. "The minute I met Bill Winter, I never had a scintilla of doubt that whatever happened in our friendship, whatever happens in our lives, I was with one of the most authentic people I've ever known," Clinton said during a special even held in Winter's honor, Tuesday in Jackson. "He is who he says he is." Hundreds of public officials, former politicians and admirers gathered inside the auditorium of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum to honor Winter, who served as governor of Mississippi from 1980 to 1984. Clinton, whose stint as governor of Arkansas overlapped with Winter's term as governor of Mississippi, touched on how impressive it was for a Southern governor such as Winter to actively take steps on distancing the state away from vestiges of the Old South. "It was relatively rare for somebody who could actually win to stick his neck out on civil rights," Clinton said. "And to have a good time doing it." The memorial also painted a vivid portrait of what political life and power resembled during the Winter era and harkened back to a time when politicians could be on opposite ends of the political spectrum, yet still pass meaningful legislation. "I thought he was the Democrat who would make the best governor if the state elected another Democrat," former Republican Gov. Haley Barbour said. |
| President Bill Clinton among attendees to honor legacy of William and Elise Winter | |
 | Katie Blount, executive director of the state Department of Archives and History, said that the Two Mississippi Museums "stand at the intersection of Gov. William Winter's three greatest passions: history, education and racial justice." It was at those museums -- the civil rights and history museums in downtown Jackson on Tuesday -- that Mississippi paid its final respects to Winter, the 58th governor and conscience of the state. Winter died in December 2020, a few months before his wife and partner of 70 years, Elise, passed away. Former President Bill Clinton, whose terms as governor of Arkansas partially coincided with Winter's tenure as Mississippi governor in the early 1980s, was among the about 800 on hand Tuesday to honor both the Winters at the Two Mississippi Museums. "We were neighbors and so much more," said Clinton, who at age 75 is about 22 years younger than Winter was when he died. Clinton went on to say that the Winters "had the most unusual balance. They were highly intelligent, highly energetic and openly ambitious and as good as gold because their ambition was for something worth being ambitious about." The Winter family decided not to hold a public service for the Winters during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. But it would have been a tragedy to completely forgo such an event considering the Winters were part of the fabric of Mississippi for more than half of a century. At the event, Spence Flatgard, the current president of the Archives and History Board, which Winter served on for 50 years, announced that $5 million had been raised for the William and Elise Winter Education Endowment to ensure that all children across the state would have an opportunity to tour the Two Mississippi Museums. |
| Wirt Yerger Jr, 'Father' of Mississippi GOP, dies at 92 | |
| A private burial and memorial service was scheduled Wednesday for a man known by many as the father of the Mississippi Republican Party. Wirt Yerger Jr. died Monday at his home in Jackson, Wright and Ferguson Funeral Homes confirmed. He was 92. U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker described Yerger as "a trailblazer for the modern Mississippi Republican Party, who had a vision for what principled, conservative leadership could mean for our state and nation." In a statement, Wicker said he stood on Yerger's shoulders and has benefited "from the foundation he helped to create." "I appreciate his good leadership and will miss his friendship. Gayle and I send our condolences to his family, including his wife, Mary, and their children, as they mourn his loss and celebrate a life well-lived," Wicker said. Yerger, a Jackson native and a graduate of the University of Mississippi, served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force's Strategic Air Command. He later joined Ross & Yerger, Inc., Mississippi's first insurance agency, which had been founded in 1860. according to an obituary provided by the funeral home. He served as state chair of the Republican Party from 1956 to 1966 and was also chairman of the Southern Association of Republican State Chairmen. In 2009, he was named chairman emeritus of the state GOP for his work in building a two-party political system in Mississippi. |
| Capitol Resources restructures for future growth | |
 | Capitol Resources, LLC is restructuring its operations with long-time Capitol Resources partner John Lundy and Capitol Resources lobbyists, Ty Mabry and Susan Butler, starting a new entity called CR Federal to focus solely on federal lobbying efforts. This move will enable further expansion and profitable growth by allowing each entity to focus on core competencies and continue our proven track record of delivering for clients. Capitol Resources founding partner Clare Hester and managing partner Henry Barbour will lead the Capitol Resources effort with operations in nine states and Washington, D.C., along with award-winning sister firm BullsEye Public Affairs focused on corporate and political public affairs work. "John and I have been partners 21 years; it's been an incredible ride," said Hester. "I know CR Federal will have great success, as will our multi-state lobbying and public affairs operation. This year looks like a record year, and we have plans to bring on some terrific new talent to continue to deepen our team to serve our clients across the region." Capitol Resources was founded in 2001 by Hester with Lundy joining her in 2002 and Barbour in 2004. "As you can see from the initials in the company name, CR Federal will continue to work closely with Clare, Henry and the entire team at Capitol Resources," said Lundy. "Susan Butler and Ty Mabry are two of the most talented lobbyists in Washington. We are excited about forming CR Federal and continuing to meet and exceed client needs on Capitol Hill and beyond." |
| Gov. Reeves: Violence in Jackson has been going on far too long | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves is responding after chaos ensued at the Mississippi Mudbug Festival over the weekend when a shooting left five injured and one person dead. During a press conference on Monday afternoon, the governor first thanked law enforcement at the festival before stating that "violence in Jackson has been going on for far too long." "We've got to continue to work to get that under control," he added. Reeves said that it appeared to him that there are people in the community who have "very little regard for human life" and that those people need to be put in jail and stay in jail "for a long, long, long time." Two teenagers involved in the shooting are now facing multiple aggravated assault charges. Both are being charged as adults. One of those teens, Calvin Berry, has an extensive rap sheet, including carjacking, armed robbery, and attempted armed robbery. "This is an opportunity, I hope, for everyone in the capital city to come together and say, 'We're just not gonna allow this in our capital city because we're not going to allow this anywhere in this state or anywhere in this county,'" Reeves stated. Jackson's Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba also addressed the Mudbug shooting on Monday, saying that most instances of violence in Jackson are interpersonal and not random. He also spoke of starting an office for violence prevention and trauma recovery with a $1 million grant from National League of Cities. |
| Former leader of Black Caucus leaving Mississippi House | |
| A Mississippi lawmaker who was a longtime leader in working to remove a Confederate symbol from the state flag said Monday she is stepping down to take a job with an advocacy group. Democratic Rep. Sonya Williams-Barnes of Gulfport said her last day in the state House will be Sunday. The next day, she will begin work as Mississippi policy director for the Southern Poverty Law Center. Williams-Barnes, 53, said the center supports many of the issues she has supported in office, including protection of voting rights and public education. She was first elected in November 2011 and took office in January 2012. "All of the things I have been passionate about as a legislator, I will be able to continue to do," she told The Associated Press. Williams-Barnes said her most rewarding times as a legislator included restoring voting rights for people who had lost them because of disenfranchising crimes. Under Mississippi law, legislators must vote to restore those rights person by person. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves recently vetoed a bill that would have allowed automatic restoration of voting rights for people whose crimes are expunged. |
| What happens next in Mississippi if Roe is overturned by Supreme Court? | |
| A draft opinion showing the U.S. Supreme Court is ready to overturn Roe v. Wade sent polarizing shockwaves across Mississippi on Tuesday, setting up the potential for the state to largely ban abortions from happening inside its borders. Politico on Monday published a draft opinion showing the nation's highest court is ready to strike down decades of precedent to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade. On Tuesday morning, Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the authenticity of the draft, but stressed that the opinion is not final. "It was just a draft opinion, but it's certainly encouraging to see the potential that Roe is going to be overturned and that literally millions and millions of babies can be saved," Republican Gov. Tate Reeves told the Daily Journal. The case that could potentially return abortion laws to individual states stems from a bill that Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, authored in 2018, that banned abortions from taking place after 15 weeks of pregnancy. "I do believe that it's just a shame that we have a leak like that in the Supreme Court," Currie said. "That's devastating. But it's good news for the bill. I always thought it was a good common sense bill. I'm proud to see Mississippi is leading." |
| What's next if Mississippi abortion ruling overturns Roe? | |
| Legislative leaders in Mississippi's long-running efforts to ban abortion were pleased by news the nation's high court appears poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, perturbed by the way the court's decision was leaked, and looking ahead to banning abortion drugs or making other changes. "I am thrilled by the news," said Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven. "I hate how it has come out. I hesitate a little bit on celebrating until we see a full report from the court ... But I think putting it back in the states' hands for individual states to decide is what is best. I think it should have always been that way." Currie in 2018 authored House Bill 1510, a ban on abortions after 15 weeks, which is now before the nation's high court in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. On Monday night, Politico reported it obtained a leaked draft U.S. Supreme Court majority opinion that would overturn the 49-year-old landmark Roe v. Wade abortion rights decision and allow states to regulate -- or ban -- abortions. It would appear the decades-long push by conservative lawmakers in Mississippi is nearly won. But Currie and Sen. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, another anti-abortion advocate, said there would likely still be work for the Republican supermajority state Legislature. Both said they would focus on banning abortion-inducing drugs. "Depending on the outcome from the court, and if in fact abortions are outlawed in Mississippi, then the issue of chemical abortions, with drugs being overnighted from out of state, would certainly be fair game to address," Fillingane said. |
| Abortion clinic at center of Mississippi case may move to N.M. if Roe is overturned | |
 | Shannon Brewer, the director of Mississippi's only abortion clinic, said she is prepared to move to New Mexico if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Brewer, the director of the Jackson Women's Health Organization, the clinic at the center of the case currently before the Supreme Court, emphasized in an interview on Tuesday -- her first remarks since a leaked draft opinion was revealed -- that the facility will continue operating as usual in the wake of the draft suggesting its days could be numbered. But Brewer said she's also making a plan for how she can continue providing abortion access to women -- potentially in New Mexico -- if the Jackson clinic, known as the "Pink House," is forced to close or cut back its services. "Our plans are to open a facility in New Mexico," she said. "We've been calling it the Pink House West just to let people know we're still here for them, and we're still going to fight for women regardless." Brewer was in an airport Monday evening with Diane Derzis, the owner of the clinic, when Derzis showed her a news report about the draft opinion leaking. "It was like, 'here we go,'" Brewer said. Many of the patients who come to the Jackson facility are already parents and are living in poverty. Brewer said that the choice of when to have children may be placed further out of reach for women who are already struggling if Roe is overturned. |
| 'Much work yet to be done': Mississippi demonstrators plan to fight for abortion access | |
| Derenda Hancock donned a multi-colored vest and stood with colleagues to help patients drive into the Jackson Women's Health Organization, Mississippi's one remaining abortion provider. She looked out at the road next to the clinic, commonly referred to as the Pink House, where on any given morning, at least half a dozen pro-life demonstrators carry signs and try to approach cars entering or leaving the parking lot. On Tuesday morning, there were three people, which is less than Hancock and others expected after a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion indicating the court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade was made public Monday night by Politico. The landmark 1973 decision establishes the constitutional right to abortion. "I'm going to hold on to hope things could still change," said Hancock, the co-organizer of the Pink House Defenders, a group of volunteers who help escort people safely into the clinic. "It's not set in stone." The draft Supreme Court decision not only indicates that the Supreme Court may decide to overturn Roe v. Wade but also its companion decision Casey vs. Planned Parenthood. The latter reaffirmed the constitutional right to abortion care. In the draft decision, Associate Justice Samuel Alito stated, "Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives." The Supreme Court verified the authenticity of the leak on Tuesday but said it did not represent a final decision by the court, according to USA Today. |
| Roberts investigation could make the Supreme Court very uncomfortable | |
 | Now that Chief Justice John Roberts has ordered an investigation into the breach of an initial draft majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, what happens next is a total mystery. There are virtually no precedents for Roberts' plans to identify the 98-page document's path from the high court to the pages of POLITICO, a disclosure he termed a "betrayal" of the institution's trust. Supreme Court leak controversies have occasionally sparked national intrigue and even calls for federal investigations, but those calls haven't resulted in any significant investigation. "We are very much in uncharted territory here," said Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the law school at the University of California at Berkeley. "Never before, to my knowledge, has a Supreme Court opinion been leaked like this. So never before has there been an investigation like this." While Roberts indicated he has authorized the marshal of the Supreme Court to investigate the breach of Justice Samuel Alito's draft opinion, he offered no details about how the inquiry would proceed. What's even less clear is whether the probe will include a criminal element. While Republicans called for federal prosecutors and the FBI to get involved, many legal experts said the disclosure, no matter how shocking, was unlikely to amount to a crime. Government leaks are rarely prosecuted, with the exception of unauthorized disclosures of classified information. The culprit would be likelier to face professional consequences, such as firing and disbarment rather than prosecution, they say. |
| GOP primaries could signal direction of party's earmarks stance | |
 | Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., secured nearly $11.6 million in earmarked projects for his constituents in the March omnibus appropriations law, from streetscape improvements in Gillespie to a new nursing school facility at Millikin University in Decatur. Davis didn't issue any press releases touting his influence. And he ultimately voted against those projects, under an arcane procedure House leaders used allowing Republicans to vote for defense and security-related components of the fiscal 2022 package, including aid to Ukraine, but against nondefense and social spending. Davis' quiet success bringing home earmarks -- which House Democrats have renamed "community project funding" -- comes as he's locked in a primary battle against Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., after being forced to compete in the same district under their state's new map. Miller, by contrast, is a Freedom Caucus member backed by former President Donald Trump and the lone member of the Illinois delegation not to request earmarks last year. The Illinois race isn't the only GOP-against-GOP primary pitting an earmarker against a Trump-backed opponent who eschewed the practice. The primaries have implications for the future of earmarks, which might have a short shelf life if Republicans win the midterms and take back control of the House. While earmarks themselves have not emerged as an issue in either primary thus far, the results of the primaries could reflect which direction the party is trending, with voters choosing between lawmakers who can point to projects they secured and Trump-endorsed representatives who object to earmarked spending. |
| Vance wins Ohio Senate primary, handing Trump key victory | |
 | J.D. Vance was projected to win Ohio's GOP Senate primary Tuesday, scoring the nomination after a brutal race and handing former President Trump a key victory after a late endorsement. The Associated Press called the race at shortly after 9:30 p.m. ET. Vance, the author of "Hillbilly Elegy," won over a crowded field packed with Trump allies, including former state Treasurer Josh Mandel, investment banker Mike Gibbons and former Ohio GOP Chairwoman Jane Timken. He will go on to face Rep. Tim Ryan (D) in the November general election to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R). In his victory speech, Vance praised each of his main primary rivals by name and looked to pivot toward the general election. "Now, the party that we need to unify to fight Tim Ryan, it's our Republican Party, ladies and gentlemen. It is the party of working people all across the state of Ohio, and it needs to fight, and it needs to win," Vance said. Vance had cast himself as a stalwart supporter of Trump but struggled for much of the race to break out of the middle of the primary pack, an effort made more difficult by the fact that several of the candidates were running on largely similar platforms. A public relations blitz by his opponents highlighting his criticism of Trump in 2016 is also believed to have kept Vance's numbers stagnant for much of the race. However, Vance scored a major coup in mid-April when the former president endorsed him, providing an eleventh-hour jolt on Good Friday and the first night of Passover less than three weeks before election day. That endorsement was seen as a key test of Trump's strength within the GOP and of his ability to play kingmaker. |
| Tupelo family could face staggering medical bills because of UMMC, Blue Cross split | |
| When Ryleigh Wright of Tupelo turned 3 years old, her mother, Charlotte, grew concerned that she was too tall for her age. Following a visit to the pediatrician, the Wrights were referred to Children's of Mississippi, a Tupelo-based clinic associated with the University of Mississippi Medical Center's (UMMC) pediatric hospital. Around age 6, Ryleigh was diagnosed with central precocious puberty (CPP), which causes the body to mature sooner than expected. Besides that condition, Ryleigh has an underdeveloped optic nerve for which she sees a pediatric ophthalmologist four times per year. For years, the Wrights have been making regular visits to the Tupelo clinic, along with trips to the Jackson location every three months for costly injections. Until April 1, the family's insurance through Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi (BCBS) largely covered the cost of these treatments for Ryleigh, now 11. But the ongoing rift between UMMC and BCBS could mean Northeast Mississippians like the Wrights will face increased out-of-pocket costs or be forced to seek care from other providers. If the family had to pay for a year of Ryleigh's doctor visits out-of-pocket, it would amount to about $60,000 in medical bills, Charlotte Wright said. Her daughter receives MRIs, CAT scans and sees an eye doctor regularly for CPP and her vision problems. For now, at least, the Wright family won't have to worry about unexpected expenses. On April 18, the family received a letter from UMMC approving continuity of care for Ryleigh through June 30, 2022. While the family has a three-month reprieve from worrying about out-of-pocket medical bills, the letter said patients "may be responsible for the full bill for items or services provided by UMMC, less applicable UMMC discounts." |
| Deloitte, foundation endow $1.5M UM accountancy chair | |
| Professional services firm Deloitte and its foundation are expanding support of the University of Mississippi Patterson School of Accountancy with a gift of $1.5 million to establish the Deloitte Foundation Chair of Accountancy. The new chair is funded by contributions from Deloitte partners, principals, managing directors and employees who are UM graduates, coupled with Deloitte Foundation matching gifts. With this addition, the School of Accountancy has eight endowed chairs, two endowed professorships and one endowed lectureship. Establishing the Deloitte Foundation Chair of Accountancy provides the school the resources it needs to appoint a "nationally recognized scholar to this new position," said Barry Atkins, of Memphis, managing director at Deloitte & Touche LLP and a 1987 UM accountancy graduate. "Faculty members are a key driver in preparing students for the future of work and the profession," Atkins said. "I have fond memories of many professors at Ole Miss. The impact they had on me, my college experience and my career was immense. I am proud of the Deloitte UM alumni who, by virtue of this gift, are helping attract and retain top educators teaching the next generation of business leaders." |
| Love of word puzzles leads Texas A&M graduate to 'Wheel of Fortune' | |
 | Texas A&M graduate Laura Masor took the stage on "Wheel of Fortune" in April, and said it was a lifelong dream. "I always wanted to be on 'Wheel of Fortune' because I love word puzzles," she said. "I have always loved crossword puzzles, and of course I was excited at the potential to win money." The 40-year-old Houston native won $6,000 on the April 27 show. Her love of words and the show started at a young age, she said, and the COVID-19 pandemic motivated her to pursue this longtime goal. She applied twice in 2021, and got notification in January. Masor lives in Grover Beach, California, and works as a plant breeder at Ball Horticulture Company of Chicago. She moved from Texas to California in 2016 after she graduated from A&M. "I miss Texas very much," she said. "My family was really proud of me [on the show] and my Aggie family had a watch party for me in Houston and that was really sweet." In 2010, she graduated with a horticulture degree from Sam Houston State University, and went to A&M for her master's degree in plant breeding, graduating in 2012. She received her doctorate from A&M in molecular and environmental plant sciences. Masor said as the show taping approached, she was watching it every night to prepare, and purchased a Nintendo Switch to play word games to sharpen her skills. "I played the 'Wheel of Fortune' app all the time, and I played the game Wordle a bunch," she said. "I have always enjoyed the English language and words." |
| How U. of Missouri is developing middle school lesson resources combining science, math and literacy | |
 | University of Missouri professors are using a $1.25 million National Institutes of Health grant to develop resources to help middle school teachers combine literacy, science and math for their students. Previous versions of the grant combined literacy and science, but math is the new component of the grant. Jeannie Sneller, a middle school teacher in the South Callaway School District in Mokane, has used the existing resources for the past four years and piloted the math component with a math teacher. "Our students need help understanding graphs and understanding the scientific data," Sneller said of the inclusion of math. They developed a series of math lessons that require students to use science, literacy and math skills to examine evidence related to claims that are made, Sneller said. The students looked at evidence of harmful effects of vaping and the conflicting claims of manufacturers in advertising, she said. "One thing my students took away from this is how we can be wiser consumers," Sneller said. MU provides resource "scaffolds" around an anchor text, Sneller said. She can select among the resources that help students understand the anchor texts. She described in terms of choosing from a box of chocolates. The resources may include infographics, videos, music, podcasts, art, cartoons or other choices. "I meet them where they are and take them from there," Sneller said. |
| U. of Missouri building demolition begins as the spring semester ends | |
 | When students return to MU next fall, the campus may seem smaller. The university plans to demolish nine buildings as well as other structures, some of which are already being prepared to be torn down as the spring semester comes to a close. In March 2021, University of Missouri officials announced that eight buildings spanning across campus will be torn down in a move expected to save millions of dollars in operating and maintenance costs. Another building was added to the list in January. The process has already begun for two of the buildings and will be completed in the fall. Workers have already fenced off London Hall and Loeb Hall. Both demolitions are expected to be finished by October, MU spokesperson Christian Basi said in an email. The demolition of these buildings is part of the Space Reduction and Strategic Relocation Plan as announced in March 2021. With this plan, MU's goal is to reduce the presence of buildings by 750,000 gross square feet by 2023. The current plan is to turn the land where the buildings are into green space, Basi said. It is estimated that the first phase of this plan -- not including Mizzou North's demolition -- will save MU more than $93.7 million in repair and maintenance work and more than $2.5 million in annual operating costs, as stated in a news release. |
| Transfer student enrollment continued to fall last year | |
 | Transfer student enrollment rates decreased by 6.9 percent over last year, according to a new study by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Combined with the previous year, total transfer enrollment has declined by about 16 percent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the study's most significant findings is the steep drop in upward-transfer enrollment from two- to four-year institutions, which fell by 11.6 percent this spring, a sharp increase over the 1.3 percent decline from fall 2020 to spring 2021. Upward transfers -- students moving from two-year to four-year programs -- are the most common student transfer pathways, comprising nearly half of all transfers in 2019. Mikyung Ryu, the clearinghouse's director of research publications, said that while she expected the downward trend in upward-transfer enrollment to continue, she didn't expect it to drop so far or so fast. "We're looking at a double-digit decline over one year," she said. "I've never seen that kind of decline in my adult career." Ed Venit, managing director of student success research at EAB, an education consulting firm, said he was alarmed but not surprised by the huge percentage drop in upward-transfer enrollment. "A massive enrollment contraction in the two-year college space should lead to a big impact on four-year transfers," he said. "A year ago, we didn't see that reflected in the data. We were kind of waiting for the shoe to drop, and the shoe is now dropping." |
| U.S. military should match rhetoric with action to help minority institutions, report says | |
| A new report takes the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to task for chronically underfunding researchers at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other schools with large underrepresented student enrollments---and for failing to deliver on its repeated promises to do more. Funding from DOD for these institutions has remained essentially flat over the past decade "despite legislation and departmental efforts with the stated intent" of growing that pot, says the report, released on 28 April by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). "There is a clear disconnect between the expressed encouragement by Congress and DoD to increase participation of [minority-serving institutions] in defense-funded research and the resources allocated." DOD trails other federal agencies in funding research at minority-serving institutions (MSIs), according to data collected by the NASEM committee. HBCUs received just 0.4% of the $6.6 billion DOD spent on basic research in 2019, the report notes, compared with 0.9% of the research pie at the Department of Energy and NASA and 0.8% of all federal research dollars. The report recommends that DOD "meet or exceed" what other agencies are doing. Simply giving more research dollars to HBCUs is only part of the solution, however. The report says DOD officials must also find ways to level the playing field for HBCU faculty members who apply for grants. Those scientists now face obstacles that include heavy teaching loads, inadequate lab space and equipment, and a dearth of administrative support for submitting proposals and complying with the terms of any awarded grants. |
| 'Uncharted Territory': What the Overturn of Roe v. Wade Could Mean for Colleges | |
 | The news had been anticipated, but it was still jarring. The U.S. Supreme Court will vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, the almost half-century-old legal precedent that established access to abortion as protected by the Constitution, according to a draft opinion that was leaked to Politico and published on Monday night. The justices are slated to issue their final ruling on the relevant case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, this summer. If it strikes down Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the 1992 case that largely reaffirmed it, more than a dozen states would quickly criminalize abortion and a dozen others would follow. Many institutions in those states, including colleges, would be left scrambling to adapt. As instructors already report striking levels of disenchantment among students -- some of it due to life events getting in the way of education -- abortion restrictions could, in some cases, add more complications to tumultuous private lives. Medical schools could be left puzzled about what they're allowed to teach. And, in the years to come, colleges may find themselves struggling to attract top talent as professors balk at moving to states with aggressive abortion laws on the books. If Roe is overturned, some effects on higher education will be immediate while others will take time. One possible result would be the alienation of red-state colleges that compete for top talent. That trend is already happening. In the last year, some states have enacted laws prohibiting certain speech in college classrooms. Several states in the Southeast have just this year weakened public colleges' tenure protections. Moves like these have left faculty and staff members wondering whether they want to consider either staying on campuses in Republican-dominated states, or choosing them. |
| Biden Weighs Forgiving Some Student Debt for Those Who Earn Less Than $125,000 a Year | |
 | President Biden is considering limiting student loan forgiveness to borrowers who make less than $125,000 a year, according to the White House, as the Biden administration nears a decision on an issue that could affect millions of Americans and reverberate in the coming midterm elections. "The president talked back on the campaign about...looking at steps to help people making less than $125,000 a year, so that is the frame through which he's making considerations at this point," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Tuesday. Student loan forgiveness of any kind is likely to anger Republicans and some moderate Democrats. Progressive groups and some liberal Democrats, meanwhile, have urged Mr. Biden to go further, calling for greater debt cancellation for more borrowers. Senior Biden administration officials and the president's outside advisers have been debating policy options for months, people familiar with the deliberations said. Some of the president's advisers have privately raised concerns about the legality of taking executive action on the issue and the potential backlash from people who have paid off their loans, never took on debt or don't believe the government should step in to help current borrowers. Other advisers have stressed to the president that debt forgiveness would provide an economic boost to low-income and minority borrowers, adding that the issue is popular with young voters, who Democrats will need in the coming midterm elections. |
| Why Talk of Student-Debt Cancellation Is Creating Headaches for Colleges | |
| After years stuck in limbo, the idea of widespread federal-student-loan cancellation has suddenly picked up momentum over the past week. But with the details yet to be determined, colleges are struggling to explain to current students what debt forgiveness could mean. Meanwhile, some advocates remain concerned that the national discussion has not included ways to solve student debt on a more structural level for future students and borrowers. "Forgiveness by presidential fiat is not sustainable or good public policy," said Justin Draeger, president and chief executive of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, whose members have been dealing with a deluge of questions from students and their families about whether they might be eligible for student-loan forgiveness. While targeted loan forgiveness is welcome news for today's borrowers, Draeger said, it does nothing to help next year's. "Loan forgiveness has to come with rethinking some of our national student-loan policies," he said. "I see very little on that. That's where the rubber meets the road for institutions, for financial-aid offices." Biden said on Thursday that he expects to take action in the next couple of weeks. For now, however, campus staff members are having to muddle through uncertainty. |
| When Student Loan Debt Paused, These Borrowers Kept Paying | |
| Rather than skipping payments during the Biden administration's student-loan freeze, a small but committed percentage of borrowers chose to keep paying anyway. As of December 2021, 1.2% of borrowers continued paying down loans, said Mark Kantrowitz, a student loan expert. Mr. Kantrowitz's estimate is based on repayment data released by the Education Department. The student-loan pause was a pandemic-relief measure that began in March 2020, and which President Biden recently extended through the end of August. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York estimates that borrowers skipped nearly $200 billion in payments during this period. The two-plus years of optional, interest-free payments allowed these borrowers to put a dent in their loans. Some managed to wipe out their debt entirely. Heather Hamilton, a search engine optimization specialist in Denver, originally took out a mix of private and federal student loans to pay for her two degrees, a bachelor's in kinesiology and a master's in applied health science, both from Indiana University. The 1.2% figure might seem small, Mr. Kantrowitz said, but given the enormous number of student loan borrowers -- nearly 43 million as of 2021 -- that means nearly half a million people continued making some payments even as policy makers in Washington debate the possibility of student loan forgiveness. In February 2022, she was able to eliminate her private education loans entirely, which she did in one extra-large payment. She credits the achievement to the financial latitude afforded her by the pause. "The pandemic, as unfortunate as it was, turned things around for me with the freeze," Ms. Hamilton said. "It gave me a chance to get ahead instead of feeling like I was just constantly making the minimum payment." |
| More adventures along Jesus Trail | |
| Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: Looking from the top of Nazareth at 1,200 feet elevation down toward the Sea of Galilee, at minus 700 feet elevation, I could at least console myself with the fact that the next 40 miles would be somewhat downhill. Getting to the top of Nazareth with a pack on my back for the first time in 37 years left my heart pounding at the maximum rate for a 63 year old (which isn't that fast.) I felt no chest pain, I thought, so at least my arteries can be presumed clear. It is amazing that your body has a natural governor. Every year you age, your max heart rate goes down, keeping you from overtaxing your aging heart. Amazing! That morning I had my own miracle, waking up in Nazareth, Jesus' hometown, on Good Friday. I put on one of my two shirts, each of which was carefully selected for hiking sturdiness only to find both sleeves cleanly ripped at the elbows. The rips were both exactly the same and were in an exact straight line, encircling half the sleeve on both sides. "What happened to your shirt," my hiking companion Jeff asked. Without a seconds' pause my mind thought about the ripping of the temple curtain, right down the middle, the moment Jesus gave up his spirit. "It's the miracle I was expecting," I answered. "And I got it almost right away." Jeff scoffed, as my friends did later as I described the event. You may be scoffing as you read this. |
| Ignoring bad things no example for nation | |
| Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford writes: "Nation should follow Mississippi's conservative example," read the headline in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal for a guest column written by Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Frank Bourdeaux. Extoling Gov. Tate Reeves and the Republican legislative leaders, the article highlights some good things happening in Mississippi. Just what you would expect from a political party leader. Of course, he didn't tell the whole story, ignoring bad things, those examples the nation would not want to follow. This is my favorite hyperbole from the article, "While those in Democrat-run states and municipalities continue to face debilitating shutdowns and mandates, conservative-led states -- including Mississippi -- are rising to the occasion and producing real results for their citizens." Interestingly, data published by Wallet Hub shows Republican-led states far more dependent upon federal spending than Democrat-led states, with Mississippi the second most dependent behind Alaska. Also, while our state economy has grown, unemployment has dropped, and new capital investment has surged, as Bourdeaux highlighted, average annual wages remain the lowest in the nation and grew at a rate 20% slower than the nation as a whole. That leaves Mississippi still with the highest poverty rate of all states with one in every five persons below the poverty line and one in every four on Medicaid. We also still have the nation's lowest workforce participation rate. No mention was made of our dismal overall health rankings, limited access to health care, terrible infant mortality rate and high number of uninsured persons. |
| Reeves ignores racist history of state's felony voting ban with vetoes | |
| Bobby Harrison writes for Mississippi Today: Gov. Tate Reeves has been vocal in his opposition to the teaching of critical race theory and his support of the nation's and state's "patriotic" history. Critical race theory, normally taught at the college level, explores the impact of race on various aspects of society. Opponents, though, say critical race theory is an effort to divide the country along racial lines. While opposing critical race theory, the Republican Reeves has long advocated for the teaching of "patriotic" history or history that portrays the state and nation in a positive light. Reeves, a self-proclaimed "numbers guy" who worked in banking and finance before entering politics in his late 20s, offered a history lesson recently when vetoing a bill that would ensure people whose felony convictions were expunged would regain their right to vote. "Felony disenfranchisement is an animating principle of the social contract at the heart of every great republic dating back to the founding of ancient Greece and Rome," Reeves wrote in his veto message. "In America, such laws date back to the colonies and the eventual founding of our Republic. Since statehood, in one form or another, Mississippi law has recognized felony disenfranchisement. Granted, the loss of voting rights for those convicted of felonies was once common in America. But most states -- at least 40 of them -- now restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies at some point after they complete their sentence. And perhaps people convicted of felonies in ancient Rome and Greece also lost their voting rights. Perhaps, a question for the governor is whether the slaves in ancient Rome and Greece could vote. |
| Title 42 and immigration politics: What the issue means to Mississippi | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: The latest skirmish in the nation's highly partisan, often logically erratic fight over the broad topic of immigration is being fought over the Biden administration's plan to rescind an obscure public health law written 78 years ago to stop the spread of communicable diseases like tuberculosis. Title 42, part of the 1944 Public Health Service Act, was never intended to be the cornerstone of major immigration enforcement in the country. The law gave the federal government the emergency power to stop "the introduction of communicable diseases" by migrants entering the U.S. -- and to expel migrants without regard to their attempts to legally seek asylum as a public health necessity. In 2020, the Trump Administration dusted off Title 42 to help the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic as cases soared. But it soon became evident that COVID-19 was not the only concern driving the use of Title 42. The old federal code has been used now some 1.7 million times to keep migrants from entering the U.S. Both the Trump and Biden administrations used Title 42 as little more than border control measures. While Trump supporters expected nothing less from the guy who pledged to "build the wall" on the southern border, Biden soon came under fire from his supporters for failing to drop Title 42 enforcement by Customs and Border Protection. The flap is already an issue in the coming midterm elections and has weakened an already shaky Biden push for a second term. Mississippi's Republican U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are both warning of dire consequences and a surge of undocumented immigrants if Title 42 is lifted. |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs' Williams named SEC's top scholar-athlete | |
| Mississippi State football wide receiver Austin Williams has been named the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The award, which includes a $20,000 post-graduate scholarship, is considered the highest academic honor presented by the Southeastern Conference to one of its member athletes. LSU track and field athlete Lisa Gunnarsson was named the women's winter. Williams, a redshirt senior from Ocean Springs, already holds an undergraduate degree in business administration/finance and a master's in business administration. As he continues his football career with the extra season made available by the NCAA because of COVID-19, Williams is working on a third degree. He has maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout his time in Starkville. Williams has appeared in 50 games with 1,245 yards and 12 touchdowns. Perhaps the most impressive asset for Williams on the field is his reliability. According to data compiled by Pro Football Focus he has the lowest "drop rate" among SEC wide receivers since 2019 of less than 1 percent of passes thrown to him. |
| Home run or bust: For Mississippi State baseball, long balls belie offensive struggles | |
| Hunter Hines wowed the crowd at Missouri's Taylor Stadium on Sunday. The Mississippi State freshman hammered a 2-1 pitch from the Tigers' Austin Troesser well over the right-field wall and down the hill sloping away from the ballpark. Hines' home run left his bat at 113 miles per hour and was measured at an estimated distance of 473 feet. It put MSU up 3-0 before Missouri even came to bat. But the Bulldogs didn't score for the next four innings. The Tigers took the lead in the fifth and walked it off in the ninth for a 7-6 win. For a Mississippi State team struggling to climb the Southeastern Conference standings, Sunday's game (and the series loss it led to) seemed like a microcosm of the 2022 season. Once again, MSU had plenty of power -- but not much else. Through 45 games so far -- 25 wins and 20 losses -- the Bulldogs sit tied for seventh among all NCAA Division I teams in home runs entering Tuesday. Mississippi State has gone deep 83 times already, and four of its players have homered 12 or more times. But the Bulldogs' other offensive statistics paint a picture of a team too reliant on the long ball to manage consistent success at the plate. Coach Chris Lemonis has preached all season keeping the ball in the middle of the field rather than driving it out of the park, and his hitters haven't always been able to manage that. |
| How can Mississippi State baseball make an NCAA regional in 2022? | |
| Mississippi State baseball doesn't have the numbers to make a case for an NCAA regional bid. RPI: No. 88. Record vs. RPI top 50: 5-11. Strength of non-conference schedule: No. 249. Troubling times have hit Starkville less than a year removed from Mississippi State's first national championship. An MSU team celebrated unlike many others is inching closer to taking an unfortunate title from the 2017 Coastal Carolina team -- the last reigning champion to miss a regional the following season. But if Mississippi State (25-20, 9-12 SEC) can show something it hasn't this season, not all hope is lost. The final month for the Bulldogs is gruesome, but it's filled with opportunity. "We still have a lot in front of us," coach Chris Lemonis said on his radio show Monday. "We've gotta come out and be ready to go. We control our own destiny." Two of Mississippi State's remaining three series are at Dudy Noble Field. The first is against struggling Florida. Florida (25-18, 8-13) is a game behind Mississippi State in the conference standings, has a team batting average only better than South Carolina's and has been without its top pitcher Hunter Barco since April 15. The Gators are still maintaining a top-20 RPI despite dropping two of their previous three SEC series. A series win for Mississippi State is mandatory, and a sweep is highly encouraged. It'll likely come down to the Bulldogs' starting pitching being great instead of their typical good. "In our ballpark, we've seemed to pitch a little bit better," Lemonis said. "So, let's hope that goes well this weekend." |
| How Scott Berry's first trip to Southern Miss inspired his road to all-time winningest coach | |
| Scott Berry remembers it well, his first trip to Hattiesburg. He was in his second season as a volunteer assistant coach at Southwest Missouri State -- where he had also served as both a student assistant and a grad assistant -- and on the verge of total disenchantment. A 27-year-old starting to wonder whether a career in baseball was still in the cards. "It didn't look like things were going to happen for me," he said. Then, on March 27, 1990, Berry had his first encounter with Southern Miss. Southwest Missouri State came to town and beat the Golden Eagles 11-9. Pete Taylor Park, which opened in 1984, was in its infancy. John Cox, still the school's play-by-play radio broadcaster today, called the game from behind a protective screen next to the home dugout. Bleacher seating was almost non-existent as the stadium was in the process of being renovated. Permanent facilities to house the concession area and restrooms were still months away from completion. "But I just loved it," Berry said. "The warm weather. The pine trees. The backdrop. Everything about this park. I remember leaving here and thinking, 'Man, if I ever get a chance, this is where I want to coach.'" A decade later, Berry got his wish when Corky Palmer -- who'd hired him at Meridian Community College just months after his introduction to Hattiesburg -- brought him to Southern Miss. In 2009, Berry succeeded Palmer as head coach and, on Sunday, he became the all-time winningest coach in school history. |
| Deion Sanders Says NIL Is 'Becoming Free Agency,' Hurting Lower-Funded Schools | |
| As NIL deals take over college football and usher in a new era, even those who offer full-fledged support of players being able to capitalize on their earning power have expressed some concerns about its impact. The latest to weigh in on the topic? Hall of Famer and Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders. Speaking to Carl Reed of 247Sports, Sanders said he was glad that players have avenues to make money beyond their scholarships, but said the current structure hurts smaller schools because they may not have the same funding some of the nation's bigger programs have. "It's becoming free agency, real free agency, and if you don't have it (money), you're not going to be able to compete," Sanders said. "It's just another way, to me, to keep the schools that don't have the proper funding down." Sanders has spent the past two seasons as Jackson State's head coach. After a pandemic-shortened 2020, he guided the Tigers to an 11–2 record and SWAC championship last season. In discussing how he views NIL possibilities in regards to his program, Sanders said he did not plan to place a large emphasis on it. "First of all, I'm not giving a kid nothing like that," Sanders said, referring to the reported large deals that players at bigger schools have acquired. "I want you to focus on the NFL, not the NIL. You ball out, and you prepare yourself for the NFL. If you get comfortable when you've already got (NIL money), I mean, come on. How hungry are you gonna be to go out there and work and go get it?" |
| Memphis launches NIL marketplace following change to Tennessee law | |
| The University of Memphis is staying in virtual lockstep with the warp speed evolution of the collegiate athletics landscape in Tennessee. On April 20, Gov. Bill Lee signed an amendment aimed at further loosening NIL restrictions on colleges and universities. It clears the way for coaches -- and all school employees -- to attend NIL events, fundraise for NIL collectives and for NIL representatives to make presentations on campus to recruits and players. In other words, NIL dealings between supporters, coaches and athletes must no longer be strictly confined to a third-party medium. On Tuesday, the Memphis athletics department announced the launch of its official NIL marketplace, which will be powered by the school's current partner, Opendorse, an NIL readiness company. Touted as a more streamlined avenue for fans, donors, brands and sponsors to browse, book, pitch and pay Tigers athletes for NIL activities, Memphis is one of the first schools in the country to offer a program of this kind. "Think of it as more of a shopping experience," said Bridget Perine, Memphis' student-athlete branding and image coordinator. Perine, hired in February, is believed to be among the first few full-time staff members at Division I institutions whose primary responsibilities revolve around NIL matters. |
| 'It's not going away': NIL, transfer portal top topics at meeting of NCAA conference leaders | |
 | This week, Scottsdale, Arizona, is home to conversations that may help chart the course for the near future of college athletics. Commissioners, athletic directors and coaches from four conferences -- the Big Ten, Pac-12, Big 12 and Mountain West -- are holding discussions regarding changes including name, image and likeness and the rise of the transfer portal as the college sports landscape continues to shift. "One thing that was brought up to me yesterday is, 'What's it like to be a first-year head coach?'" Oregon head football coach Dan Lanning told The Arizona Republic. "I think one thing that's unique is that everyone's a first-year head coach in this environment." NIL and the transfer portal were two of the matters addressed during the Big 12's meeting, Baylor head football coach Dave Aranda said. Todd Berry, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association, added that some of the main topics in each conference's meeting include scholarship limits, the transfer portal window and the recruiting calendar. ESPN reported Tuesday that the AFCA is advocating for two time frames in which players can enter the transfer portal. |
| NCAA aims to crack down on boosters disguising 'pay for play' as name, image and likeness payments | |
| Within the coming weeks, the NCAA plans to crack down on boosters who are funding name, image and likeness payments to athletes, payments the association says are violations of long-standing NCAA rules. NCAA Council chairman Shane Lyons told CBS Sports the association's ruling body is motivated to push back against what is becoming a burgeoning scandal of disguised "pay for play" in college athletics. "How are they having conversations [with athletes]? They're boosters," Lyons said Tuesday during the Fiesta Summit, a series of conference spring meetings. "We've never let boosters be involved in the recruiting process. Where did it go off the tracks? ... The collectives are boosters." Those collectives -- of which some estimate there may be more than 100 -- emerged as an unintended consequence of what has basically become unchecked NIL benefits. The heads of some of the larger collectives are well known to both coaches and administrators. John Ruiz Jr. is a billionaire alumnus who leads a University of Miami collective and has become the face the NIL collective issue. he is also an attorney, the son of Cuban immigrants who attended Miami when its football dynasty took shape in the 1980s. "My platform is very consistent with all the rules with NCAA and state law," Ruiz told CBS Sports. "We probably have a more robust compliance system than the schools or the NCAA itself. I'm extremely comfortable. This is totally kosher. We have legitimate companies." Ruiz has not heard from the NCAA regarding his NIL sponsorships since launching his collective earlier this year. |
| 'Just throwing ideas out,' Ohio State AD Gene Smith proposes FBS leagues operate under umbrella of the College Football Playoff with their own rules | |
| With the collegiate landscape in the midst of sweeping changes and uncertainties, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith on Tuesday proposed the 10 FBS conferences operate under the umbrella of the College Football Playoff with their own rules and structure while the NCAA continues to host championships for basketball and Olympic sports. Smith, who said he was "just throwing ideas out" in a brief interview with ESPN at the Big Ten spring meetings, said the schools that offer 85 scholarships "need different rules." He said they could create minimum standards for membership. "We [can] create our own rules, create our own governance structure, have our own enforcement, we have our own requirements, whatever that might be," Smith said. " ... That might be in the medical space, for example, if a student-athlete is injured and hurt in his or her senior year. You take care of them when they're done until they're healed. And we have the funding in place to do that. You don't touch anything else with the NCAA. You keep the academic requirements in place. The reality is, those schools who offer 85 scholarships in football have made a different commitment and that needs to be addressed." mith said he's shared the idea with some of his peers and has received mixed reviews. His suggestion comes at a time when the NCAA and Big 12 are both searching for new leaders, the NCAA is restructuring its entire governance and weighty issues like name, image and likeness and the transfer portal have dominated discussions here. |
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