| Friday, May 20, 2022 |
| New Grant Library head shines light on president's true legacy | |
 | Ulysses S. Grant is more of a Bulldog than you think. During the Civil War, an editorial cartoon portrayed the general -- then taking it on the chin in Virginia -- as a tenacious bulldog. As U.S. Grant Presidential Library Executive Director Anne Marshall tells the story, the similarity in monikers was only the beginning of why Grant's presidential library belongs at Mississippi State University. Mississippi, after all, helped make Grant's career, she said. "Grant saved the Union, while Mississippi was among the first to secede from it," she said. "His most brilliant and definitive victory came at Vicksburg in 1863. ... After the war, he was largely responsible for crushing the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi and (was responsible for) the federal presence to enforce the Reconstruction amendments." Although Grant has clear historical ties to the state, bringing his papers and artifacts to MSU was a bit circuitous, she said. The collection started off as a pet project of John Simon, a historian at Southern Illinois University. When he retired, the university didn't want to support the collection. John Marszalek, a retired history professor at MSU, stepped in. "He thought MSU would be a great place to house the collection, and in 2009 he approached incoming MSU President Mark Keenum," she said. "(Keenum) jumped on the opportunity immediately." The collection came to MSU in 2009, where it was housed in a single gallery on the ground floor of the Mitchell Memorial Library. Three years later, the collection was designated as a presidential library, making MSU one of only six universities to house one. Shortly after that, the university built a $10 million facility added to the fourth floor of the library. The Grant library now sprawls across 21,000 square feet, and is the largest single collection of the general's papers in the world. |
| Governor Reeves signs anti-animal cruelty measure dubbed 'Buddy's Law' | |
 | Governor Tate Reeves signed legislation Thursday in honor of a dog that was burned and severely injured by a 12-year-old in April of last year. The two to three-year-old pup, Buddy, was forced into intense veterinary treatment, including skin grafts, after the child set him on fire. "We are finally able to uncover his face. As you can see, he is completely healed. His personality is intact, and he loves people," Dr. Elizabeth Swanson with Mississippi State University Veterinary School said. "Buddy's Law" not only aims to protect animals but children as well. Senator Angela Hill led the push for the creation of this anti-animal cruelty measure. In a nutshell, "Buddy's Law" requires psychological evaluations, counseling, and/or treatments for children who torture domesticated cats and dogs. Additionally, the law holds the offender's parent and/or guardian accountable if they don't provide the recommended help for their child. Lastly, it forces the offender's parent and/or guardian to pay for the necessary care. Both Hill and Representative Dana McLean said Buddy's Law looks to interrupt the cycle of violence. |
| Mississippi governor signs 'Buddy's Law' | |
 | Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) signed "Buddy's Law" at the State Capitol on Thursday, May 19. Senate Bill 2245 requires children who abuse animals to undergo a psychiatric evaluation and treatment. Dog lovers gathered at the Capitol to welcome Buddy during his road to recovery. The veterinarian who took him in shared an update. "We were finally able to uncover his face. As you can see, he is completely healed. He loves people. A lot of people have poured their hearts into him," said Dr. Elizabeth Swanson with Mississippi State University. Buddy's Law is named after Buddy the dog who was burned by a North Mississippi 12-year-old. He suffered severe burns to his face that required him to wear bandages for months. The law will go into effect on July 1. |
| 'Buddy's Law' named for dog burned by child | |
| A new Mississippi law is named for a dog that survived being set on fire. Gov. Tate Reeves signed Senate Bill 2245, known as "Buddy's Law," during a ceremony Thursday. The law requires youth court to order a psychiatric evaluation of a child charged with "the intentional torturing, mutilating, maiming, burning, starving to death, crushing, disfiguring, drowning, suffocating or impaling of a domesticated dog or cat." The law is named after Buddy, who was severely burned in April 2021 by a 12-year-old boy. Buddy underwent extensive treatment, including skin grafts, since the incident. Buddy attended the ceremony with Dr. Katherine Swanson, a veterinarian who had treated him at the Mississippi State University Veterinary School. Buddy now lives with Swanson at her home, along with her other dogs. |
| 'Buddy's Law' signed by Governor Reeves | |
| Buddy's Law, which requires that a child who injures a dog or cat be subjected to a psychological or psychiatric evaluation and counseling, has been signed by Governor Tate Reeves. Inspiration for the bill came from Buddy, a dog who was severely burned by a 12-year-old in April 2021 and has made a full recovery. The bill initially struggled to be discussed in the legislature with its first draft dying in the House at the beginning of March. Later that month, the bill was amended into Senate Bill 2245, which mostly centered around the revision of sentencing options for the crime of voyeurism. With the addition of a section for Buddy's Law, SB 2245 included specific wording for what was categorized as mistreatment or intentional harm to a domesticated dog or cat, requiring the child to undergo "psychiatric evaluation and counseling or treatment for a length of time as prescribed by the youth court." Additional sections require that the parent or guardian pay the cost of any evaluation, counseling, and treatment that the child is sentenced to by the court. The bill goes into effect on July 1, with the hopes that intervening in the extreme cases of animal abuse from children can prevent future instances of harm to pets. |
| Lemonade Day returns to Golden Triangle June 11 | |
| For three of the last four years, children all across the Golden Triangle have built their own lemonade stands and made their own product to sell on a hot summer Saturday to help their community cool down. Lemonade Day is coming back to the area on June 11, when children across the country are encouraged to join in on the day to learn early about running their own business. Lemonade Day took off in Starkville in 2018, and it expanded to the Golden Triangle the next year as children saw the opportunity to show off their creativity and entrepreneurial prowess. The special day is sponsored by Mark Castleberry, Cadence Bank and the Mississippi State University Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach. "Lemonade Day is a national program based out of Houston, Texas, so you have to buy the license," Jeffrey Rupp, director of outreach at the MSU CEO, said. "We're very fortunate that Mark Castleberry, the developer, pays for the license every year. It's several thousand dollars, and he did it the first year Starkville and he's continued ever since. Cadence Bank also gives us some financial support, and it's run through the Entrepreneurship Center at State." The best way the community can support the kids is to show up and buy from the stands on June 11, Rupp said. There will be an interactive map on the Lemonade Day website, lemonadeday.org/golden-triangle, and those looking to support the small businesses can find where the closest stand is and what products they are offering. |
| MSU announces new Bachelor of Science degree program | |
| On Thursday, May 19, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees approved Mississippi State University's (MSU) new Bachelor of Science in Data Science degree program. Students at MSU will now have a new program to consider when weighing degree options at the university. The state-of-the-art curriculum goes beyond traditional data science degrees "to meet the growing demand for experts who can solve problems through digital transformation," said Mimmo Parisi, MSU's senior advisor for data science development. Beginning this fall, MSU's program will heavily incorporate the tool of artificial intelligence (AI) powered by big data in nine academic concentrations within six of the university's eight colleges. These degree pathways are: visualization and visual analytics for the built environment, computational agriculture and natural resources, business information systems, marketing and supply chain analysis, social data analysis, psycho informatics, statistical modeling, computational intelligence, and geoinformatics. |
| Starkville leaders plan to improve roads with $10 million bond | |
 | Starkville city leaders authorized a $10 million bond to improve roads. Mayor Lynn Spruill said the city will focus on well-traveled roadways. She said the primary focus will be on Main Street, University Drive and Jackson Street. Spruill said this is a 10-year bond. That means when streets need another renewal, there will be time to issue another bond that can be supported through used tax. The mayor said streets need waterlines too. "When we have visitors come to town, we want our streets to look good," she said. "They're a very expensive part of what we do; and in order to support this, I think these bonds are a really good way to do that." |
| Milwaukee Tool unveils design for new facility in Grenada, already hiring for 800 jobs | |
 | Matthew Harrison, the CEO of the Greater Grenada Partnership, had a client with him Thursday, who is pondering the location of a manufacturing facility in the area. That client was likely impressed with what he saw as a member of the more than 150 on hand to see Milwaukee Tool unveil its new manufacturing facility, which is expected to bring more than 800 jobs to the eight-county area. The location of Grenada along Interstate-55, about halfway between Jackson and Memphis, has become a hot spot for projects as Ice Industries recently announced a $4 million expansion of its facility, which primarily serves the automotive, HVACR, appliance and off-highway markets as a one-stop stamping, welding and painting center. Executives from Milwaukee Tool and dignitaries from throughout the state participated in the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday at what will become the new site of the estimated 563,000 square foot facility that will make and assemble Milwaukee Tool products. The cluster of manufacturing in the workforce retail hub consists of the counties of Grenada, Tallahatchie, Calhoun, Webster, Yalobusha, Carroll and Leflore. The new Milwaukee Tool facility building will be a visual statement for those driving the I-55 corridor, much like that of Nissan in Madison County and Continental Tire in Hinds County. Kevin Horan, State Rep. District 34, said he was surprised when he first saw the facility design. "I was just blown away," he said. "We are looking forward to having Milwaukee as part of the Grenada community, and we will continue to support their growth efforts." |
| Eddie Maloney of Cowboy Maloney's dies at 71 | |
| Family members have confirmed that Eddie Maloney, President and CEO of Cowboy Maloney's, died Wednesday morning following a short illness related to lung disease. Eddie Maloney was president of Cowboy Maloney's Electric City Appliance Centers, which includes 13 locations throughout Mississippi. Cowboy Maloney's secured its place in history by selling the world's first DirecTV home satellite system. "He was a visionary in business," said Johnny Maloney, Eddie's brother. "He took care of the customers and also took care of his associates, taking the stores from a two-store chain all the way up to a 13-store organization." "He just was kind of a shining light for us," noted Mary Woodward, Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Jackson. "And we could always depend on knowing that he loved his faith and that he wanted to help in any way he could with the ministries of the church." Eddie Maloney was also co-owner of the Jackson Mets and Jackson Generals baseball clubs. That's a mark on the Jackson sports scene that Rick Cleveland remembers fondly. But more importantly, he remembers him as a good friend. "He always went, always went out of his way to make you feel like the most important person in the room," said Rick Cleveland. "A lot of people are good talkers and he was, but he was a good listener, too. You know, he's just a terrific guy." Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann also reflected on Maloney's passing, saying Mississippi has lost a "good man." "We all have a terrific loss in losing Eddie. He had an infectious personality. He was hard-working and, I guess, probably the biggest compliment you can ever pay anybody; he was a good man," Hosemann said. |
| Census report shows Mississippi was significantly undercounted | |
 | Mississippi may have more people living in it than the latest census data shows, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau. Mississippi was among six states in which the Census Bureau reported significant undercounting as part of a follow-up survey the bureau conducted for the 2020 Census, the results of which were released on Thursday. Data from the census released in late 2021 showed a dip in the state's population by roughly 6,000 people over the last decade. But according to the bureau's Post Enumeration Survey, the state undercounted its population by a little over 4%. With a population count of 2.95 million, a statewide miscount of 4% would be approximately 118,000 people. The report does not detail any potential causes of the undercount nor does it include information on possible overcounts or undercounts at a municipal or county level. A litany of state and local projects rely upon Census data, including redistricting efforts, grant applications and economic development. Mississippi wasn't alone in its miscount. While every state had some margin of error, the bureau reported five other states with significant undercounting and eight states with significant overcounting. "Achieving an accurate count for all 50 states and DC is always a difficult endeavor, and these results suggest it was difficult again in 2020, particularly given the unprecedented challenges we faced," Census Bureau Director Robert L. Santos said in a Thursday press release. |
| Gov. Tate Reeves blames President Biden for rising gas prices. Here's why. | |
| Gov. Tate Reeves has been outspoken in the last few weeks that President Biden is at fault for the increase in average gas prices to $4.58 nationally as of Thursday morning and $4.18 in Mississippi. Reeves blames Biden's policies for reducing the flow of oil and gas by restricting where oil can be pumped as one reason for the gas prices. "Gas prices have more than doubled since President Biden came into office," Reeves said in a press conference Wednesday. "Nothing says that they are fundamentally out of touch with reality like making political decisions that constrain the supply of oil and gas. Further limiting supply is going to drive the price up even further. It is the reason, I have said repeatedly for two years, that the policies of this administration is the reason that levels (are at the highest) since the Carter administration." "You want to know why it costs 15 or 20% to buy bread or milk? It's because it costs more to move products from one part of the country to the other," Reeves said. "Inflation was at 8%, year over year in the most recent report. It was under 2% two years ago. So, flooding the marketplace with trillions of dollars by passing legislation that put trillions of dollars in the money supply, along with the policies associated with oil and gas policy and trying to make our nation become energy independent in 2019 to trying to completely do away with all drilling on federal land, on state land to make it harder and harder to get oil and gas out of the ground are just policies that are really hurting the pocketbook of Mississippians of all walks of life." |
| Grants for restaurants, small businesses blocked in Senate | |
 | Deficit-concerned senators blocked the Senate from considering a $48 billion aid package for restaurants and other small businesses Thursday, likely dealing a fatal blow to a monthslong effort to provide a final round of relief for industries that suffered major revenue losses during the pandemic. The Senate did not invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the small-business aid bill, in a 52-43 procedural vote that was subject to a 60-vote threshold. All but five of the 50 Senate Republicans voted against cloture, which was more than enough to mount a successful filibuster to prevent the Senate from even considering the measure for debate. Senate Small Business Chairman Benjamin L. Cardin, D-Md., and Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., worked on the small-business aid package for months. The duo drew on past bipartisan proposals in an attempt to spread benefits far and wide, offering relief to stakeholders ranging from stage, lighting and sound providers for theaters to minor league sports franchises. Through a period of what Cardin called "fits and starts," he and Wicker remained optimistic that the bipartisan support needed to pass the bill would materialize once it was brought to the floor. But as the test vote drew closer, it was apparent they wouldn't get to 60 votes. So Cardin made a last-ditch offer to cut the size of the package and allow for an open amendment process in hopes of winning over hesitant senators. "We believe we'll be able to get the cost of this bill down, but we first need to get on the bill," Cardin said, citing various offers from senators on both sides of the aisle with ideas on how to more narrowly target the measure. But ultimately it wasn't enough. The only Republicans to vote for cloture on the motion to proceed were Wicker, Murkowski, Susan Collins of Maine, Roy Blunt of Missouri and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. |
| Biden's approval dips to lowest of presidency: AP-NORC poll | |
 | President Joe Biden's approval rating dipped to the lowest point of his presidency in May, a new poll shows, with deepening pessimism emerging among members of his own Democratic Party. Only 39% of U.S. adults approve of Biden's performance as president, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Research, dipping from already negative ratings a month earlier. Overall, only about 2 in 10 adults say the U.S. is heading in the right direction or the economy is good, both down from about 3 in 10 a month earlier. Those drops were concentrated among Democrats, with just 33% within the president's party saying the country is headed in the right direction, down from 49% in April. Of particular concern for Biden ahead of the midterm elections, his approval among Democrats stands at 73%, a substantial drop since earlier in his presidency. In AP-NORC polls conducted in 2021, Biden's approval rating among Democrats never dropped below 82%. The findings reflect a widespread sense of exasperation in a country facing a cascade of challenges ranging from inflation, gun violence, and a sudden shortage of baby formula to a persistent pandemic. |
| Biden hasn't killed Trump's China tariffs to make imports Chinese imports cheaper | |
 | With the stroke of a White House pen, President Biden could lower the cost of thousands of consumer and industrial products and strike a blow in the anti-inflation fight that he calls "his top domestic priority." All he has to do is lift the tariffs on imported Chinese products that President Donald Trump imposed starting in 2018. But with his advisers split, the potential economic gains limited and the danger of Republican attacks for being "soft on China" looming, Biden is unconvinced. The imperative to do something about inflation is clear. Consumer prices in April were 8.3 percent higher than one year ago, near a 40-year high, and voters routinely cite rising prices as among their top election-year irritations. With inflation threatening the Democrats' prospects in November's congressional elections, Biden said this month that he is eyeing changes to the 25 percent tariffs that apply to about two-thirds of U.S. imports from China, or roughly $335 billion annually. While Trump's first China tariffs minimized the consumer impact by targeting industrial products, the levies eventually expanded to household items including AirPods, refrigerators, televisions, clothing and toys. Now, U.S. corporations that have opposed the tariffs from the start hope to capitalize on the inflation scare to win their removal. "It's a no-brainer to reduce tariff burdens on Americans at a time of high inflation," said Myron Brilliant, executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "Hopefully they will do something, but will they go far enough? That's the billion-dollar question." Yet even eliminating all of the tariffs on Chinese goods -- which no one anticipates -- would have only a modest impact on prices before the midterm elections. |
| An Obamacare fiasco could blow up on Democrats right before the midterms | |
 | A little over a year ago, President Joe Biden signed into law a massive expansion of financial aid designed to bolster the Affordable Care Act and make health insurance more affordable for millions. But that early triumph is now looking more like a political time bomb. Just six months out from the midterms, Democrats increasingly fear they'll fail to renew those generous subsidies, which expire at the end of the year, triggering sudden spikes in insurance premiums and wiping out one of Biden's signature health care accomplishments. The price hikes would hit an estimated 13 million people across the country, potentially adding hundreds of dollars to families' monthly expenses. And in a painful twist for a White House already struggling to contain anger over rising household costs, voters would begin receiving notices about their premium increases in October -- around the same time they're starting to cast their midterm ballots. "It's not a good look when you're going into a midterm election," said Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy. "There could be some really awful stories about people losing coverage." The scenario has alarmed vulnerable lawmakers and White House allies, who have privately warned senior Democrats in recent weeks that the issue could cost Democrats control of the Senate and decimate their hard-earned reputation as the party of health care. Despite the urgency, Democrats acknowledge there's only one way to avert disaster: Strike a deal with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on a reconciliation package. |
| Jan. 6 Inquiry Presses Republican Lawmaker About Capitol Tour | |
 | The leaders of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol asked a Republican congressman on Thursday to submit to questioning about a tour of the complex he gave one day before the riot, saying they were looking into whether rioters had conducted reconnaissance of the building before the rampage. In a Thursday letter to Representative Barry Loudermilk, the top two members of the panel said investigators had obtained evidence that the Georgia Republican had led a tour through parts of the Capitol complex on Jan. 5, 2021, when it was closed to visitors because of pandemic restrictions. Mr. Loudermilk has denied having led any "reconnaissance" tour. "Public reporting and witness accounts indicate some individuals and groups engaged in efforts to gather information about the layout of the U.S. Capitol, as well as the House and Senate office buildings, in advance of Jan. 6, 2021," said a letter to Mr. Loudermilk from Representative Bennie Thompson, Democrat of Mississippi and the chairman of the panel, and Representative Liz Cheney, Republican of Wyoming and the vice chairwoman. They did not directly allege that any person escorted by Mr. Loudermilk later attacked the Capitol. But they suggested that they had obtained evidence that he had led visitors around the complex, writing that their review of evidence "directly contradicts" Republicans' denials that closed-circuit security camera footage showed no such tours had taken place. In a statement, Mr. Loudermilk conceded that he had brought constituents into parts of the Capitol complex the day before the riot, but he said the visit had been innocuous. |
| Export bans abroad threaten to push sky-high food prices even higher | |
 | Soaring food prices both in the U.S. and abroad have prompted countries to ban exports of core agricultural commodities, pushing up domestic food prices and leading agronomists to wonder what additional crops could face supply constraints on their way to grocery stores. Food inflation in the U.S. is already at a 40-year high, with the annual index for consumer food prices up 9.4 percent in April -- the largest 12-month increase since 1981 -- according to the Department of Labor. Meat, poultry, fish and egg prices increased by more than 14 percent over the last year, the biggest jump since 1979. India's partial ban on wheat exports announced over the weekend increased the winter wheat crop prices by more than 8 percent before leveling off slightly on Wednesday. The decision compounded a crunch on the commodity set off by the war in Ukraine, often referred to as the breadbasket of Europe. "There was some general thinking that India was going to be able to fill a lot of that supply gap that Ukraine historically filled, but it's less likely to fill it this year," Mark Jekanowski, a research economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and chairman of its World Agricultural Outlook Board, said in an interview. "The news that India banned their exports -- that drove prices even higher and suggests global supplies are tightening even more," he said. Ukrainian officials have been calling attention to the country's ample food stocks that have been rendered inaccessible by the Russian military occupation, now in its twelfth week. But economists are quick to caution that since food prices are set on global commodity markets with many different countries and suppliers, there isn't a one-to-one correlation between an export ban and a price hike. |
| Yellen calls on international community to mitigate global hunger crisis | |
| U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned of mounting economic troubles --- in particular, soaring global food and energy prices, and slowing growth -- from Russia's war in Ukraine and resulting supply-chain disruptions. She spoke yesterday in Bonn, Germany, ahead of the G-7 meeting this weekend. The U.S. Treasury Department meanwhile has announced new initiatives and billions in aid -- in coordination with other governments and international development banks -- to try and prevent food shortages, food insecurity and hunger from spreading in the poorest nations. Global food prices are up 30% in the last year, according to the U.N. That's a disaster for poor countries – they depend on food purchased on the global market to feed their people. And Cornell University trade expert Eswar Prasad said with interest rates rising, poor countries' currencies are depreciating. "Many of these countries are facing a double-whammy, because food prices are rising, and in terms of their own currencies, they're rising even more," said Prasad. So they can't afford to buy as much food as they used to. Meanwhile, said Columbia Business School economist Gernot Wagner, many developing countries were "already experiencing droughts because of climate change, and were relying more on grain imports, now suddenly global grain prices are going through the roof." |
| Andrea Hickerson joins Ole Miss as the Dean of School of Journalism and New Media | |
| Andrea Hickerson, an internationally renowned researcher, educator and administrator, is joining the University of Mississippi as dean of the School of Journalism and New Media. Her appointment was approved Thursday (May 19) by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning board of trustees at its May meeting. Hickerson begins her new role July 1. "The appointment of Dr. Hickerson resulted from a national search that attracted a well-qualified pool of applicants," said Noel Wilkin, UM provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. "She is an accomplished researcher and scholar with experience studying deepfakes and issues facing international journalism. She is also an accomplished administrator, having served as a director at two universities." Hickerson earned her bachelor's degree in journalism and international relations at Syracuse University, master's degrees in journalism and Middle Eastern studies at the University of Texas, and a Ph.D. in communication at the University of Washington. She has served on the faculty at both the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of South Carolina, where she most recently was director of the USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications, associate dean and professor. Hickerson said her vision for the school is to prepare students to meet the challenges of evolving modern media and deal with ongoing technological and social changes. "I'm especially interested in traveling across the state and meeting current and future employers of the school's graduates." |
| Southern Miss announces campus worker pay increase following rally calling for higher wages | |
 | Southern Miss announced a pay increase for campus workers Wednesday following a rally two weeks prior during which workers marched for a $15 hourly wage. Though the increase is not the $15 hourly wage workers called for, the minimum hourly rate of $10.10 will be increased to $11.25. In addition, benefit-eligible employees hired prior to Jan. 1 will receive a 3% pay increase, with limited exceptions, according to an email from Southern Miss President Rodney Bennett. The pay increases will take effect July 1 for salaried staff and 12-month faculty, July 9 for hourly staff and Sept. 1 for nine-month faculty. A plan has also been approved to increase graduate assistant stipends by $1,500 per year for the next three years, beginning with fall 2022, with the goal of raising graduate assistant stipends to $11,700. Bennett thanked employees who marched May 5 and delivered their request for a $15 hourly wage to the Aubrey K. Lucas Administration Building, adding that a multi-year plan would be required to increase the minimum hourly wage to $15. "Although I am unable to commit future institutional funds outside of what was made possible by this year's additional legislative allocation, I am pleased that we were able to make meaningful progress in raising the minimum hourly rate for benefit-eligible employees to $11.25 per hour," Bennett said. The raise was made possible through new funds allocated by the Mississippi Legislature and planned adjustments in graduate assistant stipends. "I am grateful to the Legislature for their support of the university's efforts to recruit and retain highly qualified faculty and staff," Bennett said. |
| USM's 'STEM Mentoring and Equity for Women' grants awarded to faculty | |
 | Four University of Southern Mississippi professors were awarded grants from the school's "STEM Mentoring and Equity for Women" program. The inaugural grant awards came from a program was established by the College of Arts and Sciences to act as a commitment to a more diverse, equitable and inclusive industry. The grant recipients included: Alyson Brink, assistant professor in the School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences; Sara Lee, director/professor in the School of Computer Sciences and Computer Engineering (CSCE); Kristina Mojica, assistant professor in the School of Ocean Science and Engineering; and Julie Pigza, assistant professor in the School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. "The grants awarded support projects that focus on breaking down barriers for those excluded or marginalized based on diverse demographics or any aspect of their personal identity that has been a source of bias in STEM," aid Janet Donaldson, associate dean for research and graduate education at USM. Lee plans on hosting the "Payne Women in Computing Science Bridge," a three-day program for 20 cis- and transgender women who are incoming computing major freshmen. Participants will hear from female industry leaders and on-campus employees while receiving a near-peer mentor for their first year of college. |
| Grant program could help childcare providers, but advocates say the program needs clarity | |
 | Mississippi is offering grants to early childhood care providers to help those businesses recover from costs associated with the pandemic. But advocates say there is insufficient training and a tight deadline. The Mississippi Department of Human Services is offering the Childcare Strong Grant program, which can help childhood care businesses recover from the pandemic. Funding is provided in part through the American Rescue Plan Act, and general department funds were added to maximize the pool of funding. Bob Anderson, Executive Director of DHS, says the deadline for the program is in September, and the agency will have one year to review all spending. "We have a monitoring team that will be making an on-site visit to several of these childcare providers. We will be sampling about 10% of the providers who got these childcare strong grants," says Anderson. "Just to make sure that we haven't missed anything. Just as much as the providers want to make sure they don't misspend the money, we have to be able to assure the Office of Childcare, the federal authorities, that all these funds have been expended properly." Advocates say this deadline is restrictive for businesses, and all other states have deadlines to receive these grants that extend into 2023. Many childcare providers have also expressed concern about unanswered technical questions, says LaTasha Headley, owner of Loving Hands Educational Resources. She says the information available on the DHS website is not sufficiently detailed, and the Zoom calls that have been conducted for training are not enough. |
| For teachers, add inflation to the causes of burnout | |
| A recent study by Education Week found that job satisfaction among teachers is at its lowest level ever. And more than half of those recently surveyed by the National Educators Association said they're more likely to leave their jobs earlier than they planned. Why? Teachers and other education workers are up against pandemic burnout, understaffed schools and wages that aren't keeping up with inflation. And that's on top of the fact that teacher pay was already relatively low. "We have a lot of data that show that teachers are underpaid relative to peers with comparable educational attainment, and that their salaries have not grown over time," said Emma García, a senior researcher with the Learning Policy Institute. It's a pattern that Lakeisha Patterson recognizes. She's a third grade language arts teacher at a school outside of Houston. "With rising cost of living, and we're not seeing increases, or significant increases, in salaries -- that is part of what's leading to a teacher shortage or a teacher exodus," Patterson said. But choosing to leave the classroom behind isn't easy. "When you're forced to make decisions between 'Do I stay in the profession that I love, or do I, for my physical and mental health, leave because I can no longer sustain this?'" Patterson said. |
| Vanderbilt University to offer master of nursing degree | |
| Vanderbilt University School of Nursing is accepting applications for a new master of nursing program to launch in January. The new degree was announced by the school on Thursday. The master of nursing aims to attract people with a bachelor's degree in a different discipline who are looking to enter nursing. Students will learn all the skills required of registered nurses along with advanced competency in interprofessional teamwork, nursing leadership, nursing informatics and introductory clinical teaching. The program will have a strong focus on health equity and justice, according to the school. Students will learn to consider not just a patient's immediate health needs but also the influence of factors like socioeconomic status and environment on the patient. |
| Tennessee colleges won't increase tuition this year despite inflation | |
 | Tennessee college students can let out a sigh of relief: Universities and technical schools in the state won't increase tuition this upcoming academic year for all undergraduates. It's the first time the Tennessee Higher Education Commission has required colleges to keep tuition flat across the state. The rule is possible because of a historic higher education budget of more than $137 million passed by the state legislature and signed by Gov. Bill Lee earlier this year. "Unlike any of our regional peers, unlike many other states throughout the nation ... we are able to keep tuition flat this year," said the commission's Executive Director Emily House. "I think this is something that should be emphasized, should be celebrated." The decision comes as inflation is hitting colleges -- and students -- hard. While several colleges held their tuition steady during the last two years of the pandemic, students at colleges outside of Tennessee are seeing their tuition increase anywhere from 1% to 4%. Inflation has increased nearly 9% over the past 12 months for states in the South, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with food and housing seeing significant increases over the past month. Typically, the commission recommends range for potential tuition increases and administrators take it from there. In 2017, for example, the commission recommended a tuition increase range between 0-4%, meaning colleges could raise their tuition up to 4%. "A zero-to-zero percent range will ensure that Tennessee has the lowest growth in tuition year-over-year that the state has seen in the last four decades," said Russell VanZomeren, the commission's director of fiscal policy. |
| A&M Regents approve $1.5B worth of proposed projects, lays out timeline for Bright Area development and construction of new indoor track stadium | |
 | Texas A&M's Board of Regents gave initial approval to add $1.5 billion worth of proposed projects to the university system's Fiscal Year 2023-27 Capital Plan at a regularly scheduled meeting in Fort Worth on Thursday. A&M Regents also laid out a timeline for the already approved Bright Area development and new indoor track stadium in their meeting agenda. A visualization, fine and performing arts building worth $175 million, an addition to the clinical veterinary teaching and research complex with a planned cost for $118.8 million, and a museum of natural history totaling $100 million were three proposed projects approved by the A&M Regents on Thursday to be added to the existing capital plan. Other proposed projects approved to be added by the A&M Regents include a law school building ($85 million), an Aggie Band residence hall ($75 million), and phase II of The Gardens at A&M ($40 million). Projected start dates for these projects are 2023 for the addition to the clinical veterinary teaching and research complex and interior; 2024 for the visualization, fine and performing arts building, Law School building and phase II of The Gardens at A&M; and 2025 for the museum of natural history and the Aggie Band residence hall. Construction on A&M's combined $235 million-dollar development of a new indoor football practice facility and new indoor track stadium will begin on June 1, according to the Regents' agenda. |
| U. of Missouri begins oak tree removal on Francis Quadrangle | |
 | Workers cut down the first of the 15 pin oak trees that frame Francis Quadrangle Wednesday morning. The University of Missouri contracted the job out to local tree service Arthur Ratliff Tree & Stump Removal, LLC. The workers closed off the area at the southeast corner of the quadrangle near Swallow Hall with caution tape. They used an aerial lift to reach the high branches, which they cut individually with a chainsaw, lowered to the ground with ropes and fed through a wood chipper. MU spokesperson Christian Basi said the university is taking the trees down because they are in various states of decay and present a significant safety risk, as heavy limbs could fall on passersby. Basi cautioned people to stay outside the caution tape to avoid falling branches. "We did not want to make this decision," Basi said. "No one wants to see those majestic trees come down. We do not have a choice." According to previous Missourian reporting, MU will replace the 15 pin oaks with 24 white oak trees currently growing at South Farm Research Center. Basi said MU will finish removing the pin oaks by early June and will plant the white oaks afterward. Weather and utility work on the quadrangle might delay the rollout. He did not know whether MU could plant them all before the fall semester begins, though that is the plan. The new white oak trees are about 6 years old, stand 8 to 10 feet tall and will grow about 2 feet per year. The quadrangle's tallest pin oaks are over 40 feet tall, according to previous Missourian reporting. The white oaks will likely live more than 200 years. |
| Is the LSAT Required? Fate of Test for Law School Admissions to Be Decided | |
 | For decades, budding law students have had to stare down the Law School Admission Test, or LSAT, a rigorous test of abilities in logic, analytical reasoning and reading comprehension. Those days might be coming to an end. An American Bar Association panel that accredits law schools is considering whether to make standardized tests optional for admission, a move that would follow a trend seen in undergraduate admissions offices and give schools more flexibility in how they select law students. ABA officials have said little so far about their current deliberations. But in earlier discussions former leaders have suggested that standardized tests might deter institutions from adopting innovative ways to evaluate candidates. The ABA's accrediting council is scheduled to vote Friday on whether to seek public comment on eliminating the mandatory use of tests such as the LSAT or the GRE, which has been allowed at some schools in recent years. The vote follows a recommendation from an ABA committee last month that called for eliminating the mandate that every law school require applicants to take a "valid and reliable" exam. Any final approval of the policy change would likely be many months away -- at the earliest, affecting students who enroll in the fall of 2023. And even if mandatory admissions tests are dropped, at least some schools likely will still choose to consider them in some capacity. |
| Peak of Chinese students could come in five years | |
 | The number of Chinese students pursuing degrees abroad will likely "peak within five years, and then enter a track of stagnation or even slight decline," a study says. The largest sending country for overseas learners, China has experienced robust growth in recent decades, fueling demand for university degrees in countries such as the U.S. and Britain, with some institutions leaning heavily on international student fees. But Western countries could soon see demand from Chinese students drop, despite a trend toward easing border restrictions. Although student flows have recovered somewhat since COVID-19 severely limited international travel, analysts are pessimistic about the likelihood of student mobility figures continuing to climb much further. "Even with the rebounds seen from the easing of restrictions, these enrollment numbers are unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels," write Claudia Wang and Monique Zhang, co-authors of the study and analysts at the consultancy Oliver Wyman. "Higher geopolitical tensions and the diversions of strategies to continue to contain the pandemic will only further stall the recovery of the outflow of students. And all of this is compounded by the shrinking tertiary population and the declining willingness to go abroad." Even before the pandemic put a stop to international travel, there were signs that Chinese student flows were tapering off, with the number of degree seekers peaking and beginning to decline at U.S. universities in 2015 and at Australian universities in 2017, the authors note. At the same time, the appeal of education at home has increased, with China doubling down on its domestic offerings. "We observe ever-growing headwind from policy makers," Wang told Times Higher Education. |
| Colleges Should Spend Covid-Relief Funds on Mental-Health Support, Education Department Says | |
 | On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Education urged colleges to use remaining grants from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund to support student, faculty, and staff mental health. The fund, part of President Biden's American Rescue Plan, injected nearly $40 billion into colleges nationwide last year to help them recover from the pandemic. Colleges had also received about $36 billion in prior relief packages. Historically Black colleges, tribal colleges, and minority-serving institutions were special targets for funds, awarded proportionately more than other institutions. Colleges were initially instructed to use the funding for student financial aid and basic-needs support, among other things. As some colleges still have funds remaining, this guidance clarifies that mental health is an allowable expense. The announcement is the latest in a series of efforts from federal lawmakers to address the campus mental-health crisis. Biden outlined mental health as a national priority earlier this year, and his Department of Education this month announced plans to change the regulations to strengthen the rights of students with disabilities, including those with mental-health issues. College presidents indicate that mental health is top of mind to them; in a fall of 2021 survey by the American Council on Education, 73 percent of presidents said student mental health was a "pressing concern." Jon Fansmith, the assistant vice president for government relations at ACE, said some colleges may have previously been hesitant to use Covid-relief funds for mental-health purposes because the underlying laws don't mention it. "I think a lot of institutions would have really liked to have used some of this money for these purposes earlier, but they weren't clear that that was an allowable use," he said. |
| Colleges urged to use HEERF on mental health | |
| The Education Department on Thursday urged colleges to use Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) on mental health services on campus. The announcement provides college administrators with a clarification that HEERF funds can be used for needed mental health service improvements, which were originally not included in HEERF legislation. "Mental health is overwhelmingly the top concern we hear from presidents," said Jonathan Fansmith, the assistant vice president of government relations for the American Council on Education. "It's a very challenging environment for institutions, and these things are expensive to do. So the ability to use some of these higher education relief funds that the federal government provided for those purposes is hugely helpful." HEERF provided $14 billion to colleges across the nation as part of the CARES Act to address urgent student needs during the pandemic. This guidance from the department not only signals to college administrators that the funding can be spent on mental health services but also provides examples of programs, resources and services colleges can implement to address rising rates of mental health struggles on college campuses from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. College students have increasingly struggled with anxiety and depression as a result of the pandemic, and college leaders have indicated that mental health is a top priority. The department provided a detailed outline of how HEERF money can be used to address mental health needs on campuses, which includes examples of how colleges across the nation have used HEERF so far to change and expand their mental health support systems. |
SPORTS
| Bulldogs Begin Tallahassee Regional Friday | |
| The NCAA Tournament begins in Florida this weekend as Mississippi State heads to the Tallahassee Regional. MSU will open the double-elimination regional on Friday, May 20 at 5 p.m. CT against South Florida at Joanne Graf Field. Along with the Bulldogs and the Bulls, the Tallahassee Regional features host Florida State, which earned the No. 2 overall national seed, and Howard. The Bulldogs' first game of the regional will be aired nationally on ESPNU and is also available online through WatchESPN or the ESPN app. Television assignments for the remaining games of the regional will be announced later this week. If 2022 NCAA DI Softball Tournament games are not programmed on ESPN's linear networks, they will be live on ESPN+. State is making its 17th NCAA Tournament appearance. The Bulldogs have made every tournament bracket since 2017 and nine of the last 10 fields. All 17 appearances have come since 2000. MSU has won at least one regional game in six of its last seven tournament appearances and is aiming to make its first NCAA Super Regional appearance in program history. The winner of the Tallahassee Regional will advance to Super Regionals to face the winner of the Columbia Regional, hosted by No. 15 Missouri. Also competing in the Columbia Regional are Arizona, Illinois and Missouri State. |
| Hawk hopes to help Bulldogs take another postseason step | |
| Mississippi State has played for a regional championship in the last two NCAA Softball Tournaments. If the Bulldogs are to make their first super regional they'll have to get good pitching and defense to control very talented offensive clubs in the Tallahassee Regional. Kenley Hawk's two relief appearances in the SEC Tournament give hope for Mississippi State (33-24). The Bulldogs, the regional 2 seed, will open play against 3 seed South Florida (44-14) Friday at 5. The game will air on ESPNU. MSU will face either No 1 seed Florida State or No. 4 seed Howard (31-22) on Saturday. Florida State (52-5) is the No. 2 national seed. The Bulldogs reached the championship round at Oklahoma State last year and at Washington in 2019. Needing two wins to advance, neither time did they push the host team and dropped the first game. They lost 10-2 at Oklahoma State and 8-0 at Washington. Hawk and her pitching teammates will have to control a South Florida lineup with moderate power but above average wheels. MSU coach Samantha Ricketts calls this a "transformational" season for Hawk who has pitched 94 2-3 innings this season compared to just five appearances last year. She has two seasons of eligibility remaining. "She's ready for this, she's earned it," Ricketts said. "She's really shown she can shine at this level." |
| A look at Mississippi State softball's three opponents in Tallahassee Regional | |
| The Mississippi State softball team has its sights set on its first-ever trip to NCAA Super Regionals. The Bulldogs have never made it out of the regional round, but they hope this year's squad -- led by star catcher Mia Davidson -- is capable of changing that. MSU begins play against South Florida at 5 p.m. Friday in the Tallahassee Regional, hosted by No. 2 overall seed Florida State. The four-team field also includes Howard University. Here's what the Bulldogs, the regional's No. 2 seed, can expect from each of their three opponents. |
| Davidson, Malau'ulu Earn NFCA All-Region Honors | |
| Mississippi State's Mia Davidson and Chloe Malau'ulu earned NFCA All-South Region honors on Wednesday. Davidson was the First Team catcher selection, and Malau'ulu earned Second Team honors as an outfielder. Davidson has earned All-Region honors every year of her career. It is her second First Team selection, which makes her eligible for All-American recognition. In 2019, Davidson was a First Team All-Region member and a Third Team All-American. Davidson is the SEC's all-time home run leader, and her 90 career long balls rank fifth in NCAA history. Her .897 slugging percentage is second in the SEC and would break her own MSU single season record set in 2019. She leads the SEC with 21 homers and had the highest on-base percentage (.580) in the conference in league play. She has also been a defensive force behind the plate. Malau'ulu has earned her first career All-Region honor. She gives MSU multiple All-Region players in a year for the third straight season. The Bulldogs have had multiple honorees in five of the last six years, excluding 2020 when the awards were not given. Malau'ulu was tied for third in the conference with eight doubles in league play. Her .352 batting average led the Bulldogs in SEC play, and her .535 slugging percentage and .465 on-base percentage were second only to Davidson. On the defensive side of the ball, Malau'ulu threw out five runners from the outfield this year and now ranks fifth in MSU history with 13 career outfield assists. |
| Women's Golf Ready for NCAA National Championships | |
| Mississippi State is set for its third NCAA women's golf Championships appearance on Friday. The NCAA Championships, hosted by Arizona State, will be held at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., from May 20-25. For the second consecutive year, the Grayhawk Golf Club will set the stage for the crowing of a new NCAA women's golf champion. The par-72 Raptor course stretches through the Sonoran Desert across 6,384 yards. The Bulldogs will take part in the 24-team field to conclude the 2021-2022 season. The 24-team field is made up of 21 of the top 25 teams ranked in the latest top 25 Golfweek rankings. The Bulldogs will be the 22nd seed in a field that features a league-record nine teams from the Southeastern Conference. The 2022 NCAA Championships will feature stroke play for the first three rounds (May 20-23) and match play (May 24-25) for the seventh consecutive year. At the completion of the third round, the top 15 teams and nine individuals from non-advancing teams will advance to a final round of stroke play on Monday. Following the completion of stroke play on Monday, the top eight teams will advance to match play and a 72-hole individual champion will be announced. The quarterfinals and semifinals are slated for Tuesday with the championship match Wednesday to crown a new Division 1 NCAA Women's Golf Champion. Live coverage of the NCAA Championships will be available via the GOLF Channel from May 23-25. The final round of stroke play will air at 4 pm CT Monday. |
| Mississippi State defensive coordinator, Zach Arnett, visited Meridian and talked about upcoming season | |
 | Mississippi State defensive coordinator, Zach Arnett, visited the Bulldog Shop in downtown Meridian on Thursday. Coach Arnett got to talk with fans about the up coming season and how the recruiting process has been going. "All but two of our signee's on defense this last class are Mississippi kids," said Arnett. "Every year this state produces the best defensive talent in the entire country. Obviously when you are a defensive coach, when you have the honor and privilege of getting to coach here at this fine university which has such a rich defensive tradition, you know you better invest all your time recruiting those in state kids because they are the ones who are going to play the best football for you." Arnett helped lead Mississippi State to leading the SEC with the fewest first downs allowed in the 2021 season. Mississippi State opens their football season when the host Memphis on September 3rd. |
| The University of Oak Hill? Tiny West Point school has become a golf powerhouse | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Most dominant Mississippi high school sports team in history? South Panola once won 89 straight football games and five straight state championships at the state's highest level. Those teams were so good that people began calling them the University of South Panola. We've had dominant teams with sustained excellence in basketball, baseball, and track and field from time to time as well. Don't look now but tiny Oak Hill Academy in West Point --- 364 students, grades K-12 --- recently won its sixth straight state championship in the sport of golf. Says Oak Hill principal and athletic director Phil Ferguson, formerly a head football coach at Bruce and Tupelo: "We've become the South Panola of high school golf." That's not overstating matters -- at all. "I think it's safe to say that these recent Oak Hill golf teams are the best high school teams in Mississippi history," said Jackson pro and golf course owner Randy Watkins, himself a former national junior champion. "There have been some really good teams over the years, but these numbers Oak Hill is putting on the scoreboard are just out of sight." In the private school state 3A championship tournament at Canton Country Club, Oak Hill won by 83 shots. That's right, 83. ... Crazy? It gets crazier. The last time Oak Hill played in a golf event and didn't win it was 2018. Senior Wells Williams, the most accomplished player on this year's team, averaged 67.7 strokes per round. Williams, also his class valedictorian, shot an 11-under par 61 in one tournament at The Refuge in Flowood and has signed a golf scholarship at Vanderbilt. Last year's most accomplished player Cohen Trolio made the All-Southeastern Conference freshman team this year at LSU. Collins Trolio, Cohen's younger brother and a senior-to-be, averaged 69 strokes per round and already has committed to play his college golf at Ole Miss. |
| Bobby Cleveland legacy left as he lived: larger than life | |
| Freelance writer Kevin Tate writes in the Daily Journal: When you have a friend whose character is larger than life, it brings a larger enjoyment to the life we call our own. Bobby Cleveland cared very deeply about his family, his friends and time spent outdoors. He was an excellent outdoor writer, a veteran newspaper man and a good friend. A car wreck claimed him April 28, not far from his home on Ross Barnett Reservoir in Rankin County. Bobby was known statewide as the outdoors writer for the Jackson newspaper. He's been gone from that role for some time, but it was there I came to know him. By the time we met, I was a newspaper man myself. It was through that, as well as the outdoors, that we became friends. ... It's fitting Bobby spent the last several years working for the benefit of Ross Barnett Reservoir, his home in every sense of the term. He poured a lot of his soul into making the big lake better for those who enjoy it too. That's the kind of legacy my friend leaves behind: the benefit of a life too large for horizons to hold. |
| C-USA files against Hattiesburg Publishing a petition to prevent disclosure of records regarding USM leaving conference | |
| Conference USA has filed in Forrest County Chancery Court a petition for a protective order against Hattiesburg Publishing -- the umbrella of the Pine Belt News, Pine Belt Sports and Signature Magazine -- that would prevent the disclosure of records regarding the University of Southern Mississippi's upcoming departure from the conference to join the Sun Belt Conference. In particular, the suit names Pine Belt Sports editor Andrew Abadie -- along with reporters from other regions, including Zach Harkins, Jackson Howell, Scott Watkins and Ryan Parker -- who recently filed official requests for details on a settlement that was reached between the conference and several of its schools who also are leaving the conference. The petition, which was filed on April 27, states that Mississippi's broad statutory framework protects the privacy interests of private businesses, such as Conference USA, which contract with the state. "The information contained in the Confidential Settlement Agreement has far-reaching implications for C-USA's business interests and it must be protected," the petition states. Abadie was the first reporter to request from Southern Miss a copy of the terms of the settlement between C-USA, Marshall University, Old Dominion University and Southern Miss regarding the schools' withdrawal from the conference. That request was made on March 30 and was forwarded to the C-USA headquarters in Texas. |
| SEC spat: Fisher, Saban exchange accusations over NIL deals | |
| The Southeastern Conference spring meetings will be held in person for the first time since 2019 in a little less than two weeks. It is unlikely two of the league's superstar coaches will be chumming around Destin, Florida, together. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher called Nick Saban a "narcissist" on Thursday after the Alabama coach accused the rival Aggies of using name, image and likeness deals to land their top-ranked recruiting classes. Saban apologized a few hours later but generally stuck to his stance and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey followed soon after with a public reprimand for both. So much for a quiet offseason. The public spat is perhaps the ugliest display of the growing angst among college coaches who are wrestling with two big changes: the NIL compensation era that launched last July and its impact on recruiting, and the ease with which players can now transfer. Both have upset the landscape veteran coaches are used to, leading to complaints and now scathing accusations. Less than 24 hours after Saban said Texas A&M was essentially "buying" players, Fisher called an impromptu news conference to blast college football's most accomplished coach and his former boss at LSU. "It's despicable that a reputable head coach can come out and say this when he doesn't get his way or things don't go his way," Fisher said in College Station, Texas. Sankey issued a "public reprimand" for both coaches, but acknowledged there's "tremendous frustration" about the lack of consistency in NIL rules in different states. |
| Mike Golic Jr. says it was 'beneath' Nick Saban to go after Deion Sanders, Jackson State | |
| Football analyst Mike Golic Jr. appeared as a guest Thursday morning on the "McElroy and Cubelic In The Morning" radio show on WJOX-FM 94.5 in Birmingham, Alabama. Golic Jr. gave his thoughts on what Nick Saban had to say about Texas A&M football, Jackson State football, and Miami Hurricanes men's basketball on Wednesday night at an event to promote the 2022 World Games in Birmingham. The most pointed comments from Golic Jr. were about Saban making accusations against Jackson State football, an HBCU that competes at the Football Championship Subdivision level. Cole Cubelic asked Golic Jr.," What about the Jackson State deal? ... I don't recall Jackson State or Travis Hunter confirming anything. There was obviously some rumors, some rumblings we heard about a documentary or something that was floating around, and there was a lot of discussion about the (Texas) A&M stuff. I haven't seen documentation on any of these things. Why go that far with it?" "That one was a bit surprising to me," Golic Jr. said of Saban's Jackson State comments. "That was almost like Nick was skimming Internet headlines at that point. We know this is an extremely detailed person, but that was the one part of this that you could say felt a little bit sloppy. Now, with Texas A&M, we know there was a lot of reporting that (Texas A&M football head coach) Jimbo Fisher came out and rebuked. The same really with Deion (Sanders) at Jackson State. He came out and in every interview you saw him do after Travis Hunter signed there, he said we don't even have money to pay most of my coaches that much money. Why do you think we'd be able to offer that to a player?" Hunter, a five-star rated cornerback, enrolled at Jackson State in January. He signed in December. "I think it's one thing too, the power dynamic in that one feels kind of messed up," Golic Jr. said continuing his answer about Jackson State. |
| Deion Sanders warns Nick Saban about $1M NIL accusation: 'I'm not the one you want to play with' | |
| Deion Sanders has a warning for Nick Saban and anyone else after the Alabama football coach accused Sanders of paying a player a million dollars to attend Jackson State. Sanders said in an interview with Andscape that coaches wouldn't want him sharing what he knows about which college coaches are paying players. "I don't even wear a watch and I know what time it is. They forget I know who's been bringing the bag and dropping it off," Sanders said. "I know this stuff. I'm not the one you want to play with when it comes to all of this stuff." Saban said that he reached out to Sanders during a radio interview on Sirius XM Thursday, but that Sanders didn't respond. "I haven't talked to Coach Saban," Sanders said. "I'm sure he's tried to call. We need to talk publicly -- not privately. What you said was public. That doesn't require a conversation. Let's talk publicly and let everybody hear the conversation." Sanders said he still admires and respects Saban, but that Saban stepped out of bounds with his comments, which also targeted Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher. The SEC issued a public reprimand to Saban and Fisher for their comments Thursday. Sanders denied that Travis Hunter, the nation's top college football prospect in the class of 2022, has a million-dollar NIL deal. "I don't make a million. Travis ain't built like that. Travis ain't chasing a dollar. Travis is chasing greatness. Travis and his family don't get down like that," Sanders said. "They never came to us in search of the bag. They're not built like that. This kid wants to be great. |
| Jimbo Fisher strikes back at Nick Saban's accusations of improper NIL inducements | |
| Thursday morning, surrounded by an entourage of people -- and one of his German shepherd dogs -- Texas A&M head football coach Jimbo Fisher entered the media center at Kyle Field for an impromptu press conference with the strut of a prize fighter entering the ring. For the next nine minutes, he issued emotional haymaker after haymaker of accusations, insinuations and defenses aimed at Alabama head coach Nick Saban. In a Wednesday story by AL.com, Saban accused the Aggies of buying their record-setting recruiting class through name, image and likeness [NIL] compensation. For a second time since National Signing Day, Fisher gave a defense of his recruiting class: "We never bought anybody. No rules were broken. Nothing was done wrong." The state of Texas governs how NIL can be earned at universities within the state, as laid out in Senate Bill 1385, which went into effect on July 1, 2021. According to the legislation, programs in the state cannot "provide or solicit a prospective student athlete of an intercollegiate athletic program at the institution with compensation in relation to the prospective student athlete's name, image or likeness." Fisher, who adamantly opposes social media, first learned of Saban's comments Wednesday night from assistant director of football operations Mark Robinson. "I'm going to tell you one thing: You can call me anything you want to call me. You ain't calling me a cheat," Fisher said. "I don't cheat and I don't lie. I learned that when I was a kid. If you did that, the old man slapped you upside the head. Maybe somebody should have slapped [Saban]." |
| As Saban and Fisher feud, South Carolina's Shane Beamer sounds off about NIL direction | |
 | The annual Southeastern Conference spring meetings in Destin, Florida are 11 days away. As of Thursday, the SEC might need to add a steel-cage wrestling match over the roaring name, image and likeness debate to the schedule of events. Alabama head coach Nick Saban drew headlines Wednesday night when he suggested Texas A&M and head coach Jimbo Fisher paid players for their services en route to the nation's No. 1 recruiting class in the 2022 cycle. That NIL has become a focal point of college football's talking season shouldn't come as a surprise. Prior to the explosion of Saban's comments and Fisher's escalation of the situation, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer spoke with boosters at a Gamecock Club event in Rock Hill on Wednesday night. Beamer spent the bulk of the night discussing the usual musings of his Welcome Home Tour stops. There were jokes about previous USC staffs not recruiting the hotbed of talent located just south of Charlotte. He also mentioned through a laugh that he signed a prayer candle with his face on it for a fan earlier in the night. South Carolina's second-year coach, too, was asked how NIL fits into college football under the current climate, unbeknownst to anyone in the room how fervently that debate would pick up in a matter of 24 hours. "I'm all for guys being able to (profit)," Beamer said. "What I don't like is it's turned into buying recruits, and that's not what the rule was intended to be. That's my honest, politically correct answer on all that, but I think most college coaches will tell you that the way it is right now is not sustainable and it's not what it was intended to be." |
| Georgia athletics outlines FY 2023 projected revenue, plans for academic bonus payments | |
 | Georgia's athletic board will be asked to approve a fiscal year 2023 budget next week at its spring meeting in Greensboro that will include projected increased revenues of just under eight percent. That would be approximately $162 million total, up from $150.3 million in fiscal year 2022. The board's finance committee voted to recommend the proposed FY 2023 budget on Tuesday morning during a meeting held by Zoom. No figures for projected expenses were specified, but the school is including funding for an academic achievement award for all athletes, roughly 500 total. That can be up to $5,980 per athlete per academic year in bonus payments that came out of the NCAA vs. Alston case that sided with former players against the governing body. Georgia did not detail how the awards would be determined. Athletic director Josh Brooks said the information would be disclosed at the board meeting next week. Twenty-two of 130 FBS schools planned to pay bonuses this year, ESPN reported in April, with nine other SEC schools among those. Alabama is a 10th SEC school that is paying its athletes the academic bonus, according to the Tuscaloosa News. Georgia said its projected increased revenues come from the neutral site football game vs. Oregon in Atlanta (with a $5 million payout) and a "small uptick," in football season ticket contributions "due to the excitement of the football season," after winning the national championship, said deputy athletic director for finance Stephanie Ransom. |
| New Auburn president Chris Roberts sets up summer meetings with Allen Greene, as athletics director works in last year of contract | |
 | New Auburn University president Chris Roberts said he'll be meeting with Allen Greene in the coming weeks, as the athletics director's contract inches closer to expiration in January 2023. Roberts said only that he is looking forward to learning more about Auburn's athletics department in the meetings. He spoke Monday in Samford Hall on his first day as school president, remaining non-committal on the future of the AD's office. When asked if former president Jay Gogue had left Greene's contract un-extended so that Roberts could make that decision himself, Roberts declined to answer. "What I can tell you is that I'm looking forward to learning a lot more about our athletics programs," Roberts said. "Allen and I are looking forward to having several discussions together, where I'm going to get the opportunity to visit and learn a lot about the programs." Greene was hired in January 2018 and his contract is set to expire Jan. 31, 2023. Greene reaffirmed again publicly on the Paul Finebaum Show last week that he'd like to remain as the athletics director at Auburn. While Roberts didn't say when he will put in place plans for the AD's office for February 2023 onward, he did say his meetings with Greene and his efforts to learn more about the athletics department will be starting soon. "I'm starting immediately," Roberts said. "I'm meeting with all the direct reports to the president's office, and athletics director is one of those. So, yeah, over the next couple of weeks, we have a number of meetings set up with different leaders across campus, so I'll be learning a lot during that timeframe." |
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